<PAGE>
This is filed pursuant to 497(c).
File Nos. 33-12988 and 811-05088.
<PAGE>
THE ALLIANCE BOND FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
P.O. BOX 1520, SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY 07096-1520
TOLL FREE (800) 221-5672
FOR LITERATURE: TOLL FREE (800) 227-4618
PROSPECTUS AND APPLICATION
NOVEMBER 1, 1996
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
-ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. -ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT FUND GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
-U.S. GOVERNMENT -ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR
PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT FUND
-ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY -ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC
GOVERNMENT FUND INCOME TRUST
MORTGAGE FUND CORPORATE BOND FUND
-ALLIANCE MORTGAGE -CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
SECURITIES INCOME FUND
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
-ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
-ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM
MULTI-MARKET TRUST
-ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY TRUST
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
The Funds at a Glance 2
Expense Information 4
Financial Highlights 7
Glossary 15
Description of the Funds 16
Investment Objectives and Policies 16
Additional Investment Practices 23
Certain Fundamental Investment Policies 34
Risk Considerations 36
Purchase and Sale of Shares 40
Management of the Funds 42
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 44
General Information. 45
Appendix A: Bond Ratings A-1
Appendix B: General Information About Canada,
Mexico and Argentina B-1
Adviser
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, New York 10105
The Alliance Bond Funds provide a broad selection of investment alternatives to
investors seeking high current income. The U.S. Government Funds invest mainly
in U.S. Government securities and the Mortgage Fund invests in mortgage-related
securities, while the Multi-Market Funds diversify their investments among debt
markets around the world and the Global Bond Funds invest primarily in foreign
government securities. The Corporate Bond Fund invests primarily in corporate
debt securities.
Each fund or portfolio (each a "Fund") is, or is a series of, an open-end
management investment company. This Prospectus sets forth concisely the
information which a prospective investor should know about each Fund before
investing. A "Statement of Additional Information" for each Fund that provides
further information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters that may be of interest to some investors has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated herein by reference. For
a free copy, write Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the indicated address or
call the "For Literature" telephone number shown above.
Each Fund (except Alliance World Income Trust) offers three classes of shares
that may be purchased, at the investor's choice, at a price equal to their net
asset value (i) plus an initial sales charge imposed at the time of purchase
(the "Class A shares"), (ii) with a contingent deferred sales charge imposed on
most redemptions made within three years of purchase (the "Class B shares"), or
(iii) without any initial or contingent deferred sales charge, as long as the
shares are held for one year or more (the "Class C shares"). Alliance World
Income Trust offers only one class of shares, which may be purchased at a price
equal to its net asset value without any initial or contingent deferred sales
charge. See "Purchase and Sale of Shares."
AN INVESTMENT IN THESE SECURITIES IS NOT A DEPOSIT OR OBLIGATION OF, OR
GUARANTEED OR ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK AND IS NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
INVESTORS ARE ADVISED TO READ THIS PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY AND TO RETAIN IT FOR
FUTURE REFERENCE.
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.
ALLIANCE
INVESTING WITHOUT THE MYSTERY.
R/SM These are registered marks used under licenses from the owner, Alliance
Capital Management L.P.
THE FUNDS AT A GLANCE
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained in this Prospectus.
THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT ADVISER IS . . .
Alliance Capital Management L.P. ("Alliance"), a global investment manager
providing diversified services to institutions and individuals through a broad
line of investments including more than 100 mutual funds. Since 1971, Alliance
has earned a reputation as a leader in the investment world with over $173
billion in assets under management as of September 30, 1996. Alliance provides
investment management services to employee benefit plans for 33 of the FORTUNE
100 companies.
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . High current income consistent with preservation of capital.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Government
securities.
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
SEEKS . . . As high a level of current income as is consistent with safety of
principal.
INVESTS SOLELY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Government securities
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income, consistent with low volatility
of net asset value.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . U.S. Government securities, including
mortgage-related securities, and repurchase agreements relating to U.S.
Government securities.
MORTGAGE FUND
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
SEEKS . . . A high level of current income consistent with prudent investment
risk.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of mortgage-related
securities.
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
WORLD INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than one year.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Fund
maintains at least 35% of its net assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income through investment in a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than three years.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. While the Fund
normally will maintain a substantial portion of its assets in debt securities
denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund will invest at least 25% of its net
assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities.
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of high-quality debt securities having remaining maturities of not
more than five years.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of debt securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Fund
expects to maintain at least 70% of its assets in debt securities denominated
in foreign currencies, but not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets may be
invested in debt securities denominated in a single currency other than the
U.S. Dollar.
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . The highest level of current income that is available from a
portfolio of investment grade debt securities issued or guaranteed by the
governments of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of government securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar, the Canadian Dollar and the Mexican Peso. The
Fund expects to maintain at least 25% of its assets in securities denominated
in the U.S. Dollar. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its total
assets in debt securities issued by governmental entities in Argentina.
2
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
SEEKS . . . Primarily a high level of current income and, secondarily, capital
appreciation.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of sovereign debt
obligations and in U.S. and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income securities.
Substantially all of the Fund's assets are invested in lower-rated securities.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
SEEKS . . . Primarily a high level of current income and secondarily capital
appreciation.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A non-diversified portfolio of fixed-income
securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers.
CORPORATE BOND FUND
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
SEEKS . . . Primarily to maximize income over the long term; secondarily, the
Fund will attempt to increase its capital through appreciation of its
investments.
INVESTS PRIMARILY IN . . . A diversified portfolio of U.S. Dollar-denominated
corporate bonds issued by domestic and foreign issuers that give promise of
relatively attractive yields.
A WORD ABOUT RISK . . .
The prices of the shares of the Alliance Bond Funds will fluctuate daily as the
prices of the individual bonds in which they invest fluctuate, so that your
shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
Price fluctuations may be caused by changes in the general level of interest
rates or changes in bond credit quality ratings. Changes in interest rates have
a greater effect on bonds with longer maturities than those with shorter
maturities. Some of the Funds invest in high-yield, high-risk bonds that are
rated below investment grade and are considered to have predominantly
speculative characteristics. The prices of non-U.S. Dollar denominated bonds
also fluctuate with changes in foreign exchange rates. Investment in the Global
Bond Funds, the Multi-Market Funds and any other Fund that may invest a
significant amount of its assets in non-U.S. securities involves risks not
associated with Funds that invest primarily in securities of U.S. issuers.
While the Funds invest principally in fixed-income securities, in order to
achieve their investment objectives, the Funds may at times use certain types
of derivative instruments, such as options, futures, forwards and swaps. These
instruments involve risks different from, and, in certain cases, greater than,
the risks presented by more traditional investments. These risks are fully
discussed in this Prospectus. See "Description of the Funds-Additional
Investment Practices" and "-Risk Considerations."
GETTING STARTED . . .
Shares of the Funds are available through your financial representative and
most banks, insurance companies and brokerage firms nationwide. Shares of each
Fund (except WORLD INCOME) can be purchased for a minimum initial investment of
$250, and subsequent investments can be made for as little as $50. For detailed
information about purchasing and selling shares, see "Purchase and Sale of
Shares." In addition, the Funds offer several time and money saving services to
investors. Be sure to ask your financial representative about:
AUTOMATIC REINVESTMENT
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM
RETIREMENT PLANS
SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
DIVIDEND DIRECTION PLANS
AUTO EXCHANGE
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWALS
CHECK-WRITING
A CHOICE OF PURCHASE PLANS
TELEPHONE TRANSACTIONS
24 HOUR INFORMATION
ALLIANCE
INVESTING WITHOUT THE MYSTERY.
R/SM These are registered marks used under licenses from the owner, Alliance
Capital Management L.P.
3
EXPENSE INFORMATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES are one of several factors to consider when
you invest in a Fund. The following tables summarize your maximum transaction
costs from investing in a Fund, other than WORLD INCOME, and annual operating
expenses for each class of shares of each Fund. WORLD INCOME, which has only
one class of shares, has no sales charge on purchases or reinvested dividends,
no deferred sales charge, and no redemption fee or exchange fee. For each Fund,
the "Examples" below show the cumulative expenses attributable to a
hypothetical $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return, in each class for
the periods specified.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES CLASS C SHARES
-------------- ---------------- ----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) 4.25%(a) None None
Sales charge imposed on dividend reinvestments None None None
Deferred sales charge (as a percentage of
original purchase price or redemption
proceeds, whichever is lower) None 3.0% 1.0% during
during the the first year,
first year, 0% thereafter
decreasing 1.0%
annually to 0%
after the
third year (b)
Exchange fee None None None
</TABLE>
(A) REDUCED FOR LARGER PURCHASES. PURCHASES OF $1,000,000 OR MORE ARE NOT
SUBJECT TO AN INITIAL SALES CHARGE BUT MAY BE SUBJECT TO A 1.0% DEFERRED SALES
CHARGE ON REDEMPTIONS WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PURCHASE. SEE "PURCHASE AND SALE OF
SHARES-HOW TO BUY SHARES" -PAGE 40.
(B) CLASS B SHARES OF EACH FUND AUTOMATICALLY CONVERT TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER
SIX YEARS. SEE "PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES-HOW TO BUY SHARES" -PAGE 40.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
- -------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees(b)
(after waiver) None None None After 1 year $ 57 $ 53 $ 23 $ 33 $ 23
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 89 $ 80 $ 70 $ 69 $ 69
Other expenses After 5 years $122 $119 $119 $119 $119
Interest expense .13% .13% .12% After 10 years $217 $223 $223 $255 $255
Other operating expenses (a)(b)
(after reimbursement) 1.10% 1.10% 1.10%
Total other expenses 1.23% 1.23% 1.22%
Total fund operating expenses(b)
(after waiver/reimbursement) 1.53% 2.23% 2.22%
U.S. GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .53% .53% .53% After 1 year $ 52 $ 47 $ 17 $ 27 $ 17
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 73 $ 64 $ 54 $ 54 $ 54
Other expenses(a) .18% .19% .18% After 5 years $ 96 $ 93 $ 93 $ 93 $ 93
Total fund operating After 10 years $161 $167 $167 $202 $202
expenses 1.01% 1.72% 1.71%
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .65% .65% .65% After 1 year $ 63 $ 59 $ 29 $ 39 $ 29
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $107 $ 98 $ 88 $ 88 $ 88
Other expenses After 5 years $153 $150 $150 $150 $150
Interest expense .73% .74% .75% After 10 years $279 $285 $285 $318 $318
Other operating expenses(a) .46% .46% .45%
Total other expenses 1.19% 1.20% 1.20%
Total fund operating expenses(h) 2.14% 2.85% 2.85%
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .51% .51% .51% After 1 year $ 59 $ 54 $ 24 $ 34 $ 24
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 93 $ 84 $ 74 $ 73 $ 73
Other expenses After 5 years $129 $127 $127 $126 $126
Interest expense .63% .63% .62% After 10 years $231 $237 $237 $269 $269
Other operating expenses(a) .22% .23% .22%
Total other expenses .85% .86% .84%
Total fund operating expenses(g) 1.66% 2.37% 2.35%
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 5.
4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXAMPLES
- -------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
WORLD INCOME
Management fees(c)(after waiver) .49% After 1 year $ 20
12b-1 fees(c)(after waiver) .68% After 3 years $ 62
Other expenses(a) .80% After 5 years $106
Total fund operating expenses(c) After 10 years $230
(after waiver) 1.97%
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .55% .55% .55% After 1 year $ 54 $ 50 $ 20 $ 29 $ 19
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 80 $ 71 $ 61 $ 60 $ 60
Other expenses(a) .38% .40% .37% After 5 years $107 $105 $105 $104 $104
Total fund operating expenses 1.23% 1.95% 1.92% After 10 years $185 $192 $192 $224 $224
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .60% .60% .60% After 1 year $ 58 $ 53 $ 23 $ 33 $ 23
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 91 $ 82 $ 72 $ 72 $ 72
Other expenses After 5 years $126 $123 $123 $123 $123
Interest expense .05% .07% .05% After 10 years $224 $229 $229 $263 $263
Other operating expenses(a) .65% .62% .64%
Total other expenses .70% .69% .69%
Total fund operating expenses(d) 1.60% 2.29% 2.29%
NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees(e) .65% .65% .65% After 1 year $ 68 $ 64 $ 34 $ 44 $ 34
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $120 $112 $102 $102 $102
Other expenses After 5 years $176 $174 $174 $174 $174
Interest expense 1.11% 1.11% 1.12% After 10 years $325 $331 $331 $362 $362
Other operating expenses(a) .56% .57% .56%
Total other expenses 1.67% 1.68% 1.68%
Total fund operating expenses(f) 2.62% 3.33% 3.33%
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .75% .75% .75% After 1 year $ 59 $ 54 $ 24 $ 34 $ 24
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 92 $ 84 $ 74 $ 73 $ 73
Other expenses(a) .60% .62% .60% After 5 years $128 $127 $127 $126 $126
Total fund operating expenses 1.65% 2.37% 2.35% After 10 years $230 $236 $236 $269 $269
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees(i)(after waiver) None None None After 1 year $ 61 $ 56 $ 26 $ 36 $ 26
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $100 $ 91 $ 81 $ 81 $ 81
Other expenses(a)(i) After 5 years $141 $138 $138 $138 $138
(after reimbursement) 1.60% 1.60% 1.60% After 10 years $255 $261 $261 $293 $293
Total fund operating
expenses(i)(after waiver/
reimbursement) 1.90% 2.60% 2.60%
CORPORATE BONDCLASS A CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C CLASS A CLASS B+ CLASS B++ CLASS C+ CLASS C++
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- --------- -------- ---------
Management fees .63% .63% .63% After 1 year $ 54 $ 49 $ 19 $ 29 $ 19
12b-1 fees .30% 1.00% 1.00% After 3 years $ 79 $ 70 $ 60 $ 60 $ 60
Other expenses(a) .27% .27% .27% After 5 years $106 $103 $103 $103 $103
Total fund operating expenses 1.20% 1.90% 1.90% After 10 years $182 $187 $187 $222 $222
</TABLE>
+ ASSUMES REDEMPTION AT END OF PERIOD AND, WITH RESPECT TO SHARES HELD TEN
YEARS, CONVERSION OF CLASS B SHARES TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER SIX YEARS.
++ ASSUMES NO REDEMPTION AT END OF PERIOD AND, WITH RESPECT TO SHARES HELD
TEN YEARS, CONVERSION OF CLASS B SHARES TO CLASS A SHARES AFTER SIX YEARS.
(a) THESE EXPENSES INCLUDE A TRANSFER AGENCY FEE PAYABLE TO ALLIANCE FUND
SERVICES, INC., AN AFFILIATE OF ALLIANCE, BASED ON A FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT
CHARGED TO THE FUND FOR EACH SHAREHOLDER'S ACCOUNT.
(b) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS. ABSENT SUCH
WAIVERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS, MANAGEMENT FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .55%, OTHER
EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 2.19% FOR CLASS A, 2.19% FOR CLASS B AND 2.17% FOR
CLASS C AND TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 3.17% FOR CLASS A,
3.87% FOR CLASS B AND 3.85% FOR CLASS C.
(c) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS. ABSENT SUCH WAIVERS, ANNUALIZED MANAGEMENT
FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .65%, ANNUALIZED RULE 12B-1 FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .90% AND
ANNUALIZED TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 2.35%.
(d) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.55%, FOR CLASS B, 2.22% AND FOR CLASS C, 2.24%.
(e) REPRESENTS .65 OF 1% OF THE FUND'S AVERAGE DAILY ADJUSTED TOTAL NET
ASSETS.
(f) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.51%, FOR CLASS B, 2.22% AND FOR CLASS C, 2.21%.
(g) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.03%, FOR CLASS B, 1.74%, FOR CLASS C, 1.73%.
(h) EXCLUDING INTEREST EXPENSE, TOTAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN
FOR CLASS A, 1.41%, FOR CLASS B, 2.11%, FOR CLASS C, 2.10%.
(i) NET OF VOLUNTARY FEE WAIVERS AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT. ABSENT SUCH
WAIVERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS, MANAGEMENT FEES WOULD HAVE BEEN .75%, OTHER
EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 27.55% FOR CLASS A, 27.55% FOR CLASS B, AND 27.55% FOR
CLASS C AND TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN 28.60% FOR CLASS A, 29.30%
FOR CLASS B, AND 29.30% FOR CLASS C.
5
The purpose of the tables on pages 4 and 5 is to assist the investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that shareholders of a Fund will
bear directly or indirectly. Long-term shareholders of a Fund may pay aggregate
sales charges totaling more than the economic equivalent of the maximum initial
sales charges permitted by the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. See "Management of the Funds-Distribution Services
Agreements." The Rule 12b-1 fee for each class comprises a service fee not
exceeding .25% of the aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund
attributable to the class and an asset-based sales charge equal to the
remaining portion of the Rule 12b-1 fee. With respect to each of SHORT-TERM
U.S. GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME,
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME and LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, "interest expense"
represents interest paid by the Fund on borrowings for the purpose of making
additional portfolio investments. Such borrowings are intended to enable each
of those Funds to produce higher net yields to shareholders than the Funds
could pay without such borrowings. See "Description of Funds-Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing." Excluding interest expense, total fund
operating expenses of each of SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME and
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT would be lower (see notes (b), (d), (f), (g) and
(h) above) and the cumulative expenses shown in the Examples above with respect
to those Funds would be lower. The management fee rates of GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, are higher than that paid by most other
investment companies, but Alliance believes the fees are comparable to those
paid by investment companies of similar investment orientation. The expense
ratios for Class B and Class C shares of MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY and NORTH
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME are higher than the expense ratios of most other
mutual funds, but are comparable to the expense ratios of mutual funds whose
shares are similarly priced. The Examples set forth above assume reinvestment
of all dividends and distributions and utilize a 5% annual rate of return as
mandated by Commission regulations. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED
REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES; ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR
LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. ACTUAL RETURN WILL VARY.
6
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
_______________________________________________________________________________
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, per share income and
capital changes for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables relating to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT has been
audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, the independent accountants for the Fund, and
the information in the tables relating to U.S. GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND has been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, the independent auditors for these Funds. A report of Price
Waterhouse LLP or Ernst & Young LLP, as the case may be, on the information
with respect to each Fund appears in the Fund's Statement of Additional
Information. The following information for each Fund should be read in
conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are included
in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge by
contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or the "For Literature"
telephone number shown on the cover of this Prospectus.
7
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE NET UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
- --------------------------------- ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT#
CLASS A
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 9.70 $ .47 $ (.02) $ .45 $ (.49) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.67 .42 .05 .47 (.41) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.77 .14 (.09) .05 (.12) 0.00
Year Ended 4/30/94 10.22 .35 (.29) .06 (.42) 0.00
5/4/92+ to 4/30/93 10.00 .46 .34 .80 (.46) (.12)
CLASS B
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 9.81 $ .41 $ (.03) $ .38 $ (.42) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.78 .36 .04 .40 (.34) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.88 .10 (.07) .03 (.11) 0.00
Year Ended 4/30/94 10.31 .40 (.39) .01 (.35) 0.00
5/4/92+ to 4/30/93 10.00 .38 .33 .71 (.38) (.02)
CLASS C
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 9.80 $ .40 $ (.02) $ .38 $ (.42) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.77 .34 .06 .40 (.34) 0.00
Period Ended 8/31/94** 9.87 .10 (.07) .03 (.11) 0.00
8/2/93++ to 4/30/94 10.34 .26 (.42) (.16) (.25) 0.00
U.S. GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Year Ended 6/30/96 $ 7.96 $ .58 $ (.44) $ .14 $ (.58) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.84 .64 .13 .77 (.65) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .65 (.80) (.15) (.65) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/93 8.34 .69 .29 .98 (.68) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/92 8.01 .70 .35 1.05 (.72) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/91 8.14 .81 (.11) .70 (.83) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/90 8.49 .86 (.38) .48 (.83) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/89 8.51 .89 (.03) .86 (.88) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/88 8.90 .93 (.39) .54 (.93) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/87 9.24 .98 (.34) .64 (.98) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 6/30/96 $ 7.96 $ .52 $ (.44) $ .08 $ (.52) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.84 .58 .13 .71 (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .59 (.80) (.21) (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/93 8.34 .62 .30 .92 (.62) 0.00
9/30/91++ to 6/30/92 8.25 .49 .09 .58 (.49) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 6/30/96 $ 7.96 $ .52 $ (.44) $ .08 $ (.52) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 7.83 .58 .14 .72 (.59) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 8.64 .59 (.81) (.22) (.59) 0.00
4/30/93++ to 6/30/93 8.56 .10 .08 .18 (.10) 0.00
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 9.52 $ .25(h) $ (.25) $ .00 $ (.27) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.51 .52(h) .02 .54 (.50) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .42 (.32) .10 (.48) (.01)
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.84 .57 .11 .68 (.58) 0.00
6/1/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .35 (.17) .18 (.34) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 9.52 $ .22(h) $ (.25) $(.03) $ (.24) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.52 .46(h) .01 .47 (.44) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .39 (.35) .04 (.42) (.01)
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.84 .49 .12 .61 (.51) 0.00
6/1/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .31 (.17) .14 (.30) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 9.52 $ .22(h) $ (.25) $(.03) $ (.24) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 9.52 .46(h) .01 .47 (.44) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 9.94 .37 (.33) .04 (.42) (.01)
5/3/93++ to 11/30/93 9.98 .27 (.03) .24 (.28) 0.00
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 6/30/96 unaudited $ 8.75 $ .26 $ (.31) $(.05) $ (.29) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .57(h) .64 1.21 (.57) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .57 (1.13) (.56) (.58) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/93 9.08 .67 .23 .90 (.67) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/92 9.21 .77 (.09) .68 (.81) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/91 8.79 .88 .41 1.29 (.87) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/90 8.76 .87 .03 .90 (.87) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/89 8.81 .97 (.05) .92 (.97) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/88 9.03 .99 (.23) .76 (.98) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/87 9.74 1.00 (.68) .32 (1.00) (.03)
Year Ended 12/31/86 9.97 1.06 (.02) 1.04 (1.06) (.21)
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 6/30/96 unaudited $ 8.75 $ .23 $ (.31) $(.08) $ (.26) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .51(h) .64 1.15 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .51 (1.14) (.63) (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/93 9.08 .61 .22 .83 (.60) 0.00
1/30/92++ to 12/31/92 9.16 .68 (.08) .60 (.68) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 6/30/96 unaudited $ 8.75 $ .23 $ (.31) $(.08) $ (.26) $0.00
Year Ended 12/31/95 8.13 .51(h) .64 1.15 (.51) 0.00
Year Ended 12/31/94 9.29 .51 (1.14) (.63) (.51) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 12/31/93 9.30 .40 0.00 .40 (.40) 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
8
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE (B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
- ----------- -------- ------------- ---------- --------------- ------------ ------------ ------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.49) $ 9.66 4.71% $ 3,455 1.53%(d)(e) 4.85% 110%
(.03) 0.00 (.44) 9.70 5.14 2,997 1.40(d) 4.56 15
(.03)(a) 0.00 (.15)(c) 9.67 .53 2,272 1.40(d) 3.98 144
(.09)(a) 0.00 (.51)(c) 9.77 .52 2,003 1.27(d) 4.41 55
0.00 0.00 (.58)(c) 10.22 8.20 6,081 1.00*(d) 4.38* 294
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.42) $ 9.77 3.89% $ 6,781 2.23%(d)(e) 4.11% 110%
(.03) 0.00 (.37) 9.81 4.32 6,380 2.10(d) 3.82 15
(.02)(a) 0.00 (.13)(c) 9.78 .28 6,281 2.10(d) 3.22 144
(.09)(a) 0.00 (.44)(c) 9.88 .03 7,184 2.05(d) 3.12 55
0.00 0.00 (.40)(c) 10.31 7.22 1,292 1.75*(d) 3.36* 294
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.42) $ 9.76 3.90% $ 4,850 2.22%(d)(e) 4.11% 110%
(.03) 0.00 (.37) 9.80 4.33 5,180 2.10(d) 3.80 15
(.02)(a) 0.00 (.13)(c) 9.77 .28 7,128 2.10(d) 3.26 144
(.06)(a) 0.00 (.31)(c) 9.87 (1.56) 8,763 2.10*(d) 2.60* 55
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.58) $ 7.52 1.74% $ 397,894 1.01% 7.38% 334%
0.00 0.00 (.65) 7.96 10.37 463,660 1.01 8.27 190
0.00 0.00 (.65) 7.84 (1.93) 482,595 1.02 7.76 188
0.00 0.00 (.68) 8.64 12.23 527,968 1.10 8.04 386
0.00 0.00 (.72) 8.34 13.52 492,448 1.12 8.43 418
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.01 8.97 491,910 1.07 10.02 402
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.14 5.99 510,675 1.09 10.35 455
0.00 0.00 (.88) 8.49 10.87 532,525 1.11 10.70 148
0.00 0.00 (.93) 8.51 6.41 529,909 1.14 10.70 149
0.00 0.00 (.98) 8.90 7.00 496,600 1.07(d) 10.36 255
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.52) $ 7.52 1.01% $ 628,628 1.72% 6.67% 334%
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.96 9.52 774,097 1.72 7.57 190
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.84 (2.63) 756,282 1.72 7.04 188
0.00 0.00 (.62) 8.64 11.45 552,471 1.81 7.25 386
0.00 0.00 (.49) 8.34 6.95 32,227 1.80* 7.40* 418
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.52) $ 7.52 1.01% $ 166,075 1.71% 6.68% 334%
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.96 9.67 181,948 1.71 7.59 190
0.00 0.00 (.59) 7.83 (2.75) 231,859 1.70 6.97 188
0.00 0.00 (.10) 8.64 2.12 67,757 1.80* 6.00* 386
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.27) $ 9.25 (0.02)% $ 19,816 2.43%*(e) 5.36%* 101%
0.00 (.03) (.53) 9.52 5.91 27,887 2.14(e) 5.53 293
0.00 (.04) (.53) 9.51 1.03 43,173 1.34(e) 4.78 375
0.00 0.00 (.58) 9.94 7.02 59,215 1.54(e) 5.66 499
0.00 0.00 (.34) 9.84 1.84 24,186 1.44*(d)(e) 6.58*(d) 101
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.24) $ 9.25 (.38)% $ 62,110 3.14%*(e) 4.67%* 101%
0.00 (.03) (.47) 9.52 5.05 84,362 2.85(e) 4.83 293
0.00 (.03) (.46) 9.52 .42 136,458 2.08(e) 4.12 375
0.00 0.00 (.51) 9.94 6.27 168,157 2.26(e) 4.98 499
0.00 0.00 (.30) 9.84 1.50 149,188 2.13*(d)(e) 6.01*(d) 101
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.24) $ 9.25 (.35)% $ 53,265 3.13%*(e) 4.69%* 101%
0.00 (.03) (.47) 9.52 5.06 68,459 2.85(e) 4.84 293
0.00 (.03) (.46) 9.52 .42 141,838 2.04(e) 4.10 375
0.00 0.00 (.28) 9.94 2.40 228,703 1.58*(e) 3.70* 499
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.29) $ 8.41 (.52)% $ 441,071 1.47%*(e) 6.25%* 140%
0.00 (.02) (.59) 8.75 15.34 502,390 1.66(e) 6.77 285
0.00 (.02) (.60) 8.13 (6.14) 553,889 1.29(e) 6.77 438
(.02) 0.00 (.69) 9.29 10.14 848,069 1.00 7.20 622
0.00 0.00 (.81) 9.08 7.73 789,898 1.18 8.56 555
0.00 0.00 (.87) 9.21 15.44 544,171 1.16 9.92 439
0.00 0.00 (.87) 8.79 11.01 495,353 1.12 10.09 393
0.00 0.00 (.97) 8.76 10.98 556,077 1.13 11.03 328
0.00 0.00 (.98) 8.81 8.64 619,572 1.11 10.80 239
0.00 0.00 (1.03) 9.03 3.49 682,650 1.15 10.79 211
0.00 0.00 (1.27) 9.74 11.18 756,730 1.00 10.86 190
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.26) $ 8.41 (.89)% $ 584,494 2.17%*(e) 5.54%* 140%
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.75 14.48 737,593 2.37(e) 6.06 285
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.13 (6.84) 921,418 2.00(e) 6.05 438
(.02) 0.00 (.62) 9.29 9.38 1,454,303 1.70 6.47 622
0.00 0.00 (.68) 9.08 7.81 1,153,957 1.67* 5.92* 555
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.26) $ 8.41 (.90)% $ 41,615 2.17%*(e) 5.55%* 140%
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.75 14.46 45,558 2.35(e) 6.07 285
0.00 (.02) (.53) 8.13 (6.84) 58,338 1.97(e) 6.06 438
(.01) 0.00 (.41) 9.29 4.34 91,724 1.67* 5.92* 622
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
9
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE NET UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
- --------------------------------- ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
WORLD INCOME
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 1.66 $ .04(h) $ .02 $ .06 $ (.05) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 1.88 .11(h) (.23) (.12) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 1.90 .18 (.12) .06 (.05) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 1.91 .22 (.16) .06 (.07) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 1.98 .19 (.17) .02 (.09) 0.00
12/3/90+ to 10/31/91 2.00 .14 (.03) .11 (.13) 0.00
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 7.47 $ .29(h) $ .20 $ .49 $ (.34) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .46(h) (.98) (.52) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .93 (.86) .07 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 9.25 .92 (.32) .60 (.60) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.94 .91 (.86) .05 (.72) (.02)
Year Ended 10/31/91 9.89 .97 .06 1.03 (.97) (.01)
Year Ended 10/31/90 9.69 1.09 .19 1.28 (1.08) 0.00
5/5/89+ to 10/31/89 9.70 .53 (.01) .52 (.53) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 7.47 $ .28(h) $ .20 $ .48 $ (.33) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .41(h) (.99) (.58) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .94 (.93) .01 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 9.25 .87 (.34) .53 (.53) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.94 .84 (.86) (.02) (.65) (.02)
Year Ended 10/31/91 9.89 .89 .07 .96 (.90) (.01)
2/5/90++ to 10/31/90 9.77 .74 .12 .86 (.74) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 7.47 $ .29(h) $ .19 $ .48 $ (.33) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.71 .39(h) (.97) (.58) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 9.25 .58 (.57) .01 0.00 0.00
5/3/93++ to 10/31/93 9.18 .28 .05 .33 (.26) 0.00
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 6.83 $ .30(h) $ .24 $ .54 $ .33 $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .77(h) (1.31) (.54) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .85 (1.08) (.23) (.09) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 8.85 1.02 (.26) .76 (.67) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.91 1.00 (1.23) (.23) (.81) (.02)
5/29/91+ to 10/28/91 10.00 .42 (.09) .33 (.42) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 6.83 $ .27(h) $ .24 $ .51 $ (.30) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .44(h) (1.05) (.61) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .88 (1.18) (.30) (.08) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/93 8.85 .92 (.22) .70 (.61) 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/92 9.91 1.04 (1.34) (.30) (.74) (.02)
5/29/91+ to 10/28/91 10.00 .39 (.09) .30 (.39) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 4/30/96 unaudited $ 6.83 $ .27(h) $ .24 $ .51 $ (.30) $0.00
Year Ended 10/31/95 8.04 .44(h) (1.04) (.60) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 10/31/94 8.94 .46 (.75) (.29) (.09) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 10/31/93 8.76 .32 .16 .48 (.30) 0.00
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME
CLASS A
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 6.75 $ .58(h) $ .46 $ 1.04 $ (.48) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.18(h) (1.59) (.41) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.35 1.02 (2.12) (1.10) (.91) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.70 1.09 .66 1.75 (1.09) (.01)
3/27/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .69 (.31) .38 (.68) 0.00
CLASS B
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 6.75 $ .56(h) $ .45 $ 1.01 $ (.45) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.13(h) (1.61) (.48) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.35 .96 (2.13) (1.17) (.84) 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/93 9.70 1.01 .67 1.68 (1.02) (.01)
3/27/92+ to 11/30/92 10.00 .64 (.31) .33 (.63) 0.00
CLASS C
Six Months Ended 5/31/96 unaudited $ 6.75 $ .56(h) $ .45 $ 1.01 $ (.45) $0.00
Year Ended 11/30/95 8.13 1.13(h) (1.61) (.48) 0.00 0.00
Year Ended 11/30/94 10.34 .96 (2.12) (1.16) (.84) 0.00
5/3/93++ to 11/30/93 10.04 .58 .30 .88 (.58) 0.00
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT
CLASS A
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 8.02 $ .84 $ 2.10 $ 2.94 $ (.95) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .86 (1.10) (.24) (.88) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .45 (.86) (.41) (.45) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 8.02 $ .78 $ 2.08 $ 2.86 $ (.87) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .80 (1.11) (.31) (.81) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .42 (.86) (.44) (.42) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 8/31/96 $ 8.02 $ .77 $ 2.10 $ 2.87 $ (.88) $0.00
Year Ended 8/31/95 9.14 .79 (1.10) (.31) (.81) 0.00
2/25/94+ to 8/31/94 10.00 .42 (.86) (.44) (.42) 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
10
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE (B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
- ----------- -------- ------------- ---------- --------------- ------------ ------------- -------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.05) $ 1.67 4.02% $ 47,692 2.12%*(d) 5.56%* N/A
0.00 (.10) (.10) 1.66 (6.35) 55,778 1.97(d) 6.46 N/A
0.00 (.03) (.08) 1.88 3.27 103,310 1.70(d) 3.96 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.07) 1.90 3.51 149,623 1.54(d) 5.14 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.09) 1.91 1.26 318,716 1.59(d) 7.21 N/A
0.00 0.00 (.13) 1.98 6.08 1,059,222 1.85*(d) 7.29* N/A
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.34) $ 7.62 6.95% $ 295,888 1.30%* 8.21%* 99%
0.00 (.72) (.72) 7.47 (5.74) 320,333 1.23 7.39 230
0.00 (.61) (.61) 8.71 .84 593,677 1.13 7.28 109
0.00 0.00 (.60) 9.25 6.67 953,571 1.16 8.26 182
0.00 0.00 (.74) 9.25 .49 1,596,903 1.10 9.00 133
0.00 0.00 (.98) 9.94 10.91 2,199,393 1.09 9.64 146
0.00 0.00 (1.08) 9.89 13.86 1,346,035 1.18 10.81 152
0.00 0.00 (.53) 9.69 5.57 210,294 1.14* 10.83* 10
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.33) $ 7.62 6.52% $ 434,660 2.01%* 7.46%* 99%
0.00 (.66) (.66) 7.47 (6.50) 523,530 1.95 6.69 230
0.00 (.55) (.55) 8.71 .12 1,003,633 1.85 6.58 109
0.00 0.00 (.53) 9.25 5.91 1,742,703 1.87 7.57 182
0.00 0.00 (.67) 9.25 (.24) 2,966,071 1.81 8.28 133
0.00 0.00 (.91) 9.94 10.11 3,754,003 1.81 8.87 146
0.00 0.00 (.74) 9.89 9.07 1,950,330 1.86* 9.90* 152
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.33) $ 7.62 6.52% $ 4,731 1.99%* 7.46%* 99%
0.00 (.66) (.66) 7.47 (6.49) 3,416 1.92 6.66 230
0.00 (.55) (.55) 8.71 .12 8,136 1.83 6.50 109
0.00 0.00 (.26) 9.25 3.66 5,538 1.82* 7.19* 182
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.33) $ 7.04 8.12% $ 70,038 1.65%(f)* 8.60%* 137%
0.00 (.67) (.67) 6.83 (6.47) 76,837 1.60(f) 8.56 400
0.00 (.58) (.67) 8.04 (2.64) 52,385 1.41(f) 7.17 605
0.00 0.00 (.67) 8.94 9.01 82,977 1.94(f) 9.17(g) 200
0.00 0.00 (.83) 8.85 (2.80) 141,526 2.53(f) 10.58(g) 239
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.91 3.68 143,594 2.81*(f) 10.17*(g) 121
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.30) $ 7.04 7.63% $ 99,649 2.35%*(f) 7.88%* 137%
0.00 (.60) (.60) 6.83 (7.31) 116,551 2.29(f) 7.53 400
0.00 (.52) (.60) 8.04 (3.35) 233,896 2.11(f) 6.44 605
0.00 0.00 (.61) 8.94 8.25 431,186 2.64(f) 8.46(g) 200
0.00 0.00 (.76) 8.85 (3.51) 701,465 3.24(f) 9.83(g) 239
0.00 0.00 (.39) 9.91 3.36 662,981 3.53*(f) 9.40*(g) 121
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.30) $ 7.04 7.64% $ 798 2.34%*(f) 7.86%* 137%
0.00 (.61) (.61) 6.83 (7.29) 786 2.29(f) 7.55 400
0.00 (.52) (.61) 8.04 (3.34) 1,252 2.08(f) 6.10 605
0.00 0.00 (.30) 8.94 5.54 718 2.44*(f) 7.17*(g) 200
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.48) $ 7.31 15.73% $ 303,684 2.44%*(f) 16.19%* 162%
0.00 (.97) (.97) 6.75 (3.59) 252,608 2.62(f) 18.09 180
0.00 (.21) (1.12) 8.13 (11.32) 303,538 1.70(f) 11.22 131
0.00 0.00 (1.10) 10.35 18.99 268,233 1.61(f) 10.77 254
0.00 0.00 (.68) 9.70 3.49 61,702 2.45*(d)(f) 10.93* 86
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.45) $ 7.31 15.17% $1,216,642 3.15%*(f) 15.49%* 162%
0.00 (.90) (.90) 6.75 (4.63) 1,123,074 3.33(f) 17.31 180
0.00 (.21) (1.05) 8.13 (11.89) 1,639,602 2.41(f) 10.53 131
0.00 0.00 (1.03) 10.35 18.15 1,313,591 2.31(f) 10.01 254
0.00 0.00 (.63) 9.70 3.30 216,317 3.13*(d)(f) 10.16* 86
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.45) $ 7.31 15.17% $ 234,462 3.14%*(f) 15.50%* 162%
0.00 (.90) (.90) 6.75 (4.63) 219,009 3.33(f) 17.32 180
0.00 (.21) (1.05) 8.13 (11.89) 369,714 2.39(f) 10.46 131
0.00 0.00 (.58) 10.34 9.00 310,230 2.21*(f) 9.74* 254
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.95) $10.01 38.43% $ 23,253 1.65% 9.23% 315%
0.00 0.00 (.88) 8.02 (1.48) 12,020 1.93 11.25 301
0.00 0.00 (.45) 9.14 (3.77) 10,995 .75*(d) 9.82* 100
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.87) $10.01 37.35% $ 84,295 2.37% 8.57% 315%
0.00 0.00 (.81) 8.02 (2.40) 62,406 2.64 10.52 301
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.14 (4.17) 47,030 1.45*(d) 9.11* 100
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.88) $10.01 37.39% $ 14,511 2.35% 8.52% 315%
0.00 0.00 (.81) 8.02 (2.36) 9,330 2.63 10.46 301
0.00 0.00 (.42) 9.14 (4.16) 10,404 1.45*(d) 9.05* 100
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
11
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NET NET NET
ASSET REALIZED AND INCREASE
VALUE NET UNREALIZED (DECREASE) IN DIVIDENDS FROM DISTRIBUTIONS
BEGINNING OF INVESTMENT GAIN (LOSS) ON NET ASSET VALUE NET INVESTMENT FROM NET
FISCAL YEAR OR PERIOD PERIOD INCOME (LOSS) INVESTMENTS FROM OPERATIONS INCOME REALIZED GAINS
- --------------------------------- ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME
CLASS A
1/9/96+ to 4/30/96 unaudited $10.00 $ .27 $ .27 $ .54 $ (.31) $0.00
CLASS B
3/25/96++ to 4/30/96 unaudited $9.97 $ .09 $ .27 $ .36 $ (.10) $0.00
CLASS C
3/25/96++ to 4/30/96 unaudited $9.97 $ .09 $ .27 $ .36 $ (.11) $0.00
CORPORATE BOND
CLASS A
Year Ended 6/30/96 $12.92 $1.26 $ .27 $1.53 $(1.16) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.51 1.19 .36 1.55 (1.14) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.11 (1.36) (.25) (1.11) (.25)
Year Ended 6/30/93 12.01 1.25 2.13 3.38 (1.24) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/92 11.21 1.06 .82 1.88 (1.08) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/91 11.39 1.11 (.06) 1.05 (1.23) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/90 12.15 1.24 (.86) .38 (1.14) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/89 11.82 1.12 .32 1.44 (1.11) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/88 12.24 1.10 (.38) .72 (1.14) 0.00
Nine Months Ended 6/30/87 12.25 .86 (.06) .80 (.81) 0.00
Year Ended 9/30/86 11.52 1.20 .73 1.93 (1.20) 0.00
CLASS B
Year Ended 6/30/96 $12.92 $1.15 $ .29 $1.44 $(1.07) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.50 1.11 .36 1.47 (1.05) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.02 (1.37) (.35) (1.04) (.25)
1/8/93++ to 6/30/93 12.47 .49 1.69 2.18 (.50) 0.00
CLASS C
Year Ended 6/30/96 $12.93 $1.14 $ .29 $1.43 $(1.07) $0.00
Year Ended 6/30/95 12.50 1.10 .38 1.48 (1.05) 0.00
Year Ended 6/30/94 14.15 1.02 (1.37) (.35) (1.05) (.25)
5/30/93++ to 6/30/93 13.63 .16 .53 .69 (.17) 0.00
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
12
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DISTRIBUTIONS TOTAL NET ASSETS RATIO OF NET
IN EXCESS TOTAL INVESTMENT AT END OF RATIO INVESTMENT
OF NET RETURN DIVIDENDS NET ASSET RETURN PERIOD OF EXPENSES INCOME (LOSS) PORTFOLIO
INVESTMENT OF AND VALUE END BASED ON NET (000'S TO AVERAGE TO AVERAGE TURNOVER
INCOME CAPITAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF PERIOD ASSET VALUE (B) OMITTED) NET ASSETS NET ASSETS RATE
- ----------- -------- ------------- ---------- --------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.31) $10.23 5.47% $1,644 1.90%*(d) 8.97%* 179%
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.10) $10.23 2.75% $73 2.60%*(d) 8.14%* 179%
$0.00 $0.00 $ (.11) $10.22 2.75% $0(i) 2.60%*(d) 8.14%* 179%
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.16) $13.29 12.14% $ 277,369 1.20% 9.46% 389%
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 12.92 13.26 230,750 1.24 9.70 387
(.03) 0.00 (1.39) 12.51 (2.58) 219,182 1.30 7.76 372
0.00 0.00 (1.24) 14.15 29.62 216,171 1.39 9.29 579
0.00 0.00 (1.08) 12.01 17.43 60,356 1.48 8.98 610
0.00 0.00 (1.23) 11.21 9.71 62,268 1.44 9.84 357
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 11.39 3.27 68,049 1.51 10.70 480
0.00 0.00 (1.11) 12.15 12.99 52,381 1.84 9.53 104
0.00 0.00 (1.14) 11.82 6.24 37,587 1.81 9.24 98
0.00 0.00 (.81) 12.24 7.32 41,072 1.27 9.17 95
0.00 0.00 (1.20) 12.25 17.19 45,178 1.08 9.80 240
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.07) $13.29 11.38% $ 338,152 1.90% 8.75% 389%
0.00 0.00 (1.05) 12.92 12.54 241,393 1.99 9.07 387
(.01) 0.00 (1.30) 12.50 (3.27) 184,129 2.00 7.03 372
0.00 0.00 (.50) 14.15 17.75 55,508 2.10* 7.18* 579
$0.00 $0.00 $(1.07) $13.29 11.30% $ 83,095 1.90% 8.74% 389%
0.00 0.00 (1.05) 12.93 12.62 51,028 1.84 8.95 387
0.00 0.00 (1.30) 12.50 (3.27) 50,860 1.99 6.98 372
0.00 0.00 (.17) 14.15 5.08 5,115 2.05* 5.51* 579
</TABLE>
PLEASE REFER TO THE FOOTNOTES ON PAGE 14.
13
# PRIOR TO JULY 22, 1993, EQUITABLE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
("EQUITABLE") SERVED AS THE INVESTMENT ADVISER TO THE ALLIANCE PORTFOLIOS (THE
"TRUST"), OF WHICH SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT IS A SERIES. ON JULY 22, 1993,
ALLIANCE ACQUIRED THE BUSINESS AND SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE ASSETS OF EQUITABLE
AND BECAME INVESTMENT ADVISER OF THE TRUST.
+ COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS.
++ COMMENCEMENT OF DISTRIBUTION.
* ANNUALIZED.
** REFLECTS NEWLY ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR END.
(a) INCLUDES WITH RESPECT TO SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT A RETURN OF CAPITAL
FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994 OF $(0.08) FOR CLASS A, $(0.08) FOR CLASS B
AND $(0.05) FOR CLASS C AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994 OF $(0.03) FOR
CLASS A AND $(0.02) FOR CLASS B AND CLASS C.
(b) TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURN IS CALCULATED ASSUMING AN INITIAL INVESTMENT MADE
AT THE NET ASSET VALUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD, REINVESTMENT OF ALL
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS AT THE NET ASSET VALUE DURING THE PERIOD, AND A
REDEMPTION ON THE LAST DAY OF THE PERIOD. INITIAL SALES CHARGE OR CONTINGENT
DEFERRED SALES CHARGE IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE CALCULATION OF TOTAL INVESTMENT
RETURN. TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURNS CALCULATED FOR PERIODS OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR
ARE NOT ANNUALIZED.
(c) "TOTAL DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS" INCLUDES DIVIDENDS IN EXCESS OF NET
INVESTMENT INCOME AND RETURN OF CAPITAL. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD
DIVIDENDS IN EXCESS OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES,
FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, OF $(.01); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES,
$(.01); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, $(.01).
(d) NET OF EXPENSES ASSUMED AND/OR WAIVED/REIMBURSED. IF SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 2.20% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 2.17% FOR THE YEAR
ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, 2.95% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994,
3.71% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1995, AND 3.04% FOR THE YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 1996; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 4.81% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993,
3.21% FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, 3.60% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD
ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994, 4.33% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1995, AND 3.74% FOR
THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 3.10%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1994, 3.64% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED AUGUST 31, 1994 (ANNUALIZED), 4.23% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST
31, 1995, AND 3.72% FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996. IF U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD
BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN 1.22% FOR 1986 AND
1.09% FOR 1987. IF LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE
EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.55%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.28% (ANNUALIZED)
FOR 1992. THE RATIO OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS FOR
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES,
6.47% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 5.86%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992. IF WORLD INCOME HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE
RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN 1.87% FOR 1992, 1.92% FOR 1993, 2.08% FOR 1994,
2.35% FOR 1995 AND 2.50% (ANNUALIZED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED APRIL 30, 1996. IF
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES, THE EXPENSE RATIOS
WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 2.49% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992;
AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 3.16% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992. IF GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 25, 1994 TO
AUGUST 31, 1994, THE EXPENSE RATIOS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A
SHARES, 1.91% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.63%
(ANNUALIZED); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 2.59% (ANNUALIZED). IF
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME HAD BORNE ALL EXPENSES FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 9, 1996
TO APRIL 30, 1996, THE EXPENSE RATIO WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A
SHARES, 28.6% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, FOR THE PERIOD
MARCH 25, 1996 TO APRIL 30, 1996 TO 29.30% (ANNUALIZED); AND WITH RESPECT TO
CLASS C SHARES 29.30% (ANNUALIZED).
(e) IF SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSES, THE RATIO
OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A
SHARES 1.40% FOR 1996; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.10% FOR 1996; AND WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES 2.10% FOR 1996. IF LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT HAD
NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSES, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD
HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.42% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992, 1.33%
FOR 1993, 1.20% FOR 1994, 1.41% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 1996
1.61% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.10% (ANNUALIZED) FOR
1992, 2.07% FOR 1993, 1.91% FOR 1994, 2.11% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED
MAY 31, 1996 2.33% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 1.74%
(ANNUALIZED), FOR 1993, 1.89% FOR 1994, 2.10% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD
ENDED MAY 31, 1996 2.32% (ANNUALIZED). IF MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND HAD
NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSE THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD
HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES .97% FOR 1994, 1.03% FOR 1995, AND FOR
THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 1.02% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B
SHARES, 1.68% FOR 1994, 1.74% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1996
1.73% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES 1.69% FOR 1994, 1.73% FOR
1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 1.72% (ANNUALIZED).
(f) INCLUDES INTEREST EXPENSES. IF MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY HAD NOT BORNE
INTEREST EXPENSES OR LOAN FEES, THE RATIO OF EXPENSES TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS
WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.33% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991,
1.33% FOR 1992, 1.40% FOR 1993, 1.30% FOR 1994, 1.55% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED APRIL 30, 1996 1.59% (ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES,
2.05% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991, 2.05% FOR 1992, 2.11% FOR 1993, 2.01% FOR 1994,
2.22% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED APRIL 30, 1996 2.30% (ANNUALIZED);
WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 2.11% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 1.99% FOR 1994,
2.24% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED APRIL 30, 1996 2.29% (ANNUALIZED). IF
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME HAD NOT BORNE INTEREST EXPENSES, THE RATIO OF
EXPENSES (NET OF INTEREST EXPENSES) TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 1.66% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992, 1.33% FOR 1993, 1.37%
FOR 1994, 1.51% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY 31, 1996 1.46%
(ANNUALIZED); WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 2.35% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1992,
2.04% FOR 1993, 2.07% FOR 1994, 2.22% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MAY
31, 1996 2.17% (ANNUALIZED); AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 2.04%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993, 2.06% FOR 1994, 2.21% FOR 1995, AND FOR THE PERIOD ENDED
MAY 31, 1996 2.16% (ANNUALIZED).
(g) INCLUDES LOAN FEES. IF MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY HAD NOT INCURRED LOAN FEES,
THE RATIO OF NET INVESTMENT INCOME TO AVERAGE NET ASSETS WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
RESPECT TO CLASS A SHARES, 11.65% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991, 11.78% FOR 1992 AND
9.73% FOR 1993; WITH RESPECT TO CLASS B SHARES, 10.88% (ANNUALIZED) FOR 1991,
11.02% FOR 1992 AND 8.99% FOR 1993; AND WITH RESPECT TO CLASS C SHARES, 7.50%
(ANNUALIZED) FOR 1993.
(h) BASED ON AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING.
(i) NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD FOR CLASS C SHARES WERE $102.
14
GLOSSARY
_______________________________________________________________________________
The following terms are frequently used in this Prospectus. Many of these terms
are explained in greater detail under "Description of the Funds-Additional
Investment Practices" and in Appendix A.
BONDS are fixed, floating and variable rate debt obligations.
DEBT SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, notes, bills and repurchase agreements.
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES are debt securities, convertible securities and
preferred stocks and include floating rate and variable rate instruments.
Fixed-income securities may be rated (or if unrated, for purposes of the Funds'
investment policies may be determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality
to those rated) TRIPLE-A (Aaa or AAA), HIGH QUALITY (Aa or AA or above), HIGH
GRADE (A or above) or INVESTMENT GRADE (Baa or BBB or above) by, as the case
may be, Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps or Fitch, or may be lower-rated securities,
as defined below. In the case of "split-rated" fixed-income securities (i.e.,
securities assigned non-equivalent credit quality ratings, such as Baa by
Moody's but BB by S&P, or, to take another example, Ba by Moody's and BB by S&P
but B by Fitch), a Fund will use the rating deemed by Alliance to be the most
appropriate under the circumstances.
LOWER-RATED SECURITIES are fixed-income securities rated Ba or BB or below, or
determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality, and are commonly referred
to as "junk bonds."
EQUITY SECURITIES are common and preferred stocks, securities convertible into
common and preferred stocks, and rights and warrants to subscribe for the
purchase of common and preferred stocks.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES are bonds, debentures, corporate notes and preferred
stocks that are convertible into common and preferred stock.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. These securities include
securities backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, those
supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury and those
backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. The first category
includes U.S. TREASURY SECURITIES (which are U.S. Treasury bills, notes and
bonds) and certificates issued by GNMA (see below). U.S. Government securities
not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States include
certificates issued by FNMA and FHLMC (see below).
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES are pools of mortgage loans that are assembled for
sale to investors (such as mutual funds) by various governmental,
government-related and private organizations. These securities include:
ARMS, which are adjustable-rate mortgage securities;
SMRS, which are stripped mortgage-related securities;
CMOS, which are collateralized mortgage obligations;
GNMA CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Government National
Mortgage Association;
FNMA CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Federal National
Mortgage Association; and
FHLMC CERTIFICATES, which are securities issued by the Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation.
INTEREST-ONLY or IO securities are debt securities that receive only the
interest payments on an underlying debt that has been structured to have two
classes, one of which is the IO class and the other of which is the
PRINCIPAL-ONLY or PO class, which class receives only the principal payments on
the underlying debt obligation. POs are similar to, and are sometimes referred
to as, ZERO COUPON SECURITIES, which are debt securities issued without
interest coupons.
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are securities issued or guaranteed, as to
payment of principal and interest, by a foreign government or any of its
political subdivisions, authorities, agencies or instrumentalities.
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS are foreign government debt securities, loan
participations between foreign governments and financial institutions and
interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring
the investment characteristics of foreign government securities.
WORLD BANK is the commonly used name for the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development.
LIBOR is the London Interbank Offered Rate.
MOODY'S is Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
S&P is Standard & Poor's.
DUFF & PHELPS is Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co.
FITCH is Fitch Investors Service, L.P.
PRIME COMMERCIAL PAPER is commercial paper rated Prime-1 or higher by Moody's,
A-1 or higher by S&P, Fitch-1 by Fitch or Duff 1 by Duff & Phelps. HIGHER
QUALITY COMMERCIAL PAPER is commercial paper rated at least Prime-2 by Moody's,
A-2 by S&P, Fitch-2 by Fitch or Duff 2 by Duff & Phelps.
QUALIFYING BANK DEPOSITS are certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and
interest-bearing savings deposits of banks having total assets of more than $1
billion and which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
RULE 144A SECURITIES are securities that may be resold pursuant to Rule 144A
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT").
1940 ACT is the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
CODE is the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
COMMISSION is the Securities and Exchange Commission.
15
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
Except as noted, (i) the Funds' investment objectives are "fundamental" and
cannot be changed without a shareholder vote, and (ii) the Funds' investment
policies are not fundamental and thus can be changed without a shareholder
vote. No Fund will change a non-fundamental objective or policy without
notifying its shareholders. There is no guarantee that any Fund will achieve
its investment objective.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS
The U.S. Government Funds are diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors high current income consistent with preservation of
capital by investing primarily in U.S. Government securities.
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund ("Short-Term U.S. Government") seeks
high current income consistent with preservation of capital by investing
primarily in a portfolio of U.S. Government securities. Under normal
circumstances, the Fund maintains an average dollar-weighted portfolio maturity
of not more than three years and invests at least 65% of its total assets in
U.S. Government securities and repurchase agreements and forward commitments
relating to U.S. Government securities. In periods of rising interest rates
the Fund may, to the extent it invests in mortgage-related securities, be
subject to the risk that its average dollar-weighted portfolio maturity may be
extended as a result of lower than anticipated prepayment rates. See
"Additional Investment Practices - Mortgage-Related Securities." The Fund's
investment objective is not fundamental.
In addition to investing in U.S. Government securities, the Fund may invest a
portion of its assets in securities of non-governmental issuers. Although these
investments will be of high quality at the time of purchase, they generally
involve higher levels of credit risk than do U.S. Government securities, as
well as the risk (present with all fixed-income securities) of fluctuations in
value as interest rates change. The Fund will not be obligated to dispose of
any security whose credit quality falls below high quality.
The Fund may also (i) invest in certain SMRS, (ii) invest in variable, floating
and inverse floating rate instruments, (iii) make short sales "against the
box," (iv) enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest rate
swaps, caps and floors, (v) enter into reverse repurchase agreements, (vi)
purchase and sell futures contracts for hedging purposes, (vii) purchase and
sell call and put options on futures contracts or on securities, for hedging
purposes or to earn additional income, (viii) make secured loans of portfolio
securities, (ix) enter into repurchase agreements, and (x) purchase securities
for future delivery. The Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets
in securities the disposition of which is restricted under Federal securities
laws (excluding, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Rule 144A
securities). For additional information on the use, risks and costs of these
practices, see "Additional Investment Practices."
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
U.S. Government Portfolio ("U.S. Government") seeks as high a level of current
income as is consistent with safety of principal. As a matter of fundamental
policy, the Fund pursues its objective by investing solely in U.S. Government
securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
These include U.S. Treasury securities, including zero coupon Treasury
securities, and GNMA certificates, including certain SMRS and variable and
floating rate instruments. The average weighted maturity of the Fund's
portfolio of U.S. Government securities is expected to vary between one year or
less and 30 years. For additional information on the use, risks and cost of
these practices, see "Additional Investment Practices." The Fund's investment
objective is not fundamental.
Counsel to the Fund has advised the Fund that, in their view, shares of the
Fund are a legal investment for, among other investors, (i) savings and loan
associations and commercial banks chartered under the laws of the United
States, (ii) savings and loan associations chartered under the laws of
Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut*, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii*, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota* and Texas, (iii) credit unions
chartered under the laws of California, Florida*, Illinois, Kentucky,
Maine, Maryland*, Nevada*, New York, Ohio*, Pennsylvania*, Utah and West
Virginia, and (iv) commercial banks chartered under the laws of Alabama,
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut*, Delaware, Florida,
Hawaii*, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina*, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. Institutions
in the asterisked(*) states should obtain prior state regulatory approval
before investing in shares of the Fund. In addition, the Fund believes that it
is currently a legal investment for savings and loan associations, credit
unions and commercial banks chartered under the laws of certain other states.
ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc. ("Limited Maturity Government")
seeks the highest level of current income, consistent with low volatility of
net asset value. As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund normally has at
least 65% of the value of its total assets invested in U.S. Government
securities, including mortgage-related securities, and repurchase agreements
relating to U.S. Government securities. For a description of these securities,
see "Additional Investment Practices."
In pursuing its investment objective and policies, the Fund takes advantage of
a wide range of maturities of debt securities and adjusts the dollar-weighted
average maturity of
16
its portfolio from time to time, depending on its assessment of relative yields
on securities of different maturities and the expected effect of future changes
in interest rates on the market value of the Fund's portfolio. At all times,
however, each security held by the Fund has either a remaining maturity of not
more than ten years or a duration not exceeding that of a ten-year Treasury
note. Duration is a measure that relates the price volatility of a security to
changes in interest rates. The duration of a debt security is the weighted
average term to maturity, expressed in years, of the present value of all
future cash flows, including coupon payments and principal repayments. Thus, by
definition, duration is always less than or equal to full maturity.
The Fund believes that because of the nature of its assets, it is not exposed
to any material risk of loss as a result of default on its portfolio
securities. The Fund is, however, exposed to the risk that the prices of such
securities will fluctuate, in some cases significantly, as interest rates
change.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in (i) high quality
asset-backed securities, including mortgage-related securities that are not
U.S. Government securities, (ii) Treasury securities issued by private
corporate issuers, (iii) certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and
interest-bearing savings deposits of domestic and foreign banks having total
assets of more than $1 billion, (iv) higher quality commercial paper or, if not
rated, issued by companies that have outstanding high quality debt issues and
(v) high quality debt securities of corporate issuers.
The Fund may also (i) enter into futures contracts and purchase and write
options on futures contracts, (ii) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (iii) enter into interest rate swaps, caps and
floors, (iv) invest in Eurodollar instruments, (v) purchase and write put and
call options on foreign currencies, (vi) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (vii) enter into repurchase agreements
pertaining to the types of securities in which it invests, (viii) use reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls and (ix) make secured loans of its
portfolio securities. For additional information on the use, risks and costs of
these investment practices, see "Additional Investment Practices."
The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its total assets in debt
securities denominated in U.S. Dollars or in foreign currencies and issued or
guaranteed by foreign governments or issued by foreign non-governmental
issuers, provided that such foreign debt securities are of high quality. The
percentage of the Fund's assets invested in foreign debt securities will vary
and its portfolio of foreign debt securities may include those of a number of
foreign countries or, depending upon market conditions, those of a single
country. See "Risk Considerations-Foreign Investment."
MORTGAGE FUND
ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc. ("Mortgage Securities Income")
is a diversified investment company that seeks a high level of current income
to the extent consistent with prudent investment risk. The Fund invests
primarily in a diversified portfolio of mortgage-related securities, including
CMOs, and, as a matter of fundamental policy, maintains at least 65% of its
total assets in mortgage-related securities.
The Fund expects that governmental, government-related or private entities may
create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to
those described in this Prospectus. The mortgages underlying these securities
may be instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms
to maturity may differ from customary long-term fixed-rate mortgages. As new
types of mortgage-related securities are developed and offered to investors,
the Fund will consider making investments in such new types of securities. The
Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in lower-rated mortgage-related
securities. See "Risk Considerations-Securities Ratings" and "-Investment in
Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities." The average weighted maturity of the
Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is expected to vary between two and
ten years.
The Fund may invest up to 35% of the value of its total assets in (i) U.S.
Government securities, (ii) qualifying bank deposits, (iii) prime commercial
paper or, if not rated, issued by companies which have an outstanding high
quality debt issue, (iv) high grade debt securities secured by mortgages on
commercial real estate or residential rental properties, and (v) high grade
asset-backed securities.
The Fund may also (i) invest in repurchase agreements pertaining to the types
of securities in which it invests, (ii) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (iii) purchase put and call options written by
others and write covered put and call options on the types of securities in
which the Fund may invest for hedging purposes, (iv) enter into interest rate
swaps, caps and floors, (v) enter into interest rate futures contracts, (vi)
invest in variable floating and inverse floating rate instruments, and (vii)
lend portfolio securities. The Fund will not invest in illiquid securities if,
as a result, more than 10% of its total assets would be illiquid. For
additional information on the use, risk and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices."
MULTI-MARKET FUNDS
The Multi-Market Funds are non-diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors a higher yield than a money market fund and less
fluctuation in net asset value than a longer-term bond fund.
ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET TRUST
ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc. ("World Income"), Alliance Short-Term Multi-
Market Trust, Inc. ("Short-Term Multi-Market") and Alliance Multi-Market
Strategy Trust, Inc. ("Multi-Market Strategy") each seek the highest level of
current income, consistent with what Alliance considers to be prudent
investment risk, that is available from a portfolio of high quality
17
debt securities having remaining maturities of not more than, with respect to
WORLD INCOME, one year, with respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, three years,
and with respect to MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, five years. Each Fund seeks high
current yields by investing in a portfolio of debt securities denominated in
the U.S. Dollar and selected foreign currencies. The Multi-Market Funds seek
investment opportunities in foreign, as well as domestic, securities markets.
WORLD INCOME, which is not a money market fund, will maintain at least 35% of
its net assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET
will normally maintain a substantial portion of its assets in debt securities
denominated in foreign currencies, but will invest at least 25% of its net
assets in U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY normally
expects to maintain at least 70% of its assets in debt securities denominated
in foreign currencies.
In pursuing their investment objectives, the Multi-Market Funds seek to
minimize credit risk and fluctuations in net asset value by investing only in
short-term debt securities. Normally, a high proportion of these Funds'
portfolios consists of money market instruments. Alliance actively manages the
Multi-Market Funds' portfolios in accordance with a multi-market investment
strategy, allocating a Fund's investments among securities denominated in the
U.S. Dollar and the currencies of a number of foreign countries and, within
each such country, among different types of debt securities. Alliance adjusts
each Multi-Market Fund's exposure to each currency such that the percentage of
assets invested in securities of a particular country or denominated in a
particular currency varies in accordance with Alliance's assessment of the
relative yield and appreciation potential of such securities and the relative
strength of a country's currency. Fundamental economic strength, credit quality
and interest rate trends are the principal factors considered by Alliance in
determining whether to increase or decrease the emphasis placed upon a
particular type of security or industry sector within a Fund's investment
portfolio. None of the Multi-Market Funds invests more than 25% of its net
assets in debt securities denominated in a single currency other than the U.S.
Dollar.
The returns available from short-term foreign currency-denominated debt
instruments can be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates. Alliance
believes that the use of foreign currency hedging techniques, including
"cross-hedges" (see "Additional Investment Practices-Forward Foreign Currency
Exchange Contracts"), can help protect against declines in the U.S. Dollar
value of income available for distribution to shareholders and declines in the
net asset value of a Fund's shares resulting from adverse changes in currency
exchange rates. For example, the return available from securities denominated
in a particular foreign currency would diminish in the event the value of the
U.S. Dollar increased against such currency. Such a decline could be partially
or completely offset by an increase in value of a cross-hedge involving a
forward exchange contract to sell a different foreign currency, where such
contract is available on terms more advantageous to a Fund than a contract to
sell the currency in which the position being hedged is denominated. It is
Alliance's belief that cross-hedges can therefore provide significant
protection of net asset value in the event of a general rise in the U.S. Dollar
against foreign currencies. However, a cross-hedge cannot protect against
exchange rate risks perfectly, and if Alliance is incorrect in its judgment of
future exchange rate relationships, a Fund could be in a less advantageous
position than if such a hedge had not been established.
Each Multi-Market Fund invests in debt securities denominated in the currencies
of countries whose governments are considered stable by Alliance. In addition
to the U.S. Dollar, such currencies include, among others, the Australian
Dollar, Austrian Schilling, British Pound Sterling, Canadian Dollar, Danish
Krone, Dutch Guilder, European Currency Unit ("ECU"), French Franc, Irish
Pound, Italian Lira, Japanese Yen, Mexican Peso, New Zealand Dollar, Norwegian
Krone, Spanish Peseta, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc and German Mark.
An issuer of debt securities purchased by a Multi-Market Fund may be domiciled
in a country other than the country in whose currency the instrument is
denominated. In addition, the Funds may purchase debt securities (sometimes
referred to as "linked" securities) that are denominated in one currency while
the principal amounts of, and value of interest payments on, such securities
are determined with reference to another currency. In this regard, as of the
date of this Prospectus each Fund has invested in U.S. Dollar denominated
securities issued by Mexican issuers and/or Peso-linked securities. The value
of these investments may fluctuate inversely in correlation with changes in the
Peso-U.S. Dollar exchange rate and with the general level of interest rates in
Mexico. For a general description of Mexico, see Appendix B and each
Multi-Market Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Each Multi-Market Fund may invest in debt securities denominated in the ECU,
which is a "basket" consisting of specified amounts of the currencies of
certain of the member states of the European Union, a fifteen-nation
organization engaged in cooperative economic activities. The specific amounts
of currencies comprising the ECU may be adjusted by the Council of Ministers of
the European Union to reflect changes in relative values of the underlying
currencies.
Each Multi-Market Fund may invest in debt securities issued by supranational
organizations including the World Bank, which was chartered to finance
development projects in developing member countries; the European Union; the
European Coal and Steel Community, which is an economic union of various
European nations' steel and coal industries; and the Asian Development Bank,
which is an international development bank established to lend funds, promote
investment and provide technical assistance to member nations in the Asian and
Pacific regions.
Each Multi-Market Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting its
portfolio investments to debt securities of high quality, and WORLD INCOME will
invest 65% (and normally substantially all) of its total assets in high quality
income-producing debt securities. Accordingly, the Multi-Market Funds'
portfolio securities will consist of (i) U.S. Government
18
securities, (ii) high quality foreign government securities, (iii) obligations
issued by supranational entities and corporate debt securities having a
triple-A rating, with respect to WORLD INCOME, or a high quality rating, with
respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, (iv) certificates
of deposit and bankers' acceptances issued or guaranteed by, or time deposits
maintained at, banks (including foreign branches of foreign banks) having total
assets of more than $1 billion, with respect to WORLD INCOME, or $500 million,
with respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, and
determined by Alliance to be of high quality, and (v) prime commercial paper or
unrated commercial paper determined by Alliance to be of equivalent quality and
issued by U.S. or foreign companies having outstanding: in the case of WORLD
INCOME, triple-A debt securities; in the case of MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, high
quality debt securities; and in the case of SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, high grade
debt securities.
As a matter of fundamental policy, each Multi-Market Fund concentrates at least
25% of its total assets in debt instruments issued by domestic and foreign
companies engaged in the banking industry, including bank holding companies.
Such investments may include certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers'
acceptances, and obligations issued by bank holding companies, as well as
repurchase agreements entered into with banks (as distinct from non-banks) in
accordance with the policies set forth with respect to the Funds in "Additional
Investment Practices-Repurchase Agreements." See "Risk
Considerations-Investment in the Banking Industry."
Each Multi-Market Fund may also (i) invest in indexed commercial paper, (ii)
enter into futures contracts and purchase and write options on futures
contracts, (iii) purchase and write put and call options on foreign currencies,
(iv) purchase or sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts, (v) with
respect to SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET and MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, enter into
interest rate swaps, caps and floors, (vi) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (vii) make secured loans of its portfolio
securities, and (viii) enter into repurchase agreements. A Multi-Market Fund
will not invest in illiquid securities if, as a result, more than 10% of its
assets would be so invested. For additional information on the use, risks and
costs of these practices, see "Additional Investment Practices." MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY maintains borrowings of approximately 25% of its total assets less
liabilities (other than the amount borrowed). See "Risk Considerations-Effects
of Borrowing."
GLOBAL BOND FUNDS
The Global Bond Funds are non-diversified investment companies that have been
designed to offer investors a high level of current income through investments
primarily in foreign government securities.
ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
Alliance North American Government Income Trust, Inc. ("North American
Government Income") seeks the highest level of current income, consistent with
what Alliance considers to be prudent investment risk, that is available from a
portfolio of debt securities issued or guaranteed by the United States, Canada
and Mexico, their political subdivisions (including Canadian provinces but
excluding states of the United States), agencies, instrumentalities or
authorities ("Government securities"). The Fund invests in investment grade
securities denominated in the U.S. Dollar, the Canadian Dollar and the Mexican
Peso and expects to maintain at least 25% of its assets in securities
denominated in the U.S. Dollar. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of
its total assets in debt securities issued by governmental entities of
Argentina ("Argentine Government securities"). The Fund expects that it will
not retain a debt security which is down graded below BBB or Baa, or, if
unrated, determined by Alliance to have undergone similar credit quality
deterioration, subsequent to purchase by the Fund. There may be circumstances,
however, such as the downgrading to below investment grade of all of the
securities of a governmental issuer in one of the countries in which the Fund
has substantial investments, under which the Fund, after considering all the
circumstances, would conclude that it is in the best interests of the
shareholders to retain its holdings in securities of that issuer. The average
weighted maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is
expected to vary between one year or less and 30 years.
Alliance believes that the increasingly integrated economic relationship among
the United States, Canada and Mexico, characterized by the reduction and
projected elimination of most barriers to free trade among the three nations
and the growing coordination of their fiscal and monetary policies, will over
the long term benefit the economic performance of all three countries and
promote greater correlation of currency fluctuation among the U.S. and Canadian
Dollars and the Mexican Peso. See, however, Appendix B and the Fund's Statement
of Additional Information with respect to the current state of the Mexican
economy.
Alliance will actively manage the Fund's assets in relation to market
conditions and general economic conditions and adjust the Fund's investments in
an effort to best enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective. Thus,
the percentage of the Fund's assets invested in a particular country or
denominated in a particular currency will vary in accordance with Alliance's
assessment of the relative yield and appreciation potential of such securities
and the relationship of the country's currency to the U.S. Dollar. The Fund
invests at least, and normally substantially more than, 65% of its total assets
in Government securities. To the extent that its assets are not invested in
Government securities, however, the Fund may invest the balance of its total
assets in investment grade debt securities issued by the governments of
countries located in Central and South America or any of their political
subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, provided that such
securities are denominated in their local currencies. The Fund will not invest
more than 10% of its total assets in debt securities issued by the governmental
entities of any one such country, except that the Fund may invest up to 25% of
its total assets in Argentine Government securities. The Fund will normally
invest at least 65% of its total assets in income-producing securities. For a
general description of Canada, Mexico and Argentina, see Appendix B and the
Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
19
Canadian Government securities include the sovereign debt of Canada or any of
its provinces and Government of Canada bonds and Government of Canada Treasury
bills. Canada Treasury bills are debt obligations with maturities of less than
one year. A new issue of Government of Canada bonds frequently consists of
several different bonds with maturities ranging from one to 25 years.
All Canadian provinces have outstanding bond issues and several provinces also
guarantee bond issues of provincial authorities, agents and Crown corporations.
Each new issue yield is based upon a spread from an outstanding Government of
Canada issue of comparable term and coupon. Many Canadian municipalities,
municipal financial authorities and Crown corporations raise funds through the
bond market in order to finance capital expenditures. Unlike U.S. municipal
securities, which have special tax status, Canadian municipal securities have
the same tax status as other Canadian Government securities and trade similarly
to such securities. The Canadian municipal market may be less liquid than the
provincial bond market.
Canadian Government securities in which the Fund may invest include a modified
pass-through vehicle issued pursuant to the program established under the
National Housing Act of Canada. Certificates issued pursuant to this program
benefit from the guarantee of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a
federal Crown corporation that is (except for certain limited purposes) an
agency of the Government of Canada whose guarantee is an unconditional
obligation of the Government of Canada in most circumstances (similar to that
of GNMA in the United States).
Mexican Government securities denominated and payable in the Mexican Peso
include (i) Cetes, which are book-entry securities sold directly by the Mexican
Government on a discount basis and with maturities that range from seven to 364
days, (ii) Bonds, which are long-term development bonds issued directly by the
Mexican Government with a minimum term of 364 days, and (iii) Ajustabonos,
which are adjustable-rate bonds with a minimum three-year term issued directly
by the Mexican Government with the face amount adjusted each quarter by the
quarterly inflation rate.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in Argentine Government
securities that are denominated and payable in the Argentine Peso. Argentine
Government securities include (i) Bono de Inversion y Crecimiento ("BIC"),
which are investment and growth bonds issued directly by the Argentine
Government with maturities of up to ten years, (ii) Bono de Consolidacion
Economica ("BOCON"), which are economic consolidation bonds issued directly by
the Argentine Government with maturities of up to ten years and (iii) Bono de
Credito a la Exportacion ("BOCREX"), which are export credit bonds issued
directly by the Argentine government with maturities of up to four years. To
date, Argentine Government securities are not rated by S&P, Moody's, Duff &
Phelps or Fitch. Alliance, however, believes, that there are Argentine
Government securities that are of investment grade quality.
The Fund may also (i) enter into futures contracts and purchase and write
options on futures contracts for hedging purposes, (ii) purchase and write put
and call options on foreign currencies, (iii) purchase or sell forward foreign
currency exchange contracts, (iv) write covered put and call options and
purchase put and call options on U.S. Government and foreign government
securities traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges, and write put and
call options for cross-hedging purposes, (v) enter into interest rate swaps,
caps and floors, (vi) enter into forward commitments for the purchase or sale
of securities, (vii) invest in variable, floating and inverse floating rate
instruments, (viii) make secured loans of its portfolio securities, and (ix)
enter into repurchase agreements. The Fund will not invest in illiquid
securities if, as a result, 10% of its net assets would be so invested. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices." The Fund also maintains borrowings of
approximately one-third of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than
the amount borrowed). See "Risk Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
ALLIANCE GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc. ("Global Dollar Government") seeks
primarily a high level of current income, and secondarily capital appreciation.
In seeking to achieve these objectives, the Fund invests at least 65% of its
total assets in sovereign debt obligations. The Fund's investments in sovereign
debt obligations will emphasize obligations of a type customarily referred to
as "Brady Bonds" that are issued as part of debt restructurings and that are
collateralized in full as to principal due at maturity by zero coupon U.S.
Government securities ("collateralized Brady Bonds"). See "Additional
Investment Practices-Brady Bonds" and "Risk Considerations-Sovereign Debt
Obligations." The Fund may also invest up to 35% of its total assets in U.S.
and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income securities. See "Risk Considerations-U.S.
Corporate Fixed-Income Securities." The Fund will limit its investments in
sovereign debt obligations and U.S. and non-U.S. corporate fixed-income
securities to U.S. Dollar-denominated securities. Alliance expects that,
based upon current market conditions, the Fund's portfolio of U.S.
fixed-income securities will have an average maturity range of approximately
nine to 15 years and the Fund's portfolio of non-U.S. fixed-income securities
will have an average maturity range of approximately 15 to 25 years. Alliance
anticipates that the Fund's portfolio of sovereign debt obligations will have a
longer average maturity.
Substantially all of the Fund's assets will be invested in lower-rated
securities, which may include securities having the lowest rating for
non-subordinated debt instruments (i.e., rated C by Moody's or CCC or lower by
S&P, Duff & Phelps and Fitch) and unrated securities of comparable investment
quality. These securities are considered to have extremely poor prospects of
ever attaining any real investment standing, to have a current identifiable
vulnerability to default, to be unlikely to have the
20
capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due in the event of adverse
business, financial or economic conditions, and/or to be in default or not
current in the payment of interest or principal. For a description of bond
ratings, see Appendix A. The Fund may also invest in investment grade
securities. Unrated securities will be considered for investment by the Fund
when Alliance believes that the financial condition of the issuers of such
obligations and the protection afforded by the terms of the obligations
themselves limit the risk to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated
securities which are consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and
policies. As of August 31, 1996, the percentages of the Fund's assets invested
in securities rated (or considered by Alliance to be of equivalent quality to
securities rated) in particular rating categories were 2% in A and above, 51%
in Ba or BB, 22% in B and 25% in non-rated. See "Risk Considerations-Securities
Ratings," "-Investment in Fixed-Income Securities Rated Baa and BBB,"
"-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities" and Appendix A.
With respect to its investments in sovereign debt obligations and non-U.S.
corporate fixed-income securities, the Fund will emphasize investments in
countries that are considered at the time of purchase to be emerging or
developing countries by the World Bank. A substantial part of the Fund's
investment focus is expected to be in securities or obligations of Argentina,
Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia and Venezuela because these
countries are now, or are expected by Alliance at a future date to be, the
principal participants in debt restructuring programs (including, in the case
of Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines and Venezuela, issuers of currently
outstanding Brady Bonds) that, in Alliance's opinion, will provide the most
attractive investment opportunities for the Fund. Alliance anticipates that
other countries that will provide investment opportunities for the Fund
include, among others, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Jordan, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Poland, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay. See
"Additional Investment Practices-Brady Bonds."
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in the sovereign debt
obligations and corporate fixed-income securities of issuers in any one of
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Russia or Venezuela, each
of which is an emerging market country, and the Fund will limit investments in
the sovereign debt obligations of each such country (or of any other single
foreign country) to less than 25% of its total assets. The Fund expects that it
will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in the sovereign debt
obligations and corporate fixed-income securities of issuers in any other
single foreign country and is not required to invest any minimum amount of its
assets in the securities or obligations of issuers located in any particular
country.
A substantial portion of the Fund's investments will be in (i) securities which
were initially issued at discounts from their face values ("Discount
Obligations") and (ii) securities purchased by the Fund at a price less than
their stated face amount or, in the case of Discount Obligations, at a price
less than their issue price plus the portion of "original issue discount"
previously accrued thereon, i.e., purchased at a "market discount."
The Fund may also (i) invest in structured securities, (ii) invest in fixed and
floating rate loans that are arranged through private negotiations between an
issuer of sovereign debt obligations and one or more financial institutions and
in participations in and assignments of these types of loans, (iii) invest in
other investment companies, (iv) invest in warrants, (v) enter into interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, (vi) enter into forward commitments for the
purchase or sale of securities, (vii) make secured loans of its portfolio
securities, (viii) enter into repurchase agreements pertaining to the types of
securities in which it invests, (ix) use reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls, (x) enter into standby commitment agreements, (xi) make short
sales of securities or maintain a short position, (xii) write put and call
options on securities of the types in which it is permitted to invest and write
call options for cross-hedging purposes, (xiii) purchase and sell
exchange-traded options on any securities index composed of the types of
securities in which it may invest, and (xiv) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments. The Fund may also at any time, with respect
to up to 35% of its total assets, temporarily invest funds awaiting
reinvestment or held for reserves for dividends and other distributions to
shareholders in U.S. Dollar-denominated money market instruments. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices." While the Fund does not currently intend to
do so, it reserves the right to borrow an amount not to exceed one-third of the
Fund's assets less liabilities (other than the amount borrowed). See "Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc. ("Global Strategic Income") is a
non-diversified investment company that seeks primarily a high level of current
income and secondarily capital appreciation. The Fund pursues its investment
objectives by investing primarily in a portfolio of fixed-income securities of
U.S. and non-U.S. companies and U.S. Government and foreign government
securities and supranational entities, including lower-rated securities. The
Fund may also use derivative instruments to attempt to enhance income. The
average weighted maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income securities is
expected to vary between 5 years and 30 years in accordance with Alliance's
changing perceptions of the relative attractiveness of various maturity ranges.
Under normal market conditions, at least 65% of the value of the Fund's total
assets will be invested in the fixed-income securities of issuers located in
three countries, one of which may be the United States. No more than 25% of the
value of its total assets, however, will be invested in the securities of any
one foreign government. U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest
include mortgage-related securities and zero coupon securities. Fixed-income
securities in which the Fund may invest include preferred stock,
mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, and zero coupon securities.
The Fund may also invest in rights and warrants (for debt securities or for
equity securities that are acquired in connection with debt instruments), and
loan participations and assignments.
21
The Fund will maintain at least 65% of the value of its total assets in
investment grade securities and may maintain not more than 35% of the value of
its total assets in lower-rated securities. See "Risk Considerations-Securities
Ratings" and "-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities." Unrated
securities will be considered for investment by the Fund when Alliance believes
that the financial condition of the issuers of such obligations and the
protection afforded by the terms of the obligations themselves limit the risk
to the Fund to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are
consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and policies. Lower-rated
securities in which the Fund may invest include Brady Bonds and fixed-income
securities of issuers located in emerging markets. There is no minimum rating
requirement applicable to the Fund's investments in lower-rated fixed-income
securities.
The Fund may also: (i) invest in foreign currencies, (ii) purchase and write
put and call options on securities and foreign currencies, (iii) purchase or
sell forward foreign exchange contracts, (iv) invest in variable, floating and
inverse floating rate instruments, (v) invest in indexed commercial paper, (vi)
invest in structured securities, (vii) lend portfolio securities amounting to
not more than 25% of its total assets, (viii) enter into repurchase agreements
pertaining to the types of securities in which it invests, (ix) use reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls, (x) purchase and sell securities on a
forward commitment basis, (xi) enter into standby commitments, (xii) enter into
contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of fixed-income
securities or foreign currencies, or contracts based on financial indices,
including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign government
securities or common stock, and purchase and write options on futures
contracts, (xiii) invest in Eurodollar instruments, (xiv) enter into interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, and (xv) make short sales of securities or
maintain a short position. For additional information on the use, risks and
costs of these policies and practices see "Additional Investment Practices" and
"Risk Consideration." The Fund may borrow in order to purchase securities or
make other investments, although it currently intends to limit its ability to
borrow to an amount not to exceed 25% of its total assets. See "Risk
Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
CORPORATE BOND FUND
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
Corporate Bond Portfolio ("Corporate Bond") is a diversified investment company
that seeks primarily to maximize income over the long term consistent with
providing reasonable safety in the value of each shareholder's investment, and
secondarily to increase its capital through appreciation of its investments in
order to preserve and, if possible, increase the purchasing power of each
shareholder's investment. In pursuing these objectives, the Fund's policy is to
invest in readily marketable securities which give promise of relatively
attractive yields, but which do not involve substantial risk of loss of
capital. The Fund follows a policy of maintaining at least 65% of its net
assets invested in debt securities. Such objectives and policies cannot be
changed without the approval of the shareholders. Although the Fund also
follows a policy of maintaining at least 65% of its total assets invested in
corporate bonds, it is permitted to invest in securities of non-corporate
issuers.
The Fund follows an investment strategy which in certain respects can be
regarded as more aggressive than the strategies of many other funds investing
primarily in corporate bonds. In this regard, the Fund's investment portfolio
normally tends to have a relatively long average maturity and duration, and to
place significant emphasis on both foreign corporate and sovereign debt
obligations and corporate bonds that are expected to benefit from improvement
in their issuers' credit fundamentals. Consequently, in recent years the Fund
frequently has experienced greater net asset value volatility than most other
corporate bond funds. Prospective investors in the Fund should therefore be
prepared to accept the degree of volatility associated with its investment
strategy. See "Risk Considerations."
There is no minimum rating requirement applicable to the Fund's investments in
fixed-income securities, except the Fund expects that it will not retain a
security that is downgraded below B, or if unrated, determined by Alliance to
have undergone similar credit quality deterioration subsequent to purchase.
Currently, the Fund believes its objectives and policies may best be
implemented by investing at least 65% of its total assets in fixed-income
securities considered investment grade or higher. The remainder of the Fund's
assets may be invested in lower-rated fixed-income securities. See "Risk
Considerations-Securities Ratings," "-Investment in Fixed-Income Securities
Rated Baa and BBB," "-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities" and
Appendix A. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1996, on a weighted average
basis, the percentages of the Fund's assets invested in securities rated (or
considered by Alliance to be of equivalent quality to securities rated) in
particular rating categories were 25% in A and above, 41% in Baa or BBB, 11% in
Ba or BB, and 7% in B. The Fund did not invest in securities rated below B by
each of Moody's, S&P, Duff & Phelps and Fitch or, if not rated, considered by
Alliance to be of equivalent quality to securities so rated.
The Fund may invest up to 50% of the value of its total assets in foreign debt
securities which will consist primarily of corporate fixed-income securities
and sovereign debt obligations. Not more than 15% of the Fund's total assets
may be invested in sovereign debt obligations in the form of foreign
government loan participations and assignments, which may be lower rated and
considered to be predominantly speculative as regards the issuer's capacity to
pay interest and repay principal. All of the Fund's investments, whether
foreign or domestic, are U.S. Dollar-denominated.
Within the foregoing limitations, the Fund has complete flexibility as to the
types of securities in which it will invest and the relative proportions
thereof, and the Fund plans to vary the proportions of its holdings of long-
and short-term fixed-income securities
22
and of equity securities in order to reflect its assessment of prospective
cyclical changes even if such action may adversely affect current income.
However, substantially all of the Fund's investments will be income producing.
The average weighted maturity of the Fund's portfolio of fixed-income
securities is expected to vary between one year or less and 30 years.
The Fund may also (i) invest in structured securities, (ii) invest in fixed and
floating rate loans that are arranged through private negotiations between an
issuer of sovereign debt obligations and one or more financial institutions and
in participations in and assignments of these type of loans, (iii) for hedging
purposes, purchase put and call options written by others and write covered put
and call options on the types of securities in which the Fund may invest, (iv)
for hedging purposes, enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest
rate swaps, caps and floors, (v) invest in variable, floating and inverse
floating rate instruments, (vi) invest in zero coupon and pay-in-kind
securities, and (vii) invest in CMOs and multi-class pass-through. As a matter
of fundamental policy, the Fund will not purchase illiquid securities. For
additional information on the use, risks and costs of these practices, see
"Additional Investment Practices."
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT PRACTICES
Some or all of the Funds may engage in the following investment practices to
the extent described in this Prospectus. See the Statement of Additional
Information of each Fund for a further discussion of the uses, risks and costs
of engaging in these practices.
DERIVATIVES. The Funds may use derivatives in furtherance of their investment
objectives. Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is
derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. These
assets, rates, and indices may include bonds, stocks, mortgages, commodities,
interest rates, currency exchange rates, bond indices and stock indices.
Derivatives can be used to earn income or protect against risk, or both. For
example, one party with unwanted risk may agree to pass that risk to another
party who is willing to accept the risk, the second party being motivated, for
example, by the desire either to earn income in the form of a fee or premium
from the first party, or to reduce its own unwanted risk by attempting to pass
all or part of that risk to the first party.
Derivatives can be used by investors such as the Funds to earn income and
enhance returns, to hedge or adjust the risk profile of a portfolio, and either
to replace more traditional direct investments or to obtain exposure to
otherwise inaccessible markets. Each of the Funds is permitted to use
derivatives for one or more of these purposes, although most of the Funds
generally use derivatives primarily as direct investments in order to enhance
yields and broaden portfolio diversification. Each of these uses entails
greater risk than if derivatives were used solely for hedging purposes.
Derivatives are a valuable tool which, when used properly, can provide
significant benefit to Fund shareholders. A Fund may take a significant
position in those derivatives that are within its investment policies if, in
Alliance's judgement, this represents the most effective response to current or
anticipated market conditions. The MULTI-MARKET FUNDS and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME in particular generally make extensive use of carefully selected
forwards and other derivatives to achieve the currency hedging that is an
integral part of their investment strategy. Alliance's use of derivatives is
subject to continuous risk assessment and control from the standpoint of each
Fund's investment objectives and policies.
Derivatives may be (i) standardized, exchange-traded contracts or (ii)
customized, privately negotiated contracts. Exchange-traded derivatives tend to
be more liquid and subject to less credit risk than those that are privately
negotiated.
There are four principal types of derivative instruments-options, futures,
forwards and swaps-from which virtually any type of derivative transaction can
be created.
. OPTIONS-An option, which may be standardized and exchange-traded, or
customized and privately negotiated, is an agreement that, for a premium
payment or fee, gives the option holder (the buyer) the right but not the
obligation to buy or sell the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount
based on an underlying asset, rate or index) at a specified price (the exercise
price) during a period of time or on a specified date. A call option entitles
the holder to purchase, while a put option entitles the holder to sell, the
underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an underlying asset,
rate or index). Likewise, when an option is exercised the writer of the option
would be obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or to purchase (in
the case of a put option) the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount
based on an underlying asset, rate or index).
. FUTURES-A futures contract is an agreement that obligates the buyer to buy
and the seller to sell a specified quantity of an underlying asset (or settle
for cash the value of a contract based on an underlying asset, rate or index)
at a specific price on the contract maturity date. Futures contracts are
standardized, exchange-traded instruments and are fungible (i.e., considered to
be perfect substitutes for each other). This fungibility allows futures
contracts to be readily offset or cancelled through the acquisition of equal
but opposite positions, which is the primary method in which futures contracts
are liquidated. A cash-settled futures contract does not require physical
delivery of the underlying asset but instead is settled for cash equal to the
difference between the values of the contract on the date it is entered into
and its maturity date.
. FORWARDS-A forward contract is an obligation by one party to buy, and the
other party to sell, a specific quantity of an underlying commodity or other
tangible asset for an agreed upon price at a future date. Forward contracts are
customized, privately negotiated agreements designed to satisfy the objectives
of each party. A forward contract usually results in the delivery of the
underlying asset upon maturity of the contract in return for the agreed upon
payment.
23
. SWAPS-A swap is a customized, privately negotiated agreement that obligates
two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals (payment
dates) based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or
rates (interest rates in the case of interest rate swaps, currency exchange
rates in the case of currency swaps) for a specified amount of an underlying
asset (the "notional" principal amount). The payment flows are netted against
each other, with the difference being paid by one party to the other. Except
for currency swaps, the notional principal amount is used solely to calculate
the payment streams but is not exchanged. With respect to currency swaps,
actual principal amounts of currencies may be exchanged by the counterparties
at the initiation, and again upon the termination, of the transaction.
Debt instruments that incorporate one or more of these building blocks for the
purpose of determining the principal amount of and/or rate of interest payable
on the debt instruments are often referred to as "structured securities." An
example of this type of structured security is indexed commercial paper. The
term is also used to describe certain securities issued in connection with the
restructuring of certain foreign obligations. See "Indexed Commercial Paper"
and "Structured Securities" below. The term "derivative" is also sometimes used
to describe securities involving rights to a portion of the cash flows from an
underlying pool of mortgages or other assets from which payments are passed
through to the owner of, or that collateralize, the securities. These
securities are described below under "Mortgage-Related Securities" and "Other
Asset-Backed Securities."
Derivatives involve risks different from, and, in certain cases, greater than,
the risks presented by more traditional investments. Following is a general
discussion of important risk factors and issues concerning the use of
derivatives that investors should understand before investing in a Fund.
. MARKET RISK-This is the general risk attendant to all investments that the
value of a particular investment will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's
interest.
. MANAGEMENT RISK-Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that
require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated
with stocks and bonds. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not
only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without
the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible
market conditions. In particular, the use and complexity of derivatives require
the maintenance of adequate controls to monitor the transactions entered into,
the ability to assess the risk that a derivative adds to a Fund's portfolio and
the ability to forecast price, interest rate or currency exchange rate
movements correctly.
. CREDIT RISK-This is the risk that a loss may be sustained by a Fund as a
result of the failure of another party to a derivative (usually referred to as
a "counterparty") to comply with the terms of the derivative contract. The
credit risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for
privately negotiated derivatives, since the clearing house, which is the issuer
or counterparty to each exchange-traded derivative, provides a guarantee of
performance. This guarantee is supported by a daily payment system (i.e.,
margin requirements) operated by the clearing house in order to reduce overall
credit risk. For privately negotiated derivatives, there is no similar clearing
agency guarantee. Therefore, the Funds consider the creditworthiness of each
counterparty to a privately negotiated derivative in evaluating potential
credit risk.
. LIQUIDITY RISK-Liquidity risk exists when a particular instrument is
difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly
large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many privately
negotiated derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or
liquidate a position at an advantageous price.
. LEVERAGE RISK-Since many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse
changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, rate or index can result
in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative
itself. In the case of swaps, the risk of loss generally is related to a
notional principal amount, even if the parties have not made any initial
investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss,
regardless of the size of the initial investment.
. OTHER RISKS-Other risks in using derivatives include the risk of mispricing
or improper valuation of derivatives and the inability of derivatives to
correlate perfectly with underlying assets, rates and indices. Many
derivatives, in particular privately negotiated derivatives, are complex and
often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash
payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a Fund.
Derivatives do not always perfectly or even highly correlate or track the value
of the assets, rates or indices they are designed to closely track.
Consequently, a Fund's use of derivatives may not always be an effective means
of, and sometimes could be counterproductive to, furthering the Fund's
investment objective.
DERIVATIVES USED BY THE FUNDS. Following is a description of specific
derivatives currently used by one or more of the Funds.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES. In purchasing an option on securities, a Fund would be
in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the
underlying securities increased (in the case of a call) or decreased (in the
case of a put) by an amount in excess of the premium paid; otherwise the Fund
would experience a loss not greater than the premium paid for the option. Thus,
a Fund would realize a loss if the price of the underlying security declined or
remained the same (in the case of a call) or increased or remained the same (in
the case of a put) or otherwise did not increase (in the case of a put) or
decrease (in the case of a call) by more than the amount of the premium. If a
put or call option purchased by a Fund were permitted to expire without being
sold or exercised, its premium would represent a loss to the Fund.
24
A Fund may write a put or call option in return for a premium, which is
retained by the Fund whether or not the option is exercised. Except with
respect to uncovered call options written for cross-hedging purposes, none of
the Funds will write uncovered call or put options on securities. A call option
written by a Fund is "covered" if the Fund owns the underlying security, has an
absolute and immediate right to acquire that security upon conversion or
exchange of another security it holds, or holds a call option on the underlying
security with an exercise price equal to or less than that of the call option
it has written. A put option written by a Fund is covered if the Fund holds a
put option on the underlying securities with an exercise price equal to or
greater than that of the put option it has written.
The risk involved in writing an uncovered put option is that there could be a
decrease in the market value of the underlying securities. If this occurred, a
Fund could be obligated to purchase the underlying security at a higher price
than its current market value. Conversely, the risk involved in writing an
uncovered call option is that there could be an increase in the market value of
the underlying security, and a Fund could be obligated to acquire the
underlying security at its current price and sell it at a lower price. The risk
of loss from writing an uncovered put option is limited to the exercise price
of the option, whereas the risk of loss from writing an uncovered call option
is potentially unlimited.
A Fund may write a call option on a security that it does not own in order to
hedge against a decline in the value of a security that it owns or has the
right to acquire, a technique referred to as "cross-hedging." A Fund would
write a call option for cross-hedging purposes, instead of writing a covered
call option, when the premium to be received from the cross-hedge transaction
exceeds that to be received from writing a covered call option, while at the
same time achieving the desired hedge. The correlation risk involved in
cross-hedging may be greater than the correlation risk involved with other
hedging strategies.
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and
CORPORATE BOND generally purchase or write privately negotiated options on
securities. A Fund that purchases or writes privately negotiated options on
securities will effect such transactions only with investment dealers and other
financial institutions (such as commercial banks or savings and loan
institutions) deemed creditworthy by Alliance, and Alliance has adopted
procedures for monitoring the creditworthiness of such counterparties.
Privately negotiated options purchased or written by a Fund may be illiquid,
and it may not be possible for the Fund to effect a closing transaction at an
advantageous time. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Neither MORTGAGE SECURITIES
INCOME nor CORPORATE BOND will purchase an option on a security if, immediately
thereafter, the aggregate cost of all outstanding options purchased by such
Fund would exceed 2% of the Fund's total assets. Nor will either such Fund
write an option if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate value of the Fund's
portfolio securities subject to outstanding options would exceed 15% of the
Fund's total assets.
OPTIONS ON SECURITIES INDICES. An option on a securities index is similar to an
option on a security except that, rather than taking or making delivery of a
security at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder
the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the
closing level of the chosen index is greater than (in the case of a call) or
less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option.
OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES. A Fund invests in options on foreign currencies
that are privately negotiated or traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges for the
purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. Dollar value of foreign
currency denominated portfolio securities and against increases in the U.S.
Dollar cost of securities to be acquired. The purchase of an option on a
foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against fluctuations in
exchange rates, although if rates move adversely, a Fund may forfeit the entire
amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.
RIGHTS AND WARRANTS. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest in warrants, and
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest in rights and warrants, which are option
securities permitting their holders to subscribe for other securities. GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest in warrants, and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may
invest in rights and warrants, for debt securities or for equity securities
that are acquired in connection with debt instruments. Rights are similar to
warrants except that they have a substantially shorter duration. Rights and
warrants do not carry with them dividend or voting rights with respect to the
underlying securities, or any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result,
an investment in rights and warrants may be considered more speculative than
certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a right or a
warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying
securities, and a right or a warrant ceases to have value if it is not
exercised prior to its expiration date. GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest up
to 20% of its total assets in rights and warrants.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. Futures contracts that a
Fund may buy and sell may include futures contracts on fixed-income or other
securities or foreign currencies, and contracts based on interest rates or
financial indices, including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign
government securities or corporate debt securities.
Options on futures contracts are options that call for the delivery upon
exercise of futures contracts. Options on futures contracts written or
purchased by a Fund will be traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges and, except
with respect to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, will be
used only for hedging purposes.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME will not enter into a futures contract or write or purchase an option
25
on a futures contract if immediately thereafter the market values of the
outstanding futures contracts of the Fund and the currencies and futures
contracts subject to outstanding options written by the Fund would exceed
50% of its total assets. MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME will not write or
purchase options on futures contracts. Nor will LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT,
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD INCOME,SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME or GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME enter
into a futures contract or, if otherwise permitted, write or purchase an
option on a futures contract if immediately thereafter the aggregate of
initial margin deposits on all the outstanding futures contracts of the Fund
and premiums paid on outstanding options on futures contracts would exceed 5%
of the market value of the total assets of the Fund. In addition, MORTGAGE
SECURITIES INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will not enter into any futures
contract (i) other than one on fixed-income securities or based on interest
rates, or (ii) if immediately thereafter the sum of the then aggregate futures
market prices of financial instruments required to be delivered under open
futures contract sales and the aggregate futures market prices of instruments
required to be delivered under open futures contract purchases would exceed
30% of the value of the Fund's total assets.
EURODOLLAR INSTRUMENTS. Eurodollar instruments are essentially U.S.
Dollar-denominated futures contracts or options thereon that are linked to
LIBOR. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate
for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME intend to use
Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in
LIBOR (to which many short-term borrowings and floating rate securities in
which each Fund invests are linked).
FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS. Each Fund that purchases or sells
forward contracts on foreign currencies ("forward contracts") attempts to
minimize the risk to it from adverse changes in the relationship between the
U.S. Dollar and other currencies. A Fund may enter into a forward contract, for
example, when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security
denominated in a foreign currency in order to "lock in" the U.S. Dollar price
of the security ("transaction hedge"). When a Fund believes that a foreign
currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. Dollar, it may enter
into a forward sale contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency
approximating the value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities
denominated in such foreign currency, or when the Fund believes that the U.S.
Dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it may
enter into a forward purchase contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed
dollar amount ("position hedge"). Instead of entering into a position hedge, a
Fund may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different
foreign currency for a fixed U.S. Dollar amount where the Fund believes that
the U.S. Dollar value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward
contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of the
currency in which portfolio securities of the Fund are denominated
("cross-hedge").
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. Forward commitments are forward contracts for the purchase
or sale of securities, including purchases on a "when-issued" basis or
purchases or sales on a "delayed delivery" basis. In some cases, a forward
commitment may be conditioned upon the occurrence of a subsequent event, such
as approval and consummation of a merger, corporate reorganization or debt
restructuring or approval of a proposed financing by appropriate authorities
(i.e., a "when, as and if issued" trade).
When forward commitments with respect to fixed-income securities are
negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at
the time the commitment is made, but payment for and delivery of the securities
take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within two
months after the transaction, but settlements beyond two months may be
negotiated. Securities purchased or sold under a forward commitment are subject
to market fluctuation, and no interest or dividends accrues to the purchaser
prior to the settlement date. At the time a Fund enters into a forward
commitment, it records the transaction and thereafter reflects the value of the
security purchased or, if a sale, the proceeds to be received, in determining
its net asset value. Any unrealized appreciation or depreciation reflected in
such valuation would be canceled if the required conditions did not occur and
the trade were canceled.
The use of forward commitments helps a Fund to protect against anticipated
changes in interest rates and prices. For instance, in periods of rising
interest rates and falling bond prices, a Fund might sell securities in its
portfolio on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling bond
prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising bond prices, a Fund
might sell a security in its portfolio and purchase the same or a similar
security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the
benefit of currently higher cash yields. No forward commitments will be made by
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT or GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME if, as a result, the Fund's aggregate
forward commitments under such transactions would be more than 25% of the total
assets of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and 30% of the total assets of each of the
other Funds.
A Fund's right to receive or deliver a security under a forward commitment may
be sold prior to the settlement date. The Funds enter into forward commitments,
however, only with the intention of actually receiving securities or delivering
them, as the case may be. If a Fund, however, chooses to dispose of the right
to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or dispose of its
right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it may incur a gain
or loss.
INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS (SWAPS, CAPS AND FLOORS). Each Fund that may enter
into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions expects to do so primarily
for hedging purposes, which may include preserving a return or spread on a
particular investment or portion of its portfolio or protecting against an
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Funds do not intend to use these transactions in a speculative manner.
26
Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their
respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of
floating rate payments for fixed rate payments) computed based on a
contractually-based principal (or "notional") amount. Interest rate swaps are
entered into on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with
the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the
two payments). Interest rate caps and floors are similar to options in that the
purchase of an interest rate cap or floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent
that a specified index exceeds (in the case of a cap) or falls below (in the
case of a floor) a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest
on a notional amount from the party selling the interest rate cap or floor. A
Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an
asset-based or liability-based basis, depending upon whether it is hedging its
assets or liabilities.
There is no limit on the amount of interest rate transactions that may be
entered into by a Fund that is permitted to enter into such transactions.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may enter into interest rate swaps involving
payments to the same currency or in different currencies. SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND will not enter
into an interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured
senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is then
rated in the highest rating category of at least one nationally recognized
rating organization. Each of SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY,
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will enter into
interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions with its respective custodian,
and with other counterparties, but only if: (i) for transactions with
maturities under one year, such other counterparty has outstanding prime
commercial paper; or (ii) for transactions with maturities greater than one
year, the counterparty has outstanding high quality debt securities.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of
banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents
utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has
become well established and relatively liquid. Caps and floors are less liquid
than swaps. These transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or
other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, unless there is a
counterparty default, the risk of loss to a Fund from interest rate
transactions is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is
contractually obligated to make.
STANDBY COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS. Standby commitment agreements are similar to put
options that commit a Fund, for a stated period of time, to purchase a stated
amount of a security that may be issued and sold to the Fund at the option of
the issuer. The price and coupon of the security are fixed at the time of the
commitment. At the time of entering into the agreement, the Fund is paid a
commitment fee regardless of whether the security ultimately is issued. The
Funds will enter into such agreements only for the purpose of investing in the
security underlying the commitment at a yield and price considered advantageous
and unavailable on a firm commitment basis. No Fund will enter into a standby
commitment with a remaining term in excess of 45 days. The Funds will limit
their investments in standby commitments so that the aggregate purchase price
of the securities subject to the commitments does not exceed 20% or 25% with
respect to GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, of their respective assets.
There is no guarantee that the security subject to a standby commitment will be
issued. In addition, the value of the security, if issued, on the delivery date
may be more or less than its purchase price. Since the issuance of the security
is at the option of the issuer, a Fund will bear the risk of capital loss in
the event the value of the security declines and may not benefit from an
appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period if the
issuer decides not to issue and sell the security to the Fund.
INDEXED COMMERCIAL PAPER. Indexed commercial paper may have its principal
linked to changes in foreign currency exchange rates whereby its principal
amount is adjusted upwards or downwards (but not below zero) at maturity to
reflect changes in the referenced exchange rate. Each Fund that invests in such
commercial paper may do so without limitation. A Fund will receive interest and
principal payments on such commercial paper in the currency in which such
commercial paper is denominated, but the amount of principal payable by the
issuer at maturity will change in proportion to the change (if any) in the
exchange rate between the two specified currencies between the date the
instrument is issued and the date the instrument matures. While such commercial
paper entails the risk of loss of principal, the potential for realizing gains
as a result of changes in foreign currency exchange rates enables a Fund to
hedge (or cross-hedge) against a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of
investments denominated in foreign currencies while providing an attractive
money market rate of return. A Fund will purchase such commercial paper for
hedging purposes only, not for speculation.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the
full faith and credit of the United States, supported only by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or backed only by the credit of the
issuing agency itself. These securities include:
(i) the following U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith
and credit of the United States and differ only in their interest rates,
maturities and times of issuance: U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year
or less with no interest paid and hence issued at a discount and repaid at full
face value upon maturity), U.S. Treasury
27
notes (maturities of one to ten years with interest payable every six months)
and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years with
interest payable every six months);
(ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and
instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Government, such as securities issued by GNMA, the Farmers Home Administration,
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Export-Import Bank, the
General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration; and
(iii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and
instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the
U.S. Government, such as securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC, and governmental
CMOs.
The maturities of the U.S. Government securities listed in paragraphs (i) and
(ii) above usually range from three months to 30 years. Such securities, except
GNMA certificates, normally provide for periodic payments of interest in fixed
amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. For
information regarding GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC certificates and CMOs, see
"Mortgage-Related Securities" below.
U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon securities and
principal-only securities and certain SMRS. In addition, other U.S. Government
agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar
to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an IO class and a
PO class. See "Mortgage-Related Securities" below and "Zero Coupon and
Principal-Only Securities" below. Although these stripped securities are
purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment
banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently
developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and,
accordingly, these securities may be illiquid.
Guarantees of securities by the U.S. Government or its agencies or
instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest on the
securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value or the yield or
value of the shares of a Fund that holds the securities.
U.S. Government securities are considered among the safest of fixed-income
investments. As a result, however, their yields are generally lower than the
yields available from other fixed-income securities.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES. The mortgage-related securities in which a Fund
may invest typically are securities representing interests in pools of mortgage
loans made to home owners. The mortgage loan pools may be assembled for sale to
investors (such as a Fund) by governmental or private organizations.
Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States; those issued by FNMA and FHLMC are not so backed.
Mortgage-related securities bear interest at either a fixed rate or an
adjustable rate determined by reference to an index rate. Mortgage-related
securities frequently provide for monthly payments that consist of both
interest and principal, unlike more traditional debt securities, which normally
do not provide for periodic repayments of principal.
Securities representing interests in pools created by private issuers generally
offer a higher rate of interest than securities representing interests in pools
created by governmental issuers because there are no direct or indirect
governmental guarantees of the underlying mortgage payments. However, private
issuers sometimes obtain committed loan facilities, lines of credit, letters of
credit, surety bonds or other forms of liquidity and credit enhancement to
support the timely payment of interest and principal with respect to their
securities if the borrowers on the underlying mortgages fail to make their
mortgage payments. The ratings of such non-governmental securities are
generally dependent upon the ratings of the providers of such liquidity and
credit support and would be adversely affected if the rating of such an
enhancer were downgraded. A Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without
credit enhancement if the securities meet the Fund's investment standards.
Although the market for mortgage-related securities is becoming increasingly
liquid, those of certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.
One type of mortgage-related security is of the "pass-through" variety. The
holder of a pass-through security is considered to own an undivided beneficial
interest in the underlying pool of mortgage loans and receives a pro rata share
of the monthly payments made by the borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of
any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities. Prepayments of
mortgages resulting from the sale, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying
properties are also paid to the holders of these securities, which, as
discussed below, frequently causes these securities to experience significantly
greater price and yield volatility than experienced by traditional fixed-income
securities. Some mortgage-related securities, such as securities issued by
GNMA, are referred to as "modified pass-through" securities. The holders of
these securities are entitled to the full and timely payment of principal and
interest, net of certain fees, regardless of whether payments are actually made
on the underlying mortgages. Another form of mortgage-related security is a
"pay-through" security, which is a debt obligation of the issuer secured by a
pool of mortgage loans pledged as collateral that is legally required to be
paid by the issuer regardless of whether payments are actually made on the
underlying mortgages.
Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) are the predominant type of
"pay-through" mortgage-related security. In a CMO, a series of bonds or
certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of a CMO, often referred
to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated
maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral
underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than the
stated maturities or final distribution dates. The principal and interest on
the underlying mortgages may be
28
allocated among several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. In a common
structure, payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the
underlying mortgages are applied to the classes of the series of a CMO in the
order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates, so
that no payment of principal will be made on any class of a CMO until all other
classes having an earlier stated maturity or final distribution date have been
paid in full. One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates that reset
periodically, or "float", at a specified increment over an index such as LIBOR.
Floating-rate CMOs may be backed by fixed or adjustable rate mortgages. To
date, fixed-rate mortgages have been more commonly utilized for this purpose.
Floating-rate CMOs are typically issued with lifetime caps on the coupon rate
thereon. These caps, similar to the caps on adjustable-rate mortgages described
below, represent a ceiling beyond which the coupon rate on a floating-rate CMO
may not be increased regardless of increases in the interest rate index to
which the floating-rate CMO is tied. The collateral securing the CMOs may
consist of a pool of mortgages, but may also consist of mortgage-backed bonds
or pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by a U.S. Government
instrumentality or agency or by a private issuer. Although payment of the
principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately
issued CMOs may be guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC, these CMOs represent
obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by
GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC, any other governmental agency or any other person or entity.
Another type of mortgage-related security, known as adjustable-rate mortgage
securities (ARMS), bears interest at a rate determined by reference to a
predetermined interest rate or index. There are two main categories of rates or
indices: (i) rates based on the yield on U.S. Treasury securities and (ii)
indices derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a
moving average of mortgage rates. Some rates and indices closely mirror changes
in market interest rate levels, while others tend to lag changes in market rate
levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
ARMS may be secured by adjustable-rate mortgages or fixed-rate mortgages. ARMS
secured by fixed-rate mortgages generally have lifetime caps on the coupon
rates of the securities. To the extent that general interest rates increase
faster than the interest rates on the ARMS, these ARMS will decline in value.
The adjustable-rate mortgages that secure ARMS will frequently have caps that
limit the maximum amount by which the interest rate or the monthly principal
and interest payments on the mortgages may increase. These payment caps can
result in negative amortization (i.e., an increase in the balance of the
mortgage loan). Furthermore, since many adjustable-rate mortgages only reset on
an annual basis, the values of ARMS tend to fluctuate to the extent that
changes in prevailing interest rates are not immediately reflected in the
interest rates payable on the underlying adjustable-rate mortgages.
Stripped mortgage-related securities (SMRS) are mortgage-related securities
that are usually structured with two classes of securities collateralized by a
pool of mortgages or a pool of mortgaged-backed bonds or pass-through
securities, with each class receiving different proportions of the principal
and interest payments from the underlying assets. A common type of SMRS has one
class of interest-only securities (IOs) receiving all of the interest payments
from the underlying assets; while the other class of securities, principal-only
securities (POs), receives all of the principal payments from the underlying
assets. IOs and POs are extremely sensitive to interest rate changes and are
more volatile than mortgage-related securities that are not stripped. IOs tend
to decrease in value as interest rates decrease, while POs generally increase
in value as interest rates decrease. If prepayments of the underlying mortgages
are greater than anticipated, the amount of interest earned on the overall pool
will decrease due to the decreasing principal balance of the assets. Changes in
the values of IOs and POs can be substantial and occur quickly, such as
occurred in the first half of 1994 when the value of many POs dropped
precipitously due to increases in interest rates. For this reason, none of the
Funds relies on IOs and POs as the principal means of furthering its investment
objective.
The value of mortgage-related securities is affected by a number of factors.
Unlike traditional debt securities, which have fixed maturity dates,
mortgage-related securities may be paid earlier than expected as a result of
prepayment of the underlying mortgages. If property owners make unscheduled
prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in the early
payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event a Fund may
be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related
securities in an investment that provides as high a yield as the
mortgage-related securities. Consequently, early payment associated with
mortgage-related securities causes these securities to experience significantly
greater price and yield volatility than experienced by traditional fixed-income
securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by the level of
general interest rates, general economic conditions and other social and
demographic factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of
mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of
mortgage-related securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest
rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective life of mortgage-
related securities, subjecting them to greater risk of decline in market value
in response to rising interest rates. If the life of a mortgage-related
security is inaccurately predicted, a Fund may not be able to realize the rate
of return it expected.
As with fixed-income securities generally, the value of mortgage-related
securities can also be adversely affected by increases in general interest
rates relative to the yield provided by such securities. Such adverse effect is
especially possible with fixed-rate mortgage securities. If the yield available
on other investments rises above the yield of the fixed-rate mortgage
securities as a result of general increases in interest rate levels, the value
of the mortgage-related securities will decline. Although the negative effect
could be lessened if the mortgage-related securities were to be paid earlier
(thus
29
permitting a Fund to reinvest the prepayment proceeds in investments yielding
the higher current interest rate), as described above the rate of mortgage
prepayments and early payment of mortgage-related securities generally tends to
decline during a period of rising interest rates.
Although the value of ARMS may not be affected by rising interest rates as much
as the value of fixed-rate mortgage securities is affected by rising interest
rates, ARMS may still decline in value as a result of rising interest rates.
Although, as described above, the yield on ARMS varies with changes in the
applicable interest rate or index, there is often a lag between increases in
general interest rates and increases in the yield on ARMS as a result of
relatively infrequent interest rate reset dates. In addition, adjustable-rate
mortgages and ARMS often have interest rate or payment caps that limit the
ability of the adjustable-rate mortgages or ARMS to fully reflect increases in
the general level of interest rates.
OTHER ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES. The securitization techniques used to develop
mortgage-related securities are being applied to a broad range of financial
assets. Through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations, various
types of assets, including automobile loans and leases, credit card
receivables, home equity loans, equipment leases and trade receivables, are
being securitized in structures similar to the structures used in mortgage
securitizations. These asset-backed securities are subject to risks associated
with changes in interest rates and prepayment of underlying obligations similar
to the risks of investment in mortgage-related securities discussed above.
Each type of asset-backed security also entails unique risks depending on the
type of assets involved and the legal structure used. For example, credit card
receivables are generally unsecured obligations of the credit card holder and
the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal
consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off
certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due.
There have also been proposals to cap the interest rate that a credit card
issuer may charge. In some transactions, the value of the asset-backed security
is dependent on the performance of a third party acting as credit enhancer or
servicer. Furthermore, in some transactions (such as those involving the
securitization of vehicle loans or leases) it may be administratively
burdensome to perfect the interest of the security issuer in the underlying
collateral and the underlying collateral may become damaged or stolen.
ZERO COUPON AND PRINCIPAL-ONLY SECURITIES. Zero coupon securities and
principal-only (PO) securities are debt securities that have been issued
without interest coupons or stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, and
include receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt
obligations and coupons. Such a security pays no interest to its holder during
its life. Its value to an investor consists of the difference between its face
value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which is
generally an amount significantly less than its face value. Such securities
usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and are subject
to greater fluctuations in market value in response to changing interest rates
than debt obligations of comparable maturities and credit quality that make
current distributions of interest. On the other hand, because there are no
periodic interest payments to be reinvested prior to maturity, these securities
eliminate reinvestment risk and "lock in" a rate of return to maturity.
Zero coupon Treasury securities are U.S. Treasury bills issued without interest
coupons. Principal-only Treasury securities are U.S. Treasury notes and bonds
that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, and receipts or
certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and
coupons. Currently the only U.S. Treasury security issued without coupons is
the Treasury bill. Although the U.S. Treasury does not itself issue Treasury
notes and bonds without coupons, under the U.S. Treasury STRIPS program
interest and principal payments on certain long-term Treasury securities may be
maintained separately in the Federal Reserve book entry system and may be
separately traded and owned. In addition, in the last few years a number of
banks and brokerage firms have separated ("stripped") the principal portions
from the coupon portions of U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sold them
separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided
interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank
in a custodial or trust account). The staff of the Commission has indicated
that, in its view, these receipts or certificates should be considered as
securities issued by the bank or brokerage firm involved and, therefore, should
not be included in a Fund's categorization of U.S. Government securities. The
Funds disagree with the staff's position but will not treat such securities as
U.S. Government securities until final resolution of the issue.
Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as a Fund) of a zero
coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was
purchased as income each year even though the holder receives no interest
payment in cash on the security during the year. As a result, in order to make
the distributions necessary for a Fund not to be subject to federal income or
excise taxes, the Fund might be required to pay out as an income distribution
each year an amount, obtained by liquidation of portfolio securities or
borrowings if necessary, greater than the total amount of cash that the Fund
has actually received as interest during the year. Each Fund believes, however,
that it is highly unlikely that it would be necessary to liquidate portfolio
securities or borrow money in order to make such required distributions or to
meet its investment objective. For a discussion of the tax treatment of zero
coupon Treasury securities, see "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes-Zero Coupon
Treasury Securities" in the Statement of Additional Information of each Fund
that is permitted to invest in such securities.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND may also invest in "pay-in-kind"
debentures (i.e., debt obligations the interest on which may be paid in the
form of obligations of the same type rather than cash), which have
characteristics similar to zero coupon securities.
30
VARIABLE, FLOATING AND INVERSE FLOATING RATE INSTRUMENTS. Fixed-income
securities may have fixed, variable or floating rates of interest. Variable and
floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically,
according to a specified formula. A "variable" interest rate adjusts at
predetermined intervals (e.g., daily, weekly or monthly), while a "floating"
interest rate adjusts whenever a specified benchmark rate (such as the bank
prime lending rate) changes.
A Fund may invest in fixed-income securities that pay interest at a coupon rate
equal to a base rate, plus additional interest for a certain period of time if
short-term interest rates rise above a predetermined level or "cap." The amount
of such an additional interest payment typically is calculated under a formula
based on a short-term interest rate index multiplied by a designated factor.
Leveraged inverse floating rate debt instruments are sometimes known as inverse
floaters. The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite
direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is
indexed. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent
that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the
change in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in
inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in market value, such
that, during periods of rising interest rates, the market values of inverse
floaters will tend to decrease more rapidly than those of fixed rate securities.
STRUCTURED SECURITIES. Structured securities in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND may invest represent interests in
entities organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the
investment characteristics of sovereign debt obligations, with respect to
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, or foreign government
securities, with respect to CORPORATE BOND. This type of restructuring involves
the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, of
specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans or Brady Bonds) and the
issuance by that entity of one or more classes of structured securities backed
by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on
the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued structured
securities to create securities with different investment characteristics such
as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the
extent of the payments made with respect to structured securities is dependent
on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because
structured securities typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit
risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments.
Structured securities of a given class may be either subordinated or
unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated
structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks
than unsubordinated structured securities. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest
up to 25% of its total assets, and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND
may invest without limit, in these types of structured securities.
LOAN PARTICIPATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS. A Fund's investments in loans are expected
in most instances to be in the form of participations in loans and assignments
of all or a portion of loans from third parties. A Fund's investment in loan
participations typically will result in the Fund having a contractual
relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. A Fund will
acquire participations only if the lender interpositioned between the Fund and
the borrower is a lender having total assets of more than $25 billion and whose
senior unsecured debt is rated investment grade or higher. When a Fund
purchases a loan assignment from a lender it will acquire direct rights against
the borrower on the loan. Because loan assignments are arranged through private
negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the
rights and obligations acquired by a Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may
differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. The
assignability of certain sovereign debt obligations, with respect to GLOBAL
DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, or foreign government
securities, with respect to CORPORATE BOND, is restricted by the governing
documentation as to the nature of the assignee such that the only way in which
the Fund may acquire an interest in a loan is through a participation and not
an assignment. A Fund may have difficulty disposing of assignments and
participations because to do so it will have to assign such securities to a
third party. Because there is no liquid market for such securities, such
securities can probably be sold only to a limited number of institutional
investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse effect on
the value of such securities and a Fund's ability to dispose of particular
assignments or participations when necessary to meet its liquidity needs in
response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for
assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for the Fund to
assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio
and calculating its net asset value.
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may invest up to 25%, and
CORPORATE BOND may invest up to 15%, of their total assets, in loan
participations and assignments. The government that is the borrower on the loan
will be considered by a Fund to be the issuer of a loan participation or
assignment for purposes of its fundamental investment policy that it may not
invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry (i.e., foreign
government).
BRADY BONDS. Brady Bonds are created through the exchange of existing
commercial bank loans to foreign entities for new obligations in connection
with debt restructurings under a plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of
the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the "Brady Plan"). Brady Bonds have been
issued only recently, and, accordingly, do not have a long payment history.
They may be collateralized or uncollateralized and issued in various currencies
(although most are U.S. Dollar-denominated) and they are actively traded in the
over-the-counter secondary market.
31
U.S. Dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed-rate
par bonds or floating rate discount bonds, are generally collateralized in full
as to principal due at maturity by U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations that
have the same maturity as the Brady Bonds. Interest payments on these Brady
Bonds generally are collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in
the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest
payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at
regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to "value
recovery payments" in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute
supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady
Bonds are often viewed as having up to four valuation components: (i)
collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity, (ii) collateralized
interest payments, (iii) uncollateralized interest payments, and (iv) any
uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized
amounts constitute the "residual risk"). In the event of a default with respect
to collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of
the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held as
collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors,
nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed. The collateral
will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted
Brady Bonds, which will continue to be outstanding, at which time the face
amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments that would have then
been due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. In addition, in light of the
residual risk of Brady Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults
with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of
countries issuing Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds are to be viewed as
speculative.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. Convertible securities include bonds, debentures,
corporate notes and preferred stocks that are convertible into common stock.
Prior to conversion, convertible securities have the same general
characteristics as non-convertible debt securities, which provide a stable
stream of income with generally higher yields than those of equity securities
of the same or similar issuers. The price of a convertible security will
normally vary with changes in the price of the underlying stock, although the
higher yield tends to make the convertible security less volatile than the
underlying common stock. As with debt securities, the market value of
convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and increase
as interest rates decline. While convertible securities generally offer lower
interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar
quality, they enable investors to benefit from increases in the market price of
the underlying common stock. Convertible debt securities that are rated Baa or
lower by Moody's or BBB or lower by S&P, Duff & Phelps or Fitch and comparable
unrated securities may share some or all of the risks of debt securities with
those ratings. For a description of these risks, see "Risk
Considerations-Investment in Lower-Rated Fixed-Income Securities."
SHORT SALES. A short sale is effected by selling a security that a Fund does
not own, or if the Fund owns the security, it is not to be delivered upon
consummation of the sale. A short sale is "against the box" if a Fund owns or
has the right to obtain without payment securities identical to those sold
short. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT each may make
short sales only against the box and only for the purpose of deferring
realization of gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition,
each of these Funds may not make a short sale if, as a result, more than 10% of
net assets (taken at market value), with respect to GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
and 10% of total assets, with respect to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, would be
held as collateral for short sales.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may make a short sale in anticipation that the market
price of that security will decline. When the Fund makes a short sale of a
security that it does not own, it must borrow from a broker-dealer the security
sold short and deliver the security to the broker-dealer upon conclusion of the
short sale. The Fund may be required to pay a fee to borrow particular
securities and is often obligated to pay over any payments received on such
borrowed securities. The Fund's obligation to replace the borrowed security
will be secured by collateral deposited with a broker-dealer qualified as a
custodian. Depending on the arrangements the Fund makes with the broker-dealer
from which it borrowed the security regarding remittance of any payments
received by the Fund on such security, the Fund may not receive any payments
(including interest) on its collateral deposited with the broker-dealer.
In order to defer realization of gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may also make short sales "against the box."
The Fund may not make a short sale, if as a result, more than 25% of its total
assets would be held as collateral for short sales.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short
sale and the time a Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a
loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a short-term
capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the
transaction costs described above. Although a Fund's gain is limited to the
price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically
unlimited.
Certain special federal income tax considerations may apply to short sales
entered into by a Fund. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in the
relevant Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
32
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. A repurchase agreement arises when a buyer purchases a
security and simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at an agreed-upon
future date, normally a day or a few days later. The resale price is greater
than the purchase price, reflecting an agreed-upon interest rate for the period
the buyer's money is invested in the security. Such agreements permit a Fund to
keep all of its assets at work while retaining "overnight" flexibility in
pursuit of investments of a longer-term nature. A Fund requires continual
maintenance of collateral in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the resale
price. If a vendor defaults on its repurchase obligation, a Fund would suffer a
loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less
than the repurchase price. If a vendor goes bankrupt, a Fund might be delayed
in, or prevented from, selling the collateral for its benefit. There is no
percentage restriction on any Fund's ability to enter into repurchase
agreements, except that SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may enter into repurchase
agreements on not more than 25% of its total assets. The Funds may enter into
repurchase agreements with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or
"primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York),
although LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT currently enter into repurchase agreements only with their
custodians and such primary dealers.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND DOLLAR ROLLS. Reverse repurchase agreements
involve sales by a Fund of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by
the Fund to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. During
the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive
principal and interest payments on these securities. Generally, the effect of
such a transaction is that a Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested
in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase
agreement, while it will be able to keep the interest income associated with
those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if the
interest cost to a Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the
cost of otherwise obtaining the cash.
Dollar rolls involve sales by a Fund of securities for delivery in the current
month and the Fund's simultaneously contracting to repurchase substantially
similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date. During
the roll period, a Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities.
A Fund is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the
lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the "drop")
as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale.
Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market
value of the securities a Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement
may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities
under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll files for bankruptcy or
becomes insolvent, a Fund's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be
restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or
receiver, whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities.
Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls are speculative techniques and
are considered borrowings by the Funds. SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may enter
into reverse repurchase agreements with commercial banks and registered
broker-dealers in order to increase income, in an amount up to 33-1/3% of its
total assets. Under normal circumstances, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT does not
expect to engage in reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls with respect
to greater than 50% of its total assets. Reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls together with any borrowings by GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT will not
exceed 33% of its total assets less liabilities (other than amounts borrowed).
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with
commercial banks and registered broker-dealers in order to increase income, in
an amount up to 25% of its total assets. Reverse repurchase agreements and
dollar rolls together with any borrowings by GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME will not
exceed 25% of its total assets. See "Risk Considerations-Effects of Borrowing."
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. A Fund may make secured loans of portfolio
securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions, provided that cash,
liquid high grade debt securities or bank letters of credit equal to at least
100% of the market value of the securities loaned is deposited and maintained
by the borrower with the Fund. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as
with other extensions of credit, consist of possible loss of rights in the
collateral should the borrower fail financially. In determining whether to lend
securities to a particular borrower, Alliance will consider all relevant facts
and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower. While
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any income earned
thereon and the Fund may invest any cash collateral in portfolio securities,
thereby earning additional income, or receive an agreed upon amount of income
from a borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral. Each Fund will have
the right to regain record ownership of loaned securities or equivalent
securities in order to exercise ownership rights such as voting rights,
subscription rights and rights to dividends, interest or distributions. A Fund
may pay reasonable finders', administrative and custodial fees in connection
with a loan. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities in excess of 25%, with
respect to SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, and 20%,
with respect to each of LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES
INCOME, WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, of its total assets,
nor will a Fund lend portfolio securities to any officer, director, employee or
affiliate of the Fund or Alliance.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. Subject to any more restrictive applicable investment
policies, none of the Funds will maintain more than 15% of its net assets in
illiquid securities. Illiquid securities generally include (i) direct
placements or other securities that are subject to legal or contractual
restrictions on resale or for which there is no readily available market (e.g.,
when trading in the security is suspended or, in the case of unlisted
securities,
33
when market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers),
including many currency swaps and any assets used to cover currency swaps, (ii)
over-the-counter options and assets used to cover over-the-counter options, and
(iii) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days. Rule 144A
securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a
readily available market are not deemed illiquid. Alliance will monitor the
liquidity of each Fund's Rule 144A portfolio securities under the supervision
of the Directors of that Fund. A Fund that invests in illiquid securities may
not be able to sell such securities and may not be able to realize their full
value upon sale.
INVESTMENT IN OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES. GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may invest
in other investment companies whose investment objectives and policies are
consistent with those of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest not
more than 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies.
In addition, under the 1940 Act the Fund may not own more than 3% of the total
outstanding voting stock of any investment company and not more than 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of any
investment company. If the Fund acquired shares in investment companies,
shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund
(including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such
investment companies (including management and advisory fees).
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. A Fund may, following written notice to its shareholders,
take advantage of other investment practices that are not currently
contemplated for use by the Fund or are not available but may yet be developed,
to the extent such investment practices are consistent with the Fund's
investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment
practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the
practices described above.
DEFENSIVE POSITION. For temporary defensive purposes, each Fund may invest in
certain types of short-term, liquid, high grade or high quality (depending on
the Fund) debt securities. These securities may include U.S. Government
securities, qualifying bank deposits, money market instruments, prime
commercial paper and other types of short-term debt securities including notes
and bonds. For Funds that may invest in foreign countries, such securities may
also include short-term, foreign-currency denominated securities of the type
mentioned above issued by foreign governmental entities, companies and
supranational organizations. For a complete description of the types of
securities in which a Fund may invest while in a temporary defensive position,
see the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER. Portfolio turnover rates are set forth under "Financial
Highlights." These rates of portfolio turnover are greater than those of most
other investment companies. A high rate of portfolio turnover involves
correspondingly greater brokerage and other expenses than a lower rate, which
must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. High portfolio turnover also
may result in the realization of substantial net short-term capital gains. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in each Fund's Statement of Additional
Information.
CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES
Each Fund has adopted certain fundamental investment policies listed below,
which may not be changed without the approval of its shareholders. Additional
investment restrictions with respect to a Fund are set forth in its Statement
of Additional Information.
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets
in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities and
repurchase agreements relating thereto), although up to 25% of the Fund's total
assets may be invested without regard to this restriction, or (ii) invest 25%
or more of its total assets in the securities of any one industry.
U.S. GOVERNMENT may not (i) borrow money except from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes and then only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of
its total assets at the time the borrowing is made, (ii) make loans to other
persons, (iii) effect a short sale of any security, (iv) purchase securities on
margin, but it may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the
clearance of purchases and sales of securities, or (v) write, purchase or sell
puts, calls or combinations thereof.
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets
in the securities of any one issuer or own more than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of such issuer (other than U.S. Government securities),
except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested
without regard to the 5% and 10% limitations, (ii) invest 25% or more of its
total assets in securities of companies engaged principally in any one
industry, except that this restriction does not apply to investments in the
mortgage and mortgage-financed industry (in which more than 25% of the value of
the Fund's total assets will, except for temporary defensive positions, be
invested) or U.S. Government securities, (iii) borrow money except from banks
for emergency or temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value
of the total assets of the Fund, except that the Fund may engage in reverse
repurchase agreements and dollar rolls in an amount up to 50% of the Fund's
total assets, and (iv) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its
assets, except to secure permitted borrowings.
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME may not (i) invest more than 5% of the value of its
total assets in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government
securities), except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may
be invested without regard to this limitation, (ii) invest more than 25% of the
value of its total assets in the securities of issuers conducting their
principal business activities in a single industry, except that this limitation
shall not apply to investments in the mortgage and mortgage-financed industry
(in which more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets will, except
for temporary defensive positions, be invested) or U.S. Government securities,
(iii) borrow money except from
34
banks for temporary or emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption
requests which might require the untimely disposition of securities, borrowing
in the aggregate may not exceed 15%, and borrowing for purposes other than
meeting redemptions may not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets
(including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (not including the amount
borrowed) at the time the borrowing is made, outstanding borrowings in excess
of 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets will be repaid before any
subsequent investments are made, (iv) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except in an amount of not more than 15% of the
value of its total assets to secure borrowings for temporary or emergency
purposes and except as provided in (vi) below, provided, however, that this
limitation does not apply to deposits made in connection with the entering into
and holding of interest rate futures contracts, (v) invest more than 10% of the
value of its total assets in the aggregate in illiquid securities or other
illiquid investments and repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven
days, or (vi) lend its portfolio securities if immediately after such a loan
more than 20% of the value of the Fund's total assets would be subject to such
loans.
WORLD INCOME may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities
of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the banking
industry except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government
securities, (ii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or emergency
purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might require the
untimely disposition of securities; borrowing in the aggregate may not exceed
15%, and borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may not exceed
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is
made; securities will not be purchased while borrowings in excess of 5% of the
value of the Fund's total assets are outstanding, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate,
mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted
borrowings.
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the
banking industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S.
Government securities, (ii) borrow money except from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might
require the untimely disposition of securities; borrowing in the aggregate may
not exceed 15%, and borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may
not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount
borrowed) less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the
borrowing is made; securities will not be purchased while borrowings in excess
of 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets are outstanding, or (iii) pledge,
hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure
permitted borrowings.
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry other than the
banking industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S.
Government securities, (ii) borrow money, except the Fund may, in accordance
with provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such
borrowing, there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act,
and (b) borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding
5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate,
mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted
borrowings.
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total
assets in securities of companies engaged principally in any one industry
except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government securities, (ii)
borrow money, except that the Fund may, in accordance with provisions of the
1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such borrowing, there is asset
coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act, and (b) borrow for
temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of
the total assets of the Fund, or (iii) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings.
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may not (i) invest 25% or more of its total assets in
the securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in any
one industry, except that this restriction does not apply to U.S. Government
securities, (ii) purchase more than 10% of any class of the voting securities
of any one issuer, (iii) borrow money, except the Fund may, in accordance with
provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after such borrowing,
there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940 Act, and (b)
borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the
value of the total assets of the Fund, (iv) pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or
otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure permitted borrowings, or (v)
purchase a security if, as a result (unless the security is acquired pursuant
to a plan of reorganization or an offer of exchange), the Fund would own more
than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any investment company or more
than 5% of the value of the Fund's net assets would be invested in securities
of any one or more investment companies.
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME may not (i) borrow money, except the Fund may, in
accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act, (a) borrow from a bank, if after
such borrowing there is asset coverage of at least 300% as defined in the 1940
Act, and (b) borrow for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not
exceeding 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, or (ii) pledge,
hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets, except to secure
permitted borrowings.
CORPORATE BOND may not (i) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the
securities of any one issuer other than U.S. Government securities, or (ii) own
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer.
35
RISK CONSIDERATIONS
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. The value of each Fund's shares will fluctuate with
the value of its investments. The value of each Fund's investments will change
as the general level of interest rates fluctuates. During periods of falling
interest rates, the values of a Fund's securities generally rise. Conversely,
during periods of rising interest rates, the values of a Fund's securities
generally decline. Changes in interest rates have a greater effect on
securities with longer maturities and durations than those with shorter
maturities and durations.
In seeking to achieve a Fund's investment objective, there will be times, such
as during periods of rising interest rates, when depreciation and realization
of capital losses on securities in a Fund's portfolio will be unavoidable.
Moreover, medium- and lower-rated securities and non-rated securities of
comparable quality may be subject to wider fluctuations in yield and market
values than higher-rated securities under certain market conditions. Such
fluctuations after a security is acquired do not affect the cash income
received from that security but are reflected in the net asset value of a Fund.
U.S. CORPORATE FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. The U.S. corporate fixed-income
securities in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT invests may include securities
issued in connection with corporate restructurings such as takeovers or
leveraged buyouts, which may pose particular risks. Securities issued to
finance corporate restructurings may have special credit risks due to the
highly leveraged conditions of the issuer. In addition, such issuers may lose
experienced management as a result of the restructuring. Finally, the market
price of such securities may be more volatile to the extent that expected
benefits from the restructuring do not materialize. The Fund may also invest in
U.S. corporate fixed-income securities that are not current in the payment of
interest or principal or are in default, so long as Alliance believes such
investment is consistent with the Fund's investment objectives. The Fund's
rights with respect to defaults on such securities will be subject to
applicable U.S. bankruptcy, moratorium and other similar laws.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT. The securities markets of many foreign countries are
relatively small, with the majority of market capitalization and trading volume
concentrated in a limited number of companies representing a small number of
industries. Consequently, a Fund whose investment portfolio includes such
securities may experience greater price volatility and significantly lower
liquidity than a portfolio invested solely in securities of U.S. companies.
These markets may be subject to greater influence by adverse events generally
affecting the market, and by large investors trading significant blocks of
securities, than is usual in the United States. Securities registration,
custody and settlements may in some instances be subject to delays and legal
and administrative uncertainties. Furthermore, foreign investment in the
securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to
varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude
investment in certain securities and may increase the cost and expenses of a
Fund. In addition, the repatriation of investment income, capital or the
proceeds of sales of securities from certain of the countries is controlled
under regulations, including in some cases the need for certain advance
government notification or authority, and if a deterioration occurs in a
country's balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions
on foreign capital remittances. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays
in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation,
as well as by the application to it of other restrictions on investment.
Investing in local markets may require a Fund to adopt special procedures or
seek local governmental approvals or other actions, any of which may involve
additional costs to a Fund. The liquidity of a Fund's investments in any
country in which any of these factors exists could be affected and Alliance
will monitor the effect of any such factor or factors on a Fund's investments.
Furthermore, transaction costs including brokerage commissions for transactions
both on and off the securities exchanges in many foreign countries are
generally higher than in the U.S.
Issuers of securities in foreign jurisdictions are generally not subject to the
same degree of regulation as are U.S. issuers with respect to such matters as
insider trading rules, restrictions on market manipulation, shareholder proxy
requirements and timely disclosure of information. The reporting, accounting
and auditing standards of foreign countries may differ, in some cases
significantly, from U.S. standards in important respects and less information
may be available to investors in foreign securities than to investors in U.S.
securities. Substantially less information is publicly available about certain
non-U.S. issuers than is available about U.S. issuers.
The economies of individual foreign countries may differ favorably or
unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic
product or gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment,
resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Nationalization,
expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes,
government regulation, political or social instability or diplomatic
developments could affect adversely the economy of a foreign country or the
Fund's investments in such country. In the event of expropriation,
nationalization or other confiscation, a Fund could lose its entire investment
in the country involved. In addition, laws in foreign countries governing
business organizations, bankruptcy and insolvency may provide less protection
to security holders such as the Fund than that provided by U.S. laws.
WORLD INCOME may invest a portion of its net assets in securities denominated
in the ECU. There are risks associated with concentration of investments in a
particular region of the world such as Western Europe since the economies and
markets of the countries in the region tend to be interrelated and may be
adversely affected by political, economic and other events in a similar manner.
Alliance believes that, except for currency fluctuations between the U.S.
Dollar and the Canadian Dollar, the matters described above are not likely
to have a material adverse effect on NORTH
36
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME'S investments in the securities of Canadian issuers
or investments denominated in Canadian Dollars. The factors described above are
more likely to have a material adverse effect on the Fund's investments in the
securities of Mexican and other non-Canadian foreign issuers, including
investments in securities denominated in Mexican Pesos or other non-Canadian
foreign currencies. If not hedged, however, currency fluctuations could affect
the unrealized appreciation and depreciation of Canadian Government securities
as expressed in U.S. Dollars.
CURRENCY CONSIDERATIONS. Those Funds that invest some portion of their assets
in securities denominated in, and receive revenues in, foreign currencies will
be adversely affected by reductions in the value of those currencies relative
to the U.S. Dollar. These changes will affect a Fund's net assets,
distributions and income. If the value of the foreign currencies in which a
Fund receives income falls relative to the U.S. Dollar between receipt of the
income and the making of Fund distributions, a Fund may be required to
liquidate securities in order to make distributions if the Fund has
insufficient cash in U.S. Dollars to meet the distribution requirements that
the Fund must satisfy to qualify as a regulated investment company for federal
income tax purposes. Similarly, if an exchange rate declines between the time a
Fund incurs expenses in U.S. Dollars and the time cash expenses are paid, the
amount of the currency required to be converted into U.S. Dollars in order to
pay expenses in U.S. Dollars could be greater than the equivalent amount of
such expenses in the currency at the time they were incurred. In light of these
risks, a Fund may engage in certain currency hedging transactions, which
themselves, involve certain special risks. See "Additional Investment
Practices" above.
SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS. No established secondary markets may exist for many
of the sovereign debt obligations in which GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL
STRATEGIC INCOME will invest. Reduced secondary market liquidity may have an
adverse effect on the market price and a Fund's ability to dispose of
particular instruments when necessary to meet its liquidity requirements or in
response to specific economic events such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the issuer. Reduced secondary market liquidity for certain
sovereign debt obligations may also make it more difficult for a Fund to obtain
accurate market quotations for the purpose of valuing its portfolio. Market
quotations are generally available on many sovereign debt obligations only from
a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of
those dealers or prices for actual sales.
By investing in sovereign debt obligations, the Funds will be exposed to the
direct or indirect consequences of political, social and economic changes in
various countries. Political changes in a country may affect the willingness of
a foreign government to make or provide for timely payments of its obligations.
The country's economic status, as reflected, among other things, in its
inflation rate, the amount of its external debt and its gross domestic product,
will also affect the government's ability to honor its obligations.
The sovereign debt obligations in which the Funds will invest in many cases
pertain to countries that are among the world's largest debtors to commercial
banks, foreign governments, international financial organizations and other
financial institutions. In recent years, the governments of some of these
countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their external debt
obligations, which led to defaults on certain obligations and the restructuring
of certain indebtedness. Restructuring arrangements have included, among other
things, reducing and rescheduling interest and principal payments by
negotiating new or amended credit agreements or converting outstanding
principal and unpaid interest to Brady Bonds, and obtaining new credit to
finance interest payments. Certain governments have not been able to make
payments of interest on or principal of sovereign debt obligations as those
payments have come due. Obligations arising from past restructuring agreements
may affect the economic performance and political and social stability of those
issuers.
The ability of governments to make timely payments on their obligations is
likely to be influenced strongly by the issuer's balance of payments, including
export performance, and its access to international credits and investments. To
the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in currencies other
than dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars could be
adversely affected. To the extent that a country develops a trade deficit, it
will need to depend on continuing loans from foreign governments, multi-lateral
organizations or private commercial banks, aid payments from foreign
governments and on inflows of foreign investment. The access of a country to
these forms of external funding may not be certain, and a withdrawal of
external funding could adversely affect the capacity of a government to make
payments on its obligations. In addition, the cost of servicing debt
obligations can be affected by a change in international interest rates since
the majority of these obligations carry interest rates that are adjusted
periodically based upon international rates.
The Funds are permitted to invest in sovereign debt obligations that are not
current in the payment of interest or principal or are in default so long as
Alliance believes it to be consistent with the Funds' investment objectives.
The Funds may have limited legal recourse in the event of a default with
respect to certain sovereign debt obligations it holds. For example, remedies
from defaults on certain sovereign debt obligations, unlike those on private
debt, must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party
itself. Legal recourse therefore may be significantly diminished. Bankruptcy,
moratorium and other similar laws applicable to issuers of sovereign debt
obligations may be substantially different from those applicable to issuers of
private debt obligations. The political context, expressed as the willingness
of an issuer of sovereign debt obligations to meet the terms of the debt
obligation, for example, is of considerable importance. In addition, no
assurance can be given that the holders of
37
commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the holders of securities
issued by foreign governments in the event of default under commercial bank
loan agreements.
EFFECTS OF BORROWING. A Fund's loan agreements provide for additional
borrowings and for repayments and reborrowings from time to time, and each Fund
that may borrow expects to effect borrowings and repayments at such times and
in such amounts as will maintain investment leverage in an amount approximately
equal to its borrowing target. The loan agreements provide for a selection of
interest rates that are based on the bank's short-term funding costs in the
U.S. and London markets.
Borrowings by a Fund result in leveraging of the Fund's shares of common stock.
Utilization of leverage, which is usually considered speculative, however,
involves certain risks to a Fund's shareholders. These include a higher
volatility of the net asset value of a Fund's shares of common stock and the
relatively greater effect on the net asset value of the shares. So long as a
Fund is able to realize a net return on its investment portfolio that is higher
than the interest expense paid on borrowings, the effect of leverage will be to
cause the Fund's shareholders to realize a higher current net investment income
than if the Fund were not leveraged. On the other hand, interest rates on U.S.
Dollar-denominated and foreign currency-denominated obligations change from
time to time as does their relationship to each other, depending upon such
factors as supply and demand forces, monetary and tax policies within each
country and investor expectations. Changes in such factors could cause the
relationship between such rates to change so that rates on U.S.
Dollar-denominated obligations may substantially increase relative to the
foreign currency-denominated obligations in which the Fund may be invested. To
the extent that the interest expense on borrowings approaches the net return on
a Fund's investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the Fund's
shareholders will be reduced, and if the interest expense on borrowings were to
exceed the net return to shareholders, a Fund's use of leverage would result in
a lower rate of return than if a Fund were not leveraged. Similarly, the effect
of leverage in a declining market could be a greater decrease in net asset
value per share than if the Fund were not leveraged. In an extreme case if a
Fund's current investment income were not sufficient to meet the interest
expense on borrowings, it could be necessary for the Fund to liquidate certain
of its investments, thereby reducing the net asset value of a Fund's shares.
In the event of an increase in rates on U.S. Government securities or other
changed market conditions, to the point where leverage by MULTI-MARKET
STRATEGY, GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME or NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME could
adversely affect the Funds' shareholders, as noted above, or in anticipation of
such changes, each Fund may increase the percentage of its investment portfolio
invested in U.S. Government securities, which would tend to offset the negative
impact of leverage on Fund shareholders. Each Fund may also reduce the degree
to which it is leveraged by repaying amounts borrowed.
Under the 1940 Act, a Fund is not permitted to borrow unless immediately after
such borrowing there is "asset coverage," as that term is defined and used in
the 1940 Act, of at least 300% for all borrowings of the Fund. In addition,
under the 1940 Act, in the event asset coverage falls below 300%, a Fund must
within three days reduce the amount of its borrowing to such an extent that the
asset coverage of its borrowings is at least 300%. Assuming, for example,
outstanding borrowings representing not more than one-third of a Fund's total
assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the asset coverage of the
Fund's portfolio would be 300%; while outstanding borrowings representing 25%
of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the
asset coverage of the Fund's portfolio would be 400%. A Fund will maintain
asset coverage of outstanding borrowings of at least 300% and if necessary
will, to the extent possible, reduce the amounts borrowed by making repayments
from time to time in order to do so. Such repayments could require a Fund to
sell portfolio securities at times considered disadvantageous by Alliance. In
the event that a Fund is required to sell portfolio securities in order to make
repayments, such sales of portfolio securities could cause the Fund to incur
related transaction costs and might cause the Fund to realize gains on
securities held for less than three months. Because not more than 30% of a
Fund's gross income may be derived from the sale or disposition of stocks and
securities held for less than three months to maintain the Fund's tax status as
a regulated investment company, such gains would limit the ability of a Fund to
sell other securities held for less than three months that a Fund might wish to
sell in the ordinary course of its portfolio management and thus might
adversely affect the Fund's yield. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
Each of MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL
STRATEGIC INCOME and GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT may borrow to repurchase its
shares or to meet redemption requests. In addition, each Fund may borrow
for temporary purposes (including the purposes mentioned in the preceding
sentence) in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the assets of
the Fund. Borrowings for temporary purposes are not subject to the 300% asset
average limit described above. See "Certain Fundamental Investment Policies."
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY,
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME may also borrow through the use of reverse repurchase agreements, and
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME also through the use of dollar rolls to the extent permitted by the 1940
Act. See "Investment Objectives and Policies-Reverse Repurchase Agreements and
Dollar Rolls."
38
INVESTMENT IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY. Due to the investment policies of
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, WORLD INCOME and SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET with respect to
investments in the banking industry, those Funds will have greater exposure to
the risk factors which are characteristic of such investments. In particular,
the value of and investment return on each Fund's shares will be affected by
economic or regulatory developments in or related to the banking industry.
Sustained increases in interest rates can adversely affect the availability and
cost of funds for a bank's lending activities, and a deterioration in general
economic conditions could increase the exposure to credit losses. The banking
industry is also subject to the effects of: the concentration of loan
portfolios in particular business such as real estate, energy, agriculture or
high technology-related companies; national and local regulation; and
competition within those industries as well as with other types of financial
institutions. In addition, each Fund's investments in commercial banks located
in several foreign countries are subject to additional risks due to the
combination in such banks of commercial banking and diversified securities
activities. As discussed above, however, the Funds will seek to minimize their
exposure to such risks by investing only in debt securities which are
determined to be of high quality.
SECURITIES RATINGS. The ratings of fixed-income securities by S&P, Moody's,
Duff & Phelps and Fitch are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They
are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor's standpoint. The
rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not
necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag
between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition,
there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities within
each rating category.
INVESTMENT IN FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES RATED BAA AND BBB. Securities rated Baa
or BBB are considered to have speculative characteristics and share some of the
same characteristics as lower-rated securities, as described below. Sustained
periods of deteriorating economic conditions or of rising interest rates are
more likely to lead to a weakening in the issuer's capacity to pay interest and
repay principal than in the case of higher-rated securities.
INVESTMENT IN LOWER-RATED FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES. Lower-rated securities are
subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher-rated
securities. They are also generally considered to be subject to greater market
risk than higher-rated securities, and the capacity of issuers of lower-rated
securities to pay interest and repay principal is more likely to weaken than is
that of issuers of higher-rated securities in times of deteriorating economic
conditions or rising interest rates. In addition, lower-rated securities may be
more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic conditions than
investment grade securities. Securities rated Ba or BB are judged to have
speculative elements or to be predominantly speculative with respect to the
issuer's ability to pay interest and repay principal. Securities rated B are
judged to have highly speculative elements or to be predominantly speculative.
Such securities may have small assurance of interest and principal payments.
Securities rated Baa by Moody's are also judged to have speculative
characteristics.
The market for lower-rated securities may be thinner and less active than that
for higher-rated securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which
these securities can be sold. To the extent that there is no established
secondary market for lower-rated securities, a Fund may experience difficulty
in valuing such securities and, in turn, the Fund's assets.
Alliance will try to reduce the risk inherent in investment in lower-rated
securities through credit analysis, diversification and attention to current
developments and trends in interest rates and economic and political
conditions. However, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur.
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-rated securities, Alliance's
research and credit analysis are a correspondingly more important aspect of its
program for managing a Fund's securities than would be the case if a Fund did
not invest in lower-rated securities. In considering investments for the Fund,
Alliance will attempt to identify those high-yielding securities whose
financial condition is adequate to meet future obligations, has improved, or is
expected to improve in the future. Alliance's analysis focuses on relative
values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage,
earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer.
NON-RATED SECURITIES. Non-rated securities will also be considered for
investment by NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT,
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and CORPORATE BOND when Alliance believes that the
financial condition of the issuers of such securities, or the protection
afforded by the terms of the securities themselves, limits the risk to the Fund
to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are consistent with
the Fund's objective and policies.
NON-DIVERSIFIED STATUS. Each of WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET,
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR
GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME is a "non-diversified" investment
company, which means the Fund is not limited in the proportion of its assets
that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. However, each Fund
intends to conduct its operations so as to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated
investment company" for purposes of the Code, which will relieve the Fund of
any liability for federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed
to shareholders. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in each Fund's
Statement of Additional Information. To so qualify, among other requirements,
each Fund will limit its investments so that, at the close of each quarter of
the taxable year, (i) not more than 25% of the Fund's total assets will be
invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (ii) with respect to 50% of
its total assets, not more than 5% of its total assets will be invested in the
securities of a single issuer and the Fund will not own more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of a single issuer. A Fund's investments in U.S.
Government securities are not subject to these limitations. Because each of
WORLD INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME, GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT and GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME is a
non-diversified
39
investment company, it may invest in a smaller number of individual issuers
than a diversified investment company, and an investment in such Fund may,
under certain circumstances, present greater risk to an investor than an
investment in a diversified investment company.
Foreign government securities are not treated like U.S. Government securities
for purposes of the diversification tests described in the preceding paragraph,
but instead are subject to these tests in the same manner as the securities of
non-governmental issuers. In this regard sovereign debt obligations issued by
different issuers located in the same country are often treated as issued by a
single issuer for purposes of these diversification tests. Certain issuers of
structured securities and loan participations may be treated as separate
issuers for the purposes of these tests. Accordingly, in order to meet the
diversification tests and thereby maintain its status as a regulated investment
company, each of GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME and NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME
will be required to diversify its portfolio of foreign government securities in
a manner which would not be necessary if the Fund had made similar investments
in U.S. Government securities.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
_______________________________________________________________________________
HOW TO BUY SHARES
You can purchase shares of any of the Funds through broker-dealers, banks or
other financial intermediaries, or directly through Alliance Fund Distributors,
Inc. ("AFD"), each Fund's principal underwriter. The minimum initial investment
in each Fund (except WORLD INCOME) is $250. The minimum for subsequent
investments in each Fund is $50. Investments of $25 or more are allowed under
the automatic investment program of each Fund. Share certificates are issued
only upon request. See the Subscription Application and Statements of
Additional Information for more information.
Existing shareholders may make subsequent purchases by electronic funds
transfer if they have completed the Telephone Transactions section of the
Subscription Application or the Shareholder Options form obtained from Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. ("AFS"), each Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend
disbursing agent. Telephone purchase orders can be made by calling (800)
221-5672, may not exceed $500,000, must be received by the Fund by 3:00 p.m.
Eastern time on a Fund business day and will be made at the next day's net
asset value (less any applicable sales charge).
Each Fund (except WORLD INCOME) offers three classes of shares, Class A, Class
B and Class C. WORLD INCOME offers only one class of shares, which may be
purchased without any initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge
("CDSC"). The Funds may refuse any order to purchase shares. In this regard,
the Funds reserve the right to restrict purchases of Fund shares (including
through exchanges) when they appear to evidence a pattern of frequent purchases
and sales made in response to short-term considerations.
CLASS A SHARES-INITIAL SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class A shares at net asset value plus an initial sales
charge, as follows:
Initial Sales Charge
as % of Commission to
Net Amount as % of Dealer/Agent as %
Amount Purchased Invested Offering Price of Offering Price
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00%
$100,000 to less than $250,000 3.36 3.25 3.00
$250,000 to less than $500,000 2.30 2.25 2.00
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000 1.78 1.75 1.50
On purchases of $1,000,000 or more, you pay no initial sales charge but may pay
a CDSC equal to 1% of the lesser of net asset value at the time of redemption
or original cost if you redeem within one year; Alliance may pay the dealer or
agent a fee of up to 1% of the dollar amount purchased. Certain purchases of
Class A shares may qualify for reduced or eliminated sales charges in
accordance with a Fund's Combined Purchase Privilege, Cumulative Quantity
Discount, Statement of Intention, Privilege for Certain Retirement Plans,
Reinstatement Privilege and Sales at Net Asset Value programs. Consult the
Subscription Application and Statements of Additional Information.
CLASS B SHARES-DEFERRED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class B shares at net asset value without an initial sales
charge. However, you may pay a CDSC if you redeem shares within three years
after purchase. The amount of the CDSC (expressed as a percentage of the lesser
of the current net asset value or original cost) will vary according to the
number of years from the purchase of Class B shares until the redemption of
those shares.
The amount of the CDSC for each Fund is as set forth below. Class B shares of a
Fund purchased prior to the date of this Prospectus may be subject to a
different CDSC schedule, which was disclosed in the Fund's prospectus in use at
the time of purchase and is set forth in the Fund's current Statement of
Additional Information.
Year Since Purchase CDSC
- -------------------------------
First 3.0%
Second 2.0%
Third 1.0%
Thereafter None
Class B shares are subject to higher distribution fees than Class A shares for
a period of six years (after which they convert to Class A shares). The higher
fees mean a higher expense ratio, so Class B shares pay correspondingly lower
dividends and may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares.
40
CLASS C SHARES-ASSET-BASED SALES CHARGE ALTERNATIVE
You can purchase Class C shares without any initial sales charge. A Fund will
thus receive the full amount of your purchase, and, if you hold your shares for
one year or more, you will receive the entire net asset value of your shares
upon redemption. Class C shares incur higher distribution fees than Class A
shares and do not convert to any other class of shares of the Fund. The higher
fees mean a higher expense ratio, so Class C shares pay correspondingly lower
dividends and may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares.
Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC
equal to 1% of the lesser of their original cost or net asset value at the time
of redemption.
APPLICATION OF THE CDSC
Shares obtained from dividend or distribution reinvestment are not subject to
the CDSC. The CDSC is deducted from the amount of the redemption and is paid to
AFD. The CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or
disability of a shareholder, to meet the requirements of certain qualified
retirement plans or pursuant to a monthly, bimonthly or quarterly systematic
withdrawal plan. See the Statements of Additional Information.
HOW THE FUNDS VALUE THEIR SHARES
The net asset value of each class of shares of a Fund is calculated by dividing
the value of the Fund's net assets allocable to that class by the outstanding
shares of that class. Shares are valued each day the New York Stock Exchange
(the "Exchange") is open as of the close of regular trading (currently 4:00
p.m. Eastern time). The securities in a Fund are valued at their current market
value determined on the basis of market quotations or, if such quotations are
not readily available, such other methods as the Fund's Directors and Trustees
believe would accurately reflect fair market value.
GENERAL
The decision as to which class of shares is most beneficial to you depends on
the amount and intended length of your investment. If you are making a large
investment, thus qualifying for a reduced sales charge, you might consider
Class A shares. If you are making a smaller investment, you might consider
Class B shares because 100% of your purchase is invested immediately. If you
are unsure of the length of your investment, you might consider Class C shares
because there is no initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held
for one year or more, no CDSC. Consult your financial agent. Dealers and agents
may receive differing compensation for selling Class A, Class B or Class C
shares. There is no size limit on purchases of Class A shares. The maximum
purchase of Class B shares is $250,000. The maximum purchase of Class C shares
is $5,000,000.
In addition to the discount or commission paid to dealers or agents, AFD from
time to time pays additional cash or other incentives to dealers or agents,
including Equico Securities, Inc., an affiliate of AFD, in connection with the
sale of shares of the Funds. Such additional amounts may be utilized, in whole
or in part, in some cases together with other revenues of such dealers or
agents, to provide additional compensation to registered representatives who
sell shares of the Funds. On some occasions, such cash or other incentives will
be conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of the shares
of a Fund and/or other Alliance Mutual Funds during a specific period of time.
Such incentives may take the form of payment for attendance at seminars, meals,
sporting events or theater performances, or payment for travel, lodging and
entertainment incurred in connection with travel by persons associated with a
dealer or agent and their immediate family members to urban or resort locations
within or outside the United States. Such dealer or agent may elect to receive
cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any day the
Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial intermediary. The
price you will receive is the net asset value (less any applicable CDSC) next
calculated after the Fund receives your request in proper form. Proceeds
generally will be sent to you within seven days. However, for shares recently
purchased by check or electronic funds transfer, a Fund will not send proceeds
until it is reasonably satisfied that the check or electronic funds transfer
has been collected (which may take up to 15 days).
SELLING SHARES THROUGH YOUR BROKER
Your broker must receive your request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, and your
broker must transmit your request to the Fund by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, for
you to receive that day's net asset value (less any applicable CDSC). Your
broker is responsible for furnishing all necessary documentation to a Fund and
may charge you for this service.
SELLING SHARES DIRECTLY TO A FUND
Send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form to AFS, along with
certificates, if any, that represent the shares you want to sell. For your
protection, signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, a member firm of a
national stock exchange or other eligible guarantor institution. Stock power
forms are available from your financial intermediary, AFS, and many commercial
banks. Additional documentation is required for the sale of shares by
corporations, intermediaries, fiduciaries and surviving joint owners. For
details contact:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, NJ 07096-1520
800-221-5672
Alternatively, a request for redemption of shares for which no stock
certificates have been issued can also be made by telephone to 800-221-5672.
Telephone redemption requests must be made by 4 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund
business day in order to receive that day's net asset value, and may be made
only once in any 30-day period. A shareholder who has completed the Telephone
Transactions section of the Subscription Application, or the Shareholder
Options form obtained from AFS, can elect to have the proceeds of his or her
41
redemption sent to his or her bank via an electronic funds transfer. Proceeds
of telephone redemptions also may be sent by check to a shareholder's address
of record. Redemption requests by electronic funds transfer may not exceed
$100,000 and redemption requests by check may not exceed $50,000. Telephone
redemption is not available for shares held in nominees or "street name"
accounts or retirement plan accounts or shares held by a shareholder who has
changed his or her address of record within the previous 30 calendar days.
GENERAL
The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for federal tax purposes. Under
unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment for
up to seven days or longer, as permitted by federal securities law. The Funds
reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $200 for 90 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed.
During drastic economic or market developments, you might have difficulty
reaching AFS by telephone, in which event you should issue written instructions
to AFS. AFS is not responsible for the authenticity of telephonic requests to
purchase, sell or exchange shares. AFS will employ reasonable procedures to
verify that telephone requests are genuine, and could be liable for losses
resulting from unauthorized transactions if it failed to do so. Dealers and
agents may charge a commission for handling telephonic requests. The telephone
service may be suspended or terminated at any time without notice.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
AFS offers a variety of shareholder services. For more information about these
services or your account, call AFS's toll-free number, 800-221-5672. Some
services are described in the attached Application. A shareholder manual
explaining all available services will be provided upon request. To request a
shareholder manual, call 800-227-4618.
HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
You may exchange your shares of WORLD INCOME for Class A shares of other
Alliance Mutual Funds and shares of most Alliance money market funds. You may
exchange your shares of any other Fund for shares of the same class of other
Alliance Mutual Funds (including AFD Exchange Reserves, a money market fund
managed by Alliance). Exchanges of shares are made at the net asset values next
determined, without sales or service charges. Exchanges may be made by
telephone or written request. Telephone exchange requests must be received by
AFS by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day in order to receive that
day's net asset value.
Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges for the purpose of
determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and, in the case of Class B
shares, for the purpose of conversion to Class A shares. After an exchange,
your Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance
with the conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the Alliance
Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original shares"). When
redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the original shares is applied.
Please read carefully the prospectus of the mutual fund into which you are
exchanging before submitting the request. Call AFS at 800-221-5672 to exchange
uncertificated shares. An exchange is a taxable capital transaction for federal
tax purposes. The exchange service may be changed, suspended, or terminated on
60 days' written notice.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
_______________________________________________________________________________
ADVISER
Alliance, which is a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at
1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under
an advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") to provide investment advice
and, in general, to conduct the management and investment program of each Fund,
subject to the general supervision and control of the Directors or Trustees of
the Fund.
Alliance is a leading international investment manager supervising client
accounts with assets as of September 30, 1996 totaling more than $173 billion
(of which more than $59 billion represented the assets of investment
companies). Alliance's clients are primarily major corporate employee benefit
funds, public employee retirement systems, investment companies, foundations
and endowment funds. The 52 registered investment companies managed by
Alliance comprising 110 separate investment portfolios currently have over
two million shareholders. As of September 30, 1996, Alliance was retained as
an investment manager of employee benefit assets for 33 of the Fortune 100
companies.
Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC"), the sole general partner of,
and the owner of a 1% general partnership interest in, Alliance, is an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United
States ("Equitable"), one of the largest life insurance companies in the United
States, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable Companies
Incorporated, a holding company controlled by AXA, a French insurance holding
company. Certain information concerning the ownership and control of Equitable
by AXA is set forth in each Fund's Statement of Additional Information under
"Management of the Fund."
The following table lists the person or persons who are primarily responsible
for the day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio, the length of time that
each person has been primarily responsible, and each person's principal
occupation during the past five years.
Principal occupation
Employee; time period; during the past
Fund title with ACMC five years
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short-Term U.S. Patricia J. Young since 1995 Associated with Alliance
Government -Senior Vice President since March 1992; prior
thereto, a managing
director and portfolio
manager for Hyperion
Capital since March
1991.
42
Principal occupation
Employee; time period; during the past
Fund title with ACMC five years
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul A. Ullman Associated with Alliance
since 1995-Vice President since March 1992; prior
thereto, a director and
portfolio manager for
Hyperion Capital since
July 1991.
U.S. Government Wayne D. Lyski since 1983 Associated with
-Executive Vice President Alliance.
Paul J. DeNoon since Associated with Alliance
January 1992- since January 1992;
Vice President prior thereto, a
Vice President at
Manufacturers
Hanover Trust.
Limited Maturity Patricia J. Young since (see above)
Government inception -(see above)
Paul A. Ullman since (see above)
inception-(see above)
Mortgage Securities Patricia J. Young since (see above)
Income March 1992-(see above)
Paul A. Ullman since (see above)
March 1992-(see above)
World Income Douglas J. Peebles since Associated with
inception-Vice President Alliance.
Short-Term Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
Multi-Market 1995-(see above)
Multi-Market Strategy Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
inception-(see above)
North American Wayne D. Lyski since (see above)
Government Income inception -(see above)
Global Dollar Wayne D. Lyski since (see above)
Government inception -(see above)
Global Strategic Wayne D. Lyski since (see above)
Income inception -(see above)
Douglas J. Peebles since (see above)
inception-(see above)
Corporate Bond Wayne D. Lyski since (see above)
1987-(see above)
Paul J. DeNoon since (see above)
January 1992-(see above)
DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENTS
Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act permits an investment
company to pay expenses associated with the distribution of its shares in
accordance with a duly adopted plan. Each Fund has adopted one or more "Rule
12b-1 plans" (for each Fund, a "Plan") and has entered into a Distribution
Services Agreement (the "Agreement") with AFD. Pursuant to its Plan, a Fund
pays to AFD a Rule 12b-1 distribution services fee, which may not exceed for
each Fund other than WORLD INCOME an annual rate of .30% (.50% with respect to
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT) of the Fund's aggregate average daily net assets
attributable to the Class A shares, 1.00% of the Fund's aggregate average daily
net assets attributable to the Class B shares and 1.00% of the Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to the Class C shares, and for WORLD
INCOME may not exceed an annual rate of .90% of the Fund's aggregate average
daily net assets, for distribution expenses. The Trustees of SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT currently limit payments with respect to Class A shares under the
Plan to .30% of the Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
Class A shares. The Plans provide that a portion of the distribution services
fee in an amount not to exceed .25% of the aggregate average daily net assets
of each Fund attributable to each class of shares constitutes a service fee
used for personal service and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts.
The Plans provide that AFD will use the distribution services fee received from
a Fund in its entirety for payments (i) to compensate broker-dealers or other
persons for providing distribution assistance, (ii) to otherwise promote the
sale of shares of the Fund, and (iii) to compensate broker-dealers, depository
institutions and other financial intermediaries for providing administrative,
accounting and other services with respect to the Fund's shareholders. In this
regard, some payments under the Plans are used to compensate financial
intermediaries with trail or maintenance commissions in an amount equal to,
with respect to each Fund other than WORLD INCOME, .25%, annualized, with
respect to Class A shares and Class B shares, and 1.00%, annualized, with
respect to Class C shares, and, with respect to WORLD INCOME, .90%, annualized,
of the assets maintained in a Fund by their customers. Distribution services
fees received from WORLD INCOME and the other Funds, except SHORT-TERM U.S.
GOVERNMENT, with respect to Class A shares will not be used to pay any interest
expenses, carrying charges or other financing costs or allocation of overhead
of AFD. Distribution services fees received from the Funds, with respect to
Class B and Class C shares, may be used for these purposes. The Plans also
provide that Alliance may use its own resources to finance the distribution of
each Fund's shares.
The Funds are not obligated under the Plans to pay any distribution services
fee in excess of the amounts set forth above. Except as noted below for
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT, with respect to Class A shares of each Fund,
distribution expenses accrued by AFD in one fiscal year may not be paid from
distribution services fees received from the Fund in subsequent fiscal years.
AFD's compensation with respect to Class B and Class C shares under the Plans
of the other Funds is directly tied to the expenses incurred by AFD. Actual
distribution expenses for Class B and Class C shares for any given year,
however, will probably exceed the distribution services fees payable under the
applicable Plan with respect to the class involved and, in the case of Class B
shares, payments received from CDSCs. The excess will be carried forward by AFD
and reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the Plan with
respect to the class involved and payments subsequently received through CDSCs,
so long as the Plan is in effect. Since AFD's compensation under the Plan of
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT is not directly tied to its expenses incurred, the
amount of compensation received by it during any year may be more or less than
its actual expenses.
43
Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the end of each Fund's most
recently completed fiscal year, and carried over for reimbursement in future
years in respect of the Class B and Class C shares for all Funds (except
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT), were, as of that time, as follows:
Amount of Unreimbursed Distribution Expenses
(as % of Net Assets of Class)
--------------------------------------------
Class B Class C
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Government $10,771,067 (1.71%) $2,913,843 (1.75%)
Limited Maturity Government $ 785,406 (.93%) $2,304,343 (3.37%)
Mortgage Securities Income $15,837,781 (2.15%) $2,076,306 (4.56%)
Short-Term Multi-Market $28,259,365 (5.40%) $1,036,535 (30.35%)
Multi-Market Strategy $10,014,626 (8.59%) $ 330,171 (42.03%)
North American Government Income $36,368,974 (3.24%) $2,736,736 (1.25%)
Global Dollar Government $ 1,921,057 (2.28%) $ 294,686 (2.03%)
Corporate Bond $ 6,818,208 (2.02%) $ 895,197 (1.08%)
No information is shown for GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME, which commenced operations
in 1996.
The Plans are in compliance with rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales
charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to
.75% and .25%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable to
that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and
asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual
fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of
shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum.
The Glass-Steagall Act and other applicable laws may limit the ability of a
bank or other depository institution to become an underwriter or distributor of
securities. However, in the opinion of the Funds' management, based on the
advice of counsel, these laws do not prohibit such depository institutions from
providing services for investment companies such as the administrative,
accounting and other services referred to in the Agreements. In the event that
a change in these laws prevented a bank from providing such services, it is
expected that other service arrangements would be made and that shareholders
would not be adversely affected. The State of Texas requires that shares of a
Fund may be sold in that state only by dealers or other financial institutions
that are registered there as broker-dealers.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
_______________________________________________________________________________
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends on shares of a Fund will be declared on each Fund business day from
the Fund's net investment income. Dividends on shares for Saturdays, Sundays
and holidays will be declared on the previous business day. Each Fund pays
dividends on its shares after the close of business on the twentieth day of
each month or, if such day is not a business day, the first business day
thereafter. At your election (which you may change at least 30 days prior to
the record date for a particular dividend or distribution), dividends and
distributions are paid in cash or reinvested without charge in additional
shares of the same class having an aggregate net asset value as of the payment
date of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount thereof.
If you receive an income dividend or capital gains distribution in cash you
may, within 120 days following the date of its payment, reinvest the dividend
or distribution in additional shares of that Fund without charge by returning
to Alliance, with appropriate instructions, the check representing such
dividend or distribution. Thereafter, unless you otherwise specify, you will be
deemed to have elected to reinvest all subsequent dividends and distributions
in shares of that Fund.
Cash dividends can be paid by check or, if the shareholder so elects,
electronically via the ACH network. There is no sales or other charge in
connection with the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.
Dividends paid by a Fund, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C
shares will be calculated in the same manner at the same time on the same day
and will be in the same amount, except that the higher distribution services
fees applicable to Class B and Class C shares, and any incremental transfer
agency costs relating to Class B shares, will be borne exclusively by the class
to which they relate.
While it is the intention of each Fund to distribute to its shareholders
substantially all of each fiscal year's net income and net realized capital
gains, if any, the amount and timing of any such dividend or distribution must
necessarily depend upon the realization by such Fund of income and capital
gains from investments. There is no fixed dividend rate, and there can be no
assurance that a Fund will pay any dividends or realize any capital gains.
If you buy shares just before a Fund deducts a distribution from its net asset
value, you will pay the full price for the shares and then receive a portion of
the price back as a taxable distribution.
FOREIGN INCOME TAXES
Investment income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may
be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. To the extent that
any Fund is liable for foreign income taxes withheld at the source, each Fund
intends, if possible, to operate so as to meet the requirements of the Code to
"pass through" to the Fund's shareholders credits or deductions for foreign
income taxes paid, but there can be no assurance that any Fund will be able to
do so.
44
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
Each Fund intends to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated investment company"
under the Code. To the extent that a Fund distributes its taxable income and
net capital gain to its shareholders, qualification as a regulated investment
company relieves that Fund of federal income and excise taxes on that part of
its taxable income including net capital gains which it pays out to its
shareholders. Dividends out of net ordinary income and distributions of net
short-term capital gains are taxable to the recipient shareholders as ordinary
income. In the case of corporate shareholders, such dividends from certain
Funds may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction, but only to the
extent of qualifying dividends received by the Fund.
The excess of net long-term capital gains over the net short-term capital
losses realized and distributed by each Fund to its shareholders as capital
gains distributions is taxable to the shareholders as long-term capital gains,
irrespective of the length of time a shareholder may have held his or her
stock. Long-term capital gains distributions are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction referred to above.
Under the current federal tax law the amount of an income dividend or capital
gains distribution declared by a Fund during October, November or December of a
year to shareholders of record as of a specified date in such a month that is
paid during January of the following year is includable in the prior year's
taxable income of shareholders that are calendar year taxpayers.
Any dividend or distribution received by a shareholder on shares of a Fund will
have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of
such dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or distribution made
shortly after the purchase of such shares by a shareholder, although in effect
a return of capital to that particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or
her as described above. If a shareholder held shares six months or less and
during that period received a distribution taxable to such shareholder as
long-term capital gain, any loss realized on the sale of such shares during
such six-month period would be a long-term capital loss to the extent of such
distribution.
A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to shares of a Fund held
by a tax-deferred or qualified plan, such as an individual retirement account,
403(b)(7) retirement plan or corporate pension or profit-sharing plan, will not
be taxable to the plan. Distributions from such plans will be taxable to
individual participants under applicable tax rules without regard to the
character of the income earned by the qualified plan.
Distributions by a Fund may be subject to state and local taxes. U.S.
GOVERNMENT, LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT, MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME, WORLD
INCOME, SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET, MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY, NORTH AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT INCOME and CORPORATE BOND are qualified to do business in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and, therefore, are subject to the Pennsylvania
foreign franchise and corporate net income tax in respect of their business
activities in Pennsylvania. Accordingly, shares of such Funds are exempt from
Pennsylvania personal property taxes. These Funds anticipate continuing such
business activities but reserve the right to suspend them at any time,
resulting in the termination of the exemptions.
A Fund will be required to withhold 31% of any payments made to a shareholder
if the shareholder has not provided a certified taxpayer identification number
to the Fund, or the Secretary of the Treasury notifies a Fund that a
shareholder has not reported all interest and dividend income required to be
shown on the shareholder's Federal income tax return.
Under certain circumstances, if a Fund realizes losses from fluctuations in
currency exchange rates after paying a dividend, all or a portion of the
dividend may subsequently be characterized as a return of capital. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Shareholders will be advised annually as to the federal tax status of dividends
and capital gains distributions made by a Fund for the preceding year.
Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding their own tax
situation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Consistent with the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best price and execution, a Fund may
consider sales of its shares as a factor in the selection of dealers to enter
into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
ORGANIZATION
Each of the following Funds is a Maryland corporation organized in the year
indicated: U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO and CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO (each a
series of Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.) (1973), ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. (1992), ALLIANCE MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND, INC.
(1983), ALLIANCE WORLD INCOME TRUST, INC. (1990), ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM
MULTI-MARKET TRUST, INC. (1989), ALLIANCE MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST, INC.
(1991), ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST, INC. (1992), ALLIANCE
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. (1993), and ALLIANCE GLOBAL STRATEGIC
INCOME TRUST, INC. (1995). Prior to March 1, 1996, ALLIANCE LIMITED MATURITY
GOVERNMENT FUND, INC. was known as Alliance Mortgage Strategy Trust, Inc. Prior
to January 4, 1993, CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO was known as Monthly Income
Portfolio. ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND is a series of The Alliance
Portfolios, a Massachusetts business trust that was organized in 1987. Prior to
August 2, 1993, The Alliance Portfolios was known as The Equitable Funds and
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT was known as The Equitable Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund.
It is anticipated that annual shareholder meetings will not be held;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by federal, or in the case
of the Funds organized as Maryland corporations, state law. Shareholders have
available certain procedures for the removal of Directors or Trustees.
45
A shareholder in a Fund will be entitled to share pro rata with other holders
all dividends and distributions arising from the Fund's assets and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Fund
represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC. The Funds are
empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional portfolios,
which may have different investment objectives, and additional classes of
shares. If an additional portfolio or class were established in a Fund, each
share of the portfolio or class would normally be entitled to one vote for all
purposes. Generally, shares of each portfolio and class would vote together as
a single class on matters, such as the election of Directors or Trustees, that
affect each portfolio and class in substantially the same manner. Class A,
Class B and Class C shares have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and
other rights, except that each class bears its own distribution and transfer
agency expenses. Each class of shares votes separately with respect to a Fund's
Rule 12b-1 distribution plan and other matters for which separate class voting
is appropriate under applicable law. Shares are freely transferable, are
entitled to dividends as determined by the Directors and Trustees and, in
liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the Fund.
Since this Prospectus sets forth information about all the Funds, it is
theoretically possible that a Fund might be liable for any materially
inaccurate or incomplete disclosure in this Prospectus concerning another Fund.
Based on the advice of counsel, however, the Funds believe that the potential
liability of each Fund with respect to the disclosure in this Prospectus
extends only to the disclosure relating to that Fund. Certain additional
matters relating to a Fund's organization are discussed in its Statement of
Additional Information.
PENDING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME
On July 25, 1995, a Consolidated and Supplemental Class Action Complaint
("Complaint") styled IN RE ALLIANCE NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST,
INC. SECURITIES LITIGATION was filed in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York against the Fund, Alliance, ACMC, AFD, The
Equitable Companies Incorporated, a parent of Alliance, certain officers of the
Fund, certain current and former directors of the Fund, certain current and
former officers of ACMC and certain directors of ACMC, alleging violations of
federal securities laws, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with
the Fund's investments in Mexican and Argentine securities. The Complaint seeks
certification of a plaintiff class of all persons who purchased or owned Class
A, B or C shares of the Fund from March 27, 1992 through December 23, 1994. The
Complaint alleges that as of the date of the Complaint, the Fund's losses
exceeded $750,000,000. The Complaint seeks as relief unspecified damages, costs
and attorneys' fees.
The principal allegations of the Complaint are that upon the advice of Alliance
the Fund purchased debt securities issued by the Mexican and Argentine
governments in amounts that were not permitted by the Fund's investment
objective, and that there was no shareholder vote to change the investment
objective to permit purchases in such amounts. The Complaint further alleges
that the decline in the value of the Mexican and Argentine securities held by
the Fund caused the Fund's net asset value to decline to the detriment of the
Fund's shareholders.
On September 26, 1995, defendants jointly filed a motion to dismiss the
Complaint in its entirety. On September 26, 1996, the District Court granted
defendants' motion to dismiss the Complaint as to all claims asserted by
plaintiffs. On October 11, 1996, plaintiffs filed a motion for reconsideration
of the District Court's decision. On October 29, 1996, plaintiffs filed a
motion for leave to file an amended complaint against the Fund, Alliance and
other defendants. The Fund and Alliance believe that the allegations in the
Complaint and the proposed amended complaint are without merit and intend to
vigorously defend against these claims.
REGISTRAR, TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
AFS, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance, located at 500 Plaza
Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094, acts as each Fund's registrar, transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of
shareholder accounts maintained for the Fund. The transfer agency fee with
respect to Class B shares will be higher than the transfer agency fee with
respect to Class A shares or Class C shares.
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
AFD, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance, located at 1345 Avenue of
the Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter of shares
of the Funds.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
From time to time, the Funds advertise their "yield" and "total return," which
are computed separately for Class A, Class B and Class C shares. A Fund's yield
for any 30-day (or one-month) period is computed by dividing the net investment
income per share earned during such period by the maximum public offering price
per share on the last day of the period, and then annualizing such 30-day (or
one-month) yield in accordance with a formula prescribed by the Commission
which provides for compounding on a semi-annual basis. A Fund may also state in
sales literature an "actual distribution rate" for each class which is computed
in the same manner as yield except that actual income dividends declared per
share during the period in question are substituted for net investment income
per share. The actual distribution rate is computed separately for Class A,
Class B and Class C shares. Advertisements of a Fund's total return disclose
its average annual compounded total return for the periods prescribed by the
Commission. A Fund's total return for each such period is computed by finding,
through the use of a formula prescribed by the Commission, the average annual
compounded rate of return over the period that would equate an assumed initial
amount invested to the value of the investment at the end of the period. For
purposes of computing total return, income dividends and capital gains
distributions paid on shares of a Fund are assumed to have been reinvested when
paid and the maximum sales charges applicable to purchases and redemptions of a
Fund's shares are assumed to have been paid. A Fund's advertisements may quote
performance rankings or ratings of a Fund by financial publications or
independent organizations such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. and
Morningstar, Inc. or compare a Fund's performance to various indices.
46
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus and the Statements of Additional Information, which have been
incorporated by reference herein, do not contain all the information set forth
in the Registration Statements filed by the Funds with the Commission under the
Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statements may be obtained at a
reasonable charge from the Commission or may be examined, without charge, at
the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH
OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
THIS PROSPECTUS IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE AN OFFER BY EACH FUND ONLY OF THE
SECURITIES OF WHICH IT IS THE ISSUER AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE AN OFFER
BY ANY FUND OF THE SECURITIES OF ANY OTHER FUND WHOSE SECURITIES ARE ALSO
OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS. NO FUND INTENDS TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO
THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE DISCLOSURE IN THIS PROSPECTUS RELATING TO
ANY OTHER FUND. SEE "GENERAL INFORMATION-ORGANIZATION."
47
APPENDIX A: BOND RATINGS
_______________________________________________________________________________
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
Aaa-Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry
the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt
edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable
margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are
likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair
the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa-Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high
grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of
protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or 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 the 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 some time 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 payment and
principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba-Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their
future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of interest
and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B-Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa-Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in
default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest.
Ca-Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a
high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C-Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues so
rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any
real investment standing.
Absence of Rating-When no rating has been assigned or where a rating has been
suspended or withdrawn, it may be for reasons unrelated to the quality of the
issue.
Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following:
1. An application for rating was not received or accepted.
2. The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities or companies that are
not rated as a matter of policy.
3. There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer.
4. The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published
in Moody's publications.
Suspension or withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the
effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer
available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a
bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons.
Note-Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating
classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating
category.
STANDARD & POOR'S
AAA-Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA-Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A-Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB-Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest
and repay principal. Whereas 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
debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C-Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having
predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and
CCC the highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures
to adverse conditions.
A-1
CI-The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being
paid.
D-Debt rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when
interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even if
the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such
payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used
upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are
jeopardized.
Plus (+) or Minus (-)-The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the
addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
rating categories.
NR-Not rated.
DUFF & PHELPS CREDIT RATING CO.
AAA-Highest credit quality. The risk factors are negligible, being only
slightly more than for risk-free U.S. Treasury debt.
AA+,AA, AA- -High credit quality. Protection factors are strong. Risk is modest
but may vary slightly from time to time because of economic conditions.
A+, A, A- -Protection factors are average but adequate. However, risk factors
are more variable and greater in periods of economic stress.
BBB+, BBB, BBB- -Below average protection factors but still considered
sufficient for prudent investment. Considerable variability in risk during
economic cycles.
BB+, BB, BB- -Below investment grade but deemed likely to meet obligations when
due. Present or prospective financial protection factors fluctuate according to
industry conditions or company fortunes. Overall quality may move up or down
frequently within this category.
B+, B, B- -Below investment grade and possessing risk that obligations will not
be met when due. Financial protection factors will fluctutate widely according
to economic cycles, industry conditions and/or company fortunes. Potential
exists for frequent changes in the rating within this category or into a higher
or lower rating grade
CCC-Well below investment grade securities. Considerable uncertainty exists as
to timely payment of principal or interest. Protection factors are narrow and
risk can be substantial with unfavorable economic/industry conditions, and/or
with unfavorable company developments.
DD-Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal and/or
interest payments.
FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, L.P.
AAA-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality.
The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay
principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
AA-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The
obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although
not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA
categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments,
short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated F- 1+.
A-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The
obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be
strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions
and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB-Bonds considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality.
The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be
adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however,
are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds, and therefore impair
timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below
investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings.
BB-Bonds are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to pay interest and
repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes. However,
business and financial alternatives can be identified which could assist the
obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B-Bonds are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are
currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued
timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's limited margin
of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout
the life of the issue.
CCC-Bonds have certain identifiable characteristics which, if not remedied, may
lead to default.
The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic
environment.
CC-Bonds are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest and/or
principal seems probable over time.
C-Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal.
DDD, DD, D-Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments. Such
bonds are extremely speculative and should be valued on the basis of their
ultimate recovery value in liquidation or reorganization of the obligor. DDD
represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds, and D represents
the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) Minus (-)-Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to
indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and
minus signs, however, are not used in the AAA, DDD, DD or D categories.
NR-Indicates that Fitch does not rate the specific issue.
A-2
APPENDIX B:
GENERAL INFORMATION
ABOUT CANADA, MEXICO AND ARGENTINA
_______________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CANADA
Canada consists of a federation of ten Provinces and two federal territories
(which generally fall under federal authority) with a constitutional division
of powers between the federal and Provincial governments. The Parliament of
Canada has jurisdiction over all areas not assigned exclusively to the
Provincial legislatures, and has jurisdiction over such matters as the federal
public debt and property, the regulation of trade and commerce, currency and
coinage, banks and banking, national defense, the postal services, navigation
and shipping and unemployment insurance.
The Canadian economy is based on the free enterprise system, with business
organizations ranging from small owner-operated businesses to large
multinational corporations. Manufacturing and resource industries are large
contributors to the country's economic output, but as in many other highly
developed countries, there has been a gradual shift from a largely
goods-producing economy to a predominantly service-based one. Agriculture and
other primary production play a small but key role in the economy. Canada is
also an exporter of energy to the United States in the form of natural gas (of
which Canada has substantial reserves) and hydroelectric power, and has
significant mineral resources.
Canadian Dollars are fully exchangeable into U.S. Dollars without foreign
exchange controls or other legal restriction. Since the major developed-country
currencies were permitted to float freely against one another, the range of
fluctuation in the U.S. Dollar/Canadian Dollar exchange rate has been narrower
than the range of fluctuation between the U.S. Dollar and most other major
currencies. During the last several years, Canada has experienced a weakening
of its currency. In January 1995, the Canadian Dollar fell to a nine-year low
against the U.S. Dollar, decreasing in value compared to the U.S. Dollar by
approximately 25% from October 1991, but from January 20, 1995, through October
25, 1996, the Canadian Dollar increased in value by approximately 5.9% against
the U.S. Dollar. The range of fluctuation that occurred in the past is not
necessarily indicative of the range of fluctuation that will occur in the
future. Future rates of exchange cannot be accurately predicted.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES
The United Mexican States ("Mexico") is a nation formed by 31 states and a
Federal District (Mexico City). The Political Constitution of Mexico, which
took effect on May 1, 1917, established Mexico as a Federal Republic and
provides for the separation of executive, legislative and judicial branches.
The President and the members of the General Congress are elected by popular
vote.
While in recent years the Mexican economy has experienced improvement in a
number of areas, including seven consecutive years (1987-1994) of growth in
gross domestic product and a substantial reduction in the rate of inflation and
in public sector financial deficit, beginning in 1994, Mexico has experienced
an economic crisis that led to the devaluation of the Peso in December 1994.
Much of the past improvement in the Mexican economy has been attributable to a
series of economic policy initiatives initiated by the Mexican government over
the past decade, which seek to modernize and reform the Mexican economy,
control inflation, reduce the financial deficit, increase public revenues
through the reform of the tax system, establish a competitive and stable
currency exchange rate, liberalize trade restrictions and increase investment
and productivity, while reducing the government's role in the economy. In this
regard, the Mexican government has been proceeding with a program for
privatizing certain state owned enterprises, developing and modernizing the
securities markets, increasing investment in the private sector and permitting
increased levels of foreign investment. The adoption effective January 1, 1994
by Canada, the United States and Mexico of the North American Free Trade
Agreement could also contribute to the growth of the Mexican economy.
In 1994 Mexico faced internal and external conditions that resulted in an
economic crisis that continues to affect the Mexican economy adversely. Growing
trade and current account deficits, which could no longer be financed by
inflows of foreign capital, were factors contributing to the crisis. A
weakening economy and unsettling political and social developments caused
investors to lose confidence in the Mexican economy. This resulted in a large
decline in foreign reserves followed by a sharp and rapid devaluation of the
Mexican Peso. The ensuing economic and financial crisis resulted in higher
inflation and domestic interest rates, a contraction in real gross domestic
product and a liquidity crisis.
In response to the adverse economic conditions that developed at the end of
1994, the Mexican government instituted a new economic program; and a new
social accord among the government, business and labor sectors of the country
was entered into in an effort to stabilize the economy and the financial
markets. To help relieve Mexico's liquidity crisis and restore financial
stability to Mexico's economy, the Mexican government also obtained financial
assistance from the United States, other countries and certain international
agencies conditioned upon the implementation and continuation of the economic
reform program.
While the Mexican economy has stabilized, it is just beginning to emerge from a
recession and continues to suffer from high inflation and high interest rates.
Its gross domestic product grew in the second quarter of 1996 after declining
for five consecutive quarters. In October 1995, the Mexican government
announced a new accord designed to encourage economic growth and reduce
inflation. It cannot be accurately predicted whether this accord will achieve
its purpose. Mexico's economy may also be influenced by international economic
conditions, particularly those in the United States, and by world prices for
oil and other commodities. The recovery of the economy will require
B-1
continued economic and fiscal discipline as well as stable political and social
conditions. There is no assurance that Mexico's economic policy initiatives
will be successful or that succeeding administrations will continue these
initiatives.
In August 1976, the Mexican government established a policy of allowing the
Mexican Peso to float against the U.S. Dollar and other currencies. Under this
policy, the value of the Mexican Peso consistently declined against the U.S.
Dollar. Under economic policy initiatives implemented since December 1987, the
Mexican government introduced a series of schedules allowing for the gradual
devaluation of the Mexican Peso against the U.S. Dollar. These gradual
devaluations continued until December 1994. On December 20, 1994, the Mexican
government announced a new policy that would allow a more substantial yet still
controlled devaluation of the Mexican Peso. On December 22, 1994, the Mexican
government announced that it would not continue with the policy announced two
days earlier and would instead permit the Peso to float against other
currencies, resulting in a continued decline against the U.S. Dollar. From
December 22, 1994 through October 25, 1996, the Mexican Peso decreased in value
by approximately 40% compared to the U.S. Dollar.
In 1982, Mexico imposed strict foreign exchange controls which shortly
thereafter were relaxed and were eliminated in 1991. There is no assurance that
future regulatory actions in Mexico would not affect the Fund's ability to
obtain U.S. Dollars in exchange for Mexican Pesos.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA
The Republic of Argentina ("Argentina") consists of 23 provinces and the
federal capital of Buenos Aires. Its federal constitution provides for an
executive branch headed by a President, a legislative branch and a judicial
branch. Each province has its own constitution, and elects its own governor,
legislators and judges, without the intervention of the federal government.
The military has intervened in the political process on several occasions since
the 1930's and has ruled the country for 22 of the past 65 years. The most
recent military government ruled the country from 1976 to 1983. Four
unsuccessful military uprisings have occurred since 1983, the most recent in
December 1990.
Shortly after taking office in 1989, the country's current President adopted
market-oriented and reformist policies, including a large privatization
program, a reduction in the size of the public sector and an opening of the
economy to international competition.
In the decade prior to the current announcement of a new economic plan in March
1991, the Argentine economy was characterized by low and erratic growth,
declining investment rates and rapidly worsening inflation. Despite its
strengths, which include a well-balanced natural resource base and a high
literacy rate, the Argentine economy failed to respond to a series of economic
plans in the 1980's. The 1991 economic plan represented a pronounced departure
from its predecessors in calling for raising revenues, cutting expenditures and
reducing the public deficit. The extensive privatization program commenced in
1989 was accelerated, the domestic economy deregulated and opened up to foreign
trade and the frame-work for foreign investment reformed. As a result of the
economic stabilization reforms, gross domestic product increased for four
consecutive years before declining in 1995 and the rate of inflation has
continued to decrease.
Significant progress was also made between 1991 and 1994 in rescheduling
Argentina's debt with both external and domestic creditors, which improved
fiscal cash flows in the medium terms and allowed a return to voluntary credit
markets. Further reforms are currently being implemented in order to sustain
and continue the progress to date. There is no assurance that Argentina's
economic policy initiatives will be successful or that succeeding
administrations will continue these initiatives.
In 1995 economic policy was directed toward the effects of the Mexican currency
crisis. The Mexican currency crisis led to a run on bank deposits, which has
been brought under control by a series of measures designed to strengthen the
financial system. The measures included the "dollarization" of banking
reserves, the establishment of two trust funds and strengthening bank reserve
requirements.
In 1991 the Argentine government enacted currency reforms, which required the
domestic currency to be fully backed by international reserves, in an effort to
make the Argentine Peso fully convertible into the U.S. Dollar at a rate of one
to one.
The Argentine Peso has been the Argentine currency since January 1, 1992. Since
that date, the rate of exchange from the Argentine Peso to the U.S. Dollar has
remained approximately one to one. The fixed exchange rate has been
instrumental in stabilizing the economy, but has not reduced pressures from a
slow-growth economy and high rates of unemployment. It is not clear that the
government will be able to resist pressure to devalue the currency. However,
the historic range is not necessarily indicative of fluctuations that may occur
in the exchange rate over time and future rates of exchange cannot be
accurately predicted. The Argentine foreign exchange market was highly
controlled until December 1989, when a free exchange rate was established for
all foreign currency transactions. Argentina has eliminated restrictions on
foreign direct investment and capital repatriation. On September 8, 1993,
legislation was adopted abolishing previous requirements of a three-year
waiting period for capital repatriation. Under the new legislation, foreign
investors will be permitted to remit profits at any time.
B-2
ALLIANCE SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
THE ALLIANCE BOND FUNDS
SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO
LIMITED MATURITY GOVERNMENT FUND
MORTGAGE SECURITIES INCOME FUND
WORLD INCOME TRUST
SHORT-TERM MULTI-MARKET TRUST
MULTI-MARKET STRATEGY TRUST
NORTH AMERICAN GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST
GLOBAL DOLLAR GOVERNMENT FUND
GLOBAL STRATEGIC INCOME TRUST
CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO
INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
_______________________________________________________________________________
TO OPEN YOUR NEW ALLIANCE ACCOUNT...
Please complete the application and mail it to:
ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 1520
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY 07096-1520
For certified or overnight deliveries, send to:
ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES, INC.
500 PLAZA DRIVE
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY 07094
SECTION 1 YOUR ACCOUNT REGISTRATION (REQUIRED)
Complete one of the available choices. To ensure proper tax reporting to the
IRS:
> Individuals, Joint Tenants and Gift/Transfer to a Minor:
. Indicate your name(s) exactly as it appears on your social security card.
> Trust/Other:
. Indicate the name of the entity exactly as it appeared on the notice you
received from the IRS when your Employer Identification number was
assigned.
SECTION 2 YOUR ADDRESS (REQUIRED)
Complete in full.
SECTION 3 YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT (REQUIRED)
For each fund in which you are investing: 1) Write the dollar amount of your
initial purchase in the column corresponding to the class of shares you have
chosen (If you are eligible for a reduced sales charge, you must also complete
Section 4F) 2) Circle a distribution option for your dividends 3) Circle a
distribution option for your capital gains. All distributions (dividends and
capital gains) will be reinvested into your fund account unless you direct
otherwise. If you want distributions sent directly to your bank account, then
you must complete Section 4D and attach a voided check for that account. If
you want your distributions sent to a third party you must complete Section 4E.
SECTION 4 YOUR SHAREHOLDER OPTIONS (COMPLETE ONLY THOSE OPTIONS YOU WANT)
A. AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLANS (AIP) - You can make periodic investments into
any of your Alliance Funds in one of three ways. First, by a periodic
withdrawal ($25 minimum) directly from your bank account and invested into an
Alliance Fund. Second, you can direct your distributions (dividends and
capital gains) from one Alliance Fund into another Fund. Or third, you can
automatically exchange monthly ($25 minimum) shares of one Alliance Fund for
shares of another Fund. To elect one of these options, complete the
appropriate portion of Section 4A.
B. SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLANS (SWP) - Complete this option if you wish to
periodically redeem dollars from one of your fund accounts. Payments can be
made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to your bank account or by check.
C. TELEPHONE TRANSACTIONS VIA EFT - Complete this option if you would like to
be able to transact via telephone between your fund account and your bank
account.
D. BANK INFORMATION - If you have elected any options that involve
transactions between your bank account and your fund account or have elected
cash distribution options and would like the payments sent to your bank
account, please tape a pre-printed VOIDED CHECK of the account you wish to use
to this section of the application.
E. THIRD PARTY PAYMENT DETAILS - If you have chosen cash distributions and/or
a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and would like the payments sent to a person
and/or address other than those provided in Section 1 or 2, complete this
option.
F. REDUCED CHARGES (CLASS A ONLY) - Complete if you would like to link fund
accounts that have combined balances that might exceed $100,000 so that future
purchases will receive discounts. Complete if you intend to purchase over
$100,000 within 13 months.
SECTION 5 SHAREHOLDER AUTHORIZATION (REQUIRED)
All owners must sign. If it is a custodial, corporate, or trust account, the
custodian, an authorized officer, or the trustee respectively must sign.
Investments made by check or EFT will not be made available for up to 15
CALENDAR DAYS, following the purchase date.
IF WE CAN ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL US AT: (800)
221-5672.
SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
THE ALLIANCE BOND FUNDS
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT THE FRONT OF THE APPLICATION)
1. YOUR ACCOUNT REGISTRATION (PLEASE PRINT)
_______________________________________________________________________________
__ INDIVIDUAL OR JOINT ACCOUNT
_______________________________________________________________________________
Owner's Name (First Name) (MI) (Last Name)
_________________________________________________
Social Security Number (Required to open account)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Joint Owner's Name* (First Name ) (MI) (Last Name)
*JOINT TENANTS WITH RIGHT OF SURVIVORSHIP UNLESS ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES IS
INFORMED OTHERWISE.
__ GIFT/TRANSFER TO A MINOR
_______________________________________________________________________________
Custodian - One Name Only (First Name) (MI) (Last Name)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Minor (First Name) (MI) (Last Name)
___________________________________________________________
Minor's Social Security Number (Required to open account)
Under the State of____(Minor's Residence) Uniform Gifts/Transfer to Minor's Act
__ TRUST ACCOUNT
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name of Trustee
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name of Trust
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name of Trust (cont'd)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Trust Dated Tax ID or Social Security Number (Required to open account)
__ OTHER
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name of Corporation,Partnership,Investment only retirement plan or other Entity
__________________________ __________________________________________________
Tax ID Number Trustee Name (Retirement Plans Only)
2. YOUR ADDRESS
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Street
_______________________________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code
_______________________________________________________________________________
If Non-U.S., Specify Country
_____________________________________ _______________________________________
Daytime Phone Evening Phone
I am a: __ U.S. Citizen __ Non-Resident Alien
__ Resident Alien __ Other
FOR ALLIANCE USE ONLY
3. YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT
_______________________________________________________________________________
THE MINIMUM INVESTMENT IS $250 PER FUND. THE MAXIMUM INVESTMENT IN CLASS B IS
$250,000; CLASS C IS $5,000,000.
I hereby subscribe for shares of the following Alliance Bond Fund(s) and elect
distribution options as indicated.
DIVIDEND AND CAPITAL GAIN DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS:
R REINVEST DISTRIBUTIONS into my fund account.
C SEND MY DISTRIBUTIONS IN CASH to the address I have provided in Section 2.
(Complete Section 4D for direct deposit to your bank account. Complete Section
4E for payment to a third party)
D DIRECT MY DISTRIBUTIONS TO ANOTHER ALLIANCE FUND. Complete the appropriate
portion of Section 4A to direct your distributions (dividends and capital
gains) to another Alliance Fund (the $250 minimum investment requirement
applies to Funds into which distributions are directed).
BROKER/DEALER USE ONLY
WIRE CONFIRM #
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS OF SHARES
----------------------------------------
CONTINGENT DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS
MAKE ALL CHECKS PAYABLE TO: INITIAL DEFERRED ASSET-BASED *CIRCLE*
ALLIANCE FUND SERVICES SALES CHARGE SALES CHARGE SALES CHARGE ------------------------
ALLIANCE FUND NAME A B C DIVIDENDS CAPITAL GAINS
- --------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ --------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Short-Term U.S. Government $ (37) $ (51) $ (337) R C D R C D
U.S. Government (46) (76) (346) R C D R C D
Limited Maturity Gov't. (88) (89) (388) R C D R C D
Mortgage Securities Income (52) (63) (352) R C D R C D
World Income (54) not offered not offered R C D R C D
Short-Term Multi-Market (70) (68) (370) R C D R C D
Multi-Market Strategy (22) (23) (322) R C D R C D
North American Government (55) (56) (355) R C D R C D
Global Dollar Government (166) (266) (366) R C D R C D
Global Strategic Income (124) (224) (324) R C D R C D
Corporate Bond+ (95) (295) (395) R C D R C D
TOTAL INVESTMENT $ $ $
</TABLE>
FOR CLASS A AND CLASS C ONLY:
To apply for checkwriting privileges, please complete the signature card to the
left. The minimum amount any check can be written for is $500. The
checkwriting privilege is not transferable to any other fund account. If the
account registration is changed, the checkwriting privilege terminates and
must be reapplied for.
+ Checkwriting service not offered on Corporate Bond Fund and World Income
Trust.
Checkwriting may result in the imposition of a contingent deferred sales
charge against your account.
SIGNATURE CARD NAME OF FUND:
CLASS A OR CLASS C ACCOUNT #
(if known)
________________________________ _____________________
ACCOUNT NAME(S) AS REGISTERED
_________________________________________________________
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
_________________________________________________________
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE(S) - for joint accounts, all owners, or their legal
representatives, must sign this card.
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
Check One Box
__All the above signatures are required on checks written against this account.
__Any one signature is acceptable on checks written against this account.
__A combination of signatures is required (specify number).
SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS PRINTED ON REVERSE SIDE. STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
COMPANY
MY SOCIAL SECURITY (TAX IDENTIFICATION ) NUMBER IS: __________________________
4. YOUR SHAREHOLDER OPTIONS
_______________________________________________________________________________
A. AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLANS (AIP)
__ WITHDRAW FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT*
I authorize Alliance to draw on my bank account for investment in my fund
account(s) as indicated below (Complete Section 4D also for the bank account
you wish to use and attach a voided check).
Monthly Dollar
Amount Day of Withdrawal
Fund Name ($25 minimum) (1st thru 31st) Circle "all" or applicable months
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__________ ______________ _________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
__________ ______________ _________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
__________ ______________ _________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
__________ ______________ _________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
Your bank must be a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association
(NACHA).
__ DIRECT MY DISTRIBUTIONS
As indicated in Section 3, I would like my dividends and/or capital gains
directed to another Alliance fund within the same class of shares.
From" Fund Account "To" Fund Account #
"From" Fund Name #" (if existing) "To" Fund Name (if existing)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__ New
_________________ __________________ _________________ __ Existing
__ New
_________________ __________________ _________________ __ Existing
__ New
_________________ __________________ _________________ __ Existing
__ New
_________________ __________________ _________________ __ Existing
__ EXCHANGE SHARES MONTHLY
I authorize Alliance to transact monthly exchanges between my fund accounts as
listed below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
"From" Fund Account # Dollar Amount Day of Exchange** "To" Fund Account #
"From" Fund Name (if existing) ($25 minimum) (1st thru 31st) "To" Fund Name (if existing)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
__ New
________________ _____________________ ______________ _________________ _______________ __ Existing
__ New
________________ _____________________ ______________ _________________ _______________ __ Existing
__ New
________________ _____________________ ______________ _________________ _______________ __ Existing
__ New
________________ _____________________ ______________ _________________ _______________ __ Existing
</TABLE>
**Shares exchanged will be redeemed at the net asset value on the "Day of
Exchange" (If the "Day of Exchange" is not a fund business day, the exchange
transaction will be processed on the next fund business day). The exchange
privilege is not available if stock certificates have been issued. Only
available within the same class of shares.
B. SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLANS (SWP)
In order to establish a SWP, you must reinvest all dividends and capital gains
and own or purchase shares of the Fund having a current net asset value of at
least:
.$10,000 for monthly payments,
.$5,000 for bi-monthly payments,
.$4,000 for quarterly or less frequent payments
__ I authorize Alliance to transact periodic redemptions from my fund account
and send the proceeds to me as indicated below.
Fund Name and Dollar Amount Circle "all" or
Class of Shares ($50 minimum) applicable months
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
____________________ ______________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
____________________ ______________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
____________________ ______________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
____________________ ______________________ All J F M A M J J A S O N D
PLEASE SEND MY SWP PROCEEDS TO:
__ MY CHECKING ACCOUNT (VIA EFT) - Currently Class A and Class C only
I would like to have these payments occur on or about the _________(1st-31st)
of the months circled above. (Complete Section 4D for the bank account you
wish to use and attach a voided check)
__ MY ADDRESS OF RECORD (VIA CHECK)
__ THE PAYEE AND ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 4E (VIA CHECK)
60042GEN-BONDApp
C. PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS VIA EFT
You can call our toll-free number 1-800-221-5672 and instruct Alliance Fund
Services, Inc. in a recorded conversation to purchase, redeem or exchange
shares for your account. Purchase and redemption requests will be processed
via electronic funds transfer (EFT) to and from your bank account.
Instructions:
. Review the information in the Prospectus about telephone transaction
services.
. If you select the telephone purchase or redemption privilege, you must write
"VOID" across the face of a check from the bank account you wish to use and
attach it to Section 4D of this application.
PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS VIA EFT
__ I hereby authorize Alliance Fund Services, Inc. to effect the purchase
and/or redemption of Fund shares for my account according to my telephone
instructions or telephone instructions from my Broker/Agent, and to withdraw
money or credit money for such shares via EFT from the bank account I have
selected. In the case of shares purchased by check, redemption proceeds may not
be made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that the check has
cleared, normally 15 calendar days after the purchase date.
D. BANK INFORMATION
This bank account information will be used for:
__ Distributions (Section 3) __ Automatic Investments (Section 4A)
__ Systematic Withdrawals (Section 4B) __ Telephone Transactions (Section 4C)
Please attach a voided check:
Tape Pre-printed Voided Check Here.
We Cannot Establish These Services Without it.
Your bank must be a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association
(NACHA) in order to have EFT transactions processed to your fund account.
For EFT transactions, the fund requires signatures of bank account owners
exactly as they appear on bank records.
E. THIRD PARTY PAYMENT DETAILS
This third party payee information will be used for:
__ Distributions (Section 3) __ Systematic Withdrawals (Section 4B)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name
_______________________________________________________________________________
Address - Line 1
_______________________________________________________________________________
Address - Line 2
_______________________________________________________________________________
Address - Line 3
F. REDUCED CHARGES (CLASS A ONLY)
If you, your spouse or minor children own shares in other Alliance funds, you
may be eligible for a reduced sales charge. Please complete the Right of
Accumulation section or the Statement of Intent section.
A. RIGHT OF ACCUMULATION
__ Please link the tax identification numbers or account numbers listed below
for Right of Accumulation privileges, so that this and future purchases will
receive any discount for which they are eligible.
B. STATEMENT OF INTENT
__ I want to reduce my sales charge by agreeing to invest the following amount
over a 13-month period:
__ $100,000 __ $250,000 __ $500,000 __ $1,000,000
If the full amount indicated is not purchased within 13 months, I understand
that an additional sales charge must be paid from my account.
_________________________ __________________________ ________________________
Tax ID or Account # Tax ID or Account # Tax ID or Account #
5. SHAREHOLDER AUTHORIZATION THIS SECTION MUST BE COMPLETED
_______________________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS BY CHECK
Unless I have checked one or both boxes below, these privileges will
automatically apply, and by signing this application, I hereby authorize
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. to act on my telephone instructions, or on
telephone instructions from any person representing himself to be an authorized
employee of an investment dealer or agent requesting a redemption or exchange
on my behalf. (NOTE: Telephone exchanges may only be processed between
accounts that have identical registrations.) Telephone redemption checks will
only be mailed to the name and address of record; and the address must have no
change within the last 30 days. The maximum telephone redemption amount is
$50,000. This service can be enacted once every 30 days.
__ I do NOT elect the telephone exchange service.
__ I do NOT elect the telephone redemption by check service.
I CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT THE NUMBER SHOWN IN SECTION 1 OF THIS
FORM IS MY CORRECT TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND THAT
I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THIS ACCOUNT IS SUBJECT TO BACKUP WITHHOLDING.
By selecting any of the above telephone privileges, I agree that neither the
Fund nor Alliance, Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. or other Fund Agent will be liable for any loss, injury, damage or expense
as a result of acting upon telephone instructions purporting to be on my
behalf, that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine, and that neither the
Fund nor any such party will be responsible for the authenticity of such
telephone instructions. I understand that any or all of these privileges may
be discontinued by me or the Fund at any time. I understand and agree that the
Fund reserves the right to refuse any telephone instructions and that my
investment dealer or agent reserves the right to refuse to issue any telephone
instructions I may request.
For non-residents only: Under penalties of perjury, I certify that to the best
of my knowledge and belief, I qualify as a foreign person as indicated in
Section 2.
I am of legal age and capacity and have received and read the Prospectus and
agree to its terms.
THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE DOES NOT REQUIRE YOUR CONSENT TO ANY PROVISION OF
THIS DOCUMENT OTHER THAN THE CERTIFICATION REQUIRED TO AVOID BACKUP WITHHOLDING.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
_______________________________________________________________________________
Signature Date Acceptance Date
DEALER/AGENT AUTHORIZATION FOR SELECTED DEALERS OR AGENTS ONLY.
_______________________________________________________________________________
We hereby authorize Alliance Fund Services, Inc. to act as our agent in
connection with transactions under this authorization form; and we guarantee
the signature(s) set forth in Section 5, as well as the legal capacity of the
shareholder.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dealer/Agent Firm Authorized Signature
_______________________________________________________________________________
Representative First Name MI Last Name
_______________________________________________________________________________
Representative Number
_______________________________________________________________________________
Branch Office Address
_______________________________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code
_______________________________________________________________________________
Branch Number Branch Phone
The payment of funds is authorized by the signature(s) appearing on the reverse
side.
If this card is signed by more than one person, all checks will require all
signatures appearing on the reverse side unless a lesser number is indicated.
If no indication is given, all checks will require all signatures. Each
signatory guarantees the genuineness of the other signatures.
The Bank is hereby appointed agent by the person(s) signing this card (the
"Depositor[s]") and, as agent, is authorized and directed to present checks
drawn on this checking account to Alliance __________________________________
("the Fund") or its transfer agent as requests to redeem shares of "the Fund"
registered in the name of the Depositor(s) in the amounts of such checks and to
deposit the proceeds of such redemptions in this checking account. The Bank
shall be liable only for its own negligence.
The Depositor(s) agrees to be subject to the rules and regulations of the Bank
pertaining to this checking account as amended from time to time. The Bank and
"the Fund" reserve the right to change, modify or terminate this checking
account and authorization at any time.
CHECKS MAY NOT BE FOR LESS THAN $500 or such other minimum amount as may from
time to time be established by "the Fund" upon prior written notice to its
shareholders. Shares purchased by check (including certified or cashier's
check) will not be redeemed within 15 calendar days of such purchase by
checkwriting or any other method of redemption.
No checkwriting available on Alliance World Income and Alliance Corporate
Bond.
ENCLOSE THIS CARD WITH THE APPLICATION FORM
<PAGE>
This is filed pursuant to 497(c).
File Nos. 33-12988 and 811-05088.
<PAGE>
THE ALLIANCE PORTFOLIOS-
Alliance Short-Term
U.S. Government Fund
P.O. Box 1520, Secaucus, New Jersey 07096-1520
Toll Free (800) 221-5672
For Literature Toll Free (800) 227-4618
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
November 1, 1996
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus and
should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus that
offers Class A, Class B and Class C shares and, if the Fund
begins to offer Advisor Class shares, the Prospectus that offers
Advisor Class shares of the Fund (the "Advisor Class Prospectus"
and, together with any Prospectus that offers the Class A, Class
B and Class C shares, the "Prospectus"). The Fund currently does
not offer Advisor Class shares. Copies of the Fund's Prospectus
may be obtained by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the
address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS................... 2
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND........... 9
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS................................ 25
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND................................. 29
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS................................. 35
EXPENSES OF THE FUND................................... 36
PURCHASE OF SHARES..................................... 40
REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES.................... 58
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES................................... 62
NET ASSET VALUE........................................ 69
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES..................... 71
GENERAL INFORMATION.................................... 73
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS................................... 81
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS......................
APPENDIX............................................... A-1
__________________
* This registered service mark used under license from the
owner, alliance Capital Management L.P.
<PAGE>
___________________________________________________________
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS
____________________________________________________________
The following investment policies and restrictions
supplement and should be read in conjunction with the information
set forth in the Prospectus of the Alliance Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund (the "Fund"), a series of The Alliance Portfolios
(the "Trust"), under the heading "Investment Objective and
Policies." In addition to the investment techniques described in
this section, the Fund may also engage in the investment
techniques described below under the sub-heading "Additional
Investment Techniques of the Fund."
Investment Objective and Policies of the Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund
General. The Fund seeks to provide high current income
consistent with preservation of capital by investing primarily in
a diversified portfolio of U.S. Government Securities. Under
normal circumstances, the Fund will maintain an average
dollar-weighted portfolio maturity of not more than three years
and will invest at least 65% of its total assets in U.S.
Government Securities and repurchase agreements and forward
commitments relating to U.S. Government Securities. In periods
of rising interest rates, the Fund may, to the extent it invests
in mortgage-backed securities, be subject to the risk that its
average dollar weighted portfolio maturity may be extended as a
result of lower than anticipated prepayment rates. The Fund's
investments may include all types of U.S. Government Securities,
including those backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Government, those supported by the right of the issuer to borrow
from the U.S. Treasury and those backed only by the credit of the
issuing agency itself. U.S. Government Securities include,
without limitation, the following:
U.S. Treasury Bills - Direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury which are issued in maturities of one year or less. No
interest is paid on Treasury Bills; instead, they are issued at a
discount and repaid at full face value when they mature. They
are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
U.S. Treasury Notes - Direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury issued in maturities which vary between one and ten
years, with interest payable every six months. They are backed
by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
U.S. Treasury Bonds - Direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury are issued in maturities of more than ten years from the
2
<PAGE>
date of issue, with interest payable every six months. They are
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
"Ginnie Maes" - Ginnie Maes are debt securities issued
by a mortgage banker or other mortgagee and represent an interest
in a pool of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing
Administration or the Farmers' Home Administration or guaranteed
by the Veterans Administration. The Government National Mortgage
Association ("GNMA") guarantees the timely payment of the
principal and interest. The GNMA guarantee is backed by the full
faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
"Fannie Maes" - The Federal National Mortgage
Association ("FNMA"), a government-sponsored corporation, owned
entirely by private stockholders that purchases residential
mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers. Pass-
through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely
payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by
the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
"Freddie Macs" - The Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation ("FHLMC"), a corporate instrumentality of the U.S.
Government, issues participation certificates ("PCs") which
represent interest in residential mortgages from FHLMC's National
Portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and
ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the
full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
Governmental Collateralized Mortgage Obligations
("CMOs") - Governmental CMOs are securities issued by a U.S.
Government instrumentality or agency which are backed by a
portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities held under
an indenture. The issuer's obligation to make interest and
principal payments is secured by the underlying portfolio of
mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. CMOs are issued with a
number of classes or series which have different maturities and
which may represent interests in some or all of the interest or
principal on the underlying collateral or a combination thereof.
CMOs of different classes are generally retired in sequence as
the underlying mortgage loans in the mortgage pool are repaid.
The Fund may invest in only those privately-issued CMOs which are
collateralized by mortgage-backed securities issued by GNMA,
FHLMC or FNMA, and in CMOs issued by a U.S. Government agency or
instrumentality. CMOs issued by entities other than U.S.
Government agencies or instrumentalities are not considered U.S.
Government Securities for purposes of the investment policies of
the Fund even though the CMOs may be collateralized by U.S.
Government Securities.
Ginnie Maes, Fannie Maes, Freddie Macs and CMOs are
mortgage-backed securities. Interest and principal payments
3
<PAGE>
(including prepayments) on the mortgages underlying mortgage-
backed securities are passed through to the holders of the
mortgage-backed security. Prepayments occur when the mortgagor
on an individual mortgage prepays the remaining principal before
the mortgage's scheduled maturity date. As a result of the pass-
through of prepayments of principal on the underlying securities,
mortgage-backed securities are often subject to more rapid
prepayment of principal than their stated maturity would
indicate. Because the prepayment characteristics of the
underlying mortgages vary, it is not possible to predict
accurately the realized yield or average life of a particular
issue of pass-through certificates. During periods of declining
interest rates, such prepayments can be expected to accelerate
and the Fund would be required to reinvest the proceeds at the
lower interest rates then available. Conversely, during periods
of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase
the effective maturities of the securities, subjecting them to a
greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising
interest rates. In addition, prepayments of mortgages which
underlie securities purchased at a premium could result in
capital losses. As a result of these principal payment features,
mortgage-backed securities are generally more volatile
investments than other U.S. Government Securities.
The Fund may also invest in "zero-coupon" U.S.
Government Securities which have been stripped of their unmatured
interest coupons and receipts or in certificates representing
undivided interests in such stripped U.S. Government Securities
and coupons. The Fund may also invest in certificates
representing rights to receive payments of the interest only or
principal only of mortgage-backed U.S. Government Securities
("IO/PO Strips"). These securities tend to be more volatile than
other types of U.S. Government Securities. IO Strips involve the
additional risk of loss of the entire remaining value of the
investment if the underlying mortgages are prepaid. See
"Stripped Mortgage-Related Securities" below.
Guarantees of the Fund's securities by the U.S.
Government or its agencies or instrumentalities guarantee only
the payment of principal and interest on the guaranteed
securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value
or the yield or value of the Fund's shares.
U.S. Government Securities are considered among the
safest of fixed-income investments. As a result, however, their
yields are generally lower than the yields available from
corporate debt securities. As with other mutual funds, the value
of the Fund's shares will fluctuate with the value of its
investments. The value of the Fund's investments will change as
the general level of interest rates fluctuates. During periods
of falling interest rates, the values of U.S. Government
4
<PAGE>
Securities generally rise. Conversely, during periods of rising
interest rates, the values of U.S. Government Securities
generally decline. In an effort to preserve the capital of the
Fund when interest rates are generally rising, Alliance Capital
Management L.P. (the "Adviser") may shorten the average maturity
of the U.S. Government Securities in the Fund's portfolio.
Because the principal values of U.S. Government Securities with
shorter maturities are less affected by rising interest rates, a
portfolio with a shorter average maturity will generally diminish
less in value during such periods than a portfolio of longer
average maturity. Because U.S. Government Securities with
shorter maturities generally have a lower yield to maturity,
however, the Fund's current return and net asset value will
generally be lower as a result of such action than it would have
been had such action not been taken.
In addition to investing in U.S. Government Securities,
the Fund may invest a portion of its assets in bank certificates
of deposit, corporate debt obligations, high quality money market
instruments and CMOs, IO/PO Strips and asset-backed securities of
non-governmental issuers. These investments generally involve
higher levels of credit risk than do U.S. Government Securities,
as well as the risk (present with all fixed-income securities) of
fluctuations in value as market rates of interest change. To
reduce these risks, however, the Fund's investments in
fixed-income securities will be rated at the time of purchase at
least AA by Standard & Poor's ("S&P") or Aa by Moody's Investors
Service, Inc. ("Moodys"), or if unrated will be of comparable
quality as determined by the Adviser. In the event that the
rating of any security held by the Fund falls below Aa by Moody's
and/or AA by S&P (or an unrated security is determined by the
Adviser to no longer be of comparable quality to securities rated
Aa or AA), the Fund will not be obligated to dispose of such
security and may continue to hold the security if, in the opinion
of the Adviser, such investment is appropriate in the
circumstances.
Stripped Mortgage-Related Securities. The Fund may
invest in stripped mortgage-related securities ("SMRS"). SMRS
are derivative multi-class mortgage-related securities. SMRS may
be issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities, or by private originators of, or investors in,
mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage
banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose
subsidiaries of the foregoing.
SMRS are usually structured with two classes that
receive different proportions of the interest and principal
distributions on a pool of GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC certificates,
whole loans or private pass-through mortgage-related securities
("Mortgage Assets"). A common type of SMRS will have one class
5
<PAGE>
receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the
Mortgage Assets, while the other class will receive most of the
interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme
case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-
only or "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of
the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to
maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of
principal payments (including prepayments) on the related
underlying Mortgage Assets, and a rapid rate of principal
prepayments may have a material adverse effect on the yield to
maturity of the IO class. The rate of principal prepayment will
change as the general level of interest rates fluctuates. If the
underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater than anticipated
principal prepayments, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its
initial investment in these securities. Due to their structure
and underlying cash flows, SMRS may be more volatile than
mortgage-related securities that are not stripped.
Although SMRS are purchased and sold by institutional
investors through several investment banking firms acting as
brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently
developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet
developed and, accordingly, these securities may be illiquid.
Inverse Floating Rate Instruments. The Fund may seek to
increase yield by investing in leveraged inverse floating rate
debt instruments, known as inverse floaters. The interest rate
on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the
market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed.
An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the
extent that its interest rate varies by a multiple of the change
in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage
inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater
volatility in market value. Accordingly, the duration of an
inverse floater may exceed its stated final maturity.
Short Sales Against-the-Box. The Fund may make short
sales against-the-box for the purpose of deferring realization of
gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes. A short sale
"against-the-box" is a short sale in which the Fund owns an equal
amount of the securities sold short or securities convertible
into or exchangeable, without payment of any further
consideration, for securities of the same issue as, and equal in
amount to, the securities sold short. The Fund may engage in
such short sales only to the extent that not more than 10% of the
Fund's total assets (determined at the time of the short sale) is
held as collateral for such sales.
Adjustable Rate Securities. The Fund may invest in
adjustable rate securities, which may be U.S. Government
Securities or securities of other issuers. Adjustable rate
6
<PAGE>
securities are securities that have interest rates that are reset
at periodic intervals, usually by reference to some interest rate
index or market interest rate. Some adjustable rate securities
are backed by pools of mortgage loans. Although the rate
adjustment feature may act as a buffer to reduce sharp changes in
the value of adjustable rate securities, these securities are
still subject to changes in value based on changes in market
interest rates or changes in the relevant issuer's
creditworthiness. Because the interest rate is reset only
periodically, changes in the interest rate on adjustable rate
securities may lag behind changes in prevailing market interest
rates. Also, some adjustable rate securities (or the underlying
mortgages) are subject to caps or floors that limit the maximum
change in interest rate during a specified period or over the
life of the security.
Interest Rate Transactions. The Fund may seek to
protect the value of its investments from interest rate
fluctuations by entering into various hedging transactions, such
as interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate
caps and floors. The Fund expects to enter into these
transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a
particular investment or portion of its portfolio. The Fund may
also enter into these transactions to protect against an increase
in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a
later date. The Fund intends to use these transactions as a
hedge and not as speculative investment. Interest rate swaps
involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their
respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an
exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments. The
purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the
extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest
rate, to receive payments on a notional principal amount for the
party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an
interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a
specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to
receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from
the party selling such interest rate floor.
The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and
floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis
depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities.
The Fund will only enter into such swaps, caps and floors on a
net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the
Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount
of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of
the Fund's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each
interest rate swap, cap or floor will be accrued on a daily basis
and an amount of liquid securities having an aggregate value at
least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a
segregated account by the custodian. The Fund will not enter
7
<PAGE>
into any interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the
unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other
party thereto is rated in the highest rating category of at least
one nationally recognized rating organization at the time of
entering into such transaction. If there is a default by the
other party to such transaction, the Fund will have contractual
remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
Caps and floors may be illiquid.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In order to increase
income, the Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements
with commercial banks and registered broker-dealers in an amount
up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. Reverse repurchase
agreements involve sales by the Fund of portfolio assets
concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same
assets at a later date at a fixed price. During the reverse
repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive
principal and interest payments on these securities. Reverse
repurchase agreements are considered borrowings by the Fund and
require the segregation of liquid assets with the Fund's
custodian in amount equal to the Fund's obligation pending
completion of such transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements
involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained
by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the
Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase under the agreement.
In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase
agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund's
use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a
determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver,
whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the
securities.
Options on Securities. The Fund may seek to increase
its current return by writing covered call and put options on
securities it owns or in which it may invest. For more
information on writing options on securities, see "Options -
Options on Securities."
Options on certain U.S. Government Securities are traded
in significant volume on securities exchanges. However, other
options which the Fund may purchase or sell are traded in the
"over-the-counter" market rather than on an exchange. This means
that the Fund will enter into such option contracts with
particular securities dealers who make markets in these options.
The Fund's ability to terminate option positions 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 such transactions might fail to meet their
obligations to the Fund.
8
<PAGE>
Portfolio Management
The Adviser manages the Fund's portfolio by buying and
selling securities to help attain its investment objective. The
portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is included under "Financial
Highlights" in the Fund's Prospectus. A high portfolio turnover
rate will involve greater costs to the Fund (including brokerage
commissions and other transaction costs) and may also result in
the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term
capital gains taxable at ordinary income rates. See "Portfolio
Transactions" and "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" below.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND
Repurchase Agreements
The repurchase agreements referred to in the Fund's
Prospectus are agreements by which the Fund purchases a security
and obtains a simultaneous commitment from the seller to
repurchase the security at an agreed upon price and date. The
resale price is in excess of the purchase price and reflects an
agreed upon market rate unrelated to the coupon rate on the
purchased security. The purchased security serves as collateral
for the obligation of the seller to repurchase the security. The
value of the purchased security is initially greater than or
equal to the amount of the repurchase obligation and the seller
is required to furnish additional collateral on a daily basis in
order to maintain with the purchaser securities with a value
greater than or equal to the amount of the repurchase obligation.
Such transactions afford the Fund the opportunity to earn a
return on temporarily available cash. While at times the
underlying security may be a bill, certificate of indebtedness,
note, or bond issued by an agency, authority or instrumentality
of the U.S. Government, the obligation of the seller is not
guaranteed by the U.S. Government and there is a risk that the
seller may fail to repurchase the underlying security, whether
because of the seller's bankruptcy or otherwise. In such event,
the Fund would attempt to exercise its rights with respect to the
underlying security, including possible disposition in the
market. However, the Fund may be subject to various delays and
risks of loss, including (a) possible declines in the value of
the underlying security during the period while the Fund seeks to
enforce its rights thereto, (b) possible reduced levels of income
and lack of access to income during this period and (c) inability
to enforce rights and the expenses involved in the attempted
enforcement.
9
<PAGE>
Non-Publicly Traded Securities
The Fund may invest in securities that are not publicly
traded, including securities sold pursuant to Rule 144A under the
Securities Act of 1933 ("Rule 144A Securities"). The sale of
these securities is usually restricted under Federal securities
laws, and market quotations may not be readily available. As a
result, the Fund may not be able to sell these securities (other
than Rule 144A Securities) unless they are registered under
applicable Federal and state securities laws, or may have to sell
such securities at less than fair market value. Investment in
these securities is restricted to 5% of the Fund's total assets
(excluding, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Rule 144A
Securities) and is also subject to the restriction against
investing more than 15% of total assets in "illiquid" securities.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Rule 144A Securities
will not be treated as "illiquid" for purposes of the foregoing
restriction so long as such securities meet the liquidity
guidelines established by the Trust's Board of Trustees.
Pursuant to these guidelines, the Adviser will monitor the
liquidity of the Fund's investment in Rule 144A Securities and,
in reaching liquidity decisions, will consider: (1) the
frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number
of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the
number of other potential purchasers; (3) dealer undertakings to
make a market in the security; and (4) 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).
Descriptions of Certain Money Market Securities in Which the Fund
May Invest
Certificates of Deposit, Bankers' Acceptances and Bank
Time Deposits. Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a
bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to
pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the
receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The
certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior
to maturity.
Bankers' acceptances typically arise from short-term
credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds
to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is
a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to
obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise.
The draft is then "accepted" by another bank that, in effect,
unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the
instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held
by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in
the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific
10
<PAGE>
maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as
270 days, most maturities are six months or less.
Bank time deposits are funds kept on deposit with a bank
for a stated period of time in an interest bearing account. At
present, bank time deposits maturing in more than seven days are
not considered by the Adviser to be readily marketable.
Commercial Paper. Commercial paper consists of short-
term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes
issued in order to finance their current operations.
Variable Notes. Variable amount master demand notes and
variable amount floating rate notes are obligations that permit
the investment of fluctuating amounts by the Fund at varying
rates of interest pursuant to direct arrangements between the
Fund, as lender, and the borrower. Master demand notes permit
daily fluctuations in the interest rate while the interest rate
under variable amount floating rate notes fluctuates on a weekly
basis. These notes permit daily changes in the amounts borrowed.
The Fund has the right to increase the amount under these notes
at any time up to the full amount provided by the note agreement,
or to decrease the amount, and the borrower may repay up to the
full amount of the note without penalty. Because these types of
notes are direct lending arrangements between the lender and the
borrower, it is not generally contemplated that such instruments
will be traded and there is no secondary market for these notes.
Master demand notes are redeemable (and, thus, immediately
repayable by the borrower) at face value, plus accrued interest,
at any time. Variable amount floating rate notes are subject to
next-day redemption 14 days after the initial investment therein.
With both types of notes, therefore, the Fund's right to redeem
depends on the ability of the borrower to pay principal and
interest on demand. In connection with both types of note
arrangements, the Fund considers earning power, cash flow and
other liquidity ratios of the issuer. These notes, as such, are
not typically rated by credit rating agencies. Unless they are
so rated, the Fund may invest in these notes only if at the time
of an investment the issuer has an outstanding issue of unsecured
debt rated Aa or better by Moody's or AA or better by S&P.
Asset-Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities
(unrelated to first mortgage loans) which represent fractional
interests in pools of retail installment loans, leases or
revolving credit receivables, both secured (such as Certificates
for Automobile Receivables or "CARS") and unsecured (such as
Credit Card Receivable Securities or "CARDS"). These assets are
generally held by a trust and payments of principal and interest
or interest only are passed through monthly or quarterly to
11
<PAGE>
certificate holders and may be guaranteed up to certain amounts
by letters of credit issued by a financial institution affiliated
or unaffiliated with the trustee or originator of the trust.
Like mortgages underlying mortgage-backed securities,
underlying automobile sales contracts or credit card receivables
are subject to prepayment, which may reduce the overall return to
certificate holders. Certificate holders may also experience
delays in payment if the full amounts due on underlying sales
contracts or receivables are not realized by the trust holding
the obligations because of unanticipated legal or administrative
costs of enforcing the contracts or because of depreciation or
damage to the collateral (usually automobiles) securing certain
contracts, or other factors. If consistent with its investment
objectives and policies, the Fund may invest in other types of
asset-backed securities that may be developed in the future.
The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") is of the view that certain asset-backed securities may
constitute investment companies under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the "1940 Act"). The Fund intends to conduct its
operations in a manner consistent with this view; therefore, the
Fund generally may not invest more than 10% of its total assets
in such securities without obtaining appropriate regulatory
relief.
Lending of Securities
The Fund may seek to increase its income by lending
portfolio securities. Under present regulatory policies,
including those of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System and the SEC, such loans may be made only to member firms
of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") and would be
required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash
equivalents, or U.S. Treasury Bills maintained on a current basis
at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities
loaned. The Fund would have the right to call a loan and obtain
the securities loaned at any time on five days' notice. During
the existence of a loan, the Fund would continue to receive the
equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the
securities loaned and would also receive compensation based on
investment of the collateral. The Fund would not, however, have
the right to vote any securities having voting rights during the
existence of the loan, but would call the loan in anticipation of
an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or
of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material
matter affecting the investment. As with other extensions of
credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of
rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities
fail financially. However, the loans would be made only to firms
deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing, and when, in the
12
<PAGE>
judgment of the Adviser, the consideration that can be earned
currently from securities loans of this type justifies the
attendant risk. The value of the securities loaned will not
exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the time
any such loan is made.
Forward Commitments and When-Issued and Delayed Delivery
Securities
The Fund may enter into forward commitments for the
purchase of securities and may purchase securities on a "when-
issued" or "delayed delivery" basis. Agreements for such
purchases might be entered into when, for example, the Fund
anticipates a decline in interest rates and is able to obtain a
more advantageous yield by committing currently to purchase
securities to be issued later. When the Fund purchases
securities in this manner (i.e., on a forward commitment, "when-
issued" or "delayed delivery" basis), it does not pay for the
securities until they are received, and the Fund is required to
create a segregated account with the Trust's custodian and to
maintain in that account liquid assets in an amount equal to or
greater than, on a daily basis, the amount of the Fund's forward
commitments and "when-issued" or "delayed delivery" commitments.
The Fund will enter into forward commitments and make
commitments to purchase securities on a "when-issued" or "delayed
delivery" basis only with the intention of actually acquiring the
securities. However, the Fund may sell these securities before
the settlement date if, in the opinion of the Adviser it is
deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy.
Although the Fund does not intend to make such purchases
for speculative purposes and does intend to adhere to the
provisions of SEC policies, purchases of securities on such bases
may involve more risk than other types of purchases. For
example, by committing to purchase securities in the future, the
Fund subjects itself to a risk of loss on such commitments as
well as on its portfolio securities. Also, the Fund may have to
sell assets which have been set aside in order to meet
redemptions. In addition, if the Fund determines it is advisable
as a matter of investment strategy to sell the forward commitment
or "when-issued" or "delayed delivery" securities before
delivery, the Fund may incur a gain or loss because of market
fluctuations since the time the commitment to purchase such
securities was made. Any such gain or loss would be treated as a
capital gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes. When the
time comes to pay for the securities to be purchased under a
forward commitment or on a "when-issued" or "delayed delivery"
basis, the Fund will meet its obligations from the then available
cash flow or the sale of securities, or, although it would not
normally expect to do so, from the sale of the forward commitment
13
<PAGE>
or "when-issued" or "delayed delivery" securities themselves
(which may have a value greater or less than the Fund's payment
obligation).
Options
Options on Securities. In addition to the methods of
"cover" described in the Prospectus, the Fund may write call and
put options and may purchase call and put options on securities.
The Fund intends to write only covered options. This means that
so long as the Fund is obligated as the writer of a call option,
it will own the underlying securities subject to the option or
securities convertible into such securities without additional
consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a
segregated account by the custodian). In the case of call
options on U.S. Treasury Bills, the Fund might own U.S. Treasury
Bills of a different series from those underlying the call
option, but with a principal amount and value corresponding to
the option contract amount and a maturity date no later than that
of the securities deliverable under the call option. The Fund
will be considered "covered" with respect to a put option it
writes if, so long as it is obligated as the writer of a put
option, it deposits and maintains with its custodian in a
segregated account liquid assets having a value equal to or
greater than the exercise price of the option.
Effecting a closing transaction in the case of a written
call option will permit the Fund to write another call option on
the underlying security with either a different exercise price or
expiration date or both, or in the case of a written put option
will permit the Fund to write another put option to the extent
that the exercise price thereof is secured by deposited liquid
assets. Such transactions permit the Fund to generate additional
premium income, which will partially offset declines in the value
of portfolio securities or increases in the cost of securities to
be acquired. Also, effecting a closing transaction will permit
the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities
subject to the option to be used for other investments by the
Fund, provided that another option on such security is not
written. If the Fund desires to sell a particular security from
its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will
effect a closing transaction in connection with the option prior
to or concurrent with the sale of the security.
The Fund will realize a profit from a closing
transaction if the premium paid in connection with the closing of
an option written by the Fund is less than the premium received
from writing the option, or if the premium received in connection
with the closing of an option purchased by the Fund is more than
the premium paid for the original purchase. Conversely, the Fund
will suffer a loss if the premium paid or received in connection
14
<PAGE>
with a closing transaction is more or less, respectively, than
the premium received or paid in establishing the option position.
Because increases in the market price of a call option will
generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying
security, any loss resulting from the repurchase of a call option
previously written by the Fund is likely to be offset in whole or
in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the
Fund.
The Fund may purchase a security and then write a call
option against that security or may purchase a security and
concurrently write an option on it. The exercise price of the
call option the Fund determines to write will depend upon the
expected price movement of the underlying security. The exercise
price of a call option may be below ("in-the-money"), equal to
("at- the-money") or above ("out-of-the-money") the current value
of the underlying security at the time the option is written.
In- the-money call options may be used when it is expected that
the price of the underlying security will decline moderately
during the option period. Out-of-the-money call options may be
written when it is expected that the premiums received from
writing the call option plus the appreciation in the 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. If the call options are exercised in such
transactions, the Fund's maximum gain will be the premium
received by it for writing the option, adjusted upwards or
downwards by the difference between the Fund's purchase price of
the security and the exercise price. If the options are not
exercised and the price of the underlying security declines, the
amount of such decline will be offset in part, or entirely, by
the premium received.
The writing of covered put options is similar in terms
of risk/return characteristics to buy-and-write transactions. If
the market price of the underlying security rises or is otherwise
is above the exercise price, the put option will expire worthless
and the Fund's gain will be limited to the premium received. If
the market price of the underlying security declines or is
otherwise is below the exercise price, the Fund may elect to
close the position or retain the option until it is exercised, at
which time the Fund will be required to take delivery of the
security at the exercise price; the Fund's return will be the
premium received from the put option minus the amount by which
the market price of the security is below the exercise price,
which could result in a loss. Out-of-the money put options may
be written when it is expected that the price of the underlying
security will decline moderately during the option period.
In-the-money put options may be used when it is expected that the
premiums received from writing the put option plus the
appreciation in the market price of the underlying security up to
15
<PAGE>
the exercise price will be greater than the appreciation in the
price of the underlying security alone.
The Fund may also write combinations of put and call
options on the same security, known as "straddles," with the same
exercise and expiration date. By writing a straddle, the Fund
undertakes a simultaneous obligation to sell and purchase the
same security in the event that one of the options is exercised.
If the price of the security subsequently rises above the
exercise price, the call will likely be exercised and the Fund
will be required to sell the underlying security at a below
market price. This loss may be offset, however, in whole or
part, by the premiums received on the writing of the two options.
Conversely, if the price of the security declines by a sufficient
amount, the put will likely be exercised. The writing of
straddles will likely be effective, therefore, only where the
price of the security remains stable and neither the call nor the
put is exercised. In those instances where one of the options is
exercised, the loss on the purchase or sale of the underlying
security may exceed the amount of the premiums received.
By writing a call option, the Fund limits its
opportunity to profit from any increase in the market value of
the underlying security above the exercise price of the option.
By writing a put option, the Fund assumes the risk that it may be
required to purchase the underlying security for an exercise
price above its then current market value, resulting in a capital
loss unless the security subsequently appreciates in value.
Where options are written for hedging purposes, such transactions
constitute only a partial hedge against declines in the value of
portfolio securities or against increases in the value of
securities to be acquired, up to the amount of the premium.
The Fund may purchase put options to hedge against a
decline in the value of portfolio securities. If such decline
occurs, the put options will permit the Fund to sell the
securities at the exercise price or to close out the options at a
profit. By using put options in this way, the Fund will reduce
any profit it might otherwise have realized on the underlying
security by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and
by transaction costs.
The Fund may purchase call options to hedge against an
increase in the price of securities that the Fund anticipates
purchasing in the future. If such increase occurs, the call
option will permit the Fund to purchase the securities at the
exercise price, or to close out the options at a profit. The
premium paid for the call option plus any transaction costs will
reduce the benefit, if any, realized by a Fund upon exercise of
the option, and, unless the price of the underlying security
rises sufficiently, the option may expire worthless to the Fund
16
<PAGE>
and the Fund will suffer a loss on the transaction to the extent
of the premium paid.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into interest
rate futures contracts ("Futures Contracts"). Such investment
strategies will be used as a hedge and not for speculation.
Interest rate futures contracts are purchased or sold
for hedging purposes to attempt to protect against the effects of
interest rate changes on the Fund's current or intended
investments in fixed income securities. For example, if the Fund
owned long-term bonds and interest rates were expected to
increase, the Fund might sell interest rate futures contracts.
Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling some of
the long-term bonds in the Fund's portfolio. However, since the
futures market is more liquid than the cash market, the use of
interest rate futures contracts as a hedging technique allows the
Fund to hedge its interest rate risk without having to sell its
portfolio securities. If interest rates did increase, the value
of the debt securities in the Fund's portfolio would decline, but
the value of the Fund's interest rate futures contracts would be
expected to increase at approximately the same rate, thereby
keeping the net asset value of the Fund from declining as much as
it otherwise would have. On the other hand, if interest rates
were expected to decline, interest rate futures contracts could
be purchased to hedge in anticipation of subsequent purchases of
long-term bonds at higher prices. Because the fluctuations in
the value of the interest rate futures contracts should be
similar to those of long-term bonds, the Fund could protect
itself against the effects of the anticipated rise in the value
of long-term bonds without actually buying them until the
necessary cash became available or the market had stabilized. At
that time, the interest rate futures contracts could be
liquidated and the Fund's cash reserves could then be used to buy
long-term bonds on the cash market.
Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may purchase and
write options on Futures Contracts. The writing of a call option
on a Futures Contract constitutes a partial hedge against
declining prices of the securities in the Fund's portfolio. If
the futures price at expiration of the option is below the
exercise price, the Fund will retain the full amount of the
option premium, which provides a partial hedge against any
decline that may have occurred in the Fund's portfolio holdings.
The writing of a put option on a Futures Contract constitutes a
partial hedge against increasing prices of the securities or
other instruments required to be delivered under the terms of the
Futures Contract. If the futures price at expiration of the put
option is higher than the exercise price, the Fund will retain
17
<PAGE>
the full amount of the option premium, which provides a partial
hedge against any increase in the price of securities which the
Fund intends to purchase. If a put or call option the Fund has
written is exercised, the Fund will incur a loss which will be
reduced by the amount of the premium it receives. Depending on
the degree of correlation between changes in the value of its
portfolio securities and changes in the value of its options on
futures positions, the Fund's losses from exercised options on
futures may to some extent be reduced or increased by changes in
the value of portfolio securities.
The Fund may purchase options on Futures Contracts for
hedging purposes instead of purchasing or selling the underlying
Futures Contracts. For example, where a decrease in the value of
portfolio securities is anticipated as a result of a projected
market-wide decline or changes in interest or exchange rates, a
Fund could, in lieu of selling Futures Contracts, purchase put
options thereon. In the event that such decrease occurs, it may
be offset, in whole or part, by a profit on the option. If the
market decline does not occur, the Fund will suffer a loss equal
to the price of the put. Where it is projected that the value of
securities to be acquired by the Fund will increase prior to
acquisition, due to a market advance or changes in interest or
exchange rates, the Fund could purchase call options on Futures
Contracts, rather than purchasing the underlying Futures
Contracts. If the market advances, the increased cost of
securities to be purchased may be offset by a profit on the call.
However, if the market declines, the Fund will suffer a loss
equal to the price of the call, although the securities which the
Fund intends to purchase may be less expensive.
Risk Factors in Options and Futures
Risk of Imperfect Correlation of Hedging Instruments
With a Fund's Portfolio. The Fund's ability effectively to hedge
all or a portion of its portfolio through transactions in
options, Futures Contracts and options on Futures Contracts,
depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying
instrument correlate with price movements in the relevant portion
of the Fund's portfolio or securities the Fund intends to
purchase. In the case of futures and options on fixed income
securities, the portfolio securities which are being hedged may
not be the same type of obligation underlying such contract. As
a result, the correlation, to the extent it exists, probably will
not be exact. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the
price of the portfolio securities being hedged will not move by
the same amount or in the same direction as the underlying
obligation.
The trading of futures and options entails the
additional risk of imperfect correlation between movements in the
18
<PAGE>
futures or option price and the price of the underlying
obligation. The anticipated spread between the prices may be
distorted due to the differences in the nature of the markets,
such as differences in margin requirements, the liquidity of such
markets and the participation of speculators in the futures
market. In this regard, trading by speculators in futures and
options has in the past occasionally resulted in market
distortions, which may be difficult or impossible to predict,
particularly near the expiration of such contracts.
The trading of options on Futures Contracts also entails
the risk that changes in the value of the underlying Futures
Contract will not be fully reflected in the value of the option.
Further, with respect to options on securities and
options on Futures Contracts, the Fund is subject to the risk of
market movements between the time that the option is exercised
and the time of performance thereunder. This could increase the
extent of any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with such
transactions.
If the Fund purchases futures or options in order to
hedge against a possible increase in the price of securities the
Fund intends to purchase before the Fund is able to invest its
cash in such securities, the Fund faces the risk that the prices
of such securities may instead decline. If the Fund does not
then invest in such securities because of concern as to possible
further market declines or for other reasons, the Fund may
realize a loss on the futures or option contract that is not
offset by a reduction in the price of securities purchased.
In writing a call option on a security or Futures
Contract, the Fund also incurs the risk that changes in the value
of the assets used to cover the position will not correlate
closely with changes in the value of the option or underlying
instrument. As a result, the Fund could suffer a loss on the
call which is not entirely offset or offset at all by an increase
in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities.
The writing of options on securities or options on
Futures Contracts constitutes only a partial hedge against
fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio. When the Fund
writes an option, it will receive premium income in return for
the holder's purchase of the right to acquire or dispose of the
underlying security or future. In the event that the price of
such obligation does not rise sufficiently above the exercise
price of the option, in the case of a call, or fall below the
exercise price, in the case of a put, the option will not be
exercised and the Fund will retain the amount of the premium,
which will constitute a partial hedge against any decline that
19
<PAGE>
may have occurred in the Fund's portfolio holdings, or against
the increase in the cost of the instruments to be acquired.
When the price of the underlying obligation moves
sufficiently in favor of the holder to warrant exercise of the
option, however, and the option is exercised, the Fund will incur
a loss which may only be partially offset by the amount of the
premium the Fund received. Moreover, by writing an option, the
Fund may be required to forgo the benefits which might otherwise
have been obtained from an increase in the value of portfolio
securities or a decline in the value of securities to be
acquired.
With respect to the writing of straddles on securities,
the Fund incurs the risk that the price of the underlying
security will not remain stable, that one of the options written
will be exercised and that the resulting loss will not be offset
by the amount of the premiums received. Such transactions,
therefore, while creating an opportunity for increased return by
providing the Fund with two simultaneous premiums on the same
security, nonetheless involve additional risk, because the Fund
may have an option exercised against it regardless of whether the
price of the security increases or decreases.
In the event of the occurrence of any of the foregoing
adverse market events, the Fund's overall return may be lower
than if it had not engaged in the transactions described above.
Potential Lack of a Liquid Secondary Market. Prior to
exercise or expiration, a futures or option position can be
terminated only by entering into a closing purchase or sale
transaction. This requires a secondary market for such
instruments on the exchange on which the initial transaction was
entered into. While the Fund will enter into options or futures
positions only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market
therefor, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist
for any particular contracts at any specific time. In that
event, it may not be possible to close out a position held by the
Fund, and the Fund could be required to purchase or sell the
instrument underlying an option, make or receive a cash
settlement or meet ongoing variation margin requirements. Under
such circumstances, if the Fund has insufficient cash available
to meet margin requirements, it may be necessary to liquidate
portfolio securities at a time when it is disadvantageous to do
so. The inability to close out options and futures positions,
therefore, could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability to
effectively hedge its portfolio, and could result in trading
losses.
The liquidity of a secondary market in a Futures
Contract or option thereon may be adversely affected by "daily
20
<PAGE>
price fluctuation limits," established by exchanges, which limit
the amount of fluctuation in the price of a contract during a
single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the
contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the
limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures or option
positions and requiring traders to make additional margin
deposits. Prices have in the past moved to the daily limit on a
number of consecutive trading days.
The trading of Futures Contracts and options (including
options on Futures Contracts) is also subject to the risk of
trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment
failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm
or clearing house or other disruptions of normal trading
activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to
liquidate existing positions or to recover excess variation
margin payments.
The staff of the SEC has taken the position that over-
the-counter options and the assets used as cover for over-the-
counter options are illiquid securities, unless certain
arrangements are made with the other party to the option
contract, permitting the prompt liquidation of the option
position. The Fund will enter into those special arrangements
only with primary U.S. Government securities dealers recognized
by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("primary dealers").
Under these special arrangements, the Trust will enter into
contracts with primary dealers which provide that the Fund has
the absolute right to repurchase an option it writes at any time
at a repurchase price which represents fair market value, as
determined in good faith through negotiation between the parties,
but which in no event will exceed a price determined pursuant to
a formula contained in the contract. Although the specific
details of the formula may vary between contracts with different
primary dealers, the formula will generally be based on a
multiple of the premium received by the Fund for writing the
option, plus the amount, if any, by which the option is "in-
the-money." The formula will also include a factor to account
for the difference between the price of the security and the
strike price of the option if the option is written out-of-the-
money. Under such circumstances the Fund only needs to treat as
illiquid that amount of the "cover" assets equal to the amount by
which (i) the formula price exceeds (ii) any amount by which the
market value of the security subject to the option exceeds the
exercise price of the option (the amount by which the option is
"in-the-money"). Although each agreement will provide that the
Fund's repurchase price shall be determined in good faith (and
that it shall not exceed the maximum determined pursuant to the
formula), the formula price will not necessarily reflect the
market value of the option written; therefore, the Fund might pay
21
<PAGE>
more to repurchase the option contract than the Fund would pay to
close out a similar exchange-traded option.
Margin. Because of low initial margin deposits made
upon the opening of a futures position and the writing of an
option, such transactions involve substantial leverage. As a
result, relatively small movements in the price of the contract
can result in substantial unrealized gains or losses. However,
to the extent the Fund purchases or sells Futures Contracts and
options on Futures Contracts and purchase and write options on
securities for hedging purposes, any losses incurred in
connection therewith should, if the hedging strategy is
successful, be offset, in whole or in part, by increases in the
value of securities held by the Fund or decreases in the prices
of securities the Fund intends to acquire. When the Fund writes
options on securities for other than hedging purposes, the
limited margin requirements associated with such transactions
could expose the Fund to greater risk.
Trading and Position Limits. The exchanges on which
futures and options are traded may impose limitations governing
the maximum number of positions on the same side of the market
and involving the same underlying instrument which may be held by
a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others
(regardless of whether such contracts are held on the same or
different exchanges or held or written in one or more accounts or
through one or more brokers). In addition, the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (the "CFTC") and the various contract markets
have established limits referred to as speculative position
limits on the maximum net long or net short position which any
person may hold or control in a particular futures or option
contract. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions
found to be in violation of these limits and may impose other
sanctions or restrictions. The Adviser does not believe that
these trading and position limits will have any adverse impact on
the strategies for hedging the portfolio of the Fund.
Risks of Options on Futures Contracts. The amount of
risk the Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a Futures
Contract is the premium paid for the option, plus related
transaction costs. In order to profit from an option purchased,
however, it may be necessary to exercise the option and to
liquidate the underlying Futures Contract, subject to the risks
of the availability of a liquid secondary market described
herein. The writer of an option on a Futures Contract is subject
to the risks of commodity futures trading, including the
requirement of initial and variation margin payments, as well as
the additional risk that movements in the price of the option may
not correlate with movements in the price of the underlying
security or Futures Contract.
22
<PAGE>
Risks of Over-the-Counter Options on Securities. Unlike
transactions entered into by the Fund in Futures Contracts and
exchange-traded options, over-the-counter options on securities
are not traded on contract markets regulated by the CFTC or (with
the exception of certain foreign currency options) the SEC. Such
instruments are instead traded through financial institutions
acting as market-makers, although foreign currency options are
also traded on certain national securities exchanges, such as the
Philadelphia Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board Options
Exchange, subject to SEC regulation. In an over-the-counter
trading environment, many of the protections afforded to exchange
participants will not be available. For example, there are no
daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market movements
could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of
time. Although the purchaser of an option cannot lose more than
the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs, this
entire amount could be lost. Moreover, the option writer could
lose amounts substantially in excess of the initial investment,
due to the margin and collateral requirements associated with
such positions.
In addition, over-the-counter transactions can be
entered into only with a financial institution willing to take
the opposite side, as principal, of the Fund's position unless
the institution acts as broker and is able to find another
counterparty willing to enter into the transaction with the Fund.
Where no such counterparty is available, it will not be possible
to enter into a desired transaction. There also may be no liquid
secondary market in the trading of over-the-counter contracts,
and the Fund could be required to retain options purchased or
written until exercise, expiration or maturity. This in turn
could limit the Fund's ability to profit from open positions or
to reduce losses experienced, and could result in greater losses.
Further, over-the-counter transactions are not subject
to the guarantee of an exchange clearing house, and the Fund will
therefore be subject to the risk of default by, or the bankruptcy
of, the financial institution serving as its counterparty. The
Fund will enter into an over-the-counter transaction only with
parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found
satisfactory by the Adviser.
Restrictions on the Use of Futures and Option Contracts
Under applicable regulations, when the Fund enters into
transactions in Futures Contracts and options on Futures
Contracts other than for bona fide hedging purposes, the Fund
maintains with its custodian in a segregated account liquid
assets, which together with any initial margin deposits, are
equal to the aggregate market value of the Futures Contracts and
options on Futures Contracts that it purchases. In addition, the
23
<PAGE>
Fund may not purchase or sell such instruments for other than
bona fide hedging purposes if, immediately thereafter, the sum of
the amount of initial margin deposits on such futures and options
positions and premiums paid for options purchased would exceed 5%
of the market value of the Fund's total assets.
The Fund has adopted the additional restriction that it
will not enter into a Futures Contract if, immediately
thereafter, the value of securities and other obligations
underlying all such Futures Contracts would exceed 50% of the
value of the Fund's total assets. Moreover, the Fund will not
purchase put and call options if as a result more than 10% of its
total assets would be invested in such options.
Economic Effects and Limitations
Income earned by the Fund from its hedging activities
will be treated as capital gain and, if not offset by net
realized capital losses incurred by the Fund, will be distributed
to shareholders in taxable distributions. Although gain from
futures and options transactions may hedge against a decline in
the value of the Fund's portfolio securities, that gain, to the
extent not offset by losses, will be distributed in light of
certain tax considerations and will constitute a distribution of
that portion of the value preserved against decline.
The Fund will not "over-hedge," that is, the Fund will
not maintain open short positions in futures or options contracts
if, in the aggregate, the market value of its open positions
exceeds the current market value of its securities portfolio plus
or minus the unrealized gain or loss on such open positions,
adjusted for the historical volatility relationship between the
portfolio and futures and options contracts.
The Fund's ability to employ the options and futures
strategies described above will depend on the availability of
liquid markets in such instruments. Markets in financial futures
and related options are still developing. It is impossible to
predict the amount of trading interest that may hereafter exist
in various types of options or futures. Therefore no assurance
can be given that the Fund will be able to use these instruments
effectively for the purposes set forth above.
The Fund's ability to use options and futures may be
limited by tax considerations. In particular, tax rules might
affect the length of time for which the Fund can hold such
contracts and the character of the income earned on such
contracts. In addition, differences between the Fund's book
income (upon the basis of which distributions are generally made)
and taxable income arising from its hedging activities may result
in return of capital distributions, and in some circumstances,
24
<PAGE>
distributions in excess of the Fund's book income may be required
in order to meet tax requirements.
Future Developments
The above discussion relates to the Fund's proposed use
of Futures Contracts, options and options on Futures Contracts
currently available. As noted above, the relevant markets and
related regulations are still developing. In the event of future
regulatory or market developments, the Fund may also use
additional types of Futures Contracts or options and other
investment techniques for the purposes set forth above.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Except as described below and except as otherwise
specifically stated in the Fund's Prospectus or this Statement of
Additional Information, the investment policies of the Fund set
forth in the Prospectus and in this Statement of Additional
Information are not fundamental and may be changed without
shareholder approval.
The following is a description of restrictions on the
investments to be made by the Fund, which restrictions may not be
changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund.
The Fund will not:
(1) Borrow money in excess of 10% of the value (taken
at the lower of cost or current value) of its total
assets (not including the amount borrowed) at the
time the borrowing is made, and then only from
banks as a temporary measure to facilitate the
meeting of redemption requests (not for leverage)
which might otherwise require the untimely
disposition of portfolio investments or pending
settlement of securities transactions or for
extraordinary or emergency purposes, except that
the Fund may enter into reverse repurchase
agreements to the maximum extent permitted by law.
(2) Underwrite securities issued by other persons
except to the extent that, in connection with the
disposition of its portfolio investments, it may be
deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal
securities laws.
25
<PAGE>
(3) Purchase or retain real estate or interests in real
estate, although the Fund may purchase securities
which are secured by real estate and securities of
companies which invest in or deal in real estate.
(4) Make loans to other persons except by the purchase
of obligations in which the Fund may invest
consistent with its investment policies and by
entering into repurchase agreements, or by lending
its portfolio securities representing not more than
25% of its total assets.
(5) Issue any senior security (as that term is defined
in the 1940 Act), if such issuance is specifically
prohibited by the 1940 Act or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder. For the
purposes of this restriction, collateral
arrangements with respect to options, Futures
Contracts and options on Futures Contracts and
collateral arrangements with respect to initial and
variation margins are not deemed to be the issuance
of a senior security. (There is no intention to
issue senior securities except as set forth in
paragraph 1 above.)
It is also a fundamental policy of the Fund that it may
purchase and sell futures contracts and related options and it is
a fundamental policy of the Fund that it may enter into reverse
repurchase agreements and interest rate swaps to the maximum
extent permitted by law.
In addition, the following is a description of operating
policies which the Trust has adopted on behalf of the Fund but
which are not fundamental and are subject to change without
shareholder approval.
The Fund will not:
(a) Pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or otherwise encumber
an amount of its assets taken at current value in
excess of 15% of its total assets (taken at the
lower of cost or current value) and then only to
secure borrowings permitted by Restriction No. 1
above. For the purpose of this restriction, the
deposit of securities and other collateral
arrangements with respect to reverse repurchase
agreements, options, Futures Contracts, and
payments of initial and variation margin in
connection therewith are not considered pledges or
other encumbrances.
26
<PAGE>
(b) Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund
may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales
of securities, and except that the Fund may make
margin payments in connection with Futures
Contracts, options on Futures Contracts or options.
(c) Make short sales of securities or maintain a short
position for the account of the Fund unless at all
times when a short position is open it owns an
equal amount of such securities or unless by virtue
of its ownership of other securities it has at all
such times a right to obtain securities (without
payment of further consideration) equivalent in
kind and amount to the securities sold, provided
that if such right is conditional the sale is made
upon equivalent conditions.
(d) Write, purchase or sell any put or call option or
any combination thereof, provided that this shall
not prevent the Fund from writing, purchasing and
selling puts, calls or combinations thereof with
respect to securities and with respect to Futures
Contracts.
(e) Purchase voting securities of any issuer if such
purchase, at the time thereof, would cause more
than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of
such issuer to be held by the Fund; or purchase
securities of any issuer if such purchase at the
time thereof would cause more than 10% of any class
of securities of such issuer to be held by the
Fund. For this purpose all indebtedness of an
issuer shall be deemed a single class and all
preferred stock of an issuer shall be deemed a
single class.
(f) Invest in securities of any issuer if, to the
knowledge of the Trust, officers and Trustees of
the Trust and officers and directors of the Adviser
who beneficially own more than 0.5% of the shares
of securities of that issuer together own more than
5%.
(g) Purchase securities issued by any other registered
open-end investment company or investment trust
except (A) by purchase in the open market where no
commission or profit to a sponsor or dealer results
from such purchase other than the customary
broker's commission, or (B) where no commission or
profit to a sponsor or dealer results from such
27
<PAGE>
purchase, or (C) when such purchase, though not
made in the open market, is part of a plan of
merger or consolidation; provided, however, that
the Fund will not purchase such securities if such
purchase at the time thereof would cause more than
5% of its total assets (taken at market value) to
be invested in the securities of such issuers; and,
provided further, that the Fund's purchases of
securities issued by such open-end investment
company will be consistent with the provisions of
the 1940 Act.
(h) Make investments for the purpose of exercising
control or management.
(i) Participate on a joint or joint and several basis
in any trading account in securities.
(j) Invest in interests in oil, gas, or other mineral
exploration or development programs, although each
Fund may purchase securities which are secured by
such interests and may purchase securities of
issuers which invest in or deal in oil, gas or
other mineral exploration or development programs.
(k) Purchase warrants, if, as a result, the Fund would
have more than 5% of its total assets invested in
warrants or more than 2% of its total assets
invested in warrants which are not listed on the
New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock
Exchange.
(l) Purchase commodities or commodity contracts,
provided that this shall not prevent the Fund from
entering into interest rate futures contracts,
securities index futures contracts, foreign
currency futures contracts, forward foreign
currency exchange contracts and options (including
options on any of the foregoing) to the extent such
action is consistent with such Funds investment
objective and policies.
(m) Purchase additional securities in excess of 5% of
the value of its total assets until all of the
Fund's outstanding borrowings (as permitted and
described in Restriction No. 1 above) have been
repaid.
Whenever any investment restriction states a maximum
percentage of the Fund's assets which may be invested in any
security or other asset, it is intended that such maximum
28
<PAGE>
percentage limitation be determined immediately after and as a
result of the Fund's acquisition of such securities or other
assets. Accordingly, any later increase or decrease beyond the
specified limitation resulting from a change in value or net
asset value will not be considered a violation of such percentage
limitation.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Adviser
Alliance Capital Management L.P. (the "Adviser"), a
Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at 1345
Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been
retained under an investment advisory agreement (the "Investment
Advisory Contract") to provide investment advice and, in general,
to conduct the management and investment program of the Trust
under the supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees.
The Adviser is a leading international investment
manager supervising client accounts with assets as of
September 30, 1996 of more than $173 billion (of which more than
$59 billion represented the assets of investment companies). The
Adviser's clients are primarily major corporate employee benefit
funds, public employee retirement systems, investment companies,
foundations and endowment funds and included, as of September 30,
1996, 33 of the FORTUNE 100 Companies. As of that date, the
Adviser and its subsidiaries employed approximately 1,450
employees who operated out of domestic offices and the overseas
offices of subsidiaries in Bombay, Istanbul, London, Paris, Sao
Paulo, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Bahrain, Luxembourg and Singapore.
The 52 registered investment companies comprising 110 separate
investment portfolios managed by the Adviser currently have more
than two million shareholders.
Alliance Capital Management Corporation, the sole
general partner of, and the owner of a 1% general partnership
interest in, the Adviser, is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary
of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States
("Equitable"), one of the largest life insurance companies in the
United States and a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Equitable
Companies Incorporated ("ECI"), a holding company controlled by
AXA, a French insurance holding company. As of June 30, 1996,
ACMC, Inc. and Equitable Capital Management Corporation, each a
wholly-owned direct or indirect subsidiary of Equitable, together
with Equitable, owned in the aggregate approximately 57% of the
issued and outstanding units representing assignments of
beneficial ownership of limited partnership interests in the
29
<PAGE>
Adviser ("Units"). As of June 30, 1996, approximately 33% and
10% of the Units were owned by the public and employees of the
Adviser and its subsidiaries, respectively, including employees
of the Adviser who serve as Trustees of the Fund.
As of September 6, 1996, AXA and its subsidiaries own
approximately 60.7% of the issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock of ECI. AXA is a holding company for an
international group of insurance and related financial services
companies. AXA's insurance operations include activities in life
insurance, property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. The
insurance operations are diverse geographically, with activities
in more than 20 countries, including France, the United States,
Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries,
principally in Western Europe and the Asia/Pacific area. AXA is
also engaged in asset management, investment banking, securities
trading, brokerage, real estate and other financial service
activities principally in the United States, as well as in
Western Europe and the Asia/Pacific area.
Based on information provided by AXA, as of September 9,
1996, 36.3% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 49.1% of
the voting power) of AXA were owned directly or indirectly by
Finaxa, a French holding company ("Finaxa"). As of September 9,
1996, 61.3% of the voting shares (representing 73.5% of the
voting power) of Finaxa were owned by five French mutual
insurance companies (the "Mutuelles AXA") (one of which, AXA
Assurances I.A.R.D. Mutuelle, owned 34.8% of the voting shares
representing 40.6% of the voting power), and 23.7% of the voting
shares of Finaxa (representing 15.0% of the voting power) were
owned by Banque Paribas, a French bank. Including the ordinary
shares directly or indirectly owned by Finaxa, the Mutuelles AXA
directly or indirectly owned 42.0% of the issued ordinary shares
(representing 56.8% of the voting power) of AXA as of September
9, 1996. Acting as a group, the Mutuelles AXA control AXA and
Finaxa. In addition, as of September 9, 1996, 7.8% of the issued
ordinary shares of AXA without the power to vote were owned by
subsidiaries of AXA.
Investment Advisory Contract and Expenses
The Adviser serves as investment manager and adviser of
the Fund, continuously furnishes an investment program for the
Fund and manages, supervises and conducts the affairs of the
Fund. The Investment Advisory Contract also provides that the
Adviser will furnish or pay the expenses of the Trust for office
space, facilities and equipment, services of executive and other
personnel of the Trust and certain administrative services. The
Adviser is compensated for its services to the Fund at an annual
rate equal to .55% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The
Adviser has voluntarily undertaken until further notice to waive
30
<PAGE>
its fees in respect of the Fund, and has agreed to bear certain
expenses of the Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the Fund,
to the extent that expenses exceed an annual rate of 1.40% for
Class A shares and 2.10% for Class B shares and Class C shares.
The Investment Advisory Contract became effective on
July 23, 1993. The Investment Advisory Contract replaced two
earlier agreements (collectively, the "First Investment Advisory
Contract") between the Trust and Equitable Capital Management
Corporation ("Equitable Capital") or Equitable, as the case may
be, with respect to the Fund. The First Investment Advisory
Contract terminated because of its technical assignment in
connection with the transfer of substantially all of the assets
comprising Equitable Capital's business to the Adviser and
certain of its subsidiaries in exchange for newly issued limited
partnership interests in the Adviser and the assumption by the
Adviser and such subsidiaries of certain liabilities of Equitable
Capital. Equitable Capital was compensated for its services as
investment manager of the Fund at the same rate as is currently
paid by the Fund to the Adviser.
In anticipation of the assignment of the First
Investment Advisory Contract, the Investment Advisory Contract
was approved by the vote of the Trust's Trustees, including the
Trustees who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract
or interested persons of any such party, at meetings called for
the purpose and held on February 16, 1993 and March 31, 1993. At
a meeting held on April 8, 1993, a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund approved the Investment Advisory
Contract. Most recently, the continuance of the Investment
Advisory Contract until July 31, 1997 was approved by a vote,
cast in person, of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of
the Trustees who are not parties to the Investment Advisory
Contract or interested persons of any such party, at their
Regular Meeting held on July 17, 1996.
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996, Alliance
earned $83,317 in advisory fees from the Fund (all of which was
waived and an additional $145,095 in expenses were waived and
reimbursed by the Fund). During the fiscal year ended August 31,
1995, Alliance earned $76,173 in advisory fees from the Fund (all
of which was waived and an additional $229,782 in expenses were
waived and reimbursed by the Fund). During the period May 1,
1994 through August 31, 1994, Alliance earned $30,004 in advisory
fees from the Fund (all of which was waived and an additional
$53,146 in expenses were waived and reimbursed by the Fund).
During the period July 23, 1993 through April 30, 1994, Alliance
earned $52,323 from the Fund (an additional $114,354 in fees were
waived).
31
<PAGE>
The Investment Advisory Contract provides that it will
continue in effect for two years from its date of execution and
thereafter from year to year if its continuance is approved at
least annually (i) by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and
(ii) by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not interested
persons of the Adviser cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval. Any amendment to the
Investment Advisory Contract must be approved by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by
vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not such interested
persons, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval. The Investment Advisory Contract may be
terminated without penalty by the Adviser, by vote of the
Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund upon sixty days' written notice, and it
terminates automatically in the event of its assignment. The
Adviser controls the word "Alliance" in the names of the Trust
and the Fund, and if Alliance should cease to be the investment
manager of the Fund, the Trust and the Fund may be required to
change its name and delete that word.
The Investment Advisory Contract provides that the
Adviser shall not be subject to any liability in connection with
the performance of its services thereunder in the absence of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties.
Trustees and Officers
The Trustees and principal officers of the Trust, their
ages as of the date of this Statement of Additional Information
and their primary occupations during the past five years are set
forth below.
Trustees
*John D. Carifa, 51, Chairman of the Board and
President, is the President, Chief Operating Officer, and a
Director of Alliance Capital Management Corporation, the general
partner of the Adviser. His address is 1345 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, New York 10105.
Alberta B. Arthurs, 63, was formerly the Director for
Arts and Humanities for The Rockefeller Foundation. Her address
is 329 W. 108th Street, New York, New York 10025.
Ruth Block, 65, was formerly an Executive Vice President
and the Chief Insurance Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance
Society of the United States. She is a Director of Ecolab
32
<PAGE>
Incorporated (specialty chemicals) and Amoco Corporation (oil and
gas). Her address is Box 4653, Stamford, Connecticut 06903.
Richard W. Couper, 73, is President Emeritus and Trustee
of The Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation and President
Emeritus of the New York Public Library. His address is Box 345,
Clinton, New York 13323-0345.
Brenton W. Harries, 68, is a Director of Enhance
Reinsurance Co. and was formerly the President and Chief
Executive of Global Electronic Markets Company. His address is
14 Point Road, Wilson Point, South Norwalk, Connecticut 06854.
Donald J. Robinson, 62, was formerly a partner at
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and is currently Of Counsel to
that firm. His address is 666 Fifth Avenue, 19th Floor, New York,
New York 10103.
Officers
John D. Carifa,* President, see biography above.
Edmund P. Bergan, Jr., 46, Clerk, is a Senior Vice
President and General Counsel of Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
His address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York
10105.
Mark D. Gersten, 46, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer, is a Senior Vice President of Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. His address is 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094.
Vincent S. Noto, 31, Controller and Chief Accounting
Officer, is a Vice President of Alliance Fund Services, Inc. His
address is 500 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094.
Bruce W. Calvert, 49, Vice President, is the Vice
Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Alliance Capital
Management Corporation, the general partner of Alliance Capital
Management L.P. His address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, New York 10105.
Kathleen A. Corbet, 36, Vice President, is, since July
23, 1993, a Senior Vice President of Alliance Capital Management
Corporation, the general partner of Alliance Capital Management
L.P. She is also Vice President of The Hudson River Trust. She
____________________
* An "interested person" of the Trust, as defined by the 1940
Act.
33
<PAGE>
was formerly Executive Vice President of Equitable Capital. Her
address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
Barbara J. Krumsiek, 44, Vice President - Marketing, is,
since July 23, 1993, a Senior Vice President of Alliance Fund
Distributors, Inc. She was formerly an Investment Officer of
Equitable, Senior Vice President of Equitable Capital and Vice
President of Equitable Variable Life Insurance Company. Her
address is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
Wayne D. Lyski, 55, Vice President, is Executive Vice
President of Alliance Capital Management Corporation, the general
partner of Alliance Capital Management L.P. His address is 1345
Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
The aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees
by the Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996, and the
aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees during
calendar year 1995 by the Trust and by all of the registered
investment companies to which the Adviser provides investment
advisory services (collectively, the "Alliance Fund Complex") and
the total number of registered investment companies in the
Alliance Fund Complex with respect to which each Trustee serves
as a director or trustee, are set forth below. Neither the Fund
nor any Fund in the Alliance Fund Complex provides compensation
in the form of pension or retirement benefits to any of its
trustees or directors. Each of the Trustees is a trustee or
director of one or more other registered investment companies in
the Alliance Fund Complex.
34
<PAGE>
Total Number
of Funds in
the Alliance
Total Fund Complex,
Compensation Including the
From the Fund, as to
Alliance Fund which the
Aggregate Complex, Director is a
Name of Trustee Compensation Including the Director or
of the Fund From the Fund Fund* Trustee
Alberta B. Arthurs $4,800 $24,000 5
Ruth Block $4,800 $159,000 39
John D. Carifa $ -- $ -- 52
Richard W. Couper $4,800 $24,000 5
Brenton W. Harries $4,800 $24,000 5
Donald J. Robinson $4,800 $24,000 5
_____________________
* As of December 31, 1995 there are 109 investment companies or
portfolios thereof in the Alliance Fund Complex.
As of October 11, 1996, the Trust believes that the officers and
Trustees of the Trust as a group owned beneficially less than
1.00% of the outstanding shares of the Fund or of the Trust as a
whole.
The Trust undertakes to provide assistance to shareholders in
communications concerning the removal of any Trustee of the Trust
in accordance with Section 16 of the 1940 Act.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Subject to the general supervision of the Board of
Trustees of the Trust, the Adviser is responsible for the
investment decisions and the placing of the orders for portfolio
transactions for the Fund. The Fund's portfolio transactions
occur primarily with issuers, underwriters or major dealers
acting as principals. Such transactions are normally on a net
basis which do not involve payment of brokerage commissions. The
cost of securities purchased from an underwriter usually includes
a commission paid by the issuer to the underwriter; transactions
with dealers normally reflect the spread between bid and asked
prices. Premiums are paid with respect to options purchased by
the Fund, and brokerage commissions are payable with respect to
transactions in exchange-traded interest rate futures contracts.
35
<PAGE>
The Adviser makes the decisions for the Fund and
determines the broker or dealer to be used in each specific
transaction. Most transactions for the Fund, including
transactions in listed securities, are executed in the over-the-
counter market by approximately fifteen (15) principal market
maker dealers with whom the Adviser maintains regular contact.
Most transactions made by the Fund will be principal transactions
at net prices and the Fund will incur little or no brokerage
costs. Where possible, securities will be purchased directly
from the issuer or from an underwriter or market maker for the
securities unless the Adviser believes a better price and
execution is available elsewhere. Purchases from underwriters of
newly-issued securities for inclusion in the Fund usually will
include a concession paid to the underwriter by the issuer and
purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include the
spread between the bid and asked price.
The Fund has no obligation to enter into transactions in
securities with any broker, dealer, issuer, underwriter or other
entity. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to
obtain the best price and execution for its transactions. Where
best price and execution may be obtained from more than one
broker or dealer, the Adviser may, in its discretion, purchase
and sell securities through brokers and dealers who provide
research, statistical and other information to the Adviser. Such
services may be used by the Adviser for all of its investment
advisory accounts and, accordingly, not all such services may be
used by the Adviser in connection with the Fund. There may be
occasions where the transaction cost charged by a broker may be
greater than that which another broker may charge if the Fund
determines in good faith that the amount of such transaction cost
is reasonable in relationship to the value of the brokerage and
research and statistical services provided by the executing
broker.
No transactions for the Fund are executed through any
broker or dealer affiliated with the Fund's Adviser, or with
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation, an affiliate
of the Adviser. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 1994,
1995 and 1996, the Fund incurred no brokerage commissions.
EXPENSES OF THE FUND
In addition to the payments to the Adviser under the
Investment Advisory Contract described above, the Trust pays
certain other costs including (a) brokerage and commission
expenses, (b) Federal, state and local taxes, including issue and
transfer taxes incurred by or levied on Fund, (c) interest
36
<PAGE>
charges on borrowing, (d) fees and expenses of registering the
shares of the Fund under the appropriate Federal securities laws
and of qualifying shares of the Fund under applicable state
securities laws including expenses attendant upon renewing and
increasing such registrations and qualifications, (e) expenses of
printing and distributing the Fund's prospectus and other reports
to shareholders, (f) costs of proxy solicitations, (g) transfer
agency fees described below, (h) charges and expenses of the
Trust's custodian, (i) compensation of the Trust's officers,
Trustees and employees who do not devote any part of their time
to the affairs of the Adviser or its affiliates, (j) costs of
stationery and supplies, and (k) such promotional expenses as may
be contemplated by the Distribution Services Agreement described
below.
Distribution Arrangements
Rule 12b-1 adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act permits
an investment company to directly or indirectly pay expenses
associated with the distribution of its shares in accordance with
a duly adopted and approved plan. The Trust has adopted a plan
for each class of shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (each
a "Plan" and collectively the "Plans"). Pursuant to the Plans,
the Fund pays Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. (the "Principal
Underwriter") a Rule 12b-1 distribution services fee which may
not exceed an annual rate of .50% of the Funds aggregate average
daily net assets attributable to the Class A shares, 1.00% of the
Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the
Class B shares and 1.00% of the Fund's aggregate average daily
net assets attributable to the Class C shares to compensate the
Principal Underwriter for distribution expenses. The Trustees
currently limit payments under the Class A Plan to .30% of the
Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the
Class A shares. The Plans provide that a portion of the
distribution services fee in an amount not to exceed .25% of the
aggregate average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to
each of the Class A shares, Class B shares and Class C shares
constitutes a service fee that the Principal Underwriter will use
for personal service and/or the maintenance of shareholder
accounts. The Plans also provide that the Adviser may use its
own resources, which may include management fees received by the
Adviser from the Trust or other investment companies which it
manages and the Adviser's past profits, to finance the
distribution of the Fund's shares.
Each Plan may be terminated with respect to the class of
shares of the Fund to which the Plan relates by vote of a
majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the
Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the operation of the Plans or in any agreement related to the
Plans (the "Qualified Trustees"), or by vote of a majority of the
37
<PAGE>
outstanding voting securities of that class. Each Plan may be
amended by vote of the Trustees, including a majority of the
Qualified Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for that
purpose. Any change in a Plan that would materially increase the
distribution costs to the class of shares of the Fund to which
the Plan relates requires approval by the affected class of
shareholders of the Fund. The Trustees review quarterly a
written report of such distribution costs and the purposes for
which such costs have been incurred with respect to the Fund's
Class A, Class B and Class C shares. For so long as the Plans
are in effect, selection and nomination of those Trustees who are
not interested persons of the Trust shall be committed to the
discretion of such disinterested persons.
The Plans may be terminated with respect to the Fund or
any class of shares thereof at any time on 60 days' written
notice without payment of any penalty by the Principal
Underwriter or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund or that class (as appropriate) or by vote
of a majority of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plans will continue in effect with respect to the
Fund and each class of shares thereof for successive one-year
periods, provided that each such continuance is specifically
approved (i) by the vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees
and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the entire Board of
Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose.
For services rendered by the Principal Underwriter in
connection with the distribution of Class A shares pursuant to
the Plan applicable to such shares, the Principal Underwriter
received $9,293 with respect to the Class A shares of the Fund
for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996.
For services rendered by the Principal Underwriter in
connection with the distribution of Class B shares pursuant to
the Plan applicable to such shares, the Principal Underwriter
received $68,386 with respect to the Class B shares of the Fund
for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996.
For services rendered by the Principal Underwriter in
connection with the distribution of Class C shares pursuant to
the Plan applicable to such shares, the Principal Underwriter
received $52,122 with respect to the Class C shares of the Fund
for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1996.
The Principal Underwriter has informed the Trust that
expenses incurred by it and costs allocated to it in connection
with activities primarily intended to result in the sale of
Class A, Class B, and Class C shares, respectively, were as
follows for the period indicated:
38
<PAGE>
Amount of Expense and Allocated Cost
Class A Shares Class B Shares Class C Shares
(for the Fiscal (for the Fiscal (for the Fiscal
Category year ended year ended year ended
of Expense August 31, 1996) August 31, 1996) August 31, 1996)
Advertising/
Marketing $16,303 $ 25,543 $ 35,412
Printing and
Mailing of
Prospectuses
and Semi-
Annual and
Annual
Reports to
Other than
Current
Shareholders $ 2,392 $ 4,314 $ 4,957
Compensation
to Under-
writers $ 6,284 $ 3,121 $ 6,399
Compensation
to Dealers $ 8,072 $ 47,976 $ 59,254
Compensation
to Sales
Personnel $23,626 $ 42,020 $ 54,825
Interest,
Carrying or
Other
Financing
Charges $ -- $ 10,291 $ --
39
<PAGE>
Other
includes
personnel
costs of
those home
office
employees
involved in
the distri-
bution
effort and
the travel-
related
expenses
incurred
by the
marketing
personnel
conducting
seminars) $36,799 $ 60,177 $ 77,650
$93,476 $193,442 $238,497
Custodial Arrangements
State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin
Street, Boston, MA, 02110 ("State Street Bank") is the Trust's
custodian.
Transfer Agency Arrangements
Alliance Fund Services, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Adviser, receives a transfer agency fee per
account holder of each of the Class A, Class B, Class C and
Advisor Class shares of the Fund, plus reimbursement for out-of-
pocket expenses. The transfer agency fee with respect to the
Class B and Class C shares is higher than the transfer agency fee
with respect to the Class A and Advisor Class shares, reflecting
the additional costs associated with the Class B and Class C
contingent deferred sales charge.
PURCHASE OF SHARES
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares -- How To Buy
Shares."
40
<PAGE>
General
Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis at
a price equal to their net asset value plus an initial sales
charge at the time of purchase ("Class A shares"), with a
contingent deferred sales charge ("Class B shares"), without any
initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held for one
year or more, without any contingent deferred sales charge
("Class C shares"), or, to investors eligible to purchase Advisor
Class shares, without any initial, contingent, deferred or asset
based sales charge ("Advisor Class Shares"), in each case, as
described below. Shares of the Fund that are offered subject to
a sales charge are offered through (i) investment dealers that
are members of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. and have entered into selected dealer agreements with the
Principal Underwriter ("selected dealers"), (ii) depository
institutions and other financial intermediaries or their
affiliates, that have entered into selected agent agreements with
the Principal Underwriter ("selected agents"), and (iii) the
Principal Underwriter.
Advisor Class shares of the Fund may be purchased and
held solely (i) through accounts established under fee-based
programs, sponsored and maintained by registered broker-dealers
or other financial intermediaries and approved by the Principal
Underwriter, pursuant to which each investor pays an asset-based
fee at an annual rate of at least .50% of the assets in the
investor's account, to the sponsor, or its affiliate or agent,
(ii) through self-directed defined contribution employee benefit
plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) that have at least 1,000 participants
or $25 million in assets, (iii) by investment advisory clients of
Adviser, (iv) by present directors or trustees of any registered
investment company to which the Adviser provides investment
advisory services, or (v) by the categories of investors
described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below under "- -Sales at
Net Asset Value" (other than officers, directors and present and
full-time employees of selected dealers or agents, or relatives
of such persons, or any trust, individual retirement account or
retirement plan account for the benefit of such relative, none of
whom is eligible on the basis solely of such status to purchase
and hold Advisor Class shares).
If you are a Fund shareholder through an account
established under a fee-based program, your fee-based program may
impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or
exchange of Advisor Class shares of the Fund that are different
from those described in the Advisor Class Prospectus and this
Statement of Additional Information. A transaction fee may be
charged by your financial representative with respect to the
purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through
such financial representative.
41
<PAGE>
Investors may purchase shares of the Funds through
selected dealers, agents or financial representatives or directly
through the Principal Underwriter. Sales personnel of selected
dealers and agents distributing the Fund's shares may receive
differing compensation for selling Class A, Class B, Class C or
Advisor Class shares.
Shares may also be sold in foreign countries where
permissible. The Fund may refuse any order for the purchase of
shares. The Fund reserves the right to suspend the sale of its
shares to the public in response to conditions in the securities
markets or for other reasons.
The public offering price of shares of the Fund is their
net asset value, plus, in the case of Class A shares, a sales
charge which will vary depending on the purchase alternative
chosen by the investor, as shown in the table below under "Class
A Shares." On each Fund business day on which a purchase or
redemption order is received by the Fund and trading in the types
of securities in which the Fund invests might materially affect
the value of Fund shares, the per share net asset value is
computed in accordance with the Trust's Agreement and Declaration
of Trust and By-Laws as of the next close of regular trading on
the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (currently 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time) by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets,
less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then
outstanding. A Fund business day is any day on which the
Exchange is open for trading.
The respective per share net asset values of the Class
A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares are expected to be
substantially the same. Under certain circumstances, however, the
per share net asset values of the Class B shares and Class C
shares may be lower than the per share net asset value of the
Class A and Advisor Class shares as a result of the differential
daily expense accruals of the distribution and transfer agency
fees applicable with respect to those classes of shares. Even
under those circumstances, the per share net asset values of the
four classes eventually will tend to converge immediately after
the payment of dividends, which will differ by approximately the
amount of the expense accrual differential among the classes.
The Fund will accept unconditional orders for its shares
to be executed at the public offering price equal to their net
asset value next determined (plus applicable Class A sales
charges), as described below. Orders received by the Principal
Underwriter prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange
on each day the Exchange is open for trading are priced at the
net asset value computed as of the close of regular trading on
the Exchange on that day (plus applicable Class A share sales
charges). In the case of orders for purchase of shares placed
42
<PAGE>
through selected dealers, agents or financial representatives, as
applicable, the applicable public offering price will be the net
asset value as so determined, but only if the selected dealer,
agent or financial representative receives the order prior to the
close of regular trading on the Exchange and transmits it to the
Principal Underwriter prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. The
selected dealer, agent or financial representative, as
applicable, is responsible for transmitting such orders by 5:00
p.m. If the selected dealer, agent or financial representative,
as applicable, fails to do so, the investor's right to purchase
shares at that day's closing price must be settled between the
investor and the selected dealer, agent or financial
representative, as applicable. If the selected dealer, agent or
financial representative, as applicable, receives the order
after the close of regular trading on the Exchange, the price
will be based on the net asset value determined as of the close
of regular trading on the Exchange on the next day it is open for
trading.
Following the initial purchase of Fund shares, a
shareholder may place orders to purchase additional shares by
telephone if the shareholder has completed the appropriate
portion of the Subscription Application or an "Autobuy"
application obtained by calling the "For Literature" telephone
number shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information. Except with respect to certain omnibus accounts,
telephone purchase orders may not exceed $500,000. Payment for
shares purchased by telephone can be made only by Electronic
Funds Transfer from a bank account maintained by the shareholder
at a bank that is a member of the National Automated Clearing
House Association ("NACHA"). If a shareholder's telephone
purchase request is received before 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on a
Fund business day, the order to purchase shares is automatically
placed the following Fund business day, and the applicable public
offering price will be the public offering price determined as of
the close of business on such following business day.
Full and fractional shares are credited to a
subscriber's account in the amount of his or her subscription.
As a convenience to the subscriber, and to avoid unnecessary
expense to the Fund, share certificates representing shares of
the Fund are not issued except upon written request to the Fund
by the shareholder or his or her authorized selected dealer or
agent. This facilitates later redemption and relieves the
shareholder of the responsibility for and inconvenience of lost
or stolen certificates. No certificates are issued for
fractional shares, although such shares remain in the
shareholder's account on the books of the Fund.
In addition to the discount or commission amount paid to
dealers or agents, the Principal Underwriter from time to time
43
<PAGE>
pays additional cash or other incentives to dealers or agents,
including EQ Financial Consultants, Inc., formerly Equico
Securities, Inc., an affiliate of the Principal Underwriter, in
connection with the sale of shares of the Fund. Such additional
amounts may be utilized, in whole or in part, to provide
additional compensation to registered representatives who sell
shares of the Fund. On some occasions, cash or other incentives
will be conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar
amount of the shares of the Fund and/or other Alliance Mutual
Funds, as defined below, during a specific period of time. On
some occasions, such cash or other incentives may take the form
of payment for attendance at seminars, meals, sporting events or
theater performances, or payment for travel, lodging and
entertainment incurred in connection with travel taken by persons
associated with a dealer or agent and their immediate family
members to urban or resort locations within or outside the United
States. Such dealer or agent may elect to receive cash
incentives of equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.
Class A, Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares.
Shares of each of the classes represent an interest in the same
portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical
in all respects, except that (i) Class A shares bear the expense
of the initial sales charge (or contingent deferred sales charge,
when applicable) and Class B shares bear the expense of the
contingent deferred sales charge, (ii) Class B shares and Class C
shares each bear the expense of a higher distribution services
fee than that borne by Class A shares, and Advisor Class shares
do not bear such a fee, (iii) Class B and Class C shares bear
higher transfer agency costs than those borne by Class A and
Advisor Class shares, (iv) each of Class A, Class B and Class C
has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the
Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which its distribution services fee
is paid and other matters for which separate class voting is
appropriate under applicable law, provided that if the Fund
submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders, an amendment to
the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to
be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such
amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class
shareholders, and the Class A shareholders, the Class B
shareholders and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote
separately by class and (v) Class B and Advisor Class shares are
subject to a conversion feature. Each class has different
exchange privileges and certain different shareholder service
options available.
The Trustees of the Fund have determined that currently
no conflict of interest exists between or among the Class A,
Class B, Class C or Advisor Class shares. On an ongoing basis,
the Trustees of the Fund, pursuant to their fiduciary duties
44
<PAGE>
under the 1940 Act and state law, will seek to ensure that no
such conflict arises.
Alternative Retail Purchase Arrangements - Class A, Class B and
Class C Shares**
The alternative purchase arrangements available with
respect to Class A shares, Class B shares and Class C shares
permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that
is most beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length
of time the investor expects to hold the shares, and other
circumstances. Investors should consider whether, during the
anticipated life of their investment in a Fund, the accumulated
distribution services fee and contingent deferred sales charges
on Class B shares prior to conversion, or the accumulated
distribution services fee and contingent deferred sales charge on
Class C shares, would be less than the initial sales charge and
accumulated distribution services fee on Class A shares purchased
at the same time, and to what extent such differential would be
offset by the higher return of Class A shares. Class A shares
will normally be more beneficial than Class B shares to the
investor who qualifies for reduced initial sales charges on Class
A shares, as described below. In this regard, the Principal
Underwriter will reject any order (except orders from certain
retirement plans) for more than $250,000 for Class B shares.
Class C shares will normally not be suitable for the investor who
qualifies to purchase Class A shares at net asset value. For
this reason, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order for
more than $5,000,000 for Class C shares.
Class A shares are subject to a lower distribution
services fee and, accordingly, pay correspondingly higher
dividends per share than Class B shares or Class C shares.
However, because initial sales charges are deducted at the time
of purchase, investors purchasing Class A shares would not have
all their funds invested initially and would, therefore,
initially own fewer shares. Investors not qualifying for reduced
initial sales charges who expect to maintain their investment for
an extended period of time might consider purchasing Class A
shares because the accumulated continuing distribution charges on
Class B shares or Class C shares may exceed the initial sales
charge on Class A shares during the life of the investment.
Again, however, such investors must weigh this consideration
against the fact that, because of such initial sales charges, not
all their funds will be invested initially.
____________________
** Advisor Class Shares are sold only to investors described
above in this section under "--General."
45
<PAGE>
Other investors might determine, however, that it would
be more advantageous to purchase Class B shares or Class C shares
in order to have all their funds invested initially, although
remaining subject to higher continuing distribution charges and
being subject to a contingent deferred sales charge for a three-
year period and one-year period, respectively. For example,
based on current fees and expenses, an investor subject to the
4.25% initial sales charge on Class A shares would have to hold
his or her investment approximately seven years for the Class C
distribution services fee to exceed the initial sales charge plus
the accumulated distribution services fee of Class A shares. In
this example, an investor intending to maintain his or her
investment for a longer period might consider purchasing Class A
shares. This example does not take into account the time value
of money, which further reduces the impact of the Class C
distribution services fees on the investment, fluctuations in net
asset value or the effect of different performance assumptions.
Those investors who prefer to have all of their funds
invested initially but may not wish to retain Fund shares for the
period during which Class B shares are subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge may find it more advantageous to purchase
Class C shares.
Class A Shares
The public offering price of Class A shares is the net
asset value plus a sales charge, as set forth below:
46
<PAGE>
Discount or
Commission
As % of to Dealers
As % of the Public or Agents
Amount of Net Amount Offering As % of
Purchase Invested Price Offering Price
Less than
$100,000. . . 4.44% 4.25% 4.00%
$100,000 but
less than
$250,000. . . 3.36 3.25 3.00
$250,000 but
less than
$500,000. . . 2.30 2.25 2.00
$500,000 but
less than
$1,000,000*. . 1.78 1.75 1.50
________________
* There is no initial sales charge on transactions of $1,000,000
or more.
With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A
shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge equal to 1% of the lesser of the
cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the
time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed
on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price.
In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from
reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. In
determining the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to a
redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed that the
redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge (for example, because an initial
sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or because the
shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge
applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or
distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the
time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the
contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares are paid to
the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal
Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to
the Funds in connection with sales of Class A shares, such as the
payment of compensation to selected dealers or agents for selling
Class A shares. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more
made through selected dealers or agents, the Adviser may,
pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plans described above, pay such
dealers or agents from its own resources a fee of up to 1% of the
amount invested to compensate such dealers or agents for their
distribution assistance in connection with such purchases.
47
<PAGE>
No initial sales charge is imposed on Class A shares
issued (i) pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income
dividends or capital gains distributions, (ii) in exchange for
Class A shares of other "Alliance Mutual Funds" (as that term is
defined under "Combined Purchase Privilege" below), except that
an initial sales charge will be imposed on Class A shares issued
in exchange for Class A shares of AFD Exchange Reserves ("AFDER")
that were purchased for cash without the payment of an initial
sales charge and without being subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge or (iii) upon the automatic conversion of Class B
shares or Advisor Class shares as described below under "--Class
B Shares--Conversion Feature" and "--Conversion of Advisor Class
Shares to Class A Shares." The Fund receives the entire net
asset value of its Class A shares sold to investors. The
Principal Underwriter's commission is the sales charge shown in
the Prospectus less any applicable discount or commission
"reallowed" to selected dealers and agents. The Principal
Underwriter will reallow discounts to selected dealers and agents
in the amounts indicated in the table above. In this regard, the
Principal Underwriter may elect to reallow the entire sales
charge to selected dealers and agents for all sales with respect
to which orders are placed with the Principal Underwriter. A
selected dealer who receives a reallowance in excess of 90% of
such a sales charge may be deemed to be an "underwriter" under
the Securities Act.
Set forth below is an example of the method of computing
the offering price of the Class A shares. The example assumes a
purchase of Class A shares of the Fund aggregating less than
$100,000 subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth in
the Prospectus at a price based upon the net asset value of Class
A shares of the Fund on August 31, 1996.
Net Asset Value per Class A
Share at August 31, 1996 $ 9.66
Per Share Sales Charge - 4.25%
of offering price (4.45% of
net asset value per share) $ .43
Class A Per Share Offering Price
to the Public $10.09
======
Investors choosing the initial sales charge alternative
may under certain circumstances be entitled to pay (i) no initial
sales charge (but be subject in most such cases to a contingent
deferred sales charge) or (ii) a reduced initial sales charge.
The circumstances under which investors may pay a reduced initial
sales charge are described below.
48
<PAGE>
Combined Purchase Privilege. Certain persons may
qualify for the sales charge reductions indicated in the schedule
of such charges shown in the Prospectus by combining purchases of
shares of the Fund into a single "purchase," if the resulting
"purchase" totals at least $100,000. The term "purchase" refers
to: (i) a single purchase by an individual, or two concurrent
purchases, which in the aggregate are at least equal to the
prescribed amounts, by an individual, his or her spouse and their
children under the age of 21 years purchasing shares of a Fund
for his, her or their own account(s); (ii) a single purchase by a
trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a single trust,
estate or single fiduciary account although more than one
beneficiary is involved; or (iii) a single purchase for the
employee benefit plans of a single employer. The term "purchase"
also includes purchases by any "company", as that term is defined
in the 1940 Act, but does not include purchases by any such
company which has not been in existence for at least six months
or which has no purpose other than the purchase of shares of the
Fund or shares of other registered investment companies at a
discount. The term "purchase" does not include purchases by any
group of individuals whose sole organizational nexus is that the
participants therein are credit card holders of a company, policy
holders of an insurance company, customers of either a bank or
broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser. A "purchase"
may also include shares, purchased at the same time through a
single selected dealer or agent, of any other "Alliance Mutual
Fund." Currently, the Alliance Mutual Funds include:
AFD Exchange Reserves
Alliance All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance Balanced Shares, Inc.
Alliance Bond Fund, Inc.
-Corporate Bond Portfolio
-U.S. Government Portfolio
Alliance Developing Markets Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Dollar Government Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Small Cap Fund, Inc.
Alliance Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc.
Alliance Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Income Builder Fund, Inc.
Alliance International Fund
Alliance Limited Maturity Government Fund, Inc.
Alliance Mortgage Securities Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc.
Alliance Municipal Income Fund, Inc.
-California Portfolio
-Insured California Portfolio
-Insured National Portfolio
-National Portfolio
-New York Portfolio
49
<PAGE>
Alliance Municipal Income Fund II
-Arizona Portfolio
-Florida Portfolio
-Massachusetts Portfolio
-Michigan Portfolio
-Minnesota Portfolio
-New Jersey Portfolio
-Ohio Portfolio
-Pennsylvania Portfolio
-Virginia Portfolio
Alliance New Europe Fund, Inc.
Alliance North American Government Income Trust, Inc.
Alliance Premier Growth Fund, Inc.
Alliance Quasar Fund, Inc.
Alliance Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc.
Alliance/Regent Sector Opportunity Fund, Inc.
Alliance Short-Term Multi-Market Trust, Inc.
Alliance Technology Fund, Inc.
Alliance Utility Income Fund, Inc.
Alliance World Income Trust, Inc.
Alliance Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc.
The Alliance Fund, Inc.
The Alliance Portfolios
-Alliance Growth Fund
-Alliance Conservative Investors Fund
-Alliance Growth Investors Fund
-Alliance Strategic Balanced Fund
-Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund
Prospectuses for the Alliance Mutual Funds may be
obtained without charge by contacting Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. at the address or the "For Literature" number shown on the
front cover of this Statement of Additional Information.
Cumulative Quantity Discount (Right of Accumulation).
An investor's purchase of additional Class A shares of the Fund
may qualify for a Cumulative Quantity Discount. The applicable
sales charge will be based on the total of:
(i) the investor's current purchase;
(ii) the net asset value (at the close of business on
the previous day) of (a) all shares of the Fund
held by the investor and (b) all shares of any
other Alliance Mutual Fund held by the investor;
and
(iii) the net asset value of all shares described in
paragraph (ii) owned by another shareholder
eligible to combine his or her purchase with that
50
<PAGE>
of the investor into a single "purchase" (see
above).
For example, if an investor owned shares of an Alliance
Mutual Fund worth $200,000 at their then current net asset value
and, subsequently, purchased Class A shares of the Fund worth an
additional $100,000, the initial sales charge for the $100,000
purchase would be at the 2.25% rate applicable to a single
$300,000 purchase of shares of the Fund, rather than the 3.25%
rate.
To qualify for the Combined Purchase Privilege or to
obtain the Cumulative Quantity Discount on a purchase through a
selected dealer or agent, the investor or selected dealer or
agent must provide the Principal Underwriter with sufficient
information to verify that each purchase qualifies for the
privilege or discount.
Statement of Intention. Class A investors may also
obtain the reduced sales charge shown in the Prospectus by means
of a written Statement of Intention, which expresses the
investor's intention to invest not less than $100,000 within a
period of 13 months in Class A shares (or Class A, Class B, Class
C and/or Advisor Class shares) of the Fund or any other Alliance
Mutual Fund. Each purchase of shares under a Statement of
Intention will be made at the public offering price or prices
applicable at the time of such purchase to a single transaction
of the dollar amount indicated in the Statement of Intention. At
the investor's option, a Statement of Intention may include
purchases of shares of the Fund or any other Alliance Mutual Fund
made not more than 90 days prior to the date that the investor
signs the Statement of Intention; however, the 13-month period
during which the Statement of Intention is in effect will begin
on the date of the earliest purchase to be included.
Investors qualifying for the Combined Purchase Privilege
described above may purchase shares of the Alliance Mutual Funds
under a single Statement of Intention. For example, if at the
time an investor signs a Statement of Intention to invest at
least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Fund, the investor and
the investor's spouse each purchase shares of the Fund worth
$20,000 (for a total of $40,000), it will only be necessary to
invest a total of $60,000 during the following 13 months in
shares of the Fund or any other Alliance Mutual Fund to qualify
for the 3.25 % sales charge on the total amount being invested,
i.e., the sales charge applicable to an investment of $100,000.
The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation
upon the investor to purchase the full amount indicated. The
minimum initial investment under a Statement of Intention is 5%
of such amount. Shares purchased with the first 5% of such
51
<PAGE>
amount will be held in escrow (while remaining shares will be
registered in the name of the investor) to secure payment of the
higher initial sales charge applicable to the shares actually
purchased if the full amount indicated is not purchased, and such
escrowed shares will be involuntarily redeemed to pay the
additional sales charge, if necessary. Dividends on escrowed
shares, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Fund
shares, are not subject to escrow. When the full amount indicated
has been purchased, the escrow will be released. To the extent
that an investor purchases more than the dollar amount indicated
on the Statement of Intention and qualifies for a further reduced
sales charge, the initial sales charge will be adjusted for the
entire amount purchased at the end of the 13-month period. The
difference in the initial sales charge will be used to purchase
additional shares of the Fund subject to the rate of the initial
sales charge applicable to the actual amount of the aggregate
purchases.
Investors wishing to enter into a Statement of Intention
in conjunction with their initial investment in Class A shares of
a Fund should complete the appropriate portion of the
Subscription Application found in the Prospectus while current
Class A shareholders desiring to do so can obtain a form of
Statement of Intention by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
at the address or the "For Literature" number shown on the cover
of this Statement of Additional Information.
Certain Retirement Plans. Multiple participant payroll
deduction retirement plans may also purchase shares of the Fund
or any other Alliance Mutual Fund at a reduced sales charge on a
monthly basis during the 13-month period following such a plan's
initial purchase. The sales charge applicable to such initial
purchase of shares of a Fund will be that normally applicable,
under the schedule of sales charges set forth above, to an
investment 13 times larger than such initial purchase. The sales
charge applicable to each succeeding monthly purchase will be
that normally applicable, under such schedule, to an investment
equal to the sum of (i) the total purchases previously made
during the 13-month period and (ii) the current month's purchase
multiplied by the number of months (including the current month)
remaining in the 13-month period. Sales charges previously paid
during such period will not be retroactively adjusted on the
basis of later purchases.
Reinstatement Privilege. A shareholder who has caused
any or all of his or her Class A or Class B shares of the Fund to
be redeemed or repurchased may reinvest all or any portion of the
redemption or repurchase proceeds in Class A shares of the Fund
at net asset value without any sales charge, provided that (i)
such reinvestment is made within 120 calendar days after the
redemption or repurchase date and (ii) for Class B shares, a
52
<PAGE>
contingent deferred sales charge has been paid and the Principal
Underwriter has approved, at its discretion, the reinvestment of
such shares. Shares are sold to a reinvesting shareholder at the
net asset value next determined as described above. A
reinstatement pursuant to this privilege will not cancel the
redemption or repurchase transaction; therefore, any gain or loss
so realized will be recognized for Federal income tax purposes
except that no loss will be recognized to the extent that the
proceeds are reinvested in shares of the Fund within 30 calendar
days after the redemption or repurchase transaction. The
reinstatement privilege may be used by the shareholder only once,
irrespective of the number of shares redeemed or repurchased,
except that the privilege may be used more than once in
connection with transactions whose sole purpose is to transfer a
shareholder's interest in the Fund to his or her individual
retirement account or other qualified retirement plan account.
Investors may exercise the reinstatement privilege by written
request sent to the Fund at the address shown on the cover of
this Statement of Additional Information.
Sales at Net Asset Value. The Fund may sell its Class A
shares at net asset value (i.e., without any initial sales
charge) and without any contingent deferred sales charge to
certain categories of investors including: (i) investment
management clients of the Adviser or its affiliates; (ii)
officers and present or former Trustees of the Trust; present or
former directors and trustees of other investment companies
managed by the Adviser; present or retired full-time employees of
the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. and their affiliates; officers and directors of Alliance
Capital Management Corporation, the Principal Underwriter,
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates; officers,
directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers
or agents; the spouse, sibling, direct ancestor or direct
descendant (collectively "relatives") of any such person; any
trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account
for the benefit of any such person or relative; or the estate of
any such person or relative, if such shares are purchased for
investment purposes (such shares may not be resold except to the
Fund); (iii) the Adviser, Principal Underwriter, Alliance Fund
Services, Inc. and their affiliates; certain employee benefit
plans for employees of the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter,
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates; (iv) persons
participating in a fee-based program, sponsored and maintained by
a registered broker-dealer and approved by the Principal
Underwriter, pursuant to which such persons pay an asset-based
fee to such broker-dealer, or its affiliate or agent, for service
in the nature of investment advisory or administrative services;
(v) persons who establish to the Principal Underwriter's
satisfaction that they are investing, within such time period as
may be designated by the Principal Underwriter, proceeds of
53
<PAGE>
redemption of shares of such other registered investment
companies as may be designated from time to time by the Principal
Underwriter; and (vi) employer-sponsored qualified pension or
profit-sharing plans (including Section 401(k) plans), custodial
accounts maintained pursuant to Section 403(b)(7) retirement
plans and individual retirement accounts (including individual
retirement accounts to which simplified employee pension (SEP)
contributions are made), if such plans or accounts are
established or administered under programs sponsored by
administrators or other persons that have been approved by the
Principal Underwriter.
Class B Shares
Investors may purchase Class B shares at the public
offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the
Class B shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of
a sales charge at the time of purchase. The Class B shares are
sold without an initial sales charge so that the Fund will
receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Class B shares which
are redeemed within three years of purchase will be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge at the rates set forth below,
charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The
charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of their
original cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset
value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge
will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial
purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on
shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions.
Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge on
the Class B shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are
used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the
Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related
services to the Fund in connection with the sale of the Class B
shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers
and agents for selling Class B shares. The combination of the
contingent deferred sales charge and the distribution services
fee enables the Fund to sell Class B shares without a sales
charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher
distribution services fee incurred by Class B shares will cause
such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower
dividends than those related to Class A shares.
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge, if
any, will vary depending on the number of years between the date
of payment for the purchase of Class B shares and the date of
redemption of such shares.
54
<PAGE>
The contingent deferred sales charge for the Fund is
3.00% for the first year, 2.00% for the second year, 1.00% for
the third year and none thereafter.
To illustrate, assume that an investor purchased 100
Class B shares at $10 per share (at a cost of $1,000) and in the
second year after purchase the net asset value per share is $12
and, during such time, the investor has acquired 10 additional
Class B shares upon dividend reinvestment. If at such time the
investor makes his or her first redemption of 50 Class B shares
(proceeds of $600), 10 Class B shares will not be subject to
charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the
remaining 40 Class B shares, the charge is applied only to the
original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in net
asset value of $2 per share. Therefore, $400 of the $600
redemption proceeds will be charged at a rate of 3.0% (the
applicable rate in the second year after purchase, as set forth
below).
In determining the contingent deferred sales charge
applicable to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed
that the redemption consists, first, of any shares that were
acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and,
second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject
to the sales charge. When shares acquired in an exchange are
redeemed, the applicable contingent deferred sales charge and
conversion schedules will be the schedules that applied at the
time of purchase of shares to the shares of the Alliance Mutual
Fund originally purchased by the shareholder.
Waiver. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived
on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability,
as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption
represents a minimum required distribution from an individual
retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder who
has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by
present or former Trustees of the Trust, by the relative of any
such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or
retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or
relative, or (iv) pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan (see
"Shareholder Services - Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below).
Conversion Feature. Class B shares will automatically
convert to Class A shares on the tenth Fund business day in the
month following the month in which the sixth anniversary date of
the acceptance of the purchase order for the Class B shares
occurs and such shares will no longer be subject to a higher
distribution services fee. Such conversions will occur on the
basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes,
without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge.
55
<PAGE>
The purpose of the conversion feature is to reduce the
distribution services fee paid by holders of Class B shares that
have been outstanding long enough for the Principal Underwriter
to have been compensated for distribution expenses incurred in
the sale of such shares. See "Shareholder Services -- Exchange
Privilege."
For purposes of conversion to Class A shares, Class B
shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions paid in respect of Class B shares in a
shareholder's account will be considered to be held in a separate
sub-account. Each time any Class B shares in the shareholder's
account (other than those in the sub-account) convert to Class A
shares, an equal pro-rata portion of the Class B shares in the
sub-account will also convert to Class A shares.
The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is
subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel
to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares to Class A
shares does not constitute a taxable event under Federal income
tax law. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares may
be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the
time such conversion is to occur. In that event, no further
conversions of Class B shares would occur, and shares might
continue to be subject to the higher distribution services fee
for an indefinite period which may extend beyond the period
ending six years after the end of the calendar month in which the
shareholder's purchase order was accepted.
Class C Shares
Investors may purchase Class C shares at the public
offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the
Class C shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of
a sales charge either at the time of purchase or, as long as the
shares are held for at least one year, upon redemption. Class C
shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Fund
will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment
and, as long as the shares are held for at least one year,
without a contingent deferred sales charge so that the investor
will receive as proceeds upon redemption the entire net asset
value of his or her Class C shares. Class C shares do not
convert to any other class of shares and incur higher
distribution services fees and transfer agency costs than Class A
shares and Advisor Class shares, and will thus have a higher
expense ratio and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class
A shares and Advisor Class shares.
Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of
purchase will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of
1% of the lesser of their original cost or net asset value at the
56
<PAGE>
time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed
on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price.
In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from
reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The
contingent deferred sales charge on Class C shares will be waived
on certain redemptions, as described above under "--Class B
Shares--Contingent Deferred Sales Charge--Waiver." In
determining the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to a
redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that the
redemption consists, first, of any shares that are not subject to
a contingent deferred sales charge (for example, because the
shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge
applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or
distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the
time they are subject to the sales charge.
Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge are
paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal
Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter
related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the
payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for
selling Class C shares. The combination of the contingent
deferred sales charge and the distribution services fee enables
the Fund to sell the Class C shares without a sales charge being
deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution
services fee incurred by Class C shares will cause such shares to
have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those
paid with respect to Class A and Advisor Class shares.
Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares
Advisor Class shares may be held principally through the
fee-based program accounts and employee benefit plans described
above under "Purchase of Shares--General." If (i) a holder of
Advisor Class shares ceases to participate in a fee-based program
or plan that satisfies the requirements to purchase shares set
forth under "Purchase of Shares--General" or (ii) the holder is
otherwise no longer eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares as
described in the Advisor Class Prospectus and this Statement of
Additional Information (each, a "Conversion Event"), then all
Advisor Class shares held by the shareholder will convert
automatically and without notice to the shareholder, other than
the notice contained in the Advisor Class Prospectus and this
Statement of Additional Information, to Class A shares of the
same Fund during the calendar month following the month in which
the Fund is informed of the occurrence of the Conversion Event.
The failure of a shareholder or a fee-based program to satisfy
the minimum investment requirements to purchase Advisor Class
shares will not constitute a Conversion Event. The conversion
would occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the
57
<PAGE>
two classes and without the imposition of any sales load, fee or
other charge. Class A shares currently bear a .30% distribution
services fee and have a higher expense ratio than Advisor Class
shares. As a result, Class A shares may pay correspondingly
lower dividends and have a lower net asset value than Advisor
Class shares.
The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares
is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of
counsel to the effect that the conversion of Advisor Class shares
to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under
Federal income tax law. The conversion of Advisor Class shares
to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no
longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In
that event, the Advisor Class shares would be automatically
redeemed, which would constitute a taxable event under Federal
income tax law.
REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares -- How to Sell Shares." If you are an Advisor Class
shareholder through an account established under a fee-based
program, your fee-based program may impose requirements with
respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares
of the Fund that are different from those described herein. A
transaction fee may be charged by your financial representative
with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class
shares made through such financial representative.
Redemption
Subject only to the limitations described below, the
Fund will redeem the shares tendered to it, as described below,
at a redemption price equal to its net asset value as next
computed following the receipt of shares tendered for redemption
in proper form. Except for any contingent deferred sales charge
which may be applicable to Class A, Class B or Class C shares,
there is no redemption charge. Payment of the redemption price
will be made within seven days after the Fund's receipt of such
tender for redemption. If a shareholder is in doubt about what
documents are required by his or her fee-based program or
employee benefit plan, the shareholder should contact his or her
financial representative.
The right of redemption may not be suspended or the date
of payment upon redemption postponed for more than seven days
58
<PAGE>
after shares are tendered for redemption, except for any period
during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend
and holiday closings) or during which the SEC determines that
trading thereon is restricted, or for any period during which an
emergency (as determined by the SEC) exists as a result of which
disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably
practicable or as a result of which it is not reasonably
practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net
assets, or for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit
for the protection of security holders of the Fund.
Payment of the redemption price will be made in cash.
The value of a shareholder's shares on redemption or repurchase
may be more or less than the cost of such shares to the
shareholder, depending upon the market value of the Fund's
portfolio securities at the time of such redemption or
repurchase. Redemption proceeds from Class A, Class B and Class C
shares will reflect the deduction of the contingent deferred
sales charge, if any. Payment received by a shareholder upon
redemption or repurchase of his shares, assuming the shares
constitute capital assets in his hands, will result in long-term
or short-term capital gains (or loss) depending upon the
shareholder's holding period and basis in respect of the shares
redeemed.
To redeem shares of the Fund for which no share
certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners
should forward a letter to the Fund containing a request for
redemption. The signature or signatures on the letter must be
guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in
Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
To redeem shares of the Fund represented by share
certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate share
certificate or certificates, endorsed in blank or with blank
stock powers attached, to the Fund with the request that the
shares represented thereby, or a specified portion thereof, be
redeemed. The share assignment form on the reverse side of each
share certificate surrendered to the Fund for redemption must be
signed by the registered owner or owners exactly as the
registered name appears on the face of the certificate or,
alternatively, a stock power signed in the same manner may be
attached to the share certificate or certificates or, where
tender is made by mail, separately mailed to the Fund. The
signature or signatures on the assignment form must be guaranteed
in the manner described above.
Telephone Redemption By Electronic Funds Transfer. Each
Fund shareholder is entitled to request redemption by electronic
funds transfer, once in any 30-day period (except for certain
59
<PAGE>
omnibus accounts), of shares for which no share certificates have
been issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 if such shareholder
has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription
Application found in the Prospectus or, in the case of an
existing shareholder, an "Autosell" application obtained from
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. A telephone redemption request may
not exceed $100,000 (except for certain omnibus accounts), and
must be made by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day as
defined above. Proceeds of telephone redemptions will be sent by
Electronic Funds Transfer to a shareholder's designated bank
account at a bank selected by the shareholder that is a member of
the NACHA.
Telephone Redemption By Check. Except for certain
omnibus accounts or as noted below, each Fund shareholder is
eligible to request redemption by check, once in any 30-day
period, of Fund shares for which no share certificates have been
issued, by telephone at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time on a Fund business day in an amount not exceeding $50,000.
Proceeds of such redemptions are remitted by check to the
shareholder's address of record. Telephone redemption by check is
not available with respect to shares (i) for which certificates
have been issued, (ii) held in nominee or "street name" accounts,
(iii) held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of
record within the preceding 30 calendar days or (iv) held in any
retirement plan account. A shareholder otherwise eligible for
telephone redemption by check may cancel the privilege by written
instruction to Alliance Fund Services, Inc., or by checking the
appropriate box on the Subscription Application found in the
Prospectus.
Telephone Redemptions--General. During periods of
drastic economic or market developments, such as the market break
of October 1987, it is possible that shareholders would have
difficulty reaching Alliance Fund Services, Inc. by telephone
(although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in
connection with the 1987 market break). If a shareholder were to
experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written
instructions to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address shown
on the cover of this Statement of Additional Information. The
Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate their telephone
redemption service at any time without notice. Neither the Fund
nor the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter nor Alliance Fund
Services, Inc. will be responsible for the authenticity of
telephone requests for redemptions that the Fund reasonably
believes to be genuine. Alliance Fund Services, Inc. will employ
reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests
for redemptions are genuine, including, among others, recording
such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of
the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. did not employ such procedures, it
60
<PAGE>
could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or
fraudulent telephone instructions. Selected dealers or agents
may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for
redemptions.
Repurchase
The Fund may repurchase shares through the Principal
Underwriter, selected financial intermediaries, selected dealers
or agents. The repurchase price will be the net asset value next
determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the request
(less the contingent deferred sales charge, if any, with respect
to the Class A, Class B and Class C shares), except that requests
placed through selected dealers or agents before the close of
regular trading on the Exchange on any day will be executed at
the net asset value determined as of the close of regular trading
on that day if received by the Principal Underwriter prior to its
close of business on that day (normally 5:00 p.m. Eastern time).
The financial intermediary, selected dealer or agent is
responsible for transmitting the request to the Principal
Underwriter by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. If the selected dealer or
agent fails to do so, the shareholder's right to receive that
day's closing price must be settled between the shareholder and
the dealer or agent. A shareholder may offer shares of the Fund
to the Principal Underwriter either directly or through a
selected dealer or agent. Neither the Fund nor the Principal
Underwriter charges a fee or commission in connection with the
repurchase of shares (except for the contingent deferred sales
charge, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C
shares). Normally, if shares of the Fund are offered through a
financial intermediary, selected dealer or agent, the repurchase
is settled by the shareholder as an ordinary transaction with or
through the selected dealer or agent, who may charge the
shareholder for this service. The repurchase of shares of the
Fund as described above is a voluntary service of the Fund and
the Fund may suspend or terminate this practice at any time.
General
The Fund reserves the right to close out an account that
through redemption has remained below $200 for 90 days.
Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to increase the
account value before the account is closed. No contingent
deferred sales charge will be deducted from the proceeds of this
redemption. In the case of a redemption or repurchase of shares
of the Fund recently purchased by check, redemption proceeds will
not be made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that
the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following
the purchase date.
61
<PAGE>
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The following information supplements that set forth in
the Fund's Prospectus(es) under the heading "Purchase and Sale of
Shares--Shareholder Services." The shareholder services set
forth below are applicable to Class A, Class B, Class C and
Advisor Class shares unless otherwise indicated. If you are an
Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a
fee-based program, your fee-based program may impose requirements
with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class
shares that are different from those described herein. A
transaction fee may be charged by your financial representative
with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class
shares made through such financial representative.
Automatic Investment Program
Investors may purchase shares of the Fund through an
automatic investment program utilizing Electronic Funds Transfer
drawn on the investor's own bank account. Under such a program,
pre-authorized monthly drafts for a fixed amount (at least $25)
are used to purchase shares through the selected dealer or
selected agent designated by the investor at the public offering
price next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives
the proceeds from the investor's bank. In electronic form,
drafts can be made on or about a date each month selected by the
shareholder. Investors wishing to establish an automatic
investment program in connection with their initial investment
should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription
Application found in the Prospectus. Current shareholders should
contact Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or telephone
numbers shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information to establish an automatic investment program.
Exchange Privilege
You may exchange your investment in the Fund for shares
of the same class of other Alliance Mutual Funds (including AFD
Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by Alliance). In
addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the
Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any Alliance
Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for
employees of the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. and their affiliates may, on a tax-free
basis, exchange Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class
shares of the Fund. Exchanges of shares are made at the net
asset value next determined and without sales or service charges.
62
<PAGE>
Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone
exchange requests must be received by Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day in order to
receive that day's net asset value.
Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges
for purpose of determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and,
in the case of Class B shares, for the purpose of conversion to
Class A shares. After an exchange, your Class B shares will
automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance with the
conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the
Alliance Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original
shares"). When redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the
original shares is applied.
Please read carefully the prospectus of the Alliance
Mutual Fund into which you are exchanging before submitting the
request. Call Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at (800) 221-5672 to
exchange uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges
of Class A shares of the Fund for Advisor Class shares of the
Fund, exchanges of shares as described above in this section
constitute taxable transactions for Federal income tax purposes.
The exchange service may be changed, suspended or terminated on
60 days' written notice.
All exchanges are subject to the minimum investment
requirements and any other applicable terms set forth in the
Prospectus for the Alliance Mutual Fund whose shares are being
acquired. An exchange is effected through the redemption of the
shares tendered for exchange and the purchase of shares being
acquired at their respective net asset values as next determined
following receipt by the Alliance Mutual Fund whose shares are
being exchanged of (i) proper instructions and all necessary
supporting documents as described in such fund's Prospectus or
(ii) a telephone request for such exchange in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the following paragraph. Exchanges
involving the redemption of shares recently purchased by check
will be permitted only after the Alliance Mutual Fund whose
shares have been tendered for exchange is reasonably assured that
the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following
the purchase date.
Each Fund shareholder, and the shareholder's selected
dealer, agent or financial representative, as applicable, are
authorized to make telephone requests for exchanges unless
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. receives written instruction to the
contrary from the shareholder, or the shareholder declines the
privilege by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription
Application found in the Prospectus. Such telephone requests
cannot be accepted with respect to shares then represented by
share certificates. Shares acquired pursuant to a telephone
63
<PAGE>
request for exchange will be held under the same account
registration as the shares redeemed through such exchange.
Eligible shareholders desiring to make an exchange
should telephone Alliance Fund Services, Inc. with their account
number and other details of the exchange at (800) 221-5672 before
4:00 p.m. Eastern time on a Fund business day as defined above.
Telephone requests for exchange received before 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time on a Fund business day will be processed as of the close of
business on that day. During periods of drastic economic or
market developments, such as the market break of October 1987, it
is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. by telephone (although no such
difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the 1987
market break). If a shareholder were to experience such
difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to
Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address shown on the cover of
this Statement of Additional Information.
A shareholder may elect to initiate a monthly "Auto
Exchange" whereby a specified dollar amounts worth of his or her
Fund shares (minimum $25) is automatically exchanged for shares
of another Alliance Mutual Fund. Auto Exchange transactions
normally occur on the 12th day of each month, or the Fund
business day prior thereto.
None of the Alliance Mutual Funds, the Adviser, the
Principal Underwriter or Alliance Fund Services, Inc. will be
responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for
exchanges that a Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. will employ reasonable procedures in order to
verify that telephone requests for exchanges are genuine,
including, among others, recording such telephone instructions
and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions
to be sent to shareholders. If Alliance Fund Services, Inc. did
not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising
from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Selected
dealers, agents or financial representatives, as applicable, may
charge a commission for handling telephone requests for
exchanges.
The exchange privilege is available only in states where
shares of the Alliance Mutual Fund being acquired may legally be
sold. Each Alliance Mutual Fund reserves the right, at any time
on 60 days' notice to its shareholders, to modify, restrict or
terminate the exchange privilege.
64
<PAGE>
Retirement Plans
The Fund may be a suitable investment vehicle for part
or all of the assets held in various types of retirement plans,
such as those listed below. The Fund has available forms of such
plans pursuant to which investments can be made in the Fund and
other Alliance Mutual Funds. Persons desiring information
concerning these plans should contact Alliance Fund Services,
Inc. at the "For Literature" telephone number on the cover of
this Statement of Additional Information, or write to:
Alliance Fund Services, Inc.
Retirement Plans
P.O. Box 1520
Secaucus, New Jersey 07096-1520
Individual Retirement Account ("IRA"). Individuals who
receive compensation, including earnings from self- employment,
are entitled to establish and make contributions to an IRA.
Taxation of the income and gains paid to an IRA by the Fund is
deferred until distribution from the IRA. An individual's
eligible contribution to an IRA will be deductible if neither the
individual nor his or her spouse is an active participant in an
employer-sponsored retirement plan. If the individual or his or
her spouse is an active participant in an employer-sponsored
retirement plan, the individual's contributions to an IRA may be
deductible, in whole or in part, depending on the amount of the
adjusted gross income of the individual and his or her spouse.
Employer-Sponsored Qualified Retirement Plans. Sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations may sponsor qualified
money purchase pension and profit-sharing plans, including
Section 401(k) plans ("qualified plans"), under which annual tax-
deductible contributions are made within prescribed limits based
on compensation paid to participating individuals. The minimum
initial investment requirement may be waived with respect to
certain of these qualified plans.
If the aggregate net asset value of shares of the
Alliance Mutual Funds held by a qualified plan reaches $5 million
on or before December 15 in any year, all Class B or Class C
shares of the Fund held by the plan can be exchanged at the
plan's request, without any sales charge, for Class A shares of
the Fund shortly before the end of the calendar year in which the
$5 million level is attained. The Fund waives any contingent
deferred sales charge applicable to redemptions of Class B shares
by qualified plans investing through the Alliance Premier
Retirement Program.
Simplified Employee Pension Plan ("SEP"). Sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations may sponsor a SEP
65
<PAGE>
under which they make annual tax-deductible contributions to an
IRA established by each eligible employee within prescribed
limits based on employee compensation.
403(b)(7) Retirement Plan. Certain tax-exempt
organizations and public educational institutions may sponsor
retirements plans under which an employee may agree that monies
deducted from his or her compensation (minimum $25 per pay
period) may be contributed by the employer to a custodial account
established for the employee under the plan.
The Alliance Plans Division of Frontier Trust Company, a
subsidiary of Equitable, which serves as custodian or trustee
under the retirement plan prototype forms available from the
Fund, charges certain nominal fees for establishing an account
and for annual maintenance. A portion of these fees is remitted
to Alliance Fund Services, Inc. as compensation for its services
to the retirement plan accounts maintained with the Fund.
Distributions from retirement plans are subject to
certain Code requirements in addition to normal redemption
procedures. For additional information please contact Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. at the address or "For Literature" telephone
number shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information.
Dividend Direction Plan
A shareholder who already maintains, in addition to his
or her Class A, Class B, Class C or Advisor Class accounts, a
Class A, Class B, Class C or Advisor Class account with one or
more other Alliance Mutual Funds may direct that income dividends
and/or capital gains paid on his or her Class A, Class B, Class C
or Advisor Class shares be automatically reinvested, in any
amount, without the payment of any sales or service charges, in
shares of the same class of such other Alliance Mutual Fund(s).
Further information can be obtained by contacting Alliance Fund
Services, Inc. at the address or the "For Literature" telephone
number shown on the cover of this Statement of Additional
Information. Investors wishing to establish a dividend direction
plan in connection with their initial investment should complete
the appropriate section of the Subscription Application found in
the Prospectus. Current shareholders should contact Alliance
Fund Services, Inc. to establish a dividend direction plan.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
General. Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares
of the Fund having a current net asset value of at least $4,000
(for quarterly or less frequent payments), $5,000 (for bi-monthly
payments) or $10,000 (for monthly payments) may establish a
66
<PAGE>
systematic withdrawal plan under which the shareholder will
periodically receive a payment in a stated amount of not less
than $50 on a selected date. Systematic withdrawal plan
participants must elect to have their dividends and distributions
from the Fund automatically reinvested in additional shares of
the Fund.
Shares of the Fund owned by a participant in the Fund's
systematic withdrawal plan will be redeemed as necessary to meet
withdrawal payments and such payments will be subject to any
taxes applicable to redemptions and, except as discussed below,
any applicable contingent deferred sales charge. Shares acquired
with reinvested dividends and distributions will be liquidated
first to provide such withdrawal payments and thereafter other
shares will be liquidated to the extent necessary, and depending
upon the amount withdrawn, the investors principal may be
depleted. A systematic withdrawal plan may be terminated at any
time by the shareholder or the Fund.
Withdrawal payments will not automatically end when a
shareholder's account reaches a certain minimum level. Therefore,
redemptions of shares under the plan may reduce or even liquidate
a shareholder's account and may subject the shareholder to the
Fund's involuntary redemption provisions. See "How to Sell
Shares -- General" in the Prospectus. Purchases of additional
shares concurrently with withdrawals are undesirable because of
sales charges imposed when the purchases are made. While an
occasional lump-sum investment may be made by a holder of Class A
shares who is maintaining a systematic withdrawal plan, such
investment should normally be an amount equivalent to three times
the annual withdrawal or $5,000, whichever is less.
Payments under a systematic withdrawal plan may be made
by check or electronically via the Automated Clearing House
("ACH") network. Investors wishing to establish a systematic
withdrawal plan in conjunction with their initial investment in
shares of the Fund should complete the appropriate portion of the
Subscription Application found in the Prospectus, while current
Fund shareholders desiring to do so can obtain an application
form by contacting Alliance Fund Services, Inc. at the address or
the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this
Statement of Additional Information.
CDSC Waiver for Class B and Class C Shares. Under a
systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 2% bi-monthly or 3%
quarterly of the value at the time of redemption of the Class B
or Class C shares in a shareholder's account may be redeemed free
of any contingent deferred sales charge.
With respect to Class B shares, the waiver applies only
with respect to shares acquired after July 1, 1995. Class B
67
<PAGE>
shares that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge
(such as shares acquired with reinvented dividends or
distributions) will be redeemed first and will count toward the
foregoing limitations. Remaining Class B shares that are held
the longest will be redeemed next. Redemptions of Class B shares
in excess of the foregoing limitations will be subject to any
otherwise applicable contingent deferred sales charge.
With respect to Class C shares, shares held the longest
will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing
limitations. Redemptions in excess of those limitations will be
subject to any otherwise applicable contingent deferred sales
charge.
Statements and Reports
Each shareholder receives semi-annual and annual reports
which include a portfolio of investments, financial statements
and, in the case of the annual report, the report of the Trust's
independent auditors, Price Waterhouse LLP, as well as a
confirmation of each purchase and redemption. By contacting his
or her broker or Alliance Fund Services, Inc., a shareholder can
arrange for copies of his or her account statements to be sent to
another person.
Checkwriting
A new Class A or Class C investor may fill out the
Signature Card which is included in the Prospectus to authorize
the Fund to arrange for a checkwriting service through State
Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank") to draw against Class
A or Class C shares of the Fund redeemed from the investor's
account. Under this service, checks may be made payable to any
payee in any amount not less than $500 and not more than 90% of
the net asset value of the Class A or Class C shares in the
investor's account (excluding for this purpose the current
month's accumulated dividends and shares for which certificates
have been issued). A Class A or Class C shareholder wishing to
establish this checkwriting service subsequent to the opening of
his or her Fund account should contact the Fund by telephone or
mail. Corporations, fiduciaries and institutional investors are
required to furnish a certified resolution or other evidence of
authorization. This checkwriting service will be subject to the
Bank's customary rules and regulations governing checking
accounts, and the Fund and the Bank each reserve the right to
change or suspend the checkwriting service. There is no charge
to the shareholder for the initiation and maintenance of this
service or for the clearance of any checks.
When a check is presented to the Bank for payment, the
Bank, as the shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem, at
68
<PAGE>
the net asset value next determined, a sufficient number of full
and fractional shares of the Fund in the shareholder's account to
cover the check. Because the level of net assets in a
shareholder's account constantly changes due, among various
factors, to market fluctuations, a shareholder should not attempt
to close his or her account by use of a check. In this regard,
the Bank has the right to return checks (marked "insufficient
funds") unpaid to the presenting bank if the amount of the check
exceeds 90% of the assets in the account. Canceled (paid) checks
are returned to the shareholder. The checkwriting service
enables the shareholder to receive the daily dividends declared
on the shares to be redeemed until the day that the check is
presented to the Bank for payment.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of each share of the Fund on which
the subscription and redemption prices are based is determined by
the market value of the securities and other assets owned by the
Fund less its liabilities, computed in accordance with the
Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust on
each Fund business day as of the next close of trading on the
Exchange following receipt of a purchase or redemption order (and
on such other days as the Board of Trustees of the Trust deems
necessary in order to comply with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act).
The net asset value of a share of each class is the quotient
obtained by dividing the value, as of such closing, of the net
assets of the Fund allocable to that class (i.e., the value of
the assets of the Fund allocable to that class less the
liabilities of the Fund allocable to that class, including
expenses payable or accrued) by the total number of shares then
outstanding at such closing.
For purposes of this computation, readily marketable
portfolio securities, including open short positions, listed on
the Exchange are valued at the last sale price reflected on the
consolidated tape at the close of the Exchange on the business
day as of which such value is being determined. If there has
been no sale on such day, then the security is valued at the mean
of the closing bid and asked prices on such day. If no bid and
asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued
by such method as the Board of Trustees of the Trust shall
determine in good faith to reflect its fair market value.
Securities not listed on the Exchange but listed on other
national securities exchanges or admitted to trading on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotations,
Inc. ("Nasdaq") National List ("List") are valued in like manner.
69
<PAGE>
Portfolio securities traded on more than one national
securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the
business day as of which such value is being determined as
reflected on the tape at the close of the exchange representing
the principal market for such securities. Securities traded only
in the over-the-counter market, excluding those admitted to
trading on the List, are valued at the mean of the current bid
and asked prices therefor as reported by Nasdaq or, in the case
of securities not quoted by Nasdaq, the National Quotation Bureau
or such other comparable sources as the Board of Trustees of the
Trust deems appropriate to reflect the fair market value thereof.
Call options written or purchased by the Fund are valued at the
last sale price and put options purchased by the Fund are valued
at the last sale price. Readily marketable fixed-income
securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a
pricing service when such prices are believed by the Adviser to
reflect the fair market value of such securities. The prices
provided by a pricing service take into account institutional
size trading in similar groups of securities and any developments
related to specific securities. U.S. Government Securities and
other debt instruments having 60 days or less remaining until
maturity are stated at amortized cost if their original maturity
was 60 days or less, or by amortizing their fair value as of the
61st day prior to maturity if their original term to maturity
exceeded 60 days (unless in either case the Board of Trustees of
the Trust determines that this method does not represent fair
value). All other assets, including restricted securities of the
Fund, are valued in such manner as the Board of Trustees of the
Trust in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair
market value.
The Trustees may suspend the determination of the Fund's
net asset value (and the offering and sales of shares), subject
to the rules of the SEC and other governmental rules and
regulations, at a time when: (1) the Exchange is closed, other
than customary weekend and holiday closings, (2) an emergency
exists as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for
the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it or to determine
fairly the value of its net assets, or (3) for the protection of
shareholders, the SEC by order permits a suspension of the right
of redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on
redemption.
The assets belonging to the Class A shares, the Class B
shares, the Class C and Advisor Class shares will be invested
together in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each
class will be determined separately by subtracting the expenses
and liabilities allocated to that class from the assets belonging
to that class pursuant to a multi-class plan adopted by the Trust
pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act.
70
<PAGE>
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
The Fund intends to qualify for tax treatment as a
"regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code
for each taxable year. In order to qualify as a regulated
investment company, the Fund must, among other things, (1) derive
at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest,
payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the
sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign
currencies or other income (including gains from options, futures
or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of
investing in stock, securities or currencies, (2) derive less
than 30% of its gross income from the sale or other disposition
of stock, securities, options, futures, forward contracts, and
certain foreign currencies (or options, futures, or forward
contracts on foreign currencies held for less than three months),
and (3) diversify its holdings so that at the end of each quarter
of its taxable year (i) at least 50% of the market value of the
Fund's assets is represented by cash or cash items, U.S.
Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment
companies, and other securities limited, in respect of any one
issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the
Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of
such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its
assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other
than U.S. Government Securities or the securities of other
regulated investment companies) or of two or more issuers that
the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar, or
related trades or businesses. These requirements may restrict
the degree to which the Fund may engage in short-term trading and
limit the range of the Fund's investments.
If a Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company,
it will not be subject to Federal income tax on the part of its
income distributed to shareholders, provided the Fund distributes
during its taxable year at least (a) 90% of its taxable net
investment income (generally, dividends, interest, certain other
income, and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain
over net long-term capital loss) and (b) 90% of the excess of (i)
its tax-exempt interest income less (ii) certain deductions
attributable to that income. The Fund intends to make sufficient
distributions to shareholders to meet this requirement.
Investors should consult their own counsel for a complete
understanding of the requirements the Funds must meet to qualify
for such treatment.
71
<PAGE>
The information set forth in the Prospectus and the
following discussion relates solely to Federal income taxes on
dividends and distributions by the Fund and assumes that the Fund
qualifies as a regulated investment company. Investors should
consult their own counsel for further details and for the
application of state and local tax laws to his or her particular
situation.
Dividends out of net ordinary income and distributions
of net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as
ordinary income. The dividends-received deduction for
corporations should also be applicable to the Fund's dividends of
net investment income, but only to the extent so designated by
the Fund. The amount of such dividends and distributions that
may be designated by the Fund as eligible for the dividends-
received deduction is limited to the amount of dividends from
domestic corporations received by the Fund during the fiscal
year. Furthermore, provisions of the tax law disallow the
dividends-received deduction to the extent a corporations
investment in shares of the Fund is financed with indebtedness.
The excess of net long-term capital gains over the net
short-term capital losses realized and distributed by a Fund to
its shareholders as capital gains distributions will not be
taxable to the Fund but will be taxable to the shareholders as
long-term capital gains, irrespective of the length of time a
shareholder may have held his or her Fund shares. Capital gains
distributions are not eligible for the dividends-received
deduction referred to above. Any dividend or distribution
received by a shareholder on shares of the Fund (even if received
shortly after the purchase of such shares by him or her) will
have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by
the amount of such dividend or distribution. A loss on the sale
of shares held for less than six months will be treated as a
long-term capital loss for Federal income tax purposes to the
extent of any capital gain distribution made with respect to such
shares.
Dividends and distributions are taxable in the manner
described above regardless of whether they are paid to the
shareholder in cash or are reinvested in additional shares of the
Fund.
For Federal income tax purposes, when equity call
options which the Fund has written expire unexercised, the
premiums received by the Fund give rise to short-term capital
gains at the time of expiration. When a call option written by
the Fund is exercised, the selling price or purchase price of
stock is increased by the amount of the premium, and the gain or
loss on the sale of stock becomes long-term or short-term
depending on the holding period of the stock. There may be
72
<PAGE>
short-term gains or losses associated with closing purchase
transactions.
The Fund is required to withhold and remit to the U.S.
Treasury 31% of all dividend income paid to any shareholder
account for which an incorrect or no taxpayer identification
number has been provided or where the Fund is notified that the
shareholder has under-reported income in the past (or the
shareholder fails to certify that he or she is not subject to
such withholding). In addition, the Fund will be required to
withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury 31% of the amount of the
proceeds of any redemption of shares of a shareholder account for
which an incorrect or no taxpayer identification number has been
provided.
The foregoing discussion relates only to U.S. Federal
income tax law as it affects U.S. shareholders. The effects of
Federal income tax law on non-U.S. shareholders may be
substantially different. Foreign investors should consult their
counsel for further information as to the U.S. tax consequences
of investing in the Fund.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Description of the Trust
The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust
under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts by an
Agreement and Declaration of Trust ("Declaration of Trust") dated
March 26, 1987, a copy of which is on file with the Secretary of
State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust is a
"series" company as described in Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act,
having five separate portfolios, each of which is represented by
a separate series of shares. In addition to the Fund, the other
portfolios of the Trust are the Alliance Growth Fund, the
Alliance Strategic Balanced Fund, the Alliance Conservative
Investors Fund and the Alliance Growth Investors Fund.
The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue
an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of each series
and of each class of shares thereof. The shares of the Fund and
each class thereof do not have any preemptive rights. Upon
termination of the Fund or any class thereof, whether pursuant to
liquidation of the Trust or otherwise, shareholders of the Fund
or that class are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of
the Fund or that class then available for distribution to such
shareholders.
73
<PAGE>
The assets received by the Trust for the issue or sale
of the Class A, Class B, Class C and/or Advisor Class shares of
the Fund and all income, earnings, profits, losses and proceeds
therefrom, subject only to the rights of creditors, are allocated
to, and constitute the underlying assets of, the appropriate
class of that Fund. The underlying assets of the Fund and each
class of shares thereof are segregated and are charged with the
expenses with respect to the Fund and that class and with a share
of the general expenses of the Trust. While the expenses of the
Trust are allocated to the separate books of account of each Fund
and each class of shares thereof, certain expenses may be legally
chargeable against the assets of the Fund or a particular class
of shares thereof.
The Declaration of Trust provides for the perpetual
existence of the Trust. The Trust or the Fund, however, may be
terminated at any time by vote of at least a majority of the
outstanding shares of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust further
provides that the Trustees may also terminate the Trust upon
written notice to the shareholders.
Capitalization
Except as noted below under "Shareholder and Trustee
Liability", all shares of the Funds when duly issued will be
fully paid and non-assessable.
Set forth below is certain information as to all persons
who owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of
the Fund's outstanding shares at October 11, 1996:
74
<PAGE>
Names and Addresses % of Class
Short Term U.S. Government Fund - Class A
Merrill Lynch 8.48%
Mutual Fund Operations
4800 Deer Lake Dr. East, 3rd Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
Alliance Plans DIV/FTC 11.13%
C/F Albert A C Noakes IRA R/O
Heatherside-Heather Way
Storrington
West Sussex RH20 4DD
United Kingdom
Richard L. Smith & Marie C. Smith 5.08%
Ttee Richard L. Smith & Marie C.
Smith Trust U/A
26521 Lilac Hill Drive
Escondido, CA 92026-8002
Bruce Toor 5.71%
1477 Le Grnade Terrace
San Pedro, CA 90732-3957
Smith Barney Inc. 8.11%
00162781577
388 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10013-2375
Carlton Prejean Lucy C 8.39%
Prejean Tenants in Common
728 Arthur
Lafayette, LA 70501-3330
Class B
Merrill Lynch 25.49%
Mutual Fund Operations
4800 Deer Lake Dr. East, 3rd Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
75
<PAGE>
Class C
Merrill Lynch 28.19%
Mutual Fund Operations
4800 Deer Lake Dr. East, 3rd Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484
Todd Austin Blake 14.98%
2765 Union Street
San Fransisco, CA 94188-3807
Marilyn Katherine Blake 10.33%
79 Willow Tree Place
Gross Pointe, MI 48236-1322
Voting Rights
As summarized in the Prospectus, shareholders are
entitled to one vote for each full share held (with fractional
votes for fractional shares held) and will vote (to the extent
provided herein) in the election of Trustees and the termination
of the Trust or the Fund and on other matters submitted to the
vote of shareholders.
The By-Laws of the Trust provide that the shareholders
of any particular series or class shall not be entitled to vote
on any matters as to which such series or class is not affected.
Except with respect to matters as to which the Trustees have
determined that only the interests of one or more particular
series or classes are affected or as required by law, all of the
shares of each series or class shall, on matters as to which such
series or class is entitled to vote, vote with other series or
classes so entitled as a single class. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, with respect to matters which would otherwise be voted
on by two or more series or classes as a single class, the
Trustees may, in their sole discretion, submit such matters to
the shareholders of any or all such series or classes,
separately. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides in effect
that a series shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless
it is clear that the interests of each series in the matter are
substantially identical or that the matter does not affect any
interest of such series. Although not governed by Rule 18f-2,
shares of each class of the Fund will vote separately with
respect to matters pertaining to the respective Distribution
Plans applicable to each class.
The terms "shareholder approval" and "majority of the
outstanding voting securities" as used in the Prospectus and this
Statement of Additional Information mean the lesser of (i) 67% or
more of the shares of the Fund or class thereof represented at a
meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the
76
<PAGE>
Fund or such class are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the
outstanding shares of the Fund or such class.
There will normally be no meetings of shareholders for
the purpose of electing Trustees, except that in accordance with
the 1940 Act (i) the Trust will hold a shareholders' meeting for
the election of Trustees at such time as less than a majority of
the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders,
and (ii) if, as a result of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees,
less than two-thirds of the Trustees holding office have been
elected by the shareholders, that vacancy may only be filled by a
vote of the shareholders. The Fund's shares have non-cumulative
voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of
the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of
the Trustees if they choose to do so, and in such event the
holders of the remaining less than 50% of the shares voting for
such election of Trustees will not be able to elect any person or
persons to the Board of Trustees. A special meeting of
shareholders for any purpose may be called by 10% of the Trust's
outstanding shareholders.
Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue
to hold office and may appoint successor Trustees.
No amendment may be made to the Declaration of Trust
without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Trust except (i) to change the Trust's name, (ii)
to establish, change or eliminate the par value of shares or
(iii) to supply any omission, cure any ambiguity or cure, correct
or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision contained
in the Declaration of Trust.
Shareholder and Trustee Liability
Under Massachusetts law shareholders could, under
certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the
obligations of the Trust. However, the Declaration of Trust
disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the
Trust and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in
each agreement, obligation, or instrument entered into or
executed by the Trust or the Trustees. The Declaration of Trust
provides for indemnification out of the Fund's property for all
loss and expense of any shareholder of the Fund held liable on
account of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of
a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder
liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund of which
he or she was a shareholder would be unable to meet its
obligations.
The Declaration of Trust further provides that the
Trustees will not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of
77
<PAGE>
fact or law. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust
protects a Trustee against any liability to which the Trustee
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his or her office. The By-Laws of the
Trust provide for indemnification by the Trust of the Trustees
and the officers of the Trust but no such person may be
indemnified against any liability to the Trust or the Trust's
shareholders to which he or she would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his
or her office.
Counsel
Legal matters in connection with the issuance of the
shares of the Fund offered hereby are passed upon by Ropes &
Gray, One International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
Independent Accountants
The financial statements of the Fund for the fiscal year
ended August 31, 1996 which are included in this Statement of
Additional Information, have been audited by Price Waterhouse
LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, the
Trust's independent auditors for such period, as stated in their
report appearing herein, and have been so included in reliance
upon such report given upon the authority of that firm as experts
in accounting and auditing.
Total Return and Yield Quotations
From time to time, the Fund advertises its "total
return". Total return is computed separately for Class A,
Class B, Class C and Advisor Class shares. Such advertisements
disclose the Fund's average annual compounded total return for
recent one-, five- and ten-year periods (or the life of the Fund
or class, if shorter). Total return for each such period is
computed by finding, through the use of a formula prescribed by
the SEC, the average annual compounded rate of return over such
period that would equate an assumed initial amount invested to
the value of such investment at the end of the period. For
purposes of computing total return, income dividends and capital
gains distributions paid on shares of the Fund are assumed to
have been reinvested when received and the maximum sales charge
applicable to purchases of Fund shares is assumed to have been
paid. A Fund will include performance data for each of the
Class A, Class B and Class C shares in any advertisement or
information including performance data of the Fund.
78
<PAGE>
From time to time, the Fund may advertise the "yield" or
"actual distribution rate" of each class of shares. Yield for
any 30-day (or one month) period is computed by dividing the net
investment income per share earned during such period by the
maximum public offering price per share on the last day of the
period, and then annualizing such 30-day (or one month) yield in
accordance with a formula prescribed by the SEC which provides
for compounding on a semi-annual basis. "Actual distribution
rate," which may be advertised in items of sales literature, is
computed in the same manner as yield except that actual income
dividends declared per share during the period in question is
substituted for net investment income per share.
The yield of Class A shares of the Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund was 4.38% for the 30-day period ended August 31,
1996. The yield of Class B shares of the Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund was 3.80% for the 30-day period ended August 31,
1996. The yield of Class C shares of the Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund was 3.80% for the 30-day period ended August 31,
1996.
The average annual compounded total return for Class A
shares of the Fund was .26% for the one-year period ended August
31, 1996, and 3.34% for the period May 4, 1992 (commencement of
distribution of Class A shares)through August 31, 1996. The
average annual compounded total return for Class B shares of the
Fund was .90% for the one-year period ended August 31, 1996 and
% for the period May 4, 1992 (commencement of distribution of
Class B shares) through August 31, 1996. The average annual
compounded total return for Class C shares of the Fund was 2.90%
for the one-year period ended August 31, 1996 and 2.22% for the
period August 2, 1993 (commencement of distribution of Class C
shares) through August 31, 1996.
The Fund's total return is not fixed and will fluctuate
in response to prevailing market conditions or as a function of
the type and quality of the securities in the Funds portfolio and
the Fund's expenses. Total return information is useful in
reviewing the Fund's performance but such information may not
provide a basis for comparison with bank deposits or other
investments which pay a fixed return for a stated period of time.
An investor's principal invested in the Fund is not fixed and
will fluctuate in response to prevailing market conditions.
Advertisements quoting performance rankings of a Fund as
measured by financial publications or by independent
organizations such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. and
Morningstar, Inc., and advertisements presenting the historical
performance of such Fund, may also from time to time be sent to
investors or placed in newspapers and magazines, such as The
New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Investor's
79
<PAGE>
Daily, Money Magazine, Changing Times, Business Week and Forbes
or other media on behalf of such Fund.
Additional Information
This Statement of Additional Information does not
contain all the information set forth in the Registration
Statement filed by the Trust with the SEC under the Securities
Act of 1933. Copies of the Registration Statement may be
obtained at a reasonable charge from the SEC or may be examined,
without charge, at the offices of the SEC in Washington, D.C.
80
<PAGE>
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996 ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000) VALUE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS-49.1%
FIXED RATE-41.9%
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
Series 1561 Cl. B
5.00%, 4/15/03 $ 786 $ 778,521
Series 1398 Cl. D
5.50%, 3/15/02 750 745,822
Series 1800 Cl. A
7.00%, 10/15/10 707 708,881
Series 1163 Cl. H
7.50%, 12/15/19 359 361,382
Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Series 1993-167 Cl. C
5.00%, 7/25/11 701 695,085
Series 1993-G13 Cl. D
6.00%, 7/25/15 750 746,925
Series 1992-25 Cl. E
6.75%, 11/25/03 2,292 2,291,040
-----------
6,327,656
ADJUSTABLE RATE-7.2%
Household Revolving Home Equity Loan Trust
Series 1996-1 Cl. A
5.638%, 7/20/17 (a) 298 298,449
Prudential Home Mortgage Securities
Company, Inc.
Series 1993-46 Cl. A1
8.035%, 11/25/23 (a) 768 783,335
-----------
1,081,784
Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligation
(cost $7,417,787) 7,409,440
FEDERAL AGENCY OBLIGATIONS-30.4%
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
7.86%, 9/01/23 (a) 752 781,004
12.00%, 2/01/14 365 413,465
Federal National Mortgage Assn.
7.267%, 12/01/21 (a) 844 868,241
7.438%, 9/01/25 (a) 740 766,818
12.00%, 3/01/13-5/01/15 1,553 1,765,516
Total Federal Agency Obligations
(cost $4,589,325) 4,595,044
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES-14.9%
AT&T Universal Card Master Trust Series 1996-2 Cl. A
5.633%, 6/18/01 (a) 800 800,000
ITT Federal Bank, fsb Series 1994 P1 Cl. A1
7.554%, 6/25/24 (a) 686 693,284
Nellie Mae Education Loan Trust Series 1996 Cl. A1
5.674%, 12/15/04 (a) 750 750,120
Total Asset Backed Securities
(cost $2,243,660) 2,243,404
5
PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
(000) VALUE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPURCHASE AGREEMENT-19.0%
State Street Bank and Trust Co.
5.25%, dated 8/30/96, due 9/03/96
collateralized by $2,975,000 U.S.
Treasury Bond, 7.25%, 8/15/22,
(cost $2,864,000) $2,864 $ 2,864,000
TOTAL INVESTMENTS-113.4%
(cost $17,114,772) $17,111,888
Other assets less liabilities-(13.4%) (2,025,993)
NET ASSETS-100% $15,085,895
(a) Adjustable rate securities; stated interest rates in effect at August 31,
1996.
See notes to financial statements.
6
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
AUGUST 31, 1996 ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
ASSETS
Investments in securities, at value (cost $17,114,772) $17,111,888
Cash 31,989
Interest receivable 80,034
Receivable for shares of beneficial interest sold 42,291
Receivable due from adviser 13,801
Deferred organization expense 4,671
Total assets 17,284,674
LIABILITIES
Payable for investments purchased 1,927,950
Payable for shares of beneficial interest redeemed 124,600
Dividend payable 21,587
Distribution fee payable 11,023
Accrued expenses 113,619
Total liabilities 2,198,779
NET ASSETS $15,085,895
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS
Shares of beneficial interest, at par $ 15
Additional paid-in capital 15,798,577
Distributions in excess of net investment income (46,504)
Accumulated net realized loss (658,693)
Net unrealized depreciation of investments (7,500)
$15,085,895
CALCULATION OF MAXIMUM OFFERING PRICE
CLASS A SHARES
Net asset value and redemption price per share ($3,454,526/
357,715 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding) $ 9.66
Sales charge-4.25% of public offering price .43
Maximum offering price $10.09
CLASS B SHARES
Net asset value and offering price per share ($6,781,068/
694,222 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding) $ 9.77
CLASS C SHARES
Net asset value and offering price per share($4,850,301/
497,119 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding) $ 9.76
See notes to financial statements.
7
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1996 ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
INVESTMENT INCOME
Interest $960,863
EXPENSES
Advisory fee $83,317
Distribution fee - Class A 9,293
Distribution fee - Class B 68,386
Distribution fee - Class C 52,123
Custodian 81,931
Audit and legal 73,869
Registration 46,182
Printing 37,880
Transfer agency 35,178
Trustees' fees 23,130
Amortization of organization expenses 11,039
Miscellaneous 2,521
Total expenses 524,849
Less: expenses waived and reimbursed by adviser
(See Note B) (228,412)
Net expenses 296,437
Interest expense 18,720
Total expenses including interest expense 315,157
Net investment income 645,706
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED LOSS ON INVESTMENTS
Net realized loss on investments (13,066)
Net change in unrealized appreciation of investments (30,800)
Net loss on investments (43,866)
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS $601,840
See notes to financial statements.
8
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES
IN NET ASSETS ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, AUGUST 31,
1996 1995
------------ ------------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income $ 645,706 $ 547,800
Net realized loss on investments (13,066) (26,997)
Net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) of investments (30,800) 71,312
Net increase in net assets from operations 601,840 592,115
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Net investment income
Class A (156,805) (117,047)
Class B (288,818) (210,021)
Class C (220,224) (196,348)
Distributions in excess of net investment income
Class A -0- (9,973)
Class B -0- (17,854)
Class C -0- (16,698)
TRANSACTIONS IN SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Net increase (decrease) 592,950 (1,148,386)
Total increase (decrease) 528,943 (1,124,212)
NET ASSETS
Beginning of year 14,556,952 15,681,164
End of year $15,085,895 $14,556,952
See notes to financial statements.
9
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AUGUST 31, 1996 ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE A: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Alliance Short-Term U.S. Government Fund (the "Fund"), a series of The Alliance
Portfolios (the "Trust") which was organized as a Massachusetts Business Trust
on March 29, 1987, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as a
diversified, open-end management investment company. The Fund offers Class A,
Class B and Class C shares. Class A shares are sold with a front-end sales
charge of up to 4.25%. Class B shares are sold with a contingent deferred sales
charge which declines from 3.0% to zero depending on the period of time the
shares are held. Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares
six years after the end of the calendar month of purchase. Class C shares
purchased on or after July 1, 1996 are subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge of 1% on redemptions made within the first year after purchase. All
three classes of shares have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other
rights with respect to its distribution plan. The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies followed by the Fund.
1. SECURITY VALUATION
Portfolio securities traded on national securities exchanges are valued at the
last reported sales price on such exchange. Listed securities not traded and
securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed debt
securities whose primary market is believed to be over-the-counter, are valued
at the mean of the closing bid and asked price as obtained from a recognized
pricing service and brokers. Securities for which bid and asked price
quotations are not readily available are valued in good faith at fair value
using methods determined by the Board of Trustees. Securities which mature in
60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.
2. ORGANIZATION EXPENSES
Organization expenses of approximately $50,000 have been deferred and are being
amortized on a straight-line basis through May, 1997.
3. TAXES
It is the Fund's policy to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code
applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its
investment company taxable income and net realized gains, if applicable, to
shareholders. Therefore, no provisions for federal income or excise taxes are
required.
4. INVESTMENT INCOME AND SECURITY TRANSACTIONS
Interest income is accrued daily. Security transactions are accounted for on
the date securities are purchased or sold. Security gains and losses are
determined on the identified cost basis. The Fund accretes discounts as
adjustments to interest income.
5. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend
date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in
accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from generally
accepted accounting principles.
6. INCOME AND EXPENSES
All income earned and expenses incurred by the Fund are borne on a pro-rata
basis by each settled class of shares, based on the proportionate interest in
the Fund represented by the shares of such Class, except that the Fund's Class
B and Class C shares bear higher distribution fees and, in the case of Class B
shares, higher transfer agent fees. Expenses of the Trust are charged to each
Fund in proportion to net assets.
7. REPURCHASE AGREEMENT
The Fund's custodian takes possession of collateral pledged for investments in
repurchase agreements, the market value of which is required to be at least
102% of the resale amount at the time of purchase. The value of the collateral
is marked-to-market on a daily basis and additional collateral is requested
from the counterparty, as necessary, to ensure that its value is at least equal
at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including
interest. If the seller defaults and the value of the collateral declines or if
bankruptcy proceedings commence with the respect to the seller of the security,
realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.
8. RECLASSIFICATION OF NET ASSETS
To reflect reclassifications arising from permanent book/tax differences for
the year ended August 31, 1996, $18,162 was reclassified from additional paid
in capital to distributions in excess of net investment income.
10
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE B: ADVISORY FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
Under the terms of an investment advisory agreement, the Fund pays Alliance
Capital Management L.P., (the "Investment Adviser"), an advisory fee at an
annual rate of .55 of 1% of the Fund's average daily net assets. Such fee is
accrued daily and paid monthly. The Investment Adviser has agreed, under the
terms of the investment advisory agreement, to voluntarily waive its fees and
bear certain expenses so that total expenses do not exceed on an annual basis
1.40%, 2.10% and 2.10% of the daily average net assets for the Class A, Class B
and Class C shares, respectively. For the year ended August 31, 1996, such
reimbursement amounted to $228,412. In addition to these voluntary
arrangements, the Investment Adviser will reduce its compensation, to the
extent that expenses of the Fund for any fiscal year (not including any
distribution expenses paid by the Fund) exceed the lowest applicable expense
limitation prescribed by any state in which the Fund's shares are qualified for
sale. The Investment Adviser believes that the most restrictive expense ratio
limitation imposed by any state in which the Fund has qualified its shares for
sale is 2.5% of the first $30 million of the Fund's average daily net assets,
2% of the next $70 million of its average daily net assets and 1.5% of its
average daily net assets in excess of $100 million. The Fund has a Services
Agreement with Alliance Fund Services, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Investment Adviser) to provide personnel and facilities to perform transfer
agency services for the Fund. Compensation under this agreement amounted to
$19,818 for the year ended August 31, 1996. Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc. (a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser) serves as the distributor,
(the "Distributor"), of the Fund's shares. The Distributor received front-end
sales charges of $2,924 from the sale of Class A shares and $34,008 in
contingent deferred sales charges imposed upon redemptions by shareholders of
Class B shares for the year ended August 31, 1996.
Accrued expenses includes an amount owed to two of the Trustees under a
deferred compensation plan of $24,830.
NOTE C: DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AGREEMENT
The Fund has adopted a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement")
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the
Agreement, the Fund pays a distribution fee to the Distributor at an annual
rate of up to .50% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class
A shares and 1% of the average daily net assets attributable to both Class B
and Class C shares. For the year ended August 31, 1996, the Fund paid a
distribution fee to the Distributor at an annual rate of .30% of the Fund's
average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares. The Trustees currently
limit payments under the Class A plan to .30% of the Fund's aggregate average
daily net assets attributable to Class A shares. The Agreement provides that
the Distributor will use such payments in their entirety for distribution
assistance and promotional activities. The Distributor has incurred since
inception expenses in excess of the distribution costs reimbursed by the Fund
in the amount of $468,418 and $686,992 for Class B and C shares, respectively;
such costs may be recovered from the Fund in future periods. In accordance with
the Agreement, there is no provision for recovery of unreimbursed distribution
costs, incurred by the Distributor, beyond the current fiscal year for Class A
shares. The Agreement also provides that the Investment Adviser may use its own
resources to finance the distribution of the Fund's shares.
NOTE D: INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS
Purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments
and U.S. Government securities) aggregated $10,827,628 and $1,532,069,
respectively, for the year ended August 31, 1996. There were purchases of
$6,968,559 and sales of $13,789,789 of U.S. Government and government agency
obligations for the year ended August 31, 1996. At August 31, 1996 the cost of
securities for federal income tax purposes was the same as the cost for
financial reporting purposes. Accordingly gross unrealized appreciation of
investments was $12,643 and gross unrealized depreciation of investments was
$15,527 resulting in net unrealized depreciation of $2,884.
11
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONT.)
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE E: SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
There is an unlimited number of $0.00001 par value shares of beneficial
interest authorized divided into three classes, designated Class A, Class B and
Class C shares. Transactions in shares of beneficial interest were as follows:
SHARES AMOUNT
--------------------------- ------------------------------
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, AUGUST 31, AUGUST 31, AUGUST 31,
1996 1995 1996 1995
------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
Shares sold 247,602 424,619 $ 2,403,892 $ 4,020,889
Shares issued in
reinvestment of
dividends 8,915 8,027 86,515 77,235
Shares converted
from Class B 16,994 -0- 166,372 -0-
Shares redeemed (224,741) (358,681) (2,182,378) (3,383,335)
Net increase 48,770 73,965 $ 474,401 $ 714,789
CLASS B
Shares sold 686,744 591,993 $ 6,747,952 $ 5,759,616
Shares issued in
reinvestment of
dividends 16,716 13,420 164,023 130,566
Shares converted
to Class A (17,183) -0- (166,372) -0-
Shares redeemed (642,638) (597,126) (6,315,168) (5,807,282)
Net increase 43,639 8,287 $ 430,435 $ 82,900
CLASS C
Shares sold 434,234 275,893 $ 4,258,011 $ 2,678,828
Shares issued in
reinvestment of
dividends 11,782 12,237 115,471 118,917
Shares redeemed (477,627) (488,878) (4,685,368) (4,743,820)
Net decrease (31,611) (200,748) $ (311,886) $(1,946,075)
NOTE F: FEDERAL INCOME TAX STATUS
At August 31, 1996, the Fund had net capital loss carryforward of $645,627 of
which $72,933 expires in the fiscal year ending 2001, $36,136 in the fiscal
year ending 2002, $522,417 in the fiscal year ending 2003, and $14,141 in the
fiscal year ending 2004 to the extent provided by the regulations. To the
extent that this loss carryforward is used to offset future capital gains, it
is probable that the gains so offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
Capital losses incurred after October 31, within the Fund's fiscal year are
deemed to arise on the first business day of the following fiscal year. The
Fund incurred and elected to defer a post October net capital loss of $13,066.
12
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
NOTE G: REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells securities and agrees to
repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price. At the time the Fund
enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will establish a segregated
account with the custodian containing cash, cash equivalents or liquid
high-grade debt securities having a value at least equal to the repurchase
price.
As of August 31, 1996, the Fund had no reverse repurchase agreements
outstanding.
For the year ended August 31, 1996, the maximum amount of reverse repurchase
agreements outstanding was $2,939,750, the average amount outstanding was
approximately $1,416,516, and the daily weighted average interest rate was
5.44%.
13
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED DATA FOR A SHARE OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH
PERIOD
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MAY 1, 1994 MAY 4,1992(B)
YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH YEAR ENDED TO
------------------------ AUGUST 31, APRIL 30, APRIL 30,
1996 1995 1994(A) 1994 1993
------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period $9.70 $9.67 $9.77 $10.22 $10.00
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Net investment income (c) .47 .42 .14 .35 .46
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) (.02) .05 (.09) (.29) .34
Net increase in net asset value from
operations .45 .47 .05 .06 .80
LESS: DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income (.49) (.41) (.12) (.42) (.46)
Dividends in excess of net investment
income -0- (.03) -0- (.01) -0-
Return of capital -0- -0- (.03) (.08) -0-
Distributions from net realized gains -0- -0- -0- -0- (.12)
Total dividends and distributions (.49) (.44) (.15) (.51) (.58)
Net asset value, end of period $9.66 $9.70 $9.67 $ 9.77 $10.22
TOTAL RETURN
Total investment return based on net
asset value (d) 4.71% 5.14% .53% .52% 8.20%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted) $3,455 $2,997 $2,272 $2,003 $6,081
Ratio to average net assets of:
Expenses, net of waivers/reimbursements 1.53%(e) 1.40% 1.40%(f) 1.27% 1.00%(f)
Expenses, before waivers/reimbursements 3.04%(e) 3.71% 2.95%(f) 2.17% 2.20%(f)
Net investment income 4.85% 4.56% 3.98%(f) 4.41% 4.38%(f)
Portfolio turnover rate 110% 15% 144% 55% 294%
</TABLE>
See footnotes on page 16.
14
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED DATA FOR A SHARE OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH
PERIOD
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS B
----------------------------------------------------------------
MAY 1,1994 MAY 4,1992(B)
YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH YEAR ENDED TO
------------------------ AUGUST 31, APRIL 30, APRIL 30,
1996 1995 1994(A) 1994 1993
------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period $9.81 $9.78 $9.88 $10.31 $10.00
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Net investment income (c) .41 .36 .10 .40 .38
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) (.03) .04 (.07) (.39) .33
Net increase in net asset value from
operations .38 .40 .03 .01 .71
LESS: DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income (.42) (.34) (.11) (.35) (.38)
Dividends in excess of net investment
income -0- (.03) -0- (.01) -0-
Return of capital -0- -0- (.02) (.08) -0-
Distributions from net realized gains -0- -0- -0- -0- (.02)
Total dividends and distributions (.42) (.37) (.13) (.44) (.40)
Net asset value, end of period $9.77 $9.81 $9.78 $ 9.88 $10.31
TOTAL RETURN
Total investment return based on
net asset value (d) 3.89% 4.32% .28% .03% 7.22%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted) $6,781 $6,380 $6,281 $7,184 $1,292
Ratios of average net assets of:
Expenses, net of waivers/reimbursements 2.23%(e) 2.10% 2.10%(f) 2.05% 1.75%(f)
Expenses, before waivers/reimbursements 3.74%(e) 4.33% 3.60%(f) 3.21% 4.81%(f)
Net investment income 4.11% 3.82% 3.22%(f) 3.12% 3.36%(f)
Portfolio turnover rate 110% 15% 144% 55% 294%
</TABLE>
See footnotes on page 16.
15
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED DATA FOR A SHARE OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH
PERIOD
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS C
---------------------------------------------------
AUGUST 2,
MAY 1,1994 1993(G)
YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH TO
------------------------ AUGUST 31, APRIL 30,
1996 1995 1994(A) 1994
------------ ---------- ------------ -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period $9.80 $9.77 $9.87 $10.34
INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Net investment income (c) .40 .34 .10 .26
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) (.02) .06 (.07) (.42)
Net increase (decrease) in net asset
value from operations .38 .40 .03 (.16)
LESS: DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income (.42) (.34) (.11) (.25)
Dividends in excess of net investment income -0- (.03) -0- (.01)
Return of capital -0- -0- (.02) (.05)
Distributions from net realized gains -0- -0- -0- -0-
Total dividends and distributions (.42) (.37) (.13) (.31)
Net asset value, end of period $9.76 $9.80 $9.77 $ 9.87
TOTAL RETURN
Total investment return based on
net asset value (d) 3.90% 4.33% .28% (1.56)%
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted) $4,850 $5,180 $7,128 $8,763
Ratios of average net assets of:
Expenses, net of waivers/reimbursements 2.22%(e) 2.10% 2.10%(f) 2.10%(f)
Expenses, before waivers/reimbursements 3.72%(e) 4.23% 3.64%(f) 3.10%(f)
Net investment income 4.11% 3.80% 3.26%(f) 2.60%(f)
Portfolio turnover rate 110% 15% 144% 55%
</TABLE>
(a) The Fund changed its fiscal year end from April 30 to August 31.
(b) Commencement of operations.
(c) Net of fees waived and expenses reimbursed by Adviser.
(d) Total investment return is calculated assuming an initial investment made
at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, and
redemption on the last day of the period. Initial sales charges or contingent
deferred sales charges are not reflected in the calculation of total investment
return. Total investment return calculated for a period of less than one year
is not annualized.
(e) Expense ratio includes interest expense.
(f) Annualized.
(g) Commencement of distribution.
Prior to July 22, 1993, Equitable Capital Management Corporation
(Equitable Capital) served as the investment adviser to the Trust. On July 22,
1993, Alliance Capital Management L.P. acquired the business and substantially
all of the assets of Equitable Capital and became the investment adviser of the
Trust.
16
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
_______________________________________________________________________________
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF
ALLIANCE SHORT-TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including
the portfolio of investments, and the related statements of operations and of
changes in net assets and the financial highlights present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of Alliance Short-Term U.S.
Government Fund (one of the portfolios of the Alliance Portfolios, hereafter
referred to as the "Fund") at August 31, 1996, the results of its operations
for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two
years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the
periods presented, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
These financial statements and financial highlights (hereafter referred to as
"financial statements") are the responsibility of the Fund's management; our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on
our audits. We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards which require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits, which included confirmation of
securities at August 31, 1996 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers
provide a reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
New York, New York
October 16, 1996
17
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
Description of the bond ratings of Moody's Investors
Service, Inc. are as follows:
Aaa-- Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the
best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk
and are generally referred to as "gilt edge". Interest payments
are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin,
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements
are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most
unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such
issues.
Aa-- Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high
quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they
comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are
rated lower than the best bond 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
greater than the 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 some time in the
future.
Baa-- Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium
grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor
poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear
adequate for the present, but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as
well.
Ba-- Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have
speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well
assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments
may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both
good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B-- Bonds which are rated B generally lack
characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of
A-1
<PAGE>
interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms
of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa-- Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing.
Such issues may be in default of there may be present elements of
danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca-- Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations
which are speculative to a high degree. Such issues are often in
default or have other marked shortcomings.
C-- Bonds which are rated C are the lowest class of
bonds and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely
poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies modifiers to each rating classification from Aa
through B to indicate relative ranking within its rating
categories. The modifier "1" indicates that a security ranks in
the higher end of its rating category; the modifier "2" indicates
a mid-range ranking; and the modifier "3" indicates that the
issue ranks in the lower end of its rating category.
Descriptions of the bond ratings of Standard & Poor's
are as follows:
AAA-- Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by
Standard & Poor's. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal
is extremely strong.
AA-- Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay
interest and repay principal and differs from the higher rated
issues only in small degree.
A-- Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest
and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to
the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic
conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB-- Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas 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 debt in this category than for debt in higher rated
categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, or C -- Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC or C
is regarded, on balance, as predominantly speculative with
respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay
principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. While
such debt will likely have some quality and protective
A-2
<PAGE>
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or
major risk exposures to adverse debt conditions.
C1-- The rating C1 is reserved for income bonds on
which no interest is being paid.
D-- Debt rated D is in default and payment of interest
and/or repayment of principal is in arrears.
The ratings from AAA to CC may be modified by the addition of a
plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the
major rating categories.
A-3
00250184.AQ4