PROSPECTUS
August 15, 1997
COUNTRYWIDE STRATEGIC TRUST
312 Walnut Street, 21st Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4094
GROWTH/VALUE FUND
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND
The Growth/Value Fund and the Aggressive Growth Fund (individually a
"Fund" and collectively the "Funds") are two separate series of Countrywide
Strategic Trust.
The GROWTH/VALUE FUND seeks long-term capital appreciation primarily
through equity investments in companies whose valuation may not yet reflect the
prospects for accelerated earnings/cash flow growth.
The AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND seeks long-term capital appreciation
primarily through equity investments. The Fund will seek growth opportunities
among companies of various sizes.
EACH FUND IS A NON-DIVERSIFIED SERIES AND MAY INVEST A SIGNIFICANT
PERCENTAGE OF ITS ASSETS IN A SINGLE ISSUER. THEREFORE, AN INVESTMENT IN THE
FUNDS MAY BE RISKIER THAN AN INVESTMENT IN OTHER TYPES OF MUTUAL FUNDS.
SHARES OF THE FUNDS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED
OR ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK AND ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
Mastrapasqua & Associates, Inc. (the "Adviser") manages the
Funds' investments under the supervision of Countrywide Investments, Inc.
(the "Manager"). See "Operation of the Funds."
Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated May 31, 1997, each
Fund, on or about August 29, 1997, will succeed to the assets and liabilities of
another mutual fund of the same name (the "Predecessor Fund"), which is an
investment series of Trans Adviser Funds, Inc. The investment objective,
policies and restrictions of each Fund and its Predecessor Fund are
substantially identical and the financial data and information in this
Prospectus relates to the Predecessor Funds.
This Prospectus sets forth concisely the information about the Funds
that you should know before investing. Please retain this Prospectus for future
reference. A Statement of Additional Information dated August 15, 1997 has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and
is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. A copy of the Statement
of Additional Information can be obtained at no charge by calling one of the
numbers listed below.
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For Information or Assistance in Opening an Account, Please Call:
Nationwide (Toll-Free) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-543-0407
Cincinnati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513-629-2050
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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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EXPENSE INFORMATION
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Shareholder Transaction Expenses
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Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price). . . . . . . . 4%
Maximum Contingent Deferred Sales Load
(as a percentage of original purchase price) . . . None*
Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested Dividends . . . . None
Exchange Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None
Redemption Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . None**
* Purchases at net asset value of amounts totaling $1 million or more may be
subject to a contingent deferred sales load of .75% if a redemption
occurred within 12 months of purchase and a commission was paid by the
Manager to a participating unaffiliated dealer.
** A wire transfer fee is charged by the Funds' Custodian in the case
of redemptions made by wire. Such fee is subject to change and is
currently $8. See "How to Redeem Shares."
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (as a percentage of average net assets)
Growth/Value Aggressive
Fund Growth Fund
Management Fees 1.00% 1.00%
12b-1 Fees(A) .25% .09%
Other Expenses .41% .86%
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Total Fund Operating Expenses 1.66% 1.95%
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(A) Each Fund may incur 12b-1 fees in an amount up to .25% of its average
net assets. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic
equivalent of the maximum front-end sales loads permitted by the
National Association of Securities Dealers.
The purpose of these tables is to assist the investor in understanding the
various costs and expenses that an investor in the Funds will bear directly or
indirectly. The percentages expressing annual fund operating expenses are based
on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. The Manager will, until at
least August 31, 1999, waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary
to limit total operating expenses to 1.95% of each Fund's average net assets.
THE EXAMPLE BELOW SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR FUTURE
EXPENSES AND ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.
Example Growth/Value Aggressive
Fund Growth Fund
You would pay the following
expenses on a $1,000 1 Year $ 56 $ 59
investment, assuming (1) 3 Years 90 99
5% annual return and (2) 5 Years 127 141
redemption at the end of 10 Years 229 258
each time period:
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
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The following audited financial information for the Predecessor Funds
for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996 has been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent auditors, and should be read in conjunction with the financial
statements. The following unaudited financial information for the period ended
February 28, 1997 should be read in conjunction with the financial statements.
The annual financial statements as of August 31, 1996 and the independent
auditors' report thereon and the semiannual financial statements as of February
28, 1997 appear in the Statement of Additional Information of the Funds, which
can be obtained by shareholders at no charge by calling the Funds.
SELECTED PER SHARE DATA AND RATIOS FOR A SHARE OUTSTANDING FOR THE
PREDECESSOR FUNDS THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD
<TABLE>
GROWTH/ AGGRESSIVE
VALUE GROWTH
FUND FUND
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SIX MONTHS YEAR SIX MONTHS YEAR
ENDED ENDED ENDED ENDED
2/28/97 8/31/96(a) 2/28/97 8/31/96(a)
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net Asset Value, Beginning of
Period...................... $ 11.18 $ 10.00 $ 10.95 $ 10.00
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Investment Operations
Net Investment Income
(Loss).................... (0.06) (0.06)(c) (0.08) (0.11)(c)
Net Realized and Unrealized
Gain (Loss) on
Investments............... 2.22 1.24 1.63 1.06
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total from Investment
Operations.................. 2.16 1.18 1.55 0.95
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Distributions from
Net Investment Income....... (0.03) -- (0.03) --
Net Realized Gain on
Investments............... -- -- -- --
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Distributions........... (0.03) -- (0.03) --
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net Asset Value, End of
Period...................... $ 13.31 $ 11.18 $ 12.47 $ 10.95
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Return(b)............ 42.67%(e) 11.80% 30.53%(e) 9.50%
Ratio/Supplementary Data:
Net Assets at End of Period
(000's omitted)............. $ 20,685 $ 15,108 $ 9,424 $ 6,550
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
Expenses including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 1.95% 1.95% 1.95% 1.95%
Expenses excluding
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 2.09% 2.83% 2.95% 5.05%
Net investment income (loss)
including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... (1.02)% (0.62 )% (1.61 )% (1.26)%
Average Commission Rate(d).... $ 0.0576 $ 0.0700 $ 0.0553 $ 0.0800
Portfolio Turnover Rate....... 18.89% 21.12% 15.45% 15.70%
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(a) Date of commencement of operations was September 29, 1995.
(b) Total return calculation does not include sales charges.
(c) Using weighted average shares outstanding for the period.
(d) Amount represents the average commission per share paid to brokers on the
purchase or sale of equity securities.
(e) Annualized.
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
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The investment objective and policies of each Fund are described below.
Specific investment techniques that may be employed by the Funds are also
described in this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information.
While each Fund's objective is fundamental and can only be changed by vote
of the majority of the outstanding shares of a particular Fund, the Board
of Trustees of the Trust reserves the right to change any of the
investment policies, strategies or practices of either Fund without shareholder
approval, except in those instances where shareholder approval is expressly
required.
The GROWTH/VALUE FUND seeks long-term capital appreciation primarily
through equity investments in companies whose valuation may not yet reflect the
prospect for accelerating earnings/cash flow growth. The Fund seeks to achieve
its objective by investing primarily in common stocks but also in preferred
stocks, convertible bonds and warrants of companies which, in the opinion of the
Fund's investment adviser, are expected to achieve growth of investment
principal over time. The investment style is to focus on companies that have a
demonstrated record of achievement with excellent prospects for earnings and/or
cash flow growth over a 3-to-5 year period. It is anticipated that the average
stock holding period will be within an 18 to 36 month time frame. Of course,
changes in fundamental outlook and market conditions can alter these time
horizons materially.
It is anticipated that common stocks will be the principal form of
investment by the Fund. The Fund's portfolio is comprised of securities of two
basic categories of companies: (1) "core" companies, which Fund management
considers to have experienced above-average and consistent long-term growth in
earnings/cash flow and to have excellent prospects for outstanding future
growth, and (2) "earnings/cash flow acceleration" companies, which Fund
management believes are either currently enjoying or are projected to enjoy a
dramatic increase in earnings and/or cash flow. Investments will largely be made
in companies of greater than $750 million capitalization. The Fund will invest
no more than 10% of its assets in companies with market capitalization of less
than $750 million at the time of purchase.
The AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND seeks long-term capital appreciation
primarily through equity investments. The Fund will seek growth opportunities
among companies of various sizes. The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by
investing primarily in common stocks but also in preferred stocks, convertible
bonds, options and warrants of companies which in the opinion of the Fund's
investment adviser are expected to achieve growth of
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investment principal over time. Many of these companies are in the small to
medium-sized category (companies with market capitalizations of less than $750
million at the time of purchase). In addition, up to 15% of the Fund's assets
may be invested in illiquid investments or in private companies whose common
shares are not actively traded on any national or regional exchange.
The investment style is to focus on companies that have an excellent
prospect for earnings cash flow growth over a 3 to 5 year period. Of course,
changes in fundamental outlook and market conditions can alter potential returns
substantially. It is intended that the Aggressive Growth Fund will assume a more
expanded risk profile than will be the case with the Growth/Value Fund. While
this could result in above-average appreciation, there is no assurance that this
will in fact be the case and the potential exists for above-average
depreciation.
It is anticipated that common stocks will be the principal form of
investment by the Fund. The Fund's portfolio is comprised of securities of two
basic categories of companies: (1) "core" companies, which Fund management
considers to have experienced above-average and consistent long-term growth in
earnings/cash flow and to have excellent prospects for future growth, and (2)
"earnings/cash flow acceleration" companies, which Fund management believes are
either currently enjoying or are projected to enjoy a dramatic increase in
earnings and/or cash flow. Investments will largely be made in companies of
varying sizes, even those with less than $750 million capitalization.
Additionally, the Aggressive Growth Fund may invest a maximum of 20% of
its assets, and the Growth/Value Fund may invest a maximum of 30% of its assets,
in fixed-income securities rated Baa or better by Moody's Investors Service,
Inc. ("Moody's") or BBB or better by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or,
if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. The fixed-income
securities in which the Funds may invest include U.S. Government obligations,
mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, bank obligations, corporate
debt obligations and unrated obligations, including those of foreign issuers.
The Adviser will be particularly interested in growth companies that
are likely to benefit from new or innovative products, services or processes
that should enhance such companies' prospects for future growth in earnings/cash
flow. As a result of this policy, the market prices of many of the securities
purchased and held by the Funds may fluctuate widely. Any income received from
securities held by the Funds will be
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incidental, and an investor should not consider a purchase of shares of the
Funds as equivalent to a complete investment program.
OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES
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SECURITIES LENDING. In order to generate additional income, the Funds may, from
time to time, lend their portfolio securities to broker-dealers, banks or
institutional borrowers of securities. While the lending of securities may
subject a Fund to certain risks, such as delays or the inability to regain the
securities in the event the borrower were to default on its lending agreement or
enter into bankruptcy, the Funds will receive at least 100% collateral in the
form of cash or U.S. Government securities. This collateral will be valued daily
by the Adviser and should the market value of the loaned securities increase,
the borrower will furnish additional collateral to the Funds. During the time
portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Funds any dividends or
interest paid on such securities. Loans are subject to termination by the Funds
or the borrower at any time. While the Funds do not have the right to vote
securities on loan, the Funds intend to terminate the loan and regain the right
to vote if that is considered important with respect to the investment. The
Funds will only enter into loan arrangements with broker-dealers, banks or other
institutions which the Adviser has determined are creditworthy under guidelines
established by the Board of Trustees.
BORROWING. The Funds may borrow money from banks (including their custodian
bank) or from other lenders to the extent permitted under applicable law, for
temporary or emergency purposes and to meet redemptions and may pledge their
assets to secure such borrowings. Additionally, the Aggressive Growth Fund may
borrow for purposes of leveraging. Borrowing for investment increases both
investment opportunity and investment risk. Such borrowings in no way affect the
federal tax status of the Funds or their dividends. If the investment income on
securities purchased with borrowed money exceeds the interest paid on the
borrowing, the net asset value of the Aggressive Growth Fund's shares will rise
faster than would otherwise be the case. On the other hand, if the investment
income fails to cover the Aggressive Growth Fund's costs, including the interest
on borrowings or if there are losses, the net asset value of such Fund's shares
will decrease faster than would otherwise be the case. This is the speculative
factor known as leverage.
The Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") requires the Funds
to maintain asset coverage of at least 300% for all such borrowings, and should
such asset coverage at any time fall below 300%, the Funds would be required to
reduce their borrowings within three days to the extent necessary to meet the
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requirements of the 1940 Act. To reduce their borrowings, the Funds might be
required to sell securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so.
In addition, because interest on money borrowed is a Fund expense that
it would not otherwise incur, the Funds may have less net investment income
during periods when its borrowings are substantial. The interest paid by the
Funds on borrowings may be more or less than the yield on the securities
purchased with borrowed funds, depending on prevailing market conditions.
SHORT-TERM TRADING. The Aggressive Growth Fund may engage in the technique of
short-term trading. Such trading involves the selling of securities held for a
short time, ranging from several months to less than a day. The object of such
short-term trading is to increase the potential for capital appreciation and/or
income of the Aggressive Growth Fund in order to take advantage of what the
Adviser believes are changes in market, industry or individual company
conditions or outlook. Any such trading would increase the turnover rate of the
Aggressive Growth Fund and its transaction costs.
WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES. Each of the Funds may also purchase securities on a
"when-issued" basis. When-issued securities are securities purchased for
delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and yield and
thereby involve a risk that the yield obtained in the transaction will be less
than that available in the market when delivery takes place. The Funds will
generally not pay for such securities or start earning interest on them until
they are received. When a Fund agrees to purchase securities on a "when-issued"
basis, the Funds' custodian will set aside cash or liquid portfolio securities
equal to the amount of the commitment in a segregated account. Securities
purchased on a "when-issued" basis are recorded as an asset and are subject to
changes in value based upon changes in the general level of interest rates. Each
Fund expects that commitments to purchase "when issued" securities will not
exceed 25% of the value of its total assets under normal market conditions and
that a commitment to purchase "when-issued" securities will not exceed 60 days.
In the event its commitment to purchase "when-issued" securities ever exceeded
25% of the value of its assets, a Fund's liquidity and the Adviser's ability to
manage it might be adversely affected. The Funds do not intend to purchase
"when-issued" securities for speculative purposes, but only for the purpose of
acquiring portfolio securities.
VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES. Each of the Funds may acquire variable
and floating rate securities, subject to each Fund's investment objective,
policies and restrictions. A variable rate security is one whose terms provide
for the
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readjustment of its interest rate on set dates and which, upon such
readjustment, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that
approximates its par value. A floating rate security is one whose terms provide
for the readjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate
changes and which, at any time, can reasonably be expected to have a market
value that approximates its par value.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may enter into repurchase
agreements. Under a repurchase agreement, the Fund acquires a debt instrument
for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week), subject to the
obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Fund to resell such debt
instrument at a fixed price. The resale price is in excess of the purchase price
in that it reflects an agreed-upon market interest rate effective for the period
of time during which the Fund's money is invested. The Fund's repurchase
agreements will at all times be fully collateralized in an amount at least equal
to 100% of the purchase price including accrued interest earned on the
underlying securities. The instruments held as collateral are valued daily by
the Adviser and as the value of instruments declines, the Fund will require
additional collateral. If the seller defaults and the value of the collateral
securing the repurchase agreement declines, the Fund may incur a loss. If such a
defaulting seller were to become insolvent and subject to liquidation or
reorganization under applicable bankruptcy or other laws, disposition of the
underlying securities could involve certain costs or delays pending court
action. Finally, it is not certain whether the Fund would be entitled, as
against a claim of the seller or its receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or
creditors, to retain the underlying securities. Repurchase agreement are
considered by the staff of the Commission to be loans by the Fund.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may borrow funds for
temporary purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements. Pursuant to
such agreements, the Fund sells portfolio securities to financial institutions
such as banks and broker-dealers, and agrees to repurchase them at a mutually
agreed upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse
repurchase agreement, it must place in a segregated custodial account cash and
liquid, high-grade debt securities having a value equal to the repurchase price
(including accrued interest); the collateral will be marked-to- market on a
daily basis, and will be continuously monitored to ensure that such equivalent
value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the
market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at
which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase
agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act.
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CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. The Funds may invest in all types of common stocks and
equivalents (such as convertible debt securities and warrants) and preferred
stocks. The Funds may invest in convertible securities which may offer higher
income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. The convertible
securities in which the Funds may invest consist of bonds, notes, debentures and
preferred stocks which may be converted or exchanged at a stated or determinable
exchange ratio into underlying shares of common stock. The Funds may be required
to permit the issuer of a convertible security to redeem the security, convert
it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Thus, the Funds
may not be able to control whether the issuer of a convertible security chooses
to convert that security. If the issuer chooses to do so, this action could have
an adverse effect on a Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective.
Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stock or
other securities which may be converted or exchanged by the holder into shares
of the underlying common stock at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible
security may also be subject to redemption by the issuer, but only after a date
and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established on
issue. Adjustable rate preferred stocks are preferred stocks which adjust their
dividend rates quarterly based on specified relationships to certain indices of
U.S. Treasury securities. A Fund may continue to hold securities obtained as a
result of the conversion of convertible securities held by the Fund when the
Adviser believes retaining such securities is consistent with the Fund's
investment objective.
LOWER-RATED SECURITIES. The Aggressive Growth Fund may invest up to 20% of its
assets, and the Growth/Value Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in higher
yielding (and, therefore, higher risk), lower rated fixed-income securities,
including debt securities, convertible securities and preferred stocks and
unrated fixed-income securities. Lower rated fixed-income securities, commonly
referred to as "junk bonds," are considered speculative and involve greater risk
of default or price changes due to changes in the issuer's creditworthiness than
higher rated fixed-income securities. See "Risk Factors-Lower Rated Fixed-
Income Securities" below for a discussion of certain risks.
Differing yields on fixed-income securities of the same maturity are a
function of several factors, including the relative financial strength of the
issuers. Higher yields are generally available from securities in the lower
categories of recognized rating agencies, i.e., Ba or lower by Moody's or BB or
lower by S&P. The Funds may invest in any security which is rated by Moody's or
by S&P, or in any unrated security which the
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Adviser determines is of suitable quality. Securities in the rating categories
below Baa as determined by Moody's and BBB as determined by S&P are considered
to be of poor standing and predominantly speculative. The rating services
descriptions of these rating categories, including the speculative
characteristics of the lower categories, are set forth in the Statement of
Additional Information.
Securities ratings are based largely on the issuer's historical
financial information and the rating agencies' investment analysis at the time
of rating. Consequently, the rating assigned to any particular security is not
necessarily a reflection of the issuer's current financial condition, which may
be better or worse than the rating would indicate. Although the Adviser will
consider security ratings when making investment decisions in the high yield
market, it will perform its own investment analysis and will not rely
principally on the ratings assigned by the rating services. The Adviser's
analysis generally may include, among other things, consideration of the
issuer's experience and managerial strength, changing financial conditions,
borrowing requirements or debt maturity schedules, and its responsiveness to
changes in business conditions and interest rates. It also considers relative
values based on anticipated cash flow, interest or dividend coverage, asset
coverage and earnings prospects.
ADRS. The Funds may invest in foreign securities through the purchase of
American Depository Receipts but will not do so if immediately after a purchase
and as a result of the purchase the total value of such foreign securities owned
by a Fund would exceed 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund.
Investment in foreign securities is subject to special risks, such as future
adverse political and economic developments, possible seizure, nationalization,
or expropriation of foreign investments, less stringent disclosure requirements,
the possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source and
the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions. Additional risks
include less publicly available information, the risk that companies may not be
subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and
requirements of U.S. companies, the risk that foreign securities markets may
have less volume and therefore less liquidity and greater price volatility than
U.S. securities, and the risk that custodian and brokerage costs may be higher.
OPTIONS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may engage in writing put and call options
from time to time as the Adviser deems to be appropriate. Such options must be
listed on a national securities exchange and issued by the Options Clearing
Corporation. In order to close out a written call option position, the Fund will
enter into a "closing purchase
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transaction"-the purchase of a call option on the same security with the same
exercise price and expiration date as any call option which it may previously
have written on any particular securities. When the portfolio security is sold,
the Fund effects a closing purchase transaction so as to close out any existing
call option on that security. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase
transaction, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the
option expires or the Fund delivers the underlying security upon exercise. When
writing a covered call option, the Fund, in return for the premium, gives up the
opportunity for profit from a price increase in the underlying security above
the exercise price, but retains the risk of loss should the price of the
security decline. The Fund seeks to terminate its position in a put option it
writes before exercise by closing out the option in the secondary market at its
current price. If the secondary market is not liquid for a put option the Fund
has written, however, the Fund must continue to be prepared to pay the strike
price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes and must
continue to set aside assets to cover its position.
The Aggressive Growth Fund may purchase put options from time to time
as the Adviser deems to be appropriate. A put is a right to sell a specified
security (or securities) within a specified period of time at a specified
exercise price. The Fund has no intention of investing more than 5% of its
assets in put options.
WARRANTS. The Funds may invest in warrants which entitle the holder to buy
equity securities at a specified price for a specific period of time. Warrants
may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments
because they do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect
to the securities which may be purchased, nor do they represent any rights in
the assets of the issuing company. The value of a warrant may be more volatile
than the value of the securities underlying the warrants. Also, the value of the
warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities
and a warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to the
expiration date.
SHORT-TERM OBLIGATIONS. With respect to each Fund there may be times when, in
the opinion of the Adviser, adverse market conditions exist, including any
period during which it believes that the return on certain money market type
instruments would be more favorable than that obtainable through a Fund's normal
investment programs. Accordingly, for temporary defensive purposes, each Fund
may hold up to 100% of its total assets in cash and/or short-term obligations.
To the extent that a Fund's assets are so invested, they will not be invested so
as to meet
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its investment objective. The instruments may include high-grade liquid debt
securities such as variable amount master demand notes, commercial paper,
certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, repurchase agreements which
mature in less than seven days and obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Bankers' acceptances are
instruments of United States banks which are drafts or bills of exchange
"accepted" by a bank or trust company as an obligation to pay on maturity.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may also enter into contracts for
the future delivery of securities and futures contracts based on a specific
security, class of securities or an index, purchase or sell options on any such
futures contracts and engage in related closing transactions. A futures contract
on a securities index is an agreement obligating either party to pay, and
entitling the other party to receive, while the contract is outstanding, cash
payments based on the level of a specified securities index.
The Fund may enter into futures contracts in an effort to hedge against
market risks and in anticipation of future purchases or sales of securities. For
example, when interest rates are expected to rise or market values of portfolio
securities are expected to fall, the Fund can seek to offset a decline in the
value of its portfolio securities by entering into futures contract
transactions. When interest rates are expected to fall or market values are
expected to rise, the Fund, through the purchase of such contracts, can attempt
to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market
when it effects anticipated purchases.
The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give
the Fund the right (but not the obligation), for a specified price, to sell or
to repurchase the underlying futures contract, upon exercise of the option, at
any time during the option period.
Aggregate initial margin deposits for futures contracts, and premiums
paid for related options, may not exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets (other
than in connection with bona fide hedging purposes), and the value of securities
that are the subject of such futures and options (both for receipt and delivery)
may not exceed one-third of the market value of the Fund's total assets.
Futures transactions involve brokerage costs and require the Fund to
segregate assets to cover contracts that would require it to purchase
securities. The Fund may lose the expected benefit of futures transactions if
interest rates, exchange rates or
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securities prices move in an unanticipated manner. Such unanticipated changes
may also result in poorer overall performance than if the Fund had not entered
into any futures transactions. In addition, the value of the Fund's futures
positions may not prove to be perfectly or even highly correlated with the value
of its portfolio securities, limiting the Fund's ability to hedge effectively
against interest rate, exchange rate and/or market risk and giving rise to
additional risks. There is no assurance of liquidity in the secondary market for
purposes of closing out futures positions.
ZERO COUPON BONDS. The Growth/Value Fund is permitted to purchase zero coupon
securities ("zero coupon bonds"). Zero coupon bonds are purchased at a discount
from the face amount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a
fixed payment on a certain date in the future and does not receive any periodic
interest payments. The effect of owning instruments which do not make current
interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original
investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the
obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates
the risk of being unable to reinvest distributions at a rate as high as the
implicit yields on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the
holder's ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason,
zero coupon bonds are subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during
periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities which
pay interest currently, which fluctuation increases the longer the period to
maturity. Although zero coupon bonds do not pay interest to holders prior to
maturity, federal income tax law requires the Fund to recognize as interest
income a portion of the bond's discount each year and this income must then be
distributed to shareholders along with other income earned by the Fund. To the
extent that any shareholders in the Fund elect to receive their dividends in
cash rather than reinvest such dividends in additional shares, cash to make
these distributions will have to be provided from the assets of the Fund or
other sources such as proceeds of sales of Fund shares and/or sales of portfolio
securities. In such cases, the Fund will not be able to purchase additional
income-producing securities with cash used to make such distributions and its
current income may ultimately be reduced as a result.
RECEIPTS. The Growth/Value Fund may also purchase separately traded interest and
principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the
federal book entry system, known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and
Principal Securities ("STRIPS") and Coupon Under Book Entry Safekeeping
("CUBES"). These instruments are issued by banks and brokerage firms and are
created by depositing Treasury notes and Treasury bonds into a special account
at a custodian bank; the custodian
- 13 -
<PAGE>
holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered
owner of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance
of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register.
Receipts include Treasury Receipts ("TRs"), Treasury Investment Growth Receipts
("TIGRs") and Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities ("CATS").
STRIPS, CUBES, TRs, TIGRs and CATS are sold as zero coupon securities, which
means that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at
their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. This
discount is amortized over the life of the security, and such amortization will
constitute the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax
purposes. Because of these features, these securities may be subject to greater
interest rate volatility than interest-paying U.S. Treasury obligations. The
Fund will limit its investment in such instruments to 20% of its total assets.
INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES. Each Fund may invest in the securities of other
investment companies to the extent permissible under the applicable regulations
and interpretations of the 1940 Act or an exemptive order.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS AND RESTRICTED SECURITIES. Each Fund may invest up to 15%
of its net assets in illiquid investments( that cannot be readily sold within
seven days), including restricted securities which do not meet the criteria for
liquidity established by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser, under the
supervision of the Board of Trustees and the Manager, determines the liquidity
of a Fund's investments. The absence of a trading market can make it difficult
to ascertain a market value for illiquid investments. Disposing of illiquid
investments may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses.
Restricted Securities are securities which cannot be sold to the public without
registration under the Securities Act of 1933. Unless registered for sale, these
securities can only be sold in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to
an exemption from registration.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT INVESTMENTS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may invest in
commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from registration afforded
by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933. Section 4(2) commercial paper is
restricted as to disposition under federal securities laws and is generally sold
to institutional investors who agree that they are purchasing the paper for
investment purposes and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by
the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) commercial paper is
normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance
of the issuer or investment dealers who make a market in Section
- 14 -
<PAGE>
4(2) commercial paper, thus providing liquidity. The Adviser believes that
Section 4(2) commercial paper and possibly certain other restricted securities
which meet the criteria for liquidity established by the Trustees are quite
liquid. The Fund intends therefore, to treat the restricted securities which
meet the criteria for liquidity established by the Trustees, including Section
4(2) commercial paper, as determined by the Adviser, as liquid and not subject
to the investment limitation applicable to illiquid securities. In addition,
because Section 4(2) commercial paper is liquid, the Fund does not intend to
subject such paper to the limitation applicable to restricted securities.
The ability of the Board of Trustees to determine the liquidity of
certain restricted securities is permitted under a position of the staff of the
Commission set forth in the adopting release for Rule 144A under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Rule"). The Rule is a nonexclusive safe-harbor for certain
secondary market transactions involving securities subject to restrictions on
resale under federal securities laws. The Rule provides an exemption from
registration for resales of otherwise restricted securities to qualified
institutional buyers. The Rule was expected to further enhance the liquidity of
the secondary market for securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. The
staff of the Commission has left the question of determining the liquidity of
all restricted securities to the Trustees. The Trustees consider the following
criteria in determining the liquidity of certain restricted securities
(including Section 4(2) commercial paper): the frequency of trades and quotes
for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security
and the number of other potential buyers; dealer undertakings to make a market
in the security; and the nature of the security and the nature of the
marketplace trades. The Trustees have delegated to the Adviser the daily
function of determining and monitoring the liquidity of restricted securities
pursuant to the above criteria and guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees will continue to monitor and periodically review the Adviser's
selection of Rule 144A and Section 4(2) commercial paper as well as any
determinations as to their liquidity.
RISK FACTORS OF LOWER RATED FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. Lower quality fixed-
income securities generally produce a higher current yield than do
fixed-income securities of higher ratings. However, these fixed-income
securities are considered speculative because they involve greater price
volatility and risk than do higher rated fixed-income securities and yields
on these fixed-income securities will tend to fluctuate over time. Although the
market value of all fixed-income securities varies as a result of changes in
prevailing interest rates (e.g., when interest rates rise, the market value
of fixed-income securities can be expected to
- 15 -
<PAGE>
decline), values of lower rated fixed-income securities tend to react
differently than the values of higher rated fixed-income securities. The prices
of lower rated fixed-income securities are less sensitive to changes in interest
rates than higher rated fixed-income securities. Conversely, lower rated
fixed-income securities also involve a greater risk of default by the issuer in
the payment of principal and income and are more sensitive to economic downturns
and recessions than higher rated fixed-income securities. The financial stress
resulting from an economic downturn could have a greater negative effect on the
ability of issuers of lower rated fixed-income securities to service their
principal and interest payments, to meet projected business goals and to obtain
additional financing than on more creditworthy issuers. In the event of an
issuer's default in payment of principal or interest on such securities, or any
other fixed-income securities in a Fund's portfolio, the net asset value of the
Fund will be negatively affected. Moreover, as the market for lower rated
fixed-income securities is a relatively new one, a severe economic downturn
might increase the number of defaults, thereby adversely affecting the value of
all outstanding lower rated fixed-income securities and disrupting the market
for such securities. Fixed-income securities purchased by a Fund as part of an
initial underwriting present an additional risk due to their lack of market
history. These risks are exacerbated with respect to fixed-income securities
rated Caa or lower by Moody's or CCC or lower by S&P. Unrated fixed-income
securities generally carry the same risks as do lower rated fixed-income
securities.
Lower rated fixed-income securities are typically traded among a
smaller number of broker-dealers rather than in a broad secondary market.
Purchasers of lower rated fixed-income securities tend to be institutions,
rather than individuals, a factor that further limits the secondary market. To
the extent that no established retail secondary market exists, many lower rated
fixed-income securities may not be as liquid as Treasury and investment grade
bonds. The ability of a Fund to sell lower rated fixed-income securities will be
adversely affected to the extent that such securities are thinly traded or
illiquid. Moreover, the ability of a Fund to value lower rated fixed-income
securities becomes more difficult, and judgment plays a greater role in
valuation, as there is less reliable, objective data available with respect to
such securities that are thinly traded or illiquid.
Because investors may perceive that there are greater risks associated
with the lower rated fixed-income securities of the type in which a Fund may
invest, the yields and prices of such securities may tend to fluctuate more than
those for fixed-income securities with a higher rating. Changes in perception of
issuer's creditworthiness tend to occur more frequently and in a more pronounced
manner in the lower quality segments of the
- 16 -
<PAGE>
fixed-income securities market, resulting in greater yield and price volatility.
The speculative characteristics of lower rated fixed-income securities are set
forth in the Statement of Additional Information.
The Adviser believes that the risks of investing in such high yielding,
fixed-income securities may be minimized through careful analysis of prospective
issuers. Although the opinion of ratings services such as Moody's and S&P is
considered in selecting portfolio securities, they evaluate the safety of
principal and the interest payments of the security, not their market value
risk. Additionally, credit rating agencies may experience slight delays in
updating ratings to reflect current events. The Adviser relies, primarily, on
its own credit analysis. This may suggest, however, that the achievement of a
Fund's investment objective is more dependent on the Adviser's proprietary
credit analysis, than is otherwise the case for a fund that invests exclusively
in higher quality fixed-income securities.
Once the rating of a portfolio security or the quality determination
ascribed by the Adviser to an unrated fixed-income security has been downgraded,
the Adviser will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in determining
whether to continue to hold the security, but in no event will a Fund retain
such security if it would cause the Fund to have 35% or more of the value of
its net assets invested in fixed-income securities rated lower than Baa by
Moody's or BBB by S&P, or if unrated, are judged by the Adviser to be of
comparable quality.
The Funds may also invest in unrated fixed-income securities. Unrated
fixed-income securities are not necessarily of lower quality than rated
fixed-income securities, but they may not be attractive to as many buyers.
There is no minimum rating standard for a Fund's investments in the
high yield market; therefore, a Fund may at times invest in fixed-income
securities not currently paying interest or in default. The Funds will invest in
such fixed-income securities where the Adviser perceives a substantial
opportunity to realize a Fund's objective based on its analysis of the
underlying financial condition of the issuer. It is not, however, the current
intention of either Fund to make such investments.
These limitations and the policies discussed in this Prospectus are
considered and applied by the Adviser at the time of purchase of an investment;
the sale of securities by a Fund is not required in the event of a subsequent
change in circumstances.
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<PAGE>
OTHER RISK FACTORS
- ------------------
The portfolio turnover of each Fund may vary greatly from year to year
as well as within a particular year. High turnover rates will generally result
in higher transaction costs and higher levels of taxable realized gains to the
Fund's shareholders.
Particular portfolio securities and yields will differ due to
differences in the types of investments permitted, cash flow, and the
availability of particular portfolio investments. Market conditions and interest
rates may affect the types and yields of securities held in each Fund. The
investment objective of each Fund is fundamental and may be changed only by a
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of that Fund. There can be, of
course, no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Changes
in prevailing interest rates may affect the yield, and possibly the net asset
value, of a Fund.
Each Fund is classified as a "non-diversified" investment company under
the 1940 Act. Each Fund also intends to qualify as a "regulated investment
company" under the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"). One of the tests for such
qualification under the Code is, in general, that at the end of each fiscal
quarter of each Fund, at least 50% of its assets must consist of (i) cash and
U.S. Government securities and (ii) securities which, as to any one issuer, do
not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's assets. If a Fund had elected to
register under the 1940 Act as a "diversified" investment company, it would
have to meet the same test as to 75% of its assets. Each Fund may therefore
not have as much diversification among securities, and thus diversification of
risk, as if it had made this election under the 1940 Act. In general, the more
a Fund invests in the securities of specific issuers, the more that Fund is
exposed to risks associated with investments in those issuers.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
- ----------------------
Your initial investment in either Fund ordinarily must be at least
$1,000 ($250 for tax-deferred retirement plans). However, the minimum initial
investment for employees, shareholders and customers of Countrywide Credit
Industries, Inc. or any affiliated company, including members of the immediate
family of such individuals, is $50. You may purchase additional shares through
the Open Account Program described below. You may open an account and make an
initial investment through securities dealers having a sales agreement with the
Trust's principal underwriter, Countrywide Investments, Inc. (the "Manager").
You may also make a direct initial investment by sending a check and a completed
account application form to Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. (the "Transfer
Agent"), P.O. Box 5354, Cincinnati,
- 18 -
<PAGE>
Ohio 45201-5354. Checks should be made payable to the "Growth/Value Fund" or the
"Aggressive Growth Fund," whichever is applicable. An account application is
included in this Prospectus.
The Trust mails you confirmations of all purchases or redemptions of
Fund shares. Certificates representing shares are not issued. The Trust and the
Manager reserve the rights to limit the amount of investments and to refuse to
sell to any person.
Investors should be aware that the Funds' account application contains
provisions in favor of the Trust, the Transfer Agent and certain of their
affiliates, excluding such entities from certain liabilities (including, among
others, losses resulting from unauthorized shareholder transactions) relating to
the various services (for example, telephone exchanges) made available to
investors.
Should an order to purchase shares be canceled because your check does
not clear, you will be responsible for any resulting losses or fees incurred by
the Trust or the Transfer Agent in the transaction.
OPEN ACCOUNT PROGRAM. Please direct inquiries concerning the services
described in this section to the Transfer Agent at the address or numbers
listed below.
After an initial investment, all investors are considered participants
in the Open Account Program. The Open Account Program helps investors make
purchases of shares of the Funds over a period of years and permits the
automatic reinvestment of dividends and distributions of the Funds in additional
shares without a sales load.
Under the Open Account Program, you may purchase and add shares to your
account at any time either through your securities dealer or by sending a check
to the Transfer Agent, P.O. Box 5354, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-5354. The check
should be made payable to the applicable Fund.
Under the Open Account Program, you may also purchase shares of the
Funds by bank wire. Please telephone the Transfer Agent (Nationwide call
toll-free 800-543-0407; in Cincinnati call 629- 2050) for instructions. Your
bank may impose a charge for sending your wire. There is presently no fee for
receipt of wired funds, but the Transfer Agent reserves the right to charge
shareholders for this service upon thirty days' prior notice to shareholders.
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<PAGE>
Each additional purchase request must contain the name of your account
and your account number to permit proper crediting to your account. While there
is no minimum amount required for subsequent investments, the Trust reserves the
right to impose such requirement. All purchases under the Open Account Program
are made at the public offering price next determined after receipt of a
purchase order by the Trust. If a broker-dealer received concessions for selling
shares of the Funds to a current shareholder, such broker-dealer will receive
the concessions described above with respect to additional investments by the
shareholder.
Shares of each Fund are sold on a continuous basis at the public
offering price next determined after receipt of a purchase order by the Trust.
Purchase orders received by dealers prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on any
business day and transmitted to the Manager by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, that day
are confirmed at the public offering price determined as of the close of the
regular session of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on that day. It is the
responsibility of dealers to transmit properly completed orders so that they
will be received by the Manager by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time. Dealers may charge a
fee for effecting purchase orders. Direct purchase orders received by the
Transfer Agent by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, are confirmed at that day's public
offering price. Direct investments received by the Transfer Agent after 4:00
p.m., Eastern time, and orders received from dealers after 5:00 p.m., Eastern
time, are confirmed at the public offering price next determined on the
following business day.
The public offering price of shares of the Funds is the next determined
net asset value per share plus a sales load as shown in the following table.
Dealer
Reallowance
Sales Load as % of: as % of
---------------------------------
Public Net Public
Offering Amount Offering
Amount of Investment Price Invested Price
- -------------------- ------- -------- ------
Less than $100,000 4.00% 4.17% 3.60%
$100,000 but less than $250,000 3.50 3.63 3.30
$250,000 but less than $500,000 2.50 2.56 2.30
$500,000 but less than $1,000,000 2.00 2.04 1.80
$1,000,000 or more None* None*
* There is no front-end sales load on purchases of $1 million or more but a
contingent deferred sales load of .75% may apply if a commission was paid
by the Manager to a participating unaffiliated dealer and the shares are
redeemed within twelve months from the date of purchase.
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<PAGE>
Under certain circumstances, the Manager may increase or decrease the
reallowance to dealers. Dealers engaged in the sale of shares of the Funds may
be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act of 1933. The Manager
retains the entire sales load on all direct initial investments in the Funds and
on all investments in accounts with no designated dealer of record.
For initial purchases of $1,000,000 or more and subsequent purchases
further increasing the size of the account, a dealer's commission of .75% of the
purchase amount may be paid by the Manager to participating unaffiliated dealers
through whom such purchases are effected. In determining a dealer's eligibility
for such commission, purchases of shares of the Funds may be aggregated with
concurrent purchases of shares of other funds of Countrywide Investments.
Dealers should contact the Manager concerning the applicability and calculation
of the dealer's commission in the case of combined purchases. An exchange from
other funds of Countrywide Investments will not qualify for payment of the
dealer's commission, unless such exchange is from a Countrywide fund with assets
as to which a dealer's commission or similar payment has not been previously
paid. Redemptions of shares may result in the imposition of a contingent
deferred sales load if the dealer's commission described in this paragraph was
paid in connection with the purchase of such shares. See "Contingent Deferred
Sales Load for Certain Purchases of Shares" below.
In addition to the compensation otherwise paid to securities dealers, the
Manager may from time to time pay from its own resources additional cash bonuses
or other incentives to selected dealers in connection with the sale of shares of
the Funds. On some occasions, such bonuses or incentive may be conditioned upon
the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of the shares of the Funds and/or
other funds of Countrywide Investments during a specified period of time. Such
bonuses or incentives may include financial assistance to dealers in connection
with conferences, sales or training programs for their employees, seminars for
the public, advertising, sales campaigns and other dealer-sponsored programs or
events.
REDUCED SALES LOAD. A "purchaser" (defined below) may use the Right of
Accumulation to combine the cost or current net asset value (whichever is
higher) of his existing shares of the load funds distributed by the Manager with
the amount of his current purchases in order to take advantage of the reduced
sales loads set forth in the table above. Purchases made in any load fund
distributed by the Manager pursuant to a Letter of Intent may also be eligible
for the reduced sales loads. The minimum initial investment under a Letter of
Intent is $10,000. The load funds currently distributed by the Manager are
listed in the
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<PAGE>
Exchange Privilege section of this Prospectus. Shareholders should contact the
Transfer Agent for information about the Right of Accumulation and Letter of
Intent.
PURCHASES AT NET ASSET VALUE. You may purchase shares of either Fund at
net asset value when the payment for your investment represents the proceeds
from the redemption of shares of any other mutual fund which has a front-end
sales load and is not distributed by the Manager. Your investment will qualify
for this provision if the purchase price of the shares of the other fund
included a sales load and the redemption occurred within one year of the
purchase of such shares and no more than sixty days prior to your purchase of
shares of the Funds. To make a purchase at net asset value pursuant to this
provision, you must submit photocopies of the confirmations (or similar
evidence) showing the purchase and redemption of shares of the other fund. Your
payment may be made with the redemption check representing the proceeds of the
shares redeemed, endorsed to the order of the applicable Fund. The redemption of
shares of the other fund is, for federal income tax purposes, a sale on which
you may realize a gain or loss. These provisions may be modified or terminated
at any time. Contact your securities dealer or the Trust for further
information.
Banks, bank trust departments and savings and loan associations, in
their fiduciary capacity or for their own accounts, may also purchase shares of
the Funds at net asset value. To the extent permitted by regulatory authorities,
a bank trust department may charge fees to clients for whose account it
purchases shares at net asset value. Federal and state credit unions may also
purchase shares at net asset value.
In addition, shares of the Funds may be purchased at net asset value by
broker-dealers who have a sales agreement with the Manager, and their registered
personnel and employees, including members of the immediate families of such
registered personnel and employees.
Clients of investment advisers and financial planners may also purchase
shares of the Funds at net asset value if their investment adviser or financial
planner has made arrangements to permit them to do so with the Trust and the
Manager. The investment adviser or financial planner must notify the Transfer
Agent that an investment qualifies as a purchase at net asset value.
Employees, shareholders and customers of Countrywide Credit Industries,
Inc. or any affiliated company, including members of the immediate family of
such individuals and employee benefit plans established by such entities, may
also purchase shares of the Funds at net asset value.
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<PAGE>
CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES LOAD FOR CERTAIN PURCHASES OF SHARES. A
contingent deferred sales load is imposed upon certain redemptions of shares of
the Funds (or shares into which such shares were exchanged) purchased at net
asset value in amounts totaling $1 million or more, if the dealer's commission
described above was paid by the Manager and the shares are redeemed within
twelve months from the date of purchase. The contingent deferred sales load will
be paid to the Manager and will be equal to .75% of the lesser of (1) the net
asset value at the time of purchase of the shares being redeemed or (2) the net
asset value of such shares at the time of redemption. In determining whether the
contingent deferred sales load is payable, it is assumed that shares not subject
to the contingent deferred sales load are the first redeemed followed by other
shares held for the longest period of time. The contingent deferred sales load
will not be imposed upon shares representing reinvested dividends or capital
gains distributions, or upon amounts representing share appreciation. If a
purchase of shares is subject to the contingent deferred sales load, the
investor will be so notified on the confirmation for such purchase.
Redemptions of such shares of the Funds held for at least 12 months
will not be subject to the contingent deferred sales load and an exchange of
such shares into another fund of Countrywide Investments is not treated as a
redemption and will not trigger the imposition of the contingent deferred sales
load at the time of such exchange. A fund will "tack" the period for which such
shares being exchanged were held onto the holding period of the acquired shares
for purposes of determining if a contingent deferred sales load is applicable in
the event that the acquired shares are redeemed following the exchange; however,
the period of time that the redemption proceeds of such shares are held in a
money market fund will not count toward the holding period for determining
whether a contingent deferred sales load is applicable. See "Exchange
Privilege".
The contingent deferred sales load is currently waived for any partial
or complete redemption following death or disability (as defined in the Code
of a shareholder (including one who owns the shares with his or her spouse
as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship) from an account in which the
deceased or disabled is named. The Manager may require documentation prior to
waiver of the charge, including death certificates, physicians'
certificates, etc.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. For purposes of determining the initial
investment requirements and the applicable sales load and for purposes of the
Letter of Intent and Right of Accumulation privileges, a purchaser includes an
individual, his spouse and their children under the age of 21, purchasing shares
for his or
- 23 -
<PAGE>
their own account; or a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a
single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved; or
employees of a common employer, provided that economies of scale are realized
through remittances from a single source and quarterly confirmation of such
purchases; or an organized group, provided that the purchases are made through a
central administration, or a single dealer, or by other means which result in
economy of sales effort or expense. Contact the Transfer Agent for additional
information concerning purchases at net asset value or at reduced sales loads.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
- --------------------
Contact the Transfer Agent (Nationwide call toll-free 800- 543-0407; in
Cincinnati call 629-2050) for additional information about the shareholder
services described below.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan
-------------------------
If the shares in your account have a value of at least $5,000, you may
elect to receive, or may designate another person to receive, monthly or
quarterly payments in a specified amount of not less than $50 each. There is no
charge for this service. Purchases of additional shares of the Funds while the
plan is in effect are generally undesirable because a sales load is incurred
whenever purchases are made.
Tax-Deferred Retirement Plans
-----------------------------
Shares of either Fund are available for purchase in connection with the
following tax-deferred retirement plans:
-- Keogh Plans for self-employed individuals
-- Individual retirement account (IRA) plans for
individuals and their non-employed spouses
-- Qualified pension and profit-sharing plans for
employees, including those profit-sharing plans with a
401(k) provision
-- 403(b)(7) custodial accounts for employees of public school
systems, hospitals, colleges and other non-profit
organizations meeting certain requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code
Direct Deposit Plans
--------------------
Shares of either Fund may be purchased through direct deposit plans
offered by certain employers and government
- 24 -
<PAGE>
agencies. These plans enable a shareholder to have all or a portion of his or
her payroll or social security checks transferred automatically to purchase
shares of the Funds.
Automatic Investment Plan
-------------------------
You may make automatic monthly investments in either Fund from your
bank, savings and loan or other depository institution account. The minimum
initial and subsequent investments must be $50 under the plan. The Transfer
Agent pays the costs associated with these transfers, but reserves the right,
upon thirty days' written notice, to make reasonable charges for this service.
Your depository institution may impose its own charge for debiting your account
which would reduce your return from an investment in the Funds.
Reinvestment Privilege
----------------------
If you have redeemed shares of either Fund, you may reinvest all or
part of the proceeds without any additional sales load. This reinvestment must
occur within ninety days of the redemption and the privilege may only be
exercised once per year.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
- --------------------
You may redeem shares of either Fund on each day that the Trust is open
for business by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent. The request
must state the number of shares or the dollar amount to be redeemed and your
account number. The request must be signed exactly as your name appears on the
Trust's account records. If the shares to be redeemed have a value of $25,000 or
more, your signature must be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution,
including banks, brokers and dealers, municipal securities brokers and dealers,
government securities brokers and dealers, credit unions, national securities
exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings
associations.
You may also redeem shares by placing a wire redemption request through
a securities broker or dealer. Unaffiliated broker-dealers may impose a fee on
the shareholder for this service. You will receive the net asset value per share
next determined after receipt by the Trust or its agent of your wire redemption
request. It is the responsibility of broker-dealers to properly transmit wire
redemption orders.
If your instructions request a redemption by wire, you will be charged
an $8 processing fee by the Funds' Custodian. The Trust reserves the right, upon
thirty days' written notice, to change the processing fee. All charges will be
deducted from your account by redemption of shares in your account. Your bank
- 25 -
<PAGE>
or brokerage firm may also impose a charge for processing the wire. In the event
that wire transfer of funds is impossible or impractical, the redemption
proceeds will be sent by mail to the designated account.
Redemption requests may direct that the proceeds be deposited directly
in your account with a commercial bank or other depository institution via an
Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction. There is currently no charge for ACH
transactions. Contact the Transfer Agent for more information about ACH
transactions.
A contingent deferred sales load may apply to a redemption of certain
shares purchased at net asset value. See "How to Purchase Shares."
Shares are redeemed at their net asset value per share next determined
after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a proper redemption request in the form
described above, less any applicable contingent deferred sales load. Payment is
normally made within three business days after tender in such form, provided
that payment in redemption of shares purchased by check will be effected only
after the check has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the
purchase date. To eliminate this delay, you may purchase shares of the Funds by
certified check or wire.
The Trust and the Transfer Agent will consider all written and verbal
instructions as authentic and will not be responsible for the processing of
exchange instructions received by telephone which are reasonably believed to be
genuine or the delivery or transmittal of the redemption proceeds by wire. The
affected shareholders will bear the risk of any such loss. The privilege of
exchanging shares by telephone is automatically available to all shareholders.
The Trust or the Transfer Agent, or both, will employ reasonable procedures to
determine that telephone instructions are genuine. If the Trust and/or the
Transfer Agent do not employ such procedures, they may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. These procedures may include, among
others, requiring forms of personal identification prior to acting upon
telephone instructions, providing written confirmation of the transactions
and/or tape recording telephone instructions.
At the discretion of the Trust or the Transfer Agent, corporate
investors and other associations may be required to furnish an appropriate
certification authorizing redemptions to ensure proper authorization. The Trust
reserves the right to require you to close your account if at any time the value
of your shares is less than the minimum amount required by the Trust for your
account (based on actual amounts invested including any
- 26 -
<PAGE>
sales load paid, unaffected by market fluctuations), or such other minimum
amount as the Trust may determine from time to time. After notification to you
of the Trust's intention to close your account, you will be given thirty days to
increase the value of your account to the minimum amount.
The Trust reserves the right to suspend the right of redemption or to
postpone the date of payment for more than three business days under unusual
circumstances as determined by the Commission.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
- -------------------
Shares of either Fund and of any other fund of Countrywide Investments
may be exchanged for each other.
Shares of the Funds which are not subject to a contingent deferred
sales load may be exchanged for shares of any other fund and for shares of any
other fund which offers only one class of shares (provided such shares are not
subject to a contingent deferred sales load). A sales load will be imposed equal
to the excess, if any, of the sales load rate applicable to the shares being
acquired over the sales load rate, if any, previously paid on the shares being
exchanged.
Shares of the Funds subject to a contingent deferred sales load may be
exchanged, on the basis of relative net asset value per share, for shares of any
other fund which imposes a contingent deferred sales load and for shares of any
fund which is a money market fund. A fund will "tack" the period for which the
shares being exchanged were held onto the holding period of the acquired shares
for purposes of determining if a contingent deferred sales load is applicable in
the event that the acquired shares are redeemed following the exchange. The
period of time that shares are held in a money market fund will not count toward
the holding period for determining whether a contingent deferred sales load is
applicable.
The following are the funds of Countrywide Investments currently
offered to the public. Funds which may be subject to a front-end or contingent
deferred sales load are indicated by an asterisk.
Countrywide Tax-Free Trust Countrywide Strategic Trust
Tax-Free Money Fund *Equity Fund
Ohio Tax-Free Money Fund *Utility Fund
California Tax-Free Money Fund *Government Mortgage Fund
Florida Tax-Free Money Fund *Growth/Value Fund
*Tax-Free Intermediate Term Fund *Aggressive Growth Fund
*Ohio Insured Tax-Free Fund
*Kentucky Tax-Free Fund
- 27 -
<PAGE>
Countrywide Investment Trust
Short Term Government Income Fund
Institutional Government Income Fund
Money Market Fund
*Intermediate Bond Fund
*Intermediate Term Government Income
Fund
*Adjustable Rate U.S. Government
Securities Fund
*Global Bond Fund
You may request an exchange by sending a written request to the
Transfer Agent. The request must be signed exactly as your name appears on the
Trust's account records. Exchanges may also be requested by telephone. If you
are unable to execute your transaction by telephone (for example during times of
unusual market activity) consider requesting your exchange by mail or by
visiting the Trust's offices at 312 Walnut Street, 21st Floor, Cincinnati, Ohio
45202. An exchange will be effected at the next determined net asset value (or
offering price, if sales load is applicable) after receipt of a request by the
Transfer Agent.
Exchanges may only be made for shares of funds then offered for sale in
your state of residence and are subject to the applicable minimum initial
investment requirements. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated by
the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' prior notice to shareholders. An exchange
results in a sale of fund shares, which may cause you to recognize a capital
gain or loss. Before making an exchange, contact the Transfer Agent to obtain a
current prospectus for any of the other funds of Countrywide Investments and
more information about exchanges among Countrywide Investments.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
- ---------------------------
Each Fund expects to distribute substantially all of its net investment
income, if any, annually. Each Fund expects to distribute any net realized
long-term capital gains at least once each year. Management will determine the
timing and frequency of the distributions of any net realized short-term capital
gains.
Distributions are paid according to one of the following options:
Share Option - income distributions and capital gains
distributions reinvested in additional
shares.
Income Option - income distributions and short-term capital
gains distributions paid in cash; long-term
capital gains distributions reinvested in
additional shares.
Cash Option - income distributions and capital
gains distributions paid in cash.
- 28 -
<PAGE>
You should indicate your choice of option on your application. If no option is
specified on your application, distributions will automatically be reinvested in
additional shares. All distributions will be based on the net asset value in
effect on the payable date.
If you select the Income Option or the Cash Option and the U.S. Postal
Service cannot deliver your checks or if your checks remain uncashed for six
months, your dividends may be reinvested in your account at the then-current net
asset value and your account will be converted to the Share Option. No interest
will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
An investor who has received in cash any dividend or capital gains
distribution from either Fund may return the distribution within thirty days of
the distribution date to the Transfer Agent for reinvestment at the net asset
value next determined after its return. The investor or his dealer must notify
the Transfer Agent that a distribution is being reinvested pursuant to this
provision.
TAXES
- -----
Each Fund intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded a
"regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code
so that it does not pay federal taxes on income and capital gains distributed to
shareholders. Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net
investment income and any net realized capital gains to its shareholders.
Distributions of net investment income as well as from net realized short-term
capital gains, if any, are taxable as ordinary income. Dividends distributed by
the Funds from net investment income may be eligible, in whole or in part, for
the dividends received deduction available to corporations. Distributions of net
realized long-term capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains
regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Redemptions and exchanges
of shares of the Funds are taxable events on which a shareholder may realize a
gain or loss.
The Funds will mail to each of their shareholders a statement
indicating the amount and federal income tax status of all distributions made
during the year. In addition to federal taxes, shareholders of the Funds may be
subject to state and local taxes on distributions. Shareholders should consult
their tax advisors about the tax effect of distributions and withdrawals from
the Funds and the use of the Automatic Withdrawal Plan and the Exchange
Privilege. The tax consequences described in this section apply whether
distributions are taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares.
- 29 -
<PAGE>
OPERATION OF THE FUNDS
- -----------------------
The Funds are non-diversified series of Countrywide Strategic Trust, an
open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business
trust on November 18, 1982. The Board of Trustees supervises the business
activities of the Trust. Like other mutual funds, the Trust retains various
organizations to perform specialized services for the Funds.
The Trust retains Countrywide Investments, Inc., 312 Walnut Street,
Cincinnati, Ohio (the "Manager"), to provide general investment supervisory
services to the Funds and to manage the Funds' business affairs. The Manager was
organized in 1974 and is also the investment adviser to three other series of
the Trust, seven series of Countrywide Investment Trust and seven series of
Countrywide Tax-Free Trust. The Manager is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary
of Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange listed company
principally engaged in the business of residential mortgage lending. Each Fund
pays the Manager a fee equal to the annual rate of 1.00% of the average value of
its daily net assets up to $50 million; .90% of such assets from $50 million to
$100 million; .80% of such assets from $100 million to $200 million; and .75% of
such assets in excess of $200 million.
Mastrapasqua & Associates, Inc. (the "Adviser"), 814 Church Street,
Nashville, Tennessee, has been retained by the Manager to manage the Funds'
investments. The Adviser was organized in 1993 and provides investment advisory
services to institutions and individual investors. The Manager (not the Funds)
pays the Adviser a fee equal to the annual rate of .60% of the average value of
each Fund's daily net assets up to $50 million; .50% of such assets from $50
million to $100 million; .40% of such assets from $100 to $200 million; and .35%
of such assets in excess of $200 million.
Frank Mastrapasqua, Ph.D, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Adviser, and Thomas A. Trantum, President of the Adviser, are primarily
responsible for managing the portfolios of each Fund. They were also
responsible for managing the portfolios of the Predecessor Funds. Mr.
Mastrapasqua founded the Adviser in 1993. Prior to 1993, he was Director of
Research and Chief Investment Strategist and a partner at J.C. Bradford & Co.
Mr. Trantum was previously Senior Security Analyst and a partner at J.C.
Bradford & Co.
The Funds are responsible for the payment of all operating expenses,
including fees and expenses in connection with membership in investment company
organizations, brokerage fees and commissions, legal, auditing and accounting
expenses, expenses of registering shares under federal and state securities
laws, expenses related to the distribution of the Funds' shares (see
"Distribution Plan"), insurance expenses, taxes or
- 30 -
<PAGE>
governmental fees, fees and expenses of the custodian, transfer agent and
accounting and pricing agent of the Funds, fees and expenses of members of the
Board of Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust, the cost of
preparing and distributing prospectuses, statements, reports and other documents
to shareholders, expenses of shareholders' meetings and proxy solicitations, and
such extraordinary or non-recurring expenses as may arise, including litigation
to which the Funds may be a party and indemnification of the Trust's officers
and Trustees with respect thereto.
The Trust has retained Countrywide Fund Services, Inc., P.O. Box 5354,
Cincinnati, Ohio (the "Transfer Agent"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc., to serve as the Funds' transfer agent,
dividend paying agent and shareholder service agent.
The Transfer Agent also provides accounting and pricing services to the
Funds. The Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee from each Fund for calculating
daily net asset value per share and maintaining such books and records as are
necessary to enable it to perform its duties.
In addition, the Transfer Agent has been retained by the Manager to
assist the Manager in providing administrative services to the Funds. In this
capacity, the Transfer Agent supplies executive, administrative and regulatory
services, supervises the preparation of tax returns, and coordinates the
preparation of reports to shareholders and reports to and filings with the
Commission and state securities authorities. The Manager (not the Funds) pays
the Transfer Agent a fee for these administrative services equal to the annual
rate of .1% of the average value of each Fund's daily net assets.
The Manager serves as principal underwriter for the Funds and, as
such, is the exclusive agent for the distribution of shares of the Funds.
Angelo R. Mozilo, Robert H. Leshner, Robert G. Dorsey and John F. Splain are
officers of both the Manager and the Trust.
Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to its objective of seeking best
execution of portfolio transactions, the Manager may give consideration to sales
of shares of the Funds as a factor in the selection of brokers and dealers to
execute portfolio transactions of the Funds. Subject to the requirements of the
1940 Act and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Funds may execute
portfolio transactions through any broker or dealer and pay brokerage
commissions to a broker (i) which is an affiliated person of the
- 31 -
<PAGE>
Trust, or (ii) which is an affiliated person of such person, or (iii) an
affiliated person of which is an affiliated person of the Trust, the Manager or
the Adviser.
Shares of each Fund have equal voting rights and liquidation rights.
Each Fund shall vote separately on matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders except in matters where a vote of all series of the Trust in the
aggregate is required by the 1940 Act or otherwise. When matters are submitted
to shareholders for a vote, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each
full share owned and fractional votes for fractional shares owned. The Trust
does not normally hold annual meetings of shareholders. The Trustees shall
promptly call and give notice of a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of
voting upon the removal of any Trustee when requested to do so in writing by
shareholders holding 10% or more of the Trust's outstanding shares. The
Trust will comply with the provisions of Section 16(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 in order to facilitate communications among shareholders.
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
- -----------------
Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Funds have adopted
a plan of distribution (the "Plan") under which the Funds may directly incur
or reimburse the Manager for certain distribution-related expenses,
including payments to securities dealers and others who are engaged in the
sale of shares of the Funds and who may be advising investors regarding the
purchase, sale or retention of Fund shares; expenses of maintaining personnel
who engage in or support distribution of shares or who render shareholder
support services not otherwise provided by the Transfer Agent; expenses of
formulating and implementing marketing and promotional activities, including
direct mail promotions and mass media advertising; expenses of preparing,
printing and distributing sales literature and prospectuses and statements of
additional information and reports for recipients other than existing
shareholders of the Funds; expenses of obtaining such information, analyses and
reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities as the Trust may,
from time to time, deem advisable; and any other expenses related to the
distribution of the Funds' shares.
The annual limitation for payment of expenses pursuant to the Plan is
.25% of each Fund's average daily net assets. Unreimbursed expenditures will not
be carried over from year to year. In the event the Plan is terminated by a Fund
in accordance with its terms, the Fund will not be required to make any payments
for expenses incurred by the Manager after the date the Plan terminates.
- 32 -
<PAGE>
Pursuant to the Plan, the Funds may also make payments to banks or
other financial institutions that provide shareholder services and administer
shareholder accounts. The Glass-Steagall Act prohibits banks from engaging in
the business of underwriting, selling or distributing securities. Although the
scope of this prohibition under the Glass-Steagall Act has not been clearly
defined by the courts or appropriate regulatory agencies, management of the
Trust believes that the Glass- Steagall Act should not preclude a bank from
providing such services. However, 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. If a
bank were prohibited from continuing to perform all or a part of such services,
management of the Trust believes that there would be no material impact on the
Funds or their shareholders. Banks may charge their customers fees for offering
these services to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authorities, and
the overall return to those shareholders availing themselves of the bank
services will be lower than to those shareholders who do not. The Funds may from
time to time purchase securities issued by banks which provide such services;
however, in selecting investments for the Funds, no preference will be shown for
such securities.
The National Association of Securities Dealers, in its Rules of Fair
Practice, places certain limitations on asset-based sales charges of mutual
funds. These Rules require fund-level accounting in which all sales charges --
front-end load, 12b-1 fees or contingent deferred load -- terminate when a
percentage of gross sales is reached.
CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICE AND PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE
- -----------------------------------------------------
On each day that the Trust is open for business, the public offering
price (net asset value plus applicable sales load) of the shares of each Fund is
determined as of the close of the regular session of trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. The Trust is open for
business on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business and on any
other day when there is sufficient trading in a Fund's investments that its net
asset value might be materially affected. The net asset value per share of each
Fund is calculated by dividing the sum of the value of the securities held by
the Fund plus cash or other assets minus all liabilities (including estimated
accrued expenses) by the total number of shares outstanding of the Fund, rounded
to the nearest cent.
- 33 -
<PAGE>
Each Fund's portfolio securities are valued as follows: (i) securities
which are traded on stock exchanges are valued at the last sale price as of the
close of the regular session of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the
day the securities are being valued, or, if not traded on a particular day, at
the closing bid price, (ii) securities traded in the over-the-counter market are
valued at the last sale price (or, if the last sale price is not readily
available, at the last bid price as quoted by brokers that make markets in the
securities) as of the close of the regular session of trading on the New York
Stock Exchange on the day the securities are being valued, (iii) securities
which are traded both in the over-the-counter market and on a stock exchange are
valued according to the broadest and most representative market and (iv)
securities (and other assets) for which market quotations are not readily
available are valued at their fair value as determined in good faith in
accordance with consistently applied procedures established by and under the
general supervision of the Board of Trustees. The net asset value per share of
each Fund will fluctuate with the value of the securities it holds.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
- -----------------------
From time to time, each Fund may advertise its "average annual total
return." Each Fund may also advertise "yield." Both yield and average annual
total return figures are based on historical earnings and are not intended to
indicate future performance.
The "average annual total return" of a Fund refers to the average
annual compounded rates of return over the most recent 1, 5 and 10 year periods
or, where the Fund has not been in operation for such period, over the life of
the Fund (which periods will be stated in the advertisement) that would equate
an initial amount invested at the beginning of a stated period to the ending
redeemable value of the investment. The calculation of "average annual total
return" assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and the
deduction of the current maximum sales load from the initial investment. A Fund
may also advertise total return (a "nonstandardized quotation") which is
calculated differently from "average annual total return." A nonstandardized
quotation of total return may be a cumulative return which measures the
percentage change in the value of an account between the beginning and end of a
period, assuming no activity in the account other than reinvestment of dividends
and capital gains distributions. A nonstandardized quotation of total return may
also indicate average annual compounded rates of return over periods other than
those specified for "average annual total return." These nonstandardized returns
do not include the effect of the applicable sales load which, if included, would
reduce total return. A nonstandardized quotation of total return will always be
accompanied by a Fund's "average annual total return" as described above.
- 34 -
<PAGE>
The "yield" of a Fund is computed by dividing the net investment income
per share earned during a thirty-day (or one month) period stated in the
advertisement by the maximum public offering price per share on the last day of
the period (using the average number of shares entitled to receive dividends).
The yield formula assumes that net investment income is earned and reinvested at
a constant rate and annualized at the end of a six-month period.
From time to time, the Funds may advertise their performance rankings
as published by recognized independent mutual fund statistical services such as
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. ("Lipper"), or by publications of general
interest such as Forbes, Money, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week,
Barron's, Fortune or Morningstar Mutual Fund Values. The Funds may also compare
their performance to that of other selected mutual funds, averages of the other
mutual funds within their categories as determined by Lipper, or recognized
indicators such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index or the NASDAQ Composite
Index. In connection with a ranking, the Funds may provide additional
information, such as the particular category of funds to which the ranking
relates, the number of funds in the category, the criteria upon which the
ranking is based, and the effect of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements,
if any. The Funds may also present their performance and other investment
characteristics, such as volatility or a temporary defensive posture, in light
of the Adviser's view of current or past market conditions or historical trends.
Further information about the Predecessor Funds' performance is
contained in their annual report which can be obtained by shareholders at no
charge by calling the Transfer Agent (Nationwide call toll-free 800-543-0407;
in Cincinnati 629-2050) or by writing to the Trust at the address on front of
this Prospectus.
- 35 -
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ACCOUNT NO. ____________________
Account Application (Check appropriate Fund) (For Fund Use Only)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
[] Growth/Value Fund (91) $_________________ FOR BROKER/DEALER USE ONLY
Firm Name: ____________________________
[] Aggressive Growth Fund (92) $_________________ Home Office Address: ___________________
Branch Address: ________________________
Rep Name & No.: ________________________
Please mail account application to: Rep Signature: _________________________
Countrywide Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 5354
Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-5354
========================================================================================================================
[] Check or draft enclosed payable to the applicable Fund designated above.
[] Bank Wire From: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[] Exchange From: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Fund Name) (Fund Account Number)
Account Name S.S. #/Tax I.D.#
_________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________
Name of Individual, Corporation, Organization, or Minor, etc. (In case of custodial account
please list minor's S.S.#)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Citizenship: [] U.S.
Name of Joint Tenant, Partner, Custodian [] Other
Address Phone
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ( )______________________
Street or P.O. Box Business Phone
____________________________________________________________________________________________ ( )_______________________
City State Zip Home Phone
Check Appropriate Box: [] Individual [] Joint Tenant (Right of survivorship presumed)
[] Partnership [] Corporation [] Trust [] Custodial [] Non-Profit [] Other
Occupation and Employer Name/Address______________________________________________________________________________________________
Are you an associated person of an NASD member? [] Yes [] No
========================================================================================================================
TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER -- Under penalties of perjury I certify that the Taxpayer Identification Number listed
above is my correct number. The Internal Revenue Service does not require my consent to any provision of this document other than
the certifications required to avoid backup withholding. Check box if appropriate:
[] I am exempt from backup withholding under the provisions of section 3406(a)(1)(c) of the Internal Revenue Code; or I am not
subject to backup withholding because I have not been notified that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure
to report all interest or dividends; or the Internal Revenue Service has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup
withholding.
[] I certify under penalties of perjury that a Taxpayer Identification Number has not been issued to me and I have mailed or
delivered an application to receive a Taxpayer Identification Number to the Internal Revenue Service Center or Social Security
Administration Office. I understand that if I do not provide a Taxpayer Identification Number within 60 days that 31% of all
reportable payments will be withheld until I provide a number.
======================================================================================================================
DISTRIBUTIONS (If no election is checked the SHARE OPTION will be assigned.)
[] Share Option -- Income distributions and capital gains distributions automatically reinvested in additional
shares.
[] Income Option -- Income distributions and short term capital gains distributions paid in cash, long term capital
gains distributions reinvested in additional shares.
[] Cash Option -- Income distributions and capital gains distributions paid in cash.
[ ] By Check [ ] By ACH to my bank checking or savings account. Please attach a voided check.
========================================================================================================================
<PAGE>
REDUCED SALES CHARGES
Right of Accumulation: I apply for Right of Accumulation subject to the Agent's confirmation of the following holdings of
eligible load funds of Countrywide Investments.
Account Number/Name Account Number/Name
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
Letter of Intent: (Complete the Right of Accumulation section if related accounts are being applied to your Letter of Intent.)
[] l agree to the Letter of Intent in the current Prospectus of Countrywide Stategic Trust. Although I am not obligated to
purchase, and the Trust is not obligated to sell, I intend to invest over a 13 month period beginning _________________
19_______
(Purchase Date of not more than 90 days prior to this Letter) an aggregate amount in the load funds of Countrywide Investments.
at least equal to (check appropriate box):
[] $100,000 [] $250,000 [] $500,000 [] $1,000,000
========================================================================================================================
SIGNATURES
By signature below each investor certifies that he has received a copy of the Funds' current Prospectus, that he is of legal
age, and that he has full authority and legal capacity for himself or the organization named below, to make this investment and
to use the options selected above. The investor appoints Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. as his agent to enter orders for shares
whether by direct purchase or exchange, to receive dividends and distributions for automatic reinvestment in additional shares of
the Funds for credit to the investor's account and to surrender for redemption shares held in the investor's account in accordance
with any of the procedures elected above or for payment of service charges incurred by the investor. The investor further
agrees that Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. can cease to act as such agent upon ten days' notice in writing to the investor at the
address contained in this Application. The investor hereby ratifies any instructions given pursuant to this Application and for
himself and his successors and assigns does hereby release Countrywide Fund Services, Inc., Countrywide Strategic Trust, Countrywide
Investments, Inc., and their respective officers, employees, agents and affiliates from any and all liability in the
performance of the acts instructed herein provided that such entities have exercised due care to determine that the instructions are
genuine.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
Signature of Individual Owner, Corporate Officer,
Trustee, etc. Signature of Joint Owner, if Any
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
Title of Corporate Officer, Trustee, etc. Date
NOTE: Corporations, trusts and other organizations must complete the resolution form on the reverse side.
Unless otherwise specified, each joint owner shall have full authority to act on behalf of the account.
=========================================================================================================================
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN (Complete for Investments Into the Fund(s))
The Automatic Investment Plan is available for all established accounts of Countrywide Strategic Trust. There is no charge for this
service, and it offers the convenience of automatic investing on a regular basis. The minimum investment is $50.00 per month.
For an account that is opened by using this Plan, the minimum initial and subsequent investments must be $50.00. Though a
continuous program of 12 monthly investments is recommended, the Plan may be discontinued by the shareholder at any time.
Please invest $ ______________ per month in the (check the appropriate Fund.) ABA Routing Number__________________________
[] Growth/Value Fund [] Aggressive Growth Fund FI Account Number_____________________________
[] Checking Account [] Savings Account
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Financial Institution (FI) Please make my automatic investment on:
[] the last business day of each month
_________________________________________________________________ [] the 15th day of each month
City State [] both the 15th and last business day
X______________________________________________________ X__________________________________________________
(Signature of Depositor EXACTLY as it appears on FI Records) (Signature of Joint Tenant - if any)
(Joint Signatures are required when bank account is in joint names. Please sign exactly as signature appears on your FI's
records.)
Please attach a voided check for the Automatic Investment Plan.
<PAGE>
Indemnification to Depositor's Bank
In consideration of your participation in a plan which Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. ("CFS") has put into effect, by which
amounts, determined by your depositor, payable to the applicable Fund designated above, for purchase of shares of said Fund, are
collected by CFS, CFS hereby agrees:
CFS will indemnify and hold you harmless from any liability to any person or persons whatsoever arising out of the payment
by you of any amount drawn by the Funds to their own order on the account of your depositor or from any liability to any person
whatsoever arising out of the dishonor by you whether with or without cause or intentionally or inadvertently, of any such
checks. CFS will defend, at its own cost and expense, any action which might be brought against you by any person or persons
whatsoever because of your actions taken pursuant to the foregoing request or in any manner arising by reason of your
participation in this arrangement. CFS will refund to you any amount erroneously paid by you to the Funds on any such check if
the claim for the amount of such erroneous payment is made by you within six (6) months from the date of such erroneous
payment; your participation in this arrangement and that of the Funds may be terminated by thirty (30) days written notice from
either party to the other.
========================================================================================================================
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN (Complete for Withdrawals from the Fund(s))
This is an authorization for you to withdraw $_________ from my mutual fund account beginning the last business day of the
month of __________________.
Please Indicate Withdrawal Schedule (Check One): Please indicate which Fund: [ ] Growth/Value Fund [ ] Aggressive Growth Fund
[] Monthly -- Withdrawals will be made on the last business day of each month.
[] Quarterly -- Withdrawals will be made on or about 3/31, 6/30, 9/30 and 12/31.
[] Annually -- Please make withdrawals on the last business day of the month of:_____________________.
Please Select Payment Method (Check One):
[] Exchange: Please exchange the withdrawal proceeds into another Countrywide account number:_ _-- _ _ _ _--_
[] Check: Please mail a check for my withdrawal proceeds to the mailing address on this account.
[] ACH Transfer: Please send my withdrawal proceeds via ACH transfer to my bank checking or savings account as indicated below.
I understand that the transfer will be completed in two to three business days and that there is no charge.
[] Bank Wire: Please send my withdrawal proceeds via bank wire, to the account indicated below. I understand that the wire will
be completed in one business day and that there is an $8.00 fee.
Please attach a voided check for ACH or bank wire
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bank Name Bank Address
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bank ABA# Account # Account Name
[] Send to special payee (other than applicant): Please mail a check for my withdrawal proceeds to the mailing address below:
Name of payee__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send to:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Street address City State Zip
========================================================================================================================
<PAGE>
RESOLUTIONS
(This Section to be completed by Corporations, Trusts, and Other Organizations)
RESOLVED: That this corporation or organization become a shareholder of Countrywide Strategic Trust (the Trust) and that
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
is (are) hereby authorized to complete and execute the Application on behalf of the corporation or organization and to take any
action for it as may be necessary or appropriate with respect to its shareholder account with the Trust, and it is
FURTHER RESOLVED: That any one of the above noted officers is authorized to sign any documents necessary or appropriate to
appoint Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. as redemption agent of the corporation or organization for shares of the applicable series
of the Trust, to establish or acknowledge terms and conditions governing the redemption of said shares and to otherwise implement
the privileges elected on the Application.
Certificate
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolutions are in conformity with the Charter and By-Laws or other empowering documents of
the
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Name of Organization)
incorporated or formed under the laws
of__________________________________________________________________________________________
(State)
and were adopted at a meeting of the Board of Directors or Trustees of the organization or corporation duly called and held on
at which a quorum was present and acting throughout, and that the same are now in full force and effect. I further certify that
the following is (are) duly elected officer(s) of the corporation or organization, authorized to act in accordance with the
foregoing resolutions.
Name Title
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
Witness my hand and seal of the corporation or organization this_______________________day
of_______________________________________, 19_______
___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
*Secretary-Clerk Other Authorized Officer (if required)
*If the Secretary or other recording officer is authorized to act by the above resolutions, this certificate must also be
signed by another officer.
</TABLE>
- 35 -
<PAGE>
Countrywide Strategic Trust
312 Walnut Street, 21st Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4004
Nationwide (Toll-Free) 800-543-8721
Cincinnati 513-629-2000
Board of Trustees
Donald L. Bogdon, M.D.
John R. Delfino
H. Jerome Lerner
Robert H. Leshner
Angelo R. Mozilo
Oscar P. Robertson
John F. Seymour, Jr.
Sebastiano Sterpa
Investment Manager
Countrywide Investments, Inc.
312 Walnut Street, 21st Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4004
Transfer Agent
Countrywide Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 5354
Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-5354
Shareholder Service
Nationwide: (Toll-Free) 800-543-0407
Cincinnati: 513-629-2050
Rate Line
Nationwide: (Toll-Free) 800-852-3809
Cincinnati: 513-579-0999
- 36 -
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
EXPENSE INFORMATION...............................................
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS..............................................
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES.................................
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES............................................
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES..............................................
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES..............................................
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE................................................
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.......................................
TAXES.............................................................
OPERATION OF THE FUNDS ...........................................
DISTRIBUTION PLAN ................................................
CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICE AND PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE..............
PEFORMANCE INFORMATION............................................
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations, other than those contained in this Prospectus, in connection
with the offering contained in this Prospectus, and if given or made, such
information or representations must not be relied upon as being authorized by
the Trust. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer by the Trust to sell
shares in any State to any person to whom it is unlawful for the Trust to make
such offer in such State.
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<PAGE>
COUNTRYWIDE STRATEGIC TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
August 15, 1997
Growth/Value Fund
Aggressive Growth Fund
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus. It should
be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Growth/Value Fund and the
Aggressive Growth Fund of Countrywide Strategic Trust dated August 15, 1997. A
copy of the Funds' Prospectus can be obtained by writing the Trust at 312 Walnut
Street, 21st Floor, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4094, or by calling the Trust
nationwide toll-free 800-543-0407, or in Cincinnati 629-2050.
<PAGE>
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Countrywide Strategic Trust
312 Walnut Street, 21st Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-4094
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
THE TRUST.................................................3
QUALITY RATINGS OF FIXED-INCOME OBLIGATIONS...............4
DEFINITIONS, POLICIES AND RISK CONSIDERATIONS.............7
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS...................................14
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS....................................16
THE INVESTMENT MANAGER AND UNDERWRITER...................19
THE INVESTMENT ADVISER...................................20
DISTRIBUTION PLAN........................................21
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS..................................22
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.......................................24
CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICE AND PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE.....25
OTHER PURCHASE INFORMATION...............................25
TAXES....................................................26
REDEMPTION IN KIND.......................................28
HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.......................29
CUSTODIAN................................................31
AUDITORS.................................................31
TRANSFER AGENT...........................................31
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.....................................32
- 2 -
<PAGE>
THE TRUST
- --------
Countrywide Strategic Trust (the "Trust"), formerly Midwest Strategic
Trust, was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on November 18, 1982. The
Trust currently offers five series of shares to investors: the Government
Mortgage Fund (formerly the U.S. Government Securities Fund), the Utility Fund
(formerly the Leshner Financial Utility Fund), the Equity Fund (formerly the
Leshner Financial Equity Fund), the Growth/Value Fund and the Aggressive Growth
Fund. This Statement of Additional Information provides information relating to
the Growth/Value Fund and the Aggressive Growth Fund (referred to individually
as a "Fund" and collectively as the "Funds"). Information relating to the
Government Mortgage Fund, the Utility Fund and the Equity Fund is contained in a
separate Statement of Additional Information. Each Fund has its own investment
strategies and policies.
Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated May 31, 1997, each
Fund, on or about August 29, 1997, will succeed to the assets and liabilities of
another mutual fund of the same name (the "Predecessor Fund"), which is an
investment series of Trans Adviser Funds, Inc. The investment objective,
policies and restrictions of each Fund and its Predecessor Fund are
substantially identical and the financial data and information in this
Prospectus relates to the Predecessor Funds.
Each share of a Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the
assets and liabilities belonging to that Fund with each other share of that Fund
and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of the income belonging
to the Fund as are declared by the Trustees. The shares do not have cumulative
voting rights or any preemptive or conversion rights, and the Trustees have the
authority from time to time to divide or combine the shares of any Fund into a
greater or lesser number of shares of that Fund so long as the proportionate
beneficial interest in the assets belonging to that Fund and the rights of
shares of any other Fund are in no way affected. In case of any liquidation of a
Fund, the holders of shares of the Fund being liquidated will be entitled to
receive as a class a distribution out of the assets, net of the liabilities,
belonging to that Fund. Expenses attributable to any Fund are borne by that
Fund. Any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to
a particular Fund are allocated by or under the direction of the Trustees in
such manner as the Trustees determine to be fair and equitable. Generally, the
Trustees allocate such expenses on the basis of relative net assets or number of
shareholders. No shareholder is liable to further calls or to assessment by the
Trust without his express consent.
- 3 -
<PAGE>
Under Massachusetts law, under certain circumstances, shareholders of a
Massachusetts business trust could be deemed to have the same type of personal
liability for the obligations of the Trust as does a partner of a partnership.
However, numerous investment companies registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 have been formed as Massachusetts business trusts and the Trust is
not aware of an instance where such result has occurred. In addition, the Trust
Agreement disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust
and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement,
obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees.
The Trust Agreement also provides for the indemnification out of the Trust
property for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable
for the obligations of the Trust. Moreover, it provides that the Trust will,
upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for
any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon. As a
result, and particularly because the Trust assets are readily marketable and
ordinarily substantially exceed liabilities, management believes that the risk
of shareholder liability is slight and limited to circumstances in which the
Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Management believes that,
in view of the above, the risk of personal liability is remote.
QUALITY RATINGS OF FIXED-INCOME OBLIGATIONS
- --------------------------------------------
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS OF ITS
CORPORATE BOND RATINGS:
Aaa - "Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality.
They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to
as 'gilt edge.' Interest payments are protected by a large or by an
exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various
protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are
most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues."
Aa - "Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as
high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective
elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present
which make the long term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities."
A - "Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment
attributes and are 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 -
<PAGE>
Baa - "Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations,
i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments
and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well."
Ba - "Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements;
their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of
position characterize bonds in this class."
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."
Caa - "Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in
default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest."
Ca - "Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative
in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings."
C - "Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues
so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining
any real investment standing."
STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS GROUP PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS OF ITS
CORPORATE BOND RATINGS:
AAA - "Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard &
Poor's to a debt obligation. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is
extremely strong."
AA - "Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and
repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree."
A - "Debt rated A has 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."
- 5 -
<PAGE>
BBB - "Debt rated BBB is regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest
and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for
debt in this category than in higher rated categories."
BB - "Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to
adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead to
inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB
rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied BBB rating."
B - "Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
BB or BB- rating."
CCC - "Debt rated CCC has a currently identifiable vulnerability to default
and is dependent upon favorable business, financial or economic conditions to
meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the event of
adverse business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the
capacity to pay interest or repay principal. The CCC rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
B or B- rating."
CC - "The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
that is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating."
C - "The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may be
used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy has been filed but debt service
payments are continued."
CI - "The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is
being paid."
D - "Debt rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when
interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even if the
applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments
will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the
filing of a bankruptcy petition and debt service payments are jeopardized.
- 6 -
<PAGE>
DEFINITIONS, POLICIES AND RISK CONSIDERATIONS
- ---------------------------------------------
A more detailed discussion of some of the terms used and investment
policies described in the Prospectus (see "Investment Objective and Policies")
appears below:
BANK DEBT INSTRUMENTS. Bank debt instruments in which the Funds may
invest consist of certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time
deposits issued by national banks and state banks, trust companies and mutual
savings banks, or of banks or institutions the accounts of which are insured by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings and Loan
Insurance Corporation. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates
evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with
it for a definite period of time (usually from fourteen days to one year) at a
stated or variable interest rate. Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments
evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft which has been drawn on it by
a customer, which instruments reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the
drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity. Time deposits are
non-negotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution for a specified
period of time at a stated interest rate. Investments in time deposits maturing
in more than seven days will be subject to each Fund's restrictions on illiquid
investments (see "Investment Limitations"). The Funds may also invest in
certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits issued by
foreign branches of national banks. Eurodollar certificates of deposit are
negotiable U.S. dollar denominated certificates of deposit issued by foreign
branches of major U.S. commercial banks. Eurodollar bankers' acceptances are
U.S. dollar denominated bankers' acceptances "accepted" by foreign branches of
major U.S. commercial banks. Investments in the obligations of foreign branches
of U.S. commercial banks may be subject to special risks, including future
political and economic developments, imposition of withholding taxes on income,
establishment of exchange controls or other restrictions, less governmental
supervision and the lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting
standards that might affect an investment adversely.
COMMERCIAL PAPER. Commercial paper consists of short-term, (usually
from one to two hundred seventy days) unsecured promissory notes issued by U.S.
corporations in order to finance their current operations. Certain notes may
have floating or variable rates. Variable and floating rate notes with a demand
notice period exceeding seven days will be subject to each Fund's restrictions
on illiquid investments (see "Investment Limitations") unless, in the judgment
of the Adviser, subject to the direction of the Board of Trustees, such note is
liquid.
- 7 -
<PAGE>
WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES. The Funds will only make commitments to purchase
securities on a when-issued basis with the intention of actually acquiring the
securities. In addition, the Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued
basis only if delivery and payment for the securities takes place within 60 days
after the date of the transaction. In connection with these investments, each
Fund will direct its Custodian to place cash, U.S. Government obligations or
other liquid high-grade debt obligations in a segregated account in an amount
sufficient to make payment for the securities to be purchased. When a segregated
account is maintained because a Fund purchases securities on a when-issued
basis, the assets deposited in the segregated account will be valued daily at
market for the purpose of determining the adequacy of the securities in the
account. If the market value of such securities declines, additional cash or
securities will be placed in the account on a daily basis so that the market
value of the account will equal the amount of a Fund's commitments to purchase
securities on a when-issued basis. To the extent funds are in a segregated
account, they will not be available for new investment or to meet redemptions.
Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and the securities held in a Fund's
portfolio are subject to changes in market value based upon changes in the level
of interest rates (which will generally result in all of those securities
changing in value in the same way, i.e., all those securities experiencing
appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates
rise). Therefore, if in order to achieve higher returns, a Fund remains
substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities
on a when-issued basis, there will be a possibility that the market value of the
Fund's assets will experience greater fluctuation. The purchase of securities on
a when-issued basis may involve a risk of loss if the seller fails to deliver
after the value of the securities has risen.
When the time comes for a Fund to make payment for securities purchased
on a when-issued basis, the Fund will do so by using then available cash flow,
by sale of the securities held in the segregated account, by sale of other
securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, by directing the
sale of the securities purchased on a when-issued basis themselves (which may
have a market value greater or less than the Fund's payment obligation).
Although a Fund will only make commitments to purchase securities on a
when-issued basis with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, the
Funds may sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed
advisable by the Adviser as a matter of investment strategy.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Aggressive Growth Fund may enter into
repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are transactions by which the
Fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security
to the seller at
- 8 -
<PAGE>
an agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the term of
the agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller of a
repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the
underlying security and losses. To minimize these possibilities, the Fund
intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with its Custodian, with banks
having assets in excess of $10 billion and with broker-dealers who are
recognized as primary dealers in U.S. Government obligations by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York. Collateral for repurchase agreements is held in
safekeeping in the customer-only account of the Fund's Custodian at the Federal
Reserve Bank. The Fund will not enter into a repurchase agreement not terminable
within seven days if, as a result thereof, more than 15% of the value of its net
assets would be invested in such securities and other illiquid securities.
Although the securities subject to a repurchase agreement might bear
maturities exceeding one year, settlement for the repurchase would never be more
than one year after the Fund's acquisition of the securities and normally would
be within a shorter period of time. The resale price will be in excess of the
purchase price, reflecting an agreed upon market rate effective for the period
of time the Fund's money will be invested in the securities, and will not be
related to the coupon rate of the purchased security. At the time the Fund
enters into a repurchase agreement, the value of the underlying security,
including accrued interest, will equal or exceed the value of the repurchase
agreement, and in the case of a repurchase agreement exceeding one day, the
seller will agree that the value of the underlying security, including accrued
interest, will at all times equal or exceed the value of the repurchase
agreement. The collateral securing the seller's obligation must be of a credit
quality at least equal to the Fund's investment criteria for portfolio
securities and will be held by the Custodian or in the Federal Reserve Book
Entry System.
For purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, a repurchase
agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the seller subject to the
repurchase agreement and is therefore subject to the Fund's investment
restriction applicable to loans. It is not clear whether a court would consider
the securities purchased by the Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being
owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller.
In the event of the commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with
respect to the seller of the securities before repurchase of the security under
a repurchase agreement, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before
being able to sell the security. Delays may involve loss of interest or decline
in price of the security. If a court characterized the transaction as a loan and
the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the security, the Fund may be
required to return the security to the seller's estate and be treated as an
unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at
the risk of losing some or all of
- 9 -
<PAGE>
the principal and income involved in the transaction. As with any unsecured debt
obligation purchased for the Fund, the Adviser seeks to minimize the risk of
loss through repurchase agreements by analyzing the creditworthiness of the
obligor, in this case, the seller. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to
repurchase the security, in which case the Fund may incur a loss if the proceeds
to it of the sale of the security to a third party are less than the repurchase
price. However, if the market value of the securities subject to the repurchase
agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including interest), the Fund
will direct the seller of the security to deliver additional securities so that
the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement will
equal or exceed the repurchase price. It is possible that the Fund will be
unsuccessful in seeking to enforce the seller's contractual obligation to
deliver additional securities.
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. Each Fund may lend its portfolio
securities subject to the restrictions stated in the Prospectus. Under
applicable regulatory requirements (which are subject to change), the loan
collateral must, on each business day, at least equal the value of the loaned
securities. To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit must obligate a
bank to pay amounts demanded by a Fund if the demand meets the terms of the
letter. Such terms and the issuing bank must be satisfactory to the Fund. The
Funds receive amounts equal to the dividends or interest on loaned securities
and also receive one or more of (a) negotiated loan fees, (b) interest on
securities used as collateral, or (c) interest on short-term debt securities
purchased with such collateral; either type of interest may be shared with the
borrower. The Funds may also pay fees to placing brokers as well as custodian
and administrative fees in connection with loans. Fees may only be paid to a
placing broker provided that the Trustees determine that the fee paid to the
placing broker is reasonable and based solely upon services rendered, that the
Trustees separately consider the propriety of any fee shared by the placing
broker with the borrower, and that the fees are not used to compensate the
Adviser or any affiliated person of the Trust or an affiliated person of the
Adviser or other affiliated person. The terms of the Funds' loans must meet
applicable tests under the Internal Revenue Code and permit the Funds to
reacquire loaned securities on five days' notice or in time to vote on any
important matter.
FOREIGN SECURITIES. Each Fund may invest in the securities (payable in
U.S. dollars) of foreign issuers. Because the Funds may invest in foreign
securities, an investment in the Funds involves risks that are different in some
respects from an investment in a fund which invests only in securities of U.S.
domestic issuers. Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably
by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be
less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S.
company, and foreign
- 10 -
<PAGE>
companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting
standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies.
There may be less governmental supervision of securities markets, brokers and
issuers of securities. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid or
more volatile than securities of U.S. companies, and foreign brokerage
commissions and custodian fees are generally higher than in the United States.
Settlement practices may include delays and may differ from those customary in
United States markets. Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to
other risks different from those affecting U.S. investments, including local
political or economic developments, expropriation or nationalization of assets,
restrictions on foreign investment and repatriation of capital, imposition of
withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, currency blockage (which
would prevent cash from being brought back to the United States), and difficulty
in enforcing legal rights outside the United States.
TRANSACTIONS IN OPTIONS AND FUTURES. The Adviser may engage
in the use of the options and futures strategies for the Aggressive Growth Fund
described below.
1. FUTURES CONTRACTS: The Aggressive Growth Fund may enter into
contracts for the future delivery of securities commonly referred to as "futures
contracts." A futures contract is a contract by the Fund to buy or sell
securities at a specified date and price. No payment is made for securities when
the Fund buys a futures contract and no securities are delivered when the Fund
sells a futures contract. Instead, the Fund makes a deposit called an "initial
margin" equal to a percentage of the contract's value. Payment or delivery is
made when the contract expires. Futures contracts will be used only as a hedge
against anticipated interest rate changes and for other transactions permitted
to entities exempt from the definition of the term commodity pool operator. The
Fund will not enter into a futures contract if immediately thereafter the sum of
the then aggregate futures market prices of financial or other instruments
required to be delivered under open futures contract sales and the aggregate
futures market prices of financial instruments required to be delivered under
open futures contract purchases would exceed one-third of the value of its total
assets. The Fund will not enter into a futures contract if immediately
thereafter more than 5% of the fair market value of its assets would be
committed to initial margins.
2. WRITING COVERED CALL OPTIONS ON EQUITY SECURITIES: The Aggressive
Growth Fund may write covered call options on equity securities to earn premium
income, to assure a definite price for a security it has considered selling, or
to close out options previously purchased. A call option gives the holder
(buyer) the right to purchase a security at a specified price (the exercise
price) at any time until a certain date (the expiration date). A call option
is "covered" if the Fund owns the underlying security
- 11 -
<PAGE>
subject to the call option at all times during the option period. A covered call
writer is required to deposit in escrow the underlying security in accordance
with the rules of the exchanges on which the option is traded and the
appropriate clearing agency.
The writing of covered call options is a conservative investment
technique which the Adviser believes involves relatively little risk. However,
there is no assurance that a closing transaction can be effected at a favorable
price. During the option period, the covered call writer has, in return for the
premium received, given up the opportunity for capital appreciation above the
exercise price should the market price of the underlying security increase, but
has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security
decline.
The Fund may write covered call options if, immediately thereafter, not
more than 25% of its net assets would be committed to such transactions. The
ability of the Fund to write covered call options may be limited by the tax
requirement that less than 30% of the Fund's gross income be derived from the
sale or other disposition of securities held for less than 3 months.
3. Writing Covered Put Options on Equity Securities: The Aggressive
Growth Fund may write covered put options on securities and on futures
contracts to assure a definite price for a security if it is considering
acquiring the security at a lower price than the current market price or to
close out options previously purchased. A put option gives the holder of the
option the right to sell, and the writer has the obligation to buy, the
underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period.
The operation of put options in other respects is substantially identical to
that of call options. When the Fund writes a covered put option, it maintains
in a segregated account with its Custodian cash or liquid debt obligations in
an amount not less than the exercise price at all times while the put option is
outstanding.
The risks involved in writing put options include the risk that a
closing transaction cannot be effected at a favorable price and the possibility
that the price of the underlying security may fall below the exercise price, in
which case the Fund may be required to purchase the underlying security at a
higher price than the market price of the security at the time the option is
exercised. The Fund may not write a put option if, immediately thereafter, more
than 25% of its net assets would be committed to such transactions.
4. Purchasing Options on Futures Contracts: The Aggressive Growth Fund
may purchase put and call options on futures contracts. The purchase of put
options on futures contracts hedges the Fund's portfolio against the risk of
rising interest rates. The purchase of call options on futures contracts is a
means of obtaining temporary exposure to market
- 12 -
<PAGE>
appreciation at limited risk and is a hedge against a market advance when the
Fund is not fully invested. Assuming that any decline in the securities being
hedged is accompanied by a rise in interest rates, the purchase of options on
the futures contracts may generate gains which can partially offset any decline
in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities which have been hedged. However,
if after the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, the value of the
securities being hedged moves in the opposite direction from that contemplated,
the Fund will tend to experience losses in the form of premiums on such options
which would partially offset gains the Fund would have.
A futures contract is a contract to buy or sell specified debt
securities at a future time for a fixed price. The Fund may purchase put and
call options on futures contracts which are traded on a national exchange or
board of trade and sell such options to terminate an existing position. Options
on futures contracts give 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 a security, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period
of the option.
The holder of an option on a futures contract may terminate his
position by selling an option of the same series. There is no guarantee that
such closing transactions can be effected. In addition to the risks which apply
to all options, there are several special risks relating to options on futures
contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions on such options is
subject to the maintenance of a liquid secondary market. Compared to the use of
futures contracts, the purchase of options on 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.
5. OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS GENERALLY: Option transactions in which the
Aggressive Growth Fund may engage involve the specific risks described above as
well as the following risks: the writer of an option may be assigned an exercise
at any time during the option period; disruptions in the markets for underlying
instruments could result in losses for options investors; imperfect or no
correlation between the option and the securities being hedged; the insolvency
of a broker could present risks for the broker's customers; and market imposed
restrictions may prohibit the exercise of certain options. In addition, the
option activities of the Fund may affect its portfolio turnover rate and the
amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund. The success of the Fund in
using the option strategies described above depends, among other things, on the
Adviser's ability to predict the direction and volatility of price movements in
the options, futures contracts and securities markets and the Adviser's ability
to select the proper time, type and duration of the options.
- 13 -
<PAGE>
MAJORITY. As used in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional
Information, the term "majority" of the outstanding shares of the Trust (or of
any Fund) means the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the
Trust (or the applicable Fund) present at a meeting, if the holders of more than
50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust (or the applicable Fund) are present
or represented at such meeting or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of
the Trust (or the applicable Fund).
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
- ----------------------
The Trust has adopted certain fundamental investment limitations
designed to reduce the risk of an investment in the Funds. These limitations may
not be changed with respect to any Fund without the affirmative vote of a
majority of the outstanding shares of that Fund.
The limitations applicable to each Fund are:
1. Borrowing Money. Each Fund will not borrow money, except (a) from a
bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is asset coverage of
300% for all borrowings of a Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for
temporary purposes only, provided that, when made, such temporary borrowings are
in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Growth/Value Fund's total assets. Each Fund
also will not make any borrowing which would cause outstanding borrowings to
exceed one-third of the value of its total assets.
2. Pledging. Each Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in
any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any security owned or held by
the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in
limitation (1) above. Each Fund will not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate more
than one-third of its assets in connection with borrowings.
3. Options. Each Fund will not purchase or sell puts, calls,
options, straddles, commodities or commodities futures except as described in
the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information.
4. Mineral Leases. Each Fund will not purchase oil, gas or other
mineral leases, rights or royalty contracts.
5. Underwriting. Each Fund will not act as underwriters of
securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the
extent that, in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities,
a Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws.
- 14 -
<PAGE>
6. Concentration. Each Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total
assets in the securities of issuers in any particular industry; provided,
however, that there is no limitation with respect to investments in obligations
issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or its agencies or
instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto.
7. Commodities. Each Fund will not purchase, hold or deal in
commodities and will not invest in oil, gas or other mineral explorative or
development programs.
8. Real Estate. Each Fund will not purchase, hold or deal in real estate
or real estate mortgage loans, except it may purchase (a) U.S. Government
obligations, (b) securities of companies which deal in real estate, or (c)
securities which are secured by interests in real estate or by interests in
mortgage loans including securities secured by mortgage-backed securities.
9. Loans. Each Fund will not make loans to other persons if, as a
result, more than one-third of the value of its total assets would be subject to
such loans. This limitation does not apply to (a) the purchase of marketable
bonds, debentures, commercial paper or corporate notes, and similar marketable
evidences of indebtedness which are part of an issue for the public or (b) entry
into repurchase agreements.
10. Investing for Control. Each Fund will not invest in companies
for the purpose of exercising control.
11. Senior Securities. Each Fund will not issue or sell any senior
security. This limitation is not applicable to short-term credit obtained by a
Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemptions of securities, or
to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures
contracts and other similar permitted investments and techniques.
THE FOLLOWING INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS FOR THE FUNDS ARE NONFUNDAMENTAL AND MAY BE
CHANGED WITHOUT SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL:
1. Illiquid Investments. Each Fund will not purchase securities for
which there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale or for which no
readily available market exists (or, which respect to the Aggressive/Growth
Fund, engage in a repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days) if, as
a result thereof, more than 15% of the value of a Fund's net assets would be
invested in such securities.
2. Margin Purchases. Each Fund will not purchase securities or
evidences of interest thereon on "margin." This limitation is not applicable
to short-term credit obtained by a Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales
or redemption of
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<PAGE>
securities or to the extent necessary to engage in transactions described in the
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information which involve margin
purchases.
3. Short Sales. Each Fund will make short sales of securities.
4. Other Investment Companies. Each Fund will not invest more than
5% of its total assets in the securities of any investment company and will not
invest more than 10% of the value of its total assets in securities of other
investment companies.
With respect to the percentages adopted by the Trust as maximum limitations
on the Funds' investment policies and restrictions, an excess above the fixed
percentage (except for the percentage limitations relative to the borrowing of
money) will not be a violation of the policy or restriction unless the excess
results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the
action taken.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
- ---------------------
The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the
Trust, their compensation from the Trust and their aggregate compensation from
Countrywide Investments (consisting of the Trust, Countrywide Tax-Free Trust and
Countrywide Investment Trust) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997. Each
Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Trust, as defined by the Investment
Company Act of 1940, is indicated by an asterisk. Each Trustee is also a Trustee
of Countrywide Tax- Free Trust and Countrywide Investment Trust.
AGGREGATE
COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION FROM
POSITION FROM COUNTRYWIDE
NAME AGE HELD TRUST INVESTMENTS
- ---- --- ---- ------------ -----------
Donald L. Bodgon, MD 66 Trustee $ 0 $ 0
John R. Delfino 63 Trustee 0 0
+H. Jerome Lerner 58 Trustee 2,983 9,030
*Robert H. Leshner 57 President/Trustee 0 0
*Angelo R. Mozilo 58 Chairman/Trustee 0 0
+Oscar P. Robertson 57 Trustee 2,583 7,750
John F. Seymour, Jr. 59 Trustee 0 0
+Sebastiano Sterpa 67 Trustee 0 0
Robert G. Dorsey 40 Vice President 0 0
John F. Splain 40 Secretary 0 0
Mark J. Seger 35 Treasurer 0 0
* Mr. Leshner and Mr. Mozilo, as officers and directors of
Countrywide Investments, Inc., are each an "interested
person" of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
+ Member of Audit Committee.
- 16 -
<PAGE>
The principal occupations of the Trustees and executive officers of the
Trust during the past five years are set forth below:
DONALD L. BOGDON, M.D., 435 Arden Avenue, Glendale, California is a
physician with Hematology Oncology Consultants and a Director of Verdugo VNA (a
hospice facility). Until 1996 he was President of Western Hematology/Oncology
and until 1993 he was Chairman of the Board of Glendale Memorial Hospital.
JOHN R. DELFINO, 2029 Century Park East, Los Angeles, California is
President of Concorde Capital Corporation (an investment firm). Until 1993 he
was a director of Cypress Financial and Chairman of Rancho Santa Margarita,
mortgage banking firms.
H. JEROME LERNER, 7149 Knoll Road, Cincinnati, Ohio is a principal of
HJL Enterprises and is Chairman of Crane Electronics, Inc., a manufacturer of
electronic connectors.
ROBERT H. LESHNER, 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio is President
and a director of Countrywide Investments, Inc. (the investment adviser and
principal underwriter of the Trust) and Countrywide Financial Services, Inc.
(a financial services company and parent of Countrywide Investments, Inc. and
Countrywide Fund Services, Inc.). He is Vice Chairman and a director of
Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. (a registered transfer agent) and President
and a Trustee of Countrywide Tax-Free Trust and Countrywide Investment Trust,
registered investment companies.
ANGELO R. MOZILO, 4500 Park Granada Road, Calabasas, California is Vice
Chairman and Executive Vice President of Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. (a
holding company). He is a director of Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (a
residential mortgage lender), CTC Foreclosure Services Corporation (a
foreclosure trustee) and LandSafe, Inc. (the parent company of fifteen LandSafe
entities which provide property appraisals, credit reporting services, title
insurance and/or closing services for residential mortgages), each a subsidiary
of Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. He is Chairman and a director of
Countrywide Financial Services, Inc., Countrywide Investments, Inc., Countrywide
Fund Services, Inc., Countrywide Servicing Exchange (a loan servicing broker),
Countrywide Capital Markets, Inc., (parent company of Countrywide Securities
Corporation and Countrywide Servicing Exchange) and various LandSafe
subsidiaries and is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Countrywide
Securities Corporation (a registered broker-dealer), each a subsidiary of
Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. He is also Vice Chairman of CWM Mortgage
Holdings, Inc. (a publicly-held real estate investment trust).
- 17 -
<PAGE>
OSCAR P. ROBERTSON, 4293 Muhlhauser Road, Fairfield, Ohio is President
of Orchem Corp., a chemical specialties distributor, and Orpack Stone
Corporation, a corrugated box manufacturer.
JOHN F. SEYMOUR, JR., 46-393 Blackhawk Drive, Indian Wells, California
is Chief Executive Officer of the Southern California Housing Development Agency
and a consultant for Orange Coast Title Co. (a title insurance company). He is
also a director of Irvine Apartment Communities (a real estate investment trust)
and Inco Homes (a home builder). Until 1994 he was a director of the California
Housing Finance Agency.
SEBASTIANO STERPA, 200 West Glenoaks Boulevard, Glendale, California is
Chairman of Sterpa Realty, Inc. and Chairman and a director of the California
Housing Finance Agency. He is also a director of Real Estate Business Services
and a director of the SunAmerica Mutual Funds.
ROBERT G. DORSEY, 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio is President and
Treasurer of Countrywide Fund Services, Inc., Vice President - Finance and
Treasurer of Countrywide Financial Services, Inc. and Treasurer of Countrywide
Investments, Inc. He is also Vice President of Countrywide Investment Trust,
Countrywide Strategic Trust, Brundage, Story and Rose Investment Trust, Markman
MultiFund Trust, PRAGMA Investment Trust, Maplewood Investment Trust, a series
company, The Thermo Opportunity Fund, Inc., Capital Square Funds, The Dean
Family of Funds and The New York State Opportunity Funds and Assistant Vice
President of Williamsburg Investment Trust, Schwartz Investment Trust, Fremont
Mutual Funds, Inc., The Tuscarora Investment Trust, The Gannett Welsh & Kotler
Funds and Interactive Investments, all of which are registered investment
companies.
JOHN F. SPLAIN, 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio is Vice President,
Secretary and General Counsel of Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. and Secretary
and General Counsel of Countrywide Investments, Inc. and Countrywide Financial
Services, Inc. He is also Secretary of Countrywide Tax-Free Trust, Countrywide
Investment Trust, Brundage, Story and Rose Investment Trust, Williamsburg
Investment Trust, Markman MultiFund Trust, The Tuscarora Investment Trust,
PRAGMA Investment Trust, Maplewood Investment Trust, a series company, and The
Thermo Opportunity Fund, Inc. and Assistant Secretary of Schwartz Investment
Trust, Fremont Mutual Funds, Inc., Capitol Square Funds, The Gannett Welsh &
Kotler Funds, Interactive Investments, the New York State Opportunity Funds and
the Dean Family of Funds.
MARK J. SEGER, C.P.A., 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio is Vice
President and Fund Controller of Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. He is also
Treasurer of Countrywide Tax-Free Trust, Countrywide Investment Trust, Brundage,
Story and Rose
- 18 -
<PAGE>
Investment Trust, Williamsburg Investment Trust, Markman MultiFund Trust, PRAGMA
Investment Trust, Maplewood Investment Trust, a series company, The Thermo
Opportunity Fund, Inc., Capitol Square Funds, the New York State Opportunity
Funds and the Dean Family of Funds, Assistant Treasurer of Schwartz Investment
Trust, The Tuscarora Investment Trust, The Gannett Welsh & Kotler Funds and
Interactive Investments and Assistant Secretary of Fremont Mutual Funds, Inc.
Each Trustee, except for Messrs. Leshner and Mozilo, receives a
quarterly retainer of $1,500 and a fee of $1,500 for each Board meeting
attended. Such fees are split equally among the Trust, Countrywide Tax-Free
Trust and Countrywide Investment
Trust.
THE INVESTMENT MANAGER AND UNDERWRITER
- --------------------------------------
Countrywide Investments, Inc. (the "Manager") performs management,
statistical, portfolio adviser selection and other services for the Funds. The
Manager is responsible for placing orders for the purchase and sale of
securities of the Funds. The Manager is a subsidiary of Countrywide Financial
Services, Inc., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Countrywide Credit
Industries, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange listed company principally engaged
in the business of residential mortgage lending. Messrs. Mozilo and Leshner
may be deemed to be affiliates of the Manager by reason of their position as
Chairman and President, respectively, of the Manager. Messrs. Mozilo and
Leshner, by reason of such affiliation, may directly or indirectly receive
benefits from the management fees paid to the Manager.
Under the terms of the management agreements between the Trust and the
Manager, each Fund pays the Manager a fee computed and accrued daily and paid
monthly at an annual rate of 1.00% of its average daily net assets up to
$50,000,000, .90% of such assets from $50,000,000 to $100,000,000, .80% of such
assets from $100,000,000 to $200,000,000 and .75% of such assets in excess of
$200,000,000. The total fees paid by a Fund during the first and second halves
of each fiscal year of the Trust may not exceed the semiannual total of the
daily fee accruals requested by the Manager during the applicable six month
period.
The Funds are responsible for the payment of all expenses incurred in
connection with the organization, registration of shares and operations of the
Funds, including such extraordinary or non-recurring expenses as may arise, such
as litigation to which the Trust may be a party. The Funds may have an
obligation to indemnify the Trust's officers and Trustees with respect to such
litigation, except in instances of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard by such officers and Trustees in the
performance of their duties. The Manager bears promotional expenses in
connection with the distribution of
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<PAGE>
the Funds' shares to the extent that such expenses are not assumed by the Funds
under their plan of distribution (see below). The compensation and expenses of
any officer, Trustee or employee of the Trust who is an officer, director,
employee or stockholder of the Manager are paid by the Manager.
By their terms, the Funds' management agreements will remain in force
until February 28, 1999 and from year to year thereafter, subject to annual
approval by (a) the Board of Trustees or (b) a vote of the majority of a Fund's
outstanding voting securities; provided that in either event continuance is also
approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the
Trust, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting
such approval. The Funds' management agreements may be terminated at any time,
on sixty days' written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board
of Trustees, by a vote of the majority of a Fund's outstanding voting
securities, or by the Manager. The management agreements automatically terminate
in the event of their assignment, as defined by the Investment Company Act of
1940 and the rules thereunder.
The Manager is also the principal underwriter of the Funds and, as
such, the exclusive agent for distribution of shares of the Funds. The Manager
is obligated to sell the shares on a best efforts basis only against purchase
orders for the shares. Shares of each Fund are offered to the public on a
continuous basis.
The Manager currently allows concessions to dealers who sell shares of
the Funds. The Manager receives that portion of the sales load which is not
reallowed to the dealers who sell shares of the Funds. The Manager retains the
entire sales load on all direct initial investments in the Funds and on all
investments in accounts with no designated dealer of record.
The Funds may compensate dealers, including the Manager and its
affiliates, based on the average balance of all accounts in the Funds for which
the dealer is designated as the party responsible for the account. See
"Distribution Plan" below.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
- ------------------
Mastrapasqua & Associates, Inc. (the "Adviser") has been retained by the
Manager to serve as the discretionary portfolio adviser of the Funds. The
Adviser selects the portfolio securities for investment by the Funds, subject to
the general supervision of the Board of Trustees and the Manager. The Adviser
receives a fee equal to the annual rate of .6% of each Fund's average daily
- 20 -
<PAGE>
net assets up to $50,000,000, .5% of such assets from $50,000,000 to
$100,000,000, .4% of such assets from $100,000,000 to $200,000,000 and .35% of
such assets in excess of $200,000,000. The services provided by the Adviser are
paid for wholly by the Manager. The compensation of any officer, director or
employee of the Adviser who is rendering services to the Fund is paid by the
Adviser.
The employment of the Adviser will remain in force until February 28, 1999
and from year to year thereafter, subject to annual approval by (a) the Board of
Trustees or (b) a vote of the majority of a Fund's outstanding voting
securities; provided that in either event continuance is also approved by a
majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust, by a vote
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting such approval. The
employment of the Adviser may be terminated at any time, on sixty days' written
notice, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees, by a vote
of a majority of a Fund's outstanding voting securities, by the Manager, or by
the Adviser. The agreement with the Adviser automatically terminates in the
event of its assignment, as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the rules thereunder.
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
- -----------------
As stated in the Prospectus, the Funds have adopted a plan of
distribution (the "Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 which permits each Fund to pay for expenses incurred in the
distribution and promotion of the Funds' shares, including but not limited to,
the printing of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports
used for sales purposes, advertisements, expenses of preparation and printing of
sales literature, promotion, marketing and sales expenses, and other
distribution-related expenses, including any distribution fees paid to
securities dealers or other firms who have executed a distribution or service
agreement with the Manager. The Plan expressly limits payment of the
distribution expenses listed above in any fiscal year to a maximum of .25% of
each Fund's average daily net assets. Unreimbursed expenses will not be carried
over from year to year.
Agreements implementing the Plan (the "Implementation Agreements"),
including agreements with dealers wherein such dealers agree for a fee to act as
agents for the sale of the Funds' shares, are in writing and have been approved
by the Board of Trustees. All payments made pursuant to the Plan are made in
accordance with written agreements.
The continuance of the Plan and the Implementation Agreements must be
specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the Trust's Board of
Trustees and by a vote of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the
Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or any
- 21 -
<PAGE>
Implementation Agreement (the "Independent Trustees") at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such continuance. The Plan may be terminated at any
time by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund. In the event the Plan
is terminated in accordance with its terms, the affected Fund will not be
required to make any payments for expenses incurred by the Manager after the
termination date. Each Implementation Agreement terminates automatically in the
event of its assignment and may be terminated at any time by a vote of a
majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a majority
of the outstanding shares of a Fund on not more than 60 days' written notice to
any other party to the Implementation Agreement. The Plan may not be amended to
increase materially the amount to be spent for distribution without shareholder
approval. All material amendments to the Plan must be approved by a vote of the
Trust's Board of Trustees and by a vote of the Independent Trustees.
In approving the Plan, the Trustees determined, in the exercise of
their business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties as Trustees, that
there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Funds and their
shareholders. The Board of Trustees believes that expenditure of the Funds'
assets for distribution expenses under the Plan should assist in the growth of
the Funds which will benefit the Funds and their shareholders through increased
economies of scale, greater investment flexibility, greater portfolio
diversification and less chance of disruption of planned investment strategies.
The Plan will be renewed only if the Trustees make a similar determination for
each subsequent year of the Plan. There can be no assurance that the benefits
anticipated from the expenditure of the Funds' assets for distribution will be
realized. While the Plan is in effect, all amounts spent by the Funds pursuant
to the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made must be
reported quarterly to the Board of Trustees for its review. The selection and
nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust are
committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees during such period.
Angelo R. Mozilo and Robert H. Leshner, as interested persons of the
Trust, may be deemed to have a financial interest in the operation of the Plan
and the Implementation Agreements.
SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
- -----------------------
Decisions to buy and sell securities for the Funds are made by the
Adviser. The placing of the Funds' securities transactions and negotiation of
commission rates where applicable are made by the Manager and are subject to
review by the Board of Trustees of the Trust. In the purchase and sale of
portfolio securities, the Manager seeks best execution for the Funds, taking
into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage
commission or dealer
- 22 -
<PAGE>
spread), the execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness
of the broker or dealer and the brokerage and research services provided by the
broker or dealer. The Manager generally seeks favorable prices and commission
rates that are reasonable in relation to the benefits received.
Generally, the Funds attempt to deal directly with the dealers who make
a market in the securities involved unless better prices and execution are
available elsewhere. Such dealers usually act as principals for their own
account. On occasion, portfolio securities for the Funds may be purchased
directly from the issuer.
The Manager is specifically authorized to select brokers who also
provide brokerage and research services to the Funds and/or other accounts over
which the Manager exercises investment discretion and to pay such brokers a
commission in excess of the commission another broker would charge if the
Manager determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation
to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. The determination
may be viewed in terms of a particular transaction or the Manager's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Funds and to accounts over which it
exercises investment discretion.
Research services include securities and economic analyses, reports on
issuers' financial conditions and future business prospects, newsletters and
opinions relating to interest trends, general advice on the relative merits of
possible investment securities for the Funds and statistical services and
information with respect to the availability of securities or purchasers or
sellers of securities. Although this information is useful to the Funds and the
Manager, it is not possible to place a dollar value on it. Research services
furnished by brokers through whom the Funds effect securities transactions may
be used by the Manager in servicing all of its accounts and not all such
services may be used by the Manager in connection with the Funds.
The Funds have no obligation to deal with any broker or dealer in the
execution of securities transactions. However, the Manager and other affiliates
of the Trust, the Adviser or the Manager, may effect securities transactions
which are executed on a national securities exchange or transactions in the
over-the-counter market conducted on an agency basis. No Fund will effect any
brokerage transactions in its portfolio securities with the Manager if such
transactions would be unfair or unreasonable to its shareholders.
Over-the-counter transactions will be placed either directly with principal
market makers or with broker-dealers. Although the Funds do not anticipate any
ongoing arrangements with other brokerage firms, brokerage business may be
transacted from time to time with other firms. Neither the
- 23 -
<PAGE>
Manager nor affiliates of the Trust, the Manager or the Adviser will receive
reciprocal brokerage business as a result of the brokerage business transacted
by the Funds with other brokers.
CODE OF ETHICS. The Trust and the Manager have each adopted a Code of Ethics
under Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Code significantly
restricts the personal investing activities of all employees of the Manager and,
as described below, imposes additional, more onerous, restrictions on investment
personnel of the Manager. The Code requires that all employees of the Manager
preclear any personal securities investment (with limited exceptions, such as
U.S. Government obligations). The preclearance requirement and associated
procedures are designed to identify any substantive prohibition or limitation
applicable to the proposed investment. In addition, no employee may purchase or
sell any security which at the time is being purchased or sold (as the case may
be), or to the knowledge of the employee is being considered for purchase or
sale, by any Fund. The substantive restrictions applicable to investment
personnel of the Manager include a ban on acquiring any securities in an initial
public offering and a prohibition from profiting on short-term trading in
securities. Furthermore, the Code provides for trading "blackout periods" which
prohibit trading by investment personnel of the Manager within periods of
trading by the Funds in the same (or equivalent) security.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
- ------------------
Because the Funds are actively managed by the Adviser in light of the
Adviser's investment outlook for common stocks, there may be a very substantial
turnover of each Fund's portfolio. A Fund's portfolio turnover rate is
calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities
for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio
securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. High portfolio turnover
involves correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction
costs, which will be borne directly by the Funds. A 100% turnover rate would
occur if all of a Fund's portfolio securities were replaced once within a one
year period.
The Growth/Value Fund expects that the average holding period of its
equity securities will be between eighteen and thirty-six months. However, the
rate of portfolio turnover will depend upon market and other conditions, and it
will not be a limiting factor when the Adviser believes that portfolio changes
are appropriate.
If warranted by market conditions, the Aggressive Growth Fund may
engage in short-term trading if the Adviser believes the transactions, net of
costs, will result in improving the income
- 24 -
<PAGE>
or the appreciation potential of the Fund's portfolio. Because of the
possibility of short-term trading, there may be a very substantial turnover
of the Fund's portfolio.
CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICE AND PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE
- ----------------------------------------------------
The share price (net asset value) and the public offering price (net
asset value plus applicable sales load) of the shares of each Fund are
determined as of the close of the regular session of trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time), on each day the Trust is
open for business. The Trust is open for business on every day except Saturdays,
Sundays and the following holidays: New Year's Day, President's Day, Good
Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Trust may also be open for business on other days in which there is
sufficient trading in a Fund's portfolio securities that its net asset value
might be materially affected. For a description of the methods used to determine
the share price and the public offering price, see "Calculation of Share Price
and Public Offering Price" in the Prospectus.
OTHER PURCHASE INFORMATION
- --------------------------
The Prospectus describes generally how to purchase shares of the Funds.
Additional information with respect to certain types of purchases of shares of
the Funds is set forth below.
RIGHT OF ACCUMULATION. A "purchaser" (as defined in the Prospectus) of
shares of a Fund has the right to combine the cost or current net asset value
(whichever is higher) of his existing shares of the load funds distributed by
the Manager with the amount of his current purchases in order to take advantage
of the reduced sales loads set forth in the tables in the Prospectus. The
purchaser or his dealer must notify the Transfer Agent that an investment
qualifies for a reduced sales load. The reduced load will be granted upon
confirmation of the purchaser's holdings by the Transfer Agent.
LETTER OF INTENT. The reduced sales loads set forth in the tables in
the Prospectus may also be available to any "purchaser" (as defined in the
Prospectus) of shares of a Fund who submits a Letter of Intent to the Transfer
Agent The Letter must state an intention to invest within a thirteen month
period in any load fund distributed by the Adviser a specified amount which, if
made at one time, would qualify for a reduced sales load. A Letter of Intent may
be submitted with a purchase at the beginning of the thirteen month period or
within ninety days of the first purchase under the Letter of Intent. Upon
acceptance of this Letter, the purchaser becomes eligible for the reduced sales
load applicable to the level of investment covered by such Letter of Intent as
if the entire amount were invested in a single transaction.
- 25 -
<PAGE>
The Letter of Intent is not a binding obligation on the purchaser to
purchase, or the Trust to sell, the full amount indicated. During the term of a
Letter of Intent, shares representing 5% of the intended purchase will be held
in escrow. These shares will be released upon the completion of the intended
investment. If the Letter of Intent is not completed during the thirteen month
period, the applicable sales load will be adjusted by the redemption of
sufficient shares held in escrow, depending upon the amount actually purchased
during the period. The minimum initial investment under a Letter of Intent is
$10,000.
A ninety-day backdating period can be used to include earlier purchases
at the purchaser's cost (without a retroactive downward adjustment of the sales
charge). The thirteen month period would then begin on the date of the first
purchase during the ninety-day period. No retroactive adjustment will be made if
purchases exceed the amount indicated in the Letter of Intent. The purchaser or
his dealer must notify the Transfer Agent that an investment is being made
pursuant to an executed Letter of Intent.
OTHER INFORMATION. The Trust does not impose a front-end sales load or
imposes a reduced sales load in connection with purchases of shares of a Fund
made under the reinvestment privilege or the purchases described in the "Reduced
Sales Load," "Purchases at Net Asset Value" or "Exchange Privilege" sections in
the Prospectus because such purchases require minimal sales effort by the
Manager. Purchases described in the "Purchases at Net Asset Value" section may
be made for investment only, and the shares may not be resold except through
redemption by or on behalf of the Trust.
TAXES
- -----
The Prospectus describes generally the tax treatment of distributions
by the Funds. This section of the Statement of Additional Information includes
additional information concerning federal taxes.
Each Fund intends to qualify annually for the special tax treatment
afforded a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Internal
Revenue Code so that it does not pay federal taxes on income and capital gains
distributed to shareholders. To so qualify a Fund must, among other things, (i)
derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends,
interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or
other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currency, or certain other
income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward
contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in stock,
securities or currencies; (ii) derive less than 30% of its gross
- 26 -
<PAGE>
income in each taxable year from the sale or other disposition of the following
assets held for less than three months: (a) stock or securities, (b) options,
futures or forward contracts not directly related to its principal business of
investing in stock or securities; and (iii) diversify its holdings so that at
the end of each quarter of its taxable year the following two conditions are
met: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets is represented by
cash, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment
companies and other securities (for this purpose such other securities will
qualify only if the Fund's investment is limited in respect to any issuer to an
amount not greater than 5% of the Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer) and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the
Fund's assets is invested in securities of any one issuer (other than U.S.
Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies).
A Fund's net realized capital gains from securities transactions will
be distributed only after reducing such gains by the amount of any available
capital loss carryforwards. Capital losses may be carried forward to offset any
capital gains for eight years, after which any undeducted capital loss remaining
is lost as a deduction.
Investments by the Aggressive Growth Fund in certain options, futures
contracts and options on futures contracts are "section 1256 contracts." Any
gains or losses on section 1256 contracts are generally considered 60% long-term
and 40% short-term capital gains or losses ("60/40"). Section 1256 contracts
held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year are treated for federal income
tax purposes as being sold on such date for their fair market value. The
resultant paper gains or losses are also treated as 60/40 gains or losses. When
the section 1256 contract is subsequently disposed of, the actual gain or loss
will be adjusted by the amount of any preceding year-end gain or loss. The use
of section 1256 contracts may force the Fund to distribute to shareholders paper
gains that have not yet been realized in order to avoid federal income tax
liability.
Certain hedging transactions undertaken by the Aggressive Growth Fund
may result in "straddles" for federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules
may affect the character of gains (or losses) realized by the Fund. In addition,
losses realized by the Fund on positions that are part of a straddle may be
deferred, rather than being taken into account in calculating taxable income for
the taxable year in which such losses are realized. Because only a few
regulations implementing the straddle rules have been promulgated, the tax
consequences of hedging transactions to the Fund are not entirely clear. The
hedging transactions may increase the amount of short-term
- 27 -
<PAGE>
capital gain realized by the Fund which is taxed as ordinary income when
distributed to shareholders. The Fund may make one or more of the elections
available under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which are
applicable to straddles. If the Fund makes any of the elections, the amount,
character and timing of the recognition of gains or losses from the affected
straddle positions will be determined under rules that vary according to the
elections made. The rules applicable under certain of the elections operate to
accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle
positions. Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of
gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or
losses from the affected straddle positions, the amount which must be
distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary
income or long-term capital gain in any year, may be increased or decreased
substantially as compared to a fund that did not engage in such hedging
transactions.
A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess,
if any, of a Fund's "required distribution" over actual distributions in any
calendar year. Generally, the "required distribution" is 98% of a Fund's
ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98% of its net capital gains
recognized during the one year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year
plus undistributed amounts from prior years. The Funds intend to make
distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.
The Trust is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a
portion (31%) of dividend income on any account unless the shareholder provides
a taxpayer identification number and certifies that such number is correct and
that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding.
REDEMPTION IN KIND
- -------------------
Under unusual circumstances, when the Board of Trustees deems it in the
best interests of a Fund's shareholders, the Fund may make payment for shares
repurchased or redeemed in whole or in part in securities of the Fund taken at
current value. If any such redemption in kind is to be made, each Fund intends
to make an election pursuant to Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act of
1940. This election will require the Funds to redeem shares solely in cash up to
the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of each Fund during any 90
day period for any one shareholder. Should payment be made in securities, the
redeeming shareholder will generally incur brokerage costs in converting such
securities to cash. Portfolio securities which are issued in an in-kind
redemption will be readily marketable.
- 28 -
<PAGE>
HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
- ----------------------------------
From time to time, each Fund may advertise average annual total return.
Average annual total return quotations will be computed by finding the average
annual compounded rates of return over 1, 5 and 10 year periods that would
equate the initial amount invested to the ending redeemable value, according to
the following formula:
P (1 + T)n = ERV
Where:
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
T = average annual total return
n = number of years
ERV = ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000
payment made at the beginning of the 1, 5 and 10 year periods
at the end of the 1, 5 or 10 year periods (or fractional
portion thereof)
The calculation of average annual total return assumes the reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions and the deduction of the current maximum sales load
from the initial $1,000 payment. If a Fund has been in existence less than one,
five or ten years, the time period since the date of the initial public offering
of shares will be substituted for the periods stated.
Each Fund may also advertise total return (a "nonstandardized
quotation") which is calculated differently from average annual total return. A
nonstandardized quotation of total return may be a cumulative return which
measures the percentage change in the value of an account between the beginning
and end of a period, assuming no activity in the account other than reinvestment
of dividends and capital gains distributions. This computation does not include
the effect of the applicable sales load which, if included, would reduce total
return. A nonstandardized quotation may also indicate average annual compounded
rates of return without including the effect of the applicable sales load or
over periods other than those specified for average annual total return. A
nonstandardized quotation of total return will always be accompanied by the
Fund's average annual total return as described above.
From time to time, each Fund may advertise its yield. A yield quotation
is based on a 30-day (or one month) period and is 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 period, according to the following
formula:
- 29 -
<PAGE>
Yield = 2[(a-b/cd +1)6 -1]
Where:
a = dividends and interest earned during the period
b = expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements)
c = the average daily number of shares outstanding during the period
that were entitled to receive dividends
d = the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period
Solely for the purpose of computing yield, dividend income is recognized by
accruing 1/360 of the stated dividend rate of the security each day that a Fund
owns the security. Generally, interest earned (for the purpose of "a" above) on
debt obligations is computed by reference to the yield to maturity of each
obligation held based on the market value of the obligation (including actual
accrued interest) at the close of business on the last business day prior to the
start of the 30-day (or one month) period for which yield is being calculated,
or, with respect to obligations purchased during the month, the purchase price
(plus actual accrued interest). With respect to the treatment of discount and
premium on mortgage or other receivables-backed obligations which are expected
to be subject to monthly paydowns of principal and interest, gain or loss
attributable to actual monthly paydowns is accounted for as an increase or
decrease to interest income during the period and discount or premium on the
remaining security is not amortized.
The performance quotations described above are based on historical
earnings and are not intended to indicate future performance.
To help investors better evaluate how an investment in a Fund might
satisfy their investment objective, advertisements regarding each Fund may
discuss various measures of Fund performance, including current performance
ratings and/or rankings appearing in financial magazines, newspapers and
publications which track mutual fund performance. Advertisements may also
compare performance (using the calculation methods set forth in the Prospectus)
to performance as reported by other investments, indices and averages. When
advertising current ratings or rankings, the Funds may use the following
publications or indices to discuss or compare Fund performance:
Lipper Mutual Fund Performance Analysis measures total return and
average current yield for the mutual fund industry and rank individual mutual
fund performance over specified time periods assuming reinvestment of all
distributions, exclusive of sales loads. The Growth/Value Fund may provide
comparative performance information appearing in the Growth Funds category and
the Aggressive Growth Fund may provide comparative performance information
appearing in the Capital Appreciation Funds category. In addition, the Funds may
also use comparative performance information of relevant indices, including the
following:
- 30 -
<PAGE>
S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 stocks, the purpose of which
is to portray the pattern of common stock price movement.
NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged index of common stocks of
companies traded over-the-counter and offered through the National Association
of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotations ("NASDAQ") system.
In assessing such comparisons of performance an investor should keep in
mind that the composition of the investments in the reported indices and
averages is not identical to the Funds' portfolios, that the averages are
generally unmanaged and that the items included in the calculations of such
averages may not be identical to the formula used by the Funds to calculate
their performance. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Funds will
continue this performance as compared to such other averages.
CUSTODIAN
- ---------
Star Bank, N.A., 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been retained
to act as Custodian for each Fund's investments. Star Bank acts as each Fund's
depository, safekeeps its portfolio securities, collects all income and other
payments with respect thereto, disburses funds as instructed and maintains
records in connection with its duties.
AUDITORS
- ---------
The firm of Arthur Andersen LLP has been selected as independent
auditors for the Trust for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998. Arthur
Andersen LLP, 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, performs an annual audit of
the Trust's financial statements and advises the Trust as to certain accounting
matters.
TRANSFER AGENT
- --------------
The Trust's transfer agent, Countrywide Fund Services, Inc. ("CFS"),
maintains the records of each shareholder's account, answers shareholders'
inquiries concerning their accounts, processes purchases and redemptions of the
Funds' shares, acts as dividend and distribution disbursing agent and performs
other shareholder service functions. CFS is an affiliate of the Adviser by
reason of common ownership. CFS receives for its services as transfer agent a
fee payable monthly at an annual rate of $17 per account from each of the Funds,
provided, however, that the minimum fee is $1,000 per month for each Fund. In
addition, the Funds pay out-of-pocket expenses, including but
- 31 -
<PAGE>
not limited to, postage, envelopes, checks, drafts, forms, reports, record
storage and communication lines.
CFS also provides accounting and pricing services to the Funds. For
calculating daily net asset value per share and maintaining such books and
records as are necessary to enable CFS to perform its duties, each Fund pays CFS
a fee in accordance with the following schedule:
Asset Size of Fund Monthly Fee
$ 0 - $ 50,000,000 $3,500
50,000,000 - 100,000,000 4,000
100,000,000 - 150,000,000 4,500
150,000,000 - 200,000,000 5,000
200,000,000 - 250,000,000 5,500
Over 250,000,000 6,500
In addition, each Fund pays all costs of external pricing services.
CFS is retained by the Manager to assist the Manager in providing
administrative services to the Funds. In this capacity, CFS supplies
non-investment related statistical and research data, internal regulatory
compliance services and executive and administrative services. CFS supervises
the preparation of tax returns, reports to shareholders of the Funds, reports to
and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities
commissions, and materials for meetings of the Board of Trustees. For the
performance of these administrative services, CFS receives a fee from the
Manager equal to .1% of the average value of each Fund's daily net assets. The
Manager is solely responsible for the payment of these administrative fees to
CFS, and CFS has agreed to seek payment of such fees solely from the Manager.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
- --------------------
The Predecessor Funds' audited financial statements as of August 31,
1996 appear in the Trust's annual report which is attached to this Statement of
Additional Information. The Predecessor Funds' unaudited financial statements as
of February 28, 1997 appear in the Trust's semiannual report which is also
attached to this Statement of Additional Information.
- 32 -
<PAGE>
Growth/Value Fund Shareholder Inquiries:
Aggressive Growth Fund Forum Financial Corp.
Intermediate Bond Fund P.O. Box 446
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund Portland, Maine 04112
Money Market Fund 207-879-0001
800-811-8258
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 17, 1996
Dear Shareholder:
We are pleased to present the August 31, 1996 annual report for the Trans
Adviser Funds. This report includes the five funds: Growth/Value, Aggressive
Growth, Intermediate Bond, Money Market and Kentucky Tax-Free Funds.
The stock market, as measured by the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, performed well
over our first fiscal year, but masked several inconsistent counter-trends. The
technology sector reached a peak in the final three months of 1995 and
subsequently entered into a six-month down-draft period. The good news is that,
for Growth/Value and Aggressive Growth Funds, this afforded us the opportunity
of building our technology positions at valuations that were substantially
discounted from 1995 highs. The bad news, however, is many of these technology
issues either stayed depressed or got even cheaper during this interval.
Happily, trends in the past three to four months are much improved and appear to
validate our decision to maintain a meaningful presence in the growth-oriented
technology sector. The second observation is that smaller stock indices such as
the Russell 2000 Index and the Wilshire Small Cap Index, significantly trailed
the S&P 500 as well as the Dow Jones Industrial Average. We take some comfort
that the performance of Growth/Value and Aggressive Growth was positive in
comparison to these other indices.
The municipal market experienced significant volatility during the Funds' fiscal
year. First, the market experienced a wide rate swing (120 basis points plus a
zigzag movement); second, there was much talk of a flat tax; and third, the lack
of supply, then the tremendous supply, and again the lack of supply within the
municipal market. Most of the year, however, the municipal market's performance
was better than that of the taxable market, especially on the shorter
maturities. For example, rates on the 30-year Government bond first fell by more
than 50 basis points, then rose by more than 100 basis points to 6.95%, before
finally settling to 7.12% at the end of the period. Intermediate Bond, Money
Market, and Kentucky Tax-Free Funds performed in line with representative
benchmarks and are described in more detail later in this report.
We take great pride in the Trans Adviser Funds' first year of operations. In a
short period of one year, we have grown to the $130 million level, confirming
our original vision that there is a broad-based appeal for funds managed locally
that employ our investment style and experience. We are further encouraged that
the Funds will enjoy continued growth as a broader network of investors become
informed about our investment approach and capabilities.
If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Trans
Adviser Funds, please call 800-811-8258. Thank you for choosing to invest with
the Trans Adviser Funds.
/s/GORDON B. DAVIDSON /s/THOMAS A. TRANTUM
- - --------------------- --------------------
GORDON B. DAVIDSON THOMAS A. TRANTUM
Chairman of the Board President
<PAGE>
GROWTH/VALUE FUND MANAGED BY: FRANK MASTRAPASQUA AND THOMAS A. TRANTUM
From inception of the Trans Adviser Growth/Value Equity Fund on September 29,
1995 through August 31, 1996, the Net Asset Value before any applicable sales
charges rose 11.8% compared with the S&P 500 gain of 13.9%. Including all sales
charges, the Fund rose just 6.8%. The positive but somewhat disappointing
relative performance should be viewed from the following three perspectives.
First, the mainstay focus of the Fund throughout the period was in the health
care, medical and drug sectors. This focus provided the Fund with good earnings
visibility, growth characteristics, and reasonable stock valuations. These three
related sectors had a combined concentration level of between 25% and 30% of the
entire portfolio throughout the period.
Second, excessive valuations and less confidence in underlying demand caused a
retrenchment in the technology sector during the final three months of 1995. As
we entered the opening months of 1996, your Fund managers began to accumulate
what they believed to be quality, high growth technology shares at prices that
were significantly off their high points reached in 1995. Unfortunately, the
technology recession extended not only through the spring of 1996, but lasted
well into the summer months before confidence in these issues began to return.
Within our normal three to five year investment timeframe, we remain confident
that our participation in the technology sector will prove to be "well worth the
weight." In fact, we have already witnessed the return to popularity of many
issues we purchased earlier this year.
Third, in the second half of the fiscal year, we have focused on building up
meaningful positions in the oil service sector, which we feel is being
stimulated by new discovery technologies, limited capacity, continuing good
demand, and recent price increases that have been holding well above levels
assumed in consensus earnings models. We also believe the oil service sector may
provide above average potential returns in the next several years while
continuing to exhibit desirable defensive characteristics.
In summary, core holdings in medical/health care have provided good current risk
adjusted valuation performance, while technology and, to a lesser extent, the
oil service sector have represented a bit of a drag on near term performance. In
recent months, however, the oil service sector seems to be reaching the
performance levels that we initially envisioned.
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN VALUE OF $10,000 INVESTMENT
TRANS ADVISER GROWTH/VALUE FUND VS. STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following chart reflects a comparison of a change in value of a $10,000
investment in the Fund, including reinvested dividends and distributions, and
the performance of the Index. The Index excludes the effect of any fees or sales
charges. Investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will
fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less
than their original cost. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT PREDICTIVE NOR A GUARANTEE OF
FUTURE RESULTS.
EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TRANS ADVISER GROWTH/VALUE STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX
<S> <C> <C>
09/29/95 $9,550 $10,000
10/31/95 $9,388 $9,964
11/30/95 $9,971 $10,401
12/31/95 $10,047 $10,602
01/31/96 $10,410 $10,963
02/29/96 $10,831 $11,065
03/31/96 $10,936 $11,171
04/30/96 $11,327 $11,335
05/31/96 $11,413 $11,626
06/30/96 $11,041 $11,671
07/31/96 $10,220 $11,156
08/31/96 $10,677 $11,391
Value on 8/31/96
Trans Advise Growth/Value Fund $10,677
Standard & Poor...s 500 Index $11,391
Average Annual Total Return
Since Inception on 9/29/95
Trans Advise Growth/Value Fund 6.77%
Standard & Poor...s 500 Index 13.91%
</TABLE>
2 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND MANAGED BY: FRANK MASTRAPASQUA AND THOMAS A. TRANTUM
From inception of the Trans Adviser Aggressive Growth Fund on September 29, 1995
through August 31, 1996, the Net Asset Value before any applicable sales charges
rose 9.5% compared with the NASDAQ Composite Index gain of 9.8%. Including all
sales charges, the Fund rose just 4.6%. A couple of factors should be noted in
this record.
First, while the overall sector strategy pursued in Aggressive Growth Fund was
similar to the strategy employed with the Growth/Value Fund, the technology
sector was given a greater weighting in Aggressive Fund than was the
medical/health care area. Since technology underwent a deeper-than-anticipated
market disfavor, Aggressive Fund's performance lagged that of both the market as
well as Growth/Value Fund.
Second, Aggressive Growth by design is composed of smaller capitalization stocks
which can elevate the Fund's growth prospects but also can raise the Fund's risk
profile. During the period, smaller stock indices, such as the Russell 2000
Index and the Wilshire Small Cap Index, significantly trailed the S&P 500. We
remain confident that over the long term (three to five years) the higher risks
can be adequately rewarded through compensatory returns.
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN VALUE OF $10,000 INVESTMENT
TRANS ADVISER AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND VS. NASDAQ INDEX
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following chart reflects a comparison of a change in value of a $10,000
investment in the Fund, including reinvested dividends and distributions, and
the performance of the Index. The Index excludes the effect of any fees or sales
charges. Investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will
fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less
than their original cost. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT PREDICTIVE NOR A GUARANTEE OF
FUTURE RESULTS.
EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TRANS ADVISER AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND NASDAQ INDEX
<S> <C> <C>
9/29/95 $9,550 $10,000
10/31/95 $9,044 $9,930
11/30/95 $9,578 $10,157
12/31/95 $9,502 $10,097
1/31/96 $9,473 $10,174
2/29/96 $10,065 $10,567
3/31/96 $10,352 $10,580
4/30/96 $11,394 $11,438
5/31/96 $11,365 $11,948
6/30/96 $10,706 $11,390
7/31/96 $9,808 $10,387
8/31/96 $10,457 $10,976
Value on 8/31/96
Trans Advise Aggressive Growth Fund $10,457
NASDAQ Index $10,976
Average Annual Total Return
Since Inception on 9/29/95
Trans Advise Aggressive Growth Fund 4.57%
NASDAQ Index 9.76%
</TABLE>
3 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND MANAGED BY: MARSHALL E. COX, JR.
From inception of the Intermediate Bond Fund on October 3, 1995 through August
31, 1996 the Net Asset Value before any applicable sales charges rose 3.2%
compared with the Lehman Brothers Intermediate Govt./Corp. Index gain of 3.7%.
Including all sales charges, the Fund lost 1.41%. The relative performance
should be viewed from the following perspectives.
The Fund's fiscal year witnessed huge volatility, as measured by the 30-year
Government bond. Rates on the 30-year Government bond first fell by more than 50
basis points, and then rose by more than 100 basis points to 6.95%, before
finally recovering to 7.12% at the end of the period.
The Fund continues to attract assets and remains well positioned to participate
in a rallying bond market with an average duration of 4.4 years and an average
maturity of 6.45 years, as of the end of the period. The Fund's securities
currently are of very high quality, being comprised of 42% US government
securities with only 11% of the Fund's securities rated BBB. The Fund also
remains well diversified among 46 issues with consumer and commercial finance,
banking, insurance, electric, telephone, natural gas and pipeline, retail and
industrial consumer, oil, metals and chemicals all represented.
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN VALUE OF $10,000 INVESTMENT
TRANS ADVISER INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND VS. LEHMAN BROTHERS INTERMEDIATE
GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE INDEX
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following chart reflects a comparison of a change in value of a $10,000
investment in the Fund, including reinvested dividends and distributions, and
the performance of the Index. The Index excludes the effect of any fees or sales
charges. Investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will
fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less
than their original cost. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT PREDICTIVE NOR A GUARANTEE OF
FUTURE RESULTS.
EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TRANS ADVISER INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND LEHMAN INTERMEDIATE GOVT./CORP. INDEX
<S> <C> <C>
10/03/95 $9,550 $10,000
10/31/95 $9,599 $10,111
11/30/95 $9,701 $10,243
12/31/95 $9,782 $10,351
01/31/96 $9,873 $10,440
02/29/96 $9,779 $10,318
03/31/96 $9,756 $10,265
04/30/96 $9,709 $10,229
05/31/96 $9,725 $10,221
06/30/96 $9,842 $10,329
07/31/96 $9,865 $10,360
08/31/96 $9,859 $10,369
Value on 8/31/96
Trans Advise Intermediate Bond Fund
Lehman IntermediateGovt./Corp. Index
Average Annual Total Return
Since Inception on 10/3/95
Trans Advise Intermediate Bond Fund -1.41%
Lehman IntermediateGovt./Corp. Index 3.69%
</TABLE>
4 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND MANAGED BY: MARSHALL E. COX, JR.
From inception of the Kentucky Tax-Free Fund on September 27, 1995 through
August 31, 1996 the Net Asset Value before any applicable sales charges rose
5.8% compared with the Lehman Brothers Municipal Index gain of 4.6%. Including
all sales charges, the Fund rose just 1.0%. The relative performance should be
viewed from the following perspectives.
The municipal market in Kentucky experienced significant volatility during the
Fund's fiscal year. First, the market experienced a wide rate swing (120 basis
points plus a zigzag movement); second, there was much talk of a flat tax; and
third, the lack of supply, then the tremendous supply, and again the lack of
supply within the municipal market. Most of the year, however, the municipal
market's performance was better than that of the taxable market, as measured by
the 30-year Government bond.
Also contributing to the Fund's performance was the fact that the quality of the
Fund's securities is up significantly, with 91% of the securities rated A or
better. In addition, duration has been shortened substantially to 5.5 years,
with an average maturity of 7.9 years. This selective shortening of the duration
dramatically improved the convexity of the Fund (the concept that measures
sensitivity of the market price to changes in the interest rate levels). The
result is that in an improving municipal market, the Fund may perform well
without having a substantial number of bonds called away and in a deteriorating
market, the losses can be limited because of the much shorter duration and
maturity. We feel the limited duration and better convexity, along with the very
high quality of the Fund's securities, will position this Fund more
conservatively while not sacrificing yield.
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN VALUE OF $10,000 INVESTMENT
TRANS ADVISER KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND VS. LEHMAN MUNICIPAL INDEX
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following chart reflects a comparison of a change in value of a $10,000
investment in the Fund, including reinvested dividends and distributions, and
the performance of the Index. The Index excludes the effect of any fees or sales
charges. Investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will
fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less
than their original cost. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT PREDICTIVE NOR A GUARANTEE OF
FUTURE RESULTS.
EDGAR REPRESENTATION OF DATA POINTS USED IN PRINTED GRAPHIC
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TRANS ADVISER KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND LEHMAN MUNICIPAL INDEX
<S> <C> <C>
9/27/95 $9,550 $10,000
10/31/95 $9,800 $10,145
11/30/95 $9,986 $10,313
12/31/95 $10,109 $10,412
1/31/96 $10,175 $10,492
2/29/96 $10,101 $10,420
3/31/96 $9,979 $10,287
4/30/96 $9,963 $10,258
5/31/96 $9,962 $10,254
6/30/96 $9,944 $10,366
7/31/96 $10,109 $10,459
8/31/96 $10,104 $10,457
Value on 8/31/96
Trans Advise Kentucky Tax-Free Fund $10,104
Lehman Municipal Index $10,457
Average Annual Total Return
Since Inception on 9/27/95
Trans Advise Kentucky Tax-Free Fund 1.04%
Lehman Municipal Index 4.57%
</TABLE>
5 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
GROWTH/VALUE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
COMMON STOCK (95.2%):
AMUSEMENT & RECREATION SERVICES (3.3%):
10,000 Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.*.... $ 190,000
10,000 Promus Hotel Corporation*........ 301,250
-------------
491,250
-------------
AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS & GASOLINE SERVICE STATIONS (1.4%):
7,500 Autozone, Inc.*.................. 204,375
-------------
BUSINESS SERVICES (7.1%):
20,000 ADT Ltd.*........................ 392,500
6,000 Oracle Corporation*.............. 211,500
10,000 SCB Computer Technology, Inc.*... 192,500
5,000 Sun Microsystems, Inc.*.......... 271,875
-------------
1,068,375
-------------
CHEMICALS & ALLIED PRODUCTS (7.6%):
4,000 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company..... 351,000
6,000 Merck & Company, Inc. ........... 393,750
7,000 Schering-Plough Corporation...... 391,125
-------------
1,135,875
-------------
COMMUNICATIONS (1.0%):
10,000 Tele-Communications, Inc.*....... 148,750
-------------
DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS (4.9%):
10,000 Carolina First Corporation....... 188,750
10,000 MBNA Corporation................. 303,750
10,000 Signet Banking Corporation....... 241,250
-------------
733,750
-------------
EATING & DRINKING PLACES (3.5%):
7,500 McDonald's Corporation........... 347,812
20,000 Shoney's, Inc.*.................. 182,500
-------------
530,312
-------------
ELECTRIC, GAS, & SANITARY SERVICES (2.9%):
10,000 Sonat, Inc. ..................... 441,250
-------------
ELECTRONIC & OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT &
COMPONENTS, EXCEPT COMPUTER EQUIPMENT (1.2%):
5,000 Novellus Systems, Inc.*.......... 188,750
-------------
FOOD STORES (2.1%):
7,500 Kroger Company*.................. 317,813
-------------
FOOD & KINDRED PRODUCTS (0.4%):
15,000 Monterey Pasta Company*.......... 67,500
-------------
GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORES (1.8%):
6,000 Sears, Roebuck and Company....... 264,000
-------------
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
HEALTH SERVICES (9.6%):
10,000 Beverly Enterprises*............. $ 102,500
5,000 Columbia HCA Healthcare
Corporation.................... 281,875
2,345 Healthsouth Rehabilitation
Corporation*................... 75,919
10,000 Living Centers of America,
Inc.*.......................... 267,500
1,000 Quorum Health Group, Inc.*....... 25,250
15,000 Tenet Healthcare Corporation*.... 315,000
12,000 Vencor, Inc.*.................... 376,500
-------------
1,444,544
-------------
INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL MACHINERY & COMPUTER
EQUIPMENT (13.4%):
10,000 Hewlett-Packard Company.......... 437,500
5,000 International Business Machines
Corporation.................... 571,875
10,000 Lam Research Corporation*........ 236,250
5,000 Seagate Technology, Inc.*........ 240,000
15,000 Western Digital Corporation*..... 526,875
-------------
2,012,500
-------------
MEASURING, ANALYZING, & CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS;
PHOTOGRAPHIC, MEDICAL & OPTICAL GOODS (1.8%):
10,000 Tech-Sym Corporation*............ 277,500
-------------
MISCELLANEOUS RETAIL (3.6%):
6,000 Friedman's, Inc. Class A*........ 126,000
10,000 Melville Corporation............. 422,500
-------------
548,500
-------------
MOTION PICTURES (0.8%):
2,000 The Walt Disney Company.......... 114,000
-------------
NONDEPOSITORY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS (3.5%):
5,000 American Express Company......... 218,750
10,000 Capital One Financial
Corporation.................... 301,250
-------------
520,000
-------------
OIL & GAS EXTRACTION (5.4%):
10,000 Nuevo Energy Company*............ 373,750
6,500 Pride Petroleum Services, Inc.*.. 93,438
4,000 Schlumberger, Ltd. .............. 337,500
-------------
804,688
-------------
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS (3.2%):
8,000 American Home Products
Corporation.................... 474,000
-------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 6 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
GROWTH/VALUE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT (1.5%):
2,500 Boeing Company................... $ 226,250
-------------
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES (1.3%):
15,000 United Transnet, Inc.*........... 195,000
-------------
TRANSPORTATION BY AIR (1.5%):
10,000 Southwest Airlines Company....... 228,750
-------------
WATER TRANSPORTATION (2.6%):
10,000 Tidewater, Inc. ................. 383,750
-------------
WHOLESALE TRADE--DURABLE GOODS (8.6%):
6,000 Arrow Electronics Inc.*.......... 273,750
4,000 Avnet, Inc. ..................... 187,000
5,000 Lockheed Martin Corporation...... 420,625
15,000 Sybron International
Corporation-Wisconsin*......... 412,500
-------------
1,293,875
-------------
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
WHOLESALE TRADE--NONDURABLE GOODS (1.2%):
5,000 Safeway, Inc.*................... $ 181,250
-------------
Total Common Stock
(cost $14,053,526)......................... 14,296,607
-------------
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (4.8%):
16,152 1784 U.S. Treasury Money Market
Fund........................... 16,152
711,813 Forum Daily Assets Treasury
Fund........................... 711,813
-------------
Total Short-Term Holdings
(cost $727,965)............................ 727,965
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $14,781,491)......................... $ 15,024,572
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
*Non-income producing security.
See notes to financial statements. 7 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
COMMON STOCK (98.9%):
AMUSEMENT & RECREATION SERVICES (3.8%):
5,000 Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.*..... $ 95,000
5,000 Promus Hotel Corporation*......... 150,625
------------
245,625
------------
AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS & GASOLINE SERVICE
STATIONS (1.9%):
10,000 Rush Enterprises, Inc.*........... 125,000
------------
BUSINESS SERVICES (12.1%):
10,000 ADT Ltd.*......................... 196,250
10,000 Cerplex Group*.................... 68,750
5,000 Oracle Corporation*............... 176,250
9,500 SCB Computer Technology, Inc.*.... 182,875
3,000 Sun Microsystems, Inc.*........... 163,125
------------
787,250
------------
CHEMICALS & ALLIED PRODUCTS (1.6%):
10,000 NABI, Inc.*....................... 106,250
------------
COMMUNICATIONS (1.1%):
5,000 Mobile Telecommunication Tech
Corp*........................... 69,375
------------
DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS (2.9%):
10,000 Carolina First Corporation........ 188,750
------------
EATING & DRINKING PLACES (4.9%):
6,000 Quality Dining, Inc.*............. 176,250
16,000 Shoney's, Inc.*................... 146,000
------------
322,250
------------
ELECTRONIC & OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT &
COMPONENTS, EXCEPT COMPUTER EQUIPMENT (2.3%):
4,000 Novellus Systems, Inc.*........... 151,000
------------
FOOD STORES (2.3%):
3,500 Kroger Company*................... 148,312
------------
FOOD & KINDRED PRODUCTS (0.7%):
10,000 Monterey Pasta Company*........... 45,000
------------
GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORES (1.2%):
2,000 Consolidated Stores
Corporation*.................... 76,000
------------
HEALTH SERVICES (11.9%):
7,500 Living Centers of America, Inc.*.. 200,625
2,000 Quorum Health Group, Inc.*........ 50,500
10,000 Tenet Healthcare Corporation*..... 210,000
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
HEALTH SERVICES, CONTINUED:
10,000 Vencor, Inc.*..................... $ 313,750
------------
774,875
------------
HOLDING & OTHER INVESTMENT OFFICES (0.5%):
1,000 Felcor Suite Hotels, Inc. ........ 30,500
------------
HOME FURNITURE, FURNISHINGS, & EQUIPMENT
STORES (1.2%):
5,000 Movie Gallery, Inc.*.............. 76,250
------------
INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL MACHINERY & COMPUTER
EQUIPMENT (14.4%):
4,000 Hewlett-Packard Company........... 175,000
8,000 Lam Research Corporation*......... 189,000
15,000 Smart Modular Technologies*....... 225,000
10,000 Western Digital Corporation*...... 351,250
------------
940,250
------------
MEASURING, ANALYZING, & CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS;
PHOTOGRAPHIC, MEDICAL & OPTICAL GOODS (2.5%):
6,000 Tech-Sym Corporation*............. 166,500
------------
MISCELLANEOUS RETAIL (3.5%):
6,000 Friedman's, Inc. Class A*......... 126,000
2,500 Melville Corporation.............. 105,625
------------
231,625
------------
NONDEPOSITORY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS (4.6%):
6,000 Capital One Financial
Corporation..................... 180,750
5,000 Olympic Financial, Ltd.*.......... 122,500
------------
303,250
------------
OIL & GAS EXTRACTION (7.9%):
8,000 Nuevo Energy Company*............. 299,000
15,000 Pride Petroleum Services, Inc.*... 215,625
------------
514,625
------------
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES (5.1%):
10,000 Simon Transportation Services*.... 137,500
15,000 United Transnet, Inc.*............ 195,000
------------
332,500
------------
TRANSPORTATION BY AIR (2.5%):
5,000 Southwest Airlines Company........ 114,375
5,000 Western Pacific Airlines, Inc.*... 50,625
------------
165,000
------------
WATER TRANSPORTATION (3.5%):
6,000 Tidewater, Inc. .................. 230,250
------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 8 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
WHOLESALE TRADE--DURABLE GOODS (2.1%):
5,000 Sybron International
Corporation-Wisconsin*.......... $ 137,500
------------
WHOLESALE TRADE--NONDURABLE GOODS (4.4%):
7,500 AmeriSource Health Corporation*... 285,938
------------
Total Common Stock
(cost $6,393,306)........................... 6,453,875
------------
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (1.1%)
576 1784 U.S. Treasury Money Market
Fund............................ $ 576
72,947 Forum Daily Assets Treasury
Fund............................ 72,947
------------
Total Short-Term Holdings
(cost $73,523).............................. 73,523
------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $6,466,829)........................... $ 6,527,398
------------
------------
</TABLE>
*Non-income producing security.
See notes to financial statements. 9 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (7.9%):
$ 290,038 Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, Series 1072,
Class G, 7.00%, due
5/15/06...................... $ 289,228
800,000 Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, Series 1720,
Class E, 7.50% due
12/15/09..................... 797,647
-------------
Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations
(cost $1,118,738).......................... 1,086,875
-------------
FIXED RATE BONDS--CORPORATE (55.4%):
686,000 Alabama Power Company, 8.30%,
due 7/1/22................... 684,720
400,000 Anheuser-Busch Companies,
7.00%, due 9/1/05............ 388,401
178,000 Anheuser-Busch Companies,
8.75%, due 12/1/99........... 187,100
169,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 6.00%, due
3/15/00...................... 164,005
250,000 B.P. America, 6.50%, due
12/15/99..................... 245,774
50,000 Berkley W.R. Corporation,
9.875%, due 5/15/08.......... 57,698
190,000 The Chase Manhattan
Corporation, 8.00%, due
5/15/04...................... 191,230
115,000 Citicorp, 10.75%, due
12/15/15..................... 118,364
146,000 Citicorp, 10.50%, due 2/1/16... 149,355
140,000 Commonwealth Edison Company,
9.50%, due 5/1/16............ 146,775
160,000 Florida Power & Light Company,
8.00%, due 8/25/22........... 156,388
100,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
5.83%, due 6/29/98........... 98,648
160,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
7.50%, due 1/15/03........... 161,039
160,000 GTE of Southeast Corporation,
8.00%, due 12/1/01........... 160,812
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE BONDS--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 130,000 General Electric Capital
Corporation, 6.66%, due
5/1/18....................... $ 128,744
69,000 Georgia Power Company First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.95%, due
2/1/23....................... 67,860
250,000 Greyhound Financial
Corporation, 7.82%, due
1/27/03...................... 253,009
250,000 IBM Credit Corporation, 6.20%,
due 3/19/01.................. 239,773
300,000 Inco, Ltd., 9.60%, due
6/15/22...................... 317,897
120,000 Jersey Central Power & Light
Company, 9.20%, due 7/1/21... 128,346
46,000 Kaiser Permanente, 9.55%, due
7/15/05...................... 52,472
56,000 Kraft, Inc., 8.50%, due
2/15/17...................... 56,264
200,000 Michigan Bell Telephone
Company, 6.375%, due
2/1/05....................... 188,882
175,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Company,
6.625%, due 6/1/00........... 170,867
439,000 Pennsylvania Power & Light
Company, 9.25%, due
10/1/19...................... 468,786
120,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Company, 8.75%, due
11/1/21...................... 128,669
165,000 Questar Pipeline, 9.375%, due
6/1/21....................... 180,413
70,000 Rohm & Haas Company, 9.80%, due
4/15/20...................... 83,520
50,000 Sara Lee Corporation, 8.75%,
due 5/15/16.................. 51,814
675,000 Shopko Stores, 9.25%, due
3/15/22...................... 693,309
200,000 Southern California Edison,
7.375%, due 12/15/03......... 203,407
85,000 Southwestern Public Service
Company, 8.20%, due
12/1/22...................... 86,728
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 10 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE BONDS--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 199,000 TJX Companies, Inc., 9.50%, due
5/2/16....................... $ 206,408
68,000 U.S. Leasing International,
6.625%, due 5/15/03.......... 65,228
130,000 Union Electric Company, 8.00%,
due 12/15/22................. 128,740
500,000 Union Oil of California
Corporation, 6.70%, due
10/15/07..................... 463,422
250,000 Washington Gas Light Company,
6.50%, due 1/14/97........... 250,778
65,000 Wisconsin Electric Power,
7.75%, due 1/15/23........... 63,377
-------------
Total Fixed Rate Bonds--Corporate
(cost $7,817,554).......................... 7,589,022
-------------
FIXED RATE NOTES--AGENCY (7.1%):
500,000 Federal Home Loan Bank, 6.62%,
due 12/6/00.................. 487,668
150,000 Federal National Mortgage
Association, 6.17%, due
12/2/03...................... 141,364
265,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
6.875%, due 1/15/02.......... 261,356
50,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
6.875%, due 8/1/02........... 49,128
30,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
8.05%, due 7/15/24........... 29,261
-------------
Total Fixed Rate Notes--Agency
(cost $998,362)............................ 968,777
-------------
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS (15.3%):
$ 2,101,575 The First Boston Corporation,
5.30%, due 9/3/96, to be
repurchased at 2,102,813
(collateralized by
$16,050,000 Federal National
Mortgage Association, pool
#339017, 6.092%, due
12/1/35)..................... $ 2,101,575
-------------
Total Repurchase Agreements
(cost $2,101,575).......................... 2,101,575
-------------
TREASURY NOTES (14.2%):
2,000,000 U.S. Treasury Notes, 6.50%, due
8/15/05...................... 1,943,750
-------------
Total Treasury Notes
(cost $1,986,601).......................... 1,943,750
-------------
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (0.1%):
5,006 1784 U.S. Treasury Money Market
Fund......................... 5,006
-------------
Total Short-Term Holdings
(cost $5,006).............................. 5,006
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $14,027,836)......................... $ 13,695,005
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 11 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
MUNICIPAL BONDS (100.0%):
AIRPORT REVENUE (5.0%):
$ 750,000 Kenton County, KY, Airport
Revenue Bonds, MBIA insured,
5.75%, due
3/1/13....................... $ 733,125
50,000 Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Airport Corporation, KY,
First Mortgage Revenue Bonds,
7.75%, due 4/1/08............ 53,937
-------------
787,062
-------------
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE (15.3%):
100,000 Covington, KY, Municipal
Properties Corporation
Revenue Bonds, Series A,
8.25%, due 8/1/10,
prerefunded 8/1/98 at 103.... 109,875
490,000 Jefferson County, KY, Capital
Projects Corporation Revenue
Bonds, Series A, 5.65%, due
8/15/03...................... 508,987
100,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #26 Second
Series, 7.10%, due 12/1/97... 103,500
110,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #27, 7.10%,
due 5/1/06, prerefunded
11/1/96
at 102....................... 112,773
50,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #27, 7.10%,
due 5/1/08, prerefunded
11/1/96
at 102....................... 51,260
100,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #30 Fifth
Series, 7.00%, due 12/1/96... 100,792
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE, CONTINUED:
$ 70,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #32 Third
Series, 6.50%, due 12/1/99... $ 73,762
65,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #51, escrowed
to maturity, 6.00%, due
8/1/97....................... 66,159
455,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #51, escrowed
to maturity, 6.30%, due
8/1/01....................... 482,869
100,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #52, 6.50%,
due 8/1/11, prerefunded
8/1/01 at 102................ 109,125
425,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority, Economic
Development Revenue Bonds,
Revitalization Projects,
escrowed to maturity, 7.00%,
due 5/15/99.................. 452,094
200,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority, Economic
Development Revenue Bonds,
7.25%, due 5/15/10,
prerefunded 5/15/00 at
101.50....................... 219,750
-------------
2,390,946
-------------
EDUCATION FACILITIES REVENUE (19.9%):
350,000 Fayette County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, Series C, 5.25%, due
10/1/09...................... 334,687
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 12 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
EDUCATION FACILITIES REVENUE, CONTINUED:
$ 365,000 Fayette County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, Series C, 5.25%, due
10/1/10...................... $ 346,750
200,000 Hopkins County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, 5.70%, due 6/1/06..... 204,250
495,000 Jefferson County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, Series A, 4.875%, due
1/1/11....................... 449,831
750,000 Jefferson County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, Series A, MBIA
insured, 5.00%, due 2/1/07... 731,250
70,000 Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Government, KY, School
Building Revenue Bonds,
6.80%, due 10/1/01........... 76,300
770,000 Pendleton County, KY, School
District Finance Corporation,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, 5.05%, due 12/1/15.... 685,300
200,000 University of Louisville, KY,
Revenue Bonds, Series H,
5.875%, due 5/1/12........... 201,750
70,000 University of Louisville, KY,
Revenue Bonds, Series G,
6.25%, due 5/1/99............ 72,103
-------------
3,102,221
-------------
GENERAL OBLIGATION (1.8%):
305,000 Fern Creek, KY, Fire Protection
District, Holding Company,
Inc., Revenue Bonds, Fire
Station #2, 5.75%, due
1/15/14...................... 286,319
-------------
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
HEALTH CARE REVENUE (13.2%):
$ 385,000 Jefferson County, KY, Hospital
Revenue Bonds, NKC Hospitals,
Inc. Project, MBIA insured,
7.75%, due 10/1/14,
prerefunded 10/01/97 at
102.......................... $ 407,492
1,225,000 Kentucky Economic Development
Finance Authority, Hospital
Facilities Revenue Bonds,
Society National Bank LOC,
5.75%, due 11/1/05........... 1,211,219
475,000 Kentucky Economic Development
Finance Authority, Hospital
Facilities Revenue Bonds,
Baptist Healthcare System
Project, MBIA insured, 5.00%,
due 8/15/24.................. 408,500
40,000 McCracken County, KY, Revenue
Bonds, Lourdes Hospital,
Inc., 6.00%, due 11/1/12,
prerefunded 11/1/96 at 100... 40,146
-------------
2,067,357
-------------
HOUSING REVENUE (6.6%):
725,000 Boone County, KY, Public
Properties Corporation
Revenue Bonds, Sewer System
Lease, 5.15%, due 12/1/12.... 667,000
270,000 Greater Kentucky Housing
Assistance Corporation,
Mortgage Revenue Bonds,
FHA/Section 8 Assisted
Project, Series A, MBIA/ FHA
insured, 6.25%, due 7/1/22... 270,337
100,000 Jefferson County, KY, Capital
Projects Corporation Revenue
Bonds, Series A, 0.00%
(5.747% effective yield), due
8/15/99...................... 86,750
-------------
1,024,087
-------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 13 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REVENUE (6.1%):
$ 750,000 Clark County, KY, Industrial
Building Revenue Bonds,
Southern Wood Project, 7.00%,
due 12/1/08+................. $ 746,250
200,000 Wickliffe, KY, Industrial
Building Revenue Bonds,
Westvaco Corporation Project,
7.00%, due 1/1/09............ 199,956
-------------
946,206
-------------
JAIL FACILITIES REVENUE (0.7%):
100,000 Kentucky Local Correctional
Facilities Construction
Authority Revenue Bonds,
7.00%, due 11/1/14,
prerefunded 11/1/97 at 102... 105,250
-------------
OTHER REVENUE (6.1%):
475,000 Kentucky Higher Education
Student Loan Corporation,
Insured Student Loan Revenue
Bonds, Series B, 6.40%, due
6/1/00....................... 503,500
300,000 Lexington-Fayette Urban County,
KY, Government Public
Facilities Corporation
Revenue Bonds, Recreation
Project, 7.90%, due 7/1/06,
prerefunded 7/1/97 at 102.... 315,480
120,000 Puerto Rico Public Buildings
Authority Guaranteed Revenue
Bonds, Series K, 6.875%, due
7/1/21, prerefunded 7/1/02 at
101.50....................... 134,400
-------------
953,380
-------------
POLLUTION CONTROL REVENUE (17.7%):
450,000 Ashland, KY, Pollution Control
Revenue Bonds, Ashland Oil,
7.375%, due 7/1/09........... 483,750
295,000 Ashland, KY, Solid Waste
Revenue Bonds, Ashland Oil,
Inc., Project, 7.20%, due
10/1/20...................... 310,488
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
POLLUTION CONTROL REVENUE, CONTINUED:
$ 235,000 Jefferson County, KY, Pollution
Control Revenue Bonds,
Louisville Gas & Electric
Company Project A, 7.45%, due
6/15/15...................... $ 255,269
100,000 Kentucky State Pollution
Abatement & Water Reserve
Finance Authority Revenue
Bonds, Series A, escrowed to
maturity, 7.40%, due
8/1/02....................... 112,875
50,000 Louisville & Jefferson County,
KY, Metropolitan Sewer
District, Sewer & Drain
System Revenue Bonds, Series
A, AMBAC insured, 6.50%, due
5/15/00...................... 52,938
455,000 Meade County, KY, Pollution
Control Revenue Bonds, Olin
Corporation Project, 6.00%,
due 7/1/07................... 457,707
385,000 Trimble County, KY, Pollution
Control Revenue Bonds, Series
A, 7.625%, due 11/1/20,
prerefunded 11/1/00 at 102... 430,719
600,000 Trimble County, KY, Pollution
Control Revenue Bonds, Series
A, 7.625%, due 11/1/20....... 659,250
-------------
2,762,996
-------------
TRANSPORTATION REVENUE (6.1%):
655,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority Resource Recovery
Road Revenue Bonds, escrowed
to maturity, 6.125%, due
7/1/07....................... 674,650
275,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority Resource Recovery
Road Revenue Bonds, Series A,
FGIC insured, 6.00%, due
7/1/09....................... 275,405
-------------
950,055
-------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 14 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
UTILITIES REVENUE (1.5%):
$ 200,000 Owensboro, KY, Electric Light &
Power Revenue Bonds, Series
A, 10.25%, due 1/1/09,
prerefunded 1/1/00 at 102.... $ 232,250
-------------
Total Municipal Bonds
(cost $15,867,871)......................... 15,608,129
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $15,867,871)......................... $ 15,608,129
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
+Securities that may be resold to
"qualified institutional buyers"
under rule 144a or securities offered
pursuant to Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
These securities have been determined
to be liquid under guidelines
established by the Board of
Directors.
See notes to financial statements. 15 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES (0.4%):
$ 274,424 Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, 7.00%, due
4/1/97....................... $ 275,191
-------------
DISCOUNT NOTES--AGENCY (19.8%):
15,015,000 Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, 5.293% yield,
9/5/96....................... 15,010,662
-------------
FIXED RATE NOTES--AGENCY (4.2%):
100,000 Federal Home Loan Bank, 4.75%,
due 1/13/97.................. 99,641
100,000 Federal Home Loan Bank, 4.57%,
due 2/3/97................... 99,492
100,000 Federal Home Loan Bank, 4.80%,
due 7/24/97.................. 98,810
100,000 Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, 4.525%, due
1/27/97...................... 99,521
220,000 Federal Land Bank, 7.95%, due
10/21/96..................... 220,645
1,100,000 Federal National Mortgage
Association, 4.50%, due
11/1/96...................... 1,097,763
400,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
8.25%, due 11/15/96.......... 401,897
230,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
4.60%, due 12/15/96.......... 229,209
861,000 Tennessee Valley Authority,
6.00%, due 1/15/97........... 861,380
-------------
Total Fixed Rate Notes--Agency............... 3,208,358
-------------
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE (59.2%):
175,000 AT&T Capital Corporation,
7.66%, due 1/30/97........... 176,132
355,000 American Express Credit
Corporation, 7.875%, due
12/1/96...................... 356,681
1,128,000 American Express Credit
Corporation, 7.75%, due
3/1/97....................... 1,138,977
75,000 American General Finance
Corporation, 7.15%, due
5/15/97...................... 75,568
80,000 American Home Products
Corporation, 6.875%, due
4/15/97...................... 80,322
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 660,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 7.50%, due
10/15/96..................... $ 661,211
215,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 8.70%, due 1/1/97... 216,815
395,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 6.875%, due
1/15/97...................... 396,372
50,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 9.70%, due 5/1/97... 51,165
290,000 Associates Corporation of North
America, 8.625%, due
6/15/97...................... 295,124
1,520,000 Bankers Trust New York
Corporation, 7.25%, due
11/1/96...................... 1,523,248
190,000 Bausch & Lomb, Inc., 6.80%, due
12/12/96..................... 190,519
50,000 Baxter International, Inc.,
7.50%, due 5/1/97............ 50,470
985,000 CIGNA Corporation, 8.00%, due
9/1/96....................... 985,000
245,000 CIT Group Holdings, Inc.,
8.00%, due 1/13/97........... 246,744
90,000 CIT Group Holdings, Inc.,
8.75%, due 7/1/97............ 91,839
2,000,000 CSX Transportation, Inc.,
5.93%, due 6/1/97............ 1,999,743
75,000 Caterpillar Financial Services
Corporation, 9.125%, due
12/15/96..................... 75,642
230,000 The Chase Manhattan
Corporation, 7.875%, due
1/15/97...................... 231,566
150,000 Chrysler Financial Corporation,
4.99%, due 2/3/97............ 149,431
256,000 Citicorp, 8.75%, due 11/1/96... 257,153
450,000 Commercial Credit Company,
8.00%, due 9/1/96............ 450,000
250,000 Commercial Credit Company,
6.75%, due 1/15/97........... 250,765
500,000 Commercial Credit Company,
8.125%, due 3/1/97........... 506,313
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 16 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 100,000 Discover Credit, 7.98%, due
4/7/97....................... $ 101,067
1,929,000 Dupont Corporation, 8.45%, due
10/15/96..................... 1,934,870
250,000 Fireman's Federal Mortgage,
8.25%, due 11/1/96........... 250,746
531,000 First Union Corporation,
8.125%, due 12/15/96......... 534,341
195,000 Ford Holdings, Inc., 9.25%, due
7/15/97...................... 199,794
503,000 Ford Motor Company, 7.875%, due
10/15/96..................... 504,104
1,007,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
8.00%, due 10/1/96........... 1,008,560
324,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
8.00%, due 12/1/96........... 325,584
450,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
7.875%, due 1/15/97.......... 453,260
25,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
5.625%, due 3/3/97........... 24,962
132,000 Ford Motor Credit Company,
6.80%, due 8/15/97........... 132,772
500,000 General Electric Capital
Corporation, 7.46%, due
9/30/96...................... 500,556
1,345,000 General Electric Capital
Corporation, 8.75%, due
11/26/96..................... 1,353,619
294,000 General Electric Capital
Corporation, 8.00%, due
2/1/97....................... 296,320
1,319,000 General Motors Acceptance
Corporation, 8.00%, due
10/1/96...................... 1,321,094
500,000 General Motors Acceptance
Corporation, 5.00%, due
1/27/97...................... 498,068
400,000 General Motors Acceptance
Corporation, 7.65%, due
2/4/97....................... 403,086
602,000 General Motors Corporation,
7.625%, due 2/15/97.......... 606,151
545,000 Hospital Corporation of
America, 9.00%, due
3/15/97...................... 553,258
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 130,000 Household Finance Corporation,
7.80%, due 11/1/96........... $ 130,423
70,000 ITT Corporation, 7.25%, due
11/15/96..................... 70,132
560,000 International Lease Finance
Corporation, 7.90%, due
10/1/96...................... 560,843
440,000 International Lease Finance
Corporation, 4.75%, due
1/15/97...................... 438,099
500,000 International Lease Finance
Corporation, 6.35%, due
1/15/97...................... 500,705
100,000 International Lease Finance
Corporation, 5.875%, due
2/1/97....................... 99,909
275,000 International Lease Finance
Corporation, 5.50%, due
4/1/97....................... 273,994
75,000 John Deere Capital, 4.625%, due
9/2/96....................... 75,000
90,000 Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc.,
8.375%, due 4/1/97........... 91,155
247,000 MGM Grand Hotels Financial
Corporation, Defeased,
11.75%, due 5/1/97........... 260,637
200,000 MGM Grand Hotels Financial
Corporation, Defeased,
12.00%, due 5/1/97........... 217,831
45,000 Merck & Company, Inc., 6.00%,
due 1/15/97.................. 44,989
1,200,000 Morgan Stanley Group, Inc.,
7.32%, due 1/15/97........... 1,206,451
432,000 NationsBank Corporation, 8.50%
due 11/1/96.................. 433,784
250,000 New Zealand Government, 8.25%,
due 9/25/96.................. 250,355
100,000 Northern Illinois Gas, 5.50%,
due 2/1/97................... 99,836
700,000 Norwest Financial, Inc., 4.89%,
due 11/15/96................. 698,820
375,000 Norwest Financial, Inc., 7.10%,
due 11/15/96................. 375,857
130,000 Norwest Financial, Inc., 6.00%,
due 8/15/97.................. 129,701
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 17 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 110,000 Oklahoma Gas & Electric
Company, 5.125%, due
1/1/97....................... $ 109,700
100,000 Paccar Financial Corporation,
5.12%, due 3/10/97........... 99,575
250,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Company,
4.87%, due 12/9/96........... 249,350
435,000 Pacific Northwest Bell
Telephone Company, 7.50%, due
12/1/96...................... 436,644
860,000 PepsiCo, Inc., 7.00%, due
11/15/96..................... 861,837
30,000 PepsiCo, Inc., 6.875%, due
5/15/97...................... 30,170
600,000 Pfizer, Inc., 7.125%, due
10/1/96...................... 600,583
834,000 Pfizer, Inc., 6.50%, due
2/1/97....................... 836,057
1,699,000 Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
8.75%, due 12/1/96........... 1,710,606
1,335,000 Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
7.50%, due 3/17/97........... 1,345,398
75,000 Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
9.75%, due 5/1/97............ 76,750
260,000 Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
8.75%, due 6/15/97........... 265,096
2,666,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Company, 8.75%, due
11/1/96...................... 2,859,577
170,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Company, 8.75%, due 2/1/97... 183,393
250,000 Quaker Oats Company, 8.85%, due
11/15/96..................... 251,257
660,000 Quebec Province, 8.74%, due
7/21/97...................... 673,232
300,000 Sara Lee Corporation, 5.05%,
due 2/18/97.................. 299,131
1,897,000 Sears Roebuck and Company,
9.00%, due 9/15/96........... 1,898,891
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
FIXED RATE NOTES--CORPORATE, CONTINUED:
$ 75,000 Security Pacific Corporation,
7.75%, due 12/1/96........... $ 75,310
50,000 Southern California Edison
Company, 5.90%, due
1/15/97...................... 50,042
100,000 Tambrands Inc., 4.65%, due
1/21/97...................... 99,479
325,000 Texaco Capital, 9.00%, due
11/15/96..................... 326,969
200,000 Travelers Group, Inc., 8.375%,
due 12/15/96................. 201,424
175,000 Travelers Group, Inc., 7.625%,
due 1/15/97.................. 175,983
2,160,000 U.S. West Capital Funding,
8.00%, due 10/15/96.......... 2,165,190
135,000 Union Electric Company, 5.50%,
due 3/1/97................... 134,794
365,000 Virginia Electric & Power
Company, 7.25%, due 3/1/97... 367,665
250,000 Wachovia Bank, 4.875%, due
2/18/97...................... 248,760
471,000 Wells Fargo & Company, 8.20%,
due 11/1/96.................. 472,623
445,000 World Book Financial, 8.125%,
due 9/1/96................... 445,000
-------------
Total Fixed Rate Notes--Corporate............ 44,968,019
-------------
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS (16.4%):
12,472,423 The First Boston Corporation,
5.30%, due 9/3/96, to be
repurchased at 12,479,768
(collateralized by
$16,050,000 Federal National
Mortgage Association, pool
#339017, 6.092%, due
12/1/35)..................... 12,472,423
-------------
Total Repurchase Agreements.................. 12,472,423
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)................... $ 75,934,653
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 18 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
INTERMEDIATE
AGGRESSIVE BOND KENTUCKY MONEY MARKET
GROWTH/VALUE FUND GROWTH FUND FUND TAX-FREE FUND FUND
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
ASSETS:
Investments, at value................... $ 15,024,572 $ 6,527,398 $ 13,695,005 $ 15,608,129 $ 75,934,653
Cash.................................... -- -- -- 1,798 --
Interest, dividends and other
receivables........................... 16,151 1,422 185,929 261,250 1,173,021
Receivable for fund shares issued....... 70,576 12,716 23,439 45,402 --
Organization costs, net of
amortization.......................... 25,935 25,935 25,935 25,935 25,935
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
Total assets.............................. 15,137,234 6,567,471 13,930,308 15,942,514 77,133,609
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
LIABILITIES:
Payable for securities purchased........ -- -- 487,264 -- 401,228
Payable for fund shares redeemed........ 1,515 1,165 7,000 -- --
Administration fee payable.............. 2,083 2,083 2,083 -- 9,429
Accrued expenses and other payables..... 25,971 14,309 7,064 23,251 49,226
Dividends payable....................... -- -- 70,005 78,774 310,879
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
Total liabilities......................... 29,569 17,557 573,416 102,025 770,762
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
NET ASSETS................................ $ 15,107,665 $ 6,549,914 $ 13,356,892 $ 15,840,489 $ 76,362,847
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
COMPONENTS OF NET ASSETS:
Capital paid in......................... $ 14,820,155 $ 6,473,696 $ 13,705,116 $ 16,217,070 $ 76,360,353
Undistributed net investment income
(distributions in excess)............. -- -- -- (114,051) --
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation).. 243,081 60,569 (332,831) (259,742) --
Accumulated net realized gain (loss).... 44,429 15,649 (15,393) (2,788) 2,494
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
NET ASSETS................................ $ 15,107,665 $ 6,549,914 $ 13,356,892 $ 15,840,489 $ 76,362,847
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
----------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
SHARES OUTSTANDING........................ 1,350,818 598,307 1,370,318 1,574,612 76,360,353
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE................. $ 11.18 $ 10.95 $ 9.75 $ 10.06 $ 1.00
OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE EXCEPT MONEY
MARKET FUND (NAV DIVIDED BY (1 -
4.50%))................................. $ 11.71 $ 11.47 $ 10.21 $ 10.53 $ 1.00
INVESTMENTS AT COST....................... $ 14,781,491 $ 6,466,829 $ 14,027,836 $ 15,867,871 $ 75,934,653
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 19 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 (1)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE KENTUCKY MONEY
GROWTH/VALUE GROWTH BOND TAX-FREE MARKET
FUND FUND FUND FUND FUND
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME:
Interest income........................... $ 30,853 $ 13,762 $ 667,383 $ 843,000 $ 2,798,408
Dividend income........................... 78,497 7,604 -- -- --
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Total income................................ 109,350 21,366 667,383 843,000 2,798,408
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
EXPENSES:
Advisory.................................. 81,961 31,177 38,478 63,051 99,711
Management................................ 22,916 22,917 22,917 23,644 74,783
Transfer agency........................... 28,121 27,644 25,552 33,235 23,393
Shareholder services...................... 20,490 7,794 24,049 39,407 124,638
Custody................................... 1,964 741 5,455 4,415 21,297
Accounting................................ 33,000 33,000 33,000 35,600 34,000
Legal..................................... 6,682 4,238 8,200 12,962 29,232
Registration.............................. 10,402 6,732 8,984 7,892 35,373
Audit..................................... 14,812 14,319 15,846 16,755 15,268
Amortization of organization costs........ 5,824 5,824 5,824 5,824 5,824
Trustees.................................. 716 196 1,251 1,532 5,351
Other..................................... 5,453 2,874 6,345 15,916 24,224
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Total expenses.............................. 232,341 157,456 195,901 260,233 493,094
Expenses reimbursed and fees waived....... (72,244) (96,565) (130,304) (132,065) (168,154)
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Net expenses................................ 160,097 60,891 65,597 128,168 324,940
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS).............. (50,747) (39,525) 601,786 714,832 2,473,468
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) FROM
INVESTMENTS:
Net realized gain (loss) on investments... 89,352 43,284 (15,393) (2,788) 2,494
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation).......................... 243,081 60,569 (332,831) (259,742) --
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) from
investments............................... 332,433 103,853 (348,224) (262,530) 2,494
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS...... $ 281,686 $ 64,328 $ 253,562 $ 452,302 $ 2,475,962
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
----------------- -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Sept. 27, Sept. 29,
Sept. 29, 1995 Sept. 29, 1995 Oct. 3, 1995 1995 1995
(1) Date of commencement of operations
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 20 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 (1)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE KENTUCKY MONEY
GROWTH/VALUE GROWTH BOND TAX-FREE MARKET
FUND FUND FUND FUND FUND
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET ASSETS--September 1, 1995.......... -- -- -- -- --
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)......... $ (50,747) $ (39,525) $ 601,786 $ 714,832 $ 2,473,468
Net realized gain (loss) on
investments........................ 89,352 43,284 (15,393) (2,788) 2,494
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation)..................... 243,081 60,569 (332,831) (259,742) --
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
281,686 64,328 253,562 452,302 2,475,962
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income................ -- -- (601,786) (828,883) (2,473,468)
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Sale of shares....................... 15,471,301 7,269,024 14,919,014 28,751,437 446,620,681
Reinvested dividends................. -- -- 13,886 559,139 84,304
Cost of shares repurchased........... (645,322) (783,438) (1,227,784) (13,093,506) (370,344,632)
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
14,825,979 6,485,586 13,705,116 16,217,070 76,360,353
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
NET ASSETS--August 31, 1996............ $ 15,107,665 $ 6,549,914 $ 13,356,892 $ 15,840,489 $ 76,362,847
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
----------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------
Sept. 29, 1995 Sept. 29, 1995 Oct. 3, 1995 Sept. 27, 1995 Sept. 29, 1995
(1) Date of commencement of operations
</TABLE>
See notes to financial statements. 21 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION
Trans Adviser Funds, Inc. (the "Company") is an open-end management investment
company incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. The Company
currently consists of five operational non-diversified investment portfolios,
the Growth/Value Fund, the Aggressive Growth Fund, the Intermediate Bond Fund,
the Kentucky Tax-Free Fund, and the Money Market Fund (each a "Fund" and
collectively the "Funds"). The Funds, except for Money Market Fund, are offered
at Net Asset Value ("NAV") plus a sales charge, currently 4.50% of NAV. The
Money Market Fund is offered at NAV. The Funds commenced investment operations
on the following dates:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Growth/Value Fund September 29, 1995
Aggressive Growth Fund September 29, 1995
Intermediate Bond Fund October 3, 1995
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund September 27, 1995
Money Market Fund September 29, 1995
</TABLE>
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Funds' financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles which requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of increase and decrease in net assets from
operations during the fiscal period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates and are expected to be immaterial to the net assets of the Funds.
SECURITY VALUATION-All securities held by the Money Market Fund are valued
utilizing the amortized cost method, which approximates market value, in
accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Securities,
other than short-term, held by the other Funds (the "Bond and Equity Funds") for
which market quotations are readily available are valued using the last reported
sales price provided by independent pricing services. If no sales are reported,
the mean of the last bid and ask price is used. In the absence of readily
available market quotations, securities are valued at fair value as determined
by the Board of Directors. Securities with a maturity of 60 days or less held by
the Bond and Equity Funds are valued at amortized cost.
PREMIUM AMORTIZATION AND DISCOUNT ACCRETION-In all Funds other than the Kentucky
Tax-Free Fund, if a fixed income investment is purchased at a premium, the
premium is not amortized. The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund amortizes premium on fixed
income investments to the maturity (or first call) date using the yield to
maturity method. If a fixed income investment is purchased at a discount (other
than original issue discount), the discount is not accreted. Original issue
discount on fixed income investments is accreted daily using the yield to
maturity method.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS-Interest income
is accrued as earned. Dividends on securities held by the Funds are recorded on
the ex-dividend date. Distributions of net investment income are declared daily
and paid monthly for Money Market Fund, Kentucky Tax-Free Fund, and Intermediate
Bond Fund, and declared and paid annually for Growth/Value Fund and Aggressive
Growth Fund. Net capital gain, if any, is distributed at least annually.
Distributions from net investment income and realized capital gains are based on
their tax basis. The significant difference between financial statement amounts
available for distribution and distributions made in accordance with income tax
regulations are primarily attributable to the deferral of post-October losses
and wash sales.
ORGANIZATION COSTS-The costs incurred by the Funds in connection with their
organization, in amounts of $31,759 for each Fund, have been capitalized and are
being amortized using the straight-line method over a five year period beginning
on the commencement of each Fund's investment operations. Certain of these costs
were paid by Forum Financial Services, Inc. and have been reimbursed by the
respective Funds. Organization expenses are being amortized to operations over a
five-year period on a straight-line basis. In the event any of the initial
shares are redeemed by any
22 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
holder thereof during the five-year amortization period, redemption proceeds
will be reduced by any unamortized organization expenses in the same proportion
as the number of initial shares being redeemed bears to the number of initial
shares outstanding at the time of redemption.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX-Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment
company and distribute all of its taxable income. Therefore, no Federal income
tax provision is required.
OTHER-Realized gains and losses on investments sold are recorded on the basis of
identified cost. Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis.
NOTE 3. ADVISORY, SERVICING FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
The investment adviser of the Funds is Trans Financial Bank, N.A. (the
"Adviser"). The Adviser receives an advisory fee from Growth/Value Fund and
Aggressive Growth Fund at an annual rate of 1.00% of the respective Fund's
average daily net assets. The Adviser receives an advisory fee from Intermediate
Bond Fund and Kentucky Tax-Free Fund at an annual rate of 0.40% of the
respective Fund's average daily net assets. The Adviser receives an advisory fee
from Money Market Fund at an annual rate of 0.20% of the Fund's average daily
net assets. Pursuant to an agreement between the Adviser and Mastrapasqua and
Associates, Inc. ("M&A") (the "Sub-Adviser"), the Adviser may delegate certain
of its advisory responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser. For its services, M&A is
paid by the Adviser as follows: with respect to the Aggressive Growth and the
Growth/Value Funds, the Adviser (not the Fund) pays to M&A an annual fee,
calculated daily and paid monthly, of .50% on the first $100 million of such
Funds' combined average daily net assets plus .25% of such Funds' combined
average daily net assets in excess of $100 million for its services, and, with
respect to each other Trans Adviser Fund, the Adviser (not the Fund) pays M&A an
annual fee, calculated daily and paid monthly, of .03% of average daily net
assets for its services.
The Adviser has agreed to reimburse each Fund for certain operating expenses
(exclusive of interest, taxes, brokerage fees, fees and other expenses paid
pursuant to any distribution plan and organization expenses, all to the extent
permitted by applicable state law or regulation) which in any year exceed the
limits prescribed by any state in which the Fund's shares are qualified for
sale. Each Fund's annual expenses are estimated and accrued daily, and any
related reimbursements are made monthly by the Adviser.
The administrator of the Company is Forum Financial Services, Inc. ("Forum"), a
registered broker-dealer and a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. For its administrative services Forum receives a fee for each Fund
equal to the greater of $25,000 per year or 0.15% of the annual average daily
net assets of each Fund. Forum also acts as the Company's distributor pursuant
to a separate Distribution Agreement with the Company. Forum receives no
compensation under that agreement. In addition, certain legal expenses were
charged to the Company by Forum amounting to $18,053.
Forum Financial Corp. ("FFC"), an affiliate of Forum, serves as the Company's
transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, and for those services receives an
annual fee of $12,000 per year for each Fund, an annual shareholder account fee
of $25 per shareholder, additional class charges, and out of pocket expenses
billed at cost. The Company has adopted a shareholder service plan under which
the Company pays Forum a shareholder servicing fee at an annual rate of 0.25% of
the daily net assets of each Fund. Forum may pay any or all amounts of these
payments to various institutions which provide shareholder servicing to their
customers. FFC also serves as the Company's fund accountant and is compensated
for those services at an amount of $36,000 per year per Fund plus certain
amounts based upon the number and types of portfolio transactions within each
Fund.
23 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
AUGUST 31, 1996
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the period ended August 31, 1996, fees waived and expenses reimbursed were
as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXPENSES EXPENSES EXPENSES
VOLUNTARILY VOLUNTARILY VOLUNTARILY
WAIVED BY WAIVED BY REIMBURSED BY
FORUM THE ADVISER THE ADVISER
----------- ----------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund.......................................... $ 543 $ 34,323 $ 37,378
Aggressive Growth Fund..................................... 288 31,178 65,099
Intermediate Bond Fund..................................... 178 38,478 91,648
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund..................................... 11,185 63,051 57,829
Money Market Fund.......................................... 2,071 93,026 73,057
</TABLE>
NOTE 4. SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Cost of purchases and proceeds from sales (including maturities) of securities
(excluding short-term investments) during the period ended August 31, 1996 were
as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
COST OF PURCHASES PROCEEDS FROM SALES
------------------ ---------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund......................................... $ 15,678,024 $ 1,713,849
Aggressive Growth Fund.................................... 6,815,109 465,088
Intermediate Bond Fund.................................... 12,911,112 965,841
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund.................................... 38,298,203 23,002,307
</TABLE>
The cost of investments for federal income tax purposes is the same as for
financial reporting purposes. Unrealized appreciation and depreciation as of
August 31, 1996 were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
UNREALIZED APPRECIATION UNREALIZED DEPRECIATION
----------------------- -----------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund.................................. $ 1,166,837 $ 923,756
Aggressive Growth Fund............................. 661,156 600,587
Intermediate Bond Fund............................. 13,166 345,997
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund............................. 25,840 285,582
</TABLE>
NOTE 5. CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS
Transactions of Fund shares for the period ended August 31, 1996 are summarized
in the following table:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GROWTH/VALUE AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE KENTUCKY TAX- MONEY MARKET
FUND GROWTH FUND BOND FUND FREE FUND FUND
------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Sale of Shares......... 1,408,416 668,440 1,491,710 2,814,888 446,620,681
Shares Issued on
Reinvested
Dividends............. -- -- 1,404 57,538 84,304
Shares Repurchased..... 57,598 70,133 122,796 1,297,814 370,344,632
------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
Net Increase........... 1,350,818 598,307 1,370,318 1,574,612 76,360,353
------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
</TABLE>
NOTE 6. CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK
The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund invests substantially all of its assets in debt
obligations of issuers located in the state of Kentucky. The issuers' abilities
to meet their obligations may be affected by Kentucky economic or political
developments.
24 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 (a)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SELECTED PER SHARE DATA AND AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE KENTUCKY MONEY
RATIOS FOR A SHARE OUTSTANDING GROWTH/VALUE GROWTH BOND TAX-FREE MARKET
THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD FUND FUND FUND FUND FUND
----------------- --------------- ---------------- ------------ -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Beginning Net Asset Value Per
Share....................... $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 1.00
------- ------- ------- ------------ -----------
Net Investment Income
(Loss)(c)................... (0.06) (0.11) 0.57 0.51 0.05
Net Realized and Unrealized
Gain/(Loss) on
Investments................. 1.24 1.06 (0.25) 0.06 --
Distributions from Net
Investment Income........... -- -- (0.57) (0.51) (0.05)
------- ------- ------- ------------ -----------
Ending Net Asset Value Per
Share....................... $ 11.18 $ 10.95 $ 9.75 $ 10.06 $ 1.00
------- ------- ------- ------------ -----------
------- ------- ------- ------------ -----------
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
Expenses(b)(e).............. 1.95% 1.95% 0.68% 0.82% 0.65%
Net Investment Income
(Loss)(e)................. (0.62)% (1.26)% 6.31% 5.30% 4.94%
Total Return (f).............. 11.80% 9.50% 3.23% 5.80% 4.70%
Portfolio Turnover Rate....... 21.12% 15.70% 12.38% 145.12% N/A
Average Commission Rate....... 0.07(d) 0.08(d) N/A N/A N/A
Net Assets at End of Period
(000's omitted)............. $15,108 $6,550 $13,357 $15,840 $76,363
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
(a) Date of commencement of Sept. 29, 1995 Sept. 29, 1995 Oct. 3, 1995 Sept. 27, 1995 Sept. 29, 1995
operations
</TABLE>
(b) During the period, various fees and expenses were waived and reimbursed. Had
such waiver and reimbursement not occurred, the ratio of expenses to average
net assets would have been:
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
2.83 % 5.05 % 2.04 % 1.65 % 0.99 %
</TABLE>
(c) Calculated using weighted average shares outstanding for the period.
(d) Amount represents the average commission per share paid to brokers on the
purchase or sale of equity securities.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Excludes applicable sales charge.
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Tax Status of Dividends Declared (unaudited)
None of the Funds paid long-term capital gain dividends during the period. All
dividends declared by the Funds were distributions of ordinary income. None of
these dividends qualify for the corporate dividend received deduction from
Federal income tax. The amount of the dividends per share declared by the
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund that is exempt from Federal taxes follows.
Sep-95 $0.0086
Oct-95 0.0430
Nov-95 0.0344
Dec-95 0.0430
Jan-96 0.0430
Feb-96 0.0344
Mar-96 0.0430
Apr-96 0.0344
May-96 0.0430
Jun-96 0.0344
Jul-96 0.0344
Aug-96 0.0430
------
$0.4386
------
------
See notes to financial statements. 25 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
Trans Adviser Funds, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of
Growth/Value Fund, Aggressive Growth Fund, Intermediate Bond Fund, Kentucky
Tax-Free Fund, and Money Market Fund, portfolios of Trans Adviser Funds, Inc.
(the Funds), including the schedules of investments, as of August 31, 1996, and
the related statements of operations, statements of changes in net assets and
financial highlights for the periods presented on pages 20, 21 and 25,
respectively. These financial statements and financial highlights are the
responsibility of the Funds' 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 audits 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
August 31, 1996 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers. An audit also
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
Growth/Value Fund, Aggressive Growth Fund, Intermediate Bond Fund, Kentucky
Tax-Free Fund, and Money Market Fund, as of August 31, 1996, and the results of
their operations, the changes in their net assets and financial highlights for
the periods presented on pages 20, 21 and 25, respectively, in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
October 18, 1996
<PAGE>
April 11, 1997
Dear Shareholder:
We are pleased to present the report on the operations of the Trans Adviser
Funds, Inc. during the semi-annual period ended February 28, 1997. This report
covers the five Funds: Aggressive Growth, Growth/Value, Intermediate Bond,
Kentucky Tax-Free, and Money Market Funds.
During the period, the stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, rose
21.30%. Because the Index is weighted by the market capitalization of the
issuers comprising the Index, the stock of the fifty largest issuers accounts
for approximately 50% of the performance of the entire Index. Investments in
popular index funds have supported the stock prices of this relatively small
group of issuers, even though many observers have noted that it is primarily the
prices of these companies' stocks that exceed normal valuation parameters. We
are therefore pleased with the total return of 21.34% the Growth/Value Fund and
15.27% for the Aggressive Growth Fund, even though they did not surpass the S&P
benchmark. In our view, by investing in quality companies with strong
fundamentals such as low relative price-to-earnings ratios these Funds are
poised to take advantage of economic data and company results that meet or
exceed the market's current bearish expectations.
The bond market during the last six months has continued to exhibit yield and
price volatility. During this period, the Trans Adviser Intermediate Bond Fund
had a total return of 4.40%. By comparison, the Merrill Lynch Taxable Bond Index
had a total return of 4.12%. The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund's return was 4.45% as
compared to the 4.46% average total return of the funds in the Morningstar
National Municipal Bond category. The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund has also maintained
a relatively stable net asset value despite the movement in interest rates
during this period. On the whole, we continue to believe that superior returns
in the bond markets can be achieved through an actively-managed relative value
approach that seeks out inefficiencies in the market.
During this period, investments in the Money Market Fund grew to over $100
million. The Fund continues to offer a highly diversified and convenient vehicle
for cash management.
We take great pride in the accomplishments of the Trans Adviser Funds during
their first eighteen months of operations. The Funds' continued growth has
confirmed our original vision that there is a broad-based appeal for funds
managed locally that employ our investment style and experience. We are
confident that the Funds will enjoy continued growth as word of our investment
approach and capabilities spreads to a broader network of investors.
If you have any questions or would like additional information about the Trans
Adviser Funds, please call 800-811-8258. Thank you once again for choosing to
invest with the Trans Adviser Funds.
THOMAS A. TRANTUM
THOMAS A. TRANTUM
President
<PAGE>
GROWTH/VALUE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
COMMON STOCKS (98.8%)
AMUSEMENT & RECREATION SERVICES (1.7%)
10,000 Promus Hotel Corp.(a)............ $ 353,751
-------------
AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS & GASOLINE SERVICE STATIONS (0.9%)
7,500 Autozone, Inc.(a)................ 185,625
-------------
BUSINESS SERVICES (8.0%)
20,000 ADT Ltd.(a)...................... 435,000
15,000 Oracle Systems Corp.(a).......... 588,750
20,000 Sun Microsystems, Inc.(a)........ 617,500
-------------
1,641,250
-------------
CHEMICALS & ALLIED PRODUCTS (8.9%)
4,000 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ........ 522,000
6,000 Merck & Co., Inc. ............... 552,000
10,000 Schering-Plough Corp. ........... 766,250
-------------
1,840,250
-------------
DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS (7.8%)
12,000 Carolina First Corp. ............ 213,000
5,000 Chase Manhattan Corp. ........... 500,625
22,500 MBNA Corp. ...................... 720,000
4,000 Union Planters Corp. ............ 179,000
-------------
1,612,625
-------------
EATING & DRINKING PLACES (2.1%)
10,000 Host Marriott Corp.(a)........... 180,000
4,000 Quality Dining, Inc.(a).......... 46,500
25,000 Shoney's, Inc.(a)................ 206,250
-------------
432,750
-------------
ELECTRIC, GAS, & SANITARY SERVICES (2.2%)
10,000 Sonat, Inc. ..................... 460,000
-------------
ELECTRONIC & OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & COMPONENTS, EXCEPT
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT (2.0%)
5,000 Novellus Systems, Inc.(a)........ 408,750
-------------
FOOD STORES (1.9%)
7,500 Kroger Co.(a).................... 397,500
-------------
GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORES (1.6%)
6,000 Sears Roebuck and Co. ........... 325,500
-------------
HEALTH SERVICES (9.3%)
20,000 Beverly Enterprises, Inc.(a)..... 287,500
5,000 Health Management Associates,
Inc.(a)........................ 132,500
2,345 Healthsouth Rehabilitation
Corp.(a)....................... 94,386
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
HEALTH SERVICES, CONTINUED
10,000 Living Centers of America,
Inc.(a)........................ $ 318,750
5,000 Quorum Health Group, Inc.(a)..... 156,875
15,000 Tenet Healthcare Corp.(a)........ 406,875
15,000 Vencor, Inc.(a).................. 519,375
-------------
1,916,261
-------------
INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL MACHINERY & COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
(13.2%)
7,500 Baker Hughes, Inc. .............. 266,250
6,000 IBM Corp. ....................... 862,500
13,000 Lam Research Corp.(a)............ 495,625
10,000 Qlogic Corp.(a).................. 202,500
15,000 Western Digital Corp.(a)......... 885,000
-------------
2,711,875
-------------
INSURANCE CARRIERS (3.9%)
5,000 Ace, Ltd. ....................... 325,000
4,000 American International Group,
Inc. .......................... 484,000
-------------
809,000
-------------
MEASURING, ANALYZING, & CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS;
PHOTOGRAPHIC, MEDICAL & OPTICAL GOODS (4.4%)
10,000 Baxter International, Inc. ...... 460,000
7,500 Input/Output Inc.(a)............. 160,312
10,000 Tech-Sym Corp.(a)................ 295,000
-------------
915,312
-------------
MISCELLANEOUS RETAIL (3.3%)
10,000 CVS Corp. ....................... 462,500
6,000 Friedman's, Inc. Class A(a)...... 90,750
10,000 OfficeMax, Inc.(a)............... 120,000
-------------
673,250
-------------
MOTION PICTURES (0.5%)
1,500 The Walt Disney Co. ............. 111,375
-------------
NONDEPOSITORY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS (2.9%)
12,500 Capital One Financial Corp. ..... 496,875
10,000 Olympic Financial, Ltd.(a)....... 110,000
-------------
606,875
-------------
OIL & GAS EXTRACTION (6.4%)
12,000 Nuevo Energy Co.(a).............. 498,000
6,500 Pride Petroleum Services,
Inc.(a)........................ 108,875
4,000 Schlumberger, Ltd. .............. 402,500
5,000 Seagull Energy Corp.(a).......... 91,875
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 2 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
GROWTH/VALUE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
OIL & GAS EXTRACTION, CONTINUED
10,000 Stone Energy Corp.(a)............ $ 220,000
-------------
1,321,250
-------------
PHARMECEUTICAL PREPARATIONS (4.0%)
8,000 American Home Products Corp. .... 512,000
5,000 Teva Pharmaceutical ADR.......... 309,062
-------------
821,062
-------------
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (0.9%)
10,000 SCB Computer Technology,
Inc.(a)........................ 180,000
-------------
WATER TRANSPORTATION (2.1%)
10,000 Tidewater, Inc. ................. 430,000
-------------
WHOLESALE TRADE--DURABLE GOODS (7.2%)
6,000 Arrow Electronics Inc.(a)........ 336,750
4,000 Avnet, Inc. ..................... 250,000
5,000 Lockheed Martin Corp. ........... 442,500
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- --------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
WHOLESALE TRADE--DURABLE GOODS, CONTINUED
15,000 Sybron International Corp.-
Wisconsin(a)................... $ 446,250
-------------
1,475,500
-------------
WHOLESALE TRADE--NONDURABLE GOODS (3.6%)
10,000 AmeriSource Health Corp. ........ 503,750
5,000 Safeway, Inc.(a)................. 240,625
-------------
744,375
-------------
Total Common Stocks
(cost $16,904,586)........................... 20,374,136
-------------
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (1.2%)
254,744 Forum Daily Assets Treasury Fund
(cost $254,744)................ 254,744
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $17,159,330)(c)...................... $ 20,628,880
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 3 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
COMMON STOCKS (95.7%)
AMUSEMENT & RECREATION SERVICES (1.9%)
5,000 Promus Hotel Corp.(a)............. $ 176,875
------------
BUSINESS SERVICES (7.8%)
10,000 ADT Ltd.(a)....................... 217,500
7,500 Oracle Systems Corp.(a)........... 294,375
7,000 Sun Microsystems, Inc.(a)......... 216,125
------------
728,000
------------
DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS (2.3%)
12,000 Carolina First Corp. ............. 213,000
------------
EATING & DRINKING PLACES (2.5%)
6,000 Quality Dining, Inc.(a)........... 69,750
20,000 Shoney's, Inc.(a)................. 165,000
------------
234,750
------------
ELECTRONIC & OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & COMPONENTS, EXCEPT
COMPUTER EQUIPMENT (6.1%)
4,000 Novellus Systems, Inc.(a)......... 327,000
15,000 Symmetricom, Inc.(a).............. 241,875
------------
568,875
------------
FOOD STORES (3.7%)
3,500 Kroger Co.(a)..................... 185,500
10,000 Ruddick Corp. .................... 160,000
------------
345,500
------------
GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORES (0.9%)
2,500 Consolidated Stores Corp.(a)...... 87,812
------------
HEALTH SERVICES (15.7%)
5,000 Health Management Associates,
Inc.(a)......................... 132,500
5,000 HealthCare COMPARE Corp.(a)....... 213,438
7,500 Living Centers of America,
Inc.(a)......................... 239,063
15,000 NABI, Inc.(a)..................... 144,375
15,000 Paracelsus Healthcare Corp.(a).... 71,250
2,000 Quorum Health Group, Inc.(a)...... 62,750
10,000 Tenet Healthcare Corp.(a)......... 271,251
10,000 Vencor, Inc.(a)................... 346,250
------------
1,480,877
------------
HOME FURNITURE, FURNISHINGS, & EQUIPMENT STORES (0.6%)
5,000 Movie Gallery, Inc.(a)............ 53,750
------------
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL MACHINERY & COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
(17.1%)
10,000 Lam Research Corp.(a)............. $ 381,250
10,000 Qlogic Corp.(a)................... 202,500
15,000 Smart Modular Technologies(a)..... 436,875
10,000 Western Digital Corp.(a).......... 590,000
------------
1,610,625
------------
INDUSTRY ELECTRONICS & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (2.5%)
12,000 Semtech Corp.(a).................. 238,500
------------
INSURANCE CARRIERS (2.8%)
4,000 Ace, Ltd. ........................ 260,000
------------
MEASURING, ANALYZING, & CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS;
PHOTOGRAPHIC, MEDICAL & OPTICAL GOODS (1.9%)
6,000 Tech-Sym Corp.(a)................. 177,000
------------
MISCELLANEOUS RETAIL (2.2%)
2,500 CVS Corp. ........................ 115,625
6,000 Friedman's, Inc. Class A(a)....... 90,750
------------
206,375
------------
NONDEPOSITORY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS (3.7%)
6,000 Capital One Financial Corp. ...... 238,500
10,000 Olympic Financial, Ltd.(a)........ 110,000
------------
348,500
------------
OIL & GAS EXTRACTION (11.8%)
12,500 GeoScience Corp.(a)............... 162,500
9,000 Nuevo Energy Co.(a)............... 373,500
15,000 Pride Petroleum Services,
Inc.(a)......................... 251,250
5,000 Seagull Energy Corp.(a)........... 91,875
5,000 St. Mary Land & Exploration
Co. ............................ 121,875
5,000 Stone Energy Corp.(a)............. 110,000
------------
1,111,000
------------
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (2.1%)
11,000 SCB Computer Technology,
Inc.(a)......................... 198,000
------------
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES (1.8%)
10,000 Simon Transportation
Services(a)..................... 170,000
------------
WATER TRANSPORTATION (2.7%)
6,000 Tidewater, Inc. .................. 258,000
------------
WHOLESALE TRADE-DURABLE GOODS (1.6%)
5,000 Sybron International Corp.-
Wisconsin(a).................... 148,750
------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 4 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
SHARES DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ---------- ---------------------------------- ------------
<C> <S> <C>
WHOLESALE TRADE-NONDURABLE GOODS (4.0%)
7,500 AmeriSource Health Corp.(a)....... $ 377,812
------------
Total Common Stocks (cost $7,716,134)......... 8,994,001
------------
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (4.3%)
399,257 Forum Daily Assets Treasury Fund
(cost $399,257)................. 399,257
------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $8,115,391)(c)........................ $ 9,393,258
------------
------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 5 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES (0.6%)
$ 90,434 SBA, Series 87-A, 8.45%, due
1/1/07 (cost $93,599)........ $ 92,490
-------------
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (6.7%)
260,070 FHLMC, Series 1072, Class G,
7.00%, due 5/15/06........... 261,833
800,000 FHLMC, Series 1720, Class E,
7.50%, due 12/15/09.......... 809,438
-------------
Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations
(cost $1,088,246).......................... 1,071,271
-------------
CORPORATE BONDS (52.4%)
686,000 Alabama Power, 8.30%, due
7/1/22....................... 694,923
100,000 Anheuser Busch Cos., 7.00%, due
5/30/00...................... 100,211
400,000 Anheuser Busch Cos., 7.00%, due
9/1/05....................... 399,210
278,000 Anheuser Busch Cos., 8.75%, due
12/1/99...................... 293,062
169,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 6.00%, due
3/15/00...................... 166,307
50,000 Berkley W.R. Corp., 9.875%, due
5/15/08...................... 58,974
250,000 British Petroleum America,
Inc., 6.50%, due 12/15/99.... 248,942
215,000 Chase Manhatten Corp., 8.00%,
due 5/15/04.................. 219,689
140,000 Commonwealth Edison Co., 9.50%,
due 5/1/16................... 146,709
150,000 Consumers Power, 6.875%, due
5/1/98....................... 150,133
191,000 Dayton Hudson Corp., 9.875%,
due 6/17/97.................. 202,411
150,000 Deere & Co., 8.95%, due
6/15/19...................... 164,844
160,000 Florida Power & Light Co.,
8.00%, due 8/25/22........... 160,673
100,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 5.83%,
due 6/29/98.................. 99,591
172,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 6.85%,
due 8/15/00.................. 173,301
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE BONDS, CONTINUED
$ 160,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 7.50%,
due 1/15/03.................. $ 164,229
160,000 GTE of Southeast Corp., 8.00%,
due 12/1/01.................. 161,924
130,000 General Electric Capital Corp.,
6.66%, due 5/1/18............ 130,240
69,000 Georgia Power Co., First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.95%, due
2/1/23....................... 69,401
250,000 Greyhound Financial Corp.,
7.82%, due 1/27/03........... 258,036
250,000 IBM Credit Corp., 6.20%, due
3/19/01...................... 245,254
300,000 Inco, Ltd., 9.60%, due
6/15/22...................... 327,139
120,000 Jersey Central Power & Light
Co., 9.20%, due 7/1/21....... 131,171
46,000 Kaiser Permanente, 9.55%, due
7/15/05...................... 53,336
56,000 Kraft, Inc., 8.50%, due
2/15/17...................... 58,367
200,000 Michigan Bell Telephone Co.,
6.375%, due 2/1/05........... 193,489
175,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co.,
6.625%, due 6/1/00........... 173,491
439,000 Pennsylvania Power & Light Co.,
9.25%, due 10/1/19........... 477,390
165,000 Questar Pipeline, 9.375%, due
6/1/21....................... 184,082
70,000 Rohm & Haas Co., 9.80%, due
4/15/20...................... 84,824
675,000 Shopko Stores, 9.25%, due
3/15/22...................... 650,830
200,000 Southern California Edison,
7.375%, due 12/15/03......... 200,864
85,000 Southwestern Public Service
Co., 8.20%, due 12/1/22...... 89,562
40,000 Super Value Store, 8.875%, due
4/1/16....................... 40,631
192,000 TJX Cos. Inc., 9.50%, due
5/1/16....................... 195,740
250,000 Trans Financial Bancorp, 7.25%,
due 9/15/03.................. 242,072
68,000 U.S. Leasing Int'l, 6.625%, due
5/15/03...................... 66,858
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 6 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
INTERMEDIATE BOND FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE BONDS, CONTINUED
$ 130,000 Union Electric Co., 8.00%, due
12/15/22..................... $ 133,404
500,000 Union Oil of California Corp.,
6.70%, due 10/15/07.......... 480,406
200,000 V.F. Corp., 7.60%, due 4/1/04.. 204,744
65,000 Wisconsin Electric Power,
7.75%, due 1/15/23........... 65,473
-------------
Total Corporate Bonds
(cost $8,515,941).......................... 8,361,937
-------------
GOVERNMENT AGENCY NOTES (6.2%)
500,000 FHLB, 6.62%, due 12/6/00....... 497,854
150,000 FNMA, 6.17%, due 12/2/03....... 144,653
265,000 TVA, 6.875%, due 1/15/02....... 266,217
50,000 TVA, 6.875%, due 8/1/02........ 50,132
30,000 TVA, 8.05%, due 7/15/24........ 29,844
-------------
Government Agency Notes
(cost $998,362)............................ 988,700
-------------
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS (12.2%)
$ 1,955,394 The First Boston Corp., 5.38%,
due 3/3/97, to be repurchased
at $1,955,686 (cost
$1,955,394)(d)............... $ 1,955,394
-------------
TREASURY NOTES (21.9%)
3,500,000 U.S. Treasury Notes, 6.50%, due
8/15/05 (cost $3,553,437).... 3,490,151
-------------
SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS (0.0%)
5,006 1784 U.S. Treasury Money Market
Fund (cost $5,006)........... 5,006
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $16,209,985)(c)...................... $ 15,964,949
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 7 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
MUNICIPAL BONDS (96.0%)
AIRPORT REVENUE (0.5%)
$ 50,000 Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Airport Corp., KY, First
Mortgage Revenue Bonds,
7.75%, due 4/1/08............ $ 53,562
-------------
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE (11.5%)
100,000 Covington, KY, Municipal
Properties Corp. Revenue
Bonds, Series A, 8.25%, due
8/1/10, prerefunded 8/1/98 at
103.......................... 108,750
455,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #51, escrowed
to maturity, 6.30%, due
8/1/01....................... 487,418
70,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #32, 6.50%,
due 12/1/99.................. 73,762
200,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority, Economic
Development Revenue Bonds,
7.25%, due 5/15/10,
prerefunded 5/15/00 at
101.50....................... 220,000
425,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority Economic
Development Revenue Bonds,
Revitalization Projects,
escrowed to maturity, 7.00%,
due 5/15/99.................. 450,500
-------------
1,340,430
-------------
EDUCATION FACILITIES REVENUE (18.9%)
200,000 Hopkins County, KY, School
District Finance Corp.,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, 5.70%, due 6/1/06..... 209,250
495,000 Jefferson County, KY, School
District Finance Corp.,
School Building Revenue
Bonds, Series A, 4.875%, due
1/1/11....................... 464,062
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
EDUCATION FACILITIES REVENUE, CONTINUED
$ 750,000 Jefferson County, KY, School
District Finance Corp. School
Building Revenue Bonds,
Series A, MBIA insured,
5.00%, due 2/1/07............ $ 753,750
475,000 Kentucky Higher Education
Student Loan Corp., Insured
Student Loan Revenue Bonds,
Series B, 6.40%, due
6/1/00....................... 499,937
70,000 Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Government, KY, School
Buildings Revenue Bonds,
6.80%, due 10/1/01........... 76,563
200,000 University of Louisville, KY,
Revenue Bonds, Series H,
5.875%, due 5/1/12........... 206,000
-------------
2,209,562
-------------
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS--BOND BANK (2.5%)
305,000 Fern Creek, KY, Fire Protection
District, Holding Co., Inc.,
Revenue Bonds, Fire Station
#2, 5.75%, due 1/15/14....... 295,850
-------------
HEALTH CARE REVENUE (10.6%)
1,225,000 Kentucky Economic Development
Finance Authority, Hospital
Facilities Revenue Bonds,
Society National Bank LOC,
5.75%, due 11/1/05........... 1,241,844
-------------
HOUSING REVENUE (9.0%)
725,000 Boone County, KY, Public
Properties Corp. Revenue
Bonds, Sewer System Lease,
5.15%, due 12/1/12........... 695,094
270,000 Greater Kentucky Housing
Assistance Corp., Mortgage
Revenue Bonds, FHA/Section 8
Assisted Project, Series A,
MBIA/ FHA insured, 6.25%, due
7/1/22....................... 272,364
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 8 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
KENTUCKY TAX-FREE FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
HOUSING REVENUE, CONTINUED
$ 100,000 Jefferson County, KY, Capital
Projects Corp. Revenue Bonds,
0.00% (5.75% effective
yield), due 8/15/99.......... $ 89,375
-------------
1,056,833
-------------
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REVENUE (6.4%)
750,000 Clark County, KY, Industrial
Building Revenue Bonds,
Southern Wood Project, 7.00%,
due 12/1/08.................. 753,750
-------------
LEASING REVENUE (5.4%)
490,000 Jefferson County, KY, Capital
Projects Corp. Revenue Bonds,
5.65%, due 8/15/03........... 517,563
100,000 Kentucky State Property &
Buildings Commission Revenue
Bonds, Project #52, 6.50%,
due 8/1/11, Prerefunded
8/1/01 at 102................ 110,000
-------------
627,563
-------------
OTHER REVENUE (1.2%)
120,000 Puerto Rico Public Buildings
Authority Guaranteed Revenue
Bonds, Series K, 6.875%, due
7/1/21, prerefunded 7/1/02 at
101.50....................... 135,750
-------------
POLLUTION CONTROL REVENUE (19.8%)
450,000 Ashland, KY, PCR Bonds, Ashland
Oil, 7.375%, due 7/1/09...... 486,000
295,000 Ashland, KY, Solid Waste
Revenue Bonds, Ashland Oil,
Inc., Project, 7.20%, due
10/1/20...................... 314,913
235,000 Jefferson County, KY, PCR
Bonds, Louisville Gas &
Electric Co. Project A,
7.45%, due 6/15/15........... 256,150
<CAPTION>
FACE SECURITY
AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
POLLUTION CONTROL REVENUE, CONTINUED
$ 100,000 Kentucky State Pollution
Abatement & Water Reserve
Finance Authority Revenue
Bonds, Series A, escrowed to
maturity, 7.40%, due
8/1/02....................... $ 113,750
50,000 Louisville & Jefferson County,
KY, Metropolitan Sewer
District, Sewer & Drain
System Revenue Bonds Series
A, AMBAC insured, 6.50%, due
5/15/00...................... 53,250
385,000 Trimble County, KY, PCR Bonds,
7.625%, due 11/1/20,
Prerefunded 11/1/00 at 102... 431,681
600,000 Trimble County, KY, PCR Bonds,
Series A, 7.625%, due
11/1/20...................... 662,250
-------------
2,317,994
-------------
RESOURCE RECOVERY REVENUE (2.4%)
275,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority Resource Recovery
Road Revenue, 6.00%, due
7/1/09....................... 275,770
-------------
TRANSPORTATION REVENUE (5.9%)
655,000 Kentucky State Turnpike
Authority Resource Recovery
Revenue Bonds, escrowed to
maturity, 6.125%, due
7/1/07....................... 691,844
-------------
UTILITIES REVENUE (1.9%)
200,000 Owensboro, KY, Electric Light &
Power Revenue Bonds, Series
A, 10.25%, due 1/1/09,
prerefunded 1/1/00 at 102.... 228,500
-------------
Total Municipal Bonds
(cost $11,188,810)......................... 11,229,252
-------------
SHORT TERM-HOLDINGS (4.0%)
466,600 1784 Tax Free Money Market Fund
(cost $466,600).............. 466,600
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)
(cost $11,655,410)(c)...................... $ 11,695,852
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 9 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES (0.2%)
$ 226,593 FHLMC, 7.00%, due 4/1/97....... $ 226,698
-------------
DISCOUNT NOTES (20.4%)
4,376,000 FHLMC, 5.30% yield, due
3/3/97....................... 4,376,000
6,000,000 FHLMC, 5.28% yield, due
3/19/97...................... 5,986,155
6,700,000 FNMA, 5.31% yield, due
3/3/97....................... 6,700,000
3,000,000 FNMA, 5.31% yield, due
3/4/97....................... 2,999,564
-------------
Total Discount Notes......................... 20,061,719
-------------
GOVERNMENT AGENCY NOTES (0.8%)
200,000 FHLB, 6.99%, due 4/25/97....... 200,398
100,000 FHLB, 4.80%, due 7/24/97....... 99,476
500,000 FNMA, 6.84%, due 10/3/97....... 503,289
-------------
Total Government Agency Notes................ 803,163
-------------
CORPORATE NOTES (58.3%)
500,000 Alcan Aluminum, 6.375%, due
9/1/97....................... 500,717
100,000 Allied Corp., 0.00% (5.95%
effective yield), due
8/1/97....................... 97,605
1,373,000 American Express Credit Corp.,
7.75%, due 3/1/97............ 1,373,000
140,000 American General Finance Corp.,
5.80%, due 4/1/97............ 140,000
75,000 American General Finance Corp.,
7.15%, due 5/15/97........... 75,164
80,000 American General Finance Corp.,
7.70%, due 11/15/97.......... 80,941
703,000 American Home Products Corp.,
6.875%, due 4/15/97.......... 703,886
125,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 9.70%, due 5/1/97... 125,749
1,005,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 8.625%, due
6/15/97...................... 1,011,880
15,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 6.75%, due
7/15/97...................... 15,050
30,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 6.75%, due
7/15/97...................... 30,080
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE NOTES, CONTINUED
$ 1,470,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 5.875%, due
8/15/97...................... $ 1,470,594
750,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 7.75%, due
11/1/97...................... 758,588
110,000 Associates Corp. of North
America, 6.625%, due
11/15/97..................... 110,504
70,000 B.P. America, 9.50%, due
1/1/98....................... 71,912
75,000 Bank of Boston, 9.50%, due
8/15/97...................... 76,174
187,000 BankAmerica Corp., 6.00%, due
7/15/97...................... 186,999
175,000 Baxter International, Inc.,
7.50%, due 5/1/97............ 175,416
90,000 Bell Atlantic Financial,
6.625%, due 11/30/97......... 90,359
600,000 Beneficial Corp., 6.79%, due
11/20/97..................... 604,556
240,000 British Petroleum America,
Inc., 8.875%, due 12/1/97.... 245,010
485,000 Brunswick Corp., 8.125%, due
4/1/97....................... 485,791
164,000 CIT Group Holdings, Inc.,
8.75%, due 7/1/97............ 165,362
2,000,000 CSX Transportation, Inc., 5.93
%, due 6/1/97................ 1,999,915
55,000 Campbell Soup Co., 9.00%, due
11/1/97...................... 56,084
100,000 Carolina Power & Light Co.,
6.375%, due 10/1/97.......... 100,000
159,000 Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.,
6.50%, due 11/15/97.......... 159,539
500,000 Commercial Credit Co., 8.125%,
3/1/97....................... 500,000
500,000 Conagra Inc., 9.75%, due
11/1/97...................... 512,573
125,000 Consolidated Edison, 5.30%, due
8/1/97....................... 124,699
100,000 Discover Credit, 7.98%, due
4/7/97....................... 100,173
430,000 Dow Capital, 5.75%, due
9/15/97...................... 429,098
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 10 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE NOTES, CONTINUED
$ 250,000 Dupont Corp., 8.65%, due
12/1/97...................... $ 255,222
200,000 Eastman Kodak Co., 8.55%, due
5/1/97....................... 200,866
205,000 Exxon Capital Corp., 7.875%,
due 8/15/97.................. 206,496
60,000 First Interstate Bancorp,
12.75%, due 5/1/97........... 60,632
1,682,000 Ford Holdings Inc., 9.25%, due
7/15/97...................... 1,701,846
250,000 Ford Motor Co., 5.30%, due
7/1/97....................... 249,408
125,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 5.625%,
due 3/3/97................... 125,000
357,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 6.80%,
due 8/15/97.................. 358,204
150,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 7.125%,
due 12/1/97.................. 151,216
77,000 Ford Motor Credit Co., 8.00%,
due 12/1/97.................. 78,101
1,379,000 GMAC, 7.75%, due 4/15/97....... 1,382,185
220,000 GMAC, 8.375%, due 5/1/97....... 220,882
75,000 GMAC, 6.40%, due 7/30/97....... 75,016
75,000 GMAC, 7.00%, due 8/15/97....... 75,320
1,400,000 GMAC, 6.25%, due 9/12/97....... 1,405,076
1,000,000 GMAC, 7.85%, due 11/17/97...... 1,014,921
20,000 GTE California, 6.25%, due
1/15/98...................... 20,000
750,000 GTE North, Inc., 6.25%, due
7/1/97....................... 750,528
80,000 GTE South, Inc., 6.25%, due
11/15/97..................... 80,067
30,000 General Electric Capital,
8.00%, due 1/15/98........... 30,525
369,000 Golden West Financial Corp.,
10.25%, due 5/15/97.......... 372,192
2,100,000 Greyhound Financial Corp.,
8.25%, due 3/11/97........... 2,101,197
700,000 H.F. Ahmanson & Co., 6.00%, due
4/1/97....................... 700,000
78,000 Heinz (H.J.) Co., 5.50%, due
9/15/97...................... 77,833
4,010,000 Heller Financial, 7.75%, due
5/15/97...................... 4,026,170
965,000 Hospital Corp. of America,
9.00%, due 3/15/97........... 965,907
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE NOTES, CONTINUED
$ 85,000 Household Finance Co., 7.75%,
due 6/15/97.................. $ 85,434
375,000 IBM Corp., 6.375%, due
11/1/97...................... 376,087
100,000 IBM Credit Corp., 5.54%, due
8/18/97...................... 99,812
50,000 Interamerican Development Bank,
9.50%, due 10/15/97.......... 51,051
325,000 International Lease Finance,
5.50%, due 4/1/97............ 324,848
655,000 International Lease Finance,
6.50%, due 7/15/97........... 656,991
250,000 International Lease Finance,
6.75%, due 8/1/97............ 250,901
500,000 Iowa, Illinois Gas & Electric
Co., 5.875%, due 7/15/97..... 500,000
160,000 John Deere Capital, 7.20%, due
5/15/97...................... 160,395
4,020,000 Kellogg Co., 5.90%, due
7/15/97...................... 4,024,995
60,000 Kimberly-Clark Corp., 9.125%,
due 6/1/97................... 60,470
480,000 Lehman Brothers, Inc., 7.375%,
due 8/15/97.................. 483,534
376,000 Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc.,
8.375%, due 4/1/97........... 376,733
760,000 Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc.,
7.625%, due 6/15/97.......... 763,745
2,066,000 MGM Grand Hotels Financial
Corp., Defeased, 11.75%, due
5/1/97....................... 2,124,746
871,000 MGM Grand Hotels Financial
Corp., Defeased, 12.00%, due
5/1/02(b).................... 925,377
2,982,000 Marine Midland Banks, Inc.,
8.625%, due 3/1/97........... 2,982,000
285,000 Maytag Corp., 8.875%, due
7/1/97....................... 287,373
100,000 Monongahela Power, 6.50%, due
8/1/97....................... 100,026
125,000 Morgan Stanley Group, 5.65%,
due 6/15/97.................. 125,014
1,265,000 National Rural Utilities Corp.,
9.50%, due 5/15/97........... 1,273,487
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 11 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
MONEY MARKET FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE NOTES, CONTINUED
$ 390,000 New York Telephone Co., 4.625%,
due 10/1/97.................. $ 387,017
275,000 Norwest Corp., 7.70%, due
11/15/97..................... 278,426
130,000 Norwest Financial Inc., 6.00%,
due 8/15/97.................. 129,859
65,000 Norwest Financial Inc., 6.50%,
due 11/15/97................. 65,239
100,000 Paccar Financial Corp., 5.12%,
due 3/10/97.................. 99,984
183,000 Pacific, Gas, & Electric Co.,
4.625%, due 6/1/97........... 182,443
230,000 PepsiCo, Inc., 6.875%, due
5/15/97...................... 230,442
1,513,000 Philip Morris Cos., Inc.,
7.50%, due 3/15/97........... 1,513,729
300,000 Philip Morris Cos., Inc.,
9.75%, due 5/1/97............ 301,765
590,000 Philip Morris Cos., Inc.,
8.75%, due 6/15/97........... 594,305
30,000 Philip Morris Cos., Inc.,
9.35%, due 11/21/97.......... 30,726
485,000 Philip Morris Cos. Inc., 9.25%,
due 12/1/97.................. 496,301
45,000 Philip Morris Cos., Inc.,
6.375%, due 1/15/98.......... 45,137
190,000 Procter & Gamble Co., 6.85%,
due 6/1/97................... 190,375
50,000 Province of Ontario Global
Bond, 5.70%, due 10/1/97..... 49,941
360,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Co., 6.875%, due 6/1/97...... 360,908
40,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Co., 7.125%, due 11/1/97..... 40,282
1,115,000 Public Service Electric & Gas
Co., 7.125%, due 11/1/97..... 1,124,331
<CAPTION>
SECURITY
FACE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION VALUE
- - ------------ ------------------------------- -------------
<C> <S> <C>
CORPORATE NOTES, CONTINUED
$ 660,000 Quebec Province, 8.74%, due
7/21/97...................... $ 665,770
466,000 Sears Roebuck and Co., 9.25%,
due 8/1/97................... 471,962
830,000 Southern California Edison Co.,
6.125%, due 7/15/97.......... 830,936
205,000 Texaco Capital, 9.00%, due
11/15/97..................... 209,251
190,000 U.S. Leasing International,
Inc., 7.00%, due 11/1/97..... 191,383
135,000 Union Electric Co., 5.50%, due
3/1/97....................... 135,000
937,000 Unisys Corp., 15.00%, due
7/1/97....................... 964,938
650,000 Virginia Electric & Power Co.,
7.25%, due 3/1/97............ 650,000
85,000 WMX Technologies, 8.125%, due
2/1/98....................... 86,500
1,064,000 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 5.50%,
due 9/15/97.................. 1,063,000
716,000 Waste Management, Inc. 6.375%,
due 7/1/97................... 717,010
115,000 Wisconsin Natural Gas, 6.125%,
due 9/1/97................... 115,090
-------------
Total Corporate Notes........................ 57,517,297
-------------
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS (20.3%)
19,973,319 The First Boston Corp., 5.38%,
due 3/3/97, to be repurchased
at 19,976,304 (d)............ 19,973,319
-------------
Total Investments (100.0%)................... $ 98,582,196
-------------
-------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Schedule of Investments. 12 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Non-income producing securities.
(b) Variable rate demand notes are payable upon not more than one, seven or
thirty business days notice. Put bonds and notes have demand features which
mature within one year. The interest rate shown reflects the rate in effect.
(c) Aggregate cost for Federal tax purposes.
(d) The First Boston Corporation is a tri-party repurchase agreement
collateralized by various Federal Gold Loan Mortgage Corporation 6.50% to
8.50%, due 11/1/21 to 2/1/27, Par $705,941 and by various Federal National
Conventional Loan 6.00% to 9.00%, due 10/1/03 to 3/1/27, Par $24,865,226.
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
AMBAC American Municipal Bond Assurance Corporation
FHA Federal Housing Authority
FHLB Federal Home Loan Bank
FHLMC Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
FNMA Federal National Mortgage Association
GMAC General Motors Acceptance Corporation
LOC Letter of Credit
MBIA Municipal Bond Insurance Association
PCR Pollution Control Revenue
SBA Small Business Administration
TVA Tennessee Valley Authority
</TABLE>
13 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GROWTH/ INTERMEDIATE
VALUE AGGRESSIVE BOND KENTUCKY MONEY MARKET
FUND GROWTH FUND FUND TAX-FREE FUND FUND
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
ASSETS:
Investments (Note 2):
Investments at cost...................... $ 17,159,330 $ 8,115,391 $ 14,254,591 $ 11,655,410 $ 78,608,877
Repurchase Agreements at cost............ -- -- 1,955,394 -- 19,973,319
Net unrealized appreciation
(depreciation)......................... 3,469,550 1,277,867 (245,036) 40,442 --
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
Total investments at value............. 20,628,880 9,393,258 15,964,949 11,695,852 98,582,196
Interest, dividends and other receivables.. 13,372 1,131 211,309 152,340 1,345,605
Receivable for Fund shares issued.......... 75,000 25,000 47 -- --
Organization costs, net of amortization
(Note 2)................................. 22,760 22,760 22,760 22,760 22,760
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
Total Assets................................. 20,740,012 9,442,149 16,199,065 11,870,952 99,950,561
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
LIABILITIES:
Dividends payable.......................... -- -- 73,869 26,034 319,424
Payable for securities purchased........... -- -- 48,161 -- 1,873,737
Payable for Fund shares redeemed........... 15,801 2,977 37,220 -- --
Payable to Trans Financial................. 26,993 -- -- -- 1,206
Payable to other related parties........... 11,831 15,064 12,286 28,388 66,618
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
Total Liabilities............................ 54,625 18,041 171,536 54,422 2,260,985
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
NET ASSETS................................... $ 20,685,387 $ 9,424,108 $ 16,027,529 $ 11,816,530 $ 97,689,576
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
COMPONENTS OF NET ASSETS:
Paid in capital............................ $ 17,439,553 $ 8,411,427 $ 16,227,629 $ 11,956,651 $ 97,691,530
Undistributed net investment income
(loss)................................... (90,354) (63,130) -- (173,707) --
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on
investments.............................. 3,469,550 1,277,867 (245,036) 40,442 --
Accumulated net realized gain (loss)....... (133,362) (202,056) 44,936 (6,856) (1,954)
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
NET ASSETS................................... $ 20,685,387 $ 9,424,108 $ 16,027,529 $ 11,816,530 $ 97,689,576
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST................ 1,554,603 755,681 1,625,149 1,155,557 97,691,530
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE, AND REDEMPTION
PRICE PER SHARE............................ $ 13.31 $ 12.47 $ 9.86 $ 10.23 $ 1.00
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE, EXCEPT MONEY MARKET
(NAV DIVIDED BY (1 - 4.50%)).............. $ 13.94 $ 13.06 $ 10.32 $ 10.71 $ 1.00
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- -------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Financial Statements. 14 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GROWTH/ AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE KENTUCKY MONEY
VALUE GROWTH BOND TAX-FREE MARKET
FUND FUND FUND FUND FUND
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME:
Interest income................................ $ 16,937 $ 7,330 $ 511,819 $ 432,568 $ 2,402,069
Dividend income................................ 65,970 5,885 -- -- --
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Total Investment Income.......................... 82,907 13,215 511,819 432,568 2,402,069
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
EXPENSES:
Investment advisory (Note 3)................... 89,000 39,197 28,976 28,478 85,174
Administration (Note 3)........................ 13,512 12,500 12,500 12,500 63,881
Transfer agent (Note 3)........................ 12,809 12,445 11,847 13,654 10,336
Shareholder service (Note 3)................... 22,250 9,799 18,110 17,799 106,468
Custody........................................ 697 911 2,157 355 7,772
Accounting (Note 3)............................ 18,000 18,000 18,000 18,000 24,000
Legal (Note 3)................................. 9,767 6,568 9,468 11,320 12,402
Registration................................... 2,632 2,476 1,943 280 3,054
Audit.......................................... 7,946 7,522 8,376 8,431 9,300
Directors...................................... 967 417 821 915 4,721
Amortization of organization costs (Note 3).... 3,176 3,176 3,176 3,176 3,176
Miscellaneous.................................. 5,133 2,531 4,427 7,705 17,339
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Total Expenses................................... 185,889 115,542 119,801 122,613 347,623
Expenses reimbursed and fees waived
(Note 4)..................................... (12,628) (39,197) (58,242) (62,115) (70,760)
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
Net Expenses..................................... 173,261 76,345 61,559 60,498 276,863
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)..................... (90,354) (63,130) 450,260 372,070 2,125,206
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON
INVESTMENTS:
Net realized gain (loss) on investments sold... (133,362) (201,524) 60,329 (4,068) (1,928)
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investments................ 3,226,469 1,217,298 87,795 300,184 --
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON
INVESTMENTS.................................... 3,093,107 1,015,774 148,124 296,116 (1,928)
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM
OPERATIONS..................................... $ 3,002,753 $ 952,644 $ 598,384 $ 668,186 $ 2,123,278
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
------------ -------------- --------------- ----------- ------------
</TABLE>
See Notes to Financial Statements. 15 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GROWTH/ AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE
VALUE GROWTH BOND
FUND FUND FUND
-------------------------- ------------------------ --------------------------
AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT SHARES
------------- ----------- ------------ ---------- ------------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET ASSETS--September 1, 1995(a)............. $ -- $ -- $ --
- - ----------------------------------
------------- ------------ -------------
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)............... (50,747) (39,525) 601,786
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
sold..................................... 89,352 43,284 (15,393)
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investments............ 243,081 60,569 (332,831)
------------- ------------ -------------
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from
Operations............................. 281,686 64,328 253,562
------------- ------------ -------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income...................... -- -- (601,786)
------------- ------------ -------------
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Sale of shares............................. 15,471,301 1,408,416 7,269,024 668,440 14,919,014 1,491,710
Reinvestment of distributions.............. -- -- -- -- 13,886 1,404
Redemption of shares....................... (645,322) (57,598) (783,438) (70,133) (1,227,784) (122,796)
------------- ----------- ------------ ---------- ------------- -----------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Capital
Transactions........................... 14,825,979 1,350,818 6,485,586 598,307 13,705,116 1,370,318
------------- ----------- ------------ ---------- ------------- -----------
----------- ---------- -----------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets...... 15,107,665 6,549,914 13,356,892
------------- ------------ -------------
NET ASSETS--August 31, 1996.................. 15,107,665 6,549,914 13,356,892
- - -----------------------------
------------- ------------ -------------
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)............... (90,354) (63,130) 450,260
Net realized gain (loss) on investments.... (133,362) (201,524) 60,329
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investments............ 3,226,469 1,217,298 87,795
------------- ------------ -------------
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from
Operations............................. 3,002,753 952,644 598,384
------------- ------------ -------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income...................... -- -- (450,260)
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
sold..................................... (44,429) (16,181) --
------------- ------------ -------------
Total Distribution to Shareholders....... (44,429) (16,181) (450,260)
------------- ------------ -------------
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Sale of shares............................. 4,624,904 361,307 2,810,182 230,029 3,603,774 361,955
Reinvestment of distributions.............. 10,879 875 4,532 376 10,125 1,023
Redemption of shares....................... (2,016,385) (158,397) (876,983) (73,031) (1,091,386) (108,147)
------------- ----------- ------------ ---------- ------------- -----------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Capital
Transactions........................... 2,619,398 203,785 1,937,731 157,374 2,522,513 254,831
------------- ----------- ------------ ---------- ------------- -----------
----------- ---------- -----------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets...... 5,577,722 2,874,194 2,670,637
------------- ------------ -------------
NET ASSETS--February 28, 1997 (Unaudited).... $ 20,685,387 $ 9,424,108 $ 16,027,529
- - -----------------------------------------
------------- ------------ -------------
------------- ------------ -------------
(a) See Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements for date of commencement of operations.
</TABLE>
See Notes to Financial Statements. 16 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (CONTINUED)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996
AND THE SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
KENTUCKY MONEY
TAX-FREE MARKET
FUND FUND
------------------------- ----------------------------
AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT SHARES
------------ ----------- ------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
NET ASSETS--September 1, 1995(a)...................................... $ -- $ --
------------ -------------
- - ----------------------------------
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)........................................ 714,832 2,473,468
Net realized gain (loss) on investments sold........................ (2,788) 2,494
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments.................................................... (259,742) --
------------ -------------
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting
from Operations................................................. 452,302 2,475,962
------------ -------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
FROM:
Net investment income............................................... (828,883) (2,473,468)
------------ -------------
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Sale of shares...................................................... 28,751,437 2,814,888 446,620,681 446,620,681
Reinvestment of distributions....................................... 559,139 57,538 84,304 84,304
Redemption of shares................................................ (13,093,506) (1,297,814) (370,344,632) (370,344,632)
------------ ----------- ------------- -------------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Capital Transactions................... 16,217,070 1,574,612 76,360,353 76,360,353
------------ ----------- ------------- -------------
----------- -------------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets............................... 15,840,489 76,362,847
------------ -------------
NET ASSETS--August 31, 1996........................................... 15,840,489 76,362,847
- - -----------------------------
------------ -------------
OPERATIONS:
Net investment income (loss)........................................ 372,070 2,125,206
Net realized gain (loss) on investments............................. (4,068) (1,928)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments.................................................... 300,184 --
------------ -------------
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from
Operations...................................................... 668,186 2,123,278
------------ -------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income............................................... (431,726) (2,125,206)
Net realized gain (loss) on investments sold........................ -- (2,520)
------------ -------------
Total Distribution to Shareholders................................ (431,726) (2,127,726)
------------ -------------
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Sale of shares...................................................... 519,442 51,065 241,892,119 241,846,519
Reinvestment of distributions....................................... 180,402 17,695 193,146 193,146
Redemption of shares................................................ (4,960,263) (487,815) (220,754,088) (220,708,488)
------------ ----------- ------------- -------------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Capital Transactions................... (4,260,419) (419,055) 21,331,177 21,331,177
------------ ----------- ------------- -------------
----------- -------------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets............................... (4,023,959) 21,326,729
------------ -------------
NET ASSETS--February 28, 1997 (Unaudited)............................. $ 11,816,530 $ 97,689,576
- - -----------------------------------------
------------ -------------
------------ -------------
(a) See Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements for date of commencement of operations.
</TABLE>
See Notes to Financial Statements. 17 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION
Trans Adviser Funds, Inc. (the "Company") is an open-end management investment
company incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. The Company
currently consists of five operational non-diversified investment portfolios,
the Growth/Value Fund, the Aggressive Growth Fund, the Intermediate Bond Fund,
the Kentucky Tax-Free Fund, and the Money Market Fund (each a "Fund" and
collectively the "Funds"). The Funds, except for Money Market Fund, are offered
at Net Asset Value ("NAV") plus a sales charge, currently 4.50% of NAV. The
Money Market Fund is offered at NAV. The Funds commenced investment operations
on the following dates:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Growth/Value Fund September 29, 1995
Aggressive Growth Fund September 29, 1995
Intermediate Bond Fund October 3, 1995
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund September 27, 1995
Money Market Fund September 29, 1995
</TABLE>
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
These financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, which require management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities,
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of increase and decrease in net assets from
operations during the fiscal period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates but are expected to be immaterial.
The following represent significant accounting policies of the Funds:
SECURITY VALUATION-All securities held by the Money Market Fund are valued
utilizing the amortized cost method, which approximates market value, in
accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Securities,
other than short-term, held by the other Funds (the "Bond and Equity Funds") for
which market quotations are readily available are valued using the last reported
sales price provided by independent pricing services. If no sales are reported,
the mean of the last bid and asked price is used. In the absence of readily
available market quotations, securities are valued at fair value as determined
by the Board of Directors. Securities with a maturity of 60 days or less held by
the Bond and Equity Funds are valued at amortized cost.
PREMIUM AMORTIZATION AND DISCOUNT ACCRETION-In all Funds other than the Kentucky
Tax-Free Fund, if a fixed income investment is purchased at a premium, the
premium is not amortized. The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund amortizes premium on fixed
income investments to the maturity (or first call) date using the yield to
maturity method. If a fixed income investment is purchased at a discount (other
than original issue discount), the discount is not accreted. Original issue
discount on fixed income investments is accreted daily using yield to maturity
method.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME-Interest income is accrued as earned. Dividends on
securities held by the Funds are recorded on the ex-dividend date.
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS-Distributions to shareholders of net investment
income, if any, are declared daily and paid monthly for the Money Market Fund,
the Kentucky Tax-Free Fund, and the Intermediate Bond Fund, and declared and
paid annually for the Aggressive Growth Fund and the Growth/Value Fund. Net
capital gain, if any, is distributed to shareholders at least annually.
Distributions are based on amounts calculated in accordance with applicable
income tax regulations.
ORGANIZATION COSTS-The costs incurred by the Funds in connection with their
organization and registration of shares have been capitalized and are being
amortized using the straight-line method over a five year period beginning with
the commencement of the respective Fund's operations. Certain of these costs
were paid by Forum Financial Services, Inc. and have been reimbursed by the
respective Funds.
18 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL TAXES-Each Fund intends to qualify and continue to qualify each year as
a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. In
addition, by distributing in each calendar year substantially all of its net
investment income, capital gains and certain other amounts, if any, each Fund
will not be subject to a federal excise tax. Therefore, no Federal income or
excise tax provision is required.
EXPENSE ALLOCATION-The Company accounts separately for the assets and
liabilities and operations of each Fund. Expenses that are directly attributable
to more than one Fund are allocated among the respective Funds.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS-The Aggressive Growth Fund, the Intermediate Bond Fund and
the Money Market Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. Each Fund, through an
agent bank under a tri-party agreement, receives delivery of the underlying
securities, whose market value must always equal or exceed the repurchase price
plus accrued interest. The investment adviser is responsible for determining the
value of the underlying securities at all times. In the event of default, the
Fund may have difficulties with the disposition of such securities.
REALIZED GAIN AND LOSS-Security transactions are accounted for on a trade date
basis and realized gain and loss on investments sold are determined on the basis
of identified cost.
NOTE 3. ADVISORY, SERVICING FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
The investment adviser of the Funds is Trans Financial Bank, N.A. (the
"Adviser"). The Adviser receives a monthly advisory fee from the Growth/Value
Fund and the Aggressive Growth Fund at an annual rate of 1.00% of the respective
Fund's average daily net assets. The Adviser receives a monthly advisory fee
from the Intermediate Bond Fund and the Kentucky Tax-Free Fund at an annual rate
of 0.40% of the respective Fund's average daily net assets. The Adviser receives
a monthly advisory fee from the Money Market Fund at an annual rate of 0.20% of
the Fund's average daily net assets. Pursuant to a Sub - Advisory Agreement
between the Adviser and Mastrapasqua and Associates, Inc. ("M&A") (the
"Sub-Adviser"), the Adviser may delegate certain of its advisory
responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser. For its services, M&A is paid by the
Adviser as follows: with respect to the Aggressive Growth and the Growth/Value
Funds, the Adviser (not the Fund) pays to M&A an annual fee, calculated daily
and paid monthly, of 0.50% on the first $100 million of such Funds' combined
average daily net assets plus 0.25% of such Funds' combined average daily net
assets in excess of $100 million for its services, and, with respect to each
other, the Adviser (not the Fund) pays M&A an annual fee, calculated on a daily
basis and paid monthly, of 0.03% of average daily net assets for its services.
Effective October 24, 1996, the administrator of the Funds is Forum
Administrative Services, LLC ("FAS") and for its services it receives a fee for
each Fund equal to the greater of $25,000 per year or 0.15% of the annual
average daily net assets of each Fund. Forum Financial Services, Inc. ("Forum")
acts as the Company's distributor pursuant to a separate Distribution Agreement
with the Company. Forum receives no compensation under that agreement. In
addition, certain legal expenses were charged to the Company by FAS amounting to
$1,931.
Prior to October 24, 1996, the administrator of the Funds was Forum, and for its
services received a fee for each Fund equal to the greater of $25,000 per year
or 0.15% of the annual average daily net assets of each Fund.
Forum Financial Corp. ("FFC"), an affiliate of FAS and Forum, serves as the
Funds' transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, and for those services
receives an annual fee of $12,000 plus account and series charges. The Company
has adopted a shareholder service plan under which the Company pays FAS a
shareholder servicing fee at an annual rate of 0.25% of the daily net assets of
each Fund. FAS may pay any or all amounts of these payments to various
institutions which provide shareholder servicing to their customers. FFC also
serves as the Company's fund accountant and is compensated for those services at
an amount of $36,000 per year per Fund plus certain amounts based upon the
number and types of portfolio transactions within each Fund.
19 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
FEBRUARY 28, 1997 (Unaudited)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE 4. WAIVER OF FEES AND REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES
The Adviser has voluntarily waived a portion of its fees and assumed certain
expenses of the Funds so that total expenses of the Funds would not exceed a
certain limitation. For the six months ended February 28, 1997, fees waived and
expenses reimbursed were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FEES WAIVED EXPENSES REIMBURSED
------------- ----------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund.............................................. $ 12,628 $ --
Aggressive Growth Fund......................................... 39,197 --
Intermediate Bond Fund......................................... 28,976 29,266
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund......................................... 28,478 33,637
Money Market Fund.............................................. 70,760 --
</TABLE>
NOTE 5. SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Cost of purchases and proceeds from sales (including maturities) of securities
(excluding short-term investments) during the six months ended February 28, 1997
were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
COST OF PURCHASES PROCEEDS FROM SALES
------------------ ---------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund......................................... $ 6,225,001 $ 3,240,579
Aggressive Growth Fund.................................... 2,689,176 1,164,824
Intermediate Bond Fund.................................... 5,640,333 3,374,356
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund.................................... -- 4,519,568
</TABLE>
For the period ended February 28, 1997, aggregate gross unrealized appreciation
for all securities in which there was an excess of value over tax cost and
aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there was an
excess of tax cost over value for Federal income tax purposes were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET APPRECIATION
UNREALIZED APPRECIATION UNREALIZED DEPRECIATION (DEPRECIATION)
----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Growth/Value Fund............... $ 3,848,668 $ 379,118 $ 3,469,550
Aggressive Growth Fund.......... 1,773,754 495,887 1,277,867
Intermediate Bond Fund.......... 30,934 275,970 (245,036)
Kentucky Tax-Free Fund.......... 77,419 36,977 40,442
</TABLE>
NOTE 6. CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK
The Kentucky Tax-Free Fund invests substantially all of its assets in debt
obligations of issuers located in the state of Kentucky. The issuers' abilities
to meet their obligations may be affected by Kentucky economic or political
developments.
20 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GROWTH AGGRESSIVE INTERMEDIATE
VALUE GROWTH BOND
FUND FUND FUND
SELECTED PER SHARE DATA AND ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
RATIOS FOR A SIX MONTHS YEAR SIX MONTHS YEAR SIX MONTHS YEAR
SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT ENDED ENDED ENDED ENDED ENDED ENDED
THE PERIOD 2/28/97(f) 8/31/96(a) 2/28/97(f) 8/31/96(a) 2/28/97(f) 8/31/96(a)
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net Asset Value, Beginning of
Period...................... $ 11.18 $ 10.00 $ 10.95 $ 10.00 $ 9.75 $ 10.00
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Investment Operations
Net Investment Income
(Loss).................... (0.06) (0.06)(c) (0.08) (0.11)(c) 0.31 0.57(c)
Net Realized and Unrealized
Gain (Loss) on
Investments............... 2.22 1.24 1.63 1.06 0.11 (0.25)
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total from Investment
Operations.................. 2.16 1.18 1.55 0.95 0.42 0.32
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Distributions from
Net Investment Income....... (0.03) -- (0.03) -- (0.31) (0.57)
Net Realized Gain on
Investments............... -- -- -- -- -- --
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Distributions........... (0.03) -- (0.03) -- (0.31) (0.57)
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net Asset Value, End of
Period...................... $ 13.31 $ 11.18 $ 12.47 $ 10.95 $ 9.86 $ 9.75
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Return(b)............ 42.67%(e) 11.80% 30.53%(e) 9.50% 8.79%(e) 3.23%
Ratio/Supplementary Data:
Net Assets at End of Period
(000's omitted)............. $ 20,685 $ 15,108 $ 9,424 $ 6,550 $ 16,028 $ 13,357
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
Expenses including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 1.95% 1.95% 1.95% 1.95% 0.85% 0.68%
Expenses excluding
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 2.09% 2.83% 2.95% 5.05% 1.65% 2.04%
Net investment income (loss)
including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... (1.02)% (0.62 )% (1.61 )% (1.26 )% 6.22% 6.31%
Average Commission Rate(d).... $ 0.0576 $ 0.0700 $ 0.0553 $ 0.0800 N/A N/A
Portfolio Turnover Rate....... 18.89% 21.12% 15.45% 15.70% 26.77% 12.38%
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</TABLE>
(a) See Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements for date of commencement of
operations.
(b) Total return calculation does not include sales charges.
(c) Using weighted average shares outstanding for the period.
(d) Amount represents the average commission per share paid to brokers on the
purchase or sale of equity securities.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Unaudited.
21 TRANS ADVISER FUNDS, INC.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED)
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
KENTUCKY MONEY
TAX-FREE MARKET
FUND FUND
SELECTED PER SHARE DATA AND ------------------------ ------------------------
RATIOS FOR A SIX MONTHS YEAR SIX MONTHS YEAR
SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT ENDED ENDED ENDED ENDED
THE PERIOD 2/28/97(f) 8/31/96(a) 2/28/97(f) 8/31/96(a)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net Asset Value, Beginning of
Period...................... $ 10.06 $ 10.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Investment Operations
Net Investment Income
(Loss).................... 0.18 0.51(c) 0.03 0.05(c)
Net Realized and Unrealized
Gain (Loss) on
Investments............... 0.25 0.06 -- --
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total from Investment
Operations.................. 0.43 0.57 0.03 0.05
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Distributions from
Net Investment Income....... (0.26) (0.51) (0.03) (0.05)
Net Realized Gain on
Investments............... -- -- -- --
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Distributions........... (0.26) (0.51) (0.03) (0.05)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net Asset Value, End of
Period...................... $ 10.23 $ 10.06 $ 1.00 $ 1.00
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total Return(b)............ 8.90%(e) 5.80% 5.11%(e) 4.70%
Ratio/Supplementary Data:
Net Assets at End of Period
(000's omitted)............. $ 11,817 $ 15,840 $ 97,690 $ 76,363
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
Expenses including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 0.85% 0.82% 0.65% 0.65%
Expenses excluding
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 1.72% 1.65% 0.82% 0.99%
Net investment income (loss)
including
reimbursement/waiver
(e)....................... 5.23% 5.30% 4.99% 4.94%
Average Commission Rate(d).... N/A N/A N/A N/A
Portfolio Turnover Rate....... 0.00% 145.12% N/A N/A
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</TABLE>
(a) See Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements for date of commencement of
operations.
(b) Total return calculation does not include sales charges.
(c) Using weighted average shares outstanding for the period.
(d) Amount represents the average commission per share paid to brokers on the
purchase or sale of equity securities.
(e) Annualized.
(f) Unaudited.
