MFS SERIES TRUST I
497, 2000-08-10
Previous: ZAXIS INTERNATIONAL INC, 10QSB, EX-27, 2000-08-10
Next: NEW PLAN EXCEL REALTY TRUST INC, 10-Q, 2000-08-10



<PAGE>

                             MFS(R) TECHNOLOGY FUND

          Supplement dated January 1, 2000 (as amended August 10, 2000)
                           to the Current Prospectus

This Supplement  describes the fund's class I shares, and it supplements certain
information in the fund's  Prospectus dated January 1, 2000 (as amended April 1,
2000). The caption headings used in this Supplement  correspond with the caption
headings used in the Prospectus.

You may  purchase  class I  shares  only  if you are an  eligible  institutional
investor, as described under the caption "Description of Share Classes" below.

1.   RISK RETURN SUMMARY

     Performance Table. The "Performance  Table" is intended to indicate some of
     the  risks  of  investing  in the fund by  showing  changes  in the  fund's
     performance over time. The table is supplemented as follows:

Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 1999:


                                                  1 Year         Life*
      Class I shares                              63.27%         43.58%
      NASDAQ Composite Index#+                    85.87%         46.94%
      Average science & technology fund++        134.73%         53.64%
-------------------------------

*      Fund performance  figures are for the period from the commencement of the
       Fund's  investment  operations on January 2, 1997,  through  December 31,
       1999. Index and Lipper average returns are from January 1, 1997.

#      The NASDAQ  Composite  Index is a broad-based,  unmanaged index of common
       stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
       Quotation System.

+      Source:  Standard & Poor's Micropal, Inc.

++     Source:  Lipper Inc.

The fund commenced  investment  operations on January 2, 1997, with the offering
of class A shares and class I shares.


2.   EXPENSE SUMMARY

     Expense Table. The "Expense Table" describes the fees and expenses that you
     may pay when you buy,  redeem  and hold  shares of the  fund.  The table is
     supplemented as follows:


Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets)


      Management Fees.........................................       0.75%
      Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees...................       None
      Other Expenses..........................................       1.17%
                                                                     -----
      Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses....................       1.92%
          Fee Waiver(1).......................................       (0.76)%
                                                                     -------
          Net Expenses(2).....................................       1.16%
-----------------------

(1)    MFS has  contractually  agreed,  subject  to  reimbursement,  to bear the
       fund's expenses such that "Other  Expenses" after taking into account the
       expense  offset  arrangement  described  below,  and  excluding  expenses
       associated with the fund's obligation to pay dividends in connection with
       the fund's short sale of securities  where dividends on these  securities
       have been  declared  while the short sale is  outstanding,  do not exceed
       0.40% annually. These contractual fee arrangements will continue until at
       least  January 1, 2001,  unless  changed with the consent of the board of
       trustees which oversees the fund.
<PAGE>

(2)    The fund has an  expense  offset  arrangement  which  reduces  the fund's
       custodian  fee based upon the amount of cash  maintained by the fund with
       its  custodian  and dividend  disbursing  agent.  The fund may enter into
       other similar  arrangements and directed  brokerage  arrangements,  which
       would  also have the  effect of  reducing  the  fund's  expenses.  "Other
       Expenses"  do not take into account  these  expense  reductions,  and are
       therefore  higher  than the actual  expenses  of the fund.  Had these fee
       reductions been taken into account,  "Net Expenses"  would be lower,  and
       would equal 1.15% for class I.

         Example of Expenses.  The  "Example of  Expenses"  table is intended to
help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in
other mutual funds. The table is supplemented as follows:


     Share Class        Year 1       Year 3        Year 5        Year 10
     -----------        ------       ------        ------        -------

    Class I shares       $118         $529          $966         $2,182

3.   DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CLASSES

The "Description of Share Classes" is supplemented as follows:

If you are an eligible  institutional  investor (as  described  below),  you may
purchase  class I shares at net asset value  without an initial  sales charge or
CDSC upon redemption. Class I shares do not have annual distribution and service
fees, and do not convert to any other class of shares of the fund.

The following eligible institutional investors may purchase class I shares:

     o    certain  retirement plans  established for the benefit of employees of
          MFS and employees of MFS' affiliates; and

     o    any  fund  distributed  by MFD,  if the  fund  seeks  to  achieve  its
          investment  objective by investing primarily in shares of the fund and
          other MFS funds;

     o    any retirement plan, endowment or foundation which:

               has, at the time of purchase of class I shares,  aggregate assets
               of at least $100 million; and

               invests at least $10 million in class I shares of the fund either
               alone or in  combination  with  investments  in class I shares of
               other  MFS  Funds  (additional  investments  may be  made  in any
               amount).

               MFD may  accept  purchases  from  smaller  plans,  endowments  or
               foundations  or in smaller  amounts if it  believes,  in its sole
               discretion,  that such  entity's  aggregate  assets will equal or
               exceed $100  million,  or that such  entity will make  additional
               investments  which  will cause its total  investment  to equal or
               exceed $10 million, within a reasonable period of time;

     o    bank trust  departments  or law firms acting as trustee or manager for
          trust accounts which, on behalf of their clients (i) initially  invest
          at least  $100,000 in class I shares of the fund or (ii) have,  at the
          time of purchase of class I shares,  aggregate  assets of at least $10
          million  invested  in class I shares  of the fund  either  alone or in
          combination with investments in class I shares of other MFS Funds. MFD
          may  accept  purchases  that do not meet  these  dollar  qualification
          requirements  if it  believes,  in its  sole  discretion,  that  these
          requirements   will  be  met  within  a  reasonable  period  of  time.
          Additional investments may be made in any amount.

     o    certain  retirement  plans  offered,   administered  or  sponsored  by
          insurance companies, provided that these plans and insurance companies
          meet certain criteria established by MFD from time to time.


4.   HOW TO PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEEM SHARES

The discussion of "How to Purchase,  Exchange and Redeem Shares" is supplemented
as follows:

You may  purchase,  redeem and  exchange  class I shares only  through  your MFD
representative  or by contacting  MFSC (see the back cover of the Prospectus for
address  and phone  number).  You may  exchange  your class I shares for class I
shares of another MFS Fund (if you are eligible to purchase them) and for shares
of the MFS Money Market Fund at net asset value.




<PAGE>



5.   FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The "Financial  Highlights"  table is intended to help you understand the fund's
financial performance. It is supplemented as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                       <C>             <C>             <C>
                                                                          Year Ended      Year Ended      Period Ended
                                                                           8/31/99          8/31/98         8/31/97*

Per share data (for a share outstanding throughout each period):
Net asset value - beginning of period                                      $ 11.50         $ 12.53           $ 10.00
                                                                           -------         -------           -------
Income from investment operations# -
   Net investment income (loss)ss.                                        $  (0.22)       $  (0.02)         $   1.05
   Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
     and foreign currency                                                     7.57           (0.10)             1.48
                                                                         ---------       ----------        ---------
       Total from investment operations                                   $   7.35        $  (0.12)         $   2.53
                                                                          --------        ---------         --------
Less distributions declared to shareholders -
   From net investment income                                             $   --          $  (0.91)          $   --
   From net realized gain on investments and foreign
     currency transactions                                                   (0.51)       $    --                --
                                                                         ----------       --------           ------
       Total distributions declared to shareholders                       $  (0.51)       $  (0.91)          $   --
                                                                          ---------       ---------          ------
Net asset value - end of period                                            $ 18.34         $ 11.50           $ 12.53
                                                                           -------         -------           -------
Total return                                                                 65.25%          (0.61)%           25.30%++
Ratios (to average net assets)/Supplemental datass.:
   Expenses##                                                                 1.17%           0.88%             1.41%+
   Net investment income (loss)                                              (0.84)%         (0.18)%           13.11%+
Portfolio turnover                                                             104%             29%              792%
Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)                                   $2,530           $1,796           $1,637
</TABLE>

ss. The investment adviser voluntarily waived its fee for the periods indicated.
    If this fee had been incurred by the fund, the net investment  income (loss)
    per share and the ratios would have been:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                        <C>              <C>               <C>
Net investment income (loss)                                               $ (0.41)         $(0.20)           $ 0.98
Ratios (to average net assets):
         Expenses##                                                           1.92%           1.68%             2.28%+
         Net investment income (loss)                                        (1.59)%         (0.98)%           12.24%+
</TABLE>

*    For the period from the commencement of the fund's  investment  operations,
     January 2, 1997, through August 31, 1997.

+    Annualized.

++   Not annualized.

#    Per share data are based on average shares outstanding.

##   The fund  has an  expense  offset  arrangement  which  reduces  the  fund's
     custodian fee based upon the amount of cash maintained by the fund with its
     custodian and dividend disbursing agent. The fund's expenses are calculated
     without reduction for this expense offset arrangement.

  The date of this Supplement is January 1, 2000 (as amended August 10, 2000).



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission