VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
485BPOS, 1997-05-19
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<PAGE>
   
      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MAY 22, 1997
    
 
                                                             FILE NO. 33-01575
                                                             FILE NO. 811-4471
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
                              Washington, DC 20549
 
                                 -------------
 
                                   FORM N-1A
 
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933          /X/
 
                          Pre-Effective Amendment No.                        / /
 
   
                        Post-Effective Amendment No. 12                      /X/
    
 
                                      and
 
                        REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
                         INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940                      /X/
   
                                Amendment No. 12                             /X/
    
                                 -------------
 
                       VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
 
               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)
 
                              220 East 42nd Street
                               New York, New York          10017-5891
                    (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)      (ZIP CODE)
 
       Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 907-1500
 
                               David T. Henigson
                                Value Line, Inc.
                              220 East 42nd Street
                         New York, New York 10017-5891
                    (NAME AND ADDRESS OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                                    Copy to:
                              Peter D. Lowenstein
                         Two Greenwich Plaza, Suite 100
                              Greenwich, CT 06830
 
        It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check
        appropriate box)
 
        / / immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
 
   
        /X/ on June 1, 1997 pursuant to paragraph (b)
    
 
        / / 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)
 
        / / on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a) of rule 485
 
                                 --------------
 
   
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 24 f-2(a)(1) UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT
OF  1940, REGISTRANT HAS REGISTERED AN INDEFINITE NUMBER OF SHARES OF BENEFICIAL
INTEREST UNDER THE  SECURITIES ACT  OF 1933. REGISTRANT  FILED ITS  RULE 24  f-2
NOTICE FOR THE YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31, 1997 ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 28, 1997.
    
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                       VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
                                   FORM N-1A
                             CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
                           (AS REQUIRED BY RULE 495)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
N-1A ITEM NO.                                                                            LOCATION
- ----------------                                                          ---------------------------------------
<S>               <C>                                                     <C>
PART A (PROSPECTUS)
    Item  1.      Cover Page............................................  Cover Page
    Item  2.      Synopsis..............................................  Omitted
    Item  3.      Condensed Financial Information.......................  Summary of Fund Expenses; Financial
                                                                            Highlights
    Item  4.      General Description of Registrant.....................  Cover Page; Investment Objective and
                                                                            Policies; Investment Restrictions;
                                                                            Additional Information
    Item  5.      Management of the Fund................................  Summary of Fund Expenses; Management of
                                                                            the Fund; Additional Information
    Item  6.      Capital Stock and Other Securities....................  Dividends, Distributions and Taxes;
                                                                            Additional Information
    Item  7.      Purchase of Securities Being Offered..................  How to Buy Shares; Calculation of Net
                                                                            Asset Value; Investor Services
    Item  8.      Redemption or Repurchase of Securities................  How to Redeem Shares
    Item  9.      Pending Legal Proceedings.............................  Not Applicable
 
PART B (STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
    Item 10.      Cover Page............................................  Cover Page
    Item 11.      Table of Contents.....................................  Table of Contents
    Item 12.      General Information and History.......................  Additional Information (Part A)
    Item 13.      Investment Objectives and Policies....................  Investment Objective and Policies;
                                                                            Investment Restrictions
    Item 14.      Management of the Fund................................  Trustees and Officers
    Item 15.      Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities...  Additional Information (Part A);
                                                                            Trustees and Officers
    Item 16.      Investment Advisory and Other Services................  Additional Information (Part A); The
                                                                            Adviser
    Item 17.      Brokerage Allocation..................................  Additional Information (Part A);
                                                                            Brokerage Arrangements
    Item 18.      Capital Stock and Other Securities....................  Additional Information (Part A)
    Item 19.      Purchase,  Redemption and Pricing  of Securities Being
                    Offered.............................................  How to Buy Shares; Suspension of
                                                                            Redemptions; Calculation of Net Asset
                                                                            Value (Part A)
    Item 20.      Tax Status............................................  Taxes
    Item 21.      Underwriters..........................................  Not Applicable
    Item 22.      Calculation of Performance Data.......................  Performance Information (Part A);
                                                                            Performance Data
    Item 23.      Financial Statements..................................  Financial Statements
</TABLE>
 
PART C
    Information required  to  be included  in  Part C  is  set forth  under  the
appropriate Item, so numbered, in Part C to this Registration Statement.
<PAGE>
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
VALUE LINE                            PROSPECTUS
AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST              June 1, 1997
</TABLE>
    
 
220 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017-5891
1-800-223-0818 or 1-800-243-2729
 
              Value Line Aggressive Income Trust (the "Fund") is a
              no-load    investment   company   whose   investment
              objective is  to  maximize current  income.  Capital
              appreciation  is  a secondary  objective  which will
              only be  sought  when  consistent  with  the  Fund's
              primary objective.
 
              THE   FUND   INVESTS   PRIMARILY   IN   LOWER-RATED,
              FIXED-INCOME CORPORATE  SECURITIES  (ALSO  KNOWN  AS
              "JUNK BONDS") ISSUED BY COMPANIES THAT ARE RATED B++
              OR LOWER FOR RELATIVE FINANCIAL STRENGTH IN STANDARD
              OR  EXPANDED  EDITION OF  THE VALUE  LINE INVESTMENT
              SURVEY.  THE   FUND  WILL   NOT  NORMALLY   PURCHASE
              SECURITIES  ISSUED BY COMPANIES RATED C. LOWER-RATED
              SECURITIES HAVE CERTAIN SPECULATIVE  CHARACTERISTICS
              AND  INVOLVE GREATER INVESTMENT  RISK, INCLUDING THE
              RISK OF  DEFAULT, THAN  HIGH-RATED SECURITIES.  SUCH
              SECURITIES   MAY  BE   SUBJECT  TO   GREATER  MARKET
              FLUCTUATIONS  AND  RISKS  OF  LOSS  OF  INCOME   AND
              PRINCIPAL   THAN   LOWER   YIELDING,   HIGHER  RATED
              FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. INVESTORS SHOULD  CAREFULLY
              CONSIDER   THESE  RISKS  PRIOR   TO  INVESTING.  SEE
              "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES."
 
              The Fund's investment  adviser is  Value Line,  Inc.
              (the "Adviser").
 
              Shares  of the Fund are  offered at net asset value.
              There are no sales charges or redemption fees.
 
   
    This Prospectus sets  forth concise  information about the  Fund that  a
    prospective  investor ought  to know  before investing.  This Prospectus
    should be retained  for future reference.  Additional information  about
    the  Fund is contained  in a Statement  of Additional Information, dated
    June 1, 1997,  which has  been filed  with the  Securities and  Exchange
    Commission and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. A copy
    of  the Statement of Additional Information may be obtained at no charge
    by writing or telephoning the Fund  at the address or telephone  numbers
    listed above.
    
 
                                  DISTRIBUTOR
                          Value Line Securities, Inc.
                              220 East 42nd Street
                            New York, NY 10017-5891
 
  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>
SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                             <C>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
  Sales Load on Purchases.....................................................       None
  Sales Load on Reinvested Dividends..........................................       None
  Deferred Sales Load.........................................................       None
  Redemption Fees.............................................................       None
  Exchange Fee................................................................       None
 
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE NET ASSETS)
  Management Fees.............................................................       .75%
  12b-1 Fees..................................................................       None
  Other Expenses..............................................................       .35%
  Total Fund Operating Expenses...............................................      1.10%
</TABLE>
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE                                                1 YEAR       3 YEARS      5 YEARS     10 YEARS
                                                     -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
<S>                                                  <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
You  would pay  the following expenses  on a $1,000
  investment, assuming (1) 5% annual return and (2)
  redemption at the end of each time period:.......   $      11    $      35    $      61    $     134
</TABLE>
    
 
   
    The foregoing is  based upon  the expenses for  the year  ended January  31,
1997, and is designed to assist investors in understanding the various costs and
expenses  that an investor in the Fund  will bear directly or indirectly. Actual
expenses in the future may be greater or less than these shown.
    
 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(FOR A SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD)
 
   
    The following information on selected per share data and ratios, insofar  as
it  pertains to each of the five years in the period ended January 31, 1997, has
been audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, whose unqualified
report thereon appears  in the  Fund's Annual  Report to  Shareholders which  is
incorporated  by  reference in  the  Statement of  Additional  Information. This
information should  be read  in conjunction  with the  financial statements  and
notes thereto which appear in the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders available
from the Fund without change.
    
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31,
                            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              1997       1996       1995        1994       1993       1992       1991        1990        1989
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
<S>                         <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>
Net asset value,
 beginning of year.......     $7.64      $6.80       $8.00      $7.35      $7.18      $6.27       $7.10       $8.00      $8.28
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
  INCOME FROM INVESTMENT
   OPERATIONS:
    Net investment
     income..............       .75        .69         .68        .67        .67        .74         .77         .88        .95
    Net gains or losses
     on securities (both
     realized and
     unrealized).........       .57        .85       (1.20 )      .65        .17        .91        (.83 )      (.91 )     (.27)
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
      Total from
       investment
       operations........      1.32       1.54        (.52 )     1.32        .84       1.65        (.06 )      (.03 )      .68
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
  LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:
    Dividends from net
     investment income...      (.75 )     (.70 )      (.68 )     (.67 )     (.67 )     (.74 )      (.77 )      (.87 )     (.96)
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
  Change in net asset
   value.................       .57        .84       (1.20 )      .65        .17        .91        (.83 )      (.90 )     (.28)
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
Net asset value, end of
 year....................     $8.21      $7.64       $6.80      $8.00      $7.35      $7.18       $6.27       $7.10      $8.00
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
Total return.............     18.12 %    23.79 %     (6.66 %)   18.74 %    12.30 %    27.45 %      (.73 %)     (.55 %)    8.50%
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
                            --------   --------   ---------   --------   --------   --------   ---------   ---------   --------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of year
 (in thousands)..........   $83,765    $41,776    $ 29,760    $46,223    $33,527    $31,404    $ 23,396    $ 29,157    $45,943
Ratio of expenses to
 average net assets......      1.10 %     1.22 %      1.27 %     1.20 %     1.15 %     1.18 %      1.43 %      1.30 %     1.14%
Ratio of net investment
 income to average net
 assets..................      9.70 %     9.67 %      9.23 %     8.84 %     9.40 %    10.74 %     11.74 %     11.46 %    11.61%
Portfolio turnover
 rate....................       276 %      284 %       221 %      320 %      148 %       59 %        36 %       129 %      .95%
 
<CAPTION>
 
                             1988
                           ---------
<S>                         <C>
Net asset value,
 beginning of year.......     $9.90
                           ---------
  INCOME FROM INVESTMENT
   OPERATIONS:
    Net investment
     income..............      1.15
    Net gains or losses
     on securities (both
     realized and
     unrealized).........     (1.62 )
                           ---------
      Total from
       investment
       operations........      (.47 )
                           ---------
  LESS DISTRIBUTIONS:
    Dividends from net
     investment income...     (1.15 )
                           ---------
  Change in net asset
   value.................     (1.62 )
                           ---------
Net asset value, end of
 year....................     $8.28
                           ---------
                           ---------
Total return.............     (5.33 %)
                           ---------
                           ---------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of year
 (in thousands)..........  $ 54,213
Ratio of expenses to
 average net assets......      1.22 %
Ratio of net investment
 income to average net
 assets..................     12.29 %
Portfolio turnover
 rate....................       134 %
</TABLE>
    
 
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
 
    The  investment objective of the Fund is to maximize current income. Capital
appreciation is a secondary objective but  only when consistent with the  Fund's
primary  objective.  Capital  appreciation  may  result,  for  example,  from an
improvement in the credit standing of an issuer whose securities are held in the
Fund's portfolio or from a general lowering of interest rates, or a  combination
of  both.  Conversely,  capital depreciation  may  result, for  example,  from a
lowered credit standing or a general rise in interest rates, or a combination of
both. The  Fund's investment  objective cannot  be changed  without  shareholder
approval. There can be no assurance that the Fund's investment objective will be
achieved as there are risks in all investments.
 
BASIC INVESTMENT STRATEGY
 
    In  seeking its primary  objective, the Fund  will, under normal conditions,
invest at least 80% of its  net assets in high-yielding, fixed-income  corporate
securities  (i) issued  by companies  that are rated  B++ or  lower for relative
financial strength in either the Standard or Expanded Editions of The Value Line
Investment Survey, or (ii) issued by  companies not followed by either  editions
of  The Value Line Investment Survey if  the Adviser believes that the financial
condition of the issuers  of such securities or  the protection afforded by  the
terms  of  the securities  themselves limit  the risk  to the  Fund to  a degree
comparable to  that  of securities  issued  by  companies with  the  Value  Line
financial   strength   ratings.   The   foregoing   may   include   "convertible
securities"--that is, bonds,  debentures, corporate notes,  preferred stocks  or
other  securities which  are convertible into  common stock. The  balance of the
Fund's portfolio may  include U.S.  government securities,  warrants, or  common
shares  when consistent with the Fund's primary objective or acquired as part of
a unit combining fixed-income and equity securities. Common shares received upon
conversion or exercise of warrants and securities remaining upon the breakup  of
units or detachments of warrants may also be retained in the Fund's portfolio to
permit orderly disposition or to establish long-term holding periods for federal
income tax purposes. The Fund is not required to sell securities for the purpose
of assuring that 80%
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
of  its assets are invested in  high-yielding, fixed-income securities. The Fund
may also lend its portfolio securities, enter into repurchase agreements,  write
covered  call options, purchase "when-issued" securities, and enter into futures
contracts.
 
    In selecting  securities  for  purchase  or  sale,  the  Adviser  will  give
consideration  to the ratings  for relative financial  strength contained in the
Standard and  Expanded Editions  of The  Value Line  Investment Survey  for  the
approximately  3,500 companies followed therein. These ratings range from A++ to
C in nine categories,  each with about an  equal number of companies.  Companies
that  have the best financial strength (relative to the other companies followed
in The Value Line  Investment Survey) are given  an "A++" rating, indicating  an
ability  to weather hard times better than the vast majority of other companies.
Those that don't quite merit the top rating are given an "A+" grade, and so  on.
Those  rated "C+" are well below average, and "C" is reserved for companies with
very serious financial problems. These ratings are based upon computer  analysis
of a number of key variables that measure financial leverage, business risk, and
company  size. The ratings in the Standard  Edition of The Value Line Investment
Survey also reflect  the judgment  of the Adviser's  analysts regarding  factors
that  cannot  be  quantified  across-the-board for  all  companies.  The primary
variables that are indexed and studied  include equity coverage of debt,  equity
coverage  of  intangibles,  "quick ratio,"  accounting  methods,  variability of
return, fixed charge  coverage, and  company size.  For a  description of  these
ratings, see page 17.
 
   
    Although the Fund invests principally in securities issued by companies that
are  rated B++, or lower (or companies  not covered by The Value Line Investment
Survey but which,  in the opinion  of the Adviser,  are of comparable  financial
condition),  the Fund may purchase securities  issued by companies rated C when,
in the  Adviser's  opinion, special  circumstances  suggest that  the  financial
condition  of  the individual  security  is stronger  than  that of  the company
issuing the security or the investment merits of the security are stronger  than
implied  by the company's financial  strength rating. As of  April 30, 1997, the
percentage of the  Fund's net  assets invested in  each rating  category was  as
follows:  Repurchase agreements = 14.5%;  B+ = 5.8%; B =  44.2%; C++ = 1.2%; and
nonrated = 34.3%.  In the Adviser's  opinion the average  credit quality of  the
Fund's nonrated securities was equivalent to a C++.
    
 
    INVESTMENT  RISKS  OF HIGH  YIELDING SECURITIES.    High yields  are usually
available on  securities  that  are  lower rated,  that  is,  on  securities  of
companies that the Adviser rates B++ or lower for financial strength (generally,
companies  that are among the bottom half of the companies followed by The Value
Line Investment  Survey),  or  on  securities  of  companies  that  the  Adviser
considers  to  be  of  equivalent  creditworthiness.  High-yielding, lower-rated
securities, also known as junk  bonds, have certain speculative  characteristics
and  involve greater  investment risk, including  the possibility  of default or
bankruptcy, than is the case with high-rated securities.
 
    Since investors generally perceive that  there are greater risks  associated
with  the lower-rated securities of  the type in which  the Fund may invest, the
yields and prices of such securities may  tend to fluctuate more than those  for
higher-rated  securities.  In the  lower  quality segments  of  the fixed-income
securities market, changes in perceptions  of issuers' creditworthiness tend  to
occur  more frequently and in a more pronounced manner than do changes in higher
quality segments of  the fixed-income  securities market,  resulting in  greater
yield and price volatility.
 
    Another  factor  which causes  fluctuations  in the  prices  of fixed-income
securities is the supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition,
though prices of fixed-income securities
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
fluctuate in response to the general level of interest rates the prices of  high
yield  bonds have been found to be  less sensitive to interest rate changes than
higher-rated instruments,  but more  sensitive to  adverse economic  changes  or
individual  corporate developments. An economic downturn or increase in interest
rates is likely to have a negative effect  on the high yield bond market and  on
the  value of the  high yield bonds in  the Fund's portfolio, as  well as on the
ability of the bond's issuers to repay principal and interest.
 
    Fluctuations in  the  prices of  portfolio  securities subsequent  to  their
acquisition  will  not  affect cash  income  from  such securities  but  will be
reflected in the Fund's  net asset value.  Lower-rated and comparable  non-rated
securities  tend to  offer higher yields  than higher-rated  securities with the
same maturities because the  historical financial conditions  of the issuers  of
such  securities may  not have been  as strong  as that of  other issuers. Since
lower-rated securities generally  involve greater  risks of loss  of income  and
principal  than higher-rated securities, investors should consider carefully the
relative risks  associated  with investments  in  securities which  carry  lower
ratings and in comparable non-rated securities.
 
    An  additional risk  of high yield  securities is the  limited liquidity and
secondary market  support  and thus  the  absence of  readily  available  market
quotations.  As a result, the responsibility of the Fund's Trustees to value the
securities becomes more difficult and judgment plays a greater role in valuation
because there is less reliable, objective data available.
 
    Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high yield bonds
structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities. The Fund accrues income  on
these  securities prior to  the receipt of  cash payments. However,  a fund must
distribute substantially all of  its income to its  shareholders to qualify  for
pass-through  treatment under the tax law. Therefore, a fund may have to dispose
of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash
to satisfy distribution requirements.
 
    When  changing  economic  conditions  and  other  factors  cause  the  yield
difference  between lower-rated and higher-rated  securities to narrow, the Fund
may purchase higher-rated securities which provide similar yields but have  less
risk.  In addition, under  unusual market or economic  conditions, the Fund may,
for defensive purposes, invest up to 100% of its assets in securities issued  or
guaranteed  by  the  U.S.  government  or  its  instrumentalities  or  agencies,
certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and other bank obligations, highly
rated commercial paper or other fixed-income securities deemed by the Adviser to
be consistent with  a defensive posture,  or may  hold its assets  in cash.  The
yield on such securities may be lower than the yield on lower-rated fixed-income
securities.
 
MISCELLANEOUS INVESTMENT PRACTICES
 
    REPURCHASE  AGREEMENTS.   The  Fund may  invest  temporary cash  balances in
repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement  involves a sale of securities  to
the  Fund, with  the concurrent agreement  of the  seller (a member  bank of the
Federal Reserve System or a securities  dealer which the Adviser believes to  be
financially sound) to repurchase the securities at the same price plus an amount
equal  to an  agreed-upon interest rate,  within a specified  time, usually less
than one week, but,  on occasion, at a  later time. The Fund  will pay for  such
securities only upon physical delivery or evidence of book-entry transfer to the
account  of the  custodian or a  bank acting  as agent for  the Fund. Repurchase
agreements may also be viewed as loans made by the Fund which are collateralized
by the securities subject to repurchase. The value of the underlying  securities
will be at least
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
equal  at all times to the total  amount of the repurchase obligation, including
the interest factor. In the event of  a bankruptcy or other default of a  seller
of  a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating
the underlying security and losses, including: (a) possible decline in the value
of the underlying security during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its
rights thereto; (b) possible  subnormal levels of income  and lack of access  to
income  during  this  period; and  (c)  expenses  of enforcing  its  rights. The
Trustees monitor the creditworthiness of parties with which the Fund enters into
repurchase agreements.
 
    LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES.  The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to
broker-dealers or institutional investors if, as a result thereof, the aggregate
value of all securities loaned  does not exceed 33 1/3%  of the total assets  of
the  Fund.  The loans  will  be made  in  conformity with  applicable regulatory
policies and  will be  100% collateralized  by cash,  cash equivalents  or  U.S.
Treasury  bills on a daily basis  in an amount equal to  the market value of the
securities loaned and interest  earned. The Fund retains  the right to call  the
loaned  securities upon notice  and intends to call  loaned voting securities in
anticipation of any important or material matter to be voted on by stockholders.
While there may be delays in recovery  or even loss of rights in the  collateral
should  the borrower  fail financially,  the loans  will be  made only  to firms
deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the
judgment of the Adviser, the consideration  which can be earned from such  loans
justifies  the risk.  The Fund may  pay reasonable  custodian and administrative
fees in connection with the loans.
 
    COVERED CALL  OPTIONS.   The Fund  may  write covered  call options  on  its
portfolio securities in an attempt to earn additional income on its portfolio or
to  partially offset an  expected decline in  the price of  a security. When the
Fund writes a  covered call option,  it gives  the purchaser of  the option  the
right  to buy the underlying security at  the price specified in the option (the
"exercise price") at any  time during the option  period. If the option  expires
unexercised,  the Fund will realize  a short-term capital gain  to the extent of
the amount received for the option (the "premium"). If the option is  exercised,
a decision over which the Fund has no control, the Fund must sell the underlying
security  to  the option  holder at  the  exercise price.  By writing  a covered
option, the Fund foregoes, in exchange for the premium less the commission ("net
premium"), the opportunity to profit during  the option period from an  increase
in  the market value  of the underlying  security above the  exercise price. The
Fund will not write call options in an aggregate amount greater than 25% of  its
net  assets and  will only  write call  options which  are traded  on a national
securities exchange.
 
    The Fund will purchase call  options only to close  out a position. When  an
option  is written on securities in the Fund's portfolio and it appears that the
purchaser of  that option  is likely  to exercise  the option  and purchase  the
underlying  security, it may be considered  appropriate to avoid liquidating the
Fund's position, or the Fund may wish to extinguish a call option sold by it  so
as  to be free to  sell the underlying security. In  such instances the Fund may
purchase a call option  on the same  security with the  same exercise price  and
expiration  date which had  been previously written. Such  a purchase would have
the effect  of closing  out the  option which  the Fund  has written.  The  Fund
realizes  a gain if the amount paid to purchase the call option is less than the
premium received for writing a similar option  and a loss if the amount paid  to
purchase  a  call option  is greater  than  the premium  received for  writing a
similar option. Generally,  the Fund realizes  a short-term loss  if the  amount
paid  to purchase the  call option with respect  to a stock  is greater than the
premium received  for  writing  the  option.  If  the  underlying  security  has
substantially  risen in value, it may be  difficult or expensive to purchase the
call option for the closing transaction.
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
    WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES.  The Fund may from time to time purchase  securities
on  a "when-issued" basis. The price of  such securities, which may be expressed
in yield terms, is  fixed at the  time the commitment to  purchase is made,  but
delivery  and payment for the when-issued securities take place at a later date.
Normally, the settlement date  occurs within one month  of the purchase.  During
the  period between purchase and  settlement, no payment is  made by the Fund to
the issuer and no  interest accrues to the  Fund. Forward commitments involve  a
risk  of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the
settlement date, which risk is  in addition to the risk  of decline in value  of
the  Fund's other assets. While when-issued securities  may be sold prior to the
settlement date, the Fund intends to  purchase such securities with the  purpose
of  actually  acquiring  them unless  a  sale appears  desirable  for investment
reasons. At the time the Fund makes  the commitment to purchase a security on  a
when-issued  basis, it will record the transaction  and reflect the value of the
security in determining its net asset value. The Fund does not believe that  its
net  asset  value  or income  will  be  adversely affected  by  its  purchase of
securities on a when-issued basis. The Fund will maintain cash and  high-quality
marketable  securities equal in value  to commitments for when-issued securities
in a segregated account.  Such segregated securities either  will mature or,  if
necessary, be sold on or before the settlement date.
 
    SHORT  SALES.  The Fund may from time to time make short sales of securities
or maintain a short position, provided that  at all times when a short  position
is  open  the  Fund  owns  an equal  amount  of  such  securities  or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for an equivalent amount of such securities. No
more than 10% of the value of the  Fund's net assets taken at market may at  any
one  time be held as  collateral for such sales. It  is the present intention of
management to make such sales only  for the purpose of deferring realization  of
gain or loss for federal income tax purposes.
 
    FINANCIAL  FUTURES  CONTRACTS.   The Fund  may  invest in  financial futures
contracts ("futures contracts") and  related options thereon  limited to 30%  of
the Fund's assets. If the Adviser anticipates that interest rates will rise, the
Fund  may sell  a futures contract  or a call  option thereon or  purchase a put
option on such futures contract  to attempt to hedge  against a decrease in  the
value  of the Fund's securities. If  the Adviser anticipates that interest rates
will decline, the Fund may purchase a futures contract or a call option  thereon
to  protect against an increase in the  prices of the securites the Fund intends
to purchase. These futures  contracts and related options  thereon will be  used
only  as a hedge  against anticipated interest rate  changes. A futures contract
sale creates an obligation on  the part of the Fund,  as seller, to deliver  the
specific  type of instrument called for in  the contract at a specified price. A
futures contract purchase creates  an obligation by the  Fund, as purchaser,  to
take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specified future
time at a specified price.
 
    Although  the terms of futures contracts  specify actual delivery or receipt
of securities,  in  most instances  the  contracts  are closed  out  before  the
settlement  date without  the making  or taking  of delivery  of the securities.
Closing out  a futures  contract  is effected  by  entering into  an  offsetting
purchase  or sale transaction. An offsetting  transaction for a futures contract
sale is effected by the Fund entering  into a futures contract purchase for  the
same  aggregate amount  of the  specific type  of financial  instrument and same
delivery date. If  the price in  the sale  exceeds the price  in the  offsetting
purchase,  the Fund is immediately paid the difference and thus realizes a gain.
If the purchase price of the offsetting transaction exceeds the sale price,  the
Fund  pays the difference and  realizes a loss. Similarly,  the closing out of a
futures contract  purchase is  effected  by the  Fund  entering into  a  futures
contract sale. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase price, the Fund
realizes  a gain,  and if the  offsetting sale  price is less  than the purchase
price, the Fund realizes a loss.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
    The Fund  is  required to  maintain  margin deposits  with  brokerage  firms
through  which it  effects futures  contracts and  options thereon.  The initial
margin requirements vary according  to the type of  the underlying security.  In
addition, due to current industry practice, daily variations in gains and losses
on  open contracts are required to be reflected in cash in the form of variation
margin payments. The  Fund may be  required to make  additional margin  payments
during the term of the contract.
 
    Currently,  futures contracts  can be purchased  on debt  securities such as
U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, and  notes, certificates of the Government  National
Mortgage  Association and bank  certificates of deposit. The  Fund may invest in
futures contracts covering these  types of financial instruments  as well as  in
new  types of such contracts that become  available in the future. The Fund will
only enter into financial futures contracts which are traded on national futures
exchanges, principally the  Chicago Board  of Trade and  the Chicago  Mercantile
Exchange.
 
    A  risk  in  employing  futures  contracts  to  protect  against  the  price
volatility of portfolio securities is that  the price of a futures contract  may
move more or less than the price of the securities being hedged. There is also a
risk  of imperfect correlation where the securities underlying futures contracts
have different maturities  from the portfolio  securities being hedged.  Another
risk is that the Fund's Adviser could be incorrect in its expectations as to the
direction  or extent of various interest rate  movements or the time span within
which the movements takes place. For example, if the Fund sold futures contracts
for the sale of securities in anticipation of an increase in interest rates, and
then interest rates  declined instead,  causing bond  prices to  rise, the  Fund
would lose money on the sale.
 
    Unlike  a futures  contract, which  requires the parties  to buy  and sell a
security on a set date, an option  on a futures contract entitles its holder  to
decide  on or before a future date whether to enter into such a contract. If the
holder decides not to enter into the  contract, the premium paid for the  option
is  lost. Since the value of the option is  fixed at the point of sale there are
no daily payments of cash in  the nature of "variation" or "maintenance"  margin
payments  to reflect the change in the value of the underlying contract as there
are by a purchaser or seller of a futures contract. The value of the option does
change and is reflected in the net asset value of the Fund.
 
    Put and call options  on financial futures  have characteristics similar  to
those  of other options. In  addition to the risks  associated with investing in
options on securities, there are  particular risks associated with investing  in
options  on  futures. In  particular,  the ability  to  establish and  close out
positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance  of
a  liquid  secondary market.  The Fund  will  enter into  an options  on futures
position only  if  there appears  to  be  a liquid  secondary  market  therefor,
although  there can be no assurance that  such a market will actually develop or
be maintained.
 
    The Fund may not enter into futures contracts or related options thereon  if
immediately  thereafter the amount committed to  margin plus the amount paid for
option premiums exceeds 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets. In instances
involving the purchase of futures contracts by the Fund, an amount equal to  the
market  value of the futures contract will  be deposited in a segregated account
of cash and cash  equivalents to collateralize the  position and thereby  insure
that the use of such futures contract is unleveraged.
 
    RESTRICTED  SECURITIES.  On occasion, the Fund may purchase securities which
would have to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 if they were to  be
publicly distributed. However, it will not do so if the value of such securities
and other securities which are not readily marketable
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
(including  repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days) would exceed
10% of the market value of its total assets. It is management's policy to permit
the occasional acquisition of such restricted securities only if (except in  the
case of short-term non-convertible debt securities) there is an agreement by the
issuer  to register  such securities, ordinarily  at the  issuer's expense, when
requested to do so by the Fund. The acquisition in limited amounts of restricted
securities is  believed  to be  helpful  toward  the attainment  of  the  Fund's
secondary  objective  of  capital appreciation  without  unduly  restricting its
liquidity or  freedom  in the  management  of its  portfolio.  However,  because
restricted  securities may only  be sold privately or  in an offering registered
under the  Securities  Act  of 1933,  or  pursuant  to an  exemption  from  such
registration,  substantial time  may be  required to  sell such  securities, and
there is greater than usual risk of price decline prior to sale.
 
    In addition, the Fund may purchase certain restricted securities ("Rule 144A
securities") for which there  is a secondary  market of qualified  institutional
buyers, as contemplated by Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933. Rule 144A
provides  an exemption from the registration  requirements of the Securities Act
for the  resale  of certain  restricted  securities to  qualified  institutional
buyers.  The  Adviser, under  the supervision  of the  Board of  Directors, will
consider whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are liquid or illiquid for
purposes of the  Fund's limitation  on investment  in securities  which are  not
readily  marketable or are illiquid. Among the  factors to be considered are the
frequency of trades and quotes, the number of dealers and potential  purchasers,
dealer undertakings to make a market and the nature of the security and the time
needed to dispose of it. To the extent that the liquid Rule 144A securities that
the   Fund  holds  become   illiquid,  due  to   lack  of  sufficient  qualified
institutional buyers or market or other conditions, the percentage of the Fund's
assets invested  in  illiquid assets  would  increase. The  Adviser,  under  the
supervision  of the Board  of Directors, will monitor  the Fund's investments in
Rule 144A securities and will consider  appropriate measures to enable the  Fund
to  maintain sufficient liquidity for operating  purposes and to meet redemption
requests.
 
RISK FACTORS
 
    Investors should be aware of the following:
 
       -There are risks in all investments, including any stock investment,  and
        in  all  mutual funds.  The  Fund's net  asset  value will  fluctuate to
        reflect the investment performance of the securities held by the Fund.
 
       -The value  a shareholder  receives  upon redemption  may be  greater  or
        lesser than the value of such shares when acquired.
 
       -The  use  of  investment  techniques  such  as  investing  in repurchase
        agreements, lending  portfolio securities,  purchasing securities  on  a
        when-issued  basis,  short-selling and  trading  in stock  index futures
        contracts and in options  on such contracts  involves greater risk  than
        does an investment in a fund that does not engage in these activities.
 
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
 
    The  Fund has adopted a  number of investment restrictions  which may not be
changed without shareholder approval.  These are set forth  in the Statement  of
Additional  Information and provide, among other  things, that the Fund may not:
(a) borrow in  excess of  10% of  the value of  its assets  and then  only as  a
temporary   measure;  (b)  purchase  securities   (other  than  U.S.  government
securities) if the purchase would cause the Fund, at the time, to have more than
5% of the value of its total assets
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
invested in the securities  of any one company  or to own more  than 10% of  the
outstanding  voting  securities or  any  other class  of  securities of  any one
company; or (c)  invest 25% or  more of the  value of the  Fund's assets in  one
particular industry.
 
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
 
    The  management  and  affairs  of  the Fund  are  supervised  by  the Fund's
Trustees, who were elected by the shareholders. The Fund's officers conduct  and
supervise  the  daily business  operations of  the  Fund. The  Fund's investment
decisions are made by an investment  committee of employees of the Adviser.  The
Fund's  Annual Report,  which will  be made  available upon  request and without
charge, contains a discussion of the Fund's performance.
 
   
    THE ADVISER.   The Adviser was  organized in  1982 and is  the successor  to
substantially  all of the operations of  Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc. ("AB&Co.").
The  Adviser  was  formed  as  part  of  a  reorganization  of  AB&Co.,  a  sole
proprietorship  formed  in 1931  which became  a New  York corporation  in 1946.
AB&Co. currently  owns  approximately  81%  of the  outstanding  shares  of  the
Adviser's  common stock.  Jean Bernhard  Buttner, Chairman,  President and Chief
Executive Officer of the Adviser, owns all of the voting stock of AB&Co. All  of
the  non-voting stock is owned by or for  the benefit of members of the Bernhard
family, employees and former  employees of AB&Co., or  the Adviser. The  Adviser
currently  acts as investment adviser  to the other Value  Line mutual funds and
furnishes investment  advisory services  to private  and institutional  accounts
with  combined assets in excess of $5  billion. Value Line Securities, Inc., the
Fund's distributor, is  a subsidiary  of the  Adviser. The  Adviser manages  the
Fund's  investments, provides various administrative services and supervises the
Fund's daily business  affairs, subject to  the authority of  the Trustees.  The
Adviser  is paid an  advisory fee at an  annual rate of 0.75%  of the first $100
million of the Fund's average daily net assets and 0.5% of any excess.  Although
this  fee is higher than that paid by many other investment companies, it is not
unusually high for investment companies with a similar investment objective. For
more information about the Fund's management fees and expenses, see the "Summary
of Fund Expenses" on page 2.
    
 
    BROKERAGE.  The Fund may pay brokerage commissions to Value Line Securities,
Inc., which clears transactions through unaffiliated broker-dealers.
 
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
 
    The net asset value of the Fund's shares for purposes of both purchases  and
redemptions  is determined once  daily as of  the close of  trading of the first
session of the New York Stock Exchange  (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time)  on
each  day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading except on days on
which no orders to purchase, sell or redeem Fund shares have been received.  The
New  York Stock Exchange is currently closed on New Year's Day, President's Day,
Good Friday, Memorial  Day, Independence  Day, Labor Day,  Thanksgiving Day  and
Christmas Day. The net asset value per share is determined by dividing the total
value  of the investments and other assets of the Fund, less any liabilities, by
the total outstanding shares.
 
    Fixed-income corporate securities are valued on the basis of prices provided
by an independent  pricing service  approved by  the Trustees.  In valuing  such
securities, the pricing service generally takes into account appropriate factors
such  as  institutional  size  trading characteristics  and  other  market data.
Securities not priced  in this  manner are valued  at the  midpoint between  the
latest  available bid and asked prices in the principal market (last sales price
if the principal market  is an exchange) in  which such securities are  normally
traded. Other assets and securities for which
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
market  valuations are not readily  available are valued at  their fair value as
the Trustees may determine. Short-term instruments with maturities of 60 days or
less at the date  of purchase are valued  at amortized cost, which  approximates
market.
 
HOW TO BUY SHARES
 
   
    PURCHASE  BY  CHECK.   To  purchase shares,  send  a check  made  payable to
"NFDS-Agent" and a completed  and signed application form  to Value Line  Funds,
c/o  NFDS, P.O. Box 419729, Kansas City,  MO 64141-6729. Third party checks will
not be accepted for either initial or subsequent investments. For assistance  in
completing  the  application  and for  information  on  pre-authorized telephone
purchases, call Value Line Securities at 1-800-223-0818 during New York business
hours. Upon  receipt of  the completed  and signed  purchase application  and  a
check,  National  Financial  Data  Services  ("NFDS"),  the  Fund's  shareholder
servicing agent,  will purchase  full and  fractional shares  (to three  decimal
places)  at the net asset  value next computed after  the funds are received and
will confirm the investment to the investor. Subsequent investments may be  made
by  attaching a check to the confirmation's "next payment" stub, by telephone or
by federal  funds wire.  Investors may  also buy  shares through  broker-dealers
other  than Value  Line Securities. Such  broker-dealers may  charge investors a
reasonable service fee. Neither Value Line Securities nor the Fund receives  any
part of such fees when charged (and which can be avoided by investing directly).
If  an  order  to buy  shares  is cancelled  due  to nonpayment  or  because the
investor's check does not clear, the purchaser will be responsible for any  loss
incurred by the Fund or Value Line Securities by reason of such cancellation. If
the  purchaser is  a shareholder,  Value Line  Securities reserves  the right to
redeem sufficient  shares from  the shareholder's  account to  protect the  Fund
against  loss. Minimum orders  are $1,000 for  an initial purchase  and $250 for
each subsequent purchase.  The Fund  may refuse any  order for  the purchase  of
shares.
    
 
    WIRE  PURCHASE--$1,000 MINIMUM.   An investor should  call 1-800-243-2729 to
obtain an  account number.  After  receiving an  account number,  instruct  your
commercial  bank to wire transfer "federal funds" via the Federal Reserve System
as follows:
 
    State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, MA
 
    ABA #011000028
 
    Attn: Mutual Fund Division
    DDA #99049868
    Value Line Aggressive Income Trust
    A/C #________________________
    Shareholder's name and account information
    Tax ID #________________________
 
NOTE:   A  COMPLETED AND  SIGNED  APPLICATION  MUST BE  MAILED  IMMEDIATELY  AND
RECEIVED BY NFDS BEFORE IT CAN HONOR ANY WITHDRAWAL OR EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS.
 
    After  your account has  been opened you may  wire additional investments in
the same manner.
 
    For an initial investment made by federal funds wire purchase, the wire must
include a valid social security  number or tax identification number.  Investors
purchasing shares in this manner will
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
have  30 days  after purchase  to provide  the certification  and signed account
application. All payments should be made in U.S. dollars and, to avoid fees  and
delays,  should be  drawn on only  U.S. banks.  Until receipt of  the above, any
distributions from the account will be subject to 31% withholding.
 
    SUBSEQUENT TELEPHONE  PURCHASES--$250  MINIMUM.    Upon  completion  of  the
telephone   purchase   authorization   section  of   the   account  application,
shareholders who own Fund shares with a  current value of $500 or more may  also
purchase  additional shares in amounts of $250 or  more or up to twice the value
of their shares by  calling 1-800-243-2729 between 9:00  a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  New
York  time. Such orders will be priced at the closing net asset value on the day
received and payment will be due within  three business days. If payment is  not
received  within the required  time or a  purchaser's check does  not clear, the
order is subject to cancellation and  the purchaser will be responsible for  any
loss  incurred by the Fund or Value Line Securities. Shares may not be purchased
by telephone for a tax-sheltered retirement plan.
 
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
 
    Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared daily and  paid
monthly.  Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed to shareholders at
least  annually.   Income  dividends   and  capital   gains  distributions   are
automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund unless the shareholder
has  requested otherwise. Because the Fund intends  to distribute all of its net
investment income and capital gains to shareholders, it is not expected that the
Fund will be required to pay any federal income taxes. However, shareholders  of
the  Fund normally  will have  to pay federal  income taxes,  and any applicable
state or local  taxes, on  the dividends  and capital  gains distributions  they
receive  from the  Fund (whether or  not reinvested in  additional Fund shares).
Shareholders will be informed  annually of the amount  and nature of the  Fund's
income and distributions.
 
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
 
    The  Fund  may from  time to  time include  information regarding  its total
return performance or  yield in  advertisements or in  information furnished  to
existing or prospective shareholders. When information regarding total return is
furnished,  it will be based upon changes in the Fund's net asset value and will
assume the reinvestment of all capital gains distributions and income dividends.
It will take into account nonrecurring charges, if any, which the Fund may incur
but will not take into account income taxes due on Fund distributions.
 
    The table below illustrates the total return performance of the Fund for the
periods indicated by showing the value of a hypothetical $1,000 investment  made
at the beginning of each period. The information contained in the table has been
computed  by applying the Fund's average annual total return to the hypothetical
$1,000  investment.  The  table  assumes  reinvestment  of  all  capital   gains
distributions  and income dividends, but does not take into account income taxes
due on Fund distributions or dividends.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       AVERAGE ANNUAL
                                                                                                        TOTAL RETURN
                                                                                                       --------------
<S>                                                                                       <C>          <C>
For the year ended January 31, 1997.....................................................  $     1,181         18.12%
For the five years ended January 31, 1997...............................................  $     1,820         12.72  %
For the ten years ended January 31, 1997................................................  $     2,352          8.93  %
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
    When information regarding  "yield" is furnished  it will refer  to the  net
investment  income  per share  generated by  an  investment in  the Fund  over a
thirty-day period. This  income will  then be  annualized by  assuming that  the
amount  of income generated  by the investment during  that thirty-day period is
generated each 30 days over one year and assuming that the income is  reinvested
every six months.
 
    Comparative  performance  information  may  be used  from  time  to  time in
advertising the Fund's shares, including  data from Lipper Analytical  Services,
Inc.  and other  industry or  financial publications.  The Fund  may compare its
performance to that of other mutual funds with similar investment objectives and
to stock or other relevant indices. From  time to time, articles about the  Fund
regarding its performance or ranking may appear in national publications such as
Kiplinger's  Personal  Finance,  Money Magazine,  Financial  World, Morningstar,
Personal  Investor,  Forbes,  Fortune,  Business  Week,  Wall  Street   Journal,
Investor's Business Daily, Donoghue and Barron's. Some of these publications may
publish their own rankings or performance reviews of mutual funds, including the
Fund.  Reference  to or  reprints of  such articles  may be  used in  the Fund's
promotional literature.
 
    Investors should note that the investment results of the Fund will fluctuate
over time, and  any presentation of  the Fund's current  yield, total return  or
distribution rate for any period should not be considered as a representation of
what  an investment may earn or what an  investor's total return or yield may be
in any future period.
 
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
 
    Shares of the Fund may  be redeemed at any time  at their current net  asset
value next determined after NFDS receives a request in proper form. ALL REQUESTS
FOR  REDEMPTION  SHOULD  BE SENT  TO  NFDS,  P.O. BOX  419729,  KANSAS  CITY, MO
64141-6729. The value of shares  of the Fund on redemption  may be more or  less
than  the  shareholder's cost,  depending upon  the market  value of  the Fund's
assets at the time.  A shareholder with certificates  for shares must  surrender
the  certificate  properly  endorsed  with  signature  guaranteed.  A  signature
guarantee may  be  executed by  any  "eligible" guarantor.  Eligible  guarantors
include  domestic banks, savings associations, credit  unions, member firms of a
national securities exchange, and  participants in the  New York Stock  Exchange
Medallion  Signature Program,  the Securities Transfer  Agents Medallion Program
("STAMP") and the Stock Exchanges Medallion  Program. A guarantee from a  Notary
Public  is not an acceptable source. The signature on any request for redemption
of shares  not  represented by  certificates,  or on  any  stock power  in  lieu
thereof,  must be similarly guaranteed. In each case the signature or signatures
must correspond to  the names  in which  the account  is registered.  Additional
documentation  may  be required  when shares  are  registered in  the name  of a
corporation, agent or  fiduciary. For  further information,  you should  contact
NFDS.
 
    The  Fund  does not  make a  redemption charge  but shares  redeemed through
brokers or dealers may be subject to a service charge by such firms. A check  in
payment  of  redemption  proceeds will  be  mailed within  seven  days following
receipt of  all required  documents.  However, payment  may be  postponed  under
unusual circumstances such as when normal trading is not taking place on the New
York  Stock Exchange. In addition, shares purchased by check may not be redeemed
for up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
    If the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of the Fund,  the
Fund  may redeem, upon prior written notice, at net asset value, all shareholder
accounts which due to redemptions  fall below $500 in  net asset value. In  such
event,  an investor will have  30 days to increase the  shares in his account to
the minimum level.
 
    The Fund will ordinarily pay in  cash all redemptions by any shareholder  of
record.  However, the Fund  has reserved the right  under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 to make payment  in whole or in part  in securities of the Fund,  if
the  Trustees determine that such  action is in the  best interests of the other
shareholders. Under such circumstances, the Fund will, nevertheless, pay to each
shareholder of record in  cash all redemptions by  such shareholder, during  any
90-day  period, up  to the lesser  of $250,000 or  1% of the  Fund's net assets.
Securities delivered in  payment of  redemptions are  valued at  the same  value
assigned  to  them in  computing  the net  asset  value per  share. Shareholders
receiving such securities may incur brokerage costs on their sales.
 
    BY TELEPHONE  OR  WIRE.    You  may  redeem  shares  by  telephone  or  wire
instructions  to NFDS by so indicating  on the initial application. Payment will
normally  be  transmitted,  on  the  business  day  following  receipt  of  your
instructions,  to the  bank account  at the member  bank of  the Federal Reserve
System you  have  designated on  your  initial purchase  application.  The  Fund
employs  reasonable  procedures  to confirm  that  instructions  communicated by
telephone are genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of  personal
identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone. The Fund
will  not be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that it
reasonably believes to be genuine. Any loss will be borne by the investor. Heavy
wire traffic may delay the  arrival of a wire until  after public hours at  your
bank.  Alternatively, you may have your redemption payment mailed to the address
on your initial purchase application. Telephone  or wire redemptions must be  in
amounts  of $1,000  or more  and your  instructions must  include your  name and
account number. The number to call before the close of business on the New  York
Stock  Exchange  is  1-800-243-2729.  Procedures for  redeeming  Fund  shares by
telephone may be modified or terminated without notice at any time by the Fund.
 
    BY CHECK.  You may elect this  method of redemption by so indicating on  the
initial  application and you will be provided  a supply of checks by NFDS. These
checks may be made payable to the order  of any person in any amount of $500  or
more.  When  your  check  is  presented for  payment,  the  Fund  will  redeem a
sufficient number of  full and fractional  shares in your  account to cover  the
amount  of the check. Dividends  will be earned by  the shareholder on the check
proceeds  until  it  clears.  Checks  will  be  returned  unpaid  if  there  are
insufficient shares to meet the withdrawal amount. Potential fluctuations in the
net  asset value of  the Fund's shares  should be considered  in determining the
amount of the check.
 
    This method of redemption requires that  your shares must remain in an  open
account  and that no  share certificates are issued  and outstanding. You cannot
close your account through the issuance of a check because the exact balance  at
the time your check clears will not be known when you write the check.
 
    If  you use  this privilege you  will be  required to sign  a signature card
which will  subject you  to State  Street  Bank and  Trust Company's  rules  and
regulations  governing checking accounts. The  authorization form which you must
sign also contains a  provision relieving the bank,  NFDS, the Fund, Value  Line
Securities  and  the Adviser  from liability  for  loss, if  any, which  you may
sustain
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
arising out of a  non-genuine instruction pursuant  to this redemption  feature.
Any  additional documentation  required to assure  a genuine  redemption must be
maintained on  file  with  NFDS in  such  a  current status  as  NFDS  may  deem
necessary.  A new form properly signed and with the signature guaranteed must be
received and accepted by NFDS before authorized redemption instructions  already
on file with NFDS can be changed.
 
    An  additional  supply  of  checks will  be  furnished  upon  request. There
presently is no charge to the  shareholder for these checks or their  clearance.
However,  the Fund and NFDS reserve the  right to make reasonable charges and to
terminate or modify any or all of the services in connection with this privilege
at any time and  without prior notice.  NFDS will impose a  $5 fee for  stopping
payment  of a check upon your  request or if NFDS cannot  honor the check due to
insufficient or uncollected funds or other valid reasons.
 
    IMPORTANT: Shares purchased by check may  not be redeemed until the Fund  is
reasonably  assured of  the final  collection of  the purchase  check, currently
determined to be up to 15 days.
 
INVESTOR SERVICES
 
    VALU-MATIC-REGISTERED TRADEMARK-.   The Fund  offers a free  service to  its
shareholders,    Valu-Matic-Registered   Trademark-,   through   which   monthly
investments of $25 or more may be made automatically into the shareholder's Fund
account. The shareholder  authorizes the  Fund to debit  the shareholder's  bank
account  monthly for the purchase of Fund shares  on or about the 3rd or 18th of
each month.  Further information  regarding this  service can  be obtained  from
Value Line Securities by calling 1-800-223-0818.
 
    EXCHANGE  OF SHARES.  Shares of the Fund  may be exchanged for shares of the
other Value Line funds in any identically registered account on the basis of the
respective net asset values next computed  after receipt of the exchange  order.
No  telephone exchanges can be made for less  than $1,000. If shares of the Fund
are being exchanged for shares  of The Value Line Cash  Fund, Inc. or The  Value
Line Tax Exempt Fund--Money Market Portfolio and the shares (including shares in
accounts  under the control of one investment advisor) have a value in excess of
$500,000, then, at  the discretion of  the Adviser, the  shares to be  purchased
will  be purchased at the closing price  on the third business day following the
redemption of the  shares being exchanged  to allow the  Fund to utilize  normal
securities settlement procedures in transferring the proceeds of the redemption.
 
    The  exchange privilege may be  exercised only if the  shares to be acquired
may be sold in the investor's State. Prospectuses for the other Value Line funds
may be obtained from Value Line Securities by calling 1-800-223-0818. Each  such
exchange  involves a redemption and a  purchase for tax purposes. Broker-dealers
are not prohibited from charging a commission for handling the exchange of  Fund
shares.  To avoid paying  such a commission  send the request  in proper form to
NFDS. The Fund  reserves the right  to terminate the  exchange privilege of  any
account  making more than eight exchanges a  year. (An exchange out of The Value
Line Cash Fund, Inc. or The  Value Line Tax Exempt Fund--Money Market  Portfolio
is  not counted  for this  purpose.) The exchange  privilege may  be modified or
terminated at any time, and any of the Value Line funds may discontinue offering
its shares generally, or in any particular State, without prior notice. To  make
an  exchange, call  1-800-243-2729. Although  it has not  been a  problem in the
past, shareholders should be  aware that a telephone  exchange may be  difficult
during periods of major economic or market changes.
 
    SYSTEMATIC  CASH WITHDRAWAL PLAN.  A  shareholder who has invested a minimum
of $5,000 in the Fund, or whose  shares have attained that value, may request  a
transfer of his shares to a Value
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
Line  Systematic Cash Withdrawal Account which NFDS will maintain in his name on
the Fund's books.  Under the Systematic  Cash Withdrawal Plan  (the "Plan")  the
shareholder  will  request that  NFDS, acting  as his  agent, redeem  monthly or
quarterly a  sufficient number  of shares  to  provide for  payment to  him,  or
someone  he  designates,  of  any specified  dollar  amount  (minimum  $25). All
certificated shares must be placed on  deposit under the Plan and dividends  and
capital  gains distributions, if any, are  automatically reinvested at net asset
value. The Plan will automatically terminate when all shares in the account have
been redeemed. The shareholder  may at any time  terminate the Plan, change  the
amount  of the  regular payment,  or request liquidation  of the  balance of his
account on written notice to NFDS. The  Fund may terminate the Plan at any  time
on written notice to the shareholder.
 
    TAX-SHELTERED  RETIREMENT PLANS.   Shares of  the Fund may  be purchased for
various types of retirement plans. For more complete information, contact  Value
Line Securities at 1-800-223-0818 during New York business hours.
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    The   Fund  is  an  open-end,   diversified  management  investment  company
established as a Massachusetts business trust under a Declaration of Trust dated
November 12, 1985.  The Fund  has an unlimited  number of  shares of  beneficial
interest,  $.01 par value. Each share has one vote with fractional shares voting
proportionately. Shares have no preemptive rights, are freely transferable,  are
entitled  to  dividends as  declared  by the  Trustees,  and, if  the  Fund were
liquidated, would receive the net assets of the Fund.
 
    The Trustees have the authority to issue two or more series of shares and to
designate the relative rights and  preferences as between the different  series,
although  they have  not exercised  that authority. If  more than  one series of
shares were  issued  and a  series  were unable  to  meet its  obligations,  the
remaining series might have to assume the unsatisfied obligation of that series.
 
    INQUIRIES.   All inquiries regarding the Fund should be directed to the Fund
at the  telephone  numbers or  address  set forth  on  the cover  page  of  this
Prospectus.  Inquiries from  shareholders regarding  their accounts  and account
balances should be directed to National Financial Data Services, servicing agent
for  State  Street  Bank   and  Trust  Company,   the  Fund's  transfer   agent,
1-800-243-2729.  Shareholders should note that they may be required to pay a fee
for special requests such as historical transcripts of an account. Our Info-Line
provides the latest  account information  24 hours a  day, and  is available  to
shareholders   with  pushbutton  phones.  The   Info-Line  toll-free  number  is
1-800-243-2739.
 
    WITHHOLDING.   Mutual  funds are  required  to withhold  31%  of  dividends,
distributions  of capital  gains and redemption  proceeds in  accounts without a
valid social  security  or tax  identification  number. You  must  provide  this
information  when you complete  the Fund's application and  certify that you are
not currently subject  to backup  withholding. The  Fund reserves  the right  to
close  by redemption  accounts for  which the  holder fails  to provide  a valid
social security or tax identification number.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
DESCRIPTION OF VALUE LINE FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATINGS
 
    Value Line ranks the companies followed by the Standard and Expanded Edition
of The Value  Line Investment Survey  into nine categories,  each with about  an
equal number of companies, as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>
A++        Greatest  relative financial strength. Companies  among the very strongest of
           the approximately 3,500 followed by The Value Line Investment Survey.
A+         Excellent relative  financial strength.  Companies with  very high  financial
           strength, but not quite the highest among the Value Line 3,500.
A          High-grade relative financial strength.
B++        Above average relative financial strength among the Value Line 3,500.
B+         Very good relative financial strength; approximately average among the large,
           strong companies that dominate the Value Line 3,500.
B          Good  relative financial strength, although somewhat below the average of all
           3,500 Value Line companies.
C++        Satisfactory relative financial strength.
C+         Significantly below average relative financial strength.
C          Weakest relative financial strength.
</TABLE>
 
    The Value Line ratings are based upon  computer analysis of a number of  key
variables that measure (a) financial leverage, (b) business risk and (c) company
size  plus, in  the Standard  Edition of The  Value Line  Investment Survey, the
judgment  of  senior  analysts  regarding  factors  that  cannot  be  quantified
across-the-board  for all securities. The primary variables that are indexed and
studied include equity coverage of debt, equity coverage of intangibles,  "quick
ratio,"  accounting  methods, variability  of  return, quality  of  fixed charge
coverage, stock price stability, and company size.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                         THE VALUE LINE FAMILY OF FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------
 
1950--THE  VALUE LINE FUND  seeks long-term growth of  capital along with modest
current income by investing substantially all of its assets in common stocks  or
securities convertible into common stock.
1952--THE  VALUE LINE INCOME  FUND'S primary investment  objective is income, as
high and dependable as is consistent  with reasonable growth. Capital growth  to
increase total return is a secondary objective.
1956--THE VALUE LINE SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUND seeks to obtain long-term growth of
capital by investing not less than 80% of its assets in "special situations". No
consideration is given to achieving current income.
1972--VALUE  LINE LEVERAGED  GROWTH INVESTORS'  sole investment  objective is to
realize capital growth by  investing substantially all of  its assets in  common
stocks.  The  Fund may  borrow  up to  50%  of its  net  assets to  increase its
purchasing power.
1979--THE VALUE LINE CASH FUND, a  money market fund, seeks high current  income
consistent with preservation of capital and liquidity.
1981--VALUE  LINE U.S. GOVERNMENT  SECURITIES FUND seeks  maximum income without
undue risk to principal. Under normal conditions,  at least 80% of the value  of
its  net  assets will  be  invested in  issues of  the  U.S. Government  and its
agencies and instrumentalities.
1983--VALUE LINE CENTURION FUND* seeks long-term  growth of capital as its  sole
objective  by investing  primarily in  stocks ranked  1 or  2 by  Value Line for
year-ahead relative performance.
1984--THE VALUE LINE  TAX EXEMPT FUND  seeks to provide  investors with  maximum
income  exempt from federal income taxes while avoiding undue risk to principal.
The Fund offers investors a choice  of two portfolios: a Money Market  Portfolio
and a High-Yield Portfolio.
1985--VALUE  LINE  CONVERTIBLE  FUND  seeks high  current  income  together with
capital appreciation primarily  from convertible  securities ranked 1  or 2  for
year-ahead performance by The Value Line Convertible Ranking System.
1986--VALUE  LINE AGGRESSIVE  INCOME TRUST seeks  to maximize  current income by
investing in high-yielding, low-rated, fixed-income corporate securities.
1987--VALUE LINE NEW YORK  TAX EXEMPT TRUSTseeks to  provide New York  taxpayers
with  maximum  income exempt  from New  York  State, New  York City  and federal
individual income taxes while avoiding undue risk to principal.
1987--VALUE LINE STRATEGIC ASSET MANAGEMENT TRUST* invests in stocks, bonds  and
cash equivalents according to computer trend models developed by Value Line. The
objective   is  to  professionally  manage   the  optimal  allocation  of  these
investments at all times.
1992--VALUE LINE INTERMEDIATE  BOND FUND  seeks high  current income  consistent
with  low volatility  of principal  by investing  in a  diversified portfolio of
investment-grade  debt  securities  with  a  dollar-weighted  average  portfolio
maturity of between three and ten years.
1993--VALUE  LINE SMALL-CAP  GROWTH FUND invests  primarily in  common stocks or
securities convertible  into  common stock,  with  its primary  objective  being
long-term growth of capital.
1993--VALUE  LINE  ASSET ALLOCATION  FUND  seeks high  total  investment return,
consistent with reasonable  risk. The Fund  invests in stocks,  bonds and  money
market  instruments  utilizing quantitative  modeling  to determine  the correct
asset mix.
1995--VALUE LINE  U.S.  MULTINATIONAL  COMPANY FUND'S  investment  objective  is
maximum  total return. It invests primarily in securities of U.S. companies that
have significant sales from international operations.
 
- ----------
* ONLY AVAILABLE  THROUGH THE  PURCHASE  OF GUARDIAN  INVESTOR, A  TAX  DEFERRED
  VARIABLE ANNUITY, OR VALUEPLUS, A VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE POLICY.
 
  FOR  MORE COMPLETE  INFORMATION ABOUT ANY  OF THE VALUE  LINE FUNDS, INCLUDING
  CHARGES AND EXPENSES, SEND FOR A PROSPECTUS FROM VALUE LINE SECURITIES,  INC.,
  220  E. 42ND STREET, NEW YORK, NEW  YORK 10017-5891 OR CALL 1-800-223-0818, 24
  HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. READ THE PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU INVEST OR
  SEND MONEY.
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
                      (This page intentionally left blank.)
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Value Line, Inc.
220 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017-5891
 
DISTRIBUTOR
Value Line Securities, Inc.
220 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017-5891
 
SHAREHOLDER SERVICING AGENT
State Street Bank and Trust Company
c/o NFDS
P.O. Box 419729
Kansas City, MO 64141-6729
 
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
 
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Price Waterhouse LLP
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 
LEGAL COUNSEL
Peter D. Lowenstein, Esq.
Two Greenwich Plaza, Suite 100
Greenwich, CT 06830
                                   ----------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   PAGE
                                                   -----
<S>                                             <C>
Summary of Fund Expenses......................           2
Financial Highlights..........................           2
Investment Objective and Policies.............           3
Risk Factors..................................          10
Investment Restrictions.......................          10
Management of the Fund........................          10
Calculation of Net Asset Value................          11
How to Buy Shares.............................          11
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes............          12
Performance Information.......................          13
How to Redeem Shares..........................          13
Investor Services.............................          15
Additional Information........................          16
Description of Value Line Financial Strength
 Ratings......................................          17
The Value Line Family of Funds................          18
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------------------------
                                   PROSPECTUS
- -----------------
 
   
                                  JUNE 1, 1997
    
 
                                   Value Line
                               Aggressive Income
                                     Trust
                                 (800) 223-0818
 
                                     [LOGO]
<PAGE>
                       VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
 
              220 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017-5891
                        1-800-223-0818 or 1-800-243-2729
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
                      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                                  JUNE 1, 1997
    
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   
    This  Statement of  Additional Information is  not a prospectus  and must be
read in conjunction with  the Prospectus of Value  Line Aggressive Income  Trust
(the  "Fund") dated June 1, 1997, a copy of which may be obtained without charge
by writing or telephoning the Fund.
    
 
                                 --------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                            ---------
<S>                                                                                         <C>
Investment Objective and Policies.........................................................       B-1
Investment Restrictions...................................................................       B-2
Trustees and Officers.....................................................................       B-4
The Adviser...............................................................................       B-5
Brokerage Arrangements....................................................................       B-6
How to Buy Shares.........................................................................       B-7
Suspension of Redemptions.................................................................       B-7
Taxes.....................................................................................       B-8
Performance Data..........................................................................       B-9
Additional Information....................................................................       B-10
Financial Statements......................................................................       B-11
</TABLE>
 
                                 --------------
 
                       INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
    (SEE ALSO "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES" IN THE FUND'S PROSPECTUS)
 
    The Fund will not concentrate its investments in any particular industry but
reserves the right  to invest up  to 25% of  its total assets  (taken at  market
value)  in any  one industry.  The Fund  intends to  limit its  annual portfolio
turnover so that  realized short-term  gains on  securities held  for less  than
three  months is less than 30% of the  Fund's gross income so that the Fund will
meet one of the tests for qualification as a regulated investment company  under
the Internal Revenue Code. See "Taxes."
 
                                      B-1
<PAGE>
    The  policies set  forth below  under "Investment  Restrictions" are, unless
otherwise indicated, fundamental  policies of the  Fund and may  not be  changed
without  the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
of the Fund.  As used in  this Statement  of Additional Information  and in  the
Prospectus,  a "majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund" means
the lesser of  (1) the holders  of more than  50% of the  outstanding shares  of
beneficial  interest of the Fund  or (2) 67% of the  shares present if more than
50% of the shares are present at a meeting in person or by proxy.
 
                            INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
 
    The Fund may not:
 
        (1) Engage  in short  sales, except  to the  extent that  it owns  other
    securities convertible into or exchangeable for an equivalent amount of such
    securities. Such transactions may only occur for the purpose of protecting a
    profit  or  in attempting  to minimize  a loss  with respect  to convertible
    securities. No more than 10% of the value of the Fund's net assets taken  at
    market may at any one time be held as collateral for such sales.
 
        (2) Purchase or sell any put or call options or any combination thereof,
    except  that the Fund may  (a) purchase, hold and  sell options on contracts
    for the future delivery of debt securities and warrants where the grantor of
    the warrants is the issuer of  the underlying securities, and (b) write  and
    sell covered call option contracts on securities owned by the Fund. The Fund
    may   also  purchase  call  options  for  the  purpose  of  terminating  its
    outstanding obligations with respect to  securities upon which covered  call
    option contracts have been written (i.e., "closing purchase transactions").
 
        (3)  Borrow money in excess  of 10% of the value  of its assets and then
    only as a temporary measure to  meet unusually heavy redemption requests  or
    for  other  extraordinary  or  emergency purposes.  Securities  will  not be
    purchased while borrowings  are outstanding. No  assets of the  Fund may  be
    pledged,  mortgaged  or  otherwise encumbered,  transferred  or  assigned to
    secure a debt  except that  the Fund may  enter into  interest rate  futures
    contracts as set forth in restriction 18 below.
 
        (4)  Engage in the underwriting of securities, except to the extent that
    the Fund may be deemed an underwriter as to restricted securities under  the
    Securities Act of 1933 in selling portfolio securities.
 
        (5)  Invest in  real estate,  mortgages or  illiquid securities  of real
    estate investment  trusts  although  the Fund  may  purchase  securities  of
    issuers which engage in real estate operations.
 
        (6)  Invest in  commodities or  commodity contracts  except that  it may
    enter into interest rate futures contracts subject to restriction 18 below.
 
        (7)  Lend  money  except  in  connection  with  the  purchase  of   debt
    obligations  or  by  investment  in  repurchase  agreements,  provided  that
    repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, when taken  together
    with  other  illiquid investments  including  restricted securities,  do not
    exceed 10% of the Fund's assets. The Fund may lend its portfolio  securities
    to  broker-dealers and  institutional investors if  as a  result thereof the
    aggregate value of  all securities  loaned does not  exceed 33  1/3% of  the
    total assets of the Fund.
 
        (8)  Invest  more  than 5%  of  the value  of  its total  assets  in the
    securities of any one  issuer or purchase more  than 10% of the  outstanding
    voting  securities, or any other class of securities, of any one issuer. For
    purposes of  this 10%  restriction, all  outstanding debt  securities of  an
    issuer are
 
                                      B-2
<PAGE>
    considered  as one class, and all preferred stock of an issuer is considered
    as one  class. This  restriction does  not apply  to obligations  issued  or
    guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
 
        (9) Purchase securities of other investment companies.
 
        (10)  Invest 25% or more  of its assets in  securities of issuers in any
    one industry.
 
        (11) Invest more than  5% of its total  assets in securities of  issuers
    having  a record,  together with predecessors,  of less than  three years of
    continuous operation.  The  restriction does  not  apply to  any  obligation
    issued   or   guaranteed   by   the  U.S.   government,   its   agencies  or
    instrumentalities.
 
        (12) Purchase  or  retain  the  securities of  any  issuer  if,  to  the
    knowledge  of the Fund, those officers and  directors of the Fund and of the
    Adviser, who each owns more than  .5% of the outstanding securities of  such
    issuer, together own more than 5% of such securities.
 
        (13)  Issue senior securities except evidences of indebtedness permitted
    by restriction No. 3 above.
 
        (14) Purchase  securities for  the purpose  of exercising  control  over
    another company.
 
        (15)  Purchase  securities  on margin  except  that it  may  make margin
    deposits in  connection  with interest  rate  futures contracts  subject  to
    restriction  18 below or participate on a joint or a joint and several basis
    in any trading account in securities.
 
        (16) Purchase oil,  gas or  other mineral type  development programs  or
    leases, except that the Fund may invest in the securities of companies which
    invest in or sponsor such programs.
 
        (17)  Invest more than 2%  of the value of  its total assets in warrants
    (valued at the lower  of cost or market),  except that warrants attached  to
    other securities are not subject to these limitations.
 
        (18)  Enter  into an  interest  rate futures  contract  if, as  a result
    thereof, (i) the then current  aggregate futures market prices of  financial
    instruments  required to be delivered under open futures contract sales plus
    the then current aggregate purchase prices of financial instruments required
    to be purchased under  open futures contract purchases  would exceed 30%  of
    the  Fund's total assets (taken at market value at the time of entering into
    the contract) or  (ii) more than  5% of  the Fund's total  assets (taken  at
    market  value at the time of entering  into the contract) would be committed
    to margin on  such futures  contracts plus  premiums on  options on  futures
    contracts.
 
    If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later
change  in percentage  resulting from  changes in values  or assets  will not be
considered  a  violation   of  the   restriction.  For   purposes  of   industry
classifications, the Fund follows the industry classifications in The Value Line
Investment Survey.
 
                                      B-3
<PAGE>
                             TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME, ADDRESS AND AGE                POSITION WITH FUND          PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION DURING PAST 5 YEARS
- -----------------------------------  ---------------------  ---------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                    <C>
*Jean Bernhard Buttner               Chairman of the Board  Chairman,  President and Chief Executive Officer of
 Age 62                              of Trustees and        Value Line,  Inc. (the  "Adviser") and  Value  Line
                                     President              Publishing,  Inc. Chairman of  the Value Line Funds
                                                            and the Distributor.
 John W. Chandler                    Trustee                Consultant, Academic  Search Consultation  Service,
 2801 New Mexico Ave., N.W.                                 Inc.    since   1992;   Consultant,   Korn/   Ferry
 Washington, DC 20007                                       International  1990-1992.   Trustee  Emeritus   and
 Age 73                                                     Chairman  (1993-1994) of Duke University; President
                                                            Emeritus, Williams College.
*Leo R. Futia                        Trustee                Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The
 201 Park Avenue South                                      Guardian Life  Insurance  Company  of  America  and
 New York, NY 10003                                         Director  since  1970.  Director  (Trustee)  of The
 Age 77                                                     Guardian  Insurance   &  Annuity   Company,   Inc.,
                                                            Guardian  Investor  Services  Corporation,  and the
                                                            Guardian-sponsored mutual funds.
 Charles E. Reed                     Trustee                Retired. Formerly, Senior Vice President of General
 3200 Park Avenue                                           Electric Co.; Director  Emeritus of People's  Bank,
 Bridgeport, CT 06604                                       Bridgeport, CT.
 Age 83
 
 Paul Craig Roberts                  Trustee                Distinguished  Fellow, Cato  Institute, since 1993;
 505 S. Fairfax Street                                      formerly, William E.  Simon Professor of  Political
 Alexandria, VA 22320                                       Economy,  Center  for  Strategic  and International
 Age 58                                                     Studies;  Director,  A.  Schulman  Inc.  (plastics)
                                                            since 1992.
 
 Nancy-Beth Sheerr                   Director               Chairman, Radcliffe College Board of Trustees.
 1409 Beaumont Drive
 Gladwyne, PA 19035
 Age 48
 Christopher W. Bischof              Vice President         Portfolio  Manager  with  the  Adviser  since 1995;
 Age 45                                                     Securities Analyst with the Adviser, 1989-1995.
 Richard Cunniffe                    Vice President         Managing Editor, The Value Line Convertibles Survey
 Age 42                                                     since 1992;  Securities  Analyst with  the  Adviser
                                                            since 1989.
 David T. Henigson                   Vice President,        Director,  Vice President and Compliance Officer of
 Age 39                              Secretary and          the Adviser.  Director and  Vice President  of  the
                                     Treasurer              Distributor.
</TABLE>
    
 
- --------------
* "Interested" Trustee as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"1940 Act").
 
                                      B-4
<PAGE>
Unless  otherwise indicated, the address for each  of the above is 220 East 42nd
Street, New York, NY.
 
   
    Trustees and certain officers  of the Fund  are also trustees/directors  and
officers  of other investment companies for which the Adviser acts as investment
adviser. The following  table sets forth  information regarding compensation  of
Trustees  by the Fund and by  the Fund and the twelve  other Value Line Funds of
which each of the Trustees  is a director or trustee  for the fiscal year  ended
January  31, 1997. Trustees who are officers  or employees of the Adviser do not
receive any compensation from the Fund or any of the Value Line Funds.
    
 
   
                               COMPENSATION TABLE
                       FISCAL YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31, 1997
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                 TOTAL
                                                                         PENSION OR           ESTIMATED      COMPENSATION
                                                                         RETIREMENT            ANNUAL          FROM FUND
                                                      AGGREGATE           BENEFITS            BENEFITS         AND FUND
                                                    COMPENSATION       ACCRUED AS PART          UPON            COMPLEX
NAME OF PERSON                                        FROM FUND       OF FUND EXPENSES       RETIREMENT       (12 FUNDS)
- -------------------------------------------------  ---------------  ---------------------  ---------------  ---------------
<S>                                                <C>              <C>                    <C>              <C>
Jean B. Buttner..................................     $     -0-                 N/A                 N/A        $     -0-
John W. Chandler.................................         2,991                 N/A                 N/A           35,890
Leo R. Futia.....................................         2,741                 N/A                 N/A           32,890
Charles E. Reed..................................         2,991                 N/A                 N/A           35,890
Paul Craig Roberts...............................         2,991                 N/A                 N/A           35,890
Nancy-Beth Sheerr................................           692                 N/A                 N/A            8,305
</TABLE>
    
 
   
    As of January 31, 1997,  no person owned of record  or, to the knowledge  of
the  Fund, owned beneficially, 5% or more  of the outstanding shares of the Fund
other than Charles Schwab & Co., 101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104,
which owned of record 1,597,078 shares (approximately 15.65% of the  outstanding
shares),  National  Financial Services  Co., 200  Liberty  Street, New  York, NY
10281, which owned 1,176,685 shares (approximately 11.53%) and Pershing Division
of Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette  SEC Corp., POB 2052,  Jersey City, NJ 07303  which
owned  877,263 shares (approximately 8.60%). The Adviser owned 128,489 shares or
approximately 1.26% of the outstanding shares and certain officers and  Trustees
owned an aggregate of 14,352 shares.
    
 
                                  THE ADVISER
          (SEE ALSO "MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND" IN THE FUND'S PROSPECTUS)
 
   
    The  Fund's investment adviser  is Value Line,  Inc. The investment advisory
agreement between the Fund and the Adviser dated August 10, 1988 provides for  a
monthly  advisory fee computed at the annual rate of 3/4 of 1% on the first $100
million of the Fund's average  daily net assets and 1/2  of 1% on average  daily
net  assets in excess thereof.  During the fiscal years  ended January 31, 1995,
1996 and  1997, the  Fund paid,  or accrued  to the  Adviser, advisory  fees  of
$245,758,  $256,103  and  $424,802,  respectively.  In  the  computation  of the
advisory fee,  the  net  amount  of  any tender  fees  received  by  Value  Line
Securities  Inc. from acting  as tendering broker with  respect to any portfolio
securities of the Fund will be subtracted from the advisory fee.
    
 
    The investment advisory  agreement provides  that the  Adviser shall  render
investment  advisory and other  services to the Fund  including, at its expense,
all administrative services, office space and  the services of all officers  and
employees  of  the  Fund. The  Fund  pays  all other  expenses  incurred  in its
organization and operation which are not assumed by the Adviser including taxes,
interest, brokerage
 
                                      B-5
<PAGE>
commissions,  insurance  premiums,  fees  and  expenses  of  the  custodian  and
shareholder  servicing agent,  legal and accounting  fees, fees  and expenses in
connection with qualification under federal and state securities laws and  costs
of shareholder reports and proxy materials. The Fund has agreed that it will use
the  words "Value Line" in its  name only so long as  Value Line, Inc. serves as
investment adviser of the Fund.
 
   
    The Adviser  acts as  investment adviser  to 15  other investment  companies
constituting  The Value Line  Family of Funds  and furnishes investment advisory
services to private and institutional accounts with combined assets in excess of
$5 billion.
    
 
    Certain of the Adviser's clients may have investment objectives similiar  to
the  Fund and certain investments may be  appropriate for the Fund and for other
clients advised by the Adviser. From time to time, a particular security may  be
bought  or sold  for only one  client or  in different amounts  and at different
times for  more  than  one but  less  than  all such  clients.  In  addition,  a
particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more other
clients  are selling such security,  or purchases or sales  of the same security
may be made  for two  or more  clients at  the same  time. In  such event,  such
transactions,  to  the extent  practicable,  will be  averaged  as to  price and
allocated as to amount in proportion to the amount of each order. In some cases,
this procedure could have  a detrimental effect  on the price  or amount of  the
securities  purchased  or sold  by  the Fund.  In  other cases,  however,  it is
believed that the ability of the Fund to participate, to the extent permitted by
law, in volume transactions will produce better results for the Fund.
 
   
    The Fund does not  purchase or sell a  security based solely on  information
contained  in The Value Line Investment Survey or in one of the other Value Line
services prior  to the  publication date  of the  service when  the  information
therein  is available to the subscribers of  the service. The Adviser and/or its
affiliates, officers,  directors  and  employees  may  from  time  to  time  own
securities  which are also  held in the  portfolio of the  Fund. The Adviser has
imposed rules upon itself and such persons requiring monthly reports of security
transactions for their  respective accounts and  restricting trading in  various
types  of  securities in  order  to avoid  possible  conflicts of  interest. The
Adviser may  from time  to  time, directly  or  through affiliates,  enter  into
agreements  to furnish, for compensation, special research or financial services
to companies, including  services in  connection with  acquisitions, mergers  or
financings.  In the  event that  such agreements are  in effect  with respect to
issuers of securities held in the  portfolio of the Fund, specific reference  to
such  agreements will  be made in  the "Schedule of  Investments" in shareholder
reports of the Fund. As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information,
no such agreements exist.
    
 
                             BROKERAGE ARRANGEMENTS
          (SEE ALSO "MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND" IN THE FUND'S PROSPECTUS)
 
    Orders for the  purchase and sale  of portfolio securities  are placed  with
brokers  and dealers who,  in the judgment  of the Adviser,  are able to execute
them as expeditiously as  possible and at the  best obtainable price.  Purchases
and  sales of securities which are not listed or traded on a securities exchange
will ordinarily  be executed  with primary  market makers  acting as  principal,
except  when it is determined that better prices and executions may otherwise be
obtained. The Adviser is also authorized  to place purchase or sale orders  with
brokers  or dealers  who may charge  a commission  in excess of  that charged by
other brokers or dealers if the  amount of the commission charged is  reasonable
in  relation to the value of the  brokerage and research services provided. Such
allocation will be in such  amounts and in such  proportions as the Adviser  may
determine.  Orders may also be placed with brokers or dealers who sell shares of
the Fund or other funds  for which the Adviser  acts as investment adviser,  but
this fact, or the
 
                                      B-6
<PAGE>
   
volume  of such  sales, is  not a consideration  in their  selection. During the
fiscal years ended  January 31, 1995  and 1996, all  of the Fund's  transactions
were  at net prices  and there were  no brokerage commissions  paid by the Fund;
during fiscal 1997, the Fund paid brokerage commissions of $3,000.
    
 
    The Trustees have  adopted procedures  incorporating the  standards of  Rule
17e-1  under the 1940 Act which requires  that brokerage commissions paid to any
"affiliated person" be "reasonable and fair" compared to the commissions paid to
other brokers in connection with comparable transactions.
 
    PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.  The  Fund's annual portfolio  turnover rate may  exceed
100%.  A  portfolio turnover  rate  of 100%  would occur  if  all of  the Fund's
portfolio securities were replaced  in a period of  one year. Although the  Fund
does  not  intend  to  engage  in  short-term  trading,  it  may  sell portfolio
securities without regard  to the length  of time  that they have  been held  in
order  to take advantage of new investment opportunities or yield differentials,
or because the Fund desires  to preserve gains or  limit losses due to  changing
economic  conditions. High  portfolio turnover  involves correspondingly greater
brokerage commissions and other transaction costs  which are borne by the  Fund.
The  Fund's  portfolio  turnover for  recent  fiscal  years is  set  forth under
"Financial Highlights" in the Fund's Prospectus.
 
                               HOW TO BUY SHARES
      (SEE ALSO "CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE", "HOW TO BUY SHARES" AND
                 "INVESTOR SERVICES" IN THE FUND'S PROSPECTUS)
 
    Minimum orders  are  $1,000  for  an initial  purchase  and  $250  for  each
subsequent  purchase. The Fund reserves the right to reduce or waive the minimum
purchase requirements in  certain cases  such as pursuant  to payroll  deduction
plans, etc., where subsequent and continuing purchases are contemplated.
 
    The  Fund has  a distribution  agreement with  Value Line  Securities, Inc.,
pursuant to which Value Line Securities, Inc. acts as principal underwriter  and
distributor  of the Fund  for the sale  and distribution of  its shares. For its
services under the  agreement, Value Line  Securities, Inc. is  not entitled  to
receive any compensation. Value Line Securities, Inc. also serves as distributor
to the other Value Line funds.
 
    AUTOMATIC  PURCHASES.  The  Fund offers a free  service to its shareholders,
Valu-Matic, through  which  monthly investments  of  $25  or more  may  be  made
automatically  into the shareholder's Fund account.  The required form to enroll
in this program is available upon request from the Distributor.
 
    RETIREMENT PLANS.   Shares of the  Fund may be  purchased as the  investment
medium  for  various tax-sheltered  retirement plans.  Upon request,  Value Line
Securities, Inc. will provide information regarding eligibility and  permissible
contributions.  Because a  retirement plan  is designed  to provide  benefits in
future years, it  is important  that the investment  objectives of  the Fund  be
consistent  with the participant's  retirement objectives. Premature withdrawals
from a retirement plan may result in adverse tax consequences. For more complete
information, contact Value  Line Securities  at 1-800-223-0818  during New  York
business hours.
 
                           SUSPENSION OF REDEMPTIONS
 
    The  right of redemption may be suspended,  or the date of payment postponed
beyond the normal seven-day  period by the Fund  under the following  conditions
authorized  by the 1940  Act: (1) for any  period (a) during  which the New York
Stock Exchange is closed, other than  customary weekend and holiday closing,  or
(b)  during which trading on the New  York Stock Exchange is restricted; (2) for
any
 
                                      B-7
<PAGE>
period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (a) disposal by the
Fund of securities owned  by it is  not reasonably practical, or  (b) it is  not
reasonably practical for the Fund to determine the fair value of its net assets;
(3)  for such  other periods  as the Securities  and Exchange  Commission may by
order permit for the protection of the Fund's shareholders.
 
                                     TAXES
      (SEE "DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES" IN THE FUND'S PROSPECTUS)
 
    The Fund intends to  continue to qualify as  a regulated investment  company
under  the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code").  The Fund so qualified during the
Fund's last fiscal year. By  so qualifying, the Fund  is not subject to  federal
income  tax on its net investment income or net realized capital gains which are
distributed to shareholders (whether or not reinvested in Fund shares).
 
    Distributions of  investment income  and  of the  excess of  net  short-term
capital  gain over  net long-term  capital loss  are taxable  to shareholders as
ordinary income. It  is expected  that only  a small  portion, if  any, of  such
distributions will be eligible for the dividend-received deduction for corporate
shareholders.
 
   
    Distributions  of  the  excess  of  net  long-term  capital  gain  over  net
short-term capital  loss (net  capital  gains) are  taxable to  shareholders  as
long-term  capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund
have been held by such shareholders  and regardless of whether the  distribution
is  received in cash or in additional shares of the Fund. The computation of net
capital gains takes into account any  capital loss carryforward of the Fund.  At
January  31, 1997, the Fund had an accumulated net capital loss carryforward for
federal income tax  purposes of  approximately $8,867,000,  of which  $2,442,000
will  expire in  1998, $3,439,000  in 1999, $600,000  in 2000  and $2,386,000 in
2003. During the  year ended January  31, 1997, the  Fund utilized prior  years'
carryover  losses of approximately $4,133,000 to  offset net realized gains. Any
net capital losses incurred after October 31, within the Fund's tax year, if  so
elected  by the Fund,  are deemed to arise  on the first day  of the Fund's next
taxable year. To  the extent  future capital gains  are offset  by such  capital
losses,  the  Fund  does  not  anticipate distributing  any  such  gains  to its
shareholders.
    
 
    The Code requires each regulated  investment company to pay a  nondeductible
4%  excise  tax to  the  extent the  company  does not  distribute,  during each
calendar year, 98% of its ordinary income, determined on a calendar year  basis,
and 98% of its capital gains, determined, in general, on an October 31 year end,
plus  certain undistributed  amounts from  previous years.  The Fund anticipates
that it will  make sufficient timely  distributions to avoid  imposition of  the
excise tax.
 
    A  distribution by the  Fund reduces the  Fund's net asset  value per share.
Such a distribution is taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income or  capital
gain  as described  above, even  though, from  an investment  standpoint, it may
constitute a return of  capital. In particular, investors  should be careful  to
consider the tax implications of buying shares just prior to a distribution. The
price  of shares purchased at  that time includes the  amount of the forthcoming
distribution. Those purchasing just prior to a distribution will then receive  a
return  of capital upon the distribution  which nevertheless is taxable to them.
All distributions, whether received in cash  or reinvested in Fund shares,  must
be  reported by each shareholder on his  or her federal income tax return. Under
the Code, dividends declared  by the Fund in  October, November and December  of
any  calendar year, and payable to shareholders of record in such a month, shall
be deemed to  have been  received by  the shareholders  on December  31 of  such
calendar  year if  such dividend  is actually paid  in January  of the following
calendar year.
 
                                      B-8
<PAGE>
    A shareholder may  realize a capital  gain or  capital loss on  the sale  or
redemption  of shares of the Fund. The  tax consequences of a sale or redemption
depend upon several factors, including the shareholder's tax basis in the shares
sold or redeemed and the length of time the shares have been held. Basis in  the
shares may be the actual cost of those shares (net asset value of Fund shares on
purchase  or reinvestment date), or under  special rules, an average cost. Under
certain circumstances, a loss on the sale  or redemption of shares held for  six
months or less may be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent that the
Fund  has distributed long-term capital gain dividends on such shares. Moreover,
a loss on sale or redemption of Fund shares will be disallowed to the extent the
shareholder purchases other shares  of the Fund within  30 days before or  after
the date the shares are sold or redeemed.
 
    For  shareholders who fail to  furnish to the Fund  their social security or
taxpayer identification numbers and certain related information, or who fail  to
certify   that  they   are  not   subject  to   backup  withholding,  dividends,
distributions or capital gains and redemption proceeds paid by the Fund will  be
subject  to a 31% federal income tax withholding requirement. If the withholding
provisions are applicable, any such dividends or capital gains distributions  to
these  shareholders, whether taken  in cash or  reinvested in additional shares,
and any  redemption proceeds  will be  reduced  by the  amounts required  to  be
withheld.
 
    The  foregoing discussion relates  solely to U.S. federal  income tax law as
applicable  to  U.S.  persons  (i.e.,  U.S.  citizens  or  residents,   domestic
corporations  and  partnerships,  and certain  trusts  and estates)  and  is not
intended  to  be  a  complete  discussion  of  all  federal  tax   consequences.
Shareholders  are  advised to  consult with  their  tax advisers  concerning the
application of federal, state and local tax laws to an investment in the Fund.
 
                                PERFORMANCE DATA
 
    From time to time, the Fund may state its total return in advertisements and
investor communications. Total return may be  stated for any relevant period  as
specified  in the advertisement or communication. Any statements of total return
or other performance data on the Fund will be accompanied by information on  the
Fund's  average annual total return over  the most recent four calendar quarters
and the  period from  the Fund's  inception  of operations.  The Fund  may  also
advertise  aggregate annual total  return information over  different periods of
time.
 
    The Fund's  average annual  total return  is determined  by reference  to  a
hypothetical   $1,000   investment  that   includes  capital   appreciation  and
depreciation for the stated period, according to the following formula:
 
                               n-----
                    T    =    \/ERV/P   -1
 
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Where:     P          =          a hypothetical initial purchase order of $1,000
           T          =          average annual total return
           n          =          number of years
           ERV        =          ending redeemable value of the hypothetical $1,000 purchase at the end of the
                                 period.
</TABLE>
 
    As stated in the Prospectus,  the Fund may also  quote its current yield  in
advertisements and investor communications.
 
                                      B-9
<PAGE>
    The  yield computation is  determined by dividing  the net investment income
per share earned during the  period by the maximum  offering price per share  on
the  last day of the  period and annualizing the  resulting figure, according to
the following formula:
 
Yield = 2 [(a - b/cd + 1)to the sixth power -1]
 
<TABLE>
<S>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Where:     a          =          dividends and interest earned during the period (calculated as required by the
                                 Securities and Exchange Commssion);
           b          =          expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements);
           c          =          the average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were
                                 entitled to receive dividends;
           d          =          the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period.
</TABLE>
 
    The above formula will be used in calculating quotations of yield, based  on
specified 30-day periods identified in advertising by the Fund.
 
    The  Fund may also,  from time to  time, include a  reference to its current
quarterly or  annual  distribution rate  in  investor communications  and  sales
literature  preceded  or accompanied  by  a Prospectus,  reflecting  the amounts
actually distributed to shareholders which could include capital gains and other
items of income  not reflected  in the  Fund's yield,  as well  as interest  and
dividend  income received by the Fund  and distributed to shareholders (which is
reflected in the Fund's yield).
 
    All  calculations  of  the  Fund's  distribution  rate  are  based  on   the
distributions  per share which are declared but not necessarily paid, during the
fiscal year. The distribution rate  is determined by dividing the  distributions
declared  during the period by the maximum  offering price per share on the last
day of  the period  and annualizing  the resulting  figure. In  calculating  its
distribution  rate, the  Fund has  used the same  assumptions that  apply to its
calculation  of  yield.   The  distribution  rate   does  not  reflect   capital
appreciation or depreciation in the price of the Fund's shares and should not be
considered  to be  a complete  indicator of  the return  to the  investor on his
investment.
 
    The Fund's current yield, distribution rate and total return may be compared
to relevant  indices, including  U.S. domestic  and international  taxable  bond
indices  and data  from Lipper Analytical  Services, Inc., or  Standard & Poor's
Indices. From time to time, evaluations of the Fund's performance by independent
sources may  also be  used in  advertisements and  in information  furnished  to
present or prospective investors in the Fund.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
EXPERTS
 
    The  financial statements of the Fund  and the financial highlights included
in the Fund's  Annual Report to  Shareholders and incorporated  by reference  in
this  Statement of Additional Information have been so incorporated by reference
in reliance  on the  report of  Price Waterhouse  LLP, independent  accountants,
given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
CUSTODIAN
 
    The  Fund  employs  State  Street  Bank and  Trust  Company,  Boston,  MA as
custodian for the  Fund. The custodian's  responsibilities include  safeguarding
and  controlling  the  Fund's  cash and  securities,  handling  the  receipt and
delivery of  securities and  collecting  interest and  dividends on  the  Fund's
investments.  The custodian  does not determine  the investment  policies of the
Fund or decide which securities the Fund will buy or sell.
 
                                      B-10
<PAGE>
                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
   
    The Fund's  financial  statements  for  the year  ended  January  31,  1997,
including  the financial  highlights for  each of the  five fiscal  years in the
period  ended  January  31,  1997  appearing  in  the  1997  Annual  Report   to
Shareholders  and  the  report  thereon  of  Price  Waterhouse  LLP, independent
accountants, appearing therein, are incorporated by reference in this  Statement
of Additional Information.
    
 
   
    The  Fund's  1997  Annual  Report  to  Shareholders  is  enclosed  with this
Statement of Additional Information.
    
 
                                      B-11
<PAGE>
                       VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
                                     PART C
                               OTHER INFORMATION
 
ITEM 24.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
 
   
    a.  Financial Statements
       Included in Part A of this Registration Statement:
         Financial Highlights for each of the ten years in the period ended
         January 31, 1997.
    
 
   
        Incorporated by reference in Part B of this Registration Statement:*
         Schedule of Investments at January 31, 1997
        Statement of Assets and Liabilities at January 31, 1997
        Statement of Operations for the year ended January 31, 1997
        Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended
          January 31, 1997 and January 31, 1996
        Financial Highlights for each of the five years in the period ended
          January 31, 1997
        Notes to Financial Statements
        Report of Independent Accountants
    
 
        Statements, schedules and historical information other than those listed
       above  have been omitted since they are  either not applicable or are not
       required.
- ---------
   
    *  Incorporated by reference from the Annual Report to Shareholders for  the
       year ended January 31, 1997.
    
 
    b.  Exhibits
       16.  Calculation of Performance Data--Exhibit 1
 
ITEM 25.  PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT.
 
          None
 
ITEM 26.  NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
 
   
    As  of January 31, 1997, there were 2,791 record holders of the Registrant's
shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value.
    
 
ITEM 27.  INDEMNIFICATION.
 
    Incorporated by reference  from Post-Effective Amendment  No. 2 (filed  with
the Commission May 21, 1987).
 
                                      C-1
<PAGE>
ITEM 28.  BUSINESS OR OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER.
 
    Value  Line,  Inc.,  Registrant's  investment  adviser,  acts  as investment
adviser for a number of  individuals, trusts, corporations and institutions,  in
addition  to the  registered investment  companies in  the Value  Line Family of
Funds listed in Item 29.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        POSITION WITH
            NAME                         THE ADVISER                              OTHER EMPLOYMENT
- ----------------------------  ----------------------------------  ------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                                 <C>
Jean Bernhard Buttner         Chairman of the Board,              Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
                              President and Chief Executive       Officer of Arnold Bernhard & Co., Inc. and Value
                              Officer                             Line Publishing, Inc. and Chairman of the Value
                                                                  Line Funds and the Distributor
Samuel Eisenstadt             Senior Vice President and Director
 
David T. Henigson             Vice President, Treasurer and       Vice President and a Director of Arnold Bernhard
                              Director                            & Co., Inc. and the Distributor
 
Howard A. Brecher             Vice President, Secretary and       Secretary and Treasurer of Arnold Bernhard &
                              Director                            Co., Inc.
 
Harold Bernard, Jr.           Director                            Administrative Law Judge
 
William S. Kanaga             Director                            Retired Chairman of Arthur Young (now Ernst &
                                                                  Young)
 
W. Scott Thomas               Director                            Partner, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, attorneys.
</TABLE>
 
                                      C-2
<PAGE>
ITEM 29.  PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.
 
    (a) Value  Line Securities,  Inc.,  acts as  principal underwriter  for  the
       following  Value  Line funds,  including the  Registrant: The  Value Line
       Fund, Inc.; The  Value Line  Income Fund,  Inc.; The  Value Line  Special
       Situations  Fund, Inc.; Value Line  Leveraged Growth Investors, Inc.; The
       Value Line Cash Fund, Inc.;  Value Line U.S. Government Securities  Fund,
       Inc.;  Value Line Centurion  Fund, Inc.; The Value  Line Tax Exempt Fund,
       Inc.; Value Line  Convertible Fund,  Inc.; Value  Line Aggressive  Income
       Trust;  Value Line New York Tax  Exempt Trust; Value Line Strategic Asset
       Management Trust; Value  Line Intermediate  Bond Fund,  Inc.; Value  Line
       Small-Cap  Growth  Fund, Inc.;  Value Line  Asset Allocation  Fund, Inc.;
       Value LIne U.S. Multinational Company Fund, Inc.
 
    (b)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    (2)
                               POSITION AND                 (3)
           (1)                    OFFICES               POSITION AND
    NAME AND PRINCIPAL        WITH VALUE LINE           OFFICES WITH
     BUSINESS ADDRESS        SECURITIES, INC.            REGISTRANT
- --------------------------  -------------------  --------------------------
<S>                         <C>                  <C>
Jean Bernhard Buttner       Chairman of the      Chairman of the Board,
                            Board                President and Chief
                                                 Executive Officer
 
David T. Henigson           Vice President,      Vice President, Secretary
                            Secretary,           and Treasurer
                            Treasurer and
                            Director
 
Stephen LaRosa              Asst. Vice           Asst. Treasurer
                            President            Asst. Secretary
</TABLE>
 
        The business address of each of the officers and directors is 220 East
        42nd Street, New York, NY 10017-5891.
 
    (c) Not applicable.
 
                                      C-3
<PAGE>
ITEM 30.  LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.
 
    Certain accounts, books  and other  documents required to  be maintained  by
Section  31(a)  of  the  1940  Act  and  the  Rules  promulgated  thereunder are
maintained by the Registrant's  investment adviser, Value  Line, Inc., 220  East
42nd  Street, New  York, New York  10017-5891; the  Registrant's transfer agent,
State Street Bank and Trust Company, c/o NFDS, P.O. Box 419729, Kansas City,  MO
64141-6729;  and the Registant's custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company,
225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110.
 
ITEM 31.  MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
 
    None.
 
ITEM 32.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
    Registrant undertakes  to  furnish  each  person to  whom  a  prospectus  is
delivered  with a copy of the Registrant's latest annual report to shareholders,
upon request and without charge.
 
                                 --------------
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
   
We hereby  consent to  the  incorporation by  reference  in the  Prospectus  and
Statement  of Additional  Information constituting parts  of this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 12 to the registration  statement on Form N-1A (the  "Registration
Statement")  of  our report  dated  March 26,  1997,  relating to  the financial
statements and financial  highlights appearing  in the January  31, 1997  Annual
Report  to Shareholders  of Value Line  Aggressive Income Trust,  which are also
incorporated by reference into  the Registration Statement.  We also consent  to
the  references to us under the heading "Financial Highlights" in the Prospectus
and under the  headings "Additional Information"  and "Financial Statements"  in
the Statement of Additional Information.
    
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
   
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York
May 20, 1997
    
 
                                      C-4
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
   
    Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933  and the
Investment Company Act of  1940, the Registrant certifies  that it meets all  of
the  requirements for effectiveness  of this Registration  Statement pursuant to
Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this  Amendment
to  its 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 20th day of May, 1997.
    
 
                                          VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
                                           By:       /s/ David T. Henigson
                                              ..................................
                                                      DAVID T. HENIGSON
                                                       Vice President
 
    Pursuant  to the requirements of the  Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment
has been signed  below by the  following persons  in the capacities  and on  the
dates indicated.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                SIGNATURES                                      TITLE                               DATE
- -------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------------  ------------------------
 
<C>                                          <S>                                          <C>
             * JEAN B. BUTTNER               Chairman of the Trustees, President and                  May 20, 1997
             (JEAN B. BUTTNER)                 Chief Executive Officer
 
            * JOHN W. CHANDLER               Trustee                                                  May 20, 1997
            (JOHN W. CHANDLER)
 
              * LEO R. FUTIA                 Trustee                                                  May 20, 1997
              (LEO R. FUTIA)
 
             *CHARLES E. REED                Trustee                                                  May 20, 1997
             (CHARLES E. REED)
 
           * PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS              Trustee                                                  May 20, 1997
           (PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS)
 
            * NANCY-BETH SHEERR              Trustee                                                  May 20, 1997
            (NANCY-BETH SHEERR)
 
               /s/ DAVID T. HENIGSON         Secretary and Treasurer; Principal                       May 20, 1997
 ..........................................    Financial and Accounting Officer
            (DAVID T. HENIGSON)
</TABLE>
    
 
* By       /s/ David T. Henigson
    ..................................
           (DAVID T. HENIGSON,
            Attorney-in-fact)
 
                                      C-5

<PAGE>

                       VALUE LINE AGGRESSIVE INCOME TRUST
                SCHEDULE FOR COMPUTATION OF PERFORMANCE QUOTATION
                                                                         
                                   EXHIBIT 16


Year(s) Ended 01/31/97:            1 year           5 years       10 years
                                ------------     -----------     ------------
                        
Initial Investment:                1,000            1,000           1,000
Balance at End of Period:          1,181            1,820           2,352
Change:                              181              820           1,352

Percentage Change:                 18.12%            81.99%        135.21%

Average Annual Total Return:       18.12%            12.72%          8.93%

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JAN-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             FEB-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                           73,778
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                          75,724
<RECEIVABLES>                                   10,582
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   1,018
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  87,324
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                         3,181
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                          378
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                              3,559
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                        90,824
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                           10,204
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                            5,465
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                           16
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        (9,021)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                         1,946
<NET-ASSETS>                                    83,765
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                5,900
<OTHER-INCOME>                                     124
<EXPENSES-NET>                                     612
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                          5,412
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                         3,979
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                          334
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                            9,725
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                        5,396
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         13,168
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      8,887
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                458
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                          41,989
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                              425
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                    612
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                            57,117
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             7.64
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .75
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                            .57
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                               .75
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               8.21
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.10
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>


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