SPARTAN(Registered trademark) NEW JERSEY MUNICIPAL HIGH YIELD PORTFOLIO
A FUND OF FIDELITY COURT STREET TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
JANUARY 16, 1995
This Statement is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with
the fund's current Prospectus (dated January 16, 1995). 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 November 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
Special Factors Affecting New Jersey
Special Factors Affecting Puerto Rico
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
Interest of FMR Affiliates
Description of the Trust
Financial Statements
Appendix
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMR)
DISTRIBUTOR
Fidelity Distributors Corporation (FDC)
TRANSFER AGENT
United Missouri Bank, N.A. (United Missouri) and Fidelity Service Co. (FSC)
NJT-ptb-195
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) issue senior securities, except as permitted under the Investment
Company Act of 1940;
(2) 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;
(3) underwrite securities issued by others (except to the extent that the
fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933 in the disposition of restricted securities);
(4) purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or
instrumentalities, or tax-exempt obligations issued or guaranteed by a U.S.
territory or possession or a state or local government, or a political
subdivision of any of the foregoing) if, as a result, more than 25% of the
fund's total assets would be invested in securities of companies whose
principal business activities are in the same industry;
(5) 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);
(6) 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); or
(7) 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 limit
does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase
agreements).
(8) 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) To meet federal tax requirements for qualification as a "regulated
investment company," the fund limits its investments so that at the close
of each quarter of its taxable year: (a) with regard to at least 50% of
total assets, no more than 5% of total assets are invested in the
securities of a single issuer, and (b) no more than 25% of total assets are
invested in the securities of a single issuer. Limitations (a) and (b) do
not apply to "government securities" as defined for federal tax purposes.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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.
(iv) 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 (2)). 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.
(v) 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.
(vi) The fund does not currently intend to invest more than 25% of its
total assets in industrial revenue bonds related to a single industry.
(vii) The fund does not currently intend to engage in repurchase agreements
or make loans, but this limitation does not apply to purchases of debt
securities.
(viii) 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.
(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 purposes of limitations (4) and (i), FMR identifies the issuer of a
security depending on its terms and conditions. In identifying the issuer,
FMR will consider the entity or entities responsible for payment of
interest and repayment of principal and the source of such payments; the
way in which assets and revenues of an issuing political subdivision are
separated from those of other political entities; and whether a
governmental body is guaranteeing the security.
For the fund's limitations on futures and options transactions, see the
section entitled "Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions" 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, the Board of Trustees has established and
periodically reviews procedures applicable to transactions involving
affiliated financial institutions.
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.
REFUNDING CONTRACTS. The fund may purchase securities on a when-issued
basis in connection with the refinancing of an issuer's outstanding
indebtedness. Refunding contracts require the issuer to sell and the fund
to buy refunded municipal obligations at a stated price and yield on a
settlement date that may be several months or several years in the future.
The fund generally will not be obligated to pay the full purchase price if
it fails to perform under a refunding contract. Instead, refunding
contracts generally provide for payment of liquidated damages to the issuer
(currently 15-20% of the purchase price). The fund may secure its
obligations under a refunding contract by depositing collateral or a letter
of credit equal to the liquidated damages provisions of the refunding
contract. When required by SEC guidelines, the fund will place liquid
assets in a segregated custodial account equal in amount to its obligations
under refunding contracts.
INVERSE FLOATERS are instruments whose interest rates bear an inverse
relationship to the interest rate on another security or the value of an
index. Changes in the interest rate on the other security or index
inversely affect the residual interest rate paid on the inverse floater,
with the result that the inverse floater's price will be considerably more
volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond. For example, a municipal issuer
may decide to issue two variable-rate instruments instead of a single
long-term, fixed-rate bond. The interest rate on one instrument reflects
short-term interest rates, while the interest rate on the other instrument
(the inverse floater) reflects the approximate rate the issuer would have
paid on a fixed-rate bond, multiplied by two, minus the interest paid on
the short-term instrument. Depending on market availability, the two
portions may be recombined to form a fixed-rate municipal bond. The market
for inverse floaters is relatively new.
VARIABLE OR FLOATING RATE OBLIGATIONS, including certain participation
interests in municipal instruments, have interest rate adjustment formulas
that help stabilize their market values. Many variable and floating rate
instruments also carry demand features that permit the fund to sell them at
par value plus accrued interest on short notice.
In many instances bonds and participation interests have tender options or
demand features that permit the fund to tender (or put) the bonds to an
institution at periodic intervals and to receive the principal amount
thereof. The fund considers variable rate instruments structured in this
way (Participating VRDOs) to be essentially equivalent to other VRDOs it
purchases. The IRS has not ruled whether the interest on Participating
VRDOs is tax-exempt and, accordingly, the fund intends to purchase these
instruments based on the opinions of bond counsel. The fund may also invest
in fixed-rate bonds that are subject to third party puts and in
participation interests in such bonds held by a bank in trust or otherwise.
TENDER OPTION BONDS are created by coupling an intermediate- or long-term,
fixed-rate, tax-exempt bond (generally held pursuant to a custodial
arrangement) with a tender agreement that gives the holder the option to
tender the bond at its face value. As consideration for providing the
tender option, the sponsor (usually a bank, broker-dealer, or other
financial institution) receives periodic fees equal to the difference
between the bond's fixed coupon rate and the rate (determined by a
remarketing or similar agent) that would cause the bond, coupled with the
tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. After
payment of the tender option fee, the fund effectively holds a demand
obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax-exempt
rate. In selecting tender option bonds for the fund, FMR will consider the
creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying bond, the custodian, and
the third party provider of the tender option. In certain instances, a
sponsor may terminate a tender option if, for example, the issuer of the
underlying bond defaults on interest payments.
ZERO COUPON BONDS do not make regular 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.
STANDBY COMMITMENTS are puts that entitle holders to same-day settlement at
an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security
plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The fund may
acquire standby commitments to enhance the liquidity of portfolio
securities.
Ordinarily the fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third
party, although it could sell the underlying municipal security to a third
party at any time. The fund may purchase standby commitments separate from
or in conjunction with the purchase of securities subject to such
commitments. In the latter case, the fund would pay a higher price for the
securities acquired, thus reducing their yield to maturity.
Issuers or financial intermediaries may obtain letters of credit or other
guarantees to support their ability to buy securities on demand. FMR may
rely upon its evaluation of a bank's credit in determining whether to
support an instrument supported by a letter of credit. In evaluating a
foreign bank's credit, FMR will consider whether adequate public
information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject
to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls, or
other governmental restrictions that might affect the bank's ability to
honor its credit commitment.
Standby commitments are subject to certain risks, including the ability of
issuers of standby commitments to pay for securities at the time the
commitments are exercised; the fact that standby commitments are not
marketable by the fund; and the possibility that the maturities of the
underlying securities may be different from those of the commitments.
MUNICIPAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS. The fund may invest a portion of its assets in
municipal leases and participation interests therein. These obligations,
which may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase, or a
conditional sale contract, are issued by state and local governments and
authorities to acquire land and a wide variety of equipment and facilities.
Generally, the fund will not hold such obligations directly as a lessor of
the property, but will purchase a participation interest in a municipal
obligation from a bank or other third party. A participation interest gives
the fund a specified, undivided interest in the obligation in proportion to
its purchased interest in the total amount of the obligation.
Municipal leases frequently have risks distinct from those associated with
general obligation or revenue bonds. State constitutions and statutes set
forth requirements that states or municipalities must meet to incur debt.
These may include voter referenda, interest rate limits, or public sale
requirements. Leases, installment purchases, or conditional sale contracts
(which normally provide for title to the leased asset to pass to the
governmental issuer) have evolved as a means for governmental issuers to
acquire property and equipment without meeting their constitutional and
statutory requirements for the issuance of debt. Many leases and contracts
include "non-appropriation clauses" providing that the governmental issuer
has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract
unless money is appropriated for such purposes by the appropriate
legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. Non-appropriation
clauses free the issuer from debt issuance limitations.
FEDERALLY TAXABLE OBLIGATIONS. The fund does not intend to invest in
securities whose interest is federally taxable; however, from time to time,
the fund may invest a portion of its assets on a temporary basis in
fixed-income obligations whose interest is subject to federal income tax.
For example, the fund may invest in obligations whose interest is federally
taxable pending the investment or reinvestment in municipal securities of
proceeds from the sale of its shares or sales of portfolio securities.
Should the fund invest in federally taxable obligations, it would purchase
securities that in FMR's judgment are of high quality. These would include
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or
instrumentalities; obligations of domestic banks; and repurchase
agreements. The fund's standards for high-quality taxable obligations are
essentially the same as those described by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
(Moody's) in rating corporate obligations within its two highest ratings of
Prime-1 and Prime-2, and those described by Standard & Poor's Corporation
(S&P) in rating corporate obligations within its two highest ratings of A-1
and A-2.
Proposals to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for
interest on municipal obligations are introduced before Congress from time
to time. Proposals also may be introduced before the New Jersey legislature
that would affect the state tax treatment of the fund's distributions. If
such proposals were enacted, the availability of municipal obligations and
the value of the fund's holdings would be affected and the Trustees would
reevaluate the fund's investment objective and policies.
The fund anticipates being as fully invested as practicable in municipal
securities; however, there may be occasions when, as a result of maturities
of portfolio securities, sales of fund shares, or in order to meet
redemption requests, the fund may hold cash that is not earning income. In
addition, there may be occasions when, in order to raise cash to meet
redemptions, the fund may be required to sell securities at a loss.
INDEXED SECURITIES. The fund may purchase securities whose prices are
indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, 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. Indexed
securities may have principal payments as well as coupon payments that
depend on the performance of one or more interest rates. Their coupon rates
or principal payments may change by several percentage points for every 1%
interest rate change. One example of indexed securities is inverse
floaters.
The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the
performance of the security or other instrument to which they are indexed,
and may also be influenced by interest rate changes. At the same time,
indexed securities are subject to the credit risks associated with the
issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the
issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates. Indexed securities may be more
volatile than the underlying instruments.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement, a fund purchases a
security and simultaneously commits to sell that security back to the
original 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. While it does not
presently appear possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions
(particularly the possibility that the value of the underlying security
will be less than the resale price, as well as delays and costs to the fund
in connection with bankruptcy proceedings), it is the fund's current policy
to engage in repurchase agreement transactions with 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.
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
over-the-counter options. Also, FMR may determine some restricted
securities and municipal lease obligations 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.
LOWER-QUALITY MUNICIPAL SECURITIES. The fund may invest a portion of its
assets in lower-quality municipal securities as described in the
Prospectus.
While the market for New Jersey municipals is considered to be substantial,
adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions may affect the ability
of outside pricing services used by the fund to value its portfolio
securities, and the fund's ability to dispose of lower-quality bonds. The
outside pricing services are monitored by FMR and reported to the Board to
determine whether the services are furnishing prices that accurately
reflect fair value. The impact of changing investor perceptions may be
especially pronounced in markets where municipal securities are thinly
traded.
The fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to
pursue litigation or otherwise exercise its rights as a security holder to
seek to protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to
be in the best interest of the fund's shareholders.
INTERFUND BORROWING PROGRAM. The fund has received permission from the SEC
to lend money and to borrow money from other funds advised by FMR or its
affiliates, but it will participate in the interfund borrowing program only
as a borrower. Interfund loans normally will extend overnight, but can have
a maximum duration of seven days. The fund will borrow through the program
only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. The
fund will not borrow money through the program if, after doing so, total
outstanding borrowings would exceed 15% of total assets. Loans may be
called on one day's notice, and the fund may have to borrow from a bank at
a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed.
LIMITATIONS ON FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS. The fund intends to file 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, before engaging in any purchases or sales of futures
contracts or options on futures contracts. The fund intends to comply with
Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act, which limits the extent to which
the fund can commit 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; (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 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 invests, which
involves a risk that the options or futures position will not track the
performance of the fund's other investments.
Options and futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their
underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match the fund's
investments well. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors
as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility
of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of
the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect
correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the options
and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences
in how options 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 options 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 (OTC) (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.
ASSET COVERAGE FOR FUTURES AND OPTIONS POSITIONS. The fund will comply with
guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission 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.
SPECIAL FACTORS AFFECTING NEW JERSEY
The following highlights only some of the more significant financial trends
and problems affecting New Jersey, and is based on information drawn from
official statements and prospectuses relating to securities offerings of
the State of New Jersey, its agencies and instrumentalities, as available
on the date of this Statement of Additional Information. FMR has not
independently verified any of the information contained in such official
statements and other publicly available documents, but is not aware of any
fact which would render such information inaccurate.
On January 18, 1994, Christine Todd Whitman replaced James Florio as
Governor of the State. As a matter of public record, Governor Whitman
during her campaign publicized her intention to reduce taxes in the State.
Effective January 1, 1994, the State's personal income tax rates were cut
by 5% for all taxpayers. Effective January 1, 1995, the State's personal
income tax rates will be cut by an additional 10% for most taxpayers. At
this time the effect of the tax reduction cannot be evaluated.
The State's 1995 Fiscal Year budget became law on June 30, 1994. Changes in
economic activity in the State and the nation, consumption of durable
goods, corporate financial performance and other factors that are difficult
to predict may result in actual collections for Fiscal Year 1995 being more
or less than forecasted. The State is bound, however, by the constitutional
requirement that no appropriations law may be enacted if the amount of
money appropriated therein, together with all other prior appropriations
made for the same Fiscal Year, exceeds the total amount of anticipated
revenues available for such Fiscal Year as certified by the Governor.
The State's economic base is diversified, consisting of a variety of
manufacturing, construction and service industries, supplemented by rural
areas with selective commercial agriculture. After enjoying an
extraordinary boom during the mid-1980s, New Jersey, as well as the rest of
the Northeast, slipped into a slowdown well before the onset of the
national recession which officially began in July 1990 (according to the
National Bureau of Economic Research). By the beginning of the national
recession, construction activity had already been declining in New Jersey
for nearly two years. As the rapid acceleration of real estate prices
forced many would-be homeowners out of the market and high non-residential
vacancy rates reduced new commitments for offices and commercial
facilities, construction employment began to decline; also growth had
tapered off markedly in the service sectors and the long-term downtrend of
factory employment had accelerated partly because of a leveling off of
industrial demand nationally. The onset of recession caused an acceleration
of New Jersey's job losses in construction and manufacturing, as well as an
employment downturn in such previously growing sectors as wholesale trade,
retail trade, finance, utilities, trucking and warehousing.
Reflecting the economic downturn, the rate of unemployment in the State
rose from a low of 3.6% during the first quarter of 1989 to a recessionary
peak of 9.3% during 1992 (according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and
the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and
Demographic Research). Since then, the unemployment rate fell to 6.7%
during the fourth quarter of 1993. The jobless rate averaged 7.1% during
the first nine months of 1994, but this estimate is not comparable to those
prior to January 1994 because of major changes in the federal survey from
which these statistics are obtained.
In the first nine months of 1994, relative to the same period a year ago,
job growth took place in services (3.5%) and construction (5.7%), more
moderate growth took place in trade (1.9%), transportation and utilities
(1.2%) and finance/insurance/real estate (1.4%), while manufacturing and
government declined (by 1.5% and 0.1%, respectively). The net result was a
1.6% increase in average employment during the first nine months of 1994
compared to the first nine months of 1993.
Evidence of the State's improving economy can be found in increased home
building, and other areas of construction activity, rising consumer
spending for new cars and light trucks, substantial new job creation, and
the decline in the unemployment rate. One of the major reasons for cautious
optimism is found in the construction industry. Total construction
contracts awarded in New Jersey have turned around, rising by 8.6% in 1993
compared with 1992. By far, the largest boost came from residential
construction awards which increased by 37.7% in 1993 compared with 1992. In
addition, nonresidential building construction awards have turned around,
posting a 6.9% gain. In addition to increases in construction contract
awards, another reason for cautious optimism is rising new car and light
truck registrations. New passenger car registrations issued during 1993
were up 12% in New Jersey from a year earlier. Registrations of new light
trucks and vans (up to 10,000 lbs.) advanced strongly in 1993 and jumped
nearly 20% during the January-to-August 1994 period relative to the same
period last year. Retail sales for 1993 were up 1.7% compared to 1992.
Sales have continued strong with retail sales up 8.5% for the first seven
months of 1994, compared with the same period a year ago. Retailers, such
as those selling appliances and home furnishings, should benefit from
increased residential construction. Car, light truck and van dealers should
also benefit from the high (eight years) average age of autos on the road.
Prospects for New Jersey are favorable, although a return to the pace of
the 1980s is highly unlikely. Although growth is likely to be slower than
in the nation, the locational advantages that have served New Jersey well
for many years will still be there. Structural changes that have been going
on for years can be expected to continue, with job creation concentrated
most heavily in the service sectors.
There is a Constitutional provision that requires the State to maintain a
balanced budget. The State operates on a fiscal year beginning July 1 and
ending June 30. For example, "Fiscal Year 1995" refers to the State's
fiscal year beginning July 1, 1994 and ending June 30, 1995. The General
Fund is the fund into which all State revenues not otherwise restricted by
statute are deposited and from which appropriations are made. The largest
part of the total financial operations of the State is accounted for in the
General Fund, which includes revenues received from taxes and unrestricted
by statute, most federal revenues, and certain miscellaneous revenue items.
The appropriation acts enacted by the Legislature and approved by the
Governor provide the basic framework for the operation of the General Fund.
The undesignated General Fund balance at year end for Fiscal Year 1991 was
$1.4 million, Fiscal Year 1992 was $760.8 million, and for Fiscal Year 1993
was $937 million. For Fiscal Year 1994 the balance in the undesignated
General Fund is projected to be $688.4 million, and for Fiscal Year 1995,
the balance in the undesignated General Fund is projected to be $148
million.
$305.9 million is provided in the fiscal 1995 Appropriations Act as the
State's contributions to public retirement plans. The Fiscal Year 1995
Appropriations Act includes various changes enacted by the State
Legislature to the pension systems. Between March 31 and July 1, 1993,
independent actuaries reported that the market value of all assets of the
retirement funds was $38.0 billion compared to a $33.7 billion accrued
liability, representing a funding level of 1 12.6% calculated under
the traditional approach of book value of assets to projected accrued
liability. The present value of projected benefits is $41.3 billion; the
funding level for projected benefits is 91.9%.
According to recently published statistics, New Jersey is among those
states which receive the highest amount of federal aid. Federal aid
received in the General Fund and Special Transportation fund amounted to
$4.38 billion for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1993, is estimated to have
been $5.30 billion for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1994 and is projected
to be $5.84 billion for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1995. The largest
portion of federal aid is made up of entitlements, whereby the State is
reimbursed for expenditures up to a certain percentage of total cost.
Whether federal aid is received under a formula, an entitlement, or a
categorical grant program, the actual expenditure of funds may be either at
the State level, the local level, or some other level, such as a non-profit
agency.
The State finances capital projects primarily through the sale of its
general obligation bonds. These bonds are backed by the full faith and
credit of the State. Tax revenues and certain other fees are pledged to
meet the principal and interest payments required to pay the debt fully. No
general obligation debt can be issued by the State without prior voter
approval, except that no voter approval is required for any law authorizing
the creation of a debt for the purpose of refinancing all or a portion of
outstanding debt of the State, so long as such law requires that the
refinancing provide a debt service savings.
In addition to payment from bond proceeds, capital construction can also be
funded by appropriation of current revenues on a pay-as-you-go basis. This
amount represents 2.9% of the total Fiscal Year 1995 budget.-In Fiscal Year
1995, the amount is $440.6 million. $213.4 million is for transportation
projects.
The aggregate outstanding general obligation bonded indebtedness of the
State as of June 30, 1993 was $3.595 billion. The debt service obligation
for outstanding indebtedness is $103.5 million for Fiscal Year 1995.
The State has extensive control over school districts, cities, counties and
local financing authorities. State laws impose specific limitations on
local appropriations, with exemptions subject to state approval. The State
shares the proceeds of a number of taxes, with funds going primarily for
local education programs, homestead rebates, medicaid and welfare programs.
Certain bonds are issued by localities, but supported by direct state
payments. In addition, the State participates in local wastewater treatment
programs.
At any given time, there are various numbers of claims and cases pending
against the State. State agencies and employees, seeking recovery of
monetary damages that are primarily paid out of the fund created pursuant
to the Tort Claims Act, N.J.S.A. 59:1-1 ET. SEQ. In addition, at any given
time there are various contract claims against the State and State agencies
seeking recovery of monetary damages. The State is unable to estimate its
exposure for these claims. An independent study estimated an aggregate
potential exposure of $50 million for tort claims pending, as of January 1,
1982. It is estimated that were a similar study made of claims currently
pending the amount of estimated exposure would be higher. Moreover, New
Jersey is involved in a number of other lawsuits in which adverse decisions
could materially affect revenue or expenditures. Such cases include
challenges to its system of educational funding, the methods by which the
State Department of Human Services shares with county governments, the
maintenance recoveries and costs for residents in State psychiatric
hospitals, and residential facilities for the developmentally disabled.
Other lawsuits that could materially affect revenue or expenditures include
a suit by the New Jersey Education Association alleging unfavorable
amendments to the pension laws enacted on June 30, 1994 (P.L. 1994, Chapter
62), a suit by a number of taxpayers seeking refunds of taxes paid to the
Spill Compensation Fund pursuant to N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11, a suit alleging
that unreasonably low Medicaid payment rates have been implemented for
long-term care facilities in New Jersey, a suit seeking return of moneys
paid by various counties for maintenance of Medicaid or Medicare eligible
residents of institutions and facilities for the developmentally disabled,
a suit challenging the imposition of premium tax surcharges on insurers
doing business in New Jersey, and assessments upon property and casualty
liability insurers pursuant to the Fair Automobile Insurance Reform Act,
and suits seeking return of moneys paid by various hospitals pursuant to
the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 1991.
On June 5, 1990, the State Supreme Court, in Abbott v. Burke, held the
Public Education Act of 1975 unconstitutional as applied to 28 "poor urban
school districts" described in the decision. In response to the Court's
decree, the State Legislature enacted The Quality Education Act ("QEA").
The Abbott plaintiffs then challenged QEA contending the remedial statute
failed to comply with the Supreme Court's mandates. On July 12, 1994, the
State Supreme Court held that QEA is unconstitutional based on its failure
to assure parity of regular education expenditures between the special
needs districts and the more affluent districts. The State must achieve
substantial equivalence of expenditures for pupils for "regular education,"
along with provisions for the special educational needs of students in
special needs districts, by the 1997-1998 school year. At this time, the
effect of this decision cannot be estimated.
Bond Ratings - In July 1991, Standard & Poor's Corporation ("Standard &
Poors") downgraded New Jersey General Obligation Bonds from AAA to AA+. On
July 6, 1992, Standard & Poor's removed New Jersey's general obligation
bonds from Credit Watch and affirmed its AA+ ratings but with negative
long-term implications. On August 24, 1992, Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
(Moody's) lowered from Aaa to Aa1 the rating assigned to New Jersey general
obligation bonds. On December 6, 1992, Fitch Investors Service, Inc.
lowered its rating on New Jersey's general obligation bonds from AAA to
AA+. On July 27, 1994, Standard & Poors reaffirmed its AA+ rating but
revised its assessment of the State's outlook from negative to stable.
SPECIAL FACTORS AFFECTING PUERTO RICO
The following only highlights some of the more significant financial trends
and problems affecting the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (the "Commonwealth"
or "Puerto Rico"), and is based on information drawn from official
statements and prospectuses relating to the securities offerings of Puerto
Rico and its agencies and instrumentalities, as available on the date of
this Statement of Additional Information. FMR has not independently
verified any of the information contained in such official statements,
prospectuses, and other publicly available documents, but is not aware of
any fact which would render such information materially inaccurate.
The economy of Puerto Rico is closely linked with that of the United
States, and in fiscal 1993 trade with the United States accounted for
approximately 86% of Puerto Rico's exports and approximately 69% of its
imports. In this regard, in fiscal 1993 Puerto Rico experienced a $2.5
billion positive adjusted merchandise trade balance. Since fiscal 1987,
personal income, both aggregate and per capita, has increased consistently
each year. In fiscal 1993 aggregate personal income was $24.1 billion and
personal per capita income was $6,760. Gross domestic product in fiscal
1991, 1992, and 1993 was $22.8 billion, $23.5 billion, and $25 billion,
respectively. For fiscal 1994, an increase in gross domestic product of
2.9% over fiscal 1993 is forecasted. However, actual growth in the Puerto
Rico economy will depend on several factors, including the condition of the
U.S. economy, the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar and the price stability
of oil imports and interest rates. Due to these factors, there is no
assurance that the economy of Puerto Rico will continue to grow.
Puerto Rico's economy continued to expand throughout the five-year period
from fiscal 1989 through fiscal 1993. While trends in the Puerto Rico
economy generally follow those of the United States, Puerto Rico did not
experience a recession primarily because of its strong manufacturing base,
which has a large component of non-cyclical industries. Other factors
behind the continued expansion included Commonwealth-sponsored economic
development programs, stable prices of oil imports, low exchange rates for
the U.S. dollar, and the relatively low cost of borrowing funds during the
period.
Puerto Rico has made marked improvements in fighting unemployment.
Unemployment is at a low level compared to that of the late 1970s, but it
still remains significantly above the U.S. average and has been increasing
in recent years. Despite long-term improvements the unemployment rate rose
from 16.5% to 17.5% from fiscal 1992 to fiscal 1993. However, by the end of
January 1994, the unemployment rate had dropped to 16.3%.
The economy of Puerto Rico has undergone a transformation in the later half
of this century from one centered around agriculture to one dominated by
the manufacturing and service industries. Manufacturing is the cornerstone
of Puerto Rico's economy, accounting for $14.1 billion or 39.4% of gross
domestic product in fiscal 1993. However, manufacturing has experienced a
basic change over the years as a result of the influx of higher wages, high
technology industries such as the pharmaceutical industry, electronics,
computers, micro processors, scientific instruments, and high technology
machinery. The service sector, which employs the largest number of people,
includes wholesale and retail trade, finance, and real estate, and ranks
second in its contribution to gross domestic product. In fiscal 1993, the
service sector generated $14.0 billion in gross domestic product or 39.1%
of the total and employed over 467,000 workers providing 46.7% of total
employment. The government sector of the Commonwealth plays an important
role in Puerto Rico's economy. In fiscal year 1993, the government
accounted for $3.9 billion of Puerto Rico's gross domestic product and
provided 21.7% of the total employment. Tourism also contributes
significantly to the island economy, accounting for $1.6 billion of gross
domestic product in fiscal 1993.
The present administration, which took office in January 1993, envisions
major economic reforms and has developed a new economic development program
to be implemented in the next few years. This program is based on the
premise that the private sector will be the primary vehicle for economic
development and growth. The program promotes changing the role of the
government from one of being a provider of most basic services to one of
being a facilitator for private sector initiatives and will encourage
private sector investment by reducing regulatory restraints. The program
contemplates the development of initiatives that will foster private
investment, both external and internal, in areas that are served more
efficiently and effectively by the private sector. The program also
contemplates a general revision of the tax system to expand the tax base,
reduce top personal and corporate tax rates, and simplify a highly complex
system. Other important goals for the new program are to reduce the size of
the government's direct contribution to gross domestic product and, to
facilitate private sector development and growth which would be realized
through a reduction in government consumption and an increase in government
investment in order to improve and expand Puerto Rico's infrastructure.
Much of the development of the manufacturing sector of the economy of
Puerto Rico is attributable to federal and Commonwealth tax incentives,
most notably section 936 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
("Section 936") and the Commonwealth's Industrial Incentives Program.
Section 936 currently grants U.S. corporations that meet certain criteria
and elect its application, a credit against their U.S. corporate income tax
on the portion of the tax attributable to (i) income derived from the
active conduct of a trade or business in Puerto Rico ("active income"), or
from the sale or exchange of substantially all the assets used in the
active conduct of such trade or business, and (ii) qualified possession
sources investment income ("passive income"). The Industrial Incentives
Program, through the 1987 Industrial Incentives Act, grants corporations
engaged in certain qualified activities a fixed 90% exemption from
Commonwealth income and property taxes and a 60% exemption from municipal
license taxes.
Pursuant to recently enacted amendments to the Internal Revenue Code (the
"Code"), and for taxable years commencing after 1993, two alternative
limitations will apply to the Section 936 credit against active business
income and sale of assets as previously described. The first option will
limit the credit against such income to 40% of the credit allowed under
current law, with a five-year phase-in period starting at 60% of the
current credit. The second option will limit the allowable credit to the
sum of (i) 60% of qualified compensation paid to employees (as defined in
the Code); (ii) a specified percentage of depreciation deductions; and
(iii) a portion of the Puerto Rico income taxes paid by the Section 936
corporation, up to a 9% effective tax rate.
At present, it is difficult to forecast what the short- and long-term
effects of the new limitations to the Section 936 credit will be on the
economy of Puerto Rico. However, preliminary econometric studies by the
government of Puerto Rico and private sector economists (assuming no
enhancements to the existing Industrial Incentives Program) project only a
slight reduction in average real growth rates for the economy of Puerto
Rico. These studies also show that particular industry groups will be
affected differently. For example, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and
beverages may suffer a larger reduction in tax benefits due to their
relatively higher profit margins. In addition, the above limitations are
not expected to reduce the tax credit currently enjoyed by labor-intensive,
lower profit margin industries, which represent approximately 40% of the
total employment by Section 936 corporations in Puerto Rico.
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 fund's
management contract. 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.
The fund may execute portfolio transactions with broker-dealers who provide
research and execution services to the fund 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 is
generally made by FMR (to the extent possible consistent with execution
considerations) based upon the quality of research and execution services
provided.
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 fund. 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), a subsidiary 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 November 30, 1994 and 1993, the fund's
portfolio turnover rates were 8% and 25%, 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
Valuations of portfolio securities furnished by the pricing service
employed by the fund are based upon a computerized matrix system or
appraisals by the pricing service, in each case in reliance upon
information concerning market transactions and quotations from recognized
municipal securities dealers. The methods used by the pricing service and
the quality of valuations so established are reviewed by officers of the
fund and FSC under the general supervision of 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 on-going evaluation of
these services, may use other pricing services or discontinue the use of
any pricing service in whole or in part. 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. Yields do not reflect the
fund's .50% redemption fee, which applies to shares held less than 180
days. 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. Capital
gains and losses generally are excluded from the calculation.
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 sales 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.
The fund's tax-equivalent yield is the rate an investor would have to earn
from a fully taxable investment after taxes to equal the fund's tax-free
yield. Tax-equivalent yields are calculated by dividing the fund's yield by
the result of one minus a stated federal or combined federal and state tax
rate. If only a portion of the fund's yield is tax-exempt, only that
portion is adjusted in the calculation.
The following tables show the effect of a shareholder's tax status on
effective yield under federal and state income tax laws for 1995. The
second table shows the approximate yield a taxable security must provide at
various income brackets to produce after-tax yields equivalent to those of
hypothetical tax-exempt obligations yielding from 2% to 7%. Of course, no
assurance can be given that the fund will achieve any specific tax-exempt
yield. While the fund invests principally in obligations whose interest is
exempt from federal and state income tax, other income received by the fund
may be taxable. The tables do not take into account local taxes, if any,
payable on fund distributions.
Use the first table to find your approximate effective tax bracket taking
into account federal and state taxes for 1995.
1995 TAX RATES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Taxable Income* Marginal Federal Combined New Jersey and
Income Tax New Jersey Federal Effective
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Single Return Joint Return Bracket Marginal Rate Tax Bracket **
</TABLE>
$ 23,351 - $ 35,000 $ 39,001 - $ 50,000 28% 2.125% 29.53%
-- $ 50,001 - $ 70,000 28% 2.975% 30.14%
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$ 35,001 - $ 40,000 $ 70,001 - $ 80,000 28% 4.250% 31.06%
$ 40,001 - $ 56,550 $ 80,001 - $ 94,250 28% 6.013% 32.33%
$ 56,551 - $ 75,000 $ 94,251 - $ 143,600 31% 6.013% 35.15%
</TABLE>
$ 75,001 - $ 117,950 -- 31% 6.580% 35.54%
-- $ 143,601 - $ 150,000 36% 6.013% 39.85%
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$ 117,951 - $ 256,50 $ 150,001 - $ 256,500 36% 6.580% 40.21%
0
</TABLE>
$ 256,501 & above $ 256,501 & above 39.6% 6.580% 43.57%
* Net amount subject to federal income tax after deductions and exemptions.
Assumes ordinary income only; does not include the effect of preferential
rate on long-term capital gains.
** Excludes the impact of the phaseout of personal exemptions, limitations
on itemized deductions, and other credits, exclusions, and adjustments
which may increase a taxpayer's marginal tax rate. An increase in a
shareholder's marginal tax rate would increase that shareholder's
tax-equivalent yield.
Having determined your effective tax bracket, use the following table to
determine the tax-equivalent yield for a given tax-free yield.
If your combined effective federal and state personal
income tax rate in 1995 is:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
29.53% 30.14% 31.06% 32.33% 35.15% 35.54% 39.85% 40.21% 43.57%
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
To match these
tax-free rates: Your taxable investment would have to earn the following yield:
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
2.0% 2.84% 2.86% 2.90% 2.96% 3.08% 3.10% 3.33% 3.35% 3.54%
3.0% 4.26% 4.29% 4.35% 4.43% 4.63% 4.65% 4.99% 5.02% 5.32%
4.0% 5.68% 5.73% 5.80% 5.91% 6.17% 6.21% 6.65% 6.69% 7.09%
5.0% 7.10% 7.16% 7.25% 7.39% 7.71% 7.76% 8.31% 8.36% 8.86%
6.0% 8.51% 8.59% 8.70% 8.87% 9.25% 9.31% 9.98% 10.04% 10.63%
7.0% 9.93% 10.02% 10.15% 10.34% 10.79% 10.86% 11.64% 11.71% 12.40%
</TABLE>
The fund may invest a portion of its assets in obligations that are subject
to state or federal income taxes. When the fund invests in these
obligations, its tax-equivalent yield will be lower. In the table above,
the tax-equivalent yields are calculated assuming investments are 100%
federally and state tax-free.
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 total 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 and may or may not include the effect of the
fund's .50% redemption fee on shares held less than 180 days. Excluding the
fund's redemption fee from a total return calculation produces a higher
total return figure. Total returns, yields, and other performance
information may be quoted numerically or in a table, graph, or similar
illustration, and may omit or include the effect of the $5.00 account
closeout fee.
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,
tax-equivalent yields, and total returns for periods ended November 30,
1994. Total return figures include the effect of the $5.00 account closeout
fee based on an average size account, but not the fund's .50% redemption
fee, applicable to shares held less than 180 days.
The tax-equivalent yield is based on a combined effective federal and state
income tax rate of 40.26% and reflects that, as of November 30, 1994, none
of the fund's income was subject to state taxes. Note that the fund may
invest in securities whose income is subject to the federal alternative
minimum tax.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Average Annual Total Returns Cumulative Total Returns
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
30-Day Tax-Equivalent One Five Life of One Five Life of
Yield Yield Year Years Fund* Year Years Fund*
6.47% 10.83% -5.86% 6.47% 7.66% -5.86% 36.79% 66.64%
</TABLE>
* From January 1, 1988 (commencement of operations).
Note: If FMR had not reimbursed certain fund expenses during these periods,
the fund's total returns would have been lower.
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 period from January 1, 1988 (commencement of operations) to
November 30, 1994, a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Spartan New Jersey
Municipal High Yield Portfolio would have grown to $16,665, 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.
SPARTAN NEW JERSEY MUNICIPAL HIGH YIELD INDICES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Value of Value of
Value of Reinvested Reinvested Cost
Year Initial $10,000 Dividend Capital Gain Total of
Ended Investment Distributions Distributions Value S&P 500 DJIA Living
</TABLE>
1994 $10,320 $5,751 $595 $16,665 $22,964 $24,216 $12,990
1993 $11,760 $5,490 $451 $17,702 $22,727 $23,218 $12,634
1992 $11,240 $4,344 $204 $15,788 $20,642 $20,242 $12,305
1991 $11,020 $3,326 $95 $14,441 $17,419 $17,213 $11,941
1990 $10,620 $2,341 $92 $13,053 $14,473 $14,717 $11,594
1989 $10,650 $1,532 $0 $12,182 $14,996 $14,967 $10,910
1988* $10,190 $704 $0 $10,894 $11,661 $11,269 $10,425
* From January 1, 1988 (commencement of operations).
Explanatory Notes: With an initial investment of $10,000 made on January 1,
1988, 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 $16,679.
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 $4,727 for dividends and $470 for
capital gains distributions. Tax consequences of different investments have
not been factored into the above figures. The figures in the table do not
reflect the effect of the fund's $5.00 account closeout fee. The figures
shown above do not reflect the fund's .50% redemption fee applicable to
shares held less than 180 days.
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, 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
Tax-Free, which is reported in the MONEY FUND REPORT(registered trademark),
covers over 370 tax-free money market funds. The BOND FUND REPORT
AVERAGESTM/Tax-Free Funds, which is reported in the BOND FUND
REPORT(registered trademark), covers over 385 tax-free 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.
The fund may compare and contrast in advertising the relative advantages of
investing in a mutual fund versus an individual municipal bond. Unlike
tax-free mutual funds, individual municipal bonds offer a stated rate of
interest and, if held to maturity, repayment of principal. Although some
individual municipal bonds might offer a higher rate of return, they do not
offer the reduced risk of a mutual fund that invests in many different
securities. The initial investment requirements and sales charges of many
tax-free mutual funds are lower than the purchase cost of individual
municipal bonds, which are generally issued in $5,000 denominations and are
subject to direct brokerage costs.
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, QuotronTM 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 a 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 through periods of low price levels.
As of November 30, 1994, FMR advised over $25 billion in tax-free fund
assets, $70 billion in money market fund assets, $165 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 Securities and
Exchange Commission (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 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. To the extent that the fund's income is designated as federally
tax-exempt interest, the daily dividends declared by the fund are also
federally tax-exempt. Short-term capital gains are distributed as dividend
income, but do not qualify for the dividends-received deduction. These
gains will be taxed as ordinary income. The fund will send each shareholder
a notice in January describing the tax status of dividend and capital gain
distributions (if any) for the prior year.
Shareholders are required to report tax-exempt income on their federal tax
returns. Shareholders who earn other income, such as Social Security
benefits, may be subject to federal income tax on up to 85% of such
benefits to the extent that their income, including tax-exempt income,
exceeds certain base amounts.
The fund purchases municipal obligations based on opinions of bond counsel
regarding the federal income tax status of the obligations. These opinions
will generally be based on covenants by the issuers regarding continuing
compliance with federal tax requirements. If the issuer of an obligation
fails to comply with its covenant at any time, interest on the obligation
could become federally taxable retroactive to the date the obligation was
issued.
As a result of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, interest on certain "private
activity" securities is subject to the federal alternative minimum tax
(AMT), although the interest continues to be excludable from gross income
for other tax purposes. Interest from private activity securities will be
considered tax-exempt for purposes of the fund's policies of investing so
that at least 80% of its income is free from federal income tax. Interest
from private activity securities is a tax-preference item for the purposes
of determining whether a taxpayer is subject to the AMT and the amount of
AMT to be paid, if any. Private activity securities issued after August 7,
1986 to benefit a private or industrial user or to finance a private
facility are affected by this rule.
A portion of the gain on bonds purchased with market discount after April
30, 1993 and short-term capital gains distributed by the fund are taxable
to shareholders as dividends, not as capital gains. Dividend distributions
resulting from a recharacterization of gain from the sale of bonds
purchased with market discount after April 30, 1993 are not considered
income for purposes of the fund's policy of investing so that at least 80%
of its income is free from federal income tax.
Corporate investors should note that a tax preference item for purposes of
the corporate AMT is 75% of the amount by which adjusted current earnings
(which includes tax-exempt interest) exceeds the alternative minimum
taxable income of the corporation. If a shareholder receives an
exempt-interest dividend and sells shares at a loss after holding them for
a period of six months or less, the loss will be disallowed to the extent
of the amount of exempt-interest dividend.
NEW JERSEY TAX CONSEQUENCES. In order to pass through tax-exempt interest
and dividends for New Jersey Gross Income Tax purposes, at the close of
each quarter of the tax year, the fund must have not less than 80% of the
aggregate principal amount of the fund's investments (excluding financial
options, futures, forward contracts and similar financial instruments
relating to interest-bearing obligations) invested in obligations issued by
New Jersey or New Jersey local government entities or certain other federal
and New Jersey tax-exempt obligations of qualifying issuers (the "80%
Test"). In the event the fund does not meet the 80% Test, distributions by
the fund will be taxable to shareholders for New Jersey Gross Income Tax
purposes. Interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or
carry fund shares is not deductible for New Jersey Gross Income Tax
purposes.
With regard to corporate shareholders subject to the New Jersey Corporation
Business (Franchise) Tax and the New Jersey Corporation Income Tax, an
investment in or distributions from investment interest and capital gains
of the fund, including exempt-interest dividends, will be included in the
calculation of the New Jersey Corporation Business (Franchise) Tax and the
New Jersey Corporation Income Tax.
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.
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 futures contracts and options are included in this 30%
calculation, which may limit the fund's investments in such instruments.
The fund is treated as a separate entity from the other funds of Fidelity
Court Street 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 in most securities require pre-clearance, and participation
in initial public offerings is prohibited. In addition, restrictions on the
timing of personal investing relative 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 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.
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).
DAVID MURPHY is manager and Vice President of Spartan New Jersey Municipal
High Yield, which he has managed since April 1991. Mr. Murphy also manages
Limited Term Municipals, Spartan California Intermediate Municipal, Spartan
Intermediate Municipal, Spartan New York Intermediate Municipal, and
Spartan Short-Intermediate Municipal. Mr. Murphy joined Fidelity in 1989.
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 November 30, 1994, the Trustees and officers of the fund owned, in
the aggregate, less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
The fund employs FMR to furnish investment advisory and other services.
Under FMR's 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 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.
FMR is responsible for the payment of all expenses of the fund with certain
exceptions. Specific expenses payable by FMR include, without limitation,
the fees and expenses of registering and qualifying the trust, the fund,
and its shares for distribution under federal and state securities laws;
expenses of typesetting for printing the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information; custodian charges; audit and legal expenses;
insurance expense; association membership dues; and the expenses of mailing
reports to shareholders, shareholder meetings, and proxy solicitations. FMR
also provides for transfer agent and dividend disbursing services and
portfolio and general accounting record maintenance through FSC.
FMR pays all other expenses of the fund with the following exceptions: fees
and expenses of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the trust
or of FMR (the non-interested Trustees); interest on borrowings; taxes;
brokerage commissions (if any); and 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 officers and Trustees with
respect to litigation.
For the services of FMR under the contract, the fund pays FMR a monthly
management fee at the annual rate of .55% of the fund's average net assets
throughout the month. FMR reduces its fee by an amount equal to the fees
and expenses of the non-interested Trustees.
FMR is the fund's manager pursuant to a management contract dated January
1, 1992, which was approved by the fund's shareholders on December 11,
1991. Under the fund's former management contract (dated March 1, 1989),
FMR was compensated for managing the fund's investments and business
affairs. The fund was responsible for paying expenses for maintaining
shareholder records, furnishing shareholder statements and reports, and
other services now paid for by FMR under its current contract with the
fund.
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). The table below outlines expense
limitations (as a percentage of the fund's average net assets) in effect
since December 1, 1989. Also indicated below are the gross management fees
incurred by the fund and the amounts reimbursed by FMR for fiscal 1994,
1993, and 1992.
From To Expense Limitation
November 1, 1991 September 30, 1992 .50%
August 1, 1991 October 31, 1991 .45%
January 1, 1991 July 31, 1991 .55%
December 1, 1989 December 31, 1990 .65%
Management Fee Amount of
Year Before Reimbursement Reimbursements
1994 $2,093,718 $ 0
1993 $2,193,155 $ 0
1992 $1,757,819 $158,991
To defray shareholder service costs, FMR or its affiliates also collect the
fund's $5.00 exchange fee, $5.00 account closeout fee, and $5.00 fee for
wire purchases and redemptions. The fund's .50% redemption fee is retained
by the fund; it is not collected by FMR. Shareholder transaction fees and
charges collected for fiscal 1994, 1993, and 1992 are indicated in the
table below.
Period Ended Exchange Fees Closeout Fees Wire Fees
1994 $6,315 $2,536 $ 765
1993 $7,250 $1,685 $ 810
1992 $8,840 $1,515 $1,150
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
The fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (the plan) under Rule
12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (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 the 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 the fund's shareholders on November 16, 1988.
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.
INTEREST OF FMR AFFILIATES
United Missouri is the fund's custodian and transfer agent. United Missouri
has entered into a sub-contract with FSC, an affiliate of FMR, under the
terms of which FSC performs the processing activities associated with
providing transfer agent and shareholder servicing functions for the fund.
United Missouri has an additional sub-contract with FSC, pursuant to which
FSC performs the calculations necessary to determine the fund's net asset
value per share and dividends and maintains the fund's accounting records.
United Missouri is entitled to reimbursement for fees paid to FSC from FMR,
which must bear these costs pursuant to its management contract with the
fund.
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. Spartan New Jersey Municipal High Yield Portfolio is a
fund of Fidelity Court Street Trust (the trust), an open-end management
investment company originally organized as a Massachusetts business trust
on April 21, 1977. On August 1, 1987 the trust's name was changed from
Fidelity High Yield Municipals to Fidelity Court Street Trust. Currently,
there are four funds of the trust: Fidelity High Yield Tax-Free Portfolio;
Spartan Connecticut Municipal High Yield Portfolio; Spartan New Jersey
Municipal High Yield Portfolio; and Spartan Florida Municipal Income
Portfolio. 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 names
"Fidelity" and "Spartan" 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. Each fund may invest
all of its assets in another investment company.
CUSTODIAN. United Missouri Bank, N.A., 1010 Grand Avenue, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106, 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 the 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 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 November 30, 1994, are included in the fund's Annual Report,
which is a separate 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.
When a municipal bond issuer has committed to call an issue of bonds and
has established an independent escrow account that is sufficient to, and is
pledged to, refund that issue, the number of days to maturity for the
prerefunded bond is considered to be the number of days to the announced
call date of the bonds.
The descriptions that follow are examples of eligible ratings for the fund.
The fund may, however, consider the ratings for other types of investments
and the ratings assigned by other rating organizations when determining the
eligibility of a particular investment.
DESCRIPTION OF MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.'S RATINGS OF STATE AND
MUNICIPAL NOTES:
Moody's ratings for state and municipal and other short-term obligations
will be designated Moody's Investment Grade (MIG, or VMIG for variable rate
obligations). This distinction is in recognition of the difference between
short-term credit risk and long-term credit risk. Factors affecting the
liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in
short-term ratings, while other factors of major importance in bond risk,
long-term secular trends for example, may be less important in the short
run. Symbols used will be as follows:
MIG-1/VMIG-1 - This designation denotes best quality. There is present
strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or
demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG-2/VMIG-2 - This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection
are ample although not so large as in the preceding group.
MIG-3/VMIG-3 - This designation denotes favorable quality, with all
security elements accounted for but there is lacking the undeniable
strength of the preceding grades. Liquidity and cash flow protection may be
narrow and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well
established.
MIG-4/VMIG-4 - This designation denotes adequate quality protection
commonly regarded as required of an investment security is present and,
although not distinctly or predominantly speculative, there is specific
risk.
DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR'S CORPORATION'S RATINGS OF STATE AND
MUNICIPAL NOTES:
SP-1 - Very strong or strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those
issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be
given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2 - Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.
SP-3 - Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
DESCRIPTION OF MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.'S MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS:
AAA - Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt
edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally
stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective
elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most
unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
AA - Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as
high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins
of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other
elements present which make the long term risks appear somewhat larger than
in Aaa securities.
A - Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to
be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
BAA - Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e,.
they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and
principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any
great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
BA - Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements. Their future
cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and
principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times in the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B - Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of a desirable investment.
Assurance of interest and principal payments of or maintenance of other
terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
CAA - Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default
or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest.
Those bonds in the Aa, A, Baa, Ba, and B groups which Moody's believes
possess the strongest investment attributes are designated by the symbols
Aa1, A1, Baa1, Ba1, and B1.
DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR'S CORPORATION'S MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS:
AAA - Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's
to a debt obligation. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is
extremely strong.
AA - Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the highest-rated debt issues only in small
degree.
A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal,
although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes
in circumstances and economic conditions.
BBB - Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing
circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay
interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher-rated
categories.
BB - Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could
lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.
B - Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is
also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual
or implied BB or BB- rating.
CCC - Debt rated CCC has a currently identifiable vulnerability to default,
and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic
conditions to meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal.
In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, it is
not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or
minus to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
