OPPENHEIMER GLOBAL FUND
Prospectus dated January 29, 1998
Oppenheimer Global Fund is a mutual fund with the investment objective of
capital appreciation. Current income is not an objective. The Fund invests
primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies and normally invests a
substantial portion of its assets in foreign stocks. The Fund emphasizes
investments in "growth-type" companies, in industry sectors that the portfolio
manager believes have appreciation possibilities. The Fund also uses "hedging"
instruments to try to reduce the risks of market and currency fluctuations that
affect the value of the securities the Fund holds.
Some of the Fund's investment techniques may be considered speculative.
Foreign investing involves special risks. These techniques may increase the
risks of investing in the Fund and the Fund's operating costs. You should
carefully review the risks associated with an investment in the Fund. Please
refer to "Investment Policies and Strategies" for more information about the
types of securities the Fund invests in and the risks of investing in the Fund.
This Prospectus explains concisely what you should know before investing
in the Fund. Please read this Prospectus carefully and keep it for future
reference. You can find more detailed information about the Fund in the January
29, 1998 Statement of Additional Information. For a free copy, call
OppenheimerFunds Services, the Fund's Transfer Agent, at 1-800-525-7048, or
write to the Transfer Agent at the address on the back cover. The Statement of
Additional Information has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference (which means
that it is legally part of this Prospectus).
[OppenheimerFunds (logo)]
Shares of the Fund are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not
guaranteed by any bank, are not insured by the F.D.I.C. or any other agency, and
involve investment risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount
invested.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION PASSED UPON
THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY
IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
-1-
<PAGE>
Contents
ABOUT THE FUND
3 Expenses
5 A Brief Overview of the Fund
7 Financial Highlights
10 Investment Objective and Policies
17 How the Fund is Managed
19 Performance of the Fund
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
23 How to Buy Shares
Class A Shares
Class B Shares
Class C Shares
35 Special Investor Services
AccountLink
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans
Reinvestment Privilege
Retirement Plans
37 How to Sell Shares
By Mail
By Telephone
39 How to Exchange Shares
40 Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
42 Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
45 Appendix A: Special Sales Charge Arrangement for Certain
Persons
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<PAGE>
ABOUT THE FUND
Expenses
The Fund pays a variety of expenses directly for management of its assets,
administration, distribution of its shares and other services, and those
expenses are subtracted from the Fund's assets to calculate the Fund's net asset
value per share. All shareholders therefore pay those expenses indirectly.
Shareholders pay other expenses directly, such as sales charges and account
transaction charges. The following tables are provided to help you understand
your direct expenses of investing in the Fund and your share of the Fund's
business operating expenses that you will bear indirectly. The numbers below are
based on the Fund's expenses during its fiscal year ended September 30, 1997.
o Shareholder Transaction Expenses are charges you pay
when
you buy or sell shares of the Fund. Please refer to "About Your
Account," from pages ____ through ____, for an explanation of
how
and when these charges apply.
Class A Class B Class C
Shares Shares Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum Sales Charge 5.75% None None
on Purchases (as a % of
offering price)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum Deferred Sales None(1) 5% in the first 1% if shares
Charge (as a % of the year, declining are redeemed
lower of the original to 1% in the within 12
offering price or sixth year and months of
redemption proceeds) eliminated purchase(2)
thereafter(2)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange Fee None None None
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption Fee None(3) None(3) None(3)
(1)If you invest $1 million or more ($500,000 or more for purchases by
"Retirement Plans," as defined in "Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" on
page __) in Class A shares, you may have to pay a sales charge of up to 1% if
you sell your shares within 12 calendar months (18 months for shares purchased
prior to May 1, 1997) from the end of the calendar month during which you
purchased those shares. See "How to Buy Shares - Buying Class A Shares," below.
(2) See "How to Buy Shares - Buying Class B Shares" and "How to Buy Shares -
Buying Class C Shares" below.
(3) There is a $10 transaction fee for redemptions paid by Federal Funds wire,
but not for redemptions paid by ACH transfer through AccountLink.
o Annual Fund Operating Expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets and
represent the Fund's expenses in operating its business.
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<PAGE>
For example, the Fund pays management fees to its investment adviser,
OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (which is referred to in this Prospectus as the
"Manager"). The rates of the Manager's fees are set forth in "How the Fund is
Managed," below. The Fund has other regular expenses for services, such as
transfer agent fees, custodial fees paid to the bank that holds its portfolio
securities, audit fees and legal expenses. Those expenses are detailed in the
Fund's Financial Statements in the Statement of Additional Information.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(as a Percentage of Average Net Assets)
Class A Class B Class C
-------- ------- -------
Management Fees 0.70% 0.70% 0.70%
12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees 0.18% 1.00% 1.00%
Other Expenses 0.25% 0.24% 0.24%
Total Fund Operating Expenses 1.13% 1.94% 1.94%
The numbers for Class A, Class B and Class C shares in the table above are
based upon the Fund's business expenses in its fiscal year ended September 30,
1997. These amounts are shown as a percentage of the average net assets of each
class of the Fund's shares for that year. The 12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees for
Class A shares are service fees (the maximum fee is 0.25% of average net assets
of that class). For Class B and Class C shares, the 12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees
are service fees (the maximum fee is 0.25% of average net assets of that class)
and the asset-based sales charge of 0.75%. These plans are described in greater
detail in "How to Buy Shares."
The actual expenses for each class of shares in future years may be more
or less than the numbers in the table, depending on a number of factors,
including changes in the actual value of the
Fund's assets represented by each class of shares.
o Examples - To try to show the effect of these expenses on an investment
over time, we have created the hypothetical examples shown below. Assume that
you make a $1,000 investment in each class of shares of the Fund, that the
Fund's annual return is 5%, and that its operating expenses for each class are
the ones shown in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table above. If you were to
redeem your shares at the end of each period shown below, your investment would
incur the following expenses by the end of 1, 3, 5 and 10 years:
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years*
------ ------- ------- --------
Class A Shares $68 $91 $116 $187
Class B Shares $70 $91 $125 $186
Class C Shares $30 $61 $105 $226
If you did not redeem your investment, it would incur the following
expenses:
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<PAGE>
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years*
------ ------- ------- --------
Class A Shares $68 $91 $116 $187
Class B Shares $20 $61 $105 $186
Class C Shares $20 $61 $105 $226
* In the first example, expenses include the Class A initial sales charge and
the applicable Class B or Class C contingent deferred sales charge. In the
second example, Class A expenses include the initial sales charge, but Class B
and Class C expenses do not include contingent deferred sales charges. The Class
B expenses in years 7 through 10 are based on the Class A expenses shown above,
because the Fund automatically converts your Class B shares into Class A shares
after 6 years. Because of the effect of the asset-based sales charge and
contingent deferred sales charge imposed on Class B and Class C shares,
long-term holders of Class B and Class C shares could pay the economic
equivalent of more than the maximum front-end sales charge allowed under
applicable regulations. For Class B shareholders, the automatic conversion of
Class B shares to Class A shares is designed to minimize the likelihood that
this will occur. Please refer to "How to Buy Shares - Buying Class B Shares" for
more information.
These examples show the effect of expenses on an investment, but are not
meant to state or predict actual or expected costs or investment returns of the
Fund, all of which may be more or less
than those shown.
A Brief Overview of the Fund
Some of the important facts about the Fund are summarized below, with
references to the section of this Prospectus where more complete information can
be found. You should carefully read the entire Prospectus before making a
decision about investing in the Fund. Keep the Prospectus for reference after
you invest, particularly for information about your account, such as how to sell
or exchange shares.
o What Is The Fund's Investment Objective? The Fund's
investment objective is to seek capital appreciation. Current
income is not an objective.
o What Does the Fund Invest In? The Fund primarily invests in foreign and
domestic common or convertible stocks of "growth type" companies considered to
have appreciation possibilities. Investments in debt securities may be made in
uncertain market conditions. The Fund may also use hedging instruments and some
derivative investments to try to manage investment risks. These investments are
more fully explained in "Investment Objective and Policies," starting on page
___.
o Who Manages the Fund? The Fund's investment adviser (the Manager) is
OppenheimerFunds, Inc. The Manager (including subsidiaries) manages investment
company portfolios having over $75 billion in assets as of December 31, 1997.
The Manager is paid an advisory fee by the Fund, based on its net assets. The
Fund has a portfolio manager, William L. Wilby, who is employed by the Manager.
He is primarily responsible for the selection of the
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<PAGE>
Fund's securities. The Fund's Board of Trustees, elected by shareholders,
oversees the investment adviser and the portfolio manager. Please refer to "How
the Fund is Managed," starting on page ___ for more information about the
Manager and its fees.
o How Risky is the Fund? All investments carry risks to some degree. It is
important to remember that the Fund is designed for long-term investors. The
Fund's investments in stocks and bonds are subject to changes in their value
from a number of factors such as changes in general bond and stock market
movements or the change in value of particular stocks because of an event
affecting the issuer. The Fund's investments in foreign securities are subject
to additional risks associated with investing abroad, such as the effect of
currency rate changes on stock values. These changes affect the value of the
Fund's investments and its price per share. In the Oppenheimer funds spectrum,
the Fund is generally more volatile than the other stock funds, the income and
growth funds, and the more conservative income funds. While the Manager tries to
reduce risks by diversifying investments, by carefully researching securities
before they are purchased for the portfolio, and in some cases by using hedging
techniques, there is no guarantee of success in achieving the Fund's objective,
and your shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when you
redeem them. Please refer to "Investment Objective and Policies" starting on
page --- for a more complete discussion of the Fund's investment risks.
o How Can I Buy Shares? You can buy shares through your dealer or
financial institution, or you can purchase shares directly through the
Distributor by completing an Application or by using an Automatic Investment
Plan under AccountLink. Please refer to "How to Buy Shares" on page ___ for more
details.
o Will I Pay a Sales Charge to Buy Shares? The Fund offers the individual
investor three classes of shares. Each class has the same investment portfolio
but different expenses. Class A shares are offered with a front-end sales
charge, starting at 5.75%, and reduced for larger purchases. Class B and Class C
shares are offered without a front-end sales charge, but may be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 6 years or 12 months,
respectively, of purchase. There is also an annual asset-based sales charge on
Class B and Class C shares. Please review "How To Buy Shares" starting on page
___ for more details, including a discussion about which class may be
appropriate for you.
- How Can I Sell My Shares? Shares can be redeemed by mail or by telephone
call to the Transfer Agent on any business day, or through your dealer. Please
refer to "How to Sell Shares" on page ___. The Fund also offers exchange
privileges to other Oppenheimer funds, described in "How To Exchange Shares" on
page __.
- How Has the Fund Performed? The Fund measures its performance by quoting
its average annual total returns and cumulative total returns, which measure
historical performance.
Those returns can be compared to the returns (over similar periods) of other
funds. Of course, other funds may have different objectives, investments, and
levels of risk. The Fund's performance can also be compared to a broad stock
market index,
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<PAGE>
which we have done on page ___. Please remember that past performance does not
guarantee future results.
Financial Highlights
The table on the following pages presents selected financial information
about the Fund, including per share data, expense ratios and other data based on
the Fund's average net assets. This information has been audited by KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, whose report on the Fund's
financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997, is included
in the Statement of Additional Information.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS CLASS A
------------------------------------------------------
YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
=================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING DATA:
Net asset value, beginning of period $39.00 $36.84 $37.69 $35.04 $30.03
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) .32 .23 .31 .17 .26
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 11.91 4.22 2.59 6.10 4.99
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total income (loss) from investment
operations 12.23 4.45 2.90 6.27 5.25
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income (.53) (.24) -- (.25) (.12)
Distributions from net realized gain (1.38) (2.05) (3.75) (3.37) (.12)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (1.91) (2.29) (3.75) (3.62) (.24)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $49.32 $39.00 $36.84 $37.69 $35.04
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
=================================================================================================
TOTAL RETURN, AT NET ASSET VALUE(3) 32.85% 12.98% 9.26% 19.19% 17.67%
=================================================================================================
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $3,408 $2,499 $2,186 $1,921 $1,389
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average net assets (in millions) $2,869 $2,309 $1,979 $1,711 $1,213
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount of debt outstanding at end of
period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A $18,247
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of shares outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A 39,853
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt per share
outstanding throughout each period N/A N/A N/A N/A $0.46
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income (loss) 0.74% 0.62% 0.90% 0.38% 0.84%
Expenses 1.13% 1.17% 1.20% 1.15% 1.18%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover rate(6) 65.9% 102.9% 84.4% 78.3% 86.9%
Average brokerage commission rate(7) $0.0045 $0.0071 -- -- --
</TABLE>
1. For the period from October 2, 1995 (inception of offering) to September 30,
1996. 2. For the period from August 17, 1993 (inception of offering) to
September 30, 1993. 3. Assumes a hypothetical initial investment on the business
day before the first day of the fiscal period (or inception of offering), with
all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the
reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last
business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total
returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods of less than one full
year.
8
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS B
- ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1997 1996
=================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$32.05 $27.63 $30.43 $22.94 $38.29 $38.19 $36.16
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.17 .05 .02 .20 .04 (.04) (.05)
(1.50) 6.14 .29 9.11 (9.70) 11.68 4.13
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
(1.33) 6.19 .31 9.31 (9.66) 11.64 4.08
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(.11) (.08) (.11) (.09) (.07) (.26) --
(.58) (1.69) (3.00) (1.73) (5.62) (1.38) (2.05)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
(.69) (1.77) (3.11) (1.82) (5.69) (1.64) (2.05)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$30.03 $32.05 $27.63 $30.43 $22.94 $48.19 $38.19
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
=================================================================================
(4.23)% 23.71% 0.79% 42.87% (25.17)% 31.77% 12.07%
=================================================================================
$1,215 $1,076 $720 $523 $371 $897 $541
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1,194 $899 $672 $446 $398 $692 $438
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$60,000 $60,000 $60,000 $30,000 $30,000 N/A N/A
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$60,000 $60,000 $42,877 $30,000 $31,052 N/A N/A
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37,435 30,607 21,982 16,968 17,173 N/A N/A
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1.60 $1.96 $1.95 $1.77 $1.81 N/A N/A
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.55% 0.22% 0.16% 0.73% 0.15% (0.23)% (0.17)%
1.36% 1.65% 1.68% 1.90% 1.89% 1.94% 2.00%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18.0% 19.9% 27.2% 62.6% 25.2% 65.9% 102.9%
-- -- -- -- -- $0.0045 $0.0071
</TABLE>
4. Annualized.
5. Due to the acquisition of the net assets of Oppenheimer Global Emerging
Growth Fund, the ratios for Class C shares are not necessarily comparable to
those of prior periods. 6. The lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio
securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of
portfolio securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or
expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from
the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding
short-term securities) for the period ended September 30, 1997 were $6,217,301
and $54,813,598, respectively.
9
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) CLASS B CLASS C
--------------------------------- -------------------
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 30,
1995 1994 1993(2) 1997 1996(1)
==============================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING DATA:
Net asset value, beginning of period $37.36 $34.99 $33.33 $38.73 $36.67
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) .06 .08 .03 (.08) .09
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) 2.49 5.83 1.63 11.86 4.13
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total income (loss) from investment
operations 2.55 5.91 1.66 11.78 4.22
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income -- (.18) -- (.36) (.11)
Distributions from net realized gain (3.75) (3.36) -- (1.38) (2.05)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (3.75) (3.54) -- (1.74) (2.16)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $36.16 $37.36 $34.99 $48.77 $38.73
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
==============================================================================================================
TOTAL RETURN, AT NET ASSET VALUE(3) 8.34% 18.10% 3.64% 31.76% 12.34%
==============================================================================================================
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $340 $187 $6 $60 $18
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average net assets (in millions) $258 $88 $3 $35 $8
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount of debt outstanding at end of
period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of shares outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt per share
outstanding throughout each period N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income (loss) 0.09% (0.30)% 1.52%(4) (0.86)%(5) 0.04%(4)
Expenses 2.03% 2.08% 2.40%(4) 1.94% 1.99%(4)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover rate(6) 84.4% 78.3% 86.9% 65.9% 102.9%
Average brokerage commission rate(7) -- -- -- $0.0045 $0.0071
</TABLE>
7. Total brokerage commissions paid on applicable purchases and sales of
portfolio securities for the period, divided by the total number of related
shares purchased and sold. Generally, non-U.S. commissions are lower than U.S.
commissions when expressed as cents per share but higher when expressed as a
percentage of transactions because of the lower per-share prices of many
non-U.S. securities.
10
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<PAGE>
Investment Objective and Policies
Objective. The Fund invests its assets with the objective of
capital appreciation.
Investment Policies and Strategies. The Fund seeks capital appreciation by
emphasizing investments in common stocks or convertible securities of
"growth-type" companies. These may include securities of U.S. companies or
foreign companies, as discussed below. The Fund may invest in securities of
smaller, less well-known companies as well as those of large, well-known
companies (not generally included in the definition of "growth- type"
companies). The Fund may hold warrants and rights. Current income is not a
consideration in the selection of portfolio securities. A portion of the Fund's
assets may be invested in securities for liquidity purposes.
As a matter of fundamental policy, under normal market conditions (when
the Manager believes that the securities markets are not in a volatile or
unstable period), the Fund invests in securities of issuers traded in markets in
at least three different countries (which may include the United States). The
Manager expects that the Fund will normally invest a substantial portion of its
assets in foreign securities (discussed in "Foreign Securities," below).
The Fund's portfolio manager currently employs an investment strategy in
selecting foreign and domestic securities that considers the effects of
worldwide trends on the growth of various business sectors. These trends or
"global themes" currently include telecommunications expansion, emerging
consumer markets, infrastructure development, natural resource use and
development, corporate restructuring, capital market development in foreign
countries, health care expansion, and global integration. These trends, which
may affect the growth of companies having businesses in these sectors or that
are affected by their development, may suggest opportunities for investing the
Fund's assets. The Manager does not invest a fixed or specific amount of the
Fund's assets in any one sector, and these themes or this approach may change
over time.
The Fund may also seek to take advantage of changes in the business cycle
by investing in companies that are sensitive to those changes as well as in
"special situations" the Manager believes present opportunities for capital
growth. For example, when a country's economy is expanding, companies in the
financial services and consumer products industries may be in a position to
benefit from changes in the business cycle and may present long- term growth
opportunities.
When investing the Fund's assets, the Manager considers many factors,
including the global themes discussed above, general economic conditions abroad
relative to the U.S. and the trends in foreign and domestic stock markets. The
Fund may try to hedge against losses in the value of its portfolio of securities
by using hedging strategies and derivative investments described below.
When market conditions are unstable, the Fund may invest in
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<PAGE>
debt securities, such as rated or unrated bonds and debentures, cash equivalents
and preferred stocks. It is expected that short-term debt securities (which are
securities maturing in one year or less from date of purchase) will be
emphasized for defensive or liquidity purposes, since those securities usually
may be disposed of quickly and their prices tend not to be as volatile as the
prices of longer term debt securities. When circumstances warrant, securities
may be sold without regard to the length of time held, although short-term
trading may increase brokerage costs borne by the Fund.
o What are "Growth-Type" Companies? These tend to be newer companies that
may be developing new products or services, or expanding into new markets for
their products. While they may have what the Manager believes to be favorable
prospects for the long- term, growth-type companies normally retain a large part
of their earnings for research, development and investment in capital assets.
Therefore, they tend not to emphasize the payment of dividends.
o Can the Fund's Investment Objective and Policies Change? The Fund has an
investment objective, which is described above, as well as investment policies
it follows to try to achieve its objective. Additionally, the Fund uses certain
investment techniques and strategies in carrying out those investment policies.
The Fund's investment policies and techniques are not "fundamental" unless this
Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information says that a particular
policy is "fundamental." The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental
policy.
Fundamental policies are those that cannot be changed without the approval
of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. The term "majority" is
defined in the Investment Company Act to be a particular percentage of
outstanding voting shares (and this term is explained in the Statement of
Additional Information). The Fund's Board of Trustees may change non-fundamental
policies without shareholder approval, although significant changes will be
described in amendments to this Prospectus.
o Stock Investment Risks. Because the Fund normally invests most, or a
substantial portion, of its assets in stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio
will be affected by changes in the stock markets. At times, the stock markets
can be volatile, and stock prices can change substantially. This market risk
will affect the Fund's net asset values per share, which will fluctuate as the
values of the Fund's portfolio securities change. Not all stock prices change
uniformly or at the same time, not all stock markets move in the same direction
at the same time, and other factors can affect a particular stock's prices (for
example, poor earnings reports by an issuer, loss of major customers, major
litigation against an issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting an
industry). Not all of these factors can be predicted.
As discussed below, the Fund attempts to limit market risks by
diversifying its investments, that is, by not holding a substantial amount of
stock of any one company and by not investing too great a percentage of the
Fund's assets in any one company.
-9-
<PAGE>
Because of the types of securities the Fund invests in and the investment
techniques the Fund uses, some of which may be speculative, the Fund is designed
for investors who are investing for the long-term and who are willing to accept
greater risks of loss of their investment in the hope of achieving capital
appreciation. It is not intended for investors seeking assured income and
preservation of capital. Investing for capital appreciation entails the risk of
loss of all or part of your investment. Because changes in securities market
prices can occur at any time, there is no assurance that the Fund will achieve
its investment objective, and when you redeem your shares, they may be worth
more or less than what you paid for them.
o Foreign Securities. The Fund will normally invest a substantial amount
of its assets in foreign securities. Foreign securities are those that are
traded primarily on a foreign securities exchange or in the foreign
over-the-counter markets. The Fund can invest up to 100% of its assets in
foreign securities. The Fund may purchase equity (and debt) securities issued or
guaranteed by foreign companies or foreign governments or their agencies. The
Fund may buy securities of companies or governments in any country, developed or
underdeveloped.
The Fund does not limit its investments in bonds and debentures to issues
having specified credit ratings. The Fund may invest in debt securities rated
below "investment grade" (investment grade securities are generally those in the
four highest rating categories of Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or Standard &
Poor's Corporation). Debt securities are subject to changes in value due to
changes in prevailing interest rates. The values of outstanding debt securities
rise when prevailing interest rates decline, and decline when prevailing
interest rates rise. The Manager does not currently intend to invest more than
10% of the Fund's assets in debt securities.
The Fund will hold foreign currency only in connection with the purchase
or sale of foreign securities. If the Fund's securities are held abroad, the
countries in which they are held and the sub-custodians holding them must be
approved by the Fund's
Board of Trustees.
o Foreign securities have special risks. There are special risks in
investing in foreign securities. Because the Fund may purchase securities
denominated in foreign currencies or traded primarily in foreign markets, a
change in the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in
a change in the U.S. dollar value of those foreign securities. Foreign issuers
are not required to use generally-accepted accounting principals that apply to
U.S. issuers. If foreign securities are not registered for sale in the U.S.
under U.S. securities laws, the issuer does not have to comply with disclosure
requirements that U.S. companies are subject to. The value of foreign
investments may be affected by other factors, including exchange control
regulations, expropriation or nationalization of a company's assets, foreign
taxes, delays in settlement of transactions, changes in governmental, economic
or monetary policy in the U.S. or abroad, or other political and economic
factors.
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<PAGE>
In addition, it is generally more difficult to obtain court judgments
outside the U.S. if the Fund were to sue a foreign issuer or broker. Additional
costs may be incurred because foreign brokerage commissions are generally higher
than U.S. rates, and there are additional custodial costs associated with
holding securities abroad. More information about the risks and potential
rewards of investing in foreign securities is contained in the Statement of
Additional Information.
o Portfolio Turnover. "Portfolio turnover" describes the rate at which the
Fund traded its portfolio securities during its last fiscal year. For example,
if a fund sold all of its securities during its last fiscal year, its portfolio
turnover rate would have been 100%. Portfolio turnover affects brokerage costs
the Fund pays. The Fund normally does not engage in substantial short-term
trading to try to achieve its objective. The Financial Highlights table above
shows the Fund's portfolio turnover rates during prior fiscal years.
o Derivative Investments. In general, a "derivative investment" is a
specially designed investment. Its performance is linked to the performance of
another investment or security, such as an option, future, index, currency or
commodity. The Fund can invest in a number of different kinds of "derivative
investments." They are used in some cases for hedging purposes and in other
cases to enhance total return. In the broadest sense, exchange-traded options
and futures contracts (discussed in "Hedging," below) may be considered
"derivative investments."
There are special risks in investing in derivative investments. The company
issuing the instrument may fail to pay the amount due on the maturity of the
instrument. Also, the underlying investment or security on which the derivative
is based might not perform the way the Manager expected it to perform. The
performance of derivative investments may also be influenced by interest rate
and stock market changes in the U.S. and abroad. All of this can mean that the
Fund may realize less principal or income from the investment than expected.
Certain derivative investments held by the Fund may trade in the
over-the-counter market and may be illiquid. Please refer to "Illiquid and
Restricted Securities" for an explanation.
o Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In
a repurchase transaction, the Fund buys a security and simultaneously sells it
to the vendor for delivery at a future date. They are used primarily for cash
liquidity purposes.
Repurchase agreements must be fully collateralized. However, if the vendor
fails to pay the resale price on the delivery date, the Fund may incur costs in
disposing of the collateral and may experience losses if there is any delay in
its ability to do so. The Fund will not enter into a repurchase agreement that
causes more than 10% of its net assets to be subject to repurchase agreements
having a maturity beyond seven days. There is no limit on the amount of the
Fund's net assets that may be subject to repurchase agreements of seven days or
less.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
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The Fund may also use the investment techniques and strategies described
below. These techniques involve certain risks. The Statement of Additional
Information contains more information about these practices, including
limitations on their use that may help to reduce some of the risks.
o Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund has entered into a Securities
Lending Agreement and Guaranty with The Bank of New York. Under that agreement
portfolio securities of the Fund may be loaned to brokers, dealers and other
financial institutions. The Securities Lending Agreement provides that loans
must be adequately collateralized and may be made only in conformity with the
Fund's Securities Lending Guidelines, adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
The value of the securities loaned may not exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's
total assets. The Fund presently does not intend that the value of the
securities loaned in the current fiscal year will exceed 5% of the value of the
Fund's total assets.
In lending its securities, the Fund has certain risks, such as a delay in
receiving additional collateral, a delay in the return of the loaned securities
or loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower fails financially. To try to
reduce some of those risks, the Fund is the beneficiary of a guaranty provided
by The Bank of New York. See "Loans of Portfolio Securities" in the Statement of
Additional Information for further information.
o Borrowing for Leverage. The Fund may borrow up to 10% of the value of
its net assets from banks on an unsecured basis to buy securities. That
percentage limit is a fundamental policy. This is a speculative investment
method known as "leverage." This investing technique may subject the Fund to
greater risks and costs than funds that do not borrow. These risks may include
the possibility that the Fund's net asset value per share will fluctuate more
than funds that don't borrow. Borrowing for leverage is subject to limits under
the Investment Company Act, described in more detail in "Borrowing for Leverage"
in the Statement of Additional Information.
o Warrants and Rights. Warrants basically are options to purchase stock at
set prices that are valid for a limited period of time. Rights are similar to
warrants but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the
issuer to its shareholders. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in
warrants or rights. That 5% limitation does not apply to warrants the Fund has
acquired as part of units with other securities or that are attached to other
securities. No more than 2% of the Fund's total assets may be invested in
warrants that are not listed on either The New York Stock Exchange or The
American Stock Exchange. These percentage limitations are fundamental policies.
For further details, see "Warrants and Rights" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
o Special Situations. The Fund may invest in securities of companies that
are in "special situations" that the Manager believes may present opportunities
for capital growth. A "special situation" may be an event such as a proposed
merger,
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reorganization, or other unusual development that is expected to occur and which
may result in an increase in the value of a company's securities, regardless of
general business conditions or the movement of prices in the securities market
as a whole. There is a risk that the price of the security may decline if the
anticipated development fails to occur.
o Investing In Small, Unseasoned Companies. The Fund may invest in
securities of small, unseasoned companies. These are companies that have been in
operation less than three years, including the operations of any predecessors.
Securities of these companies may have limited liquidity (which means that the
Fund may have difficulty selling them at an acceptable price when it wants to)
and the price of these securities may be volatile. See "Investing in Small,
Unseasoned Companies" in the Statement of Additional Information for a further
discussion of the risks involved in such investments.
o Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Under the policies and procedures
established by the Fund's Board of Trustees, the Manager determines the
liquidity of certain of the Fund's investments. Investments may be illiquid
because of the absence of an active trading market, making it difficult to value
them or dispose of them promptly at an acceptable price. A restricted security
is one that has a contractual restriction on its resale or which cannot be sold
publicly until it is registered under the Securities Act of 1933. The Fund will
not invest more than 10% of its net assets in illiquid or restricted securities
(the Board may increase that limit to 15%). The Fund's percentage limitation on
these investments does not apply to certain restricted securities that are
eligible for resale to qualified institutional purchasers. The Manager monitors
holdings of illiquid securities on an ongoing basis to determine whether to sell
any holdings to maintain adequate liquidity. Illiquid securities include
repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, or certain participation
interests other than those with puts exercisable within seven days.
o Hedging. As described below, the Fund may purchase and sell certain
kinds of futures contracts, put and call options, forward contracts, and options
on futures and broadly-based stock indices. These are all referred to as
"hedging instruments." The Fund does not use hedging instruments for speculative
purposes, and has limits on the use of them, described below. The hedging
instruments the Fund may use are described below and in greater detail in "Other
Investment Techniques and Strategies" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
The Fund may buy and sell options, futures and forward contracts for a
number of purposes. It may do so to try to manage its exposure to the
possibility that the prices of its portfolio securities may decline, or to
establish a position in the securities market as a temporary substitute for
purchasing individual securities. Some of these strategies, such as selling
futures, buying puts and writing covered calls, hedge the Fund's portfolio
against price fluctuations.
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<PAGE>
Other hedging strategies, such as buying futures and call options, tend to
increase the Fund's exposure to the securities market. Forward contracts are
used to try to manage foreign currency risks on the Fund's foreign investments.
Foreign currency options are used to try to protect against declines in the
dollar value of foreign securities the Fund owns, or to protect against an
increase in the dollar cost of buying foreign securities. Writing covered call
options may also provide income to the Fund for liquidity purposes.
o Futures. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts that relate to (1)
broadly-based stock indices (these are referred to as Stock Index Futures)
and(2) foreign currencies (these are called
Forward Contracts and are discussed below).
o Put and Call Options. The Fund may buy and sell exchange-traded and
over-the-counter put and call options, including index options, securities
options, currency options, and options on the other types of futures described
in "Futures," above. A call or put may be purchased only if, after the purchase,
the value of all call and put options held by the Fund will not exceed 5% of the
Fund's total assets.
If the Fund sells (that is, writes) a call option, it must be "covered."
That means the Fund must own the security subject to the call while the call is
outstanding, or, for other types of written calls, the Fund must segregate
liquid assets to enable it to satisfy its obligations if the call is exercised.
After the Fund writes a call, not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets may
be subject to calls.
The Fund may buy puts whether or not it holds the underlying investment in
the portfolio. If the Fund writes a put, the put must be covered by segregated
liquid assets. The Fund will not write puts if more than 50% of the Fund's net
assets would have to be segregated to cover put options.
o Forward Contracts. Forward contracts are foreign currency exchange
contracts. They are used to buy or sell foreign currency for future delivery at
a fixed price. The Fund uses them to try to "lock in" the U.S. dollar price of a
security denominated in a foreign currency that the Fund has bought or sold, or
to protect against possible losses from changes in the relative values of the
U.S. dollar and foreign currency. The Fund limits its net exposure under forward
contracts in a particular foreign currency to the amount of its assets
denominated in that currency or denominated in a closely-correlated currency.
o Hedging Instruments can be volatile investments and may involve special
risks. The use of hedging instruments requires special skills and knowledge of
investment techniques that are different from what is required for normal
portfolio management. If the Manager uses a hedging instrument at the wrong time
or judges market conditions incorrectly, hedging strategies may reduce the
Fund's return. The Fund could also experience losses if the prices of its
futures and options positions were not correlated with its other investments or
if it could not close out a position
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<PAGE>
because of an illiquid market for the future or option.
Options trading involves the payment of premiums and has special tax
effects on the Fund. There are also special risks in particular hedging
strategies. If a covered call written by the Fund is exercised on a security
that has increased in value, the Fund will be required to sell the security at
the call price and will not be able to realize any profit if the security has
increased in value above the call price. The use of forward contracts may reduce
the gain that would otherwise result from a change in the relationship between
the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency. These risks and the hedging strategies
the Fund may use are described in greater detail in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Other Investment Restrictions
The Fund has certain investment restrictions that are fundamental policies.
Under these restrictions, the Fund cannot do any of the following:
o Buy securities issued or guaranteed by any one issuer (except the U.S.
Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75%
of its total assets, more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested
in securities of that issuer, or the Fund would then own more than 10% of that
issuer's voting securities.
o Concentrate investments in any particular industry. Therefore the Fund
will not purchase the securities of companies in any one industry if,
thereafter, more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets would consist of
securities of companies in that industry.
Unless the Prospectus states that a percentage restriction applies on an
ongoing basis, it applies only at the time the Fund makes an investment, and the
Fund need not sell securities to meet the percentage limits if the value of the
investment increases in proportion to the size of the Fund. Other investment
restrictions are listed in "Investment Restrictions" in the Statement of
Additional Information.
How the Fund is Managed
Organization and History. The Fund was originally incorporated in Maryland in
1969 and was reorganized in 1986 as a Massachusetts business trust. The Fund is
an open-end, diversified management investment company, with an unlimited number
of authorized shares of beneficial interest.
The Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for
protecting the interests of shareholders under Massachusetts law. The Trustees
periodically meet throughout the year to oversee the Fund's activities, review
its performance, and review the actions of the Manager. "Trustees and Officers
of the Fund" in the Statement of Additional Information names the Trustees and
officers of the Fund and provides more information about them. Although the Fund
will not normally hold annual meetings of its
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<PAGE>
shareholders, it may hold shareholder meetings from time to time on important
matters, and shareholders have the right to call a meeting to remove a Trustee
or to take other action described in the Fund's Declaration of Trust.
The Board of Trustees has the power, without shareholder approval, to
divide unissued shares of the Fund into two or more classes. The Board has done
so, and the Fund currently has three classes of shares, Class A, Class B and
Class C. All classes invest in the same investment portfolio. Each class has its
own dividends and distributions and pays certain expenses, which may be
different for the different classes. Each class may have a different net asset
value. Each share has one vote at shareholder meetings, with fractional shares
voting proportionally. Only shares of a particular class vote as a class on
matters that affect that class alone. Shares are freely transferrable.
The Manager and Its Affiliates. The Fund is managed by the Manager,
OppenheimerFunds, Inc., which is responsible for selecting the Fund's
investments and handles its day-to-day business. The Manager carries out its
duties, subject to the policies established by the Board of Trustees, under an
Investment Advisory Agreement which states the Manager's responsibilities. The
Investment Advisory Agreement sets forth the fees paid by the Fund to the
Manager and describes the expenses that the Fund is responsible to pay to
conduct its business.
The Manager has operated as an investment adviser since 1959. The Manager
(including subsidiaries) currently manages investment companies, including other
Oppenheimer funds, with assets of more than $75 billion as of December 31, 1997,
and with more than 3.5 million shareholder accounts. The Manager is owned by
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., a holding company that is owned in part by senior
officers of the Manager and controlled by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company.
The management services provided to the Fund by the Manager, and the
services provided by the Distributor and the Transfer Agent to shareholders,
depend on the smooth functioning of their computer systems. Many computer
software systems in use today cannot distinguish the year 2000 from the year
1900 because of the way dates are encoded and calculated. That failure could
have a negative impact on handling securities trades, pricing and account
services. The Manager, the Distributor and Transfer Agent have been actively
working on necessary changes to their computer systems to deal with the year
2000 and expect that their systems will be adapted in time for that event,
although there cannot be assurance of success.
o Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager of the Fund is William L. Wilby.
He is a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He has been the person principally
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio since
December, 1992. During the past five years, Mr. Wilby has also served as an
officer and portfolio manager for other Oppenheimer funds.
o Fees and Expenses. Under the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory
Agreement dated December 11, 1997 (the
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<PAGE>
"Investment Advisory Agreement"), the Fund pays the Manager a monthly fee at the
following annual rates, which decline on additional assets as the Fund grows:
0.80% of the first $250 million of average annual net assets; 0.77% of the next
$250 million; 0.75% of the next $500 million; 0.69% of the next $1.0 billion;
0.67% of the next $1.5 billion; 0.65% of the next $2.5 billion; and 0.63% of
average annual net assets in excess of $6.0 billion. The Fund's management fee
for its fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 was 0.70% of average annual net
assets for its Class A, Class B and Class C shares.
The Fund pays expenses related to its daily operations, such as custodian
fees, certain Trustees' fees, transfer agency fees, legal fees and auditing
costs. Those expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets and are not paid
directly by shareholders. However, those expenses reduce the net asset value of
shares, and therefore are indirectly borne by shareholders through their
investment. More information about the Investment Advisory Agreement and the
other expenses paid by the Fund is contained in the Statement of Additional
Information.
There is also information about the Fund's brokerage policies and
practices in "Brokerage Policies of the Fund" in the Statement of Additional
Information. That section discusses how brokers and dealers are selected for the
Fund's portfolio transactions. When deciding which brokers to use, the Manager
is permitted by the Investment Advisory Agreement to consider whether brokers
have sold shares of the Fund or any other funds for which the Manager serves as
investment adviser.
o The Distributor. The Fund's shares are sold through dealers, brokers and
other financial institutions that have a sales agreement with OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc., a subsidiary of the Manager that acts as the Fund's
Distributor. The Distributor also distributes shares of the other Oppenheimer
funds and is sub- distributor for funds managed by a subsidiary of the Manager.
o The Transfer Agent. The Fund's transfer agent is OppenheimerFunds
Services, a division of the Manager, which acts as the shareholder servicing
agent for the Fund on an "at-cost" basis. It also acts as the shareholder
servicing agent for the other Oppenheimer funds. Shareholders should direct
inquiries about their accounts to the Transfer Agent at the address and
toll-free number shown below in this Prospectus and on the back cover.
Performance of the Fund
Explanation of Performance Terminology. The Fund uses the terms "total return"
and "average annual total return" to illustrate its performance. The performance
of each class of shares is shown separately, because the performance of each
class will usually be different as a result of the different kinds of expenses
each class bears. These returns measure the performance of a hypothetical
account in the Fund over various periods, and do not show the performance of
each shareholder's account (which will vary if dividends are received in cash,
or shares are sold or purchased). The Fund's performance information may help
you see how well your Fund has done over time and to compare it to other funds
or market
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<PAGE>
indices.
It is important to understand that the Fund's total returns represent past
performance and should not be considered to be predictions of future returns or
performance. More detailed information about how total returns are calculated is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information, which also contains
information about other ways to measure and compare the Fund's performance. The
Fund's investment performance will vary over time, depending on market
conditions, the composition of the portfolio, expenses and which class of shares
you purchase.
o Total Returns. There are different types of total returns used to
measure the Fund's performance. Total return is the change in value of a
hypothetical investment in the Fund over a given period, assuming that all
dividends and capital gains distributions are reinvested in additional shares.
The cumulative total return measures the change in value over the entire period
(for example, ten years). An average annual total return shows the average rate
of return for each year in a period that would produce the cumulative total
return over the entire period. However, average annual total returns do not show
the Fund's actual year-by-year performance.
When total returns are quoted for Class A shares, normally they include the
payment of the current maximum initial sales charge. When total returns are
shown for Class B or Class C shares, normally the contingent deferred sales
charge that applies to the period for which total return is shown has been
deducted. However, total returns may also be quoted "at net asset value,"
without considering the effect of the sales charge, and those returns would be
less if sales charges were deducted.
How Has the Fund Performed? Below is a discussion by the Manager of the Fund's
performance during its last fiscal year ended September 30, 1997, followed by a
graphical comparison of the Fund's performance to an appropriate broad-based
market index.
o Management's Discussion of Performance. The Fund's performance during its
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 was affected by the Portfolio Manager's
decision to limit investments by the Fund in Southeast Asia and Japan, which
experienced sharp declines toward the end of the Fund's fiscal year. The
performance of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities was adversely affected by
a strong U.S. dollar relative to many foreign currencies. The largest industry
allocations at the end of the Fund's fiscal year were in banks,
telecommunications/technology, industrial services and healthcare/drugs. The
Fund's Portfolio Manager focused on both large- and medium-sized companies,
diversified both geographically and across economic sectors. The Fund's
portfolio holdings, allocations and strategies are subject to change.
o Comparing the Fund's Performance to the Market. The graphs below show
the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in Class A, Class B and
Class C shares of the Fund held until September 30, 1997. In the case of Class A
shares, performance is measured over a one-year, five-year and ten-year period.
In the case of Class B shares, performance is measured over a one-year
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period, and since inception of the Class on August 17, 1993. In the case of
Class C shares performance is measured over a one-year period, and since
inception of the Class on October 2, 1995.
The Fund's performance is compared to the performance of the Morgan
Stanley Capital International World Index, an unmanaged index of issuers listed
on the stock exchanges of 20 foreign countries and the United States. It is
widely recognized as a measure of global stock market performance. Index
performance reflects the reinvestment of dividends but does not consider the
effect of capital gains or transaction costs, and none of the data below shows
the effect of taxes. Also, the Fund's performance reflects the deduction of the
current maximum sales charge of 5.75% for Class A shares, the applicable
contingent deferred sales charge on Class B shares, and reinvestment of all
dividends and capital gains distributions, and the effect of Fund business and
operating expenses. While index comparisons may be useful to provide a benchmark
for the Fund's performance, it must be noted that the Fund's investments are not
limited to the securities in the Morgan Stanley Capital International World
Index. Moreover, the index performance data does not reflect any assessment of
the risk of the investments included in the index.
Comparison of Change in Value
of $10,000 Hypothetical Investments in: Class A, Class B and
Class C Shares of Oppenheimer Global Fund And
Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index
(Graphs)
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Avg. Annual Total Returns Avg. Annual Total Returns
of Class A Shares of the Fund at of Class B Shares of the
9/30/97(1) Fund at 9/30/97(2)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
A Shares 1 Year 5 Year 10 Year B Shares 1 Year Life of Class:
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
25.21% 16.74% 10.71% 26.76% 17.43%
Average Annual Total Returns
of Class C Shares of the
Fund at 9/30/97 (3)
- ------------------------------
C Shares 1 Year Life of Class:
- --------- ------- ----------------
30.76% 21.73%
</TABLE>
- ---------------------
Total returns and ending account values in the graphs show change in share value
and include reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains distributions. The
performance information for the
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Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index in the Class B and Class C
graphs begins on 8/31/93 and 9/29/95, respectively. (1) Class A returns are
shown net of the applicable 5.75% maximum initial sales charge. The inception
date of the Fund (Class A shares) was 12/22/69. (2) Class B shares of the Fund
were first publicly offered on 8/17/93. Returns are shown net of the applicable
5% and 2% contingent deferred sales charges, respectively, for the 1-year period
and the Life-of-Class. The ending account value in the graph in net of the
applicable 2% contingent deferred sale charge. (3) Class C shares of the Fund
were first publicly offered on 10/2/95. The 1-year return is shown net of the
applicable 1% contingent deferred sales charge.
Past performance is not predictive of future performance. Graphs are not drawn
to the same scale.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How to Buy Shares
Classes of Shares. The Fund offers investors three different classes of shares.
The different classes of shares represent investments in the same portfolio of
securities but are subject to different expenses and will likely have different
share prices.
o Class A Shares. If you buy Class A shares, you may pay an initial sales
charge on investments up to $1 million (up to $500,000 for purchases by
"Retirement Plans," as defined in "Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" on
page ____). If you purchase Class A shares as part of an investment of at least
$1 million ($500,000 for Retirement Plans) in shares of one or more Oppenheimer
funds, you will not pay an initial sales charge, but if you sell any of those
shares within 12 months of buying them (18 months if the shares were purchased
prior to May 1, 1997), you may pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The
amount of that sales charge will vary depending on the amount you invested.
Sales charge rates are described in "Buying Class A Shares" below.
o Class B Shares. If you buy Class B shares, you pay no sales charge at
the time of purchase, but if you sell your shares within six years of buying
them, you will normally pay a contingent deferred sales charge. That sales
charge varies depending on how long you own your shares, as described in "Buying
Class B Shares" below.
o Class C Shares. If you buy Class C shares, you pay no sales charge at
the time of purchase, but if you sell your shares within 12 months of buying
them, you will normally pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1%, as
described in "Buying Class C Shares" below.
Which Class of Shares Should You Choose? Once you decide that the Fund is an
appropriate investment for you, the decision as to which class of shares is
better suited to your needs depends on a number of factors which you should
discuss with your financial advisor. The Fund's operating costs that apply to a
class of shares and the effect of the different types of sales charges on your
investment
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will vary your investment results over time. The most important factors to
consider are how much you plan to invest and how long you plan to hold your
investment. If your goals and objectives change over time and you plan to
purchase additional shares, you should re-evaluate those factors to see if you
should consider another class of shares.
In the following discussion, to help provide you and your financial
advisor with a framework in which to choose a class, we have made some
assumptions using a hypothetical investment in the Fund. We used the sales
charge rates that apply to each class, considering the effect of the annual
asset-based sales charge on Class B and Class C expenses (which, like all
expenses, will affect your investment return). For the sake of comparison, we
have assumed that there is a 10% rate of appreciation in the investment each
year. Of course, the actual performance of your investment cannot be predicted
and will vary, based on the Fund's actual investment returns and the operating
expenses borne by each class of shares, and which class of shares you invest in.
The factors discussed below are not intended to be investment advice or
recommendations, because each investor's financial considerations are different.
The discussion below of the factors to consider in purchasing a particular class
of shares assumes that you will purchase only one class of shares and not a
combination of shares of different classes.
o How Long Do You Expect to Hold Your Investment? While future financial
needs cannot be predicted with certainty, knowing how long you expect to hold
your investment will assist you in selecting the appropriate class of shares.
Because of the effect of class-based expenses, your choice will also depend on
how much you plan to invest. For example, the reduced sales charges available
for larger purchases of Class A shares may, over time, offset the effect of
paying an initial sales charge on your investment (which reduces the amount of
your investment dollars used to buy shares for your account), compared to the
effect over time of higher class-based expenses on Class B or Class C shares for
which no initial sales charge is paid.
o Investing for the Short Term. If you have a short-term investment
horizon (that is, you plan to hold your shares for not more than six years), you
should probably consider purchasing Class A or Class C shares rather than Class
B shares, because of the effect of the Class B contingent deferred sales charge
if you redeem in less than 7 years, as well as the effect of the Class B
asset-based sales charge on the investment return for that class in the
short-term. Class C shares might be the appropriate choice (especially for
investments of less than $100,000), because there is no initial sales charge on
Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to
amounts you sell after holding them one year.
However, if you plan to invest more than $100,000 for the shorter term,
then the more you invest and the more your investment horizon increases toward
six years, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. That
is because the annual asset-based sales charge on Class C shares will have a
greater impact on
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your account over the longer term than the reduced front-end sales charge
available for larger purchases of Class A shares. For example, Class A might be
more advantageous than Class C (as well as Class B) for investments of more than
$100,000 expected to be held for 5 or 6 years (or more). For investments over
$250,000 expected to be held 4 to 6 years (or more), Class A shares may become
more advantageous than Class C (and B). If investing $500,000 or more, Class A
may be more advantageous as your investment horizon approaches 3 years or more.
And for investors who invest $1 million or more, in most cases Class A
shares will be the most advantageous choice, no matter how long you intend to
hold your shares. For that reason, the Distributor normally will not accept
purchase orders of $500,000 or more of Class B shares or $1 million or more of
Class C shares from a single investor.
o Investing for the Longer Term. If you are investing for the longer term,
for example, for retirement, and do not expect to need access to your money for
seven years or more, Class B shares may be an appropriate consideration, if you
plan to invest less than $100,000. If you plan to invest more than $100,000 over
the long term, Class A shares will likely be more advantageous than Class B
shares or C shares, as discussed above, because of the effect of the expected
lower expenses for Class A shares and the reduced initial sales charges
available for larger investments in Class A shares under the Fund's Right of
Accumulation.
Of course, these examples are based on approximations of the effect of
current sales charges and expenses on a hypothetical investment over time, using
the assumed annual performance return stated above, and therefore you should
analyze your options carefully.
o Are There Differences in Account Features That Matter to You? Because
some account features may not be available to Class B or Class C shareholders,
or other features (such as Automatic Withdrawal Plans) might not be advisable
(because of the effect of the contingent deferred sales charge) in
non-retirement accounts for Class B or Class C shareholders, you should
carefully review how you plan to use your investment account before deciding
which class of shares to buy. Share certificates are not available for Class B
or Class C shares, and if you are considering using your shares as collateral
for a loan, that may be a factor to consider.
o How Does It Affect Payments to My Broker? A salesperson, such as a
broker, or any other person who is entitled to receive compensation for selling
Fund shares may receive different compensation for selling one class of shares
than for selling another class. It is important that investors understand that
the purpose of the Class B and Class C contingent deferred sales charges and
asset-based sales charges is the same as the purpose of the front-end sales
charge on sales of Class A shares: that is, to compensate the Distributor for
commissions it pays to dealers and financial institutions for selling shares.
The Distributor may pay additional periodic compensation from its own resources
to securities dealers or financial institutions based upon the value of shares
of the Fund owned by the dealer or financial institution
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<PAGE>
for its own account or for its customers.
How Much Must You Invest? You can open a Fund account with a minimum initial
investment of $1,000 and make additional investments at any time with as little
as $25. There are reduced minimum investments under special investment plans.
With Asset Builder Plans, Automatic Exchange Plans, 403(b)(7) custodial
plans and military allotment plans, you can make initial and subsequent
investments of as little as $25. Subsequent purchases of at least $25 can be
made by telephone through AccountLink.
Under pension, profit-sharing and 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement
Accounts (IRAs), you can make an initial investment of as little as $250 (if
your IRA is established under an Asset Builder Plan, the $25 minimum applies),
and subsequent investments may be as little as $25.
There is no minimum investment requirement if you are buying shares by
reinvesting dividends from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds (a list of them
appears in the Statement of Additional Information, or you can ask your dealer
or call the Transfer Agent), or by reinvesting distributions from unit
investment trusts that have made arrangements with the Distributor.
o How Are Shares Purchased? You can buy shares several ways -- through any
dealer, broker or financial institution that has a sales agreement with the
Distributor, directly through the Distributor, or automatically from your bank
account through an Asset Builder Plan under the OppenheimerFunds AccountLink
service. The Distributor may appoint certain servicing agents as the
Distributor's agent to accept purchase (and redemption) orders. When you buy
shares, be sure to specify Class A, Class B, or Class C shares. If you do not
choose, your investment will be made in Class A shares.
o Buying Shares Through Your Dealer. Your dealer will place your order with
the Distributor on your behalf.
o Buying Shares Through the Distributor. Complete an OppenheimerFunds New
Account Application and return it with a check payable to "OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc." Mail it to P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado 80217. If you
don't list a dealer on the application, the Distributor will act as your agent
in buying the shares. However, it is recommended that you discuss your
investment first with a financial advisor, to be sure that it is appropriate for
you.
o Payments by Federal Funds Wire. Shares may be purchased by Federal Funds
wire. The minimum investment is $2,500. You must first call the Distributor's
Wire Department at 1-800-525-7041 to notify the Distributor of the wire and
receive further instructions.
o Buying Shares Through OppenheimerFunds AccountLink. You can use
AccountLink to link your Fund account with an account at a U.S. bank or other
financial institution that is an Automated
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<PAGE>
Clearing House (ACH) member. You can then transmit funds electronically to
purchase shares, to have the Transfer Agent send redemption proceeds, or to
transmit dividends and distributions to your bank account.
Shares are purchased for your account on AccountLink on the regular
business day the Distributor is instructed by you to initiate the ACH transfer
to buy shares. You can provide those instructions automatically, under an Asset
Builder Plan, described below, or by telephone instructions using
OppenheimerFunds PhoneLink, also described below. You should request AccountLink
privileges on the application or dealer settlement instructions used to
establish your account. Please refer to "AccountLink" below for more details.
o Asset Builder Plans. You may purchase shares of the Fund (and up to four
other Oppenheimer funds) automatically each month from your account at a bank or
other financial institution under an Asset Builder Plan with AccountLink.
Details are on the Application and in the Statement of Additional Information.
|X| At What Price Are Shares Sold? Shares are sold at the public offering
price based on the net asset value (and any initial sales charge that applies)
that is next determined after the Distributor receives the purchase order in
Denver, Colorado, or the order is received and transmitted to the Distributor by
an entity authorized by the Fund to accept purchase or redemption orders. The
Fund has authorized the Distributor, certain broker-dealers and agents or
intermediaries designated by the Distributor or those broker-dealers to accept
orders. In most cases, to enable you to receive that day's offering price, the
Distributor or an authorized entity must receive your order by the time of day
The New York Stock Exchange closes, which is normally 4:00 P.M., New York time,
but may be earlier on some days (all references to time in this Prospectus mean
"New York time"). The net asset value of each class of shares is determined as
of that time on each day The New York Stock Exchange is open (which is a
"regular business day"). If you buy shares through a dealer, the dealer must
receive your order by the close of The New York Stock Exchange on a regular
business day and normally your order must be transmitted to the Distributor so
that it is received before the Distributor's close of business that day, which
is normally 5:00 P.M. The Distributor, in its sole discretion, may reject any
purchase order for the Fund's shares.
Special Sales Charge Arrangements for Certain Persons. Appendix A to this
Prospectus sets forth conditions for the waiver of, or exemption from, sales
charges or the special sales charge rates that apply to purchases of shares of
the Fund (including purchases by exchange) by a person who was a shareholder of
one of the Former Quest for Value Funds (as defined in that Appendix).
Buying Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold at their offering price, which is
normally net asset value plus an initial sales charge. However, in some cases,
described below, purchases are not subject to an initial sales charge, and the
offering price will be the net asset value. In some cases, reduced sales charges
may be available, as described below. Out of the amount you invest, the
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<PAGE>
Fund receives the net asset value to invest for your account. The sales charge
varies depending on the amount of your purchase. A portion of the sales charge
may be retained by the Distributor and allocated to your dealer as commission.
The current sales charge rates and commissions paid to dealers and brokers are
as follows:
Front-End Sales Front-End Sales
Charge as a Charge as a Commissions as
Percentage of Percentage of Percentage of
Amount of Purchase Offering Price Amount Invested Offering Price
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than $25,000 5.75% 6.10% 4.75%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$25,000 or more but
less than $50,000 5.50% 5.821% 4.75%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$50,000 or more but
less than $100,000 4.75% 4.99% 4.00%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 or more but
less than $250,000 3.75% 3.90% 3.00%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 or more but
less than $500,000 2.50% 2.56% 2.00%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 or more but 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
less than $1 million
- ---------------------
The Distributor reserves the right to reallow the entire commission to dealers.
If that occurs, the dealer may be considered an "underwriter" under Federal
securities laws.
|X| Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. There is no initial sales
charge on purchases of Class A shares of any one or more of the Oppenheimer
funds in the following cases:
o Purchases aggregating $1 million or more;
o Purchases by a retirement plan qualified under section 401(a) if the
retirement plan has total plan assets of $500,000 or
more.
o Purchases by a retirement plan qualified under sections 401(a) or 401(k)
of the Internal Revenue Code, by a non-qualified deferred compensation plan,
employee benefit plan, group retirement plan (see "How to Buy Shares -
Retirement Plans" in the Statement of Additional Information for further
details), an employee's 403(b)(7) custodial plan account, SEP IRA, SARSEP, or
SIMPLE plan (all of these plans are collectively referred to as "Retirement
Plans"), that: (1) buys shares costing $500,000 or more or (2)
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<PAGE>
has, at the time of purchase, 100 or more eligible participants, or (3)
certifies that it projects to have annual plan purchases of $200,000 or more; or
o Purchases by an OppenheimerFunds Rollover IRA if the purchases are made
(1) through a broker, dealer, bank or registered investment adviser that has
made special arrangements with the Distributor for these purchases, or (2) by a
direct rollover of a distribution from a qualified retirement plan if the
administrator of that plan has made special arrangements with the Distributor
for those purchases.
The Distributor pays dealers of record commissions on those purchases in
an amount equal to (i) 1.0% for non-Retirement Plan accounts, and (ii) for
Retirement Plan accounts, 1.0% of the first $2.5 million, plus 0.50% of the next
$2.5 million, plus 0.25% of purchases over $5 million, calculated on a calendar
year basis. That commission will be paid only on those purchases that were not
previously subject to a front-end sales charge and dealer commission. No sales
commission will be paid to the dealer, broker or financial institution on Class
A shares purchased with the redemption proceeds of shares of a mutual fund
offered as an investment option in a Retirement Plan in which Oppenheimer funds
are also offered as investment options under a special arrangement with the
Distributor if the purchase occurs more than 30 days after the addition of the
Oppenheimer funds as an investment option to the Retirement Plan.
If you redeem any of those shares purchased prior to May 1, 1997, within
18 months of the end of the calendar month of their purchase, a contingent
deferred sales charge (called the "Class A contingent deferred sales charge")
may be deducted from the redemption proceeds. A Class A contingent deferred
sales charge may be deducted from the proceeds of any of those shares purchased
on or after May 1, 1997 that are redeemed within 12 months of the end of the
calendar month of their purchase. That sales charge may be equal to 1.0% of the
lesser of (1) the aggregate net asset value of the redeemed shares (not
including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions) or (2) the original offering price (which is the original net
asset value) of the redeemed shares. However, the Class A contingent deferred
sales charge will not exceed the aggregate amount of the commissions the
Distributor paid to your dealer on all Class A shares of all Oppenheimer funds
you purchased subject to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge is payable, the
Fund will first redeem shares that are not subject to the sales charge,
including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, and
then will redeem other shares in the order that you purchased them. The Class A
contingent deferred sales charge is waived in certain cases described in
"Waivers of Class A Sales Charges" below.
No Class A contingent deferred sales charge is charged on exchanges of
shares under the Fund's exchange privilege (described below). However, if the
shares acquired by exchange are redeemed within 12 months (18 months for shares
purchased prior to May 1,
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<PAGE>
1997) of the end of the calendar month of the purchase of the exchanged shares,
the sales charge will apply.
|X| Special Arrangements With Dealers. The Distributor may advance up to
13 months' commissions to dealers that have established special arrangements
with the Distributor for Asset Builder Plans for their clients.
Reduced Sales Charges for Class A Share Purchases. You may be eligible to buy
Class A shares at reduced sales charge rates in one or more of the following
ways:
o Right of Accumulation. To qualify for the lower sales charge rates that
apply to larger purchases of Class A shares, you and your spouse can add
together Class A and Class B shares you purchase for your individual accounts,
or jointly, or for trust or custodial accounts on behalf of your children who
are minors. A fiduciary can count all shares purchased for a trust, estate or
other fiduciary account (including one or more employee benefit plans of the
same employer) that has multiple accounts.
Additionally, you can add together current purchases of Class A and Class
B shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds to reduce the sales charge rate
that applies to current purchases of Class A shares. You can also include Class
A and Class B shares of Oppenheimer funds you previously purchased subject to an
initial or contingent deferred sales charge to reduce the sales charge rate for
current purchases of Class A shares, provided that you still hold your
investment in one of the Oppenheimer funds. The Distributor will add the value,
at current offering price, of the shares you previously purchased and currently
own to the value of current purchases to determine the sales charge rate that
applies. The Oppenheimer funds are listed in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the
Statement of Additional Information, or a list can be obtained from the
Distributor. The reduced sales charge will apply only to current purchases and
must be requested when you buy your shares.
o Letter of Intent. Under a Letter of Intent, if you purchase Class A
shares or Class A and Class B shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds
during a 13-month period, you can reduce the sales charge rate that applies to
your purchases of Class A shares. The total amount of your intended purchases of
both Class A and Class B shares will determine the reduced sales charge rate for
the Class A shares purchased during that period. This can include purchases made
up to 90 days before the date of the Letter. More information is contained in
the Application and in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
o Waivers of Class A Sales Charges. The Class A sales charges are not
imposed in the circumstances described below. There is an explanation of this
policy in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional Information. In
order to receive a waiver of the Class A contingent deferred sales charge, you
must notify the Transfer Agent as to which conditions apply.
Waivers of Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges for Certain
Purchasers. Class A shares purchased by the following
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<PAGE>
investors are not subject to any Class A sales charges:
o the Manager or its affiliates;
o present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their
"immediate families" as defined in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of
Additional Information) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates, and
retirement plans established by them for their employees;
o registered management investment companies, or separate accounts of
insurance companies having an agreement with the Manager or the Distributor for
that purpose;
o dealers or brokers that have a sales agreement with the Distributor, if
they purchase shares for their own accounts or for
retirement plans for their employees;
o employees and registered representatives (and their spouses) of dealers
or brokers described above or financial institutions that have entered into
sales arrangements with such dealers or brokers (and are identified to the
Distributor) or with the Distributor; the purchaser must certify to the
Distributor at the time of purchase that the purchase is for the purchaser's own
account (or for the benefit of such employee's spouse or minor children);
o dealers, brokers or registered investment advisers that have entered
into an agreement with the Distributor providing specifically for the use of
shares of the Fund in particular investment products made available to their
clients (those clients may be charged a transaction fee by their dealer, broker,
bank or adviser for the purchase or sale of Fund shares);
o (1) investment advisors and financial planners who have entered into an
agreement for this purpose with the Distributor and who charge an advisory,
consulting or other fee for their services and buy shares for their own account
or the account of their clients, (2) Retirement Plans and deferred compensation
plans and trusts used to fund those Plans (including, for example, plans
qualified or created under sections 401(a), 403(b) or 457 of the Internal
Revenue Code), and "rabbi trusts" that buy shares for their own accounts, in
each case if those purchases are made through a broker or agent or other
financial intermediary that has made special arrangements with the Distributor
for those purchases; and (3) clients of such investment advisors or financial
planners (that have entered into an agreement for this purpose with the
Distributor) who buy shares for their own accounts may also purchase shares
without sales charge but only if their accounts are linked to a master account
of their investment advisor or financial planner on the books and records of the
broker, agent or financial intermediary with which the Distributor has made such
special arrangements (each of these investors may be charged a fee by the
broker, agent or financial intermediary for purchasing shares).
o directors, trustees, officers or full-time employees of OpCap Advisors
or its affiliates, their relatives or any trust, pension, profit sharing or
other benefit plan which beneficially
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<PAGE>
owns shares for those persons;
o accounts for which Oppenheimer Capital is the investment adviser (the
Distributor must be advised of this arrangement) and persons who are directors
or trustees of the company or trust which
is the beneficial owner of such accounts;
o any unit investment trust that has entered into an
appropriate agreement with the Distributor; or
o qualified retirement plans that had agreed with the former Quest for
Value Advisors to purchase shares of any of the Former Quest for Value Funds at
net asset value, with such shares to be held through DCXchange, a sub-transfer
agency mutual fund clearinghouse, provided that such arrangements are
consummated and share purchases commence by December 31, 1996.
Waivers of Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges in Certain
Transactions. Class A shares issued or purchased in the following transactions
are not subject to Class A sales charges:
o shares issued in plans of reorganization, such as mergers, asset
acquisitions and exchange offers, to which the Fund is a party;
o shares purchased by the reinvestment of loan repayments by a participant
in a retirement plan for which the Manager or its affiliates acts as sponsor;
o shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or other distributions
reinvested from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds (other than Oppenheimer Cash
Reserves) or unit investment trusts for which reinvestment arrangements have
been made with the Distributor;
o shares purchased and paid for with the proceeds of shares redeemed in
the past 30 days from a mutual fund (other than a fund managed by the Manager or
any of its subsidiaries) on which an initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge was paid (this waiver also applies to shares purchased by exchange
of shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. that were purchased and paid
for in this manner); this waiver must be requested when the purchase order is
placed for your shares of the Fund, and the Distributor may require evidence of
your qualification for this waiver; or
o shares purchased with the proceeds of maturing principal of units of any
Qualified Unit Investment Liquid Trust Series.
Waivers of the Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain
Redemptions . The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is also waived if
shares that would otherwise be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge
are redeemed in the following
cases:
o to make Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments that are limited annually to
no more than 12% of the original account value;
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<PAGE>
o involuntary redemptions of shares by operation of law or involuntary
redemptions of small accounts (see "Shareholder Account Rules and Policies,"
below);
o if, at the time of purchase of shares (prior to May 1, 1997) the dealer
agreed in writing to accept the dealer's portion of the sales commission in
installments of 1/18th of the commission per month (and no further commission
will be payable if the shares are redeemed within 18 months of purchase);
o if, at the time of purchase of shares (if purchased during the period May
1, 1997 through December 31, 1997) the dealer agreed in writing to accept the
dealer's portion of the sales commission in installments of 1/12th of the
commission per month (and no further commission will be payable if the shares
are redeemed within 12 months of purchase);
o for distributions from Retirement Plans, deferred compensation plans or
other employee benefit plans for any of the following purposes: (1) following
the death or disability (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) of the
participant or beneficiary (the death or disability must occur after the
participant's account was established); (2) to return excess contributions; (3)
to return contributions made due to a mistake of fact; (4) hardship withdrawals,
as defined in the plan; (5) under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, as
defined in the Internal Revenue Code; (6) to meet the minimum distribution
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code; (7) to establish "substantially equal
periodic payments" as described in Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code;
(8) for retirement distributions or loans to participants or beneficiaries; (9)
separation from service; (10) participant-directed redemptions to purchase
shares of a mutual fund (other than a fund managed by the Manager or its
subsidiary) offered as an investment option in a Retirement Plan in which
Oppenheimer funds are also offered as investment options under a special
arrangement with the Distributor, or (11) plan termination or "in-service
distributions", if the redemption proceeds are rolled over directly to an
OppenheimerFunds IRA;
o for distributions from Retirement Plans having 500 or more eligible
participants, except distributions due to termination of all of the Oppenheimer
funds as an investment option under the Plan; and
o for distributions from 401(k) plans sponsored by broker-dealers that
have entered into a special agreement with the Distributor allowing this waiver.
o Service Plan for Class A Shares. The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for
Class A shares to reimburse the Distributor for a portion of its costs incurred
in connection with the personal service and maintenance of shareholder accounts
that hold Class A shares. Reimbursement is made quarterly at an annual rate that
may not exceed 0.25% of the average annual net assets of Class A shares of the
Fund. The Distributor uses all of those fees to compensate dealers, brokers,
banks and other financial institutions quarterly for providing personal service
and maintenance of accounts of their customers that hold Class A shares and to
reimburse itself (if the
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<PAGE>
Fund's Board of Trustees authorizes such reimbursements, which it has not yet
done) for its other expenditures under the Plan.
Services to be provided include, among others, answering customer
inquiries about the Fund, assisting in establishing and maintaining accounts in
the Fund, making the Fund's investment plans available and providing other
services at the request of the Fund or the Distributor. Payments are made by the
Distributor quarterly at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of the average
annual net assets of Class A shares held in accounts of the service providers or
their customers. The payments under the Plan increase the annual expenses of
Class A shares. For more details, please refer to "Distribution and Service
Plans" in the Statement of Additional Information.
Buying Class B Shares. Class B shares are sold at net asset value per share
without an initial sales charge. However, if Class B shares are redeemed within
6 years of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge will be deducted
from the redemption proceeds. That sales charge will not apply to shares
purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The
contingent deferred sales charge will be based on the lesser of the net asset
value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption or the original offering
price (which is the original net asset value). The contingent deferred sales
charge is not imposed on the amount of your account value represented by an
increase in net asset value over the initial purchase price. The Class B
contingent deferred sales charge is paid to the Distributor to reimburse its
expenses of providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection
with the sale of Class B shares.
To determine whether the contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, the Fund redeems shares in the following order: (1) shares acquired
by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions, (2) shares held
for over 6 years, and (3) shares held the longest during the 6-year period. The
contingent deferred sales charge is not imposed in the circumstances described
in "Waivers of Class B and Class C Sales Charges," below.
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will depend on the
number of years since you invested and the dollar amount
being redeemed, according to the following schedule:
Contingent Deferred Sales
Charge on Redemptions in that
Years Since Beginning of Month In Year As % of Amount
Which Purchase Order Was Accepted Subject to Charge)
- --------------------------------- --------------------------------
0 - 1 5.0%
1 - 2 4.0%
2 - 3 3.0%
3 - 4 3.0%
4 - 5 2.0%
5 - 6 1.0%
6 and following None
In the table, a "year" is a 12-month period. All purchases are considered
to have been made on the first regular business day of
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<PAGE>
the month in which the purchase was made.
o Automatic Conversion of Class B Shares. 72 months after you purchase
Class B shares, those shares will automatically convert to Class A shares. This
conversion feature relieves Class B shareholders of the asset-based sales charge
that applies to Class B shares under the Class B Distribution and Service Plan,
described below. The conversion is based on the relative net asset value of the
two classes, and no sales load or other charge is imposed. When Class B shares
convert, any other Class B shares that were acquired by the reinvestment of
dividends and distributions on the converted shares will also convert to Class A
shares. The conversion feature is subject to the continued availability of a tax
ruling described in "Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A, Class B and Class
C Shares" in the Statement of Additional Information.
Buying Class C Shares. Class C shares are sold at net asset value per share
without an initial sales charge. However, if Class C shares are redeemed within
12 months of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.0% will be
deducted from the redemption proceeds. That sales charge will not apply to
shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions. The contingent deferred sales charge will be based on the lesser
of the net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption or the
original offering price (which is the original net asset value). The contingent
deferred sales charge is not imposed on the amount of your account value
represented by the increase in net asset value over the initial purchase price.
The Class C contingent deferred sales charge is paid to the Distributor to
reimburse its expenses of providing distribution-related services to the Fund in
connection with the sale of Class C shares.
To determine whether the contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, the Fund redeems shares in the following order: (1) shares acquired
by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions, (2) shares held
for over 12 months, and (3) shares held the longest during the 12-month period.
Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C Shares. The Fund has
adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C shares to
compensate the Distributor for its services and costs in distributing Class B
and C shares and servicing accounts. Under the Plans, the Fund pays the
Distributor an annual "asset-based sales charge" of 0.75% per year on Class B
shares that are outstanding for 6 years or less and on Class C shares. The
Distributor also receives a service fee of 0.25% per year under each Plan.
Under each Plan, both fees are computed on the average of the net asset
value of shares in the respective class, determined as of the close of each
regular business day during the period. The asset-based sales charge and service
fees increase Class B and Class C expenses by up to 1.00% of the net assets per
year of the respective class.
The Distributor uses the service fees to compensate dealers for providing
personal services for accounts that hold Class B or
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<PAGE>
C shares. Those services are similar to those provided under the Class A Service
Plan, described above. The Distributor pays the 0.25% service fees to dealers in
advance for the first year after Class B or Class C shares have been sold by the
dealer and retains the service fee paid by the Fund in that year. After the
shares have been held for a year, the Distributor pays the service fees to
dealers on a quarterly basis.
The asset-based sales charge allows investors to buy Class B or Class C
shares without a front-end sales charge while allowing the Distributor to
compensate dealers that sell those shares. The Fund pays the asset-based sales
charges to the Distributor for its services rendered in distributing Class B and
Class C shares. The services rendered by the Distributor include paying and
financing the payment of sales commissions, service fees and other costs of
distributing and selling Class B and Class C shares.
The Distributor currently pays sales commissions of 3.75% of the purchase
price of Class B shares to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale.
The total amount paid by the Distributor to the dealer at the time of sale of
Class B shares is therefore 4.00% of the purchase price. The Fund pays the
asset-based sales charge to the Distributor for its services rendered in
connection with the distribution of Class B shares. The services rendered by the
Distributor include paying and financing the payment of sales commissions,
service fees, and other costs of distributing and selling Class B shares. If a
dealer has a special agreement with the Distributor, the Distributor may pay the
Class B service fee and the asset-based sales charge to the dealer quarterly in
lieu of paying the sales commission and service fee advance at the time of
purchase.
The Distributor currently pays sales commissions of 0.75% of the purchase
price of Class C shares to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale.
The total up-front commission paid by the Distributor to the dealer at the time
of sale of Class C shares is therefore 1.00% of the purchase price. The
Distributor retains the asset-based sales charge during the first year Class C
shares are outstanding to recoup the sales commissions it has paid, the advances
of the service fee payments it has made and its financing costs and other
expenses. The Distributor plans to pay the asset-based sales charge as an
ongoing commission to the dealer on Class C shares that have been outstanding
for a year or more. If a dealer has a special agreement with the Distributor,
the Distributor may pay the Class C service fee and the asset-based sales charge
to the dealer quarterly in lieu of paying the sales commission and service fee
advance at the time of purchase.
The Distributor's actual expenses in selling Class B and Class C shares
may be more than the payments it receives from contingent deferred sales charges
collected on redeemed shares and from the Fund under the Distribution and
Service Plan for Class B and Class C shares; such payments are at a fixed rate
that is not related to the Distributor's expenses. If either Plan is terminated
by the Fund, the Board of Directors may allow the Fund to continue payments of
the asset-based sales charge to the Distributor for distributing shares before
the Plan was terminated. At September 30, 1997, the end of the Class B Plan
year, the Distributor had
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incurred unreimbursed expenses under the Plan of $19,399,031 (equal to 2.16% of
the Fund's net assets represented by Class B shares on that date), which have
been carried over into the present Plan year. At September 30, 1997, the end of
the Class C Plan year, the Distributor had incurred unreimbursed expenses under
the Plan of $539,948 (equal to 0.89% of the Fund's net assets represented by
Class C shares on that date), which have been carried over into the present Plan
year.
Waivers of Class B and Class C Sales Charges. The Class B and Class C contingent
deferred sales charges will not be applied to shares purchased in certain types
of transactions nor will it apply to Class B and Class C shares redeemed in
certain circumstances as described below. The reasons for this policy are in
"Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional Information. In order to
receive a waiver of the Class B or Class C contingent deferred sales charge, you
must notify the Transfer Agent as to which conditions apply.
Waivers for Redemptions in Certain Cases. The Class B and Class C
contingent deferred sales charges will be waived for redemptions of shares in
the following cases, if the Transfer Agent is notified that these conditions
apply to the redemption:
o distributions to participants or beneficiaries from Retirement Plans, if
the distributions are made (a) under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan after the
participant reaches age 59-1/2, as long as the payments are no more than 10% of
the account value annually (measured from the date the Transfer Agent receives
the request), or (b) following the death or disability (as defined in the
Internal Revenue Code) of the participant or beneficiary (the death or
disability must have occurred after the account was established);
o redemptions from accounts other than Retirement Plans following the
death or disability of the last surviving shareholder including a trustee of a
"grantor" trust or revocable living trust for which the trustee is also the sole
beneficiary (the death or disability must have occurred after the account was
established, and for disability you must provide evidence of a determination of
disability by the Social Security Administration);
o returns of excess contributions to Retirement Plans;
o distributions from retirement plans to make "substantially equal periodic
payments" as permitted in Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code that do not
exceed 10% of the account value annually, measured from the date the transfer
agent receives the request;
o shares redeemed involuntarily, as described in
"Shareholder Account Rules and Policies," below;
o distributions from
OppenheimerFunds prototype 401(k) plans and from certain Massachusetts Mutual
Life Insurance Company prototype 401(k) plans (1) for hardship withdrawals; (2)
under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, as defined in the Internal Revenue
Code; (3) to meet minimum distribution requirements as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code; (4) to make "substantially equal periodic payments" as described
in Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code;(5) for separation from service;
or (6) for loans to participants or beneficiaries; or
o Distributions from
401(k) plans sponsored by broker-dealers that have entered into a special
agreement with the
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Distributor allowing this waiver.
Waivers for Shares Sold or Issued in Certain Transactions. The contingent
deferred sales charge is also waived on Class B and Class C shares sold or
issued in the following cases:
o shares sold to the Manager or its affiliates;
o shares sold to registered management investment companies or separate accounts
of insurance companies having an agreement with the Manager or the Distributor
for that purpose; and
o shares issued in plans of reorganization to which the Fund is a party.
Special Investor Services
AccountLink. OppenheimerFunds AccountLink links your Fund account to your
account at your bank or other financial institution to enable you to send money
electronically between those accounts to perform a number of types of account
transactions. These include purchases of shares by telephone (either through a
service representative or by PhoneLink, described below), automatic investments
under Asset Builder Plans, and sending dividends and distributions or Automatic
Withdrawal Plan payments directly to your bank account. Please refer to the
Application for details or call the Transfer Agent for more information.
AccountLink privileges should be requested on the Application you use to
buy shares, or on your dealer's settlement instructions if you buy your shares
through your dealer. After your account is established, you can request
AccountLink privileges by sending signature-guaranteed instructions to the
Transfer Agent. AccountLink privileges will apply to each shareholder listed in
the registration on your account as well as to your dealer representative of
record unless and until the Transfer Agent receives written instructions
terminating or changing those privileges. After you establish AccountLink for
your account, any change of bank account information must be made by signature-
guaranteed instructions to the Transfer Agent signed by all shareholders who own
the account.
o Using AccountLink to Buy Shares. Purchases may be made by telephone only
after your account has been established. To purchase shares in amounts up to
$250,000 through a telephone representative, call the Distributor at
1-800-852-8457. The purchase payment will be debited from your bank account.
o PhoneLink. PhoneLink is the OppenheimerFunds automated telephone system
that enables shareholders to perform a number of account transactions
automatically using a touch-tone phone. PhoneLink may be used on
already-established Fund accounts after you obtain a Personal Identification
Number (PIN), by calling the special PhoneLink number: 1-800-533-3310.
o Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares in amounts up to $100,000 by
phone, by calling 1-800-533-3310. You must have established AccountLink
privileges to link your bank account with the Fund, to pay for these purchases.
o Exchanging Shares. With the OppenheimerFunds Exchange
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Privilege, described below, you can exchange shares automatically by phone from
your Fund account to another Oppenheimer funds account you have already
established by calling the special PhoneLink number. Please refer to "How to
Exchange Shares," below, for details.
o Selling Shares. You can redeem shares by telephone automatically by
calling the PhoneLink number and the Fund will send the proceeds directly to
your AccountLink bank account. Please refer to "How to Sell Shares," below, for
details.
Shareholder Transactions by Fax. Requests for certain account transactions may
be sent to the Transfer Agent by fax (telecopier). Please call 1-800-525-7048
for information about which transactions are included. Transaction requests
submitted by fax are subject to the same rules and restrictions as written and
telephone requests described in this Prospectus.
OppenheimerFunds Internet Web Site. Information about the Fund, including your
account balance, daily share prices, market and Fund portfolio information, may
be obtained by visiting the OppenheimerFunds Internet Web Site, at the following
Internet address: http://www.oppenheimerfunds.com. In 1998, the Transfer Agent
anticipates offering certain account transactions through the Internet Web Site.
To find out more information about those transactions and procedures, please
visit the Web Site.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. The Fund has several plans that enable
you to sell shares automatically or exchange them to another OppenheimerFunds
account on a regular basis:
o Automatic Withdrawal Plans. If your Fund account is worth $5,000 or
more, you can establish an Automatic Withdrawal Plan to receive payments of at
least $50 on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. The checks may
be sent to you or sent automatically to your bank account on AccountLink. You
may even set up certain types of withdrawals of up to $1,500 per month by
telephone. You should consult the Statement of Additional Information for more
details.
o Automatic Exchange Plans. You can authorize the Transfer Agent to
exchange automatically an amount you establish in advance for shares of up to
five other Oppenheimer funds on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual
basis under an Automatic Exchange Plan. The minimum purchase for each
Oppenheimer funds account is $25. These exchanges are subject to the terms of
the Exchange Privilege, described below.
Reinvestment Privilege. If you redeem some or all of your Class A or Class B
shares of the Fund, you have up to 6 months to reinvest all or part of the
redemption proceeds in Class A shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds
without paying a sales charge. This privilege applies to Class A shares that you
purchased subject to an initial sales charge and to Class A or Class B shares on
which you paid a contingent deferred sales charge when you redeemed them. This
privilege does not apply to Class C shares. You must be sure to ask the
Distributor for this privilege when you send your payment. Please consult the
Statement of Additional Information for
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more details.
Retirement Plans. Fund shares are available as an investment for your retirement
plans. If you participate in a plan sponsored by your employer, the plan trustee
or administrator must make the purchase of shares for your retirement plan
account. The Distributor offers a number of different retirement plans that can
be used by individuals and employers:
o Individual Retirement Accounts including rollover IRAs, for individuals
and their spouses
o 403(b)(7) Custodial Plans for employees of eligible tax-exempt
organizations, such as schools, hospitals and charitable organizations
o SEP-IRAs (Simplified Employee Pension Plans) for small business owners
or people with income from self-employment, including SAR/SEP-IRAs
o Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans for self-employed persons and other
employers
o 401(k) Prototype Retirement Plans for businesses
Please call the Distributor for the OppenheimerFunds plan documents, which
contain important information and applications.
How to Sell Shares
You can arrange to take money out of your account by selling (redeeming)
some or all of your shares on any regular business day. Your shares will be sold
at the next net asset value calculated after your order is received and accepted
by the Transfer Agent. The Fund offers you a number of ways to sell your shares:
in writing or by telephone. You can also set up Automatic Withdrawal Plans to
redeem shares on a regular basis, as described above. If you have questions
about any of these procedures, and especially if you are redeeming shares in a
special situation, such as due to the death of the owner, or from a retirement
plan, please call the Transfer Agent first, at 1-800-525-7048, for assistance.
o Retirement Accounts. To sell shares in an OppenheimerFunds retirement
account in your name, call the Transfer Agent for a distribution request form.
There are special income tax withholding requirements for distributions from
retirement plans and you must submit a withholding form with your request to
avoid delay. If your retirement plan account is held for you by your employer,
you must arrange for the distribution request to be sent by the plan
administrator or trustee. There are additional details in the Statement of
Additional Information.
o Certain Requests Require a Signature Guarantee. To protect you and the
Fund from fraud, certain redemption requests must be in writing and must include
a signature guarantee in the following situations (there may be other situations
also requiring a signature guarantee):
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o You wish to redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares and receive a check
o The redemption check is not payable to all shareholders listed on the
account statement
o The redemption check is not sent to the address of record on your account
statement
o Shares are being transferred to a Fund account with a different
owner or name
o Shares are redeemed by someone other than the owners (such as an Executor)
o Where Can I Have My Signature Guaranteed? The Transfer Agent will accept
a guarantee of your signature by a number of financial institutions, including:
a U.S. bank, trust company, credit union or savings association, or by a foreign
bank that has a U.S. correspondent bank, or by a U.S. registered dealer or
broker in securities, municipal securities or government securities, or by a
U.S. national securities exchange, a registered securities association or a
clearing agency. If you are signing on behalf of a corporation, partnership or
other business, or as a fiduciary, you must also include your title in the
signature.
Selling Shares by Mail. Write a "letter of instructions" that
includes:
o Your name
o The Fund's name
o Your Fund account number (from your account statement)
o The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed o Any special payment
instructions o Any share certificates for the shares you are selling, The
signatures of all registered owners exactly as the account is registered.
Any special requirements or documents requested by the Transfer Agent to assure
proper authorization of the person asking to sell shares.
Use the following address for requests by mail:
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado 80217
Send courier or Express Mail requests to:
OppenheimerFunds Services
10200 E. Girard Avenue, Building D
Denver, Colorado 80231
Selling Shares by Telephone. You and your dealer representative of record may
also sell your shares by telephone. To receive the redemption price on a regular
business day, your call must be received by the Transfer Agent by the close of
The New York Stock Exchange that day, which is normally 4:00 P.M., but may be
earlier on some days. You may not redeem shares held in an OppenheimerFunds
retirement plan or under a share certificate by telephone.
o To redeem shares through a service representative, call 1- 800-852-8457
o To redeem shares automatically on PhoneLink, call 1-800-533- 3310
Whichever method you use, you may have a check sent to the address on the
account statement, or, if you have linked your Fund account to your bank account
on AccountLink, you may have the
proceeds sent to that bank account.
o Telephone Redemptions Paid by Check. Up to $50,000 may be redeemed by
telephone, once in any 7-day period. The check must be payable to all owners of
record of the shares and must be sent to the address on the account statement.
This service is not available within 30 days of changing the address on an
account.
o Telephone Redemptions Through AccountLink or By Wire. There are no
dollar limits on telephone redemption proceeds sent to a bank account designated
when you establish AccountLink. Normally the ACH transfer to your bank is
initiated on the business day after the redemption. You do not receive dividends
on the proceeds of the shares you redeemed while they are waiting to be
transferred.
Shareholders may also have the Transfer Agent send redemption proceeds of
$2,500 or more by Federal Funds wire to a designated commercial bank account.
The bank must be a member of the Federal Reserve wire system. There is a $10 fee
for each Federal Funds wire. To place a wire redemption request, call the
Transfer Agent at 1-800-852-8457. The wire will normally be transmitted on the
next bank business day after the shares are redeemed. There is a possibility
that the wire may be delayed up to seven days to enable the Fund to sell
securities to pay the redemption proceeds. No dividends are accrued or paid on
the proceeds of shares that have been redeemed and are awaiting transmittal by
wire. To establish wire redemption privileges on an account that is already
established, please contact the Transfer Agent for instructions.
Selling Shares Through Your Dealer. The Distributor has made arrangements to
repurchase Fund shares from dealers and brokers on behalf of their customers.
Brokers or dealers may charge for that service. Please call your dealer for more
information about this procedure. Please refer to "Special Arrangements for
Repurchase of Shares from Dealers and Brokers" in the Statement of Additional
Information for more details.
How to Exchange Shares
Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares of certain Oppenheimer
funds at net asset value per share at the time of exchange, without sales
charge. To exchange shares, you must meet
several conditions:
o Shares of the fund selected for exchange must be
available for sale in your state of residence
o The prospectuses of this Fund and the fund whose
shares
you want to buy must offer the exchange privilege
o You must hold the shares you buy when you establish your account for
at least 7 days before you can exchange them; after the account is
open 7 days, you can exchange shares every regular business day
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o You must meet the minimum purchase requirements for the fund you purchase
by exchange
o Before exchanging into a fund, you should obtain and read its prospectus
Shares of a particular class of the Fund may be exchanged only for shares
of the same class in the other Oppenheimer funds. For example, you can exchange
Class A shares of this Fund only for Class A shares of another fund. At present,
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. offers only one class of shares which are
considered "Class A" shares for this purpose. In some cases, sales charges may
be imposed on exchange transactions. Please refer to "How to Exchange Shares" in
the Statement of Additional Information for more details.
Exchanges may be requested in writing or by telephone:
o Written Exchange Requests. Submit an OppenheimerFunds Exchange Request
form, signed by all owners of the account. Send it to the Transfer Agent at the
addresses listed in "How to Sell Shares."
o Telephone Exchange Requests. Telephone exchange requests may be made
either by calling a service representative at 1-800- 852-8457 or by using
PhoneLink for automated exchanges, by calling 1-800-533-3310. Telephone
exchanges may be made only between accounts that are registered with the same
name(s) and address. Shares held under certificates may not be exchanged by
telephone.
You can find a list of Oppenheimer funds currently available for exchanges
in the Statement of Additional Information or obtain one by calling a service
representative at 1-800-525-7048. That list can change from time to time.
There are certain exchange policies you should be aware of:
o Shares are normally redeemed from one fund and purchased from the other
fund in the exchange transaction on the same regular business day on which the
Transfer Agent receives an exchange request that is in proper form by the close
of The New York Stock Exchange that day, which is normally 4:00 P.M., but may be
earlier on some days. However, either fund may delay the purchase of shares of
the fund you are exchanging into up to seven days if it determines it would be
disadvantaged by a same-day transfer of the proceeds to buy shares. For example,
the receipt of multiple exchange requests from a dealer in a "market-timing"
strategy might require the sale of portfolio securities at a time or price
disadvantageous to the Fund.
o Because excessive trading can hurt fund performance and harm
shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to refuse any exchange request that
will disadvantage it, or to refuse multiple exchange requests submitted by a
shareholder or dealer.
o The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege at any
time. Although the Fund will attempt to provide you notice whenever it is
reasonably able to do so, it may impose these changes at any time.
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o For tax purposes, exchanges of shares involve a redemption of the shares
of the fund you own and a purchase of shares of the other fund, which may result
in a capital gain or loss. For more information about taxes affecting exchanges,
please refer to "How to Exchange Shares" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
o If the Transfer Agent cannot exchange all the shares you request because
of a restriction cited above, only the shares eligible for exchange will be
exchanged.
The Distributor has entered into agreements with certain dealers and
investment advisers permitting them to exchange their clients' shares by
telephone. These privileges are limited under those agreements and the
Distributor has the right to reject or suspend those privileges. As a result,
those exchanges may be subject to notice requirements, delays and other
limitations that do not apply to shareholders who exchange their shares directly
by calling or writing to the Transfer Agent.
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
o Net Asset Value Per Share is determined for each class of shares as of
the close of The New York Stock Exchange on each day the Exchange is open by
dividing the value of the Fund's net assets attributable to a class by the
number of shares of that class that are outstanding. The Fund's Board of
Trustees has established procedures to value the Fund's securities to determine
net asset value. In general, securities values are based on market value. There
are special procedures for valuing illiquid and restricted securities and
obligations for which market values cannot be readily obtained. These procedures
are described more completely in the Statement of Additional Information.
o The offering of shares may be suspended during any period in which the
determination of net asset value is suspended, and the offering may be suspended
by the Board of Trustees at any time the Board believes it is in the Fund's best
interest to do so.
o Telephone Transaction Privileges for purchases, redemptions or exchanges
may be modified, suspended or terminated by the Fund at any time. If an account
has more than one owner, the Fund and the Transfer Agent may rely on the
instructions of any one owner. Telephone privileges apply to each owner of the
account and the dealer representative of record for the account unless and until
the Transfer Agent receives cancellation instructions from an owner of the
account.
o The Transfer Agent will record any telephone calls to verify data
concerning transactions and has adopted other procedures to confirm that
telephone instructions are genuine, by requiring callers to provide tax
identification numbers and other account data or by using PINs, and by
confirming such transactions in writing. If the Transfer Agent does not use
reasonable procedures it may be liable for losses due to unauthorized
transactions, but otherwise neither the Transfer Agent nor the Fund will be
liable for losses or expenses arising out of telephone instructions reasonably
believed to be genuine. If you are unable to reach the Transfer Agent during
periods of unusual market
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activity, you may not be able to complete a telephone transaction and should
consider placing your order by mail.
o Redemption or transfer requests will not be honored until the Transfer
Agent receives all required documents in proper form. From time to time, the
Transfer Agent in its discretion may waive certain of the requirements for
redemptions stated in this Prospectus.
o Dealers that can perform account transactions for their clients by
participating in NETWORKING through the National Securities Clearing Corporation
are responsible for obtaining their clients' permission to perform those
transactions and are responsible to their clients who are shareholders of the
Fund if the dealer performs any transaction erroneously or improperly.
o The redemption price for shares will vary from day to day because the
values of the securities in the Fund's portfolio fluctuate, and the redemption
price, which is the net asset value per share, will normally be different for
Class A, Class B and Class C shares. Therefore, the redemption value of your
shares may be more or less than their original cost.
o Payment for redeemed shares is made ordinarily in cash and forwarded by
check or through AccountLink (as elected by the shareholder under the redemption
procedures described above) within 7 days after the Transfer Agent receives
redemption instructions in proper form, except under unusual circumstances
determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission delaying or suspending such
payments. For accounts registered in the name of a broker/dealer, payment will
be forwarded within 3 business days. The Transfer Agent may delay forwarding a
check or processing a payment via AccountLink for recently purchased shares, but
only until the purchase payment has cleared. That delay may be as much as 10
days from the date the shares were purchased. That delay may be avoided if you
purchase shares by federal funds wire or certified check, or arrange with your
bank to provide telephone or written assurance to the Transfer Agent that your
purchase payment has cleared.
o Involuntary redemptions of small accounts may be made by the Fund if the
account value has fallen below $500 for reasons other than the fact that the
market value of shares has dropped, and in some cases involuntary redemptions
may be made to repay the Distributor for losses from the cancellation of share
purchase orders.
o Under unusual circumstances, shares of the Fund may be redeemed "in
kind", which means that the redemption proceeds will be paid with securities
from the Fund's portfolio. Please refer to "How to Sell Shares" in the Statement
of Additional Information for more details.
o "Backup Withholding" of Federal income tax may be applied at the rate of
31% from taxable dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds (including
exchanges) if you fail to furnish the Fund a correct and properly certified
Social Security or Employer Identification Number when you sign your
application, or
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if you underreport your income to the Internal Revenue Service.
o The Fund does not charge a redemption fee, but if your dealer or broker
handles your redemption, they may charge a fee. That fee can be avoided by
redeeming your Fund shares directly through the Transfer Agent. Under the
circumstances described in "How To Buy Shares," you may be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge when redeeming certain Class A, Class B and
Class C shares.
o To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, the Fund
will mail only one copy of each annual and semi-annual report to shareholders
having the same last name and address on the Fund's records. However, each
shareholder may call the Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048 to ask that copies of
those materials be sent personally to that shareholder.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Dividends. The Fund declares dividends separately for Class A, Class B and Class
C shares from net investment income, if any, on an annual basis and normally
pays those dividends to shareholders in December, but the Board of Trustees can
change that date. The Board may also cause the Fund to declare dividends after
the close of the Fund's fiscal year (which ends September 30th). Because the
Fund does not have an objective of seeking current income, the amounts of
dividends it pays, if any, will likely be small. Dividends paid on Class A
shares will generally be higher than for Class B or Class C shares because
expenses allocable to Class B and Class C shares will generally be higher than
for Class A shares. There is no fixed dividend rate and there can be no
assurance that the Fund will pay any dividends.
Capital Gains. The Fund may make distributions annually in December out of any
net short-term or long-term capital gains, and the Fund may make supplemental
distributions of capital gains following the end of its fiscal year. Long-term
capital gains will be separately identified in the tax information the Fund
sends you after the end of the year. Short-term capital gains are treated as
dividends for tax purposes. There can be no assurance that the Fund will pay any
capital gains distributions in a particular year.
Distribution Options. When you open your account, specify on your application
how you want to receive your distributions. For OppenheimerFunds retirement
accounts, all distributions are reinvested. For other accounts, you have four
options:
o Reinvest All Distributions in the Fund. You can elect to reinvest all
dividends and long-term capital gains distributions in additional shares of the
Fund. o Reinvest Long-Term Capital Gains Only. You can elect to reinvest
long-term capital gains in the Fund while receiving dividends by check or sent
to your bank account on AccountLink. o Receive All Distributions in Cash. You
can elect to receive a check for all dividends and long-term capital gains
distributions or have them sent to your bank on AccountLink. o Reinvest Your
Distributions in Another Oppenheimer funds Account. You can reinvest all
distributions in the same class of
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shares of another Oppenheimer funds account you have established.
Taxes. If your account is not a tax-deferred retirement account, you should be
aware of the following tax implications of investing in the Fund. Long-term
capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains when distributed to
shareholders. It does not matter how long you held your shares. Dividends paid
from short-term capital gains and net investment income are taxable as ordinary
income. Distributions are subject to federal income tax and may be subject to
state or local taxes. Your distributions are taxable when paid, whether you
reinvest them in additional shares or take them in cash. Every year the Fund
will send you and the IRS a statement showing the amount of all taxable
distributions you received in the previous year. So that the Fund will not have
to pay taxes on the amounts it distributes to shareholders as dividends and
capital gains, the Fund intends to manage its investments so that it will
qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code,
although it reserves the right not to qualify in a particular year.
When more than 50% of its assets are invested in foreign securities at the
end of any fiscal year, the Fund may elect that Section 853 of the Internal
Revenue Code will apply to it to permit shareholders to take a credit (or a
deduction) on their own federal income tax returns for foreign taxes paid by the
Fund. "Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes" in the Statement of Additional
Information contains further information about this tax provision.
o "Buying a Dividend": If you buy shares on or just before the ex-dividend
date, or just before the Fund declares a capital gains distribution, you will
pay the full price for the shares and then receive a portion of the price back
as a taxable dividend or capital gain, respectively.
o Taxes on Transactions: Share redemptions, including redemptions for
exchanges, are subject to capital gains tax. Generally speaking, a capital gain
or loss is the difference between the price you paid for the shares and the
price you received when you sold them.
o Returns of Capital: In certain cases distributions made by the Fund may
be considered a non-taxable return of capital to shareholders. If that occurs,
it will be identified in notices to shareholders. A non-taxable return of
capital may reduce your tax basis in your Fund shares.
This information is only a summary of certain Federal tax information
about your investment. More information is contained in the Statement of
Additional Information, and in addition you should consult with your tax adviser
about the effect of an investment in the Fund on your particular tax situation.
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APPENDIX A
Special Sales Charge Arrangements for Shareholders of the Fund
Who Were Shareholders of the Former Quest for Value Funds
The initial and contingent deferred sales charge rates and waivers for
Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the Fund described elsewhere in this
Prospectus are modified as described below for those shareholders of (i) Quest
for Value Fund, Inc., Quest for Value Growth and Income Fund, Quest for Value
Opportunity Fund, Quest for Value Small Capitalization Fund and Quest for Value
Global Equity Fund, Inc. on November 24, 1995, when OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
became the investment adviser to those funds, and (ii) Quest for Value U.S.
Government Income Fund, Quest for Value Investment Quality Income Fund, Quest
for Value Global Income Fund, Quest for Value New York Tax-Exempt Fund, Quest
for Value National Tax-Exempt Fund and Quest for Value California Tax- Exempt
Fund when those funds merged into various Oppenheimer funds on November 24,
1995. The funds listed above are referred to in this Prospectus as the "Former
Quest for Value Funds." The waivers of initial and contingent deferred sales
charges described in this Appendix apply to shares of the Fund (i) acquired by
such shareholder pursuant to an exchange of shares of one of the Oppenheimer
funds that was one of the Former Quest for Value Funds or (ii) received by such
shareholder pursuant to the merger of any of the Former Quest for Value Funds
into an Oppenheimer fund on November 24, 1995.
Class A Sales Charges
o Reduced Class A Initial Sales Charge Rates for Certain Former
Quest Shareholders
o Purchases by Groups, Associations and Certain Qualified
Retirement Plans. The following table sets forth the initial sales charge rates
for Class A shares purchased by a "Qualified Retirement Plan" through a single
broker, dealer or financial institution, or by members of "Associations" formed
for any purpose other than the purchase of securities if that Qualified
Retirement Plan or that Association purchased shares of any of the Former Quest
for Value Funds or received a proposal to purchase such shares from OCC
Distributors prior to November 24, 1995. For this purpose only, a "Qualified
Retirement Plan" includes any 401(k) plan, 403(b) plan, and SEP/IRA or IRA plan
for employees of a single employer.
Front-End Front-End
Sales Sales Commission
Charge Charge as
as a as a Percentage
Number of Percentage Percentage of
Eligible Employees of Offering of Amount Offering
or Members Price Invested Price
9 or fewer 2.50% 2.56% 2.00%
A-1
<PAGE>
At least 10 but not
more than 49 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
For purchases by Qualified Retirement plans and Associations having 50 or
more eligible employees or members, there is no initial sales charge on
purchases of Class A shares, but those shares are subject to the Class A
contingent deferred sales charge described on pages ___ and ___ of this
Prospectus.
Purchases made under this arrangement qualify for the lower of the sales
charge rate in the table based on the number of eligible employees in a
Qualified Retirement Plan or members of an Association or the sales charge rate
that applies under the Rights of Accumulation described above in the Prospectus.
In addition, purchases by 401(k) plans that are Qualified Retirement Plans
qualify for the waiver of the Class A initial sales charge if they qualified to
purchase shares of any of the Former Quest For Value Funds by virtue of
projected contributions or investments of $1 million or more each year.
Individuals who qualify under this arrangement for reduced sales charge rates as
members of Associations, or as eligible employees in Qualified Retirement Plans
also may purchase shares for their individual or custodial accounts at these
reduced sales charge rates, upon request to the Fund's Distributor.
o Waiver of Class A Sales Charges for Certain Shareholders
Class A shares of the Fund purchased by the following investors are not subject
to any Class A initial or contingent deferred sales
charges:
o Shareholders of the Fund who were shareholders of the AMA Family of Funds
on February 28, 1991 and who acquired shares of any of the Former Quest for
Value Funds by merger of a portfolio of the AMA Family of Funds.
o Shareholders of the Fund who acquired shares of any Former Quest for
Value Fund by merger of any of the portfolios of the Unified Funds.
o Waiver of Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge in Certain
Transactions
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not apply to redemptions of
Class A shares of the Fund purchased by the following investors who were
shareholders of any Former Quest for
Value Fund:
o Investors who purchased Class A shares from a dealer that is or was not
permitted to receive a sales load or redemption fee imposed on a shareholder
with whom that dealer has a fiduciary relationship under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 and regulations adopted under that law.
o Participants in Qualified Retirement Plans that purchased shares of any
of the Former Quest For Value Funds pursuant to a
A-2
<PAGE>
special "strategic alliance" with the distributor of those funds. The Fund's
Distributor will pay a commission to the dealer for purchases of Fund shares as
described above in "Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge."
Class A, Class B and Class C Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
Waivers
o Waivers for Redemptions of Shares Purchased Prior to March 6,
1995
In the following cases, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived for
redemptions of Class A, B or C shares of the Fund acquired by merger of a Former
Quest for Value Fund into the Fund or by exchange from an Oppenheimer fund that
was a Former Quest for Value Fund or into which such fund merged, if those
shares were purchased prior to March 6, 1995: in connection with (i)
distributions to participants or beneficiaries of plans qualified under Section
401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or from custodial accounts under Section
403(b)(7) of the Code, Individual Retirement Accounts, deferred compensation
plans under Section 457 of the Code, and other employee benefit plans, and
returns of excess contributions made to each type of plan, (ii) withdrawals
under an automatic withdrawal plan holding only either Class B or C shares if
the annual withdrawal does not exceed 10% of the initial value of the account,
and (iii) liquidation of a shareholder's account if the aggregate net asset
value of shares held in the account is less than the required minimum value of
such accounts.
o Waivers for Redemptions of Shares Purchased on or After March 6, 1995 but
Prior to November 24, 1995.
In the following cases, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived for
redemptions of Class A, B or C shares of the Fund acquired by merger of a Former
Quest for Value Fund into the Fund or by exchange from an Oppenheimer fund that
was a Former Quest For Value Fund or into which such fund merged, if those
shares were purchased on or after March 6, 1995, but prior to November 24, 1995:
(1) distributions to participants or beneficiaries from Individual Retirement
Accounts under Section 408(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or retirement plans
under Section 401(a), 401(k), 403(b) and 457 of the Code, if those distributions
are made either (a) to an individual participant as a result of separation from
service or (b) following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the
participant or beneficiary; (2) returns of excess contributions to such
retirement plans; (3) redemptions other than from retirement plans following the
death or disability of the shareholder(s) (as evidenced by a determination of
total disability by the U.S. Social Security Administration); (4) withdrawals
under an automatic withdrawal plan (but only for Class B or C shares) where the
annual withdrawals do not exceed 10% of the initial value of the account; and
(5) liquidation of a shareholder's account if the aggregate net asset value of
shares held in the account is less than the required minimum account value. A
shareholder's account will be credited with the amount of any contingent
deferred sales charge paid on the redemption of any Class A, B or C shares of
the Fund described in this section if within 90 days after that
A-3
<PAGE>
redemption, the proceeds are invested in the same Class of shares in this Fund
or another Oppenheimer fund.
A-4
<PAGE>
APPENDIX TO PROSPECTUS OF
OPPENHEIMER GLOBAL FUND
Graphic material included in Prospectus of Oppenheimer Global Fund:
"Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Hypothetical Investments in Class A,
Class B and Class C shares of Oppenheimer Global Fund and the Morgan Stanley
Capital International World Index."
Linear graphs will be included in the Prospectus of Oppenheimer Global
Fund (the "Fund") depicting the initial
subsequent account values of hypothetical $10,000 investments in (i) Class A
shares of the Fund during the past 10 fiscal years, (ii) Class B shares of the
Fund during the period August 17,
1993
(first public offering of Class B shares) to September 30, 1997, and (iii) Class
C shares of the Fund during the period October 2, 1995 (inception of the class);
in each case comparing such values with the same investment over the same time
periods in the Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index. The performance
information for the Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index in the
Class B and Class C graphs begins on 8/31/93 and 9/30/95, respectively. Set
forth below are the relevant data points that will appear on the linear graph.
Additional information with respect to the foregoing, including a description of
the Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index, is set forth in the
Prospectus under "Performance of the Fund Management's Discussion of
Performance."
Fiscal Year Oppenheimer Morgan Stanley Capital
Ended Global Fund International World Index
----------- ----------- -------------------------
Class A
-------
09/30/87 9,425 10,000
09/30/88 7,054 9,407
09/30/89 10,077 11,833
09/30/90 10,156 9,335
09/30/91 12,564 11,694
09/30/92 12,026 11,644
09/30/93 14,151 14,077
09/30/94 16,868 15,213
09/30/95 18,431 17,490
09/30/96 20,825 19,974
09/30/97 27,666 24,893
Class B
-------
08/17/93 10,000 10,000
09/30/93 10,364 9,817
09/30/94 12,240 10,609
09/30/95 13,261 12,198
09/30/96 14,861 13,929
A-5
<PAGE>
09/30/97 19,383 17,360
Class C
-------
10/02/95 10,000 10,000
09/30/96 11,234 11,420
09/30/97 14,801 14,232
A-6
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
1-800-525-7048
Investment Adviser
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
1-800-525-7048
OppenheimerFunds Internet Web Site
http://www.oppenheimerfunds.com
Custodian of Portfolio Securities
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10015
Independent Auditors
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
707 Seventeenth Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Gordon Altman Butowsky
Weitzen Shalov & Wein
114 West 47th Street
New York, New York 10036
No dealer, broker, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give
any information or to make any representations other than those contained in
this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information, and if given or
made, such information and representations must not be relied upon as having
been authorized by the Fund, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., OppenheimerFunds
Distributor, Inc. or any affiliate thereof. This Prospectus does not constitute
an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities
offered hereby in any state to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an
offer in such state.
PR0330.001.0198 *Printed on recycled paper
A-7
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
1-800-525-7048
Statement of Additional Information dated January 29, 1998
This Statement of Additional Information of Oppenheimer Global Fund is not
a Prospectus. This document contains additional information about the Fund and
supplements information in the Prospectus dated January 29, 1998. It should be
read together with the Prospectus, which may be obtained by writing to the
Fund's Transfer Agent, OppenheimerFunds Services at P.O. Box 5270, Denver,
Colorado 80217 or by calling the Transfer Agent at the toll-free number shown
above.
Table of Contents
Page
About the Fund
Investment Objective and Policies......................................2
Investment Policies and Strategies...................................2
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies...........................6
Other Investment Restrictions.......................................16
How the Fund is Managed...............................................17
Organization and History............................................17
Trustees and Officers of the Fund...................................18
The Manager and Its Affiliates......................................24
Brokerage Policies of the Fund........................................26
Performance of the Fund...............................................28
Distribution and Service Plans........................................32
About Your Account
How to Buy Shares...................................................34
How to Sell Shares..................................................43
How to Exchange Shares..............................................47
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes....................................49
Additional Information About the Fund.................................50
Financial Information About the Fund
Independent Auditors' Report..........................................52
Financial Statements..................................................53
Appendix: Corporate Industry Classifications.........................A-1
<PAGE>
About the Fund
Investment Objective and Policies
Investment Policies and Strategies. The investment objective and policies of the
Fund are described in the Prospectus. Set forth below is supplemental
information about those policies and the types of securities in which the Fund
may invest, as well as the strategies the Fund may use to try to achieve its
objective. Capitalized terms used in this Statement of Additional Information
have the same meanings as those terms have in the Prospectus.
In selecting securities for the Fund's portfolio, the Fund's investment
adviser, OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (the "Manager"), evaluates the merits of
securities primarily through the exercise of its own investment analysis. This
may include, among other things, evaluation of the history of the issuer's
operations, prospects for the industry of which the issuer is part, the issuer's
financial condition, the issuer's pending product developments and developments
by competitors, the effect of general market and economic conditions on the
issuer's business, and legislative proposals or new laws that might affect the
issuer. Current income is not a consideration in the selection of portfolio
securities for the Fund, whether for appreciation, defensive or liquidity
purposes. The fact that a security has a low yield or does not pay current
income will not be an adverse factor in selecting securities to try to achieve
the Fund's investment objective of capital appreciation unless the Manager
believes that the lack of yield might adversely affect appreciation
possibilities.
The portion of the Fund's assets allocated to securities selected for
capital appreciation and the investment techniques used will depend upon the
judgment of the Fund's Manager as to the future movement of the equity
securities markets. If the Manager believes that economic conditions favor a
rising market, the Fund will emphasize securities and investment methods
selected for high capital growth. If the Manager believes that a market decline
is likely, defensive securities and investment methods may be emphasized.
o Investing in Securities of Growth-Type Companies. The Fund may emphasize
securities of "growth-type" companies. Such issuers typically are those the
goods or services of which have relatively favorable long-term prospects for
increasing demand, or ones which develop new products, services or markets and
normally retain a relatively large part of their earnings for research,
development and investment in capital assets. They may include companies in the
natural resources fields or those developing industrial applications for new
scientific knowledge having potential for technological innovation, such as
nuclear energy, oceanography, business services and new customer products.
o Investing in Small, Unseasoned Companies. The securities of small,
unseasoned companies may have a limited trading market, which may adversely
affect the Fund's ability to sell them and can reduce the price the Fund might
be able to obtain for them. If other investors holding the same securities as
the Fund sell them when the Fund attempts to dispose of its holdings, the Fund
2
<PAGE>
may receive lower prices than might otherwise be obtained, because of the
thinner market for such securities.
o Foreign Securities. "Foreign securities" include equity and debt
securities of companies organized under the laws of countries other than the
United States and debt securities of foreign governments, that are traded on
foreign securities exchanges or in the foreign over-the-counter markets.
Securities of foreign issuers that are represented by American Depository
Receipts or that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange or traded in the U.S.
over-the-counter markets are not considered "foreign securities" for the purpose
of the Fund's investment allocations, because they are not subject to many of
the special considerations and risks, discussed below, that apply to foreign
securities traded and held abroad.
Investing in foreign securities offers the Fund potential benefits not
available from investing solely in securities of domestic issuers, such as the
opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear to offer growth potential,
or in foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from
those of the U.S., or to reduce fluctuations in portfolio value by taking
advantage of foreign stock markets that do not move in a manner parallel to U.S.
markets. If the Fund's portfolio securities are held abroad, the countries in
which such securities may be held and the sub-custodians holding them must be
approved by the Fund's Board of Trustees under applicable rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission. In buying foreign securities, the Fund may
convert U.S. dollars into foreign currency, but only to effect securities
transactions on foreign securities exchanges and not to hold such currency as an
investment.
o Risks of Foreign Investing. Investing in foreign securities involves
special additional risks and considerations not typically associated with
investing in securities of issuers traded in the U.S. These include: reduction
of income by foreign taxes; fluctuation in value of foreign portfolio
investments due to changes in currency rates and control regulations (e.g.,
currency blockage); transaction charges for currency exchange; lack of public
information about foreign issuers; lack of uniform accounting, auditing and
financial reporting standards comparable to those applicable to domestic
issuers; less volume on foreign exchanges than on U.S. exchanges; greater
volatility and less liquidity in foreign markets than in the U.S.; less
regulation of foreign issuers, stock exchanges and brokers than in the U.S.;
greater difficulties in commencing lawsuits against foreign issuers; higher
brokerage commission rates than in the U.S.; increased risks of delays in
settlement of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio
securities; possibilities in some countries of expropriation or nationalization
of assets, confiscatory taxation, political, financial or social instability or
adverse diplomatic developments; and unfavorable differences between the U.S.
economy and foreign economies. In the past, U.S. Government policies have
discouraged certain investments abroad by U.S. investors, through taxation or
other restrictions, and it is possible that such restrictions could be
re-imposed.
A number of current significant political demographic and economic
developments may affect investments in foreign securities and in securities of
companies with operations overseas. Such developments include dramatic political
changes in government and economic policies in
3
<PAGE>
several Eastern European countries, Germany and the republics comprising the
former Soviet Union, as well as unification of the European Economic Community.
The course of any of one or more of these events and the effect on trade
barriers, competition and markets for consumer goods and services is uncertain.
With roughly two-thirds of all outstanding equity securities now traded outside
of the United States the Fund's global scope enables it to attempt to take
advantage of other world markets and companies and seek to protect itself
against declines in any single economy.
o Convertible Securities. While convertible securities are a form of debt
security in many cases, their conversion feature (allowing conversion into
equity securities) causes them to be regarded more as "equity equivalents." As a
result, the rating assigned to the security has less impact on the Manager's
investment decision with respect to convertible securities than in the case of
non-convertible fixed-income securities. To determine whether convertible
securities should be regarded as "equity equivalents," the Manager examines the
following factors: (1) whether, at the option of the investor, the convertible
security can be exchanged for a fixed number of shares of common stock of the
issuer, (2) whether the issuer of the convertible securities has restated its
earnings per share of common stock on a fully diluted basis (considering the
effect of converting the convertible securities), and (3) the extent to which
the convertible security may be a defensive "equity substitute," providing the
ability to participate in any appreciation in the price of the issuer's common
stock.
o Warrants and Rights. Warrants basically are options to purchase equity
securities at specified prices valid for a specific period of time. Their prices
do not necessarily move in a manner parallel to the prices of the underlying
securities. The price paid for a warrant will be lost unless the warrant is
exercised prior to expiration. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have
a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders.
Warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no
rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
o Illiquid and Restricted Securities. To enable the Fund to sell
restricted securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the Fund
may have to cause those securities to be registered. The expenses of
registration of restricted securities may be negotiated by the Fund with the
issuer at the time such securities are purchased by the Fund, if such
registration is required before such securities may be sold publicly. When
registration must be arranged because the Fund wishes to sell the security, a
considerable period may elapse between the time the decision is made to sell the
securities and the time the Fund would be permitted to sell them. The Fund would
bear the risks of any downward price fluctuation during that period. The Fund
may also acquire, through private placements, securities having contractual
restrictions on their resale, which might limit the Fund's ability to dispose of
such securities and might lower the amount realizable upon the sale of such
securities.
The Fund has percentage limitations that apply to purchases of restricted
securities, as stated in the Prospectus. Those percentage restrictions do not
limit purchases of restricted securities that
4
<PAGE>
are eligible for sale to qualified institutional purchasers pursuant to Rule
144A under the Securities Act of 1933, provided that those securities have been
determined to be liquid by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by the Manager
under Board-approved guidelines. Those guidelines take into account the trading
activity for such securities and the availability of reliable pricing
information, among other factors. If there is a lack of trading interest in a
particular Rule 144A security, the Fund's holding of that security may be deemed
to be illiquid.
o Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may acquire securities subject to
repurchase agreements for liquidity purposes to meet anticipated redemptions, or
pending the investment of the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, or pending the
settlement of purchases of portfolio securities.
In a repurchase transaction, the Fund acquires a security from, and
simultaneously resells it \to, an approved vendor (a U.S. commercial bank or the
U.S. branch of a foreign bank, or a broker-dealer which has been designated a
primary dealer in U.S. government securities, which must meet credit
requirements set by the Fund's Board of Trustees from time to time), for
delivery on an agreed-upon future date. The resale price exceeds the purchase
price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the
period during which the repurchase agreement is in effect. The majority of these
transactions run from day to day, and delivery pursuant to the resale typically
will occur within one to five days of the purchase. Repurchase agreements are
considered "loans" under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Investment Company Act"), collateralized by the underlying security. The Fund's
repurchase agreements require that at all times while the repurchase agreement
is in effect, the value of the collateral must equal or exceed the repurchase
price to fully collateralize the repayment obligation. Additionally, the Manager
will impose creditworthiness requirements to confirm that the vendor is
financially sound and will continuously monitor the collateral's value.
o Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities
issued by the U.S. Treasury. Zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities are U.S.
Treasury notes and bonds that have been stripped of their unmatured interest
coupons and receipts or bills issued without interest coupons, U.S. Treasury
certificates representing interest in such stripped debt obligations or coupons.
The Fund may also invest in zero coupon securities issued by other issuers,
including foreign governments.
These securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par
value and will be subject to greater fluctuations in market value in response to
changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make
current payments of interest. However, the interest rate is "locked in" and
there is no risk of having to reinvest periodic interest payments in securities
having lower rates. Because the Fund accrues taxable income from zero coupon
securities issued by either the U.S. Treasury or other issuers without receiving
cash, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to pay a
dividend depending, among other things, upon the proportion of shareholders who
elect to receive dividends in cash rather than reinvesting dividends in
additional shares of the Fund. The Fund might also sell portfolio
5
<PAGE>
securities to maintain portfolio liquidity. In either case, cash distributed or
held by the Fund and not reinvested in Fund shares will hinder the Fund in
seeking a high level of current income.
o Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio
securities pursuant to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty (the
"Securities Lending Agreement") with The Bank of New York, subject to the
restrictions stated in the Prospectus. The Fund will lend such portfolio
securities to attempt to increase the Fund's income. Under the Securities
Lending Agreement and applicable regulatory requirements (which are subject to
change), the loan collateral must, on each business day, be at least equal to
the value of the loaned securities and must consist of cash, bank letters of
credit or securities of the U.S. Government (or its agencies or
instrumentalities), or other cash equivalents in which the Fund is permitted to
invest. To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit must obligate a bank
to pay to The Bank of New York, as agent, amounts demanded by the Fund if the
demand meets the terms of the letter. Such terms of the letter and the issuing
bank must be satisfactory to The Bank of New York and the Fund. The Fund will
receive, pursuant to the Securities Lending Agreement, 60% of all annual net
income from securities lending transactions. The Bank of New York has agreed, in
general, to guarantee the obligations of borrowers to return loaned securities
and to be responsible for expenses relating to securities lending. The Fund will
be responsible for risks associated with the investment of cash collateral. The
term of the Securities Lending Agreement is thirty-six months, subject to
termination by The Bank of New York or the Fund. The Fund may incur a
termination fee if it terminates the Securities Lending Agreement during this
term. The terms of the Fund's loans must also meet applicable tests under the
Internal Revenue Code and permit the Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five
business days' notice or in time to vote on any important matter.
o Borrowing For Leverage. From time to time, the Fund may increase its
ownership of securities by borrowing from banks on an unsecured basis and
investing the borrowed funds, subject to the restrictions stated in the
Prospectus. Any such borrowing will be made only from banks, and pursuant to the
requirements of the Investment Company Act, will be made only to the extent that
the value of the Fund's assets, less its liabilities other than borrowings, is
equal to at least 300% of all borrowings including the proposed borrowing. If
the value of the Fund's assets, when computed in that manner, should fail to
meet the 300% asset coverage requirement, the Fund is required within three days
to reduce its bank debt to the extent necessary to meet that coverage
requirement. To do so, the Fund may have to sell a portion of its investments at
a time when it would otherwise not want to sell the securities. Interest on
money the Fund borrows is an expense the Fund would not otherwise incur, so that
during periods of substantial borrowings, its expenses may increase more than
the expenses of funds that do not borrow.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
o Hedging With Options and Futures Contracts. The Fund may use hedging
instruments for the purposes described in the Prospectus. When hedging to
attempt to protect against declines in the market value of the Fund's portfolio,
or to permit the Fund to retain
6
<PAGE>
unrealized gains in the value of portfolio securities which have appreciated, or
to facilitate selling securities for investment reasons, the Fund may: (i) sell
Futures, (ii) buy puts on such Futures or securities, or (iii) write covered
calls on securities or on Futures. When hedging to establish a position in the
equity securities markets as a temporary substitute for the purchase of
individual equity securities the Fund may: (i) buy Futures, or (ii) buy calls on
such Futures or securities held by it. Normally, the Fund would then purchase
the equity securities and terminate the hedging position.
The Fund's strategy of hedging with Futures and options on Futures will be
incidental to the Fund's investment activities in the underlying cash market. In
the future, the Fund may employ hedging instruments and strategies that are not
presently contemplated but which may be developed, to the extent such investment
methods are consistent with the Fund's investment objective, and are legally
permissible and disclosed in the Prospectus. Additional information about the
hedging instruments the Fund may use is provided below.
o Stock Index Futures, Financial Futures and Interest Rate Futures. The
Fund may buy and sell futures contracts relating to a securities index
("Financial Futures"), including "Stock Index Futures," a type of Financial
Future for which the index used as the basis for trading is a broadly-based
stock index (including stocks that are not limited to issuers in a particular
industry or group of industries). A stock index assigns relative values to the
common stocks included in the index and fluctuates with the changes in the
market value of those stocks. Stock indices cannot be purchased or sold
directly. Financial Futures are contracts based on the future value of the
basket of securities that comprise the underlying index. The contracts obligate
the seller to deliver, and the purchaser to take, cash to settle the futures
transaction or to enter into an offsetting contract. No physical delivery of the
securities underlying the index is made on settling the futures obligation. No
monetary amount is paid or received by the Fund on the purchase or sale of a
Financial Future or Stock Index Future.
The Fund may also buy Futures relating to debt securities ("Interest Rate
Futures"). An Interest Rate Future obligates the seller to deliver and the
purchaser to take a specific type of debt security at a specific future date for
a fixed price to settle the futures transaction, or to enter into an offsetting
contract. As with Financial Futures, no monetary amount is paid or received by
the Fund on the purchase of an Interest Rate Future.
Upon entering into a Futures transaction, the Fund will be required to
deposit an initial margin payment, in cash or U.S. Treasury bills, with the
futures commission merchant (the "futures broker"). Initial margin payments will
be deposited with the Fund's Custodian in an account registered in the futures
broker's name; however, the futures broker can gain access to that account only
under certain specified conditions. As the Future is marked to market (that is,
its value on the Fund's books is changed) to reflect changes in its market
value, subsequent margin payments, called variation margin, will be paid to or
by the futures broker on a daily basis.
7
<PAGE>
At any time prior to the expiration of the Future, the Fund may elect to
close out its position by taking an opposite position, at which time a final
determination of variation margin is made and additional cash is required to be
paid by or released to the Fund. Any gain or loss is then realized by the Fund
on the Future for tax purposes. Although Financial Futures and Stock Index
Futures by their terms call for settlement by the delivery of cash, and Interest
Rate Futures call for the delivery of a specific debt security, in most cases
the settlement obligation is fulfilled without such delivery by entering into an
offsetting transaction. All Futures transactions are effected through a
clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded.
o Writing Covered Calls. As described in the Prospectus, the Fund may
write covered calls. When the Fund writes a call on an investment, it receives a
premium and agrees to sell the callable investment to a purchaser of a
corresponding call during the call period (usually not more than 9 months) at a
fixed exercise price (which may differ from the market price of the underlying
investment) regardless of market price changes during the call period. To
terminate its obligation on a call it has written, the Fund may purchase a
corresponding call in a "closing purchase transaction." A profit or loss will be
realized, depending upon whether the net of the amount of option transaction
costs and the premium received on the call the Fund has written is more or less
than the price of the call the Fund subsequently purchased. A profit may also be
realized if the call lapses unexercised, because the Fund retains the underlying
investment and the premium received. Those profits are considered short-term
capital gains for Federal income tax purposes, as are premiums on lapsed calls,
and when distributed by the Fund are taxable as ordinary income. If the Fund
could not effect a closing purchase transaction due to the lack of a market, it
would have to hold the callable investment until the call lapsed or was
exercised.
The Fund may also write calls on Futures without owning a futures contract
or deliverable securities, provided that at the time the call is written, the
Fund covers the call by segregating in escrow an equivalent dollar value of
deliverable securities or liquid assets. The Fund will segregate additional
liquid assets if the value of the escrowed assets drops below 100% of the
current value of the Future. In no circumstances would an exercise notice as to
a Future put the Fund in a short futures position.
The Fund's Custodian, or a securities depository acting for the Custodian,
will act as the Fund's escrow agent, through the facilities of the Options
Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), as to the investments on which the Fund has
written options that are traded on exchanges, or as to other acceptable escrow
securities, so that no margin will be required from the Fund for such option
transactions. OCC will release the securities covering a call on the expiration
of the call or when the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Call
writing affects the Fund's turnover rate and the brokerage commissions it pays.
Commissions, normally higher than on general securities transactions, are
payable on writing or purchasing a call.
o Purchasing Puts and Calls. The Fund may purchase calls to protect against
the possibility that the Fund's portfolio will not participate in an anticipated
rise in the securities market. When the Fund purchases a call, it pays a premium
(other than in a closing purchase
8
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transaction) and, except as to calls on stock indices, has the right to buy the
underlying investment from a seller of a corresponding call on the same
investment during the call period at a fixed exercise price. In purchasing a
call, the Fund benefits only if the call is sold at a profit or if, during the
call period, the market price of the underlying investment is above the sum of
the call price, transaction costs, and the premium paid, and the call is
exercised. If the call is not exercised or sold (whether or not at a profit), it
will become worthless at its expiration date and the Fund will lose its premium
payment and the right to purchase the underlying investment. When the Fund
purchases a call on a stock index, it pays a premium, but settlement is in cash
rather than by delivery of the underlying investment to the Fund.
When the Fund purchases a put, it pays a premium and, except as to puts on
stock indices, has the right to sell the underlying investment to a seller of a
corresponding put on the same investment during the put period at a fixed
exercise price. Buying a put on an investment the Fund owns (a "protective put")
enables the Fund to attempt to protect itself during the put period against a
decline in the value of the underlying investment below the exercise price by
selling the underlying investment at the exercise price to a seller of a
corresponding put. If the market price of the underlying investment is equal to
or above the exercise price and as a result the put is not exercised or resold,
the put will become worthless at its expiration and the Fund will lose the
premium payment and the right to sell the underlying investment. However, the
put may be sold prior to expiration (whether or not at a profit).
Puts and calls on broadly-based stock indices or Stock Index Futures are
similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all
settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in
question (and thus on price movements in the stock market generally) rather than
on price movements of individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund
buys a call on a stock index or Stock Index Future, it pays a premium. If the
Fund exercises the call during the call period, a seller of a corresponding call
on the same investment will pay the Fund an amount of cash to settle the call if
the closing level of the stock index or Future upon which the call is based is
greater than the exercise price of the call. That cash payment is equal to the
difference between the closing price of the call and the exercise price of the
call times a specified multiple (the "multiplier") which determines the total
dollar value for each point of difference. When the Fund buys a put on a stock
index or Stock Index Future, it pays a premium and has the right during the put
period to require a seller of a corresponding put, upon the Fund's exercise of
its put, to deliver cash to the Fund to settle the put if the closing level of
the stock index or Stock Index Future upon which the put is based is less than
the exercise price of the put. That cash payment is determined by the
multiplier, in the same manner as described above as to calls.
When the Fund purchases a put on a stock index, or on a Stock Index Future
not owned by it, the put protects the Fund to the extent that the index moves in
a similar pattern to the securities the Fund holds. The Fund can either resell
the put or, in the case of a put on a Stock Index Future, buy the underlying
investment and sell it at the exercise price. The resale price of the put will
vary inversely with the price of the underlying investment. If the market price
of the
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<PAGE>
underlying investment is above the exercise price, and as a result the put is
not exercised, the put will become worthless on the expiration date. In the
event of a decline in price of the underlying investment, the Fund could
exercise or sell the put at a profit to attempt to offset some or all of its
loss on its portfolio securities.
The Fund's option activities may affect its portfolio turnover rate and
brokerage commissions. The exercise of calls written by the Fund may cause the
Fund to sell related portfolio securities, thus increasing its turnover rate.
The exercise by the Fund of puts on securities will cause the sale of underlying
investments, increasing portfolio turnover. Although the decision whether to
exercise a put it holds is within the Fund's control, holding a put might cause
the Fund to sell the related investments for reasons that would not exist in the
absence of the put. The Fund will pay a brokerage commission each time it buys
or sells a call, put or an underlying investment in connection with the exercise
of a put or call. Those commissions may be higher than the commissions for
direct purchases or sales of the underlying investments.
Premiums paid for options are small in relation to the market value of the
underlying investments and, consequently, put and call options offer large
amounts of leverage. The leverage offered by trading in options could result in
the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive to changes in the value of the
underlying investments.
o Options on Foreign Currency. The Fund intends to write and purchase
calls on foreign currencies. The Fund may purchase and write puts and calls on
foreign currencies that are traded on a securities or commodities exchange or
over-the-counter markets or are quoted by major recognized dealers in such
options. It does so to protect against declines in the dollar value of foreign
securities and against increases in the dollar cost of foreign securities to be
acquired. If the Manager anticipates a rise in the dollar value of a foreign
currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated, the increased cost
of such securities may be partially offset by purchasing calls or writing puts
on that foreign currency. If a decline in the dollar value of a foreign currency
is anticipated, the decline in value of portfolio securities denominated in that
currency may be partially offset by writing calls or purchasing puts on that
foreign currency. However, in the event of currency rate fluctuations adverse to
the Fund's position, it would lose the premium it paid and transactions costs.
A call written on a foreign currency by the Fund is covered if the Fund
owns the underlying foreign currency covered by the call or has an absolute and
immediate right to acquire that foreign currency without additional cash
consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account
by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other foreign currency held in
its portfolio. A call may be written by the Fund on a foreign currency to
provide a hedge against a decline due to an expected adverse change in the
exchange rate in the U.S. dollar value of a security which the Fund owns or has
the right to acquire and which is denominated in the currency underlying the
option. This is a cross-hedging strategy. In such circumstances, the Fund
collateralizes the option by maintaining in a segregated account with the Fund's
Custodian, cash or U.S. Government Securities in an amount not less than the
value of the underlying foreign
10
<PAGE>
currency in U.S. dollars marked-to-market daily.
o Forward Contracts. The Fund may enter into foreign currency exchange
contracts ("Forward Contracts"), which obligate the seller to deliver and the
purchaser to take a specific amount of foreign currency at a specific future
date for a fixed price. A Forward Contract involves bilateral obligations of one
party to purchase, and another party to sell, a specific currency at a future
date (which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed
upon by the parties), at a price set at the time the contract is entered into.
These contracts are generally traded in the interbank market conducted directly
between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers.
The Fund may enter into a Forward Contract in order to "lock in" the U.S. dollar
price of a security denominated in a foreign currency which it has purchased or
sold but which has not yet settled, or to protect against a possible loss
resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and
a foreign currency.
There is a risk that use of Forward Contracts may reduce the gain that
would otherwise result from a change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar
and a foreign currency. Forward contracts include standardized foreign currency
futures contracts which are traded on exchanges and are subject to procedures
and regulations applicable to other Futures. The Fund may also enter into a
forward contract to sell a foreign currency denominated in a currency other than
that in which the underlying security is denominated. This is done in the
expectation that there is a greater correlation between the foreign currency of
the forward contract and the foreign currency of the underlying investment than
between the U.S. dollar and the foreign currency of the underlying investment.
This technique is referred to as "cross hedging." The success of cross hedging
is dependent on many factors, including the ability of the Manager to correctly
identify and monitor the correlation between foreign currencies and the U.S.
dollar. To the extent that the correlation is not identical, the Fund may
experience losses or gains on both the underlying security and the cross
currency hedge.
The Fund may use Forward Contracts to protect against uncertainty in the
level of future exchange rates. The use of Forward Contracts does not eliminate
fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund owns or intends
to acquire, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance. In addition, although
Forward Contracts limit the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the
hedged currencies, at the same time they limit any potential gain that might
result should the value of the currencies increase.
There is no limitation as to the percentage of the Fund's assets that may
be committed to foreign currency exchange contracts. The Fund does not enter
into such forward contracts or maintain a net exposure in such contracts to the
extent that the Fund would be obligated to deliver an amount of foreign currency
in excess of the value of the Fund's assets denominated in that currency (or
another currency that is also the subject of the hedge), or enter into a "cross
hedge," unless it is denominated in a currency or currencies that the Manager
believes will have price movements that tend to correlate closely with the
currency in which the investment being hedged is denominated. See "Tax Aspects
of Covered Calls and Hedging Instruments" below for a
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<PAGE>
discussion of the tax treatment of foreign currency exchange contracts
The Fund may enter into Forward Contracts with respect to specific
transactions. For example, when the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase
or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or when the Fund
anticipates receipt of dividend payments in a foreign currency, the Fund may
desire to "lock-in" the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar
equivalent of such payment by entering into a Forward Contract, for a fixed
amount of U.S. dollars per unit of foreign currency, for the purchase or sale of
the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transaction
("transaction hedge"). The Fund will thereby be able to protect itself against a
possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the
currency exchange rates during the period between the date on which the security
is purchased or sold, or on which the payment is declared, and the date on which
such payments are made or received.
The Fund may also use Forward Contracts to lock in the U.S. dollar value
of portfolio positions ("position hedge"). In a position hedge, for example,
when the Fund believes that foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline
against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward sale contract to sell an
amount of that foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the
Fund's portfolio securities denominated in such foreign currency, or when the
Fund believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a
foreign currency, it may enter into a forward purchase contract to buy that
foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount. In this situation the Fund may, in
the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different foreign
currency for a fixed U.S. dollar amount where the Fund believes that the U.S.
dollar value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will
fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in
which portfolio securities of the Fund are denominated ("cross hedge").
The Fund's Custodian will place cash or U.S. Government securities or
other liquid high-quality debt securities in a separate account of the Fund
having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Fund's commitments under
forward contracts to cover its short positions. If the value of the securities
placed in the separate account declines, additional cash or securities will be
placed in the account on a daily basis so that the value of the account will
equal the amount of the Fund's net commitments with respect to such contracts.
As an alternative to maintaining all or part of the separate account, the Fund
may purchase a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the amount of foreign
currency being hedged by a forward sale contract at a price no higher than the
forward contract price, or the Fund may purchase a put option permitting the
Fund to sell the amount of foreign currency subject to a forward purchase
contract at a price as high or higher than the forward contract price.
Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall
performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into such contracts.
The precise matching of the Forward Contract amounts and the value of the
securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of
such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market
movements in the value of these securities
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<PAGE>
between the date the Forward Contract is entered into and the date it is sold.
Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional foreign
currency on the spot (i.e., cash) market (and bear the expense of such
purchase), if the market value of the security is less than the amount of
foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to
sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency. Conversely, it may
be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency received
upon the sale of the portfolio security if its market value exceeds the amount
of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver. The projection of
short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful
execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Forward
Contracts involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be
accurately predicted, causing the Fund to sustain losses on these contracts and
transactions costs.
At or before the maturity of a Forward Contract requiring the Fund to sell
a currency, the Fund may either sell a portfolio security and use the sale
proceeds to make delivery of the currency or retain the security and offset its
contractual obligation to deliver the currency by purchasing a second contract
pursuant to which the Fund will obtain, on the same maturity date, the same
amount of the currency that it is obligated to deliver. Similarly, the Fund may
close out a Forward Contract requiring it to purchase a specified currency by
entering into a second contract entitling it to sell the same amount of the same
currency on the maturity date of the first contract. The Fund would realize a
gain or loss as a result of entering into such an offsetting Forward Contract
under either circumstance to the extent the exchange rate or rates between the
currencies involved moved between the execution dates of the first contract and
offsetting contract.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in Forward Contracts varies with factors
such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the
market conditions then prevailing. Because Forward Contracts are usually entered
into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. Because such
contracts are not traded on an exchange, the Fund must evaluate the credit and
performance risk of each particular counterparty under a Forward Contract.
Although the Fund values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it
does not intend to convert all of its holdings of foreign currency deposits into
U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The Fund may convert foreign currency from time
to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion.
Foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, but they do seek to
realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they buy
and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency
to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the
Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
o Regulatory Aspects of Hedging Instruments. The Fund is required to
operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to its use of
Futures and options on Futures established by the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission ("CFTC"). In particular the Fund is exempted from registration with
the CFTC as a "commodity pool operator" if the Fund
13
<PAGE>
complies with the requirements of Rule 4.5 adopted by the CFTC. The Rule does
not limit the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be used for Futures
margin and related options premiums for a bona fide hedging position. However,
under the Rule the Fund must limit its aggregate initial Futures margin and
related option premiums to no more than 5% of the Fund's total assets for
hedging purposes that are not considered bona fide hedging strategies under the
Rule. Under the Rule, the Fund also must use short Futures and Futures options
positions solely for "bona fide hedging purposes" within the meaning and intent
of the applicable provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Transactions in options by the Fund are subject to limitations established
by option exchanges governing the maximum number of options that may be written
or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless
of whether the options were written or purchased on the same or different
exchanges or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more different
exchanges or through one or more brokers. Thus the number of options which the
Fund may write or hold may be affected by options written or held by other
entities, including other investment companies having the same adviser as the
Fund (or an adviser that is an affiliate of the Fund's adviser). The exchanges
also impose position limits on Futures transactions. An exchange may order the
liquidation of positions found to be in violation of those limits and may impose
certain other sanctions.
Due to requirements under the Investment Company Act, when the Fund
purchases a Future, the Fund will maintain, in a segregated account or accounts
with its Custodian, cash or readily-marketable, short-term (maturing in one year
or less) debt instruments in an amount equal to the market value of the
securities underlying such Future, less the margin deposit applicable to it.
o Tax Aspects of Covered Calls and Hedging Instruments. The Fund intends
to qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code
(although it reserves the right not to qualify). That qualification enables the
Fund to "pass through" its income and realized capital gains to shareholders
without having to pay tax on them. This avoids a "double tax" on that income and
capital gains, since shareholders normally will be taxed on the dividends and
capital gains they receive from the Fund (unless the Fund's shares are held in a
retirement account or the shareholder is otherwise exempt from tax).
Certain foreign currency exchange contracts (Forward Contracts) in which
the Fund may invest are treated as "section 1256 contracts." Gains or losses
relating to section 1256 contracts generally are characterized under the
Internal Revenue Code as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or
losses. However, foreign currency gains or losses arising from certain section
1256 contracts (including Forward Contracts) generally are treated as ordinary
income or loss. In addition, section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end
of each taxable year are "marked-to-market" with the result that unrealized
gains or losses are treated as though they were realized. These contracts also
may be marked-to-market for purposes of the excise tax applicable to investment
company distributions and for other purposes under rules prescribed pursuant to
the
14
<PAGE>
Internal Revenue Code. An election can be made by the Fund to exempt these
transactions from
this marked-to-market treatment.
Certain Forward Contracts entered into by the Fund may result in
"straddles" for Federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the
character and timing of gains (or losses) recognized by the Fund on straddle
positions. Generally, a loss sustained on the disposition of a position(s)
making up a straddle is allowed only to the extent such loss exceeds any
unrecognized gain in the offsetting positions making up the straddle. Disallowed
loss is generally allowed at the point where there is no unrecognized gain in
the offsetting positions making up the straddle, or the offsetting position is
disposed of.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to
fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues
interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities
denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such
receivables or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or
ordinary loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a
foreign currency and on disposition of foreign currency forward contracts, gains
or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of a foreign currency
between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of
disposition also are treated as an ordinary gain or loss. Currency gains and
losses are offset against market gains and losses on each trade before
determining a net "section 988" gain or loss under the Internal Revenue Code,
which may ultimately increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's investment
company income available for distribution to its shareholders.
o Risks of Hedging With Options and Futures. An option position may be
closed out only on a market that provides secondary trading for options of the
same series, and there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist
for any particular option. In addition to the risks associated with hedging that
are discussed in the Prospectus and above, there is a risk in using short
hedging by (i) selling Stock Index Futures or (ii) purchasing puts on stock
indices or Stock Index Futures to attempt to protect against declines in the
value of the Fund's equity securities. The risk is that the prices of Stock
Index Futures will correlate imperfectly with the behavior of the cash (i.e.,
market value) prices of the Fund's equity securities. The ordinary spreads
between prices in the cash and futures markets are subject to distortions, due
to differences in the natures of those markets. First, all participants in the
futures markets are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements.
Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close
out futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the
normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity
of the futures markets depends on participants entering into offsetting
transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants
decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures markets could be
reduced, thus producing distortion.
Third, from the point
of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures markets are less
onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets. Therefore, increased
participation by speculators in the futures markets may cause temporary price
distortions.
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<PAGE>
The risk of imperfect correlation increases as the composition of the
Fund's portfolio diverges from the securities included in the applicable index.
To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the price of the
equity securities being hedged and movements in the price of the hedging
instruments, the Fund may use hedging instruments in a greater dollar amount
than the dollar amount of equity securities being hedged if the historical
volatility of the prices of the equity securities being hedged is more than the
historical volatility of the applicable index. It is also possible that if the
Fund has used hedging instruments in a short hedge, the market may advance and
the value of equity securities held in the Fund's portfolio may decline. If that
occurred, the Fund would lose money on the hedging instruments and also
experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. However, while this
could occur for a very brief period or to a very small degree, over time the
value of a diversified portfolio of equity securities will tend to move in the
same direction as the indices upon which the hedging instruments are based.
If the Fund uses hedging instruments to establish a position in the
equities markets as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual equity
securities (long hedging) by buying Stock Index Futures and/or calls on such
Futures, on securities or on stock indices, it is possible that the market may
decline. If the Fund then concludes not to invest in equity securities at that
time because of concerns as to a possible further market decline or for other
reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the hedging instruments that is not
offset by a reduction in the price of the equity securities purchased.
o Short Sales. The Fund may not sell securities short except in collateralized
transactions where the Fund owns an equivalent amount of the securities sold
short. As a fundamental policy, no more than 15% of the Fund's net assets will
be held as collateral for such short sales at any time.
Other Investment Restrictions
The Fund's most significant investment restrictions are described in the
Prospectus. The following are also fundamental policies and together with the
Fund's fundamental policies described in the Prospectus, cannot be changed
without the approval of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities. Under the Investment Company Act, such a "majority" vote is defined
as the vote of the holders of the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of the shares
present or represented by proxy at a shareholders meeting, if the holders of
more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented by proxy; or
(ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares.
Under these additional restrictions, the Fund cannot:
o invest in companies for the primary purpose of acquiring control or
management thereof;
o invest in commodities or in commodities contracts; other than the hedging
instruments permitted by any of its other fundamental policies, whether or not
any such hedging instrument is considered to be a commodity or a commodity
contract;
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<PAGE>
o invest in real estate or in interests in real estate, but may purchase
readily marketable securities of companies holding real estate or interests
therein;
o purchase securities on margin; however, the Fund may make margin deposits
in connection with any of the hedging instruments permitted by any of its other
fundamental policies;
o lend money, but the Fund may invest in all or a portion of an issue of
bonds, debentures, commercial paper, or other similar corporate obligations of
the types that are usually purchased by institutions, whether or not publicly
distributed, provided that such obligations which are not publicly distributed
shall be subject to the limits on the amount set forth in the Prospectus under
the caption "Illiquid and Restricted Securities"; the Fund may also make loans
of portfolio securities, subject to the restrictions set forth in the Prospectus
and above under the caption "Loans of Portfolio Securities";
o mortgage or pledge any of its assets; such prohibition against mortgaging
or pledging does not prohibit the escrow arrangements contemplated by the
writing of covered call options or other collateral or margin arrangements in
connection with any of the Hedging Instruments permitted by any of its other
fundamental policies;
o underwrite securities of other companies, except insofar as it might be
deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 in the
resale of any securities held in its own portfolio;
o invest or hold securities of any issuer if those officers and directors or
trustees of the Fund or its adviser owning individually more than 1/2 of 1% of
the securities of such issuer together own more than 5% of the securities of
such issuer; or
o invest in other open-end investment companies, or invest more than 5% of
its net assets at the time of purchase in closed-end investment companies,
including small business investment companies, nor make any such investments at
commission rates in excess of normal brokerage commissions. The percentage
restrictions described above and in the Prospectus apply only at the time of
investment and require no action by the Fund as a result of subsequent changes
in relative values.
For purposes of the Fund's policy not to concentrate its assets, as
described in "Other Investment Restrictions" in the Prospectus, the Fund has
adopted the corporate industry classifications set forth in the Appendix to this
Statement of Additional Information. This is not a fundamental policy.
How the Fund Is Managed
Organization and History. As a Massachusetts business trust, the Fund is not
required to hold, and does not plan to hold, regular annual meetings of
shareholders. The Fund will hold meetings when required to do so by the
Investment Company Act or other applicable law, or when a shareholder meeting is
called by the Trustees or upon proper request of the shareholders. Shareholders
have the right, upon the declaration in writing or vote of two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of the Fund, to remove a Trustee. The Trustees will call a
meeting of shareholders to vote on the removal of a Trustee upon the written
request of the record holders of 10% of its outstanding shares. In addition, if
the Trustees receive a request from at least 10
17
<PAGE>
shareholders (who have been shareholders for at least six months) holding shares
of the Fund valued at $25,000 or more or holding at least 1% of the Fund's
outstanding shares, whichever is less, stating that they wish to communicate
with other shareholders to request a meeting to remove a Trustee, the Trustees
will then either make the Fund's shareholder list available to the applicants or
mail their communication to all other shareholders at the applicants' expense,
or the Trustees may take such other action as set forth under Section 16(c) of
the Investment Company Act.
The Fund's Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of
shareholder or Trustee liability for the Fund's obligations, and provides for
indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of its property for any
shareholder held personally liable for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust
also provides that the Fund shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim
made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Fund and satisfy
any judgment thereon. Thus, while Massachusetts law permits a shareholder of a
business trust (such as the Fund) to be held personally liable as a "partner"
under certain circumstances, the risk of a Fund shareholder incurring financial
loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to the relatively remote
circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations
described above. Any person doing business with the Trust, and any shareholder
of the Trust, agrees under the Trust's Declaration of Trust to look solely to
the assets of the Trust for satisfaction of any claim or demand which may arise
out of any dealings with the Trust, and the Trustees shall have no personal
liability to any such person, to the extent permitted by law.
Trustees and Officers of the Fund. The Fund's Trustees and officers and their
principal occupations and business affiliations during the past five years are
set forth below. The address for each Trustee and officer is Two World Trade
Center, New York, New York 10048-0203, unless another address is listed below.
All of the Trustees are also trustees or directors of Oppenheimer Enterprise
Fund, Oppenheimer Growth Fund, Oppenheimer Municipal Bond Fund, Oppenheimer
Money Market Fund, Inc., Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund, Oppenheimer U.S.
Government Trust, Oppenheimer New York Municipal Fund, Oppenheimer California
Municipal Fund, Oppenheimer Multi-State Municipal Trust, Oppenheimer Multiple
Strategies Fund, Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund, Oppenheimer Global
Growth & Income Fund, Oppenheimer Discovery Fund, Oppenheimer International
Small Company Fund, Oppenheimer International Growth Fund, Oppenheimer
Developing Markets Fund, Oppenheimer Series Fund, Inc., Oppenheimer Multi-Sector
Income Trust, and Oppenheimer World Bond Fund (collectively, the "New York-based
Oppenheimer funds"), except that Ms. Macaskill is not a director of Oppenheimer
Money Market Fund, Inc. Ms. Macaskill and Messrs. Spiro, Donohue, Bishop, Bowen,
Farrar and Zack hold the same respective offices with the New York-based
Oppenheimer funds as with the Fund. As of January 19, 1998, the Trustees and
officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding Class A
shares; none held any Class B or Class C shares of the Fund. That statement does
not include ownership of shares held of record by an employee benefit plan for
employees of the Manager (one of the Trustees of the Fund listed below, Ms.
Macaskill, and one of the officers, Mr. Donohue, are trustees of that plan)
other than the shares beneficially owned under that plan by the officers of the
Fund listed above.
18
<PAGE>
Leon Levy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Age: 72
31 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
General Partner of Odyssey Partners, L.P. (investment partnership)(since 1982)
and Chairman of Avatar Holdings, Inc. (real estate development).
Robert G. Galli, Trustee; Age: 64
19750 Beach Road, Jupiter Island, FL 33469
Formerly he held the following positions: Vice Chairman of OppenheimerFunds,
Inc. (the "Manager") (October 1995-December 1997); Vice President and Counsel of
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), the Manager's parent holding company;
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and a director of the Manager and
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (the "Distributor"), Vice President and a
director of HarbourView Asset Management Corporation ("HarbourView") and
Centennial Asset Management Corporation ("Centennial"), investment adviser
subsidiaries of the Manager, a director of Shareholder Financial Services, Inc.
("SFSI") and Shareholder Services, Inc. ("SSI"), transfer agent subsidiaries of
the Manager and an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
Benjamin Lipstein, Trustee; Age: 74
591 Breezy Hill Road, Hillsdale, N.Y. 12529
Professor Emeritus of Marketing, Stern Graduate School of Business
Administration, New York University; a director of Sussex Publishers, Inc
(Publishers of Psychology Today and Mother Earth News) and of Spy Magazine, L.P.
Bridget A. Macaskill, President and Trustee*; Age: 49
President (since June 1991), Chief Executive Officer (since September 1995) and
a Director (since December 1994) of the Manager; President and director (since
June 1991) of HarbourView; Chairman and a director of SSI (since August 1994),
and SFSI (September 1995); President (since September 1995) and a director
(since October 1990) of OAC; President (since September 1995) and a director
(since November 1989) of Oppenheimer Partnership Holdings, Inc., a holding
company subsidiary of the Manager; a director of Oppenheimer Real Asset
Management, Inc. (since July 1996); President and a director (since October
1997) of OppenheimerFunds International Ltd., an offshore fund manager
subsidiary of the Manager ("OFIL") and Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since
October 1997); President and a director of other Oppenheimer funds; a director
of the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. and of Hillsdown Holdings plc (a U.K. food
company); formerly an Executive Vice President of the Manager.
- ----------------
*A Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
19
<PAGE>
Elizabeth B. Moynihan, Trustee; Age: 68
801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004
Author and architectural historian; a trustee of the Freer Gallery of Art
(Smithsonian Institution), the Institute of Fine Arts (New York University),
National Building Museum; a member of the Trustees Council, Preservation League
of New York State, and of the Indo-U.S. Sub-Commission on Education and Culture.
Kenneth A. Randall, Trustee; Age: 70
6 Whittaker's Mill, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
A director of Dominion Resources, Inc. (electric utility holding company),
Dominion Energy, Inc. (electric power and oil & gas producer), Texan
Cogeneration Company (cogeneration company), Prime Retail, Inc. (real estate
investment trust); formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of The
Conference Board, Inc. (international economic and business research) and a
director of Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company, American Motorists Insurance
Company and American Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company.
Edward V. Regan, Trustee; Age: 67
40 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016
Chairman of Municipal Assistance Corporation for the City of New York; Senior
Fellow of Jerome Levy Economics Institute, Bard College; a member of the U.S.
Competitiveness Policy Council; a director of River Bank America (real estate
manager); Trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation (FASB and GASB); formerly New
York State Comptroller and trustee, New York State and Local Retirement Fund.
Russell S. Reynolds, Jr., Trustee; Age: 66
8 Sound Shore Drive, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
Founder Chairman of Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. (executive recruiting);
Chairman of Directorship Inc. (corporate governance consulting); a director of
Professional Staff Limited (U.K); a trustee of Mystic Seaport Museum,
International House and Greenwich Historical Society.
Donald W. Spiro, Vice Chairman and Trustee*; Age: 72
Chairman Emeritus (since August 1991) and a director (since January 1969) of the
Manager; formerly Chairman of the Manager and the Distributor.
Pauline Trigere, Trustee; Age: 85
498 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10018
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trigere, Inc. (design and sale of
women's fashions).
- ----------------
*A Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
20
<PAGE>
Clayton K. Yeutter, Trustee; Age: 67
1325 Merrie Ridge Road, McLean, Virginia 22101
Of Counsel, Hogan & Hartson (a law firm); a director of B.A.T. Industries, Ltd.
(tobacco and financial services), Caterpillar, Inc. (machinery), ConAgra, Inc.
(food and agricultural products), Farmers Insurance Company (insurance), FMC
Corp. (chemicals and machinery) and Texas Instruments, Inc. (electronics);
formerly (in descending chronological order) IMC Global Inc. (chemicals and
animal feed), Counsellor to the President (Bush) for Domestic Policy, Chairman
of the Republican National Committee, Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and U.S. Trade Representative.
William L. Wilby, Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age: 53
Senior Vice President of the Manager (since July 1994) and Vice President of
HarbourView (since October 1993); an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
George C. Bowen, Treasurer; Age: 61
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Senior Vice President (since September 1987) and Treasurer (since March 1985) of
the Manager; Vice President (since June 1983) and Treasurer (since March 1985)
of the Distributor; Vice President (since October 1989) and Treasurer (since
April 1986) of HarbourView; Senior Vice President (since February 1992),
Treasurer (since July 1991)and a director (since December 1991) of Centennial;
President, Treasurer and a director of Centennial Capital Corporation (since
June 1989); Vice President and Treasurer (since August 1978) and Secretary
(since April 1981) of SSI; Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of SFSI
(since November 1989); Treasurer of OAC (since June 1990); Treasurer of
Oppenheimer Partnership Holdings, Inc. (since November 1989); Vice President and
Treasurer of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since July 1996); Chief
Executive Officer, Treasurer and a director of MultiSource Services, Inc., a
broker-dealer (since December 1995); an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
Andrew J. Donohue, Secretary; Age: 47
Executive Vice President (since January 1993), General Counsel (since October
1991) and a Director (since September 1995) of the Manager; Executive Vice
President (since September 1993), and a director (since January 1992) of the
Distributor; Executive Vice President, General Counsel and a director of
HarbourView, SSI, SFSI and Oppenheimer Partnership Holdings, Inc. since
(September 1995) and MultiSource Services, Inc. (a broker-dealer) (since
December 1995); President and a director of Centennial (since September 1995);
President and a director of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since July
1996); General Counsel (since May 1996) and Secretary (since April 1997) of OAC;
Vice President of OFIL and Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since October
1997); an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
- ----------------
*A Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
21
<PAGE>
Robert J. Bishop, Assistant Treasurer; Age: 39
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (since May 1996); an
officer of other Oppenheimer funds; formerly an Assistant Vice President of the
Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (April 1994-May 1996), and a Fund Controller for
the Manager.
Scott T. Farrar, Assistant Treasurer; Age: 32
6803 South Tucson Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112
Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (since May 1996); Assistant
Treasurer of Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc (since October 1997); an officer
of other Oppenheimer funds; formerly an Assistant Vice President of the
Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting (April 1994-May 1996), and a Fund Controller for
the Manager.
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary; Age: 49
Senior Vice President (since May 1985) and Associate General Counsel (since May
1981) of the Manager, Assistant Secretary of SSI (since May 1985), and SFSI
(since November 1989); Assistant Secretary of Oppenheimer Millennium Funds plc
(since October 1997); an officer of other Oppenheimer funds.
|X| Remuneration of Trustees. The officers of the Fund and certain Trustees
of the Fund (Ms. Macaskill and Mr. Spiro) who are affiliated with the Manager
receive no salary or fee from the Fund. Mr. Galli received no salary or fee
prior to January 1, 1998. The remaining Trustees of the Fund received the
compensation shown below. The compensation from the Fund was paid during its
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997. The compensation from all of the New
York-based Oppenheimer funds includes the Fund and is compensation received as a
director, trustee or member of a committee of the Board during the 1997 calendar
year.
Retirement Total
Aggregate Benefits Compensation
Compensation Accrued as From All
From Part of Fund New York-based
Name and Position the Fund(1) Expenses Oppenheimer
Funds(3)
Leon Levy, $16,856 $889 $158,500
Chairman and Trustee
Benjamin Lipstein $14,569 $768 $137,000
Study Committee Chairman,
Audit Committee Member
and Trustee(2)
22
<PAGE>
Retirement Total
Aggregate Benefits Compensation
Compensation Accrued as From All
From Part of Fund New York-based
Name and Position the Fund(1) Expenses Oppenheimer
Funds(3)
Elizabeth B. Moynihan $10,262 $541 $96,500
Study Committee Member
and Trustee
Kenneth A. Randall $9,411 $496 $88,500
Audit Committee Chairman
and Trustee
Edward V. Regan $9,305 $491 $87,500
Proxy Committee Chairman,
Audit Committee Member
and Trustee
Russell S. Reynolds, Jr. $6,966 $367 $65,500
Proxy Committee Member
and Trustee
Pauline Trigere, Trustee $6,221 $328 $58,500
Clayton K. Yeutter $6,966 $367 $65,500
Proxy Committee Member
and Trustee
- ----------------------
(1)For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997.
(2)Committee position held during a portion of the period shown.
(3)For the 1997 calendar year.
The Fund has adopted a retirement plan that provides for payment to a
retired Trustee of up to 80% of the average compensation paid during that
Trustee's five years of service in which the highest compensation was received.
A Trustee must serve in that capacity for any of the New York- based Oppenheimer
funds for at least 15 years to be eligible for the maximum payment. Because each
Trustee's retirement benefits will depend on the amount of the Trustee's future
compensation and length of service, the amount of those benefits cannot be
determined as of this time nor can the Fund estimate the number of years of
credited service that will be used to determine those benefits.
23
<PAGE>
Deferred Compensation Plan. The Board of Trustees has adopted a Deferred
Compensation Plan for disinterested trustees that enables them to elect to defer
receipt of all or a portion of the annual fees they are entitled to receive from
the Fund. Under the plan, the compensation deferred by a Trustee is periodically
adjusted as though an equivalent amount had been invested in shares of one or
more Oppenheimer funds selected by the Trustee. The amount paid to the Trustee
under the plan will be determined based upon the performance of the selected
funds. Deferral of Trustees' fees under the plan will not materially affect the
Fund's assets, liabilities or net income per share. The plan will not obligate
the Fund to retain the services of any Trustee or to pay any particular level of
compensation to any Trustee. Pursuant to an Order issued by the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the Fund may, notwithstanding its fundamental policy
restricting investment in other open-end investment companies, as described in
the Statement of Additional Information, invest in the funds selected by the
Trustee under the plan without shareholder approval for the limited purpose of
determining the value of the Trustee's deferred fee account.
o Major Shareholders. As of January 16, 1998, no person owned of record or
was known by the Fund to own beneficially 5% or more of the Fund's outstanding
Class A, Class B or Class C shares, except: (i) Nationwide Insurance Company
("Nationwide"), P.O. Box 182029, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2029; on that date
Nationwide's Qualified Plan Variable 401(k) owned 7,654,091.286 Class A shares
(equal to 9.70% of the Class A shares then outstanding) and (ii) Merrill Lynch
Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc. ("Merrill Lynch"), 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, 3rd
Floor, Jacksonville, Florida 32246-6484, which was the record owner of
184,417.017 Class C shares (equal to 11.88% of the Class C shares then
outstanding). The Manager has been advised that such shares were held by
Nationwide and Merrill Lynch for the benefit of their respective customers.
The Manager and Its Affiliates. The Manager is wholly-owned by Oppenheimer
Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), a holding company controlled by Massachusetts Mutual
Life Insurance Company. OAC is also owned in part by certain of the Manager's
directors and officers, some of whom also serve as officers of the Fund, and two
of whom (Ms. Macaskill and Mr. Spiro) serve as Trustees of the Fund.
The Manager and the Fund have a Code of Ethics. It is designed to detect
and prevent improper personal trading by certain employees, including portfolio
managers, that would compete with or take advantage of the Fund's portfolio
transactions. Compliance with the Code of Ethics is carefully monitored and
strictly enforced by the Manager.
|X| Portfolio Manager. The portfolio manager of the Fund is Mr. William L.
Wilby, a Senior Vice President of the Manager. He is the person principally
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio. Mr. Wilby's
background is described in the Prospectus under "Portfolio Manager." Other
members of the Manager's Equity Portfolio Department, particularly Mr. George
Evans and Mr. Frank Jennings, provide the Portfolio Manager with counsel and
support in managing the Fund's portfolio.
24
<PAGE>
o The Investment Advisory Agreement. A management fee is payable monthly to
the Manager under the terms of the investment advisory agreement between the
Manager and the Fund and is computed on the aggregate net assets of the Fund as
of the close of business each day. The investment advisory agreement requires
the Manager, at its expense, to provide the Fund with adequate office space,
facilities and equipment, and to provide and supervise the activities of all
administrative and clerical personnel required to provide effective corporate
administration for the Fund, including the compilation and maintenance of
records with respect to its operations, the preparation and filing of specified
reports, and composition of proxy materials and registration statements for
continuous public sale of shares of the Fund.
Expenses not expressly assumed by the Manager under the advisory agreement
or by the Distributor under the General Distributor's Agreement are paid by the
Fund. The advisory agreement lists examples of expenses paid by the Fund, the
major categories of which relate to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, fees
to certain Trustees, legal and audit expenses, custodian and transfer agent
expenses, share issuance costs, certain printing and registration costs and
non-recurring expenses, including litigation costs. For the Fund's fiscal years
ended September 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997, the management fees paid by the Fund to
the Manager were $16,152,873, $19,638,352 and $25,187,599, respectively.
The Investment Advisory Agreement contains no expense limitation. However,
because of state regulations limiting fund expenses that previously applied, the
Manager had voluntarily undertaken that the Fund's total expenses in any fiscal
year (including the investment advisory fee but exclusive of taxes, interest,
brokerage commissions, distribution plan payments and any extraordinary
non-recurring expenses, including litigation) would not exceed the most
stringent state regulatory limitation applicable to the Fund. Due to changes in
federal securities laws, such state regulations no longer apply and the
Manager's undertaking is therefore inapplicable and has been withdrawn. During
the Fund's last fiscal year, the Fund's expenses did not exceed the most
stringent state regulatory limit and the voluntary undertaking was not invoked.
The Fund's investment advisory agreement was amended as of December 11, 1997 to
reduce the fee on net assets of the Fund in excess of $6.0 billion.
The Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or reckless disregard
for its obligations and duties thereunder, the Manager is not liable for any
loss sustained by reason of good faith errors or omissions in connection with
any matters to which the Agreement relates. The Agreement permits the Manager to
act as investment adviser for any other person, firm or corporation and to use
the name "Oppenheimer" in connection with other investment companies for which
it may act as investment adviser or general distributor. If the Manager shall no
longer act as investment adviser to the Fund, the right of the Fund to use the
name "Oppenheimer" as part of its name may be withdrawn.
25
<PAGE>
o The Distributor. Under its General Distributor's Agreement with the Fund,
the Distributor acts as the Fund's principal underwriter in the continuous
public offering of the Fund's Class A, Class B and Class C shares but is not
obligated to sell a specific number of shares. Expenses normally attributable to
sales, (excluding payments under the Distribution and Service Plans but
including advertising and the cost of printing and mailing prospectuses, other
than those furnished to existing shareholders), are borne by the Distributor.
During the Fund's fiscal years ended September 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997, the
aggregate sales charges on sales of the Fund's Class A shares were $6,476,502,
$5,830,983 and $5,685,337, respectively, of which the Distributor and an
affiliated broker-dealer retained in the aggregate $1,984,299, $1,861,170 and
$1,827,212, in those respective years. During the Fund's fiscal years ended
September 30, 1996 and 1997, the contingent deferred sales charges collected on
the Fund's Class B shares totaled $743,491 and $1,011,172, all of which the
Distributor retained. During the same periods, contingent deferred sales charges
collected on Class C shares totaled $6,445 and $17,175, respectively, all of
which retained by the Distributor. For additional information about distribution
of the Fund's shares and the payments made by the Fund to the Distributor in
connection with such activities, please refer to "Distribution and Service
Plans," below.
o The Transfer Agent. OppenheimerFunds Services, the Fund's Transfer Agent,
is responsible for maintaining the Fund's shareholder registry and shareholder
accounting records, and for shareholder servicing and administrative functions.
Brokerage Policies of the Fund
Brokerage Provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement. One of the duties of
the Manager under the advisory agreement is to arrange the portfolio
transactions for the Fund. The advisory agreement contains provisions relating
to the employment of broker-dealers ("brokers") to effect the Fund's portfolio
transactions. In doing so, the Manager is authorized by the advisory agreement
to employ broker-dealers, including "affiliated" brokers, as that term is
defined in the Investment Company Act, as may, in its best judgment based on all
relevant factors, implement the policy of the Fund to obtain, at reasonable
expense, the "best execution" (prompt and reliable execution at the most
favorable price obtainable) of such transactions. The Manager need not seek
competitive commission bidding but is expected to minimize the commissions paid
to the extent consistent with the interest and policies of the Fund as
established by its Board of Trustees. Purchases of securities from underwriters
include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and
purchases from dealers include a spread between the bid and asked price.
Under the advisory agreement, the Manager is authorized to select brokers
that provide brokerage and/or research services for the Fund and/or the other
accounts over which the Manager or its affiliates have investment discretion.
The commissions paid to such brokers may be higher than another qualified broker
would have charged if a good faith determination is made by the Manager that the
commission is fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided.
26
<PAGE>
Subject to the foregoing considerations, the Manager may also consider sales of
shares of the Fund and other investment companies managed by the Manager or its
affiliates as a factor in the selection of brokers for the Fund's portfolio
transactions.
Description of Brokerage Practices Followed by the Manager. Subject to the
provisions of the advisory agreement, and the procedures and rules described
above, allocations of brokerage are generally made by the Manager's portfolio
traders based upon recommendations from the Manager's portfolio managers. In
certain instances, portfolio managers may directly place trades and allocate
brokerage, also subject to the provisions of the advisory agreement and the
procedures and rules described above. In either case, brokerage is allocated
under the supervision of the Manager's executive officers. Transactions in
securities other than those for which an exchange is the primary market are
generally done with principals or market makers. Brokerage commissions are paid
primarily for effecting transactions in listed securities or for certain
fixed-income agency transactions in the secondary market, and are otherwise paid
only if it appears likely that a better price or execution can be obtained. When
the Fund engages in an option transaction, ordinarily the same broker will be
used for the purchase or sale of the option and any transaction in the
securities to which the option relates. When possible, concurrent orders to
purchase or sell the same security by more than one of the accounts managed by
the Manager or its affiliates are combined. The transactions effected pursuant
to such combined orders are averaged as to price and allocated in accordance
with the purchase or sale orders actually placed for each account. Option
commissions may be relatively higher than those which would apply to direct
purchases and sales of portfolio securities.
The research services provided by a particular broker may be useful only
to one or more of the advisory accounts of the Manager and its affiliates, and
investment research received for the commissions of those other accounts may be
useful both to the Fund and one or more of such other accounts. Such research,
which may be supplied by a third party at the instance of a broker, includes
information and analyses on particular companies and industries as well as
market or economic trends and portfolio strategy, receipt of market quotations
for portfolio evaluations, information systems, computer hardware and similar
products and services. If a research service also assists the Manager in a
non-research capacity (such as bookkeeping or other administrative functions),
then only the percentage or component that provides assistance to the Manager in
the investment decision-making process may be paid for in commission dollars.
The Board of Trustees has permitted the Manager to use concessions on fixed
price offerings to obtain research, in the same manner as is permitted for
agency transactions. The Board has also permitted the Manager to use stated
commissions on secondary fixed-income agency trades to obtain research where the
broker has represented to the Manager that: (i) the trade is not from or for the
broker's own inventory, (ii) the trade was executed by the broker on an agency
basis at the stated commission, and (iii) the trade is not a riskless principal
transaction.
The research services provided by brokers broaden the scope and supplement
the research activities of the Manager, by making available additional views for
consideration and comparisons, and by enabling the Manager to obtain market
information for the valuation of
27
<PAGE>
securities held in the Fund's portfolio or being considered for purchase. The
Board of Trustees, including the "independent" Trustees of the Fund (those
Trustees of the Fund who are not "interested persons" as defined in the
Investment Company Act, and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the operation of the advisory agreement or the Distribution Plans described
below) annually reviews information furnished by the Manager as to the
commissions paid to brokers furnishing such services so that the Board may
ascertain whether the amount of such commissions was reasonably related to the
value or benefit of such services.
During the Fund's fiscal years ended September 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997,
total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund (not including spreads or
concessions on principal transactions on a net trade basis) were $10,853,162,
$13,381,857 and $9,330,335, respectively. During the fiscal years ended
September 30, 1996 and 1997, $10,127,169 and $8,319,945, respectively, was paid
to brokers as commissions in return for research services; the aggregate dollar
amount of those transactions was $3,050,667,972. The transactions giving rise to
those commissions were allocated in accordance with the Manager's internal
allocation procedures.
Performance of the Fund
Total Return Information. As described in the Prospectus, from time to time the
"average annual total return," "cumulative total return," "average annual total
return at net asset value" and "total return at net asset value" of an
investment in a class of shares of the Fund may be advertised. An explanation of
how these total returns are calculated for each class and the components of
those calculations is set forth below.
The Fund's advertisements of its performance data must, under applicable
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, include the average annual
total returns for each advertised class of shares of the Fund for the 1, 5, and
10-year periods (or the life of the class, if less) ending as of the most
recently-ended calendar quarter prior to the publication of the advertisement.
This enables an investor to compare the Fund's performance to the performance of
other funds for the same periods. However, a number of factors should be
considered before using such information as a basis for comparison with other
investments. An investment in the Fund is not insured; its returns and share
prices are not guaranteed and normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. When
redeemed, an investor's shares may be worth more or less than their original
cost. Returns for any given past period are not a prediction or representation
by the Fund of future returns. The returns of each class of shares of the Fund
are affected by portfolio quality, the type of investments the Fund holds and
its operating expenses allocated to the particular class.
o Average Annual Total Returns. The "average annual total return" of each
class is an average annual compounded rate of return for each year in a
specified number of years. It is the rate of return based on the change in value
of a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 ("P" in the formula below) held
for a number of years ("n") to achieve an Ending Redeemable Value ("ERV") of
that investment, according to the following formula:
LEFT ( {~ERV~} OVER P~ right) SUP
{1/n}~-1~=~Average~Annual~Total~ Return
o Cumulative Total Returns. The cumulative "total return" calculation
measures the change in value of a hypothetical investment of $1,000 over an
entire period of years. Its calculation uses some of the same factors as average
annual total return, but it does not average the rate of return on an annual
basis. Cumulative total return is determined as follows: ALIGNC {ERV~-~ P~} over
P~ =~Total~ Return
In calculating total returns for Class A shares, the current maximum sales
charge of 5.75% (as a percentage of the offering price) is deducted from the
initial investment ("P") (unless the return is shown at net asset value, as
described below). For Class B shares, the payment of the applicable contingent
deferred sales charge (5.0% for the first year, 4.0% for the second year, 3.0%
for the third and fourth years, 2.0% in the fifth year, 1.0% in the sixth year
and none thereafter) is applied to the investment result for the period shown
(unless the total return is shown at net asset value, as described below). For
Class C shares, the payment of the 1.0% contingent deferred sales charge is
applied to the investment result for the one-year period (or less). Total
returns also assume that all dividends and capital gains distributions during
the period are reinvested to buy additional shares at net asset value per share,
and that the investment is redeemed at the end of the period. The "average
annual total returns" on an investment in Class A shares of the Fund for the
one, five and ten year periods ended September 30, 1997 were 25.21%, 16.74% and
10.71%, respectively. During a portion of the periods for which total returns
are shown for Class A shares, the Fund's maximum initial sales charge rate was
higher. As a result, performance of an actual investment during those periods
would be less than the results shown. The cumulative "total return" on Class A
shares for the ten year period ended September 30, 1997 was 176.66%. The average
annual total returns on an investment in Class B shares of the Fund for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 and from August 17, 1993 (the inception of
the offering of Class B shares) through September 30, 1997 were 26.76% and
17.43%, respectively. The cumulative total return on Class B shares for the
period from August 17, 1993 through September 30, 1997 was 93.83%. The average
annual total returns on an investment in Class C shares for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1997 and from October 2, 1995 (the inception of the offering
of Class C shares) through September 30, 1997 were 30.76% and 21.73%,
respectively. The cumulative total return on the Fund's Class C shares for the
period from October 2, 1995 through September 30, 1997 was 48.01%.
o Total Returns at Net Asset Value. From time to time the Fund may also
quote an average annual total return at net asset value or a cumulative total
return at net asset value for Class A, Class B, or Class C shares. Each is based
on the difference in net asset value per share at the beginning and the end of
the period for a hypothetical investment in that class of shares
28
<PAGE>
(without considering front-end or contingent deferred sales charges) and takes
into consideration the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains
distributions. The cumulative total return at net asset value of the Fund's
Class A shares for the ten-year period ended September 30, 1997 was 193.53%. The
average annual total returns at net asset value for the one, five and ten-year
periods ended September 30, 1997, for Class A shares were 32.85%, 18.13% and
11.37%, respectively. The cumulative total return at net asset value on the
Fund's Class B shares for the period from August 17, 1993 through September 30,
1997 was 95.83%. The average annual total returns at net asset value on the
Fund's Class B shares for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 and from
August 17, 1993 through September 30, 1997 were 31.77% and 17.72%, respectively.
The cumulative total return at net asset value of the Fund's Class C shares for
the period from October 2, 1995 to September 30, 1997 was 48.01%. The average
annual total returns at net asset value on the Fund's Class C shares for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 and from October 2, 1995 through September
30, 1997 were 31.76% and 21.73%, respectively.
Other Performance Comparisons. From time to time the Fund may publish the
ranking of its Class A, Class B or Class C shares by Lipper Analytical Services,
Inc. ("Lipper"), a widely- recognized independent mutual fund monitoring
service. Lipper monitors the performance of regulated investment companies,
including the Fund, and ranks their performance for various periods based on
categories relating to investment objectives. The performance of the Fund's
classes is ranked against (i) all other funds, (ii) all other "global" funds and
(iii) all other "global" funds in a specific size category. The Lipper
performance rankings are based on total returns that include the reinvestment of
capital gain distributions and income dividends but do not take sales charges or
taxes into consideration.
From time to time the Fund may publish the star ranking of the performance
of its Class A, Class B and Class C shares by Morningstar, Inc., an independent
mutual fund monitoring service. Morningstar ranks mutual funds in broad
investment categories: domestic stock funds, international stock funds, taxable
bond funds and municipal bond funds, based on risk-adjusted total investment
returns. The Fund is ranked among international stock funds. Investment return
measures a fund's or class' one, three, five and ten-year average annual total
returns (depending on the inception of the fund or class) in excess of 90-day
U.S. Treasury bill returns after considering the fund's sales charges and
expenses. Risk measures a fund's or class' performance below 90-day U.S.
Treasury bill returns. Risk and investment return are combined to produce star
rankings reflecting performance relative to the average fund in the fund's
category. Five stars is the "highest" ranking (top 10%), four stars is "above
average" (next 22.5%), three stars is "average" (next 35%), two stars is "below
average" (next 22.5%) and one star is "lowest" (bottom 10%). The current star
ranking is the fund's or class' 3-year ranking or its combined 3- and 5- year
ranking (weighted 60%/40%, respectively, or its combined 3-, 5- and 10-year
ranking (weighted 40%, 30% and 30%, respectively), depending on the inception of
the fund or class. Rankings are subject to change monthly.
The Fund may also compare its performance to that of other funds in its
Morningstar
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Category. In addition to its star ranking, Morningstar also categorizes and
compares a fund's 3- year performance based on Morningstar's classification of
the fund's investments and investment style, rather than how a fund defines its
investment objective. Morningstar's four broad categories (domestic equity,
international equity, municipal bond and taxable bond) are each further
subdivided into categories based on types of investments and investment styles.
Those comparisons by Morningstar are based on the same risk and return
measurements as its star rankings but do not consider the effect of sales
charges.
From time to time, the Fund may include in its advertisements and sales
literature performance information about the Fund cited in other newspapers and
periodicals, such as The New York Times, which may include performance
quotations from other sources, including Lipper.
The total return on an investment in the Fund's Class A, Class B or Class
C shares may be compared with performance for the same period of the Morgan
Stanley World Index, an unmanaged index of issuers on the stock exchanges of 20
foreign countries and the United States and widely recognized as a measure of
global stock market performance. The performance of such Index includes a factor
for the reinvestment of dividends but does not reflect expenses or taxes. The
performance of the Fund's Class A, Class B or Class C shares may also be
compared in publications to (i) the performance of various market indices or to
other investments for which reliable performance data is available, and (ii) to
averages, performance rankings or other benchmarks prepared by recognized mutual
fund statistical services.
Total return information may be useful to investors in reviewing the
performance of the Fund's Class A, Class B or Class C shares. However, when
comparing total return of an investment in Class A, Class B or Class C shares of
the Fund, a number of factors should be considered before using such information
as a basis for comparison with other investments. For example, investors may
also wish to compare the Fund's Class A, Class B or Class C return to the
returns on fixed income investments available from banks and thrift
institutions, such as certificates of deposit, ordinary interest-paying checking
and savings accounts, and other forms of fixed or variable time deposits, and
various other instruments such as Treasury bills. However, the Fund's returns
and share price are not guaranteed by the FDIC or any other agency and will
fluctuate daily, while bank depository obligations may be insured by the FDIC
and may provide fixed rates of return, and Treasury bills are guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the U.S. government.
From time to time, the Fund's Manager may publish rankings or ratings of
the Manager (or Transfer Agent) or the investor services provided by them to
shareholders of the Oppenheimer funds, other than performance rankings of the
Oppenheimer funds themselves. Those ratings or rankings of shareholder/investor
services by third parties may compare the Oppenheimer funds' services to those
of other mutual fund families selected by the rating or ranking services and may
be based upon the opinions of the rating or ranking service itself, based on its
research or judgment, or based upon surveys of investors, brokers, shareholders
or others.
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Distribution and Service Plans
The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares and Distribution and
Service Plans for Class B and Class C shares of the Fund under Rule 12b-1 of the
Investment Company Act, pursuant to which the Fund makes payments to the
Distributor in connection with the distribution and/or servicing of the shares
of that class, as described in the Prospectus. Each Plan has been approved by a
vote of (i) the Board of Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the
Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on that Plan, and (ii) the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the
Investment Company Act) of the shares of each class. For the Distribution and
Service Plans for Class B and Class C shares, that vote was cast by the Manager
as the sole initial holder of Class B and Class C shares of the Fund.
In addition, under the Plans the Manager and the Distributor, in their
sole discretion, from time to time may use their own resources (which, in the
case of the Manager, may include profits from the advisory fee it receives from
the Fund) to make payments to brokers, dealers or other financial institutions
(each is referred to as a "Recipient" under the Plans) for distribution and
administrative services they perform, at no cost to the Fund. The Distributor
and the Manager may, in their sole discretion, increase or decrease the amount
of payments they make to Recipients from their own resources to Recipients.
Unless terminated as described below, each Plan continues in effect from
year to year but only as long as its continuance is specifically approved at
least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees and its Independent Trustees by a
vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
continuance. Any Plan may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of
the Independent Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" (as
defined in the Investment Company Act) of the outstanding shares of that class.
None of the Plans may be amended to increase materially the amount of payments
to be made unless such amendment is approved by shareholders of the class
affected by the amendment. In addition, because Class B shares of the Fund
automatically convert into Class A shares after six years, the Fund is required
by a Securities and Exchange Commission rule to obtain the approval of Class B
as well as Class A shareholder for a proposed amendment to the Class A Plan that
would materially increase the amount to be paid by Class A shares under the
Class A Plan. Such approval must be by a "majority" of the Class A and Class B
shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act), voting separately by class.
All material amendments must be approved by the Independent Trustees.
While the Plans are in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund shall provide
separate written reports to the Fund's Board of Trustees at least quarterly on
the amount of all payments made pursuant to each Plan, the purpose for which
each payment was made and the identity of each Recipient that received any
payment. Those reports, including the allocations on which they are based, will
be subject to the review and approval of the Independent Trustees in the
exercise of their fiduciary duty. Each Plan further provides that while it is in
effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees of the Fund who are not
"interested persons" of the Fund is committed to the discretion of the
Independent Trustees. This does not prevent the involvement
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<PAGE>
of others in such selection and nomination if the final decision on
selection or nomination is approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees.
Under the Plans, no payment will be made to any Recipient in any quarter
if the aggregate net asset value of all Fund shares held by the Recipient for
itself and its customers, did not exceed a minimum amount, if any, that may be
determined from time to time by a majority of the Fund's Independent Trustees.
Initially, the Board of Trustees has set the fees at the maximum rate and set no
minimum amount of the assets.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997, payments under the Plan for
Class A shares totaled $5,180,110, all of which was paid by the Distributor to
Recipients, including $344,298 paid to MML Investor Services, Inc., an affiliate
of the Distributor. Any unreimbursed expenses incurred by the Distributor with
respect to Class A shares for any fiscal year may not be recovered in subsequent
years. Payments received by the Distributor under the Plan for Class A shares
will not be used to pay any interest expense, carrying charge, or other
financial costs, or allocation of overhead by the Distributor.
The Class B Plan and the Class C Plan allow the service fee payment to be
paid by the Distributor to Recipients in advance for the first year such shares
are outstanding, and thereafter on a quarterly basis, as described in the
Prospectus. The advance payment is based on the net asset value of Class B and
Class C shares sold. An exchange of shares does not entitle the Recipient to an
advance service fee payment. In the event Class B or Class C shares are redeemed
during the first year that the shares are outstanding, the Recipient will be
obligated to repay a pro rata portion of the advance payment for those shares to
the Distributor. Payments made under the Class B Plan during the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1997, totaled $6,905,955, of which $5,658,916 was retained
by the Distributor and $90,584 was paid to a dealer affiliated with the
Distributor. Payments made under the Class C Plan during the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1997, totaled $352,398, of which $244,833 was retained by the
Distributor and $1,705 was paid to an affiliate.
Although the Class B and Class C Plans permit the Distributor to retain
both the asset-based sales charges and the service fees on such shares, or to
pay Recipients the service fee on a quarterly basis, without payment in advance,
the Distributor presently intends to pay the service fee to Recipients in the
manner described above. A minimum holding period may be established from time to
time under the Class B Plan and the Class C Plan by the Board. Initially, the
Board has set no minimum holding period. All payments under the Class B Plan and
the Class C Plan are subject to the limitations imposed by the Conduct Rules of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., on payments of asset-based
sales charges and service fees.
Asset-based sales charge payments are designed to permit an investor to
purchase shares of the Fund without the assessment of a front-end sales load and
at the same time permit the Distributor to compensate brokers and dealers in
connection with the sale of Class B and Class C shares of the Fund. The
Distributor's actual distribution expenses for any given year may
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<PAGE>
exceed the aggregate of payments received pursuant to the Class B Plan and Class
C Plan and from contingent deferred sales charges.
The Class C Plan provides for the distributor to be compensated at a flat
rate, whether the Distributor's distribution expenses are more or less than the
amounts paid by the Fund during that period. Payments under the Class C and
Class B Plans are made in recognition that the Distributor (i) pays sales
commissions to authorized brokers and dealers at the time of sale and pays
service fees as described in the Prospectus, (ii) may finance such commissions
and/or the advance of the service fee payment to Recipients under those Plans,
or may provide such financing from its own resources, or from an affiliate,
(iii) employs personnel to support distribution of shares, and (iv) may bear the
costs of sales literature, advertising and prospectuses (other than those
furnished to current shareholders), state "blue sky" registration fees and
certain other distribution expenses. The Fund's Board of Trustees has also
proposed that the Class B Plan provide for the Distributor to be compensated at
a flat rate, whether the Distributor's distribution expenses are more or less
than the amounts paid by the Fund during that period. The Statement of
Additional Information will not be updated if shareholders approve such a new
Class B Plan.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How To Buy Shares
Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A, Class B and Class C Shares. The
availability of three classes of shares permits the individual investor to
choose the method of purchasing shares that is more beneficial to the investor
depending on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects
to hold shares and other relevant circumstances. Investors should understand
that the purpose and function of the deferred sales charge and asset-based sales
charge with respect to Class B and Class C shares are the same as those of the
initial sales charge with respect to Class A shares. Any salesperson or other
person entitled to receive compensation for selling Fund shares may receive
different compensation with respect to one class of shares than the other. The
Distributor normally will not accept any order for $500,000 or $1 million or
more of Class B or Class C shares, respectively, on behalf of a single investor
(not including dealer "street name" or omnibus accounts) because generally it
will be more advantageous for that investor to purchase Class A shares of the
Fund instead.
The three classes of shares each represent an interest in the same
portfolio investments of the Fund. However, each class has different shareholder
privileges and features. The net income attributable to Class B and Class C
shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by incremental
expenses borne solely by those classes, including the asset-based sales charge
to which both classes of shares are subject.
The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares after six years is
subject to the continuing availability of a private letter ruling from the
Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel or tax adviser, to the effect
that the conversion of Class B shares does not constitute
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<PAGE>
a taxable event for the holder under Federal income tax law. If such a revenue
ruling or opinion is no longer available, the automatic conversion feature may
be suspended, in which event no further conversions of Class B shares would
occur while such suspension remained in effect. Although Class B shares could
then be exchanged for Class A shares on the basis of relative net asset value of
the two classes, without the imposition of a sales charge or fee, such exchange
could constitute a taxable event for the holder, and absent such exchange, Class
B shares might continue to be subject to the asset-based sales charge for longer
than six years.
The methodology for calculating the net asset value, dividends and
distributions of the Fund's Class A, Class B and Class C shares recognizes two
types of expenses. General expenses that do not pertain specifically to either
class are allocated pro rata to the shares of each class, based on the
percentage of the net assets of such class to the Fund's total assets, and then
equally to each outstanding share within a given class. Such general expenses
include (a) management fees, (b) legal, bookkeeping and audit fees, (c) printing
and mailing costs of shareholder reports, Prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information and other materials for current shareholders, (d) fees to
Independent Trustees, (v) custodian expenses, (vi) share issuance costs, (vii)
organization and start-up costs, (viii) interest, taxes and brokerage
commissions, and (ix) non-recurring expenses, such as litigation costs. Other
expenses that are directly attributable to a class are allocated equally to each
outstanding share within that class. Such expenses include (a) Distribution Plan
fees, (b) incremental transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and
expenses, (c) registration fees and (d) shareholder meeting expenses, to the
extent that such expenses pertain to a specific class rather than to the Fund as
a whole.
Determination of Net Asset Values Per Share. The net asset values per share of
Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the Fund are determined as of the close
of business of The New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") on each day that the
Exchange is open, by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets attributable to
that class by the number of shares of that class outstanding. The Exchange
normally closes at 4:00 P.M. New York time, but may close earlier on some days
(for example, in case of weather emergencies or on days falling before a
holiday). The Exchange's most recent annual holiday schedule (which is subject
to change) states that it will close on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It may also close on other days. Trading may
occur in debt securities and in foreign securities when the Exchange is closed
(including weekends and holidays). Because the Fund's net asset value will not
be calculated at those times, if securities held in the Fund's portfolio are
traded at such time, the net asset values per share of Class A, Class B and
Class C shares of the Fund may be significantly affected at times when
shareholders may not purchase or redeem shares.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has established procedures for the valuation
of the Fund's securities, generally as follows: (i) equity securities traded on
a securities exchange or on the Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") of the
Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. for which last sale information is regularly reported
are valued at the last reported sale price on their primary exchange or NASDAQ
that day (or, in the absence of sales that day, at values based on the last
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<PAGE>
sale price of the preceding trading day, or closing "bid" prices that day); (ii)
securities traded on a foreign securities exchange are generally valued at the
last sale price available to the pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or to the Manager as reported by the principal exchange on which the
security is traded at its last trading session on or immediately preceding the
valuation date, or at the mean between "bid" and "ask" prices obtained from the
principal exchange or two active market makers in the security on the basis of
reasonable inquiry; (iii) long-term debt securities having a remaining maturity
in excess of 60 days are valued based on the mean between the "bid" and "ask"
prices determined by a portfolio pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or obtained by the Manager from two active market makers in the
security on the basis of reasonable inquiry; (iv) debt instruments having a
maturity of more than 397 days when issued, and non-money market type
instruments having a maturity of 397 days or less when issued, which have a
remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at the mean between "bid" and
"ask" prices determined by a pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or obtained by the Manager from two active market makers in the
security on the basis of reasonable inquiry; (v) money market-type debt
securities held by a non-money market fund that had a maturity of less than 397
days when issued that have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less, and debt
instruments held by a money market fund that have a remaining maturity of 397
days or less, shall be valued at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and
accretion of discount; and (vi) securities (including restricted securities) not
having readily-available market quotations are valued at fair value determined
under the Board's procedures. If the Manager is unable to locate two market
makers willing to give quotes (see (ii), (iii) and (iv) above), the security may
be priced at the mean between the "bid" and "ask" prices provided by a single
active market maker (which in certain cases may be the "bid" price if no "ask"
price is available).
In the case of U.S. Government Securities and mortgage-backed securities,
where last sale information is not generally available, such pricing procedures
may include "matrix" comparisons to the prices for comparable instruments on the
basis of quality, yield, maturity and other special factors involved. The
Manager may use pricing services approved by the Board of Trustees to price U.S.
Government Securities, or mortgage-backed securities for which last sale
information is not generally available. The Manager will monitor the accuracy of
such pricing services, which may include comparing prices used for portfolio
evaluation to actual sales prices of selected securities.
Trading in securities on European and Asian exchanges and over-the-counter
markets is normally completed before the close of the New York Stock Exchange.
Events affecting the values of foreign securities traded in securities markets
that occur between the time their prices are determined and the close of the New
York Stock Exchange will not be reflected in the Fund's calculation of net asset
value unless the Board of Trustees or the Manager, under procedures established
by the Board of Trustees, determines that the particular event is likely to
effect a material change in the value of such security. Foreign currency,
including forward contracts, will be valued at the closing price in the London
foreign exchange market that day as provided by a reliable bank, dealer or
pricing service. The values of securities denominated in foreign currency
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<PAGE>
will be converted to U.S. dollars at the closing price in the London foreign
exchange market that day as provided by a reliable bank, dealer or pricing
service.
Puts, calls and Futures are valued at the last sales price on the
principal exchange on which they are traded, or on NASDAQ, as applicable, as
determined by a pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees or by the
Manager. If there were no sales that day, value shall be the last sale price on
the preceding trading day if it is within the spread of the closing "bid" and
"ask" prices on the principal exchange or on NASDAQ on the valuation date, or,
if not, value shall be the closing "bid" price on the principal exchange or on
NASDAQ on the valuation date. If the put, call or future is not traded on an
exchange or on NASDAQ, it shall be valued at the mean between "bid" and "ask"
prices obtained by the Manager from two active market makers (which in certain
cases may be the "bid" price if no "ask" price is available).
When the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the premium received is
included in the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an
equivalent credit is included in the liability section. The credit is adjusted
("marked-to-market") to reflect the current market value of the option. In
determining the Fund's gain on investments, if a call or put written by the Fund
is exercised, the proceeds are increased by the premium received. If a call or
put written by the Fund expires, the Fund has a gain in the amount of the
premium; if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a
gain or loss depending on whether the premium received was more or less than the
cost of the closing transaction. If the Fund exercises a put it holds, the
amount the Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by
the amount of premium paid by the Fund.
AccountLink. When shares are purchased through AccountLink, each purchase must
be at least $25. Shares will be purchased on the regular business day the
Distributor is instructed to initiate the Automated Clearing House ("ACH")
transfer to buy shares. Dividends will begin to accrue on shares purchased by
the proceeds of ACH transfers on the business day the Fund receives Federal
Funds for the purchase through the ACH system before the close of The New York
Stock Exchange. The Exchange normally closes at 4:00 P.M., but may close earlier
on certain days. If Federal Funds are received on a business day after the close
of the Exchange, the shares will be purchased and dividends will begin to accrue
on the next regular business day. The proceeds of ACH transfers are normally
received by the Fund 3 days after the transfers are initiated. The Distributor
and the Fund are not responsible for any delays in purchasing shares resulting
from delays in ACH transmissions.
Reduced Sales Charges. As discussed in the Prospectus, a reduced sales charge
rate may be obtained for Class A shares under Right of Accumulation and Letters
of Intent because of the economies of sales efforts and reduction in expenses
realized by the Distributor, dealers and brokers making such sales. No sales
charge is imposed in certain other circumstances described in the Prospectus
because the Distributor incurs little or no selling expenses. The term
"immediate family" refers to one's spouse, children, grandchildren,
grandparents, parents, parents-in-law, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles,
nieces and nephews, sons- and daughters-in- law, a sibling's spouse and a
spouse's siblings. Relations by virtue of a remarriage (step-children,
step-parents, etc.) are included.
o The Oppenheimer Funds. The Oppenheimer funds are those mutual funds for
which the Distributor acts as the distributor or the sub-distributor and include
the following:
Oppenheimer Municipal Bond Fund
Oppenheimer New York Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer California Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Intermediate Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Insured Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street California
Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Florida Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer New Jersey Municipal Fund
Oppenheimer Real Asset Fund
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund
Oppenheimer Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund
Oppenheimer Multiple Strategies Fund
Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Main Street Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer MidCap Fund
Oppenheimer Enterprise Fund
Oppenheimer International Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Developing Markets Fund
Oppenheimer Disciplined Allocation Fund
Oppenheimer Disciplined Value Fund
Oppenheimer LifeSpan Balanced Fund
Oppenheimer LifeSpan Income Fund
Oppenheimer LifeSpan Growth Fund
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Champion Income Fund
Oppenheimer Bond Fund
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund
Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund
Oppenheimer International Small Company
Fund
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Global Value Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Quest Value Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Quest Opportunity Value Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Small Cap Value Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Growth & Income Value
Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Officers Value Fund
Oppenheimer Quest Capital Value Fund, Inc.
Rochester Fund Municipals
Oppenheimer Bond Fund for Growth
Limited Term New York Municipal Fund
and the following "Money Market Funds":
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. Oppenheimer Cash Reserves Centennial Money
Market Trust Centennial Tax Exempt Trust Centennial Government Trust Centennial
New York Tax Exempt Trust Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust Centennial
America Fund, L.P.
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There is an initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A shares of each
of the Oppenheimer funds except Money Market Funds (under certain circumstances
described herein, redemption proceeds of Money Market Fund shares may be subject
to a contingent deferred sales charge).
Letters of Intent. A Letter of Intent (referred to as a "Letter") is an
investor's statement in writing to the Distributor of the intention to purchase
Class A shares or Class A and Class B shares of the Fund (and other Oppenheimer
funds) during a 13-month period (the "Letter of Intent period"), which may, at
the investor's request, include purchases made up to 90 days prior to the date
of the Letter. The Letter states the investor's intention to make the aggregate
amount of purchases of shares which, when added to the investor's holdings of
shares of those funds, will equal or exceed the amount specified in the Letter.
Purchases made by reinvestment of dividends or distributions of capital gains
and purchases made at net asset value without sales charge do not count toward
satisfying the amount of the Letter. A Letter enables an investor to count the
Class A and Class B shares purchased under the Letter to obtain the reduced
sales charge rate on purchases of Class A shares of the Fund (and other
Oppenheimer funds) that applies under the Right of Accumulation to current
purchases of Class A shares. Each purchase of Class A shares under the Letter
will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single lump-sum
purchase of shares in the amount intended to be purchased as described in the
Prospectus.
In submitting a Letter, the investor makes no commitment to purchase shares,
but if the investor's purchases of shares within the Letter of Intent period,
when added to the value (at offering price) of the investor's holdings of shares
on the last day of that period, do not equal or exceed the intended purchase
amount, the investor agrees to pay the additional amount of sales charge
applicable to such purchases, as set forth in "Terms of Escrow," below (as those
terms may be amended from time to time). The investor agrees that shares equal
in value to 5% of the intended purchase amount will be held in escrow by the
Transfer Agent subject to the Terms of Escrow. Also, the investor agrees to be
bound by the terms of the Prospectus, this Statement of Additional Information
and the Application used for such Letter of Intent, and if such terms are
amended, as they may be from time to time by the Fund, that those amendments
will apply automatically to existing Letters of Intent.
For purchases of shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds by
OppenheimerFunds prototype 401(k) plans under a Letter of Intent, the Transfer
Agent will not hold shares in escrow. If the intended purchases amount under the
Letter entered into by an OppenheimerFunds prototype 401(k) plan is not
purchased by the plan by the end of the Letter of Intent period, there will be
no adjustment of commission paid to the broker-dealer or financial institution
of record for accounts held in the name of that plan.
If the total eligible purchases made during the Letter of Intent period do
not equal or exceed the intended purchase amount, the commissions previously
paid to the dealer of record for the account and the amount of sales charge
retained by the Distributor will be adjusted to the rates applicable to actual
purchases. If total eligible purchases during the Letter of Intent period exceed
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<PAGE>
the intended purchase amount and exceed the amount needed to qualify for the
next sales charge rate reduction set forth in the applicable prospectus, the
sales charges paid will be adjusted to the lower rate, but only if and when the
dealer returns to the Distributor the excess of the amount of commissions
allowed or paid to the dealer over the amount of commissions that apply to the
actual amount of purchases. The excess commissions returned to the Distributor
will be used to purchase additional shares for the investor's account at the net
asset value per share in effect on the date of such purchase, promptly after the
Distributor's receipt thereof.
In determining the total amount of purchases made under a Letter, shares
redeemed by the investor prior to the termination of the Letter of Intent period
will be deducted. It is the responsibility of the dealer of record and/or the
investor to advise the Distributor about the Letter in placing any purchase
orders for the investor during the Letter of Intent period. All of such
purchases must be made through the Distributor.
o Terms of Escrow That Apply to Letters of Intent.
1. Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if necessary) made
pursuant to a Letter, shares of the Fund equal in value to 5% of the intended
purchase amount specified in the Letter shall be held in escrow by the Transfer
Agent. For example, if the intended purchase amount is $50,000, the escrow shall
be shares valued in the amount of $2,500 (computed at the public offering price
adjusted for a $50,000 purchase). Any dividends and capital gains distributions
on the escrowed shares will be credited to the investor's account.
2. If the intended purchase amount specified under the Letter is completed
within the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period, the escrowed shares will be
promptly released to the investor.
3. If, at the end of the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period the total
purchases pursuant to the Letter are less than the intended purchase amount
specified in the Letter, the investor must remit to the Distributor an amount
equal to the difference between the dollar amount of sales charges actually paid
and the amount of sales charges which would have been paid if the total amount
purchased had been made at a single time. Such sales charge adjustment will
apply to any shares redeemed prior to the completion of the Letter. If such
difference in sales charges is not paid within twenty days after a request from
the Distributor or the dealer, the Distributor will, within sixty days of the
expiration of the Letter, redeem the number of escrowed shares necessary to
realize such difference in sales charges. Full and fractional shares remaining
after such redemption will be released from escrow. If a request is received to
redeem escrowed shares prior to the payment of such additional sales charge, the
sales charge will be withheld from the redemption proceeds.
4. By signing the Letter, the investor irrevocably constitutes and appoints
the Transfer Agent as attorney-in-fact to surrender for redemption any or all
escrowed shares.
5. The shares eligible for purchase under the Letter (or the holding of
which may be counted toward completion of a Letter) include (a) Class A shares
sold with a front-end sales charge or subject to a Class A contingent deferred
sales charge, (b) Class B shares acquired subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge, and (c) Class A or B shares acquired in exchange for either (i) Class A
shares of one of the other Oppenheimer funds that were acquired subject to a
Class A
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initial or contingent deferred sales charge or (ii) Class B shares of one of the
other Oppenheimer funds that were acquired subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge.
6. Shares held in escrow hereunder will automatically be exchanged for
shares of another fund to which an exchange is requested, as described in the
section of the Prospectus entitled "How to Exchange Shares," and the escrow will
be transferred to that other
fund.
Asset Builder Plans. To establish an Asset Builder Plan from a bank account, a
check (minimum $25) for the initial purchase must accompany the application.
Shares purchased by Asset Builder Plan payments from bank accounts are subject
to the redemption restrictions for recent purchases described in "How To Sell
Shares," in the Prospectus. Asset Builder Plans also enable shareholders of
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves to use those accounts for monthly automatic purchases
of shares of up to four other Oppenheimer funds. If you make payments from your
bank account to purchase shares of the Fund, your bank account will be
automatically debited normally four to five business days prior to the
investment dates selected in the Account Application. Neither the Distributor
the Transfer Agent nor the Fund shall be responsible for any delays in
purchasing shares resulting from delays in ACH transmission.
There is a front-end sales charge on the purchase of certain Oppenheimer
funds, or a contingent deferred sales charge may apply to shares purchased by
Asset Builder payments. An application should be obtained from the Distributor,
completed and returned, and a prospectus of the selected fund(s) should be
obtained from the Distributor or your financial advisor before initiating Asset
Builder payments. The amount of the Asset Builder investment may be changed or
the automatic investments may be terminated at any time by writing to the
Transfer Agent. A reasonable period (approximately 15 days) is required after
the Transfer Agent's receipt of such instructions to implement them. The Fund
reserves the right to amend, suspend, or discontinue offering such plans at any
time without prior notice.
Cancellation of Purchase Orders. Cancellation of purchase orders for the Fund's
shares (for example, when a purchase check is returned to the Fund unpaid)
causes a loss to be incurred when the net asset value of the Fund's shares on
the cancellation date is less than on the purchase date. That loss is equal to
the amount of the decline in the net asset value per share multiplied by the
number of shares in the purchase order. The investor is responsible for that
loss. If the investor fails to compensate the Fund for the loss, the Distributor
will do so. The Fund may reimburse the Distributor for that amount by redeeming
shares from any account registered in that investor's name, or the Fund or the
Distributor may seek other redress.
Retirement Plans. In describing certain types of employee benefit plans that
may purchase Class A shares without being subject to the Class A contingent
deferred sales charge, the term "employee benefit plan" means any plan or
arrangement, whether or not "qualified" under the Internal Revenue Code,
including, medical savings accounts, payroll deduction plans or similar plans in
which Class A shares are purchased by a fiduciary or other person for the
account of participants who are employees of a single employer or of affiliated
employers, if the Fund account is registered in the name of the fiduciary or
other person for the benefit of participants in the plan.
The term "group retirement plan" means any qualified or non-qualified
retirement plan (including 457 plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, 403(b) plans other than
public school 403(b) plans, and
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SIMPLE plans) for employees of a corporation or a sole proprietorship, members
and employees of a partnership or association or other organized group of
persons (the members of which may include other groups), if the group or
association has made special arrangements with the Distributor and all members
of the group or association participating in or who are eligible to participate
in the plan(s) purchase Class A shares of the Fund through a single investment
dealer, broker, or other financial institution designated by the group. "Group
retirement plan" also includes qualified retirement plans and non-qualified
deferred compensation plans and IRAs that purchase Class A shares of the Fund
through a single investment dealer, broker, or other financial institution, if
that broker-dealer has made special arrangements with the Distributor enabling
those plans to purchase Class A shares of the Fund at net asset value but
subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
In addition to the discussion in the Prospectus relating to the ability of
Retirement Plans to purchase Class A shares at net asset value in certain
circumstances, there is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares
of any one or more of the Oppenheimer funds by a Retirement Plan in the
following cases:
(i) the recordkeeping for the Retirement Plan is performed on a daily
valuation basis by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc. ("Merrill Lynch")
and, on the date the plan sponsor signs the Merrill Lynch recordkeeping service
agreement, the Retirement Plan has $3 million or more in assets invested in
mutual funds other than those advised or managed by Merrill Lynch Asset
Management, L.P. ("MLAM") that are made available pursuant to a Service
Agreement between Merrill Lynch and the mutual fund's principal underwriter or
distributor and in funds advised or managed by MLAM (collectively, the
"Applicable Investments"); or
(ii) the recordkeeping for the Retirement Plan is performed on a daily
valuation basis by an independent record keeper whose services are provided
under a contract or arrangement between the Retirement Plan and Merrill Lynch.
On the date the plan sponsor signs the Merrill Lynch record keeping service
agreement, the Plan must have $3 million or more in assets, excluding assets
held in money market funds, invested in Applicable Investments; or
(iii) the Plan has 500 or more eligible employees, as determined by the
Merrill Lynch plan conversion manager on the date the plan sponsor signs the
Merrill Lynch record keeping service
agreement.
If a Retirement Plan's records are maintained on a daily valuation basis by
Merrill Lynch or an independent record keeper under a contract or alliance
arrangement with Merrill Lynch, and if on the date the plan sponsor signs the
Merrill Lynch record keeping service agreement the Retirement Plan has less than
$3 million in assets, excluding money market funds, invested in Applicable
Investments, then the Retirement Plan may purchase only Class B shares of one or
more of the Oppenheimer funds. Otherwise, the Retirement Plan will be permitted
to purchase Class A shares of one or more of the Oppenheimer funds. Any of those
Retirement Plans that currently invest in Class B shares of the Fund will have
their Class B shares be converted to Class A shares of the Fund once the Plan's
Applicable Investments have reached $5 million.
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Any redemptions of shares of the Fund held by Retirement Plans whose records
are maintained on a daily valuation basis by Merrill Lynch or an independent
record keeper under a contract with Merrill Lynch that are currently invested in
Class B shares of the Fund shall not be subject to the Class B CDSC.
How to Sell Shares
Information on how to sell shares of the Fund is stated in the
Prospectus. The information
below supplements the terms and conditions for redemptions set forth in the
Prospectus.
o Involuntary Redemptions. The Fund's Board of Trustees has the right to
cause the involuntary redemption of the shares held in any account if the
aggregate net asset value of those shares is less than $500 or such lesser
amount as the Board may fix. The Board of Trustees will not cause the
involuntary redemption of shares in an account if the aggregate net asset value
of the shares has fallen below the stated minimum solely as a result of market
fluctuations. Should the Board elect to exercise this right, it may also fix, in
accordance with the Investment Company Act, the requirements for any notice to
be given to the shareholders in question (not less than 30 days), or the Board
may set requirements for granting permission to the Shareholder to increase the
investment, and set other terms and conditions so that the shares would not be
involuntarily redeemed.
o Payments "In Kind". The Prospectus states that payment for shares tendered
for redemption is ordinarily made in cash. However, the Board of Trustees of the
Fund may determine that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the
remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment of a redemption order wholly
or partly in cash. In that case the Fund may pay the redemption proceeds in
whole or in part by a distribution "in kind" of securities from the portfolio of
the Fund, in lieu of cash, in conformity with applicable rules of the Securities
and Exchange Commission. The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under
the Investment Company Act, pursuant to which the Fund is obligated to redeem
shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of
the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. If shares are
redeemed in kind, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other costs
in selling the securities for cash. The method of valuing securities used to
make redemptions in kind will be the same as the method the Fund uses to value
its portfolio securities described above under the "Determination of Net Asset
Values Per Share" and that valuation will be made as of the time the redemption
price is determined.
Reinvestment Privilege. Within six months of a redemption, a shareholder may
reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of (i) Class A shares that you
purchased subject to an initial sales charge, or the Class A contingent deferred
sales charge when you redeemed them or (ii) Class B shares that were subject to
the Class B contingent deferred sales charge when you redeemed them, without
sales charge. This privilege does not apply to Class C shares. The reinvestment
may be made without sales charge only in Class A shares of the Fund or any of
the other Oppenheimer funds into which shares of the Fund are exchangeable as
described below, at the net asset value next computed after the Transfer Agent
receives the reinvestment order. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for
that privilege at the time of reinvestment. Any capital gain that was realized
when the shares were redeemed is taxable, and reinvestment will not alter any
capital gains tax payable on that gain. If there has been a capital loss on the
redemption, some or all of the loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the
timing and amount of the reinvestment.
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Under the Internal Revenue Code, if the redemption proceeds of Fund shares on
which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares of the Fund or another of
the Oppenheimer funds within 90 days of payment of the sales charge, the
shareholder's basis in the shares of the Fund that were redeemed may not include
the amount of the sales charge paid. That would reduce the loss or increase the
gain recognized from the redemption. However, in that case the sales charge
would be added to the basis of the shares acquired by the reinvestment of the
redemption proceeds. The Fund may amend, suspend or cease offering this
reinvestment privilege at any time as to shares redeemed after the date of such
amendment, suspension or cessation.
Transfers of Shares. Shares are not subject to the payment of a contingent
deferred sales charge of any class at the time of transfer to the name of
another person or entity (whether the transfer occurs by absolute assignment,
gift or bequest, not involving, directly or indirectly, a public sale). The
transferred shares will remain subject to the contingent deferred sales charge,
calculated as if the transferee shareholder had acquired the transferred shares
in the same manner and at the same time as the transferring shareholder. If less
than all shares held in an account are transferred, and some but not all shares
in the account would be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge if
redeemed at the time of transfer, the priorities described in the Prospectus
under "How to Buy Shares" for the imposition of the Class B or the Class C
contingent deferred sales charge will be followed in determining the order in
which shares are transferred.
Distributions From Retirement Plans. Requests for distributions from
OppenheimerFunds- sponsored IRAs, 403(b)(7) custodial plans, 401(k) plans, or
pension or profit-sharing plans should be addressed to "Trustee, Oppenheimer
funds Retirement Plans," c/o the Transfer Agent at its address listed in "How To
Sell Shares" in the Prospectus or on the back cover of this Statement of
Additional Information. The request must: (i) state the reason for the
distribution; (ii) state the owner's awareness of tax penalties if the
distribution is premature; and (iii) conform to the requirements of the plan and
the Fund's other redemption requirements. Participants (other than self-employed
persons maintaining a plan account in their own name) in OppenheimerFunds-
sponsored prototype pension, profit-sharing plans or 401(k) plans may not
directly redeem or exchange shares held for their accounts under those plans.
The employer or plan administrator must sign the request. Distributions from
pension and profit sharing plans are subject to special requirements under the
Internal Revenue Code and certain documents (available from the Transfer Agent)
must be completed before the distribution may be made. Distributions from
retirement plans are subject to withholding requirements under the Internal
Revenue Code, and IRS Form W-4P (available from the Transfer Agent) must be
submitted to the Transfer Agent with the distribution request, or the
distribution may be delayed. Unless the shareholder has provided the Transfer
Agent with a certified tax identification number, the Internal Revenue Code
requires that tax be withheld from any distribution even if the shareholder
elects not to have tax withheld. The Fund, the Manager, the Distributor, the
Trustee and the Transfer Agent assume no responsibility to determine whether a
distribution satisfies the conditions of applicable tax laws and will not be
responsible for any tax penalties assessed in connection with a distribution.
Special Arrangements for Repurchase of Shares from Dealers and Brokers. The
Distributor is the Fund's agent to repurchase its shares from authorized dealers
or brokers on behalf of their customers. The shareholder should contact the
broker or dealer to arrange this type of redemption. The repurchase price per
share will be the net asset value next computed after the Distributor receives
the order placed by the dealer or broker, except that if the Distributor
receives a repurchase order from a dealer or broker after the close of The New
York Stock
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Exchange on a regular business day, it will be processed at that day's net asset
value if the order was received by the dealer or broker from its customers prior
to the time the Exchange closes (normally that is 4:00 P.M., but may be earlier
some days) and the order was transmitted to and received by the Distributor
prior to its close of business that day (normally 5:00 P.M.). Ordinarily, for
accounts redeemed by a broker-dealer under this procedure, payment will be made
within three business days after the shares have been redeemed upon the
Distributor's receipt of the required redemption documents in proper form, with
the signature(s) of the registered owners guaranteed on the redemption document
as described in the Prospectus.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. Investors owning shares of the Fund
valued at $5,000 or more can authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem shares
(minimum $50) automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis
under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan. Shares will be redeemed three business days
prior to the date requested by the shareholder for receipt of the payment.
Automatic withdrawals of up to $1,500 per month may be requested by telephone if
payments are to be made by check payable to all shareholders of record and sent
to the address of record for the account (and if the address has not been
changed within the prior 30 days). Required minimum distributions from
OppenheimerFunds-sponsored retirement plans may not be arranged on this basis.
Payments are normally made by check, but shareholders having AccountLink
privileges (see "How To Buy Shares") may arrange to have Automatic Withdrawal
Plan payments transferred to the bank account designated on the OppenheimerFunds
New Account Application or signature-guaranteed instructions. Shares are
normally redeemed pursuant to an Automatic Withdrawal Plan three business days
before the date you select in the Account Application. If a contingent deferred
sales charge applies to the redemption, the amount of the check or payment will
be reduced accordingly. The Fund cannot guarantee receipt of a payment on the
date requested and reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering
such plans at any time without prior notice. Because of the sales charge
assessed on Class A share purchases, shareholders should not make regular
additional Class A share purchases while participating in an Automatic
Withdrawal Plan. Class B and Class C shareholders should not establish
withdrawal plans, because of the imposition of the contingent deferred sales
charge on such withdrawals (except where the Class B or the Class C contingent
deferred sales charge is waived as described in the Prospectus in "Waivers of
Class B and Class C Sales Charges").
By requesting an Automatic Withdrawal or Exchange Plan, the shareholder
agrees to the terms and conditions applicable to such plans, as stated below, as
well as in the Prospectus. These provisions may be amended from time to time by
the Fund and/or the Distributor. When adopted, such amendments will
automatically apply to existing Plans.
o Automatic Exchange Plans. Shareholders can authorize the Transfer Agent
(on the OppenheimerFunds Application or signature-guaranteed instructions) to
exchange a pre-determined amount of shares of the Fund for shares (of the same
class) of other Oppenheimer funds automatically on a monthly, quarterly,
semi-annual or annual basis under an Automatic Exchange Plan. The minimum amount
that may be exchanged to each other fund account is $25. Exchanges made under
these plans are subject to the restrictions that apply to exchanges as set forth
in "How to Exchange Shares" in the Prospectus and below in this Statement of
Additional Information.
o Automatic Withdrawal Plans. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to
meet withdrawal payments. Shares acquired without a sales charge will be
redeemed first and shares
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acquired with reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions will be
redeemed next, followed by shares acquired with a sales charge, to the extent
necessary to make withdrawal payments. Depending upon the amount withdrawn, the
investor's principal may be depleted. Payments made under withdrawal plans
should not be considered as a yield or income on your investment. It may not be
desirable to purchase additional Class A shares while making automatic
withdrawals because of the sales charges that apply to purchases when made.
Accordingly, a shareholder normally may not maintain an Automatic Withdrawal
Plan while simultaneously making regular purchases of Class A shares.
The Transfer Agent will administer the investor's Automatic Withdrawal Plan
(the "Plan") as agent for the investor (the "Planholder") who executed the Plan
authorization and application submitted to the Transfer Agent. Neither the Fund
nor the Transfer Agent shall incur any liability to the Planholder for any
action taken or omitted by the Transfer Agent in good faith to administer the
Plan. Certificates will not be issued for shares of the Fund purchased for and
held under the Plan, but the Transfer Agent will credit all such shares to the
account of the Planholder on the records of the Fund. Any share certificates
held by a Planholder may be surrendered unendorsed to the Transfer Agent with
the Plan application so that the shares represented by the certificate may be
held under the Plan.
For accounts subject to Automatic Withdrawal Plans, distributions of capital
gains must be reinvested in shares of the Fund, which will be done at net asset
value without a sales charge. Dividends on shares held in the account may be
paid in cash or reinvested.
Redemptions of shares needed to make withdrawal payments will be made at the
net asset value per share determined on the redemption date. Checks or ACH
transfer payments of the proceeds of Plan withdrawals will normally be
transmitted three business days prior to the date selected for receipt of the
payment (receipt of payment on the date selected cannot be guaranteed),
according to the choice specified in writing by the Planholder.
The amount and the interval of disbursement payments and the address to
which checks are to be mailed or AccountLink payments are to be sent may be
changed at any time by the Planholder by writing to the Transfer Agent. The
Planholder should allow at least two weeks' time in mailing such notification
for the requested change to be put in effect. The Planholder may, at any time,
instruct the Transfer Agent by written notice (in proper form in accordance with
the requirements of the then-current Prospectus of the Fund) to redeem all, or
any part of, the shares held under the Plan. In that case, the Transfer Agent
will redeem the number of shares requested at the net asset value per share in
effect in accordance with the Fund's usual redemption procedures and will mail a
check for the proceeds to the Planholder.
The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Planholder by writing to the
Transfer Agent. A Plan may also be terminated at any time by the Transfer Agent
upon receiving directions to that effect from the Fund. The Transfer Agent will
also terminate a Plan upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to it of the death
or legal incapacity of the Planholder. Upon termination of a Plan by the
Transfer Agent or the Fund, shares that have not been redeemed from the account
will be held in uncertificated form in the name of the Planholder, and the
account will continue as a dividend-reinvestment, uncertificated account unless
and until proper instructions are received from the Planholder or his or her
executor or guardian, or other authorized person.
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To use Class A shares held under the Plan as collateral for a debt, the
Planholder may request issuance of a portion of the Class A shares in
certificated form. Share certificates are not issued for Class B shares or Class
C shares. Upon written request from the Planholder, the Transfer Agent will
determine the number of Class A shares for which a certificate may be issued
without causing the withdrawal checks to stop because of exhaustion of
uncertificated shares needed to continue payments. However, should such
uncertificated shares become exhausted, Plan withdrawals will terminate.
If the Transfer Agent ceases to act as transfer agent for the Fund, the
Planholder will be deemed to have appointed any successor transfer agent to act
as agent in administering the Plan.
How To Exchange Shares
As stated in the Prospectus, shares of a particular class of Oppenheimer
funds having more than one class of shares may be exchanged only for shares of
the same class of other Oppenheimer funds. Shares of the Oppenheimer funds that
have a single class without a class designation are deemed "Class A" shares for
this purpose. All Oppenheimer funds offer Class A, Class B and Class C shares,
except Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc., Centennial Money Market Trust,
Centennial Tax-Exempt Trust, Centennial Government Trust, Centennial New York
Tax-Exempt Trust, Centennial California Tax-Exempt Trust and Centennial America
Fund, L.P., which only offer Class A shares and Oppenheimer Main Street
California Municipal Fund, which only offers Class A and Class B shares (Class B
and Class C shares of Oppenheimer Cash Reserves are generally available only by
exchange from the same class of shares of other Oppenheimer funds or through
OppenheimerFunds sponsored 401(k) plans). A current list showing which funds
offer which classes can be obtained by calling the Distributor at
1-800-525-7048.
For accounts established on or before March 8, 1996 holding Class M shares
of Oppenheimer Bond Fund for Growth, Class M shares can be exchanged only for
Class A shares of other Oppenheimer funds. Exchanges to Class M shares of
Oppenheimer Bond Fund for Growth are permitted from Class A shares of
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. or Oppenheimer Cash Reserves that were
acquired by exchange from Class M shares. Otherwise no exchanges of any class of
any Oppenheimer fund into Class M shares are permitted.
Class A shares of Oppenheimer funds may be exchanged at net asset value for
shares of any Money Market Fund. Shares of any Money Market Fund purchased
without a sales charge may be exchanged for shares of Oppenheimer funds offered
with a sales charge upon payment of the sales charge (or, if applicable, may be
used to purchase shares of Oppenheimer funds subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge). However, shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc., purchased
with the redemption proceeds of shares of other mutual funds (other than funds
managed by the Manager or its subsidiaries) redeemed within 30 days prior to
that purchase may subsequently be exchanged for shares of other Oppenheimer
funds without being subject to an initial or contingent deferred sales charge,
whichever is applicable. To qualify for this privilege, the investor or the
investor's dealer must notify the Distributor of eligibility for this privilege
at the time the shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc., are purchased,
and, if requested, must supply proof of entitlement to this privilege.
Shares of this Fund acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions
from any other of the Oppenheimer funds except Oppenheimer Cash Reserves or from
any unit investment trust for
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which reinvestment arrangements have been made with the Distributor may be
exchanged at net asset value for shares of any of the Oppenheimer funds. No
contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on exchanges of shares of any class
purchased subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. However, when Class A
shares acquired by exchange of Class A shares of other Oppenheimer funds
purchased subject to a Class A contingent deferred sales charge are redeemed
within 12 months (18 months for shares purchased prior to May 1, 1997) of the
end of the calendar month of the initial purchase of the exchanged Class A
shares, the Class A contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on the redeemed
shares. The Class B contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B
shares acquired by exchange if they are redeemed within 6 years of the initial
purchase of the exchanged Class B shares. The Class C contingent deferred sales
charge is imposed on Class C shares acquired by exchange if they are redeemed
within 12 months of the initial purchase of the exchanged Class C shares.
When Class B shares or Class C shares are redeemed to effect an exchange,
the priorities described in "How To Buy Shares" in the Prospectus for the
imposition of the Class B or the Class C contingent deferred sales charge will
be followed in determining the order in which the shares are exchanged.
Shareholders should take into account the effect of any exchange on the
applicability and rate of any contingent deferred sales charge that might be
imposed in the subsequent redemption of remaining shares. Shareholders owning
shares of more than one class must specify whether they intend to exchange Class
A, Class B or Class C shares.
The Fund reserves the right to reject telephone or written exchange requests
submitted in bulk by anyone on behalf of more than one account. The Fund may
accept requests for exchanges of up to 50 accounts per day from representatives
of authorized dealers that qualify for this privilege. In connection with any
exchange request, the number of shares exchanged may be less than the number
requested if the exchange or the number requested would include shares subject
to a restriction cited in the Prospectus or this Statement of Additional
Information or would include shares covered by a share certificate that is not
tendered with the request. In those cases, only the shares available for
exchange without restriction will be exchanged.
When exchanging shares by telephone, a shareholder must either have an
existing account in, or obtain and acknowledge receipt of a prospectus of, the
fund to which the exchange is to be made. For full or partial exchanges of an
account made by telephone, any special account features such as Asset Builder
Plans, Automatic Withdrawal Plans, and retirement plan contributions will be
switched to the new account unless the Transfer Agent is instructed otherwise.
If all telephone lines are busy (which might occur, for example, during periods
of substantial market fluctuations), shareholders might not be able to request
exchanges by telephone and would have to submit written exchange requests.
Shares to be exchanged are redeemed on the regular business day the Transfer
Agent receives an exchange request in proper form (the "Redemption Date").
Normally, shares of the fund to be acquired are purchased on the Redemption
Date, but such purchases may be delayed by either fund up to five business days
if it determines that it would be disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of the
redemption proceeds. The Fund reserves the right, in its discretion, to refuse
any exchange request that may disadvantage it (for example, if the receipt of
multiple exchange requests from a dealer might require the disposition of
portfolio securities at a time or at a price that might be disadvantageous to
the Fund).
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The different Oppenheimer funds available for exchange have different
investment objectives, policies and risks, and a shareholder should assure that
the Fund selected is appropriate for his or her investment and should be aware
of the tax consequences of an exchange.
For federal income tax purposes, an exchange transaction is treated as a
redemption of shares of one fund and a purchase of shares of another.
"Reinvestment Privilege," above, discusses some of the tax consequences of
reinvestment of redemption proceeds in such cases. The Fund, the Distributor,
and the Transfer Agent are unable to provide investment, tax or legal advice to
a shareholder in connection with an exchange request or any other investment
transaction.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Tax Status of the Fund's Dividends and Distributions. The Federal tax treatment
of the Fund's dividends and capital gains distributions is explained in the
Prospectus under the caption "Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes." Special
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code govern the eligibility of the Fund's
dividends for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Long-term capital gains distributions are not eligible for the deduction. In
addition, the amount of dividends paid by the Fund which may qualify for the
deduction is limited to the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends that the
Fund derives from its portfolio investments that the Fund has held for a minimum
period, usually 46 days. A corporate shareholder will not be eligible for the
deduction on dividends paid on Fund shares held for 45 days or less. To the
extent the Fund's dividends are derived from gross income from option premiums,
interest income or short-term gains from the sale of securities or dividends
from foreign corporations, those dividends will not qualify for the deduction.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, by December 31 each year, the Fund must
distribute 98% of its taxable investment income earned from January 1 through
December 31 of that year and 98% of its capital gains realized in the period
from November 1 of the prior year through October 31 of the current year, or
else the Fund must pay an excise tax on the amounts not distributed. While it is
presently anticipated that the Fund will meet those requirements, the Fund's
Board of Trustees and the Manager might determine in a particular year that it
would be in the best interest of shareholders for the Fund not to make such
distributions at the required levels and to pay the excise tax on the
undistributed amounts. That would reduce the amount of income or capital gains
available for distribution to shareholders.
If the Fund has more than 50% of its total assets invested in foreign
securities at the end of its fiscal year, it may elect the application of
Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code to permit shareholders to take a credit
(or, at their option, a deduction) for foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Under
Section 853, shareholders would be entitled to treat the foreign taxes withheld
from interest and dividends paid to the Fund from its foreign investments as a
credit on their federal income taxes. As an alternative, shareholders could, if
to their advantage, treat the foreign tax withheld as a deduction from gross
income in computing taxable income rather than as a tax credit. In substance,
the Fund's election would enable shareholders to benefit from the same foreign
tax credit or deduction that would be received if they had been the record
owners of the Fund's foreign securities and had paid foreign taxes on the income
received.
47
<PAGE>
If the Fund qualifies as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal
Revenue Code, it will not be liable for Federal income taxes on amounts paid by
it as dividends and distributions. The Fund qualified during its last fiscal
year, and intends to qualify in current and future years, but reserves the right
not to do so. The Internal Revenue Code contains a number of complex tests
relating to such qualification. If it did not so qualify, the Fund would be
treated for tax purposes as an ordinary corporation and receive no tax deduction
for payments made to shareholders.
The amount of a class's distributions may vary from time to time depending
on market conditions, the composition of the Fund's portfolio, and expenses
borne by the Fund or borne separately by a class, as described in "Alternative
Sales Arrangements -- Class A, Class B and Class C Shares," above. Dividends are
calculated in the same manner, at the same time and on the same day for shares
of each class. However, dividends on Class B and Class C shares are expected to
be lower than dividends on Class A shares as a result of the asset-based sales
charges on Class B and Class C shares, and Class B and Class C dividends will
also differ in amount as a consequence of any difference in net asset value
between the classes.
Dividends, distributions and the proceeds of the redemption of Fund shares
represented by checks returned to the Transfer Agent by the Postal Service as
undeliverable will be invested in shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.,
as promptly as possible after the return of such checks to the Transfer Agent to
enable the investor to earn a return on otherwise idle funds.
Dividend Reinvestment in Another Fund. Shareholders of the Fund may elect to
reinvest all dividends and/or capital gains distributions in shares of the same
class of any of the other Oppenheimer funds listed in "Reduced Sales Charges,"
above, at net asset value without sales charge. Class B and Class C shareholders
should be aware that as of the date of this Statement of Additional Information,
not all of the Oppenheimer funds offer Class B and/or Class C shares. To elect
this option, a shareholder must notify the Transfer Agent in writing and either
have an existing account in the fund selected for reinvestment or must obtain a
prospectus for that fund and an application from the Distributor to establish an
account. The investment will be made at the net asset value per share in effect
at the close of business on the payable date of the dividend or distribution.
Dividends and/or distributions from shares of other Oppenheimer funds may be
invested in shares of this Fund on the same basis.
Additional Information About the Fund
The Custodian. The Bank of New York is the Custodian of the Fund's assets. The
Custodian's responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the Fund's
portfolio securities, collecting income on the portfolio securities and handling
the delivery of such securities to and from the Fund. The Manager has
represented to the Fund that the banking relationships between the Manager and
the Custodian have been and will continue to be unrelated to and unaffected by
the relationship between the Fund and the Custodian. It will be the practice of
the Fund to deal with the Custodian in a manner uninfluenced by any banking
relationship the Custodian may have with the Manager and its affiliates. The
Fund's cash balances with the Custodian in excess of $100,000 are not protected
by Federal Deposit insurance. Such uninsured balances at times may be
substantial.
48
<PAGE>
Independent Auditors. The independent auditors of the Fund audit the Fund's
financial
statements and perform other related audit services. They also act as
auditors for certain other
funds advised by the Manager and its affiliates.
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent Auditors' Report
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
The Board of Trustees and Shareholders of
Oppenheimer Global Fund:
We have audited the accompanying statements of investments and assets and
liabilities of Oppenheimer Global Fund as of September 30, 1997, and the related
statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in
net assets for each of the years in the two-year period then ended and the
financial highlights for each of the years in the five-year period then ended.
These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of
the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial
highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of
September 30, 1997, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; and where
confirmations were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing
procedures. 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
Oppenheimer Global Fund as of September 30, 1997, the results of its operations
for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the years in
the two-year period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the
years in the five-year period then ended, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
/s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
- -----------------------------------------------
Denver, Colorado
October 21, 1997
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments September 30, 1997
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
===============================================================================
Common Stocks--91.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Materials--2.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chemicals--0.6%
Minerals Technologies, Inc. 585,000 $ 26,069,062
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gold & Platinum--0.8%
Newmont Mining Corp.(1) 750,000 33,703,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metals--0.8%
Cia de Minas Buenaventura SA, Sponsored ADR(1) 587,500 11,235,937
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., Cl. B 757,500 21,825,469
------------
33,061,406
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consumer Cyclicals--12.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autos & Housing--3.5%
Brazil Realty SA, GDR(1)(2) 200,000 5,549,561
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones SA 4,377,661 19,484,216
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche AG, Preference 67,500 116,946,847
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solidere, GDR(1) 540,000 9,031,500
------------
151,012,124
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leisure & Entertainment--5.4%
Applebee's International, Inc. 30,000 750,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callaway Golf Co.(1) 959,500 33,462,562
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casa Ole Restaurants, Inc.(3) 53,500 361,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cinar Films, Inc., Cl. B(3) 60,000 2,287,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CKE Restaurants, Inc. 49,600 2,083,200
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Game Technology 1,500,000 34,125,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nintendo Co. Ltd.(1) 1,650,900 154,519,710
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resorts World Berhad 2,804,000 6,141,630
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature Resorts, Inc.(1)(3) 20,000 950,000
------------
234,680,727
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Media--1.1%
Bemrose Corp. plc 150,000 1,022,549
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grupo Radio Centro SA de CV, Sponsored ADR 131,000 2,267,937
Grupo Televisa SA, Sponsored GDR(1)(2)(3) 1,146,000 41,041,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NRJ SA 6,500 882,048
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reed International plc 165,400 1,408,078
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roto Smeets de Boer 30,000 1,265,197
------------
47,886,934
11 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
===============================================================================
Retail: General--1.5%
Credit Saison Co. Ltd.(1) 1,000,000 $ 27,168,053
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Galeries Lafayette 4,201 2,074,930
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Matahari Putra Prima 15,599,000 5,383,090
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sonae Investimentos 728,000 28,791,367
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wolverine World Wide, Inc. 54,000 1,363,500
------------
64,780,940
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retail: Specialty--1.1%
Central Garden & Pet Co.(1)(3) 30,000 922,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giordano International Ltd. 22,160,000 14,317,991
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Linens `N Things, Inc.(3) 20,000 670,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Party City Corp.(3) 30,000 787,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petco Animal Supplies, Inc.(3) 30,000 941,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RDO Equipment Co., Cl. A(3) 50,000 1,150,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reebok International Ltd.(3) 399,700 19,460,394
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wolford AG 87,200 7,871,005
------------
46,120,640
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consumer Non-Cyclicals--15.5%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beverages--3.4%
Al-Ahram Beverages Co., GDR(1)(2)(3) 30,000 945,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cadbury Schweppes plc 4,000,000 38,575,797
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cia Cervejaria Brahma, Preference 23,800,000 18,182,698
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fomento Economico Mexicano SA de CV,
Cl. B, Sponsored ADR(1) 2,600,000 22,403,420
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guinness plc 4,500,000 42,489,108
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remy Cointreau 81,428 1,578,537
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serm Suk Public Co. Ltd. 31,000 502,148
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South African Breweries Ltd. 888,500 25,773,657
------------
150,450,365
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food--1.0%
Cresud SA, Sponsored ADR(1)(3) 350,000 7,568,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. 36,683,456 34,849,283
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disco SA, Sponsored ADR(3) 52,700 2,424,200
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JP Foodservice, Inc.(1)(3) 20,000 630,000
------------
45,472,233
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healthcare/Drugs--5.8%
Amgen, Inc.(3) 700,000 33,556,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appligene Oncor SA(3) 60,000 384,342
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BioChem Pharma, Inc.(1)(3) 1,097,500 34,571,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
===============================================================================
Healthcare/Drugs (continued)
Biocompatibles International plc(3) 204,865 $ 2,118,012
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(1)(3) 15,000 654,375
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genzyme Corp. (General Division)(1)(3) 1,354,270 40,289,532
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gilead Sciences, Inc.(3) 422,200 18,735,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glaxo Wellcome plc, Sponsored ADR 1,000,000 44,937,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(3) 15,000 1,260,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K-V Pharmaceutical Co., Cl. A(3) 68,000 1,572,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K-V Pharmaceutical Co., Cl. B(3) 53,000 1,199,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marseille-Kliniken AG 105,000 2,146,149
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Novartis AG 45,000 69,098,674
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oxford Molecular Group plc(3) 285,714 1,333,859
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tiger Medicals Ltd. 493,000 470,437
------------
252,327,130
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healthcare/Supplies & Services--2.4%
AmeriSource Health Corp., Cl. A(3) 30,000 1,753,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clinica y Maternidad Suizo Argentino(3)(4)(5) 1,800 16,485,894
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Concentra Managed Care, Inc.(3) 25,000 882,812
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gehe AG 280,000 15,298,493
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norland Medical Systems, Inc.(1)(3) 50,000 443,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Omnicare, Inc. 15,000 487,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parexel International Corp.(1)(3) 27,200 1,074,400
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc.(3) 15,000 661,875
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quintiles Transnational Corp.(1)(3) 236,392 19,916,026
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rural/Metro Corp.(3) 6,800 207,400
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serologicals Corp.(3) 35,000 796,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Superior Consultant Holdings Corp.(3) 35,000 1,172,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Renal Care Holdings, Inc.(3) 16,000 800,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States Surgical Corp. 1,502,700 43,860,056
------------
103,840,081
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household Goods--2.9%
Wella AG, Preference(5) 163,000 124,313,564
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobacco--0.0%
PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna 600,000 1,242,331
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy--6.1%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy Services & Producers--4.0%
Cie Generale de Geophysique SA(3) 27,500 3,754,922
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coflexip SA, Sponsored ADR(1) 645,000 36,281,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gazprom, ADR(1)(2) 421,200 10,572,120
13 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy Services & Producers (continued)
Global Marine, Inc.(3) 1,435,000 $ 47,713,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smedvig AS, Series B 100,000 2,975,603
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transocean Offshore, Inc. 1,003,098 48,086,010
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Atlas, Inc.(3) 300,700 26,461,600
------------
175,845,255
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oil-Integrated--2.1%
British Petroleum Co. plc, ADR 389,202 35,344,407
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expro International Group plc 340,000 2,965,878
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lukoil Oil Co., Sponsored ADR(1) 190,000 18,662,769
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Preference 100,000,000 28,113,876
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saga Petroleum AS, Cl. A 400,000 8,461,431
------------
93,548,361
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial--23.7%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banks--18.0%
Amalgamated Banks of South Africa Ltd.(3) 700,000 4,766,758
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banco Bradesco SA, Preference 3,354,116,632 34,901,084
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banco Frances del Rio de la Plata SA,
Sponsored ADR(1) 662,055 21,640,923
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banco Latinoamericano de Exportaciones SA,
Cl. E 313,900 14,047,025
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bankers Trust New York Corp.(1) 400,000 49,000,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banque Libanaise Pour Le Comm SAL, GDR,
Cl. B(3) 230,000 5,635,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barclays plc 2,025,561 54,598,178
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chase Manhattan Corp. (New) 200,000 23,600,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cie Financiere de Paribas, Series A 1,400,000 103,839,814
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citicorp 50,000 6,696,875
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Credito Italiano 15,358,075 41,698,959
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deutsche Bank AG 520,000 36,508,025
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HSBC Holdings plc 500,000 16,734,475
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Finance Corp. 7,386,499 9,614,645
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merita Ltd., Cl. A 12,000,000 56,976,069
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Westminister Bank plc 2,277,600 34,456,076
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Trust Corp. 121,600 7,189,600
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Pan Indonesia Bank 13,563,000 3,952,408
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Societe Generale 890,900 129,004,635
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UBS, Bearer 100,000 116,989,185
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unibanco-Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros SA, Sponsored GDR Representing 500 Units of
one Preferred Share of Unibanco and one
Preferred Share of Unibanco Holdings SA(1)(3) 430,000 15,748,750
------------
787,598,484
14 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diversified Financial--4.0%
American Express Co. 400,000 $ 32,750,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associates First Capital Corp., Cl. A 400,000 24,900,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Credicorp Ltd. 56,400 1,071,600
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Egypt Investment Co.(3) 96,500 1,459,563
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fannie Mae 800,000 37,600,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First NIS Regional Fund(2)(3) 1,320,000 25,740,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Russian Frontiers Trust plc(3) 74,667 1,881,629
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. 134,280 12,114,697
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Credit & Investment Corp. of
India Ltd., GDR(2) 1,928,200 30,851,200
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ING Groep NV 77,500 3,560,596
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manhattan Card Co. Ltd. 2,500,000 969,178
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Van Der Hoop Effektenbank NV 149,677 1,542,353
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wing Hang Bank Ltd. 300,000 1,310,329
------------
175,751,145
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insurance--1.7%
American International Group, Inc.(7) 300,000 30,956,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CapMAC Holdings, Inc. 30,000 969,375
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ockham Holdings plc 1,200,000 1,453,862
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reinsurance Australia Corp. Ltd. 3,592,154 9,780,528
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Skandia Forsakrings AB 667,500 29,842,903
------------
73,002,918
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial--8.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electrical Equipment--0.1%
Crompton Greaves Ltd., GDR 70,000 164,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEM Holdings SA(5) 25,000 6,059,475
------------
6,223,975
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Materials--0.0%
HI Cement Corp.(2) 2,592,000 226,375
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Services--6.1%
Adecco SA 200,000 80,563,476
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Affiliated Computer Services, Inc.,
Cl. A(3) 40,000 990,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atos SA(3) 130,000 14,068,946
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAU Holding AG 500 32,704
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAU Holdings AF, Preference 12,000 603,395
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BTG plc 250,000 2,948,108
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Culligan Water Technologies, Inc.(3) 20,000 920,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fugro NV 103,225 3,606,156
15 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industrial Services (continued)
Grupo Elektra SA de CV, CPO 792,600 $ 12,807,225
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IHC Caland NV 500,000 31,541,952
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May & Speh, Inc.(3) 50,000 693,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MRC Allied Industries, Inc.(3) 12,500,000 742,357
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada 8,959,500 2,748,313
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rental Service Corp.(3) 40,000 897,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rentokil Group plc 6,834,700 28,430,027
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serco Group plc 200,000 2,697,721
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Service Experts, Inc.(3) 25,000 676,563
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VBH Holding AG 368,100 6,314,977
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West TeleServices Corp.(1)(3) 40,000 600,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WPP Group plc 16,800,000 75,852,811
------------
267,735,981
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturing--2.1%
Bombardier, Inc., Cl. B 1,977,900 40,051,405
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Miniature Lamp, Inc.(3) 16,000 532,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Powerscreen International plc 2,760,674 33,045,621
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRI Automation, Inc.(3) 20,000 1,170,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Societe BIC SA 200,000 14,800,545
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Filter Corp.(1)(3) 40,000 1,722,500
------------
91,322,071
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transportation--0.3%
Guangshen Railway Co. Ltd., Sponsored ADR 791,200 13,598,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Koninklijke Van Ommeren NV 30,394 1,280,285
------------
14,879,035
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology--21.3%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aerospace/Defense--1.8%
Rolls-Royce plc 19,351,756 80,027,810
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Hardware--2.6%
Eidos plc(3) 102,500 1,324,630
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imagineer Co. Ltd. 400 4,042
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Business Machines Corp. 700,000 74,156,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iomega Corp.(1)(3) 1,300,000 33,962,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Multipolar Corp.(3) 35,089,600 4,305,472
------------
113,752,894
16 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Software--4.3%
Aspen Technologies, Inc.(3) 7,300 $ 256,413
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cap Gemini SA(1) 1,520,000 98,647,824
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Engineering Animation, Inc.(3) 44,300 1,688,938
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Data Corp.(1) 376,000 14,123,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global DirectMail Corp.(3) 20,000 447,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Integrated Measurement Systems, Inc.(3) 40,000 720,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
McAfee Associates, Inc.(1)(3) 15,000 795,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Corp.(3) 250,000 33,078,125
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misys (Jersey) Ltd.(3) 286,074 7,186,036
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misys plc 1,001,260 25,151,150
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Instruments Corp.(3) 30,000 1,391,250
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saville Systems Ireland plc, Sponsored ADR(3) 15,000 1,053,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPSS, Inc.(3) 20,000 572,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Viasoft, Inc.(3) 10,000 495,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visio Corp.(3) 40,000 1,670,000
------------
187,276,986
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electronics--4.5%
Austria Mikro Systeme International AG 18,200 1,284,136
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc.(1)(3) 20,000 445,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intel Corp. 200,000 18,462,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keyence Corp. 220,000 30,795,982
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Semiconductor Corp.(3) 1,000,000 41,000,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pittway Corp., Cl. A 20,000 1,298,750
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics NV(1)(3) 245,500 23,046,313
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sony Corp.(1) 800,000 75,540,440
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unit Trust of India-Masterplus 91(3) 5,000,000 2,495,158
------------
194,368,279
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telecommunications-Technology--8.1%
Alcatel Alsthom SA 600,000 79,801,572
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ascend Communications, Inc.(1)(3) 400,000 12,950,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cisco Systems, Inc.(3) 248,000 18,119,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Millicom International Cellular SA(3) 408,200 21,328,450
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newbridge Networks Corp.(3) 600,000 35,925,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUALCOMM, Inc.(1)(3) 1,775,800 113,096,263
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SK Telecom Co. Ltd. 47,154 30,266,323
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telecom Italia Mobile SpA 10,000,000 39,825,581
------------
351,312,689
17 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market Value
Shares See Note 1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Utilities--1.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electric Utilities--0.0%
First Philippine Holdings Corp., B Shares 875,000 $ 738,718
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telephone Utilities--1.2%
CPT Telefonica del Peru SA, Cl. B 11,599,949 27,386,218
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
McLeodUSA, Inc., Cl. A(3) 10,000 394,375
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Telecomunicacoes Brasileiras SA, Preference 200,000,000 25,831,067
------------
53,611,660
------------
Total Common Stocks (Cost $2,861,589,477) 3,982,183,298
===============================================================================
Preferred Stocks--0.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marschollek, Lautenschlaeger und
Partner AG, Non-Vtg.
Preferred Stock (Cost $1,507,735) 27,200 6,560,574
Units
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rights, Warrants and Certificates--0.0%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Satellite Network, Inc. Wts.,
Exp. 6/99 51,750 --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PerSeptive Biosystems, Inc., Cl. A Wts.,
Exp. 12/97 40,110 --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Pan Indonesia Bank Wts., Exp. 6/00 1,937,571 89,152
------------
Total Rights, Warrants and Certificates
(Cost $261,332) 89,152
Face
Amount
===============================================================================
U.S. Government Obligations--6.2%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Treasury Bonds, STRIPS, Zero Coupon:
6.98%, 11/15/18(8) $ 216,900,000 55,029,240
6.93%, 2/15/19(8) 216,700,000 53,981,036
6.93%, 8/15/19(1)(8) 452,300,000 109,067,615
6.44%, 8/15/25(1)(8) 295,000,000 50,143,473
------------
Total U.S. Government Obligations
(Cost $253,751,674) 268,221,364
===============================================================================
Convertible Corporate Bonds and Notes--0.0%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., 5% Cv. Bonds, 7/9/01
(Cost $1,754,562) 1,675,000 1,817,375
===============================================================================
Short-Term Notes--3.4%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CIT Group Holdings, Inc., 5.51%, 10/24/97(9) 50,000,000 49,823,986
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Electric Capital Services, Inc., 5.54%,
10/17/97(9) 50,000,000 49,877,556
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goldman Sachs Group, LP, 5.53%, 10/7/97(9) 50,000,000 49,954,083
------------
Total Short-Term Notes (Cost $149,655,625) 149,655,625
18 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Face Market Value
Amount See Note 1
===============================================================================
Repurchase Agreements--1.6%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repurchase agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co., 6.125%, dated 9/30/97, to be
repurchased at $68,911,723 on 10/1/97, collateralized by U.S. Treasury Nts.,
5.125%-9.125%, 11/15/98-9/30/99,
with a value of $70,355,988 (Cost $68,900,000) $68,900,000 $ 68,900,000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Investments, at Value
(Cost $3,337,420,405) 102.6% 4,477,427,388
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets (2.6) (111,822,089)
----------- --------------
Net Assets 100.0% $4,365,605,299
=========== ==============
19 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Investments (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution of investments by country of issue, as a percentage of total
investments at value, is as follows:
Country Market Value Percent
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States $1,605,856,864 35.9%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Britain 519,248,846 11.6
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France 508,165,678 11.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Germany 308,088,628 6.9
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan 288,028,228 6.4
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Switzerland 272,710,809 6.1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brazil 128,327,035 2.9
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Italy 81,524,541 1.8
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mexico 78,519,708 1.8
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Canada 76,910,155 1.7
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina 67,603,982 1.5
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finland 56,976,069 1.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Russia 54,974,889 1.2
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India 47,442,931 1.1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Netherlands 42,796,539 1.0
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peru 39,693,756 0.9
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Singapore 35,319,721 0.8
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hong Kong 33,331,972 0.7
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Africa 30,540,415 0.7
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Korea, Republic of (South) 30,266,323 0.7
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sweden 29,842,903 0.7
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portugal 28,791,367 0.6
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indonesia 17,720,767 0.4
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lebanon 14,666,500 0.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panama 14,047,025 0.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China 13,598,750 0.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norway 11,437,034 0.3
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thailand 10,116,793 0.2
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria 9,791,240 0.2
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australia 9,780,528 0.2
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaysia 6,141,630 0.1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Egypt 2,404,563 0.1
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philippines 1,707,449 0.0
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ireland 1,053,750 0.0
-------------- -----
Total $4,477,427,388 100.0%
============== =====
20 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Loaned security--See Note 8 of Notes to Financial Statements. 2. Represents
securities sold under Rule 144A, which are exempt from registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These securities have been determined to be
liquid under guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. These securities
amount to $114,925,381 or 2.63% of the Fund's net assets, at September 30, 1997.
3. Non-income producing security. 4. Identifies issues considered to be illiquid
or restricted--See Note 6 of Notes to Financial Statements. 5. Affiliated
company. Represents ownership of at least 5% of the voting securities of the
issuer, and is or was an affiliate as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, at or during the period ended September 30, 1997. The aggregate fair value
of securities of affiliated companies held by the Fund as of September 30, 1997
amounts to $146,858,933. Transactions during the period in which the issuer was
an affiliate are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shares Gross Gross Shares Dividend
Sept. 30, 1996 Additions Reductions Sept. 30, 1997 Income
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Clinica y Maternidad Suizo
Argentino 1,800 -- -- 1,800 $ --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coflexip SA, Sponsored ADR(6) 681,000 -- 36,000 645,000
53,909
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEM Holdings SA 25,000 -- -- 25,000 127,603
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K-V Pharmaceutical Co., Cl. A(6) 376,800 -- 308,800 68,000 --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K-V Pharmaceutical Co., Cl. B(6) 264,900 -- 211,900 53,000 --
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wella AG, Preference 120,000 43,000 -- 163,000 1,188,001
----------
$1,369,513
==========
</TABLE>
6. Not an affiliate as of September 30, 1997.
7. A sufficient amount of securities has been designated to cover outstanding
forward foreign currency exchange contracts. See Note 5 of Notes to Financial
Statements. 8. For zero coupon bonds, the interest rate shown is the effective
yield on the date of purchase. 9. Short-term notes are generally traded on a
discount basis; the interest rate is the discount rate received by the Fund at
the time of purchase. See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
21 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Assets and Liabilities September 30, 1997
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
Assets
Investments, at value--see accompanying statement:
Unaffiliated companies (cost $3,228,199,561) $4,383,174,876
Affiliated companies (cost $109,220,844) 94,252,512
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Collateral for securities loaned--Note 8 461,889,258
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign
currency exchange contracts--Note 5 85,081
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receivables:
Investments sold 12,840,846
Interest and dividends 8,764,906
Shares of beneficial interest sold 5,134,594
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other 188,852
--------------
Total assets 4,966,330,925
================================================================================
Liabilities
Bank overdraft 1,439,973
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return of collateral for securities loaned--Note 8 461,889,258
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign
currency exchange contracts--Note 5 3,527,078
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payables and other liabilities:
Investments purchased 126,424,510
Shares of beneficial interest redeemed 3,330,483
Distribution and service plan fees 2,071,638
Transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees 471,885
Trustees' fees--Note 1 333,759
Other 1,237,042
--------------
Total liabilities 600,725,626
================================================================================
Net Assets $4,365,605,299
==============
================================================================================
Composition of Net Assets
Paid-in capital $2,750,303,782
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Undistributed net investment income 56,492,098
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulated net realized gain on investments
and foreign currency transactions 420,918,199
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net unrealized appreciation on investments and
translation of assets and liabilities denominated
in foreign currencies 1,137,891,220
--------------
Net assets $4,365,605,299
==============
22 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
Net Asset Value Per Share
Class A Shares:
Net asset value and redemption price per share (based
on net assets of $3,407,837,440 and 69,094,074 shares
of beneficial interest outstanding) $49.32
Maximum offering price per share (net asset value plus
sales charge of 5.75% of offering price) $52.33
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class B Shares:
Net asset value, redemption price (excludes applicable contingent deferred sales
charge) and offering price per share (based on net assets of $897,380,435 and
18,620,624 shares of beneficial interest outstanding) $48.19
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class C Shares:
Net asset value, redemption price (excludes applicable contingent deferred sales
charge) and offering price per share (based on net assets of $60,387,424 and
1,238,127 shares of beneficial interest outstanding) $48.77
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
23 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Operations For the Year Ended September 30, 1997
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
Investment Income
Dividends:
Unaffiliated companies (net of foreign withholding
taxes of $900,019) $ 49,935,008
Affiliated companies (net of foreign withholding
taxes of $403,368) 1,369,513
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interest 14,447,934
----------------
Total income 65,752,455
================================================================================
Expenses
Management fees--Note 4 25,187,599
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution and service plan fees--Note 4:
Class A 5,180,110
Class B 6,905,955
Class C 352,398
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees--Note 4 5,068,366
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Custodian fees and expenses 1,815,158
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder reports 1,426,841
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration and filing fees 155,998
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal and auditing fees 103,848
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trustees' fees and expenses--Note 1 84,198
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insurance expenses 27,830
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other 137,218
----------------
Total expenses 46,445,519
================================================================================
Net Investment Income 19,306,936
================================================================================
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)
Net realized gain on:
Investments:
Unaffiliated companies 483,123,234
Affiliated companies 6,466,682
Foreign currency transactions 4,952,949
----------------
Net realized gain 494,542,865
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on:
Investments 629,595,794
Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in
foreign currencies (113,433,049)
----------------
Net change 516,162,745
----------------
Net realized and unrealized gain 1,010,705,610
================================================================================
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations $ 1,030,012,546
================
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
24 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year Ended September 30,
1997 1996
===============================================================================
Operations
Net investment income $ 19,306,936 $ 13,518,039
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain 494,542,865 125,983,836
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation 516,162,745 194,446,573
--------------- ---------------
Net increase in net assets resulting from
operations 1,030,012,546 333,948,448
===============================================================================
Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders Dividends from net investment
income:
Class A (33,892,204) (14,009,023)
Class B (3,899,147) (3,568)
Class C (207,585) (7,369)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distributions from net realized gain:
Class A (88,232,113) (120,623,278)
Class B (20,402,731) (20,905,412)
Class C (788,673) (131,770)
===============================================================================
Beneficial Interest Transactions Net increase in net assets resulting from
beneficial interest transactions--Note 2:
Class A 206,934,768 165,278,694
Class B 184,954,826 170,668,404
Class C 33,524,657 16,731,958
===============================================================================
Net Assets
Total increase 1,308,004,344 530,947,084
- ------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------
Beginning of period 3,057,600,955 2,526,653,871
--------------- ---------------
End of period (including undistributed
net investment income of $56,492,098
and $19,988,584, respectively) $ 4,365,605,299 $ 3,057,600,955
=============== ===============
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
25 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial Highlights
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class A
----------------------------------------------------------------
Year Ended September 30,
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
==================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Per Share Operating Data:
Net asset value, beginning of period $39.00 $36.84 $37.69 $35.04
$30.03
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) .32 .23 .31 .17 .26
Net realized and unrealized gain 11.91 4.22 2.59 6.10 4.99
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total income from investment operations 12.23 4.45 2.90 6.27
5.25
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income (.53) (.24) -- (.25) (.12)
Distributions from net realized gain (1.38) (2.05) (3.75) (3.37) (.12)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (1.91) (2.29) (3.75) (3.62) (.24)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $49.32 $39.00 $36.84 $37.69
$35.04
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
==================================================================================================================
Total Return, at Net Asset Value(3) 32.85% 12.98% 9.26% 19.19%
17.67%
==================================================================================================================
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $3,408 $2,499 $2,186 $1,921
$1,389
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average net assets (in millions) $2,869 $2,309 $1,979 $1,711
$1,213
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt outstanding
throughout period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A
$18,247
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of shares outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A
39,853
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt per share
outstanding throughout each period N/A N/A N/A N/A
$0.46
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income (loss) 0.74% 0.62% 0.90% 0.38%
0.84%
Expenses 1.13% 1.17% 1.20% 1.15% 1.18%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover rate(6) 65.9% 102.9% 84.4% 78.3%
86.9%
Average brokerage commission rate(7) $0.0045 $0.0071 -- -- --
</TABLE>
1. For the period from October 2, 1995 (inception of offering) to September 30,
1996. 2. For the period from August 17, 1993 (inception of offering) to
September 30, 1993. 3. Assumes a hypothetical initial investment on the business
day before the first day of the fiscal period (or inception of offering), with
all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the
reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last
business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total
returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods of less than one full
year. 4. Annualized.
26 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class B Class C
------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------
Year Ended September 30, Year Ended
September 30,
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993(2) 1997
1996(1)
===================================================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
<C>
Per Share Operating Data:
Net asset value, beginning of period $38.19 $36.16 $37.36 $34.99 $33.33
$38.73 $36.67
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (.04) (.05) .06 .08 .03 (.08)
.09
Net realized and unrealized gain 11.68 4.13 2.49 5.83 1.63 11.86
4.13
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total income from investment operations 11.64 4.08 2.55 5.91 1.66
11.78 4.22
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income (.26) -- -- (.18) -- (.36)
(.11)
Distributions from net realized gain (1.38) (2.05) (3.75) (3.36) -- (1.38)
(2.05)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (1.64) (2.05) (3.75) (3.54) -- (1.74)
(2.16)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $48.19 $38.19 $36.16 $37.36 $34.99
$48.77 $38.73
====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== ======
===================================================================================================================================
Total Return, at Net Asset Value(3) 31.77% 12.07% 8.34% 18.10% 3.64%
31.76% 12.34%
===================================================================================================================================
Ratios/Supplemental Data:
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $897 $541 $340 $187 $6
$60 $18
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average net assets (in millions) $692 $438 $258 $88 $3 $35
$8
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt outstanding
throughout period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of shares outstanding
throughout each period (in thousands) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average amount of debt per share
outstanding throughout each period N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income (loss) (0.23)% (0.17)% 0.09% (0.30)% 1.52%(4)
(0.86)%(5) 0.04%(4)
Expenses 1.94% 2.00% 2.03% 2.08% 2.40%(4)
1.94% 1.99%(4)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover rate(6) 65.9% 102.9% 84.4% 78.3% 86.9%
65.9% 102.9%
Average brokerage commission rate(7) $0.0045 $0.0071 -- -- --
$0.0045 $0.0071
</TABLE>
5. Due to the acquisition of the net assets of Oppenheimer Global Emerging
Growth Fund, the ratios for Class C shares are not necessarily comparable to
those of prior periods. 6. The lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio
securities for a period, divided by the monthly average of the market value of
portfolio securities owned during the period. Securities with a maturity or
expiration date at the time of acquisition of one year or less are excluded from
the calculation. Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding
short-term securities) for the period ended September 30, 1997 were
$2,356,217,301 and $2,254,813,598, respectively. 7. Total brokerage commissions
paid on applicable purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the period,
divided by the total number of related shares purchased and sold. Generally,
non-U.S. commissions are lower than U.S. commissions when expressed as cents per
share but higher when expressed as a percentage of transactions because of the
lower per-share prices of many non-U.S. securities.
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
27 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes to Financial Statements
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
1. Significant Accounting Policies
Oppenheimer Global Fund (the Fund) is registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, as a diversified, open-end management investment
company. The Fund's investment objective is capital appreciation. The Fund
invests primarily in common stocks of U.S. and foreign companies. The Fund's
investment advisor is OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (the Manager). The Fund offers
Class A, Class B and Class C shares. Class A shares are sold with a front-end
sales charge. Class B and Class C shares may be subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge. All classes of shares have identical rights to earnings, assets
and voting privileges, except that each class has its own distribution and/or
service plan, expenses directly attributable to that class and exclusive voting
rights with respect to matters affecting that class. Class B shares will
automatically convert to Class A shares six years after the date of purchase.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently
followed by the Fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Valuation. Portfolio securities are valued at the close of the New
York Stock Exchange on each trading day. Listed and unlisted securities for
which such information is regularly reported are valued at the last sale price
of the day or, in the absence of sales, at values based on the closing bid or
the last sale price on the prior trading day. Long-term and short-term
"non-money market" debt securities are valued by a portfolio pricing service
approved by the Board of Trustees. Such securities which cannot be valued by an
approved portfolio pricing service are valued using dealer-supplied valuations
provided the Manager is satisfied that the firm rendering the quotes is reliable
and that the quotes reflect current market value, or are valued under
consistently applied procedures established by the Board of Trustees to
determine fair value in good faith. Short-term "money market type" debt
securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at cost (or
last determined market value) adjusted for amortization to maturity of any
premium or discount. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are valued
based on the closing prices of the forward currency contract rates in the London
foreign exchange markets on a daily basis as provided by a reliable bank or
dealer.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foreign Currency Translation. The accounting records of the Fund are maintained
in U.S. dollars. Prices of securities denominated in foreign currencies are
translated into U.S. dollars at the closing rates of exchange. Amounts related
to the purchase and sale of foreign securities and investment income are
translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such
transactions.
28 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
The effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on investments is
separately identified from the fluctuations arising from changes in market
values of securities held and reported with all other foreign currency gains and
losses in the Fund's Statement
of Operations.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund requires the custodian to take possession, to
have legally segregated in the Federal Reserve Book Entry System or to have
segregated within the custodian's vault, all securities held as collateral for
repurchase agreements. The market value of the underlying securities is required
to be at least 102% of the resale price at the time of purchase. If the seller
of the agreement defaults and the value of the collateral declines, or if the
seller enters an insolvency proceeding, realization of the value of the
collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allocation of Income, Expenses, and Gains and Losses. Income, expenses (other
than those attributable to a specific class) and gains and losses are allocated
daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets
represented by such class. Operating expenses directly attributable to a
specific class are charged against the operations of that class.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Taxes. The Fund intends to continue to comply with provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to
distribute all of its taxable income, including any net realized gain on
investments not offset by loss carryovers, to shareholders. Therefore, no
federal income or excise tax provision is required. At September 30, 1997, the
Fund had available for federal tax purposes an unused capital loss carryover of
approximately $27,670,000, which expires between 1998 and 2004. The capital loss
carryover was acquired in connection with the merger with Oppenheimer Global
Emerging Growth Fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trustees' Fees and Expenses. The Fund has adopted a nonfunded retirement plan
for the Fund's independent trustees. Benefits are based on years of service and
fees paid to each trustee during the years of service. During the year ended
September 30, 1997, a credit of $4,440 was made for the Fund's projected benefit
obligations and payments of $13,575 were made to retired trustees, resulting in
an accumulated liability of $328,124 at September 30, 1997.
29 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
1. Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
Distributions to Shareholders. Dividends and distributions to shareholders are
recorded on the ex-dividend date.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classification of Distributions to Shareholders. Net investment income (loss)
and net realized gain (loss) may differ for financial statement and tax purposes
primarily because of the recognition of certain foreign currency gains (losses)
as ordinary income (loss) for tax purposes. The character of the distributions
made during the year from net investment income or net realized gains may differ
from its ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. Also, due to
timing of dividend distributions, the fiscal year in which amounts are
distributed may differ from the fiscal year in which the income or realized gain
was recorded by the Fund.
The Fund adjusts the classification of distributions to shareholders to
reflect the differences between financial statement amounts and distributions
determined in accordance with income tax regulations. Accordingly, during the
year ended September 30, 1997, amounts have been reclassified to reflect an
increase in undistributed net investment income of $55,195,514, a decrease in
accumulated net realized gain on investments of $59,905,058, and an increase in
paid-in capital of $4,709,544.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other. Investment transactions are accounted for on the date the investments are
purchased or sold (trade date) and dividend income is recorded on the
ex-dividend date. Realized gains and losses on investments and unrealized
appreciation and depreciation are determined on an identified cost basis, which
is the same basis used for federal income tax purposes.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles 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 income and expenses during the reporting
period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
30 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
2. Shares of Beneficial Interest
The Fund has authorized an unlimited number of no par value shares of beneficial
interest of each class. Transactions in shares of beneficial interest were as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year Ended September 30, 1997 Year Ended September 30, 1996(1)
----------------------------- --------------------------------
Shares Amount Shares Amount
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A:
Sold 11,624,466 $ 495,244,280 13,445,573 $ 494,129,386
Dividends reinvested 3,097,502 117,118,681 3,791,424 129,022,228
Issued in connection with the
acquisition of Oppenheimer Global
Emerging Growth Fund--Note 9 3,204,584 145,520,176 -- --
Redeemed (12,907,303) (550,948,369) (12,511,334) (457,872,920)
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Net increase 5,019,249 $ 206,934,768 4,725,663 $ 165,278,694
========== ============= ==========
=============
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class B:
Sold 5,824,454 $ 244,964,288 6,760,563 $ 244,252,699
Dividends reinvested 624,025 23,201,893 596,683 20,012,734
Issued in connection with the
acquisition of Oppenheimer Global
Emerging Growth Fund--Note 9 312,088 13,881,679 -- --
Redeemed (2,312,418) (97,093,034) (2,599,758) (93,597,029)
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Net increase 4,448,149 $ 184,954,826 4,757,488 $ 170,668,404
========== ============= ==========
=============
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class C:
Sold 1,111,161 $ 47,405,719 549,240 $ 20,205,091
Dividends reinvested 25,342 953,635 4,029 137,151
Issued in connection with the
acquisition of Oppenheimer Global
Emerging Growth Fund--Note 9 95,479 4,297,523 -- --
Redeemed (449,001) (19,132,220) (98,123) (3,610,284)
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Net increase 782,981 $ 33,524,657 455,146 $ 16,731,958
========== ============= ==========
=============
</TABLE>
1. For the year ended September 30, 1996 for Class A and Class B shares, and for
the period from October 2, 1995 (inception of offering) to September 30, 1996
for Class C shares.
================================================================================
3. Unrealized Gains and Losses on Investments
At September 30, 1997, net unrealized appreciation on investments of
$1,140,006,983 was composed of gross appreciation of $1,203,983,497, and gross
depreciation of $63,976,514.
31 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
4. Management Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliates Management fees paid
to the Manager were in accordance with the investment advisory agreement with
the Fund which provides for a fee of 0.80% on the first $250 million of average
annual net assets, 0.77% on the next $250 million, 0.75% on the next $500
million, 0.69% on the next $1 billion and 0.67% on average annual net assets in
excess of $2 billion. The Manager had voluntarily reduced the management fee to
which it is entitled under the Agreement to 0.65% on average annual net assets
in excess of $3.5 billion. Effective February 27, 1997, a new investment
advisory agreement provides for a fee of 0.65% on average annual net assets in
excess of $3.5 billion that was previously agreed to by the voluntary
undertaking.
For the year ended September 30, 1997, commissions (sales charges paid by
investors) on sales of Class A shares totaled $5,685,337, of which $1,827,212
was retained by OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (OFDI), a subsidiary of the
Manager, as general distributor, and by an affiliated broker/dealer. Sales
charges advanced to broker/dealers by OFDI on sales of the Fund's Class B and
Class C shares totaled $7,365,449 and $315,579, respectively, of which $609,555
and $9,233, respectively, was paid to an affiliated broker/dealer. During the
year ended September 30, 1997, OFDI received contingent deferred sales charges
of $1,011,172 and $17,175, respectively, upon redemption of Class B and Class C
shares, as reimbursement for sales commissions advanced by OFDI at the time of
sale of such shares.
OppenheimerFunds Services (OFS), a division of the Manager, is the
transfer and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund and for other registered
investment companies. OFS's total costs of providing such services are allocated
ratably to these companies.
The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares to reimburse OFDI
for a portion of its costs incurred in connection with the personal service and
maintenance of shareholder accounts that hold Class A shares. Reimbursement is
made quarterly at an annual rate that may not exceed 0.25% of the average annual
net assets of Class A shares of the Fund. OFDI uses the service fee to reimburse
brokers, dealers, banks and other financial institutions quarterly for providing
personal service and maintaining accounts of their customers that hold Class A
shares. During the year ended September 30, 1997, OFDI paid $344,298 to an
affiliated broker/dealer as reimbursement for Class A personal service and
maintenance expenses.
32 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
The Fund has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class B and Class C
shares to compensate OFDI for its services and costs in distributing Class B and
Class C shares and servicing accounts. Under the Plans, the Fund pays OFDI an
annual asset-based sales charge of 0.75% per year on Class B shares and Class C
shares, as compensation for sales commissions paid from its own resources at the
time of sale and associated financing costs. OFDI also receives a service fee of
0.25% per year as compensation for costs incurred in connection with the
personal service and maintenance of accounts that hold shares of the Fund,
including amounts paid to brokers, dealers, banks and other financial
institutions. Both fees are computed on the average annual net assets of Class B
and Class C shares, determined as of the close of each regular business day.
During the year ended September 30, 1997, OFDI paid $90,584 and $1,705,
respectively, to an affiliated broker/dealer as reimbursement for Class B and
Class C personal service and maintenance expenses and retained $5,658,916 and
$244,833, respectively, as compensation for Class B and Class C sales
commissions and service fee advances, as well as financing costs. If either Plan
is terminated by the Fund, the Board of Trustees may allow the Fund to continue
payments of the asset-based sales charge to OFDI for distributing shares before
the Plan was terminated. At September 30, 1997, OFDI had incurred unreimbursed
expenses of $19,399,031 for Class B and $539,948 for Class C.
================================================================================
5. Forward Contracts
A forward foreign currency exchange contract (forward contract) is a commitment
to purchase or sell a foreign currency at a future date, at a negotiated rate.
The Fund uses forward contracts to seek to manage foreign currency risks.
They may also be used to tactically shift portfolio currency risk. The Fund
generally enters into forward contracts as a hedge upon the purchase or sale of
a security denominated in a foreign currency. In addition, the Fund may enter
into such contracts as a hedge against changes in foreign currency exchange
rates on portfolio positions.
Forward contracts are valued based on the closing prices of the forward
currency contract rates in the London foreign exchange markets on a daily basis
as provided by a reliable bank or dealer. The Fund will realize a gain or loss
upon the closing or settlement of the forward transaction.
Securities held in segregated accounts to cover net exposure on
outstanding forward contracts are noted in the Statement of Investments where
applicable. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on forward contracts is
reported in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Realized gains and losses
are reported with all other foreign currency gains and losses in the Fund's
Statement of Operations.
Risks include the potential inability of the counterparty to meet the
terms of the contract and unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign
currency relative to the U.S. dollar.
33 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
5. Forward Contracts (continued)
At September 30, 1997, the Fund had outstanding forward contracts as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Contract Valuation as of
Amount September 30, Unrealized
Unrealized
Expiration Date (000s) 1997 Appreciation
Depreciation
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Contracts to Purchase
- ---------------------
British Pound Sterling (GBP) 10/1/97-10/3/97 7,354 GBP $ 11,878,149
$ -- $ 55,388
British Pound Sterling (GBP) 10/2/97 9,658 GBP 15,600,722
54,100 --
German Mark (DEM) 10/2/97 37,585 DEM 21,280,157
- -- 140,530
Italian Lira (ITL) 10/2/97 69,424,808 ITL 40,363,260 --
129,482
Italian Lira (ITL) 10/3/97 18,122,465 ITL 10,535,477 2,222
--
------- ----------
56,322 325,400
------- ----------
Contracts to Sell
- -----------------
Austrian Schilling (ATS) 10/6/97 4,059 ATS 326,530 518
--
French Franc (FRF) 12/24/97 1,114,160 FRF 194,530,564 --
3,199,461
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) 10/1/97-10/2/97 2,821,503 IDR 865,492
28,241 --
Swiss Franc (CHF) 10/1/97 1,257 CHF 865,661 --
2,217
------- ----------
28,759 3,201,678
------- ----------
Total Unrealized Appreciation and Depreciation $85,081
$3,527,078
======= ==========
</TABLE>
================================================================================
6. Illiquid and Restricted Securities
At September 30, 1997, investments in securities included issues that are
illiquid or restricted. Restricted securities are often purchased in private
placement transactions, are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, may
have contractual restrictions on resale, and are valued under methods approved
by the Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value. A security may be considered
illiquid if it lacks a readily available market or if its valuation has not
changed for a certain period of time. The Fund intends to invest no more than
10% of its net assets (determined at the time of purchase and reviewed
periodically) in illiquid or restricted securities. Certain restricted
securities, eligible for resale to qualified institutional investors, are not
subject to that limit. The aggregate value of illiquid or restricted securities
subject to this limitation at September 30, 1997 was $16,485,894, which
represents 0.38% of the Fund's net assets. Information concerning restricted
securities is as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Cost Valuation Per Unit
Security Acquisition Date Per Unit as of Sept. 30, 1997
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Clinica y Maternidad Suizo Argentino 5/16/94 $7,383.33 $ 9,158.83
</TABLE>
34 Oppenheimer Global Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================
7. Bank Borrowings
The Fund may borrow from a bank for temporary or emergency purposes including,
without limitation, funding of shareholder redemptions provided asset coverage
for borrowings exceeds 300%. The Fund has entered into an agreement which
enables it to participate with other OppenheimerFunds in an unsecured line of
credit with a bank, which permits borrowings up to $400 million, collectively.
Interest is charged to each fund, based on its borrowings, at a rate equal to
the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.35%. Borrowings are payable 30 days after such
loan is executed. The Fund also pays a commitment fee equal to its pro rata
share of the average unutilized amount of the credit facility at a rate of
0.0575% per annum.
The Fund had no borrowings outstanding during the year ended September 30,
1997.
================================================================================
8. Securities Loaned
The Fund has entered into a securities lending arrangement with the custodian.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Fund receives 60% of the annual net income
from lending transactions. In exchange for such fees, the custodian is
authorized to loan securities on behalf of the Fund, against receipt of
collateral at least equal in value to the value of the securities loaned. Cash
collateral is invested by the custodian in money market instruments approved by
the Manager. As of September 30, 1997, the Fund had on loan securities valued at
$446,940,176. Cash of $421,551,595 was received as collateral for the loans, and
has been invested in the approved instruments identified below. U.S. Treasury
Nts. valued at $40,337,663 were also received as collateral. The Fund bears the
risk of any deficiency in the amount of collateral available for return to a
borrower due to a loss in an approved investment.
================================================================================
9. Acquisition of Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund On June 20, 1997, the
Fund acquired all the net assets of Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund,
pursuant to an agreement and plan of reorganization approved by the Oppenheimer
Global Emerging Growth Fund shareholders on June 17, 1997. The Fund issued
3,204,584, 312,088 and 95,479 shares of beneficial interest for Class A, Class B
and Class C, respectively, valued at $145,520,176, $13,881,679, and $4,297,523,
in exchange for the net assets, resulting in combined Class A net assets of
$3,183,354,282, Class B net assets of $783,786,956 and Class C net assets of
$46,691,471 on June 20, 1997. The net assets acquired included net unrealized
appreciation of $36,954,700. The exchange qualified as a tax-free reorganization
for federal income tax purposes.
49
<PAGE>
Appendix
Corporate Industry Classifications
Aerospace/Defense Air Transportation Auto Parts Distribution Automotive Bank
Holding Companies Banks Beverages Broadcasting Broker-Dealers Building Materials
Cable Television Chemicals Commercial Finance Computer Hardware Computer
Software Conglomerates Consumer Finance Containers Convenience Stores Department
Stores Diversified Financial Diversified Media Drug Stores Drug Wholesalers
Durable Household Goods Education Electric Utilities Electrical Equipment
Electronics
Energy Services & Producers
Entertainment/Film
Environmental
Food
Gas Utilities
Gold
Health Care/Drugs Health Care/Supplies & Services Homebuilders/Real Estate
Hotel/Gaming Industrial Services Information Technology Insurance Leasing &
Factoring Leisure Manufacturing Metals/Mining Nondurable Household Goods Oil -
Integrated Paper Publishing/Printing Railroads Restaurants Savings & Loans
Shipping Special Purpose Financial Specialty Retailing Steel Supermarkets
Telecommunications - Technology Telephone - Utility Textile/Apparel Tobacco Toys
Trucking Wireless Services
1
A-1
<PAGE>
Investment Adviser
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agent
OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
1-800-525-7048
Custodian of Portfolio Securities
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10015
Independent Auditors
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
707 Seventeenth Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Gordon Altman Butowsky
Weitzen Shalov & Wein
114 West 47th Street
New York, New York 10036
SAI330.2
A-2
