FEDERATED MASTER TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Statement of Additional Information should be read with the prospectus of
Federated Master Trust (the "Trust") dated January 31, 1998. This Statement is
not a prospectus. You may request a copy of a prospectus or a paper copy of this
Statement, if you have received it electronically, free of charge by calling
1-800-341-7400.
FEDERATED MASTER TRUST
FEDERATED INVESTORS FUNDS
5800 CORPORATE DRIVE
PITTSBURGH, PA 15237-7000
Statement dated January 31, 1998
(Revised February 24, 1998)
Cusip 314214107
8010411B (1/98)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INVESTMENT POLICIES 1
U.S. Government Securities 1
Bank Instruments 1
Ratings 1
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions 1
Repurchase Agreements 1
Credit Enhancement 2
Acceptable Investments 2
Restricted and Illiquid Securities 2
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 2
Selling Short and Buying on Margin 2
Issuing Senior Securities and Borrowing Money 2
Pledging Assets 2
Lending Cash of Securities 3
Investing in Commodities 3
Investing in Real Estate 3
Underwriting 3
Acquiring Securities 3
Concentration of Investments 3
Diversification of Investments 3
Investing in Securities of
Other Investment Companies 3
Investing for Control 3
Investing in Illiquid Securities 3
Investing in Options 3
Regulatory Compliance 4
FEDERATED MASTER TRUST MANAGEMENT 4
Share Ownership 7
Trustee Compensation 8
Trustee Liability 8
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES 8
Investment Adviser 8
Advisory Fees 8
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS 9
OTHER SERVICES 9
Trust Administration 9
Custodian and Portfolio Accountant 9
Transfer Agent 9
Independent Auditors 9
Shareholder Services 9
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE 10
REDEMPTION IN KIND 10
MASSACHUSETTS PARTNERSHIP LAW 10
THE TRUST'S TAX STATUS 10
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 11
Yield 11
Effective Yield 11
Total Return 11
Performance Comparisons 11
Economic and Market Information 11
ABOUT FEDERATED INVESTORS 12
Mutual Fund Market 12
Institutional Clients 12
BankMarketing 12
Broker/Dealers and
Bank Broker/Dealer Subsidiaries 12
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INVESTMENT POLICIES
Unless indicated otherwise, the policies described below may not be changed by
the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be
notified before any material change in these policies becomes effective.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
The types of U.S. government securities in which the Trust may invest
generally include direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury (such as U.S. Treasury
bills, notes, and bonds) and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government
agencies or instrumentalities. These securities are backed by:
o the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury;
o the issuer's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury;
o the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain
obligations of agencies or instrumentalities; or
o the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligations.
BANK INSTRUMENTS
In addition to domestic bank instruments, the Trust may invest in: Eurodollar
Certificates of Deposit issued by foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks;
Eurodollar Time Deposits, which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign
branches of U.S. or foreign banks; Canadian Time Deposits, which are U.S.
dollar-denominated deposits issued by branches of major Canadian banks located
in the United States; and Yankee Certificates of Deposit, which are U.S.
dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign
banks and held in the United States.
RATINGS
An NRSRO's highest rating category is determined without regard for
sub-categories and gradations. For example, securities rated A-1 or A-1+ by
Standard & Poor's ("S&P"), Prime-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's"), or F-1 (+ or -) by Fitch IBCA, Inc. ("Fitch") are all considered
rated in the highest short-term rating category. The Trust will follow
applicable regulations in determining whether a security rated by more than one
NRSRO can be treated as being in the highest short-term rating category;
currently, such securities must be rated by two NRSROs in their highest rating
category. See "Regulatory Compliance."
WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS
These transactions are made to secure what is considered to be an advantageous
price or yield for the Trust. No fees or other expenses, other than normal
transaction costs, are incurred. As a matter of non-fundamental policy, liquid
assets of the Trust in a dollar amount sufficient to make payment for the
securities to be purchased are: segregated on the Trust's records at the trade
date; marked to market daily; and maintained until the transaction is settled.
The Trust does not intend to engage in when-issued and delayed delivery
transactions to an extent that would cause the segregation of more than 20% of
the total value of its assets.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Trust believes that under the regular procedures normally in effect for
custody of the Trust's portfolio securities subject to repurchase agreements, a
court of competent jurisdiction would rule in favor of the Trust and allow
retention or disposition of such securities. The Trust will only enter into
repurchase agreements with banks and other recognized financial institutions,
such as broker/dealers, which are deemed by the Trust's adviser to be
creditworthy pursuant to guidelines established by the Trustees.
The following investment policies of the Trust are non-fundamental and may be
changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval.
CREDIT ENHANCEMENT
As a matter of operating policy, the Trust typically evaluates the credit
quality and ratings of credit-enhanced securities based upon the financial
condition and ratings of the party providing the credit enhancement (the "credit
enhancer"), rather than the issuer. Generally, the Trust will not treat
credit-enhanced securities as being issued by the credit enhancer for
diversification purposes. However, under certain circumstances, applicable
regulations may require the Trust to treat securities as having been issued by
both the issuer and the credit enhancer.
ACCEPTABLE INVESTMENTS
When determining whether a security presents minimal credit risks, the
investment adviser will consider the creditworthiness of: the issuer of the
security; the issuer of any demand feature applicable to the security; or any
guarantor of either the security or any demand feature.
RESTRICTED AND ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Trust may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption
from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933.
Section 4(2) commercial paper is restricted as to disposition under federal
securities law, and is generally sold to institutional investors, such as the
Trust, who agree that they are purchasing the paper for investment purposes and
not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in
an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) commercial paper is normally resold to other
institutional investors, like the Trust, through or with the assistance of the
issuer or investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) commercial paper,
thus providing liquidity. The Trust believes that Section 4(2) commercial paper
and possibly certain other restricted securities which meet the criteria for
liquidity established by the Trustees of the Trust are quite liquid. The Trust
intends, therefore, to treat the restricted securities which meet the criteria
for liquidity established by the Trustees, including Section 4(2) commercial
paper, as determined by the Trust's investment adviser, as liquid and not
subject to the investment limitation applicable to illiquid securities. These
investment policies of the Trust are non-fundamental and may be changed by the
Trustees without shareholder approval.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
SELLING SHORT AND BUYING ON MARGIN
The Trust will not sell any securities short or purchase any securities on
margin, but it may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for
clearance of purchase and sales of securities. The Trust may purchase and
dispose of U.S. Government securities before the issuance thereof. The Trust may
also purchase U.S. Government securities on a delayed delivery basis. The
settlement dates of these transactions shall be determined by the mutual
agreement of the parties.
ISSUING SENIOR SECURITIES AND BORROWING MONEY
The Trust will not issue senior securities except that the Trust may borrow
money in amounts up to one-third of the value of its total assets, including the
amounts borrowed.
The Trust will not borrow money, except as a temporary measure for extraordinary
or emergency purposes, and then (a) only in amounts not in excess of 5% of the
value of its total assets or (b) in an amount up to one-third of the value of
its total assets, including the amount borrowed, in order to meet redemption
requests without immediately selling any portfolio securities (any such
borrowings under this section will not be collateralized).
PLEDGING ASSETS
The Trust will not pledge securities.
LENDING CASH OR SECURITIES
The Trust will not make loans to other persons; provided, however, that the
purchase or holding of money market instruments, to include repurchase
agreements and variable amount demand master notes, in accordance with the
Trust's investment objective and policies, shall not constitute the making of a
loan.
INVESTING IN COMMODITIES
The Trust will not invest in commodities or commodity contracts.
INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE
The Trust will not invest in real estate, except that the Trust may purchase
money market instruments issued by companies which invest in real estate or
interests therein.
UNDERWRITING
The Trust will not engage in underwriting of securities issued by others.
ACQUIRING SECURITIES
The Trust will not acquire voting securities except as part of a merger,
consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets.
CONCENTRATION OF INVESTMENTS
The Trust will generally invest in excess of 25% of the value of its assets in
commercial paper issued by finance companies. Whenever deemed appropriate to its
investment objective, the Trust may invest in other particular industries, which
would result in up to 25% of its net assets taken at market value being invested
in such industry. Investing in bank time and demand deposits, such as
certificates of deposit, U.S. Treasury Bills, or securities issued or guaranteed
by the U.S. Government, its agencies, or instrumentalities, or instruments
secured by these money market instruments, such as repurchase agreements for
government securities, shall not be considered investments in any one industry.
DIVERSIFICATION OF INVESTMENTS
The Trust will not invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any
one issuer (except cash or cash items, repurchase agreements and securities
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or
instrumentalities).
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Trust will not invest in securities issued by any other investment company.
INVESTING FOR CONTROL
The Trust will not invest in securities of a company for the purpose of
exercising control or management.
The above limitations cannot be changed without shareholder approval. The
following investment limitations, however, may be changed by the Trustees
without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified before any material
change in these limitations becomes effective.
INVESTING IN ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Trust will not invest more than 10% of the value of its net assets in
illiquid securities including certain restricted securities not determined to be
liquid under criteria established by the Trustees, non-negotiable time deposits,
and repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice.
INVESTING IN OPTIONS
The Trust will not invest in puts, calls, straddles, spreads, or any combination
of them.
For purposes of the above limitations, the Trust considers certificates of
deposit and demand and time deposits issued by a U.S. branch of a domestic bank
or savings association having capital, surplus, and undivided profits in excess
of $100,000,000 at the time of investment to be "cash items." Except with
respect to borrowing money, if a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time
of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any
change in value or net assets will not result in a violation of such limitation.
The Trust did not borrow money or pledge securities in excess of 5% of the value
of its net assets during the last fiscal year and has no present intent to do so
during the coming fiscal year.
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
The Trust may follow non-fundamental operational policies that are more
restrictive than its fundamental investment limitations, as set forth in the
prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information, in order to comply with
applicable laws and regulations, including the provisions of and regulations
under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In particular, the Trust will comply
with the various requirements of Rule 2a-7, which regulates money market mutual
funds. The Trust will also determine the effective maturity of its investments,
as well as its ability to consider a security as having received the requisite
short-term ratings by NRSROs, according to Rule 2a-7. The Trust may change these
operational policies to reflect changes in the laws and regulations without the
approval of its shareholders.
FEDERATED MASTER TRUST MANAGEMENT
Officers and Trustees are listed with their addresses, birthdates, present
positions with Federated Master Trust, and principal occupations.
John F. Donahue@*
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: July 28, 1924
Chairman and Trustee
Chairman and Trustee, Federated Investors, Federated Advisers, Federated
Management, and Federated Research; Chairman and Director, Federated Research
Corp. and Federated Global Research Corp.; Chairman, Passport Research, Ltd.;
Chief Executive Officer and Director or Trustee of the Funds. Mr. Donahue is the
father of J. Christopher Donahue, Executive Vice President of the Company.
Thomas G. Bigley
15 Old Timber Trail
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: February 3, 1934
Trustee
Chairman of the Board, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; formerly, Senior
Partner, Ernst & Young LLP; Director, MED 3000 Group, Inc.; Director, Member of
Executive Committee, University of Pittsburgh; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
<PAGE>
John T. Conroy, Jr.
Wood/IPC Commercial Department
John R. Wood and Associates, Inc., Realtors
3255 Tamiami Trail North
Naples, FL
Birthdate: June 23, 1937
Trustee
President, Investment Properties Corporation; Senior Vice-President, John
R. Wood and Associates, Inc., Realtors; Partner or Trustee in private real
estate ventures in Southwest Florida; formerly, President, Naples Property
Management, Inc. and Northgate Village Development Corporation; Director or
Trustee of the Funds.
William J. Copeland
One PNC Plaza--23rd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: July 4, 1918
Trustee
Director and Member of the Executive Committee, Michael Baker, Inc.; formerly,
Vice Chairman and Director, PNC Bank, N.A., and PNC Bank Corp.; Director, Ryan
Homes, Inc.; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
James E. Dowd
571 Hayward Mill Road
Concord, MA
Birthdate: May 18, 1922
Trustee
Attorney-at-law; Director, The Emerging Germany Fund, Inc.; Director or
Trustee of the Funds.
Lawrence D. Ellis, M.D.*
3471 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1111
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: October 11, 1932
Trustee
Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh; Medical Director, University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center--Downtown; Member, Board of Directors, University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center; formerly, Hematologist, Oncologist, and Internist,
Presbyterian and Montefiore Hospitals; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
Edward L. Flaherty, Jr.@
Miller, Ament, Henny & Kochuba
205 Ross Street
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: June 18, 1924
Trustee
Attorney of Counsel, Miller, Ament, Henny & Kochuba; Director, Eat'N Park
Restaurants, Inc.; formerly, Counsel, Horizon Financial, F.A., Western Region;
Director or Trustee of the Funds.
<PAGE>
Peter E. Madden
One Royal Palm Way
100 Royal Palm Way
Palm Beach, FL
Birthdate: March 16, 1942
Trustee
Consultant; Former State Representative, Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
formerly, President, State Street Bank and Trust Company and State Street Boston
Corporation; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
John E. Murray, Jr., J.D., S.J.D.
President, Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: December 20, 1932
Trustee
President, Law Professor, Duquesne University; Consulting Partner, Mollica &
Murray; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
Wesley W. Posvar
1202 Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: September 14, 1925
Trustee
Professor, International Politics; Management Consultant; Trustee, Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, RAND Corporation, Online Computer Library
Center, Inc., National Defense University and U.S. Space Foundation; President
Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh; Founding Chairman, National Advisory Council
for Environmental Policy and Technology, Federal Emergency Management Advisory
Board and Czech Management Center, Prague; Director or Trustee of the Funds.
Marjorie P. Smuts
4905 Bayard Street
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: June 21, 1935
Trustee
Public Relations/Marketing/Conference Planning; Director or Trustee of the
Funds.
Glen R. Johnson
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: May 2, 1929
President
Trustee, Federated Investors; President and/or Trustee of some of the Funds;
staff member, Federated Securities Corp.
<PAGE>
J. Christopher Donahue
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: April 11, 1949
Executive Vice President
President and Trustee, Federated Investors, Federated Advisers, Federated
Management, and Federated Research; President and Director, Federated Research
Corp. and Federated Global Research Corp.; President, Passport Research, Ltd.;
Trustee, Federated Shareholder Services Company, and Federated Shareholder
Services; Director, Federated Services Company; President or Executive Vice
President of the Funds; Director or Trustee of some of the Funds. Mr. Donahue is
the son of John F. Donahue, Chairman and Trustee of the Company.
Edward C. Gonzales
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: October 22, 1930
Executive Vice President
Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Trustee, Federated Investors; Vice President,
Federated Advisers, Federated Management, Federated Research, Federated Research
Corp., Federated Global Research Corp. and Passport Research, Ltd.; Executive
Vice President and Director, Federated Securities Corp.; Trustee, Federated
Shareholder Services Company; Trustee or Director of some of the Funds;
President, Executive Vice President, and Treasurer of some of the Funds.
John W. McGonigle
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: October 26, 1938
Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
Executive Vice President, Secretary, and Trustee, Federated Investors; Trustee,
Federated Advisers, Federated Management, and Federated Research; Director,
Federated Research Corp. and Federated Global Research Corp.; Trustee, Federated
Shareholder Services Company; Director, Federated Services Company; President
and Trustee, Federated Shareholder Services; Director, Federated Securities
Corp.; Executive Vice President and Secretary of the Funds; Treasurer of some of
the Funds.
Richard B. Fisher
Federated Investors Tower
Pittsburgh, PA
Birthdate: May 17, 1923
Vice President
Executive Vice President and Trustee, Federated Investors; Chairman and
Director, Federated Securities Corp.; President or Vice President of some of the
Funds; Director or Trustee of some of the Funds.
* This Trustee is deemed to be an "interested person" as defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
@ Member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of the Board of
Trustees handles the responsibilities of the Board between meetings of the
Board.
As referred to in the list of Trustees and Officers, "Funds" includes the
following investment companies:
111 Corcoran Funds; Automated Government Money Trust; Blanchard Funds; Blanchard
Precious Metals Fund, Inc.; Cash Trust Series II; Cash Trust Series, Inc.; DG
Investor Series; Edward D. Jones & Co. Daily Passport Cash Trust; Federated
Adjustable Rate U.S. Government Fund, Inc.; Federated American Leaders Fund,
Inc.; Federated ARMs Fund; Federated Equity Funds; Federated Equity Income Fund,
Inc.; Federated Fund for U.S. Government Securities, Inc.; Federated GNMA Trust;
Federated Government Income Securities, Inc.; Federated Government Trust;
Federated High Income Bond Fund, Inc.; Federated High Yield Trust; Federated
Income Securities Trust; Federated Income Trust; Federated Index Trust;
Federated Institutional Trust; Federated Insurance Series; Federated Investment
Portfolios; Federated Investment Trust; Federated Master Trust; Federated
Municipal Opportunities Fund, Inc.; Federated Municipal Securities Fund, Inc.;
Federated Municipal Trust; Federated Short-Term Municipal Trust; Federated
Short-Term U.S. Government Trust; Federated Stock and Bond Fund, Inc.; Federated
Stock Trust; Federated Tax-Free Trust; Federated Total Return Series, Inc.;
Federated U.S. Government Bond Fund; Federated U.S. Government Securities Fund:
1-3 Years; Federated U.S. Government Securities Fund: 2-5 Years; Federated U.S.
Government Securities Fund: 5-10 Years; Federated Utility Fund, Inc.; First
Priority Funds; Fixed Income Securities, Inc.; High Yield Cash Trust;
Intermediate Municipal Trust; International Series, Inc.; Investment Series
Funds, Inc.; Investment Series Trust; Liberty Term Trust, Inc.--1999; Liberty
U.S. Government Money Market Trust; Liquid Cash Trust; Managed Series Trust;
Money Market Management, Inc.; Money Market Obligations Trust; Money Market
Obligations Trust II; Money Market Trust; Municipal Securities Income Trust;
Newpoint Funds; RIMCO Monument Funds; Targeted Duration Trust; Tax-Free
Instruments Trust; The Planters Funds; The Virtus Funds; Trust for Financial
Institutions; Trust for Government Cash Reserves; Trust for Short-Term U.S.
Government Securities; Trust for U.S. Treasury Obligations; Wesmark Funds; WCT
Funds; and World Investment Series, Inc.
SHARE OWNERSHIP
Officers and Trustees as a group own less than 1% of the Trust.
As of January 7, 1998, the following shareholders of record owned 5% or more of
the outstanding shares of the Trust: Saxon & Co., PNC Bank, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, owned approximately 62,353,784 shares (13.34%) and Norwest Bank
Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota, owned approximately 27,818,936 shares
(5.95%).
TRUSTEE COMPENSATION
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AGGREGATE
NAME, COMPENSATION
POSITION WITH FROM TOTAL COMPENSATION PAID
TRUST TRUST* FROM FUND COMPLEX
<S> <C> <C>
John F. Donahue $0 $0 for the Trust and
Chairman and Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Thomas G. Bigley $1,490.00 $111,222 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
John T. Conroy, Jr. $1,639.00 $122,362 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
William J. Copeland $1,639.00 $122,362 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
James E. Dowd $1,639.00 $122,362 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Lawrence D. Ellis, M.D. $1,490.00 $111,222 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Edward L. Flaherty, Jr. $1,639.00 $122,362 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Peter E. Madden $1,490.00 $111,222 for Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
John E. Murray, Jr. $1,490.00 $111,222 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Wesley W. Posvar $1,490.00 $111,222 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
Marjorie P. Smuts $1,490.00 $111,222 for the Trust and
Trustee 56 other investment companies in the Fund Complex
</TABLE>
* Information is furnished for the fiscal year ended November 30, 1997.
The information is provided for the last calendar year.
TRUSTEE LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees will not be liable for
errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. However, they are not protected
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.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
INVESTMENT ADVISER
The Trust's investment adviser is Federated Research. It is a subsidiary of
Federated Investors. All the voting securities of Federated Investors are owned
by a trust, the trustees of which are John F. Donahue, his wife, and his son, J.
Christopher Donahue.
The adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for any losses
that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any security or for
anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties
imposed upon it by its contract with the Trust.
ADVISORY FEES
For its advisory services, Federated Research receives an annual investment
advisory fee as described in the prospectus. For the fiscal years ended November
30, 1997, 1996, and 1995, the adviser earned $2,332,976, $2,804,812, and
$3,287,528, respectively, of which $715,043, $876,351, and $1,005,315,
respectively, were waived.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
When selecting brokers and dealers to handle the purchase and sale of portfolio
instruments, the adviser looks for prompt execution of the order at a favorable
price. In working with dealers, the adviser will generally use those who are
recognized dealers in specific portfolio instruments, except when a better price
and execution of the order can be obtained elsewhere. The adviser makes
decisions on portfolio transactions and selects brokers and dealers subject to
guidelines established by the Trustees. The adviser may select brokers and
dealers who offer brokerage and research services. These services may be
furnished directly to the Trust or to the adviser and may include: advice as to
the advisability of investing in securities; security analysis and reports;
economic studies; industry studies; receipt of quotations for portfolio
evaluations; and similar services. Research services provided by brokers and
dealers may be used by the adviser or its affiliates in advising the Trust and
other accounts. To the extent that receipt of these services may supplant
services for which the adviser or its affiliates might otherwise have paid, it
would tend to reduce their expenses. The adviser and its affiliates exercise
reasonable business judgment in selecting brokers who offer brokerage and
research services to execute securities transactions. They determine in good
faith that commissions charged by such persons are reasonable in relationship to
the value of the brokerage and research services provided. During the last
fiscal year ended November 1997, the Trust paid no brokerage commissions.
Although investment decisions for the Trust are made independently from those of
the other accounts managed by the adviser, investments of the type the Trust may
make may also be made by those other accounts. When the Trust and one or more
other accounts managed by the adviser are prepared to invest in, or desire to
dispose of, the same security, available investments or opportunities for sales
will be allocated in a manner believed by the adviser to be equitable to each.
In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by
the Trust or the size of the position obtained or disposed of by the Trust. In
other cases, however, it is believed that coordination and the ability to
participate in volume transactions will be to the benefit of the Trust.
OTHER SERVICES
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
Federated Services Company, a subsidiary of Federated Investors, provides
administrative personnel and services to the Trust for a fee as described in the
prospectus. From March 1, 1994 to March 1, 1996, Federated Administrative
Services, a subsidiary of Federated Investors, served as the Trust's
Administrator. For purposes of this Statement of Additional Information,
Federated Services Company and Federated Administrative Services may hereinafter
collectively be referred to as the "Administrators." For the fiscal years ended
November 30, 1997, 1996, and 1995, the Administrators earned $440,349, $530,087,
and $622,165, respectively.
CUSTODIAN AND PORTFOLIO ACCOUNTANT
State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, MA, is custodian for the securities
and cash of the Trust. Federated Services Company, Pittsburgh, PA, provides
certain accounting and recordkeeping services with respect to the Trust's
portfolio investments. The fee paid for this service is based upon the level of
the Trust's average net assets for the period plus out-of-pocket expenses.
TRANSFER AGENT
Federated Services Company, through its registered transfer agent, Federated
Shareholder Services Company, maintains all necessary shareholder records. For
its services, the transfer agent receives a fee based on the number of
shareholder accounts.
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The independent auditors for the Trust are Deloitte & Touche LLP, Pittsburgh,
PA.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
This arrangement permits the payment of fees to Federated Shareholder Services
to cause services to be provided which are necessary for the maintenance of
shareholder accounts and to encourage personal services to shareholders by a
representative who has knowledge of the shareholder's particular circumstances
and goals. These activities and services may include but are not limited to
providing office space, equipment, telephone facilities, and various clerical,
supervisory, computer, and other personnel as necessary or beneficial to
establish and maintain shareholder accounts and records; processing purchase and
redemption transactions and automatic investments of client account cash
balances; answering routine client inquiries; and assisting clients in changing
dividend options, account designations, and addresses.
By adopting the Shareholder Services Agreement, the Trustees expect that the
Trust will benefit by: (1) providing personal services to shareholders; (2)
investing shareholder assets with a minimum of delay and administrative detail;
(3) enhancing shareholder recordkeeping systems; and (4) responding promptly to
shareholders' requests and inquiries concerning their accounts.
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 1997, the Trust earned shareholder
service fees in the amount of $1,458,110, of which $291,622 was paid to
financial institutions.
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE
The Trustees have decided that the best method for determining the value of
portfolio instruments is amortized cost. Under this method, portfolio
instruments are valued at the acquisition cost as adjusted for amortization of
premium or accumulation of discount rather than at current market value.
Accordingly, neither the amount of daily income nor the net asset value is
affected by any unrealized appreciation or depreciation of the portfolio. In
periods of declining interest rates, the indicated daily yield on shares of the
Trust computed by dividing the annualized daily income on the Trust's portfolio
by the net asset value computed as above may tend to be higher than a similar
computation made by using a method of valuation based upon market prices and
estimates. In periods of rising interest rates, the opposite may be true.
The Trust's use of the amortized cost method of valuing portfolio instruments
depends on its compliance with certain conditions in Rule 2a-7 (the "Rule")
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment
Company Act of 1940. Under the Rule, the Trustees must establish procedures
reasonably designed to stabilize the net asset value per share, as computed for
purposes of distribution and redemption, at $1.00 per share, taking into account
current market conditions and the Trust's investment objective. The procedures
include monitoring the relationship between the amortized cost value per share
and the net asset value per share based upon available indications of market
value. The Trustees will decide what, if any, steps should be taken if there is
a difference of more than 0.5 of 1% between the two values. The Trustees will
take any steps they consider appropriate (such as redemption in kind or
shortening the average portfolio maturity) to minimize any material dilution or
other unfair results arising from differences between the two methods of
determining net asset value.
REDEMPTION IN KIND
The Trust is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash up to $250,000 or 1% of
the Trust's net asset value, whichever is less, for any one shareholder within a
90-day period. Any redemption beyond this amount will also be in cash unless the
Trustees determine that further payments should be in kind. In such cases, the
Trust will pay all or a portion of the remainder of the redemption in portfolio
instruments valued in the same way as the Trust determines net asset value. The
portfolio instruments will be selected in a manner that the Trustees deem fair
and equitable. Redemption in kind is not as liquid as a cash redemption. If
redemption is made in kind, shareholders who sell these securities could receive
less than the redemption value and could incur certain transaction costs.
MASSACHUSETTS PARTNERSHIP LAW
Under certain circumstances, shareholders may be held personally liable as
partners under Massachusetts law for obligations of the Trust. To protect its
shareholders, the Trust has filed legal documents with Massachusetts that
expressly disclaim the liability of its shareholders for acts or obligations of
the Trust. These documents require notice of this disclaimer to be given in each
agreement, obligation, or instrument the Trust or its Trustees enter into or
sign.
In the unlikely event a shareholder is held personally liable for the Trust's
obligations, the Trust is required by the Declaration of Trust to use its
property to protect or compensate the shareholder. On request, the Trust will
defend any claim made and pay any judgment against a shareholder for any act or
obligation of the Trust. Therefore, financial loss resulting from liability as a
shareholder will occur only if the Trust itself cannot meet its obligations to
indemnify shareholders and pay judgments against them.
THE TRUST'S TAX STATUS
To qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment
companies, the Trust must, among other requirements: derive at least 90% of its
gross income from dividends, interest, and gains from the sale of securities;
invest in securities within certain statutory limits; and distribute to its
shareholders at least 90% of its net income earned during the year.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance depends upon such variables as: portfolio quality; average portfolio
maturity; type of instruments in which the portfolio is invested; changes in
interest rates; changes in expenses; and the relative amount of cash flow. To
the extent that financial institutions and broker/dealers charge fees in
connection with services provided in conjunction with an investment in shares of
the Trust, the performance will be reduced for those shareholders paying those
fees.
YIELD
The yield is calculated based upon the seven days ending on the day of the
calculation, called the "base period." This yield is computed by: determining
the net change in the value of a hypothetical account with a balance of one
share at the beginning of the base period, with the net change excluding capital
changes but including the value of any additional shares purchased with
dividends earned from the original one share and all dividends declared on the
original and any purchased shares; dividing the net change in the account's
value by the value of the account at the beginning of the base period to
determine the base-period return; and multiplying the base-period return by
365/7.
The Trust's yield for the seven-day period ended November 30, 1997, was 5.31%.
EFFECTIVE YIELD
The effective yield is calculated by compounding the unannualized base period
return by: adding 1 to the base-period return; raising the sum to the 365/7th
power; and subtracting 1 from the result. The Trust's effective yield for the
seven-day period ended November 30, 1997, was 5.45%.
TOTAL RETURN
Average annual total return is the average compounded rate of return for a given
period that would equate a $1,000 initial investment to the ending redeemable
value of that investment. The ending redeemable value is computed by multiplying
the number of shares owned at the end of the period by the net asset value per
share at the end of the period. The number of shares owned at the end of the
period is based on the number of shares purchased at the beginning of the period
with $1,000, adjusted over the period by any additional shares, assuming the
monthly reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.
The Trust's average annual total returns for the one-year, five-year, and
ten-year periods ended November 30, 1997, were 5.27%, 4.57% and 5.74%,
respectively.
PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS
Investors may use financial publications and/or indices to obtain a more
complete view of the Trust's performance. When comparing performance, investors
should consider all relevant factors such as the composition of any index used,
prevailing market conditions, portfolio compositions of other funds, and methods
used to value portfolio securities and compute offering price. The financial
publications and/or indices which the Trust uses in advertising may include:
o LIPPER ANALYTICAL SERVICES, INC., ranks funds in various fund categories
based on total return, which assumes the reinvestment of all income
dividends and capital gains distributions, if any.
o IBC/DONOGHUE'S MONEY FUND REPORT publishes annualized yields of money market
funds weekly. Donoghue's Money Market Insight publication reports monthly
and 12-month-to-date investment results for the same money funds.
o MONEY, a monthly magazine, regularly ranks money market funds in various
categories based on the latest available seven-day effective yield.
Advertising and other promotional literature may include charts, graphs, and
other illustrations using the Trust's returns, or returns in general, that
demonstrate basic investment concepts such as tax-deferred compounding,
dollar-cost averaging, and systematic investment. In addition, the Trust can
compare its performance, or performance for the types of securities in which it
invests, to a variety of other investments, such as bank savings accounts,
certificates of deposit, and Treasury bills.
ECONOMIC AND MARKET INFORMATION
Advertising and sales literature for the Trust may include discussions of
economic, financial, and political developments and their effect on the
securities market. Such discussions may take the form of commentary on these
developments by portfolio managers and their views and analysis on how such
developments could affect the funds. In addition, advertising and sales
literature may quote statistics and give general information about the mutual
fund industry, including the growth of the industry, from sources such as the
Investment Company Institute.
ABOUT FEDERATED INVESTORS
Federated Investors is dedicated to meeting investor needs, which is reflected
in its investment decision making--structured, straightforward, and consistent.
This has resulted in a history of competitive performance with a range of
competitive investment products that have gained the confidence of thousands of
clients and their customers.
The company's disciplined security selection process is firmly rooted in sound
methodologies backed by fundamental and technical research. Investment decisions
are made and executed by teams of portfolio managers, analysts, and traders
dedicated to specific market sectors. These traders handle trillions of dollars
in annual trading volume.
In the money market sector, Federated Investors gained prominence in the mutual
fund industry in 1974 with the creation of the first institutional money market
fund. Simultaneously, the company pioneered the use of the amortized cost method
of accounting for valuing shares of money market funds, a principal means used
by money managers today to value money market fund shares. Other innovations
include the first institutional tax-free money market fund. As of December 31,
1997, Federated Investors managed more than $63.1 billion in assets across 51
money market funds, including 17 government, 12 prime, and 22 municipal with
assets approximating $29.7 billion, $22.5 billion, and $10.9 billion,
respectively.
J. Thomas Madden, Executive Vice President, oversees Federated Investors' equity
and high-yield corporate bond management while William D. Dawson, Executive Vice
President, oversees Federated Investors' domestic fixed-income management. Henry
A. Frantzen, Executive Vice President, oversees the management of Federated
Investors' international and global portfolios.
MUTUAL FUND MARKET
Thirty-seven percent of American households are pursuing their financial goals
through mutual funds. These investors, as well as businesses and institutions,
have entrusted over $4.4 trillion to the more than 6,700 funds available.*
Federated Investors, through its subsidiaries, distributes mutual funds for a
variety of investment applications. Specific markets include:
INSTITUTIONAL CLIENTS
Federated Investors meets the needs of more than 4,000 institutional clients
nationwide by managing and servicing separate accounts and mutual funds for a
variety of applications, including defined benefit and defined contribution
programs, cash management, and asset/liability management. Institutional clients
include corporations, pension funds, tax-exempt entities,
foundations/endowments, insurance companies, and investment and financial
advisors. The marketing effort to these institutional clients is headed by John
B. Fisher, President, Institutional Sales Division.
BANK MARKETING
Other institutional clients include close relationships with more than 1,600
banks and trust organizations. Virtually all of the trust divisions of the top
100 bank holding companies use Federated funds in their clients' portfolios. The
marketing effort to trust clients is headed by Timothy C.
Pillion, Senior Vice President, Bank Marketing & Sales.
BROKER/DEALERS AND BANK BROKER/DEALER SUBSIDIARIES
Federated funds are available to consumers through major brokerage firms
nationwide--we have over 2,200 broker/dealer and bank broker/dealer
relationships across the country--supported by more wholesalers than any other
mutual fund distributor. Federated's service to financial professionals and
institutions has earned it high ratings in several surveys performed by DALBAR,
Inc. DALBAR is recognized as the industry benchmark for service quality
measurement. The marketing effort to these firms is headed by James F. Getz,
President, Federated Securities Corp.
* Source: Investment Company Institute
