Please read this prospectus before investing, and keep it on file for
future reference. It contains important information, including how the fund
invests and the services available to shareholders.
To learn more about the fund and its investments, you can obtain a copy
of the fund's most recent financial report and portfolio listing, or a copy
of the Statement of Additional Information (SAI) dated December 1, 1994.
The SAI has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
and is incorporated herein by reference (legally forms a part of the
prospectus). For a free copy of either document, call Fidelity at
1-800-544-8888.
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by,
any depository institution. Shares are not insured by the FDIC, the Federal
Reserve Board, or any other agency, and are subject to investment risk,
including the possible loss of principal.
LIKE ALL MUTUAL
FUNDS, THESE
SECURITIES HAVE NOT
BEEN APPROVED OR
DISAPPROVED BY THE
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE
COMMISSION OR ANY
STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION, NOR HAS
THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE
COMMISSION OR ANY
STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION PASSED
UPON THE ACCURACY
OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO
THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
IBF-pro- 12 94
Intermediate Bond seeks high current income by investing mainly in
investment-grade debt securities while maintaining an average maturity of
three to ten years.
FIDELITY
INTERMEDIATE BOND
FUND
PROSPECTUS
DECEMBER 1, 1994(FIDELITY_LOGO_GRAPHIC) 82 DEVONSHIRE STREET,
BOSTON, MA 02109
CONTENTS
KEY FACTS THE FUND AT A GLANCE
WHO MAY WANT TO INVEST
EXPENSES The fund's yearly
operating expenses.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS A summary
of the fund's financial data.
PERFORMANCE How the fund has
done over time.
THE FUND IN DETAIL CHARTER How the fund is
organized.
INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES AND RISKS
The fund's overall approach to
investing.
BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES How
operating costs are calculated and
what they include.
YOUR ACCOUNT DOING BUSINESS WITH FIDELITY
TYPES OF ACCOUNTS Different
ways to set up your account,
including tax-sheltered retirement
plans.
HOW TO BUY SHARES Opening an
account and making additional
investments.
HOW TO SELL SHARES Taking money
out and closing your account.
INVESTOR SERVICES Services to
help you manage your account.
SHAREHOLDER AND DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS, AND
ACCOUNT POLICIES TAXES
TRANSACTION DETAILS Share price
calculations and the timing of
purchases and redemptions.
EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS
KEY FACTS
THE FUND AT A GLANCE
GOAL: High current income. As with any mutual fund, there is no assurance
that the fund will achieve its goal.
STRATEGY: Invests mainly in investment-grade debt securities while
maintaining an average maturity of three to ten years.
MANAGEMENT: Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMR) is the management
arm of Fidelity Investments, which was established in 1946 and is now
America's largest mutual fund manager. Foreign affiliates of FMR may help
choose investments for the fund.
SIZE: As of April 30, 1994, the fund had over $1 .7 billion in
assets.
WHO MAY WANT TO INVEST
The fund may be appropriate for investors who want high current income from
a portfolio of investment-grade debt securities. A fund's level of risk and
potential reward, depend s on the quality and maturity of its
investments. With its focus on medium- to high-quality investments and
intermediate maturity, the fund has a moderate risk level and yield
potential.
The value of the fund's investments and the income they generate will
vary from day to day, generally reflecting interest rates, market
conditions, and other economic and political news. When you sell
your fund shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for
them. By itself the fund does not constitute a balanced investment plan.
THE SPECTRUM OF
FIDELITY FUNDS
Broad categories of Fidelity
funds are presented here in
order of ascending risk.
Generally, investors seeking
to maximize return must
assume greater risk.
Intermediate Bond is in the
INCOME category.
(solid bullet) MONEY MARKET Seeks
income and stability by
investing in high-quality,
short-term investments.
(right arrow) INCOME Seeks income by
investing in bonds.
(solid bullet) GROWTH AND INCOME
Seeks long-term growth and
income by investing in stocks
and bonds.
(solid bullet) GROWTH Seeks long-term
growth by investing mainly in
stocks.
(checkmark)
EXPENSES
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES are charges you pay when you buy or sell
shares of a fund.
Maximum sales charge on purchases and
reinvested distributions None
Deferred sales charge on redemptions None
Exchange fee None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES are paid out of the fund's assets. The fund
pays a management fee to FMR. It also incurs other expenses for services
such as maintaining shareholder records and furnishing shareholder
statements and financial reports. The fund's expenses are factored into its
share price or dividends and are not charged directly to shareholder
accounts (see page ).
The following are projections based on historical expenses, adjusted to
reflect current fees, and are calculated as a percentage of average net
assets.
Management fee .46%
12b-1 fee None
Other expenses . 33 %
Total fund operating expenses
. 79 %
EXAMPLES: Let's say, hypothetically, that the fund's annual return is 5%
and that its operating expenses are exactly as just described. For every
$1,000 you invested, here's how much you would pay in total expenses if you
close your account after the number of years indicated:
After 1 year $ 8
After 3 years $ 25
After 5 years $ 44
After 10 years $ 98
These examples illustrate the effect of expenses, but are not meant to
suggest actual or expected costs or returns, all of which may vary.
UNDERSTANDING
EXPENSES
Operating a mutual fund
involves a variety of
expenses for portfolio
management, shareholder
statements, tax reporting, and
other services. These costs
are paid from the fund's
assets; their effect is already
factored into any quoted
share price or return.
(checkmark)
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table that follows is included in the fund's Annual Report and has been
audited by Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. , independent accountants. Their
report on the financial statements and financial highlights is included in
the Annual Report. The financial statements and financial highlights are
incorporated by reference into (and are legally a part of) the fund's
Statement of Additional Information.
SELECTED PER-SHARE DATA
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Years ended April 30 1985A 1986A 1987A 1988A 1989B 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Net asset value, $ 9.83 $ 11.0 $ 11.5 $ 10.0 $ 9.87 $ 9.85 $ 9.69 $ 10.0 $ 10.2 $ 10.7
beginning 0 10 50 40 0 0 0 70 70 00
of period
Income from 1.085 .922 1.001 .874 .299 .866 .800 .764 .784 .705
Investment Operations
Net investment
incomeD
Net realized and .837 .498 (.800) (.170) (.020) (.160) .380 .197 .496 (.381)
unrealized
gain (loss) on
investments
Total from 1.922 1.420 .201 .704 .279 .706 1.180 .961 1.280 .324
investment operations
Less Distributions (.742) (.660) (1.61 (.874) (.299) (.866) (.800) (.761) (.790) (.704)
From net investment 1)
income
From net realized -- (.220) (.100) -- -- -- -- -- (.060) --
gain
on investments
In excess of net -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (.090)
realized gain
Total distributions (.742) (.880) (1.71 (.874) (.299) (.866) (.800) (.761) (.850) (.794)
1)
Net asset value, end $ 11.0 $ 11.5 $ 10.0 $ 9.87 $ 9.85 $ 9.69 $ 10.0 $ 10.2 $ 10.7 $ 10.2
of period 10 50 40 0 0 0 70 70 00 30
Total returnF 20.56 13.28 2.00 7.22 2.86 7.24 12.61 9.82 12.90 2.93
% % % % % % % % % %
RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of $ 244 $ 368 $ 371 $ 504 $ 528 $ 661 $ 878 $ 1,23 $ 1,63 $ 1,78
period 5 9 2
(In millions)
Ratio of expenses to .79% .75% .86% .87% .62% .72% .66% .63% .61% .64%
average G
net assets C,E
Ratio of expenses to .79% .75% .86% .87% .62% .72% .66% .65% .66% .64%
average net assets G
before expense
reductions
Ratio of net 10.73 9.27 9.17 8.76 9.35 8.57 8.05 7.45 7.44 6.88
investment income to % % % % %G % % % % %
average net assets
Portfolio turnover 68% 101% 67% 59% 101% 82% 73% 80% 51% 81%
rate H G
</TABLE>
A FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31.
B ON APRIL 20, 1989, THE TRUSTEES APPROVED A CHANGE IN THE FUND'S FISCAL
YEAR-END TO APRIL 30. THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS ARE FOR THE FOUR MONTHS
ENDED APRIL 30.
C DURING THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1988, AND DURING THE 4-MONTH PERIOD
ENDED APRIL 30, 1989, THE FUND'S TRANSFER AGENT VOLUNTARILY WAIVED FEES OF
$.011 AND $.010, RESPECTIVELY PER SHARE. IF THIS REIMBURSEMENT WAS NOT IN
EFFECT, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 1988 AND THE FOUR MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 1989 WOULD HAVE BEEN
.98% AND .95% (ANNUALIZED), RESPECTIVELY.
D FROM JULY 1, 1977 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 1985, DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM
NET INTEREST INCOME WERE DECLARED DAILY AND PAID MONTHLY. FOR THE PERIOD
SEPTEMBER 1, 1985 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 1987, DIVIDENDS FROM NET INTEREST
INCOME WERE DECLARED AND PAID ANNUALLY. EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 1987,
DIVIDENDS FROM NET INTEREST INCOME ARE DECLARED DAILY AND PAID MONTHLY.
E EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 1992, FMR VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE
FUND'S MANAGEMENT FEE AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF .07% OF THE FUND'S AVERAGE NET
ASSETS THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1992. FOR THE PERIODS ENDED APRIL 30, 1993 AND
1992, THE REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNTED TO $643,372 ($.005 PER SHARE) AND $254,852
($.002 PER SHARE), RESPECTIVELY.
F THE TOTAL RETURNS WOULD HAVE BEEN LOWER HAD CERTAIN EXPENSES NOT BEEN
REDUCED DURING THE PERIODS SHOWN AND PERIODS OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR ARE
NOT ANNUALIZED .
G ANNUALIZED
H IN 1985, THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ADOPTED REVISIONS TO
EXISTING RULES WITH RESPECT TO THE CALCULATION OF A PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
RATE. THE REVISED RULES REQUIRE THE INCLUSION IN THE CALCULATION OF
LONG-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES WHICH, PRIOR TO THESE REVISIONS, WERE
EXCLUDED FROM THE CALCULATIONS.
PERFORMANCE
Bond fund performance can be measured as TOTAL RETURN or YIELD. The total
returns and yields that follow are based on historical fund results and do
not reflect the effect of taxes.
The fund's fiscal year runs from May 1 through April 30. The tables
below show the fund's performance over past fiscal years compared to a
measure of inflation. The chart on page 7 helps you compare the yields of
this fund to those of its competitors.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Fiscal periods Pas Past Past
ended t 1 5 10
April 30, 1994 yea year year
r s s
Intermediate 2.93 9.03 10.39
Bond % % %
Consumer 2.36 3.67 3.64
Price % % %
Index
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURNS
Fiscal periods Pas Past Past
ended t 1 5 10
April 30, 1994 yea year year
r s s
Intermediate 2.93 54.09 168.73
Bond % % %
Consumer 2.36 19.74 42.97
Price % % %
Index
UNDERSTANDING
PERFORMANCE
Because this fund invests in
fixed-income securities, its
performance is related to
changes in interest rates.
Funds that hold short-term
bonds are usually less
affected by changes in
interest rates than long-term
bond funds. For that reason,
long-term bond funds typically
offer higher yields and carry
more risk than short-term
bond funds.
(checkmark)
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
TOTAL RETURN is the change in value of an investment in the fund over a
given period, assuming reinvestment of any dividends and capital gains. A
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN reflects actual performance over a stated period of
time. An AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN is a hypothetical rate of return that,
if achieved annually, would have produced the same cumulative total return
if performance had been constant over the entire period. Average annual
total returns smooth out variations in performance; they are not the same
as actual year-by-year results.
YIELD refers to the income generated by an investment in the fund over a
given period of time, expressed as an annual percentage rate. Yields are
calculated according to a standard that is required for all stock and bond
funds. Because this differs from other accounting methods, the quoted yield
may not equal the income actually paid to shareholders.
30-DAY YIELDS
Percentage (%)
Row: 1, Col: 1, Value: 6.26
Row: 1, Col: 2, Value: 6.33
Row: 2, Col: 1, Value: 6.45
Row: 2, Col: 2, Value: 6.4
Row: 3, Col: 1, Value: 6.72
Row: 3, Col: 2, Value: 6.56
Row: 4, Col: 1, Value: 6.609999999999999
Row: 4, Col: 2, Value: 6.52
Row: 5, Col: 1, Value: 6.49
Row: 5, Col: 2, Value: 6.44
Row: 6, Col: 1, Value: 6.37
Row: 6, Col: 2, Value: 6.25
Row: 7, Col: 1, Value: 5.970000000000001
Row: 7, Col: 2, Value: 5.74
Row: 8, Col: 1, Value: 6.08
Row: 8, Col: 2, Value: 5.68
Row: 9, Col: 1, Value: 5.63
Row: 9, Col: 2, Value: 5.54
Row: 10, Col: 1, Value: 5.77
Row: 10, Col: 2, Value: 5.55
Row: 11, Col: 1, Value: 6.69
Row: 11, Col: 2, Value: 5.85
Row: 12, Col: 1, Value: 7.01
Row: 12, Col: 2, Value: 5.930000000000001
Row: 13, Col: 1, Value: 6.8
Row: 13, Col: 2, Value: 5.74
Row: 14, Col: 1, Value: 6.49
Row: 14, Col: 2, Value: 5.45
Row: 15, Col: 1, Value: 6.430000000000001
Row: 15, Col: 2, Value: 5.29
Row: 16, Col: 1, Value: 6.23
Row: 16, Col: 2, Value: 5.159999999999999
Row: 17, Col: 1, Value: 6.29
Row: 17, Col: 2, Value: 5.04
Row: 18, Col: 1, Value: 6.19
Row: 18, Col: 2, Value: 5.01
Row: 19, Col: 1, Value: 6.0
Row: 19, Col: 2, Value: 4.930000000000001
Row: 20, Col: 1, Value: 5.81
Row: 20, Col: 2, Value: 4.84
Row: 21, Col: 1, Value: 5.71
Row: 21, Col: 2, Value: 4.659999999999999
Row: 22, Col: 1, Value: 5.09
Row: 22, Col: 2, Value: 4.649999999999999
Row: 23, Col: 1, Value: 5.109999999999999
Row: 23, Col: 2, Value: 4.819999999999999
Row: 24, Col: 1, Value: 5.28
Row: 24, Col: 2, Value: 4.89
Row: 25, Col: 1, Value: 5.13
Row: 25, Col: 2, Value: 4.8
Row: 26, Col: 1, Value: 5.41
Row: 26, Col: 2, Value: 4.95
Row: 27, Col: 1, Value: 5.859999999999999
Row: 27, Col: 2, Value: 5.33
Intermediate
Bond
Competitive
funds average
1992
1993
1994
THE CHART SHOWS THE 30-DAY ANNUALIZED NET YIELDS FOR THE FUND AND ITS
COMPETITIVE FUNDS AVERAGE AS OF THE LAST DAY OF EACH MONTH FROM
JANUARY 1992 THROUGH MARCH 1994.
THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX is a widely recognized measure of inflation
calculated by the U.S. government.
THE COMPETITIVE FUNDS AVERAGE is the Lipper Intermediate Investment Grade
Debt Funds Average which currently reflects the performance of over 110
mutual funds with similar objectives. This average, which assumes
reinvestment of distributions, is published by Lipper Analytical Services,
Inc.
The fund's recent strategies, performance, and holdings are detailed twice
a year in financial reports, which are sent to all shareholders. For
current performance or a free annual report, call 1-800-544-8888.
TOTAL RETURNS AND YIELDS ARE BASED ON PAST RESULTS AND ARE NOT AN
INDICATION OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.
THE FUND IN DETAIL
CHARTER
INTERMEDIATE BOND IS A MUTUAL FUND: an investment that pools shareholders'
money and invests it toward a specified goal. In technical terms, the fund
is currently a diversified fund of Fidelity Commonwealth Trust, an open-end
management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust
on November 8, 1974.
THE FUND IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF TRUSTEES, which is responsible for
protecting the interests of shareholders. The trustees are experienced
executives who meet throughout the year to oversee the fund's activities,
review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the
fund, and review performance. The majority of trustees are not otherwise
affiliated with Fidelity.
THE FUND MAY HOLD SPECIAL MEETINGS AND MAIL PROXY MATERIALS. These meetings
may be called to elect or remove trustees, change fundamental policies,
approve a management contract, or for other purposes. Shareholders not
attending these meetings are encouraged to vote by proxy. Fidelity will
mail proxy materials in advance, including a voting card and information
about the proposals to be voted on. The number of votes you are entitled to
is based upon the dollar value of your investment.
FMR AND ITS AFFILIATES
The fund is managed by FMR, which chooses the fund's investments and
handles its business affairs. Fidelity Management & Research (U.K.) Inc.
(FMR U.K.), in London, England, and Fidelity Management & Research (Far
East) Inc. (FMR Far East), in Tokyo, Japan, assist FMR with foreign
investments.
Michael Gray is manager and V ice P resident of Intermediate
Bond, which he has managed since September 1987. Mr. Gray also manages
Advisor Limited Term Bond, Fidelity Investment Grade Bond, and Spartan
Investment Grade Bond. Mr. Gray joined Fidelity in 1982.
Fidelity investment personnel may invest in securities for their own
account pursuant to a code of ethics that establishes procedures for
personal investing and restricts certain transactions.
Fidelity Distributors Corporation (FDC) distributes and markets Fidelity's
funds and services. Fidelity Service Co. (FSC) performs transfer agent
servicing functions for the fund.
FMR Corp. is the parent company of FMR, FMR Far East, and FMR U.K .
Through ownership of voting common stock, members of the Edward C.
Johnson 3d family form a controlling group with respect to FMR Corp.
Changes may occur in the Johnson family group, through death or
disability, which would result in changes in each individual family
member's holding of stock. Such changes could result in one or more family
members becoming holders of over 25% of the stock. FMR Corp. has received
an opinion of counsel that changes in the composition of the Johnson family
group under these circumstances would not result in the termination of the
fund's management or distribution contracts and, accordingly, would not
require a shareholder vote to continue operation under those contracts.
To carry out the fund's transactions, FMR may use its broker-dealer
affiliates and other firms that sell fund shares, provided that the fund
receives services and commission rates comparable to those of other
broker-dealers.
INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES AND RISKS
THE FUND SEEKS HIGH CURRENT INCOME by investing primarily in fixed-income
obligations of all types. The fund invests in domestic and foreign
investment-grade debt securities and under normal conditions,
maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of three to ten years. In
determining a security's maturity for purposes of calculating the fund's
average maturity, estimates of the expected time for its principal to be
paid may be used. This can be substantially shorter than its stated final
maturity. The fund may also invest in futures contracts and other
derivatives to adjust its investment exposure.
The fund's yield and share price change daily based on changes in
interest rates, market conditions, and other political and economic
news , and on the quality and maturity of its investments . In
general, bond prices rise when interest rates fall, and vice versa. FMR may
use various investment techniques to hedge the fund's risks, but there is
no guarantee that these strategies will work as intended. When you sell
your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them.
FMR normally invests the fund's assets according to its investment
strategy. The fund also reserves the right to invest without limitation in
investment-grade money market or short-term debt instruments for temporary,
defensive purposes.
SECURITIES AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES
The following pages contain more detailed information about types of
instruments in which the fund may invest, and strategies FMR may employ in
pursuit of the fund's investment objective. A summary of risks and
restrictions associated with these instrument types and investment
practices is included as well. A complete listing of the fund's policies
and limitations and more detailed information about the fund's investments
is contained in the fund's SAI. Policies and limitations are considered
at the time of purchase; the sale of instruments is not required in the
event of a subsequent change in circumstances.
FMR may not buy all of these instruments or use all of these techniques to
the full extent permitted unless it believes that doing so will help the
fund achieve its goal. Current holdings and recent investment strategies
are described in the fund's financial reports which are sent to
shareholders twice a year. For a free SAI or financial report, call
1-800-544-8888.
DEBT SECURITIES. Bonds and other debt instruments are used by issuers to
borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or
variable rate of interest, and must repay the amount borrowed at maturity.
Some debt securities, such as zero coupon bonds, do not pay current
interest, but are purchased at a discount from their face values. In
general, bond prices rise when interest rates fall and vice versa. Debt
securities have varying degrees of quality and varying levels of
sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Longer-term bonds are generally
more sensitive to interest rate changes than short-term bonds.
Investment-grade debt securities are medium- and high-quality securities.
Some, however, may possess speculative characteristics and may be more
sensitive to economic changes and to changes in the financial condition of
issuers.
RESTRICTIONS: Purchase of a debt security is consistent with the fund's
debt quality policy if it is rated at or above the stated level by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. or rated in the equivalent categories by Standard &
Poor's Corporation, or is unrated but judged to be of equivalent quality by
FMR. The fund currently intends to limit its investments in debt securities
to those of Baa-quality or above.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are high-quality debt securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by an agency or instrumentality of the
U.S. government. Not all U.S. government securities are backed by the full
faith and credit of the United States. For example, securities issued by
the Federal Farm Credit Bank or by the Federal National Mortgage
Association are supported by the instrumentality's right to borrow money
from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances. However, securities
issued by the Financing Corporation are supported only by the credit of the
entity that issued them.
FOREIGN SECURITIES and foreign currencies may involve additional risks.
These include currency fluctuations, risks relating to political or
economic conditions in the foreign country, and the potentially less
stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets.
In addition to the political and economic factors that can affect foreign
securities, a governmental issuer may be unwilling to repay principal and
interest when due, and may require that the conditions for payment be
renegotiated. These factors could make foreign investments, especially
those in developing countries, more volatile.
ASSET-BACKED AND MORTGAGE SECURITIES include interests in pools of
lower-rated debt securities, or consumer loans or mortgages, or
complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations and
stripped mortgage-backed securities. The value of these securities may be
significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market's
perception of the issuers, and the creditworthiness of the parties
involved. Some securities may have a structure that makes their reaction
to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, making their
value highly volatile. These securities may also be subject to
prepayment risk.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS are high-quality instruments that present minimal
credit risk. They may include U.S. government obligations, commercial paper
and other short-term corporate obligations, and certificates of deposit,
bankers' acceptances, bank deposits, and other financial institution
obligations. These instruments may carry fixed or variable interest rates.
STRIPPED SECURITIES are the separate income or principal components of a
debt instrument. These involve risks that are similar to those of other
debt securities, although they may be more volatile and certain stripped
securities move in the same direction as interest rates .
ADJUSTING INVESTMENT EXPOSURE. The fund can use various techniques to
increase or decrease its exposure to changing security prices, interest
rates, currency exchange rates, commodity prices, or other factors that
affect security values. These techniques may involve derivative
transactions such as buying and selling options and futures contracts,
entering into currency exchange contracts or swap agreements, and
purchasing indexed securities.
FMR can use these practices to adjust the risk and return characteristics
of the fund's portfolio of investments. If FMR judges market conditions
incorrectly or employs a strategy that does not correlate well with the
fund's investments, these techniques could result in a loss, regardless of
whether the intent was to reduce risk or increase return. These techniques
may increase the volatility of the fund and may involve a small investment
of cash relative to the magnitude of the risk assumed. In addition, these
techniques could result in a loss if the counterparty to the transaction
does not perform as promised .
DIRECT DEBT. Loans and other direct debt instruments are interests in
amounts owed to another party by a company, government, or other borrower.
They have additional risks beyond conventional debt securities because they
may entail less legal protection for the fund, or there may be a
requirement that the fund supply additional cash to a borrower on demand.
WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS are trading practices in
which payment and delivery for the securities take place at a future date.
The market value of a security could change during this period, which could
affect the fund's yield.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement, the fund buys a security
at one price and simultaneously agrees to sell it back at a higher price.
Delays or losses could result if the other party to the agreement defaults
or becomes insolvent.
ILLIQUID AND RESTRICTED SECURITIES. Some investments may be determined by
FMR, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, to be illiquid, which
means that they may be difficult to sell promptly at an acceptable price.
The sale of other securities, including illiquid securities, may be subject
to legal restrictions. Difficulty in selling securities may result in a
loss or may be costly to the fund.
RESTRICTIONS: The fund may not purchase a security if, as a result, more
than 10% of its assets would be invested in illiquid securities.
OTHER INSTRUMENTS may include convertible securities and preferred stocks.
DIVERSIFICATION. Diversifying a fund's investment portfolio can reduce the
risks of investing. This may include limiting the amount of money invested
in any one issuer or, on a broader scale, in any one industry.
RESTRICTIONS: With respect to 75% of total assets, the fund may not invest
more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer. The fund may not invest
more than 25% of its total assets in any one industry. These limitations do
not apply to U.S. government securities.
BORROWING. The fund may borrow from banks or from other funds advised by
FMR, or through reverse repurchase agreements. If the fund borrows money,
its share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing
is paid off. If the fund makes additional investments while borrowings are
outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage.
RESTRICTIONS: The fund may borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes,
but not in an amount exceeding 33% of its total assets.
LENDING. Lending securities to broker-dealers and institutions, including
FBSI, an affiliate of FMR, is a means of earning income. This practice
could result in a loss or a delay in recovering the fund's securities. The
fund may also lend money to other funds advised by FMR.
RESTRICTIONS: Loans, in the aggregate, may not exceed 33% of the fund's
total assets.
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS
Some of the policies and restrictions discussed on the preceding pages are
fundamental, that is, subject to change only by shareholder approval. The
following paragraph restates all those that are fundamental. All policies
stated throughout this prospectus, other than those identified in the
following paragraph, can be changed without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks a high level of current income by investing primarily in
investment-grade, fixed-income obligations. With respect to 75% of total
assets, the fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one
issuer. The fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in any
one industry. The fund may borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes,
but not in an amount exceeding 33% of its total assets. Loans, in the
aggregate, may not exceed 33% of the fund's total assets.
BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES
Like all mutual funds, the fund pays fees related to its daily operations.
Expenses paid out of the fund's assets are reflected in its share price or
dividends; they are neither billed directly to shareholders nor deducted
from shareholder accounts.
The fund pays a MANAGEMENT FEE to FMR for managing its investments and
business affairs. FMR in turn may pay fees to affiliates who provide
assistance with these services. The fund also pays OTHER EXPENSES, which
are explained on page .
FMR may, from time to time, agree to reimburse the fund for management fees
and other expenses above a specified limit. FMR retains the ability to be
repaid by the fund if expenses fall below the specified limit prior to the
end of the fiscal year. Reimbursement arrangements, which may be terminated
at any time without notice, can decrease the fund's expenses and boost its
performance.
MANAGEMENT FEE
The management fee is calculated and paid to FMR every month. The fee is
calculated by adding a group fee rate to an individual fund fee rate, and
multiplying the result by the fund's average net assets.
The group fee rate is based on the average net assets of all the mutual
funds advised by FMR. This rate cannot rise above .37%, and it drops as
total assets under management increase.
For April 1994, the group fee rate was .1604%. The individual fund fee rate
was .15%. The total management fee rate for fiscal 1994 was
.31%. Effective November 1, 1994, the individual fund fee rate is
.30%.
FMR HAS SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENTS with FMR U.K. and FMR Far East. These
sub-advisers provide FMR with investment research and advice on issuers
based outside the United States. Under the sub-advisory agreements, FMR
pays FMR U.K. and FMR Far East fees equal to 110% and 105%, respectively,
of the costs of providing these services.
The sub-advisers may also provide investment management services. In
return, FMR pays FMR U.K. and FMR Far East a fee equal to 50% of its
management fee rate with respect to the fund's investments that the
sub-adviser manages on a discretionary basis.
OTHER EXPENSES
While the management fee is a significant component of the fund's annual
operating costs, the fund has other expenses as well.
The fund contracts with FSC to perform many transaction and accounting
functions. These services include processing shareholder transactions,
valuing the fund's investments, and handling securities loans. In fiscal
1994, the fund paid FSC fees equal to .29% of its average net assets.
The fund also pays other expenses, such as legal, audit, and custodian
fees; proxy solicitation costs; and the compensation of trustees who are
not affiliated with Fidelity.
The fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan. This plan recognizes
that FMR may use its resources, including management fees, to pay expenses
associated with the sale of fund shares. This may include payments to third
parties, such as banks or broker-dealers, that provide shareholder support
services or engage in the sale of the fund's shares. It is important to
note, however, that the fund does not pay FMR any separate fees for this
service.
The fund's portfolio turnover rate for fiscal 1994 was 81%. This rate
varies from year to year.
UNDERSTANDING THE
MANAGEMENT FEE
The management fee FMR
receives is designed to be
responsive to changes in
FMR's total assets under
management. Building this
variable into the fee
calculation assures
shareholders that they will
pay a lower rate as FMR's
assets under management
increase.
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YOUR ACCOUNT
DOING BUSINESS WITH FIDELITY
Fidelity Investments was established in 1946 to manage one of America's
first mutual funds. Today, Fidelity is the largest mutual fund company in
the country, and is known as an innovative provider of high-quality
financial services to individuals and institutions.
In addition to its mutual fund business, the company operates one of
America's leading discount brokerage firms, Fidelity Brokerage Services,
Inc. (FBSI). Fidelity is also a leader in providing tax-sheltered
retirement plans for individuals investing on their own or through their
employer.
Fidelity is committed to providing investors with practical information to
make investment decisions. Based in Boston, Fidelity provides customers
with complete service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through a network of
telephone service centers around the country.
To reach Fidelity for general information, call these numbers:
(small solid bullet) For mutual funds, 1-800-544-8888
(small solid bullet) For brokerage, 1-800-544-7272
If you would prefer to speak with a representative in person, Fidelity has
over 75 walk-in Investor Centers across the country.
TYPES OF ACCOUNTS
You may set up an account directly in the fund or, if you own or intend to
purchase individual securities as part of your total investment portfolio,
you may consider investing in the fund through a brokerage account.
If you are investing through FBSI or another financial institution or
investment professional, refer to its program materials for any special
provisions regarding your investment in the fund.
The different ways to set up (register) your account with Fidelity are
listed at right.
The account guidelines that follow may not apply to certain retirement
accounts. If your employer offers the fund through a retirement program,
contact your employer for more information. Otherwise, call Fidelity
directly.
FIDELITY FACTS
Fidelity offers the broadest
selection of mutual funds
in the world.
(solid bullet) Number of Fidelity mutual
funds: over 200
(solid bullet) Assets in Fidelity mutual
funds: over $250 billion
(solid bullet) Number of shareholder
accounts: over 20 million
(solid bullet) Number of investment
analysts and portfolio
managers: over 200
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WAYS TO SET UP YOUR ACCOUNT
INDIVIDUAL OR JOINT TENANT
FOR YOUR GENERAL INVESTMENT NEEDS
Individual accounts are owned by one person. Joint accounts can have two or
more owners (tenants).
RETIREMENT
TO SHELTER YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS FROM TAXES
Retirement plans allow individuals to shelter investment income and
capital gains from current taxes. In addition, contributions to these
accounts may be tax deductible. Retirement accounts require special
applications and typically have lower minimums.
(solid bullet) INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS (IRAS) allow anyone of legal
age and under 70 with earned income to invest up to $2,000 per tax year.
Individuals can also invest in a spouse's IRA if the spouse has earned
income of less than $250.
(solid bullet) ROLLOVER IRAS retain special tax advantages for certain
distributions from employer-sponsored retirement plans.
(solid bullet) KEOGH OR CORPORATE PROFIT SHARING AND MONEY PURCHASE PENSION
PLANS allow self-employed individuals or small business owners (and their
employees) to make tax-deductible contributions for themselves and any
eligible employees up to $30,000 per year.
(solid bullet) SIMPLIFIED EMPLOYEE PENSION PLANS (SEP-IRAS) provide small
business owners or those with self-employed income (and their eligible
employees) with many of the same advantages as a Keogh, but with fewer
administrative requirements.
(solid bullet) 403(B) CUSTODIAL ACCOUNTS are available to employees of most
tax-exempt institutions, including schools, hospitals, and other charitable
organizations.
(solid bullet) 401(K) PROGRAMS allow employees of corporations of all sizes
to contribute a percentage of their wages on a tax-deferred basis. These
accounts need to be established by the trustee of the plan.
GIFTS OR TRANSFERS TO A MINOR (UGMA, UTMA)
TO INVEST FOR A CHILD'S EDUCATION OR OTHER FUTURE NEEDS
These custodial accounts provide a way to give money to a child and obtain
tax benefits. An individual can give up to $10,000 a year per child without
paying federal gift tax. Depending on state laws, you can set up a
custodial account under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or the
Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA).
TRUST
FOR MONEY BEING INVESTED BY A TRUST
The trust must be established before an account can be opened.
BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION
FOR INVESTMENT NEEDS OF CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, OR OTHER
GROUPS
Requires a special application.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE, called net asset value (NAV), is calculated every
business day. The fund's shares are sold without a sales charge.
Shares are purchased at the next share price calculated after your
investment is received and accepted. Share price is normally calculated at
4 p.m. Eastern time.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO FIDELITY, complete and sign an account application and
mail it along with your check. You may also open your account in person or
by wire as described on page . If there is no application accompanying this
prospectus, call 1-800-544-8888.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE MONEY INVESTED IN A FIDELITY FUND, you can:
(small solid bullet) Mail in an application with a check, or
(small solid bullet) Open your account by exchanging from another Fidelity
fund.
IF YOU ARE INVESTING THROUGH A TAX-SHELTERED RETIREMENT PLAN, such as an
IRA, for the first time, you will need a special application. Retirement
investing also involves its own investment procedures. Call 1-800-544-8888
for more information and a retirement application.
If you buy shares by check or Fidelity Money Line(registered trademark),
and then sell those shares by any method other than by exchange to another
Fidelity fund, the payment may be delayed for up to seven business days to
ensure that your previous investment has cleared.
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT $2,500
For Fidelity retirement accounts $500
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT $250
For Fidelity retirement accounts $250
Through automatic investment plans $100
MINIMUM BALANCE $1,000
For Fidelity retirement accounts $500
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TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Phone 1-800-544-777 (phone_graphic) (small solid bullet) Exchange from another (small solid bullet) Exchange from another
Fidelity fund account Fidelity fund account
with the same with the same
registration, including registration, including
name, address, and name, address, and
taxpayer ID number. taxpayer ID number.
(small solid bullet) Use Fidelity Money
Line to transfer from
your bank account. Call
before your first use to
verify that this service
is in place on your
account. Maximum
Money Line: $50,000.
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Mail (mail_graphic) (small solid bullet) Complete and sign the (small solid bullet) Make your check
application. Make your payable to "Fidelity
check payable to Intermediate Bond
"Fidelity Intermediate Fund." Indicate your
Bond Fund." Mail to the fund account number
address indicated on on your check and mail
the application. to the address printed
on your account
statement.
(small solid bullet) Exchange by mail: call
1-800-544-6666 for
instructions.
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In Person (hand_graphic) (small solid bullet) Bring your application (small solid bullet) Bring your check to a
and check to a Fidelity Fidelity Investor Center.
Investor Center. Call Call 1-800-544-9797 for
1-800-544-9797 for the the center nearest you.
center nearest you.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
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Wire (wire_graphic) (small solid bullet) Call 1-800-544-7777 to (small solid bullet) Not available for
set up your account retirement accounts.
and to arrange a wire (small solid bullet) Wire to:
transaction. Not Bankers Trust
available for retirement Company,
accounts. Bank Routing
(small solid bullet) Wire within 24 hours to: #021001033,
Bankers Trust Account #00163053.
Company, Specify "Fidelity
Bank Routing Intermediate Bond
#021001033, Fund" and include your
Account #00163053. account number and
Specify "Fidelity your name.
Intermediate Bond
Fund" and include your
new account number
and your name.
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Automatically (automatic_graphic) (small solid bullet) Not available. (small solid bullet) Use Fidelity Automatic
Account Builder. Sign
up for this service
when opening your
account, or call
1-800-544-6666 to add
it.
</TABLE>
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<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
(tdd_graphic) TDD - Service for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired: 1-800-544-0118
</TABLE>
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You can arrange to take money out of your fund account at any time by
selling (redeeming) some or all of your shares. Your shares will be sold at
the next share price calculated after your order is received and accepted.
Share price is normally calculated at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
TO SELL SHARES IN A NON-RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, you may use any of the methods
described on these two pages.
TO SELL SHARES IN A FIDELITY RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, your request must be made
in writing, except for exchanges to other Fidelity funds, which can be
requested by phone or in writing. Call 1-800-544-6666 for a retirement
distribution form.
IF YOU ARE SELLING SOME BUT NOT ALL OF YOUR SHARES, leave at least $1,000
worth of shares in the account to keep it open ($500 for retirement
accounts).
TO SELL SHARES BY BANK WIRE OR FIDELITY MONEY LINE, you will need to sign
up for these services in advance.
CERTAIN REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE. It is designed to
protect you and Fidelity from fraud. Your request must be made in writing
and include a signature guarantee if any of the following situations apply:
(small solid bullet) You wish to redeem more than $100,000 worth of shares,
(small solid bullet) Your account registration has changed within the last
30 days,
(small solid bullet) The check is being mailed to a different address than
the one on your account (record address),
(small solid bullet) The check is being made payable to someone other than
the account owner, or
(small solid bullet) The redemption proceeds are being transferred to a
Fidelity account with a different registration.
You should be able to obtain a signature guarantee from a bank, broker
(including Fidelity Investor Centers), dealer, credit union (if authorized
under state law), securities exchange or association, clearing agency, or
savings association. A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.
SELLING SHARES IN WRITING
Write a "letter of instruction" with:
(small solid bullet) Your name,
(small solid bullet) The fund's name,
(small solid bullet) Your fund account number,
(small solid bullet) The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed,
and
(small solid bullet) Any other applicable requirements listed in the table
at right.
Unless otherwise instructed, Fidelity will send a check to the record
address. Deliver your letter to a Fidelity Investor Center, or mail it to:
Fidelity Investments
P.O. Box 660602
Dallas, TX 75266-0602
CHECKWRITING
If you have a checkbook for your account, you may write an unlimited number
of checks. Do not, however, try to close out your account by check.
ACCOUNT TYPE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
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Phone 1-800-544-777 (phone_graphic) All account types (small solid bullet) Maximum check request:
except retirement $100,000.
(small solid bullet) For Money Line transfers to
All account types your bank account; minimum:
$10; maximum: $100,000.
(small solid bullet) You may exchange to other
Fidelity funds if both
accounts are registered with
the same name(s), address,
and taxpayer ID number.
Mail or in Person (mail_graphic)(hand_graphic) Individual, Joint (small solid bullet) The letter of instruction must
Tenant, be signed by all persons
Sole Proprietorship required to sign for
, UGMA, UTMA transactions, exactly as their
Retirement account names appear on the
account.
(small solid bullet) The account owner should
Trust complete a retirement
distribution form. Call
1-800-544-6666 to request
one.
Business or (small solid bullet) The trustee must sign the
Organization letter indicating capacity as
trustee. If the trustee's name
is not in the account
registration, provide a copy of
the trust document certified
Executor, within the last 60 days.
Administrator, (small solid bullet) At least one person
Conservator, authorized by corporate
Guardian resolution to act on the
account must sign the letter.
(small solid bullet) Include a corporate
resolution with corporate seal
or a signature guarantee.
(small solid bullet) Call 1-800-544-6666 for
instructions.
Wire (wire_graphic) All account types (small solid bullet) You must sign up for the wire
except retirement feature before using it. To
verify that it is in place, call
1-800-544-6666. Minimum
wire: $5,000.
(small solid bullet) Your wire redemption request
must be received by Fidelity
before 4 p.m. Eastern time
for money to be wired on the
next business day.
</TABLE>
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Check (check_graphic) All account types (small solid bullet) Minimum check: $500.
except retirement (small solid bullet) All account owners must sign
a signature card to receive a
checkbook.
</TABLE>
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<CAPTION>
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(tdd_graphic) TDD - Service for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired: 1-800-544-0118
</TABLE>
INVESTOR SERVICES
Fidelity provides a variety of services to help you manage your account.
INFORMATION SERVICES
FIDELITY'S TELEPHONE REPRESENTATIVES are available 24 hours a day, 365 days
a year. Whenever you call, you can speak with someone equipped to provide
the information or service you need.
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS that Fidelity sends to you include the following:
(small solid bullet) Confirmation statements (after every transaction,
except reinvestments, that affects your account balance or your account
registration)
(small solid bullet) Account statements (quarterly)
(small solid bullet) Financial reports (every six months)
To reduce expenses, only one copy of most financial reports will be mailed
to your household, even if you have more than one account in the fund. Call
1-800-544-6666 if you need copies of financial reports or historical
account information.
TRANSACTION SERVICES
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. You may sell your fund shares and buy shares of other
Fidelity funds by telephone or in writing.
Note that exchanges out of the fund are limited to four per calendar year,
and that they may have tax consequences for you. For details on policies
and restrictions governing exchanges, including circumstances under which a
shareholder's exchange privilege may be suspended or revoked, see page .
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLANS let you set up periodic redemptions from your
account.
FIDELITY MONEY LINE(registered trademark) enables you to transfer money by
phone between your bank account and your fund account. Most transfers are
complete within three business days of your call.
24-HOUR SERVICE
ACCOUNT ASSISTANCE
1-800-544-6666
ACCOUNT BALANCES
1-800-544-7544
ACCOUNT TRANSACTIONS
1-800-544-7777
PRODUCT INFORMATION
1-800-544-8888
QUOTES
1-800-544-8544
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT
ASSISTANCE
1-800-544-4774
AUTOMATED SERVICE
(checkmark)
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS
One easy way to pursue your financial goals is to invest money regularly.
Fidelity offers convenient services that let you transfer money into your
fund account, or between fund accounts, automatically. While regular
investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not protect you against
loss in a declining market, they can be an excellent way to invest for
retirement, a home, educational expenses, and other long-term financial
goals. Certain restrictions apply for retirement accounts. Call
1-800-544-6666 for more information.
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS
FIDELITY AUTOMATIC ACCOUNT BUILDERSM
TO MOVE MONEY FROM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO A FIDELITY FUND
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MINIMUM FREQUENCY SETTING UP OR CHANGING
$100 Monthly or (small solid bullet) For a new account, complete the
quarterly appropriate section on the fund
application.
(small solid bullet) For existing accounts, call
1-800-544-6666 for an application.
(small solid bullet) To change the amount or frequency of
your investment, call 1-800-544-6666 at
least three business days prior to your
next scheduled investment date.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
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<S> <C> <C>
DIRECT DEPOSIT
TO SEND ALL OR A PORTION OF YOUR PAYCHECK OR GOVERNMENT CHECK TO A FIDELITY FUNDA
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
MINIMUM FREQUENCY SETTING UP OR CHANGING
$100 Every pay (small solid bullet) Check the appropriate box on the fund
period application, or call 1-800-544-6666 for an
authorization form.
(small solid bullet) Changes require a new authorization
form.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
FIDELITY AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE SERVICE
TO MOVE MONEY FROM A FIDELITY MONEY MARKET FUND TO ANOTHER FIDELITY FUND
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
MINIMUM FREQUENCY SETTING UP OR CHANGING
$100 Monthly, (small solid bullet) To establish, call 1-800-544-6666 after
bimonthly, both accounts are opened.
quarterly, or (small solid bullet) To change the amount or frequency of
annually your investment, call 1-800-544-6666.
</TABLE>
A BECAUSE ITS SHARE PRICE FLUCTUATES, THE FUND MAY NOT BE AN APPROPRIATE
CHOICE FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT OF YOUR ENTIRE CHECK.
SHAREHOLDER AND ACCOUNT POLICIES
DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS, AND TAXES
The fund distributes substantially all of its net investment income and
capital gains to shareholders each year. Income dividends are declared
daily and paid monthly. Capital gains are normally distributed in June and
December.
DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS
When you open an account, specify on your application how you want to
receive your distributions. If the option you prefer is not listed on the
application, call 1-800-544-6666 for instructions. The fund offers four
options:
1. REINVESTMENT OPTION. Your dividend and capital gain distributions will
be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the fund. If you do not
indicate a choice on your application, you will be assigned this option.
2. INCOME-EARNED OPTION. Your capital gain distributions will be
automatically reinvested, but you will be sent a check for each dividend
distribution.
3. CASH OPTION. You will be sent a check for your dividend and capital gain
distributions.
4. DIRECTED DIVIDENDS(registered trademark) OPTION. Your dividend and
capital gain distributions will be automatically invested in another
identically registered Fidelity fund.
FOR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, all distributions are automatically reinvested.
When you are over 59 years old, you can receive distributions in cash.
UNDERSTANDING
DISTRIBUTIONS
As a fund shareholder, you
are entitled to your share of
the fund's net income and
gains on its investments. The
fund passes its earnings
along to its investors as
DISTRIBUTIONS.
The fund earns interest from
its investments. These are
passed along as DIVIDEND
DISTRIBUTIONS. The fund may
realize capital gains if it sells
securities for a higher price
than it paid for them. These
are passed along as CAPITAL
GAIN DISTRIBUTIONS.
(checkmark)
Dividends will be reinvested at the fund's NAV on the last day of the
month. Capital gain distributions will be reinvested at the NAV as of the
date the fund deducts the distribution from its NAV. The mailing of
distribution checks will begin within seven days.
TAXES
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in the fund
will be taxed. If your account is not a tax-deferred retirement account,
you should be aware of these tax implications.
TAXES ON DISTRIBUTIONS. Distributions are subject to federal income tax,
and may also be subject to state or local taxes. If you live outside the
United States, your distributions could also be taxed by the country in
which you reside. Your distributions are taxable when they are paid,
whether you take them in cash or reinvest them. However, distributions
declared in December and paid in January are taxable as if they were paid
on December 31.
For federal tax purposes, the fund's income and short-term capital gain
distributions are taxed as dividends; long-term capital gain distributions
are taxed as long-term capital gains. Every January, Fidelity will send you
and the IRS a statement showing the taxable distributions paid to you in
the previous year.
TAXES ON TRANSACTIONS. Your redemptions - including exchanges to other
Fidelity funds - are subject to capital gains tax. A capital gain or loss
is the difference between the cost of your shares and the price you receive
when you sell them.
Whenever you sell shares of the fund, Fidelity will send you a confirmation
statement showing how many shares you sold and at what price. You will also
receive a consolidated transaction statement every January. However, it is
up to you or your tax preparer to determine whether this sale resulted in a
capital gain and, if so, the amount of tax to be paid. Be sure to keep your
regular account statements; the information they contain will be essential
in calculating the amount of your capital gains.
"BUYING A DIVIDEND." If you buy shares just before the fund deducts a
capital gain distribution from its NAV, you will pay the full price for the
shares and then receive a portion of the price back in the form of a
taxable distribution.
EFFECT OF FOREIGN TAXES. The fund may pay withholding or other taxes to
foreign governments during the year. These taxes reduce the fund's
distributions, but are included in the taxable income reported on your tax
statement. You may be able to claim an offsetting tax credit or itemized
deduction for foreign taxes paid by the fund. Your tax statement will
generally show the amount of foreign tax for which a credit or deduction
may be available.
There are tax requirements that all funds must follow in order to avoid
federal taxation. In its effort to adhere to these requirements, the fund
may have to limit its investment activity in some types of instruments.
TRANSACTION DETAILS
THE FUND IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
is open. Fidelity normally calculates the fund's NAV as of the close of
business of the NYSE, normally 4 p.m. Eastern time.
THE FUND'S NAV is the value of a single share. The NAV is computed by
adding the value of the fund's investments, cash, and other assets,
subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing the result by the number of
shares outstanding.
The fund's assets are valued primarily on the basis of market quotations.
Foreign securities are valued on the basis of quotations from the primary
market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency
into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. If quotations are not
readily available, or if the values have been materially affected by
events occurring after the closing of a foreign market, assets are
valued by a method that the Board of Trustees believes accurately reflects
fair value.
THE FUND'S OFFERING PRICE (price to buy one share) and REDEMPTION PRICE
(price to sell one share) are its NAV.
WHEN YOU SIGN YOUR ACCOUNT APPLICATION, you will be asked to certify that
your Social Security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that
you are not subject to 31% backup withholding for failing to report income
to the IRS. If you violate IRS regulations, the IRS can require the fund to
withhold 31% of your taxable distributions and redemptions.
YOU MAY INITIATE MANY TRANSACTIONS BY TELEPHONE. Fidelity may only be
liable for losses resulting from unauthorized transactions if it does not
follow reasonable procedures designed to verify the identity of the
caller. Fidelity will request personalized security codes or other
information, and may also record calls. You should verify the accuracy of
your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them. If you do
not want the ability to redeem and exchange by telephone, call Fidelity for
instructions.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO REACH FIDELITY BY PHONE (for example, during periods
of unusual market activity), consider placing your order by mail or by
visiting a Fidelity Investor Center.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND THE OFFERING OF SHARES for a period
of time. The fund also reserves the right to reject any specific purchase
order, including certain purchases by exchange. See "Exchange Restrictions"
on page . Purchase orders may be refused if, in FMR's opinion, they would
disrupt management of the fund.
WHEN YOU PLACE AN ORDER TO BUY SHARES, your order will be processed at the
next offering price calculated after your order is received and accepted.
Note the following:
(small solid bullet) All of your purchases must be made in U.S. dollars and
checks must be drawn on U.S. banks.
(small solid bullet) Fidelity does not accept cash.
(small solid bullet) When making a purchase with more than one check, each
check must have a value of at least $50.
(small solid bullet) The fund reserves the right to limit the number of
checks processed at one time.
(small solid bullet) If your check does not clear, your purchase will be
cancelled and you could be liable for any losses or fees the fund or its
transfer agent has incurred.
(small solid bullet) You begin to earn dividends as of the first business
day following the day of your purchase.
TO AVOID THE COLLECTION PERIOD associated with check and Money Line
purchases, consider buying shares by bank wire, U.S. Postal money order,
U.S. Treasury check, Federal Reserve check, or direct deposit instead.
YOU MAY BUY OR SELL SHARES OF THE FUND THROUGH A BROKER, who may charge you
a fee for this service. If you invest through a broker or other
institution, read its program materials for any additional service features
or fees that may apply.
CERTAIN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS that have entered into sales agreements with
FDC may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of customers by phone,
with payment to follow no later than the time when the fund is priced on
the following business day. If payment is not received by that time, the
financial institution could be held liable for resulting fees or losses.
WHEN YOU PLACE AN ORDER TO SELL SHARES, your shares will be sold at the
next NAV calculated after your request is received and accepted. Note the
following:
(small solid bullet) Normally, redemption proceeds will be mailed to you on
the next business day, but if making immediate payment could adversely
affect the fund, it may take up to seven days to pay you.
(small solid bullet) Shares will earn dividends through the date of
redemption; however, shares redeemed on a Friday or prior to a holiday will
continue to earn dividends until the next business day.
(small solid bullet) Fidelity Money Line redemptions generally will be
credited to your bank account on the second or third business day after
your phone call.
(small solid bullet) The fund may hold payment on redemptions until it is
reasonably satisfied that investments made by check or Fidelity Money Line
have been collected, which can take up to seven business days.
(small solid bullet) Redemptions may be suspended or payment dates
postponed when the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays), when
trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as permitted by the SEC.
(small solid bullet) If you sell shares by writing a check and the amount
of the check is greater than the value of your account, your check will be
returned to you and you may be subject to additional charges.
IF YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE FALLS BELOW $1,000, you will be given 30 days'
notice to reestablish the minimum balance. If you do not increase your
balance, Fidelity reserves the right to close your account and send the
proceeds to you. Your shares will be redeemed at the NAV on the day your
account is closed.
FIDELITY MAY CHARGE A FEE FOR SPECIAL SERVICES, such as providing
historical account documents, that are beyond the normal scope of its
services.
FDC may, at its own expense, provide promotional incentives to qualified
recipients who support the sale of shares of the fund without reimbursement
from the fund. Qualified recipients are securities dealers who have sold
fund shares or others, including banks and other financial institutions,
under special arrangements in connection with FDC's sales activities. In
some instances, these incentives may be offered only to certain
institutions whose representatives provide services in connection with the
sale or expected sale of significant amounts of shares.
EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS
As a shareholder, you have the privilege of exchanging shares of the fund
for shares of other Fidelity funds. However, you should note the following:
(small solid bullet) The fund you are exchanging into must be registered
for sale in your state.
(small solid bullet) You may only exchange between accounts that are
registered in the same name, address, and taxpayer identification number.
(small solid bullet) Before exchanging into a fund, read its prospectus.
(small solid bullet) If you exchange into a fund with a sales charge, you
pay the percentage-point difference between that fund's sales charge and
any sales charge you have previously paid in connection with the shares you
are exchanging. For example, if you had already paid a sales charge of 2%
on your shares and you exchange them into a fund with a 3% sales charge,
you would pay an additional 1% sales charge.
(small solid bullet) Exchanges may have tax consequences for you.
(small solid bullet) Because excessive trading can hurt fund performance
and shareholders, the fund reserves the right to temporarily or permanently
terminate the exchange privilege of any investor who makes more than four
exchanges out of the fund per calendar year. Accounts under common
ownership or control, including accounts with the same taxpayer
identification number, will be counted together for purposes of the four
exchange limit.
(small solid bullet) The exchange limit may be modified for accounts in
certain institutional retirement plans to conform to plan exchange limits
and Department of Labor regulations. See your plan materials for further
information.
(small solid bullet) The fund reserves the right to refuse exchange
purchases by any person or group if, in FMR's judgment, the fund would be
unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its investment
objective and policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely
affected.
(small solid bullet) Your exchanges may be restricted or refused if the
fund receives or anticipates simultaneous orders affecting significant
portions of the fund's assets. In particular, a pattern of exchanges that
coincides with a "market timing" strategy may be disruptive to the fund.
Although the fund will attempt to give you prior notice whenever it is
reasonably able to do so, it may impose these restrictions at any time. The
fund reserves the right to terminate or modify the exchange privilege in
the future.
OTHER FUNDS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS, and may impose
administrative fees of up to $7.50 and redemption fees of up to 1.50% on
exchanges. Check each fund's prospectus for details.
This prospectus is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.
FIDELITY INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND
A FUND OF FIDELITY COMMONWEALTH TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DECEMBER 1 , 1994
This Statement is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with
the fund's current Prospectus (dated December 1, 1994). Please
retain this document for future reference. The fund's financial statements
and financial highlights, included in the Annual Report for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 1994, are incorporated herein by reference. To obtain an
additional copy of the Prospectus or the Annual Report, please call
Fidelity Distributors Corporation at 1-800-544-8888.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
Investment Policies and Limitations
Portfolio Transactions
Valuation of Portfolio Securities
Performance
Additional Purchase and Redemption Information
Distributions and Taxes
FMR
Trustees and Officers
Management Contract
Distribution and Service Plan
Contracts With Companies Affiliated With FMR
Description of the Trust
Financial Statements
Appendix
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMR)
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISERS
Fidelity Management & Research (U.K.) Inc. (FMR U.K.)
Fidelity Management & Research (Far East) Inc. (FMR Far East)
DISTRIBUTOR
Fidelity Distributors Corporation (FDC)
TRANSFER AGENT
Fidelity Service Co. (FSC)
IBF-ptB- 1294
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS
The following policies and limitations supplement those set forth in the
Prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or
limitation states a maximum percentage of the fund's assets that may be
invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding
quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be
determined immediately after and as a result of the fund's acquisition of
such security or other asset. Accordingly, any subsequent change in values,
net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining
whether the investment complies with the fund's investment policies and
limitations.
The fund's fundamental investment policies and limitations cannot be
changed without approval by a "majority of the outstanding voting
securities" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of the fund.
However, except for the fundamental investment limitations set forth below,
the investment policies and limitations described in this Statement of
Additional Information are not fundamental and may be changed without
shareholder approval. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE FUND'S FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT
LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN THEIR ENTIRETY. THE FUND MAY NOT:
(1) with respect to 75% of the fund's total assets, purchase the securities
of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result,
(a) more than 5% of the fund's total assets would be invested in the
securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of that issuer;
(2) issue senior securities, except as permitted under the Investment
Company Act of 1940;
(3) borrow money, except that the fund may borrow money for temporary or
emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment) in an amount not
exceeding 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
liabilities (other than borrowings). Any borrowings that come to exceed
this amount will be reduced within three days (not including Sundays and
holidays) to the extent necessary to comply with the 33 1/3% limitation;
(4) act as underwriter (except as it may be deemed such in a sale of
restricted securities);
(5) purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or
instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the fund's total
assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal
business activities are in the same industry;
(6) purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership
of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the fund
from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or
securities of companies engaged in the real estate business);
(7) purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of
ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent
the fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from
investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical
commodities);
(8) lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33
1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, but this
limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase
agreements; or
(9) invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or
management.
(10) The fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment policy
or limitation, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single
open-end management investment company with substantially the same
fundamental investment objective, policies, and limitations as the fund.
THE FOLLOWING INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS ARE NOT FUNDAMENTAL AND MAY BE CHANGED
WITHOUT SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL.
(i) The fund does not currently intend to sell securities short, unless it
owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to
the securities sold short, and provided that transactions in futures
contracts and options are not deemed to constitute selling securities
short.
(ii) The fund does not currently intend to purchase securities on margin,
except that the fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary
for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments in
connection with futures contracts and options on futures contracts shall
not constitute purchasing securities on margin.
(iii) The fund may borrow money only (a) from a bank or from a registered
investment company or portfolio for which FMR or an affiliate serves as
investment adviser or (b) by engaging in reverse repurchase agreements with
any party (reverse repurchase agreements are treated as borrowings for
purposes of fundamental investment limitation (3)). The fund will not
purchase any security while borrowings representing more than 5% of its
total assets are outstanding. The fund will not borrow from other funds
advised by FMR or its affiliates if total outstanding borrowings
immediately after such borrowing would exceed 15% of the fund's total
assets.
(iv) The fund does not currently intend to purchase any security if, as a
result, more than 10% of its net assets would be invested in securities
that are deemed to be illiquid because they are subject to legal or
contractual restrictions on resale or because they cannot be sold or
disposed of in the ordinary course of business at approximately the prices
at which they are valued.
(v) The fund does not currently intend to lend assets other than securities
to other parties, except by lending money (up to 7.5% of the fund's net
assets) to a registered investment company or portfolio for which FMR or an
affiliate serves as investment adviser or (b) acquiring loans, loan
participations, or other forms of direct debt instruments and, in
connection therewith, assuming any associated unfunded commitments of the
sellers. (This limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or
to repurchase agreements.)
(vi) The fund does not currently intend to (a) purchase securities of other
investment companies, except in the open market where no commission except
the ordinary broker's commission is paid, or (b) purchase or retain
securities issued by other open-end investment companies. Limitations (a)
and (b) do not apply to securities received as dividends, through offers of
exchange, or as a result of a reorganization, consolidation, or merger.
(vii) The fund does not currently intend to purchase the securities of any
issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by domestic or foreign
governments or political subdivisions thereof) if, as a result, more than
5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of business
enterprises that, including predecessors, have a record of less than three
years of continuous operation.
(viii) The fund does not currently intend to purchase the securities of any
issuer if those officers and Trustees of the trust and those officers and
directors of FMR who individually own more than 1/2 of 1% of the securities
of such issuer together own more than 5% of such issuer's securities.
(ix) The fund does not currently intend to invest all of its assets in the
securities of a single open-end management investment company with
substantially the same fundamental investment objective, policies, and
limitations as the fund.
For the fund's limitations on futures and options transactions, see the
section entitled "Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions"
beginning on page .
AFFILIATED BANK TRANSACTIONS. The fund may engage in transactions with
financial institutions that are, or may be considered to be, "affiliated
persons" of the fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940. These
transactions may include repurchase agreements with custodian banks;
short-term obligations of, and repurchase agreements with, the 50 largest
U.S. banks (measured by deposits); municipal securities; U.S. government
securities with affiliated financial institutions that are primary dealers
in these securities; short-term currency transactions; and short-term
borrowings. In accordance with exemptive orders issued by the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Board of Trustees has established and
periodically reviews procedures applicable to transactions involving
affiliated financial institutions.
VARIABLE OR FLOATING RATE OBLIGATIONS bear variable or floating interest
rates and carry rights that permit holders to demand payment of the unpaid
principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain
financial intermediaries. Floating rate instruments have interest rates
that change whenever there is a change in a designated base rate while
variable rate instruments provide for a specified periodic adjustment in
the interest rate. These formulas are designed to result in a market value
for the instrument that approximates its par value.
DELAYED-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS. The fund may buy and sell securities on a
delayed-delivery or when-issued basis. These transactions involve a
commitment by the fund to purchase or sell specific securities at a
predetermined price or yield, with payment and delivery taking place after
the customary settlement period for that type of security (and more than
seven days in the future). Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser
until the security is delivered. The fund may receive fees for entering
into delayed-delivery transactions.
When purchasing securities on a delayed-delivery basis, the fund assumes
the rights and risks of ownership, including the risk of price and yield
fluctuations. Because the fund is not required to pay for securities until
the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with
the fund's other investments. If the fund remains substantially fully
invested at a time when delayed-delivery purchases are outstanding, the
delayed-delivery purchases may result in a form of leverage. When
delayed-delivery purchases are outstanding, the fund will set aside
appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover its
purchase obligations. When the fund has sold a security on a
delayed-delivery basis, the fund does not participate in further gains or
losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a
delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities,
the fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity, or could suffer
a loss.
The fund may renegotiate delayed-delivery transactions after they are
entered into, and may sell underlying securities before they are delivered,
which may result in capital gains or losses.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS are investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in
the ordinary course of business at approximately the prices at which they
are valued. Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, FMR determines
the liquidity of the fund's investments and, through reports from FMR, the
Board monitors investments in illiquid instruments. In determining the
liquidity of the fund's investments, FMR may consider various factors,
including (1) the frequency of trades and quotations, (2) the number of
dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace, (3) dealer
undertakings to make a market, (4) the nature of the security (including
any demand or tender features), and (5) the nature of the marketplace for
trades (including the ability to assign or offset the fund's rights and
obligations relating to the investment).
Investments currently considered by the fund to be illiquid include
repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to payment of principal and
interest within seven days, non-government stripped fixed-rate
mortgage-backed securities, and over-the-counter options. Also, FMR may
determine some restricted securities, government-stripped fixed-rate
mortgage-backed securities, loans and other direct debt instruments,
emerging market securities and swap agreements to be illiquid. However,
with respect to over-the-counter options the fund writes, all or a portion
of the value of the underlying instrument may be illiquid depending on the
assets held to cover the option and the nature and terms of any agreement
the fund may have to close out the option before expiration.
In the absence of market quotations, illiquid investments are priced at
fair value as determined in good faith by a committee appointed by the
Board of Trustees. If through a change in values, net assets, or other
circumstances, the fund were in a position where more than 10% of its net
assets was invested in illiquid securities, it would seek to take
appropriate steps to protect liquidity.
RESTRICTED SECURITIES generally can be sold in privately negotiated
transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, or in a registered public offering. Where
registration is required, the fund may be obligated to pay all or part of
the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the
time it decides to seek registration and the time it may be permitted to
sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such
a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the fund might obtain
a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration
of the security.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement, the fund purchases a
security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller
at an agreed upon price . The resale price reflects the purchase
price plus an agreed upon incremental amount which is unrelated to the
coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement
involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon resale
price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value (at least
equal to the amount of the agreed upon resale price and marked to market
daily) of the underlying security. The fund may engage in repurchase
agreements with respect to any security in which it is authorized to
invest. While it does not presently appear possible to eliminate all risks
from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the
market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to
the fund in connection with bankruptcy proceedings), it is the fund's
current policy to limit repurchase agreement transactions to those parties
whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by FMR.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund
sells a portfolio instrument to another party, such as a bank or
broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase the instrument
at a particular price and time. While a reverse repurchase agreement is
outstanding, the fund will maintain appropriate liquid assets in a
segregated custodial account to cover its obligation under the agreement.
The fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties
whose creditworthiness is deemed satisfactory by FMR. Such transactions may
increase fluctuations in the market value of the fund's assets and may be
viewed as a form of leverage.
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES. The fund may purchase mortgage-backed
securities issued by government and non-government entities such as banks,
mortgage lenders, or other financial institutions. A mortgage-backed
security may be an obligation of the issuer backed by a mortgage or pool of
mortgages or a direct interest in an underlying pool of mortgages. Some
mortgage-backed securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations or
CMOs, make payments of both principal and interest at a variety of
intervals; others make semiannual interest payments at a predetermined rate
and repay principal at maturity (like a typical bond). Mortgage-backed
securities are based on different types of mortgages including those on
commercial real estate or residential properties. Other types of
mortgage-backed securities will likely be developed in the future, and the
fund may invest in them if FMR determines they are consistent with the
fund's investment objective and policies.
The value of mortgage-backed securities may change due to shifts in the
market's perception of issuers. In addition, regulatory or tax changes may
adversely affect the mortgage securities market as a whole. Non-government
mortgage-backed securities may offer higher yields than those issued by
government entities, but also may be subject to greater price changes than
government issues. Mortgage-backed securities are subject to prepayment
risk. Prepayment, which occurs when unscheduled or early payments are made
on the underlying mortgages, may shorten the effective maturities of these
securities and may lower their returns.
STRIPPED MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES are created when a U.S. government
agency or a financial institution separates the interest and principal
components of a mortgage-backed security and sells them as individual
securities. The holder of the "principal-only" security (PO) receives the
principal payments made by the underlying mortgage-backed security, while
the holder of the "interest-only" security (IO) receives interest payments
from the same underlying security.
The prices of stripped mortgage-backed securities may be particularly
affected by changes in interest rates. As interest rates fall, prepayment
rates tend to increase, which tends to reduce prices of IOs and increase
prices of POs. Rising interest rates can have the opposite effect.
ZERO COUPON BONDS do not make interest payments; instead, they are sold at
a deep discount from their face value and are redeemed at face value when
they mature. Because zero coupon bonds do not pay current income, their
prices can be very volatile when interest rates change. In calculating its
daily dividend, the fund takes into account as income a portion of the
difference between a zero coupon bond's purchase price and its face value.
A broker-dealer creates a derivative zero by separating the interest and
principal components of a U.S. Treasury security and selling them as two
individual securities. CATS (Certificates of Accrual on Treasury
Securities), TIGRs (Treasury Investment Growth Receipts), and TRs (Treasury
Receipts) are examples of derivative zeros.
The Federal Reserve Bank creates STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered
Interest and Principal of Securities) by separating the interest and
principal components of an outstanding U.S. Treasury bond and selling them
as individual securities. Bonds issued by the Resolution Funding
Corporation (REFCORP) and the Financing Corporation (FICO) can also be
separated in this fashion. Original issue zeros are zero coupon securities
originally issued by the U.S. government, a government agency, or a
corporation in zero coupon form.
SECURITIES LENDING. The fund may lend securities to parties such as
broker-dealers or institutional investors, including Fidelity Brokerage
Services, Inc. (FBSI). FBSI is a member of the New York Stock Exchange and
a subsidiary of FMR Corp.
Securities lending allows the fund to retain ownership of the securities
loaned and, at the same time, to earn additional income. Since there may be
delays in the recovery of loaned securities, or even a loss of rights in
collateral supplied should the borrower fail financially, loans will be
made only to parties deemed by FMR to be of good standing. Furthermore,
they will only be made if, in FMR's judgment, the consideration to be
earned from such loans would justify the risk.
FMR understands that it is the current view of the SEC Staff that the fund
may engage in loan transactions only under the following conditions: (1)
the fund must receive 100% collateral in the form of cash or cash
equivalents (e.g., U.S. Treasury bills or notes) from the borrower; (2) the
borrower must increase the collateral whenever the market value of the
securities loaned (determined on a daily basis) rises above the value of
the collateral; (3) after giving notice, the fund must be able to terminate
the loan at any time; (4) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the
loan or a flat fee from the borrower, as well as amounts equivalent to any
dividends, interest, or other distributions on the securities loaned and to
any increase in market value; (5) the fund may pay only reasonable
custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (6) the Board of Trustees
must be able to vote proxies on the securities loaned, either by
terminating the loan or by entering into an alternative arrangement with
the borrower.
Cash received through loan transactions may be invested in any security in
which the fund is authorized to invest. Investing this cash subjects that
investment, as well as the security loaned, to market forces (i.e., capital
appreciation or depreciation).
INTERFUND BORROWING PROGRAM. The fund has received permission from the SEC
to lend money to and borrow money from other funds advised by FMR or its
affiliates. Interfund loans and borrowing normally will extend overnight,
but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one
day's notice. The fund will lend through the program only when the returns
are higher than those available at the same time from other short-term
instruments (such as repurchase agreements), and will borrow through the
program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank
loans. The fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if
an interfund loan is called or not renewed. Any delay in repayment to a
lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional
borrowing cost.
LOANS AND OTHER DIRECT DEBT INSTRUMENTS. Direct debt instruments are
interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental, or other borrower
to lenders or lending syndicates (loans and loan participations), to
suppliers of goods or services (trade claims or other receivables), or to
other parties. Direct debt instruments are subject to the fund's policies
regarding the quality of debt securities.
Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily
upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and
interest. Direct debt instruments may not be rated by any nationally
recognized rating service. If the fund does not receive scheduled interest
or principal payments on such indebtedness, the fund's share price and
yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the
fund more protections than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of
scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the
liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower's
obligation, or that the collateral could be liquidated. Indebtedness of
borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater
risks and may be highly speculative. Borrowers that are in bankruptcy or
restructuring may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small
fraction of the amount owed. Direct indebtedness of developing countries
also involves a risk that the governmental entities responsible for the
repayment of the debt may be unable, or unwilling, to pay interest and
repay principal when due.
Investments in loans through direct assignment of a financial institution's
interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks to the fund.
For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the fund could become part owner of
any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with
owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that
under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the fund could be held
liable as a co-lender. Direct debt instruments may also involve a risk of
insolvency of the lending bank or other intermediary. Direct debt
instruments that are not in the form of securities may offer less legal
protection to the fund in the event of fraud or misrepresentation. In the
absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the fund relies on FMR's
research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation
could adversely affect the fund.
A loan is often administered by a bank or other financial institution that
acts as agent for all holders. The agent administers the terms of the loan,
as specified in the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or
other indebtedness, the fund has direct recourse against the borrower, it
may have to rely on the agent to apply appropriate credit remedies against
a borrower. If assets held by the agent for the benefit of the fund were
determined to be subject to the claims of the agent's general creditors,
the fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on the
loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal or
interest.
Direct indebtedness purchased by the fund may include letters of credit,
revolving credit facilities, or other standby financing commitments
obligating the fund to pay additional cash on demand. These commitments may
have the effect of requiring the fund to increase its investment in a
borrower at a time when it would not otherwise have done so, even if the
borrower's condition makes it unlikely that the amount will ever be repaid.
The fund will set aside appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial
account to cover its potential obligations under standby financing
commitments.
The fund limits the amount of total assets that it will invest in any one
issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see limitations (1) and
(5)). For purposes of these limitations, the fund generally will treat the
borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the fund. In the case of
loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as
financial intermediary between the fund and the borrower, if the
participation does not shift to the fund the direct debtor-creditor
relationship with the borrower, SEC interpretations require the fund, in
appropriate circumstances, to treat both the lending bank or other lending
institution and the borrower as "issuers" for these purposes. Treating a
financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the fund's
ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial
intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry,
even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and
industries.
SWAP AGREEMENTS. Swap Agreements can be individually negotiated and
structured to include exposure to a variety of investments or market
factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or
decrease the fund's exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the
U.S. or abroad), foreign currency values, mortgage securities, corporate
borrowing rates, or other factors such as security prices or inflation
rates. Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a
variety of names. The fund is not limited to any particular form of swap
agreement if FMR determines it is consistent with the fund's investment
objective and policies.
In a typical cap or floor agreement, one party agrees to make payments only
under specified circumstances, usually in return for payment of a fee by
the other party. For example, the buyer of an interest rate cap obtains the
right to receive payments to the extent that a specified interest rate
exceeds an agreed-upon level, while the seller of an interest rate floor is
obligated to make payments to the extent that a specified interest rate
falls below an agreed-upon level. An interest rate collar combines elements
of buying a cap and selling a floor.
Swap agreements will tend to shift the fund's investment exposure from one
type of investment to another. For example, if the fund agreed to exchange
payments in dollars for payments in foreign currency, the swap agreement
would tend to decrease the fund's exposure to U.S. interest rates and
increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Caps and
floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. Depending on
how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall
volatility of the fund's investments and its share price and yield.
The most significant factor in the performance of swap agreements is the
change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that
determine the amounts of payments due to and from the fund. If a swap
agreement calls for payments by the fund, the fund must be prepared to make
such payments when due. In addition, if the counterparty's creditworthiness
declined, the value of a swap agreement would be likely to decline,
potentially resulting in losses. The fund expects to be able to eliminate
its exposure under swap agreements either by assignment or other
disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same
party or a similarly creditworthy party.
The fund will maintain appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial
account to cover its current obligations under swap agreements. If the fund
enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, it will segregate assets with
a daily value at least equal to the excess, if any, of the fund's accrued
obligations under the swap agreement over the accrued amount the fund is
entitled to receive under the agreement. If the fund enters into a swap
agreement on other than a net basis, it will segregate assets with a value
equal to the full amount of the fund's accrued obligations under the
agreement.
INDEXED SECURITIES. The fund may purchase securities whose prices are
indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, currencies,
precious metals or other commodities, or other financial indicators.
Indexed securities typically, but not always, are debt securities or
deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference
to a specific instrument or statistic. Gold-indexed securities, for
example, typically provide for a maturity value that depends on the price
of gold, resulting in a security whose price tends to rise and fall
together with gold prices. Currency-indexed securities typically are
short-term to intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or
interest rates are determined by reference to the values of one or more
specified foreign currencies, and may offer higher yields than U.S.
dollar-denominated securities of equivalent issuers. Currency-indexed
securities may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, their maturity
value may increase when the specified currency value increases, resulting
in a security that performs similarly to a foreign-denominated instrument,
or their maturity value may decline when foreign currencies increase,
resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put on
the underlying currency. Currency-indexed securities may also have prices
that depend on the values of a number of different foreign currencies
relative to each other.
The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the
performance of the security, currency, or other instrument to which they
are indexed, and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the
U.S. and abroad. At the same time, indexed securities are subject to the
credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values
may decline substantially if the issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates.
Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and
certain U.S. government agencies. Indexed securities may be more volatile
than the underlying instruments.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS. Investing in securities issued by companies
or other issuers whose principal activities are outside the United States
may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S.
investments. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies and
of dividends and interest paid with respect to such securities will
fluctuate based on the relative strength of the U.S. dollar. In addition,
there is generally less publicly available information about foreign
issuers' financial condition and operations, particularly those not subject
to the disclosure and reporting requirements of the U.S. securities laws.
Foreign issuers are generally not bound by uniform accounting, auditing,
and financial reporting requirements and standards of practice comparable
to those applicable to U.S. issuers. Further, economies of particular
countries or areas of the world may differ favorably or unfavorably from
the economy of the United States.
Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks.
Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments
adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of
expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation,
restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or
convert currency into U.S. dollars, or other government intervention. There
may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign
government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also
involve a risk of local political, economic, or social instability,
military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments. There is no
assurance that FMR will be able to anticipate these potential events or
counter their effects. The considerations noted above generally are
intensified for investments in developing countries. Developing countries
may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few
industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of
securities.
Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S.
markets. It is anticipated that in most cases the best available market for
foreign securities will be on exchanges or in over-the-counter markets
located outside of the United States. Foreign stock markets, while growing
in volume and sophistication, are generally not as developed as those in
the United States, and securities of some foreign issuers (particularly
those located in developing countries) may be less liquid and more volatile
than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Foreign security trading
practices, including those involving securities settlement where fund
assets may be released prior to receipt of payment, may expose the fund to
increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a
foreign broker-dealer, and may involve substantial delays. In addition, the
costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage
commissions and custodial costs, are generally higher than for U.S.
investors. In general, there is less overall governmental supervision and
regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in
the United States. It may also be difficult to enforce legal rights in
foreign countries.
The fund may invest in foreign securities that impose restrictions on
transfer within the United States or to U.S. persons. Although securities
subject to such transfer restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be
less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject
to such restrictions.
The fund may invest in American Depository Receipts and European
Depository Receipts (ADRs and EDRs), which are certificates evidencing
ownership of shares of a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or
similar financial institution. Designed for use in the U.S. and European
securities markets, respectively, ADRs and EDRs are alternatives to the
purchase of the underlying securities in their national markets and
currencies.
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. The fund may conduct foreign currency
transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis or by entering into forward
contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies at a future date and
price. The fund will convert currency on a spot basis from time to time,
and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although
foreign exchange dealers generally do not charge a fee for conversion, they
do realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which
they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to
sell a foreign currency to the fund at one rate, while offering a lesser
rate of exchange should the fund desire to resell that currency to the
dealer. Forward contracts are generally traded in an interbank market
conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial
banks) and their customers. The parties to a forward contract may agree to
offset or terminate the contract before its maturity, or may hold the
contract to maturity and complete the contemplated currency exchange.
The fund may use currency forward contracts for any purpose consistent with
its investment objective. The following discussion summarizes the principal
currency management strategies involving forward contracts that could be
used by the fund. The fund may also use swap agreements, indexed
securities, and options and futures contracts relating to foreign
currencies for the same purposes.
When the fund agrees to buy or sell a security denominated in a foreign
currency, it may desire to "lock in" the U.S. dollar price of the security.
By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed
amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the
underlying security transaction, the fund will be able to protect itself
against an adverse change in foreign currency values between the date the
security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or
received. This technique is sometimes referred to as a "settlement hedge"
or "transaction hedge." The fund may also enter into forward contracts to
purchase or sell a foreign currency in anticipation of future purchases or
sales of securities denominated in foreign currency, even if the specific
investments have not yet been selected by FMR.
The fund may also use forward contracts to hedge against a decline in the
value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. For example,
if the fund owned securities denominated in pounds sterling, it could enter
into a forward contract to sell pounds sterling in return for U.S. dollars
to hedge against possible declines in the pound's value. Such a hedge,
sometimes referred to as a "position hedge," would tend to offset both
positive and negative currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes
in security values caused by other factors. The fund could also hedge the
position by selling another currency expected to perform similarly to the
pound sterling - for example, by entering into a forward contract to sell
Deutschemarks or European Currency Units in return for U.S. dollars. This
type of hedge, sometimes referred to as a "proxy hedge," could offer
advantages in terms of cost, yield, or efficiency, but generally would not
hedge currency exposure as effectively as a simple hedge into U.S. dollars.
Proxy hedges may result in losses if the currency used to hedge does not
perform similarly to the currency in which the hedged securities are
denominated.
The fund may enter into forward contracts to shift its investment exposure
from one currency into another. This may include shifting exposure from
U.S. dollars to a foreign currency, or from one foreign currency to another
foreign currency. For example, if the fund held investments denominated in
Deutschemarks, the fund could enter into forward contracts to sell
Deutschemarks and purchase Swiss Francs. This type of strategy, sometimes
known as a "cross-hedge," will tend to reduce or eliminate exposure to the
currency that is sold, and increase exposure to the currency that is
purchased, much as if the fund had sold a security denominated in one
currency and purchased an equivalent security denominated in another.
Cross-hedges protect against losses resulting from a decline in the hedged
currency, but will cause the fund to assume the risk of fluctuations in the
value of the currency it purchases.
Under certain conditions, SEC guidelines require mutual funds to set aside
appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover
currency forward contracts. As required by SEC guidelines, the fund will
segregate assets to cover currency forward contracts, if any, whose purpose
is essentially speculative. The fund will not segregate assets to cover
forward contracts entered into for hedging purposes, including settlement
hedges, position hedges, and proxy hedges.
Successful use of currency management strategies will depend on FMR's skill
in analyzing and predicting currency values. Currency management strategies
may substantially change the fund's investment exposure to changes in
currency exchange rates, and could result in losses to the fund if
currencies do not perform as FMR anticipates. For example, if a currency's
value rose at a time when FMR had hedged the fund by selling that currency
in exchange for dollars, the fund would be unable to participate in the
currency's appreciation. If FMR hedges currency exposure through proxy
hedges, the fund could realize currency losses from the hedge and the
security position at the same time if the two currencies do not move in
tandem. Similarly, if FMR increases the fund's exposure to a foreign
currency, and that currency's value declines, the fund will realize a loss.
There is no assurance that FMR's use of currency management strategies will
be advantageous to the fund or that it will hedge at an appropriate time.
LIMITATIONS ON FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS. The fund has filed a
notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term
"commodity pool operator" with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
(CFTC) and the National Futures Association, which regulate trading in the
futures markets. The fund intends to comply with Rule 4.5 under the
Commodity Exchange Act, which limits the extent to which the fund can
commit assets to initial margin deposits and option premiums.
In addition, the fund will not: (a) sell futures contracts, purchase put
options, or write call options if, as a result, more than 25% of the fund's
total assets would be hedged with futures and options under normal
conditions; (b) purchase futures contracts or write put options if, as a
result, the fund's total obligations upon settlement or exercise of
purchased futures contracts and written put options would exceed 25% of its
total assets; or (c) purchase call options if, as a result, the current
value of option premiums for call options purchased by the fund would
exceed 5% of the fund's total assets. These limitations do not apply to
options attached to or acquired or traded together with their underlying
securities, and do not apply to securities that incorporate features
similar to options.
The above limitations on the fund's investments in futures contracts and
options, and the fund's policies regarding futures contracts and options
discussed elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information, may be
changed as regulatory agencies permit.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. When the fund purchases a futures contract, it agrees to
purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. When
the fund sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying
instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and
sale will take place is fixed when the fund enters into the contract. Some
currently available futures contracts are based on specific securities,
such as U.S. Treasury bonds or notes, and some are based on indices of
securities prices, such as the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index. Futures can
be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out before then if a
liquid secondary market is available.
The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem
with the value of its underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures
contracts will tend to increase the fund's exposure to positive and
negative price fluctuations in the underlying instrument, much as if it had
purchased the underlying instrument directly. When the fund sells a futures
contract, by contrast, the value of its futures position will tend to move
in a direction contrary to the market. Selling futures contracts,
therefore, will tend to offset both positive and negative market price
changes, much as if the underlying instrument had been sold.
FUTURES MARGIN PAYMENTS. The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is
not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument unless the
contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the purchaser and
seller are required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures broker,
known as a futures commission merchant (FCM), when the contract is entered
into. Initial margin deposits are typically equal to a percentage of the
contract's value. If the value of either party's position declines, that
party will be required to make additional "variation margin" payments to
settle the change in value on a daily basis. The party that has a gain may
be entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount. Initial and
variation margin payments do not constitute purchasing securities on margin
for purposes of the fund's investment limitations. In the event of the
bankruptcy of an FCM that holds margin on behalf of the fund, the fund may
be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount
received by the FCM's other customers, potentially resulting in losses to
the fund.
PURCHASING PUT AND CALL OPTIONS. By purchasing a put option, the fund
obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell the option's underlying
instrument at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the fund pays
the current market price for the option (known as the option premium).
Options have various types of underlying instruments, including specific
securities, indices of securities prices, and futures contracts. The fund
may terminate its position in a put option it has purchased by allowing it
to expire or by exercising the option. If the option is allowed to expire,
the fund will lose the entire premium it paid. If the fund exercises the
option, it completes the sale of the underlying instrument at the strike
price. The fund may also terminate a put option position by closing it out
in the secondary market at its current price, if a liquid secondary market
exists.
The buyer of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if security
prices fall substantially. However, if the underlying instrument's price
does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, a put
buyer can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium
paid, plus related transaction costs).
The features of call options are essentially the same as those of put
options, except that the purchaser of a call option obtains the right to
purchase, rather than sell, the underlying instrument at the option's
strike price. A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential
price increases of the underlying instrument with risk limited to the cost
of the option if security prices fall. At the same time, the buyer can
expect to suffer a loss if security prices do not rise sufficiently to
offset the cost of the option.
WRITING PUT AND CALL OPTIONS. When the fund writes a put option, it takes
the opposite side of the transaction from the option's purchaser. In return
for receipt of the premium, the fund assumes the obligation to pay the
strike price for the option's underlying instrument if the other party to
the option chooses to exercise it. When writing an option on a futures
contract, the fund will be required to make margin payments to an FCM as
described above for futures contracts. The fund may seek to terminate its
position in a put option it writes before exercise by closing out the
option in the secondary market at its current price. If the secondary
market is not liquid for a put option the fund has written, however, the
fund must continue to be prepared to pay the strike price while the option
is outstanding, regardless of price changes, and must continue to set aside
assets to cover its position.
If security prices rise, a put writer would generally expect to profit,
although its gain would be limited to the amount of the premium it
received. If security prices remain the same over time, it is likely that
the writer will also profit, because it should be able to close out the
option at a lower price. If security prices fall, the put writer would
expect to suffer a loss. This loss should be less than the loss from
purchasing the underlying instrument directly, however, because the premium
received for writing the option should mitigate the effects of the decline.
Writing a call option obligates the fund to sell or deliver the option's
underlying instrument, in return for the strike price, upon exercise of the
option. The characteristics of writing call options are similar to those of
writing put options, except that writing calls generally is a profitable
strategy if prices remain the same or fall. Through receipt of the option
premium, a call writer mitigates the effects of a price decline. At the
same time, because a call writer must be prepared to deliver the underlying
instrument in return for the strike price, even if its current value is
greater, a call writer gives up some ability to participate in security
price increases.
COMBINED POSITIONS. The fund may purchase and write options in combination
with each other, or in combination with futures or forward contracts, to
adjust the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. For
example, the fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the
same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose
risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract.
Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at
one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to
reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial
price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades,
they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open
and close out.
CORRELATION OF PRICE CHANGES. Because there are a limited number of types
of exchange-traded options and futures contracts, it is likely that the
standardized contracts available will not match the fund's current or
anticipated investments exactly. The fund may invest in options and futures
contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other
characteristics from the securities in which it typically invest, which
involves a risk that the options or futures position will not track the
performance of the fund's other investments.
Options and futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their
underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match the fund's
investments well. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors
as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility
of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of
the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect
correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the options
and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences
in how options and futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of
daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts. The fund may purchase or
sell options and futures contracts with a greater or lesser value than the
securities it wishes to hedge or intends to purchase in order to attempt to
compensate for differences in volatility between the contract and the
securities, although this may not be successful in all cases. If price
changes in the fund's options or futures positions are poorly correlated
with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated
gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other
investments.
LIQUIDITY OF OPTIONS AND FUTURES CONTRACTS. There is no assurance a liquid
secondary market will exist for any particular option or futures contract
at any particular time. Options may have relatively low trading volume and
liquidity if their strike prices are not close to the underlying
instrument's current price. In addition, exchanges may establish daily
price fluctuation limits for options and futures contracts, and may halt
trading if a contract's price moves upward or downward more than the limit
in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit
is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible for the fund
to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. If the
secondary market for a contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation
limits or otherwise, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable
positions, and potentially could require the fund to continue to hold a
position until delivery or expiration regardless of changes in its value.
As a result, the fund's access to other assets held to cover its options or
futures positions could also be impaired.
OTC OPTIONS. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with
respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and
strike price, the terms of over-the-counter options (options not traded on
exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other
party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the
fund greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options
generally involve greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which
are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are
traded.
OPTIONS AND FUTURES RELATING TO FOREIGN CURRENCIES. Currency futures
contracts are similar to forward currency exchange contracts, except that
they are traded on exchanges (and have margin requirements) and are
standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures
contracts call for payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. The underlying
instrument of a currency option may be a foreign currency, which generally
is purchased or delivered in exchange for U.S. dollars, or may be a futures
contract. The purchaser of a currency call obtains the right to purchase
the underlying currency, and the purchaser of a currency put obtains the
right to sell the underlying currency.
The uses and risks of currency options and futures are similar to options
and futures relating to securities or indices, as discussed above. The fund
may purchase and sell currency futures and may purchase and write currency
options to increase or decrease its exposure to different foreign
currencies. The fund may also purchase and write currency options in
conjunction with each other or with currency futures or forward contracts.
Currency futures and options values can be expected to correlate with
exchange rates, but may not reflect other factors that affect the value of
the fund's investments. A currency hedge, for example, should protect a
Yen-denominated security from a decline in the Yen, but will not protect
the fund against a price decline resulting from deterioration in the
issuer's creditworthiness. Because the value of the fund's
foreign-denominated investments changes in response to many factors other
than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of currency
options and futures to the value of the fund's investments exactly over
time.
ASSET COVERAGE FOR FUTURES AND OPTIONS POSITIONS. The fund will comply with
guidelines established by the SEC with respect to coverage of options and
futures strategies by mutual funds, and if the guidelines so require will
set aside appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial account in
the amount prescribed. Securities held in a segregated account cannot be
sold while the futures or option strategy is outstanding, unless they are
replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility
that segregation of a large percentage of the fund's assets could impede
portfolio management or the fund's ability to meet redemption requests or
other current obligations.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
All orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities are placed on
behalf of the fund by FMR pursuant to authority contained in the management
contract. If FMR grants investment management authority to the
sub-advisers (see the section entitled "Management Contract"), the
sub-advisers are authorized to place orders for the purchase and sale of
portfolio securities, and will do so in accordance with the policies
described below. FMR is also responsible for the placement of transaction
orders for other investment companies and accounts for which it or its
affiliates act as investment adviser. In selecting broker-dealers, subject
to applicable limitations of the federal securities laws, FMR considers
various relevant factors, including, but not limited to: the size and type
of the transaction; the nature and character of the markets for the
security to be purchased or sold; the execution efficiency, settlement
capability, and financial condition of the broker-dealer firm; the
broker-dealer's execution services rendered on a continuing basis; and the
reasonableness of any commissions. Commissions for foreign investments
traded on foreign exchanges generally will be higher than for U.S.
investments and may not be subject to negotiation.
The fund may execute portfolio transactions with broker-dealers who provide
research and execution services to the funds or other accounts over which
FMR or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. Such services may
include advice concerning the value of securities; the advisability of
investing in, purchasing, or selling securities; the availability of
securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses
and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors
and trends, portfolio strategy, and performance of accounts; and effecting
securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such
as clearance and settlement). The selection of such broker-dealers
generally is made by FMR (to the extent possible consistent with execution
considerations).
The receipt of research from broker-dealers that execute transactions on
behalf of the fund may be useful to FMR in rendering investment management
services to the fund or its other clients, and conversely, such research
provided by broker-dealers who have executed transaction orders on behalf
of other FMR clients may be useful to FMR in carrying out its obligations
to the funds. The receipt of such research has not reduced FMR's normal
independent research activities; however, it enables FMR to avoid the
additional expenses that could be incurred if FMR tried to develop
comparable information through its own efforts.
Subject to applicable limitations of the federal securities laws,
broker-dealers may receive commissions for agency transactions that are in
excess of the amount of commissions charged by other broker-dealers in
recognition of their research and execution services. In order to cause the
fund to pay such higher commissions, FMR must determine in good faith that
such commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage
and research services provided by such executing broker-dealers, viewed in
terms of a particular transaction or FMR's overall responsibilities to the
fund and its other clients. In reaching this determination, FMR will not
attempt to place a specific dollar value on the brokerage and research
services provided, or to determine what portion of the compensation should
be related to those services.
FMR is authorized to use research services provided by and to place
portfolio transactions with brokerage firms that have provided assistance
in the distribution of shares of the fund or shares of other Fidelity funds
to the extent permitted by law. FMR may use research services provided by
and place agency transactions with Fidelity Brokerage Services, Inc. (FBSI)
and Fidelity Brokerage Services, Ltd. (FBSL), subsidiaries of FMR Corp., if
the commissions are fair, reasonable, and comparable to commissions charged
by non-affiliated, qualified brokerage firms for similar services.
Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 prohibits members of
national securities exchanges from executing exchange transactions for
accounts which they or their affiliates manage, unless certain requirements
are satisfied. Pursuant to such requirements, the Board of Trustees has
authorized FBSI to execute portfolio transactions on national securities
exchanges in accordance with approved procedures and applicable SEC rules.
The Trustees periodically review FMR's performance of its responsibilities
in connection with the placement of portfolio transactions on behalf of the
fund and review the commissions paid by the fund over representative
periods of time to determine if they are reasonable in relation to the
benefits to the fund.
For the fiscal periods ended April 30, 1994 and 1993, the fund's portfolio
turnover rates were 81% and 51%, respectively.
For fiscal 1994, 1993, and 1992, the fund paid no brokerage commissions.
From time to time the Trustees will review whether the recapture for the
benefit of the fund of some portion of the brokerage commissions or similar
fees paid by the fund on portfolio transactions is legally permissible and
advisable. The fund seeks to recapture soliciting broker-dealer fees on the
tender of portfolio securities, but at present no other recapture
arrangements are in effect. The Trustees intend to continue to review
whether recapture opportunities are available and are legally permissible
and, if so, to determine in the exercise of their business judgment whether
it would be advisable for the fund to seek such recapture.
Although the Trustees and officers of the fund are substantially the same
as those of other funds managed by FMR, investment decisions for the fund
are made independently from those of other funds managed by FMR or accounts
managed by FMR affiliates. It sometimes happens that the same security is
held in the portfolio of more than one of these funds or accounts.
Simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several funds and accounts
are managed by the same investment adviser, particularly when the same
security is suitable for the investment objective of more than one fund or
account.
When two or more funds are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale
of the same security, the prices and amounts are allocated in accordance
with procedures believed to be appropriate and equitable for each fund. In
some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or
value of the security as far as the fund is concerned. In other cases,
however, the ability of the fund to participate in volume transactions will
produce better executions and prices for the fund. It is the current
opinion of the Trustees that the desirability of retaining FMR as
investment adviser to the fund outweighs any disadvantages that may be said
to exist from exposure to simultaneous transactions.
VALUATION OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
Securities and other assets for which market quotations are readily
available are valued at market values determined by their most recent bid
prices (sales prices if the principal market is an exchange) in the
principal market in which such securities normally are traded. Securities
and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available
(including restricted securities, if any) are appraised at their fair value
as determined in good faith under consistently applied procedures under the
general supervision of the Board of Trustees.
Securities may also be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a
pricing service that uses both dealer-supplied valuations and evaluations
based on expert analysis of market data and other factors if such
valuations are believed to reflect more accurately the fair value of such
securities. Use of a pricing service has been approved by the Board of
Trustees. There are a number of pricing services available, and the
Trustees, or officers acting on behalf of the Trustees, on the basis of
ongoing evaluation of these pricing services, may use other pricing
services or may discontinue the use of any pricing service in whole or in
part.
Securities not valued by the pricing service, and for which quotations are
readily available, are valued at market values determined on the basis of
their latest available bid prices as furnished by recognized dealers in
such securities. Futures contracts and options are valued on the basis of
market quotations, if available.
PERFORMANCE
The fund may quote performance in various ways. All performance information
supplied by the fund in advertising is historical and is not intended to
indicate future returns. The fund's share price, yield, and total return
fluctuate in response to market conditions and other factors, and the value
of fund shares when redeemed may be more or less than their original cost.
YIELD CALCULATIONS. Yields for the fund are computed by dividing the fund's
interest income for a given 30-day or one-month period, net of expenses, by
the average number of shares entitled to receive distributions during the
period, dividing this figure by the fund's net asset value (NAV) at the end
of the period, and annualizing the result (assuming compounding of income)
in order to arrive at an annual percentage rate. Income is calculated for
purposes of yield quotations in accordance with standardized methods
applicable to all stock and bond funds. In general, interest income is
reduced with respect to bonds trading at a premium over their par value by
subtracting a portion of the premium from income on a daily basis, and is
increased with respect to bonds trading at a discount by adding a portion
of the discount to daily income. For the fund's investments denominated in
foreign currencies, income and expenses are calculated first in their
respective currencies, and are then converted to U.S. dollars, either when
they are actually converted or at the end of the 30-day or one month
period, whichever is earlier. Capital gains and losses generally are
excluded from the calculation as are gains and losses from currency
exchange rate fluctuations.
Income calculated for the purposes of calculating the fund's yield differs
from income as determined for other accounting purposes. Because of the
different accounting methods used, and because of the compounding of income
assumed in yield calculations, the fund's yield may not equal its
distribution rate, the income paid to your account, or the income reported
in the fund's financial statements.
Yield information may be useful in reviewing the fund's performance and in
providing a basis for comparison with other investment alternatives.
However, the fund's yield fluctuates, unlike investments that pay a fixed
interest rate over a stated period of time. When comparing investment
alternatives, investors should also note the quality and maturity of the
portfolio securities of respective investment companies they have chosen to
consider.
Investors should recognize that in periods of declining interest rates the
fund's yield will tend to be somewhat higher than prevailing market rates,
and in periods of rising interest rates the fund's yield will tend to be
somewhat lower. Also, when interest rates are falling, the inflow of net
new money to the fund from the continuous sale of its shares will likely be
invested in instruments producing lower yields than the balance of the
fund's holdings, thereby reducing the fund's current yield. In periods of
rising interest rates, the opposite can be expected to occur.
TOTAL RETURN CALCULATIONS. Total returns quoted in advertising reflect all
aspects of the fund's return, including the effect of reinvesting dividends
and capital gain distributions, and any change in the fund's NAV over a
stated period. Average annual total returns are calculated by determining
the growth or decline in value of a hypothetical historical investment in
the fund over a stated period, and then calculating the annually compounded
percentage rate that would have produced the same result if the rate of
growth or decline in value had been constant over the period. For example,
a cumulative total return of 100% over ten years would produce an average
annual return of 7.18%, which is the steady annual rate of return that
would equal 100% growth on a compounded basis in ten years. While average
annual returns are a convenient means of comparing investment alternatives,
investors should realize that the fund's performance is not constant over
time, but changes from year to year, and that average annual returns
represent averaged figures as opposed to the actual year-to-year
performance of the fund.
In addition to average annual total returns, the fund may quote unaveraged
or cumulative total returns reflecting the simple change in value of an
investment over a stated period. Average annual and cumulative total
returns may be quoted as a percentage or as a dollar amount, and may be
calculated for a single investment, a series of investments, or a series of
redemptions, over any time period. Total returns may be broken down into
their components of income and capital (including capital gains and changes
in share price) in order to illustrate the relationship of these factors
and their contributions to total return. Total returns may be quoted on a
before-tax or after-tax basis. Total return, yields, and other performance
information may be quoted numerically or in a table, graph, or similar
illustration.
NET ASSET VALUE. Charts and graphs using the fund's net asset values,
adjusted net asset values, and benchmark indices may be used to exhibit
performance. An adjusted NAV includes any distributions paid by the fund
and reflects all elements of its return. Unless otherwise indicated, the
fund's adjusted NAVs are not adjusted for sales charges, if any.
HISTORICAL FUND RESULTS. The following tables show the fund's yields and
total returns for periods ended April 30, 1994.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Average Annual Total Returns Cumulative Total Returns
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
30- Day Yield One Year Five Years Ten Years One Year Five Years Ten Years
6.02% 2.93 % 9.03% 10.39% 2.93 % 54.09% 168.73%
</TABLE>
The following table shows the income and capital elements of the fund's
cumulative total return. The table compares the fund's return to the record
of the Standard & Poor's Composite Index of 500 Stocks (S&P 500), the Dow
Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), and the cost of living (measured by the
Consumer Price Index, or CPI) over the same period. The CPI information is
as of the month end closest to the initial investment date for the fund.
The S&P 500 and DJIA comparisons are provided to show how the fund's total
return compared to the record of a broad average of common stocks and a
narrower set of stocks of major industrial companies, respectively, over
the same period. Of course, since the fund invests in fixed-income
securities, common stocks represent a different type of investment from the
fund. Common stocks generally offer greater growth potential than the fund,
but generally experience greater price volatility, which means greater
potential for loss. In addition, common stocks generally provide lower
income than a fixed-income investment such as the fund. Figures for the S&P
500 and DJIA are based on the prices of unmanaged groups of stocks and,
unlike the fund's returns, do not include the effect of paying brokerage
commissions or other costs of investing.
During the ten year period ended April 30, 1994, a hypothetical $10,000
investment in Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund would have grown to $26,873,
assuming all distributions were reinvested. This was a period of
fluctuating interest rates and bond prices and the figures below should not
be considered representative of the dividend income or capital gain or loss
that could be realized from an investment in the fund today.
FIDELITY INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND INDICES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
VALUE OF VALUE OF VALUE OF
YEAR INITIAL REINVESTED REINVESTED
ENDED $10,000 DIVIDEND CAPITAL GAIN TOTAL
APRIL 30 INVESTMENT DISTRIBUTIONS DISTRIBUTIONS VALUE S&P 500 DJIA CPI
1985 $10,523 $1,301 $0 $11,824 $11,767 $11,286 $10,369
1986 12,593 2,073 0 14,667 16,034 16,670 10,533
1987 11,451 3,447 407 15,306 20,286 22,097 10,931
1988 10,736 5,184 382 16,302 18,973 20,297 11,358
1989 10,512 6,553 374 17,439 23,320 25,046 11,940
1990 10,342 7,992 368 18,701 25,782 28,564 12,502
1991 10,747 9,930 382 21,059 30,321 32,248 13,113
1992 10,961 11,776 390 23,126 34,581 38,685 13,531
1993 11,419 14,138 551 26,109 37,781 40,665 13,967
1994 10,918 15,213 742 26,873 39,792 44,919 14,297
</TABLE>
Explanatory Notes: With an initial investment of $10,000 made on April 30,
1984, the net amount invested in fund shares was $10,000. The cost of the
initial investment ($10,000), together with the aggregate cost of
reinvested dividends and capital gain distributions for the period covered
(their cash value at the time they were reinvested), amounted to $26,032.
If distributions had not been reinvested, the amount of distributions
earned from the fund over time would have been smaller, and cash payments
for the period would have amounted to $9,446 for dividends and $502 for
capital gains distributions. Tax consequences of different investments have
not been factored into the above figures.
The fund's performance may be compared to the performance of other mutual
funds in general, or to the performance of particular types of mutual
funds. These comparisons may be expressed as mutual fund rankings prepared
by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. (Lipper), an independent service
located in Summit, New Jersey that monitors the performance of mutual
funds. Lipper generally ranks funds on the basis of total return, assuming
reinvestment of distributions, but does not take sales charges or
redemption fees into consideration, and is prepared without regard to tax
consequences. Lipper may also rank funds based on yield. In addition to the
mutual fund rankings, the fund's performance may be compared to stock,
bond, and money market mutual fund performance indices prepared by Lipper
or other organizations. When comparing these indices, it is important to
remember the risk and return characteristics of each type of investment.
For example, while stock mutual funds may offer higher potential returns,
they also carry the highest degree of share price volatility. Likewise,
money market funds may offer greater stability of principal, but generally
do not offer the higher potential returns from stock mutual funds.
From time to time, the fund's performance may also be compared to other
mutual funds tracked by financial or business publications and periodicals.
For example, the fund may quote Morningstar, Inc. in its advertising
materials. Morningstar, Inc. is a mutual fund rating service that rates
mutual funds on the basis of risk-adjusted performance. Rankings that
compare the performance of Fidelity funds to one another in appropriate
categories over specific periods of time may also be quoted in advertising.
The fund may be compared in advertising to Certificates of Deposit (CDs) or
other investments issued by banks or other depository institutions. Mutual
funds differ from bank investments in several respects. For example, the
fund may offer greater liquidity or higher potential returns than CDs and,
unlike CDs, the fund does not guarantee your principal or your return, and
fund shares are not FDIC insured.
Fidelity may provide information designed to help individuals understand
their investment goals and explore various financial strategies. Such
information may include information about current economic, market, and
political conditions; materials that describe general principles of
investing, such as asset allocation, diversification, risk tolerance, and
goal setting; questionnaires designed to help create a personal financial
profile; worksheets used to project savings needs based on assumed rates of
inflation and hypothetical rates of return; and action plans offering
investment alternatives. Materials may also include discussions of
Fidelity's asset allocation funds and other Fidelity funds, products, and
services.
Ibbotson Associates of Chicago, Illinois (Ibbotson) provides historical
returns of the capital markets in the United States, including common
stocks, small capitalization stocks, long-term corporate bonds,
intermediate-term government bonds, long-term government bonds, Treasury
bills, the U.S. rate of inflation (based on the CPI), and combinations of
various capital markets. The performance of these capital markets is based
on the returns of different indices.
Fidelity funds may use the performance of these capital markets in order to
demonstrate general risk-versus-reward investment scenarios. Performance
comparisons may also include the value of a hypothetical investment in any
of these capital markets. The risks associated with the security types in
any capital market may or may not correspond directly to those of the
funds. Ibbotson calculates total returns in the same method as the funds.
The funds may also compare performance to that of other compilations or
indices that may be developed and made available in the future.
The fund may compare its performance or the performance of securities in
which it may invest to averages published by IBC USA (Publications), Inc.
of Ashland, Massachusetts. These averages assume reinvestment of
distributions. The IBC/Donoghue's MONEY FUND AVERAGES(trademark)/All
Taxable, which is reported in the MONEY FUND REPORT(registered trademark),
covers over 340 taxable money market funds. The Bond Fund Report
AverageS(trademark)/All Taxable, which is reported in the BOND FUND
REPORT(registered trademark), covers over 350 taxable bond funds. When
evaluating comparisons to money market funds, investors should consider the
relevant differences in investment objectives and policies. Specifically,
money market funds invest in short-term, high-quality instruments and seek
to maintain a stable $1.00 share price. The fund, however, invests in
longer-term instruments and its share price changes daily in response to a
variety of factors.
In advertising materials, Fidelity may reference or discuss its products
and services, which may include: other Fidelity funds; retirement
investing; brokerage products and services; the effects of periodic
investment plans and dollar cost averaging; saving for college or other
goals; charitable giving; and the Fidelity credit card. In addition,
Fidelity may quote or reprint financial or business publications and
periodicals, including model portfolios or allocations, as they relate to
current economic and political conditions, fund management, portfolio
composition, investment philosophy, investment techniques, the desirability
of owning a particular mutual fund, and Fidelity services and products.
Fidelity may also reprint, and use as advertising and sales literature,
articles from Fidelity Focus, a quarterly magazine provided free of charge
to Fidelity fund shareholders.
The fund may present its fund number, Quotron(trademark) number, and CUSIP
number, and discuss or quote its current portfolio manager.
VOLATILITY. The fund may quote various measures of volatility and benchmark
correlation in advertising. In addition, the fund may compare these
measures to those of other funds. Measures of volatility seek to compare
the fund's historical share price fluctuations or total returns to those of
a benchmark. Measures of benchmark correlation indicate how valid a
comparative benchmark may be. All measures of volatility and correlation
are calculated using averages of historical data. In advertising, the fund
may also discuss or illustrate examples of interest rate sensitivity.
MOMENTUM INDICATORS indicate the fund's price movements over specific
periods of time. Each point on the momentum indicator represents the fund's
percentage change in price movements over that period.
The fund may advertise examples of the effects of periodic investment
plans, including the principle of dollar cost averaging. In such a program,
an investor invests a fixed dollar amount in a fund at periodic intervals,
thereby purchasing fewer shares when prices are high and more shares when
prices are low. While such a strategy does not assure a profit or guard
against loss in a declining market, the investor's average cost per share
can be lower than if fixed numbers of shares are purchased at the same
intervals. In evaluating such a plan, investors should consider their
ability to continue purchasing shares during periods of low price levels.
The fund may be available for purchase through retirement plans or other
programs offering deferral of, or exemption from, income taxes, which may
produce superior after-tax returns over time. For example, a $1,000
investment earning a taxable return of 10% annually would have an after-tax
value of $1,949 after ten years, assuming tax was deducted from the return
each year at a 31% rate. An equivalent tax-deferred investment would have
an after-tax value of $2,100 after ten years, assuming tax was deducted at
a 31% rate from the tax-deferred earnings at the end of the ten-year
period.
As of April 30, 1994, FMR advised over $25 billion in tax-free fund assets,
$70 billion in money market fund assets, $145 billion in equity fund
assets, $35 billion in international fund assets, and $20 billion in
Spartan fund assets. The fund may reference the growth and variety of money
market mutual funds and the adviser's innovation and participation in the
industry. The equity funds under management figure represents the largest
amount of equity fund assets under management by a mutual fund investment
adviser in the United States, making FMR America's leading equity (stock)
fund manager. FMR, its subsidiaries, and affiliates maintain a worldwide
information and communications network for the purpose of researching and
managing investments abroad.
In addition to performance rankings, each fund may compare its total
expense ratio to the average total expense ratio of similar funds tracked
by Lipper. A fund's total expense ratio is a significant factor in
comparing bond and money market investments because of its effect on yield.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
The fund is open for business and its net asset value per share (NAV) is
calculated each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading.
The NYSE has designated the following holiday closings for 1995: New Year's
Day (observed), Washington's Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day
(observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas
Day (observed). Although FMR expects the same holiday schedule to be
observed in the future, the NYSE may modify its holiday schedule at any
time.
FSC normally determines the fund's NAV as of the close of the NYSE
(normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). However, NAV may be calculated earlier
if trading on the NYSE is restricted or as permitted by the SEC. To the
extent that portfolio securities are traded in other markets on days when
the NYSE is closed, the fund's NAV may be affected on days when investors
do not have access to the fund to purchase or redeem shares. In addition,
trading in some of the fund's portfolio securities may not occur on days
when the fund is open for business.
If the Trustees determine that existing conditions make cash payments
undesirable, redemption payments may be made in whole or in part in
securities or other property, valued for this purpose as they are valued in
computing the fund's NAV. Shareholders receiving securities or other
property on redemption may realize a gain or loss for tax purposes, and
will incur any costs of sale, as well as the associated inconveniences.
Pursuant to Rule 11a-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940
Act), the fund is required to give shareholders at least 60 days' notice
prior to terminating or modifying its exchange privilege. Under the Rule,
the 60-day notification requirement may be waived if (i) the only effect of
a modification would be to reduce or eliminate an administrative fee,
redemption fee, or deferred sales charge ordinarily payable at the time of
an exchange, or (ii) the fund suspends the redemption of the shares to be
exchanged as permitted under the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder, or the fund to be acquired suspends the sale of its shares
because it is unable to invest amounts effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies.
In the Prospectus, the fund has notified shareholders that it reserves the
right at any time, without prior notice, to refuse exchange purchases by
any person or group if, in FMR's judgment, the fund would be unable to
invest effectively in accordance with its investment objective and
policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected.
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
DISTRIBUTIONS. If you request to have distributions mailed to you and the
U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your checks, or if your checks remain
uncashed for six months, Fidelity may reinvest your distributions at the
then-current NAV. All subsequent distributions will then be reinvested
until you provide Fidelity with alternate instructions.
DIVIDENDS. Because the fund's income is primarily derived from interest,
dividends from the fund generally will not qualify for the
dividends-received deduction available to corporation shareholders.
Short-term capital gains are distributed as dividend income, but do not
qualify for the dividends-received deduction. A portion of the fund's
dividends derived from certain U.S. government obligations may be exempt
from state and local taxation. Gains (losses) attributable to foreign
currency fluctuations are generally taxable as ordinary income, and
therefore will increase (decrease) dividend distributions. As a
consequence, FMR may adjust the fund's income distributions to reflect the
effect of currency fluctuations. However, if foreign currency losses exceed
the fund's net investment income during a taxable year, all or a portion of
the distributions made in the same taxable year would be recharacterized as
a return of capital to shareholders, thereby reducing each shareholder's
cost basis in his or her fund. The fund will send each shareholder a notice
in January describing the tax status of dividend and capital gain
distributions for the prior year.
CAPITAL GAIN DISTRIBUTIONS. Long-term capital gains earned by the fund on
the sale of securities and distributed to shareholders are federally
taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time
shareholders have held their shares. If a shareholder receives a long-term
capital gain distribution on shares of the fund and such shares are held
six months or less and are sold at a loss, the portion of the loss equal to
the amount of the long-term capital gain distribution will be considered a
long-term loss for tax purposes. Short-term capital gains distributed by
the fund are taxable to shareholders as dividends, not as capital gains.
FOREIGN TAXES. Foreign governments may withhold taxes on dividends and
interest paid with respect to foreign securities typically at a rate
between 10% and 35%. Foreign governments may also impose taxes on other
payments or gains with respect to foreign securities. Because the fund does
not currently anticipate that securities of foreign issuers will constitute
more than 50% of its total assets at the end of its fiscal year,
shareholders should not expect to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction
on their federal income tax returns with respect to foreign taxes withheld.
TAX STATUS OF THE FUND. The fund intends to qualify each year as a
"regulated investment company" for tax purposes, so that it will not be
liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to
shareholders. In order to qualify as a regulated investment company and
avoid being subject to federal income or excise taxes at the fund level,
the fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment
income and net realized capital gains within each calendar year as well as
on a fiscal year basis. The fund intends to comply with other tax rules
applicable to regulated investment companies, including a requirement that
capital gains from the sale of securities held less than three months
constitute less than 30% of the fund's gross income for each fiscal year.
Gains from some forward currency contracts, futures contracts, and options
are included in this 30% calculation, which may limit the fund's
investments in such instruments.
If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities,
defined as passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) in the Internal
Revenue Code, it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of
any excess distribution or gain from the disposition of such shares.
Interest charges may also be imposed on the fund with respect to deferred
taxes arising from such distributions or gains. Generally, the fund will
elect to mark-to-market any PFIC shares. Unrealized gains will be
recognized as income for tax purposes and must be distributed to
shareholders as dividends.
The fund is treated as a separate entity from the other funds of Fidelity
Commonwealth Trust for tax purposes.
OTHER TAX INFORMATION. The information above is only a summary of some of
the tax consequences generally affecting the fund and its shareholders and
no attempt has been made to discuss individual tax consequences. In
addition to federal income taxes, shareholders may be subject to state and
local taxes on fund distributions, and shares may be subject to state and
local personal property taxes. Investors should consult their tax advisers
to determine whether the fund is suitable to their particular tax
situation.
FMR
All of the stock of FMR is owned by FMR Corp., its parent company
organized in 1972. Through ownership of voting common stock and the
execution of a shareholders' voting agreement, Edward C. Johnson 3d,
Johnson family members, and various trusts for the benefit of the Johnson
family form a controlling group with respect to FMR Corp.
At present, the principal operating activities of FMR Corp. are those
conducted by three of its divisions as follows: FSC, which is the transfer
and shareholder servicing agent for certain of the funds advised by FMR;
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, which performs
shareholder servicing functions for institutional customers and funds sold
through intermediaries; and Fidelity Investments Retail Marketing Company,
which provides marketing services to various companies within the Fidelity
organization.
Fidelity investment personnel may invest in securities for their own
account pursuant to a code of ethics that sets forth all employees'
fiduciary responsibilities regarding the funds, establishes procedures for
personal investing and restricts certain transactions. For example, all
personal trades require pre-clearance, and participation in initial public
offerings is prohibited. In addition, restrictions on the timing of
personal investing in relation to trades by Fidelity funds and on
short-term trading have been adopted.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
The Trustees and executive officers of the trust are listed below. Except
as indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in
the same company for the last five years. All persons named as Trustees
also serve in similar capacities for other funds advised by FMR. Unless
otherwise noted, the business address of each Trustee and officer is 82
Devonshire Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, which is also the address
of FMR. Those Trustees who are "interested persons" (as defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940) by virtue of their affiliation with either
the trust or FMR are indicated by an asterisk (*).
*EDWARD C. JOHNSON 3d, Trustee and President, is Chairman, Chief Executive
Officer and a Director of FMR Corp.; a Director and Chairman of the Board
and of the Executive Committee of FMR; Chairman and a Director of FMR Texas
Inc. (1989), Fidelity Management & Research (U.K.) Inc., and Fidelity
Management & Research (Far East) Inc.
*J. GARY BURKHEAD, Trustee and Senior Vice President, is President of FMR;
and President and a Director of FMR Texas Inc. (1989), Fidelity Management
& Research (U.K.) Inc., and Fidelity Management & Research (Far East) Inc.
RALPH F. COX, 200 Rivercrest Drive, Fort Worth, TX, Trustee (1991), is a
consultant to Western Mining Corporation (1994). Prior to February 1994, he
was President of Greenhill Petroleum Corporation (petroleum exploration and
production, 1990). Until March 1990, Mr. Cox was President and Chief
Operating Officer of Union Pacific Resources Company (exploration and
production). He is a Director of Sanifill Corporation (non-hazardous waste,
1993) and CH2M Hill Companies (engineering). In addition, he served on the
Board of Directors of the Norton Company (manufacturer of industrial
devices, 1983-1990) and continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the
Texas State Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of advisory boards of
Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.
PHYLLIS BURKE DAVIS, P.O. Box 264, Bridgehampton, NY, Trustee (1992). Prior
to her retirement in September 1991, Mrs. Davis was the Senior Vice
President of Corporate Affairs of Avon Products, Inc. She is currently a
Director of BellSouth Corporation (telecommunications), Eaton Corporation
(manufacturing, 1991), and the TJX Companies, Inc. (retail stores, 1990),
and previously served as a Director of Hallmark Cards, Inc. (1985-1991) and
Nabisco Brands, Inc. In addition, she is a member of the Advisory
Council of the International Executive Service Corps. and the President's
Advisory Council of The University of Vermont School of Business
Administration.
RICHARD J. FLYNN, 77 Fiske Hill, Sturbridge, MA, Trustee, is a financial
consultant. Prior to September 1986, Mr. Flynn was Vice Chairman and a
Director of the Norton Company (manufacturer of industrial devices). He is
currently a Director of Mechanics Bank and a Trustee of College of the Holy
Cross and Old Sturbridge Village, Inc.
E. BRADLEY JONES, 3881-2 Lander Road, Chagrin Falls, OH, Trustee (1990).
Prior to his retirement in 1984, Mr. Jones was Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of LTV Steel Company. Prior to May 1990, he was Director of
National City Corporation (a bank holding company) and National City Bank
of Cleveland. He is a Director of TRW Inc. (original equipment and
replacement products), Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (mining), NACCO Industries,
Inc. (mining and marketing), Consolidated Rail Corporation, Birmingham
Steel Corporation, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (1989), and RPM,
Inc. (manufacturer of chemical products, 1990). In addition, he serves as a
Trustee of First Union Real Estate Investments, a Trustee and member
of the Executive Committee of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a Trustee
and member of the Executive Committee of University School
(Cleveland), and a Trustee of Cleveland Clinic Florida.
DONALD J. KIRK, 680 Steamboat Road, Apartment #1-North, Greenwich, CT,
Trustee, is a Professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Business
and a financial consultant. Prior to 1987, he was Chairman of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board. Mr. Kirk is a Director of General Re
Corporation (reinsurance) and Valuation Research Corp. (appraisals and
valuations, 1993). In addition, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the National Arts Stabilization Fund and Vice Chairman of the
Board of Trustees of the Greenwich Hospital Association.
*PETER S. LYNCH, Trustee (1990) is Vice Chairman of FMR (1992). Prior to
his retirement on May 31, 1990, he was a Director of FMR (1989) and
Executive Vice President of FMR (a position he held until March 31, 1991);
Vice President of Fidelity Magellan Fund and FMR Growth Group Leader; and
Managing Director of FMR Corp. Mr. Lynch was also Vice President of
Fidelity Investments Corporate Services (1991-1992). He is a Director of
W.R. Grace & Co. (chemicals, 1989) and Morrison Knudsen Corporation
(engineering and construction). In addition, he serves as a Trustee of
Boston College, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Historic Deerfield
(1989) and Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, and as
an Overseer of the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston (1990).
GERALD C. McDONOUGH, 135 Aspenwood Drive, Cleveland, OH, Trustee (1989), is
Chairman of G.M. Management Group (strategic advisory services). Prior to
his retirement in July 1988, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Leaseway Transportation Corp. (physical distribution services). Mr.
McDonough is a Director of ACME-Cleveland Corp. (metal working,
telecommunications and electronic products), Brush-Wellman Inc. (metal
refining), York International Corp. (air conditioning and refrigeration,
1989), Commercial Intertech Corp. (water treatment equipment, 1992), and
Associated Estates Realty Corporation (a real estate investment trust,
1993).
EDWARD H. MALONE, 5601 Turtle Bay Drive #2104, Naples, FL, Trustee. Prior
to his retirement in 1985, Mr. Malone was Chairman, General Electric
Investment Corporation and a Vice President of General Electric Company. He
is a Director of Allegheny Power Systems, Inc. (electric utility), General
Re Corporation (reinsurance) and Mattel Inc. (toy manufacturer). In
addition, he serves as a Trustee of Corporate Property Investors, the EPS
Foundation at Trinity College, the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts,
and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and he is a member of the Advisory
Boards of Butler Capital Corporation Funds and Warburg, Pincus Partnership
Funds.
MARVIN L. MANN, 55 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT, Trustee (1993) is
Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Lexmark
International, Inc. (office machines, 1991). Prior to 1991, he held the
positions of Vice President of International Business Machines Corporation
("IBM") and President and General Manager of various IBM divisions and
subsidiaries. Mr. Mann is a Director of M.A. Hanna Company (chemicals,
1993) and Infomart (marketing services, 1991), a Trammell Crow Co. In
addition, he serves as the Campaign Vice Chairman of the Tri-State United
Way (1993) and is a member of the University of Alabama President's Cabinet
(1990).
THOMAS R. WILLIAMS, 21st Floor, 191 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, GA,
Trustee, is President of The Wales Group, Inc. (management and financial
advisory services). Prior to retiring in 1987, Mr. Williams served as
Chairman of the Board of First Wachovia Corporation (bank holding company),
and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The First National Bank of
Atlanta and First Atlanta Corporation (bank holding company). He is
currently a Director of BellSouth Corporation (telecommunications),
ConAgra, Inc. (agricultural products), Fisher Business Systems, Inc.
(computer software), Georgia Power Company (electric utility), Gerber Alley
& Associates, Inc. (computer software), National Life Insurance Company of
Vermont, American Software, Inc. (1989), and AppleSouth, Inc. (restaurants,
1992).
GARY L. FRENCH, Treasurer (1991). Prior to becoming Treasurer of the
Fidelity funds, Mr. French was Senior Vice President, Fund Accounting -
Fidelity Accounting & Custody Services Co. (1991); Vice President, Fund
Accounting - Fidelity Accounting & Custody Services Co. (1990); and Senior
Vice President, Chief Financial and Operations Officer - Huntington
Advisers, Inc. (1985-1990).
JOHN H. COSTELLO, Assistant Treasurer, is an employee of FMR.
LEONARD M. RUSH, Assistant Treasurer (1994), is an employee of FMR (1994).
Prior to becoming Assistant Treasurer of the Fidelity funds, Mr. Rush was
Chief Compliance Officer of FMR Corp. (1993-1994); Chief Financial Officer
of Fidelity Brokerage Services, Inc. (1990-1993); and Vice President,
Assistant Controller, and Director of the Accounting Department - First
Boston Corp. (1986-1990).
ARTHUR S. LORING, Secretary, is Senior Vice President (1993) and General
Counsel of FMR, Vice President-Legal of FMR Corp., and Vice President and
Clerk of FDC.
MICHAEL GRAY is manager and Vice President of Intermediate Bond, which
he has managed since September 1987. Mr. Gray also manages Advisor Limited
Term Bond, Fidelity Investment Grade Bond, and Spartan Investment Grade
Bond. Mr. Gray joined Fidelity in 1982.
THOMAS J. STEFFANCI, Vice President (1994), is Vice President of
Fidelity's fixed-income funds and Senior Vice President of FMR (1993).
Prior to joining FMR, Mr. Steffanci was Senior Managing Director of CMB
Investment Counselors (1984-1990).
Under a retirement program that became effective on November 1, 1989,
Trustees, upon reaching age 72, become eligible to participate in a defined
benefit retirement program under which they receive payments during their
lifetime from the fund based on their basic trustee fees and length of
service. Currently, Messrs. William R. Spaulding, Bertram H. Witham, and
David L. Yunich participate in the program.
As of September 30 , 1994, the Trustees and Officers of the fund
owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of the fund's total outstanding
shares.
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
The fund employs FMR to furnish investment advisory and other services.
Under its management contract with the fund, FMR acts as investment adviser
and, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, directs the
investments of the fund in accordance with its investment objective,
policies, and limitations. FMR also provides the fund with all necessary
office facilities and personnel for servicing the fund's investments, and
compensates all officers of the trust, all Trustees who are "interested
persons" of the trust or of FMR, and all personnel of the trust or FMR
performing services relating to research, statistical, and investment
activities.
In addition, FMR or its affiliates, subject to the supervision of the Board
of Trustees, provide the management and administrative services necessary
for the operation of the fund. These services include providing facilities
for maintaining the fund's organization; supervising relations with
custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters, and
other persons dealing with the fund; preparing all general shareholder
communications and conducting shareholder relations; maintaining the fund's
records and the registration of the fund's shares under federal and state
law; developing management and shareholder services for the fund; and
furnishing reports, evaluations, and analyses on a variety of subjects to
the Board of Trustees.
In addition to the management fee payable to FMR and the fees payable to
FSC, the fund pays all of its expenses, without limitation, that are not
assumed by those parties. The fund pays for typesetting, printing, and
mailing proxy material to shareholders, legal expenses, and the fees of the
custodian, auditor, and non-interested Trustees. Although the fund's
management contract provides that the fund will pay for typesetting,
printing, and mailing prospectuses, statements of additional information,
notices, and reports to existing shareholders, the trust has entered into a
revised transfer agent agreement with FSC, pursuant to which FSC bears the
cost of providing these services to existing shareholders. Other expenses
paid by the fund include interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, the fund's
proportionate share of insurance premiums and Investment Company Institute
dues, and the costs of registering shares under federal and state
securities laws. The fund is also liable for such nonrecurring expenses as
may arise, including costs of any litigation to which the fund may be a
party and any obligation it may have to indemnify the trust's officers and
Trustees with respect to litigation.
FMR is the fund's manager pursuant to a management contract dated November
1, 1994 which was approved by shareholders on October 26, 1994. For the
services of FMR under the contract, the fund pays FMR a monthly management
fee composed of the sum of two elements: a group fee rate and an individual
fund fee rate.
The group fee rate is based on the monthly average net assets of all of the
registered investment companies with which FMR has management contracts and
is calculated on a cumulative basis pursuant to the graduated fee rate
schedule shown on the left. On the right, the effective fee rate schedule
shows the results of cumulatively applying the annualized rates at varying
asset levels. For example, the effective annual fee rate at $272 billion of
group net assets - their approximate level for September 1994 - was .1563%,
which is the weighted average of the respective fee rates for each level of
group net assets up to $272 billion.
GROUP FEE RATE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE ANNUAL FEE RATES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Effective
Average Group Annualized Group Net Annual
Assets Rate Assets Fee Rate
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$ 0 - 3 billion .3700% $ 0.5 billion .3700%
3 - 6 .3400 25 .2664
6 - 9 .3100 50 .2188
9 - 12 .2800 75 .1986
12 - 15 .2500 100 .1869
15 - 18 .2200 125 .1793
18 - 21 .2000 150 .1736
21 - 24 .1900 175 .1695
24 - 30 .1800 200 .1658
30 - 36 .1750 225 .1629
36 - 42 .1700 250 .1604
42 - 48 .1650 275 .1583
48 - 66 .1600 300 .1565
66 - 84 .1550 325 .1548
84 - 120 .1500 350 .1533
120 - 174 .1450 400 .1507
174 - 228 .1400
228 - 282 .1375
282 - 336 .1350
</TABLE>
Over 336 .1325
Prior to November 1, 1994, the group fee rate was based on a schedule
with breakpoints ending at .1500% for average group assets in excess of $84
billion. The group fee rate breakpoints shown above for average group
assets in excess of $120 billion and under $228 billion were voluntarily
adopted by FMR on January 1, 1992. The additional breakpoints shown above
for average group assets in excess of $228 billion were voluntarily adopted
by FMR on November 1, 1993.
On August 1, 1994, FMR voluntarily revised the prior extensions to the
group fee rate schedule, and added new breakpoints. The revised group fee
rate schedule provides for lower management fee rates as FMR's assets under
management increase. The fund's current management contract reflects the
group fee rate schedule above for average group assets under $156 billion
and the group fee rate schedule below for average group assets in excess of
$156 billion.
GROUP FEE RATE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE ANNUAL FEE RATES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Effective
Average Group Annualized Group Net Annual
Assets Rate Assets Fee Rate
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$ 120 - 156 billion .1450% $ 150 billion .1736%
156 - 192 .1400 175 .1690%
192 - 228 .1350 200 .1652%
228 - 264 .1300 225 .1618%
264 - 300 .1275 250 .1587%
300 - 336 .1250 275 .1560%
336 - 372 .1225 300 .1536%
Over 372 .1200 325 .1514%
350 .1494%
375 .1476%
400 .1459%
</TABLE>
On October 26, 1994, shareholders of the fund approved an increase in the
individual fund fee rate from .15% to .30%. Based on the average net assets
of funds advised by FMR for September 1994, the annual management fee would
have been calculated as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Group Fee Rate Individual Fund Fee Rate Management Fee Rate
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
.1563% + .30% = .4563%
</TABLE>
One twelfth (1/12) of this annual management fee rate is then applied to
the fund's average net assets for the current month, giving a dollar amount
which is the fee for that month.
During the fiscal years ended April 30, 1994, 1993, and 1992, FMR received
$5,579,000, $4,589,000, and $3,447,000, respectively, for its services as
investment adviser to the fund. These fees were equivalent to .31%, .32%,
and .33%, respectively, of the average net assets of the fund for each
year. FMR may, from time to time, voluntarily reimburse all or a portion of
the fund's operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage
commissions and extraordinary expenses). Effective February 1, 1992, FMR
voluntarily agreed to reimburse the fund's management fee at an annual rate
of .07% of the fund's average net assets through December 31, 1992. In
fiscal 1993, reimbursement amounted to $643,000. The fees for fiscal 1994,
1993, and 1992 also reflect FMR's voluntary implementation of the
extensions to the group fee rate schedule. If voluntary implementation had
not been in effect, fees for fiscal 1994, 1993, and 1992 would have been
higher.
To comply with the California Code of Regulations, FMR will reimburse the
fund if, and to the extent that, the fund's aggregate annual operating
expenses exceed specified percentages of its average net assets. The
applicable percentages are 2 1/2% of the first $30 million, 2% of the next
$70 million, and 1 1/2% of average net assets in excess of $100 million.
When calculating the fund's expenses for purposes of this regulation, the
fund may exclude interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, and extraordinary
expenses, as well as a portion of its distribution plan expenses and
custodian fees attributable to investments in foreign securities.
SUB-ADVISERS. FMR has entered into sub-advisory agreements with FMR U.K.
and FMR Far East. Pursuant to the sub-advisory agreements, FMR may receive
investment advice and research services outside the United States from the
sub-advisers. FMR may also grant the sub-advisers investment management
authority as well as the authority to buy and sell securities if FMR
believes it would be beneficial to the fund.
Currently, FMR U.K. and FMR Far East each focus on issuers in countries
other than the United States such as those in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific
Basin.
FMR U.K. and FMR Far East are wholly owned subsidiaries of FMR. Under the
sub-advisory agreements FMR pays the fees of FMR U.K. and FMR Far East. For
providing non-discretionary investment advice and research services, FMR
pays FMR U.K. and FMR Far East fees equal to 110% and 105%, respectively,
of FMR U.K.'s and FMR Far East's costs incurred in connection with
providing investment advice and research services.
For providing discretionary investment management and executing portfolio
transactions, FMR pays FMR U.K. and FMR Far East a fee equal to 50% of its
monthly management fee with respect to the fund's average net assets
managed by the sub-adviser on a discretionary basis.
For the fiscal years ended April 30, 1994, 1993, and 1992, no fees were
paid by FMR to FMR U.K. and FMR Far East on behalf of the fund.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
The fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (the plan) under Rule
12b-1 of the 1940 Act (the Rule). The Rule provides in substance that a
mutual fund may not engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity
that is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund
except pursuant to a plan adopted by the fund under the Rule. The fund's
Board of Trustees has adopted the plan to allow the fund and FMR to incur
certain expenses that might be considered to constitute indirect payment by
the fund of distribution expenses. Under the plan, if the payment of
management fees by the fund to FMR is deemed to be indirect financing by
the fund of the distribution of its shares, such payment is authorized by
the plan.
The plan also specifically recognizes that FMR, either directly or through
FDC, may use its management fee revenue, past profits, or other resources,
without limitation, to pay promotional and administrative expenses in
connection with the offer and sale of shares of the fund. In addition, the
plan provides that FMR may use its resources, including its management fee
revenues, to make payments to third parties that provide assistance in
selling shares of the fund, or to third parties, including banks, that
render shareholder support services. No third party payments were made in
fiscal 1994.
The fund's plan has been approved by the Trustees. As required by the Rule,
the Trustees carefully considered all pertinent factors relating to the
implementation of the plan prior to its approval, and have determined that
there is a reasonable likelihood that the plan will benefit the fund and
its shareholders. In particular, the Trustees noted that the plan does not
authorize payments by the fund other than those made to FMR under its
management contract with the fund. To the extent that the plan gives FMR
and FDC greater flexibility in connection with the distribution of shares
of the fund, additional sales of the fund's shares may result.
Additionally, certain shareholder support services may be provided more
effectively under the plan by local entities with whom shareholders have
other relationships.
The plan was approved by shareholders on November 19, 1986.
The Glass-Steagall Act generally prohibits federally and state chartered or
supervised banks from engaging in the business of underwriting, selling, or
distributing securities. Although the scope of this prohibition under the
Glass-Steagall Act has not been clearly defined by the courts or
appropriate regulatory agencies, FDC believes that the Glass-Steagall Act
should not preclude a bank from performing shareholder support services, or
servicing and recordkeeping functions. FDC intends to engage banks only to
perform such functions. However, changes in federal or state statutes and
regulations pertaining to the permissible activities of banks and their
affiliates or subsidiaries, as well as further judicial or administrative
decisions or interpretations, could prevent a bank from continuing to
perform all or a part of the contemplated services. If a bank were
prohibited from so acting, the Trustees would consider what actions, if
any, would be necessary to continue to provide efficient and effective
shareholder services. In such event, changes in the operation of the fund
might occur, including possible termination of any automatic investment or
redemption or other services then provided by the bank. It is not expected
that shareholders would suffer any adverse financial consequences as a
result of any of these occurrences.
The fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities
issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the plan. No
preference for the instruments of such depository institutions will be
shown in the selection of investments. In addition, state securities laws
on this issue may differ from the interpretations of federal law expressed
herein, and banks and financial institutions may be required to register as
dealers pursuant to state law.
CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES AFFILIATED WITH FMR
FSC is transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholders' servicing agent for
the fund. Under the trust's contract with FSC, the fund pays an annual fee
of $26.03 per basic retail account with a balance of $5,000 or more, $15.31
per basic retail account with a balance of less than $5,000, and a
supplemental activity charge of $2.25 for standing order transactions and
$6.11 for other monetary transactions. These fees and charges are subject
to annual cost escalation based on postal rate changes and changes in wage
and price levels as measured by the National Consumer Price Index for Urban
Areas. With respect to certain institutional client master accounts, the
fund pays FSC a per-account fee of $95, and monetary transaction charges of
$20 or $17.50, depending on the nature of services provided. With respect
to certain broker-dealer master accounts, the fund pays FSC a per-account
fee of $30, and a charge of $6 for monetary transactions. Fees for certain
institutional retirement plan accounts are based on the net assets of all
such accounts in the fund.
Under the contract, FSC pays out-of-pocket expenses associated with
providing transfer agent services. In addition, FSC bears the expense of
typesetting, printing, and mailing prospectuses, statements of additional
information, and all other reports, notices, and statements to
shareholders, with the exception of proxy statements. Transfer agent fees,
including reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, paid to FSC for the
fiscal years ended April 30, 1994, 1993, and 1992 were $4,699,000,
$3,818,000, and $2,824,000, respectively.
The trust's contract with FSC also provides that FSC will perform the
calculations necessary to determine the fund's net asset value per share
and dividends, and maintain the fund's accounting records. The fee
rates for pricing and bookkeeping fees are based on each fund's
average net assets, specifically, .04% for the first $500 million of
average net assets and .02% for average net assets in excess of $500
million. The fee is limited to a minimum of $45,000 and a maximum of
$750,000 per year. Pricing and bookkeeping fees, including related
out-of-pocket expenses, paid to FSC for fiscal 1994, 1993, and 1992 were
$466,000, $415,000, and $308,000, respectively.
The fund has a distribution agreement with FDC, a Massachusetts corporation
organized on July 18, 1960. FDC is a broker-dealer registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. The distribution agreement calls for FDC to use
all reasonable efforts, consistent with its other business, to secure
purchasers for shares of the fund, which are continuously offered at net
asset value. Promotional and administrative expenses in connection with the
offer and sale of shares are paid by FMR.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
TRUST ORGANIZATION. Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund is a fund of Fidelity
Commonwealth Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as
a Massachusetts business trust on November 8, 1974. On April 11, 1975 the
trust's name changed from Fidelity Investors Trust to Fidelity Thrift
Trust. On August 31, 1987, the trust's name was changed to Fidelity
Intermediate Bond Fund, and on February 16, 1990, the trust's name was
changed to Fidelity Commonwealth Trust. Currently, there are three funds of
the trust: Fidelity Intermediate Bond Fund, Fidelity Market Index Fund, and
Fidelity Small Cap Stock Fund. The Declaration of Trust permits the
Trustees to create additional funds.
In the event that FMR ceases to be the investment adviser to the trust or a
fund, the right of the trust or fund to use the identifying name "Fidelity"
may be withdrawn.
The assets of the trust received for the issue or sale of shares of each
fund and all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, subject only
to the rights of creditors, are especially allocated to such fund, and
constitute the underlying assets of such fund. The underlying assets of
each fund are segregated on the books of account, and are to be charged
with the liabilities with respect to such fund and with a share of the
general expenses of the trust. Expenses with respect to the trust are to be
allocated in proportion to the asset value of the respective funds, except
where allocations of direct expense can otherwise be fairly made. The
officers of the trust, subject to the general supervision of the Board of
Trustees, have the power to determine which expenses are allocable to a
given fund, or which are general or allocable to all of the funds. In the
event of the dissolution or liquidation of the trust, shareholders of each
fund are entitled to receive as a class the underlying assets of such fund
available for distribution.
SHAREHOLDER AND TRUSTEE LIABILITY. The trust is an entity of the type
commonly known as a "Massachusetts business trust." Under Massachusetts
law, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for the obligations of the trust. The Declaration of
Trust provides that the trust shall not have any claim against shareholders
except for the payment of the purchase price of shares and requires that
each agreement, obligation, or instrument entered into or executed by the
trust or the Trustees include a provision limiting the obligations created
thereby to the trust and its assets. The Declaration of Trust provides for
indemnification out of each fund's property of any shareholder held
personally liable for the obligations of the fund. The Declaration of Trust
also provides that each fund shall, upon request, assume the defense of any
claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the fund
and satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring
financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to
circumstances in which a fund itself would be unable to meet its
obligations. FMR believes that, in view of the above, the risk of personal
liability to shareholders is remote.
The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trustees, if they have
exercised reasonable care, will not be liable for any neglect or
wrongdoing, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects Trustees
against any liability to which they would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of their office.
VOTING RIGHTS. Each fund's capital consists of shares of beneficial
interest. As a shareholder, you receive one vote for each dollar value of
net asset value you own. The shares have no preemptive or conversion
rights; the voting and dividend rights, the right of redemption, and the
privilege of exchange are described in the Prospectus. Shares are fully
paid and nonassessable, except as set forth under the heading "Shareholder
and Trustee Liability" above. Shareholders representing 10% or more of the
trust or a fund may, as set forth in the Declaration of Trust, call
meetings of the trust or a fund for any purpose related to the trust or
fund, as the case may be, including, in the case of a meeting of the entire
trust, the purpose of voting on removal of one or more Trustees. The trust
or any fund may be terminated upon the sale of its assets to another
open-end management investment company, or upon liquidation and
distribution of its assets, if approved by vote of the holders of a
majority of the trust or the fund, as determined by the current value of
each shareholder's investment in the fund or trust. If not so terminated,
the trust and its funds will continue indefinitely. The trust may invest
all of its assets in another investment company.
CUSTODIAN. The Bank of New York, 110 Washington Street, New York, New York,
is custodian of the assets of the fund. The custodian is responsible for
the safekeeping of the fund's assets and the appointment of subcustodian
banks and clearing agencies. The custodian takes no part in determining
investment policies of the fund or in deciding which securities are
purchased or sold by the fund. The fund may, however, invest in obligations
of the custodian and may purchase securities from or sell securities to the
custodian.
FMR, its officers and directors, its affiliated companies, and the trust's
Trustees, may from time to time have transactions with various banks,
including the banks serving as custodians for certain of the funds advised
by FMR. Transactions that have occurred to date include mortgages and
personal and general business loans. In the judgment of FMR, the terms and
conditions of those transactions were not influenced by existing or
potential custodial or other fund relationships.
AUDITOR. Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. , One Post Office Square, Boston,
Massachusetts serves as the trust's independent accountant. The auditor
examines financial statements for the fund and provides other audit, tax,
and related services.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The fund's financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal
year ended April 30, 1994 are included in the fund's Annual Report supplied
with this Statement of Additional Information. The fund's financial
statements and financial highlights are incorporated herein by reference.
APPENDIX
DOLLAR-WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY is derived by multiplying the value of
each investment by the number of days remaining to its maturity, adding
these calculations, and then dividing the total by the value of the fund's
portfolio. An obligation's maturity is typically determined on a stated
final maturity basis, although there are some exceptions to this rule.
For example, if it is probable that the issuer of an instrument will take
advantage of a maturity-shortening device, such as a call, refunding, or
redemption provision, the date on which the instrument will probably be
called, refunded, or redeemed may be considered to be its maturity date.
Also, the maturities of mortgage-backed securities and some asset-backed
securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations, are determined on
a weighted average life basis, which is the average time for principal to
be repaid. For a mortgage security, this average time is calculated
based on estimates of the dates principal will be paid in advance of its
stated maturity. The weighted average life of these securities is
likely to be substantially shorter than their stated final maturity.
