[LIGHTHOUSE CONTRARIAN LOGO]
PROSPECTUS
December 3, 1999
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LIGHTHOUSE CONTRARIAN FUND
A SERIES OF PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
The Lighthouse Contrarian Fund is a no-load mutual fund. The Fund seeks
growth of capital.
AS WITH ALL MUTUAL FUNDS, THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION DOES NOT
APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THESE SHARES OR DETERMINE IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS
TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this Prospectus is December 3, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
An Overview of the Fund..................................................... 3
Performance................................................................. 4
Fees and Expenses........................................................... 5
Investment Objective and Principal Investment Strategies.................... 6
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund.................................... 7
Investment Advisor.......................................................... 8
Shareholder Information..................................................... 8
Pricing of Fund Shares...................................................... 11
Dividends and Distributions................................................. 12
Tax Consequences............................................................ 12
Rule 12b-1 Fees............................................................. 12
Financial Highlights........................................................ 13
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AN OVERVIEW OF THE FUND
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT GOAL
The Fund seeks growth of capital.
THE FUND'S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund primarily invests in common stocks of domestic companies of any size.
In selecting investments, the Advisor uses a contrarian strategy to seek sound,
undervalued companies in out-of-favor industries. The Fund may also engage in
short sales of securities and options transactions on securities and securities
indices.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
There is the risk that you could lose money on your investment in the Fund. The
following risks could affect the value of your investment:
* The stock market goes down
* Interest rates rise which can result in a decline in the equity market o
Value stocks fall out of favor with the stock market
* Companies in the Fund's portfolio may not increase their earnings at the
rate anticipated
* Securities of small capitalization companies involve greater volatility
than investing in larger more established companies
* Options held by the Fund may vary from the Advisor's expectation of
movements in the securities markets
* A short sale may not move in the direction anticipated
WHO MAY WANT TO INVEST IN THE FUND
The Fund may be appropriate for investors who:
* Are pursuing a long-term goal such as retirement
* Want to add an investment in undervalued stocks to their equity portfolio
* Are willing to accept higher short-term risk along with higher potential
for long-term growth of capital
The Fund may not be appropriate for investors who:
* Need regular income or stability of principal
* Are pursuing a short-term goal
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PERFORMANCE
The following performance information indicates some of the risks of
investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund's total return has
varied from year to year. The table shows the Fund's average return over time
compared with a broad-based market index. This past performance will not
necessarily continue in the future.
CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS*
1996 1997 1998
---- ---- ----
25.8% 9.02% 12.75%
* The Fund's year-to-date return as of 9/30/99 was -4.00%.
During the period shown in the bar chart, the Fund's highest quarterly return
was 12.13% for the quarter ended December 31, 1996 and the lowest quarterly
return was -17.26% for the quarter ended September 30, 1998.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1998
Since Inception
1 Year (9/29/95)
------ ---------
Lighthouse Contrarian Fund (32.65)% (2.19)%
S&P 500 Index* 28.58% 37.88%
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* The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index generally representative of the
market for the stocks of large sized U.S. companies.
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FEES AND EXPENSES
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and
hold shares of the Fund.
SHAREHOLDER FEES
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases........................ None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load).................................... None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES*
(expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees......................................................... 1.25%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees................................... 0.25%
Other Expenses.......................................................... 0.97%
-----
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses.................................... 2.47%
Fee Reduction and/or Expense Reimbursement.............................. (0.47%)
-----
Net Expenses............................................................ 2.00%
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* The Advisor has contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or pay expenses
of the Fund for an indefinite period to ensure that Total Fund Operating
Expenses will not exceed the net expense amount shown. The Advisor may be
reimbursed for any waiver of its fees or expenses paid on behalf of the Fund
if the Fund's expenses are less than the limit agreed to by the Fund. The
Trustees may terminate this expense reimbursement arrangement at any time.
EXAMPLE
This Example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods
indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The
Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be
higher or lower, under the assumptions, your costs would be:
One Year........................ $ 203
Three Years..................... $ 627
Five Years...................... $1,078
Ten Years....................... $2,327
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The goal of the Lighthouse Contrarian Fund is to seek growth of capital.
The Fund primarily invests in common stocks of domestic companies of any
market capitalization, from larger well-established companies to smaller,
emerging growth companies.
The Advisor uses a contrarian strategy to seek what it believes to be the
best investments. Since stocks do not become bargains when they are popular, the
Advisor tends to look for sound, undervalued companies in out-of-favor
industries. The Advisor seeks companies that are technically aggressive,
fiscally conservative and globally competitive.
The Advisor uses a long-term approach to valuation. The Advisor seeks
companies that are not afraid to forego short-term profits in order to invest in
research, marketing and service - all areas which should lead to higher earnings
in the future. Conversely, the Advisor avoids companies that neglect these areas
because it appears likely that long-term profitability of such companies will
suffer.
The Fund may engage in short sales of securities. In a short sale, the Fund
sells stock which it does not own, making delivery with securities "borrowed"
from a broker. The Fund is then obligated to replace the borrowed security by
purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. Until the security
is replaced, the Fund is required to pay the lender any dividends or interest
which accrue during the period of the loan.
For hedging purposes and in pursuit of its investment goal, the Fund may
purchase and write call and put options on securities and securities indices.
As part of its contrarian strategy, the Fund may occasionally invest in the
stocks of companies which produce natural resources of any kind, including
energy and gold.
Although not principal investment strategies, the Fund may also invest in
foreign securities and corporate debt securities.
The Advisor will generally sell a security in the Fund's portfolio when, in
the Advisor's opinion:
* the security reaches a price objective indicating full value;
* operating fundamentals of the company have deteriorated for what appears to
be more than a temporary basis, and the existing price appears reasonable
considering such changes; or
* a competing security is identified which holds more promise than the
existing security
Under normal conditions, the Fund anticipates that it will have a low rate
of portfolio turnover. This means that the Fund has the potential to be a tax
efficient investment. This should result in the realization and distribution to
shareholders of lower capital gains, which would be considered tax efficient.
This anticipated lack of frequent trading can also lead to lower transaction
costs, which could help to improve the Fund's performance. However, during the
fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was higher
than in previous years. This was due to restructuring the Fund's portfolio and a
greater volatility in the flow of shareholder investments.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund will stay fully invested in
stocks. However, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment
strategies by making short-term investments in cash equivalents in response to
adverse market, economic or political conditions. This may result in the Fund
not achieving its investment objective.
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PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
The principal risks of investing in the Fund that may adversely affect the
Fund's net asset value or total return are summarized above in "An Overview of
the Fund." These risks are discussed in more detail below.
MANAGEMENT RISK. Management risk means that your investment in the Fund
varies with the success and failure of the Advisor's investment strategies and
the Advisor's research, analysis and determination of portfolio securities. If
the Advisor's investment strategies do not produce the expected results, your
investment could be diminished or even lost.
MARKET RISK. Market risk means that the price of common stock may move up
or down (sometimes rapidly and unpredictably) in response to general market and
economic conditions, investor perception and anticipated events, as well as the
activities of the particular issuer. Market risk may affect a single issuer,
industry, section of the economy or the market as a whole. Since the Fund
invests in equity securities, its share price will change daily in response to
stock market movements.
UNDERVALUED STOCKS RISK. Undervalued stocks can react differently to
issuer, political, market and economic developments than the market as a whole
and other types of stocks. Undervalued stocks tend to be inexpensive relative to
their earnings or assets compared to other types of stocks. However, these
stocks can continue to be inexpensive for long periods of time and may not
realize their full economic value.
SMALLER COMPANIES RISK. Investing in securities of small sized companies
may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established
companies because they can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price
changes than larger, more established companies. Small companies may have
limited product lines, markets or financial resources and their management may
be dependent on a limited number of key individuals. Securities of these
companies may have limited market liquidity and their prices may be more
volatile.
OPTIONS RISK. Options transactions involve certain risks. For example,
there are significant differences between the securities and options markets
that could result in an imperfect correlation between those markets. A given
hedging transaction may not achieve its objective, resulting in possible losses.
Decisions as to whether and when to use options involve the exercise of skill
and judgment and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful because
of market behavior or unexpected events. Options markets may not be liquid in
all circumstances and the Fund may not be able to complete or neutralize an
options transaction in the manner desired.
SHORT SALES RISK. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if
the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the
date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a
gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any
gain realized will be decreased and the amount of any loss will be increased by
any dividends or interest the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the
short sale.
YEAR 2000 RISK. The risk that the Fund could be adversely affected if the
computer systems used by the Advisor and other service providers do not properly
process and calculate information related to dates beginning January 1, 2000.
This is commonly known as the "Year 2000 Problem." This situation may negatively
affect the companies in which the Fund invests and by extension the value of the
Fund's shares. The Board of Trustees has adopted a Year 2000 Project Plan that
the Board believes is reasonably designed to address the Year 2000 Problem with
respect to the computer systems of the Advisor's and the Fund's service
providers. Although the Advisor's and the Fund's service providers have assured
the Fund that they are moving towards Year 2000 compliance computer systems,
that is not a guarantee that the Fund will not experience any adverse effects.
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INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc., the Fund's investment advisor, is
located at 10000 Memorial Drive, Suite 660, Houston, TX 77024. The Advisor has
been providing investment advisory services to individual and institutional
investors since 1988. The Advisor presently has assets under management of
approximately $126 million. The Advisor supervises the Fund's investment
activities and determines which securities are purchased and sold by the Fund.
The Advisor also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative
services and provides most of the personnel needed by the Fund. For its
services, the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly management fee based upon its
average daily net assets. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Advisor
received advisory fees of 0.78% of the Fund's average daily net assets, net of
waiver.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Mr. Lanny C. Barbee, CPA/CFA has principally been responsible for the
management of the Fund's portfolio since November 9, 1998. Mr. Barbee, Portfolio
Manager, joined the Advisor in July 1996 as Portfolio Administrator and Research
Analyst. Prior to joining the Advisor, Mr. Barbee was Portfolio Manager for
Meridian Investment Management.
FUND EXPENSES
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses. The Advisor has
contractually agreed to reduce its fees and/or pay expenses of the Fund to
ensure that the Fund's aggregate annual operating expenses (excluding interest
and tax expenses) will not exceed 2.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets.
Any reduction in advisory fees or payment of expenses made by the Advisor may be
reimbursed by the Fund if the Advisor requests in subsequent fiscal years. This
reimbursement may be requested if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund
toward operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the
reimbursement) does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses. The
Advisor is permitted to be reimbursed for fee reductions and/or expense payments
made in the prior three fiscal years. Any such reimbursement will be reviewed by
the Trustees. The Fund must pay its current ordinary operating expenses before
the Advisor is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or expenses.
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
HOW TO BUY SHARES
You may open a Fund account with $2,000 and add to your account at any time
with $100 or more. The Fund may waive minimum investment requirements from time
to time.
You may purchase shares of the Fund by check or wire. All purchases by
check must be in U.S. dollars. Third party checks and cash will not be accepted.
A charge may be imposed if your check does not clear. The Fund is not required
to issue share certificates. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase
in whole or in part.
BY CHECK
If you are making your first investment in the Fund, simply complete the
Application Form included with this Prospectus and mail it with a check (made
payable to "Lighthouse Contrarian Fund") to:
Lighthouse Contrarian Fund
P.O. Box 640856
Cincinnati, OH 45264-0856
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If you wish to send your Application Form and check via an overnight
delivery service (such as FedEx), delivery cannot be made to a post office box.
In that case, you should use the following address:
Lighthouse Contrarian Fund
425 Walnut Street, M.L.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
If you are making a subsequent purchase, a stub is attached to the account
statement you will receive after each transaction. Detach the stub from the
statement and mail it together with a check made payable to "Lighthouse
Contrarian Fund" to the Fund in the envelope provided with your statement or to
the P.O. Box above. You should write your account number on the check.
BY WIRE
If you are making your first investment in the Fund, before you wire funds
you should call the Transfer Agent at (800) 282-2340 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m., Eastern time, on a day when the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open
for trading to advise them that you are making an investment by wire. The
Transfer Agent will ask for your name and the dollar amount you are investing.
You will then receive your account number and an order confirmation number. You
should then complete the Account Application included with this Prospectus.
Include the date and the order confirmation number on the Account Application
and mail the completed Account Application to the address at the top of the
Account Application. Your bank should transmit immediately available funds by
wire in your name to:
Firstar Bank, N.A. Cinti/Trust
ABA Routing #0420-0001-3
Attn: Lighthouse Contrarian Fund
DDA #483897971
Account name (shareholder name)
Shareholder account number
If you are making a subsequent purchase, your bank should wire funds as
indicated above. Before each wire purchase, you should be sure to notify the
Transfer Agent. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOUR BANK INCLUDE COMPLETE INFORMATION
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT IN ALL WIRE INSTRUCTIONS. If you have questions about how to
invest by wire, you may call the Transfer Agent. Your bank may charge you a fee
for sending a wire to the Fund.
You may buy and sell shares of the Fund through certain brokers (and their
agents) that have made arrangements with the Fund to sell its shares. When you
place your order with such a broker or its authorized agent, your order is
treated as if you had placed it directly with the Fund's Transfer Agent, and you
will pay or receive the next price calculated by the Fund. The broker (or agent)
holds your shares in an omnibus account in the broker's (or agent's) name, and
the broker (or agent) maintains your individual ownership records. The Fund may
pay the broker (or its agent) for maintaining these records as well as providing
other shareholder services. The broker (or its agent) may charge you a fee for
handling your order. The broker (or agent) is responsible for processing your
order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised regarding the status of your
individual account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive
copies of the Fund's prospectus.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN
For your convenience, the Fund offers an Automatic Investment Plan. Under
this Plan, after your initial investment, you authorize the Fund to withdraw
from your personal checking account each month an amount that you wish to
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invest, which must be at least $100. If you wish to enroll in this Plan,
complete the appropriate section in the Account Application. The Fund may
terminate or modify this privilege at any time. You may terminate your
participation in the Plan at any time by notifying the Transfer Agent in
writing.
RETIREMENT PLANS
The Fund offers an Individual Retirement Account ("IRA") plan. You may
obtain information about opening an IRA account by calling (800) 282-2340. If
you wish to open a Keogh, Section 403(b) or other retirement plan, please
contact your securities dealer.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You may sell (redeem) your Fund shares on any day the Fund and the NYSE are
open for business.
You may redeem your shares by simply sending a written request to the
Transfer Agent. You should give your account number and state whether you want
all or some of your shares redeemed. The letter should be signed by all of the
shareholders whose names appear on the account registration. You should send
your redemption request to:
Lighthouse Contrarian Fund
P.O. Box 5536
Hauppauge, NY 11788-0132
To protect the Fund and its shareholders, a signature guarantee is required
for all written redemption requests. Signature(s) on the redemption request must
be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution." These include banks,
broker-dealers, credit unions and savings institutions. A broker-dealer
guaranteeing signatures must be a member of a clearing corporation or maintain
net capital of at least $100,000. Credit unions must be authorized to issue
signature guarantees. Signature guarantees will be accepted from any eligible
guarantor institution which participates in a signature guarantee program. A
notary public is not an acceptable guarantor.
If you complete the Redemption by Telephone portion of the Account
Application, you may redeem all or some of your shares by calling the Transfer
Agent at (800) 282-2340 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Eastern
time. Redemption proceeds will be mailed on the next business day to the address
that appears on the Transfer Agent's records. If you request, redemption
proceeds will be wired on the next business day to the bank account you
designated on the Account Application. The minimum amount that may be wired is
$1,000. Wire charges, if any, will be deducted from your redemption proceeds.
Telephone redemptions cannot be made if you notify the Transfer Agent of a
change of address within 30 days before the redemption request. If you have a
retirement account, you may not redeem shares by telephone.
When you establish telephone privileges, you are authorizing the Fund and
its Transfer Agent to act upon the telephone instructions of the person or
persons you have designated on your Account Application. Redemption proceeds
will be transferred to the bank account you have designated on your Account
Application.
Before acting on instructions received by telephone, the Fund and the
Transfer Agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that the telephone
instructions are genuine. These procedures will include recording the telephone
call and asking the caller for a form of personal identification. If the Fund
and the Transfer Agent follow these reasonable procedures, they will not be
liable for any loss, expense, or cost arising out of any telephone redemption
request that is reasonably believed to be genuine. This includes any fraudulent
or unauthorized request. The Fund may change, modify or terminate these
privileges at any time upon at least 60 days' notice to shareholders.
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You may request telephone redemption privileges after your account is
opened by calling the Transfer Agent at (800) 282-2340 for instructions.
You may have difficulties in making a telephone redemption during periods
of abnormal market activity. If this occurs, you may make your redemption
request in writing.
Payment of your redemption proceeds will be made promptly, but not later
than seven days after the receipt of your written request in proper form as
discussed in this Prospectus. If you made your first investment by wire, payment
of your redemption proceeds for those shares will not be made until one business
day after your completed Account Application is received by the Fund. If you did
not purchase your shares with a certified check or wire, the Fund may delay
payment of your redemption proceeds for up to 15 days from date of purchase or
until your check has cleared, whichever occurs first.
The Fund may redeem the shares in your account if the value of your account
is less than $2,000 as a result of redemptions you have made. This does not
apply to retirement plan or Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minors Act accounts.
You will be notified that the value of your account is less than $2,000 before
the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. You will then have 30 days in which to
make an additional investment to bring the value of your account to at least
$2,000 before the Fund takes any action.
The Fund has the right to pay redemption proceeds to you in whole or in
part by a distribution of securities from the Fund's portfolio. It is not
expected that the Fund would do so except in unusual circumstances. If the Fund
pays your redemption proceeds by a distribution of securities, you could incur
brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PROGRAM
As another convenience, you may redeem your Fund shares through the
Systematic Withdrawal Program. If you elect this method of redemption, the Fund
will send you a check in a minimum amount of $100. You may choose to receive a
check each month or calendar quarter. Your Fund account must have a value of at
least $10,000 in order to participate in this Program. This Program may be
terminated at any time by the Fund. You may also elect to terminate your
participation in this Program at any time by writing to the Transfer Agent.
A withdrawal under the Program involves a redemption of shares and may
result in a gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. In addition, if the
amount withdrawn exceeds the dividends credited to your account, the account
ultimately may be depleted.
PRICING OF FUND SHARES
The price of the Fund's shares is based on the Fund's net asset value. This
is done by dividing the Fund's assets, minus its liabilities, by the number of
shares outstanding. The Fund's assets are the market value of securities held in
its portfolio, plus any cash and other assets. The Fund's liabilities are fees
and expenses owed by the Fund. The number of Fund shares outstanding is the
amount of shares which have been issued to shareholders. The price you will pay
to buy Fund shares or the amount you will receive when you sell your Fund shares
is based on the net asset value next calculated after your order is received by
the Transfer Agent with complete information and meeting all the requirements
discussed in this Prospectus.
The net asset value of the Fund's shares is determined as of the close of
regular trading on the NYSE. This is normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. Fund
shares will not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed for trading (including
certain U.S. holidays).
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DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The Fund will make distributions of dividends and capital gains, if any, at
least annually, typically in December. The Fund may make another distribution of
any additional undistributed capital gains earned during the 12-month period
ended October 31.
All distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you choose one
of the following options: (1) receive dividends in cash, while reinvesting
capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) receive all
distributions in cash. If you wish to change your distribution option, write to
the Transfer Agent in advance of the payment date of the distribution.
TAX CONSEQUENCES
The Fund intends to make distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Dividends are taxable to you as ordinary income. The rate you pay on capital
gain distributions will depend on how long the Fund held the securities that
generated the gains, not on how long you owned your Fund shares. You will be
taxed in the same manner whether you receive your dividends and capital gain
distributions in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares.
If you sell your Fund shares, it is considered a taxable event for you.
Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you
may have a gain or a loss on the transaction. You are responsible for any tax
liabilities generated by your transaction.
RULE 12b-1 FEES
The Fund has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940. This rule allows the Fund to pay distribution
fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to
its shareholders. Under the Plan, the annual distribution and service fee
payable to the Advisor, as Distribution Coordinator, is a maximum of 0.25% of
the Fund's average daily net assets. Because these fees are paid out of the
Fund's assets on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost
of your investment in Fund shares and may cost you more than paying other types
of sales charges.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table shows the Fund's financial performance for the past periods
shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the Fund would have increased
or decreased during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. This information has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
independent auditors. Their report and the Fund's financial statements are
included in the Annual Report, which is available upon request.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FOR A CAPITAL SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Years September 29, 1995*
Ended through
1999 1998 1997 August 31, 1996
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period........ $10.85 $15.76 $13.57 $12.00
------ ------ ------ ------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.................. (0.07) 0.01 0.05 (0.09)
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments (0.34) (4.31) 2.41 1.72
------ ------ ------ ------
Total from investment operations............ (0.41) (4.30) 2.46 1.63
------ ------ ------ ------
Less distributions:
From investment income................. (0.01) -- -- --
From net realized gains................ -- (0.61) (0.27) (0.06)
------ ------ ------ ------
Total distributions......................... (0.01) (0.61) (0.27) (0.06)
------ ------ ------ ------
Net asset value, end of period.............. $10.43 $10.85 $15.76 $13.57
====== ====== ====== ======
Total return................................ (3.78%) (28.46%) 18.22% 13.67%
Ratios/supplemental data:
Net assets, end of period (millions)........ $ 12.4 $ 21.7 $30.5 $14.0
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:
Before expense reimbursement........... 2.47% 2.13% 2.24% 2.95%+
After expense reimbursement**.......... 2.00% 2.00% 2.00% 2.00%+
Ratio of net investment income (loss)
to average net assets
Before expense reimbursement........... (0.85%) (0.06%) (0.13%) (2.14%)+
After expense reimbursement**.......... (0.39%) 0.08% 0.11% (1.19%)+
Portfolio turnover rate..................... 122.00% 44.09% 21.94% 20.56%
</TABLE>
- ----------
* Commencement of operations.
+ Annualized.
** Excluding dividends paid on securities sold short representing 0.11%,
0.15%, 0.06% and 0.00% for the period ended August 31, 1999, 1998, 1997 and
1996, respectively.
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LIGHTHOUSE CONTRARIAN FUND
A SERIES OF PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
(THE "TRUST")
For investors who want more information about the Fund, the following documents
are available free upon request:
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS: Additional information about the Fund's investments
is available in the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In
the Fund's annual report, you will find a discussion of market conditions and
investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during
its last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI): The SAI provides more detailed
information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus.
You can get free copies of reports and the SAI, request other information and
discuss your questions about the Fund by contacting the Fund at:
American Data Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 5536
Hauppauge, NY 11788-0132
Telephone: 1-800-282-2340
You can review and copy information including the Fund's reports and SAI at the
Public Reference Room of the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington,
D.C. You can obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by
calling the Commission at 1-202-942-8090. Reports and other information about
the Fund are available:
* Free of charge from the Commission's EDGAR Database on the Commission's
Internet website at http://www.sec.gov, or
* For a fee, by writing to the Public Reference Room of the Commission,
Washington, DC 20549-0102, or
* For a fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address:
[email protected].
(The Trust's SEC Investment Company Act
file number is 811-05037)
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Advisor
LIGHTHOUSE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
10000 Memorial Drive, Suite 660
Houston, Texas 77024
(713) 688-6881
Account Inquiries (800) 282-2340
Distributor
FIRST FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
4455 East Camelback Road, Suite 261E
Phoenix, Arizona 85018
Custodian
FIRSTAR INSTITUTIONAL CUSTODY SERVICES
425 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent
AMERICAN DATA SERVICES, INC.
P.O. Box 5536
Hauppauge, New York 11788-0132
Auditors
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
725 South Figueroa
Los Angeles, California 90017
Legal Counsel
PAUL, HASTINGS, JANOFSKY & WALKER
345 California Street, 29th Floor
San Francisco, California 94104
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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DECEMBER 3, 1999
LIGHTHOUSE CONTRARIAN FUND
A SERIES OF
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
10000 MEMORIAL DRIVE, SUITE 660
HOUSTON, TX 77024
(713) 688-6881
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus and it
should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated December 3, 1999, as may
be revised, of the Lighthouse Contrarian Fund (the "Fund"). Lighthouse Capital
Management, Inc. (the "Advisor) is the investment advisor to the Fund. Copies of
the Fund's Prospectus are available by calling the number above or (626)
852-1033.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Trust....................................................................B-2
Investment Objective and Policies............................................B-2
Investment Restrictions.....................................................B-10
Distributions and Tax Information...........................................B-11
Trustees and Executive Officers.............................................B-14
The Fund's Investment Advisor...............................................B-16
The Fund's Administrator....................................................B-16
The Fund's Distributor......................................................B-17
Execution of Portfolio Transactions.........................................B-18
Portfolio Turnover.........................................................B-19
Additional Purchase And Redemption Information..............................B-20
Determination of Share Price................................................B-22
Performance Information.....................................................B-23
General Information.........................................................B-24
Financial Statements........................................................B-25
Appendix A.................................................................B-25
Appendix B.................................................................B-28
B-1
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THE TRUST
Professionally Managed Portfolios (the "Trust") is an open-end
management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The
Trust consists of various series which represent separate investment portfolios.
This SAI relates only to the Fund.
The Trust is registered with the SEC as a management investment
company. Such a registration does not involve supervision of the management or
policies of the Fund. The Prospectus of the Fund and this SAI omit certain of
the information contained in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC.
Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the
prescribed fee.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Lighthouse Contrarian Fund is a mutual fund with the investment
objective of seeking growth of capital. The Fund is diversified, which under
applicable federal law means that as to 75% of its total assets (1) no more than
5% may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) it may hold no
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. The
following discussion supplements the discussion of the Fund's investment
objective and policies as set forth in the Prospectus. There can be no assurance
the objective of the Fund will be attained.
PREFERRED STOCK. A preferred stock is a blend of the characteristics of
a bond and common stock. It can offer the higher yield of a bond and has
priority over common stock in equity ownership, but does not have the seniority
of a bond and, unlike common stock, its participation in the issuer's growth may
be limited. Preferred stock has preference over common stock in the receipt of
dividends and in any residual assets after payment to creditors should the
issuer by dissolved. Although the dividend is set at a fixed annual rate, in
some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by the issuer.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in convertible securities
(bonds, notes, debentures, preferred stock and other securities convertible
income common stocks ) that may offer higher income than the common stocks into
which they are convertible. The convertible securities in which the Fund may
invest include fixed-income or zero coupon debt securities, which may be
converted or exchanged at a rated or determinable exchange ratio into underlying
shares of common stock. Prior to their conversion, convertible securities may
have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt securities. While
convertible securities generally offer lower yields than non-convertible debt
securities of similar quality, their prices may reflect changes in the value of
the underlying common stock. Convertible securities generally entail less credit
risk than the issuer's common stock.
INVESTMENT COMPANIES. The Fund may invest in shares of other investment
companies in pursuit of its investment objective. This may include investment in
money market mutual funds in connection with the Fund's management of daily cash
positions. In addition to the advisory and operational fees the Fund bears
directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund and its shareholders
will also bear the pro rata portion of each other investment company's advisory
and operational expenses.
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REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements.
Under such agreements, the seller of the security agrees to repurchase it at a
mutually agreed upon time and price. The repurchase price may be higher than the
purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and
repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the
Fund together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the
income to the Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the U.S. Government
security itself. Such repurchase agreements will be made only with banks with
assets of $500 million or more that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or with Government securities dealers recognized by the Federal
Reserve Board and registered as broker-dealers with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") or exempt from such registration. The Fund will generally
enter into repurchase agreements of short durations, from overnight to one week,
although the underlying securities generally have longer maturities. The Fund
may not enter into a repurchase agreement with more than seven days to maturity
if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of its net assets would be invested
in illiquid securities including such repurchase agreements.
For purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), a
repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the seller of the
U.S. Government security subject to the repurchase agreement. It is not clear
whether a court would consider the U.S. Government security acquired by the Fund
subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being
collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller. In the event of the
commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller
of the U.S. Government security before its repurchase under a repurchase
agreement, the Fund may encounter delays and incur costs before being able to
sell the security. Delays may involve loss of interest or a decline in price of
the U.S. Government security. If a court characterizes the transaction as a loan
and the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the U.S. Government
security, the Fund may be required to return the security to the seller's estate
and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor,
the Fund would be at the risk of losing some or all of the principal and income
involved in the transaction. As with any unsecured debt instrument purchased for
the Fund, the Advisor seeks to minimize the risk of loss through repurchase
agreements by analyzing the creditworthiness of the other party, in this case
the seller of the U.S. Government security.
Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is
also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security. However, the
Fund will always receive as collateral for any repurchase agreement to which it
is a party securities acceptable to it, the market value of which is equal to at
least 100% of the amount invested by the Fund plus accrued interest, and the
Fund will make payment against such securities only upon physical delivery or
evidence of book entry transfer to the account of its Custodian. If the market
value of the U.S. Government security subject to the repurchase agreement
becomes less than the repurchase price (including interest), the Fund will
direct the seller of the U.S. Government security to deliver additional
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securities so that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase
agreement will equal or exceed the repurchase price. It is possible that the
Fund will be unsuccessful in seeking to impose on the seller a contractual
obligation to deliver additional securities.
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 them 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. To the extent that assets of the Fund are
held in cash pending the settlement of a purchase of securities, the Fund would
earn no income; however, it is the Fund's intention to be fully invested to the
extent practicable and subject to the policies stated above. While when-issued
securities may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to
purchase them 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 market
value of the when-issued securities may be more or less than the purchase price.
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's
Custodian will segregate liquid assets equal in value to commitments for
when-issued securities. Such segregated assets either will mature or, if
necessary, be sold on or before the settlement date. The Fund may not purchase
securities on a when-issued basis to an extent greater than 5% of its net
assets, measured at the time of the transaction.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Fund may not invest more than 15% of the value
of its net assets in securities that at the time of purchase have legal or
contractual restrictions on resale or are otherwise illiquid. The Advisor will
monitor the amount of illiquid securities in the Fund's portfolio, under the
supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees, to ensure compliance with the
Fund's investment restrictions.
Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to
contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), securities
which are otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having a
maturity of longer than seven days. Securities which have not been registered
under the Securities Act are referred to as private placement or restricted
securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary
market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these
restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on
resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse
effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable
to sell restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices
and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemption requests within
seven days. The Fund might also have to register such restricted securities in
order to sell them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market
conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
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In recent years, however, a large institutional market has developed
for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act,
including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal
securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an
efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily
resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that
there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or
to certain institutions may not reflect the actual liquidity of such
investments. These securities might be adversely affected if qualified
institutional buyers were unwilling to purchase such securities. If such
securities are subject to purchase by institutional buyers in accordance with
Rule 144A promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act, the Trust's Board of
Trustees may determine that such securities are not illiquid securities despite
their legal or contractual restrictions on resale. In all other cases, however,
securities subject to restrictions on resale will be deemed illiquid.
SECURITIES LENDING. Although the Fund's objective is growth of capital,
the Fund reserves the right to lend its portfolio securities in order to
generate income from time to time. Securities may be loaned to broker-dealers,
major banks or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities
who are not affiliated with the Advisor or Distributor and whose
creditworthiness is acceptable to the Advisor. The borrower must deliver to the
Fund cash or cash equivalent collateral, or provide to the Fund an irrevocable
letter of credit equal in value to at least 100% of the value of the loaned
securities at all times during the loan, marked-to-market daily. During the time
the portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any interest
paid on such securities. The Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn
additional income, or it may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income if
the borrower has delivered equivalent collateral or a letter of credit. The Fund
may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan
and may pay a negotiated portion of the income earned on the cash to the
borrower or placing broker. Loans are subject to termination at the option of
the Fund or the borrower at any time. The Fund may not lend its portfolio
securities to an extent greater than 5% of its net assets, measured at the time
of the transaction.
LEVERAGE THROUGH BORROWING. The Fund may borrow money for leveraging
purposes. Leveraging creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the
same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may
exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the yield on the
Fund's portfolio. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the
Fund's assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding.
Leveraging will create interest expenses for the Fund which can exceed the
income from the assets retained. To the extent the income derived from
securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest the Fund will have
to pay, the Fund's net income will be greater than if leveraging were not used.
Conversely, if the income from the assets retained with borrowed funds is not
sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be
less than if leveraging were not used, and therefore the amount available for
distribution to stockholders as dividends will be reduced. The Fund may not
engage in borrowing for leverage to an extent greater than 5% of its net assets,
measured at the time of the transaction.
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SHORT SALES. The Fund may engage in short sales of securities. In a
short sale, the Fund sells stock which it does not own, making delivery with
securities "borrowed" from a broker. The Fund is then obligated to replace the
security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of
replacement. This price may or may not be less than the price at which the
security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is
required to pay to the lender any dividends or interest which accrue during the
period of the loan. In order to borrow the security, the Fund may also have to
pay a premium which would increase the cost of the security sold. The Fund will
incur additional expense for any dividends or interest the Fund may required to
pay in connection with short sales. The proceeds of the short sale will be
retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements,
until the short position is closed out.
The Fund also must segregate liquid assets equal to the different
between (a) the market value of the securities sold short at the time they were
wold short and (b) the value of the collateral deposited with the broker in
connection with the short sale (not including the proceeds from the short sale).
While the short position is open, the Fund must maintain segregated assets at
such a level that the amount segregated plus the amount deposited with the
broker as collateral equal the current market value of the securities sold
short. The dollar amount of short sales (not including short sales
against-the-box) may not exceed 33-1/3% of the net assets of the Fund at the
time of entering into the short sale and may not exceed 50% of the net assets of
the Fund at any time.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS. The Fund may invest in up to 10% of its net assets
in securities of foreign issuers that are not publicly traded in the United
States, including American Depositary Receipts. The Fund may also invest without
regard to the 10% limitation in securities of foreign issuers which trade and
settle in U.S. dollars.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign
issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and European
Depositary Receipts ("EDRs"). These securities may not necessarily be
denominated in the same currency as the securities for which they may be
exchanged. These are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a
foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar financial institution.
Designed for use in U.S. and European securities, respectively, ADRs and EDRs
are alternatives to the purchase of the underlying securities in their national
market and currencies. ADRs may be purchased through "sponsored" or
"unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the
issuer of the underlying security and a depositary, whereas a depositary may
establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the
depositary security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear
all the costs of such facilities and the depositary of an unsponsored facility
frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications
received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting
rights to the holders of such receipts of the deposited securities.
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RISKS OF INVESTING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES. Investments in foreign
securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS. Individual foreign economies of certain
countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such
respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital
reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and diversification and balance of
payments position. The internal politics of some foreign countries may not be as
stable as those of the United States. Governments in some foreign countries also
continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or
regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could
include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of
goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market
prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign
countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are affected by the
trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. If these
trading partners enacted protectionist trade legislation, it could have a
significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.
CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in
foreign currencies. A change in the value of any such currency against the U.S.
dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the
Fund's assets denominated in that currency. Such changes will also affect the
Fund's income. The value of the Fund's assets may also be affected significantly
by currency restrictions and exchange control regulations enacted from time to
time.
EURO CONVERSION. Several European countries adopted a single uniform
currency known as the "euro," effective January 1, 1999. The euro conversion,
that will take place over a several-year period, could have potential adverse
effects on the Fund's ability to value its portfolio holdings in foreign
securities, and could increase the costs associated with the Fund's operations.
The Fund and the Advisor are working with providers of services to the Fund in
the areas of clearance and settlement of trade to avoid any material impact on
the Fund due to the euro conversion; there can be no assurance, however, that
the steps taken will be sufficient to avoid any adverse impact on the Fund.
MARKET CHARACTERISTICS. The Advisor expects that many foreign
securities in which the Fund invests will be purchased in over-the-counter
markets or on exchanges located in the countries in which the principal offices
of the issuers of the various securities are located, if that is the best
available market. Foreign exchanges and markets may be more volatile than those
in the United States. While growing, they usually have substantially less volume
than U.S. markets, and the Fund's foreign securities may be less liquid and more
volatile than U.S. securities. Also, settlement practices for transactions in
foreign markets may differ from those in United States markets, and may include
delays beyond periods customary in the United States. Foreign security trading
practices, including those involving securities settlement where Fund assets may
be released prior to receipt of payment or securities, may expose the Fund to
increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a foreign
broker-dealer.
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LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS. Certain foreign countries may have less
supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less
financial information available to issuers, than is available in the United
States.
TAXES. The interest and dividends payable on some of the Fund's foreign
portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing
the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders.
COSTS. To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, its
expense ratio is likely to be higher than those of investment companies
investing only in domestic securities, since the cost of maintaining the custody
of foreign securities is higher.
CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets
in debt securities, including debt securities rated below investment grade.
Bonds rated below BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody's, commonly referred to "junk
bonds," typically carry higher coupon rates than investment grade bonds, but
also are described as speculative by both S&P and Moody's and may be subject to
greater market price fluctuations, less liquidity and greater risk of income or
principal including greater possibility of default and bankruptcy of the issuer
of such securities than more highly rated bonds. Lower rated bonds also are more
likely to be sensitive to adverse economic or company developments and more
subject to price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates. The
market for lower-rated debt issues generally is thinner and less active than
that for higher quality securities, which may limit the Fund's ability to sell
such securities at fair value in response to changes in the economy or financial
markets. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, highly
leveraged issuers of lower rated securities may experience financial stress
which could adversely affect their ability to make payments of interest and
principal and increase the possibility of default.
Ratings of debt securities represent the rating agencies' opinions
regarding their quality, are not a guarantee of quality and may be reduced after
the Fund has acquired the security. If a security's rating is reduced while it
held by the Fund, the Advisor will consider whether the Fund should continue to
hold the security but is not required to dispose of it. Credit ratings attempt
to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments and do not evaluate
the risks of fluctuations in market value. Also, rating agencies may fail to
make timely changes in credit ratings in response to subsequent events, so that
an issuer's current financial conditions may be better or worse than the rating
indicates. The ratings for corporate debt securities are described in Appendix
A.
OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may purchase and write call and put
options on securities and securities indices. Transactions in options on
securities and on indices involve certain risks. For example, there are
significant differences between the securities and options markets that could
result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given
transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and
how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a
well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market
behavior or unexpected events.
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There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund
seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an
option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option
in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If the Fund
were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a
security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option
expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund
forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in
the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the
premium and the exercise price of the call.
If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund
would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were
imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except
to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by
an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may
result in a loss to the Fund; such losses may be mitigated or exacerbated by
changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was
outstanding.
Options markets may not be liquid in all circumstances and certain
over-the-counter options may have no markets. As a result, in certain markets,
the Fund might not be able to close out a transaction at all or without
incurring losses. Under SEC staff positions, certain over-the-counter options
may be considered illiquid. Although the use of options for hedging should
minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged position,
at the same time they tend to limit any potential gain which might result from
an increase in the value of such position. If losses were to result from the use
of such transactions, they could reduce net asset value and possibly income. The
Fund limits the total option positions to no more than 10% of its net assets,
measured at the time of investment. However, this does not limit the amount of
the Fund's assets at risk to 5%.
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:
CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT, BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES AND TIME DEPOSITS. The
Fund may hold certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits.
Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds
deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a
specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of
exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific
merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank
unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity.
Certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances acquired by the Fund will be
dollar-denominated obligations of domestic banks, savings and loan associations
or financial institutions which, at the time of purchase, have capital, surplus
and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both
domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than
$100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured
by the U.S. Government.
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In addition to buying certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances,
the Fund also may make interest-bearing time or other interest-bearing deposits
in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits
maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time
at a specified interest rate.
COMMERCIAL PAPER AND SHORT-TERM NOTES. The Fund may invest a portion of
its assets in commercial paper and short-term notes. Commercial paper consists
of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Commercial paper and
short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and
fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to
one year.
Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at
the time of purchase "A-2" or higher by S&P, "Prime-1" or "Prime-2" by Moody's,
or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating
organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Advisor to be of
comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in Appendix B.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The following policies and investment restrictions have been adopted by
the Fund and (unless otherwise noted) are fundamental and cannot be changed
without the affirmative vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund may not:
1. Make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt
securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b)
through the lending of its portfolio securities as described above and in its
Prospectus, or (c) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is
deemed to be a loan.
2. (a) Borrow money, except as stated in the Prospectus and this SAI.
Any such borrowing will be made only if immediately thereafter there is an asset
coverage of at least 300% of all
borrowings.
(b) Mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any of its assets except in
connection with any such borrowings.
3. Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and
several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. (Does
not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary
for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities.)
4. Purchase or sell real estate or commodities or commodity contracts
(the Board of Trustees may in the future authorize the Fund to engage in certain
activities regarding futures contracts for bona fide hedging purposes; any such
authorization will be accompanied by appropriate notification to shareholders).
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5. Invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the
securities of companies engaged in any one industry. (Does not apply to
investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities.)
6. Issue senior securities, as defined in the 1940 Act, except that
this restriction shall not be deemed to prohibit the Fund from (a) making any
permitted borrowings, mortgages or pledges, or (b) entering into options,
futures or repurchase transactions.
7. Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or
management.
The Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed
fundamental and which may be changed without shareholder vote. The Fund may not:
1. Invest in securities of other investment companies or purchase any
other investment company's voting securities or make any other investment in any
other investment in other investment companies except to the extent permitted by
federal law.
2. Invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in
securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities which
are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days
to maturity.
3. With respect to fundamental investment restriction 2(a) above, the
Fund will not purchase portfolio securities while outstanding borrowings exceed
5% of its assets.
If a percentage restriction set forth in the prospectus or in this SAI
is adhered to at the time of investment, a subsequent increase or decrease in a
percentage resulting from a change in the values of assets will not constitute a
violation of that restriction, except with respect to borrowing
or the purchase of restricted or illiquid securities.
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX INFORMATION
DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net profits
from the sale of securities are generally made annually. Also, the Fund expects
to distribute any undistributed net investment income on or about December 31 of
each year. Any net capital gains realized through the period ended October 31 of
each year will also be distributed by December 31 of each year.
Each distribution by the Fund is accompanied by a brief explanation of
the form and character of the distribution. In January of each year the Fund
will issue to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of
all distributions.
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<PAGE>
TAX INFORMATION
Each series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for federal
income tax purposes. The Fund did not meet all the requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code") applicable to regulated investment companies
for the year ended August 31, 1999. However, there was no resultant federal tax
liability. The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of
the Code during the August 31, 2000 fiscal year, provided it complies with all
applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, diversification of
its assets and timing of distributions. The Fund's policy is to distribute to
its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and any net
realized capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the
distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to
any federal income or excise taxes. To comply with the requirements, the Fund
must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each
calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) at
least 98% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital
losses for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year and (iii)
any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which
the Fund paid no federal income tax.
The Fund's ordinary income generally consists of interest and dividend
income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are
computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund.
Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains
are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In the case of corporate
shareholders, a portion of the distributions may qualify for the intercorporate
dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund designate the amount
distributed as a qualifying dividend. This designated amount cannot, however,
exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for
their taxable year. In view of the Fund's investment policy, it is expected that
dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund's gross income and
that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for the
dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. However, the portion of
the Fund's gross income attributable to qualifying dividends is largely
dependent on the Fund's investment activities for a particular year and
therefore cannot be predicted with any certainty. The deduction may be reduced
or eliminated if the Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as
debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days.
The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on dividends and
interest earned with respect to securities of foreign corporations.
The Fund may purchase or sell certain options. Such transactions are
subject to special tax rules that may affect the amount, timing, and character
of distributions to shareholders. For example, such contracts that are "Section
1256 contracts" will be "marked-to-market" for Federal income tax purposes at
the end of each taxable year (i.e., each contract will be treated as sold for
its fair market value on the last day of the taxable year). In general, unless
certain special elections are made, gain or loss from transactions in such
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<PAGE>
contracts will be 60% long term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Section
1092 of the Code, which applies to certain "straddles," may also affect the
taxation of the Fund's transactions in options. Under Section 1092 of the Code,
the Fund may be required to postpone recognition for tax purposes of losses
incurred in certain of such transactions.
A redemption of Fund shares may result in recognition of a taxable gain
or loss. Any loss realized upon a redemption of shares within six months from
the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the
extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains during
such six-month period. Any loss realized upon a redemption of Fund shares may be
disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the Fund are
purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days
before or after the redemption.
Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS") all distributions of ordinary income and capital gains
as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except
in the case of exempt shareholders, which includes most corporations. Pursuant
to the backup withholding provisions of the Code, distributions of any taxable
income and capital gains and proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares may be
subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 31 percent in the
case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Fund with their taxpayer
identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status
under the federal income tax law. If the withholding provisions are applicable,
any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in
additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Corporate and other exempt shareholders should provide the Fund with their
taxpayer identification numbers or certify their exempt status in order to avoid
possible erroneous application of backup withholding. The Fund reserve the right
to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified
taxpayer identification number.
The Fund will not be subject to corporate income tax in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts as long as its qualifies as regulated investment
companies for federal income tax purposes. Distributions and the transactions
referred to in the preceding paragraphs may be subject to state and local income
taxes, and the tax treatment thereof may differ from the federal income tax
treatment.
The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely
to the application of that law to U.S. citizens or residents and U.S. domestic
corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a
U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership
of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be
subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30 percent (or at a lower rate
under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income.
In addition, the foregoing discussion of tax law is based on existing
provisions of the Code, existing and proposed regulations thereunder, and
current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to
change. Any such charges could affect the validity of this discussion. The
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<PAGE>
discussion also represents only a general summary of tax law and practice
currently applicable to the Fund and certain shareholders therein, and, as such,
is subject to change. In particular, the consequences of an investment in shares
of the Fund under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdictions
are not discussed herein. Each prospective investor should consult his or her
own tax advisor to determine the application of the tax law and practice in his
or her own particular circumstances.
TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The Trustees of the Trust, who were elected for an indefinite term by
the initial shareholders of the Trust, are responsible for the overall
management of the Trust, including general supervision and review of the
investment activities of the Fund. The Trustees, in turn, elect the officers of
the Trust, who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of
the Trust and its separate series. The current Trustees and officers, their
affiliations, dates of birth and principal occupations for the past five years
are set forth below. Unless noted otherwise, each person has held the position
listed for a minimum of five years.
Steven J. Paggioli,* 04/03/50 President and Trustee
915 Broadway, New York, New York 10010. Executive Vice President, The Wadsworth
Group (consultants); Executive Vice President of Investment Company
Administration L.L.C. ("ICA") (mutual fund administrator and the Trust's
administrator),and Vice President of First Fund Distributors, Inc. ("FFD") (a
registered broker-dealer and the Fund's Distributor).
Dorothy A. Berry, 08/12/43 Chairman and Trustee
14 Five Roses East, Ancram, NY 12502. President, Talon Industries (venture
capital and business consulting); formerly Chief Operating Officer, Integrated
Asset Management (investment adviser and manager) and formerly President, Value
Line, Inc., (investment advisory and financial publishing firm).
Wallace L. Cook 09/10/39 Trustee
One Peabody Lane, Darien, CT 06820. Retired. Formerly Senior Vice President,
Rockefeller Trust Co. Financial Counselor, Rockefeller & Co.
Carl A. Froebel 05/23 /38 Trustee
2 Crown Cove Lane, Savannah, GA 31411. Private Investor. Formerly Managing
Director, Premier Solutions, Ltd. (computer software); formerly President and
Founder, National Investor Data Services, Inc. (investment related computer
software).
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<PAGE>
Rowley W.P. Redington 06/01/44 Trustee
1191 Valley Road, Clifton, New Jersey 07103. President; Intertech (consumer
electronics and computer service and marketing); formerly Vice President, PRS of
New Jersey, Inc. (management consulting), and Chief Executive Officer, Rowley
Associates (consultants).
Robert M. Slotky* 6/17/47 Treasurer
2020 E. Financial Way, Suite 100, Glendora, California 91741. Senior Vice
President, ICA since May 1997; former instructor of accounting at California
State University-Northridge (1997); Chief Financial Officer, Wanger Asset
Management L.P. and Treasurer of Acorn Investment Trust (1992- 1996).
Robin Berger* 11/17/56 Secretary
915 Broadway, New York, New York 10010. Vice President, The Wadsworth Group.
Robert H. Wadsworth* 01/25/40 Vice President
4455 E. Camelback Road, Suite 261E, Phoenix, Arizona 85018. President of The
Wadsworth Group; President of ICA and FFD.
- ----------
* Indicates an "interested person" of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act.
Set forth below is the rate of compensation received by the following
Trustees from all portfolios of the Trust. This total amount is allocated among
the portfolios. Disinterested Trustees receive an annual retainer of $10,000 and
a fee of $2,500 for each regularly scheduled meeting. These Trustees also
receive a fee of $1,000 for any special meeting attended. The Chairman of the
Board of Trustees receives an additional annual retainer of $5,000.
Disinterested trustees are also reimbursed for expenses in connection with each
Board meeting attended. No other compensation or retirement benefits were
received by any Trustee from the portfolios of the Trust.
Name of Trustee Total Annual Compensation
--------------- -------------------------
Dorothy A. Berry $25,000
Wallace L. Cook $20,000
Carl A. Froebel $20,000
Rowley W.P. Redington $20,000
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, trustees' fees and
expenses in the amount of $3,458 were allocated to the Fund. As of the date of
this SAI, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own more
than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
B-15
<PAGE>
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT ADVISOR
As stated in the Prospectus, investment advisory services are provided
to the Fund by Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc., the Advisor, pursuant to an
Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). As compensation, the
Fund pays the Advisor a monthly management fee (accrued daily) based upon the
average daily net assets of the Fund at the annual rate of 1.25%.
The Advisory Agreement will continue in effect for successive annual
periods so long as such continuation is approved at least annually by the vote
of (1) the Board of Trustees of the Trust (or a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Fund, and (2) a majority of the Trustees who are not interested
persons of any party to the Advisory Agreement, in each case cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory
Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by either party to the
Advisory Agreement upon sixty days' written notice and is automatically
terminated in the event of its "assignment," as defined in the 1940 Act.
The Advisor has contractually agreed to limit the Fund's operating
expenses, including the Advisor's fee, to an annual level of 2.00% of the Fund's
average daily net assets. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Fund
incurred advisory fees of $207,288, of which amount the Advisor waived $77,321.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1998, the Fund incurred advisory fees of
$398,634. For the same period, the Advisor reimbursed the Fund for operating
expenses in the amount of $41,466. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1997,
the Fund incurred advisory fees of $277,492. For the same period, the Advisor
reimbursed the Fund for operating expenses in the amount of $53,616.
THE FUND'S ADMINISTRATOR
The Fund has an Administration Agreement with Investment Company
Administration, LLC (the "Administrator"), a corporation partly owned and
controlled by Messrs. Paggioli and Wadsworth with offices at 4455 E. Camelback
Rd., Ste. 261-E, Phoenix, AZ 85018. The Administration Agreement provides that
the Administrator will prepare and coordinate reports and other materials
supplied to the Trustees; prepare and/or supervise the preparation and filing of
all securities filings, periodic financial reports, prospectuses, statements of
additional information, marketing materials, tax returns, shareholder reports
and other regulatory reports or filings required of the Fund; prepare all
required notice filings necessary to maintain the Fund's ability to sell shares
in all states where the Fund currently does, or intends to do business;
coordinate the preparation, printing and mailing of all materials (e.g., Annual
Reports) required to be sent to shareholders; coordinate the preparation and
payment of Fund related expenses; monitor and oversee the activities of the
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Fund's servicing agents (i.e., transfer agent, custodian, fund accountants,
etc.); review and adjust as necessary the Fund's daily expense accruals; and
perform such additional services as may be agreed upon by the Fund and the
Administrator. For its services, the Administrator receives a monthly fee at the
following annual rate:
Average net assets Fee or fee rate
Under $15 million $30,000
$15 to $50 million 0.20% of average net assets
$50 to $100 million 0.15% of average net assets
$100 million to $150 million 0.10% of average net assets
Over $150 million 0.05% of average net assets
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1999, 1998 and 1997, the
Administrator received fees of $30,000, $63,781 and $43,889, respectively, from
the Fund.
THE FUND'S DISTRIBUTOR
First Fund Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor"), a corporation partly
owned by Messrs. Paggioli and Wadsworth, acts as the Fund's principal
underwriter in a continuous public offering of the Fund's shares. The
Distribution Agreement between the Fund and the Distributor continues in effect
from year to year if approved at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees or
the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund (as defined in the
1940 Act) and (ii) a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of
any such party, in each case cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated without
penalty by the parties thereto upon sixty days' written notice, and is
automatically terminated in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940
Act.
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1
(the "Plan") under the 1940 Act. The Plan provides that the Fund will pay a fee
at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
The fee is paid to the Advisor as Distribution Coordinator as reimbursement of,
or in anticipation of, expenses incurred for distribution related activity.
The Plan allows excess distribution expenses to be carried forward by
the Advisor, as Distribution Coordinator, and resubmitted in a subsequent fiscal
year provided that (i) distribution expenses cannot be carried forward for more
than three years following initial submission; (ii) the Board of Trustees has
made a determination at the time of initial submission that the distribution
expenses are appropriate to be carried forward; and (iii) the Board of Trustees
makes a further determination, at the time any distribution expenses which have
been carried forward are resubmitted for payment, to the effect that payment at
the time is appropriate, consistent with the objectives of the Plan and in the
current best interests of shareholders.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Fund paid fees
of $41,457 pursuant to the Plan, of which $12,873 was paid out as selling
compensation to dealers, $2,780 was for reimbursement of printing expenses,
$21,282 was for payment to sales personnel, $2,948 was for reimbursement of
advertising/sales literature expenses, and $1,574 was for miscellaneous other
expenses.
B-17
<PAGE>
EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor determines which
securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are
eligible to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of
securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed directly
with a "market-maker" unless, in the opinion of the Advisor, a better price and
execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction.
Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund also may be made
directly from issuers or from underwriters. Where possible, purchase and sale
transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) which specialize
in the types of securities which the Fund will be holding, unless better
executions are available elsewhere. Dealers and underwriters usually act as
principal for their own accounts. Purchases from underwriters will include a
concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will
include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and
price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order
may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other
services as discussed below.
In placing portfolio transactions, the Advisor will use its reasonable
efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to
obtain the most favorable price and execution available. The full range and
quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations,
such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational
facilities of the firm involved, the firm's risk in positioning a block of
securities, and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably
determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to
obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be
given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical
information to the Advisor that it may lawfully and appropriately use in its
investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to
execution services. The Advisor considers such information, which is in addition
to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its
Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable
value. Portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers who sell shares
of the Fund subject to rules adopted by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.
While it is the Fund's general policy to seek first to obtain the most
favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute
portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a
broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Fund or to the
Advisor, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and
may be useful to the Advisor in advising other clients. In negotiating
commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the
Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if
no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided
that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith
by the Advisor to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or
research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness
is to be measured in light of the Advisor's overall responsibilities to the
Fund.
B-17
<PAGE>
Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of
other client accounts or mutual funds ("Funds") managed or advised by the
Advisor. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be
acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts or Funds.
In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) or Funds in
the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its
investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of
these client accounts or Funds seeks to acquire the same security as the Fund at
the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such
security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower
yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a
price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security
at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts or Funds simultaneously
purchases or sells the same security that the Fund is purchasing or selling,
each day's transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and
all such client accounts or Funds in a manner deemed equitable by the Advisor,
taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount being
purchased or sold. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a
detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is
concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund
to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the
Fund.
The Fund does not effect securities transactions through brokers in
accordance with any formula, nor does it effect securities transactions through
brokers solely for selling shares of the Fund, although the Fund may consider
the sale of shares as a factor in allocating brokerage. However, as stated
above, broker-dealers who execute brokerage transactions may effect purchase
of shares of the Fund for their customers.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1999, 1998 and 1997, the Fund
paid $101,858, $56,794 and $58,519, respectively, in brokerage commissions.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading
purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time
they have been held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment
considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by
dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the
fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities
owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the
securities in the Fund's portfolio, with the exception of securities whose
maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and
either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio
turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may
result in a greater number of taxable transactions. See "Execution of Portfolio
Transactions." For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1999 and 1998, the Fund had
a portfolio turnover rate of 122.00% and 44.09%, respectively. Portfolio
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<PAGE>
turnover increased in 1999 due to a number of factors including: (a) a change in
the Fund's Portfolio Manager; (b) liquidation of all short positions which had
previously been established; and (c) greater volatility in the flow of
shareholder investments.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
The information provided below supplements the information contained in
the Fund's Prospectus regarding the purchase and redemption of Fund shares.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
The public offering price of Fund shares is the net asset value. The
Fund receives the net asset value. Shares are purchased at the public offering
price next determined after the Transfer Agent receives your order in proper
form as discussed in the Fund's Prospectus. In most cases, in order to receive
that day's public offering price, the Transfer Agent must receive your order in
proper form before the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE"), normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time.
The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for
trading. The most recent announcement indicates that it will not be open on the
following days: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day,
Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day. However, the NYSE may close on days not included in that
announcement.
The Trust reserves the right in its sole discretion (i) to suspend the
continued offering of the Fund's shares, (ii) to reject purchase orders in whole
or in part when in the judgment of the Advisor or the Distributor such rejection
is in the best interest of the Fund, and (iii) to reduce or waive the minimum
for initial and subsequent investments for certain fiduciary accounts or under
circumstances where certain economies can be achieved in sales of the Fund's
shares.
In addition to cash purchases, Fund shares may be purchased by
tendering paying in kind in the form of shares of stock, bonds or other
securities. Any securities used to buy Fund shares must be readily marketable,
their acquisition consistent with the Fund's objective and otherwise
acceptable to the Advisor.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You can sell your Fund shares any day the NYSE is open for regular
trading.
DELIVERY OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
Payments to shareholders for shares of the Fund redeemed directly from
the Fund will be made as promptly as possible but no later than seven days after
receipt by the Fund's Transfer Agent of the written request in proper form, with
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<PAGE>
the appropriate documentation as stated in the Prospectus, except that the Fund
may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any
period when (a) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or
the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (b) an emergency exists
as determined by the SEC making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of
net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable; or (c) for such other period
as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund's shareholders. Under
unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend redemptions, or postpone payment for
more than seven days, but only as authorized by SEC rules.
The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less
than the investor's cost, depending upon the market value of the Fund's
portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTIONS
Shareholders must have selected telephone transactions privileges on
the Account Application when opening a Fund account. Upon receipt of any
instructions or inquiries by telephone from a shareholder or, if held in a joint
account, from either party, or from any person claiming to be the shareholder,
the Fund or its agent is authorized, without notifying the shareholder or joint
account parties, to carry out the instructions or to respond to the inquiries,
consistent with the service options chosen by the shareholder or joint
shareholders in his or their latest Account Application or other written request
for services, including purchasing or redeeming shares of the Fund and
depositing and withdrawing monies from the bank account specified in the Bank
Account Registration section of the shareholder's latest Account Application or
as otherwise properly specified to the Fund in writing.
The Transfer Agent will employ these and other reasonable procedures to
confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine; if it fails to
employ reasonable procedures, the Fund and the Transfer Agent may be liable for
any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. If these procedures
are followed, an investor agrees, however, that to the extent permitted by
applicable law, neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss,
liability, cost or expense arising out of any redemption request, including any
fraudulent or unauthorized request. For information, consult the Transfer Agent.
During periods of unusual market changes and shareholder activity, you
may experience delays in contacting the Transfer Agent by telephone. In this
event, you may wish to submit a written redemption request, as described in the
Prospectus. The Telephone Redemption Privilege may be modified or terminated
without notice.
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REDEMPTIONS-IN-KIND
The Trust has filed an election under SEC Rule 18f-1 committing to pay
in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by
the rule (in excess of the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of the Fund's
assets). The Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its
shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or
partially, by a distribution in kind of portfolio securities (instead of cash).
The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that
assigned to them in calculating the net asset value for the shares being sold.
If a shareholder receives a distribution in kind, the shareholder could incur
brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash. Automatic
Investment Plan
As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund provides an Automatic
Investment Plan for the convenience of investors who wish to purchase shares of
the Fund on a regular basis. All record keeping and custodial costs of the
Automatic Investment Plan are paid by the Fund. The market value of the Fund's
shares is subject to fluctuation, so before undertaking any plan for systematic
investment, the investor should keep in mind that this plan does not assure a
profit nor protect against depreciation in declining markets.
DETERMINATION OF SHARE PRICE
As noted in the Prospectus, the net asset value and offering price of
shares of the Fund will be determined once daily as of the close of public
trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE
is open for trading. The Fund does not expect to determine the net asset value
of its shares on any day when the NYSE is not open for trading even if there is
sufficient trading in its portfolio securities on such days to materially affect
the net asset value per share. However, the net asset value of the Fund's shares
may be determined on days the NYSE is closed or at times other than 4:00 p.m. if
the Board of Trustees decides it is necessary.
In valuing the Fund's assets for calculating net asset value, readily
marketable portfolio securities listed on a national securities exchange or on
NASDAQ are valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such
value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such exchange or on
NASDAQ on such day, the security is valued at the closing bid price on such
day.
Readily marketable securities traded only in the over-the-counter market and not
on NASDAQ are valued at the current or last bid price. If no bid is quoted on
such day, the security is valued by such method as the Board of Trustees of the
Trust shall determine in good faith to reflect the security's fair value. All
other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Board of Trustees in
good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value.
The net asset value per share of the Fund is calculated as follows: all
liabilities incurred or accrued are deducted from the valuation of total assets
which includes accrued but undistributed income; the resulting net assets are
divided by the number of shares of the Fund outstanding at the time of the
valuation and the result (adjusted to the nearest cent) is the net asset value
per share.
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PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
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 will be accompanied by information on the Fund's
average annual compounded rate of return for the most recent one, five and ten
year periods, or shorter periods from inception, through the most recent
calendar quarter. The Fund may also advertise aggregate and average total return
information over different periods of time.
The Fund's total return may be compared to relevant indices, including
Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Index and indices published by Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc. 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.
Investors should note that the investment results of the Fund will
fluctuate over time, and any presentation of the Fund's total return for any
period should not be considered as a representation of what an investment may
earn or what an investor's total return may be in any future period.
The Fund's average annual compounded rate of 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
P(1+T) = ERV
Where: P = a hypothetical initial purchase order of $1,000 from which the
maximum sales load is deducted
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
Aggregate total return is calculated in a similar manner, except that
the results are not annualized. Each calculation assumes that all dividends and
distributions are reinvested at net asset
value on the reinvestment dates during the period.
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The Fund's average annual total return for periods ending August 31,
1999 are as follows *:
One Year -3.78%
Since Inception -1.97%
(September 29, 1995)
- ----------
* Certain fees and expenses of the Fund have been reimbursed or waived during
this period. Accordingly, return figures are higher than they would have been
had such fees and expenses not been reimbursed or waived.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Investors in the Fund will be informed of the Fund's progress through
periodic reports. Financial statements certified by independent public
accountants will be submitted to shareholders
at least annually.
Firstar Institutional Custody Services, located at 425 Walnut St.,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45201 acts as Custodian of the securities and other assets of
the Fund. American Data Services, P.O. Box 5536, Hauppauge, NY 11788-0132 acts
as the Fund's transfer and shareholder service agent. The Custodian and Transfer
Agent do not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of
securities by the Fund.
Ernst & Young LLP, 725 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017,
are the independent auditors for the Fund.
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP, 345 California Street, 29th
Floor, San Francisco, California 94104, are legal counsel to the Fund.
On November 11, 1999, Charles Schwab & Co., San Francisco, CA owned of
record 56.14% of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.
The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on February
17, 1987. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust permits the Board of Trustees
to issue an limited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest,
without par value, which may be issued in any number of series. The Board of
Trustees may from time to time issue other series, the assets and liabilities of
which will be separate and distinct from any other series.
Shares issued by the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or
subscription rights. Shareholders have equal and exclusive rights as to
dividends and distributions as declared by the Fund and to the net assets of the
Fund upon liquidation or dissolution. The Fund, as a separate series of the
Trust, votes separately on matters affecting only the Fund (e.g., approval of
the Advisory Agreement); all series of the Trust vote as a single class on
matters affecting all series jointly or the Trust as a whole (e.g., election or
B-24
<PAGE>
removal of Trustees). Voting rights are not cumulative, so that the holders of
more than 50% of the shares voting in any election of Trustees can, if they so
choose, elect all of the Trustees. While the Trust is not required and does not
intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders, such meetings may be called by
the Trustees in their discretion, or upon demand by the holders of 10% or more
of the outstanding shares of the Trust, for the purpose of electing or removing
Trustees.
The shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust could, under certain
circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations.
However, the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust contains an express
disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust. The
Agreement and Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification and
reimbursement of expenses out of the Fund's assets for any shareholder held
personally liable for obligations of the Fund or Trust. The Agreement and
Declaration of Trust provides that the Trust shall, upon request, assume the
defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of
the Fund or Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon. All such rights are limited
to the assets of the Fund. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust further
provides that the Trust may maintain appropriate insurance (for example,
fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the
Trust, its shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents to cover
possible tort and other liabilities. Furthermore, the activities of the Trust as
an investment company would not likely give rise to liabilities in excess of the
Trust's total assets. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss
on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both
inadequate insurance exists and the Fund itself is unable to meet its
obligations.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Fund's annual report to shareholders for its fiscal year ended
August 31, 1999 is a separate document supplied with this SAI and the financial
statements, accompanying notes and report of independent accountants appearing
therein are incorporated by reference in this SAI.
B-25
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
Aaa: Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality.
They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to
as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an
exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various
protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are
most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa: Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as
high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuations or
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements
present which make long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa
securities.
A: Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes
and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving
security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be
present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa: Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade
obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured.
Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but
certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically
unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba: Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements;
their future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate, and thereby not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future.
Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B: Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the
desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of
maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be
small.
Caa: Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be
in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal
or interest.
Ca: Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are
speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other
marked shortcomings.
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<PAGE>
C: Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and
issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospectus of ever
attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating
classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modified 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating
category.
STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS GROUP
AAA: Bonds rated AAA are highest grade debt obligations. This rating
indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
AA: Bonds rated AA also qualify as high-quality debt obligations.
Capacity to pay principal and interest is very strong, and in the majority of
instances they differ from AAA issues only in small degree.
A: Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest,
although they are more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions.
BBB: Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for bonds in
this category than for bonds in the A category.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C: Bonds rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded on
balance as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest
and repay principal BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the
highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk
exposure to adverse conditions.
BB: Bonds rated BB have less near-term vulnerability to default than
other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead
to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB
rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied BBB- rating.
B: Bonds rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently
has the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
BB or BB- rating.
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<PAGE>
CCC: Bonds rated CCC have a currently identifiable vulnerability to
default and are dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic
conditions to meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the
event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, it is not likely
to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating
category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an
actual or implied B or B- rating.
CC: The rating CC typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior
debt which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may
be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but
debt service payments are continued.
CI: The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is
being paid.
D: Bonds rated D are in payment default. The D rating category is used
when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even
if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such
payments are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or Minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by
the additional of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing with the major
categories.
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<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
Prime-1--Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated "Prime-1"
have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations.
"Prime-1" repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following
characteristics: leading market positions in well-established industries, high
rates of return on funds employed, conservative capitalization structures with
moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings
coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation, and
well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of
alternate liquidity.
Prime-2--Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated "Prime-2"
have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This
will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a
lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more
subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate,
may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternative liquidity is
maintained.
STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS GROUP
A-1--This highest category indicates that the degree of safety
regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely
strong safety characteristics are denoted with
a plus (+) sign designation.
A-2--Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is
satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for
issues designated "A-1".
B-29
