United International Growth Fund, Inc.
This Fund seeks the long-term appreciation of your investment. Current income is
a secondary goal.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the
Fund's securities, or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or
adequate. It is a criminal offense to state otherwise.
Prospectus
September 20, 1999
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AN OVERVIEW OF THE FUND...................................................... 3
PERFORMANCE ................................................................. 5
FEES AND EXPENSES ........................................................... 7
THE INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES OF
THE FUND .................................................................... 9
Investment Goals, Principal Strategies
and Other Investments .................................................... 9
Risk Considerations of Principal
Strategies and Other Investments.......................................... 10
Year 2000 and Euro Issues................................................. 11
YOUR ACCOUNT ................................................................ 12
Choosing a Share Class.................................................... 12
Sales Charge Reductions and
Waivers................................................................ 14
Waivers for Certain Investors.......................................... 14
Ways to Set Up Your Account............................................... 18
Buying Shares............................................................. 19
Minimum Investments....................................................... 22
Adding to Your Account.................................................... 22
Selling Shares............................................................ 23
Telephone Transactions.................................................... 26
Shareholder Services...................................................... 26
Personal Service....................................................... 26
Reports................................................................ 27
Exchanges.............................................................. 27
Automatic Transactions for Class A,
Class B and Class C Shareholders....................................... 27
Distributions and Taxes................................................... 28
Distributions.......................................................... 28
Taxes.................................................................. 29
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND................................................... 31
Portfolio Management...................................................... 31
Management Fee............................................................ 31
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS......................................................... 33
<PAGE>
An
Overview of the Fund
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
Goals
United International Growth Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") seeks, as a primary goal,
long-term appreciation of capital. As a secondary goal, the Fund seeks current
income.
Principal Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its goals by investing primarily in common stocks of
foreign companies that Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company ("WRIMCO"),
the Fund's investment manager, believes have the potential for long-term growth
represented by economic expansion within a country or region and the
restructuring and/or privatization of particular industries. The Fund emphasizes
growth stocks which are securities of companies whose earnings WRIMCO believes
are likely to grow faster than the economy. The Fund primarily invests in
issuers of developed countries. The Fund may invest in companies of any size.
WRIMCO may look at a number of factors in selecting securities for the Fund's
portfolio. These include the issuer's:
o growth potential;
o earnings potential;
o management;
o industry position; and
o applicable economic and market conditions.
Generally, in determining whether to sell a security, WRIMCO will use the same
type of analysis that it uses in buying securities of that type. For example,
WRIMCO may sell a security if it believes the security no longer offers
significant growth potential. As well, WRIMCO may sell a security to take
advantage of more attractive investment opportunities or to raise cash.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Because the Fund owns different types of investments, a variety of factors can
affect its investment performance, such as:
o changes in foreign exchange rates, which may affect the value of the
securities the Fund holds;
3
<PAGE>
o adverse stock and bond market conditions, sometimes in response to general
economic or industry news, that may cause the prices of the Fund's holdings
to fall as part of a broad market decline;
o the earnings performance, credit quality and other conditions of the issuers
whose securities the Fund holds; and
o WRIMCO's skill in evaluating and selecting securities for the Fund.
Investing in foreign securities presents additional risks, such as currency
fluctuations and political or economic conditions affecting the foreign country.
Accounting and disclosure standards also differ from country to country, which
makes obtaining reliable research information more difficult. There is the
possibility that, under unusual international monetary or political conditions,
the Fund's assets might be more volatile than would be the case with other
investments.
Market risk for small or medium sized companies may be greater than that for
large companies. For example, smaller companies have limited financial
resources, limited product lines or inexperienced management.
As with any mutual fund, the value of the Fund's shares will change and you
could lose money on your investment. 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.
Who May Want to Invest
The Fund is designed for investors seeking long-term appreciation of capital by
investing primarily in securities issued by foreign companies. You should
consider whether the Fund fits your investment objectives.
4
<PAGE>
Performance
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
The bar chart and performance table below provide some indication of the risks
of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year
to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for the
periods shown compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and a
peer group average.
o The bar chart presents the average annual total returns for Class A and shows
how performance has varied from year to year over the past ten calendar
years.
o The bar chart does not reflect any sales charge that you may be required to
pay upon purchase of the Fund's Class A shares. If the sales charge was
included, the returns would be less than those shown.
o The performance table shows Class A and Class Y average annual total returns
and compares them to the market indicators listed. No performance information
is provided for Class B or Class C shares since these classes do not have
annual returns for at least a calendar year.
o The bar chart and the performance table assume reinvestment of dividends and
distributions. As with all mutual funds, the Fund's past performance does not
necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
Note that the performance information in the bar chart and performance table is
based on calendar-year periods, while the information shown in the Financial
Highlights section of this Prospectus and in the Fund's shareholder reports is
CHART OF YEAR-BY-YEAR RETURNS
as of December 31 each year (%)
[PLOT POINTS FOR BAR CHART]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
1989 12.88%
1990 -13.20%
1991 19.27%
1992 - 0.67%
1993 45.56%
1994 1.81%
1995 8.09%
1996 18.23%
1997 17.38%
1998 21.41%
</TABLE>
[END PLOT POINTS]
In the period shown in the chart, the highest quarterly return was 19.80% (the
first quarter of 1998) and the lowest quarterly return was -17.43% (the third
quarter of 1990). The Class A return for the year through June 30, 1999 was
1.37%.
5
<PAGE>
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
as of December 31, 1998 (%)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years Life of Class*
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Shares of the
Fund 14.43% 11.81% 11.43%
Morgan Stanley Capital
International E.A.FE.
Index 20.00% 9.19% 5.54% 9.57%
Lipper International
Fund Universe Average 13.03% 7.80% 9.02% 9.61%
Class Y Shares of the
Fund 21.91% 16.37%
Morgan Stanley Capital
International E.A.FE.
Index 20.00% 9.19% 5.54% 9.57%
Lipper International
Fund Universe Average 13.03% 7.80% 9.02% 9.61%
</TABLE>
The index shown is a broad-based, securities market index that is unmanaged. The
Lipper average is a composite of mutual funds with goals similar to the goals of
the Fund.
*Since September 27, 1995, the date on which Class Y commenced operations.
Because the Class commenced operations on a date other than at the end of a
month, and partial month calculations of the performances of the index are not
available, index performance is from September 30, 1995.
6
<PAGE>
Fees and Expenses
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
shares of the Fund.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from Class A Class B Class C Class Y
your investment) Shares Shares Shares Shares
------- ------- ------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge
(Load) Imposed on
Purchases (as a
percentage of offering
price) 5.75% None None None
Maximum Deferred
Sales Charge (Load)(1)
(as a percentage of
lesser of amount
invested or redemption
value) None 5% 1% None
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2)
(expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management Fees 0.85% 0.85% 0.85% 0.85%
Distribution and
Service (12b-1) Fees(3) 0.25% 1.00% 1.00% None
Other Expenses 0.36% 0.36% 0.36% 0.30%
Total Annual Fund
Operating Expenses 1.46% 2.21% 2.21% 1.15%
</TABLE>
(1)The contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") which is imposed on the lesser
of amount invested or redemption value of Class B shares declines from 5% for
redemptions made within the first calendar year of purchase, to 4% for
redemptions made within the second calendar year, to 3% for redemptions made
within the third and fourth calendar years, to 2% for redemptions made within
the fifth calendar year, to 1% for redemptions made within the sixth calendar
year and to 0% for redemptions made after the sixth calendar year. Please
note that the CDSC is not based on the length of time that shares are held.
Instead, the CDSC is based on the calendar year of purchase and the calendar
year of redemption. For Class C shares, a 1% CDSC applies to the lesser of
amount invested or redemption value of Class C shares redeemed within 12
months.
(2)Management Fees and Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses have been restated
to reflect the change in management fees effective June 30, 1999; otherwise,
expense ratios are based on other Fund-level expenses of the Fund for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1999, and for Class B and Class C, the expenses
attributable to each class that are anticipated for the current year. Actual
expenses may be greater or less than those shown.
(3)It is possible that long-term Class A, Class B and Class C shareholders of
the Fund may bear 12b-1 distribution fees that are more than the maximum
asset-based sales charge permitted under the rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
7
<PAGE>
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the shares
of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example
assumes that (a) you invest $10,000 in the particular Class A, Class B, Class C
or Class Y shares for each time period specified, (b) your investment has a 5%
return each year, and (c) the expenses remain the same. Although your actual
costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
If shares are redeemed
at end of period: 1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Shares $715 $1,010 $1,327 $ 2,221
Class B Shares $624 $ 991 $1,285 $ 2,308*
Class C Shares $324 $ 691 $1,185 $ 2,544
Class Y Shares $117 $ 365 $ 633 $ 1,398
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
If shares are not redeemed
at end of period: 1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Shares $715 $1,010 $1,327 $ 2,221
Class B Shares $224 $ 691 $1,185 $ 2,308*
Class C Shares $224 $ 691 $1,185 $ 2,544
Class Y Shares $117 $ 365 $ 633 $ 1,398
</TABLE>
*Reflects annual operating expenses of Class A after conversion of Class B
shares into Class A shares at the end of the seventh calendar year following
the first calendar year of purchase.
8
<PAGE>
The Investment Principles of the Fund
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
Investment Goals, Principal Strategies and
Other Investments
The primary goal of the Fund is long-term capital appreciation, with current
income as a secondary goal. The Fund seeks to achieve these goals by investing
primarily in a diversified portfolio of common stocks of foreign issuers. There
is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goals.
The Fund may also invest, to a lesser extent, in preferred stocks and debt
securities. The debt securities may be of any maturity and will typically be
investment grade (rated BBB and higher by Standard & Poor's, or Baa and higher
by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.).
Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in
foreign securities and at least 65% of its total assets in issuers of at least
three foreign countries. The Fund generally limits its holdings so that no more
than 75% of its total assets are invested in issuers of a single foreign country
and no more than 25% of its total assets are invested in securities issued by
the government of a foreign country. As well, the Fund will invest at least 65%
of its total assets in growth securities (primarily in common stock) during
normal market conditions. Growth securities are those whose earnings, WRIMCO
believes, are likely to have strong growth over several years.
When WRIMCO believes that a temporary defensive position is desirable, WRIMCO
may take certain steps with respect to up to all of the Fund's assets in debt
securities (including commercial paper or short-term U.S. Government securities)
or preferred stocks, or both. By taking a temporary defensive position, the Fund
may not achieve its investment objectives.
The Fund may also invest in other types of investments and use certain other
instruments in seeking to achieve the Fund's goals. For example, the Fund may
also invest in options, futures contracts, asset-backed securities and other
derivative instruments if it is permitted to invest in the type of asset by
which the return on, or value of, the derivative is measured. At this time, the
Fund has limited exposure to derivatives. You will find more information about
the Fund's
9
<PAGE>
permitted investments and strategies, as well as the restrictions that apply to
them, in the Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Risk Considerations of Principal Strategies
and Other Investments
Risks exist in any investment. The Fund may be subject to the following risks:
o Foreign investment risk is the possibility that the Fund may be subject to:
restrictions on receiving the investment proceeds from a foreign country;
foreign taxes; potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations;
fluctuations in foreign currency values; and other developments that may
adversely affect a foreign country.
o Market risk is the possibility of a change in the price of the security
because of market factors including changes in interest rates. Bonds with
longer maturities are more interest-rate sensitive. For example, if interest
rates increase, the value of a bond with a longer maturity is more likely to
decrease. Because of market risk, the share price of the Fund will likely
change as well.
o Financial risk is based on the financial situation of the issuer of the
security. The financial risk of the Fund may depend, for example, on the
earnings performance of the issuer of stock held by the Fund. To the extent
the Fund invests in debt securities, the financial risk of the Fund may also
depend on the credit quality of the underlying securities in which it
invests.
o Prepayment risk is the possibility that, during periods of falling interest
rates, a debt security with a high stated interest rate will be prepaid
before its expected maturity date.
Certain types of the Fund's authorized investments and strategies (such as
derivative instruments) involve special risks. Depending on how much the Fund
invests or uses these strategies, these special risks may become significant.
For example, derivative instruments may expose the Fund to greater volatility
than an investment in a more traditional stock, bond or other security.
Because the Fund owns different types of investments, its performance will be
affected by a variety of factors. In general, the value of the Fund's
investments and the income it may generate will vary from day to day, generally
due to changes in market conditions, interest rates and other company and
economic news. Performance will also depend on WRIMCO's skill in selecting
investments.
10
<PAGE>
The Fund may actively trade securities in seeking to achieve its goal. Doing so
may increase transaction costs, which may reduce performance and increase
distributions paid by the Fund, which may increase your taxable income.
Year 2000 and Euro Issues
Like other mutual funds, financial and business organizations and individuals
around the world, the Fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by WRIMCO and the Fund's other service providers do not properly process
and calculate date-related information and data from and after January 1, 2000.
WRIMCO is taking steps that it believes are reasonably designed to address Year
2000 computer-related problems with respect to the computer systems that it uses
and to obtain assurances that comparable steps are being taken by the Fund's
other major service providers. Although there can be no assurances, WRIMCO
believes these steps will be sufficient to avoid any adverse impact on the Fund.
Similarly, the companies and other issuers in which the Fund invests could be
adversely affected by Year 2000 computer-related problems, and there can be no
assurance that the steps taken, if any, by these issuers will be sufficient to
avoid any adverse impact on the Fund.
The Fund could also be adversely affected by the conversion of certain European
currencies into the Euro. This conversion, which is underway, is scheduled to be
completed in 2002. However, problems with the conversion process and delays
could increase volatility in world capital markets and affect European capital
markets in particular.
11
<PAGE>
Your Account
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
Choosing a Share Class
This Prospectus offers four classes of shares for the Fund: Class A, Class B,
Class C and Class Y. Each class has its own sales charge, if any, and expense
structure. The decision as to which class of shares is best suited to your needs
depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your financial
advisor. Some factors to consider are how much you plan to invest and how long
you plan to hold your investment. For example, if you are investing a
substantial amount and plan to hold your shares for a long time, Class A shares
may be the most appropriate for you. If you are investing a lesser amount, you
may want to consider Class B shares (if investing for at least seven calendar
years) or Class C shares (if investing for less than seven calendar years).
Class Y shares are designed for institutional investors and others investing
through certain intermediaries, as described below. Since your objectives may
change over time, you may want to consider another class when you buy additional
Fund shares. All of your future investments in the Fund will be made in the
class you select when you open your account, unless you inform the Fund
otherwise, in writing, when you make a future investment.
12
<PAGE>
General Comparison of Class A, Class B and Class C Shares
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class A Class B Class C
------- ------- -------
<S> <C> <C>
Initial sales charge No initial sales charge No initial sales charge
No deferred sales charge Deferred sales charge on A 1% deferred sales
shares you sell within six charge on shares you sell
calendar years within twelve months
Maximum distribution Maximum distribution Maximum distribution
and service (12b-1) fees and service (12b-1) fees and service (12b-1) fees
of 0.25% of 1.00% of 1.00%
For an investment of Converts to Class A shares Does not convert to
$2,000,000 or more at the end of the seventh Class A shares, so
Waddell & Reed calendar year following annual expenses do
financial advisors will the year of purchase, thus not decrease
recommend purchase reducing future annual
of Class A shares due to expenses
no sales charge and
lower annual expenses
For an investment of
$300,000 or more Waddell
& Reed financial advisors
often may recommend
purchase of Class A shares
due to a reduced sales
charge and lower annual
expenses
</TABLE>
The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan ("Plan") pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, for each of its
Class A, Class B and Class C shares. Under the Class A Plan, the Fund may pay
Waddell & Reed, Inc. a fee of up to 0.25%, on an annual basis, of the average
daily net assets of the Class A shares. This fee is to reimburse Waddell & Reed,
Inc. for the amounts it spends for distributing the Fund's Class A shares,
providing service to Class A shareholders and/or maintaining Class A shareholder
accounts. Under the Class B Plan and the Class C Plan, the Fund may pay Waddell
& Reed, Inc., on an annual basis, a service fee of up to 0.25% of the average
daily net assets of the class to compensate Waddell & Reed, Inc. for providing
service to shareholders of that class and/or maintaining shareholder accounts
for that class and a distribution fee of up to 0.75% of the average daily net
assets of the class to compensate Waddell & Reed, Inc. for distributing shares
of that class. Because a class's fees are paid out of the assets of that class
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.
13
<PAGE>
Class A shares are subject to a sales charge when you buy them, based on the
amount of your investment, according to the table below. Class A shares pay an
annual 12b-1 fee of up to 0.25% of average Class A net assets. The ongoing
expenses of this class are lower than those for Class B or Class C shares and
higher than those for Class Y shares.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Sales Charge Sales Charge as
as Percent of Approx. Percent of
Size of Purchase Offering Price Amount Invested
---------------- -------------- ------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Under $100,000 5.75% 6.10%
$100,000 to less than $200,000 4.75 4.99
$200,000 to less than $300,000 3.50 3.63
$300,000 to less than $500,000 2.50 2.56
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000 1.50 1.52
$1,000,000 to less than $2,000,000 1.00 1.01
$2,000,000 and over 0.00 0.00
</TABLE>
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers
Lower sales charges are available by:
o Combining additional purchases of Class A shares of any of the funds in the
United Group, except shares of United Cash Management, Inc. unless acquired
by exchange for Class A shares on which a sales charge was paid (or as a
dividend or distribution on such acquired shares), with the net asset value
("NAV") of Class A shares already held ("Rights of Accumulation");
o Grouping all purchases of Class A shares, except shares of United Cash
Management, Inc., made during a thirteen-month period ("Letter of Intent");
and
o Grouping purchases by certain related persons.
Additional information and applicable forms are available from Waddell & Reed
financial advisors.
Waivers for Certain Investors
Class A shares may be purchased at NAV by:
o The Directors and officers of the Fund, employees of Waddell & Reed, Inc.,
employees of their affiliates, financial advisors of Waddell & Reed, Inc. and
the spouse, children, parents, children's spouses and spouse's parents of
each;
o Certain retirement plans and certain trusts for these persons; and
o A 401(k) plan having 100 or more eligible employees.
You will find more information in the SAI about sales charge reductions and
waivers.
14
<PAGE>
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. A contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC")
may be assessed against your redemption amount of Class B or Class C shares and
paid to Waddell & Reed, Inc. (the "Distributor"), as further described below.
The purpose of the CDSC is to compensate the Distributor for the costs incurred
by it in connection with the sale of the Fund's Class B or Class C shares. The
CDSC will not be imposed on Class B or Class C shares representing payment of
dividends or distributions or on amounts which represent an increase in the
value of a shareholder's account resulting from capital appreciation above the
amount paid for Class B or Class C shares purchased during the CDSC period. The
date of redemption is measured, in calendar years, from the first calendar year
of purchase. For example, if a shareholder opens an account on November 1, 1999,
then redeems all shares on March 1, 2000, the shareholder would pay a CDSC of
4%, the rate applicable to redemptions made within the second calendar year of
purchase. Please note that the CDSC is not based on the length of time that
shares are held. Instead, the CDSC is based on the calendar year of purchase and
the calendar year of redemption. The CDSC is applied to the lesser of amount
invested or redemption value.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you place a request to redeem
shares the Fund assumes that a redemption is made first of shares not subject to
a deferred sales charge (including shares which represent appreciation on shares
held, reinvested dividends and distributions), and then of shares that represent
the lowest sales charge.
Unless instructed otherwise, the Fund, when requested to redeem a specific
dollar amount, will redeem additional Class B or Class C shares equal in value
to the CDSC. For example, should you request a $1,000 redemption and the
applicable CDSC is $27, the Fund will redeem shares having an aggregate NAV of
$1,027, absent different instructions.
Class B shares are not subject to a sales charge when you buy them. However, you
may pay a CDSC if you sell your Class B shares within six calendar years of
their purchase, based on the table below. Class B shares pay an annual 12b-1
service fee of up to 0.25% of average net assets and a distribution fee of up to
0.75% of average net assets. Over time, these fees will increase the cost of
your investment and may cost you more than if you had bought Class A shares.
Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares at the end of the
seventh calendar year following the year of purchase. Class A shares have lower
ongoing expenses.
15
<PAGE>
The Fund will redeem your Class B shares at their NAV next calculated after
receipt of a written request for redemption in good order, subject to the CDSC
discussed below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Date of Redemption Deferred Sales Charge
------------------ ---------------------
<S> <C>
anytime within 1st calendar year 5%
anytime within 2nd calendar year 4%
anytime within 3rd calendar year 3%
anytime within 4th calendar year 3%
anytime within 5th calendar year 2%
anytime within 6th calendar year 1%
after 6th calendar year 0%
</TABLE>
All Class B investments made during a calendar year are deemed a single
investment during that calendar year for purposes of calculating the CDSC.
Class C shares are not subject to a sales charge when you buy them, but if you
sell your Class C shares within 12 months of buying them, you will pay a 1%
CDSC. For purposes of a CDSC, purchases of Class C shares within a month will be
considered as being purchased on the first day of the month. Class C shares pay
an annual 12b-1 service fee of up to 0.25% of average net assets and a
distribution fee of up to 0.75% of average net assets. Over time, these fees
will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than if you had
bought Class A shares. Class C shares do not convert to any other class.
For Class C shares, the CDSC will be applied to the lesser of amount invested or
redemption value of shares that have been held for twelve months or less.
The CDSC will not apply in the following circumstances:
o redemptions of Class B or Class C shares requested within one year of the
shareholder's death or disability, provided the Fund is notified of the death
or disability at the time of the request and furnished proof of such event
satisfactory to the Distributor.
o redemptions of Class B or Class C shares made to satisfy required minimum
distributions after age 70-1/2 from a qualified retirement plan, a required
minimum distribution from an individual retirement account, Keogh plan or
custodial account under section 403(b)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended ("Code"), a tax-free return of an excess contribution, or
that otherwise results from the death or
16
<PAGE>
disability of the employee, as well as in connection with redemptions by any
tax-exempt employee benefit plan for which, as a result of a subsequent law
or legislation, the continuation of its investment would be improper.
o redemptions of Class B or Class C shares made pursuant to a shareholder's
participation in any systematic withdrawal service adopted for a Fund. (The
service and this exclusion from the CDSC do not apply to a one-time
withdrawal.)
o redemptions the proceeds of which are reinvested in Class B or Class C shares
(must be reinvested in the same class as that which was redeemed) of the Fund
within thirty days after such redemption.
o the exercise of certain exchange privileges.
o redemptions effected pursuant to the Fund's right to liquidate a
shareholder's Class B or Class C shares if the aggregate NAV of those shares
is less than $500.
o redemptions effected by another registered investment company by virtue of a
merger or other reorganization with the Fund or by a former shareholder of
such investment company of Class B or Class C shares of the Fund acquired
pursuant to such reorganization.
These exceptions may be modified or eliminated by the Fund at any time without
prior notice to shareholders, except with respect to redemptions effected
pursuant to the Fund's right to liquidate a shareholder's shares, which requires
certain notices.
Class Y shares are not subject to a sales charge or annual 12b-1 fees.
Class Y shares are only available for purchase by:
o participants of employee benefit plans established under section 403(b) or
section 457, or qualified under section 401 of the Code, including 401(k)
plans, when the plan has 100 or more eligible employees and holds the shares
in an omnibus account on the Fund's records;
o banks, trust institutions, investment fund administrators and other third
parties investing for their own accounts or for the accounts of their
customers where such investments for customer accounts are held in an omnibus
account on the Fund's records;
o government entities or authorities and corporations whose investment within
the first twelve months after initial investment is $10 million or more; and
17
<PAGE>
o certain retirement plans and trusts for employees and financial advisors of
Waddell & Reed, Inc. and its affiliates.
The different ways to set up (register) your account are listed below.
Ways to Set Up Your Account
Individual or Joint Tenants
For your general investment needs
Individual accounts are owned by one person. Joint accounts have two or more
owners (tenants).
Business or Organization
For investment needs of corporations, associations, partnerships, institutions
or other groups
Retirement
To shelter your retirement savings from taxes
Retirement plans allow individuals to shelter investment income and capital
gains from current taxes. In addition, contributions to these accounts (other
than Roth IRAs and Education IRAs) may be tax-deductible.
o Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) allow an individual under 701/2, with
earned income, to invest up to $2,000 per tax year. The maximum annual
contribution for an investor and his or her spouse is $4,000 ($2,000 for each
spouse) or, if less, the couple's combined earned income for the taxable
year.
o Rollover IRAs retain special tax advantages for certain distributions from
employer-sponsored retirement plans.
o Roth IRAs allow certain individuals to make nondeductible contributions up to
$2,000 per year. Withdrawals of earnings may be tax free if the account is at
least five years old and certain other requirements are met.
o Education IRAs are established for the benefit of a minor, with nondeductible
contributions, and permit tax-free withdrawls to pay the higher education
expenses of the beneficiary.
o Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEP-IRAs) provide small business owners or
those with self-employed income (and their eligible employees) with many of
the same advantages as a Keogh Plan, but with fewer administrative
requirements.
o Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE Plans) can be established
by small employers to contribute to their employees' retirement accounts and
generally involve fewer administrative requirements than 401(k) or other
qualified plans.
18
<PAGE>
o Keogh Plans allow self-employed individuals to make tax-deductible
contributions for themselves of up to 25% of their annual earned income, with
a maximum of $30,000 per year.
o Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans, including 401(k) Plans, allow corporations
and nongovernmental tax-exempt organizations of all sizes and/or their
employees to contribute a percentage of the employees' wages or other amounts
on a tax-deferred basis. These accounts need to be established by the
administrator or trustee of the plan.
o 403(b) Custodial Accounts are available to employees of public school systems
or certain types of charitable organizations.
o 457 Accounts allow employees of state and local governments and certain
charitable organizations to contribute a portion of their compensation on a
tax-deferred basis.
Gifts or Transfers to a Minor
To invest for a child's education or other future needs
These custodial accounts provide a way to give money to a child and obtain tax
benefits. An individual can give up to $10,000 a year per child free of Federal
transfer tax consequences. Depending on state laws, you can set up a custodial
account under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act ("UGMA") or the Uniform Transfers
to Minors Act ("UTMA").
Trust
For money being invested by a trust
The trust must be established before an account can be opened, or you may use a
trust form made available by Waddell & Reed. Contact your Waddell & Reed
financial advisor for the form.
Buying Shares
You may buy shares of the Fund through Waddell & Reed, Inc. and its financial
advisors. To open your account you must complete and sign an application. Your
Waddell & Reed financial advisor can help you with any questions you might have.
To purchase any class of shares by check, make your check payable to Waddell &
Reed, Inc. Mail the check, along with your completed application, to:
Waddell & Reed, Inc.
P.O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
19
<PAGE>
To purchase Class Y shares by wire, you must first obtain an account number by
calling 1-800-366-2520, then mail a completed application to Waddell & Reed,
Inc., P.O. Box 29217, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201-9217, or fax it to
913-236-5044. Instruct your bank to wire the amount you wish to invest, along
with the account number and registration, to UMB Bank, n.a., ABA Number
101000695, W&R Underwriter Account Number 0007978, FBO Customer Name and Account
Number.
You may also buy Class Y shares of the Fund indirectly through certain
broker-dealers, banks and other third parties, some of which may charge you a
fee. These firms may have additional requirements regarding the purchase of
Class Y shares.
The price to buy a share of the Fund, called the offering price, is calculated
every business day.
The offering price of a share (the price to buy one share of a particular class)
is the next NAV calculated per share of that class plus, for Class A shares, the
sales charge shown in the table above.
In the calculation of the Fund's NAV:
o The securities in the Fund's portfolio that are listed or traded on an
exchange are valued primarily using market prices.
o Bonds are generally valued according to prices quoted by an independent
pricing service.
o Short-term debt securities are valued at amortized cost, which approximates
market value.
o Other investment assets for which market prices are unavailable are valued at
their fair value by or at the direction of the Board of Directors.
The Fund is open for business each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE")
is open. The Fund normally calculates the NAVs of its shares as of the close of
business of the NYSE, normally 4 p.m. Eastern time, except that an option or
futures contract held by the Fund may be priced at the close of the regular
session of any other securities or commodities exchange on which that instrument
is traded.
The Fund may invest in securities listed on foreign exchanges which may trade on
Saturdays or on U.S. national business holidays when the NYSE is closed.
Consequently, the NAV of Fund shares may be significantly affected on days when
the Fund does not price its shares and when you are not able to purchase or
redeem the Fund's shares. Similarly, if an event materially affecting the
20
<PAGE>
value of foreign investments or foreign currency exchange rates occurs prior to
the close of business of the NYSE but after the time their values are otherwise
determined, such investments or exchange rates may be valued at their fair value
as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.
When you place an order to buy shares, your order will be processed at the next
offering price calculated after your order is received and accepted. Note the
following:
o Orders are accepted only at the home office of Waddell & Reed, Inc.
o All of your purchases must be made in U.S. dollars.
o If you buy shares by check, and then sell those shares by any method other
than by exchange to another fund in the United Group, the payment may be
delayed for up to ten days to ensure that your previous investment has
cleared.
o The Fund does not issue certificates representing Class B, Class C or Class Y
shares of the Fund.
o If you purchase Class Y shares of the Fund from certain broker-dealers, banks
or other authorized third parties, the Fund will be deemed to have received
your purchase order when that third party (or its designee) has received your
order. Your order will receive the Class Y offering price next calculated
after the order has been received in proper form by the authorized third
party (or its designee). You should consult that firm to determine the time
by which it must receive your order for you to purchase shares of the Fund at
that day's price.
When you sign your account application, you will be asked to certify that your
Social Security or other taxpayer identification number is correct and whether
you are subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the
Internal Revenue Service.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. reserves the right to reject any purchase orders,
including purchases by exchange, and it and the Fund reserve the right to
discontinue offering Fund shares for purchase.
21
<PAGE>
Minimum Investments
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For Class A, Class B and Class C:
- ---------------------------------
<S> <C>
To Open an Account $500
For certain exchanges $100
For certain retirement accounts and accounts opened
with Automatic Investment Service $ 50
For certain retirement accounts and accounts opened
through payroll deductions for or by employees of
WRIMCO, Waddell & Reed, Inc. and their affiliates $ 25
To Add to an Account Any amount
For certain exchanges $100
For Automatic Investment Service $ 25
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For Class Y:
- ------------
<S> <C>
To Open an Account
For a government entity
or authority or for a
corporation: $10 million (within first twelve months)
For other investors: Any amount
To Add to an Account Any amount
</TABLE>
Adding to Your Account
Subject to the minimums described under "Minimum Investments," you can make
additional investments of any amount at any time.
To add to your account, make your check payable to Waddell & Reed, Inc. Mail the
check, to Waddell & Reed, Inc., along with:
o the detachable form that accompanies the confirmation of a prior purchase or
your year-to-date statement; or
o a letter stating your account number, the account registration and the class
of shares that you wish to purchase.
To add to your Class Y account by wire: Instruct your bank to wire the amount
you wish to invest, along with the account number and registration, to UMB Bank,
n.a., ABA Number 101000695, W&R Underwriter Account Number 0007978, FBO Customer
Name and Account Number.
If you purchase Class Y shares from certain broker-dealers, banks or other
authorized third parties, additional purchases may be made through those firms.
22
<PAGE>
Selling Shares
You can arrange to take money out of your Fund account at any time by selling
(redeeming) some or all of your shares.
The redemption price (price to sell one share of a particular class) is the NAV
per share of that class, subject to any CDSC applicable to Class B or Class C
shares.
To sell shares by written request: Complete an Account Service Request form,
available from your Waddell & Reed financial advisor, or write a letter of
instruction with:
o the name on the account registration;
o the Fund's name;
o the Fund account number;
o the dollar amount or number, and the class, of shares to be redeemed; and
o any other applicable requirements listed in the table below.
Deliver the form or your letter to your Waddell & Reed financial advisor, or
mail it to:
Waddell & Reed Services Company
P. O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
Unless otherwise instructed, Waddell & Reed Services Company will send a check
to the address on the account.
To sell Class Y shares by telephone or fax: If you have elected this method in
your application or by subsequent authorization, call 1-800-366-5465, or fax
your request to 913-236-5044, and give your instructions to redeem Class Y
shares and make payment by wire to your predesignated bank account or by check
to you at the address on the account.
When you place an order to sell shares, your shares will be sold at the next NAV
calculated, subject to any applicable CDSC, after receipt of a written request
for redemption in good order by Waddell & Reed Services Company at the address
listed above. Note the following:
o If more than one person owns the shares, each owner must sign the written
request.
o If you hold a certificate, it must be properly endorsed and sent to the Fund.
23
<PAGE>
o If you recently purchased the shares by check, the Fund may delay payment of
redemption proceeds. You may arrange for the bank upon which the purchase
check was drawn to provide to the Fund telephone or written assurance that
the check has cleared and been honored. If you do not, payment of the
redemption proceeds on these shares will be delayed until the earlier of 10
days or the date the Fund can verify that your purchase check has cleared and
been honored.
o Redemptions may be suspended or payment dates postponed on days when the NYSE
is closed (other than weekends or holidays), when trading on the NYSE is
restricted, or as permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
o Payment is normally made in cash, although under extraordinary conditions
redemptions may be made in portfolio securities.
o If you purchased Class Y shares from certain broker-dealers, banks or other
authorized third parties, you may sell those shares through those firms, some
of which may charge you a fee and may have additional requirements to sell
Fund shares. The Fund will be deemed to have received your order to sell
Class Y shares when that firm (or its designee) has received your order. Your
order will receive the Class Y NAV next calculated after the order has been
received in proper form by the authorized firm (or its designee). You should
consult that firm to determine the time by which it must receive your order
for you to sell Class Y shares at that day's price.
24
<PAGE>
Special Requirements for Selling Shares
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Account Type Special Requirements
- ------------ --------------------
<S> <C>
Individual or Joint The written instructions must be signed by all
Tenant persons required to sign for transactions, exactly as
their names appear on the account.
Sole Proprietorship The written instructions must be signed by the
individual owner of the business.
UGMA, UTMA The custodian must sign the written instructions
indicating capacity as custodian.
Retirement Account The written instructions must be signed by a
properly authorized person.
Trust The trustee must sign the written instructions
indicating capacity as trustee. If the trustee's name is
not in the account registration, provide a currently
certified copy of the trust document.
Business or At least one person authorized by corporate
Organization resolution to act on the account must sign the
written instructions.
Conservator, Guardian The written instructions must be signed by the
or Other Fiduciary person properly authorized by court order to act in
the particular fiduciary capacity.
</TABLE>
The Fund may require a signature guarantee in certain situations such as:
o a redemption request made by a corporation, partnership or fiduciary;
o a redemption request made by someone other than the owner of record; or
o the check is made payable to someone other than the owner of record.
This requirement is intended to protect you and Waddell & Reed from fraud. You
can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks and securities dealers, but not
from a notary public.
The Fund reserves the right to redeem at NAV all of your Fund shares if their
aggregate NAV is less than $500. The Fund will give you notice and a 60-day
opportunity to purchase a sufficient number of additional shares to bring the
aggregate NAV of your shares to $500.
You may reinvest, without charge, all or part of the amount of Class A shares
you redeemed by sending to the Fund the amount you want to reinvest. The
reinvested amounts must be received by the Fund within thirty days after the
date of your redemption. You may do this only once with Class A shares of the
Fund.
25
<PAGE>
The deferred sales charge will not apply to the proceeds of Class B or Class C
shares which are redeemed and then reinvested in Class B or Class C shares, as
applicable, within thirty days after such redemption. The Distributor will, with
your reinvestment, restore an amount equal to the deferred sales charge
attributable to the amount reinvested by adding the deferred sales charge amount
to your reinvestment. You may do this only once as to Class B shares of the Fund
and once as to Class C shares of the Fund. For purposes of determining future
deferred sales charges, the reinvestment will be treated as a new investment.
Payments of principal and interest on loans made pursuant to Waddell & Reed's
401(k) prototype plan (if such loans are permitted by the plan) may be
reinvested, without payment of a sales charge, in Class A shares of any United
Group fund in which the plan may invest.
Telephone Transactions
The Fund and its agents will not be liable for following instructions
communicated by telephone that they reasonably believe to be genuine. The Fund
will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by
telephone are genuine. If the Fund fails to do so, the Fund may be liable for
losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Current procedures
relating to instructions communicated by telephone include tape recording
instructions, requiring personal identification and providing written
confirmations of transactions effected pursuant to such instructions.
Shareholder Services
Waddell & Reed provides a variety of services to help you manage your account.
Personal Service
Your local Waddell & Reed financial advisor is available to provide personal
service. Additionally, a toll-free call, 1-800-366-5465, connects you to a
Customer Service Representative or our automated customer telephone service.
During normal business hours, our Customer Service staff is available to answer
your questions or update your account records. At almost any time of the day or
night, you may access your account information from a touch-tone phone, or from
our web site, www.waddell.com, to:
o obtain information about your accounts;
o obtain price information about other funds in the United Group; or
o request duplicate statements.
26
<PAGE>
Reports
Statements and reports sent to you include the following:
o confirmation statements (after every purchase, other than those purchases
made through Automatic Investment Service, and after every exchange, transfer
or redemption)
o year-to-date statements (quarterly)
o annual and semiannual reports to shareholders (every six months)
To reduce expenses, only one copy of the most recent annual and semiannual
reports will be mailed to your household, even if you have more than one account
with the Fund. Call the telephone number listed above for Customer Service if
you need additional copies of annual or semiannual reports or account
information.
Exchanges
You may sell your shares and buy shares of the same class of other funds in the
United Group without the payment of an additional sales charge if you buy Class
A shares or payment of a CDSC when you exchange Class B or Class C shares. For
Class B and Class C shares, the time period for the CDSC will continue to run.
In addition, exchanging Class Y shareholders may buy Class A shares of United
Cash Management, Inc.
You may exchange only into funds that are legally permitted for sale in your
state of residence. Note that exchanges out of the Fund may have tax
consequences for you. Before exchanging into a fund, read its prospectus.
The Fund reserves the right to terminate or modify these exchange privileges at
any time, upon notice in certain instances.
Automatic Transactions for Class A, Class B and Class C Shareholders
Flexible withdrawal service lets you set up ongoing monthly, quarterly,
semiannual or annual redemptions from your account.
Regular Investment Plans allow you to transfer money into your Fund account
automatically. While Regular Investment Plans do not guarantee a profit and will
not protect you against loss in a declining market, they can be an excellent way
to invest for retirement, a home, educational expenses and other long-term
financial goals.
27
<PAGE>
Certain restrictions and fees imposed by the plan custodian may also apply for
retirement accounts. Speak with your Waddell & Reed financial advisor for more
information.
Regular Investment Plans
------------------------
Automatic Investment Service
To move money from your bank account to an existing Fund account
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Minimum Amount Minimum Frequency
<S> <C>
$25 Monthly
</TABLE>
Funds Plus Service
To move money from United Cash Management, Inc. to the Fund whether in the
same or a different account of the same class
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Minimum Amount Minimum Frequency
<S> <C>
$100 Monthly
</TABLE>
Distributions and Taxes
Distributions
The Fund distributes substantially all of its net investment income and net
capital gains to its shareholders each year. Usually the Fund distributes net
investment income semiannually in June and December. Net capital gains (and any
net gains from foreign currency transactions) usually are distributed in
December.
Distribution Options. When you open an account, specify on your application how
you want to receive your distributions. The Fund offers three options:
1. Share Payment Option. Your dividend, capital gains and other distributions
with respect to a class will be automatically paid in additional shares of
the same class of the Fund. If you do not indicate a choice on your
application, you will be assigned this option.
2. Income-Earned Option. Your capital gains and other distributions with
respect to a class will be automatically paid in additional shares of the
same class, but you will be sent a check for each dividend distribution.
However, if the dividend distribution is less than five dollars, the
distribution will be automatically paid in additional shares of the same
class of the Fund.
3. Cash Option. You will be sent a check for your dividends, capital gains and
other distributions if the total distribution is equal to or greater than
five dollars. If the distribution is less than five dollars, it will be
automatically paid in additional shares of the same class of the Fund.
28
<PAGE>
For retirement accounts, all distributions are automatically paid in additional
shares.
Taxes
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in the Fund will
be taxed. If your account is not a tax-deferred retirement account (or you are
not otherwise exempt from income tax), you should be aware of the following tax
implications:
Taxes on distributions. Dividends from the Fund's investment company taxable
income generally are taxable to you as ordinary income whether received in cash
or paid in additional Fund shares. Distributions of the Fund's net capital
gains, when designated as such, are taxable to you as long-term capital gains,
whether received in cash or paid in additional Fund shares and regardless of the
length of time you have owned your shares. For Federal income tax purposes, your
long-term capital gains generally are taxed at a maximum rate of 20%.
The Fund notifies you after each calendar year-end as to the amounts of
dividends and other distributions paid (or deemed paid) to you for that year.
A portion of the dividends paid by the Fund, whether received in cash or paid in
additional Fund shares, may be eligible for the dividends received deduction
allowed to corporations. The eligible portion may not exceed the aggregate
dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations. However, dividends
received by a corporate shareholder and deducted by it pursuant to the dividends
received deduction are subject indirectly to the Federal alternative minimum
tax.
Withholding. The Fund must withhold 31% of all dividends, capital gains and
other distributions and redemption proceeds payable to individuals and certain
other noncorporate shareholders who do not furnish the Fund with a correct
taxpayer identification number. Withholding at that rate from dividends, capital
gains and other distributions also is required for shareholders subject to
backup withholding.
Taxes on transactions. Your redemption of Fund shares will result in a taxable
gain or loss to you, depending on whether the redemption proceeds are more or
less than what you paid for the redeemed shares (which normally includes any
sales charge paid). An exchange of Fund shares for shares of any other fund in
the United Group generally will have similar tax consequences. However, special
rules apply when you dispose of Class A Fund
29
<PAGE>
shares through a redemption or exchange within ninety days after your purchase
and then reacquire Class A Fund shares or acquire Class A shares of another fund
in the United Group without paying a sales charge due to the thirty-day
reinvestment privilege or exchange privilege. See "Your Account." In these
cases, any gain on the disposition of the original Class A Fund shares would be
increased, or loss decreased, by the amount of the sales charge you paid when
those shares were acquired, and that amount will increase the adjusted basis of
the shares subsequently acquired. In addition, if you purchase Fund shares
within thirty days before or after redeeming other Fund shares (regardless of
class) at a loss, part or all of that loss will not be deductible and will
increase the basis of the newly purchased shares.
State and local income taxes. The portion of the dividends paid by the Fund
attributable to interest earned on its U.S. Government securities generally is
not subject to state and local income taxes, although distributions by the Fund
to its shareholders of net realized gains on the sale of those securities are
fully subject to those taxes. You should consult your tax adviser to determine
the taxability of dividends and other distributions by the Fund in your state
and locality.
The foregoing is only a summary of some of the important Federal tax
considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders; you will find
more information in the SAI. There may be other Federal, state or local tax
considerations applicable to a particular investor. You are urged to consult
your own tax adviser.
30
<PAGE>
The Management of the Fund
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
Portfolio Management
The Fund is managed by WRIMCO, subject to the authority of the Fund's Board of
Directors. WRIMCO provides investment advice to the Fund and supervises the
Fund's investments. WRIMCO and its predecessors have served as investment
manager to each of the registered investment companies in the United Group of
Mutual Funds, Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc., and Target/United Funds, Inc. since
the inception of the company. WRIMCO is located at 6300 Lamar Avenue, P.O. Box
29217, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201-9217.
Thomas A. Mengel is primarily responsible for the management of the portfolio
of the Fund. Mr. Mengel has held his Fund responsibilities since May 1996. He
is Vice President of WRIMCO, Vice President of the Fund and Vice President of
other investment companies for which WRIMCO serves as investment manager. From
1993 to 1996, Mr. Mengel was the President of Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie.
Securities, Inc.
Other members of WRIMCO's investment management department provide input on
market outlook, economic conditions, investment research and other
considerations relating to the Fund's investments.
Management Fee
Like all mutual funds, the Fund pays fees related to its daily operations.
Expenses paid out of the Fund's assets are reflected in its share price or
dividends; they are neither billed directly to shareholders nor deducted from
shareholder accounts.
The Fund pays a management fee to WRIMCO for providing investment advice and
supervising its investments. The Fund also pays other expenses, which are
explained in the SAI.
The management fee is payable by the Fund at the annual rates of: 0.85% of net
assets up to $1 billion, 0.83% of net assets over $1 billion and up to $2
billion, 0.80% of net assets over $2 billion and up to $3 billion, and 0.76% of
net assets over $3 billion.
Prior to June 30, 1999, the management fee of the Fund was calculated by adding
a group fee to a specific fee. The specific fee was computed on the Fund's net
31
<PAGE>
asset value as of the close of business each day at the annual rate of .30 of 1%
of its net assets. The group fee was determined on the basis of the combined net
asset values of all the funds in the United Group and then allocated pro rata to
the Fund based on its relative net assets at the annual rates shown in the
following table:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Group Fee Rate
Group Net Asset Level Annual Group Fee Rate
(all dollars in millions) For Each Level
- ------------------------- ---------------------
<S> <C>
From $0 to $750 .51 of 1%
From $750 to $1,500 .49 of 1%
From $1,500 to $2,250 .47 of 1%
From $2,250 to $3,000 .45 of 1%
From $3,000 to $3,750 .43 of 1%
From $3,750 to $7,500 .40 of 1%
From $7,500 to $12,000 .38 of 1%
Over $12,000 .36 of 1%
</TABLE>
Management fees for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1999 were 0.69% of the Fund's
average net assets.
32
<PAGE>
Financial Highlights
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
The following information is to help you understand the financial performance of
the Fund's Class A* and Class Y shares for the fiscal periods shown. Certain
information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. "Total return"
shows how much your investment would have increased (or decreased) during each
period, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. This
information has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose independent
auditors' report, along with the Fund's financial statements for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1999, are included in the SAI, which is available upon request.
For a Class A share outstanding throughout each period:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the fiscal year ended June 30,
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Per-Share Data
Net asset value,
beginning of period $ 11.85 $ 10.61 $ 8.95 $ 8.68 $ 8.98
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment
income 0.05 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.07
Net realized and
unrealized gain (loss)
on investments (0.74) 3.01 1.94 0.86 0.60
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from investment
operations (0.69) 3.08 2.01 0.94 0.67
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less distributions:
From net
investment income (0.04) (0.06) (0.09) (0.07) (0.04)
From capital gains (1.15) (1.78) (0.26) (0.60) (0.93)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total distributions (1.19) (1.84) (0.35) (0.67) (0.97)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value,
end of period $ 9.97 $ 11.85 $ 10.61 $ 8.95 $ 8.68
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class A Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total return** -5.40% 34.49% 23.03% 11.70% 7.98%
Net assets, end of
period (in millions) $ 1,252 $ 1,331 $ 978 $ 771 $ 679
Ratio of expenses to
average net assets 1.30% 1.23% 1.28% 1.25% 1.25%
Ratio of net
investment income to
average net assets 0.52% 0.67% 0.78% 0.89% 0.86%
Portfolio turnover rate 149.45% 114.34% 109.71% 58.64% 57.45%
</TABLE>
*On July 4, 1995, Fund shares outstanding were designated Class A shares. There
were no Class B or Class C shares outstanding during the periods shown.
**Total return calculated without taking into account the sales load deducted on
an initial purchase.
33
<PAGE>
For a Class Y share outstanding throughout each period:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the
For the fiscal year period
ended June 30, from 9/27/95*
---------------------------------- through
1999 1998 1997 6/30/96
Class Y Per-Share Data
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value,
beginning of period $ 11.85 $ 10.62 $ 8.95 $ 9.21
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment
income 0.09 0.10 0.09 0.12
Net realized and
unrealized gain (loss)
on investments (0.74) 3.00 1.95 0.30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from investment
operations (0.65) 3.10 2.04 .42
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less distributions:
From net
investment income (0.08) (0.09) (0.11) (0.08)
From capital gains (1.15) (1.78) (0.26) (0.60)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total distributions (1.23) (1.87) (0.37) (0.68)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of
period $ 9.97 $ 11.85 $ 10.62 $ 8.95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class Y Ratios/Supplemental Data
Total return -5.06% 34.71% 23.45% 5.44%
Net assets, end of
period (in millions) $ 9 $ 9 $ 7 $ 5
Ratio of expenses to
average net assets 0.99% 0.97% 1.04% 0.98%**
Ratio of net
investment income to
average net assets 0.85% 0.93% 1.02% 2.60%**
Portfolio turnover
rate 149.45% 114.34% 109.71% 58.64%**
</TABLE>
*Commencement of operations.
**Annualized.
34
<PAGE>
United International Growth Fund, Inc.
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
Custodian
UMB Bank, n.a.
Kansas City, Missouri
Legal Counsel
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
1800 Massachusetts
Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
Independent Auditors
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1010 Grand Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri
64106-2232
Investment Manager
Waddell & Reed Investment
Management Company
6300 Lamar Avenue
P.O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
(913) 236-2000
(800) 366-5465
Underwriter
Waddell & Reed, Inc.
6300 Lamar Avenue
P.O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
(913) 236-2000
(800) 366-5465
Shareholder Servicing Agent
Waddell & Reed
Services Company
6300 Lamar Avenue
P.O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
(913) 236-2000
(800) 366-5465
Accounting Services Agent
Waddell & Reed
Services Company
6300 Lamar Avenue
P.O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
66201-9217
(913) 236-2000
(800) 366-5465
35
<PAGE>
[GLOBE GRAPHIC]
September 20, 1999
UNITED INTERNATIONAL
GROWTH FUND, INC.
You can get more information about the Fund in
o its Statement of Additional Information (SAI) dated September 20, 1999, which
contains detailed information about the Fund, particularly its investment
policies and practices. You may not be aware of important information about
the Fund unless you read both the Prospectus and the SAI. The current SAI is
on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and it is
incorporated into this Prospectus by reference (that is, the SAI is legally
part of the Prospectus).
o its Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders, which detail the Fund's
actual investments and include financial statements as of the close of the
particular annual or semiannual period. The annual report also contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that
significantly affected the Fund's performance during the year covered by the
report.
To request a copy of the current SAI or copies of the Fund's most recent Annual
and Semiannual reports, without charge, or for other inquiries, contact the Fund
or Waddell & Reed, Inc. at the address and telephone number below. Copies of the
SAI, Annual and/or Semiannual reports may also be requested via e-mail at
[email protected].
Information about the Fund (including its current SAI and most recent Annual and
Semiannual Reports) is available from the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov
and from the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You can find out
about the operation of the Public Reference Room and applicable copying charges
by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.
The Fund's SEC file number is: 811-2004.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[WADDELL & REED LOGO]
Waddell & Reed, Inc.
6300 Lamar Avenue, P. O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201-9217
(913) 236-2000, (800) 366-5465
NUP2002(9-99)
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
6300 Lamar Avenue
P. O. Box 29217
Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201-9217
(913) 236-2000
(800) 366-5465
September 20, 1999
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") is not a prospectus.
Investors should read this SAI in conjunction with the prospectus ("Prospectus")
for the United International Growth Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") dated September 20,
1999, which may be obtained from the Fund or its underwriter, Waddell & Reed,
Inc., at the address or telephone number shown above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Performance Information......................................... 2
Investment Strategies, Policies and Practices................... 4
Investment Management and Other Services........................ 30
Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares...................... 35
Directors and Officers.......................................... 50
Payments to Shareholders........................................ 56
Taxes .......................................................... 57
Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage............................ 61
Other Information .............................................. 63
Appendix A...................................................... 82
Financial Statements ........................................... 90
2
<PAGE>
United International Growth Fund, Inc. is a mutual fund; an investment that
pools shareholders' money and invests it toward a specified goal. In technical
terms, the Fund is an open-end, diversified management company organized as a
Maryland corporation on December 18, 1969.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Waddell & Reed, Inc., the Fund's underwriter, or the Fund may, from time to
time, publish the Fund's total return information and/or performance rankings in
advertisements and sales materials.
Total Return
Total return is the overall change in the value of an investment over a
given period of time. An average annual total return quotation is computed by
finding the average annual compounded rates of return over the one-, five-, and
ten-year periods that would equate the initial amount invested to the ending
redeemable value. Standardized total return information is calculated by
assuming an initial $1,000 investment and, for Class A shares, deducting the
maximum sales load of 5.75%. All dividends and distributions are assumed to be
reinvested in shares of the applicable class at net asset value for the class as
of the day the dividend or distribution is paid. No sales load is charged on
reinvested dividends or distributions on Class A shares. The formula used to
calculate the total return for a particular class of the Fund is:
n
P(1 + T) = ERV
Where : P = $1,000 initial payment
T = Average annual total return
n = Number of years
ERV = Ending redeemable value of the $1,000 investment for
the periods shown.
Non-standardized performance information may also be presented. For
example, the Fund may also compute total return for its Class A shares without
deduction of the sales load in which case the same formula noted above will be
used but the entire amount of the $1,000 initial payment will be assumed to have
been invested. If the sales charge applicable to Class A shares were reflected,
it would reduce the performance quoted for that class.
3
<PAGE>
The average annual total return quotations for Class A shares as of June
30, 1999, which is the most recent balance sheet included in this SAI, for the
periods shown were as follows:
With Without
Sales Load Sales Load
Deducted Deducted
One-year period from July 1, 1998 to
June 30, 1999: -10.83% -5.40%
Five-year period from July 1, 1994 to
June 30, 1999: 12.22% 13.56%
Ten-year period from July 1, 1989 to
June 30, 1999: 11.83% 12.49%
Prior to July 4, 1995, the Fund offered only one class of shares to the
public. Shares outstanding on that date were designated as Class A shares. Since
that date, Class Y shares of the Fund have been available for certain
institutional investors.
The average annual total return quotations for Class Y shares as of June
30, 1999, which is the most recent balance sheet included in this SAI, for the
periods shown were as follows:
Period from July 1, 1998 to
June 30, 1999: -5.06%
Period from September 27, 1995* to
June 30, 1999: 14.52%
*Date of inception
No performance information is provided for Class B or Class C since neither
had commenced operations as of June 30, 1999.
The Fund may also quote unaveraged or cumulative total return for a class
which reflects the change in value of an investment in that class over a stated
period of time. Cumulative total return will be calculated according to the
formula indicated above but without averaging the rate for the number of years
in the period.
Performance Rankings
Waddell & Reed, Inc. or the Fund also may, from time to time, publish in
advertisements or sales material performance rankings as published by recognized
independent mutual fund statistical services such as Lipper Analytical Services,
Inc., or by publications of general interest such as Forbes, Money, The Wall
4
<PAGE>
Street Journal, Business Week, Barron's, Fortune or Morningstar Mutual Fund
Values. Each class of the Fund may also compare its performance to that of other
selected mutual funds or selected recognized market indicators such as the
Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index and the Dow Jones Industrial
Average. Performance information may be quoted numerically or presented in a
table, graph or other illustration. In connection with a ranking, the Fund may
provide additional information, such as the particular category to which it
related, the number of funds in the category, the criteria upon which the
ranking is based, and the effect of sales charges, fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements.
All performance information that the Fund advertises or includes in sales
material is historical in nature and is not intended to represent or guarantee
future results. The value of the Fund's shares when redeemed may be more or less
than their original cost.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND PRACTICES
This SAI supplements the information contained in the Prospectus and
contains more detailed information about the investment strategies and policies
the Fund's investment manager, Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company
("WRIMCO"), may employ and the types of instruments in which the Fund may
invest, in pursuit of the Fund's goal. A summary of the risks associated with
these instrument types and investment practices is included as well.
WRIMCO might not buy all of these instruments or use all of these
techniques, or use them to the full extent permitted by the Fund's investment
policies and restrictions. WRIMCO buys an instrument or uses a technique only if
it believes that doing so will help the Fund achieve its goal. See "Investment
Restrictions and Limitations" for a listing of the fundamental and
non-fundamental (e.g., operating) investment restrictions and policies of the
Fund.
Securities - General
The Fund may invest in securities including common stock, preferred stock, debt
securities and convertible securities. Although common stocks and other equity
securities have a history of long-term growth in value, their prices tend to
fluctuate in the short term, particularly those of smaller companies. The Fund
may invest in preferred stock in any rating category that is rated by an
established rating service or, if unrated, judged by WRIMCO to be of equivalent
quality. Debt securities have varying levels
5
<PAGE>
of sensitivity to changes in interest rates and varying degrees of quality. As a
general matter, however, when interest rates rise, the values of fixed-rate
securities fall and, conversely, when interest rates fall, the values of
fixed-rate debt rise. Similarly, long-term bonds are generally more sensitive to
interest rate changes than shorter-term bonds.
Lower quality debt securities (commonly called "junk bonds") are considered
to be speculative and involve greater risk of default or price changes due to
changes in the issuer's creditworthiness. The market prices of these securities
may fluctuate more than high-quality securities and may decline significantly in
periods of general economic difficulty. The market for lower-rated debt
securities may be thinner and less active than that for higher-rated debt
securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which the former are sold.
Adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions may decrease the values and
liquidity of lower-rated debt securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
Valuation becomes more difficult and judgment plays a greater role in valuing
lower-rated debt securities than with respect to securities for which more
external sources of quotations and last sale information are available. Since
the risk of default is higher for lower-rated debt securities, WRIMCO's research
and credit analysis are an especially important part of managing securities of
this type held by the Fund. WRIMCO continuously monitors the issuers of
lower-rated debt securities in the Fund's portfolio in an attempt to determine
if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required
principal and interest payments. The Fund may choose, at its expense or in
conjunction with others, to pursue litigation or otherwise exercise its rights
as a security holder to seek to protect the interests of security holders if it
determines this to be in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders.
The Fund may invest in debt securities rated in any rating category of the
established rating services, including securities rated in the lowest category
(such as those rated D by Standard & Poor's ("S&P") and C by Moody's Investors
Service, Inc. ("MIS")). Debt securities rated D by S&P or C by MIS are in
payment default or are regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever
attaining any real investment standing. Debt securities rated at least BBB by
S&P or Baa by MIS are considered to be investment grade debt securities.
Securities rated BBB or Baa may have speculative characteristics. In addition,
the Fund will treat unrated securities judged by WRIMCO to be of equivalent
quality to a rated security having that rating.
While credit ratings are only one factor WRIMCO relies on in evaluating
high-yield debt securities, certain risks are
6
<PAGE>
associated with credit ratings. Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal
and interest payments, not market value risk. Credit ratings for individual
securities may change from time to time, and the Fund may retain a portfolio
security whose rating has been changed.
The Fund may purchase debt securities whose principal amount at maturity is
dependent upon the performance of a specified equity security. The issuer of
such debt securities, typically an investment banking firm, is unaffiliated with
the issuer of the equity security to whose performance the debt security is
linked. Equity-linked debt securities differ from ordinary debt securities in
that the principal amount received at maturity is not fixed, but is based on the
price of the linked equity security at the time the debt security matures. The
performance of equity-linked debt securities depends primarily on the
performance of the linked equity security and may also be influenced by interest
rate changes. In addition, although the debt securities are typically adjusted
for diluting events such as stock splits, stock dividends and certain other
events affecting the market value of the linked equity security, the debt
securities are not adjusted for subsequent issuances of the linked equity
security for cash. Such an issuance could adversely affect the price of the debt
security. In addition to the equity risk relating to the linked equity security,
such debt securities are also subject to credit risk with regard to the issuer
of the debt security. In general, however, such debt securities are less
volatile than the equity securities to which they are linked.
The Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a
bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted
into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or
different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or
formula. Convertible securities generally have higher yields than common stocks
of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible
securities, are less subject to fluctuation in the value that the underlying
stock because they have fixed income characteristics, and provide the potential
for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock
increases.
The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest
rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing
as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors
also may have an effect on the convertible security's investment value.
The Fund may also invest in a type of convertible preferred stock that pays
a cumulative, fixed dividend that is senior to,
7
<PAGE>
and expected to be in excess of, the dividends paid on the common stock of the
issuer. At the mandatory conversion date, the preferred stock is converted into
not more than one share of the issuer's common stock at the "call price" that
was established at the time the preferred stock was issued. If the price per
share of the related common stock on the mandatory conversion date is less than
the call price, the holder of the preferred stock will nonetheless receive only
one share of common stock for each share of preferred stock (plus cash in the
amount of any accrued but unpaid dividends). At any time prior to the mandatory
conversion date, the issuer may redeem the preferred stock upon issuing to the
holder a number of shares of common stock equal to the call price of the
preferred stock in effect on the date of redemption divided by the market value
of the common stock, with such market value typically determined one or two
trading days prior to the date notice of redemption is given. The issuer must
also pay the holder of the preferred stock cash in an amount equal to any
accrued but unpaid dividends on the preferred stock. This convertible preferred
stock is subject to the same market risk as the common stock of the issuer,
except to the extent that such risk is mitigated by the higher dividend paid on
the preferred stock. The opportunity for equity appreciation afforded by an
investment in such convertible preferred stock, however, is limited, because in
the event the market value of the issuer's common stock increases to or above
the call price of the preferred stock, the issuer may (and would be expected to)
call the preferred stock for redemption at the call price. This convertible
preferred stock is also subject to credit risk with regard to the ability of the
issuer to pay the dividend established upon issuance of the preferred stock.
Generally, convertible preferred stock is less volatile than the related common
stock of the issuer.
Specific Securities and Investment Practices
Variable or Floating Rate Instruments
Variable or floating rate instruments (including notes purchased directly
from issuers) bear variable or floating interest rates and may carry rights that
permit holders to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued
interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries on dates prior to
their stated maturities. Floating rate securities have interest rates that
change whenever there is a change in a designated base rate while variable rate
instruments provide for a specified periodic adjustment in the interest rate.
These formulas are designed to result in a market value for the instrument that
approximates its par value.
8
<PAGE>
Foreign Securities and Currencies
The Fund may invest in the securities of foreign issuers, including
depositary receipts. In general, depositary receipts are securities convertible
into and evidencing ownership of securities of foreign corporate issuers,
although depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same
currency as the securities into which they may be converted. American depositary
receipts, in registered form, are dollar-denominated receipts typically issued
by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying
securities. International depositary receipts and European depositary receipts,
in bearer form, are foreign receipts evidencing a similar arrangement and are
designed for use by non-U.S. investors and traders in non-U.S. markets. Global
depositary receipts are designed to facilitate the trading of securities of
foreign issuers by U.S. and non-U.S. investors and traders.
WRIMCO believes that there are investment opportunities as well as risks in
investing in foreign securities. Individual foreign economies may differ
favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy or each other in such matters as
gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource
self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Individual foreign companies
may also differ favorably or unfavorably from domestic companies in the same
industry. Foreign currencies may be stronger or weaker than the U.S. dollar or
than each other. Thus, the value of securities denominated in or indexed to
foreign currencies, and of dividends and interest from such securities, can
change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to
the U.S. dollar. WRIMCO believes that the Fund's policy of investing a
substantial portion of its assets abroad might enable it to take advantage of
these differences and strengths where they are favorable.
However, foreign securities and foreign currencies involve additional
significant risks, apart from the risks inherent in U.S. investments. Foreign
securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than
U.S. markets, and prices on some foreign markets can be highly volatile. Many
foreign countries lack uniform accounting and disclosure standards comparable to
those applicable to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain
reliable information regarding an issuer's financial conditions and operations.
In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes,
brokerage commissions and custodial costs, are generally higher than for U.S.
investments.
Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S. markets.
Foreign issuers, brokers and securities markets may
9
<PAGE>
be subject to less government supervision. Foreign security trading practices,
including those involving the release of assets in advance of payment, may
involve increased risks in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a
broker-dealer, and may involve substantial delays. It may also be difficult to
enforce legal rights in foreign countries.
Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks.
Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to
the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or
nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S.
investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S.
dollars, or other government intervention. There may be greater possibility of
default by foreign governments or government-sponsored enterprises. Investments
in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social
instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments.
There is no assurance that WRIMCO will be able to anticipate these potential
events or counter their effects.
The considerations noted above generally are intensified in developing
countries. A developing country is a nation that, in WRIMCO's opinion, is likely
to experience long-term gross domestic product growth above that expected to
occur in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan
and Canada. Developing countries may have relatively unstable governments,
economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a
small number of securities.
Certain foreign securities impose restrictions on transfer within the
United States or to U.S. persons. Although securities subject to transfer
restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign
securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions.
The Fund may purchase and sell foreign currency and invest in foreign
currency deposits, and may enter into forward currency contracts, as described
in the Prospectus and this SAI. The Fund may incur a transaction charge in
connection with the exchange of currency. Currency conversion involves dealer
spreads and other costs, although commissions are not usually charged. See
"Options, Futures and Other Strategies - Forward Currency Contracts" below.
U.S. Government Securities
Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or
instrumentalities ("U.S. Government securities") are high quality debt
instruments issued or guaranteed as to principal
10
<PAGE>
or interest by the U.S. Treasury or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S.
Government. These securities include Treasury Bills (which mature within one
year of the date they are issued), Treasury Notes (which have maturities of one
to ten years) and Treasury Bonds (which generally have maturities of more than
10 years). All such Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit
of the United States.
U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that issue or guarantee
securities include, but are not limited to, the Federal Housing Administration,
Fannie Mae (formerly, the Federal National Mortgage Association), Farmers Home
Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business
Administration, Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), General
Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Home Loan Banks,
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), Farm Credit Banks,
Maritime Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Resolution Funding
Corporation and the Student Loan Marketing Association.
Securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and
instrumentalities are not always supported by the full faith and credit of the
United States. Some, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks,
are backed by the right of the agency or instrumentality to borrow from the
Treasury. Others, such as securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported only by
the credit of the instrumentality and by a pool of mortgage assets. If the
securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the
owner of the securities must look principally to the agency issuing the
obligation for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the
United States in the event that the agency or instrumentality does not meet its
commitment.
U.S. Government securities may include mortgage-backed securities issued by
U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities including, but not limited to,
Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These mortgage-backed securities include
pass-through securities, participation certificates and collateralized mortgage
obligations. See "Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities." Timely payment
of principal and interest on Ginnie Mae pass-throughs is guaranteed by the full
faith and credit of the United States. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are both
instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, but their obligations are not backed
by the full faith and credit of the United States. It is possible that the
availability and the marketability (i.e., liquidity) of the securities discussed
in this section could be adversely affected by actions of the U.S. Government to
tighten the availability of its credit.
11
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Money Market Instruments
Money market instruments are high-quality, short-term debt instruments that
present minimal credit risk. They may include U.S. Government Securities,
commercial paper and other short-term corporate obligations, and certificates of
deposit and other financial institution obligations. These instruments may carry
fixed or variable interest rates.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or
indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans
secured by real property and include single- and multi-class pass-through
securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. Multi-class pass-through
securities and collateralized mortgage obligations are collectively referred to
in this SAI as "CMOs." Some CMOs are directly supported by other CMOs, which in
turn are supported by mortgage pools. Investors typically receive payments out
of the interest and principal on the underlying mortgages. The portions of the
payments that investors receive, as well as the priority of their rights to
receive payments, are determined by the specific terms of the CMO class.
The U.S. Government mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest
include mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed as to the payment of
principal and interest (but not as to market value) by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or
Freddie Mac. Other mortgage-backed securities are issued by private issuers,
generally originators of and investors in mortgage loans, including savings
associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment bankers and special
purpose entities. Payments of principal and interest (but not the market value)
of such private mortgage-backed securities may be supported by pools of mortgage
loans or other mortgage-backed securities that are guaranteed, directly or
indirectly, by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities,
or they may be issued without any government guarantee of the underlying
mortgage assets but with some form of non-government credit enhancement. These
credit enhancements do not protect investors from changes in market value.
The Fund may purchase mortgage-backed securities issued by both government
and non-government entities such as banks, mortgage lenders or other financial
institutions. Other types of mortgage-backed securities will likely be developed
in the future, and the Fund may invest in them as long as WRIMCO determines they
are consistent with the Fund's goals and investment policies.
12
<PAGE>
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities
are created when a U.S. Government agency or a financial institution separates
the interest and principal components of a mortgage-backed security and sells
them as individual securities. The holder of the "principal-only" security
("PO") receives the principal payments made by the underlying mortgage-backed
security, while the holder of the "interest-only" security ("IO") receives
interest payments from the same underlying security.
For example, interest-only ("IO") classes are entitled to receive all or a
portion of the interest, but none (or only a nominal amount) of the principal
payments, from the underlying mortgage assets. If the mortgage assets underlying
an IO experience greater than anticipated principal prepayments, then the total
amount of interest allocable to the IO class, and therefore the yield to
investors, generally will be reduced. In some instances, an investor in an IO
may fail to recoup all of the investor's initial investment, even if the
security is government guaranteed or considered to be of the highest quality.
Conversely, principal-only ("PO") classes are entitled to receive all or a
portion of the principal payments, but none of the interest, from the underlying
mortgage assets. PO classes are purchased at substantial discounts from par, and
the yield to investors will be reduced if principal payments are slower than
expected. IOs, POs and other CMOs involve special risks, and evaluating them
requires special knowledge.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities have structural
characteristics similar to mortgage-backed securities, as discussed above.
However, the underlying assets are not first lien mortgage loans or interests
therein, but include assets such as motor vehicle installment sales contracts,
other installment sale contracts, home equity loans, leases of various types of
real and personal property and receivables from revolving credit (credit card)
agreements. Such assets are securitized through the use of trusts or special
purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest may be
guaranteed up to a certain amount and for a certain time period by a letter of
credit or pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated
with the issuer, or other credit enhancements may be present. The value of
asset-backed securities may also depend on the creditworthiness of the servicing
agent for the loan pool, the originator of the loans or the financial
institution providing the credit enhancement.
Special Characteristics of Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities. The
yield characteristics of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities differ from
those of traditional debt securities. Among the major differences are that
interest and
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<PAGE>
principal payments are made more frequently, usually monthly, and that principal
may be prepaid at any time because the underlying mortgage loans or other
obligations generally may be prepaid at any time. Prepayments on a pool of
mortgage loans are influenced by a variety of economic, geographic, social and
other factors, including changes in mortgagors' housing needs, job transfers,
unemployment, mortgagors' net equity in the mortgaged properties and servicing
decisions. Generally, however, prepayments on fixed-rate mortgage loans will
increase during a period of falling interest rates and decrease during a period
of rising interest rates. Similar factors apply to prepayments on asset-backed
securities, but the receivables underlying asset-backed securities generally are
of a shorter maturity and thus are likely to experience substantial prepayments.
Such securities, however, often provide that for a specified time period the
issuers will replace receivables in the pool that are repaid with comparable
obligations. If the issuer is unable to do so, repayment of principal on the
asset-backed securities may commence at an earlier date.
The rate of interest on mortgage-backed securities is lower than the
interest rates paid on the mortgages included in the underlying pool due to the
annual fees paid to the servicer of the mortgage pool for passing through
monthly payments to certificate holders and to any guarantor and due to any
yield retained by the issuer. Actual yield to the holder may vary from the
coupon rate, even if adjustable, if the mortgage-backed securities are purchased
or traded in the secondary market at a premium or discount. In addition, there
is normally some delay between the time the issuer receives mortgage payments
from the servicer and the time the issuer makes the payments on the
mortgage-backed securities, and this delay reduces the effective yield to the
holder of such securities.
Yields on pass-through securities are typically quoted by investment
dealers and vendors based on the maturity of the underlying instruments and the
associated average life assumption. The average life of pass-through pools
varies with the maturities of the underlying mortgage loans. A pool's term may
be shortened by unscheduled or early payments of principal on the underlying
mortgages. Because prepayment rates of individual pools vary widely, it is not
possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular pool. In the
past, a common industry practice has been to assume that prepayments on pools of
fixed-rate 30-year mortgages would result in a 12-year average life for the
pool. At present, mortgage pools, particularly those with loans with other
maturities or different characteristics, are priced on an assumption of average
life determined for each pool. In periods of declining interest rates, the rate
of prepayment tends to increase, thereby shortening the actual average life of a
pool of
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mortgage-related securities. Conversely, in periods of rising interest rates,
the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the actual average
life of the pool. Changes in the rate or "speed" of these payments can cause the
value of the mortgage backed securities to fluctuate rapidly. However, these
effects may not be present, or may differ in degree, if the mortgage loans in
the pools have adjustable interest rates or other special payment terms, such as
a prepayment charge. Actual prepayment experience may cause the yield of
mortgage-backed securities to differ from the assumed average life yield.
The market for privately issued mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities
is smaller and less liquid than the market for U.S. Government mortgage-backed
securities. CMO classes may be specifically structured in a manner that provides
any of a wide variety of investment characteristics, such as yield, effective
maturity and interest rate sensitivity. As market conditions change, however,
and especially during periods of rapid or unanticipated changes in market
interest rates, the attractiveness of some CMO classes and the ability of the
structure to provide the anticipated investment characteristics may be reduced.
These changes can result in volatility in the market value and in some instances
reduced liquidity, of the CMO class.
Restricted Securities
Restricted securities are securities that are subject to legal or
contractual restrictions on resale. However, restricted securities generally can
be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in a registered
public offering. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to
pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse
between the time it decides to seek registration and the time the Fund may be
permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If,
during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might
obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek
registration of the security.
There are risks associated with investment in restricted securities in that
there can be no assurance of a ready market for resale. Also, the contractual
restrictions on resale might prevent the Fund from reselling the securities at a
time when such sale would be desirable. Restricted securities that are traded in
foreign markets are often subject to restrictions that prohibit resale to U.S.
persons or entities or permit sales only to foreign broker-dealers who agree to
limit their resale to such persons or entities. The buyer of such securities
must enter into an agreement that, usually for a limited period of time, it will
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resell such securities subject to such restrictions. Restricted securities in
which the Fund seeks to invest need not be listed or admitted to trading on a
foreign or domestic exchange and may be less liquid than listed securities.
Certain restricted securities, e.g., Rule 144A securities, may be determined to
be liquid in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors. See
"Illiquid Investments" below.
Warrants and Rights
Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at specified prices
valid for a specific period of time. The prices do not necessarily move parallel
to the prices of the underlying securities. Rights are similar to warrants, but
normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its
shareholders. Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends,
and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer. Warrants and rights
are highly volatile and, therefore, more susceptible to sharp decline in value
than the underlying security might be. They are also generally less liquid than
an investment in the underlying shares.
Lending Securities
Securities loans may be made on a short-term or long-term basis for the
purpose of increasing the Fund's income. If the Fund lends securities, the
borrower pays the Fund an amount equal to the dividends or interest on the
securities that the Fund would have received if it had not lent the securities.
The Fund also receives additional compensation.
Any securities loans that the Fund makes must be collateralized in
accordance with applicable regulatory requirements (the "Guidelines"). At the
time of each loan, the Fund must receive collateral equal to no less than 100%
of the market value of the securities loaned. Under the present Guidelines, the
collateral must consist of cash or U.S. Government securities or bank letters of
credit, at least equal in value to the market value of the securities lent on
each day that the loan is outstanding. If the market value of the lent
securities exceeds the value of the collateral, the borrower must add more
collateral so that it at least equals the market value of the securities lent.
If the market value of the securities decreases, the borrower is entitled to
return of the excess collateral.
There are two methods of receiving compensation for making loans. The first
is to receive a negotiated loan fee from the borrower. This method is available
for all three types of collateral. The second method, which is not available
when
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letters of credit are used as collateral, is for the Fund to receive interest on
the investment of the cash collateral or to receive interest on the U.S.
Government securities used as collateral. Part of the interest received in
either case may be shared with the borrower.
The letters of credit that the Fund may accept as collateral are agreements
by banks (other than the borrowers of the Fund's securities), entered into at
the request of the borrower and for its account and risk, under which the banks
are obligated to pay to the Fund, while the letter is in effect, amounts
demanded by the Fund if the demand meets the terms of the letter. The Fund's
right to make this demand secures the borrower's obligations to it. The terms of
any such letters and the creditworthiness of the banks providing them (which
might include the Fund's custodian bank) must be satisfactory to the Fund. Under
the Fund's current securities lending procedures, the Fund may lend securities
only to broker-dealers and financial institutions deemed creditworthy by WRIMCO.
The Fund will make loans only under rules of the NYSE, which presently require
the borrower to give the securities back to the Fund within five business days
after the Fund gives notice to do so. If the Fund loses its voting rights on
securities loaned, it will have the securities returned to it in time to vote
them if a material event affecting the investment is to be voted on. The Fund
may pay reasonable finder's, administrative and custodian fees in connection
with loans of securities.
There may be risks of delay in receiving additional collateral from the
borrower if the market value of the securities loaned increases, risks of delay
in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in collateral should
the borrower of the securities fail financially.
Some, but not all, of these rules are necessary to meet requirements of
certain laws relating to securities loans. These rules will not be changed
unless the change is permitted under these requirements. These requirements do
not cover the present rules which may be changed without shareholder vote as to
(i) whom securities may be loaned, (ii) the investment of cash collateral, or
(iii) voting rights.
Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may purchase securities subject to repurchase agreements. The Fund
will not enter into a repurchase transaction that will cause more than 10% of
its net assets to be invested in illiquid investments, which include repurchase
agreements not terminable within seven days. See "Illiquid Investments." A
repurchase agreement is an instrument under which the Fund purchases a security
and the seller (normally a commercial bank or
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broker-dealer) agrees, at the time of purchase, that it will repurchase the
security at a specified time and price. The amount by which the resale price is
greater than the purchase price reflects an agreed-upon market interest rate
effective for the period of the agreement. The return on the securities subject
to the repurchase agreement may be more or less than the return on the
repurchase agreement.
The majority of the repurchase agreements in which the Fund would engage
are overnight transactions, and the delivery pursuant to the resale typically
will occur within one to five days of the purchase. The primary risk is that the
Fund may suffer a loss if the seller fails to pay the agreed-upon amount on the
delivery date and that amount is greater than the resale price of the underlying
securities and other collateral held by the Fund. In the event of bankruptcy or
other default by the seller, there may be possible delays and expenses in
liquidating the underlying securities or other collateral, decline in their
value and loss of interest. The return on such collateral may be more or less
than that from the repurchase agreement. The Fund's repurchase agreements will
be structured so as to fully collateralize the loans. In other words, the value
of the underlying securities, which will be held by the Fund's custodian bank or
by a third party that qualifies as a custodian under section 17(f) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), is and, during the
entire term of the agreement, will remain at least equal to the value of the
loan, including the accrued interest earned thereon. Repurchase agreements are
entered into only with those entities approved by WRIMCO on the basis of
criteria established by the Fund's Board of Directors.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions
The Fund may purchase securities in which it may invest on a when-issued or
delayed-delivery basis or sell them on a delayed-delivery basis. In either case
payment and delivery for the securities take place at a future date. The
securities so purchased or sold are subject to market fluctuation; their value
may be less or more when delivered than the purchase price paid or received.
When purchasing securities on a when issued or delayed-delivery basis, the Fund
assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risk of price and yield
fluctuations. No interest accrues to the Fund until delivery and payment is
completed. When the Fund makes a commitment to purchase securities on a
when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, it will record the transaction and
thereafter reflect the value of securities in determining its net asset value
per share. When the Fund sells a security on a delayed-delivery basis, the Fund
does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security.
When the Fund makes a commitment to sell securities on
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a delayed-delivery basis, it will record the transaction and thereafter value
the securities at the sale price in determining the Fund's net asset value per
share. 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.
Ordinarily the Fund purchases securities on a when-issued or
delayed-delivery basis with the intention of actually taking delivery of the
securities. However, before the securities are delivered to the Fund and before
it has paid for them (the "settlement date"), the Fund could sell the securities
if WRIMCO decided it was advisable to do so for investment reasons. The Fund
will hold aside or segregate cash or other securities, other than those
purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, at least equal to the
amount it will have to pay on the settlement date; these other securities may,
however, be sold at or before the settlement date to pay the purchase price of
the when-issued or delayed-delivery securities.
Investment Company Securities
The Fund may purchase securities of closed-end investment companies. As a
shareholder in an investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata share of
that investment company's expenses, which could result in duplication of certain
fees, including management and administrative fees.
Illiquid Investments
Illiquid investments are investments that cannot be sold or otherwise
disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at
approximately the price at which they are valued. Investments currently
considered to be illiquid include:
(i) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days;
(ii) restricted securities not determined to be liquid pursuant to
guidelines established by the Fund's Board of Directors;
(iii) non-government stripped fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities;
(iv) bank deposits, unless they are payable at principal amount plus
accrued interest on demand or within seven days after demand;
(v) over-the-counter ("OTC") options and their underlying collateral;
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(vi) securities for which market quotations are not readily available; and
(vii) securities involved in swaps, caps, collar and floor transactions.
The assets used as cover for OTC options written by the Fund will be
considered illiquid unless the OTC options are sold to qualified dealers who
agree that the Fund may repurchase any OTC option it writes at a maximum price
to be calculated by a formula set forth in the option agreement. The cover for
an OTC option written subject to this procedure would be considered illiquid
only to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds
the intrinsic value of the option.
If through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, the Fund
were in a position where more than 10% of its net assets were invested in
illiquid securities, it would seek to take appropriate steps to protect
liquidity.
Indexed Securities
Indexed securities are securities the value of which varies in relation to
the value of other securities, securities indices, currencies, precious metals
or other commodities, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities
typically, but not always, are debt securities or deposits whose value at
maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or
statistic. The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on
the performance of the security, currency or other instrument to which they are
indexed and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the United States
and abroad. At the same time, indexed securities are subject to the credit risks
associated with the issuer of the security and their values may decline
substantially if the issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates. Indexed securities
may be more volatile than the underlying investments. Gold-indexed securities,
for example, typically provide for a maturity value that depends on the price of
gold, resulting in a security whose price tends to rise and fall together with
gold prices. Currency-indexed securities typically are short-term to
intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or interest rates are
determined by reference to the values of one or more specified foreign
currencies, and may offer higher yields than U.S. dollar-denominated securities
of equivalent issuers. Currency-indexed securities may be positively or
negatively indexed; that is, their maturity value may increase when the
specified currency value increases, resulting in a security that performs
similarly to a foreign-denominated instrument, or their maturity value may
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decline when foreign currencies increase, resulting in a security whose price
characteristics are similar to a put on the underlying currency.
Currency-indexed securities may also have prices that depend on the values of a
number of different foreign currencies relative to each other.
Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and
certain U.S. Government agencies. Certain indexed securities that are not traded
on an established market may be deemed illiquid.
Options, Futures and Other Strategies
General. WRIMCO may use certain options, futures contracts (sometimes
referred to as "futures"), options on futures contracts, forward currency
contracts, swaps, caps, collars, floors, indexed securities and other derivative
instruments (collectively, "Financial Instruments") to attempt to enhance the
Fund's income or yield or to attempt to hedge the Fund's investments. The
strategies described below may be used in an attempt to manage the Fund's
foreign currency exposure as well as other risks of the Fund's investments that
can affect fluctuation in its net asset value.
Generally, the Fund may purchase and sell any type of Financial Instrument.
However, as an operating policy, the Fund will only purchase or sell a
particular Financial Instrument if the Fund is authorized to invest in the type
of asset by which the return on, or value of, the Financial Instrument is
primarily measured. Since the Fund is authorized to invest in foreign
securities, it may purchase and sell foreign currency derivatives.
Hedging strategies can be broadly categorized as "short hedges" and "long
hedges." A short hedge is a purchase or sale of a Financial Instrument intended
partially or fully to offset potential declines in the value of one or more
investments held in the Fund's portfolio. Thus, in a short hedge, the Fund takes
a position in a Financial Instrument whose price is expected to move in the
opposite direction of the price of the investment being hedged.
Conversely, a long hedge is a purchase or sale of a Financial Instrument
intended partially or fully to offset potential increases in the acquisition
cost of one or more investments that the Fund intends to acquire. Thus, in a
long hedge, the Fund takes a position in a Financial Instrument whose price is
expected to move in the same direction as the price of the prospective
investment being hedged. A long hedge is sometimes referred to as an
anticipatory hedge. In an anticipatory hedge transaction, the Fund does not own
a corresponding security and, therefore, the
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transaction does not relate to a security the Fund owns. Rather, it relates to a
security that the Fund intends to acquire. If the Fund does not complete the
hedge by purchasing the security it anticipated purchasing, the effect on the
Fund's portfolio is the same as if the transaction were entered into for
speculative purposes.
Financial Instruments on securities generally are used to attempt to hedge
against price movements in one or more particular securities positions that the
Fund owns or intends to acquire. Financial Instruments on indices, in contrast,
generally are used to attempt to hedge against price movements in market sectors
in which the Fund has invested or expects to invest. Financial Instruments on
debt securities may be used to hedge either individual securities or broad debt
market sectors.
The use of Financial Instruments is subject to applicable regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the several exchanges upon
which they are traded and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC").
In addition, the Fund's ability to use Financial Instruments may be limited by
tax considerations. See "Taxes."
In addition to the instruments, strategies and risks described below,
WRIMCO expects to discover additional opportunities in connection with Financial
Instruments and other similar or related techniques. These new opportunities may
become available as WRIMCO develops new techniques, as regulatory authorities
broaden the range of permitted transactions and as new Financial Instruments or
other techniques are developed. WRIMCO may utilize these opportunities to the
extent that they are consistent with the Fund's goals and permitted by the
Fund's investment limitations and applicable regulatory authorities. The Fund
might not use any of these strategies, and there can be no assurance that any
strategy used will succeed. The Fund's Prospectus or SAI will be supplemented to
the extent that new products or techniques involve materially different risks
than those described below or in the Prospectus.
Special Risks. The use of Financial Instruments involves special
considerations and risks, certain of which are described below. In general,
these techniques may increase the volatility of the Fund and may involve a small
investment of cash relative to the magnitude of the risk assumed. Risks
pertaining to particular Financial Instruments are described in the sections
that follow.
(1) Successful use of most Financial Instruments depends upon WRIMCO's
ability to predict movements of the overall securities and currency and interest
rate markets, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the
prices of
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individual securities. There can be no assurance that any particular strategy
will succeed, and use of Financial Instruments could result in a loss,
regardless of whether the intent was to reduce risk or increase return.
(2) There might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between
price movements of a Financial Instrument and price movements of the investments
being hedged. For example, if the value of a Financial Instrument used in a
short hedge increased by less than the decline in value of the hedged
investment, the hedge would not be fully successful. Such a lack of correlation
might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being
hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which Financial
Instruments are traded. The effectiveness of hedges using Financial Instruments
on indices will depend on the degree of correlation between price movements on
the index and price movement in the securities being hedged.
Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded options and
futures contracts, it is likely that the standardized contracts available will
not match the Fund's current or anticipated investments exactly. The Fund may
invest in options and futures contracts based on securities with different
issuers, maturities or other characteristics from the securities in which it
typically invests, which involves a risk that the options or futures position
will not track the performance of the Fund's other investments.
Options and futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their
underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match the Fund's
investments well. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors as
current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the
underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract,
which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect correlation may
also result from differing levels of demand in the options and futures markets
and the securities markets, from structural differences in how options, futures
and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits
or trading halts. The Fund may purchase or sell options and futures contracts
with a greater or lesser value than the securities it wishes to hedge or intends
to purchase in order to attempt to compensate for differences in volatility
between the contract and the securities, although this may not be successful in
all cases. If price changes in the Fund's options or futures positions are
poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce
anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other
investments.
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(3) If successful, the above-discussed strategies can reduce risk of loss
by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect of unfavorable price
movements. However, such strategies can also reduce opportunity for gain by
offsetting the positive effect of favorable price movements. For example, if the
Fund entered into a short hedge because WRIMCO projected a decline in the price
of a security in the Fund's portfolio, and the price of that security increased
instead, the gain from that increase might be wholly or partially offset by a
decline in the price of the Financial Instrument. Moreover, if the price of the
Financial Instrument declined by more than the increase in the price of the
security, the Fund could suffer a loss. In either such case, the Fund would have
been in a better position had it not attempted to hedge at all.
(4) As described below, the Fund might be required to maintain assets as
"cover," maintain accounts or make margin payments when it takes positions in
Financial Instruments involving obligations to third parties (i.e., Financial
Instruments other than purchased options). If the Fund were unable to close out
its positions in such Financial Instruments, it might be required to continue to
maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position
expired or matured. These requirements might impair the Fund's ability to sell a
portfolio security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be
favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a
disadvantageous time.
(5) The Fund's ability to close out a position in a Financial Instrument
prior to expiration or maturity depends on the existence of a liquid secondary
market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the
other party to the transaction (the "counterparty") to enter into a transaction
closing out the position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any position can
be closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.
Cover. Transactions using Financial Instruments, other than purchased
options, expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not
enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting
("covered") position in securities, currencies or other options, futures
contracts or forward contracts, or (2) cash and liquid assets with a value,
marked-to-market daily, sufficient to cover its potential obligations to the
extent not covered as provided in (1) above. The Fund will comply with SEC
guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so
require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its custodian in the
prescribed amount as determined daily.
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Assets used as cover or held in an account cannot be sold while the
position in the corresponding Financial Instrument is open, unless they are
replaced with other appropriate assets. As a result, the commitment of a large
portion of the Fund's assets to cover or accounts could impede portfolio
management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current
obligations.
Options. A call option gives the purchaser the right to buy, and obligates
the writer to sell, the underlying investment at the agreed-upon price during
the option period. A put option gives the purchaser the right to sell, and
obligates the writer to buy, the underlying investment at the agreed-upon price
during the option period. Purchasers of options pay an amount, known as a
premium, to the option writer in exchange for the right under the option
contract.
The purchase of call options can serve as a long hedge, and the purchase of
put options can serve as a short hedge. Writing put or call options can enable
the Fund to enhance income or yield by reason of the premiums paid by the
purchasers of such options. However, if the market price of the security
underlying a put option declines to less than the exercise price of the option,
minus the premium received, the Fund would expect to suffer a loss.
Writing call options can serve as a limited short hedge, because declines
in the value of the hedged investment would be offset to the extent of the
premium received for writing the option. However, if the security or currency
appreciates to a price higher than the exercise price of the call option, it can
be expected that the option will be exercised and the Fund will be obligated to
sell the security at less than its market value. If the call option is an OTC
option, the securities or other assets used as cover would be considered
illiquid to the extent described under "Illiquid Investments."
Writing put options can serve as a limited long hedge because increases in
the value of the hedged investment would be offset to the extent of the premium
received for writing the option. However, if the security or currency
depreciates to a price lower than the exercise price of the put option, it can
be expected that the put option will be exercised and the Fund will be obligated
to purchase the security or currency at more than its market value. If the put
option is an OTC option, the securities or other assets used as cover would be
considered illiquid to the extent described under "Illiquid Investments."
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The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the
current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until
expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the
underlying investment, the historical price volatility of the underlying
investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have
no value.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option
by entering into an offsetting closing transaction. For example, the Fund may
terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by
purchasing an identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase
transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call
option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is
known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to
realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or
expiration.
A type of put that the Fund may purchase is an "optional delivery standby
commitment," which is entered into by parties selling debt securities to the
Fund. An optional delivery standby commitment gives the Fund the right to sell
the security back to the seller on specified terms. This right is provided as an
inducement to purchase the security.
Risks of Options on Securities. Options offer large amounts of leverage,
which will result in the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive to changes
in the value of the related instrument. The Fund may purchase or write both
exchange-traded options and OTC options. Exchange-traded options in the United
States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on
which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every
exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts
between the Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank)
with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC
option, it relies on the counterparty from whom it purchased the option to make
or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option.
Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium
paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-listed
options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no
assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing
transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the
counterparty, or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market
exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will
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in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior
to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be
unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.
If the Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction for an option it
had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The
inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option
written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable
to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option
expires or is exercised.
Options on Indices. Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls
on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and
gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price
movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a
call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration
date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from
the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call
is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is
equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise
price of the call times a specified multiple ("multiplier"), which determines
the total dollar value for each point of such difference. When the Fund buys a
call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights as to such call as
are indicated above. When the Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and
has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put,
upon the Fund's exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if
the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the
exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier,
as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an index, it
receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the
expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to
the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price
times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
Risks of Options on Indices. The risks of investment in options on indices
may be greater than options on securities. Because index options are settled in
cash, when the Fund writes a call on an index it cannot provide in advance for
its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying
securities. The Fund can offset some of the risk of writing a call index option
by holding a diversified portfolio of securities similar to those on which the
underlying index is based. However,
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the Fund cannot, as a practical matter, acquire and hold a portfolio containing
exactly the same securities as underlie the index and, as a result, bears a risk
that the value of the securities held will vary from the value of the index.
Even if the Fund could assemble a portfolio that exactly reproduced the
composition of the underlying index, it still would not be fully covered from a
risk standpoint because of the "timing risk" inherent in writing index options.
When an index option is exercised, the amount of cash that the holder is
entitled to receive is determined by the difference between the exercise price
and the closing index level on the date when the option is exercised. As with
other kinds of options, the Fund as the call writer will not learn that the Fund
has been assigned until the next business day at the earliest. The time lag
between exercise and notice of assignment poses no risk for the writer of a
covered call on a specific underlying security, such as common stock, because
there the writer's obligation is to deliver the underlying security, not to pay
its value as of a fixed time in the past. So long as the writer already owns the
underlying security, it can satisfy its settlement obligations by simply
delivering it, and the risk that its value may have declined since the exercise
date is borne by the exercising holder. In contrast, even if the writer of an
index call holds securities that exactly match the composition of the underlying
index, it will not be able to satisfy its assignment obligations by delivering
those securities against payment of the exercise price. Instead, it will be
required to pay cash in an amount based on the closing index value on the
exercise date. By the time it learns that it has been assigned, the index may
have declined, with a corresponding decline in the value of its portfolio. This
"timing risk" is an inherent limitation on the ability of index call writers to
cover their risk exposure by holding securities positions.
If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the
closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level
of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the
exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the
difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option
(times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
OTC Options. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with
respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike
price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are
established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract.
While this type of arrangement allows the Fund great flexibility to tailor the
option to its needs, OTC options generally involve
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greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing
organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
Generally, OTC foreign currency options used by the Fund are European-style
options. This means that the option is only exercisable immediately prior to its
expiration. This is in contrast to American-style options, which are exercisable
at any time prior to the expiration date of the option.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The purchase of futures
or call options on futures can serve as a long hedge, and the sale of futures or
the purchase of put options on futures can serve as a short hedge. Writing call
options on futures contracts can serve as a limited short hedge, using a
strategy similar to that used for writing call options on securities or indices.
Similarly, writing put options on futures contracts can serve as a limited long
hedge. Futures contracts and options on futures contracts can also be purchased
and sold to attempt to enhance income or yield.
In addition, futures strategies can be used to manage the average duration
of the Fund's fixed-income portfolio. If WRIMCO wishes to shorten the average
duration of the Fund's fixed-income portfolio, the Fund may sell a debt futures
contract or a call option thereon, or purchase a put option on that futures
contract. If WRIMCO wishes to lengthen the average duration of the Fund's
fixed-income portfolio, the Fund may buy a debt futures contract or a call
option thereon, or sell a put option thereon.
No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Instead, at the
inception of a futures contract the Fund is required to deposit "initial margin"
in an amount generally equal to 10% or less of the contract value. Margin must
also be deposited when writing a call or put option on a futures contract, in
accordance with applicable exchange rules. Unlike margin in securities
transactions, initial margin on futures contracts does not represent a
borrowing, but rather is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith
deposit that is returned to the Fund at the termination of the transaction if
all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Under certain circumstances,
such as periods of high volatility, the Fund may be required by an exchange to
increase the level of its initial margin payment, and initial margin
requirements might be increased generally in the future by regulatory action.
Subsequent "variation margin" payments are made to and from the futures
broker daily as the value of the futures position varies, a process known as
"marking-to-market." Variation margin does not involve borrowing, but rather
represents a daily settlement of the Fund's obligations to or from a futures
broker.
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When the Fund purchases an option on a future, the premium paid plus transaction
costs is all that is at risk. In contrast, when the Fund purchases or sells a
futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is subject to daily
variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price
movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin
requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when such sales are
disadvantageous.
Purchasers and sellers of futures contracts and options on futures can
enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in
options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the
instrument purchased or sold. Positions in futures contracts and options on
futures may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a
secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary
market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event,
it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits
on the amount that the price of a futures contract or an option on a futures
contract can vary from the previous day's settlement price; once that limit is
reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price
limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily
limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing
liquidation of unfavorable positions.
If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a
futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the
imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would
continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition,
except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required
to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain the
position being hedged by the futures contract or option or to maintain liquid
assets in an account.
Risks of Futures Contracts and Options Thereon. The ordinary spreads
between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures
market), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the
following factors, which may create 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, which could distort the
normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity
of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting
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transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants
decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be
reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of
speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous
than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased
participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price
distortions. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct forecast of general
interest rate, currency exchange rate or stock market trends by WRIMCO may still
not result in a successful transaction. WRIMCO may be incorrect in its
expectations as to the extent of various interest rate, currency exchange rate
or stock market movements or the time span within which the movements take
place.
Index Futures. The risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the
price of an index future and movements in the price of the securities that are
the subject of the hedge increases as the composition of the Fund's portfolio
diverges from the securities included in the applicable index. The price of the
index futures may move more than or less than the price of the securities being
hedged. If the price of the index future moves less than the price of the
securities that are the subject of the hedge, the hedge will not be fully
effective but, if the price of the securities 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 securities being hedged has moved in a
favorable direction, this advantage will be partially offset by the futures
contract. If the price of the futures contract moves more than the price of the
securities, the Fund will experience either a loss or a gain on the futures
contract that will not be completely offset by movements in the price of the
securities that are the subject of the hedge. To compensate for the imperfect
correlation of movements in the price of the securities being hedged and
movements in the price of the index futures, the Fund may buy or sell index
futures in a greater dollar amount than the dollar amount of the securities
being hedged if the historical volatility of the prices of such securities being
hedged is more than the historical volatility of the prices of the securities
included in the index. It is also possible that, where the Fund has sold index
futures contracts to hedge against decline in the market, the market may advance
and the value of the securities held in the portfolio may decline. If this
occurred, the Fund would lose money on the futures contract and also experience
a decline in value of its portfolio securities. However, while this could occur
for a very brief period or to a very small degree, over time the value of a
diversified portfolio of securities will tend to move in the same direction as
the market indices on which the futures contracts are based.
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Where index futures are purchased to hedge against a possible increase in
the price of securities before the Fund is able to invest in them in an orderly
fashion, it is possible that the market may decline instead. If the Fund then
concludes not to invest in them at that time because of concern as to possible
further market decline or for other reasons, it will realize a loss on the
futures contract that is not offset by a reduction in the price of the
securities it had anticipated purchasing.
To the extent that the Fund enters into futures contracts, options on
futures contracts or options on foreign currencies traded on a CFTC-regulated
exchange, in each case other than for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined by
the CFTC), the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish those
positions (excluding the amount by which options are "in-the-money" at the time
of purchase) will not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of that Fund's
portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on
any contracts the Fund has entered into. (In general, a call option on a futures
contract is "in-the-money" if the value of the underlying futures contract
exceeds the strike, i.e., exercise, price of the call; a put option on a futures
contract is "in-the-money" if the value of the underlying futures contract is
exceeded by the strike price of the put.) This policy does not limit to 5% the
percentage of the Fund's assets that are at risk in futures contracts, options
on futures contracts and currency options.
Foreign Currency Hedging Strategies--Special Considerations. The Fund may
use options and futures contracts on foreign currencies (including the Euro), as
described above, and forward currency contracts, as described below, to attempt
to hedge against movements in the values of the foreign currencies in which the
Fund's securities are denominated or to attempt to enhance income or yield.
Currency hedges can protect against price movements that are attributable to
changes in the value of the currency in which it is denominated. Such hedges do
not, however, protect against price movements in the securities that are
attributable to other causes.
The Fund might seek to hedge against changes in the value of a particular
currency when no Financial Instruments on that currency are available or such
Financial Instruments are more expensive than certain other Financial
Instruments. In such cases, the Fund may seek to hedge against price movements
in that currency by entering into transactions using Financial Instruments on
another currency or a basket of currencies, the values of which WRIMCO believes
will have a high degree of positive correlation to the value of the currency
being hedged. The risk that movements in the price of the Financial Instrument
will not correlate
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perfectly with movements in the price of the currency subject to the hedging
transaction is magnified when this strategy is used.
The value of Financial Instruments on foreign currencies depends on the
value of the underlying currency relative to the U.S. dollar. Because foreign
currency transactions occurring in the interbank market might involve
substantially larger amounts than those involved in the use of such Financial
Instruments, the Fund could be disadvantaged by having to deal in the odd lot
market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the
underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round
lots.
There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign
currencies or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through
dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation
information generally is representative of very large transactions in the
interbank market and thus might not reflect odd-lot transactions where rates
might be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global,
round-the-clock market. To the extent the U.S. options or futures markets are
closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant
price and rate movements might take place in the underlying markets that cannot
be reflected in the U.S. markets for the Financial Instruments until they
reopen.
Settlement of transactions involving foreign currencies might be required
to take place within the country issuing the underlying currency. Thus, the Fund
might be required to accept or make delivery of the underlying foreign currency
in accordance with any U.S. or foreign regulations regarding the maintenance of
foreign banking arrangements by U.S. residents and might be required to pay any
fees, taxes and charges associated with such delivery assessed in the issuing
country.
Forward Currency Contracts. The Fund may enter into forward currency
contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies for a fixed amount of U.S.
dollars or another foreign currency. A forward currency contract involves an
obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may
be any fixed number of days (term) from the date of the forward currency
contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the forward
currency contract. These forward currency contracts are traded directly between
currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers.
Such transactions may serve as long hedges; for example, the Fund may
purchase a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a
security denominated in a foreign currency that the Fund intends to acquire.
Forward currency contract
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transactions may also serve as short hedges; for example, the Fund may sell a
forward currency contract to lock in the U.S. dollar equivalent of the proceeds
from the anticipated sale of a security, dividend or interest payment
denominated in a foreign currency.
The Fund may also use forward contracts to hedge against a decline in the
value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. For example, if
the Fund owned securities denominated in Euros, it could enter into a forward
currency contract to sell Euros in return for U.S. dollars to hedge against
possible declines in the Euro's value. Such a hedge, sometimes referred to as a
"position hedge," would tend to offset both positive and negative currency
fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values caused by other
factors. The Fund could also hedge the position by selling another currency
expected to perform similarly to the Euro. This type of hedge, sometimes
referred to as a "proxy hedge," could offer advantages in terms of cost, yield,
or efficiency, but generally would not hedge currency exposure as effectively as
a simple hedge into U.S. dollars. Proxy hedges may result in losses if the
currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the currency in which the
hedged securities are denominated.
The Fund also may use forward currency contracts to attempt to enhance
income or yield. The Fund could use forward currency contracts to increase its
exposure to foreign currencies that WRIMCO believes might rise in value relative
to the U.S. dollar, or shift its exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from
one country to another. For example, if the Fund owned securities denominated in
a foreign currency and WRIMCO believed that currency would decline relative to
another currency, it might enter into a forward currency contract to sell an
appropriate amount of the first foreign currency, with payment to be made in the
second foreign currency.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in forward currency contracts varies with
factors such as the currency involved, the length of the contract period and the
market conditions then prevailing. Because forward currency contracts are
usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.
When the Fund enters into a forward currency contract, it relies on the
counterparty to make or take delivery of the underlying currency at the maturity
of the contract. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss
of any expected benefit of the transaction.
As is the case with futures contracts, purchasers and sellers of forward
currency contracts can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to
closing transactions on futures
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contracts, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to
the instrument purchased or sold. Secondary markets generally do not exist for
forward currency contracts, with the result that closing transactions generally
can be made for forward currency contracts only by negotiating directly with the
counterparty. Thus, there can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able
to close out a forward currency contract at a favorable price prior to maturity.
In addition, in the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be
unable to close out a forward currency contract at any time prior to maturity.
In either event, the Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with
respect to the position, and would continue to be required to maintain a
position in securities denominated in the foreign currency or to maintain cash
or liquid assets in an account.
The precise matching of forward currency contract amounts and the value of
the securities involved generally will not be possible because the value of such
securities, measured in the foreign currency, will change after the forward
currency contract has been established. Thus, the Fund might need to purchase or
sell foreign currencies in the spot (cash) market to the extent such foreign
currencies are not covered by forward currency contracts. The projection of
short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful
execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain.
Normally, consideration of the prospect for currency parities will be
incorporated into the longer term investment decisions made with regard to
overall diversification strategies. However, WRIMCO believes that it is
important to have the flexibility to enter into such forward currency contracts
when it determines that the best interests of the Fund will be served.
Successful use of forward currency contracts depends on WRIMCO's skill in
analyzing and predicting currency values. Forward currency contracts may
substantially change the Fund's exposure to changes in currency exchange rates
and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as WRIMCO
anticipates. There is no assurance that WRIMCO's use of forward currency
contracts will be advantageous to the Fund or that WRIMCO will hedge at an
appropriate time.
Combined Positions. The Fund may purchase and write options in combination
with each other, or in combination with futures or forward contracts, to adjust
the risk and return characteristics of its overall position. For example, the
Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying
instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return
characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible
combined position would involve writing a call
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option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order
to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial
price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they
result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close
out.
Turnover. The Fund's options and futures activities may affect its turnover
rate and brokerage commission payments. The exercise of calls or puts written by
the Fund, and the sale or purchase of futures contracts, may cause it to sell or
purchase related investments, thus increasing its turnover rate. Once the Fund
has received an exercise notice on an option it has written, it cannot effect an
offsetting closing transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the
option and must deliver or receive the underlying securities at the exercise
price. The exercise of puts purchased by the Fund may also cause the sale of
related investments, also increasing turnover; although such exercise is within
the Fund's control, holding a protective put might cause it to sell the related
investments for reasons that would not exist in the absence of the put. The Fund
will pay a brokerage commission each time it buys or sells a put or call or
purchases or sells a futures contract. Such commissions may be higher than those
that would apply to direct purchases or sales.
Swaps, Caps, Collars and Floors. The Fund may enter into swaps, caps,
collars and floors to preserve a return or a spread on a particular investment
or portion of its portfolio, to protect against any increase in the price of
securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date or to attempt to
enhance yield. Swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of
their respective commitments to pay or receive cash flows, e.g., an exchange of
floating rate payments for fixed-rate payments. The purchase of a cap entitles
the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined
value, to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling
the cap. The purchase of a floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a
specified index falls below a predetermined value, to receive payments on a
notional principal amount from the party selling the floor. A collar combines
elements of buying a cap and selling a floor.
Swap agreements, including caps, collars and floors, can be individually
negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of
investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may
increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund's investments and its
share price and yield because, and to the extent, these agreements affect the
Fund's exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or
abroad), foreign currency values,
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mortgage-backed security values, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors
such as security prices or inflation rates.
Swap agreements will tend to shift the Fund's investment exposure from one
type of investment to another. For example, if the Fund agrees to exchange
payments in U.S. dollars for payments in foreign currency, the swap agreement
would tend to decrease the Fund's exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase
its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Caps and floors have an
effect similar to buying or writing options.
The creditworthiness of firms with which the Fund enters into swaps, caps
or floors will be monitored by WRIMCO. If a firm's creditworthiness declines,
the value of the agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in
losses. If a default occurs by the other party to such transaction, the Fund
will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the
transaction.
The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its
entitlements with respect to each swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an
amount of cash or liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least
equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Fund's
custodian that satisfies the requirements of the 1940 Act. The Fund will also
establish and maintain such account with respect to its total obligations under
any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis and with respect to any caps
or floors that are written by the Fund. WRIMCO and the Fund believe that such
obligations do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and,
accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund's borrowing
restrictions. The Fund understands that the position of the SEC is that assets
involved in swap transactions are illiquid and are, therefore, subject to the
limitations on investing in illiquid securities.
Risk Factors of High-Yield Investing
As an operating (i.e., nonfundamental) policy, the Fund does not intend to
invest more than 5% of its assets in non-investment grade debt securities.
Lower-quality debt securities ("junk bonds") are considered to be speculative
and involve greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the
issuer's creditworthiness. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate
more than high-quality securities and may decline significantly in periods of
general economic difficulty.
While the market for high-yield, high-risk corporate debt securities has
been in existence for many years and has weathered previous economic downturns,
the 1980s brought a dramatic increase
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in the use of such securities to fund highly leveraged corporate acquisitions
and restructurings. Past experience may not provide an accurate indication of
the future performance of the high-yield, high-risk bond market, especially
during periods of economic recession. The market for lower-rated debt securities
may be thinner and less active than that for higher-rated debt securities, which
can adversely affect the prices at which the former are sold. Adverse publicity
and changing investor perceptions may decrease the values and liquidity of
lower-rated debt securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
Valuation becomes more difficult and judgment plays a greater role in
valuing lower-rated debt securities than with respect to securities for which
more external sources of quotations and last sale information are available.
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-rated debt securities, WRIMCO's
research and credit analysis are an especially important part of managing
securities of this type held by the Fund. WRIMCO continuously monitors the
issuers of lower-rated debt securities in the Fund's portfolio in an attempt to
determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet
required principal and interest payments.
The Fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to
pursue litigation or otherwise to exercise its rights as a security holder to
seek to protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to be in
the best interest of the Fund's shareholders.
While credit ratings are only one factor WRIMCO relies on in evaluating
high-yield debt securities, certain risks are associated with using credit
ratings. Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments,
not market value risk.
Investment Restrictions and Limitations
Certain of the Fund's investment restrictions and other limitations are
described in this SAI. The following are the Fund's fundamental investment
limitations set forth in their entirety, which, like the Fund's goals and the
types of securities in which the Fund may invest, cannot be changed without
shareholder approval. For this purpose, shareholder approval means the approval,
at a meeting of Fund shareholders, by the lesser of (1) the holders of 67% or
more of the Fund's shares represented at the meeting, if more than 50% of the
Fund's outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy or (2) more than 50%
of the Fund's outstanding shares. The Fund may not:
(i) Buy real estate nor any nonliquid interests in real estate investment
trusts;
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(ii) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of any
one issuer (other than cash items and "Government securities" as
defined in the 1940 Act), if immediately after and as a result of such
purchase, (a) the value of the holdings of the Fund in the securities
of such issuer exceeds 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets, or
(b) the Fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities
of such issuer;
(iii) Buy the securities of companies in any one industry if more than 25%
of the Fund's total assets would then be in companies in that
industry;
(iv) Buy shares of other investment companies that redeem their shares. The
Fund can buy shares of investment companies that do not redeem their
shares if it does it in a regular transaction in the open market and
then does not have more than one tenth (i.e., 10%) of its total assets
in these shares. The Fund may also buy these shares as part of a
merger or consolidation;
(v) Make loans other than certain limited types of loans described herein;
the Fund can buy debt securities and other obligations consistent with
its goals and its other investment policies and restrictions; it can
also lend its portfolio securities to the extent allowed, and in
accordance with the requirements, under the 1940 Act and enter into
repurchase agreements except as indicated above (see "Repurchase
Agreements" above);
(vi) Invest for the purpose of exercising control or management of other
companies;
(vii) Participate on a joint, or a joint and several, basis in any trading
account in any securities;
(viii) Sell securities short (unless it owns or has the right to obtain
securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short)
or purchase securities on margin, except that (1) this policy does not
prevent the Fund from entering into short positions in foreign
currency, futures contracts, options, forward contracts, swaps, caps,
collars, floors and other financial instruments, (2) the Fund may
obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of
transactions, and (3) the Fund may make margin payments in connection
with futures contracts, options, forward
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contracts, swaps, caps, collars, floors and other financial
instruments;
(ix) Engage in the underwriting of securities;
(x) Borrow for investment purposes, that is, to purchase securities. The
Fund may borrow money from banks as a temporary measure or for
extraordinary or emergency purposes but only up to 5% of its total
assets. The Fund may not pledge its assets in connection with any
permitted borrowings; however, this policy does not prevent the Fund
from pledging its assets in connection with its purchase and sale of
futures contracts, options, forward currency contracts, swaps, caps,
collars, floors and other financial instruments;
(xi) Purchase or sell physical commodities; however, this policy shall not
prevent the Fund from purchasing and selling foreign currency, futures
contracts, options, forward contracts, swaps, caps, collars, floors
and other financial instruments; or
(xii) Issue senior securities.
The following investment restrictions are not fundamental and may be
changed by the Board of Directors without shareholder approval:
(i) At least 65% the Fund's total assets will be invested during normal
market conditions in growth securities.
(ii) During normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund's total
assets will be invested in foreign securities and at least 65% of its
total assets will be invested in at least three different countries
outside the United States. The Fund may not purchase a foreign
security if, as a result, more than 75% of its total assets would be
invested in issuers of any one foreign country.
(iii) The Fund does not currently intend to invest in non-investment grade
debt securities if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets
would consist of such investments.
(iv) The Fund may not purchase a security if, as a result, more than 10% of
its net assets would consist of illiquid investments.
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(v) The Fund does not currently intend to invest more than 5% of its
assets in the securities of other investment companies.
(vi) The Fund does not currently intend to purchase the securities of any
issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets would be
invested in the securities of business enterprises that, including
predecessors, have a record of less than three years of continuous
operation. This restriction does not apply to any obligations issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. government or a state or local government
authority, or their respective instrumentalities, or to CMOs, other
mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities, indexed
securities or OTC derivative instruments.
An investment policy or limitation that states a maximum percentage of the
Fund's assets that may be so invested or prescribes quality standards is
typically applied immediately after, and based on, the Fund's acquisition of an
asset. Accordingly, a subsequent change in the asset's value, net assets, or
other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the
investment complies with the Fund's investment policies and limitations.
Portfolio Turnover
A portfolio turnover rate is, in general, the percentage computed by taking
the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for a year and dividing
it by the monthly average of the market value of such securities during the
year, excluding certain short-term securities. The Fund's turnover rate may vary
greatly from year to year as well as within a particular year and may be
affected by cash requirements for the redemption of its shares. For the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1999, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 149.45%. For
the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, its portfolio turnover rate was 114.34%.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES
The Management Agreement
The Fund has an Investment Management Agreement (the "Management
Agreement") with Waddell & Reed, Inc. On January 8, 1992, subject to the
authority of the Fund's Board of Directors, Waddell & Reed, Inc. assigned the
Management Agreement and all related investment management duties (and related
professional
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staff) to WRIMCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of Waddell & Reed, Inc. Under the
Management Agreement, WRIMCO is employed to supervise the investments of the
Fund and provide investment advice to the Fund. The address of WRIMCO and
Waddell & Reed, Inc. is 6300 Lamar Avenue, P.O. Box 29217, Shawnee Mission,
Kansas 66201-9217. Waddell & Reed, Inc. is the Fund's underwriter.
The Management Agreement permits Waddell & Reed, Inc. or an affiliate of
Waddell & Reed, Inc. to enter into a separate agreement for transfer agency
services ("Shareholder Servicing Agreement") and a separate agreement for
accounting services ("Accounting Services Agreement") with the Fund. The
Management Agreement contains detailed provisions as to the matters to be
considered by the Fund's Board of Directors prior to approving any Shareholder
Servicing Agreement or Accounting Services Agreement.
Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.
WRIMCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Waddell & Reed, Inc. Waddell & Reed,
Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc., a
holding company. Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc. is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., a publicly held company. The
address of these companies is 6300 Lamar Avenue, P.O. Box 29217, Shawnee
Mission, Kansas 66201-9217.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. and its predecessors have served as investment manager
to each of the registered investment companies in the United Group of Mutual
Funds, except United Asset Strategy Fund, Inc., since the company's inception
date and to Target/United Funds, Inc. since that fund's inception, until January
8, 1992, when it assigned its duties as investment manager for these funds (and
the related professional staff) to WRIMCO. WRIMCO has also served as investment
manager for Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. since its inception in September 1992 and
United Asset Strategy Fund, Inc. since it commenced operations in March 1995.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. serves as principal underwriter for the investment
companies in the United Group of Mutual Funds and Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. and
acts as principal underwriter and distributor for variable life insurance and
variable annuity policies for which Target/United Funds, Inc. is the underlying
investment vehicle.
Shareholder Services
Under the Shareholder Servicing Agreement entered into between the Fund and
Waddell & Reed Services Company (the "Agent"), a subsidiary of Waddell & Reed,
Inc., the Agent performs shareholder servicing functions, including the
maintenance of
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shareholder accounts, the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares,
distribution of dividends and payment of redemptions, the furnishing of related
information to the Fund and handling of shareholder inquiries. A new Shareholder
Servicing Agreement, or amendments to the existing one, may be approved by the
Fund's Board of Directors without shareholder approval.
Accounting Services
Under the Accounting Services Agreement entered into between the Fund and
the Agent, the Agent provides the Fund with bookkeeping and accounting services
and assistance, including maintenance of the Fund's records, pricing of the
Fund's shares, and preparation of prospectuses for existing shareholders, proxy
statements and certain reports. A new Accounting Services Agreement, or
amendments to an existing one, may be approved by the Fund's Board of Directors
without shareholder approval.
Payments by the Fund for Management, Accounting and Shareholder Services
Under the Management Agreement, for WRIMCO's management services, the Fund
pays WRIMCO a fee as described in the Prospectus. The management fees paid to
WRIMCO during the fiscal years ended June 30, 1999, 1998 and 1997 were
$8,468,829, $7,746,698 and $5,965,040, respectively.
For purposes of calculating the daily fee, the Fund does not include money
owed to it by Waddell & Reed, Inc. for shares which it has sold but not yet paid
the Fund. The Fund accrues and pays this fee daily.
Under the Shareholder Servicing Agreement, with respect to Class A, Class B
and Class C shares the Fund pays the Agent a monthly fee of $1.3125 for each
shareholder account that was in existence at any time during the prior month,
plus $0.30 for each account on which a dividend or distribution, of cash or
shares, had a record date in that month. For Class Y shares, the Fund pays the
agent a monthly fee equal to one-twelfth of .15 of 1% of the average daily net
assets of that class for the preceding month. The Fund also pays certain
out-of-pocket expenses of the Agent, including long distance telephone
communications costs; microfilm and storage costs for certain documents; forms,
printing and mailing costs; and costs of legal and special services not provided
by Waddell & Reed, Inc., WRIMCO or the Agent.
Under the Accounting Services Agreement, the Fund pays the Agent a monthly
fee of one-twelfth of the annual fee shown in the following table.
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Accounting Services Fee
Average
Net Asset Level Annual Fee
(all dollars in millions) Rate for Each Fund
------------------------- ------------------
From $ 0 to $ 10 $ 0
From $ 10 to $ 25 $ 10,000
From $ 25 to $ 50 $ 20,000
From $ 50 to $ 100 $ 30,000
From $ 100 to $ 200 $ 40,000
From $ 200 to $ 350 $ 50,000
From $ 350 to $ 550 $ 60,000
From $ 550 to $ 750 $ 70,000
From $ 750 to $1,000 $ 85,000
$1,000 and Over $100,000
Fees paid to the Agent for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1999, 1998 and
1997 were $100,000, $100,000 and $85,000, respectively.
Since the Fund pays a management fee for investment supervision and an
accounting services fee for accounting services as discussed above, WRIMCO and
the Agent, respectively, pay all of their own expenses in providing these
services. Amounts paid by the Fund under the Shareholder Servicing Agreement are
described above. Waddell & Reed, Inc. and affiliates pay the Fund's Directors
and officers who are affiliated with WRIMCO and its affiliates. The Fund pays
the fees and expenses of the Fund's other Directors.
Waddell & Reed, Inc., under an agreement separate from the Management
Agreement, Shareholder Servicing Agreement and Accounting Services Agreement,
acts as the Fund's underwriter, i.e., sells its shares on a continuous basis.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. is not required to sell any particular number of shares,
and thus sells shares only for purchase orders received. Under this agreement,
Waddell & Reed, Inc. pays the costs of sales literature, including the costs of
shareholder reports used as sales literature, and the costs of printing the
prospectus furnished to it by the Fund. The aggregate dollar amounts of
underwriting commissions for Class A shares for the fiscal years ended June 30,
1999, 1998 and 1997 were $4,101,374, $4,119,854 and $3,772,737, respectively,
and the amounts retained by Waddell & Reed, Inc. for each fiscal year were
$1,727,165, $1,740,247 and $1,615,133, respectively.
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No portion of the sales charge is reallowed to dealers. A major portion of
the sales charge for Class A shares the contingent deferred sales charges
("CDSC") for Class B and Class C shares is paid to the financial advisors and
managers of Waddell & Reed, Inc. Waddell & Reed, Inc. may compensate its
financial advisors as to purchases for which there is no sales or deferred sales
charge.
The Fund pays all of its other expenses. These include the costs of
materials sent to shareholders, audit and outside legal fees, taxes, brokerage
commissions, interest, insurance premiums, custodian fees, fees payable by the
Fund under Federal or other securities laws and to the Investment Company
Institute and nonrecurring and extraordinary expenses, including litigation and
indemnification relating to litigation.
Under the Distribution and Service Plan (the "Plan") for Class A shares
adopted by the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund may pay
Waddell & Reed, Inc., the principal underwriter for the Fund, a fee not to
exceed .25% of the Fund's average annual net assets attributable to Class A
shares, paid monthly, to reimburse Waddell & Reed, Inc. for its costs and
expenses in connection with the distribution of the Class A shares and/or the
service and/or maintenance of Class A shareholder accounts.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. offers the Fund's shares through its registered
representatives and sales managers (sales force) unless it elects, which is not
currently contemplated for Class A, Class B and Class C shares, to make
distribution of shares also through other broker-dealers. In distributing shares
through its sales force, Waddell & Reed, Inc. will pay commissions and
incentives to the sales force at or about the time of sale and will incur other
expenses including costs for prospectuses, sales literature, advertisements,
sales office maintenance, processing of orders and general overhead with respect
to its efforts to distribute the Fund's shares. The Class A Plan permits Waddell
& Reed, Inc. to receive reimbursement for these Class A-related distribution
activities through the distribution fee, subject to the limit contained in the
Plan. The Class A Plan also contemplates that Waddell & Reed, Inc. may be
reimbursed for amounts it expends in compensating, training and supporting
registered financial advisors, sales managers and/or other appropriate personnel
in providing personal services to Class A shareholders of the Fund and/or
maintaining Class A shareholder accounts; increasing services provided to Class
A shareholders of the Fund by office personnel located at field sales offices;
engaging in other activities useful in providing personal service to Class A
shareholders of the Fund and/or maintenance of Class A shareholder accounts; and
in compensating broker-dealers who may regularly
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sell Class A shares of the Fund, and other third parties, for providing
shareholder services and/or maintaining shareholder accounts with respect to
Class A shares. Fees paid (or accrued) with respect to Class A shares as
distribution fees and service fees by the Fund under the Class A Plan for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1999 were $287,705 and $2,750,237, respectively. To
the extent that Waddell & Reed, Inc. incurs expenses for which reimbursement may
be made under the Plan that relate to distribution and service activities also
involving another fund in the United Group of Funds or Waddell & Reed Funds,
Inc., Waddell & Reed, Inc. typically determines the amount attributable to the
Fund's expenses under the Plan on the basis of a combination of the respective
classes' relative net assets and number of shareholder accounts.
Under the Plans adopted by the Fund for Class B and Class C shares,
respectively, the Fund may pay Waddell & Reed, Inc., on an annual basis, a
service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the class to
compensate Waddell & Reed, Inc. for providing services to shareholders of that
class and/or maintaining shareholder accounts for that class and a distribution
fee of up to 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the class to compensate
Waddell & Reed, Inc. for distributing the shares of that class. The Class B Plan
and the Class C Plan each permit Waddell & Reed, Inc. to receive compensation,
through the distribution and service fee, respectively, for its distribution
activities for that class, which are similar to the distribution activities
described with respect to the Class A Plan, and for its activities in providing
personal services to shareholders of that class and/or maintaining shareholder
accounts of that class, which are similar to the corresponding activities for
which it is entitled to reimbursement under the Class A Plan.
The only Directors or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of
the Fund who have a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of a
Plan are the officers and Directors who are also officers of either Waddell &
Reed, Inc. or its affiliate(s) or who are shareholders of Waddell & Reed
Financial, Inc., the indirect parent company of Waddell & Reed, Inc. Each Plan
is anticipated to benefit the Fund and its shareholders of the affected class
through Waddell & Reed, Inc.'s activities not only to distribute the shares of
the affected class but also to provide personal services to shareholders of that
class and thereby promote the maintenance of their accounts with the Fund. The
Fund anticipates that shareholders of a particular class may benefit to the
extent that Waddell & Reed's activities are successful in increasing the assets
of the Fund, through increased sales or reduced redemptions, or a combination of
these, and reducing a shareholder's share of Fund and class expenses. Increased
Fund assets may also provide greater resources with
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which to pursue the goals of the Fund. Further, continuing sales of shares may
also reduce the likelihood that it will be necessary to liquidate portfolio
securities, in amounts or at times that may be disadvantageous to the Fund, to
meet redemption demands. In addition, the Fund anticipates that the revenues
from the Plan will provide Waddell & Reed, Inc. with greater resources to make
the financial commitments necessary to continue to improve the quality and level
of services to the Fund and the shareholders of the affected class.
Each Plan was approved by the Fund's Board of Directors, including the
Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund and who have no direct or
indirect financial interest in the operations of the Plan or any agreement
referred to in the Plan (hereafter, the "Plan Directors"). The Class A Plan was
also approved by the affected shareholders of the Fund.
Among other things, each Plan provides that (i) Waddell & Reed, Inc. will
provide to the Directors of the Fund at least quarterly, and the Directors will
review, a report of amounts expended under the Plan and the purposes for which
such expenditures were made, (ii) the Plan will continue in effect only so long
as it is approved at least annually, and any material amendments thereto will be
effective only if approved, by the Directors including the Plan Directors acting
in person at a meeting called for that purpose, (iii) amounts to be paid by the
Fund under the Plan may not be materially increased without the vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the affected class of the
Fund, and (iv) while the Plan remains in effect, the selection and nomination of
the Directors who are Plan Directors will be committed to the discretion of the
Plan Directors.
Custodial and Auditing Services
The Fund's Custodian is UMB Bank, n.a., Kansas City, Missouri. In general,
the Custodian is responsible for holding the Fund's cash and securities.
Deloitte & Touche LLP, Kansas City, Missouri, the Fund's independent auditors,
audits the Fund's financial statements.
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
Determination of Offering Price
The net asset value of each class of the shares of the Fund is the value of
the assets of that class, less the class's
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<PAGE>
liabilities, divided by the total number of outstanding shares of that class.
Class A shares of the Fund are sold at their next determined net asset
value plus the sales charge described in the Prospectus. The sales charge is
paid to Waddell & Reed, Inc., the Fund's underwriter. The price makeup as of
June 30, 1999, which is the most recent balance sheet included in this SAI, was
as follows:
Net asset value per Class A share (Class A
net assets divided by Class A shares
outstanding) ............................................ $ 9.97
Add: selling commission (5.75% of offering
price) .................................................. .61
------
Maximum offering price per Class A share
(Class A net asset value divided by 94.25%).............. $10.58
======
The offering price of a Class A share is its net asset value next
determined following acceptance of a purchase order plus the sales charge. The
offering price of a Class B, Class C or a Class Y share is its net asset value
next determined following acceptance of a purchase order. The number of shares
you receive for your purchase depends on the next offering price after Waddell &
Reed, Inc. receives and accepts your order at its principal business office at
the address shown on the cover of this SAI. You will be sent a confirmation
after your purchase which will indicate how many shares you have purchased.
Shares are normally issued for cash only.
Waddell & Reed, Inc. need not accept any purchase order, and it or the Fund
may determine to discontinue offering Fund shares for purchase.
The net asset value and offering price per share are ordinarily computed
once on each day that the NYSE is open for trading as of the later of the close
of the regular session of the NYSE or the close of the regular session of any
other securities or commodities exchange on which an option or future held by
the Fund is traded. The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be
open for trading. The most recent announcement indicates that it will not be
open on the following days: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. However, it is possible that the NYSE may
close on other days. The net asset value will change every business day, since
the value of the assets and the number of shares outstanding change every
business day.
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The securities in the portfolio of the Fund, except as otherwise noted,
that are listed or traded on a stock exchange, are valued on the basis of the
last sale on that day or, lacking any sales, at a price which is the mean
between the closing bid and asked prices. Other securities which are traded
over-the-counter are priced using the Nasdaq Stock Market, which provides
information on bid and asked prices quoted by major dealers in such stocks.
Restricted foreign securities for which market quotations are readily available
are valued at market value. Bonds, other than convertible bonds, are valued
using a third-party pricing system. Convertible bonds are valued using this
pricing system only on days when there is no sale reported. Short-term debt
securities are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market. Warrants and
rights to purchase securities are valued at market value. When market quotations
are not readily available, securities and other assets are valued at fair value
as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the
general supervision and responsibility of the Fund's Board of Directors.
Foreign currency exchange rates are generally determined prior to the close
of trading of the regular session of the NYSE. Occasionally events affecting the
value of foreign investments and such exchange rates occur between the time at
which they are determined and the close of the regular session of trading on the
NYSE, which events will not be reflected in a computation of the Fund's net
asset value on that day. If events materially affecting the value of such
investments or currency exchange rates occur during such time period,
investments will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by or
under the direction of the Board of Directors. The foreign currency exchange
transactions of the Fund conducted on a spot (that is, cash) basis are valued at
the spot rate for purchasing or selling currency prevailing on the foreign
exchange market. This rate under normal market conditions differs from the
prevailing exchange rate in an amount generally less than one-tenth of one
percent due to the costs of converting from one currency to another.
When the Fund writes a call, an amount equal to the premium received is
included in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an
equivalent deferred credit is included in the liability section. The deferred
credit is marked-to-market to reflect the current market value of the call. If a
call the Fund wrote is exercised, the proceeds received on the sale of the
related investment are increased by the amount of the premium the Fund received.
If a call written by the Fund expires, it has a gain in the amount of the
premium; if it enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a gain
or loss depending on whether the premium was more or less than the cost of the
closing transaction.
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Minimum Initial and Subsequent Investments
For Class A, Class B and Class C shares, initial investments must be at
least $500 with the exceptions described in this paragraph. A $100 minimum
initial investment pertains to certain exchanges of shares from another fund in
the United Group. A $50 minimum initial investment pertains to purchases for
certain retirement plan accounts and to accounts for which an investor has
arranged, at the time of initial investment, to make subsequent purchases for
the account by having regular monthly withdrawals of $25 or more made from a
bank account. A minimum initial investment of $25 is applicable to purchases
made through payroll deduction for or by employees of Waddell & Reed, Inc.,
WRIMCO, their affiliates or certain retirement plan accounts. Except with
respect to certain exchanges and automatic withdrawals from a bank account, a
shareholder may make subsequent investments of any amount.
For Class Y shares, investments by government entities or authorities or by
corporations must total at least $10 million within the first twelve months
after initial investment. There is no initial investment minimum for other Class
Y investors.
Reduced Sales Charges (Applicable to Class A shares only)
Account Grouping
Large purchases of Class A shares are subject to lower sales charges. The
schedule of sales charges appears in the Prospectus for Class A shares. For the
purpose of taking advantage of the lower sales charges available for large
purchases, a purchase in any of categories 1 through 7 listed below made by an
individual or deemed to be made by an individual may be grouped with purchases
in any other of these categories:
1. Purchases by an individual for his or her own account (includes purchases
under the United Funds Revocable Trust Form);
2. Purchases by that individual's spouse purchasing for his or her own account
(includes United Funds Revocable Trust Form of spouse);
3. Purchases by that individual or his or her spouse in their joint account;
4. Purchases by that individual or his or her spouse for the account of their
child under age 21;
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5. Purchase by any custodian for the child of that individual or spouse in a
Uniform Gift to Minors Act ("UGMA") or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act
("UTMA") account;
6. Purchases by that individual or his or her spouse for his or her Individual
Retirement Account ("IRA"), salary reduction plan account under Section 457
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), provided
that such purchases are subject to a sales charge (see "Net Asset Value
Purchases"), tax-sheltered annuity account ("TSA") or Keogh plan account,
provided that the individual and spouse are the only participants in the
Keogh plan; and
7. Purchases by a trustee under a trust where that individual or his or her
spouse is the settlor (the person who establishes the trust).
Examples:
A. Grandmother opens an UGMA account for grandson A; Grandmother has an
account in her own name; A's father has an account in his own name;
the UGMA account may be grouped with A's father's account but may not
be grouped with Grandmother's account;
B. H establishes a trust naming his children as beneficiaries and
appointing himself and his bank as co-trustees; a purchase made in the
trust account is eligible for grouping with an IRA account of W, H's
wife;
C. H's will provides for the establishment of a trust for the benefit of
his minor children upon H's death; his bank is named as trustee; upon
H's death, an account is established in the name of the bank, as
trustee; a purchase in the account may be grouped with an account held
by H's wife in her own name.
D. X establishes a trust naming herself as trustee and R, her son, as
successor trustee and R and S as beneficiaries; upon X's death, the
account is transferred to R as trustee; a purchase in the account may
not be grouped with R's individual account. (If X's spouse, Y, was
successor trustee, this purchase could be grouped with Y's individual
account.)
All purchases of Class A shares made for a participant in a
multi-participant Keogh plan may be grouped only with other purchases made under
the same plan; a multi-participant Keogh plan
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<PAGE>
is defined as a plan in which there is more than one participant where one or
more of the participants is other than the spouse of the owner/employer.
Example A: H has established a Keogh plan; he and his wife W are the only
participants in the plan; they may group their purchases made
under the plan with any purchases in categories 1 through 7
above.
Example B: H has established a Keogh plan; his wife, W, is a participant and
they have hired one or more employees who also become
participants in the plan; H and W may not combine any purchases
made under the plan with any purchases in categories 1 through 7
above; however, all purchases made under the plan for H, W or any
other employee will be combined.
All purchases of Class A shares made under a "qualified" employee benefit
plan of an incorporated business will be grouped. (A "qualified" employee
benefit plan is established pursuant to Section 401 of the Code.) All qualified
employee benefit plans of any one employer or affiliated employers will also be
grouped. (An affiliate is defined as an employer that directly, or indirectly,
controls or is controlled by or is under control with another employer.) All
qualified employee benefit plans of an employer who is a franchisor and those of
its franchisee(s) may also be grouped.
Example: Corporation X sets up a defined benefit plan; its subsidiary,
Corporation Y, sets up a 401(k) plan; all contributions made
under both plans will be grouped.
All purchases of Class A shares made under a simplified employee pension
plan ("SEP"), payroll deduction plan or similar arrangement adopted by an
employer or affiliated employers (as defined above) may be grouped provided that
the employer elects to have all such purchases grouped at the time the plan is
set up. If the employer does not make such an election, the purchases made by
individual employees under the plan may be grouped with the other accounts of
the individual employees described above in "Account Grouping."
Account grouping as described above is available under the following
circumstances.
One-time Purchases
A one-time purchase of Class A shares in accounts eligible for grouping may
be combined for purposes of determining the availability of a reduced sales
charge. In order for an eligible
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<PAGE>
purchase to be grouped, the investor must advise Waddell & Reed, Inc. at the
time the purchase is made that it is eligible for grouping and identify the
accounts with which it may be grouped.
Example: H and W open an account in the Fund and invest $75,000; at the
same time, H's parents open up three UGMA accounts for H and W's
three minor children and invest $10,000 in each child's name; the
combined purchase of $105,000 of Class A shares is subject to a
reduced sales load of 4.75% provided that Waddell & Reed, Inc. is
advised that the purchases are entitled to grouping.
Rights of Accumulation
If Class A shares are held in any account and an additional purchase is
made in that account or in any account eligible for grouping with that account,
the additional purchase is combined with the net asset value of the existing
account as of the date the new purchase is accepted by Waddell & Reed, Inc. for
the purpose of determining the availability of a reduced sales charge.
Example: H is a current Class A shareholder who invested in the Fund three
years ago. His account has a net asset value of $80,000. His
wife, W, now wishes to invest $20,000 in Class A shares of the
Fund. W's purchase will be combined with H's existing account and
will be entitled to a reduced sales charge of 4.75%. H's original
purchase was subject to a full sales charge and the reduced
charge does not apply retroactively to that purchase.
In order to be entitled to rights of accumulation, the purchaser must
inform Waddell & Reed, Inc. that the purchaser is entitled to a reduced charge
and provide Waddell & Reed, Inc. with the name and number of the existing
account with which the purchase may be combined.
If a purchaser holds shares which have been purchased under a contractual
plan, the shares held under such plan may be combined with the additional
purchase only if the contractual plan has been completed.
Letter of Intent
The benefit of a reduced sales charge for larger purchases of Class A
shares is also available under a Letter of Intent. By signing a Letter of Intent
form, which is available from Waddell & Reed, Inc., the purchaser indicates an
intention to invest, over a 13-month period, a dollar amount which is sufficient
to qualify for a reduced sales charge. The 13-month period begins on the
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<PAGE>
date the first purchase made under the Letter of Intent is accepted by Waddell &
Reed, Inc. Each purchase made from time to time under the Letter of Intent is
treated as if the purchaser were buying at one time the total amount which he or
she intends to invest. The sales charge applicable to all purchases of Class A
shares made under the terms of the Letter of Intent will be the sales charge in
effect on the beginning date of the 13-month period.
In determining the amount which the purchaser must invest in order to
qualify for a reduced sales charge under a Letter of Intent, the investor's
Rights of Accumulation (see above) will be taken into account; that is, Class A
shares already held in the same account in which the purchase is being made or
in any account eligible for grouping with that account, as described above, will
be included.
Example: H signs a Letter of Intent indicating his intent to invest in his
own name a dollar amount sufficient to entitle him to purchase
Class A shares at the sales charge applicable to a purchase of
$100,000. H has an IRA account and the Class A shares held under
the IRA in the Fund have a net asset value as of the date the
Letter of Intent is accepted by Waddell & Reed, Inc. of $15,000;
H's wife, W, has an account in her own name invested in another
fund in the United Group which charges the same sales load as the
Fund, with a net asset value as of the date of acceptance of the
Letter of Intent of $10,000; H needs to invest $75,000 in Class A
shares over the 13-month period in order to qualify for the
reduced sales load applicable to a purchase of $100,000.
A copy of the Letter of Intent signed by a purchaser will be returned to
the purchaser after it is accepted by Waddell & Reed, Inc. and will set forth
the dollar amount of Class A shares which must be purchased within the 13-month
period in order to qualify for the reduced sales charge.
If a purchaser holds shares which have been purchased under a contractual
plan, the shares held under the plan will be taken into account in determining
the amount which must be invested under the Letter of Intent only if the
contractual plan has been completed.
The minimum initial investment under a Letter of Intent is 5% of the dollar
amount which must be invested under the Letter of Intent. An amount equal to 5%
of the purchase required under the Letter of Intent will be held "in escrow." If
a purchaser does not, during the period covered by the Letter of Intent, invest
the
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<PAGE>
amount required to qualify for the reduced sales charge under the terms of the
Letter of Intent, he or she will be responsible for payment of the sales charge
applicable to the amount actually invested. The additional sales charge owed on
purchases of Class A shares made under a Letter of Intent which is not completed
will be collected by redeeming part of the shares purchased under the Letter of
Intent and held "in escrow" unless the purchaser makes payment of this amount to
Waddell & Reed, Inc. within 20 days of Waddell & Reed, Inc.'s request for
payment.
If the actual amount invested is higher than the amount an investor intends
to invest, and is large enough to qualify for a sales charge lower than that
available under the Letter of Intent, the lower sales charge will apply.
A Letter of Intent does not bind the purchaser to buy, or Waddell & Reed,
Inc. to sell, the shares covered by the Letter of Intent.
With respect to Letters of Intent for $2,000,000 or purchases otherwise
qualifying for no sales charge under the terms of the Letter of Intent, the
initial investment must be at least $200,000, and the value of any shares
redeemed during the 13-month period which were acquired under the Letter of
Intent will be deducted in computing the aggregate purchases under the Letter of
Intent.
Letters of Intent are not available for purchases made under an SEP where
the employer has elected to have all purchases under the SEP grouped.
Other Funds in the United Group
Reduced sales charges for larger purchases of Class A shares apply to
purchases of any of the Class A shares of any of the funds in the United Group
subject to a sales charge. A purchase of Class A shares, or Class A shares held,
in any of the funds in the United Group subject to a sales charge will be
treated as an investment in the Fund in determining the applicable sales charge.
For these purposes, Class A shares of United Cash Management, Inc. that were
acquired by exchange of another United Group fund's Class A shares on which a
sales charge was paid, plus the shares paid as dividends on those acquired
shares, are also taken into account.
Holders of an uncompleted United International Growth Investment Program
("Program") on May 30, 1996, with a face amount of less than $12,000 may
purchase Class A shares of the Fund at net asset value, up to the amount
representing the unpaid balance of the Program, if the purchase order is so
designated.
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Net Asset Value Purchases of Class A Shares
As stated in the Prospectus, Class A shares of the Fund may be purchased at
net asset value by the Directors and officers of the Fund, employees of Waddell
& Reed, Inc., employees of their affiliates, financial advisors of Waddell &
Reed, Inc. and the spouse, children, parents, children's spouses and spouse's
parents of each such Director, officer, employee and financial advisor. "Child"
includes stepchild; "parent" includes stepparent. Purchases of Class A shares in
an IRA sponsored by Waddell & Reed, Inc. established for any of these eligible
purchasers may also be at net asset value. Purchases of Class A shares in any
tax qualified retirement plan under which the eligible purchaser is the sole
participant may also be made at net asset value. Trusts under which the grantor
and the trustee or a co-trustee are each an eligible purchaser are also eligible
for net asset value purchases of Class A shares. "Employees" includes retired
employees. A retired employee is an individual separated from service from
Waddell & Reed, Inc. or affiliated companies with a vested interest in any
Employee Benefit plan sponsored by Waddell & Reed, Inc. or its affiliated
companies. "Employees" also includes individuals who, on November 6, 1998, were
employees (including retired employees) of a company that on that date was an
affiliate of Waddell & Reed, Inc. "Financial advisors" includes retired
financial advisors. A "retired financial advisor" is any financial advisor who
was, at the time of separation from service from Waddell & Reed, Inc., a Senior
Financial Advisor. A custodian under the UGMA or UTMA purchasing for the child
or grandchild of any employee or financial advisor may purchase Class A shares
at net asset value whether or not the custodian himself is an eligible
purchaser.
Purchases of Class A shares in a 401(k) plan having 100 or more eligible
employees and purchases of Class A shares in a 457 plan having 100 or more
eligible employees may be made at net asset value.
Holders of an uncompleted Program on May 30, 1996 may purchase Class A
shares of the Fund at net asset value, up to the amount representing the unpaid
balance of the Program, if the purchase order is so designated. In addition, any
person who was a Program holder on May 30, 1996 may purchase Class A shares of
the Fund at net asset value up to the amount representing partial Program
withdrawals outstanding on May 30, 1996, provided the purchase is so designated.
Shares may also be issued at NAV in a merger, acquisition or exchange offer
made pursuant to a plan of reorganization to which the Fund is a party.
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Reasons for Differences in Public Offering Price of Class A Shares
As described herein and in the Prospectus for Class A shares, there are a
number of instances in which the Fund's Class A shares are sold or issued on a
basis other than the maximum public offering price, that is, the net asset value
plus the highest sales charge. Some of these relate to lower or eliminated sales
charges for larger purchases of Class A shares, whether made at one time or over
a period of time as under a Letter of Intent or right of accumulation. See the
table of sales charges in the Prospectus for the Class A shares. The reasons for
these quantity discounts are, in general, that (i) they are traditional and have
long been permitted in the industry and are therefore necessary to meet
competition as to sales of shares of other funds having such discounts, (ii)
certain quantity discounts are required by rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (as are elimination of sales charges on the
reinvestment of dividends and distributions), and (iii) they are designed to
avoid an unduly large dollar amount of sales charge on substantial purchases in
view of reduced selling expenses. Quantity discounts are made available to
certain related persons for reasons of family unity and to provide a benefit to
tax-exempt plans and organizations.
The reasons for the other instances in which there are reduced or
eliminated sales charges for Class A shares are as follows. Exchanges at net
asset value are permitted because a sales charge has already been paid on the
shares exchanged. Sales of Class A shares without sales charge are permitted to
Directors, officers and certain others due to reduced or eliminated selling
expenses and since such sales may aid in the development of a sound employee
organization, encourage incentive, responsibility and interest in the United
Group and an identification with its aims and policies. Limited reinvestments of
redemptions of Class A shares at no sales charge are permitted to attempt to
protect against mistaken or not fully informed redemption decisions. Class A
shares may be issued at no sales charge in plans of reorganization due to
reduced or eliminated sales expenses and since, in some cases, such issuance is
exempted in the 1940 Act from the otherwise applicable restrictions as to what
sales charge must be imposed. In no case in which there is a reduced or
eliminated sales charge are the interests of existing Class A shareholders
adversely affected since, in each case, the Fund receives the net asset value
per share of all shares sold or issued.
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Flexible Withdrawal Service for Class A, Class B and Class C Shareholders
If you qualify, you may arrange to receive through the Flexible Withdrawal
Service (the "Service") regular monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual
payments by redeeming on an ongoing basis Class A, Class B or Class C shares
that you own of the Fund or of any of the funds in the United Group. It would be
a disadvantage to an investor to make additional purchases of Class A shares
while the Service is in effect because it would result in duplication of sales
charges. Class C shares purchased within the past year remain subject to the
CDSC; however, Class B shares redeemed under the Service are not subject to a
CDSC. Applicable forms to start the Service are available through Waddell & Reed
Services Company.
The maximum amount of the withdrawal for monthly, quarterly, semiannual and
annual withdrawals is 2%, 6%, 12% and 24% respectively of the value of your
account at the time the Service is established. The withdrawal proceeds are not
subject to the deferred sales charge, but only within these percentage
limitations. The minimum withdrawal is $50. The Service, and this exclusion from
the deferred sales charge, does not apply to a one-time withdrawal.
To qualify for the Service, you must have invested at least $10,000 in
Class A, Class B or Class C shares which you still own of any of the funds in
the United Group; or, you must own Class A, Class B or Class C shares having a
value of at least $10,000. The value for this purpose is the value at the
offering price.
You can choose to have shares redeemed to receive:
1. a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual payment of $50 or more;
2. a monthly payment, which will change each month, equal to one-twelfth of
a percentage of the value of the shares in the Account; (you select the
percentage); or
3. a monthly or quarterly payment, which will change each month or quarter,
by redeeming a number of shares fixed by you (at least five shares).
Shares are redeemed on the 20th day of the month in which the payment is to
be made, or on the prior business day if the 20th is not a business day.
Payments are made within five days of the redemption.
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Retirement plan accounts may be subject to a fee imposed by the Plan
Custodian for use of their services.
If you have a share certificate for the shares you want to make available
for the Service, you must enclose the certificate with the form initiating the
Service.
The dividends and distributions on shares of a class you have made
available for the Service are paid in additional shares of that class. All
payments under the Service are made by redeeming shares, which may involve a
gain or loss for tax purposes. To the extent that payments exceed dividends and
distributions, the number of shares you own will decrease. When all of the
shares in an account are redeemed, you will not receive any further payments.
Thus, the payments are not an annuity or an income or return on your investment.
You may, at any time, change the manner in which you have chosen to have
shares redeemed to any of the other choices originally available to you. You
may, at any time, redeem part or all of the shares in your account; if you
redeem all of the shares, the Service is terminated. The Fund can also terminate
the Service by notifying you in writing.
After the end of each calendar year, information on shares redeemed will be
sent to you to assist you in completing your Federal income tax return.
Exchanges for Shares of Other Funds in the United Group
Class A Share Exchanges
Once a sales charge has been paid on shares of a fund in the United Group,
these shares and any shares added to them from dividends or distributions paid
in shares may be freely exchanged for Class A shares of another fund in the
United Group. The shares you exchange must be worth at least $100 or you must
already own shares of the fund in the United Group into which you want to
exchange.
You may exchange Class A shares you own in another fund in the United Group
for Class A shares of the Fund without charge if (i) a sales charge was paid on
these shares, or (ii) the shares were received in exchange for shares for which
a sales charge was paid, or (iii) the shares were acquired from reinvestment of
dividends and distributions paid on such shares. There may have been one or more
such exchanges so long as a sales charge was paid on the shares originally
purchased. Also, shares acquired without a sales charge because the purchase was
$2 million or more will be treated the same as shares on which a sales charge
was paid.
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United Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., United Government Securities Fund, Inc.
and United Municipal High Income Fund, Inc. shares are the exceptions and
special rules apply. Class A shares of any of these funds may be exchanged for
Class A shares of the Fund only if (i) you received those shares as a result of
one or more exchanges of shares on which a sales charge was originally paid, or
(ii) the shares have been held from the date of original purchase for at least
six months.
Subject to the above rules regarding sales charges, you may have a specific
dollar amount of Class A shares of United Cash Management, Inc. automatically
exchanged each month into Class A shares of the Fund or any other fund in the
United Group, provided you already own Class A shares of the fund. The shares of
United Cash Management, Inc. which you designate for automatic exchange must be
worth at least $100, which may be allocated among the Class A shares of
different funds in the United Group so long as each fund receives a value of at
least $25. Minimum initial investment and minimum balance requirements apply to
such automatic exchange service.
You may redeem your Class A shares of the Fund and use the proceeds to
purchase Class Y shares of the Fund if you meet the criteria for purchasing
Class Y shares.
Class B Share Exchanges
You may exchange Class B shares of one Fund of the Corporation for Class B
shares of other funds in the United Group without charge.
The redemption of the Fund's Class B shares as part of an exchange is not
subject to the deferred sales charge. For purposes of computing the deferred
sales charge, if any, applicable to the redemption of the shares acquired in the
exchange, those acquired shares are treated as having been purchased when the
original redeemed shares were purchased.
You may have a specific dollar amount of Class B shares of United Cash
Management, Inc. automatically exchanged each month into Class B shares of the
Fund or any other fund in the United Group, provided you already own Class B
shares of the fund. The shares of United Cash Management, Inc. which you
designate for automatic exchange must be worth at least $100, which may be
allocated among different Funds so long as each Fund receives a value of at
least $25. Minimum initial investment and
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minimum balance requirements apply to such automatic exchange service.
Class C Share Exchanges
You may exchange Class C shares of one Fund of the Corporation for Class C
shares of other funds in the United Group without charge.
The redemption of the Fund's Class C shares as part of an exchange is not
subject to the deferred sales charge. For purposes of computing the deferred
sales charge, if any, applicable to the redemption of the shares acquired in the
exchange, those acquired shares are treated as having been purchased when the
original redeemed shares were purchased.
You may have a specific dollar amount of Class C shares of United Cash
Management, Inc. automatically exchanged each month into Class C shares of the
Fund or any other fund in the United Group, provided you already own Class C
shares of the fund. The shares of United Cash Management, Inc. which you
designate for automatic exchange must be worth at least $100, which may be
allocated among different Funds so long as each Fund receives a value of at
least $25. Minimum initial investment and minimum balance requirements apply to
such automatic exchange service.
Class Y Share Exchanges
Class Y shares of the Fund may be exchanged for Class Y shares of any other
fund in the United Group or for Class A shares of United Cash Management, Inc.
General Exchange Information
When you exchange shares, the total shares you receive will have the same
aggregate net asset value as the total shares you exchange. The relative values
are those next figured after your exchange request is received in good order.
These exchange rights and other exchange rights concerning the other funds
in the United Group can in most instances be eliminated or modified at any time
and any such exchange may not be accepted.
Retirement Plans
Your account may be set up as a funding vehicle for a retirement plan. For
individual taxpayers meeting certain requirements, Waddell &
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Reed, Inc. offers model or prototype documents for the following retirement
plans. All of these plans involve investment in shares of a Fund (or shares of
certain other funds in the United Group).
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Investors having earned income may
set up a plan that is commonly called an IRA. Under a traditional IRA, an
investor can contribute each year up to 100% of his or her earned income, up to
an annual maximum of $2,000 (provided the investor has not reached age 70 1/2).
For a married couple, the annual maximum is $4,000 ($2,000 for each spouse) or,
if less, the couple's combined earned income for the taxable year, even if one
spouse had no earned income. Generally, the contributions are deductible unless
the investor (or, if married, either spouse) is an active participant in a
qualified retirement plan or if, notwithstanding that the investor or one or
both spouses so participate, their adjusted gross income does not exceed certain
levels. However, a married investor who is not an active participant, files
jointly with his or her spouse and whose combined adjusted gross income does not
exceed $150,000 is not affected by the spouse's active participant status.
An investor may also use a traditional IRA to receive a rollover
contribution that is either (a) a direct rollover distribution from an
employer's plan or (b) a rollover of an eligible distribution paid to the
investor from an employer's plan or another IRA. To the extent a rollover
contribution is made to a traditional IRA, the distribution will not be subject
to Federal income tax until distributed from the IRA. A direct rollover
generally applies to any distribution from an employer's plan (including a
custodial account under Section 403(b)(7) of the Code, but not an IRA) other
than certain periodic payments, required minimum distributions and other
specified distributions. In a direct rollover, the eligible rollover
distribution is paid directly to the IRA, not to the investor. If, instead, an
investor receives payment of an eligible rollover distribution, all or a portion
of that distribution generally may be rolled over to an IRA within 60 days after
receipt of the distribution. Because mandatory Federal income tax withholding
applies to any eligible rollover distribution which is not paid in a direct
rollover, investors should consult their tax advisers or pension consultants as
to the applicable tax rules. If you already have an IRA, you may have the assets
in that IRA transferred directly to an IRA offered by Waddell & Reed, Inc.
Roth IRAs. Investors whose adjusted gross income (or combined adjusted
gross income, if married) does not exceed certain levels may establish and
contribute up to $2,000 per tax year to a Roth IRA. In addition, for an investor
whose adjusted gross income does not exceed $100,000 (and who is not a married
person filing a separate return), certain distributions from
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traditional IRAs may be rolled over to a Roth IRA and any of the investor's
traditional IRAs may be converted into a Roth IRA; these rollover distributions
and conversions are, however, subject to Federal income tax.
Contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible; however, earnings
accumulate tax-free in the Roth IRA, and withdrawals of earnings are not subject
to Federal income tax if the account has been held for at least five years and
the account holder has reached age 59 1/2 (or certain other conditions apply).
Education IRAs. Although not technically for retirement savings, Education
IRAs provide a vehicle for saving for a child's higher education. An Education
IRA may be established for the benefit of any minor, and any person whose
adjusted gross income does not exceed certain levels may contribute up to $500
to an Education IRA (or to each of multiple Education IRAs), provided that no
more than $500 may be contributed for any year to Education IRAs for the same
beneficiary. Contributions are not deductible and may not be made after the
beneficiary reaches age 18; however, earnings accumulate tax-free, and
withdrawals are not subject to tax if used to pay the qualified higher education
expenses of the beneficiary (or a member of his or her family).
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plans. Employers can make contributions
to SEP-IRAs established for employees. Generally an employer may contribute up
to 15% of compensation or $24,000, whichever is less, per year for each
employee.
Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE Plans). An employer
with 100 or fewer employees who does not sponsor another active retirement plan
may sponsor a SIMPLE to contribute to its employees' retirement accounts. A
SIMPLE plan can be funded by either an IRA or a 401(k) plan. In general, an
employer can choose to match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar (up to 3%
of an employee's compensation) or may contribute to all eligible employees 2% of
their compensation, whether or not they defer salary to their retirement plans.
SIMPLE plans involve fewer administrative requirements than 401(k) or other
qualified plans generally.
Keogh Plans. Keogh plans, which are available to self-employed individuals,
are defined contribution plans that may be either a money purchase plan or a
profit-sharing plan. As a general rule, an investor under a defined contribution
Keogh plan can contribute each year up to 25% of his or her annual earned
income, with an annual maximum of $30,000.
457 Plans. If an investor is an employee of a state or local government or
of certain types of charitable organizations, he or
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she may be able to enter into a deferred compensation arrangement in accordance
with Section 457 of the Code.
TSAs - Custodial Accounts and Title I Plans. If an investor is an employee
of a public school system or of certain types of charitable organizations, he or
she may be able to enter into a deferred compensation arrangement through a
custodian account under Section 403(b) of the Code. Some organizations have
adopted Title I plans, which are funded by employer contributions in addition to
employee deferrals.
Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans, including 401(k) Plans. With a 401(k)
plan, employees can make tax-deferred contributions into a plan to which the
employer may also contribute, usually on a matching basis. An employee may defer
each year up to 25% of compensation, subject to certain annual maximums, which
may be increased each year based on cost-of-living adjustments.
More detailed information about these arrangements and applicable forms are
available from Waddell & Reed, Inc. These plans may involve complex tax
questions as to premature distributions and other matters. Investors should
consult their tax adviser or pension consultant.
Redemptions
The Prospectus gives information as to redemption procedures. Redemption
payments are made within seven days unless delayed because of emergency
conditions determined by the SEC, when the NYSE is closed other than for
weekends or holidays, or when trading on the NYSE is restricted. Payment is made
in cash, although under extraordinary conditions redemptions may be made in
portfolio securities. Payment for redemptions of shares of the Fund may be made
in portfolio securities when the Fund's Board of Directors determines that
conditions exist making cash payments undesirable. Securities used for payment
of redemptions are valued at the value used in figuring net asset value. There
would be brokerage costs to the redeeming shareholder in selling such
securities. The Fund, however, has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under
the 1940 Act, pursuant to which it is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash
up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net asset value during any 90-day
period for any one shareholder.
Reinvestment Privilege
The Fund offers a one-time reinvestment privilege that allows you to
reinvest all or part of any amount of Class A shares you redeem from the Fund by
sending to the Fund the amount you
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wish to reinvest. The amount you return will be reinvested in Class A shares at
the net asset value next determined after the Fund receives the returned amount.
Your written request to reinvest and the amount to be reinvested must be
received within 30 days after your redemption request was received, and the Fund
must be offering Class A shares at the time your reinvestment request is
received. You can do this only once as to Class A shares of the Fund. You do not
use up this privilege by redeeming Class A shares to invest the proceeds at net
asset value in a Keogh plan or an IRA.
There is also a reinvestment privilege for Class B and Class C shares under
which you may reinvest all or part of any amount of Class B or Class C shares
you redeemed and have the corresponding amount of the deferred sales charge, if
any, which you paid restored to your account by adding the amount of that charge
to the amount you are reinvesting in Class B or Class C shares, as applicable.
If Class B or Class C shares of the Fund are then being offered, you can put all
or part of your redemption payment back into the Class B or Class C shares of
the Fund at the net asset value next determined after you have returned the
amount. Your written request to do this must be received within 30 days after
your redemption. You can do this only once as to Class B shares of the Fund and
only once as to Class C shares of the Fund. For purposes of determining future
deferred sales charges, the reinvestment will be treated as a new investment.
You do not use up this privilege by redeeming Class B or Class C shares to
invest the proceeds at net asset value in a Keogh plan or an IRA.
Mandatory Redemption of Certain Small Accounts
The Fund has the right to compel the redemption of shares held under any
account or any plan if the aggregate net asset value of such shares (taken at
cost or value as the Board of Directors may determine) is less than $500. The
Board has no intent to compel redemptions in the foreseeable future. If it
should elect to compel redemptions, shareholders who are affected will receive
prior written notice and will be permitted 60 days to bring their accounts up to
the minimum before this redemption is processed.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The day-to-day affairs of the Fund are handled by outside organizations
selected by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has responsibility
for establishing broad corporate policies for the Fund and for overseeing
overall performance of the selected experts. It has the benefit of advice and
reports
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from independent counsel and independent auditors. The majority of the Directors
are not affiliated with Waddell & Reed, Inc.
The principal occupation during at least the past five years of each
Director and officer of the Fund is given below. Each of the persons listed
through and including Mr. Vogel is a member of the Fund's Board of Directors.
The other persons are officers but not members of the Board of Directors. For
purposes of this section, the term "Fund Complex" includes each of the
registered investment companies in the United Group of Mutual Funds,
Target/United Funds, Inc. and Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. Each of the Fund's
Directors is also a Director of each of the other funds in the Fund Complex and
each of the Fund's officers is also an officer of one or more of the funds in
the Fund Complex.
KEITH A. TUCKER*
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fund and each of the other funds
in the Fund Complex; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive
Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Director of Waddell & Reed Financial,
Inc.; President, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
of Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc.; Chairman of the Board of Directors
of WRIMCO, Waddell & Reed, Inc. and Waddell & Reed Services Company; formerly,
President of each of the funds in the Fund Complex; formerly, Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Waddell & Reed Asset Management Company, a former
affiliate of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. Date of birth: February 11, 1945.
JAMES M. CONCANNON
950 Docking Road
Topeka, Kansas 66615
Dean and Professor of Law, Washburn University School of Law; Director,
AmVestors CBO II Inc. Date of birth: October 2, 1947.
JOHN A. DILLINGHAM
4040 Northwest Claymont Drive
Kansas City, Missouri 64116
President, JoDill Corp., an agricultural company; President and Director of
Dillingham Enterprises Inc.; formerly, Director and consultant, McDougal
Construction Company; formerly, Instructor at Central Missouri State University;
formerly, Member of the Board of Police Commissioners, Kansas City, Missouri;
formerly, Senior Vice President-Sales and Marketing, Garney Companies, Inc., a
specialty utility contractor. Date of birth: January 9, 1939.
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DAVID P. GARDNER
525 Middlefield Road, Suite 200
Menlo Park, California 94025
President of Hewlett Foundation and Chairman of George S. and Delores Dori
Eccles Foundation. Director of First Security Corp., a bank holding company, and
Director of Fluor Corp., a company with interests in coal. Date of birth: March
24, 1933.
LINDA K. GRAVES*
1 South West Cedar Crest Road
Topeka, Kansas 66606
First Lady of Kansas. Partner, Levy and Craig, P.C., a law firm. Date of
birth: July 29, 1953.
JOSEPH HARROZ, JR.
125 South Creekdale Drive
Norman, Oklahoma 73072
General Counsel of the Board of Regents and Adjunct Professor of Law at the
University of Oklahoma College of Law; formerly, Vice President for Executive
Affairs of the University of Oklahoma; formerly, an Attorney with Crowe &
Dunlevy, a law firm. Date of birth: January 17, 1967.
JOHN F. HAYES
20 West 2nd Avenue
P. O. Box 2977
Hutchinson, Kansas 67504-2977
Director of Central Bank and Trust; Director of Central Financial
Corporation; Director of Central Properties, Inc.; Chairman of the Board of
Directors, Gilliland & Hayes, P.A., a law firm; formerly, President, Gilliland &
Hayes, P.A. Date of birth: December 11, 1919.
ROBERT L. HECHLER*
President and Principal Financial Officer of the Fund and each of the other
funds in the Fund Complex; Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and
Director of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.; Vice President, Chief Operating
Officer, Director and Treasurer of Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc.;
Executive Vice President, Principal Financial Officer, Director and Treasurer of
WRIMCO; President, Chief Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer,
Director and Treasurer of Waddell & Reed, Inc.; President, Director and
Treasurer of Waddell & Reed Services Company; formerly, Vice President of each
of the funds in the Fund Complex; formerly, Director and Treasurer of Waddell &
Reed Asset Management Company, a former affiliate of Waddell & Reed Financial,
Inc. Date of birth: November 12, 1936.
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HENRY J. HERRMANN*
Vice President of the Fund and each of the other funds in the Fund Complex;
President, Chief Investment Officer, Treasurer and Director of Waddell & Reed
Financial, Inc.; Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Director of
Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc.; Director of Waddell & Reed, Inc.;
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Director of
WRIMCO; formerly, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer
and Director of Waddell & Reed Asset Management Company, a former affiliate of
Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. Date of birth: December 8, 1942.
GLENDON E. JOHNSON
13635 Deering Bay Drive
Unit 284
Miami, Florida 33158
Retired; formerly, Director and Chief Executive Officer of John Alden
Financial Corporation and subsidiaries. Date of birth: February 19, 1924.
WILLIAM T. MORGAN*
928 Glorietta Blvd.
Coronado, California 92118
Retired; formerly, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of each
of the funds in the Fund Complex then in existence. (Mr. Morgan retired as
Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of the funds in the Fund
Complex then in existence on April 30, 1993); formerly, President, Director and
Chief Executive Officer of WRIMCO and Waddell & Reed, Inc.; formerly, Chairman
of the Board of Directors of Waddell & Reed Services Company. Date of birth:
April 27, 1928.
RONALD C. REIMER
2601 Verona Road
Mission Hills, Kansas 66208
Retired. Co-founder and teacher at Servant Leadership School of Kansas
City; Director of Network Rehabilitation Services; formerly, Employment
Counselor and Director of McCue-Parker Center. Date of birth: August 3, 1934.
FRANK J. ROSS, JR.*
700 West 47th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
Shareholder, Polsinelli, White, Vardeman & Shalton, a law firm. Date of
birth: April 9, 1953.
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ELEANOR B. SCHWARTZ
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64113
Professor of Business Administration, University of Missouri-Kansas City;
formerly, Chancellor, University of Missouri-Kansas City. Date of birth: January
1, 1937.
FREDERICK VOGEL III
1805 West Bradley Road
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217
Retired. Date of birth: August 7, 1935.
Helge K. Lee
Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Fund and each of the
other funds in the Fund Complex; Secretary and General Counsel of Waddell & Reed
Financial, Inc.; Vice President, Secretary, General Counsel and Director of
Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Secretary and
General Counsel of WRIMCO and Waddell & Reed, Inc.; Senior Vice President,
Secretary, General Counsel and Director of Waddell & Reed Services Company;
formerly, Executive Vice President, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer of
LGT Asset Management, Inc. and affiliates; formerly, Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary of Strong Capital Management, Inc. and affiliates.
Date of birth: March 30, 1946.
Theodore W. Howard
Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer of the Fund and
each of the other funds in the Fund Complex; Vice President of Waddell & Reed
Services Company. Date of birth: July 18, 1942.
Thomas A. Mengel
Vice President of the Fund and two other funds in the Fund Complex; Vice
President of WRIMCO; formerly, President of Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie.
Securities, Inc.; formerly, Vice President of Hauck and Hope Securities. Date of
birth: April 13, 1957.
The address of each person is 6300 Lamar Avenue, P.O. Box 29217, Shawnee
Mission, Kansas 66201-9217 unless a different address is given.
The Directors who may be deemed to be interested persons as defined in the
1940 Act of the Fund's underwriter, Waddell & Reed, Inc. or WRIMCO are indicated
as such by an asterisk.
The Board of Directors has created an honorary position of Director
Emeritus, which position a director may elect after resignation from the Board
provided the director has attained the age of 70 and has served as a director of
the funds in the United
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Group for a total of at least five years. A Director Emeritus receives fees in
recognition of his or her past services whether or not services are rendered in
his or her capacity as Director Emeritus, but has no authority or responsibility
with respect to management of the Fund. Messrs. Henry L. Bellmon, Jay B.
Dillingham, Doyle Patterson, Ronald K. Richey and Paul S. Wise retired as
Directors of the Fund and of each of the funds in the Fund Complex and elected a
position as Director Emeritus.
The Funds in the United Group, Target/United Funds, Inc. and Waddell & Reed
Funds, Inc. pay to each Director a total of $48,000 per year, plus $2,500 for
each meeting of the Board of Directors attended plus reimbursement of expenses
of attending such meeting and $500 for each committee meeting attended which is
not in conjunction with a Board of Directors' meeting, other than Directors who
are affiliates of Waddell & Reed, Inc. The fees to the Directors who receive
them are divided among the funds in the United Group, Target/United Funds, Inc.
and Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. based on their relative size.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended June 30, 1999, the Fund's Directors
received the following fees for service as a director:
COMPENSATION TABLE
Total
Aggregate Compensation
Compensation From Fund
From and Fund
Director Fund Complex*
- -------- ------------ ------------
Robert L. Hechler $ 0 $ 0
Henry J. Herrmann 0 0
Keith A. Tucker 0 0
James M. Concannon 3,036 58,500
John A. Dillingham 3,036 58,500
David P. Gardner 2,091 41,500
Linda K. Graves 3,036 58,500
Joseph Harroz, Jr. 2,065 41,500
John F. Hayes 3,036 58,500
Glendon E. Johnson 3,061 59,000
William T. Morgan 3,036 58,500
Ronald C. Reimer 2,055 41,500
Frank J. Ross, Jr. 3,036 58,500
Eleanor B. Schwartz 3,061 59,000
Frederick Vogel III 3,061 59,000
*No pension or retirement benefits have been accrued as a part of Fund expenses.
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Mr. Gardner was elected as a Director on August 19, 1998. Messrs. Harroz,
Hechler, Herrmann and Reimer were elected as Directors on November 18, 1998. The
officers are paid by WRIMCO or its affiliates.
Shareholdings
As of July 31, 1999, all of the Fund's Directors and officers as a group
owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The following table
sets forth information with respect to the Fund, as of July 31, 1999, regarding
the beneficial ownership of the classes thereof of the Fund's shares.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name and Address Shares owned
of Record or Beneficially
Beneficial Owner Class or of Record Percent
- ------------------- ----- ------------ -------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Waddell & Reed Class Y 589,489 60.56%
Financial, Inc.
401(k) and Thrift Plan
6300 Lamar Avenue
Overland Park KS 66201
Compass Bank Tr Class Y 92,160 9.47%
Profit Sharing Plan
FBO Torchmark Corp
Savings & Investment Plan
Attn: Wayne Laugevin
15 20th St S Fl 8
Birmingham AL 35233-2000
</TABLE>
PAYMENTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
General
There are three sources for the payments the Fund makes to you as a
shareholder of a class of shares of the Fund, other than payments when you
redeem your shares. The first source is net investment income, which is derived
from the dividends, interest and earned discount on the securities the Fund
holds less expenses (which will vary by class). The second source is net
realized capital gains, which are derived from the proceeds received from the
Fund's sale of securities at a price higher than the Fund's tax basis (usually
cost) in such securities, less losses from sales of securities at a price lower
than the Fund's basis therein; these gains can be either long-term or
short-term, depending on how long the Fund has owned the securities before it
sells them. The third source is net realized gains from foreign currency
transactions. The payments made to shareholders from net investment income, net
short-term capital gains and net realized
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gains from certain foreign currency transactions are called dividends.
The Fund pays distributions from net capital gains (the excess of net
long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses). It may or may not
have such gains, depending on whether securities are sold and at what price. If
the Fund has net capital gains, it will pay distributions once each year, in the
latter part of the fourth calendar quarter, except to the extent it has net
capital losses carried over from a prior year or years to offset the gains.
Choices You Have on Your Dividends and Distributions
On your application form, you can give instructions that (i) you want cash
for your dividends and distributions, (ii) you want your dividends and
distributions paid in shares of the Fund of the same class as that with respect
to which they were paid or (iii) you want cash for your dividends and want your
distributions paid in shares of the Fund of the same class as that with respect
to which they were paid. However, a total dividend and/or distribution amount
less than five dollars will be automatically paid in shares of the Fund of the
same class as that with respect to which they were paid. You can change your
instructions at any time. If you give no instructions, your dividends and
distributions will be paid in shares of the Fund of the same class as that with
respect to which they were paid. All payments in shares are at net asset value
without any sales charge. The net asset value used for this purpose is that
computed as of the record date for the dividend or distribution, although this
could be changed by the Directors.
Even if you get dividends and distributions on Class A shares in cash, you
can thereafter reinvest them (or distributions only) in Class A shares of the
Fund at net asset value (i.e., no sales charge) next determined after receipt by
Waddell & Reed, Inc., of the amount clearly identified as a reinvestment. The
reinvestment must be within 45 days after the payment.
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TAXES
General
The Fund has qualified for treatment as a regulated investment company
("RIC") under the Code, so that it is relieved of Federal income tax on that
part of its investment company taxable income (consisting generally of net
investment income, net short-term capital gains and net gains from certain
foreign currency transactions) that is distributed to its shareholders. To
continue to qualify as a RIC, the Fund must distribute to its shareholders for
each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable
income ("Distribution Requirement") and must meet several additional
requirements. These requirements include the following: (1) the Fund must 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 securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including
gains from options, futures contracts or forward contracts) derived with respect
to its business of investing in securities or those currencies ("Income
Requirement"); (2) at the close of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year, at
least 50% of the value of its total assets must be represented by cash and cash
items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities
that are limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not
exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent
more than 10% of the issuer's outstanding voting securities ("50%
Diversification Requirement"); and (3) at the close of each quarter of the
Fund's taxable year, not more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be
invested in securities (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities
of other RICs) of any one issuer.
If the Fund failed to qualify for treatment as a RIC for any taxable year,
(a) it would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on the full amount of its
taxable income for that year (even if it distributed that income to its
shareholders) and (b) the shareholders would treat all distributions out of its
earnings and profits, including distributions of net capital gain (the excess of
net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), as dividends (that
is, ordinary income). In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize
unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial
distributions before requalifying for RIC treatment.
Dividends and distributions declared by the Fund in October, November or
December of any year and payable to its shareholders of record on a date in any
of those months are deemed to have been paid by the Fund and received by the
shareholders on December 31 of that year even if they are paid by the Fund
during the
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following January. Accordingly, those dividends and distributions will be taxed
to the shareholders for the year in which that December 31 falls.
If Fund shares are sold at a loss after being held for six months or less,
the loss will be treated as long-term, instead of short-term, capital loss to
the extent of any distributions received on those shares. Investors also should
be aware that if shares are purchased shortly before the record date for a
dividend or distribution, the investor will receive some portion of the purchase
price back as a taxable dividend or distribution.
The Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax ("Excise Tax") to
the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year substantially
all of its ordinary income for that year and capital gain net income for the
one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, plus certain other amounts.
It is the Fund's policy to pay sufficient dividends and distributions each year
to avoid imposition of the Excise Tax. The Code permits the Fund to defer into
the next calendar year net capital losses incurred between November 1 and the
end of the current calendar year.
Income from Foreign Securities
Dividends and interest received, and gains realized, by the Fund may be
subject to income, withholding or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and
U.S. possessions ("foreign taxes") that would reduce the yield and/or total
return on its securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the
United States may reduce or eliminate foreign taxes, however, and many foreign
countries do not impose taxes on capital gains in respect of investments by
foreign investors.
Because more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close
of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund
will be eligible to, and may, file an election with the Internal Revenue Service
that will enable the shareholders, in effect, to receive the benefit of the
foreign tax credit with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes
paid by the Fund. Pursuant to any such election, the Fund would treat those
taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders and each shareholder would be
required to (1) include in gross income, and treat as paid by the shareholder,
the shareholder's proportionate share of those taxes; (2) treat the
shareholder's share of those taxes and of any dividend paid by the Fund that
represents income from foreign or U.S. possessions sources as the shareholder's
own income from those sources; and (3) either deduct the taxes deemed paid by
the shareholder in computing the shareholder's taxable income or, alternatively,
use the foregoing
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<PAGE>
information in calculating the foreign tax credit against the shareholder's
federal income tax. The Fund will report to its shareholders shortly after each
taxable year the share of its income from sources within, and taxes paid to,
foreign countries and U.S. possessions if it makes this election.
The Fund may invest in the stock of "passive foreign investment companies"
("PFICs"). A PFIC is a foreign corporation -- other than a "controlled foreign
corporation" (i.e., a foreign corporation in which, on any day during its
taxable year, more than 50% of the total voting power of all voting stock
therein or the total value of all stock therein is owned, directly, indirectly,
or constructively, by "U.S. shareholders," defined as U.S. persons that
individually own, directly, indirectly, or constructively, at least 10% of that
voting power) as to which the Fund is a U.S. shareholder --that, in general,
meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income is
passive or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for
the production of, passive income. Under certain circumstances, the Fund will be
subject to Federal income tax on a portion of any "excess distribution" received
on the stock of a PFIC or of any gain on disposition of the stock (collectively
"PFIC income"), plus interest thereon, even if the Fund distributes the PFIC
income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income
will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and,
accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent that income is distributed
to its shareholders.
If the Fund invests in a PFIC and elects to treat the PFIC as a "qualified
electing fund" ("QEF"), then in lieu of the foregoing tax and interest
obligation, the Fund will be required to include in income each year its pro
rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain -- which
probably would have to be distributed by the Fund to satisfy the Distribution
Requirement and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax -- even if those earnings and
gain were not distributed to the Fund by the QEF. In most instances it will be
very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain
requirements thereof.
The Fund may elect to "mark to market" its stock in any PFIC.
"Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each
taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of a PFIC's stock over
the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the
election, the Fund also would be allowed to deduct (as an ordinary, not capital,
loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in PFIC stock over the fair
market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any
net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock
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<PAGE>
included by the Fund for prior taxable years. The Fund's adjusted basis in each
PFIC's stock with respect to which it makes this election will be adjusted to
reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken under the election.
Regulations proposed in 1992 provided a similar election with respect to the
stock of certain PFICs.
Foreign Currency Gains and Losses
Gains or losses (1) from the disposition of foreign currencies, (2) from
the disposition of a debt security denominated in a foreign currency that are
attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the
date of acquisition of the security and the date of disposition, and (3) that
are attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates that occur between the time
the Fund accrues interest, dividends or other receivables or accrues expenses or
other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund
actually collects the receivables or pays the liabilities, generally are treated
as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as
"section 988" gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's
investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders.
Income from Options, Futures and Forward Currency Contracts and Foreign
Currencies
The use of hedging and option income strategies, such as writing (selling)
and purchasing options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency
contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes
the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund
realizes in connection therewith. Gains from the disposition of foreign
currencies (except certain gains that may be excluded by future regulations),
and gains from options, futures contracts and forward currency contracts derived
by the Fund with respect to its business of investing in securities or foreign
currencies, will qualify as permissible income under the Income Requirement.
Any income the Fund earns from writing options is treated as short-term
capital gain. If the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will
have a short-term capital gain or loss based on the difference between the
premium it receives for the option it wrote and the premium it pays for the
option it buys. If an option written by the Fund lapses without being exercised,
the premium it received also will be a short-term capital gain. If such an
option is exercised and the Fund thus sells the securities subject to the
option, the premium the Fund
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receives will be added to the exercise price to determine the gain or loss on
the sale.
Certain options, futures contracts and forward currency contracts in which
the Fund may invest may be "section 1256 contracts." Section 1256 contracts held
by the Fund at the end of its taxable year, other than contracts subject to a
"mixed straddle" election made by the Fund, are "marked-to-market" (that is,
treated as sold at that time 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. Sixty percent of any net gains or losses recognized on these
deemed sales, and 60% of any net realized gains or losses from any actual sales
of section 1256 contracts, are treated as long-term capital gains or losses, and
the balance are treated as short-term capital gains or losses. That 60% portion
will qualify for the 20% (10% for taxpayers in the 15% marginal tax bracket)
maximum tax rate on net capital gains enacted by the Taxpayer Relief Act of
1997. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the
Excise Tax and other purposes. The Fund may need to distribute any
mark-to-market gains to its shareholders to satisfy the Distribution Requirement
and/or avoid imposition of the Excise Tax, even though it may not have closed
the transactions and received cash to pay the distributions.
Code section 1092 (dealing with straddles) also may affect the taxation of
options and futures contracts in which the Fund may invest. That section defines
a "straddle" as offsetting positions with respect to personal property; for
these purposes, options and futures contracts are personal property. Section
1092 generally provides that any loss from the disposition of a position in a
straddle may be deducted only to the extent the loss exceeds the unrealized gain
on the offsetting position(s) of the straddle. The regulations under section
1092 also provide certain "wash sale" rules, that apply to transactions where a
position is sold at a loss and a new offsetting position is acquired within a
prescribed period, and "short sale" rules applicable to straddles. If the Fund
makes certain elections, the amount, character and timing of the recognition of
gains and losses from the affected straddle positions will be determined under
rules that vary according to the elections made. Because only a few of the
regulations implementing the straddle rules have been promulgated, the tax
consequences of straddle transactions to the Fund are not entirely clear.
If the Fund has an "appreciated financial position" -- generally, an
interest (including an interest through an option, futures or forward currency
contract or short sale) with respect to any stock, debt instrument (other than
"straight debt") or partnership interest the fair market value of which exceeds
its
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adjusted basis -- and enters into a "constructive sale" of the same or
substantially similar property, the Fund will be treated as having made an
actual sale thereof, with the result that gain will be recognized at that time.
A constructive sale generally consists of a short sale, an offsetting notional
principal contract or futures or forward currency contract entered into by the
Fund or a related person with respect to the same or substantially similar
property. In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short
sale or such a contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially
similar property will be deemed a constructive sale.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
One of the duties undertaken by WRIMCO pursuant to the Management Agreement
is to arrange the purchase and sale of securities for the portfolio of the Fund.
Transactions in securities other than those for which an exchange is the primary
market are generally done with dealers acting as principals or market makers.
Brokerage commissions are paid primarily for effecting transactions in
securities traded on an exchange and otherwise only if it appears likely that a
better price or execution can be obtained. The individual who manages the Fund
may manage other advisory accounts with similar investment objectives. It can be
anticipated that the manager will frequently place concurrent orders for all or
most accounts for which the manager has responsibility or WRIMCO may otherwise
combine orders for the Fund with those of other funds in the United Group,
Target/United Funds, Inc. and Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. or other accounts for
which it has investment discretion, including accounts affiliated with WRIMCO.
Under current written procedures, transactions effected pursuant to such
combined orders are averaged as to price and allocated in accordance with the
purchase or sale orders actually placed for each fund or advisory account,
except where the combined order is not filled completely. In this case, WRIMCO
will ordinarily allocate the transaction pro rata based on the orders placed,
subject to certain variances provided for in the written procedures. Sharing in
large transactions could affect the price the Fund pays or receives or the
amount it buys or sells. However, sometimes a better negotiated commission is
available through combined orders.
To effect the portfolio transactions of the Fund, WRIMCO is authorized to
engage broker-dealers ("brokers") which, in its best judgment based on all
relevant factors, will implement the policy of the Fund to seek "best execution"
(prompt and reliable execution at the best price obtainable) for reasonable and
competitive commissions. WRIMCO need not seek competitive commission bidding but
is expected to minimize the commissions paid to the extent consistent with the
interests and policies of the Fund. Subject to review by the Board of Directors,
such
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policies include the selection of brokers which provide execution and/or
research services and other services, including pricing or quotation services
directly or through others ("research and brokerage services") considered by
WRIMCO to be useful or desirable for its investment management of the Fund
and/or the other funds and accounts over which WRIMCO has investment discretion.
Research and brokerage services are, in general, defined by reference to
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as including (i) advice,
either directly or through publications or writings, as to the value of
securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities
and the availability of securities and purchasers or sellers; (ii) furnishing
analyses and reports; or (iii) effecting securities transactions and performing
functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement and custody).
"Investment discretion" is, in general, defined as having authorization to
determine what securities shall be purchased or sold for an account, or making
those decisions even though someone else has responsibility.
The commissions paid to brokers that provide such research and/or brokerage
services may be higher than another qualified broker would charge for effecting
comparable transactions if a good faith determination is made by WRIMCO that the
commission is reasonable in relation to the research or brokerage services
provided. Subject to the foregoing considerations, WRIMCO may also consider
sales of Fund shares as a factor in the selection of broker-dealers to execute
portfolio transactions. No allocation of brokerage or principal business is made
to provide any other benefits to WRIMCO.
The investment research provided by a particular broker may be useful only
to one or more of the other advisory accounts of WRIMCO, and investment research
received for the commissions of those other accounts may be useful both to the
Fund and one or more of such other accounts. To the extent that electronic or
other products provided by such brokers to assist WRIMCO in making investment
management decisions are used for administration or other non-research purposes,
a reasonable allocation of the cost of the product attributable to its
non-research use is made by WRIMCO.
Such investment research (which may be supplied by a third party at the
request of a broker) includes information on particular companies and industries
as well as market, economic or institutional activity areas. It serves to
broaden the scope and supplement the research activities of WRIMCO; serves to
make available additional views for consideration and comparisons; and enables
WRIMCO to obtain market information on the price of
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securities held in the Fund's portfolio or being considered for purchase. The
Fund may also use its brokerage to pay for pricing or quotation services to
value securities.
During the Fund's fiscal years ended June 30, 1999, 1998 and 1997, it paid
brokerage commissions of $7,789,011, $5,833,418 and $5,160,651, respectively.
These figures do not include principal transactions or spreads or concessions on
principal transactions, i.e., those in which the Fund sells securities to a
broker-dealer firm or buys from a broker-dealer firm securities owned by it.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended June 30, 1999, the transactions, other than
principal transactions, which were directed to broker-dealers who provided
research as well as execution totaled $140,702,165 on which $130,884 in
brokerage commissions were paid. These transactions were allocated to these
broker-dealers by the internal allocation procedures described above.
As of June 30, 1999, the Fund owned Societe Generale securities in the
aggregate amount of $14,549,712, Credit Suisse Group securities in the aggregate
amount of $12,114,778 and Julius Baer Holding AG securities in the aggregate
amount of $14,863,572. Societe Generale, Credit Suisse Group and Juluis Baer
Holding AG are regular brokers of the Fund.
The Fund, WRIMCO and Waddell & Reed, Inc. have adopted a Code of Ethics
which imposes restrictions on the personal investing activities of their
employees, officers and interested directors.
OTHER INFORMATION
The Shares of the Fund
The Fund offers four classes of its shares: Class A, Class B, Class C and
Class Y. Each class represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund and
differ as follows: each class of shares has exclusive voting rights on matters
appropriately limited to that class; Class A shares are subject to an initial
sales charge and to an ongoing distribution and/or service fee; Class B and
Class C are subject to a CDSC and to ongoing distribution and service fees;
Class B shares convert at the end of the seventh calendar year following the
first year of purchase to Class A shares; and Class Y shares, which are
designated for institutional investors, have no sales charge nor ongoing
distribution and/or service fee; each class may bear differing amounts of
certain class-specific expenses; and each class has a separate exchange
privilege. The Fund does not anticipate that there will be any conflicts between
the interests of holders of the different classes of shares of the Fund by
virtue of those classes. On an ongoing basis, the Board of
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Directors will consider whether any such conflict exists and, if so, take
appropriate action. Each share of the Fund is entitled to equal voting,
dividend, liquidation and redemption rights, except that due to the differing
expenses borne by the four classes, dividends and liquidation proceeds of Class
B shares and Class C shares are expected to be lower than for Class A shares,
which in turn are expected to be lower than for Class Y shares of the Fund. Each
fractional share of a class has the same rights, in proportion, as a full share
of that class. Shares are fully paid and nonassessable when purchased.
The Fund does not hold annual meetings of shareholders; however, certain
significant corporate matters, such as the approval of a new investment advisory
agreement or a change in fundamental investment policy, which require
shareholder approval will be presented to shareholders at a meeting called by
the Board of Directors for such purpose.
Special meetings of shareholders may be called for any purpose upon receipt
by the Fund of a request in writing signed by shareholders holding not less than
25% of all shares entitled to vote at such meeting, provided certain conditions
stated in the bylaws are met. There will normally be no meeting of the
shareholders for the purpose of electing directors until such time as less than
a majority of directors holding office have been elected by shareholders, at
time which the directors then in office will call a shareholders' meeting for
the election of directors. To the extent that Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act
applies to the Fund, the directors are required to call a meeting of
shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any
director when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record of not
less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.
Each share (regardless of class) has one vote. All shares of the Fund vote
together as a single class, except as to any matter for which a separate vote of
any class is required by the 1940 Act, and except as to any matter which affects
the interests of one or more particular classes, in which case only the
shareholders of the affected classes are entitled to vote, each as a separate
class.
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APPENDIX A
The following are descriptions of some of the ratings of securities which
the Fund may use. The Fund may also use ratings provided by other nationally
recognized statistical rating organizations in determining the securities
eligible for investment.
DESCRIPTION OF BOND RATINGS
Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. An S&P
corporate bond rating is a current assessment of the creditworthiness of an
obligor with respect to a specific obligation. This assessment of
creditworthiness may take into consideration obligors such as guarantors,
insurers or lessees.
The debt rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a
security, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for
a particular investor.
The ratings are based on current information furnished to S&P by the issuer
or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable. S&P does not
perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on
unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended or
withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or
based on other circumstances.
The ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations:
1. Likelihood of default -- capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the
timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with
the terms of the obligation;
2. Nature of and provisions of the obligation;
3. Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the
event of bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of
bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.
AAA -- Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to
pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA -- Debt rated AA also qualifies as high quality debt. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is very strong, and debt rated AA differs from AAA
issues only in a small degree.
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A -- Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB -- Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for
debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C -- Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having
predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB
indicates the lowest degree of speculation and C the highest degree of
speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures
to adverse conditions.
BB -- Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to
adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to
inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB
rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied BBB- rating.
B -- Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
BB or BB- rating.
CCC -- Debt rated CCC has a currently indefinable vulnerability to default,
and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to
meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the event of
adverse business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
B or B- rating.
CC -- The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior
debt that is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
83
<PAGE>
C -- The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may be
used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but debt
service payments are continued.
CI -- The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is
being paid.
D -- Debt rated D is in payment default. It is used when interest payments
or principal payments are not made on a due date even if the applicable grace
period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made
during such grace periods. The D rating will also be used upon a filing of a
bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or Minus (-) -- To provide more detailed indications of credit
quality, the ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or
minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
NR -- Indicates that no public rating has been requested, that there is
insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a
particular type of obligation as a matter of policy.
Debt Obligations of issuers outside the United States and its territories
are rated on the same basis as domestic corporate and municipal issues. The
ratings measure the creditworthiness of the obligor but do not take into account
currency exchange and related uncertainties.
Bond Investment Quality Standards: Under present commercial bank
regulations issued by the Comptroller of the Currency, bonds rated in the top
four categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB, commonly known as "investment grade" ratings)
are generally regarded as eligible for bank investment. In addition, the laws of
various states governing legal investments may impose certain rating or other
standards for obligations eligible for investment by savings banks, trust
companies, insurance companies and fiduciaries generally.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. A brief description of the applicable MIS
rating symbols and their meanings follows:
Aaa -- Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They
carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as
"gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally
stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are
84
<PAGE>
likely to change such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa -- Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as
high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuations of
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements
present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa
securities.
A -- Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes
and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving
security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be
present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa -- Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade
obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured.
Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but
certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically
unreliable over any great length of time. Some bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
NOTE: Bonds within the above categories which possess the strongest
investment attributes are designated by the symbol "1" following the rating.
Ba -- Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements;
their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well
safeguarded during good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B -- Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the
desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of
maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be
small.
Caa -- Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be
in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal
or interest.
85
<PAGE>
Ca -- Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative
in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings.
C -- Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues
so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining
any real investment standing.
Description of preferred stock ratings
Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. An S&P
preferred stock rating is an assessment of the capacity and willingness of an
issuer to pay preferred stock dividends and any applicable sinking fund
obligations. A preferred stock rating differs from a bond rating inasmuch as it
is assigned to an equity issue, which issue is intrinsically different from, and
subordinated to, a debt issue. Therefore, to reflect this difference, the
preferred stock rating symbol will normally not be higher than the debt rating
symbol assigned to, or that would be assigned to, the senior debt of the same
issuer.
The preferred stock ratings are based on the following considerations:
1. Likelihood of payment - capacity and willingness of the issuer to meet the
timely payment of preferred stock dividends and any applicable sinking fund
requirements in accordance with the terms of the obligation;
2. Nature of, and provisions of, the issue;
3. Relative position of the issue in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization,
or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting
creditors' rights.
AAA -- This is the highest rating that may be assigned by S&P to a
preferred stock issue and indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay the
preferred stock obligations.
AA -- A preferred stock issue rated AA also qualifies as a high-quality
fixed income security. The capacity to pay preferred stock obligations is very
strong, although not as overwhelming as for issues rated AAA.
A -- An issue rated A is backed by a sound capacity to pay the preferred
stock obligations, although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse
effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions.
86
<PAGE>
BBB -- An issue rated BBB is regarded as backed by an adequate capacity to
pay the preferred stock obligations. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are
more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make payments for a preferred
stock in this category than for issues in the 'A' category.
BB, B, CCC -- Preferred stock rated BB, B, and CCC are regarded, on
balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to
pay preferred stock obligations. BB indicates the lowest degree of speculation
and CCC the highest degree of speculation. While such issues will likely have
some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large
uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
CC -- The rating CC is reserved for a preferred stock issue in arrears on
dividends or sinking fund payments but that is currently paying.
C -- A preferred stock rated C is a non-paying issue.
D -- A preferred stock rated D is a non-paying issue with the issuer in
default on debt instruments.
NR -- This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is
insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a
particular type of obligation as a matter of policy.
Plus (+) or minus (-) -- To provide more detailed indications of preferred
stock quality, the rating from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a
plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
A preferred stock rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold
a security inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for
a particular investor. The ratings are based on current information furnished to
S&P by the issuer or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable.
S&P does not perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on
occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed,
suspended or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such
information or based on other circumstances.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Because of the fundamental differences
between preferred stocks and bonds, a variation of MIS' familiar bond rating
symbols is used in the quality ranking of preferred stock. The symbols are
designed to avoid comparison with bond quality in absolute terms. It should
always be borne in
87
<PAGE>
mind that preferred stock occupies a junior position to bonds within a
particular capital structure and that these securities are rated within the
universe of preferred stocks.
Note: MIS applies numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 in each rating
classification; the modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher
end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking
and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its
generic rating category.
Preferred stock rating symbols and their definitions are as follows:
aaa -- An issue which is rated aaa is considered to be a top-quality
preferred stock. This rating indicates good asset protection and the least risk
of dividend impairment within the universe of preferred stocks.
aa -- An issue which is rated aa is considered a high-grade preferred
stock. This rating indicates that there is a reasonable assurance the earnings
and asset protection will remain relatively well-maintained in the foreseeable
future.
a -- An issue which is rated a is considered to be an upper-medium grade
preferred stock. While risks are judged to be somewhat greater than in the aaa
and aa classification, earnings and asset protection are, nevertheless, expected
to be maintained at adequate levels.
baa -- An issue which is rated baa is considered to be a medium-grade
preferred stock, neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Earnings and asset
protection appear adequate at present but may be questionable over any great
length of time.
ba -- An issue which is rated ba is considered to have speculative elements
and its future cannot be considered well assured. Earnings and asset protection
may be very moderate and not well safeguarded during adverse periods.
Uncertainty of position characterizes preferred stocks in this class.
b -- An issue which is rated b generally lacks the characteristics of a
desirable investment. Assurance of dividend payments and maintenance of other
terms of the issue over any long period of time may be small.
caa -- An issue which is rated caa is likely to be in arrears on dividend
payments. This rating designation does not purport to indicate the future status
of payments.
88
<PAGE>
ca -- An issue which is rated ca is speculative in a high degree and is
likely to be in arrears on dividends with little likelihood of eventual
payments.
c -- This is the lowest rated class of preferred or preference stock.
Issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever
attaining any real investment standing.
89
<PAGE>
THE INVESTMENTS OF
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
JUNE 30, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shares Value
<S> <C> <C>
COMMON STOCKS
Australia - 1.26%
Cable & Wireless Optus Limited* ........................................ 3,490,000 $ 7,936,902
Cable & Wireless Optus Limited (A)* .................................... 3,510,000 7,982,386
Total ............................................................... 15,919,288
Canada - 2.36%
AT&T Canada Inc.* ...................................................... 264,500 16,877,572
Rogers Communications Inc., Class B* ................................... 800,000 12,845,407
Total ............................................................... 29,722,979
Denmark - 0.44%
TK Development A/S ..................................................... 62,950 5,495,379
Finland - 2.56%
Nokia, AB .............................................................. 230,500 20,193,990
UPM-Kymmene Corporation ................................................ 392,300 12,130,308
Total ............................................................... 32,324,298
France - 9.54%
AXA-UAP ................................................................ 143,300 17,472,828
ALTRAN TECHNOLOGIES .................................................... 18,316 4,832,845
Cap Gemini N.V. ........................................................ 84,600 13,288,856
Elf Acquitaine ......................................................... 78,360 11,492,952
Lagardere SCA .......................................................... 242,125 9,009,052
Societe Generale, Class A .............................................. 82,600 14,549,712
Societe Industrielle de Transports
Automobiles S.A. .................................................... 52,625 11,900,385
Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux ................................................ 210,000 37,856,580
Total ............................................................... 120,403,210
Germany - 5.64%
Bayer Group (The) ...................................................... 300,000 12,492,084
EM.TV & Merchandising AG ............................................... 10,000 14,069,055
Mannesmann AG .......................................................... 146,600 21,864,260
SGL CARBON Aktiengesellschaft* ......................................... 50,000 3,865,125
Siemens AG ............................................................. 200,000 15,419,272
VBH Holding AG ......................................................... 205,000 3,401,825
Total ............................................................... 71,111,621
Hong Kong - 0.50%
Hutchison Whampoa Limited, Ordinary Shares ............................. 700,000 6,338,046
Ireland - 1.84%
Bank of Ireland (The) .................................................. 745,159 12,572,195
CRH public limited company ............................................. 600,000 10,627,611
Total ............................................................... 23,199,806
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments on page .
1
<PAGE>
THE INVESTMENTS OF
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
JUNE 30, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shares Value
<S> <C> <C>
COMMON STOCKS (Continued)
Italy - 3.63%
Banca Monte dei Paschi di
Siena S.p.A. (A)* ................................................... 1,222,500 $ 5,418,132
Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino -
Istituto Mobiliare Italiano S.p.A. .................................. 1,000,000 13,605,240
Seat-Pagine Gialle S.p.A. .............................................. 6,000,000 5,101,965
Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A., Risp ..................................... 4,000,000 21,685,928
Total ............................................................... 45,811,265
Japan - 16.83%
Asahi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. ...................................... 2,000,000 11,095,035
Canon Inc. ............................................................. 600,000 17,262,618
Fuji Bank, Limited (The) ............................................... 871,000 6,077,665
FUJITSU LIMITED ........................................................ 600,000 12,078,872
Hitachi, Ltd. .......................................................... 1,500,000 14,075,483
Kao Corporation ........................................................ 500,000 14,054,814
Matsushita Communication Industrial
Co., Ltd. ........................................................... 200,000 14,302,840
Matsushita Electric Industrial ......................................... 800,000 15,542,971
NEC Corporation ........................................................ 458,000 5,698,731
NKK CORPORATION* ....................................................... 1,000,000 818,486
NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. ................................ 2,000 27,117,523
Nippon Express Co., Ltd. ............................................... 1,063,000 6,371,585
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation ............................. 1,500 17,485,842
ROHM CO., LTD. ......................................................... 111,300 17,437,353
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. ..................................... 1,257,000 14,299,797
Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd. ....................................... 400,000 18,552,354
Total ............................................................... 212,271,969
Mexico - 1.56%
Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A de C.V. ................................ 3,000,000 12,001,910
Grupo Financiero Banamex-Accival S.A.* ................................. 3,000,000 7,640,473
Total ............................................................... 19,642,383
Netherlands - 8.08%
Akzo Nobel N.V. ........................................................ 320,000 13,456,819
Benckiser N.V., Class B ................................................ 301,960 16,106,161
CMG plc ................................................................ 300,000 7,884,855
EQUANT N.V.* ........................................................... 150,000 13,821,687
ING Groep N.V........................................................... 265,273 14,354,386
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.,
Ordinary Shares ..................................................... 183,807 18,120,881
Royal Dutch Petroleum Company .......................................... 235,000 13,757,784
United Pan-Europe Communications N.V.* ................................. 81,500 4,418,508
Total ............................................................... 101,921,081
Norway - 0.46%
Merkantildata ASA ...................................................... 600,000 5,786,435
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments on page .
2
<PAGE>
THE INVESTMENTS OF
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
JUNE 30, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shares Value
<S> <C> <C>
COMMON STOCKS (Continued)
Spain - 3.10%
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, S.A. ............................................. 1,000,000 $ 14,440,107
Tele Pizza, S.A.* ...................................................... 1,500,000 7,761,171
Telefonica de Espana, S.A. ............................................. 350,000 16,893,688
Total ............................................................... 39,094,966
Sweden - 1.89%
Nordbanken Holding AB .................................................. 1,000,000 5,858,086
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, ADR,
Class B ............................................................. 546,200 17,973,394
Total ............................................................... 23,831,480
Switzerland - 5.05%
Clariant Limited, Registered Shares .................................... 26,300 10,829,312
Credit Suisse Group, Registered Shares ................................. 70,000 12,114,778
Julius Baer Holding AG ................................................. 5,215 14,863,572
Roche Holdings AG ...................................................... 1,500 15,421,733
UBS AG, Registered Shares .............................................. 35,000 10,448,433
Total ............................................................... 63,677,828
United Kingdom - 19.55%
Barclays PLC............................................................ 364,000 10,584,772
Capita Group plc (The) ................................................. 1,080,700 11,182,107
COLT Telecom Group plc* ................................................ 1,417,000 29,658,671
Energis plc* ........................................................... 111,575 2,658,903
Energis plc (A)* ....................................................... 324,475 7,732,444
Granada Group PLC ...................................................... 500,000 9,259,588
HSBC Holdings plc (A) .................................................. 200,000 7,086,146
Independent Energy Holdings plc, ADS* .................................. 475,000 6,471,875
Invensys plc ........................................................... 1,000,000 4,728,300
Kingfisher plc ......................................................... 1,051,525 12,114,926
Lloyds TSB Group plc ................................................... 1,045,000 14,189,116
Misys plc .............................................................. 2,982,480 25,524,729
NTL Incorporated* ...................................................... 161,000 13,881,219
Next plc ............................................................... 800,000 9,708,776
Securicor plc .......................................................... 1,276,300 11,234,654
Sema Group plc ......................................................... 1,401,662 13,520,056
Telewest Communications plc* ........................................... 2,549,000 11,419,684
Telewest Communications plc (A)* ....................................... 2,948,837 13,210,979
Vodafone Group Plc ..................................................... 1,652,223 32,498,777
Total ............................................................... 246,665,722
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments on page .
3
<PAGE>
THE INVESTMENTS OF
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
JUNE 30, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shares Value
<S> <C> <C>
COMMON STOCKS (Continued)
United States - 3.12%
ESG Re Limited ......................................................... 390,000 $ 5,813,438
Global TeleSystems Group, Inc.* ........................................ 225,000 18,217,969
Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc. ............................................... 176,400 10,021,725
Transocean Offshore Incorporated ....................................... 200,000 5,250,000
Total ............................................................... 39,303,132
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS - 87.41% $1,102,520,888
(Cost: $930,207,944)
PREFERRED STOCKS
Brazil - 1.64%
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras ................................... 55,500,000 $ 8,591,525
Telebras S.A., ADR ..................................................... 134,500 12,130,219
Total ............................................................... 20,721,744
Germany - 3.81%
Fresenius Medical Care AG .............................................. 40,000 7,070,602
Marschollek, Lautenschlager und
Partner AG .......................................................... 54,080 25,751,998
Rhoen-Klinikum AG ...................................................... 71,700 7,020,613
SAP AG ................................................................. 12,925 5,162,197
Wella AG ............................................................... 4,200 3,051,903
Total ............................................................... 48,057,313
TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS - 5.45% $ 68,779,057
(Cost: $50,260,748)
UNREALIZED GAIN ON OPEN Face Amount
FORWARD CURRENCY CONTRACTS - 0.03% in Thousands
Japanese Yen, 10-8-99 .................................................. (Y)7,287,437 $ 338,753
TOTAL SHORT-TERM SECURITIES - 2.97% $ 37,508,956
(Cost: $37,508,956)
TOTAL INVESTMENT SECURITIES - 95.86% $1,209,147,654
(Cost: $1,017,977,648)
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS, NET OF LIABILITIES - 4.14% 52,222,553
NET ASSETS - 100.00% $1,261,370,207
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments on page .
4
<PAGE>
Notes to Schedule of Investments
*No dividends were paid during the preceding 12 months.
(A) Security was purchased pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act
of 1933 and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration,
normally to qualified institutional buyers. At June 30, 1999, the value
of these securities amounted to $41,430,087 or 3.28% of net assets.
See Note 1 to financial statements for security valuation and other
significant accounting policies concerning investments.
See Note 3 to financial statements for cost and unrealized appreciation and
depreciation of investments owned for Federal income tax purposes.
5
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
JUNE 30, 1999
(In Thousands, Except for Per Share Amounts)
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Assets
Investment securities -- at value (Notes 1 and 3)...................................... $1,209,148
Receivables:
Fund shares sold ................................................................... 31,620
Investment securities sold ......................................................... 25,911
Dividends and interest ............................................................. 3,777
Prepaid insurance premium.............................................................. 19
----------
Total assets ..................................................................... 1,270,475
----------
Liabilities
Payable for investment securities purchased ........................................... 4,748
Payable to Fund shareholders .......................................................... 2,708
Due to custodian ...................................................................... 446
Accrued transfer agency and dividend
disbursing (Note 2) ................................................................ 290
Accrued service fee (Note 2) .......................................................... 208
Accrued distribution fee (Note 2) ..................................................... 43
Accrued management fee (Note 2) ....................................................... 29
Accrued accounting services fee (Note 2) .............................................. 8
Other ................................................................................. 625
----------
Total liabilities ................................................................ 9,105
----------
Total net assets .............................................................. $1,261,370
==========
Net Assets
$1.00 par value capital stock
Capital stock ...................................................................... $ 126,500
Additional paid-in capital ......................................................... 858,008
Accumulated undistributed income:
Accumulated undistributed net investment income ................................... 2,452
Accumulated net realized gain on
investment transactions .......................................................... 83,371
Net unrealized appreciation in value
of investments ................................................................... 190,831
Net unrealized appreciation in value of foreign
currency exchange ................................................................ 208
----------
Net assets applicable to outstanding
units of capital .............................................................. $1,261,370
==========
Capital shares outstanding
Class A ............................................................................ 125,559
Class Y ............................................................................ 941
Capital shares authorized ................................................................ 400,000
Net asset value per share (net assets divided
by shares outstanding)
Class A ............................................................................ $9.97
Class Y ............................................................................ $9.97
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements.
6
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
For the Fiscal Year Ended JUNE 30, 1999
(In Thousands)
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Investment Income
Income (Note 1B):
Dividends (net of foreign withholding
taxes of $1,062) .................................................................... $ 13,062
Interest and amortization ............................................................. 9,216
--------
Total income ........................................................................ 22,278
--------
Expenses (Note 2):
Investment management fee ............................................................. 8,469
Service fees - Class A ................................................................ 2,750
Transfer agency and dividend
disbursing - Class A ................................................................ 2,740
Custodian fees ........................................................................ 1,131
Distribution fee - Class A ............................................................ 288
Accounting services fee ............................................................... 100
Audit fees ............................................................................ 19
Legal fees ............................................................................ 14
Shareholder servicing - Class Y ....................................................... 14
Other ............................................................................... 378
--------
Total expenses ...................................................................... 15,903
--------
Net investment income ............................................................. 6,375
--------
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on
Investments (Notes 1 and 3)
Realized net gain on securities .......................................................... 111,891
Realized net gain on forward currency contracts .......................................... 278
Realized net loss on foreign currency
transactions .......................................................................... (264)
--------
Realized net gain on investments ...................................................... 111,905
--------
Unrealized depreciation in value of securities
during the period...................................................................... (182,768)
Unrealized appreciation on open forward currency
contracts during the period ........................................................... 60
Unrealized depreciation in value of foreign
currency exchange during the period ................................................... (24)
--------
Unrealized depreciation on investments ................................................ (182,732)
--------
Net loss on investments ............................................................. (70,827)
--------
Net decrease in net assets resulting from
operations .................................................................... $(64,452)
========
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements.
7
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Dollars In Thousands)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the fiscal year ended
June 30,
-------------------------
1999 1998
---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C>
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets
Operations:
Net investment income ........................................... $ 6,375 $ 7,502
Realized net gain on investments ................................ 111,905 147,877
Unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) ................................................ (182,732) 193,965
---------- ----------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
resulting from operations .................................. (64,452) 349,344
---------- ----------
Distributions to shareholders from (Note 1F):*
Net investment income:
Class A ....................................................... (5,120) (6,165)
Class Y ....................................................... (68) (63)
Realized gains on securities transactions:
Class A ....................................................... (125,603) (164,458)
Class Y ....................................................... (852) (1,128)
----------- ----------
(131,643) (171,814)
Capital share transactions: ---------- ----------
Proceeds from sale of shares:
Class A (92,391,138 and 97,362,755
shares, respectively) ...................................... 959,040 1,056,297
Class Y (842,161 and 147,574
shares, respectively) ...................................... 8,682 1,609
Proceeds from reinvestment of dividends
and/or capital gains distribution:
Class A (13,271,687 and 18,572,233
shares, respectively)....................................... 127,323 167,919
Class Y (95,800 and 131,500
shares, respectively) ...................................... 919 1,191
Payments for shares redeemed:
Class A (92,479,345 and 95,731,629
shares, respectively) ...................................... (970,805) (1,047,872)
Class Y (768,642 and 145,901
shares, respectively) ...................................... (7,997) (1,526)
---------- ----------
Net increase in net assets resulting
from capital share transactions ......................... 117,162 177,618
---------- ----------
Total increase (decrease) ............................... (78,933) 355,148
Net Assets
Beginning of period ................................................ 1,340,303 985,155
---------- ----------
End of period, including undistributed
net investment income of $2,452
and $1,529, respectively ........................................ $1,261,370 $1,340,303
========== ==========
</TABLE>
*See "Financial Highlights" on pages - .
See notes to financial statements.
8
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Class A Shares
For a Share of Capital Stock Outstanding
Throughout Each Period:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the fiscal year ended June 30,
----------------------------------
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value,
beginning of
period .......................... $11.85 $10.61 $8.95 $8.68 $8.98
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment
income ....................... .05 .07 .07 .08 .07
Net realized and
unrealized gain
(loss) on
investments .................. (0.74) 3.01 1.94 .86 .60
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
Total from investment
operations ..................... (0.69) 3.08 2.01 .94 .67
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
Less distributions:
From net investment
income ....................... (0.04) (0.06) (0.09) (0.07) (0.04)
From capital gains............... (1.15) (1.78) (0.26) (0.60) (0.93)
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
Total distributions ................ (1.19) (1.84) (0.35) (0.67) (0.97)
------ ------ ------ ----- -----
Net asset value,
end of period ................... $9.97 $11.85 $10.61 $8.95 $8.68
====== ====== ====== ===== =====
Total return* ...................... -5.40% 34.49% 23.03% 11.70% 7.98%
Net assets, end of
period (in
millions) ....................... $1,252 $1,331 $978 $771 $679
Ratio of expenses
to average net
assets .......................... 1.30% 1.23% 1.28% 1.25% 1.25%
Ratio of net
investment income
to average net
assets .......................... 0.52% 0.67% 0.78% 0.89% 0.86%
Portfolio turnover
rate ............................ 149.45% 114.34% 109.71% 58.64% 57.45%
</TABLE>
*Total return calculated without taking into account the sales load deducted
on an initial purchase.
See notes to financial statements.
9
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Class Y Shares
For a Share of Capital Stock Outstanding
Throughout Each Period:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the
For the fiscal period
year ended June 30, from 9/27/95*
---------------------- through
1999 1998 1997 6/30/96
------ ------ ------ -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value,
beginning of period.............. $11.85 $10.62 $8.95 $9.21
------ ------ ------ -----
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment
income ....................... .09 .10 .09 .12
Net realized and
unrealized gain (loss)
on investments................ (0.74) 3.00 1.95 .30
------ ------ ------ -----
Total from investment
operations....................... (0.65) 3.10 2.04 .42
------ ------ ------ -----
Less distributions:
From net investment
income........................ (0.08) (0.09) (0.11) (0.08)
From capital gains............... (1.15) (1.78) (0.26) (0.60)
------ ------ ------ -----
Total distributions................. (1.23) (1.87) (0.37) (0.68)
------ ------ ------ -----
Net asset value,
end of period.................... $9.97 $11.85 $10.62 $8.95
====== ====== ====== =====
Total return ....................... -5.06% 34.71% 23.45% 5.44%
Net assets, end of
period (in
millions) ....................... $9 $9 $7 $5
Ratio of expenses
to average net
assets........................... 0.99% 0.97% 1.04% 0.98%**
Ratio of net
investment income
to average net
assets........................... 0.85% 0.93% 1.02% 2.60%**
Portfolio
turnover rate.................... 149.45% 114.34% 109.71% 58.64%**
</TABLE>
*Commencement of operations.
**Annualized.
See notes to financial statements.
10
<PAGE>
UNITED INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 1999
NOTE 1 -- Significant Accounting Policies
United International Growth Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") is registered under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 as a diversified, open-end management
investment company. Its investment objective is the long-term appreciation of
your investment. Realization of income is a secondary goal. The following is a
summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in
the preparation of its financial statements. The policies are in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles.
A. Security valuation -- Each stock and convertible bond is valued at the
latest sale price thereof on the last business day of the fiscal period
as reported by the principal securities exchange on which the issue is
traded or, if no sale is reported for a stock, the average of the
latest bid and asked prices. Bonds, other than convertible bonds, are
valued using a pricing system provided by a pricing service or dealer
in bonds. Convertible bonds are valued using this pricing system only
on days when there is no sale reported. Stocks which are traded
over-the-counter are priced using the Nasdaq Stock Market, which
provides information on bid and asked prices quoted by major dealers in
such stocks. Securities for which quotations are not readily available
are valued as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures
established by and under the general supervision of the Fund's Board of
Directors. Short-term debt securities are valued at amortized cost,
which approximates market.
B. Security transactions and related investment income -- Security
transactions are accounted for on the trade date (date the order to buy
or sell is executed). Securities gains and losses are calculated on the
identified cost basis. Original issue discount (as defined in the
Internal Revenue Code), premiums on the purchase of bonds and post-1984
market discount are amortized for both financial and tax reporting
purposes. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date except
that certain dividends from foreign securities are recorded as soon as
the Fund is informed of the ex-dividend date. Interest income is
recorded on the accrual basis. See Note 3 -- Investment Securities
Transactions.
C. Foreign currency translations -- All assets and liabilities denominated
in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars daily. Purchases
and sales of investment securities and accruals of income and expenses
are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing on the date of the
transaction. For assets and liabilities other than investments in
securities, net realized and unrealized gains and losses from foreign
currency translations arise from changes in currency exchange rates.
The Fund combines fluctuations from currency exchange rates and
fluctuations in market value when computing net realized and unrealized
gain or loss from
11
<PAGE>
investments.
D. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts -- A forward foreign
currency exchange contract (Forward Contract) is an obligation to
purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date at a fixed price.
Forward Contracts are "marked-to-market" daily at the applicable
translation rates and the resulting unrealized gains or losses are
reflected in the Fund's financial statements. Gains or losses are
realized by the Fund at the time the forward contract is extinguished.
Contracts may be extinguished by either entry into a closing
transaction or by delivery of the currency. Risks may arise from the
possibility that the other party will not complete the obligations of
the contract and from unanticipated movements in the value of the
foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar. The Fund uses forward
contracts to attempt to reduce the overall risk of its investments.
E. Federal income taxes -- It is the Fund's policy to distribute all of
its taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders and otherwise
qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code. In addition, the Fund intends to pay
distributions as required to avoid imposition of excise tax.
Accordingly, provision has not been made for Federal income taxes. See
Note 4 -- Federal Income Tax Matters.
F. Dividends and distributions -- Dividends and distributions to
shareholders are recorded by the Fund on the business day following
record date. Net investment income dividends and capital gains
distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations
which may differ from generally accepted accounting principles. These
differences are due to differing treatments for items such as deferral
of wash sales and post-October losses, foreign currency transactions,
net operating losses and expiring capital loss carryovers. At June 30,
1999, $264,361 was reclassified between accumulated undistributed net
investment income and accumulated undistributed net realized gain on
investment transactions. Net investment income, net realized gains and
net assets were not affected by this change.
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
NOTE 2 -- Investment Management and Payments to Affiliated Persons
The Fund pays a fee for investment management services. The fee is
computed daily based on the net asset value at the close of business. Until June
30, 1999, the fee consisted of two elements: (i) a "Specific" fee computed on
net asset value as of the close of business each day at the annual rate of .30%
of net assets and (ii) a "Group" fee computed each day on the combined net
12
<PAGE>
asset values of all of the funds in the United Group of mutual funds at annual
rates of .51% of the first $750 million of combined net assets, .49% on that
amount between $750 million and $1.5 billion, .47% between $1.5 billion and
$2.25 billion, .45% between $2.25 billion and $3 billion, .43% between $3
billion and $3.75 billion, .40% between $3.75 billion and $7.5 billion, .38%
between $7.5 billion and $12 billion, and .36% of that amount over $12 billion.
Beginning June 30, 1999, the fee is payable by the Fund at the annual rates of:
0.85% of net assets up to $1 billion, 0.83% of net assets over $1 billion and up
to $2 billion, 0.80% of net assets over $2 billion and up to $3 billion, and
0.76% of net assets over $3 billion. The Fund accrues and pays this fee daily.
Pursuant to assignment of the Investment Management Agreement between
the Fund and Waddell & Reed, Inc. ("W&R"), Waddell & Reed Investment Management
Company ("WRIMCO"), a wholly owned subsidiary of W&R, serves as the Fund's
investment manager.
The Fund has an Accounting Services Agreement with Waddell & Reed
Services Company ("WARSCO"), a wholly owned subsidiary of W&R. Under the
agreement, WARSCO acts as the agent in providing accounting services and
assistance to the Fund and pricing daily the value of shares of the Fund. For
these services, the Fund pays WARSCO a monthly fee of one-twelfth of the annual
fee shown in the following table.
Accounting Services Fee
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Average
Net Asset Level Annual Fee
(all dollars in millions) Rate for Each Level
------------------------- -------------------
<S> <C>
From $ 0 to $ 10 $ 0
From $ 10 to $ 25 $ 10,000
From $ 25 to $ 50 $ 20,000
From $ 50 to $ 100 $ 30,000
From $ 100 to $ 200 $ 40,000
From $ 200 to $ 350 $ 50,000
From $ 350 to $ 550 $ 60,000
From $ 550 to $ 750 $ 70,000
From $ 750 to $1,000 $ 85,000
$1,000 and Over $100,000
</TABLE>
For Class A shares, the Fund also pays WARSCO a monthly per account
charge for transfer agency and dividend disbursement services of $1.3125 for
each shareholder account which was in existence at any time during the prior
month, plus $0.30 for each account on which a dividend or distribution of cash
or shares had a record date in that month. With respect to Class Y shares, the
Fund pays WARSCO a monthly fee at an annual rate of .15% of the average daily
net assets of the class for the preceding month. The Fund also reimburses W&R
and WARSCO for certain out-of-pocket costs.
As principal underwriter for the Fund's shares, W&R received gross
sales commissions for Class A shares (which are not an expense of the Fund) of
$4,101,374, out of which W&R paid sales commissions of $2,374,209 and all
expenses in connection with the sale of Fund shares, except for registration
fees and related expenses.
13
<PAGE>
Under a Distribution and Service Plan for Class A shares adopted by the
Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Fund
may pay monthly a distribution and/or service fee to W&R in an amount not to
exceed .25% of the Fund's Class A average annual net assets. The fee is to be
paid to reimburse W&R for amounts it expends in connection with the distribution
of the Class A shares and/or provision of personal services to Fund shareholders
and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts.
The Fund paid Directors' fees of $45,305, which are included in other
expenses.
W&R is a subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., a holding
company, and a direct subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc., a
holding company.
NOTE 3 -- Investment Securities Transactions
Purchases of investment securities, other than short-term securities
and U.S. Government Securities, aggregated $1,602,465,849 while proceeds from
maturities and sales aggregated $1,556,762,859. Purchases of short-term
securities and U.S. Government Securities aggregated $4,300,596,006 and
$49,965,703, respectively. Proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term
securities and U.S. Government Securities aggregated $4,431,409,821 and
$50,129,422, respectively.
For Federal income tax purposes, cost of investments owned at June 30,
1999 was $1,017,985,106, resulting in net unrealized appreciation of
$190,823,795, of which $236,594,032 related to appreciated securities and
$45,770,237 related to depreciated securities.
NOTE 4 -- Federal Income Tax Matters
For Federal income tax purposes, the Fund realized capital gain net
income of $112,236,770 during its fiscal year ended June 30, 1999, of which a
portion was paid to shareholders during the period ended June 30, 1999.
Remaining capital gain net income will be distributed to Fund's shareholders.
NOTE 5 -- Multiclass Operations
On July 4, 1995, the Fund was authorized to offer investors two classes of
shares, Class A and Class Y, each of which has equal rights as to assets and
voting privileges. Class Y shares are not subject to a sales charge on
purchases; they are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plan
and have a separate transfer agency and dividend disbursement services fee
structure. A comprehensive discussion of the terms under which shares of either
class are offered is contained in the prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund.
Income, non-class specific expenses and realized and unrealized gains
and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based on the value of
relative net assets as of the beginning of each day adjusted for the prior day's
capital share
14
<PAGE>
activity.
15
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
The Board of Directors and Shareholders,
United International Growth Fund, Inc.:
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including
the schedule of investments, of United International Growth Fund, Inc. (the
"Fund") as of June 30, 1999, and the related statement of operations for the
fiscal year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the
two fiscal years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each
of the five fiscal years in the period then ended. These financial statements
and the financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and
the financial highlights based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and the financial
highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of June
30, 1999, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. An audit also
includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made
by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to
above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of United
International Growth Fund, Inc. as of June 30, 1999, the results of its
operations for the fiscal year then ended, the changes in its net assets for
each of the two fiscal years in the period then ended, and the financial
highlights for each of the five fiscal years in the period then ended in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Kansas City, Missouri
August 6, 1999
