File No. 2-55614
811-2625
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [__]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 36 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
DREYFUS A BONDS PLUS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate
box)
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
----
X On August 1, 1999 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.
----
Dreyfus
A Bonds Plus, Inc.
Investing in fixed-income securities for current income consistent with the
preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity
PROSPECTUS August 1, 1999
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
THE FUND
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2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
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8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
16 Instructions for IRAs
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
- --------------------------------
Ticker Symbol: DRBDX
GOAL/APPROACH
The portfolio seeks to maximize current income as is consistent with the
preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. To pursue this goal,
the portfolio invests at least 80% of net assets in fixed-income securities,
including mortgage-related securities, collateralized mortgage obligations
("CMOs"), and asset-backed securities, that, when purchased, are rated A or
better or are the unrated equivalent as determined by Dreyfus, and in securities
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or
instrumentalities.
The portfolio also may invest in:
* high grade commercial paper of U.S. issuers
* certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers'
acceptances
* fixed-income securities rated lower than A (but not
lower than B) by both Moody's and Standard & Poor's
* municipal obligations and zero coupon securities
The portfolio may invest up to 10% of net assets in foreign securities.
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES: pools of residential or commercial mortgages whose
cash flows are "passed through" to the holders of the securities via monthly
payments of interest and principal.
CMOS: multi-class bonds backed by pools of mortgage pass-through securities or
mortgage loans. CMOs may be issued by government agencies or private issuers.
RATINGS: represent the opinions of rating agencies (like Moody's and Standard &
Poor's) as to the quality of the fixed-income securities. Ratings are relative
and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality.
<PAGE 2>
MAIN RISKS
Prices of bonds tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. While a
rise in rates may allow the portfolio to invest for higher yields, the most
immediate effect is usually a drop in bond prices, and therefore in the
portfolio's share price as well. As a result, the value of a shareholder's
investment in the portfolio could go up and down, which means that shareholders
could lose money.
Although the portfolio invests primarily in high quality bonds, it may invest to
a limited extent in high-yield bonds which involve greater credit risk,
including the risk of default, than investment grade bonds. They tend to be more
volatile in price and less liquid and are considered speculative. As with
stocks, the prices of high-yield bonds can fall in response to bad news about
the issuer, the issuer's industry or the economy in general.
Other risk factors could have an effect on the portfolio's performance,
including:
* if an issuer fails to make timely interest or
principal payments or there is a decline in the credit quality of a bond, or
perception of a decline, the bond's value could fall, potentially lowering the
portfolio's share price
* the price and yield of foreign debt securities could
be affected by factors ranging from political and economic instability to
changes in currency exchange rates
Under adverse market conditions, the portfolio could invest up to all of its
assets in money market securities. Although the portfolio would do this to avoid
losses, it could have the effect of reducing the benefit from any upswing in the
market. During such period, the portfolio may not achieve its investment
objective.
Other potential risks
Most mortgage-related securities are a form of derivative. Derivatives can be
illiquid and highly sensitive to changes in their underlying securities,
interest rate or index and, as a result, can be highly volatile. Certain
derivatives, at times, may be used to leverage the portfolio, meaning that a
small investment could have a potentially large impact on the portfolio.
If the portfolio's mortgage-related securities are paid off substantially
earlier or later than expected, the portfolio's share price or yield could be
hurt.
<PAGE 3>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The tables below show some of the risks of investing in the fund. The first
table shows the changes in the fund's performance from year to year. The second
table compares the fund's performance over time to that of the Merrill Lynch
Domestic Master Index, an unmanaged bond performance benchmark. Both tables
assume reinvestment of dividends. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of
future results.
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Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
[Exhibit A]
BEST QUARTER: Q2 '89 +9.78%
WORST QUARTER: Q1 '94 -4.32%
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Average annual total return AS OF 12/31/98
<S> <C> <C> <C>
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FUND 2.68% 5.44% 8.71%
MERRILL LYNCH
DOMESTIC
MASTER INDEX 8.87% 7.33% 9.29%
THE FUND'S YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL RETURN AS OF 3/31/99 WAS 2.05%.
What this fund is -- and isn't
</TABLE>
This fund is a mutual fund: a pooled investment that is professionally managed
and gives you the opportunity to participate in financial markets. It strives to
reach its stated goal, although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer
guaranteed results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or
guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete
investment program. You could lose money in this fund, but you also have the
potential to make money.
<PAGE 4>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Annual fund operating expenses are paid
out of fund assets, so their effect is included in the share price. The fund has
no sales charge (load) or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.
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Fee table
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.65%
Other expenses 0.31%
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TOTAL 0.96%
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Expense example
<S> <C> <C> <C>
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$98 $306 $531 $1,178
</TABLE>
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over
time. It uses the same hypothetical conditions other
funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in
expenses. The figures shown would be the same whether
you sold your shares at the end of a period or kept
them. Because actual return and expenses will be
different, the example is for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to the investment adviser for managing the fund's
portfolio and assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES FEE: a fee paid to the fund's distributor for shareholder
account service and maintenance.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund
<PAGE 5>
MANAGEMENT
The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages more than $120
billion in over 160 mutual fund portfolios. The fund pays Dreyfus an annual
management fee of 0.65% of the fund's average net assets. Dreyfus is the primary
mutual fund business of Mellon Bank Corporation, a broad-based financial
services company with a bank at its core. With more than $389 billion of assets
under management and $1.9 trillion of assets under administration and custody,
Mellon provides a full range of banking, investment and trust products and
services to individuals, businesses and institutions. Mellon is headquartered in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Dreyfus taxable fixed income team makes investment decisions for the fund.
No individual team member is primarily responsible for making these investment
decisions. The portfolio managers comprising the team are identified in the
Statement of Additional Information.
Dreyfus has a personal securities trading policy (the "Policy") which restricts
the personal securities transactions of its employees. Its primary purpose is to
ensure that personal trading by Dreyfus employees does not disadvantage any
Dreyfus-managed fund. Dreyfus portfolio managers and other investment personnel
who comply with the Policy's preclearance and disclosure procedures may be
permitted to purchase, sell or hold certain types of securities which also may
be or are held in the fund(s) they advise.
Concepts to understand
YEAR 2000 ISSUES: the fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by Dreyfus and the fund's other service providers do not properly process
and calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
Dreyfus is working to avoid year 2000-related problems in its systems and to
obtain assurances from other service providers that they are taking similar
steps. In addition, issuers of securities in which the fund invests may be
adversely affected by year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on
the value of the fund's investments and its share price.
<PAGE 6>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. These figures have been independently audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in
the annual report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED MARCH 31,
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
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PER-SHARE DATA ($)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period 14.75 14.13 14.47 13.75 14.38
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .82 .89 .88 .92 .94
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) on investments (.53) .79 (.34) .73 (.56)
Total from investment operations .29 1.68 .54 1.65 .38
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.84) (.89) (.88) (.93) (.94)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments (.21) (.17) -- -- (.07)
Total distributions (1.05) (1.06) (.88) (.93) (1.01)
Net asset value, end of period 13.99 14.75 14.13 14.47 13.75
Total return (%) 2.05 12.20 3.88 12.12 3.01
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of expenses to
average net assets (%) .96 .95 .96 .93 .99
Ratio of net investment income
to average net assets (%) 5.78 6.07 6.12 6.32 6.89
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 255.27 374.30 415.69 165.50 172.60
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 576,499 648,372 571,580 598,551 539,140
</TABLE>
The Fund
<PAGE 7>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOU PAY NO SALES CHARGES to invest in this fund. Your price for fund shares is
the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which is generally calculated as of
the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) every day the exchange is open. Your order will be priced at the next NAV
calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other
authorized entity. The fund's investments are generally valued based on market
value or, where market quotations are not readily available, based on fair value
as determined in good faith by the fund's board.
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Minimum investments
Initial Additional
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REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER
INVESTMENTS
TRADITIONAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
SPOUSAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
ROTH IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
EDUCATION IRAS $500 NO MINIMUM
AFTER THE FIRST
YEAR
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party
checks cannot be accepted. You may be charged a fee for
any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Concepts to understand
TRADITIONAL IRA: an individual retirement account. Your contributions may or may
not be deductible depending on your circumstances. Assets grow tax-deferred;
withdrawals and distributions are taxable in the year made.
SPOUSAL IRA: an IRA funded by a working spouse in the name of a nonworking
spouse.
ROTH IRA: an IRA with non-deductible contributions, and tax-free growth of
assets and distributions to pay retirement expenses, provided certain conditions
are met.
EDUCATION IRA: an IRA with nondeductible contributions, and tax-free growth of
assets and distributions, if used to pay certain educational expenses.
FOR MORE COMPLETE IRA INFORMATION, CONSULT DREYFUS OR YOUR TAX PROFESSIONAL.
<PAGE 8>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL (REDEEM) SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next
NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or
other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold
must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed
promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that if the fund has not
yet collected payment for the shares you are selling, it may delay sending the
proceeds for up to eight business days or until it has collected payment.
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Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds
sent by Minimum Maximum
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CHECK NO MINIMUM $150,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $250,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $250,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
* amounts of $1,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed
within the last 30 days
* requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment
<PAGE 9>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
IF YOUR ACCOUNT FALLS BELOW $500, THE FUND may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 45 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
* refuse any purchase or exchange request that
could adversely affect the fund or its operations,
including those from any individual or group who, in the
fund's view, is likely to engage in excessive trading
(usually defined as more than four exchanges out of the
fund within a calendar year)
* refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of
1% of the fund's total assets
* change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or
temporarily suspend this privilege during unusual market conditions
* change its minimum investment amounts
* delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to
seven days (generally applies only in cases of very large redemptions, excessive
trading or during unusual market conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
401(k) plans, financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge
transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on
buying or selling shares. Consult a representative of your plan or financial
institution if in doubt.
<PAGE 10>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS dividends from its net investment income
once a month, and distributes any net capital gains it has realized once a year.
Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund
otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
FUND DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TAXABLE to most investors (unless your
investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account). The tax status of any
distribution is the same regardless of how long you have been in the fund and
whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash. In general,
distributions are federally taxable as follows:
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Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
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INCOME ORDINARY ORDINARY
DIVIDENDS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Except in tax-advantaged accounts, any sale or exchange of fund shares may
generate a tax liability.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold or exchanged up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term
capital gains" applies to shares sold or exchanged after 12 months.
Your Investment
<PAGE 11>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
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For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments
ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments
SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
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For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
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For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Our experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and
provide you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The
Financial Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the
Financial Center nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
<PAGE 12>
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another (no minimum for
retirement accounts). You can request your exchange in writing or by phone. Be
sure to read the current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging.
Any new account established through an exchange will have the same privileges as
your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee
for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any
fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
24-hour automated account access
YOU CAN EASILY MANAGE YOUR DREYFUS accounts, check your account balances,
transfer money between your Dreyfus funds, get price and yield information and
much more -- when it's convenient for you.
Retirement plans
Dreyfus offers a variety of retirement plans, including traditional, Roth and
Education IRAs. Here's where you call for information:
* for traditional, rollover, Roth and Education IRAs, call 1-800-645-656
* for SEP-IRAs, Keogh
accounts, 401(k) and 403(b) accounts, call 1-800-358-0910
Your Investment
<PAGE 13>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 105,
Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900051868
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900051868
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE 14>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI
02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call
us to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE 15>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR IRAS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete an IRA application, making sure to specify the fund name and to
indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian P.O. Box 6427, Providence, RI 02940-6427
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail in the slip and the check (see "To Open an Account" at left).
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900051868
* the fund name
* your account number
* name of investor
* the contribution year
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELEPHONE CONTRIBUTION Call to request us to move money from a regular Dreyfus
account to an IRA (both accounts must be held in the same shareholder name).
Automatically
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Call us
to request a Dreyfus Step Program form. Complete and return the form along with
your application.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add an automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the form along with any
other required materials.
All contributions will count as current year.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE 16>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name and signature
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
* whether the distribution is qualified or premature
* whether the 10% TEFRA should be withheld
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required.
Mail in your request (see "To Open an Account" at left).
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request instructions to establish
the plan.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS TRUST COMPANY, CUSTODIAN
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE 17>
For More Information
Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
A Series of Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
-----------------------------
SEC file number: 811-2625
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of fund documents can be viewed online or
downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (phone 1-800-SEC-0330) or by sending your request and a
duplicating fee to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC
20549-6009.
(c) 1999 Dreyfus Service Corporation 084P0599
<PAGE>
DREYFUS A BONDS PLUS, INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AUGUST 1, 1999
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc. (the "Fund"), dated August 1, 1999, as may be
revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's Prospectus,
please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York
11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City -- Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. -- Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders are separate documents supplied with this Statement of
Additional Information, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and
report of independent auditors appearing in the Annual Report are
incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Description of the Fund B-2
Management of the Fund B-20
Management Arrangements B-25
How to Buy Shares B-28
Shareholder Services Plan B-30
How to Redeem Shares B-31
Shareholder Services B-33
Portfolio Transactions B-37
Determination of Net Asset Value B-38
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes B-38
Performance Information B-40
Information About the Fund B-41
Counsel and Independent Auditors B-42
Appendix B-44
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Maryland corporation that was organized on February 23,
1976. The Fund is an open-end management investment company, known as a
mutual fund. The Fund is a diversified fund, which means that, with respect
to 75% of the Fund's total assets, the Fund will not invest more than 5% of
its assets in the securities of any single issuer.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's investment
adviser.
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the
distributor of the Fund's shares.
Certain Portfolio Securities
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Corporate Debt Securities. Corporate debt securities include corporate
bonds, debentures, notes and other similar instruments, including certain
convertible securities. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants
attached. Corporate income-producing securities also may include forms of
preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt
security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with
respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on
some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange
rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities may be converted at
either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.
Convertible securities have characteristics similar to both fixed-income and
equity securities. Convertible securities generally are subordinated to
other similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although
convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right
of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is
senior to common stock of the same issuer. Because of the subordination
feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than
similar non-convertible securities.
Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities, the
market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates
increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In
addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible
securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the
underlying common stock. A unique feature of convertible securities is that
as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible
securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not
experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common
stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the
prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the
value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are
without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less
risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
Convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable
stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. There can
be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible
securities may default on their obligations. A convertible security, in
addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital
appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to
benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.
There can be no assurance of capital appreciation, however, because
securities prices fluctuate. Convertible securities, however, generally
offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of
similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation.
Municipal Obligations. Municipal obligations are debt obligations
issued by states, territories and possessions of the United States and the
District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and
instrumentalities, or multistate agencies or authorities, the interest from
which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, is exempt from Federal
income tax. Municipal obligations generally include debt obligations issued
to obtain funds for various public purposes as well as certain industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities. Municipal
obligations are classified as general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and
notes. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its
faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest.
Revenue bonds are payable from the revenue derived from a particular
facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a
special excise or other specific revenue source, but not from the general
taxing power. Industrial development bonds, in most cases, are revenue
bonds that do not carry the pledge of the credit of the issuing
municipality, but generally are guaranteed by the corporate entity on whose
behalf they are issued. Notes are short-term instruments which are
obligations of the issuing municipalities or agencies and are sold in
anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or receipt of other
revenues. Municipal obligations include municipal lease/purchase agreements
which are similar to installment purchase contracts for property or
equipment issued by municipalities. Municipal obligations bear fixed,
floating or variable rates of interest, which are determined in some
instances by formulas under which the municipal obligation's interest rate
will change directly or inversely to changes in interest rates or an index,
or multiples thereof, in many cases subject to a maximum and minimum.
Certain municipal obligations are subject to redemption at a date earlier
than their stated maturity pursuant to call options, which may be separated
from the related municipal obligation and purchased and sold separately.
The Fund also may acquire call options on specific municipal obligations.
The Fund generally would purchase these call options to protect the Fund
from the issuer of the related municipal obligation redeeming, or other
holder of the call option from calling away, the municipal obligation before
maturity.
While, in general, municipal obligations are tax exempt securities
having relatively low yields as compared to taxable, non-municipal
obligations of similar quality, certain municipal obligations are taxable
obligations, offering yields comparable to, and in some cases greater than,
the yields available on other permissible Fund investments. Dividends
received by shareholders on Fund shares which are attributable to interest
income received by the Fund from municipal obligations generally will be
subject to Federal income tax. The Fund may invest in municipal obligations,
the ratings of which correspond with the ratings of other permissible Fund
investments. The Fund currently intends to invest no more than 25% of its
assets in municipal obligations. However, this percentage may be varied
from time to time without shareholder approval.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities. Variable and floating rate
securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on
the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest
rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index
as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be
regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as
based on a change in the prime rate.
The Fund may invest in floating rate debt instruments ("floaters").
The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another
interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The
interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months.
Because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a
certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, although the
Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well.
The Fund also may invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments
("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the
opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse
floater is indexed or inversely to a multiple of the applicable index. An
inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a
fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality.
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are a form of
derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages.
Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by
various governmental, government-related and private organizations. These
securities may include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage
obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through
securities, interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits
("REMICs"), adjustable rate mortgages, real estate investment trusts
("REITs"), or other kinds of mortgage-backed securities, including those
with fixed, floating and variable interest rates, those with interest rates
based on multiples of changes in a specified index of interest rates and
those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest
rates, as well as those that do not bear interest.
Residential Mortgage-Related Securities-The Fund may invest in
mortgage-related securities representing participation interests in pools of
one- to four-family residential mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by
governmental agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Government National
Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Federal National Mortgage Association
("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), or issued
by private entities. Residential mortgage-related securities may be issued
using a variety of structures, including multi-class structures featuring
senior and subordinated classes.
Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-
Through Certificates (also known as "Ginnie Maes") which are guaranteed as
to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee
is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA
certificates also are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds
from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee.
Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage
Pass-Through Certificates (also known as "Fannie Maes") which are solely the
obligations of FNMA and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and
credit of the United States. Fannie Maes are guaranteed as to timely
payment of principal and interest by FNMA. Mortgage-related securities
issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also
known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs"). Freddie Macs are not guaranteed by the
United States or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do not constitute a debt
or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home Loan Bank.
Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is
guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection or timely
payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When
FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may remit the
amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at
any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than
one year after it becomes payable.
Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities-Commercial mortgage-related
securities generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates
secured by mortgage loans on commercial properties. These mortgage-related
securities generally are structured to provide protection to the senior
class investors against potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans.
This protection generally is provided by having the holders of subordinated
classes of securities ("Subordinated Securities") take the first loss if
there are defaults on the underlying commercial mortgage loans. Other
protection, which may benefit all of the classes or particular classes, may
include issuer guarantees, reserve funds, additional Subordinated
Securities, cross-collateralization and over-collateralization.
Subordinated Securities-The Fund may invest in Subordinated Securities
issued or sponsored by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions,
mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other
non-governmental issuers. Subordinated Securities have no governmental
guarantee, and are subordinated in some manner as to the payment of
principal and/or interest to the holders of more senior mortgage-related
securities arising out of the same pool of mortgages. The holders of
Subordinated Securities typically are compensated with a higher stated yield
than are the holders of more senior mortgage-related securities. On the
other hand, Subordinated Securities typically subject the holder to greater
risk than senior mortgage-related securities and tend to be rated in a lower
rating category, and frequently a substantially lower rating category, than
the senior mortgage-related securities issued in respect of the same pool of
mortgages. Subordinated Securities generally are likely to be more
sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates and the market for
such securities may be less liquid than is the case for traditional
fixed-income securities and senior mortgage-related securities.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") and Multi-Class Pass-Through-
Securities-A CMO is a multiclass bond backed by a pool of mortgage
pass-through certificates or mortgage loans. CMOs may be collateralized by
(a) Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac pass-through certificates, (b)
unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration
or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, (c) unsecuritized
conventional mortgages, (d) other mortgage-related securities, or (e) any
combination thereof.
Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a
specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date.
Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be
retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final
distribution dates. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages
may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many
ways. One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates which reset
periodically at a specified increment over an index, such as the London
Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") (or sometimes more than one index). These
floating rate CMOs typically are issued with lifetime caps on the coupon
rate thereon. The Fund also may invest in inverse floating rate CMOs.
Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche of a CMO with a coupon rate
that moves in the reverse direction to an applicable index such as LIBOR.
Accordingly, the coupon rate thereon will increase as interest rates
decrease. Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed
or floating rate tranches of CMOs.
Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a
multiple of the applicable indexes. The effect of the coupon varying
inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor.
Inverse floaters based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be
highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders
thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal. The markets
for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at
times may be very thin. The Fund's ability to dispose of its positions in
such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for
such securities. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest
that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of
liquidity.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities-The Fund also may invest in stripped
mortgage-backed securities which are created by segregating the cash flows
from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more
new securities, each with a specified percentage of the underlying
securities' principal or interest payments. Mortgage securities may be
partially stripped so that each investor class receives some interest and
some principal. When securities are completely stripped, however, all of
the interest is distributed to holders of one type of security, known as an
interest-only security, or IO, and all of the principal is distributed to
holders of another type of security known as a principal-only security, or
PO. Strips can be created in a pass-through structure or as tranches of a
CMO. The yields to maturity on IO and POs are very sensitive to the rate of
principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying
mortgage assets. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than
anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may not fully recoup its
initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the underlying mortgage assets
experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs
could be materially and adversely affected.
Real Estate Investment Trusts-A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust
that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").
The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby
effectively eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the
REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the
definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things,
invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate
(including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities,
derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans
secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders
annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.
REITs are characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid
REITs. Equity REITs, which may include operating or finance companies, own
real estate directly and the value of, and income earned by, the REITs
depend upon the income of the underlying properties and the rental income
they earn. Equity REITs also can realize capital gains (or losses) by
selling properties that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value.
Mortgage REITs can make construction, development or long-term mortgage
loans and are sensitive to the credit quality of the borrower. Mortgage
REITs derive their income from interest payments on such loans. Hybrid
REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs,
generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real
estate. The value of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and
regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also
are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants,
self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free
status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs")-ARMs eligible for inclusion in a
mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest
rate for a specified period of time, generally for either the first three,
six, twelve, thirteen, thirty-six, or sixty scheduled monthly payments.
Thereafter, the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on
changes in an index. ARMs typically have minimum and maximum rates beyond
which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the
loans. Certain ARMs provide for additional limitations on the maximum
amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single
adjustment period. Negatively amortizing ARMs may provide limitations on
changes in the required monthly payment. Limitations on monthly payments
can result in monthly payments that are greater or less than the amount
necessary to amortize a negatively amortizing ARM by its maturity at the
interest rate in effect during any particular month.
Private Entity Securities-These mortgage-related securities are issued by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private
mortgage insurance companies and other nongovernmental issuers. Timely
payment of principal and interest on mortgage-related securities backed by
pools created by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by
various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title,
pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by
government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can
be no assurance that the private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their
obligations under the policies, so that if the issuers default on their
obligations the holders of the security could sustain a loss. No insurance
or guarantee covers the Fund or the price of the Fund's shares.
Mortgage-related securities issued by non-governmental issuers generally
offer a higher rate of interest than government-agency and
government-related securities because there are no direct or indirect
government guarantees of payment.
Other Mortgage-Related Securities-Other mortgage-related securities include
securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly
represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage
loans on real property, including CMO residuals. Other mortgage-related
securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or
instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or
investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations,
homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks,
partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are a form of
derivative. The securitization techniques used for asset-backed securities
are similar to those used for mortgage-related securities. These securities
include debt securities and securities with debt-like characteristics. The
collateral for these securities has included home equity loans, automobile
and credit card receivables, boat loans, computer leases, airplane leases,
mobile home loans, recreational vehicle loans and hospital account
receivables. The Fund may invest in these and other types of asset-backed
securities that may be developed in the future.
Asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented by
mortgage-backed securities. Primarily, these securities may provide the
Fund with a less effective security interest in the related collateral than
do mortgage-backed securities. Therefore, there is the possibility that
recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available
to support payments on these securities.
U.S. Treasury Inflation Protection Securities. The Fund may invest in
U.S. Treasury securities including Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities
("TIPS"), which are securities issued by the U.S. Treasury designed to
provide investors a long term investment vehicle that is not vulnerable to
inflation. The interest rate paid by TIPS is fixed, while the principal
value rises or falls semi-annually based on changes in a published Consumer
Price Index. Thus, if inflation occurs, the principal and interest payments
on the TIPS are adjusted accordingly to protect investors from inflationary
loss. During a deflationary period, the principal and interest payments
decrease, although the TIPS' principal will not drop below its face amount
at maturity.
In exchange for the inflation protection, TIPS generally pay lower
interest rates than typical Treasury securities. Only if inflation occurs
will TIPS offer a higher real yield than a conventional Treasury bond of the
same maturity. In addition, it is not possible to predict with assurance
how the market for TIPS will develop; initially, the secondary market for
these securities may not be as active or liquid as the secondary market for
conventional Treasury securities. Principal appreciation and interest
payments on TIPS will be taxed annually as ordinary interest income for
Federal income tax calculations. As a result, any appreciation in principal
must be counted as interest income in the year the increase occurs, even
though the investor will not receive such amounts until the TIPS are sold or
mature. Principal appreciation and interest payments will be exempt from
state and local income taxes.
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon U.S.
Treasury securities, which are Treasury Notes and Bonds that have been
stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves and
receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt
obligations and coupons. Receipts include "Treasury Receipts" ("TRs"),
"Treasury Investment Growth Receipts" ("TIGRs"), "Liquid Yield Option Notes"
("LYONs"), and "Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities" ("CATS").
TIGRs, LYONs and CATS are interests in private proprietary accounts while
TRs are interests in accounts sponsored by the U.S. Treasury.
Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in securities issued by
other investment companies to the extent consistent with its investment
objective. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund's investment in such securities,
subject to certain exceptions, currently is limited to (i) 3% of the total
voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Fund's total
assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the
Fund's total assets in the aggregate. Investments in the securities of
other investment companies may involve duplication of advisory fees and
certain other expenses.
Foreign Government Obligations; Securities of Supranational Entities.
The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by one or more
foreign governments or any of their political subdivisions, agencies or
instrumentality's that are determined by the Manager to be of comparable
quality to the other obligations in which the Fund may invest. Such
securities also include debt obligations of supranational entities.
Supranational entities include international organizations designated or
supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or
development and international banking institutions and related government
agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (the World Bank), the European Coal and Steel Community, the
Asian Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank.
Illiquid Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its
net assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment
objective. These securities may include securities that are not readily
marketable, such as securities that are subject to legal or contractual
restrictions on resale, repurchase agreements providing for settlement in
more than seven days after notice, and certain privately negotiated,
non-exchange traded options and securities used to cover such options. As
to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that should the Fund
desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a price the Fund
deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net assets
could be adversely affected.
Money Market Instruments. The Fund may invest in money market
instruments consisting of U.S. Government securities, certificates of
deposit, time deposits, bankers' acceptances, short-term investment grade
corporate bonds and other short-term debt instruments, and repurchase
agreements. Under normal market conditions, the Fund does not expect to
have more than 20% of its net assets invested in money market instruments
and does not intend to invest more than 5% of its assets in any one of these
types of instruments. However, when the Manager determines that adverse
market conditions exist, the Fund may adopt a temporary defensive position
and invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments.
Investment Techniques
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Leverage. Leveraging (that is, buying securities using borrowed money)
exaggerates the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the
market value of the Fund's portfolio. These borrowings will be subject to
interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the
securities purchased; in certain cases, interest costs may exceed the return
received on the securities purchased. For borrowings for investment
purposes, the 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain continuous asset
coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities
exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed. If the required
coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons,
the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three
days to reduce the amount of its borrowings and restore the 300% asset
coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment
standpoint to sell securities at that time. The Fund also may be required
to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or
pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these
requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest
rate.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks,
brokers or dealers. This form of borrowing involves the transfer by the Fund
of an underlying debt instrument in return for cash proceeds based on a
percentage of the value of the security. The Fund retains the right to
receive interest and principal payments on the security. At an agreed upon
future date, the Fund repurchases the security at principal plus accrued
interest. Reverse repurchase agreements may be preferable to a regular sale
and later repurchase of the securities because it avoids certain market
risks and transaction costs. Such transactions, however, may increase the
risk of potential fluctuations in the market value of the Fund's assets. In
addition, interest costs on the cash received may exceed the return on the
securities purchased. To the extent the Fund enters into a reverse
repurchase agreement, the Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at
least equal to the aggregate amount of its reverse repurchase obligations,
plus accrued interest, in certain cases, in accordance with releases
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Securities and
Exchange Commission views reverse repurchase transactions as collateralized
borrowings by the Fund. Except for these transactions, the Fund's
borrowings generally will be unsecured.
Short-Selling. In these transactions, the Fund sells a security it
does not own anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security.
To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make
delivery to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security
borrowed by purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of
replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at
which the security was sold by the Fund, which would result in a loss or
gain, respectively.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any such
short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would exceed
25% of the value of the Fund's net assets.
The Fund also may make short sales "against the box," in which the Fund
enters into a short sale of a security it owns.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed
security, it will: (a) segregate permissible liquid assets at such a level
that the amount segregated, together with the amount deposited with the
broker as collateral, always equals the current value of the security sold
short; or (b) otherwise cover its short position.
Lending Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to
borrow securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to
be entitled to payments in amounts equal to the interest, dividends or other
distributions payable on the loaned securities, which affords the Fund an
opportunity to earn interest on the amount of the loan and on the loaned
securities' collateral. Loans of portfolio securities may not exceed
33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets, and the Fund will receive
collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or irrevocable
letters of credit which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal
to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Such
loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon specified notice. The
Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with which it has
engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the
Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund,
and which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned
from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
Derivatives. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives, such
as options and futures, mortgage-related securities and asset-backed
securities, for a variety of reasons, including to hedge certain market
risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular
securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may provide a
cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to invest
than "traditional" securities would.
Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of
risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and
the portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or
decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which
its portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or
decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its
portfolio by making investments in specific securities. However,
derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost
would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives could have a
large potential impact on the Fund's performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges
market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return
or result in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its
derivatives were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the
Fund were unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary
market. The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become,
illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and
unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
which limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such derivatives.
The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto
for hedging purposes without limit. However, no Fund may invest in such
contracts and options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial
margin deposits and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such
contracts, other than for bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the
liquidation value of the Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized
profits and unrealized losses on such contracts and options; provided,
however, that in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of
purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5%
limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through
privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter
derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the
clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives.
This guarantee usually is supported by a daily payment system (i.e.,
variation margin requirements) operated by the clearing agency in order to
reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated
with derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency
guarantees over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an
over-the-counter derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will
default. Accordingly, the Manager will consider the creditworthiness of
counterparties to over-the-counter derivatives in the same manner as it
would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by the Fund.
Over-the-counter derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded
derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only
investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in
bidding for it.
Futures Transactions--In General. The Fund may enter into futures contracts
in U.S. domestic markets, such as the Chicago Board of Trade and the
International Monetary Market of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Engaging
in these transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund which could
adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets. Although the Fund
intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is an active
market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid market
will exist for any particular contract at any particular time. Many futures
exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in
futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit
has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at
a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods
during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for
several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby
preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially
subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant
market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging
purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction
being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract. For example,
if the Fund uses futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in
the market value of securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such
securities instead increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit
of the increased value of securities which it has hedged because it will
have offsetting losses in its futures positions. Furthermore, if in such
circumstances the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities
to meet daily variation margin requirements. The Fund may have to sell such
securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible
liquid assets to cover its obligations relating to its transactions in
derivatives. To maintain this required cover, the Fund may have to sell
portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be
possible to liquidate a derivative position at a reasonable price. In
addition, the segregation of such assets will have the effect of limiting
the Fund's ability otherwise to invest those assets.
The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate futures contracts. An
interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a
specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
Options--In General. The Fund may purchase call and put options and write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts. A call option gives the
purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell,
the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at any time
during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put option
gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price
at any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with respect
to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the
transaction by segregating cash or other securities. A put option written
by the Fund is covered when, among other things, cash or liquid securities
having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option are
segregated to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for
writing covered call and put options is to realize, through the receipt of
premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the underlying
securities alone. The Fund receives a premium from writing covered call or
put options which it retains whether or not the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a
liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any
particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such
secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may
cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher
than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events,
at times have rendered certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and
resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading
rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or
suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar
events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of
customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible
to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call
option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction
in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security
until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
The Fund may purchase cash-settled options on interest rate swaps in
pursuit of its investment objective. A cash-settled option on a swap gives
the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, in return for the premium
paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap
as of the exercise date. These options typically are purchased in privately
negotiated transactions from financial institutions, including securities
brokerage firms.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in interest rates and prices of
securities underlying options. To the extent such predictions are
incorrect, the Fund may incur losses.
Future Developments. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in
the area of options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts
and any other derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by
the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to
the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment
objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such
transactions or making any such investment, the Fund will provide
appropriate disclosure in its Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information.
Forward Roll Transactions. To enhance current income, the Fund may
enter into forward roll transactions with respect to mortgage-related
securities. In a forward roll transaction, the Fund sells a
mortgage-related security to a financial institution, such as a bank or
broker-dealer, and simultaneously agrees to purchase a similar security from
the institution at a later date at an agreed upon price. The securities
that are purchased will bear the same interest rate as those sold, but
generally will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages with
different pre-payment histories than those sold. During the period between
the sale and purchase, the Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and
principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale typically
will be invested in short-term instruments, particularly repurchase
agreements, and the income from these investments, together with any
additional fee income received on the sale will be expected to generate
income for the Fund exceeding the yield on the securities sold. Forward
roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities
sold by the Fund may decline below the purchase price of those securities.
The Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal to the
amount of the repurchase price (including accrued interest).
Forward Commitments. The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a
forward commitment, when-issued or delayed delivery basis, which means
delivery and payment take place a number of days after the date of the
commitment to purchase or sell the securities at a predetermined price
and/or yield. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the
security is delivered. When purchasing a security on a forward commitment
basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security,
including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such
fluctuations into account when determining its net asset value. Because the
Fund is not required to pay for these securities until the delivery date,
these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other
investments. If the Fund is fully or almost fully invested when forward
commitment purchases are outstanding, such purchases may result in a form of
leverage. The Fund intends to engage in forward commitments to increase its
portfolio's financial exposure to the types of securities in which it
invests. Leveraging the portfolio in this manner will increase the Fund's
exposure to changes in interest rates and will increase the volatility of
its returns. The Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least
equal at all times to the amount of the Fund's purchase commitments. At no
time will the Fund have more than 33-1/3% of its assets committed to
purchase securities on a forward commitment basis.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis are
subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e.,
appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest
rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of
the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose
the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to
their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can
involve the additional risk that the yield available in the market when the
delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the
transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested may result
in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net assets and
its net asset value per share.
Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may enter into foreign
currency transactions for a variety of purposes, including: to fix in U.S.
dollars, between trade and settlement date, the value of a security the Fund
has agreed to buy or sell; to hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities the
Fund already owns, particularly if it expects a decrease in the value of the
currency in which the foreign security is denominated; or to gain exposure
to the foreign currency in an attempt to realize gains.
Foreign currency transactions may involve, for example, the Fund's
purchase of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars or the maintenance of short
positions in foreign currencies, which would involve the Fund agreeing to
exchange an amount of a currency it did not currently own for another
currency at a future date in anticipation of a decline in the value of the
currency sold relative to the currency the Fund contracted to receive in the
exchange. The Fund's success in these transactions will depend principally
on the Manager's ability to predict accurately the future exchange rates
between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods
of time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand
in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in
different countries, actual or perceived changes in interest rates and other
complex factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency
exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention by U.S. or
foreign governments or central banks, or the failure to intervene, or by
currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad.
Investment Considerations and Risks
Fixed-Income Securities. Even though interest-bearing securities are
investments which promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such
securities generally are inversely affected by changes in interest rates
and, therefore, are subject to the risk of market price fluctuations.
Certain securities that may be purchased by the Fund, such as those with
interest rates that fluctuate directly or indirectly based on multiples of a
stated index, are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest
rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and
possibly loss of principal. The values of fixed-income securities also may
be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the
issuer. Certain securities purchased by the Fund, such as those rated Baa
or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and BBB or lower by
Standard & Poor's Rating Group ("S&P"), may be subject to such risk with
respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than
certain lower yielding, higher rated fixed-income securities. Once the
rating of a portfolio security has been changed, the Fund will consider all
circumstances deemed relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the
security.
Lower Rated Securities. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in
higher yielding (and therefore higher risk) debt securities such as those
rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P, or as low as the lowest rating assigned by
Moody's or S&P. Such securities, though higher yielding, are characterized
by risk. See "Appendix" for a general description of Moody's and S&P
ratings. Although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of
interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk
of these securities. The Fund will rely on the Manager's judgment, analysis
and experience in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer.
Investors should be aware that the market values of many of these
securities tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher
rated securities. These securities generally are considered by S&P and
Moody's to be predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation
and generally will involve more credit risk than securities in the higher
rating categories.
Companies that issue certain of these securities often are highly
leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of
financing. Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of
such issuers generally is greater than is the case with higher rated
securities. For example, during an economic downturn or a sustained period
of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of these securities may
not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations.
The issuer's ability to service its debt obligations also may be affected
adversely by specific corporate developments, or the issuer's inability to
meet specific projected business forecasts, or the unavailability of
additional financing. The risk of loss because of default by the issuer is
significantly greater for the holders of these securities because such
securities generally are unsecured and often are subordinated to other
creditors of the issuer.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of
these securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold
only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the
extent a secondary trading market for these securities does exist, it
generally is not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated
securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse
impact on market price and yield and the Fund's ability to dispose of
particular issues when necessary to meet liquidity needs or in response to a
specific economic event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of
the issuer. The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities
also may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market
quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and calculating its
net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not
based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of
these securities. In such cases, judgment may play a greater role in
valuation because less reliable, objective data may be available.
These securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns.
It is likely that an economic recession would disrupt severely the market
for such securities and have an adverse impact on the value of such
securities, and could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such
securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon, which would increase
the incidence of default for such securities.
The Fund may acquire these securities during an initial offering. Such
securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The Fund
has no arrangement with any persons concerning the acquisition of such
securities, and the Manager will review carefully the credit and other
characteristics pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also apply
to lower rated zero coupon securities and pay-in-kind bonds, in which the
Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets. Pay-in-kind bonds pay
interest through the issuance of additional securities. Zero coupon
securities and pay-in-kind bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike
bonds which pay interest throughout the period to maturity, the Fund will
realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a portion of such
securities are sold and, if the issuer defaults, the Fund may obtain no
return at all on its investment.
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are complex
derivative instruments, subject to both credit and prepayment risk, and may
be more volatile and less liquid than more traditional debt securities.
Mortgage-related securities generally are subject to credit risks associated
with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties. In certain
instances, the credit risk associated with mortgage-related securities can
be reduced by third party guarantees or other forms of credit support.
Improved credit risk does not reduce prepayment risk which is unrelated to
the rating assigned to the mortgage-related security. Prepayment risk can
lead to fluctuations in value of the mortgage-related security which may be
pronounced. If a mortgage-related security is purchased at a premium, all
or part of the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value
of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates or
prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral. Certain mortgage-related
securities that may be purchased by the Fund, such as inverse floating rate
CMOs, have coupons that move inversely to a multiple of a specific index
which may result in a form of leverage. As with other interest-bearing
securities, the prices of certain mortgage-related securities are inversely
affected by changes in interest rates. However, although the value of a
mortgage-related security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse
is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the
mortgages underlying the security are more likely to be prepaid. For this
and other reasons, a mortgage-related security's stated maturity may be
shortened by unscheduled prepayments on the underlying mortgages, and,
therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security's return to
the Fund. Moreover, with respect to certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities, if the underlying mortgage securities experience greater than
anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its
initial investment even if the securities are rated in the highest rating
category by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. During
periods of rapidly rising interest rates, prepayments of mortgage-related
securities may occur at slower than expected rates. Slower prepayments
effectively may lengthen a mortgage-related security's expected maturity
which generally would cause the value of such security to fluctuate more
widely in response to changes in interest rates. Were the prepayments on
the Fund's mortgage-related securities to decrease broadly, the Fund's
effective duration, and thus sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations,
would increase.
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities markets generally are not as
developed or efficient as those in the United States. Securities of some
foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of
comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign
securities markets are less than in the United States and, at times,
volatility of price can be greater than in the United States.
Because evidences of ownership of foreign securities usually are held
outside the United States, the Fund investing in such securities will be
subject to additional risks which include possible adverse political and
economic developments, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and
adoption of governmental restrictions which might adversely affect or
restrict the payment of principal and interest on the foreign securities to
investors located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency
blockage or otherwise. Moreover, foreign securities held by the Fund may
trade on days when the Fund does not calculate its net asset value and thus
affect the Fund's net asset value on days when investors have no access to
the Fund.
Since foreign securities often are purchased with and payable in
currencies of foreign countries, the value of these assets as measured in
U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency
rates and exchange control regulations.
Simultaneous Investments. Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of the other investment companies advised by the
Manager. If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest in,
or dispose of, the same securities as the Fund, available investments or
opportunities for sales will be allocated equitably to each investment
company. In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the size of the
position obtained for or disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or
received by the Fund.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which cannot
be changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the
1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Fund
has adopted investment restrictions numbered 1 through 8 as fundamental
policies. Investment restrictions numbered 9 through 12 are not fundamental
policies and may be changed by vote of a majority of the Fund's Board
members at any time. The Fund may not:
1. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act
(which currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of
the Fund's total assets). For purposes of this Investment Restriction, the
entry into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those
relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not
constitute borrowing.
2. Underwrite the securities of other issuers except to the extent
the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities, and except that the
Fund may bid separately or as part of a group for the purchase of municipal
obligations directly from an issuer for its own portfolio to take advantage
of the lower purchase price available.
3. Purchase or sell real estate, commodities or oil and gas
interests, provided that the Fund may purchase and sell securities that are
secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that
invest or deal in real estate or interests therein or real estate investment
trusts and hold and sell real estate as a result of ownership of such
securities or instruments, and provided further that the Fund may purchase
and sell options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those
relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
4. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt
obligations or the entry into repurchase agreements. However, the Fund may
lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the
value of the Fund's total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be
made according to guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Fund's Board.
5. With respect to 75% of the value of its total assets, invest more
than 5% of its assets in the securities of any one issuer or hold more than
10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, except for
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its
agencies or institutions which may be purchased without limitation.
6. Invest more than 25% of its assets in any particular industry,
provided that there shall be no limitation on the purchase of obligations
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentality's.
7. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section
18(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted
in Investment Restriction Nos. 1, 3, 8 and 12 may be deemed to give rise to
a senior security.
8. Purchase securities on margin, but the Fund may make margin
deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward contracts,
futures contracts, including those related to indices, and options on
futures contracts or indices.
9. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control.
10. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
11. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more
than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid if,
in the aggregate, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets would
be so invested.
12. Pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or otherwise encumber its assets,
except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the
extent related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the
purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis and
collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect to
options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those related to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a
later change in percentage resulting from a change in values of assets will
not constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision of
the Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund
and those companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are
as follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation Investment Adviser
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Transfer Agent
Mellon Bank, N.A. Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as to
their principal business occupations during at least the last five years,
are shown below.
Board Members of the Fund
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, Chairman of the Board. Since January 1995, Chairman of
the Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is
a director of The Noel Group, Inc., a venture capital company (for
which, from February 1995 until November 1997, he was Chairman of the
Board), The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk
management services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle
Industries, Inc. (formerly Belding Heminway Company, Inc.), a button
packager and distributor, Century Business Services, Inc., a provider
of various outsourcing functions for small and medium sized companies,
and Career Blazers Inc. (formerly, Staffing Resources), a temporary
placement firm. For more than five years prior to January 1995, he was
President, a director and, until August 1994, Chief Operating Officer
of the Manager and Executive Vice President and a director of Dreyfus
Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager and,
until August 24, 1994, the Fund's distributor. From August 1994 until
December 31, 1994, he was a director of Mellon Bank Corporation. He is
55 years old and his address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10166.
DAVID P. FELDMAN, Board Member. A Trustee of Corporate Property Investors,
a real estate investment company, and a director of several mutual
funds in the 59 Wall Street Mutual Funds Group, and of the Jeffrey
Company, a private investment company. He was employed by AT&T from
July 1961 to his retirement in April 1997, most recently serving as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Investment Management
Corporation. He is 59 years old and his address is c/o AT&T, One Oak
Way, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922.
JOHN M. FRASER, JR., Board Member. President of Fraser Associates, a
service company for planning and arranging corporate meetings and other
events. From September 1975 to June 1978, he was Executive Vice
President of Flagship Cruises Ltd.. Prior thereto, he was Senior Vice
President and Resident Director of the Swedish-American Line for the
United States and Canada. Mr. Fraser is 77 years old and his address
is 133 East 64th Street, New York, New York 10021.
ROBERT R. GLAUBER, Board Member. Research Fellow, Center for Business and
Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University since January 1992. He was Under Secretary of the Treasury
for Finance at the U.S. Treasury Department from May 1989 to January
1992. For more than five years prior thereto, he was a Professor of
Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard
University, and from 1985 to 1989, Chairman of its Advancement
Management Program. He is also a director of MidOcean Reinsurance
Co., Ltd., Cooke & Bieler, investment counselors, NASD Regulation, Inc.
and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Mr. Glauber is 59 years old
and his address is 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts
02138.
JAMES F. HENRY, Board Member. President of the CPR Institute for Dispute
Resolution, a non-profit organization principally engaged in the
development of alternatives to business litigation. He was of counsel
to the law firm of Lovejoy, Wasson & Ashton from October 1975 to
December 1976 and from October 1979 to June 1983, and was a partner of
that firm from January 1977 to September 1979. He was President and
director of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, a philanthropic
organization, from September 1971 to December 1976. Mr. Henry is 67
years old and his address is c/o CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution,
366 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
ROSALIND GERSTEN JACOBS, Board Member. Director of Merchandise and
Marketing of Corporate Property Investors, a real estate investment
company. From 1974 to 1976, she was owner and manager of a merchandise
and marketing consulting firm. Prior to 1974, she was a Vice President
of Macy's, New York. Mrs. Jacobs is 72 years old and her address is
c/o Corporate Property Investors, 305 East 47th Street, New York, New
York 10017.
IRVING KRISTOL, Board Member. John M. Olin Distinguished Fellow of American
Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, co-editor of The
Public Interest magazine, and an author or co-editor of several books.
From May 1981 to December 1994, he was a consultant to the Manager on
economic matters; from 1969 to 1988, he was Professor of Social
Thought at the Graduate School of Business Administration, New York
University; from September 1969 to August 1979, he was Henry R. Luce
Professor of Urban Values at New York University; from 1975 to 1990, he
was a director of Lincoln National Corporation, an insurance company;
and from 1977 to 1990, he was a director of Warner-Lambert Company, a
pharmaceutical and consumer products company. Mr. Kristol is 78 years
old and his address is c/o The Public Interest, 1112 16th Street, N.W.,
Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036.
DR. PAUL A. MARKS, Board Member. President and Chief Executive Officer of
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He was Vice President for
Health Sciences and director of the Cancer Center at Columbia
University from 1973 to 1980, and Professor of Medicine and of Human
Genetics and Development at Columbia University from 1968 to 1982. He
was a director of Pfizer, Inc., a pharmaceutical company from 1978 to
1996, and Life Technologies, Inc., a life science company producing
products for cell and molecular biology and microbiology, from 1986 to
1996. He is a director of Tularik, Inc., a biotechnology company, and
Genos, Inc., a genomics company, and a limited partner of LINC Venture
Lease Partners II, L.P., a limited partnership engaged in leasing. Dr.
Marks is 71 years old and his address is c/o Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021.
DR. MARTIN PERETZ, Board Member. Editor-in-Chief of The New Republic
magazine and a lecturer in Social Studies at Harvard University, where
he has been a member of the faculty since 1965. He is a trustee of The
Center for Blood Research at the Harvard Medical School, and of the
Academy for Liberal Education, an accrediting agency for colleges and
universities certified by the U.S. Department of Education; and a
director of LeukoSite Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Dr. Peretz is
also Co-chairman of The Street.Com, a financial daily on the Web. From
1988 to 1989, he was a director of Bank Leumi Trust Company of New
York; and from 1988 to 1991 he was a director of Carmel Container
Corporation. Dr. Peretz is 58 years old and his address is c/o The New
Republic, 1220 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
BERT W. WASSERMAN, Board Member. Financial Consultant. From January 1990
to March 1995, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
and from January 1990 to March 1993 a director, of Time Warner Inc.;
from 1981 to 1990, he was a member of the office of the President and a
director of Warner Communications, Inc. He is also a director of The
New Germany Fund, Mountasia Entertainment International, Inc., the
Lillian Vernon Corporation, Winstar Communications, Inc. and
International Telecommunications Corp. Mr. Wasserman is 65 years old
and his address is 126 East 57th Street, Suite 12 North, New York, New
York 10022-3613.
For so long as the Fund's plan described in the section captioned
"Shareholder Services Plan" remains in effect, the Board members of the Fund
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act,
will be selected and nominated by the Board members who are not "interested
persons" of the Fund.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the
Board receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board
members are entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of
one-half the amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount of
compensation paid to each Board member by the Fund for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 1999 and by all other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for
which such person is a Board member (the number of which is set forth in
parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation)* for the year
ended December 31, 1998, was as follows:
Total Compensation
Aggregate from Fund and Fund
Name of Board Member Compensation from Complex
Fund** Paid to Board
Members
Joseph S. DiMartino $____________ $_________(___)
David P. Feldman $____________ $_________(___)
John M. Fraser, Jr. $____________ $_________(___)
Robert R. Glauber $____________ $_________(___)
James F. Henry $____________ $_________(___)
Rosalind Gersten $____________ $_________(___)
Jacobs
Irving Kristol $____________ $_________(___)
Dr. Paul A. Marks $____________ $_________(___)
Dr. Martin Peretz $____________ $_________(___)
Bert W. Wasserman $____________ $_________(___)
___________________________
* Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment
companies in the Fund Complex, including the Fund, for which the Board
member serves.
** Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board
meetings, which amounted to $_____
for all Board members as a group.
Officers of the Fund
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, President and Treasurer. President, Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and a director of the Distributor and
Funds Distributor, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is Boston
Institutional Group, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. She is 41 years old.
MARGARET W. CHAMBERS, Vice President and Secretary. Senior Vice President
and General Counsel of Funds Distributor Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
August 1996 to March 1998, she was Vice President and Assistant General
Counsel for Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. From January 1986 to July
1996, she was an associate with the law firm of Ropes & Gray. She is
38 years old.
STEPHANIE D. PIERCE, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant
Secretary. Vice President of the Distributor and Funds Distributor,
Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. Vice President, Client Development
Manager. From April 1997 to March, 1998, she was employed as a
Relationship Manager with Citibank, N.A. From August 1995 to April
1997, she was an Assistant Vice President with Hudson Valley Bank, and
from September 1990 to August 1995, she was Second Vice President with
Chase Manhattan Bank. She is 30 years old.
MARY A. NELSON, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President of
the Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
September 1989 to July 1994, she was an Assistant Vice President and
Client Manager for The Boston Company, Inc. She is 33 years old.
GEORGE A. RIO, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Executive Vice
President and Client Service Director of Funds Distributor, Inc., and
an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From June 1995 to March 1998, he was Senior Vice President
and Senior Key Account Manager for Putnam Mutual Funds. From May 1994
to June 1995, he was Director of Business Development for First Data
Corporation. He is 43 years old.
JOSEPH F. TOWER, III, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and a director of the
Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From July
1988 to August 1994, he was employed by The Boston Company, Inc. where
he held various management positions in the Corporate Finance and
Treasury areas. He is 36 years old.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
April 1993 to January 1995, he was a Senior Fund Accountant for
Investors Bank & Trust Company. He is 29 years old.
CHRISTOPHER J. KELLEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice
President and Senior Associate General Counsel of Funds Distributor,
Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. From April 1994 to July 1996, he was
Assistant Counsel at Forum Financial Group. He is 33 years old.
KATHLEEN K. MORRISEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Manager of
Treasury Services Administration of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From July 1994 to November 1995, she was the Fund Accountant
for Investors Bank & Trust Company. She is 26 years old.
ELBA VASQUEZ, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
March 1990 to May 1996, she was employed by U.S. Trust Company of New
York where she held various sales and marketing positions. She is 37
years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York,
New York 10166.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1%
of the Fund's shares outstanding on July ___, 1999.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Investment Adviser. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon
Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Bank Corporation
("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company
incorporated under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a
comprehensive range of financial products and services in domestic and
selected international markets. Mellon is among the twenty-five largest
bank holding companies in the United States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to the Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") dated August 24, 1994, with the Fund, which is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a
majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities
of the Fund, provided that in either event its continuance also is approved
by a majority of the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
Shareholders approved the Agreement on August 2, 1994. The Fund's Board,
including a majority of its members who are not "interested persons" of any
party to the Agreement, last voted to renew the Agreement at a meeting held
on _____________, 1998. The Agreement is terminable without penalty, on 60
days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund's
shares or, upon not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager. The
Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager:
Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment
Officer and a director; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice Chairman--Institutional;
Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman and a director; J. David Officer, Vice
Chairman and a director; Ronald P. O'Hanley III, Vice Chairman; William T.
Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary; Diane P. Durnin, Vice President--Product
Development; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice President--Corporate Communications;
Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President--Human Resources; Andrew S. Wasser, Vice
President--Information Systems; Theodore A. Schachar, Vice President; Wendy
Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice President; William H. Maresca,
Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant Secretary; Steven F. Newman, Assistant
Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman, Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G. Elliott,
Martin C. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance
with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's
Board. The Manager is responsible for investment decisions and provides the
Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Board to execute
purchases and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers, who
comprise the Manager's Taxable Fixed-Income Committee, are Kevin M.
McClintock, Michael Hoeh, Roger King, C. Matthew Olson and Gerald E.
Thunelius. The Manager also maintains a research department with a
professional staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide
research services for the Fund and for other funds advised by the Manager.
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not
including the management fees paid by the Fund. The Distributor may use
part or all of such payments to pay securities dealers, banks or other
financial institutions in respect of these services. The Manager also may
make such advertising and promotional expenditures, using its own resources,
as it from time to time deems appropriate.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the
Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The
expenses borne by the Fund include: taxes, interest, brokerage fees and
commissions, if any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors,
employees or holders of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of
the Manager, Securities and Exchange Commission fees, state Blue Sky
qualification fees, advisory fees, charges of custodians, transfer and
dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain insurance premiums, industry
association fees, outside auditing and legal expenses, costs of independent
pricing services, costs of maintaining corporate existence, costs
attributable to investor services (including, without limitation, telephone
and personnel expenses), costs of shareholders' reports and meetings, costs
of preparing and printing prospectuses and statements of additional
information for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing
shareholders, and any extraordinary expenses.
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to pay
the Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of .65% of the value
of the Fund's average daily net assets. All expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to investors. The management fees
paid by the Fund to the Manager for the fiscal years ended March 31, 1997,
1998 and 1999 amounted to $3,885,766, $3,914,925 and ____________,
respectively.
The Manager has agreed that if the aggregate expenses of the Fund,
excluding taxes, brokerage commissions and, with the prior written consent
of the necessary state securities commissions, extraordinary expenses, but
including the management fee, exceed 1 1/2% of the average value of the Fund's
net assets for the fiscal year, the Fund may deduct from the fees to be paid
to the Manager, or the Manager will bear such excess expenses. No expense
reimbursement was required under the Agreement for fiscal 1997, 1998 and
1999.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
Distributor. The Distributor, located at 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, serves as the Fund's distributor on a best efforts
basis pursuant to an agreement which is renewable annually.
The Distributor may pay dealers a fee up to .50% of the amount invested
through such dealers in Fund shares by employees participating in qualified
or non-qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where (i) the
employers or affiliated employers maintaining such plans or programs have a
minimum of 250 employees eligible for participation in such plans or
programs, or (ii) such plan's or program's aggregate investment in the
Dreyfus Family or Funds or certain other products made available by the
Distributor to such plan or programs exceeds $1,000,000 ("Eligible Benefit
Plans"). Shares of funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds then held by
Eligible Benefit Plans will be aggregated to determine the fee payable. The
Distributor may pay dealers a higher fee and reserves the right to cease
paying these fees at any time. The Distributor will pay such fees from its
own funds, other than amounts received from the Fund, including past profits
or any other source available to it.
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian. Dreyfus
Transfer, Inc., (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Manager, P.O. Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's
transfer and dividend disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement
with the Fund, the Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of
shareholder account records for the Fund, the handling of certain
communications between shareholders and the Fund and the payment of
dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For these services, the
Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of
shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the month, and is
reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
Mellon Bank, N.A. (the "Custodian"), the Manager's parent, One Mellon
Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258, is the Fund's custodian. Under
a custody agreement with the Fund, the Custodian holds the Fund's securities
and keeps all necessary accounts and records. For its custody services, the
Custodian receives a monthly fee based on the market value of the Fund's
assets held in custody and receives certain securities transactions charges
.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
General. Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be
charged a fee if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities
dealer, bank or other financial institution. Share certificates are issued
only upon your written request. No certificates are issued for fractional
shares. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a client
of a securities dealer, bank or other financial institution which maintains
an omnibus account in the Fund and has made an aggregate minimum initial
purchase for its customers of $2,500. Subsequent investments must be at
least $100. However, the minimum initial investment is $750 for Dreyfus-
sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a non-
working spouse, Roth IRAs, IRAs set up under a Simplified Employee Pension
Plan ("SEP-IRAs"), and rollover IRAs) and 403(b)(7) Plans with only one
participant and $500 for Dreyfus-sponsored Education IRAs, with no minimum
for subsequent purchases. The initial investment must be accompanied by the
Account Application. For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or
any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of the Manager, Board
members of a fund advised by the Manager, including members of the Fund's
Board, or the spouse or minor child of any of the foregoing, the minimum
initial investment is $1,000. For full-time or part-time employees of the
Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries who elect to have a portion
of their pay directly deposited into their Fund accounts, the minimum
initial investment is $50. The Fund reserves the right to offer Fund shares
without regard to minimum purchase requirements to employees participating
in certain qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans or other
programs where contributions or account information can be transmitted in a
manner and form acceptable to the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to
further vary the initial and subsequent investment minimum requirements at
any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builderr, Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant
to the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These
services enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide
you with a convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You
should be aware, however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a
profit and will not protect you against loss in a declining market.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per share
next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer
Agent or other authorized entity. Net asset value per share is determined
as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
(currently 4:00 p.m., New York time), on each day the New York Stock
Exchange is open for business. For purposes of determining net asset value
per share, options and futures contracts will be valued 15 minutes after the
close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset
value per share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets
(i.e., the value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of
shares outstanding. See "Determination of Net Asset Value."
For certain institutions that have entered into agreements with the
Distributor, payment for the purchase of Fund shares may be transmitted, and
must be received by the Transfer Agent, within three business days after the
order is placed. If such payment is not received within three business days
after the order is placed, the order may be canceled and the institution
could be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may purchase shares by telephone
if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary
information on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services
Form with the Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the
bank account designated in one of these documents and your Fund account.
Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution which is
an Automated Clearing House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer purchase orders may be made at any time. Purchase
orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the Transfer Agent
and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business will be credited to
the shareholder's Fund account on the next bank business day following such
purchase order. Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any
day the Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for
business, or orders made on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when
the New York Stock Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to
the shareholder's Fund account on the second bank business day following
such purchase order. To qualify to use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege,
the initial payment for purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and
redemption proceeds paid to, the same bank and account as are designated on
the Account Application or Shareholder Services Form on file. If the
proceeds of a particular redemption are to be wired to an account at any
other bank, the request must be in writing and signature-guaranteed. See
"How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Transactions Through Securities Dealers. Fund shares may be purchased
and redeemed through securities dealers which may charge a fee for such
services. Some dealers will place the Fund's shares in an account with
their firm. Dealers also may require the following: that the customer
invest more than the $1,000 minimum investment through dealers; the customer
not take physical delivery of stock certificates; the customer not request
redemption checks to be issued in the customer's name; fractional shares not
be purchased; monthly income distributions be taken in cash; or other
conditions.
There is no sales or service charge by the Fund or the Distributor,
although investment dealers, banks and other financial institutions may make
reasonable charges to investors for their services. The services provided
and the applicable fees are established by each dealer or other institution
acting independently of the Fund. The Fund has been given to understand
that these fees may be charged for customer services including, but not
limited to, same-day investment of client funds; same-day access to client
funds; advice to customers about the status of their accounts, yield
currently being paid or income earned to date; provision of periodic account
statements showing security and money market positions; other services
available from the dealer, bank or other institution; and assistance with
inquiries related to their investment. Any such fees will be deducted
monthly from the investor's account, which on smaller accounts could
constitute a substantial portion of distributions. Small, inactive, long-
term accounts involving monthly service charges may not be in the best
interest of investors. Investors should be aware that they may purchase
shares of the Fund directly from the Fund without imposition of any
maintenance or service charges, other than those already described herein.
Reopening an Account. You may reopen an account with a minimum
investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the
calendar year the account is closed or during the following calendar year,
provided the information on the old Account Application is still applicable
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan") pursuant
to which the Fund reimburses Dreyfus Service Corporation an amount not to
exceed an annual rate of .25% of the value of the Fund's average daily net
assets for certain allocated expenses of providing personal services and/or
maintaining shareholder accounts. The services provided may include
personal services related to shareholder accounts, such as answering
shareholder inquiries regarding the Fund and providing reports and other
information, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder
accounts.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the
purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the
Board for its review. In addition, the Plan provides that material
amendments of the Plan must be approved by the Board and by the Board,
members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the
Fund and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of
the Plan by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
considering such amendments. The Plan is subject to annual approval by such
vote of the Board members cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on the Plan. The Plan was last so approved on ___________,1998.
The Plan is terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board
members who are not "interested persons" and have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the operation of the Plan.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999, the Fund was charged
$__________ pursuant to the Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
Check Redemption Privilege. The Fund provides Redemption Checks
("Checks") automatically upon opening an account, unless you specifically
refuse the Check Redemption Privilege by checking the applicable "No" box on
the Account Application. Checks will be sent only to the registered
owner(s) of the account and only to the address of record. The Check
Redemption Privilege may be established for an existing account by a
separate signed Shareholder Services Form. The Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form must be manually signed by the registered
owner(s). Checks are drawn on your Fund account and may be made payable to
the order of any person in an amount of $500 or more. When a Check is
presented to the Transfer Agent for payment, the Transfer Agent, as your
agent, will cause the Fund to redeem a sufficient number of shares in your
account to cover the amount of the Check. Dividends are earned until the
Check clears. After clearance, a copy of the Check will be returned to you.
You generally will be subject to the same rules and regulations that apply
to checking accounts, although election of this Privilege creates only a
shareholder-transfer agent relationship with the Transfer Agent. If you
hold shares in a Dreyfus-sponsored IRA account, you may be permitted to make
withdrawals from your IRA account using checks furnished to you by The
Dreyfus Trust Company.
You should date your Checks with the current date when you write them.
Please do not postdate your Checks. If you do, the Transfer Agent will
honor, upon presentment, even if presented before the date of the Check, all
postdated Checks which are dated within six months of presentment for
payment, if they are otherwise in good order.
Checks are free, but the Transfer Agent will impose a fee for stopping
payment of a Check upon your request or if the Transfer Agent cannot honor a
Check due to insufficient funds or other valid reason. If the amount of the
Check is greater than the value of the shares in your account, the Check
will be returned marked insufficient funds. Checks should not be used to
close an account.
This Privilege will be terminated immediately, without notice, with
respect to any account which is, or becomes, subject to backup withholding
on redemptions. Any Check written on an account which has become subject to
backup withholding on redemptions will not be honored by the Transfer Agent.
Wire Redemption Privilege. By using this Privilege, you authorize the
Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption instructions
from any person representing himself or herself to be you, and reasonably
believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Fund will
initiate payment for shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next
business day if the Transfer Agent receives a redemption request in proper
form. Redemption proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal
Reserve wire only to the commercial bank account specified by you on the
Account Application or Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank
if your bank is not a member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily
are imposed by such bank and borne by the investor. Immediate notification
by the correspondent bank to your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in
crediting the funds to your bank account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code
which may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
Transfer Agent's
Transmittal Code Answer Back Sign
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may have
the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-7171,
toll free. You should advise the operator that the above transmittal code
must be used and should also inform the operator of the Transfer Agent's
answer back sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive wire
redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent.
This request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature
guaranteed as described below under "Stock Certificates; Signatures."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Redemption proceeds will be on
deposit in your account at an ACH member bank ordinarily two business days
after receipt of the redemption request. Holders of jointly registered Fund
or bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege for
transfer to their bank account not more than $250,000 within any 30-day
period. You should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus
TeleTransfer Privilege, any request for a wire redemption will be effected
as a Dreyfus TeleTransfer transaction through the ACH system unless more
prompt transmittal specifically is requested. See "How to Buy Shares--
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Stock Certificates; Signatures. Any certificates representing Fund
shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request.
Written redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including
each holder of a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed.
Signatures on endorsed certificates submitted for redemption also must be
guaranteed. The Transfer Agent has adopted standards and procedures
pursuant to which signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be
accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national
securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies
and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock
Exchange Medallion Signature Program, the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program.
Guarantees must be signed by an authorized signatory of the guarantor and
"Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the signature. The Transfer Agent
may request additional documentation from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept other suitable
verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as consular
verification. For more information with respect to signature-guarantees,
please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the cover.
Redemption Commitment. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash
all redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount
during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the
Fund's net assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is
irrevocable without the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and is a fundamental policy of the Fund which may not be changed
without shareholder approval. In the case of requests for redemption in
excess of such amount, the Fund's Board reserves the right to make payments
in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund in case of an
emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the liquidity of the
Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such event, the
securities would be valued in the same manner as the portfolio of the Fund
is valued. If the recipient sells such securities, brokerage charges might
be incurred.
Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be suspended or
the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock
Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b)
when trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or
when an emergency exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission so that disposal of the Fund's investments or determination of
its net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other
periods as the Securities and Exchange Commission by order may permit to
protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Fund Exchanges. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund,
shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager, to the
extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. Shares
of other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on the basis of
relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load
will be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be
exchanged for shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and
the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged
without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a
sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds
acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a sales
load and additional shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load applicable to the
Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could have been
imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the time the
Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to any
reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange under item D above, you must notify the
Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account
number.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue exchange
instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically,
unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application,
indicating that you specifically refuse this privilege. By using the
Telephone Exchange Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on
telephonic instructions (including over The Dreyfus Touchr automated
telephone system) from any person representing himself or herself to be you,
and reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone
exchanges may be subject to limitations as to the amount involved or the
number of telephone exchanges permitted. Shares issued in certificate form
are not eligible for telephone exchange. No fees currently are charged
shareholders directly in connection with exchanges, although the Fund
reserves the right, upon not less than 60 days' written notice, to charge
shareholders a nominal administrative fee in accordance with rules
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the fund
being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial investment
required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege
permits you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of
another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a shareholder.
This Privilege is available only for existing accounts. Shares will be
exchanged on the basis of relative net asset value as described above under
"Fund Exchanges." Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this
Privilege is effective three business days following notification by you.
You will be notified if your account falls below the amount designated to be
exchanged under this Privilege. In this case, your account will fall to
zero unless additional investments are made in excess of the designated
amount prior to the next Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA
and other retirement plans are eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of
IRA shares may be made between IRA accounts and from regular accounts to IRA
accounts, but not from IRA accounts to regular accounts. With respect to
all other retirement accounts, exchanges may be made only among those
accounts.
Fund Exchanges and the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege are available to
shareholders residing in any state in which shares of the fund being
acquired may legally be sold. Shares may be exchanged only between accounts
having identical names and other identifying designations.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject
any exchange request in whole or in part. The Fund Exchanges service or
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or terminated at any time
upon notice to shareholders.
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builderr. Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000
per transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are
purchased by transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege. Dreyfus Government Direct
Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and
maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social
Security, or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S.
Government automatically deposited into your Fund account. You may deposit
as much of such payments as you elect.
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you
to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a
regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you
may have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus
account electronically through the ACH system at each pay period. To
establish a Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an
authorization form with your employer's payroll department. It is the sole
responsibility of your employer to arrange for transactions under the
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
Dreyfus Step Program. The Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase
Fund shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment
requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builderr, Dreyfus Government
Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a
Dreyfus Step Program account, you must supply the necessary information on
the Account Application and file the required authorization form(s) with the
Transfer Agent. For more information concerning this Program, or to request
the necessary authorization form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620.
You may terminate your participation in this Program at any time by
discontinuing your participation in Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder, Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the
case may be, as provided under the terms of such Privilege(s). Investors
who wish to purchase Fund shares through the Dreyfus Step Program in
conjunction with a Dreyfus-sponsored retirement plan may do so only for
IRAs, SEP-IRAs and IRA "Rollover Accounts." The Fund may modify or
terminate this Program at any time.
Dreyfus Dividend Options. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest
automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if
any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds
of which you are a shareholder. Shares of other funds purchased pursuant to
this privilege will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value
per share as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested without
imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds offered
without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not charge a
sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a
sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which charges a sales
load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales
load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales
load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales
load charged by the fund from which dividends or distributions are
being swept (without giving effect to any reduced loads), the
difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in
shares of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be imposed
upon redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends
or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a
designated bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic financial
institution which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks may charge a
fee for this service.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you
to request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on
either a monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account.
Withdrawal payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the
yield on the shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and
distributions, your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted.
The Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund
or the Transfer Agent. Shares for which share certificates have been issued
may not be redeemed through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.
Corporate Pension/Profit-Sharing and Personal Retirement Plans. The
Fund makes available to corporations a variety of prototype pension and
profit-sharing plans including a 401(k) Salary Reduction Plan. In addition,
the Fund makes available Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRA, spousal
IRAs for a non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Education IRAs and IRA
"Rollover Accounts") and 403(b)(7) Plans. Plan support services also are
available.
Investors who wish to purchase Fund shares in conjunction with a Keogh
Plan, a 403(b)(7) Plan or an IRA, including a SEP-IRA, may request forms for
adoption of such plans from the Distributor.
The entity acting as custodian for Keogh Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans or IRAs
may charge a fee, payment of which could require the liquidation of shares.
All fees charged are described in the appropriate form.
Shares may be purchased in connection with these plans only by direct
remittance to the entity acting as custodian. Purchases for these plans may
not be made in advance of receipt of funds.
You should read the prototype retirement plan and the form of custodial
agreement for further details on eligibility, service fees and tax
implications, and should consult a tax adviser.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Purchases and sales of portfolio securities usually are principal
transactions. Portfolio securities ordinarily are purchased directly from
the issuer or from an underwriter or a market maker for the securities.
Usually no brokerage commissions are paid by the Fund for such purchases.
Purchases of portfolio securities from underwriters include a commission or
concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and the purchase price paid
to market makers for the securities may include the spread between the bid
and asked price. No brokerage commissions or concessions were paid by the
Fund during the 1997, 1998 and 1999 fiscal years.
Transactions are allocated to various dealers by the Fund's portfolio
managers in their best judgment. The primary consideration is prompt and
effective execution of orders at the most favorable price. Subject to that
primary consideration, dealers may be selected for research, statistical or
other services to enable the Manager to supplement its own research and
analysis with the views and information of other securities firms and may be
selected based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other funds advised
by the Manager or its affiliates.
Research services furnished by brokers through which the Fund effects
securities transactions may be used by the Manager in advising other funds
it advises and, conversely, research services furnished to the Manager by
brokers in connection with other funds the Manager advises may be used by
the Manager in advising the Fund. Although it is not possible to place a
dollar value on these services, it is the opinion of the Manager that the
receipt and study of such services should not reduce the overall expenses of
its research department.
[Directed Brokerage?]
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Valuation of Portfolio Securities. Substantially all of the Fund's
investments (excluding short-term investments) are valued each business day
by an independent pricing service (the "Service") approved by the Fund's
Board. Securities valued by the Service for which quoted bid prices in the
judgment of the Service are readily available and are representative of the
bid side of the market are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices
(as obtained by the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked
prices (as calculated by the Service based upon its evaluation of the market
for such securities). Other investments (which constitute a majority of the
portfolio of securities) valued by the Service are carried at fair value as
determined by the Service, based on methods which include consideration of:
yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity and
type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions.
Short-term investments are not valued by the Service and are carried at
amortized cost, which approximates value. Other investments that are not
valued by the Service are valued at the average of the most recent bid and
asked prices in the market in which such investments are primarily traded,
or at the last sales price for securities traded primarily on an exchange.
In the absence of reported sales of investments traded primarily on an
exchange, the average of the most recent bid and asked prices is used. Bid
price is used when no asked price is available. Investments traded in
foreign currencies are translated to U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates of
exchange. Expenses and fees, including the management fee (reduced by the
expense limitation, if any), are accrued daily and are taken into account
for the purpose of determining the net asset value of Fund shares.
New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on which
the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management believes that the Fund qualified as a "regulated investment
company" under the Code for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999. The Fund
intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best
interests of its shareholders. As a regulated investment company, the Fund
will pay no Federal income tax on its net investment income and net realized
capital gains to the extent such income and gains are distributed to
shareholders in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code. If the
Fund did not qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be treated
for tax purposes as an ordinary corporation subject to Federal income tax.
The term "regulated investment company" does not imply the supervision of
management or investment practices or policies by any government agency.
The Fund ordinarily declares and pays dividends from net investment
income monthly, and distributes net realized securities gains, if any, once
a year, but it may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply
with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner
consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act. The Fund will not make
distributions from net realized securities gains unless capital loss
carryovers, if any, have been utilized or have expired.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and your
dividend and distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or
remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest
such dividend or distribution and all future dividends and distributions
payable to you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest
will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption
checks.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase
may have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of his shares
below the cost of the investment. Such a dividend or distribution would be a
return on investment in an economic sense, although taxable as stated in the
Prospectus. In addition, the Code provides that if a shareholder holds
shares of the Fund for six months or less and has received a capital gain
distribution with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the sale of
such shares will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the
capital gain distribution received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will
be treated as capital gains and losses. However, a portion of the gain or
loss realized from the disposition of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities
(including debt instruments, certain financial futures and options, and
certain preferred stock) may be treated as ordinary income or loss under
Section 988 of the Code. In addition, all or a portion of any gains
realized from the sale or other disposition of certain market discount bonds
will be treated as ordinary income under Section 1276 of the Code. Finally,
all or a portion of the gain realized from engaging in "conversion
transactions" may be treated as ordinary income under Section 1258 of the
Code. "Conversion transactions" are defined to include certain forward,
futures, option and "straddle" transactions, transactions marketed or sold
to produce capital gains, or transactions described in Treasury regulations
to be issued in the future.
Under Section 1256 of the Code, any gain or loss the Fund realizes from
certain forward contracts and options transactions will be treated as 60%
long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss.
Gain or loss will arise upon exercise or lapse of such contracts and options
as well as from closing transactions. In addition, any such contracts or
options remaining unexercised at the end of the Fund's taxable year will be
treated as sold for their then fair market value, resulting in additional
gain or loss to the Fund characterized as described above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain foreign
currency forward contracts or options may be considered, for tax purposes,
constitute "straddles". "Straddles" are defined to include "offsetting
positions" in actively traded personal property. The tax treatment of
"straddles" is governed by Sections 1092 and 1258 of the Code, which, in
certain circumstances, override or modify the provisions of Sections 1256
and 988 of the Code.
If the Fund were treated as entering into "straddles" by reason of its
engaging in certain forward contracts or options transactions, such
"straddles" would be characterized as "mixed straddles" if the forward
contracts or options transactions comprising a part of such "straddles" were
governed by Section 1256 of the Code. The Fund may make one or more
elections with respect to "mixed straddles". Depending on which election is
made, if any, the results to the Fund may differ. If no election is made,
to the extent the "straddle" rules apply to positions established by the
Fund, losses realized by the Fund will be deferred to the extent of
unrealized gain in the offsetting position. Moreover, as a result of the
"straddle" rules, short-term capital loss on "straddle" positions may be
recharacterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be
recharacterized as short-term capital gain or ordinary income.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 included constructive sale provisions
that generally apply if the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated financial
position with respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or partnership
interests ("appreciated financial position") and then enters into a short
sale, futures, forward, or offsetting notional principal contract
(collectively, a "Contract") respecting the same or substantially identical
property or (2) holds an appreciated financial position that is a Contract
and then acquires property that is the same as, or substantially identical
to, the underlying property. In each instance, with certain exceptions, the
Fund generally will be taxed as if the appreciated financial position were
sold at its fair market value on the date the Fund enters into the financial
position or acquires the property, respectively. Transactions that are
identified hedging or straddle transactions under other provisions of the
Code can be subject to the constructive sale provisions.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued at a discount or providing
for deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of additional
obligations could, under special tax rules, affect the amount, timing and
character of distributions to shareholders. For example, the Fund could be
required to recognize annually a portion of the discount (or deemed
discount) at which such securities were issued and to distribute such
portion in order to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment
company. In such case, the Fund may be required to dispose of securities
which it might otherwise have continued to hold in order to generate cash to
satisfy these distribution requirements.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's current yield for the 30-day period ended March 31, 1999 was
______%. Current yield is computed pursuant to a formula which operates as
follows: The amount of the Fund's expenses accrued for the 30-day period is
subtracted from the amount of the dividends and interest earned (computed in
accordance with regulatory requirements) by the Fund during the period.
That result is then divided by the product of: (a) the average daily number
of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive
dividends, and (b) the net asset value per share on the last day of the
period less any undistributed earned income per share reasonably expected to
be declared as a dividend shortly thereafter. The quotient is then added to
1, and that sum is raised to the 6th power, after which 1 is subtracted.
The current yield is then arrived at by multiplying the result by 2.
The Fund's average annual total return for the one, five and ten year
periods ended March 31, 1999 was _____%, _____% and _____%, respectively.
Average annual total return is calculated by determining the ending
redeemable value of an investment purchased with a hypothetical $1,000
payment made at the beginning of the period (assuming the reinvestment of
dividends and distributions), dividing by the amount of the initial
investment, taking the "nth root of the quotient (where "n" is the number of
years in the period) and subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's total return for the period June 25, 1976 to March 31, 1999
was ______%. Total return is calculated by subtracting the amount of the
Fund's net asset value per share at the beginning of a stated period from
the net asset value per share at the end of the period (after giving effect
to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions during the period), and
dividing the result by the net asset value per share at the beginning of the
period.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time in
advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Consumer
Price Index, Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Moody's Bond Survey Bond
Index, Lehman Brothers Corporate Bond Index, Salomon Smith Barney High Grade
Index, Morningstar, Inc., IBC Bond Fund Report and other industry
publications.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and nonassessable.
Fund shares are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in
liquidation. Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights
and are freely transferable.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a
result, Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board
members or the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10%
of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to hold
a special meeting of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member
from office. Fund shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition,
the Board will call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing
Board members if, at any time, less than a majority of the Board members
then holding office have been elected by shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not
designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term
market movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be
disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be
detrimental to the Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if
the Fund's management determines that an investor is following a market-
timing strategy or is otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund,
with or without prior notice, may temporarily or permanently terminate the
availability of Fund Exchanges, or reject in whole or part any purchase or
exchange request, with respect to such investor's account. Such investors
also may be barred from purchasing other funds in the Dreyfus Family of
Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than four exchanges out of the
Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges that appear to coincide
with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be engaged in excessive
trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be considered as
one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive trading. In
addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange requests by
any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management, the Fund
would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected
or if the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that
may significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the
Fund's total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take
no other action with respect to the shares until it receives further
instructions from the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption
proceeds for up to seven days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in
excessive trading or if the amount of the redemption request otherwise would
be disruptive to efficient portfolio management or would adversely affect
the Fund. The Fund's policy on excessive trading applies to investors who
invest in the Fund directly or through financial intermediaries, but does
not apply to the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic
investment or withdrawal privilege described herein, or to participants in
employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may
suspend Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange
requests based on their separate components -- redemption orders with a
simultaneous request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case,
the redemption request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net
asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset
value next determined after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds
of the redemption, which may result in the purchase being delayed.
The Fund sends annual and semi-annual financial statements to all its
shareholders.
COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the
shares being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York,
New York 10019, have been selected as the Fund's independent auditors.
APPENDIX
Description of certain S&P and Moody's ratings:
S&P
Debt Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned to a debt obligation.
Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A
Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects
of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than bonds in higher
rated categories.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances
are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay
principal for bonds in this category than for bonds in higher rated
categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having predominantly
speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and
repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the
highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some
quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large
uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could
lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default, and
is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to
meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business,
financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to
pay interest and repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC-debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are 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 ratings categories.
Commercial Paper Ratings
The rating A is the highest rating and is assigned by S&P to issues
that are regarded as having the greatest capacity for timely payment.
Issues in this category are delineated with the numbers 1, 2 and 3 to
indicate the relative degree of safety. Paper rated A-1 indicates that the
degree of safety regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very
strong. Those issues determined to possess overwhelming safety
characteristics are denoted with a plus (+) sign designation. Paper rated
A-1 must have the following characteristics: liquidity ratios are adequate
to meet cash requirements, long-term senior debt is rated "A" or better, the
issuer has access to at least two additional channels of borrowing, and
basic earnings and cash flow have an upward trend with allowance made for
unusual circumstances. Typically, the issuer's industry is well established
and the issuer has a strong position within the industry; the reliability
and quality of management are unquestioned.
Moody's
Debt Rating
Aaa
Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They
carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to
as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an
exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various
protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized
are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such
issues.
Aa
Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally
known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because
margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or
fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may
be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat
larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes
and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving
security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may
be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the
future.
Baa
Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations,
i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest
payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain
protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable
over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba
Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their
future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate and therefore not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of
position characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desired
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance
of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in
default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal
or interest.
Ca
Bonds which are rated Ca present obligations which are speculative in a
high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings.
C
Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues
so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever
attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies the numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to show relative
standing within the major ratings categories, except in the Aaa category and
in categories below B. The modifier 1 indicates a ranking for the security
in the higher end of a rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range
ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of a rating
category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating
assigned by Moody's. issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations, and ordinarily will be
evidenced by leading market positions in well established industries, high
rates of return on funds employed, conservative capitalization structures
with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in
earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash
generation, and well established access to a range of financial markets and
assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2) have a
strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This
will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to
a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be
more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still
appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate
liquidity is maintained.
DREYFUS A BONDS PLUS, INC.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
_________________________
Item 23. Exhibits
_______ __________
(a)(1) Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation is
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1)(a) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 32 to the Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-
14, filed on July 24, 1996.
(2) Articles Supplementary are incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (1)(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Fund's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 24, 1996.
(b) Registrant's By-Laws are incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Fund's Registration
Statement on Form N-14, filed on July 24, 1996.
(d) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(5) of Post-Effective No. 30 to the Fund's Registration Statement
on Form N-1A, filed on July 27, 1995.
(e) Distribution Agreement is incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (6) of Post-Effective No. 30 to the Fund's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 27, 1995.
(g) Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (8)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Fund's Registration
Statement on Form N-14, filed on July 24, 1996.
(h) Shareholder Services Plan is incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (9) of Post-Effective No. 30 to the Fund's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 27, 1995.
(i) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to
the Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-14, filed on July 24,
1996.
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors to be filed by amendment
(n) Financial Data Schedule to be filed by Amendment.
Item 23. Exhibits. - List (continued)
_______ _____________________________________________________
Other Exhibits
______________
(a) Powers of Attorney of the Board members
and officers are incorporated by reference to Other
Exhibits (a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 30,
1998.
(b) Certificate of Secretary is incorporated
by reference to Other Exhibits (b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A, filed on July 30, 1998.
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
_______ ______________________________________________________________
Not Applicable
Item 25. Indemnification
_______ _______________
Reference is made to Article SEVENTH of the Registrant's
Article of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 1(a), incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 1(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 32, filed
on July 24, 1996, and to Section 2-418 of the Maryland General
Corporation law. The application of these provisions is limited by
Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws filed as Exhibit 2,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (2) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 32, filed on July 24, 1996, and by the following
undertaking set forth in the rules promulgated by the Securities
and Exchange Commission:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under
the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
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 such 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 director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, 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 by it is against public policy as expressed in
such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement, as
amended, and is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (6),
filed on July 27, 1995.
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
_______ ____________________________________________________
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business
consists primarily of providing investment management services
as the investment adviser and manager for sponsored investment
companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
and as an investment adviser to institutional and individual
accounts. Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to
and/or administrator of other investment companies. Dreyfus
Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus,
serves primarily as a registered broker-dealer. Dreyfus
Investment Advisors, Inc., another wholly-owned subsidiary,
provides investment management services to various pension
plans, institutions and individuals.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ITEM 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Name and Position
With Dreyfus Other Businesses Position Held Dates
Christopher M. Condron Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 1/97 - Present
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 10/97 - Present
President 10/97 - 6/98
Chairman 10/97 - 6/98
The Boston Company Director 1/98 - Present
Asset Management, LLC* Chairman 1/98 - 6/98
President 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company President 9/95 - 1/98
Asset Management, Inc.* Chairman 4/95 - 1/98
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 11/95 - 5/97
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 1/97 - Present
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 6/95 -Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/95 -Present
Corporation***
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 5/95 -1/98
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc.* Director 5/95 - Present
President 5/95 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 1/99 - Present
Chief Operating Officer 3/98 - Present
President 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 3/98
Mellon Bank Corporation+ Chief Operating Officer 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 1/99
Christopher M. Condron The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/94 - Present
Chairman and Chief Director 5/93 - Present
Executive Officer
(Continued) Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Exec. Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 10/93 - 1/98
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 5/93 -Present
Company*
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - Present
Strategies, Inc. * Director 6/89 - Present
Mandell L. Berman Self-Employed Real Estate Consultant, 11/74 - Present
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway Residential Builder and
Suite 370 Private Investor
Southfield, MI 48034
Burton C. Borgelt DeVlieg Bullard, Inc. Director 1/93 - Present
Director 1 Gorham Island
Westport, CT 06880
Mellon Bank Corporation+ Director 6/91 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 6/91 - Present
Dentsply International, Inc. Director 2/81 - Present
570 West College Avenue
York, PA
Quill Corporation Director 3/93 - Present
Lincolnshire, IL
Stephen E. Canter Dreyfus Investment Chairman of the Board 1/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Advisors, Inc.++ Director 5/95 - Present
Officer, Chief Investment President 5/95 - Present
Officer, and Director
Newton Management Limited Director 2/99 - Present
London, England
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 2/99 - Present
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/99 - Present
Management, LLC*
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation***
Stephen E. Canter Founders Asset Management, LLC Member, Board of 12/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating 2930 East Third Ave. Managers
Officer, Chief Investment Denver, CO 80206 Acting Chief Executive 7/98 - 12/98
Officer, and Director Officer
(Continued)
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 6/ 95 - Present
Thomas F. Eggers Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 4/96 - Present
Vice Chairman - Institutional Director 9/96 - Present
and Director
Founders Asset Management, LLC Member, Board of 2/99 - Present
2930 East Third Avenue Managers
Denver, CO 80206
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Bank Corporation+ Senior Vice Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 1/99
Treasurer 1/90 - 5/98
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Senior Vice Chairman 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 3/98
Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Mellon EFT Services Corporation Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/96 - Present
Corporation #1 Vice President 1/96 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Vice President 5/93 - Present
APT Holdings Corporation Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Pike Creek Operations Center
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Allomon Corporation Director 12/87 - Present
Two Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Collection Services Corporation Controller 10/90 - 2/99
500 Grant Street Director 9/88 - 2/99
Pittsburgh, PA 15258 Vice President 9/88 - 2/99
Treasurer 9/88 - 2/99
Mellon Financial Company+ Principal Exec. Officer 1/88 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 8/87 - Present
Director 8/87 - Present
President 8/87 - Present
Mellon Overseas Investments Director 4/88 - Present
Corporation+ Chairman 7/89 - 11/97
President 4/88 - 11/97
Chief Executive Officer 4/88 - 11/97
Mellon International Investment Director 9/89 - 8/97
Corporation+
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Financial Services Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Director (Continued) Corporation # 5+
Mellon Financial Markets, Inc.+ Director 1/99 - Present
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation #17
Fort Lee, NJ
Mellon Mortgage Company Director 1/99 - Present
Houston, TX
Mellon Ventures, Inc. + Director 1/99 - Present
Lawrence S. Kash Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
Vice Chairman Advisors, Inc.++
And Director
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 11/97 - Present
401 North Maple Ave. Chief Executive Officer 11/97 - Present
Beverly Hills, CA
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/95 - 2/99
President 9/96 - 3/99
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.++ + Director 3/96 - 12/98
President 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Director 12/94 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ President 1/97 - Present
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++ Director 1/97 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Chairman 5/97 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ President 5/97 - Present
Director 5/97 - Present
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chairman 1/97 - 1/99
President 2/97 - 1/99
Chief Executive Officer 2/97 - 1/99
Director 12/94 - Present
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 5/97 - Present
Corporation++ President 5/97 - Present
Director 12/94 - Present
Founders Asset Management, LLC Member, Board of 12/97 - Present
2930 East Third Avenue Managers
Denver, CO. 80206
The Boston Company Advisors, Chairman 12/95 - Present
Inc. Chief Executive Officer 12/95 - Present
Wilmington, DE President 12/95 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 6/92 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Chairman 1/98 - 8/98
Executive Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Chief Executive Officer 1/98 - 8/98
President 1/98 - 8/98
Lawrence S. Kash Laurel Capital Advisors, Inc. + Trustee 12/91 - 1/98
Vice Chairman Chairman 9/93 - 1/98
And Director (Continued) President and CEO 12/91 - 1/98
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Martin G. McGuinn Mellon Bank Corporation+ Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Mellon Bank, N. A. + Chairman 3/98 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 3/98 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 3/98
Mellon Leasing Corporation+ Vice Chairman 12/96 - Present
Mellon Bank (DE) National Director 4/89 - 12/98
Association
Wilmington, DE
Mellon Bank (MD) National Director 1/96 - 4/98
Association
Rockville, Maryland
Mellon Financial Vice President 9/86 - 10/97
Corporation (MD)
Rockville, Maryland
J. David Officer Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 5/98 - Present
Vice Chairman Director 3/99 - Present
And Director
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Residential Funding Corp. + Director 4/97 - Present
Mellon Trust of Florida, N.A. Director 8/97 - Present
2875 Northeast 191st Street
North Miami Beach, FL 33180
Mellon Bank, NA+ Executive Vice President 7/96 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/97 - Present
Director 7/96 - Present
Mellon Preferred Capital Director 11/96 - Present
Corporation*
RECO, Inc.* President 11/96 - Present
Director 11/96 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 8/96 - Present
Services, Inc.* Director 8/96 - Present
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 7/96 - Present
Company* President 7/96 - 1/99
J. David Officer Mellon Trust of New York Director 6/96 - Present
Vice Chairman and 1301 Avenue of the Americas
Director (Continued) New York, NY 10019
Mellon Trust of California Director 6/96 - Present
400 South Hope Street
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 2/94 - Present
Mellon United National Bank Director 3/98 - Present
1399 SW 1st Ave., Suite 400
Miami, Florida
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 12/97 - Present
Dreyfus Financial Services Corp. + Director 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Services Director 4/96 - Present
Corporation+
Richard W. Sabo Founders Asset Management LLC President 12/98 - Present
Director 2930 East Third Avenue Chief Executive Officer 12/98 - Present
Denver, CO. 80206
Prudential Securities Senior Vice President 07/91 - 11/98
New York, NY Regional Director 07/91 - 11/98
Richard F. Syron American Stock Exchange Chairman 4/94 - Present
Director 86 Trinity Place Chief Executive Officer 4/94 - Present
New York, NY 10006
Ronald P. O'Hanley Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Chairman 6/98 - Present
Director 10/97 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Chairman 6/98 - Present
Management, LLC* Director 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/97 - 12/97
Management, Inc. *
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc.* Chairman 6/97 - Present
Director 2/97 - Present
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 5/97 - Present
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/97 -Present
Corporation***
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 2/97 - Present
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon-France Corporation+ Director 3/97 - Present
Ronald P. O'Hanley Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman (Continued)
Mark N. Jacobs Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
General Counsel, Advisors, Inc.++ Secretary 10/77 - 7/98
Vice President, and
Secretary The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/96 - Present
The TruePenny Corporation++ President 10/98 - Present
Director 3/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Director 3/97 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
William H. Maresca The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/97 - Present
Controller
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Financial Officer 12/98 - Present
Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corp. ++ Treasurer 10/98 -Present
Dreyfus Investment Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc. ++
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Vice President 10/98 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
The TruePenny Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Treasurer 10/98 - 12/98
The Trotwood Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Site A Corp. ++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 5/98 - Present
One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Assistant Treasurer 3/93 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Assistant Treasurer 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chairman 2/97 - Present
Executive Vice President One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 2/97 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 2/97-12/98
Dreyfus Investment Director 1/96 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 10/98
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Director 12/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 4500 New Linden Hill Road President 1/97 - Present
(Continued) Wilmington, DE 19808
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/98
Treasurer 10/96 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Consumer Director 1/96 - Present
Credit Corp.++ Vice President 1/96 - Present
Treasurer 1/97 - 10/98
Dreyfus Partnership President 1/97 - 6/97
Management, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 6/97
Dreyfus Service Organization, Director 1/96 - 6/97
Inc.++ Executive Vice President 1/96 - 6/97
Treasurer 10/96- Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/97 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Treasurer 5/97- Present
Executive Vice President 5/97 - Present
Diane P. Durnin Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Senior Vice President - 5/95 - 3/99
Vice President - Product Marketing and Advertising
Development Division
Patrice M. Kozlowski None
Vice President - Corporate
Communications
Mary Beth Leibig None
Vice President -
Human Resources
Theodore A. Schachar Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Vice President -Tax 10/96 - Present
Vice President - Tax
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Wendy Strutt None
Vice President
Richard Terres None
Vice President
Andrew S. Wasser Mellon Bank Corporation+ Vice President 1/95 - Present
Vice-President -
Information Systems
James Bitetto The TruePenny Corporation++ Secretary 9/98 - Present
Assistant Secretary
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 8/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Service Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Steven F. Newman Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Vice President 2/97 - Present
Assistant Secretary One American Express Plaza Director 2/97 - Present
Providence, RI 02903 Secretary 2/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 5/98 - 7/98
_______________________________
* The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108.
** The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, California 94104.
*** The address of the business so indicated is 595 Market Street, Suite 3000, San Francisco, California 94105.
+ The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
++++ The address of the business so indicated is 53 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
</TABLE>
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
________ ______________________
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or
exclusive distributor:
1) Comstock Partners Funds, Inc.
2) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.
5) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
7) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
8) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
9) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
10) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
11) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
12) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
13) Dreyfus Cash Management
14) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
17) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
18) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
19) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
20) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
21) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
22) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
23) Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
24) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
27) Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
28) Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.
29) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
30) Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Fund
31) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
32) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
33) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
34) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
35) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
36) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
37) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
38) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
39) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
40) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
41) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
42) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
43) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
44) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
45) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund
46) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
47) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
48) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
49) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
50) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
51) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
52) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
53) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
54) Dreyfus New York Insured Tax Exempt Bond Fund
55) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
56) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
57) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
58) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
59) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
60) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
61) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
62) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
63) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
64) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
65) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
66) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
67) Dreyfus Premier International Funds, Inc.
68) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
70) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
72) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
73) Dreyfus Premier Value Fund
74) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
75) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
76) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
77) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund, Inc.
78) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
79) The Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc.
80) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
81) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
82) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
83) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
84) Founders Funds, Inc.
85) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
86) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
87) General Government Securities Money Market Fund, Inc.
88) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
89) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
90) General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.
91) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
92) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
(b)
Positions and
Name and principal Positions and offices with offices with
business address the Distributor Registrant
__________________ ___________________________ _____________
Marie E. Connolly+ Director, President, Chief President and
Executive Officer and Compliance Treasurer
Officer
Joseph F. Tower, III+ Director, Senior Vice President, Vice President
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer and Assistant
Treasurer
Mary A. Nelson+ Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Treasurer
Paul Prescott+ Vice President None
Jean M. O'Leary+ Assistant Secretary and None
Assistant Clerk
John W. Gomez+ Director None
William J. Nutt+ Director None
________________________________
+ Principal business address is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.
++ Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10166.
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
________________________________
1. First Data Investor Services Group, Inc.,
a subsidiary of First Data Corporation
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
2. Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258
3. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
4. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 29. Management Services
_______ ___________________
Not Applicable
Item 30. Undertakings
________ ____________
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this
Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and State
of New York on 28th day of May, 1999.
Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
BY: /s/Marie E. Connolly*
Marie E. Connolly, PRESIDENT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, this Amendment to the Registration Statement
has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the
date indicated.
Signatures Title Date
___________________________ _____________________________ _________
/s/Marie E. Connolly* President and Treasurer 05/28/99
______________________________ (Principal Executive Officer
Marie E. Connolly and Financial Officer)
/s/Joseph F. Tower * Assistant Treasurer (Principal 05/28/99
______________________________ Accounting Officer)
Joseph F. Tower
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/David P. Feldman* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
David P. Feldman
/s/John M. Fraser, Jr.* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
John M. Fraser, Jr.
/s/Robert R. Glauber* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Robert R. Glauber
/s/James F. Henry* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
James F. Henry
/s/Rosalind Gersten Jacobs* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Rosalind Gersten Jacobs
/s/Irving S. Kristol* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Irving S. Kristol
/s/Paul A. Marks* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Paul A. Marks
/s/Martin Peretz* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Martin Peretz
/s/Bert W. Wasserman* Director 05/28/99
______________________________
Bert W. Wasserman
*BY: __________________________
Stephanie D. Pierce
Attorney-in-Fact
