As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 1998
File Nos.
2-30203
811-1608
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No. _____
Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 (X)
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 25 (X)
FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
777 MARINERS ISLAND BLVD., SAN MATEO, CA 94404
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code (650) 312-2000
HARMON E. BURNS, 777 MARINERS ISLAND BLVD., SAN MATEO, CA 94404
(Name and Address of Agent for Service of Process)
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
appropriate box)
[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] on January 1, 1999 pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
[ ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
Title of Securities Being Registered:
Shares of Beneficial Interest:
AGE High Income Fund - Class A
AGE High Income Fund - Class B
AGE High Income Fund - Class C
AGE High Income Fund - Advisor Class
The Registrant's statements of additional information and Advisor Class
prospectus dated October 1, 1998, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under Form Type 497 on October 5, 1998, (File Nos. 02-30203 and
811-1608) are hereby incorporated by reference.
PROSPECTUS
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
INCOME
FRANKLIN'S
AGE HIGH
INCOME FUND
CLASS A, B & C
OCTOBER 1, 1998 as amended January 1, 1999
Franklin High Income Trust
Please read this prospectus before investing, and keep it for future reference.
It contains important information, including how the fund invests and the
services available to shareholders.
This prospectus describes the fund's Class A, B and C shares. The fund currently
offers another share class with a different sales charge and expense structure,
which affects performance.
To learn more about the fund and its policies, you may request a copy of the
fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), dated October 1, 1998, which
we may amend from time to time. We have filed the SAI with the SEC and have
incorporated it by reference into this prospectus.
For a free copy of the SAI or a larger print version of this prospectus, or to
receive a free copy of the prospectus
for the fund's other share class, contact your investment representative or call
1-800/DIAL BEN.
MUTUAL FUND SHARES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED OR ENDORSED
BY, ANY BANK, AND ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER AGENCY OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. MUTUAL FUND SHARES INVOLVE INVESTMENT RISKS, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE
LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
LIKE ALL MUTUAL FUND SHARES, THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAP-PROVED THESE
SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS PRO-SPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
FRANKLIN'S AGE HIGH INCOME FUND
THE FUND MAY INVEST UP TO 100% OF ITS NET ASSETS IN NON-INVESTMENT GRADE BONDS
OF BOTH U.S. AND FOREIGN ISSUERS. THESE ARE COMMONLY KNOWN AS "JUNK BONDS."
THEIR DEFAULT AND OTHER RISKS ARE GREATER THAN THOSE OF HIGHER RATED SECURITIES.
YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THESE RISKS BEFORE INVESTING IN THE FUND. PLEASE
SEE "WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND?"
THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES HEREIN DESCRIBED IN ANY
STATE, JURISDICTION OR COUNTRY IN WHICH THE OFFERING IS NOT AUTHORIZED. NO SALES
REPRESENTATIVE, DEALER, OR OTHER PERSON IS AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR
MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS. FURTHER
INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM DISTRIBUTORS.
FRANKLIN'S
AGE HIGH
INCOME FUND
October 1, 1998
as amended January 1, 1999
When reading this prospectus, you will see certain terms beginning with capital
letters. This means the term is explained in our glossary section.
777 Mariners Island Blvd.
P.O. Box 7777
San Mateo
CA 94403-7777
1-800/DIAL BEN(R)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE FUND
Expense Summary ....................................................... 2
Financial Highlights .................................................. 4
How Does the Fund Invest Its Assets? .................................. 5
What Are the Risks of Investing in the Fund? .......................... 8
Who Manages the Fund? ................................................. 13
How Taxation Affects the Fund and Its Shareholders .................... 16
How Is the Trust Organized? ........................................... 18
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How Do I Buy Shares? .................................................. 19
May I Exchange Shares for Shares of Another Fund? ..................... 28
How Do I Sell Shares? ................................................. 31
What Distributions Might I Receive From the Fund? ..................... 34
Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements ....................... 35
Services to Help You Manage Your Account .............................. 39
What If I Have Questions About My Account? ............................ 42
GLOSSARY
Useful Terms and Definitions .......................................... 42
APPENDIX
Description of Ratings ................................................ 45
ABOUT THE FUND
EXPENSE SUMMARY
This table is designed to help you understand the costs of investing in the
fund. It is based on the historical expenses of the fund for the fiscal year
ended May 31, 1998. The fund's actual expenses may vary.
CLASS A 1 CLASS B 2 CLASS C 1
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES3
Maximum Sales Charge (as a percentage of
Offering Price) .................... 4.25% 4.00% 1.99%
Paid at time of purchase4.......... 4.25% None 1.00%
Paid at redemption5 ............... None 4.00% 0.99%
Exchange Fee (per transaction)6 .... None None None
B. ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)
Management Fees .................... 0.46% 0.46% 0.46%
Rule 12b-1 Fees7 ................... 0.12% 0.65% 0.65%
Other Expenses ..................... 0.12% 0.12% 0.12%
--------------------------
Total Fund Operating Expenses ...... 0.70% 1.23% 1.23%
==========================
C. EXAMPLE
Assume the annual return for each class is 5%, operating expenses are as
described above, and you sell your shares after the number of years shown. These
are the projected expenses for each $10,000 that you invest in the fund.
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASS A.......................$493 8 $639 $798 $1,259
CLASS B
Assuming you sold your shares
at the end of the period ...$525 $690 $876 $1,342 9
Assuming you stayed in
the fund ...................$125 $390 $676 $1,342 9
CLASS C ......................$322 10 $486 $769 $1,574
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE. IT DOES NOT REPRESENT PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES OR
RETURNS. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND RETURNS MAY BE MORE OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. The
fund pays its operating expenses. The effects of these expenses are reflected in
the Net Asset Value or dividends of each class and are not directly charged to
your account.
1. Before January 1, 1999, Class A shares were designated Class I and Class C
shares were designated Class II. 2. The fund began offering Class B shares on
January 1, 1999. Annual fund operating expenses are based on the expenses for
Class A and C for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1998. The Rule 12b-1 fees are
based on the maximum fees allowed under Class B's Rule 12b-1 plan. 3. If your
transaction is processed through your Securities Dealer, you may be charged a
fee by your Securities Dealer for this service. 4. There is no front-end sales
charge if you invest $1 million or more in Class A shares. Although Class B and
C have a lower front-end sales charge than Class A, their Rule 12b-1 fees are
higher. Over time you may pay more for Class B and C shares. Please see "How Do
I Buy Shares? - Choosing a Share Class." 5. A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
of 1% may apply to Class A purchases of $1 million or more if you sell the
shares within one year and to any Class C purchase if you sell the shares within
18 months. A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge of up to 4% may apply to any Class
B purchase if you sell the shares within six years. A Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge may also apply to purchases by certain retirement plans that qualify to
buy Class A shares without a front-end sales charge. The charge is based on the
value of the shares sold or the Net Asset Value at the time of purchase,
whichever is less. The number in the table shows the charge as a percentage of
Offering Price. While the percentage for Class C is different depending on
whether the charge is shown based on the Net Asset Value or the Offering Price,
the dollar amount you would pay is the same. See "How Do I Sell Shares?
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" for details. 6. There is a $5 fee for
exchanges by Market Timers. 7. These fees may not exceed 0.15% for Class A and
0.65% for Class B and C. The combination of front-end sales charges and Rule
12b-1 fees could cause long-term shareholders to pay more than the economic
equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted under the rules of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. 8. Assumes a Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge will not apply. 9. Assumes conversion of Class B shares to
Class A shares after eight years, lowering your annual expenses from that time
on. 10. For the same Class C investment, you would pay projected expenses of
$224 if you did not sell your shares at the end of the first year. Your
projected expenses for the remaining periods would be the same.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table summarizes the fund's financial history. The information has been
audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the fund's independent auditor. The audit
report covering each of the most recent five years appears in the Trust's Annual
Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1998. The Annual Report
to Shareholders also includes more information about the fund's performance. For
a free copy, please call Fund Information.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES:
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAR ENDED MAY 31,
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE
(for a share outstanding throughout the year)
Net Asset Value,
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
beginning of year. $2.90 $2.79 $2.77 $2.70 $2.81 $2.72 $2.37 $2.53 $3.18 $3.37
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment income .26 .26 .25 .26 .27 .30 .31 .34 .41 .43
Net realized and unrealized
gains (losses)... .08 .11 .03 .07 (.11) .05 .34 (.12) (.64) (.19)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from investment
operations........ .34 .37 .28 .33 .16 .35 .65 .22 (.23) .24
Less distributions from net
investment income. (.26) (.26) (.26) (.26) (.27) (.26) (.30) (.36) (.42) (.43)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Asset Value, end of year $2.98 $2.90 $2.79 $2.77 $2.70 $2.81 $2.72 $2.37 $2.53 $3.18
====================================================================================
Total return**.... 12.32% 14.09% 10.75% 13.34% 5.19% 13.33% 28.48% 10.18% (8.13)% 6.97%
Ratios/supplemental data
Net assets, end
of year (in millions) $3,236 $2,639 $2,184 $1,909 $1,817 $1,936 $1,864 $1,588 $1,675 $2,243
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses......... .70% .71% .70% .66% .59% .56% .58% .59% .56% .56%
Net investment income 9.04% 9.31% 9.07% 9.71% 9.61% 10.78% 12.18% 14.87% 14.47% 13.06%
Portfolio turnover rate 29.69% 20.01% 19.87% 28.56% 42.32% 38.33% 43.70% 28.55% 17.59% 28.82%
CLASS C SHARES:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAR ENDED MAY 31,
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998 1997 1996 19951
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE
(for a share outstanding throughout the year)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net Asset Value, beginning of year ..... $2.90 $2.79 $2.77 $2.76
-----------------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income ................. .25 .25 .25 --
Net realized and unrealized gains...... .08 .11 .02 .01
-----------------------------------------------
Total from investment operations....... .33 .36 .27 .01
-----------------------------------------------
Less distributions from net investment income (.25) (.25) (.25) --
---------------------------------------------
Net Asset Value, end of year ........... $2.98 $2.90 $2.79 $2.77
=============================================
Total return** ......................... 11.69% 13.41% 10.06% .36%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of year (000's) ........ $394,612 $151,073 $46,064 $713
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses .............................. 1.23% 1.25% 1.25% 1.14%*
Net investment income ................. 8.51% 8.75% 8.50% 6.91%*
Portfolio turnover rate ................ 29.69% 20.01% 19.87% 28.56%
</TABLE>
*ANNUALIZED.
**TOTAL RETURN DOES NOT REFLECT SALES COMMISSIONS OR THE CONTINGENT DEFERRED
SALES CHARGE, AND IS NOT ANNUALIZED. PRIOR TO MAY 1, 1994, DIVIDENDS FROM NET
INVESTMENT INCOME WERE REINVESTED AT THE OFFERING PRICE. 1FOR THE PERIOD MAY 16,
1995 (EFFECTIVE DATE) TO MAY 31, 1995.
HOW DOES THE FUND INVEST ITS ASSETS?
WHAT IS THE FUND'S GOAL?
The investment goal of the fund is to earn a high level of current income. As a
secondary goal, the fund seeks capital appreciation to the extent it is possible
and consistent with the fund's principal goal. These goals are fundamental which
means that they may not be changed without shareholder approval.
WHAT KINDS OF SECURITIES DOES THE FUND BUY?
The fund will generally invest in high yield, lower rated debt securities. High
yield debt securities are often issued by the following types of companies:
o Companies lacking the financial strength needed to receive an "investment
grade" rating;
o Companies that do not have the track record needed to receive an
"investment grade" rating. These include companies in relatively new
industries such as the cellular communication industry;
o Companies that have borrowed to finance acquisitions or to expand their
operations;
o Companies seeking to refinance their debt at lower rates; and
o Companies that have been downgraded due to financial difficulties.
Lower rated securities generally pay higher yields than more highly rated
securities to compensate investors for the higher risk. The fund seeks to invest
in securities offering the highest yield and expected total return without
taking on an excessive amount of risk.
The fund may also invest in dividend-paying equity securities.
DEBT SECURITIES represent an obligation of the issuer to repay a loan of money
to it, and generally, provide for the payment of interest. These include bonds,
notes and debentures; convertible securities; commercial paper; and bankers'
acceptances. The fund may also invest in "zero coupon bonds" which are debt
securities that typically pay interest only at maturity rather than periodically
during the life of the security and are issued at a significant discount from
their principal amount.
QUALITY AND RATINGS. The fund may buy both rated and unrated debt securities.
Independent rating organizations rate debt securities based upon their
assessment of the financial soundness of the issuer. Generally, a lower rating
indicates higher risk. Non-investment grade securities are those rated lower
than BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody's. The fund may buy debt securities regardless
of their rating and up to 100% of the portfolio may be invested in
non-investment grade securities. The fund may invest up to 10% of its total
assets in debt securities where the issuer is not currently making interest
payments (defaulted debt securities). It is the fund's intent not to buy unrated
securities that are comparable to securities rated below B by Moody's or S&P.
The ratings are described in the Appendix to this prospectus and the SAI. As of
May 31, 1998, approximately 92.72% of the fund's net assets were invested in
lower rated and comparable quality unrated debt securities.
Ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based largely on the issuer's
historical financial condition and the rating agencies' investment analysis at
the time of the rating. Credit quality in the high yield debt market, however,
can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the
issuer's current financial condition. For these reasons, the manager does not
rely principally on the ratings assigned by rating agencies, but performs its
own independent investment analysis of securities being considered for the
fund's portfolio. In its analysis, the manager considers a variety of factors,
including:
o the experience and managerial strength of the issuer; o responsiveness to
changes in interest rates and business conditions; o debt maturity schedules
and borrowing requirements; o the issuer's changing financial condition and
market recognition of the
change; and
o relative values based on such factors as anticipated cash flow, interest or
dividend coverage, asset coverage, and earnings prospects.
EQUITY SECURITIES generally entitle the holder to participate in a company's
general operating results. These include common stock; preferred stock; warrants
or rights. The fund's equity investments generally will be limited to
dividend-paying common or preferred stocks.
FOREIGN SECURITIES AND DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. The fund may invest in securities of
issuers in any foreign country, developed or developing, and may buy foreign
securities that are traded in the U.S. or securities of U.S. issuers that are
denominated in a foreign currency. The fund may also invest in American,
European and Global Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts are certificates
typically issued by a bank or trust company that give their holders the right to
receive securities issued by a foreign or domestic corporation. The fund
presently has no intention of investing more than 10% of its assets in foreign
securities not publicly traded in the U.S.
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS. The fund may invest cash being held for liquidity
purposes in shares of Franklin Money Fund and other money market funds in the
Franklin Templeton Funds.
Please see the SAI for more details on the types of securities the fund invests
in.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FUND'S OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES?
TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS. When the manager believes that the securities trading
markets or the economy are experiencing excessive volatility or a prolonged
general decline, or other adverse conditions exist, it may invest the fund's
portfolio in a temporary defensive manner. Under such circumstances, the fund
may invest up to 100% of its assets in short-term debt instruments, including
U.S. government securities, high grade commercial paper, repurchase agreements
and other money market equivalents.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The fund will generally have a portion of its assets in
cash or cash equivalents for a variety of reasons including waiting for a
special investment opportunity or taking a defensive position. To earn income on
this portion of its assets, the fund may enter into repurchase agreements with
certain banks and broker-dealers. Under a repurchase agreement, the fund agrees
to buy a U.S. government security from one of these issuers and then to sell the
security back to the issuer after a short period of time (generally, less than
seven days) at a higher price. The bank or broker-dealer must transfer to the
fund's custodian securities with an initial value of at least 102% of the dollar
amount invested by the fund in each repurchase agreement.
SECURITIES LENDING. To generate additional income, the fund may lend its
portfolio securities to qualified securities dealers or other institutional
investors. Such loans may not exceed 10% of the value of the fund's total assets
measured at the time of the most recent loan. For each loan the fund must
receive in return collateral with a value at least equal to 100% of the current
market value of the loaned securities.
OTHER POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS. The fund has a number of additional investment
policies and restrictions that govern its activities. Those that are identified
as "fundamental" may only be changed with shareholder approval. The others may
be changed by the Board alone. For a list of these restrictions and more
information about the fund's investment policies, including those described
above, please see "How Does the Fund Invest Its Assets?" and "Investment
Restrictions" in the SAI.
Generally, the policies and restrictions discussed in this prospectus and in the
SAI apply when the fund makes an investment. In most cases, the fund is not
required to sell a security because circumstances change and the security no
longer meets one or more of the fund's policies or restrictions.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND?
There is no assurance that the fund will meet its investment goals.
The value of your shares will increase as the value of the securities owned by
the fund increases and will decrease as the value of the fund's investments
decrease. In this way, you participate in any change in the value of the
securities owned by the fund. In addition to the factors that affect the value
of any particular security that the fund owns, the value of fund shares may also
change with movements in the stock and bond markets as a whole.
INTEREST RATE RISK is the risk that changes in interest rates will reduce the
value of a security. When interest rates rise, fixed-income security prices
fall. The opposite is also true: fixed-income security prices go up when
interest rates fall. Generally, interest rates rise when future inflation rates
are expected to increase. This often occurs during periods of strong economic
growth, but may also occur during periods of rising government budget deficits
or when the value of the U.S. dollar declines against other currencies. Interest
rates generally fall when future inflation rates are expected to decline. This
often occurs during periods of slower economic growth. Securities with longer
maturities usually are more sensitive to interest rate changes than securities
with shorter maturities.
INCOME RISK is the risk that a fund's income will decrease due to falling
interest rates. Since a fund can only distribute what it earns, a fund's
distributions to its shareholders will decline when interest rates fall.
CREDIT RISK is the possibility that an issuer of a debt security will be unable
to make principal and interest payments in a timely manner and the debt security
will go into default. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a
security's credit rating may affect a security's value.
You should consider the increased risk of loss to principal that is present with
an investment in higher risk securities, such as those in which the fund
invests. Accordingly, an investment in the fund should not be considered a
complete investment program and should be carefully evaluated for its
appropriateness in light of your overall investment needs and goals.
Securities rated below investment grade, sometimes called "junk bonds,"
generally have more credit risk than higher-rated securities and an investment
in the fund will have greater price swings than an investment in a fund
emphasizing higher-rated debt securities. The principal risks of investing in
high yield debt securities include:
o SUBSTANTIAL CREDIT RISK. High yield debt securities carry a high degree of
credit risk. Companies issuing high yield debt securities are not as strong
financially as those with higher credit ratings and their ability to make
interest payments or repay principal is less certain. These companies are
more likely to encounter financial difficulties and to be materially affected
by them. They are also more vulnerable to changes in the economy, such as a
recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could prevent
them from making interest and principal payments in a timely manner.
o DEFAULTED DEBT SECURITIES RISK. In some cases, the fund may own securities
where the issuer is not paying or stops paying interest and/or principal on
the securities. Payments on these securities may never resume. These
securities may be worthless and the fund could lose its entire investment,
which may lower the fund's Net Asset Value. Defaulted securities tend to lose
much of their value before they default, in which case the fund's Net Asset
Value will be adversely affected before the issuer stops making interest or
principal payments.
o VOLATILITY RISK. The market prices of high yield debt securities fluctuate
more than higher-quality securities and may decline significantly in periods
of general or regional economic difficulty. Prices are especially sensitive
to developments affecting the company's business and business prospects and
to changes in the ratings assigned by ratings organizations such as S&P and
Moody's. Prices are often closely linked with the company's stock prices and
typically rise and fall in response to business developments, general stock
market activity or other factors that affect stock prices. In addition, the
entire high yield securities market can experience sudden and sharp price
swings due to changes in economic conditions, stock market activity, large
sustained sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or other factors.
Price swings in the high yield securities market can adversely affect the
prices of all high yield securities.
o REDUCED LIQUIDITY RISK. The high yield securities market is generally less
liquid than the market for higher-quality bonds and large purchases or sales
of these securities can cause sudden and substantial changes in their market
prices. Many of these securities do not trade frequently, and when they do
trade their prices may be significantly higher or lower than expected. In
less liquid markets such as this, it is generally more difficult to sell
securities promptly at an acceptable price, which may limit the fund's
ability to sell securities in response to specific economic events or to meet
redemption requests.
The fund relies on the manager's judgment, analysis and experience in evaluating
the credit and other risks of investing in high yield securities and the high
yield market as a whole. In order for the fund to achieve its investment goal,
the manager must correctly predict general economic and market trends and
evaluate particular issuer's financial resources, sensitivity to economic
conditions and trends, operating history and quality of management, as well as
regulatory and other matters.
The fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in below investment grade
securities. The following table provides a summary of the credit quality of the
fund's portfolio. These figures are dollar-weighted averages of month-end assets
during the fiscal year ended May 31, 1998.
PERCENTAGE
S&P RATING OF ASSETS
- ------------------------------------------
A+ ........................... .140%
BBB+.......................... .481%
BBB........................... 1.523%
BBB-.......................... 1.44%
BB+........................... 3.457%
BB............................ 3.998%
BB-........................... 8.050%
B+............................ 12.483%
B............................. 25.104%
B-............................ 19.956%
CCC+.......................... 7.528%
CCC........................... 1.954%
CCC-.......................... .351%
D............................. .338%
As of May 31, 1998, .165% of securities in the fund's portfolio were unrated by
S&P and deemed by the manager to be comparable to securities rated BB- by S&P;
.271% were unrated by S&P and deemed comparable to securities rated B+; .825%
were unrated and deemed to be comparable to securities rated B; 3.87% were
unrated and deemed to be comparable to securities rated B-; .011% were unrated
and deemed to be equivalent to securities rated CCC+; and .067% were unrated and
deemed to be comparable to securities rated CC.
As of May 31, 1998, the percentage of the fund's assets invested in equity
securities was 5.298%.
CALL RISK is the risk that a security will be prepaid ("called") before its
stated maturity date. An issuer is more likely to call its securities when
interest rates are falling because the issuer can issue new securities with
lower interest payments. Issuers of high yield securities often have the right
to call their securities prior to maturity. If a security is called, the fund
may have to replace it with a lower-yielding security.
ZERO COUPON BOND RISK. Zero coupon bonds are especially sensitive to changes in
interest rates and their prices generally are more volatile than debt securities
that pay interest periodically. Lower-quality zero coupon bonds are generally
subject to the same risks as high yield debt securities. The fund typically will
not receive any interest payments on these securities until maturity. If the
issuer defaults, the fund may lose its entire investment, which may lower the
fund's Net Asset Value.
FOREIGN SECURITIES RISK. The value of foreign (and U.S.) securities is affected
by general economic conditions and individual company and industry earnings
prospects. While foreign securities may offer significant opportunities for
gain, they also involve additional risks that can increase the potential for
losses in the fund. These risks can be significantly greater for investments in
emerging markets.
The political, economic and social structures of some countries in which the
fund invests may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. The
risks of investing in these countries include the possibility of the imposition
of exchange controls, expropriation, restrictions on removal of currency or
other assets, nationalization of assets, and punitive taxes.
There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company or
government than about a U.S. company or public entity. Certain countries'
financial markets and services are less developed than those in the U.S. or
other major economies. As a result, they may not have uniform accounting,
auditing and financial reporting standards and may have less government
supervision of financial markets. Foreign securities markets may have
substantially lower trading volumes than U.S. markets, resulting in less
liquidity and more volatility than experienced in the U.S. Transaction costs on
foreign securities markets are generally higher than in the U.S. The settlement
practices may be cumbersome and result in delays that may affect portfolio
liquidity. The fund may have greater difficulty voting proxies, exercising
shareholder rights, pursuing legal remedies and obtaining judgments with respect
to foreign investments in foreign courts than with respect to domestic issuers
in U.S. courts.
Some of the countries in which the fund may invest are considered developing or
emerging markets. Investments in these markets are subject to all of the risks
of foreign investing generally, and have additional and heightened risks due to
a lack of legal, business and social frameworks to support securities markets.
Emerging markets involve additional significant risks, including political and
social uncertainty (for example, regional conflicts and risk of war), currency
exchange rate volatility, pervasiveness of corruption and crime, delays in
settling portfolio transactions and risk of loss arising out of the system of
share registration and custody.
MARKET AND CURRENCY RISK. Market risk is the risk that a security's value will
be reduced by market activity or the results of supply and demand. This is a
basic risk associated with all securities, both domestic and foreign. When there
are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more
buyers than sellers, prices tend to increase. In addition, the fund's
investments may be denominated in foreign currencies so that changes in foreign
currency exchange rates will affect the value of what the fund owns and thus the
price of its shares. Individual and worldwide securities markets and currency
valuations have both increased and decreased, sometimes very dramatically, in
the past. These changes are likely to occur again in the future at unpredictable
times.
EURO RISK. On January 1, 1999, the European Monetary Union (EMU) plans to
introduce a new single currency, the euro, which will replace the national
currency for participating member countries. If the fund holds investments in
countries with currencies replaced by the euro, the investment process,
including trading, foreign exchange, payments, settlements, cash accounts,
custody and accounting will be impacted.
Because this change to a single currency is new and untested, the establishment
of the euro may result in market volatility. For the same reason, it is not
possible to predict the impact of the euro on the business or financial
condition of European issuers which the fund may hold in its portfolio, and
their impact on the value of fund shares. To the extent the fund holds non-U.S.
dollar (euro or other) denominated securities, it will still be exposed to
currency risk due to fluctuations in those currencies versus the U.S. dollar.
YEAR 2000. When evaluating current and potential portfolio positions, Year 2000
is one of the factors the fund's manager considers.
The manager will rely upon public filings and other statements made by companies
about their Year 2000 readiness. Issuers in countries outside the U.S.,
particularly in emerging markets, may not be required to make the same level of
disclosure about Year 2000 readiness as is required in the U.S. The manager, of
course, cannot audit each company and its major suppliers to verify their Year
2000 readiness.
If a company in which the fund is invested is adversely affected by Year 2000
problems, it is likely that the price of its security will also be adversely
affected. A decrease in the value of one or more of the fund's portfolio
holdings will have a similar impact on the price of the fund's shares. Please
see "Year 2000 Problem" under "Who Manages the Fund?" for more information.
WHO MANAGES THE FUND?
THE BOARD. The Board oversees the management of the fund and elects its
officers. The officers are responsible for the fund's day-to-day operations. The
Board also monitors the fund to ensure no material conflicts exist among the
fund's classes of shares. While none is expected, the Board will act
appropriately to resolve any material conflict that may arise.
INVESTMENT MANAGER. Franklin Advisers, Inc. manages the fund's assets and
makes its investment decisions. The manager also performs similar services
for other funds. It is wholly owned by Resources, a publicly owned company
engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. Charles
B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are the principal shareholders of
Resources. Together, the manager and its affiliates manage over $208 billion
in assets. Please see "Investment Management and Other Services" and
"Miscellaneous Information" in the SAI for information on securities
transactions and a summary of the fund's Code of Ethics.
MANAGEMENT TEAM. The team responsible for the day-to-day management of the
fund's portfolio is: R. Martin Wiskemann since 1972 and Christopher Molumphy
since 1991.
R. Martin Wiskemann
Senior Vice President of Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Mr. Wiskemann holds a degree in Business Administration from the Handelsschule
of the State of Zurich, Switzerland. He has been in the securities business for
more than 30 years, managing mutual fund equity and fixed-income portfolios, and
private investment accounts. He has been with the Franklin Templeton Group since
1972. He is a member of several securities industry-related associations.
Christopher Molumphy
Senior Vice President of Franklin Advisers, Inc.
Mr. Molumphy is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds a Master of Business
Administration degree from the University of Chicago. He earned his Bachelor
of Arts degree in Economics from Stanford University. He has been with the
Franklin Templeton Group since 1988. Mr. Molumphy is a member of several
securities industry-related associations.
MANAGEMENT FEES. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 1998, management fees
totaling 0.46% of the average monthly net assets of the fund were paid to the
manager. Total expenses, including fees paid to the manager, were 0.70% for
Class A and 1.23% for Class C.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS. The manager tries to obtain the best execution on all
transactions. If the manager believes more than one broker or dealer can provide
the best execution, it may consider research and related services and the sale
of fund shares, as well as shares of other funds in the Franklin Templeton Group
of Funds, when selecting a broker or dealer. Please see "How Does the Fund Buy
Securities for Its Portfolio?" in the SAI for more information.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. Under an agreement with the manager, FT Services
provides certain administrative services and facilities for the fund. During the
fiscal year ended May 31, 1998, administration fees totaling 0.10% of the
average daily net assets of the fund were paid to FT Services. These fees are
paid by the manager. They are not a separate expense of the fund. Please see
"Investment Management and Other Services" in the SAI for more information.
YEAR 2000 PROBLEM. The fund's business operations depend on a worldwide network
of computer systems that contain date fields, including securities trading
systems, securities transfer agent operations and stock market links. Many of
the systems currently use a two digit date field to represent the date, and
unless these systems are changed or modified, they may not be able to
distinguish the Year 1900 from the Year 2000 (commonly referred to as the Year
2000 problem). In addition, the fact that the Year 2000 is a non-standard leap
year may create difficulties for some systems.
When the Year 2000 arrives, the fund's operations could be adversely affected if
the computer systems used by the manager, its service providers and other third
parties it does business with are not Year 2000 ready. For example, the fund's
portfolio and operational areas could be impacted, including securities trade
processing, interest and dividend payments, securities pricing, shareholder
account services, reporting, custody functions and others. The fund could
experience difficulties in effecting transactions if any of its foreign
subcustodians, or if foreign broker-dealers or foreign markets are not ready for
Year 2000.
The fund's manager and its affiliated service providers are making a concerted
effort to take steps they believe are reasonably designed to address their Year
2000 problems. Of course, the fund's ability to reduce the effects of the Year
2000 problem is also very much dependent upon the efforts of third parties over
which the fund and its manager may have no control.
THE RULE 12B-1 PLANS
Each class has a separate distribution or "Rule 12b-1" plan under which the fund
shall pay or may reimburse Distributors or others for the expenses of activities
that are primarily intended to sell shares of the class. These expenses may
include, among others, distribution or service fees paid to Securities Dealers
or others who have executed a servicing agreement with the fund, Distributors or
its affiliates; a prorated portion of Distributors' overhead expenses; and the
expenses of printing prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, and
preparing and distributing sales literature and advertisements.
Payments by the fund under the Class A plan may not exceed 0.15% per year of
Class A's average daily net assets. All distribution expenses over this amount
will be borne by those who have incurred them. During the first year after
certain Class A purchases made without a sales charge, Securities Dealers may
not be eligible to receive the Rule 12b-1 fees associated with the purchase.
Under the Class B plan, the fund pays Distributors up to 0.50% per year of Class
B's average daily net assets to pay Distributors for providing distribution and
related services and bearing certain Class B expenses. All distribution expenses
over this amount will be borne by those who have incurred them. Securities
Dealers are not eligible to receive this portion of the Rule 12b-1 fees
associated with the purchase.
The fund may also pay a servicing fee of up to 0.15% per year of Class B's
average daily net assets under the Class B plan. This fee may be used to pay
Securities Dealers or others for, among other things, helping to establish and
maintain customer accounts and records, helping with requests to buy and sell
shares, receiving and answering correspondence, monitoring dividend payments
from the fund on behalf of customers, and similar servicing and account
maintenance activities. Securities Dealers may be eligible to receive this
portion of the Rule 12b-1 fees from the date of purchase. After 8 years, Class B
shares convert to Class A shares and Securities Dealers may then receive the
Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Class A.
The expenses relating to the Class B plan are also used to pay Distributors for
advancing the commission costs to Securities Dealers with respect to the initial
sale of Class B shares. Further, the expenses relating to the Class B plan may
be used by Distributors to pay third party financing entities that have provided
financing to Distributors in connection with advancing commission costs to
Securities Dealers.
Under the Class C plan, the fund may pay Distributors up to 0.50% per year of
Class C's average daily net assets to pay Distributors or others for providing
distribution and related services and bearing certain Class C expenses. All
distribution expenses over this amount will be borne by those who have incurred
them. During the first year after a purchase of Class C shares, Securities
Dealers may not be eligible to receive this portion of the Rule 12b-1 fees
associated with the purchase.
The fund may also pay a servicing fee of up to 0.15% per year of Class C's
average daily net assets under the Class C plan. This fee may be used to pay
Securities Dealers or others for, among other things, helping to establish and
maintain customer accounts and records, helping with requests to buy and sell
shares, receiving and answering correspondence, monitoring dividend payments
from the fund on behalf of customers, and similar servicing and account
maintenance activities.
The Rule 12b-1 fees charged to each class are based only on the fees
attributable to that particular class. For more information, please see "The
Fund's Underwriter" in the SAI.
HOW TAXATION AFFECTS THE FUND AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS
TAXATION OF THE FUND'S INVESTMENTS. The fund invests your money in the bonds,
stocks and other securities that are described in the section "How Does the Fund
Invest Its Assets?" Special tax rules may apply in determining the income and
gains that the fund earns on its investments. These rules may, in turn, affect
the amount of distributions that the fund pays to you. These special tax rules
are discussed in the SAI.
TAXATION OF THE FUND. As a regulated investment company, the fund generally pays
no federal income tax on the income and gains that it distributes to you.
FOREIGN TAXES. Foreign governments may impose taxes on the income and gains from
the fund's investments in foreign stocks and bonds. These taxes will reduce the
amount of the fund's distributions to you.
[Begin callout]
HOW DOES THE FUND EARN INCOME AND GAINS?
The fund earns interest and dividends (the fund's "income") on its investments.
When the fund sells a security for a price that is higher than it paid, it has a
gain. When the fund sells a security for a price that is lower than it paid, it
has a loss. If the fund has held the security for more than one year, the gain
or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss. If the fund has held the
security for one year or less, the gain or loss will be a short-term capital
gain or loss. The fund's gains and losses are netted together, and, if the fund
has a net gain (the fund's "gains"), that gain will generally be distributed to
you.
[End callout]
TAXATION OF SHAREHOLDERS
DISTRIBUTIONS. Distributions from the fund, whether you receive them in cash or
in additional shares, are generally subject to income tax. The fund will send
you a statement in January of the current year that reflects the amount of
ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions and non-taxable distributions you
received from the fund in the prior year. This statement will include
distributions declared in December and paid to you in January of the current
year, but which are taxable as if paid on December 31 of the prior year. The IRS
requires you to report these amounts on your income tax return for the prior
year.
[Begin callout]
WHAT IS A DISTRIBUTION?
As a shareholder, you will receive your share of the fund's income and gains on
its investments in stocks, bonds and other securities. The fund's income and
short-term capital gains are paid to you as ordinary dividends. The fund's
long-term capital gains are paid to you as capital gain distributions. If the
fund pays you an amount in excess of its income and gains, this excess will
generally be treated as a non-taxable distribution. These amounts, taken
together, are what we call the fund's distributions to you.
[End callout]
DISTRIBUTIONS TO RETIREMENT PLANS. Fund distributions received by your qualified
retirement plan, such as a section 401(k) plan or IRA, are generally
tax-deferred; this means that you are not required to report fund distributions
on your income tax return when paid to your plan, but, rather, when your plan
makes payments to you. Special rules apply to payouts from Roth and Education
IRAs.
DIVIDENDS-RECEIVED DEDUCTION. Corporate investors may be entitled to a
dividends-received deduction on a portion of the ordinary dividends they
receive from the fund.
REDEMPTIONS AND EXCHANGES. If you redeem your shares or if you exchange your
shares in the fund for shares in another Franklin Templeton Fund, you will
generally have a gain or loss that the IRS requires you to report on your income
tax return. If you exchange fund shares held for 90 days or less and pay no
sales charge, or a reduced sales charge, for the new shares, all or a portion of
the sales charge you paid on the purchase of the shares you exchanged is not
included in their cost for purposes of computing gain or loss on the exchange.
If you hold your shares for six months or less, any loss you have will be
treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain
distributions received by you from the fund. All or a portion of any loss on the
redemption or exchange of your shares will be disallowed by the IRS if you
purchase other shares in the fund within 30 days before or after your redemption
or exchange.
[Begin callout]
WHAT IS A REDEMPTION?
A redemption is a sale by you to the fund of some or all of your shares in the
fund. The price per share you receive when you redeem fund shares may be more or
less than the price at which you purchased those shares. An exchange of shares
in the fund for shares of another Franklin Templeton Fund is treated as a
redemption of fund shares and then a purchase of shares of the other fund. When
you redeem or exchange your shares, you will generally have a gain or loss,
depending upon whether the amount you receive for your shares is more or less
than your cost or other basis in the shares.
[End callout]
U.S. GOVERNMENT INTEREST. Many states grant tax-free status to dividends paid
from interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. government, subject to
certain restrictions. The fund will provide you with information at the end
of each calendar year on the amount of such dividends that may qualify for
exemption from reporting on your individual income tax returns.
NON-U.S. INVESTORS. Ordinary dividends generally will be subject to U.S.
income tax withholding. Your home country may also tax ordinary dividends,
capital gain distributions and gains arising from redemptions or exchanges of
your fund shares. Fund shares held by the estate of a non-U.S. investor may
be subject to U.S. estate tax. You may wish to contact your tax advisor to
determine the U.S. and non-U.S. tax consequences of your investment in the
fund.
STATE TAXES. Ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions that you receive
from the fund, and gains arising from redemptions or exchanges of your fund
shares will generally be subject to state and local income tax. The holding of
fund shares may also be subject to state and local intangibles taxes. You may
wish to contact your tax advisor to determine the state and local tax
consequences of your investment in the fund.
BACKUP WITHHOLDING. When you open an account, IRS regulations require that you
provide your taxpayer identification number ("TIN"), certify that it is correct,
and certify that you are not subject to backup withholding under IRS rules. If
you fail to provide a correct TIN or the proper tax certifications, the fund is
required to withhold 31% of all the distributions (including ordinary dividends
and capital gain distributions), and redemption proceeds paid to you. The fund
is also required to begin backup withholding on your account if the IRS
instructs the fund to do so. The fund reserves the right not to open your
account, or, alternatively, to redeem your shares at the current Net Asset
Value, less any taxes withheld, if you fail to provide a correct TIN, fail to
provide the proper tax certifications, or the IRS instructs the fund to begin
backup withholding on your account.
[Begin callout]
WHAT IS A BACKUP
WITHHOLDING?
Backup withholding occurs when the fund is required to withhold and pay over to
the IRS 31% of your distributions and redemption proceeds. You can avoid backup
withholding by providing the fund with your TIN, and by completing the tax
certifications on your shareholder application that you were asked to sign when
you opened your account. However, if the IRS instructs the fund to begin backup
withholding, it is required to do so even if you provided the fund with your TIN
and these tax certifications, and backup withholding will remain in place until
the fund is instructed by the IRS that it is no longer required. [End callout]
THIS TAX DISCUSSION IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS
SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL OR
FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND. A MORE COMPLETE
DISCUSSION OF THESE RULES AND RELATED MATTERS IS CONTAINED IN THE SECTION
ENTITLED "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES" IN THE SAI.
HOW IS THE TRUST ORGANIZED?
The fund is a diversified series of Franklin High Income Trust (the "Trust"), an
open-end management investment company, commonly called a mutual fund. It was
incorporated in Colorado in January 1968 under the sponsorship of the Assembly
of Governmental Employees, reorganized as a Delaware business trust in its
present form on October 1, 1996, and is registered with the SEC. The fund offers
four classes of shares: Franklin's AGE High Income Fund - Class A, Franklin's
AGE High Income Fund - Class B, Franklin's AGE High Income Fund - Class C and
Franklin's AGE High Income Fund - Advisor Class. Additional series and classes
of shares may be offered in the future.
Shares of each class represent proportionate interests in the assets of the fund
and have the same voting and other rights and preferences as any other class of
the fund for matters that affect the fund as a whole. For matters that only
affect one class, however, only shareholders of that class may vote. Each class
will vote separately on matters affecting only that class, or expressly required
to be voted on separately by state or federal law. Shares of each class of a
series have the same voting and other rights and preferences as the other
classes and series of the Trust for matters that affect the Trust as a whole.
The Trust has noncumulative voting rights. This gives holders of more than 50%
of the shares voting the ability to elect all of the members of the Board. If
this happens, holders of the remaining shares voting will not be able to elect
anyone to the Board.
The Trust does not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings. The Trust or a
series of the Trust may hold special meetings, however, for matters requiring
shareholder approval. A meeting may be called by the Board to consider the
removal of a Board member if requested in writing by shareholders holding at
least 10% of the outstanding shares. In certain circumstances, we are required
to help you communicate with other shareholders about the removal of a Board
member. A special meeting may also be called by the Board in its discretion.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
HOW DO I BUY SHARES?
OPENING YOUR ACCOUNT
To open your account, please follow the steps below. This will help avoid any
delays in processing your request.
1. Read this prospectus carefully.
2. Determine how much you would like to invest. The fund's minimum investments
are:
o To open a regular, non-retirement account .................... $1,000
o To open an IRA, IRA Rollover, Roth IRA, or Education IRA ..... $ 250*
o To open a custodial account for a minor
(an UGMA/UTMA account) ...................................... $ 100
o To open an account with an automatic investment plan ......... $ 50**
o To add to an account ......................................... $ 50***
*For all other retirement accounts, there is no minimum investment
requirement.
**$25 for an Education IRA.
***For all retirement accounts except IRAs, IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs, or
Education IRAs, there is no minimum to add to an account.
We reserve the right to change the amount of these minimums from time to time or
to waive or lower these minimums for certain purchases. We also reserve the
right to refuse any order to buy shares.
3. Carefully complete and sign the enclosed account application, including the
optional shareholder privileges section. By applying for privileges now, you can
avoid the delay and inconvenience of having to send an additional application to
add privileges later. PLEASE ALSO INDICATE WHICH CLASS OF SHARES YOU WANT TO
BUY. IF YOU DO NOT SPECIFY A CLASS, WE WILL INVEST YOUR PURCHASE IN CLASS A
SHARES. It is important that we receive a signed application since we will not
be able to process any redemptions from your account until we receive your
signed application.
4. Make your investment using the table below.
METHOD STEPS TO FOLLOW
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY MAIL For an initial investment:
Return the application to the fund
with your check made payable to the
fund.
For additional investments: Send a check
made payable to the fund. Please include
your account number on the check.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY WIRE 1. Call Shareholder Services or, if that
number is busy, call 1-650/312-2000
collect, to receive a wire control
number and wire instructions. You
need a new wire control number every
time you wire money into your
account. If you do not have a
currently effective wire control
number, we will return the money to
the bank, and we will not credit the
purchase to your account.
2. For an initial investment you must also
return your signed account application
to the fund.
IMPORTANT DEADLINES: If we receive your call
before 1:00 p.m. Pacific time and the bank
receives the wired funds and reports the
receipt of wired funds to the fund by 3:00
p.m. Pacific time, we will credit the
purchase to your account that day. If we
receive your call after 1:00 p.m. or the
bank receives the wire after 3:00 p.m., we
will credit the purchase to your account the
following business day.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THROUGH YOUR DEALER Call your investment representative
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS
Each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you to
choose the class that best meets your situation. Your financial representative
can help you decide.
CLASS A* CLASS B* CLASS C*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o Front-end sales o No front-end sales o Front-end sales
charge of 4.25% or less charge charge of 1%
o Contingent Deferred o Contingent Deferred o Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge of 1% on Sales Charge of 4% or Sales Charge of 1% on
purchases of $1 less on shares you shares you sell
million or more sold sell within six years within 18 months
within one year
o Lower annual expenses o Higher annual o Higher annual
than Class B or C due expenses than Class A expenses than Class A
to lower Rule 12b-1 (same as Class C) due (same as Class B) due
fees to higher Rule 12b-1 to higher Rule 12b-1
fees. Automatic fees. No conversion
conversion to Class A to Class A shares, so
shares after eight annual expenses do
years, reducing future not decrease.
annual expenses.
o No maximum purchase o Maximum purchase o Maximum purchase
amount amount of $249,999. amount of $999,999.
We invest any We invest any
investment of investment of $1
$250,000 or more in million or more in
Class A shares, since Class A shares, since
a reduced front-end there is no front-end
sales charge is sales charge and
available and Class Class A's annual
A's annual expenses expenses are lower.
are lower.
*Before January 1, 1999, Class A shares were designated Class I and Class C
shares were designated Class II. The fund began offering Class B shares on
January 1, 1999. Class B shares are not available to all retirement plans. Class
B shares are only available to IRAs (of any type), Franklin Templeton Trust
Company 403(b) plans, and Franklin Templeton Trust Company qualified
plans with participant or earmarked accounts.
PURCHASE PRICE OF FUND SHARES
For Class A shares, the sales charge you pay depends on the dollar amount you
invest, as shown in the table below. The sales charge for Class C shares is 1%
and, unlike Class A, does not vary based on the size of your purchase. There is
no front-end sales charge for Class B shares.
TOTAL SALES CHARGE AMOUNT PAID TO
AS A PERCENTAGE OF DEALER AS A
AMOUNT OF PURCHASE OFFERING NET AMOUNT PERCENTAGE OF
AT OFFERING PRICE PRICE INVESTED OFFERING
PRICE
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASS A
Under $100,000.......................... 4.25% 4.44% 4.00%
$100,000 but less than $250,000......... 3.50% 3.63% 3.25%
$250,000 but less than $500,000......... 2.50% 2.56% 2.25%
$500,000 but less than $1,000,000....... 2.00% 2.04% 1.85%
$1,000,000 or more* .................... None None None
CLASS B* ............................... None None None
CLASS C
Under $1,000,000* ...................... 1.00% 1.01% 1.00%
*A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge of 1% may apply to Class A purchases of $1
million or more and any Class C purchase. A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge of
up to 4% may apply to any Class B purchase. Please see "How Do I Sell Shares? -
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge." Please also see "Other Payments to Securities
Dealers" below for a discussion of payments Distributors may make out of its own
resources to Securities Dealers for certain purchases.
SALES CHARGE REDUCTIONS AND WAIVERS
-IF YOU QUALIFY TO BUY SHARES UNDER ONE OF THE SALES CHARGE REDUCTION OR
WAIVER CATEGORIES DESCRIBED BELOW, PLEASE INCLUDE A WRITTEN STATEMENT WITH
EACH PURCHASE ORDER EXPLAINING WHICH PRIVILEGE APPLIES. If you don't include
this statement, we cannot guarantee that you will receive the sales charge
reduction or waiver.
CUMULATIVE QUANTITY DISCOUNTS - CLASS A ONLY. To determine if you may pay a
reduced sales charge, the amount of your current Class A purchase is added to
the cost or current value, whichever is higher, of your existing shares in the
Franklin Templeton Funds, as well as those of your spouse, children under the
age of 21 and grandchildren under the age of 21. If you are the sole owner of a
company, you may also add any company accounts, including retirement plan
accounts. Companies with one or more retirement plans may add together the total
plan assets invested in the Franklin Templeton Funds to determine the sales
charge that applies.
LETTER OF INTENT - CLASS A ONLY. You may buy Class A shares at a reduced sales
charge by completing the Letter of Intent section of the account application. A
Letter of Intent is a commitment by you to invest a specified dollar amount
during a 13 month period. The amount you agree to invest determines the sales
charge you pay on Class A shares.
BY COMPLETING THE LETTER OF INTENT SECTION OF THE ACCOUNT APPLICATION, YOU
ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING:
o You authorize Distributors to reserve 5% of your total intended purchase in
Class A shares registered in your name until you fulfill your Letter.
o You give Distributors a security interest in the reserved shares and appoint
Distributors as attorney-in-fact.
o Distributors may sell any or all of the reserved shares to cover any
additional sales charge if you do not fulfill the terms of the Letter.
o Although you may exchange your shares, you may not sell reserved shares until
you complete the Letter or pay the higher sales charge.
Your periodic statements will include the reserved shares in the total shares
you own. We will pay or reinvest dividend and capital gain distributions on the
reserved shares as you direct. Our policy of reserving shares does not apply to
certain retirement plans.
If you would like more information about the Letter of Intent privilege, please
see "How Do I Buy, Sell and Exchange Shares? - Letter of Intent" in the SAI or
call Shareholder Services.
GROUP PURCHASES - CLASS A ONLY. If you are a member of a qualified group, you
may buy Class A shares at a reduced sales charge that applies to the group as a
whole. The sales charge is based on the combined dollar value of the group
members' existing investments, plus the amount of the current purchase.
A qualified group is one that:
o Was formed at least six months ago,
o Has a purpose other than buying fund shares at a discount,
o Has more than 10 members,
o Can arrange for meetings between our representatives and group members,
o Agrees to include Franklin Templeton Fund sales and other materials in
publications and mailings to its members at reduced or no cost to
Distributors,
o Agrees to arrange for payroll deduction or other bulk transmission of
investments to the fund, and
o Meets other uniform criteria that allow Distributors to achieve cost savings
in distributing shares.
A qualified group does not include a 403(b) plan that only allows salary
deferral contributions. 403(b) plans that only allow salary deferral
contributions and that purchased Class A shares of the fund at a reduced sales
charge under the group purchase privilege before February 1, 1998, however, may
continue to do so.
SALES CHARGE WAIVERS. If one of the following sales charge waivers applies to
you or your purchase of fund shares, you may buy shares of the fund without a
front-end sales charge or a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. All of the sales
charge waivers listed below apply to purchases of Class A shares only, except
for items 1 and 2 which also apply to Class B and C purchases.
Certain distributions, payments or redemption proceeds that you receive may be
used to buy shares of the fund without a sales charge if you reinvest them
within 365 days of their payment or redemption date. They include:
1. Dividend and capital gain distributions from any Franklin Templeton Fund.
The distributions generally must be reinvested in the same class of shares.
Certain exceptions apply, however, to Class C shareholders who chose to
reinvest their distributions in Class A shares of the fund before November
17, 1997, and to Advisor Class or Class Z shareholders of a Franklin
Templeton Fund who may reinvest their distributions in Class A shares of the
fund.
2. Redemption proceeds from the sale of shares of any Franklin Templeton Fund.
The proceeds must be reinvested in the same class of shares, except proceeds
from the sale of Class B shares will be reinvested in Class A shares.
If you paid a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge when you sold your Class A or
C shares, we will credit your account with the amount of the Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge paid but a new Contingent Deferred Sales Charge will
apply. For Class B shares reinvested in Class A, a new Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge will not apply, although your account will not be credited with
the amount of any Contingent Deferred Sales Charge paid when you sold your
Class B shares. If you own both Class A and B shares and you later sell your
shares, we will sell your Class A shares first, unless otherwise instructed.
Proceeds immediately placed in a Franklin Bank CD also may be reinvested
without a front-end sales charge if you reinvest them within 365 days from
the date the CD matures, including any rollover.
This waiver does not apply to shares you buy and sell under our exchange
program. Shares purchased with the proceeds from a money fund may be subject
to a sales charge.
3. Dividend or capital gain distributions from a real estate investment trust
(REIT) sponsored or advised by Franklin Properties, Inc.
4. Annuity payments received under either an annuity option or from death
benefit proceeds, only if the annuity contract offers as an investment
option the Franklin Valuemark Funds or the Templeton Variable Products
Series Fund. You should contact your tax advisor for information on any tax
consequences that may apply.
5. Redemption proceeds from a repurchase of shares of Franklin Floating Rate
Trust, if the shares were continuously held for at least 12 months.
If you immediately placed your redemption proceeds in a Franklin Bank CD or
a Franklin Templeton money fund, you may reinvest them as described above.
The proceeds must be reinvested within 365 days from the date the CD
matures, including any rollover, or the date you redeem your money fund
shares.
6. Redemption proceeds from the sale of Class A shares of any of the Templeton
Global Strategy Funds if you are a qualified investor.
If you paid a contingent deferred sales charge when you sold your Class A
shares from a Templeton Global Strategy Fund, we will credit your account
with the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge paid but a new
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge will apply.
If you immediately placed your redemption proceeds in a Franklin Templeton
money fund, you may reinvest them as described above. The proceeds must be
reinvested within 365 days from the date they are redeemed from the money
fund.
7. Distributions from an existing retirement plan invested in the Franklin
Templeton Funds
Various individuals and institutions also may buy Class A shares without a
front-end sales charge or Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, including:
1. Trust companies and bank trust departments agreeing to invest in Franklin
Templeton Funds over a 13 month period at least $1 million of assets held
in a fiduciary, agency, advisory, custodial or similar capacity and over
which the trust companies and bank trust departments or other plan
fiduciaries or participants, in the case of certain retirement plans,
have full or shared investment discretion. We will accept orders for
these accounts by mail accompanied by a check or by telephone or other
means of electronic data transfer directly from the bank or trust
company, with payment by federal funds received by the close of business
on the next business day following the order.
2. An Eligible Governmental Authority. Please consult your legal and investment
advisors to determine if an investment in the fund is permissible and
suitable for you and the effect, if any, of payments by the fund on
arbitrage rebate calculations.
3. Broker-dealers, registered investment advisors or certified financial
planners who have entered into an agreement with Distributors for clients
participating in comprehensive fee programs. The minimum initial investment
is $250.
4. Qualified registered investment advisors who buy through a broker-dealer or
service agent who has entered into an agreement with Distributors
5. Registered Securities Dealers and their affiliates, for their investment
accounts only
6. Current employees of Securities Dealers and their affiliates and their
family members, as allowed by the internal policies of their employer
7. Officers, trustees, directors and full-time employees of the Franklin
Templeton Funds or the Franklin Templeton Group, and their family members,
consistent with our then-current policies. The minimum initial investment is
$100.
8. Investment companies exchanging shares or selling assets pursuant to a
merger, acquisition or exchange offer
9. Accounts managed by the Franklin Templeton Group
10. Certain unit investment trusts and their holders reinvesting distributions
from the trusts
11. Group annuity separate accounts offered to retirement plans
12. Chilean retirement plans that meet the requirements described under
"Retirement Plans" below
13. Members of the Assembly of Governmental Employees ("AGE"). If you are a
member, please complete the supplement to the account application included
with this prospectus and return it to the fund.
RETIREMENT PLANS. Retirement plans sponsored by an employer (i) with at least
100 employees, or (ii) with retirement plan assets of $1 million or more, or
(iii) that agrees to invest at least $500,000 in the Franklin Templeton Funds
over a 13 month period may buy Class A shares without a front-end sales charge.
Retirement plans that are not Qualified Retirement Plans, SIMPLEs or SEPs must
also meet the requirements described under "Group Purchases - Class A Only"
above to be able to buy Class A shares without a front-end sales charge. We may
enter into a special arrangement with a Securities Dealer, based on criteria
established by the fund, to add together certain small Qualified Retirement Plan
accounts for the purpose of meeting these requirements.
For retirement plan accounts opened on or after May 1, 1997, a Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge may apply if the retirement plan is transferred out of the
Franklin Templeton
Funds or terminated within 365 days of the retirement plan account's initial
purchase in the Franklin Templeton Funds. Please see "How Do I Sell Shares? -
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" for details.
HOW DO I BUY SHARES IN CONNECTION WITH RETIREMENT PLANS?
Your individual or employer-sponsored retirement plan may invest in the fund.
Plan documents are required for all retirement plans. Franklin Templeton Trust
Company, an affiliate of Distributors and a wholly owned subsidiary of
Resources, can provide the plan documents for you and serve as custodian or
trustee.
Franklin Templeton Trust Company can provide you with brochures containing
important information about its plans. These plans require separate applications
and their policies and procedures may be different than those described in this
prospectus. For more information, including a free retirement plan brochure or
application, please call Retirement Plan Services.
Please consult your legal, tax or retirement plan specialist before choosing a
retirement plan. Your investment representative or advisor can help you make
investment decisions within your plan.
OTHER PAYMENTS TO SECURITIES DEALERS
The payments described below may be made to Securities Dealers who initiate and
are responsible for Class B and C purchases and certain Class A purchases made
without a sales charge. The payments are subject to the sole discretion of
Distributors, and are paid by Distributors or one of its affiliates and not by
the fund or its shareholders.
1. Class A purchases of $1 million or more - up to 0.75% of the amount
invested.
2. Class B purchases - up to 3% of the amount invested.
3. Class C purchases - up to 1% of the purchase price.
4. Class A purchases made without a front-end sales charge by certain
retirement plans described under "Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers
Retirement Plans" above - up to 1% of the amount invested.
5. Class A purchases by trust companies and bank trust departments, Eligible
Governmental Authorities, and broker-dealers or others on behalf of clients
participating in comprehensive fee programs - up to 0.25% of the amount
invested.
6. Class A purchases by Chilean retirement plans - up to 1% of the amount
invested.
A Securities Dealer may receive only one of these payments for each qualifying
purchase. Securities Dealers who receive payments in connection with investments
described in paragraphs 1, 3 or 6 above or a payment of up to 1% for investments
described in paragraph 4 will be eligible to receive the Rule 12b-1 fee
associated with the purchase starting in the thirteenth calendar month after the
purchase.
FOR BREAKPOINTS THAT MAY APPLY AND INFORMATION ON ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
PAYABLE TO SECURITIES DEALERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OF FUND SHARES, PLEASE
SEE "HOW DO I BUY, SELL AND EXCHANGE SHARES? - OTHER PAYMENTS TO SECURITIES
DEALERS" IN THE SAI.
FOR INVESTORS OUTSIDE THE U.S.
The distribution of this prospectus and the offering of fund shares may be
limited in many jurisdictions. An investor who wishes to buy shares of the fund
should determine, or have a broker-dealer determine, the applicable laws and
regulations of the relevant jurisdiction. Investors are responsible for
compliance with tax, currency exchange or other regulations applicable to
redemption and purchase transactions in any jurisdiction to which they may be
subject. Investors should consult appropriate tax and legal advisors to obtain
information on the rules applicable to these transactions.
MAY I EXCHANGE SHARES FOR SHARES OF ANOTHER FUND?
We offer a wide variety of funds. If you would like, you can move your
investment from your fund account to an existing or new account in another
Franklin Templeton Fund (an "exchange"). Because it is technically a sale and a
purchase of shares, an exchange is a taxable transaction.
If you own Class A shares, you may exchange into any of our money funds except
Franklin Templeton Money Fund. Franklin Templeton Money Fund is the only money
fund exchange option available to Class B and C shareholders. Unlike our other
money funds, shares of Franklin Templeton Money Fund may not be purchased
directly and no drafts (checks) may be written on Franklin Templeton Money Fund
accounts.
Before making an exchange, please read the prospectus of the fund you are
interested in. This will help you learn about the fund, its investment goal and
policies, and its rules and requirements for exchanges. For example, some
Franklin Templeton Funds do not accept exchanges and others may have different
investment minimums. Some Franklin Templeton Funds do not offer Class B or C
shares.
METHOD STEPS TO FOLLOW
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY MAIL 1. Send us signed written instructions
2. Include any outstanding share certificates
for the shares you want to exchange
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY PHONE Call Shareholder Services or TeleFACTS(R)
- If you do not want the ability to exchange
by phone to apply to your account, please let
us know.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THROUGH YOUR DEALER Call your investment representative
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please refer to "Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements" for other
important information on how to exchange shares.
WILL SALES CHARGES APPLY TO MY EXCHANGE?
You can exchange shares between most Franklin Templeton Funds, generally without
paying any additional sales charges. If you exchange shares held for less than
six months, however, you may be charged the difference between the front-end
sales charge of the two funds if the difference is more than 0.25%. If you
exchange shares from a money fund, a sales charge may apply no matter how long
you have held the shares.
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE. We will not impose a Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge when you exchange shares. Any shares subject to a Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge at the time of exchange, however, will remain so in the new fund.
The purchase price for determining a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on
exchanged shares will be the price you paid for the original shares.
For accounts with shares subject to a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, we will
first exchange any shares in your account that are not subject to the charge. If
there are not enough of these to meet your exchange request, we will exchange
shares subject to the charge in the order they were purchased.
If you exchange Class A shares into one of our money funds, the time your shares
are held in that fund will not count towards the completion of any Contingency
Period. If you exchange your Class B or C shares for the same class of shares of
Franklin Templeton Money Fund, however, the time your shares are held in that
fund will count towards the completion of any Contingency Period.
For more information about the Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, please see "How
Do I Sell Shares?"
EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS
Please be aware that the following restrictions apply to exchanges:
o You must meet the applicable minimum investment amount of the fund you are
exchanging into, or exchange 100% of your fund shares.
o You may only exchange shares within the same class, except as noted below. If
you exchange your Class B shares for the same class of shares of another
Franklin Templeton Fund, the time your shares are held in that fund will
count towards the eight year period for automatic conversion to Class A
shares.
o Generally exchanges may only be made between identically registered accounts,
unless you send written instructions with a signature guarantee. You may,
however, exchange shares from a fund account requiring two or more signatures
into an identically registered money fund account requiring only one
signature for all transactions. Please notify us in writing if you do not
want this option to be available on your account. Additional procedures may
apply. Please see "Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements."
o Franklin Templeton Trust Company IRA or 403(b) retirement plan accounts may
exchange shares as described above. Restrictions may apply to other types of
retirement plans. Please contact Retirement Plan Services for information on
exchanges within these plans.
o The fund you are exchanging into must be eligible for sale in your state.
o We may modify or discontinue our exchange policy if we give you 60 days'
written notice.
o Your exchange may be restricted or refused if you have: (i) requested an
exchange out of the fund within two weeks of an earlier exchange request,
(ii) exchanged shares out of the fund more than twice in a calendar quarter,
or (iii) exchanged shares equal to at least $5 million, or more than 1/4 of
1% of the fund's net assets. Shares under common ownership or control are
combined for these limits. If you have exchanged shares as described in this
paragraph, you will be considered a Market Timer. Each exchange by a Market
Timer, if accepted, will be charged $5. Some of our funds do not allow
investments by Market Timers.
Because excessive trading can hurt fund performance, operations and
shareholders, we may refuse any exchange purchase if (i) we believe the fund
would be harmed or unable to invest effectively, or (ii) the fund receives or
anticipates simultaneous orders that may significantly affect the fund.
LIMITED EXCHANGES BETWEEN DIFFERENT CLASSES OF SHARES
Certain funds in the Franklin Templeton Funds offer classes of shares not
offered by the fund, such as "Class Z" shares. Certain shareholders of Class Z
shares of Franklin Mutual Series Fund Inc. may exchange their Class Z shares for
Class A shares of the fund at Net Asset Value.
HOW DO I SELL SHARES?
You may sell (redeem) your shares at any time.
METHOD STEPS TO FOLLOW
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY MAIL 1. Send us signed written instructions. If you would like
your redemption proceeds wired to a bank account, your
instructions should include:
o The name, address and telephone number of the bank
where you want the proceeds sent
o Your bank account number o The Federal Reserve ABA
routing number o If you are using a savings and loan or
credit union,the name of the corresponding bank and the
account number
2. Include any outstanding share certificates for the
shares you are selling
3. Provide a signature guarantee if required
4. Corporate, partnership and trust accounts may need to send
additional documents. Accounts under court jurisdiction
may have other requirements.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY PHONE Call Shareholder Services. If you would like your
redemption proceeds wired to a bank account, other than an
escrow account, you must first sign up for the wire
feature. To sign up, send us written instructions, with a
signature guarantee. To avoid any delay in processing, the
instructions should include the items listed in "By Mail"
above.
Telephone requests will be accepted:
o If the request is $100,000 or less. Institutional
accounts may exceed $100,000 by completing a separate
agreement. Call Institutional Services to receive a copy.
o If there are no share certificates issued for the shares
you want to sell or you have already returned them to the
fund
o Unless the address on your account was changed by phone
within the last 15 days
- If you do not want the ability to redeem by
phone to apply to your account, please let us know.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THROUGH
YOUR DEALER Call your investment representative
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We will send your redemption check within seven days after we receive your
request in proper form. If you would like the check sent to an address other
than the address of record or made payable to someone other than the registered
owners on the account, send us written instructions signed by all account
owners, with a signature guarantee. We are not able to receive or pay out cash
in the form of currency.
The wiring of redemption proceeds is a special service that we make available
whenever possible for redemption requests of $1,000 or more. If we receive your
request in proper form before 1:00 p.m. Pacific time, your wire payment will be
sent the next business day. For requests received in proper form after 1:00 p.m.
Pacific time, the payment will be sent the second business day. By offering this
service to you, the fund is not bound to meet any redemption request in less
than the seven day period prescribed by law. Neither the fund nor its agents
shall be liable to you or any other person if, for any reason, a redemption
request by wire is not processed as described in this section.
If you sell shares you recently purchased with a check or draft, we may delay
sending you the proceeds until your check or draft has cleared, which may take
seven business days or more. A certified or cashier's check may clear in less
time.
Under unusual circumstances, we may suspend redemptions or postpone payment for
more than seven days as permitted by federal securities law.
Please refer to "Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements" for other
important information on how to sell shares.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON TRUST COMPANY RETIREMENT PLAN ACCOUNTS
Before you can sell shares in a Franklin Templeton Trust Company retirement
plan, you may need to complete additional forms. For participants under age
591/2, tax penalties may apply. Call Retirement Plan Services at 1-800/527-2020
for details.
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE
For Class A purchases, if you did not pay a front-end sales charge because you
invested $1 million or more or agreed to invest $1 million or more under a
Letter of Intent, a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge may apply if you sell all
or a part of your investment within the Contingency Period. Once you have
invested $1 million or more, any additional Class A investments you make without
a sales charge may also be subject to a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge if they
are sold within the Contingency Period. For any Class C purchase, a Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge may apply if you sell the shares within the Contingency
Period. The charge is 1% of the value of the shares sold or the Net Asset Value
at the time of purchase, whichever is less.
Certain retirement plan accounts opened on or after May 1, 1997, and that
qualify to buy Class A shares without a front-end sales charge may also be
subject to a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge if the retirement plan is
transferred out of the Franklin Templeton Funds or terminated within 365 days of
the account's initial purchase in the Franklin Templeton Funds.
For Class B shares, there is a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge if you sell your
shares within six years, as described in the table below. The charge is based on
the value of the shares sold or the Net Asset Value at the time of purchase,
whichever is less.
THIS % IS DEDUCTED
IF YOU SELL YOUR CLASS B FROM YOUR PROCEEDS AS A
SHARES WITHIN THIS MANY CONTINGENT DEFERRED
YEARS AFTER BUYING THEM SALES CHARGE
- ----------------------- -----------------------
1 Year..................... 4
2 Years ................... 4
3 Years ................... 3
4 Years ................... 3
5 Years ................... 2
6 Years ................... 1
7 Years ................... 0
For each class, we will first redeem any shares in your account that are not
subject to a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. If there are not enough of these
to meet your request, we will redeem shares subject to the charge in the order
they were purchased.
Unless otherwise specified, when you request to sell a stated DOLLAR AMOUNT, we
will redeem additional shares to cover any Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. For
requests to sell a stated NUMBER OF SHARES, we will deduct the amount of the
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge, if any, from the sale proceeds.
WAIVERS. WE WAIVE THE CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE FOR:
o Account fees
o Sales of Class A shares purchased without a front-end sales charge by certain
retirement plan accounts if (i) the account was opened before May 1, 1997, or
(ii) the Securities Dealer of record received a payment from Distributors of
0.25% or less, or (iii) Distributors did not make any payment in connection
with the purchase, or (iv) the Securities Dealer of record has entered into a
supplemental agreement with Distributors
o Redemptions by the fund when an account falls below the minimum required
account size
o Redemptions following the death of the shareholder or beneficial owner
o Redemptions through a systematic withdrawal plan set up before February 1,
1995
o Redemptions through a systematic withdrawal plan set up on or after February
1, 1995, up to 1% monthly, 3% quarterly, 6% semiannually or 12% annually of
your account's Net Asset Value depending on the frequency of your plan
o Redemptions by Franklin Templeton Trust Company employee benefit plans or
employee benefit plans serviced by ValuSelect(R) (not applicable to Class B)
o Distributions from IRAs due to death or disability or upon periodic
distributions based on life expectancy (for Class B, this applies to all
retirement plan accounts, not only IRAs)
o Returns of excess contributions (and earnings, if applicable) from
retirement plan accounts
o Participant initiated distributions from employee benefit plans or
participant initiated exchanges among investment choices in employee benefit
plans (not applicable to Class B)
WHAT DISTRIBUTIONS MIGHT I RECEIVE FROM THE FUND?
The fund intends to pay a dividend at least monthly, on or about the 15th day of
the month, representing its net investment income. Capital gains, if any, may be
distributed annually. The amount of these distributions will vary and there is
no guarantee the fund will pay dividends. The fund does not pay "interest" or
guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.
To receive a distribution, you must be a shareholder on the record date. The
record dates for the fund's distributions will vary. Please keep in mind that if
you invest in the fund shortly before the record date of a distribution, any
distribution will lower the value of the fund's shares by the amount of the
distribution and you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a
taxable distribution. If you would like information on upcoming record dates for
the fund's distributions, please call 1-800/DIAL BEN.
Dividends and capital gains are calculated and distributed the same way for each
class. The amount of any income dividends per share will differ, however,
generally due to the difference in the Rule 12b-1 fees of each class.
DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS
You may receive your distributions from the fund in any of these ways:
1. BUY ADDITIONAL SHARES OF THE FUND - You may reinvest distributions you
receive from the fund in additional shares of the fund (without a sales charge
or imposition of a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge). This is a convenient way
to accumulate additional shares and maintain or increase your earnings base.
2. BUY SHARES OF OTHER FRANKLIN TEMPLETON FUNDS - You may direct your
distributions to buy shares of another Franklin Templeton Fund (without a sales
charge or imposition of a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge). Many shareholders
find this a convenient way to diversify their investments. Please note that
distributions may only be directed to an existing account.
3. RECEIVE DISTRIBUTIONS IN CASH - You may receive your distributions from the
fund in cash. If you have the money sent to another person or to a checking or
savings account, you may need a signature guarantee. If you send the money to a
checking or savings account, please see "Electronic Fund Transfers" under
"Services to Help You Manage Your Account."
Distributions may be reinvested only in the same class of shares, except as
follows: (i) Class C shareholders who chose to reinvest their distributions in
Class A shares of the fund or another Franklin Templeton Fund before November
17, 1997, may continue to do so; and (ii) Class B and C shareholders may
reinvest their distributions in shares of any Franklin Templeton money fund.
PLEASE INDICATE ON YOUR APPLICATION THE DISTRIBUTION OPTION YOU HAVE CHOSEN,
OTHERWISE WE WILL REINVEST YOUR DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE SAME SHARE CLASS OF THE
FUND. You may change your distribution option at any time by notifying us by
mail or phone. Please allow at least seven days before the record date for us to
process the new option. For Franklin Templeton Trust Company retirement plans,
special forms are required to receive distributions in cash.
TRANSACTION PROCEDURES AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
SHARE PRICE
When you buy shares, you pay the Offering Price. This is the Net Asset Value per
share of the class you wish to purchase, plus any applicable sales charges. When
you sell shares, you receive the Net Asset Value per share minus any applicable
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges.
The Net Asset Value we use when you buy or sell shares is the one next
calculated after we receive your transaction request in proper form. If you buy
or sell shares through your Securities Dealer, however, we will use the Net
Asset Value next calculated after your Securities Dealer receives your request,
which is promptly transmitted to the fund. Your redemption proceeds will not
earn interest between the time we receive the order from your dealer and the
time we receive any required documents.
HOW AND WHEN SHARES ARE PRICED
The fund is open for business each day the NYSE is open. We determine the Net
Asset Value per share of each class as of the close of the NYSE, normally 1:00
p.m. Pacific time. You can find the prior day's closing Net Asset Value and
Offering Price for each class in many newspapers.
The Net Asset Value of all outstanding shares of each class is calculated on a
pro rata basis. It is based on each class' proportionate participation in the
fund, determined by the value of the shares of each class. Each class, however,
bears the Rule 12b-1 fees payable under its Rule 12b-1 plan. To calculate Net
Asset Value per share of each class, the assets of each class are valued and
totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and the balance, called net assets, is
divided by the number of shares of the class outstanding. The fund's assets are
valued as described under "How Are Fund Shares Valued?" in the SAI.
WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS
Written instructions must be signed by all registered owners. To avoid any delay
in processing your transaction, they should include:
o Your name,
o The fund's name,
o The class of shares,
o A description of the request,
o For exchanges, the name of the fund you are exchanging into,
o Your account number,
o The dollar amount or number of shares, and
o A telephone number where we may reach you during the day, or in the evening
if preferred.
JOINT ACCOUNTS. For accounts with more than one registered owner, the fund
accepts written instructions signed by only one owner for transactions and
account changes that could otherwise be made by phone. For all other
transactions and changes, all registered owners must sign the instructions.
Please keep in mind that if you have previously told us that you do not want
telephone exchange or redemption privileges on your account, then we can only
accept written instructions to exchange or redeem shares if they are signed by
all registered owners on the account.
SIGNATURE GUARANTEES
For our mutual protection, we require a signature guarantee in the following
situations:
1) You wish to sell over $100,000 worth of shares,
2) You want the proceeds to be paid to someone other than the registered
owners,
3) The proceeds are not being sent to the address of record, preauthorized bank
account, or preauthorized brokerage firm account,
4) We receive instructions from an agent, not the registered owners,
5) We believe a signature guarantee would protect us against potential claims
based on the instructions received.
A signature guarantee verifies the authenticity of your signature. You should be
able to obtain a signature guarantee from a bank, broker, credit union, savings
association, clearing agency, or securities exchange or association.
A NOTARIZED SIGNATURE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
SHARE CERTIFICATES
We will credit your shares to your fund account. We do not issue share
certificates unless you specifically request them. This eliminates the costly
problem of replacing lost, stolen or destroyed certificates. If a certificate is
lost, stolen or destroyed, you may have to pay an insurance premium of up to 2%
of the value of the certificate to replace it.
Any outstanding share certificates must be returned to the fund if you want to
sell or exchange those shares or if you would like to start a systematic
withdrawal plan. The certificates should be properly endorsed. You can do this
either by signing the back of the certificate or by completing a share
assignment form. For your protection, you may prefer to complete a share
assignment form and to send the certificate and assignment form in separate
envelopes.
TELEPHONE TRANSACTIONS
You may initiate many transactions and changes to your account by phone. Please
refer to the sections of this prospectus that discuss the transaction you would
like to make or call Shareholder Services.
When you call, we will request personal or other identifying information to
confirm that instructions are genuine. We may also record calls. If our lines
are busy or you are otherwise unable to reach us by phone, you may wish to ask
your investment representative for assistance or send us written instructions,
as described elsewhere in this prospectus.
For your protection, we may delay a transaction or not implement one if we are
not reasonably satisfied that the instructions are genuine. If this occurs, we
will not be liable for any loss. We also will not be liable for any loss if we
follow instructions by phone that we reasonably believe are genuine or if you
are unable to execute a transaction by phone.
ACCOUNT REGISTRATIONS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
When you open an account, we need you to tell us how you want your shares
registered. How you register your account will affect your ownership rights and
ability to make certain transactions. If you have questions about how to
register your account, you should consult your investment representative or
legal advisor. Please keep the following information in mind when registering
your account.
JOINT OWNERSHIP. If you open an account with two or more owners, we register the
account as "joint tenants with rights of survivorship" unless you tell us
otherwise. An account registered as "joint tenants with rights of survivorship"
is shown as "Jt Ten" on your account statement. For any account with two or more
owners, we cannot accept instructions to change owners on the account unless all
owners agree in writing, even if the law in your state says otherwise. If you
would like another person or owner to sign for you, please send us a current
power of attorney.
GIFTS AND TRANSFERS TO MINORS. You may set up a custodial account for a minor
under your state's Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act. Other than this form
of registration, a minor may not be named as an account owner.
TRUSTS. You should register your account as a trust only if you have a valid
written trust document. This avoids future disputes or possible court action
over who owns the account.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. For corporate, partnership and trust accounts, please send
us the following documents when you open your account. This will help avoid
delays in processing your transactions while we verify who may sign on the
account.
TYPE OF ACCOUNT DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORPORATION Corporate Resolution
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARTNERSHIP 1. The pages from the partnership agreement that identify
the general partners, or
2. A certification for a partnership agreement
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRUST 1. The pages from the trust document that identify the
trustees, or
2. A certification for trust
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STREET OR NOMINEE ACCOUNTS. If you have fund shares held in a "street" or
"nominee" name account with your Securities Dealer, you may transfer the shares
to the street or nominee name account of another Securities Dealer. Both dealers
must have an agreement with Distributors or we cannot process the transfer.
Contact your Securities Dealer to initiate the transfer. We will process the
transfer after we receive authorization in proper form from your delivering
Securities Dealer. Accounts may be transferred electronically through the NSCC.
For accounts registered in street or nominee name, we may take instructions
directly from the Securities Dealer or your nominee.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE AN INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIVE
If there is a Securities Dealer or other representative of record on your
account, we are authorized: (1) to provide confirmations, account statements and
other information about your account directly to your dealer and/or
representative; and (2) to accept telephone and electronic instructions directly
from your dealer or representative, including instructions to exchange or redeem
your shares. Electronic instructions may be processed through established
electronic trading systems and programs used by the fund. Telephone instructions
directly from your representative will be accepted unless you have told us that
you do not want telephone privileges to apply to your account.
KEEPING YOUR ACCOUNT OPEN
Due to the relatively high cost of maintaining a small account, we may close
your account if the value of your shares is less than $250, or less than $50 for
employee accounts and custodial accounts for minors. We will only do this if the
value of your account fell below this amount because you voluntarily sold your
shares and your account has been inactive (except for the reinvestment of
distributions) for at least six months. Before we close your account, we will
notify you and give you 30 days to increase the value of your account to $1,000,
or $100 for employee accounts and custodial accounts for minors. These minimums
do not apply to IRAs and other retirement plan accounts or to accounts managed
by the Franklin Templeton Group.
SERVICES TO HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN
Our automatic investment plan offers a convenient way to invest in the fund.
Under the plan, you can have money transferred automatically from your checking
or savings account to the fund each month to buy additional shares. If you are
interested in this program, please refer to the account application included
with this prospectus or contact your investment representative. The market value
of the fund's shares may fluctuate and a systematic investment plan such as this
will not assure a profit or protect against a loss. You may discontinue the
program at any time by calling Shareholder Services.
AUTOMATIC PAYROLL DEDUCTION - CLASS A ONLY
You may have money transferred from your paycheck to the fund to buy
additional
Class A shares. Your investments will continue automatically until you instruct
the fund and your employer to discontinue the plan. To process your investment,
we must receive both the check and payroll deduction information in required
form. Due to different procedures used by employers to handle payroll
deductions, there may be a delay between the time of the payroll deduction and
the time we receive the money.
If you are an AGE member, you should complete the payroll deduction plan section
of the supplement to the shareholder application and submit it to your employer.
Investments may be in any amount, with a minimum of $12.50. Payroll deduction
plans will normally be identified by Social Security number. Therefore, plans
must be limited to one payroll deduction account per member.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
Our systematic withdrawal plan allows you to sell your shares and receive
regular payments from your account on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual
basis. The value of your account must be at least $5,000 and the minimum payment
amount for each withdrawal must be at least $50. For retirement plans subject to
mandatory distribution requirements, the $50 minimum will not apply.
If you would like to establish a systematic withdrawal plan, please complete the
systematic withdrawal plan section of the account application included with this
prospectus and indicate how you would like to receive your payments. You may
choose to direct your payments to buy the same class of shares of another
Franklin Templeton Fund or have the money sent directly to you, to another
person, or to a checking or savings account. If you choose to have the money
sent to a checking or savings account, please see "Electronic Fund Transfers"
below. Once your plan is established, any distributions paid by the fund will be
automatically reinvested in your account.
You will generally receive your payment by the end of the month in which a
payment is scheduled. When you sell your shares under a systematic withdrawal
plan, it is a taxable transaction.
To avoid paying sales charges on money you plan to withdraw within a short
period of time, you may not want to set up a systematic withdrawal plan if you
plan to buy shares on a regular basis. Shares sold under the plan may also be
subject to a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Please see "Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge" under "How Do I Sell Shares?"
You may discontinue a systematic withdrawal plan, change the amount and schedule
of withdrawal payments, or suspend one payment by notifying us by mail or by
phone at least seven business days before the end of the month preceding a
scheduled payment. Please see "How Do I Buy, Sell and Exchange Shares? -
Systematic Withdrawal Plan" in the SAI for more information.
ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS
You may choose to have dividend and capital gain distributions or payments under
a systematic withdrawal plan sent directly to a checking or savings account. If
the account is with a bank that is a member of the Automated Clearing House, the
payments may be made automatically by electronic funds transfer. If you choose
this option, please allow at least fifteen days for initial processing. We will
send any payments made during that time to the address of record on your
account.
TELEFACTS(R)
From a touch-tone phone, you may call our TeleFACTS system (day or night) at
1-800/247-1753 to:
o obtain information about your account;
o obtain price and performance information about any Franklin Templeton Fund;
o exchange shares (within the same class) between identically registered
Franklin Templeton Class A, B or C accounts; and
o request duplicate statements and deposit slips for Franklin Templeton
accounts.
You will need the code number for each class to use TeleFACTS. The code number
is 105 for Class A, 305 for Class B and 205 for Class C.
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
We will send you the following statements and reports on a regular basis:
o Confirmation and account statements reflecting transactions in your account,
including additional purchases and dividend reinvestments. PLEASE VERIFY THE
ACCURACY OF YOUR STATEMENTS WHEN YOU RECEIVE THEM.
o Financial reports of the fund will be sent every six months. To reduce fund
expenses, we attempt to identify related shareholders within a household and
send only one copy of a report. Call Fund Information if you would like an
additional free copy of the fund's financial reports.
INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS
Additional methods of buying, selling or exchanging shares of the fund may be
available to institutional accounts. Institutional investors may also be
required to complete an institutional account application. For more information,
call Institutional Services.
AVAILABILITY OF THESE SERVICES
The services above are available to most shareholders. If, however, your shares
are held by a financial institution, in a street name account, or networked
through the NSCC, the fund may not be able to offer these services directly to
you. Please contact your investment representative.
WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY ACCOUNT?
If you have any questions about your account, you may write to Investor Services
at 777 Mariners Island Blvd., P.O. Box 7777, San Mateo, California 94403-7777.
The fund, Distributors and the manager are also located at this address. You may
also contact us by phone at one of the numbers listed below.
HOURS OF OPERATION (PACIFIC TIME)
DEPARTMENT NAME TELEPHONE NO. (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder Services 1-800/632-2301 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Dealer Services 1-800/524-4040 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fund Information 1-800/DIAL BEN 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(1-800/342-5236) 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.(Saturday)
Retirement Plan Services 1-800/527-2020 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Institutional Services 1-800/321-8563 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
TDD (hearing impaired) 1-800/851-0637 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Your phone call may be monitored or recorded to ensure we provide you with high
quality service. You will hear a regular beeping tone if your call is being
recorded.
GLOSSARY
USEFUL TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
BOARD - The Board of Trustees of the Trust
CD - Certificate of deposit
CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C AND ADVISOR CLASS - The fund offers four classes of
shares, designated "Class A," "Class B", "Class C," and "Advisor Class." The
four classes have proportionate interests in the fund's portfolio. They differ,
however, primarily in their sales charge and expense structures.
CODE - Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
CONTINGENCY PERIOD - For Class A shares, the 12 month period during which a
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge may apply. The contingency period is six years
for Class B shares and 18 months for Class C shares. The holding period begins
on the day you buy your shares. For example, if you buy shares on the 18th of
the month, they will age one month on the 18th day of the next month and each
following month.
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE (CDSC) - A sales charge of 1% that may apply if
you sell your Class A or C shares within the Contingency Period. For Class B,
the maximum CDSC is 4% and declines to 0% after six years.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS - Certificates that give their holders the right to receive
securities (a) of a foreign issuer deposited in a U.S. bank or trust company
(American Depositary Receipts, "ADRs"); or (b) of a foreign or U.S. issuer
deposited in a foreign bank or trust company (Global Depositary Receipts, "GDRs"
or European Depositary Receipts, "EDRs").
DISTRIBUTORS - Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc., the fund's principal
underwriter. The SAI lists the officers and Board members who are affiliated
with Distributors. See "Officers and Trustees."
ELIGIBLE GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY - Any state or local government or any
instrumentality, department, authority or agency thereof that has determined the
fund is a legally permissible investment and that can only buy shares of the
fund without paying sales charges.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON FUNDS - The U.S. registered mutual funds in the Franklin
Group of Funds(R) and the Templeton Group of Funds except Franklin Valuemark
Funds, Templeton Capital Accumulator Fund, Inc., and Templeton Variable
Products Series Fund
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON GROUP - Franklin Resources, Inc., a publicly owned holding
company, and its various subsidiaries
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON GROUP OF FUNDS - All U.S. registered investment companies
in the Franklin Group of Funds(R) and the Templeton Group of Funds
FT SERVICES - Franklin Templeton Services, Inc., the fund's administrator
INVESTOR SERVICES - Franklin/Templeton Investor Services, Inc., the fund's
shareholder servicing and transfer agent
IRA - Individual retirement account or annuity qualified under section 408 of
the Code
IRS - Internal Revenue Service
LETTER - Letter of Intent
MARKET TIMERS - Market Timers generally include market timing or asset
allocation services, accounts administered so as to buy, sell or exchange shares
based on predetermined market indicators, or any person or group whose
transactions seem to follow a timing pattern or whose transactions include
frequent or large exchanges.
MOODY'S - Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
NET ASSET VALUE (NAV) - The value of a mutual fund is determined by deducting
the fund's liabilities from the total assets of the portfolio. The net asset
value per share is determined by dividing the net asset value of the fund by the
number of shares outstanding.
NSCC - National Securities Clearing Corporation
NYSE - New York Stock Exchange
OFFERING PRICE - The public offering price is based on the Net Asset Value per
share of the class and includes the front-end sales charge. The maximum
front-end sales charge is 4.25% for Class A and 1% for Class C. There is no
front-end sales charge for Class B. We calculate the offering price to two
decimal places using standard rounding criteria.
QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS - An employer sponsored pension or profit-sharing
plan that qualifies under section 401 of the Code. Examples include 401(k),
money purchase pension, profit sharing and defined benefit plans.
RESOURCES - Franklin Resources, Inc.
SAI - Statement of Additional Information
S&P - Standard & Poor's Corporation
SEC - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
SECURITIES DEALER - A financial institution that, either directly or through
affiliates, has an agreement with Distributors to handle customer orders and
accounts with the fund. This reference is for convenience only and does not
indicate a legal conclusion of capacity.
SEP - An employer sponsored simplified employee pension plan established under
section 408(k) of the Code
SIMPLE (SAVINGS INCENTIVE MATCH PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES) - An employer sponsored
salary deferral plan established under section 408(p) of the Code
TELEFACTS(R) - Franklin Templeton's automated customer servicing system
WE/OUR/US - Unless the context indicates a different meaning, these terms refer
to the fund and/or Investor Services, Distributors, or other wholly owned
subsidiaries of Resources.
APPENDIX
DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
S&P
AAA - This is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation and
indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
AA - Bonds rated AA also qualify as high-quality debt obligations. Capacity to
pay principal and interest is very strong and, in the majority of instances,
differ from AAA issues only in a small degree.
A - Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest, although
they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions.
BBB - Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit protection parameters,
adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to
a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for bonds in this category
than for bonds in the A category.
BB, B, CCC, CC - Bonds rated BB, B, CCC and CC are regarded, on balance, as
predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest
and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations. BB
indicates the lowest degree of speculation and CC the highest degree of
speculation. While these bonds will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, they are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk
exposures to adverse conditions.
C - Bonds rated C are typically subordinated debt to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied CCC- rating. The C rating may also reflect the
filing of a bankruptcy petition under circumstances where debt service payments
are continuing. The C1 rating is reserved for income bonds on which no interest
is being paid.
D - Debt rated D is in default and payment of interest and/or repayment of
principal is in arrears.
PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the
addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
rating categories.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
S&P
S&P's ratings are a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of
debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Ratings are graded
into four categories, ranging from "A" for the highest quality obligations to
"D" for the lowest. Issues within the "A" category are delineated with the
numbers 1, 2 and 3 to indicate the relative degree of safety, as follows:
A-1: This designation indicates the degree of safety regarding timely payment is
very strong. A "plus" (+) designation indicates an even stronger likelihood of
timely payment.
A-2: Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong. The
relative degree of safety, however, is not as overwhelming as for issues
designated A-1.
A-3: Issues carrying this designation have a satisfactory capacity for timely
payment. They are, however, somewhat more vulnerable to the adverse effects of
changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.
SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 1, 1999
TO THE PROSPECTUS OF
FRANKLIN'S AGE HIGH INCOME FUND - ADVISOR CLASS
DATED OCTOBER 1, 1998
The prospectus is amended as follows:
I. As of January 1, 1999, the fund offers four classes of shares: Class
A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class. Before January 1, 1999, Class A
shares were designated Class I and Class C shares were designated Class
II. All references in the prospectus to Class I shares are replaced with
Class A.
II. The following paragraph is added under "What Are the Risks of
Investing in the Fund?":
YEAR 2000. When evaluating current and potential portfolio positions,
Year 2000 is one of the factors the manager considers.
The manager will rely upon public filings and other statements made by
companies about their Year 2000 readiness. Issuers in countries outside
the U.S., particularly in emerging markets, may not be required to make
the same level of disclosure about Year 2000 readiness as is required in
the U.S. The manager, of course, cannot audit each company and its major
suppliers to verify their Year 2000 readiness.
If a company in which the fund is invested is adversely affected by Year
2000 problems, it is likely that the price of its security will also be
adversely affected. A decrease in the value of one or more of the fund's
portfolio holdings will have a similar impact on the price of the fund's
shares. Please see "Year 2000 Problem" under "Who Manages the Fund?" for
more information.
III. Under "Who Manages the Fund?", the section "Year 2000 Issue" is
replaced with the following:
YEAR 2000 PROBLEM. The fund's business operations depend on a worldwide
network of computer systems that contain date fields, including
securities trading systems, securities transfer agent operations and
stock market links. Many of the systems currently use a two digit date
field to represent the date, and unless these systems are changed or
modified, they may not be able to distinguish the Year 1900 from the
Year 2000 (commonly referred to as the Year 2000 problem). In addition,
the fact that the Year 2000 is a non-standard leap year may create
difficulties for some systems.
When the Year 2000 arrives, the fund's operations could be adversely
affected if the computer systems used by the manager, its service
providers and other third parties it does business with are not Year
2000 ready. For example, the fund's portfolio and operational areas
could be impacted, including securities trade processing, interest and
dividend payments, securities pricing, shareholder account services,
reporting, custody functions and others. The fund could experience
difficulties in effecting transactions if any of its foreign
subcustodians, or if foreign broker-dealers or foreign markets are not
ready for Year 2000.
The manager and its affiliated service providers are making a concerted
effort to take steps they believe are reasonably designed to address
their Year 2000 problems. Of course, the fund's ability to reduce the
effects of the Year 2000 problem is also very much dependent upon the
efforts of third parties over which the fund and the manager may have no
control.
IV. Under "How Is the Trust Organized?",
(a) the first paragraph is replaced with the following:
The fund is a diversified series of Franklin High Income Trust (the
"Trust"), an open-end management investment company, commonly called a
mutual fund. It was organized in Colorado in January 1968 under the
sponsorship of the Assembly of Governmental Employees, reorganized as a
Delaware business trust in its present form on October 1, 1996, and is
registered with the SEC. The fund offers four classes of shares: AGE
High Income Fund - Class A, AGE High Income Fund - Class B, AGE High
Income Fund - Class C and AGE High Income Fund - Advisor Class.
Additional series and classes of shares may be offered in the future.
V. In step 2 under "How Do I Buy Shares? - Opening Your Account," the
minimum investment to add to your account is changed from $25 to $50.
VI. The section "How Do I Buy Shares in Connection with Retirement
Plans?", found under "How Do I Buy Shares?", is replaced with the
following:
HOW DO I BUY SHARES IN CONNECTION WITH RETIREMENT PLANS?
Your individual or employer-sponsored retirement plan may invest in the
fund. Plan documents are required for all retirement plans. Trust
Company can provide the plan documents for you and serve as custodian or
trustee.
Trust Company can provide you with brochures containing important
information about its plans. These plans require separate applications
and their policies and procedures may be different than those described
in this prospectus. For more information, including a free retirement
plan brochure or application, please call Retirement Plan Services.
Please consult your legal, tax or retirement plan specialist before
choosing a retirement plan. Your investment representative or advisor
can help you make investment decisions within your plan.
VII.The third item in the section "Exchange Restrictions," found
under "May I Exchange Shares for Shares of Another Fund?", is replaced
with the following:
Generally exchanges may only be made between identically registered
accounts, unless you send written instructions with a signature guarantee.
You may, however, exchange shares from a fund account requiring two or
more signatures into an identically registered money fund account
requiring only one signature for all transactions. PLEASE NOTIFY US IN
WRITING IF YOU DO NOT WANT THIS OPTION TO BE AVAILABLE ON YOUR ACCOUNT.
Additional procedures may apply. Please see "Transaction Procedures and
Special Requirements."
VIII.In the "By Phone" section of the chart under "How Do I Sell
Shares?",
(a) the first bulleted item is replaced with the following:
If the request is $100,000 or less. Institutional accounts may exceed
$100,000 by completing a separate agreement. Call Institutional Services
to receive a copy.
(b) and the third bulleted item is deleted.
IX. Under "Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements,"
(a) the section "Joint Accounts" is replaced with the following:
JOINT ACCOUNTS. For accounts with more than one registered owner, the
fund accepts written instructions signed by only one owner for
transactions and account changes that could otherwise be made by phone.
For all other transactions and changes, all registered owners must sign
the instructions.
Please keep in mind that if you have previously told us that you do not
want telephone exchange or redemption privileges on your account, then
we can only accept written instructions to exchange or redeem shares if
they are signed by all registered owners on the account.
(b) the reference to $50,000 in the section "Signature Guarantees" is
replaced with $100,000.
(c) and the section "Trust Company Retirement Plan Accounts," found
under "Telephone Transactions," is deleted.
X. In the "Useful Terms and Definitions" section, the definition of
"Class I, Class II and Advisor Class" is replaced with the following:
CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C AND ADVISOR CLASS - The fund offers four
classes of shares, designated "Class A," "Class B," "Class C" and
"Advisor Class." The four classes have proportionate interests in the
fund's portfolio. They differ, however, primarily in their sales charge
and expense structures.
Please keep this supplement for future reference.
SHARE CLASS REDESIGNATION
Effective January 1, 1999
Class A - Formerly Class I
Class B - New Share Class
Class C - Formerly Class II
SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 1, 1999
TO THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OF
FRANKLIN'S AGE HIGH INCOME FUND
DATED OCTOBER 1, 1998
The Statement of Additional Information is amended as follows:
I. As of January 1, 1999, the fund offers four classes of shares: Class
A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class. Before January 1, 1999, Class A
shares were designated Class I and Class C shares were designated Class
II. All references in the Statement of Additional Information to Class I
shares are replaced with Class A, and all references to Class II shares
are replaced with Class C.
II. The first sentence of the second paragraph on the cover is revised to
read:
This SAI describes the fund's Class A, B and C shares.
III. The following is added to the "Officers and Trustees" section:
As of November 25, 1998, the officers and Board members, as a group,
owned of record and beneficially the following shares of the fund:
approximately 207,719 Class A shares and 268,886 Advisor Class shares,
or less than 1% and 2.25%, respectively, of the total outstanding Class
A and Advisor Class shares of the fund.
IV. The first sentence in the section "Additional Information on
Exchanging Shares," found under "How Do I Buy, Sell and Exchange
Shares?", is replaced with the following:
If you request the exchange of the total value of your account, declared
but unpaid income dividends and capital gain distributions will be
reinvested in the fund and exchanged into the new fund at Net Asset
Value when paid.
V. In the section "The Rule 12b-1 Plans," found under "The Fund's
Underwriter,"
(a) the first sentence is replaced with the following:
Each class has a separate distribution or "Rule 12b-1" plan that was
adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act.
(b) the following paragraphs are added after the section "The Class I
Plan":
THE CLASS B PLAN. Under the Class B plan, the fund pays Distributors up
to 0.50% per year of the class' average daily net assets, payable
quarterly, to pay Distributors or others for providing distribution and
related services and bearing certain expenses. All distribution expenses
over this amount will be borne by those who have incurred them. The fund
may also pay a servicing fee of up to 0.15% per year of the class's
average daily net assets, payable quarterly. This fee may be used to pay
Securities Dealers or others for, among other things, helping to
establish and maintain customer accounts and records, helping with
requests to buy and sell shares, receiving and answering correspondence,
monitoring dividend payments from the fund on behalf of customers, and
similar servicing and account maintenance activities.
The expenses relating to the Class B plan are also used to pay
Distributors for advancing the commission costs to Securities Dealers
with respect to the initial sale of Class B shares. Further, the
expenses relating to the Class B plan may be used by Distributors to pay
third party financing entities that have provided financing to
Distributors in connection with advancing commission costs to Securities
Dealers.
(c) and the section "The Class I and Class II Plans" is renamed "The
Class A, B and C Plans."
VI. Under "Miscellaneous Information," the following is added:
The Information Services & Technology division of Resources established
a Year 2000 Project Team in 1996. This team has already begun making
necessary software changes to help the computer systems that service the
fund and its shareholders to be Year 2000 compliant. After completing
these modifications, comprehensive tests are conducted in one of
Resources' U.S. test labs to verify their effectiveness. Resources
continues to seek reasonable assurances from all major hardware,
software or data-services suppliers that they will be Year 2000
compliant on a timely basis. Resources is also beginning to develop a
contingency plan, including identification of those mission critical
systems for which it is practical to develop a contingency plan.
However, in an operation as complex and geographically distributed as
Resources' business, the alternatives to use of normal systems,
especially mission critical systems, or supplies of electricity or long
distance voice and data lines are limited.
As of November 25, 1998, the principal shareholders of the fund,
beneficial or of record, were as follows:
SHARE
NAME AND ADDRESS AMOUNT PERCENTAGE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADVISOR CLASS
FTTC TTEE For ValuSelect 986,243 8.25%
Franklin Resources PSP
Attn: Trading
P.O. Box 2438
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-2438
Andrew R. Johnson 949,304 7.94%
P.O. Box 370100
3101
Las Vegas, NV 89137-0100
J C Bradford CO Cust FBO 752,276 6.29%
Patten Seed Company
330 Commerce St.
Nashville, TN 37201-1809
FTC & CO 1,563,807 13.08%
C/O Datalynx 133
P.O. Box 1737336
Denver, CO 80217-3736
VII. In the "Useful Terms and Definitions" section, the definitions
of "Class I, Class II and Advisor Class" and "Offering Price" are
replaced with the following:
CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C AND ADVISOR CLASS - The fund offers four
classes of shares, designated "Class A," "Class B," "Class C" and
"Advisor Class." The four classes have proportionate interests in the
fund's portfolio. They differ, however, primarily in their sales charge
and expense structures.
OFFERING PRICE - The public offering price is based on the Net Asset
Value per share of the class and includes the front-end sales charge.
The maximum front-end sales charge is 4.25% for Class A and 1% for Class
C. There is no front-end sales charge for Class B. We calculate the
offering price to two decimal places using standard rounding criteria.
Please keep this supplement for future reference.
SUPPLEMENT DATED JANUARY 1, 1999
TO THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OF
FRANKLIN'S AGE HIGH INCOME FUND - ADVISOR CLASS
DATED OCTOBER 1, 1998
The Statement of Additional Information is amended as follows:
I. As of January 1, 1999, the fund offers four classes of shares: Class
A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class. Before January 1, 1999, Class A
shares were designated Class I and Class C shares were designated Class
II. All references in the Statement of Additional Information to Class I
shares are replaced with Class A.
II. The following is added to the "Officers and Trustees" section:
As of November 25, 1998, the officers and Board members, as a group,
owned of record and beneficially the following shares of the fund:
approximately 207,719 Class A shares and 268,886 Advisor Class shares,
or less than 1% and 2.25%, respectively, of the total outstanding Class
A and Advisor Class shares of the fund.
III. The first sentence in the section "Additional Information on
Exchanging Shares," found under "How Do I Buy, Sell and Exchange
Shares?", is replaced with the following:
If you request the exchange of the total value of your account, declared
but unpaid income dividends and capital gain distributions will be
reinvested in the fund and exchanged into the new fund at Net Asset
Value when paid.
IV. Under "Miscellaneous Information," the following is added:
The Information Services & Technology division of Resources established
a Year 2000 Project Team in 1996. This team has already begun making
necessary software changes to help the computer systems that service the
fund and its shareholders to be Year 2000 compliant. After completing
these modifications, comprehensive tests are conducted in one of
Resources' U.S. test labs to verify their effectiveness. Resources
continues to seek reasonable assurances from all major hardware,
software or data-services suppliers that they will be Year 2000
compliant on a timely basis. Resources is also beginning to develop a
contingency plan, including identification of those mission critical
systems for which it is practical to develop a contingency plan.
However, in an operation as complex and geographically distributed as
Resources' business, the alternatives to use of normal systems,
especially mission critical systems, or supplies of electricity or long
distance voice and data lines are limited.
As of November 25, 1998, the principal shareholders of the fund,
beneficial or of record, were as follows:
SHARE
NAME AND ADDRESS AMOUNT PERCENTAGE
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADVISOR CLASS
FTTC TTEE For ValuSelect 986,243 8.25%
Franklin Resources PSP
Attn: Trading
P.O. Box 2438
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-2438
Andrew R. Johnson 949,304 7.94%
P.O. Box 370100
3101
Las Vegas, NV 89137-0100
J C Bradford CO Cust FBO 752,276 6.29%
Patten Seed Company
330 Commerce St.
Nashville, TN 37201-1809
FTC & CO 1,563,807 13.08%
C/O Datalynx 133
P.O. Box 1737336
Denver, CO 80217-3736
V. In the "Useful Terms and Definitions" section, the definition of
"Class I, Class II and Advisor Class" is replaced with the following:
CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C AND ADVISOR CLASS - The fund offers four
classes of shares, designated "Class A," "Class B," "Class C" and
"Advisor Class." The four classes have proportionate interests in the
fund's portfolio. They differ, however, primarily in their sales charge
and expense structures.
Please keep this supplement for future reference.
FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
FILE NOS. 2-30203
811-1608
FORM N-1A
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 24 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
a) Financial Statements
(1) Audited Financial Statements incorporated herein by reference to
the Registrant's Annual Report to shareholders dated May 31, 1998
as filed with the SEC electronically on Form Type N-30D on July
17, 1998
(i) Statement of Investments - May 31, 1998
(ii) Statement of Assets and Liabilities - May 31, 1998
(iii) Statement of Operations - for the year ended May 31, 1998
(iv) Statements of Changes in Net Assets - for the years ended
May 31, 1998 and 1997
(v) Notes to Financial Statements
(vi) Independent Auditor's Report
b) Exhibits:
The following exhibits are incorporated by reference except exhibits
6(ii), 8(v), 11(i), 15(iii) and 18(i) which are attached:
(1) copies of the charter as now in effect;
(i) Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated May 14, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(ii) Certificate of Amendment of Agreement and Declaration of
Trust of Age High Income Fund dated July 15, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(iii) Certificate of Trust of Age High Income Fund dated May 14,
1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(iv) Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust of Age
High Income Fund dated July 15, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(2) copies of the existing By-Laws or instruments corresponding
thereto;
(i) By-Laws
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: August 2, 1996
(3) copies of any voting trust agreement with respect to more than
five percent of any class of equity securities of the Registrant;
Not Applicable
(4) specimens or copies of each security issued by the Registrant,
including copies of all constituent instruments, defining the
rights of the holders of such securities, and copies of each
security being registered;
Not Applicable
(5) copies of all investment advisory contracts relating to the
management of the assets of the Registrant;
(i) Management Agreement between Registrant and Franklin
Advisers, Inc. dated September 13, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(6) copies of each underwriting or distribution contract between the
Registrant and a principal underwriter, and specimens or copies
of all agreements between principal underwriters and dealers;
(i) Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement between
Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated
September 13, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(ii) Forms of Dealer Agreements between Franklin/Templeton
Distributors, Inc. and Securities Dealers
(7) copies of all bonus, profit sharing, pension or other similar
contracts or arrangements wholly or partly for the benefit of
directors or officers of the Registrant in their capacity as
such; any such plan that is not set forth in a formal document,
furnish a reasonably detailed description thereof;
Not Applicable
(8) copies of all custodian agreements and depository contracts under
Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act, with respect to securities and
similar investments of the Registrant, including the schedule of
remuneration;
(i) Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New
York dated February 16, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(ii) Terminal Link Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New
York dated February 16, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(iii) Amendment dated May 7, 1997, to the Master Custody Agreement
between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16,
1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(iv) Amendment dated February 27, 1998, to Exhibit A of the
Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New
York dated February 16, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(v) Foreign Custody Manager Agreement between the Registrant and
The Bank of New York dated February 27, 1998
(9) copies of all other material contracts not made in the ordinary
course of business which are to be performed in whole or in part
at or after the date of filing the Registration Statement;
(i) Subcontract for Fund Administrative Services dated October
1, 1996 and Amendment thereto dated April 30, 1998 between
Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Services Inc.
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(10) an opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the
securities being registered, indicating whether they will when
sold be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable;
(i) Opinion and Consent of Counsel dated July 14, 1998
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(11) copies of any other opinions, appraisals or rulings and consents
to the use thereof relied on in the preparation of this
registration statement and required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act;
(i) Consent of Independent Auditor
(12) all financial statements omitted from Item 23;
Not Applicable
(13) copies of any agreements or understandings made in consideration
for providing the initial capital between or among the
Registrant, the underwriter, adviser, promoter or initial
stockholders and written assurances from promoters or initial
stockholders that their purchases were made for investment
purposes without any present intention of redeeming or reselling;
Not Applicable
(14) copies of the model plan used in the establishment of any
retirement plan in conjunction with which Registrant offers its
securities, any instructions thereto and any other documents
making up the model plan. Such form(s) should disclose the costs
and fees charged in connection therewith;
Not Applicable
(15) copies of any plan entered into by Registrant pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which describes all material aspects of
the financing of distribution of Registrant's shares, and any
agreements with any person relating to implementation of such
plan.
(i) Class I Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between
Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated
September 13, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(ii) Class II Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between
Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated
September 13, 1996
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: September 30, 1997
(iii) Form of Class B Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1
dated October 16, 1998
(16) schedule for computation of each performance quotation provided
in the registration statement in response to Item 22 (which need
not be audited)
Not Applicable
(17) Power of Attorney
(i) Power of Attorney dated March 19, 1998
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(ii) Certificate of Secretary dated March 19, 1998
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to Registration
Statement on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203
Filing Date: July 21, 1998
(18) Copies of any plan entered into by registrant pursuant to Rule
18f-3 under the 1940 Act
(i) Form of Multiple Class Plan dated March 19, 1998
ITEM 25 PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT
None
ITEM 27 INDEMNIFICATION
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a Court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue
Please see the Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, Management Agreement and
Distribution Agreements previously filed as exhibits and incorporated herein
by reference.
ITEM 28 BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER
The officers and directors of the Registrant's manager also serve as officers
and/or directors for (1) the manager's corporate parent, Franklin Resources,
Inc., and/or (2) other investment companies in the Franklin Templeton Group
of Funds. In addition, Mr. Charles B. Johnson was formerly a director of
General Host Corporation. For additional information please see Part B and
Schedules A and D of Form ADV of the Funds' Investment Manager (SEC File
801-26292), incorporated herein by reference, which sets forth the officers
and directors of the Investment Manager and information as to any business,
profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by
those officers and directors during the past two years
ITEM 29 PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS
a) Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc., ("Distributors") also acts as
principal underwriter of shares of:
Franklin Asset Allocation Fund
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, Inc.
Franklin California Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Custodian Funds, Inc.
Franklin Equity Fund
Franklin Federal Money Fund
Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin Floating Rate Trust
Franklin Gold Fund
Franklin Investors Securities Trust
Franklin Managed Trust
Franklin Money Fund
Franklin Mutual Series Fund Inc.
Franklin Municipal Securities Trust
Franklin New York Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin New York Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust
Franklin Strategic Mortgage Portfolio
Franklin Strategic Series
Franklin Tax-Exempt Money Fund
Franklin Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Templeton Fund Allocator Series
Franklin Templeton Global Trust
Franklin Templeton International Trust
Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust
Franklin Value Investors Trust
Institutional Fiduciary Trust
Templeton American Trust, Inc.
Templeton Capital Accumulator Fund, Inc.
Templeton Developing Markets Trust
Templeton Funds, Inc.
Templeton Global Investment Trust
Templeton Global Opportunities Trust
Templeton Global Real Estate Fund
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund, Inc.
Templeton Growth Fund, Inc.
Templeton Income Trust
Templeton Institutional Funds, Inc.
b) The information required by this Item 29 with respect to each director
and officer of Distributors is incorporated by reference to Part B of this
N-1A and Schedule A of Form BD filed by Distributors with the Securities and
Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1934 (SEC File No.
8-5889)
c) Not Applicable. Registrant's principal underwriter is an affiliated
person of an affiliated person of the Registrant
ITEM 30 LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS
The accounts, books or other documents required to be maintained by Section
31 (a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are kept by the Trust or its
shareholder services agent, Franklin/Templeton Investor Services, Inc., both
of whose address is 777 Mariners Island Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94404
ITEM 31 MANAGEMENT SERVICES
There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Part A or
Part B
ITEM 32 UNDERTAKINGS
a) The Registrant hereby undertakes to comply with the information
requirement in Item 5A of the Form N-1A including the required information in
the Fund's annual report and to furnish each person to whom a prospectus is
delivered a copy of the annual report upon request and without charge
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the
requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Registration Statement
pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused
this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized in the City of San Mateo and the State of
California, on the 22nd day of December, 1998.
FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
(Registrant)
By: RUPERT H. JOHNSON, JR.*
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.
President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities
and on the dates indicated:
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.* Trustee and Principal
Rupert H. Johnson Executive Officer
Dated: December 22, 1998
Martin L. Flanagan* Principal Financial Officer
Martin L. Flanagan Dated: December 22, 1998
Diomedes Loo-Tam* Principal Accounting Officer
Diomedes Loo-Tam Dated: December 22, 1998
Frank H. Abbott, III* Trustee
Frank H. Abbott, III Dated: December 22, 1998
Harmon E. Burns* Trustee
Harmon E. Burns Dated: December 22, 1998
Robert F. Carlson* Trustee
Robert F. Carlson Dated: December 22, 1998
S. Joseph Fortunato* Trustee
S. Joseph Fortunato Dated: December 22, 1998
Frank W. T. LaHaye* Trustee
Frank W. T. LaHaye Dated: December 22, 1998
R. Martin Wiskemann* Trustee
R. Martin Wiskemann Dated: December 22, 1998
*By: /s/ Larry L. Greene
Larry L. Greene, Attorney-in-Fact
(Pursuant to Power of Attorney previously filed)
FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
EXHIBITS INDEX
PAGE NO. IN
SEQUENTIAL
NUMBERING SYSTEM
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
EX-99.B1(i) Agreement and Declaration of Trust *
dated May 14, 1996
EX-99.B1(ii) Certificate of Amendment of *
Agreement and Declaration of Trust
of Age High Income Fund dated July
15, 1996
EX-99.B1(iii) Certificate of Trust of Age High *
Income Fund dated May 14, 1996
EX-99.B1(iv) Certificate of Amendment to the *
Certificate of Trust of Age High
Income Fund dated July 15, 1996
EX-99.B2(i) By-Laws *
EX-99.B5(i) Management Agreement between *
Registrant and Franklin Advisers,
Inc. dated September 13, 1996
EX-99.B6(i) Amended and Restated Distribution *
Agreement between Registrant and
Franklin/Templeton Distributors,
Inc. dated September 13, 1996
EX-99.B6(ii) Forms of Dealer Agreements between Attached
Franklin/Templeton Distributors,
Inc. and Securities Dealers
EX-99.B8(i) Master Custody Agreement between *
Registrant and Bank of New York
dated February 16, 1996
EX-99.B8(ii) Terminal Link Agreement between *
Registrant and Bank of New York
dated February 16, 1996
EX-99.B8(iii) Amendment dated May 7, 1997, to *
the Master Custody Agreement
between Registrant and Bank of New
York dated February 16, 1996
EX-99.B8(iv) Amendment dated February 27, 1998, *
to Exhibit A of the Master Custody
Agreement between Registrant and
Bank of New York dated February
16, 1996
EX-99.B8(v) Foreign Custody Manager Agreement Attached
between the Registrant and The
Bank of New York dated February
27, 1998
EX-99.B9(i) Subcontract for Fund *
Administrative Services dated
October 1, 1996 and Amendment
thereto dated April 30, 1998
between Franklin Advisers, Inc.
and Franklin Templeton Services
Inc.
EX-99.B10(i) Opinion and Consent of Counsel *
dated July 14, 1998
EX-99.B11(i) Consent of Independent Auditor Attached
EX-99.B15(i) Class I Distribution Plan pursuant *
to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant
and Franklin/Templeton
Distributors, Inc. dated September
13, 1996
EX-99.B15(ii) Class II Distribution Plan *
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between
Registrant and Franklin/Templeton
Distributors, Inc. dated September
13, 1996
EX-99.B15(iii) Form of Class B Distribution Plan Attached
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 dated
October 16, 1998
EX-99.B17(i) Power of Attorney dated March 19, *
1998
EX-99.B17(ii) Certificate of Secretary dated *
March 19, 1998
EX-99.B18(i) Form of Multiple Class Plan dated Attached
March 19, 1998
* Incorporated by Reference
DEALER AGREEMENT
Effective: March 1, 1998
Dear Securities Dealer:
Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. ("we" or "us") invites you to
participate in the distribution of shares of the Franklin Templeton
investment companies (the "Funds") for which we now or in the future serve as
principal underwriter, subject to the terms of this Agreement. We will notify
you from time to time of the Funds which are eligible for distribution and
the terms of compensation under this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any
prior dealer agreements between us, as stated in Section 18, below.
1. LICENSING.
(a) You represent that you are (i) a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") and are presently
licensed to the extent necessary by the appropriate regulatory agency of each
jurisdiction in which you will offer and sell shares of the Funds, or (ii) a
broker, dealer or other company licensed, registered or otherwise qualified to
effect transactions in securities in a country (a "foreign country") other than
the United States of America (the "U.S.") where you will offer or sell shares of
the Funds. You agree that termination or suspension of such membership with the
NASD, or of your license to do business by any regulatory agency having
jurisdiction, at any time shall terminate or suspend this Agreement forthwith
and shall require you to notify us in writing of such action. If you are not a
member of the NASD but are a broker, dealer or other company subject to the laws
of a foreign country, you agree to conform to the Conduct Rules of the NASD.
This Agreement is in all respects subject to the Conduct Rules of the NASD,
particularly Conduct Rule 2830 of the NASD, which shall control any provision to
the contrary in this Agreement.
(b) You agree to notify us immediately in writing if at any time you are
not a member in good standing of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation
("SIPC").
2. SALES OF FUND SHARES. You may offer and sell shares of each Fund and class of
each Fund only at the public offering price which shall be applicable to, and in
effect at the time of, each transaction. The procedures relating to all orders
and the handling of them shall be subject to the terms of the applicable then
current prospectus and statement of additional information (hereafter, the
"prospectus") and new account application, including amendments, for each such
Fund and each class of such Fund, and our written instructions from time to
time. This Agreement is not exclusive, and either party may enter into similar
agreements with third parties.
3. DUTIES OF DEALER: You agree:
(a) To act as principal, or as agent on behalf of your customers, in all
transactions in shares of the Funds except as provided in Section 4 hereof. You
shall not have any authority to act as agent for the issuer (the Funds), for the
Principal Underwriter, or for any other dealer in any respect, nor will you
represent to any third party that you have such authority or are acting in such
capacity.
(b) To purchase shares only from us or from your customers.
(c) To enter orders for the purchase of shares of the Funds only from us
and only for the purpose of covering purchase orders you have already received
from your customers or for your own bona fide investment.
(d) To maintain records of all sales, redemptions and repurchases of shares
made through you and to furnish us with copies of such records on request.
(e) To distribute prospectuses and reports to your customers in compliance
with applicable legal requirements, except to the extent that we expressly
undertake to do so on your behalf.
(f) That you will not withhold placing customers' orders for shares so as
to profit yourself as a result of such withholding or place orders for shares in
amounts just below the point at which sales charges are reduced so as to benefit
from a higher sales charge applicable to an amount below the breakpoint.
(g) That if any shares confirmed to you hereunder are repurchased or
redeemed by any of the Funds within seven business days after such confirmation
of your original order, you shall forthwith refund to us the full concession,
allowed to you on such orders, including any payments we made to you from our
own resources as provided in Section 6(b) hereof with respect to such orders. We
shall forthwith pay to the appropriate Fund the share, if any, of the sales
charge we retained on such order and shall also pay to such Fund the refund of
the concession we receive from you as herein provided (other than the portion of
such concession we paid to you from our own resources as provided in Section
6(b) hereof). We shall notify you of such repurchase or redemption within a
reasonable time after settlement. Termination or suspension of this Agreement
shall not relieve you or us from the requirements of this subsection.
(h) That if payment for the shares purchased is not received within the
time customary or the time required by law for such payment, the sale may be
canceled without notice or demand and without any responsibility or liability on
our part or on the part of the Funds, or at our option, we may sell the shares
which you ordered back to the Funds, in which latter case we may hold you
responsible for any loss to the Funds or loss of profit suffered by us resulting
from your failure to make payment as aforesaid. We shall have no liability for
any check or other item returned unpaid to you after you have paid us on behalf
of a purchaser. We may refuse to liquidate the investment unless we receive the
purchaser's signed authorization for the liquidation.
(i) That you shall assume responsibility for any loss to the Funds caused
by a correction made subsequent to trade date, provided such correction was not
based on any error, omission or negligence on our part, and that you will
immediately pay such loss to the Funds upon notification.
(j) That if on a redemption which you have ordered, instructions in proper
form, including outstanding certificates, are not received within the time
customary or the time required by law, the redemption may be canceled forthwith
without any responsibility or liability on our part or on the part of any Fund,
or at our option, we may buy the shares redeemed on behalf of the Fund, in which
latter case we may hold you responsible for any loss to the Fund or loss of
profit suffered by us resulting from your failure to settle the redemption.
(k) To obtain from your customers all consents required by applicable
privacy laws to permit us, any of our affiliates or the Funds to provide you
either directly or through a service established for that purpose with
confirmations, account statements and other information about your customers'
investments in the Funds.
4. DUTIES OF DEALER: RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS. In connection with orders for the
purchase of shares on behalf of an Individual Retirement Account, Self-Employed
Retirement Plan or other retirement accounts, by mail, telephone, or wire, you
shall act as agent for the custodian or trustee of such plans (solely with
respect to the time of receipt of the application and payments), and you shall
not place such an order until you have received from your customer payment for
such purchase and, if such purchase represents the first contribution to such a
plan, the completed documents necessary to establish the plan and enrollment in
the plan. You agree to indemnify us and Franklin Templeton Trust Company and/or
Templeton Funds Trust Company as applicable for any claim, loss, or liability
resulting from incorrect investment instructions received from you which cause a
tax liability or other tax penalty.
5. CONDITIONAL ORDERS; CERTIFICATES. We will not accept from you any conditional
orders for shares of any of the Funds. Delivery of certificates or confirmations
for shares purchased shall be made by the Funds only against constructive
receipt of the purchase price, subject to deduction for your concession and our
portion of the sales charge, if any, on such sale. No certificates for shares of
the Funds will be issued unless specifically requested.
6. DEALER COMPENSATION.
(a) On each purchase of shares by you from us, the total sales charges and
your dealer concessions shall be as stated in each Fund's then current
prospectus, subject to NASD rules and applicable laws. Such sales charges and
dealer concessions are subject to reductions under a variety of circumstances as
described in the Funds' prospectuses. For an investor to obtain these
reductions, we must be notified at the time of the sale that the sale qualifies
for the reduced charge. If you fail to notify us of the applicability of a
reduction in the sales charge at the time the trade is placed, neither we nor
any of the Funds will be liable for amounts necessary to reimburse any investor
for the reduction which should have been effected.
(b) In accordance with the Funds' prospectuses, we or our affiliates may,
but are not obligated to, make payments to you from our own resources as
compensation for certain sales which are made at net asset value ("Qualifying
Sales"). If you notify us of a Qualifying Sale, we may make a contingent advance
payment up to the maximum amount available for payment on the sale. If any of
the shares purchased in a Qualifying Sale are repurchased or redeemed within
twelve months of the month of purchase, we shall be entitled to recover any
advance payment attributable to the repurchased or redeemed shares by reducing
any account payable or other monetary obligation we may owe to you or by making
demand upon you for repayment in cash. We reserve the right to withhold advances
to you, if for any reason we believe that we may not be able to recover unearned
advances from you. Termination or suspension of this Agreement shall not relieve
you or us from the requirements of this subsection.
7. REDEMPTIONS OR REPURCHASES. Redemptions or repurchases of shares of the Funds
will be made at the net asset value of such shares, less any applicable deferred
sales or redemption charges, in accordance with the applicable prospectuses.
Except as permitted by applicable law, you agree not to purchase any shares from
your customers at a price lower than the net asset value of such shares next
computed by the Funds after the purchase (the "Redemption/Repurchase Price").
You shall, however, be permitted to sell shares of the Funds for the account of
the record owner to the Funds at the Redemption/Repurchase Price for such
shares.
8. EXCHANGES. Telephone exchange orders will be effective only for
uncertificated shares or for which share certificates have been previously
deposited and may be subject to any fees or other restrictions set forth in the
applicable prospectuses. Exchanges from a Fund sold with no sales charge to a
Fund which carries a sales charge, and exchanges from a Fund sold with a sales
charge to a Fund which carries a higher sales charge may be subject to a sales
charge in accordance with the terms of the applicable Fund's prospectus. You
will be obligated to comply with any additional exchange policies described in
the applicable Fund's prospectus, including without limitation any policy
restricting or prohibiting "Timing Accounts" as therein defined.
9. TRANSACTION PROCESSING. All orders are subject to acceptance by us and by the
Fund or its transfer agent, and become effective only upon confirmation by us.
If required by law, each transaction shall be confirmed in writing on a fully
disclosed basis and if confirmed by us, a copy of each confirmation shall be
sent simultaneously to you if you so request. All sales are made subject to
receipt of shares by us from the Funds. We reserve the right in our discretion,
without notice, to suspend the sale of shares of the Funds or withdraw the
offering of shares of the Funds entirely. Orders will be effected at the
price(s) next computed on the day they are received if, as set forth in the
applicable Fund's current prospectus, the orders are received by us, an agent
appointed by us or the Funds prior to the time the price of the Fund's shares is
calculated. Orders received after that time will be effected at the price(s)
computed on the next business day. All orders must be accompanied by payment in
U.S. Dollars. Orders payable by check must be drawn payable in U.S. Dollars on a
U.S. bank, for the full amount of the investment.
10. MULTIPLE CLASSES. We may from time to time provide to you written compliance
guidelines or standards relating to the sale or distribution of Funds offering
multiple classes of shares (each, a "Class") with different sales charges and
distribution related operating expenses. In addition, you will be bound by any
applicable rules or regulations of government agencies or self-regulatory
organizations generally affecting the sale or distribution of shares of
investment companies offering multiple classes of shares.
11. RULE 12B-1 PLANS. You are invited to participate in all distribution plans
(each, a "Plan") adopted for a Class of a Fund or for a Fund that has only a
single Class (each, a "Plan Class") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
To the extent you provide administrative and other services, including, but
not limited to, furnishing personal and other services and assistance to your
customers who own shares of a Plan Class, answering routine inquiries regarding
a Fund or Class, assisting in changing account designations and addresses,
maintaining such accounts or such other services as a Fund may require, to the
extent permitted by applicable statutes, rules, or regulations, we shall pay you
a Rule 12b-1 servicing fee. To the extent that you participate in the
distribution of Fund shares that are eligible for a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee,
we shall also pay you a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee. All Rule 12b-1 servicing
and distribution fees shall be based on the value of shares attributable to
customers of your firm and eligible for such payment, and shall be calculated on
the basis and at the rates set forth in the compensation schedule then in effect
for the applicable Plan (the "Schedule"). Without prior approval by a majority
of the outstanding shares of a particular Class of a Fund which has a Plan, the
aggregate annual fees paid to you pursuant to such Plan shall not exceed the
amounts stated as the "annual maximums" in such Plan Class' prospectus, which
amount shall be a specified percent of the value of such Plan Class' net assets
held in your customers' accounts which are eligible for payment pursuant to this
Agreement (determined in the same manner as such Plan Class uses to compute its
net assets as set forth in its effective prospectus).
You shall furnish us and each Fund that has a Plan Class (each, a "Plan
Fund") with such information as shall reasonably be requested by the Board of
Directors, Trustees or Managing General Partners (hereinafter referred to as
"Directors") of such Plan Fund with respect to the fees paid to you pursuant to
the Schedule of such Plan Fund. We shall furnish to the Boards of Directors of
the Plan Funds, for their review on a quarterly basis, a written report of the
amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures
were made.
Each Plan and the provisions of any agreement relating to such Plan must be
approved annually by a vote of the Directors of the Fund that has such Plan,
including such persons who are not interested persons of such Plan Fund and who
have no financial interest in such Plan or any related agreement ("Rule 12b-1
Directors"). Each Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan
may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1
Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Class
that has such Plan, on sixty (60) days' written notice, without payment of any
penalty. A Plan or the provisions of this Agreement may also be terminated by
any act that terminates the Underwriting Agreement between us and the Fund that
has such Plan, and/or the management or administration agreement between
Franklin Advisers, Inc. or Templeton Investment Counsel, Inc. or their
affiliates and such Plan Fund. In the event of the termination of a Plan for any
reason, the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan will also
terminate.
Continuation of a Plan and provisions of this Agreement relating to such
Plan are conditioned on Rule 12b-1 Directors being ultimately responsible for
selecting and nominating any new Rule 12b-1 Directors. Under Rule 12b-1,
Directors of any of the Plan Funds have a duty to request and evaluate, and
persons who are party to any agreement related to a Plan have a duty to furnish,
such information as may reasonably be necessary to an informed determination of
whether the Plan or any agreement should be implemented or continued. Under Rule
12b-1, a Plan Fund is permitted to implement or continue a Plan or the
provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan from year-to-year only if,
based on certain legal considerations, the Board of Directors of such Plan Fund
is able to conclude that such Plan will benefit the Plan Class. Absent such
yearly determination, such Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to
such Plan must be terminated as set forth above. In addition, any obligation
assumed by a Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to
the assets of such Fund and no person shall seek satisfaction thereof from
shareholders of a Fund. You agree to waive payment of any amounts payable to you
by us under a Fund's Plan until such time as we are in receipt of such fee from
the Fund.
The provisions of the Plans between the Plan Funds and us shall control
over the provisions of this Agreement in the event of any inconsistency.
12. REGISTRATION OF SHARES. Upon request, we shall notify you of the states or
other jurisdictions in which each Fund's shares are currently noticed,
registered or qualified for offer or sale to the public. We shall have no
obligation to make notice filings of, register or qualify, or to maintain notice
filings of, registration of or qualification of, Fund shares in any state or
other jurisdiction. We shall have no responsibility, under the laws regulating
the sale of securities in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction, for the
registration, qualification or licensed status of persons offering or selling
Fund shares or for the manner of offering or sale of Fund shares. If it is
necessary to file notice of, register or qualify Fund shares in any foreign
jurisdictions in which you intend to offer the shares of any Funds, it will be
your responsibility to arrange for and to pay the costs of such notice filing,
registration or qualification; prior to any such notice filing, registration or
qualification, you will notify us of your intent and of any limitations that
might be imposed on the Funds, and you agree not to proceed with such notice
filing, registration or qualification without the written consent of the
applicable Funds and of ourselves. Except as stated in this section, we shall
not, in any event, be liable or responsible for the issue, form, validity,
enforceability and value of such shares or for any matter in connection
therewith, and no obligation not expressly assumed by us in this Agreement shall
be implied. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to be a condition,
stipulation or provision binding any person acquiring any security to waive
compliance with any provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"),
the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, or any applicable laws or regulations of any government or
authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the
offer or sale of shares of the Funds, or to relieve the parties hereto from any
liability arising under such laws, rules and regulations.
13. CONTINUOUSLY OFFERED CLOSED-END FUNDS. This Section 13 relates solely to
shares of Funds that represent a beneficial interest in the Franklin Floating
Rate Trust and shares issued by any other continuously offered closed-end
investment company registered under the 1940 Act for which we or an affiliate of
ours serve as principal underwriter and that periodically repurchases its shares
(each, a "Trust"). Shares of a Trust that are offered to the public will be
registered under the 1933 Act, and are expected to be offered during an offering
period that may continue indefinitely ("Continuous Offering Period"). There is
no guarantee that such a continuous offering will be maintained by a Trust. The
Continuous Offering Period, shares of a Trust and certain of the terms on which
such shares are offered shall be as described in the prospectus of the Trust.
As set forth in a Trust's then current prospectus, we may, but are not
obligated to, provide you with appropriate compensation for selling shares of
the Trust. In addition, you may be entitled to a fee for servicing your clients
who are shareholders in a Trust, subject to applicable law and NASD Conduct
Rules. You agree that any repurchases of shares of a Trust that were originally
purchased as Qualifying Sales shall be subject to Subsection 6(b) hereof.
You expressly acknowledge and understand that, notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this Agreement:
(a) No Trust has a Rule 12b-1 Plan and in no event will a Trust pay, or
have any obligation to pay, any compensation directly or indirectly to
you.
(b) Shares of a Trust will not be repurchased by either the Trust (other
than through repurchase offers by the Trust from time to time, if any)
or by us and no secondary market for such shares exists currently, or
is expected to develop. Any representation as to a repurchase or
tender offer by a Trust, other than that set forth in the Trust's then
current prospectus, notification letters, reports or other related
material provided by the Trust, is expressly prohibited.
(c) An early withdrawal charge payable by shareholders of a Trust to us
may be imposed on shares accepted for repurchase by the Trust that
have been held for less than a stated period, as set forth in the
Trust's then current Prospectus.
(d) In the event your customer cancels his or her order for shares of a
Trust after confirmation, such shares will not be repurchased,
remarketed or otherwise disposed of by or though us.
14. FUND INFORMATION. No person is authorized to give any information or make
any representations concerning shares of any Fund except those contained in the
Fund's then current prospectus or in materials issued by us as information
supplemental to such prospectus. We will supply reasonable quantities of
prospectuses, supplemental sales literature, sales bulletins, and additional
information as issued by the Fund or us. You agree not to use other advertising
or sales material relating to the Funds except that which (a) conforms to the
requirements of any applicable laws or regulations of any government or
authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the
offering or sale of shares of the Funds, and (b) is approved in writing by us in
advance of such use. Such approval may be withdrawn by us in whole or in part
upon notice to you, and you shall, upon receipt of such notice, immediately
discontinue the use of such sales literature, sales material and advertising.
You are not authorized to modify or translate any such materials without our
prior written consent.
15. INDEMNIFICATION. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless us, the
Funds, and the respective officers, directors and employees of the Funds and us
from any and all losses, claims, liabilities and expenses arising out of (1) any
alleged violation of any statute or regulation (including without limitation the
securities laws and regulations of the U.S. or any state or foreign country) or
any alleged tort or breach of contract, in or related to the offer or sale by
you of shares of the Funds pursuant to this Agreement (except to the extent that
our negligence or failure to follow correct instructions received from you is
the cause of such loss, claim, liability or expense), (2) any redemption or
exchange pursuant to telephone instructions received from you or your agents or
employees, or (3) the breach by you of any of the terms and conditions of this
Agreement. This Section 15 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
16. TERMINATION; SUCCESSION; ASSIGNMENT; AMENDMENT. Each party to this Agreement
may terminate its participation in this Agreement by giving written notice to
the other parties. Such notice shall be deemed to have been given and to be
effective on the date on which it was either delivered personally to the other
parties or any officer or member thereof, or was mailed postpaid or delivered by
electronic transmission to the other parties' chief legal officers at the
addresses shown herein or in the most recent NASD Manual. This Agreement shall
terminate immediately upon the appointment of a Trustee under the Securities
Investor Protection Act or any other act of insolvency by you. The termination
of this Agreement by any of the foregoing means shall have no effect upon
transactions entered into prior to the effective date of termination. A trade
placed by you subsequent to your voluntary termination of this Agreement will
not serve to reinstate the Agreement. Reinstatement, except in the case of a
temporary suspension of a dealer, will be effective only upon written
notification by us to you. This Agreement will terminate automatically in the
event of its assignment by us. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the word
"assignment" shall have the meaning given to it in the 1940 Act. This Agreement
may not be assigned by you without our prior written consent. This Agreement may
be amended by us at any time by written notice to you and your placing of an
order or acceptance of payments of any kind after the effective date and receipt
of notice of any such Amendment shall constitute your acceptance of such
Amendment.
17. SETOFF; DISPUTE RESOLUTION. Should any of your concession accounts with us
have a debit balance, we may offset and recover the amount owed to us or the
Funds from any other account you have with us, without notice or demand to you.
In the event of a dispute concerning any provision of this Agreement, either
party may require the dispute to be submitted to binding arbitration under the
commercial arbitration rules of the NASD or the American Arbitration
Association. Judgment upon any arbitration award may be entered by any court
having jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of California, not including any provision that would require
the general application of the law of another jurisdiction.
18. ACCEPTANCE; CUMULATIVE EFFECT. This Agreement is cumulative and supersedes
any agreement previously in effect. It shall be binding upon the parties hereto
when signed by us and accepted by you. If you have a current dealer agreement
with us, your first trade or acceptance of payments from us after your receipt
of this Agreement, as it may be amended pursuant to Section 16, above, shall
constitute your acceptance of its terms. Otherwise, your signature below shall
constitute your acceptance of its terms.
FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By /s/ Greg Johnson
------------------------
Greg Johnson, President
777 Mariners Island Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94404
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal notices only)
415/312-2000
700 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-3628
813/823-8712
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dealer: If you have NOT previously signed a Dealer Agreement with us, please
complete and sign this section and return the original to us.
__________________________________
DEALER NAME:
By _______________________________
(Signature)
Name:_____________________________
Title: ___________________________
Address: ______________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Telephone: _______________________
NASD CRD # _______________________
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Franklin Templeton Dealer # ______________________
(Internal Use Only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version 12/31/97
232567.4
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
777 Mariners Island Boulevard
San Mateo, CA 94403-7777
May 15, 1998
Re: Amendment of Dealer Agreement - Notice Pursuant to Section 16
Dear Securities Dealer:
This letter constitutes notice of amendment of the current Dealer Agreement (the
"Agreement") between Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. ("we" or "us") and
you pursuant to Section 16 of the Agreement. The Agreement is hereby amended as
follows:
1. Defined terms in this amendment have the meanings as stated in the
Agreement unless otherwise indicated.
2. Section 6 is modified to add a subsection 6(c), as follows:
(c) The following limitations apply with respect to shares of each Trust as
described in Section 13 of this Agreement.
(1) Consistent with the NASD Conduct Rules, the total compensation to
be paid to us and selected dealers and their affiliates, including you and your
affiliates, in connection with the distribution of shares of a Trust will not
exceed the underwriting compensation limitation prescribed by NASD Conduct Rule
2710. The total underwriting compensation to be paid to us and selected dealers
and their affiliates, including you and your affiliates, may include: (i) at the
time of purchase of shares a payment to you or another securities dealer of 1%
of the dollar amount of the purchased shares by the Distributor; and (ii) a
quarterly payment at an annual rate of .50% to you or another securities dealer
based on the value of such remaining shares sold by you or such securities
dealer, if after twelve (12) months from the date of purchase, the shares sold
by you or such securities dealer remain outstanding.
(2) The maximum compensation shall be no more than as disclosed in the
section "Payments to Dealers" of the prospectus of the applicable Trust.
Pursuant to Section 16 of the Agreement, your placement of an order or
acceptance of payments of any kind after the effective date and receipt of
notice of this amendment shall constitute your acceptance of this amendment.
FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By /s/ Greg Johnson
--------------------------
Greg Johnson, President
777 Mariners Island Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94404
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal notices only)
650/312-2000
100 Fountain Parkway
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
813/299-8712
MUTUAL FUND PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT
FOR ACCOUNTS OF BANK AND TRUST COMPANY CUSTOMERS
EFFECTIVE: APRIL 1, 1998
1. INTRODUCTION
The parties to this Agreement are the undersigned bank or trust company
("Bank") and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. ("FTDI"). This Agreement sets
forth the terms and conditions under which FTDI will execute purchases and
redemptions of shares of the Franklin or Templeton investment companies or
series of such investment companies for which FTDI now or in the future serves
as principal underwriter (each, a "Fund"), at the request of the Bank upon the
order and for the account of Bank's customers ("Customers"). In this Agreement,
"Customer" shall include the beneficial owners of an account and any agent or
attorney-in-fact duly authorized or appointed to act on the owners' behalf with
respect to the account; and "redemptions" shall include redemptions of shares of
Funds that are open-end management investment companies and repurchases of
shares of Funds that are closed-end investment companies by the Fund that is the
issuer of such shares. FTDI will notify Bank from time to time of the Funds
which are eligible for distribution and the terms of compensation under this
Agreement. This Agreement is not exclusive, and either party may enter into
similar agreements with third parties.
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BANK
Bank warrants and represents to FTDI and the Funds that:
a) Bank is a "bank" as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act");
b) Bank is authorized to enter into this Agreement as agent for the
Customers, and Bank's performance of its obligations and receipt of
consideration under this Agreement will not violate any law,
regulation, charter, agreement, or regulatory restriction to which
Bank is subject; and
c) Bank has received all regulatory agency approvals and taken all legal
and other steps necessary for offering the services Bank will provide
to Customers and receiving any applicable compensation in connection
with this Agreement.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
FTDI warrants and represents to Bank that:
a) FTDI is a broker/dealer registered under the 1934 Act; and
b) FTDI is the principal underwriter of the Funds.
4. COVENANTS OF BANK
a) For each purchase or redemption transaction under this Agreement
(each, a "Transaction"), Bank will:
1) be authorized to engage in the Transaction;
2) act as agent for the Customer, unless Bank is the Customer;
3) act solely at the request of and for the account of the Customer,
unless Bank is the Customer;
4) not submit an order unless Bank has already received the order
from the Customer, unless Bank is the Customer;
5) not offer to sell shares of Fund(s) or submit a purchase order
unless Bank has already delivered to the Customer a copy of the
then current prospectuses for the Fund(s) whose shares are
offered or are to be purchased;
6) not withhold placing any Customer's order for the purpose of
profiting from the delay or place orders for shares in amounts
just below the point at which sales charges are reduced so as to
benefit from a higher Fee (as defined in Paragraph 5(e) below)
applicable to a Transaction in an amount below the breakpoint;
7) have no beneficial ownership of the securities in any purchase
Transaction (the Customer will have the full beneficial
ownership), unless Bank is the Customer (in which case, Bank will
not engage in the Transaction unless the Transaction is legally
permissible for Bank);
8) not accept or withhold any Fee (as defined in Paragraph 5(e) of
this Agreement) otherwise allowed under Paragraphs 5(d) and (e)
of this Agreement, if prohibited by the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or trust or similar laws
to which Bank is subject, in the case of Transactions of Fund
shares involving retirement plans, trusts, or similar accounts;
9) maintain records of all Transactions of Fund shares made through
Bank and furnish FTDI with copies of such records on request; and
10) distribute prospectuses, statements of additional information and
reports to Customers in compliance with applicable legal
requirements, except to the extent that FTDI expressly undertakes
to do so on behalf of Bank.
b) While this Agreement is in effect, Bank will:
1) not purchase any Fund shares from any person at a price lower
than the redemption or repurchase price as applicable next
determined by the applicable Fund;
2) repay FTDI the full Fee received by Bank under Paragraphs 5(d)
and (e) of this Agreement, and any payments FTDI or its
affiliates made to Bank from their own resources under Paragraph
5(e) of this Agreement ("FTDI Payments"), for any Fund shares
purchased under this Agreement which are redeemed or repurchased
by the Fund within 7 business days after the purchase; in turn,
FTDI shall pay to the Fund the amount repaid by Bank (other than
any portion of such repayment that is a repayment of FTDI
Payments) and will notify Bank of any such redemption within a
reasonable time (termination or suspension of this Agreement
shall not relieve Bank or FTDI from the requirements of this
subparagraph);
3) in connection with orders for the purchase of Fund shares on
behalf of an Individual Retirement Account, Self-Employed
Retirement Plan or other retirement accounts, by mail, telephone,
or wire, act as agent for the custodian or trustee of such plans
(solely with respect to the time of receipt of the application
and payments) and shall not place such an order until Bank has
received from its Customer payment for such purchase and, if such
purchase represents the first contribution to such a plan, the
completed documents necessary to establish the plan and
enrollment in the plan (Bank agrees to indemnify FTDI and
Franklin Templeton Trust Company and/or Templeton Funds Trust
Company as applicable for any claim, loss, or liability resulting
from incorrect investment instructions received from Bank which
cause a tax liability or other tax penalty);
4) be responsible for compliance with all laws and regulations,
including those of the applicable federal and state bank and
securities regulatory authorities, with regard to Bank and Bank's
Customers; and
5) obtain from its Customers any consents required by applicable
federal and/or state privacy laws to permit FTDI, any of its
affiliates or the Funds to provide Bank with confirmations,
account statements and other information about Customers'
investments in the Funds.
5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR TRANSACTIONS
a) Price
Purchase orders for Fund shares received from Bank will be accepted only at
the public offering price and in compliance with procedures applicable to each
purchase order as set forth in the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information (hereinafter, collectively, "prospectus") for the
applicable Fund. All purchase orders must be accompanied by payment in U.S.
Dollars. Orders payable by check must be drawn payable in U.S. Dollars on a U.S.
bank, for the full amount of the investment. All sales are made subject to
receipt of shares by FTDI from the Funds. FTDI reserves the right in its
discretion, without notice, to suspend the sale of shares or withdraw the
offering of shares entirely.
b) Orders and Confirmations
All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by FTDI and by the Fund
or its transfer agent at their sole discretion, and become effective only upon
confirmation by FTDI. Transaction orders shall be made using the procedures and
forms required by FTDI from time to time. Orders received by FTDI or an agent
appointed by FTDI or the Funds on any business day after the time for
calculating the price of Fund shares as set forth in each Fund's current
prospectus will be effected at the price determined on the next business day. No
order will be accepted unless Bank or the Customer shall have provided FTDI with
the Customer's full name, address and other information normally required by
FTDI to open a customer account, and FTDI shall be entitled to rely on the
accuracy of the information provided by Bank. A written confirming statement
will be sent to Bank and to Customer upon settlement of each Transaction.
c) Multiple Class Guidelines
FTDI may from time to time provide to Bank written compliance guidelines or
standards relating to the sale or distribution of Funds offering multiple
classes of shares (each, a "Class") with different sales charges and
distribution-related operating expenses. Bank will comply with FTDI's written
compliance guidelines and standards, as well as with any applicable rules or
regulations of government agencies or self-regulatory organizations generally
affecting the sale or distribution of investment companies offering multiple
classes of shares, whether or not Bank deems itself otherwise subject to such
rules or regulations.
d) Payments by Bank for Purchases
On the settlement date for each purchase, Bank shall either (i) remit the
full purchase price by wire transfer to an account designated by FTDI, or (ii)
following FTDI's procedures, wire the purchase price less the Fee allowed by
Paragraph 5(e) of this Agreement. Twice monthly, FTDI will pay Bank Fees not
previously paid to or withheld by Bank. Each calendar month, FTDI, as
applicable, will prepare and mail an activity statement summarizing all
Transactions.
e) Fees and Payments
Where permitted by the prospectus for a Fund, a charge, concession, or fee
(each of the foregoing forms of compensation, a "Fee") may be paid to Bank,
related to services provided by Bank in connection with Transactions in shares
of such Fund. The amount of the Fee, if any, is set by the relevant prospectus.
Adjustments in the Fee are available for certain purchases, and Bank is solely
responsible for notifying FTDI when any purchase or redemption order is
qualified for such an adjustment. If Bank fails to notify FTDI of the
applicability of a reduction in the sales charge at the time the trade is
placed, neither FTDI nor any of the Funds will be liable for amounts necessary
to reimburse any Customer for the reduction which should have been effected.
In accordance with the Funds' prospectuses, FTDI or its affiliates may, but
are not obligated to, make payments from their own resources to Bank as
compensation for certain sales that are made at net asset value ("Qualifying
Sales"). If Bank notifies FTDI of a Qualifying Sale, FTDI may make a contingent
advance payment up to the maximum amount available for payment on the sale. If
any of the shares purchased in a Qualifying Sale are redeemed or repurchased
within twelve months of the month of purchase, FTDI shall be entitled to recover
any advance payment attributable to the redeemed or repurchased shares by
reducing any account payable or other monetary obligation FTDI may owe to Bank
or by making demand upon Bank for repayment in cash. FTDI reserves the right to
withhold any one or more advances, if for any reason FTDI believes that FTDI may
not be able to recover unearned advances. Termination or suspension of this
Agreement does not relieve Bank from the requirements of this paragraph.
f) Rule 12b-1 Plans
Bank is also invited to participate in all distribution plans (each, a
"Plan") adopted for a Class of a Fund or for a Fund that has only a single Class
(each, a "Plan Class") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
To the extent Bank provides administrative and other services, including,
but not limited to, furnishing personal and other services and assistance to
Customers who own shares of a Plan Class, answering routine inquiries regarding
a Fund or Class, assisting in changing account designations and addresses,
maintaining such accounts or such other services as a Fund may require, to the
extent permitted by applicable statutes, rules, or regulations, FTDI shall pay
Bank a Rule 12b-1 servicing fee. To the extent that Bank participates in the
distribution of Fund shares that are eligible for a Rule 12b-1 distribution
fee,FTDI shall also pay Bank a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee. All Rule 12b-1
servicing and distribution fees shall be based on the value of shares
attributable to Customers and eligible for such payment, and shall be calculated
on the basis and at the rates set forth in the compensation schedule then in
effect for the applicable Plan (the "Schedule"). Without prior approval by a
majority of the outstanding shares of a particular Class of a Fund, the
aggregate annual fees paid to Bank pursuant to such Plan shall not exceed the
amounts stated as the "annual maximums" in such Plan Class' prospectus, which
amount shall be a specified percent of the value of such Plan Class' net assets
held in Customers' accounts which are eligible for payment pursuant to this
Agreement (determined in the same manner as such Plan Class uses to compute its
net assets as set forth in its effective Prospectus).
Bank shall furnish FTDI and each Fund that has a Plan Class (each, a "Plan
Fund") with such information as shall reasonably be requested by the Board of
Directors, Trustees or Managing General Partners (hereinafter referred to as
"Directors") of such Plan Fund with respect to the fees paid to Bank pursuant to
the Schedule of such Plan Fund. FTDI shall furnish to the Boards of Directors of
the Plan Funds, for their review on a quarterly basis, a written report of the
amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures
were made.
Each Plan and the provisions of any agreement relating to such Plan must be
approved annually by a vote of the Directors of the Fund that has such Plan,
including such persons who are not interested persons of such Plan Fund and who
have no financial interest in such Plan or any related agreement ("Rule 12b-1
Directors"). Each Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan
may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of Rule 12b-1 Directors
of the Fund that has such Plan, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Class that has such Plan on sixty (60) days' written notice,
without payment of any penalty. A Plan or the provisions of this Agreement may
also be terminated by any act that terminates the Underwriting Agreement between
FTDI and the Fund that has such Plan, and/or the management or administration
agreement between Franklin Advisers, Inc. or Templeton Investment Counsel, Inc.
or their affiliates and such Plan Fund. In the event of the termination of a
Plan for any reason, the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan will
also terminate.
Continuation of a Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to
such Plan are conditioned on Rule 12b-1 Directors being ultimately responsible
for selecting and nominating any new Rule 12b-1 Directors. Under Rule 12b-1,
Directors of any of the Plan Funds have a duty to request and evaluate, and
persons who are party to any agreement related to a Plan have a duty to furnish,
such information as may reasonably be necessary to an informed determination of
whether the Plan or any agreement should be implemented or continued. Under Rule
12b-1, a Plan Fund is permitted to implement or continue a Plan or the
provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan from year-to-year only if,
based on certain legal considerations, the Board of Directors of such Plan Fund
is able to conclude that the Plan will benefit the Plan Class. Absent such
yearly determination, a Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to
such Plan must be terminated as set forth above. In addition, any obligation
assumed by a Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to
the assets of such Fund and no person shall seek satisfaction thereof from
shareholders of a Fund. Bank agrees to waive payment of any amounts payable to
Bank by FTDI under a Fund's Plan until such time as FTDI is in receipt of such
fee from the Fund.
The provisions of the Plans between the Plan Funds and FTDI shall control
over the provisions of this Agreement in the event of any inconsistency.
g) Other Distribution Services
From time to time, FTDI may offer telephone and other augmented services in
connection with Transactions under this Agreement. If Bank uses any such
service, Bank will be subject to the procedures applicable to the service,
whether or not Bank has executed any agreement required for the service.
h) Conditional Orders; Certificates
FTDI will not accept any conditional Transaction orders. Delivery of
certificates or confirmations for shares purchased shall be made by a Fund only
against constructive receipt of the purchase price, subject to deduction of any
Fee and FTDI's portion of the sales charge, if any, on such sale. No
certificates for shares of the Funds will be issued unless specifically
requested.
i) Cancellation of Orders
If payment for shares purchased is not received within the time customary
or the time required by law for such payment, the sale may be canceled without
notice or demand, and neither FTDI nor the Fund(s) shall have any responsibility
or liability for such a cancellation; alternatively, at FTDI's option, the
unpaid shares may be sold back to the Fund, and Bank shall be liable for any
resulting loss to FTDI or to the Fund(s). FTDI shall have no liability for any
check or other item returned unpaid to Bank after Bank has paid FTDI on behalf
of a purchaser. FTDI may refuse to liquidate the investment unless FTDI receives
the purchaser's signed authorization for the liquidation.
j) Order Corrections
Bank shall assume responsibility for any loss to a Fund(s) caused by a
correction made subsequent to trade date, provided such correction was not based
on any error, omission or negligence on FTDI's part, and Bank will immediately
pay such loss to the Fund(s) upon notification.
k) Redemptions; Cancellation
Redemptions or repurchases of shares will be made at the net asset value of
such shares, less any applicable deferred sales or redemption charges, in
accordance with the applicable prospectuses. If Bank sells shares for the
account of the record owner to the Funds, Bank shall be deemed to represent to
FTDI that Bank is doing so as agent for the Customer and that Bank is authorized
to do so in such capacity. Such sales to the Funds shall be at the redemption or
repurchase price then currently in effect for such shares. If on a redemption
which Bank has ordered, instructions in proper form, including outstanding
certificates, are not received within the time customary or the time required by
law, the redemption may be canceled forthwith without any responsibility or
liability on the part of FTDI or any Fund, or at the option of FTDI, FTDI may
buy the shares redeemed on behalf of the Fund, in which latter case FTDI may
hold Bank responsible for any loss to the Fund or loss of profit suffered by
FTDI resulting from Bank's failure to settle the redemption.
l) Exchanges
Telephone exchange orders will be effective only for uncertificated shares
or for which share certificates have been previously deposited and may be
subject to any fees or other restrictions set forth in the applicable
prospectuses. Exchanges from a Fund sold with no sales charge to a Fund which
carries a sales charge, and exchanges from a Fund sold with a sales charge to a
Fund which carries a higher sales charge may be subject to a sales charge in
accordance with the terms of the applicable Fund's prospectus. Bank will be
obligated to comply with any additional exchange policies described in the
applicable Fund's prospectus, including without limitation any policy
restricting or prohibiting "Timing Accounts" as therein defined.
m) Qualification of Shares; Indemnification
Upon request, FTDI shall notify Bank of the states or other jurisdictions
in which each Fund's shares are currently noticed, registered or qualified for
offer or sale to the public. FTDI shall have no obligation to make notice
filings of, register or qualify, or to maintain notice filings of, registration
of or qualification of, Fund shares in any state or other jurisdiction. FTDI
shall have no responsibility, under the laws regulating the sale of securities
in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction, for the registration, qualification or
licensed status of Bank or any of its agents or sub-agents in connection with
the purchase or sale of Fund shares or for the manner of offering, sale or
purchase of Fund shares. Except as stated in this paragraph, FTDI shall not, in
any event, be liable or responsible for the issue, form, validity,
enforceability and value of such shares or for any matter in connection
therewith, and no obligation not expressly assumed by FTDI in this Agreement
shall be implied. If it is necessary to file notice of, register or qualify
shares of any Fund in any country, state or other jurisdiction having authority
over the purchase or sale of Fund shares that are purchased by a Customer, it
will be Bank's responsibility to arrange for and to pay the costs of such notice
filing, registration or qualification; prior to any such notice filing,
registration or qualification, Bank will notify FTDI of its intent and of any
limitations that might be imposed on the Funds, and Bank agrees not to proceed
with such notice filing, registration or qualification without the written
consent of the applicable Funds and of FTDI. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be a condition, stipulation, or provision binding any person acquiring
any security to waive compliance with any provision of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or any applicable
laws or regulations of any government or authorized agency in the U.S. or any
other country having jurisdiction over the offer or sale of shares of the Funds,
or to relieve the parties hereto from any liability arising under such laws,
rules or regulations.
Bank further agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless FTDI, the Funds,
their officers, directors and employees from any and all losses, claims,
liabilities and expenses, arising out of (1) any alleged violation of any
statute or regulation (including without limitation the securities laws and
regulations of the United States of America or any state or foreign country) or
any alleged tort or breach of contract, in or related to any offer, sale or
purchase of shares of the Funds involving Bank or any Customer pursuant to this
Agreement (except to the extent that FTDI's negligence or failure to follow
correct instructions received from Bank is the cause of such loss, claim,
liability or expense), (2) any redemption or exchange pursuant to telephone
instructions received from Bank or its agents or employees, or (3) the breach by
Bank of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. This Paragraph 5(m)
shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
n) Prospectus and Sales Materials; Limit on Advertising
No person is authorized to give any information or make any representations
concerning shares of any Fund except those contained in the Fund's current
prospectus or in materials issued by FTDI as information supplemental to such
prospectus. FTDI will supply prospectuses, reasonable quantities of supplemental
sale literature, sales bulletins, and additional information as issued. Bank
agrees not to use other advertising or sales material or other material or
literature relating to the Funds except that which (a) conforms to the
requirements of any applicable laws or regulations of any government or
authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the
offering or sale of shares of the Funds, and (b) is approved in writing by FTDI
in advance of such use. Such approval may be withdrawn by FTDI in whole or in
part upon notice to Bank, and Bank shall, upon receipt of such notice,
immediately discontinue the use of such sales literature, sales material and
advertising. Bank is not authorized to modify or translate any such materials
without the prior written consent of FTDI.
o) Customer Information
1) DEFINITION. For purposes of this Paragraph 5(o), "Customer
Information" means customer names and other identifying
information pertaining to one or more Customers which is
furnished by Bank to FTDI in the ordinary course of business
under this Agreement. Customer Information shall not include any
information obtained from any sources other than the Customer or
the Bank.
2) PERMITTED USES. FTDI may use Customer Information to fulfill its
obligations under this Agreement, the Distribution Agreements
between the Funds and FTDI, the Funds' prospectuses, or other
duties imposed by law. In addition, FTDI or its affiliates may
use Customer Information in communications to shareholders to
market the Funds or other investment products or services,
including without limitation variable annuities, variable life
insurance, and retirement plans and related services. FTDI may
also use Customer Information if it obtains Bank's prior written
consent.
3) PROHIBITED USES. Except as stated above, FTDI shall not disclose
Customer Information to third parties, and shall not use Customer
Information in connection with any advertising, marketing or
solicitation of any products or services, provided that Bank
offers or soon expects to offer comparable products or services
to mutual fund customers and has so notified FTDI.
4) SURVIVAL; TERMINATION. The agreements described in this paragraph
5(o) shall survive the termination of this Agreement, but shall
terminate as to any account upon FTDI's receipt of valid
notification of either the termination of that account with Bank
or the transfer of that account to another bank or dealer.
6. CONTINUOUSLY OFFERED CLOSED-END FUNDS
This Paragraph 6 relates solely to shares of Funds that represent a
beneficial interest in the Franklin Floating Rate Trust or that are issued by
any other continuously offered closed-end investment company registered under
the 1940 Act for which FTDI or an affiliate of FTDI serves as principal
underwriter and that periodically repurchases its shares (each, a "Trust").
Shares of a Trust being offered to the public will be registered under the 1933
Act and are expected to be offered during an offering period that may continue
indefinitely ("Continuous Offering Period"). There is no guarantee that such a
continuous offering will be maintained by the Trust. The Continuous Offering
Period, shares of a Trust and certain of the terms on which such shares are
being offered are more fully described in the prospectus of the Trust.
As set forth in a Trust's then current prospectus, FTDI shall provide Bank
with appropriate compensation for purchases of shares of the Trust made by the
Bank for the account of Customers or by Customers. In addition, Bank may be
entitled to a fee for servicing Customers who are shareholders in a Trust,
subject to applicable law. Bank agrees that any repurchases of shares of a Trust
that were originally purchased as Qualifying Sales shall be subject to Paragraph
5(e) hereof.
Bank expressly acknowledges and understands that, notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in this Agreement:
a) No Trust has a Rule 12b-1 Plan and in no event will a Trust pay, or
have any obligation to pay, any compensation directly or indirectly to
Bank.
b) Shares of a Trust will not be repurchased by either the Trust (other
than through repurchase offers by the Trust from time to time, if any)
or by FTDI and no secondary market for such shares exists currently,
or is expected to develop. Any representation as to a repurchase or
tender offer by the Trust, other than that set forth in the Trust's
then current Prospectus, notification letters, reports or other
related material provided by the Trust, is expressly prohibited.
c) An early withdrawal charge payable by shareholders of a Trust to FTDI
may be imposed on shares accepted for repurchase by the Trust that
have been held for less than a stated period, as set forth in the
Trust's then current Prospectus.
d) In the event a Customer cancels his or her order for shares of a Trust
after confirmation, such shares will not be repurchased, remarketed or
otherwise disposed of by or though FTDI.
7. GENERAL
a) Successors and Assignments
This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and
their respective successors and assigns; provided that this Agreement will
terminate automatically in the event of its assignment by FTDI. For purposes of
the preceding sentence, the word "assignment" shall have the meaning given to it
in the 1940 Act. Bank may not assign this Agreement without the advance written
consent of FTDI.
b) Paragraph Headings
The paragraph headings of this Agreement are for convenience only, and
shall not be deemed to define, limit, or describe the scope or intent of this
Agreement.
c) Severability
Should any provision of this Agreement be determined to be invalid or
unenforceable under any law, rule, or regulation, that determination shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.
d) Waivers
There shall be no waiver of any provision of this Agreement except a
written waiver signed by Bank and FTDI. No written waiver shall be deemed a
continuing waiver or a waiver of any other provision, unless the waiver
expresses such intention.
e) Sole Agreement
This Agreement is the entire agreement of Bank and FTDI and supersedes all
oral negotiations and prior writings.
f) Governing Law
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State
of California, not including any provision which would require the general
application of the law of another jurisdiction, and shall be binding upon the
parties hereto when signed by FTDI and accepted by Bank, either by Bank's
signature in the space provided below or by Bank's first trade entered after
receipt of this Agreement.
g) Arbitration
Should Bank owe any sum of money to FTDI under or in relation to this
Agreement for the purchase, sale, redemption or repurchase of any Fund shares,
FTDI may offset and recover the amount owed by Bank to FTDI or the Funds from
any amount owed by FTDI to Bank or from any other account Bank has with FTDI,
without notice or demand to Bank. Either party may submit any dispute under this
Agreement to binding arbitration under the commercial arbitration rules of the
American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon any arbitration award may be
entered by any court having jurisdiction.
h) Amendments
FTDI may amend this Agreement at any time by depositing a written notice of
the amendment in the U.S. mail, first class postage pre-paid, addressed to
Bank's address given below. Bank's placement of any Transaction order or
acceptance of any payments after the effective date and receipt of notice of any
such amendment shall constitute Bank's acceptance of the amendment.
i) Term and Termination
This Agreement shall continue in effect until terminated and shall
terminate automatically in the event that Bank ceases to be a "bank" as set
forth in paragraph 2(a) of this Agreement. FTDI or Bank may terminate this
Agreement at any time by written notice to the other, but such termination shall
not affect the payment or repayment of Fees on Transactions prior to the
termination date. Termination also will not affect the indemnities given under
this Agreement.
j) Acceptance; Cumulative Effect
This Agreement is cumulative and supersedes any agreement previously in
effect. It shall be binding upon the parties hereto when signed by FTDI and
accepted by Bank. If Bank has a current agreement with FTDI, Bank's first trade
or acceptance of payments from FTDI after receipt of this Agreement, as it may
be amended pursuant to paragraph 7(h), above, shall constitute Bank's acceptance
of the terms of this Agreement.
Otherwise, Bank's signature below shall constitute Bank's acceptance of
these terms.
FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /s/ Greg Johnson
-----------------------
Greg Johnson, President
777 Mariners Island Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94404
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal
notices only)
650/312-2000
100 Fountain Parkway
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716
813/299-8712
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the Bank or Trust Company: If you have not previously signed an agreement
with FTDI for the sale of mutual fund shares to your customers, please complete
and sign this section and return the original to us.
BANK OR TRUST COMPANY:
____________________________________
(Bank's name)
By: ____________________________________
(Signature)
Name: _________________________________
Title: _________________________________
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
777 Mariners Island Boulevard
San Mateo, CA 94403-7777
May 15, 1998
Re: Amendment of Mutual Fund Purchase and Sales Agreement for Accounts of
Bank and Trust Company Customers - Notice Pursuant to Paragraph 7(h)
Dear Bank or Trust Company:
This letter constitutes notice of amendment of the current Mutual Fund Purchase
and Sales Agreement for Accounts of Bank and Trust Company Customers (the
"Agreement") between Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. ("FTDI") and the bank
or trust company ("the Bank") pursuant to Paragraph 7(h) of the Agreement. The
Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
1. Defined terms in this amendment have the meanings as stated in the
Agreement unless otherwise indicated.
2. Paragraph 5(e) is modified to add the following language:
With respect to shares of each Trust as described in Paragraph 6 of this
Agreement, the total compensation to be paid to FTDI and selected dealers and
their affiliates, including the Bank and the Bank's affiliates, in connection
with the distribution of shares of a Trust will not exceed the underwriting
compensation limitation prescribed by NASD Conduct Rule 2710. The total
underwriting compensation to be paid to FTDI and selected dealers and their
affiliates, including the Bank and the Bank's affiliates, may include: (i) at
the time of purchase of shares a payment to the Bank or a securities dealer of
1% of the dollar amount of the purchased shares by FTDI; and (ii) a quarterly
payment at an annual rate of .50% to the Bank or a securities dealer based on
the value of such remaining shares sold by the Bank or such securities dealer,
if after twelve (12) months from the date of purchase, the shares sold by the
Bank or such securities dealer remain outstanding.
The maximum compensation shall be no more than as disclosed in the section
"Payments to Dealers" of the prospectus of the applicable Trust.
Pursuant to Paragraph 7(h) of the Agreement, the Bank's placement of an order or
acceptance of payments of any kind after the effective date and receipt of
notice of this amendment shall constitute the Bank's acceptance of this
amendment.
FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By /s/ Greg Johnson
------------------------
Greg Johnson, President
777 Mariners Island Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94404
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal notices only)
650/312-2000
100 Fountain Parkway
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
813/299-8712
FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of July 30, 1998, effective as of February 27, 1998
(the "Effective Date"), between Each of the Investment Companies Listed on
Schedule I attached hereto (each a "Fund") and The Bank of New York ("BNY").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to appoint BNY as a Foreign Custody Manager
on the terms and conditions contained herein;
WHEREAS, BNY desires to serve as a Foreign Custody Manager and perform
the duties set forth herein on the terms and condition contained herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter
contained in this Agreement, the Fund and BNY hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases,
unless the context otherwise requires, shall have the following meanings:
1. "BOARD" shall mean the board of directors or board of trustees,
as the case may be, of the Fund.
2. "ELIGIBLE FOREIGN CUSTODIAN" shall have the meaning provided in
the Rule.
3. "MONITORING SYSTEM" shall mean a system established by BNY to
fulfill the Responsibilities specified in clauses l(b)(i) and l(b)(ii) and
l(d) of Article III of this Agreement.
4. "QUALIFIED FOREIGN BANK" shall have the meaning provided in the
Rule.
5. "RESPONSIBILITIES" shall mean the responsibilities delegated to
BNY as a Foreign Custody Manager with respect to each Specified Country and
each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by BNY, as such responsibilities are
more fully described in Article III of this Agreement.
6. "RULE" shall mean Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, as such Rule became effective on June 16, 1997.
7. "SECURITIES DEPOSITORY" shall mean any securities depository or
clearing agency within the meaning of Section (a)(1)(ii) or (a)(1)(iii) of
the Rule.
8. "COMPULSORY DEPOSITORY" shall mean a Securities Depository the
use of which is mandatory by law or regulation or because securities cannot
be withdrawn from such Securities Depository, or because maintaining
securities outside the Securities Depository would not permit purchases and
sales of these securities to occur in accordance with routine settlement
timing and procedures in the relevant market.
9. "SPECIFIED COUNTRY" shall mean each country listed on Schedule 2
attached hereto and each country, other than the United States, constituting
the primary market for a security with respect to which the Fund has given
settlement instructions to The Bank of New York as custodian (the
"Custodian") under its Custody Agreement with the Fund.
ARTICLE II
BNY AS A FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER
1. The Fund on behalf of its Board hereby delegates to BNY with
respect to each Specified Country the Responsibilities.
2. BNY accepts the Board's delegation of Responsibilities with
respect to each Specified Country and agrees in performing the
Responsibilities as a Foreign Custody Manager to exercise reasonable care,
prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the
safekeeping of the Fund's assets would exercise.
3. BNY shall provide to the Board at such times as the Board deems
reasonable and appropriate based on the circumstances of the Fund's foreign
custody arrangements written reports notifying the Board of the placement of
assets of the Fund with a particular Eligible Foreign Custodian within a
Specified Country and of any material change in the arrangements (including,
in the case of Qualified Foreign Banks, any material change in any contract
governing such arrangements and in the case of Securities Depositories, any
material change in the established practices or procedures of such Securities
Depositories) with respect to assets of the Fund with any such Eligible
Foreign Custodian.
ARTICLE III
RESPONSIBILITIES
1 . (a) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, BNY shall with
respect to each Specified Country select an Eligible Foreign Custodian (other
than a Compulsory Depository) which is not functioning as the Fund's Eligible
Foreign Custodian as of the Effective Date. In connection therewith, BNY
shall: (i) determine that assets of the Fund held by such Eligible Foreign
Custodian will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards
applicable to custodians in the relevant market in which such Eligible
Foreign Custodian operates, after considering all factors relevant to the
safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation, those contained in
Section (c)(1) of the Rule; (ii) determine that the Fund's foreign custody
arrangements with each Qualified Foreign Bank are governed by a written
contract with the Custodian (or, in the case of a Securities Depository other
than a Compulsory Depository, by such a contract, by the rules or established
practices or procedures of the Securities Depository, or by any combination
of the foregoing) which will provide reasonable care for the Fund's assets
based on the standards specified in paragraph (c)(1) of the Rule; and (ii)
determine that each contract with a Qualified Foreign Bank shall include the
provisions specified in paragraph (c)(2)(i)(A) through (F) of the Rule or,
alternatively, in lieu of any or all of such (c)(2)(i)(A) through (F)
provisions, such other provisions as BNY determines will provide, in their
entirety, the same or a greater level of care and protection for the assets
of the Fund as such specified provisions.
(b) In addition, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, BNY
shall with respect to each Eligible Foreign Custodian (other than a
Compulsory Depository), regardless of when and by whom selected, (i)
monitor pursuant to the Monitoring System the appropriateness of
maintaining the assets of the Fund with a particular Eligible Foreign
Custodian pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of the Rule and in the case of a
Qualified Foreign Bank, any material change in the contract governing such
arrangement and in the case of a Securities Depository, any material change
in the established practices or procedures of such Securities Depository;
and (ii) advise the Fund whenever an arrangement (including, in the case of
a Qualified Foreign Bank, any material change in the contract governing
such arrangement and in the case of a Securities Depository, any material
change in the established practices or procedures of such Securities
Depository) described in preceding clause (b)(i) no longer meets the
requirements of the Rule, it being understood that BNY shall provide such
advice promptly upon learning of such noncompliance.
(c) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, after execution of
this Agreement with respect to each Compulsory Depository which has been
established, as of the Effective Date, in countries in which BNY has
appointed a Subcustodian and thereafter in connection with each new or
additional Compulsory Depository established in countries in which BNY
appoints, or has appointed, as the case may be, a Subcustodian, BNY shall
determine, with respect to each such Compulsory Depository, that:
(i) the Eligible Foreign Custodian which is utilizing the services of
the Compulsory Depository has undertaken to adhere to the rules,
practices and procedures of such Compulsory Depository;
(ii)no regulatory authority with oversight responsibility for the
Compulsory Depository has issued a public notice that the Compulsory
Depository is not in compliance with any material capital, solvency,
insurance or other similar financial strength requirements imposed by
such authority or, in the case of such notice having been issued,
that such notice has been withdrawn or the remedy of such
noncompliance has been publicly announced by the Compulsory
Depository;
(iii) no regulatory authority with oversight responsibility over
the Compulsory Depository has issued a public notice that the
Compulsory Depository is not in compliance with any material internal
controls requirement imposed by such authority or, in the case such
notice having been issued, that such notice has been withdrawn or the
remedy of such noncompliance has been publicly announced by the
Compulsory Depository;
(iv)the Compulsory Depository maintains the assets of the Fund's
Eligible Foreign Custodian which is utilizing the services of the
Compulsory Depository under no less favorable safekeeping conditions
than those that apply generally to other participants in the
Compulsory Depository;
(v) the Compulsory Depository maintains records that segregate the
Compulsory Depository's own assets from the assets of participants in
the Compulsory Depository;
(vi)the Compulsory Depository maintains records that identify the
assets of each of its participants;
(vii) the Compulsory Depository provides periodic reports to its
participants with respect to the safekeeping of assets maintained by
the Compulsory Depository, including, by way of example, notification
of any transfer to or from a participant's account; and
(viii) the Compulsory Depository is subject to periodic review,
such as audits by independent accountants or inspections by
regulatory authorities.
BNY shall make the foregoing determinations (i) with respect to each
Compulsory Depository which has been established as of the Effective Date in
countries in which BNY has appointed a Subcustodian by September 30, 1998 and
(ii) with respect to each new or additional Compulsory Depository established
in countries in which BNY appoints, or has appointed, as the case may be, a
Subcustodian, to the extent feasible in light of the circumstances then
prevailing within ninety (90) days of the date such Compulsory Depository
commences operations; and, in each case, shall advise the Fund and its
investment advisor promptly after each such determination is made.
In the event that the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
adopts standards or criteria different from those set forth above, the
above provisions shall be deemed to be amended to conform to the standards
or criteria adopted by the SEC.
(d) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, with respect to each
Compulsory Depository in which Fund's assets are maintained at any time
during the term of this Agreement, BNY shall monitor, pursuant to the
Monitoring System, each such Compulsory Depository's compliance with the
criteria set forth in clause l(c) of this Article III and, upon determining
that any Compulsory Depository is not in compliance with any of such
criteria, shall promptly advise the Fund and its investment advisor of such
non-compliance.
2. (a) For purposes of clauses (a)(i), (a)(ii) and (c) of preceding
Section I of this Article, BNY's determination with respect to each
Securities Depository will be based upon publicly available information,
which may be limited, plus any other information which is made available by
each such Securities Depository to BNY or its Qualified Foreign Bank.
(b) For purposes of clause (b)(i) of preceding Section I of
this Article, BNY's determination of appropriateness shall not include, nor
be deemed to include, any evaluation of Country Risks associated with
investment in a particular country. For purposes hereof, "Country Risks"
shall mean systemic risks of holding assets in a particular country
including, but not limited to, (i) the use of Compulsory Depositories, (ii)
such country's financial infrastructure, (iii) such country's prevailing
custody and settlement practices, (iv) nationalization, expropriation or
other governmental actions, (v) regulation of the banking or securities
industry, (vi) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or
fluctuations, and (vii) market conditions which affect the orderly
execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS
1. The Fund hereby represents that: (a) this Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund, constitutes a valid and
legally binding obligation of the Fund enforceable in accordance with its
terms, and no statute, regulation, rule, order, judgment or contract binding
on the Fund prohibits the Fund's execution or performance of this Agreement;
(b) this Agreement has been approved and ratified by the Board at a meeting
duly called and at which a quorum was at all times present; and (c) the Board
or its investment advisor has considered the Country Risks associated with
investment in each Specified Country and will have considered such risks
prior to any settlement instructions being given to the Custodian with
respect to any other Specified Country.
2. BNY hereby represents that: (a) BNY is duly organized and
existing under the laws of the State of New York, with full power to carry on
its businesses as now conducted, and to enter into this Agreement and to
perform its obligations hereunder; (b) this Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by BNY, constitutes a valid and legally
binding obligation of BNY enforceable in accordance with its terms, and no
statute, regulation, rule, order, judgment or contract binding on BNY
prohibits BNY's execution or performance of this Agreement; and (c) BNY has
established the Monitoring System.
ARTICLE V
CONCERNING BNY
1 . BNY shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages,
liabilities or claims, including attorneys' and accountants' fees, sustained
or incurred by, or asserted against, the Fund except to the extent the same
arises out of the failure of BNY to exercise the care, prudence and diligence
required by Section 2 of Article II hereof. In no event shall BNY be liable
to the Fund, the Board, or any third party for special, indirect or
consequential damages, or for lost profits or loss of business, arising in
connection with this Agreement.
2. The Fund shall indemnify BNY and hold it harmless from and
against any and all costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims,
including attorneys' and accountants' fees, sustained or incurred by, or
asserted against, BNY by reason or as a result of any action or inaction, or
arising out of BNY's performance hereunder, provided that the Fund shall not
indemnify BNY to the extent any such costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or
claims arises out of BNY's failure to exercise the reasonable care, prudence
and diligence required by Section 2 of Article II hereof.
3. For its services hereunder, the Fund agrees to pay to BNY such
compensation and out-of-pocket expenses as shall be mutually agreed.
4. BNY shall have only such duties as are expressly set forth
herein. In no event shall BNY be liable for any Country Risks associated
with investments in a particular country.
ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS
1 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Fund
and BNY, and no provision in the Custody Agreement between the Fund and the
Custodian shall affect the duties and obligations of BNY hereunder, nor shall
any provision in this Agreement affect the duties or obligations of the
Custodian under the Custody Agreement.
2. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required
by this Agreement to be given to BNY, shall be sufficiently given if received
by it at its offices at 90 Washington Street, New York, New York 10286, or at
such other place as BNY may from time to time designate in writing.
3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required
by this Agreement to be given to the Fund shall be sufficiently given if
received by it at its offices at Franklin Resources, 777 Mariners Island
Boulevard, San Mateo, California, 94404, Attn: Deborah R. Gatzek, General
Counsel and Senior Vice President, or at such other place as the Fund may
from time to time designate in writing.
4. In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall
be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity,
legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way
be affected thereby. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties. This
Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and
their respective successors and assigns; provided however, that this
Agreement shall not be assignable by either party without the written consent
of the other.
5. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of
laws principles thereof
6. The parties hereto agree that in performing hereunder, BNY is
acting solely on behalf of the Fund and no contractual or service
relationship shall be deemed to be established hereby between BNY and any
other person.
7. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall,
together, constitute only one instrument.
8. This Agreement shall terminate simultaneously with the
termination of the Custody Agreement between the Fund and the Custodian, and
may otherwise be terminated by either party giving to the other party a
notice in writing specifying the date of such termination, which shall be not
less than thirty (30) days after the date of such notice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fund and BNY have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the
date first above written.
EACH INVESTMENT COMPANY
LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 ATTACHED
HERETO.
By: Deborah R. Gatzek
Title: Vice President
Of Each Such Investment Company
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
By: Stephen E. Grunston
Title: Vice President
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
We consent to the incorporation by reference in Post-Effective Amendment No.
40 to the Registration Statement of Franklin High Income Trust on Form N-1A
File No. 2-30203 of our report dated June 30, 1998, on our audit of the
financial statements and financial highlights of Franklin High Income Trust,
which report is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year
ended May 31, 1998, which is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
December 18, 1998
CLASS B DISTRIBUTION PLAN
I. Investment Company: FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
II. Fund: AGE HIGH INCOME FUND - CLASS B
III. Maximum Per Annum Rule 12b-1 Fees for Class B Shares
(as a percentage of average daily net assets of the class)
A. Distribution Fee: 0.50%
B. Service Fee: 0.15%
PREAMBLE TO CLASS B DISTRIBUTION PLAN
The following Distribution Plan (the "Plan") has been adopted pursuant
to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act") by the
Investment Company named above ("Investment Company") for the class B shares
(the "Class") of the Fund named above ("Fund"), which Plan shall take effect
as of the date Class B shares are first offered (the "Effective Date of the
Plan"). The Plan has been approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of
the Investment Company (the "Board"), including a majority of the Board
members who are not interested persons of the Investment Company and who have
no direct, or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan (the
"non-interested Board members"), cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such Plan.
In reviewing the Plan, the Board considered the schedule and nature of
payments and terms of the Management Agreement between the Investment Company
and Franklin Advisers, Inc. and the terms of the Underwriting Agreement
between the Investment Company and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.
("Distributors"). The Board concluded that the compensation of Advisers,
under the Management Agreement, and of Distributors, under the Underwriting
Agreement, was fair and not excessive. The approval of the Plan included a
determination that in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment and
in light of their fiduciary duties, there is a reasonable likelihood that the
Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders.
The Board recognizes that Distributors has entered into an arrangement
with a third party in order to finance the distribution activities of the
Class pursuant to which Distributors may assign its rights to the fees
payable hereunder to such third party. The Board further recognizes that it
has an obligation to act in good faith and in the best interests of the Fund
and its shareholders when considering the continuation or termination of the
Plan and any payments to be made thereunder.
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
1. (a) The Fund shall pay to Distributors a monthly fee not to
exceed the above-stated maximum distribution fee per annum of the Class'
average daily net assets represented by shares of the Class, as may be
determined by the Board from time to time.
(b) In addition to the amounts described in (a) above, the Fund
shall pay (i) to Distributors for payment to dealers or others, or (ii)
directly to others, an amount not to exceed the above-stated maximum service
fee per annum of the Class' average daily net assets represented by shares of
the Class, as may be determined by the Investment Company's Board from time
to time, as a service fee pursuant to servicing agreements which have been
approved from time to time by the Board, including the non-interested Board
members.
2. (a) The monies paid to Distributors pursuant to Paragraph 1(a)
above shall be treated as compensation for Distributors' distribution-related
services including compensation for amounts advanced to securities dealers or
their firms or others selling shares of the Class who have executed an
agreement with the Investment Company, Distributors or its affiliates, which
form of agreement has been approved from time to time by the Board, including
the non-interested Board members, with respect to the sale of Class shares.
In addition, such monies may be used to compensate Distributors for other
expenses incurred to assist in the distribution and promotion of shares of
the Class. Payments made to Distributors under the Plan may be used for,
among other things, the printing of prospectuses and reports used for sales
purposes, expenses of preparing and distributing sales literature and related
expenses, advertisements, and other distribution-related expenses, including
a pro-rated portion of Distributors' overhead expenses attributable to the
distribution of Class shares, as well as for additional distribution fees
paid to securities dealers or their firms or others who have executed
agreements with the Investment Company, Distributors or its affiliates, or
for certain promotional distribution charges paid to broker-dealer firms or
others, or for participation in certain distribution channels. None of such
payments are the legal obligation of Distributors or its designee.
(b) The monies to be paid pursuant to paragraph 1(b) above
shall be used to pay dealers or others for, among other things, furnishing
personal services and maintaining shareholder accounts, which services
include, among other things, assisting in establishing and maintaining
customer accounts and records; assisting with purchase and redemption
requests; arranging for bank wires; monitoring dividend payments from the
Fund on behalf of customers; forwarding certain shareholder communications
from the Fund to customers; receiving and answering correspondence; and
aiding in maintaining the investment of their respective customers in the
Class. Any amounts paid under this paragraph 2(b) shall be paid pursuant to
a servicing or other agreement, which form of agreement has been approved
from time to time by the Board. None of such payments are the legal
obligation of Distributors or its designee.
3. In addition to the payments which the Fund is authorized to make
pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 hereof, to the extent that the Fund, Advisers,
Distributors or other parties on behalf of the Fund, Advisers or Distributors
make payments that are deemed to be payments by the Fund for the financing of
any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Class shares issued
by the Fund within the context of Rule 12b-1 under the Act, then such
payments shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the Plan.
In no event shall the aggregate asset-based sales charges which include
payments specified in paragraphs 1 and 2, plus any other payments deemed to
be made pursuant to the Plan under this paragraph, exceed the amount
permitted to be paid pursuant to Rule 2830(d) of the Conduct Rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
4. Distributors shall furnish to the Board, for its review, on a
quarterly basis, a written report of the monies paid to it and to others
under the Plan, and shall furnish the Board with such other information as
the Board may reasonably request in connection with the payments made under
the Plan in order to enable the Board to make an informed determination of
whether the Plan should be continued.
5. (a) Distributors may assign, transfer or pledge ("Transfer") to
one or more designees (each an "Assignee"), its rights to all or a designated
portion of the fees to which it is entitled under paragraph 1 of this Plan
from time to time (but not Distributors' duties and obligations pursuant
hereto or pursuant to any distribution agreement in effect from time to time,
if any, between Distributors and the Fund), free and clear of any offsets or
claims the Fund may have against Distributors. Each such Assignee's
ownership interest in a Transfer of a specific designated portion of the fees
to which Distributors is entitled is hereafter referred to as an "Assignee's
12b-1 Portion." A Transfer pursuant to this Section 5(a) shall not reduce or
extinguish any claims of the Fund against Distributors.
(b) Distributors shall promptly notify the Fund in writing of
each such Transfer by providing the Fund with the name and address of each
such Assignee.
(c) Distributors may direct the Fund to pay any Assignee's
12b-1 Portion directly to each Assignee. In such event, Distributors shall
provide the Fund with a monthly calculation of the amount to which each
Assignee is entitled (the "Monthly Calculation"). In such event, the Fund
shall, upon receipt of such notice and Monthly Calculation from Distributors,
make all payments required directly to the Assignee in accordance with the
information provided in such notice and Monthly Calculation upon the same
terms and conditions as if such payments were to be paid to Distributors.
(d) Alternatively, in connection with a Transfer, Distributors
may direct the Fund to pay all or a portion of the fees to which Distributors
is entitled from time to time to a depository or collection agent designated
by any Assignee, which depository or collection agent may be delegated the
duty of dividing such fees between the Assignee's 12b-1 Portion and the
balance (such balance, when distributed to Distributors by the depository or
collection agent, the "Distributors' 12b-1 Portion"), in which case only
Distributors' 12b-1 Portion may be subject to offsets or claims the Fund may
have against Distributors.
6. The Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one
year only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually by the Board, including the non-interested Board members, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. In
determining whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the continuation of
the Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders, the Board may, but is
not obligated to, consider that Distributors has incurred substantial cost
and has entered into an arrangement with a third party in order to finance
the distribution activities for the Class.
7. This Plan and any agreements entered into pursuant to this Plan
may be terminated with respect to the shares of the Class, without penalty,
at any time by vote of a majority of the non-interested Board members of the
Investment Company, or by vote of a majority of outstanding Shares of such
Class. Upon termination of this Plan with respect to the Class, the
obligation of the Fund to make payments pursuant to this Plan with respect to
such Class shall terminate, and the Fund shall not be required to make
payments hereunder beyond such termination date with respect to expenses
incurred in connection with Class shares sold prior to such termination date,
provided, in each case that each of the requirements of a Complete
Termination of this Plan in respect of such Class, as defined below, are
met. For purposes of this Section 7, a "Complete Termination" of this Plan
in respect of the Class shall mean a termination of this Plan in respect of
such Class, provided that: (i) the non-interested Board members of the
Investment Company shall have acted in good faith and shall have determined
that such termination is in the best interest of the Investment Company and
the shareholders of the Fund and the Class; (ii) and the Investment Company
does not alter the terms of the contingent deferred sales charges applicable
to Class shares outstanding at the time of such termination; and (iii) unless
Distributors at the time of such termination was in material breach under the
distribution agreement in respect of the Fund, the Fund shall not, in respect
of such Fund, pay to any person or entity, other than Distributors or its
designee, either the payments described in paragraph 1(a) or 1(b) or in
respect of the Class shares sold by Distributors prior to such termination.
8. The Plan, and any agreements entered into pursuant to this Plan,
may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for
distribution pursuant to Paragraph 1 hereof without approval by a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the Class of the Fund.
9. All material amendments to the Plan, or any agreements entered
into pursuant to this Plan, shall be approved by the non-interested Board
members cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on any
such amendment.
10. So long as the Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of
the Fund's non-interested Board members shall be committed to the discretion
of such non-interested Board members.
This Plan and the terms and provisions thereof are hereby accepted and
agreed to by the Investment Company and Distributors as evidenced by their
execution hereof.
Date: OCTOBER 16, 1998
FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST
By: /S/ DEBORAH R. GATZEK
Deborah R. Gatzek
Vice President & Secretary
FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /S/ HARMON E. BURNS
Harmon E. Burns
Executive Vice President
MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
ON BEHALF OF
AGE HIGH INCOME FUND
This Multiple Class Plan (the "Plan") has been adopted by a majority of
the Board of Trustees of FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST (the "Investment
Company") for its series AGE High Income Fund (the "Fund"). The Board has
determined that the Plan, including the expense allocation, is in the best
interests of each class of the Fund and the Investment Company as a whole.
The Plan sets forth the provisions relating to the establishment of multiple
classes of shares of the Fund, and supersedes any Plan previously adopted for
the Fund.
1. The Fund shall offer four classes of shares, to be known as Class
A Shares, Class B Shares, Class C Shares and Advisor Class Shares.
2. Class A Shares shall carry a front-end sales charge ranging from
0% - 4.25%, and Class C Shares shall carry a front-end sales charge of
1.00%. Class B Shares and the Advisor Class Shares shall not be subject to
any front-end sales charges.
3. Class A Shares shall not be subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge ("CDSC"), except in the following limited circumstances. On
investments of $1 million or more, a contingent deferred sales charge of
1.00% of the lesser of the then-current net asset value or the original net
asset value at the time of purchase applies to redemptions of those
investments within the contingency period of 12 months from the calendar
month following their purchase. The CDSC is waived in certain circumstances,
as described in the Fund's prospectus.
Class B Shares shall be subject to a CDSC with the following CDSC
schedule: (a) Class B Shares redeemed within 2 years of their purchase shall
be assessed a CDSC of 4% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase; (b) Class B Shares
redeemed within the third and fourth years of their purchase shall be
assessed a CDSC of 3% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase; (c) Class B Shares
redeemed within 5 years of their purchase shall be assessed a CDSC of 2% on
the lesser of the then-current net asset value or the original net asset
value at the time of purchase; and (d) Class B Shares redeemed within 6 years
of their purchase shall be assessed a CDSC of 1% on the lesser of the
then-current net asset value or the original net asset value at the time of
purchase. The CDSC is waived in certain circumstances described in the
Fund's prospectus.
Class C Shares redeemed within 18 months of their purchase shall be
assessed a CDSC of 1.00% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase. The CDSC is waived in
certain circumstances as described in the Fund's prospectus.
Advisor Class Shares shall not be subject to any CDSC.
4. The distribution plan adopted by the Investment Company pursuant
to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the
"Rule 12b-1 Plan") associated with the Class A Shares may be used to
reimburse Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor") or others
for expenses incurred in the promotion and distribution of the Class A
Shares. Such expenses include, but are not limited to, the printing of
prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, expenses of preparing and
distributing sales literature and related expenses, advertisements, and other
distribution-related expenses, including a prorated portion of the
Distributor's overhead expenses attributable to the distribution of the Class
A Shares, as well as any distribution or service fees paid to securities
dealers or their firms or others who have executed a servicing agreement with
the Investment Company for the Class A Shares, the Distributor or its
affiliates.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan associated with the Class B Shares has two
components. The first component is an asset-based sales charge to be
retained by Distributor to compensate Distributor for amounts advanced to
securities dealers or their firms or others with respect to the sale of Class
B Shares. In addition, such payments may be retained by the Distributor to
be used in the promotion and distribution of Class B Shares in a manner
similar to that described above for Class A Shares. The second component is
a shareholder servicing fee to be paid to securities dealers or others who
provide personal assistance to shareholders in servicing their accounts.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan associated with the Class C Shares has two
components. The first component is a shareholder servicing fee, to be paid
to broker-dealers, banks, trust companies and others who provide personal
assistance to shareholders in servicing their accounts. The second component
is an asset-based sales charge to be retained by the Distributor during the
first year after the sale of shares, and in subsequent years, to be paid to
dealers or retained by the Distributor to be used in the promotion and
distribution of Class C Shares, in a manner similar to that described above
for Class A Shares.
No Rule 12b-1 Plan has been adopted on behalf of the Advisor Class
Shares and, therefore, the Advisor Class Shares shall not be subject to
deductions relating to Rule 12b-1 fees.
The Rule 12b-1 Plans for the Class A, Class B and Class C Shares shall
operate in accordance with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., Article III, section 26(d).
5. The only difference in expenses as between Class A, Class B,
Class C, and Advisor Class Shares shall relate to differences in Rule 12b-1
plan expenses, as described in the applicable Rule 12b-1 Plans; however, to
the extent that the Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses of one Class are the same as the
Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses of another Class, such classes shall be subject to
the same expenses.
6. There shall be no conversion features associated with the Class
A, Class C, and Advisor Class Shares. Each Class B Share, however, shall be
converted automatically, and without any action or choice on the part of the
holder of the Class B Shares, into Class A Shares on the conversion date
specified, and in accordance with the terms and conditions approved by the
Franklin High Income Trust's Board of Trustees and as described, in the
fund's prospectus relating to the Class B Shares, as such prospectus may be
amended from time to time; provided, however, that the Class B Shares shall
be converted automatically into Class A Shares to the extent and on the terms
permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
adopted thereunder.
7. Shares of Class A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class may be
exchanged for shares of another investment company within the Franklin
Templeton Group of Funds according to the terms and conditions stated in each
fund's prospectus, as it may be amended from time to time, to the extent
permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
adopted thereunder.
8. Each class will vote separately with respect to any Rule 12b-1
Plan related to, or which now or in the future may affect, that class.
9. On an ongoing basis, the Board members, pursuant to their
fiduciary responsibilities under the 1940 Act and otherwise, will monitor the
Fund for the existence of any material conflicts between the Board members
interests of the various classes of shares. The Board members, including a
majority of the independent Board members, shall take such action as is
reasonably necessary to eliminate any such conflict that may develop.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. shall be
responsible for alerting the Board to any material conflicts that arise.
10. All material amendments to this Plan must be approved by a
majority of the Board members, including a majority of the Board members who
are not interested persons of the Investment Company.
11. I, Deborah R. Gatzek, Secretary of the Franklin Group of Funds,
do hereby certify that this Multiple Class Plan was adopted by Franklin High
Income Trust, on behalf of its series AGE High Income Fund, by a majority of
the Trustees of the Trust on March 19, 1998
/S/ DEBORAH R. GATZEK
Deborah R. Gatzek
Secretary
