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PROSPECTUS FEBRUARY 21, 1996
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KEYSTONE QUALITY BOND FUND (B-1)
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS KEYSTONE CUSTODIAN FUND, SERIES B-1)
200 BERKELEY STREET, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02116-5034
CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-343-2898
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1) (the "Fund") is a mutual fund that seeks the
highest possible income consistent with preservation of principal.
The Fund invests primarily in high and investment grade corporate bonds, which
possess a high degree of dependability of interest payments.
Your purchase payment is fully invested. There is no sales charge when you buy
the Fund's shares. The Fund may, however, impose a deferred sales charge, which
declines from 4% to 1%, if you redeem your shares within four calendar years of
purchase.
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the "Distribution Plan") pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") under which
it bears some of the costs of selling its shares to the public.
This prospectus sets forth concisely the information about the Fund that you
should know before investing. Please read it and retain it for future reference.
Additional information about the Fund is con- tained in a statement of
additional information dated February , 1996, which has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus. For a free copy, or for other information about the Fund, write to
the address or call the telephone number listed above.
SHARES OF THE FUND ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED OR
ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK, AND SHARES ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Fee Table .......................................... 2 How to Buy Shares .............................. 10
Financial Highlights ............................... 3 Distribution Plan .............................. 11
Fund Description ................................... 4 How to Redeem Shares ........................... 13
Investment Objective and Policies .................. 4 Shareholder Services ........................... 15
Investment Restrictions ............................ 5 Performance Data ............................... 16
Risk Factors ....................................... 6 Fund Shares .................................... 17
Pricing Shares ..................................... 7 Additional Information ......................... 17
Dividends and Taxes ................................ 8 Additional Investment Information .............. (i)
Fund Management and Expenses ....................... 9
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THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
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FEE TABLE
KEYSTONE QUALITY BOND FUND (B-1)
The purpose of the fee table is to assist investors in understanding the
costs and expenses that an investor in the Fund will bear directly or
indirectly. For more complete descriptions of the various costs and expenses,
see the following sections of this prospectus: "Fund Management and Expenses;'"
"How to Buy Shares;'" "Distribution Plan" and "Shareholder Services."
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge(1) .................... 4.00%
(as a percentage of the lesser of total cost or net
asset value of shares redeemed)
Exchange Fee(2) ........................................ $10.00
(per exchange)
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(3)
(as a percentage of average net assets)
Management Fees ........................................ 0.60%
12b-1 Fees(4) .......................................... 1.00%
Other Expenses ......................................... 0.36%
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Total Fund Operating Expenses(5) ....................... 1.96%
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EXAMPLE(6) 1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
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You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000
investment, assuming (1) 5% annual return and (2)
redemption at the end of each period ................. $60 $82 $106 $229
You would pay the following expenses on the same
investment, assuming no redemption ................... $20 $62 $106 $229
AMOUNTS SHOWN IN THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST
OR FUTURE EXPENSES; ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.
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(1) The deferred sales charge declines from 4% to 1% of amounts redeemed within
four calendar years after purchase. No deferred sales charge is imposed
thereafter.
(2) There is no exchange fee for exchange orders received by the Fund over the
Keystone Automated Response Line ("KARL") from an individual shareholder.
(For a description of KARL, see "Shareholder Services.")
(3) Expense ratios are for the Fund's fiscal year ended October 31, 1995.
(4) Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the
maximum front end sales charge permitted by rules adopted by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
(5) Total Fund Operating Expenses include indirectly paid expenses.
(6) The Securities and Exchange Commission requires use of a 5% annual return
figure for purposes of this example. Actual return for the Fund may be
greater or less than 5%.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
KEYSTONE QUALITY BOND FUND (B-1)
(For a share outstanding throughout the year)
The following table contains important financial information relating to the
Fund and has been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent
auditors. The table appears in the Fund's Annual Report and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's financial statements and related notes, which also
appear, together with the independent auditors' report, in the Fund's Annual
Report. The Fund's financial statements, related notes and independent auditors'
report are included in the statement of additional information. Additional
information about the Fund's performance is contained in its Annual Report,
which will be made available upon request and without charge.
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YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31,
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1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
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NET ASSET VALUE,
BEGINNING OF YEAR ..... $14.44 $16.40 $15.92 $15.92 $15.11 $15.85 $15.71 $15.52 $17.30 $16.15
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income .. 0.87 0.76 0.96 1.04 1.08 1.11 1.21 1.19 1.20 1.50
Net realized and
unrealized gain (loss)
on investments and
closed futures
contracts ............ 1.05 (1.76) 0.66 0.15 0.99 (0.53) 0.25 0.32 (1.59) 1.56
Net commissions paid on
fund shares sales (a). 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (0.20)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total from investment
operations ........... 1.92 (1.00) 1.62 1.19 2.07 0.58 1.46 1.51 (0.39) 2.86
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:
Net investment income . (0.87) (0.76) (0.96) (1.04) (1.08) (1.18) (1.32) (1.32) (1.39) (1.64)
In excess of net
investment income ..... (0.05) (0.09) (0.18) (0.15) (0.18) (0.14) 0 0 0 0
Tax basis return of
capital ............... (0.02) (0.11) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Net realized gain on
investments and closed
futures contracts ..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (0.07)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total distributions .... (0.94) (0.96) (1.14) (1.19) (1.26) (1.32) (1.32) (1.32) (1.39) (1.71)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF
YEAR ................. $15.42 $14.44 $16.40 $15.92 $15.92 $15.11 $15.85 $15.71 $15.52 $17.30
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
TOTAL RETURN(B) ........ 13.69% (6.27%) 10.50% 7.71% 14.09% 3.93% 9.82% 10.09% (2.44%) 18.13%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratios to average net
assets:
Total expenses ....... 1.96%(c) 1.86% 1.94% 2.01% 2.04% 1.95% 1.82% 1.64% 1.56% 1.00%
Net investment income 5.86% 5.05% 5.85% 6.40% 6.95% 7.45% 7.61% 7.49% 7.32% 8.37%
Portfolio turnover rate 244% 169% 190% 102% 158% 117% 116% 153% 127% 97%
NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR
(THOUSANDS) ........... $310,791 $327,276 $458,925 $456,912 $453,528 $408,330 $462,425 $447,454 $440,836 $348,107
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(a) Prior to June 30, 1987, net commissions paid on new sales of shares under
the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan has been treated for both financial
statement and tax purposes as capital charges. On June 11, 1987, the
Securities and Exchange Commission adopted a rule which required for
financial statements for the periods ended on or after June 30, 1987, that
net commissions paid under Rule 12b-1 be treated as operating expenses
rather than capital charges. Accordingly, beginning with the year ended
October 31, 1987, the Fund's financial statements reflect 12b-1 Distribution
Plan expenses (i.e., transfer agent fees plus commissions paid net of
deferred sales charges received by the Fund) as a component of net
investment income.
(b) Excluding applicable sales charges.
(c) "Ratio of total expenses to average net assets" for the year ended October
31, 1995 includes indirectly paid expenses. Excluding indirectly paid
expenses for the year ended October 31, 1995 the expense ratio would have
been 1.94%.
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FUND DESCRIPTION
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The Fund is an open-end, diversified, management investment company, commonly
known as a mutual fund. The Fund was created under Pennsylvania law as a common
law trust and has been offering its shares continuously since September 11,
1935. The Fund is one of twenty funds managed by Keystone Management, Inc.
("Keystone Management"), the Fund's investment manager, and is one of more than
thirty funds managed or advised by Keystone Investment Management Company
(formerly known as Keystone Custodian Funds, Inc.) ("Keystone"), the Fund's
investment adviser. Keystone and Keystone Management are from time to time also
collectively referred to as "Keystone."
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund's investment objective is to provide shareholders with the highest
possible income consistent with preservation of principal.
The investment objective of the Fund cannot be changed without a vote of the
holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding
shares.
Of course, there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment
objective since there is uncertainty in every investment.
INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT POLICIES
The Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in high grade bonds (bonds rated
A or better by Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") or by Standard & Poor's
Corporation ("S&P")). In addition the Fund invests in investment grade bonds and
short-term money market instruments at such times and in such proportions as
seem appropriate to best achieve this objective.
Bonds will include obligations of the United States ("U.S.") government or its
agencies (e.g., Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") certificates,
U.S. Treasury securities and such other securities as are issued by or
guaranteed as to principal and interest by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
government) and other bond issues of high or investment grade, including high
grade municipal bonds. The Fund invests in municipal bonds when the spreads
between municipal and taxable bonds have been narrowed. Such bonds possess a
high degree of dependability of interest payments with price action affected
almost exclusively by the trend and level of money rates.
The Fund has a fundamental policy that allows it to invest up to 25% of its
assets in investment grade convertible bonds.
In addition, the Fund may invest a limited portion of its assets in bonds
rated Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P or, if unrated, are deemed to be of
comparable quality by Keystone. These are the lowest rated bonds in which the
Fund will invest.
Bonds rated Baa by Moody's are considered to be 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 have
speculative characteristics as well. Debt rated BBB by S&P is regarded as having
an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. While it normally
exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing
circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and
repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
Money market instruments in which the Fund may invest, which must mature
within one year of their purchase, consist of U.S. government securities;
instruments of banks having assets of at least $500 million, including U.S.
branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks, such as
certificates of deposit, demand and time deposits and bankers' acceptances; high
grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. government
securities.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities issued by
issuers located in developing countries as well as certain countries with
emerging markets. For this purpose, countries with emerging markets are
generally those where the per capita income is in the low to middle ranges, as
determined by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ("World
Bank").
The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including securities eligible
for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933
Act"). Generally, Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration
requirements of the 1933 Act for resales by large institutional investors of
securities not publicly traded in the U.S. The Fund may purchase Rule 144A
securities when such securities present an attractive investment opportunity and
otherwise meet the Fund's selection criteria. The Board of Trustees has adopted
guidelines and procedures pursuant to which the liquidity of the Fund's Rule
144A securities is determined by Keystone and the Board of Trustees monitors
Keystone's implementation of such guidelines and procedures.
At the present time, the Fund cannot accurately predict exactly how the market
for Rule 144A securities will develop. A Rule 144A security that was readily
marketable upon purchase may subsequently become illiquid. In such an event, the
Board of Trustees will consider what action, if any, is appropriate.
The Fund intends to follow policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission
as they are adopted from time to time with respect to illiquid securities,
including, at this time, (1) treating as illiquid, securities that may not be
sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at
approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the investment on its books
and (2) limiting its holdings of such securities to 15% of net assets.
The Fund may write covered call options. The Fund may also purchase put and
call options to close out existing positions and may employ new investment
techniques with respect to such options.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements and firm commitment and
when-issued transactions for securities and currencies. In addition, the Fund
may enter into currency and other financial futures contracts and related
options transactions for hedging purposes and not for speculation and may employ
new investment techniques with respect to such futures contracts and related
options. In addition to its other investment options, the Fund may invest in
limited partnerships, including master limited partnerships.
In addition to the options, futures contracts and forwards mentioned above,
the Fund may also invest in certain other types of derivative instruments,
including collateralized mortgage obligations, structured notes, interest rate
swaps, index swaps, currency swaps and caps and floors. These basic vehicles can
also be combined to create more complex products called hybrid derivatives or
structured securities.
Investments in foreign securities, option transactions and other complex or
derivative securities involve certain risks.
For further information about the types of investments and investment
techniques available to the Fund, including the associated risks, see "Risk
Factors," "Additional Investment Information" and the statement of additional
information.
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INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
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The Fund has adopted the fundamental restrictions summarized below, which may
not be changed without the approval of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund's outstanding shares. These restrictions and certain other
fundamental and non-fundamental restrictions are set forth in the statement of
additional information.
Generally, the Fund may not: (1) invest more than 5% of its total assets,
computed at market value, in the securities of any one issuer (other than
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or
instrumentalities) except that up to 25% of its total assets may be invested
without regard to this limit; (2) borrow money, except that the Fund may borrow
money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes in aggregate amounts up to
10% of the value of the Fund's net assets (computed at cost) or enter into
reverse repurchase agreements, provided that bank borrowings and reverse
repurchase agreements, in aggregate, shall not exceed 10% of the value of the
Fund's net assets; and (3) invest more than 25% of its total assets in
securities of issuers in the same industry other than securities issued by banks
and savings and loan associations or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
In addition, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or
restriction, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end
management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment
objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The Fund does not currently
intend to implement this policy and would do so only if the Trustees were to
determine such action to be in the best interest of the Fund and its
shareholders. In the event of such implementation, the Fund will comply with
such requirements as to written notice to shareholders as are then in effect.
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RISK FACTORS
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Like any investment, your investment in the Fund involves an element of risk.
Before you invest in the Fund, you should carefully evaluate your ability to
assume the risks your investment in the Fund poses. You can lose money by
investing in the Fund. Your investment is not guaranteed. A decrease in the
value of the Fund's portfolio securities can result in a decrease in the value
of your investment.
Certain risks related to the Fund are discussed below. To the extent not
discussed in this section, specific risks attendant to individual securities or
investment practices are discussed in "Additional Investment Information."
Should the Fund need to raise cash to meet a large number of redemptions, it
might have to sell portfolio securities at a time when it would be
disadvantageous to do so.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment plan. You should
take into account your own investment objectives as well as your other
investments when considering an investment in the Fund.
FIXED INCOME RISKS. The Fund stresses earning income by investing in fixed
income securities, which are generally considered to be interest rate sensitive.
This means that their value (and the Fund's share prices) will tend to decrease
when interest rates rise and increase when interest rates fall. Specifically,
the market value of traditional fixed income debt securities generally will vary
inversely with changes in interest rates. For example, in the case of an
investment in a traditional fixed income debt security, if interest rates
increase after the security is purchased, the security, if sold prior to
maturity, may return less than its cost.
When choosing among bond funds, you should consider the anticipated yield
together with potential changes in share price, as these two factors determine
each fund's total return. Generally the yield and potential price changes of a
fund depend on the quality and maturity of the obligations in its portfolio, as
well as on market conditions. The Fund is for investors who seek the highest
possible income, but want a portfolio of primarily high and investment grade
bonds.
Current yield levels should not be considered representative of yields for any
future period of time.
To the extent that investments are made in debt securities (other than U.S.
government securities), derivatives or structured securities, such investments,
despite favorable credit ratings, are subject to some risk of default.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. While certain of the securities in which the Fund may
invest are issued by or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the full
faith and credit of the U.S. government, the market value of such securities
is not guaranteed.
DERIVATIVES. The market value of derivatives or structured securities may vary
depending upon the manner in which the investments have been structured As a
result, the value of such investments may change at a more rapid rate than that
of traditional fixed income securities. See "Additional Investment Information."
FOREIGN RISK. Investing in securities of foreign issuers generally involves
greater risk than investing in securities of domestic issuers for the
following reasons:
(1) there may be less public information available about foreign companies
than is available about U.S. companies;
(2) foreign companies are not generally subject to the uniform accounting,
auditing and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to U.S.
companies;
(3) foreign securities markets have less volume than the U.S. market, and
the securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile
than the securities of comparable U.S. companies;
(4) foreign securities transactions may involve higher brokerage
commissions;
(5) there may be less government regulation of securities exchanges,
brokers, listed companies and banks in foreign countries than in the U.S.;
(6) the Fund may incur fees on currency exchanges when it changes
investments from one country to another;
(7) the Fund's foreign investments could be affected by expropriation,
confiscatory taxation, nationalization, establishment of exchange controls,
political or social instability or diplomatic developments;
(8) foreign governments may withhold income on investments; and
(9) fluctuations in foreign exchange rates will affect the value of the
Fund's investments, the value of dividends and interest earned, gains and
losses realized on the sale of securities, net investment income and
unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments.
Investing in securities of issuers in emerging markets countries involves
exposure to economic systems that are generally less mature and political
systems that are generally less stable than those of developed countries. In
addition, investing in companies in emerging markets countries may also involve
exposure to national policies that may restrict investment by foreigners and
undeveloped legal systems governing private and foreign investments and private
property. The typically small size of the markets for securities issued by
companies in emerging markets countries and the possibility of a low or
nonexistent volume of trading in those securities may also result in a lack of
liquidity and in price volatility of those securities.
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PRICING SHARES
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The net asset value of a Fund share is computed each day on which the New York
Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open as of the close of trading on the
Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m. eastern time for the purpose of pricing Fund
shares) except on days when changes in the value of the Fund's securities do not
affect the current net asset value of its shares. The Exchange is currently
closed on New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The net asset
value per share is arrived at by determining the value of all of the Fund's
assets, subtracting all liabilities and dividing the result by the number of
shares outstanding.
The Fund values the money market instruments it purchases as follows: money
market instruments purchased with maturities of sixty days or less are valued at
amortized cost (original purchase price as adjusted for amortization of premium
or accretion of discount), which, when combined with accrued interest,
approximates market; money market instruments maturing in more than sixty days
for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value;
money market instruments maturing in more than sixty days when purchased that
are held on the sixtieth day prior to maturity are valued at amortized cost
(market value on the sixtieth day adjusted for amortization of premium or
accretion of discount), which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates
market; and in any case reflects fair value as determined by the Fund's Board of
Trustees. All other investments are valued at market value or, where market
quotations are not readily available, at fair value as determined in good faith
by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
The Fund believes that reliable market quotations are generally not readily
available for purposes of valuing fixed income securities. As a result,
depending on the particular securities owned by the Fund, it is likely that most
of the valuations for such securities will be based upon their fair value
determined under procedures that have been approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees. The Board of Trustees has authorized the use of a pricing service to
determine the fair value of the Fund's fixed income securities and certain other
securities. Securities for which market quotations are readily available are
valued on a consistent basis at the price quoted that, in the opinion of the
Board of Trustees or the person designated by the Board of Trustees to make the
determination, most nearly represents the market value of the particular
security. Any securities for which market quotations are not readily available
or other assets are valued on a consistent basis at fair value as determined in
good faith using methods prescribed by the Board of Trustees.
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DIVIDENDS AND TAXES
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The Fund has qualified and intends to qualify in the future as a regulated
investment company under the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"). The Fund
qualifies if, among other things, it distributes to its shareholders at least
90% of its net investment income for its fiscal year. The Fund also intends to
make timely distributions, if necessary, sufficient in amount to avoid the
nondeductible 4% excise tax imposed on a regulated investment company to the
extent that it fails to distribute, with respect to each calendar year, at least
98% of its ordinary income for such calendar year and 98% of its net capital
gains for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such calendar year. If the
Fund qualifies and if it distributes substantially all of its net investment
income and net capital gains, if any, to shareholders, it will be relieved of
any federal income tax liability.
Any taxable dividend declared in October, November, or December to
shareholders of record in such a month and paid by the following January 31 will
be includable in the taxable income of the shareholders as if paid on December
31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.
The Fund distributes its net investment income to its shareholders by the
15th day of each month and net capital gains, if any, at least annually.
As of April 1, 1995, in compliance with a recent ruling by the Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS"), the Fund treats its 12b-1 fees for tax purposes as
operating expenses rather than capital charges.
Distributions are payable in additional shares of the Fund or, at the
shareholder's option (which must be exercised before the record date for the
distribution), in cash. Fund distributions in the form of additional shares are
made at net asset value without the imposition of a sales charge. Income
dividends and net short-term gains distributions are taxable as ordinary income,
and net long-term gains distributions are taxable as capital gains regardless of
how long the Fund's shares are held. If Fund shares held for less than six
months are sold at a loss, however, such loss will be treated for tax purposes
as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gains
dividends received. Dividends and distributions may also be subject to state and
local taxes. The Fund advises its shareholders annually as to the federal tax
status of all distributions made during the year. Any income from tax free bonds
is not expected to be tax-exempt to the shareholder.
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FUND MANAGEMENT AND EXPENSES
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FUND MANAGEMENT
Subject to the general supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees, Keystone
Management, located at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034,
serves as investment manager to the Fund and is responsible for the overall
management of the Fund's business and affairs.
INVESTMENT MANAGER
Keystone Management, organized in 1989, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Keystone. Its directors and principal executive officers have been affiliated
with Keystone, a seasoned investment adviser, for a number of years. Keystone
Management also serves as investment manager to each of the other funds in the
Keystone Fund Family and to certain other funds in the Keystone Investments
Family of Funds.
The Fund pays Keystone Management a fee for its services at the annual rate
set forth below:
ANNUAL AGGREGATE NET ASSET VALUE
MANAGEMENT OF THE SHARES
FEE INCOME OF THE FUND
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2% of
Gross Dividend and Interest Income Plus
0.50% of the first $100,000,000 plus
0.45% of the next $100,000,000 plus
0.40% of the next $100,000,000 plus
0.35% of the next $100,000,000 plus
0.30% of the next $100,000,000 plus
0.25% of amounts over $500,000,000
computed as of the close of business each business day and paid daily.
Pursuant to its Investment Management Agreement with the Fund, Keystone
Management has delegated its investment management functions, except for certain
administrative and management services, to Keystone and has entered into an
Investment Advisory Agreement with Keystone, under which Keystone provides
investment advisory and management services to the Fund (The "Advisory
Agreement").
Services performed by Keystone Management include (1) performing research and
planning with respect to (a) the Fund's qualification as a regulated investment
company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, (b) tax treatment of
the Fund's portfolio investments, (c) tax treatment of special corporate actions
(such as reorganizations), (d) state tax matters affecting the Fund, and (e) the
Fund's distributions of income and capital gains; (2) preparing the Fund's
federal and state tax returns; and (3) providing services to the Fund's
shareholders in connection with federal and state taxation and distributions of
income and capital gains.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Keystone, the Fund's investment adviser, located at 200 Berkeley Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034, has provided investment advisory and
management services to investment companies and private accounts since it was
organized in 1932. Keystone is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone
Investments, Inc. (formerly known as Keystone Group, Inc.) ("Keystone
Investments"), 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034.
Keystone Investments is a private corporation predominantly owned by current
and former members of management of Keystone and its affiliates. The shares of
Keystone Investments common stock beneficially owned by management are held in a
number of voting trusts, the trustees of which are George S. Bissell, Albert H.
Elfner, III, Edward F. Godfrey and Ralph J. Spuehler, Jr. Keystone Investments
provides accounting, bookkeeping, legal, personnel and general corporate
services to Keystone Management, Keystone, their affiliates and the Keystone
Investments Family of Funds.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, Keystone will receive for its services an
annual fee representing 85% of the management fee received by Keystone
Management under its Investment Management Agreement with the Fund.
During the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid or accrued to Keystone
Management investment management and administrative fees of $1,876,672, which
represented 0.60% of the Fund's average net assets. Of such amount paid to
Keystone Management, $1,595,171 was paid to Keystone for its services to the
Fund.
The Fund has adopted a Code of Ethics incorporating policies on personal
securities trading as recommended by the Investment Company Institute.
FUND EXPENSES
In addition to the investment advisory and management fees discussed above,
the principal expenses the Fund is expected to pay include, but are not limited
to, expenses of its transfer agent, its custodian and its independent auditors;
expenses under its Distribution Plan; fees of its Independent Trustees
("Independent Trustees"); expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings; fees
payable to government agencies, including registration and qualification fees of
the Fund and its shares under federal and state securities laws; expenses of
preparing, printing and mailing Fund prospectuses, notices, reports and proxy
material; and certain extraordinary expenses. In addition to such expenses, the
Fund will pay its brokerage commissions, interest charges and taxes. For the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid 1.96% of its average net
assets in expenses.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid or accrued to
Keystone Investments $25,306 for certain accounting services. For the same
period the Fund paid or accrued to Keystone Investor Resource Center, Inc.
("KIRC"), the Fund's transfer and dividend disbursing agent, $729,430 in
transfer agent fees. KIRC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Barbara A. McCue has been the Fund's portfolio manager since 1987. She is a
Keystone Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager with more than 20 years of
investment experience.
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Under policies established by the Board of Trustees, Keystone selects
broker-dealers to execute transactions subject to the receipt of best execution.
When selecting broker-dealers to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund,
Keystone may consider the number of shares of the Fund sold by such
broker-dealers. In addition, broker-dealers executing portfolio transactions
may, from time to time, be affiliated with the Fund, Keystone Management,
Keystone, the Fund's principal underwriter or their affiliates.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund's portfolio turnover rates for the fiscal years ended October 31,
1995 and 1994 were 244% and 169%, respectively. High portfolio turnover may
involve correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction
costs, which would be borne directly by the Fund, as well as additional realized
gains and/or losses to shareholders. For further information about brokerage and
distributions, see the statement of additional information.
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
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You may purchase shares of the Fund from any broker-dealer that has a selling
agreement with Keystone Investment Distributors Company (formerly known as
Keystone Distributors, Inc.), the Fund's principal underwriter (the "Principal
Underwriter"). The Principal Underwriter, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone,
is located at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034.
In addition, you may open an account for the purchase of shares of the Fund by
mailing to the Fund, c/o Keystone Investor Resource Center, Inc., P.O. Box 2121,
Boston, Massachusetts 02106-2121, a completed account application and a check
payable to the Fund. Or you may telephone 1-800-343-2898 to obtain the number of
an account to which you can wire or electronically transfer funds and then send
in a completed account application. Subsequent investments in the Fund's shares
in any amount may be made by check, by wiring Federal funds or by an electronic
funds transfer ("EFT").
The Fund's shares are sold at the net asset value per share next computed
after the Fund receives the purchase order. The initial purchase must be at
least $1,000 except for purchases by participants in certain retirement plans
for which the minimum is waived. There is no minimum for subsequent purchases.
Purchase payments are fully invested at net asset value. There are no sales
charges on purchases of Fund shares at the time of purchase.
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE
With certain exceptions, when shares are redeemed within four calendar years
after their purchase, a deferred sales charge may be imposed at rates ranging
from a maximum of 4% of amounts redeemed during the same calendar year of
purchase to 1% of amounts redeemed during the fourth calendar year after
purchase. No deferred sales charge is imposed on amounts redeemed thereafter. If
imposed, the deferred sales charge is deducted from the redemption proceeds
otherwise payable to the shareholder. To the extent permitted by NASD rules, the
deferred sales charge is paid to the Principal Underwriter.
The contingent deferred sales charge is a declining percentage of the lesser
of (1) the net asset value of the shares redeemed or (2) the total cost of such
shares. No deferred sales charge is imposed when a shareholder redeems amounts
derived from (1) increases in the value of his account above the total cost of
such shares due to increases in the net asset value per share of the Fund; (2)
certain shares with respect to which the Fund did not pay a commission on
issuance, including shares acquired through reinvestment of dividend income and
capital gains distributions; or (3) shares held in all or part of more than four
consecutive calendar years.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge is payable and, if
so, the percentage charge applicable, it is assumed that shares held the longest
are the first to be redeemed. No deferred sales charge is payable on permitted
exchanges of shares between funds in the Keystone Fund Family that have adopted
distribution plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. When shares of one
such fund are exchanged for shares of another such fund, for purposes of
any future contingent deferred sales charge, the calendar year of purchase
of the shares being exchanged is deemed to be the year the shares
being acquired by exchange were originally purchased.
In addition, no contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on a redemption of
shares of the Fund in the event of (1) death or disability of the shareholder;
(2) a lump-sum distribution from a 401(k) plan or other benefit plan qualified
under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"); (3)
automatic withdrawals from ERISA plans if the shareholder is at least 59 1/2
years old; (4) involuntary redemptions of accounts having an aggregate net asset
value of less than $1,000; (5) automatic withdrawals under an automatic
withdrawal plan of up to 1% per month of the shareholder's initial account
balance; (6) withdrawals consisting of loan proceeds to a retirement plan
participant; (7) financial hardship withdrawals made by a retirement plan
participant; or (8) withdrawals consisting of returns of excess contributions or
excess deferral amounts made to a retirement plan participant.
WAIVER OF DEFERRED SALES CHARGE
Shares also may be sold, to the extent permitted by applicable law, at net
asset value without the payment of commissions or the imposition of a deferred
sales charge to (1) certain officers, Directors, Trustees and employees of the
Fund, Keystone Management, Keystone and certain of their affiliates; (2)
registered representatives of firms with dealer agreements with the Principal
Underwriter; and (3) a bank or trust company acting as trustee for a single
account. See the statement of additional information for more details.
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DISTRIBUTION PLAN
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The Fund bears some of the costs of selling its shares under its Distribution
Plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Fund's Distribution
Plan provides that the Fund may expend up to 0.3125% quarterly (approximately
1.25% annually) of the average daily net asset value of its shares to pay
distribution costs for sales of its shares and to pay shareholder service fees.
The NASD limits the amount a Fund may pay annually in distribution costs for
the sale of its shares and shareholder service fees. The NASD limits annual
expenditures to 1%, of which 0.75% may be used to pay such distribution costs
and 0.25% may be used to pay shareholder service fees. The NASD also limits
the aggregate amount that the Fund may pay for such distribution costs to 6.25%
of gross share sales since the inception of the Fund's Distribution Plan plus
interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum on such amounts (less any
contingent deferred sales charges paid by shareholders to the Principal
Underwriter) remaining unpaid from time to time.
Payments under the Distribution Plan are currently made to the Principal
Underwriter (which may reallow all or part to others, such as dealers) (1) as
commissions for Fund shares sold and (2) as shareholder service fees in respect
to shares maintained by the recipients on the Fund's books for specified
periods. Amounts paid or accrued to the Principal Underwriter under (1) and (2)
in the aggregate may not exceed the annual limitations referred to above. The
Principal Underwriter generally reallows to brokers or others a commission equal
to 4% of the price paid for each Fund share sold. In addition, the Principal
Underwriter generally reallows to brokers or others a shareholder service fee at
a rate of 0.25% per annum of the net asset value of shares maintained by such
recipients on the books of the Fund for specified periods.
If the Fund is unable to pay the Principal Underwriter a commission on a new
sale because the annual maximum (0.75% of average daily net assets) has been
reached, the Principal Underwriter intends, but is not obligated, to continue to
accept new orders for the purchase of Fund shares and to pay or accrue
commissions and service fees to dealers in excess of the amount it currently
receives from the Fund. While the Fund is under no contractual obligation to pay
the Principal Underwriter for advances made by the Principal Underwriter in
excess of the Distribution Plan limitation, the Principal Underwriter intends to
seek full payment of such charges from the Fund (together with interest at the
rate of prime plus one percent) at such time in the future as, and to the extent
that, payment thereof by the Fund would be within permitted limits. The
Principal Underwriter currently intends to seek payment of interest only on such
charges paid or accrued by the Principal Underwriter subsequent to July 7, 1992.
If the Fund's Independent Trustees authorize such payments, the effect would be
to extend the period of time during which the Fund incurs the maximum amount of
costs allowed by the Distribution Plan. If the Distribution Plan is terminated,
the Principal Underwriter will ask the Independent Trustees to take whatever
action they deem appropriate under the circumstances with respect to payment of
such amounts.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund recovered $7,816 in
contingent deferred sales charges. During the same year, the Fund paid the
Principal Underwriter $3,107,302 under the Distribution Plan. The amount paid by
the Fund under its Distribution Plan, net of contingent deferred sales charges,
was $3,099,486 (1.00% of the Fund's average daily net asset value during the
year). During the same year, the Principal Underwriter paid commissions on new
sales and service fees to dealers and others of $1,215,015. At October 31, 1995,
unpaid distribution costs amounted to $10,779,790 (3.47% of the Fund's net
assets at October 31, 1995).
The amounts and purposes of expenditures under the Distribution Plan must be
reported to the Independent Trustees quarterly. The Independent Trustees may
require or approve changes in the operation of the Distribution Plan, and may
require that total expenditures by the Fund under the Distribution Plan be kept
within limits lower than the maximum amount permitted by the Distribution Plan
as stated above. If such costs are not limited by the Independent Trustees, such
costs could, for some period of time, be higher than such costs permitted by
most other plans presently adopted by other investment companies.
The Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of the Fund's
Independent Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares
of the Fund. Any change in the Distribution Plan that would materially increase
the distribution expenses of the Fund provided for in the Distribution Plan
requires shareholder approval. Otherwise, the Distribution Plan may be amended
by votes of the majority of both (1) the Fund's Trustees and (2) the Independent
Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.
While the Distribution Plan is in effect, the Fund is required to commit the
selection and nomination of candidates for Independent Trustees to the
discretion of the Independent Trustees.
Whether any expenditure under the Distribution Plan is subject to a state
expense limit depends upon the nature of the expenditure and the terms of the
state law, regulation or order imposing the limit. A portion of the Fund's
Distribution Plan expenses may be includable in the Fund's total operating
expenses for purposes of determining compliance with state expense limits.
ARRANGEMENTS WITH BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHERS
Upon written notice to dealers, the Principal Underwriter, at its own expense,
may periodically sponsor programs that offer additional compensation in
connection with sales of Fund shares. Participation in such programs may be
available to all dealers or to selected dealers who have sold or are expected to
sell significant amounts of shares. Additional compensation may also include
financial assistance to dealers in connection with preapproved seminars,
conferences and advertising. No such programs or additional compensation will be
offered to the extent they are prohibited by the laws of any state or any
self-regulatory agency, such as the NASD.
The Principal Underwriter may, at its own expense, pay concessions in addition
to those described above to dealers that satisfy certain criteria established
from time to time by the Principal Underwriter. These conditions relate to
increasing sales of shares of the Keystone funds over specified periods and
certain other factors. Such payments may, depending on the dealer's satisfaction
of the required conditions, be up to 0.25% of the value of shares sold by such
dealer.
The Principal Underwriter also may pay banks and other financial services
firms that facilitate transations in shares of the Fund for their clients a
transaction fee up to the level of payments made allowable to dealers for the
sale of such shares, as described above.
The Glass-Steagall Act currently limits the ability of a depository
institution (such as a commercial bank or a savings and loan association) to
become an underwriter or distributor of securities. In the event the Glass-
Steagall Act is deemed to prohibit depository institutions from accepting
payments under the arrangement described above, or should Congress relax current
restrictions on depository institutions, the Board of Trustees will consider
what action, if any, is appropriate.
In addition, state securities laws on this issue may differ from the
interpretations of federal law expressed herein, and banks and financial
institutions may be required to register as dealers pursuant to state law.
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HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fund shares may be redeemed for cash at the redemption value upon written
order by the shareholder(s) to the Fund, c/o Keystone Investor Resource Center,
Inc., Box 2121, Boston, Massachusetts 02106-2121 and presentation to the Fund of
a properly endorsed share certificate if certificates have been issued. The
signature(s) of the shareholder(s) on the written order and certificates must be
guaranteed. The redemption value is the net asset value adjusted for fractions
of a cent and may be more or less than the shareholder's cost depending upon
changes in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities between purchase and
redemption. The Fund may impose a deferred sales charge at the time of
redemption of certain shares as explained in "How to Buy Shares." If imposed,
the Fund deducts the deferred sales charge from the redemption proceeds
otherwise payable to the shareholder.
REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN GENERAL
At various times, the Fund may be requested to redeem shares for which it has
not yet received good payment. In such a case, the Fund will mail the redemption
proceeds upon clearance of the purchase check, which may take up to 15 days or
more. Any delay may be avoided by purchasing shares with a certified check drawn
on a U.S. bank or by bank wire of funds. Although the mailing of a redemption
check may be delayed, the redemption value will be determined and the redemption
processed in the ordinary course of business upon receipt of proper
documentation. In such a case, after the redemption and prior to the release of
the proceeds, no appreciation or depreciation will occur in the value of the
redeemed shares, and no interest will be paid on the redemption proceeds. If the
mailing of a redemption check has been delayed, the check will be mailed
promptly after good payment has been collected.
The Fund computes the redemption value at the close of the Exchange at the end
of the day on which it has received all proper documentation from the
shareholder. Payment of the amount due on redemption, less any applicable
deferred sales charge, will be made within seven days thereafter, except as
discussed herein.
Shareholders also may redeem their shares through their broker-dealers. The
Principal Underwriter, acting as agent for the Fund, stands ready to repurchase
Fund shares upon orders from dealers as follows: redemption requests received by
broker-dealers prior to that day's close of trading on the Exchange and
transmitted to the Fund prior to its close of business that day will receive the
net asset value per share computed at the close of trading on the Exchange on
the same day. Redemption requests received by broker-dealers after that day's
close of trading on the Exchange and transmitted to the Fund prior to the close
of business on the next business day will receive the next business day's net
asset value price. The Principal Underwriter will pay the redemption proceeds,
less any applicable deferred sales charge, to the dealer placing the order
within seven days thereafter, assuming it has received proper documentation. The
Principal Underwriter charges no fees for this service, but the shareholder's
broker-dealer may do so.
For the protection of shareholders, SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES, STOCK POWERS
AND ALL WRITTEN ORDERS OR AUTHORIZATIONS MUST BE GUARANTEED BY A U.S. STOCK
EXCHANGE MEMBER, A BANK OR OTHER PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO GUARANTEE SIGNATURES UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND KIRC'S POLICIES. The Fund and KIRC may
waive this requirement, but may also require additional documents in certain
cases. Currently, the requirement for a signature guarantee has been waived on
redemptions of $50,000 or less when the account address of record has been the
same for a minimum period of 30 days. The Fund and KIRC reserve the right to
withdraw this waiver at any time.
If the Fund receives a redemption or repurchase order, but the shareholder has
not clearly indicated the amount of money or number of shares involved, the Fund
cannot execute the order. In such cases, the Fund will request the missing
information from the shareholder and process the order the day it receives such
information.
TELEPHONE
Under ordinary circumstances, you may redeem up to $50,000 from your account
by telephone by calling toll free 1-800-343-2898. To engage in telephone
transactions generally, you must complete the appropriate sections of the Fund's
application.
In order to insure that instructions received by KIRC are genuine when you
initiate a telephone transaction, you will be asked to verify certain criteria
specific to your account. At the conclusion of the transaction, you will be
given a transaction number confirming your request. Written confirmation of your
transaction will be mailed the next business day. Your telephone instructions
will be recorded. Redemptions by telephone are allowed only if the address and
bank account of record have been the same for a minimum period of 30 days.
If the redemption proceeds are less than $2,500, they will be mailed by check.
If they are $2,500 or more, they will be mailed, wired or sent by EFT to your
previously designated bank account as you direct. If you do not specify how you
wish your redemption proceeds to be sent, they will be mailed by check. If you
cannot reach the Fund by telephone, you should follow the procedures for
redeeming by mail or through a broker as set forth above.
SMALL ACCOUNTS
Because of the high cost of maintaining small accounts, the Fund reserves the
right to redeem your account if its value has fallen below $1,000, the current
minimum investment level, as a result of your redemptions (but not as a result
of market action). You will be notified in writing and allowed 60 days to
increase the value of your account to the minimum investment level. No
contingent deferred sales charges are applied to such redemptions.
GENERAL
The Fund reserves the right at any time to terminate, suspend or change the
terms of any redemption method described in this prospectus, except redemption
by mail, and to impose fees.
Except as otherwise noted, neither the Fund, KIRC nor the Principal
Underwriter assumes responsibility for the authenticity of any instructions
received by any of them from a shareholder in writing, over the Keystone
Automated Response Line ("KARL") or by telephone. KIRC will employ reasonable
procedures to confirm that instructions received over KARL or by telephone are
genuine. Neither the Fund, KIRC nor the Principal Underwriter will be liable
when following instructions received over KARL or by telephone that KIRC
reasonably believes to be genuine.
The Fund may temporarily suspend the right to redeem its shares when (1) the
Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings; (2)
trading on the Exchange is restricted; (3) the Fund cannot dispose of its
investments or fairly determine their value; or (4) the Securities and Exchange
Commission, for the protection of shareholders, so orders.
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SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
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Details on all shareholder services may be obtained from KIRC by writing or by
calling toll free 1-800-343-2898.
KEYSTONE AUTOMATED RESPONSE LINE
The Keystone Automated Response Line offers shareholders specific fund account
information and price and yield quotations as well as the ability to do account
transactions, including investments, exchanges and redemptions. Shareholders may
access KARL by dialing toll free 1-800-346-3858 on any touch-tone telephone, 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
EXCHANGES
A shareholder who has obtained the appropriate prospectus may exchange shares
of the Fund for shares of any other fund in the Keystone Fund Family on the
basis of their respective net asset values by calling toll free 1-800-343- 2898
(provided the Telephone Exchanges section in the shareholder's application has
been completed) or by writing KIRC at Box 2121, Boston, Massachusetts
02106-2121.
Fund shares purchased by check may be exchanged for shares of any of the
funds in the Keystone Fund Family, other than Keystone Precious Metals Holdings,
Inc. ("KPMH"), or Keystone Tax Free Fund ("KTFF"), after 15 days provided good
payment for the purchase of Fund shares has been collected. In order to exchange
Fund shares for shares of KPMH or KTFF, a shareholder must have held Fund shares
for a period of at least six months. There is a $10.00 service charge for each
exchange, except that the fee is waived for individual investors who make an
exchange using KARL. If the shares being tendered for exchange have been held
for less than four years and are still subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge, such charge will carry over to the shares being acquired in the exchange
transaction. The Fund reserves the right, after 60 days' notice to shareholders,
to terminate this exchange offer or to change its terms, including the right to
change the service charge for any exchange.
Orders to exchange shares of the Fund for shares of Keystone Liquid Trust
("KLT") will be executed by redeeming the shares of the Fund and purchasing
shares of KLT at the net asset value of KLT shares determined after the proceeds
from such redemption become available, which may be up to seven days after such
redemption. In all other cases, orders for exchanges received by the Fund prior
to 4:00 p.m. eastern time on any day the funds are open for business will be
executed at the respective net asset values determined as of the close of
business that day. Orders for exchanges received after 4:00 p.m. eastern time on
any business day will be executed at the respective net asset values determined
at the close of the next business day.
An excessive number of exchanges may be disadvantageous to the Fund.
Therefore, the Fund, in addition to its right to reject any exchange, reserves
the right to terminate the exchange privilege of any shareholder who makes more
than five exchanges of shares of the funds in a year or three in a calendar
quarter.
An exchange order must comply with the requirements for a redemption or
repurchase order and must specify the dollar value or number of shares to be
exchanged. Exchanges are subject to the minimum initial purchase requirements of
the fund being acquired. An exchange constitutes a sale for federal income tax
purposes.
The exchange privilege is available only in states where shares of the fund
being acquired may legally be sold.
RETIREMENT PLANS
The Fund has various retirement plans available to investors, including:
Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs"); Rollover IRAs; Simplified Employee
Pension Plans ("SEPs"); Tax Sheltered Arrangements ("TSAs"); 403(b) Plans; 401
(k) Plans; Keogh Plans; Corporate Profit-Sharing Plans and Money Purchase
Pension Plans. For details, including fees and application forms, call KIRC toll
free at 1-800-247-4075 or write to KIRC at P.O. Box 2121, Boston, Massachusetts
02106-2121.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN
Shareholders may take advantage of investing on an automatic basis by
establishing an automatic investment plan. Funds are drawn on a shareholder's
checking account monthly and used to purchase Fund shares.
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
Under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan, shareholders may arrange for regular
monthly or quarterly fixed withdrawal payments. Each payment must be at least
$100 and may be as much as 1% per month or 3% per quarter of the total net asset
value of the Fund shares in the shareholder's account when the Automatic
Withdrawal Plan is opened. Fixed withdrawal payments are not subject to a
deferred sales charge. Excessive withdrawals may decrease or deplete the value
of a shareholder's account.
OTHER SERVICES
Under certain circumstances, shareholders may, within 30 days after a
redemption, reinstate their accounts at current net asset value.
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PERFORMANCE DATA
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From time to time, the Fund may advertise "total return" and "current yield."
BOTH FIGURES ARE BASED ON HISTORICAL EARNINGS AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO INDICATE
FUTURE PERFORMANCE. Total return refers to the Fund's average annual compounded
rates of return over specified periods determined by comparing the initial
amount invested to the ending redeemable value of that amount. The resulting
equation assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and deduction
of all recurring charges, if any, applicable to all shareholder accounts. The
deduction of the contingent deferred sales charge is reflected in the applicable
years. The exchange fee is not included in the calculation.
Current yield quotations represent the yield on an investment for a stated
30-day period computed by dividing net investment income earned per share during
the base period by the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the
base period.
The Fund may include comparative performance information in advertising or
marketing the Fund's shares, such as data from Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.,
Morningstar, Inc., CDS-Weisenberger and Value Line, or other industry
publications.
Past performance should not be considered representative of results for any
future period of time.
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FUND SHARES
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The Fund currently issues one class of shares, which participate equally in
dividends and distributions and have equal voting, liquidation and other rights.
When issued and paid for, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable by the
Fund. Shares may be exchanged as explained under "Shareholder Services," but
will have no other preference, conversion, exchange or preemptive rights.
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share owned and fractional
votes for fractional shares. Shares are redeemable, transferable and freely
assignable as collateral. There are no sinking fund provisions. The Fund may
establish additional classes or series of shares.
The Fund does not have annual meetings. The Fund will have special meetings
from time to time as required under its Restatement of Trust Agreement and under
the 1940 Act. As provided in the Fund's Restatement of Trust Agreement,
shareholders have the right to remove Trustees by an affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the outstanding shares. A special meeting of the shareholders will
be held when 10% of the holders of the outstanding shares request a meeting for
the purpose of removing a Trustee. The Fund is prepared to assist shareholders
in communications with one another for the purpose of convening such a meeting
as prescribed by Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.
Under Pennsylvania law, it is possible that a Fund shareholder may be held
personally liable for the Fund's obligations. However, the Fund's Declaration of
Trust provides that shareholders shall not be subject to any personal liability
for the Fund's obligations and provides indemnification from Fund assets for any
shareholder held personally liable for the Fund's obligations. Disclaimers of
such liability are included in each Fund agreement.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIRC, located at 101 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1519, is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone and serves as the Fund's transfer agent and
dividend disbursing agent.
When the Fund determines from its records that more than one account in the
Fund is registered in the name of a shareholder or shareholders having the same
address, upon written notice to those shareholders, the Fund intends, when an
annual report or semi-annual report of the Fund is required to be furnished, to
mail one copy of such report to that address.
Except as otherwise stated in this prospectus or required by law, the Fund
reserves the right to change the terms of the offer stated in this prospectus
without shareholder approval, including the right to impose or change fees for
services provided.
<PAGE>
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ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTIONS OF CERTAIN TYPES OF INVESTMENTS AND
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE TO THE FUND
The Fund may engage in the following investment practices to the extent
described in the prospectus and the statement of additional information.
OBLIGATIONS OF FOREIGN BRANCHES OF UNITED STATES BANKS
The obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks may be general obligations
of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch or may be limited by the
terms of a specific obligation and by government regulation. Payment of interest
and principal upon these obligations may also be affected by governmental action
in the country of domicile of the branch (generally referred to as sovereign
risk). In addition, evidences of ownership of such securities may be held
outside the U.S., and the Fund may be subject to the risks associated with the
holding of such property overseas. Examples of governmental actions would be the
imposition of currency controls, interest limitations, withholding taxes,
seizure of assets or the declaration of a moratorium. Various provisions of
federal law governing domestic branches do not apply to foreign branches of
domestic banks.
OBLIGATIONS OF UNITED STATES BRANCHES OF FOREIGN BANKS
Obligations of U.S. branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of
the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch or may be limited by the terms
of a specific obligation and by federal and state regulation as well as by
governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head
office. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a
U.S. branch of a foreign bank than about a domestic bank.
MASTER DEMAND NOTES
Master demand notes are unsecured obligations that permit the investment of
fluctuating amounts by the Fund at varying rates of interest pursuant to direct
arrangements between the Fund as lender and the issuer as borrower. The Fund has
the right to increase the amount under the note at any time up to the full
amount provided by the note agreement or to decrease the amount. The borrower
may repay up to the full amount of the note without penalty. Notes acquired by
the Fund permit the Fund to demand payment of principal and accrued interest at
any time (on not more than seven days' notice). Notes acquired by the Fund may
have maturities of more than one year, provided that (1) the Fund is entitled to
payment of principal and accrued interest upon not more than seven days' notice,
and (2) the rate of interest on such notes is adjusted automatically at periodic
intervals which normally will not exceed 31 days, but may extend up to one year.
The notes will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period
remaining to the next interest rate adjustment or the demand notice period.
Because these types of notes are direct lending arrangements between the lender
and borrower, such instruments are not normally traded, and there is no
secondary market for these notes, although they are redeemable and thus
repayable by the borrower at face value plus accrued interest at any time.
Accordingly, the Fund's right to redeem is dependent on the ability of the
borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. In connection with master
demand notes arrangements, Keystone considers, under standards established by
the Board of Trustees, earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of
the borrower and will monitor the ability of the borrower to pay principal and
interest on demand. These notes are not typically rated by credit rating
agencies. Unless rated, the Fund will invest in them only if at the time of an
investment the issuer meets the criteria established for commercial paper
discussed in the statement of additional information, which limit such
investments to commercial paper rated A-1 by S&P, Prime-1 by Moody's and F-1 by
Fitch Investors Service, Inc.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with member banks of the Federal
Reserve System having at least $1 billion in assets, primary dealers in U.S.
government securities or other financial institutions believed by Keystone to be
credit-worthy. Such persons must be registered as U.S. government securities
dealers with an appropriate regulatory organization. Under such agreements, the
bank, primary dealer or other financial institution agrees, upon entering into
the contract, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed upon date and
price, thereby determining the yield during the term of the agreement. This
results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such
period. Under a repurchase agreement, the seller must maintain the value of the
securities subject to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price, such
value being determined on a daily basis by marking the underlying securities to
their market value. Although the securities subject to the repurchase agreement
might bear maturities exceeding a year, the Fund only intends to enter into
repurchase agreements that provide for settlement within a year and usually
within seven days. Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by
the Fund's custodian or in the Federal Reserve book entry system. The Fund does
not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless
the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of a
bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund
could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and
losses, including (1) possible declines in the value of the underlying
securities during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto;
(2) possible subnormal levels of income and lack of access to income during this
period; and (3) expenses of enforcing its rights. The Board of Trustees of the
Fund has established procedures to evaluate the creditworthiness of each party
with whom the Fund enters into repurchase agreements by setting guidelines and
standards of review for Keystone and monitoring Keystone's actions with regard
to repurchase agreements.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund would sell securities and agree
to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The Fund intends to
enter into reverse repurchase agreements to avoid otherwise having to sell
securities during unfavorable market conditions in order to meet redemptions. At
the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will establish
a segregated account with the Fund's custodian containing liquid assets having a
value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will
subsequently monitor the account to ensure such value is maintained. Reverse
repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities
the Fund is obligated to repurchase may decline below the repurchase price.
Borrowing and reverse repurchase agreements magnify the potential for gain or
loss on the portfolio securities of the Fund and, therefore, increase the
possibility of fluctuation in the Fund's net asset value. Such practices may
constitute leveraging. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse
repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or
its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to
enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund's use
of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be
restricted pending such determination. The staff of the Securities and Exchange
Commission has taken the position that, reverse repurchase agreements that are
not fully secured or collateralized are a form of leverage and, therefore,
included in the percentage limit on borrowings imposed under the 1940 Act. The
Funds intends to only invest in fully secured or collaterized reverse repurchase
agreements.
"WHEN ISSUED" AND "FORWARD COMMITMENT" TRANSACTIONS
The Fund may also purchase securities and currencies on a when issued and
delayed delivery basis and may purchase or sell securities on a forward
commitment basis. When issued or delayed delivery transactions arise when
securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking
place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous
price and yield to the Fund at the time of purchase. A forward commitment
transaction is an agreement by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a
specified future date. The Fund may also enter into foreign currency forward
contracts which are described in more detail in the section of the Exhibit
entitled "Foreign Currency Transactions." When the Fund engages in these
transactions, the Fund relies on the buyer or seller, as the case may be, to
consummate the sale. Failure to do so may result in the Fund missing the
opportunity to obtain a price or yield considered to be advantageous. When
issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions may be expected to
occur a month or more before delivery is due. No payment or delivery is made by
the Fund, however, until it receives payment or delivery from the other party to
the transaction. The Securities and Exchange Commission has established certain
requirements to assure that the Fund is able to meet its obligations under these
contracts; for example, a separate account of liquid assets equal to the value
of such purchase commitments may be maintained until payment is made. When
issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions are subject to
risks from changes in value based upon changes in the level of interest rates,
currency rates and other market factors, both before and after delivery. The
Fund does not accrue any income on such securities or currencies prior to their
delivery. To the extent the Fund engages in any of these transactions, it will
do so consistent with its investment objective and policies and not for the
purpose of investment leverage. The Fund currently does not intend to invest
more than 5% of its assets in when issued or delayed delivery transactions.
LOANS OF SECURITIES TO BROKER-DEALERS
The Fund may lend securities to brokers and dealers pursuant to agreements
requiring that the loans be continuously secured by cash or securities of the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or any combination of cash
and such securities, as collateral equal at all times in value to at least the
market value of the securities loaned. Such securities loans will not be made
with respect to the Fund if as a result the aggregate of all outstanding
securities loans exceeds 15% of the value of the Fund's total assets taken at
their current value. The Fund continues to receive interest or dividends on the
securities loaned and simultaneously earns interest on the investment of the
cash loan collateral in U.S. Treasury notes, certificates of deposit, other
high-grade, short-term obligations or interest bearing cash equivalents.
Although voting rights attendant to securities loaned pass to the borrower, such
loans may be called at any time and will be called so that the securities may be
voted by the Fund if, in the opinion of the Fund, a material event affecting the
investment is to occur. There may be risks of delay in receiving additional
collateral or in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the
collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. Loans may be
made, however, to borrowers deemed to be of good standing, under standards
approved by the Board of Trustees, when the income to be earned from the loan
justifies the attendant risks.
DERIVATIVES
The Fund may only use derivatives in a manner consistent with its investment
objective. Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is
derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. These
assets, rates, and indices may include bonds, stocks, mortgages, commodities,
interest rates, currency exchange rates, bond indices and stock indices.
Derivatives can be used to earn income or protect against risk, or both. For
example, one party with unwanted risk may agree to pass that risk to another
party who is willing to accept the risk, the second party being motivated, for
example, by the desire either to earn income in the form of a fee or premium
from the first party, or to reduce its own unwanted risk by attempting to pass
all or part of that risk to the first party.
Derivatives can be used by investors such as the Fund to earn income and
enhance returns, to hedge or adjust the risk profile of the portfolio, and
either in place of more traditional direct investments or to obtain exposure to
otherwise inaccessible markets. The use of derivatives for non-hedging purposes
entails greater risks than if derivatives were used solely for hedging purposes.
The Fund uses futures contracts and related options as well as forwards for
hedging purposes. Derivatives are a valuable tool, which, when used properly,
can provide significant benefit to Fund shareholders. With respect to the Fund,
Keystone does not currently intend to aggressively use derivatives. The Fund may
take positions in those derivatives that are within its investment policies if,
in Keystone's judgement, this represents an effective response to current or
anticipated market conditions. Keystone's use of derivatives is subject to
continuous risk assessment and control from the standpoint of the Fund's
investment objective and policies.
Derivatives may be (1) standardized, exchange-traded contracts or (2)
customized, privately negotiated contracts. Exchange-traded derivatives tend to
be more liquid and subject to less credit risk than those that are privately
negotiated.
There are four principal types of derivative instruments--options, futures,
forwards and swaps--from which virtually any type of derivative transaction can
be created. Further information regarding options, futures, forwards and swaps
is provided later in this section and is provided in the Fund's statement of
additional information.
Debt instruments that incorporate one or more of these building blocks for the
purpose of determining the principal amount of and/or rate of interest payable
on the debt instruments are often referred to as "structured securities." An
example of this type of structured security is indexed commercial paper. The
term is also used to describe certain securities issued in connection with the
restructuring of certain foreign obligations. See "Indexed Commercial Paper" and
"Structured Securities" below. The term "derivative" is also sometimes used to
describe securities involving rights to a portion of the cash flows from an
underlying pool of mortgages or other assets from which payments are passed
through to the owner of, or that collateralize, the securities. See "Mortgage
Related Securities," "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations," "Adjustable Rate
Mortgage Securities," "Stripped Mortgage Securities," "Mortgage Securities --
Special Considerations," and "Other Asset-Backed Securities" and the Fund's
statement of additional information.
While the judicious use of derivatives by experienced investment managers such
as Keystone can be beneficial, derivatives also involve risks different from,
and, in certain cases, greater than, the risks presented by more traditional
investments. Following is a general discussion of important risk factors and
issues concerning the use of derivatives that investors should understand before
investing in the Fund.
* Market Risk -- This is the general risk attendant to all investments that the
value of a particular investment will decline or otherwise change in a way
detrimental to the Fund's interest.
* Management Risk -- Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that
require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those
associated with stocks and bonds. The use of a derivative requires an
understanding not only of the underlying instrument, but also of the
derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the
derivative under all possible market conditions. In particular, the use and
complexity of derivatives require the maintenance of adequate controls to
monitor the transactions entered into, the ability to assess the risk that a
derivative adds to the Fund's portfolio and the ability to forecast price,
interest rate or currency exchange rate movements correctly.
* Credit Risk -- This is the risk that a loss may be sustained by the Fund as a
result of the failure of another party to a derivative (usually referred to as
a "counterparty") to comply with the terms of the derivative contract. The
credit risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for
privately negotiated derivatives, since the clearing house, which is the
issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded derivative, provides a
guarantee of performance. This guarantee is supported by a daily payment
system (i.e., margin requirements) operated by the clearing house in order to
reduce overall credit risk. For privately negotiated derivatives, there is no
similar clearing agency guarantee. Therefore, the Fund considers the
creditworthiness of each counterparty to a privately negotiated derivative in
evaluating potential credit risk.
* Liquidity Risk -- Liquidity risk exists when a particular instrument is
difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly
large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many
privately negotiated derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a
transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous price.
* Leverage Risk -- Since many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse
changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, rate or index can
result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the
derivative itself. In the case of swaps, the risk of loss generally is related
to a notional principal amount, even if the parties have not made any initial
investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss,
regardless of the size of the initial investment.
* Other Risks -- Other risks in using derivatives include the risk of mispricing
or improper valuation and the inability of derivatives to correlate perfectly
with underlying assets, rates and indices. Many derivatives, in particular
privately negotiated derivatives, are complex and often valued subjectively.
Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to
counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund. Derivatives do not always
perfectly or even highly correlate or track the value of the assets, rates or
indices they are designed to closely track. Consequently, the Fund's use of
derivatives may not always be an effective means of, and sometimes could be
counterproductive to, furthering the Fund's investment objective.
OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS
WRITING COVERED OPTIONS. The Fund may write (i.e., sell) covered call and put
options. By writing a call option, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of
the option to deliver the securities underlying the option upon payment of the
exercise price. By writing a put option, the Fund becomes obligated during the
term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the
exercise price if the option is exercised. The Fund also may write straddles
(combinations of covered puts and calls on the same underlying security).
The Fund may only write "covered" options. This means that so long as the Fund
is obligated as the writer of a call option it will own the underlying
securities subject to the option or, in the case of call options on U.S.
Treasury bills, the Fund might own substantially similar U.S. Treasury bills. If
the Fund has written options against all of its securities that are available
for writing options, the Fund may be unable to write additional options unless
it sells a portion of its portfolio holdings to obtain new securities against
which it can write options. If this were to occur, higher portfolio turnover and
correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs may
result. The Fund does not expect, however, that this will occur.
The Fund will be considered "covered" with respect to a put option it writes
if, so long as it is obligated as the writer of the put option, it deposits and
maintains with its custodian in a segregated account liquid assets having a
value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option.
The principal reason for writing call or put options is to obtain, through a
receipt of premiums, a greater current return than would be realized on the
underlying securities alone. The Fund receives a premium from writing a call or
put option, which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. By writing
a call option, the Fund might lose the potential for gain on the underlying
security while the option is open, and, by writing a put option, the Fund might
become obligated to purchase the underlying security for more than its current
market price upon exercise.
PURCHASING OPTIONS. The Fund may purchase put or call options, including put
or call options for the purpose of offsetting previously written put or call
options of the same series.
If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to
covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying
securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options
expire or are exercised.
An option position may be closed out only in a secondary market for an option
of the same series. Although the Fund generally will write only those options
for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance
that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option at any
particular time, and, for some options, no secondary market may exist. In such
event, it might not be possible to effect a closing transaction in a particular
option.
Options on some securities are relatively new, and it is impossible to predict
the amount of trading interest that will exist in such options. There can be no
assurance that viable markets will develop or continue. The failure of such
markets to develop or continue could significantly impair the Fund's ability to
use such options to achieve its investment objective.
OPTIONS TRADING MARKETS. Options in which the Fund will trade are generally
listed on national securities exchanges. Exchanges on which such options
currently are traded include the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the New
York, American, Pacific and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges. Options on some
securities may not be listed on any exchange, but traded in the over-the-counter
market. Options traded in the over-the-counter market involve the additional
risk that securities dealers participating in such transactions could fail to
meet their obligations to the Fund. The use of options traded in the
over-the-counter market may be subject to limitations imposed by certain state
securities authorities. In addition to the limits on its use of options
discussed herein, the Fund is subject to the investment restrictions described
in this prospectus and in the statement of additional information.
The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission is of the view that the
premiums that the Fund pays for the purchase of unlisted options and the value
of securities used to cover unlisted options written by the Fund are considered
to be invested in illiquid securities or assets for the purpose of calculating
whether the Fund is in compliance with its policies on illiquid securities.
FUTURES TRANSACTIONS
The Fund may enter into currency and other financial futures contracts and
write options on such contracts. The Fund intends to enter into such contracts
and related options for hedging purposes. The Fund will enter into securities,
currency or index-based futures contracts in order to hedge against changes in
interest or exchange rates or securities prices. A futures contract on
securities or currencies is an agreement to buy or sell securities or currencies
at a specified price during a designated month. A futures contract on a
securities index does not involve the actual delivery of securities, but merely
requires the payment of a cash settlement based on changes in the securities
index. The Fund does not make payment or deliver securities upon entering into a
futures contract. Instead, it puts down a margin deposit, which is adjusted to
reflect changes in the value of the contract and which continues until the
contract is terminated.
The Fund may sell or purchase futures contracts. When a futures contract is
sold by the Fund, the value of the contract will tend to rise when the value of
the underlying securities or currencies declines and to fall when the value of
such securities or currencies increases. Thus, the Fund sells futures contracts
in order to offset a possible decline in the value of its securities or
currencies. If a futures contract is purchased by the Fund, the value of the
contract will tend to rise when the value of the underlying securities or
currencies increases and to fall when the value of such securities or currencies
declines. The Fund intends to purchase futures contracts in order to fix what is
believed by Keystone to be a favorable price and rate of return for securities
or favorable exchange rate for currencies the Fund intends to purchase.
The Fund also intends to purchase put and call options on futures contracts
for hedging purposes. A put option purchased by the Fund would give it the right
to assume a position as the seller of a futures contract. A call option
purchased by the Fund would give it the right to assume a position as the
purchaser of a futures contract. The purchase of an option on a futures contract
requires the Fund to pay a premium. In exchange for the premium, the Fund
becomes entitled to exercise the benefits, if any, provided by the futures
contract, but is not required to take any action under the contract. If the
option cannot be exercised profitably before it expires, the Fund's loss will be
limited to the amount of the premium and any transaction costs.
The Fund may enter into closing purchase and sale transactions in order to
terminate a futures contract and may sell put and call options for the purpose
of closing out its options positions. The Fund's ability to enter into closing
transactions depends on the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary
market. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any
particular contract or at any particular time. As a result, there can be no
assurance that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction
with respect to a particular contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not
able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be
required to maintain the margin deposits on the contract and to complete the
contract according to its terms, in which case, it would continue to bear market
risk on the transaction.
Although futures and related options transactions are intended to enable the
Fund to manage market, interest rate or exchange rate risk, unanticipated
changes in interest rates, exchange rates or market prices could result in
poorer performance than if it had not entered into these transactions. Even if
Keystone correctly predicts interest or exchange rate movements, a hedge could
be unsuccessful if changes in the value of the Fund's futures position did not
correspond to changes in the value of its investments. This lack of correlation
between the Fund's futures and securities or currencies positions may be caused
by differences between the futures and securities or currencies markets or by
differences between the securities or currencies underlying the Fund's futures
position and the securities or currencies held by or to be purchased for the
Fund. Keystone will attempt to minimize these risks through careful selection
and monitoring of the Fund's futures and options positions.
The Fund does not intend to use futures transactions for speculation or
leverage. The Fund has the ability to write options on futures, but intends to
write such options only to close out options purchased by the Fund. The Fund
will not change these policies without supplementing the information in its
prospectus and statement of additional information.
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS
As discussed above, the Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers. When
the Fund invests in foreign securities, they usually will be denominated in
foreign currencies, and the Fund temporarily may hold funds in foreign
currencies. Thus, the value of Fund shares will be affected by changes in
exchange rates.
As one way of managing exchange rate risk, in addition to entering into
currency futures contracts, the Fund may enter into forward currency exchange
contracts (agreements to purchase or sell currencies at a specified price and
date). The exchange rate for the transaction (the amount of currency the Fund
will deliver or receive when the contract is completed) is fixed when the Fund
enters into the contract. The Fund usually will enter into these contracts to
stabilize the U.S. dollar value of a security it has agreed to buy or sell. The
Fund intends to use these contracts to hedge the U.S. dollar value of a security
it already owns, particularly if the Fund expects a decrease in the value of the
currency in which the foreign security is denominated. Although the Fund will
attempt to benefit from using forward contracts, the success of its hedging
strategy will depend on Keystone's ability to predict accurately the future
exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. The value of the
Fund's investments denominated in foreign currencies will depend on the relative
strength of those currencies and the U.S. dollar, and the Fund may be affected
favorably or unfavorably by changes in the exchange rates or exchange control
regulations between foreign currencies and the dollar. Changes in foreign
currency exchange rates also may affect the value of dividends and interest
earned, gains and losses realized on the sale of securities and net investment
income and gains, if any, to be distributed to shareholders by the Fund.
Although the Fund does not currently intend to do so, the Fund may also purchase
and sell options related to foreign currencies. The Fund does not intend to
enter into foreign currency transactions for speculation or leverage.
INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS (SWAPS, CAPS AND FLOORS). If the Fund enters into
interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions, it expects to do so primarily for
hedging purposes, which may include preserving a return or spread on a
particular investment or portion of its portfolio or protecting against an
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Fund does not currently intend to use these transactions in a
speculative manner.
Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of
their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of
floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate caps and floors
are similar to options in that the purchase of an interest rate cap or floor
entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds (in the
case of a cap) or falls below (in the case of a floor) a predetermined interest
rate, to receive payments of interest on a contractually-based principal
("notional") amount from the party selling the interest rate cap or floor. The
Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an
asset-based or liability-based basis, depending upon whether it is hedging its
assets or liabilities, and will usually enter into interest rate swaps on a net
basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or
paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments).
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number
of banks and investment banking firms acting as principals and as agents
utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has
become more established and relatively liquid. Caps and floors are less liquid
than swaps. These transactions also involve the delivery of securities or other
underlying assets and principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss to the Fund from
interest rate transactions is limited to the net amount of interest payments
that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.
INDEXED COMMERCIAL PAPER. Indexed commercial paper may have its principal linked
to changes in foreign currency exchange rates whereby its principal amount is
adjusted upwards or downwards (but not below zero) at maturity to reflect
changes in the referenced exchange rate. If permitted by its investment
policies, the Fund will purchase such commercial paper with the currency in
which it is denominated and, at maturity, will receive interest and principal
payments thereon in that currency, but the amount of principal payable by the
issuer at maturity will change in proportion to the change (if any) in the
exchange rate between the two specified currencies between the date the
instrument is issued and the date the instrument matures. While such commercial
paper entails the risk of loss of principal, the potential for realizing gains
as a result of changes in foreign currency exchange rates enables the Fund to
hedge (or cross-hedge) against a decline in the U.S. dollar value of investments
denominated in foreign currencies while providing an attractive money market
rate of return.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES. The mortgage-related securities in which the Fund
may invest typically are securities representing interests in pools of mortgage
loans made to home owners. Mortgage-related securities bear interest at either a
fixed rate or an adjustable rate determined by reference to an index rate. The
mortgage loan pools may be assembled for sale to investors (such as the Fund) by
governmental or private organizations. Mortgage-related securities issued by the
Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are backed by the full faith
and credit of the U.S. government; those issued by Federal National Mortgage
Association ("FNMA") and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC") are
not so backed.
Securities representing interests in pools created by private issuers
generally offer a higher rate of interest than securities representing interests
in pools created by governmental issuers because there are no direct or indirect
governmental guarantees of the underlying mortgage payments. However, private
issuers sometimes obtain committed loan facilities, lines of credit, letters of
credit, surety bonds or other forms of liquidity and credit enhancement to
support the timely payment of interest and principal with respect to their
securities if the borrowers on the underlying mortgages fail to make their
mortgage payments. The ratings of such non-governmental securities are generally
dependent upon the ratings of the providers of such liquidity and credit support
and would be adversely affected if the rating of such an enhancer were
downgraded. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without credit
enhancement if the securities meet the Fund's investment standards. Although the
market for mortgage-related securities is becoming increasingly liquid, those of
certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.
One type of mortgage-related security is of the "pass-through" variety. The
holder of a pass-through security is considered to own an undivided beneficial
interest in the underlying pool of mortgage loans and receives a pro rata share
of the monthly payments made by the borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of
any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities. Prepayments of
mortgages resulting from the sale, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying
properties are also paid to the holders of these securities. Some
mortgage-related securities, such as securities issued by GNMA, are referred to
as "modified pass-through" securities. The holders of these securities are
entitled to the full and timely payment of principal and interest, net of
certain fees, regardless of whether payments are actually made on the underlying
mortgages. Another form of mortgage-related security is a "pay- through"
security, which is a debt obligation of the issuer secured by a pool of mortgage
loans pledged as collateral that is legally required to be paid by the issuer
regardless of whether payments are actually made on the underlying mortgages.
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS. ("CMOs") are the predominant type of
"pay-through" mortgage-related security. CMOs are designed to reduce the risk of
prepayment for investors by issuing multiple classes of securities, each having
different maturities, interest rates and payment schedules, and with the
principal and interest on the underlying mortgages allocated among the several
classes in various ways. The collateral securing the CMOs may consist of a pool
of mortgages, but may also consist of mortgage-backed bonds or pass-through
securities. CMOs may be issued by a U.S. government instrumentality or agency or
by a private issuer. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the
underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by GNMA,
FNMA or FHLMC, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and
are not insured or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC, any other governmental
agency or any other person or entity.
INVERSE FLOATING RATE COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS. In addition to
investing in fixed rate and adjustable rate CMOs, if consistent with its
investment objective, the Fund may also invest in CMOs with rates that move
inversely to market rates ("inverse floaters").
An inverse floater bears an interest rate that resets in the opposite
direction of the change in a specified interest rate index. As market interest
rates rise, the interest rate on the inverse floater goes down, and vice versa.
Inverse floaters tend to exhibit greater price volatility than fixed-rate bonds
of similar maturity and credit quality. The interest rates on inverse floaters
may be significantly reduced, even to zero, if interest rates rise. Moreover,
the secondary market for inverse floaters may be limited in rising interest rate
environments.
ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGE SECURITIES. Another type of mortgage-related security,
known as adjustable-rate mortgage securities ("ARMS"), bears interest at a rate
determined by reference to a predetermined interest rate or index. There are two
main categories of rates or indices: (1) rates based on the yield on U.S.
Treasury securities and (2) indices derived from a calculated measure such as a
cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Some rates and
indices closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels, while others tend
to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
ARMS may be secured by adjustable-rate mortgages or fixed-rate mortgages. ARMS
secured by fixed-rate mortgages generally have lifetime caps on the coupon rates
of the securities. To the extent that general interest rates increase faster
than the interest rates on the ARMS, these ARMS will decline in value. The
adjustable-rate mortgages that secure ARMS will frequently have caps that limit
the maximum amount by which the interest rate or the monthly principal and
interest payments on the mortgages may increase. These payment caps can result
in negative amortization (i.e., an increase in the balance of the mortgage
loan). Furthermore, since many adjustable-rate mortgages only reset on an annual
basis, the values of ARMS tend to fluctuate to the extent that changes in
prevailing interest rates are not immediately reflected in the interest rates
payable on the underlying adjustable-rate mortgages.
STRIPPED MORTGAGE SECURITIES. Stripped mortgage-related securities ("SMRS") are
mortgage-related securities that are usually structured with two classes of
securities collateralized by a pool of mortgages or a pool of mortgaged-backed
bonds or pass-through securities, with each class receiving different
proportions of the principal and interest payments from the underlying assets. A
common type of SMRS has one class of interest-only securities ("IOs") receiving
all of the interest payments from the underlying assets, while the other class
of securities, principal-only securities ("POs"), receives all of the principal
payments from the underlying assets. IOs and POs are extremely sensitive to
interest rate changes and are more volatile than mortgage-related securities
that are not stripped. IOs tend to decrease in value as interest rates decrease,
while POs generally increase in value as interest rates decrease. If prepayments
of the underlying mortgages are greater than anticipated, the amount of interest
earned on the overall pool will decrease due to the decreasing principal balance
of the assets. Changes in the values of IOs and POs can be substantial and occur
quickly, such as occurred in the first half of 1994 when the value of many POs
dropped precipitously due to increase in interest rates. For this reason the
Fund does not rely on IOs and POs as the principal means of furthering its
investment objective.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES -- SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS. The value of
mortgage-related securities is affected by a number of factors. Unlike
traditional debt securities, which have fixed maturity dates, mortgage-related
securities may be paid earlier than expected as a result of prepayment of the
underlying mortgages. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their
mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in the early payment of the
applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event the Fund may be unable to
invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related securities in
an investment that provides as high a yield as the mortgage-related securities.
Consequently, early payment associated with mortgage-related securities causes
these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility
than experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. The occurrence of
mortgage prepayments is affected by the level of general interest rates, general
economic conditions and other social and demographic factors. During periods of
falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase,
thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related securities. During
periods of rising interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments usually
decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-related securities.
If the life of a mortgage-related security is inaccurately predicted, the Fund
may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected.
As with fixed-income securities generally, the value of mortgage-related
securities can also be adversely affected by increases in general interest rates
relative to the yield provided by such securities. Such adverse effect is
especially possible with fixed-rate mortgage securities. If the yield available
on other investments rises above the yield of the fixed-rate mortgage securities
as a result of general increases in interest rate levels, the value of the
mortgage-related securities will decline. Although the negative effect could be
lessened if the mortgage-related securities were to be paid earlier (thus
permitting the Fund to reinvest the prepayment proceeds in investments yielding
the higher current interest rate), as described above the rate of mortgage
prepayments and earlier payment of mortgage-related securities generally tends
to decline during a period of rising interest rates.
Although the value of ARMS may not be affected by rising interest rates as
much as the value of fixed-rate mortgage securities is affected by rising
interest rates, ARMS may still decline in value as a result of rising interest
rates. Although, as described above, the yield on ARMS varies with changes in
the applicable interest rate or index, there is often a lag between increases in
general interest rates and increases in the yield on ARMS as a result of
relatively infrequent interest rate reset dates. In addition, adjustable-rate
mortgages and ARMS often have interest rate or payment caps that limit the
ability of the adjustable-rate mortgages or ARMS to fully reflect increases in
the general level of interest rates.
OTHER ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES. The securitization techniques used to develop
mortgage-related securities are being applied to a broad range of financial
assets. Through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations, various
types of assets, including automobile loans and leases, credit card receivables,
home equity loans, equipment leases and trade receivables, are being securitized
in structures similar to the structures used in mortgage securitizations. These
asset-backed securities are subject to risks associated with changes in interest
rates and prepayment of underlying obligations similar to the risks of
investment in mortgage-related securities discussed above.
Each type of asset-backed security also entails unique risks depending on the
type of assets involved and the legal structure used. For example, credit card
receivables are generally unsecured obligations of the credit card holder and
the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal
consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off
certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due.
There have also been proposals to cap the interest rate that a credit card
issuer may charge. In some transactions, the value of the asset-backed security
is dependent on the performance of a third party acting as credit enhancer or
servicer. Furthermore, in some transactions (such as those involving the
securitization of vehicle loans or leases) it may be administratively burdensome
to perfect the interest of the security issuer in the underlying collateral and
the underlying collateral may become damaged or stolen.
VARIABLE, FLOATING AND LEVERAGED INVERSE FLOATING RATE INSTRUMENTS. Fixed-
income securities may have fixed, variable or floating rates of interest.
Variable and floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted
periodically, according to a specified formula. A "variable" interest rate
adjusts at predetermined intervals (e.g., daily, weekly or monthly), while a
"floating" interest rate adjusts whenever a specified benchmark rate (such as
the bank prime lending rate) changes.
If permitted by its investment policies, the Fund may invest in fixed-income
securities that pay interest at a coupon rate equal to a base rate, plus
additional interest for a certain period of time if short-term interest rates
rise above a predetermined level or "cap." The amount of such an additional
interest payment typically is calculated under a formula based on a short-term
interest rate index multiplied by a designated factor.
An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its
interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in
the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in inverse
floaters is associated with greater volatility in market value.
STRUCTURED SECURITIES. Structured securities represent interests in entities
organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the investment
characteristics of sovereign debt obligations or foreign government securities.
This type of restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity,
such as a corporation or trust, of specified instruments (such as commercial
bank loans or Brady Bonds) and the issuance by that entity of one or more
classes of structured securities backed by, or representing interests in, the
underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be
apportioned among the newly issued structured securities to create securities
with different investment characteristics such as varying maturities, payment
priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of the payments made
with respect to structured securities is dependent on the extent of the cash
flow on the underlying instruments. Because structured securities typically
involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to
that of the underlying instruments. Structured securities of a given class may
be either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another
class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and
present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities.
<PAGE>
KEYSTONE
FUND FAMILY
Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
Diversified Bond Fund (B-2)
High Income Bond Fund (B-4)
Balanced Fund (K-1)
Strategic Growth Fund (K-2)
Growth and Income Fund (S-1)
Mid-Cap Growth Fund (S-3)
Small Company Growth Fund (S-4)
International Fund
Precious Metals Holdings
Tax Free Fund
Tax Exempt Trust
Liquid Trust
[LOGO] KEYSTONE
INVESTMENTS
Keystone Investment Distributors Company
200 Berkeley Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034
[recycle symbol]
B1-P 2/95
KEYSTONE
QUALITY
BOND FUND (B-1)
[LOGO]
PROSPECTUS AND
APPLICATION
<PAGE>
KEYSTONE QUALITY BOND FUND (B-1)
(FORMERLY NAMED KEYSTONE CUSTODIAN FUND, SERIES B-1)
PART B
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
<PAGE>
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KEYSTONE QUALITY BOND FUND (B-1)
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS KEYSTONE CUSTODIAN FUND, SERIES B-1)
FEBRUARY 21, 1996
This statement of additional information is not a prospectus but
relates to, and should be read in conjunction with, the prospectus of Keystone
Quality Bond Fund (B-1) (formerly known as Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
(the "Fund") dated February 21, 1996. A copy of the prospectus may be obtained
from Keystone Investment Distributors Company (formerly known as Keystone
Distributors, Inc.) (the "Principal Underwriter"), the Fund's principal
underwriter, 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034, or your
broker-dealer.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
The Investment Objective and Policies 2
Investment Restrictions 2
Valuation of Securities 4
Distributions and Taxes 5
Sales Charges 6
Distribution Plan 8
The Trust Agreement 10
Investment Manager 12
Investment Adviser 15
Trustees and Officers 16
Principal Underwriter 20
Brokerage 21
Standardized Total Return and Yield Quotations 23
Additional Information 24
Appendix A-1
Financial Statements F-1
Independent Auditors' Report F-12
<PAGE>
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THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund is an open-end, diversified management investment company. The
Fund's investment objective is to provide shareholders with the highest possible
income consistent with preservation of principal. The Fund invests primarily in
high and good grade bonds and short-term money market instruments at such times
and in such proportions as seem appropriate to best achieve this objective.
Bonds will include obligations of the United States ("U.S.") government or its
agencies and other bond issues of high or good grade including high grade
municipal bonds. Such bonds possess a high degree of dependability of interest
payments with price action affected almost exclusively by the trend and level of
money rates.
The Fund invests primarily in the securities of domestic companies, but
on October 31, 1995 it also owned foreign securities equal to approximately 5%
of its net assets.
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INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund has adopted the fundamental investment restrictions set forth
below, which may not be changed without a vote of the holders of a majority, as
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), of the Fund's
outstanding shares. Unless uotherwise stated, all references to Fund assets are
in terms of current market value.
The Fund may not do the following:
(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of
the value of its total assets, determined at market or other fair value at the
time of purchase, in the securities of any one issuer, or invest in more than
10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer, all as determined
immediately after such investment; provided that these limitations do not apply
to investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its
agencies or instrumentalities.
(2) borrow money, except that the Fund may (a) borrow money from banks
for temporary or emergency purposes in aggregate amounts up to 10% of the value
of the Fund's net assets (computed at cost), or (b) enter into reverse
repurchase agreements, provided that bank borrowings and reverse repurchase
agreements, in aggregate, shall not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's net
assets;
(3) underwrite securities, except that the Fund may purchase securities
from issuers thereof or others and dispose of such securities in a manner
consistent with its other investment policies; in the disposition of restricted
securities the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter, as defined in the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act");
(4) purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate, except
that it may purchase and sell securities secured by real estate and securities
of companies which invest in real estate, and will not purchase or sell
commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may engage in currency
or other financial futures contracts and related options transactions;
(5) invest for the primary purpose of exercising control over or
management of any one issuer;
(6) make margin purchases or short sales of securities;
(7) make loans, except that the Fund may purchase money market
securities, enter into repurchase agreements, buy publicly and privately
distributed debt securities and lend limited amounts of its portfolio securities
to broker-dealers; all such investments must be consistent with the Fund's
investment objective and policies;
(8) invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in
any single industry other than securities issued by banks and savings and loan
associations or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies or instrumentalities; and
(9) purchase the securities of any other investment company except in
the open market and at customary brokerage rates and in no event more than 3% of
the voting securities of any investment company.
If a percentage limit is satisfied at the time of investment or
borrowing, a later increase or decrease resulting from a change in the value of
a security or a decrease in Fund assets is not a violation of the limit.
Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions
The Fund intends to follow policies of the Securities and Exchange
Commission as they are adopted from time to time with respect to illiquid
securities, including, at this time, (1) treating as illiquid securities which
may not be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven
days at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued such securities on
its books and (2) limiting its holdings of such securities to 15% of its net
assets.
Although not fundamental restrictions or policies requiring a
shareholders' vote to change, the Fund has undertaken to certain state
securities authorities that the Fund will
(1) limit its purchase of warrants to 5% of net assets, of which 2% may
be warrants not listed on the New York or American Stock Exchange;
(2) not invest in real estate limited partnership interests; and
(3) not invest in oil, gas or other mineral leases.
Additional restrictions adopted by the Fund, which may be changed by
the Board of Trustees, provide that the Fund may not purchase or retain
securities of an issuer if, to the knowledge of the Fund, any officer, Trustee
or Director of the Fund, Keystone Management, Inc. ("Keystone Management") or
Keystone Investment Management Company (formerly known as Keystone Custodian
Funds, Inc.) ("Keystone"), each owning beneficially more than 1/2 of 1% of the
securities of such issuer, own in the aggregate more than 5% of the securities
of such issuer, or such persons or management personnel of the Fund, Keystone
Management or Keystone have a substantial beneficial interest in the securities
of such issuer. Portfolio securities of the Fund may not be purchased from or
sold or loaned to Keystone Management, Keystone or any affiliate thereof or any
of their Directors, officers or employees.
The Fund has no current intention of attempting to increase its net
income by borrowing and intends to repay any borrowings made in accordance with
the third investment restriction enumerated above before it makes any
additional investments.
In order to permit the sale of Fund shares in certain states, the Fund
may make commitments more restrictive than the investment restrictions described
above. Should the Fund determine that any such commitment is no longer in the
best interests of the Fund, it will revoke the commitment by terminating sales
of its shares in the state involved.
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VALUATION OF SECURITIES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current value for the Fund's portfolio securities is determined in the
following manner:
Securities traded on the established exchanges are valued on the basis
of the last sales price on the exchange where the securities are primarily
traded prior to the time of the valuation. Securities traded in the
over-the-counter market, for which complete quotations are readily available,
are valued at the mean of the bid and asked prices at the time of valuation.
Money market instruments that are purchased with maturities of sixty days or
less are valued at amortized cost (original purchase cost as adjusted for
amortization of premium or accretion of discount), which, when combined with
accrued interest, approximates market; money market instruments maturing in more
than sixty days for which market quotations are readily available are valued at
market value; and money market instruments maturing in more than sixty days when
purchased that are held on the sixtieth day prior to maturity are valued at
amortized cost (market value on the sixtieth day adjusted for amortization of
premium or accretion of discount), which, when combined with accrued interest,
approximates market; and in any case reflects fair value as determined by the
Fund's Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees values the following at prices it deems in good
faith to be fair: (1) securities, including restricted securities, for which
complete quotations are not readily available, (2) listed securities if in the
Fund's opinion the last sales price does not reflect a current market value or
if no sale occurred, and (3) other assets.
The Fund believes that reliable market quotations are generally not
readily available for purposes of valuing fixed income securities. As a result,
depending on the particular securities owned by the Fund, it is likely that most
of the valuations for such securities will be based upon their fair value
determined under procedures that have been approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees. The Fund's Board of Trustees has authorized the use of a pricing
service to determine the fair value of the Fund's fixed income securities and
certain other securities. Securities for which market quotations are readily
available are valued on a consistent basis at that price quoted that, in the
opinion of the Board of Trustees or the person designated by the Board of
Trustees to make the determination, most nearly represents the market value of
the particular security. Any securities for which market quotations are not
readily available or other assets are valued on a consistent basis at fair value
as determined in good faith using methods prescribed by the Board of Trustees.
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DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund ordinarily distributes its income and net capital gains in
shares of the Fund or, at the option of the shareholder, in cash. Distributions
are taxable whether made in cash or in additional fund shares. Shareholders who
receive distributions in additional fund shares are not subject to a deferred
sales charge when such shares are redeemed. Shareholders who have not opted,
prior to the record date for any distribution, to receive cash will have the
number of distributed shares determined on the basis of the Fund's net per share
value computed at the end of the day on the record date after adjustment for the
distribution. Net asset value is used in computing the appropriate number of
shares in both capital gains distribution and an income distribution
reinvestments. Account statements and/or checks as appropriate will be mailed to
shareholders by the 15th of the appropriate month. Unless the Fund receives
instructions to the contrary from a shareholder before the record date, it will
assume that the shareholder wishes to receive both capital gains distributions
and income distributions in shares. Instructions continue in effect until
changed in writing.
The Fund's income distributions are largely derived from interest on
bonds and thus are not to any significant degree eligible in whole or in part
for the corporate 70% dividends received deduction. Distributed long-term
capital gains are taxable as such to the shareholder regardless of the period of
time Fund shares have been held by the shareholder. Distributions designated by
the Fund as capital gains dividends are not eligible for the 70% corporate
dividends received deduction. If the net asset value of the Fund's shares was
reduced below a shareholder's cost by distribution of capital gains realized on
sales of securities, such distribution to the extent of the reduction would be a
return of investment though taxable as stated above. Since distributions of
capital gains depend upon securities profits actually realized, they may or may
not occur. The foregoing comments relating to the taxation of dividends and
distributions paid on the Fund's shares relate solely to federal income taxation
and such dividends and distributions may also be subject to state and local
taxes.
When the Fund makes a distribution, it intends to distribute only its
net capital gains and such income as has been predetermined to the best of the
Fund's ability to be taxable as ordinary income. Therefore, net investment
income distributions will not be made on the basis of distributable income as
computed on the books of the Fund, but will be made on a federal income tax
basis. Shareholders of the Fund will be advised annually of the federal tax
status of distributions.
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SALES CHARGES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In order to reimburse the Fund for certain expenses relating to the
sale of its shares (see "Distribution Plan"), a deferred sales charge may be
imposed at the time of redemption of certain Fund shares within four calendar
years after their purchase. If imposed, the deferred sales charge is deducted
from the redemption proceeds otherwise payable to the shareholder. To the extent
permitted by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"),the
deferred sales charge is paid to the Principal Underwriter. During the fiscal
year ended October 31, 1995 the Fund recovered $7,816 in contingent deferred
sales charges.
The contingent deferred sales charge is a declining percentage of the
lesser of (1) the net asset value of the shares redeemed or (2) the total cost
of such shares. No contingent deferred sales charge is imposed when the
shareholder redeems amounts derived from (1) increases in the value of his
account above the total cost of such shares due to increases in the net asset
value per share of the Fund; (2) certain shares with respect to which the Fund
did not pay a commission on issuance, including shares acquired through
reinvestment of dividend income and capital gains distributions; or (3) shares
held in all or part of more than four consecutive calendar years.
Subject to the limitations stated above, the Fund imposes the
contingent deferred sales charge according to the following schedule: 4% of
amounts redeemed during the calendar year of purchase; 3% of amounts redeemed
during the calendar year after the year of purchase; 2% of amounts redeemed
during the second calendar year after the year of purchase; and 1% of amounts
redeemed during the third calendar year after the year of purchase. No deferred
sales charge is imposed on amounts redeemed thereafter.
The following example illustrates the operation of the contingent
deferred sales charge. Assume that an investor makes a purchase payment of
$10,000 during the calendar year 1995 and on a given date in 1996 the value of
the investor's account has grown through investment performance and reinvestment
of distributions to $12,000. On such date in 1996, the investor could redeem up
to $2,000 ($12,000 minus $10,000) without incurring a deferred sales charge. If,
on such date, the investor should redeem $3,000, a deferred sales charge would
be imposed on $1,000 of the redemption (the amount by which the investor's
account was reduced by the redemption below the amount of the initial purchase
payment). The charge would be imposed at the rate of 3% (because the redemption
is made during the calendar year after the calendar year of purchase) and would
total $30.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge is payable
and, if so, the percentage charge applicable, it is assumed that shares held the
longest are the first to be redeemed. There is no deferred sales charge on
permitted exchanges of shares between Funds in the Keystone Fund Family that
have adopted distribution plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
Moreover, when shares of one such fund have been exchanged for shares of another
such fund, the calendar year of the exchange, for purposes of any future
deferred sales charge, is deemed to be the year shares tendered for exchange
were originally purchased.
Shares also may be sold, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
regulations, interpretations or exemptions, at net asset value without the
imposition of a deferred sales charge upon redemption of such shares to (1)
officers, Directors, Trustees, full-time employees and sales representatives of
Keystone Management, Keystone, Keystone Investments, Inc. (formerly known as
Keystone Group, Inc.) ("Keystone Investments"), Harbor Capital Management
Company, Inc., their subsidiaries and the Principal Underwriter who have been
such for not less than ninety days; and (2) the pension and profit-sharing plans
established by said companies, their subsidiaries and affiliates, for the
benefit of their officers, Directors, Trustees, full-time employees and sales
representatives, provided, however, that all such sales are made upon the
written assurance of the purchaser that the purchase is made for investment
purposes and that the securities will not be resold except through redemption by
the Fund.
No contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on a redemption of
shares of the Fund purchased by a bank or trust company in a single account in
the name of such bank or trust company as trustee if the initial investment in
shares of the Fund, any other fund in the Keystone Fund Family, Keystone
Precious Metals Holdings, Inc., Keystone International Fund Inc., Keystone Tax
Exempt Trust, Keystone Tax Free Fund, Keystone Liquid Trust and/or any Keystone
America Fund is at least $500,000 and any commission paid by the Fund and such
other funds at the time of such purchase is not more than 1% of the amount
invested.
In addition, no contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on a
redemption of shares of the Fund in the event of (1) death or disability of the
shareholder; (2) a lump-sum distribution from a 401(k) plan or other benefit
plan qualified under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
("ERISA"); (3) automatic withdrawals from ERISA plans if the shareholder is at
least 591/2 years old; (4) involuntary redemptions of accounts having an
aggregate net asset value of less than $1,000; (5) automatic withdrawals under
an automatic withdrawal plan of up to 11/2% per month of the shareholder's
initial account balance; (6) withdrawals consisting of loan proceeds to a
retirement plan participant; (7) financial hardship withdrawals made by a
retirement plan participant; or (8) withdrawals consisting of returns of excess
contributions or excess deferral amounts made to a retirement plan participant.
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DISTRIBUTION PLAN
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act permits investment companies, such as the
Fund, to use their assets to bear expenses of distributing their shares if they
comply with various conditions, including adoption of a distribution plan
containing certain provisions set forth in Rule 12b-1. The Fund bears some of
the costs of selling its shares under a Distribution Plan adopted on June 1,
1983 pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the "Distribution Plan").
The Fund's Distribution Plan provides that the Fund may expend up to
0.3125% quarterly (approximately 1.25% annually) of average daily net asset
value of its shares to pay distribution costs for sales of its shares and to pay
shareholder service fees. The NASD limits such annual expenditures to 1%, of
which 0.75% may be used to pay such distribution costs and 0.25% may be used to
pay shareholder service fees. The aggregate amount that the Fund may pay for
such distribution costs is limited to 6.25% of gross share sales since the
inception of the Fund's Distribution Plan plus interest at the prime rate plus
1% on unpaid amounts thereof (less any contingent deferred sales charge paid by
shareholders to the Principal Underwriter).
Payments under the Distribution Plan are currently made to the
Principal Underwriter (which may reallow all or part to others, such as dealers)
(1) as commissions for Fund shares, and (2) as shareholder service fees in
respect of shares maintained by the recipients and outstanding on the Fund's
books for specific periods. Amounts paid or accrued to the Principal Underwriter
under (1) and (2) in the aggregate may not exceed the annual limitation referred
to above. The Principal Underwriter generally reallows brokers or others a
commission equal to 4% of the price paid for each Fund share sold, as well as a
shareholder service fee at a rate of 0.25% per annum of the net asset value of
shares maintained by such recipients and outstanding on the books of the Fund
for specified periods.
If the Fund is unable to pay the Principal Underwriter a commission on
a new sale because the annual maximum (0.75% of average daily net assets) has
been reached, the Principal Underwriter intends, but is not obligated, to
continue to accept new orders for the purchase of Fund shares and to pay or
accrue commissions and service fees to dealers in excess of the amount it
currently receives from the Fund. While the Fund is under no contractual
obligation to reimburse the Principal Underwriter for advances made by the
Principal Underwriter in excess of the Distribution Plan limitation, the
Principal Underwriter intends to seek full payment of such amounts from the Fund
(together with interest at the prime rate plus one percent) at such time in the
future as, and to the extent that, payment thereof by the Fund would be within
permitted limits. The Principal Underwriter currently intends to seek payment of
interest only on such charges paid or accrued by the Principal Underwriter
subsequent to January 1, 1992. If the Fund's Independent Trustees (the
"Independent Trustees") authorize such payments, the effect will be to extend
the period of time during which the Fund incurs the maximum amount of costs
allowed by the Distribution Plan. If the Distribution Plan is terminated, the
Principal Underwriter will ask the Independent Trustees to take whatever action
they deem appropriate under the circumstances with respect to payment of such
amounts.
The total amounts paid by the Fund under the foregoing arrangements may
not exceed the maximum Distribution Plan limit specified above, and the amounts
and purposes of expenditures under the Distribution Plan must be reported to the
Fund's Independent Trustees quarterly. The Fund's Independent Trustees may
require or approve changes in the implementation or operation of the
Distribution Plan and may require that total expenditures by the Fund under the
Distribution Plan be kept within limits lower than the maximum amount permitted
by the Distribution Plan as stated above. If such costs are not limited by the
Independent Trustees, such costs could, for some period of time, be higher than
such costs permitted by most other plans presently adopted by other investment
companies.
The Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of the
Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund. Any change in the Distribution Plan that would
materially increase the distribution expenses of the Fund provided for in the
Distribution Plan requires shareholder approval. Otherwise the Distribution Plan
may be amended by votes of the majority of both (1) the Fund's Trustees and (2)
the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such amendment.
While the Distribution Plan is in effect, the Fund is required to
commit the selection and nomination of candidates for Independent Trustees to
the discretion of the Independent Trustees.
During the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid the Principal
Underwriter $3,107,302 under the Distribution Plan. During the year ended
October 31, 1995, the Principal Underwriter received $1,892,287 after payments
of commissions on new sales and service fees to dealers and others of
$1,215,015.
Whether any expenditure under the Plan is subject to a state expense
limit will depend upon the nature of the expenditure and the terms of the state
law, regulation or order imposing the limit. A portion of the Fund's
Distribution Plan expenses may be includable in the Fund's total operating
expenses for purposes of determining compliance with state expense limits.
The Independent Trustees of the Fund have determined that the sales of
the Fund's shares resulting from payments under the Distribution Plan have
benefited the Fund.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TRUST AGREEMENT
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRUST AGREEMENT
The Fund is a Pennsylvania common law trust established under a Trust
Agreement dated July 15, 1935, as amended and restated on December 19, 1989 (the
"Restatement"). The Restatement restructured the Fund so that its operation
would be substantially similar to that of most other mutual funds. The
Restatement provides for a Board of Trustees and enables the Fund to enter into
an agreement with an investment manager and/or adviser to provide the Fund with
investment advisory, management and administrative services. A copy of the
Restatement is filed as an exhibit to the Fund's Registration Statement, of
which this statement of additional information is a part. This summary is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Restatement.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Restatement authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of
shares of beneficial interest and the creation of additional series and/or
classes of series of Fund shares. Each share represents an equal proportionate
interest in the Fund with each other share of that class. Upon liquidation,
shares are entitled to a pro rata share in the net assets of their class of Fund
shares. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or conversion rights. Shares are
transferable. The Fund currently intends to issue only one class of shares.
SHAREHOLDER LIABILITY
Pursuant to court decisions or other theories of law, shareholders of
the Fund, a Pennsylvania common law trust, could possibly be held personally
liable for the obligations of the Fund. The possibility of Fund shareholders
incurring financial loss under such circumstances appears to be remote, however,
because the Restatement (1) contains an express disclaimer of shareholder
liability for obligations of the Fund; (2) requires that notice of such
disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or
executed by the Fund or the Trustees; and (3) provides for indemnification out
of Fund property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations
of the Fund.
VOTING RIGHTS
Under the terms of the Restatement, the Fund does not hold annual
meetings. However, at meetings called for the initial election of Trustees or to
consider other matters, shares are entitled to one vote per share. Shares
generally vote together as one class on all matters. No amendment may be made to
the Restatement, however, that adversely affects any class of shares without the
approval of a majority of the shares of that class. There shall be no cumulative
voting in the election of Trustees.
After a meeting as described above, no further meetings of shareholders
for the purpose of electing Trustees will be held, unless required by law until
such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been
elected by shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in office will call a
shareholders' meeting for the election of Trustees.
Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office
indefinitely unless otherwise required by law and may appoint successor
Trustees. A Trustee may cease to hold office or may be removed from office (as
the case may be) (1) at any time by a two-thirds vote of the remaining Trustees;
(2) when such Trustee becomes mentally or physically incapacitated; or (3) at a
special meeting of shareholders by a two-thirds vote of the outstanding shares.
Any Trustee may voluntarily resign from office.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES' LIABILITY
The Restatement provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his
own willful defaults and, if reasonable care has been exercised in the selection
of officers, agents, employees or investment advisers, shall not be liable for
any neglect or wrongdoing of any such person; provided, however, that nothing in
the Restatement shall protect a Trustee against any liability for his willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties.
The Trustees have absolute and exclusive control over the management
and disposition of all assets of the Fund and may perform such acts as in their
sole judgment and discretion are necessary and proper for conducting the
business and affairs of the Fund or promoting the interests of the Fund and the
shareholders.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT MANAGER
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject to the general supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees,
Keystone Management, located at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02116-5034, serves as investment manager to the Fund and is responsible for the
overall management of the Fund's business and affairs. Keystone Management,
organized in 1989, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone and its directors
and principal executive officers have been affiliated with Keystone, a seasoned
investment adviser, for a number of years. Keystone Management also serves as
investment manager to each of the other funds in the Keystone Fund Family and to
certain other funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds.
Except as otherwise noted below, pursuant to an Investment Management
Agreement with the Fund ("Management Agreement") and subject to the supervision
of the Fund's Board of Trustees, Keystone Management manages and administers the
operation of the Fund and manages the investment and reinvestment of the Fund's
assets in conformity with the Fund's investment objective and restrictions. The
Management Agreement stipulates that Keystone Management shall provide office
space, all necessary office facilities, equipment and personnel in connection
with its services and pay or reimburse the Fund for the compensation of Fund
officers and Trustees who are affiliated with the investment manager as well as
pay all expenses of Keystone Management incurred in connection with the
provisions of its services. All charges and expenses other than those
specifically referred to as being borne by Keystone Management will be paid by
the Fund, including, but not limited to, custodian charges and expenses,
bookkeeping and auditors' charges and expenses; transfer agent charges and
expenses; fees of Independent Trustees; brokerage commissions, brokers' fees and
expenses; issue and transfer taxes; costs and expenses under the Distribution
Plan; taxes and trust fees payable to governmental agencies; the cost of share
certificates; fees and expenses of the registration and qualification of the
Fund and its shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission (sometimes
referred to herein as the "SEC" or the "Commission") or under state or other
securities laws; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses,
statements of additional information, notices, reports and proxy materials to
shareholders of the Fund; expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings;
charges and expenses of legal counsel for the Fund and for the Trustees of the
Fund on matters relating to the Fund; charges and expenses of filing annual and
other reports with the SEC and other authorities; and all extraordinary charges
and expenses of the Fund.
The Management Agreement permits Keystone Management to enter into an
agreement with Keystone or another investment adviser, under which Keystone or
such other investment adviser, as investment adviser, will provide substantially
all the services to be provided by Keystone Management under the Management
Agreement. The Management Agreement also permits Keystone Management to delegate
to Keystone or another investment adviser substantially all of the investment
manager's rights, duties and obligations under the Management Agreement.
Services performed by Keystone Management include (1) performing research and
planning with respect to (a) the Fund's qualification as a regulated investment
company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, (b) tax treatment of
the Fund's portfolio investments, (c) tax treatment of special corporate actions
(such as reorganizations), (d) state tax matters affecting the Fund, and (e) the
Fund's distributions of income and capital gains; (2) preparing the Fund's
federal and state tax returns; and (3) providing services to the Fund's
shareholders in connection with federal and state taxation and distributions of
income and capital gains.
The Fund pays Keystone Management a fee for its services at the annual
rate set forth below:
<PAGE>
Annual Aggregate Net Asset
Management Value of the Shares
Fee Income of the Fund
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2% of
Gross Dividend and Interest
Income Plus
0.50% of the first $ 100,000,000 plus
0.45% of the next $ 100,000,000 plus
0.40% of the next $ 100,000,000 plus
0.35% of the next $ 100,000,000 plus
0.30% of the next $ 100,000,000 plus
0.25% of amounts over $ 500,000,000;
computed as of the close of business each business day and paid daily.
The Fund is subject to certain state annual expense limitations, the
most restrictive of which is as follows:
2.5% of the first $30 million of Fund average net assets;
2.0% of the next $70 million of Fund average net assets; and
1.5% of Fund average net assets over $100 million.
Capital charges and certain expenses, including a portion of the Fund's
Distribution Plan expenses, are not included in the calculation of the state
expense limitation. This limitation may be modified or eliminated in the future.
As a continuing condition of registration of shares in a state,
Keystone Management has agreed to reimburse the Fund annually for certain
operating expenses incurred by the Fund in excess of certain percentages of the
Fund's average daily net assets. Keystone Management is not required, however,
to make such reimbursements to the extent it would result in the Fund's
inability to qualify as a regulated investment company under provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code. This condition may be modified or eliminated in the
future.
The Management Agreement will continue in effect from year to year only
if approved at least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees or by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding shares, and such renewal has been approved by the
vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Management Agreement may
be terminated, without penalty, on 60 days' written notice by the Fund's Board
of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of outstanding shares. The Management
Agreement will terminate automatically upon its "assignment" as that term is
defined in the 1940 Act.
For additional discussion of fees paid to Keystone Management, see
"Investment Adviser" below.
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INVESTMENT ADVISER
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pursuant to its Management Agreement with the Fund, Keystone Management
has delegated its investment management functions, except for certain
administrative and management services, to Keystone and has entered into an
Investment Advisory Agreement ("Advisory Agreement") with Keystone under which
Keystone provides investment advisory and management services to the Fund.
Keystone, located at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02116-5034, has provided investment advisory and management services to
investment companies and private accounts since it was organized in 1932.
Keystone is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone Investments, located at 200
Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034.
Keystone Investments is a private corporation predominantly owned by
current and former members of management of Keystone and its affiliates. The
shares of Keystone Investments common stock beneficially owned by management are
held in a number of voting trusts, the trustees of which are George S. Bissell,
Albert H. Elfner, III, Edward F. Godfrey and Ralph J. Spuehler, Jr. Keystone
Investments provides accounting, bookkeeping, legal, personnel and general
corporate services to Keystone Management, Keystone, their affiliates and the
Keystone Investments Family of Funds.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, Keystone receives for its services
an annual fee representing 85% of the management fee received by Keystone
Management under its Management Agreement with the Fund.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement and subject to the
supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees, Keystone manages and administers
the Fund's operation, and manages the investment and reinvestment of the Fund's
assets in conformity with the Fund's investment objectives and restrictions. The
Advisory Agreement stipulates that Keystone shall provide office space, all
necessary office facilities, equipment and personnel in connection with its
services and pay or reimburse the Fund for the compensation of Fund officers and
Trustees who are affiliated with the investment adviser as well as pay all
expenses of Keystone incurred in connection with the provision of its services.
All charges and expenses other than those specifically referred to as being
borne by Keystone will be paid by the Fund, including, but not limited to,
custodian charges and expenses; bookkeeping and auditors' charges and expenses;
transfer agent charges and expenses; fees of Independent Trustees; brokerage
commissions, brokers' fees and expenses; issue and transfer taxes; costs and
expenses under the Distribution Plan; taxes and trust fees payable to
governmental agencies; the cost of share certificates; fees and expenses of the
registration and qualification of the Fund and its shares with the SEC or under
state or other securities laws; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing
prospectuses, statements of additional information, notices, reports and proxy
materials to shareholders of the Fund; expenses of shareholders' and Trustees'
meetings; charges and expenses of legal counsel for the Fund and for the
Trustees of the Fund on matters relating to the Fund; charges and expenses of
filing annual and other reports with the SEC and other authorities; and all
extraordinary charges and expenses of the Fund.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1993, the Fund paid or accrued
to Keystone Management investment administrative services fees of $2,584,363,
which represented 0.56% of the Fund's average net assets on an annualized basis.
Of such amount paid to Keystone Management, $2,196,709 was paid to Keystone for
its services to the Fund.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1994, the Fund paid or accrued
to Keystone Management investment management and administrative services fees of
$2,193,546, which represented 0.56% of the Fund's average net assets on an
annualized basis. Of such amount, $1,864,514 was paid to Keystone for its
services to the Fund.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid or accrued
to Keystone Management investment management and administrative services fees of
$1,876,672, which represented 0.60% of the Fund's average net assets on an
annualized basis. Of such amount paid to Keystone Management, $1,595,171 was
paid to Keystone for its services to the Fund.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trustees and officers of the Fund, their principal occupations and some
of their affiliations over the last five years are as follows:
*ALBERT H. ELFNER, III: President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of the
Fund; Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Keystone Investments, Keystone, Keystone Management and Keystone
Software, Inc. ("Keystone Software"); President, Chief Executive
Officer and Trustee or Director of all other funds in the Keystone
Investments Family of Funds; Chairman of the Board and Director of
Keystone Institutional Company, Inc. ("Keystone Institutional")
(formerly named Keystone Investment Management Corporation) and
Keystone Fixed Income Advisors ("KFIA"); Director and President of
Keystone Asset Corporation, Keystone Capital Corporation and Keystone
Trust Company; Director of the Principal Underwriter, KIRC and
Fiduciary Investment Company, Inc. ("FICO"); Director of Boston
Children's Services Association; Trustee of Anatolia College, Middlesex
School, and Middlebury College; Member, Board of Governors, New England
Medical Center; former Director and President of Hartwell Keystone
Advisers, Inc. ("Hartwell Keystone"); former Director and Vice
President, Robert Van Partners, Inc. and former Trustee of Neworld
Bank.
FREDERICK AMLING: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other funds in
the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Professor, Finance
Department, George Washington University; President, Amling & Company
(investment advice); Member, Board of Advisers, Credito Emilano
(banking); and former Economics and Financial Consultant, Riggs
National Bank.
CHARLES A. AUSTIN III: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other
funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Investment Counselor
to Appleton Partners, Inc.; former Managing Director, Seaward
Management Corporation (investment advice) and former Director,
Executive Vice President and Treasurer, State Street Research &
Management Company (investment advice).
*GEORGE S. BISSELL: Chairman of the Board and Trustee of the Fund; Director of
Keystone Investments; Chairman of the Board and Trustee or Director of
all other funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Chairman
of the Board and Trustee of Anatolia College; Trustee of University
Hospital (and Chairman of its Investment Committee); former Director
and Chairman of the Board of Hartwell Keystone; former Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Investments; and former
Chief Executive Officer of the Fund.
EDWIN D. CAMPBELL: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other
funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Director and former
Executive Vice President, National Alliance of Business; former Vice
President, Educational Testing Services; former Dean, School of
Business, Adelphi University and former Executive Director, Coalition
of Essential Schools, Brown University.
CHARLES F. CHAPIN: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other funds
in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; former Group Vice
President, Textron Corp.; and former Director, Peoples Bank (Charlotte,
N.C).
LEROY KEITH, JR.: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other funds
in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Director of Phoenix Total
Return Fund and Equifax, Inc.; Trustee of Phoenix Series Fund, Phoenix
Multi-Portfolio Fund and The Phoenix Big Edge Series Fund; and former
President, Morehouse College.
K. DUN GIFFORD: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other
funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Chairman of the
Board, Director and Executive Vice President, The London Harness
Company; Managing Partner, Roscommon Capital Corp.; Trustee, Cambridge
College; Chairman Emeritus and Director, American Institute of Food and
Wine; Chief Executive Officer, Gifford Gifts of Fine Foods; Chairman,
Gifford, Drescher & Associates (environmental consulting); President,
Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust (education); and former
Director, Keystone Investments and Keystone.
F. RAY KEYSER, JR.: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other
funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Of Counsel, Keyser,
Crowley & Meub, P.C.; Member, Governor's (VT) Council of Economic
Advisers; Chairman of the Board and Director, Central Vermont Public
Service Corporation and Hitchcock Clinic; Director, Vermont Yankee
Nuclear Power Corporation, Vermont Electric Power Company, Inc., Grand
Trunk Corporation, Central Vermont Railway, Inc., S.K.I. Ltd.,
Sherburne Corporation, Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company, New England
Guaranty Insurance Company, Inc. and the Investment Company Institute;
former Governor of Vermont; former Director and President, Associated
Industries of Vermont; former Chairman and President, Vermont Marble
Company; former Director of Keystone; and former Director and Chairman
of the Board, Green Mountain Bank.
DAVID M. RICHARDSON: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other
funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Executive Vice
President, DHR International, Inc. (executive recruitment); former
Senior Vice President, Boyden International Inc. (executive
recruitment); and Director, Commerce and Industry Association of New
Jersey, 411 International, Inc. and J & M Cumming Paper Co.
RICHARD J. SHIMA: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other funds
in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Chairman, Environmental
Warranty, Inc., and Consultant, Drake Beam Morin, Inc. (executive
outplacement); Director of Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation, Trust
Company of Connecticut, Hartford Hospital, Old State House Association
and Enhanced Financial Services, Inc.; Member, Georgetown College Board
of Advisors; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Hartford Graduate Center;
Trustee, Kingswood-Oxford School and Greater Hartford YMCA; former
Director, Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of The Travelers
Corporation; and former Managing Director of Russell Miller, Inc.
ANDREW J. SIMONS: Trustee of the Fund; Trustee or Director of all other funds
in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Partner, Farrell, Fritz,
Caemmerer, Cleary, Barnosky & Armentano, P.C.; President, Nassau County
Bar Association; former Associate Dean and Professor of Law, St. John's
University School of Law.
EDWARD F. GODFREY: Senior Vice President of the Fund; Senior Vice President of
all other funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Director,
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of
Keystone Investments, the Principal Underwriter, Keystone Asset
Corporation, Keystone Capital Corporation, Keystone Trust Company;
Treasurer of Keystone Institutional and FICO; Treasurer and Director of
Keystone Management, Keystone Software; Vice President and Treasurer of
KFIA; Director of KIRC; former Treasurer and Director of Hartwell
Keystone; former Treasurer of Robert Van Partners, Inc.
JAMES R. McCALL: Senior Vice President of the Fund; Senior Vice President of
all other funds in the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; and
President of Keystone.
J. KEVIN KENELY: Treasurer of the Fund; Treasurer of all other funds in
the Keystone Investments Family of Funds; Vice President of Keystone
Investments, Keystone, the Principal Underwriter, FICO and Keystone
Software.
BETSY A. BLACHER: Vice President of the Fund; Vice President of certain other
Keystone Investments Funds; and Senior Vice President of Keystone.
CHRISTOPHER P. CONKEY: Vice President of the Fund; Vice President of certain
other Keystone Investments Funds; and Senior Vice President of
Keystone.
ROSEMARY D. VAN ANTWERP: Senior Vice President and Secretary of the Fund; Senior
Vice President and Secretary of all other funds in the Keystone
Investments Family of Funds; Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of Keystone; Senior Vice President, General Counsel,
Secretary and Director of the Principal Underwriter, Keystone
Management and Keystone Software; Senior Vice President and General
Counsel of Keystone Institutional; Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Director of FICO and KIRC;Vice President and Secretary of
KFIA; Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Keystone
Investments, Keystone Asset Corporation, Keystone Capital Corporation
and Keystone Trust Company; former Senior Vice President and Secretary
of Hartwell Keystone and Robert Van Partners, Inc.
* This Trustee may be considered an "interested person" within the meaning of
the 1940 Act.
Mr. Elfner and Mr. Bissell are "interested persons" by virtue of their
positions as officers and/or Directors of Keystone Investments and several of
its affiliates including Hartwell Keystone, KDI and KIRC. Mr. Elfner and Mr.
Bissell own shares of Keystone Investments. Mr. Elfner is Chairman of the Board,
Chief Executive Officer and Director of Keystone Group. Mr. Bissell is a
Director of Keystone Investments.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Directors and officers
of Keystone received in aggregate $29,898 in direct remuneration from the Fund.
On January 31, 1996, the Fund's Trustees and officers beneficially owned less
than 1% of the Fund's then outstanding shares. For the calendar year ended
December 31, 1995, aggregate compensation received by Independent Trustees on a
fund complex wide basis (including approximately 30 mutual funds) was $585,990.
The address of all the Fund's Trustees and officers is 200 Berkeley
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034.
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PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pursuant to a Principal Underwriting Agreement with the Fund (the
"Underwriting Agreement"), Keystone Investment Distributors Company acts as the
Fund's principal underwriter. The Principal Underwriter, located at 200 Berkeley
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116-5034, is a Delaware corporation wholly-owned
by Keystone. The Principal Underwriter, as agent, has agreed to use its best
efforts to find purchasers for the shares. The Principal Underwriter may retain
and employ representatives to promote distribution of the shares and may obtain
orders from brokers, dealers and others, acting as principals, for sales of
shares to them. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Principal
Underwriter will bear the expense of preparing, printing and distributing
advertising and sales literature and prospectuses used by it. In its capacity as
principal underwriter, the Principal Underwriter may receive payments from the
Fund pursuant to the Fund's Distribution Plan.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that it will remain in effect as
long as its terms and continuance are approved by a majority of the Fund's
Independent Trustees at least annually cast in person at a meeting called for
that purpose, and if its continuance is approved annually by vote of a majority
of Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares.
The Underwriting Agreement may be terminated, without penalty, on 60
days' written notice by the Fund's Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority
of outstanding shares. The Underwriting Agreement will terminate automatically
upon its "assignment," as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
From time to time, if in the Principal Underwriter's judgment it could
benefit the sales of Fund shares, the Principal Underwriter may use its
discretion in providing to selected dealers promotional materials and selling
aids, including, but not limited to, personal computers, related software and
Fund data files.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1993, the Principal
Underwriter earned commissions of $719,609 after allowing commissions on new
sales and service fees to dealers and others of $4,021,392.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1994, the Principal
Underwriter received $1,856,670 after payments of commissions on new sales and
service fees to dealers and others of $2,011,851.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, the Principal
Underwriter received $1,892,287 after payments of commissions on new sales and
services fees to dealers and others of $1,215,015.
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BROKERAGE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is the policy of the Fund, in effecting transactions in portfolio
securities, to seek best execution of orders at the most favorable prices. The
determination of what may constitute best execution and price in the execution
of a securities transaction by a broker involves a number of considerations
including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the
Fund, involving both price paid or received and any commissions and other costs
paid, the efficiency with which the transaction is effected, the ability to
effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved, the availability
of the broker to stand ready to execute potentially difficult transactions in
the future and the financial strength and stability of the broker. Management
weighs such considerations in determining the overall reasonableness of
brokerage commissions paid.
Subject to the foregoing, a factor in the selection of brokers is the
receipt of research services, such as analyses and reports concerning issuers,
industries, securities, economic factors and trends and other statistical and
factual information. Any such research and other statistical and factual
information provided by brokers to the Fund, Keystone Management or Keystone is
considered to be in addition to and not in lieu of services required to be
performed by Keystone Management under the Management Agreement or Keystone
under the Advisory Agreement. The cost, value and specific application of such
information are indeterminable and cannot be practically allocated among the
Fund and other clients of Keystone Management or Keystone who may indirectly
benefit from the availability of such information. Similarly, the Fund may
indirectly benefit from information made available as a result of transactions
effected for such other clients. Under the Management Agreement and the Advisory
Agreement, Keystone Management and Keystone are permitted to pay higher
brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services in accordance with
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In the event Keystone
Management and Keystone do follow such a practice, they will do so on a basis
that is fair and equitable to the Fund.
The Fund expects that purchases and sales of bonds and money market
instruments usually will be principal transactions. Bonds and money market
instruments are normally purchased directly from the issuer or from an
underwriter or market maker for the securities. There usually will be no
brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for such purchases. Purchases from
underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession and
purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include the spread between
the bid and asked prices. Where transactions are made in the over-the-counter
market, the Fund will deal with primary market makers unless more favorable
prices are otherwise obtainable.
The Fund may participate, if and when practicable, in group bidding for
the purchase directly from an issuer of certain securities for the Fund's
portfolio in order to take advantage of the lower purchase price available to
members of such a group.
Neither Keystone Management, Keystone, nor the Fund intend to place
securities transactions with any particular broker-dealer or group thereof. The
Fund's Board of Trustees, however, has determined that the Fund may follow a
policy of considering sales of shares as a factor in the selection of
broker-dealers to execute portfolio transactions, subject to the requirements of
best execution, including best price, described above.
The policy of the Fund with respect to brokerage is and will be
reviewed by the Fund's Board of Trustees from time to time. Because of the
possibility of further regulatory developments affecting the securities
exchanges and brokerage practices generally, the foregoing practices may be
changed, modified or eliminated.
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently by Keystone
Management or Keystone from those of the other funds and investment accounts
managed by Keystone Management or Keystone. It may frequently develop that the
same investment decision is made for more than one fund. Simultaneous
transactions are inevitable when the same security is suitable for the
investment objective of more than one account. When two or more funds or
accounts are engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the
transactions are allocated as to amount in accordance with a formula which is
equitable to each fund or account. It is recognized that in some cases this
system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as
far as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the
ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions will produce better
executions for the Fund.
For the fiscal years ended October 31, 1993 and 1995, respectively, the
Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions. For the fiscal year ended October
31, 1994, the Fund paid brokerage commissions of $8,000.
In no instance are portfolio securities purchased from or sold to
Keystone Management, Keystone, the Principal Underwriter or any of their
affiliated persons, as defined in the 1940 Act and rules and regulations issued
thereunder.
The Fund does not intend to engage in short-term trading, but reserves
the right to do so if circumstances warrant. Securities will be disposed of
without regard to the length of time held in situations where the Fund believes
that such securities are no longer appropriate investments. Since the Fund may
in some instances sell securities without regard to the length of time they may
have been held, the Fund may have substantial portfolio turnover.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDARDIZED TOTAL RETURN AND YIELD QUOTATIONS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total return quotations for the Fund as they may appear from time to
time in advertisements are calculated by finding the average annual compounded
rates of return over the one, five and ten year periods on a hypothetical $1,000
investment which would equate the initial amount invested to the ending
redeemable value. To the initial investment all dividends and distributions are
added, and all recurring fees charged to all shareholder accounts are deducted.
The ending redeemable value assumes a complete redemption at the end of the one,
five or ten year periods.
The cumulative total returns of the Fund for the one, five and ten year
periods ended October 31, 1995 were 10.69% (including contingent deferred sales
charge), 44.71% and 109.55%, respectively. The compounded average annual rates
of return for the one, five and ten year periods ended October 31, 1995 were
10.69%, 7.67% and 7.68%, respectively.
Current yield quotations as they may appear from time to time in
advertisements will consist of a quotation based on a 30-day period ended on the
date of the most recent balance sheet of the Fund, computed by dividing the net
investment income per share earned during the period by the maximum offering
price per share on the last day of the base period. The Fund's current yield for
the 30-day period ended October 26, 1995 was 4.95%.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the best of the Fund's knowledge, as of January 31, 1996, the
following was the only shareholder of record who owned 5% or more the Fund's
outstanding shares:
% of Fund
---------
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith 12.75%
Attn: Book Entry
4800 Deer Lake Drive East, 3rd Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110, is the Custodian of all securities and cash of the Fund
(the "Custodian"). The Custodian may hold securities of some foreign issuers
outside the United States. The Custodian performs no investment management
functions for the Fund, but, in addition to its custodial services, is
responsible for accounting and related recordkeeping on behalf of the Fund.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, 99 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110,
Certified Public Accountants, are the Fund's independent auditors.
KIRC, located at 101 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142-1519,
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone and serves as the Fund's transfer agent
and dividend disbursing agent.
Except as otherwise stated in its prospectus or required by law, the
Fund reserves the right to change the terms of the offer stated in its
prospectus without shareholder approval, including the right to impose or change
fees for services provided.
No dealer, salesman or other person is authorized to give any
information or to make any representation not contained in the Fund's
prospectus, this statement of additional information or in supplemental sales
literature issued by the Fund or the Principal Underwriter, and no person is
entitled to rely on any information or representation not contained therein.
The Fund's prospectus and this statement of additional information omit
certain information contained in the registration statement filed with the SEC,
which may be obtained from the SEC's principal office in Washington, D.C. upon
payment of the fee prescribed by the rules and regulations promulgated by the
SEC.
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APPENDIX
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CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
S&P CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
An S&P corporate bond rating is a current assessment of the
creditworthiness of an obligor, including obligors outside the United States,
with respect to a specific obligation. This assessment may take into
consideration obligors such as guarantors, insurers, or lessees. Ratings of
foreign obligors do not take into account currency exchange and related
uncertainties. The ratings are based on current information furnished by the
issuer or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable.
The ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following
considerations:
a. Likelihood of default - capacity and willingness of the obligor as
to the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with
the terms of the obligation;
b. Nature of and provisions of the obligation; and
c. Protection afforded by and relative position of the obligation in
the event of bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of
bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.
PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): To provide more detailed indications of credit
quality, ratings from AA to A may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus
sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Bond ratings are as follows:
1. AAA - Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to
pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
2. AA - Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the higher rated issues only in small degree.
3. A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of
changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated
categories.
4. BBB - Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to
pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are
more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal
for debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
5. BB, B, CCC, CC AND C - Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded, on
balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest
and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB indicates
the lowest 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.
MOODY'S CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
Moody's ratings are as follows:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 thereby
not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty
of position characterizes bonds in this class.
6. B - Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the
desirable 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.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating
classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating
category.
COMMON AND PREFERRED STOCK RATINGS
S&P'S EARNINGS AND DIVIDEND RANKINGS FOR COMMON STOCKS
Because the investment process involves assessment of various factors,
such as product and industry position, corporate resources and financial policy,
with results that make some common stocks more highly esteemed than others, S&P
believes that earnings and dividend performance is the end result of the
interplay of these factors and that, over the long run, the record of this
performance has a considerable bearing on relative quality. S&P rankings,
however, do not reflect all of the factors, tangible or intangible, that bear on
stock quality.
Growth and stability of earnings and dividends are deemed key elements
in establishing S&P earnings and dividend rankings for common stocks, which
capsulize the nature of this record in a single symbol.
S&P has established a computerized scoring system based on per-share
earnings and dividend records of the most recent ten years, a period deemed long
enough to measure a company's performance under varying economic conditions. S&P
measures growth, stability within the trend line and cyclicity The ranking
system also makes allowances for company size, since large companies have
certain inherent advantages over small ones. From these scores for earnings and
dividends are determined.
The final score for each stock is measured against a scoring matrix
determined by analysis of the scores of a large and representative sample which
is reviewed and sometimes modified with the following ladder of rankings:
A+ Highest B+ Average C Lowest
A High B Below Average D In Reorganization
A- Above Average B- Lower
S&P believes its rankings are not a forecast of future market price
performance but are basically an appraisal of past performance of earnings and
dividends and relative current standing.
MOODY'S COMMON STOCK RANKINGS
Moody's presents a concise statement of the important characteristics
of a company and an evaluation of the grade (quality) of its common stock. Data
presented includes: (a) capsule stock information which reveals short and long
term growth and yield afforded by the indicated dividend, based on a recent
price; (b) a long term price chart which shows patterns of monthly stock price
movements and monthly trading volumes; (c) a breakdown of a company's capital
account which aids in determining the degree of conservatism or financial
leverage in a company's balance sheet; (d) interim earnings for the current year
to date, plus three previous years; (e) dividend information; (f) company
background; (g) recent corporate developments; (h) prospects for a company in
the immediate future and the next few years; and (i) a ten year comparative
statistical analysis.
This information provides investors with information on what a company
does, how it has performed in the past, how it is performing currently and what
its future performance prospects appear to be.
These characteristics are then evaluated and result in a grading, or
indication of quality. The grade is based on an analysis of each company's
financial strength, stability of earnings and record of dividend payments. Other
considerations include conservativeness of capitalization, depth and caliber of
management, accounting practices, technological capabilities and industry
position. Evaluation is represented by the following grades:
(1) High Grade
(2) Investment Grade
(3) Medium Grade
(4) Speculative Grade
MOODY'S PREFERRED STOCK RATINGS
Preferred stock ratings and their definitions are as follows:
1. aaa: An issue which is rated aaa is considered to be a top-quality
preferred stock. This rating indicates good asset protection and the least risk
of dividend impairment within the universe of preferred stocks.
2. aa: An issue which is rated aa is considered a high-grade preferred
stock. This rating indicates that there is a reasonable assurance that earnings
and asset protection will remain relatively well maintained in the foreseeable
future.
3. a: An issue which is rated a is considered to be an upper-medium
grade preferred stock. While risks are judged to be somewhat greater then in the
AAA and AA classification, earnings and asset protection are, nevertheless,
expected to be maintained at adequate levels.
4. baa: An issue which is rated baa is considered to be a medium-grade
preferred stock, neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Earnings and asset
protection appear adequate at present but may be questionable over any great
length of time.
5. ba: An issue which is rated ba is considered to have speculative
elements and its future cannot be considered well assured. Earnings and asset
protection may be very moderate and not well-safeguarded during adverse periods.
Uncertainty of position characterizes preferred stocks in this class.
6. b: An issue which is rated b generally lacks the characteristics of
a desirable investment. Assurance of dividend payments and maintenance of other
terms of the issue over any long period of time may be small.
7. caa: An issue which is rated caa is likely to be in arrears on
dividend payments. This rating designation does not purport to indicate the
future status of payments.
8. ca: An issue which is rated ca is speculative in a high degree and
is likely to be in arrears on dividends with little likelihood of eventual
payments.
9. c: This is the lowest rated class of preferred or preference stock.
Issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever
attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 in each rating
classification: the modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher
end of its generic rating category, the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking
and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its
generic rating category.
LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS
The Fund may invest in limited and master limited partner ships. A
limited partnership is a partnership consisting of one or more general partners,
jointly and severally responsible as ordinary partners, and by whom the business
is conducted, and one or more limited partners who contribute cash as capital to
the partnership and who generally are not liable for the debts of the
partnership beyond the amounts contributed. Limited partners are not involved in
the day-to-day management of the partnership. They receive income, capital gains
and other tax benefits associated with the partnership project in accordance
with terms established in the partnership agreement. Typical limited
partnerships are in real estate, oil and gas and equipment leasing, but they
also finance movies, research and development and other projects.
For an organization classified as a partnership under the Internal
Revenue Code, each item of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit is not taxed
at the partnership level but flows through to the holder of the partnership
unit. This allows the partnership to avoid taxation and to pass through income
to the holder of the partnership unit at lower individual rates.
A master limited partnership is a publicly traded limited partnership.
The partnership units are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and are freely exchanged on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter
market.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS
The Fund's investments in commercial paper are limited to those rated
A-1 by Standard & Poor's Corporation, PRIME-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
or F-1 by Fitch Investors Service, Inc. These ratings and other money market
instruments are described as follows:
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
Commercial paper rated A-1 by Standard & Poor's has the following
characteristics: Liquidity ratios are adequate to meet cash requirements. The
issuer's long-term senior debt is rated A or better, although in some cases BBB
credits may be allowed. The issuer has access to at least two additional
channels of borrowing. 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 rating PRIME-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by
Moody's. Among the factors considered by Moody's in assigning ratings are the
following: (1) evaluation of the management of the issuer; (2) economic
evaluation of the issuer's industry or industries and an appraisal of
speculative-type risks which may be inherent in certain areas; (3) evaluation of
the issuer's products in relation to competition and customer acceptance; (4)
liquidity; (5) amount and quality of long-term debt; (6) trend of earnings over
a period of ten years; (7) financial strength of a parent company and the
relationships which exist with the issuer; and (8) recognition by the management
of obligations which may be present or may arise as a result of public
preparations to meet such obligations. Relative strength or weakness of the
above factors determines how the issuer's commercial paper is rated within
various categories.
The rating F-1 is the highest rating assigned by Fitch. Among the
factors considered by Fitch in assigning this rating are: (1) the issuer's
liquidity; (2) its standing in the industry; (3) the size of its debt; (4) its
ability to service its debt; (5) its profitability; (6) its return on equity;
(7) its alternative sources of financing; and (8) its ability to access the
capital markets. Analysis of the relative strength or weakness of these factors
and others determines whether an issuer's commercial paper is rated F-1.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
Securities issued or guaranteed by the United States Government
include a variety of Treasury securities that differ only in their interest
rates, maturities and dates of issuance. Treasury bills have maturities of one
year or less. Treasury notes have maturities of one to ten years and Treasury
bonds generally have maturities of greater than ten years at the date of
issuance.
Securities issued or guaranteed by the United States ("U.S.")
Government or its agencies or instrumentalities include direct obligations of
the United States Treasury and securities issued or guaranteed by the Federal
Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the
United States, Small Business Administration, Government National Mortgage
Association, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives,
Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Intermediate
Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Maritime Administration, The Tennessee Valley
Authority, District of Columbia Armory Board and Federal National Mortgage
Association.
Some obligations of United States Government agencies and
instrumentalities, such as Treasury bills and Government National Mortgage
Association pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and
credit of the United States; others, such as securities of Federal Home Loan
Banks, by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; still others,
such as bonds issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association, a private
corporation, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Because
the United States Government is not obligated by law to provide support to an
instrumentality it sponsors, the Fund will invest in the securities issued by
such an instrumentality only when Keystone determines that the credit risk with
respect to the instrumentality does not make its securities unsuitable
investments. United States Government securities will not include international
agencies or instrumentalities in which the United States Government, its
agencies or instrumentalities participate, such as the World Bank, the Asian
Development Bank or the InterAmerican Development Bank, or issues insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the
deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to
the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The
certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.
Certificates of deposit will be limited to U.S. dollar-denominated
certificates of United States banks, including their branches abroad, and of
U.S. branches of foreign banks which are members of the Federal Reserve System
or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and have at least $1 billion in
deposits as of the date of their most recently published financial statements.
BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES
Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short term credit
arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial
transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an
exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific
merchandise. The draft is then "accepted" by the bank that, in effect,
unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its
maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an
earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of
discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as
long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Bankers' acceptances acquired by the Fund must have been accepted by U.S.
commercial banks, including foreign branches of U.S. commercial banks, having
total deposits at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion and must be
payable in U.S. dollars.
OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS
The Fund is authorized to write (i.e., sell) covered call options and to
purchase call options to close out covered call options previously written. A
call option obligates a writer to sell, and gives a purchaser the right to buy,
the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time until the
stated expiration date.
The Fund will only write call options which are covered, which means that
the Fund will own the underlying security (or other securities, such as
convertible securities, which are acceptable for escrow) when it writes the call
option and until the Fund's obligation to sell the underlying security is
extinguished by exercise or expiration of the call option or the purchase of a
call option covering the same underlying security and having the same exercise
price and expiration date. The Fund will receive a premium for writing a call
option, but will give up, until the expiration date, the opportunity to profit
from an increase in the underlying security's price above the exercise price.
The Fund will retain the risk of loss from a decrease in the price of the
underlying security. The writing of covered call options is a conservative
investment technique believed to involve relatively little risk (in contrast to
the writing of naked options which the Fund will not do) but capable of
enhancing the Fund's total return.
The premium received by the Fund for writing a covered call option will be
recorded as a liability in the Fund's statement of assets and liabilities. This
liability will be adjusted daily to the option's current market value, which
will be the latest sale price at the time as of which the net asset value per
share of the Fund is computed (the close of the New York Stock Exchange), or, in
the absence of such sale, at the latest bid quotation. The liability will be
extinguished upon expiration of the option, the purchase of an identical option
in a closing transaction or delivery of the underlying security upon exercise of
the option.
Many options are traded on registered securities exchanges. Options
traded on such exchanges are issued by the Options Clearing Corporation, a
clearing corporation which assumes responsibility for the completion of options
transactions.
The Fund will purchase call options only to close out a covered call option
it has written. When it appears that a covered call option written by the Fund
is likely to be exercised, the Fund may consider it appropriate to avoid having
to sell the underlying security. Or, the Fund may wish to extinguish a covered
call option which it has written in order to be free to sell the underlying
security to realize a profit on the previously written call option or to write
another covered call option on the underlying security. In all such instances,
the Fund can close out the previously written call option by purchasing a call
option on the same underlying security with the same exercise price and
expiration date. (The Fund may, under certain circumstances, also be able to
transfer a previously written call option.) The Fund will realize a short-term
capital gain if the amount paid to purchase the call option plus transaction
costs is less than the premium received for writing the covered call option. The
Fund will realize a short-term capital loss if the amount paid to purchase the
call option plus transaction costs is greater than the premium received for
writing the covered call option.
A previously written call option can be closed out by purchasing an
identical call option only in a secondary market for the call option. Although
the Fund will generally write only those options for which there appears to be
an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market
will exist for any particular option at any particular time, and for some
options no secondary market may exist. In such event it might not be possible to
effect a closing transaction in a particular option. If the Fund as a covered
call option writer is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will
not be able to sell the underlying securities until the option expires or it
delivers the underlying securities upon exercise.
If a substantial number of the call options written by the Fund are
exercised, the Fund's rate of portfolio turnover may exceed historical levels.
This would result in higher transaction costs, including brokerage commissions.
The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the writing of
covered call options and the purchase of call options to close out previously
written options. Such brokerage commissions are normally higher than those
applicable to purchases and sales of portfolio securities.
In the past the Fund has qualified for, and elected to receive, the special
tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code. Although the Fund intends to continue to qualify for such
tax treatment, in order to do so it must, among other things, derive less than
30% of its gross income from gains from the sale or other disposition of
securities held for less than three months. Because of this, the Fund may be
restricted in the writing of call options where the underlying securities have
been held less than three months, in the writing of covered call options which
expire in less than three months, and in effecting closing purchases with
respect to options which were written less than three months earlier. As a
result, the Fund may elect to forego otherwise favorable investment
opportunities and may elect to avoid or delay effecting closing purchases or
selling portfolio securities, with the risk that a potential loss may be
increased or a potential gain may be reduced or turned into a loss.
Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, gain or loss
attributable to a closing transaction and premiums received by the Fund for
writing a covered call option which is not exercised may constitute short-term
capital gain or loss. Under provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, effective
for taxable years beginning after October 22, 1986, a gain on an option
transaction which qualifies as a "designated hedge" transaction under Treasury
regulations may be offset by realized or unrealized losses on such designated
transaction. The netting of gain against such losses could result in a reduction
in gross income from options transactions for purposes of the 30 percent test.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND RELATED OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS
The Fund intends to enter into currency and other financial futures
contracts as a hedge against changes in prevailing levels of interest or
currency exchange rates to seek relative stability of principal and to establish
more definitely the effective return on securities held or intended to be
acquired by the Fund or as a hedge against changes in the prices of securities
or currencies held by the Fund or to be acquired by the Fund. The Fund's hedging
may include sales of futures as an offset against the effect of expected
increases in interest or currency exchange rates or securities prices and
purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in
interest or currency exchange rates.
For example, when the Fund anticipates a significant market or market
sector advance, it will purchase a stock index futures contract as a hedge
against not participating in such advance at a time when the Fund is not fully
invested. The purchase of a futures contract serves as a temporary substitute
for the purchase of individual securities which may then be purchased in an
orderly fashion. As such purchases are made, an equivalent amount of index based
futures contracts would be terminated by offsetting sales. In contrast, the Fund
would sell stock index futures contracts in anticipation of or in a general
market or market sector decline that may adversely affect the market value of
the Fund's portfolio. To the extent that the Fund's portfolio changes in value
in correlation with a given index, the sale of futures contracts on that index
would substantially reduce the risk to the portfolio of a market decline or
change in interest rates, and, by so doing, provide an alternative to the
liquidation of the Fund's securities positions and the resulting transaction
costs.
The Fund intends to engage in options transactions which are related to
commodity futures contracts for hedging purposes and in connection with the
hedging strategies described above.
Although techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts
and related options transactions could be used to reduce the Fund's exposure to
interest rate and/or market fluctuations, the Fund may be able to hedge its
exposure more effectively and perhaps at a lower cost through using futures
contracts and related options transactions. While the Fund does not intend to
take delivery of the instruments underlying futures contracts it holds, the Fund
does not intend to engage in such futures contracts for speculation.
FUTURES CONTRACTS
Futures contracts are transactions in the commodities markets rather
than in the securities markets. A futures contract creates an obligation by the
seller to deliver to the buyer the commodity specified in the contract at a
specified future time for a specified price. The futures contract creates an
obligation by the buyer to accept delivery from the seller of the commodity
specified at the specified future time for the specified price. In contrast, a
spot transaction creates an immediate obligation for the seller to deliver and
the buyer to accept delivery of and pay for an identified commodity. In general,
futures contracts involve transactions in fungible goods such as wheat, coffee
and soybeans. However, in the last decade an increasing number of futures
contracts have been developed which specify currencies, financial instruments or
financially based indexes as the underlying commodity.
U.S. futures contracts are traded only on national futures exchanges
and are standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument.
The principal financial futures exchanges in the United States are The Board of
Trade of the City of Chicago, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the International
Monetary Market (a division of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange), the New York
Futures Exchange and the Kansas City Board of Trade. Each exchange guarantees
performance under contract provisions through a clearing corporation, a
nonprofit organization managed by the exchange membership, which is also
responsible for handling daily accounting of deposits or withdrawals of margin.
A futures commission merchant (Broker) effects each transaction in connection
with futures contracts for a commission. Futures exchanges and trading are
regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act by the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (CFTC) and National Futures Association (NFA).
INTEREST RATE FUTURES CONTRACTS
The sale of an interest rate futures contract creates an obligation by
the Fund, as seller, to deliver the type of financial instrument specified in
the contract at a specified future time for a specified price. The purchase of
an interest rate futures contract creates an obligation by the Fund, as
purchaser, to accept delivery of the type of financial instrument specified at a
specified future time for a specified price. The specific securities delivered
or accepted, respectively, at settlement date, are not determined until at or
near that date. The determination is in accordance with the rules of the
exchange on which the futures contract sale or purchase was made.
Currently, interest rate futures contracts can be purchased or sold on
90-day U.S. Treasury bills, U.S. Treasury bonds, U.S. Treasury notes with
maturities between 6 1/2 and 10 years, Government National Mortgage Association
(GNMA) certificates, 90-day domestic bank certificates of deposit, 90-day
commercial paper, and 90-day Eurodollar certificates of deposit. It is expected
that futures contracts trading in additional financial instruments will be
authorized. The standard contract size is $100,000 for futures contracts in U.S.
Treasury bonds, U.S. Treasury notes and GNMA certificates, and $1,000,000 for
the other designated contracts. While U.S. Treasury bonds, U.S. Treasury bills
and U.S. Treasury notes are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
government and GNMA certificates are guaranteed by a U.S. government agency, the
futures contracts in U.S. government securities are not obligations of the U.S.
Treasury.
INDEX BASED FUTURES CONTRACTS
STOCK INDEX FUTURES CONTRACTS
A stock index assigns relative values to the common stocks included in
the index. The index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the common
stocks so included. A stock index futures contract is a bilateral agreement by
which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a
specified dollar amount times the difference between the closing value of the
stock index on the expiration date of the contract and the price at which the
futures contract is originally made. No physical delivery of the underlying
stocks in the index is made.
Currently, stock index futures contracts can be purchased or sold on
the Standard and Poor's Corporation (S&P) Index of 500 Stocks, the S&P Index of
100 Stocks, the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, the Value Line Index
and the Major Market Index. It is expected that futures contracts trading in
additional stock indices will be authorized. The standard contract size is $500
times the value of the index.
The Fund does not believe that differences between existing stock
indices will create any differences in the price movements of the stock index
futures contracts in relation to the movements in such indices. However, such
differences in the indices may result in differences in correlation of the
futures with movements in the value of the securities being hedged.
OTHER INDEX BASED FUTURES CONTRACTS
It is expected that bond index and other financially based index
futures contracts will be developed in the future. It is anticipated that such
index based futures contracts will be structured in the same way as stock index
futures contracts but will be measured by changes in interest rates, related
indexes or other measures, such as the consumer price index. In the event that
such futures contracts are developed the Fund will sell interest rate index and
other index based futures contracts to hedge against changes which are expected
to affect the Fund's portfolio.
The purchase or sale of a futures contract differs from the purchase or
sale of a security, in that no price or premium is paid or received. Instead, to
initiate trading an amount of cash, cash equivalents, money market instruments,
or U.S. Treasury bills equal to approximately 1 1/2% (up to 5%) of the contract
amount must be deposited by the Fund with the Broker. This amount is known as
initial margin. The nature of initial margin in futures transactions is
different from that of margin in security transactions. Futures contract margin
does not involve the borrowing of funds by the customer to finance the
transactions. Rather, the initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond
or good faith deposit on the contract which is returned to the Fund upon
termination of the futures contract assuming all contractual obligations have
been satisfied. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by
the exchange on which the contract is traded, and may be significantly modified
from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract.
Subsequent payments, called variation margin, to the Broker and from
the Broker, are made on a daily basis as the value of the underlying instrument
or index fluctuates making the long and short positions in the futures contract
more or less valuable, a process known as mark-to-market. For example, when the
Fund has purchased a futures contract and the price of the underlying financial
instrument or index has risen, that position will have increased in value and
the Fund will receive from the Broker a variation margin payment equal to that
increase in value. Conversely, where the Fund has purchased a futures contract
and the price of the underlying financial instrument or index has declined, the
position would be less valuable and the Fund would be required to make a
variation margin payment to the Broker. At any time prior to expiration of the
futures contract, the Fund may elect to close the position. A final
determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to
be paid to or released by the Broker, and the Fund realizes a loss or gain.
The Fund intends to enter into arrangements with its custodian and with
Brokers to enable its initial margin and any variation margin to be held in a
segregated account by its custodian on behalf of the Broker.
Although interest rate futures contracts by their terms call for actual
delivery or acceptance of financial instruments, and index based futures
contracts call for the delivery of cash equal to the difference between the
closing value of the index on the expiration date of the contract and the price
at which the futures contract is originally made, in most cases such futures
contracts are closed out before the settlement date without the making or taking
of delivery. Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by an offsetting
transaction in which the Fund enters into a futures contract purchase for the
same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or index and
same delivery date. If the price in the sale exceeds the price in the offsetting
purchase, the Fund is paid the difference and thus realizes a gain. If the
offsetting purchase price exceeds the sale price, the Fund pays the difference
and realizes a loss. Similarly, the closing out of a futures contract purchase
is effected by an offsetting transaction in which the Fund enters into a futures
contract sale. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase price, the Fund
realizes a gain. If the purchase price exceeds the offsetting sale price the
Fund realizes a loss. The amount of the Fund's gain or loss on any transaction
is reduced or increased, respectively, by the amount of any transaction costs
incurred by the Fund.
As an example of an offsetting transaction, the contractual obligations
arising from the sale of one contract of September U.S. Treasury bills on an
exchange may be fulfilled at any time before delivery of the contract is
required (i.e., on a specified date in September, the "delivery month") by the
purchase of one contract of September U.S. Treasury bills on the same exchange.
In such instance the difference between the price at which the futures contract
was sold and the price paid for the offsetting purchase after allowance for
transaction costs represents the profit or loss to the Fund.
There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter
into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular contract at a
particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting
transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin
deposits on the contract and to complete the contract according to its terms.
OPTIONS ON CURRENCY AND OTHER FINANCIAL FUTURES
The Fund intends to purchase call and put options on currency and other
financial futures contracts and sell such options to terminate an existing
position. Options on currency and other financial futures contracts are similar
to options on stocks except that an option on a currency or other financial
futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid,
to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a
call and a short position if the option is a put) rather than to purchase or
sell stock, currency or other financial instruments at a specified exercise
price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option,
the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder
of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the
writer's futures margin account. This amount represents the amount by which the
market price of the futures contract at exercise exceeds, in the case of a call,
or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option on the
futures contract. If an option is exercised the last trading day prior to the
expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash
equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and value of
the futures contract.
The Fund intends to use options on currency and other financial futures
contracts in connection with hedging strategies. In the future the Fund may use
such options for other purposes.
PURCHASE OF PUT OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS
The purchase of protective put options on commodity futures contracts
is analogous to the purchase of protective puts on individual stocks, where an
absolute level of protection is sought below which no additional economic loss
would be incurred by the Fund. Put options may be purchased to hedge a portfolio
of stocks or debt instruments or a position in the futures contract upon which
the put option is based.
PURCHASE OF CALL OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS
The purchase of a call option on a commodity futures contract
represents a means of obtaining temporary exposure to market appreciation at
limited risk. It is analogous to the purchase of a call option on an individual
stock which can be used as a substitute for a position in the stock itself.
Depending on the pricing of the option compared to either the futures contract
upon which it is based, or upon the price of the underlying financial instrument
or index itself, the purchase of a call option may be less risky than the
ownership of the interest rate or index based futures contract or the underlying
securities. Call options on commodity futures contracts may be purchased to
hedge against an interest rate increase or a market advance when the Fund is not
fully invested.
USE OF NEW INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES INVOLVING CURRENCY OR OTHER FINANCIAL FUTURES
CONTRACTS OR RELATED OPTIONS
The Fund may employ new investment techniques involving currency and
other financial futures contracts and related options. The Fund intends to take
advantage of new techniques in these areas which may be developed from time to
time and which are consistent with the Fund's investment objective. The Fund
believes that no additional techniques have been identified for employment by
the Fund in the foreseeable future other than those described above.
LIMITATIONS ON PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUTURES CONTRACTS AND RELATED OPTIONS ON
SUCH FUTURES CONTRACTS
The Fund will not enter into a futures contract if, as a result
thereof, more than 5% of the Fund's total assets (taken at market value at the
time of entering into the contract) would be committed to margin deposits on
such futures contracts.
The Fund intends that its futures contracts and related options
transactions will be entered into for traditional hedging purposes. That is,
futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of
securities that the Fund owns or futures contracts will be purchased to protect
the Fund against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase.
The Fund does not intend to enter into futures contracts for speculation.
In instances involving the purchase of futures contracts by the Fund,
an amount of cash and cash equivalents, equal to the market value of the futures
contracts will be deposited in a segregated account with the Fund's Custodian
and/or in a margin account with a Broker to collateralize the position and
thereby insure that the use of such futures is unleveraged.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX TREATMENT
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is required to recognize as
income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on futures
contracts as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during
the year. Any gain or loss recognized with respect to a futures contract is
considered to be 60% long term and 40% short term, without regard to the holding
period of the contract. In the case of a futures transaction classified as a
"mixed straddle," the recognition of losses may be deferred to a later taxable
year. The federal income tax treatment of gains or losses from transactions in
options on futures is unclear.
In order for the Fund to continue to qualify for federal income tax
treatment as a regulated investment company, at least 90% of its gross income
for a taxable year must be derived from qualifying income. Any net gain realized
from the closing out of futures contracts, for purposes of the 90% requirement,
will be qualifying income. In addition, gains realized on the sale or other
disposition of securities held for less than three months must be limited to
less than 30% of the Fund's annual gross income. The 1986 Tax Act added a
provision which effectively treats both positions in certain hedging
transactions as a single transaction for the purpose of the 30% requirement. The
provision provides that, in the case of any "designated hedge," increases and
decreases in the value of positions of the hedge are to be netted for the
purposes of the 30% requirement. However, in certain situations, in order to
avoid realizing a gain within a three month period, the Fund may be required to
defer the closing out of a contract beyond the time when it would otherwise be
advantageous to do so.
RISKS OF FUTURES CONTRACTS
Currency and other financial futures contracts prices are volatile and
are influenced, among other things, by changes in stock prices, market
conditions, prevailing interest rates and anticipation of future stock prices,
market movements or interest rate changes, all of which in turn are affected by
economic conditions, such as government fiscal and monetary policies and
actions, and national and international political and economic events.
At best, the correlation between changes in prices of fu- tures
contracts and of the securities being hedged can be only approximate. The degree
of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances, such as variations in
speculative market demand for futures contracts and for securities, including
technical influences in futures contracts trading; differences between the
securities being hedged and the financial instruments and indexes underlying the
standard futures contracts available for trading, in such respects as interest
rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers, or identities of
securities comprising the index and those in the Fund's portfolio. A decision of
whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and
even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market
behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.
Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves
an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price
movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as
well as gain, to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of
the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a 10% decrease in the
value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin
deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were
then closed out, and a 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the
original margin deposit. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may
result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract.
However, the Fund would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead
of entering into the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying
financial instrument. Furthermore, in order to be certain that the Fund has
sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a futures contract, the Fund
will establish a segregated account in connection with its futures contracts
which will hold cash or cash equivalents equal in value to the current value of
the underlying instruments or indices less the margins on deposit.
Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted
in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit
establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary
either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of a
trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of
contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The
daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and
therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the
liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally
moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no
trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and
subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.
RISKS OF OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS
In addition to the risks described above for currency and other
financial futures contracts, there are several special risks relating to options
on futures contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions on such
options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary
market. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any
particular contract or at any particular time. The Fund will not purchase
options on any futures contract unless and until it believes that the market for
such options has developed sufficiently that the risks in connection with such
options are not greater than the risks in connection with the futures contracts.
Compared to the use of futures contracts, the purchase of options on such
futures contracts involves less potential risk to the Fund because the maximum
amount at risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs).
However, there may be circumstances when the use of an option on a futures
contract would result in a loss to the Fund, even though the use of a futures
contract would not, such as when there is no movement in the level of the
futures contract.
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS
The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers. When the Fund
invests in foreign securities they usually will be denominated in foreign
currencies and the Fund temporarily may hold funds in foreign currencies. Thus,
the Fund's share value will be affected by changes in exchange rates.
FORWARD CURRENCY CONTRACTS
As one way of managing exchange rate risk, the Fund may en- gage in
forward currency exchange contracts (agreements to purchase or sell currencies
at a specified price and date). Under the contract, the exchange rate for the
transaction (the amount of currency the Fund will deliver or receive when the
contract is completed) is fixed when the Fund enters into the contract. The Fund
usually will enter into these contracts to stabilize the U.S. dollar value of a
security it has agreed to buy or sell. The Fund also may use these contracts to
hedge the U.S. dollar value of a security it already owns, particularly if the
Fund expects a decrease in the value of the currency in which the foreign
security is denominated. Although the Fund will attempt to benefit from using
forward contracts, the success of its hedging strategy will depend on Keystone's
ability to predict accurately the future exchange rate between foreign
currencies and the U.S. dollar. The value of the Fund's investments denominated
in foreign currencies will depend on the relative strength of those currencies
and the U.S. dollar, and the Fund may be affected favorably or unfavorably by
changes in the exchange rates or exchange control regulations between foreign
currencies and the dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates also may
affect the value of dividends and interest earned, gains and losses realized on
the sale of securities and net investment income and gains, if any, to be
distributed to shareholders by the Fund.
CURRENCY FUTURES CONTRACTS
Currency futures contracts are bilateral agreements under which two
parties agree to take or make delivery of a specified amount of a currency at a
specified future time for a specified price. Trading of currency futures
contracts in the United States is regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act by
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and National Futures Association
(NFA). Currently the only national futures exchange on which currency futures
are traded is the International Monetary Market of the Chicago Mercantile
Exchange. Foreign currency futures trading is conducted in the same manner and
subject to the same regulations as trading in interest rate and index based
futures. The Fund intends to engage in currency futures contracts for hedging
purposes, and not for speculation. The Fund may engage in currency futures
contracts for other purposes if authorized to do so by the Board. The hedging
strategies which will be used by the Fund in connection with foreign currency
futures contracts are similar to those described above for forward foreign
currency exchange contracts.
Currently, currency futures contracts for the British Pound Sterling,
Canadian Dollar, Dutch Guilder, Deutsche Mark, Japanese Yen, Mexican Peso, Swiss
Franc and French Franc can be purchased or sold for U.S. dollars through the
International Monetary Market. It is expected that futures contracts trading in
additional currencies will be authorized. The standard contract sizes are
L125,000 for the Pound, 125,000 for the Guilder, Mark, Swiss and French Francs,
C$100,000 for the Canadian Dollar, Y12,500,000 for the Yen, and 1,000,000 for
the Peso. In contrast to Forward Currency Exchange Contracts which can be traded
at any time, only four value dates per year are available, the third Wednesday
of March, June, September and December.
FOREIGN CURRENCY OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS
Foreign currency options (as opposed to futures) are traded in a
variety of currencies in both the United States and Europe. On the Philadelphia
Stock Exchange, for example, contracts for half the size of the corresponding
futures contracts on the Chicago Board Options Exchange are traded with up to
nine months maturity in Marks, Sterling, Yen, Swiss francs and Canadian dollars.
Options can be exercised at any time during the contract life and require a
deposit subject to normal margin requirements. Since a futures contract must be
exercised, the Fund must continually make up the margin balance. As a result, a
wrong price move could result in the Fund losing more than the original
investment as it cannot walk away from the futures contract as it can an option
contract.
The Fund will purchase call and put options and sell such options to
terminate an existing position. Options on foreign currency are similar to
options on stocks except that an option on an interest rate and/or index based
futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid,
to purchase or sell foreign currency, rather than to purchase or sell stock, at
a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option.
The Fund intends to use foreign currency option transactions in
connection with hedging strategies.
PURCHASE OF PUT OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES
The purchase of protective put options on a foreign currency is
analogous to the purchase of protective puts on individual stocks, where an
absolute level of protection is sought below which no additional economic loss
would be incurred by the Fund. Put options may be purchased to hedge a portfolio
of foreign stocks or foreign debt instruments or a position in the foreign
currency upon which the put option is based.
PURCHASE OF CALL OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES
The purchase of a call option on foreign currency represents a means of
obtaining temporary exposure to market appreciation at limited risk. It is
analogous to the purchase of a call option on an individual stock which can be
used as a substitute for a position in the stock itself. Depending on the
pricing of the option compared to either the foreign currency upon which it is
based, or upon the price of the foreign stock or foreign debt instruments, the
purchase of a call option may be less risky than the ownership of the foreign
currency or the foreign securities. The Fund would purchase a call option on a
foreign currency to hedge against an increase in the foreign currency or a
foreign market advance when the Fund is not fully invested.
The Fund may employ new investment techniques involving for- ward
foreign currency exchange contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and
options on foreign currencies in order to take advantage of new techniques in
these areas which may be developed from time to time and which are consistent
with the Fund's investment objective. The Fund believes that no additional
techniques have been identified for employment by the Fund in the foreseeable
future other than those described above.
CURRENCY TRADING RISKS
Currency exchange trading may involve significant risks. The four major
types of risk the Fund faces are exchange rate risk, interest rate risk, credit
risk and country risk.
EXCHANGE RATE RISK
Exchange rate risk results from the movement up and down of foreign
currency values in response to shifting market supply and demand. When the Fund
buys or sells a foreign currency, an exposure called an open position is
created. Until the time that position can be "covered" by selling or buying an
equivalent amount of the same currency, the Fund is exposed to the risk that the
exchange rate might move against it. Since exchange rate changes can readily
move in one direction, a position carried overnight or over a number of days
involves greater risk than one carried a few minutes or hours. Techniques such
as foreign currency forward and futures contracts and options on foreign
currency are intended to be used by the Fund to reduce exchange rate risk.
MATURITY GAPS AND INTEREST RATE RISK
Interest rate risk arises whenever there are mismatches or gaps in the
maturity structure of the Fund's foreign exchange currency holdings, which is
the total of its outstanding spot and forward or futures contracts.
Foreign currency transactions often involve borrowing short term and
lending longer term to benefit from the normal tendency of interest rates to be
higher for longer maturities. However in foreign exchange trading, while the
maturity pattern of interest rates for one currency is important, it is the
differential between interest rates for two currencies that is decisive.
CREDIT RISK
Whenever the Fund enters into a foreign exchange contract, it faces a
risk, however small, that the counterparty will not perform under the contract.
As a result there is a credit risk, although no extension of "credit" is
intended. To limit credit risk, the Fund intends to evaluate the
creditworthiness of each other party. The Fund does not intend to trade more
than 5% of its net assets under foreign exchange contracts with one party.
Credit risk exists because the Fund's counterparty may be unable or
unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligations as a result of bankruptcy or
insolvency or when foreign exchange controls prohibit payment. In any foreign
exchange transaction, each party agrees to deliver a certain amount of currency
to the other on a particular date. In establishing its hedges a Fund relies on
each contract being completed. If the contract is not performed, then the Fund's
hedge is eliminated, and the Fund is exposed to any changes in exchange rates
since the contract was originated. To put itself in the same position it would
have been in had the contract been performed, the Fund must arrange a new
transaction. However, the new transaction may have to be arranged at an adverse
exchange rate. The trustee for a bankrupt company may elect to perform those
contracts which are advantageous to the company but disclaim those contracts
which are disadvantageous, resulting in losses to the Fund.
Another form of credit risk stems from the time zone differences
between the U.S. and foreign nations. If the Fund sells sterling it generally
must pay pounds to a counterparty earlier in the day than it will be credited
with dollars in New York. In the intervening hours, the buyer can go into
bankruptcy or can be declared insolvent. Thus, the dollars may never be credited
to the Fund.
COUNTRY RISK
At one time or another, virtually every country has inter- fered with
international transactions in its currency. Interference has taken the form of
regulation of the local exchange market, restrictions on foreign investment by
residents or limits on inflows of investment funds from abroad. Governments take
such measures for example to improve control over the domestic banking system or
to influence the pattern of receipts and payments between residents and
foreigners. In those cases, restrictions on the exchange market or on
international transactions are intended to affect the level or movement of the
exchange rate. Occasionally a serious foreign exchange shortage may lead to
payment interruptions or debt servicing delays, as well as interference in the
exchange market. It has become increasingly difficult to distinguish foreign
exchange or credit risk from country risk.
Changes in regulations or restrictions usually do have an important
exchange market impact. Most disruptive are changes in rules which interfere
with the normal payments mechanism. If government regulations change and a
counterparty is either forbidden to perform or is required to do something
extra, then the Fund might be left with an unintended open position or an
unintended maturity mismatch. Dealing with such unintended long or short
positions could result in unanticipated costs to the Fund.
Other changes in official regulations influence international investment
transactions. If one of the factors affecting the buying or selling of a
currency changes, the exchange rate is likely to respond. Changes in such
controls often are unpredictable and can create a significant exchange rate
response.
Many major countries have moved toward liberalization of exchange and
payments restrictions in recent years or accepted the principle that
restrictions should be relaxed. A few industrial countries have moved in the
other direction. Important liberalizations were carried out by Switzerland, the
United Kingdom and Japan. They dismantled mechanisms for restricting either
foreign exchange inflows (Switzerland), outflows (Britain) or elements of both
(Japan). By contrast, France and Mexico have tightened foreign exchange
controls.
Overall, many exchange markets are still heavily restricted. Several
countries limit access to the forward market to companies financing documented
export or import transactions in an effort to insulate the market from purely
speculative activities. Some of these countries permit local traders to enter
into forward contracts with residents but prohibit certain forward transactions
with nonresidents. By comparison, other countries have strict controls on
exchange transactions by residents, but permit free exchange transactions
between local traders and non-residents. A few countries have established tiered
markets, funneling commercial transactions through one market and financial
transactions through another. Outside the major industrial countries, relatively
free foreign exchange markets are rare and controls on foreign currency
transactions are extensive.
Another aspect of country risk has to do with the possibility that the
Fund may be dealing with a foreign trader whose home country is facing a
payments problem. Even though the foreign trader intends to perform on its
foreign exchange contracts, the contracts are tied to other external liabilities
the country has incurred. As a result performance may be delayed, and can result
in unanticipated cost to the Fund. This aspect of country risk is a major
element in the Fund's credit judgment as to with whom it will deal and in what
amounts.
<PAGE>
PAGE 8
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS--October 31, 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Interest Maturity Par Market
Rate Date Value Value
================================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FIXED INCOME (95.8%)
CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES (17.5%)
BANK & FINANCE (5.6%)
Barnett Banks, Inc. Med. Term Notes 10.875% 2003 $4,500,000 $ 5,566,410
Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc. Sr. Notes 6.875 2005 1,000,000 993,930
Finova Cap Corp. Notes 6.375 2000 3,000,000 2,994,030
General Motors Acceptance Corp. Notes 6.625 2002 1,550,000 1,551,457
Morgan Stanley Group, Inc. Med. Term Notes 7.790 1997 3,000,000 3,067,230
Society Corp. Notes (Subord.) 8.125 2002 2,850,000 3,089,941
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17,262,998
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER GOODS (2.0%)
Procter & Gamble, ESOP Series A Deb. 9.360 2021 5,000,000 6,252,350
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVERSIFIED COMPANIES (1.5%)
General Electric Capital Corp. Deb. 8.750 2007 4,000,000 4,676,800
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OIL (1.7%)
Atlantic Richfield Co. Deb. 9.875 2016 4,000,000 5,188,440
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHARMACEUTICAL (2.5%)
Upjohn Co., ESOP Sinking Fund Deb. 9.790 2004 6,994,909 7,865,286
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETAIL (1.3%)
Dayton Hudson Corp. Deb. 9.750 2002 3,500,000 4,094,895
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (2.9%)
Ameritech Capital Funding Corp. Deb. 7.500 2005 4,000,000 4,283,320
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Deb. 7.000 2015 3,000,000 3,045,960
U.S. West Financial Services, Inc. Med. Term Notes 8.850 1999 1,500,000 1,628,490
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8,957,770
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS & NOTES (Cost--$52,709,774) 54,298,539
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOREIGN BONDS (U.S. DOLLARS) (4.8%)
Dresdner Bank A.G. Yankee Deb. (Subord.) 7.250 2015 1,500,000 1,532,700
International Bank for Reconstruction &
Development Unsecd. Eurodollar Deb. 8.250 2016 5,000,000 5,804,750
Ireland (Republic of) Yankee Deb. (Subord.) 7.875 2001 5,000,000 5,398,700
Wharf Capital International Gtd. Sr. Notes 8.875 2004 2,000,000 2,114,540
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL FOREIGN BONDS (U.S. DOLLARS) (Cost--$13,981,044) 14,850,690
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments
<PAGE>
Page 9
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS--October 31, 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Interest Maturity Par Market
Rate Date Value Value
================================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (12.2%)
FNMA (Est. Mat. 2001) (a) Series 1991-141 Class PH 7.500% 2019 $5,000,000 $ 5,041,400
FNMA (Est. Mat. 2005) (a) Series 1992-181 Class PK 2021 4,000,000 3,837,800
FNMA (Est. Mat. 2007) (a) Series 1993-38 Class L 5.000 2022 2,500,000 2,111,925
Fleet Financial Home Equity Trust (Est.
Mat. 1996) (a) Series 1990-1 Class AS 6.700 2006 4,701,326 4,728,265
Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc.
(Est. Mat. 1997) (a) Series 1991-D Class A 9.000 2011 786 809
Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc.
(Est. Mat. 1998) (a) Series 1992-B Class B 8.500 2012 2,373,761 2,455,418
Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc.
(Est. Mat. 1999) (a) Series 1992-D Class B 8.500 2017 2,818,590 2,930,657
Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc.
(Est. Mat. 1999) (a) Series 1991-G Class B 9.150 2011 3,863,981 4,070,124
Paine Webber Mortgage Acceptance Corp.
IV (Est. Mat. 1996) (a) Series 1993-5 Class A3 6.875 2008 2,430,994 2,435,552
Residential Funding Mortgage Security I Series 1993-S45 Class
(Est. Mat. 2001) (a) A11 6.000 2023 5,000,000 4,834,350
Residential Funding Corp. (Est. Mat.
1997) (a) Series 1994-S15 Class A1 7.750 2024 4,093,951 4,150,243
University Support Services, Inc. (Est.
Mat. 1998) (a) Series 1992-D 9.166 2007 1,215,000 1,218,037
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (Cost--$36,759,641) 37,814,580
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES (7.7%)
FHLMC Pool #303865 8.500 1997 100,537 103,240
FHLMC Pool #555218 9.000 2021 5,836,899 6,136,507
FHLMC Pool #B00366 8.000 2002 5,432,165 5,591,707
GNMA Pool #001849 8.500 2024 7,291,619 7,546,826
GNMA Pool #351171 7.500 2023 4,646,115 4,707,072
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES (Cost--$23,697,118) 24,085,352
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (5.2%)
Chemical Master Credit Card Trust 1 Series 1995-2 Class A 6.230 2003 4,000,000 4,020,160
Crimmi Mae Financial Corp. Series 1 Class A 7.000 2033 1,000,000 980,000
First Security Auto Grantor Trust Series 1995-A Class A 6.250 2001 3,452,632 3,465,131
Old Kent Auto Receivable Trust Series 1995-A Class A 6.200 2001 3,709,038 3,717,866
Olympic Automobile Receivable Trust Series 1995-C Class CTFS 6.200 2002 4,000,000 4,005,760
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Cost--$16,119,727) 16,188,917
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
(continued on next page)
<PAGE>
PAGE 10
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS--October 31, 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Interest Maturity Par Market
Rate Date Value Value
========================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT (AND AGENCY) ISSUES (48.4%)
FNMA Deb. 8.550% 2004 $ 5,000,000 $ 5,221,850
FHLMC Deb. 7.830 2004 2,000,000 2,039,020
FHLB Deb. 8.700 2005 1,000,000 1,053,440
FHLB Deb. 9.120 2005 2,000,000 2,015,320
U.S. Treasury Bonds 9.250 2016 20,500,000 27,123,960
U.S. Treasury Bonds 7.875 2021 16,800,000 19,776,792
U.S. Treasury Bonds 7.625 2025 2,000,000 2,321,880
U.S. Treasury Notes 7.500 2002 1,500,000 1,629,615
U.S. Treasury Notes 6.375 2002 2,000,000 2,051,560
U.S. Treasury Notes 5.125 1998 41,000,000 40,295,210
U.S. Treasury Notes 8.500 1997 10,000,000 10,395,300
U.S. Treasury Notes 7.750 2000 13,000,000 13,932,360
U.S. Treasury Notes 7.875 2004 20,000,000 22,540,600
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT (AND AGENCY) ISSUES (Cost--$147,603,794) 150,396,907
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL FIXED INCOME (Cost--$290,871,098) 297,634,985
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maturity
Value
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (1.1%)
Keystone Joint Repurchase Agreement (Investments in repurchase
agreements, in a joint trading account, purchased 10/31/95) (b)
(Cost--$3,617,000) 5.872 11/01/95 $ 3,617,590 3,617,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL INVESTMENTS (Cost--$294,488,098) (c) 301,251,985
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES--NET (3.1%) 9,539,503
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET ASSETS (100.0%) $310,791,488
=========================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
NOTES TO SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS:
(a) The estimated maturity of a Collateralized Mortgage Obligation ("CMO") is
based on current and projected prepayment rates. Changes in interest
rates can cause the estimated maturity to differ from the listed date.
(b) The repurchase agreements are fully collateralized by U.S. government
and/or agency obligations based on market prices at October 31, 1995.
(c) The cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is $294,987,787.
Gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments based on
identified tax cost at October 31,1995 are as follows:
Gross unrealized appreciation $ 7,568,213
Gross unrealized depreciation (1,304,015)
----------
Net unrealized appreciation $ 6,264,198
===========
Legend of Portfolio Abbreviations
FHLB--Federal Home Loan Bank
FHLMC--Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
FNMA--Federal National Mortgage Association
GNMA--Government National Mortgage Association
See Notes to Financial Statements
<PAGE>
PAGE 11
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(For a share outstanding throughout the year)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year Ended October 31,
1995 1994 1993 1992 1991
=================================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value beginning of year $ 14.44 $ 16.40 $ 15.92 $ 15.92 $ 15.11
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment income 0.87 0.76 0.96 1.04 1.08
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments and closed
futures contracts 1.05 (1.76) 0.66 0.15 0.99
Net commissions paid on fund share
sales (a) 0 0 0 0 0
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from investment operations 1.92 (1.00) 1.62 1.19 2.07
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less distributions from:
Net investment income (0.87) (0.76) (0.96) (1.04) (1.08)
In excess of net investment income (0.05) (0.09) (0.18) (0.15) (0.18)
Tax basis return of capital (0.02) (0.11) 0 0 0
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments and closed futures
contracts 0 0 0 0 0
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total distributions (0.94) (0.96) (1.14) (1.19) (1.26)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value end of year $ 15.42 $ 14.44 $ 16.40 $ 15.92 $ 15.92
==================================================================================================================================
Total return (b) 13.69% (6.27%) 10.50% 7.71% 14.09%
Ratios/supplemental data
Ratios to average net assets:
Total expenses 1.96%(c) 1.86% 1.94% 2.01% 2.04%
Net investment income 5.86% 5.05% 5.85% 6.40% 6.95%
Portfolio turnover rate 244% 169% 190% 102% 158%
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets end of year (thousands) $310,791 $327,276 $458,925 $456,912 $453,528
==================================================================================================================================
<CAPTION>
Year Ended October 31,
1990 1989 1988 1987 1986
=================================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value beginning of year $ 15.85 $ 15.71 $ 15.52 $ 17.30 $ 16.15
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment income 1.11 1.21 1.19 1.20 1.50
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments and closed
futures contracts (0.53) 0.25 0.32 (1.59) 1.56
Net commissions paid on fund share
sales (a) 0 0 0 0 (0.20)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from investment operations 0.58 1.46 1.51 (0.39) 2.86
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less distributions from:
Net investment income (1.18) (1.32) (1.32) (1.39) (1.64)
In excess of net investment income (0.14) 0 0 0 0
Tax basis return of capital 0 0 0 0 0
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments and closed futures
contracts 0 0 0 0 (0.07)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total distributions (1.32) (1.32) (1.32) (1.39) (1.71)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value end of year $ 15.11 $ 15.85 $ 15.71 $ 15.52 $ 17.30
===============================================================================================================================
Total return (b) 3.93% 9.82% 10.09% (2.44%) 18.13%
Ratios/supplemental data
Ratios to average net assets:
Total expenses 1.95% 1.82% 1.64% 1.56% 1.00%
Net investment income 7.45% 7.61% 7.49% 7.32% 8.37%
Portfolio turnover rate 117% 116% 153% 127% 97%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets end of year (thousands) $408,330 $462,425 $447,454 $440,836 $348,107
================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(a) Prior to June 30, 1987, net commissions paid on new sales of shares under
the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan has been treated for both
financial statement and tax purposes as capital charges. On June 11,
1987, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted a rule which
required for financial statements for the periods ended on or after June
30, 1987, that net commissions paid under Rule 12b-1 be treated as
operating expenses rather than capital charges. Accordingly, beginning
with the year ended October 31, 1987, the Fund's financial statements
reflect 12b-1 Distribution Plan expenses (i.e., transfer agent fees plus
commissions paid net of deferred sales charges received by the Fund) as a
component of net investment income.
(b) Excluding applicable sales charges
(c) "Ratio of total expenses to average net assets" for the year ended
October 31, 1995 includes indirectly paid expenses. Excluding indirectly
paid expenses for the year ended October 31, 1995 the expense ratio would
have been 1.94%.
See Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
PAGE 12
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES--
October 31, 1995
===========================================================
Assets (Note 1):
Investments at market value (identified
cost-- $294,488,098) $301,251,985
Cash 153
Receivable for:
Investments sold 3,964,170
Interest 4,966,981
Fund shares sold 6,723,763
Prepaid expenses and other assets 50,938
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Total assets 316,957,990
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Liabilities (Notes 2 and 4):
Payable for:
Investments purchased 5,305,553
Fund shares redeemed 205,861
Distributions to shareholders 575,212
Other accrued expenses 79,876
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Total liabilities 6,166,502
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Net assets $310,791,488
===========================================================
Net assets represented by (Note 1):
Paid-in capital $333,652,241
Accumulated distributions in excess of net
investment income (575,212)
Accumulated net realized gain (loss) on
investments and closed futures contracts (29,049,428)
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments 6,763,887
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Total net assets applicable to outstanding
shares of beneficial interest ($15.42 a
share on 20,148,901 shares outstanding)
(Note 2) $310,791,488
============================================================
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS--
Year Ended October 31, 1995
============================================================================
Investment income (Note 1):
Interest $24,281,142
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses (Notes 2 and 4):
Management fee $ 1,876,672
Transfer agent fees 729,430
Accounting, auditing and legal 65,692
Custodian fees 181,299
Printing 27,934
Trustees' fees and expenses 29,898
Distribution Plan expenses 3,099,486
Registration fees 50,264
Miscellaneous expenses 27,379
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total expenses 6,088,054
Less: Expenses paid indirectly
(Note 4) (44,099)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net expenses 6,043,955
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income 18,237,187
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments and closed futures contracts
(Notes 1 and 3):
Net realized gain (loss) on:
Investments (6,457,397)
Closed futures contract (292,580)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments and closed futures
contracts (6,749,977)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investments 28,285,126
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments and closed
futures contracts 21,535,149
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
resulting from operations $39,772,336
=============================================================================
See Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
PAGE 13
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
Year Ended October 31,
1995 1994
===============================================================================
Operations:
Net investment income $ 18,237,187 $ 19,651,971
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and
closed futures contracts (6,749,977) (20,637,648)
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investments 28,285,126 (24,916,518)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
resulting from operations 39,772,336 (25,902,195)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distributions to shareholders from (Note 1):
Net investment income (18,237,187) (19,651,971)
In excess of net investment income (763,245) (1,885,034)
Tax basis return of capital (472,154) (2,544,603)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total distributions to shareholders (19,472,586) (24,081,608)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital share transactions (Note 2):
Proceeds from shares sold 78,243,761 146,861,304
Payments for shares redeemed (126,927,895) (243,065,758)
Net asset value of shares issued in
reinvestment of dividends and
distributions 11,900,336 14,538,531
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets
resulting from capital share transactions (36,783,798) (81,665,923)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in net assets (16,484,048) (131,649,726)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets:
Beginning of year 327,275,536 458,925,262
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of year [Accumulated distributions in
excess of net investment income as
follows: October 31, 1995--($575,212) and
October 31, 1994-- ($703,858)] (Note 1) $ 310,791,488 $ 327,275,536
===============================================================================
See Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
PAGE 14
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(1.) Significant Accounting Policies
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1) (formerly, Keystone Custodian Fund, Series
B-1) (the "Fund") is a common law trust for which Keystone Management, Inc.
("KMI") is the Investment Manager and Keystone Investment Management Company
(formerly Keystone Custodian Funds, Inc.) ("Keystone") is the Investment
Adviser. The Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), as a diversified, open-end investment company.
Keystone is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone Investments, Inc. (formerly
Keystone Group, Inc.) ("KII"), a Delaware corporation. KII is privately
owned by an investor group consisting of current and former members of
management of Keystone and its affiliates.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently
followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The
policies are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
A. Investments are usually valued at the closing sales price, or in the
absence of sales and for over-the-counter securities, the mean of bid and
asked quotations. Management values the following securities at prices it
deems in good faith to be fair: (a) securities (including restricted
securities) for which complete quotations are not readily available and (b)
listed securities if, in the opinion of management, the last sales price does
not reflect a current value, or if no sale occurred. Short-term investments
maturing in sixty days or less are valued at amortized cost (original
purchase cost as adjusted for amortization of premium or accretion of
discount) which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market.
Short-term investments maturing in more than sixty days for which market
quotations are readily available are valued at current market value.
Short-term investments maturing in more than sixty days when purchased which
are held on the sixtieth day prior to maturity are valued at amortized cost
(market value on the sixtieth day adjusted for amortization of premium or
accretion of discount), which when combined with accrued interest,
approximates market. Investments denominated in a foreign currency are
adjusted daily to reflect changes in exchange rates. Market quotations are
not considered to be readily available for long-term corporate bonds and
notes; such investments are stated at fair value on the basis of valuations
furnished by a pricing service, approved by the Trustees, which determines
valuations for normal, institutional-size trading units of such securities
using methods based on market transactions for comparable securities and
various relationships between securities which are generally recognized by
institutional traders. Securities traded in foreign currency amounts are
translated into United States dollars as follows: market value of
investments, assets, and liabilities at the daily rate of exchanges;
purchases and sales of investments, income, and expenses at the rate of
exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.
B. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a
specific amount of a commodity, security, financial instrument, or, in the
case of a stock index, cash at a set price on a future date. Upon entering
into a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit with a broker an
amount ("initial margin") equal to a certain percentage of the purchase price
indicated in the futures contract. Subsequent payments ("variation margin")
are made or received by the Fund each day, as the value of the underlying
instrument or index fluctuates, and are recorded for book purposes as
unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. For federal tax
<PAGE>
PAGE 15
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
purposes, any futures contracts which remain open at fiscal year-end are
marked-to-market and the resultant net gain or loss is included in federal
taxable income. In addition to the market risk, the Fund is subject to the
credit risk that the other party will not be able to complete the obligations
of the contract.
C. When the Fund enters into a repurchase agreement (a purchase of securities
whereby the seller agrees to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed
upon date and price), the repurchase price of the securities will generally
equal the amount paid by the Fund plus a negotiated interest amount. The
seller under the repurchase agreement will be required to provide securities
("collateral") to the Fund whose value will be maintained at an amount not
less than the repurchase price, and which generally will be maintained at
101% of the repurchase price. The Fund monitors the value of collateral on a
daily basis, and if the value of collateral falls below required levels, the
Fund intends to seek additional collateral from the seller or terminate the
repurchase agreement. If the seller defaults, the Fund would suffer a loss to
the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the underlying securities were
less than the repurchase price. Any such loss would be increased by any cost
incurred on disposing of such securities. If bankruptcy proceedings are
commenced against the seller under the repurchase agreement, the realization
on the collateral may be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements entered
into by the Fund will be limited to transactions with dealers or domestic
banks believed to present minimal credit risks, and the Fund will take
constructive receipt of all securities underlying repurchase agreements until
such agreements expire.
Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Fund, along with certain other Keystone funds, may transfer
uninvested cash balances into a joint trading account. These balances are
invested in one or more repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized
by U.S. Treasury and/or Federal Agency obligations.
D. The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts
("contracts") to settle portfolio purchases and sales of securities
denominated in a foreign currency and to hedge certain foreign currency
assets. Contracts are recorded at market value and marked-to-market daily.
Realized gains and losses arising from such transactions are included in net
realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions. The Fund is
subject to the credit risk that the other party will not complete the
obligations of the contract.
E. Foreign currency amounts are translated into United States dollars as
follows: market value of investments, assets and liabilities at the daily
rate of exchanges, purchase and sales of investments, income and expenses at
the rate of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.
Net unrealized foreign exchange gain (loss) is a component of unrealized
appreciation (depreciation) of investments.
F. Securities transactions are accounted for no later than one business day
after the trade date. Realized gains and losses are recorded on the
identified cost basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis and
dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. All discounts are
amortized for both financial reporting and federal income tax purposes.
Distributions to shareholders are recorded at the close of business on the
ex-dividend date.
G. The Fund has qualified, and intends to qualify in the future, as a
regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended ("Internal Revenue Code"). Thus, the Fund expects to be relieved of
any federal income tax liability by dis-
<PAGE>
PAGE 16
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
tributing all of its net taxable investment income and net taxable capital
gains, if any, to its shareholders. The Fund intends to avoid any excise tax
liability by making the required distributions under the Internal Revenue
Code.
H. The Fund distributes net investment income monthly and capital gains, if
any, annually. Distributions are determined in accordance with income tax
regulations. The significant differences between financial statement amounts
available for distribution and distributions made in accordance with income
tax regulations are primarily due to the different treatment of 12b-1
expenses prior to April 1995, differences in the treatment of paydown losses
and the deferral of losses for income tax purposes that have been recognized
for financial statement purposes.
(2.) Capital Share Transactions
The Trust Agreement authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of shares
of beneficial interest with a par value of $1.00. Transactions in shares of
the Fund were as follows:
Year Ended October 31,
1995 1994
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shares sold 5,215,666 9,718,655
Shares redeemed (8,523,861) (15,997,010)
Shares issued in reinvestment of dividends
and distributions 799,017 951,580
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) (2,509,178) (5,326,775)
=======================================================================
The Fund bears some of the costs of selling its shares under a
Distribution Plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under
the Distribution Plan, the Fund pays Keystone Investment Distributors Company
(formerly Keystone Distributors, Inc.) ("KIDC"), the principal underwriter
and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone, amounts which in total may not
exceed the Distribution Plan maximum.
In connection with the Distribution Plan and subject to the limitations
discussed below, Fund shares are offered for sale at net asset value without
any initial sales charge. From the amounts received by KIDC in connection
with the Distribution Plan, and subject to the limitations discussed below,
KIDC generally pays brokers or others a commission equal to 4.00% of the
price paid to the Fund for each sale of Fund shares as well as a shareholder
service fee at a rate of 0.25% per annum of the net asset value of shares
sold by such brokers or others and remaining outstanding on the books of the
Fund for specified periods.
To the extent Fund shares purchased prior to January 1, 1992 are redeemed
within four calendar years of original issuance, the Fund may be eligible to
receive a deferred sales charge from the investor as partial reimbursement
for sales commissions previously paid on those shares. This charge is based
on declining rates, which begin at 4.00%, applied to the lesser of the net
asset value of shares redeemed or the total cost of such shares.
The Distribution Plan provides that the Fund may incur certain expenses
which may not exceed a maximum amount equal to 0.3125% of the Fund's average
daily net assets for any calendar quarter (approximately 1.25% annually)
occurring after the inception of the Distribution Plan. A rule of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD Rule") limits the
annual expenditures which the Fund may incur under the Distribution Plan to
1.00% of which 0.75% may be used to pay such distribution expenses and 0.25%
may be used to pay shareholder service fees. The NASD Rule also limits the
aggregate amount which
<PAGE>
PAGE 17
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
the Fund may pay for such distribution costs to 6.25% of gross share sales
since the inception of the Fund's Distribution Plan, plus interest at the
prime rate plus 1.00% on unpaid amounts thereof (less any contingent deferred
sales charges paid by the shareholders to KIDC).
Since July 8, 1992, contingent deferred sales charges applicable to shares
of the Fund issued after January 1, 1992 have, to the extent permitted by the
NASD Rule, been paid to KIDC rather than to the Fund. During the year, KIDC
received $379,967 in deferred sales charges.
KIDC intends, but is not obligated, to continue to pay or accrue
distribution charges which exceed current annual payments permitted to be
received by KIDC from the Fund. KIDC intends to seek full payment of such
charges from the Fund (together with annual interest thereon at the prime
rate plus 1.00%) at such time in the future as, and to the extent that,
payment thereof by the Fund would be within permitted limits. KIDC currently
intends to seek payment of interest only on such charges paid or accrued by
KIDC since January 1, 1992.
During the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund recovered $7,816 in
contingent deferred sales charges. During the year ended October 31, 1995,
the Fund paid KIDC $3,107,302 under the Distribution Plan. The amount paid by
the Fund under its Distribution Plan, net of deferred sales charges, was
$3,099,486 (1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets). During the year
ended October 31, 1995, KIDC received $1,892,287 after payments of
commissions on new sales and service fees to dealers and others of
$1,215,015.
Under the NASD Rule, the maximum uncollected amount for which KIDC may
seek payment from the Fund under its Distribution Plan is $10,779,790 as of
October 31, 1995 (3.47% of the Fund's net assets at October 31, 1995).
(3.) Securities Transactions
As of October 31, 1995, the Fund had a capital loss carryover for federal
income tax purposes of approximately $28,549,000 which expires as follows:
1998--$2,251,000; 2002--$20,145,000; 2003--$6,153,000.
For the year ended October 31, 1995, purchases and sales of investment
securities (excluding short-term securities) were as follows:
Cost of Proceeds
Purchases from Sales
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Investments (excluding U.S. Government
obligations) $246,215,525 $288,216,383
U.S Government obligations 477,415,023 464,241,618
=====================================================================
(4.) Investment Management Agreement and Other Transactions
Under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement between KMI and the
Fund, KMI provides investment management and administrative services to the
Fund. In return, KMI is paid a management fee computed and paid daily. The
management fee is calculated at an annual rate of 2.0% of the Fund's gross
investment income plus an amount determined by applying percentage rates
starting at 0.50% and declining as net assets increase to 0.25% per annum, to
the net asset value of the Fund.
KMI has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with Keystone under
which Keystone provides investment advisory and management services to the
Fund and receives for its services an annual fee representing 85% of the
management fee received by KMI.
<PAGE>
PAGE 18
- ------------------------------------------
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
(formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series B-1)
During the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid or accrued to KMI
investment management and administrative services fees of $1,876,672 which
represented 0.60% of the Fund's average net assets. Of such amount paid to
KMI, $1,595,171 was paid to Keystone for its services to the Fund.
During the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid or accrued $25,306
to KII for certain accounting services. Keystone Investor Resource Center,
Inc. ("KIRC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keystone, serves as the Fund's
transfer agent. For the year ended October 31, 1995 the Fund paid or accrued
$729,430 to KIRC for transfer agent fees.
The Fund has entered into an expense offset arrangement with its
custodian. For the year ended October 31, 1995, the Fund paid custody fees in
the amount of $137,200 and received a credit of $44,099 pursuant to the
expense offset arrangement, resulting in a total expense of $181,299. The
assets deposited with the custodian under the expense offset arrangement
could have been invested in income-producing assets.
Certain officers and/or Directors of Keystone are also officers and/or
Trustees of the Fund. Officers of Keystone and affiliated Trustees receive no
compensation directly from the Fund.
(5.) Distributions to Shareholders
A distribution of net investment income of $0.078 per share was declared
payable by December 6, 1995 to shareholders of record November 24, 1995. This
distribution is not reflected in the accompanying financial statements.
=============================================================================
Federal Tax Status--Fiscal 1995
Distributions (Unaudited)
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, dividends of $0.94 per share were
paid. These dividends are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income in the
year in which received by them or credited to their accounts and are not
eligible for the corporate dividend received deduction.
In January 1996, we will send you complete information on the distributions
paid during the calendar year to help you in completing your federal tax
return.
<PAGE>
PAGE 19
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
The Trustees and Shareholders
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1)
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1) (formerly Keystone Custodian Fund, Series
B-1), including the schedule of investments, as of October 31, 1995 and the
related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of
changes in net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then
ended, and the financial highlights for each of the years in the ten-year
period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are
the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on
our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and
financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures
in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of
securities owned as of October 31, 1995 by correspondence with the custodian
and brokers. An audit includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred
to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of
Keystone Quality Bond Fund (B-1) as of October 31, 1995, the results of its
operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of
the years in the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for
each of the years in the ten-year period then ended in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
December 8, 1995
