Registration No. 2-14586
File No. 811-847
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 / X /
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. ___ / /
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 107 / X /
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 / X /
AMENDMENT NO. 25 / X /
OPPENHEIMER FUND
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(212) 323-0200
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(Registrant's Telephone Number)
ANDREW J. DONOHUE, ESQ.
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
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(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate
box):
/ / Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ / On ----------------- pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ / 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)
/ X / On October 21, 1994, pursuant to paragraph (a)
of Rule (485).
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The Registrant has registered an indefinite number of shares under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Rule 24f-2 promulgated under the
Investment Company Act of 1940. A Rule 24f-2 Notice for the Registrant's
fiscal year ended June 30, 1994, will be filed on or before August 30,
1994.
<PAGE>
FORM N-1A
OPPENHEIMER FUND
Cross Reference Sheet
Part A of
Form N-1A
Item No. Prospectus Heading
1 Front Cover Page
2 Expenses
3 Financial Highlights; Performance of the Fund
4 Front Cover Page; Investment Objective and Policies
5 How the Fund is Managed; Expenses; Back Cover
5A Performance of the Fund
6 Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
7 How to Buy Shares; How to Exchange Shares; Special Investor
Services; Service Plan For Class A Shares; Distribution and
Service Plan For Class C Shares; How to Sell Shares
8 How to Sell Shares
9 *
Part B of
Form N-1A
Item No. Heading in Statement of Additional Information
10 Cover Page
11 Cover Page
12 *
13 Investment Objectives and Policies; Other Investment
Techniques and Strategies; Additional Investment
Restrictions
14 How the Fund is Managed - Trustees and Officers of the Fund
15 How the Fund is Managed - Major Shareholders
16 How the Fund is Managed - Distribution and Service Plans
17 Brokerage Policies of the Fund
18 Additional Information About the Fund
19 Your Investment Account -- How to Buy Shares; How to Sell
Shares; How to Exchange Shares
20 Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
21 How the Fund is Managed; Brokerage Policies of the Fund
22 Performance of the Fund
23 Financial Statements
__________________________
*Not applicable or negative answer.
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Fund
Prospectus dated October 21, 1994
Oppenheimer Fund is a mutual fund with the primary investment objective
of seeking capital appreciation. Its secondary objective is to achieve
income consistent with growth in capital. See "The Fund and Its
Investment Policies."
The Fund attempts to achieve its objectives through investment in
common stocks that offer growth possibilities while retaining a flexible
approach to investment. In its operations, the Fund may utilize the
following special techniques when such use appears appropriate: hedging,
short-term trading, investment in foreign securities, and investment of
up to 10% of the Fund's assets in restricted securities. Some investment
techniques the Fund uses may be considered to be speculative investment
methods that may increase the risks of investing in the Fund and may also
increase 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.
The Fund offers two classes of shares: (1) Class A shares, which are
sold at a public offering price that includes a front-end sales charge,
and (2) Class C shares,which are sold without a front-end sales charge,
although you may pay a sales charge when you redeem your shares, depending
on how long you hold them. A contingent deferred sales charge is imposed
on most Class C shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase. Class C
shares are also subject to an annual "asset-based sales charge." Each
class of shares bears different expenses. In deciding which class of
shares to buy, you should consider how much you plan to purchase, how long
you plan to keep your shares, and other factors discussed in "How to Buy
Shares" starting on page ___.
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 October 21, 1994, Statement of Additional Information. For a
free copy, call Oppenheimer Shareholder 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).
Shares of the Fund are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not
guaranteed by any bank, and are not insured by the F.D.I.C. or any other
agency, and involve investment risks, including the possible loss of
principal.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
<PAGE>
Contents
Page
ABOUT THE FUND
Expenses
Financial Highlights
Investment Objective and Policies
How the Fund is Managed
Performance of the Fund
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How to Buy Shares
Class A Shares
Class C Shares
Special Investor Services
AccountLink
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange
Plans
Reinvestment Privilege
Retirement Plans
How to Sell Shares
By Mail
By Telephone
How to Exchange Shares
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
<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 reflected in the Fund's net asset value per share. As
a shareholder, you pay those expenses indirectly. Shareholders pay other
expenses directly, such as sales 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 operating expenses that you might expect
to bear indirectly. The calculations are based on the Fund's expenses
during its fiscal year ended June 30, 1994.
- Shareholder Transaction Expenses are charges you pay when you buy
or sell shares of the Fund. Please refer to pages _____ through _____ for
an explanation of how and when these charges apply.
Class A Shares Class C Shares
Maximum Sales Charge on Purchases
(as a % of offering price) 5.75% None
Sales Charge on Reinvested Dividends None None
Deferred Sales Charge
(as a % of the lower of the original
purchase price or redemption proceeds None(1) 1.0(2)
Exchange Fee $5.00(3) $5.00(3)
(1) If you invest more than $1 million in Class A shares, you may have
to pay a sales charge of up to 1% if you sell your shares within 18
calendar months from the end of the calendar month during which you
purchased those shares. See "How to Buy Shares," below.
(2) If you redeem Class C shares within 12 months of buying them, you may
have to pay a 1.0% contingent deferred sales charge. See "How to Buy
Shares," below.
(3) Fee is waived for automated exchanges on PhoneLink, described in "How
to Buy Shares."
- Annual Fund Operating Expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets
and represent the Fund's expenses in operating its business. For example,
the Fund pays management fees to its investment adviser, Oppenheimer
Management Corporation (the "Manager"), and 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 and other
expenses. The following numbers are projections of the Fund's business
expenses based on the Fund's expenses in its last fiscal year. 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 the Service Plan Fees (which are a maximum of 0.25% of
average annual net assets of that class), and for Class C shares are the
Distribution and Service Plan Fee (maximum of 0.25%) and the asset-based
sales charge of 0.75%. The actual expenses for each class of shares in
future years may be more or less, depending on a number of factors,
including the actual amount of the assets represented by each class of
shares.
A Service Plan for the Fund's Class A shares took effect July 1, 1994,
that applies to all Class A shares of the Fund, regardless of the date on
which the shares were purchased. "12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees" are based
on expenses that would have been incurred if that Plan had been in effect
during the Fund's fiscal year ended June 30, 1994. Class C shares were
not publicly sold before December 1, 1993. Therefore the Annual Fund
Operating Expenses shown for Class C shares are based on expenses for the
period from December 1, 1993 through June 30, 1994.
Class A Shares Class C Shares
Management Fees ___% ___%
12b-1 Distribution Plan
Fees (restated) ____% __%
Other Expenses ____% ____%
Total Fund Operating Expenses _____% _____%
_______________________________
*Service Plan fees only
**Includes Service Plan Fee and
asset-based sales charge
- 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, and that the Fund's annual return is 5%, and that its
operating expenses for each class are the ones shown in the chart 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 each
period shown:
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years(1)
Class A Shares $____ $____ $____ $____
Class C Shares $____ $____ $____ $____
If you did not redeem your investment, it would incur the following
expenses:
Class A Shares $____ $____ $____ $____
Class C Shares $____ $___ $____ $____
_________________
(1) Because of the asset-based sales charge imposed on Class C shares of
the Fund, long-term shareholders of Class C shares could bear
expenses that would be the economic equivalent of an amount greater
than the maximum front-end sales charges permitted under applicable
regulatory requirements.
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 will vary.
<PAGE>
Financial Highlights
The table on this page presents selected financial information about the
Fund, including per share data and expense ratios and other data based on
the Fund's average net assets. This information has been audited by KPMG
Peat Marwick, the Fund's independent auditors, whose report on the Fund's
financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1994, is included
in the Statement of Additional Information. Class C shares were publicly
offered only during a portion of that period, commencing December 1, 1993.
<PAGE>
Investment Objective and Policies
Objective. The Fund's primary objective is to seek capital
appreciation. Its secondary objective is to achieve income consistent
with growth in capital.
Investment Policies and Strategies. In seeking its primary investment
objective of capital appreciation, the Fund invests principally in common
stocks that, in the judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, Oppenheimer
Management Corporation (the "Manager"), offer growth possibilities.
However, the Manager follows a flexible approach to investment at all
times. Investments may also include preferred stocks, convertible
securities, and rights or warrants. The Fund will not invest more than
5% of its total assets in securities of issuers that have operated less
than three years, including the operation of predecessors. To achieve its
secondary objective of income consistent with capital growth, the Fund
seeks investments in dividend-paying common stocks consistent with its
primary objective of capital appreciation, and may also invest in
corporate debt securities and obligations of U.S. and foreign governments
(see "Foreign Securities," below) and may engage in certain special
investment methods to enhance income, such as writing covered call options
(described below).
- Investment Risks. Because of the types of companies the Fund invests
in and the investment techniques the Fund uses, some of which may be
speculative, it is designed for those who are investing for the long-term.
It is not meant for investors whose principal objective is assured income
and conservation of capital. Investing for capital appreciation entails
the risk of loss of all or part of your principal. There is no assurance
that the Fund will achieve its objective, and when you redeem your shares,
they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them.
- 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 policies. The Fund's investment policies and
practices are not "fundamental" unless the Prospectus or Statement of
Additional Information says that a particular policy is "fundamental."
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
investment objective is a fundamental policy. 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.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies. The Fund may also use the
investment techniques and strategies described below, which involve
certain risks. The Statement of Additional Information contains more
information about these practices, including limitations designed to
reduce some of the risks.
- Concentration of Investments. The Fund reserves the right to
concentrate up to 50% of its assets in any one industry and may do so when
the Manager deems it appropriate to achieve the Fund's investment
objectives. Such concentration would possibly occur only when trends in
the market as a whole were considered unfavorable but at the same time a
particular industry was believed to afford better-than-average prospects.
Except in that case, it is not the intention of the Fund to concentrate
more than 25% of the value of its total assets in any one industry.
- Writing Covered Calls. The Fund may write (that is, sell) covered
call options (calls) to raise cash for liquidity purposes (for example,
to meet redemption requirements) or for defensive reasons. The Fund may
write calls only if certain conditions are met: (1) after writing any
call, not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets may be subject to
calls; (2) the calls must be listed on a domestic securities exchange or
quoted on the Automated Quotation System of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.; and (3) each call must be "covered" while it is
outstanding; that is, the Fund must own the securities on which the call
is written or it must own other securities that are acceptable for the
escrow arrangements required for calls. 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 on the security above the call price.
- Hedging with Options and Futures Contracts. The Fund may buy and
sell options and futures contracts to try to manage its exposure to
declining prices on its portfolio securities or to establish a position
in the equity 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. Other hedging strategies, such as buying futures and
buying call options, tend to increase the Fund's exposure to the market.
The Fund may purchase certain kinds of put and call options, Stock Index
Futures (described below), financial futures and options on Stock Index
Futures and on broadly-based stock indices, and engage in interest rate
transactions. These are all referred to as "hedging instruments." The
Fund does not use hedging instruments for speculative purposes. 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 purchase put options ("puts") which relate to (1)
securities that the Fund owns, (2) Stock Index Futures, whether or not the
Fund owns the particular Stock Index Future in its portfolio, or (3)
broadly-based stock indices. The Fund may not sell a put other than a put
that it previously purchased, nor may the Fund purchase puts on securities
it does not own. The Fund may purchase calls only on securities, broadly-
based stock indices or Stock Index Futures, or to terminate its obligation
on a call the Fund previously wrote. A call or put may not be purchased
if the value of all of the Fund's put and call options would exceed 5% of
the Fund's total assets. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts only
if they relate to broadly-based stock indices (these are referred to as
"Stock Index Futures"), as described in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Hedging instruments can be volatile investments and may involve special
risks. 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 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. For example, in writing puts, there is a risk that the Fund
may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price.
These risks and the hedging strategies the Fund may use are described in
greater detail in the Statement of Additional Information.
- Derivative Instruments. The Fund can invest in a number of
different kinds of "derivative securities." In general, a "derivative
security" is a specially designed investment whose performance is linked
to the performance of another security or investment, such as an option,
future, index or currency. The risks of investing in derivative
securities include not only the ability of the company issuing the
instrument to pay the amount due on the maturity of the instrument, but
also the risk that the underlying security or investment might not perform
the way the Manager expected it to perform. The performance of derivative
securities may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the U.S. and
abroad. All this can mean that the Fund will realize less income than
expected.
Examples of derivative securities the Fund may invest in include, among
others, "index-linked" notes. These are debt securities of companies that
call for payment on the maturity of the note in different terms than the
typical note where the borrower agrees to pay a fixed sum on the maturity
of the note. The payment on maturity of an index-linked note depends on
the performance of one or more market indices, such as the S&P 500 Index.
Other examples or derivative securities the Fund may invest in are
currency-indexed securities. These are typically short-term or
intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or interest rates
are determined by reference to one or more specified foreign currencies.
Further examples of derivative securities the Fund may invest in include
"debt exchangeable for common stock" of an issuer or "equity-linked debt
securities" of an issuer. At maturity, the principal amount of the debt
security is exchanged for common stock of the issuer or is payable in an
amount based on the issuer's common stock price at the time of maturity.
In either case there is a risk that the amount payable at maturity will
be less than the principal amount of the debt.
- Warrants and Rights. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its total
assets in warrants and rights, other than those that have been acquired
in units or attached to other securities. Of such 5%, no more than 2% of
the Fund's total assets may be invested in warrants that are not listed
on the New York or American Stock Exchanges. For further details, see
"Warrants and Rights" in the Additional Statement.
- Special Situations. The Fund may invest in securities of companies
that are in "special situations" that the Manager believes present
opportunities for capital growth. A "special situation" may be an event
such as a proposed merger, 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. Although the Fund may invest in companies for the purpose
of influencing their managerial policy, the Fund has not made any such
investment, and has no present intention of doing so.
- Portfolio Turnover. A change in the securities held by the Fund is
known as "portfolio turnover." The Fund may engage frequently in short-
term trading to try to achieve its objective. As a result, the Fund's
portfolio turnover may be higher than other mutual funds, although it is
not expected to be more than 100% each year. The "Financial Highlights,"
above, show the Fund's portfolio turnover rate during past fiscal years.
High turnover and short-term trading may cause the Fund to have relatively
larger commission expenses and transaction costs than funds that do not
engage in short-term trading. Additionally, high portfolio turnover may
affect the ability of the Fund to qualify for tax deductions for payments
made to shareholders as a "regulated investment company" under the
Internal Revenue Code. The Fund qualified in its last fiscal year and
intends to do so in the coming year, although it reserves the right not
to qualify.
- 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
in any country, developed or underdeveloped. There is no limit on the
amount of the Fund's assets that may be invested in foreign securities.
Foreign currency will be held by the Fund 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.
Foreign securities have special risks. For example, foreign issuers are
not subject to the same accounting and disclosure requirements that U.S.
companies are subject to. The value of foreign investments may be affected
by changes in foreign currency rates, 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. More information about the risks and potential rewards of
investing in foreign securities is contained in the Statement of
Additional Information.
- Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Under the policies established
by the Fund's Board of Trustees, the Manager determines the liquidity 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 (that limit may increase to 15% if certain state laws are
changed or the Fund's shares are no longer sold in those states). Certain
restricted securities, eligible for resale to qualified institutional
purchasers, are not subject to that limit.
- Loans of Portfolio Securities. To raise cash for liquidity purposes,
the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to certain types of eligible
borrowers approved by the Board of Trustees. Each loan must be
collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
After any loan, the value of the securities loaned must not exceed 25% of
the value of the Fund's net assets. There are some risks in connection
with securities lending. The Fund might experience a delay in receiving
additional collateral to secure a loan, or a delay in recovery of the
loaned securities. The Fund presently does not intend to engage in loans
of securities that will exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets
in the coming year.
- Temporary Defensive Investments. When stock market prices are
falling or in other unusual economic or business circumstances, the Fund
may invest all or a portion of its assets in defensive securities.
Securities selected for defensive purposes may include debt securities,
such as rated or unrated bonds and debentures, and preferred stocks, cash
or cash equivalents, such as U.S. Treasury Bills and other short-term
obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or
commercial paper rated "A-1" or better by Standard & Poor's Corporation
or "P-1" or better by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
- Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase
agreements. 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. Repurchase
agreements must be fully collateralized. However, if the vendor of the
securities under a repurchase agreement 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 which causes more than
10% of its net assets to be subject to repurchase agreements having a
maturity beyond seven days.
Other Investment Restrictions. The Fund has other investment restrictions
which are fundamental policies. Under these fundamental policies, the
Fund cannot do any of the following: (1) 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; or (2) deviate from the restrictions
listed under "Concentration of Investments."
All of the percentage restrictions described above and elsewhere in this
Prospectus apply only at the time the Fund purchases a security, and the
Fund need not dispose of a security merely because the Fund's assets have
changed or the security has increased in value relative to the size of the
Fund. There are other fundamental policies discussed in the Statement of
Additional Information.
How the Fund is Managed
Organization and History. The Fund was originally incorporated in New
York in 1958 but was reorganized in 1985 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 meet periodically 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 provides more information about them
and the officers of the Fund. Although the Fund is not required by law
to hold annual meetings, 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 two classes of shares, Class A and
Class C. 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 together on matters that affect that
class alone. Shares are freely transferrable.
The Manager and Its Affiliates. The Fund is managed by the Manager,
which chooses 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 and its fees, and describes the
expenses that the Fund pays to conduct its business.
The Manager has operated as an investment adviser since 1959. The
Manager and its affiliates currently manage investment companies,
including other OppenheimerFunds, with assets of more than $27 billion as
of June 30, 1994, and with more than 1.8 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, a mutual life insurance
company.
The Agreement contains provisions relating to the selection of brokers
and dealers ("brokers") for the Fund's portfolio transactions. Subject
to the Agreement, the Manager may consider sales of shares of the Fund as
a factor in the selection of brokers for the Fund's portfolio
transactions. Under the Agreement, the Fund pays a management fee to the
Manager, at the following annual rates, which are higher than those paid
by most other investment companies: .75% of the first $200 million of
aggregate net assets, .72% of the next $200 million, .69% of the next $200
million, .66% of the next $200 million, and .60% of aggregate net assets
over $800 million.
- Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager of the Fund is Richard H.
Rubinstein. He is the person principally responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Fund's portfolio, effective June, 1990. Mr. Rubinstein
is a Vice President of the Manager and the Fund, and also serves as an
officer of other OppenheimerFunds. During the past five years, Mr.
Rubinstein was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager/Securities Analyst
for Oppenheimer Capital Corp. (an investment adviser).
- Fees and Expenses. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund
pays the Manager the following annual fees, which decline on additional
assets as the Fund grows: 0.75% of the first $200 million of aggregate net
assets, 0.72% of the next $200 million, 0.69% of the next $200 million,
0.66% of the next $200 million and 0.60% of aggregate net assets over $800
million. The Fund's management fee for its last fiscal year was ____% of
average annual net assets for Class A shares and ____% for Class C shares,
which may be higher than the rate paid by some other mutual funds.
The Fund pays expenses related to its daily operations, such as
custodian fees, Trustees' fees, transfer agency fees, legal 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.
- The Distributor. The Fund's shares are sold through dealers and
brokers that have a sales agreement with Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc., a subsidiary of the Manager that acts as the Distributor. The
Distributor also distributes the shares of other mutual funds managed by
the Manager (the "OppenheimerFunds") and is sub-distributor for funds
managed by a subsidiary of the Manager.
- The Transfer Agent. The Fund's transfer agent is Oppenheimer
Shareholder Services, a division of the Manager, which acts as the
shareholder servicing agent for the Fund and the other OppenheimerFunds
on an "at-cost" basis. Shareholders should direct inquiries about their
account to the Transfer Agent at the address and toll-free numbers shown
below in this Prospectus or on the back cover.
Performance of the Fund
Explanation of Performance Terminology. The Fund uses certain terms to
illustrate its performance: "total return" and "average annual total
return." These terms are used to show the performance of each class of
shares separately, because the performance of each class of shares will
usually be different, as a result of the different kinds of expenses each
class bears. This performance information may be useful to help you see
how well your investment has done and to compare it to other funds or
market indices, as we have done below.
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. This performance data is described below, but
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, depending on
market conditions, the composition of the portfolio, expenses and which
class of shares you purchase.
- 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, they reflect the
payment of the maximum initial sales charge. Total returns may also be
quoted "at net asset value," without considering the effect of the sales
charge, and those returns would be reduced if sales charges were deducted.
When total returns are shown for a one-year period for Class C shares,
they reflect the effect of the contingent deferred sales charge. They may
also be shown based on the change in net asset value, without considering
the effect of the contingent deferred sales charge.
How Has the Fund Performed? Below is a discussion by the Manager of the
Fund's performance during its last fiscal year ended June 30, 1994,
followed by a graphical comparison of the Fund's performance to an
appropriate broad-based market index.
- Management's Discussion of Performance. During the Fund's past
fiscal year, the Manager continued to broadly diversify the Fund's
portfolio among industry sectors and global markets. The broad market
correction that followed moves by the Federal Reserve Board to raise
interest rates was used as an opportunity to add to the growth stock
portion of the Fund's portfolio. The portfolio contains a variety of
international holdings, including companies expected to benefit from
strengthening European economies. The Fund's Manager also focused on the
financial services sector and allocated a portion of the Fund's portfolio
to economically sensitive stocks and value stocks, notably those that have
temporarily fallen out of the markets' favor.
- Comparing the Fund's Performance to the Market. The chart below
shows the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in each Class
of shares of the Fund held until June 30, 1994; in the case of Class A
shares, over a ten-year period, and in the case of Class C shares, from
the inception of the Class on December 1, 1993, with all dividends and
capital gains distributions reinvested in additional shares. The graph
reflects the deduction of the 5.75% maximum initial sales charge on Class
A shares and the 1.0% contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares.
The Fund's performance is compared to the performance of the S&P 500
Index, a broad-based index of equity securities widely regarded as a
general measurement of the performance of the U.S. equity securities
market. 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 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 S&P 500 index, which tend to be securities of
larger, well-capitalized companies. Moreover, the index data does not
reflect any assessment of the risk of the investments included in the
index.
Oppenheimer Fund
Comparison of Change in Value
of $10,000 Hypothetical Investment to the
S&P 500 Index
(Graph)
Past performance is not predictive of future performance.
Average Annual Total Returns at 6/30/94
1-Year 5-Year 10-Year
Class A: -0.24% 8.28% 10.11%
Cumulative Total Return at 6/30/94
Life*
Class C: -1.78%
_________________________________________
* Class C shares of the Fund first publicly sold on 12/1/93.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How to Buy Shares
Classes of Shares. The Fund offers investors two 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.
- Class A Shares. If you buy Class A shares, you pay an initial sales
charge (on investments up to $1 million). If you purchase Class A shares
as part of an investment of at least $1 million in shares of one or more
OppenheimerFunds, and you sell any of those shares within 18 months after
your purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge, which will
vary depending on the amount you invested.
- 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%.
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 advisors:
- How Much Do You Plan to Invest? If you plan to invest a
substantial amount over the long term, the reduced sales charges available
for larger purchases of Class A shares may be more beneficial to you than
purchasing Class C shares, because of the higher annual expenses Class C
shares will likely bear. For purchases over $1 million, the contingent
deferred sales charge on Class A shares may be more beneficial. The
Distributor will not accept any order for $1 million or more for Class C
shares on behalf of a single investor for that reason.
- How Long Do You Expect to Hold Your Investment? While future
financial needs cannot be predicted with certainty, investors who prefer
not to pay an initial sales charge and who plan to hold their shares for
more than one year might consider Class C shares. Investors who plan to
redeem shares within a year might consider whether the front-end sales
charge on Class A shares would result in higher net expenses after
redemption.
- Are There Differences in Account Features That Matter to You?
Because some account features may not be available for Class C
shareholders, you should carefully review how you plan to use your
investment account before deciding which class of shares is better for
you. Additionally, the dividends payable to Class C shareholders will be
reduced by the additional expenses borne solely by that class, such as the
asset-based sales charge to which Class C shares are subject, as described
below and in the Statement of Additional Information.
- How Does It Affect Payments to My Broker? A salesperson or any
other person who is entitled to receive compensation for selling Fund
shares may receive different compensation for selling one class than for
selling another class. It is important that investors understand that the
purpose of the contingent deferred sales charge and asset-based sales
charge for Class C shares is the same as the purpose of the front-end
sales charge on sales of Class A shares.
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; and subsequent purchases of
at least $25 can be made by telephone through AccountLink.
Under pension and profit-sharing 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 OppenheimerFunds (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.
- 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, or directly through the Distributor, or
automatically from your bank account through an Asset Builder Plan under
the OppenheimerFunds AccountLink service. When you buy shares, be sure to
specify Class A or Class C shares. If you do not choose, your investment
will be made in Class A shares.
- Buying Shares Through Your Dealer. Your dealer will place your order
with the Distributor on your behalf.
- Buying Shares Through the Distributor. Complete an OppenheimerFunds
New Account Application and return it with a check payable to "Oppenheimer
Funds 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.
- 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 Clearing House (ACH)
member, to transmit funds electronically to purchase shares, to send
redemption proceeds, and to transmit dividends and distributions. Shares
are purchased for your account 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 must request AccountLink privileges
on the application or dealer settlement instructions used to establish
your account. Please refer to "AccountLink" below for more details.
- Asset Builder Plans. You may purchase shares of the Fund (and up to
four other OppenheimerFunds) 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.
- At What Price Are Shares Sold? Shares are sold at the public
offering price based on the net asset value that is next determined after
the Distributor receives the purchase order in Denver. In most cases, to
enable you to receive that day's offering price, the Distributor must
receive your order by 4:00 P.M., New York time (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 4:00 P.M., on a
regular business day and transmit it 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 may reject any purchase order for the
Fund's shares, in its sole discretion.
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, where purchases are not subject to an initial
sales charge, the offering price may be net asset value. In some cases,
reduced sales charges may be available, as described below. Out of the
amount you invest, the 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. The current sales charge rates
and commissions paid to dealers and brokers are as follows:
_______________________________________________________________________
Front-End Sales Charge Commission as
As a 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% 5.82% 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
less than $1 million 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
- Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. There is no initial sales
charge on purchases of Class A shares of any one or more OppenheimerFunds
aggregating $1 million or more. However, the Distributor pays dealers of
record commissions on such purchases in an amount equal to the sum of 1.0%
of the first $2.5 million, plus 0.50% of the next $2.5 million, plus 0.25%
of share purchases over $5 million. However, that commission will be paid
only on the amount of those purchases in excess of $1 million that were
not previously subject to a front-end sales charge and dealer commission.
If you redeem any of those shares 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") will be deducted
from the redemption proceeds. That sales charge will be equal to 1.0% of
the aggregate net asset value of either (1) the redeemed shares (not
including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends or capital gain
distributions) or (2) the original cost of the shares, whichever is less.
However, the Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not exceed the
aggregate commissions the Distributor paid to your dealer on all Class A
shares of all OppenheimerFunds 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 18 months of the
end of the calendar month of the purchase of the exchanged shares, the
sales charge will apply.
- 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. Dealers whose sales of Class A shares of OppenheimerFunds (other
than money market funds) under OppenheimerFunds-sponsored 403(b)(7)
custodial plans exceed $5 million per year (calculated per quarter), will
receive monthly one-half of the Distributor's retained commissions on
those sales, and if those sales exceed $10 million per year, those dealers
will receive the Distributor's entire retained commission on those sales.
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:
- Right of Accumulation. You and your spouse can cumulate Class A
shares you purchase for your own accounts, or jointly, or on behalf of
your children who are minors, under trust or custodial accounts. A
fiduciary can cumulate 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 cumulate current purchases of Class A shares of
the Fund and other OppenheimerFunds with Class A shares of
OppenheimerFunds you previously purchased subject to a sales charge,
provided that you still hold your investment in one of the
OppenheimerFunds. The value of those shares will be based on the greater
of the amount you paid for the shares or their current value (at offering
price). The OppenheimerFunds are listed in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the
Statement of Additional Information, or a list can be obtained from the
Transfer Agent. The reduced sales charge will apply only to current
purchases and must be requested when you buy your shares.
- Letter of Intent. Under a Letter of Intent, you may purchase Class
A shares of the Fund and other OppenheimerFunds during a 13-month period
at the reduced sales charge rate that applies to the aggregate amount of
the intended purchases, including 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.
- Waivers of Class A Sales Charges. No sales charge is imposed on
sales of Class A shares to the following investors: (1) the Manager or its
affiliates; (2) 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; (3) registered management investment companies, or
separate accounts of insurance companies having an agreement with the
Manager or the Distributor for that purpose; (4) 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; (5)
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); (6) 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.
Additionally, no sales charge is imposed on shares that are (a) issued
in plans of reorganization, such as mergers, asset acquisitions and
exchange offers, to which the Fund is a party, or (b) purchased by the
reinvestment of loan repayments by a participant in a retirement plan for
which the Manager or its affiliates acts as sponsor, (c) purchased by the
reinvestment of dividends or other distributions reinvested from the Fund
or other OppenheimerFunds (other than the Cash Reserves Funds) or unit
investment trusts for which reinvestment arrangements have been made with
the Distributor or (d) sold to unit investment trusts as an investment for
previously purchased and unexpired investment plans or annuity contracts
permitting additional periodic purchases. There is a further discussion
of this policy in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is also waived if shares
are redeemed in the following cases: (1) retirement distributions or loans
to participants or beneficiaries from qualified retirement plans, deferred
compensation plans or other employee benefit plans ("Retirement Plans"),
(2) returns of excess contributions made to Retirement Plans, (3)
Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments that are limited to no more than 12%
of the original account value annually, and (4) involuntary redemptions
of shares by operation of law or under the procedures set forth in the
Fund's Declaration of Trust or adopted by the Board of Trustees.
- 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
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
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 dealer or its 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.
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 charge will be assessed on the lesser of
the net asset value of the shares at the time of redemption or the
original purchase price. 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 (including increases
due to the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions). 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. </R.
- Waivers of Class C Sales Charge. The Class C contingent deferred
sales charge will be waived if the shareholder requests it for any of the
following redemptions: (1) 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; (2) redemptions from accounts
other than Retirement Plans following the death or disability of the
shareholder (you must provide evidence of a determination of disability
by the Social Security Administration), and (3) returns of excess
contributions to Retirement Plans.
The contingent deferred sales charge is also waived on Class C shares
in the following cases: (i) shares sold to the Manager or its affiliates;
(ii) 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; (iii) shares issued in plans of
reorganization to which the Fund is a party; and (iv) shares redeemed in
involuntary redemptions as described above. Further details about this
policy are contained in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of
Additional Information.
- Distribution and Service Plan for Class C Shares. The Fund has
adopted a Distribution and Service Plan for Class C shares to compensate
the Distributor for its services and costs in distributing Class C shares
and servicing accounts. Under the Plan, the Fund pays the Distributor an
annual "asset-based sales charge" of 0.75% per year on Class C shares.
The Distributor also receives a service fee of 0.25% per year. Both fees
are computed on the average annual net assets of Class C shares,
determined as of the close of each regular business day. The asset-based
sales charge allows investors to buy Class C shares without a front-end
sales charge while allowing the Distributor to compensate dealers that
sell Class C shares.
The Distributor uses the service fee to compensate dealers for providing
personal services for accounts that hold Class C shares. Those services
are similar to those provided under the Class A Service Plan, described
above. The asset-based sales charge and service fees increase Class C
expenses by up to 1.00% of average net assets per year.
The Distributor pays the 0.25% service fee to dealers in advance for the
first year after Class C shares have been sold by the dealer. After the
shares have been held for a year, the Distributor pays the fee on a
quarterly basis. The Distributor pays sales commissions of 0.75% of the
purchase price to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale. The
Distributor retains the asset-based sales charge during the first year
shares are outstanding to recoup the sales commissions it pays, the
advances of service fee payments it makes, and its financing costs. 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.
Because the Distributor's actual expenses in selling 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 C shares, those expenses may be
carried over and paid in future years. If the Plan is terminated by the
Fund, the Board of Trustees may allow the Fund to continue payments of the
asset-based sales charge to the Distributor for certain expenses it
incurred before the plan was terminated.
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, including 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 must 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 on 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Exchanging Shares. With the OppenheimerFunds Exchange Privilege,
described below, you can exchange shares automatically by phone from your
Fund account to another OppenheimerFunds account you have already
established by calling the special PhoneLink number. Please refer to "How
to Exchange Shares," below, for details.
- 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.
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:
- Automatic Withdrawal Plans. If your Fund account is $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 Application and
Statement of Additional Information for more details.
- Automatic Exchange Plans. You can authorize the Transfer Agent to
exchange an amount you establish in advance automatically for shares of
up to five other OppenheimerFunds on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or
annual basis under an Automatic Exchange Plan. The minimum purchase for
each other OppenheimerFunds 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 Fund shares,
you have up to 6 months to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds
in Class A shares of the Fund or other OppenheimerFunds without paying
sales charge. This privilege applies to Class A shares that you sell, and
Class C shares on which you paid a contingent deferred sales charge when
you redeemed them. You must be sure to ask the Distributor for this
privilege when you send your payment. Please consult the Statement of
Additional Information for 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:
- Individual Retirement Accounts including rollover IRAs, for
individuals and their spouses
- 403(b)(7) Custodial Plans for employees of eligible tax-exempt
organizations, such as schools, hospitals and charitable organizations
- SEP-IRAs (Simplified Employee Pension Plans) for small business
owners or people with income from self-employment
- Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans for self-employed persons and small
business owners
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 on any regular
business day by selling (redeeming) some or all of your shares. 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.
- 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.
- 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):
- You wish to redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares and receive a
check
- The check is not payable to all shareholders listed on the account
statement
- The check is not sent to the address of record on your statement
- Shares are being transferred to a Fund account with a different
owner or name
- Shares are redeemed by someone other than the owners (such as an
Executor)
- 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 as a fiduciary or on behalf of a corporation, partnership or
other business, you must also include your title in the signature.
Selling Shares by Mail. Write a "letter of instructions" that includes:
- Your name
- The Fund's name
- Your Fund account number (from your statement)
- The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed
- Any special payment instructions
- Any share certificates for the shares you are selling, and
- 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:
Send courier or Express
Mail requests to:
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services
P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado 80217
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 4:00 P.M. You may not redeem shares held in an OppenheimerFunds
retirement plan or under a share certificate by telephone.
-To redeem shares through a service representative, call 1-800-852-8457
-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, or, if you have linked your Fund account to your bank account
on AccountLink, you may have the proceeds wired to that account.
- Telephone Redemptions Paid by Check. Up to $50,000 may be redeemed
by telephone, once in each 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. This service is not available within 30 days of changing the
address on an account.
- Telephone Redemptions Through AccountLink. There are no dollar
limits on telephone redemption proceeds sent to a bank account designated
when you establish AccountLink. Normally the ACH wire 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 wired.
How to Exchange Shares
Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares of certain
OppenheimerFunds at net asset value per share at the time of exchange,
without sales charge. A $5 service fee will be deducted from the fund
account you are exchanging into to help defray administrative costs. That
charge is waived for automated exchanges between already established
accounts on PhoneLink described below. To exchange shares, you must meet
several conditions:
- Shares of the fund selected for exchange must be available for sale
in your state of residence
- The prospectuses of this Fund and the fund whose shares you want to
buy must offer the exchange privilege
- 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
- You must meet the minimum purchase requirements for the fund you
purchase by exchange
- Before exchanging into a fund, you should obtain and read its
prospectus
Shares of a particular class may be exchanged only for shares of the
same class in the other OppenheimerFunds. For example, you can exchange
Class A shares of this Fund only for Class A shares of another fund. At
present, not all of the OppenheimerFunds offer the same classes of shares.
If a fund has only one class of shares that does not have a class
designation, they are "Class A" shares for exchange purposes. In some
cases, sales charges may be imposed on exchange transactions. Certain
OppenheimerFunds offer Class A shares and either Class B or Class C
shares, and a list can be obtained by calling the Distributor at 1-800-
525-7048. 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:
- 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."
- 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 OppenheimerFunds currently available for
exchanges in the Statement of Additional Information or by calling the
Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048. Exchanges of shares involve a redemption
of the shares of the fund you own and a purchase of shares of the other
fund. </R.
There are certain exchange policies you should be aware of:
- 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 by 4:00 P.M. that
is in proper form, but either fund may delay the purchase of shares of the
fund you are exchanging into 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 disposition of securities at a time or price
disadvantageous to the Fund. </R.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- Net Asset Value Per Share is determined for each class of shares as
of 4:00 P.M. each day The New York Stock 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, obligations for which market values cannot be readily
obtained, and call options and hedging instruments. These procedures are
described more completely in the Statement of Additional Information.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 it will not 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 activity, you may not be able to complete a telephone transaction
and should consider placing your order by mail. </R.
- 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.
- 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.
- The redemption price for shares will vary from day to day because the
value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio fluctuates, and the
redemption price, which is the net asset value per share, will normally
be different for Class A and Class C shares. Therefore, the redemption
value of your shares may be more or less than their original cost.
- 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. 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 15 days from the date the shares were purchased.
That delay may be avoided if you purchase shares by certified check or
arrange with your bank to provide telephone or written assurance to the
Transfer Agent that your purchase payment has cleared.
- Involuntary redemptions of small accounts may be made by the Fund if
the account value has fallen below $200 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.
- 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 the Statement of
Additional Information for more details.
- "Backup Withholding" of Federal income tax may be applied at the rate
of 31% from dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds (including
exchanges) if you fail to furnish the Fund a certified Social Security or
taxpayer identification number when you sign your application, or if you
violate Internal Revenue Service regulations on tax reporting of
dividends.
- 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 charges when redeeming certain
Class A and Class C shares.
- To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, the
Fund will mail only one copy of each annual and semi-annual report and
updated prospectus to shareholders having the same surname 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 and Class
C shares from net investment income 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 December 31st).
Because the Fund does not have an objective of seeking current income, the
amounts of dividends it pays, if any, will likely be small. Also,
dividends paid on Class A shares generally are expected to be higher than
for Class C shares because expenses allocable to Class C shares will
generally be higher.
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 dividends and 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 assurances 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Reinvest Your Distributions in Another OppenheimerFunds Account. You
can reinvest all distributions in another OppenheimerFunds 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. 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 each taxable
distribution you received in the previous year.
- "Buying a Dividend": When a fund goes ex-dividend, its share price
is reduced by the amount of the distribution. 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.
- Taxes on Transactions: Share redemptions, including redemptions for
exchanges, are subject to capital gains tax. 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.
- 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.
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.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX TO PROSPECTUS OF
OPPENHEIMER FUND
Graphic material included in Prospectus of Oppenheimer Fund: "Comparison
of Total Return of Oppenheimer Fund and the S&P 500 Index - Change in
Value of a $10,000 Hypothetical Investment."
A linear graph will be included in the Prospectus of Oppenheimer Fund
(the "Fund") depicting the initial account value and subsequent account
value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in the Fund. In the case of
the Fund's Class A shares, that graph will cover each of the Fund's last
ten fiscal years from 6/30/84 through 6/30/94 and in the case of the
Fund's Class C shares will cover the period from inception of the class
(December 1, 1993) through 6/30/94. The graph will compare such values
with hypothetical $10,000 investments over the same time periods in the
S&P 500 Index.
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 S&P 500 Index, is set forth in the
Prospectus under "Performance of the Fund - Comparing the Fund's
Performance to the Market."
Fiscal Year Oppenheimer
Ended Fund A S&P 500 Index
06/30/84 $ 9,425 $10,000
06/30/85 $11,796 $13,096
06/30/86 $15,470 $17,787
06/30/87 $16,790 $22,262
06/30/88 $14,724 $20,719
06/30/89 $16,579 $24,971
06/30/90 $17,580 $29,079
06/30/91 $19,629 $31,222
06/30/92 $21,832 $35,403
06/30/93 $24,742 $40,221
06/30/94 $26,188 $40,783
Fiscal Period Oppenheimer
Ended Fund C S&P 500 Index
11/30/93 $10,000 $10,000
06/30/94 $ 9,822 $ 9,778
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Fund
Two World Trade Center
New York, NY 10048-0203
1-800-525-7048
Investment Adviser
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer Agent
Oppenheimer Shareholder 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
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 Additional Statement, and if given or
made, such information and representations must not be relied upon as
having been authorized by the Fund, Oppenheimer Management Corporation,
Oppenheimer Funds 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.
PR400.1094.N * Printed on recycled paper
Oppenheimer Fund
Effective October 21, 1994
(OppenheimerFunds Logo)
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Fund
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
1-800-525-7048
Statement of Additional Information dated October 21, 1994
This Statement of Additional Information of Oppenheimer Fund is not a
Prospectus. This document contains additional information about the Fund
and supplements information in the Prospectus dated October 21, 1994. It
should be read together with the Prospectus, which may be obtained by
writing to the Fund's Transfer Agent, Oppenheimer Shareholder Services at
P.O. Box 5270, Denver, Colorado 80217 or by calling the Transfer Agent at
the toll-free number shown above.
Contents
Page
About the Fund
Investment Objective and Policies
Investment Policies and Strategies
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
Other Investment Restrictions
How the Fund is Managed
Organization and History
Trustees and Officers of the Fund
The Manager and Its Affiliates
Brokerage Policies of the Fund
Performance of the Fund
Distribution and Service Plans
About Your Account
How To Buy Shares
How To Sell Shares
How To Exchange Shares
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Additional Information About the Fund
Financial Information About the Fund
Independent Auditors' Report
Financial Statements
<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 invests, 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 meaning as those terms have in the
Prospectus.
In selecting securities for the Fund's portfolio, the Fund's investment
advisor, Oppenheimer Management Corporation (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 and methods
selected for capital appreciation 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 will be emphasized
(See "Temporary Defensive Investments," below).
- Warrants and Rights. Warrants basically are options to purchase
equity securities at set prices valid for a specified period of time. The
prices of warrants do not necessarily move in a manner parallel to the
prices of the underlying securities. The price the Fund pays for a
warrant will be lost unless the warrant is exercised prior to its
expiration. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short
duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders.
Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have
no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
- 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 option transaction costs and the premium received on the
call written was more or less than the price of the call subsequently
purchased. A profit may also be realized if the call lapses unexercised,
because the Fund retains the related investments and the premium received.
If the Fund could not effect a closing purchase transaction due to the
lack of a market, it would have to hold the callable investments 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 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.
- 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, to permit the Fund to retain unrealized gains in the value of
portfolio securities which have appreciated, or to facilitate selling
securities for investment reasons, the Fund may: (i) sell Stock Index
Futures, (ii) buy puts, or (iii) write covered calls on securities or on
Stock Index Futures (as described in the Prospectus). When hedging to
permit the Fund to establish a position in the equities market as a
temporary substitute for purchasing particular equity securities (which
the Fund will normally purchase, and then terminate that hedging
position), the Fund may: (i) buy Stock Index Futures, or (ii) buy calls
on such Futures or on securities. Normally, the Fund would then purchase
the equity securities and terminate the hedging portion.
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.
- Stock Index Futures. As described in the Prospectus, the Fund may
invest in Stock Index Futures only if they relate to broadly-based stock
indices. A stock index is considered to be broadly-based if it includes
stocks that are not limited to issuers in any particular industry or group
of industries.
Stock index futures 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 Stock Index
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.
At any time prior to 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. Although Stock Index Futures by their terms call for settlement
by the delivery of cash, in most cases the obligation is fulfilled by
entering into an offsetting transaction. All futures transactions are
effected through a clearing house associated with the exchange on which
the contracts are traded.
- 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 (other than in a closing purchase transaction), it pays a premium
and, except as to calls on stock indices or Stock Index Futures, 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. When the Fund purchases a call on a stock index or Stock Index
Future, settlement is in cash rather than by delivery of the underlying
investment to the Fund. 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 plus the transaction costs
and premium paid for the call 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 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 such 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 date, and the Fund will lose its 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 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 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
related investments, increasing portfolio turnover. Although such
exercise is within the Fund's control, holding a put might cause the Fund
to sell the related investments for reasons which would not exist in the
absence of the put. The Fund will pay a brokerage commission each time
it buys a put or call, sells a call, or buys or sells an underlying
investment in connection with the exercise of a put or call. Such
commissions may be higher on a relative basis than those which would apply
to direct purchases or sales of such underlying investments. Premiums
paid for options as to underlying investments are small in relation to the
market value of such 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.
- Interest Rate Swap Transactions. Swap agreements entail both
interest rate risk and credit risk. There is a risk that, based on
movements of interest rates in the future, the payments made by the Fund
under a swap agreement will have been greater than those received by it.
Credit risk arises from the possibility that the counterparty will
default. If the counterparty to an interest rate swap defaults, the
Fund's loss will consist of the net amount of contractual interest
payments that the Fund has not yet received. The Manager will monitor the
creditworthiness of counterparties to the Fund's interest rate swap
transactions on an ongoing basis. The Fund will enter into swap
transactions with appropriate counterparties pursuant to master netting
agreements. A master netting agreement provides that all swaps done
between the Fund and that counterparty under the master agreement shall
be regarded as parts of an integral agreement. If on any date amounts are
payable in the same currency in respect of one or more swap transactions,
the net amount payable on that date in that currency shall be paid. In
addition, the master netting agreement may provide that if one party
defaults generally or on one swap, the counterparty may terminate the
swaps with that party. Under such agreements, if there is a default
resulting in a loss to one party, the measure of that party's damages is
calculated by reference to the average cost of a replacement swap with
respect to each swap (i.e., the mark-to-market value at the time of the
termination of each swap). The gains and losses on all swaps are then
netted, and the result is the counterparty's gain or loss on termination.
The termination of all swaps and the netting of gains and losses on
termination is generally referred to as "aggregation."
- Regulatory Aspects of Hedging Instruments. The Fund must operate
within certain restrictions as to its positions in Futures and options
thereon under a rule ("CFTC Rule") adopted by the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission ("CFTC") under the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA"),
which exempts the Fund from registration with the CFTC as a "commodity
pool operator" (as defined under the CEA) if it complies with the CFTC
Rule. Under these restrictions, the Fund will not, as to any positions,
whether short, long or a combination thereof, enter into Futures and
options thereon for which the aggregate initial margins and premiums
exceed 5% of the fair market value of its net assets, with certain
exclusions as defined in the CFTC Rule. Under the restrictions, the Fund
also must, as to its short positions, use Futures and options thereon
solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of the
applicable provisions of the CEA.
Transactions in options by the Fund are subject to limitations
established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of
options which 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 futures
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 or an affiliated investment
adviser. Position limits also apply to Futures. 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 Stock Index 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.
- 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). One of the tests for
the Fund's qualification as a regulated investment company is that less
than 30% of its gross income must be derived from gains realized on the
sale of securities held for less than three months. To comply with this
30% cap, the Fund will limit the extent to which it engages in the
following activities, but will not be precluded from them: (i) selling
investments, including Stock Index Futures, held for less than three
months, whether or not they were purchased on the exercise of a call held
by the Fund; (ii) purchasing options which expire in less than three
months; (iii) effecting closing transactions with respect to calls or puts
written or purchased less than three months previously; (iv) exercising
puts or calls held by the Fund for less than three months; or (v) writing
calls on investments held less than three months.
- 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
with respect to options 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 that
the prices of the Futures or applicable index (thus the prices of the
Hedging Instruments) 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 off-setting 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.
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 such equity securities being
hedged is more than the historical volatility of the applicable index.
It is also possible that where 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 this occurred, the Fund
would lose money on the Hedging Instruments and also experience a decline
in value in its equity 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 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 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.
- - 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 offer potential benefits not available
from investing solely in securities of domestic issuers, including 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 they 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.
-- 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
on 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
because of the lesser speed and reliability of mail service between the
U.S. and foreign countries than within the U.S.; possibilities in some
countries of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory
taxation, political, financial or social instability or adverse diplomatic
developments; and differences (which may be favorable or unfavorable)
between the U.S. economy and foreign economies. From time to time, 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. If the Fund's 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 SEC rules.
- Restricted and Illiquid 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 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.
- Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio
securities subject to the restrictions stated in the Prospectus. Under
applicable regulatory requirements (which are subject to change), the loan
collateral on each business day must at least equal 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).
To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit must obligate a bank to
pay amounts demanded by the Fund if the demand meets the terms of the
letter. Such terms and the issuing bank must be satisfactory to the Fund.
When it lends securities, the Fund receives amounts equal to the dividends
or interest on loaned securities and also receives one or more of (a)
negotiated loan fees, (b) interest on securities used as collateral, and
(c) interest on short-term debt securities purchased with such loan
collateral. Either type of interest may be shared with the borrower. The
Fund may also pay reasonable finder's, custodian and administrative fees.
The terms of the Fund's loans must meet applicable tests under the
Internal Revenue Code and must permit the Fund to reacquire loaned
securities on five days' notice or in time to vote on any important
matter.
- - 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. An "approved vendor"
is a commercial bank or the U.S. branch of a foreign bank or a broker-
dealer which has been designated a primary dealer in government securities
which must meet credit requirements set by the Fund's Board of Trustees
from time to time. 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,
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.
- Temporary Defensive Investments. When the equity markets in
general are declining, the Fund may commit an increasing portion of its
assets to defensive securities. These may include the types of securities
described in the Prospectus. When investing for defensive purposes, the
Fund will normally emphasize investment in short-term debt securities
(that is, securities maturing in one year or less from the date of
purchase), since those types of securities are generally more liquid and
usually may be disposed of quickly without significant gains or losses so
that the Manager may have liquid assets when it wishes to make investments
in securities for appreciation possibilities.
Other Investment Restrictions
The Fund's most significant investment restrictions are set forth in
the Prospectus. There are additional investment restrictions that the
Fund must follow that are also fundamental policies. Fundamental policies
and the Fund's investment objectives, cannot be changed without the vote
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 such meeting, if the holders of more
than 50% of the outstanding shares are present, or (ii) more than 50% of
the outstanding shares. Under these additional restrictions, the Fund
cannot: (1) make short sales; (2) invest in commodities or 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 commodity contract; (3) invest in real
estate or in interests in real estate, but may purchase readily marketable
securities of companies holding real estate or interests therein; (4)
purchase or sell 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; (5) mortgage, hypothecate or pledge
any of its assets; however, this 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; (6) borrow money in
excess of 5% of its gross assets taken at current value, and then only as
a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes; (7) invest
in or acquire shares of any other investment company or trust except in
connection with a plan of merger, consolidation or reorganization;
however, this policy shall not prevent the Fund from investing in the
securities issued by a real estate investment trust, provided that such
trust is not permitted to invest in real estate or interests in real
estate other than mortgages or other security interests; (8) underwrite
securities of other companies except insofar as it might be deemed to be
an underwriter in the resale of any securities held in its own portfolio;
or (9) purchase or retain the securities of any issuer if those officers,
trustees and directors of the Fund or the Manager who beneficially own
individually more than .5% of the securities of such issuer together own
more than 5% of the securities of such issuer.
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 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, except as noted, is Two
World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203. All of the Trustees
are also Trustees or Directors of Oppenheimer Global Fund, Oppenheimer
Time Fund, Oppenheimer Special Fund, Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.,
Oppenheimer Target Fund, Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund, Oppenheimer New
York Tax-Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer California Tax-Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer
Multi-State Tax-Exempt Trust, Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund,
Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund, Oppenheimer Global Growth &
Income Fund, Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund, Oppenheimer
Discovery Fund, Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust, Oppenheimer Mortgage
Income Fund, Oppenheimer Multi-Government Trust and Oppenheimer Multi-
Sector Income Trust (collectively, the "New York-based OppenheimerFunds").
As of September 9, 1994, all of the Fund's Trustees and officers as a
group beneficially owned less than 1% of the Fund's outstanding shares.
LEON LEVY, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
General Partner of Odyssey Partners, L.P. (investment partnership) and
Chairman of Avatar Holdings, Inc. (real estate development).
LEO CHERNE, Trustee
386 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10016
Chairman Emeritus of the International Rescue Committee (philanthropic
organization); formerly Executive Director of The Research Institute of
America.
EDMUND T. DELANEY, Trustee
5 Gorham Road, Chester, Connecticut 06412
Attorney-at-law; formerly a member of the Connecticut State Historical
Commission and Counsel to Copp, Berall & Hempstead (a law firm).
ROBERT G. GALLI, Trustee*
Vice Chairman of the Manager and Vice President and Counsel of Oppenheimer
Acquisition Corp. ("OAC") the Manager's parent holding company; formerly
he held the following positions: a director of the Manager and Oppenheimer
Funds 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, an officer of other OppenheimerFunds and
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Manager and the
Distributor.
BENJAMIN LIPSTEIN, Trustee
591 Breezy Hill Road, Hillsdale, New York 12529
Professor Emeritus of Marketing, Stern Graduate School of Business
Administration, New York University.
ELIZABETH B. MOYNIHAN, Trustee
801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004
Author and architectural historian; a trustee of the American Schools of
Oriental Research, the Freer Gallery of Art (Smithsonian Institution), the
Institute of Fine Arts (New York University) and Preservation League of
New York State; a member of the Indo-U.S. Sub-Commissions on Education and
Culture.
KENNETH A. RANDALL, Trustee
6 Whittaker's Mill, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
A director of Northeast Bancorp, Inc. (bank holding company), Dominion
Resources, Inc. (electric utility holding company), and Kemper Corporation
(insurance and financial services company); formerly Chairman of the Board
of ICL Inc. (information systems).
EDWARD V. REGAN, Trustee
40 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016
President of Jerome Levy Economics Institute, a member of the U.S.
Competitiveness Policy Council; a director of GranCare, Inc. (health care
provider); formerly New York State Comptroller and trustee, New York State
and Local Retirement Fund.
- ----------------------------
* A Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
RUSSELL S. REYNOLDS, JR., Trustee
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
Founder and Chairman of Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. (executive
recruiting); Chairman of Directors Publication, Inc. (consulting and
publishing); a trustee of Mystic Seaport Museum, International House,
Greenwich Historical Society and Greenwich Hospital.
SIDNEY M. ROBBINS, Trustee
50 Overlook Road, Ossining, New York 10562
Chase Manhattan Professor Emeritus of Financial Institutions, Graduate
School of Business, Columbia University; Visiting Professor of Finance,
University of Hawaii; a director of The Korea Fund, Inc. and The Malaysia
Fund, Inc. (closed-end investment companies); a member of the Board of
Advisors, Olympus Private Placement Fund, L.P.; Professor Emeritus of
Finance, Adelphi University.
DONALD W. SPIRO, President and Trustee*
Chairman Emeritus and a director of the Manager; formerly Chairman of the
Manager and Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. (the "Distributor").
PAULINE TRIGERE, Trustee
550 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10018
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trigere, Inc. (design and sale of
women's fashions).
CLAYTON K. YEUTTER, Trustee
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), FMC Corp. (chemicals and
machinery), Lindsay Manufacturing Co. and Texas Instruments, Inc.
(electronics); formerly (in descending chronological order) Deputy
Chairman, Bush/Quayle Presidential Campaign, 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, Executive Office of the President.
RICHARD H. RUBINSTEIN, Vice President and Portfolio Manager
Vice President of the Manager; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds;
formerly Vice President and Portfolio Manager/Security Analyst for
Oppenheimer Capital Corp., an investment adviser.
ANDREW J. DONOHUE, Secretary
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Oppenheimer Management
Corporation ("OMC") (the "Manager") and Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc. (the "Distributor"); an officer of other OppenheimerFunds; formerly
Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel of the Manager and the
Distributor, prior to which he was a partner in Kraft & McManimon (a law
firm); an officer of First Investors Corporation (a broker-dealer) and
First Investors Management Company, Inc. (broker-dealer and investment
adviser); director and an officer of First Investors Family of Funds and
First Investors Life Insurance Company.
GEORGE C. BOWEN, Treasurer
3410 South Galena Street Denver, Colorado 80231
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of the Manager; Vice President and
Treasurer of the Distributor and HarbourView; Senior Vice President,
Treasurer, Assistant Secretary and a director of Centennial; Vice
President, Treasurer and Secretary of SSI and SFSI; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds; formerly Senior Vice President/Comptroller and Secretary
of OAMC.
ROBERT BISHOP, Assistant Treasurer
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
Assistant Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting; an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds; formerly a Fund Controller for the Manager,
prior to which he was an Accountant for Yale & Seffinger, P.C., an
accounting firm, and previously an Accountant and Commissions Supervisor
for Stuart James Company Inc., a broker-dealer.
SCOTT FARRAR, Assistant Treasurer
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
Assistant Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting; an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds; formerly a Fund Controller for the Manager,
prior to which he was an International Mutual Fund Supervisor for Brown
Brothers, Harriman & Co., a bank, and previously a Senior Fund Accountant
for State Street Bank & Trust Company, before which he was a sales
representative for Central Colorado Planning.
ROBERT G. ZACK, Assistant Secretary
Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel of the Manager,
Assistant Secretary of SSI, SFSI; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds.
- - Remuneration of Trustees. The officers of the Fund are affiliated with
the Manager; they and the Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated with the
Manager (Mr. Galli and Mr. Spiro, who is both an officer and Trustee)
receive no salary or fee from the Fund. During the fiscal year ended June
30, 1994, the remuneration (including expense reimbursements) paid by the
Fund to all Trustees of the Fund (excluding Mr. Spiro and Mr. Galli) as
a group for services as Trustees and as members of one or more committees
totaled $____________. 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 OppenheimerFunds for at least 15 years to
be eligible for the maximum payment. No Trustee has retired since the
adoption of the plan and no payments have been made by the Fund under the
plan. The accumulated liability for the Fund's projected benefit
obligations was $______________ at June 30, 1994.
Major Shareholders. As of September 9, 1994, no person owned of record
or was known by the Fund to own beneficially 5% or more of the Fund's
outstanding shares.
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 may also
serve as officers of the Fund, and two of whom (Messrs. Spiro and Galli)
serve as Trustees of the Fund.
- - The Investment Advisory Agreement. The investment advisory agreement
between the Manager and the Fund 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 administration for the Fund,
including the compilation and maintenance of records with respect to its
operations, the preparation and filing of specified reports, and the
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, certain insurance premiums, 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. For the Fund's fiscal years
ended June 30, 1992, 1993 and 1994, the management fees paid by the Fund
to the Manager were $1,654,391, $1,591,554 and $______________,
respectively.
The advisory agreement contains no expense limitation. However,
independently of the advisory agreement, the Manager has voluntarily
undertaken that the total expenses of the Fund in any fiscal year
(including the management fee but excluding taxes, interest, brokerage
fees, distribution plan payments, and extraordinary non-recurring
expenses, such as litigation costs) shall not exceed the most stringent
expense limitation imposed under state law applicable to the Fund.
Pursuant to the undertaking, the Manager's fee will be reduced at the end
of a month so that there will not be any accrued but unpaid liability
under this undertaking. Currently, the most stringent state expense
limitation is imposed by California, and limits the Fund's expenses (with
specified exclusions) to 2.5% of the first $30 million of average net
assets, 2.0% of the next $70 million of average net assets, and 1.5% of
average net assets in excess of $100 million. The Manager reserves the
right to terminate or amend the undertaking at any time. Any assumption
of the Fund's expenses under this limitation would lower the Fund's
overall expense ratio and increase its total return during any period for
which expenses are limited.
The advisory agreement provides that so long as it has acted with due
care and in good faith, the Manager shall not be liable for any loss
sustained by reason of any investment, the adoption of any investment
policy, or the purchase, sale or retention of securities, irrespective of
whether the determinations of the Manager relative thereto shall have been
based, wholly or partly, upon the investigation or research of any other
individual, firm or corporation believed by it to be reliable. However,
the advisory agreement does not protect the Manager against liability by
reason of its willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties or its reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under the advisory agreement. The advisory 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 its other
investment activities. 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 corporate name may be withdrawn.
- - 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 and Class C shares but
is not obligated to sell a specific number of shares. Expenses normally
attributable to sales, 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 June
30, 1992, 1993 and 1994, the aggregate amount of sales charge on sales of
the Fund's Class A shares was $153,636, $153,936 and $_______,
respectively, of which the Distributor and an affiliated broker-dealer
retained $58,827, $64,652 and $____________ in those respective years.
For the period December 1, 1993 through June 30, 1994, the contingent
deferred sales charge collected by the Distributor on the redemption of
Class C shares totalled $______________. For additional information about
distribution of the Fund's shares and the expenses connected with such
activities, please refer to "Distribution and Service Plans," below.
- - The Transfer Agent. Oppenheimer Shareholder 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 interests and policies of the Fund as
established by its Board of Trustees.
Under the advisory agreement, the Manager is authorized to select
brokers which 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 reasonable in
relation to the services provided. 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, the procedures and rules
described above, allocations of brokerage are made by portfolio managers
of the Manager 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 and otherwise 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 transactions in the securities to which the
option relates. Where 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.
Most purchases of money market instruments and debt obligations are
principal transactions at net prices. For those transactions, instead of
using a broker the Fund normally deals directly with the selling or
purchasing principal or market maker unless it is determined that a better
price or execution can be obtained by using a broker. Purchases of these
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. The Fund seeks to obtain prompt
execution of such orders at the most favorable net price.
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 for the commissions of these 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 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 enabling the
Manager to obtain market information for the valuation of securities held
in the Fund's portfolio or being considered for purchase. The Board of
Trustees, including the independent Trustees of the Fund, annually reviews
information furnished by the Manager as to the commissions paid to brokers
furnishing such services in an effort to ascertain that the amount of such
commissions was reasonably related to the value or benefit of such
services.
During the Fund's fiscal years ended June 30, 1992, 1993 and 1994,
total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund (not including spreads or
concessions on principal transactions on a net trade basis) were $510,684,
$399,597 and $----------, respectively. During the fiscal year ended June
30, 1994, $---------- was paid to brokers as commissions in return for
research services (including special research, statistical information and
execution); the aggregate dollar amount of those transactions was $-------
- ---. The transactions giving rise to those commissions were allocated in
accordance with the internal allocation procedures described above.
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 each class of shares of the Fund may be
advertised. An explanation of how these total returns and 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 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 Class A and
Class C 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.
- - 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 factors
which include 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:
( ERV ) 1/n
( -----) -1 = Average Annual Total Return
( P )
- 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:
ERV - P
- --------- = Total Return
P
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 C shares, 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 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 (using the method described above) for the one, five
and ten-year periods ended June 30, 1994, were ___%, ____% and ____%,
respectively. The Fund's "cumulative total return" for the ten-year
period ended June 30, 1994, was ______%. During a portion of the periods
for which total returns are shown, the Fund's maximum sales charge rate
was higher; as a result, performance returns on actual investments during
those periods may be lower than the results shown. The cumulative total
return on Class C shares for the period December 1, 1993 (the commencement
of the offering of the shares) through June 30, 1994 was _____________.
- - 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 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 (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 June 30,
1994, was ------%. The average annual total returns at net asset value
for the one, five and ten-year periods ended June 30, 1994 for Class A
shares were -------, -------- and ----------, respectively.
Total return information may be useful to investors in reviewing the
performance of the Fund's Class A or Class C shares. However, when
comparing total return of an investment in Class A or Class C shares of
the Fund with that of other alternatives, investors should understand that
as the Fund is an equity fund seeking capital appreciation, its shares are
subject to greater market risks than shares of funds having other
investment objectives.
- - Other Performance Comparisons. From time to time the Fund may publish
the ranking of its Class A or Class C shares by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc. ("Lipper"), a widely-recognized independent service, which
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 growth funds and
(iii) all other growth funds in a specific size category. The Lipper
performance analysis includes the reinvestment of capital gain
distributions and income dividends but does not take sales charges or
taxes into consideration.
From time to time the Fund may publish the ranking of the performance
of its Class A or Class C shares by Morningstar, Inc., an independent
mutual fund monitoring service, that ranks various mutual funds, including
the Fund, based upon the Fund's three, five and ten-year average annual
total returns (when available) and a risk factor that reflects fund
performance relative to three- month U.S. Treasury bill monthly returns.
Such returns are adjusted for fees and sales loads. There are five
ranking categories with a corresponding number of stars: highest (5),
above average (4), neutral (3), below average (2) and lowest (1).
Morningstar ranks the Fund in relation to other rated equity funds.
The total return on an investment made in shares of the Fund may be
compared with performance for the same period of either the Dow Jones
Industrial Average ("Dow") or the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ("S&P 500"),
both of which are widely recognized indices of stock market performance.
Both indices consist of unmanaged groups of common stocks; the Dow
consists of thirty such issues. The performance of both indices includes
a factor for the reinvestment of income dividends. Neither index reflects
reinvestment of capital gains or takes sales charges into consideration,
as these items are into applicable to indices.
Investors may also wish to compare the Fund's Class A 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.
Distribution and Service Plans
The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares and a
Distribution and Service Plan for Class C shares under Rule 12b-1 of the
Investment Company Act pursuant to which the Fund will reimburse the
Distributor for all or a portion of its costs incurred 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 Plan for the Class C shares, that vote was cast by the Manager
as the sole initial holder of 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. The
Distributor and the Manager may, in their sole discretion, increase or
decrease the amount of payments they make 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 such 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. Either 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. Neither Plan 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. 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 the payment was made and the identity of each Recipient
that received any such payment. The report for the Class C Plan shall
also include the distribution costs for that quarter, and such costs for
previous fiscal periods that are carried forward, as explained in the
Prospectus and below. 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 of others in such selection and nomination if the
final decision on any such 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
fee at the maximum rate and set no minimum amount.
For the year period ended June 30, 1994, payments under a predecessor
Class A Plan totaled $----------, all of which was paid by the Distributor
to Recipients, including $--------- paid to an affiliate of the
Distributor. Unlike the current Class A Plan, which took effect July 1,
1994, the predecessor plan did not apply to Class A shares purchased prior
to April 1, 1991. For the fiscal period October 25, 1993 through June 30,
1994, payments under the Class C Plan totalled $--------------.
Any unreimbursed expenses incurred with respect to Class A shares for
any fiscal quarter by the Distributor may not be recovered under the Class
A Plan in subsequent fiscal quarters. Payments received by the
Distributor under the Class A Plan will not be used to pay any interest
expense, carrying charges, or other financial costs, or allocation of
overhead by the Distributor. The Class C Plan allows the service fee
payment to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients in advance for the
first year Class C shares are outstanding, and thereafter on a quarterly
basis, as described in the Prospectus. The advance payment is based on
the net assets of the Class C shares sold. An exchange of shares does not
entitle the Recipient to an advance service fee payment. In the event
Class C shares are redeemed during the first year such shares are
outstanding, the Recipient will be obligated to repay a pro rata portion
of such advance payment to the Distributor.
Although the Class C Plan permits the Distributor to retain both the
asset-based sales charges and the service fee on Class C shares, or to pay
Recipients the service fee on a quarterly basis, without payment in
advance, the Distributor 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 C Plan by the Board. Initially, the
Board has set no minimum holding period. All payments under the Class C
Plan are subject to the limitations imposed by the Rule of Fair Practice
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
The Class C Plan allows for the carry-forward of distribution expenses,
to be recovered from asset-based sales charges in subsequent fiscal
periods, as described in the Prospectus. The asset-based sales charge
paid to the Distributor by the Fund under the Class C Plan is intended to
allow the Distributor to recoup the cost of sales commissions paid to
authorized brokers and dealers at the time of sale, plus financing costs,
as described in the Prospectus. Such payments may also be used to pay for
the following expenses in connection with the distribution of Class C
shares: (i) financing the advance of the service fee payment to Recipients
under the Class C Plan, (ii) compensation and expenses of personnel
employed by the Distributor to support distribution of Class C shares, and
(iii) costs of sales literature, advertising and prospectuses (other than
those furnished to current shareholders) and state "blue sky" registration
fees.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How To Buy Shares
Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A and Class C Shares. The
availability of two classes of shares permits an 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 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 will not accept any order for
$1 million or more of Class C shares 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 two 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
C shares and the dividends payable on Class C shares will be reduced by
incremental expenses borne solely by that class, including the asset-based
sales charge to which Class C shares are subject.
The methodology for calculating the net asset value, dividends and
distributions of the Fund's Class A 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 net
assets, and then equally to each outstanding share within a given class.
Such general expenses include (i) management fees, (ii) legal, bookkeeping
and audit fees, (iii) printing and mailing costs of shareholder reports,
Prospectuses, Additional Statements and other materials for current
shareholders, (iv) fees to unaffiliated 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 (i) Distribution Plan fees, (ii)
incremental transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and expenses,
(iii) registration fees and (iv) 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 Value Per Share. The net asset values per
share of Class A and Class C shares of the Fund is determined as of 4:00
P.M. each day The New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open, as of 4:00
P.M., New York time, that day, by dividing the value of the Fund's net
assets attributable to that class by the total number of Fund shares of
that class outstanding. The NYSE's most recent annual announcement (which
is subject to change) states that it will close on New Year's Day,
President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It may also close on other days.
Dealers may conduct trading at times when the NYSE is closed (including
weekends and holidays). Because the Fund's net asset values will not be
calculated on those days, the Fund's net asset value per share may be
significantly affected on such days 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 NASDAQ National
Market System ("NASDAQ") are valued at the last reported sale prices on
their primary exchange or NASDAQ that day (or, in the absence of sales
that day, at values based on the last sale prices of the preceding trading
day, or closing bid and asked prices); (ii) NASDAQ and other unlisted
equity securities for which last sales prices are not regularly reported
but for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available are
valued at the highest closing bid price at the time of valuation, or, if
no closing bid price is reported, on the basis of a closing bid price
obtained from a dealer who maintains an active market in that security;
(iii) securities (including restricted securities) not having readily-
available market quotations are valued at fair value under the Board's
procedures; (iv) long-term debt securities having a remaining maturity in
excess of 60 days are valued at the mean between the asked and bid prices
determined by a portfolio pricing service approved by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or obtained from active market maker in the security; (v) short-
term debt securities (having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less) are
valued at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of
discounts; (vi) securities traded on foreign exchanges are valued at the
closing or last reported sales prices or, if none, at the mean between
closing bid and asked prices and reflecting prevailing rates of exchange
taken from the closing price on the London foreign exchange market that
day.
Trading in securities on European and Asian exchanges and over-the-
counter markets is normally completed before the close of the NYSE.
Events affecting the values of foreign securities traded in such markets
that occur between the time their prices are determined and the close of
the NYSE will not be reflected in the Fund's calculation of its net asset
value unless the Board of Trustees or the Manager, under procedures
established by the Board, determines that the particular event would
materially affect the Fund's net asset values, in which case an adjustment
would be made. Foreign currency will be valued as close to the time fixed
for the valuation date as is reasonably practicable. The values of
securities denominated in foreign currency will be converted to U.S.
dollars at the prevailing rates of exchange at the time of valuation. In
the case of U.S. government securities and corporate bonds, 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 Trustees will monitor the accuracy of pricing services by comparing
prices used for portfolio evaluation to actual sales prices of selected
securities.
Puts, calls and Futures are valued at the last sales price on the
principal exchanges on which they are traded or on NASDAQ, as applicable,
or, if there are no sales that day, in accordance with (i) above. When
the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the premium received by the
Fund is included in the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an
asset, and an equivalent deferred credit is included in the liability
section. The deferred credit is adjusted ("marked-to-market") to reflect
the current market value of the option. If a call written by the Fund is
exercised, the proceeds are increased by the premium received.
AccountLink. When shares are purchased through AccountLink, each purchase
must be at least $25.00. Shares will be purchased on the regular business
day the Distributor is instructed to initiate the Automated Clearing House
transfer to buy shares. Dividends will begin to accrue on such shares on
the day the Fund receives Federal Funds for such purchase through the ACH
system before 4:00 P.M., which is normally 3 days after the ACH transfer
is initiated. The Distributor and the Fund are not responsible for any
delays. If the Federal Funds are received after 4:00 P.M., dividends will
begin to accrue on the next regular business day after such Federal Funds
are received.
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
expenses realized by the Distributor, dealers and brokers making such
sales. No sales charge is imposed in certain circumstances described in
the Prospectus because the Distributor or dealer or broker incurs little
or no selling expenses. The term "immediate family" refers to one's
spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, parents-in-law,
brothers and sisters, sons-and daughters-in-law, siblings, a sibling's
spouse and a spouse's siblings.
- The OppenheimerFunds. The OppenheimerFunds are those mutual funds
for which the Distributor acts as the distributor or the sub-distributor
and include the following:
Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund
Oppenheimer New York Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Insured Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Florida Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer New Jersey Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Fund
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund
Oppenheimer Time Fund
Oppenheimer Target Fund
Oppenheimer Special Fund
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund
Oppenheimer Value Stock Fund
Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund
Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Main Street Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer Mortgage Income Fund
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund
Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income 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.
Daily Cash Accumulation Fund, Inc.
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There is an initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A shares of
each of the OppenheimerFunds 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 ("Letter") is the
investor's statement of intention to purchase Class A shares of the Fund
(and other eligible OppenheimerFunds) sold with a front-end sales charge
during the 13-month period from the investor's first purchase pursuant to
the Letter (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 (excluding any purchases made by reinvestments of
dividends or distributions or purchases made at net asset value without
sales charge), which together with the investor's holdings of such funds
(calculated at their respective public offering prices calculated on the
date of the Letter) will equal or exceed the amount specified in the
Letter. This enables the investor to obtain the reduced sales charge rate
(as set forth in the Prospectus) applicable to purchases of shares in that
amount (the "intended purchase amount"). Each purchase under the Letter
will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single lump-sum
purchase of shares in the intended purchase amount, 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.
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 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.
- 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 the Letter) do not include
any shares sold without a front-end sales charge or without being subject
to a Class A contingent deferred sales charge unless (for the purpose of
determining completion of the obligation to purchase shares under the
Letter) the shares were acquired in exchange for shares of one of the
OppenheimerFunds whose shares were acquired by payment of a 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 "Exchange Privilege," 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 Tax-Exempt Cash Reserves or
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves to use those accounts for monthly automatic
purchases of shares of up to four other OppenheimerFunds.
There is a front-end sales charge on the purchase of certain
OppenheimerFunds, 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.
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.
- 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 it portfolio securities described above under
"Determination of Net Asset Values Per Share" and that valuation will be
made as of the time the redemption price is determined.
- 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 $200 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.
Reinvestment Privilege. Within six months of a redemption, a shareholder
may reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of (i) Class A shares,
or (ii) Class C shares that were subject to the Class C contingent
deferred sales charge when redeemed. The reinvestment may be made without
sales charge only in Class A shares of the Fund or any of the other
OppenheimerFunds 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. 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 OppenheimerFunds 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 either 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 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, or pension or
profit-sharing plans should be addressed to "Trustee, OppenheimerFunds
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) in OppenheimerFunds-sponsored pension or
profit-sharing plans may not directly request redemption of their
accounts. 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. The repurchase price will be the net asset
value next computed after the receipt of an order placed by such dealer
or broker, except that orders received from dealers or brokers after 4:00
P.M. on a regular business day will be processed at that day's net asset
value if such orders were received by the dealer or broker from its
customers prior to 4:00 P.M., and were transmitted to and received by the
Distributor prior to its close of business that day (normally 5:00 P.M.).
Payment ordinarily will be made within seven days after the Distributor's
receipt of the required redemption documents, with signature(s) guaranteed
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. 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 C shareholders should not establish withdrawal
plans that would require the redemption of shares held less than 12
months, because of the imposition of the Class C contingent deferred sales
charge on such withdrawals (except where the Class C contingent deferred
sales charge is waived as described in the Prospectus under "Class C
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge").
By requesting an Automatic Withdrawal or Exchange Plan, the shareholder
agrees to the terms and conditions applicable to such plans, as stated
below and in the provisions of the OppenheimerFunds Application relating
to such Plans, as well as 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.
- 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 OppenheimerFunds 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.
- 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 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.
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. The Transfer Agent shall incur no 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 AccountLink 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.
To use shares held under the Plan as collateral for a debt, the
Planholder may request issuance of a portion of the shares in certificated
form. Upon written request from the Planholder, the Transfer Agent will
determine the number of 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
OppenheimerFunds having more than one class of shares may be exchanged
only for shares of the same class of other OppenheimerFunds. All of the
OppenheimerFunds offer Class A shares (except for Oppenheimer Strategic
Diversified Income Fund), but only the following other OppenheimerFunds
(referred to as "Advisors Portfolio" funds) offer Class C shares:
Oppenheimer Target Fund
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund
Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund
Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust
Oppenheimer Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves (Class C and B shares are available
only by exchange)
Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income Fund
Class A shares of OppenheimerFunds 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
OppenheimerFunds offered with a sales charge upon payment of the sales
charge (or, if applicable, may be used to purchase shares of
OppenheimerFunds subject to a contingent deferred sales charge). Shares
of this Fund acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions from
any other of the OppenheimerFunds or from any unit investment trust for
which reinvestment arrangements have been made with the Distributor may
be exchanged at net asset value for shares of any of the OppenheimerFunds.
No contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on exchanges of shares of
either class purchased subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
However, when Class A shares acquired by exchange of Class A shares of
other OppenheimerFunds purchased subject to a Class A contingent deferred
sales charge are redeemed within 18 months 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 (see
"Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" in the Prospectus). 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 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 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 both classes must specify whether they intend to exchange Class A or
Class C shares.
The Fund reserves the right to reject telephone or written exchange
requests submitted in bulk by anyone on behalf of 10 or more accounts. 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).
The different OppenheimerFunds 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 (generally dividends from domestic
corporations) which the Fund derives from its portfolio investments held
for a minimum period, usually 46 days. A corporate shareholder will not
be eligible for the deduction on dividends paid on shares held by the
shareholder for 45 days or less. To the extent the Fund derives a
significant portion of its gross income from option premiums, interest
income or short-term capital gains from the sale of securities, or
dividends from foreign corporations, its dividends will not qualify for
the deduction. It is expected that only a portion of dividends paid by
the Fund will 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 1st of the prior year through October 31 of that
year or else must pay an excise tax on the amounts not distributed. While
it is presently anticipated that the Fund's distributions will meet those
requirements, the Manager might determine that in a particular year that
it might be in the best interests of shareholders not to distribute income
or capital gains at the mandated levels and to pay the excise tax on the
undistributed amounts, which would reduce the amount available for
distribution to shareholders.
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 OppenheimerFunds listed in "Reduced
Sales Charges," above, at net asset value without sales charge. Class C
shareholders should be aware that as of the date of this Additional
Statement, not all OppenheimerFunds offer Class C shares. The names of
these Funds can be obtained by referring to "How to Exchange Shares,"
above or by calling the Distributor at 1-800-525-7048. To elect this
option, the shareholder must notify OSS in writing and either must have
an existing account in the fund selected for reinvestment or must obtain
a prospectus for that fund and an application from the Transfer Agent 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 certain of
the OppenheimerFunds 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 and handling the delivery of
such securities to and from the Fund. The Manager has represented to the
Fund that its banking relationships with 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.
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.
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Investment Adviser
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agent
Oppenheimer Shareholder 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
707 Seventeenth Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Gordon Altman Butowsky Weitzen
Shalov & Wein
114 West 47th Street
New York, New York 10036
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER FUND
FORM N-1A
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 24 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) Financial Statements
(1) Financial Highlights (See Part A, Prospectus and Part B,
Statement of Additional Information): To be filed by amendment.
(2) Independent Auditors' Report (see Part B, Statement of
Additional Information): To be filed by amendment.
(3) Statement of Investments (see Part B, Statement of Additional
Information): To be filed by amendment.
(4) Statement of Assets and Liabilities, (see Part B, Statement of
Additional Information): To be filed by amendment.
(5) Statement of Operations (see Part B, Statement of Additional
Information): To be filed by amendment.
(6) Statements of Changes in Net Assets (see Part B, Statement of
Additional Information): To be filed by amendment.
(7) Notes to Financial Statements (see Part B, Statement of
Additional Information): To be filed by amendment.
(8) Independent Auditors' Consent: To be filed by amendment.
(b) Exhibits
Exhibit
Number Description
(1) Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated 5/12/94:
Filed herewith.
(2) By-Laws amended through 8/6/87: Previously filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to Registrant's
Registration Statement, 10/28/88, refiled herewith
pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T and incorporated
herein by reference.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) (i) Specimen Class A Share Certificate: Filed herewith.
(ii) Specimen Class C Share Certificate: Filed herewith.
(5) Investment Advisory Agreement dated 6/20/91: Previously
filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to Registrant's
Registration Statement, 8/23/91, refiled herewith pursuant
to Item 102 of Regulation S-T, and incorporated herein by
reference.
(6) (a) General Distributor's Agreement dated 12/10/92: Filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to Registrant's
Registration Statement, 8/25/93, and incorporated herein
by reference.
(b) Form of Dealer Agreement of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc. - Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 of
Oppenheimer Government Securities Fund (Reg. No. 33-
02769), 12/2/92, and incorporated herein by reference.
(c) Form of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. Broker
Agreement - Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 of
Oppenheimer Government Securities Fund (Reg. No. 33-
02769), 12/2/92, and incorporated herein by reference.
(d) Form of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. Agency
Agreement - Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 of
Oppenheimer Government Securities Fund (Reg. No. 33-
02769), 12/2/92, and incorporated herein by reference.
(e) Broker Agreement between Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc. and Newbridge Securities dated 10/1/86: Previously
filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 of Oppenheimer
Special Fund (Reg. No. 2-45272), 11/1/86, and incorporated
herein by reference.
(7) Retirement Plan for Non-Interested Trustees or Directors
(adopted by Registrant 6/7/90): Previously filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to Registrant's
Registration Statement, 8/30/90, and incorporated herein
by reference.
(8) Custody Agreement dated 8/5/92: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 103, of Registrant's Registration Statement,
10/28/92, refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102 of
Regulation S-T, and incorporated herein by reference.
(9) Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and Liquidation dated
10/10/85 by and between Registrant and Oppenheimer Fund,
Inc.: Previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No.
86 to Registrant's Registration Statement, 10/16/85,
refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T,
and incorporated herein by reference.
(10) Opinion and Consent of Counsel dated 10/4/85: Previously
filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 86, 10/16/85 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, refiled herewith
pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T, and incorporated
herein by reference.
(11) Not applicable.
(12) Not applicable.
(13) Not applicable.
(14) (a) Form of prototype Standardized and Non-
Standardized Profit-Sharing Plan and Money
Purchase Pension Plan for self-employed persons
and corporations: Previously filed with Post-
Effective Amendment No. 3 of Oppenheimer Global
Growth & Income Fund (Reg. No. 33-33799),
January 31, 1992, and incorporated herein by
reference.
(b) Form of Individual Retirement Account Trust
Agreement: Previously filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 21 of Oppenheimer U.S. Government
Trust (Reg. No. 2-76645), 8/25/93, and
incorporated herein by reference.
(c) Form of Tax Sheltered Retirement Plan and
Custody Agreement for employees of public
schools and tax-exempt organizations: Previously
filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 of
Oppenheimer Directors Fund (Reg. No. 2-62240),
2/1/90, and incorporated herein by reference.
(d) Form of Simplified Employee Pension IRA:
Previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment
No. 36 of Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund (Reg.
No. 2-33043), 10/23/91, and incorporated herein
by reference.
(e) Form of SAR-SEP Simplified Employee Pension IRA:
Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to
the Registration Statement of Oppenheimer
Integrity Funds (File No. 2-76547), 3/1/94, and
incorporated herein by reference.
(15) (a) Service Plan and Agreement dated 6/10/93 for Class A
shares under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act
of 1940: Filed herewith.
(b) Distribution and Service Plan and Agreement dated
December 1, 1993 for Class C shares under Rule 12b-1
of the Investment Company Act of 1940: Filed
herewith.
(16) Performance Data Computation Schedule: To be filed by
amendment.
(17) Financial Data Schedule: To be filed by amendment.
-- Powers of Attorney: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 104 of Registrant's Registration
Statement, 8/25/93, and incorporated herein by
reference.
ITEM 25 Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with
Registrant
None
ITEM 26 Number of Holders of Securities
Number of Record
Holders as of
Title of Class August 12, 1994
Shares of Beneficial Interest, Class A shares 30,344
Shares of Beneficial Interest, Class C shares 36
ITEM 27 Indemnification
Reference is made to paragraphs (c) through (g) of Section
12 of Article SEVENTH of Registrant's Declaration of Trust
filed as Exhibit 24(b)(1) to this Registration Statement.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees,
officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to
the foregoing provisions or otherwise, Registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
trustee, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person,
Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has
been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
ITEM 28 Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
(a) Oppenheimer Management Corporation is the investment adviser
of the Registrant; it and certain subsidiaries and
affiliates act in the same capacity to other registered
investment companies as described in Parts A and B hereof.
(b) For information as to the business, profession, vocation or
employment of a substantial nature of each of the officers
and directors of Oppenheimer Management Corporation,
reference is made to Parts A and B of this Registration
Statement and to the registration on Form ADV filed under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by Oppenheimer
Management Corporation, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
ITEM 29 Principal Underwriter
(a) Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. is the General
Distributor of Registrant's shares and is also the general
distributor of certain of the other open-end registered
investment companies for which Oppenheimer Management
Corporation is the investment adviser, as described in Parts
A and B of this Registration Statement.
(b) The information contained in the registration on Form BD of
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc., filed under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, is incorporated herein by
reference.
(c) Not applicable.
ITEM 30 Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts, books and other documents required to be
maintained by Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and rules promulgated
thereunder are in the possession of Oppenheimer Management
Corporation, at its offices at 3410 South Galena Street,
Denver, Colorado 80231.
ITEM 31 Management Services
Not applicable.
ITEM 32 Undertakings
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Not applicable.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York
on the 18h day of August, 1994.
OPPENHEIMER FUND
By: /s/ Donald W. Spiro*
--------------------------
Donald W. Spiro, President
Attest:
/s/ Andrew J. Donohue*
- --------------------------
Andrew J. Donohue, Secretary
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities on the dates indicated:
Signatures Title Date
- ---------- ----- ----
/s/ Leon Levy* Chairman of the
- -------------- Board of Trustees August 18, 1994
Leon Levy
/s/ Donald W. Spiro* President, Principal
- -------------------- Executive Officer
Donald W. Spiro and Trustee August 18, 1994
/s/ George Bowen* Treasurer and
- ----------------- Principal Financial
George Bowen and Accounting
Officer August 18, 1994
/s/ Leo Cherne* Trustee August 18, 1994
- ---------------
Leo Cherne
/s/ Edmund T. Delaney* Trustee August 18, 1994
- ----------------------
Edmund T. Delaney
/s/ Robert G. Galli* Trustee August 18, 1994
- ----------------------
Robert G. Galli
/s/ Benjamin Lipstein* Trustee August 18, 1994
- ----------------------
Benjamin Lipstein
/s/ Kenneth A. Randall* Trustee August 18, 1994
- -----------------------
Kenneth A. Randall
/s/ Sidney M. Robbins* Trustee August 18, 1994
- ----------------------
Sidney M. Robbins
/s/ Russell S. Reynolds, Jr.* Trustee August 18, 1994
- -----------------------------
Russell S. Reynolds, Jr.
/s/ Pauline Trigere* Trustee August 18, 1994
- --------------------
Pauline Trigere
/s/ Elizabeth B. Moynihan* Trustee August 18, 1994
- --------------------------
Elizabeth B. Moynihan
/s/ Clayton K. Yeutter* Trustee August 18, 1994
- -----------------------
Clayton K. Yeutter
/s/ Edward V. Regan* Trustee August 18, 1994
- --------------------
Edward V. Regan
*By: /s/ Robert G. Zack
- --------------------------------
Robert G. Zack, Attorney-in-Fact
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER FUND
Exhibit Index
-------------
Exhibit No. Description
- ---------- -----------
24(b)(1) Amended and Restated Declaration
of Trust dated 5/12/94
24(b)(2) By-Laws amended through 8/6/87
24(b)(4)(i) Specimen Class A Share Certificate
24(b)(4)(ii) Specimen Class C Share Certificate
24(b)(5) Investment Advisory Agreement
dated 6/20/91
/20/91
24(b)(8) Custody Agreement dated 8/5/92
24(b)(9) Agreement and Plan of Reorganization
and Liquidation dated 10/10/85 between
Registrant and Oppenheimer Fund, Inc.
24(b)(10) Opinion and Consent of Counsel dated
10/4/85
24(b)(15)(a) Service Plan and Agreement for Class A
Shares dated 6/10/93
24(b)(15)(b) Distribution and Service Plan and
Agreement dated 12/1/93
AMENDED AND RESTATED
DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
OPPENHEIMER FUND
This AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST, made as of May 12,
1994, by and among the individuals executing this Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust as the Trustees.
WHEREAS, the Trustees established Oppenheimer Fund (the "Trust"), a
trust fund under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the
investment and reinvestment of funds contributed thereto under a
Declaration of Trust dated October 7, 1985;
WHEREAS, the Declaration of Trust was Amended and Restated as of
April 28, 1993;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees declare that all money and property
contributed to the trust fund hereunder shall henceforth be held and
managed under this Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust IN TRUST as
herein set forth below.
FIRST: This Trust shall be known as OPPENHEIMER FUND. The address
of the Trust is Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203.
The Registered Agent for Service in Massachusetts is Massachusetts Mutual
Life Insurance Company, 1295 State Street, Springfield, Massachusetts
01111, Attention: Stephen Kuhn, Esq.
SECOND: Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the
context or specifically provided:
1. All terms used in this Declaration of Trust that are defined in
the 1940 Act (defined /below) shall have the meanings given to them in the
1940 Act.
2. "Board" or "Board of Trustees" or the "Trustees" means the Board
of Trustees of the Trust.
3. "By-Laws" means the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to
time.
4. "Class" means a class of a series of Shares (as defined below) of
the Trust established and designated under or in accordance with the
provisions of Article FOURTH.
5. "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
6. "Declaration of Trust" means this Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust as it may be amended or restated from time to time.
7. The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as amended
from time to time.
8. "Series" refers to series of Shares of the Trust established and
designated under or in accordance with the provisions of Article FOURTH.
9. "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares of the Trust.
10. "Shares" refers to the transferable units of interest into
which the beneficial interest in the Trust or any Series or Class of the
Trust (as the context may require) shall be divided from time to time and
includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares.
11. The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust created
by this Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time.
12. "Trustees" refers to the individual trustees in their capacity
as trustees hereunder of the Trust and their successor or successors for
the time being in office as such trustees.
THIRD: The purpose or purposes for which the Trust is formed and the
business or objects to be transacted, carried on and promoted by it are
as follows:
1. To hold, invest or reinvest its funds, and in connection
therewith to hold part or all of its funds in cash, and to purchase or
otherwise acquire, hold for investment or otherwise, sell, sell short,
assign, negotiate, transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose of or turn to
account or realize upon, securities (which term "securities" shall for the
purposes of this Declaration of Trust, without limitation of the
generality thereof, be deemed to include any stocks, shares, bonds,
financial futures contracts, indexes, debentures, notes, mortgages or
other obligations, and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other
instruments representing rights to receive, purchase or subscribe for the
same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or interests therein,
or in any property or assets) created or issued by any issuer (which term
"issuer" shall for the purposes of this Declaration of Trust, without
limitation of the generality thereof be deemed to include any persons,
firms, associations, corporations, syndicates, combinations,
organizations, governments, or subdivisions thereof) and in financial
instruments (whether they are considered as securities or commodities);
and to exercise, as owner or holder of any securities or financial
instruments, all rights, powers and privileges in respect thereof; and to
do any and all acts and things for the preservation, protection,
improvement and enhancement in value of any or all such securities or
financial instruments.
2. To borrow money and pledge assets in connection with any of the
objects or purposes of the Trust, and to issue notes or other obligations
evidencing such borrowings, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and
by the Trust's fundamental investment policies under the 1940 Act.
3. To issue and sell its Shares in such Series and Classes and
amounts and on such terms and conditions, for such purposes and for such
amount or kind of consideration (including without limitation thereto,
securities) now or hereafter permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and by this Declaration of Trust, as the Trustees may
determine.
4. To purchase or otherwise acquire, hold, dispose of, resell,
transfer, reissue or cancel its Shares, or to classify or reclassify any
unissued Shares or any Shares previously issued and reacquired of any
Series or Class into one or more Series or Classes that may have been
established and designated from time to time, all without the vote or
consent of the Shareholders of the Trust, in any manner and to the extent
now or hereafter permitted by this Declaration of Trust.
5. To conduct its business in all its branches at one or more
offices in New York, Colorado and elsewhere in any part of the world,
without restriction or limit as to extent.
6. To carry out all or any of the foregoing objects and purposes as
principal or agent, and alone or with associates or to the extent now or
hereafter permitted by the laws of Massachusetts, as a member of, or as
the owner or holder of any stock of, or share of interest in, any issuer,
and in connection therewith or make or enter into such deeds or contracts
with any issuers and to do such acts and things and to exercise such
powers, as a natural person could lawfully make, enter into, do or
exercise.
7. To do any and all such further acts and things and to exercise
any and all such further powers as may be necessary, incidental, relative,
conducive, appropriate or desirable for the accomplishment, carrying out
or attainment of all or any of the foregoing purposes or objects.
The foregoing objects and purposes shall, except as otherwise
expressly provided, be in no way limited or restricted by reference to,
or inference from, the terms of any other clause of this or any other
Article of this Declaration of Trust, and shall each be regarded as
independent and construed as powers as well as objects and purposes, and
the enumeration of specific purposes, objects and powers shall not be
construed to limit or restrict in any manner the meaning of general terms
or the general powers of the Trust now or hereafter conferred by the laws
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts nor shall the expression of one thing
be deemed to exclude another, though it be of a similar or dissimilar
nature, not expressed; provided, however, that the Trust shall not carry
on any business, or exercise any powers, in any state, territory, district
or country except to the extent that the same may lawfully be carried on
or exercised under the laws thereof.
FOURTH:
1. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided into
Shares, all without par value, but the Trustees shall have the authority
from time to time, without obtaining shareholder approval, to create one
or more Series of Shares in addition to the Series specifically
established and designated in part 3 of this Article FOURTH, and to divide
the shares of any Series into two or more Classes pursuant to Part 2 of
this Article FOURTH, all as they deem necessary or desirable, to establish
and designate such Series and Classes, and to fix and determine the
relative rights and preferences as between the different Series or Classes
of Shares as to right of redemption and the price, terms and manner of
redemption, liabilities and expenses to be borne by any Series or Class,
special and relative rights as to dividends and other distributions and
on liquidation, sinking or purchase fund provisions, conversion on
liquidation, conversion rights, and conditions under which the several or
Classes of Shares shall have individual voting rights or no voting rights.
Except as aforesaid, all Shares of the different Series shall be
identical.
(a) The number of authorized Shares and the number of Shares
of each Series and each Class of a Series that may be issued is unlimited,
and the Trustees may issue Shares of any Series or Class of any Series for
such consideration and on such terms as they may determine (or for no
consideration if pursuant to a Share dividend or split-up), all without
action or approval of the Shareholders. All Shares when so issued on the
terms determined by the Trustees shall be fully paid and non-assessable.
The Trustees may classify or reclassify any unissued Shares or any Shares
previously issued and reacquired of any Series into one or more Series or
Classes of Series that may be established and designated from time to
time. The Trustees may hold as treasury Shares (of the same or some other
Series), reissue for such consideration and on such terms as they may
determine, or cancel, at their discretion from time to time, any Shares
of any Series reacquired by the Trust.
(b) The establishment and designation of any Series or any
Class of any Series in addition to that established and designated in part
3 of this Article FOURTH shall be effective upon the execution by a
majority of the Trustees of an instrument setting forth such establishment
and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such Series or
such Class of such Series or as otherwise provided in such instrument.
At any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular Series
previously established and designated, the Trustees may by an instrument
executed by a majority of their number abolish that Series and the
establishment and designation thereof. Each instrument referred to in
this paragraph shall be an amendment to this Declaration of Trust, and the
Trustees may make any such amendment without shareholder approval.
(c) Any Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust, and any
organization in which any such person is interested may acquire, own, hold
and dispose of Shares of any Series or Class of any Series of the Trust
to the same extent as if such person were not a Trustee, officer or other
agent of the Trust; and the Trust may issue and sell or cause to be issued
and sold and may purchase Shares of any Series or Class of any Series from
any such person or any such organization subject only to the general
limitations, restrictions or other provisions applicable to the sale or
purchase of Shares of such Series or Class generally.
2. The Trustees shall have the authority from time to time, without
obtaining shareholder approval, to divide the Shares of any Series into
two or more Classes as they deem necessary or desirable, and to establish
and designate such Classes. In such event, each Class of a Series shall
represent interests in the designated Series of the Trust and have such
voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights as may be established and
designated by the Trustees. Expenses related directly or indirectly to
the Shares of a Class of a Series may be borne solely by such Class (as
shall be determined by the Trustees) and, as provided in Article FIFTH,
a Class of a Series may have exclusive voting rights with respect to
matters relating solely to such Class. The bearing of expenses solely by
a Class of Shares of a Series shall be appropriately reflected (in the
manner determined by the Trustees) in the net asset value, dividend and
liquidation rights of the Shares of such Class of a Series. The division
of the Shares of a Series into Classes and the terms and conditions
pursuant to which the Shares of the Classes of a Series will be issued
must be made in compliance with the 1940 Act. No division of Shares of
a Series into Classes shall result in the creation of a Class of Shares
having a preference as to dividends or distributions or a preference in
the event of any liquidation, termination or winding up of the Trust, to
the extent such a preference is prohibited by Section 18 of the 1940 Act
as to the Trust.
The relative rights and preferences of Shares of different
Classes shall be the same in all respects except that, unless and until
the Board of Trustees shall determine otherwise: (i) when a vote of
Shareholders is required under this Declaration of Trust or when a meeting
of Shareholders is called by the Board of Trustees, the Shares of a Class
shall vote exclusively on matters that affect that Class only, (ii) the
expenses related to a Class shall be borne solely by such Class (as
determined and allocated to such Class by the Trustees from time to time
in a manner consistent with parts 2 and 3 of this Article FOURTH); and
(iii) pursuant to paragraph 10 of Article NINTH, the Shares of each Class
shall have such other rights and preferences as are set forth from time
to time in the then-effective Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional
Information relating to the Shares. Dividends and distributions on one
class may differ from the dividends and distributions on another Class,
and the net asset value of the Shares of one Class may differ from the net
asset value of the Shares of another Class.
3. Without limiting the authority of the Trustees set forth in part
1 of this Article FOURTH to establish and designate any further Series,
the Trustees hereby establish one Series of Shares having the same name
as the Trust. The Shares of that Series and any Shares of any further
Series or Classes that may from time to time be established and designated
by the Trustees shall (unless the Trustees otherwise determine with
respect to some further Series or Classes at the time of establishing and
designating the same) have the following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Belonging to Series. All consideration received
by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series,
together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or
reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, including
any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such
assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to
that Series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors, and
shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Such
consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof,
including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of
such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of
such proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, together with any General
Items allocated to that Series as provided in the following sentence, are
herein referred to as "assets belonging to" that Series. In the event
that there are any assets, income, earnings, profits, and proceeds
thereof, funds, or payments which are not readily identifiable as
belonging to any particular Series (collectively "General Items"), the
Trustees shall allocate such General Items to and among any one or more
of the Series established and designated from time to time in such manner
and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and
equitable; and any General Items so allocated to a particular Series shall
belong to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be
conclusive and binding upon the shareholders of all Series for all
purposes.
(b) (1)Liabilities Belonging to Series. The assets belonging
to each particular Series shall be charged with the liabilities of the
Trust in respect of that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and
reserves attributable to that Series. Any general liabilities, expenses,
costs, charges and reserves of the Trust which are not identifiable as
belong to any particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the
Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series established and
designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as the
Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. The
liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves allocated and so
charged to each Series are herein referred to as "liabilities belonging
to" that Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges
and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the
shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(2) Liabilities Belonging to a Class. If a Series is
divided into more than one Class, the liabilities, expenses, costs,
charges and reserves attributable to a Class shall be charged and
allocated to the Class to which such liabilities, expenses, costs, charges
or reserves are attributable. Any general liabilities, expenses, costs,
charges or reserves belonging to the Series which are not identifiable as
belonging to any particular Class shall be allocated and charged by the
Trustees to and among any one or more of the Classes established and
designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as the
Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. The
allocations described in the two preceding sentences shall be subject to
the 1940 Act and any release, rule, regulation, interpretation or order
thereunder relating to such allocations. The liabilities, expenses,
costs, charges and reserves allocated and so charged to each Class are
herein referred to as "liabilities belonging to" that Class. Each
allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the
Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the holders of all Classes
for all purposes.
(c) Dividends. Dividends and distributions on Shares of a
particular Series or Class may be paid to the holders of Shares of that
Series or Class, with such frequency as the Trustees may determine, which
may be daily or otherwise, pursuant to a standing resolution or
resolutions adopted only once or with such frequency as the Trustees may
determine, from such of the income and capital gains, accrued or realized,
from the assets belonging to that Series, as the Trustees may determine,
after providing for actual and accrued liabilities belonging to such
Series or Class. All dividends and distributions on Shares of a
particular Series or Class shall be distributed pro rata to the
Shareholders of such Series or Class in proportion to the number of Shares
of such Series or Class held by such Shareholders at the date and time of
record established for the payment of such dividends or distributions,
except that in connection with any dividend or distribution program or
procedure the Trustees may determine that no dividend or distribution
shall be payable on Shares as to which the Shareholder's purchase order
and/or payment have not been received by the time or times established by
the Trustees under such program or procedure. Such dividends and
distributions may be made in cash or Shares or a combination thereof as
determined by the Trustees or pursuant to any program that the Trustees
may have in effect at the time for the election by each Shareholder of the
mode of the making of such dividend or distribution to that Shareholder.
Any such dividend or distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net
asset value thereof as determined in accordance with paragraph 13 of
Article SEVENTH.
(d) Liquidation. In the event of the liquidation or
dissolution of the Trust, the Shareholders of each Series and all Classes
of each Series that have been established and designated shall be entitled
to receive, as a Series or Class, when and as declared by the Trustees,
the excess of the assets belonging to that Series over the liabilities
belonging to that Series or Class. The assets so distributable to the
Shareholders of any particular Class and Series shall be distributed among
such Shareholders in proportion to the number of Shares of such Class of
that Series held by them and recorded on the books of the Trust.
(e) Transfer. All Shares of each particular Series or Class
shall be transferable, but transfers of Shares of a particular Class or
Series will be recorded on the Share transfer records of the Trust
applicable to such Series or Class only at such times as Shareholders
shall have the right to require the Trust to redeem Shares of such Series
or Class and at such other times as may be permitted by the Trustees.
(f) Equality. All Shares of each Series shall represent an
equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that Series
(subject to the liabilities belonging to such Series or any Class of that
Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal to each
other Share of that Series and Shares of each Class of a Series shall be
equal to each other Share of such Class; but the provisions of this
sentence shall not restrict any distinctions permissible under this
Article FOURTH that may exist with respect to Shares of a Series or the
different Classes of a Series. The Trustees may from time to time divide
or combine the Shares of any particular Class or Series into a greater or
lesser number of Shares of that Class or Series without thereby changing
the proportionate beneficial interest in the assets belonging to
that Class or Series or in any way affecting the rights of Shares of
any other Class or Series.
(g) Fractions. Any fractional Share of any Class and Series,
if any such fractional Share is outstanding, shall carry proportionately
all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of that Class and Series,
including those rights and obligations with respect to voting, receipt of
dividends and distributions, redemption of Shares, and liquidation of the
Trust.
(h) Conversion Rights. Subject to compliance with the
requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall have the authority to
provide that (i) holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to
exchange said Shares into Shares of one or more other Series of Shares,
(ii) holders of shares of any Class shall have the right to exchange said
Shares into Shares of one or more other Classes of the same or a different
Series, and/or (iii) the Trust shall have the right to carry out exchanges
of the aforesaid kind, in each case in accordance with such requirements
and procedures as may be established by the Trustees.
(i) Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be
recorded on the books of the Trust or of a transfer or similar agent for
the Trust, which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of
each Class and Series that has been established and designated. No
certification certifying the ownership of Shares need be issued except as
the Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may
make such rules as they consider appropriate for the issuance of Share
certificates, the use of facsimile signatures, the transfer of Shares and
similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or
any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as
to who are the Shareholders and as to the number of Shares of each Class
and Series held from time to time by each such Shareholder.
(j) Investments in the Trust. The Trustees may accept
investments in the Trust from such persons and on such terms and for such
consideration, not inconsistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act, as
they from time to time authorize. The Trustees may authorize any
distributor, principal underwriter, custodian, transfer agent or other
person to accept orders for the purchase or sale of Shares that conform
to such authorized terms and to reject any purchase or sale orders for
Shares whether or not conforming to such authorized terms.
FIFTH: The following provisions are hereby adopted with respect to
voting Shares of the Trust and certain other rights:
1. The Shareholders shall have the power to vote (a) for the
election of Trustees when that issue is submitted to them, (b) with
respect to the amendment of this Declaration of Trust except where the
Trustees are given authority to amend the Declaration of Trust without
shareholder approval, (c) to the same extent as the shareholders of a
Massachusetts business corporation, as to whether or not a court action,
proceeding or claim should be brought or maintained derivatively or as a
class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, and (d) with
respect to those matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the
1940 Act or required by law, by this Declaration of Trust, or the By-Laws
of the Trust or any registration statement of the Trust filed with the
Commission or any State, or as the Trustees may consider desirable.
2. The Trust will not hold shareholder meetings unless required by
the 1940 Act, the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, or any other
applicable law.
3. At all meetings of Shareholders, each Shareholder shall be
entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the
Shareholders of the affected Series for each Share standing in his name
on the books of the Trust on the date, fixed in accordance with the By-
Laws, for determination of Shareholders of the affected Series entitled
to vote at such meeting (except, if the Board so determines, for Shares
redeemed prior to the meeting), and each such Series shall vote separately
("Individual Series Voting"); a Series shall be deemed to be affected when
a vote of the holders of that Series on a matter is required by the 1940
Act; provided, however, that as to any matter with respect to which a vote
of Shareholders is required by the 1940 Act or by any applicable law that
must be complied with, such requirements as to a vote by Shareholders
shall apply in lieu of Individual Series Voting as described above. If
the shares of a Series shall be divided into Classes as provided in
Article FOURTH, the shares of each Class shall have identical voting
rights except that the Trustees, in their discretion, may provide a Class
of a Series with exclusive voting rights with respect to matters which
relate solely to such Classes. If the Shares of any Series shall be
divided into Classes with a Class having exclusive voting rights with
respect to certain matters, the quorum and voting requirements described
below with respect to action to be taken by the Shareholders of the Class
of such Series on such matters shall be applicable only to the Shares of
such Class. Any fractional Share shall carry proportionately all the
rights of a whole Share, including the right to vote and the right to
receive dividends. The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of
one-third of the Shares, or of the Shares of any Series or Class of any
Series, outstanding and entitled to vote thereat shall constitute a
quorum at any meeting of the Shareholders or of that Series or Class,
respectively; provided however, that if any action to be taken by the
Shareholders or by a Series or Class at a meeting requires an affirmative
vote of a majority, or more than a majority, of the shares outstanding and
entitled to vote, then in such event the presence in person or by proxy
of the holders of a majority of the shares outstanding and entitled to
vote at such a meeting shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. If at
any meeting of the Shareholders there shall be less than a quorum present,
the Shareholders or the Trustees present at such meeting may, without
further notice, adjourn the same from time to time until a quorum shall
attend, but no business shall be transacted at any such adjourned meeting
except such as might have been lawfully transacted had the meeting not
been adjourned.
4. Each Shareholder of a Series or Class, upon request to the Trust
in proper form determined by the Trust, shall be entitled to require the
Trust to redeem from the net assets of that Series or Class all or part
of the Shares of such Series or Class standing in the name of such
Shareholder. The method of computing such net asset value, the time at
which such net asset value shall be computed and the time within which the
Trust shall make payment therefor, shall be determined as hereinafter
provided in Article SEVENTH of this Declaration of Trust. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Trustees, when permitted or required to do so by the
1940 Act, may suspend the right of the Shareholders to require the Trust
to redeem Shares.
5. No Shareholder shall, as such holder, have any right to purchase
or subscribe for any security of the Trust which it may issue or sell,
other than such right, if any, as the Trustees, in their discretion, may
determine.
6. All persons who shall acquire Shares shall acquire the same
subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust.
SIXTH:
1. The persons who shall act as initial Trustees until the first
meeting or until their successors are duly chosen and qualify are the
initial trustees executing this Declaration of Trust or any counterpart
thereof. However, the By-Laws of the Trust may fix the number of Trustees
at a number greater or lesser than the number of initial Trustees and may
authorize the Trustees to increase or decrease the number of Trustees, to
fill any vacancies on the Board which may occur for any reason including
any vacancies created by any such increase in the number of Trustees, to
set and alter the terms of office of the Trustees and to lengthen or
lessen their own terms of office or make their terms of office of
indefinite duration, all subject to the 1940 Act. Unless otherwise
provided by the By-Laws of the Trust, the Trustees need not be
Shareholders.
2. A Trustee at any time may be removed either with or without cause
by resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-
thirds of the outstanding Shares, present in person or by proxy at any
meeting of Shareholders called for such purpose; such a meeting shall be
called by the Trustees when requested in writing to do so by the record
holders of not less than ten per centum of the outstanding Shares. A
Trustee may also be removed by the Board of Trustees as provided in the
By-Laws of the Trust.
3. The Trustees shall make available a list of names and addresses
of all Shareholders as recorded on the books of the Trust, upon receipt
of the request in writing signed by not less than ten Shareholders (who
have been shareholders for at least six months) holding shares of the
Trust valued at not less than $25,000 at current offering price (as
defined in the Trust's Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional
Information) or holding not less than 1% in amount of the entire amount
of Shares issued and outstanding; such request must state that such
Shareholders wish to communicate with other shareholders with a view to
obtaining signatures to a request for a meeting to take action pursuant
to part 2 of this Article SIXTH and be accompanied by a form of
communication to the Shareholders. The Trustees may, in their discretion,
satisfy their obligation under this part 3 by either making available the
Shareholder list to such Shareholders at the principal offices of the
Trust, or at the offices of the Trust's transfer agent, during regular
business hours, or by mailing a copy of such communication and form of
request, at the expense of such requesting Shareholders.
4. If and when the Trust has outstanding two or more series of
Shares pursuant to Article FOURTH of this Declaration of Trust, each
Series shall be considered as if it were a separate common law trust
covered by Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act and parts 2 and 3 of this Article
SIXTH. However, the Trust may at any time or from time to time apply to
the Commission for one or more exemptions from all or part of said Section
16(c) of the 1940 Act, and, if an exemptive order or orders are issued
by the Commission, such order or orders shall be deemed part of said
Section 16(c) for the purposes of parts 2 and 3 of this Article SIXTH.
SEVENTH: The following provisions are hereby adopted for the purpose
of defining, limiting and regulating the powers of the Trust, the Trustees
and the Shareholders.
1. As soon as any Trustee is duly elected by the Shareholders or the
Trustees and shall have accepted this Trust, the Trust estate shall vest
in the new Trustee or Trustees, together with the continuing Trustees,
without any further act or conveyance, and he or she shall be deemed a
Trustee hereunder.
2. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or
incapacity of the Trustees, or any one of them, shall not operate to annul
the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms
of this Declaration of Trust.
3. The assets of the Trust shall be held separate and apart from any
assets now or hereafter held in any capacity other than as Trustee
hereunder by the Trustees or any successor Trustees. All of the assets
of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
No Shareholder shall have, as a holder of beneficial interest in the
Trust, any authority, power or right whatsoever to transact business for
or on behalf of the Trust, or on behalf of the Trustees, in connection
with the property or assets of the Trust, or in any part thereof.
4. The Trustees in all instances shall act as principals, and are
and shall be free from the control of the Shareholders. The Trustees
shall have full power and authority to do any and all acts and to make and
execute, and to authorize the officers and agents of the Trust to make and
execute, any and all contracts and instruments that they may consider
necessary or appropriate in connection with the management of the Trust.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by present or future
laws or customs in regard to Trust investments, but shall have full
authority and power to make any and all investments which they, in their
uncontrolled discretion, shall deem proper to accomplish the purpose of
this Trust. Subject to any applicable limitation in this Declaration of
Trust or by the By-Laws of the Trust, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) to adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration
of Trust providing for the conduct of the business of the Trust and to
amend and repeal them to the extent that they do not reserve that right
to the Shareholders;
(b) to elect and remove such officers and appoint and
terminate such officers as they consider appropriate with or without
cause;
(c) to employ a bank or trust company as custodian of any
assets of the Trust subject to any conditions set forth in this
Declaration of Trust or in the By-Laws;
(d) To retain a transfer agent and shareholder servicing
agent, or both;
(e) To provide for the distribution of Shares either through
a principal underwriter or the Trust itself or both;
(f) To set record dates in the manner provided for in the By-
Laws of the Trust;
(g) to delegate such authority as they consider desirable to
any officers of the Trust and to any agent, custodian or underwriter;
(h) to vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of
ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property held in
Trust hereunder; and to execute and deliver powers of attorney to such
person or persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such
person or persons such power and discretion with relation to securities
or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(i) to exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise
which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities held in trust
hereunder;
(j) to hold any security or property in a form not indicating
any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form,
either in its own name or in the name of a custodian or a nominee or
nominees, subject in either case to proper safeguards according to the
usual practice of Massachusetts business trusts or investment companies;
(k) to consent to or participate in any plan for the
reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or concern, any
security of which is held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease,
mortgage, purchase, or sale of property by such corporation or concern,
and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the
Trust;
(l) to compromise, arbitrate, or otherwise adjust claims in
favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy including, but
not limited to, claims for taxes;
(m) to make, in the manner provided in the By-Laws,
distributions of income and of capital gains to Shareholders;
(n) to borrow money to the extent and in the manner permitted
by the 1940 Act and the Trust's fundamental policy thereunder as to
borrowing;
(o) to enter into investment advisory or management contracts,
subject to the 1940 Act, with any one or more corporations, partnerships,
trusts, associations or other persons; and
(p) to change the name of the Trust or any Class or Series of
the Trust as they consider appropriate without prior shareholder approval.
5. No one dealing with the Trustees shall be under any obligation to
make any inquiry concerning the authority of the Trustees, or to see to
the application of any payments made or property transferred to the
Trustees or upon their order.
6. (a) The Trustees shall have no power to bind any Shareholder
personally or to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of
money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at
any time personally agree to pay by way of subscription to any Shares or
otherwise. There is hereby expressly disclaimed shareholder liability for
the acts and obligations of the Trust. Every note, bond, contract or other
undertaking issued by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees relating
to the Trust shall include a recitation limiting the obligation
represented thereby to the Trust and its assets (but the omission of such
recitation shall not operate to bind any Shareholder).
(b) Whenever this Declaration of Trust calls for or permits
any action to be taken by the Trustees hereunder, such action shall mean
that taken by the Board of Trustees by vote of the majority of a quorum
of Trustees as set forth from time to time in the By-Laws of the Trust or
as required by the 1940 Act.
(c) The Trustees shall possess and exercise any and all such
additional powers as are reasonably implied from the powers herein
contained such as may be necessary or convenient in the conduct of any
business or enterprise of the Trust, to do and perform anything necessary,
suitable, or proper for the accomplishment of any of the purposes, or the
attainment of any one or more of the objects, herein enumerated, or which
shall at any time appear conducive to or expedient for the protection or
benefit of the Trust, and to do and perform all other acts and things
necessary or incidental to the purposes herein before set forth, or that
may be deemed necessary by the Trustees.
(d) The Trustees shall have the power, to the extent not
inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine conclusively whether any
moneys, securities, or other properties of the Trust are, for the purposes
of this Trust, to be considered as capital or income and in what manner
any expenses or disbursements are to be borne as between capital and
income whether or not in the absence of this provision such moneys,
securities, or other properties would be regarded as capital or income and
whether or not in the absence of this provision such expenses or
disbursements would ordinarily be charged to capital or to income.
7. The By-Laws of the Trust may divide the Trustees into classes and
prescribe the tenure of office of the several classes, but no class of
Trustee shall be elected for a period shorter than that from the time of
the election following the division into classes until the next meeting
and thereafter for a period shorter than the interval between meetings or
for a period longer than five years, and the term of office of at least
one class shall expire each year.
8. The Shareholders shall have the right to inspect the records,
documents, accounts and books of the Trust, subject to reasonable
regulations of the Trustees, not contrary to Massachusetts law, as to
whether and to what extent, and at what times and places, and under what
conditions and regulations, such right shall be exercised.
9. Any officer elected or appointed by the Trustees or by any
committee of the Trustees may be removed at any time, with or without
cause, by vote of the Trustees.
10. If the By-Laws so provide, the Trustees shall have power to
hold their meetings, to have an office or offices and, subject to the
provisions of the laws of Massachusetts, to keep the books of the Trust
outside of said Commonwealth at such places as may from time to time be
designated by them. Action may be taken by the Trustees without a meeting
by unanimous written consent or by telephone or similar method of
communication.
11. Securities held by the Trust shall be voted in person or by
proxy by the President or a Vice-President, or such officer or officers
of the Trust as the Trustees shall designate for the purpose, or by a
proxy or proxies thereunto duly authorized by the Trustees, except as
otherwise ordered by vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares
outstanding and entitled to vote in respect thereto.
12. (a) Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, any
Trustee, officer or employee, individually, or any partnership of which
any Trustee, officer or employee may be a member, or any corporation or
association of which any Trustee, officer or employee may be an officer,
director, trustee, employee or stockholder, may be a party to, or may be
pecuniarily or otherwise interested in, any contract or transaction of the
Trust, and in the absence of fraud no contract or other transaction shall
be thereby affected or invalidated; provided that in case a Trustee, or
a partnership, corporation or association of which a Trustee is a member,
officer, director, trustee, employee or stockholder is so interested, such
fact shall be disclosed or shall have been known to the Trustees
or a majority thereof; and any Trustee who is so interested, or who is
also a director, officer, trustee, employee or stockholder of such other
corporation or a member of such partnership or association which is so
interested, may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any
meeting of the Trustees which shall authorize any such contract or
transaction, and may vote thereat to authorize any such contract or
transaction, with like force and effect as if he or she were not such
director, officer, trustee, employee or stockholder of such other trust
or corporation or association or a member of a partnership so interested.
(b) Specifically, but without limitation of the foregoing, the
Trust may enter into a management or investment advisory contract or
underwriting contract and other contracts with, and may otherwise do
business with any manager or investment adviser for the Trust and/or
principal underwriter of the Shares of the Trust or any subsidiary or
affiliate of any such manager or investment adviser and/or principal
underwriter and may permit any such firm or corporation to enter into any
contracts or other arrangements with any other firm or corporation
relating to the Trust notwithstanding that the Trustees of the Trust may
be composed in part of partners, directors, officers or employees of any
such firm or corporation, and officers of the Trust may have been or may
be or become partners, directors, officers or employees of any such firm
or corporation, and in the absence of fraud the Trust and any such firm
or corporation may deal freely with each other, and no such contract or
transaction between the Trust and any such firm or corporation shall be
invalidated or in any way affected thereby, nor shall any Trustee or
officer of the Trust be liable to the Trust or to any Shareholder or
creditor thereof or to any other person for any loss incurred by it or him
or her solely because of the existence of any such contract or
transaction; provided that nothing herein shall protect any director or
officer of the Trust against any liability to the Trust
or to its security holders to which he or she would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
(c) As used in this paragraph the following terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:
(i) the term "indemnitee" shall mean any present or former
Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust, any present or former Trustee
or officer of another trust or corporation whose securities are or were
owned by the Trust or of which the Trust is or was a creditor and who
served or serves in such capacity at the request of the Trust, and the
heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns of any of the
foregoing; however, whenever conduct by an indemnitee is referred to, the
conduct shall be that of the original indemnitee rather than that of the
heir, executor, administrator, successor or assignee;
(ii) the term "covered proceeding" shall mean any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to which an indemnitee
is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party by reason of the
fact or facts under which he or she or it is an indemnitee as defined
above;
(iii) the term "disabling conduct" shall mean willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of the office in question;
(iv) the term "covered expenses" shall mean expenses
(including attorney's fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by an indemnitee in connection
with a covered proceeding; and
(v) the term "adjudication of liability" shall mean, as
to any covered proceeding and as to any indemnitee, an adverse
determination as to the indemnitee whether by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent.
(d) The Trust shall not indemnify any indemnitee for any
covered expenses in any covered proceeding if there has been an
adjudication of liability against such indemnitee expressly based on a
finding of disabling conduct.
(e) Except as set forth in paragraph (d) above, the Trust
shall indemnify any indemnitee for covered expenses in any covered
proceeding, whether or not there is an adjudication of liability as to
such indemnitee if a determination has been made that the indemnitee was
not liable by reason of disabling conduct by (1) a final decision on the
merits of the court or other body before which the covered proceeding was
brought; or (2) in the absence of such decision, a reasonable
determination, based on a review of the facts, by either (A) the vote of
a majority of a quorum of Trustees who are neither "interested persons"
as defined in the 1940 Act nor parties to the covered proceedings, or (B)
an independent legal counsel in a written opinion; provided that such
Trustees or counsel, in making such determination, may but need not
presume the absence of disabling conduct on the part of the indemnitee by
reason of the manner in which the covered proceeding was terminated.
(f) Covered expenses incurred by an indemnitee in connection
with a covered proceeding shall be advanced by the Trust to an indemnitee
prior to the final disposition of a covered proceeding upon the request
of the indemnitee for such advance and the undertaking by or on behalf of
the indemnitee to repay the advance unless it is ultimately determined
that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, but only if
one or more of the following is the case: (i) the indemnitee shall
provide a security for such undertaking; (ii) the Trust shall be insured
against losses arising out of any lawful advances; or (iii) there shall
have been a determination, based on a review of the readily available
facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is a reason to
believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to
indemnification by either independent legal counsel in a written opinion
or by the vote of a majority of a quorum of trustees who are neither
"interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act nor parties to the covered
proceeding.
(g) Nothing herein shall be deemed to affect the right of the
Trust and/or any indemnitee to acquire and pay for any insurance covering
any or all indemnitees to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or to
affect any other indemnification rights to which any indemnitee may be
entitled to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
13. For purposes of the computation of net asset value, as in this
Declaration of Trust referred to, the following rules shall apply:
(a) The net asset value per Share of any Series, as of the
time of valuation on any day, shall be the quotient obtained by dividing
the value, as at such time, of the net assets of that Series (i.e., the
value of the assets of that Series less its liabilities exclusive of its
surplus) by the total number of Shares of that Series outstanding at such
time. The assets and liabilities of any Series shall be determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, provided,
however, that in determining the liabilities of any Series there shall be
included such reserves for taxes or contingent liabilities as may be
authorized or approved by the Trustees, and provided further that in
connection with the accrual of any fee or refund payable to or by an
investment advisor of the Trust for such Series, the amount of which
accrual is not definitely determinable as of any time at which the net
asset value of each Share of that Series is being determined due to the
contingent nature of such fee or refund, the Trustees are authorized to
establish from time to time formulae for such accrual, on the basis of the
contingencies in question to the date of such determination, or on such
other bases as the Trustees may establish.
(1) Shares of a Series to be issued shall be
deemed to be outstanding as of the time of the
determination of the net asset value per Share
applicable to such issuance and the net price thereof
shall be deemed to be an asset of that Series;
(2) Shares of a Series to be redeemed by the
Trust shall be deemed to be outstanding until the time
of the determination of the net asset value applicable
to such redemption, and thereupon, and until paid, the
redemption price thereof shall be deemed to be a
liability of that Series; and
(3) Shares of a Series voluntarily purchased or
contracted to be purchased by the Trust pursuant to the
provisions of paragraph 4 of Article FIFTH shall be
deemed to be outstanding until whichever is the later of
(i) the time of the making of such purchase or contract
of purchase, and (ii) the time at which the purchase
price is determined, and thereupon, and until paid, the
purchase price thereof shall be deemed to be a liability
of that Series.
(b) The Trustees are empowered, in their absolute discretion,
to establish other bases or times, or both, for determining the net asset
value per Share of any Series or Class in accordance with the 1940 Act and
to authorize the voluntary purchase by any Series or Class either directly
or through an agent, of Shares of any Series or Class upon such terms and
conditions and for such consideration as the Trustees shall deem advisable
in accordance with any such provision, rule or regulation.
14. Payment of the net asset value per Share of any Class and
Series properly surrendered to it for redemption shall be made by the
Trust within seven days, or as specified in any applicable law or
regulation, after tender of such stock or request for redemption to the
Trust for such purpose together with any additional documentation that may
reasonably be required by the Trust or its transfer agent to evidence the
authority of the tenderor or to make such requests plus any period of time
during which the right of the holders of the shares of such Class of that
Series to require the Trust to redeem such shares has been suspended. Any
such payment may be made in portfolio securities of such Class of that
Series and/or in cash, as the Trustees shall deem advisable, and no
Shareholder shall have a right, other than as determined by the Trustees,
to have Shares redeemed in kind.
15. The Trust shall have the right, at any time and without prior
notice to the Shareholder, to redeem Shares of the Class and Series held
by such Shareholder held in any account registered in the name of such
Shareholder for its current net asset value, if and to the extent that
such redemption is necessary to reimburse either that Series or Class of
the Trust or the distributor (i.e., principal underwriter) of the Shares
for any loss either has sustained by reason of the failure of such
Shareholder to make timely and good payment for Shares purchased or
subscribed for by such Shareholder, regardless of whether such Shareholder
was a Shareholder at the time of such purchase or subscription, subject
to and upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may from time to
time prescribe.
EIGHTH: The name "Oppenheimer" included in the name of the Trust and
of any Series shall be used pursuant to a royalty-free, non-exclusive
license from Oppenheimer Management Corporation ("OMC"), incidental to and
as part of an advisory, management or supervisory contract which may be
entered into by the Trust with OMC. The license may be terminated by OMC
upon termination of such advisory, management or supervisory contract or
without cause upon 60 days' written notice, in which case neither the
Trust nor any Series or Class shall have any further right to use the name
"Oppenheimer" in its name or otherwise and the Trust, the Shareholders and
its officers and Trustees shall promptly take whatever action may be
necessary to change its name and the names of any Series or Classes
accordingly.
NINTH:
1. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held to be
personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a
Shareholder and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other
reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or the Shareholder's,
heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or in the
case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general
successor) shall be entitled out of the Trust estate to be held harmless
from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such
liability. The Trust shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the
defense of any such claim made against any Shareholder for any act or
obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon.
2. It is hereby expressly declared that a trust and not a
partnership is created hereby. No individual Trustee hereunder shall have
any power to bind the Trust, the Trust's officers or any Shareholder. All
persons extending credit to, doing business with, contracting with or
having or asserting any claim against the Trust or the Trustees shall look
only to the assets of the Trust for payment under any such credit,
transaction, contract or claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the
Trustees, nor any of their agents, whether past, present or future, shall
be personally liable therefor; notice of such disclaimer shall be given
in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by
the Trust or the Trustees. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall
protect a Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved
in the conduct of the office of Trustee hereunder.
3. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretion
hereunder in good faith and with reasonable care under the circumstances
then prevailing, shall be binding upon everyone interested. Subject to
the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article NINTH, the Trustees shall
not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The
Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the
meaning and operations of this Declaration of Trust, contracts,
obligations, transactions or any other business the Trust may enter into,
and subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article NINTH, shall
be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such
advice or for failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be
required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
4. This Trust shall continue without limitation of time but subject
to the provisions of sub-sections (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this paragraph
4.
(a) The Trustees, with the favorable vote of the holders of
a majority as defined in the 1940 Act, of the outstanding Shares of any
one or more Series entitled to vote, may sell and convey the assets of
that Series (which sale may be subject to the retention of assets for the
payment of liabilities and expenses) to another issuer for a consideration
which may be or include securities of such issuer. Upon making provision
for the payment of liabilities, by assumption by such issuer or otherwise,
the Trustees shall distribute the remaining proceeds ratably among the
holders of the outstanding Shares of the Series the assets of which have
been so transferred.
(b) The Trustees, with the favorable vote of the holders of
a majority, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the outstanding Shares of any
one or more Series entitled to vote, may at any time sell and convert into
money all the assets of that Series. Upon making provisions for the
payment of all outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities,
accrued or contingent, of that Series, the Trustees shall distribute the
remaining assets of that Series ratably among the holders of the
outstanding Shares of that Series.
(c) The Trustees, with the favorable vote of the holders of
a majority, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the outstanding Shares of any
one or more Series entitled to vote, may otherwise alter, convert or
transfer the assets of the Series.
(d) Upon completion of the distribution of the remaining
proceeds or the remaining assets as provided in sub-sections (a) and (b),
and in subsection (c) where applicable, the Series the assets of which
have been so transferred shall terminate, and if all the assets of the
Trust have been so transferred, the Trust shall terminate and the Trustees
shall be discharged of any and all further liabilities and duties
hereunder and the right, title and interest of all parties shall be
cancelled and discharged.
5. The original or a copy of this instrument and of each restated
declaration of trust or instrument supplemental hereto shall be kept at
the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A
copy of this instrument and of each supplemental or restated declaration
of trust shall be filed with the Secretary of State of Massachusetts, as
well as any other governmental office where such filing may from time to
time be required. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate
by an officer of the Trust as to whether or not any such supplemental or
restated declarations of trust have been made and as to any matters in
connection with the Trust hereunder, and, with the same effect as if it
were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust
to be a copy of this instrument or of any such supplemental or restated
declaration of trust. In this instrument or in any such supplemental or
restated declaration of trust, references to this instrument, and all
expressions like "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" shall be deemed to
refer to this instrument as amended or affected by any such supplemental
or restated declaration of trust. This instrument may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.
6. The Trust set forth in this instrument is created under and is to
be governed by and construed and administered according to the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust shall be of the type commonly
called a Massachusetts business trust, and without limiting the provisions
hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised
by such a trust.
7. The Board of Trustees is empowered to cause the redemption of the
Shares held in any account if the aggregate net asset value of such Shares
(taken at cost or value, as determined by the Board) has been reduced to
$200 or less upon such notice to the shareholder in question, with such
permission to increase the investment in question and upon such other
terms and conditions as may be fixed by the Board of Trustees in
accordance with the 1940 Act.
8. In the event that any person advances the organizational expenses
of the Trust, such advances shall become an obligation of the Trust
subject to such terms and conditions as may be fixed by, and on a date
fixed by, or determined with criteria fixed by the Board of Trustees, to
be amortized over a period or periods to be fixed by the Board.
9. Whenever any action is taken under this Declaration of Trust
under any authorization to take action which is permitted by the 1940 Act
or any other applicable law, such action shall be deemed to have been
properly taken if such action is in accordance with the construction of
the 1940 Act or such other applicable law then in effect as expressed in
"no action" letters of the staff of the Commission or any release, rule,
regulation or order under the 1940 Act or any decision of a court of
competent jurisdiction, notwithstanding that any of the foregoing shall
later be found to be invalid or otherwise reversed or modified by any of
the foregoing.
10. Any action which may be taken by the Board of Trustees under
this Declaration of Trust or its By-Laws may be taken by the description
thereof in the then effective Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional
Information relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933 or in
any proxy statement of the Trust rather than by formal resolution of the
Board.
11. Whenever under this Declaration of Trust, the Board of
Trustees is permitted or required to place a value on assets of the Trust,
such action may be delegated by the Board, and/or determined in accordance
with a formula determined by the Board, to the extent permitted by the
1940 Act.
12. If authorized by vote of the Trustees and, if a vote of
Shareholders is required under this Declaration of Trust, the favorable
vote of the holders of a "majority", as defined in the 1940 Act, of the
outstanding Shares entitled to vote, or by any larger vote which may be
required by applicable law in any particular case, the Trustees shall
amend or otherwise supplement this instrument, by making a Declaration of
Trust supplemental hereto, which thereafter shall form a part hereof; any
such Supplemental or Restated Declaration of Trust may be executed by and
on behalf of the Trust and the Trustees by an officer or officers of the
Trust.
Exhibit 24(b)(2)
OPPENHEIMER FUND
BY-LAWS
(amended as of 8/6/87)
ARTICLE I
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meeting. All meetings of the Shareholders
(which terms as used herein shall, together with all other terms defined
in the Declaration of Trust, have the same meaning as in the Declaration
of Trust) shall be held at the principal office of the Trust or at such
other place as may from time to time be designated by the Board of
Trustees and stated in the notice of meeting.
Section 2. Shareholder Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders
for any purpose or purposes may be called by the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, if any, or by the President or by the Board of Trustees and
shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of the request in writing
signed by Shareholders holding not less than one third in amount of the
entire number of Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote
thereat. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed
meeting. In addition, meetings of the Shareholders shall be called by the
Board of Trustees upon receipt of the request in writing signed by
Shareholders that hold in the aggregate not less than ten percent in
amount of the entire number of Shares issued and outstanding and entitled
to vote thereat, stating that the purpose of the proposed meeting is the
removal of a Trustee.
Section 3. Notice of Meetings of Shareholders. Not less than ten
days' and not more than 120 days' written or printed notice of every
meeting of Shareholders, stating the time and place thereof (and the
general nature of the business proposed to be transacted at any special
or extraordinary meeting), shall be given to each Shareholder entitled to
vote thereat either by mail or by presenting it to him personally or by
leaving it at his residence or usual place of business. If mailed, such
notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States
mail addressed to the Shareholder at his post office address as it appears
on the records of the Fund, with postage thereon prepaid.
No notice of the time, place or purpose of any meeting of
Shareholders need be given to any Shareholder who attends in person or by
proxy or to any Shareholder who, in writing executed and filed with the
records of the meeting, either before or after the holding thereof, waives
such notice.
Section 4. Record Dates. The Board of Trustees may fix, in
advance, a date, not exceeding 120 days and not less than ten days
preceding the date of any meeting of Shareholders, and not exceeding 120
days preceding any dividend payment date or any date for the allotment of
rights, as a record date for the determination of the Shareholders
entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting, or entitled to receive
such dividend or rights, as the case may be; and only Shareholders of
record on such date shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such
meeting or to receive such dividends or rights, as the case may be.
Section 5. Access to Shareholder List. The Board of Trustees
shall make available a list of the names and addresses of all shareholders
as recorded on the books of the Trust, upon receipt of the request in
writing signed by not less than ten Shareholders of the Trust (who have
been such for at least six months) holding in the aggregate the lesser of
(i) Shares valued at $25,000 or more at current offering price (as defined
in the Trust's Prospectus), or (ii) one percent in amount of the entire
number of shares of the Trust issued and outstanding; such request must
state that such Shareholders wish to communicate with other Shareholders
with a view to obtaining signatures to a request for a meeting pursuant
to Section 2 of Article II of these By-Laws and accompanied by a form of
communication to the Shareholders. The Board of Trustees may, in its
discretion, satisfy its obligation under this Section 5 by either making
available the Shareholder List to such Shareholders at the principal
offices of the Trust, or at the offices of the Trust's transfer agents,
during regular business hours, or by mailing a copy of such Shareholders'
proposed communication and form of request, at their expense, to all other
Shareholders.
Section 6. Quorum, Adjournment of Meetings. The presence in
person or by proxy of the holders of record of more than 50% of the Shares
of the stock of the Trust issued and outstanding and entitled to vote
thereat, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Shareholders.
If at any meeting of the Shareholders there shall be less than a quorum
present, the Shareholders present at such meeting may, without further
notice, adjourn the same from time to time until a quorum shall attend,
but no business shall be transacted at any such adjourned meeting except
such as might have been lawfully transacted had the meeting not been
adjourned.
Section 7. Voting and Inspectors. At all meetings of
Shareholders, every Shareholder of record entitled to vote thereat shall
be entitled to vote at such meeting either in person or by proxy appointed
by instrument in writing subscribed by such Shareholder or his duly
authorized attorney-in-fact.
All elections of Trustees shall be had by a plurality of the votes
cast and all questions shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast,
in each case at a duly constituted meeting, except as otherwise provided
in the Declaration of Trust or in these By-Laws or by specific statutory
provision superseding the restrictions and limitations contained in the
Declaration of Trust or in these By-Laws.
At any election of Trustees, the Board of Trustees prior thereto may,
or, if they have not so acted, the Chairman of the meeting may, and upon
the request of the holders of ten percent (10%) of the Shares entitled to
vote at such election shall, appoint two inspectors of election who shall
first subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute faithfully the duties
of inspectors at such election with strict impartiality and according to
the best of their ability, and shall after the election make a certificate
of the result of the vote taken. No candidate for the office of Trustee
shall be appointed such Inspector.
The Chairman of the meeting may cause a vote by ballot to be taken
upon any election or matter, and such vote shall be taken upon the request
of the holders of ten percent (10%) of the Shares entitled to vote on such
election or matter.
Section 8. Conduct of Shareholders' Meetings. The meetings of
the Shareholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, if any, or if he shall not be present, by the President, or if
he shall not be present, by a Vice-President, or if neither the Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, the President nor any Vice-President is present,
by a chairman to be elected at the meeting. The Secretary of the Trust,
if present, shall act as Secretary of such meetings, or if he is not
present, an Assistant Secretary shall so act, if neither the Secretary nor
an Assistant Secretary is present, then the meeting shall elect is
secretary.
Section 9. Concerning Validity of Proxies, Ballots, Etc. At
every meeting of the Shareholders, all proxies shall be received and taken
in charge of and all ballots shall be received and canvassed by the
secretary of the meeting, who shall decide all questions touching the
qualification of voters, the validity of the proxies, and the acceptance
or rejection of votes, unless inspectors of election shall have been
appointed as provided in Section 7, in which event such inspectors of
election shall decide all such questions.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Section 1. Number and Tenure of Office. The business and
property of the Trust shall be conducted and managed by a Board of
Trustees consisting of the number of initial Trustees, which number may
be increased or decreased as provided in Section 2 of this Article. Each
Trustee shall, except as otherwise provided herein, hold office until the
meeting of Shareholders of the Trust next succeeding his election or until
his successor is duly elected and qualifies. Trustees need not be
Shareholders.
Section 2. Increase or Decrease in Number of Trustees; Removal.
The Board of Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the entire Board, may
increase the number of Trustees to a number not exceeding fifteen, and may
elect Trustees to fill the vacancies occurring for any reason, including
vacancies created by any such increase in the number of Trustees until the
next annual meeting or until their successors are duly elected and
qualify; the Board of Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the entire
Board, may likewise decrease the number of Trustees to a number not less
than three but the tenure of office of any Trustee shall not be affected
by any such decrease. In the event that after the proxy material has been
printed for a meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected
and any one or more nominees named in such proxy material dies or become
incapacitated, the authorized number of Trustees shall be automatically
reduced by the number of such nominees, unless the Board of Trustees prior
to the meeting shall otherwise determine. A Trustee at any time may be
removed either with or without cause by resolution duly adopted by the
affirmative votes of the holders of the majority of the outstanding Shares
of the Trust, present in person or by proxy at any meeting of Shareholders
at which such vote may be taken, provided that a quorum is present. Any
Trustee at any time may be removed for cause by resolution duly adopted
at any meeting of the Board of Trustees provided that notice thereof is
contained in the notice of such meeting and that such resolution is
adopted by the vote of at least two thirds of the Trustees whose removal
is not proposed. As used herein, "for cause" shall mean any cause which
under Massachusetts law would permit the removal of a Trustee of a
business trust.
Section 3. Place of Meeting. The Trustees may hold their
meetings, have one or more offices, and keep the books of the Trust
outside Massachusetts, at any office or offices of the Trust or at any
other place as they may from time to time by resolution determine, or, in
the case of meetings, as they may from time to time by resolution
determine or as shall be specified or fixed in the respective notices or
waivers of notice thereof.
Section 4. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of
Trustees shall be held at such time and on such notice, if any, as the
Trustees may from time to time determine. One such regular meeting during
each fiscal year of the Trust shall be designated an annual meeting of the
Board of Trustees.
Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of
Trustees may be held from time to time upon call of the Chairman of the
Board of Trustees, if any, the President or two or more of the Trustees,
by oral, telegraphic or written notice duly served on or sent or mailed
to each Trustee not less than one day before such meeting. No notice need
be given to any Trustee who attends in person or to any Trustee who in
writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before
or after the holding thereof, waives such notice. Such notice or waiver
of notice need not state the purpose or purposes of such meeting.
Section 6. Quorum. One-third of the Trustees then in office
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, provided that
a quorum shall in no case be less than two Trustees. If at any meeting
of the Board there shall be less than a quorum present (in person or by
open telephone line, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the "1940 Act")), a majority of those present may adjourn the
meeting from time to time until a quorum shall have been obtained. The
act of the majority of the Trustees present at any meeting at which there
is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise
specifically provided by statute, by the Declaration of Trust or by these
By-Laws.
Section 7. Executive Committee. The Board of Trustees may, by
the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board, elect from the
Trustees an Executive Committee to consist of such number of Trustees as
the Board may from time to time determine. The Board of Trustees by such
affirmative vote shall have power at any time to change the members of
such Committee and may fill vacancies in the Committee by election from
the Trustees. When the Board of Trustees is not in session, the Executive
Committee shall have and may exercise any or all of the powers of the
Board of Trustees in the management of the business and affairs of the
Trust (including the power to authorize the seal of the Trust to be
affixed to all papers which may require it) except as provided by law and
except the power to increase or decrease the size of, or fill vacancies
on the Board. The Executive Committee may fix its own rules of procedure,
and may meet, when and as provided by such rules or by resolution of the
Board of Trustees, but in every case the presence of a majority shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum. In the absence of any member of the
Executive Committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether
or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a member of the Board of
Trustees to act in the place of such absent member.
Section 8. Other Committees. The Board of Trustees, by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board, may appoint other
committees which shall in each case consist of such number of members (not
less than two) and shall have and may exercise such powers as the Board
may determine in the resolution appointing them. A majority of all
members of any such committees may determine its action, and fix the time
and place of its meetings, unless the Board of Trustees shall otherwise
provide. The Board of Trustees shall have power at any time to change the
members and powers of any such committee, to fill vacancies, and to
discharge any such committee.
Section 9. Informal Action by and Telephone Meetings of Trustees
and Committees. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof may be taken
without a meeting, if a written consent to such action is signed by all
members of the Board, or of such committee, as the case may be. Trustees
or members of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a
meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications
equipment; such participation shall, except as otherwise required by the
1940 Act, have the same effect as presence in person.
Section 10. Compensation of Trustees. Trustees shall be entitled
to receive such compensation from the Trust for their services as may from
time to time be voted by the Board of Trustees.
Section 11. Dividends. Dividends or distributions payable on the
Shares of any Series of the Trust may, but need not be, declared by
specific resolution of the Board as to each dividend or distribution; in
lieu of such specific resolutions, the Board may, by general resolution,
determine the method of computation thereof, the method of determining the
Shareholders of the Series to which they are payable and the methods of
determining whether and to which Shareholders they are to be paid in cash
or in additional Shares.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
Section 1. Executive Officers. The executive officers of the
Trust may include a Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and shall include
a President, one or more Vice-Presidents (the number thereof to be
determined by the Board of Trustees), a Secretary and a Treasurer. The
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, if any, and the President shall be
selected from among the Trustees. The Board of Trustees may also in its
discretion appoint Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and other
officers, agents and employees, who shall have authority and perform such
duties as the Board or the Executive Committee may determine. The Board
of Trustees may fill any vacancy which may occur in any office. Any two
offices, except those of the President and Vice-President, may be held by
the same person, but no officer shall execute, acknowledge or verify any
instrument in more than one capacity, if such instrument is required by
law or these By-Laws to be executed, acknowledged or verified by two or
more officers.
Section 2. Term of Office. The term of office of all officers
shall be until their respective successors are chosen and qualify;
however, any officer may be removed from office at any time with or
without cause by the vote of a majority of the entire Board of Trustees.
Section 3. Powers and Duties. The officers of the Trust shall
have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective
offices, as well as such powers and duties as may from time to time be
conferred by the Board of Trustees or the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV
SHARES
Section 1. Shares Certificates. Each Shareholder of any Series
of the Trust may be issued a certificate or certificates for his Shares
of that Series, in such form as the Board of Trustees may from time to
time prescribe, but only if and to the extent and on the conditions
described by the Board.
Section 2. Transfer of Shares. Shares of any Series shall be
transferable on the books of the Trust by the holder thereof in person or
by his duly authorized attorney or legal representative, upon surrender
and cancellation of certificates, if any, for the same number of Shares
of that Series, duly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of
assignment and transfer, with such proof of the authenticity of the
signature as the Trust or its agents may reasonably require; in the case
of shares not represented by certificates, the same or similar
requirements may be imposed by the Board of Trustees.
Section 3. Share Ledgers. The share ledgers of the Trust,
containing the name and address of the Shareholders of each Series of the
Trust and the number of shares of that Series, held by them respectively,
shall be kept at the principal offices of the Trust or, if the Trust
employs a transfer agent, at the offices of the transfer agent of the
Trust.
Section 4. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The Board of
Trustees may determine the conditions upon which a new certificate may be
issued in place of a certificate which is alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed; and may, in their discretion, require the owner of
such certificate or his legal representative to give bond, with sufficient
surety to the Trust and the transfer agent, if any, to indemnify it and
such transfer agent against any and all loss or claims which may arise by
reason of the issue of a new certificate in the place of the ones so lost,
stolen or destroyed.
ARTICLE V
SEAL
The Board of Trustees shall provide a suitable seal of the Trust, in
such form and bearing such inscriptions as it may determine.
ARTICLE VI
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Trust shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
The By-Laws of the Trust may be altered, amended, added to or
repealed by the Shareholders or by a majority vote of the entire Board of
Trustees, but any such alteration, amendment, addition or repeal of the
By-Laws by action of the Board of Trustees may be altered or repealed by
the Shareholders.
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(i)
OPPENHEIMER FUND
Share Certificate (8-1/2" x 11")
I. FACE OF CERTIFICATE (All text and other matter lies within
8-5/16" x 10-5/8" decorative border, 5/16" wide)
(upper left corner, box with heading: NUMBER [of shares]
(upper right corner) share certificate no.
(upper right box with heading: CLASS A SHARES
below cert. no.)
(centered
below boxes) Oppenheimer Fund
A MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS TRUST
(at left) THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT (at right) SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
(box with number)
CUSIP 683795108
(at left) is the owner of
(centered) FULLY PAID CLASS A SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OF
OPPENHEIMER FUND
(hereinafter called the "Fund", transferable only on
the books of the Fund by the holder hereof in person
or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of
this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate
and the shares represented hereby are issued and
shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the
Declaration of Trust of the Fund to all of which the
holder by acceptance hereof assents. This
certificate is not valid until countersigned by the
Transfer Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Fund and the signatures
of its duly authorized officers.
(signature Dated: (signature
at left of seal) at right of seal)
/s/ Andrew J. Donohue /s/ Donald W. Spiro
---------------------- ------------------
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
(centered at bottom)
1-1/2" diameter facsimile seal
with legend
OPPENHEIMER FUND
SEAL
1985
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
(at lower right, printed
vertically) Countersigned
OPPENHEIMER SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
(A DIVISION OF OPPENHEIMER MANAGEMENT
CORPORATION)
Denver (CO) Transfer Agent
By ____________________________
Authorized Signature
II. BACK OF CERTIFICATE (text reads from top to bottom of 11"
dimension)
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations.
TEN COM - as tenants in common
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entirety
JT TEN WROS NOT TC - as joint tenants with
rights of survivorship and not
as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT/TRANSFER MIN ACT - __________________ Custodian _______________
(Cust) (Minor)
UNDER UGMA/UTMA ___________________
(State)
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
For Value Received ................ hereby sell(s), assign(s), and
transfer(s) unto
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
AND PROVIDE CERTIFICATION BY TRANSFEREE
(box for identifying number)
_______________________________________________________________________
(Please print or type name and address of assignee)
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________ ______ Shares of
beneficial interest represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said shares on the books of the within named Fund with
full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: ______________________
Signed: __________________________
___________________________________
(Both must sign if joint owners)
Signature(s) __________________________
guaranteed Name of Guarantor
by: _____________________________
Signature of
Officer/Title
(text printed NOTICE: The signature(s) to this assignment must
vertically to right correspond with the name(s) as written upon the
of above paragraph) face of the certificate in every particular
without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatever.
(text printed in Signatures must be guaranteed by a financial
box to left of institution of the type described in the current
signature(s)) prospectus of the Fund.
PLEASE NOTE: This document contains a watermark OppenheimerFunds
when viewed at an angle. It is invalid without this "four hands"
watermark: logotype
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(ii)
OPPENHEIMER FUND
Share Certificate (8-1/2" x 11")
I. FACE OF CERTIFICATE (All text and other matter lies within
8-5/16" x 10-5/8" decorative border, 5/16" wide)
(upper left corner, box with heading: NUMBER [of shares]
(upper right corner) share certificate no.
(upper right box with heading: CLASS C SHARES
below cert. no.)
(centered
below boxes) Oppenheimer Fund
A MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS TRUST
(at left) THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT (at right) SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
(box with number)
CUSIP 683795207
(at left) is the owner of
(centered) FULLY PAID CLASS C SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OF
OPPENHEIMER FUND
(hereinafter called the "Fund", transferable only on
the books of the Fund by the holder hereof in person
or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of
this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate
and the shares represented hereby are issued and
shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the
Declaration of Trust of the Fund to all of which the
holder by acceptance hereof assents. This
certificate is not valid until countersigned by the
Transfer Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Fund and the signatures
of its duly authorized officers.
(signature Dated: (signature
at left of seal) at right of seal)
/s/ Andrew J. Donohue /s/ Donald W. Spiro
---------------------- ------------------
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
(centered at bottom)
1-1/2" diameter facsimile seal
with legend
OPPENHEIMER FUND
SEAL
1985
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
(at lower right, printed
vertically) Countersigned
OPPENHEIMER SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
(A DIVISION OF OPPENHEIMER MANAGEMENT
CORPORATION)
Denver (CO) Transfer Agent
By ____________________________
Authorized Signature
II. BACK OF CERTIFICATE (text reads from top to bottom of 11"
dimension)
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations.
TEN COM - as tenants in common
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entirety
JT TEN WROS NOT TC - as joint tenants with
rights of survivorship and not
as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT/TRANSFER MIN ACT - __________________ Custodian _______________
(Cust) (Minor)
UNDER UGMA/UTMA ___________________
(State)
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
For Value Received ................ hereby sell(s), assign(s), and
transfer(s) unto
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
AND PROVIDE CERTIFICATION BY TRANSFEREE
(box for identifying number)
_______________________________________________________________________
(Please print or type name and address of assignee)
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________ ______ Shares of
beneficial interest represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said shares on the books of the within named Fund with
full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: ______________________
Signed: __________________________
___________________________________
(Both must sign if joint owners)
Signature(s) __________________________
guaranteed Name of Guarantor
by: _____________________________
Signature of
Officer/Title
(text printed NOTICE: The signature(s) to this assignment must
vertically to right correspond with the name(s) as written upon the
of above paragraph) face of the certificate in every particular
without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatever.
(text printed in Signatures must be guaranteed by a financial
box to left of institution of the type described in the current
signature(s)) prospectus of the Fund.
PLEASE NOTE: This document contains a watermark OppenheimerFunds
when viewed at an angle. It is invalid without this "four hands"
watermark: logotype
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
Exhibit 24(b)(5)
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 20th day of June, 1991, by and between
OPPENHEIMER FUND (hereinafter referred to as the "Fund") and OPPENHEIMER
MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (hereinafter referred to as "OMC").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end, diversified management
investment company registered as such with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the Investment Company Act of
1940 (the "Investment Company Act"), and OMC is a registered investment
adviser;
NOW, THEREFORE, In consideration of the mutual promises and
covenants hereinafter set forth, it is agreed by and between the parties,
as follows:
1. General Provision.
The Fund hereby employs OMC and OMC hereby undertakes to act as
the investment adviser of the Fund and to perform for the Fund such duties
and functions as are hereinafter set forth. OMC shall, in all matters,
give to the Fund and its Board of Trustees the benefit of its best
judgment, effort, advice and recommendations and shall, at all times,
conform to and use its best efforts to enable the Fund to conform to (i)
the provisions of the Investment Company Act and any rules or regulations
thereunder; (ii) any other applicable provisions of state or federal law;
(iii) the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund
as amended from time to time; (iv) policies and determinations of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund; (v) the fundamental policies and investment
restrictions of the Fund as reflected in its registration statement under
the Investment Company Act or as such policies may, from time to time, be
amended by the Fund's shareholders; and (vi) the Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information of the Fund in effect from time to time. The
appropriate officers and employees of OMC shall be available upon
reasonable notice for consultation with any of the Trustees and officers
of the Fund with respect to any matters dealing with the business and
affairs of the Fund including the valuation of any of the Fund's portfolio
securities which are either not registered for public sale or not being
traded on any securities market.
2. Investment Management.
(a) OMC shall, subject to the direction and control by the
Fund's Board of Trustees, (i) regularly provide investment advice and
recommendations to the Fund with respect to its investments, investment
policies and the purchase and sale of securities; (ii) supervise
continuously the investment program of the Fund and the composition of its
portfolio and determine what securities shall be purchased or sold by the
Fund; and (iii) arrange, subject to the provisions of paragraph "7"
hereof, for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments held
in the portfolio of the Fund.
(b) Provided that the Fund shall not be required to pay any
compensation other than as provided by the terms of this Agreement and
subject to the provisions of paragraph "7" hereof, OMC may obtain
investment information, research or assistance from any other person, firm
or corporation to supplement, update or otherwise improve its investment
management services.
(c) So long as it shall have acted with due care and in good
faith, OMC
shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of any investment,
the adoption of any investment policy, or the purchase, sale or retention
of any security irrespective of whether the determinations of OMC relative
thereto shall have been based, wholly or partly, upon the investigation
or research of any other individual, firm or corporation believed by it
to be reliable. Nothing herein contained shall, however, be construed to
protect OMC against any liability to the Fund or its security holders by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its
obligations and duties under this Agreement.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent OMC or any officer
thereof from acting as investment adviser for any other person, firm or
corporation and shall not in any way limit or restrict OMC or any of its
directors, officers, stockholders or employees from buying, selling or
trading any securities for its or their own account or for the account of
others for whom it or they may be acting, provided that such activities
will not adversely affect or otherwise impair the performance by OMC of
its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
3. Other Duties of OMC.
OMC shall, at its own expense, provide and supervise the
activities of all administrative and clerical personnel as shall be
required to provide effective administration for the Fund, including the
compilation and maintenance of such records with respect to its operations
as may reasonably be required; the preparation and filing of such reports
with respect thereto as shall be required by the Commission; composition
of periodic reports with respect to its operations for the shareholders
of the Fund; composition of proxy materials for meetings of the Fund's
shareholders and the composition of such registration statements as may
be required by federal securities laws for continuous public sale of
shares of the Fund. OMC shall, at its own cost and expense, also provide
the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and equipment.
4. Allocation of Expenses.
All other costs and expenses not expressly assumed by OMC under
this Agreement, or to be paid by the General Distributor of the shares of
the Fund, shall be paid by the Fund, including, but not limited to (i)
interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) insurance premiums
for fidelity and other coverage requisite to its operations; (iv)
compensation and expenses of its trustees other than those associated or
affiliated with OMC; (v) legal and audit expenses; (vi) custodian and
transfer agent fees and expenses; (vii) expenses incident to the
redemption of its shares; (viii) expenses incident to the issuance of its
shares against payment therefor by or on behalf of the subscribers
thereto; (ix) fees and expenses, other than as hereinabove provided,
incident to the registration under federal securities laws of shares of
the Fund for public sale; (x) expenses of printing and mailing reports,
notices and proxy materials to shareholders of the Fund; (xi) except as
noted above, all other expenses incidental to holding meetings of the
Fund's shareholders; and (xii) such extraordinary non-recurring expenses
as may arise, including litigation, affecting the Fund and the legal
obligation which the Fund may have to indemnify its officers and trustees
with respect thereto. Any officers or employees of OMC or any entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control with OMC, who may also
serve as officers, trustees or employees of the Fund shall not receive
any compensation by the Fund for their services.
5. Compensation of OMC.
The Fund agrees to pay OMC and OMC agrees to accept as full
compensation for the performance of all functions and duties on its part
to be performed pursuant to the provisions hereof, a management fee
computed on the aggregate net assets of the Fund as of the close of each
business day and payable monthly at the following annual rates:
.75% of the first $200 million of aggregate net assets;
.72% of the next $200 million;
.69% of the next $200 million;
.66% of the next $200 million; and
.60% of aggregate net assets over $800 million.
6. Use of Name "Oppenheimer."
OMC hereby grants the Fund a royalty-free, non-exclusive license
to use the name "Oppenheimer" in the name of the Fund for the duration of
this Agreement and any extensions or renewals thereof. Such license may,
upon termination of this Agreement, be terminated by OMC, in which event
the Fund shall promptly take whatever action may be necessary to change
its name and discontinue any further use of the name "Oppenheimer" in the
name of the Fund or otherwise. The name "Oppenheimer" may be used or
licensed by OMC in connection with any of its activities or licensed by
OMC to any other party.
7. Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage.
(a) OMC is authorized, in arranging the purchase and sale of the
Fund's portfolio securities, to employ or deal with such members of
securities exchanges, brokers or dealers, including "affiliated" broker-
dealers (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act),
(hereinafter "broker-dealers"), as may, in its best judgment, implement
the policy of the Fund to obtain, at reasonable expense, the "best
execution" (prompt and reliable execution at the most favorable security
price obtainable) of the Fund's portfolio transactions as well as to
obtain, consistent with provisions of subparagraph "(c)" of this paragraph
"7," the benefit of such investment information or research as will be of
significant assistance to the performance by OMC of its investment
management functions.
(b) OMC shall select broker-dealers to effect the Fund's
portfolio transactions on the basis of its estimate of their ability to
obtain best execution of particular and related portfolio transactions.
The abilities of a broker-dealer to obtain best execution of particular
portfolio transaction(s) will be judged by OMC on the basis of all
relevant factors and considerations including, insofar as feasible, the
execution capabilities required by the transaction or transactions; the
ability and willingness of the broker-dealer to facilitate the Fund's
portfolio transactions by participating therein for its own account; the
importance to the Fund of speed, efficiency or confidentiality; the
broker-dealer's apparent familiarity with sources from or to whom
particular securities might be purchased or sold; as well as any other
matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer for particular and
related transactions of the Fund.
(c) OMC shall have discretion, in the interests of the Fund, to
allocate brokerage on the Fund's portfolio transactions to broker-dealers,
other than affiliated broker-dealers, qualified to obtain best execution
of such transactions who provide brokerage and/or research services (as
such services are defined in Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934) for the Fund and/or other accounts for which OMC exercises
"investment discretion" (as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(35) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and to cause the Fund to pay such
broker-dealers a commission for effecting a portfolio transaction for the
Fund that is in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer
adequately qualified to effect such transaction would have charged for
effecting that transaction, if OMC determines, in good faith, that such
commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or
research services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of
either that particular transaction or OMC's overall responsibilities with
respect to the accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion.
In reaching such determination, OMC will not be required to place or
attempt to place a specific dollar value on the brokerage and/or research
services provided or being provided by such broker-dealer. In
demonstrating that such determinations were made in good faith, OMC shall
be prepared to show that all commissions were allocated for purposes
contemplated by this Agreement and that the total commissions paid by the
Fund over a representative period selected by the Fund's Trustees were
reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund.
(d) OMC shall have no duty or obligation to seek advance
competitive bidding for the most favorable commission rate applicable to
any particular portfolio transactions or to select any broker-dealer on
the basis of its purported or "posted" commission rate but will, to the
best of its ability, endeavor to be aware of the current level of the
charges of eligible broker-dealers and to minimize the expense incurred
by the Fund for effecting its portfolio transactions to the extent
consistent with the interests and policies of the Fund as established by
the determinations of its Board of Trustees and the provisions of this
paragraph "7."
(e) The Fund recognizes that an affiliated broker-dealer (i) may
act as one of the Fund's regular brokers so long as it is lawful for it
so to act; (ii) may be a major recipient of brokerage commissions paid by
the Fund; and (iii) may effect portfolio transactions for the Fund only
if the commissions, fees or other remuneration received or to be received
by it are determined in accordance with procedures contemplated by any
rule, regulation or order adopted under the Investment Company Act of 1940
for determining the permissible level of such commissions.
(f) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph "7,"
OMC may also consider sales of shares of the Fund and other investment
companies managed by OMC or its affiliates as a factor in the selection
of broker-dealers for the Fund's portfolio transactions.
8. Duration.
This Agreement will take effect on the date first set forth above
and will
continue in effect until December 31, 1991, and thereafter, from year to
year, so long as such continuance shall be approved at least annually by
the Fund's Board of Trustees including the vote of the majority of the
Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested
persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval, or by the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the Investment
Company Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by such
a vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees.
9. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated (i) by OMC at any time without
penalty upon giving the Fund sixty days' written notice (which notice may
be waived by the Fund); or (ii) by the Fund at any time without penalty
upon sixty days' written notice to OMC (which notice may be waived by OMC)
provided that such termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved
by the vote of a majority of all of the Trustees of the Fund then in
office or by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund.
10. Assignment.
This Agreement may not be amended or the rights of OMC hereunder
sold, transferred, pledged or otherwise in any manner encumbered without
the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of the majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; this Agreement shall
automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its "assignment,"
as defined in the Investment Company Act.
11. Disclaimer of Shareholder Liability.
OMC understands and agrees that the obligations of the Fund under
this
Agreement are not binding upon any Trustee or shareholder of the Fund
personally, but bind only the Fund and the Fund's property. OMC
represents that it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of
Trust of the Fund disclaiming shareholder liability for acts or
obligations of the Fund.
12. Definitions.
The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted
and defined in a manner consistent with the provisions and definitions of
the Investment Company Act.
OPPENHEIMER FUND
By: /s/ Robert G. Galli
---------------------
Robert G. Galli, Secretary
OPPENHEIMER MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
By: /s/ Robert G. Zack
---------------------------
Robert G. Zack, Senior Vice
President
Exhibit 24(b)(8)
OPPENHEIMER FUND
CUSTODY AGREEMENT
Agreement made as of this 5th day of August, 1992, between
OPPENHEIMER FUND, a business trust organized and existing under the laws
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, having its principal office and
place of business at 2 World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048
(hereinafter called the "Fund"), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a New York
corporation authorized to do a banking business, having its principal
office and place of business at 48 Wall Street, New York, New York 10286
(hereinafter called the "Custodian").
W I T N E S S E T H
that for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set
forth, the Fund and the Custodian agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases,
shall have the following meanings:
1. "Agreement" shall mean this Custody Agreement and all Appendices
and Certifications described in the Exhibits delivered in connection
herewith.
2. "Authorized Person" shall mean any person, whether or not such
person is an Officer or employee of the Fund, duly authorized by the Board
of Trustees of the Fund to give Oral Instructions and Written Instructions
on behalf of the Fund and listed in the Certificate annexed hereto as
Appendix A or such other Certificate as may be received by the Custodian
from time to time, provided that each person who is designated in any such
Certificate as an "Officer of OSS" shall be an Authorized Person only for
purposes of Articles XII and XIII hereof.
3. "Book-Entry System" shall mean the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-
entry system for United States and federal agency securities, its
successor or successors and its nominee or nominees.
4. "Call Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option with respect
to Securities other than Index, Futures Contracts, and Futures Contract
Options entitling the holder, upon timely exercise and payment of the
exercise price, as specified therein, to purchase from the writer thereof
the specified underlying instruments, currency, or Securities.
5. "Certificate" shall mean any notice, instruction, or other
instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be
given to the Custodian which is actually received (irrespective of
constructive receipt) by the Custodian and signed on behalf of the Fund
by any two Officers. The term Certificate shall also include instructions
by the Fund to the Custodian communicated by a Terminal Link.
6. "Clearing Member" shall mean a registered broker-dealer which
is a clearing member under the rules of O.C.C. and a member of a national
securities exchange qualified to act as a custodian for an investment
company, or any broker-dealer reasonably believed by the Custodian to be
such a clearing member.
7. "Collateral Account" shall mean a segregated account so de-
nominated which is specifically allocated to a Series and pledged to the
Custodian as security for, and in consideration of, the Custodian's
issuance of any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document described
in paragraph 8 of Article V herein.
8. "Covered Call Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option
entitling the holder, upon timely exercise and payment of the exercise
price, as specified therein, to purchase from the writer thereof the
specified underlying instruments, currency, or Securities (excluding
Futures Contracts) which are owned by the writer thereof.
9. "Depository" shall mean The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"),
a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
its successor or successors and its nominee or nominees. The term
"Depository" shall further mean and include any other person authorized
to act as a depository under the Investment Company Act of 1940, its
successor or successors and its nominee or nominees, specifically
identified in a certified copy of a resolution of the Fund's Board of
Trustees specifically approving deposits therein by the Custodian,
including, without limitation, a Foreign Depository.
10. "Financial Futures Contract" shall mean the firm commitment to
buy or sell financial instruments on a U.S. commodities exchange or board
of trade at a specified future time at an agreed upon price.
11. "Foreign Subcustodian" shall mean an "Eligible Foreign
Custodian" as defined in Rule 17-5 which is appointed by the Custodian to
perform or coordinate the receipt, custody and delivery of Foreign
Property of the Fund outside the United States in a manner consistent with
the provisions of this Agreement and whose written contract is approved
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund in accordance with Rule 17f-5.
References to the Custodian herein shall, when appropriate, include
reference to its Foreign Subcustodians.
12. "Foreign Depository" shall mean an entity organized under the
laws of a foreign country which operates a system outside the United
States in general use by foreign banks and securities brokers for the
central or transnational handling of securities or equivalent book-entries
which is regulated by a foreign government or agency thereof and which is
an "Eligible Foreign Custodian" as defined in Rule 17f-5.
13. "Foreign Securities" shall mean securities and/or short term
paper as defined in Rule 17f-5 under the Act, whether issued in registered
or bearer form.
14. "Foreign Property" shall mean Foreign Securities and money of
any currency which is held outside of the United States.
15. "Futures Contract" shall mean a Financial Futures Contract
and/or Index Futures Contracts.
16. "Futures Contract Option" shall mean an Option with respect to
a Futures Contract.
17. "Investment Company Act of 1940" shall mean the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
18. "Index Futures Contract" shall mean a bilateral agreement
pursuant to which the parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount
of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between
the value of a particular index at the close of the last business day of
the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally
struck.
19. "Index Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option entitling
the holder, upon timely exercise, to receive an amount of cash determined
by reference to the difference between the exercise price and the value
of the index on the date of exercise.
20. "Margin Account" shall mean a segregated account in the name of
a broker, dealer, futures commission merchant, or a Clearing Member, or
in the name of the Fund for the benefit of a broker, dealer, futures
commission merchant, or Clearing Member, or otherwise, in accordance with
an agreement between the Fund, the Custodian and a broker, dealer, futures
commission merchant or a Clearing Member (a "Margin Account Agreement"),
separate and distinct from the custody account, in which certain
Securities and/or money of the Fund shall be deposited and withdrawn from
time to time in connection with such transactions as the Fund may from
time to time determine. Securities held in the Book-Entry System or a
Depository shall be deemed to have been deposited in, or withdrawn from,
a Margin Account upon the Custodian's effecting an appropriate entry in
its books and records.
21. "Money Market Security" shall mean all instruments and ob-
ligations commonly known as a money market instruments, where the purchase
and sale of such securities normally requires settlement in federal funds
on the same day as such purchase or sale, including, without limitation,
certain Reverse Repurchase Agreements, debt obligations issued or
guaranteed as to interest and/or principal by the government of the United
States or agencies or instrumentalities thereof, any tax, bond or revenue
anticipation note issued by any state or municipal government or public
authority, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers'
acceptances, repurchase agreements with respect to Securities and bank
time deposits.
22. "Nominee" shall mean, in addition to the name of the registered
nominee of the Custodian, (i) a partnership or other entity of a Foreign
Subcustodian which is used solely for the assets of its customers other
than the Custodian and the Foreign Subcustodian, if any, by which it was
appointed; or (ii) the nominee of a Foreign Depository which is used for
the securities and other assets of its customers, members or participants.
23. "O.C.C." shall mean the Options Clearing Corporation, a clearing
agency registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, its successor or successors, and its nominee or nominees.
24. "Officers" shall mean the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, the Treasurer, the Controller, any Assistant Secretary, any
Assistant Treasurer, and any other person or persons, whether or not any
such other person is an officer or employee of the Fund, but in each case
only if duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Fund to execute
any Certificate, instruction, notice or other instrument on behalf of the
Fund and listed in the Certificate annexed hereto as Appendix B or such
other Certificate as may be received by the Custodian from time to time;
provided that each person who is designated in any such Certificate as
holding the position of "Officer of OSS" shall be an Officer only for
purposes of Articles XII and XIII hereof.
25. "Option" shall mean a Call Option, Covered Call Option, Index
Option and/or a Put Option.
26. "Oral Instructions" shall mean verbal instructions actually
received (irrespective of constructive receipt) by the Custodian from an
Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by the Custodian
to be an Authorized Person.
27. "Put Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option with respect
to instruments, currency, or Securities other than Index Options, Futures
Contracts, and Futures Contract Options entitling the holder, upon timely
exercise and tender of the specified underlying instruments, currency, or
Securities, to sell such instruments, currency, or Securities to the
writer thereof for the exercise price.
28. "Repurchase Agreement" shall mean an agreement pursuant to which
the Fund buys Securities and agrees to resell such Securities at a
described or specified date and price.
29. "Reverse Repurchase Agreement" shall mean an agreement pursuant
to which the Fund sells Securities and agrees to repurchase such
Securities at a described or specified date and price.
30. "Rule 17f-5" shall mean Rule 17f-5 (Reg. 270.17f-5) promulgated
by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
31. "Security" shall be deemed to include, without limitation, Money
Market Securities, Call Options, Put Options, Index Options, Index Futures
Contracts, Index Futures Contract Options, Financial Futures Contracts,
Financial Futures Contract Options, Reverse Repurchase Agreements, over
the counter Options on Securities, common stocks and other securities
having characteristics similar to common stocks, preferred stocks, debt
obligations issued by state or municipal governments and by public
authorities, (including, without limitation, general obligation bonds,
revenue bonds, industrial bonds and industrial development bonds), bonds,
debentures, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any certificates,
receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive,
purchase, sell or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing
any other rights or interest therein, or rights to any property or assets.
32. "Senior Security Account" shall mean an account maintained and
specifically allocated to a Series under the terms of this Agreement as
a segregated account, by recordation or otherwise, within the custody
account in which certain Securities and/or other assets of the Fund
specifically allocated to such Series shall be deposited and withdrawn
from time to time in accordance with Certificates received by the
Custodian in connection with such transactions as the Fund may from time
to time determine.
33. "Series" shall mean the various portfolios, if any, of the Fund
as described from time to time in the current and effective prospectus for
the Fund, except that if the Fund does not have more than one portfolio,
"Series" shall mean the Fund or be ignored where a requirement would be
imposed on the Fund or the Custodian which is unnecessary if there is only
one portfolio.
34. "Shares" shall mean the shares of beneficial interest of the
Fund and its Series.
35. "Terminal Link" shall mean an electronic data transmission link
between the Fund and the Custodian requiring in connection with each use
of the Terminal Link the use of an authorization code provided by the
Custodian and at least two access codes established by the Fund, provided,
that the Fund shall have delivered to the Custodian a Certificate
substantially in the form of Appendix C.
36. "Transfer Agent" shall mean Oppenheimer Shareholder Services,
a division of Oppenheimer Management Corporation, its successors and as-
signs.
37. "Transfer Agent Account" shall mean any account in the name of
the Fund, or the Transfer Agent, as agent for the Fund, maintained with
United Missouri Bank or such other Bank designated by the Fund in a
Certificate.
38. "Written Instructions" shall mean written communications
actually received (irrespective of constructive receipt) by the Custodian
from an Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by the
Custodian to be an Authorized Person by telex or any other such system
whereby the receiver of such communications is able to verify by codes or
otherwise with a reasonable degree of certainty the identity of the sender
of such communication.
ARTICLE II
APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN
1. The Fund hereby constitutes and appoints the Custodian as
custodian of the Securities and moneys at any time owned or held by the
Fund during the period of this Agreement.
2. The Custodian hereby accepts appointment as such custodian and
agrees to perform the duties thereof as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE III
CUSTODY OF CASH AND SECURITIES
1. Except for monies received and maintained in the Transfer Agent
Account, or as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article or in
Article VIII or XV, the Fund will deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Custodian all Securities and all moneys owned by it, at any time during
the period of this Agreement, and shall specify with respect to such
Securities and money the Series to which the same are specifically
allocated, and the Custodian shall not be responsible for any Securities
or money not so delivered. Except for assets held at DTC, the Custodian
shall physically segregate, keep and maintain the Securities of the Series
separate and apart from each other Series and from other assets held by
the Custodian. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement,
the Custodian will not be responsible for any Securities and moneys not
actually received by it, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has
engaged in willful misconduct with respect thereto. The Custodian will
be entitled to reverse any credit of money made on the Fund's behalf where
such credits have been previously made and moneys are not finally col-
lected, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has engaged in willful
misconduct with respect thereto; provided that if such reversal is thirty
(30) days or more after the credit was issued, the Custodian will give
five (5) days' prior notice of such reversal. The Fund shall deliver to
the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Fund,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, approving, authorizing and
instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going basis to deposit
in the Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein,
regardless of the Series to which the same are specifically allocated and
to utilize the Book-Entry System to the extent possible in connection with
its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection
with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities
and deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Prior to a deposit
of Securities specifically allocated to a Series in any Depository, the
Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board
of Trustees of the Fund, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
approving, authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and
ongoing basis until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate to deposit
in such Depository all Securities specifically allocated to such Series
eligible for deposit therein, and to utilize such Depository to the extent
possible with respect to such Securities in connection with its per-
formance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with
settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and
deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Securities and moneys
deposited in either the Book-Entry System or a Depository will be
represented in accounts which include only assets held by the Custodian
for customers, including, but not limited to, accounts in which the Custo-
dian acts in a fiduciary or representative capacity and will be
specifically allocated on the Custodian's books to the separate account
for the applicable Series. Prior to the Custodian's accepting, utilizing
and acting with respect to Clearing Member confirmations for Options and
transactions in Options for a Series as provided in this Agreement, the
Custodian shall have received a certified resolution of the Fund's Board
of Trustees, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, approving,
authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going
basis, until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate to accept,
utilize and act in accordance with such confirmations as provided in this
Agreement with respect to such Series. All Securities are to be held or
disposed of by the Custodian for, and subject at all times to the
instructions of, the Fund pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The
Custodian shall have no power or authority to assign, hypothecate, pledge
or otherwise dispose of any Securities except as provided by the terms of
this Agreement, and shall have the sole power to release and deliver
Securities held pursuant to this Agreement.
2. The Custodian shall establish and maintain separate accounts,
in the name of each Series, and shall credit to the separate account for
each Series all moneys received by it for the account of the Fund with
respect to such Series. Money credited to a separate account for a Series
shall be subject only to drafts, orders, or charges of the Custodian
pursuant to this Agreement and shall be disbursed by the Custodian only:
(a) As hereinafter provided;
(b) Pursuant to Certificates or Resolutions of the Fund's
Board of Trustees certified by an Officer and by the Secretary or
Assistant Secretary of the Fund setting forth the name and address of the
person to whom the payment is to be made, the Series account from which
payment is to be made, the purpose for which payment is to be made, and
declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose; provided,
however, that amounts representing dividends, distributions, or
redemptions proceeds with respect to Shares shall be paid only to the
Transfer Agent Account;
(c) In payment of the fees and in reimbursement of the
expenses and liabilities of the Custodian attributable to such Series and
authorized by this Agreement; or
(d) Pursuant to Certificates to pay interest, taxes,
management fees or operating expenses (including, without limitation
thereto, Board of Trustees' fees and expenses, and fees for legal
accounting and auditing services), which Certificates set forth the name
and address of the person to whom payment is to be made, state the purpose
of such payment and designate the Series for whose account the payment is
to be made.
3. Promptly after the close of business on each day, the Custodian
shall furnish the Fund with confirmations and a summary, on a per Series
basis, of all transfers to or from the account of the Fund for a Series,
either hereunder or with any co-custodian or subcustodian appointed in
accordance with this Agreement during said day. Where Securities are
transferred to the account of the Fund for a Series but held in a
Depository, the Custodian shall upon such transfer also by book-entry or
otherwise identify such Securities as belonging to such Series in a
fungible bulk of Securities registered in the name of the Custodian (or
its nominee) or shown on the Custodian's account on the books of the Book-
Entry System or the Depository. At least monthly and from time to time,
the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a detailed statement, on a per
Series basis, of the Securities and moneys held under this Agreement for
the Fund.
4. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article and
in Article VIII, all Securities held by the Custodian hereunder, which are
issued or issuable only in bearer form, except such Securities as are held
in the Book-Entry System, shall be held by the Custodian in that form; all
other Securities held hereunder may be registered in the name of the Fund,
in the name of any duly appointed registered nominee of the Custodian as
the Custodian may from time to time determine, or in the name of the Book-
Entry System or a Depository or their successor or successors, or their
nominee or nominees. The Fund agrees to furnish to the Custodian
appropriate instruments to enable the Custodian to hold or deliver in
proper form for transfer, or to register in the name of its registered
nominee or in the name of the Book-Entry System or a Depository any
Securities which it may hold hereunder and which may from time to time be
registered in the name of the Fund. The Custodian shall hold all such
Securities specifically allocated to a Series which are not held in the
Book-Entry System or in a Depository in a separate account in the name of
such Series physically segregated at all times from those of any other
person or persons.
5. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and unless
otherwise instructed to the contrary by a Certificate, the Custodian by
itself, or through the use of the Book-Entry System or a Depository with
respect to Securities held hereunder and therein deposited, shall with
respect to all Securities held for the Fund hereunder in accordance with
preceding paragraph 4:
(a) Promptly collect all income, dividends and dis-
tributions due or payable;
(b) Promptly give notice to the Fund and promptly present
for payment and collect the amount of money or other consideration payable
upon such Securities which are called, but only if either (i) the
Custodian receives a written notice of such call, or (ii) notice of such
call appears in one or more of the publications listed in Appendix D
annexed hereto, which may be amended at any time by the Custodian without
the prior consent of the Fund, provided the Custodian gives prior notice
of such amendment to the Fund;
(c) Promptly present for payment and collect for the
Fund's account the amount payable upon all Securities which mature;
(d) Promptly surrender Securities in temporary form in
exchange for definitive Securities;
(e) Promptly execute, as custodian, any necessary de-
clarations or certificates of ownership under the Federal Income Tax Laws
or the laws or regulations of any other taxing authority now or hereafter
in effect;
(f) Hold directly, or through the Book-Entry System or the
Depository with respect to Securities therein deposited, for the account
of a Series, all rights and similar securities issued with respect to any
Securities held by the Custodian for such Series hereunder; and
(g) Promptly deliver to the Fund all notices, proxies,
proxy soliciting materials, consents and other written information
(including, without limitation, notices of tender offers and exchange
offers, pendency of calls, maturities of Securities and expiration of
rights) relating to Securities held pursuant to this Agreement which are
actually received by the Custodian, such proxies and other similar
materials to be executed by the registered holder (if Securities are
registered otherwise than in the name of the Fund), but without indicating
the manner in which proxies or consents are to be voted.
6. Upon receipt of a Certificate and not otherwise, the Custodian,
directly or through the use of the Book-Entry System or the Depository,
shall:
(a) Promptly execute and deliver to such persons as may
be designated in such Certificate proxies, consents, authorizations, and
any other instruments whereby the authority of the Fund as owner of any
Securities held hereunder for the Series specified in such Certificate may
be exercised;
(b) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the
Series specified in such Certificate in exchange for other Securities or
cash issued or paid in connection with the liquidation, reorganization,
refinancing, merger, consolidation or recapitalization of any corporation,
or the exercise of any right, warrant or conversion privilege and receive
and hold hereunder specifically allocated to such Series any cash or other
Securities received in exchange;
(c) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the
Series specified in such Certificate to any protective committee,
reorganization committee or other person in connection with the
reorganization, refinancing, merger, consolidation, recapitalization or
sale of assets of any corporation, and receive and hold hereunder
specifically allocated to such Series in exchange therefor such
certificates of deposit, interim receipts or other instruments or
documents as may be issued to it to evidence such delivery or such
Securities as may be issued upon such delivery; and
(d) Promptly present for payment and collect the amount
payable upon Securities which may be called as specified in the
Certificate.
7. Notwithstanding any provision elsewhere contained herein, the
Custodian shall not be required to obtain possession of any instrument or
certificate representing any Futures Contract, any Option, or any Futures
Contract Option until after it shall have determined, or shall have
received a Certificate from the Fund stating, that any such instruments
or certificates are available. The Fund shall deliver to the Custodian
such a Certificate no later than the business day preceding the
availability of any such instrument or certificate. Prior to such
availability, the Custodian shall comply with Section 17(f) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with the purchase, sale,
settlement, closing out or writing of Futures Contracts, Options, or
Futures Contract Options by making payments or deliveries specified in
Certificates in connection with any such purchase, sale, writing,
settlement or closing out upon its receipt from a broker, dealer, or
futures commission merchant of a statement or confirmation reasonably
believed by the Custodian to be in the form customarily used by brokers,
dealers, or future commission merchants with respect to such Futures
Contracts, Options, or Futures Contract Options, as the case may be,
confirming that such Security is held by such broker, dealer or futures
commission merchant, in book-entry form or otherwise in the name the
Custodian (or any nominee of the Custodian) as custodian for the Fund;
provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, payments to or
deliveries from the Margin Account and payments with respect to Securities
to which a Margin Account relates, shall be made in accordance with the
terms and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement. Whenever any such
instruments or certificates are available, the Custodian shall,
notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, make
payment for any Futures Contract, Option, or Futures Contract Option for
which such instruments or such certificates are available only against the
delivery to the Custodian of such instrument or such certificate, and
deliver any Futures Contract, Option or Futures Contract Option for which
such instruments or such certificates are available only against receipt
by the Custodian of payment therefor. Any such instrument or certificate
delivered to the Custodian shall be held by the Custodian hereunder in
accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
PURCHASE AND SALE OF INVESTMENTS OF THE FUND
OTHER THAN OPTIONS, FUTURES CONTRACTS,
FUTURES CONTRACT OPTIONS, REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS,
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND SHORT SALES
1. Promptly after each execution of a purchase of Securities by the
Fund, other than a purchase of an Option, a Futures Contract, a Futures
Contract Option, a Repurchase Agreement, a Reverse Repurchase Agreement
or a Short Sale, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian (i) with respect
to each purchase of Securities which are not Money Market Securities, a
Certificate, and (ii) with respect to each purchase of Money Market
Securities, a Certificate, oral Instructions or Written Instructions,
specifying with respect to each such purchase: (a) the Series to which
such Securities are to be specifically allocated; (b) the name of the
issuer and the title of the Securities; (c) the number of shares or the
principal amount purchased and accrued interest, if any; (d) the date of
purchase and settlement; (e) the purchase price per unit; (f) the total
amount payable upon such purchase; (g) the name of the person from whom
or the broker through whom the purchase was made, and the name of the
clearing broker, if any; and (h) the name of the broker or other party to
whom payment is to be made. Custodian shall, upon receipt of such
Securities purchased by or for the Fund, pay to the broker specified in
the Certificate out of the moneys held for the account of such Series the
total amount payable upon such purchase, provided that the same conforms
to the total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate, oral
Instructions or Written Instructions.
2. Promptly after each execution of a sale of Securities by the
Fund, other than a sale of any Option, Futures Contract, Futures Contract
Option, Repurchase Agreement, Reverse Repurchase Agreement or Short Sale,
the Fund shall deliver such to the Custodian (i) with respect to each sale
of Securities which are not Money Market Securities, a Certificate, and
(ii) with respect to each sale of Money Market Securities, a Certificate,
Oral Instructions or Written Instructions, specifying with respect to each
such sale: (a) the Series to which such Securities were specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title of the Security; (c)
the number of shares or principal amount sold, and accrued interest, if
any; (d) the date of sale and settlement; (e) the sale price per unit; (f)
the total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale; (g) the name of the
broker through whom or the person to whom the sale was made, and the name
of the clearing broker, if any; and (h) the name of the broker to whom the
Securities are to be delivered. On the settlement date, the Custodian
shall deliver the Securities specifically allocated to such Series to the
broker in accordance with generally accepted street practices and as
specified in the Certificate upon receipt of the total amount payable to
the Fund upon such sale, provided that the same conforms to the total
amount payable as set forth in such Certificate, oral Instructions or
Written Instructions.
ARTICLE V
OPTIONS
1. Promptly after each execution of a purchase of any Option by the
Fund other than a closing purchase transaction, the Fund shall deliver to
the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to each Option
purchased: (a) the Series to which such Option is specifically allocated;
(b) the type of Option (put or call); (c) the instrument, currency, or
Security underlying such Option and the number of Options, or the name of
the in the case of an Index Option, the index to which such Option relates
and the number of Index Options purchased; (d) the expiration date; (e)
the exercise price; (f) the dates of purchase and settlement; (g) the
total amount payable by the Fund in connection with such purchase; and (h)
the name of the Clearing Member through whom such Option was purchased.
The Custodian shall pay, upon receipt of a Clearing Member's written
statement confirming the purchase of such Option held by such Clearing
Member for the account of the Custodian (or any duly appointed and
registered nominee of the Custodian) as Custodian for the Fund, out of
moneys held for the account of the Series to which such Option is to be
specifically allocated, the total amount payable upon such purchase to the
Clearing Member through whom the purchase was made, provided that the same
conforms to the amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a sale of any Option purchased
by the Fund, other than a closing sale transaction, pursuant to paragraph
1 hereof, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying
with respect to each such sale: (a) the Series to which such Option was
specifically allocated; (b) the type of Option (put or call); (c) the
instrument, currency, or Security underlying such Option and the number
of Options, or the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to such Option or, in the case of a Index Option, the index to
which such Option relates and the number of Index Options sold; (d) the
date of sale; (e) the sale price; (f) the date of settlement; (g) the
total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale; and (h) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom the sale was made. The Custodian shall
consent to the delivery of the Option sold by the Clearing Member which
previously supplied the confirmation described in preceding paragraph of
this Article with respect to such Option upon receipt by the Custodian of
the total amount payable to the Fund, provided that the same conforms to
the total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
3. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Call Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such
Call Option: (a) the Series to which such Call Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to the Call Option; (c) the expiration date; (d) the date of
exercise and settlement; (e) the exercise price per share; (f) the total
amount to be paid by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom such Call Option was exercised. The Custo-
dian shall, upon receipt of the Securities underlying the Call Option
which was exercised, pay out of the moneys held for the account of the
Series to which such Call Option was specifically allocated the total
amount payable to the Clearing Member through whom the Call Option was ex-
ercised, provided that the same conforms to the total amount payable as
set forth in such Certificate.
4. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Put Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such Put
Option: (a) the Series to which such Put Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to the Put Option; (c) the expiration date; (d) the date of
exercise and settlement; (e) the exercise price per share; (f) the total
amount to be paid to the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom such Put Option was exercised. The Custodian
shall, upon receipt of the amount payable upon the exercise of the Put
Option, deliver or direct a Depository to deliver the Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, provided the same conforms to the
amount payable to the Fund as set forth in such Certificate.
5. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Index Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such
Index Option: (a) the Series to which such Index Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the type of Index Option (put or call) (c) the number of
Options being exercised; (d) the index to which such Option relates; (e)
the expiration date; (f) the exercise price; (g) the total amount to be
received by the Fund in connection with such exercise; and (h) the
Clearing Member from whom such payment is to be received.
6. Whenever the Fund writes a Covered Call Option, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Covered Call Option: (a) the Series for which such Covered Call
Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number
of shares for which the Covered Call Option was written and which underlie
the same; (c) the expiration date; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium
to be received by the Fund; (f) the date such Covered Call Option was
written; and (g) the name of the Clearing Member through whom the premium
is to be received. The Custodian shall deliver or cause to be delivered,
upon receipt of the premium specified in the Certificate with respect to
such Covered Call Option, such receipts as are required in accordance with
the customs prevailing among Clearing Members dealing in Covered Call
Options and shall impose, or direct a Depository to impose, upon the
underlying Securities specified in the Certificate specifically allocated
to such Series such restrictions as may be required by such receipts.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian has the right, upon prior
written notification to the Fund, at any time to refuse to issue any
receipts for Securities in the possession of the Custodian and not
deposited with a Depository underlying a Covered Call Option.
7. Whenever a Covered Call Option written by the Fund and described
in the preceding paragraph of this Article is exercised, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate instructing the Custodian
to deliver, or to direct the Depository to deliver, the Securities subject
to such Covered Call Option and specifying: (a) the Series for which such
Covered Call Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and the title
and number of shares subject to the Covered Call Option; (c) the Clearing
Member to whom the underlying Securities are to be delivered; and (d) the
total amount payable to the Fund upon such delivery. Upon the return
and/or cancellation of any receipts delivered pursuant to paragraph 6 of
this Article, the Custodian shall deliver, or direct a Depository to
deliver, the underlying Securities as specified in the Certificate upon
payment of the amount to be received as set forth in such Certificate.
8. Whenever the Fund writes a Put Option, the Fund shall promptly
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such Put
Option: (a) the Series for which such Put Option was written; (b) the
name of the issuer and the title and number of shares for which the Put
Option is written and which underlie the same; (c) the expiration date;
(d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be received by the Fund; (f)
the date such Put Option is written; (g) the name of the Clearing Member
through whom the premium is to be received and to whom a Put Option
guarantee letter is to be delivered; (h) the amount of cash, and/or the
amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifically allocated to such
Series to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for such Series; and
(i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities
specifically allocated to such Series to be deposited into the Collateral
Account for such Series. The Custodian shall, after making the deposits
into the Collateral Account specified in the Certificate, issue a Put
Option guarantee letter substantially in the form utilized by the
Custodian on the date hereof, and deliver the same to the Clearing Member
specified in the Certificate upon receipt of the premium specified in said
Certificate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall be under
no obligation to issue any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document
if it is unable to make any of the representations contained therein.
9. Whenever a Put Option written by the Fund and described in the
preceding paragraph is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Put
Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and title and number of
shares subject to the Put Option; (c) the Clearing Member from whom the
underlying Securities are to be received; (d) the total amount payable by
the Fund upon such delivery; (e) the amount of cash and/or the amount and
kind of Securities specifically allocated to such Series to be withdrawn
from the Collateral Account for such Series and (f) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, specifically allocated to such
series, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security Account. Upon
the return and/or cancellation of any Put Option guarantee letter or
similar document issued by the Custodian in connection with such Put
Option, the Custodian shall pay out of the moneys held for the account of
the series to which such Put Option was specifically allocated the total
amount payable to the Clearing Member specified in the Certificate as set
forth in such Certificate, upon delivery of such Securities, and shall
make the withdrawals specified in such Certificate.
10. Whenever the Fund writes an Index Option, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Index Option: (a) the Series for which such Index Option was
written; (b) whether such Index Option is a put or a call; (c) the number
of Options written; (d) the index to which such Option relates; (e) the
expiration date; (f) the exercise price; (g) the Clearing Member through
whom such Option was written; (h) the premium to be received by the Fund;
(i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any,
specifically allocated to such Series to be deposited in the Senior
Security Account for such Series; (j) the amount of cash and/or the amount
and kind of Securities, if any, specifically allocated to such Series to
be deposited in the Collateral Account for such Series; and (k) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifically
allocated to such Series to be deposited in a Margin Account, and the name
in which such account is to be or has been established. The Custodian
shall, upon receipt of the premium specified in the Certificate, make the
deposits, if any, into the Senior Security Account specified in the
Certificate, and either (1) deliver such receipts, if any, which the
Custodian has specifically agreed to issue, which are in accordance with
the customs prevailing among Clearing Members in Index Options and make
the deposits into the Collateral Account specified in the Certificate, or
(2) make the deposits into the Margin Account specified in the Certi-
ficate.
11. Whenever an Index Option written by the Fund and described in
the preceding paragraph of this Article is exercised, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Index Option: (a) the Series for which such Index Option was
written; (b) such information as may be necessary to identify the Index
Option being exercised; (c) the Clearing Member through whom such Index
Option is being exercised; (d) the total amount payable upon such
exercise, and whether such amount is to be paid by or to the Fund; (e) the
amount of cash and/or amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be with-
drawn from the Margin Account; and (f) the amount of cash and/or amount
and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security
Account for such Series; and the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind
of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Collateral Account for
such Series. Upon the return and/or cancellation of the receipt, if any,
delivered pursuant to the preceding paragraph of this Article, the
Custodian shall pay out of the moneys held for the account of the Series
to which such Stock Index Option was specifically allocated to the Clear-
ing Member specified in the Certificate the total amount payable, if any,
as specified therein.
12. Promptly after the execution of a purchase or sale by the Fund
of any Option identical to a previously written Option described in
paragraphs, 6, 8 or 10 of this Article in a transaction expressly
designated as a "Closing Purchase Transaction" or a "Closing Sale
Transaction", the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to the Option being purchased: (a)
that the transaction is a Closing Purchase Transaction or a Closing Sale
Transaction; (b) the Series for which the Option was written; (c) the
instrument, currency, or Security subject to the Option, or, in the case
of an Index Option, the index to which such Option relates and the number
of Options held; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be paid by or
the amount to be paid to the Fund; (f) the expiration date; (g) the type
of Option (put or call); (h) the date of such purchase or sale; (i) the
name of the Clearing Member to whom the premium is to be paid or from whom
the amount is to be received; and (j) the amount of cash and/or the amount
and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Collateral
Account, a specified Margin Account, or the Senior Security Account for
such Series. Upon the Custodian's payment of the premium or receipt of
the amount, as the case may be, specified in the Certificate and the
return and/or cancellation of any receipt issued pursuant to paragraphs
6, 8 or 10 of this Article with respect to the Option being liquidated
through the Closing Purchase Transaction or the Closing Sale Transaction,
the Custodian shall remove, or direct a Depository to remove, the pre-
viously imposed restrictions on the Securities underlying the Call Option.
13. Upon the expiration, exercise or consummation of a Closing
Purchase Transaction with respect to any Option purchased or written by
the Fund and described in this Article, the Custodian shall delete such
Option from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant to paragraph 3
Article III herein, and upon the return and/or cancellation of any
receipts issued by the Custodian, shall make such withdrawals from the
Collateral Account, and the Margin Account and/or the Senior Security
Account as may be specified in a Certificate received in connection with
such expiration, exercise, or consummation.
14. Securities acquired by the Fund through the exercise of an
Option described in this Article shall be subject to Article IV hereof.
ARTICLE VI
FUTURES CONTRACTS
1. Whenever the Fund shall enter into a Futures Contract, the Fund
shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to
such Futures Contract, (or with respect to any number of identical Futures
Contract (s)): (a) the Series for which the Futures Contract is being
entered; (b) the category of Futures Contract (the name of the underlying
index or financial instrument); (c) the number of identical Futures
Contracts entered into; (d) the delivery or settlement date of the Futures
Contract(s); (e) the date the Futures Contract(s) was (were) entered into
and the maturity date; (f) whether the Fund is buying (going long) or
selling (going short) such Futures Contract(s); (g) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be deposited in the
Senior Security Account for such Series; (h) the name of the broker,
dealer, or futures commission merchant through whom the Futures Contract
was entered into; and (i) the amount of fee or commission, if any, to be
paid and the name of the broker, dealer, or futures commission merchant
to whom such amount is to be paid. The Custodian shall make the deposits,
if any, to the Margin Account in accordance with the terms and conditions
of the Margin Account Agreement. The Custodian shall make payment out of
the moneys specifically allocated to such Series of the fee or commission,
if any, specified in the Certificate and deposit in the Senior Security
Account for such Series the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities specified in said Certificate.
2. (a) Any variation margin payment or similar payment
required to be made by the Fund to a broker, dealer, or futures commission
merchant with respect to an outstanding Futures Contract shall be made by
the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
(b) Any variation margin payment or similar payment from
a broker, dealer, or futures commission merchant to the Fund with respect
to an outstanding Futures Contract shall be received and dealt with by the
Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
3. Whenever a Futures Contract held by the Custodian hereunder is
retained by the Fund until delivery or settlement is made on such Futures
Contract, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian prior to the delivery
or settlement date a Certificate specifying: (a) the Futures Contract and
the Series to which the same relates; (b) with respect to an Index Futures
Contract, the total cash settlement amount to be paid or received, and
with respect to a Financial Futures Contract, the Securities and/or amount
of cash to be delivered or received; (c) the broker, dealer, or futures
commission merchant to or from whom payment or delivery is to be made or
received; and (d) the amount of cash and/or Securities to be withdrawn
from the Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall
make the payment or delivery specified in the Certificate, and delete such
Futures Contract from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant to
paragraph 3 of Article III herein.
4. Whenever the Fund shall enter into a Futures Contract to offset
a Futures Contract held by the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall deliver
to the Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the items of information
required in a Certificate described in paragraph 1 of this Article, and
(b) the Futures Contract being offset. The Custodian shall make payment
out of the money specifically allocated to such Series of the fee or
commission, if any, specified in the Certificate and delete the Futures
Contract being offset from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant
to paragraph 3 of Article III herein, and make such withdrawals from the
Senior Security Account for such Series as may be specified in the Cer-
tificate. The withdrawals, if any, to be made from the Margin Account
shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions
of the Margin Account Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
FUTURES CONTRACT OPTIONS
1. Promptly after the execution of a purchase of any Futures
Contract Option by the Fund, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to such Futures Contract Option: (a)
the Series to which such Option is specifically allocated; (b) the type
of Futures Contract Option (put or call); (c) the type of Futures Contract
and such other information as may be necessary to identify the Futures
Contract underlying the Futures Contract Option purchased; (d) the
expiration date; (e) the exercise price; (f) the dates of purchase and
settlement; (g) the amount of premium to be paid by the Fund upon such
purchase; (h) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Option was purchased; and (i) the name of the broker,
or futures commission merchant, to whom payment is to be made. The Cus-
todian shall pay out of the moneys specifically allocated to such Series
the total amount to be paid upon such purchase to the broker or futures
commissions merchant through whom the purchase was made, provided that the
same conforms to the amount set forth in such Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a sale of any Futures Contract
Option purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund
shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to
each such sale: (a) Series to which such Futures Contract Option was
specifically allocated; (b) the type of Future Contract Option (put or
call); (c) the type of Futures Contract and such other information as may
be necessary to identify the Futures Contract underlying the Futures
Contract Option; (d) the date of sale; (e) the sale price; (f) the date
of settlement; (g) the total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale;
and (h) the name of the broker of futures commission merchant through whom
the sale was made. The Custodian shall consent to the cancellation of the
Futures Contract Option being closed against payment to the Custodian of
the total amount payable to the Fund, provided the same conforms to the
total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
3. Whenever a Futures Contract Option purchased by the Fund
pursuant to paragraph 1 is exercised by the Fund, the Fund shall promptly
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to
which such Futures Contract Option was specifically allocated; (b) the
particular Futures Contract Option (put or call) being exercised; (c) the
type of Futures Contract underlying the Futures Contract Option; (d) the
date of exercise; (e) the name of the broker or futures commission
merchant through whom the Futures Contract Option is exercised; (f) the
net total amount, if any, payable by the Fund; (g) the amount, if any, to
be received by the Fund; and (h) the amount of cash and/or the amount and
kind of Securities to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for such
Series. The Custodian shall make, out of the moneys and Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, the payments of money, if any, and
the deposits of Securities, if any, into the Senior Security Account as
specified in the Certificate. The deposits, if any, to be made to the
Margin Account shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
4. Whenever the Fund writes a Futures Contract Option, the Fund
shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with
respect to such Futures Contract Option: (a) the Series for which such
Futures Contract Option was written; (b) the type of Futures Contract
Option (put or call); (c) the type of Futures Contract and such other
information as may be necessary to identify the Futures Contract
underlying the Futures Contract Option; (d) the expiration date; (e) the
exercise price; (f) the premium to be received by the Fund; (g) the name
of the broker or futures commission merchant through whom the premium is
to be received; and (h) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities, if any, to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for
such Series. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the premium specified
in the Certificate, make out of the moneys and Securities specifically
allocated to such Series the deposits into the Senior Security Account,
if any, as specified in the Certificate. The deposits, if any, to be made
to the Margin Account shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
5. Whenever a Futures Contract Option written by the Fund which is
a call is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Futures Contract
Option was specifically allocated; (b) the particular Futures Contract
Option exercised; (c) the type of Futures Contract underlying the Futures
Contract Option; (d) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Futures Contract Option was exercised; (e) the net total
amount, if any, payable to the Fund upon such exercise; (f) the net total
amount, if any, payable by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities to be deposited in the
Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall, upon its
receipt of the net total amount payable to the Fund, if any, specified in
such Certificate make the payments, if any, and the deposits, if any, into
the Senior Security Account as specified in the Certificate. The de-
posits, if any, to be made to the Margin Account shall be made by the
Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
6. Whenever a Futures Contract Option which is written by the Fund
and which is a put is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Option
was specifically allocated; (b) the particular Futures Contract Option
exercised; (c) the type of Futures Contract underlying such Futures
Contract Option; (d) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Futures Contract Option is exercised; (e) the net total
amount, if any, payable to the Fund upon such exercise; (f) the net total
amount, if any, payable by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the amount
and kind of Securities and/or cash to be withdrawn from or deposited in,
the Senior Security Account for such Series, if any. The Custodian shall,
upon its receipt of the net total amount payable to the Fund, if any,
specified in the Certificate, make out of the moneys and Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, the payments, if any, and the
deposits, if any, into the Senior Security Account as specified in the
Certificate. The deposits to and/or withdrawals from the Margin Account,
if any, shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
7. Promptly after the execution by the Fund of a purchase of any
Futures Contract Option identical to a previously written Futures Contract
Option described in this Article in order to liquidate its position as a
writer of such Futures Contract Option, the Fund shall deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to the Futures Contract
Option being purchased: (a) the Series to which such Option is
specifically allocated; (b) that the transaction is a closing transaction;
(c) the type of Future Contract and such other information as may be
necessary to identify the Futures Contract underlying the Futures Option
Contract; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be paid by the Fund;
(f) the expiration date; (g) the name of the broker or futures commission
merchant to whom the premium is to be paid; and (h) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the
Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall effect the
withdrawals from the Senior Security Account specified in the Certificate.
The withdrawals, if any, to be made from the Margin Account shall be made
by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
8. Upon the expiration, exercise, or consummation of a closing
transaction with respect to, any Futures Contract Option written or
purchased by the Fund and described in this Article, the Custodian shall
(a) delete such Futures Contract Option from the statements delivered to
the Fund pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article III herein and (b) make such
withdrawals from and/or in the case of an exercise such deposits into the
Senior Security Account as may be specified in a Certificate. The
deposits to and/or withdrawals from the Margin Account, if any, shall be
made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Margin Account Agreement.
9. Futures Contracts acquired by the Fund through the exercise of
a Futures Contract Option described in this Article shall be subject to
Article VI hereof.
ARTICLE VIII
SHORT SALES
1. Promptly after the execution of any short sales of Securities
by any Series of the Fund, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying: (a) the Series for which such short sale was
made; (b) the name of the issuer-and the title of the Security; (c) the
number of shares or principal amount sold, and accrued interest or
dividends, if any; (d) the dates of the sale and settlement; (e) the sale
price per unit; (f) the total amount credited to the Fund upon such sale,
if any, (g) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities,
if any, which are to be deposited in a Margin Account and the name in
which such Margin Account has been or is to be established; (h) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be deposited
in a Senior Security Account, and (i) the name of the broker through whom
such short sale was made. The Custodian shall upon its receipt of a
statement from such broker confirming such sale and that the total amount
credited to the Fund upon such sale, if any, as specified in the
Certificate is held by such broker for the account of the Custodian (or
any nominee of the Custodian) as custodian of the Fund, issue a receipt
or make the deposits into the Margin Account and the Senior Security
Account specified in the Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a purchase to close-out any
short sale of Securities, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian
a Certificate specifying with respect to each such closing out: (a) the
Series for which such transaction is being made; (b) the name of the
issuer and the title of the Security; (c) the number of shares or the
principal amount, and accrued interest or dividends, if any, required to
effect such closing-out to be delivered to the broker; (d) the dates of
closing-out and settlement; (e) the purchase price per unit; (f) the net
total amount payable to the Fund upon such closing-out; (g) the net total
amount payable to the broker upon such closing-out; (h) the amount of cash
and the amount and kind of Securities to be withdrawn, if any, from the
Margin Account; (i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security Account; and
(j) the name of the broker through whom the Fund is effecting such
closing-out. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the net total amount
payable to the Fund upon such closing-out, and the return and/or
cancellation of the receipts, if any, issued by the Custodian with respect
to the short sale being closed-out, pay out of the moneys held for the
account of the Fund to the broker the net total amount payable to the
broker, and make the withdrawals from the Margin Account and the Senior
Security Account, as the same are specified in the Certificate.
ARTICLE IX
REPURCHASE AND REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
1. Promptly after the Fund enters a Repurchase Agreement or a
Reverse Repurchase Agreement with respect to Securities and money held by
the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a Certi-
ficate, or in the event such Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase
Agreement is a Money Market Security, a Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions specifying: (a) the Series for which the
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is entered; (b) the
total amount payable to or by the Fund in connection with such Repurchase
Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement and specifically allocated to
such Series; (c) the broker, dealer, or financial institution with whom
the Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is entered; (d)
the amount and kind of Securities to be delivered or received by the Fund
to or from such broker, dealer, or financial institution; (e) the date of
such Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement; and (f) the
amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifi-
cally allocated to such Series to be deposited in a Senior Security Ac-
count for such Series in connection with such Reverse Repurchase
Agreement. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the total amount payable
to or by the Fund specified in the Certificate, Oral Instructions, or
Written Instructions make or accept the delivery to or from the broker,
dealer, or financial institution and the deposits, if any, to the Senior
Security Account, specified in such Certificate, Oral Instructions, or
Written Instructions.
2. Upon the termination of a Repurchase Agreement or a Reverse
Repurchase Agreement described in preceding paragraph 1 of this Article,
the Fund shall promptly deliver a Certificate or, in the event such
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is a Money Market
Security, a Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions to the
Custodian specifying: (a) the Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase
Agreement being terminated and the Series for which same was entered; (b)
the total amount payable to or by the Fund in connection with such
termination; (c) the amount and kind of Securities to be received or
delivered by the Fund and specifically allocated to such Series in
connection with such termination; (d) the date of termination; (e) the
name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution with whom the Repur-
chase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is to be terminated; and
(f) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any,
to be withdrawn from the Senior Securities Account for such Series. The
Custodian shall, upon receipt or delivery of the amount and kind of
Securities or cash to be received or delivered by the Fund specified in
the Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions, make or
receive the payment to or from the broker, dealer, or financial
institution and make the withdrawals, if any, from the Senior Security
Account, specified in such Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written
Instructions.
3. The Certificates, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions
described in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article may with respect to any
particular Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement be
combined and delivered to the Custodian at the time of entering into such
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement.
ARTICLE X
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES OF THE FUND
1. Promptly after each loan of portfolio Securities specifically
allocated to a Series held by the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall
deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian a Certificate specifying
with respect to each such loan: (a) the Series to which the loaned
Securities are specifically allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the
title of the Securities, (c) the number of shares or the principal amount
loaned, (d) the date of loan and delivery, (e) the total amount to be
delivered to the Custodian against the loan of the Securities, including
the amount of cash collateral and the premium, if any, separately iden-
tified, and (f) the name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution
to which the loan was made. The Custodian shall deliver the Securities
thus designated to the broker, dealer or financial institution to which
the loan was made upon receipt of the total amount designated in the
Certificate as to be delivered against the loan of Securities. The
Custodian may accept payment in connection with a delivery otherwise than
through the Book-Entry System or a Depository only in the form of a
certified or bank cashier's check payable to the order of the Fund or the
Custodian drawn on New York Clearing House funds.
2. In connection with each termination of a loan of Securities by
the Fund, the Fund shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian
a Certificate specifying with respect to each such loan termination and
return of Securities: (a) the Series to which the loaned Securities are
specifically allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title of the
Securities to be returned, (c) the number of shares or the principal
amount to be returned, (d) the date of termination, (e) the total amount
to be delivered by the Custodian (including the cash collateral for such
Securities minus any offsetting credits as described in said Certificate),
and (f) the name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution from
which the Securities will be returned. The Custodian shall receive all
Securities returned from the broker, dealer, or financial institution to
which such Securities were loaned and upon receipt thereof shall pay, out
of the moneys held for the account of the Fund, the total amount payable
upon such return of Securities as set forth in the Certificate.
ARTICLE XI
CONCERNING MARGIN ACCOUNTS, SENIOR SECURITY
ACCOUNTS, AND COLLATERAL ACCOUNTS
1. The Custodian shall establish a Senior Security Account and from
time to time make such deposits thereto, or withdrawals therefrom, as
specified in a Certificate. Such Certificate shall specify the Series for
which such deposit or withdrawal is to be made and the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities specifically allocated to such
Series to be deposited in, or withdrawn from, such Senior Security Account
for such Series. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in a
Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and the number
of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be
deposited by the Custodian into, or withdrawn from, a Senior Securities
Account, the Custodian shall be under no obligation to make any such
deposit or withdrawal and shall promptly notify the Fund that no such
deposit has been made.
2. The Custodian shall make deliveries or payments from a Margin
Account to the broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing
Member in whose name, or for whose benefit, the account was established
as specified in the Margin Account Agreement.
3. Amounts received by the Custodian as payments or distributions
with respect to Securities deposited in any Margin Account shall be dealt
with in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin Account
Agreement.
4. The Custodian shall to the extent permitted by the Fund's
Declaration of Trust, investment restrictions and the Investment Company
Act of 1940 have a continuing lien and security interest in and to any
property at any time held by the Custodian in any Collateral Account
described herein. In accordance with applicable law the Custodian may
enforce its lien and realize on any such property whenever the Custodian
has made payment or delivery pursuant to any Put Option guarantee letter
or similar document or any receipt issued hereunder by the Custodian;
provided, however, that the Custodian shall not be required to issue any
Put Option guarantee letter unless it shall have received an opinion of
counsel to the Fund or its investment adviser that the issuance of such
letters is authorized by the Fund and that the Custodian's continuing lien
and security interest is valid, enforceable and not limited by the
Declaration of Trust, any investment restrictions or the Investment
Company Act of 1940. In the event the Custodian should realize on any
such property net proceeds which are less than the Custodian's obligations
under any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document or any receipt,
such deficiency shall be a debt owed the Custodian by the Fund within the
scope of Article XIV herein.
5. On each business day the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with
a statement with respect to each Margin Account in which money or
Securities are held specifying as of the close of business on the previous
business day: (a) the name of the Margin Account; (b) the amount and kind
of Securities held therein; and (c) the amount of money held therein. The
Custodian shall make available upon request to any broker, dealer, or
futures commission merchant specified in the name of a Margin Account a
copy of the statement furnished the Fund with respect to such Margin
Account.
6. The Custodian shall establish a Collateral Account and from time
to time shall make such deposits thereto as may be specified in a
Certificate. Promptly after the close of business on each business day
in which cash and/or Securities are maintained in a Collateral Account for
any Series, the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a statement with
respect to such Collateral Account specifying the amount of cash and/or
the amount and kind of Securities held therein. No later than the close
of business next succeeding the delivery to the Fund of such statement,
the Fund shall furnish to the Custodian a Certificate or Written
Instructions specifying the then market value of the Securities described
in such statement. In the event such then market value is indicated to
be less than the Custodian's obligation with respect to any outstanding
Put Option guarantee letter or similar document, the Fund shall promptly
specify in a Certificate the additional cash and/or Securities to be
deposited in such Collateral Account to eliminate such deficiency.
ARTICLE XII
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS OR DISTRIBUTIONS
1. The Fund shall furnish to the Custodian a copy of the resolution
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary, either (i) setting forth with respect to the Series
specified therein the date of the declaration of a dividend or distribu-
tion, the date of payment thereof, the record date as of which
shareholders entitled to payment shall be determined, the amount payable
per Share of such Series to the shareholders of record as of that date and
the total amount payable to the Transfer Agent Account and any sub-
dividend agent or co-dividend agent of the Fund on the payment date, or
(ii) authorizing with respect to the Series specified therein and the
declaration of dividends and distributions thereon the Custodian to rely
on Oral Instructions, Written Instructions, or a Certificate setting forth
the date of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, the date of
payment thereof, the record date as of which shareholders entitled to
payment shall be determined, the amount payable per Share of such Series
to the shareholders of record as of that date and the total amount payable
to the Transfer Agent Account on the payment date.
2. Upon the payment date specified in such resolution, Oral
Instructions, Written Instructions, or Certificate, as the case may be,
the Custodian shall pay to the Transfer Agent Account out of the moneys
held for the account of the Series specified therein the total amount
payable to the Transfer Agent Account and with respect to such Series.
ARTICLE XIII
SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
1. Whenever the Fund shall sell any Shares, it shall deliver or
cause to be delivered, to the Custodian a Certificate duly specifying:
(a) The Series, the number of Shares sold, trade date, and
price; and
(b) The amount of money to be received by the Custodian
for the sale of such Shares and specifically allocated to the separate
account in the name of such Series.
2. Upon receipt of such money from the Fund's General Distributor,
the Custodian shall credit such money to the separate account in the name
of the Series for which such money was received.
3. Upon issuance of any Shares of any Series the Custodian shall
pay, out of the money held for the account of such Series, all original
issue or other taxes required to be paid by the Fund in connection with
such issuance upon the receipt of a Certificate specifying the amount to
be paid.
4. Except as provided hereinafter, whenever the Fund desires the
Custodian to make payment out of the money held by the Custodian hereunder
in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish, or cause
to be furnished, to the Custodian a Certificate specifying:
(a) The number and Series of Shares redeemed; and
(b) The amount to be paid for such Shares.
5. Upon receipt of an advice from an Authorized Person setting
forth the Series and number of Shares received by the Transfer Agent for
redemption and that such Shares are in good form for redemption, the
Custodian shall make payment to the Transfer Agent Account out of the
moneys held in the separate account in the name of the Series the total
amount specified in the Certificate issued pursuant to the foregoing
paragraph 4 of this Article.
ARTICLE XIV
OVERDRAFTS OR INDEBTEDNESS
1. If the Custodian should in its sole discretion advance funds on
behalf of any Series which results in an overdraft because the moneys held
by the Custodian in the separate account for such Series shall be insuffi-
cient to pay the total amount payable upon a purchase of Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, as set forth in a Certificate, Oral
Instructions, or Written Instructions or which results in an overdraft in
the separate account of such Series for some other reason, or if the Fund
is for any other reason indebted to the Custodian with respect to a Ser-
ies, (except a borrowing for investment or for temporary or emergency
purposes using Securities as collateral pursuant to a separate agreement
and subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article), such
overdraft or indebtedness shall be deemed to be a loan made by the
Custodian to the Fund for such Series payable on demand and shall bear
interest from the date incurred at a rate per annum (based on a 360-day
year for the actual number of days involved) equal to the Federal Funds
Rate plus 1/2%, such rate to be adjusted on the effective date of any change
in such Federal Funds Rate but in no event to be less than 6% per annum.
In addition, unless the Fund has given a Certificate that the Custodian
shall not impose a lien and security interest to secure such overdrafts
(in which event it shall not do so), the Custodian shall have a continuing
lien and security interest in the aggregate amount of such overdrafts and
indebtedness as may from time to time exist in and to any property
specifically allocated to such Series at any time held by it for the
benefit of such Series or in which the Fund may have an interest which is
then in the Custodian's possession or control or in possession or control
of any third party acting in the Custodian's behalf. The Fund authorizes
the Custodian, in its sole discretion, at any time to charge any such
overdraft or indebtedness together with interest due thereon against any
money balance in an account standing in the name of such Series' credit
on the Custodian's books. In addition, the Fund hereby covenants that on
each Business Day on which either it intends to enter a Reverse Repurchase
Agreement and/or otherwise borrow from a third party, or which next
succeeds a Business Day on which at the close of business the Fund had
outstanding a Reverse Repurchase Agreement or such a borrowing, it shall
prior to 9 a.m., New York City time, advise the Custodian, in writing, of
each such borrowing, shall specify the Series to which the same relates,
and shall not incur any indebtedness, including pursuant to any Reverse
Repurchase Agreement, not so specified other than from the Custodian.
2. The Fund will cause to be delivered to the Custodian by any bank
(including, if the borrowing is pursuant to a separate agreement, the
Custodian) from which it borrows money for investment or for temporary or
emergency purposes using Securities held by the Custodian hereunder as
collateral for such borrowings, a notice or undertaking in the form
currently employed by any such bank setting forth the amount which such
bank will loan to the Fund against delivery of a stated amount of
collateral. The Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to each such borrowing: (a) the
Series to which such borrowing relates; (b) the name of the bank, (c) the
amount and terms of the borrowing, which may be set forth by incorporating
by reference an attached promissory note, duly endorsed by the Fund, or
other loan agreement, (d) the time and date, if known, on which the loan
is to be entered into, (e) the date on which the loan becomes due and
payable, (f) the total amount payable to the Fund on the borrowing date,
(g) the market value of Securities to be delivered as collateral for such
loan, including the name of the issuer, the title and the number of shares
or the principal amount of any particular Securities, and (h) a statement
specifying whether such loan is for investment purposes or for temporary
or emergency purposes and that such loan is in conformance with the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Fund's prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information. The Custodian shall deliver on the borrowing date
specified in a Certificate the specified collateral and the executed
promissory note, if any, against delivery by the lending bank of the total
amount of the loan payable, provided that the same conforms to the total
amount payable as set forth in the Certificate. The Custodian may, at the
option of the lending bank, keep such collateral in its possession, but
such collateral shall be subject to all rights therein given the lending
bank by virtue of any promissory note or loan agreement. The Custodian
shall deliver such Securities as additional collateral as may be specified
in a Certificate to collateralize further any transaction described in
this paragraph. The Fund shall cause all Securities released from
collateral status to be returned directly to the Custodian, and the
Custodian shall receive from time to time such return of collateral as may
be tendered to it. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in a
Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and number of
shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be
delivered as collateral by the Custodian, to any such bank, the Custodian
shall not be under any obligation to deliver any Securities.
ARTICLE XV
CUSTODY OF ASSETS OUTSIDE THE U.S.
1. The Custodian is authorized and instructed to employ, as its
agent, as subcustodians for the securities and other assets of the Fund
maintained outside of the United States the Foreign Subcustodians and For-
eign Depositories designated on Schedule A hereto. Except as provided in
Schedule A, the Custodian shall employ no other Foreign Custodian or
Foreign Depository. The Custodian and the Fund may amend Schedule A
hereto from time to time to agree to designate any additional Foreign
Subcustodian or Foreign Depository with which the Custodian has an
agreement for such entity to act as the Custodian's agent, as subcus-
todian, and which the Custodian in its absolute discretion proposes to
utilize to hold any of the Fund's Foreign Property. Upon receipt of a
Certificate or Written Instructions from the Fund, the Custodian shall
cease the employment of any one or more of such subcustodians for
maintaining custody of the Fund's assets and such custodian shall be
deemed deleted from Schedule A.
2. The Custodian shall limit the securities and other assets
maintained in the custody of the Foreign Subcustodians to: (a) "foreign
securities," as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, and (b) cash and cash equivalents in such
amounts as the Fund may determine to be reasonably necessary to effect the
foreign securities transactions of the Fund.
3. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the
Fund, the Foreign Securities held by each Foreign Subcustodian.
4. Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign
Subcustodian shall be substantially in the form reviewed and approved by
the Fund and will not be amended in a way that materially affects the Fund
without the Fund's prior written consent and shall:
(a) require that such institution establish custody account(s)
for the Custodian on behalf of the Fund and physically segregate in each
such account securities and other assets of the fund, and, in the event
that such institution deposits the securities of the Fund in a Foreign
Depository, that it shall identify on its books as belonging to the Fund
or the Custodian, as agent for the Fund, the securities so deposited;
(b) provide that:
(1) the assets of the Fund will not be subject to any
right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of
the Foreign Subcustodian or its creditors, except a claim of payment for
their safe custody or administration;
(2) beneficial ownership for the assets of the Fund will
be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than
for custody or administration;
(3) adequate records will be maintained identifying the
assets as belonging to the Fund;
(4) the independent public accountants for the Fund will
be given access to the books and records of the Foreign Subcustodian
relating to its actions under its agreement with the Custodian or
confirmation of the contents of those records;
(5) the Fund will receive periodic reports with respect
to the safekeeping of the Fund's assets, including, but not necessarily
limited to, notification of any transfer to or from the custody
account(s); and
(6) assets of the Fund held by the Foreign Subcustodian
will be subject only to the instructions of the Custodian or its agents.
(c) Require the institution to exercise reasonable care in the
performance of its duties and to indemnify, and hold harmless, the
Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or
claim arising out of or in connection with the institution's performance
of such obligations, with the exception of any such losses, damages,
costs, expenses, liabilities or claims arising as a result of an act of
God. At the election of the Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated
to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against a
Foreign Subcustodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost,
expense, liability or claim of or to the Fund, if and to the extent that
the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense,
liability or claim.
5. Upon receipt of a Certificate or Written Instructions, which may
be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the
Custodian shall on behalf of the Fund make or cause its Foreign
Subcustodian to transfer, exchange or deliver securities owned by the
Fund, except to the extent explicitly prohibited therein. Upon receipt
of a Certificate or Written Instructions, which may be continuing
instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall
on behalf of the fund pay out or cause its Foreign Subcustodians to pay
out monies of the Fund. The Custodian shall use all means reasonably
available to it, including, if specifically authorized by the Fund in a
Certificate, any necessary litigation at the cost and expense of the Fund
(except as to matters for which the Custodian is responsible hereunder)
to require or compel each Foreign Subcustodian or Foreign Depository to
perform the services required of it by the agreement between it and the
Custodian authorized pursuant to this Agreement.
6. The Custodian shall maintain all books and records as shall be
necessary to enable the Custodian readily to perform the services required
of it hereunder with respect to the Fund's Foreign Properties. The
Custodians shall supply to the Fund from time to time, as mutually agreed
upon, statements in respect of the Foreign Securities and other Foreign
Properties of the Fund held by Foreign Subcustodians, directly or through
Foreign Depositories, including but not limited to an identification of
entities having possession of the Fund's Foreign Securities and other
assets, an advice or other notification of any transfers of securities to
or from each custodial account maintained for the Fund or the Custodian
on behalf of the Fund indicating, as to securities acquired for the Fund,
the identity of the entity having physical possession of such securities.
The Custodian shall promptly and faithfully transmit all reports and
information received pertaining to the Foreign Property of the Fund,
including, without limitation, notices or reports of corporate action,
proxies and proxy soliciting materials.
7. Upon request of the Fund, the Custodian shall use reasonable
efforts to arrange for the independent accountants of the Fund to be
afforded access to the books and records of any Foreign Subcustodian, or
confirmation of the contents thereof, insofar as such books and records
relate to the Foreign Property of the Fund or the performance of such
Foreign Subcustodian under its agreement with the Custodian; provided that
any litigation to afford such access shall be at the sole cost and expense
of the Fund.
8. The Custodian recognizes that employment of a Foreign Sub-
custodian or Foreign Depository for the Fund's Foreign Securities and
Foreign Property is permitted by Section 17(f) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 only upon compliance with Section (a) of Rule 17f-5
promulgated thereunder. With respect to the Foreign Subcustodians and
Foreign Depositories identified on Schedule A, the Custodian represents
that it has furnished the Fund with certain materials prepared by the
Custodian and with such other information in the possession of the Cus-
todian as the Fund advised the Custodian was reasonably necessary to
assist the Board of Trustees of the Fund in making the determinations
required of the Board of Trustees by Rule 17f-5, including, without
limitation, consideration of the matters set forth in the Notes to Rule
17f-5. If the Custodian recommends any additional Foreign Subcustodian
or Foreign Depository, the Custodian shall supply information similar in
kind and scope to that furnished pursuant to the preceding sentence. Fur-
ther, the Custodian shall furnish annually to the Fund, at such time as
the Fund and Custodian shall mutually agree, information concerning each
Foreign Subcustodian and Foreign Depository then identified on Schedule
A similar in kind and scope to that furnished pursuant to the preceding
two sentences.
9. The Custodian's employment of any Foreign Subcustodian or
Foreign Depository shall constitute a representation that the Custodian
believes in good faith that such Foreign Subcustodian or Foreign
Depository provides a level of safeguards for maintaining the Fund's
assets not materially different from that provided by the Custodian in
maintaining the Fund's securities in the United States. In addition, the
Custodian shall monitor the financial condition and general operational
performance of the Foreign Subcustodians and Foreign Depositories and
shall promptly inform the Fund in the event that the Custodian has actual
knowledge of a material adverse change in the financial condition thereof
or that there appears to be a substantial likelihood that the share-
holders' equity of any Foreign Subcustodian will decline below $200
million (U.S. dollars or the equivalent thereof) or that its shareholders'
equity has declined below $200 million , or that the Foreign Subcustodian
or Foreign Depository has breached the agreement between it and the
Custodian in a way that the Custodian believes adversely affects the Fund.
Further, the Custodian shall advise the Fund if it believes that there is
a material adverse change in the operating environment of any Foreign
Subcustodian or Foreign Depository.
ARTICLE XVI
CONCERNING THE CUSTODIAN
1. The Custodian shall use reasonable care in the performance of
its duties hereunder, and, except as hereinafter provided, neither the
Custodian nor its nominee shall be liable for any loss or damage,
including counsel fees, resulting from its action or omission to act or
otherwise, either hereunder or under any Margin Account Agreement, except
for any such loss or damage arising out of its own negligence, bad faith,
or willful misconduct or that of the subcustodians or co-custodians
appointed by the Custodian or of the officers, employees, or agents of any
of them. The Custodian may, with respect to questions of law arising
hereunder or under any Margin Account Agreement, apply for and obtain the
advice and opinion of counsel to the Fund, at the expense of the Fund, or
of its own counsel, at its own expense, and shall be fully protected with
respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith in conformity with
such advice or opinion. The Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for any
loss or damage resulting from the use of the Book-Entry System or any
Depository arising by reason of any negligence, bad faith or willful mis-
conduct on the part of the Custodian or any of its employees or agents.
2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall be under no
obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:
(a) The validity (but not the authenticity) of the issue of any
Securities purchased, sold, or written by or for the Fund, the legality
of the purchase, sale or writing thereof, or the propriety of the amount
paid or received therefor, as specified in a Certificate, Oral
Instructions, or Written Instructions;
(b) The legality of the sale or redemption of any Shares, or
the propriety of the amount to be received or paid therefor, as specified
in a Certificate;
(c) The legality of the declaration or payment of any dividend
by the Fund, as specified in a resolution, Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions;
(d) The legality of any borrowing by the Fund using Securities
as collateral;
(e) The legality of any loan of portfolio Securities, nor shall
the Custodian be under any duty or obligation to see to it that the cash
collateral delivered to it by a broker, dealer, or financial institution
or held by it at any time as a result of such loan of portfolio Securities
of the Fund is adequate collateral for the Fund against any loss it might
sustain as a result of such loan, except that this subparagraph shall not
excuse any liability the Custodian may have for failing to act in accor-
dance with Article X hereof or any Certificate, Oral Instructions or
Written Instructions given in accordance with this Agreement. The Custo-
dian specifically, but not by way of limitation, shall not be under any
duty or obligation periodically to check or notify the Fund that the
amount of such cash collateral held by it for the Fund is sufficient
collateral for the Fund, but such duty or obligation shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund. In addition, the Custodian shall be under no
duty or obligation to see that any broker, dealer or financial institution
to which portfolio Securities of the Fund are lent pursuant to Article X
of this Agreement makes payment to it of any dividends or interest which
are payable to or for the account of the Fund during the period of such
loan or at the termination of such loan, provided, however, that the
Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund in the event that such dividends
or interest are not paid and received when due; or
(f) The sufficiency or value of any amounts of money and/or
Securities held in any Margin Account, Senior Security Account or
Collateral Account in connection with transactions by the Fund, except
that this subparagraph shall not excuse any liability the Custodian may
have for failing to establish, maintain, make deposits to or withdrawals
from such accounts in accordance with this Agreement. In addition, the
Custodian shall be under no duty or obligation to see that any broker,
dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing Member makes payment to
the Fund of any variation margin payment or similar payment which the Fund
may be entitled to receive from such broker, dealer, futures commission
merchant or Clearing Member, to see that any payment received by the
Custodian from any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing
Member is the amount the Fund is entitled to receive, or to notify the
Fund of the Custodian's receipt or non-receipt of any such payment.
3. The Custodian shall not be liable for, or considered to be the
Custodian of, any money, whether or not represented by any check, draft,
or other instrument for the payment of money, received by it on behalf of
the Fund until the Custodian actually receives such money directly or by
the final crediting of the account representing the Fund's interest at the
Book-Entry System or the Depository.
4. With respect to Securities held in a Depository, except as
otherwise provided in paragraph 5(b) of Article III hereof, the Custodian
shall have no responsibility and shall not be liable for ascertaining or
acting upon any calls, conversions, exchange offers, tenders, interest
rate changes or similar matters relating to such Securities, unless the
Custodian shall have actually received timely notice from the Depository
in which such Securities are held. In no event shall the Custodian have
any responsibility or liability for the failure of a Depository to
collect, or for the late collection or late crediting by a Depository of
any amount payable upon Securities deposited in a Depository which may
mature or be redeemed, retired, called or otherwise become payable. How-
ever, upon receipt of a Certificate from the Fund of an overdue amount on
Securities held in a Depository the Custodian shall make a claim against
the Depository on behalf of the Fund, except that the Custodian shall not
be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action suit
or proceeding in respect to any Securities held by a Depository which in
its opinion may involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity
satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often
as may be required, or alternatively, the Fund shall be subrogated to the
rights of the Custodian with respect to such claim against the Depository
should it so request in a Certificate. This paragraph shall not, however,
excuse any failure by the Custodian to act in accordance with a
Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions given in
accordance with this Agreement.
5. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation to take
action to effect collection of any amount due the Fund from the Transfer
Agent of the Fund nor to take any action to effect payment or distribution
by the Transfer Agent of the Fund of any amount paid by the Custodian to
the Transfer Agent of the Fund in accordance with this Agreement.
6. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation to take
action to effect collection of any amount if the Securities upon which
such amount is payable are in default, or if payment is refused after the
Custodian has timely and properly, in accordance with this Agreement, made
due demand or presentation, unless and until (i) it shall be directed to
take such action by a Certificate and (ii) it shall be assured to its
satisfaction of reimbursement of its costs and expenses in connection with
any such action, but the Custodian shall have such a duty if the Secu-
rities were not in default on the payable date and the Custodian failed
to timely and properly make such demand for payment and such failure is
the reason for the non-receipt of payment.
7. The Custodian may, with the prior approval of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund, appoint one or more banking institutions as
subcustodian or subcustodians, or as co-Custodian or co-Custodians, of
Securities and moneys at any time owned by the Fund, upon such terms and
conditions as may be approved in a Certificate or contained in an
agreement executed by the Custodian, the Fund and the appointed
institution; provided, however, that appointment of any foreign banking
institution or depository shall be subject to the provisions of Article
XV hereof.
8. The Custodian agrees to indemnify the Fund against and save the
Fund harmless from all liability, claims, losses and demands whatsoever,
including attorney's fees, howsoever arising or incurred because of the
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of any subcustodian of the
Securities and moneys owned by the Fund.
9. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation (a) to
ascertain whether any Securities at any time delivered to, or held by it,
for the account of the Fund and specifically allocated to a Series are
such as properly may be held by the Fund or such Series under the
provisions of its then current prospectus, or (b) to ascertain whether any
transactions by the Fund, whether or not involving the Custodian, are such
transactions as may properly be engaged in by the Fund.
10. The Custodian shall be entitled to receive and the Fund agrees
to pay to the Custodian all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and such
compensation as may be agreed upon in writing from time to time between
the Custodian and the Fund. The Custodian may charge such compensation,
and any such expenses with respect to a Series incurred by the Custodian
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement against any money
specifically allocated to such Series. The Custodian shall also be
entitled to charge against any money held by it for the account of a
Series the amount of any loss, damage, liability or expense, including
counsel fees, for which it shall be entitled to reimbursement under the
provisions of this Agreement attributable to, or arising out of, its
serving as Custodian for such Series. The expenses for which the
Custodian shall be entitled to reimbursement hereunder shall include, but
are not limited to, the expenses of subcustodians and foreign branches of
the Custodian incurred in settling outside of New York City transactions
involving the purchase and sale of Securities of the Fund. Notwithstanding
the foregoing or anything else contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Custodian shall, prior to effecting any charge for
compensation, expenses, or any overdraft or indebtedness or interest
thereon, submit an invoice therefor to the Fund.
11. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any Certificate,
notice or other instrument in writing, Oral Instructions, or Written
Instructions received by the Custodian and reasonably believed by the
Custodian to be genuine. The Fund agrees to forward to the Custodian a
Certificate or facsimile thereof confirming Oral Instructions or Written
Instructions in such manner so that such Certificate or facsimile thereof
is received by the Custodian, whether by hand delivery, telecopier or
other similar device, or otherwise, by the close of business of the same
day that such Oral Instructions or Written Instructions are given to the
Custodian. The Fund agrees that the fact that such confirming
instructions are not received by the Custodian shall in no way affect the
validity of the transactions or enforceability of the transactions thereby
authorized by the Fund. The Fund agrees that the Custodian shall incur
no liability to the Fund in acting upon Oral Instructions or Written
Instructions given to the Custodian hereunder concerning such transactions
provided such instructions reasonably appear to have been received from
an Authorized Person.
12. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any instrument,
instruction or notice received by the Custodian and reasonably believed
by the Custodian to be given in accordance with the terms and conditions
of any Margin Account Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Custodian shall be under no duty to inquire into, and shall
not be liable for, the accuracy of any statements or representations
contained in any such instrument or other notice including, without limi-
tation, any specification of any amount to be paid to a broker, dealer,
futures commission merchant or Clearing Member. This paragraph shall not
excuse any failure by the Custodian to have acted in accordance with any
Margin Agreement it has executed or any Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions given in accordance with this Agreement.
13. The books and records pertaining to the Fund, as described in
Appendix E hereto, which are in the possession of the Custodian shall be
the property of the Fund. Such books and records shall be prepared and
maintained by the Custodian as required by the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and other applicable Securities laws and rules and
regulations. The Fund, or the Fund's authorized representatives, shall
have access to such books and records during the Custodian's normal
business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any
such books and records shall be provided by the Custodian to the Fund or
the Fund's authorized representative, and the Fund shall reimburse the
Custodian its expenses of providing such copies. Upon reasonable request
of the Fund, the Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on micro-film,
whichever the Custodian elects, any records included in any such delivery
which are maintained by the Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly
maintained, and the Fund shall reimburse the Custodian for its expenses
of providing such hard copy or micro-film.
14. The Custodian shall provide the Fund with any report obtained
by the Custodian on the system of internal accounting control of the Book-
Entry system, each Depository or O.C.C., and with such reports on its own
systems of internal accounting control as the Fund may reasonably request
from time to time.
15. The Custodian shall furnish upon request annually to the Fund
a letter prepared by the Custodian's accountants with respect to the
Custodian's internal systems and controls in the form generally provided
by the Custodian to other investment companies for which the Custodian
acts as custodian.
16. The Fund agrees to indemnify the Custodian against and save the
Custodian harmless from all liability, claims, losses and demands
whatsoever, including attorney's fees, howsoever arising out of, or
related to, the Custodian's performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, except for any such liability, claim, loss and demand arising
out of the negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct of the Custodian,
any co-Custodian or subcustodian appointed by the Custodian, or that of
the officers, employees, or agents of any of them.
17. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Agreement, the
Custodian shall deliver and receive Securities, and receipts with respect
to such Securities, and shall make and receive payments only in accordance
with the customs prevailing from time to time among brokers or dealers in
such Securities and, except as may otherwise be provided by this Agreement
or as may be in accordance with such customs, shall make payment for
Securities only against delivery thereof and deliveries of Securities only
against payment therefor.
18. The Custodian will comply with the procedures, guidelines or
restrictions ("Procedures") adopted by the Fund from time to time for par-
ticular types of investments or transactions, e.g., Repurchase Agreements
and Reverse Repurchase Agreements, provided that the Custodian has
received from the Fund a copy of such Procedures. If within ten days
after receipt of any such Procedures, the Custodian determines in good
faith that it is unreasonable for it to comply with any new procedures,
guidelines or restrictions set forth therein, it may within such ten day
period send notice to the Fund that it does not intend to comply with
those new procedures, guidelines or restrictions which it identifies with
particularity in such notice, in which event the Custodian shall not be
required to comply with such identified procedures, guidelines or
restrictions; provided, however, that, anything to the contrary set forth
herein or in any other agreement with the Fund, if the Custodian identi-
fies procedures, guidelines or restrictions with which it does not intend
to comply, the Fund shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement without
cost or penalty to the Fund upon thirty days' written notice.
19. Whenever the Custodian has the authority to deduct monies from
the account for a series without a Certificate, it shall notify the Fund
within one business day of such deduction and the reason for it. Whenever
the Custodian has the authority to sell Securities or any other property
of the Fund on behalf of any Series without a Certificate, the Custodian
will notify the Fund of its intention to do so and afford the Fund the
reasonable opportunity to select which Securities or other property it
wishes to sell on behalf of such Series. If the Fund does not promptly
sell sufficient Securities or Deposited Property on behalf of the Series,
then, after notice, the Custodian may proceed with the intended sale.
whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set
forth or referred to in this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation
shall be implied in this Agreement against the Custodian.
ARTICLE XVII
TERMINATION
1. Except as provided in paragraph 3 of this Article, this
Agreement shall continue until terminated by either the Custodian giving
to the Fund, or the Fund giving to the Custodian, a notice in writing
specifying the date of such termination, which date shall be not less than
60 days after the date of the giving of such notice. In the event such
notice or a notice pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article is given by the
Fund, it shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund, certified by an Officer and the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Fund, electing to terminate this Agreement and
designating a successor custodian or custodians, each of which shall be
eligible to serve as a custodian for the Securities of a management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In the event
such notice is given by the Custodian, the Fund shall, on or before the
termination date, deliver to the Custodian a copy of a resolution of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary, designating a successor custodian or custodians. In the ab-
sence of such designation by the Fund, the Custodian may designate a
successor custodian which shall be a bank or trust company eligible to
serve as a custodian for Securities of a management investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and which is acceptable to the
Fund. Upon the date set forth in such notice this Agreement shall
terminate, and the Custodian shall upon receipt of a notice of acceptance
by the successor custodian on that date deliver directly to the successor
custodian all Securities and moneys then owned by the Fund and held by it
as Custodian, after deducting all fees, expenses and other amounts for the
payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled.
2. If a successor custodian is not designated by the Fund or the
Custodian in accordance with the preceding paragraph, the Fund shall upon
the date specified in the notice of termination of this Agreement and upon
the delivery by the Custodian of all Securities (other than Securities
held in the Book-Entry System which cannot be delivered to the Fund) and
moneys then owned by the Fund be deemed to be its own custodian and the
Custodian shall thereby be relieved of all duties and responsibilities
pursuant to this Agreement arising thereafter, other than the duty with
respect to Securities held in the Book Entry System which cannot be deliv-
ered to the Fund to hold such Securities hereunder in accordance with this
Agreement.
3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may terminate this
Agreement upon the date specified in a written notice in the event of the
"Bankruptcy" of The Bank of New York. As used in this sub-paragraph, the
term "Bankruptcy" shall mean The Bank of New York's making a general
assignment, arrangement or composition with or for the benefit of its
creditors, or instituting or having instituted against it a proceeding
seeking a judgment of insolvency or bankruptcy or the entry of a order for
relief under any applicable bankruptcy law or any other relief under any
bankruptcy or insolvency law or other similar law affecting creditors
rights, or if a petition is presented for the winding up or liquidation
of the party or a resolution is passed for its winding up or liquidation,
or it seeks, or becomes subject to, the appointment of an administrator,
receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for all
or substantially all of its assets or its taking any action in furtherance
of, or indicating its consent to approval of, or acquiescence in, any of
the foregoing.
ARTICLE XVIII
TERMINAL LINK
1. At no time and under no circumstances shall the Fund be
obligated to have or utilize the Terminal Link, and the provisions of this
Article shall apply if, but only if, the Fund in its sole and absolute
discretion elects to utilize the Terminal Link to transmit Certificates
to the Custodian.
2. The Terminal Link shall be utilized only for the purpose of the
Fund providing Certificates to the Custodian and the Custodian providing
notices to the Fund and only after the Fund shall have established access
codes and internal safekeeping procedures to safeguard and protect the
confidentiality and availability of such access codes. Each use of the
Terminal Link by the Fund shall constitute a representation and warranty
that at least two officers have each utilized an access code that such
internal safekeeping procedures have been established by the Fund, and
that such use does not contravene the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the rules and regulations thereunder.
3. Each party shall obtain and maintain at its own cost and expense
all equipment and services, including, but not limited to communications
services, necessary for it to utilize the Terminal Link, and the other
party shall not be responsible for the reliability or availability of any
such equipment or services, except that the Custodian shall not pay any
communications costs of any line leased by the Fund, even if such line is
also used by the Custodian.
4. The Fund acknowledges that any data bases made available as part
of, or through the Terminal Link and any proprietary data, software,
processes, information and documentation (other than any such which are
or become part of the public domain or are legally required to be made
available to the public) (collectively, the "Information"), are the
exclusive and confidential property of the Custodian. The Fund shall, and
shall cause others to which it discloses the Information, to keep the
Information confidential by using the same care and discretion it uses
with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, and shall
neither make nor permit any disclosure without the express prior written
consent of the Custodian.
5. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, each Fund
shall return to the Custodian any and all copies of the Information which
are in the Fund's possession or under its control, or which the Fund
distributed to third parties. The provisions of this Article shall not
affect the copyright status of any of the Information which may be
copyrighted and shall apply to all Information whether or not copyrighted.
6. The Custodian reserves the right to modify the Terminal Link from
time to time without notice to the Fund, except that the Custodian shall
give the Fund notice not less than 75 days in advance of any modification
which would materially adversely affect the Fund's operation, and the Fund
agrees not to modify or attempt to modify the Terminal Link without the
Custodian's prior written consent. The Fund acknowledges that any
software provided by the Custodian as part of the Terminal Link is the
property of the Custodian and, accordingly, the Fund agrees that any
modifications to the same, whether by the Fund or the Custodian and
whether with or without the Custodian's consent, shall become the property
of the Custodian.
7. Neither the Custodian nor any manufacturers and suppliers it
utilizes or the Fund utilizes in connection with the Terminal Link makes
any warranties or representations, express or implied, in fact or in law,
including but not limited to warranties of merchantability and fitness for
a particular purpose.
8. Each party will cause its officers and employees to treat the
authorization codes and the access codes applicable to Terminal Link with
extreme care, and irrevocably authorizes the other to act in accordance
with and rely on Certificates and notices received by it through the
Terminal Link. Each party acknowledges that it is its responsibility to
assure that only its authorized persons use the Terminal Link on its
behalf, and that a party shall not be responsible nor liable for use of
the Terminal Link on behalf of the other party by unauthorized persons of
such other party.
9. Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither party shall have any liability to the other for any losses,
damages, injuries, claims, costs or expenses arising as a result of a
delay, omission or error in the transmission of a Certificate or notice
by use of the Terminal Link except for money damages for those suffered
as the result of the negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such
party or its officers, employees or agents in an amount not exceeding for
any incident $100,000; provided, however, that a party shall have no
liability under this Section 9 if the other party fails to comply with the
provisions of Section 11.
10. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event
shall either party or any manufacturer or supplier of its computer
equipment, software or services relating to the Terminal Link be
responsible for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages
which the other party may incur or experience by reason of its use of the
Terminal Link even if such party, manufacturer or supplier has been
advised of the possibility of such damages, nor with respect to the use
of the Terminal Link shall either party or any such manufacturer or
supplier be liable for acts of God, or with respect to the following to
the extent beyond such person's reasonable control: machine or computer
breakdown or malfunction, interruption or malfunction of communication
facilities, labor difficulties or any other similar or dissimilar cause.
11. The Fund shall notify the Custodian of any errors, omissions or
interruptions in, or delay or unavailability of, the Terminal Link as
promptly as practicable, and in any event within 24 hours after the
earliest of (i) discovery thereof, and (ii) in the case of any error, the
date of actual receipt of the earliest notice which reflects such error,
it being agreed that discovery and receipt of notice may only occur on a
business day. The Custodian shall promptly advise the Fund whenever the
Custodian learns of any errors, omissions or interruption in, or delay or
unavailability of, the Terminal Link.
12. Each party shall, as soon as practicable after its receipt of
a Certificate or a notice transmitted by the Terminal Link, verify to the
other party by use of the Terminal Link its receipt of such Certificate
or notice, and in the absence of such verification the party to which the
Certificate or notice is sent shall not be liable for any failure to act
in accordance with such Certificate or notice and the sending party may
not claim that such Certificate or notice was received by the other party.
ARTICLE XIX
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Annexed hereto as Appendix A is a Certificate signed by two of
the present Officers of the Fund under its seal, setting forth the names
and the signatures of the present Authorized Persons. The Fund agrees to
furnish to the Custodian a new Certificate in similar form in the event
that any such present Authorized Person ceases to be an Authorized Person
or in the event that other or additional Authorized Persons are elected
or appointed. Until such new Certificate shall be received, the Custodian
shall be entitled to rely and to act upon Oral Instructions, Written
Instructions, or signatures of the present Authorized Persons as set forth
in the last delivered Certificate to the extent provided by this
Agreement.
2. Annexed hereto as Appendix B is a Certificate signed by two of
the present Officers of the Fund under its seal, setting forth the names
and the signatures of the present Officers of the Fund. The Fund agrees
to furnish to the Custodian a new Certificate in similar form in the event
any such present officer ceases to be an officer of the Fund, or in the
event that other or additional officers are elected or appointed. Until
such new Certificate shall be received, the Custodian shall be entitled
to rely and to act upon the signatures of the officers as set forth in the
last delivered Certificate to the extent provided by this Agreement.
3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or
required by this Agreement to be given to the Custodian, other than any
Certificate or Written Instructions, shall be sufficiently given if
addressed to the Custodian and mailed or delivered to it at its offices
at 90 Washington Street, New York, New York 10286, or at such other place
as the Custodian may from time to time designate in writing.
4. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or rehired
by this Agreement to be given to the Fund shall be sufficiently given if
addressed to the Fund and mailed or delivered to it at its office at the
address for the Fund first above written, or at such other place as the
Fund may from time to time designate in writing.
5. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties, replaces all prior agreements and may not be amended or modified
in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties with
the same formality as this Agreement and approved by a resolution of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, except that Appendices A and B may be
amended unilaterally by the Fund without such an approving resolution.
6. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the
parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided,
however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Fund without
the written consent of the Custodian, or by the Custodian or The Bank of
New York without the written consent of the Fund, authorized or approved
by a resolution of the Fund's Board of Trustees. For purposes of this
paragraph, no merger, consolidation, or amalgamation of the Custodian, The
Bank of New York, or the Fund shall be deemed to constitute an assignment
of this Agreement.
7. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York without giving effect to conflict of laws
principles thereof. Each party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of a
state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection
with any dispute arising hereunder and hereby waives its right to trial
by jury.
8. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts
shall, together, constitute only one instrument.
9. A copy of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with
the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby
given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Board of Trustees
of the Fund as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of
the instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders
individually but are binding upon the assets and property of the Fund;
provided, however, that the Declaration of Trust of the Fund provides that
the assets of a particular series of the Fund shall under no circumstances
be charges with liabilities attributable to any other series of the Fund
and that all persons extending credit to, or contracting with or having
any claim against a particular series of the Fund shall look only to the
assets of that particular series for payment of such credit, contract or
claim.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed by their respective Officers, thereunto duly authorized and
their respective seals to be hereunto affixed, as of the day and year
first above written.
OPPENHEIMER FUND
By: _______________________________
Robert G. Galli, Secretary
[SEAL]
Attest:
___________________________________
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
[SEAL] By__________________________________
Attest:
___________________________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
I, President and I,
, of Oppenheimer Fund,
a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund") do hereby certify that:
The following individuals have been duly authorized by the Board of
Trustees of the Fund in conformity with the Fund's Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws to give Oral Instructions and Written Instructions on behalf
of the Fund, except that those persons designated as being an "Officer of
OSS" shall be an Authorized Person only for purposes of Articles XII and
XIII. The signatures set forth opposite their respective names are their
true and correct signatures:
Name Position Signature
__________________ _______________________ __________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
I, President and I,
, of Oppenheimer Fund, a
Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), do hereby certify that:
The following individuals for whom a position other than "Officer of
OSS" is specified serve in the following positions with the Fund and each
has been duly elected or appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund
to each such position and qualified therefor in conformity with the Fund's
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. With respect to the following
individuals for whom a position of "Officer of OSS" is specified, each
such individual has been designated by a resolution of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund to be an Officer for purposes of the Fund's Custody
Agreement with The Bank of New York, but only for purposes of Articles XII
and XIII thereof and a certified copy of such resolution is attached
hereto. The signatures of each individual below set forth opposite their
respective names are their true and correct signatures:
Name Position Signature
__________________ _______________________ __________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX C
The undersigned, hereby
certifies that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund (the "Fund"),
further certifies that the following resolutions were adopted by the Board
of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on __________________, 199
, at which a quorum at all times present and that such resolutions have
not been modified or rescinded and are in full force an effect as of the
date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank New York, as Custodian pursuant to
a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of 199 (the "Custody Agreement") is
authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing basis
to act in accordance with, and to rely on instructions by
the Fund to the Custodian communicated by a Terminal Link as
defined in the Custody Agreement.
RESOLVED, that the Fund shall establish access codes and
grant use of such access codes only to officers of the Fund
as defined in the Custody Agreement, and shall establish
internal safekeeping procedures to safeguard and protect the
confidentiality and availability of such access codes.
RESOLVED, that Officers of the Fund as defined in the
Custody Agreement shall, following the establishment of such
access codes and such internal safekeeping procedures,
advise the Custodian that the same have been established by
delivering a Certificate, as defined in the Custody
Agreement, and the Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon
such advice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand in the seal of
, as of the day of , 199 .
APPENDIX D
I, Richard P. Lando, an Assistant Vice President with THE BANK OF NEW
YORK do hereby designate the following publications:
The Bond Buyer
Depository Trust Company Notices
Financial Daily Card Service
JJ Kenney Municipal Bond Service
London Financial Times
New York Times
Standard & Poor's Called Bond Record
Wall Street Journal<PAGE>
APPENDIX E
The following books and records pertaining to Fund shall be prepared
and maintained by the Custodian and shall be the property of the Fund:
EXHBIT A
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, , hereby
certifies that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust
(the "Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was
adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on 199
, at which a quorum was at all times present and that such resolution has
not been modified or rescinded and is in full force and effect as of the
date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis to deposit in the Book-Entry System, as defined in the
Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible for deposit
therein, regardless of the Series to which the same are
specifically allocated, and to utilize the Book-Entry System
to the extent possible in connection with its performance
thereunder, including, without limitation, In connection
with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans
of Securities, and deliveries and returns of Securities col-
lateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal
of , as of the day of
, 199 .
__________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned , hereby certifies
that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and
that such resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full
force and effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis until such time as it receives a Certificate, as
defined in the Custody Agreement, to the contrary to deposit
in The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") as a "Depository" as
defined in the Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible
for deposit therein, regardless of the Series to which the
same are specifically allocated, and to utilize DTC to the
extent possible in connection with its performance there-
under, including, without limitation, in connection with
settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of
Securities, and deliveries and returns of Securities
collateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of
as of the day of , 199 .
___________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B-1
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, hereby certifies that he or she
is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and that such
resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full force and
effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of 199 , (the "Custody Agreement") is
authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing basis
until such time as it receives a Certificate, as defined in
the Custody Agreement, to the contrary to deposit in the
Participants Trust Company as a Depository, as defined in
the Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible for deposit
therein, regardless of the Series to which the same are
specifically allocated, and to utilize the Participants
Trust Company to the extent possible in connection with its
performance thereunder, including, without limitation, in
connection with settlements of purchases and sales of
Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns
of Securities collateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of
, as of the day of , 199 .
_______________________
[SEAL]
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, , hereby certifies that
he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and that
such resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full force
and effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis until such time as it receives a Certificate, as
defined in the Custody Agreement, to the contrary, to ac-
cept, utilize and act with respect to Clearing Member
confirmations for Options and transaction in Options,
regardless of the Series to which the same are specifically
allocated, as such terms are defined in the Custody
Agreement, as provided in the Custody Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the
seal of , as of the day of , 199 .
____________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT D
[FORM OF FOREIGN SUBCUSTODIAN AGREEMENT]<PAGE>
Appendix A
Article XIX.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Appendix B
Article XIX.2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Exhibit A
Article III.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Exhibit B
Article III.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Exhibit C
Article III.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Exhibit D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Article XV.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Schedule A
Article XV.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Exhibit 24(b)(9)
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF
REORGANIZATION AND LIQUIDATION
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND LIQUIDATION is
made as of this 10th day of October, 1985, by and between Oppenheimer
Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), a New York corporation, and Oppenheimer Fund (the
"Trust"), a Massachusetts business trust.
In consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Plan of Reorganization and Liquidation. (a) The Fund will
convey, transfer and deliver to the Trust at the closing provided in
Section 2 (hereinafter called the "Closing") all of its then existing
assets. In consideration thereof, the Trust agrees at the Closing (i) to
assume and pay, to the extent that they exist on or after the Effective
Time (as defined below) of the Reorganization, all of the Fund's
obligations and liabilities, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or
otherwise, including all fees and expenses in connection with this Plan
of Reorganization and Liquidation, including without limitation, costs of
legal advice, accounting, printing, mailing, proxy solicitation and
transfer taxes, if any, and (ii) to deliver to the Fund full and
fractional shares of beneficial interest of the series of the Trust
entitled "Oppenheimer Fund", without par value (the "Trust Shares"), equal
in number to the number of full and fractional shares of Capital Stock of
the Fund outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time of the
Reorganization.
(b) At the Effective Time of the Reorganization, the Fund will
liquidate and distribute pro rata to its shareholders of record at the
Effective Time of the Reorganization the Trust Shares received by the Fund
pursuant to this Section 1. Such liquidation will be accomplished by the
establishment of an open account on the share records of the Trust in the
name of each such shareholder of the Fund and representing the respective
pro rata number of Trust Shares due such shareholder. Fractional Trust
Shares will be carried to the third decimal place. Certificates
representing shares of the Fund shall be deemed to represent an equal
number of Trust Shares. Simultaneously with such crediting of Trust
Shares to the shareholders of record, the shares of the Fund held by such
shareholders shall be cancelled.
2. Closing and Effective Time of the Reorganization. The Closing
shall occur on (a) the next business day after votes approving this
Agreement and the reorganization contemplated hereby shall have been
adopted by the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares
of Capital Stock of the Fund entitled to vote or (b) such later date as
the parties may mutually agree (the "Effective Time of the
Reorganization").
3. Termination. The Board of Directors of the Fund may terminate
this Agreement and abandon the reorganization contemplated hereby, at any
time prior thereto, notwithstanding approval thereof by the shareholders
of the Fund, if in the judgment of such Board, proceeding with the
Agreement would be inadvisable.
4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement
between the parties and there are no agreements, understandings,
restrictions or warranties among the parties other than those set forth
herein provided for.
5. Further Assurance. The Fund and the Trust shall take such
further action as may be necessary or desirable and proper to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereby.
6. Governing Law. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
7. Disclaimer of Shareholder Liability. Copies of the Trust's
Declaration of Trust are on file with the Secretary of State of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this
Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and Liquidation is executed on behalf
of the Trust by officers of the Trust as officers and not individually and
that the obligations of or arising out of this Agreement are not binding
upon any of the Trustees, officers, shareholders, employees or agents of
the Trust individually but are binding only upon the assets and property
of the Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Fund and the Trust has caused this
Agreement and Plan of Reorganization and Liquidation to be executed on its
behalf by its President or a Vice President and its seal to be affixed
hereto and attested by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, all as of the
day and year first above written.
(Seal) OPPENHEIMER FUND, INC.
Attest:
- --------------------- By ---------------------------
(Name and Title) (Name and Title)
(Seal) OPPENHEIMER FUND
Attest:
- --------------------- By ---------------------------
(Name and Title) (Name and Title)
Exhibit 24(b)(10)
October 4, 1985
Oppenheimer Fund
Two Broadway
New York, New York 10004
Dear Sirs:
In connection with the public offering of shares of beneficial
interest of Oppenheimer Fund (the "Fund"), we have examined such records
and documents and have made such further investigation and examination as
we deemed necessary for the purpose of this opinion.
It is our opinion that the Fund is a business trust duly organized
and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
and that an indefinite number of shares of the Fund covered by Post-
Effective Amendment No. 86 (the "Amendment") of the Fund's Registration
Statement on Form N-1A (SEC Reg. No. 2-14586) when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the offering, as set forth in Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information forming a part of the Amendment, will
be, when such Amendment shall have become effective, legally issued, fully
paid and non-assessable by the Fund to the extent set forth in such
Amendment.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to such
Amendment and to the reference to us in such Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information. We also consent to the filing of this opinion
with the authorities administering the "Blue Sky" or securities law of any
jurisdiction in connection with the registration or qualification under
such law of the Fund's shares.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Cole & Deitz
------------------
Cole & Deitz
SERVICE PLAN AND AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
OPPENHEIMER FUND AND
OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
FOR CLASS A SHARES
SERVICE PLAN AND AGREEMENT dated the 10th day of June, 1993, by and
between OPPENHEIMER FUND (the "Fund") and OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR,
INC. (the "Distributor").
1. The Plan. This Plan is the Fund's written service plan for its Class
A Shares described in the Fund's registration statement as of the date
this Plan takes effect, contemplated by and to comply with Article III,
Section 26 of the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, pursuant to which the Fund will reimburse the
Distributor for a portion of its costs incurred in connection with the
personal service and the maintenance of shareholder accounts ("Accounts")
that hold Class A Shares (the "Shares") of such series and class of the
Fund. The Fund may be deemed to be acting as distributor of securities
of which it is the issuer, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), according to the terms of this Plan.
The Distributor is authorized under the Plan to pay "Recipients," as
hereinafter defined, for rendering services and for the maintenance of
Accounts. Such Recipients are intended to have certain rights as third-
party beneficiaries under this Plan.
2. Definitions. As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Recipient" shall mean any broker, dealer, bank or other
financial institution which: (i) has rendered services in
connection with the personal service and maintenance of Accounts;
(ii) shall furnish the Distributor (on behalf of the Fund) with
such information as the Distributor shall reasonably request to
answer such questions as may arise concerning such service; and
(iii) has been selected by the Distributor to receive payments
under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a majority of the
Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board") who are not "interested
persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or
indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in
any agreements relating to this Plan (the "Independent Trustees")
may remove any broker, dealer, bank or other institution as a
Recipient, whereupon such entity's rights as a third party
beneficiary hereof shall terminate.
(b) "Qualified Holdings" shall mean, as to any Recipient, all Shares
owned beneficially or of record by: (i) such Recipient, or (ii)
such customers, clients and/or accounts as to which such
Recipient is a fiduciary or custodian or co-fiduciary or co-
custodian (collectively, the "Customers"), but in no event shall
any such Shares be deemed owned by more than one Recipient for
purposes of this Plan. In the event that two entities would
otherwise qualify as Recipients as to the same Shares, the
Recipient which is the dealer of record on the Fund's books shall
be deemed the Recipient as to such Shares for purposes of this
Plan.
3. Payments for Distribution Assistance.
(a) Under the Plan, the Fund will make payments to the Distributor,
within forty-five (45) days of the end of each calendar quarter,
in the amount of the lesser of: (i) .0625% (.25% on an annual
basis) of the average during the calendar quarter of the
aggregate net asset value of the Shares computed as of the close
of each business day, or (ii) the Distributor's actual expenses
under the Plan for that quarter of the type approved by the
Board. The Distributor will use such fee received from the Fund
in its entirety to reimburse itself for payments to Recipients
and for its other expenditures and costs of the type approved by
the Board incurred in connection with the personal service and
maintenance of Accounts including, but not limited to, the
services described in the following paragraph. The Distributor
may make Plan payments to any "affiliated person" (as defined in
the 1940 Act) of the Distributor if such affiliated person
qualifies as a Recipient.
The services to be rendered by the Distributor and Recipients in
connection with the personal service and the maintenance of
Accounts may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
answering routine inquiries from the Recipient's customers
concerning the Fund, providing such customers with information on
their investment in shares, assisting in the establishment and
maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund, making the
Fund's investment plans and dividend payment options available,
and providing such other information and customer liaison
services and the maintenance of Accounts as the Distributor or
the Fund may reasonably request. It may be presumed that a
Recipient has provided services qualifying for compensation under
the Plan if it has Qualified Holdings of Shares to entitle it to
payments under the Plan. In the event that either the
Distributor or the Board should have reason to believe that,
notwithstanding the level of Qualified Holdings, a Recipient may
not be rendering appropriate services, then the Distributor, at
the request of the Board, shall require the Recipient to provide
a written report or other information to verify that said
Recipient is providing appropriate services in this regard. If
the Distributor still is not satisfied, it may take appropriate
steps to terminate the Recipient's status as such under the Plan,
whereupon such entity's rights as a third-party beneficiary
hereunder shall terminate.
Payments received by the Distributor from the Fund under the Plan
will not be used to pay any interest expense, carrying charge or
other financial costs, or allocation of overhead of the
Distributor, or for any other purpose other than for the payments
described in this Section 3. The amount payable to the
Distributor each quarter will be reduced to the extent that
reimbursement payments otherwise permissible under the Plan have
not been authorized by the Board of Trustees for that quarter.
Any unreimbursed expenses incurred for any quarter by the
Distributor may not be recovered in later periods.
(b) The Distributor shall make payments to any Recipient quarterly,
within forty-five (45) days of the end of each calendar quarter,
at a rate not to exceed .0625% (.25% on an annual basis) of the
average during the calendar quarter of the aggregate net asset
value of the Shares computed as of the close of each business day
of Qualified Holdings (excluding Shares acquired in
reorganizations with investment companies for which Oppenheimer
Management Corporation or an affiliate acts as investment adviser
and which have not adopted a distribution plan at the time of
reorganization with the Fund). However, no such payments shall
be made to any Recipient for any such quarter in which its
Qualified Holdings do not equal or exceed, at the end of such
quarter, the minimum amount ("Minimum Qualified Holdings"), if
any, to be set from time to time by a majority of the Independent
Trustees. A majority of the Independent Trustees may at any time
or from time to time increase or decrease and thereafter adjust
the rate of fees to be paid to the Distributor or to any
Recipient, but not to exceed the rate set forth above, and/or
increase or decrease the number of shares constituting Minimum
Qualified Holdings. The Distributor shall notify all Recipients
of the Minimum Qualified Holdings and the rate of payments
hereunder applicable to Recipients, and shall provide each such
Recipient with written notice within thirty (30) days after any
change in these provisions. Inclusion of such provisions or a
change in such provisions in a revised current prospectus shall
be sufficient notice.
(c) Under the Plan, payments may be made to Recipients: (i) by
Oppenheimer Management Corporation ("OMC") from its own resources
(which may include profits derived from the advisory fee it
receives from the Fund), or (ii) by the Distributor (a subsidiary
of OMC), from its own resources.
4. Selection and Nomination of Trustees. While this Plan is in effect,
the selection or replacement of Independent Trustees and the nomination
of those persons to be Trustees of the Fund who are not "interested
persons" of the Fund shall be committed to the discretion of the
Independent Trustees. Nothing herein shall prevent the Independent
Trustees from soliciting the views or the involvement of others in such
selection or nomination if the final decision on any such selection and
nomination is approved by a majority of the incumbent Independent
Trustees.
5. Reports. While this Plan is in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund
shall provide at least quarterly a written report to the Fund's Board for
its review, detailing the amount of all payments made pursuant to this
Plan, the identity of the Recipient of each such payment, and the purposes
for which the payments were made. The report shall state whether all
provisions of Section 3 of this Plan have been complied with. The
Distributor shall annually certify to the Board the amount of its total
expenses incurred that year with respect to the personal service and
maintenance of Accounts in conjunction with the Board's annual review of
the continuation of the Plan.
6. Related Agreements. Any agreement related to this Plan shall be in
writing and shall provide that: (i) such agreement may be terminated at
any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the
Independent Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a "majority" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding Shares of the Class,
on not more than sixty days written notice to any other party to the
agreement; (ii) such agreement shall automatically terminate in the event
of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act); (iii) it shall go into
effect when approved by a vote of the Board and its Independent Trustees
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
agreement; and (iv) it shall, unless terminated as herein provided,
continue in effect from year to year only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by the Board and its Independent
Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such continuance.
7. Effectiveness, Continuation, Termination and Amendment. This Plan has
been approved by a vote of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a
meeting called on June 10, 1993 for the purpose of voting on this Plan,
and takes effect as of July 1, 1993. Unless terminated as hereinafter
provided, it shall continue in effect until December 31, 1993 and from
year to year thereafter or as the Board may otherwise determine only so
long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the
Board and its Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such continuance. This Plan may be terminated
at any time by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by the
vote of the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the
Fund's outstanding voting securities of the Class. This Plan may not be
amended to increase materially the amount of payments to be made without
approval of the Class A Shareholders, in the manner described above, and
all material amendments must be approved by a vote of the Board and of the
Independent Trustees.
8. Shareholder and Trustee Liability Disclaimer. The Distributor
understands and agrees that the obligations of the Fund under this Plan
are not binding upon any shareholder or Trustee of the Fund personally,
but only the Fund and the Fund's property. The Distributor represents
that it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the
Fund disclaiming shareholder and Trustee liability for acts or obligations
of the Fund.
OPPENHEIMER FUND
By: /s/ Robert G. Zack
---------------------------------
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary
OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
By: /s/ Katherine P. Feld
------------------------------
Katherine P. Feld, Vice President &
Secretary
OFDI/400A
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN AND AGREEMENT
WITH
OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
FOR CLASS C SHARES OF
OPPENHEIMER FUND
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN AND AGREEMENT (the "Plan") dated the 1st day
of December, 1993, by and between OPPENHEIMER FUND (the "Fund") and
OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC. (the "Distributor").
1.The Plan. This Plan is the Fund's written distribution plan for Class
C shares of the Fund (the "Shares"), contemplated by Rule 12b-1 (the
"Rule") under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"),
pursuant to which the Fund will compensate the Distributor for a portion
of its costs incurred in connection with the distribution of Shares, and
the personal service and maintenance of shareholder accounts that hold
Shares ("Accounts"). The Fund may act as distributor of securities of
which it is the issuer, pursuant to the Rule, according to the terms of
this Plan. The Distributor is authorized under the Plan to pay
"Recipients," as hereinafter defined, for rendering (1) distribution
assistance in connection with the sale of Shares and/or (2) administrative
support services with respect to Accounts. Such Recipients are intended
to have certain rights as third-party beneficiaries under this Plan. The
terms and provisions of this Plan shall be interpreted and defined in a
manner consistent with the provisions and definitions contained in (i) the
1940 Act, (ii) the Rule, (iii) Article III, Section 26, of the Rules of
Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or
its successor (the "NASD Rules of Fair Practice") and (iv) any conditions
pertaining either to distribution related expenses or to a plan of
distribution, to which the Fund is subject under any order on which the
Fund relies, issued at any time by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.Definitions. As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a)"Recipient" shall mean any broker, dealer, bank or other
institution which: (i) has rendered assistance (whether direct,
administrative or both) in the distribution of Shares or has provided
administrative support services with respect to Shares held by
Customers (defined below) of the Recipient; (ii) shall furnish the
Distributor (on behalf of the Fund) with such information as the
Distributor shall reasonably request to answer such questions as may
arise concerning the sale of Shares; and (iii) has been selected by
the Distributor to receive payments under the Plan. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, a majority of the Fund's Board of Trustees (the
"Board") who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation
of this Plan or in any agreements relating to this Plan (the
"Independent Trustees") may remove any broker, dealer, bank or other
institution as a Recipient, whereupon such entity's rights as a third-
party beneficiary hereof shall terminate.
(b)"Qualified Holdings" shall mean, as to any Recipient, all Shares
owned beneficially or of record by: (i) such Recipient, or (ii) such
customers, clients and/or accounts as to which such Recipient is a
fiduciary or custodian or co-fiduciary or co-custodian (collectively,
the "Customers"), but in no event shall any such Shares be deemed
owned by more than one Recipient for purposes of this Plan. In the
event that two entities would otherwise qualify as Recipients as to
the same Shares, the Recipient which is the dealer of record on the
Fund's books shall be deemed the Recipient as to such Shares for
purposes of this Plan.
3.Payments for Distribution Assistance and Administrative Support
Services.
(a)The Fund will make payments to the Distributor, within forty-five
(45) days of the end of each calendar quarter, in the aggregate amount
(i) of 0.0625% (0.25% on an annual basis) of the average during the
calendar quarter of the aggregate net asset value of the Shares
computed as of the close of each business day (the "Service Fee"),
plus (ii) 0.1875% (0.75% on an annual basis) of the average during the
calendar quarter of the aggregate net asset value of the Shares
computed as of the close of each business day (the "Asset Based Sales
Charge"). Such Service Fee payments received from the Fund will
compensate the Distributor and Recipients for providing administrative
support services of the type approved by the Board with respect to
Accounts. Such Asset Based Sales Charge payments received from the
Fund will compensate the Distributor and Recipients for providing
distribution assistance in connection with the sale of Shares.
The administrative support services in connection with the
Accounts to be rendered by Recipients may include, but shall not be
limited to, the following: answering routine inquiries concerning the
Fund, assisting in establishing and maintaining accounts or sub-
accounts in the Fund and processing Share redemption transactions,
making the Fund's investment plans and dividend payment options
available, and providing such other information and services in
connection with the rendering of personal services and/or the
maintenance of Accounts, as the Distributor or the Fund may reasonably
request. The distribution assistance in connection with the sale of
Shares to be rendered by Recipients may include, but shall not be
limited to, the following: distributing sales literature and
prospectuses other than those furnished to current holders of the
Fund's Shares ("Shareholders"), and providing such other information
and services in connection with the distribution of Shares as the
Distributor or the Fund may reasonably request. It may be presumed
that a Recipient has provided distribution assistance or
administrative support services qualifying for payment under the Plan
if it has Qualified Holdings of Shares to entitle it to payments under
the Plan. In the event that either the Distributor or the Board
should have reason to believe that, notwithstanding the level of
Qualified Holdings, a Recipient may not be rendering appropriate
distribution assistance in connection with the sale of Shares or
administrative support services for the Accounts, then the
Distributor, at the request of the Board, shall require the Recipient
to provide a written report or other information to verify that said
Recipient is providing appropriate distribution assistance and/or
services in this regard. If the Distributor still is not satisfied,
it may take appropriate steps to terminate the Recipient's status as
such under the Plan, whereupon such entity's rights as a third-party
beneficiary hereunder shall terminate.
(b) The Distributor shall make service fee payments to any Recipient
quarterly, within forty-five (45) days of the end of each calendar
quarter, at a rate not to exceed 0.0625% (0.25% on an annual basis)
of the average during the calendar quarter of the aggregate net asset
value of Shares, computed as of the close of each business day
constituting Qualified Holdings owned beneficially or of record by the
Recipient or by its Customers for a period of more than the minimum
period (the "Minimum Holding Period"), if any, to be set from time to
time by a majority of the Independent Trustees. Alternatively, the
Distributor may, at its sole option, make service fee payments
("Advance Service Fee Payments") to any Recipient quarterly, within
forty-five (45) days of the end of each calendar quarter, at a rate
not to exceed (i) 0.25% of the average during the calendar quarter of
the aggregate net asset value of Shares computed as of the close of
business on the day such Shares are sold, constituting Qualified
Holdings sold by the Recipient during that quarter and owned
beneficially or of record by the Recipient or by its Customers, plus
(ii) 0.0625% (0.25% on an annual basis) of the average during the
calendar quarter of the aggregate net asset value of Shares computed
as of the close of each business day, constituting Qualified Holdings
owned beneficially or of record by the Recipient or by its Customers
for a period of more than one (1) year, subject to reduction or
chargeback so that the Advance Service Fee Payments do not exceed the
limits on payments to Recipients that are, or may be, imposed by
Article III, Section 26, of the NASD Rules of Fair Practice. The
Advance Service Fee Payments described in part (i) of the preceding
sentence may, at the Distributor's sole option, be made more often
than quarterly, and sooner than the end of the calendar quarter. In
addition, the Distributor shall make asset-based sales charge payments
to any Recipient quarterly, within forty-five (45) days of the end of
each calendar quarter, at a rate not to exceed 0.1875% (0.75% on an
annual basis) of the average during the calendar quarter of the
aggregate net asset value of Shares computed as of the close of each
business day constituting Qualified Holdings owned beneficially or of
record by the Recipient or its Customers for a period of more than one
(1) year. However, no such service fee or asset-based sales charge
payments (collectively, the "Recipient Payments") shall be made to any
Recipient for any such quarter in which its Qualified Holdings do not
equal or exceed, at the end of such quarter, the minimum amount
("Minimum Qualified Holdings"), if any, to be set from time to time
by a majority of the Independent Trustees. A majority of the
Independent Trustees may at any time or from time to time decrease and
thereafter adjust the rate of fees to be paid to the Distributor or
to any Recipient, but not to exceed the rates set forth above, and/or
direct the Distributor to increase or decrease the Minimum Holding
Period or the Minimum Qualified Holdings. The Distributor shall
notify all Recipients of the Minimum Qualified Holdings or Minimum
Holding Period, if any, and the rates of Recipient Payments hereunder
applicable to Recipients, and shall provide each Recipient with
written notice within thirty (30) days after any change in these
provisions. Inclusion of such provisions or a change in such
provisions in a revised current prospectus shall constitute sufficient
notice. The Distributor may make Plan payments to any "affiliated
person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Distributor if such
affiliated person qualifies as a Recipient.
(c)The Distributor is entitled to retain from the payments described
in Section 3(a) the aggregate amount of (i) the Service Fee on Shares
outstanding for less than the Minimum Holding Period, (ii) the Asset-
Based Sales Charge on Shares outstanding for not more than one (1)
year, plus (iii) any additional Asset-Based Sales Charge payment which
no Recipient qualifies to receive, in each case computed as of the
close of each business day during that period and subject to reduction
or elimination of such amounts under the limits to which the
Distributor is, or may become, subject under Article III, Section 26,
of the NASD Rules of Fair Practice. Such amount is collectively
referred to as the "Quarterly Limitation." The distribution
assistance and administrative support services in connection with the
sale of Shares to be rendered by the Distributor may include, but
shall not be limited to, the following: (i) paying sales commissions
to any broker, dealer, bank or other institution that sell Shares,
and\or paying such persons Advance Service Fee Payments in advance of,
and\or greater than, the amount provided for in Section 3(a) of this
Agreement; (ii) paying compensation to and expenses of personnel of
the Distributor who support distribution of Shares by Recipients;
(iii) paying of or reimbursing the Distributor for interest and other
borrowing costs on unreimbursed Carry Forward Expenses (as hereafter
defined) at the rate paid by the Distributor or, if such amounts are
financed by the Distributor from its own resources or by an affiliate,
at the rate of 1% per annum above the prime rate (which shall mean the
most preferential interest rate on corporate loans at large U.S. money
center commercial banks) then being reported in the Eastern edition
of the Wall Street Journal (or if such prime rate is no longer so
reported, such other rate as may be designated from time to time by
the Distributor with the approval of the Independent Trustees); (iv)
other direct distribution costs of the type approved by the Board,
including without limitation the costs of sales literature,
advertising and prospectuses (other than those furnished to current
Shareholders) and state "blue sky" registration expenses; and (v) any
service rendered by the Distributor that a Recipient may render
pursuant to part (a) of this Section 3. The Distributor's costs of
providing the above-mentioned services are hereinafter collectively
referred to as "Distribution and Service Costs." "Carry Forward
Expenses" are Distribution and Service Costs that are not paid in the
fiscal quarter in which they arise because they exceed the Quarterly
Limitation. In the event that the Board should have reason to believe
that the Distributor may not be rendering appropriate distribution
assistance or administrative support services in connection with the
sale of Shares, then the Distributor, at the request of the Board,
shall provide the Board with a written report or other information to
verify that the Distributor is providing appropriate services in this
regard.
(d)The excess in any fiscal quarter of (i) the Quarterly Limitation
plus any contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") payments recovered
by the Distributor on the proceeds of redemption of Shares over (ii)
Distribution and Service Costs during that quarter, shall be applied
in the following order of priority: first to interest on unreimbursed
Carry Forward Expenses, second to reduce any unreimbursed Carry
Forward Expenses, third to reduce Distribution and Service Costs
during that quarter, and fourth, to reduce the Asset Based Sales
Charge payments by the Fund to the Distributor in that quarter. Carry
Forward Expenses shall be carried forward by the Fund until payment
can be made under the Quarterly Limitation.
(e)Under the Plan, payments may be made to Recipients: (i) by
Oppenheimer Management Corporation ("OMC") from its own resources
(which may include profits derived from the advisory fee it receives
from the Fund), or (ii) by the Distributor (a subsidiary of OMC), from
its own resources, from Asset Based Sales Charge payments or from its
borrowings.
4.Selection and Nomination of Trustees. While this Plan is in effect,
the selection and nomination of those persons to be Trustees of the Fund
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund ("Disinterested Trustees")
shall be committed to the discretion of such Disinterested Trustees.
Nothing herein shall prevent the Disinterested Trustees from soliciting
the views or the involvement of others in such selection or nomination if
the final decision on any such selection and nomination is approved by a
majority of the incumbent Disinterested Trustees.
5.Reports. While this Plan is in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund
shall provide at least quarterly a written report to the Fund's Board for
its review, detailing distribution expenditures properly attributable to
the Shares, including the amount of all payments made pursuant to this
Plan, the identity of the Recipient of each such payment, the amount paid
to the Distributor and the Distribution and Service Costs and Carry
Forward Expenses for that period. The report shall state whether all
provisions of Section 3 of this Plan have been complied with. The
Distributor shall annually certify to the Board the amount of its total
expenses incurred that year and its total expenses incurred in prior years
and not previously recovered with respect to the distribution of Shares
in conjunction with the Board's annual review of the continuation of the
Plan.
6.Related Agreements. Any agreement related to this Plan shall be in
writing and shall provide that: (i) such agreement may be terminated at
any time, without payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the
Independent Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a "majority" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting securities of
the Class, on not more than sixty days written notice to any other party
to the agreement; (ii) such agreement shall automatically terminate in the
event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); (iii) it shall go
into effect when approved by a vote of the Board and its Independent
Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such agreement; and (iv) it shall, unless terminated as herein provided,
continue in effect from year to year only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the Board and its
Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on such continuance.
7.Effectiveness, Continuation, Termination and Amendment. This Plan has
been approved by a vote of the Board and its Independent Trustees cast in
person at a meeting called on October 6, 1993 for the purpose of voting
on this Plan, and takes effect as of the date first set forth above.
Unless terminated as hereinafter provided, it shall continue in effect
from year to year from the date first set forth above or as the Board may
otherwise determine only so long as such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by a vote of the Board and its Independent
Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such continuance. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the
amount of payments to be made without approval of the Class C
Shareholders, in the manner described above, and all material amendments
must be approved by a vote of the Board and of the Independent Trustees.
This Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the
Independent Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting securities of
the Class. In the event of such termination, the Board and its
Independent Trustees shall determine whether the Distributor is entitled
to payment from the Fund of all Carry Forward Expenses and related costs
properly incurred in respect of Shares sold prior to the effective date
of such termination, and whether the Fund shall continue to make payment
to the Distributor in the amount the Distributor is entitled to retain
under part (c) of Section 3 hereof, until such time as the Distributor has
been reimbursed for all such amounts by the Fund and by retaining CDSC
payments.
8.Disclaimer of Shareholder and Trustee Liability. The Distributor
understands that the obligations of the Fund under this Plan are not
binding upon any Trustee or shareholder of the Fund personally, but bind
only the Fund and the Fund's property. The Distributor represents that
it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund
disclaiming shareholder and Trustee liability for acts or obligations of
the Fund.
OPPENHEIMER FUND
By: /s/ Robert G. Zack
--------------------------
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary
OPPENHEIMER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
By: /s/ Katherine P. Feld
---------------------------
Katherine P. Feld, Vice President and Secretary
