File No: 333-
CIK #1025203
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549-1004
Form S-6
For Registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of Securities of Unit
Investment Trusts Registered on Form N-8B-2.
A. Exact name of Trust: Van Kampen American Capital Equity
Opportunity Trust, Series 57
B. Name of Depositor: Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.
C. Complete address of Depositor's principal executive offices:
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace Illinois 60181
D. Name and complete address of agents for service:
Chapman And Cutler Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
Attention: Mark J. Kneedy Attention: Don G. Powell, Chairman
111 West Monroe Street One Parkview Plaza
Chicago, Illinois 60603 Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
E. Title and amount of securities being registered: Indefinite numbers
of Units of fractional undivided interest pursuant to Rule 24f-2
promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
F. Proposed maximum offering price to the public of the securities being
registered: Indefinite
G. Amount of registration fee: Not Applicable
H. Approximate date of proposed sale to the public:
As Soon As Practicable After The Effective Date Of The Registration
Statement
__________________________
The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the
registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that
this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in
accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the
Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the
Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a) may determine.
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust
Series 57
Cross Reference Sheet
Pursuant to Rule 404(c) of Regulation C
under the Securities Act of 1933
(Form N-8B-2 Items Required by Instruction
1 as to Prospectus on Form S-6)
Form N-8B-2 Form S-6
Item Number Heading in Prospectus
I. Organization and General Information
1. (a) Name of trust ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
(b) Title of securities issued ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
2. Name and address of Depositor ) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
) Trust Administration
3. Name and address of Trustee ) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
) Trust Administration
4. Name and address of principal ) Trust Administration
underwriter
5. Organization of trust ) The Trust
6. Execution and termination of ) The Trust
Trust Indenture and Agreement ) Trust Administration
7. Changes of Name ) *
8. Fiscal year ) *
9. Material Litigation ) *
II. General Description of the Trust and
Securities of the Trust
10. General information regarding ) The Trust
Trust's securities and ) Federal Taxation
rights of security holders ) Public Offering
) Rights of Unitholders
) Trust Administration
) Risk Factors
11. Type of securities comprising ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
units ) The Trust
) Trust Portfolio
) Risk Factors
12. Certain information regarding ) *
periodic payment certificates )
13. (a) Loan, fees, charges and expenses ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
) Trust Portfolio
)
) Trust Operating Expenses
) Public Offering
) Rights of Unitholders
(b) Certain information regarding )
periodic payment plan ) *
certificates )
(c) Certain percentages ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
)
) Public Offering
) Rights of Unitholders
(d) Certain other fees, expenses or ) Trust Operating Expenses
charges payable by holders ) Rights of Unitholders
(e) Certain profits to be received ) Public Offering
by depositor, principal ) Trust Portfolio
underwriter, trustee or any )
affiliated persons )
(f) Ratio of annual charges ) *
to income )
14. Issuance of Trust's securities ) Rights of Unitholders
15. Receipt and handling of payments ) *
from purchasers )
16. Acquisition and disposition of ) The Trust
underlying securities ) Rights of Unitholders
) Trust Administration
17. Withdrawal or redemption ) Rights of Unitholders
) Trust Administration
18. (a) Receipt and disposition ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
of income ) Rights of Unitholders
(b) Reinvestment of distributions ) *
(c) Reserves or special funds ) Trust Operating Expenses
) Rights of Unitholders
(d) Schedule of distributions ) *
19. Records, accounts and reports ) Rights of Unitholders
) Trust Administration
20. Certain miscellaneous provisions ) Trust Administration
of Trust Agreement )
21. Loans to security holders ) *
22. Limitations on liability ) Trust Portfolio
) Trust Administration
23. Bonding arrangements ) *
24. Other material provisions of ) *
Trust Indenture Agreement )
III. Organization, Personnel and Affiliated
Persons of Depositor
25. Organization of Depositor ) Trust Administration
26. Fees received by Depositor ) *
27. Business of Depositor ) Trust Administration
28. Certain information as to ) *
officials and affiliated )
persons of Depositor )
29. Companies owning securities ) *
of Depositor )
30. Controlling persons of Depositor ) *
31. Compensation of Officers of ) *
Depositor )
32. Compensation of Directors ) *
33. Compensation to Employees ) *
34. Compensation to other persons ) *
IV. Distribution and Redemption of Securities
35. Distribution of trust's securities ) Public Offering
by states )
36. Suspension of sales of trust's ) *
securities )
37. Revocation of authority to ) *
distribute )
38. (a) Method of distribution )
)
(b) Underwriting agreements ) Public Offering
)
(c) Selling agreements )
39. (a) Organization of principal ) *
underwriter )
(b) N.A.S.D. membership by ) *
principal underwriter )
40. Certain fees received by ) *
principal underwriter )
41. (a) Business of principal ) Trust Administration
underwriter )
(b) Branch offices or principal ) *
underwriter )
(c) Salesmen or principal ) *
underwriter )
42. Ownership of securities of ) *
the trust )
43. Certain brokerage commissions ) *
received by principal underwriter )
44. (a) Method of valuation ) Prospectus Front Cover Page
) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
) Trust Operating Expenses
) Public Offering
(b) Schedule as to offering ) *
price )
(c) Variation in offering price ) *
to certain persons )
46. (a) Redemption valuation ) Rights of Unitholders
) Trust Administration
(b) Schedule as to redemption ) *
price )
47. Purchase and sale of interests ) Public Offering
in underlying securities ) Trust Administration
V. Information Concerning the Trustee or Custodian
48. Organization and regulation of ) Trust Administration
trustee )
49. Fees and expenses of trustee ) Summary of Essential Financial
) Information
) Trust Operating Expenses
50. Trustee's lien ) Trust Operating Expenses
VI. Information Concerning Insurance of Holders of Securities
51. Insurance of holders of trust's )
securities ) *
52. (a) Provisions of trust agreement )
with respect to replacement ) Trust Administration
or elimination portfolio )
securities )
(b) Transactions involving )
elimination of underlying ) *
securities )
(c) Policy regarding substitution )
or elimination of underlying ) Trust Administration
securities )
(d) Fundamental policy not ) *
otherwise covered )
53. Tax Status of trust ) Federal Taxation
VII. Financial and Statistical Information
54. Trust's securities during ) *
last ten years )
55. )
56. Certain information regarding ) *
57. periodic payment certificates )
58. )
59. Financial statements (Instructions ) Report of Independent Certified
1(c) to Form S-6) ) Public Accountants
) Statement of Condition
______________________________________________
* Inapplicable, omitted, answer negative or not required
Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A
registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. These securities may not be sold nor may
offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes
effective. This Prospectus shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these
securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of
any such State.
Preliminary Prospectus Dated April 8, 1997
Subject To Completion
________________, 1997
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57
Strategic Picks Opportunity Trust, Series 1
The Fund. Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57 (the
"Fund") is comprised of one underlying unit investment trust
designated as Strategic Picks Opportunity Trust, Series 1 (the "Trust").
The Trust offers investors the opportunity to purchase Units representing
proportionate interests in a fixed, diversified portfolio of actively traded
equity securities. The Trust consists of ten common stocks selected from a
pre-screened subset of the Standard & Poor's Industrial Index (the "Index
Subset") with the highest dividend yields as of the close of business
three business days prior to the Initial Date of Deposit (the "Equity
Securities" or the "Securities"). The Standard & Poor's
Industrial Index consists of the stocks comprising the industrial sector of
the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index (the "S&P 500"), which
represent approximately 75% of the S&P 500 (exclusive of the utility,
financial and transportation sectors). See "Trust Portfolio" . Standard
& Poor's has not participated in any way in the creation of the Trust or in
the selection of stocks included in the Trust and has not approved any
information herein relating thereto. Standard & Poor's has not granted to the
Trust or the Sponsor a license to use any Standard & Poor's index and is not
affiliated with the Sponsor. Unless terminated earlier, the Trust will
terminate on ____________, 1998 and any Securities then held will, within a
reasonable time thereafter, be liquidated or distributed by the Trustee. Any
Securities liquidated at termination will be sold at the then current market
value for such Securities; therefore, the amount distributable in cash to a
Unitholder upon termination may be more or less than the amount such
Unitholder paid for his Units. Upon liquidation, Unitholders may choose to
reinvest their proceeds into the next Series of the Trust, if available, at a
reduced sales charge, to receive a cash distribution or to receive a pro rata
distribution of the Securities then included in the Trust (if they own the
requisite number of Units).
Attention Foreign Investors. If you are not a United States citizen or
resident, distributions from the Trust will generally be subject to U.S.
federal withholding taxes; however, under certain circumstances treaties
between the United States and other countries may reduce or eliminate such
withholding tax. See "Federal Taxation." Such investors should consult
their tax advisers regarding the imposition of U.S. withholding on
distributions.
Units of the Trust are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other
obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution or any government
agency and are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of the
principal amount invested.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
Objective of the Trust. The objective of the Trust is provide an above average
total return through a combination of potential capital appreciation and
dividend income, consistent with the preservation of invested capital, by
investing in a portfolio of ten actively traded equity securities having the
highest dividend yield in the Index Subset as of the close of business three
business days prior to the Initial Date of Deposit. There is, of course, no
guarantee that the objective of the Trust will be achieved.
Public Offering Price. The Public Offering Price of the Units of the Trust
during the initial offering period and for secondary market transactions after
the initial offering period includes the aggregate underlying value of the
Securities in the Trust's portfolio, the initial sales charge described below,
and cash, if any, in the Income and Capital Accounts held or owned by the
Trust. The initial sales charge is equal to the difference between the maximum
total sales charge of 2.75% of the Public Offering Price and the maximum
deferred sales charge ($0.175 per Unit). The monthly deferred sales charge
($0.0175 per Unit) will begin accruing on a daily basis on __________ 1997 and
will continue to accrue through ____________, 1998. The monthly deferred sales
charge will be charged to the Trust, in arrears, commencing ____________, 1997
and will be charged on the __th day of each month thereafter through
____________, 1998. Unitholders will be assessed only that portion of the
deferred sales charge that has accrued from the time they became Unitholders
of record. Units purchased subsequent to the initial deferred sales charge
payment will be subject only to that portion of the deferred sales charge
payments not yet collected. This deferred sales charge will be paid from funds
in the Capital Account, if sufficient, or from the periodic sale of
Securities. The total maximum sales charge assessed to Unitholders on a per
Unit basis will be 2.75% of the Public Offering Price (2.828% of the aggregate
value of the Securities less the deferred sales charge), subject to reduction
as set forth in "Public Offering--General". During the initial
offering period, the sales charge is reduced on a graduated scale for sales
involving at least 5,000 Units of the Trust. If Units were available for
purchase at the close of business on the day before the Initial Date of
Deposit, the Public Offering Price per Unit would have been that amount set
forth under "Summary of Essential Financial Information". Except as
provided in "Public Offering--Unit Distribution", the minimum purchase
is 100 Units. See "Public Offering".
Additional Deposits. The Sponsor may, from time to time after the Initial Date
of Deposit, deposit additional Securities in the Trust as provided under "
The Trust".
Dividend and Capital Distributions. Distributions of dividends and capital, if
any, received by the Trust will be reinvested into additional Units, if then
available, on the Distribution Date to Unitholders of record on the record
date as set forth in the "Summary of Essential Financial Information".
Unitholders may also elect to receive cash distributions as provided under
"Rights of Unitholders--Reinvestment Option." The estimated initial
distribution for the Trust will be that amount set forth under "Summary of
Essential Information--Estimated Initial Distribution" and will be made on
_______ 25, 1997 to Unitholders of record on ________ 10, 1997. Gross
dividends received by the Trust will be distributed to Unitholders. Expenses
of the Trust will be paid with proceeds from the sale of Securities. For the
consequences of such sales, see "Federal Taxation" . Additionally, upon
surrender of Units for redemption or termination of the Trust, the Trustee
will distribute to each Unitholder his pro rata share of the Trust's assets,
less expenses, in the manner set forth under "Rights of
Unitholders--Distributions of Income and Capital".
Secondary Market For Units. Although not obligated to do so, the Sponsor
currently intends to maintain a market for Units through _______, 1998 and
offer to repurchase such Units at prices which are based on the aggregate
underlying value of Equity Securities (generally determined by the closing
sale or bid prices of the Securities) plus or minus cash, if any, in the
Capital and Income Accounts of the Trust. If a secondary market is not
maintained, a Unitholder may redeem Units at prices based upon the aggregate
underlying value of the Equity Securities plus or minus a pro rata share of
cash, if any, in the Capital and Income Accounts of the Trust. See "Rights
of Unitholders--Redemption of Units". Units sold or tendered for
redemption prior to such time as the entire deferred sales charge on such
Units has been collected will be assessed the amount of the remaining deferred
sales charge at the time of sale or redemption. A Unitholder tendering 1,000
or more Units for redemption may request a distribution of shares of
Securities (reduced by customary transfer and registration charges) in lieu of
payment in cash. See "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units".
Termination. The Trust will terminate approximately thirteen months after the
Initial Date of Deposit regardless of market conditions at that time.
Commencing on the Mandatory Termination Date, Securities will begin to be sold
in connection with the termination of the Trust. The Sponsor will determine
the manner, timing and execution of the sale of the Securities. Written notice
of any termination of the Trust shall be given by the Trustee to each
Unitholder at his address appearing on the registration books of the Trust
maintained by the Trustee. At least 30 days prior to the Mandatory Termination
Date the Trustee will provide written notice thereof to all Unitholders and
will include with such notice a form to enable Unitholders to elect a
distribution of shares of the Securities (reduced by customary transfer and
registration charges) if such Unitholder owns at least 1,000 Units, rather
than to receive payment in cash for such Unitholder's pro rata share of the
amounts realized upon the disposition of such Securities. Unitholders will
receive cash in lieu of any fractional shares. To be effective, the election
form, and any other documentation required by the Trustee, must be returned to
the Trustee at least ten business days prior to the Mandatory Termination
Date. Unitholders may elect to become Rollover Unitholders as described in
"Special Redemption and Rollover in New Trust" below. Rollover
Unitholders will not receive the final liquidation distribution but will
receive units of a new Series of the Trust, if one is being offered.
Unitholders not electing the Rollover Option or a distribution of shares of
Securities will receive a cash distribution from the sale of the remaining
Securities within a reasonable time after the Trust is terminated. See "
Trust Administration--Amendment or Termination".
Reinvestment Option. Unitholders of any Van Kampen American Capital-sponsored
unit investment trust may utilize their redemption or termination proceeds to
purchase Units of any other Van Kampen American Capital trust in the initial
offering period accepting rollover investments subject to a reduced sales
charge to the extent stated in the related prospectus (which may be deferred
in certain cases).
Unitholders will initially have distributions reinvested into additional Units
of the Trust subject only to the remaining deferred sales charge payments as
set forth herein, if Units are available at the time of reinvestment, or upon
request, either reinvested into an open-end management investment company as
described herein or distributed in cash. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Reinvestment Option".
Special Redemption and Rollover in New Trust. Unitholders will have the
option, subject to any necessary regulatory approval, of specifying by the
Rollover Notification Date stated in "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" to have all of their Units redeemed and the distributed
Securities sold by the Trustee, in its capacity as Distribution Agent, on the
Special Redemption Date. (Unitholders so electing are referred to herein as
"Rollover Unitholders".) The Distribution Agent will appoint the
Sponsor as its agent to determine the manner, timing and execution of sales of
underlying Securities. The proceeds of the redemption will then be invested in
units of a new Series of the Trust (the "1998 Trust" ), if one is
offered, at a reduced sales charge (anticipated to be 1.75% of the Public
Offering Price of the 1998 Trust). The Sponsor may, however, stop offering
units of the 1998 Trust at any time in its sole discretion without regard to
whether all the proceeds to be invested have been invested. Cash which has not
been invested on behalf of the Rollover Unitholders in the 1998 Trust will be
distributed shortly after the Special Redemption Date. However, the Sponsor
anticipates that sufficient Units will be available, although moneys in this
Trust may not be fully invested on the next business day. The 1998 Trust will
contain a portfolio of common stocks selected in accordance with the
investment strategy of the current Trust. Rollover Unitholders will receive
the amount of dividends in the Income Account of the Trust which will be
included in the reinvestment in units of the 1998 Trust.
Risk Factors. An investment in the Trust should be made with an understanding
of the risks associated therewith, including the possible deterioration of
either the financial condition of the issuers, the general condition of the
stock market and stock price volatility. For certain risk considerations
related to the Trust, see "Risk Factors".
<TABLE>
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY OPPORTUNITY TRUST, SERIES 57
Summary of Essential Financial Information
At the close of business on the day before the Initial Date of Deposit: ____________, 1997
Sponsor: Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
Supervisor: Van Kampen American Capital Investment Advisory Corp.
(An affiliate of the Sponsor)
Evaluator: American Portfolio Evaluation Services
(A division of an affiliate of the Sponsor)
Trustee: The Bank of New York
<CAPTION>
GENERAL INFORMATION
<S> <C>
Number of Units <F1>...........................................................
Fractional Undivided Interest in the Trust per Unit <F1>....................... 1/
Public Offering Price:
Aggregate Value of Securities in Portfolio <F2>...............................$
Aggregate Value of Securities per Unit........................................$
Maximum Sales Charge <F3>.....................................................$
Less Deferred Sales Charge per Unit...........................................$
Public Offering Price per Unit <F3><F4>.......................................$
Redemption Price per Unit <F5>.................................................$
Initial Secondary Market Repurchase Price per Unit <F5>........................$
Excess of Public Offering Price per Unit over Redemption Price per Unit <F5>...$
Estimated Initial Distribution per Unit........................................$
Estimated Annual Dividends per Unit<F6>........................................$
Estimated Annual Organizational Expenses per Unit <F7>.........................$
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
Supervisor's Annual Supervisory Fee ............Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Evaluator's Annual Evaluation Fee...............Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Rollover Notification Date .....................
Special Redemption Date.........................
Mandatory Termination Date .....................
Minimum Termination Value.......................The Trust may be terminated if the net asset value of the Trust is less than
$500,000 unless the net asset value of the Trust's deposits have exceeded
$15,000,000, then the Trust Agreement may be terminated if the net asset value of
the Trust is less than $3,000,000.
Trustee's Annual Fee ...........................$.008 per Unit
Income and Capital Account Record Dates.........
Income and Capital Account Distribution Dates...
Evaluation Time.................................4:00 P.M. New York time
- ----------
<FN>
<F1>As of the close of business on any day on which the Sponsor is the sole
Unitholder of the Trust, the number of Units may be adjusted so that the
Public Offering Price per Unit will equal approximately $10. Therefore, to the
extent of any such adjustment the fractional undivided interest per Unit will
increase or decrease from the amount indicated above.
<F2>Each Security listed on a national securities exchange is valued at the
closing sale price or if the Security is not so listed, at the asked price
thereof.
<F3>The Maximum Sales Charge consists of an initial sales charge and a deferred
sales charge. The initial sales charge is applicable to all Units and
represents an amount equal to the difference between the Maximum Sales Charge
of 2.75% of the Public Offering Price and the amount of the maximum deferred
sales charge of $0.175 per Unit. Subsequent to the Initial Date of Deposit,
the amount of the initial sales charge will vary with changes in the aggregate
value of the Securities in the Trust. In addition to the initial sales charge,
Unitholders will pay a deferred sales charge of $0.0175 per Unit per month
which will begin accruing on a daily basis on _______, 1997 and will continue
to accrue through _______, 1998. The monthly deferred sales charge will be
charged to the Trust, in arrears, commencing _______, 1997 and will be charged
on the __th day of each month thereafter through _______, 1998. Units
purchased subsequent to the initial deferred sales charge payment will be
subject only to that portion of the deferred sales charge payments not yet
collected. These deferred sales charge payments will be paid from funds in the
Capital Account, if sufficient, or from the periodic sale of Securities. The
total maximum sales charge will be 2.75% of the Public Offering Price (2.828%
of the aggregate value of the Securities in the Trust less the deferred sales
charge). See the "Fee Table" below and "Public Offering--Offering
Price".
<F4>On the Initial Date of Deposit there will be no cash in the Income or Capital
Accounts. Anyone ordering Units after such date will have included in the
Public Offering Price a pro rata share of any cash in such Accounts.
<F5>The Redemption Price per Unit and the Initial Secondary Market Repurchase
Price per Unit are reduced by the unpaid portion of the deferred sales charge.
<F6>Estimated annual dividends are based on the most recently declared dividends.
Estimated Annual Dividends per Unit are based on the number of Units, the
fractional undivided interest in the Securities per Unit and the aggregate
value of the Securities per Unit as of the Initial Date of Deposit. Investors
should note that the actual annual dividends received per Unit will vary from
the estimated amount due to changes in the factors described in the preceding
sentence and actual dividends declared and paid by the issuers of the
Securities.
<F7>The Trust (and therefore Unitholders) will bear all or a portion of its
organizational costs (including costs of preparing the registration statement,
the trust indenture and other closing documents, registering Units with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and states, the initial audit of the Trust
portfolio and the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee but not including
the expenses incurred in the preparation and printing of brochures and other
advertising materials and any other selling expenses) as is common for mutual
funds. Total organizational expenses will be amortized over the life of the
Trust and paid from funds in the Capital Account, if sufficient, or from the
sale of Securities. See "Trust Operating Expenses" and "Statement
of Condition" . Historically, the sponsors of unit investment trusts have
paid all of the costs of establishing such trusts. Estimated Annual
Organizational Expenses per Unit have been estimated based on a projected
trust size of $_______. To the extent the Trust is larger or smaller, the
actual organizational expenses paid by the Trust (and therefore by
Unitholders) will vary from the estimated amount set forth above.
</TABLE>
FEE TABLE
This Fee Table is intended to assist investors in understanding the
costs and expenses that an investor in the Trust will bear directly or
indirectly. See "Public Offering--Offering Price" and "Trust Operating
Expenses". Although the Trust has a term of approximately thirteen
months, and is a unit investment trust rather than a mutual fund, this
information is presented to permit a comparison of fees. The examples
below assume that the principal amount of and distributions on an
investment are rolled over each year into a new Series of the Trust
subject only to the anticipated reduced sales charge applicable to
Rollover Unitholders. See "Right of Unitholders--Special Redemption
and Rollover in New Trust." Investors should note that while these
examples are based on the public offering price and the estimated fees
for the current Trust, the actual public offering price and fees for
any new Series of the Trust created in the future periods indicated could
vary from those of the current Trust.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Amount Per
Unitholder Transaction Expenses (as of the Initial Date of Deposit) (as a percentage of offering price) 100 Units
---------------
<S> <C> <C>
Initial Sales Charge Imposed on Purchase <F1>........................................................... 1.00% $ 10.00
Deferred Sales Charge <F2>.............................................................................. 1.75% 17.50
--------- ---------------
Maximum Sales Charge.................................................................................... 2.75% $ 27.50
========= ===============
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Reinvested Dividends <F3>............................................... 1.75% $ 17.50
========= ===============
Estimated Annual Trust Operating Expenses (as of the Initial Date of Deposit) (as a percentage of
aggregate value)
Trustee's Fee .......................................................................................... $
Portfolio Supervision and Evaluation Fees ..............................................................
Organizational Costs....................................................................................
Other Operating Expenses ...............................................................................
--------- ---------------
Total .................................................................................................. $
========= ===============
</TABLE>
Example
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Cumulative Expenses Paid for
Period of:
-------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
--------- -------- -------- ---------
An investor would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming a 5% annual return and redemption at the end of each time period $ $ N/A N/A
The example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and
utilizes a 5% annual rate of return as mandated by Securities and Exchange
Commission regulations applicable to mutual funds. For purposes of the
examples, the deferred sales charge imposed on reinvestment of dividends is
not reflected until the year following payment of the dividend; the cumulative
expenses would be higher if sales charges on reinvested dividends were
reflected in the year of reinvestment. The examples should not be considered
representations of past or future expenses or annual rate of return; the
actual expenses and annual rate of return may be more or less than those
assumed for purposes of the examples.
- ----------
<FN>
<F1>The Initial Sales Charge is actually the difference between Maximum Sales
Charge (2.75% of the Public Offering Price) and the maximum deferred sales
charge ($1.75 per Unit) and would exceed 1.00% if the Public Offering Price
exceeds $10 per Unit.
<F2>The actual fee is $0.0175 per Unit per month, irrespective of purchase or
redemption price, deducted over the 10 months commencing ________, 1997. If a
holder sells or redeems Units before all of these deductions have been made,
the balance of the deferred sales charge payments remaining will be deducted
from the sales or redemption proceeds. If Unit price exceeds $10 per Unit, the
deferred portion of the sales charge will be less than 1.75%; if Unit price is
less than $10 per Unit, the deferred portion of the sales charge will exceed
1.75%. Units purchased subsequent to the initial deferred sales charge payment
will be subject to only that portion of the deferred sales charge payments not
yet collected.
<F3>Reinvested dividends will be subject only to the deferred sales charge
remaining at the time of reinvestment. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Reinvestment Option".
</TABLE>
THE TRUST
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57 is comprised
of one unit investment trust: Strategic Picks Opportunity Trust, Series 1. The
Trust was created under the laws of the State of New York pursuant to a Trust
Indenture and Trust Agreement (the "Trust Agreement"), dated the date
of this Prospectus (the "Initial Date of Deposit"), among Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc., as Sponsor, Van Kampen American Capital
Investment Advisory Corp., as Supervisor, The Bank of New York, as Trustee,
and American Portfolio Evaluation Services, a division of Van Kampen American
Capital Investment Advisory Corp., as Evaluator.
The Trust offers investors the opportunity to purchase Units representing
proportionate interests in a portfolio of actively traded equity securities
consisting of ten common stocks selected from the Index Subset with the
highest dividend yields as of the close of business three business days prior
to the Initial Date of Deposit. The Standard & Poor's Industrial Index
consists of the stocks comprising the industrial sector of the S&P 500 which
represent approximately 75% of the S&P 500 (exclusive of the utility,
financial and transportation sectors). See "Trust Portfolio." These
yields are historical and there is no assurance that any dividends will be
declared or paid in the future on the Securities in the Trust. The Trust may
be an appropriate medium for investors who desire to participate in a
portfolio of common stocks with greater diversification than they might be
able to acquire individually. Diversification of assets in the Trust will not
eliminate the risk of loss always inherent in the ownership of securities.
On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Sponsor deposited with the Trustee the
Securities indicated under "Portfolio" herein, including delivery
statements relating to contracts for the purchase of certain such Securities
and an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a financial institution in the
amount required for such purchases. Thereafter, the Trustee, in exchange for
such Securities (and contracts) so deposited, delivered to the Sponsor
documentation evidencing the ownership of that number of Units indicated in
"Summary of Essential Financial Information" . Unless terminated
earlier, the Trust will terminate on the Mandatory Termination Date set forth
under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" and any Securities
then held will, within a reasonable time thereafter, be liquidated or
distributed by the Trustee. Any Securities liquidated at termination will be
sold at the then current market value for such Securities; therefore, the
amount distributable in cash to a Unitholder upon termination may be more or
less than the amount such Unitholder paid for his Units. Upon liquidation,
Unitholders may choose either to reinvest their proceeds into a subsequent
Series of the Trust, if available, at a reduced sales charge, to receive a pro
rata distribution of the Securities then included in the Trust (if they own
the requisite minimum number of Units) or to receive a cash distribution.
Additional Units of the Trust may be issued at any time by depositing in the
Trust (i) additional Securities, (ii) contracts to purchase securities
together with cash or irrevocable letters of credit or (iii) cash (including a
letter of credit) with instructions to purchase additional Securities. As
additional Units are issued by the Trust as a result of the deposit of
additional Securities, the aggregate value of the Securities in the Trust will
be increased and the fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by
each Unit will be decreased. The Sponsor may continue to make additional
deposits of Securities or cash with instructions to purchase Securities into
the Trust following the Initial Date of Deposit, provided that such additional
deposits will be in amounts which will maintain, as nearly as practicable, the
same percentage relationship among the number of shares of each Equity
Security in the Trust's portfolio that existed immediately prior to any such
subsequent deposit. Any deposit of additional Equity Securities will
duplicate, as nearly as is practicable, this actual proportionate relationship
and not the original proportionate relationship on the Initial Date of
Deposit, since the actual proportionate relationship may be different than the
original proportionate relationship. Any such difference may be due to the
sale, redemption or liquidation of any of the Equity Securities deposited in
the Trust on the Initial, or any subsequent, Date of Deposit. If the Sponsor
deposits cash, however, existing and new investors may experience a dilution
of their investments and a reduction in their anticipated income because of
fluctuations in the prices of the Securities between the time of the cash
deposit and the purchase of the Securities and because the Trust will pay the
associated brokerage fees.
Each Unit initially offered represents an undivided interest in the Trust. To
the extent that any Units are redeemed by the Trustee or additional Units are
issued as a result of additional Securities being deposited by the Sponsor,
the fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by each unredeemed
Unit will increase or decrease accordingly, although the actual interest in
the Trust represented by such fraction will remain unchanged. Units will
remain outstanding until redeemed upon tender to the Trustee by Unitholders,
which may include the Sponsor, or until the termination of the Trust
Agreement.
OBJECTIVES AND SECURITIES SELECTION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The objective of the Trust is to provide an above average total return through
a combination of potential capital appreciation and dividend income,
consistent with the preservation of invested capital, by investing in a
portfolio which contains ten common stocks selected through the following
process. Beginning with the stocks in the Standard & Poor's Industrial Index,
any stock also included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average is removed.
Second, any stock not ranked either A or A+ by Standard & Poor's Earnings and
Dividend Rankings is removed. Third, the stock of any company with a Standard
& Poor's debt rating of less than A- is removed. Fourth, the remaining stocks
are ranked highest to lowest by average annual trading volume and only the top
67% are selected. The remaining stocks, which then comprise the "Index
Subset," are ranked by dividend yield and the ten highest-yielding stocks
are selected for the Trust portfolio. Dividend yield is calculated for each
Security by annualizing the last quarterly or semi-annual ordinary dividend
declared on the Security and dividing the result by its closing sale price
three business days prior to the Initial Date of Deposit. This yield is
historical and there is no assurance that any dividends will be declared or
paid in the future on the Securities. No leverage or borrowing is used nor
does the Trust contain other kinds of securities to enhance yield.
The Standard & Poor's Industrial Index is a capitalization-weighted index
designed to measure the performance of the industrial sector of the S&P 500
Composite Stock Price Index and consists of approximately 400 highly
capitalized industrial companies within the S&P 500. The S&P 500 is composed
of 500 selected common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange. This well-known index, originally consisting of 233 stocks in 1923,
was expanded to 500 stocks in 1957 and was restructured in 1976 to a composite
consisting of industrial, utility, financial and transportation market
sectors. It contains a variety of companies with diverse capitalization,
market-value weighted to represent the overall market. The index represents
over 70% of U.S. stock market capitalization. The index is often used as a
benchmark of general market activity and is currently one of the U.S. Commerce
Department's leading economic indicators. As of January 31, 1997, the S&P 500
was comprised of the following industry sectors: Industrials (76.4%),
Utilities (8.0%), Financials (13.2%) and Transportation (2.4%). As of January
31, 1997, the companies in the S&P 500 index were listed on the following
stock exchanges in the amounts indicated: New York Stock Exchange-460
companies (92%), Nasdaq National Market-34 companies (7%) and American Stock
Exchange-6 companies (1%). As of January 31, 1997, the S&P 500 had a total
market value of $6.017 trillion. Standard & Poor's has not participated in any
way in the creation of the Trust or in the selection of stocks included in the
Trust and has not approved any information herein relating thereto. Standard &
Poor's has not granted to the Trust or the Sponsor a license to use any
Standard & Poor's index and is not affiliated with the Sponsor.
Investing in indexes represents a popular way to try to capture the broad
movement of a single market. By refining an index, it may be possible to
outperform the general market. The Trust utilizes a simple strategy: Refine an
index of domestic blue chip stocks (the Standard & Poor's Industrial Index),
remove those that don't meet specific quality tests, eliminate stocks with
less market volume, and choose the ten stocks with the highest dividend yield
for the portfolio. The Trust strategy seeks to identify industrial companies
that demonstrate the following traits: high quality, potentially undervalued
stock price and historically high dividends. An investment in approximately
equal values of the ten highest yielding in the Index Subset for a period of
one year would have yielded a higher total return than an investment in all of
the stocks comprising the S&P 500 in 15 of the last 20 years. See "
Comparison of Total Returns" under "Trust Portfolio".
In seeking such companies for the portfolio, the Trust strategy incorporates
the following specific and well-defined steps:
1. Start with a refined large-cap industrial index. The Trust strategy starts
with the S&P Industrial Index. Stocks included in the Dow Jones Industrial
Average are removed to prevent duplication and provide diversification with
other index-based products available from the Sponsor.
2. Ensure company quality. The Trust seeks to ensure the quality of companies
in the portfolio in two ways. First, the Trust strategy only includes those
companies with A+ or A stock rankings, the two highest rankings from Standard
& Poor's. These rankings measure a company's historical earnings and dividend
consistency. In addition, the Trust strategy eliminates all companies that do
not have a debt rating greater than or equal to A-, as rated by Standard &
Poor's. Debt ratings help illustrate a company's overall financial strength
and its debt payment ability. The Standard & Poor's debt rating system ranges
from AAA (highest) to D (lowest). A rating of BBB or higher is generally
considered investment grade. All companies with a rating lower than A- are
eliminated from the Trust portfolio.
3. Set trading volume requirements. Those companies that meet quality
specifications are then ranked from highest to lowest in annual trading
volume. The top two-thirds are selected, helping to ensure that typically
larger companies with more liquid securities are included in the Trust
portfolio.
4. Choose stocks with the highest dividend yields. The stocks are ranked
according to their dividend yield, which, may help to identify stocks that are
undervalued or whose stock prices may be down. The ten highest-yielding stocks
are chosen for the Trust portfolio approximately three days prior to deposit,
with equal dollar amounts invested in each. The stocks in the portfolio remain
constant until Trust maturity in approximately thirteen months. Upon maturity
a new portfolio may be created to reflect the current Trust strategy.
General. Investors will be subject to taxation on the dividend income, if any,
received by the Trust and on gains from the sale or liquidation of Securities.
Investors should be aware that there is not any guarantee that the objective
of the Trust will be achieved because it is subject to the continuing ability
of the respective issuers to declare and pay dividends and because the market
value of the Securities can be affected by a variety of factors. Common stocks
may be especially susceptible to general stock market movements and to
volatile increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and
perceptions of the issuers change. Investors should be aware that there can be
no assurance that the value of the underlying Securities will increase or that
the issuers of the Securities will pay dividends on outstanding common shares.
Any distribution of income will generally depend upon the declaration of
dividends by the issuers of the Securities and the declaration of any
dividends depends upon several factors including the financial condition of
the issuers and general economic conditions. See "Risk Factors".
Investors should be aware that the Trust is not a "managed" fund and
as a result the adverse financial condition of a company will not result in
its elimination from the portfolio except under extraordinary circumstances
(see "Trust Administration--Portfolio Administration"). In addition,
Securities will not be sold by the Trust to take advantage of market
fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of appreciation. Investors should
note in particular that the Securities were selected for inclusion in the
Trust as of three business days prior to the Initial Date of Deposit.
Subsequent to this time, the Securities may no longer meet the criteria
necessary for inclusion on the Initial Date of Deposit. Should a Security fail
to meet such criteria subsequent to this time, such Security will not as a
result thereof be removed from the portfolio. In addition, since the Sponsor
may deposit additional Equity Securities which were originally selected
through this process, the Sponsor may continue to sell Units of the Trust even
though the Equity Securities would no longer be chosen for deposit into the
Trust if the selection process were to be made again at a later time. Because
certain of the Equity Securities from time to time may be sold under certain
circumstances described herein, and because the proceeds from such events will
in most cases be distributed to Unitholders and will not be reinvested, no
assurance can be given that the Trust will retain for any length of time its
present size and composition. Although the portfolio is not managed, the
Sponsor may instruct the Trustee to sell Equity Securities under certain
limited circumstances. See "Trust Administration--Portfolio
Administration."
The Trust consists (a) of the Equity Securities (including contracts for the
purchase thereof) listed under the "Portfolio" as may continue to be
held from time to time in the Trust, (b) any additional Equity Securities
acquired and held by the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Trust
Agreement and (c) any cash held in the Income and Capital Accounts. Neither
the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be liable in any way for any failure in any
of the Equity Securities. However, should any contract for the purchase of any
of the Equity Securities initially deposited hereunder fail, the Sponsor will,
unless substantially all of the moneys held in the Trust to cover such
purchase are reinvested in substitute Equity Securities in accordance with the
Trust Agreement, refund the cash and sales charge attributable to such failed
contract to all Unitholders on or before the next scheduled distribution date.
TRUST PORTFOLIO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Trust consists of a diversified portfolio of ten different issues of
Securities selected from the pre-screened Index Subset of the Standard &
Poor's Industrial Index having the highest dividend yield as of the close of
business three business days prior to the Initial Date of Deposit. The
Standard & Poor's Industrial Index consists of the stocks comprising the
industrial sector of the S&P 500, which represent approximately 75% of the S&P
500 (exclusive of the utility, financial and transportation sectors). All of
the Securities are listed on a national securities exchange, the NASDAQ
National Market System or are traded in the over-the-counter market. The
following is a general description of each of the companies that are included
in the Trust.
[Company descriptions to come.]
The following table sets forth a comparison of the total return of the ten
highest yielding common stocks selected in accordance with the indexing
strategy utilized by the Trust (the "Strategy Stocks" ) with those of
all common stocks comprising the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
It should be noted that the common stocks comprising the Strategy Stocks may
not be the same stocks from year to year and may not be the same common stocks
as those included in the Trust.
<TABLE>
COMPARISON OF TOTAL RETURNS*
<CAPTION>
Standard & Dow Jones
Poor's 500 Industrial
Strategy Stocks Index Average
------------------- --------------- ----------------
Total Return Total Return
Year Total Return <F1> <F1> <F1>
- -------- ------------------- --------------- ----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1977 (3.51)% (7.18) % (12.70) %
1978 12.63 6.57 2.69
1979 21.68 18.44 10.52
1980 20.82 32.42 21.41
1981 11.26 (4.91) (3.40)
1982 29.91 21.41 25.79
1983 27.43 22.51 25.65
1984 10.61 6.27 1.08
1985 34.27 32.16 32.78
1986 27.19 18.47 26.92
1987 5.77 5.23 6.02
1988 46.64 16.81 15.95
1989 33.96 31.49 31.71
1990 10.38 (3.17) (0.58)
1991 25.08 30.55 23.93
1992 4.16 7.67 7.35
1993 (0.14) 9.99 16.74
1994 21.20 1.31 4.95
1995 47.39 37.43 36.49
1996 20.44 23.07 28.58
* Source: Barron's, Compustat, Ibbotson Associates and The Wall Street
Journal. The Sponsor has not independently verified this data but has no
reason to believe that this data is incorrect in any material respect.
- ----------
<FN>
<F1>The Strategy Stocks for each period were identified by ranking the dividend
yield for each of the stocks in the Index Subset by annualizing the last
dividend paid (the last dividend declared was used in cases when the stock was
trading ex-dividend as of the last day of the year) and dividing the result by
the stock's market value on the first day of trading on the New York Stock
Exchange in the period. Total Return for each period was calculated by taking
the difference between period-end prices and prices at the end of the
following period (adjusted for any stock splits and corporate spinoffs) and
adding dividends for the period. If a company merged with or was acquired by
another company during any year, the stock was treated as being liquidated and
the cash held until year end. Historical total returns thus represent actual
stocks and real time; the results illustrate what an investor would have
obtained had the investor been invested in the related stocks in the periods
indicated. Total Return does not take into consideration any sales charges,
commissions, expenses or taxes that will be incurred by the Trust or
Unitholders.
</TABLE>
Based on the total returns set forth in the table above, the average annual
total returns for the Strategy Stocks for the most recent three, five, ten and
twenty year periods was 29.10%, 17.48%, 20.43% and 19.57%, respectively. On
the other hand, based on the total returns set forth in the table above, the
average annual total returns for the S&P 500 for the most recent three, five,
ten and twenty year periods was 19.66%, 15.20%, 15.28% and 14.55%,
respectively.
The returns shown above represent past performance and are not guarantees of
future performance and should not be used as a predictor of returns to be
expected in connection with the Trust. Among other factors, both stock prices
(which may appreciate or depreciate) and dividends (which may be increased,
reduced or eliminated) will affect the returns. Had the portfolio been
available over the periods indicated in the above table, after deductions for
expenses and sales charges and not accounting for taxes, it would have
underperformed the S&P 500 in 8 of the last 20 years and there can be no
assurance that the Trust will outperform the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones
Industrial Average over the life of such Trust or over consecutive rollover
periods, if available. A Unitholder would not necessarily realize as high a
total return on an investment in the stocks upon which the returns shown above
are based. The total return figures shown above do not reflect sales charges,
commissions, Trust expenses or taxes, and such Trust may not be able to invest
equally in the Strategy Stocks and may not be fully invested at all times.
The chart below represents past performance of the Strategy Stocks, S&P 500
and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (but does not represent possible
performance of the Trust which, as indicated above, includes certain expenses
and commissions not included in the chart) and should not be considered
indicative of future results. Further, results are hypothetical. The chart
assumes that all dividends during a year (including those on stocks trading
ex-dividend as of the last day of the year) are reinvested at the end of that
year and does not reflect sales charges, commissions, expenses or income
taxes. Based on the foregoing assumptions, the average annual returns (which
represent the percentage return derived by taking the sum of the initial
investment and all appreciation and dividends for the specified investment
period) during the period referred to in the table were 19.57%, 14.55% and
14.27% for the Strategy Stocks, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial
Average, respectively. There can be no assurance that the Trust will
outperform the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average over its life or
over consecutive rollover periods, if available.
<TABLE>
Value of $10,000 Invested January 1, 1977
<CAPTION>
Strategy
Period Stocks S&P 500 Dow Jones Industrial Average
- --------- -------------- ------------ ---------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
1977 $ 9,649 $ 9,282 $ 8,730
1978 10,868 9,892 8,965
1979 13,224 11,716 9,908
1980 15,977 15,514 12,029
1981 17,776 14,752 11,620
1982 23,093 17,911 14,617
1983 29,427 21,943 18,366
1984 32,549 23,318 18,565
1985 43,704 30,818 24,650
1986 55,587 36,510 31,286
1987 58,792 38,419 33,170
1988 86,212 44,877 38,460
1989 115,490 59,009 50,656
1990 127,478 57,139 50,362
1991 159,449 74,595 62,414
1992 166,082 80,316 67,001
1993 165,858 88,340 78,217
1994 201,020 89,497 82,089
1995 296,283 122,996 112,043
1996 356,843 151,371 144,065
</TABLE>
RISK FACTORS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
General. An investment in Units should be made with an understanding of the
risks which an investment in common stocks entails, including the risk that
the financial condition of the issuers of the Equity Securities or the general
condition of the common stock market may worsen and the value of the Equity
Securities and therefore the value of the Units may decline. Common stocks are
especially susceptible to general stock market movements and to volatile
increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of
the issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors
including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal
policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and
global or regional political, economic or banking crises. Shareholders of
common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common
stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of
debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers. Shareholders of common
stocks of the type held by the Trust have a right to receive dividends only
when and if, and in the amounts, declared by each issuer's board of directors
and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by such
issuer only after all other claims on such issuer have been paid or provided
for. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and,
therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of
protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt
securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of
principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and
inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or
the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer
upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of common stocks is subject to
market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks remain outstanding, and
thus the value of the Equity Securities in a portfolio may be expected to
fluctuate over the life of the Trust to values higher or lower than those
prevailing on the Initial Date of Deposit.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and
debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity, have
generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison
with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred
stocks issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be
paid before common stock dividends and any cumulative preferred stock dividend
omitted is added to future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative
preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights
on liquidation which are senior to those of common stockholders.
Whether or not the Equity Securities are listed on a national securities
exchange, the principal trading market for the Equity Securities may be in the
over-the-counter market. As a result, the existence of a liquid trading market
for the Equity Securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in
the Equity Securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made
for any of the Equity Securities, that any market for the Equity Securities
will be maintained or of the liquidity of the Equity Securities in any markets
made. In addition, the Trust may be restricted under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 from selling Equity Securities to the Sponsor. The price at which
the Equity Securities may be sold to meet redemptions, and the value of the
Trust, will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Equity Securities
are limited or absent.
The Trust Agreement authorizes the Sponsor to increase the size of the Trust
and the number of Units thereof by the deposit of additional Securities, or
cash (including a letter of credit) with instructions to purchase additional
Securities, in the Trust and issuance of a corresponding number of additional
Units. If the Sponsor deposits cash, existing and new investors may experience
a dilution of their investments and reduction in their anticipated income
because of fluctuations in the prices of the Securities between the time of
the cash deposit and the purchase of the Securities and because the Trust will
pay the associated brokerage fees.
As described under "Trust Operating Expenses," all of the expenses of
the Trust will be paid from the sale of Securities from the Trust. It is
expected that such sales will be made at the end of the initial offering
period and each month thereafter through termination of the Trust. Such sales
will result in capital gains and losses and may be made at times and prices
which adversely affect the Trust. For a discussion of the tax consequences of
such sales, see "Federal Taxation."
Unitholders will be unable to dispose of any of the Equity Securities, as
such, and will not be able to vote the Equity Securities. As the holder of the
Equity Securities, the Trustee will have the right to vote all of the voting
stocks in the Trust and will vote such stocks in accordance with the
instructions of the Sponsor. In the absence of any such instructions by the
Sponsor, the Trustee will vote such stocks so as to insure that the stocks are
voted as closely as possible in the same manner and the same general
proportion as are shares held by owners other than the Trust.
FEDERAL TAXATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
General. The following is a general discussion of certain of the Federal
income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the
Units. The summary is limited to investors who hold the Units as capital
assets (generally, property held for investment) within the meaning of Section
1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code" ). Unitholders
should consult their tax advisers in determining the federal, state, local and
any other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Units
in the Trust.
In the opinion of Chapman and Cutler, special counsel for the Sponsor, under
existing law:
1. The Trust is not an association taxable as a corporation for federal income
tax purposes; each Unitholder will be treated as the owner of a pro rata
portion of each of the assets of the Trust under the Code; and the income of
the Trust will be treated as income of the Unitholders thereof under the Code.
Each Unitholder will be considered to have received his pro rata share of
income derived from the Trust asset when such income is considered to be
received by the Trust.
2. A Unitholder will be considered to have received all of the dividends paid
on his pro rata portion of each Equity Security when such dividends are
considered to be received by the Trust regardless of whether such dividends
are used to pay a portion of the deferred sales charge. Unitholders will be
taxed in this manner regardless of whether distributions from the Trust are
actually received by the Unitholder or are automatically reinvested (see "
Rights of Unitholders--Reinvestment Option").
3. Each Unitholder will have a taxable event when the Trust disposes of a
Security (whether by sale, exchange, liquidation, redemption, or otherwise) or
upon the sale or redemption of Units by such Unitholder (except to the extent
an in kind distribution of stock is received by such Unitholder as described
below). The price a Unitholder pays for his Units, generally including sales
charges, is allocated among his pro rata portion of each Security held by the
Trust (in proportion to the fair market values thereof on the valuation date
nearest to the date the Unitholder purchases his Units) in order to determine
his tax basis for his pro rata portion of each Security held by the Trust. For
federal income tax purposes, a Unitholder's pro rata portion of dividends as
defined by Section 316 of the Code paid by a corporation with respect to a
Security held by the Trust is taxable as ordinary income to the extent of such
corporation's current and accumulated "earnings and profits". A
Unitholder's pro rata portion of dividends paid on such Security which exceed
such current and accumulated earnings and profits will first reduce a
Unitholder's tax basis in such Security, and to the extent that such dividends
exceed a Unitholder's tax basis in such Security shall generally be treated as
capital gain. In general, any such capital gain will be short-term unless a
Unitholder has held his Units for more than one year.
4. A Unitholder's portion of gain, if any, upon the sale or redemption of
Units or the disposition of Securities held by the Trust will generally be
considered a capital gain except in the case of a dealer or a financial
institution and, will generally be long-term if the Unitholder has held his
Units for more than one year (the date on which the Units are acquired (i.e.,
the "trade date" ) is excluded for purposes of determining whether the
Units have been held for more than one year). A Unitholder's portion of loss,
if any, upon the sale or redemption of Units or the disposition of Securities
held by the Trust will generally be considered a capital loss (except in the
case of a dealer or a financial institution) and, in general, will be
long-term if the Unitholder has held his Units for more than one year.
Unitholders should consult their tax advisers regarding the recognition of
gains and losses for federal income tax purposes. In particular, a Rollover
Unitholder should be aware that a Rollover Unitholder's loss, if any, incurred
in connection with the exchange of Units for units in the next new Series of
the Trust (the "1998 Trust" ) will generally be disallowed with respect
to the disposition of any Securities pursuant to such exchange to the extent
that such Unitholder is considered the owner of substantially identical
securities under the wash sale provisions of the Code taking into account such
Unitholder's deemed ownership of the securities underlying the Units in the
1998 Trust in the manner described above, if such substantially identical
securities were acquired within a period beginning 30 days before and ending
30 days after such disposition. However, any gains incurred in connection with
such an exchange by a Rollover Unitholder would be recognized.
Deferred Sales Charge. Generally, the tax basis of a Unitholder includes sales
charges, and such charges are not deductible. A portion of the sales charge
for the Trust is deferred. It is possible that for federal income tax purposes
a portion of the deferred sales charge may be treated as interest which would
be deductible by a Unitholder subject to limitations on the deduction of
investment interest. In such a case, the non-interest portion of the deferred
sales charge would be added to the Unitholder's tax basis in his Units. The
deferred sales charge could cause the Unitholder's Units to be considered to
be debt-financed under Section 246A of the Code which would result in a small
reduction of the dividends-received deduction. In any case, the income (or
proceeds from redemption) a Unitholder must take into account for federal
income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts deducted to pay the deferred
sales charge. Unitholders should consult their own tax advisers as to the
income tax consequences of the deferred sales charge.
Dividends Received Deduction. A corporation that owns Units will generally be
entitled to a 70% dividends received deduction with respect to such
Unitholder's pro rata portion of dividends received by the Trust (to the
extent such dividends are taxable as ordinary income, as discussed above, and
are attributable to domestic corporations) in the same manner as if such
corporation directly owned the Securities paying such dividends (other than
corporate shareholders, such as "S" corporations, which are not
eligible for the deduction because of their special characteristics and other
than for purposes of special taxes such as the accumulated earnings tax and
the personal holding corporation tax). However, a corporation owning Units
should be aware that Sections 246 and 246A of the Code impose additional
limitations on the eligibility of dividends for the 70% dividends received
deduction. These limitations include a requirement that stock (and therefore
Units) must generally be held at least 46 days (as determined under Section
246(c) of the Code). Final regulations have been recently issued which address
special rules that must be considered in determining whether the 46 day
holding period requirement is met. Moreover, the allowable percentage of the
deduction will be reduced from 70% if a corporate Unitholder owns certain
stock (or Units) the financing of which is directly attributable to
indebtedness incurred by such corporation. It should be noted that various
legislative proposals that would affect the dividends received deduction have
been introduced. Unitholders should consult with their tax advisers with
respect to the limitations on and possible modifications to the dividends
received deduction.
Limitations on Deductibility of Trust Expenses by Unitholders. Each
Unitholder's pro rata share of each expense paid by the Trust is deductible by
the Unitholder to the same extent as though the expense had been paid directly
by him. It should be noted that as a result of the Tax Reform Act of 1986,
certain miscellaneous itemized deductions, such as investment expenses, tax
return preparation fees and employee business expenses will be deductible by
an individual only to the extent they exceed 2% of such individual's adjusted
gross income. Unitholders may be required to treat some or all of the expenses
of the Trust as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to this limitation.
Recognition of Taxable Gain or Loss Upon Disposition of Securities by the
Trust or Disposition of Units. As discussed above, a Unitholder may recognize
taxable gain (or loss) when a Security is disposed of by the Trust or if the
Unitholder disposes of a Unit (although losses incurred by Rollover
Unitholders may be subject to disallowance, as discussed above). For taxpayers
other than corporations, net capital gains are subject to a maximum marginal
stated tax rate of 28%. However, it should be noted that legislative proposals
are introduced from time to time that affect tax rates and could affect
relative differences at which ordinary income and capital gains are taxed.
"The Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993" (the "Tax Act")
raised tax rates on ordinary income while capital gains remain subject to a
28% maximum stated rate for taxpayers other than corporations. Because some or
all capital gains are taxed at a comparatively lower rate under the Tax Act,
the Tax Act includes a provision that recharacterizes capital gains as
ordinary income in the case of certain financial transactions that are "
conversion transactions" effective for transactions entered into after
April 30, 1993. Unitholders and prospective investors should consult with
their tax advisers regarding the potential effect of this provision on their
investment in Units.
If a Unitholder disposes of a Unit he is deemed thereby to have disposed of
his entire pro rata interest in all assets of the Trust involved including his
pro rata portion of all Securities represented by a Unit.
Special Tax Consequences of In Kind Distributions Upon Redemption of Units or
Termination of the Trust. As discussed in "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units," under certain circumstances a
Unitholder tendering Units for redemption may request an In Kind Distribution.
A Unitholder may also under certain circumstances request an In Kind
Distribution upon the termination of the Trust. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units". The Unitholder requesting an In Kind
Distribution will be liable for expenses related thereto (the "
Distribution Expenses") and the amount of such In Kind Distribution will
be reduced by the amount of the Distribution Expenses. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units". As previously discussed, prior to the
redemption of Units or the termination of the Trust, a Unitholder is
considered as owning a pro rata portion of each of the Trust assets for
federal income tax purposes. The receipt of an In Kind Distribution will
result in a Unitholder receiving an undivided interest in whole shares of
stock plus, possibly, cash.
The potential tax consequences that may occur under an In Kind Distribution
with respect to each Security owned by the Trust will depend on whether or not
a Unitholder receives cash in addition to Securities. A "Security" for
this purpose is a particular class of stock issued by a particular
corporation. A Unitholder will not recognize gain or loss if a Unitholder only
receives Securities in exchange for his or her pro rata portion in the
Securities held by the Trust. However, if a Unitholder also receives cash in
exchange for a fractional share of a Security held by the Trust, such
Unitholder will generally recognize gain or loss based upon the difference
between the amount of cash received by the Unitholder and his tax basis in
such fractional share of a Security held by the Trust.
Because the Trust will own many Securities, a Unitholder who requests an In
Kind Distribution will have to analyze the tax consequences with respect to
each Security owned by the Trust. The amount of taxable gain (or loss)
recognized upon such exchange will generally equal the sum of the gain (or
loss) recognized under the rules described above by such Unitholder with
respect to each Security owned by the Trust. Unitholders who request an In
Kind Distribution are advised to consult their tax advisers in this regard.
As discussed in "Rights of Unitholders--Special Redemption and Rollover in
New Fund," a Unitholder may elect to become a Rollover Unitholder. To the
extent a Rollover Unitholder exchanges his Units for Units of the 1998 Trust
in a taxable transaction, such Unitholder will recognize gains, if any, but
generally will not be entitled to a deduction for any losses recognized upon
the disposition of any Securities pursuant to such exchange to the extent that
such Unitholder is considered the owner of substantially identical securities
under the wash sale provisions of the Code taking into account such
Unitholder's deemed ownership of the securities underlying the Units in the
1998 Trust in the manner described above, if such substantially identical
securities were acquired within a period beginning 30 days before and ending
30 days after such disposition under the wash sale provisions contained in
Section 1091 of the Code. In the event a loss is disallowed under the wash
sale provisions, special rules contained in Section 1091(d) of the Code apply
to determine the Unitholder's tax basis in the securities acquired. Rollover
Unitholders are advised to consult their tax advisers.
Computation of the Unitholder's Tax Basis. Initially, a Unitholder's tax basis
in his Units will generally equal the price paid by such Unitholder for his
Units. The cost of the Units is allocated among the Securities held in the
Trust in accordance with the proportion of the fair market values of such
Securities on the valuation date nearest the date the Units are purchased in
order to determine such Unitholder's tax basis for his pro rata portion of
each Security.
A Unitholder's tax basis in his Units and his pro rata portion of a Security
held by the Trust will be reduced to the extent dividends paid with respect to
such Security are received by the Trust which are not taxable as ordinary
income as described above.
General. Each Unitholder will be requested to provide the Unitholder's
taxpayer identification number to the Trustee and to certify that the
Unitholder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that payments
to the Unitholder are subject to back-up withholding. If the proper taxpayer
identification number and appropriate certification are not provided when
requested, distributions by the Trust to such Unitholder (including amounts
received upon the redemption of Units) will be subject to back-up withholding.
Distributions by the Trust (other than those that are not treated as United
States source income, if any) will generally be subject to United States
income taxation and withholding in the case of Units held by non-resident
alien individuals, foreign corporations or other non-United States persons.
Such persons should consult their tax advisers.
At the termination of the Trust, the Trustee will furnish to each Unitholder a
statement containing information relating to the dividends received by the
Trust on the Securities, the gross proceeds received by the Trust from the
disposition of any Security (resulting from redemption or the sale of any
Security), and the fees and expenses paid by the Trust. The Trustee will also
furnish annual information returns to Unitholders and to the Internal Revenue
Service.
Unitholders desiring to purchase Units for tax-deferred plans and IRAs should
consult their broker-dealers for details on establishing such accounts. Units
may also be purchased by persons who already have self-directed plans
established.
In the opinion of Kroll & Tract LLP, special counsel to the Trust for New York
tax matters, the Trust is not an association taxable as a corporation and the
income of the Trust will be treated as the income of the Unitholders under the
existing income tax laws of the State and City of New York.
The foregoing discussion relates only to the tax treatment of U.S. Unitholders
("U.S. Unitholders" ) with regard to federal and certain aspects of New
York State and City income taxes. Unitholders may be subject to taxation in
New York or in other jurisdictions and should consult their own tax advisers
in this regard. As used herein, the term "U.S. Unitholder" means an
owner of a Unit of the Trust that (a) is (i) for United States federal income
tax purposes a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation,
partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the
United States or of any political subdivision thereof, or (iii) an estate or
trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation
regardless of its source or (b) does not qualify as a U.S. Unitholder in
paragraph (a) but whose income from a Unit is effectively connected with such
Unitholder's conduct of a United States trade or business. The term also
includes certain former citizens of the United States whose income and gain on
the Units will be taxable.
TRUST OPERATING EXPENSES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compensation of Sponsor and Evaluator. The Sponsor will not receive any fees
in connection with its activities relating to the Trust. However, Van Kampen
American Capital Investment Advisory Corp., which is an affiliate of the
Sponsor, will receive an annual supervisory fee which is not to exceed the
amount set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" ,
for providing portfolio supervisory services for the Trust. Such fee (which is
based on the number of Units outstanding on January 1 of each year except
during the initial offering period in which event the calculation is based on
the number of Units outstanding at the end of the month of such calculation)
may exceed the actual costs of providing such supervisory services for this
Trust, but at no time will the total amount received for portfolio supervisory
services rendered to all Series of the Fund and to any other unit investment
trusts sponsored by the Sponsor for which the Supervisor provides portfolio
supervisory services in any calendar year exceed the aggregate cost to the
Supervisor of supplying such services in such year. In addition, American
Portfolio Evaluation Services, which is a division of Van Kampen American
Capital Investment Advisory Corp., shall receive for regularly providing
evaluation services to the Trust the annual per Unit evaluation fee set forth
under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" (which is based on
the number of Units outstanding on January 1 of each year for which such
compensation relates except during the initial offering period in which event
the calculation is based on the number of Units outstanding at the end of the
month of such calculation) for regularly evaluating the Trust portfolio. The
fees set forth herein are payable as described under "General" below.
Both of the foregoing fees may be increased without approval of the
Unitholders by amounts not exceeding proportionate increases under the
category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer Price
Index published by the United States Department of Labor or, if such category
is no longer published, in a comparable category. The Sponsor will receive
sales commissions and may realize other profits (or losses) in connection with
the sale of Units and the deposit of the Securities as described under "
Public Offering--Sponsor and Other Compensation".
Trustee's Fee. For its services the Trustee will receive the annual per Unit
fee from the Trust set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" (which is based on the number of Units outstanding at the end
of the month of such calculation until the end of the initial offering period
at which time such calculation is based on the number of Units outstanding on
such date). The fees set forth herein are payable as described under "
General" below. The Trustee benefits to the extent there are funds for
future distributions, payment of expenses and redemptions in the Capital and
Income Accounts since these Accounts are non-interest bearing and the amounts
earned by the Trustee are retained by the Trustee. Part of the Trustee's
compensation for its services to the Trust is expected to result from the use
of these funds. Such fees may be increased without approval of the Unitholders
by amounts not exceeding proportionate increases under the category "All
Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer Price Index published by
the United States Department of Labor or, if such category is no longer
published, in a comparable category. For a discussion of the services rendered
by the Trustee pursuant to its obligations under the Trust Agreement, see "
Rights of Unitholders--Reports Provided" and "Trust Administration".
Miscellaneous Expenses. Expenses incurred in establishing the Trust, including
the cost of the initial preparation of documents relating to the Trust
(including the Prospectus, Trust Agreement and closing documents), federal and
state registration fees, the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee, legal
and accounting expenses, payment of closing fees and any other out-of-pocket
expenses, will be paid by the Trust and amortized over the life of the Trust.
The following additional charges are or may be incurred by the Trust: (a)
normal expenses (including the cost of mailing reports to Unitholders)
incurred in connection with the operation of the Trust, (b) fees of the
Trustee for extraordinary services, (c) expenses of the Trustee (including
legal and auditing expenses) and of counsel designated by the Sponsor, (d)
various governmental charges, (e) expenses and costs of any action taken by
the Trustee to protect the Trust and the rights and interests of Unitholders,
(f) indemnification of the Trustee for any loss, liability or expenses
incurred in the administration of the Trust without negligence, bad faith or
wilful misconduct on its part, (g) accrual of associated with liquidating
securities and (h) expenditures incurred in contacting Unitholders upon
termination of the Trust. The fees set forth herein are payable as described
under "General" below.
General. During the initial offering period of the Trust, all of the fees and
expenses of the Trust will accrue on a daily basis and will be charged to the
Trust, in arrears, at the end of the initial offering period. After the
initial offering period, all of the fees and expenses of the Trust will accrue
on a daily basis and will be charged to the Trust, in arrears, on a monthly
basis on or before the tenth day of each month. The fees and expenses are
payable out of the Capital Account of the Trust. When such fees and expenses
are paid by or owing to the Trustee, they are secured by a lien on the Trust's
portfolio. If the balance in the Capital Account is insufficient to provide
for amounts payable by the Trust, the Trustee has the power to sell Equity
Securities to pay such amounts. It is expected that the balance in the Capital
Account will be insufficient to provide for amounts payable by the Trust and
that Equity Securities will be sold from the Trust to pay such amounts. These
sales may result in capital gains or losses to Unitholders. See "Federal
Taxation".
PUBLIC OFFERING
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
General. Units are offered at the Public Offering Price. During the initial
offering period and for secondary market transactions after the initial
offering period the Public Offering Price is based on the aggregate underlying
value of the Securities in the Trust's portfolio, the initial sales charge
described below, and cash, if any, in the Income and Capital Accounts held or
owned by the Trust. The initial sales charge is equal to the difference
between the maximum total sales charge for a Trust of 2.75% of the Public
Offering Price and the maximum deferred sales charge for a Trust ($0.175 per
Unit). The monthly deferred sales charge ($0.0175 per Unit) will begin
accruing on a daily basis on ________, 1997 and will continue to accrue
through ________, 1998. The monthly deferred sales charge will be charged to
the Trust, in arrears, commencing ________, 1997 and will be charged on the
__th day of each month thereafter through ________, 1998. If any deferred
sales charge payment date is not a business day, the payment will be charged
to the Trust on the next business day. Unitholders will be assessed only that
portion of the deferred sales charge accrued from the time they became
Unitholders of record. Units purchased subsequent to the initial deferred
sales charge payment will be subject to only that portion of the deferred
sales charge payments not yet collected. This deferred sales charge will be
paid from funds in the Capital Account, if sufficient, or from the periodic
sale of Securities. The total maximum sales charge assessed to Unitholders on
a per Unit basis will be 2.75% of the Public Offering Price (2.828% of the
aggregate value of the Securities in the Trust less the deferred sales
charge). The initial sales charge applicable to quantity purchases is reduced
on a graduated basis to any person acquiring 5,000 or more Units as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Aggregate Number of Units Percentage of Sales Charge
Purchased* Reduction Per Unit
- -------------------------- --------------------------------
<S> <C>
5,000 - 9,999 ............ 0.25%
10,000 - 14,999 .......... 0.50
15,000 - 99,999 .......... 0.85
100,000 or more........... 1.75
______________________
*The breakpoint sales charges are also applied on a dollar
basis utilizing a breakpoint equivalent in the above table
of $10 per Unit and will be applied on whichever basis is
more favorable to the investor. The breakpoints will be
adjusted to take into consideration purchase orders stated
in dollars which cannot be completely fulfilled due to the
Trust's requirement that only whole Units be issued.
</TABLE>
The sales charge reduction will primarily be the responsibility of the selling
broker, dealer or agent. This reduced sales charge structure will apply on all
purchases by the same person from any one dealer of units of Van Kampen
American Capital-sponsored unit investment trusts which are being offered in
the initial offering period (a) on any one day (the "Initial Purchase
Date" ) or (b) on any day subsequent to the Initial Purchase Date if (1)
the units purchased are of a unit investment trust purchased on the Initial
Purchase Date, and (2) the person purchasing the units purchased a sufficient
amount of units on the Initial Purchase Date to qualify for a reduced sales
charge on such date. In the event units of more than one trust are purchased
on the Initial Purchase Date, the aggregate dollar amount of such purchases
will be used to determine whether purchasers are eligible for a reduced sales
charge. Such aggregate dollar amount will be divided by the public offering
price per unit (on the day preceding the date of purchase) of each respective
trust purchased to determine the total number of units which such amount could
have purchased of each individual trust. Purchasers must then consult the
applicable trust's prospectus to determine whether the total number of units
which could have been purchased of a specific trust would have qualified for a
reduced sales charge and, if so qualified, the amount of such reduction.
Assuming a purchased qualified for a sales charge reduction or reductions, to
determine the applicable sales charge reduction or reductions it is necessary
to accumulate all purchases made on the Initial Purchase Date and all
purchases made in accordance with (b) above. Units purchased in the name of
the spouse of a purchaser or in the name of a child of such purchaser ("
immediate family members" ) will be deemed for the purposes of calculating
the applicable sales charge to be additional purchases by the purchaser. The
reduced sales charges will also be applicable to a trustee or other fiduciary
purchasing securities for one or more trust estate or fiduciary accounts.
Units may be purchased in the primary or secondary market at the Public
Offering Price (for purchases which do not qualify for a sales charge
reduction for quantity purchases) less the concession the Sponsor typically
allows to brokers and dealers for purchases (see "Public Offering--Unit
Distribution" ) by (1) investors who purchase Units through registered
investment advisers, certified financial planners and registered
broker-dealers who in each case either charge periodic fees for financial
planning, investment advisory or asset management service, or provide such
services in connection with the establishment of an investment account for
which a comprehensive "wrap fee" charge is imposed, (2) bank trust
departments investing funds over which they exercise exclusive discretionary
investment authority and that are held in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or
similar capacity, (3) any person who for at least 90 days, has been an
officer, director or bona fide employee of any firm offering Units for sale to
investors or their immediate family members (as described above) and (4)
officers and directors of bank holding companies that make Units available
directly or through subsidiaries or bank affiliates. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in this Prospectus, such investors, bank trust departments,
firm employees and bank holding company officers and directors who purchase
Units through this program will not receive sales charge reductions for
quantity purchases.
Employees, officers and directors (including their spouses, children,
grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, mothers-in-law,
fathers-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, and trustees, custodians or
fiduciaries for the benefit of such persons) of Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc. and its affiliates, dealers and their affiliates and
vendors providing services to the Sponsor may purchase Units at the Public
Offering Price less the applicable dealer concession.
During the initial offering period of the Trust, unitholders of unaffiliated
unit investment trusts having an investment objective similar to the
investment objective of the Trust may utilize proceeds received upon
termination or upon redemption immediately preceding termination of such
unaffiliated trust to purchase Units of the Trust subject only to the deferred
sales charge described herein.
During the initial offering period, unitholders of any Van Kampen American
Capital-sponsored unit investment trust may utilize their redemption or
termination proceeds to purchase Units of this Trust subject only to the
deferred sales charge described herein.
Offering Price. The Public Offering Price of the Units will vary from the
amounts stated under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" in
accordance with fluctuations in the prices of the underlying Securities in the
Trust.
As indicated above, the price of the Units was established by adding to the
determination of the aggregate underlying value of the Securities an amount
equal to the difference between the maximum total sales charge of 2.75% of the
Public Offering Price and the maximum deferred sales charge ($0.175 per Unit)
and dividing the sum so obtained by the number of Units outstanding. The
Public Offering Price per Unit shall include the proportionate share of any
cash held in the Income and Capital Accounts. Such price determination as of
the close of the relevant stock market on the day before the Initial Day of
Deposit was made on the basis of an evaluation of the Securities prepared by
Interactive Data Corporation, a firm regularly engaged in the business of
evaluating, quoting or appraising comparable securities. Thereafter, the
Evaluator on each business day will appraise or cause to be appraised the
value of the underlying Securities as of the Evaluation Time and will adjust
the Public Offering Price of the Units commensurate with such valuation. Such
Public Offering Price will be effective for all orders received prior to the
Evaluation Time on each such day. Orders received by the Trustee or Sponsor
for purchases, sales or redemptions after that time, or on a day which is not
a business day for the Trust, will be held until the next determination of
price. Unitholders who purchase Units subsequent to the Initial Date of
Deposit will pay an initial sales charge equal to the difference between the
maximum total sales charge for a Trust of 2.75% of the Public Offering Price
and the maximum deferred sales charge for a Trust ($0.175 per Unit) and will
be assessed a deferred sales charge of $0.0175 per Unit on each of the
remaining deferred sales charge payment dates as set forth in "Public
Offering--General" . The Sponsor currently does not intend to maintain a
secondary market after __________, 1997.
The aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities during the initial
offering period is determined on each business day by the Evaluator in the
following manner: if the Equity Securities are listed on a national securities
exchange, this evaluation is generally based on the closing sale prices on
that exchange (unless it is determined that these prices are inappropriate as
a basis for valuation) or, if there is no closing sale price on that exchange,
at the closing ask prices. If the Equity Securities are not so listed or, if
so listed and the principal market therefore is other than on the exchange,
the evaluation shall generally be based on the current ask price on the
over-the-counter market (unless it is determined that these prices are
inappropriate as a basis for evaluation). If current ask prices are
unavailable, the evaluation is generally determined (a) on the basis of
current ask prices for comparable securities, (b) by appraising the value of
the Equity Securities on the ask side of the market or (c) by any combination
of the above.
In offering the Units to the public, neither the Sponsor nor any
broker-dealers are recommending any of the individual Securities but rather
the entire pool of Securities, taken as a whole, which are represented by the
Units.
Unit Distribution. During the initial offering period, Units will be
distributed to the public by the Sponsor, broker-dealers and others at the
Public Offering Price. Upon the completion of the initial offering period,
Units repurchased in the secondary market, if any, may be offered by this
Prospectus at the secondary market Public Offering Price in the manner
described above.
The Sponsor intends to qualify the Units for sale in a number of states.
Brokers, dealers and others will be allowed a concession or agency commission
in connection with the distribution of Units during the initial offering
period as set forth in the following table. A portion of such concessions or
agency commissions represents amounts paid by the Sponsor to such brokers,
dealers and others out of its own assets as additional compensation.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Aggregate Number of Initial Offering Period Concession or Agency Commission
Units Purchased* per Unit
- ----------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1 - 4,999.......... 2.10%
5,000 - 9,999...... 1.85
10,000 - 14,999.... 1.60
15,000 - 99,999.... 1.25
100,000 or more.... 0.50
____________________
* The breakpoint concessions or agency commissions are also applied on a dollar
basis utilizing a breakpoint equivalent in the above table of $10 per Unit and
will be applied on whichever basis is more favorable to the broker, dealer or
agent. The breakpoints will be adjusted to take into consideration purchase
orders stated in dollars which cannot be completely fulfilled due the Trust's
requirement that only whole Units be issued.
</TABLE>
Any quantity discount provided to investors will be borne by the selling
dealer or agent as indicated under "General" above. For transactions
involving Rollover Unitholders, the total concession or agency commission will
amount to 1.1% per Unit (or such lesser amount resulting from quantity sales
discounts). For all secondary transactions, the total concession or agency
commission will amount to 2.1% per Unit. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary herein, the total of any concessions, agency commissions and any
additional compensation allowed or paid to any broker, dealer or other
distributor of Units with respect to any individual transaction, shall in no
case exceed the total sales charge applicable to such transaction.
Certain commercial banks are making Units available to their customers on an
agency basis. A portion of the sales charge (equal to the agency commission
referred to above) is retained by or remitted to the banks. Under the
Glass-Steagall Act, banks are prohibited from underwriting Trust Units;
however, the Glass-Steagall Act does permit certain agency transactions and
the banking regulators have not indicated that these particular agency
transactions are not permitted under such Act. In addition, state securities
laws on this issue may differ from the interpretations of federal law
expressed herein and banks and financial institutions may be required to
register as dealers pursuant to state law.
To facilitate the handling of transactions, sales of Units shall normally be
limited to transactions involving a minimum of 100 Units except as stated
herein. In connection with fully disclosed transactions with the Sponsor, the
minimum purchase requirement will be that number of Units set forth in the
contract between the Sponsor and the related broker or agent. The Sponsor
reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any order for the purchase
of Units and to change the amount of the concession or agency commission to
dealers and others from time to time.
Sponsor and Other Compensation. The Sponsor will receive the gross sales
commission equal to 2.75% of the Public Offering Price of the Units, less any
reduced sales charge for quantity purchases as described under "
General" above. Any such quantity discount provided to investors will be
borne by the selling dealer or agent.
In addition, the Sponsor will realize a profit or will sustain a loss, as the
case may be, as a result of the difference between the price paid for the
Securities by the Sponsor and the cost of such Securities to the Trust on the
Initial Date of Deposit as well as on subsequent deposits. See "Notes to
Portfolio". The Sponsor has not participated as sole underwriter or as
manager or as a member of the underwriting syndicates or as an agent in a
private placement for any of the Securities in the Trust portfolio. The
Sponsor may further realize additional profit or loss during the initial
offering period as a result of the possible fluctuations in the market value
of the Securities after a date of deposit, since all proceeds received from
purchasers of Units.
Broker-dealers of the Trust, banks and/or others may be eligible to
participate in a program in which such firms receive from the Sponsor a
nominal award for each of their representatives who have sold a minimum number
of units of unit investment trusts created by the Sponsor during a specified
time period. In addition, at various times the Sponsor may implement other
programs under which the sales forces of brokers, dealers, banks and/or others
may be eligible to win other nominal awards for certain sales efforts, or
under which the Sponsor will reallow to such brokers, dealers, banks and/or
others that sponsor sales contests or recognition programs conforming to
criteria established by the Sponsor or participate in sales programs by the
Sponsor, an amount not exceeding the total applicable sales charges on the
sales generated by such persons at the public offering price during such
programs. Also, the Sponsor in its discretion may from time to time pursuant
to objective criteria established by the Sponsor paid fees to qualifying
entities for certain services or activities which are primarily intended to
result in sales of Units of the Trust. Such payments are made by the Sponsor
out of its own assets, and not out of assets of the Trust. These programs will
not change the price Unitholders pay for their Units or the amount that the
Trust will receive from the Units sold.
A person will become the owner of Units on the date of settlement provided
payment has been received. Cash, if any, made available to the Sponsor prior
to the date of settlement for the purchase of Units may be used in the
Sponsor's business and may be deemed to be a benefit to the Sponsor, subject
to the limitations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
As stated under "Public Market" below, the Sponsor currently intends
to maintain a secondary market for Units for the period indicated. In so
maintaining a market, the Sponsor will also realize profits or sustain losses
in the amount of any difference between the price at which Units are purchased
and the price at which Units are resold (which price includes the applicable
sales charge). In addition, the Sponsor will also realize profits or sustain
losses resulting from a redemption of such repurchased Units at a price above
or below the purchase price for such Units, respectively.
Public Market. Although it is not obligated to do so, the Sponsor currently
intends to maintain a market for the Units offered hereby through ________,
1997 and offer continuously to purchase Units at prices, subject to change at
any time, based upon the aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities
(computed as indicated under "Offering Price" above and "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units" ). If the supply of Units exceeds demand
or if some other business reason warrants it, the Sponsor may either
discontinue all purchases of Units or discontinue purchases of Units at such
prices. In the event that a market is not maintained for the Units and the
Unitholder cannot find another purchaser, a Unitholder desiring to dispose of
his Units will be able to dispose of such Units by tendering them to the
Trustee for redemption at the Redemption Price. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units" . A Unitholder who wishes to dispose of
his Units should inquire of his broker as to current market prices in order to
determine whether there is in existence any price in excess of the Redemption
Price and, if so, the amount thereof. Units sold prior to such time as the
entire deferred sales charge on such Units has been collected will be assessed
the amount of the remaining deferred sales charge at the time of sale.
Tax-Sheltered Retirement Plans. Units are available for purchase in connection
with certain types of tax-sheltered retirement plans, including Individual
Retirement Accounts for the individuals, Simplified Employee Pension Plans for
employees, qualified plans for self-employed individuals, and qualified
corporate pension and profit sharing plans for employees. The purchase of
Units may be limited by the plans' provisions and does not itself establish
such plans.
RIGHTS OF UNITHOLDERS
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Certificates. The Trustee is authorized to treat as the record owner of Units
that person who is registered as such owner on the books of the Trustee.
Ownership of Units will be evidenced by certificates unless a Unitholder or
the Unitholder's registered broker-dealer makes a written request to the
Trustee that ownership be in book entry form. Units are transferable by making
a written request to the Trustee and, in the case of Units evidenced by a
certificate, by presentation and surrender of such certificate to the Trustee
properly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of
transfer. A Unitholder must sign such written request, and such certificate or
transfer instrument, exactly as his name appears on the records of the Trustee
and on the face of any certificate representing the Units to be transferred
with the signature guaranteed by a participant in the Securities Transfer
Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP" ) or such other signature guarantee
program in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP as may be accepted by
the Trustee. In certain instances the Trustee may require additional documents
such as, but not limited to, trust instruments, certificates of death,
appointments as executor or administrator or certificates of corporate
authority. Certificates will be issued in denominations of one Unit or any
whole multiple thereof.
Although no such charge is now made or contemplated, the Trustee may require a
Unitholder to pay a reasonable fee for each certificate reissued or
transferred and to pay any governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with each such transfer or interchange. Destroyed, stolen,
mutilated or lost certificates will be replaced upon delivery to the Trustee
of satisfactory indemnity, evidence of ownership and payment of expenses
incurred. Mutilated certificates must be surrendered to the Trustee for
replacement.
Distributions of Income and Capital. Any dividends received by the Trust with
respect to the Equity Securities therein are credited by the Trustee to the
Income Account. Other receipts (e.g., capital gains, proceeds from the sale of
Securities, etc.) are credited to the Capital Account. Proceeds from the sales
of Securities to meet redemptions of Units shall be segregated within the
Capital Account from proceeds from the sale of Securities made to satisfy the
fees, expenses and charges of the Trust.
The Trustee will distribute any income received with respect to any of the
Securities on or about the Income Account Distribution Date to Unitholders of
record on the preceding Income Record Date. See "Summary of Essential
Financial Information" . Proceeds received on the sale of any Securities,
to the extent not used to meet redemptions of Units, pay the deferred sales
charge or pay expenses, will be distributed on the Capital Account
Distribution Date to Unitholders of record on the preceding Capital Account
Record Date. Proceeds received from the disposition of any of the Securities
after a record date and prior to the following distribution date will be held
in the Capital Account and not distributed until the next distribution date
applicable to such Capital Account. The Trustee is not required to pay
interest on funds held in the Capital or Income Accounts (but may itself earn
interest thereon and therefore benefits from the use of such funds).
The distribution to Unitholders as of each record date will be made on the
following distribution date or shortly thereafter and shall consist of each
Unitholder's pro rata share of the cash in the Income Account. Because
dividends are not received by the Trust at a constant rate throughout the
year, such distributions to Unitholders are expected to fluctuate from
distribution to distribution. Persons who purchase Units will commence
receiving distributions only after such person becomes a record owner.
Notification to the Trustee of the transfer of Units is the responsibility of
the purchaser, but in the normal course of business such notice is provided by
the selling broker-dealer.
At the end of the initial offering period and as of the tenth day of each
month thereafter, the Trustee will deduct from the Capital Account amounts
necessary to pay the expenses of the Trust (as determined on the basis set
forth under "Trust Operating Expenses" ). The Trustee also may withdraw
from the Income and Capital Accounts such amounts, if any, as it deems
necessary to establish a reserve for any governmental charges payable out of
the Trust. Amounts so withdrawn shall not be considered a part of the Trust's
assets until such time as the Trustee shall return all or any part of such
amounts to the appropriate accounts. In addition, the Trustee may withdraw
from the Income and Capital Accounts such amounts as may be necessary to cover
redemptions of Units.
It is anticipated that the deferred sales charge will be collected from the
Capital Account. To the extent that amounts in the Capital Account are
insufficient to satisfy the then current deferred sales charge obligation,
Equity Securities may be sold to meet such shortfall. Distributions of amounts
necessary to pay the deferred portion of the sales charge will be made to an
account maintained by the Trustee for purposes of satisfying Unitholders'
deferred sales charge obligations.
Reinvestment Option. Unitholders will initially have each distribution of
dividend income, capital gains and/or principal on their Units automatically
reinvested in additional Units of the Trust under the "Automatic
Reinvestment Option" (to the extent Units may be lawfully offered for sale
in the state in which the Unitholder resides). Brokers and dealers who
distribute Units to Unitholders pursuant to the Automatic Reinvestment Option
may do so through two options. Brokers and dealers can use the Dividend
Reinvestment Service through Depository Trust Company or purchase the
available Automatic Reinvestment Option CUSIP. If a broker or dealer decides
to continue to utilize the Dividend Reinvestment Service through the
Depository Trust Company, the broker or dealer must have access to a PTS
terminal equipped with the Elective Dividend System function (EDS) prior to
the first Record Date set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" . The second option available is to purchase the appropriate
CUSIP for automatic reinvestment. Unitholders receiving Units pursuant to
participation in the Automatic Reinvestment Option will be subject to the
remaining deferred sales charge payments due on Units (assuming for these
purposes such Units had been outstanding during the primary offering period).
Unitholders may also elect to receive distributions of dividend income,
capital gains and/or principal on their Units in cash. To receive cash, a
Unitholder or his or her broker or agent must file with the Trustee a written
notice of election, together with any certificate representing Units and other
documentation that the Trustee may then require, at least five days prior to
the Record Date for which the first distribution is to apply. A Unitholder's
election to receive cash will apply to all Units of a Trust owned by such
Unitholder and such election will remain in effect until changed by the
Unitholder.
Reinvestment plan distributions may be reinvested in Units already held in
inventory by the Sponsor (see "Public Offering--Public Market" ) or,
until such time as additional Units cease to be issued by the Trust (see "
The Trust" ), distributions may be reinvested in such additional Units. If
Units are unavailable in the secondary market, distributions which would
otherwise have been reinvested shall be paid in cash to the Unitholder on the
applicable Distribution Date.
Purchases of additional Units made pursuant to the reinvestment plan will be
made at the net asset value for Units as of the Evaluation Time on the related
Income or Capital Account Distribution Dates. Under the reinvestment plan, the
Trust will pay the Unitholder's distributions to the Trustee which in turn
will purchase for such Unitholder full and fractional Units and will send such
Unitholder a statement reflecting the reinvestment.
Unitholders may also elect to have each distribution of interest income,
capital gains and/or principal on their Units automatically reinvested in
shares of any Van Kampen American Capital mutual funds (except for B shares)
which are registered in the Unitholder's state of residence. Such mutual funds
are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Reinvestment Funds" .
Each Reinvestment Fund has investment objectives which differ in certain
respects from those of the Trusts. The prospectus relating to each
Reinvestment Fund describes the investment policies of such fund and sets
forth the procedures to follow to commence reinvestment. A Unitholder may
obtain a prospectus for the respective Reinvestment Funds from Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc. at One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace,
Illinois 60181. Texas residents who desire to reinvest may request that a
broker-dealer registered in Texas send the prospectus relating to the
respective fund.
After becoming a participant in a reinvestment plan, each distribution of
interest income, capital gains and/or principal on the participant's Units
will, on the applicable distribution date, automatically be applied, as
directed by such person, as of such distribution date by the Trustee to
purchase shares (or fractions thereof) of the applicable Reinvestment Fund at
a net asset value as computed as of the close of trading on the New York Stock
Exchange on such date. Unitholders with an existing Guaranteed Reinvestment
Option (GRO) Program account (whereby a sales charge is imposed on
distribution reinvestments) may transfer their existing account into a new GRO
account which allows purchases of Reinvestment Fund shares at net asset value
as described above. Confirmations of all reinvestments by a Unitholder into a
Reinvestment Fund will be mailed to the Unitholder by such Reinvestment Fund.
A participant may at any time prior to five days preceding the next succeeding
distribution date, by so notifying the Trustee in writing, elect to terminate
his or her reinvestment plan and receive future distributions on his or her
Units in cash. There will be no charge or other penalty for such termination.
The Sponsor, each Reinvestment Fund, and its investment adviser shall have the
right to suspend or terminate the reinvestment plan at any time.
Reports Provided. The Trustee shall furnish Unitholders in connection with
each distribution a statement of the amount of income and the amount of other
receipts (received since the preceding distribution), if any, being
distributed, expressed in each case as a dollar amount representing the pro
rata share of each Unit outstanding. Within a reasonable period of time after
the end of each calendar year, the Trustee shall furnish to each person who at
any time during the calendar year was a registered Unitholder of the Trust a
statement (i) as to the Income Account: income received, deductions for
applicable taxes and for fees and expenses of the Trust, for redemptions of
Units, if any, and the balance remaining after such distributions and
deductions, expressed in each case both as a total dollar amount and as a
dollar amount representing the pro rata share of each Unit outstanding on the
last business day of such calendar year; (ii) as to the Capital Account: the
dates of disposition of any Securities and the net proceeds received
therefrom, deductions for payment of applicable taxes, fees and expenses of
the Trust held for distribution to Unitholders of record as of a date prior to
the determination and the balance remaining after such distributions and
deductions expressed both as a total dollar amount and as a dollar amount
representing the pro rata share of each Unit outstanding on the last business
day of such calendar year; (iii) a list of the Securities held by the Trust
and the number of Units outstanding on the last business day of such calendar
year; (iv) the Redemption Price per Unit based upon the last computation
thereof made during such calendar year; and (v) amounts actually distributed
during such calendar year from the Income and Capital Accounts, separately
stated, expressed as total dollar amounts.
In order to comply with federal and state tax reporting requirements,
Unitholders will be furnished, upon request to the Trustee, evaluations of the
Securities in the Trust furnished to it by the Evaluator.
Redemption of Units. A Unitholder may redeem all or a portion of his Units by
tender to the Trustee at its Unit Investment Trust Division, 101 Barclay
Street, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10286 and, in the case of Units
evidenced by a certificate, by tendering such certificate to the Trustee, duly
endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer with signature
guaranteed as described above (or by providing satisfactory indemnity, as in
connection with lost, stolen or destroyed certificates) and by payment of
applicable governmental charges, if any. No redemption fee will be charged. On
the third business day following such tender, the Unitholder will be entitled
to receive in cash (unless the redeeming Unitholder elects an In Kind
Distribution as described below) an amount for each Unit equal to the
Redemption Price per Unit next computed after receipt by the Trustee of such
tender of Units. The "date of tender" is deemed to be the date on
which Units are received by the Trustee, except that with respect to Units
received after the applicable Evaluation Time the date of tender is the next
business day as defined under "Public Offering--Offering Price" and
such Units will be deemed to have been tendered to the Trustee on such day for
redemption at the redemption price computed on that day.
The Trustee is empowered to sell Securities in order to make funds available
for redemption if funds are not otherwise available in the Capital and Income
Accounts to meet redemptions. The Securities to be sold will be selected by
the Trustee from those designated on a current list provided by the Supervisor
for this purpose. Units so redeemed shall be cancelled. Units tendered for
redemption prior to such time as the entire deferred sales charge on such
Units has been collected will be assessed the amount of the remaining deferred
sales charge at the time of redemption.
Unitholders tendering 1,000 or more Units for redemption may request from the
Trustee in lieu of a cash redemption an in kind distribution ("In Kind
Distribution" ) of an amount and value of Securities per Unit equal to the
Redemption Price per Unit as determined as of the evaluation next following
the tender. An In Kind Distribution on redemption of Units will be made by the
Trustee through the distribution of each of the Securities in book-entry form
to the account of the Unitholder's bank or broker-dealer at Depository Trust
Company. The tendering Unitholder will receive his pro rata number of whole
shares of each of the Securities comprising the Trust portfolio and cash from
the Capital Account equal to the fractional shares to which the tendering
Unitholder is entitled. The Trustee may adjust the number of shares of any
issue of Securities included in a Unitholder's In Kind Distribution to
facilitate the distribution of whole shares, such adjustment to be made on the
basis of the value of Securities on the date of tender. If funds in the
Capital Account are insufficient to cover the required cash distribution to
the tendering Unitholder, the Trustee may sell Securities according to the
criteria discussed above.
To the extent that Securities are redeemed in kind or sold, the size of the
Trust will be, and the diversity of the Trust may be, reduced. Sales may be
required at a time when Securities would not otherwise be sold and may result
in lower prices than might otherwise be realized. The price received upon
redemption may be more or less than the amount paid by the Unitholder
depending on the value of the Securities in the portfolio at the time of
redemption. Special federal income tax consequences will result if a
Unitholder requests an In Kind Distribution. See "Federal Taxation" .
The Redemption Price per Unit (as well as the secondary market Public Offering
Price) will be determined on the basis of the aggregate underlying value of
the Equity Securities, plus or minus cash, if any, in the Income and Capital
Accounts. On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Public Offering Price per Unit
(which includes the initial sales charge) exceeded the values at which Units
could have been redeemed by the amounts shown under "Summary of Essential
Financial Information" . The Redemption Price per Unit is the pro rata
share of each Unit in the Trust determined on the basis of (i) the cash on
hand in the Trust, (ii) the value of the Securities and (iii) dividends
receivable on the Equity Securities trading ex-dividend as of the date of
computation, less (a) amounts representing taxes or other governmental charges
payable out of the Trust and (b) the accrued expenses of the Trust. The
Evaluator may determine the value of the Equity Securities in the following
manner: if the Equity Securities are listed on a national securities exchange,
this evaluation is generally based on the closing sale prices on that exchange
(unless it is determined that these prices are inappropriate as a basis for
valuation) or, if there is no closing sale price on that exchange, at the
closing bid prices. If the Equity Securities are not so listed or, if so
listed and the principal market therefore is other than on the exchange, the
evaluation shall generally be based on the current bid price on the
over-the-counter market (unless these prices are inappropriate as a basis for
evaluation). If current bid prices are unavailable, the evaluation is
generally determined (a) on the basis of current bid prices for comparable
securities, (b) by appraising the value of the Equity Securities on the bid
side of the market or (c) by any combination of the above.
The right of redemption may be suspended and payment postponed for any period
during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than for customary
weekend and holiday closings, or any period during which the Securities and
Exchange Commission determines that trading on that Exchange is restricted or
an emergency exists, as a result of which disposal or evaluation of the
Securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the
Securities and Exchange Commission may by order permit.
Special Redemption and Rollover in New Trust. It is expected that a special
redemption will be made of all Units held by any Unitholder (a "Rollover
Unitholder" ) who affirmatively notifies the Trustee in writing that he
desires to rollover his Units by the Rollover Notification Date specified in
the "Summary of Essential Financial Information".
All Units of Rollover Unitholders will be redeemed on the Special Redemption
Date and the underlying Securities will be distributed to the Distribution
Agent on behalf of the Rollover Unitholders. On the Special Redemption Date
(as set forth in "Summary of Essential Financial Information"), the
Distribution Agent will be required to sell all of the underlying Securities
on behalf of Rollover Unitholders. The sales proceeds will be net of brokerage
fees, governmental charges or any expenses involved in the sales.
The Distribution Agent will attempt to sell the Securities as quickly as is
practicable on the Special Redemption Date. The Sponsor does not anticipate
that the period will be longer than one day given that the Securities are
usually liquid. However, certain of the factors discussed under "Risk
Factors" could affect the ability of the Sponsor to sell the Securities
and thereby affect the length of the sale period somewhat. The liquidity of
any Security depends on the daily trading volume of the Security and the
amount that the Sponsor has available for sale on any particular day.
The Rollover Unitholders' proceeds will be invested in the next subsequent
Series of the Trust (the "1998 Trust"), if then being offered, which
will contain a portfolio of common stocks selected in accordance with the
investment strategy of the current Trust. The proceeds of redemption will be
used to buy 1998 Trust units in the portfolio as the proceeds become available.
The Sponsor intends to create the 1998 Trust shortly prior to the Special
Redemption Date, dependent upon the availability and reasonably favorable
prices of the securities included in the 1998 Trust portfolio, and it is
intended that Rollover Unitholders will be given first priority to purchase
the 1998 Trust units. There can be no assurance, however, as to the exact
timing of the creation of the 1998 Trust units or the aggregate number of 1998
Trust units which the Sponsor will create. The Sponsor may, in its sole
discretion, stop creating new units in a trust portfolio at any time it
chooses, regardless of whether all proceeds of the Special Redemption have
been invested on behalf of Rollover Unitholders. Cash which has not been
invested on behalf of the Rollover Unitholders in 1998 Trust units will be
distributed shortly after the Special Redemption Date.
Any Rollover Unitholder may thus be redeemed out of the Trust and become a
holder of an entirely different unit investment trust in the 1998 Trust with a
different portfolio of Securities. The Rollover Unitholders' Units will be
redeemed and the distributed Securities shall be sold on the Special
Redemption Date. In accordance with the Rollover Unitholders' offer to
purchase the 1998 Trust units, the proceeds of the sales (and any other cash
distributed upon redemption) will be invested in the 1998 Trust at the public
offering price, including the applicable sales charge per Unit (which for
Rollover Unitholders is currently expected to be 1.75% of the Public Offering
Price of the 1998 Trust units).
This process of redemption and rollover into a new trust is intended to allow
for the fact that the portfolios selected by the Sponsor are chosen on the
basis of growth potential only for a year, at which point a new portfolio is
chosen. It is contemplated that a similar process of redemption and rollover
in new unit investment trusts will be available for the 1998 Trust and each
subsequent series of the Fund, approximately a year after that Series'
creation.
There can be no assurance that the redemption and rollover in the Trust will
avoid any negative market price consequences stemming from the trading of
large volumes of securities and of the underlying Securities in the Trust. The
above procedures may be insufficient or unsuccessful in avoiding such price
consequences. In fact, market price trends may make it advantageous to sell or
buy more quickly or more slowly than permitted by these procedures.
It should also be noted that Rollover Unitholders may realize taxable capital
gains on the Special Redemption and Rollover but, in certain circumstances,
will not be entitled to a deduction for certain capital losses and, due to the
procedures for investing in the subsequent Series of the Trust, no cash would
be distributed at that time to pay any taxes. Included in the cash for the
Special Redemption and Rollover will be any amount of cash attributable to the
last distribution of dividend income; accordingly, Rollover Unitholders also
will not have such cash distributed to pay any taxes. See "Federal
Taxation". Unitholders who do not inform the Distribution Agent that they
wish to have their Units so redeemed and liquidated will not realize capital
gains or losses due to the Special Redemption and Rollover and will not be
charged any additional sales charge.
The Sponsor may for any reason, in its sole discretion, decide not to sponsor
the 1998 Trust or any subsequent Series of the Trust, without penalty or
incurring liability to any Unitholder. If the Sponsor so decides, the Sponsor
shall notify the Unitholders before the Special Redemption Date would have
commenced. The Sponsor may modify the terms of the 1998 Trust or any
subsequent Series of the Trust. The Sponsor may also modify the terms of the
Special Redemption and Rollover in the 1998 Trust upon notice to the
Unitholders prior to the Rollover Notification Date specified in the related
"Summary of Essential Financial Information".
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
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Sponsor Purchases of Units. The Trustee shall notify the Sponsor of any Units
tendered for redemption. If the Sponsor's bid in the secondary market at that
time equals or exceeds the Redemption Price per Unit, it may purchase such
Units by notifying the Trustee before the close of business on the next
succeeding business day and by making payment therefor to the Unitholder not
later than the day on which the Units would otherwise have been redeemed by
the Trustee. Units held by the Sponsor may be tendered to the Trustee for
redemption as any other Units.
The offering price of any Units acquired by the Sponsor will be in accord with
the Public Offering Price described in the then currently effective prospectus
describing such Units. Any profit resulting from the resale of such Units will
belong to the Sponsor which likewise will bear any loss resulting from a lower
offering or redemption price subsequent to its acquisition of such Units.
Portfolio Administration. The portfolio of the Trust is not "managed"
by the Sponsor, Supervisor or the Trustee; their activities described herein
are governed solely by the provisions of the Trust Agreement. Traditional
methods of investment management for a managed fund typically involve frequent
changes in a portfolio of securities on the basis of economic, financial and
market analyses. The Trust, however, will not be managed. The Trust Agreement,
however, provides that the Sponsor may (but need not) direct the Trustee to
dispose of an Equity Security in certain events such as the issuer having
defaulted on the payment on any of its outstanding obligations or the price of
an Equity Security has declined to such an extent or other such credit factors
exist so that in the opinion of the Sponsor the retention of such Securities
would be detrimental to the Trust. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement and with
limited exceptions, the Trustee may sell any securities or other properties
acquired in exchange for Equity Securities such as those acquired in
connection with a merger or other transaction. If offered such new or
exchanged securities or property, the Trustee shall reject the offer. However,
in the event such securities or property are nonetheless acquired by the
Trust, they may be accepted for deposit in the Trust and either sold by the
Trustee or held in the Trust pursuant to the direction of the Sponsor (who may
rely on the advice of the Supervisor). Proceeds from the sale of Securities
(or any securities or other property received by the Trust in exchange for
Equity Securities) are credited to the Capital Account for distribution to
Unitholders, pay an accrued deferred sales charge, to meet redemptions or to
pay certain costs or expenses of the Trust. Except as stated under "Trust
Portfolio" for failed securities and as provided in this paragraph, the
acquisition by the Trust of any securities other than the Securities is
prohibited.
As indicated under "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units" above,
the Trustee may also sell Securities designated by the Supervisor, or if no
such designation has been made, in its own discretion, for the purpose of
redeeming Units of the Trust tendered for redemption and the payment of
expenses.
The Supervisor, in designating Equity Securities to be sold by the Trustee,
will generally make selections in order to maintain, to the extent
practicable, the proportionate relationship among the number of shares of
individual issues of Equity Securities in the Trust. To the extent this is not
practicable, the composition and diversity of the Equity Securities in the
Trust may be altered. In order to obtain the best price for the Trust, it may
be necessary for the Supervisor to specify minimum amounts (generally 100
shares) in which blocks of Equity Securities are to be sold.
Amendment or Termination. The Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustee
and the Sponsor without the consent of any of the Unitholders (1) to cure any
ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision thereof which may be
defective or inconsistent, or (2) to make such other provisions as shall not
adversely affect the Unitholders (as determined in good faith by the Sponsor
and the Trustee), provided, however, that the Trust Agreement may not be
amended to increase the number of Units (except as provided in the Trust
Agreement). The Trust Agreement may also be amended in any respect by the
Trustee and Sponsor, or any of the provisions thereof may be waived, with the
consent of the holders representing 51% of the Units then outstanding,
provided that no such amendment or waiver will reduce the interest in such
Trust of any Unitholder without the consent of such Unitholder or reduce the
percentage of Units required to consent to any such amendment or waiver
without the consent of all Unitholders. The Trustee shall advise the
Unitholders of any amendment promptly after execution thereof.
The Trust may be liquidated at any time by consent of Unitholders representing
66 2/3% of the Units then outstanding or by the Trustee when the value of the
Equity Securities owned by the Trust, as shown by any evaluation, is less than
that amount set forth under Minimum Termination Value in "Summary of
Essential Financial Information." The Trust will be liquidated by the
Trustee in the event that a sufficient number of Units not yet sold are
tendered for redemption by the Sponsor so that the net worth of the Trust
would be reduced to less than 40% of the value of the Securities at the time
they were deposited in the Trust. If the Trust is liquidated because of the
redemption of unsold Units by the Sponsor, the Sponsor will refund to each
purchaser of Units the entire sales charge paid by such purchaser. The Trust
Agreement will terminate upon the sale or other disposition of the last
Security held thereunder, but in no event will it continue beyond the
Mandatory Termination Date stated under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information".
Commencing on the Mandatory Termination Date, Equity Securities will begin to
be sold in connection with the termination of the Trust. The Sponsor will
determine the manner, timing and execution of the sales of the Equity
Securities. The Sponsor shall direct the liquidation of the Securities in such
manner as to effectuate orderly sales and a minimal market impact. In the
event the Sponsor does not so direct, the Securities shall be sold within a
reasonable period and in such manner as the Trustee, in its sole discretion,
shall determine. At least 30 days before the Mandatory Termination Date the
Trustee will provide written notice of any termination to all Unitholders and
will include with such notice a form to enable Unitholders owning 1,000 or
more Units to request an In Kind Distribution rather than payment in cash upon
the termination of the Trust. To be effective, this request must be returned
to the Trustee at least five business days prior to the Mandatory Termination
Date. On the Mandatory Termination Date (or on the next business day
thereafter if a holiday) the Trustee will deliver each requesting Unitholder's
pro rata number of whole shares of each of the Securities in the Trust to the
account of the broker-dealer or bank designated by the Unitholder at
Depository Trust Company. The value of the Unitholder's fractional shares of
the Securities will be paid in cash. Unitholders with less than 1,000 Units,
Unitholders with 1,000 or more Units not requesting an In Kind Distribution
and Unitholders who do not elect the Rollover Option will receive a cash
distribution from the sale of the remaining Securities within a reasonable
time following the Mandatory Termination Date. Regardless of the distribution
involved, the Trustee will deduct from the funds of the Trust any accrued
costs, expenses, advances or indemnities provided by the Trust Agreement,
including estimated compensation of the Trustee, costs of liquidation and any
amounts required as a reserve to provide for payment of any applicable taxes
or other governmental charges. Any sale of Securities upon termination may
result in a lower amount than might otherwise be realized if such sale were
not required at such time. The Trustee will then distribute to each Unitholder
his pro rata share of the balance of the Income and Capital Accounts.
The Sponsor currently intends to, but is not obligated to, offer for sale
units of a subsequent Series of the Trust pursuant to the Rollover Option (see
"Rights of Unitholders--Special Redemption and Rollover in New Fund").
There is, however, no assurance that units of any new Series of the Trust will
be offered for sale at that time, or if offered, that there will be sufficient
units available for sale to meet the requests of any or all Unitholders.
Within 60 days of the final distribution Unitholders will be furnished a final
distribution statement of the amount distributable. At such time as the
Trustee in its sole discretion will determine that any amounts held in reserve
are no longer necessary, it will make distribution thereof to Unitholders in
the same manner.
Limitations on Liabilities. The Sponsor, the Evaluator, the Supervisor and the
Trustee shall be under no liability to Unitholders for taking any action or
for refraining from taking any action in good faith pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, or for errors in judgment, but shall be liable only for their own
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence (negligence in the case of
the Trustee) in the performance of their duties or by reason of their reckless
disregard of their obligations and duties hereunder.
The Trustee shall not be liable for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of
the sale by the Trustee of any of the Securities. In the event of the failure
of the Sponsor to act under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee may act
thereunder and shall not be liable for any action taken by it in good faith
under the Trust Agreement. The Trustee shall not be liable for any taxes or
other governmental charges imposed upon or in respect of the Securities or
upon the interest thereon or upon it as Trustee under the Trust Agreement or
upon or in respect of the Trust which the Trustee may be required to pay under
any present or future law of the United States of America or of any other
taxing authority having jurisdiction. In addition, the Trust Agreement
contains other customary provisions limiting the liability of the Trustee.
The Trustee, Sponsor, Supervisor and Unitholders may rely on any evaluation
furnished by the Evaluator and shall have no responsibility for the accuracy
thereof. Determinations by the Evaluator under the Trust Agreement shall be
made in good faith upon the basis of the best information available to it,
provided, however, that the Evaluator shall be under no liability to the
Trustee, Sponsor or Unitholders for errors in judgment. This provision shall
not protect the Evaluator in any case of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
Sponsor. Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, is the Sponsor of the Trust. The Sponsor is an indirect
subsidiary of VK/AC Holding, Inc. Prior to October 31, 1996, VK/AC Holding,
Inc. was controlled, through the ownership of a substantial majority of its
common stock, by The Clayton & Dubilier Private Equity IV Limited Partnership.
On October 31, 1996, VK/AC Holding, Inc. became a wholly owned indirect
subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Group Inc. pursuant to the closing of an
Agreement and Plan of Merger among Morgan Stanley Group Inc., MSAM Holdings
II, Inc. and MSAM Acquisition Inc., whereby MSAM Acquisition Inc. was merged
with and into VK/AC Holding, Inc. and VK/AC Holding, Inc. was the surviving
corporation (the "Acquisition").
As a result of the Acquisition, VK/AC Holding, Inc. became a wholly owned
subsidiary of MSAM Holdings II, Inc. which, in turn, is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Group Inc. Morgan Stanley Group Inc. and various
of its directly or indirectly owned subsidiaries, including Morgan Stanley
Asset Management Inc., an investment adviser ("MSAM"), Morgan Stanley
& Co. Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, and
Morgan Stanley International, are engaged in a wide range of financial
services. Their principal businesses include securities underwriting,
distribution and trading; merger, acquisition, restructuring and other
corporate finance advisory activities; merchant banking; stock brokerage and
research services; asset management; trading of futures, options, foreign
exchange commodities and swaps (involving foreign exchange, commodities,
indices and interest rates); real estate advice, financing and investing; and
global custody, securities clearance services and securities lending. As of
December 31, 1996, MSAM, together with its affiliated investment advisory
companies, had approximately $113 billion of assets under management and
fiduciary advice.
On February 5, 1997, Morgan Stanley Group Inc. and Dean Witter, Discover & Co.
announced that they had entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger to form
Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover & Co. Subject to certain conditions
being met, it is currently anticipated that the transaction will close in
mid-1997. Thereafter, Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. will be
an indirect subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover & Co.
Dean Witter, Discover & Co. is a financial services company with three major
businesses: full service brokerage, credit services and asset management.
Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. specializes in the underwriting
and distribution of unit investment trusts and mutual funds with roots in
money management dating back to 1926. The Sponsor is a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and has offices at One Parkview Plaza,
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, (630) 684-6000 and 2800 Post Oak Boulevard,
Houston, Texas 77056, (713) 993-0500. It maintains a branch office in
Philadelphia and has regional representatives in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles,
New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa. As of November 30, 1996 the total
stockholders' equity of Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. was
$129,451,000 (unaudited). (This paragraph relates only to the Sponsor and not
to the Trust or to any other Series thereof. The information is included
herein only for the purpose of informing investors as to the financial
responsibility of the Sponsor and its ability to carry out its contractual
obligations. More detailed financial information will be made available by the
Sponsor upon request.)
As of December 31, 1996, the Sponsor and its Van Kampen American Capital
affiliates managed or supervised approximately $59 billion of investment
products, of which over $11.88 billion is invested in municipal securities.
The Sponsor and its Van Kampen American Capital affiliates managed $48 billion
of assets, consisting of $29.9 billion for 59 open end mutual funds (of which
46 are distributed by Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.), $13.1
billion for 38 closed-end funds and $4.99 billion for 106 institutional
accounts. The Sponsor has also deposited approximately $26 billion of unit
investment trusts. All of Van Kampen American Capital's open-end funds,
closed-end funds and unit investment trusts are professionally distributed by
leading financial firms nationwide. Based on cumulative assets deposited, the
Sponsor believes that it is the largest sponsor of insured municipal unit
investment trusts, primarily through the success of its Insured Municipals
Income Trust(R)or the IM-IT(R)trust. The Sponsor also provides
surveillance and evaluation services at cost for approximately $13 billion of
unit investment trust assets outstanding. Since 1976, the Sponsor has serviced
over two million investor accounts, opened through retail distribution firms.
If the Sponsor shall fail to perform any of its duties under the Trust
Agreement or become incapable of acting or shall become bankrupt or its
affairs are taken over by public authorities, then the Trustee may (i) appoint
a successor Sponsor at rates of compensation deemed by the Trustee to be
reasonable and not exceeding amounts prescribed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, (ii) terminate the Trust Agreement and liquidate the Trusts as
provided therein or (iii) continue to act as Trustee without terminating the
Trust Agreement.
Trustee. The Trustee is The Bank of New York, a trust company organized under
the laws of New York. The Bank of New York has its unit investment trust
division offices at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286 (800)
221-7668. The Bank of New York is subject to supervision and examination by
the Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York and the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and its deposits are insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to the extent permitted by law.
The duties of the Trustee are primarily ministerial in nature. It did not
participate in the selection of Securities for the Trust portfolio.
In accordance with the Trust Agreement, the Trustee shall keep proper books of
record and account of all transactions at its office for the Trust. Such
records shall include the name and address of, and the number of Units held
by, every Unitholder of the Trust. Such books and records shall be open to
inspection by any Unitholder at all reasonable times during the usual business
hours. The Trustee shall make such annual or other reports as may from time to
time be required under any applicable state or federal statute, rule or
regulation (see "Rights of Unitholders--Reports Provided" ). The
Trustee is required to keep a certified copy or duplicate original of the
Trust Agreement on file in its office available for inspection at all
reasonable times during the usual business hours by any Unitholder, together
with a current list of the Securities held in the Trust.
Under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee or any successor trustee may resign and
be discharged of its responsibilities created by the Trust Agreement by
executing an instrument in writing and filing the same with the Sponsor. The
Trustee or successor trustee must mail a copy of the notice of resignation to
all Unitholders then of record, not less than 60 days before the date
specified in such notice when such resignation is to take effect. The Sponsor
upon receiving notice of such resignation is obligated to appoint a successor
trustee promptly. If, upon such resignation, no successor trustee has been
appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notification,
the retiring Trustee may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor. The Sponsor may remove the Trustee and appoint a
successor trustee as provided in the Trust Agreement at any time with or
without cause. Notice of such removal and appointment shall be mailed to each
Unitholder by the Sponsor. Upon execution of a written acceptance of such
appointment by such successor trustee, all the rights, powers, duties and
obligations of the original trustee shall vest in the successor. The
resignation or removal of a Trustee becomes effective only when the successor
trustee accepts its appointment as such or when a court of competent
jurisdiction appoints a successor trustee.
Any corporation into which a Trustee may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which a Trustee shall be a party, shall be the successor trustee. The Trustee
must be a banking corporation organized under the laws of the United States or
any state and having at all times an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $5,000,000.
OTHER MATTERS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal Opinions. The legality of the Units offered hereby has been passed upon
by Chapman and Cutler, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, as
counsel for the Sponsor. Kroll & Tract LLP has acted as counsel for the
Trustee.
Independent Certified Public Accountants. The statement of condition and the
related securities portfolio at the Initial Date of Deposit included in this
Prospectus have been audited by Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified
public accountants, as set forth in their report in this Prospectus, and are
included herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in
accounting and auditing.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
and the Unitholders of Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust,
Series 57:
We have audited the accompanying statement of condition and the related
portfolio of Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57
as of ____________, 1997. The statement of condition and portfolio are the
responsibility of the Sponsor. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on
such financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit 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 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 irrevocable letters of credit deposited to
purchase securities by correspondence with the Trustee. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by the
Sponsor, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our
opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57 as of ____________, 1997, in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles.
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Chicago, Illinois
____________, 1997
<TABLE>
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY OPPORTUNITY TRUST,
SERIES 57
STATEMENT OF CONDITION
As of _____________, 1997
<CAPTION>
INVESTMENT IN SECURITIES
<S> <C>
Contracts to purchase Securities <F1>...........$
Organizational costs <F2>.......................
--
Total..........................................$
==
LIABILITIES AND INTEREST OF UNITHOLDERS
Liabilities--...................................
Accrued organizational costs <F2>..............$
Deferred sales charge liability <F3>...........
Interest of Unitholders-- ......................
Cost to investors <F4>.........................
Less: Gross underwriting commission <F4><F5>...
--
Net interest to Unitholders <F4>...............
--
Total..........................................$
==
==========
<FN>
<F1>The aggregate value of the Securities listed under "Portfolio" herein
and their cost to the Trust are the same. The value of the Securities is
determined by Interactive Data Corporation on the bases set forth under "
Public Offering--Offering Price" . The contracts to purchase Securities are
collateralized by a letter of credit of $_________ which has been deposited
with the Trustee.
<F2>The Trust will bear all or a portion of its organizational costs, which will
be deferred and amortized over the life of the Trust. Organizational costs
have been estimated based on a projected Trust size of $_________. To the
extent the Trust is larger or smaller, the estimate will vary. Securities will
be sold to pay organizational costs.
<F3>Represents the amount of mandatory distributions from the Trust on the bases
set forth under "Public Offering."
<F4>The aggregate public offering price and the aggregate initial sales charge are
computed on the bases set forth under "Public Offering--Offering Price"
and "Public Offering--Sponsor and Other Compensation" and assume all
single transactions involve less than 5,000 Units. For single transactions
involving 5,000 or more Units, the sales charge is reduced (see "Public
Offering--General" ) resulting in an equal reduction in both the Cost to
investors and the Gross underwriting commission while the Net interest to
Unitholders remains unchanged.
<F5>Assumes the maximum sales charge.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
STRATEGIC PICKS OPPORTUNITY TRUST, SERIES 1
PORTFOLIO (VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY OPPORTUNITY TRUST, SERIES 57)
as of the Initial Date of Deposit: _____________, 1997
<CAPTION>
Estimated
Market Value Annual Cost of
Number of per Share Dividends per Securities to
Shares Name of Issuer <F1> <F2> Share <F2> Trust <F2>
- ------------- ---------------------- ------------- ------------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$ $ $
$
============= ==
NOTES TO PORTFOLIO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
<F1>All of the Securities are represented by "regular way" contracts for
the performance of which an irrevocable letter of credit has been deposited
with the Trustee. At the Initial Date of Deposit, the Sponsor has assigned to
the Trustee all of its right, title and interest in and to such Securities.
Contracts to acquire Securities were entered into on ___________, 1997 and are
expected to settle on ___________, 1997. (see "The Trust" ).
<F2>The market value of each of the Equity Securities is based on the closing sale
price of each listed Security on the applicable exchange, or on the asked
price if not so listed, on the day prior to the Initial Date of Deposit.
Estimated annual dividends are based on the most recently declared dividends.
The aggregate value of the Securities on the day prior to the Initial Date of
Deposit based on the closing sale price of each listed Security, and on the
bid price if not so listed, (which is the basis on which the Redemption Price
per Unit will be determined) was $_________. The ask price of the applicable
Securities (the basis on which the Public Offering Price per Unit will be
determined during the initial offering period) is greater than the bid price
of such Securities. Other information regarding the Securities in the Trust,
as of the Initial Date of Deposit is as follows:
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Aggregate
Profit (Loss) To Estimated
Cost To Sponsor Sponsor Annual Dividends
- ------------------- --------------------- --------------------
<S> <C> <C>
$ $ $
</TABLE>
An affiliate of the Sponsor may have participated as issuer, sole underwriter,
managing underwriter or member of an underwriting syndicate in a public
offering of one or more of the stocks in the Trust. An affiliate of the
Sponsor may serve as a specialist in the stocks in the Trust on one or more
stock exchanges and may have a long or short position in any of these stocks
or in options on any of these stocks, and may be on the opposite side of
public orders executed on the floor of an exchange where such stocks are
listed. An officer, director or employee of the Sponsor or an affiliate may be
an officer or director of one or more of the issuers of the stocks in the
Trust. An affiliate of the Sponsor may trade for its own account as an odd-lot
dealer, market maker, block positioner and/or arbitrageur in any stocks or
options relating thereto. The Sponsor, its affiliates, directors, elected
officers and employee benefit programs may have either a long or short
position in any stock or option of the issuers.
No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations
not contained in this Prospectus; and any information or representation not
contained herein must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund
or the Sponsor. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a
solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in any state to any person to whom
it is not lawful to make such offer in such state.
<TABLE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<CAPTION>
Title Page
<S> <C>
Summary of Essential Financial Information........... 4
The Trust............................................ 7
Objectives and Securities Selection.................. 8
Trust Portfolio...................................... 10
Risk Factors......................................... 13
Federal Taxation..................................... 14
Trust Operating Expenses............................. 18
Public Offering...................................... 19
Rights of Unitholders................................ 23
Trust Administration................................. 29
Other Matters........................................ 33
Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants... 34
Statement of Condition .............................. 35
Portfolio............................................ 36
Notes to Portfolio................................... 37
</TABLE>
This Prospectus contains information concerning the Fund and the Sponsor, but
does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration
statements and exhibits relating thereto, which the Fund has filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the Securities Act
of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and to which reference is
hereby made.
When Units of the Trust are no longer available, or for investors who will
reinvest into subsequent series of the Trust, this Prospectus may be used as a
preliminary prospectus for a future series; in which case investors should
note the following:
Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A
registration statement relating to securities of a future series has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These securities may not be
sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration
statement becomes effective. The Prospectus shall not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of
these securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would
be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws
of any such State.
PROSPECTUS
______________, 1997
Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 57
Strategic Picks Opportunity Trust, Series 1
A Wealth of Knowledge A Knowledge of Wealth (sm)
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
2800 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77056
Please retain this Prospectus for future reference.
Contents Of Registration Statement
This Registration Statement comprises the following papers and documents:
The facing sheet
The Cross-Reference Sheet
The Prospectus
The signatures
The consents of independent public accountants
and legal counsel
The following exhibits:
1.1 Proposed form of Trust Agreement (to be supplied by amendment).
3.1 Opinion and consent of counsel as to legality of securities being
registered (to be supplied by amendment).
3.2 Opinion and consent of counsel as to New York tax status of
securities being registered (to be supplied by amendment).
4.1 Consent of Interactive Data Corporation (to be supplied by
amendment).
4.2 Financial Data Schedule (to be supplied by amendment).
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant, Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust,
Series 57 has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the
City of Chicago and State of Illinois on the 8th day of April, 1997.
Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust,
Series 57
(Registrant)
By Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.
(Depositor)
Sandra A. Waterworth
Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below on April 8, 1997 by the
following persons who constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of
Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
Signature Title
Don G. Powell Chairman and Chief Executive )
Officer )
William R. Molinari President and Chief Operating )
Officer
Ronald A. Nyberg Executive Vice President and )
General Counsel
William R. Rybak Executive Vice President and )
Chief Financial Officer )
Sandra A. Waterworth
(Attorney-in-fact*)
*An executed copy of each of the related powers of attorney was
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the
Registration Statement on Form S-6 of Insured Municipals Income Trust and
Investors' Quality Tax-Exempt Trust, Multi-Series 203 (File No. 33-65744)
and with the Registration Statement on Form S-6 of Insured Municipals
Income Trust, 170th Insured Multi-Series (File No. 33-55891) and the same
are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
