1933 Act File No. 33-20673
1940 Act File No. 811-5514
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 X
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Pre-Effective Amendment No. .............................
Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 ................................. X
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and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 X
Amendment No. 40 ................................................ X
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VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
5800 Corporate Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15237-7010
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(412) 288-1900
(Registrant's Telephone Number)
Victor R. Siclari, Esquire,
Federated Investors Tower,
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
(Notices should be sent to the Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
_X_ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
_ on _______________ pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (i)
on pursuant to paragraph (a) (i)
_ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) on _________________
pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
Copy to:
Matthew G. Maloney, Esquire
Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP
2101 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037
PROSPECTUS
VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.
Class A Shares
Vision Treasury Money Market Fund
Vision Money Market Fund
Vision New York Tax-Free Money Market Fund
Vision U.S. Government Securities Fund
Vision New York Municipal Income Fund
Class A Shares and Class B Shares
Vision Large Cap Value Fund
(formerly Vision Equity Income Fund)
Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund
Mutual fund shares are not bank deposits, not FDIC insured, not guaranteed and
may lose value.
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CONTENTS
Fund Goals, Strategies, Risks and Performance 1
What are the Funds' Fees and Expenses? 8
What are the Equity Fund's Investment Strategies? 10
What are the Fund's Main Investments and Investment Techniques? 11
Specific Risks of Investing in the Funds 13
What do Shares Cost? 15
How are the Funds Sold? 17
How to Purchase Shares 17
How to Redeem Shares 18
How to Exchange Shares 20
Account and Share Information 21
Who Manages the Funds? 22
Financial Information 23
AUGUST 31, 1999
(AS REVISED OCTOBER 20, 1999)
Fund Goals, Strategies, Risks and Performance
This Prospectus of the Vision Group of Funds, Inc. (the "Corporation") offers
Class A Shares of five portfolios, including three Money Market Funds and two
Income Funds and Class A and Class B Shares of two Equity Funds. Treasury Money
Market Fund and Money Market Fund offer another class of shares, Class S Shares
under a separate prospectus. The following describes the investment goals
(objectives), strategies and principal risks of each Fund. There can be no
assurance that a Fund will achieve its goal. However, each Fund endeavors to do
so by following the strategies and policies described in this prospectus.
Performance
On the following pages are performance information for each Fund and its Class A
Shares. This information gives you some indication of the risks of an investment
in a Fund by comparing each Fund's performance with a broad measure of market
performance. While past performance of a Fund does not necessarily predict
future performance, the following information provides you with the historical
performance information to assist you in analyzing how each Fund's investment
risks may be balanced by their potential rewards. For more current performance
information, including the current 7-Day Net Yields of the Money Market Funds,
call (800) 836-2211. For Funds that offer Class A and B Shares (Large Cap
Value Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund), the SEC requires us to show Class A Shares
because it has the longest operating history. Bar Charts
The bar chart represents the (historical) calendar year performance of Class A
Shares of each Fund without reflecting the applicable sales charge imposed on
Class A Shares. If these charges or fees had been included, the return would
have been lower. Following the bar chart is the year-to-date performance of
Class A Shares through the most recent calendar quarter, again, without
reflecting any applicable sales charge imposed on Class A Shares. Also provided
is the best and worst calendar quarter performance for Class A Shares.
Average Annual Total Return
Following the bar chart is a performance table showing the Average Annual Total
Return for Class A Shares of the Funds as compared to an appropriate broad-based
securities market index for certain periods ended December 31, 1998. The Funds'
total return figures reflect the maximum sales charge that could apply (except
for the Money Market Funds, which do not impose a sales charge). The market
indices are unmanaged and are not adjusted for any sales charge, expenses or
other fees the SEC requires to be reflected in the Fund's performance. You
cannot invest directly in an index.
MONEY MARKET FUNDS
Money Market Funds are subject to strict regulatory limitations on their
permissible investments, which are designed to allow the Funds to maintain a
stable share price of $1.00. These limitations govern diversification (how much
of their assets can be invested in any one issuer), credit quality, and length
of maturity. For example the securities in which the Funds invest must be rated
in one of the two highest short-term rating categories by one or more nationally
recognized rating services or be of comparable quality to securities having such
ratings.
Vision Treasury Money Market Fund
Goal
To seek current income with liquidity and stability of principal.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of
direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, such as Treasury bills and notes, and
repurchase agreements secured by these obligations. These obligations are high
quality, short-term investments that generally mature and come due for repayment
by the issuer in 397 days or less. The dollar-weighted average maturity of the
Fund will not exceed 90 days.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision Treasury Money Market
Fund as of the calendar year-end for each of ten years. The "y" axis reflects
the "% Total Return" beginning with 0% and increasing in increments of 2% up to
10%. The "x" axis represents calculation periods for the last ten calendar years
of the Fund, beginning with the earliest year. The light gray shaded chart
features ten distinct vertical bars, each shaded in charcoal, and each visually
representing by height the total return percentages for the calendar year stated
directly at its base. The calculated total return percentage for the Class A
Shares of the Fund for each calendar year is stated directly at the top of each
respective bar, for the calendar years 1989 through 1998. The percentages noted
are: 8.38, 7.51, 5.27, 3.37, 2.84, 3.72, 5.45, 4.83, 4.94, and 4.80.] The
Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30, 1999
was 3.17%. Best quarter (2Q89) 2.17% Worst quarter (2Q93) 0.68%
7-Day Net Yield
(as of December 31, 1998) 4.14%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A Shares
1 Year 4.80%
5 Years 4.75%
10 Years 5.10%
1 Historically, the Fund has maintained a consistent $1.00 net asset value per
share.
The Fund's shares are not sold subject to a sales charge (load). The total
returns displayed above are based upon net asset value. Vision Money Market Fund
Goal
To seek current income with liquidity and stability of principal.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing in a diversified portfolio of high
quality, short-term debt obligations issued by the U.S. government, banks and
corporations. These obligations generally mature and come due for repayment by
the issuer in 397 days or less. The dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund
will not exceed 90 days.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision Money Market Fund as of
the calendar year-end for each of ten years. The "y" axis reflects the "% Total
Return" beginning with 0% and increasing in increments of 2% up to 10%. The "x"
axis represents calculation periods for the last ten calendar years of the Fund,
beginning with the earliest year. The light gray shaded chart features ten
distinct vertical bars, each shaded in charcoal, and each visually representing
by height the total return percentages for the calendar year stated directly at
its base. The calculated total return percentage for the Class A Shares of the
Fund for each calendar year is stated directly at the top of each respective
bar, for the calendar years 1989 through 1998. The percentages noted are: 8.94,
7.80, 5.45, 3.45, 2.97, 3.91, 5.56, 4.94, 5.07, and 4.98.]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was 3.33%.
Best quarter (2Q89) 2.31%
Worst quarter (2Q93) 0.71%
7-Day Net Yield
(as of December 31, 1998) 4.53%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A Shares
1 Year 4.98%
5 Years 4.89%
10 Years 5.29%
1 Historically, the Fund has maintained a consistent $1.00 net asset value per
share.
The Fund's shares are not sold subject to a sales charge (load). The total
returns displayed above are based upon net asset value.
Vision New York Tax-Free Money Market Fund
Goal
To seek a high level of current interest income that is exempt from federal
regular income tax as is consistent with liquidity and relative stability of
principal.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing in a portfolio of high-quality,
short-term tax-exempt debt obligations (municipal securities) that generally
mature in 397 days or less from the time of investment. The dollar-weighted
average maturity of the Fund will not exceed 90 days. Under normal market
conditions, the Fund intends to invest at least 80% of its net assets in debt
obligations that pay interest exempt from federal regular income tax. When
possible, the Fund intends to invest, under normal market conditions, at least
80% of its net assets in securities issued by the State of New York and its
political subdivisions (New York municipal securities). If the Fund pays
dividends from interest it earns on its New York municipal securities
investments, the dividends will be exempt from federal regular income tax, as
well as New York State and New York City income taxes.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision New York Tax-Free Money
Market Fund as of the calendar year-end for each of ten years. The "y" axis
reflects the "% Total Return" beginning with 0% and increasing in increments of
2% up to 10%. The "x" axis represents calculation periods for the last ten
calendar years of the Fund, beginning with the earliest year. The light gray
shaded chart features ten distinct vertical bars, each shaded in charcoal, and
each visually representing by height the total return percentages for the
calendar year stated directly at its base. The calculated total return
percentage for the Class A Shares of the Fund for each calendar year is stated
directly at the top of each respective bar, for the calendar years 1989 through
1998. The percentages noted are: 5.35, 5.06, 3.55, 1.87, 1.80, 2.34, 3.36, 2.97,
3.11, and 2.94.]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was 1.92%.
Best quarter (2Q89) 1.37%
Worst quarter (3Q92) 0.38%
7-Day Net Yield
(as of December 31, 1998) 2.96%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A Shares
1 Year 2.94%
5 Years 2.95%
10 Years 3.23%
1 Historically, the Fund has maintained a consistent $1.00 net asset value per
share.
The Fund's shares are not sold subject to a sales charge (load). The total
returns displayed above are based upon net asset value.
Income Funds
Vision U.S. Government Securities Fund
Goal
To provide current income. Capital appreciation is a secondary, non-fundamental
investment consideration.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal market conditions, at least
65% of its total assets in a diversified portfolio consisting of securities that
are guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government or
its agencies or instrumentalities, including mortgage-backed securities issued
by U.S. government agencies. The Fund anticipates that most of its assets will
be invested in fixed income securities having maturities greater than one year.
Certain mortgage- backed securities, including Adjustable Rate Mortgage
Securities (ARMS) and Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) are included
within the definition of "U.S. Government Securities." The Fund may invest at
times to a limited extent in other types of debt obligations to enhance total
return (e.g., corporate debt obligations, taxable municipal securities, asset-
backed securities, etc.).
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision U.S. Government
Securities Fund as of the calendar year-end for each of five years. The "y" axis
reflects the "% Total Return" beginning with -5% and increasing in increments of
5% up to 20%. The "x" axis represents calculation periods from the earliest
first full calendar year end of the Fund's start of business through the
calendar year ended December 31, 1998. The light gray shaded chart features five
distinct vertical bars, each shaded in charcoal, and each visually representing
by height the total return percentages for the calendar year stated directly at
its base. The calculated total return percentage for the Class A Shares of the
Fund for each calendar year is stated directly at the top of each respective
bar, for the calendar years 1994 through 1998. The percentages noted are:
(4.95%), 18.25%, 2.14%, 8.91%, and 8.30%.]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was (1.32%).
Best quarter (2Q95) 6.45%
Worst quarter (2Q94) (2.81)%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A LBABI
1 Year 3.45% 6.27%
5 Years 5.28% 7.27%
Since Start of Performance/2/ 4.86% 6.92%
1 The table shows the Fund's total returns averaged over a period of years
relative to the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index (LBABI), a broad-based
market index. LBABI is an unmanaged index measuring both the capital price
changes and income provided by the underlying universe of securities,
comprised of U.S. Treasury obligations, U.S. agency obligations, foreign
obligations, U.S. investment grade corporate debt and mortgage backed
obligations. The Fund's total return figures reflect the maximum sales charge
that could apply. The market index is unmanaged and is not adjusted for any
sales charge, expenses or other fees the SEC requires to be reflected in the
Fund's performance. You cannot invest directly in an index.
2 September 22, 1993
Vision New York Municipal Income Fund
Goal
To provide current income which is exempt from federal regular income tax and
the personal income taxes imposed by the State of New York and New York
municipalities and is consistent with the preservation of capital.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing primarily in securities that pay interest
which is exempt from federal regular income tax and personal income taxes
imposed by the State of New York and New York municipalities. Under normal
market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund's net assets will be invested in
securities that pay interest which is exempt from federal regular income tax.
However, the interest on these securities may be subject to the federal
alternative minimum tax or "AMT." Under normal market conditions, at least 65%
of the value of the Fund's total assets will be invested in obligations issued
by or on behalf of the State of New York, its political subdivisions or agencies
that pay interest which is exempt from the personal income tax imposed by the
State of New York and New York municipalities.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision New York Municipal
Income Fund as of the calendar year-end for each of five years. The "y" axis
reflects the "% Total Return" beginning with -10% and increasing in increments
of 5% up to 20%. The "x" axis represents calculation periods from the earliest
first full calendar year end of the Fund's start of business through the
calendar year ended December 31, 1998. The light gray shaded chart features five
distinct vertical bars, each shaded in charcoal, and each visually representing
by height the total return percentages for the calendar year stated directly at
its base. The calculated total return percentage for the Class A Shares of the
Fund for each calendar year is stated directly at the top of each respective
bar, for the calendar years 1994 through 1998. The percentages noted are:
(5.41%), 17.77%, 3.62%, 8.22%, and 5.88%.]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was (3.37%).
Best quarter (1Q95) 6.57%
Worst quarter (1Q94) (4.48)%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A LBNYTEI
1 Year 1.08% 6.88%
5 Years 4.78% 6.49%
Since Start of Performance/2/ 5.13% 6.49%
1 The table shows the Fund's total returns averaged over a period of years
relative to the Lehman Brothers New York Tax-Exempt Index (LBNYTEI), a
broad-based market index. LBNYTEI is a total return performance benchmark for
the New York long- term, investment grade, tax-exempt bond market. The Fund's
total return figures reflect the maximum sales charge that could apply. The
market index is unmanaged and is not adjusted for any sales charge, expenses
or other fees the SEC requires to be reflected in the Fund's performance. You
cannot invest directly in an index.
2 September 22, 1993
Equity Funds
VISION LARGE CAP VALUE FUND (formerly, Vision Equity Income Fund)
Goal
To provide current income. Capital appreciation is a secondary, non-fundamental
consideration.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of
income-producing equity securities of U.S. companies that are considered "large
cap." Equity securities include common and preferred stocks, as well as
convertible securities. The adviser uses a value-oriented approach to select
those companies with unrecognized or undervalued assets. Such a value approach
seeks companies whose stock prices do not appear to reflect their underlying
value as measured by assets, earnings, cash flow, business franchises, or other
quantitative or qualitative measurements.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision Large Cap Value Fund as
of the calendar year-end for one year. The "y" axis reflects the "% Total
Return" beginning with 0% and increasing in increments of 5% up to 25%. The "x"
axis represents calculation periods from the earliest first full calendar year
end of the Fund's start of business through the calendar year ended December 31,
1998. The light gray shaded chart features one distinct vertical bar, shaded in
charcoal, and visually representing by height the total return percentage for
the calendar year stated directly at its base. The calculated total return
percentage for the Class A Shares of the Fund for each calendar year is stated
directly at the top of each respective bar, for the calendar year 1998. The
percentage noted is: 15.19%.]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was (5.76%).
Best quarter (4Q98) 18.26%
Worst quarter (3Q98) (11.14)%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A S&P 500
1 Year 8.84% 28.61%
Since Start of Performance/2/ 11.18% 25.00%
1 The table shows the Fund's total returns averaged over a period of years
relative to the Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500), a broad-based market index.
The S&P 500 is an unmanaged capitalization weighted index of 500 stocks
designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes
in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.
The Fund's total return figures reflect the maximum sales charge that could
apply. The market index is unmanaged and is not adjusted for any sales charge,
expenses or other fees the SEC requires to be reflected in the Fund's
performance. You cannot invest directly in an index.
2 September 26, 1997 VISION MID CAP STOCK FUND
Goal
To provide total return.
Strategy
The Fund pursues its goal by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of
mid-cap stocks. These stocks will be of comparable size to those that comprise
the S&P Mid Cap 400 Index. Independence Investment Associates, Inc., the Fund's
sub-adviser ("IIA" or "sub-adviser"), will select stocks based upon both their
relative value and potential for growth. The Fund's total return will result
mostly from capital appreciation rather than income.
Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund commenced operations on October 15, 1999, when it
acquired both Vision Growth and Income Fund and Vision Capital Appreciation Fund
(the "Acquired Funds") in a reorganization. In order to comply with comments
made by the staff of the SEC, the Mid Cap Stock Fund had to become an
"accounting survivor" of one of the Acquired Funds, despite the differences in
the investment objective, strategies, policies and expenses of the Acquired
Funds, and the fact that Mid Cap Stock Fund's subadviser never managed, or
provided any investment advice to, the Acquired Funds. Accordingly, the
following financial and performance information presented for the Mid Cap Stock
Fund in reality reflects the historical operations of Vision Growth and Income
Fund in all periods prior to October 15, 1999. This past performance is not
predictive of future performance of the Mid Cap Stock Fund and should be
evaluated in light of the Fund's organization and the differences noted above.
Total Return Bar Chart and Table
[The graphic presentation displayed here consists of a bar chart representing
the annual total returns of the Class A Shares of Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund (the
accounting survivor of Vision Growth and Income Fund) as of the calendar
year-end for each of five years. The "y" axis reflects the "% Total Return"
beginning with -20% and increasing in increments of 10% up to 40%. The "x" axis
represents calculation periods from the earliest first full calendar year end of
the Fund's start of business through the calendar year ended December 31, 1998.
The light gray shaded chart features five distinct vertical bars, each shaded in
charcoal, and each visually representing by height the total return percentages
for the calendar year stated directly at its base. The calculated total return
percentage for the Class A Shares of the Fund for each calendar year is stated
directly at the top of each respective bar, for the calendar years 1994 through
1998. The percentages noted are: (1.61%), 30.86%, 27.52%, 24.20%, and (11.11%).]
The Fund's Class A Shares Total Return from January 1, 1999 to September 30,
1999 was 0.23%.
Best quarter (2Q99) 27.55%
Worst quarter (3Q98) (25.98)%
Average Annual Total Return/1/
(for the periods ended December 31, 1998)
Class A RMI S&P 500 S&P 400
1 Year (16.02)% 5.93% 28.61% 19.10%
5 Years 11.36% 17.34% 23.89% 18.84%
Since Start of Performance/2/ 11.35% 17.85% 23.89% 17.98%
1 The table shows the Fund's total returns averaged over a period of years
relative to the Russell Midcap Index (RMI), the S&P 500 Index (S&P 500) and
the S&P Mid Cap 400 Index (S&P 400), broad-based market indexes. The Fund's
Adviser has elected to change the benchmark indexes from RMI and S&P 500 to
S&P 400 because it is more representative of the securities in which the Fund
invests. RMI measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the
Russell 1000 Index, which represent approximately 35% of the market
capitalization of the Russell 1000 Index. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged
capitalization weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance
of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value
of 500 stocks representing all major industries. The S&P 400 is a
capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-range
of the U.S. Stock market. The Fund's total return figures reflect the maximum
sales charge that could apply. The market indices are unmanaged and are not
adjusted for any sales charge, expenses or other fees the SEC requires to be
reflected in the Fund's performance. You cannot invest directly in an index.
2 November 29, 1993
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE FUNDS
The Funds and the Shares offered by this prospectus are not deposits or
obligations of M&T Bank (Adviser), are not endorsed or guaranteed by M&T Bank
and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. government, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other government
agency. Although the Money Market Funds attempt to preserve the value of your
investment at $1.00 per Share, it is possible to lose money by investing in any
of the Vision Funds. Following are additional risks associated with investments
in the Funds. <TABLE> <CAPTION>
Treasury Money NY Tax-Free U.S. NY Large Cap Mid Cap
Money Market Money Market Government Municipal Value Fund Stock
Market Fund Fund Securities Income Fund Fund
Risks Fund Fund
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Stock Market Risks1 X X
Risks Related to Investing for Growth/2/ X
Risks Related to Investing for Value/3/ X X
Risks Related to Company Size/4/ X
Interest Rate Risks/5/ X X X X X
Credit Risks/6/ X X X X X
Call Risks/7/ X X X X
Prepayment Risks/8/ X X X
Tax Risks/9/ X X
Risks of Non-diversification/10/ X
New York Investment Risks/11/ X X
</TABLE>
1 The risk posed by the fact that the value of equity securities rise and fall.
2 Due to their relatively high valuations, growth stocks are typically more
volatile than value stocks.
3 Due to their relatively low valuations, value stocks are typically less
volatile than growth stocks and therefore may lag behind growth stocks in an
up market.
4 The risk posed by mid- and small-market capitalization companies tending to
have fewer shareholders, less liquidity, more volatility, unproven track
records, limited product or service base and limited access to capital. These
risks are greater for small-market capitalization stocks.
5 The risk posed by the fact that prices of fixed income securities rise and
fall inversely in response to interest rate changes. In addition, this risk
increases with the length of the maturity of the debt.
6 The possibility that an issuer will default on a security by failing to pay
interest or principal when due.
7 The possibility that an issuer may redeem a fixed income security before
maturity at a price below its current market price.
8 The risk posed by the relative volatility of mortgage-backed securities. The
likelihood of prepayments increases in a declining interest rate environment
and decrease in a rising interest rate environment. This adversely affects
the value of these securities.
9 Failure of a municipal security to meet certain legal requirements may cause
the interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be
taxable.
10 Since this Fund is non-diversified, there is a risk that any one issuer may
have a greater impact on the Fund's Share price and performance compared to
that of a diversified fund.
11 These Funds emphasize investments in New York and are more subject to events
that may adversely affect New York issuers.
What are the Funds' Fees and Expenses?
These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Class A Shares and Class B Shares of the Funds.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Treasury Money NY U.S. NY Municipal
Money Market Tax-Free Government Income Fund
Market Fund Fund Money Securities Fund
Shareholder Fees Market Fund
Fees Paid Directly From Your Investment Class A Class A Class A Class A Class A
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage ofofferingprice) None None None 4.50% 4.50%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Before Waivers)/1/
Expenses That are Deducted From Fund Assets
(as a percentage of average net assets)
Management Fee/2/ 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.70% 0.70%
Distribution (12b-1) Fee/3/ None None None 0.25% 0.25%
Shareholder Services Fees/4/ 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25%
Other Expenses 0.17% 0.18% 0.22% 0.27% 0.32%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.92% 0.93% 0.97% 1.47% 1.52%
1 Although not contractually obligated to do so, the investment adviser, distributor and shareholder services provider waived
certain amounts during the past fiscal year. These are shown below along with
the net expenses the Funds actually paid for the fiscal year ended April 30,
1999.
Total Waiver of Fund Expenses 0.33% 0.30% 0.39% 0.55% 0.70%
Total Actual Annual Fund Operating Expenses (After Waivers) 0.59% 0.63% 0.58% 0.92% 0.82%
2 The Adviser voluntarily waived a portion of the maximum management fee shown in the table above. The Adviser can terminate this
voluntary waiver at any time. The management fee paid by Treasury Money Market
Fund, Money Market Fund, NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund, U.S. Government
Securities Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund (after the voluntary waiver) was
0.42%, 0.45%, 0.36%, 0.65% and 0.50%, respectively for the fiscal year ended
April 30, 1999.
3 Treasury Money Market Fund, Money Market Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market
Fund are not subject to a distribution (12b-1) fee. The U.S. Government
Securities Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund did not pay or accrue the
distribution (12b-1) fee during the fiscal year ended April30, 1999. However,
the table must show the maximum distribution fees they would be able to pay.
4 The Funds did not pay or accrue the shareholder services fee during the fiscal
year ended April 30, 1999. The Funds Class A Shares do not anticipate accruing
or paying shareholder servicing fees for the fiscal year ending April 30,
2000. However, the table must show the maximum shareholder services fees they
would be able to pay.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Shareholder Fees Large Mid Cap
Cap Value Stock
Fund Fund
Fees Paid Directly From Your Investment Class A Class B Class A Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) 5.50% None 5.50% None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original
purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable) None 5.00% None 5.00%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Before Waivers)1
Expenses That are Deducted From Fund Assets
(as a percentage of average net assets)
Management Fee 0.70% 0.70% 0.85% 0.85%
Distribution (12b-1) Fee 0.25%/2/ 0.75% 0.25%/2/ 0.75%
Shareholder Services Fees 0.25%/3/ 0.25%/3/ 0.25% 0.25%
Other Expenses 0.26%/4/ 0.26%/4/ 0.36%/4/ 0.36%/4/
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.46% 1.96% 1.71% 2.21%
1 Although not contractually obligated to do so, the investment adviser, distributor and shareholder services provider waived
certain amounts during the past fiscal year. These are shown below along with
the net expenses of the Large Cap Value Fund Class A Shares, actually paid for
the fiscal year ended April 30, 1999. With respect to Large Cap Value Fund
Class B Shares and Mid Cap Stock Fund although not contractually obligated to
do so, the investment adviser, distributor and shareholder services provider
will waive certain amounts. These are shown below along with the net expenses
the Funds expect to pay for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2000.
Total Waiver of Fund Expenses 0.50% 0.00% 0.25% 0.00% Total Actual Annual Fund
Operating Expenses (AfterWaiver) 0.96% 1.96% 1.46% 2.21% 2 The Large Cap Value
Fund Class A Shares did not pay or accrue the distribution (12b-1) fee during
the fiscal year ended April 30,
1999. The Large Cap Value Fund Class A Shares and Mid Cap Stock Fund Class A
Shares do not anticipate accruing or paying 12b-1 fees during the fiscal year
ending April 30, 2000. However, the table must show the maximum distribution
fees they would be able to pay.
3 The Large Cap Value Fund Class A Shares did not pay or accrue the shareholder
services fee during the fiscal year ended April 30, 1999. The Large Cap Value
Fund Class A Shares do not anticipate accruing or paying shareholder servicing
fees for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2000. However, the table must show
the maximum shareholder services fees they would be able to pay.
4 Other Expenses for the Large Cap Value Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund are based
on estimated amounts for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2000. Other expenses
were 0.32% for the Large Cap Value Fund Class A Shares for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 1999.
</TABLE>
Example
The following Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in
Shares of the Funds with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The
Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in each Fund's Shares for the time
periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those
periods. Expenses assuming no redemption are shown for Class B Shares. The
Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that
each Fund's Shares operating expenses are before waivers as shown in the Tables
and remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on
these assumptions your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class A Shares 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Treasury Money Market Fund $ 94 $ 293 $ 509 $1,131
Money Market Fund $ 95 $ 296 $ 515 $1,143
NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund $ 99 $ 309 $ 536 $1,190
U.S. Government Securities Fund $593 $ 894 $1,217 $2,128
NY Municipal Income Fund $598 $ 909 $1,242 $2,181
Large Cap Value Fund $690 $ 986 $1,304 $2,200
Mid Cap Stock Fund $714 $1,059 N/A N/A
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class B Shares 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
Large Cap Value Fund
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses assuming redemption $699 $915 $1,257 $2,156
Expenses assuming no redemption $199 $615 $1,057 $2,156
Mid Cap Stock Fund
Expenses assuming redemption $724 $991 N/A N/A
Expenses assuming no redemption $224 $691 N/A N/A
</TABLE>
What are the Equity Funds' Investment Strategies?
Each Fund's investment strategy is described earlier under "Fund Goals,
Strategies, Risks and Performance." Following is additional information on the
investment strategies for certain of the Funds.
Vision Large Cap Value Fund
The Fund pursues its investment objective by maintaining a diversified portfolio
consisting primarily of income-producing equity securities of domestic companies
(e.g., common and preferred stocks, convertible securities). The Fund will
attempt to provide a yield greater than the average yield offered by the S&P 500
Index and a lower level of price volatility, although there is no assurance that
it will be able to do so. The Adviser will invest in companies on the basis of
traditional research techniques, including assessment of company's earnings and
dividend growth prospects, risk/volatility of the company's industry, sound
management techniques, ability to finance expected growth, and on the basis of a
company's undervaluation relative to other companies in the same industry. These
companies may be categorized as "seasoned" or "well-established" companies,
although companies with less-established operating histories may be chosen for
investment if they present opportunities for income and capital appreciation.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund intends to invest at least 65% of the
value of its total assets in equity securities that are expected to produce
current income. In selecting investments, the Adviser intends to focus on large
capitalization (large-cap) companies which are those companies with a market
capitalization of at least $10 billion or more at the time of investment. The
Adviser also may invest, to a lesser extent, in medium capitalization (mid-cap)
or small capitalization (small- cap) companies which are generally companies
with a market capitalization under $10 billion.
The Adviser also will focus on stocks of companies with unrecognized or
undervalued assets. Such a value approach seeks companies whose stock prices do
not appear to reflect their underlying value as measured by assets, earnings,
cash flow, business franchises, or other quantitative or qualitative
measurements. Value stocks may be out of favor with or misunderstood by
investors for a variety of reasons, but are considered to have inherent value or
future prospects that are not currently reflected in their stock price.
Accordingly, value stocks may have a price/earnings ratio less than the S&P 500
Index, lower than average price to book value, and higher than average dividend
yields than competitors, and thereby offer greater income and growth potential.
Vision Mid Cap stock Fund
The Fund pursues its goal by investing in a diversified portfolio of mid-cap
stocks. The sub-adviser selects stocks of mid-cap companies from a broader
universe of stocks of approximately 550 large- and mid-sized companies that
evolves over time. The sub-adviser initially selects approximately 550 stocks
across all industry sectors that meet its investment criteria of attractive
valuation with growth potential. This is not an actual stock index, but more
similar to a working list generated by the sub-adviser from which it selects
appropriate portfolio securities for its clients (e.g., mid cap stocks in the
case of the Fund).
For the Fund, a mid-cap company is one whose capitalization is within the S&P
Mid Cap 400 Index's capitalization range. As of June 30, 1999, the index's range
was $240 million to $21.6 billion, but frequently changes as the market value of
the stocks that comprise the index changes or as stocks are added or removed
from the index. Companies whose capitalizations are outside this index's range
after purchase also are considered medium capitalization companies. Because the
Fund invests in the same types of stocks as those that comprise the S&P Mid Cap
400 Index, it will have similar risk and volatility characteristics of the mid
cap stocks that are included in the index.
The sub-adviser's investment research team is organized by industry and tracks
the companies in the universe to develop earnings estimates and five-year
projections for growth. A series of proprietary computer models use this
in-house research to rank the stocks according to their combination of:
- - value, meaning they appear to be underpriced; - momentum, meaning they show
potential for strong growth.
This process, together with a risk/return analysis relative to the S&P Mid Cap
400 Index, results in a portfolio of approximately 140 to 160 medium
capitalization stocks from the top 60% of the universe. The Fund must sell any
stocks that fall into the bottom 20% of the universe.
In normal market conditions, the Fund is almost entirely invested in stocks,
and will invest at least 65% of its assets in mid-cap stocks. Although the
Fund's goal of total return includes both capital appreciation and income, there
is no requirement that it come from both. It is expected that most, if not all,
of the Fund's total return will come from the appreciation of stocks in the
Fund's portfolio. What are the Funds' Main Investments and Investment
Techniques?
EQUITY SECURITIES
Equity securities represent a share of an issuer's earnings and assets, after
the issuer pays its liabilities. The Equity Funds cannot predict the income they
will receive from equity securities because issuers generally have discretion as
to the payment of any dividends or distributions. However, equity securities
offer greater potential for appreciation than many other types of securities,
because their value increases directly with the value of the issuer's business.
The following describes the principal types of equity securities in which the
Equity Funds may invest.
Common Stocks
Common stocks are the most prevalent type of equity security. Common stocks
receive the issuer's earnings after the issuer pays its creditors and any
preferred stockholders. As a result, changes in an issuer's earnings directly
influence the value of its common stock.
Preferred Stocks
Preferred stocks have the right to receive specified dividends or distributions
before the issuer makes payments on its common stock. Some preferred stocks also
participate in dividends and distributions paid on common stock. Preferred
stocks may also permit the issuer to redeem the stock. The Funds may also treat
such redeemable preferred stock as a fixed income security.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES
Fixed income securities pay interest, dividends or distributions at a specified
rate. The rate may be a fixed percentage of the principal or adjusted
periodically. In addition, the issuer of a fixed income security must repay the
principal amount of the security, normally within a specified time. Fixed income
securities provide more regular income than equity securities. However, the
returns on fixed income securities are limited and normally do not increase with
the issuer's earnings. This limits the potential appreciation of fixed income
securities as compared to equity securities.
A security's yield measures the annual income earned on a security as a
percentage of its price. A security's yield will increase or decrease depending
upon whether it costs less (a discount) or more (a premium) than the principal
amount. If the issuer may redeem the security before its scheduled maturity, the
price and yield on a discount or premium security may change based upon the
probability of an early redemption. Securities with higher risks generally have
higher yields.
The following describes the principal types of fixed income securities in which
a Fund may invest.
Treasury Securities
Treasury securities are direct obligations of the federal government of the
United States. Treasury securities are generally regarded as having the lowest
credit risks.
Agency Securities
Agency securities are issued or guaranteed by a federal agency or other
government sponsored entity (a GSE) acting under federal authority. The United
States supports some GSEs with its full faith and credit. Other GSEs receive
support through federal subsidies, loans or other benefits. A few GSEs have no
explicit financial support, but are regarded as having implied support because
the federal government sponsors their activities. Agency securities are
generally regarded as having low credit risks, but not as low as treasury
securities.
The Fund treats mortgage backed securities guaranteed by GSEs as agency
securities. Although a GSE guarantee protects against credit risks, it does not
reduce the interest rate and prepayment risks of these mortgage backed
securities.
Corporate Debt Securities
Corporate debt securities are fixed income securities issued by businesses.
Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most prevalent types of
corporate debt securities. The Fund may also purchase interests in bank loans to
companies. The credit risks of corporate debt securities vary widely among
issuers.
In addition, the credit risk of an issuer's debt security may vary based on its
priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities
have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means
that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while
continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of
bankruptcy, holders of senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable
to the holders of subordinated securities. Some subordinated securities, such as
trust preferred and capital securities notes, also permit the issuer to defer
payments under certain circumstances. For example, insurance companies issue
securities known as surplus notes that permit the insurance company to defer any
payment that would reduce its capital below regulatory requirements.
Mortgage Backed Securities
Mortgage backed securities represent interests in pools of mortgages. The
mortgages that comprise a pool normally have similar interest rates, maturities
and other terms. Mortgages may have fixed or adjustable interest rates.
Interests in pools of adjustable rate mortgages are known as ARMs.
Mortgage backed securities come in a variety of forms. Many have extremely
complicated terms. The simplest form of mortgage backed securities are
pass-through certificates. An issuer of pass-through certificates gathers
monthly payments from an underlying pool of mortgages. Then, the issuer deducts
its fees and expenses and passes the balance of the payments onto the
certificate holders once a month. Holders of pass-through certificates receive a
pro rata share of all payments and pre-payments from the underlying mortgages.
As a result, the holders assume all the prepayment risks of the underlying
mortgages.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs)
CMOs, including interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs),
allocate payments and prepayments from an underlying pass-through certificate
among holders of different classes of mortgage backed securities. This creates
different prepayment and interest rate risks for each CMO class.
Asset Backed Securities
Asset backed securities are payable from pools of obligations other than
mortgages. Most asset backed securities involve consumer or commercial debts
with maturities of less than ten years. However, almost any type of fixed income
assets (including other fixed income securities) may be used to create an asset
backed security. Asset backed securities may take the form of commercial paper,
notes, or pass through certificates. Asset backed securities have prepayment
risks.
Bank Instruments
Bank instruments are unsecured interest bearing deposits with banks. Bank
instruments include bank accounts, time deposits, certificates of deposit and
banker's acceptances. Yankee instruments are denominated in U.S. dollars and
issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks. Eurodollar instruments are denominated
in U.S. dollars and issued by non-U.S. branches of U.S. or foreign banks.
Credit Enhancement
Credit enhancement consists of an arrangement in which a company agrees to pay
amounts due on a fixed income security if the issuer defaults. In some cases the
company providing credit enhancement makes all payments directly to the security
holders and receives reimbursement from the issuer. Normally, the credit
enhancer has greater financial resources and liquidity than the issuer. For this
reason, the Adviser usually evaluates the credit risk of a fixed income security
based solely upon its credit enhancement.
Tax Exempt Securities
Tax exempt securities are fixed income securities that pay interest that is not
subject to regular federal income taxes. Typically, states, counties, cities and
other political subdivisions and authorities issue tax exempt securities. The
market categorizes tax exempt securities by their source of repayment. Interest
income on such securities may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax
(AMT) for individuals and corporations.
Municipal Notes
Municipal notes are short-term tax exempt securities. Many municipalities issue
such notes to fund their current operations before collecting taxes or other
municipal revenues. Municipalities may also issue notes to fund capital projects
prior to issuing long-term bonds. The issuers typically repay the notes at the
end of their fiscal year, either with taxes, other revenues or proceeds from
newly issued notes or bonds.
Repurchase Agreements
Repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund buys a security from a
dealer or bank and agrees to sell the security back at a mutually agreed upon
time and price. The repurchase price exceeds the sale price, reflecting the
Fund's return on the transaction. This return is unrelated to the interest rate
on the underlying security. The Funds will enter into repurchase agreements only
with banks and other recognized financial institutions, such as securities
dealers, deemed creditworthy by the Adviser.
The Fund's custodian will take possession of the securities subject to
repurchase agreements. The Adviser will monitor the value of the underlying
security each day to ensure that the value of the security always equals or
exceeds the repurchase price.
Repurchase agreements are subject to credit risks.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER (Equity and Income Funds only)
Each Fund (other than the Money Market Funds) actively trades its portfolio
securities in an attempt to achieve its investment objective. Active trading
will cause the Fund to have an increased portfolio turnover rate, which is
likely to generate shorter-term gains (losses) for its shareholders, which are
taxed at a higher rate than longer-term gains (losses). Actively trading
portfolio securities increases the Fund's trading costs and may have an adverse
impact on the Fund's performance.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE INVESTMENTS
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund, NY Municipal Income Fund and Mid Cap Stock
Fund may temporarily depart from their principal investment strategies by
investing their assets in cash, shorter-term, higher-quality debt securities and
similar obligations. They may do this to minimize potential losses and maintain
liquidity to meet shareholder redemptions during adverse market conditions. This
may cause the Funds to give up greater investment returns to maintain the safety
of principal, that is, the original amount invested by shareholders. Interest
income from temporary investments may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary
income. INVESTMENT RATINGS FOR INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES
The Adviser will determine whether a security is investment grade based upon the
credit ratings given by one or more nationally recognized rating services. For
example, Standard and Poor's, a rating service, assigns ratings to investment
grade securities (AAA, AA, A, and BBB) based on their assessment of the
likelihood of the issuer's inability to pay interest or principal (default) when
due on each security. Lower credit ratings correspond to higher credit risk. If
a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely entirely upon the
Adviser's credit assessment that the security is comparable to investment grade.
Specific Risks of Investing in the Funds
STOCK MARKET RISKS
The value of equity securities in each Equity Fund's portfolio will rise and
fall. These fluctuations could be a sustained trend or a drastic movement. The
Fund's portfolio will reflect changes in prices of individual portfolio stocks
or general changes in stock valuations. Consequently, the Fund's share price may
decline.
The Adviser attempts to manage market risk by limiting the amount the Fund
invests in each company's equity securities. However, diversification will not
protect the Fund against widespread or prolonged declines in the stock market.
RISKS RELATED TO INVESTING FOR GROWTH
Due to their relatively high valuations, growth stocks are typically more
volatile than value stocks. For instance, the price of a growth stock may
experience a larger decline on a forecast of lower earnings, a negative
fundamental development, or an adverse market development. Further, growth
stocks may not pay dividends or may pay lower dividends than value stocks. This
means they depend more on price changes for returns and may be more adversely
affected in a down market compared to value stocks that pay higher dividends.
RISKS RELATED TO INVESTING FOR VALUE
Due to their relatively low valuations, value stocks are typically less volatile
than growth stocks. For instance, the price of a value stock may experience a
smaller increase on a forecast of higher earnings, a positive fundamental
development, or positive market development. Further, value stocks tend to have
higher dividends than growth stocks. This means they depend less on price
changes for returns and may lag behind growth stocks in an up market.
RISKS RELATED TO COMPANY SIZE
Generally, the smaller the market capitalization of a company, the fewer the
number of shares traded daily, the less liquid its stock and the more volatile
its price. For example, medium capitalization stocks may be less liquid and more
volatile than stocks of larger, well-known companies. Market capitalization is
determined by multiplying the number of its outstanding shares by the current
market price per share. Companies with smaller market capitalizations also
tend to have unproven track records, a limited product or service base and
limited access to capital. These factors also increase risks and make these
companies more likely to fail than companies with larger market capitalizations.
INTEREST RATE RISKS
Prices of fixed income securities rise and fall in response to changes in the
interest rate paid by similar securities. Generally, when interest rates rise,
prices of fixed income securities fall. However, market factors, such as the
demand for particular fixed income securities, may cause the price of certain
fixed income securities to fall while the prices of other securities rise or
remain unchanged.
Interest rate changes have a greater effect on the price of fixed income
securities with longer durations. Duration measures the price sensitivity of a
fixed income security to changes in interest rates.
CREDIT RISKS
Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer will default on a security by
failing to pay interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund
will lose money.
Many fixed income securities receive credit ratings from services such as
Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Services, Inc. These services assign
ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. Lower
credit ratings correspond to higher credit risk. If a security has not received
a rating, the Fund must rely entirely upon the Adviser's credit assessment.
Fixed income securities generally compensate for greater credit risk by paying
interest at a higher rate. The difference between the yield of a security and
the yield of a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity (the spread)
measures the additional interest paid for risk. Spreads may increase generally
in response to adverse economic or market conditions. A security's spread may
also increase if the security's rating is lowered, or the security is perceived
to have an increased credit risk. An increase in the spread will cause the price
of the security to decline.
Credit risk includes the possibility that a party to a transaction involving the
Fund will fail to meet its obligations. This could cause the Fund to lose the
benefit of the transaction or prevent the Fund from selling or buying other
securities to implement its investment strategy.
CALL RISKS
Call risk is the possibility that an issuer may redeem a fixed income security
before maturity (a call) at a price below its current market price. An increase
in the likelihood of a call may reduce the security's price.
If a fixed income security is called, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds
in other fixed income securities with lower interest rates, higher credit risks,
or other less favorable characteristics.
PREPAYMENT RISKS
Generally, homeowners have the option to prepay their mortgages at any time
without penalty. Homeowners frequently refinance high interest rate mortgages
when mortgage rates fall. This results in the prepayment of mortgage backed
securities with higher interest rates. Conversely, prepayments due to
refinancings decrease when mortgage rates increase. This extends the life of
mortgage backed securities with lower interest rates. Other economic factors can
also lead to increases or decreases in prepayments. Increases in prepayments of
high interest rate mortgage backed securities, or decreases in prepayments of
lower interest rate mortgage backed securities, may reduce their yield and
price. These factors, particularly the relationship between interest rates and
mortgage prepayments makes the price of mortgage backed securities more volatile
than many other types of fixed income securities with comparable credit risks.
Mortgage backed securities generally compensate for greater prepayment risk by
paying a higher yield. The difference between the yield of a mortgage backed
security and the yield of a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity
(the spread) measures the additional interest paid for risk. Spreads may
increase generally in response to adverse economic or market conditions. A
security's spread may also increase if the security is perceived to have an
increased prepayment risk or perceived to have less market demand. An increase
in the spread will cause the price of the security to decline.
The Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds of mortgage prepayments in other
fixed income securities with lower interest rates, higher prepayment risks, or
other less favorable characteristics.
TAX RISKS
In order to be tax-exempt, municipal securities must meet certain legal
requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received
and distributed by the NY Tax- Free Money Market Fund and NY Municipal Income
Fund to their shareholders to be taxable.
Changes or proposed changes in federal tax laws may cause the prices of
municipal securities to fall.
Income from the NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund may
be subject to the AMT.
RISKS OF NON-DIVERSIFICATION
The NY Municipal Income Fund is non-diversified. Compared to diversified mutual
funds, this Fund may invest a higher percentage of its assets among fewer
issuers of portfolio securities. This increases the Fund's risk by magnifying
the impact (positively or negatively) that any one issuer has on the Fund's
Share price and performance.
NEW YORK INVESTMENT RISKS
New York's economy is large and diverse. While several upstate counties benefit
from agriculture, manufacturing and high technology industries, New York City
nonetheless still dominates the State's economy through its international
importance in economic sectors such as advertising, finance, and banking. Any
major changes to the financial conditions of New York City would ultimately have
an effect on the State.
Yields on New York municipal securities depend on a variety of factors,
including: the general conditions of the short-term municipal note market and
the municipal bond market; the size of the particular offering; the maturity of
the obligations; and the rating of the issue. Further, any adverse economic
conditions or developments affecting the State, counties, municipalities or City
of New York could impact the NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund's or NY Municipal
Income Fund's portfolio. The ability of these Funds to achieve their investment
goals also depends on the continuing ability of the issuers of New York
municipal securities and participation interest, or the guarantors of either, to
meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due.
Year 2000 Readiness
The "Year 2000" problem is the potential for computer errors or failures because
certain computer systems may be unable to interpret dates after December 31,
1999 or experience other date-related problems. The Year 2000 problem may cause
systems to process information incorrectly and could disrupt businesses, such as
the Funds, that rely on computers.
While it is impossible to determine in advance all of the risks to the Funds,
the Funds could experience interruptions in basic financial and operational
functions. Fund shareholders could experience errors or disruptions in Fund
share transactions or Fund communications.
The Funds' service providers are making changes to their computer systems to fix
any Year 2000 problems. In addition, they are working to gather information from
third-party providers to determine their Year 2000 readiness.
Year 2000 problems would also increase the risks of the Funds' investments. To
assess the potential effect of the Year 2000 problem, the Adviser is reviewing
information regarding the Year 2000 readiness of issuers of securities the Funds
may purchase.
However, this may be difficult with certain issuers. For example, funds dealing
with foreign service providers or investing in foreign securities will have
difficulty determining the Year 2000 readiness of those entities. This is
especially true of entities or issuers in emerging markets.
The financial impact of these issues for the Funds is still being determined.
There can be no assurance that potential Year 2000 problems would not have a
material adverse effect on the Funds.
What Do Shares Cost?
You can purchase, redeem, or exchange Shares any day the New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE) is open. Purchases and redemptions by wire will not be available on days
the Federal Reserve wire system is closed. All of the Funds offer Class A
Shares. Only the Equity Funds offer Class B Shares. The differences between the
two classes relate to the timing and amount of asset based sales charge an
investor bears directly or indirectly as a shareholder. When the Funds receive
your transaction request in proper form (as described in the prospectus), it is
processed at the next calculated net asset value (NAV) plus any applicable
front-end sales charge (public offering price). The Money Market Funds and Class
B Shares of the Equity Funds do not charge front-end sales charges. Each Money
Market Fund attempts to stabilize the NAV of its Shares at $1.00 by valuing its
portfolio securities using the amortized cost method. The Money Market Funds
cannot guarantee that their NAV will always remain at $1.00 per Share.
The value of Shares of the Income and Equity Funds is generally determined based
upon the market value of portfolio securities. However, the Funds' Board may
determine in good faith that another method of valuing investments is necessary
to appraise their fair market value. If an Equity Fund owns foreign securities
that trade in foreign markets on days the NYSE is closed, the value of a Fund's
assets may change on days you cannot purchase, redeem or exchange Shares.
NAV for the Income and Equity Funds is determined at the end of regular trading
(normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) each day the NYSE is open. NAV for the Money
Market Funds is determined at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern time), 3:00 p.m. (Eastern
time) and at the end of regular trading (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) each
day the NYSE is open.
Each Fund's current NAV and/or public offering price may be found in the mutual
funds section of certain local newspapers under Vision Funds.
The minimum initial investment in each Fund is $500 unless the investment is in
a retirement plan or an IRA account, in which case the minimum initial
investment is $250. Subsequent investments must be in amounts of at least $25.
The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts may be waived or lowered
from time to time. An institutional investor's minimum investment will be
calculated by combining all accounts it maintains with the Funds.
The maximum front-end sales charge that you will pay on an investment in Class A
Shares is 5.50% on Equity Funds and 4.50% on the Income Funds. The Money Market
Funds and Class B Shares of the Equity Funds have no front-end sales charge. The
maximum contingent deferred sales charge you will pay (at the time of
redemption) on Class B Shares of Large Cap Value Fundand Mid Cap Stock Fund is
5.00%. Keep in mind that investment professionals may charge you additional fees
for their services in connection with your Share transactions.
SALES CHARGE WHEN YOU PURCHASE--Class A Shares
Class A Shares of Large Cap Value Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund are sold at their
NAV next determined after an order is received, plus a sales charge as follows:
Purchase Amount Sales Charge as a Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Percentage of NAV
Public Offering
Price
Less than $50,000 5.50% 5.82%
$50,000 but less than $100,000 4.25% 4.44%
$100,000 but less than $250,000 3.25% 3.36%
$250,000 but less than $500,000 2.25% 2.30%
$500,000 but less than $1 million 2.00% 2.04%
$1 million or greater 0.00% 0.00%
Class A Shares of U.S. Government Securities Fund and New York Municipal Income
Fund are sold at their NAV next determined after an order is received, plus a
sales charge as follows:
Purchase Amount Sales Charge as a Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Percentage of NAV
Public Offering
Price
Less than $100,000 4.50% 4.71%
$100,000 but less than $250,000 3.75% 3.90%
$250,000 but less than $500,000 3.00% 3.09%
$500,000 but less than $1 million 2.00% 2.04%
$1 million or greater 0.00% 0.00%
The sales charge at purchase may be reduced by:
. purchasing Shares in greater quantities to reduce the applicable sales charge;
. combining concurrent purchases of Shares:
- by you, your spouse, and your children under age 21; or
- of the same share class of two or more Vision Funds (other than money market
funds);
. accumulating purchases (in calculating the sales charge on an additional
purchase, include the current value of previous Share purchases still invested
in the Fund); or
. signing a letter of intent to purchase a specific dollar amount of Shares
within 13 months (call your investment professional or the Funds for more
information).
The sales charge will be eliminated when you purchase Shares:
. within 90 days of redeeming Shares of an equal or lesser amount;
. within 60 days of redeeming shares of any other mutual fund which was sold
with a sales charge or commission or fixed or variable rate annuities of an
equal or lesser amount;
. by exchanging shares from the same share class of another Vision Fund (other
than a money market fund);
. through wrap accounts or other investment programs where you pay the
investment professional directly for services;
. through investment professionals that receive no portion of the sales
charge;
. as a current or retired Director or employee of the Fund, the Adviser, the
Distributor, the Sub-adviser and their affiliates, and the immediate family
members of these individuals;
. as an employee of a dealer which has a selling group agreement with the
Distributor;
. as an investor referred by any sub-adviser to the Funds.
If your investment qualifies for a reduction or elimination of the sales charge,
you or your investment professional should notify the Fund's Distributor,
Federated Securities Corp., or M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at the time of
purchase. If the Distributor or Mutual Fund Services is not notified, you will
receive the reduced sales charge only on additional purchases, and not
retroactively on previous purchases.
SALES CHARGE WHEN YOU REDEEM--Class B shares
Your redemption proceeds may be reduced by a sales charge, commonly referred to
as a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), as follows:
Shares Held Up To: CDSC
1 year 5.00%
2 years 4.00%
3 years 3.00%
4 years 3.00%
5 years 2.00%
6 years 1.00%
7 years or more 0.00%
Class B Shares convert to Class A Shares (which pay lower ongoing expenses)
eight years after purchase. This is a non-taxable event.
You will not be charged a CDSC when redeeming Class B Shares:
. purchased with reinvested dividends or capital gains;
. you reinvested within 90 days of a previous redemption;
. that you exchanged into the same share class of another Vision Fund where the
shares were held for the applicable CDSC holding period (other than a money
market fund);
. purchased through investment professionals who did not receive advanced
sales payments;
. if, after you purchase Shares, you become disabled as defined by the IRS;
. of Shares held by Directors, employees, and sales representatives of the
Funds, the Distributor, or affiliates of the Funds or Distributor, employees
of any investment professional that sells Shares of the Funds pursuant to a
sales agreement with the Distributor, and their immediate family members to
the extent that no payments were advanced for purchases made by these persons;
. of Shares originally purchased through a bank trust department, a registered
investment adviser or retirement plans where the third party administrator has
entered into certain arrangements with the Distributor or its affiliates, or
any other investment professional, to the extent that no payments were
advanced for purchases made through such entities;
. if the redemption qualified under the Systematic Withdrawal Program;
. if the Fund redeems your Shares and closes your account for not meeting the
minimum balance requirement;
. if your redemption is a required retirement plan distribution;
. upon the death of the last surviving shareholder of the account.
If your redemption qualifies, you or your investment professional should notify
the Distributor at the time of redemption to eliminate the CDSC. If the
Distributor is not notified, the CDSC will apply.
To keep the sales charge as low as possible, the Fund redeems your Shares in
this order:
. Shares that are not subject to a CDSC; and
. Shares held the longest (to determine the number of years your Shares have
been held, include the time you held Class B shares of other Vision Funds that
have been exchanged for Shares of this Fund).
The CDSC is then calculated using the share price at the time of purchase or
redemption, whichever is lower.
How are the Funds Sold?
Treasury Money Market Fund and Money Market Fund offer two share classes: Class
A Shares and Class S Shares. NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund, U.S. Government
Securities Fund, and NY Municipal Income Fund offer one share class: Class A
Shares. Large Cap Value Fundand Mid Cap Stock Fund offer two share classes:
Class A Shares and Class B Shares. Each class represents interests in a single
portfolio of securities. This prospectus relates only to Class A Shares and
Class B Shares. Each share class has different sales charges and other expenses,
which affect their performance. Contact your investment professional or call
(800) 836-2211 for more information concerning Class S Shares.
The Fund's Distributor markets the Shares described in this prospectus to
institutions or individuals, directly or through an investment professional that
has an agreement with the Distributor (Authorized Dealer). When the Distributor
receives marketing fees and sales charges, it may pay some or all of them to
investment professionals. The Distributor and its affiliates may pay out of
their assets other amounts (including items of material value) to investment
professionals for marketing and servicing Shares. The Distributor is a
subsidiary of Federated Investors, Inc. (Federated).
RULE 12B-1 PLANS
Each Fund (other than the Money Market Funds) has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Plan,
which allows it to pay marketing fees to the Distributor for the sale,
distribution and customer servicing of the Funds' Class A and Class B Shares. In
the case of Class B Shares, the Plan may also be used to compensate the
Distributor, the Adviser, their affiliates or investment professionals for
commissions advanced on the sale of Class B Shares. The Distributor may
voluntarily waive or reduce its fees. Because these Shares pay marketing fees on
an ongoing basis, your investment cost may be higher over time than other shares
with different sales charges and marketing fees. The Funds have no present
intention of paying or accruing 12b-1 fees on Class A Shares.
Shareholder Services
The Funds have adopted a Shareholder Services Plan on behalf of each class of
Shares, which is administered by Federated Administrative Services. M&T Bank
acts as shareholder servicing agent for the Funds, providing shareholder
assistance, communicating or facilitating purchases and redemptions of Shares,
and distributing prospectuses and other information. Except for Mid Cap Stock
Fund, no Fund has a present intention of paying or accruing shareholder
servicing fees on Class A Shares. How to Purchase Shares
You may purchase Shares through M&T Bank, M&T Securities, Inc., or through an
Authorized Dealer at the NAV next determined after the purchase order is
received plus any applicable sales charge.
Payment may be made by check or federal funds wire or by debiting your account
at M&T Bank or any of its affiliate banks.
Purchase orders for the Money Market Funds must be received by 11:00 a.m.
(Eastern time) to receive that day's dividend. For settlement of an order to
occur, payment must be received by wire by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) that same
day.
Purchase orders for the Income and Equity Funds must be received by 4:00 p.m.
(Eastern time) in order to receive that day's NAV. Purchase orders through
Automated Clearing House (ACH) must be received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time). For
settlement of an order to occur, payment must be received on the next business
day following the order.
Where a Fund offers more than one Share Class and you do not specify the Class
choice on your form of payment, you automatically will receive Class A Shares.
The Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request. The Funds do not
issue share certificates.
THROUGH M&T BANK
To purchase Shares through M&T Bank, contact an account representative at M&T
Bank or affiliates of M&T Bank which make Shares available, or M&T Bank's Mutual
Fund Services at (800) 836-2211 (in the Buffalo area call (716) 635-9368).
THROUGH M&T SECURITIES, INC.
To purchase Shares through a representative of M&T Securities, Inc. (M&T
Securities) call (800) 724-5445.
THROUGH AN AUTHORIZED DEALER
Contact your Authorized Dealer for specific instructions on how to purchase
Shares.
PAYMENT BY CHECK
To purchase Shares of the Funds for the first time by mail using a check as
payment, complete and sign an account application form and mail it, together
with a check payable to (Name of the Fund and Class of Shares) to:
Vision Group of Funds, Inc.
P.O. Box 4556
Buffalo, New York, 14240-4556
Current shareholders can purchase Shares by mail by sending a check to the same
address. Orders by mail are considered received after payment by check has been
converted into federal funds. This is normally the next business day after the
check is received.
Shares of the Money Market Funds purchased by check begin earning dividends on
the day after the check is converted into federal funds.
PAYMENT BY WIRE
You may purchase Shares by Federal Reserve wire, whereby your bank sends money
to the Funds' bank through the Federal Reserve System. Wire orders will only be
accepted on days on which the Funds, M&T Bank and the Federal Reserve wire
system are open.
Money Market Funds
Call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services or a representative of M&T Securities
before 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time) to place your order. The order is considered
immediately received, provided that payment by federal funds is received that
same day. Shares purchased by wire before 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) begin earning
dividends that day.
Income and Equity Funds
Call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services or a representative of M&T Securities
before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) to place your order. The order is considered
immediately received, provided that payment by federal funds is received before
3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) the next business day.
PAYMENT BY TRANSFER
To purchase Shares of the Funds by transferring money from your bank account,
you must maintain a checking or NOW deposit account at M&T Bank or any of its
affiliate banks.
Money Market Funds
To place an order, call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services or a representative of
M&T Securities before 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time). The money will be transferred
from your checking or NOW deposit account to your Fund account on that same day.
Income and Equity Funds
To place an order, call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services or a representative of
M&T Securities before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). The money will be transferred
from your checking or NOW deposit account to your Fund account on the next
business day.
Your purchase of Shares will be effected on the day the order is placed.
CUSTOMER AGREEMENTS
Shareholders normally purchase Shares through different types of customer
accounts at M&T Bank and its affiliates. You should read this prospectus
together with any agreements between you and the Bank to learn about the
services provided, the fees charged for those services, and any restrictions and
limitations imposed.
SYSTEMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Once you have opened a Fund account, you can add to your investment on a regular
basis in amounts of $25 or more through automatic deductions from your checking
or NOW deposit account. The money may be withdrawn and periodically invested in
Fund Shares at the next NAV calculated after your order is received plus any
applicable sales charge. To sign up for this program, please call M&T Bank's
Mutual Fund Services for an application.
THROUGH AN EXCHANGE
You may purchase Shares of the Funds through an exchange from the same Share
class of another Vision Fund. You must meet the minimum initial investment
requirement for purchasing Shares and both accounts must have identical
registrations.
RETIREMENT INVESTMENTS
Shares of the Funds can be purchased as an investment for retirement plans or
IRA accounts. You may be subject to an annual IRA account fee. NY Tax-Free Money
Market Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund are generally not appropriate for
retirement plans or IRA accounts. For further details, contact the Funds and
consult a tax adviser.
How to Redeem Shares
Each Fund redeems Shares at its NAV next determined after the Fund receives the
redemption request in proper form less any applicable CDSC. Shares may be
redeemed directly from the Funds by telephone or by mail.
BY TELEPHONE
To redeem Shares by telephone, call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at (800)
836-2211 (in the Buffalo area call (716) 635-9368). The proceeds will be wired
to your account at M&T Bank or an affiliate or to another account you previously
designated at a domestic commercial bank account that is a member of the Federal
Reserve System. Redemptions by wire can only be made on days the Federal Reserve
wire system, M&T Bank and the Funds are open for business.
Money Market Funds
If you call before 11:00 a.m. (Eastern time) proceeds will be wired the same
day, but you will not receive that day's dividend. If you call after 11:00 a.m.
(Eastern time), you will be paid that day's dividend but proceeds will not be
wired to your account until the following business day.
Income and Equity Funds
If you call before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) you will receive a redemption amount
based on that day's NAV. The proceeds of your redemption request will be wired
to your account the next business day.
You are automatically eligible to make telephone redemptions unless you check
the box on your new account application form to decline the privilege. It is
recommended that you provide the necessary information for the telephone/wire
redemption option on your initial application. If you do not do this and later
wish to take advantage of the telephone redemption privilege, you must call M&T
Bank's Mutual Fund Services for authorization forms.
M&T Bank reserves the right to charge a fee for a wire transfer from a customer
checking account, which may contain redemption proceeds, to another commercial
bank.
Redemption requests for Shares held through an IRA account must be made by mail
and not by telephone.
The Funds reserve the right to modify or terminate the telephone redemption
privilege at any time. Shareholders will be notified prior to any modification
or termination. Your telephone instructions may be electronically recorded for
your protection.
Shareholders who accept the telephone redemption service authorize the Vision
Group of Funds, Inc. and its agents to act upon their telephonic instructions to
redeem Shares from any account for which they have authorized such services. If
reasonable procedures are not followed by the Funds, they may be liable for
losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone transactions.
BY MAIL
You may redeem Shares by sending your written request to:
Vision Group of Funds, Inc.
P.O. Box 4556
Buffalo, New York 14240-4556
Your written request must include your name, the Fund's name and share class,
your account number, and the Share or dollar amount you wish to redeem. Please
call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at (800) 836-2211 for specific instructions
before redeeming by mail.
Normally, a check for the proceeds is mailed within one business day but in no
event more than seven days, after receipt of a proper written redemption
request.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS
Signature Guarantees
You must have a signature guarantee on written redemption requests:
. when you are requesting a redemption of $50,000 or more;
. when you want a redemption to be sent to an address other than the one you
have on record with the Fund; or
. when you want the redemption payable to someone other than the shareholder
of record.
Your signature can be guaranteed by any federally insured financial institution
(such as a bank or credit union) or a broker-dealer that is a domestic stock
exchange member, but not by a notary public.
Limitations on Redemption Proceeds
Redemption proceeds for Shares redeemed by mail are normally mailed within one
business day after receiving a request in proper form. However, payment may be
delayed up to seven days:
. to allow your purchase payment to clear;
. during periods of market volatility; or
. when a shareholder's trade activity or amount adversely impacts a Fund's
ability to manage its assets.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PROGRAMS
Class A Shares
You may automatically redeem Class A Shares in a minimum amount of $50 on a
regular basis. Your account must be worth at least $10,000 at the time the
program is established. This program may reduce, and eventually deplete, your
account. Payments should not be considered yield or income. Generally, it is not
advisable to continue to purchase Class A Shares subject to a sales charge while
redeeming Shares using this program. For more information and an application
form for this program call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at (800) 836-2211.
Class B Shares
A CDSC will not be charged on SWP redemptions of Class B Shares if: . Shares
redeemed are 12% or less of the account value in a single year; . the account is
at least one year old; . all dividends and capital gains distributions are
reinvested; and . the account has at least a $10,000 balance when the SWP is
established
(multiple Class B Share accounts cannot be aggregated to meet this minimum
balance).
You will be subject to a CDSC on redemption amounts that exceed the 12% annual
limit. In measuring the redemption percentage, your account is valued when you
establish the SWP and then annually at calendar year-end.
This program may reduce, and eventually deplete, your account. Payments should
not be considered yield or income. For more information and an application form
for this program call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at (800) 836-2211.
CHECKWRITING
You may request checks to redeem Shares of the Money Market Funds. Your account
will continue to receive the daily dividend declared on the Shares being
redeemed until the check is presented for payment. The ability to redeem Shares
by check may not be available when establishing an account through an investment
professional. You should read this prospectus together with any applicable
agreement between you and the institution to learn about the services provided,
the fees charged for those services, and any restrictions or limitations that
may be imposed. For more information, contact M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services.
REDEMPTION IN KIND
Although the Funds intend to pay Share redemptions in cash, each Fund reserves
the right to pay the redemption price in whole or in part by a distribution of
the Fund's portfolio securities.
REDEMPTION FROM RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
In the absence of your specific instructions, 10% of the value of your
redemption from a retirement account in the Fund may be withheld for taxes. This
withholding only applies to certain types of retirement accounts.
How to Exchange Shares
You may exchange Shares of a Fund for the same share class of another Vision
Fund at the NAV next determined after the Funds receive the exchange in proper
form. You also would pay applicable sales charges when exchanging Shares from
one of the Money Market Funds into one of the Income or Equity Funds. In
addition, you may exchange Class A Shares of the Funds into Class A Shares of
Federated International Equity Fund at NAV plus any applicable sales charge.
In order to exchange Shares you must:
. meet the minimum initial investment requirements (if the exchange results in
the establishment of a new account);
. establish an account into the Fund you want to acquire if you do not have an
account in that Fund;
. ensure that the account registrations are identical;
. receive a prospectus for the Fund into which you wish to exchange; and
. only exchange into Funds that may be legally sold in your state of
residence.
An exchange is treated as a redemption and subsequent purchase and is a taxable
transaction.
For additional information about the exchange privilege, call M&T Bank's Mutual
Fund Services at (800) 836-2211.
CLASS A SHARE EXCHANGES
Exchanges at NAV
If you exchange between Funds with different sales charges, the exchange will be
made at NAV.
If you paid a sales charge once (included Shares acquired through reinvestment
of dividends and capital gains) you will not have to pay the sales charge again
upon exchange. This is true even if you exchange out of a Fund with a sales
charge, then into a Fund without a sales charge and back into a Fund with a
sales charge.
Exchanges Subject to a Sales Charge
If you purchased into a Fund without a sales charge, and exchange into a Fund
with a sales charge, you will be assessed the applicable sales charge when you
make the exchange. However, the sales charge will not be applied to any Shares
that you acquired through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains.
CLASS B SHARE EXCHANGES
You may exchange Class B Shares from one Fund to another at NAV without any
sales charge. The time you held the original Class B Shares will be added to the
time you held the exchanged-for Class B Shares for purposes of calculating any
applicable CDSC when you ultimately redeem those Shares.
The Funds may modify or terminate the exchange privilege at any time, and
shareholders will be notified prior to any modification or termination. The
Funds' management or adviser may determine from the amount, frequency, and
pattern of exchanges that a shareholder is engaged in excessive trading that is
detrimental to a Fund and other shareholders. If this occurs, the Fund may
terminate the availability of exchanges to that shareholder and may bar that
shareholder from purchasing other Vision Funds.
EXCHANGING SHARES BY TELEPHONE
You may exchange Shares between Funds by calling M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services
at (800) 836-2211 (in Buffalo, (716) 635-9368).
Money Market Funds
Your telephone instructions must be received by M&T Bank by 11:00 a.m. (Eastern
time) and transmitted to Federated Shareholder Services Company by 4:00 p.m.
(Eastern time) for Shares to be exchanged that same day.
Income and Equity Funds
Exchange instructions must be received by M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services and
transmitted to Federated Shareholder Services Company by 4:00 p.m. (Eastern
time) for Shares to be exchanged that same day.
You will not receive a dividend from the Fund into which you are exchanging on
the date of the exchange.
You will automatically be eligible for telephone exchanges, unless you check the
box on the new account application form to decline this privilege. It is
recommended that you provide the necessary information for the telephone
exchange option on your initial application. If you do not do this and later
wish to take advantage of the privilege, you may call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund
Services for authorization forms.
Shareholders who accept the telephone exchange service authorize the Vision
Group of Funds, Inc. and its agents to act upon their telephonic instructions to
exchange Shares from any account for which they have authorized such services.
If reasonable procedures are not followed by the Funds, they may be liable for
losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone transactions.
EXCHANGING SHARES BY MAIL
You may exchange Shares by mail by sending your written request to:
Vision Group of Funds, Inc.
P.O. Box 4556
Buffalo, New York 14240-4556
All written requests must include your name, the Fund's name and Share class,
your account number, and the share or dollar amount you wish to exchange and the
name of the Fund into which the exchange is to be made.
SYSTEMATIC EXCHANGE PROGRAM
You may exchange Shares of a predetermined amount of at least $25 from one Fund
into another Fund on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Exchanges are subject
to investment minimums, limitations and any applicable sales charges as
described above. For more information and an application form for the Systematic
Exchange Program, call M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services at (800) 836-2211.
Account and Share Information
CONFIRMATIONS AND ACCOUNT STATEMENTS
You will receive confirmation of purchases, redemptions and exchanges (except
systematic transactions). In addition, you will receive periodic statements
reporting all account activity, including systematic transactions, dividends and
capital gains paid.
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS
Fund Dividends Declared/
Dividends Paid
Money Market Funds and Income Funds Daily/Monthly
Large Cap Value Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund Quarterly/Quarterly
Dividends (if any) are paid to shareholders invested in a Fund on the record
date.
The Money Market Funds do not expect to realize any capital gains or losses. If
capital gains or losses were to occur, they could result in an increase or
decrease in dividends. In addition, each Fund intends to pay any capital gains
at least annually. Your dividends and capital gains distributions will be
automatically reinvested in additional Shares without a sales charge, unless you
elect cash payments.
If you purchase shares just before a Fund declares a dividend (other than a Fund
that declares dividends daily) or capital gain distribution, you will pay the
full price for the shares and then receive a portion of the price back in the
form of a distribution, whether or not you reinvest the distribution in Shares.
Therefore, you should consider the tax implications of purchasing Shares shortly
before the Fund declares a dividend or capital gain.
ACCOUNTS WITH LOW BALANCES
Due to the high cost of maintaining accounts with low balances, non-retirement
accounts may be closed if redemptions or exchanges cause the account balance to
fall below $250. Before an account is closed, you will be notified and allowed
30 days to purchase additional Shares to meet the minimum account balance
required.
TAX INFORMATION
The Funds send you an annual statement of your account activity to assist you in
completing your federal, state and local tax returns. Fund distributions of
dividends and capital gains are taxable to you whether paid in cash or
reinvested in a Fund. Capital gains distributions are taxable at different rates
depending upon the length of time a Fund holds its assets.
Fund distributions for theMid Cap Stock Fund are expected to be primarily
capital gains. Fund distributions for the Large Cap Value Fund are expected to
be both dividends and capital gains. Fund distributions for the Treasury Money
Market Fund, Money Market Fund and U.S. Government Securities Fund are expected
to be primarily dividends. It is anticipated that distributions for the NY
Tax-Free Money Market Fund and the NY Municipal Income Fund will be primarily
dividends that are exempt from federal income tax, although a portion of each
Fund's dividends may not be exempt. Dividends may be subject to state and local
taxes, although each Fund's dividends will be exempt from New York state
personal income tax to the extent that they are derived from interest on
obligations exempt from New York personal income taxes. Capital gains and
non-exempt dividends are taxable whether paid in cash or reinvested in the Fund.
Redemptions and exchanges are taxable sales. Please consult your tax adviser
regarding your federal, state, and local tax liability.
Who Manages the Funds?
The Board of Directors governs the Funds. The Board selects and oversees the
Adviser, M&T Bank. The Adviser manages the Funds' assets, including buying and
selling portfolio securities. The Adviser's address is One M&T Plaza, Buffalo,
New York 14240. The Adviser is the principal banking subsidiary of M&T Bank
Corporation, a regional bank holding company in existence since 1969. M&T Bank
was founded in 1856 and provides comprehensive banking and financial services to
individuals, governmental entities and businesses throughout New York State. As
of June 30, 1999, M&T Bank had over $4.67 billion in assets under management.
M&T Bank has served as investment adviser to the Funds since 1988. As of June
30, 1999, M&T Bank managed $1.63 billion in net assets of money market funds and
$274 million in net assets of fluctuating mutual funds. As part of its regular
banking operations, M&T Bank may make loans to public companies. Thus, it may be
possible, from time to time, for the Funds to hold or acquire the securities of
issuers which are also lending clients of M&T Bank. The lending relationship
will not be a factor in the selection of securities. For its services under
an Advisory Contract, the Adviser receives an annual Advisory Fee from each
Fund, equal to a percentage of each Fund's average daily net assets as follows:
<TABLE> <CAPTION> Fund Name Advisory
Fee
<S> <C>
Each Money Market Fund 0.50%
Each Income Fund 0.70%
Large Cap Value Fund 0.70%
Mid Cap Stock Fund 0.85%
</TABLE>
The Adviser may voluntarily waive a portion of its fee or reimburse the Funds
for certain operating expenses.
SUB-ADVISERS
The Adviser has delegated daily management of the NY Tax- Free Money Market Fund
to the sub-adviser, Federated Investment Management Company (FIMCO). FIMCO has
complete discretion to manage portfolio securities of the Fund, subject to the
Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations. FIMCO is a registered
investment adviser and a subsidiary of Federated. FIMCO and other subsidiaries
of Federated advise more than 175 mutual funds and separate accounts, which
totaled approximately $111 billion in assets as of December 31, 1998. For its
services FIMCO receives a fee based upon a percentage of each Fund's average
daily net assets which is paid by the Adviser and not by the Fund. FMICO's
address is Federated Investors Tower, 1001 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-
3779.
The Adviser has delegated daily management of the Mid Cap Stock Fund to the sub-
adviser, Independence Investment Associates, Inc. (IIA). IIA has complete
discretion to manage portfolio securities of the Fund, subject to the Fund's
investment objective, policies and limitations. IIA is a registered investment
adviser founded in 1982 and a subsidiary of John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance
Company. IIA and its subsidiaries manages over $30 billion in assets under
management. IIA is a sub-adviser for over $12.0 billion in 13 mutual funds, and
7 commingled accounts. In addition, IIA is a sub-adviser to several clients with
various accounts totalling more than $1.3 billion. IIA's fee is paid by the
Adviser and not the Fund. IIA's address is 53 State Street, Boston, MA 02109.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The U.S. Government Securities Fund and New York Municipal Income Fund are
managed by Thomas R. Pierce. Mr. Pierce has been the portfolio manager of the
U.S. Government Securities Fund and New York Municipal Income Fund since March
1995. Mr. Pierce joined M&T Bank in January 1995 as Vice President from Merit
Investment Advisors where he acted as Director of Fixed Income Product and
Trading since 1993. For the period from 1987 to 1993, Mr. Pierce served as Fixed
Income Manager at ANB Investment Management Company, where he directed the
management of $3.5 billion of active and passive fixed income portfolios. Mr.
Pierce is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has a B.A. in Economics from
Washington University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Robert J. Truesdell has supervised the investment management of the U.S.
Government Securities Fund and New York Municipal Income Fund since their
inception. From August 1994 through February 1995, he also served as the
portfolio manager of these Funds. In addition to his responsibilities with
respect to these Funds, Mr. Truesdell manages individual investment accounts and
oversees the investment activities of M&T Bank's money market and fixed income
products as well as the money market funds in the Vision Group of Funds, Inc.
Mr. Truesdell joined M&T Bank as Vice President and Fixed Income Manager in
1988. Mr. Truesdell holds an MBA in Accounting from the State University of New
York at Buffalo. The Large Cap Value Fund has been managed since its
inception in September 1997 by John E. Leslie III. Mr. Leslie joined M&T Bank in
February 1996 as Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager. His investment
experience includes two years with Value Line Asset Management, New York where
he was a Senior Portfolio Manager (1994-1996). From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Leslie was
an independent consultant designing quantitative equity valuation models and
structured investment products. Mr. Leslie obtained his B.A. in Finance from
Suffolk University, his MBA from Babson College and is a Chartered Financial
Analyst.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund is managed by an investment committee.
Financial Information
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The following financial highlights are intended to help you understand the
financial performance of each Fund's Class A Shares for the past five fiscal
years, or since inception, if the life of a Fund is shorter. Some of the
information is presented on a per share basis. Total returns represent the rate
an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund, assuming
reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains. Financial highlights are not
presented forany Class B Shares since they did not have any operations prior to
April 30, 1999. This information has been audited by Ernst & Young, LLP
whose report, along with the Funds' audited financial statements, is included in
the Annual Report which is available upon request. Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund
commenced operations on October 15, 1999, when it acquired both Vision Growth
and Income Fund and Vision Capital Apppreciation Fund (the "Acquired Funds") in
a reorganization. In order to comply with comments made by the staff of the SEC,
the Mid Cap Stock Fund had to become an "accounting survivor" of one of the
Acquired Funds, despite the differences in the investment objective, strategies,
policies and expenses of the Acquired Funds, and the fact that Mid Cap Stock
Fund's subadviser never managed, or provided any investment advice to, the
Acquired Funds. Accordingly, the following financial and performance information
presented for the Mid Cap Stock Fund in reality reflects the historical
operations of Vision Growth and Income Fund in all periods prior to October 15,
1999. This past performance is not predictive of future performance of the Mid
Cap Stock Fund and should be evaluated in light of the Fund's organization and
the differences noted above. Financial Highlights
(FOR A SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year Ended Net Net Investment Net Realized and Total From Distributions Distributions In Distributions
April 30, Asset Income (Operating Unrealized Gain Investment From Net Excess Of Net From Net
Value, Loss) (Loss) on Operations Investment Investment Income Realized Gains
beginning Investments Income
of period
Treasury Money Market Fund A Shares
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1995 $1.00 0.04 -- 0.04 (0.04) -- --
1996 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1997 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1998 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1999 $1.00 0.04 -- 0.04 (0.04) -- --
Money Market Fund A Shares
1995 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1996 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1997 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1998 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
1999 $1.00 0.05 -- 0.05 (0.05) -- --
New York Tax-Free Money Market Fund*
1995 $1.00 0.03 -- 0.03 (0.03) -- --
1996 $1.00 0.03 -- 0.03 (0.03) -- --
1997 $1.00 0.03 -- 0.03 (0.03) -- --
1998 $1.00 0.03 -- 0.03 (0.03) -- --
1999 $1.00 0.03 -- 0.03 (0.03) -- --
U.S. Government Securities Fund*
1995 $9.25 0.56 (0.16) 0.40 (0.56) -- --
1996 $9.09 0.52 0.22 0.74 (0.52) -- --
1997 $9.31 0.58 (0.03) 0.55 (0.58) -- --
1998 $9.28 0.60 0.34 0.94 (0.60) (0.01)(e) --
1999 $9.61 0.58 (0.08) 0.50 (0.57) (0.01)(e) (0.02)
New York Municipal Income Fund*
1995 $ 9.61 0.46 0.06 0.52 (0.46) -- --
1996 $ 9.67 0.46 0.23 0.69 (0.46) -- --
1997 $ 9.90 0.48 0.18 0.66 (0.48) -- --
1998 $10.08 0.46 0.38 0.84 (0.46) -- (0.04)
1999 $10.42 0.46 0.19 0.65 (0.46) -- (0.09)
Mid Cap Stock Fund
1995 $ 9.93 0.21 0.43 0.64 (0.22) -- --
1996 $10.35 0.13 2.98 3.11 (0.11) -- --
1997 $13.35 0.13 2.35 2.48 (0.13) -- (0.59)
1998 $15.11 0.11 4.34 4.45 (0.09) -- (3.34)
1999 $16.13 0.05 (1.67) (1.62) (0.07) -- (0.99)
Large Cap Value Fund (formerly, Equity Income Fund)*
1998(d) $ 9.99 0.08 1.47 1.55 (0.07) -- --
1999 $11.47 0.19 0.78 0.97 (0.19) -- (0.01)
</TABLE>
* Shares of these Funds were classified as Class A Shares after April 30, 1999.
Equity Income Fund was renamed Large Cap Value Fund on June 21, 1999.
Financial Highlights
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Ratios to Average Net Assets
-------------------------------------------------------
Year Ended Total Net Total Expenses(c) Net Investment Expenses Net Investment Net Portfolio
April 30, Distributions Asset Return(a) Income (after Income Assets, Turnover
Value, End (Operating waivers) (Operating End Of
of period Loss)(c) Loss) (after Period
waivers) (000
Omitted)
Treasury Money Market Fund A Shares
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1995 (0.04) $1.00 4.57% 0.70% 4.34% 0.51% 4.53% $210,526 --
1996 (0.05) $1.00 5.25% 0.66% 5.01% 0.57% 5.10% $372,884 --
1997 (0.05) $1.00 4.82% 0.68% 4.65% 0.58% 4.75% $373,485 --
1998 (0.05) $1.00 4.98% 0.67% 4.88% 0.59% 4.96% $441,422 --
1999 (0.04) $1.00 4.54% 0.67% 4.41% 0.59% 4.49% $498,548 --
Money Market Fund A Shares
1995 (0.05) $1.00 4.77% 0.70% 4.61% 0.51% 4.80% $431,316 --
1996 (0.05) $1.00 5.33% 0.69% 5.08% 0.58% 5.19% $489,229 --
1997 (0.05) $1.00 4.93% 0.71% 4.67% 0.61% 4.77% $599,817 --
1998 (0.05) $1.00 5.11% 0.69% 4.95% 0.64% 5.00% $686,259 --
1999 (0.05) $1.00 4.76% 0.68% 4.59% 0.63% 4.64% $932,896 --
New York Tax-Free Money Market Fund*
1995 (0.03) $1.00 2.84% 0.92% 2.24% 0.40% 2.76% $ 41,238 --
1996 (0.03) $1.00 3.20% 0.86% 2.76% 0.48% 3.14% $ 65,763 --
1997 (0.03) $1.00 2.96% 0.85% 2.60% 0.50% 2.95% $ 56,618 --
1998 (0.03) $1.00 3.14% 0.78% 2.81% 0.50% 3.09% $ 73,345 --
1999 (0.03) $1.00 2.75% 0.72% 2.55% 0.58% 2.69% $110,291 --
U.S. Government Securities Fund*
1995 (0.56) $9.09 4.59% 1.44% 5.19% 0.43% 6.20% $29,573 78%
1996 (0.52) $9.31 8.10% 1.33% 5.24% 1.16% 5.41% $34,492 132%
1997 (0.58) $9.28 6.05% 1.31% 6.03% 1.11% 6.23% $44,485 121%
1998 (0.61) $9.61 10.42% 1.12% 6.21% 1.03% 6.30% $53,922 70%
1999 (0.60) $9.51 5.31% 0.97% 5.90% 0.92% 5.95% $64,100 68%
New York Municipal Income Fund*
1995 (0.46) $ 9.67 5.58% 1.52% 3.68% 0.40% 4.80% $27,346 51%
1996 (0.46) $ 9.90 7.18% 1.38% 4.26% 1.04% 4.60% $32,621 113%
1997 (0.48) $10.08 6.76% 1.39% 4.36% 1.01% 4.74% $35,480 79%
1998 (0.50) $10.42 8.37% 1.27% 4.04% 0.96% 4.35% $43,456 45%
1999 (0.55) $10.52 6.37% 1.02% 4.18% 0.82% 4.38% $52,860 44%
Mid Cap Stock Fund
1995 (0.22) $10.35 6.61% 1.43% 1.20% 0.47% 2.16% $ 39,358 79%
1996 (0.11) $13.35 30.18% 1.16% 1.09% 1.16% 1.09% $ 65,119 77%
1997 (0.72) $15.11 18.61% 1.14% 0.87% 1.14% 0.87% $114,090 134%
1998 (3.43) $16.13 31.40% 1.21% 0.65% 1.21% 0.65% $143,404 88%
1999 (1.06) $13.45 (9.26%) 1.20% 0.32% 1.20% 0.32% $ 82,203 145%
Large Cap Value Fund (formerly, Equity Income Fund)*
1998(d) (0.07) $11.47 15.51% 1.60%(b) 0.89%(b) 1.08%(b) 1.41%(b) $37,403 11%
1999 (0.20) $12.24 8.59% 1.02% 1.67% 1.02% 1.67% $45,582 55%
</TABLE>
(a) Based on net asset value, which does not reflect the sales charge or
contingent deferred sales charge, if applicable.
(b) Computed on an annualized basis.
(c) During the period, certain fees were voluntarily waived. If such voluntary
waivers had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Reflects operations for the period from September 26, 1997 (date of initial
public investment) to April 30, 1998.
(e) Distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations which
may differ from generally accepted accounting principles. These
distributions did not represent a return of capital for federal tax
purposes.
[VISION LOGO APPEARS HERE]
Vision Treasury Money Market Fund
Class A Shares
Vision Money Market Fund
Class A Shares
Vision New York Tax-Free Money Market Fund
Class A Shares
Vision U.S. Government Securities Fund
Class A Shares
Vision New York Municipal Income Fund
Class A Shares
Vision Large Cap Value Fund
(formerly, Vision Equity Income Fund)
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS B SHARES
Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS B SHARES
AUGUST 31, 1999
(AS REVISED OCTOBER 20, 1999)
A Statement of Additional Information (SAI) dated August 31, 1999 (as revised
October 20, 1999), is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Additional
information about each Fund's investments is available in the Funds' SAI and
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. The Annual Report discusses
market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each
Fund's performance during their last fiscal year. To obtain the SAI, the Annual
and Semi-Annual Reports and other information without charge call (800) 836-
2211. You can obtain information about the Funds (including the SAI) by
writing to or visitingthe Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You may also
access fund information from the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at
http://www.sec.gov. You can purchase copies of this information by contacting
the SEC by email at [email protected] or by writing to the SEC's Public
Reference Section, Washington D.C. 20549-0102. Call 1-202-942-8090 for
information on the Public Reference Room's operations and copying fees. SEC
File No. 811-5514
Cusip 92830F109 Cusip 92830F307 Cusip 92830F208 Cusip 92830F406 Cusip 92830F505
Cusip 92830F802 Cusip 92830F810 Cusip 92830F794 Cusip 92830F786
G00157-01 (10/99)
VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AUGUST 31, 1999 (AS REVISED OCTOBER 20, 1999)
<PAGE>
VISION TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS S SHARES
VISION MONEY MARKET FUND
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS S SHARES
VISION NEW YORK TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
CLASS A SHARES
VISION U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
CLASS A SHARES
VISION NEW YORK MUNICIPAL INCOME FUND
CLASS A SHARES
VISION LARGE CAP VALUE FUND
(formerly, Vision Equity Income Fund)
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS B SHARES
VISION MID CAP STOCK FUND
CLASS A SHARES AND CLASS B SHARES
<PAGE>
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. Read
this SAI in conjunction with the prospectuses for the Funds dated August 31,
1999 (as Revised October 20, 1999).
This SAI incorporates by reference the Funds' Annual Reports. Obtain the
prospectuses or the Annual Reports without charge by calling (800) 836-2211 (in
the Buffalo area call (716) 635-9368).
CONTENTS
HOW ARE THE FUNDS ORGANIZED? 1
SECURITIES IN WHICH THE FUNDS INVEST 1
INVESTMENT RISKS 10
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES 14
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 14
DETERMINING MARKET VALUE OF SECURITIES 19
WHAT DO SHARES COST? 20
HOW ARE THE FUNDS SOLD? 21
EXCHANGING SECURITIES FOR SHARES 22
SUBACCOUNTING SERVICES 22
REDEMPTION IN KIND 22
ACCOUNT AND SHARE INFORMATION 22
TAX INFORMATION 24
WHO MANAGES AND PROVIDES SERVICES TO THE FUNDS? 25
FEES PAID BY THE FUNDS FOR SERVICES 28
HOW DO THE FUNDS MEASURE PERFORMANCE? 29
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 34
INVESTMENT RATINGS 35
ADDRESSES BACK COVER PAGE
CUSIPS 92830F109
92830F307
92830F208
92830F406
92830F505
92830F802
92830F794
92830F786
92830F810
92830F885
92830F877
1072302B (10/99)
<PAGE>
2
HOW ARE THE FUNDS ORGANIZED?
Each Fund is a diversified portfolio of Vision Group of Funds, Inc.
(Corporation) except for NY Municipal Income Fund which is a non-diversified
portfolio of the Corporation. The Corporation is an open-end, management
investment company that was established as a Corporation under the laws of the
State of Maryland on February 23, 1988. The Corporation may offer separate
series of shares representing interests in separate portfolios of securities.
The Board of Directors (the Board) has established three classes of shares of
the Funds, known as Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Class S Shares (Shares).
This SAI relates to all three classes of Shares. All Funds offer Class A Shares.
Only Large Cap Value Fund, and Mid Cap Stock Fund offer Class B Shares. Only
Treasury Money Market Fund and Money Market Fund offer Class S Shares. NY
Municipal Income Fund changed its name from the Vision New York Tax Free Fund on
September 29, 1997. The Large Cap Value Fund changed its name from the Vision
Equity Income Fund on August 20, 1999. The Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund began its
operations on October 15, 1999, when the Vision Growth and Income Fund and
Vision Capital Appreciation Fund merged into it and the Vision Mid Cap Stock
Fund was designated the "accounting survivor" to the Vision Growth and Income
Fund. The Funds' investment adviser is Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
(M&T Bank) (Adviser). The sub-adviser for the NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund is
Federated Investment Management Company. The sub-adviser for the Mid Cap Stock
Fund is Independence Investment Associates, Inc.
SECURITIES IN WHICH THE FUNDS INVEST
In pursuing its investment strategy, each Fund may invest in the following types
of securities for any purpose that is consistent with the Fund's investment
goal. Following is a table that indicates which types of securities are a:
P = Principal investment of a Fund;
A = Acceptable (but not principal) investment of a Fund; or N = Not an
acceptable investment of a Fund.
MONEY MARKET FUNDS AND INCOME FUNDS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
TREASURY MONEY NY TAX-FREE GOVERNMENT NY MUNICIPAL
MONEY MARKET MARKET FUND MONEY MARKET SECURITIES INCOME FUND
FUND FUND FUND
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES P P P P A
- ------------------------------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Treasury Securities P A A P A
- ------------------------------------- -------------- --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Agency Securities N P A P A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Corporate Debt Securities1 N P N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Commercial Paper2 N A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Demand Instruments3 N A N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Taxable Municipal Securities N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
Mortgage Backed Securities N N N P N
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Asset Backed Securities4 N N N A N
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Zero Coupon Securities N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Bank Instruments5 N A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Credit Enhancement N A A N N
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
TAX EXEMPT SECURITIES6 N N P N P
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
General Obligation Bonds N N P N A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Special Revenue Bonds N N P N A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Tax Increment Financing Bonds N N A N A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Municipal Notes N N P N A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Variable Rate Demand Instruments A A P A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Municipal Leases N N A N A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Futures Contracts N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Options N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
SPECIAL TRANSACTIONS P A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Repurchase Agreements P A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Reverse Repurchase Agreements A A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Delayed Delivery Transactions7 A A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Securities Lending N N N A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
Asset Coverage A A A A A
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER N N A A A
INVESTMENT COMPANIES
- ------------------------------------- --------------- ------------ -------------- ------------ --------------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
51
EQUITY FUNDS
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
LARGE CAP MID CAP STOCK
VALUE FUND FUND
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
EQUITY SECURITIES P P
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Common Stocks P P
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Preferred Stocks P P
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Real Estate Investment Trusts A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Warrants8 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES9 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Treasury Securities A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Agency Securities A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Corporate Debt Securities1 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Commercial Paper2 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Demand Instruments3 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Mortgage Backed Securities A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Asset Backed Securities4 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Zero Coupon Securities A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Bank Instruments A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES10 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
TAX EXEMPT SECURITIES6 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Variable Rate Demand Instruments A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
FOREIGN SECURITIES A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Depository Receipts11 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Futures Contracts A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Options A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
SPECIAL TRANSACTIONS A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Repurchase Agreements A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Reverse Repurchase Agreements A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Delayed Delivery Transactions7 A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Securities Lending A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
Asset Coverage A A
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER A A
INVESTMENT COMPANIES
- ------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
1. Rated in the top four rating categories (with respect to the Money Market
Funds, rated in the top two rating categories) of a nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or, if unrated, of comparable
quality as determined by the Adviser or sub-adviser.
2. With respect to the Income Funds, rated at the time of purchase no less than
P-1, A-1 or F-1 by Moody's Investors Service (Moody's), Standard & Poor's
(S&P) or Fitch IBCA, Inc. (Fitch), respectively, or, if unrated, of
comparable quality as determined by the Adviser. With respect to the Money
Market Funds, rated at the time of purchase A-2 or better by S&P or Prime-2
or better by Moody's or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by
the Adviser or sub-adviser.
3. With respect to the Government Fund, rated at the time of purchase
Aaa, Aa, or A by Moody's, or AAA, AA, or A by S & P's or by Fitch, or,
if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser.
4. Government Securities Fund and Large Cap Value Fund may invest in asset
backed securities which, at the time of purchase, are rated in the top three
rating categories by an NRSRO, and the Mid Cap Stock Fund may invest in such
securities, which, at the time of purchase, are rated in the top four rating
categories by an NRSRO, or if unrated, are of comparable quality as
determined by the Adviser or subadviser.
5. The Money Market Fund may make interest-bearing savings deposits in
commercial banks and savings banks not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total
assets. The Money Market Fund may not invest more than 25% of the value of
its total assets at the time of purchase in U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks.
6. Which are in one of the top four rating categories of an NRSRO (top two with
respect to NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund).
7. The Income and Equity Funds do not intend to engage in such transactions to
an extent that would cause the segregation of more than 20% of the total
value of the Funds' assets. Under normal market conditions, the Money Market
Funds will not purchase such securities in excess of 25% of the value of
their total assets.
8. The Funds do not have a present intent to invest more than 5% of their
respective net assets in warrants. 9. The Large Cap Value Fund may invest up to
35% of the value of its total assets in debt obligations.
10. The Equity Funds may invest in convertible securities rated below investment
grade. See "Risks Associated with Non-investment Grade Securities" herein. 11.
The Large Cap Value Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund may not invest more than 25% of
its total assets in ADRs. The Large Cap Value Fund may invest up to 20% of its
total assets in other securities of foreign issuers (Non-ADRs).
SECURITIES DESCRIPTIONS AND TECHNIQUES
Following are descriptions of securities and techniques that each Fund may or
may not pursue, as noted in the preceding table.
EQUITY SECURITIES
Equity securities represent a share of an issuer's earnings and assets, after
the issuer pays its liabilities. A Fund cannot predict the income it will
receive from equity securities because issuers generally have discretion as to
the payment of any dividends or distributions. However, equity securities offer
greater potential for appreciation than many other types of securities, because
their value increases directly with the value of the issuer's business. The
following describes the types of equity securities in which a Fund invests.
COMMON STOCKS
Common stocks are the most prevalent type of equity security. Common stocks
receive the issuer's earnings after the issuer pays its creditors and any
preferred stockholders. As a result, changes in an issuer's earnings
directly influence the value of its common stock.
PREFERRED STOCKS
Preferred stocks have the right to receive specified dividends or
distributions before the issuer makes payments on its common stock. Some
preferred stocks also participate in dividends and distributions paid on
common stock. Preferred stocks may also permit the issuer to redeem the
stock. A Fund may also treat such redeemable preferred stock as a fixed
income security.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS)
REITs are real estate investment trusts that lease, operate and finance
commercial real estate. REITs are exempt from federal corporate income tax
if they limit their operations and distribute most of their income. Such tax
requirements limit a REIT's ability to respond to changes in the commercial
real estate market.
WARRANTS
Warrants give a Fund the option to buy the issuer's equity securities at a
specified price (the exercise price) at a specified future date (the
expiration date). The Fund may buy the designated securities by paying the
exercise price before the expiration date. Warrants may become worthless if
the price of the stock does not rise above the exercise price by the
expiration date. This increases the market risks of warrants as compared to
the underlying security. Rights are the same as warrants, except companies
typically issue rights to existing stockholders.
FIXED INCOME SECURITIES
Fixed income securities pay interest, dividends or distributions at a specified
rate. The rate may be a fixed percentage of the principal or adjusted
periodically. In addition, the issuer of a fixed income security must repay the
principal amount of the security, normally within a specified time. Fixed income
securities provide more regular income than equity securities. However, the
returns on fixed income securities are limited and normally do not increase with
the issuer's earnings. This limits the potential appreciation of fixed income
securities as compared to equity securities.
A security's yield measures the annual income earned on a security as a
percentage of its price. A security's yield will increase or decrease depending
upon whether it costs less (a discount) or more (a premium) than the principal
amount. If the issuer may redeem the security before its scheduled maturity, the
price and yield on a discount or premium security may change based upon the
probability of an early redemption. Securities with higher risks generally have
higher yields.
The following describes the types of fixed income securities in which a Fund may
invest.
TREASURY SECURITIES
Treasury securities are direct obligations of the federal government of the
United States. Treasury securities are generally regarded as having the lowest
credit risks.
AGENCY SECURITIES
Agency securities are issued or guaranteed by a federal agency or other
government sponsored entity acting under federal authority (a GSE). The
United States supports some GSEs with its full faith and credit. Other GSEs
receive support through federal subsidies, loans or other benefits. A few
GSEs have no explicit financial support, but are regarded as having implied
support because the federal government sponsors their activities. Agency
securities are generally regarded as having low credit risks, but not as low
as treasury securities.
The Fund treats mortgage backed securities guaranteed by GSEs as agency
securities. Although a GSE guarantee protects against credit risks, it does
not reduce the market and prepayment risks of these mortgage backed
securities.
CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES
Corporate debt securities are fixed income securities issued by businesses.
Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most prevalent types
of corporate debt securities. The Fund may also purchase interests in bank
loans to companies. The credit risks of corporate debt securities vary
widely among issuers.
In addition, the credit risk of an issuer's debt security may vary based on
its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt
securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated)
securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on
subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior
securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of senior
securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of
subordinated securities. Some subordinated securities, such as trust
preferred and capital securities notes, also permit the issuer to defer
payments under certain circumstances. For example, insurance companies issue
securities known as surplus notes that permit the insurance company to defer
any payment that would reduce its capital below regulatory requirements.
COMMERCIAL PAPER
Commercial paper is an issuer's obligation with a maturity of less than nine
months. Companies typically issue commercial paper to pay for current
expenditures. Most issuers constantly reissue their commercial paper and use
the proceeds (or bank loans) to repay maturing paper. If the issuer cannot
continue to obtain liquidity in this fashion, its commercial paper may
default. The short maturity of commercial paper reduces both the market and
credit risks as compared to other debt securities of the same issuer.
DEMAND INSTRUMENTS
Demand instruments are corporate debt securities that the issuer must repay
upon demand. Other demand instruments require a third party, such as a
dealer or bank, to repurchase the security for its face value upon demand.
The Fund treats demand instruments as short-term securities, even though
their stated maturity may extend beyond one year.
MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
Municipal securities are issued by states, counties, cities and other
political subdivisions and authorities. Although many municipal securities
are exempt from federal income tax, a Fund may invest in taxable municipal
securities.
MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
Mortgage backed securities represent interests in pools of mortgages. The
mortgages that comprise a pool normally have similar interest rates,
maturities and other terms. Mortgages may have fixed or adjustable interest
rates. Interests in pools of adjustable rate mortgages are known as ARMs.
Mortgage backed securities come in a variety of forms. Many have extremely
complicated terms. The simplest form of mortgage backed securities are
pass-through certificates. An issuer of pass-through certificates gathers
monthly payments from an underlying pool of mortgages. Then, the issuer
deducts its fees and expenses and passes the balance of the payments onto
the certificate holders once a month. Holders of pass-through certificates
receive a pro rata share of all payments and pre-payments from the
underlying mortgages. As a result, the holders assume all the PREPAYMENT
RISKS of the underlying mortgages.
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (CMOS)
CMOs, including interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits
(REMICs), allocate payments and prepayments from an underlying
pass-through certificate among holders of different classes of mortgage
backed securities. This creates different prepayment and interest rate
risks for each CMO class.
SEQUENTIAL CMOS
In a sequential pay CMO, one class of CMOs receives all principal
payments and prepayments. The next class of CMOs receives all
principal payments after the first class is paid off. This process
repeats for each sequential class of CMO. As a result, each class of
sequential pay CMOs reduces the prepayment risks of subsequent
classes.
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PACS, TACS AND COMPANION CLASSES
More sophisticated CMOs include planned amortization classes (PACs)
and targeted amortization classes (TACs). PACs and TACs are issued
with companion classes. PACs and TACs receive principal payments and
prepayments at a specified rate. The companion classes receive
principal payments and prepayments in excess of the specified rate.
In addition, PACs will receive the companion classes' share of
principal payments, if necessary, to cover a shortfall in the
prepayment rate.
This helps PACs and TACs to control prepayment risks by increasing
the risks to their companion classes.
IOS AND POS
CMOs may allocate interest payments to one class (Interest Only or
IOs) and principal payments to another class (Principal Only or POs).
POs increase in value when prepayment rates increase. In contrast,
IOs decrease in value when prepayments increase, because the
underlying mortgages generate less interest payments. However, IOs
tend to increase in value when interest rates rise (and prepayments
decrease), making IOs a useful hedge against interest rate risks.
FLOATERS AND INVERSE FLOATERS
Another variant allocates interest payments between two classes of
CMOs. One class (Floaters) receives a share of interest payments
based upon a market index such as LIBOR. The other class (Inverse
Floaters) receives any remaining interest payments from the
underlying mortgages. Floater classes receive more interest (and
Inverse Floater classes receive correspondingly less interest) as
interest rates rise. This shifts prepayment and interest rate risks
from the Floater to the Inverse Floater class, reducing the price
volatility of the Floater class and increasing the price volatility
of the Inverse Floater class.
Z CLASSES AND RESIDUAL CLASSES
CMOs must allocate all payments received from the underlying
mortgages to some class. To capture any unallocated payments, CMOs
generally have an accrual (Z) class. Z classes do not receive any
payments from the underlying mortgages until all other CMO classes
have been paid off. Once this happens, holders of Z class CMOs
receive all payments and prepayments. Similarly, REMICs have residual
interests that receive any mortgage payments not allocated to another
REMIC class.
The degree of increased or decreased prepayment risks depends upon
the structure of the CMOs. However, the actual returns on any type of
mortgage backed security depend upon the performance of the
underlying pool of mortgages, which no one can predict and will vary
among pools.
ASSET BACKED SECURITIES
Asset backed securities are payable from pools of obligations other than
mortgages. Most asset backed securities involve consumer or commercial debts
with maturities of less than ten years. However, almost any type of fixed
income assets (including other fixed income securities) may be used to
create an asset backed security. Asset backed securities may take the form
of commercial paper, notes, or pass through certificates. Asset backed
securities have prepayment risks. Like CMOs, asset backed securities may be
structured like Floaters, Inverse Floaters, IOs and POs.
BANK INSTRUMENTS
Bank instruments are unsecured interest bearing deposits with banks. Bank
instruments include bank accounts, time deposits, certificates of deposit and
banker's acceptances. Yankee instruments are denominated in U.S. dollars and
issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks. Eurodollar instruments are denominated
in U.S. dollars and issued by non-U.S. branches of U.S. or foreign banks.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES
Zero coupon securities do not pay interest or principal until final maturity
unlike debt securities that provide periodic payments of interest (referred
to as a coupon payment). Investors buy zero coupon securities at a price
below the amount payable at maturity. The difference between the purchase
price and the amount paid at maturity represents interest on the zero coupon
security. Investors must wait until maturity to receive interest and
principal, which increases the market and credit risks of a zero coupon
security.
There are many forms of zero coupon securities. Some are issued at a
discount and are referred to as zero coupon or capital appreciation bonds.
Others are created from interest bearing bonds by separating the right to
receive the bond's coupon payments from the right to receive the bond's
principal due at maturity, a process known as coupon stripping. Treasury
STRIPs, IOs and POs are the most common forms of stripped zero coupon
securities. In addition, some securities give the issuer the option to
deliver additional securities in place of cash interest payments, thereby
increasing the amount payable at maturity. These are referred to as
pay-in-kind or PIK securities.
CREDIT ENHANCEMENT
Common types of credit enhancement include guarantees, letters of credit,
bond insurance and surety bonds. Credit enhancement also includes
arrangements where securities or other liquid assets secure payment of a
fixed income security. If a default occurs, these assets may be sold and the
proceeds paid to security's holders. Either form of credit enhancement
reduces credit risks by providing another source of payment for a fixed
income security.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
Convertible securities are fixed income securities that a Fund has the option to
exchange for equity securities at a specified conversion price. The option
allows the Fund to realize additional returns if the market price of the equity
securities exceeds the conversion price. For example, the Fund may hold fixed
income securities that are convertible into shares of common stock at a
conversion price of $10 per share. If the market value of the shares of common
stock reached $12, the Fund could realize an additional $2 per share by
converting its fixed income securities.
Convertible securities have lower yields than comparable fixed income
securities. In addition, at the time a convertible security is issued the
conversion price exceeds the market value of the underlying equity securities.
Thus, convertible securities may provide lower returns than non-convertible
fixed income securities or equity securities depending upon changes in the price
of the underlying equity securities. However, convertible securities permit the
Fund to realize some of the potential appreciation of the underlying equity
securities with less risk of losing its initial investment. The Equity Funds may
invest in commercial paper rated below investment grade. See "Risks Associated
with Non-investment Grade Securities" herein.
The Funds treat convertible securities as both fixed income and equity
securities for purposes of its investment policies and limitations, because of
their unique characteristics.
TAX EXEMPT SECURITIES
Tax exempt securities are fixed income securities that pay interest that is not
subject to regular federal income taxes. Typically, states, counties, cities and
other political subdivisions and authorities issue tax exempt securities. The
market categorizes tax exempt securities by their source of repayment.
GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS
General obligation bonds are supported by the issuer's power to exact
property or other taxes. The issuer must impose and collect taxes sufficient
to pay principal and interest on the bonds. However, the issuer's authority
to impose additional taxes may be limited by its charter or state law.
SPECIAL REVENUE BONDS
Special revenue bonds are payable solely from specific revenues received by
the issuer such as specific taxes, assessments, tolls, or fees. Bondholders
may not collect from the municipality's general taxes or revenues. For
example, a municipality may issue bonds to build a toll road, and pledge the
tolls to repay the bonds.
Therefore, a shortfall in the tolls normally would result in a default on
the bonds.
PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS
Private activity bonds are special revenue bonds used to finance private
entities. For example, a municipality may issue bonds to finance a new
factory to improve its local economy. The municipality would lend the
proceeds from its bonds to the company using the factory, and the
company would agree to make loan payments sufficient to repay the bonds.
The bonds would be payable solely from the company's loan payments, not
from any other revenues of the municipality. Therefore, any default on
the loan normally would result in a default on the bonds.
The interest on many types of private activity bonds is subject to the
federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). A Fund may invest in bonds subject to
AMT.
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING BONDS
Tax increment financing (TIF) bonds are payable from increases in taxes or
other revenues attributable to projects financed by the bonds. For example,
a municipality may issue TIF bonds to redevelop a commercial area. The TIF
bonds would be payable solely from any increase in sales taxes collected
from merchants in the area. The bonds could default if merchants' sales, and
related tax collections, failed to increase as anticipated.
MUNICIPAL NOTES
Municipal notes are short-term tax exempt securities. Many municipalities
issue such notes to fund their current operations before collecting taxes or
other municipal revenues. Municipalities may also issue notes to fund
capital projects prior to issuing long-term bonds. The issuers typically
repay the notes at the end of their fiscal year, either with taxes, other
revenues or proceeds from newly issued notes or bonds.
VARIABLE RATE DEMAND INSTRUMENTS
Variable rate demand instruments are tax exempt securities that require the
issuer or a third party, such as a dealer or bank, to repurchase the
security for its face value upon demand. The securities also pay interest at
a variable rate intended to cause the securities to trade at their face
value. The Funds treat demand instruments as short-term securities, because
their variable interest rate adjusts in response to changes in market rates,
even though their stated maturity may extend beyond thirteen months.
MUNICIPAL LEASES
Municipalities may enter into leases for equipment or facilities. In order
to comply with state public financing laws, these leases are typically
subject to annual appropriation. In other words, a municipality may end a
lease, without penalty, by not providing for the lease payments in its
annual budget. After the lease ends, the lessor can resell the equipment or
facility but may lose money on the sale.
A Fund may invest in securities supported by pools of municipal leases. The
most common type of lease backed securities are certificates of
participation (COPs). However, a Fund may also invest directly in individual
leases.
FOREIGN SECURITIES
Foreign securities are securities of issuers based outside the United States.
The Funds consider an issuer to be based outside the United States if:
| it is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office located in,
another country;
| the principal trading market for its securities is in another country; or
| it (or its subsidiaries) derived in its most current fiscal year at least
50% of its total assets, capitalization, gross revenue or profit from goods
produced, services performed, or sales made in another country.
Foreign securities are primarily denominated in foreign currencies. Along with
the risks normally associated with domestic securities of the same type, foreign
securities are subject to currency risks and risks of foreign investing. Trading
in certain foreign markets is also subject to liquidity risks.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
Depositary receipts represent interests in underlying securities issued by a
foreign company. Depositary receipts are not traded in the same market as
the underlying security. The foreign securities underlying American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are traded in the United States. ADRs provide a
way to buy shares of foreign-based companies in the United States rather
than in overseas markets. ADRs are also traded in U.S. dollars, eliminating
the need for foreign exchange transactions.
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
Foreign government securities generally consist of fixed income securities
supported by national, state or provincial governments or similar political
subdivisions. Foreign government securities also include debt obligations of
supranational entities, such as international organizations designed or
supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or
development, international banking institutions and related government
agencies. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the
Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and the Inter-American
Development Bank.
Foreign government securities also include fixed income securities of
quasi-governmental agencies that are either issued by entities owned by a
national, state or equivalent government or are obligations of a political
unit that are not backed by the national government's full faith and credit.
Further, foreign government securities include mortgage-related securities
issued or guaranteed by national, state or provincial governmental
instrumentalities, including quasi-governmental agencies.
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS
Derivative contracts are financial instruments that require payments based upon
changes in the values of designated (or underlying) securities, currencies,
commodities, financial indices or other assets. Some derivative contracts (such
as futures, forwards and options) require payments relating to a future trade
involving the underlying asset. Other derivative contracts (such as swaps)
require payments relating to the income or returns from the underlying asset.
The other party to a derivative contract is referred to as a counterparty.
Many derivative contracts are traded on securities or commodities exchanges. In
this case, the exchange sets all the terms of the contract except for the price.
Investors make payments due under their contracts through the exchange. Most
exchanges require investors to maintain margin accounts through their brokers to
cover their potential obligations to the exchange. Parties to the contract make
(or collect) daily payments to the margin accounts to reflect losses (or gains)
in the value of their contracts. This protects investors against potential
defaults by the counterparty. Trading contracts on an exchange also allows
investors to close out their contracts by entering into offsetting contracts.
For example, the Fund could close out an open contract to buy an asset at a
future date by entering into an offsetting contract to sell the same asset on
the same date. If the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase
price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss.
Exchanges may limit the amount of open contracts permitted at any one time. Such
limits may prevent the Fund from closing out a position. If this happens, the
Fund will be required to keep the contract open (even if it is losing money on
the contract), and to make any payments required under the contract (even if it
has to sell portfolio securities at unfavorable prices to do so). Inability to
close out a contract could also harm the Fund by preventing it from disposing of
or trading any assets it has been using to secure its obligations under the
contract.
The Funds may also trade derivative contracts over-the-counter (OTC) in
transactions negotiated directly between the Fund and the counterparty. OTC
contracts do not necessarily have standard terms, so they cannot be directly
offset with other OTC contracts. In addition, OTC contracts with more
specialized terms may be more difficult to price than exchange traded contracts.
Depending upon how the Fund uses derivative contracts and the relationships
between the market value of a derivative contract and the underlying asset,
derivative contracts may increase or decrease a Fund's exposure to market and
currency risks, and may also expose the Fund to liquidity and leverage risks.
OTC contracts also expose the Fund to credit risks in the event that a
counterparty defaults on the contract.
The Funds (other than the Money Market Funds) may trade in the following types
of derivative contracts.
FUTURES CONTRACTS
Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by
another party of a specified amount of an underlying asset at a specified
price, date, and time. Entering into a contract to buy an underlying asset
is commonly referred to as buying a contract or holding a long position in
the asset. Entering into a contract to sell an underlying asset is commonly
referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position in the asset.
Futures contracts are considered to be commodity contracts. Futures
contracts traded OTC are frequently referred to as forward contracts.
The Funds may buy/sell financial futures contracts. Mid Cap Stock Fund and
Large Cap Value Fund may also buy/sell stock index futures contracts.
OPTIONS
Options are rights to buy or sell an underlying asset for a specified price
(the exercise price) during, or at the end of, a specified period. A call
option gives the holder (buyer) the right to buy the underlying asset from
the seller (writer) of the option. A put option gives the holder the right
to sell the underlying asset to the writer of the option. The writer of the
option receives a payment, or premium, from the buyer, which the writer
keeps regardless of whether the buyer uses (or exercises) the option.
The Funds may:
| Buy call options on portfolio securities in anticipation of an increase in
the value of the underlying asset;
| Buy put options on portfolio securities in anticipation of a decrease in
the value of the underlying asset.
Each Fund may also write call options on all or any portion of its portfolio
securities and on financial or stock index futures contracts (as permitted)
to generate income from premiums, and in anticipation of a decrease or only
limited increase in the value of the underlying asset. If a call written by
the Fund is exercised, the Fund foregoes any possible profit from an
increase in the market price of the underlying asset over the exercise price
plus the premium received.
Each Fund may also write put options on all or a portion of its portfolio
securities and on financial or stock index futures contracts (as permitted)
to generate income from premiums, and in anticipation of an increase or only
limited decrease in the value of the underlying asset. In writing puts,
there is a risk that the Fund may be required to take delivery of the
underlying asset when its current market price is lower than the exercise
price.
When the Fund writes options on futures contracts, it will be subject to
margin requirements similar to those applied to futures contracts.
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INVESTMENT RATINGS FOR MONEY MARKET FUNDS
A nationally recognized rating service's two highest rating categories are
determined without regard for sub-categories and gradations. For example,
securities rated SP-1+, SP-1, or SP-2 by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group
("S&P"), MIG-1 or MIG-2 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or F-1+,
F-1, or F-2 by Fitch Investors Service, Inc. ("Fitch") are all considered rated
in one of the two highest short-term rating categories. The Money Market Funds
will follow applicable regulations in determining whether a security rated by
more than one rating service can be treated as being in one of the two highest
short-term rating categories; currently, such securities must be rated by two
rating services in one of their two highest rating categories. See "Regulatory
Compliance."
SPECIAL TRANSACTIONS
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund buys a security
from a dealer or bank and agrees to sell the security back at a mutually
agreed upon time and price. The repurchase price exceeds the sale price,
reflecting the Fund's return on the transaction. This return is unrelated to
the interest rate on the underlying security. A Fund will enter into
repurchase agreements only with banks and other recognized financial
institutions, such as securities dealers, deemed creditworthy by the
Adviser.
The Funds' custodian or subcustodian will take possession of the securities
subject to repurchase agreements. The Adviser or subcustodian will monitor
the value of the underlying security each day to ensure that the value of
the security always equals or exceeds the repurchase price.
Repurchase agreements are subject to credit risks.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Reverse repurchase agreements are repurchase agreements in which the Fund is
the seller (rather than the buyer) of the securities, and agrees to
repurchase them at an agreed upon time and price. A reverse repurchase
agreement may be viewed as a type of borrowing by the Fund. Reverse
repurchase agreements are subject to credit risks. In addition, reverse
repurchase agreements create leverage risks because the Fund must repurchase
the underlying security at a higher price, regardless of the market value of
the security at the time of repurchase.
DELAYED DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS
Delayed delivery transactions, including when issued transactions, are
arrangements in which the Fund buys securities for a set price, with payment
and delivery of the securities scheduled for a future time. During the
period between purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund to
the issuer and no interest accrues to the Fund. The Fund records the
transaction when it agrees to buy the securities and reflects their value in
determining the price of its shares. Settlement dates may be a month or more
after entering into these transactions so that the market values of the
securities bought may vary from the purchase prices. Therefore, delayed
delivery transactions create interest rate risks for the Fund. Delayed
delivery transactions also involve credit risks in the event of a
counterparty default.
TO BE ANNOUNCED SECURITIES (TBAS)
As with other delayed delivery transactions, a seller agrees to issue a
TBA security at a future date. However, the seller does not specify the
particular securities to be delivered. Instead, the Fund agrees to
accept any security that meets specified terms. For example, in a TBA
mortgage backed transaction, the Fund and the seller would agree upon
the issuer, interest rate and terms of the underlying mortgages. The
seller would not identify the specific underlying mortgages until it
issues the security. TBA mortgage backed securities increase interest
rate risks because the underlying mortgages may be less favorable than
anticipated by the Fund.
SECURITIES LENDING
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to borrowers that the Adviser deems
creditworthy. In return, the Fund receives cash or liquid securities from
the borrower as collateral. The borrower must furnish additional collateral
if the market value of the loaned securities increases. Also, the borrower
must pay the Fund the equivalent of any dividends or interest received on
the loaned securities.
The Fund will reinvest cash collateral in securities that qualify as an
acceptable investment for the Fund. However, the Fund must pay interest to the
borrower for the use of cash collateral.
Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower.
The Fund will not have the right to vote on securities while they are on
loan, but it will terminate a loan in anticipation of any important vote.
The Fund may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan
and may pay a negotiated portion of the interest earned on the cash
collateral to a securities lending agent or broker.
Securities lending activities are subject to interest rate risks and credit
risks.
ASSET COVERAGE
In order to secure its obligations in connection with derivatives contracts
or special transactions, the Fund will either own the underlying assets,
enter into an offsetting transaction or set aside readily marketable
securities with a value that equals or exceeds the Fund's obligations.
Unless the Fund has other readily marketable assets to set aside, it cannot
trade assets used to secure such obligations without entering into an
offsetting derivative contract or terminating a special transaction. This
may cause the Fund to miss favorable trading opportunities or to realize
losses on derivative contracts or special transactions.
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Funds may invest its assets in securities of other investment companies,
including the securities of affiliated money market funds, as an efficient means
of carrying out their investment policies and managing any uninvested cash.
INVESTMENT RISKS
There are many factors which may affect an investment in the Funds. The Funds'
principal risks are described in the prospectus. Additional risk factors are
outlined below.
STOCK MARKET RISKS
The value of equity securities in a Fund's portfolio will rise and fall. These
fluctuations could be a sustained trend or a drastic movement. A Fund's
portfolio will reflect changes in prices of individual portfolio stocks or
general changes in stock valuations. Consequently, the Fund's share price may
decline.
The Adviser attempts to manage market risk by limiting the amount the Fund
invests in each company's equity securities. However, diversification will not
protect the Fund against widespread or prolonged declines in the stock market.
SECTOR RISKS
Companies with similar characteristics may be grouped together in broad
categories called sectors. Sector risk is the possibility that a certain sector
may underperform other sectors or the market as a whole. As the Adviser
allocates more of a Fund's portfolio holdings to a particular sector, a Fund's
performance will be more susceptible to any economic, business or other
developments which generally affect that sector.
LIQUIDITY RISKS
Trading opportunities are more limited for equity securities that are not widely
held. This may make it more difficult to sell or buy a security at a favorable
price or time. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a
security, sell other securities to raise cash or give up an investment
opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund's
performance. Infrequent trading of securities may also lead to an increase in
their price volatility.
Trading opportunities are more limited for fixed income securities that have not
received any credit ratings, have received ratings below investment grade or are
not widely held.
Trading opportunities are more limited for CMOs that have complex terms or that
are not widely held. These features may make it more difficult to sell or buy a
security at a favorable price or time. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept
a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash or give up
an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the
Fund's performance. Infrequent trading of securities may also lead to an
increase in their price volatility.
Liquidity risk also refers to the possibility that the Fund may not be able to
sell a security or close out a derivative contract when it wants to. If this
happens, the Fund will be required to continue to hold the security or keep the
position open, and the Fund could incur losses.
OTC derivative contracts generally carry greater liquidity risk than
exchange-traded contracts.
RISKS RELATED TO INVESTING FOR GROWTH
Due to their relatively high valuations, growth stocks are typically more
volatile than value stocks. For instance, the price of a growth stock may
experience a larger decline on a forecast of lower earnings, a negative
fundamental development, or an adverse market development. Further, growth
stocks may not pay dividends or may pay lower dividends than value stocks. This
means they depend more on price changes for returns and may be more adversely
affected in a down market compared to value stocks that pay higher dividends.
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RISKS RELATED TO INVESTING FOR VALUE
Due to their relatively low valuations, value stocks are typically less volatile
than growth stocks. For instance, the price of a value stock may experience a
smaller increase on a forecast of higher earnings, a positive fundamental
development, or positive market development. Further, value stocks tend to have
higher dividends than growth stocks. This means they depend less on price
changes for returns and may lag behind growth stocks in an up market.
RISKS RELATED TO COMPANY SIZE
Generally, the smaller the market capitalization of a company, the fewer the
number of shares traded daily, the less liquid its stock and the more volatile
its price. For example, medium capitalization stocks may be less liquid and more
volatile than stocks of larger, well-known companies. Market capitalization is
determined by multiplying the number of its outstanding shares by the current
market price per share.
Companies with smaller market capitalizations also tend to have unproven track
records, a limited product or service base and limited access to capital. These
factors also increase risks and make these companies more likely to fail than
companies with larger market capitalizations.
CURRENCY RISKS
Exchange rates for currencies fluctuate daily. The combination of currency risk
and market risk tends to make securities traded in foreign markets more volatile
than securities traded exclusively in the U.S.
The Adviser attempts to manage currency risk by limiting the amount the Fund
invests in securities denominated in a particular currency. However,
diversification will not protect the Fund against a general increase in the
value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies.
EURO RISKS
The Euro is the new single currency of the European Monetary Union (EMU). With
the advent of the Euro, the participating countries in the EMU can no longer
follow independent monetary policies. This may limit these countries' ability to
respond to economic downturns or political upheavals, and consequently reduce
the value of their foreign government securities.
RISKS OF FOREIGN INVESTING
Foreign securities pose additional risks because foreign economic or political
conditions may be less favorable than those of the United States. Securities in
foreign markets may also be subject to taxation policies that reduce returns for
U.S. investors.
Foreign companies may not provide information (including financial statements)
as frequently or to as great an extent as companies in the United States.
Foreign companies may also receive less coverage than United States companies by
market analysts and the financial press. In addition, foreign countries may lack
uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or regulatory
requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. These factors may
prevent the Fund and its Adviser from obtaining information concerning foreign
companies that is as frequent, extensive and reliable as the information
available concerning companies in the United States.
Foreign countries may have restrictions on foreign ownership of securities or
may impose exchange controls, capital flow restrictions or repatriation
restrictions which could adversely affect the liquidity of a Fund's investments.
To the extent a Fund invests in foreign securities, its share price may be more
affected by foreign economic and political conditions, taxation policies, and
accounting and auditing standards than would otherwise be the case.
LEVERAGE RISKS
Leverage risk is created when an investment exposes the Fund to a level of
risk that exceeds the amount invested. Changes in the value of such an
investment magnify a
Fund's risk of loss and potential for gain.
INTEREST RATE RISKS
Prices of fixed income securities rise and fall in response to changes in the
interest rate paid by similar securities. Generally, when interest rates rise,
prices of fixed income securities fall. However, market factors, such as the
demand for particular fixed income securities, may cause the price of certain
fixed income securities to fall while the prices of other securities rise or
remain unchanged.
Interest rate changes have a greater effect on the price of fixed income
securities with longer durations. Duration measures the price sensitivity of a
fixed income security to changes in interest rates.
CREDIT RISKS
Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer will default on a security by
failing to pay interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund
will lose money.
Many fixed income securities receive credit ratings from services such as
Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Services, Inc. These services assign
ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. Lower
credit ratings correspond to higher credit risk. If a security has not received
a rating, the Fund must rely entirely upon the Adviser's credit assessment.
Fixed income securities generally compensate for greater credit risk by paying
interest at a higher rate. The difference between the yield of a security and
the yield of a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity (the spread)
measures the additional interest paid for risk. Spreads may increase generally
in response to adverse economic or market conditions. A security's spread may
also increase if the security's rating is lowered, or the security is perceived
to have an increased credit risk. An increase in the spread will cause the price
of the security to decline.
Credit risk includes the possibility that a party to a transaction involving the
Fund will fail to meet its obligations. This could cause the Fund to lose the
benefit of the transaction or prevent the Fund from selling or buying other
securities to implement its investment strategy.
CALL RISKS
Call risk is the possibility that an issuer may redeem a fixed income security
before maturity (a call) at a price below its current market price. An increase
in the likelihood of a call may reduce the security's price.
If a fixed income security is called, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds
in other fixed income securities with lower interest rates, higher credit risks,
or other less favorable characteristics.
PREPAYMENT RISKS
Generally, homeowners have the option to prepay their mortgages at any time
without penalty. Homeowners frequently refinance high interest rate mortgages
when mortgage rates fall. This results in the prepayment of mortgage backed
securities with higher interest rates. Conversely, prepayments due to
refinancings decrease when mortgage rates increase. This extends the life of
mortgage backed securities with lower interest rates. Other economic factors can
also lead to increases or decreases in prepayments. Increases in prepayments of
high interest rate mortgage backed securities, or decreases in prepayments of
lower interest rate mortgage backed securities, may reduce their yield and
price. These factors, particularly the relationship between interest rates and
mortgage prepayments makes the price of mortgage backed securities more volatile
than many other types of fixed income securities with comparable credit risks.
Mortgage backed securities generally compensate for greater prepayment risk by
paying a higher yield. The difference between the yield of a mortgage backed
security and the yield of a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity
(the spread) measures the additional interest paid for risk. Spreads may
increase generally in response to adverse economic or market conditions. A
security's spread may also increase if the security is perceived to have an
increased prepayment risk or perceived to have less market demand. An increase
in the spread will cause the price of the security to decline.
The Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds of mortgage prepayments in other
fixed income securities with lower interest rates, higher prepayment risks, or
other less favorable characteristics.
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NONINVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES
The convertible securities in which the Equity Funds may invest may be rated
below investment grade. Convertible securities rated below investment grade may
be subject to the same risks as those inherent in corporate debt obligations
that are rated below investment grade, also known as junk bonds. Junk bonds
generally entail greater market, credit and liquidity risks than investment
grade securities. For example, their prices are more volatile, economic
downturns and financial setbacks may affect their prices more negatively, and
their trading market may be more limited.
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLEX CMOS
CMOs with complex or highly variable prepayment terms, such as companion
classes, IOs, POs, Inverse Floaters and residuals, generally entail greater
market, prepayment and liquidity risks than other mortgage backed securities.
For example, their prices are more volatile and their trading market may be more
limited.
TAX RISKS
In order to be tax-exempt, municipal securities must meet certain legal
requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received
and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable.
Changes or proposed changes in federal tax laws may cause the prices of
municipal securities to fall.
NEW YORK INVESTMENT RISKS
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund invest in
obligations of New York (the "State") issuers which result in the each Fund's
performance being subject to risks associated with the overall conditions
present within the State. The following information is a general summary of the
State's financial condition and a brief summary of the prevailing economic
conditions. This information is based on various sources that are believed to be
reliable but should not be considered as a complete description of all relevant
information.
The State has achieved fiscal balance for the last few years after large
deficits in the middle and late 1980's. Growing social service needs, education
and Medicare expenditures have been the areas of largest growth while prudent
program cuts and increases in revenues through service fees has enabled the
State's budget to remain within balance for the last few years. The State also
benefits from a high level of per capita income that is well above the national
average and from significant amounts of international trade. While the State
still has a large accumulated deficit as a percentage of its overall budget, the
fiscal performance in recent years has demonstrated a changed political
environment that has resulted in realistic revenue and expenditure projections
to achieve financially favorable results. The recent budgets have included
personal income tax cuts and emphasized cost control. Budgets in recent years
have been delayed due to disagreements between the Governor and the New York
State legislature.
New York's economy is large and diverse. While several upstate counties benefit
from agriculture, manufacturing and high technology industries, New York City
nonetheless still dominates the State's economy through its international
importance in economic sectors such as advertising, finance, and banking. The
State's economy has been slow to recover after the late 1980's recession that
resulted in the loss of over 400,000 jobs in the New York City metropolitan area
alone. Any major changes to the financial condition of New York City would
ultimately have an effect on the State.
Obligations of issuers within the State are subject to the provisions of
bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights of and remedies of
creditors. In addition, the obligations of such issuers may become subject to
laws enacted in the future by the U.S. Congress, state legislators, or referenda
extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other
constraints upon enforcement of such obligations, or upon the ability of the
State or its political subdivisions to levy taxes. There is also the possibility
that, as a result of litigation or other conditions (including delays in
adopting budgets), the power or ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the
principal of and interest on its municipal securities may be materially
affected.
A substantial principal amount of bonds issued by various State agencies and
authorities are either guaranteed by the State or supported by the State through
lease-purchase arrangements, or other contractual or moral obligation
provisions. Moral obligation commitments by the State impose no immediate
financial obligations on the State and require appropriations by the legislature
before any payments can be made. Failure of the State to appropriate necessary
amounts or to take other action to permit the authorities and agencies to meet
their obligations could result in defaults on such obligations. If a default
were to occur, it would likely have a significant adverse impact on the market
price of obligations of the State and its authorities and agencies. In recent
years, the State has had to appropriate large amounts of funds to enable State
agencies to meet their financial obligations and, in some cases, prevent
default. Additional assistance is expected to be required in current and future
fiscal years since certain localities and authorities continue to experience
financial difficulties.
To the extent State agencies and local governments require State assistance to
meet their financial obligations, the ability of the State of New York to meet
its own obligations as they become due or to obtain additional financing could
be adversely affected. This financial situation could result not only in
defaults of State and agency obligations but also impairment of the
marketability of securities issued by the State, its agencies and local
governments.
The current ratings on New York State general obligation debt are A2 by Moody's
and A by S&P.
The Funds' concentration in municipal securities issued by the State and its
political subdivisions provides a greater level of risk than a fund which is
diversified across numerous states and municipal entities. The ability of the
State or its municipalities to meet their obligations will depend on the
availability of tax and other revenues; economic, political, and demographic
conditions within the State; and the underlying fiscal condition of the State,
its counties, and its municipalities.
<PAGE>
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES
The Treasury Money Market Fund and Money Market Fund's investment objective is
to seek current income with liquidity and stability of principal.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund's investment objective is to seek a high level
of current interest income that is exempt from federal regular income tax as is
consistent with liquidity and relative stability of principal.
The U.S. Government Securities Fund's investment objective is to provide current
income. Capital appreciation is a secondary, non-fundamental investment
consideration.
The NY Municipal Income Fund's investment objective is to provide current income
which is exempt from federal regular income tax and the personal income taxes
imposed by the State of New York and New York municipalities and is consistent
with preservation of capital.
The Vision Large Cap Value Fund's investment objective is to provide capital
appreciation. Capital appreciation is a secondary, non-fundamental investment
consideration.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund's investment objective is to provide total return.
Unless otherwise stated above, all of the investment objectives listed above are
fundamental. The investment objective may not be changed by the Funds' Directors
without shareholder approval.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
SELLING SHORT AND BUYING ON MARGIN (NOT APPLICABLE TO MID CAP STOCK FUND)
The Income Funds and Equity Funds will not sell any securities short nor
purchase any securities on margin, except as described below and other than in
connection with buying financial futures contracts, put options on financial
futures, put options on portfolio securities, and writing covered call options,
but may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for clearance of
purchases and sales of securities.
The deposit or payment by the Income and Equity Funds of initial or variation
margin in connection with financial futures contracts or related options
transactions is not considered the purchase of a security on margin.
No Income Fund or Equity Fund will sell securities short unless the Fund (1)
owns, or has a right to acquire, an equal amount of such securities, or (2) has
segregated an amount of its other assets equal to the lesser of the market value
of the securities sold short or the amount required to acquire such securities.
The segregated amount will not exceed 25% of the respective Fund's net assets.
While in a short position, each Fund will retain the securities, rights, or
segregated assets.
Each Income Fund and Equity Fund may purchase and dispose of U.S.
government securities and CMOs before they are issued and may also purchase and
dispose of them on a delayed delivery basis.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not sell any
securities short or purchase any securities on margin, or participate on a joint
or joint and several basis in any securities trading account.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not sell any securities short or purchase
any securities on margin but may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for clearance of transactions.
ISSUING SENIOR SECURITIES AND BORROWING MONEY
The Income Funds and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not issue
senior securities except that these Funds may borrow money and engage in reverse
repurchase agreements in amounts up to one-third of the value of their net
assets, including the amounts borrowed. These Funds will not borrow money or
engage in reverse repurchase agreements for investment leverage, but rather as a
temporary, extraordinary, or emergency measure to facilitate management of the
portfolio by enabling the Funds to meet redemption requests when the liquidation
of portfolio securities is deemed to be inconvenient or disadvantageous. These
Funds will not purchase any securities while borrowings (including reverse
repurchase agreements) in excess of 5% of their respective total assets are
outstanding.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund may borrow funds for
temporary purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance
with the terms described in the prospectuses. The Money Market Fund and Treasury
Money Market Fund will not issue senior securities. Neither Fund anticipates
entering into reverse repurchase agreements in excess of 5% of its net assets.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not issue senior securities except that
the Fund may borrow money in amounts up to one-third of the value of its total
assets, including the amounts borrowed.
As an operating (non-fundamental) policy, the NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund does
not anticipate entering into reverse repurchase agreements in excess of 5% of
its net assets.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may borrow money, directly or indirectly, and issue
senior securities, to the maximum extent permitted under the 1940 Act, any rule
or order thereunder, or any SEC staff interpretation thereof.
PLEDGING ASSETS
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not mortgage,
pledge, or hypothecate any assets except to secure permitted borrowings. In
those cases, the Funds may mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate assets having a
market value not exceeding the lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 15% of
the value of total assets at the time of the borrowing. For purposes of this
limitation, the following are not deemed to be pledges: margin deposits for the
purchase and sale of futures contracts and related options and segregation or
collateral arrangements made in connection with options activities or the
purchase of securities on a when-issued basis.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not mortgage, pledge,
or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and in
amounts not in excess of the lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 10% of the
value of the Fund's total assets at the time of its borrowing.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate any
assets, except in connection with any such borrowing.
UNDERWRITING
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) and the NY Tax-Free
Money Market Fund will not underwrite any issue of securities except as they may
be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection
with the sale of securities in accordance with their investment objectives,
policies, and limitations.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not engage in
underwriting securities issued by others.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may not underwrite the securities of other issuers,
except that the Fund may engage in transactions involving the acquisition,
disposition or resale of its portfolio securities, under circumstances where it
may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933.
INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not purchase or
sell real estate including limited partnership interests although they may
invest in securities of companies whose business involves the purchase or sale
of real estate or in securities which are secured by real estate or interests in
real estate.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest in real
estate, oil, gas, or mineral exploration or development programs, except that it
may purchase marketable securities of companies engaged in such activities.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not purchase or sell real estate although
it may invest in securities of issuers whose business involves the purchase or
sale of real estate or in securities which are secured by real estate or
interests in real estate.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may not purchase or sell real estate, provided that this
restriction does not prevent the Mid Cap Stock Fund from investing in issuers
which invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or
interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or
interests therein. The Mid Cap Stock Fund may exercise its rights under
agreements relating to such securities, including the right to enforce security
interests and hold real estate acquired by reason of such enforcement until that
real estate can be liquidated in an orderly manner.
LENDING CASH OR SECURITIES
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not lend any of
their assets except portfolio securities, the market value of which does not
exceed one-third of the value of the Funds' respective total assets. This shall
not prevent the Funds from purchasing or holding U.S. government obligations,
money market instruments, variable rate demand notes, bonds, debentures, notes,
certificates of indebtedness, or other debt securities, entering into repurchase
agreements, or engaging in other transactions where permitted by the Funds'
respective investment objectives, policies, and limitations.
<PAGE>
The Money Market Funds will not make loans, except that each Fund may purchase
or hold debt instruments, including repurchase agreements, in accordance with
its investment objective and policies.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may not make loans, provided that this restriction does
not prevent the Mid Cap Stock Fund from purchasing debt obligations, entering
into repurchase agreements, lending its assets to broker/dealers or
institutional investors and investing in loans, including assignments and
participation interests.
INVESTING IN COMMODITIES
Except for Mid Cap Stock Fund, the Funds will not purchase or sell commodities,
commodity contracts, or commodity futures contracts except that the Funds may
purchase and sell futures contracts and related options.
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest in
commodities, commodity contracts (including futures contracts) except that it
may purchase marketable securities of companies engaged in such activities.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not invest in commodities, commodity
contracts or commodity futures contracts.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities, provided
that the Mid Cap Stock Fund may purchase securities of companies that deal in
commodities. For purposes of this restriction, investments in transaction
involving futures contracts and options, forward currency contracts, swap
transactions and other financial contracts that settle by payment of cash are
not deemed to be investments in commodities.
CONCENTRATION OF INVESTMENTS
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not invest 25%
or more of the value of their total assets in any one industry, except that the
Government Fund, and Large Cap Value Fund, , for temporary defensive purposes,
the NY Municipal Income Fund may invest 25% or more of the value of its total
assets in cash or cash items (including instruments issued by a U.S. branch of a
domestic bank or savings and loan association and bankers' acceptances),
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or
instrumentalities, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities.
In addition, the NY Municipal Income Fund may invest more than 25% of the value
of its total assets in obligations issued by any state, territory, or possession
of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities,
agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions.
The Money Market Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total
assets in issuers in the same industry.
With respect to the Money Market Fund, utilities will be divided according to
their services; for example, gas, gas transmissions, electric and gas, electric,
and telephone will each be considered a separate industry. Wholly-owned finance
companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their
activities are primarily related to the financing activities of their parents.
The Money Market Fund may invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets
in obligations issued by any state, territory, or possession of the United
States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies,
instrumentalities or political subdivisions, in cash or cash items (including
instruments issued by a U.S. branch of a domestic bank or savings and loan
association and bankers' acceptances), securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or instruments secured by
these money market instruments (i.e., repurchase agreements).
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of
its total assets in issuers of the same industry, except that it may invest more
than 25% of the value of its total assets in obligations issued by any state,
territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any
of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, in
cash or cash items (including instruments issued by a U.S. branch of a domestic
bank or savings association and bankers' acceptances), securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
instruments secured by these money market instruments (i.e., repurchase
agreements), or in securities of other investment companies.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund will not make investments that will result in the
concentration of its investments in the securities of issuers primarily engaged
in the same industry. For purposes of this restriction, the term concentration
has the meaning set forth in the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or any
SEC staff interpretation thereof. Government securities and municipal securities
will not be deemed to constitute an industry.
<PAGE>
DIVERSIFICATION OF INVESTMENTS
With respect to securities comprising 75% of the value of its total assets, the
Income and Equity Funds (other than the NY Municipal Income Fund) will not
purchase securities issued by any one issuer (other than cash, cash items,
securities of other investment companies (in the case of Mid Cap Stock Fund),
securities issued or guaranteed by the government of the United States or its
agencies or instrumentalities and repurchase agreements collateralized by such
securities) if as a result more than 5% of the value of its total assets would
be invested in the securities of that issuer. Also, the Funds will not acquire
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer.
The Money Market Fund will not purchase securities issued by any one issuer
(other than cash, cash items, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and repurchase agreements
collateralized by such securities) if as a result more than 5% of the value of
its total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, except that
up to 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested without regard
to this 5% limitation.
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not purchase securities issued by any one
issuer (other than cash, cash items, or securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, repurchase agreements
collateralized by such securities, and securities of other investment companies)
if as a result more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested
in the securities of that issuer, except that up to 25% of the value of the
Fund's total assets may be invested without regard to this 5% limitation.
INVESTING IN EXEMPT-INTEREST OBLIGATIONS
The NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not invest
less than 80% of their net assets in securities the interest on which is exempt
from federal regular income tax, except during temporary defensive periods. AMT
obligations are not counted as securities the interest on which is exempt from
federal regular income tax.
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest in
securities issued by any other investment company, except as part of a merger,
consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets.
INVESTING IN RESTRICTED SECURITIES
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest in
securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
INVESTING IN ISSUERS WHOSE SECURITIES ARE OWNED BY OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
OF THE CORPORATION
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not purchase or retain
the securities of any issuer if the officers or Directors of the Corporation or
the Funds' investment adviser owning beneficially more than one-half of 1% of
the issuer's securities together own beneficially more than 5% of such
securities.
DEALING IN PUTS AND CALLS
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not write or purchase
put or call options.
INVESTING IN NEW ISSUERS
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest more than
10% of the value of its total assets in the securities of issuers which have
records of less than three years of continuous operation, including the
operation of any predecessor.
VOTING SECURITIES AND REVENUE BONDS
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not buy common stocks
or voting securities of state, municipal or industrial revenue bond issuers.
PURCHASING SECURITIES TO EXERCISE CONTROL
The Money Market Fund and Treasury Money Market Fund will not invest in any
issuer for purposes of exercising control or management.
THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS CANNOT BE CHANGED UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS (BOARD) AND BY THE "VOTE OF A MAJORITY OF ITS OUTSTANDING VOTING
SECURITIES," AS DEFINED BY THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. THE FOLLOWING
LIMITATIONS, HOWEVER, MAY BE CHANGED BY THE BOARD WITHOUT SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL.
SHAREHOLDERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BEFORE ANY MATERIAL CHANGE IN THESE LIMITATIONS
BECOMES EFFECTIVE.
<PAGE>
INVESTING IN RESTRICTED AND ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Income and Equity Funds (other than Mid Cap Stock Fund) will not invest more
than 15% of the value of their respective net assets in illiquid securities
including certain restricted securities not determined to be liquid under
criteria established by the Directors non-negotiable time deposits and
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice.
The Mid Cap Stock Fund will not purchase securities for which there is no
readily available market, or enter into repurchase agreements or purchase time
deposits maturing in more than seven days, if immediately after and as a result,
the value of such securities would exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund's
net assets.
Each Money Market Fund will not invest more than 10% of the value of its net
assets in illiquid securities, including repurchase agreements providing for
settlement in more than seven days after notice, and restricted securities that
have not been determined to be liquid under criteria established by the
Corporation's Directors.
DEALING IN PUTS AND CALLS
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not write or purchase put or call
options.
PURCHASING SECURITIES TO EXERCISE CONTROL
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not invest in any issuer for purposes of
exercising control or management.
BORROWING MONEY
The NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not borrow money for investment leverage,
but rather as a temporary, extraordinary, or emergency measure or to facilitate
management of the portfolio by enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests
when the liquidation of portfolio assets is deemed to be inconvenient or
disadvantageous. The Fund will not purchase any securities while borrowings in
excess of 5% of the value of its total assets are outstanding.
Except with respect to borrowing money, if a percentage limitation is adhered to
at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting
from any change in value or net assets will not result in a violation of such
restriction. None of the Funds has any present intent to borrow money in excess
of 5% of the value of its net assets during the coming fiscal year.
For purposes of its policies and limitations, the Funds consider certificates of
deposit and demand and time deposits issued by a U.S. branch of a domestic bank
or savings and loan having capital, surplus, and undivided profits in excess of
$100,000,000 at the time of investment to be "cash items."
For purposes of the Funds' concentration policy, the Adviser may classify
issuers by industry based on classifications that distinguish between various
economic characteristics. For instance, the telecommunications industry may be
separated into cable companies, cellular companies and other types of
telecommunications companies, and be regulated or unregulated companies.
INVESTING IN SECURITIES OF OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Mid Cap Stock Fund may invest its assets in securities of other investment
companies as an efficient means of carrying out its investment policies. It
should be noted that investment companies incur certain expenses, such as
management fees, and, therefore, any investment by the Fund in shares of other
investment companies may be subject to such duplicate expenses. The Mid Cap
Stock Fund may invest in the securities of affiliated money market funds as an
efficient means of managing the Fund's uninvested cash.
PURCHASING SECURITIES ON MARGIN
The Mid Cap Stock Fund will not purchase on margin, provided that the Fund may
obtain short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of
securities, and further provided that the Fund may make margin deposits in
connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot
currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or
derivative instruments.
PLEDGING ASSETS
The Mid Cap Stock Fund will not mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate any of its
assets, provided that this shall not apply to the transfer of securities in
connection with any permissible borrowing or to collateral arrangements in
connection with permissible activities.
<PAGE>
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
The Money Market Funds may follow non-fundamental operational policies that are
more restrictive than their fundamental investment limitations, as set forth in
the prospectus and this statement of additional information, in order to comply
with applicable laws and regulations, including the provisions of and
regulations under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In particular, the Money
Market Funds will comply with the various requirements of Rule 2a-7 (the Rule),
which regulates money market mutual funds. The Money Market Funds will determine
the effective maturity of their investments according to the Rule. The Money
Market Funds may change these operational policies to reflect changes in the
laws and regulations without the approval of their shareholders.
DETERMINING MARKET VALUE OF SECURITIES
MONEY MARKET FUNDS
The Trustees have decided that the best method for determining the value of
portfolio instruments is amortized cost. Under this method, portfolio
instruments are valued at the acquisition cost as adjusted for amortization of
premium or accumulation of discount rather than at current market value.
Accordingly, neither the amount of daily income nor the net asset value is
affected by any unrealized appreciation or depreciation of the portfolio. In
periods of declining interest rates, the indicated daily yield on shares of the
Fund computed by dividing the annualized daily income on the Fund's portfolio by
the net asset value computed as above may tend to be higher than a similar
computation made by using a method of valuation based upon market prices and
estimates. In periods of rising interest rates, the opposite may be true.
The Fund's use of the amortized cost method of valuing portfolio instruments
depends on its compliance with certain conditions in Rule 2a-7 (the "Rule")
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment
Company Act of 1940. Under the Rule, the Trustees must establish procedures
reasonably designed to stabilize the net asset value per share, as computed for
purposes of distribution and redemption, at $1.00 per share, taking into account
current market conditions and the Fund's investment objective. The procedures
include monitoring the relationship between the amortized cost value per share
and the net asset value per share based upon available indications of market
value. The Trustees will decide what, if any, steps should be taken if there is
a difference of more than 0.5 of 1% between the two values. The Trustees will
take any steps they consider appropriate (such as redemption in kind or
shortening the average portfolio maturity) to minimize any material dilution or
other unfair results arising from differences between the two methods of
determining net asset value.
INCOME AND EQUITY FUNDS
Market values of the Income and Equity Funds' portfolio securities are
determined as follows:
P. for equity securities, according to the last sale price in the market in
which they are primarily traded (either a national securities exchange or the
over-the-counter market), if available;
P. in the absence of recorded sales for equity securities, according to the
mean between the last closing bid and asked prices;
P. for bonds and other fixed income securities, at the last sale price on a
national securities exchange, if available, otherwise, as determined by an
independent pricing service;
| futures contracts and options are valued at market values established by the
exchanges on which they are traded at the close of trading on such exchanges.
Options traded in the over-the-counter market are valued according to the
mean between the last bid and the last asked price for the option as provided
by an investment dealer or other financial institution that deals in the
option. The Board may determine in good faith that another method of valuing
such investments is necessary to appraise their fair market value;
P. for short-term obligations, according to the mean between bid and asked
prices as furnished by an independent pricing service, except that short-term
obligations with remaining maturities of less than 60 days at the time of
purchase may be valued at amortized cost or at fair market value as
determined in good faith by the Board; and
P. for all other securities at fair value as determined in good faith by the
Board.
Prices provided by independent pricing services may be determined without
relying exclusively on quoted prices and may consider institutional trading in
similar groups of securities, yield, quality, stability, risk, coupon rate,
maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data or
factors. From time to time, when prices cannot be obtained from an independent
pricing service, securities may be valued based on quotes from broker-dealers or
other financial in
<PAGE>
TRADING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES
Trading in foreign securities may be completed at times which vary from the
closing of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In computing its NAV, the Fund
values foreign securities at the latest closing price on the exchange on which
they are traded immediately prior to the closing of the NYSE. Certain foreign
currency exchange rates may also be determined at the latest rate prior to the
closing of the NYSE. Foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are
translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. Occasionally, events that affect
these values and exchange rates may occur between the times at which they are
determined and the closing of the NYSE. If such events materially affect the
value of portfolio securities, these securities may be valued at their fair
value as determined in good faith by the Funds' Board, although the actual
calculation may be done by others.
WHAT DO SHARES COST?
Each Equity and Income Fund's net asset value (NAV) per Share fluctuates and is
based on the market value of all securities and other assets of the Fund.
The NAV for each class of Shares may differ due to the variance in daily net
income realized by each class. Such variance will reflect only accrued net
income to which the shareholders of a particular class are entitled.
REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE FRONT-END SALES CHARGE-CLASS A SHARES You can reduce
or eliminate the applicable front-end sales charge, as follows:
QUANTITY DISCOUNTS
Larger purchases of the same Share class reduce the sales charge you pay. You
can combine purchases of Shares made on the same day by you, your spouse and
your children under age 21. In addition, purchases made at one time by a trustee
or fiduciary for a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account can be
combined.
ACCUMULATED PURCHASES
If you make an additional purchase of Shares, you can count previous Share
purchases still invested in the Fund in calculating the applicable sales charge
on the additional purchase.
CONCURRENT PURCHASES
You can combine concurrent purchases of the same share class of two or more
Vision Funds in calculating the applicable sales charge.
LETTER OF INTENT
You can sign a Letter of Intent committing to purchase a certain amount of the
same class of Shares within a 13-month period to combine such purchases in
calculating the sales charge. The Funds' custodian will hold Shares in escrow
equal to the maximum applicable sales charge. If you complete the Letter of
Intent, the Custodian will release the Shares in escrow to your account. If you
do not fulfill the Letter of Intent, the Custodian will redeem the appropriate
amount from the Shares held in escrow to pay the sales charges that were not
applied to your purchases.
REINVESTMENT PRIVILEGE
You may reinvest, within 90 days, your Share redemption proceeds at the next
determined NAV without any sales charge.
PURCHASES BY AFFILIATES OF THE FUNDS
The following individuals and their immediate family members may buy Shares
at NAV without any sales charge because there are nominal sales efforts
associated with their purchases:
| current and retired employees and directors of M&T Bank, M&T Bank
Corporation and their subsidiaries;
| current and former Directors of the Corporation;
| clients of the M&T Capital Advisers and Trust Groups of M&T Bank;
| employees (including registered representatives) of a dealer which has a
selling group agreement with the Funds' distributor and consents to such
purchases;
| current and retired employees of any sub-adviser to the Vision Funds; and
| investors referred by any sub-adviser to the Vision Funds. Immediate
relatives include grandparents, parents, siblings, children, and
grandchildren of a qualified investor, and the spouse of any immediate
relative.
<PAGE>
PURCHASES WITH PROCEEDS FROM REDEMPTIONS OF MUTUAL FUND SHARES OR ANNUITIES
Investors may purchase Class A Shares of each of the Funds at net asset value,
without a sales charge, with the proceeds from either: (i) the redemption of
shares of a mutual fund which was sold with a sales charge or commission; or
(ii) fixed or variable rate annuities. The purchase must be made within 60 days
of the redemption, and M&T Bank's Mutual Fund Services must be notified by the
investor in writing, or by the investor's financial institution, at the time the
purchase is made, and must be presented satisfactory evidence of the redemption.
Redemptions of mutual fund shares that are subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge are not eligible to purchase Fund Shares under this method. The
distributor will uniformly and periodically offer to pay cash payments as
incentives to broker/dealers whose customers or clients purchase Shares of a
Fund under this "no-load" purchase provision. This payment will be made out of
the distributor's assets and not by the Corporation, the Funds or a Fund's
shareholders.
REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE-CLASS B SHARES
These reductions or eliminations are offered because: no sales commissions have
been advanced to the investment professional selling Shares; the shareholder has
already paid a Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC); or nominal sales efforts
are associated with the original purchase of Shares.
Upon notification to the Distributor or the Funds' transfer agent, no CDSC will
be imposed on redemptions:
| following the death or post-purchase disability, as defined in Section
72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, of the last surviving
shareholder;
| representing minimum required distributions from an Individual Retirement
Account or other retirement plan to a shareholder who has attained the age
of 70 1/2;
| of Shares that represent a reinvestment within 90 days of a previous
redemption;
| of Shares held by the Directors, employees, and sales representatives of
the Fund, the Adviser, the Distributor and their affiliates; employees of
any investment professional that sells Shares according to a sales
agreement with the Distributor; and the immediate family members of the
above persons;
| of Shares originally purchased through a bank trust department, a
registered investment adviser or retirement plans where the third party
administrator has entered into certain arrangements with the Distributor or
its affiliates, or any other investment professional, to the extent that no
payments were advanced for purchases made through these entities;
| which are involuntary redemptions processed by a Fund because the accounts
do not meet the minimum balance requirements; and
| which are qualifying redemptions of Class B Shares under a Systematic
Withdrawal Program.
HOW ARE THE FUNDS SOLD?
Under the Distributor's Contract with the Fund, the Distributor (Federated
Securities Corp.) offers Shares on a continuous, best-efforts basis.
FRONT-END SALES CHARGE REALLOWANCES
The Distributor receives a front-end sales charge on certain Share sales. The
Distributor generally pays up to 90% (and as much as 100%) of this charge to
investment professionals for sales and/or administrative services. Any payments
to investment professionals in excess of 90% of the front-end sales charge are
considered supplemental payments. The Distributor retains any portion not paid
to an investment professional.
RULE 12B-1 PLANS
As compensation type plans, the Rule 12b-1 Plans are designed to pay the
Distributor (who may then pay investment professionals such as banks (including
M&T Bank and its affiliates), broker/dealers, trust departments of banks, and
registered investment advisers) for marketing activities (such as advertising,
printing and distributing prospectuses, and providing incentives to investment
professionals) to promote sales of Shares so that overall Fund assets are
maintained or increased. This helps the Funds achieve economies of scale, reduce
per share expenses, and provide cash for orderly portfolio management and Share
redemptions. In addition, the Funds' service providers that receive asset-based
fees also benefit from stable or increasing Fund assets.
The Funds may compensate the Distributor more or less than its actual
marketing expenses. In no event will the Fund pay for any expenses of the
Distributor that exceed the maximum Rule 12b-1 Plan fee.
For some classes of Shares, the maximum Rule 12b-1 Plan fee that can be paid in
any one year may not be sufficient to cover the marketing-related expenses the
Distributor has incurred. Therefore, it may take the Distributor a number of
years to recoup these expenses.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds may pay M&T Bank for providing shareholder services and maintaining
shareholder accounts. M&T Bank may select others to perform these services for
their customers and may pay them fees.
SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS
Investment professionals may be paid fees out of the assets of the
Distributor (but not out of Fund assets) or Adviser. The Distributor may be
reimbursed by the Adviser or its affiliates.
Investment professionals receive such fees for providing distribution-related or
shareholder services such as sponsoring sales, providing sales literature,
conducting training seminars for employees, and engineering sales-related
computer software programs and systems. Also, investment professionals may be
paid cash or promotional incentives, such as reimbursement of certain expenses
relating to attendance at informational meetings about the Fund or other special
events at recreational-type facilities, or items of material value. These
payments will be based upon the amount of Shares the investment professional
sells or may sell and/or upon the type and nature of sales or marketing support
furnished by the investment professional.
EXCHANGING SECURITIES FOR SHARES
You may contact the Distributor to request a purchase of Shares in exchange for
securities you own. The Funds reserve the right to determine whether to accept
your securities and the minimum market value to accept. The Funds will value
your securities in the same manner as it values its assets. This exchange is
treated as a sale of your securities for federal tax purposes.
SUBACCOUNTING SERVICES
Certain investment professionals may wish to use the transfer agent's
subaccounting system to minimize their internal recordkeeping requirements. The
transfer agent may charge a fee based on the level of subaccounting services
rendered. Investment professionals holding Shares in a fiduciary, agency,
custodial, or similar capacity may charge or pass through subaccounting fees as
part of or in addition to normal trust or agency account fees. They may also
charge fees for other services that may be related to the ownership of Shares.
This information should, therefore, be read together with any agreement between
the customer and the investment professional about the services provided, the
fees charged for those services, and any restrictions and limitations imposed.
REDEMPTION IN KIND
Although each Fund intends to pay Share redemptions in cash, it reserves
the right, as described below, to pay the redemption price in whole or in part
by a distribution of a Fund's portfolio securities.
Because the Funds have elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, each Fund is obligated to pay Share redemptions to any one
shareholder in cash only up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets
represented by such Share class during any 90-day period.
Any Share redemption payment greater than this amount will also be in cash
unless the Funds' Board determines that payment should be in kind. In such a
case, the Fund will pay all or a portion of the remainder of the redemption in
portfolio securities, valued in the same way as the Fund determines its NAV. The
portfolio securities will be selected in a manner that the Funds' Board deems
fair and equitable and, to the extent available, such securities will be readily
marketable.
Redemption in kind is not as liquid as a cash redemption. If redemption is made
in kind, shareholders receiving the portfolio securities and selling them before
their maturity could receive less than the redemption value of the securities
and could incur certain transaction costs.
ACCOUNT AND SHARE INFORMATION
VOTING RIGHTS
Each Share of a Fund gives the shareholder one vote in Director elections and
other matters submitted to shareholders for vote.
All Shares of the Corporation have equal voting rights, except that in
matters affecting only a particular Fund or class, only Shares of that Fund or
class are entitled to vote.
Directors may be removed by the Board or by shareholders at a special meeting. A
special meeting of shareholders will be called by the Board upon the written
request of shareholders who own at least 10% of the Corporation's outstanding
shares of all series entitled to vote.
As of October 14, 1999, the following shareholders owned of record,
beneficially, or both, 5% or more of outstanding Shares:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
FUND SHAREHOLDER NAME SHARE CLASS PERCENTAGE OWNED
ADDRESS
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
Money Market Fund Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 21.69%
Buffalo, NY (#1660231560-8)
National Financial Services Co., A 10.01%
New York, NY
Manufacturers & Traders Bank,
Buffalo, NY (#19008-8) A 9.31%
Shaner Hotel Group LP, State S 10.24%
College, PA
Health Solutions Limited, S 7.81%
Albany, NY S 6.11%
Avion Management Corp., Albany,
NY
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
New York Tax-Free Money Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 49.57%
Market Fund Buffalo, NY (#1660231560-8)
Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 9.56%
Buffalo, NY (#19009-1)
National Financial Services Co., A 8.91%
New York, NY
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
U.S. Government Securities Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY A 18.08%
Fund (#19015-6)
Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 15.93%
Buffalo, NY (#136318492-1) A 15.51%
Krauss & Company, Buffalo, NY
A 15.36%
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY
(#11319-1) A 12.92%
Manufacturers & Traders Bank,
Buffalo NY (#19018-5)
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
New York Municipal Income Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY A 12.32%
Fund (#19016-9) A 8.92%
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY A 5.68%
(#11319-1)
Manufacturers & Traders Bank,
Buffalo, NY
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
Growth & Income Fund Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 35.79%
Buffalo, NY
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY A 7.68%
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
Capital Appreciation Fund Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 36.74%
Buffalo, NY (#136318492-1)
Manufacturers & Traders Bank, A 8.45%
Buffalo, NY (#27081-4) A
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY 7.68%
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
Large Cap Value Fund Krauss & Company, Buffalo, NY A 24.09%
Manufacturers & Traders Bank,
Buffalo, NY (#27081-4) A 16.30%
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY A 15.04%
(#27071-7) A 8.94%
Tice & Co., Buffalo, NY
(#27078-8) A 7.51%
Manufacturers & Traders Bank,
Buffalo, NY (#27082-7)
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
- ------------------------------ ---------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------------
</TABLE>
Shareholders owning 25% or more of outstanding Shares may be in control and be
able to affect the outcome of certain matters presented for a vote of
shareholders.
TAX INFORMATION
FEDERAL INCOME TAX
Each Fund intends to meet requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code applicable to regulated investment companies. If these requirements are not
met, it will not receive special tax treatment and will pay federal income tax.
Each Fund will be treated as a single, separate entity for federal income tax
purposes so that income earned and capital gains and losses realized by the
Corporation's other portfolios will be separate from those realized by the Fund.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
If a Fund purchases foreign securities, their investment income may be subject
to foreign withholding or other taxes that could reduce the return on these
securities. Tax treaties between the United States and foreign countries,
however, may reduce or eliminate the amount of foreign taxes to which the Fund
would be subject. The effective rate of foreign tax cannot be predicted since
the amount of Fund assets to be invested within various countries is uncertain.
However, the Funds intend to operate so as to qualify for treaty-reduced tax
rates when applicable.
Distributions from a Fund may be based on estimates of book income for the year.
Book income generally consists solely of the coupon income generated by the
portfolio, whereas tax-basis income includes gains or losses attributable to
currency fluctuation. Due to differences in the book and tax treatment of
fixed-income securities denominated in foreign currencies, it is difficult to
project currency effects on an interim basis. Therefore, to the extent that
currency fluctuations cannot be anticipated, a portion of distributions to
shareholders could later be designated as a return of capital, rather than
income, for income tax purposes, which may be of particular concern to simple
trusts.
If a Fund invests in the stock of certain foreign corporations, they may
constitute Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFIC), and the Fund may be
subject to Federal income taxes upon disposition of PFIC investments.
NEW YORK TAXES
Under existing New York laws, shareholders of the NY Municipal Income Fund and
NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund will not be subject to New York State or New York
City personal income taxes on dividends to the extent that such dividends
qualify as "exempt interest dividends" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
and represent interest income attributable to obligations of the State of New
York and its political subdivisions, as well as certain other obligations, the
interest on which is exempt from New York State and New York City personal
income taxes, such as, for example, certain obligations of the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. To the extent that distributions are derived from other income,
such distributions will be subject to New York State or New York City personal
income tax.
The NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund cannot predict in
advance the exact portion of their dividends that will be exempt from New York
State and New York City personal income taxes. However, the Funds will report to
shareholders at least annually what percentage of the dividends they actually
paid is exempt from such taxes.
Dividends paid by the NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund
are exempt from the New York City unincorporated business tax to the same extent
that they are exempt from the New York City personal income tax.
Dividends paid by the Fund are not excluded from net income in determining New
York State or New York City franchise taxes on corporations or financial
institutions.
Income from the NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund is
not necessarily free from taxes in states other than New York. Shareholders are
urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the status of their accounts
under state and local tax laws.
Dividends paid by the NY Municipal Income Fund and NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund
that are attributable to the net interest earned on some temporary and any
realized net short-term capital gains are taxed as ordinary income.
WHO MANAGES AND PROVIDES SERVICES TO THE FUNDS?
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board is responsible for managing the Corporation's business affairs and for
exercising all the Corporation's powers except those reserved for the
shareholders. Information about each Board member is provided below and includes
each person's: name, address, birthdate, present position(s) held with the
Corporation, principal occupations for the past five years and positions held
prior to the past five years, and total compensation received as a Director from
the Corporation for its most recent fiscal year. The Corporation is comprised of
seven funds and is the only investment company in the Fund Complex.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
NAME TOTAL
BIRTH DATE COMPENSATION
ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS FROM
POSITION WITH FOR PAST FIVE YEARS CORPORATION
CORPORATION
RANDALL I. BENDERSON President and Chief Operating Officer, $8,000
570 Delaware Avenue Benderson Development Company, Inc.
Buffalo, NY (construction).
Birth date: January 12,
1955
DIRECTOR
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
JOSEPH J. CASTIGLIA Director, New York State Electric & Gas $8,000
Roycroft Campus Corp.; Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.;
21 South Grove Street, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Western New York;
Suite 291 and Former President, Chief Executive Officer
East Aurora, NY 14052 and Vice Chairman, Pratt & Lambert United,
Birth date: July 20, Inc. (manufacturer of paints and chemical
1934 specialties).
DIRECTOR
- -------------------------
-------------------------------------------------- --------------
DANIEL R. GERNATT, JR. President and CFO of Gernatt Asphalt $7,500
Richardson & Taylor Products, Inc.; Executive Vice President, Dan Hollow Roads
Gernatt Gravel Products, Inc.; Vice Collins, NY President, Countryside Sand &
Gravel, Inc.
Birth date: July 14,
1940
DIRECTOR
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
GEORGE K. HAMBLETON, JR. President, Brand Name Sales, Inc. (catalog $8,000
670 Young Street showroom business); President, Hambleton &
Tonawanda, NY Carr, Inc. (catalog showroom business).
Birth date: February 8,
1933
DIRECTOR
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
EDWARD C. GONZALES Trustee or Director of other funds $0
Federated Investors distributed by Federated Securities Corp.;
Tower President, Executive Vice President and
Pittsburgh, PA Treasurer of other funds distributed by
Birth date: October 22, Federated Securities Corp.; Vice Chairman,
1930 Federated Investors, Inc.; Vice President,
Federated Investment Management Company,
PRESIDENT AND TREASURER Federated Investment Counseling, Federated
Global Investment Management Corp. and
Passport Research, Ltd.; Executive Vice
President and Director, Federated Securities
Corp.; Trustee, Federated Shareholder
Services Company.
----
- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- --------------
BETH S. BRODERICK Vice President & Client Services Officer, $0
Federated Investors Mutual Fund Services Division, Federated
Tower Services Company.
Pittsburgh, PA
Birth date: August 2,
1965
VICE PRESIDENT AND
ASSISTANT TREASURER
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
VICTOR R. SICLARI Senior Corporate Counsel and Vice President, $0
Federated Investors Federated Administrative Services; formerly
Tower Attorney, Morrison & Foerster (law firm).
Pittsburgh, PA
Birth date: November
17, 1961
SECRETARY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
</TABLE>
As of October 14, 1999 the Funds' Board and Officers as a group owned less than
1% of each Fund's outstanding Shares.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
The Adviser conducts investment research and makes investment decisions for the
Funds.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Corporation or any Fund shareholder for
any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any
security or for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions
involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless
disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its contract with the Corporation.
SUB-ADVISER
The Adviser has delegated daily management of the NY Tax-Free Money Market Fund
to the sub-adviser, Federated Investment Management Company. On June 21, 1999,
Federated Investment Counseling (FIC) transferred its Sub-Advisory Contract to
its affiliate, Federated Investment Management Company. FIC served as
sub-adviser since September 8, 1998.
For its services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, FIC receives an allocable
portion of the advisory fee the Adviser receives from the NY Tax-Free Money
Market Fund. The allocation is based on the amount of securities which FIC
manages for the Fund. This fee is paid by the Adviser out of the fees it
receives and is not a Fund expense. FIC is paid by the Adviser as follows:
SUB-ADVISORY FEE AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS OF THE FUND
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
0.20% on the first $100 million average daily net
assets;
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
0.18% on the next $100 million average daily net
assets; and
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
0.15% on average daily net assets over $200
million.
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
The Adviser has delegated daily management of the Mid Cap Stock Fund to the
sub-adviser, Independence Investment Associates, Inc. (IIA).
For its services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, IIA receives an allocable
portion of the advisory fee the Adviser receives from the Fund. The allocation
is based on the amount of securities which IIA manages for the Fund. This fee is
paid by the Adviser out of the fees it receives and is not a Fund expense. IIA
is paid by the Adviser as follows:
SUB-ADVISORY FEE AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS OF THE FUND
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
0.40% on assets up to $500 million
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
0.35% on assets in excess of $500 million
- --------------------- ----------------------------------------------
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
When selecting brokers and dealers to handle the purchase and sale of portfolio
instruments, the Adviser looks for prompt execution of the order at a favorable
price. The Adviser and sub-advisers will generally use those who are recognized
dealers in specific portfolio instruments, except when a better price and
execution of the order can be obtained elsewhere. The Adviser and sub-advisers
may select brokers and dealers based on whether they also offer research
services (as described below). In selecting among firms believed to meet these
criteria, the Adviser and sub-advisers may give consideration to those firms
which have sold or are selling Shares of the Fund and other funds distributed by
the Distributor and its affiliates. The Adviser and sub-advisers make decisions
on portfolio transactions and selects brokers and dealers subject to review by
the Funds' Board.
RESEARCH SERVICES
Research services may include advice as to the advisability of investing in
securities; security analysis and reports; economic studies; industry studies;
receipt of quotations for portfolio evaluations; and similar services. Research
services may be used by the Adviser or sub-advisers in advising other accounts.
To the extent that receipt of these services may replace services for which the
Adviser, the sub-advisers or their affiliates might otherwise have paid, it
would tend to reduce their expenses. The Adviser, the sub-advisers and their
affiliates exercise reasonable business judgment in selecting those brokers who
offer brokerage and research services to execute securities transactions. They
determine in good faith that commissions charged by such persons are reasonable
in relationship to the value of the brokerage and research services provided.
For the fiscal year ended, April 30, 1999 the Funds' Adviser directed brokerage
transactions to certain brokers due to research services they provided.
Aggregate total commissions with brokers that provided research were $827,078 on
transactions with an aggregate principal value of $482,088,676. These amounts
reflect the activity of Growth and Income Fund and Capital Appreciation Fund for
the period; both of these Funds merged into Mid Cap Stock Fund on October 15,
1999.
On April 30, 1999, the Funds owned securities of the following regular
broker/dealer: Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Company in the amount of
$40,000,000.
Investment decisions for the Funds are made independently from those of other
accounts managed by the Adviser. When the Funds and one or more of those
accounts invests in, or disposes of, the same security, available investments or
opportunities for sales will be allocated among the Fund and the account(s) in a
manner believed by the Adviser to be equitable. While the coordination and
ability to participate in volume transactions may benefit the Funds, it is
possible that this procedure could adversely impact the price paid or received
and/or the position obtained or disposed of by the Funds.
ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT
Federated Administrative Services (FAS) provides the Funds with certain
administrative personnel and services necessary to operate the Funds. Federated
Services Company (FSC) and its affiliate, Federated Shareholder Services Company
(FSSC), a registered transfer agent, provides the Funds with certain financial,
administrative, transfer agency and fund accounting services. FAS, FSC and FSSC
are indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Federated Investors, Inc. These
services are provided for an aggregate annual fee as specified below:
AVERAGE AGGREGATE DAILY NET
MAXIMUM FEE ASSETS OF THE VISION GROUP OF
FUNDS, INC.
0.140 of 1% on the first $1.4 billion
0.100 of 1% on the next $750 million
0.070 of 1% on assets in excess of $2.15
billion
Prior to December 1, 1997, FAS was paid an administrative fee by the Funds based
on the following schedule:
AVERAGE AGGREGATE DAILY NET
MAXIMUM ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ASSETS OF THE VISION GROUP OF
FUNDS, INC.
0.150 of 1% on the first $250 million
0.125of 1% on the next $250 million
0.100 of 1% on the next $250 million
0.075 of 1% on assets in excess of $750
million
The minimum administrative fee received during any year was $50,000 per Fund.
CUSTODIAN
State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, Massachusetts, is custodian for the
securities and cash of the Funds. Foreign instruments purchased by a Fund are
held by foreign banks participating in a network coordinated by State Street
Bank.
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The independent auditors for the Fund, Ernst & Young LLP, plans and performs its
audit so it may provide an opinion as to whether each Fund's financial
statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement.
FEES PAID BY THE FUNDS FOR SERVICES
Fee information is presented below for Growth and Income Fund and Capital
Appreciation Fund, which merged into Mid Cap Stock Fund on October 15, 1999.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------- --------------------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------
ADVISORY FEE PAID/ BROKERAGE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE PAID/
ADVISORY FEE WAIVED COMMISSIONS PAID ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WAIVED
---------------------------- ----------------------------
--------------------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------
FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED
APRIL 30, APRIL 30, APRIL 30,
--------------------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999 1998 1997 1999 1998 1997 1999 1998(D) 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------
TREASURY MONEY $2,915,63$2,304,815$2,296,16$0 $0 $0 $763,444 $543,332 $478,882
MARKET FUND $466,502 $379,597 $448,656 $0 $27,570 $11,635
- -------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MONEY MARKET FUND $4,118,74$3,158,235$2,862,55$0 $0 $0 $1,080,940$735,499 $598,092
$402,495 $336,623 $555,870 0 $0 $0
- -------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NY TAX-FREE MONEY $534,508 $389,766 $355,253 $0 $0 $0 $139,543 $91,198 $74,362
MARKET FUND $154,452 $218,264 $250,546 $0 $5,988 $2,303
$147,252(g)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------
U.S. GOVERNMENT $429,164 $378,409 $258,550 $0 $0 $0 $80,780 $64,007 $50,000
SECURITIES FUND $29,915 $45,997 $61,752 $0 $571 $11,168
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NY MUNICIPAL $336,546 $227,041 $279,035 $0 $0 $0 $63,594 $52,701 $50,000
INCOME FUND $93,773 $117,123 $115,657 $0 $6,213 $14,660
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GROWTH & INCOME $739,869 $968,660 $308,825($676,815 $259,177 $304,622 $138,723 $160,835 $90,371
FUND $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAPITAL $432,670 $453,674 $137,485($214,360 $113,127 $62,973(e)$67,260 $65,857 $41,371(e)
APPRECIATION FUND $0 $0 $63,215(b) $0 $2,685 $24,932
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LARGE CAP VALUE $290,500 $83,847(c)N/A $59,210 $46,309(fN/A $54,167 $21,621 N/A
FUND $0 $53,453(c)N/A $0 $8,630
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
(a) Prior to January 1, 1997, Harbor Capital Management served as the Fund's
sub-adviser. For the period from April 30, 1996 to December 31, 1996, Harbor
earned $297,904.
(b) For the period from July 3, 1996 (date of initial public investment) to
April, 30, 1997. (c) For the period from September 26, 1997 (date of initial
public investment) to April 30, 1998.
(d) Prior to December 1, 1997 FAS was paid on a different fee schedule for
administrative services. See "Administrator" above. The aggregate
administrative, transfer agency and fund accounting fees paid by the Funds
for the period from December 1, 1997 to April 30, 1998 under the new fee
structure were $301,148; $367,315; $47,088; $33,699; $23,384; $78,952;
$35,341 and $12,991, respectively. The fees paid by the Funds for the
period from May 1, 1997 to November 30, 1997 under the old fee structure
were $242,184; $368,544; $44,110; $30,378; $29,317; $90,371; $30,516; and
$8,630 (for the period from September 25, 1997 (date of initial public
investment) to November 30, 1997), respectively.
(e) For the period from July 3, 1996 (date of initial public investment) to
April 30, 1997. (f) For the period from September 26, 1997 (date of initial
public investment) to April 30, 1998.
(g) Amount paid in sub-advisory fees by the Adviser to Federated Investment
Counseling for the periods from September 8, 1998 to April 30, 1999.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------ -------------- --------------- ------------- ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
FEES PAID FOR TREASURY MONEY MARKET U.S. NY GROWTH CAPITAL LARGE
THE FISCAL YEAR MONEY MARKET FUND GOVERNMENT MUNICIPAL & APPRECIATION CAP
ENDED APRIL 30, FUND SECURITIES INCOME INCOME FUND VALUE
1999 FUND FUND FUND FUND
-------------- --------------- ------------- ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
------ ------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS A CLASS CLASS A CLASS A
A S A S A S A
- ------------------ ------ ------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
12b-1 Fees Paid $0 $55,740 $0 $35,601 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
- ------------------ ------ ------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
Shareholder $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $264,239$127,256 $0
Services Fees
Paid
- ------------------ ------ ------- ------- ------- ------ ------ ----------- ------- ------------ ---------
</TABLE>
HOW DO THE FUNDS MEASURE PERFORMANCE?
The Funds may advertise Share performance by using the Securities and Exchange
Commission's (SEC) standard method for calculating performance applicable to all
mutual funds. The SEC also permits this standard performance information to be
accompanied by non-standard performance information.
Share performance reflects the effect of non-recurring charges, such as maximum
sales charges, which, if excluded, would increase the total return and yield.
The performance of Shares depends upon such variables as: portfolio quality;
average portfolio maturity; type and value of portfolio securities; changes in
interest rates; changes or differences in a Fund's or any class of Shares'
expenses; and various other factors.
Share performance fluctuates on a daily basis largely because net earnings
fluctuate daily. Both net earnings and offering price per Share are factors in
the computation of yield and total return.
TOTAL RETURN
Total return represents the change (expressed as a percentage) in the value
of Shares over a specific period of time, and includes the investment of income
and capital gains distributions.
The average annual total return for Shares is the average compounded rate of
return for a given period that would equate a $1,000 initial investment to the
ending redeemable value of that investment. The ending redeemable value is
computed by multiplying the number of Shares owned at the end of the period by
the NAV per Share at the end of the period. The number of Shares owned at the
end of the period is based on the number of Shares purchased at the beginning of
the period with $1,000, less any applicable sales charge, adjusted over the
period by any additional Shares, assuming the annual reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions.
When Shares of a Fund are in existence for less than a year, the Fund may
advertise cumulative total return for that specific period of time, rather than
annualizing the total return.
YIELD
The yield of Shares of the Income and Equity Funds is calculated by dividing:
(i) the net investment income per Share earned by the Shares over a 30-day
period; by (ii) the maximum offering price per Share on the last day of the
period. This number is then annualized using semi-annual compounding. This means
that the amount of income generated during the 30-day period is assumed to be
generated each month over a 12-month period and is reinvested every six months.
The yield of Shares of the Money Market Funds is based upon the seven days
ending on the day of the calculation, called the "base period." This yield is
calculated by: determining the net change in the value of a hypothetical account
with a balance of one Share at the beginning of the base period, with the net
change excluding capital changes but including the value of any additional
Shares purchased with dividends earned from the original one Share and all
dividends declared on the original and any purchased Shares; dividing the net
change in the account's value by the value of the account at the beginning of
the base period to determine the base period return; and multiplying the base
period return by 365/7. The effective yield of the Money Market Funds is
calculated by compounding the unannualized base-period return by: adding one to
the base-period return, raising the sum to the 365/7th power; and subtracting
one from the result. The tax-equivalent yield of Shares of NY Tax-Free Money
Market Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund is calculated similarly to the yield,
but is adjusted to reflect the taxable yield that Shares would have had to earn
to equal the actual yield, assuming a specific tax rate. The yield, effective
yield and tax-equivalent yield do not necessarily reflect income actually earned
by Shares because of certain adjustments required by the SEC and, therefore, may
not correlate to the dividends or other distributions paid to shareholders.
To the extent investment professionals and broker/dealers charge fees in
connection with services provided in conjunction with an investment in Shares,
the Share performance is lower for shareholders paying those fees.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS AND YIELD*
<S> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------- --------------------------------- --------------------------------- ---------------
FOR THE FOLLOWING TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND MONEY MARKET FUND NY TAX-FREE
PERIODS ENDED MONEY MARKET
APRIL 30, 1999 FUND
- ------------------- --------------------------------- --------------------------------- ---------------
- -------------------
CLASS A CLASS S CLASS A CLASS S CLASS A
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
TOTAL RETURN
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
1 Year 4.54% N/A 4.76% N/A 2.75%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
5 Years 4.83% N/A 4.98% N/A 2.98%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
10 Year 4.96% N/A 5.14% N/A N/A
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
Since Inception N/A 3.77%(a) N/A 3.98%(a) 3.29%(a)
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
YEILD
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
7-day period 4.12% 3.87% 4.33% 4.08% 2.85%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
EFFECTIVE YIELD
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
7-day period 4.21% 3.95% 4.42% 4.16% 2.89%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
(a) June 8, 1998
* No performance is given for Large Cap Growth Fund and Mid Cap Stock Fund since
they did not offer their shares during the periods noted in the table.
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
FOR THE FOLLOWING U.S. NY MUNICIPAL GROWTH & CAPITAL LARGE CAP
PERIODS ENDED GOVERNMENT INCOME FUND INCOME FUND*** APPRECIATION VALUE FUND
APRIL 30, 1999 SECURITIES FUND FUND***
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
CLASS A CLASS A CLASS A CLASS A CLASS A**
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
TOTAL RETURN
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
1 Year 0.60% 1.59% (14.26%) (26.92%) 2.60%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
5 Years 5.89% 5.87% 13.14% N/A N/A
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
Since Inception 4.44%(a) 4.99%(a) 12.05%(b) 5.60%(c) 11.26%(d)
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
YIELD
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
30-day period 5.67% 3.83% 0.34% 0.00% 1.32%
- ------------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
</TABLE>
(a) September 22, 1993; (b) November 29, 1993; (c) July 2, 1996; (d) September
26, 1997.
** Performance is for Class A Shares only since Class B Shares were not offered
prior to the date of this prospectus.
*** Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund commenced operations on October 15, 1999, when it
acquired both Vision Growth and Income Fund and Vision Capital Appreciation Fund
(the "Acquired Funds") in a reorganization. In order to comply with comments
made by the staff of the SEC, the Mid Cap Stock Fund had to become an
"accounting survivor" of one of the Acquired Funds, despite the differences in
the investment objective, strategies, policies and expenses of the Acquired
Funds, and the fact that Mid Cap Stock Fund's sub-adviser never managed, or
provided any investment advice to, the Acquired Funds. Accordingly, the
financial and performance information presented for the Mid Cap Stock Fund in
reality reflects the historical operations of Vision Growth and Income Fund in
all periods prior to October 15, 1999. This past performance is not predictive
of future performance of the Mid Cap Stock Fund and should be evaluated in light
of the Fund's organization and the differences noted above.
TAX EQUIVALENCY TABLE
Set forth below is a sample of a tax-equivalency table that may be used in
advertising and sales literature. This table is for illustrative purposes only
and is not representative of past or future performance of the NY Tax-Free Money
Market Fund and NY Municipal Income Fund. The interest earned by the municipal
securities owned by the Funds generally remains free from federal regular income
tax and is often free from state and local taxes as well. However, some of the
Funds' income may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax and state
and/or local taxes. The tax-equivalent yield for the NY Tax-Free Money Market
Fund for the 7-day period ended April 30, 1999 was 4.37%. The tax-equivalent
yield for the NY Municipal Income Fund for the 30-day period ended April 30,
1999 was 5.88%.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TAXABLE YIELD EQUIVALENT FOR 1999 - STATE OF NEW YORK
TAX BRACKET:
FEDERAL 15.00% 28.00% 31.00% 36.00% 39.60%
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
COMBINED FEDERAL AND STATE 21.850% 34.850% 37.850% 42.850% 46.450%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joint Return $1-43,050 $43,051-104,05$104,051-158,550$158,551-283,150 Over
283,150
Single Return $1-25,750 $25,751-62,450$62,451-130,250 $130,251-283,150 Over
283,150
TAX EXEMPT YIELD: TAXABLE YIELD EQUIVALENT:
1.50% 1.92% 2.30% 2.41% 2.62% 2.80%
2.00% 2.56% 3.07% 3.22% 3.50% 3.73%
2.50% 3.20% 3.84% 4.02% 4.37% 4.67%
3.00% 3.84% 4.60% 4.83% 5.25% 5.60%
3.50% 4.48% 5.37% 5.63% 6.12% 6.54%
4.00% 5.12% 6.14% 6.44% 7.00% 7.47%
4.50% 5.76% 6.91% 7.24% 7.87% 8.40%
5.00% 6.40% 7.67% 8.05% 8.75% 9.34%
5.50% 7.04% 8.44% 8.85% 9.62% 10.27%
6.00% 7.68% 9.21% 9.65% 10.50% 11.20%
</TABLE>
NOTE: THE MAXIMUM MARGINAL TAX RATE FOR EACH BRACKET WAS USED IN CALCULATING THE
TAXABLE YIELD EQUIVALENT. FURTHERMORE, ADDITIONAL STATE AND LOCAL TAXES PAID ON
COMPARABLE TAXABLE INVESTMENTS WERE NOT USED TO INCREASE FEDERAL DEDUCTIONS.
PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS
Advertising and sales literature may include:
| references to ratings, rankings, and financial publications and/or
performance comparisons of Shares to certain indices;
| charts, graphs and illustrations using the Funds' returns, or returns in
general, that demonstrate investment concepts such as tax-deferred
compounding, dollar-cost averaging and systematic investment;
| discussions of economic, financial and political developments and their
impact on the securities market, including the portfolio manager's views on
how such developments could impact the Funds; and
| information about the mutual fund industry from sources such as the
Investment Company Institute.
The Funds may compare their performance, or performance for the types of
securities in which they invest, to a variety of other investments, including
federally insured bank products such as bank savings accounts, certificates of
deposit, and Treasury bills.
The Funds may quote information from reliable sources regarding individual
countries and regions, world stock exchanges, and economic and demographic
statistics.
You may use financial publications and/or indices to obtain a more complete view
of Share performance. When comparing performance, you should consider all
relevant factors such as the composition of the index used, prevailing market
conditions, portfolio compositions of other funds, and methods used to value
portfolio securities and compute offering price. The financial publications
and/or indices which the Funds use in advertising may include:
| LIPPER ANALYTICAL SERVICES, INC. ranks funds in various fund categories by
making comparative calculations using total return. Total return assumes
the reinvestment of all capital gains distributions and income dividends
and takes into account any change in net asset value over a specific period
of time. From time to time, the Government Fund and the NY Municipal Income
Fund will quote their Lipper rankings in the "General U.S. Government
Funds" and the "New York Municipal Bond Funds" categories, respectively, in
advertising and sales literature. (All Funds)
| DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE ("DJIA") represents share prices of selected
blue chip industrial corporations. The DJIA indicates daily changes in the
average price of stock of these corporations. Because it represents the top
corporations of America, the DJIA index is a leading economic indicator for
the stock market as a whole.
(Equity Funds)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS GOVERNMENT (LT) INDEX is an index composed of bonds issued
by the U.S. government or its agencies which have at least $1 million
outstanding in principal and which have maturities of ten years or longer.
Index figures are total return figures calculated monthly. (Government
Fund)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE TOTAL INDEX is comprised of
approximately 5,000 issues which include non-convertible bonds publicly
issued by the U.S. government or its agencies; corporate bonds guaranteed
by the U.S. government and quasi-federal corporations; and publicly issued,
fixed-rate, non-convertible domestic bonds of companies in industry, public
utilities, and finance. Tracked by Lehman Brothers, the index has an
average maturity of nine years. It calculates total returns for one month,
three months, twelve months, and ten year periods, and year-to-date.
(Government Fund)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS AGGREGATE BOND INDEX is a total return index measuring both
the capital price changes and income provided by the underlying universe of
securities, weighted by market value outstanding. The Aggregate Bond Index
is comprised of the Lehman Brothers Government Bond Index, Corporate Bond
Index, Mortgage-Backed Securities Index and the Yankee Bond Index. These
indices include: U.S. Treasury obligations, including bonds and notes; U.S.
agency obligations, including those of the Farm Credit System, including the
National Bank for Cooperatives and Banks for Cooperatives; foreign
obligations, U.S. investment-grade corporate debt and mortgage-backed
obligations. All corporate debt included in the Aggregate Bond Index has a
minimum rating of BBB by S&P or Fitch, or a minimum rating of Baa by
Moody's.
(Government Fund)
P. MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT INDex is an unmanaged index
comprised of approximately 4,821 issues which include corporate debt
obligations rated BBB or better and publicly issued, non-convertible
domestic debt of the U.S. government or any agency thereof. These quality
parameters are based on composites of ratings assigned by Standard and
Poor's Ratings Group and Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Only notes and
bonds with a minimum maturity of one year are included. (Government Fund)
P. AMEX MARKEt less than $10 million at the start and at the close of the
performance measurement period. Corporate instruments must be rated by S&P
or by Moody's as investment grade issues (i.e., BBB/Baa or better).
(Government Fund)
| MERRILL LYNCH DOMESTIC MASTER INDEX includes issues which must be in the
form of publicly placed, nonconvertible, coupon-bearing domestic debt and
must carry a term to maturity of at least one year. Par amounts outstanding
must be no less than $10 million at the start and at the close of the
performance measurement period. The Domestic Master Index is a broader index
than the Merrill Lynch Corporate and Government Index and includes, for
example, mortgage related securities. The mortgage market is divided by
agency, type of mortgage and coupon and the amount outstanding in each
agency/type/coupon subdivision must be no less than $200 million at the
start and at the close of the performance measurement period. Corporate
instruments must be rated by S&P or by Moody's as investment grade issues
(i.e., BBB/Baa or better). (Government Fund)
| SALOMON BROTHERS AAA-AA CORPORATE INDEX calculates total returns of
approximately 775 issues which include long-term, high grade domestic
corporate taxable bonds, rated AAA-AA with maturities of twelve years or
more and companies in industry, public utilities, and finance. (Government
Fund)
| SALOMON BROTHERS LONG-TERM HIGH GRADE CORPORATE BOND INDEX is an unmanaged
index of long-term high grade corporate bonds issued by U.S. corporations
with maturities ranging from 10 to 20 years. (Government Fund)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS INTERMEDIATE GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE BOND INDEX is an unmanaged
index comprised of all the bonds issued by the Lehman Brothers
Government/Corporate Bond Index with maturities between 1 and 9.99 years.
Total return is based on price appreciation/depreciation and income as a
percentage of the original investment.
Indices are rebalanced monthly by market capitalization. (Government Fund)
| THE SALOMON BROTHERS TOTAL RATE-OF-RETURN INDEX for mortgage pass-through
securities reflects the entire mortgage pass-through market and reflects
their special characteristics. The index represents data aggregated by
mortgage pool and coupon within a given sector. A market-weighted portfolio
is constructed considering all newly created pools and coupons. (Government
Fund)
| THE MERRILL LYNCH TAXABLE BOND INDICES include U.S. Treasury and agency
issues and were designed to keep pace with structural changes in the fixed
income market. The performance indicators capture all rating changes, new
issues, and any structural changes of the entire market. (Government Fund)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS GOVERNMENT INDEX is an unmanaged index comprised of all
publicly issued, non-convertible domestic debt of the U.S. government, or
any agency thereof, or any quasi-federal corporation and of corporate debt
guaranteed by the U.S. government. Only notes and bonds with a minimum
outstanding principal of $1 million and a minimum maturity of one year are
included. (Government Fund)
| STANDARD & POOR'S DAILY STOCK PRICE INDICES of 500 And 400 Common Stocks are
composite indices of common stocks in industry, transportation, and
financial and public utility companies that can be used to compare to the
total returns of funds whose portfolios are invested primarily in common
stocks. In addition, the Standard & Poor's indices assume reinvestment of
all dividends paid by stocks listed on its indices. Taxes due on any of
these distributions are not included, nor are brokerage or other fees
calculated in the Standard & Poor's figures. (Equity Funds)
| STANDARD & POOR'S MID CAP 400 INDEX is an unmanaged capitalization weighted
index that measures the performance of the mid-range of the U.S. stock
market. (Mid Cap Stock Fund)
| RUSSELL 1000 GROWTH INDEX consists of those Russell 1000 securities with a
greater-than-average growth orientation. Securities in this index tend to
exhibit higher price-to-book and price-earnings ratios, lower dividend
yields and higher forecasted growth values. (Mid Cap Stock Fund)
| RUSSELL 2000 SMALL STOCK INDEX is a broadly diversified index consisting of
approximately 2,000 small capitalization common stocks that can be used to
compare to the total returns of funds whose portfolios are invested
primarily in small capitalization common stocks. (Mid Cap Stock Fund)
| WILSHIRE 5000 EQUITY INDEX consists of nearly 5,000 common equity
securities, covering all stocks in the U.S. for which daily pricing is
available, and can be used to compare to the total returns of funds whose
portfolios are invested primarily in common stocks. (Mid Cap Stock Fund)
| CONSUMER PRICE INDEX is generally considered to be a measure of inflation.
(All Funds)
| NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE COMPOSITE INDEX is a market value weighted index
which relates all NYSE stocks to an aggregate market value as of December
31, 1965, adjusted for capitalization changes. (Equity Funds)
| VALUE LINE COMPOSITE INDEX consists of approximately 1,700 common equity
securities. It is based on a geometric average of relative price changes of
the component stocks and does not include income. (Equity Funds)
| NASDAQ OVER-THE-COUNTER COMPOSITE INDEX covers 4,500 stocks traded over the
counter. It represents many small company stocks but is heavily influenced
by about 100 of the largest NASDAQ stocks. It is a value-weighted index
calculated on price change only and does not include income. (Mid Cap Stock
Fund)
| LEHMAN BROTHERS NEW YORK TAX-EXEMPT INDEX is a total return performance
benchmark for the New York long-term, investment grade, tax-exempt bond
market. Returns and attributes for this index are calculated semi-monthly
using approximately 22,000 municipal bonds classified as general obligation
bonds (state and local), revenue bonds (excluding insured revenue bonds),
insured bonds (includes all bond insurers with Aaa/AAA ratings), and
prerefunded bonds. (NY Municipal Income Fund)
P. SALOMON 30-DAY TREASURY BILL INDEX is a weekly quote of the most
representative yields for selected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury
maturing in 30 days.
P. BANK RATE MONITOR NATIONAL INDEX, Miami Beach, Florida, is a financial
reporting service which publishes weekly average rates of 50 leading banks
and thrift institution money market deposit accounts. The rates published in
the index are an average of the personal account rates offered on the
Wednesday prior to the date of publication by ten of the largest banks and
thrifts in each of the five largest Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Account minimums range upward from $2,500 in each institution and
compounding methods vary. If more than one rate is offered, the lowest rate
is used. Rates are subject to change at any time specified by the
institution.
P. DONOGHUE'S MONEY FUND REPOrt publishes annualized yields of hundreds of
money market funds on a weekly basis and through itS MONEY MARKET INSIGht
publication reports monthly and year-to-date investment results for the same
money funds.
P. MORNINGSTAR, INC., an independent rating service, is the publisher of the
bi-weekly MUTUAL FUND VALUEs. MUTUAL FUND VALUes rates more than l,000
NASDAQ-listed mutual funds of all types, according to their risk-adjusted
returns. The maximum rating is five stars, and ratings are effective for
two weeks. (All Funds)
From time to time, the Money Market Funds will quote their Lipper rankings in
the "money market instrument funds" category in advertising and sales
literature. Investors may use such a reporting service in addition to the Funds'
prospectuses to obtain a more complete view of the Funds' performance before
investing. Of course, when comparing Fund performance to any reporting service,
factors such as composition of the reporting service and prevailing market
conditions should be considered in assessing the significance of such
comparisons.
Advertising and other promotional literature may include charts, graphs and
other illustrations using the Funds' returns, or returns in general, that
demonstrate basic investment concepts such as tax-deferred compounding,
dollar-cost averaging and systematic investment. In addition, a Fund can compare
its performance, or performance for the types of securities in which it invests,
to a variety of other investments, such as federally insured bank products,
including time deposits, bank savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and
Treasury bills, and to money market funds using the Lipper Analytical Services
money market instruments average. Unlike federally insured bank products, the
Shares of the Funds are not insured. Unlike money market funds, which attempt to
maintain a stable net asset value, the net asset value of the Income and Equity
Funds' Shares fluctuates. Advertisements may quote performance information which
does not reflect the effect of any applicable sales charges.
MUTUAL FUND MARKET
Thirty-seven percent of American households are pursuing their financial goals
through mutual funds. These investors, as well as businesses and institutions,
have entrusted over $5 trillion to the more than 7,300 funds available according
to the Investment Company Institute.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The Financial Statements for the Funds for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1999
are incorporated by reference to the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Vision
Group of Funds, Inc. dated April 30, 1999. Vision Mid Cap Stock Fund commenced
operations on October 15, 1999, when it acquired both Vision Growth and Income
Fund and Vision Capital Appreciation Fund (the "Acquired Funds") in a
reorganization. In order to comply with comments made by the staff of the SEC,
the Mid Cap Stock Fund had to become an "accounting survivor" of one of the
Acquired Funds, despite the differences in the investment objective, strategies,
policies and expenses of the Acquired Funds, and the fact that Mid Cap Stock
Fund's sub-adviser never managed, or provided any investment advice to, the
Acquired Funds. Accordingly, the financial and performance information presented
for the Mid Cap Stock Fund in reality reflects the historical operations of
Vision Growth and Income Fund in all periods prior to October 15, 1999. This
past performance is not predictive of future performance of the Mid Cap Stock
Fund and should be evaluated in light of the Fund's organization and the
differences noted above.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT RATINGS
STANDARD AND POOR'S
LONG-TERM DEBT RATING DEFINITIONS
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 in higher-rated categories.
BB--Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to
adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to
inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB
rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied BBB rating.
B--Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has the
capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse business,
financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or willingness to
pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also used for debt
subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BB or BB-
rating.
CCC--Debt rated CCC has a currently identifiable vulnerability to default, and
is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet
timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the event of adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the
capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating category is also
used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied
B or B rating.
CC--The rating CC typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior debt that
is assigned an actual or implied CCC debt rating.
C--The rating C typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior debt which
is assigned an actual or implied CCC debt rating. The C rating may be used to
cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but debt service
payments are continued.
COMMERCIAL PAPER (CP) RATINGS
An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of
timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days.
A-1--This highest category indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely
payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety
characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.
A-2--Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is
satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for
issues designated A-1.
SHORT-TERM MUNICIPAL OBLIGATION RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's (S&P) note rating reflects the liquidity concerns and market
access risks unique to notes.
SP-1--Very strong or strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues
determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be given a plus
sign (+) designation.
SP-2--Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.
VARIABLE RATE DEMAND NOTES (VRDNS) AND TENDER OPTION BONDS (TOBS) RATINGS
S&P assigns dual ratings to all long-term debt issues that have as part of their
provisions a variable rate demand feature. The first rating (long-term rating)
addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest when due, and
the second rating (short-term rating) describes the demand characteristics.
Several examples are AAA/A-1+, AA/A-1+, A/A-1. (The definitions for the
long-term and the short-term ratings are provided below.)
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
LONG-TERM BOND RATING DEFINITIONS
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
edged. 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 in Aaa securities.
A--Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are
to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which
suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
BAA--Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations,
(i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured). Interest payments
and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well.
BA--Bonds which are 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.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
P-1--Issuers rated Prime-1 (or related supporting institutions) have a superior
capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. Prime-1 repayment
capacity will normally be evidenced by the following characteristics: leading
market positions in well established industries, high rates of return on funds
employed, conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt
and ample asset protection, broad margins in earning coverage of fixed financial
charges and high internal cash generation, well-established access to a range of
financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
P-2--Issuers rated Prime-2 (or related supporting institutions) have a strong
capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally
be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above, but to a lesser degree.
Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject to
variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more
affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
SHORT-TERM MUNICIPAL OBLIGATION RATINGS
Moody's Investor Service, Inc. (Moody's) short-term ratings are designated
Moody's Investment Grade (MIG or VMIG). (See below.) The purpose of the MIG or
VMIG ratings is to provide investors with a simple system by which the relative
investment qualities of short-term obligations may be evaluated.
MIG1--This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong protection
by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad
based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG2--This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample
although not so large as in the preceding group.
VARIABLE RATE DEMAND NOTES (VRDNS) AND TENDER OPTION BONDS (TOBS) RATINGS
Short-term ratings on issues with demand features are differentiated by the use
of the VMIG symbol to reflect such characteristics as payment upon periodic
demand rather than fixed maturity dates and payment relying on external
liquidity. In this case, two ratings are usually assigned, (for example,
Aaa/VMIG-1); the first representing an evaluation of the degree of risk
associated with scheduled principal and interest payments, and the second
representing an evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the demand
feature. The VMIG rating can be assigned a 1 or 2 designation using the same
definitions described above for the MIG rating.
FITCH IBCA, INC./FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, L.P.
LONG-TERM DEBT RATING DEFINITIONS
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 imminent default in payment of interest or principal.
SHORT-TERM DEBT RATING DEFINITIONS
F-1+--Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1--Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance for timely payment, only slightly less in degree than issues rated
F-1+.
F-2--Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory degree
of assurance for timely payment, but the margin of safety is not as great as for
issues assigned F-1+ and F-1 ratings.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATING DEFINITIONS
FITCH-1--(Highest Grade) Commercial paper assigned this rating is regarded as
having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
FITCH-2--(Very Good Grade) Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of
timely payment only slightly less in degree than the strongest issues.
LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS
NR--Indicates that both the bonds and the obligor or credit enhancer are not
currently rated by S&P or Moody's with respect to short-term indebtedness.
However, management considers them to be of comparable quality to securities
rated A-1 or P-1.
NR(1)--The underlying issuer/obligor/guarantor has other outstanding debt rated
AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody's.
NR(2)--The underlying issuer/obligor/guarantor has other outstanding debt rated
AA by S&P or Aa by Moody's.
NR(3)--The underlying issuer/obligor/guarantor has other outstanding debt rated
A by S&P or Moody's.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Among the factors considered by Moody's in assigning bond, note and commercial
paper ratings are the following: (i) evaluation of the management of the issuer;
(ii) economic evaluation of the issuer's industry or industries and an appraisal
of speculative-type risks which may be inherent in certain areas; (iii)
evaluation of the issuer's products in relation to competition and customer
acceptance; (iv) liquidity; (v) amount and quality of long-term debt; (vi) trend
of earnings over a period of 10 years; (vii) financial strength of a parent
company and the relationships which exist with the issuer; and (viii)
recognition by management of obligations which may be present or may arise as a
result of public interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations.
Among the factors considered by S&P in assigning bond, note and commercial paper
ratings are the following: (i) trend of earnings and cash flow with allowances
made for unusual circumstances, (ii) stability of the issuer's industry, (iii)
the issuer's relative strength and position within the industry and (iv) the
reliability and quality of management.
<PAGE>
ADDRESSES
VISION TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares and Class S Shares
VISION MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares and Class S Shares
VISION NEW YORK TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares
VISION U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
Class A Shares
VISION NEW YORK MUNICIPAL INCOME FUND
Class A Shares
VISION LARGE CAP VALUE FUND
(formerly Vision Equity Income Fund)
Class A Shares and Class B Shares
VISION MID CAP STOCK FUND
Class A Shares and Class B Shares
DISTRIBUTOR
Federated Securities Corp.
Federated Investors Tower
1001 Liberty Tower
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
One M&T Plaza
Buffalo, NY 14203
SUB-ADVISER TO VISION NEW YORK TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
Federated Investment Management Company
Federated Investors Tower
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
SUB-ADVISER TO VISION MID CAP STOCK FUND
Independence Investment Associates, Inc.
53 State Street
Boston, MA 02109
CUSTODIAN
State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 8609
Boston, MA 02266-8609
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT
Federated Shareholder Services Company
P.O. Box 8600
Boston, MA 02266-8600
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Ernst & Young LLP
200 Clarendon Street
Boston, MA 02116-5072
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION.
Item 23.
(a) (i) Conformed copy of Amended Articles of Incorporation of
the Registrant; 21 (ii) Conformed copy of Articles
Supplementary; 8 (iii) Conformed copy of Articles
Supplementary dated May 29, 1996; 15
(iv) Conformed copy of Articles Supplementary dated April 20, 1998; 21
(v) Conformed Copy of Articles of Amendment effective June 1, 1999; 25
(vi) Conformed Copy of Articles Supplementary effective June 1, 1999; 25 (b) (i)
Copy of By-Laws of the Registrant; 11
(ii) Copy of Amendment No. 1 to Bylaws; 21
(c) (i) Copy of Specimen Certificate for Shares of Capital Stock of the
Registrant; 8
(ii) Copy of Specimen Certificate for Shares of Capital Stock of the Vision
Capital Appreciation Fund; 15
(d) (i) Conformed copy of Investment Advisory Contract of the Registrant; 9
(ii) Conformed copy of Sub-advisory Agreement for the Vision New York Tax-Free
Money Market Fund; 23
(iii) Conformed copy of Exhibit B to Investment Advisory Contract; 14
(iv) Conformed copy of Exhibit C to Investment Advisory Contract; 19
(v) Conformed copy of Investment Advisory Contract for the Vision New York
Tax-Free Money Market Fund including Exhibit A; 23
+ All Exhibits have been filed electronically.
8. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 11 on Form N-1A filed September 3, l993. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
9. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 13 on Form N-1A filed December 27, 1993 (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
11. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 19 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1994. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
14. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
15. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 on Form N-1A filed December 20, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
19. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 29 on Form N-1A filed September 24, 1997 (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
21. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 31 on Form N-1A filed April 22, 1998 (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
23. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 34 on Form N-1A filed March 12, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
25. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 37 on Form N-1A filed June 23, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
<PAGE>
(vi) Form of Exhibit D to the Investment Advisory Contract; 26 (e) (i) Conformed
copy of Distributor's Contract of the Registrant; 9
(ii) Conformed copy of Exhibit C to Distributor's Contract; 14 (iii) Conformed
copy of Exhibit D to the Distributor's Contract; 20
(iv) Conformed copy of Exhibit E to the Distributor's Contract; 22 (v) Conformed
Copy of Exhibit F to the Distributor's Contract; 25 (vi) Conformed Copy of
Exhibits G & H to the Distributor's Contract; 26
(vii) Conformed copy of Administrative Services Agreement of the Registrant; 9
(viii) Conformed copy of Shareholder Services Plan of Registrant; 9
(ix) Conformed copy of Exhibit A to Amended and Restated Shareholder Services
Plan; 22
(x) Conformed copy of Amendment #2 to Exhibit A to Amended and Restated
Shareholder Services Plan; 26
(xi) Conformed copy of Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Agreement; 13
(xii) Form of Amendment No. 1 to Exhibit A to Shareholder Services Agreement; 14
(xiii) Copy of Amendment No. 2 to Exhibit A to Shareholder Services Agreement;
18
(xiv)Conformed copy of Amendment #1 to Exhibit A to Amended and Restated
Shareholder Services Plan; 24
(xv) Form of Amendment No. 1 (dated June 1, 1999) to Exhibit A to Shareholder
Services Agreement; 26 (f) Not applicable;
+ All Exhibits have been filed electronically.
9. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 13 on Form N-1A filed December 27, 1993 (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
13. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 19 on Form N-1A filed May 3, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
14. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
18. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A filed August 6, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
20. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 30 on Form N-1A filed December 22, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
22. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 32 on Form N-1A filed July 8, 1998. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
23. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 34 on Form N-1A filed March 12, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
24. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 36 on Form N-1A filed June 11, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
25. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 37 on Form N-1A filed June 23, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
26. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 38 on Form N-1A filed August 20, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
(g) (i) Conformed copy of Custodian Agreement of the Registrant; 12
(ii) Copy of Amendment No. 2 to Exhibit A to Custodian Contract; 14
(iii) Copy of Amendment No. 3 to Exhibit A to Custodian Contract; 18
(iv) Conformed copy of State Street Domestic Custody Fee Schedule; 20
(v) Conformed copy of Amendment No. 4 to Exhibit A to Custodian Contract; 25
(vi) Conformed copy of Amendment No. 5 to Exhibit A to Custodian Contract; 26
(h) (i) Conformed copy of Agreement for Fund Accounting Services and
Transfer Agency Services; 16
(ii) Copy of Exhibit 1 to Agreement for Fund Accounting Services and Transfer
Agency Services; 18
(iii)Conformed copy of Amendment to Administrative Services Agreement and the
Agreement for Fund Accounting Services and Transfer Agency Services; 20
(iv) Conformed copy of Amendment No. 1 to Exhibit 1 to Agreement for Fund
Accounting Services and Transfer Agency Services; 22
(v) Conformed copy of Amendment #2 to Exhibit 1 to the Agreement for Fund
Accounting Services and Transfer Agency Services; 24
(vi) Conformed copy of Amendment #3 to Exhibit 1 to the Agreement for Fund
Accounting Services and Transfer Agency Services; 26
(vii) Conformed copy of Recordkeeping Agreement including exhibits A-C; 23
(viii) Form of Amendment #1 to Exhibit A to the Recordkeeping Agreement; 26
(ix) Conformed copy of Sub-Transfer Agency Agreement; 23
(x) Conformed copy of Amendment No. 1 to Exhibit A of the Sub-Transfer Agency
Agreement; 26
(xi) Conformed copy of Amendment #2 to Exhibit A to the Recordkeeping Agreement;
+
- ----------------------------------
+ All Exhibits have been filed electronically.
12. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 20 on Form N-1A filed June 26, 1995. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
14. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
16. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 on Form N-1A filed June 20, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
18. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A filed August 6, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
20. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 30 on Form N-1A filed December 22, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
22. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 32 on Form N-1A filed July 8, 1998. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
23. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 34 on Form N-1A filed March 12, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
24. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 36 on Form N-1A filed June 11, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
25. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 37 on Form N-1A filed June 23, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
26. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 38 on Form N-1A filed August 20, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
<PAGE>
(i) Conformed copy of Opinion and Consent of Counsel as to
legality of shares being registered; 11
(j) Conformed copy of Consent of Independent Auditors; +
(k) Not applicable;
(l) Conformed copy of Initial Capital Understanding; 11
(m) (i)Copy of Rule 12b-1 Plan; 7
(ii) Conformed copy of 12b-1 Plan for Class B Shares and
Exhibit A; 26 (iii) Conformed copy of Exhibit B to Rule
12b-1 Plan; 14 (iv) Conformed copy of Exhibit C to Rule
12b-1 Plan; 20 (v)Conformed copy of Exhibit D to Rule
12b-1 Agreement;22; (vi) Copy of Rule 12b-1 Agreement; 7
(vii) Copy of Exhibit B to Rule 12b-1 Agreement; 14 (viii)
Copy of Exhibit C to Rule 12b-1 Agreement; 18 (ix)Amended
and Restated Plan with conformed copy of Exhibit D; 22
(x) Copy of Dealer (Sales) Agreement; 7 (xi) Conformed copy of Exhibit E to Rule
12b-1 Plan; 24 (xii) Conformed copy of Exhibit F to Rule 12b-1 Plan; 26
(n) Not Applicable.
(o) (i) Conformed copy of the Registrant's Multiple
Class Plan with conformed copies of
Exhibits A and B;22
(ii) Conformed copy of Exhibit C & D to the Multiple Class Plan; 26
(p) Conformed copy of Power of Attorney; 14
Item 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT:
None
- ----------------------------------
+ All Exhibits have been filed electronically.
7. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 9 on Form N-1A filed June 17, 1993. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
11. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 19 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1994. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
12. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 20 on Form N-1A filed June 26, 1995. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
14. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23 on Form N-1A filed June 27, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
15. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 on Form N-1A filed December 20, 1996. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
18. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A filed August 6, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
20. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 30 on Form N-1A filed December 22, 1997. (File Nos. 33-20673
and 811-5514)
22. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 32 on Form N-1A filed July 8, 1998. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
24. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 36 on Form N-1A filed June 11, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
25. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 37 on Form N-1A filed June 23, 1999, (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
26. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant' Post-Effective
Amendment No. 38 on Form N-1A filed August 20, 1999, (File Nos. 33- 20673
and 811-5514)
<PAGE>
Item 25. INDEMNIFICATION: 7
Item 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER:
(a) Manufacturers & Traders Trust Company ("M&T Bank") performs
investment advisory services for the Registrant. M&T Bank is the
principal banking subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation, a $20.6
billion bank holding company, as of December 31, 1998,
headquartered in Buffalo, New York. As of December 31, 1998, M&T
Bank over 247 offices throughout New York State, Pennsylvania and
an office in Nassau, The Bahamas.
M&T Bank was founded in 1856 and provides comprehensive banking
and financial services to individuals, governmental entities and
businesses throughout western New York and Pennsylvania. As of
December 31, 1998, M&T Bank had over $4.5 billion in assets under
management for which it has investment discretion (which includes
employee benefits, personal trusts, estates, agencies and other
accounts). As of December 3l, 1998, M&T Bank managed $1.51
billion in VISION money market mutual fund assets and $317.9
million in net assets of fluctuating mutual funds. Except for
Vision Group of Funds, Inc., M&T Bank does not presently provide
investment advisory services to any other registered investment
companies.
The principal executive Officers and the Directors of M&T Bank
are set forth in the following tables. Unless otherwise noted,
the position listed under Other Substantial Business, Profession,
Vocation or Employment is with M&T Bank.
(b)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Other Substantial
Position with Business, Profession,
NAME THE ADVISER VOCATION OR EMPLOYMENT
<S> <C> <C>
William F. Allyn Director President, Welch Allyn, Inc.
P.O. Box 50
Skaneateles Falls, NY 13153-0050
Brent D. Baird Director Private Investor
1350 One M&T Plaza
Buffalo, NY 14203-2396
Robert J. Bennett Director and Chairman, M&T Bank
P.O. Box 4983 Executive Officer Corporation and Vice
Syracuse, NY 13221-4983 Chairman, M&T Bank
C. Angela Bontempo Director President, Bontempo &
207 Commerce Drive Associates, LLC
Amherst, NY 14228-2302
Robert T. Brady Director Chairman, President and
East Aurora, NY 14052-0018 Chief Executive Officer, Moog Inc.
Emerson L. Brumback Executive Officer Executive Vice
One M&T Plaza, 19th Floor President, M&T Bank
Buffalo, NY 14203-2396 Corporation and
M&T Bank
</TABLE>
- ---------------------
7. Response is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Post-Effective
Amendment No. 9 on Form N-1A filed June 17, 1993. (File Nos. 33-20673 and
811-5514)
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
Atwood Collins, III Executive Officer Executive Vice
350 Park Avenue President, and
6th Floor President and Chief
New York, NY 10022-6022 Executive Officer, New York City Division
of Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company;
and Executive Vice
President, M&T Bank
Corporation
Mark J. Czarnecki Executive Officer Executive Vice
One M&T Plaza President,
9th Floor Manufacturers and
Buffalo, NY 14203-2399 Traders Trust Company
Richard E. Garman Director President and Chief
2544 Clinton Street Executive Officer,
Buffalo, NY 14224-1092 A.B.C. Paving Co., Inc. and
Buffalo Crushed Stone, Inc.
James V. Glynn Director President,
151 Buffalo Avenue Maid of the Mist
Suite 204 Corporation
Niagara Falls, NY 14303-1288
Brian E. Hickey Executive Officer Executive Vice President
255 East Avenue and President, Rochester
3rd Floor Division-Manufacturers
Rochester, NY 14604-2624 and Traders Trust Company; and Executive
Vice President,
M&T Bank Corporation
Patrick W.E. Hodgson Director President, Cinnamon
60 Bedford Road Investments Limited
2nd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5R2K2
James L. Hoffman Executive Officer Executive Vice President
700 Corporate Blvd. and President, Hudson
Suite 701 Valley Division
Newburgh, NY 12550-6046 Manufacturers
and Traders Trust Company; and
Executive Vice President, M&T Bank Corporation
Samuel T. Hubbard, Jr. Director President & Chief
1059 West Ridge Road Executive Officer, The
Rochester, NY 14615-2731 Alling & Cory
Company
Robert J. Irwin Advisory Director Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Ellicott Station ASA Limited
P.O. Box 1210
Buffalo, NY 14205-1210
Russell A. King Director Retired Partner and
4910 Red Pine Road Chief Executive Officer,
Manlius, NY 13104-1314 King & King Architects, Inc.
<PAGE>
Adam C. Kugler Executive Officer Executive Vice President
350 Park Avenue and Treasurer, M&T Bank
6th Floor Corporation and M&T Bank
New York, NY 10022-6022
Wilfred J. Larson Director Retired President and
200 Bahia Point Chief Executive Officer,
Naples, FL 34103-4368 Westwood-Squibb
Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Peter J. O'Donnell, Jr. Director President, Pine Tree
675 Highland Avenue Management Corporation
Clark Green, PA 18411-2502
Jorge G. Pereira Director Vice Chairman of the
350 Park Avenue Board, M&T Bank
6th Floor Corporation and
New York, NY 10022-6022 Manufacturers and
Traders Trust Company
John L. Pett Executive Officer Executive Vice President
One Fountain Plaza and Chief Credit
9th Floor Officer, Maufacturers
Buffalo, NY 14203-1495 Manufacturers and
Traders Trust Company and M&T Bank Corporation
Michael P. Pinto Executive Officer Executive Vice President
One M&T Plaza and Chief Financial
19th Floor Officer, Manufacturers
Buffalo, NY 14203-2399 and Traders Trust
Company and M&T Bank
Corporation
Melinda R. Rich Director President,
P.O. Box 245 Rich Entertainment
Buffalo, NY 14240-0245 Group
Robert E. Sadler, Jr. Director and President, Manufacturers
One M&T Plaza Executive Officer and Traders Trust
19th Floor Company and
Buffalo, NY 14203-2399 Executive Vice President, M&T Bank
Corporation
John L. Vensel Director Chairman and Chief Executive
P.O. Box 977 Officer, Crucible Materials
Syracuse, NY 13201-0977 Corporation
Herbert L. Washington Director President,
3280 Monroe Avenue H.L.W. Fast Track, Inc.
Rochester, NY 14618-4608
John L. Wehle, Jr. Director Chairman of the
445 St. Paul Street Board, President and
Rochester, NY 14605-1775 Chief Executive
Officer, Genessee
Corporation
Robert G. Wilmers Director and President and Chief
One M&T Plaza Executive Officer Executive Officer,
19th Floor M&T Bank Corporation;
Buffalo, NY 14203-2399 and Chairman of the
Board and Chief Executive Officer,
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Item 27. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS:
(a) Federated Securities Corp. the Distributor for shares of the Registrant,
acts as principal underwriter for the following open-end investment
companies, including the Registrant:
Cash Trust Series II; Cash Trust Series, Inc.; CCB Funds; Edward D. Jones & Co.
Daily Passport Cash Trust; Federated Adjustable Rate U.S. Government Fund, Inc.;
Federated American Leaders Fund, Inc.; Federated ARMs Fund; Federated Core
Trust; Federated Equity Funds; Federated Equity Income Fund, Inc.; Federated
Fund for U.S. Government Securities, Inc.; Federated GNMA Trust; Federated
Government Income Securities, Inc.; Federated Government Trust; Federated High
Income Bond Fund, Inc.; Federated High Yield Trust; Federated Income Securities
Trust; Federated Income Trust; Federated Index Trust; Federated Institutional
Trust; Federated Insurance Series; Federated Municipal Opportunities Fund, Inc.;
Federated Municipal Securities Fund, Inc.; Federated Municipal Trust; Federated
Short-Term Municipal Trust; Federated Stock and Bond Fund, Inc.; Federated Stock
Trust; Federated Tax-Free Trust; Federated Total Return Series, Inc.; Federated
U.S. Government Bond Fund; Federated U.S. Government Securities Fund: 1-3 Years;
Federated U.S. Government Securities Fund: 2-5 Years; Federated U.S. Government
Securities Fund: 5-10 Years; Federated Utility Fund, Inc.; Fixed Income
Securities, Inc.; ; Hibernia Funds; Independence One Mutual Funds; Intermediate
Municipal Trust; International Series, Inc.; Investment Series Funds, Inc.;
Managed Series Trust; Marshall Funds, Inc.; Money Market Management, Inc.; Money
Market Obligations Trust; Money Market Obligations Trust II; Money Market Trust;
Municipal Securities Income Trust; Newpoint Funds; Regions Funds; RIGGS Funds;
SouthTrust Funds; Tax-Free Instruments Trust; The Planters Funds; The Wachovia
Funds; The Wachovia Municipal Funds; Vision Group of Funds, Inc.; World
Investment Series, Inc.; Blanchard Funds; Blanchard Precious Metals Fund, Inc.;
DG Investor Series; High Yield Cash Trust; Investment Series Trust; Star Funds;
Targeted Duration Trust; The Virtus Funds; Trust for Financial Institutions;
Federated Securities Corp. also acts as principal underwriter for the
following closed-end investment company: Liberty Term Trust, Inc.- 1999.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(b)
(1) (2) (3)
Name and Principal Positions and Offices Positions and Offices
BUSINESS ADDRESS WITH DISTRIBUTOR WITH REGISTRANT
<S> <C> <C>
Richard B. Fisher Chairman, Chief Executive --
Federated Investors Tower Officer, Chief Operating
1001 Liberty Avenue Officer
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779 Federated Securities Corp.
Arthur L. Cherry Director --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John B. Fisher President-Institutional Sales --
Federated Investors Tower and Director
1001 Liberty Avenue Federated Securities Corp.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Thomas R. Donahue Director, Assistant Secretary --
Federated Investors Tower and Treasurer
1001 Liberty Avenue Federated Securities Corp.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
James F. Getz President-Broker/Dealer and --
Federated Investors Tower Director
1001 Liberty Avenue Federated Securities Corp.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
David M. Taylor Executive Vice President --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mark W. Bloss Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Richard W. Boyd Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Laura M. Deger Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Theodore Fadool, Jr. Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Bryant R. Fisher Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Christopher T. Fives Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
James S. Hamilton Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
James M. Heaton Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Keith Nixon Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Solon A. Person, IV Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Ronald M. Petnuch Senior Vice President,
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Timothy C. Pillion Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Thomas E. Territ Senior Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Ernest G. Anderson Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Teresa M. Antoszyk Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John B. Bohnet Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Jane E. Broeren-Lambesis Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Matthew W. Brown Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
David J. Callahan Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mark Carroll Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Steven R. Cohen Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mary J. Combs Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
R. Edmond Connell, Jr. Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
R. Leonard Corton, Jr. Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Kevin J. Crenny Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Daniel T. Culbertson Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
G. Michael Cullen Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Marc C. Danile Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Robert J. Deuberry Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
William C. Doyle Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Jill Ehrenfeld Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mark D. Fisher Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mark A. Gessner Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Joseph D. Gibbons Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John K. Goettlicher Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Craig S. Gonzales Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
G. Tad Gullickson Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Dayna C. Haferkamp Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Bruce E. Hastings Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
James E. Hickey Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Charlene H. Jennings Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
H. Joseph Kennedy Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Michael W. Koenig Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Dennis M. Laffey Vice President,
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Christopher A. Layton Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Michael H. Liss Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Michael R. Manning Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Amy Michalisyn Vice President,
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Mark J. Miehl Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Richard C. Mihm Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Alec H. Neilly Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Thomas A. Peters III Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Robert F. Phillips Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Richard A. Recker Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Eugene B. Reed Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Paul V. Riordan Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John Rogers Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Brian S. Ronayne Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Thomas S. Schinabeck Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Larry Sebbens Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Edward J. Segura Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Edward L. Smith Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
David W. Spears Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John A. Staley Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Colin B. Starks Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Jeffrey A. Stewart Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
William C. Tustin Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Paul A. Uhlman Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Miles J. Wallace Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John F. Wallin Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Richard B. Watts Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Edward J. Wojnarowski Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Michael P. Wolff Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Robert W. Bauman Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Edward R. Bozek Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Beth C. Dell Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
David L. Immonen Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
John T. Glickson Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Ernest L. Linane Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Renee L. Martin Assistant Vice President, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Timothy S. Johnson Secretary, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
Dennis McAuley Assistant Treasurer, --
Federated Investors Tower Federated Securities Corp.
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3779
</TABLE>
(c) Not applicable
Item 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS:
All accounts and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rules 31a-1 through 31a-3 promulgated
thereunder are maintained at one of the following locations:
Vision Group of Funds, Inc. Federated Investors Tower
1001 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779
(Notices should be sent to the Agent for Service at the above address)
5800 Corporate Drive,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15237-7010
Federated Shareholder P.O. Box 8600
Services Company Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8600
("Transfer Agent, Dividend
Disbursing Agent")
Federated Administrative Services Federated Investors Tower
("Administrator") 1001 Libery Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779
Manufacturers and Traders Trust One M&T Plaza
Company Buffalo, New York 14240
("Adviser")
Federated Management Investment Company Federated Investors Tower
("Sub-Adviser" to the Vision New 1001 Liberty Avenue
York Tax-Free Money Market Fund only) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3779
Independence Investment Associates, Inc. 53 State Street
("Sub-Adviser" to the Vision Mid Cap Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Stock Fund only)
State Street Bank and Trust Company P.O. Box 8609
("Custodian") Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8609
Item 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES: Not applicable.
Item 30. UNDERTAKINGS:
Registrant hereby undertakes to comply with the provisions of
Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act with respect to the removal of
Trustees/Directors and the calling of special shareholder
meetings by shareholders.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant, VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.,
certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this
Amendment to its Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the
Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly
authorized, in the City of Pittsburgh and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the
21st day of October, 1999.
VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.
BY: /s/Victor R. Siclari
Victor R. Siclari, Secretary
Attorney in Fact for Edward C. Gonzales
October 21, 1999
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment
to its Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in
the capacity and on the date indicated:
NAME TITLE DATE
By: /s/ Victor R. Siclari
Victor R. Siclari Attorney In Fact October 21, 1999
SECRETARY For the Persons
Listed Below
NAME TITLE
Edward C. Gonzales* President and Treasurer
(Chief Executive Officer
and Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer)
Randall I. Benderson* Director
Joseph J. Castiglia* Director
Daniel R. Gernatt, Jr.* Director
George K. Hambleton, Jr.* Director
* By Power of Attorney
Exhibit (j) under Form N-1A
Exhibit 23 under Item 601/Reg SK
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the references to our firm under the captions "Financial
Information" in the Prospectus and "Who Manages and Provides Services to the
Funds?" in the Statement of Additional Information in Post-Effective Amendment
Number 39 to the Registration Statement(Form N-1A Number 811-5514) and to the
incorporation by reference of our reports dated June 11, 1999 with respect to
the financial statements included in the Annual Reports to Shareholders of the
Vision Group of Funds, Inc. (comprising, respectively, Vision U.S. Government
Securities Fund, Vision New York Municipal Income Fund, Vision Equity Income
Fund, Vision Growth and Income Fund, Vision Capital Appreciation Fund, Vision
Money Market Fund, Vision Treasury Money Market Fund, and Vision New York
Tax-Free Money Market Fund), dated October 20, 1999.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
October 20, 1999
Exhibit (h)(xi) under Form N-1A
Exhibit 10 under Item 601/Reg. S-K
AMENDMENT #2 TO
EXHIBIT A
TO THE RECORDKEEPING AGREEMENT
BETWEEN EMPIRE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC.
AND FEDERATED SHAREHOLDER SERVICES COMPANY,
DATED AUGUST 18, 1998
VISION GROUP OF FUNDS, INC.
FUND NAME CUSIP NUMBER
VISION MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares 92830F 30 7
Class S Shares 92830F 87 7
VISION TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares 92830F 10 9
Class S Shares 92830F 88 5
VISION NEW YORK TAX-FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 20 8
VISION U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 40 6
VISION NEW YORK MUNICIPAL INCOME FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 50 5
VISION GROWTH & INCOME FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 60 4
VISION CAPITAL APPRECIATION FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 70 3
VISION EQUITY INCOME FUND
Class A Shares* 92830F 80 2
VISION LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND
Class A Shares 92830F 85 1
VISION MID CAP STOCK FUND
Class A Shares 92830F 79 4
As revised: July 1, 1999
EMPIRE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC.
By: /S/ GUS A. PLATAS
Name: Gus A Platas
Title: Vice President & General Manager
FEDERATED SHAREHOLDER SERVICES COMPANY
By: /S/ THOMAS P. SHOLES
Name: Thomas P. Sholes
Title: Vice President
* Outstanding shares of the Fund were redesignated as Class A Shares effective
June 1, 1999.
