Fund Profile
T. Rowe Price
New Income Fund
Important
Information
About This Fund
As of 12/31/97
This profile contains key information about the fund. If you
would like more information before you invest, please consult
the fund's prospectus. For details about the fund's holdings or
recent strategies, please review the fund's most recent annual
or semiannual report. The prospectus and reports may be obtained
at no cost by calling 1-800-638-5660.
Invest With Confidence
T. Rowe Price
Fund Profile
1. What is the fund's goal?
The fund seeks the highest level of income over time
consistent with the preservation of capital.
2. What is the fund's investment program?
The fund invests mainly in investment-grade debt
securities, including but not limited to U.S. government
and agency obligations, mortgage-backed securities, and
corporate bonds. There are no maturity restrictions on
securities the fund buys, but the fund's dollar-weighted
average maturity is expected to be between four and 15
years.
3. What is the fund's risk/reward potential?
Risk: The major influence on share price is changing
interest rates: when rates rise, bond prices fall, and vice
versa. Credit quality risk, which is the chance that a bond
will be downgraded by credit rating agencies or will go
into default, is a second source of risk. The fund's price
and yield will fluctuate, and you may lose money when you
sell shares.
Reward: The fund's income level should generally be above
that of a money market or short-term bond fund and below
that of a long-term bond fund. The manager seeks to adjust
the fund's average weighted maturity to increase total
returns when rates fall and to minimize the negative
effects of rising rates.
4. How can I tell if the fund is appropriate for me?
The fund's goals should match your own. If you seek an
attractive level of income and are comfortable accepting
principal risk, the fund may be appropriate. You should be
willing to ride out inevitable market downturns, which may
last for extended periods.
The fund is appropriate for both regular and tax-deferred
accounts, such as IRAs and Keoghs.
5. What fees or expenses will I pay?
The fund is 100% no load. There are no fees or charges to
buy or sell fund shares, reinvest dividends, or exchange
into other T. Rowe Price funds. There are no 12b-1
marketing fees.
The fund's annual expenses as a percentage of average net
assets are shown below. You pay these costs indirectly;
they are deducted from the fund's total assets before the
daily share price is calculated and before distributions
are made.
Annual Fund Expenses as a
Percentage of Average Net Assets
Management fee 0.47%
Other expenses 0.24%
_______________________________________________
Total fund expenses 0.71%
Sample Expenses Over Time
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
________________________________________________________
$7 $22 $39 $89
This example shows expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a
5% annual return and expense ratio as shown to the left. This is
an illustration only; actual expenses and returns will vary.
6. How has the fund performed in the past, and what is its
recent yield?
The bar chart shows the fund's actual performance for each
of the last 10 years ended December 31, 1997. This chart
indicates the relative volatility of returns from one year
to the next. The table next to the bar chart shows the
average annual compound returns for various periods ending
with the most recent calendar quarter. These average
returns smooth out the actual year-to-year returns.
Calendar Year Total Returns
NIF
'88 7.59
'89 12.22
'90 8.77
'91 15.51
'92 4.96
'93 9.58
'94 -2.22
'95 18.36
'96 2.38
'97 9.32
30-Day Annualized
Compound Yield
As of 12/31/97 6.44%
Average Annual Compound
Total Returns as of 12/31/97
Fund Lipper Average*
1 year 9.32% 9.17%
5 years 7.26% 7.32%
10 years 8.50% 8.95%
*Lipper Average of Corporate Bond Funds A-Rated
For the most recent performance and yield information, call
1-800-225-5132.
These figures include changes in principal value, reinvested
dividends, and capital gain distributions. Total return
represents past performance. Investment return and principal
value will vary, and shares may be worth more or less at
redemption than at original purchase.
7. Who manages the fund?
The fund is managed by T. Rowe Price Associates. Founded in
1937, T. Rowe Price and its affiliates manage over $120
billion for approximately six million individual and
institutional investor accounts. The company offers a
comprehensive range of stock, bond, and money market mutual
funds directly to the investing public.
Charles P. Smith has day-to-day responsibility for the fund
and has managed investments for T. Rowe Price since 1975.
8. How can I purchase shares?
Complete the New Account Form and mail it to us with your
check. If you want to open an account by bank wire or by
exchanging from another T. Rowe Price fund, please call
1-800-225-5132.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500 for regular
accounts, $1,000 for retirement plans and gifts or
transfers to minors, and $50 for Automatic Asset Builder
accounts.
9. How can I sell shares or close my account?
You may redeem or sell any portion of your account on any
business day. Just write to us or call. We also offer easy
exchanges among our family of domestic and international
funds. Restrictions may apply in special circumstances, and
some redemption requests need a signature guarantee.
10. When will I receive distributions?
The fund distributes income monthly and net capital gains,
if any, at year-end. Income and any other short-term gains
are taxable at ordinary income rates, and any long-term
gains are taxable at the current capital gains rate.
Distributions are reinvested automatically in additional
shares unless you choose another option, such as receiving
a check.
11. What services are available?
A wide range, including but not limited to:
o free checkwriting;
o easy exchanges;
o timely fund reports and investment information;
o retirement plans for individuals and large and small
businesses (e.g., IRA, SEP, Keogh, 401(k), 403(b),
etc.);
o automated information and transaction services by
telephone or personal computer;
o electronic transfers between your fund and bank
accounts;
o automatic investing and automatic exchange; and
o discount brokerage.
To Open an Account
Investor Services
1-800-638-5660
1-410-547-2308
For Existing Accounts
Shareholder Services
1-800-225-5132
1-410-625-6500
For Yields and Prices
Tele*Access(registered trademark)
1-800-638-2587
24 hours, 7 days
For Information via the Internet
www.troweprice.com
T. Rowe Price OnLine
Call us at 1-800-541-3036 for more information on this complete
financial management service.
T. Rowe Price
100 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Invest With Confidence
T. Rowe Price
F43-042 12/31/97
T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc., Distributor
