<PAGE>1
As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
on October 30, 1995
Securities Act File No. 33-12344
Investment Company Act File No. 811-5041
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [x]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 [x]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT of 1940 [x]
Amendment No. 19 [x]
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
Warburg, Pincus Capital Appreciation Fund
(formerly Counsellors Capital Appreciation Fund)
.............................................................................
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
......................................... ....................
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 878-0600
Mr. Eugene P. Grace
Warburg, Pincus Capital Appreciation Fund
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
...............................................
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Rose F. DiMartino, Esq.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
One Citicorp Center
153 East 53rd Street
New York, New York 10022-4677
<PAGE>2
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
[x] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
[ ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
DECLARATION PURSUANT TO RULE 24f-2
Registrant has registered an indefinite number or amount of securities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to Section (a)(1) of Rule
24f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Rule 24f-2
Notice for Registrant's fiscal year ending October 31, 1994 was filed on
December 29, 1994.
<PAGE>3
WARBURG, PINCUS CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND
FORM N-1A
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
Heading for the
Part A Common Shares and the
Item No. Advisor Shares Prospectuses*
- -------- ----------------------------
1. Cover Page . . . . . . . . . . Cover Page
2. Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . The Funds' Expenses
3. Condensed Financial
Information . . . . . . . . Financial Highlights
4. General Description of
Registrant . . . . . . . . . Cover Page; Investment Objectives and
Policies; General Information
5. Management of the Fund . . . . Management of the Funds
6. Capital Stock and Other
Securities . . . . . . . . . Dividends, Distributions and Taxes;
Management of the Funds; General
Information
7. Purchase of Securities
Being Offered . . . . . . . How to Purchase Shares; Management of
the Funds
8. Redemption or Repurchase . . . How to Redeem and Exchange Shares
9. Legal Proceedings . . . . . . Not applicable
__________________
* With respect to the Advisor Prospectus, all references to "the Funds" in
this cross reference sheet should be read as "the Fund."
<PAGE>4
Part B Heading in Statement of
Item No. Additional Information
- -------- -----------------------
10. Cover Page . . . . . . . . . . Cover Page
11. Table of Contents . . . . . . Table of Contents
12. General Information and
History . . . . . . . . . . . Management of the Fund; Notes to
Financial Statements; See
Prospectuses-- "General Information"
13. Investment Objectives and
Policies . . . . . . . . . . Investment Objective; Investment
Policies
14. Management of the Registrant . Management of the Fund
15. Control Persons and Principal
Holders of Securities . . . Management of the Fund;
Miscellaneous; See
Prospectuses--"General Information"
16. Investment Advisory and
Other Services . . . . . . . Management of the Fund; See
Prospectuses-- "Management of the
Funds"
17. Brokerage Allocation
and Other Practices . . . . Investment Objective; Investment
Policies
18. Capital Stock and Other
Securities . . . . . . . . . Management of the Fund; See
Prospectuses-- "Dividends,
Distribution and Taxes" and "General
Information"
19. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing
of Securities Being Offered Additional Purchase and Redemption
Information
<PAGE>5
Part B Heading in Statement of
Item No. Additional Information
- -------- -----------------------
20. Tax Status . . . . . . . . . . Additional Information Concerning
Taxes; See Prospectuses-- "Dividends,
Distributions and Taxes"
21. Underwriters . . . . . . . . . Management of the Fund; Additional
Purchase and Redemption Information;
See Prospectuses-- "Management of the
Funds" and "Shareholder Servicing"
22. Calculation of
Performance Data . . . . . . Determination of Performance
23. Financial Statements . . . . . Report of Independent Accountants;
Financial Statements
Part C
Information required to be included in Part C is set forth after the
appropriate item, so numbered, in Part C to this Registration Statement
<PAGE>1
PROSPECTUS
The Fund's Common Share Prospectus is incorporated by reference to
the Prospectus that forms part of Pre-Effective Amendment No.12 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Warburg, Pincus Emerging Growth
Fund, Inc. (Securities Act File No. 33-18632; Investment Co. Act File No.
811-5396).
<PAGE>
Subject to Completion, dated October 30, 1995
WARBURG PINCUS ADVISOR FUNDS
P.O. BOX 9030
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02205-9030
TELEPHONE NUMBER: (800) 888-6878
December 29, 1995
PROSPECTUS
Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds are a family of open-end mutual funds that are
offered to investors who wish to buy shares through an investment professional,
financial institutions investing on behalf of their customers and to retirement
plans that elect to make one or more Advisor Funds an investment option for
participants in the plans. One Advisor Fund is described in this Prospectus:
WARBURG, PINCUS CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND seeks long-term capital appreciation
by investing principally in equity securities of medium-sized domestic
companies.
The Fund currently offers two classes of shares, one of which, the Series 2
Shares (referred to as the Advisor Shares), is offered pursuant to this
Prospectus. The Advisor Shares of the Fund, as well as Advisor (Series 2) Shares
of certain other Warburg Pincus-advised funds, are sold under the name 'Warburg
Pincus Advisor Funds.' The Advisor Shares may not be purchased by individuals
directly from the Fund's distributor but institutions, broker-dealers, financial
institutions, depository institutions, retirement plans and other financial
intermediaries ('Institutions') may purchase Advisor Shares for individuals. The
Advisor Shares impose a 12b-1 fee of up to .75% per annum, which is the economic
equivalent of a sales charge. Common Shares are available for purchase by
individuals directly and are offered by a separate prospectus.
NO MINIMUM INVESTMENT
There is no minimum amount of initial or subsequent purchases of shares imposed
on Institutions. See 'How to Purchase Shares.'
This Prospectus briefly sets forth certain information about the Fund that
investors should know before investing. Investors are advised to read this
Prospectus and retain it for future reference. Additional information about the
Fund, contained in a Statement of Additional Information, has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC') and is available to investors
without charge by calling Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at (800) 888-6878.
Information regarding the status of shareholder accounts may also be obtained by
calling Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at (800) 888-6878. The Statement of
Additional Information bears the same date as this Prospectus and is
incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus.
SHARES OF THE FUND ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF OR GUARANTEED OR ENDORSED
BY ANY BANK, AND SHARES ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
INVESTMENTS IN SHARES OF THE FUND INVOLVE INVESTMENT RISKS, INCLUDING THE
POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY
IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY
OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES
EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES
IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR
TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.
<PAGE>
THE FUND'S EXPENSES
The Fund currently offers two separate classes of shares: Common Shares and
Advisor Shares. See 'General Information' and 'Shareholder Servicing.' Because
of the higher fees paid by Advisor Shares, the total return on such shares can
be expected to be lower than the total return on Common Shares.
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Shareholder Transaction Expenses
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price).......................... 0
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) (after fee waivers)
Management Fees...................................................................................... .69%
12b-1 Fees........................................................................................... .75%*
Other Expenses....................................................................................... .36%
--------
Total Fund Operating Expenses........................................................................ 1.80%
EXAMPLE
You would pay the following expenses
on a $1,000 investment, assuming (1) 5% annual return
and (2) redemption at the end of each time period:
1 year............................................................................................... $18
3 years.............................................................................................. $57
5 years.............................................................................................. $97
10 years............................................................................................. $212
</TABLE>
- ------------
* Current 12b-1 fees are .50% out of a maximum .75% authorized under the
Advisor Shares' Distribution Plan. At least a portion of these fees should be
considered by the investor to be the economic equivalent of a sales charge.
------------------------
The expense table shows the costs and expenses that an investor will bear
directly or indirectly as an Advisor Shareholder of the Fund. Institutions also
may charge their clients fees in connection with investments in the Advisor
Shares, which fees are not reflected in the table. Absent the voluntary waiver
of a portion of the fees payable to the Fund's investment adviser, Management
Fees would have equalled .70% and the Total Fund Operating Expenses would have
equalled 1.81%. The Example should not be considered a representation of past or
future expenses; actual Fund expenses may be greater or less than those shown.
Moreover, while the Example assumes a 5% annual return, the Fund's actual
performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. Long-
term holders of Advisor Shares may pay more than the economic equivalent of the
maximum front-end sales charges permitted by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the 'NASD').
2
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(FOR AN ADVISOR SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD)
The information regarding the Fund for the three fiscal years ended October
31, 1995 has been derived from information audited by Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.,
independent auditors, whose report dated December , 1995 appears in the Fund's
Statement of Additional Information. The information for the prior fiscal
year/period ended October 31, 1992 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
whose report was unqualified. Further information about the performance of the
Fund is contained in the annual report, dated October 31, 1995, copies of which
may be obtained without charge by calling Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at
(800) 888-6878.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FOR THE PERIOD
APRIL 4, 1991
FOR THE YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, (INITIAL ISSUANCE)
----------------------------------------------- THROUGH
1995 1994 1993 1992 OCTOBER 31, 1991
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- ----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period........... $15.28 $13.28 $12.16 $12.04
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Income from Investment Operations
Net Investment Income (Loss)................. .05 .00 (.01) .05
Net Gains (Loss) from Securities (both
realized and unrealized).................. .10 2.76 1.20 .13
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Total from Investment Operations............. .15 2.76 1.19 .18
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Less Distributions
Dividends (from net investment income)....... (.02) .00 (.02) (.06)
Distributions (from capital gains)........... (1.19) (.76) (.05) .00
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Total Distributions.......................... (1.21) (.76) (.07) (.06)
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Net Asset Value, End of Period................. $14.22 $15.28 $13.28 $12.16
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
------ ----------- ---------- ----------- -------
Total Return................................... 1.23% 21.64% 9.83% 2.66%*
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Assets, End of Period (000s)............... $8,169 $10,437 $1,655 $ 443
Ratios to Average Daily Net Assets:
Operating expenses........................... 1.55% 1.51% 1.56% 1.63%*
Net investment income (loss)................. (.24%) (.25%) (.11%) .25%*
Decrease reflected in above expense ratios
due to waivers/ reimbursements............ .01% .00% .01% .01%*
Portfolio Turnover Rate........................ 51.87% 48.26% 55.83% 39.50%
</TABLE>
- ------------
* Annualized.
3
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. This objective is a
fundamental policy and may not be amended without first obtaining the approval
of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any investment involves
risk and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its
investment objective. See 'Certain Investment Strategies' for descriptions of
certain types of investments the Fund may make.
The Fund is a diversified management investment company that pursues its
investment objective by investing in a broadly diversified portfolio of equity
securities of domestic companies. The Fund will ordinarily invest substantially
all of its total assets -- but no less than 80% of its total assets -- in common
stocks, warrants and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common
stocks. The Fund intends to focus on securities of medium-sized companies,
consisting of companies having stock market capitalizations of between $500
million and $4.5 billion. (Market capitalization means the total market value of
a company's outstanding common stocks.) Under normal market conditions, except
for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund will invest no less than 80% of its
assets in medium-sized companies, with the remainder invested in companies with
smaller or larger market capitalizations. The prices of securities of
medium-sized companies, which are traded on exchanges or in the over-the-counter
market, tend to fluctuate in value more than the prices of securities of
large-sized companies.
Warburg, Pincus Counsellors, Inc., the Fund's investment adviser
('Warburg'), will attempt to identify sectors of the market and companies within
market sectors that it believes will outperform the overall market. Warburg also
seeks to identify themes or patterns it believes to be associated with high
growth potential firms, such as significant fundamental changes (including
senior management changes) or generation of a large free cash flow.
PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS
INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in
investment grade debt securities (other than money market obligations) and
preferred stocks that are not convertible into common stock for the purpose of
seeking capital appreciation. The interest income to be derived may be
considered as one factor in selecting debt securities for investment by Warburg.
Because the market value of debt obligations can be expected to vary inversely
to changes in prevailing interest rates, investing in debt obligations may
provide an opportunity for capital appreciation when interest rates are expected
to decline. The success of such a strategy is dependent upon Warburg's ability
to accurately forecast changes in interest rates. The market value of debt
obligations may also be expected to vary depending upon, among other factors,
the ability of the issuer to repay principal and interest, any change in
investment rating and general economic conditions. A security will be deemed to
be investment grade if it is rated within the four highest grades by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ('Moody's') or Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ('S&P')
or, if unrated, is determined to be of comparable quality by Warburg. Bonds
rated in the fourth highest grade may have speculative characteristics and
changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to
a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case
with higher grade bonds. Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of
securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum
required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require sale of such
securities. Warburg will consider such event in its determination of whether the
Fund should continue to hold the securities.
4
<PAGE>
When Warburg believes that a defensive posture is warranted, the Fund may
invest temporarily without limit in investment grade debt obligations and in
domestic and foreign money market obligations, including repurchase agreements
as discussed below.
MONEY MARKET OBLIGATIONS. The Fund is authorized to invest, under normal
circumstances, up to 20% of its total assets in domestic and foreign short-term
(one year or less remaining to maturity) or medium-term (five years or less
remaining to maturity) money market obligations and for temporary defensive
purposes may invest in these securities without limit. These instruments consist
of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or a foreign
government, their agencies or instrumentalities; bank obligations (including
certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers' acceptances of domestic or
foreign banks, domestic savings and loans and similar institutions) that are
high quality investments or, if unrated, deemed by Warburg to be high quality
investments; commercial paper rated no lower than A-2 by S&P or Prime-2 by
Moody's or the equivalent from another major rating service or, if unrated, of
an issuer having an outstanding, unsecured debt issue then rated within the
three highest rating categories; and repurchase agreements with respect to the
foregoing.
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreement
transactions with member banks of the Federal Reserve System and certain
non-bank dealers. Repurchase agreements are contracts under which the buyer of a
security simultaneously commits to resell the security to the seller at an
agreed-upon price and date. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement,
the Fund would acquire any underlying security for a relatively short period
(usually not more than one week) subject to an obligation of the seller to
repurchase, and the Fund to resell, the obligation at an agreed-upon price and
time, thereby determining the yield during the Fund's holding period. This
arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market
fluctuations during the Fund's holding period. The value of the underlying
securities will at all times be at least equal to the total amount of the
purchase obligation, including interest. The Fund bears a risk of loss in the
event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations
or becomes bankrupt and the Fund is delayed or prevented from exercising its
right to dispose of the collateral securities, including the risk of a possible
decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period while the
Fund seeks to assert this right. Warburg, acting under the supervision of the
Fund's Board of Trustees (the 'Board'), monitors the creditworthiness of those
bank and non-bank dealers with which the Fund enters into repurchase agreements
to evaluate this risk. A repurchase agreement is considered to be a loan under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the '1940 Act').
Money Market Mutual Funds. Where Warburg believes that it would be
beneficial to the Fund and appropriate considering the factors of return and
liquidity, the Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in securities of money
market mutual funds that are unaffiliated with the Fund or Warburg. As a
shareholder in any mutual fund, the Fund will bear its ratable share of the
mutual fund's expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to
payment of the Fund's administration fees and other expenses with respect to
assets so invested.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. U.S. government securities in which the Fund may
invest include: direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and obligations issued
by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including instruments that
are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, instruments
that are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury
and instruments that are supported by the credit of the instrumentality.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. Convertible securities in which the Fund may invest,
including both
5
<PAGE>
convertible debt and convertible preferred stock, may be converted at either a
stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock. Because of
this feature, convertible securities enable an investor to benefit from
increases in the market price of the underlying common stock. Convertible
securities provide higher yields than the underlying equity securities, but
generally offer lower yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality.
The value of convertible securities fluctuates in relation to changes in
interest rates like bonds and, in addition, fluctuates in relation to the
underlying common stock.
RISK FACTORS AND SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Investing in common stocks and securities convertible into common stocks is
subject to the inherent risk of fluctuations in the prices of such securities.
Medium-sized companies are typically subject to a greater degree of changes in
earnings and business prospects than are larger, more established companies.
Because medium-sized companies normally have fewer shares outstanding than
larger companies, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell
significant amounts of such shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing
prices. There is typically less publicly available information concerning
medium-sized companies than for larger, more established ones. Therefore, an
investment in the Fund may involve a greater degree of risk than an investment
in other mutual funds that seek capital appreciation by investing in
better-known, larger companies. For certain additional risks relating to the
Fund's investments, see 'Portfolio Investments' beginning at page 4 and 'Certain
Investment Strategies' below.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND
TURNOVER RATE
The Fund will attempt to purchase securities with the intent of holding
them for investment but may purchase and sell portfolio securities whenever
Warburg believes it to be in the best interests of the Fund. The Fund will not
consider portfolio turnover rate a limiting factor in making investment
decisions consistent with its investment objective and policies. High portfolio
turnover rates (100% or more) may result in dealer mark ups or underwriting
commissions as well as other transaction costs, including correspondingly higher
brokerage commissions. In addition, short-term gains realized from portfolio
turnover may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. See 'Dividends,
Distributions and Taxes -- Taxes' below and 'Investment Policies -- Portfolio
Transactions' in the Statement of Additional Information.
All orders for transactions in securities or options on behalf of the Fund
are placed by Warburg with broker-dealers that it selects, including Counsellors
Securities Inc., the Fund's distributor ('Counsellors Securities'). The Fund may
utilize Counsellors Securities in connection with a purchase or sale of
securities when Warburg believes that the charge for the transaction does not
exceed usual and customary levels and when doing so is consistent with
guidelines adopted by the Board.
CERTAIN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Although there is no intention of doing so during the coming year, the Fund
is authorized to engage in the following investment strategies: (i) purchasing
securities on a when-issued basis and purchasing or selling securities for
delayed delivery and (ii) lending portfolio securities. Detailed information
concerning the Fund's strategies and related risks is contained below and in the
Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
FOREIGN SECURITIES. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in the
securities of foreign issuers. There are certain risks involved in investing in
securities of companies and governments of foreign nations which are in addition
to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. These risks include those
resulting from fluctua-
6
<PAGE>
tions in currency exchange rates, revaluation of currencies, future adverse
political and economic developments and the possible imposition of currency
exchange blockages or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions, reduced
availability of public information concerning issuers, the lack of uniform
accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and other regulatory
practices and requirements that are often generally less rigorous than those
applied in the United States. Moreover, securities of many foreign companies may
be less liquid and their prices more volatile than those of securities of
comparable U.S. companies. Certain foreign countries are known to experience
long delays between the trade and settlement dates of securities purchased or
sold. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the
possibility of expropriation, nationalization, confiscatory taxation and
limitations on the use or removal of funds or other assets of the Fund,
including the withholding of dividends. Foreign securities may be subject to
foreign government taxes that would reduce the net yield on such securities.
Moreover, individual foreign economies 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 balance of
payments positions. Investment in foreign securities will also result in higher
operating expenses due to the cost of converting foreign currency into U.S.
dollars, the payment of fixed brokerage commissions on foreign exchanges, which
generally are higher than commissions on U.S. exchanges, higher valuation and
communications costs and the expense of maintaining securities with foreign
custodians.
RULE 144A SECURITIES. The Fund may purchase securities that are not registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the '1933 Act'), but that can be
sold to 'qualified institutional buyers' in accordance with Rule 144A under the
1933 Act ('Rule 144A Securities'). An investment in Rule 144A Securities will be
considered illiquid and therefore subject to the Fund's limitation on the
purchase of illiquid securities, unless the Board determines on an ongoing basis
that an adequate trading market exists for the security. In addition to an
adequate trading market, the Board will also consider factors such as trading
activity, availability of reliable price information and other relevant
information in determining whether a Rule 144A Security is liquid. This
investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity
in the Fund to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become
uninterested for a time in purchasing Rule 144A Securities. The Board will
carefully monitor any investments by the Fund in Rule 144A Securities. The Board
may adopt guidelines and delegate to Warburg the daily function of determining
and monitoring the liquidity of Rule 144A Securities, although the Board will
retain ultimate responsibility for any determination regarding liquidity.
Non-publicly traded securities (including Rule 144A Securities) may be less
liquid than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold
in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could
be less than those originally paid by the Fund. In addition, companies whose
securities are not publicly traded are not subject to the disclosure and other
investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities
were publicly traded. The Fund's investment in illiquid securities is subject to
the risk that should the Fund desire to sell any of these securities when a
ready buyer is not available at a price that is deemed to be representative of
their value, the value of the Fund's net assets could be adversely affected.
OPTIONS, FUTURES AND CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. At the discretion of Warburg,
the Fund may, but is not required to, engage in a number of strategies involving
options, futures and forward currency contracts. These strategies, commonly
referred to as 'derivatives,' may be used (i) for the purpose of hedging against
a decline in
7
<PAGE>
value of the Fund's current or anticipated portfolio holdings, (ii) as a
substitute for purchasing or selling portfolio securities or (iii) to seek to
generate income to offset expenses or increase return. TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE NOT
CONSIDERED HEDGING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SPECULATIVE AND MAY SERVE TO INCREASE
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT RISK. Transaction costs and any premiums associated with
these strategies, and any losses incurred, will affect the Fund's net asset
value and performance. Therefore, an investment in the Fund may involve a
greater risk than an investment in other mutual funds that do not utilize these
strategies. The Fund's use of these strategies may be limited by position and
exercise limits established by securities exchanges and the NASD and by the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the 'Code').
Securities and Stock Index Options. The Fund may write covered call options
on up to 25% of the net asset value of the stock and debt securities in its
portfolio and will realize fees (referred to as 'premiums') for granting the
rights evidenced by the options; the Fund may also utilize up to 2% of its
assets to purchase put and call options on stocks and debt securities that are
traded on U.S. exchanges, as well as over-the-counter ('OTC') options. The
purchaser of a put option has the right to compel the purchase by the writer of
the underlying security, while the purchaser of a call option has the right to
purchase the underlying security from the writer. In addition to purchasing and
writing options on securities, the Fund may utilize up to 10% of its total
assets to purchase exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on stock
indexes, and may also write such options. The Fund's transactions in OTC stock
index options will be for hedging purposes only. A stock index measures the
movement of a certain group of stocks by assigning relative values to the common
stocks included in the index.
The potential loss associated with purchasing an option is limited to the
premium paid, and the premium would partially offset any gains achieved from its
use. However, for an option writer the exposure to adverse price movements in
the underlying security or index is potentially unlimited during the exercise
period. Writing securities options may result in substantial losses to the Fund,
force the sale or purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or at
less advantageous prices, limit the amount of appreciation the Fund could
realize on its investments or require the Fund to hold securities it would
otherwise sell.
Futures Contracts and Related Options. The Fund may enter into foreign
currency, interest rate and stock index futures contracts and purchase and write
(sell) related options that are traded on an exchange designated by the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the 'CFTC') or, if consistent with CFTC
regulations, on foreign exchanges. These futures contracts are standardized
contracts for the future delivery of foreign currency, an interest rate
sensitive security or, in the case of stock index and certain other futures
contracts, are settled in cash with reference to a specified multiplier times
the change in the specified index, exchange rate or interest rate. An option on
a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium
paid, to assume a position in a futures contract.
Aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions other
than those considered by the CFTC to be 'bona fide hedging' will not exceed 5%
of the Fund's net asset value, after taking into account unrealized profits and
unrealized losses on any such contracts.
Currency Exchange Transactions. The Fund will conduct its currency exchange
transactions either (i) on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the rate prevailing in
the currency exchange market, (ii) through entering into futures contracts or
options on futures contracts (as described above), (iii) through entering into
forward contracts to purchase or sell currency or (iv) by purchasing
exchange-traded currency options. A forward currency contract involves an
obligation
8
<PAGE>
to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date at a price set at the
time of the contract. An option on a foreign currency operates similarly to an
option on a security. Risks associated with currency forward contracts and
purchasing currency options are similar to those described in this Prospectus
for futures contracts and securities and stock index options. In addition, the
use of currency transactions could result in losses from the imposition of
foreign exchange controls, suspension of settlement or other governmental
actions or unexpected events. The Fund will only engage in currency exchange
transactions for hedging purposes.
Hedging Considerations. The Fund may engage in options, futures and
currency transactions for, among other things, hedging purposes. A hedge is
designed to offset a loss on a portfolio position with a gain in the hedge
position; at the same time, however, a properly correlated hedge will result in
a gain in the portfolio position being offset by a loss in the hedge position.
As a result, the use of options, futures contracts and currency exchange
transactions for hedging purposes could limit any potential gain from an
increase in value of the position hedged. In addition, the movement in the
portfolio position hedged may not be of the same magnitude as movement in the
hedge. The Fund will engage in hedging transactions only when deemed advisable
by Warburg, and successful use of hedging transactions will depend on Warburg's
ability to correctly predict movements in the directions of the hedge and the
hedged position and the correlation between them, which could prove to be
inaccurate. Even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree
because of unexpected market behavior or trends.
Additional Considerations. To the extent that the Fund engages in the
strategies described above, the Fund may experience losses greater than if these
strategies had not been utilized. In addition to the risks described above,
these instruments may be illiquid and/or subject to trading limits, and the Fund
may be unable to close out an option or futures position without incurring
substantial losses, if at all. The Fund is also subject to the risk of a default
by a counterparty to a transaction.
Asset Coverage. The Fund will comply with applicable regulatory
requirements designed to eliminate any potential for leverage with respect to
options written by the Fund on securities and indexes; currency, interest rate
and stock index futures contracts and options on these futures contracts; and
forward currency contracts. The use of these strategies may require that the
Fund maintain cash or certain liquid high-grade debt securities or other assets
that are acceptable as collateral to the appropriate regulatory authority in a
segregated account with its custodian or a designated sub-custodian to the
extent the Fund's obligations with respect to these strategies are not otherwise
'covered' through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or
currency or by other portfolio positions or by other means consistent with
applicable regulatory policies. Segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred
unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer
necessary to segregate them. As a result, there is a possibility that
segregation of a large percentage of the Fund's assets could impede portfolio
management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current
obligations.
INVESTMENT GUIDELINES
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities with
contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that are not
readily marketable, including (i) securities issued as part of a privately
negotiated transaction between an issuer and one or more purchasers; (ii)
repurchase agreements with maturities greater than seven days; and (iii) time
deposits maturing in more than seven calendar days. In addition, up to 5% of the
Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of issuers which have been
in continuous operation for less
9
<PAGE>
than three years and up to an additional 5% of its total assets may be invested
in warrants. The Fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency purposes,
such as meeting anticipated redemption requests, provided that borrowings by the
Fund may not exceed 10% of its total assets and may pledge up to 10% of its
assets in connection with borrowings. Whenever borrowings exceed 5% of the value
of the Fund's total assets, the Fund will not make any investments (including
roll-overs). Except for the limitations on borrowing, the investment guidelines
set forth in this paragraph may be changed at any time without shareholder
consent by vote of the Board, subject to the limitations contained in the 1940
Act. A complete list of investment restrictions that the Fund has adopted
identifying additional restrictions that cannot be changed without the approval
of the majority of the Fund's outstanding shares is contained in the Statement
of Additional Information.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
INVESTMENT ADVISER. The Fund employs Warburg as investment adviser to the Fund.
Warburg, subject to the control of the Fund's officers and the Board, manages
the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the
Fund's investment objective and stated investment policies. Warburg makes
investment decisions for the Fund and places orders to purchase or sell
securities on behalf of the Fund. Warburg also employs a support staff of
management personnel to provide services to the Fund and furnishes the Fund with
office space, furnishings and equipment.
For the services provided by Warburg, the Fund pays Warburg a fee
calculated at an annual rate of .70% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The
advisory agreement between the Fund and Warburg provides that Warburg will
reimburse the Fund to the extent certain expenses that are described in the
Statement of Additional Information exceed applicable state expense limitations.
Warburg and the Fund's co-administrators may voluntarily waive a portion of
their fees from time to time and temporarily limit the expenses to be borne by
the Fund.
Warburg is a professional investment counselling firm which provides
investment services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowment
funds, foundations and other institutions and individuals. As of November 30,
1995, Warburg managed approximately billion of assets, including
approximately billion of assets of twenty-three investment companies or
portfolios. Incorporated in 1970, Warburg is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Warburg, Pincus Counsellors G.P. ('Warburg G.P.'), a New York general
partnership. E.M. Warburg, Pincus & Co., Inc. ('EMW') controls Warburg through
its ownership of a class of voting preferred stock of Warburg. Warburg G.P. has
no business other than being a holding company of Warburg and its subsidiaries.
Warburg's address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3147.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS. George U. Wyper and Susan L. Black have been co-portfolio
managers of the Fund since December 1994. Mr. Wyper is a managing director of
EMW, which he joined in August 1994, before which time he was chief investment
officer of White River Corporation and president of Hanover Advisers, Inc.
(1993-August 1994), chief investment officer of Fund American Enterprises, Inc.
(1990-1993) and the director of fixed income investments at Fireman's Fund
Insurance Company (1987-1990). Ms. Black is a managing director of EMW and has
been with Warburg since 1985, before which time she was a partner at Century
Capital Associates.
CO-ADMINISTRATORS. The Fund employs Counsellors Funds Service, Inc.
('Counsellors Service'), a wholly owned subsidiary of Warburg, as a co-
administrator. As co-administrator, Counsellors Service provides shareholder
liaison services to the Fund including responding to shareholder inquiries and
providing information on shareholder investments. Counsellors Service also
performs a variety of other services, including furnishing certain executive and
administrative
10
<PAGE>
services, acting as liaison between the Fund and its various service providers,
furnishing corporate secretarial services, which include preparing materials for
meetings of the Board, preparing proxy statements and annual, semiannual and
quarterly reports, assisting in other regulatory filings as necessary and
monitoring and developing compliance procedures for the Fund. As compensation,
the Fund pays Counsellors Service a fee calculated at an annual rate of .10% of
its average daily net assets.
Warburg or its affiliates may, at their own expense, provide promotional
incentives to qualified recipients who support the sale of shares of the Funds.
Qualified recipients are securities dealers who have sold Fund shares or others,
including banks and other financial institutions, under special arrangements. In
some instances, these incentives may be offered only to certain institutions
whose representatives provide services in connection with the sale or expected
sale of significant amounts of Fund shares.
The Fund employs PFPC Inc. ('PFPC'), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary
of PNC Bank Corp., as a co-administrator. As a co-administrator, PFPC calculates
the Fund's net asset value, provides all accounting services for the Fund and
assists in related aspects of the Fund's operations. As compensation, the Fund
pays to PFPC a fee calculated at an annual rate of .10% of the Fund's average
daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee and exclusive of out-of-pocket
expenses. PFPC has its principal offices at 400 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington,
Delaware 19809.
CUSTODIAN. PNC Bank, National Association ('PNC') serves as custodian of the
assets of the Fund. Like PFPC, PNC is a subsidiary of PNC Bank Corp. and its
principal business address is Broad and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19101.
TRANSFER AGENT. State Street Bank and Trust Company ('State Street') acts as
shareholder servicing agent, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for
the Fund. It has delegated to Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., a 50% owned
subsidiary ('BFDS'), responsibility for most shareholder servicing functions.
State Street's principal business address is 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110. BFDS's principal business address is 2 Heritage Drive,
North Quincy, Massachusetts 02171.
DISTRIBUTOR. Counsellors Securities serves as distributor of the shares of the
Fund. Counsellors Securities is a wholly owned subsidiary of Warburg and is
located at 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3147. No compensation
is payable by the Fund to Counsellors Securities for distribution services.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS. The officers of the Fund manage its day-to-day operations
and are directly responsible to the Board. The Board sets broad policies for the
Fund and chooses its officers. A list of the Trustees and officers of the Fund
and a brief statement of their present positions and principal occupations
during the past five years is set forth in the Statement of Additional
Information.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
Warburg Pincus Advisor Fund shares are only available for investment by
Institutions on behalf of their customers and through retirement plans that
elect to make one or more Advisor Funds an option for participants in the plans.
Individuals, including participants in retirement plans, cannot invest directly
in Advisor Shares of the Fund, but may do so only through a participating
Institution. The Fund reserves the right to make Advisor Shares available to
other investors in the future. References in this Prospectus to shareholders or
investors also include Institutions which may act as record holders of the
Advisor Shares.
Each Institution separately determines the rules applicable to its
customers investing in the Fund, including minimum initial and subsequent
investment requirements and the procedures to
11
<PAGE>
be followed to effect purchases, redemptions and exchanges of Advisor Shares.
There is no minimum amount of initial or subsequent purchases of Advisor Shares
imposed on Institutions, although the Fund reserves the right to impose minimums
in the future.
Orders for the purchase of Advisor Shares are placed with an Institution by
its customers. The Institution is responsible for the prompt transmission of the
order to the Fund or its agent.
Institutions may purchase Advisor Shares by telephoning the Fund and
sending payment by wire. After telephoning (800) 888-6878 for instructions, an
Institution should then wire federal funds to Counsellors Securities Inc. using
the following wire address:
State Street Bank and Trust Co.
225 Franklin St.
Boston, MA 02101
ABA# 0110 000 28
Attn: Mutual Funds/Custody Dept.
Warburg Pincus Advisor Capital Appreciation
Fund
DDA# 9904-649-2
[Shareowner name]
[Shareowner account number]
Orders by wire will not be accepted until a completed account application
has been received in proper form, and an account number has been established. If
a telephone order is received by the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (the 'NYSE') (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) and payment by
wire is received on the same day in proper form in accordance with instructions
set forth above, the shares will be priced according to the net asset value of
the Fund on that day and are entitled to dividends and distributions beginning
on that day. If payment by wire is received in proper form by the close of the
NYSE without a prior telephone order, the purchase will be priced according to
the net asset value of the Fund on that day and is entitled to dividends and
distributions beginning on that day. However, if a wire in proper form that is
not preceded by a telephone order is received after the close of regular trading
on the NYSE, the payment will be held uninvested until the order is effected at
the close of business on the next business day. Payment for orders that are not
accepted will be returned after prompt inquiry. Certain organizations or
Institutions that have entered into agreements with the Fund or its agent may
enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of customers, with payment to follow
no later than three business days following the day the order is effected. If
payment is not received by such time, the organization could be held liable for
resulting fees or losses.
After an investor has made his initial investment, additional shares may be
purchased at any time by mail or by wire in the manner outlined above. Wire
payments for initial and subsequent investments should be preceded by an order
placed with the Fund or its agent and should clearly indicate the investor's
account number. In the interest of economy and convenience, physical
certificates representing shares in the Fund are not normally issued.
The Fund understands that some broker-dealers (other than Counsellors
Securities), financial institutions, securities dealers and other industry
professionals may impose certain conditions on their clients that invest in the
Fund, which are in addition to or different than those described in this
Prospectus, and, to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authority, may
charge their clients direct fees. Certain features of the Fund, such as the
initial and subsequent investment minimums, may be modified in these programs,
and administrative charges may be imposed for the services rendered. Therefore,
a client or customer should contact the organization acting on his behalf
concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption
of Fund shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing
his account with the organization.
12
<PAGE>
HOW TO REDEEM AND EXCHANGE
SHARES
REDEMPTION OF SHARES. An investor may redeem (sell) shares on any day that the
Fund's net asset value is calculated (see 'Net Asset Value' below). Requests for
the redemption (or exchange) of Advisor Shares are placed with an Institution by
its customers, which is then responsible for the prompt transmission of the
request to the Fund or its agent.
Institutions may redeem Advisor Shares by calling Warburg Pincus Advisor
Funds at (800) 888-6878 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on any
business day. An investor making a telephone withdrawal should state (i) the
name of the Fund, (ii) the account number of the Fund, (iii) the name of the
investor(s) appearing on the Fund's records, (iv) the amount to be withdrawn and
(v) the name of the person requesting the redemption.
After receipt of the redemption request the redemption proceeds will be
wired to the investor's bank as indicated in the account application previously
filled out by the investor. The Fund does not currently impose a service charge
for effecting wire transfers but reserves the right to do so in the future.
During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone redemptions
may be difficult to implement. If an investor is unable to contact Warburg
Pincus Advisor Funds by telephone, an investor may deliver the redemption
request to Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds by mail at Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds,
P.O. Box 9030, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9030.
If a redemption order is received prior to the close of regular trading on
the NYSE, the redemption order will be effected at the net asset value per share
as determined on that day. If a redemption order is received after the close of
regular trading on the NYSE, the redemption order will be effected at the net
asset value as next determined. Redemption proceeds will normally be wired to an
investor on the next business day following the date a redemption order is
effected. If, however, in the judgment of Warburg, immediate payment would
adversely affect the Fund, the Fund reserves the right to pay the redemption
proceeds within seven days after the redemption order is effected. Furthermore,
the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment
upon redemption (as well as suspend or postpone the recordation of an exchange
of shares) for such periods as are permitted under the 1940 Act.
The proceeds paid upon redemption may be more or less than the amount
invested depending upon a share's net asset value at the time of redemption. If
an investor redeems all the shares in his account, all dividends and
distributions declared up to and including the date of redemption are paid along
with the proceeds of the redemption.
EXCHANGE OF SHARES. An Institution may exchange Advisor Shares of the Fund for
Advisor Shares of the other Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at their respective net
asset values. Exchanges may be effected in the manner described under
'Redemption of Shares' above. If an exchange request is received by Warburg
Pincus Advisor Funds prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), the exchange will be
made at each fund's net asset value determined at the end of that business day.
Exchanges may be effected without a sales charge. The exchange privilege may be
modified or terminated at any time upon 60 days' notice to shareholders.
The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state
in which the Advisor Shares being acquired may legally be sold. When an investor
effects an exchange of shares, the exchange is treated for federal income tax
purposes as a redemption. Therefore, the investor may realize a taxable gain or
loss in connection with the exchange. Investors wishing to exchange Advisor
Shares of the Fund for shares in another Warburg Pincus Advisor Fund should
review the prospectus of the other fund
13
<PAGE>
prior to making an exchange. For further information regarding the exchange
privilege or to obtain a current prospectus for another Warburg Pincus Advisor
Fund, an investor should contact Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at (800) 888-6878.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS. The Fund calculates its dividends from net
investment income. Net investment income includes interest accrued and dividends
earned on the Fund's portfolio securities for the applicable period less
applicable expenses. The Fund declares dividends from its net investment income
annually and pays them in the calendar year in which they are declared. Net
investment income earned on weekends and when the NYSE is not open will be
computed as of the next business day. Distributions of net realized long-term
and short-term capital gains are declared annually and, as a general rule, will
be distributed or paid in November or December of each calendar year. Unless an
investor instructs the Fund to pay dividends or distributions in cash, dividends
and distributions will automatically be reinvested in additional Advisor Shares
of the Fund at net asset value. The election to receive dividends in cash may be
made on the account application or, subsequently, by writing to Warburg Pincus
Advisor Funds at the address set forth under 'How to Redeem and Exchange Shares'
or by calling Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds at (800) 888-6878.
The Fund may be required to withhold for U.S. federal income taxes 31% of
all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with
their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications,
or who have been notified by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service that they are
subject to backup withholding.
TAXES. The Fund intends to continue to qualify each year as a 'regulated
investment company' within the meaning of the Code. The Fund, if it qualifies as
a regulated investment company, will be subject to a 4% non-deductible excise
tax measured with respect to certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income
and capital gain. The Fund expects to pay such additional dividends and to make
such additional distributions as are necessary to avoid the application of this
tax.
Dividends paid from net investment income and distributions of net realized
short-term capital gains are taxable to investors as ordinary income, and
distributions derived from net realized long-term capital gains will be taxable
to investors as long-term capital gains, in each case regardless of how long
investors have held Advisor Shares or whether received in cash or reinvested in
additional Advisor Shares. As a general rule, an investor's gain or loss on a
sale or redemption of its Fund shares will be a long-term capital gain or loss
if it has held its shares for more than one year and will be a short-term
capital gain or loss if it has held its shares for one year or less. However,
any loss realized upon the sale or 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 gain during
such six-month period with respect to such shares. Investors may be
proportionately liable for taxes on income and gains of the Fund, but investors
not subject to tax on their income will not be required to pay tax on amounts
distributed to them. The Fund's investment activities will not result in
unrelated business taxable income to a tax-exempt investor. The Fund's
dividends, to the extent not derived from dividends attributable to certain
types of stock issued by U.S. domestic corporations, will not qualify for the
dividends received deduction for corporations.
GENERAL. Statements as to the tax status of each investor's dividends and
distributions are mailed annually. Each investor will also receive, if
applicable, various written notices after the close
14
<PAGE>
of the Fund's prior taxable year with respect to certain dividends and
distributions which were received from the Fund during the Fund's prior taxable
year. Investors should consult their own tax advisers with specific reference to
their own tax situations, including their state and local tax liabilities.
Individuals investing in the Fund through Institutions should consult those
Institutions or their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of
investing in the Fund.
NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund's net asset value per share is calculated as of the close of
regular trading on the NYSE (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business
day, Monday through Friday, except on days when the NYSE is closed. The NYSE is
currently scheduled to be closed on New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, Good
Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of
these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. The net asset value
per share of the Fund generally changes each day.
The net asset value per Advisor Share of the Fund is computed by adding the
Advisor Shares' pro rata share of the value of the Fund's assets, deducting the
Advisor Shares' pro rata share of the Fund's liabilities and the liabilities
specifically allocated to Advisor Shares and then dividing the result by the
total number of outstanding Advisor Shares. Generally, the Fund's investments
are valued at market value or, in the absence of a quoted market value with
respect to any portfolio securities, at fair value as determined by or under the
direction of the Board.
Securities listed on a U.S. securities exchange (including securities
traded through the NASDAQ National Market System) or foreign securities exchange
or traded in an over-the-counter market will be valued at the closing value on
the date on which the valuation is made or, in the absence of sales, the mean
between the highest bid and asked quotations. If there are no such quotations,
the value of the securities will be taken to be the highest bid quotation on the
exchange or market. Option or futures contracts will be valued similarly. Debt
obligations that mature in 60 days or less from the valuation date are valued on
the basis of amortized cost, unless the Board determines that using this
valuation method would not reflect the investments' value. Securities, options
and futures contracts for which market quotations are not readily available and
other assets will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith
pursuant to consistently applied procedures established by the Board.
Trading in securities in certain foreign countries may be completed prior
to the close of regular trading on the NYSE. When an occurrence subsequent to
the time a value was so established is likely to have materially changed such
value, then the fair market value of the securities will be determined by or
under the direction of the Board. In addition, trading may take place in various
foreign markets on days on which the Fund's net asset value is not calculated.
Further information regarding valuation policies is contained in the Statement
of Additional Information.
PERFORMANCE
The Fund quotes the performance of Advisor Shares separately from Common
Shares. The net asset value of the Advisor Shares is listed in The Wall Street
Journal each business day under the heading Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds. From
time to time, the Fund may advertise average annual total return of Advisor
Shares over various periods of time. These total return figures show the average
percentage change in value of an investment in the Advisor Shares
15
<PAGE>
from the beginning of the measuring period to the end of the measuring period.
The figures reflect changes in the price of the Advisor Shares assuming that any
income dividends and/or capital gain distributions made by the Fund during the
period were reinvested in Advisor Shares. Total return will be shown for recent
one-, five- and ten-year periods, and may be shown for other periods as well
(such as on a year-by-year, quarterly or current year-to-date basis).
When considering average total return figures for periods longer than one
year, it is important to note that the annual total return for one year in the
period might have been greater or less than the average for the entire period.
When considering total return figures for periods shorter than one year,
investors should bear in mind that the Fund seeks long-term appreciation and
that such return may not be representative of the Fund's return over a longer
market cycle. The Fund may also advertise aggregate total return figures of
Advisor Shares for various periods, representing the cumulative change in value
of an investment in the Advisor Shares for the specific period (again reflecting
changes in share prices and assuming reinvestment of dividends and
distributions). Aggregate and average total returns may be shown by means of
schedules, charts or graphs and may indicate various components of total return
(i.e., change in value of initial investment, income dividends and capital gain
distributions).
Investors should note that total return figures are based on historical
earnings and are not intended to indicate future performance. The Statement of
Additional Information describes the method used to determine the total return.
Current total return figures may be obtained by calling Warburg Pincus Advisor
Funds at (800) 888-6878.
In reports or other communications to investors or in advertising material,
the Fund may describe general economic and market conditions affecting the Fund.
The Fund may compare its performance with (i) that of other mutual funds as
listed in the rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. or similar
investment services that monitor the performance of mutual funds or as set forth
in the publications listed below; (ii) the Russell Midcap Index, the S&P Midcap
400 Index and the S&P 500 Index, each of which is an unmanaged index of common
stocks; or (iii) other appropriate indexes of investment securities or with data
developed by Warburg derived from such indexes. The Fund may also include
evaluations of the Fund published by nationally recognized ranking services and
by financial publications that are nationally recognized, such as The Wall
Street Journal, Investor's Daily, Money, Inc., Institutional Investor, Barron's,
Fortune, Forbes, Business Week, Mutual Fund Magazine, Morningstar, Inc. and
Financial Times.
In reports or other communications to investors or in advertising, the Fund
may also describe the general biography or work experience of the portfolio
managers of the Fund and may include quotations attributable to the portfolio
managers describing approaches taken in managing the Fund's investments,
research methodology underlying stock selection or the Fund's investment
objective. The Fund may also discuss the continuum of risk and return relating
to different investments and the potential impact of foreign stocks on a
portfolio otherwise composed of domestic securities. In addition, the Fund may
from time to time compare the expense ratio of Advisor Shares to that of
investment companies with similar objectives and policies, based on data
generated by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. or similar investment services
that monitor mutual funds.
GENERAL INFORMATION
ORGANIZATION. The Fund was organized on January 20, 1987 under the laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is a business entity
16
<PAGE>
commonly known as 'Massachusetts business trust.' On February 26, 1992, the Fund
amended the Agreement and Declaration of Trust to change the name of the Fund
from 'Counsellors Capital Appreciation Fund' to 'Warburg, Pincus Capital
Appreciation Fund.' The Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the
Board of Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of
beneficial interest, $.001 par value per share, of which one billion shares are
classified as Series 2 Shares (the Advisor Shares). Under the Fund's charter
documents, the Board has the power to classify or reclassify any unissued shares
of the Fund into one or more additional classes by setting or changing in any
one or more respects their relative rights, voting powers, restrictions,
limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of
redemption. The Board may similarly classify or reclassify any class of its
shares into one or more series and, without shareholder approval, may increase
the number of authorized shares of the Fund.
MULTI-CLASS STRUCTURE. The Fund offers a separate class of shares, the Common
Shares, directly to individuals pursuant to a separate prospectus. Shares of
each class represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends
and calculate net asset value and performance quotations in the same manner, as
described elsewhere in this Prospectus, except that Advisor Shares bear fees
payable by the Fund to service organizations for services they provide to the
beneficial owners of such shares and enjoy certain exclusive voting rights on
matters relating to these fees. Because of the higher fees paid by the Advisor
Shares, the total return on such shares can be expected to be lower than the
total return on Common Shares. Investors may obtain information concerning the
Common Shares by calling Counsellors Securities at (800) 888-6878.
VOTING RIGHTS. Investors in the Fund are entitled to one vote for each full
share held and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shareholders of the
Fund will vote in the aggregate except where otherwise required by law and
except that each class will vote separately on certain matters pertaining to its
distribution and shareholder servicing arrangements. There will normally be no
meetings of investors for the purpose of electing members of the Board unless
and until such time as less than a majority of the members holding office have
been elected by investors. Any Trustee of the Fund may be removed from office
upon the vote of no less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares, through a
declaration in writing or by vote cast in person or by proxy at a meeting called
for that purpose. A meeting will be called for the purpose of voting on the
removal of a Board member at the written request of holders of 10% of the
outstanding shares of the Fund. John L. Furth, a Trustee of the Fund, and Lionel
I. Pincus, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of EMW, may be
deemed to be controlling persons of the Fund as of November 30, 1995 because
they may be deemed to possess or share investment power over shares owned by
clients of Warburg and certain other entities.
SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS. Each investor will receive a quarterly statement of
its account, as well as a statement of its account after any transaction that
affects its share balance or share registration (other than the reinvestment of
dividends or distributions). The Fund will also send to its investors a
semiannual report and an audited annual report, each of which includes a list of
the investment securities held by the Fund and a statement of the performance of
the Fund. Each Institution that is the record owner of Advisor Shares on behalf
of its customers will send a statement to those customers periodically showing
their indirect interest in Advisor Shares, as well as providing other
information about the Fund. See 'Shareholder Servicing.'
SHAREHOLDER SERVICING
The Fund is authorized to offer Advisor Shares exclusively to Institutions
whose clients or
17
<PAGE>
customers (or participants in the case of retirement plans) ('Customers') are
owners of Advisor Shares. Either those Institutions or companies providing
certain services to Customers (together, 'Service Organizations') will enter
into agreements ('Agreements') with the Fund and/or Counsellors Securities
pursuant to a Distribution Plan as described below. Pursuant to the terms of an
Agreement, the Service Organization agrees to provide certain distribution,
shareholder servicing, administrative and/or accounting services for Customers.
Distribution services would be marketing or other services in connection with
the promotion and sale of Advisor Shares. Shareholder services that may be
provided include responding to Customer inquiries, providing information on
Customer investments and providing other shareholder liaison services.
Administrative and accounting services related to the sale of Advisor Shares may
include (i) aggregating and processing purchase and redemption requests from
Customers and placing net purchase and redemption orders with the Fund's
transfer agent, (ii) processing dividend payments from the Fund on behalf of
Customers and (iii) providing sub-accounting related to the sale of Advisor
Shares beneficially owned by Customers or the information to the Fund necessary
for sub-accounting. The Board has approved a Distribution Plan (the 'Plan')
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act under which each participating Service
Organization will be paid, out of the assets of the Fund (either directly by the
Fund or by Counsellors Securities on behalf of the Fund), a negotiated fee on an
annual basis not to exceed .75% (up to a .25% annual service fee and a .50%
annual distribution fee) of the value of the average daily net assets of its
Customers invested in Advisor Shares. The Board evaluates the appropriateness of
the Plan on a continuing basis and in doing so considers all relevant factors.
Warburg, Counsellors Securities, Counsellors Service or any of their
affiliates may, from time to time, at their own expense, provide compensation to
these institutions. To the extent they do so, such compensation does not
represent an additional expense to the Fund or its shareholders since it will be
paid from the assets of Warburg, Counsellors Securities, Counsellors Service or
their affiliates. In addition Warburg, Counsellors Securities or any of their
affiliates may, from time to time, at their own expense, pay certain Fund
transfer agent fees and expenses related to accounts of Customers of Service
Organizations that have entered into Agreements. A Service Organization may use
a portion of the fees paid pursuant to the Plan to compensate the Fund's
custodian or transfer agent (for costs related to accounts of Customers of the
Service Organization holding Advisor Shares).
------------------------
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, THE FUND'S
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR THE FUND'S OFFICIAL SALES LITERATURE IN
CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF SHARES OF THE FUND, AND IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH
OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE FUND. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE
ADVISOR SHARES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, SUCH OFFER MAY
NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
18
<PAGE>
Warburg Pincus Advisor Funds
Counsellors Securities Inc., distributor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Fund's Expenses ...................................................... 2
Financial Highlights ..................................................... 3
Investment Objective and Policies ........................................ 4
Portfolio Investments .................................................... 4
Risk Factors and Special
Considerations ......................................................... 6
Portfolio Transactions and Turnover
Rate ................................................................... 6
Certain Investment Strategies ............................................ 6
Investment Guidelines .................................................... 9
Management of the Fund .................................................. 10
How to Purchase Shares .................................................. 11
How to Redeem and Exchange
Shares ................................................................ 13
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes ...................................... 14
Net Asset Value ......................................................... 15
Performance ............................................................. 15
General Information ..................................................... 16
Shareholder Servicing ................................................... 17
<PAGE>1
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY
OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES
EFFECTIVE. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A
PROSPECTUS.
<PAGE>1
Subject to Completion, dated October 30, 1995
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 29, 1995
WARBURG PINCUS CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND
P.O. Box 9030, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9030
For information, call (800) 888-6878
Contents
Page
Investment Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Investment Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Management of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Additional Purchase and Redemption Information . . . 29
Exchange Privilege . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Additional Information Concerning Taxes . . . . . . 31
Determination of Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Auditors and Counsel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Appendix -- Description of Ratings . . . . . . . . . A-1
Report of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.,
Independent Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
This Statement of Additional Information is meant to be read in
conjunction with the combined Prospectus for the Common Shares of Warburg
Pincus Capital Appreciation Fund (the "Fund"), Warburg Pincus Emerging Growth
Fund and Warburg Pincus Post-Venture Capital Fund, and with the Prospectus for
the Advisor Shares of the Fund, each dated December 29, 1995, and is
incorporated by reference in its entirety into those Prospectuses. Because
this Statement of Additional Information is not itself a prospectus, no
investment in shares of the Fund should be made solely upon the information
contained herein. Copies of the Fund's Prospectuses and information regarding
the Fund's current performance may be obtained by calling the Fund at
(800) 257-5614. Information regarding the status of shareholder accounts may
be obtained by calling the Fund at (800) 888-6878 or by writing to the Fund,
P.O. Box 9030, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9030.
<PAGE>2
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The investment objective of the Fund is long-term capital
appreciation.
INVESTMENT POLICIES
The following policies supplement the descriptions of the Fund's
investment objectives and policies in the Prospectuses.
Options, Futures and Currency Exchange Transactions
Securities Options. The Fund may write covered call options on
stock and debt securities and may purchase U.S. exchanged-traded and over-the
counter ("OTC") put and call options.
The Fund realizes fees (referred to as "premiums") for granting the
rights evidenced by the options it has written. A put option embodies the
right of its purchaser to compel the writer of the option to purchase from the
option holder an underlying security at a specified price for a specified time
period or at a specified time. In contrast, a call option embodies the right
of its purchaser to compel the writer of the option to sell to the option
holder an underlying security at a specified price for a specified time period
or at a specified time.
The principal reason for writing covered options on a security is to
attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than
would be realized on the securities alone. In return for a premium, the Fund
as the writer of a covered call option forfeits the right to any appreciation
in the value of the underlying security above the strike price for the life of
the option (or until a closing purchase transaction can be effected).
Nevertheless, the Fund as a call writer retains the risk of a decline in the
price of the underlying security. The size of the premiums that the Fund may
receive may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including
other investment companies, engage in or increase their option-writing
activities.
In the case of options written by the Fund that are deemed covered
by virtue of the Fund's holding convertible or exchangeable preferred stock or
debt securities, the time required to convert or exchange and obtain physical
delivery of the underlying common stock with respect to which the Fund has
written options may exceed the time within which the Fund must make delivery
in accordance with an exercise notice. In these instances, the Fund may
purchase or temporarily borrow the underlying securities for purposes of
physical delivery. By so doing, the Fund will not bear any market risk, since
the Fund will have the absolute right to receive from the issuer of the
underlying security an equal number of shares to replace the borrowed
securities, but the Fund may incur additional transaction costs or interest
expenses in connection with any such purchase or borrowing.
<PAGE>3
Additional risks exist with respect to certain of the securities for
which the Fund may write covered call options. For example, if the Fund
writes covered call options on mortgage-backed securities, the mortgage-backed
securities that it holds as cover may, because of scheduled amortization or
unscheduled prepayments, cease to be sufficient cover. If this occurs, the
Fund will compensate for the decline in the value of the cover by purchasing
an appropriate additional amount of mortgage-backed securities.
Options written by the Fund will normally have expiration dates
between one and nine months from the date written. The exercise price of the
options may be below, equal to or above the market values of the underlying
securities at the times the options are written. In the case of call options,
these exercise prices are referred to as "in-the-money," "at-the-money" and
"out-of-the-money," respectively. The Fund may write (i) in-the-money call
options when Warburg, Pincus Counsellors, Inc., the Fund's investment adviser
("Warburg"), expects that the price of the underlying security will remain
flat or decline moderately during the option period, (ii) at-the-money call
options when Warburg expects that the price of the underlying security will
remain flat or advance moderately during the option period and
(iii) out-of-the-money call options when Warburg expects that the premiums
received from writing the call option plus the appreciation in market price of
the underlying security up to the exercise price will be greater than the
appreciation in the price of the underlying security alone. In any of the
preceding situations, if the market price of the underlying security declines
and the security is sold at this lower price, the amount of any realized loss
will be offset wholly or in part by the premium received. To secure its
obligation to deliver the underlying security when it writes a call option,
the Fund will be required to deposit in escrow the underlying security or
other assets in accordance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation
(the "Clearing Corporation") and of the securities exchange on which the
option is written.
Prior to their expirations, put and call options may be sold in
closing sale or purchase transactions (sales or purchases by the Fund prior to
the exercise of options that it has purchased or written, respectively, of
options of the same series) in which the Fund may realize a profit or loss
from the sale. An option position may be closed out only where there exists a
secondary market for an option of the same series on a recognized securities
exchange or in the over-the-counter market. When the Fund has purchased an
option and engages in a closing sale transaction, whether the Fund realizes a
profit or loss will depend upon whether the amount received in the closing
sale transaction is more or less than the premium the Fund initially paid for
the original option plus the related transaction costs. Similarly, in cases
where the Fund has written an option, it will realize a profit if the cost of
the closing purchase transaction is less than the premium received upon
writing the original option and will incur a loss if the cost of the closing
purchase transaction exceeds the premium received upon writing the original
option. The Fund may engage in a closing purchase transaction to realize a
profit, to prevent an underlying security with respect to which it has written
an option from being called or put or, in the case of a call option, to
unfreeze an underlying security (thereby permitting its sale or the writing of
a new option on the security prior to the outstanding option's expiration).
The obligation of the Fund under an option it has written would be terminated
by a closing purchase transaction, but the Fund
<PAGE>4
would not be deemed to own an option as a result of the transaction. So long
as the obligation of the Fund as the writer of an option continues, the Fund
may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which the
option was sold, requiring the Fund to deliver the underlying security against
payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates when the option
expires or the Fund effects a closing purchase transaction. The Fund can no
longer effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option once it
has been assigned an exercise notice.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest will exist to
create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange for any particular
option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary
market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist
for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated
trading activity or order flow or other unforeseen events have at times
rendered certain of the facilities of the Clearing Corporation and various
securities exchanges inadequate and resulted in the institution of special
procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders
or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no
assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the
timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it
might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options.
Moreover, the Fund's ability to terminate options positions established in the
over-the-counter market may be more limited than for exchange-traded options
and may also involve the risk that securities dealers participating in
over-the-counter transactions would fail to meet their obligations to the
Fund. The Fund, however, intends to purchase over-the-counter options only
from dealers whose debt securities, as determined by Warburg, are considered
to be investment grade. If, as a covered call option writer, the Fund is
unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will
not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it
delivers the underlying security upon exercise. In either case, the Fund
would continue to be at market risk on the security and could face higher
transaction costs, including brokerage commissions.
Securities exchanges generally have established limitations
governing the maximum number of calls and puts of each class which may be held
or written, or exercised within certain time periods by an investor or group
of investors acting in concert (regardless of whether the options are written
on the same or different securities exchanges or are held, written or
exercised in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). It is
possible that the Fund and other clients of Warburg and certain of its
affiliates may be considered to be such a group. A securities exchange may
order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits
and it may impose certain other sanctions. These limits may restrict the
number of options the Fund will be able to purchase on a particular security.
Stock Index Options. The Fund may purchase and write
exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on stock indexes. A stock index
measures the movement of a certain group of stocks by assigning relative
values to the common stocks included in the index, fluctuating with changes in
the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index
options are based on a broad market index, such as the NYSE Composite
<PAGE>5
Index, or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor's 100. Indexes
may also be based on a particular industry or market segment.
Options on stock indexes are similar to options on stock except that
(i) the expiration cycles of stock index options are monthly, while those of
stock options are currently quarterly, and (ii) the delivery requirements are
different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a
specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to
receive a cash "exercise settlement amount" equal to (a) the amount, if any,
by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put)
or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying
index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed "index multiplier."
Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock
index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a
call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the index and
the exercise price of the option times a specified multiple. The writer of
the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery
of this amount. Stock index options may be offset by entering into closing
transactions as described above for securities options.
OTC Options. The Fund may purchase OTC or dealer options or sell
covered OTC options. Unlike exchange-listed options where an intermediary or
clearing corporation, such as the Clearing Corporation, assures that all
transactions in such options are properly executed, the responsibility for
performing all transactions with respect to OTC options rests solely with the
writer and the holder of those options. A listed call option writer, for
example, is obligated to deliver the underlying stock to the clearing
organization if the option is exercised, and the clearing organization is then
obligated to pay the writer the exercise price of the option. If the Fund
were to purchase a dealer option, however, it would rely on the dealer from
whom it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. If the
dealer fails to honor the exercise of the option by the Fund, the Fund would
lose the premium it paid for the option and the expected benefit of the
transaction.
Listed options generally have a continuous liquid market while
dealer options have none. Consequently, the Fund will generally be able to
realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising it or
reselling it to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when the Fund writes a
dealer option, it generally will be able to close out the option prior to its
expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the
dealer to which the Fund originally wrote the option. Although the Fund will
seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and that
are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the
Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to liquidate a
dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. The
inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to
the Fund. Until the Fund, as a covered OTC call option writer, is able to
effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate
securities (or other assets) used to cover the written option until the option
expires or is exercised. This requirement may impair the Fund's ability to
sell portfolio securities or, with respect to currency options, currencies at
a time when such sale might be advantageous. In the event of insolvency of
the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option.
<PAGE>6
Futures Activities. The Fund may enter into foreign currency,
interest rate and stock index futures contracts and purchase and write (sell)
related options traded on exchanges designated by the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (the "CFTC") or consistent with CFTC regulations on foreign
exchanges. These transactions may be entered into for "bona fide hedging"
purposes as defined in CFTC regulations and other permissible purposes
including hedging against changes in the value of portfolio securities due to
anticipated changes in currency values, interest rates and/or market
conditions and increasing return.
The Fund will not enter into futures contracts and related options
for which the aggregate initial margin and premiums (discussed below) required
to establish positions other than those considered to be "bona fide hedging"
by the CFTC exceed 5% of the Fund's net asset value after taking into account
unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered
into. The Fund reserves the right to engage in transactions involving futures
contracts and options on futures contracts to the extent allowed by CFTC
regulations in effect from time to time and in accordance with the Fund's
policies. There is no overall limit on the percentage of Fund assets that may
be at risk with respect to futures activities. The ability of the Fund to
trade in futures contracts and options on futures contracts may be limited by
the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), applicable to a regulated investment company.
Futures Contracts. A foreign currency futures contract provides for
the future sale by one party and the purchase by the other party of a certain
amount of a specified non-U.S. currency at a specified price, date, time and
place. An interest rate futures contract provides for the future sale by one
party and the purchase by the other party of a certain amount of a specific
interest rate sensitive financial instrument (debt security) at a specified
price, date, time and place. Stock indexes are capitalization weighted
indexes which reflect the market value of the stock listed on the indexes. A
stock index futures contract is an agreement to be settled by delivery of an
amount of cash equal to a specified multiplier times the difference between
the value of the index at the close of the last trading day on the contract
and the price at which the agreement is made.
No consideration is paid or received by the Fund upon entering into
a futures contract. Instead, the Fund is required to deposit in a segregated
account with its custodian an amount of cash or cash equivalents, such as U.S.
government securities or other liquid high-grade debt obligations, equal to
approximately 1% to 10% of the contract amount (this amount is subject to
change by the exchange on which the contract is traded, and brokers may charge
a higher amount). This amount is known as "initial margin" and is in the
nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract which is
returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all
contractual obligations have been satisfied. The broker will have access to
amounts in the margin account if the Fund fails to meet its contractual
obligations. Subsequent payments, known as "variation margin," to and from
the broker, will be made daily as the currency, financial instrument or stock
index underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short
positions in the futures
<PAGE>7
contract more or less valuable, a process known as "marking-to-market." The
Fund will also incur brokerage costs in connection with entering into futures
transactions.
At any time prior to the expiration of a futures contract, the Fund
may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will
operate to terminate the Fund's existing position in the contract. Positions
in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (described below) may be
closed out only on the exchange on which they were entered into (or through a
linked exchange). No secondary market for such contracts exists. Although
the Fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active
market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will
exist at any particular time. Most futures exchanges limit the amount of
fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day.
Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may
be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for
specified periods during the day. It is possible that futures contract prices
could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little
or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions at
an advantageous price and subjecting the Fund to substantial losses. In such
event, and in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would be required
to make daily cash payments of variation margin. In such situations, if the
fund had insufficient cash, it might have to sell securities to meet daily
variation margin requirements at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do
so. In addition, if the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, in
such circumstances the Fund may realize a loss on a futures contract or option
that is not offset by an increase in the value of the hedged position. Losses
incurred in futures transactions and the costs of these transactions will
affect the Fund's performance.
Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may purchase and write put
and call options on foreign currency, interest rate and stock index futures
contracts and may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options
to terminate existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing
transactions can be effected; the ability to establish and close out positions
on such options will be subject to the existence of a liquid market.
An option on a currency, interest rate or stock index futures
contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives
the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position
in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the
expiration date of the option. The writer of the option is required upon
exercise to assume an offsetting futures position (a short position if the
option is a call and a long position if the option is a put). Upon exercise
of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option
to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated
balance in the writer's futures margin account, which represents the amount by
which the market price of the futures contract exceeds, in the case of a call,
or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option on the
futures contract. The potential loss related to the purchase of an option on
futures contracts is limited to the premium paid for the option (plus
transaction costs). Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of
sale, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to
<PAGE>8
reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of
the option does change daily and that change would be reflected in the net
asset value of the Fund.
Currency Exchange Transactions. The value in U.S. dollars of the
assets of the Fund that are invested in foreign securities may be affected
favorably or unfavorably by changes in exchange control regulations, and the
Fund may incur costs in connection with conversion between various currencies.
Currency exchange transactions may be from any non-U.S. currency into U.S.
dollars or into other appropriate currencies. The Fund will conduct its
currency exchange transactions (i) on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the rate
prevailing in the currency exchange market, (ii) through entering into futures
contracts or options on such contracts (as described above), (iii) through
entering into forward contracts to purchase or sell currency or (iv) by
purchasing exchange-traded currency options.
Forward Currency Contracts. A forward currency contract involves
an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which
may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract as agreed upon
by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts
are entered into in the interbank market conducted directly between currency
traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Forward
currency contracts are similar to currency futures contracts, except that
futures contracts are traded on commodities exchanges and are standardized as
to contract size and delivery date.
At or before the maturity of a forward contract, the Fund may either
sell a portfolio security and make delivery of the currency, or retain the
security and fully or partially offset its contractual obligation to deliver
the currency by negotiating with its trading partner to purchase a second,
offsetting contract. If the Fund retains the portfolio security and engages
in an offsetting transaction, the Fund, at the time of execution of the
offsetting transaction, will incur a gain or a loss to the extent that
movement has occurred in forward contract prices.
Currency Options. The Fund may purchase exchange-traded put and
call options on foreign currencies. Put options convey the right to sell the
underlying currency at a price which is anticipated to be higher than the spot
price of the currency at the time the option is exercised. Call options
convey the right to buy the underlying currency at a price which is expected
to be lower than the spot price of the currency at the time the option is
exercised.
Currency Hedging. The Fund's currency hedging will be limited to
hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions.
Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency with respect
to specific receivables or payables of the Fund generally accruing in
connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities. Position
hedging is the sale of forward currency with respect to portfolio security
positions. The Fund may not position hedge to an extent greater than the
aggregate market value (at the time of entering into the hedge) of the hedged
securities.
<PAGE>9
A decline in the U.S. dollar value of a foreign currency in which
the Fund's securities are denominated will reduce the U.S. dollar value of the
securities, even if their value in the foreign currency remains constant. The
use of currency hedges does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying
prices of the securities, but it does establish a rate of exchange that can be
achieved in the future. For example, in order to protect against diminutions
in the U.S. dollar value of securities it holds, the Fund may purchase
currency put options. If the value of the currency does decline, the Fund
will have the right to sell the currency for a fixed amount in dollars and
will thereby offset, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on the U.S.
dollar value of its securities that otherwise would have resulted.
Conversely, if a rise in the U.S. dollar value of a currency in which
securities to be acquired are denominated is projected, thereby potentially
increasing the cost of the securities, the Fund may purchase call options on
the particular currency. The purchase of these options could offset, at least
partially, the effects of the adverse movements in exchange rates. The
benefit to the Fund derived from purchases of currency options, like the
benefit derived from other types of options, will be reduced by premiums and
other transaction costs. Because transactions in currency exchange are
generally conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are generally
involved. Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations
as other transactions with similar instruments. Although currency hedges
limit the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of a hedged currency, at
the same time, they also limit any potential gain that might result should the
value of the currency increase. If a devaluation is generally anticipated,
the Fund may not be able to contract to sell a currency at a price above the
devaluation level it anticipates.
While the values of currency futures and options on futures, forward
currency contracts and currency options may be expected to correlate with
exchange rates, they will not reflect other factors that may affect the value
of the Fund's investments and a currency hedge may not be entirely successful
in mitigating changes in the value of the Fund's investments denominated in
that currency. A currency hedge, for example, should protect a Yen-
denominated bond against a decline in the Yen, but will not protect the Fund
against a price decline if the issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates.
Hedging. In addition to entering into options, futures and currency
exchange transactions for other purposes, including generating current income
to offset expenses or increase return, the Fund may enter into these
transactions as hedges to reduce investment risk, generally by making an
investment expected to move in the opposite direction of a portfolio position.
A hedge is designed to offset a loss in a portfolio position with a gain in
the hedged position; at the same time, however, a properly correlated hedge
will result in a gain in the portfolio position being offset by a loss in the
hedged position. As a result, the use of options, futures, contracts and
currency exchange transactions for hedging purposes could limit any potential
gain from an increase in the value of the position hedged. In addition, the
movement in the portfolio position hedged may not be of the same magnitude as
movement in the hedge. With respect to futures contracts, since the value of
portfolio securities will far exceed the value of the futures contracts sold
by the Fund, an increase in the value of the futures contracts could only
mitigate, but not totally offset, the decline in the value of the Fund's
assets.
<PAGE>10
In hedging transactions based on an index, whether the Fund will
realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index
depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market
generally or, in the case of certain indexes, in an industry or market
segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. The risk
of imperfect correlation increases as the composition of the Fund's portfolio
varies from the composition of the index. In an effort to compensate for
imperfect correlation of relative movements in the hedged position and the
hedge, the Fund's hedge positions may be in a greater or lesser dollar amount
than the dollar amount of the hedged position. Such "over hedging" or "under
hedging" may adversely affect the Fund's net investment results if market
movements are not as anticipated when the hedge is established. Stock index
futures transactions may be subject to additional correlation risks. First,
all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and
maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit
requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting
transactions which would distort the normal relationship between the stock
index and futures markets. Secondly, from the point of view of speculators,
the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin
requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by
speculators in the futures market also may cause temporary price distortions.
Because of the possibility of price distortions in the futures market and the
imperfect correlation between movements in the stock index and movements in
the price of stock index futures, a correct forecast of general market trends
by Warburg still may not result in a successful hedging transaction.
The Fund will engage in hedging transactions only when deemed
advisable by Warburg, and successful use by the Fund of hedging transactions
will be subject to Warburg's ability to predict trends in currency, interest
rate or securities markets, as the case may be, and to correctly predict
movements in the directions of the hedge and the hedged position and the
correlation between them, which predictions could prove to be inaccurate.
This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the
price of individual securities, and there can be no assurance that the use of
these strategies will be successful. Even a well-conceived hedge may be
unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or trends.
Losses incurred in hedging transactions and the costs of these transactions
will affect the Fund's performance.
Asset Coverage for Forward Contracts, Options, Futures and Options
on Futures. As described in the Prospectuses, the Fund will comply with
guidelines established by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") with respect to coverage of forward currency contracts; options written
by the Fund on securities and indexes; and currency, interest rate and index
futures contracts and options on these futures contracts. These guidelines
may, in certain instances, require segregation by the Fund of cash or liquid
high-grade debt securities or other securities that are aceptable as
collateral to the appropriate regulatory authority.
For example, a call option written by the Fund on securities may
require the Fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or securities
convertible into the securities without additional consideration) or to
segregate assets (as described above) sufficient to
<PAGE>11
purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option
written by the Fund on an index may require the Fund to own portfolio
securities that correlate with the index or to segregate assets (as described
above) equal to the excess of the index value over the exercise price on a
current basis. The Fund could purchase a put option if the strike price of
that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option sold
by the Fund. If the Fund holds a futures or forward contract, the Fund could
purchase a put option on the same futures or forward contract with a strike
price as high or higher than the price of the contract held. The Fund may
enter into fully or partially offsetting transactions so that its net
position, coupled with any segregated assets (equal to any remaining
obligation), equals its net obligation. Asset coverage may be achieved by
other means when consistent with applicable regulatory policies.
Additional Information on Other Investment Practices
U.S. Government Securities. The Fund may invest in debt obligations
of varying maturities issued or guaranteed by the United States government,
its agencies or instrumentalities ("U.S. government securities"). Direct
obligations of the U.S. Treasury include a variety of securities that differ
in their interest rates, maturities and dates of issuance. U.S. government
securities also include securities issued or guaranteed by the Federal Housing
Administration, Farmers Home Loan Administration, Export-Import Bank of the
United States, Small Business Administration, Government National Mortgage
Association ("GNMA"), General Services Administration, Central Bank for
Cooperatives, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), Federal Intermediate Credit Banks,
Federal Land Banks, Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), Maritime
Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, District of Columbia Armory Board
and Student Loan Marketing Association. The Fund may also invest in
instruments that are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury and instruments that are supported by the credit of the
instrumentality. Because the U.S. government is not obligated by law to
provide support to an instrumentality it sponsors, the Fund will invest in
obligations issued by such an instrumentality only if Warburg determines that
the credit risk with respect to the instrumentality does not make its
securities unsuitable for investment by the Fund.
Securities of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in
securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Presently, under
the 1940 Act, the Fund may hold securities of another investment company in
amounts which (i) do not exceed 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of
such company, (ii) do not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets
and (iii) when added to all other investment company securities held by the
Fund, do not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets.
Lending of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend portfolio
securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet
capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the
Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). These loans, if and when made, may
not exceed 20% of the Fund's total assets taken at
<PAGE>12
value. The Fund will not lend portfolio securities to E.M. Warburg, Pincus &
Co., Inc. ("EMW") or its affiliates unless it has applied for and received
specific authority to do so from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities will
be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities,
which are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the
current market value of the loaned securities. Any gain or loss in the market
price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan
would be for the account of the Fund. From time to time, the Fund may return
a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for
securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party that is unaffiliated
with the Fund and that is acting as a "finder."
By lending its securities, the Fund can increase its income by
continuing to receive interest and any dividends on the loaned securities as
well as by either investing the collateral received for securities loaned in
short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the
borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. Although the
generation of income is not the primary investment objective of the Fund,
income received could be used to pay the Fund's expenses and would increase an
investor's total return. The Fund will adhere to the following conditions
whenever its portfolio securities are loaned: (i) the Fund must receive at
least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities of the type discussed in
the preceding paragraph from the borrower; (ii) the borrower must increase
such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the
level of such collateral; (iii) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at
any time; (iv) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well
as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities and
any increase in market value; (v) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian
fees in connection with the loan; and (vi) voting rights on the loaned
securities may pass to the borrower, provided, however, that if a material
event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the Board must terminate the
loan and regain the right to vote the securities. Loan agreements involve
certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the other party
including possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund's ability to recover
the loaned securities or dispose of the collateral for the loan.
Foreign Investments. The Fund may not invest more than 20% of its
total assets in the securities of foreign issuers. Investors should recognize
that investing in foreign companies involves certain risks, including those
discussed below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S.
issuers. Since the Fund may invest in securities denominated in currencies
other than the U.S. dollar, and since the Fund may temporarily hold funds in
bank deposits or other money market investments denominated in foreign
currencies, the Fund may be affected favorably or unfavorably by exchange
control regulations or changes in the exchange rate between such currencies
and the dollar. A change in the value of a foreign currency relative to the
U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the dollar value of the
Fund assets denominated in that foreign currency. Changes in foreign currency
exchange rates may also affect the value of dividends and interest earned,
gains and losses realized on the sale of securities and net investment income
and gains, if any, to be distributed to shareholders by the Fund. The rate of
exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies is determined by the
forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets. Changes in the
exchange rate may result over
<PAGE>13
time from the interaction of many factors directly or indirectly affecting
economic and political conditions in the United States and a particular
foreign country, including economic and political developments in other
countries. Of particular importance are rates of inflation, interest rate
levels, the balance of payments and the extent of government surpluses or
deficits in the United States and the particular foreign country, all of which
are in turn sensitive to the monetary, fiscal and trade policies pursued by
the governments of the United States and foreign countries important to
international trade and finance. Governmental intervention may also play a
significant role. National governments rarely voluntarily allow their
currencies to float freely in response to economic forces. Sovereign
governments use a variety of techniques, such as intervention by a country's
central bank or imposition of regulatory controls or taxes, to affect the
exchange rates of their currencies.
Many of the foreign securities held by the Fund will not be
registered with, nor the issuers thereof be subject to reporting requirements
of, the SEC. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information
about the securities and about the foreign company or government issuing them
than is available about a domestic company or government entity. Foreign
companies are generally not subject to uniform financial reporting standards,
practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies.
In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility
of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the removal of funds
or other assets of the Fund, political or social instability, or domestic
developments which could affect U.S. investments in those countries.
Moreover, individual foreign economies 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
balance of payments positions. The Fund may invest in securities of foreign
governments (or agencies or instrumentalities thereof), and many, if not all,
of the foregoing considerations apply to such investments as well.
Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and their
prices are more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies.
Certain foreign countries are known to experience long delays between the
trade and settlement dates of securities purchased or sold. Due to the
increased exposure of the Fund to market and foreign exchange fluctuations
brought about by such delays, and due to the corresponding negative impact on
Fund liquidity, the Fund will avoid investing in countries which are known to
experience settlement delays which may expose the Fund to unreasonable risk of
loss.
American, European and Continental Depositary Receipts. The assets
of the Fund may be invested in the 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 into which they may be converted. ADRs are
receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company which evidence
ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs,
which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts ("CDRs"),
are receipts issued in Europe typically by non-U.S. banks and trust companies
that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Generally,
ADRs in registered form are designed for use in
<PAGE>14
U.S. securities markets and EDRs and CDRs in bearer form are designed for use
in European securities markets.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities in which the Fund
may invest, including both convertible debt and convertible preferred stock,
may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying
shares of common stock. Because of this feature, convertible securities
enable an investor to benefit from increases in the market price of the
underlying common stock. Convertible securities provide higher yields than
the underlying equity securities, but generally offer lower yields than non-
convertible securities of similar quality. Like bonds, the value of
convertible securities fluctuates in relation to changes in interest rates
and, in addition, also fluctuates in relation to the underlying common stock.
Warrants. The Fund may invest up to 5% of net assets in warrants
(valued at the lower of cost or market) (other than warrants acquired by the
Fund as part of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase),
provided that not more than 2% of net assets may be invested in warrants not
listed on a recognized U.S. or foreign stock exchange, to the extent permitted
by applicable state securities laws. Because a warrant does not carry with it
the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities which
it entitles a holder to purchase, and because it does not represent any rights
in the assets of the issuer, warrants may be considered more speculative than
certain other types of investments. Also, the value of a warrant does not
necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities and a warrant
ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.
Non-Publicly Traded and Illiquid Securities. The Fund may not
invest more than 10% of its total assets in non-publicly traded and illiquid
securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of
a readily available market, repurchase agreements which have a maturity of
longer than seven days and time deposits maturing in more than seven calendar
days. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but
have a readily available market are not considered illiquid for purposes of
this limitation. Repurchase agreements subject to demand are deemed to have a
maturity equal to the notice period.
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, as amended (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
placements 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 a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid
securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience
difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also
have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them
resulting in additional
<PAGE>15
expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public
offering of securities.
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 be indicative
of the liquidity of such investments.
Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A under the Securities Act adopted by
the SEC allows for a broader institutional trading market for securities
otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A
establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional
buyers. Warburg anticipates that the market for certain restricted securities
such as institutional commercial paper will expand further as a result of this
regulation and use of automated systems for the trading, clearance and
settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers, such as
the PORTAL System sponsored by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
An investment in Rule 144A Securities will be considered illiquid
and therefore subject to the Fund's limit on the purchase of illiquid
securities unless the Board or its delegates determines that the Rule 144A
Securities are liquid. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Board and its
delegates may consider, inter alia, the following factors: (i) the
unregistered nature of the security; (ii) the frequency of trades and quotes
for the security; (iii) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the
security and the number of other potential purchasers; (iv) dealer
undertakings to make a market in the security and (v) the nature of the
security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to
dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of
the transfer).
Borrowing. The Fund may borrow up to 10% of its total assets for
temporary or emergency purposes, including to meet portfolio redemption
requests so as to permit the orderly disposition of portfolio securities or to
facilitate settlement transactions on portfolio securities. Investments
(including roll-overs) will not be made when borrowings exceed 5% of the
Fund's total assets. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed,
the Fund's assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is
outstanding. The Fund expects that some of its borrowings may be made on a
secured basis. In such situations, either the custodian will segregate the
pledged assets for the benefit of the lender or arrangements will be made with
a suitable subcustodian, which may include the lender.
<PAGE>16
Other Investment Limitations
The investment limitations numbered 1 through 11 may not be changed
without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund's
outstanding shares. Such majority is defined as the lesser of (i) 67% or more
of the shares present at the meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the
outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii)
more than 50% of the outstanding shares. Investment limitations 12 through 16
may be changed by a vote of the Board at any time.
The Fund may not:
1. Purchase the securities of any issuer if as a result more than
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities
of such issuer, except that this 5% limitation does not apply to U.S.
government securities and except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund's
total assets may be invested without regard to this 5% limitation.
2. Borrow money or issue senior securities except that the Fund may
(a) borrow from banks for temporary or emergency purposes, and not for
leveraging, and then in amounts not in excess of 10% of the value of the
Fund's total assets at the time of such borrowing and (b) enter into futures
contracts; or mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets except in connection
with any bank borrowing and in amounts not in excess of the lesser of the
dollar amounts borrowed or 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the
time of such borrowing. Whenever borrowings described in (a) exceed 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets, the Fund will not make any additional
investments (including roll-overs). For purposes of this restriction, (a) the
deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the purchase of securities on a
when-issued or delayed-delivery basis and (b) collateral arrangements with
respect to initial or variation margin for futures contracts will not be
deemed to be pledges of the Fund's assets.
3. Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the
value of the Fund's total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the
securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry; provided that there shall be no limit on the purchase of U.S.
government securities.
4. Make loans, except that the Fund may purchase or hold publicly
distributed fixed-income securities, lend portfolio securities and enter into
repurchase agreements.
5. Underwrite any issue of securities except to the extent that the
investment in restricted securities and the purchase of fixed-income
securities directly from the issuer thereof in accordance with the Fund's
investment objective, policies and limitations may be deemed to be
underwriting.
6. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate investment trust
securities, commodities or commodity contracts, or invest in oil, gas or
mineral exploration or development programs, except that the Fund may invest
in (a) fixed-income securities
<PAGE>17
secured by real estate, mortgages or interests therein, (b) securities of
companies that invest in or sponsor oil, gas or mineral exploration or
development programs and (c) futures contracts and related options.
7. Make short sales of securities or maintain a short position.
8. Purchase, write or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or
combinations thereof, except that the Fund may (a) purchase put and call
options on securities, (b) write covered call options on securities, (c)
purchase and write put and call options on stock indices and (d) enter into
options on futures contracts.
9. Purchase securities of other investment companies except in
connection with a merger, consolidation, acquisition, reorganization or offer
of exchange or as otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act.
10. Purchase more than 10% of the voting securities of any one
issuer, more than 10% of the securities of any class of any one issuer or more
than 10% of the outstanding debt securities of any one issuer; provided that
this limitation shall not apply to investments in U.S. government securities.
11. Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain
any short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of
securities. For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment of
initial or variation margin in connection with futures contracts or related
options will not be deemed to be a purchase of securities on margin.
12. Invest more than 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets in
securities which may be illiquid because of legal or contractual restrictions
on resale or securities for which there are no readily available market
quotations. For purposes of this limitation, (a) repurchase agreements with
maturities greater than seven days and (b) time deposits maturing in more than
seven calendar days shall be considered illiquid securities.
13. Purchase any security if as a result the Fund would then have
more than 5% of its total assets invested in securities of companies
(including predecessors) that have been in continuous operation for fewer than
three years.
14. Purchase or retain securities of any company if, to the
knowledge of the Fund, any of the Fund's officers or Trustees or any officer
or director of Warburg individually owns more than 1/2 of 1% of the
outstanding securities of such company and together they own beneficially more
than 5% of the securities.
15. Invest in warrants (other than warrants acquired by the Fund as
part of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase) if, as a
result, the investments (valued at the lower of cost or market) would exceed
5% of the value of the Fund's net assets of which not more than 2% of the
Fund's net assets may be invested in warrants not listed on a
<PAGE>18
recognized U.S. or foreign stock exchange to the extent permitted by
applicable state securities laws.
16. Invest in oil, gas or mineral leases.
The Fund may make commitments more restrictive than the restrictions
listed above so as to permit the sale of Fund shares in certain states.
Should the Fund determine that any such commitment is no longer in the best
interest of the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund will revoke the commitment
by terminating the sale of Fund shares in the state involved. If a percentage
restriction (other than the percentage limitation set forth in No. 2 above) is
adhered to at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in the
percentage of assets resulting from a change in the values of portfolio
securities or in the amount of the Fund's assets will not constitute a
violation of such restriction.
Portfolio Valuation
The Prospectuses discuss the time at which the net asset value of
the Fund is determined for purposes of sales and redemptions. The following
is a description of the procedures used by the Fund in valuing its assets.
Securities, options and futures contracts for which market
quotations are available will be valued as described in the Prospectuses. A
security which is listed or traded on more than one exchange is valued at the
quotation on the exchange determined to be the primary market for such
security. In determining the market value of portfolio investments, the Fund
may employ outside organizations (a "Pricing Service") which may use a matrix,
formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market
indexes, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. The
procedures of Pricing Services are reviewed periodically by the officers of
the Fund under the general supervision and responsibility of the Board, which
may replace a Pricing Service at any time. Short-term obligations with
maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which constitutes
fair value as determined by the Board. Amortized cost involves valuing a
portfolio instrument at its initial cost and thereafter assuming a constant
amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless of the impact
of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument. The
amortized cost method of valuation may also be used with respect to other debt
obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity. Securities, options
and futures contracts for which market quotations are not available and
certain other assets of the Fund will be valued at their fair value as
determined in good faith pursuant to consistently applied procedures
established by the Board. In addition, the Board or its delegates may value a
security at fair value if it determines that such security's value determined
by the methodology set forth above does not reflect its fair value.
Trading in securities in certain foreign countries is completed at
various times prior to the close of business on each business day in New York
(i.e., a day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open for
trading). In addition, securities trading in a particular country or
countries may not take place on all business days in New York.
<PAGE>19
Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days which are
not business days in New York and days on which the Fund's net asset value is
not calculated. Calculation of the Fund's net asset value may not take place
contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of certain foreign
portfolio securities used in such calculation. All assets and liabilities
initially expressed in foreign currency values will be converted into U.S.
dollar values at the prevailing rate as quoted by a Pricing Service. Events
affecting the values of portfolio securities that occur between the time their
prices are determined and the close of regular trading on the NYSE will not be
reflected in the Fund's calculation of net asset value unless the Board or its
delegates deems that the particular event would materially affect net asset
value, in which case an adjustment may be made. All assets and liabilities
initially expressed in foreign currency values will be converted into U.S.
dollar values at the prevailing exchange into as quoted by a Pricing Service.
If such quotations are not available, the rate of exchange will be determined
in good faith pursuant to consistently applied procedures established by the
Board.
Portfolio Transactions
Warburg is responsible for establishing, reviewing and, where
necessary, modifying the Fund's investment program to achieve its investment
objective. Purchases and sales of newly issued portfolio securities are
usually principal transactions without brokerage commissions effected directly
with the issuer or with an underwriter acting as principal. Other purchases
and sales may be effected on a securities exchange or over-the-counter,
depending on where it appears that the best price or execution will be
obtained. The purchase price paid by the Fund to underwriters of newly issued
securities usually includes a concession paid by the issuer to the
underwriter, and purchases of securities from dealers, acting as either
principals or agents in the after market, are normally executed at a price
between the bid and asked price, which includes a dealer's mark-up or
mark-down. Transactions on U.S. stock exchanges and some foreign stock
exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. On
exchanges on which commissions are negotiated, the cost of transactions may
vary among different brokers. On most foreign exchanges, commissions are
generally fixed. There is generally no stated commission in the case of
securities traded in domestic or foreign over-the-counter markets, but the
price of securities traded in over-the-counter markets includes an undisclosed
commission or mark-up. U.S. government securities are generally purchased
from underwriters or dealers, although certain newly issued U.S. government
securities may be purchased directly from the U.S. Treasury or from the
issuing agency or instrumentality.
Warburg will select specific portfolio investments and effect
transactions for the Fund. Warburg seeks to obtain the best net price and the
most favorable execution of orders. In evaluating prices and executions,
Warburg will consider the factors it deems relevant, which may include the
breadth of the market in the security, the price of the security, the
financial condition and execution capability of a broker or dealer and the
reasonableness of the commission, if any, for the specific transaction and on
a continuing basis. In addition, to the extent that the execution and price
offered by more than one broker or dealer are comparable, Warburg may, in its
discretion, effect transactions in portfolio
<PAGE>20
securities with dealers who provide brokerage and research services (as those
terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to
the Fund and/or other accounts over which Warburg exercises investment discre-
tion. Research and other services received may be useful to Warburg in
serving both the Fund and its other clients and, conversely, research or other
services obtained by the placement of business of other clients may be useful
to Warburg in carrying out its obligations to the Fund. The fee to Warburg
under its advisory agreement with the Fund is not reduced by reason of its
receiving any brokerage and research services.
Investment decisions for the Fund concerning specific portfolio
securities are made independently from those for other clients advised by
Warburg. Such other investment clients may invest in the same securities as
the Fund. When purchases or sales of the same security are made at
substantially the same time on behalf of such other clients, transactions are
averaged as to price and available investments allocated as to amount, in a
manner which Counsellors believes to be equitable to each client, including
the Fund. In some instances, this investment procedure may adversely affect
the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtained or
sold for the Fund. To the extent permitted by law, Counsellors may aggregate
the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or
purchased for such other investment clients in order to obtain best execution.
Any portfolio transaction for the Fund may be executed through
Counsellors Securities Inc., the Fund's distributor ("Counsellors
Securities"), if, in Warburg's judgment, the use of Counsellors Securities is
likely to result in price and execution at least as favorable as those of
other qualified brokers, and if, in the transaction, Counsellors Securities
charges the Fund a commission rate consistent with those charged by Counsel-
lors Securities to comparable unaffiliated customers in similar transactions.
All transactions with affiliated brokers will comply with Rule 17e-1 under the
1940 Act.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 1993, October 31, 1994 and
October 31, 1995, the Fund paid an aggregate of approximately $210,697,
$243,640 and $____________ respectively, in commissions to broker-dealers for
execution of portfolio transactions. [PORTFOLIO TURNOVER 1995] No portfolio
transactions have been executed through Counsellors Securities since the
commencement of the Fund's operations.
In no instance will portfolio securities be purchased from or sold
to Warburg or Counsellors Securities or any affiliated person of such
companies. In addition, the Fund will not give preference to any institutions
with whom the Fund enters into distribution or shareholder servicing
agreements ("Agreements") concerning the provision of distribution services or
support services to customers ("Customers") who beneficially own the Fund's
Common Stock, $.001 per share, designated Common Stock-Series 1 (the "Series 1
Shares") or Common Stock-Series 2 (the "Advisor Shares"). See the
Prospectuses, "Shareholder Servicing."
The Fund's transactions in foreign securities may be effected on
foreign securities exchanges. In transactions for securities not actively
traded on a foreign securities
<PAGE>21
exchange, the Fund will deal directly with the dealers who make a market in
the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better prices and
execution are available elsewhere. Such dealers usually are acting as
principal for their own account. On occasion, securities may be purchased
directly from the issuer. Such portfolio securities are generally traded on a
net basis and do not normally involve brokerage commissions. Securities firms
may receive brokerage commissions on certain portfolio transactions, including
options, futures and options on futures transactions and the purchase and sale
of underlying securities upon exercise of options.
The Fund may participate, if and when practicable, in bidding for
the purchase of securities for the Fund's portfolio directly from an issuer in
order to take advantage of the lower purchase price available to members of
such a group. The Fund will engage in this practice, however, only when
Warburg, in its sole discretion, believes such practice to be otherwise in the
Fund's interest.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund does not intend to seek profits through short-term trading,
but the rate of turnover will not be a limiting factor when the Fund deems it
desirable to sell or purchase securities. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate
is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of its portfolio
securities for the year by the monthly average value of the portfolio
securities. Securities with remaining maturities of one year or less at the
date of acquisition are excluded from the calculation.
Certain practices that may be employed by the Fund could result in
high portfolio turnover. For example, options on securities may be sold in
anticipation of a decline in the price of the underlying security (market
decline) or purchased in anticipation of a rise in the price of the underlying
security (market rise) and later sold.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Officers and Board of Trustees
The names (and ages) of the Fund's Trustees and officers, their
addresses, present positions and principal occupations during the past five
years and other affiliations are set forth below.
Richard N. Cooper (61) . . . Trustee
Room 7E47OHB National Intelligence Counsel;
Central Intelligence Agency Professor at Harvard University;
930 Dolly Madison Blvd. Director or Trustee of Circuit City
McClain, Virginia 22107 Stores, Inc. (retail electronics and
appliances) and Phoenix Home Life
Insurance Co.
<PAGE>22
Donald J. Donahue (71) . . . Trustee
99 Indian Field Road Chairman of Magma Copper Company
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830 since January 1987; Director or Trustee of GEV
Corporation and Signet Star Reinsurance
Company; Chairman and Director of NAC Holdings
from September 1990-June 1993.
Jack W. Fritz (68) . . . . . Trustee
2425 North Fish Creek Road Private investor; Consultant and
P.O. Box 483 Director of Fritz Broadcasting, Inc. and
Wilson, Wyoming 83014 Fritz Communications (developers and operators
of radio stations); Director of Advo, Inc.
(direct mail advertising).
John L. Furth* (64) . . . . . Chairman of the Board
466 Lexington Avenue Vice Chairman and Director of EMW;
New York, New York 10017-3147 Associated with EMW since 1970; Director and
officer of other investment companies advised
by Warburg.
Thomas A. Melfe (63) . . . . Trustee
30 Rockefeller Plaza Partner in the law firm of
New York, New York 10112 Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine; Director of
Municipal Fund for New York Investors, Inc.
Alexander B. Trowbridge (66) Trustee
1155 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. President of Trowbridge Partners, Inc.
Suite 700 (business consulting) from January 1990-
Washington, DC 20036 January 1994; President of the National
Association of Manufacturers from 1980-1990;
Director or Trustee of New England Mutual Life
Insurance Co., ICOS Corporation
(biopharmaceuticals), P.H.H. Corporation
(fleet auto management; housing and plant
relocation service), WMX Technologies Inc.
(solid and hazardous waste collection and
disposal), The Rouse Company (real estate
development), SunResorts International Ltd.
(hotel and real estate management), Harris
Corp. (electronics and communications
equipment), The Gillette Co. (personal care
products) and Sun Company Inc. (petroleum
refining and marketing).
- ------------------------
* Indicates a Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined
in the 1940 Act.
<PAGE>23
George U. Wyper (39) . . . . Co-President and Co-Portfolio
466 Lexington Avenue Manager of the Fund
New York, NY 10017-3147 Managing Director of Warburg; Associated with
Warburg since 1994; Chief Investment Officer
of White River Corporation from 1993-1994;
President and Chief Executive Officer of
Hanover Advisors from 1993-1994; Chief
Investment Officer of Fund American
Enterprises from 1990-1993; Director of Fixed
Income Investments of Fireman's Fund Insurance
Company from 1987-1990.
Susan L. Black (55) . . . . . Co-President and Co-Portfolio
466 Lexington Avenue Manager of the Fund
New York, New York 10017-3147 Managing Director of EMW; Associated with EMW
since 1985.
Arnold M. Reichman (47) . . . Executive Vice President
466 Lexington Avenue Managing Director and Assistant Secretary
New York, New York 10017-3147 of EMW; Associated with EMW since 1984; Senior
Vice President, Secretary and Chief Operating
Officer of Counsellors Securities; Officer of
other investment companies advised by Warburg.
Eugene L. Podsiadlo (38) . . Senior Vice President
466 Lexington Avenue Managing Director of EMW; Associated with
New York, New York 10017-3147 EMW since 1991; Vice President of Citibank,
N.A. from 1987-1991; Officer of Counsellors
Securities and other investment companies
advised by Warburg.
Eugene P. Grace (44) . . . . Vice President and Secretary
466 Lexington Avenue Associated with EMW since April 1994;
New York, New York 10017-3147 Attorney-at-law from September 1989-April
1994; life insurance agent, New York Life
Insurance Company from 1993-1994; General
Counsel and Secretary, Home Unity Savings Bank
from 1991-1992; Vice President and Chief
Compliance Officer of Counsellors Securities;
Vice President and Secretary of other
investment companies advised by Warburg.
<PAGE>24
Stephen Distler (42) . . . . Vice President and
466 Lexington Avenue Chief Financial Officer
New York, New York 10017-3147 Assistant Secretary of EMW; Associated with
EMW since 1984; Treasurer of Counsellors
Securities; Vice President, Treasurer and
Chief Accounting Officer or Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer of other investment
companies advised by Warburg.
Howard Conroy (41) . . . . . Vice President, Treasurer
466 Lexington Avenue and Chief Accounting Officer
New York, New York 10017-3147 Associated with EMW since 1992; Associated
with Martin Geller, C.P.A. from 1990-1992;
Vice President, Finance with Gabelli/Rosenthal
& Partners, L.P. until 1990; Vice President,
Treasurer and Chief Accounting Officer of
other investment companies advised by Warburg.
Karen Amato (31) . . . . . . Assistant Secretary
466 Lexington Avenue Associated with EMW since 1987;
New York, New York 10017-3147 Assistant Secretary of other investment
companies advised by Warburg.
No employee of Warburg or PFPC Inc., the Fund's co-administrator
("PFPC"), or any of their affiliates receives any compensation from the Fund
for acting as an officer or trustee of the Fund. Each Trustee who is not a
director, trustee, officer or employee of Warburg, PFPC or any of their
affiliates receives an annual fee of $1,000, and $250 for each meeting of the
Board attended by him for his services as Trustee and is reimbursed for
expenses incurred in connection with his attendance at Board meetings.
<PAGE>25
Trustees' Compensation
(for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Total Total Compensation from
Compensation from all Investment Companies
Name of Trustee Fund Managed by Warburg*
--------------- ----------------- ------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
John L. Furth None** None**
Richard N. Cooper $2,000 $
Donald J. Donahue $2,000 $
Jack W. Fritz $2,000 $
Thomas A. Melfe $2,000 $
Alexander B. Trowbridge $2,000 $
</TABLE>
- ------------------------
* Each Trustee serves as a Director or Trustee of 17 other investment
companies advised by Warburg.
** Mr. Furth is considered to be an interested person of the Fund and
Warburg, as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, and,
accordingly, receives no compensation from the Fund or any other
investment company managed by Warburg.
Mr. George U. Wyper is co-president and co-portfolio manager of the
Fund. From 1987 until 1990 Mr. Wyper was the director of fixed income
investments at Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, and from 1990 until 1993 he
was chief investment officer of Fund American Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Wyper was
chief investment officer of White River Corporation and president of Hanover
Advisers, Inc. from 1993 until he joined Counsellors in August 1994 as a
managing director of EMW. Mr. Wyper earned a B.S. degree in economics from
the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters
of Management from Yale University.
Ms. Susan L. Black is co-president and co-portfolio manager of the Fund
and is currently a managing director of EMW as well as the director of
research and a senior portfolio manager of the Institutional Growth Equity
product. From 1961 until 1973, Ms. Black was employed by Argus Research,
first as a securities analyst, then as Director of Research. From 1973 until
1977 and from 1978 until 1979 Ms. Black was a Vice President of Research at
Drexel Burnham Lambert. From 1977 until 1978 Ms. Black was a Vice President
of Research at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. From 1979 until 1985 Ms. Black
was a partner at Century Capital Associates. Ms. Black joined EMW in 1985.
Ms. Black received a B.A. degree from Mount Holyoke College.
As of November 30, 1995, Trustees and officers of the Fund as a group
owned of record ________ of the Fund's outstanding Common Shares. As of the
same date, Mr.
<PAGE>26
Furth may be deemed to have beneficially owned _______% of the Fund's
outstanding Common Shares, including shares owned by clients for which Warburg
has investment discretion. Mr. Furth disclaims ownership of these shares and
does not intend to exercise voting rights with respect to these shares. No
Trustee or officer owned of record any Advisor Shares.
Investment Adviser and Co-Administrators
Warburg serves as investment adviser to the Fund, Counsellors Funds
Service, Inc. ("Counsellors Service") serves as a co-administrator to the Fund
and PFPC serves as a co-administrator to the Fund pursuant to separate written
agreements (the "Advisory Agreement," the "Counsellors Service Co-
Administration Agreement" and the "PFPC Co-Administration Agreement,"
respectively). The services provided by, and the fees payable by the Fund to,
Warburg under the Advisory Agreement, Counsellors Service under the
Counsellors Service Co-Administration Agreement and PFPC under the PFPC
Co-Administration Agreement are described in the Prospectuses. See the
Prospectuses, "Management of the Fund." Each class of shares of the Fund
bears its proportionate share of fees payable to Warburg, Counsellors Service
and PFPC in the proportion that its assets bear to the aggregate assets of the
Fund at the time of calculation. Prior to March 1, 1994, PFPC served as
administrator to the fund and Counsellors Service served as administrative
services agent to the Fund pursuant to separate written agreements.
Warburg agrees that if, in any fiscal year, the expenses borne by the
Fund exceed the applicable expense limitations imposed by the securities
regulations of any state in which shares of the Fund are registered or
qualified for sale to the public, it will reimburse the Fund to the extent
required by such regulations. Unless otherwise required by law, such
reimbursement would be accrued and paid on a monthly basis. At the date of
this Statement of Additional Information, the most restrictive annual expense
limitation applicable to the Fund is 2.5% of the first $30 million of the
average net assets of the Fund, 2% of the next $70 million of the average net
assets of the Fund and 1.5% of the remaining average net assets of the Fund.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1993, Warburg received
$1,004,938, the full amount due it under the Advisory Agreement. During the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1994, Warburg voluntarily waived $11,179 of the
$1,172,857 in investment advisory fees earned under the Advisory Agreement.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 1995, Warburg voluntarily waived
$_____ of the $______ in advisory fees earned under the Advisory Agreement.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 1993, October 31, 1994 and October
31, 1995, PFPC earned $143,562, $167,551 and $_______, respectively, in
administration or co-administration fees. During the fiscal years ended
October 31, 1993, October 31, 1994 and October 31, 1995, Counsellors Service
earned $77,440, $133,255 and $____________, respectively, in administrative
services fees or co-administration fees.
<PAGE>27
Organization of the Fund
The Fund has been organized as an unincorporated business trust under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts pursuant to an Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 20, 1987, as amended from time to time (the
"Trust Agreement"). The Trust Agreement authorizes the Board to issue three
billion full and fractional shares of common stock, $.001 par value per share.
Common Stock ("Common Shares"), Common Stock-Series 1 and Advisor Shares have
been authorized by the Trust Agreement, although only Common Shares and
Advisor Shares have been issued by the Fund. When matters are submitted for
shareholder vote, each shareholder will have one vote for each share owned and
proportionate, fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shareholders
generally vote in the aggregate, except with respect to (i) matters affecting
only the shares of a particular class, in which case only the shares of the
affected class would be entitled to vote, or (ii) when the 1940 Act requires
that shares of the classes be voted separately. There will normally be no
meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until
such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been
elected by shareholders. The Trustees will call a meeting for any purpose
when requested to do so in writing by shareholders of record of not less than
10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.
Massachusetts law provides that shareholders could, under certain
circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund.
However, the Trust Agreement disclaims shareholder liability for acts or
obligations of the Fund and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given
in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the
Fund or a Trustee. The Trust Agreement provides for indemnification from the
Fund's property for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally
liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the risk of a shareholder's
incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to
circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations, a
possibility that Warburg believes is remote and immaterial. Upon payment of
any liability incurred by the Fund, the shareholder paying the liability will
be entitled to reimbursement from the general assets of the Fund. The
Trustees intend to conduct the operations of the Fund in such a way so as to
avoid, as far as possible, ultimate liability of the shareholders for
liabilities of the Fund.
All shareholders of the Fund in each class, upon liquidation, will
participate ratably in the Fund's net assets. Shares do not have cumulative
voting rights, which means that holders of more than 50% of the shares voting
for the election of Trustees can elect all Trustees. Shares are transferable
but have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights.
Custodian and Transfer Agent
PNC Bank, National Association ("PNC") is custodian of the Fund's
assets pursuant to a custodian agreement (the "Custodian Agreement"). Under
the Custodian Agreement, PNC (i) maintains a separate account or accounts in
the name of the Fund, (ii) holds and transfers portfolio securities on account
of the Fund, (iii) makes receipts and disbursements of money on behalf of
the Fund, (iv) collects and receives all income and
<PAGE>28
other payments and distributions on account of the Fund's portfolio securities
and (v) makes periodic reports to the Board concerning the Fund's custodial
arrangements. PNC is authorized to select one or more banks or trust
companies and securities depositories to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of
the Fund. PNC is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of PNC Bank Corp. and
its principal business address is Broad and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19101.
State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street") serves as the
shareholder servicing, transfer and dividend disbursing agent of the Fund
pursuant to a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, under which State Street
(i) issues and redeems shares of the Fund, (ii) addresses and mails all
communications by the Fund to record owners of Fund shares, including reports
to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy material for its
meetings of shareholders, (iii) maintains shareholder accounts and, if
requested, sub-accounts and (iv) makes periodic reports to the Board
concerning the transfer agent's operations with respect to the Fund. The
principal business address of State Street is 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110. State Street has delegated to Boston Financial Data
Services, Inc., a 50% owned subsidiary ("BFDS"), responsibility for most
shareholder servicing functions. BFDS's principal business address is 2
Heritage Drive, Boston, Massachusetts 02171.
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing
The Fund has entered into a distribution agreement with an institution
(the "Service Organization") pursuant to which support services are provided
to the holders of Advisor Shares in consideration of the Fund's payment, out
of the assets attributable to the Advisor Shares, of .50%, on an annualized
basis (a .25% annual service fee and a .25% annual distribution fee), of the
average daily net assets of the Advisor Shares held of record. See the
Advisor Shares Prospectus, "Shareholder Servicing." The Fund's Advisor Shares
paid the Service Organization $___________ in such fees for the year ending
October 31, 1995. The Fund may, in the future, enter into additional Agree-
ments with institutions ("Institutions") to perform certain distribution,
shareholder servicing, administrative and accounting services for their
Customers who are beneficial owners of Advisor Shares. See the Prospectuses,
"Shareholder Servicing." The Fund's Agreements with Institutions with respect
to Advisor Shares will be governed by a distribution plan (the "Distribution
Plan"). The Distribution Plan requires the Board, at least quarterly, to
receive and review written reports of amounts expended under the Distribution
Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
An Institution with which the Fund has entered into an Agreement with
respect to its Advisor Shares may charge a Customer one or more of the
following types of fees, as agreed upon by the Institution and the Customer,
with respect to the cash management or other services provided by the
Institution: (i) account fees (a fixed amount per month or per year); (ii)
transaction fees (a fixed amount per transaction processed); (iii)
compensation balance requirements (a minimum dollar amount a Customer must
maintain in order to obtain the services offered); or (iv) account maintenance
fees (a periodic charge based upon the
<PAGE>29
percentage of assets in the account or of the dividend paid on those assets).
Services provided by an Institution to Customers are in addition to, and not
duplicative of, the services to be provided under the Fund's co-administration
and distribution arrangements. A Customer of an Institution should read the
relevant Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information in conjunction
with the Agreement and other literature describing the services and related
fees that would be provided by the Institution to its Customers prior to any
purchase of Fund shares. Prospectuses are available from the Fund's distri-
butor upon request. No preference will be shown in the selection of Fund
portfolio investments for the instruments of Institutions.
The Distribution Plan will continue in effect for so long as its
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board, including
a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund and who
have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the
Distribution Plan ("Independent Trustees"). Any material amendment of the
Distribution Plan would require the approval of the Board in the manner
described above. The Distribution Plan may not be amended to increase
materially the amount to be spent under it without shareholder approval of the
Advisor Shares. The Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time, without
penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Advisor Shares of the
Fund.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
The offering price of the Fund's shares is equal to the per share net
asset value of the relevant class of shares of the Fund. Information on how
to purchase and redeem Fund shares and how such shares are priced is included
in the Prospectuses under "Net Asset Value."
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or
postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the
NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during
which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the
SEC) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or fair valuation of
portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods
as the SEC may permit. (The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation
of an exchange of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing
conditions.)
If the Board determines that conditions exist which make payment of
redemption proceeds wholly in cash unwise or undesirable, the Fund may make
payment wholly or partly in securities or other property. If a redemption is
paid wholly or partly in securities or other property, a shareholder would
incur transaction costs in disposing of the redemption proceeds. The Fund
intends to comply with Rule 18f-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act with respect
to redemptions in kind.
<PAGE>30
Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan. An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the
"Plan") is available to shareholders who wish to receive specific amounts of
cash periodically. Withdrawals may be made under the Plan by redeeming as
many shares of the Fund as may be necessary to cover the stipulated withdrawal
payment. To the extent that withdrawals exceed dividends, distributions and
appreciation of a shareholder's investment in the Fund, there will be a
reduction in the value of the shareholder's investment and continued
withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder's investment and ultimately
exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from
investment in the Fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Plan
are automatically reinvested at net asset value in additional shares of the
Fund.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
An exchange privilege with certain other funds advised by Counsellors
is available to investors in the Fund. The funds into which exchanges can be
made by holders of Common Shares currently are the Common Shares of Warburg
Pincus Cash Reserve Fund, Warburg Pincus New York Tax Exempt Fund, Warburg
Pincus New York Intermediate Municipal Fund, Warburg Pincus Tax Free Fund,
Warburg Pincus Intermediate Maturity Government Fund, Warburg Pincus Fixed
Income Fund, Warburg Pincus Short-Term Tax-Advantaged Bond Fund, Warburg
Pincus Global Fixed Income Fund, Warburg Pincus Balanced Fund, Warburg Pincus
Growth & Income Fund, Warburg Pincus Small Company Value Fund, Warburg Pincus
Post-Venture Capital Fund, Warburg Pincus International Equity Fund, Warburg
Pincus Emerging Growth Fund, Warburg Pincus Emerging Markets Fund, Warburg
Pincus Japan Growth Fund and Warburg Pincus Japan OTC Fund. Common Share-
holders of the Fund may exchange all or part of their shares for Common Shares
of these or other mutual funds organized by Counsellors in the future on the
basis of their relative net asset values per share at the time of exchange.
Exchanges of Advisor Shares may currently be made with Advisor Shares of
Warburg Pincus Balanced Fund, Warburg Pincus Emerging Growth Fund, Warburg
Pincus International Equity Fund, Fund and Warburg Pincus Growth & Income Fund
at their relative net asset values at time of the exchange.
The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares in a fund
with a different investment objective when they believe that a shift between
funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to
shareholders residing in any state in which the Common Shares or Advisor
Shares being acquired, as relevant, may legally be sold. Prior to any
exchange, the investor should obtain and review a copy of the current
prospectus of the relevant class of each fund into which an exchange is being
considered. Shareholders may obtain a prospectus of the relevant class of the
fund into which they are contemplating an exchange from Counsellors
Securities.
Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting
documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net
asset value of the relevant class and the proceeds are invested on the same
day, at a price as described above, in shares of the
<PAGE>31
relevant class of the fund being acquired. Warburg reserves the right to
reject more than three exchange requests by a shareholder in any 30-day
period. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon
60 days' notice to shareholders.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING TAXES
The discussion set out below of tax considerations generally affecting
the Fund and its shareholders is intended to be only a summary and is not
intended as a substitute for careful tax planning by prospective shareholders.
Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the
particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
The Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify each year as
a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code. If it
qualifies as a regulated investment company, the Fund will pay no federal
income taxes on its taxable net investment income (that is, taxable income
other than net realized capital gains) and its net realized capital gains that
are distributed to shareholders. To qualify under Subchapter M, the Fund
must, among other things: (i) distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of
its taxable net investment income (for this purpose consisting of taxable net
investment income and net realized short-term capital gains); (ii) derive at
least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect
to loans of securities, gains from the sale or other disposition of
securities, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from
options, futures, and forward contracts) derived with respect to the Fund's
business of investing in securities; (iii) derive less than 30% of its annual
gross income from the sale or other disposition of securities, options,
futures or forward contracts held for less than three months; and
(iv) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter of the
Fund (a) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented
by cash, U.S. government securities and other securities, with those other
securities limited, with respect to any one issuer, to an amount no greater in
value than 5% of the Fund's total assets and to not more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of the issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the
market value of the Fund's assets is invested in the securities of any one
issuer (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated
investment companies) or of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and
that are determined to be in the same or similar trades or businesses or
related trades or businesses. In meeting these requirements, the Fund may be
restricted in the selling of securities held by the Fund for less than three
months and in the utilization of certain of the investment techniques
described above and in the Fund's Prospectuses. As a regulated investment
company, the Fund will be subject to a 4% non-deductible excise tax measured
with respect to certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital
gain required to be but not distributed under a prescribed formula. The
formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of
distributions representing at least 98% of the Fund's taxable ordinary income
for the calendar year and at least 98% of the excess of its capital gains over
capital losses realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during
such year, together with any undistributed, untaxed amounts of ordinary
<PAGE>32
income and capital gains from the previous calendar year. The Fund expects to
pay the dividends and make the distributions necessary to avoid the
application of this excise tax.
The Fund's transactions, if any, in foreign currencies, forward
contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and forward
contracts on foreign currencies) will be subject to special provisions of the
Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses
recognized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary
or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund, defer Fund losses
and cause the Fund to be subject to hyperinflationary currency rules. These
rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions
to shareholders. These provisions also (i) will require the Fund to
mark-to-market certain types of its positions (i.e., treat them as if they
were closed out) and (ii) may cause the Fund to recognize income without
receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts
necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and
excise taxes. The Fund will monitor its transactions, will make the
appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books
and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option,
futures contract or hedged investment so that (a) neither the Fund nor its
shareholders will be treated as receiving a materially greater amount of
capital gains or distributions than actually realized or received, (b) the
Fund will be able to use substantially all of its losses for the fiscal years
in which the losses actually occur and (c) the Fund will continue to qualify
as a regulated investment company.
A shareholder of the Fund receiving dividends or distributions in
additional shares should be treated for federal income tax purposes as
receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that a
shareholder receiving cash dividends or distributions receives, and should
have a cost basis in the shares received equal to that amount.
Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital
gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares purchased
at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, those who
purchase just prior to a distribution will receive a distribution that will
nevertheless be taxable to them. Upon the sale or exchange of shares, a
shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss depending upon the amount
realized and the basis in the shares. Such gain or loss will be treated as
capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder's
hands, and, as described in the Prospectuses, will be long-term or short-term
depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. Any loss
realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares
disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvestment of
dividends and capital gains distributions in the Fund, within a period of 61
days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the
shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to
reflect the disallowed loss.
Each shareholder will receive an annual statement as to the federal
income tax status of his dividends and distributions from the Fund for the
prior calendar year. Furthermore, shareholders will also receive, if
appropriate, various written notices after the close of the Fund's taxable
year regarding the federal income tax status of certain dividends
<PAGE>33
and distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by
the Fund to its shareholders during the preceding year.
If a shareholder fails to furnish a correct taxpayer identification
number, fails to report fully dividend or interest income, or fails to certify
that he has provided a correct taxpayer identification number and that he is
not subject to "backup withholding," the shareholder may be subject to a 31%
"backup withholding" tax with respect to (i) taxable dividends and dis-
tributions and (ii) the proceeds of any sales or repurchases of shares of the
Fund. An individual's taxpayer identification number is his social security
number. Corporate shareholders and other shareholders specified in the Code
are or may be exempt from backup withholding. The backup withholding tax is
not an additional tax and may be credited against a taxpayer's federal income
tax liability. Dividends and distributions also may be subject to state and
local taxes depending on each shareholder's particular situation.
Investment in Passive Foreign Investment Companies
If the Fund purchases shares in certain foreign entities classified
under the Code as "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs"), the Fund
may be subject to federal income tax on a portion of an "excess distribution"
or gain from the disposition of the shares, even though the income may have to
be distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. In
addition, gain on the disposition of shares in a PFIC generally is treated as
ordinary income even though the shares are capital assets in the hands of the
Fund. Certain interest charges may be imposed on either the Fund or its
shareholders with respect to any taxes arising from excess distributions or
gains on the disposition of shares in a PFIC.
The Fund may be eligible to elect to include in its gross income its
share of earnings of a PFIC on a current basis. Generally, the election would
eliminate the interest charge and the ordinary income treatment on the
disposition of stock, but such an election may have the effect of accelerating
the recognition of income and gains by the Fund compared to a fund that did
not make the election. In addition, information required to make such an
election may not be available to the Fund.
On April 1, 1992 proposed regulations of the Internal Revenue Service
(the "IRS") were published providing a mark-to-market election for regulated
investment companies. The IRS subsequently issued a notice indicating that
final regulations will provide that regulated investment companies may elect
the mark-to-market election for tax years ending after March 31, 1992 and
before April 1, 1993. Whether and to what extent the notice will apply to
taxable years of the Fund is unclear. If the Fund is not able to make the
foregoing election, it may be able to avoid the interest charge (but not the
ordinary income treatment) on disposition of the stock by electing, under
proposed regulations, each year to mark-to-market the stock (that is, treat it
as if it were sold for fair market value). Such an election could result in
acceleration of income to the Fund.
<PAGE>34
DETERMINATION OF PERFORMANCE
From time to time, the Fund may quote the total return of its Common
Shares and/or Advisor Shares in advertisements or in reports and other
communications to shareholders. With respect to the Fund's Common Shares, the
Fund's average annual total return for the one-year period ended October 31,
1995 was ______%, the average annual total return for the five-year period
ended October 31, 1995 was ____% (____% without waivers) and the average
annual total return for the period commenced August 12, 1987 (commencement of
operations) and ended October 31, 1995 was _____% (_____% without waivers).
These figures are calculated by finding the average annual compounded rates of
return for the one-, five- and ten- (or such shorter period as the relevant
class of shares has been offered) year periods that would equate the initial
amount invested to the ending redeemable value according to the following
formula: P (1 + T)[*-GRAPHIC OMITTED-SEE FOOTNOTE BELOW] = ERV. For
purposes of this formula, "P" is a hypothetical investment of $1,000; "T" is
average annual total return; "n" is number of years; and "ERV" is the ending
redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of
the one-, five- or ten-year periods (or fractional portion thereof). Total
return or "T" is computed by finding the average annual change in the value
of an initial $1,000 investment over the period and assumes that all
dividends and distributions are reinvested during the period. The Advisor
Shares average annual total return for the one-year period ended October 31,
1995 was _____% and the average annual total return for the period commenced
April 4, 1991 (initial issuance) and ended October 31, 1995 was _____% (____%
without waivers).
The Fund may advertise, from time to time, comparisons of the
performance of its Common Shares and/or Advisor Shares with that of one or
more other mutual funds with similar investment objectives. The Fund may
advertise average annual calendar year-to-date and calendar quarter returns,
which are calculated according to the formula set forth in the preceding
paragraph, except that the relevant measuring period would be the number of
months that have elapsed in the current calendar year or most recent three
months, as the case may be. [With respect to the Fund's Common Shares, the
Fund's actual total return for the calendar year and for the three-month
period ended on December 31, 1995 was _____% and _____%, respectively. With
respect to the Advisor Shares, the Fund's actual total return for the calendar
year and for the three-month period ended on December 31, 1995 was _____% and
_____%, respectively. Investors should note that this performance may not be
representative of the Fund's total return in longer market cycles.]
The performance of a class of Fund shares will vary from time to time
depending upon market conditions, the composition of the Fund's portfolio and
operating expenses allocable to it. As described above, total return is based
on historical earnings and is not intended to indicate future performance.
Consequently, any given performance quotation should not be considered as
representative of performance for any specified period in the future.
Performance information may be useful as a basis for comparison with other
investment alternatives. However, the Fund's performance will fluctuate,
unlike certain bank deposits or other investments which pay a fixed yield for
a stated period of time. Any fees charged by Institutions or other
institutional investors directly to their customers in
- ------------------------
* - The expression (1 + T) is being raised to the nth power.
<PAGE>35
connection with investments in Fund shares are not reflected in the Fund's
total return, and such fees, if charged, will reduce the actual return
received by customers on their investments.
From time to time, the Fund may advertise evaluations of a class of
Fund shares published by nationally recognized financial publications, such as
Morningstar, Inc. or Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. Morningstar, Inc. rates
funds in broad categories based on risk/reward analyses over various time
periods.
AUDITORS AND COUNSEL
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. ("Coopers & Lybrand"), with principal offices
at 2400 Eleven Penn Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as
independent auditors for the Fund. The financial statements for the fiscal
years ended October 31, 1994 and October 31, 1995 that appear in this
Statement of Additional Information have been audited by Coopers & Lybrand,
whose report thereon appears elsewhere herein and have been included herein in
reliance upon the report of such firm of independent auditors given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements for the periods beginning with commencement of
the Fund through October 31, 1992 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP
("Ernst & Young"), independent auditors, as set forth in their report and have
been included in reliance on such report and upon the authority of such firm
as experts in accounting and auditing. Ernst & Young's address is 787 7th
Avenue, New York, New York 10019.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher serves as counsel for the Fund as well as
counsel to Warburg, Counsellors Service and Counsellors Securities.
MISCELLANEOUS
As of November 30, 1995, the name, address and percentage of ownership
of each person (other than Mr. Furth, see "Management of the Fund") that owns
of record 5% or more of the Fund's outstanding shares were as follows:
Common Shares
[Northern Trust Company, FBO Mattel Corp., P.O. Box 2956, Chicago, IL
60690 -- 8.88%.] Mr. Lionel I. Pincus, Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of EMW, may be deemed to have beneficially owned _____% of
the Common Shares outstanding, including shares owned by clients for which
Warburg has investment discretion and by companies that EMW may be deemed to
control. Mr. Pincus disclaims ownership of these shares and does not intend
to exercise voting rights with respect to these shares.
<PAGE>36
Advisor Shares
[Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. on behalf of its separate accounts
55E 55F 55G c/o Melissa Spencer, M110, Cigna Corp., P.O. Box 2975, Hartford,
CT 06104-2975 -- 100%.]
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Fund's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1995 follow the Report of Independent Auditors.
<PAGE>A-1
APPENDIX
DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
Commercial Paper Ratings
Commercial paper rated A-1 by Standard and Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P")
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. Capacity for timely payment on
commercial paper rated A-2 is satisfactory, but the relative degree of safety
is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
The rating Prime-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by
Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"). Issuers rated Prime-1 (or
related supporting institutions) are considered to have a superior capacity
for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. Issuers rated Prime-2 (or
related supporting institutions) are considered to have a strong capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally be
evidenced by many of the characteristics of issuers rated Prime-1 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.
Corporate Bond Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P for corporate bonds:
AAA - This is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation
and indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal.
AA - Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from AAA issues only in small degree.
A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects
of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher-rated
categories.
BBB - This is the lowest investment grade. Debt rated BBB is regarded
as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Although
it normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic
conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened
capacity to pay interest and repay principal for bonds in this category than
for bonds in higher-rated categories.
To provide more detailed indications of credit quality, the ratings
from "AA" to "BBB" may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to
show relative standing within this major rating category.
<PAGE>A-2
The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody's for corporate
bonds:
Aaa - Bonds that 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 edged." Interest payments are protected by a large or
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 that 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 fluctuation of
protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements
present which make the 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.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers (1, 2 and 3) with respect to the
bonds rated "Aa" through "Baa". The modifier 1 indicates that the bond being
rated 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 bond
ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
<PAGE>C-1
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) Financial Statements
(1) Financial Statements included in Part A*:
(a) Financial Highlights
(2) Audited Financial Statements included in Part B*:
(a) Report of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent
Auditors
(b) Statement of Net Assets at October 31, 1995
(c) Statement of Operations for the year ended October
31, 1995
(d) Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the years
ended October 31, 1994 and October 31, 1995
(e) Financial Highlights
(f) Notes to Financial Statements
- ------------------------
* - To be filed by amendment.
(b) Exhibits:
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
- ----------- ----------------------
1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust.(1)
2 Second Amended and Restated By-Laws.(1)
3 Not applicable.
__________________
(1) Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the
Registrant's Registration Statement, dated September 22, 1995.
<PAGE>C-2
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
- ----------- ----------------------
4 Forms of certificates for beneficial interest.(2)
5 Form of Investment Advisory Agreement.(1)
6(a) Form of Distribution Agreement between the Fund and
Counsellors Securities Inc.(3)
(b) Form of Distribution Agreement between Counsellors
Securities Inc. and CIGNA Securities Inc.(3)
(c) Form of Selected Dealer Agreement between Counsellors
Securitites Inc. and CIGNA Securities Inc.(3)
7 Not applicable.
8(a) Custodian Agreement.(3)
9(a) Transfer Agency Agreement.(2)
(b-1) Form of Co-Administration Agreement with Counsellors Funds
Service, Inc.(2)
(b-2) Form of Co-Administration Agreement with PFPC Inc.(3)
(c) Forms of Services Agreements.(4)
10(a) Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.(4)
__________________
(2) Incorporated by reference; material provisions of this exhibit
substantially similar to those of this exhibit in Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Warburg, Pincus Trust
filed on June 14, 1995 (Securities Act File No. 33-58125; EDGAR Accession
No. 950117-95-221).
(3) Incorporated by reference; material provisions of this exhibit
substantially similar to those of this exhibit in Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
Counsellors International Equity Fund, Inc. filed on September 22, 1995
(Securities Act File No. 33-27031).
(4) To be filed by amendment.
<PAGE>C-3
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
- ----------- ----------------------
(b) Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.(5)
11(a) Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent
Auditors.(4)
(b) Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.(4)
12 Not applicable.
13 Form of Purchase Agreement.(1)
14 Retirement Plans.(6)
15(a) Shareholder Services Plan.(3)
(b) Distribution Plan.(3)
(c) Rule 18f-3 Plan.(3)
16 Schedule for Computation of Total Return Performance
Quotation.(4)
17(a) Financial Data Schedule relating to semiannual financials
(Common Shares).(4)
(b) Financial Data Schedule relating to semiannual financials
(Advisor Shares).(4)
Item 25. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control
with Registrant
Warburg, Pincus Counsellors, Inc. ("Counsellors"), Registrant's
investment adviser, may be deemed a controlling person of Registrant because
it possesses or shares investment or voting power with respect to more than
25% of the outstanding securities of Registrant. E.M. Warburg, Pincus & Co.,
Inc.
__________________
(5) Incorporated by reference to Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher filed
with Registrant's Rule 24f-2 Notice which was filed with the SEC on
December 29, 1994.
(6) Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Warburg, Pincus Managed Bond
Trust, filed on February 28, 1995 (Securities Act File No. 33-73672).
<PAGE>C-4
("EMW") controls Counsellors through its ownership of a class of voting
preferred stock of Counsellors. John L. Furth, director of the Fund, and
Lionel I. Pincus, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of EMW,
may be deemed to be controlling persons of the Fund because they may be deemed
to possess or share investment power over shares owned by clients of
Counsellors and certain other entities.
Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities
Number of Record Holders
Title of Class as of November 30, 1995
-------------- ------------------------
Shares of beneficial interest,
par value $.001 per share ______
Shares of beneficial interest,
par value $.001 per share
- Series 1 ______
Shares of beneficial interest,
par value $.001 per share
- Series 2 (Advisor shares) ______
Item 27. Indemnification
Registrant, officers and directors or trustees of Counsellors, of
Counsellors Securities, Inc. ("Counsellors Securities") and of Registrant are
covered by insurance policies indemnifying them for liability incurred in
connection with the operation of Registrant. These policies provide insurance
for any "Wrongful Act" of an officer, director or trustee. Wrongful Act is
defined as breach of duty, neglect, error, misstatement, misleading statement,
omission or other act done or wrongfully attempted by an officer, director or
trustee in connection with the operation of Registrant. Insurance coverage
does not extend to (a) conflicts of interest or gaining in fact any profit or
advantage to which one is not legally entitled, (b) intentional non-compliance
with any statute or regulation or (c) commission of dishonest, fraudulent acts
or omissions. Insofar as it relates to Registrant, the coverage is limited in
amount and, in certain circumstances, is subject to a deductible.
Under Section 8.1 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the
"Agreement"), the Trustees and officers of Registrant, in incurring any debts,
liabilities or obligations, or in limiting or omitting any other actions for
or in connection with Registrant, are or shall be deemed to be acting as
Trustees or officers of Registrant and not in their own capacities. No
Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be subject
<PAGE>C-5
to any personal liability whatsoever in tort, contract, or otherwise, to any
other person or persons in connection with the assets or affairs of Registrant
save only that arising from his own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his
office or the discharge of his functions. Registrant shall be solely liable
for any and all debts, claims, demands, judgments, decrees, liabilities or
obligations of any and every kind, against or with respect to Registrant in
tort, contract or otherwise in connection with the assets or the affairs of
Registrant and all persons dealing with Registrant shall be deemed to have
agreed that resort shall be had solely to the Trust Property (as defined in
the Agreement) of Registrant for the payment or performance thereof.
Section 8.2 of the Agreement and further limits the liability of the
Trustees by providing that a Trustee shall not be liable for errors of
judgment or mistakes of fact or law. Furthermore, (i) the Trustees shall not
be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any
officer, agent, employee, consultant, Investment Advisor, Administrator,
Distributor or Principal Underwriter, Custodian or Transfer Agent, Dividend
Disbursing Agent, Shareholder Servicing Agent or Accounting Agent (as such
terms are defined in the Agreement) of Registrant, nor shall any Trustee be
responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee; (ii) the Trustees
may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and
operation of the Agreement and their duties as Trustees, and shall be under no
liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for
failing to follow such advice; and (iii) in discharging their duties, the
Trustees, when acting in good faith, shall be entitled to rely upon the books
of account of Registrant and upon written reports made to the Trustees by any
officer appointed by them, any independent public accountant, and (with
respect to the subject matter of the contract involved) any officer, partner
or responsible employee of a Contracting Party (as defined in the Agreement)
appointed by the Trustees pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Agreement. The
Trustees are not required to give any bond or surety or any other security for
the performance of their duties.
Under Section 8.4 of the Agreement any past or present Trustee
or officer of Registrant (including persons who serve at Registrant's request
as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which Registrant
has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (hereinafter referred
to as a "Covered Person")) is indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by
law against liability and all expenses reasonably incurred by him in
connection with any action, suit or proceeding to which he may be a party or
otherwise involved by reason of his being or having been a Covered Person.
This provision does not authorize indemnification when it is determined, in
the manner specified in
<PAGE>C-6
the Agreement that such Covered Person has not acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that his actions were in or not opposed to the best
interests of Registrant. Moreover, this provision does not authorize
indemnification when it is determined, in the manner specified in the
Agreement that such Covered Person would otherwise be liable to Registrant or
its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of his duties. Expenses may be paid by Registrant
in advance of the final disposition of any action, suit or proceeding upon
receipt of an undertaking by such Covered Person to repay such expenses to
Registrant in the event that it is ultimately determined that indemnification
of such expenses is not authorized under the Agreement and either (i) the
Covered Person provides security for such undertaking, (ii) Registrant is
insured against losses from such advances or (iii) the disinterested Trustees
or independent legal counsel determines, in the manner specified in the
Agreement that there is reason to believe the Covered Person will be found to
be entitled to indemnification.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), may be permitted to Trustees,
officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In
the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee,
officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered,
Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of
Investment Adviser
Counsellors, a wholly owned subsidiary of Warburg, Pincus
Counsellors G.P., acts as investment adviser to Registrant. Counsellors
renders investment advice to a wide variety of individual and institutional
clients. The list required by this Item 28 of officers and directors of
Counsellors, together with information as to their other business, profession,
vocation or employment of a substantial nature during the past two years, is
incorporated by reference to
<PAGE>C-7
Schedules A and D of Form ADV filed by Counsellors (SEC File No. 801-07321).
Item 29. Principal Underwriter
(a) Counsellors Securities will act as distributor for Registrant.
Counsellors Securities currently acts as distributor for Warburg, Pincus Cash
Reserve Fund; Warburg, Pincus Emerging Growth Fund; Warburg, Pincus Emerging
Markets Fund; Warburg, Pincus Fixed Income Fund; Warburg, Pincus Global Fixed
Income Fund; Warburg, Pincus Institutional Fund, Inc.; Warburg, Pincus
Intermediate Maturity Government Fund; Warburg, Pincus International Equity
Fund; Warburg, Pincus Japan OTC Fund; Warburg, Pincus New York Intermediate
Municipal Fund; Warburg, Pincus Post-Venture Capital Fund; Warburg, Pincus New
York Tax Exempt Fund; The RBB Fund, Inc.; Warburg, Pincus Short-Term Tax-
Advantaged Bond Fund and Warburg, Pincus Trust.
(b) For information relating to each director, officer or partner
of Counsellors Securities, reference is made to Form BD (SEC File No. 8-32482)
filed by Counsellors Securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
Item 30. Location of Accounts and Records
(1) Warburg, Pincus Capital Appreciation Fund
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
(Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust,
by-laws and minute books)
(2) State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
(records relating to its functions as transfer agent and
dividend disbursing agent)
(3) PFPC Inc.
103 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
(records relating to its functions as co-administrator)
(4) Counsellors Funds Service, Inc.
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
(records relating to its functions as co-administrator)
<PAGE>C-8
(5) PNC Bank, National Association
Broad and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101
(records relating to its functions as custodian)
(6) Counsellors Securities Inc.
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
(records relating to its functions as distributor)
(7) Warburg, Pincus Counsellors, Inc.
466 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3147
(records relating to its functions as investment adviser)
Item 31. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 32. Undertakings
Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish each person to whom a
prospectus is delivered with a copy of Registrant's latest annual report to
shareholders, upon request and without charge.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant
certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this
Amendment to the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(a) under the
Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York
and the State of New York, on the 26th day of October, 1995.
WARBURG, PINCUS CAPITAL
APPRECIATION FUND
By: /s/ George U. Wyper
George U. Wyper
Co-President
By: /s/ Susan L. Black
Susan L. Black
Co-President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Amendment has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated:
Signature Title Date
- --------- ----- ----
/s/ John L. Furth* Chairman of the October 26, 1995
John L. Furth Board and Trustee
/s/ Stephen Distler* Vice President and October 26, 1995
Stephen Distler Chief Financial
Officer
/s/ Howard Conroy* Vice President, October 26, 1995
Howard Conroy Treasurer and Chief
Accounting Officer
/s/ Richard N. Cooper* Trustee October 26, 1995
Richard N. Cooper
/s/ Donald J. Donahue* Trustee October 26, 1995
Donald J. Donahue
/s/ Jack W. Fritz* Trustee October 26, 1995
Jack W. Fritz
/s/ Thomas A. Melfe* Trustee October 26, 1995
Thomas A. Melfe
<PAGE>
/s/ Alexander B. Trowbridge* Trustee October 26, 1995
Alexander B. Trowbridge
*By: /s/ Arnold M. Reichman
Arnold M. Reichman,
Attorney-in-Fact
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
- ----------- ----------------------
1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust.(1)
2 Second Amended and Restated By-Laws.(1)
3 Not applicable.
4 Forms of certificates for beneficial interest.(2)
5 Form of Investment Advisory Agreement.(1)
6(a) Form of Distribution Agreement between the Fund and Counsellors
Securities Inc.(3)
(b) Form of Distribution Agreement between Counsellors Securities
Inc. and CIGNA Securities Inc.(3)
(c) Form of Selected Dealer Agreement between Counsellors
Securities Inc. and CIGNA Securities Inc.(3)
7 Not applicable.
8(a) Custodian Agreement.(3)
__________________
(1) Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the
Registrant's Registration Statement, dated September 22, 1995.
(2) Incorporated by reference; material provisions of this exhibit
substantially similar to those of this exhibit in Pre-Effective Amendment
No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Warburg, Pincus Trust
filed on June 14, 1995 (Securities Act File No. 33-58125; EDGAR Accession
No. 950117-95-221).
(3) Incorporated by reference; material provisions of this exhibit
substantially similar to those of this exhibit in Post-Effective
Amendment No. 10 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of
Counsellors International Equity Fund, Inc. filed on September 22, 1995
(Securities Act File No. 33-27031).
<PAGE>
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
- ----------- ----------------------
9(a) Transfer Agency Agreement.(2)
(b-1) Form of Co-Administration Agreement with Counsellors Funds
Service,Inc.(2)
(b-2) Form of Co-Administration Agreement with PFPC Inc.(3)
(c) Forms of Services Agreements.(4)
10(a) Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.(4)
(b) Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.(5)
11(a) Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent Auditors.(4)
(b) Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors.(4)
12 Not applicable.
13 Form of Purchase Agreement.(1)
14 Retirement Plans.(6)
15(a) Shareholder Services Plan.(3)
(b) Distribution Plan.(3)
(c) Rule 18f-3 Plan.(3)
16 Schedule for Computation of Total Return Performance
Quotation.(4)
17(a) Financial Data Schedule relating to semiannual financials
(Common Shares).(4)
(b) Financial Data Schedule relating to semiannual financials
(Advisor Shares).(4)
__________________
(4) To be filed by amendment.
(5) Incorporated by reference to Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher filed
with Registrant's Rule 24f-2 Notice which was filed with the SEC on
December 29, 1994.
(6) Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Warburg, Pincus Managed Bond
Trust, filed on February 28, 1995 (Securities Act File No. 33-73672).
