As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 26, 2000
Securities Act File No. 2-77068
Investment Company Act File No. 811-3450
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [x]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
Post Effective Amendment No. 23 [x]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [x]
Amendment No. 25 [x]
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
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Merrill Lynch Phoenix Fund, Inc.*
(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Charter)
800 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536
(Address Of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (609) 282-2800
Terry K. Glenn
Merrill Lynch Phoenix Fund, Inc.
800 Scudders Mill Road
Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 9011, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011
(Name And Address Of Agent For Service)
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Copies to:
Counsel for the Fund:
BROWN & WOOD LLP Michael J. Hennewinkel, Esq.
One World Trade Center MERRILL LYNCH INVESTMENT MANAGERS
New York, New York 10048-0557 P.O. Box 9011
Attention: Thomas R. Smith, Jr., Esq. Princeton, New Jersey 08543-9011
Frank P. Bruno, Esq.
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It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] on October 6, 2000 pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
[X] this post-effective amendment designates a new effective
date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
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Title of Securities Being Registered: Common Stock, par value $.10 per share.
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* The Fund is in the process of changing its name to Merrill Lynch Focus Value
Fund, Inc.
<PAGE>
Parts A, B and C of the Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Amendment No. 24 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (Parts A, B and C referred to hereinafter as the
"Amendment"), filed on August 4, 2000, are being incorporated by reference
herein and this Post-Effective Amendment is being filed for the sole purpose
of delaying the effectiveness of the above-referenced Amendment until October
6, 2000.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment
Company Act, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for
effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the
Securities Act and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the Township of Plainsboro,
and State of New Jersey, on the 26th day of September, 2000.
MERRILL LYNCH PHOENIX FUND, INC.
(Registrant)
By /s/ Donald C. Burke
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(Donald C. Burke, Vice President and Treasurer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
on the date(s) indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
--------- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
TERRY K. GLENN* President and Director
-------------------------------------------- (Principal Executive Officer)
(Terry K. Glenn)
DONALD C. BURKE* Vice President and Treasurer
-------------------------------------------- (Principal Financial and
(Donald C. Burke) Accounting Officer)
JOE GRILLS* Director
--------------------------------------------
(Joe Grills)
WALTER MINTZ* Director
--------------------------------------------
(Walter Mintz)
ROBERT S. SALOMON, JR. * Director
--------------------------------------------
(Robert S. Salomon, Jr.)
MELVIN R. SEIDEN* Director
--------------------------------------------
(Melvin R. Seiden)
STEPHEN B. SWENSRUD* Director
--------------------------------------------
(Stephen B. Swensrud)
ARTHUR ZEIKEL* Director
--------------------------------------------
(Arthur Zeikel)
*By: /S/ DONALD C. BURKE September 26, 2000
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(Donald C. Burke, Attorney-in-Fact)
</TABLE>
