(OppenheimerFunds logo)
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Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund
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Prospectus dated July 2, 1999
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Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund is a mutual fund that seeks capital
appreciation to make your investment grow. It emphasizes investments in common
stocks and other equity securities of companies having a small market
capitalization.
This Prospectus contains important information about the Fund's objective,
its investment policies, strategies and risks. It also contains important
information about how to buy and sell shares of the Fund and other account
features. Please read this Prospectus carefully before you invest and keep it
for future reference about your account.
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved the Fund's securities nor has it determined that this
Prospectus is accurate or complete. It is a criminal offense to represent
otherwise.
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Contents
About the Fund
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The Fund's Objective and Investment Strategies
Main Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's Performance
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
About the Fund's Investments
How the Fund is Managed
About Your Account
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How to Buy Shares
Class A Shares
Class B Shares
Class C Shares
Class Y Shares
Special Investor Services
AccountLink
PhoneLink
OppenheimerFunds Web Site
Retirement Plans
How to Sell Shares
By Mail
By Telephone
How to Exchange Shares
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
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A B O U T T H E F U N D
The Fund's Objective and Investment Strategies
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What Is the Fund's Investment Objective? The Fund seeks capital appreciation.
What Does the Fund Invest In? The Fund invests mainly in common stocks of
small-capitalization U.S. companies that the Fund's investment Manager,
OppenheimerFunds, Inc., believes have favorable growth prospects. Under normal
market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 65% of its total assets in
common stocks and other equity securities of growth companies having a small
market capitalization.
The Fund currently considers an issuer having a market capitalization of
up to $1.8 billion to be a "small-cap" issuer. The Fund measures that
capitalization at the time the Fund buys the security, and it is not required to
sell the security if the issuer's capitalization grows above $1.8 billion. Over
time, the Fund may change the range of assets it uses to define "small-cap"
issuers, as market conditions change. The Fund's investment program is more
fully explained in "About the Fund's Investments," below.
n How Do the Portfolio Managers Decide What Securities to Buy or Sell? In
selecting securities for purchase or sale by the Fund, the Fund's portfolio
managers use an investment process that combines quantitative models,
fundamental research about particular securities and individual judgment. While
this process and the inter-relationship of the factors used may change over time
and its implementation may vary in particular cases, in general the selection
process involves the use of: o Multi-factor quantitative models: These include a
group of "top-down"
models that analyze data such as relative valuations, relative price
trends, interest rates and the shape of the yield curve. These help
direct portfolio emphasis by industries and value or growth styles. A
group of "bottom up" models helps to rank stocks in a universe
typically including the 1000 stocks that follow the largest 1000 stocks
in order of market capitalization, selecting stocks for relative
attractiveness by analyzing fundamental stock and company
characteristics.
o Fundamental research: The portfolio managers use internal research and
analysis by other market analysts, with emphasis on current company
news and industry-related events.
o Judgment: The portfolio is then continuously re-balanced by the
portfolio managers, using all of the tools described above.
In seeking broad diversification of the Fund's portfolio, the portfolio
managers currently search primarily for the following characteristics (although
these may vary over time and in different cases): o Companies with a small
market capitalization, primarily under $1.8
billion.
o Companies with management that has the ability to handle rapid growth.
o Companies between their start-up and emerging growth phases.
o Companies with a history of high earnings and revenue growth.
Who Is the Fund Designed For? The Fund is designed primarily for investors
seeking capital growth in their investment over the long term. Those investors
should be willing to assume the greater risks of short-term share price
fluctuations that are typical for a growth fund focusing on small-cap stocks.
The Fund does not seek current income and the income from its investments will
likely be small, so it is not designed for investors needing current income.
Because of its focus on long-term growth, the Fund may be appropriate for part
of a retirement plan's investments. However, the Fund is not a complete
investment program.
Main Risks of Investing in the Fund
All investments carry risks to some degree. The Fund's investments in
stocks are subject to changes in their value from a number of factors, including
changes in general stock market movements (this is referred to as "market
risk"). Stocks of growth companies may provide greater opportunities for capital
appreciation but may be more volatile than other stocks. That volatility is
likely to be even greater for small-cap companies. There may be changes in value
of a particular stock because of an event affecting the issuer.
At times, the Fund may increase the relative emphasis of its investments
in a particular industry. Therefore, it may be subject to the risks that
economic, political, or other events can have a negative effect on the values of
securities of issuers in that industry (this is referred to as "industry risk").
While the Manager and the portfolio managers are experienced in managing and
operating mutual funds, the Fund is a new fund with no operating history.
These risks collectively form the risk profile of the Fund, and can affect
the value of the Fund's investments, its investment performance and its price
per share. These risks mean that you can lose money by investing in the Fund.
When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid
for them.
The Manager tries to reduce risks by carefully researching securities
before they are purchased. The Fund attempts to reduce its exposure to market
risks by diversifying its investments, that is, by not holding a substantial
percentage of the stock of any one company and by not investing too great a
percentage of the Fund's assets in any one company. Also, the Fund does not
concentrate 25% or more of its assets in its investments in any one industry.
However, changes in the overall market prices of securities can occur at
any time. The share price of the Fund will change daily based on changes in
market prices of securities and market conditions, and in response to other
economic events. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment
objective.
|X| Risks of Investing in Stocks. Because the Fund invests primarily in
common stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be affected by changes in
the stock markets. Market risk will affect the Fund's net asset value per share,
which will fluctuate as the values of the Fund's portfolio securities change.
The prices of individual stocks do not all move in the same direction uniformly
or at the same time. Different stock markets may behave differently from each
other.
Additionally, stocks of issuers in a particular industry may be affected
by changes in economic conditions, government regulations, availability of basic
resources or supplies or other events that affect that industry more than
others. To the extent that the Fund increases the relative emphasis of its
investments in a particular industry, its share prices might fluctuate in
response to events affecting that industry. Other factors can affect a
particular stock's price, such as poor earnings reports by the issuer, loss of
major customers, or major litigation against the issuer.
|X| Special Risks of Small-Cap Stocks. The Fund invests mainly in stock of
small-cap companies, which generally are newer companies. While these stocks may
offer greater opportunities for long-term capital appreciation than larger, more
established companies, they involve substantially greater risks of loss and
price fluctuations. Small-cap companies may have limited product lines or
markets for their products, limited access to financial resources and less depth
in management skill than larger, more established companies.
Small-cap stocks may be less liquid than those of larger issuers. That
means the Fund could have greater difficulty selling a security of a small cap
issuer at an acceptable price, especially in periods of market volatility. That
increases the Fund's potential for losses. Also, it may take a substantial
period of time before the Fund realizes a gain on an investment in a small-cap
company, if it realizes any gain at all.
How Risky is the Fund Overall? In the short term, small-cap stocks can be
volatile. The price of the Fund's shares can go up and down substantially. The
Fund generally does not use income-producing investments to help cushion the
Fund's total return from changes in stock prices, except for defensive purposes.
Its share prices are likely to fluctuate more than funds that emphasize large
capitalization stocks, or funds that focus on both stocks and bonds. The Fund is
an aggressive investment vehicle designed for investors willing to assume
greater risks in the hope of achieving greater long-term gains.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government
agency.
The Fund's Performance
Because the Fund is a new fund and has not completed a full calendar year's
operations, performance information is not included in this Prospectus. To
obtain performance information of the Fund after its first full calendar quarter
of operations, you can either contact the Transfer Agent, OppenheimerFunds
Services, or visit the OppenheimerFunds web site. Please remember that the Fund
is intended as a long-term investment and performance information for a short
period should not be relied upon as indicative of what the Fund's long-term
performance results might be.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
The Fund pays a variety of expenses directly for management of its assets,
administration, distribution of its shares and other services. Those expenses
are subtracted from the Fund's assets to calculate the Fund's net asset value
per share. All shareholders therefore pay those expenses indirectly.
Shareholders pay other expenses directly, such as sales charges and account
transaction charges. The following tables are provided to help you understand
the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees (charges paid directly from your investment):
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Class A Class B Class C Class Y
Shares Shares Shares Shares
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Maximum Sales Charge
(Load) on purchases 5.75% None None None
(as % of offering price)
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Maximum Deferred
Sales Charge
(Load) (as % of the lower None1 5%2 1%3 None
of the original offering
price or redemption
proceeds)
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1. A contingent deferred sales charge may apply to redemptions of investments of
$1 million or more ($500,000 for retirement plan accounts) of Class A shares.
See "How to Buy Shares" for details.
2. Applies to redemptions in first year after purchase. The contingent deferred
sales charge declines to 1% in the sixth year and is eliminated after that.
3. Applies to shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (deducted from Fund assets):
(% of average daily net assets)
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Class A Class B Class C Class Y
Shares Shares Shares Shares
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Management Fees 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75%
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Distribution and/or 0.25% 1.00% 1.00% None
Service
(12b-1) Fees
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Other Expenses 0.55% 0.55% 0.55% 0.55%
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Total Annual Operating 1.55% 2.30% 2.30% 1.30%
Expenses
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Expenses may vary in future years. Because the Fund is a new fund and has no
operating history, the rates for the management fees and the 12b-1 Plan fees are
the maximum rates that can be charged. "Other expenses" are estimates of the
transfer agent fees, custodial expenses, and accounting and legal expenses,
based on the Manager's projections of what those expenses will be in the Fund's
first fiscal year.
Examples. These examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing
in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The examples
assume that you invest $10,000 in a class of shares of the Fund for the time
periods indicated and reinvest your dividends and distributions.
The first example assumes that you redeem all of your shares at the end of
those periods. The second example assumes that you keep your shares. Both
examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
class's operating expenses remain the same. The operating expenses used are the
estimates used in the table above because the Fund is a new fund with no
operating history. Your actual costs may be higher or lower because expenses
will vary over time. Based on these assumptions your expenses would be as
follows:
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If shares are redeemed: 1 Year 3 Years
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Class A Shares $724 $1,036
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Class B Shares $733 $1,018
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Class C Shares $333 $718
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Class Y Shares $132 $412
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If shares are not 1 Year 3 Years
redeemed:
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Class A Shares $724 $1,036
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Class B Shares $233 $718
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Class C Shares $233 $718
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Class Y Shares $132 $412
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In the first example, expenses include the initial sales charge for Class A and
the applicable Class B or Class C contingent deferred sales charges. In the
second example, the Class A expenses include the sales charge, but Class B and
Class C expenses do not include the contingent deferred sales charges.
About the Fund's Investments
The Fund's Principal Investment Policies. The composition of the Fund's
portfolio will vary over time based upon the evaluation of particular securities
and economic and market trends by the Manager. The Fund's portfolio might not
always include all of the different types of investments described below. The
Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about the
Fund's investment policies and risks.
|X| Small-Cap Stocks. The Manager looks primarily for stocks of smaller
companies that have growth potential. Small-cap growth companies could include,
for example, companies that are developing new products or services, that have
relatively favorable prospects, or that are expanding into new and growing
markets. They may be providing new products or services that can enable them to
capture a dominant or important market position. They may have a special area of
expertise or the capability to take advantage of changes in demographic factors
in a more profitable way than larger, more established companies. Current
examples include companies in the fields of telecommunications, biotechnology,
computer software, and new consumer products.
The definition of small capitalization issuers used by the Manager is
based on the current market capitalization measurement used by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc., an independent mutual fund rating company. The range of assets
can change and the Manager may choose another basis for determining its
definition of "small cap."
o Investing in Small, Unseasoned Companies. The Fund can invest in
small, unseasoned companies. These are companies that have been in operation
less than three years, including the operations of any predecessors. Because
these companies have a limited operating history and may be more dependent on
the efforts of individual managers, their securities may have limited liquidity
and their prices may be very volatile. The Fund currently does not intend to
invest more than 20% of its net assets in these securities.
Newer growth companies typically retain a large part of their earnings for
research, development or investment in capital assets. Therefore, they do not
tend to emphasize paying dividends, and may not pay any dividends for some time
after the Fund buys their stock. However, the Fund does not have current income
as a goal.
|X| Can the Fund's Investment Objective and Policies Change? The Fund's
Board of Trustees can change non-fundamental investment policies without
shareholder approval, although significant changes will be described in
amendments to this Prospectus. Fundamental policies are those that cannot be
changed without the approval of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting
shares. The Fund's objective is a fundamental policy. Investment restrictions
that are fundamental policies are listed in the Statement of Additional
Information. An investment policy is not fundamental unless this Prospectus or
the Statement of Additional Information says that it is.
|X| Portfolio Turnover. The Fund can engage in short-term trading to try
to achieve its objective, however, it is not expected to have a portfolio
turnover rate in excess of 150% annually. Portfolio turnover affects brokerage
costs the Fund pays and high portfolio turnover can increase the costs the Fund
pays and reduce the performance of the Fund. If the Fund realizes capital gains
when it sells its portfolio investments, it must generally pay those gains out
to shareholders, increasing their taxable distributions.
Other Investment Strategies. To seek its objective, the Fund can also use the
investment techniques and strategies described below. The Fund might not always
use all of the different types of techniques and investments described below.
These techniques involve certain risks, although some are designed to help
reduce investment or market risks.
|X| Other Investments. The Fund's investments are not limited only to
small-cap issuers. Under normal market conditions, up to 35% of the assets of
the Fund can be invested in securities of mid-size and large capitalization
companies, if the Manager believes they offer opportunities for growth.
n Other Equity Securities. While the Fund emphasizes investments in common
stocks, it can also buy preferred stocks and securities convertible into common
stock. They can include domestic or foreign securities. The Fund does not expect
to invest more than 5% of its net assets in preferred stock and not more than
10% of its net assets in convertible debt securities, although these limits can
be changed by the Manager.
o Convertible Securities. Although some convertible securities are debt
securities, the Manager considers some of them to be "equity equivalents"
because they can be converted into common stock. Convertible debt securities are
subject to interest rate risk, which means that their prices vary inversely to
changes in interest rates: the prices of outstanding debt securities tend to
fall when prevailing interest rates rise and to rise when interest rates fall.
They are also subject to "credit risk," which is the risk that the issuer might
default on its obligation to pay interest and to repay principal in a timely
manner.
The Fund can buy rated or unrated convertible debt securities that are
investment grade, which are in the four highest rating categories of national
rating agencies. It can also buy securities that are below investment grade,
which are commonly called "junk bonds" and have greater risks of default than
investment grade securities. If debt securities are convertible, their rating
has less impact on the Manager's investment decision than in the case of other
debt securities.
o Preferred Stock. Unlike common stock, preferred stock typically has a
stated dividend rate. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative (they remain a
liability of the company until they are paid) or non-cumulative. When interest
rates rise, the value of preferred stock having a fixed dividend rate tends to
fall. The right to payment of dividends on preferred stock is generally
subordinate to the rights of a company's debt securities.
|X| Foreign Investing. The Fund can buy securities of companies in any
country, including developed countries and emerging markets. There is no limit
on the amount of the Fund's assets that may be invested in foreign securities.
However, the Fund currently does not expect to invest more than 10% of its net
assets in foreign securities, although it may do so if the Manager believes that
foreign securities offer attractive growth opportunities.
o Special Risks of Foreign Investing. While foreign securities offer
special investment opportunities, there are also special risks. The change in
value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a change in
the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in that foreign currency.
Foreign issuers are not subject to the same accounting and disclosure
requirements that U.S. companies are subject to. The value of foreign
investments may be affected by exchange control regulations, expropriation or
nationalization of a company's assets, foreign taxes, delays in settlement of
transactions, changes in governmental economic or monetary policy in the U.S. or
abroad, or other political and economic factors. Securities in emerging market
countries may be more difficult to sell and their prices may be more volatile.
|X| Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Investments may be illiquid
because there is no active trading market for them. That may make it difficult
for the Fund to value them or dispose of them promptly at an acceptable price. A
restricted security is one that has a contractual restriction on its resale or
which cannot be sold publicly until it is registered under the Securities Act of
1933. The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its net assets in illiquid or
restricted securities. The Board can increase that limit to 15%. Certain
restricted securities that are eligible for resale to qualified institutional
purchasers may not be subject to that limit. The Manager monitors holdings of
illiquid securities on an ongoing basis to determine whether to sell any
holdings to maintain adequate liquidity.
|X| Derivative Investments. The Fund can use derivatives to seek increased
returns or to try to hedge investment risks. In general terms, a derivative
investment is an investment contract whose value depends on (or is derived from)
the value of an underlying asset, interest rate and/or index. Options, futures,
and forward contracts are examples of derivatives the Fund can use. Currently,
the Fund does not intend to use these types of investments to a significant
degree.
o Special Risks of Derivatives. If the issuer of the derivative does
not pay the amount due, the Fund can lose money on the investment. Also, the
underlying security or investment on which the derivative is based, and the
derivative itself, may not perform the way the Manager expected it to perform.
If that happens, the Fund's share price could decline. Interest rate and stock
market changes in the U.S. and abroad may also influence the performance of
derivatives. Certain derivative investments held by the Fund may be illiquid.
The Fund has limits on the amount of particular types of derivatives it can
hold. However, using derivatives can cause the Fund to lose money on its
investment and/or increase the volatility of its share prices.
o Hedging. The Fund can buy and sell certain kinds of futures
contracts, forward contracts, and put and call options, including options on
futures and securities indices. These are all referred to as "hedging
instruments." The Fund does not currently anticipate using hedging extensively
and does not use hedging instruments for speculative purposes. It has limits on
its use of hedging instruments and is not required to use them in seeking its
objective.
Some of these strategies could hedge the Fund's portfolio against price
fluctuations. Other hedging strategies, such as buying futures and call options,
could tend to increase the Fund's exposure to the securities market. Forward
contracts could be used to try to manage foreign currency risks on the Fund's
foreign investments.
Option trading involves the payment of premiums and has special tax
effects on the Fund. There are also special risks in particular hedging
strategies. If the Manager used a hedging instrument at the wrong time or judged
market conditions incorrectly, the strategy could reduce the Fund's return. The
Fund could also experience losses if the prices of its futures and options
positions were not correlated with its other investments or if it could not
close out a position because of an illiquid market.
Temporary Defensive Investments. In times of unstable or adverse market or
economic conditions, the Fund can invest up to 100% of its assets in temporary
defensive investments. Generally they would be highly-rated commercial paper and
money market instruments, U.S. government securities, and repurchase agreements.
The Fund can also hold these types of securities pending the investment of
proceeds from the sale of Fund shares or portfolio securities or to meet
anticipated redemptions of Fund shares. To the extent the Fund invests
defensively in these securities, it might not achieve its investment objective.
Year 2000 Risks. Because some computer software systems in use today cannot
distinguish the year 2000 from the year 1900, the markets for securities in
which the Fund invests could be detrimentally affected by computer failures
beginning January 1, 2000. Failure of computer systems used for securities
trading could result in settlement and liquidity problems for the Fund and other
investors. That failure could have a negative impact on handling securities
trades, pricing and accounting services. Issuers of securities the Fund buys
might incur substantial costs in attempting to prevent or fix their computer
systems, which could have a negative effect on the Fund's investments and
returns.
The Manager, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent have been working on
necessary changes to their computer systems to deal with the year 2000 and
expect that their systems will be adapted in time for that event, although there
cannot be assurance of success. Additionally, the services they provide depend
on the interaction of their computer systems with those of brokers, information
services, the Fund's custodian bank and other parties. Therefore, any failure of
the computer systems of those parties to deal with the year 2000 might also have
a negative effect on the services they provide to the Fund. The extent of that
risk cannot be ascertained at this time.
How the Fund Is Managed
The Manager. The Fund's investment Manager, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., chooses the
Fund's investments and handles its day-to-day business. The Manager carries out
its duties, subject to the policies established by the Fund's Board of Trustees,
under an Investment Advisory Agreement that states the Manager's
responsibilities. The Agreement sets the fees paid by the Fund to the Manager
and describes the expenses that the Fund is responsible to pay to conduct its
business.
The Manager has operated as an investment adviser since 1959. The Manager
(including subsidiaries) currently manages assets of more than $110 billion as
of June 30, 1999, including investment companies with more than 4 million
shareholder accounts and private accounts. The Manager is located at Two World
Trade Center, 34th Floor, New York, New York 10048-0203.
|X| Portfolio Managers. The portfolio managers of the Fund are Charles
Albers and Mark Zavanelli. Mr. Albers is a Vice President of the Fund, a
Senior Vice President of the Manager and an officer and portfolio manager of
other Oppenheimer funds. Mr. Zavanelli is an Assistant Vice President of the
Fund and of the Manager.
Prior to joining the Manager in April 1998, Mr. Albers was a portfolio
manager at Guardian Investor Services (from 1972), the investment management
subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company. Before joining the Manager in
April 1998, Mr. Zavanelli was President of Waterside Capital Management, a
registered investment advisor (from August 1995), and a financial research
analyst for Elder Research (from June 1997). Prior to that he was a manager of
research services for ZPR Investment Management, Inc., an investment advisor
(from June 1992 to July 1995).
|X| Advisory Fees. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays
the Manager an advisory fee at an annual rate that declines on additional assets
as the Fund grows: 0.75% of the first $200 million of average annual net assets
of the Fund, 0.72% of the next $200 million, 0.69% of the next $200 million;
0.66% of the next $200 million; and 0.60% of average annual net assets in excess
of $800 million.
A B O U T Y O U R A C C O U N T
How to Buy Shares
How Are Shares Purchased? You can buy shares several ways -
o through any dealer, broker or financial institution that has a sales
agreement with the Fund's Distributor, OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.,
or
o directly through the Distributor, or
o automatically through an Asset Builder Plan under the OppenheimerFunds
AccountLink service.
The Distributor may appoint certain servicing agents to accept purchase (and
redemption) orders. The Distributor, in its sole discretion, may reject any
purchase order for the Fund's shares.
|X| Buying Shares Through Your Dealer. Your dealer will place your
order with the Distributor on your behalf.
|X| Buying Shares Through the Distributor. Complete an OppenheimerFunds
New Account Application and return it with a check payable to "OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc." Mail it to P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado 80217. If you
don't list a dealer on the application, the Distributor will act as your agent
in buying the shares. However, we recommend that you discuss your investment
with a financial advisor before you make a purchase to be sure that the Fund is
appropriate for you.
|X| Buying Shares by Federal Funds Wire. Shares purchased through the
Distributor may be paid for by Federal Funds wire. The minimum investment is
$2,500. Before sending a wire, call the Distributor's Wire Department at
1-800-525-7048 to notify the Distributor of the wire, and to receive further
instructions.
|X| Buying Shares Through OppenheimerFunds AccountLink. With AccountLink,
shares are purchased for your account through the Automated Clearing House (ACH)
system. You can provide those instructions automatically, under an Asset Builder
Plan, described below, or by telephone instructions using OppenheimerFunds
PhoneLink, also described below. Please refer to "AccountLink," below for more
details.
|X| Buying Shares Through Asset Builder Plans. You may purchase shares of
the Fund (and up to four other Oppenheimer funds) automatically each month from
your account at a bank or other financial institution under an Asset Builder
Plan with AccountLink. Details are in the Asset Builder Application and the
Statement of Additional Information.
How Much Must You Invest? You can open a Fund account with a minimum initial
investment of $1,000 and make additional investments at any time with as
little as $25. There are reduced minimum investments under special investment
plans.
o With Asset Builder Plans, 403(b) plans, Automatic Exchange Plans and
military allotment plans, you can make initial and subsequent investments for
as little as $25. Subsequent purchases of at least $25 can be made by
telephone through AccountLink.
o Under retirement plans, such as IRAs, pension and profit-sharing plans and
401(k) plans, you can start your account with as little as $250. If your IRA
is started under an Asset Builder Plan, the $25 minimum applies.
Additional purchases may be as little as $25.
o The minimum investment requirement does not apply to reinvesting dividends
from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds (a list of them appears in the
Statement of Additional Information, or you can ask your dealer or call the
Transfer Agent), or reinvesting distributions from unit investment trusts
that have made arrangements with the Distributor.
At What Price Are Shares Sold? Shares are sold at their offering price (the net
asset value per share plus any initial sales charge that applies). The offering
price that applies to a purchase order is based on the next calculation of the
net asset value per share that is made after the Distributor receives the
purchase order at its offices in Denver, Colorado, or after any agent appointed
by the Distributor receives the order and sends it to the Distributor. Shares
purchased through AccoutLink normally will be purchased for your account two
business days after the regular business day on which you instruct the
Distributor to initiate the ACH transfer to buy the shares.
|_| Net Asset Value. The net asset value of each class of shares is
determined as of the close of The New York Stock Exchange, on each day the
Exchange is open for trading (referred to in this Prospectus as a "regular
business day"). The Exchange normally closes at 4:00 P.M., New York time, but
may close earlier on some days. All references to time in this Prospectus mean
"New York time."
The net asset value per share is determined by dividing the value of the
Fund's net assets attributable to a class by the number of shares of that class
that are outstanding. To determine net asset value, the Fund's Board of Trustees
has established procedures to value the Fund's securities, in general based on
market value. The Board has adopted special procedures for valuing illiquid and
restricted securities and obligations for which market values cannot be readily
obtained. Because some foreign securities trade in markets and on exchanges that
operate on weekends and U.S. holidays, the values of some of the Fund's foreign
investments might change significantly on days when investors cannot buy or
redeem shares.
|_| The Offering Price. To receive the offering price for a particular
day, in most cases the Distributor or its designated agent must receive your
order by the time of day The New York Stock Exchange closes that day. If your
order is received on a day when the Exchange is closed or after it has closed,
the order will receive the next offering price that is determined after your
order is received.
|_| Buying Through a Dealer. If you buy shares through a dealer, your
dealer must receive the order by the close of The New York Stock Exchange and
transmit it to the Distributor so that it is received before the Distributor's
close of business on a regular business day (normally 5:00 P.M.) to receive that
day's offering price. Otherwise, the order will receive the next offering price
that is determined.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Classes of Shares Does the Fund Offer? The Fund offers investors four
different classes of shares. The different classes of shares represent
investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject
to different expenses and will likely have different share prices. When you
buy shares, be sure to specify the class of shares. If you do not choose a
class, your investment will be made in Class A shares.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|X| Class A Shares. If you buy Class A shares, you pay an initial sales
charge (on investments up to $1 million for regular accounts or $500,000 for
certain retirement plans). The amount of that sales charge will vary depending
on the amount you invest. The sales charge rates are listed in "How Can I Buy
Class A Shares?" below.
|X| Class B Shares. If you buy Class B shares, you pay no sales charge
at the time of purchase, but you will pay an annual asset-based sales charge.
If you sell your shares within six years of buying them, you will normally
pay a contingent deferred sales charge. That contingent deferred sales
charge varies depending on how long you own your shares, as described in "How
Can I Buy Class B Shares?" below.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|X| Class C Shares. If you buy Class C shares, you pay no sales charge at
the time of purchase, but you will pay an annual asset-based sales charge. If
you sell your shares within 12 months of buying them, you will normally pay a
contingent deferred sales charge of 1%, as described in "How Can I Buy Class C
Shares?" below.
n Class Y Shares. Class Y shares are offered only to certain institutional
investors that have special agreements with the Distributor.
Which Class of Shares Should You Choose? Once you decide that the Fund is an
appropriate investment for you, the decision as to which class of shares is best
suited to your needs depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with
your financial advisor. Some factors to consider are how much you plan to invest
and how long you plan to hold your investment. If your goals and objectives
change over time and you plan to purchase additional shares, you should
re-evaluate those factors to see if you should consider another class of shares.
The Fund's operating costs that apply to a class of shares and the effect of the
different types of sales charges on your investment will vary your investment
results over time.
The discussion below is not exhaustive and is not intended to be
investment advice or a recommendation, because each investor's financial
considerations are different. You should review these factors with your
financial advisor. The discussion below assumes that you will purchase only one
class of shares, and not a combination of shares of different classes.
|X| How Long Do You Expect to Hold Your Investment? While future financial
needs cannot be predicted with certainty, knowing how long you expect to hold
your investment will assist you in selecting the appropriate class of shares.
Because of the effect of class-based expenses, your choice will also depend on
how much you plan to invest. For example, the reduced sales charges available
for larger purchases of Class A shares may, over time, offset the effect of
paying an initial sales charge on your investment, compared to the effect over
time of higher class-based expenses on shares of Class B or Class C.
|_| Investing for the Shorter Term. While the Fund is intended as a
long-term investment, if you have a relatively short-term investment horizon
(that is, you plan to hold your shares for not more than six years), you should
probably consider purchasing Class A or Class C shares rather than Class B
shares. That is because of the effect of the Class B contingent deferred sales
charge if you redeem within six years, as well as the effect of the Class B
asset-based sales charge on the investment return for that class in the
short-term. Class C shares might be the appropriate choice (especially for
investments of less than $100,000), because there is no initial sales charge on
Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to
amounts you sell after holding them one year.
However, if you plan to invest more than $100,000 for the shorter term,
then as your investment horizon increases toward six years, Class C shares might
not be as advantageous as Class A shares. That is because the annual asset-based
sales charge on Class C shares will have a greater impact on your account over
the longer term than the reduced front-end sales charge available for larger
purchases of Class A shares.
And for investors who invest $1 million or more, in most cases Class A
shares will be the most advantageous choice, no matter how long you intend to
hold your shares. For that reason, the Distributor normally will not accept
purchase orders of $500,000 or more of Class B shares or $1 million or more of
Class C shares from a single investor.
|_| Investing for the Longer Term. If you are investing less than
$100,000 for the longer-term, for example for retirement, and do not expect to
need access to your money for seven years or more, Class B shares may be
appropriate.
Of course, these examples are based on approximations of the effect of
current sales charges and expenses projected over time, and do not detail all of
the considerations in selecting a class of shares. You should analyze your
options carefully with your financial advisor before making that choice.
|X| Are There Differences in Account Features That Matter to You? Some
account features may not be available to Class B or Class C shareholders. Other
features may not be advisable (because of the effect of the contingent deferred
sales charge) for Class B or Class C shareholders. Therefore, you should
carefully review how you plan to use your investment account before deciding
which class of shares to buy.
Additionally, the dividends payable to Class B and Class C shareholders
will be reduced by the additional expenses borne by those classes that are not
borne by Class A or Class Y shares, such as the Class B and Class C asset-based
sales charge described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.
Share certificates are not available for Class B and Class C shares, and if you
are considering using your shares as collateral for a loan, that may be a factor
to consider.
|X| How Does It Affect Payments to My Broker? A salesperson, such as a
broker, may receive different compensation for selling one class of shares than
for selling another class. It is important to remember that Class B and Class C
contingent deferred sales charges and asset-based sales charges have the same
purpose as the front-end sales charge on sales of Class A shares: to compensate
the Distributor for commissions and expenses it pays to dealers and financial
institutions for selling shares. The Distributor may pay additional compensation
from its own resources to securities dealers or financial institutions based
upon the value of shares of the Fund owned by the dealer or financial
institution for its own account or for its customers.
Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers. Appendix C to the Statement of
Additional Information details the conditions for the waiver of sales charges
that apply in certain cases, and the special sales charge rates that apply to
purchases of shares of the Fund by certain groups, or under specified retirement
plan arrangements or in other special types of transactions.
How Can I Buy Class A Shares? Class A shares are sold at their offering price,
which is normally net asset value plus an initial sales charge. However, in some
cases, described below, purchases are not subject to an initial sales charge,
and the offering price will be the net asset value. In other cases, reduced
sales charges may be available, as described below or in the Statement of
Additional Information. Out of the amount you invest, the Fund receives the net
asset value to invest for your account.
The sales charge varies depending on the amount of your purchase. A
portion of the sales charge may be retained by the Distributor or allocated to
your dealer as commission. The Distributor reserves the right to pay the entire
commission to dealers. The current sales charge rates and commissions paid to
dealers and brokers are as follows:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Front-End Sales Front-End Sales
Charge As a Charge As a Commission As
Percentage of Percentage of Net Percentage of
Amount of Purchase Offering Price Amount Invested Offering Price
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than $25,000 5.75% 6.10% 4.75%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$25,000 or more but 5.50% 5.82% 4.75%
less than $50,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$50,000 or more but 4.75% 4.99% 4.00%
less than $100,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 or more
but less than 3.75% 3.90% 3.00%
$250,000
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- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 or more
but less than 2.50% 2.56% 2.00%
$500,000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 or more
but less than $1 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
million
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|X| Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. There is no initial sales
charge on purchases of Class A shares of any one or more of the Oppenheimer
funds aggregating $1 million or more or for certain purchases by particular
types of retirement plans described in Appendix C to the Statement of Additional
Information. The Distributor pays dealers of record commissions in an amount
equal to 1.0% of purchases of $1 million or more other than by those retirement
accounts. For those retirement plan accounts, the commission is 1.0% of the
first $2.5 million, plus 0.50% of the next $2.5 million, plus 0.25% of purchases
over $5 million, calculated on a 12 month basis. In either case, the commission
will be paid only on purchases that were not previously subject to a front-end
sales charge and dealer commission.1
1 No commission will be paid on sales of Class A shares purchased with the
redemption proceeds of shares of another mutual fund offered as an investment
option in a retirement plan in which Oppenheimer funds are also offered as
investment options under a special arrangement with the Distributor, if the
purchase occurs more than 30 days after the Oppenheimer funds are added as an
investment option under that plan.
If you redeem any of those shares within 18 months of the end of the
calendar month of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge (called the
"Class A contingent deferred sales charge") may be deducted from the redemption
proceeds. That sales charge will be equal to 1.0% of the lesser of (1) the
aggregate net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption
(excluding shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends or capital gain
distributions) or (2) the original net asset value of the redeemed shares.
However, the Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not exceed the
aggregate amount of the commissions the Distributor paid to your dealer on all
purchases of Class A shares of all Oppenheimer funds you made that were subject
to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge is payable when
shares are redeemed, the Fund will first redeem shares that are not subject to
the sales charge, including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends and
capital gains. Then the Fund will redeem other shares in the order in which you
purchased them. The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is waived in
certain cases described in Appendix C to the Statement of Additional
Information. In order to receive a waiver of the Class A contingent deferred
sales charge, you must notify the Transfer Agent when purchasing shares whether
any of the special conditions apply.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is not charged on exchanges
of shares under the Fund's exchange privilege (described below). However, if the
shares acquired by exchange are redeemed within 18 calendar months of the end of
the calendar month in which the exchanged shares were originally purchased, then
the sales charge will apply.
How Can I Reduce Sales Charges for Class A Share Purchases? You may be eligible
to buy Class A shares at reduced sales charge rates under the Fund's "Right of
Accumulation" or a Letter of Intent, as described in "Reduced Sales Charges" in
the Statement of Additional Information. The Class A initial and contingent
deferred sales charges are not imposed in the circumstances described in
Appendix C to the Statement of Additional Information.
How Can I Buy Class B Shares? Class B shares are sold at net asset value per
share without an initial sales charge. However, if Class B shares are redeemed
within 6 years of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge will be
deducted from the redemption proceeds. The Class B contingent deferred sales
charge is paid to compensate the Distributor for its expenses of providing
distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of Class B
shares.
The contingent deferred sales charge will be based on the lesser of the
net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption or the original
net asset value. The contingent deferred sales charge is not imposed on: o the
amount of your account value represented by an increase in net
asset value over the initial purchase price,
o shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions, or
o shares redeemed in the special circumstances described in Appendix C to
the Statement of Additional Information.
To determine whether the contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, the Fund redeems shares in the following order:
1. shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains
distributions,
2. shares held for over 6 years, and
3. shares held the longest during the 6-year period.
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will depend on the
number of years since you invested and the dollar amount being redeemed,
according to the following schedule:
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on
Years Since Beginning of Month in Redemptions in That Year
Which (As % of Amount Subject to Charge)
Purchase Order was Accepted
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 - 1 5.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 2 4.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 - 3 3.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 - 4 3.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 - 5 2.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 - 6 1.0%
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- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 and following None
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the table, a "year" is a 12-month period. In applying the sales charge, the
holding period is measured from the day you purchase the shares.
|X| Automatic Conversion of Class B Shares. Class B shares automatically
convert to Class A shares 72 months after you purchase them. This conversion
feature relieves Class B shareholders of the asset-based sales charge that
applies to Class B shares under the Class B Distribution and Service Plan,
described below. The conversion is based on the relative net asset value of the
two classes, and no sales load or other charge is imposed. When Class B shares
convert, a prorated portion of any other Class B shares that were acquired by
the reinvestment of dividends and distributions will also convert to Class A
shares. The conversion feature is subject to the continued availability of a tax
ruling described in the Statement of Additional Information.
How Can I Buy Class C Shares? Class C shares are sold at net asset value per
share without an initial sales charge. However, if Class C shares are redeemed
within 12 months of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.0%
will be deducted from the redemption proceeds. The Class C contingent deferred
sales charge is paid to compensate the Distributor for its expenses of providing
distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of Class C
shares.
The contingent deferred sales charge will be based on the lesser of the
net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption or the original
net asset value. The contingent deferred sales charge is not imposed on: o the
amount of your account value represented by the increase in net
asset value over the initial purchase price,
o shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions, or
o shares redeemed in the special circumstances described in Appendix C to
the Statement of Additional Information.
To determine whether the contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, the Fund redeems shares in the following order:
1. shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains
distributions,
2. shares held for over 12 months, and
3. shares held the longest during the 12-month period.
Who Can Buy Class Y Shares? Class Y shares are sold at net asset value per share
without sales charge directly to institutional investors that have special
agreements with the Distributor for this purpose. They may include insurance
companies, registered investment companies and employee benefit plans. For
example, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, an affiliate of the
Manager, may purchase Class Y shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds (as
well as Class Y shares of funds advised by MassMutual) for asset allocation
programs, investment companies or separate investment accounts it sponsors and
offers to its customers. Individual investors are not able to buy Class Y shares
directly.
An institutional investor that buys Class Y shares for its customers'
accounts may impose charges on those accounts. The procedures for buying,
selling, exchanging and transferring the Fund's other classes of shares and the
special account features available to investors buying those other classes of
shares do not apply to Class Y shares. An exception is that the time those
orders must be received by the Distributor or its agents or by the Transfer
Agent is the same for Class Y as for other share classes. However, those
instructions must be submitted by the institutional investor, not by its
customers for whose benefit the shares are held.
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Plans.
|X| Service Plan for Class A Shares. The Fund has adopted a Service Plan
for Class A shares. It reimburses the Distributor for a portion of its costs
incurred for services provided to accounts that hold Class A shares.
Reimbursement is made quarterly at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average
annual net assets of Class A shares of the Fund. The Distributor currently uses
all of those fees to pay dealers, brokers, banks and other financial
institutions quarterly for providing personal service and maintenance of
accounts of their customers that hold Class A shares.
|X| Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C Shares. The
Fund has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C shares
to pay the Distributor for its services and costs in distributing Class B and
Class C shares and servicing accounts. Under the plans, the Fund pays the
Distributor an annual asset-based sales charge of 0.75% per year on Class B
shares and on Class C shares. The Distributor also receives a service fee of
0.25% per year under each plan.
The asset-based sales charge and service fees increase Class B and Class C
expenses by 1.00% of the net assets per year of the respective class. Because
these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time
these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than
other types of sales charges.
The Distributor uses the service fees to compensate dealers for providing
personal services for accounts that hold Class B or Class C shares. The
Distributor pays the 0.25% service fees to dealers in advance for the first year
after the shares were sold by the dealer. After the shares have been held for a
year, the Distributor pays the service fees to dealers on a quarterly basis.
The Distributor currently pays sales commissions of 3.75% of the purchase
price of Class B shares to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale.
Including the advance of the service fee, the total amount paid by the
Distributor to the dealer at the time of sales of Class B shares is therefore
4.00% of the purchase price. The Distributor retains the Class B asset-based
sales charge.
The Distributor currently pays sales commissions of 0.75% of the purchase
price of Class C shares to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale.
Including the advance of the service fee, the total amount paid by the
Distributor to the dealer at the time of sale of Class C shares is therefore
1.00% of the purchase price. The Distributor pays the asset-based sales charge
as an ongoing commission to the dealer on Class C shares that have been
outstanding for a year or more.
Special Investor Services
AccountLink. You can use our AccountLink feature to link your Fund account
with an account at a U.S. bank or other financial institution. It must be an
Automated Clearing House (ACH) member. AccountLink lets you:
o transmit funds electronically to purchase shares by telephone (through
a service representative or by PhoneLink) or automatically under Asset
Builder Plans, or
o have the Transfer Agent send redemption proceeds or transmit dividends and
distributions directly to your bank account. Please call the Transfer Agent
for more information.
You may purchase shares by telephone only after your account has been
established. To purchase shares in amounts up to $250,000 through a telephone
representative, call the Distributor at 1-800-852-8457. The purchase payment
will be debited from your bank account.
AccountLink privileges should be requested on your Application or your
dealer's settlement instructions if you buy your shares through a dealer. After
your account is established, you can request AccountLink privileges by sending
signature-guaranteed instructions to the Transfer Agent. AccountLink privileges
will apply to each shareholder listed in the registration on your account as
well as to your dealer representative of record unless and until the Transfer
Agent receives written instructions terminating or changing those privileges.
After you establish AccountLink for your account, any change of bank account
information must be made by signature-guaranteed instructions to the Transfer
Agent signed by all shareholders who own the account.
PhoneLink. PhoneLink is the OppenheimerFunds automated telephone system that
enables shareholders to perform a number of account transactions automatically
using a touch-tone phone. PhoneLink may be used on already-established Fund
accounts after you obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN), by calling the
special PhoneLink number, 1-800-533-3310.
n Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares in amounts up to $100,000 by
phone, by calling 1-800-533-3310. You must have established AccountLink
privileges to link your bank account with the Fund to pay for these purchases.
n Exchanging Shares. With the OppenheimerFunds exchange privilege,
described below, you can exchange shares automatically by phone from your Fund
account to another OppenheimerFunds account you have already established by
calling the special PhoneLink number.
n Selling Shares. You can redeem shares by telephone automatically by
calling the PhoneLink number and the Fund will send the proceeds directly to
your AccountLink bank account. Please refer to "How to Sell Shares," below for
details.
Can I Submit Transaction Requests by Fax? You may send requests for certain
types of account transactions to the Transfer Agent by fax (telecopier). Please
call 1-800-525-7048 for information about which transactions may be handled this
way. Transaction requests submitted by fax are subject to the same rules and
restrictions as written and telephone requests described in this Prospectus.
OppenheimerFunds Internet Web Site. You can obtain information about the Fund,
as well as your account balance, on the OppenheimerFunds Internet web site, at
http://www.oppenheimerfunds.com. Additionally, shareholders listed in the
account registration (and the dealer of record) may request certain account
transactions through a special section of that web site. To perform account
transactions, you must first obtain a personal identification number (PIN) by
calling the Transfer Agent at 1-800-533-3310. If you do not want to have
Internet account transaction capability for your account, please call the
Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. The Fund has several plans that enable
you to sell shares automatically or exchange them to another OppenheimerFunds
account on a regular basis. Please call the Transfer Agent or consult the
Statement of Additional Information for details.
Reinvestment Privilege. If you redeem some or all of your Class A or Class B
shares of the Fund, you have up to 6 months to reinvest all or part of the
redemption proceeds in Class A shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds
without paying a sales charge. This privilege applies only to Class A shares
that you purchased subject to an initial sales charge and to Class A or Class B
shares on which you paid a contingent deferred sales charge when you redeemed
them. This privilege does not apply to Class C or Class Y shares. You must be
sure to ask the Distributor for this privilege when you send your payment.
Retirement Plans. You may buy shares of the Fund for your retirement plan
account. If you participate in a plan sponsored by your employer, the plan
trustee or administrator must buy the shares for your plan account. The
Distributor also offers a number of different retirement plans that can be used
by individuals and employers:
n Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), including regular IRAs, Roth
IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, rollover IRAs and Education IRAs.
n SEP-IRAs, which are Simplified Employee Pensions Plan IRAs for small
business owners or self-employed individuals.
n 403(b)(7) Custodial Plans, that are tax deferred plans for employees of
eligible tax-exempt organizations, such as schools, hospitals and charitable
organizations.
n 401(k) Plans, which are special retirement plans for businesses.
n Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans, designed for businesses and
self-employed individuals.
Please call the Distributor for OppenheimerFunds retirement plan
documents, which include applications and important plan information.
How to Sell Shares
You can sell (redeem) some or all of your shares on any regular business
day. Your shares will be sold at the next net asset value calculated after your
order is received in proper form (which means that it must comply with the
procedures described below) and is accepted by the Transfer Agent. The Fund lets
you sell your shares by writing a letter or by telephone. You can also set up
Automatic Withdrawal Plans to redeem shares on a regular basis. If you have
questions about any of these procedures, and especially if you are redeeming
shares in a special situation, such as due to the death of the owner or from a
retirement plan account, please call the Transfer Agent first, at
1-800-525-7048, for assistance.
|X| Certain Requests Require a Signature Guarantee. To protect you and the
Fund from fraud, the following redemption requests must be in writing and must
include a signature guarantee (although there may be other situations that also
require a signature guarantee): o You wish to redeem $100,000 or more and
receive a check o The redemption check is not payable to all shareholders listed
on the
account statement
o The redemption check is not sent to the address of record on your
account statement
o Shares are being transferred to a Fund account with a different owner
or name
o Shares are being redeemed by someone (such as an Executor) other than
the owners
|X| Where Can I Have My Signature Guaranteed? The Transfer Agent will
accept a guarantee of your signature by a number of financial institutions,
including: by a U.S. bank, trust company, credit union or savings
association, or by a foreign bank that has a U.S. correspondent bank, or by a
U.S. registered dealer or broker in securities, municipal securities or
government securities, or by a U.S. national securities exchange, a
registered securities association or a clearing agency. If you are signing
on behalf of a corporation, partnership or other business or as a fiduciary,
you must also include your title in the signature.
|X| Retirement Plan Accounts. There are special procedures to sell shares
in an OppenheimerFunds retirement plan account. Call the Transfer Agent for a
distribution request form. Special income tax withholding requirements apply to
distributions from retirement plans. You must submit a withholding form with
your redemption request to avoid delay in getting your money and if you do not
want tax withheld. If your employer holds your retirement plan account for you
in the name of the plan, you must ask the plan trustee or administrator to
request the sale of the Fund shares in your plan account.
How Do I Sell Shares by Mail? Write a letter of instructions that includes: o
Your name o The Fund's name o Your Fund account number (from your account
statement) o The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed o Any special
payment instructions o Any share certificates for the shares you are selling o
The signatures of all registered owners exactly as the account is
registered, and
o Any special documents requested by the Transfer Agent to assure proper
authorization of the person asking to sell the shares.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use the following address for requests Send courier or express mail requests
by mail: to:
OppenheimerFunds Services OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270 10200 E. Girard Avenue, Building D
Denver, Colorado 80217-5270 Denver, Colorado 80231
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How Do I Sell Shares by Telephone? You and your dealer representative of record
may also sell your shares by telephone. To receive the redemption price on a
regular business day, your call must be received by the Transfer Agent by the
close of The New York Stock Exchange that day, which is normally 4:00 P.M., but
may be earlier on some days. You may not redeem shares held in an
OppenheimerFunds retirement plan account or under a share certificate by
telephone. o To redeem shares through a service representative, call
1-800-852-8457 o To redeem shares automatically on PhoneLink, call
1-800-533-3310
Whichever method you use, you may have a check sent to the address on the
account statement, or, if you have linked your Fund account to your bank account
on AccountLink, you may have the proceeds sent to that bank account.
Are There Limits on Amounts Redeemed by Telephone?
|X| Telephone Redemptions Paid by Check. Up to $100,000 may be redeemed by
telephone in any 7-day period. The check must be payable to all owners of record
of the shares and must be sent to the address on the account statement. This
service is not available within 30 days of changing the address on an account.
|X| Telephone Redemptions Through AccountLink. There are no dollar limits
on telephone redemption proceeds sent to a bank account designated when you
establish AccountLink. Normally the ACH transfer to your bank is initiated on
the business day after the redemption. You do not receive dividends on the
proceeds of the shares you redeemed while they are waiting to be transferred.
Can I Sell Shares Through My Dealer? The Distributor has made arrangements to
repurchase Fund shares from dealers and brokers on behalf of their customers.
Brokers or dealers may charge for that service. If your shares are held in the
name of your dealer, you must redeem them through your dealer.
How to Exchange Shares
Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares of certain Oppenheimer
funds at net asset value per share at the time of exchange, without sales
charge. To exchange shares, you must meet several conditions: o Shares of the
fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in
your state of residence.
o The prospectuses of this Fund and the fund whose shares you want to buy must
offer the exchange privilege.
o You must hold the shares you buy when you establish your account for at least
7 days before you can exchange them. After the account is open 7 days, you
can exchange shares every regular business day.
o You must meet the minimum purchase requirements for the fund you
purchase by exchange.
o Before exchanging into a fund, you should obtain and read its
prospectus.
Shares of a particular class of the Fund may be exchanged only for shares
of the same class in the other Oppenheimer funds. For example, you can exchange
Class A shares of this Fund only for Class A shares of another fund. In some
cases, sales charges may be imposed on exchange transactions. For tax purposes,
exchanges of shares involve a sale of the shares of the fund you own and a
purchase of the shares of the other fund, which may result in a capital gain or
loss. Please refer to "How to Exchange Shares" in the Statement of Additional
Information for more details.
How Do I Submit Exchange Requests? Exchanges may be requested in writing or
by telephone:
|X| Written Exchange Requests. Submit an OppenheimerFunds Exchange Request
form, signed by all owners of the account. Send it to the Transfer Agent at the
address on the back cover. Exchanges of shares held under certificates cannot be
processed unless the Transfer Agent receives the certificates with the request.
|X| Telephone Exchange Requests. Telephone exchange requests may be made
either by calling a service representative at 1-800-852-8457, or by using
PhoneLink for automated exchanges by calling 1-800-533-3310. Telephone exchanges
may be made only between accounts that are registered with the same name(s) and
address. Shares held under certificates may not be exchanged by telephone.
You can find a list of Oppenheimer funds currently available for exchanges
in the Statement of Additional Information or obtain one by calling a service
representative at 1-800-525-7048. That list can change from time to time.
Are There Limitations on Exchanges? There are certain exchange policies you
should be aware of:
|_| Shares are normally redeemed from one fund and purchased from the
other fund in the exchange transaction on the same regular business day on which
the Transfer Agent receives an exchange request that conforms to the policies
described above. It must be received by the close of The New York Stock Exchange
that day, which is normally 4:00 P.M. but may be earlier on some days. However,
either fund may delay the purchase of shares of the fund you are exchanging into
up to seven days if it determines it would be disadvantaged by a same-day
exchange. For example, the receipt of multiple exchange requests from a "market
timer" might require the Fund to sell securities at a disadvantageous time or
price.
|_| Because excessive trading can hurt fund performance and harm
shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to refuse any exchange request that it
believes will disadvantage it, or to refuse multiple exchange requests submitted
by a shareholder or dealer.
|_| The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege at any
time. The Fund may impose these changes at any time, although it will provide
you notice when it is able to do so orwhen it is required to do so.
|_| If the Transfer Agent cannot exchange all the shares you request
because of a restriction cited above, only the shares eligible for exchange will
be exchanged.
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
More information about the Fund's policies and procedures for buying, selling,
and exchanging shares is contained in the Statement of Additional Information.
|X| The offering of shares may be suspended during any period in which the
determination of net asset value is suspended, and the offering may be suspended
by the Board of Trustees at any time the Board believes it is in the Fund's best
interest to do so.
|X| Telephone Transaction Privileges for purchases, redemptions or
exchanges may be modified, suspended or terminated by the Fund at any time. If
an account has more than one owner, the Fund and the Transfer Agent may rely on
the instructions of any one owner. Telephone privileges apply to each owner of
the account and the dealer representative of record for the account unless the
Transfer Agent receives cancellation instructions from an owner of the account.
|X| The Transfer Agent will record any telephone calls to verify data
concerning transactions and has adopted other procedures to confirm that
telephone instructions are genuine, by requiring callers to provide tax
identification numbers and other account data or by using PINs, and by
confirming such transactions in writing. The Transfer Agent and the Fund will
not be liable for losses or expenses arising out of telephone instructions
reasonably believed to be genuine.
|X| Redemption or transfer requests will not be honored until the Transfer
Agent receives all required documents in proper form. From time to time, the
Transfer Agent in its discretion may waive certain of the requirements for
redemptions stated in this Prospectus.
|X| Dealers that can perform account transactions for their clients by
participating in NETWORKING through the National Securities Clearing Corporation
are responsible for obtaining their clients' permission to perform those
transactions, and are responsible to their clients who are shareholders of the
Fund if the dealer performs any transaction erroneously or improperly.
|X| The redemption price for shares will vary from day to day because the
value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio fluctuates. The redemption
price, which is the net asset value per share, will normally differ for each
class of shares. The redemption value of your shares may be more or less than
their original cost.
|X| Payment for redeemed shares ordinarily is made in cash. It is
forwarded by check or through AccountLink or by Federal Funds wire (as elected
by the shareholder) within seven days after the Transfer Agent receives
redemption instructions in proper form. However, under unusual circumstances
determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, payment may be delayed or
suspended. For accounts registered in the name of a broker-dealer, payment will
normally be forwarded within three business days after redemption.
|X| The Transfer Agent may delay forwarding a check or processing a
payment via AccountLink for recently purchased shares, but only until the
purchase payment has cleared. That delay may be as much as 10 days from the date
the shares were purchased. That delay may be avoided if you purchase shares by
Federal Funds wire or certified check, or arrange with your bank to provide
telephone or written assurance to the Transfer Agent that your purchase payment
has cleared.
|X| Involuntary redemptions of small accounts may be made by the Fund if
the account value has fallen below $500 for reasons other than the fact that the
market value of shares has dropped. In some cases involuntary redemptions may be
made to repay the Distributor for losses from the cancellation of share purchase
orders.
|X| Shares may be "redeemed in kind" under unusual circumstances (such as
a lack of liquidity in the Fund's portfolio to meet redemptions). This means
that the redemption proceeds will be paid with liquid securities from the Fund's
portfolio.
|X| "Backup Withholding" of federal income tax may be applied against
taxable dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds (including exchanges)
if you fail to furnish the Fund your correct, certified Social Security or
Employer Identification Number when you sign your application, or if you
under-report your income to the Internal Revenue Service.
|X| To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, the Fund
will mail only one copy of each annual and semi-annual report to shareholders
having the same last name and address on the Fund's records. However, each
shareholder may call the Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048 to ask that copies of
those materials be sent personally to that shareholder.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Dividends. The Fund intends to declare dividends separately for each class of
shares from net investment income annually and to pay them to shareholders in
December on a date selected by the Board of Trustees. Dividends and other
distributions paid on Class A and Class Y shares will generally be higher than
dividends for Class B and Class C shares, which normally have higher expenses
than Class A and Class Y. The Fund has no fixed dividend rate and cannot
guarantee that it will pay any dividends or other distributions.
Capital Gains. The Fund may realize capital gains on the sale of portfolio
securities. If it does, it may make distributions out of any net short-term or
long-term capital gains in December of each year. The Fund may make supplemental
distributions of dividends and capital gains following the end of its fiscal
year. There can be no assurance that the Fund will pay any capital gains
distributions in a particular year.
What Choices Do I Have for Receiving Distributions? When you open your account,
specify on your application how you want to receive your dividends and
distributions. You have four options:
|X| Reinvest All Distributions in the Fund. You can elect to reinvest
all dividends and capital gains distributions in additional shares of the
Fund.
|X| Reinvest Dividends or Capital Gains. You can elect to reinvest some
distributions (dividends, short-term capital gains or long-term capital gains
distributions) in the Fund while receiving other types of distributions by check
or having them sent to your bank account through AccountLink.
|X| Receive All Distributions in Cash. You can elect to receive a check
for all dividends and capital gains distributions or have them sent to your
bank through AccountLink.
|X| Reinvest Your Distributions in Another OppenheimerFunds Account.
You can reinvest all distributions in the same class of shares of another
OppenheimerFunds account you have established.
Taxes. If your shares are not held in a tax-deferred retirement account, you
should be aware of the following tax implications of investing in the Fund.
Distributions are subject to federal income tax and may be subject to state or
local taxes. Dividends paid from short-term capital gains and net investment
income are taxable as ordinary income. Long-term capital gains are taxable as
long-term capital gains when distributed to shareholders. It does not matter how
long you have held your shares. Whether you reinvest your distributions in
additional shares or take them in cash, the tax treatment is the same.
Every year the Fund will send you and the IRS a statement showing the
amount of any taxable distribution you received in the previous year. Any
long-term capital gains will be separately identified in the tax information the
Fund sends you after the end of the calendar year.
|X| Avoid "Buying a Dividend". If you buy shares on or just before the
ex-dividend date or just before the Fund declares a capital gain distribution,
you will pay the full price for the shares and then receive a portion of the
price back as a taxable dividend or capital gain.
|X| Remember, There May be Taxes on Transactions. Because the Fund's share
price fluctuates, you may have a capital gain or loss when you sell or exchange
your shares. A capital gain or loss is the difference between the price you paid
for the shares and the price you received when you sold them.
Any capital gain is subject to capital gains tax.
|X| Returns of Capital Can Occur. In certain cases, distributions made
by the Fund may be considered a non-taxable return of capital to
shareholders. If that occurs, it will be identified in notices to
shareholders.
This information is only a summary of certain federal income tax
information about your investment. You should consult with your tax adviser
about the effect of an investment in the Fund on your particular tax situation.
<PAGE>
91
For More Information about Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund: The following
additional information about the Fund is available without charge upon request:
Statement of Additional Information
This document includes additional information about the Fund's investment
policies, risks, and operations. It is incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus (which means it is legally part of this Prospectus).
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports
Additional information about the Fund's investments and performance will be
available in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. The
Annual Report will include a discussion of market conditions and investment
strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last
fiscal year.
How to Get More Information:
You can request the Statement of Additional Information, the Annual and
Semi-Annual Reports (when they are available), and other information
about the Fund or your account:
By Telephone:
Call OppenheimerFunds Services toll-free:
1-800-525-7048
By Mail:
Write to:
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217-5270
On the Internet:
You can read or down-load documents on the OppenheimerFunds web site:
http://www.oppenheimerfunds.com
You can also obtain copies of the Statement of Additional Information and other
Fund documents and reports by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, D.C. (Phone 1-800-SEC-0330) or the SEC's Internet web site at
http://www.sec.gov. Copies may be obtained upon payment of a duplicating fee by
writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-6009.
No one has been authorized to provide any information about the Fund or to make
any representations about the Fund other than what is contained in this
Prospectus. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell shares of the Fund, nor a
solicitation of an offer to buy shares of the Fund, to any person in any state
or other jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make such an offer.
The Fund's shares are distributed by:
[logo] OppenheimerFunds
SEC File No. 811-09333
PR0847.001.0799
Printed on recycled paper.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER MAIN STREET SMALL CAP FUND
Supplement dated July 2, 1999 to the
Prospectus dated July 2, 1999
As of the date of this Prospectus, all share classes of this Fund are not
available for sale.
July 2, 1999 PS0847.001
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
1-800-525-7048
Statement of Additional Information dated July 2, 1999
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus. This
document contains additional information about the Fund and supplements
information in the Prospectus dated July 2, 1999. It should be read together
with the Prospectus. You can obtain the Prospectus by writing to the Fund's
Transfer Agent, OppenheimerFunds Services, at P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado
80217, or by calling the Transfer Agent at the toll-free number shown above, or
by downloading it from the OppenheimerFunds Internet web site at
www.oppenheimerfunds.com.
Contents
Page
About the Fund
Additional Information About the Fund's Investment Policies and Risks.. 2
The Fund's Investment Policies..................................... 2
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies......................... 6
Investment Restrictions............................................ 19
How the Fund is Managed ............................................... 21
Organization and History........................................... 21
Trustees and Officers.............................................. 22
The Manager........................................................ 27
Brokerage Policies of the Fund......................................... 28
Distribution and Service Plans......................................... 30
Performance of the Fund................................................ 33
About Your Account
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How To Buy Shares...................................................... 36
How To Sell Shares..................................................... 44
How To Exchange Shares................................................. 49
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes..................................... 51
Additional Information About the Fund.................................. 53
Financial Information About the Fund
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent Auditors' Report........................................... 54
Financial Statements................................................... 55
Appendix A: Ratings Definitions........................................ A-1
Appendix B: Industry Classifications................................... B-1
Appendix C: Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers.............. C-1
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
A B O U T T H E F U N D
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Information About the Fund's Investment Policies and Risks
The investment objective, the principal investment policies and the main
risks of the Fund are described in the Prospectus. This Statement of Additional
Information contains supplemental information about those policies and risks and
the types of securities that the Fund's investment Manager, OppenheimerFunds,
Inc., can select for the Fund. Additional information is also provided about the
strategies that the Fund may use to try to achieve its objective.
The Fund's Investment Policies. The composition of the Fund's portfolio and the
techniques and strategies that the Fund's Manager may use in selecting portfolio
securities will vary over time. The Fund is not required to use all of the
investment techniques and strategies described below at all times in seeking its
goal. It may use some of the special investment techniques and strategies at
some times or not at all.
|X| Investments in Small-Cap Equity Securities. The Fund focuses its
investments in equity securities of small cap growth companies. Equity
securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, rights and warrants, and
securities convertible into common stock. The Fund's investments primarily
include stocks of companies having a market capitalization of up to $1.8
billion.
The Fund can also hold a portion of its assets in securities of issuers
having a larger market capitalization. Although under normal market conditions,
the Fund will invest at least 65% of its total assets in equity securities
having small market capitalization, at times, in the Manager's view, the market
may favor or disfavor securities of issuers of a particular capitalization
range. Therefore the Fund may focus its equity investments in securities of one
or more capitalization ranges, based upon the Manager's judgment of where the
best market opportunities are to seek the Fund's objective.
Current income is not a criterion used to select portfolio securities.
However, certain debt securities may be selected for the Fund's portfolio for
defensive purposes (including debt securities that the Manager believes may
offer some opportunities for capital appreciation when stocks are disfavored).
Other debt securities may be selected because they are convertible into common
stock, as discussed below in "Convertible Securities."
|_| Over-the-Counter Securities. Securities of small
capitalization issuers may be traded on securities exchanges or in the
over-the-counter market. The over-the-counter markets, both in the U.S. and
abroad, may have less liquidity than securities exchanges. That can affect
the price the Fund is able to obtain when it wants to sell a security.
Small-cap growth companies may offer greater opportunities for capital
appreciation than securities of large, more established companies. However,
these securities also involve greater risks than securities of larger companies.
Securities of small capitalization issuers may be subject to greater price
volatility in general than securities of large-cap and mid-cap companies.
Therefore, to the degree that the Fund has investments in smaller capitalization
companies at times of market volatility, the Fund's share price may fluctuate
more. As noted below, the Fund limits its investments in unseasoned small cap
issuers.
o Convertible Securities. While some convertible securities are a
form of debt security, in many cases their conversion feature (allowing
conversion into equity securities) causes them to be regarded by the Manager
more as "equity equivalents." As a result, the rating assigned to the security
has less impact on the Manager's investment decision with respect to convertible
debt securities than in the case of non-convertible fixed debt income
securities. To determine whether convertible securities should be regarded as
"equity equivalents," the Manager examines the following factors: (1) whether,
at the option of the investor, the convertible security can be
exchanged for a fixed number of shares of common stock of the
issuer,
(2) whether the issuer of the convertible securities has restated its
earnings per share of common stock on a fully diluted basis
(considering the effect of conversion of the convertible securities),
and
(3) the extent to which the convertible security may be a defensive "equity
substitute," providing the ability to participate in any appreciation
in the price of the issuer's common stock.
Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's
capital structure and therefore are subject to less risk than common stock in
case of the issuer's bankruptcy or liquidation.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment
value" and its "conversion value." If the investment value exceeds the
conversion value, the security will behave more like a debt security, and the
security's price will likely increase when interest rates fall and decrease when
interest rates rise. If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the
security will behave more like an equity security: it will likely sell at a
premium over its conversion value, and its price will tend to fluctuate directly
with the price of the underlying security.
The Fund has no limitations on the ratings of the convertible debt
securities that it can buy. They can include securities that are investment
grade or below investment grade. Securities that are below investment grade
(whether they are rated by a nationally-recognized rating organization or are
unrated securities that the Manager deems to be below investment grade) have
greater risks of default than investment grade securities. Additionally, debt
securities are subject to interest rate risk. Their values tend to fall when
interest rates rise. The Fund does not anticipate that it will invest a
substantial amount of its assets in these types of securities.
o Rights and Warrants. The Fund can invest up to 5% of its total
assets in warrants or rights. That 5% limit does not apply to warrants and
rights the Fund has acquired as part of units of securities or that are attached
to other securities that the Fund buys. Warrants basically are options to
purchase equity securities at specific prices valid for a specific period of
time. Their prices do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the
underlying securities. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short
duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Rights
and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with
respect to the assets of the issuer.
o Preferred Stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, has a
stated dividend rate payable from the corporation's earnings. Preferred stock
dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative. "Cumulative" dividend provisions
require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends
can be paid on the issuer's common stock. Preferred stock may be "participating"
stock, which means that it may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated
dividend in certain cases.
If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less
attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock
may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing calls
or redemptions prior to maturity, which can also have a negative impact on
prices when interest rates decline. Preferred stock generally has a preference
over common stock on the distribution of a corporation's assets in the event of
liquidation of the corporation. The rights of preferred stock on distribution of
a corporation's assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate
to the rights associated with a corporation's debt securities.
n Foreign Securities. Although the Fund intends to focus its investments
in U.S. securities, it can purchase equity securities issued or guaranteed by
foreign companies. "Foreign securities" include equity and debt securities of
companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States.
They may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in the foreign
over-the-counter markets.
Securities of foreign issuers that are represented by American Depository
Receipts or that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange or traded in the U.S.
over-the-counter markets are not considered "foreign securities" for the purpose
of the Fund's investment allocations. That is because they are not subject to
many of the special considerations and risks, discussed below, that apply to
foreign securities traded and held abroad.
Investing in foreign securities offers potential benefits not available
from investing solely in securities of domestic issuers. They include the
opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear to offer growth potential,
or in foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from
those of the U.S., or to reduce fluctuations in portfolio value by taking
advantage of foreign stock markets that do not move in a manner parallel to U.S.
markets. The Fund will hold foreign currency only in connection with the
purchase or sale of foreign securities.
|_| Risks of Foreign Investing. Investments in foreign securities
may offer special opportunities for investing but also present special
additional risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in
domestic securities. Some of these additional risks are:
o reduction of income by foreign taxes;
o fluctuation in value of foreign investments due to changes in currency
rates or currency control regulations (for example, currency blockage);
o transaction charges for currency exchange;
o lack of public information about foreign issuers;
o lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards
in foreign countries comparable to those applicable to domestic
issuers;
o less volume on foreign exchanges than on U.S. exchanges;
o greater volatility and less liquidity on foreign markets than in the
U.S.;
o less governmental regulation of foreign issuers, stock exchanges and
brokers than in the U.S.;
o greater difficulties in commencing lawsuits;
o higher brokerage commission rates than in the U.S.;
o increased risks of delays in settlement of portfolio transactions or
loss of certificates for portfolio securities;
o possibilities in some countries of expropriation, confiscatory
taxation, political, financial or social instability or adverse
diplomatic developments; and
o unfavorable differences between the U.S. economy and foreign economies.
In the past, U.S. government policies have discouraged certain
investments abroad by U.S. investors, through taxation or other restrictions,
and it is possible that such restrictions could be re-imposed.
|_| Special Risks of Emerging Markets. Emerging and developing
markets abroad may also offer special opportunities for growth investing but
have greater risks than more developed foreign markets, such as those in Europe,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. There may be even less liquidity in
their securities markets, and settlements of purchases and sales of securities
may be subject to additional delays. They are subject to greater risks of
limitations on the repatriation of income and profits because of currency
restrictions imposed by local governments. Those countries may also be subject
to the risk of greater political and economic instability, which can greatly
affect the volatility of prices of securities in those countries.
|_| Risks of Conversion to Euro. On January 1, 1999, eleven
countries in the European Union adopted the euro as their official currency.
However, their current currencies (for example, the franc, the mark, and the
lira) will also continue in use until January 1, 2002. After that date, it is
expected that only the euro will be used in those countries. A common currency
is expected to confer some benefits in those markets, by consolidating the
government debt market for those countries and reducing some currency risks and
costs. But the conversion to the new currency will affect the Fund operationally
and also has potential risks, some of which are listed below. Among other
things, the conversion will affect:
o issuers in which the Fund invests, because of changes in the
competitive environment from a consolidated currency market and
greater operational costs from converting to the new currency.
This might depress securities values.
o vendors the Fund depends on to carry out its business, such as
its custodian bank (which holds the foreign securities the Fund
buys), the Manager (which must price the Fund's investments to
deal with the conversion to the euro) and brokers, foreign
markets and securities depositories. If they are not prepared,
there could be delays in settlements and additional costs to the
Fund.
o exchange contracts and derivatives that are outstanding during
the transition to the euro. The lack of currency rate
calculations between the affected currencies and the need to
update the Fund's contracts could pose extra costs to the Fund.
The Manager has upgraded (at its expense) its computer and bookkeeping
systems to deal with the conversion. The Fund's custodian bank has advised the
Manager of its plans to deal with the conversion, including how it will update
its record keeping systems and handle the redenomination of outstanding foreign
debt. The Fund's portfolio manager will also monitor the effects of the
conversion on the issuers in which the Fund invests. The possible effect of
these factors on the Fund's investments cannot be determined with certainty at
this time, but they may reduce the value of some of the Fund's holdings and
increase its operational costs.
n Portfolio Turnover. "Portfolio turnover" describes the rate at which the
Fund traded its portfolio securities during its last fiscal year. For example,
if a fund sold all of its securities during the year, its portfolio turnover
rate would have been 100% annually. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate will
fluctuate from year to year, and the Fund does not expect to have a portfolio
turnover rate of more than 150% annually.
Increased portfolio turnover creates higher brokerage and transaction
costs for the Fund, which may reduce its overall performance. Additionally, the
realization of capital gains from selling portfolio securities may result in
distributions of taxable long-term capital gains to shareholders, since the Fund
will normally distribute all of its capital gains realized each year, to avoid
excise taxes under the Internal Revenue Code.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies. In seeking its objective, the Fund
from time to time can employ the types of investment strategies and investments
described below. It is not required to use all of these strategies at all times,
and at times may not use them.
n Investing in Small, Unseasoned Companies. The Fund can invest in
securities of small, unseasoned companies. These are companies that have been in
operation for less than three years, including the operations of any
predecessors. Securities of these companies may be subject to volatility in
their prices. They might have a limited trading market, which could adversely
affect the Fund's ability to dispose of them and could reduce the price the Fund
might be able to obtain for them. Other investors that own a security issued by
a small, unseasoned issuer for which there is limited liquidity might trade the
security when the Fund is attempting to dispose of its holdings of that
security. In that case the Fund might receive a lower price for its holdings
than might otherwise be obtained. The Fund currently does not intend to invest
more than 20% of its net assets in those securities.
n Repurchase Agreements. The Fund can acquire securities subject to
repurchase agreements. It might do so for liquidity purposes to meet anticipated
redemptions of Fund shares, or pending the investment of the proceeds from sales
of Fund shares, or pending the settlement of portfolio securities transactions,
or for temporary defensive purposes, as described below.
In a repurchase transaction, the Fund buys a security from, and
simultaneously resells it to, an approved vendor for delivery on an agreed-upon
future date. The resale price exceeds the purchase price by an amount that
reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period during which the
repurchase agreement is in effect. Approved vendors include U.S. commercial
banks, U.S. branches of foreign banks, or broker-dealers that have been
designated as primary dealers in government securities. They must meet credit
requirements set by the Fund's Board of Trustees from time to time.
The majority of these transactions run from day to day, and delivery
pursuant to the resale typically occurs within one to five days of the purchase.
Repurchase agreements having a maturity beyond seven days are subject to the
Fund's limits on holding illiquid investments. The Fund will not enter into a
repurchase agreement that causes more than 10% of its net assets to be subject
to repurchase agreements having a maturity beyond seven days (the Board may
increase that limit to 15%). There is no limit on the amount of the Fund's net
assets that may be subject to repurchase agreements having maturities of seven
days or less.
Repurchase agreements, considered "loans" under the Investment Company
Act, are collateralized by the underlying security. The Fund's repurchase
agreements require that at all times while the repurchase agreement is in
effect, the value of the collateral must equal or exceed the repurchase price to
fully collateralize the repayment obligation. However, if the vendor fails to
pay the resale price on the delivery date, the Fund may incur costs in disposing
of the collateral and may experience losses if there is any delay in its ability
to do so. The Manager will monitor the vendor's creditworthiness to confirm that
the vendor is financially sound and will continuously monitor the collateral's
value.
n Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Under the policies and procedures
established by the Fund's Board of Trustees, the Manager determines the
liquidity of certain of the Fund's investments. To enable the Fund to sell its
holdings of a restricted security not registered under the Securities Act of
1933, the Fund may have to cause those securities to be registered. The expenses
of registering restricted securities may be negotiated by the Fund with the
issuer at the time the Fund buys the securities. When the Fund must arrange
registration because the Fund wishes to sell the security, a considerable period
may elapse between the time the decision is made to sell the security and the
time the security is registered so that the Fund could sell it. The Fund would
bear the risks of any downward price fluctuation during that period.
The Fund can also acquire restricted securities through private
placements. Those securities have contractual restrictions on their public
resale. Those restrictions might limit the Fund's ability to dispose of the
securities and might lower the amount the Fund could realize upon the sale.
The Fund has limitations that apply to purchases of restricted securities,
as stated in the Prospectus. Those percentage restrictions do not limit
purchases of restricted securities that are eligible for sale to qualified
institutional purchasers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, if those
securities have been determined to be liquid by the Manager under Board-approved
guidelines. Those guidelines take into account the trading activity for such
securities and the availability of reliable pricing information, among other
factors. If there is a lack of trading interest in a particular Rule 144A
security, the Fund's holdings of that security may be considered to be illiquid.
Illiquid securities include repurchase agreements maturing in more than
seven days and participation interests that do not have puts exercisable within
seven days.
n Loans of Portfolio Securities. To raise cash for liquidity purposes, the
Fund can lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other types of
financial institutions approved by the Fund's Board of Trustees. These loans are
limited to not more than 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets. The Fund
currently does not intend to engage in loans of securities, but if it does so,
such loans will not likely exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.
There are some risks in connection with securities lending. The Fund might
experience a delay in receiving additional collateral to secure a loan, or a
delay in recovery of the loaned securities if the borrower defaults. The Fund
must receive collateral for a loan. Under current applicable regulatory
requirements (which are subject to change), on each business day the loan
collateral must be at least equal to the value of the loaned securities. It must
consist of cash, bank letters of credit, securities of the U.S. government or
its agencies or instrumentalities, or other cash equivalents in which the Fund
is permitted to invest. To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit must
obligate a bank to pay amounts demanded by the Fund if the demand meets the
terms of the letter. The terms of the letter of credit and the issuing bank both
must be satisfactory to the Fund.
When it lends securities, the Fund receives amounts equal to the dividends
or interest on loaned securities. It also receives one or more of (a) negotiated
loan fees, (b) interest on securities used as collateral, and (c) interest on
any short-term debt securities purchased with such loan collateral. Either type
of interest may be shared with the borrower. The Fund may also pay reasonable
finder's, custodian and administrative fees in connection with these loans. The
terms of the Fund's loans must meet applicable tests under the Internal Revenue
Code and must permit the Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five days'
notice or in time to vote on any important matter.
n Borrowing for Leverage. The Fund has the ability to borrow from banks on
an unsecured basis to invest the borrowed funds in portfolio securities. This
speculative technique is known as "leverage." The Fund may borrow only from
banks. Under current regulatory requirements, borrowings can be made only to the
extent that the value of the Fund's assets, less its liabilities other than
borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings (including the proposed
borrowing). If the value of the Fund's assets fails to meet this 300% asset
coverage requirement, the Fund will reduce its bank debt within three days to
meet the requirement. To do so, the Fund might have to sell a portion of its
investments at a disadvantageous time. The Fund's policy on borrowing is a
fundamental policy.
The Fund will pay interest on these loans, and that interest expense
will raise the overall expenses of the Fund and reduce its returns. If it does
borrow, its expenses will be greater than comparable funds that do not borrow
for leverage. Additionally, the Fund's net asset value per share might fluctuate
more than that of funds that do not borrow. Currently, the Fund does not
contemplate using this technique, but if it does so, it will not likely do so to
a substantial degree. The Fund cannot pledge, mortgage or otherwise encumber,
transfer or assign its assets to secure a debt. However, the use of escrow or
other collateral arrangements in connection with the Fund's policy on borrowing
or hedging instruments is permitted.
n Derivatives. The Fund can invest in a variety of derivative investments
to seek income for liquidity needs or for hedging purposes. Some derivative
investments the Fund can use are the hedging instruments described below in this
Statement of Additional Information. However, the Fund does not use, and does
not currently contemplate using, derivatives or hedging instruments to a
significant degree.
Some of the derivative investments the Fund can use include debt
exchangeable for common stock of an issuer or "equity-linked debt securities" of
an issuer. At maturity, the debt security is exchanged for common stock of the
issuer or it is payable in an amount based on the price of the issuer's common
stock at the time of maturity. Both alternatives present a risk that the amount
payable at maturity will be less than the principal amount of the debt because
the price of the issuer's common stock might not be as high as the Manager
expected.
n Hedging. The Fund can use hedging to attempt to protect against declines
in the market value of the Fund's portfolio, to permit the Fund to retain
unrealized gains in the value of portfolio securities which have appreciated, or
to facilitate selling securities for investment reasons. To do so, the Fund
could:
|_| sell futures contracts,
|_| buy puts on futures or on securities, or
o write covered calls on securities or futures. Covered calls can also be
used to increase the Fund's income, but the Manager does not expect to
engage extensively in that practice.
The Fund might use hedging to establish a position in the securities
market as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities. In that
case, the Fund would normally seek to purchase the securities and then terminate
that hedging position. The Fund might also use this type of hedge to attempt to
protect against the possibility that its portfolio securities would not be fully
included in a rise in value of the market. To do so the Fund could:
|_| buy futures, or
|_| buy calls on such futures or on securities.
The Fund is not obligated to use hedging instruments, even though it is
permitted to use them in the Manager's discretion, as described below. The
Fund's strategy of hedging with futures and options on futures will be
incidental to the Fund's activities in the underlying cash market. The
particular hedging instruments the Fund can use are described below. The Fund
may employ new hedging instruments and strategies when they are developed, if
those investment methods are consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
are permissible under applicable regulations governing the Fund. The Fund cannot
purchase securities on margin. However, the Fund can make margin deposits in
connection with any of the hedging instruments permitted by any of its other
policies.
|_| Futures. The Fund can buy and sell futures contracts that relate
to (1) broadly-based stock indices (these are called "stock index futures"), (2)
other broadly-based securities indices (these are referred to as "financial
futures") and (3) foreign currencies (these are referred to as "forward
contracts").
A broadly-based stock index is used as the basis for trading stock index
futures. In some cases an index may be based on stocks of issuers in a
particular industry or group of industries. A stock index assigns relative
values to the common stocks included in the index and its value fluctuates in
response to the changes in value of the underlying stocks. A stock index cannot
be purchased or sold directly. Financial futures are similar contracts based on
the future value of the basket of securities that comprise the index. These
contracts obligate the seller to deliver, and the purchaser to take, cash to
settle the futures transaction. There is no delivery made of the underlying
securities to settle the futures obligation. Either party may also settle the
transaction by entering into an offsetting contract.
No money is paid or received by the Fund on the purchase or sale of
a future. Upon entering into a futures transaction, the Fund will be required to
deposit an initial margin payment with the futures commission merchant (the
"futures broker"). Initial margin payments will be deposited with the Fund's
custodian bank in an account registered in the futures broker's name. However,
the futures broker can gain access to that account only under specified
conditions. As the future is marked to market (that is, its value on the Fund's
books is changed) to reflect changes in its market value, subsequent margin
payments, called variation margin, will be paid to or by the futures broker
daily.
At any time prior to expiration of the future, the Fund may elect to close out
its position by taking an opposite position, at which time a final determination
of variation margin is made and any additional cash must be paid by or released
to the Fund. Any loss or gain on the future is then realized by the Fund for tax
purposes. All futures transactions, except forward contracts, are effected
through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are
traded.
|_| Put and Call Options. The Fund can buy and sell certain kinds of
put options ("puts") and call options ("calls"). The Fund can buy and sell
exchange-traded and over-the-counter put and call options, including index
options, securities options, currency options, commodities options, and options
on the other types of futures described above.
|_| Writing Covered Call Options. The Fund can write (that is,
sell) calls. If the Fund sells a call option, it must be covered. That means the
Fund must own the security subject to the call while the call is outstanding,
or, for certain types of calls, the call may be covered by segregating liquid
assets to enable the Fund to satisfy its obligations if the call is exercised.
Up to 25% of the Fund's total assets may be subject to calls the Fund writes.
When the Fund writes a call, it receives cash (a premium). In writing
calls on a security, the Fund agrees to sell the underlying security to a
purchaser of a corresponding call on the same security during the call period at
a fixed exercise price regardless of market price changes during the call
period. The call period is usually not more than nine months. The exercise price
may differ from the market price of the underlying security. The Fund has the
risk of loss that the price of the underlying security may decline during the
call period. That risk may be offset to some extent by the premium the Fund
receives. If the value of the investment does not rise above the call price, it
is likely that the call will lapse without being exercised. In that case the
Fund would keep the cash premium and the investment.
When the Fund writes a call on an index, it also receives a premium. If
the buyer of the call exercises it, the Fund will pay an amount of cash equal to
the difference between the closing price of the call and the exercise price,
multiplied by a specified multiple that determines the total value of the call
for each point of difference. If the value of the underlying investment does not
rise above the call price, it is likely that the call will lapse without being
exercised. In that case the Fund would keep the cash premium.
The Fund's custodian bank, or a securities depository acting for the
custodian bank, will act as the Fund's escrow agent, through the facilities of
the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), as to the investments on which the
Fund has written calls traded on exchanges or as to other acceptable escrow
securities. In that way, no margin will be required for such transactions. OCC
will release the securities on the expiration of the option or when the Fund
enters into a closing transaction.
When the Fund writes an over-the-counter ("OTC") option, it will enter
into an arrangement with a primary U.S. government securities dealer which will
establish a formula price at which the Fund will have the absolute right to
repurchase that OTC option. The formula price will generally be based on a
multiple of the premium received for the option, plus the amount by which the
option is exercisable below the market price of the underlying security (that
is, the option is "in the money"). When the Fund writes an OTC option, it will
treat as illiquid (for purposes of its restriction on holding illiquid
securities) the mark-to-market value of any OTC option it holds, unless the
option is subject to a buy-back agreement by the executing broker.
To terminate its obligation on a call it has written, the Fund may
purchase a corresponding call in a "closing purchase transaction." The Fund will
then realize a profit or loss, depending upon whether the net of the amount of
the option transaction costs and the premium received on the call the Fund wrote
is more or less than the price of the call the Fund purchases to close out the
transaction. The Fund may realize a profit if the call expires unexercised,
because the Fund will retain the underlying security and the premium it received
when it wrote the call. Any such profits are considered short-term capital gains
for federal income tax purposes, as are the premiums on lapsed calls. When
distributed by the Fund they are taxable as ordinary income. If the Fund cannot
effect a closing purchase transaction due to the lack of a market, it will have
to hold the callable securities until the call expires or is exercised.
The Fund may also write calls on a futures contract without owning the
futures contract or securities deliverable under the contract. To do so, at the
time the call is written, the Fund must cover the call by segregating an
equivalent dollar amount of liquid assets on its books. The Fund will identify
additional liquid assets on its books to cover the call if the value of the
identified assets drops below 100% of the current value of the future. Because
of this segregation requirement, in no circumstances would the Fund's receipt of
an exercise notice as to that future require the Fund to deliver a futures
contract. It would simply put the Fund in a short futures position, which is
permitted by the Fund's hedging policies.
|_| Writing Put Options. The Fund can sell put options. A put
option on securities gives the purchaser the right to sell, and the writer the
obligation to buy, the underlying investment at the exercise price during the
option period. The Fund will not write puts if, as a result, more than 50% of
the Fund's net assets would be required to be identified on the Fund's books to
cover such put options.
If the Fund writes a put, the put must be covered by segregated liquid
assets. The premium the Fund receives from writing a put represents a profit, as
long as the price of the underlying investment remains equal to or above the
exercise price of the put. However, the Fund also assumes the obligation during
the option period to buy the underlying investment from the buyer of the put at
the exercise price, even if the value of the investment falls below the exercise
price. If a put the Fund has written expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a
gain in the amount of the premium less the transaction costs incurred. If the
put is exercised, the Fund must fulfill its obligation to purchase the
underlying investment at the exercise price. That price will usually exceed the
market value of the investment at that time. In that case, the Fund may incur a
loss if it sells the underlying investment. That loss will be equal to the sum
of the sale price of the underlying investment and the premium received minus
the sum of the exercise price and any transaction costs the Fund incurred.
When writing a put option on a security, to secure its obligation to pay
for the underlying security the Fund will identify on its books liquid assets
with a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the underlying
securities. The Fund therefore forgoes the opportunity of investing the
identified assets or writing calls against those assets.
As long as the Fund's obligation as the put writer continues, it may be
assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which the put was sold.
That notice will require the Fund to take delivery of the underlying security
and pay the exercise price. The Fund has no control over when it may be required
to purchase the underlying security, since it may be assigned an exercise notice
at any time prior to the termination of its obligation as the writer of the put.
That obligation terminates upon expiration of the put. It may also terminate if,
before it receives an exercise notice, the Fund effects a closing purchase
transaction by purchasing a put of the same series as it sold. Once the Fund has
been assigned an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase
transaction.
The Fund may decide to effect a closing purchase transaction to realize a
profit on an outstanding put option it has written or to prevent the underlying
security from being put. Effecting a closing purchase transaction will also
permit the Fund to write another put option on the security, or to sell the
security and use the proceeds from the sale for other investments. The Fund will
realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction depending on
whether the cost of the transaction is less or more than the premium received
from writing the put option. Any profits from writing puts are considered
short-term capital gains for federal tax purposes, and when distributed by the
Fund, are taxable as ordinary income.
|_| Purchasing Calls and Puts. The Fund can purchase calls to
protect against the possibility that the Fund's portfolio will not participate
in an anticipated rise in the securities market. When the Fund buys a call
(other than in a closing purchase transaction), it pays a premium. The Fund then
has the right to buy the underlying investment from a seller of a corresponding
call on the same investment during the call period at a fixed exercise price.
The Fund benefits only if it sells the call at a profit or if, during the call
period, the market price of the underlying investment is above the sum of the
call price plus the transaction costs and the premium paid for the call and the
Fund exercises the call. If the Fund does not exercise the call or sell it
(whether or not at a profit), the call will become worthless at its expiration
date. In that case the Fund will have paid the premium but lost the right to
purchase the underlying investment.
The Fund can buy puts whether or not it holds the underlying investment in
its portfolio. When the Fund purchases a put, it pays a premium and, except as
to puts on indices, has the right to sell the underlying investment to a seller
of a put on a corresponding investment during the put period at a fixed exercise
price. Buying a put on securities or futures the Fund owns enables the Fund to
attempt to protect itself during the put period against a decline in the value
of the underlying investment below the exercise price by selling the underlying
investment at the exercise price to a seller of a corresponding put. If the
market price of the underlying investment is equal to or above the exercise
price and, as a result, the put is not exercised or resold, the put will become
worthless at its expiration date. In that case the Fund will have paid the
premium but lost the right to sell the underlying investment. However, the Fund
may sell the put prior to its expiration. That sale may or may not be at a
profit.
When the Fund purchases a call or put on an index or future, it pays a
premium, but settlement is in cash rather than by delivery of the underlying
investment to the Fund. Gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question
(and thus on price movements in the securities market generally) rather than on
price movements in individual securities or futures contracts.
The Fund may buy a call or put only if, after the purchase, the value of
all call and put options held by the Fund will not exceed 5% of the Fund's total
assets.
|_| Buying and Selling Options on Foreign Currencies. The Fund can
buy and sell calls and puts on foreign currencies. They include puts and calls
that trade on a securities or commodities exchange or in the over-the-counter
markets or are quoted by major recognized dealers in such options. The Fund
could use these calls and puts to try to protect against declines in the dollar
value of foreign securities and increases in the dollar cost of foreign
securities the Fund wants to acquire.
If the Manager anticipates a rise in the dollar value of a foreign
currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated, the increased cost
of those securities may be partially offset by purchasing calls or writing puts
on that foreign currency. If the Manager anticipates a decline in the dollar
value of a foreign currency, the decline in the dollar value of portfolio
securities denominated in that currency might be partially offset by writing
calls or purchasing puts on that foreign currency. However, the currency rates
could fluctuate in a direction adverse to the Fund's position. The Fund will
then have incurred option premium payments and transaction costs without a
corresponding benefit.
A call the Fund writes on a foreign currency is "covered" if the Fund owns
the underlying foreign currency covered by the call or has an absolute and
immediate right to acquire that foreign currency without additional cash
consideration (or it can do so for additional cash consideration held in a
segregated account by its custodian bank) upon conversion or exchange of other
foreign currency held in its portfolio.
The Fund could write a call on a foreign currency to provide a hedge
against a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a security which the Fund owns or
has the right to acquire and which is denominated in the currency underlying the
option. That decline might be one that occurs due to an expected adverse change
in the exchange rate. This is known as a "cross-hedging" strategy. In those
circumstances, the Fund covers the option by identifying on its books liquid
assets in an amount equal to the exercise price of the option.
|_| Risks of Hedging with Options and Futures. The use of hedging
instruments requires special skills and knowledge of investment techniques that
are different than what is required for normal portfolio management. If the
Manager uses a hedging instrument at the wrong time or judges market conditions
incorrectly, hedging strategies may reduce the Fund's return. The Fund could
also experience losses if the prices of its futures and options positions were
not correlated with its other investments.
The Fund's option activities could affect its portfolio turnover rate and
brokerage commissions. The exercise of calls written by the Fund might cause the
Fund to sell related portfolio securities, thus increasing its turnover rate.
The exercise by the Fund of puts on securities will cause the sale of underlying
investments, increasing portfolio turnover. Although the decision whether to
exercise a put it holds is within the Fund's control, holding a put might cause
the Fund to sell the related investments for reasons that would not exist in the
absence of the put.
The Fund could pay a brokerage commission each time it buys a call or put,
sells a call or put, or buys or sells an underlying investment in connection
with the exercise of a call or put. Those commissions could be higher on a
relative basis than the commissions for direct purchases or sales of the
underlying investments. Premiums paid for options are small in relation to the
market value of the underlying investments. Consequently, put and call options
offer large amounts of leverage. The leverage offered by trading in options
could result in the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive to changes in
the value of the underlying investment.
If a covered call written by the Fund is exercised on an investment that
has increased in value, the Fund will be required to sell the investment at the
call price. It will not be able to realize any profit if the investment has
increased in value above the call price.
An option position may be closed out only on a market that provides
secondary trading for options of the same series, and there is no assurance that
a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. The Fund might
experience losses if it could not close out a position because of an illiquid
market for the future or option.
There is a risk in using short hedging by selling futures or purchasing
puts on broadly-based indices or futures to attempt to protect against declines
in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. The risk is that the prices of
the futures or the applicable index will correlate imperfectly with the behavior
of the cash prices of the Fund's securities. For example, it is possible that
while the Fund has used hedging instruments in a short hedge, the market might
advance and the value of the securities held in the Fund's portfolio might
decline. If that occurred, the Fund would lose money on the hedging instruments
and also experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities. However,
while this could occur for a very brief period or to a very small degree, over
time the value of a diversified portfolio of securities will tend to move in the
same direction as the indices upon which the hedging instruments are based.
The risk of imperfect correlation increases as the composition of the
Fund's portfolio diverges from the securities included in the applicable index.
To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the price of the
portfolio securities being hedged and movements in the price of the hedging
instruments, the Fund might use hedging instruments in a greater dollar amount
than the dollar amount of portfolio securities being hedged. It might do so if
the historical volatility of the prices of the portfolio securities being hedged
is more than the historical volatility of the applicable index.
The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets are
subject to distortions, due to differences in the nature of those markets.
First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and
maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit
requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting
transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and
futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on
participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking
delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity
in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from
the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market
are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets. Therefore,
increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary
price distortions.
The Fund can use hedging instruments to establish a position in the
securities markets as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual
securities (long hedging) by buying futures and/or calls on such futures,
broadly-based indices or on securities. It is possible that when the Fund does
so the market might decline. If the Fund then concludes not to invest in
securities because of concerns that the market might decline further or for
other reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the hedging instruments that is
not offset by a reduction in the price of the securities purchased.
|_| Forward Contracts. Forward contracts are foreign currency
exchange contracts. They are used to buy or sell foreign currency for future
delivery at a fixed price. The Fund uses them to "lock in" the U.S. dollar price
of a security denominated in a foreign currency that the Fund has bought or
sold, or to protect against possible losses from changes in the relative values
of the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency. The Fund may also use "cross-hedging"
where the Fund hedges against changes in currencies other than the currency in
which a security it holds is denominated.
Under a forward contract, one party agrees to purchase, and another party
agrees to sell, a specific currency at a future date. That date may be any fixed
number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties. The
transaction price is set at the time the contract is entered into. These
contracts are traded in the inter-bank market conducted directly among currency
traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers.
The Fund may use forward contracts to protect against uncertainty in the
level of future exchange rates. The use of forward contracts does not eliminate
the risk of fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund
owns or intends to acquire, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance.
Although forward contracts may reduce the risk of loss from a decline in the
value of the hedged currency, at the same time they limit any potential gain if
the value of the hedged currency increases.
When the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a
security denominated in a foreign currency, or when it anticipates receiving
dividend payments in a foreign currency, the Fund might desire to "lock-in" the
U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of the dividend
payments. To do so, the Fund might enter into a forward contract for the
purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying
transaction, in a fixed amount of U.S. dollars per unit of the foreign currency.
This is called a "transaction hedge." The transaction hedge will protect the
Fund against a loss from an adverse change in the currency exchange rates during
the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold or on
which the payment is declared, and the date on which the payments are made or
received.
The Fund could also use forward contracts to lock in the U.S. dollar value
of portfolio positions. This is called a "position hedge." When the Fund
believes that foreign currency might suffer a substantial decline against the
U.S. dollar, it could enter into a forward contract to sell an amount of that
foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio
securities denominated in that foreign currency. When the Fund believes that the
U.S. dollar might suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it
could enter into a forward contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed
dollar amount.
Alternatively, the Fund could enter into a forward contract to sell a
different foreign currency for a fixed U.S. dollar amount if the Fund
believes that the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency to be sold
pursuant to its forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the
U.S. dollar value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the Fund
are denominated. That is referred to as a "cross hedge."
The Fund will cover its short positions in these cases by identifying on
its books liquid assets having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the
Fund's commitment under forward contracts. The Fund will not enter into forward
contracts or maintain a net exposure to such contracts if the consummation of
the contracts would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency
in excess of the value of the Fund's portfolio securities or other assets
denominated in that currency or another currency that is the subject of the
hedge.
However, to avoid excess transactions and transaction costs, the Fund may
maintain a net exposure to forward contracts in excess of the value of the
Fund's portfolio securities or other assets denominated in foreign currencies if
the excess amount is "covered" by liquid securities denominated in any currency.
The cover must be at least equal at all times to the amount of that excess. As
one alternative, the Fund may purchase a call option permitting the Fund to
purchase the amount of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale contract
at a price no higher than the forward contract price. As another alternative,
the Fund may purchase a put option permitting the Fund to sell the amount of
foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a price as high or
higher than the forward contact price.
The precise matching of the amounts under forward contracts and the value
of the securities involved generally will not be possible because the future
value of securities denominated in foreign currencies will change as a
consequence of market movements between the date the forward contract is entered
into and the date it is sold. In some cases the Manager might decide to sell the
security and deliver foreign currency to settle the original purchase
obligation. If the market value of the security is less than the amount of
foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver, the Fund might have to
purchase additional foreign currency on the "spot" (that is, cash) market to
settle the security trade. If the market value of the security instead exceeds
the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver to settle the
trade, the Fund might have to sell on the spot market some of the foreign
currency received upon the sale of the security. There will be additional
transaction costs on the spot market in those cases.
The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely
difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is
highly uncertain. Forward contracts involve the risk that anticipated currency
movements will not be accurately predicted, causing the Fund to sustain losses
on these contracts and to pay additional transactions costs. The use of forward
contracts in this manner might reduce the Fund's performance if there are
unanticipated changes in currency prices to a greater degree than if the Fund
had not entered into such contracts.
At or before the maturity of a forward contract requiring the Fund to sell
a currency, the Fund might sell a portfolio security and use the sale proceeds
to make delivery of the currency. In the alternative the Fund might retain the
security and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by
purchasing a second contract. Under that contract the Fund will obtain, on the
same maturity date, the same amount of the currency that it is obligated to
deliver. Similarly, the Fund might close out a forward contract requiring it to
purchase a specified currency by entering into a second contract entitling it to
sell the same amount of the same currency on the maturity date of the first
contract. The Fund would realize a gain or loss as a result of entering into
such an offsetting forward contract under either circumstance. The gain or loss
will depend on the extent to which the exchange rate or rates between the
currencies involved moved between the execution dates of the first contract and
offsetting contract.
The costs to the Fund of engaging in forward contracts varies with factors
such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the
market conditions then prevailing. Because forward contracts are usually entered
into on a principal basis, no brokerage fees or commissions are involved.
Because these contracts are not traded on an exchange, the Fund must evaluate
the credit and performance risk of the counterparty under each forward contract.
Although the Fund values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it
does not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars
on a daily basis. The Fund may convert foreign currency from time to time, and
will incur costs in doing so. Foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for
conversion, but they do seek to realize a profit based on the difference between
the prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer might
offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a
lesser rate of exchange if the Fund desires to resell that currency to the
dealer.
|_| Regulatory Aspects of Hedging Instruments. When using futures
and options on futures, the Fund is required to operate within certain
guidelines and restrictions with respect to the use of futures as established by
the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). In particular, the Fund
is exempted from registration with the CFTC as a "commodity pool operator" if
the Fund complies with the requirements of Rule 4.5 adopted by the CFTC. The
Rule does not limit the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be used for
futures margin and related options premiums for a bona fide hedging position.
However, under the Rule, the Fund must limit its aggregate initial futures
margin and related options premiums to not more than 5% of the Fund's net assets
for hedging strategies that are not considered bona fide hedging strategies
under the Rule. Under the Rule, the Fund must also use short futures and options
on futures solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent
of the applicable provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Transactions in options by the Fund are subject to limitations established
by the option exchanges. The exchanges limit the maximum number of options that
may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in
concert. Those limits apply regardless of whether the options were written or
purchased on the same or different exchanges or are held in one or more accounts
or through one or more different exchanges or through one or more brokers. Thus,
the number of options that the Fund may write or hold may be affected by options
written or held by other entities, including other investment companies having
the same advisor as the Fund (or an advisor that is an affiliate of the Fund's
advisor). The exchanges also impose position limits on futures transactions. An
exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of
those limits and may impose certain other sanctions.
Under the Investment Company Act, when the Fund purchases a future, it
must maintain cash or readily marketable short-term debt instruments in an
amount equal to the market value of the securities underlying the future, less
the margin deposit applicable to it.
|_| Tax Aspects of Certain Hedging Instruments. Certain foreign
currency exchange contracts in which the Fund may invest are treated as "Section
1256 contracts" under the Internal Revenue Code. In general, gains or losses
relating to Section 1256 contracts are characterized as 60% long-term and 40%
short-term capital gains or losses under the Code. However, foreign currency
gains or losses arising from Section 1256 contracts that are forward contracts
generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. In addition, Section 1256
contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year are
"marked-to-market," and unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they
were realized. These contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of
determining the excise tax applicable to investment company distributions and
for other purposes under rules prescribed pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
An election can be made by the Fund to exempt those transactions from this
marked-to-market treatment.
Certain forward contracts the Fund enters into may result in "straddles"
for federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the character and
timing of gains (or losses) recognized by the Fund on straddle positions.
Generally, a loss sustained on the disposition of a position making up a
straddle is allowed only to the extent that the loss exceeds any unrecognized
gain in the offsetting positions making up the straddle. Disallowed loss is
generally allowed at the point where there is no unrecognized gain in the
offsetting positions making up the straddle, or the offsetting position is
disposed of.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, the following gains or losses are treated
as ordinary income or loss: (1) gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in
exchange rates that
occur between the time the Fund accrues interest or other receivables
or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign
currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or
pays such liabilities, and
(2) gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of a foreign
currency between the date of acquisition of a debt security denominated
in a foreign currency or foreign currency forward contracts and the
date of disposition.
Currency gains and losses are offset against market gains and losses on
each trade before determining a net "Section 988" gain or loss under the
Internal Revenue Code for that trade, which may increase or decrease the amount
of the Fund's investment income available for distribution to its shareholders.
n Temporary Defensive Investments. When market conditions are unstable, or
the Manager believes it is otherwise appropriate to reduce holdings in stocks,
the Fund can invest in a variety of debt securities for defensive purposes. The
Fund can also purchase these securities for liquidity purposes to meet cash
needs due to the redemption of Fund shares, or to hold while waiting to reinvest
cash received from the sale of other portfolio securities. The Fund can buy: o
high-quality (rated in the top rating categories of
nationally-recognized rating organizations or deemed by the
Manager to be of comparable quality), short-term money market
instruments, including those issued by the U. S. Treasury or
other government agencies,
o commercial paper (short-term, unsecured, promissory notes of
domestic or foreign companies) rated in the top rating category of a
nationally recognized rating organization,
o debt obligations of corporate issuers, rated investment grade (rated
at least Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or at least BBB by
Standard & Poor's Corporation, or a comparable rating by another
rating organization), or unrated securities judged by the Manager to
have a comparable quality to rated securities in those categories,
o preferred stocks,
o certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances of domestic and
foreign banks and savings and loan associations, and
o repurchase agreements.
Short-term debt securities would normally be selected for defensive or
cash management purposes because they can normally be disposed of quickly, are
not generally subject to significant fluctuations in principal value and their
value will be less subject to interest rate risk than longer-term debt
securities.
Investment Restrictions
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
n What Are "Fundamental Policies?" Fundamental policies are those policies
that the Fund has adopted to govern its investments that can be changed only by
the vote of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities. Under the
Investment Company Act, a "majority" vote is defined as the vote of the holders
of the lesser of:
o 67% or more of the shares present or represented by proxy at a
shareholder meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding
shares are present or represented by proxy, or
o more than 50% of the outstanding shares.
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy. Other policies
described in the Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information are
"fundamental" only if they are identified as such. The Fund's Board of Trustees
can change non-fundamental policies without shareholder approval. However,
significant changes to investment policies will be described in supplements or
updates to the Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information, as
appropriate. The Fund's most significant investment policies are described in
the Prospectus.
n Does the Fund Have Additional Fundamental Policies? The following
investment restrictions are fundamental policies of the Fund.
o The Fund cannot buy securities issued or guaranteed by any one issuer if
more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer
or if it would then own more than 10% of that issuer's voting securities. The
limit does not apply to securities issued by the U.S. government or any of its
agencies or instrumentalities.
o The Fund cannot invest in companies for the purpose of acquiring control
or management of them.
o The Fund cannot lend money. However, it can invest in debt securities
that the Fund's investment policies and restrictions permit it to purchase. The
Fund may also lend its portfolio securities and enter into repurchase
agreements.
o The Fund cannot concentrate investments. That means it cannot invest 25%
or more of its total assets in companies in any one industry. Obligations of the
U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities are not considered to be
part of an "industry" for the purposes of this restriction.
o The Fund cannot invest in real estate or in interests in real estate.
However, the Fund can purchase securities of companies holding real estate or
interests in real estate.
o The Fund cannot underwrite securities of other companies. A permitted
exception is in case it is deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act
of 1933 when reselling any securities held in its own portfolio.
o The Fund cannot pledge, mortgage or hypothecate any of its assets.
However, this does not prohibit the escrow arrangements contemplated by the put
and call activities of the Fund or other collateral or margin arrangements in
connection with any of the hedging instruments permitted by any of its other
policies.
|_| The Fund cannot issue "senior securities," but this does not prohibit
certain investment activities for which assets of the Fund are designated as
segregated, or margin, collateral or escrow arrangements are established, to
cover the related obligations. Examples of those activities include borrowing
money, reverse repurchase agreements, delayed-delivery and when-issued
arrangements for portfolio securities transactions, and contracts to buy or sell
derivatives, hedging instruments, options or futures.
|_| The Fund can invest all of its assets in the securities of a single
open-end management investment company for which the Manager, one of its
subsidiaries or a successor is the investment advisor or sub-advisor. That fund
must have substantially the same fundamental investment objective, policies and
limitations as the Fund.
This fundamental policy that permits the Fund to invest its assets in an
open-end management investment company would permit the Fund to adopt a
"master-feeder" structure. Under that structure, the Fund would be a "feeder"
fund and would invest all of its assets in a single pooled "master fund" in
which other feeder funds could also invest. This could enable the Fund to take
advantage of potential operational and cost efficiencies in the master-feeder
structure. The Fund has no present intention of adopting the master-feeder
structure. If it did so, the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional
Information would be revised accordingly.
Unless the Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information states
that a percentage restriction applies on an on-going basis, it applies only at
the time the Fund makes an investment. The Fund need not sell securities to meet
the percentage limits if the value of the investment increases in proportion to
the size of the Fund.
For purposes of the Fund's policy not to concentrate its investments as
described above, the Fund has adopted the industry classifications set forth in
Appendix A to this Statement of Additional Information. That is not a
fundamental policy.
How the Fund is Managed
Organization and History. The Fund is an open-end, diversified management
investment company with an unlimited number of authorized shares of beneficial
interest. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust in 1999.
The Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for
protecting the interests of shareholders under Massachusetts law. The Trustees
meet periodically throughout the year to oversee the Fund's activities, review
its performance, and review the actions of the Manager. Although the Fund will
not normally hold annual meetings of its shareholders, it may hold shareholder
meetings from time to time on important matters, and shareholders have the right
to call a meeting to remove a Trustee or to take other action described in the
Fund's Declaration of Trust.
|X| Classes of Shares. The Board of Trustees has the power, without
shareholder approval, to divide unissued shares of the Fund into two or more
classes. The Board has done so, and the Fund currently has four classes of
shares: Class A, Class B, Class C and Class Y. All classes invest in the same
investment portfolio. Each class of shares: o has its own dividends and
distributions, o pays certain expenses which may be different for the different
classes, o may have a different net asset value, o may have separate voting
rights on matters in which interests of one
class are different from interests of another class, and o votes as a
class on matters that affect that class alone.
Shares are freely transferable, and each share of each class has one vote
at shareholder meetings, with fractional shares voting proportionally on matters
submitted to the vote of shareholders. Each share of the Fund represents an
interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share
of the same class.
The Trustees are authorized to create new series and classes of shares.
The Trustees may reclassify unissued shares of the Fund into additional series
or classes of shares. The Trustees also may divide or combine the shares of a
class into a greater or lesser number of shares without changing the
proportionate beneficial interest of a shareholder in the Fund. Shares do not
have cumulative voting rights or preemptive or subscription rights. Shares may
be voted in person or by proxy at shareholder meetings.
|X| Meetings of Shareholders. As a Massachusetts business trust, the Fund
is not required to hold, and does not plan to hold, regular annual meetings of
shareholders. The Fund will hold meetings when required to do so by the
Investment Company Act or other applicable law. It will also do so when a
shareholder meeting is called by the Trustees or upon proper request of the
shareholders.
Shareholders have the right, upon the declaration in writing or vote of
two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Fund, to remove a Trustee. The
Trustees will call a meeting of shareholders to vote on the removal of a Trustee
upon the written request of the record holders of 10% of its outstanding shares.
If the Trustees receive a request from at least 10 shareholders stating that
they wish to communicate with other shareholders to request a meeting to remove
a Trustee, the Trustees will then either make the Fund's shareholder list
available to the applicants or mail their communication to all other
shareholders at the applicants' expense. The shareholders making the request
must have been shareholders for at least six months and must hold shares of the
Fund valued at $25,000 or more or constituting at least 1% of the Fund's
outstanding shares, whichever is less. The Trustees may also take other action
as permitted by the Investment Company Act.
|X| Shareholder and Trustee Liability. The Fund's Declaration of Trust
contains an express disclaimer of shareholder or Trustee liability for the
Fund's obligations. It also provides for indemnification and reimbursement of
expenses out of the Fund's property for any shareholder held personally liable
for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust also states that upon request, the
Fund shall assume the defense of any claim made against a shareholder for any
act or obligation of the Fund and shall satisfy any judgment on that claim.
Massachusetts law permits a shareholder of a business trust (such as the Fund)
to be held personally liable as a "partner" under certain circumstances.
However, the risk that a Fund shareholder will incur financial loss from being
held liable as a "partner" of the Fund is limited to the relatively remote
circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations.
The Fund's contractual arrangements state that any person doing business
with the Fund (and each shareholder of the Fund) agrees under its Declaration of
Trust to look solely to the assets of the Fund for satisfaction of any claim or
demand that may arise out of any dealings with the Fund. Additionally, the
Trustees shall have no personal liability to any such person, to the extent
permitted by law.
Trustees and Officers of the Fund. The Trustees and officers of the Fund and
their principal occupations and business affiliations during the past five years
are listed below. Trustees denoted with an asterisk (*) below are deemed to be
"interested persons" of the Fund under the Investment Company Act. All of the
Trustees are also trustees, directors or managing general partners of the
following Denver-based Oppenheimer funds2:
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund Oppenheimer Variable Account Funds
Oppenheimer Capital Income Fund Panorama Series Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund Centennial America Fund, L. P.
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust
Oppenheimer Integrity Funds Centennial Government Trust
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Centennial Money Market Trust
Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street Funds, Inc. Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust
Oppenheimer Municipal Fund Centennial Tax Exempt Trust
Oppenheimer Real Asset Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund
Ms. Macaskill and Messrs. Swain, Bishop, Wixted, Donohue, Farrar and
Zack, who are officers of the Fund, respectively hold the same offices with
the other Denver-based Oppenheimer funds.
2. Ms. Macaskill and Mr. Bowen are not Trustees or Directors of Oppenheimer
Integrity Funds, Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund, Panorama Series Fund, Inc.
or Oppenheimer Variable Account Funds. Mr. Fossel and Mr. Bowen are not Trustees
of Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust or Managing General Partners of
Centennial America Fund, L.P.
Robert G. Avis*, Trustee; Age 67
One North Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Vice Chairman of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. (a broker-dealer) and A.G.
Edwards, Inc. (its parent holding company); Chairman of A.G.E. Asset
Management and A.G. Edwards Trust Company (its affiliated investment advisor
and trust company, respectively).
William A. Baker, Trustee; Age 83
197 Desert Lakes Drive, Palm Springs, California 92264
Management Consultant.
George C. Bowen*, Trustee; Age 62
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Formerly (until June 1999) Mr. Bowen held the following positions: Senior
Vice President (since September 1987) and Treasurer (since March 1985) of the
Manager; Vice President (since June 1983) and Treasurer (since March 1985) of
the Distributor; Vice President (since October 1989) and Treasurer (since
April 1986) of HarbourView Asset Management ; Senior Vice President (since
February 1992), Treasurer (since July 1991) and a director (since December
1991) of Centennial Asset Management; President, Treasurer and a director of
Centennial Capital Corporation (since June 1989); Vice President and
Treasurer (since August 1978) and Secretary (since April 1981) of Shareholder
Services, Inc.; Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of Shareholder
Financial Services, Inc. (since November 1989); Assistant Treasurer of
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. (since March 1998); Treasurer of Oppenheimer
Partnership Holdings, Inc. (since November 1989); Vice President and
Treasurer of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since July 1996); Chief
Executive Officer, Treasurer; Treasurer of OppenheimerFunds International
Ltd. and Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since October 1997).
Charles Conrad, Jr., Trustee; Age 68
1501 Quail Street, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Chairman and CEO of Universal Space Lines, Inc. (a space services management
company); formerly Vice President of McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co.,
prior to which he was associated with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Jon S. Fossel, Trustee; Age 57
P.O. Box 44, Mead Street, Waccabuc, New York 10597
Formerly Chairman and a director of the Manager, President and a director of
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), the Manager's parent holding company,
and Shareholder Services, Inc. ("SSI") and Shareholder Financial Services,
Inc. ("SFSI"), transfer agent subsidiaries of the Manager.
Sam Freedman, Trustee; Age: 58
4975 Lakeshore Drive, Littleton, Colorado 80123
Formerly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OppenheimerFunds Services,
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Shareholders Services, Inc.,
Chairman, Chief Executive and Officer and director of Shareholder Financial
Services, Inc., Vice President and director of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. and
a director of OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Raymond J. Kalinowski, Trustee; Age 69
44 Portland Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63131
Director of Wave Technologies International, Inc. (a computer products
training company), self-employed consultant (securities matters).
C. Howard Kast, Trustee; Age 77
2552 East Alameda, Denver, Colorado 80209
Formerly Managing Partner of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells (an accounting firm).
Robert M. Kirchner, Trustee; Age 77
7500 E. Arapahoe Road, Englewood, Colorado 80112
President of The Kirchner Company (management consultants).
Bridget A. Macaskill*, President and Trustee; Age: 50
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
President (since June 1991), Chief Executive Officer (since September 1995) and
a Director (since December 1994) of the Manager; President and director (since
June 1991) of HarbourView Asset Management Corp., an investment advisor
subsidiary of the Manager; Chairman and a director of Shareholder Services, Inc.
(since August 1994) and Shareholder Financial Services, Inc. (since September
1995), transfer agent subsidiaries of the Manager; President (since September
1995) and a director (since October 1990) of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., the
Manager's parent holding company; President (since September 1995) and a
director (since November 1989) of Oppenheimer Partnership Holdings, Inc., a
holding company subsidiary of the Manager; a director of Oppenheimer Real Asset
Management, Inc. (since July 1996); President and a director (since October
1997) of OppenheimerFunds International Ltd., an offshore fund management
subsidiary of the Manager and of Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc; President and
a director of other Oppenheimer funds; a director of Hillsdown Holdings plc (a
U.K. food company).
Ned M. Steel, Trustee; Age 83
3416 South Race Street, Englewood, Colorado 80110
Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter; a director of Visiting Nurse
Corporation of Colorado.
James C. Swain*, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee; Age 65 6803
South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112 Vice Chairman of the Manager (since
September 1988); formerly President and a director of Centennial Asset
Management Corporation, an investment advisor subsidiary of the Manager
("Centennial"), and Chairman of the Board of SSI.
Charles Albers, Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age 58 Two World Trade
Center, 34th Floor, New York, New York 10048 Senior Vice President of the
Manager (since April 17, 1998); a Certified Financial Analyst; previously a Vice
President and portfolio manager for Guardian Investor Services, the investment
management subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company (from 1972 to April
1998).
Mark Zavanelli, Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age 28 Two World
Trade Center, 34th Floor, New York, New York 10048 Assistant Vice President of
the Manager (since April 17, 1998); a Certified Financial Analyst; previously
President of Waterside Capital Management, a registered investment advisor (from
August 1995), a financial research analyst for Elder Research (from June 1997)
and a manager of research services for ZPR Investment Management, Inc., an
investment advisor (from June 1992 to July 1995).
Brian W. Wixted, Treasurer; Age: 39.
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Senior Vice President and Treasurer (since April 1999) of the Manager; formerly
Principal and Chief Operating Officer, Bankers Trust Company Mutual Fund
Services Division (1995-1999); Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of CS
First Boston Investment Management Corp. (1991-1995); and Vice President and
Accounting Manager, Merrill Lynch Asset Management (1987-1991).
Andrew J. Donohue, Vice President and Secretary; Age 48
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Executive Vice President (since January 1993), General Counsel (since October
1991) and a Director (since September 1995) of the Manager; Executive Vice
President and General Counsel (since September 1993) and a director (since
January 1992) of the Distributor; Executive Vice President, General Counsel and
a director of HarbourView Asset Management Corp., Shareholder Services, Inc.,
Shareholder Financial Services, Inc. and (since September 1995) Oppenheimer
Partnership Holdings, Inc.; President and a director of Centennial Asset
Management Corporation (since September 1995); President, General Counsel and a
director of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since July 1996); General
Counsel (since May 1996) and Secretary (since April 1997) of Oppenheimer
Acquisition Corp.; Vice President and a director of OppenheimerFunds
International Ltd. and Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since October 1997); an
officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
Robert J. Bishop, Assistant Treasurer; Age 40
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (since May 1996); an
officer of other Oppenheimer funds; formerly an Assistant Vice President of the
Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (April 1994-May 1996), and a Fund
Controller for the Manager.
Scott Farrar, Assistant Treasurer; Age 33
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (since May 1996); Assistant
Treasurer of Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since October 1997); an officer
of other Oppenheimer funds; formerly an Assistant Vice President of the
Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (April 1994-May 1996), and a Fund Controller for
the Manager.
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary; Age 50
Two World Trade Center, 34th Floor, New York, New York 10048-0203 Senior Vice
President (since May 1985) and Associate General Counsel (since May 1981) of the
Manager, Assistant Secretary of Shareholder Services, Inc. (since May 1985), and
Shareholder Financial Services, Inc. (since November 1989); Assistant Secretary
(since October 1997) of Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc and OppenheimerFunds
International Ltd.; an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
|_| Remuneration of Trustees. The officers of the Fund and three Trustees
of the Fund (Ms. Macaskill and Messrs. Bowen and Swain) are affiliated with the
Manager and receive no salary or fee from the Fund. The remaining Trustees of
the Fund are expected to receive the compensation shown below from the Fund with
respect to the Fund's fiscal year ended June 30, 1999. The compensation from all
of the Denver-based Oppenheimer funds represents compensation received as a
director, trustee, managing general partner or member of a committee of the
Board during the calendar year 1998.
<PAGE>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate Total Compensation
Trustee's Name and Other Compensation from Denver-Based
Positions from Fund1 Oppenheimer Funds2
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert G. Avis $250 $67,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
William A. Baker $250 $69,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Conrad, Jr.
Audit Committee Member $250 $67,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon. S. Fossel
Review Committee Member $250 $67,496
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Freedman
Review Committee Member $273 $73,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raymond J. Kalinowski $273 $73,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Howard Kast
Audit Committee and Review
Committee Chairman $284 $76,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert M. Kirchner
Audit Committee Member $250 $67,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ned M. Steel $250 $67,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Estimated to be received during the current fiscal year ended June 30,
1999.
2. For the 1998 calendar year. Compensation is only from funds on whose Board
a Trustee served, as described above. The Denver-Based Oppenheimer funds
include 30 Oppenheimer funds and variable annuity funds. Prior to July 1,
1999, Messrs. Freedman and Kalinowski were members of the Audit and Review
Committee and Mr. Kast was Chairman of that committee. |_| Deferred
Compensation Plan. The Board of Trustees has adopted a
Deferred Compensation Plan for disinterested trustees that enables them to elect
to defer receipt of all or a portion of the annual fees they are entitled to
receive from the Fund. Under the plan, the compensation deferred by a Trustee is
periodically adjusted as though an equivalent amount had been invested in shares
of one or more Oppenheimer funds selected by the Trustee. The amount paid to the
Trustee under the plan will be determined based upon the performance of the
selected funds.
Deferral of Trustee's fees under the plan will not materially affect
the Fund's assets, liabilities and net income per share. The plan will not
obligate the Fund to retain the services of any Trustee or to pay any particular
level of compensation to any Trustee. Pursuant to an Order issued by the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund may invest in the funds selected by
the Trustee under the plan without shareholder approval for the limited purpose
of determining the value of the Trustee's deferred fee account.
|_| Major Shareholders. As of the date of this Statement of
Additional Information, the Manager was the sole initial shareholder of the
Fund's Class A, Class B, Class C and Class Y shares.
The Manager. The Manager is wholly-owned by Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., a
holding company controlled by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. The
Manager and the Fund have a Code of Ethics. It is designed to detect and prevent
improper personal trading by certain employees, including portfolio managers,
that would compete with or take advantage of the Fund's portfolio transactions.
Compliance with the Code of Ethics is carefully monitored and enforced by the
Manager.
|_| The Investment Advisory Agreement. The Manager provides investment
advisory and management services to the Fund under an investment advisory
agreement between the Manager and the Fund. The Manager selects securities for
the Fund's portfolio and handles its day-to-day business. The portfolio managers
of the Fund are employed by the Manager and are the persons who are principally
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio. Other members
of the Manager's Equity Portfolio Department provide the portfolio managers with
counsel and support in managing the Fund's portfolio.
The agreement requires the Manager, at its expense, to provide the Fund
with adequate office space, facilities and equipment. It also requires the
Manager to provide and supervise the activities of all administrative and
clerical personnel required to provide effective administration for the Fund.
Those responsibilities include the compilation and maintenance of records with
respect to its operations, the preparation and filing of specified reports, and
composition of proxy materials and registration statements for continuous public
sale of shares of the Fund.
The Fund pays expenses not expressly assumed by the Manager under the
advisory agreement. The advisory agreement lists examples of expenses paid by
the Fund. The major categories relate to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions,
fees to certain Trustees, legal and audit expenses, custodian and transfer agent
expenses, share issuance costs, certain printing and registration costs and
non-recurring expenses, including litigation costs. The management fees paid by
the Fund to the Manager are calculated at the rates described in the Prospectus,
which are applied to the assets of the Fund as a whole. The fees are allocated
to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of the Fund's net
assets represented by that class.
The investment advisory agreement states that in the absence of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties or
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the investment advisory
agreement, the Manager is not liable for any loss resulting from a good faith
error or omission on its part with respect to any of its duties under the
agreement.
The agreement permits the Manager to act as investment advisor for any
other person, firm or corporation and to use the name "Oppenheimer" in
connection with other investment companies for which it may act as investment
advisor or general distributor. If the Manager shall no longer act as investment
advisor to the Fund, the Manager may withdraw the right of the Fund to use the
name "Oppenheimer" as part of its name.
Brokerage Policies of the Fund
Brokerage Provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement. One of the duties of
the Manager under the investment advisory agreement is to arrange the portfolio
transactions for the Fund. The advisory agreement contains provisions relating
to the employment of broker-dealers to effect the Fund's portfolio transactions.
The Manager is authorized by the advisory agreement to employ broker-dealers,
including "affiliated" brokers, as that term is defined in the Investment
Company Act. The Manager may employ broker-dealers that the Manager thinks, in
its best judgment based on all relevant factors, will implement the policy of
the Fund to obtain, at reasonable expense, the "best execution" of the Fund's
portfolio transactions. "Best execution" means prompt and reliable execution at
the most favorable price obtainable. The Manager need not seek competitive
commission bidding. However, it is expected to be aware of the current rates of
eligible brokers and to minimize the commissions paid to the extent consistent
with the interests and policies of the Fund as established by its Board of
Trustees.
Under the investment advisory agreement, the Manager may select brokers
(other than affiliates) that provide brokerage and/or research services for the
Fund and/or the other accounts over which the Manager or its affiliates have
investment discretion. The commissions paid to such brokers may be higher than
another qualified broker would charge, if the Manager makes a good faith
determination that the commission is fair and reasonable in relation to the
services provided. Subject to those considerations, as a factor in selecting
brokers for the Fund's portfolio transactions, the Manager may also consider
sales of shares of the Fund and other investment companies for which the Manager
or an affiliate serves as investment advisor.
Brokerage Practices Followed by the Manager. The Manager allocates brokerage for
the Fund subject to the provisions of the investment advisory agreement and the
procedures and rules described above. Generally, the Manager's portfolio traders
allocate brokerage based upon recommendations from the Manager's portfolio
managers. In certain instances, portfolio managers may directly place trades and
allocate brokerage. In either case, the Manager's executive officers supervise
the allocation of brokerage.
Transactions in securities other than those for which an exchange is the primary
market are generally done with principals or market makers. In transactions on
foreign exchanges, the Fund may be required to pay fixed brokerage commissions
and therefore would not have the benefit of negotiated commissions available in
U.S. markets. Brokerage commissions are paid primarily for transactions in
listed securities or for certain fixed-income agency transactions in the
secondary market. Otherwise brokerage commissions are paid only if it appears
likely that a better price or execution can be obtained by doing so. In an
option transaction, the Fund ordinarily uses the same broker for the purchase or
sale of the option and any transaction in the securities to which the option
relates.
Other funds advised by the Manager have investment policies similar to
those of the Fund. Those other funds may purchase or sell the same securities as
the Fund at the same time as the Fund, which could affect the supply and price
of the securities. If two or more funds advised by the Manager purchase the same
security on the same day from the same dealer, the transactions under those
combined orders are averaged as to price and allocated in accordance with the
purchase or sale orders actually placed for each account.
Most purchases of debt obligations are principal transactions at net
prices. Instead of using a broker for those transactions, the Fund normally
deals directly with the selling or purchasing principal or market maker unless
the Manager determines that a better price or execution can be obtained by using
the services of a broker. Purchases of portfolio securities from underwriters
include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter.
Purchases from dealers include a spread between the bid and asked prices. The
Fund seeks to obtain prompt execution of these orders at the most favorable net
price.
The investment advisory agreement permits the Manager to allocate
brokerage for research services. The research services provided by a particular
broker may be useful only to one or more of the advisory accounts of the Manager
and its affiliates. The investment research received for the commissions of
those other accounts may be useful both to the Fund and one or more of the
Manager's other accounts. Investment research may be supplied to the Manager by
a third party at the instance of a broker through which trades are placed.
Investment research services include information and analysis on
particular companies and industries as well as market or economic trends and
portfolio strategy, market quotations for portfolio evaluations, information
systems, computer hardware and similar products and services. If a research
service also assists the Manager in a non-research capacity (such as bookkeeping
or other administrative functions), then only the percentage or component that
provides assistance to the Manager in the investment decision-making process may
be paid in commission dollars.
The Board of Trustees permits the Manager to use stated commissions on
secondary fixed-income agency trades to obtain research if the broker represents
to the Manager that: (i) the trade is not from or for the broker's own
inventory, (ii) the trade was executed by the broker on an agency basis at the
stated commission, and (iii) the trade is not a riskless principal transaction.
The Board of Trustees permits the Manager to use concessions on fixed-price
offerings to obtain research, in the same manner as is permitted for agency
transactions.
The research services provided by brokers broadens the scope and
supplements the research activities of the Manager. That research provides
additional views and comparisons for consideration, and helps the Manager to
obtain market information for the valuation of securities that are either held
in the Fund's portfolio or are being considered for purchase. The Manager
provides information to the Board about the commissions paid to brokers
furnishing such services, together with the Manager's representation that the
amount of such commissions was reasonably related to the value or benefit of
such services.
Distribution and Service Plans
The Distributor. Under its General Distributor's Agreement with the Fund, the
Distributor acts as the Fund's principal underwriter in the continuous public
offering of the different classes of shares of the Fund. The Distributor is not
obligated to sell a specific number of shares. Expenses normally attributable to
sales are borne by the Distributor.
Distribution and Service Plans. The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A
shares and Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C shares under
Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act. Under those plans the Fund pays the
Distributor for all or a portion of its costs incurred in connection with the
distribution and/or servicing of the shares of the particular class.
Each plan has been approved by a vote of the Board of Trustees, including
a majority of the Independent Trustees3, cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on that plan. Each plan has also been approved by the
holders of a "majority" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the shares
of the applicable class.
3. In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act, the term
"Independent Directors" in this Statement of Additional Information refers to
those Directors who are not "interested persons" of the Fund and who do not have
any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the distribution
plan or any agreement under the plan.
Under the plans, the Manager and the Distributor may make payments to
affiliates, in their sole discretion, from time to time, and may use their own
resources (at no direct cost to the Fund) to make payments to brokers, dealers
or other financial institutions for distribution and administrative services
they perform. The Manager may use its profits from the advisory fee it receives
from the Fund. In their sole discretion, the Distributor and the Manager may
increase or decrease the amount of payments they make from their own resources
to plan recipients.
Unless a plan is terminated as described below, the plan continues in
effect from year to year but only if the Fund's Board of Trustees and its
Independent Trustees specifically vote annually to approve its continuance.
Approval must be by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on continuing the plan. A plan may be terminated at any time by the vote
of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a
"majority" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the outstanding shares
of that class.
The Board of Trustees and the Independent Trustees must approve all
material amendments to a plan. An amendment to increase materially the amount of
payments to be made under a plan must be approved by shareholders of the class
affected by the amendment. Because Class B shares of the Fund automatically
convert into Class A shares after six years, the Fund must obtain the approval
of both Class A and Class B shareholders for a proposed material amendment to
the Class A Plan that would materially increase payments under the Plan.
While the Plans are in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund shall provide
separate written reports on the plans to the Board of Trustees at least
quarterly for its review. The Reports shall detail the amount of all payments
made under a plan and the purpose for which the payments were made. Those
reports are subject to the review and approval of the Independent Trustees.
Each Plan states that while it is in effect, the selection and nomination
of those Trustees of the Fund who are not "interested persons" of the Fund is
committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees. This does not prevent
the involvement of others in the selection and nomination process as long as the
final decision as to selection or nomination is approved by a majority of the
Independent Trustees.
Under the plans for a class, no payment will be made to any recipient in
any quarter in which the aggregate net asset value of all Fund shares of that
class held by the recipient for itself and its customers does not exceed a
minimum amount, if any, that may be set from time to time by a majority of the
Independent Trustees. The Board of Trustees has set no minimum amount of assets
to qualify for payments under the plans.
|_| Class A Service Plan Fees. Under the Class A service plan, the
Distributor currently uses the fees it receives from the Fund to pay brokers,
dealers and other financial institutions (they are referred to as "recipients")
for personal services and account maintenance services they provide for their
customers who hold Class A shares. The services include, among others, answering
customer inquiries about the Fund, assisting in establishing and maintaining
accounts in the Fund, making the Fund's investment plans available and providing
other services at the request of the Fund or the Distributor. The Class A
service plan permits reimbursements to the Distributor at a rate of up to 0.25%
of average annual net assets of Class A shares. While the plan permits the Board
to authorize payments to the Distributor to reimburse itself for services under
the plan, the Board has not yet done so. The Distributor makes payments to plan
recipients quarterly at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of the average annual
net assets consisting of Class A shares held in the accounts of the recipients
or their customers.
Any unreimbursed expenses the Distributor incurs with respect to Class A
shares in any fiscal year cannot be recovered in subsequent years. The
Distributor may not use payments received under the Class A Plan to pay any of
its interest expenses, carrying charges, or other financial costs, or allocation
of overhead.
|_| Class B and Class C Service and Distribution Plan Fees. Under each
plan, service fees and distribution fees are computed on the average of the net
asset value of shares in the respective class, determined as of the close of
each regular business day during the period. The Class B and Class C plans
provide for the Distributor to be compensated at a flat rate for its services,
whether its costs in distributing Class B and Class C shares and servicing
accounts are more or less than the amounts paid by the Fund under the plan for
the period for which the fee is paid. The types of services that recipients
provide in return for service fees are similar to the services provided under
the Class A service plan, described above.
The Class B and the Class C Plans permit the Distributor to retain both
the asset-based sales charges and the service fees or to pay recipients the
service fee on a quarterly basis, without payment in advance. However, the
Distributor currently intends to pay the service fee to recipients in advance
for the first year after the shares are purchased. After the first year shares
are outstanding, the Distributor makes service fee payments quarterly on those
shares. The advance payment is based on the net asset value of shares sold.
Shares purchased by exchange do not qualify for the advance service fee payment.
If Class B or Class C shares are redeemed during the first year after their
purchase, the recipient of the service fees on those shares will be obligated to
repay the Distributor a pro rata portion of the advance payment of the service
fee made on those shares.
The Distributor retains the asset-based sales charge on Class B shares.
The Distributor retains the asset-based sales charge on Class C shares during
the first year the shares are outstanding. It pays the asset-based sales charge
as an ongoing commission to the recipient on Class C shares outstanding for a
year or more. If a dealer has a special agreement with the Distributor, the
Distributor will pay the Class B and/or Class C service fee and the asset-based
sales charge to the dealer quarterly in lieu of paying the sales commissions and
service fee in advance at the time of purchase.
The asset-based sales charges on Class B and Class C shares allow
investors to buy shares without a front-end sales charge while allowing the
Distributor to compensate dealers that sell those shares. The Fund pays the
asset-based sales charges to the Distributor for its services rendered in
distributing Class B and Class C shares. The payments are made to the
Distributor in recognition that the Distributor: o pays sales commissions to
authorized brokers and dealers at the time of
sale and pays service fees as described above,
o may finance payment of sales commissions and/or the advance of the
service fee payment to recipients under the plans, or may provide such
financing from its own resources or from the resources of an affiliate,
o employs personnel to support distribution of Class B and Class C
shares, and
o bears the costs of sales literature, advertising and prospectuses
(other than those furnished to current shareholders) and state "blue
sky" registration fees and certain other distribution expenses.
The Distributor's actual expenses in selling Class B and Class C shares
may be more than the payments it receives from the contingent deferred sales
charges collected on redeemed shares and from the Fund under the plans. If
either the Class B or the Class C plan is terminated by the Fund, the Board of
Trustees may allow the Fund to continue payments of the asset-based sales charge
to the Distributor for distributing shares before the plan was terminated. The
plans allow for the carry-forward of distribution expenses, to be recovered from
asset-based sales charges in subsequent fiscal periods.
All payments under the Class B and the Class C plans are subject to the
limitations imposed by the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. on payments of asset-based sales charges and service
fees.
<PAGE>
Performance of the Fund
Explanation of Performance Terminology. The Fund uses a variety of terms to
illustrate its investment performance. Those terms include "cumulative total
return," "average annual total return," "average annual total return at net
asset value" and "total return at net asset value." An explanation of how total
returns are calculated is set forth below. You can obtain current performance
information by calling the Fund's Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048 or by
visiting the OppenheimerFunds Internet web site at
http://www.oppenheimerfunds.com.
The Fund's illustrations of its performance data in advertisements must
comply with rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those rules
describe the types of performance data that may be used and how it is to be
calculated. In general, any advertisement by the Fund of its performance data
must include the average annual total returns for the advertised class of shares
of the Fund. Those returns must be shown for the 1-, 5- and 10-year periods (or
the life of the class, if less) ending as of the most recently ended calendar
quarter prior to the publication of the advertisement (or its submission for
publication).
Use of standardized performance calculations enables an investor to
compare the Fund's performance to the performance of other funds for the same
periods. However, a number of factors should be considered before using the
Fund's performance information as a basis for comparison with other investments:
|_| Total returns measure the performance of a hypothetical account in
the Fund over various periods and do not show the performance of each
shareholder's account. Your account's performance will vary from the
model performance data if your dividends are received in cash, or you
buy or sell shares during the period, or you bought your shares at a
different time and price than the shares used in the model. |_| An
investment in the Fund is not insured by the FDIC or any other
government agency.
o The Fund's performance returns do not reflect the effect of taxes on
dividends and capital gains distributions.
o The principal value of the Fund's shares and total returns are not
guaranteed and normally will fluctuate on a daily basis.
o When an investor's shares are redeemed, they may be worth more or less
than their original cost.
o Total returns for any given past period represent historical
performance information and are not, and should not be considered, a
prediction of future returns.
The performance of each class of shares is shown separately, because the
performance of each class of shares will usually be different. That is because
of the different kinds of expenses each class bears. The total returns of each
class of shares of the Fund are affected by market conditions, the quality of
the Fund's investments, the maturity of debt investments, the types of
investments the Fund holds, and its operating expenses that are allocated to the
particular class.
|X| Total Return Information. There are different types of "total returns"
to measure the Fund's performance. Total return is the change in value of a
hypothetical investment in the Fund over a given period, assuming that all
dividends and capital gains distributions are reinvested in additional shares
and that the investment is redeemed at the end of the period. Because of
differences in expenses for each class of shares, the total returns for each
class are separately measured. The cumulative total return measures the change
in value over the entire period (for example, ten years). An average annual
total return shows the average rate of return for each year in a period that
would produce the cumulative total return over the entire period. However,
average annual total returns do not show actual year-by-year performance. The
Fund uses standardized calculations for its total returns as prescribed by the
SEC. The methodology is discussed below.
In calculating total returns for Class A shares, the current maximum
sales charge of 5.75% (as a percentage of the offering price) is deducted from
the initial investment ("P") (unless the return is shown without sales charge,
as described below). For Class B shares, payment of the applicable contingent
deferred sales charge is applied, depending on the period for which the return
is shown: 5.0% in the first year, 4.0% in the second year, 3.0% in the third and
fourth years, 2.0% in the fifth year, 1.0% in the sixth year and none
thereafter. For Class C shares, the 1% contingent deferred sales charge is
deducted for returns for the 1-year period. There is no sales charge on Class Y
shares.
|_| Average Annual Total Return. The "average annual total return"
of each class is an average annual compounded rate of return for each year in a
specified number of years. It is the rate of return based on the change in value
of a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 ("P" in the formula below) held
for a number of years ("n" in the formula) to achieve an Ending Redeemable Value
("ERV" in the formula) of that investment, according to the following formula:
1/n
(ERV)
(---) -1 = Average Annual Total Return
( P )
|_| Cumulative Total Return. The "cumulative total return"
calculation measures the change in value of a hypothetical investment of $1,000
over an entire period of years. Its calculation uses some of the same factors as
average annual total return, but it does not average the rate of return on an
annual basis. Cumulative total return is determined as follows:
<PAGE>
ERV - P
------- = Total Return
P
|_| Total Returns at Net Asset Value. From time to time the Fund may
also quote a cumulative or an average annual total return "at net asset value"
(without deducting sales charges) for Class A, Class B or Class C shares. Each
is based on the difference in net asset value per share at the beginning and the
end of the period for a hypothetical investment in that class of shares (without
considering front-end or contingent deferred sales charges) and takes into
consideration the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.
Other Performance Comparisons. The Fund compares its performance annually to
that of an appropriate broadly-based market index in its Annual Report to
shareholders. You can obtain that information by contacting the Transfer Agent
at the addresses or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this Statement of
Additional Information. The Fund may also compare its performance to that of
other investments, including other mutual funds, or use rankings of its
performance by independent ranking entities. Examples of these performance
comparisons are set forth below.
|_| Lipper Rankings. From time to time the Fund may publish the ranking of
the performance of its classes of shares by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
Lipper is a widely-recognized independent mutual fund monitoring service. Lipper
monitors the performance of regulated investment companies, including the Fund,
and ranks their performance for various periods based on categories relating to
investment objectives. Lipper currently ranks the Fund's performance against all
other growth funds. The Lipper performance rankings are based on total returns
that include the reinvestment of capital gain distributions and income dividends
but do not take sales charges or taxes into consideration. Lipper also publishes
"peer-group" indices of the performance of all mutual funds in a category that
it monitors and averages of the performance of the funds in particular
categories.
|_| Morningstar Ratings and Rankings. From time to time the Fund may
publish the ranking and/or star rating of the performance of its classes of
shares by Morningstar, Inc., an independent mutual fund monitoring service.
Morningstar rates and ranks mutual funds in broad investment categories:
domestic stock funds, international stock funds, taxable bond funds and
municipal bond funds. The Fund is included in the domestic stock funds category.
Morningstar proprietary star ratings reflect historical risk-adjusted
total investment return. Investment return measures a fund's (or class's) one-,
three-, five- and ten-year average annual total returns (depending on the
inception of the fund or class) in excess of 90-day U.S. Treasury bill returns
after considering the fund's sales charges and expenses. Risk is measured by a
fund's (or class's) performance below 90-day U.S. Treasury bill returns. Risk
and investment return are combined to produce star ratings reflecting
performance relative to the other funds in the fund's category. Five stars is
the "highest" ranking (top 10% of funds in a category), four stars is "above
average" (next 22.5%), three stars is "average" (next 35%), two stars is "below
average" (next 22.5%) and one star is "lowest" (bottom 10%). The current star
rating is the fund's (or class's) overall rating, which is the fund's 3-year
rating or its combined 3- and 5-year ranking (weighted 60%/40% respectively), or
its combined 3-, 5-, and 10-year rating (weighted 40%/30%/30%, respectively),
depending on the inception date of the fund (or class). Ratings are subject to
change monthly.
The Fund may also compare its total return ranking to that of other funds
in its Morningstar category, in addition to its star rating. Those total return
rankings are percentages from one percent to one hundred percent and are not
risk-adjusted. For example, if a fund is in the 94th percentile, that means that
94% of the funds in the same category performed better than it did.
|_| Performance Rankings and Comparisons by Other Entities and
Publications. From time to time the Fund may include in its advertisements and
sales literature performance information about the Fund cited in newspapers and
other periodicals such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's,
or similar publications. That information may include performance quotations
from other sources, including Lipper and Morningstar. The performance of the
Fund's classes of shares may be compared in publications to the performance of
various market indices or other investments, and averages, performance rankings
or other benchmarks prepared by recognized mutual fund statistical services.
Investors may also wish to compare the returns on the Fund's share classes
to the return on fixed-income investments available from banks and thrift
institutions. Those include certificates of deposit, ordinary interest-paying
checking and savings accounts, and other forms of fixed or variable time
deposits, and various other instruments such as Treasury bills. However, the
Fund's returns and share price are not guaranteed or insured by the FDIC or any
other agency and will fluctuate daily, while bank depository obligations may be
insured by the FDIC and may provide fixed rates of return. Repayment of
principal and payment of interest on Treasury securities is backed by the full
faith and credit of the U.S. government.
From time to time, the Fund may publish rankings or ratings of the Manager
or Transfer Agent, and of the investor services provided by them to shareholders
of the Oppenheimer funds, other than performance rankings of the Oppenheimer
funds themselves. Those ratings or rankings of shareholder and investor services
by third parties may include comparisons of their services to those provided by
other mutual fund families selected by the rating or ranking services. They may
be based upon the opinions of the rating or ranking service itself, using its
research or judgment, or based upon surveys of investors, brokers, shareholders
or others.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A B O U T Y O U R A C C O U N T
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How to Buy Shares
Additional information is presented below about the methods that can be
used to buy shares of the Fund. Appendix C contains more information about the
special sales charge arrangements offered by the Fund, and the circumstances in
which sales charges may be reduced or waived for certain classes of investors.
AccountLink. When shares are purchased through AccountLink, each purchase must
be at least $25. Shares will be purchased two regular business days following
the regular business day you instruct the Distributor to initiate the Automated
Clearing House ("ACH") transfer to buy the shares. Dividends will begin to
accrue on shares purchased with the proceeds of ACH transfers three business
days following the business day the Distributor is instructed to initiate the
ACH transfer before the close of The New York Stock Exchange. The Exchange
normally closes at 4:00 P.M., but may close earlier on certain days. If Federal
Funds are received on a business day after the close of the Exchange, the shares
will be purchased and dividends will begin to accrue on the next regular
business day. The proceeds of ACH transfers are normally received by the Fund 3
days after the transfers are initiated. The Distributor and the Fund are not
responsible for any delays in purchasing shares resulting from delays in ACH
transmissions.
Reduced Sales Charges. As discussed in the Prospectus, a reduced sales charge
rate may be obtained for Class A shares under Right of Accumulation and Letters
of Intent because of the economies of sales efforts and reduction in expenses
realized by the Distributor, dealers and brokers making such sales. No sales
charge is imposed in certain other circumstances described in Appendix C to this
Statement of Additional Information because the Distributor or dealer or broker
incurs little or no selling expenses.
|_| Right of Accumulation. To qualify for the lower sales charge rates
that apply to larger purchases of Class A shares, you and your spouse can add
together:
|_| Class A and Class B shares you purchase for your individual
accounts, or for your joint accounts, or for trust or custodial
accounts on behalf of your children who are minors, and
|_|current purchases of Class A and Class B shares of the Fund and
other Oppenheimer funds to reduce the sales charge rate that applies
to current purchases of Class A shares, and
|_|Class A and Class B shares of Oppenheimer funds you previously
purchased subject to an initial or contingent deferred sales charge
to reduce the sales charge rate for current purchases of Class A
shares, provided that you still hold your investment in one of the
Oppenheimer funds.
A fiduciary can count all shares purchased for a trust, estate or other
fiduciary account (including one or more employee benefit plans of the same
employer) that has multiple accounts. The Distributor will add the value, at
current offering price, of the shares you previously purchased and currently own
to the value of current purchases to determine the sales charge rate that
applies. The reduced sales charge will apply only to current purchases. You must
request it when you buy shares.
|_| The Oppenheimer Funds. The Oppenheimer funds are those mutual
funds for which the Distributor acts as the distributor or the
sub-distributor and currently include the following:
Oppenheimer Bond Fund Oppenheimer Large Cap Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer California Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Main Street California
Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund Oppenheimer Main Street Growth & Income
Fund
Oppenheimer Convertible Securities Fund Oppenheimer MidCap Fund Oppenheimer
Developing Markets Fund Oppenheimer Multiple Strategies Fund Oppenheimer
Disciplined Allocation Fund Oppenheimer Municipal Bond Fund Oppenheimer
Disciplined Value Fund Oppenheimer New York Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Discovery
Fund Oppenheimer New Jersey Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Enterprise Fund
Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Capital Income Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Balanced Value Fund Oppenheimer Europe Fund Oppenheimer Quest
Capital Value Fund,
Inc.
Oppenheimer Florida Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Quest Global Value Fund,
Inc.
Oppenheimer Global Fund Oppenheimer Quest Opportunity Value Fund Oppenheimer
Global Growth & Income Fund Oppenheimer Quest Small Cap Value Fund Oppenheimer
Gold & Special Minerals Oppenheimer Quest Value Fund, Inc. Fund Oppenheimer
Growth Fund Oppenheimer Real Asset Fund Oppenheimer High Yield Fund Oppenheimer
Strategic Income Fund Oppenheimer Insured Municipal Fund Oppenheimer Total
Return Fund, Inc. Oppenheimer Intermediate Municipal Fund Oppenheimer U.S.
Government Trust Oppenheimer International Bond Fund Oppenheimer World Bond Fund
Oppenheimer International Growth Fund Limited-Term New York Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer International Small Rochester Fund Municipals Company Fund and the
following money market funds:
Centennial America Fund, L. P. Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial California Tax Exempt Centennial Tax Exempt Trust
Trust
Centennial Government Trust Oppenheimer Cash Reserves
Centennial Money Market Trust Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.
There is an initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A shares of each
of the Oppenheimer funds except the money market funds. Under certain
circumstances described in this Statement of Additional Information, redemption
proceeds of certain money market fund shares may be subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge.
|_| Letters of Intent. Under a Letter of Intent, if you purchase Class A
shares or Class A and Class B shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds
during a 13-month period, you can reduce the sales charge rate that applies to
your purchases of Class A shares. The total amount of your intended purchases of
both Class A and Class B shares will determine the reduced sales charge rate for
the Class A shares purchased during that period. You can include purchases made
up to 90 days before the date of the Letter.
A Letter of Intent is an investor's statement in writing to the
Distributor of the intention to purchase Class A shares or Class A and Class B
shares of the Fund (and other Oppenheimer funds) during a 13-month period (the
"Letter of Intent period"). At the investor's request, this may include
purchases made up to 90 days prior to the date of the Letter. The Letter states
the investor's intention to make the aggregate amount of purchases of shares
which, when added to the investor's holdings of shares of those funds, will
equal or exceed the amount specified in the Letter. Purchases made by
reinvestment of dividends or distributions of capital gains and purchases made
at net asset value without sales charge do not count toward satisfying the
amount of the Letter.
A Letter enables an investor to count the Class A and Class B shares
purchased under the Letter to obtain the reduced sales charge rate on purchases
of Class A shares of the Fund (and other Oppenheimer funds) that applies under
the Right of Accumulation to current purchases of Class A shares. Each purchase
of Class A shares under the Letter will be made at the offering price (including
the sales charge) that applies to a single lump-sum purchase of shares in the
amount intended to be purchased under the Letter.
In submitting a Letter, the investor makes no commitment to purchase
shares. However, if the investor's purchases of shares within the Letter of
Intent period, when added to the value (at offering price) of the investor's
holdings of shares on the last day of that period, do not equal or exceed the
intended purchase amount, the investor agrees to pay the additional amount of
sales charge applicable to such purchases. That amount is described in "Terms of
Escrow," below (those terms may be amended by the Distributor from time to
time). The investor agrees that shares equal in value to 5% of the intended
purchase amount will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent subject to the
Terms of Escrow. Also, the investor agrees to be bound by the terms of the
Prospectus, this Statement of Additional Information and the Application used
for a Letter of Intent. If those terms are amended, as they may be from time to
time by the Fund, the investor agrees to be bound by the amended terms and that
those amendments will apply automatically to existing Letters of Intent.
If the total eligible purchases made during the Letter of Intent period do
not equal or exceed the intended purchase amount, the commissions previously
paid to the dealer of record for the account and the amount of sales charge
retained by the Distributor will be adjusted to the rates applicable to actual
total purchases. If total eligible purchases during the Letter of Intent period
exceed the intended purchase amount and exceed the amount needed to qualify for
the next sales charge rate reduction set forth in the Prospectus, the sales
charges paid will be adjusted to the lower rate. That adjustment will be made
only if and when the dealer returns to the Distributor the excess of the amount
of commissions allowed or paid to the dealer over the amount of commissions that
apply to the actual amount of purchases. The excess commissions returned to the
Distributor will be used to purchase additional shares for the investor's
account at the net asset value per share in effect on the date of such purchase,
promptly after the Distributor's receipt thereof.
The Transfer Agent will not hold shares in escrow for purchases of shares
of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds by OppenheimerFunds prototype 401(k)
plans under a Letter of Intent. If the intended purchase amount under a Letter
of Intent entered into by an OppenheimerFunds prototype 401(k) plan is not
purchased by the plan by the end of the Letter of Intent period, there will be
no adjustment of commissions paid to the broker-dealer or financial institution
of record for accounts held in the name of that plan.
In determining the total amount of purchases made under a Letter, shares
redeemed by the investor prior to the termination of the Letter of Intent period
will be deducted. It is the responsibility of the dealer of record and/or the
investor to advise the Distributor about the Letter in placing any purchase
orders for the investor during the Letter of Intent period. All of such
purchases must be made through the Distributor.
|_| Terms of Escrow That Apply to Letters of Intent.
1. Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if necessary)
made pursuant to a Letter, shares of the Fund equal in value up to 5% of the
intended purchase amount specified in the Letter shall be held in escrow by the
Transfer Agent. For example, if the intended purchase amount is $50,000, the
escrow shall be shares valued in the amount of $2,500 (computed at the offering
price adjusted for a $50,000 purchase). Any dividends and capital gains
distributions on the escrowed shares will be credited to the investor's account.
2. If the total minimum investment specified under the Letter is
completed within the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period, the escrowed shares
will be promptly released to the investor.
3. If, at the end of the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period the
total purchases pursuant to the Letter are less than the intended purchase
amount specified in the Letter, the investor must remit to the Distributor an
amount equal to the difference between the dollar amount of sales charges
actually paid and the amount of sales charges which would have been paid if the
total amount purchased had been made at a single time. That sales charge
adjustment will apply to any shares redeemed prior to the completion of the
Letter. If the difference in sales charges is not paid within twenty days after
a request from the Distributor or the dealer, the Distributor will, within sixty
days of the expiration of the Letter, redeem the number of escrowed shares
necessary to realize such difference in sales charges. Full and fractional
shares remaining after such redemption will be released from escrow. If a
request is received to redeem escrowed shares prior to the payment of such
additional sales charge, the sales charge will be withheld from the redemption
proceeds.
4. By signing the Letter, the investor irrevocably constitutes and
appoints the Transfer Agent as attorney-in-fact to surrender for redemption any
or all escrowed shares.
5. The shares eligible for purchase under the Letter (or the holding of which
may be counted toward completion of a Letter) include: (a) Class A shares sold
with a front-end sales charge or subject to a Class
A contingent deferred sales charge,
(b) Class B shares of other Oppenheimer funds acquired subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge, and
(c) Class A or Class B shares acquired by exchange of either (1) Class A
shares of one of the other Oppenheimer funds that were acquired
subject to a Class A initial or contingent deferred sales charge or
(2) Class B shares of one of the other Oppenheimer funds that were
acquired subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
6. Shares held in escrow hereunder will automatically be exchanged for
shares of another fund to which an exchange is requested, as described in the
section of the Prospectus entitled "How to Exchange Shares" and the escrow will
be transferred to that other fund.
Asset Builder Plans. To establish an Asset Builder Plan to buy shares directly
from a bank account, you must enclose a check (the minimum is $25) for the
initial purchase with your application. Shares purchased by Asset Builder Plan
payments from bank accounts are subject to the redemption restrictions for
recent purchases described in the Prospectus. Asset Builder Plans are available
only if your bank is an ACH member. Asset Builder Plans may not be used to buy
shares for OppenheimerFunds employer-sponsored qualified retirement accounts.
Asset Builder Plans also enable shareholders of Oppenheimer Cash Reserves to use
their fund account to make monthly automatic purchases of shares of up to four
other Oppenheimer funds.
If you make payments from your bank account to purchase shares of the Fund, your
bank account will be debited automatically. Normally, the debit will be made two
business days prior to the investment dates you selected on your Application.
Neither the Distributor, the Transfer Agent nor the Fund shall be responsible
for any delays in purchasing shares that result from delays in ACH
transmissions.
Before you establish Asset Builder payments, you should obtain a
prospectus of the selected fund(s) from your financial advisor (or the
Distributor) and request an application from the Distributor. Complete the
application and return it. You may change the amount of your Asset Builder
payment or you can terminate these automatic investments at any time by writing
to the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent requires a reasonable period
(approximately 10 days) after receipt of your instructions to implement them.
The Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend, or discontinue offering Asset
Builder plans at any time without prior notice.
Retirement Plans. Certain types of Retirement Plans are entitled to purchase
shares of the Fund without sales charge or at reduced sales charge rates, as
described in Appendix C to this Statement of Additional Information. Certain
special sales charge arrangements described in that Appendix apply to retirement
plans whose records are maintained on a daily valuation basis by Merrill Lynch
Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc. or an independent record keeper that has a contract
or special arrangement with Merrill Lynch. If on the date the plan sponsor
signed the Merrill Lynch record keeping service agreement the plan has less than
$3 million in assets (other than assets invested in money market funds) invested
in applicable investments, then the retirement plan may purchase only Class B
shares of the Oppenheimer funds. Any retirement plans in that category that
currently invest in Class B shares of the Fund will have their Class B shares
converted to Class A shares of the Fund when the Plan's applicable investments
reach $5 million.
Cancellation of Purchase Orders. Cancellation of purchase orders for the Fund's
shares (for example, when a purchase check is returned to the Fund unpaid)
causes a loss to be incurred when the net asset value of the Fund's shares on
the cancellation date is less than on the purchase date. That loss is equal to
the amount of the decline in the net asset value per share multiplied by the
number of shares in the purchase order. The investor is responsible for that
loss. If the investor fails to compensate the Fund for the loss, the Distributor
will do so. The Fund may reimburse the Distributor for that amount by redeeming
shares from any account registered in that investor's name, or the Fund or the
Distributor may seek other redress.
Classes of Shares. Each class of shares of the Fund represents an interest in
the same portfolio of investments of the Fund. However, each class has different
shareholder privileges and features. The net income attributable to Class B or
Class C shares and the dividends payable on Class B or Class C shares will be
reduced by incremental expenses borne solely by that class. Those expenses
include the asset-based sales charges to which Class B and Class C are subject.
The availability of different classes of shares permits an investor to
choose the method of purchasing shares that is more appropriate for the
investor. That may depend on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the
investor expects to hold shares, and other relevant circumstances. Class A
shares normally are sold subject to an initial sales charge. While Class B and
Class C shares have no initial sales charge, the purpose of the deferred sales
charge and asset-based sales charge on Class B and Class C shares is the same as
that of the initial sales charge on Class A shares - to compensate the
Distributor and brokers, dealers and financial institutions that sell shares of
the Fund. A salesperson who is entitled to receive compensation from his or her
firm for selling Fund shares may receive different levels of compensation for
selling one class of shares than another.
The Distributor will not accept any order in the amount of $500,000 or
more for Class B shares or $1 million or more for Class C shares on behalf of a
single investor (not including dealer "street name" or omnibus accounts). That
is because generally it will be more advantageous for that investor to purchase
Class A shares of the Fund.
|_| Class B Conversion. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares
after six years is subject to the continuing availability of a private letter
ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel or tax
adviser, to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares does not constitute
a taxable event for the shareholder under Federal income tax law. If such a
revenue ruling or opinion is no longer available, the automatic conversion
feature may be suspended, in which event no further conversions of Class B
shares would occur while such suspension remained in effect. Although Class B
shares could then be exchanged for Class A shares on the basis of relative net
asset value of the two classes, without the imposition of a sales charge or fee,
such exchange could constitute a taxable event for the shareholder, and absent
such exchange, Class B shares might continue to be subject to the asset-based
sales charge for longer than six years.
|_| Allocation of Expenses. The Fund pays expenses related to its daily
operations, such as custodian fees, Trustees' fees, transfer agency fees, legal
fees and auditing costs. Those expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets and
are not paid directly by shareholders. However, those expenses reduce the net
asset value of shares, and therefore are indirectly borne by shareholders
through their investment.
The methodology for calculating the net asset value, dividends and
distributions of the Fund's share classes recognizes two types of expenses.
General expenses that do not pertain specifically to any one class are allocated
pro rata to the shares of all classes. The allocation is based on the percentage
of the Fund's total assets that is represented by the assets of each class, and
then equally to each outstanding share within a given class. Such general
expenses include management fees, legal, bookkeeping and audit fees, printing
and mailing costs of shareholder reports, Prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information and other materials for current shareholders, fees to unaffiliated
Trustees, custodian expenses, share issuance costs, organization and start-up
costs, interest, taxes and brokerage commissions, and non-recurring expenses,
such as litigation costs.
Other expenses that are directly attributable to a particular class are
allocated equally to each outstanding share within that class. Examples of such
expenses include distribution and service plan (12b-1) fees, transfer and
shareholder servicing agent fees and expenses and shareholder meeting expenses
(to the extent that such expenses pertain only to a specific class).
Determination of Net Asset Values Per Share. The net asset values per share of
each class of shares of the Fund are determined as of the close of business of
The New York Stock Exchange on each day that the Exchange is open. The
calculation is done by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets attributable
to a class by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. The
Exchange normally closes at 4:00 P.M., New York time, but may close earlier on
some other days (for example, in case of weather emergencies or on days falling
before a holiday). The Exchange's most recent annual announcement (which is
subject to change) states that it will close on New Year's Day, Presidents' Day,
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor
Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It may also close on other days.
Dealers other than Exchange members may conduct trading in certain
securities on days on which the Exchange is closed (including weekends and
holidays) or after 4:00 P.M. on a regular business day. The Fund's net asset
values will not be calculated on those days and the values of some of the Fund's
portfolio securities may change significantly on these days, when shareholders
may not purchase or redeem shares. Additionally, trading on European and Asian
stock exchanges and over-the-counter markets normally is completed before the
close of The New York Stock Exchange.
Changes in the values of securities traded on foreign exchanges or markets
as a result of events that occur after the prices of those securities are
determined, but before the close of The New York Stock Exchange, will not be
reflected in the Fund's calculation of its net asset values that day unless the
Manager determines that the event is likely to effect a material change in the
value of the security. The Manager may make that determination, under procedures
established by the Board.
|_| Securities Valuation. The Fund's Board of Trustees has
established procedures for the valuation of the Fund's securities. In general
those procedures are as follows:
|_| Equity securities traded on a U.S. securities exchange or on
NASDAQ are valued as follows:
(1) if last sale information is regularly reported, they are valued at the
last reported sale price on the principal exchange on which they
are traded or on NASDAQ, as applicable, on that day, or
(2) if last sale information is not available on a valuation date, they
are valued at the last reported sale price preceding the valuation
date if it is within the spread of the closing "bid" and "asked"
prices on the valuation date or, if not, at the closing "bid" price
on the valuation date.
|_| Equity securities traded on a foreign securities exchange
generally are valued in one of the following ways:
(1) at the last sale price available to the pricing service approved by the
Board of Trustees, or
(2) at the last sale price obtained by the Manager from the report of
the principal exchange on which the security is traded at its last
trading session on or immediately before the valuation date, or
(3) at the mean between the "bid" and "asked" prices obtained from the
principal exchange on which the security is traded or, on the basis
of reasonable inquiry, from two market makers in the security.
|_| Long-term debt securities having a remaining maturity in excess of 60
days are valued based on the mean between the "bid" and "asked" prices
determined by a portfolio pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or obtained by the Manager from two active market makers in the
security on the basis of reasonable inquiry.
|_| The following securities are valued at the mean between the "bid" and
"asked" prices determined by a pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or obtained by the Manager from two active market makers in the
security on the basis of reasonable inquiry: (1) debt instruments that have a
maturity of more than 397 days when
issued,
(2) debt instruments that had a maturity of 397 days or less when issued
and have a remaining maturity of more than 60 days, and
(3) non-money market debt instruments that had a maturity of 397 days or
less when issued and which have a remaining maturity of 60 days or
less.
|_| The following securities are valued at cost, adjusted for
amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts:
(1) money market debt securities held by a non-money market fund that had a
maturity of less than 397 days when issued that have a remaining
maturity of 60 days or less, and
(2) debt instruments held by a money market fund that have a remaining
maturity of 397 days or less.
|_| Securities (including restricted securities) not having
readily-available market quotations are valued at fair value determined under
the Board's procedures. If the Manager is unable to locate two market makers
willing to give quotes, a security may be priced at the mean between the "bid"
and "asked" prices provided by a single active market maker (which in certain
cases may be the "bid" price if no "asked" price is available).
In the case of U.S. government securities, mortgage-backed securities,
corporate bonds and foreign government securities, when last sale information is
not generally available, the Manager may use pricing services approved by the
Board of Trustees. The pricing service may use "matrix" comparisons to the
prices for comparable instruments on the basis of quality, yield and maturity.
Other special factors may be involved (such as the tax-exempt status of the
interest paid by municipal securities). The Manager will monitor the accuracy of
the pricing services. That monitoring may include comparing prices used for
portfolio valuation to actual sales prices of selected securities.
The closing prices in the London foreign exchange market on a particular
business day that are provided to the Manager by a bank, dealer or pricing
service that the Manager has determined to be reliable are used to value foreign
currency, including forward contracts, and to convert to U.S. dollars securities
that are denominated in foreign currency.
Puts, calls, and futures are valued at the last sale price on the
principal exchange on which they are traded or on Nasdaq, as applicable, as
determined by a pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees or by the
Manager. If there were no sales that day, they shall be valued at the last sale
price on the preceding trading day if it is within the spread of the closing
"bid" and "asked" prices on the principal exchange or on Nasdaq on the valuation
date. If not, the value shall be the closing bid price on the principal exchange
or on Nasdaq on the valuation date. If the put, call or future is not traded on
an exchange or on Nasdaq, it shall be valued by the mean between "bid" and
"asked" prices obtained by the Manager from two active market makers. In certain
cases that may be at the "bid" price if no "asked" price is available.
When the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the premium received is
included in the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset. An
equivalent credit is included in the liability section. The credit is adjusted
("marked-to-market") to reflect the current market value of the option. In
determining the Fund's gain on investments, if a call or put written by the Fund
is exercised, the proceeds are increased by the premium received. If a call or
put written by the Fund expires, the Fund has a gain in the amount of the
premium. If the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a
gain or loss, depending on whether the premium received was more or less than
the cost of the closing transaction. If the Fund exercises a put it holds, the
amount the Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by
the amount of premium paid by the Fund.
How to Sell Shares
Information on how to sell shares of the Fund is stated in the Prospectus.
The information below provides additional information about the procedures and
conditions for redeeming shares.
Reinvestment Privilege. Within six months of a redemption, a shareholder may
reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of:
|_| Class A shares purchased subject to an initial sales charge or Class A
shares on which a contingent deferred sales charge was paid, or
|_| Class B shares that were subject to the Class B contingent deferred
sales charge when redeemed.
The reinvestment may be made without sales charge only in Class A shares
of the Fund or any of the other Oppenheimer funds into which shares of the Fund
are exchangeable as described in "How to Exchange Shares" below. Reinvestment
will be at the net asset value next computed after the Transfer Agent receives
the reinvestment order. The shareholder must ask the Transfer Agent for that
privilege at the time of reinvestment. This privilege does not apply to Class C
or Class Y shares. The Fund may amend, suspend or cease offering this
reinvestment privilege at any time as to shares redeemed after the date of such
amendment, suspension or cessation.
Any capital gain that was realized when the shares were redeemed is
taxable, and reinvestment will not alter any capital gains tax payable on that
gain. If there has been a capital loss on the redemption, some or all of the
loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the timing and amount of the
reinvestment. Under the Internal Revenue Code, if the redemption proceeds of
Fund shares on which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares of the
Fund or another of the Oppenheimer funds within 90 days of payment of the sales
charge, the shareholder's basis in the shares of the Fund that were redeemed may
not include the amount of the sales charge paid. That would reduce the loss or
increase the gain recognized from the redemption. However, in that case the
sales charge would be added to the basis of the shares acquired by the
reinvestment of the redemption proceeds.
Payments "In Kind". The Prospectus states that payment for shares tendered for
redemption is ordinarily made in cash. However, the Board of Trustees of the
Fund may determine that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the
remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment of a redemption order wholly
or partly in cash. In that case, the Fund may pay the redemption proceeds in
whole or in part by a distribution "in kind" of liquid securities from the
portfolio of the Fund, in lieu of cash.
The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment
Company Act. Under that rule, the Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in
cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund during any
90-day period for any one shareholder. If shares are redeemed in kind, the
redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other costs in selling the
securities for cash. The Fund will value securities used to pay redemptions in
kind using the same method the Fund uses to value its portfolio securities
described above under "Determination of Net Asset Values Per Share." That
valuation will be made as of the time the redemption price is determined.
Involuntary Redemptions. The Fund's Board of Trustees has the right to cause the
involuntary redemption of the shares held in any account if the aggregate net
asset value of those shares is less than $500 or such lesser amount as the Board
may fix. The Board will not cause the involuntary redemption of shares in an
account if the aggregate net asset value of such shares has fallen below the
stated minimum solely as a result of market fluctuations. If the Board exercises
this right, it may also fix the requirements for any notice to be given to the
shareholders in question (not less than 30 days). The Board may alternatively
set requirements for the shareholder to increase the investment, or set other
terms and conditions so that the shares would not be involuntarily redeemed.
Transfers of Shares. A transfer of shares to a different registration is not an
event that triggers the payment of sales charges. Therefore, shares are not
subject to the payment of a contingent deferred sales charge of any class at the
time of transfer to the name of another person or entity. It does not matter
whether the transfer occurs by absolute assignment, gift or bequest, as long as
it does not involve, directly or indirectly, a public sale of the shares. When
shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge are transferred, the
transferred shares will remain subject to the contingent deferred sales charge.
It will be calculated as if the transferee shareholder had acquired the
transferred shares in the same manner and at the same time as the transferring
shareholder.
If less than all shares held in an account are transferred, and some but
not all shares in the account would be subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge if redeemed at the time of transfer, the priorities described in the
Prospectus under "How to Buy Shares" for the imposition of the Class B or Class
C contingent deferred sales charge will be followed in determining the order in
which shares are transferred.
Distributions From Retirement Plans. Requests for distributions from
OppenheimerFunds-sponsored IRAs, 403(b)(7) custodial plans, 401(k) plans or
pension or profit-sharing plans should be addressed to "Trustee,
OppenheimerFunds Retirement Plans," c/o the Transfer Agent at its address listed
in "How To Sell Shares" in the Prospectus or on the back cover of this Statement
of Additional Information. The request must (1) state the reason for the
distribution; (2) state the owner's awareness of tax penalties if the
distribution is
premature; and
(3) conform to the requirements of the plan and the Fund's other redemption
requirements.
Participants (other than self-employed persons) in
OppenheimerFunds-sponsored pension or profit-sharing plans with shares of the
Fund held in the name of the plan or its fiduciary may not directly request
redemption of their accounts. The plan administrator or fiduciary must sign the
request.
Distributions from pension and profit sharing plans are subject to special
requirements under the Internal Revenue Code and certain documents (available
from the Transfer Agent) must be completed and submitted to the Transfer Agent
before the distribution may be made. Distributions from retirement plans are
subject to withholding requirements under the Internal Revenue Code, and IRS
Form W-4P (available from the Transfer Agent) must be submitted to the Transfer
Agent with the distribution request, or the distribution may be delayed. Unless
the shareholder has provided the Transfer Agent with a certified tax
identification number, the Internal Revenue Code requires that tax be withheld
from any distribution even if the shareholder elects not to have tax withheld.
The Fund, the Manager, the Distributor, and the Transfer Agent assume no
responsibility to determine whether a distribution satisfies the conditions of
applicable tax laws and will not be responsible for any tax penalties assessed
in connection with a distribution.
Special Arrangements for Repurchase of Shares from Dealers and Brokers. The
Distributor is the Fund's agent to repurchase its shares from authorized dealers
or brokers on behalf of their customers. Shareholders should contact their
broker or dealer to arrange this type of redemption. The repurchase price per
share will be the net asset value next computed after the Distributor receives
an order placed by the dealer or broker. However, if the Distributor receives a
repurchase order from a dealer or broker after the close of The New York Stock
Exchange on a regular business day, it will be processed at that day's net asset
value if the order was received by the dealer or broker from its customers prior
to the time the Exchange closes. Normally, the Exchange closes at 4:00 P.M., but
may do so earlier on some days. Additionally, the order must have been
transmitted to and received by the Distributor prior to its close of business
that day (normally 5:00 P.M.).
Ordinarily, for accounts redeemed by a broker-dealer under this procedure,
payment will be made within three business days after the shares have been
redeemed upon the Distributor's receipt of the required redemption documents in
proper form. The signature(s) of the registered owners on the redemption
documents must be guaranteed as described in the Prospectus.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. Investors owning shares of the Fund
valued at $5,000 or more can authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem shares
(having a value of at least $50) automatically on a monthly, quarterly,
semi-annual or annual basis under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan. Shares will be
redeemed three business days prior to the date requested by the shareholder for
receipt of the payment. Automatic withdrawals of up to $1,500 per month may be
requested by telephone if payments are to be made by check payable to all
shareholders of record. Payments must also be sent to the address of record for
the account and the address must not have been changed within the prior 30 days.
Required minimum distributions from OppenheimerFunds-sponsored retirement plans
may not be arranged on this basis.
Payments are normally made by check, but shareholders having AccountLink
privileges (see "How To Buy Shares") may arrange to have Automatic Withdrawal
Plan payments transferred to the bank account designated on the Account
Application or by signature-guaranteed instructions sent to the Transfer Agent.
Shares are normally redeemed pursuant to an Automatic Withdrawal Plan three
business days before the payment transmittal date you select in the Account
Application. If a contingent deferred sales charge applies to the redemption,
the amount of the check or payment will be reduced accordingly.
The Fund cannot guarantee receipt of a payment on the date requested. The
Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering these plans at
any time without prior notice. Because of the sales charge assessed on Class A
share purchases, shareholders should not make regular additional Class A share
purchases while participating in an Automatic Withdrawal Plan. Class B and Class
C shareholders should not establish withdrawal plans, because of the imposition
of the contingent deferred sales charge on such withdrawals (except where the
contingent deferred sales charge is waived as described in Appendix C to this
Statement of Additional Information.
By requesting an Automatic Withdrawal or Exchange Plan, the shareholder
agrees to the terms and conditions that apply to such plans, as stated below.
These provisions may be amended from time to time by the Fund and/or the
Distributor. When adopted, any amendments will automatically apply to existing
Plans.
|X| Automatic Exchange Plans. Shareholders can authorize the Transfer
Agent to exchange a pre-determined amount of shares of the Fund for shares (of
the same class) of other Oppenheimer funds automatically on a monthly,
quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis under an Automatic Exchange Plan. The
minimum amount that may be exchanged to each other fund account is $25.
Instructions should be provided on the OppenheimerFunds Application or
signature-guaranteed instructions. Exchanges made under these plans are subject
to the restrictions that apply to exchanges as set forth in "How to Exchange
Shares" in the Prospectus and below in this Statement of Additional Information.
|X| Automatic Withdrawal Plans. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary
to meet withdrawal payments. Shares acquired without a sales charge will be
redeemed first. Shares acquired with reinvested dividends and capital gains
distributions will be redeemed next, followed by shares acquired with a sales
charge, to the extent necessary to make withdrawal payments. Depending upon the
amount withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. Payments made under
these plans should not be considered as a yield or income on your investment.
The Transfer Agent will administer the investor's Automatic Withdrawal
Plan as agent for the shareholder(s) (the "Planholder") who executed the Plan
authorization and application submitted to the Transfer Agent. Neither the Fund
nor the Transfer Agent shall incur any liability to the Planholder for any
action taken or not taken by the Transfer Agent in good faith to administer the
Plan. Share certificates will not be issued for shares of the Fund purchased for
and held under the Plan, but the Transfer Agent will credit all such shares to
the account of the Planholder on the records of the Fund. Any share certificates
held by a Planholder may be surrendered unendorsed to the Transfer Agent with
the Plan application so that the shares represented by the certificate may be
held under the Plan.
For accounts subject to Automatic Withdrawal Plans, distributions of
capital gains must be reinvested in shares of the Fund, which will be done at
net asset value without a sales charge. Dividends on shares held in the account
may be paid in cash or reinvested.
Shares will be redeemed to make withdrawal payments at the net asset value
per share determined on the redemption date. Checks or AccountLink payments
representing the proceeds of Plan withdrawals will normally be transmitted three
business days prior to the date selected for receipt of the payment, according
to the choice specified in writing by the Planholder. Receipt of payment on the
date selected cannot be guaranteed.
The amount and the interval of disbursement payments and the address to
which checks are to be mailed or AccountLink payments are to be sent may be
changed at any time by the Planholder by writing to the Transfer Agent. The
Planholder should allow at least two weeks' time after mailing such notification
for the requested change to be put in effect. The Planholder may, at any time,
instruct the Transfer Agent by written notice to redeem all, or any part of, the
shares held under the Plan. That notice must be in proper form in accordance
with the requirements of the then-current Prospectus of the Fund. In that case,
the Transfer Agent will redeem the number of shares requested at the net asset
value per share in effect and will mail a check for the proceeds to the
Planholder.
The Planholder may terminate a Plan at any time by writing to the Transfer
Agent. The Fund may also give directions to the Transfer Agent to terminate a
Plan. The Transfer Agent will also terminate a Plan upon its receipt of evidence
satisfactory to it that the Planholder has died or is legally incapacitated.
Upon termination of a Plan by the Transfer Agent or the Fund, shares that have
not been redeemed will be held in uncertificated form in the name of the
Planholder. The account will continue as a dividend-reinvestment, uncertificated
account unless and until proper instructions are received from the Planholder,
his or her executor or guardian, or another authorized person.
To use shares held under the Plan as collateral for a debt, the Planholder
may request issuance of a portion of the shares in certificated form. Upon
written request from the Planholder, the Transfer Agent will determine the
number of shares for which a certificate may be issued without causing the
withdrawal checks to stop. However, should such uncertificated shares become
exhausted, Plan withdrawals will terminate.
If the Transfer Agent ceases to act as transfer agent for the Fund, the
Planholder will be deemed to have appointed any successor transfer agent to act
as agent in administering the Plan.
How to Exchange Shares
As stated in the Prospectus, shares of a particular class of Oppenheimer
funds having more than one class of shares may be exchanged only for shares of
the same class of other Oppenheimer funds. Shares of Oppenheimer funds that have
a single class without a class designation are deemed "Class A" shares for this
purpose. You can obtain a current list showing which funds offer which classes
by calling the Distributor at 1-800-525-7048.
|_| All of the Oppenheimer funds currently offer Class A, B and C shares
except Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc., Centennial Money Market Trust,
Centennial Tax Exempt Trust, Centennial Government Trust, Centennial New York
Tax Exempt Trust, Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust, and Centennial America
Fund, L.P., which only offer Class A shares.
|_| Oppenheimer Main Street California Municipal Fund currently offers
only Class A and Class B shares.
|_| Class B and Class C shares of Oppenheimer Cash Reserves are generally
available only by exchange from the same class of shares of other Oppenheimer
funds or through OppenheimerFunds-sponsored 401 (k) plans.
|_| Class Y shares of Oppenheimer Real Asset Fund may not be exchanged for
shares of any other Fund.
Class A shares of Oppenheimer funds may be exchanged at net asset value
for shares of any money market fund offered by the Distributor. Shares of any
money market fund purchased without a sales charge may be exchanged for shares
of Oppenheimer funds offered with a sales charge upon payment of the sales
charge. They may also be used to purchase shares of Oppenheimer funds subject to
a contingent deferred sales charge.
Shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. purchased with the
redemption proceeds of shares of other mutual funds (other than funds managed by
the Manager or its subsidiaries) redeemed within the 30 days prior to that
purchase may subsequently be exchanged for shares of other Oppenheimer funds
without being subject to an initial or contingent deferred sales charge. To
qualify for that privilege, the investor or the investor's dealer must notify
the Distributor of eligibility for this privilege at the time the shares of
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. are purchased. If requested, they must
supply proof of entitlement to this privilege.
For accounts established on or before March 8, 1996 holding Class M shares
of Oppenheimer Convertible Securities Fund, Class M shares can be exchanged only
for Class A shares of other Oppenheimer funds. Exchanges to Class M shares of
Oppenheimer Convertible Securities Fund are permitted from Class A shares of
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. or Oppenheimer Cash Reserves that were
acquired by exchange of Class M shares. No other exchanges may be made to Class
M shares.
Shares of the Fund acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions
from any of the other Oppenheimer funds or from any unit investment trust for
which reinvestment arrangements have been made with the Distributor may be
exchanged at net asset value for shares of any of the Oppenheimer funds.
The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege at any
time. Although the Fund may impose these changes at any time, it will provide
you with notice of such changes when it is able to do so. It may also be
required to provide 60 days notice prior to materially amending or terminating
the exchange privilege. That 60 day notice is not required in extraordinary
circumstances.
|_| How Exchanges Affect Contingent Deferred Sales Charges. No contingent
deferred sales charge is imposed on exchanges of shares of any class purchased
subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. However, when Class A shares
acquired by exchange of Class A shares of other Oppenheimer funds purchased
subject to a Class A contingent deferred sales charge are redeemed within 18
months of the end of the calendar month of the initial purchase of the exchanged
Class A shares, the Class A contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on the
redeemed shares. The Class B contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on
Class B shares acquired by exchange if they are redeemed within 6 years of the
initial purchase of the exchanged Class B shares. The Class C contingent
deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C shares acquired by exchange if they
are redeemed within 12 months of the initial purchase of the exchanged Class C
shares.
When Class B or Class C shares are redeemed to effect an exchange, the
priorities described in "How To Buy Shares" in the Prospectus for the imposition
of the Class B or the Class C contingent deferred sales charge will be followed
in determining the order in which the shares are exchanged. Before exchanging
shares, shareholders should take into account how the exchange may affect any
contingent deferred sales charge that might be imposed in the subsequent
redemption of remaining shares.
If Class B shares of any Oppenheimer fund are exchanged for Class B shares
of Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund or Limited-Term New York Municipal
Fund and are subsequently redeemed from those two funds, they will be subject to
the contingent deferred sales charge of the Oppenheimer fund from which they
were exchanged (which will be at a higher rate). They will not be subject to the
contingent deferred sales charge of Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund or
Limited-Term New York Municipal Fund.
Shareholders owning shares of more than one class must specify which class
of shares they with to exchange.
|_| Limits on Multiple Exchange Orders. The Fund reserves the right to
reject telephone or written exchange requests submitted in bulk by anyone on
behalf of more than one account. The Fund may accept requests for exchanges of
up to 50 accounts per day from representatives of authorized dealers that
qualify for this privilege.
|_| Telephone Exchange Requests. When exchanging shares by telephone, a
shareholder must have an existing account in the fund to which the exchange is
to be made. Otherwise, the investors must obtain a Prospectus of that fund
before the exchange request may be submitted. For full or partial exchanges of
an account made by telephone, any special account features such as Asset Builder
Plans and Automatic Withdrawal Plans will be switched to the new account unless
the Transfer Agent is instructed otherwise. If all telephone lines are busy
(which might occur, for example, during periods of substantial market
fluctuations), shareholders might not be able to request exchanges by telephone
and would have to submit written exchange requests.
|_| Processing Exchange Requests. Shares to be exchanged are redeemed on
the regular business day the Transfer Agent receives an exchange request in
proper form (the "Redemption Date"). Normally, shares of the fund to be acquired
are purchased on the Redemption Date, but such purchases may be delayed by
either fund up to five business days if it determines that it would be
disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of the redemption proceeds. The Fund
reserves the right, in its discretion, to refuse any exchange request that may
disadvantage it. For example, if the receipt of multiple exchange requests from
a dealer might require the disposition of portfolio securities at a time or at a
price that might be disadvantageous to the Fund, the Fund may refuse the
request.
In connection with any exchange request, the number of shares exchanged
may be less than the number requested if the exchange or the number requested
would include shares subject to a restriction cited in the Prospectus or this
Statement of Additional Information, or would include shares covered by a share
certificate that is not tendered with the request. In those cases, only the
shares available for exchange without restriction will be exchanged.
The different Oppenheimer funds available for exchange have different
investment objectives, policies and risks. A shareholder should assure that the
fund selected is appropriate for his or her investment and should be aware of
the tax consequences of an exchange. For federal income tax purposes, an
exchange transaction is treated as a redemption of shares of one fund and a
purchase of shares of another. "Reinvestment Privilege," above, discusses some
of the tax consequences of reinvestment of redemption proceeds in such cases.
The Fund, the Distributor, and the Transfer Agent are unable to provide
investment, tax or legal advice to a shareholder in connection with an exchange
request or any other investment transaction.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Dividends and Distributions. The Fund has no fixed dividend rate and there can
be no assurance as to the payment of any dividends or the realization of any
capital gains. The dividends and distributions paid by a class of shares will
vary from time to time depending on market conditions, the composition of the
Fund's portfolio, and expenses borne by the Fund or borne separately by a class.
Dividends are calculated in the same manner, at the same time, and on the same
day for each class of shares. However, dividends on Class B and Class C shares
are expected to be lower than dividends on Class A and Class Y shares. That is
because of the effect of the asset-based sales charge on Class B and Class C
shares. Those dividends will also differ in amount as a consequence of any
difference in the net asset values of the different classes of shares.
Dividends, distributions and proceeds of the redemption of Fund shares
represented by checks returned to the Transfer Agent by the Postal Service as
undeliverable will be invested in shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.
Reinvestment will be made as promptly as possible after the return of such
checks to the Transfer Agent, to enable the investor to earn a return on
otherwise idle funds. Unclaimed accounts may be subject to state escheatment
laws, and the Fund and the Transfer Agent will not be liable to shareholders or
their representatives for compliance with those laws in good faith.
Tax Status of the Fund's Dividends and Distributions. The Federal tax treatment
of the Fund's dividends and capital gains distributions is briefly highlighted
in the Prospectus.
Special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code govern the eligibility
of the Fund's dividends for the dividends-received deduction for corporate
shareholders. Long-term capital gains distributions are not eligible for the
deduction. The amount of dividends paid by the Fund that may qualify for the
deduction is limited to the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends that the
Fund derives from portfolio investments that the Fund has held for a minimum
period, usually 46 days. A corporate shareholder will not be eligible for the
deduction on dividends paid on Fund shares held for 45 days or less. To the
extent the Fund's dividends are derived from gross income from option premiums,
interest income or short-term gains from the sale of securities or dividends
from foreign corporations, those dividends will not qualify for the deduction.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, by December 31 each year, the Fund must
distribute 98% of its taxable investment income earned from January 1 through
December 31 of that year and 98% of its capital gains realized in the period
from November 1 of the prior year through October 31 of the current year. If it
does not, the Fund must pay an excise tax on the amounts not distributed. It is
presently anticipated that the Fund will meet those requirements. However, the
Board of Trustees and the Manager might determine in a particular year that it
would be in the best interests of shareholders for the Fund not to make such
distributions at the required levels and to pay the excise tax on the
undistributed amounts. That would reduce the amount of income or capital gains
available for distribution to shareholders.
The Fund intends to qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the
Internal Revenue Code (although it reserves the right not to qualify). That
qualification enables the Fund to "pass through" its income and realized capital
gains to shareholders without having to pay tax on them. This avoids a double
tax on that income and capital gains, since shareholders normally will be taxed
on the dividends and capital gains they receive from the Fund (unless the Fund's
shares are held in a retirement account or the shareholder is otherwise exempt
from tax). If the Fund qualifies as a "regulated investment company" under the
Internal Revenue Code, it will not be liable for Federal income taxes on amounts
paid by it as dividends and distributions. The Internal Revenue Code contains a
number of complex tests relating to qualification which the Fund might not meet
in any particular year. If it did not so qualify, the Fund would be treated for
tax purposes as an ordinary corporation and receive no tax deduction for
payments made to shareholders.
If prior distributions made by the Fund must be re-characterized as a
non-taxable return of capital at the end of the fiscal year as a result of the
effect of the Fund's investment policies, they will be identified as such in
notices sent to shareholders.
Dividend Reinvestment in Another Fund. Shareholders of the Fund may elect to
reinvest all dividends and/or capital gains distributions in shares of the same
class of any of the other Oppenheimer funds listed above. Reinvestment will be
made without sales charge at the net asset value per share in effect at the
close of business on the payable date of the dividend or distribution. To elect
this option, the shareholder must notify the Transfer Agent in writing and must
have an existing account in the fund selected for reinvestment. Otherwise the
shareholder first must obtain a prospectus for that fund and an application from
the Distributor to establish an account. Dividends and/or distributions from
shares of certain other Oppenheimer funds (other than Oppenheimer Cash Reserves)
may be invested in shares of this Fund on the same basis.
<PAGE>
Additional Information About the Fund
The Distributor. The Fund's shares are sold through dealers, brokers and other
financial institutions that have a sales agreement with OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc., a subsidiary of the Manager that acts as the Fund's
Distributor. The Distributor also distributes shares of the other Oppenheimer
funds and is sub-distributor for funds managed by a subsidiary of the Manager.
The Transfer Agent. OppenheimerFunds Services, the Fund's Transfer Agent, is a
division of the Manager. It is responsible for maintaining the Fund's
shareholder registry and shareholder accounting records, and for paying
dividends and distributions to shareholders. It also handles shareholder
servicing and administrative functions. It acts on an "at-cost" basis. It also
acts as shareholder servicing agent for the other Oppenheimer funds.
Shareholders should direct inquiries about their accounts to the Transfer Agent
at the address and toll-free numbers shown on the back cover.
The Custodian. The Bank of New York is the custodian of the Fund's assets. The
custodian bank's responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the
Fund's portfolio securities and handling the delivery of such securities to and
from the Fund. It will be the practice of the Fund to deal with the custodian
bank in a manner uninfluenced by any banking relationship the custodian bank may
have with the Manager and its affiliates. The Fund's cash balances with the
custodian in excess of $100,000 are not protected by Federal deposit insurance.
Those uninsured balances at times may be substantial.
Independent Auditors. Deloitte & Touche LLP are the independent auditors of the
Fund. They audit the Fund's financial statements and perform other related audit
services. They also act as auditors for the Manager and certain other funds
advised by the Manager and its affiliates.
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
To the Board of Trustees and Shareholder of
Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of
Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund as of June 29, 1999. This financial
statement is the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is
to express an opinion on this financial statement 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 statement is free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statement. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such statement of assets and liabilities presents fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap
Fund as of June 29, 1999 in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Denver, Colorado
June 29, 1999
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Main Street Small-Cap Fund
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
July 29, 1999
ASSETS: Composite Class A Class Class C Class Y
B
Cash $103,000 $100,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
Total 103,000
Assets
Liabilities
Net Assets $103,000
==========
NET ASSETS - Applicable to 10,000 Class A shares, 100 Class B shares, 100 Class
C Shares, and 100 Class Y shares of beneficial interest outstanding
$103,000 $100,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE (net assets divided by 10,000, 100, 100, and 100
shares of beneficial interest for Class A, B, C, and Y respectively.)
$10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
MAXIMUM OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE (net asset value plus sales charge of 5.75% of
offering price for Class A shares)
$10.61 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
Notes:
1. Oppenheimer Main Street Small-Cap Fund (the "Fund"), a
diversified, open-end management
--------------------------------------------------------------------
investment company, was formed on May 1, 1999, and has had no
operations through June 29, 1999 other than those relating to
organizational matters and the sale and issuance of 10,000 Class A
shares, 100 Class B shares, 100 Class C shares, and 100 Class Y
shares of beneficial interest to OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (OFI)
2. On June 22, 1999 the Fund's Board approved an Investment Advisory
Agreement with OFI, a Service Plan and Agreement for Class A shares
of the Fund with OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (OFDI) and a
General Distributor's Agreement with OFDI as explained in the Fund's
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.
3. OFI assumed all organization costs which were estimated at $18,000.
4. The Fund intends to comply in its initial fiscal year and thereafter
with provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated
investment companies and as such, will not be subject to federal
income taxes on otherwise taxable income (including net realized
capital gains)distributed to shareholders.
<PAGE>
A-7
Appendix A
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RATINGS DEFINITIONS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below are summaries of the rating definitions used by the nationally-recognized
rating agencies listed below. Those ratings represent the opinion of the agency
as to the credit quality of issues that they rate. The summaries below are based
upon publicly-available information provided by the rating organizations.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long-Term (Taxable) Bond Ratings
Aaa: Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be the best quality. They carry the smallest
degree of investment risk. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an
exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various
protective elements are likely to change, the changes that can be expected are
most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa: Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together
with the Aaa group, they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds.
They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not
be as large as with Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be
of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than those of Aaa securities.
A: Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be
considered as upper-medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which
suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa: Bonds rated Baa are considered medium grade obligations; that is, they are
neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time.
Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and have speculative
characteristics as well.
Ba: Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements. Their future cannot
be considered well-assured. Often the protection of interest and principal
payments may be very moderate and not well safeguarded during both good and bad
times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this
class.
B: Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of desirable investment.
Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of
the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa: Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing and may be in default or there may
be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca: Bonds rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high
degree and are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C: Bonds rated C are the lowest class of rated bonds and can be regarded as
having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating
classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier "1" indicates that the
obligation ranks in the higher end of its category; the modifier "2" indicates a
mid-range ranking and the modifier "3" indicates a ranking in the lower end of
the category.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short-Term Ratings - Taxable Debt
These ratings apply to the ability of issuers to repay punctually senior debt
obligations having an original maturity not exceeding one year:
Prime-1: Issuer has a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt
obligations.
Prime-2: Issuer has a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt
obligations. Earnings trends and coverage, while sound, may be subject to
variation. Capitalization characteristics, while appropriate, may be more
affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Prime-3: Issuer has an acceptable ability for repayment of senior short-term
obligations. The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may
be more pronounced. Variability in earnings and profitability may result in
changes in the level of debt protection measurements and may require relatively
high financial leverage. Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.
Not Prime: Issuer does not fall within any Prime rating category.
Standard & Poor's Rating Services
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long-Term Credit Ratings
AAA: Bonds rated "AAA" have the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's.
The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is
extremely strong.
AA: Bonds rated "AA" differ from the highest rated obligations only in small
degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the
obligation is very strong.
A: Bonds rated "A" are somewhat more susceptible to adverse effects of changes
in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated
categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on
the obligation is still strong.
BBB: Bonds rated BBB exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse
economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a
weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the
obligation.
Bonds rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant speculative
characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest.
While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major
exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: Bonds rated BB are less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative
issues. However, these face major uncertainties or exposure to adverse business,
financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate
capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: A bond rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than an obligation rated BB,
but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on
the obligation.
CCC: A bond rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent
upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to
meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse
business, financial or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have
the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. CC: An
obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C: The C rating may used where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar
action has been taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued.
D: Bonds rated D are in default. Payments on the obligation are not being
made on the date due.
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or
minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. The
"r" symbol is attached to the ratings of instruments with significant noncredit
risks.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-1: Rated in the highest category. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial
commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, a plus (+) sign
designation indicates the issuer's capacity to meet its financial obligation is
very strong.
A-2: Obligation is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes
in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating
categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on
the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3: Exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic
conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened
capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: Regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor
currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's
inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
C: Currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable
business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its
financial commitment on the obligation.
D: In payment default. Payments on the obligation have not been made on the
due date. The rating may also be used if a bankruptcy petition has been filed
or similar actions jeopardize payments on the obligation.
Fitch IBCA, Inc.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Long-Term Credit Ratings
Investment Grade:
AAA: Highest Credit Quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of
credit risk. They are assigned only in the case of exceptionally strong
capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly
unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA: Very High Credit Quality. "AA" ratings denote a very low expectation of
credit risk. They indicate a very strong capacity for timely payment of
financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable events.
A: High Credit Quality. "A" ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk.
The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered
strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in
circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB: Good Credit Quality. "BBB" ratings indicate that there is currently a
low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial
commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and
in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the
lowest investment-grade category.
Speculative Grade:
BB: Speculative. "BB" ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit
risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over
time. However, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow
financial commitments to be met.
B: Highly Speculative. "B" ratings indicate that significant credit risk is
present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are
currently being met. However, capacity for continued payment is contingent
upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC C: High Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for
meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable
business or economic developments. A "CC" rating indicates that default of
some kind appears probable. "C" ratings signal imminent default.
DDD, DD, and D: Default. Securities are not meeting current obligations and
are extremely speculative. "DDD" designates the highest potential for
recovery of amounts outstanding on any securities involved.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs may be appended to a rating symbol to denote
relative status within the rating category. Plus and minus signs are not added
to the "AAA" category or to categories below "CCC."
International Short-Term Credit Ratings
F1: Highest credit quality. Strongest capacity for timely payment. May have an
added "+" to denote exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2: Good credit quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment, but the
margin of safety is not as great as in higher ratings.
F3: Fair credit quality. Capacity for timely payment is adequate. However,
near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.
B: Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment, plus vulnerability to
near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C: High default risk. Default is a real possibility, Capacity for
meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable
business and economic environment.
D: Default. Denotes actual or imminent payment default.
Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. Ratings
Long-Term Debt and Preferred Stock
AAA: Highest credit quality. The risk factors are negligible, being only
slightly more than for risk-free U.S. Treasury debt.
AA+, AA, AA-: High credit quality. Protection factors are strong. Risk is modest
but may vary slightly from time to time because of economic conditions.
A+, A & A-: Protection factors are average but adequate. However, risk factors
are more variable in periods of greater economic stress.
BBB+, BBB & BBB-: Below average protection factors but still considered
sufficient for prudent investment. Considerable variability in risk during
economic cycles.
BB+, BB & BB-: Below investment grade but deemed likely to meet obligations when
due. Present or prospective financial protection factors fluctuate according to
industry conditions. Overall quality may move up or down frequently within the
category.
B+, B & B-: Below investment grade and possessing risk that obligations will not
be met when due. Financial protection factors will fluctuate widely according to
economic cycles, industry conditions and/or company fortunes. Potential exists
for frequent changes in the rating within this category or into a higher of
lower rating grade.
CCC: Well below investment-grade securities. Considerable uncertainty exists as
to timely payment of principal, interest or preferred dividends. Protection
factors are narrow and risk can be substantial with unfavorable
economic/industry conditions, and/or with unfavorable company developments.
DD: Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal
and/or interest payments.
DP: Preferred stock with dividend arrearages.
Short-Term Debt:
High Grade:
D-1+: Highest certainty of timely payment. Safety is just below risk-free
U.S. Treasury short-term debt.
D-1: Very high certainty of timely payment. Risk factors are minor.
D-1-: High certainty of timely payment. Risk factors are very small.
Good Grade:
D-2: Good certainty of timely payment. Risk factors are small.
Satisfactory Grade:
D-3: Satisfactory liquidity and other protection factors qualify issues as to
investment grade. Risk factors are larger and subject to more variation.
Nevertheless, timely payment is expected.
Non-Investment Grade:
D-4: Speculative investment characteristics. Liquidity is not sufficient to
insure against disruption in debt service.
Default:
D-5: Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal and/or interest payments.
<PAGE>
B-1
Appendix B
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry Classifications
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aerospace/Defense Food and Drug Retailers
Air Transportation Gas Utilities
Asset-Backed Health Care/Drugs
Auto Parts and Equipment Health Care/Supplies & Services
Automotive Homebuilders/Real Estate
Bank Holding Companies Hotel/Gaming
Banks Industrial Services
Beverages Information Technology
Broadcasting Insurance
Broker-Dealers Leasing & Factoring
Building Materials Leisure
Cable Television Manufacturing
Chemicals Metals/Mining
Commercial Finance Nondurable Household Goods
Communication Equipment Office Equipment
Computer Hardware Oil - Domestic
Computer Software Oil - International
Conglomerates Paper
Consumer Finance Photography
Consumer Services Publishing
Containers Railroads & Truckers
Convenience Stores Restaurants
Department Stores Savings & Loans
Diversified Financial Shipping
Diversified Media Special Purpose Financial
Drug Wholesalers Specialty Printing
Durable Household Goods Specialty Retailing
Education Steel
Electric Utilities Telecommunications - Long Distance
Electrical Equipment Telephone - Utility
Electronics Textile, Apparel & Home Furnishings
Energy Services Tobacco
Entertainment/Film Trucks and Parts
Environmental Wireless Services
Food
<PAGE>
C-14
Appendix C
OppenheimerFunds Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers
In certain cases, the initial sales charge that applies to purchases of
Class A shares1 of the Oppenheimer funds or the contingent deferred sales charge
that may apply to Class A, Class B or Class C shares may be waived. That is
because of the economies of sales efforts realized by OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc., (referred to in this document as the "Distributor"), or by
dealers or other financial institutions that offer those shares to certain
classes of investors.
Not all waivers apply to all funds. For example, waivers relating to
Retirement Plans do not apply to Oppenheimer municipal funds, because shares of
those funds are not available for purchase by or on behalf of retirement plans.
Other waivers apply only to shareholders of certain funds that were merged into
or became Oppenheimer funds.
For the purposes of some of the waivers described below and in the
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the applicable Oppenheimer
funds, the term "Retirement Plan" refers to the following types of plans: (1)
plans qualified under Sections 401(a) or 401(k) of the Internal
Revenue Code,
(2) non-qualified deferred compensation plans, (3) employee benefit plans2 (4)
Group Retirement Plans3 (5) 403(b)(7) custodial plan accounts (6) Individual
Retirement Accounts ("IRAs"), including traditional IRAs,
Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, SARSEPs or SIMPLE plans
The interpretation of these provisions as to the applicability of a
special arrangement or waiver in a particular case is in the sole discretion of
the Distributor or the transfer agent (referred to in this document as the
"Transfer Agent") of the particular Oppenheimer fund. These waivers and special
arrangements may be amended or terminated at any time by a particular fund, the
Distributor, and/or OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (referred to in this document as the
"Manager").
Waivers that apply at the time shares are redeemed must be requested by the
shareholder and/or dealer in the redemption request.
- --------------
1. Certain waivers also apply to Class M. shares of Oppenheimer
Convertible Securities Fund.
2. An "employee benefit plan" means any plan or arrangement, whether or not it
is "qualified" under the Internal Revenue Code, under which Class A shares of
an Oppenheimer fund or funds are purchased by a fiduciary or other
administrator for the account of participants who are employees of a single
employer or of affiliated employers. These may include, for example, medical
savings accounts, payroll deduction plans or similar plans. The fund accounts
must be registered in the name of the fiduciary or administrator purchasing
the shares for the benefit of participants in the plan.
3. The term "Group Retirement Plan" means any qualified or non-qualified
retirement plan for employees of a corporation or sole proprietorship,
members and employees of a partnership or association or other organized
group of persons (the members of which may include other groups), if the
group has made special arrangements with the Distributor and all members of
the group participating in (or who are eligible to participate in) the plan
purchase Class A shares of an Oppenheimer fund or funds through a single
investment dealer, broker or other financial institution designated by the
group. Such plans include 457 plans, SEP-IRAs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE plans and
403(b) plans other than plans for public school employees. The term "Group
Retirement Plan" also includes qualified retirement plans and non-qualified
deferred compensation plans and IRAs that purchase Class A shares of an
Oppenheimer fund or funds through a single investment dealer, broker or other
financial institution that has made special arrangements with the Distributor
enabling those plans to purchase Class A shares at net asset value but
subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge.
I. Applicability of Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charges in Certain Cases
Purchases of Class A Shares of Oppenheimer Funds That Are Not Subject to Initial
Sales Charge but May Be Subject to the Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
(unless a waiver applies).
There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of any of
the Oppenheimer funds in the cases listed below. However, these purchases may be
subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 18
months of the end of the calendar month of their purchase, as described in the
Prospectus (unless a waiver described elsewhere in this Appendix applies to the
redemption). Additionally, on shares purchased under these waivers that are
subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge, the Distributor will
pay the applicable commission described in the Prospectus under "Class A
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge."4 This waiver provision applies to:
4 However, that commission will not be paid on purchases of shares in amounts of
$1 million or more (including any right of accumulation) by a Retirement Plan
that pays for the purchase with the redemption proceeds of Class C shares of one
or more Oppenheimer funds held by the Plan for more than one year.
o Purchases of Class A shares aggregating $1 million or more.
o Purchases by a Retirement Plan (other than an IRA or 403(b)(7) custodial plan)
that:
(1) buys shares costing $500,000 or more, or
(2) has, at the time of purchase, 100 or more eligible employees or
total plan assets of $500,000 or more, or
(3) certifies to the Distributor that it projects to have annual plan
purchases of $200,000 or more.
o Purchases by an OppenheimerFunds-sponsored Rollover IRA, if the
purchases are made:
(1) through a broker, dealer, bank or registered investment advisor that
has made special arrangements with the Distributor for those
purchases, or
(2) by a direct rollover of a distribution from a qualified Retirement
Plan if the administrator of that Plan has made special arrangements
with the Distributor for those purchases.
o Purchases of Class A shares by Retirement Plans that have any of the
following record-keeping arrangements:
(1) The record keeping is performed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith,
Inc. ("Merrill Lynch") on a daily valuation basis for the
Retirement Plan. On the date the plan sponsor signs the
record-keeping service agreement with Merrill Lynch, the Plan
must have $3 million or more of its assets invested in (a) mutual
funds, other than those advised or managed by Merrill Lynch Asset
Management, L.P. ("MLAM"), that are made available under a
Service Agreement between Merrill Lynch and the mutual fund's
principal underwriter or distributor, and (b) funds advised or
managed by MLAM (the funds described in (a) and (b) are referred
to as "Applicable Investments").
(2) The record keeping for the Retirement Plan is performed on a daily
valuation basis by a record keeper whose services are provided
under a contract or arrangement between the Retirement Plan and
Merrill Lynch. On the date the plan sponsor signs the record
keeping service agreement with Merrill Lynch, the Plan must have
$3 million or more of its assets (excluding assets invested in
money market funds) invested in Applicable Investments.
(3) The record keeping for a Retirement Plan is handled under a service
agreement with Merrill Lynch and on the date the plan sponsor signs
that agreement, the Plan has 500 or more eligible employees (as
determined by the Merrill Lynch plan conversion manager).
o Purchases by a Retirement Plan whose record keeper had a
cost-allocation agreement with the Transfer Agent on or before May 1,
1999.
<PAGE>
II. Waivers of Class A Sales Charges of Oppenheimer Funds
A. Waivers of Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges for Certain
Purchasers.
Class A shares purchased by the following investors are not subject to any
Class A sales charges (and no commissions are paid by the Distributor on such
purchases):
o The Manager or its affiliates.
o Present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and
their "immediate families") of the Fund, the Manager and its
affiliates, and retirement plans established by them for their
employees. The term "immediate family" refers to one's spouse,
children, grandchildren, grandparents, parents, parents-in-law,
brothers and sisters, sons- and daughters-in-law, a sibling's spouse, a
spouse's siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; relatives by
virtue of a remarriage (step-children, step-parents, etc.) are
included.
o Registered management investment companies, or separate accounts of
insurance companies having an agreement with the Manager or the
Distributor for that purpose.
o Dealers or brokers that have a sales agreement with the Distributor, if
they purchase shares for their own accounts or for retirement plans for
their employees.
o Employees and registered representatives (and their spouses) of dealers
or brokers described above or financial institutions that have
entered into sales arrangements with such dealers or brokers (and
which are identified as such to the Distributor) or with the
Distributor. The purchaser must certify to the Distributor at the
time of purchase that the purchase is for the purchaser's own
account (or for the benefit of such employee's spouse or minor
children).
o Dealers, brokers, banks or registered investment advisors that have
entered into an agreement with the Distributor providing specifically
for the use of shares of the Fund in particular investment products
made available to their clients. Those clients may be charged a
transaction fee by their dealer, broker, bank or advisor for the
purchase or sale of Fund shares.
o Investment advisors and financial planners who have entered into an
agreement for this purpose with the Distributor and who charge an
advisory, consulting or other fee for their services and buy shares for
their own accounts or the accounts of their clients.
o "Rabbi trusts" that buy shares for their own accounts, if the purchases
are made through a broker or agent or other financial intermediary that
has made special arrangements with the Distributor for those purchases.
o Clients of investment advisors or financial planners (that have entered
into an agreement for this purpose with the Distributor) who buy
shares for their own accounts may also purchase shares without sales
charge but only if their accounts are linked to a master account of
their investment advisor or financial planner on the books and
records of the broker, agent or financial intermediary with which
the Distributor has made such special arrangements . Each of these
investors may be charged a fee by the broker, agent or financial
intermediary for purchasing shares.
o Directors, trustees, officers or full-time employees of OpCap Advisors
or its affiliates, their relatives or any trust, pension, profit
sharing or other benefit plan which beneficially owns shares for those
persons.
o Accounts for which Oppenheimer Capital (or its successor) is the
investment advisor (the Distributor must be advised of this
arrangement) and persons who are directors or trustees of the company
or trust which is the beneficial owner of such accounts.
o A unit investment trust that has entered into an appropriate agreement
with the Distributor.
o Dealers, brokers, banks, or registered investment advisors that have
entered into an agreement with the Distributor to sell shares to
defined contribution employee retirement plans for which the dealer,
broker or investment advisor provides administration services.
Retirement Plans and deferred compensation plans and trusts used to fund
those plans (including, for example, plans qualified or created under
sections 401(a), 401(k), 403(b) or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code),
in each case if those purchases are made through a broker, agent or
other financial intermediary that has made special arrangements with
the Distributor for those purchases.
o A TRAC-2000 401(k) plan (sponsored by the former Quest for Value
Advisors) whose Class B or Class C shares of a Former Quest for Value
Fund were exchanged for Class A shares of that Fund due to the
termination of the Class B and Class C TRAC-2000 program on November
24, 1995.
o A qualified Retirement Plan that had agreed with the former Quest for
Value Advisors to purchase shares of any of the Former Quest for Value
Funds at net asset value, with such shares to be held through
DCXchange, a sub-transfer agency mutual fund clearinghouse, if that
arrangement was consummated and share purchases commenced by December
31, 1996.
B. Waivers of Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges in Certain
Transactions.
Class A shares issued or purchased in the following transactions are not subject
to sales charges (and no commissions are paid by the Distributor on such
purchases): o Shares issued in plans of reorganization, such as mergers, asset
acquisitions and exchange offers, to which the Fund is a party.
o Shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or other
distributions reinvested from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds
(other than Oppenheimer Cash Reserves) or unit investment trusts for
which reinvestment arrangements have been made with the Distributor.
o Shares purchased through a broker-dealer that has entered into a
special agreement with the Distributor to allow the broker's
customers to purchase and pay for shares of Oppenheimer funds using
the proceeds of shares redeemed in the prior 30 days from a mutual
fund (other than a fund managed by the Manager or any of its
subsidiaries) on which an initial sales charge or contingent
deferred sales charge was paid. This waiver also applies to shares
purchased by exchange of shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund,
Inc. that were purchased and paid for in this manner. This waiver
must be requested when the purchase order is placed for shares of
the Fund, and the Distributor may require evidence of qualification
for this waiver.
o Shares purchased with the proceeds of maturing principal units of any
Qualified Unit Investment Liquid Trust Series.
o Shares purchased by the reinvestment of loan repayments by a
participant in a Retirement Plan for which the Manager or an affiliate
acts as sponsor.
C. Waivers of the Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain
Redemptions.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is also waived if shares that would
otherwise be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge are redeemed in the
following cases: o To make Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments that are limited
annually to
no more than 12% of the account value annually (the annual holding
period is measured at the time of each Automatic Withdrawal Plan
payment).
o Involuntary redemptions of shares by operation of law or involuntary
redemptions of small accounts (please refer to "Shareholder Account
Rules and Policies," in the applicable fund Prospectus).
o For distributions from Retirement Plans, deferred compensation plans or
other employee benefit plans for any of the following purposes:
(1) Following the death or disability (as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code) of the participant or beneficiary. The death or
disability must occur after the participant's account was
established.
(2) To return excess contributions.
(3) To return contributions made due to a mistake of fact.
(4) Hardship withdrawals, as defined in the plan.5
5 This provision does not apply to IRAs.
(5) Under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, as defined in the
Internal Revenue Code, or, in the case of an IRA, a divorce or
separation agreement described in Section 71(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(6) To meet the minimum distribution requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(7) To make "substantially equal periodic payments" as described in
Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(8) For loans to participants or beneficiaries.
(9) Separation from service.6
6 This provision does not apply to 403(b)(7) custodial plans if the participant
is less than age 55, nor to IRAs.
(10)Participant-directed redemptions to purchase shares of a mutual
fund (other than a fund managed by the Manager or a subsidiary of
the Manager) if the plan has made special arrangements with the
Distributor.
(11) Plan termination or "in-service distributions," if the redemption
proceeds are rolled over directly to an OppenheimerFunds-sponsored
IRA.
o For distributions from Retirement Plans having 500 or more eligible
employees, except distributions due to termination of all of the
Oppenheimer funds as an investment option under the Plan.
o For distributions from 401(k) plans sponsored by broker-dealers that
have entered into a special agreement with the Distributor allowing
this waiver.
III. Waivers of Class B and Class C Sales Charges of Oppenheimer Funds
The Class B and Class C contingent deferred sales charges will not be applied to
shares purchased in certain types of transactions or redeemed in certain
circumstances described below.
A. Waivers for Redemptions in Certain Cases.
The Class B and Class C contingent deferred sales charges will be waived for
redemptions of shares in the following cases: o Shares redeemed involuntarily,
as described in "Shareholder Account
Rules and Policies," in the applicable Prospectus.
o Redemptions from accounts other than Retirement Plans following the
death or disability of the last surviving shareholder, including a
trustee of a grantor trust or revocable living trust for which the
trustee is also the sole beneficiary. The death or disability must have
occurred after the account was established, and for disability you must
provide evidence of a determination of disability by the Social
Security Administration.
o Distributions from accounts for which the broker-dealer of record has
entered into a special agreement with the Distributor allowing this
waiver.
o Redemptions of Class B shares held by Retirement Plans whose records
are maintained on a daily valuation basis by Merrill Lynch or an
independent record keeper under a contract with Merrill Lynch.
Redemptions of Class C shares of Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust from
accounts of clients of financial institutions that have entered into a
special arrangement with the Distributor for this purpose.
o Redemptions requested in writing by a Retirement Plan sponsor of Class
C shares of an Oppenheimer fund in amounts of $1 million or more held
by the Retirement Plan for more than one year, if the redemption
proceeds are invested in Class A shares of one or more Oppenheimer
funds.
o Redemptions of Class B shares under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan from
an account other than a Retirement Plan if the aggregate value of the
redeemed shares does not exceed 10% of the account's value annually
(the annual holding period is measured at the time of each Automatic
Withdrawal Plan Payment).
o Distributions from Retirement Plans or other employee benefit plans for
any of the following purposes:
(1) Following the death or disability (as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code) of the participant or beneficiary. The death or
disability must occur after the participant's account was
established in an Oppenheimer fund.
(2) To return excess contributions made to a participant's
account.
(3) To return contributions made due to a mistake of fact.
(4) To make hardship withdrawals, as defined in the plan.7
7 This provision does not apply to IRAs.
(5) To make distributions required under a Qualified Domestic
Relations Order or, in the case of an IRA, a divorce or
separation agreement described in Section 71(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(6) To meet the minimum distribution requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(7) To make "substantially equal periodic payments" as described in
Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(8) For loans to participants or beneficiaries.8
8 This provision does not apply to loans from 403(b)(7) custodial plans.
(9) On account of the participant's separation from service.9
9 This provision does not apply to 403(b)(7) custodial plans if the participant
is less than age 55, nor to IRAs.
(10) Participant-directed redemptions to purchase shares of a
mutual fund (other than a fund managed by the Manager or a
subsidiary of the Manager) offered as an investment option in a
Retirement Plan if the plan has made special arrangements with
the Distributor.
(11) Distributions made on account of a plan termination or
"in-service" distributions," if the redemption proceeds are
rolled over directly to an OppenheimerFunds-sponsored IRA.
(12) Distributions from Retirement Plans having 500 or more eligible
employees, but excluding distributions made because of the
Plan's elimination as investment options under the Plan of all
of the Oppenheimer funds that had been offered.
(13) For distributions from a participant's account under an
Automatic Withdrawal Plan after the participant reaches age
59 1/2, as long as the aggregate value of the distributions
does not exceed 10% of the account's value annually (the annual
holding period is measured at the time of each Automatic
Withdrawal Plan payment).
B. Waivers for Shares Sold or Issued in Certain Transactions.
The contingent deferred sales charge is also waived on Class B and Class C
shares sold or issued in the following cases:
o Shares sold to the Manager or its affiliates.
o Shares sold to registered management investment companies or separate
accounts of insurance companies having an agreement with the Manager or
the Distributor for that purpose.
|_| Shares issued in plans of reorganization to which the Fund is a
party.
<PAGE>
IV. Special Sales Charge Arrangements for Shareholders of Certain Oppenheimer
Funds Who Were Shareholders of Former Quest for Value Funds
The initial and contingent deferred sales charge rates and waivers for
Class A, Class B and Class C shares described in the Prospectus or Statement of
Additional Information of the Oppenheimer funds are modified as described below
for certain persons who were shareholders of the former Quest for Value Funds.
To be eligible, those persons must have been shareholders on November 24, 1995,
when OppenheimerFunds, Inc. became the investment advisor to those former Quest
for Value Funds. Those funds include:
Oppenheimer Quest Value Fund, Inc. Oppenheimer Quest Small Cap Value
Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Balanced Value Oppenheimer Quest Global Value Fund
Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Opportunity
Value Fund
These arrangements also apply to shareholders of the following funds when
they merged (were reorganized) into various Oppenheimer funds on November 24,
1995:
Quest for Value U.S. Government Income Quest for Value New York Tax-Exempt
Fund Fund
Quest for Value Investment Quality Quest for Value National Tax-Exempt
Income Fund Fund
Quest for Value Global Income Fund Quest for Value California Tax-Exempt
Fund
All of the funds listed above are referred to in this Appendix as the
"Former Quest for Value Funds." The waivers of initial and contingent deferred
sales charges described in this Appendix apply to shares of an Oppenheimer fund
that are either: o acquired by such shareholder pursuant to an exchange of
shares of an
Oppenheimer fund that was one of the Former Quest for Value Funds or
o purchased by such shareholder by exchange of shares of another
Oppenheimer fund that were acquired pursuant to the merger of any of
the Former Quest for Value Funds into that other Oppenheimer fund on
November 24, 1995.
A. Reductions or Waivers of Class A Sales Charges.
|X| Reduced Class A Initial Sales Charge Rates for Certain Former Quest
for Value Funds Shareholders.
Purchases by Groups and Associations. The following table sets forth the initial
sales charge rates for Class A shares purchased by members of "Associations"
formed for any purpose other than the purchase of securities. The rates in the
table apply if that Association purchased shares of any of the Former Quest for
Value Funds or received a proposal to purchase such shares from OCC Distributors
prior to November 24, 1995.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial Sales Initial Sales
Number of Eligible Charge as a % of Charge as a % of Commission as %
Employees or Members Offering Price Net Amount Invested of Offering Price
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 or Fewer 2.50% 2.56% 2.00%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At least 10 but not 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
more than 49
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For purchases by Associations having 50 or more eligible employees or
members, there is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares, but
those shares are subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge
described in the applicable fund's Prospectus.
Purchases made under this arrangement qualify for the lower of either the
sales charge rate in the table based on the number of members of an Association,
or the sales charge rate that applies under the Right of Accumulation described
in the applicable fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.
Individuals who qualify under this arrangement for reduced sales charge rates as
members of Associations also may purchase shares for their individual or
custodial accounts at these reduced sales charge rates, upon request to the
Distributor.
|X| Waiver of Class A Sales Charges for Certain Shareholders. Class A
shares purchased by the following investors are not subject to any Class A
initial or contingent deferred sales charges:
o Shareholders who were shareholders of the AMA Family of Funds on
February 28, 1991 and who acquired shares of any of the Former Quest
for Value Funds by merger of a portfolio of the AMA Family of Funds.
o Shareholders who acquired shares of any Former Quest for Value Fund by
merger of any of the portfolios of the Unified Funds.
|X| Waiver of Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge in Certain
Transactions. The Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not apply to
redemptions of Class A shares purchased by the following investors who were
shareholders of any Former Quest for Value Fund:
Investors who purchased Class A shares from a dealer that is or was not
permitted to receive a sales load or redemption fee imposed on a shareholder
with whom that dealer has a fiduciary relationship, under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and regulations adopted under that law.
B. Class A, Class B and Class C Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Waivers.
|X| Waivers for Redemptions of Shares Purchased Prior to March 6, 1995. In
the following cases, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived for
redemptions of Class A, Class B or Class C shares of an Oppenheimer fund. The
shares must have been acquired by the merger of a Former Quest for Value Fund
into the fund or by exchange from an Oppenheimer fund that was a Former Quest
for Value Fund or into which such fund merged. Those shares must have been
purchased prior to March 6, 1995 in connection with: o withdrawals under an
automatic withdrawal plan holding only either
Class B or Class C shares if the annual withdrawal does not exceed 10%
of the account value annually (the annual holding period is measured at
the time of each Automatic Withdrawal Plan payment), and
o liquidation of a shareholder's account if the aggregate net asset value
of shares held in the account is less than the required minimum value
of such accounts.
|X| Waivers for Redemptions of Shares Purchased on or After March 6, 1995
but Prior to November 24, 1995. In the following cases, the contingent deferred
sales charge will be waived for redemptions of Class A, Class B or Class C
shares of an Oppenheimer fund. The shares must have been acquired by the merger
of a Former Quest for Value Fund into the fund or by exchange from an
Oppenheimer fund that was a Former Quest For Value Fund or into which such
Former Quest for Value Fund merged. Those shares must have been purchased on or
after March 6, 1995, but prior to November 24, 1995: o redemptions following the
death or disability of the shareholder(s) (as
evidenced by a determination of total disability by the U.S. Social
Security Administration);
o withdrawals under an automatic withdrawal plan (but only for Class B or
Class C shares) where the annual withdrawals do not exceed 10% of the
account value annually (the annual holding period is measured at the
time of each Automatic Withdrawal Plan payment); and
o liquidation of a shareholder's account if the aggregate net asset value
of shares held in the account is less than the required minimum account
value.
A shareholder's account will be credited with the amount of any contingent
deferred sales charge paid on the redemption of any Class A, Class B or Class C
shares of the Oppenheimer fund described in this section if the proceeds are
invested in the same Class of shares in that fund or another Oppenheimer fund
within 90 days after redemption.
V. Special Sales Charge Arrangements for Shareholders of Certain
Oppenheimer Funds Who Were Shareholders of Connecticut Mutual Investment
Accounts, Inc.
The initial and contingent deferred sale charge rates and waivers for Class A
and Class B shares described in the respective Prospectus (or this Appendix) of
the following Oppenheimer funds (each is referred to as a "Fund" in this
section): o Oppenheimer U. S. Government Trust, o Oppenheimer Bond Fund, o
Oppenheimer Disciplined Value Fund and o Oppenheimer Disciplined Allocation Fund
are modified as described below for those Fund shareholders who were
shareholders of the following funds (referred to as the "Former Connecticut
Mutual Funds") on March 1, 1996, when OppenheimerFunds, Inc. became the
investment advisor to the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds:
Connecticut Mutual Liquid Account Connecticut Mutual Total Return
Account
Connecticut Mutual Government Securities CMIA LifeSpan Capital Appreciation
Account Account
Connecticut Mutual Income Account CMIA LifeSpan Balanced Account
Connecticut Mutual Growth Account CMIA Diversified Income Account
A. Prior Class A CDSC and Class A Sales Charge Waivers.
n Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Certain shareholders of a Fund
and the other Former Connecticut Mutual Funds are entitled to continue to make
additional purchases of Class A shares at net asset value without a Class A
initial sales charge, but subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales
charge that was in effect prior to March 18, 1996 (the "prior Class A CDSC").
Under the prior Class A CDSC, if any of those shares are redeemed within one
year of purchase, they will be assessed a 1% contingent deferred sales charge on
an amount equal to the current market value or the original purchase price of
the shares sold, whichever is smaller (in such redemptions, any shares not
subject to the prior Class A CDSC will be redeemed first).
Those shareholders who are eligible for the prior Class A CDSC are: (1)
persons whose purchases of Class A shares of a Fund and other Former
Connecticut Mutual Funds were $500,000 prior to March 18, 1996, as a
result of direct purchases or purchases pursuant to the Fund's policies
on Combined Purchases or Rights of Accumulation, who still hold those
shares in that Fund or other Former Connecticut Mutual Funds, and
(2) persons whose intended purchases under a Statement of Intention entered
into prior to March 18, 1996, with the former general distributor of
the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds to purchase shares valued at
$500,000 or more over a 13-month period entitled those persons to
purchase shares at net asset value without being subject to the Class A
initial sales charge.
Any of the Class A shares of a Fund and the other Former Connecticut Mutual
Funds that were purchased at net asset value prior to March 18, 1996, remain
subject to the prior Class A CDSC, or if any additional shares are purchased
by those shareholders at net asset value pursuant to this arrangement they
will be subject to the prior Class A CDSC.
n Class A Sales Charge Waivers. Additional Class A shares of a Fund may be
purchased without a sales charge, by a person who was in one (or more) of the
categories below and acquired Class A shares prior to March 18, 1996, and still
holds Class A shares: (1) any purchaser, provided the total initial amount
invested in the Fund
or any one or more of the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds totaled
$500,000 or more, including investments made pursuant to the Combined
Purchases, Statement of Intention and Rights of Accumulation features
available at the time of the initial purchase and such investment is
still held in one or more of the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds or a
Fund into which such Fund merged;
(2) any participant in a qualified plan, provided that the total initial
amount invested by the plan in the Fund or any one or more of the
Former Connecticut Mutual Funds totaled $500,000 or more;
(3) Directors of the Fund or any one or more of the Former Connecticut
Mutual Funds and members of their immediate families;
(4) employee benefit plans sponsored by Connecticut Mutual Financial
Services, L.L.C. ("CMFS"), the prior distributor of the Former
Connecticut Mutual Funds, and its affiliated companies;
(5) one or more members of a group of at least 1,000 persons (and persons
who are retirees from such group) engaged in a common business,
profession, civic or charitable endeavor or other activity, and the
spouses and minor dependent children of such persons, pursuant to a
marketing program between CMFS and such group; and
(6) an institution acting as a fiduciary on behalf of an individual or
individuals, if such institution was directly compensated by the
individual(s) for recommending the purchase of the shares of the Fund
or any one or more of the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds, provided the
institution had an agreement with CMFS.
Purchases of Class A shares made pursuant to (1) and (2) above may be
subject to the Class A CDSC of the Former Connecticut Mutual Funds described
above.
Additionally, Class A shares of a Fund may be purchased without a sales
charge by any holder of a variable annuity contract issued in New York State by
Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company through the Panorama Separate Account
which is beyond the applicable surrender charge period and which was used to
fund a qualified plan, if that holder exchanges the variable annuity contract
proceeds to buy Class A shares of the Fund.
B. Class A and Class B Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Waivers.
In addition to the waivers set forth in the Prospectus and in this Appendix,
above, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived for redemptions of
Class A and Class B shares of a Fund and exchanges of Class A or Class B shares
of a Fund into Class A or Class B shares of a Former Connecticut Mutual Fund
provided that the Class A or Class B shares of the Fund to be redeemed or
exchanged were (i) acquired prior to March 18, 1996 or (ii) were acquired by
exchange from an Oppenheimer fund that was a Former Connecticut Mutual Fund.
Additionally, the shares of such Former Connecticut Mutual Fund must have been
purchased prior to March 18, 1996: (1) by the estate of a deceased shareholder;
(2) upon the disability of a shareholder, as defined in Section 72(m)(7) of
the Internal Revenue Code;
(3) for retirement distributions (or loans) to participants or
beneficiaries from retirement plans qualified under Sections 401(a) or
403(b)(7)of the Code, or from IRAs, deferred compensation plans created
under Section 457 of the Code, or other employee benefit plans;
(4) as tax-free returns of excess contributions to such retirement or
employee benefit plans;
(5) in whole or in part, in connection with shares sold to any state,
county, or city, or any instrumentality, department, authority, or
agency thereof, that is prohibited by applicable investment laws from
paying a sales charge or commission in connection with the purchase of
shares of any registered investment management company;
(6) in connection with the redemption of shares of the Fund due to a
combination with another investment company by virtue of a merger,
acquisition or similar reorganization transaction;
(7) in connection with the Fund's right to involuntarily redeem or
liquidate the Fund;
(8) in connection with automatic redemptions of Class A shares and Class B
shares in certain retirement plan accounts pursuant to an Automatic
Withdrawal Plan but limited to no more than 12% of the original value
annually; or
(9) as involuntary redemptions of shares by operation of law, or under
procedures set forth in the Fund's Declaration of Trust, or as adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
VI. Special Reduced Sales Charge for Former Shareholders of Advance America
Funds, Inc.
Shareholders of Oppenheimer Municipal Bond Fund, Oppenheimer U.S. Government
Trust, Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund and Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund who
acquired (and still hold) shares of those funds as a result of the
reorganization of series of Advance America Funds, Inc. into those Oppenheimer
funds on October 18, 1991, and who held shares of Advance America Funds, Inc. on
March 30, 1990, may purchase Class A shares of those four Oppenheimer funds at a
maximum sales charge rate of 4.50%.
VII. Sales Charge Waivers on Purchases of Class M Shares of Oppenheimer
Convertible Securities Fund
Oppenheimer Convertible Securities Fund (referred to as the "Fund" in this
section) may sell Class M shares at net asset value without any initial sales
charge to the classes of investors listed below who, prior to March 11, 1996,
owned shares of the Fund's then-existing Class A and were permitted to purchase
those shares at net asset value without sales charge:
o the Manager and its affiliates,
o present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and
their "immediate families" as defined in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates,
and retirement plans established by them or the prior investment
advisor of the Fund for their employees,
o registered management investment companies or separate accounts of
insurance companies that had an agreement with the Fund's prior
investment advisor or distributor for that purpose,
o dealers or brokers that have a sales agreement with the Distributor, if
they purchase shares for their own accounts or for retirement plans for
their employees,
o employees and registered representatives (and their spouses) of dealers
or brokers described in the preceding section or financial institutions
that have entered into sales arrangements with those dealers or brokers
(and whose identity is made known to the Distributor) or with the
Distributor, but only if the purchaser certifies to the Distributor at
the time of purchase that the purchaser meets these qualifications,
o dealers, brokers, or registered investment advisors that had entered
into an agreement with the Distributor or the prior distributor of the
Fund specifically providing for the use of Class M shares of the Fund
in specific investment products made available to their clients, and
o dealers, brokers or registered investment advisors that had entered
into an agreement with the Distributor or prior distributor of the
Fund's shares to sell shares to defined contribution employee
retirement plans for which the dealer, broker, or investment advisor
provides administrative services.
<PAGE>
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Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap Fund
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Internet Web Site:
www.oppenheimerfunds.com
Investment Advisor
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer Agent
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
1-800-525-7048
Custodian Bank
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10015
Independent Auditors
Deloitte & Touche LLP
555 Seventeenth Street, Suite 3600
Denver, Colorado 80202-3942
Legal Counsel
Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C.
1600 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80202
67890
PX000.0799
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER MAIN STREET SMALL CAP FUND
Supplement dated July 2, 1999 to the
Statement of Additional Information dated July 2, 1999
As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, all share
classes of this Fund are not available for sale.
July 2, 1999 PX0847.001
