REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of Firstar Stellar Funds
We have examined management's assertion, included in the accompanying Management
Statement Regarding Compliance with Certain Provisions of the Investment Company
Act of 1940, about Firstar Stellar Funds' (the "Company's") compliance with the
requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 ("the Act") as of March 31, 2000. Management is responsible
for the Company's compliance with those requirements. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on management's assertion about the Company's compliance
based on our examination.
Our examination was conducted in accordance with attestation standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and,
accordingly, included examining, on a test basis, evidence about the Company's
compliance with those requirements and performing such other procedures as we
considered necessary in the circumstances. Included among our procedures were
the following tests performed as of March 31, 2000, and with respect to
agreement of security purchases and sales, for the period from November 19, 1999
(the date of our last examination) through March 31, 2000:
- Confirmation of all securities held by the following institutions in book
entry form: the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Depository Trust
Company;
- Confirmation of all securities and similar investments held by the following
sub-custodian: Bank of New York;
- Confirmation of all securities and similar investments held by outside
brokers and other third parties, except for mutual fund holdings held in
nominee name by Firstar Bank;
- Confirmation of all repurchase agreements with brokers;
- Reconciliation of all such securities to the books and records of the Company
and the Custodian; and
- Agreement of 5 security purchases and 5 security sales or maturities since our
last report from the books and records of the Company to broker confirmations.
We believe that our examination provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our
examination does not provide a legal determination on the Company's compliance
with specified requirements.
In our opinion, management's assertion that Firstar Stellar Funds was in
compliance with the requirements of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule 17f-2 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 as of March 31, 2000 with respect to securities
reflected in the investment account of the Company, except for the exceptions
noted, is fairly stated in all material respects.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of the Board of
Directors, management, and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not
intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified
parties.
May 30, 2000
