SCUDDER
Scudder Growth and Income Fund (064)
Prospectus
March 1, 1999
The fund seeks long-term growth of capital, current income and growth of income.
No-load/ No Sales Charges
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offense.
Mutual funds:
o are not FDIC-insured
o have no bank guarantees
o may lose value
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Contents
1 Fund Description
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1 Investment objective
1 Main investment strategies
1 Other investments
1 Risk management strategies
2 Main risks
3 About the Fund
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Additional information 3 Past performance
that you should know
about the fund 4 Fee and expense information
5 A message from the President
6 Investment adviser
8 Distributions
8 Taxes
10 Financial highlights
11 About Your Investment
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Information about 11 Transaction information
managing your fund
account 12 Buying and selling shares
13 Purchases
14 Exchanges and redemptions
15 Investment products and services
17 Trustees and Officers
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Fund Description
Investment objective
The fund seeks long-term growth of capital, current income and growth of income.
Unless otherwise indicated, the fund's investment objective and policies may be
changed without a vote of shareholders.
Main investment strategies
The fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in common stocks,
preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks of companies
which the fund's management believes offer the prospect of growth of earnings
while paying current dividends. The fund can invest in securities of companies
with varying market capitalizations.
In managing its portfolio, the fund employs a "relative yield" discipline,
meaning that it focuses its investments on securities of companies whose
dividend yields are 20% higher than the average derived from a benchmark index,
such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index. The fund will
sell securities if their dividend yields fall below 80% of the benchmark
average. In addition to providing above-average yield, companies in whose
securities the fund may invest must appear to offer opportunities for growth in
capital and earnings. Typically, companies that meet these criteria are large.
The fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, but may also invest in the equity
securities of foreign companies.
Of course, there can be no guarantee that by following these investment
strategies, the fund will achieve its objective.
Other investments
To a more limited extent, the fund may, but is not required to, utilize other
investments and investment techniques that may impact fund performance
including, but not limited to, options, futures and other derivatives (financial
instruments that derive their values from other securities or commodities or
that are based on indices).
Risk management strategies
The fund manages risk by diversifying widely among industries and companies. It
also invests in high dividend-paying stocks, whose prices have historically
tended to fall less in down markets.
For temporary defensive purposes, the fund may invest without limit in cash and
cash equivalents. In such a case, the fund would not be pursuing, and may not
achieve, its investment objective.
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The fund may, but is not required to, use certain derivatives in an attempt to
manage risk. The use of derivatives could magnify losses.
Main risks
The fund's returns and net asset value will go up and down. Stock market
movements will affect the fund's share prices on a daily basis. Declines are
possible both in the overall stock market and in the types of securities held by
the fund.
The portfolio management team's skill in choosing appropriate investments for
the fund will determine in large part the fund's ability to achieve its
investment objective. The relative yield strategy used by the fund or specific
investments may not perform as well as expected.
An investment in the common stock of a company represents a proportionate
ownership interest in that company. Therefore, the fund participates in the
success or failure of any company in which it holds stock. Compared to other
classes of financial assets, such as bonds or cash equivalents, common stocks
have historically offered the greatest potential for gain on your investment.
However, the market value of common stocks can fluctuate significantly,
reflecting such things as the business performance of the issuing company,
investors' perceptions of the company or the overall stock market and general
economic or financial market.
A portion of the fund's assets may be invested outside the U.S. Foreign
investments, particularly investments in emerging markets, carry added risks due
to inadequate or inaccurate financial information about companies, potential
political disturbances and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
There are market and investment risks with any security and the value of an
investment in the fund will fluctuate over time and it is possible to lose money
invested in the fund.
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About the Fund
Past performance
The chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in
the fund by illustrating how the fund has performed, and comparing this
information to broad measures of market performance. Of course, past performance
is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
Total returns for years ended December 31
[The following table was originally a bar chart in the printed materials.]
1989.................. 26.36%
1990.................. -2.33%
1991.................. 28.16%
1992.................. 9.57%
1993.................. 15.59%
1994.................. 2.60%
1995.................. 31.18%
1996.................. 22.18%
1997.................. 30.31%
1998.................. 6.07%
During the fund's last 10 years of operation, the fund's highest return for a
calendar quarter was 15.26 % (the second quarter of 1997), and the fund's lowest
return for a calendar quarter was -13.39% (the third quarter of 1998).
Average annual total returns
For periods ended Scudder Growth and
December 31, 1998 Income Fund S&P 500 Index
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One Year 6.07% 28.58%
Five Years 17.85% 24.06%
Ten Years 16.37% 19.21%
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The Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index (S&P 500 Index) is an
unmanaged measure of 500 widely held common stocks of U.S. companies, weighted
by market value. Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends and, unlike the
fund's returns, do not reflect any fees or expenses.
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Fee and expense information
The following information is designed to help you understand the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
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Shareholder fees: Fees paid directly from your investment.
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Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
(as % of offering price) NONE
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Maximum deferred sales charge (load) NONE
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Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested
dividends/distributions NONE
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Redemption fee (as % of amount redeemed, if applicable) NONE*
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Exchange fee NONE
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Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets):
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Management fee 0.44%
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Distribution (12b-1) fees NONE
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Other expenses 0.30%
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Total annual fund operating expenses 0.74%
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* If you wish to receive your redemption proceeds via wire, there is a $5
wire service fee. For additional information, please refer to "About Your
Investment -- Exchanges and redemptions."
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
This example illustrates the impact of the above fees and expenses on an account
with an initial investment of $10,000, based on the expenses shown above. It
assumes a 5% annual return, the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
and "annual fund operating expenses" remaining the same each year. The expenses
would be the same whether you sold your shares at the end of each period or
continued to hold them.
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One Year $ 76
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Three Years $ 237
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Five Years $ 411
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Ten Years $ 918
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Actual fund expenses and return vary from year to year, and may be higher or
lower than those shown.
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A message from the President
[PHOTO]
Edmond D. Villani, President
and CEO, Scudder Kemper
Investments, Inc.
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., investment adviser to the Scudder Family of
Funds, is one of the largest and most experienced investment management
organizations worldwide, managing more than $280 billion in assets globally for
mutual fund investors, retirement and pension plans, institutional and corporate
clients, and private family and individual accounts.
We offered America's first no-load mutual fund in 1928, and today the Scudder
Family of Funds includes over 50 no-load mutual fund portfolios or classes of
shares. We also manage mutual funds in a special program for the American
Association of Retired Persons, as well as the fund options available through
Scudder Horizon Plan, a tax-advantaged variable annuity. We also advise The
Japan Fund and numerous other open- and closed-end funds that invest in this
country and other countries around the world.
The Scudder Family of Funds is designed to make investing easy and less costly.
It includes money market, tax free, income and growth funds: IRAs, 401(k)s,
Keoghs and other retirement plans are also available.
Services available to shareholders include toll-free access to professional
representatives, easy exchange among the Scudder Family of Funds, shareholder
reports, informative newsletters and the walk-in convenience of Scudder Investor
Centers.
The Scudder Family of Funds is offered without commissions to purchase or redeem
shares or to exchange from one fund to another. There are no distribution
(12b-1) fees either, which many other funds now charge to support their
marketing efforts. All of your investment goes to work for you. We look forward
to welcoming you as a shareholder.
/s/ Edmond D. Villani
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Investment adviser
The fund retains the investment management firm of Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc. (the "Adviser"), Two International Place, Boston, MA, to manage the fund's
daily investment and business affairs subject to the policies established by the
fund's Board. The Adviser actively manages the fund's investments. Professional
management can be an important advantage for investors who do not have the time
or expertise to invest directly in individual securities.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, the Adviser received an investment
management fee of 0.44% of the fund's average daily net assets on an annual
basis.
Portfolio management
The fund is managed by a team of investment professionals, who each plays an
important role in the fund's management process. Team members work together to
develop investment strategies and select securities for the fund's portfolio.
They are supported by the Adviser's large staff of economists, research
analysts, traders and other investment specialists who work in the Adviser's
offices across the United States and abroad. The fund's investment manager
believes its team approach benefits fund investors by bringing together many
disciplines and leveraging its extensive resources.
The following investment professionals are associated with the fund as
indicated:
Name and Title Joined the Fund Responsibilities and Background
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Robert T. Hoffman 1991 Mr. Hoffman joined the Adviser in
Lead Manager 1990 as a portfolio manager, and
has overseen the fund's day-to-day
operations since 1991. He began
his investment career in 1985.
Lori J. Ensinger 1996 Ms. Ensinger joined the Adviser in
Manager 1993 as a portfolio manager and
has focused on stock selection and
investment strategy since then.
She began her investment career in
1983.
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Name and Title Joined the Fund Responsibilities and Background
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Benjamin W. Thorndike 1996 Mr. Thorndike joined the Adviser
Manager in 1983 as a portfolio manager,
and is the fund's chief analyst
and strategist for convertible
securities. He began his
investment career in 1980.
Kathleen T. Millard 1991 Ms. Millard joined the Adviser in
Manager 1983 as a portfolio manager. Ms.
Millard focuses on strategy and
stock selection. She began her
investment career in 1980.
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Year 2000 readiness
Like other mutual funds and financial and business organizations worldwide, the
fund could be adversely affected if computer systems on which the fund relies,
which primarily include those used by the the Adviser, its affiliates or other
service providers, are unable to process correctly date-related information on
and after January 1, 2000. The risk is commonly called the Year 2000 issue.
Failure to address successfully the Year 2000 issue could result in
interruptions to and other material adverse effects on the fund's business and
operations, such as problems with calculating net asset value and difficulties
in implementing the fund's purchase and redemption procedures. The Adviser has
commenced a review of the Year 2000 issue as it may affect the funds and is
taking steps it believes are reasonably designed to address the Year 2000 issue,
although there can be no assurances that these steps will be sufficient. In
addition, there can be no assurances that the Year 2000 issue will not have an
adverse effect on the issuers whose securities are held by the fund or on global
markets or economies generally.
Euro conversion
The introduction of a new European currency, the Euro, may result in
uncertainties for European securities and for the operation of the fund's
portfolio. The Euro was introduced on January 1, 1999 by eleven member countries
of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The introduction of the Euro
requires the redenomination of European debt and equity securities over a period
of time, which may result in various accounting differences and/or tax
treatments. Additional questions are raised by the fact that certain other
European Community members, including the United Kingdom, did not officially
implement the Euro on January 1, 1999.
7
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The Adviser is actively working to address Euro-related issues as they occur and
understands that other key service providers are taking similar steps. At this
time, however, no one knows precisely what the degree of impact will be. To the
extent that the market impact or effect on the fund's holdings is negative, it
could hurt the fund's performance.
Distributions
The fund intends to distribute dividends from its net investment income
quarterly in March, June, September and December. The fund intends to distribute
net realized capital gains after utilization of capital loss carryforwards, if
any, in November or December. An additional distribution may be made, if
necessary.
Any dividends or capital gains distributions declared in October, November or
December with a record date in such month and paid during the following January
will be treated by you for federal income tax purposes as if received on
December 31 of the calendar year declared.
A shareholder may choose to receive distributions in cash or have them
reinvested in additional shares of a fund. Distributions are generally taxable,
whether received in cash or reinvested. If an investment is in the form of a
retirement plan, all dividends and capital gains distributions must be
reinvested into the shareholder's account.
Taxes
Generally, dividends from net investment income are taxable to shareholders as
ordinary income. Long-term capital gains distributions, if any, are taxable to
shareholders as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time
shareholders have owned shares. Short-term capital gains and any other taxable
income distributions are taxable as ordinary income. A portion of dividends from
ordinary income may qualify for the dividends- received deduction for
corporations.
Unless your investment is in a tax-deferred account, you may want to avoid
investing a large amount close to the date of a distribution because you may
receive part of your investment back as a taxable distribution.
A sale or exchange of your shares is a taxable event and may result in a capital
gain or loss which may be long-term or short-term, generally depending on how
long you owned the shares.
The fund sends detailed tax information about the amount and type of its
distributions by January 31 of the following year.
The fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 31%
of all taxable distributions payable to shareholders who
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provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make
required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are
subject to backup withholding. Any such withheld amounts may be credited against
the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.
Shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on fund
distributions and dispositions of fund shares. You should consult your own tax
adviser regarding the particular tax consequences of an investment in the fund.
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Financial highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the fund's
financial performance for the fiscal periods indicated. Certain information
reflects financial results for a single fund share. The total return figures
represent the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on an
investment in the fund assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.
This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP whose reports,
along with the fund's financial statements, are included in the annual report,
which is available upon request by calling Scudder Investor Relations at
1-800-225-2470 or, for existing shareholders, calling the Scudder Automated
Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890.
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Years Ended December 31,
1998(a) 1997(a) 1996(a) 1995 1994
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
-------------------------------------------
Net asset value, beginning of period .... $27.33 $23.23 $20.23 $16.26 $17.24
-------------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income ................... .62 .62 .60 .55 .49
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investment transactions ..... 1.06 6.26 3.84 4.46 (.05)
-------------------------------------------
Total from investment operations ........ 1.68 6.88 4.44 5.01 .44
-------------------------------------------
Less distributions from:
Net investment income ................... (.61) (.58) (.57) (.56) (.51)
Net realized gains on investment
transactions .......................... (2.09) (2.20) (.87) (.48) (.91)
-------------------------------------------
Total distributions ..................... (2.70) (2.78) (1.44) (1.04) (1.42)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period .......... $26.31 $27.33 $23.23 $20.23 $16.26
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Total Return (%) ........................ 6.07 30.31 22.18 31.18 2.60
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period ($ millions) .. 7,582 6,834 4,186 3,061 1,992
Ratio of operating expenses to
average net assets (%) ................ .74 .76 .78 .80 .86
Ratio of net investment income to
average net assets (%) ................ 2.20 2.31 2.77 3.10 2.98
Portfolio turnover rate (%) ............. 40.8 22.2 26.6 26.9 42.3
</TABLE>
(a) Based on monthly average shares outstanding during the period.
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About Your Investment
Transaction information
Share price
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation determines the net asset value per share of
the fund as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
normally 4 p.m. eastern time, on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading.
Net asset value per share is calculated by dividing the value of total fund
assets, less all liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Market
prices are used to determine the value of the fund's assets. If market prices
are not readily available for a security or if a security's price is not
considered to be market indicative, that security may be valued by another
method that the Board or its delegate believes accurately reflects fair value.
In those circumstances where a security's price is not considered to be market
indicative, the security's valuation may differ from an available market
quotation.
To the extent that the fund invests in foreign securities, these securities may
be listed on foreign exchanges that trade on days when the fund does not price
its shares. As a result, the net asset value of the fund may change at a time
when shareholders are not able to purchase or redeem their shares.
Processing time
All purchase and redemption requests received in good order at the fund's
transfer agent by the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange
are executed at the net asset value per share calculated at the close of trading
that day. All other requests that are in good order will be executed the
following business day.
Signature guarantees
A signature guarantee is required when you sell more than $100,000 worth of
shares. You can obtain a guarantee from most brokerage houses and financial
institutions, although not from a notary public. The fund will normally send you
the proceeds within one business day following your request, but may take up to
seven business days (or longer in the case of shares recently purchased by
check). For more information, please call 1-800-225-5163.
Purchase restrictions
Purchases and sales should be made for long-term investment purposes only. The
fund and Scudder Investor Services, Inc. each reserves the right to reject
purchases of fund shares (including exchanges) for any reason including when
there is evidence of a pattern of frequent
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purchases and sales made in response to short-term fluctuations in the fund's
share price.
Minimum balances
Generally, shareholders who maintain a non-fiduciary account balance of less
than $2,500 in the fund and have not established an automatic investment plan
will be assessed an annual $10.00 per fund charge; this fee is paid to the fund.
The fund reserves the right, following 60 days written notice to shareholders,
to redeem all shares in accounts that have a value below $1,000 where such a
reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption, exchange or transfer out of
the account.
Third party transactions
If you buy and sell shares of the fund through a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (other than Scudder Investor Services,
Inc.), that member may charge a fee for that service.
Other policies
The fund reserves the right to redeem in kind. That is, it may honor redemption
requests with readily marketable fund securities instead of cash. There may be
transaction costs associated with converting these securities to cash.
Buying and selling shares
Please refer to the following charts for information on how to buy and sell fund
shares. Additional information, including special investment features, may be
found in the Shareholder Services Guide. For information about No-Fee IRAs, Roth
IRAs and other retirement options, call Scudder Investor Relations at
1-800-225-2470. For information on establishing 401(k) and 403(b) plans, call
Scudder Defined Contribution Services at 1-800-323-6105.
12
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Purchases
To open an account
The minimum initial investment is $2,500; $1,000 for IRAs. Group retirement
plans (401(k), 403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate
plan literature. Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
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By Mail Send your completed and signed application and check
by regular mail to: The Scudder Funds
P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, registered, The Scudder Funds
or certified mail to: 66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
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By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
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In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to complete your
application with the help of a Scudder representative.
Investor Centers are located in Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago,
New York and San Francisco.
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To buy additional shares
The minimum additional investment is $100; $50 for IRAs. Group retirement plans
(401(k), 403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate plan
literature. Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
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By Mail Send a check with a Scudder investment slip, or with a
letter of instruction including your account number and the
complete fund name, to the appropriate address listed above.
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By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
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In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to make an additional
investment in your Scudder fund account. Investor Center
locations are listed above.
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By Telephone Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
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By Automatic You may arrange to make investments of $50 or more on a
Investment Plan regular basis through automatic deductions from your bank
checking account. Please call 1-800-225-5163 for more
information and an enrollment form.
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Exchanges and redemptions
To exchange shares
The minimum investments are $2,500 to establish a new account and $100 to
exchange among existing accounts.
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By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163
Telephone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAILTM, the
Scudder Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890
(24 hours a day).
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By Mail or Fax Print or type your instructions and include:
- the name of the fund and the account number you are
exchanging from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to
exchange;
- the name of the fund and class you are exchanging into;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
Send your instructions The Scudder Funds
by regular mail to: P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, registered, The Scudder Funds
or certified mail to: 66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
or by fax to: 1-800-821-6234
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To sell shares
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By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163 from
Telephone 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAILTM, the Scudder
Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890 (24 hours a
day). You may have redemption proceeds sent to your
predesignated bank account, or redemption proceeds of up to
$100,000 sent to your address of record.
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By Mail or Fax Send your instructions for redemption to the appropriate address
or fax number above and include:
- the name of the fund and account number you are redeeming
from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to redeem;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
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By Automatic You may arrange to receive automatic cash payments periodically.
Withdrawal Call 1-800-225-5163 for more information and an enrollment form.
Plan
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Investment products and services
The Scudder Family of Funds[
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Money Market
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund
Scudder Cash Investment Trust
Scudder Money Market Series --
Prime Reserve Shares*
Premium Shares*
Managed Shares*
Scudder Government Money Market Series -- Managed Shares*
Tax Free Money Market+
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series -- Managed Shares*
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund**
Tax Free+
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund
Scudder California Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund**
U.S. Income
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund
Scudder GNMA Fund
Scudder Income Fund
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund
Global Income
Scudder Global Bond Fund
Scudder International Bond Fund
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund
Asset Allocation
Scudder Pathway Conservative Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Balanced Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Growth Portfolio
Scudder Pathway International Portfolio
U.S. Growth and Income
Scudder Balanced Fund
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund
Scudder Growth and Income Fund
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund
U.S. Growth
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund
Scudder Value Fund***
Scudder Small Company Value Fund
Scudder Micro Cap Fund
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund***
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund
Scudder Development Fund
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund
Global Equity
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund
Scudder International Value Fund
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund
Scudder International Fund++
Scudder International Growth Fund
Scudder Global Discovery Fund***
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund
Scudder Gold Fund
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund
Scudder Latin America Fund
The Japan Fund, Inc.
Industry Sector Funds
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund
Scudder Health Care Fund
Scudder Technology Fund
Preferred Series
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund
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Retirement Programs and Education Accounts
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Retirement Programs Education Accounts
- ------------------- ------------------
Traditional IRA Education IRA
Roth IRA UGMA/UTMA
SEP-IRA
Keogh Plan
401(k), 403(b) Plans
Variable Annuities
Scudder Horizon Plan**[[
Scudder Horizon Advantage**[[[
Closed-End Funds#
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The Argentina Fund, Inc.
The Brazil Fund, Inc.
The Korea Fund, Inc.
Montgomery Street Income Securities, Inc.
Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc.
Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc.
Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc.
For complete information on any of the above Scudder funds, including management
fees and expenses, call or write for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before
you invest or send money.
- -----------
[ Funds within categories are listed in order from expected least risk to
most risk. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may not be available
for purchase or exchange.
+ A portion of the income from the tax-free funds may be subject to federal,
state, and local taxes.
* A class of shares of the fund.
** Not available in all states.
*** Only the Scudder Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family of
Funds.
++ Only the International Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family
of Funds.
[[ A no-load variable annuity contract provided by Charter National Life
Insurance Company and its affiliate, offered by Scudder's insurance
agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
[[[ A no-load variable annuity contract issued by Glenbrook Life and Annuity
Company and underwritten by Allstate Financial Services, Inc., sold by
Scudder's insurance agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
# These funds, advised by Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., are traded on
the New York Stock Exchange and, in some cases, on various other stock
exchanges.
16
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Trustees and Officers
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Daniel Pierce*
President and Trustee
Henry P. Becton, Jr.
Trustee; President
and General Manager,
WGBH Educational Foundation
Dawn-Marie Driscoll
Trustee; Executive Fellow,
Center for Business Ethics,
Bentley College;
President, Driscoll Associates
Peter B. Freeman
Trustee; Corporate Director
and Trustee
George M. Lovejoy, Jr.
Trustee; President and Director,
Fifty Associates
Wesley W. Marple, Jr.
Trustee; Professor of
Business Administration,
Northeastern University
College of Business Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk*
Trustee; Vice President and
Assistant Secretary
Jean C. Tempel
Trustee; Managing Partner,
Technology Equity Partners
Bruce F. Beaty*
Vice President
Philip S. Fortuna*
Vice President
William F. Gadsden*
Vice President
Robert T. Hoffman*
Vice President
Thomas W. Joseph*
Vice President
Valerie F. Malter*
Vice President
Ann M. McCreary*
Vice President
Thomas F. McDonough*
Vice President and Secretary
John R. Hebble*
Treasurer
Caroline Pearson*
Assistant Secretary
- -----------
* Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
17
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Additional information about the fund may be found in the Statement of
Additional Information, the Shareholder Services Guide and in shareholder
reports. Shareholder inquiries may be made by calling the toll-free number
listed below. The Statement of Additional Information contains more information
on fund investments and operations. The Shareholder Services Guide contains more
information about purchases and sales of fund shares. The semiannual and annual
shareholder reports contain a discussion of the market conditions and the
investment strategies that significantly affected the fund's performance during
the last fiscal year, as well as a listing of portfolio holdings and financial
statements. These and other fund documents may be obtained without charge from
the following sources:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Telephone Call Scudder Investor Relations at 1-800-225-2470
or
For existing Scudder investors, call the Scudder Automated
Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890 (24 hours a day).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
Two International Place
Boston, MA 02110-4103
or
Public Reference Section
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549-6009
(a duplication fee is charged)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.
(Call 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information.)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Internet http://www.sec.gov
http://www.scudder.com
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus).
Investment Company Act file number: 811-43
[PRINTED WITH SOY INK LOGO] [RECYCLE LOGO] Printed on recycled paper
64-2-39
PR064399
<PAGE>
SCUDDER GROWTH AND INCOME FUND
A series of Investment Trust
A No-Load (No Sales Charges) Diversified
Mutual Fund Seeking Long-Term Growth of
Capital, Current Income and
Growth of Income
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March 1, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus and should be read
in conjunction with the prospectus of Scudder Growth and Income Fund dated March
1, 1999, as amended from time to time, a copy of which may be obtained without
charge by writing to Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place,
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-4103.
The Annual Report to Shareholders of Scudder Growth and Income Fund dated
December 31, 1998, is incorporated by reference and is hereby deemed to be part
of this Statement of Additional Information.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Page
<S> <C>
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES.............................................................1
General Investment Objective and Policies.......................................................1
Investment Process..............................................................................2
Master/feeder structure.........................................................................2
Investment Restrictions........................................................................13
PURCHASES...............................................................................................15
Additional Information About Opening An Account................................................15
Minimum balances...............................................................................15
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments.....................................16
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy.........................16
Checks.........................................................................................16
Wire Transfer of Federal Funds.................................................................17
Share Price....................................................................................17
Share Certificates.............................................................................17
Other Information..............................................................................17
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS...............................................................................18
Exchanges......................................................................................18
Redemption by Telephone........................................................................19
Redemption By QuickSell........................................................................19
Redemption by Mail or Fax......................................................................20
Redemption-In-Kind.............................................................................20
Other Information..............................................................................20
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND...............................................................21
The No-Load Concept............................................................................21
Internet access................................................................................22
Dividend and Capital Gain Distribution Options.................................................23
Diversification................................................................................23
Scudder Investor Centers.......................................................................23
Reports to Shareholders........................................................................24
Transaction Summaries..........................................................................24
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS.............................................................................24
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS...................................................................................24
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money
Purchase Pension Plans for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals..........................29
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan
for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals.................................................30
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account....................................................30
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account...............................................31
Scudder 403(b) Plan............................................................................31
Automatic Withdrawal Plan......................................................................31
Group or Salary Deduction Plan.................................................................32
Automatic Investment Plan......................................................................32
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act..........................................................32
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAIN DISTRIBUTIONS................................................................33
i
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
Page
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.................................................................................33
Average Annual Total Return....................................................................33
Cumulative Total Return........................................................................34
Total Return...................................................................................34
Comparison of Fund Performance.................................................................34
FUND ORGANIZATION.......................................................................................38
INVESTMENT ADVISER......................................................................................39
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser...............................................42
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS...................................................................................42
REMUNERATION............................................................................................45
Responsibilities of the Board --Board and Committee Meetings...................................45
Compensation of Officers and Trustees..........................................................45
DISTRIBUTOR.............................................................................................46
TAXES...................................................................................................47
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS..................................................................................50
Brokerage Commissions..........................................................................50
Portfolio Turnover.............................................................................51
NET ASSET VALUE.........................................................................................51
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION..................................................................................52
Experts........................................................................................52
Shareholder Indemnification....................................................................52
Other Information..............................................................................53
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS....................................................................................54
</TABLE>
ii
<PAGE>
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
(See "Fund Description" in the Fund's prospectus.)
General Investment Objective and Policies
Scudder Growth and Income Fund (the "Fund") is a diversified series of
Investment Trust (the "Trust"), an open-end management investment company which
continuously offers and redeems its shares. It is a company of the type commonly
known as a mutual fund.
The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital, current income and growth
of income.
Descriptions in this Statement of Additional Information of a
particular investment practice or technique in which a Fund may engage (such as
short selling, hedging, etc.) or a financial instrument which a Fund may
purchase (such as options, forward foreign currency contracts, etc.) are meant
to describe the spectrum of investments that Scudder Kemper Investments (the
"Adviser"), in its discretion, might, but is not required to, use in managing
the Fund's portfolio assets. The Adviser may, in its discretion, at any time
employ such practice, technique or instrument for one or more Funds, but not for
all Funds advised by it. Furthermore, it is possible that certain types of
financial instruments or investment techniques described herein may not be
available, permissible, economically feasible or effective for their intended
purposes in all markets. Certain practices, techniques, or instruments may not
be principal activities of a Fund, but, to the extent employed, could from time
to time have a material impact on the Fund's performance.
The Fund invests primarily in common stocks, preferred stocks, and
securities convertible into common stocks of companies which, the fund's
management believes, offer the prospect for growth of earnings while paying
current dividends. Over time, continued growth of earnings tends to lead to
higher dividends and enhancement of capital value. The Fund allocates its
investments among different industries and companies, and adjusts its portfolio
securities for investment considerations and not for trading purposes.
Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund's investment objective and
policies are not fundamental and may be changed without a vote of shareholders.
If there is a change in investment objective, shareholders should consider
whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of their then
current financial position and needs. There can be no assurance that the Fund's
objective will be met.
The Fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing
primarily in dividend-paying common stocks, preferred stocks and securities
convertible into common stocks. The Fund may also purchase such securities which
do not pay current dividends but which, the fund's management believes, offer
prospects for growth of capital and future income. Convertible securities (which
may be current coupon or zero coupon securities) are bonds, notes, debentures,
preferred stocks and other securities which may be converted or exchanged at a
stated or determinable exchange ratio into underlying shares of common stock.
The Fund may also invest in nonconvertible preferred stocks consistent with the
Fund's objective. From time to time, for temporary defensive purposes, when the
Fund's investment adviser feels such a position is advisable in light of
economic or market conditions, the Fund may invest, without limit, in cash and
cash equivalents. It is impossible to predict how long such alternative
strategies will be utilized. The Fund may invest in foreign securities, real
estate investment trusts, illiquid securities, repurchase agreements and reverse
repurchase agreements. It may also loan securities and may engage in strategic
transactions. More information about investment techniques is provided under
"Additional information about policies and investments."
The Fund's share price fluctuates with changes in interest rates and
market conditions. These fluctuations may cause the value of shares to be higher
or lower than when purchased.
<PAGE>
Investment Process
The Adviser applies a disciplined investment approach for selecting
stocks for the Fund. The first stage of this process involves analyzing a
selected pool of dividend-paying equity securities, to identify the stocks that
have high yields relative to the yield of the Standard & Poor Corporation 500
Index (the "S&P 500"), a commonly-accepted benchmark for the U.S. stock market.
Also, the Adviser screens for stocks that have yields at the upper end of the
stock's historical yield range. The Fund's portfolio will consist primarily of
stocks of established, dividend-paying U.S. companies, but it may include
foreign stocks which meet its relative yield criteria.
In the Adviser's opinion, this subset of higher-yielding stocks
identified by applying these criteria offers the potential for returns that are
greater than or equal to those of the S&P 500, at less risk than that market
index. In the Adviser's opinion, these favorable risk and return characteristics
exist because the higher dividends offered by these stocks may act as a
"cushion" when markets are volatile and because stocks with higher yields tend
to sell at more attractive valuations (e.g., lower price-to-earning ratios and
lower price-to-book ratios).
Once this subset of higher-yielding stocks is identified, the Adviser
conducts a fundamental analysis of each company's financial strength,
profitability, projected earnings, sustainability of dividends, and ability of
management. The Fund's portfolio may include stocks which are out of favor in
the market, but which, in the opinion of the Adviser, offer compelling
valuations and potential for long-term appreciation in price and dividends. In
order to diversify the Fund's portfolio among different industry sectors, the
Adviser evaluates how each sector tends to react to economic factors such as
interest rates, inflation, Gross Domestic Product, and consumer spending. The
Fund's portfolio is constructed by attaining a proper balance of stocks in these
sectors based on the Adviser's economic forecasts.
The Adviser applies a disciplined criteria for selling stocks in the
Fund's portfolio as well. When the Adviser determines that the relative yield of
a stock has declined excessively below the yield of the S&P 500, or that the
yield is at the lower end of the stock's historic range, the stock generally is
sold from the Fund's portfolio. Similarly, if the Adviser's fundamental analysis
determines that the payment of the stock's dividend is at risk, or that market
expectations for the stock are unreasonable, the stock is targeted for potential
sale. In summary, the Adviser applies disciplined buy and sell criteria,
fundamental company and industry analysis, and economic forecasts in managing
the Fund to pursue long-term price appreciation and income with a tendency for
lower overall volatility than the market, as measured by the S&P 500.
The Fund cannot guarantee a gain or eliminate the risk of loss. The net
asset value of the Fund's shares will increase or decrease with changes in the
market prices of the Fund's investments and there is no assurance that the
Fund's objective will be achieved.
Master/feeder fund structure
The Board of Trustees has the discretion to retain the current
distribution arrangement for the Fund while investing in a master fund in a
master/feeder fund structure as described below.
A master/feeder fund structure is one in which a fund (a "feeder
fund"), instead of investing directly in a portfolio of securities, invests most
or all of its investment assets in a separate registered investment company (the
"master fund") with substantially the same investment objective and policies as
the feeder fund. Such a structure permits the pooling of assets of two or more
feeder funds, preserving separate identities or distribution channels at the
feeder fund level. Based on the premise that certain of the expenses of
operating an investment portfolio are relatively fixed, a larger investment
portfolio may eventually achieve a lower ratio of operating expenses to average
net assets. An existing investment company is able to convert to a feeder fund
by selling all of its investments, which involves brokerage and other
transaction costs and realization of a taxable gain or loss, or by contributing
its assets to the master fund and avoiding transaction costs and, if proper
procedures are followed, the realization of taxable gain or loss.
Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities; that is,
bonds, notes, debentures, preferred stocks, and other securities which are
convertible into common stocks. Investments in convertible securities may
provide income through interest and dividend payments and/or an opportunity for
capital appreciation by virtue of their conversion or exchange features.
2
<PAGE>
The convertible securities in which the Fund may invest include
fixed-income or zero coupon debt securities which may be converted or exchanged
at a stated or determinable exchange ratio into underlying shares of common
stock. The exchange ratio for any particular convertible security may be
adjusted from time to time due to stock splits, dividends, spin-offs, other
corporate distributions, or scheduled changes in the exchange ratio. Convertible
debt securities and convertible preferred stocks, until converted, have general
characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. Although to a lesser
extent than with debt securities generally, the market value of convertible
securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to
increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion or
exchange feature, the market value of convertible securities typically changes
as the market value of the underlying common stocks changes, and, therefore,
also tends to follow movements in the general market for equity securities. A
unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the
underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade
increasingly on a yield basis and so may not experience market value declines to
the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the
underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend
to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock, although
typically not as much as the underlying common stock. While no securities
investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally
entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
As debt securities, convertible securities are investments which
provide for a stream of income (or in the case of zero coupon securities,
accretion of income) with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course,
like all debt securities, there can be no assurance of income or principal
payments because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their
obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower yields than
non-convertible securities of similar quality because of their conversion or
exchange features.
Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but
non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as
corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity
securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of the
same issuer. However, because of the subordination feature, convertible bonds
and convertible preferred stock typically have lower ratings than similar
non-convertible securities.
Convertible securities may be issued as fixed income obligations that
pay current income or as zero coupon notes and bonds, including Liquid Yield
Option Notes (LYONS). Zero coupon securities pay no cash income and are sold at
substantial discounts from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their
entire income, which consists of accretion of discount, comes from the
difference between the issue price and their value at maturity. Zero coupon
convertible securities offer the opportunity for capital appreciation as
increases (or decreases) in market value of such securities closely follow the
movements in the market value of the underlying common stock. Zero coupon
convertible securities generally are expected to be less volatile than the
underlying common stocks as they usually are issued with shorter maturities (15
years or less) and are issued with options and/or redemption features
exercisable by the holder of the obligation entitling the holder to redeem the
obligation and receive a defined cash payment.
Illiquid Securities. The Fund may occasionally purchase securities other than in
the open market. While such purchases may often offer attractive opportunities
for investment not otherwise available on the open market, the securities so
purchased are often "restricted securities," "not readily marketable," or
"illiquid" restricted securities, i.e., which cannot be sold to the public
without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or the
availability of an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144 or 144A) or
because they are subject to other legal or contractual delays in or restrictions
on resale.
The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a
market value for illiquid securities. Disposing of illiquid securities may
involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult
or impossible for the Fund to sell them promptly at an acceptable price. The
Fund may have to bear the extra expense of registering such securities for
resale and the risk of substantial delay in effecting such registration. Also
market quotations are less readily available. The judgment of the Adviser may at
times play a greater role in valuing these securities than in the case of
illiquid securities.
Generally speaking, restricted securities may be sold in the U.S. only
to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction to a
limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held
for
3
<PAGE>
a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption
from registration, or in a public offering for which a registration statement is
in effect under the 1933 Act. The Fund may be deemed to be an "underwriter" for
purposes of the 1933 Act when selling restricted securities to the public, and
in such event the Fund may be liable to purchasers of such securities if the
registration statement prepared by the issuer, or the prospectus forming a part
of it, is materially inaccurate or misleading.
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities which pay
no cash income and are sold at substantial discounts from their value at
maturity. When held to maturity, their entire income, which consists of
accretion of discount, comes from the difference between the issue price and
their value at maturity. Zero coupon securities are subject to greater market
value fluctuations from changing interest rates than debt obligations of
comparable maturities which make current distributions of interest (cash). Zero
coupon securities which are convertible into common stock offer the opportunity
for capital appreciation as increases (or decreases) in the market value of such
securities closely follow the movements in the market value of the underlying
common stock. Zero coupon convertible securities generally are expected to be
less volatile than the underlying common stocks, as they usually are issued with
maturities of 15 years or less and are issued with options and/or redemption
features exercisable by the holder of the obligation entitling the holder to
redeem the obligation and receive a defined cash payment.
Zero coupon securities include securities issued directly by the U.S.
Treasury, and U.S. Treasury bonds or notes and their unmatured interest coupons
and receipts for their underlying principal ("coupons") which have been
separated by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage
firm. A holder will separate the interest coupons from the underlying principal
(the "corpus") of the U.S. Treasury security. A number of securities firms and
banks have stripped the interest coupons and receipts and then resold them in
custodial receipt programs with a number of different names, including "Treasury
Income Growth Receipts" (TIGRS(TM)) and Certificate of Accrual on Treasuries
(CATS(TM)). The underlying U.S. Treasury bonds and notes themselves are held in
book-entry form at the Federal Reserve Bank or, in the case of bearer securities
(i.e., unregistered securities which are owned ostensibly by the bearer or
holder thereof), in trust on behalf of the owners thereof. Counsel to the
underwriters of these certificates or other evidences of ownership of the U.S.
Treasury securities have stated that, for federal tax and securities purposes,
in their opinion purchasers of such certificates, such as the Fund, most likely
will be deemed the beneficial holder of the underlying U.S. Government
securities. The Fund understands that the staff of the Division of Investment
Management of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") no longer
considers such privately stripped obligations to be U.S. Government securities,
as defined in the 1940 Act; therefore, the Fund intends to adhere to this staff
position and will not treat such privately stripped obligations to be U.S.
Government securities for the purpose of determining if the Fund is
"diversified" under the 1940 Act.
The U.S. Treasury has facilitated transfers of ownership of zero coupon
securities by accounting separately for the beneficial ownership of particular
interest coupon and corpus payments on Treasury securities through the Federal
Reserve book-entry record keeping system. The Federal Reserve program as
established by the Treasury Department is known as "STRIPS" or "Separate Trading
of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities." Under the STRIPS program,
the Fund will be able to have its beneficial ownership of zero coupon securities
recorded directly in the book-entry record-keeping system in lieu of having to
hold certificates or other evidences of ownership of the underlying U.S.
Treasury securities.
When U.S. Treasury obligations have been stripped of their unmatured
interest coupons by the holder, the principal or corpus is sold at a deep
discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a future fixed
payment on the security and does not receive any rights to periodic interest
(cash) payments. Once stripped or separated, the corpus and coupons may be sold
separately. Typically, the coupons are sold separately or grouped with other
coupons with like maturity dates and sold bundled in such form. Purchasers of
stripped obligations acquire, in effect, discount obligations that are
economically identical to the zero coupon securities that the Treasury sells
itself (see "TAXES").
Foreign Securities. While the Fund generally emphasizes investments in companies
domiciled in the U.S., it may invest in listed and unlisted foreign securities
that meet the same criteria as the Fund's domestic holdings. The Fund may invest
in foreign securities when the anticipated performance of the foreign securities
is believed by the Adviser to offer more potential than domestic alternatives in
keeping with the investment objective of the Fund.
4
<PAGE>
Investors should recognize that investing in foreign securities
involves certain special considerations, including those set forth below, which
are not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities and which may
favorably or unfavorably affect the Fund's performance. As foreign companies are
not generally subject to uniform accounting and auditing and financial reporting
standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic
companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign
company than about a domestic company. Many foreign stock markets, while growing
in volume of trading activity, have substantially less volume than the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc. (the "Exchange") and securities of some foreign companies
are less liquid and more volatile than securities of domestic companies.
Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets are less than the
volume and liquidity in the U.S. and at times, volatility of price can be
greater than in the U.S. Further, foreign markets have different clearance and
settlement procedures and in certain markets there have been times when
settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities
transactions making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in
settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of the Fund are
uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Fund to make
intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to
miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio
securities due to settlement problems either could result in losses to the Fund
due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund
has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible
liability to the purchaser. Fixed commissions on some foreign stock exchanges
are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the
Fund will endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on its portfolio
transactions. Further, the Fund may encounter difficulties or be unable to
pursue legal remedies and obtain judgments in foreign courts. There is generally
less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices,
stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the U.S. It may be more
difficult for the Fund's agents to keep currently informed about corporate
actions such as stock dividends or other matters which may affect the prices of
portfolio securities. Communications between the U.S. and foreign countries may
be less reliable than within the U.S., thus increasing the risk of delayed
settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio
securities. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the
possibility of nationalization, expropriation, the imposition of withholding or
confiscatory taxes, political, social, or economic instability or diplomatic
developments which could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Investments
in foreign securities may also entail certain risks, such as possible currency
blockages or transfer restrictions and the difficulty of enforcing rights in
other countries. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or
unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national
product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and
balance of payments position.
These considerations generally are more of a concern in developing
countries. For example, the possibility of revolution and the dependence on
foreign economic assistance may be greater in these countries than in developed
countries. The management of the Fund seeks to mitigate the risks associated
with these considerations through diversification and active professional
management. Although investments in companies domiciled in developing countries
may be subject to potentially greater risks than investments in developed
countries, the Fund will not invest in any securities of issuers located in
developing countries if the securities, in the judgment of the Adviser, are
speculative.
Investments in foreign securities usually will involve currencies of
foreign countries. Moreover, the Fund may temporarily hold funds in bank
deposits in foreign currencies during the completion of investment programs and
the value of these assets for the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars may be
affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates
and exchange control regulations and the Fund may incur costs in connection with
conversions between various currencies. Although the Fund values its assets
daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its holdings of
foreign currencies, if any, into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. It may do so
from time to time and investors should be aware of the costs of currency
conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for
conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the "spread")
between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies.
Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate
while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that
currency to the dealer. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange
transactions, if any, either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate
prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market or through forward foreign
currency exchange contracts. (See "Currency Transactions" for more information.)
To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, the Fund's
share price could reflect the movements of both the different stock and bond
markets in which it is invested and the currencies in which the investments are
5
<PAGE>
denominated; the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against foreign
currencies could account for part of that Fund's investment performance.
Lending of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may seek to increase its income by
lending portfolio securities. Such loans may be made to registered
broker/dealers and are required to be secured continuously by collateral in
cash, U.S. Government Securities and liquid high grade debt obligations
maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value
and accrued interest of the securities loaned. The Fund has the right to call a
loan and obtain the securities loaned on no more than five days' notice. During
the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of any
distributions paid by the issuer on the securities loaned and will also receive
compensation based on investment of the collateral. As with other extensions of
credit there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the
collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, the
loans will be made only to firms deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing.
The value of the securities loaned will not exceed 30% of the value of the
Fund's total assets at the time any loan is made.
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with any
member bank of the Federal Reserve System and any broker/dealer which is
recognized as a reporting government securities dealer if the creditworthiness
of the bank or broker/dealer has been determined by the Adviser to be at least
as high as that of other obligations the Fund may purchase or to be at least
equal to that of issuers of commercial paper rated within the two highest grades
assigned by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or Standard & Poor's
Corporation ("S&P").
A repurchase agreement provides a means for the Fund to earn income on
funds for periods as short as overnight. It is an arrangement under which the
Fund acquires a security ("Obligation") and the seller agrees, at the time of
sale, to repurchase the Obligation at a specified time and price. Obligations
subject to a repurchase agreement are held in a segregated account and the value
of such obligations kept at least equal to the repurchase price on a daily
basis. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the
difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may
be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together with the
repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is
unrelated to the interest rate on the Obligation itself. Obligations will be
held by the Fund's custodian or in the Federal Reserve Book Entry System.
For purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the
seller of the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement and is therefore
subject to the Fund's investment restriction applicable to loans. It is not
clear whether a court would consider the Obligation purchased by the Fund
subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being
collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller. In the event of the
commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller
of the Obligation before repurchase of the Obligation under a repurchase
agreement, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to
sell the security. Delays may result in loss of interest or decline in price of
the Obligation. If the court characterizes the transaction as a loan and the
Fund has not perfected a security interest in the Obligation, the Fund may be
required to return the Obligation to the seller's estate and be treated as an
unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at
the risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the
transaction. As with any unsecured debt instrument purchased for the Fund, the
Adviser seeks to minimize the risk of loss through repurchase agreements by
analyzing the creditworthiness of the obligor, in this case the seller of the
Obligation. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there
is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the Obligation, in which
case the Fund may incur a loss if the proceeds to the Fund of its sale of the
securities underlying the repurchase agreement to a third party are less than
the repurchase price. To protect against such potential loss, if the market
value (including interest) of the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement
becomes less than the repurchase price (including interest), the Fund will
direct the seller of the Obligation to deliver additional securities so that the
market value (including interest) of all securities subject to the repurchase
agreement will equal or exceed the repurchase price. It is possible that the
Fund will be unsuccessful in seeking to enforce the seller's contractual
obligation to deliver additional securities.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into "reverse repurchase
agreements," which are repurchase agreements in which the Fund, as the seller of
the securities, agrees to repurchase them at an agreed time and price. The Fund
will maintain a segregated account, as described under "Use of Segregated and
Other Special Accounts" in connection with outstanding reverse repurchase
agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are deemed to be borrowings subject to
the Fund's investment restrictions applicable to that activity. The Fund will
enter into a reverse
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repurchase agreement only when the Adviser believes that the interest income to
be earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction will be greater
than the interest expense of the transaction.
Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITS"). The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs are
sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid
REITs. Investment in REITs may subject the Fund to risks associated with the
direct ownership of real estate, such as decreases in real estate values,
overbuilding, increased competition and other risks related to local or general
economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in
zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental
liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent and fluctuations in rental income.
Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold
interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly
through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the
underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of
the Fund's investment in REITs. For instance, during periods of declining
interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors
elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by
those REITs.
Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may
tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities.
Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have
limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in
operating and financing a limited number of projects. REITs are also subject to
heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and the possibility of failing
to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and to maintain exemption from the registration
requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund,
a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses
of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. In addition,
REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make
distributions to shareholders.
Strategic Transactions and Derivatives. The Fund may, but is not required to,
utilize various other investment strategies as described below for a variety of
purposes, such as hedging various market risks managing the effective maturity
or duration of the Fund's portfolio, or enhancing potential gain. These
strategies may be executed through the use of derivative contracts. Such
strategies are generally accepted as a part of modern portfolio management and
are regularly utilized by many mutual funds and other institutional investors.
In the course of pursuing these investment strategies, the Fund may
purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on
securities, equity and fixed-income indices and other instruments, purchase and
sell futures contracts and options thereon, enter into various transactions such
as swaps, caps, floors, collars, currency forward contracts, currency futures
contracts, currency swaps or options on currencies, currency futures and various
other currency transactions (collectively, all the above are called "Strategic
Transactions"). In addition, strategic transactions may also include new
techniques, instruments or strategies that are permitted as regulatory changes
occur. Strategic Transactions may be used without limit to attempt to protect
against possible changes in the market value of securities held in or to be
purchased for the Fund's portfolio resulting from securities markets or currency
exchange rate fluctuations, to protect the Fund's unrealized gains in the value
of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of such securities for
investment purposes, to manage the effective maturity or duration of
fixed-income securities in the Fund's portfolio, or to establish a position in
the derivatives markets as a substitute for purchasing or selling particular
securities. Some Strategic Transactions may also be used to enhance potential
gain although no more than 5% of the Fund's assets will be committed to
Strategic Transactions entered into for non-hedging purposes. Any or all of
these investment techniques may be used at any time and in any combination, and
there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one technique rather
than another, as use of any Strategic Transaction is a function of numerous
variables including market conditions. The ability of the Fund to utilize these
Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on the Adviser's ability to
predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The Fund will
comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these
strategies, techniques and instruments. Strategic Transactions will not be used
to alter the fundamental investment purposes and characteristics of the fund,
and the fund will segregate assets (or as provided by applicable regulations,
enter into certain offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under options,
futures and swaps to limit leveraging of the fund.
Strategic Transactions, including derivative contracts, have risks
associated with them including possible default by the other party to the
transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Adviser's view as to certain
market
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movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of such Strategic Transactions
could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. Use of put and
call options may result in losses to the Fund, force the sale or purchase of
portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than (in the case
of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current market
values, limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on its investments
or cause the Fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell. The use of
currency transactions can result in the Fund incurring losses as a result of a
number of factors including the imposition of exchange controls, suspension of
settlements, or the inability to deliver or receive a specified currency. The
use of options and futures transactions entails certain other risks. In
particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of
futures contracts and price movements in the related portfolio position of the
Fund creates the possibility that losses on the hedging instrument may be
greater than gains in the value of the Fund's position. In addition, futures and
options markets may not be liquid in all circumstances and certain
over-the-counter options may have no markets. As a result, in certain markets,
the Fund might not be able to close out a transaction without incurring
substantial losses, if at all. Although the use of futures and options
transactions for hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a
decline in the value of the hedged position, at the same time they tend to limit
any potential gain which might result from an increase in value of such
position. Finally, the daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts
would create a greater ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of
options, where the exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium.
Losses resulting from the use of Strategic Transactions would reduce net asset
value, and possibly income, and such losses can be greater than if the Strategic
Transactions had not been utilized.
General Characteristics of Options. Put options and call options typically have
similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the
underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the following
general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed
in greater detail below. In addition, many Strategic Transactions involving
options require segregation of Fund assets in special accounts, as described
below under "Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts."
A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a
premium, the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying
security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price.
For instance, the Fund's purchase of a put option on a security might be
designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some
cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value
by giving the Fund the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise
price. A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the
option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying
instrument at the exercise price. The Fund's purchase of a call option on a
security, financial future, index, currency or other instrument might be
intended to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of the underlying
instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at
which it may purchase such instrument. An American style put or call option may
be exercised at any time during the option period while a European style put or
call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior
thereto. The Fund is authorized to purchase and sell exchange listed options and
over-the-counter options ("OTC options"). Exchange listed options are issued by
a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), which
guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options.
The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but is also applicable to other
financial intermediaries.
With certain exceptions, OCC issued and exchange listed options
generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency,
although in the future cash settlement may become available. Index options and
Eurodollar instruments are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the
option is "in-the-money" (i.e., where the value of the underlying instrument
exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put
option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised.
Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument
through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by
entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in
ownership of the new option.
The Fund's ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller
of an OCC or exchange listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the
liquidity of the option market. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a
liquid option market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in
certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii)
trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to
particular classes or series of options or underlying securities including
reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the
OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to
handle
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current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to
discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options),
in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease
to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue
to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours
during which the underlying financial instruments are traded. To the extent that
the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial
instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the
underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
OTC options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial
institutions or other parties ("Counterparties") through direct bilateral
agreement with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange listed options, which
generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms of an
OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price,
premium, guarantees and security, are set by negotiation of the parties. The
Fund will only sell OTC options (other than OTC currency options) that are
subject to a buy-back provision permitting the Fund to require the Counterparty
to sell the option back to the Fund at a formula price within seven days. The
Fund expects generally to enter into OTC options that have cash settlement
provisions, although it is not required to do so.
Unless the parties provide for it, there is no central clearing or
guaranty function in an OTC option. As a result, if the Counterparty fails to
make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying
an OTC option it has entered into with the Fund or fails to make a cash
settlement payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Fund
will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit
of the transaction. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of
each such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the
Counterparty's credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC
option will be satisfied. The Fund will engage in OTC option transactions only
with U.S. government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York as "primary dealers" or broker/dealers, domestic or foreign banks or
other financial institutions which have received (or the guarantors of the
obligation of which have received) a short-term credit rating of A-1 from S&P or
P-1 from Moody's or an equivalent rating from any nationally recognized
statistical rating organization ("NRSRO") or, in the case of OTC currency
transactions, are determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
The staff of the SEC currently takes the position that OTC options purchased by
the Fund, and portfolio securities "covering" the amount of the Fund's
obligation pursuant to an OTC option sold by it (the cost of the sell-back plus
the in-the-money amount, if any) are illiquid, and are subject to the Fund's
limitation on investing no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid
securities.
If the Fund sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve
as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in
the value of the underlying securities or instruments in its portfolio or will
increase the Fund's income. The sale of put options can also provide income.
The Fund may purchase and sell call options on securities including
U.S. Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt
securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar
instruments that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the
over-the-counter markets, and on securities indices, currencies and futures
contracts. All calls sold by the Fund must be "covered" (i.e., the Fund must own
the securities or futures contract subject to the call) or must meet the asset
segregation requirements described below as long as the call is outstanding.
Even though the Fund will receive the option premium to help protect it against
loss, a call sold by the Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option to
possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the
underlying security or instrument and may require the Fund to hold a security or
instrument which it might otherwise have sold.
The Fund may purchase and sell put options on securities including U.S.
Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt
securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar
instruments (whether or not it holds the above securities in its portfolio), and
on securities, indices, currencies and futures contracts other than futures on
individual corporate debt and individual equity securities. The Fund will not
sell put options if, as a result, more than 50% of the Fund's assets would be
required to be segregated to cover its potential obligations under such put
options other than those with respect to futures and options thereon. In selling
put options,
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there is a risk that the Fund may be required to buy the underlying security at
a disadvantageous price above the market price.
General Characteristics of Futures. The Fund may enter into futures contracts or
purchase or sell put and call options on such futures as a hedge against
anticipated interest rate, currency or equity market changes, and for duration
management, risk management, and return enhancement purposes. Futures are
generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed,
with payment of initial and variation margin as described below. The sale of a
futures contract creates a firm obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver to
the buyer the specific type of instrument called for in the contract at a
specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures
and Eurodollar instruments, the net cash amount). Options on futures contracts
are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract
gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a
position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such
position.
The Fund's use of futures and options thereon will in all cases be
consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in particular the rules
and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and will be entered
into for bona fide hedging, risk management (including duration management) or
other portfolio management and return enhancement purposes. Typically,
maintaining a futures contract or selling an option thereon requires the Fund to
deposit with a financial intermediary as security for its obligations an amount
of cash or other specified assets (initial margin) which initially is typically
1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some
circumstances). Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to
be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark to market value of the
contract fluctuates. The purchase of an option on financial futures involves
payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part
of the Fund. If the Fund exercises an option on a futures contract it will be
obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for
the resulting futures position just as it would for any position. Futures
contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an
offsetting transaction but there can be no assurance that the position can be
offset prior to settlement at an advantageous price, nor that delivery will
occur.
The Fund will not enter into a futures contract or related option
(except for closing transactions) if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the
amount of its initial margin and premiums on open futures contracts and options
thereon would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets (taken at current value);
however, in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of the
purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5%
limitation. The segregation requirements with respect to futures contracts and
options thereon are described below.
Options on Securities Indices and Other Financial Indices. The Fund also may
purchase and sell call and put options on securities indices and other financial
indices and in so doing can achieve many of the same objectives it would achieve
through the sale or purchase of options on individual securities or other
instruments. Options on securities indices and other financial indices are
similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, rather than
settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash
settlement, i.e., an option on an index gives the holder the right to receive,
upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the index
upon which the option is based exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than,
in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option (except if, in the case
of an OTC option, physical delivery is specified). This amount of cash is equal
to the excess of the closing price of the index over the exercise price of the
option, which also may be multiplied by a formula value. The seller of the
option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of
this amount. The gain or loss on an option on an index depends on price
movements in the instruments making up the market, market segment, industry or
other composite on which the underlying index is based, rather than price
movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on
securities.
Currency Transactions. The Fund may engage in currency transactions with
Counterparties, primarily in order to hedge, or manage the risk of, the value of
portfolio holdings denominated in particular currencies against fluctuations in
relative value. Currency transactions include forward currency contracts,
exchange listed currency futures, exchange listed and OTC options on currencies,
and currency swaps. A forward currency contract involves a privately negotiated
obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specific
currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date
of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the
contract. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows based on the
notional difference among two or more currencies and operates similarly to an
interest rate swap, which is described below. The Fund may enter into currency
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transactions with Counterparties which have received (or the guarantors of the
obligations which have received) a credit rating of A-1 or P-1 by S&P or
Moody's, respectively, or that have an equivalent rating from a NRSRO or are
determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
The Fund's dealings in forward currency contracts and other currency
transactions such as futures, options, options on futures and swaps generally
will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio
positions. Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with
respect to specific assets or liabilities of the Fund, which will generally
arise in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the
receipt of income therefrom. Position hedging is entering into a currency
transaction with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or
generally quoted in that currency.
The Fund generally will not enter into a transaction to hedge currency
exposure to an extent greater, after netting all transactions intended wholly or
partially to offset other transactions, than the aggregate market value (at the
time of entering into the transaction) of the securities held in its portfolio
that are denominated or generally quoted in or currently convertible into such
currency, other than with respect to proxy hedging or cross hedging as described
below.
The Fund may also cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions
to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value
relative to other currencies to which the Fund has or in which the Fund expects
to have portfolio exposure.
To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing
or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities, the Fund may also engage in
proxy hedging. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Fund's
portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the dollar. Proxy
hedging entails entering into a commitment or option to sell a currency whose
changes in value are generally considered to be correlated to a currency or
currencies in which some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities are or are
expected to be denominated, in exchange for U.S. dollars. The amount of the
commitment or option would not exceed the value of the Fund's securities
denominated in correlated currencies. For example, if the Adviser considers that
the Austrian schilling is correlated to the German deutschemark (the "D-mark"),
the Fund holds securities denominated in schillings and the Adviser believes
that the value of schillings will decline against the U.S. dollar, the Adviser
may enter into a commitment or option to sell D-marks and buy dollars. Currency
hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions
with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to the Fund
if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction
that is not anticipated. Further, there is the risk that the perceived
correlation between various currencies may not be present or may not be present
during the particular time that the Fund is engaging in proxy hedging. If the
Fund enters into a currency hedging transaction, the Fund will comply with the
asset segregation requirements described below.
Risks of Currency Transactions. Currency transactions are subject to risks
different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control
is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic
planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can
be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and
manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These can result
in losses to the Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or funds in
settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be
rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring
transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the
same risks that apply to the use of futures generally. Further, settlement of a
currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a
bank based in the issuing nation. Trading options on currency futures is
relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on such
options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market which may not always be
available. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to
that country's economy.
Combined Transactions. The Fund may enter into multiple transactions, including
multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency
transactions (including forward currency contracts) and multiple interest rate
transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and interest rate
transactions ("component" transactions), instead of a single Strategic
Transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of
the Adviser, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. A combined
transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of
its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered
into based
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on the Adviser's judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or
otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is
possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder
achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars. Among the Strategic Transactions into which the
Fund may enter are interest rate, currency, index, and other swaps and the
purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. The Fund expects to enter
into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular
investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency
fluctuations, as a duration management technique or to protect against any
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Fund will not sell interest rate caps or floors where it does not own
securities or other instruments providing the income stream the Fund may be
obligated to pay. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with
another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g.,
an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a
notional amount of principal. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash
flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value
differential among them and an index swap is an agreement to swap cash flows on
a notional amount based on changes in the values of the reference indices. The
purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional
principal amount from the party selling such cap to the extent that a specified
index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of a floor
entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from
the party selling such floor to the extent that a specified index falls below a
predetermined interest rate or amount. A collar is a combination of a cap and a
floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest
rates or values.
The Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two
payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates
specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may
be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as the fund will segregate
assets (or enter into offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under
swaps, the Adviser and the Fund believe such obligations do not constitute
senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as
being subject to its borrowing restrictions. The Fund will not enter into any
swap, cap, floor or collar transaction unless, at the time of entering into such
transaction, the unsecured long-term debt of the Counterparty, combined with any
credit enhancements, is rated at least A by S&P or Moody's or has an equivalent
rating from a NRSRO or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the
Adviser. If there is a default by the Counterparty, the Fund may have
contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The
swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks
and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing
standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become
relatively liquid. Caps, floors and collars are more recent innovations for
which standardized documentation has not yet been fully developed and,
accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.
Eurodollar Instruments. The Fund may make investments in Eurodollar instruments.
Eurodollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts or options
thereon which are linked to the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"),
although foreign currency-denominated instruments are available from time to
time. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for
the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. The Fund
might use Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against
changes in LIBOR, to which many interest rate swaps and fixed income instruments
are linked.
Risks of Strategic Transactions Outside the U.S. When conducted outside the
U.S., Strategic Transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the U.S.,
may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and are subject to
the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign
securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions also
could be adversely affected by: (i) other complex foreign political, legal and
economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the U.S. of data on which to
make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Fund's ability to act upon economic
events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the U.S., (iv)
the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and
margin requirements than in the U.S., and (v) lower trading volume and
liquidity.
Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Many Strategic Transactions, in
addition to other requirements, require that the Fund segregate cash or liquid
assets with its custodian to the extent Fund obligations are not otherwise
"covered" through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or
currency. In general, either the full
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amount of any obligation by the Fund to pay or deliver securities or assets must
be covered at all times by the securities, instruments or currency required to
be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory restrictions, an amount of cash or
liquid securities at least equal to the current amount of the obligation must be
segregated with the custodian. The segregated assets cannot be sold or
transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no
longer necessary to segregate them. For example, a call option written by the
Fund will require the Fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or
securities convertible into the needed securities without additional
consideration) or to segregate cash or liquid securities sufficient to purchase
and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option sold by the
Fund on an index will require the Fund to own portfolio securities which
correlate with the index or to segregate cash or liquid assets equal to the
excess of the index value over the exercise price on a current basis. A put
option written by the Fund requires the Fund to segregate cash or liquid assets
equal to the exercise price.
Except when the Fund enters into a forward contract for the purchase or
sale of a security denominated in a particular currency, which requires no
segregation, a currency contract which obligates the Fund to buy or sell
currency will generally require the Fund to hold an amount of that currency or
liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the Fund's obligations
or to segregate cash or liquid assets equal to the amount of the Fund's
obligation.
OTC options entered into by the Fund, including those on securities,
currency, financial instruments or indices and OCC issued and exchange listed
index options, will generally provide for cash settlement. As a result, when the
Fund sells these instruments it will only segregate an amount of assets equal to
its accrued net obligations, as there is no requirement for payment or delivery
of amounts in excess of the net amount. These amounts will equal 100% of the
exercise price in the case of a non cash-settled put, the same as an OCC
guaranteed listed option sold by the Fund, or the in-the-money amount plus any
sell-back formula amount in the case of a cash-settled put or call. In addition,
when the Fund sells a call option on an index at a time when the in-the-money
amount exceeds the exercise price, the Fund will segregate, until the option
expires or is closed out, cash or cash equivalents equal in value to such
excess. OCC issued and exchange listed options sold by the Fund other than those
above generally settle with physical delivery, or with an election of either
physical delivery or cash settlement and the Fund will segregate an amount of
assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical
delivery, or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement
will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery.
In the case of a futures contract or an option thereon, the Fund must
deposit initial margin and possible daily variation margin in addition to
segregating assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide
securities or currencies, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an
index-based futures contract. Such assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents,
liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets.
With respect to swaps, the Fund will accrue the net amount of the
excess, if any, of its obligations over its entitlements with respect to each
swap on a daily basis and will segregate an amount of cash or liquid securities
having a value equal to the accrued excess. Caps, floors and collars require
segregation of assets with a value equal to the Fund's net obligation, if any.
Strategic Transactions may be covered by other means when consistent
with applicable regulatory policies. The Fund may also enter into offsetting
transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets,
equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and Strategic
Transactions. For example, the Fund could purchase a put option if the strike
price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option
sold by the Fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets if the Fund held a
futures or forward contract, it could purchase a put option on the same futures
or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the
contract held. Other Strategic Transactions may also be offset in combinations.
If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary
transaction no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to such time,
assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.
Investment Restrictions
Unless specified to the contrary, the following fundamental policies
may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund involved which, under the 1940 Act and the rules
thereunder and as used in this Statement of Additional Information, means the
lesser of (1) 67% or more of the voting
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securities present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present or represented by proxy;
or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Any investment restrictions herein which involve a maximum percentage
of securities or assets shall not be considered to be violated unless an excess
over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition
or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, the Fund.
As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
(a) borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and as
interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having
jurisdiction from time to time;
(b) issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940
Act and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority
having jurisdiction, from time to time;
(c) purchase physical commodities or contracts relating to
physical commodities;
(d) engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by
others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be
an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio
securities;
(e) purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include
securities of companies which deal in real estate or mortgages
or investments secured by real estate or interests therein,
except that the Fund reserves freedom of action to hold and to
sell real estate acquired as a result of the Fund's ownership
of securities;
(f) make loans except as permitted under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by
regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
(g) concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that
term is used in the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified
by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to
time.
The Fund may not, as a nonfundamental policy:
(1) borrow money in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets,
except (i) for temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) by
engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, or
other investments or transactions described in the Fund's
registration statement which may be deemed to be borrowings;
(2) enter into either of reverse repurchase agreements or dollar
rolls in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets;
(3) purchase securities on margin or make short sales, except (i)
short sales against the box, (ii) in connection with arbitrage
transactions, (iii) for margin deposits in connection with
futures contracts, options or other permitted investments,
(iv) that transactions in futures contracts and options shall
not be deemed to constitute selling securities short, and (v)
that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for the clearance of securities transactions;
(4) purchase options, unless the aggregate premiums paid on all
such options held by the Fund at any time do not exceed 20% of
its total assets; or sell put options, if as a result, the
aggregate value of the obligations underlying such put options
would exceed 50% of its total assets;
(5) enter into futures contracts or purchase options thereon
unless immediately after the purchase, the value of the
aggregate initial margin with respect to such futures
contracts entered into on behalf of the Fund and the premiums
paid for such options on futures contracts does not exceed 5%
of the fair market value of the Fund's total assets; provided
that in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time
of purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in
computing the 5% limit;
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(6) purchase warrants if as a result, such securities, taken at
the lower of cost or market value, would represent more than
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (for this purpose,
warrants acquired in units or attached to securities will be
deemed to have no value); and
(7) lend portfolio securities in an amount greater than 30% of its
total assets.
PURCHASES
(See "Transaction information" and "Purchases" in the
Fund's prospectus.)
Additional Information About Opening An Account
Clients having a regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or
its affiliates and members of their immediate families, officers and employees
of the Adviser or of any affiliated organization and their immediate families,
members of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") and
banks may, if they prefer, subscribe initially for at least $2,500 of Fund
shares through Scudder Investor Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") by letter,
fax, TWX or telephone.
Shareholders of other Scudder funds who have submitted an account
application and have a certified taxpayer identification number, clients having
a regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or its affiliates and
members of their immediate families, officers and employees of the Adviser or of
any affiliated organization and their immediate families, members of the NASD,
and banks may open an account by wire. These investors must call 1-800-225-5163
to get an account number. During the call the investor will be asked to indicate
the Fund name, amount to be wired ($2,500 minimum), name of bank or trust
company from which the wire will be sent, the exact registration of the new
account, the taxpayer identification or Social Security number, address and
telephone number. The investor must then call the bank to arrange a wire
transfer to The Scudder Funds, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, MA
02101, ABA Number 011000028, DDA Account Number 9903-5552. The investor must
give the Scudder fund name, account name and new account number. Finally, the
investor must send the completed and signed application to the Fund promptly.
The minimum initial purchase amount is less than $2,500 under certain
special plan accounts.
Minimum balances
Shareholders should maintain a share balance worth at least $2,500
($1,000 for fiduciary accounts such as IRAs, and custodial accounts such as
Uniform Gift to Minor Act, and Uniform Trust to Minor Act accounts), which
amount may be changed by the Board of Trustees. A shareholder may open an
account with at least $1,000 ($500 for fiduciary/custodial accounts), if an
automatic investment plan (AIP) of $100/month ($50/month for fiduciary/custodial
accounts) is established. Scudder group retirement plans and certain other
accounts have similar or lower minimum share balance requirements.
The Fund reserves the right, following 60 days' written notice to
applicable shareholders, to:
o assess an annual $10 per Fund charge (with the fee to be paid
to the Fund) for any non-fiduciary/non-custodial account
without an automatic investment plan (AIP) in place and a
balance of less than $2,500; and
o redeem all shares in Fund accounts below $1,000 where a
reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption, exchange
or transfer out of the account. The Fund will mail the
proceeds of the redeemed account to the shareholder.
Reductions in value that result solely from market activity will not
trigger an involuntary redemption. Shareholders with a combined household
account balance in any of the Scudder Funds of $100,000 or more, as well as
group retirement and certain other accounts will not be subject to a fee or
automatic redemption.
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Fiduciary (e.g., IRA or Roth IRA) and custodial accounts (e.g., UGMA or
UTMA) with balances below $100 are subject to automatic redemption following 60
days' written notice to applicable shareholders.
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments
Subsequent purchase orders for $10,000 or more, and for an amount not
greater than four times the value of the shareholder's account, may be placed by
telephone, fax, etc. by members of the NASD, by banks, and by established
shareholders except by Scudder Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Scudder
Profit Sharing and Money Purchase Pension Plans, and Scudder 401(k) and Scudder
403(b) Plan holders. Orders placed in this manner may be directed to any office
of the Distributor listed in the Fund's prospectus. A two-part invoice of the
purchase will be mailed out promptly following receipt of a request to buy.
Payment should be attached to a copy of the invoice for proper identification.
Federal regulations require that payment be received within seven business days.
If payment is not received within that time, the shares may be canceled. In the
event of such cancellation or cancellation at the purchaser's request, the
purchaser will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund or the principal
underwriter by reason of such cancellation. If the purchaser is a shareholder,
the Fund shall have the authority, as agent of the shareholder, to redeem shares
in the account in order to reimburse the Fund or the principal underwriter for
the loss incurred. Net losses on such transactions which are not recovered from
the purchaser will be absorbed by the principal underwriter. Any net profit on
the liquidation of unpaid shares will accrue to the Fund.
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickBuy program, may purchase shares of the Fund by telephone. Through
this service shareholders may purchase up to $250,000. To purchase shares by
QuickBuy, shareholders should call before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time. Proceeds in the amount of your purchase
will be transferred from your bank checking account two or three business days
following your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on
the Exchange, shares will be purchased at the net asset value per share
calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call. QuickBuy requests
received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will begin their
processing and be purchased at the net asset value calculated the following
business day. If you purchase shares by QuickBuy and redeem them within seven
days of the purchase, the Fund may hold the redemption proceeds for a period of
up to seven business days. If you purchase shares and there are insufficient
funds in your bank account the purchase will be canceled and you will be subject
to any losses or fees incurred in the transaction. QuickBuy transactions are not
available for most retirement plan accounts. However, QuickBuy transactions are
available for Scudder IRA accounts.
In order to request purchases by QuickBuy, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account from which the purchase payment will be debited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickBuy may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickBuy to their account may do so by
completing an QuickBuy Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form
shareholders should allow for 15 days for this service to be available.
The Fund employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Fund does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Fund will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Checks
A certified check is not necessary but checks are only accepted subject
to collection at full face value in U.S. funds and must be drawn on, or payable
through, a U.S. bank.
If shares of the Fund are purchased by a check which proves to be
uncollectible, the Trust reserves the right to cancel the purchase immediately
and the purchaser will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Trust or the
principal underwriter by reason of such cancellation. If the purchaser is a
shareholder, the Trust will have the
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<PAGE>
authority, as agent of the shareholder, to redeem shares in the account in order
to reimburse the Fund or the principal underwriter for the loss incurred.
Investors whose orders have been canceled may be prohibited from, or restricted
in, placing future orders in any of the Scudder funds.
Wire Transfer of Federal Funds
To obtain the net asset value determined as of the close of regular
trading on the Exchange on a selected day, your bank must forward federal funds
by wire transfer and provide the required account information so as to be
available to the Fund prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange
(normally 4 p.m., eastern time).
The bank sending an investor's federal funds by bank wire may charge
for the service. Presently the Distributor pays a fee for receipt by State
Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Custodian") of "wired funds," but the right
to charge investors for this service is reserved.
Boston banks are closed on certain holidays although the Exchange may
be open. These holidays include Columbus Day (the 2nd Monday in October) and
Veterans' Day (November 11). Investors are not able to purchase shares by wiring
federal funds on such holidays because the Custodian is not open to receive such
federal funds on behalf of the Fund.
Share Price
Purchases will be filled without sales charge at the net asset value
next computed after receipt of the application in good order. Net asset value
normally will be computed as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on
each day during which the Exchange is open for trading. Orders received after
the close of regular trading on the Exchange will receive the next day's net
asset value. If the order has been placed by a member of the NASD, other than
the Distributor, it is the responsibility of that member broker, rather than the
Fund, to forward the purchase order to the Fund's transfer agent in Boston by
the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
Share Certificates
Due to the desire of the Trust's management to afford ease of
redemption, certificates will not be issued to indicate ownership in the Fund.
Share certificates now in a shareholder's possession may be sent to Scudder
Service Corporation (the "Transfer Agent") for cancellation and credit to such
shareholder's account. Shareholders who prefer may hold the certificates in
their possession until they wish to exchange or redeem such shares. (See
"Redeeming shares" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Other Information
The Fund has authorized certain members of the NASD other than the
Distributor to accept purchase and redemption orders for the Fund's shares.
Those brokers may also designate other parties to accept purchase and redemption
orders on the Fund's behalf. Orders for purchase or redemption will be deemed to
have been received by the Fund when such brokers or their authorized designees
accept the orders. Subject to the terms of the contract between the Fund and the
broker, ordinarily orders will be priced at the Fund's net asset value next
computed after acceptance by such brokers or their authorized designees.
Further, if purchases or redemptions of the Fund's shares are arranged and
settlement is made at an investor's election through any other authorized NASD
member, that member may, at its discretion, charge a fee for that service. The
Board of Trustees and the Distributor, also the Fund's principal underwriter,
each has the right to limit the amount of purchases by, and to refuse to sell
to, any person. The Trustees and the Distributor may suspend or terminate the
offering of shares of the Fund at any time for any reason.
The Board of Trustees and the Distributor, the Trust's principal
underwriter, each has the right to limit the amount of purchases by, and to
refuse to sell to, any person. The Trustees and the Distributor may suspend or
terminate the offering of shares of the Fund at any time.
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The Tax Identification Number section of the application must be
completed when opening an account. Applications and purchase orders without a
correct certified tax identification number and certain other certified
information (e.g., from exempt organizations, certification of exempt status)
will be returned to the investor.
The Trust may issue shares of the Fund at net asset value in connection
with any merger or consolidation with, or acquisition of the assets of, any
investment company (or series thereof) or personal holding company, subject to
the requirements of the 1940 Act.
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS
(See "Transaction information" and "Exchanges and redemptions" in
the Fund's prospectus.)
Exchanges
Exchanges are comprised of a redemption from one Scudder fund and a
purchase into another Scudder fund. The purchase side of the exchange may be
either an additional investment into an existing account or may involve opening
a new account in another fund. When an exchange involves a new account, the new
account will be established with the same registration, tax identification
number, address, telephone redemption option, "Scudder Automated Information
Line" (SAIL) and dividend option as the existing account. Other features will
not carry over automatically to the new account. Exchanges into a new fund
account must be for a minimum of $2,500. When an exchange represents an
additional investment into an existing account, the account receiving the
exchange proceeds must have identical registration, tax identification number,
address, and account options/features as the account of origin. Exchanges into
an existing account must be for $100 or more. If the account receiving the
exchange proceeds is different in any respect, the exchange request must be in
writing and must contain an original signature guarantee as described under
"Transaction information -- Redeeming shares -- Signature guarantee" in the
Fund's prospectus.
Exchange orders received before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange on any business day ordinarily will be executed at the respective net
asset value determined on that day. Exchange orders received after the close of
regular trading on the Exchange will be executed on the following business day.
Investors may also request, at no extra charge, to have exchanges
automatically executed on a predetermined schedule from one Scudder fund to an
existing account in another Scudder fund, at current net asset value, through
Scudder's Automatic Exchange Program. Exchanges must be for a minimum of $50.
Shareholders may add this free feature over the telephone or in writing.
Automatic Exchanges will continue until the shareholder requests by telephone or
in writing to have the feature removed, or until the originating account is
depleted. The Trust and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to suspend or
terminate the privilege of the Automatic Exchange Program at any time.
There is no charge to the shareholder for any exchange described above.
An exchange into another Scudder fund is a redemption of shares, and therefore
may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and the
proceeds of such exchange may be subject to backup withholding. (See "TAXES.")
Investors currently receive the exchange privilege, including exchange
by telephone, automatically without having to elect it. The Trust employs
procedures, including recording telephone calls, testing a caller's identity,
and sending written confirmation of telephone transactions, designed to give
reasonable assurance that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine,
and to discourage fraud. To the extent that the Trust does not follow such
procedures, it may be liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent
telephone instructions. The Trust will not be liable for acting upon
instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably believes to be
genuine. The Trust and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to suspend or
terminate the privilege of exchanging by telephone or fax at any time.
The Scudder funds into which investors may make an exchange are listed
under "THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS" herein. Before making an exchange,
shareholders should obtain from the Distributor a prospectus of the Scudder fund
into which the exchange is being contemplated. The exchange privilege may not be
available for certain Scudder funds or classes thereof. For more information,
please call 1-800-225-5163.
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<PAGE>
Scudder retirement plans may have different exchange requirements.
Please refer to appropriate plan literature.
Redemption by Telephone
Shareholders currently receive the right, automatically without having
to elect it, to redeem by telephone up to $100,000 to their address of record.
Shareholders may also request by telephone to have the proceeds mailed or wired
to their pre-designated bank account. In order to request wire redemptions by
telephone, shareholders must have completed and returned to the Transfer Agent
the application, including the designation of a bank account to which the
redemption proceeds are to be sent.
(a) NEW INVESTORS wishing to establish telephone redemption to a
predesignated bank account must complete the appropriate
section on the application.
(b) EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS (except those who are Scudder IRA,
Scudder Pension and Profit Sharing, Scudder 401(k) and Scudder
403(b) plan holders) who wish to establish telephone
redemption to a predesignated bank account or who want to
change the bank account previously designated to receive
redemption proceeds should either return a Telephone
Redemption Option Form (available upon request) or send a
letter identifying the account and specifying the exact
information to be changed. The letter must be signed exactly
as the shareholder's name(s) appears on the account. An
original signature and an original signature guarantee are
required for each person in whose name the account is
registered.
Telephone redemption is not available with respect to shares
represented by share certificates or shares held in retirement accounts.
If a request for redemption to a shareholder's bank account is made by
telephone or fax, payment will be made by Federal Reserve Bank wire to the bank
account designated on the application unless a request is made that the
redemption check be mailed to the designated bank account. There will be a $5.00
charge for all wire redemptions.
Note: Investors designating that a savings bank receive their
telephone redemption proceeds are advised that if the savings
bank is not a participant in the Federal Reserve System,
redemption proceeds must be wired through a commercial bank
which is a correspondent of the savings bank. As this may
delay receipt by the shareholder's account, it is suggested
that investors wishing to use a savings bank discuss wire
procedures with their banks and submit any special wire
transfer information with the telephone redemption
authorization. If appropriate wire information is not
supplied, redemption proceeds will be mailed to the designated
bank.
The Trust employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Trust does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Trust will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Redemption requests by telephone (technically a repurchase by agreement
between the Trust and the shareholder) of shares purchased by check will not be
accepted until the purchase check has cleared, which may take up to seven
business days.
Redemption By QuickSell
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickSell program may sell shares of the Fund by telephone. Redemptions
must be for at least $250. Proceeds in the amount of your redemption will be
transferred to your bank checking account two or three business days following
your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time, shares will be redeemed at the net asset
value per share
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calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call. QuickSell requests
received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will begin their
processing and be redeemed at the net asset value calculated the following
business day. QuickSell transactions are not available for Scudder IRA accounts
and most other retirement plan accounts.
In order to request redemptions by QuickSell, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account to which the redemption proceeds will be credited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickSell may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickSell to their account may do so by
completing an QuickSell Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form,
shareholders should allow for 15 days for this service to be available.
The Fund employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Fund does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Fund will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Redemption by Mail or Fax
Any existing share certificates representing shares being redeemed must
accompany a request for redemption and be duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper stock assignment form with signature(s) guaranteed as explained in the
Fund's prospectus.
In order to ensure proper authorization before redeeming shares, the
Transfer Agent may request additional documents such as, but not restricted to,
stock powers, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as
executor, certificates of corporate authority and waivers of tax (required in
some states when settling estates).
It is suggested that shareholders holding share certificates or shares
registered in other than individual names contact the Transfer Agent prior to
redemptions to ensure that all necessary documents accompany the request. When
shares are held in the name of a corporation, trust, fiduciary agent, attorney
or partnership, the Transfer Agent requires, in addition to the stock power,
certified evidence of authority to sign. These procedures are for the protection
of shareholders and should be followed to ensure prompt payment. Redemption
requests must not be conditional as to date or price of the redemption. Proceeds
of a redemption will be sent within five business days after receipt by the
Transfer Agent of a request for redemption that complies with the above
requirements. Delays in payment of more than seven days for shares tendered for
repurchase or redemption may result but only until the purchase check has
cleared.
The requirements for IRA redemptions are different from those for
regular accounts. For more information please call 1-800-225-5163.
Redemption-In-Kind
The Trust reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash
payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase order by
making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities chosen by
the Trust and valued as they are for purposes of computing the Fund's net asset
value (a redemption-in-kind). If payment is made in securities, a shareholder
may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities into cash. The
Trust has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act as a
result of which the Fund is obligated to redeem shares, with respect to any one
shareholder during any 90 day period, solely in cash up to the lesser of
$250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the Fund at the beginning of the
period.
Other Information
Clients, officers or employees of the Adviser or of an affiliated
organization and members of such clients', officers' or employees' immediate
families, banks and members of the NASD may direct repurchase requests to the
Trust through the Distributor at Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
02110-4103 by letter, fax or telephone. A two-part confirmation will be mailed
out promptly after receipt of the redemption request. A written request in good
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order as described above and any certificates with a proper signature
guarantee(s), as described in the Fund's prospectus under "Transaction
information -- Redeeming shares -- Signature guarantee", should be sent with a
copy of the invoice to Scudder Service Corporation, Confirmed Processing
Department, Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-4103. Failure
to deliver shares or required documents (see above) by the settlement date may
result in cancellation of the trade and the shareholder will be responsible for
any loss incurred by the Fund or the principal underwriter by reason of such
cancellation. The Trust will have the authority, as agent of the shareholder, to
redeem shares in the account in order to reimburse the Fund or the principal
underwriter for the loss incurred. Net losses on such transactions which are not
recovered from the shareholder will be absorbed by the principal underwriter.
Any net gains so resulting will accrue to the Fund. For this group, repurchases
will be carried out at the net asset value next computed after such repurchase
requests have been received. The arrangements described in this paragraph for
repurchasing shares are discretionary and may be discontinued at any time.
If a shareholder redeems all shares in the account after the record
date of a dividend, the shareholder will receive in addition to the net asset
value thereof, all declared but unpaid dividends thereon. The value of shares
redeemed or repurchased may be more or less than the shareholder's cost
depending on the net asset value at the time of redemption or repurchase. The
Trust does not impose a redemption or repurchase charge although a wire charge
may be applicable for redemption proceeds wired to an investor's bank account.
Redemption of shares, including an exchange into another Scudder fund, may
result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and the proceeds of
such redemptions may be subject to backup withholding. (See "TAXES.")
Shareholders who wish to redeem shares from Special Plan Accounts
should contact the employer, trustee or custodian of the Plan for the
requirements.
The determination of net asset value may be suspended at times and a
shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment may be suspended at
times during which (a) the Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and
holiday closings, (b) trading on the Exchange is restricted for any reason, (c)
an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by a Fund of securities owned
by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the
Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets or (d) the SEC may by order
permit such a suspension for the protection of the Trust's shareholders;
provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any succeeding
governmental authority) will govern as to whether the conditions prescribed in
(b) or (c) exist.
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND
(See "Investment products and services" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The No-Load Concept
Investors are encouraged to be aware of the full ramifications of
mutual fund fee structures, and of how Scudder distinguishes its Scudder Family
of Funds from the vast majority of mutual funds available today. The primary
distinction is between load and no-load funds.
Load funds generally are defined as mutual funds that charge a fee for
the sale and distribution of fund shares. There are three types of loads:
front-end loads, back-end loads, and asset-based 12b-1 fees. 12b-1 fees are
distribution-related fees charged against fund assets and are distinct from
service fees, which are charged for personal services and/or maintenance of
shareholder accounts. Asset-based sales charges and service fees are typically
paid pursuant to distribution plans adopted under 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
A front-end load is a sales charge, which can be as high as 8.50% of
the amount invested. A back-end load is a contingent deferred sales charge,
which can be as high as 8.50% of either the amount invested or redeemed. The
maximum front-end or back-end load varies, and depends upon whether or not a
fund also charges a 12b-1 fee and/or a service fee or offers investors various
sales-related services such as dividend reinvestment. The maximum charge for a
12b-1 fee is 0.75% of a fund's average annual net assets, and the maximum charge
for a service fee is 0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
21
<PAGE>
A no-load fund does not charge a front-end or back-end load, but can
charge a small 12b-1 fee and/or service fee against fund assets. Under the
National Association of Securities Dealers Conduct Rules, a mutual fund can call
itself a "no-load" fund only if the 12b-1 fee and/or service fee does not exceed
0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
Scudder pioneered the no-load concept when it created the nation's
first no-load fund in 1928, and later developed the nation's first family of
no-load mutual funds.
The following chart shows the potential long-term advantage of
investing $10,000 in a Scudder Family of Funds no-load fund over investing the
same amount in a load fund that collects an 8.50% front-end load, a load fund
that collects only a 0.75% 12b-1 and/or service fee, and a no-load fund charging
only a 0.25% 12b-1 and/or service fee. The hypothetical figures in the chart
show the value of an account assuming a constant 10% rate of return over the
time periods indicated and reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================
Scudder Load Fund with 0.75% No-Load Fund with
YEARS No-Load Fund 8.50% Load Fund 12b-1 Fee 0.25% 12b-1 Fee
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
10 $ 25,937 $ 23,733 $ 24,222 $ 25,354
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 41,772 38,222 37,698 40,371
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 67,275 61,557 58,672 64,282
====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
Investors are encouraged to review the fee tables on page 2 of the Fund's
prospectus for more specific information about the rates at which
management fees and other expenses are assessed.
Internet access
World Wide Web Site -- The address of the Scudder Funds site is
http://funds.scudder.com. The site offers guidance on global investing and
developing strategies to help meet financial goals and provides access to the
Scudder investor relations department via e-mail. The site also enables users to
access or view fund prospectuses and profiles with links between summary
information in Profiles and details in the Prospectus. Users can fill out new
account forms on-line, order free software, and request literature on funds.
The site is designed for interactivity, simplicity and maneuverability.
A section entitled "Planning Resources" provides information on asset
allocation, tuition, and retirement planning to users who fill out interactive
"worksheets." Investors can easily establish a "Personal Page," that presents
price information, updated daily, on funds they're interested in following. The
"Personal Page" also offers easy navigation to other parts of the site. Fund
performance data from both Scudder and Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. are
available on the site. Also offered on the site is a news feature, which
provides timely and topical material on the Scudder Funds.
The Adviser has communicated with shareholders and other interested
parties on Prodigy since 1988 and has participated since 1994 in GALT's Networth
"financial marketplace" site on the Internet. The firm made Scudder Funds
information available on America Online in early 1996.
Account Access -- The Adviser is among the first mutual fund families to allow
shareholders to manage their fund accounts through the World Wide Web. Scudder
Fund shareholders can view a snapshot of current holdings, review account
activity and move assets between Scudder Fund accounts.
22
<PAGE>
The Adviser's personal portfolio capabilities -- known as SEAS (Scudder
Electronic Account Services) -- are accessible only by current Scudder Fund
shareholders who have set up a Personal Page on Scudder's Web site. Using a
secure Web browser, shareholders sign on to their account with their Social
Security number and their SAIL password. As an additional security measure,
users can change their current password or disable access to their portfolio
through the World Wide Web.
An Account Activity option reveals a financial history of transactions
for an account, with trade dates, type and amount of transaction, share price
and number of shares traded. For users who wish to trade shares between Scudder
Funds, the Fund Exchange option provides a step-by-step procedure to exchange
shares among existing fund accounts or to new Scudder Fund accounts.
A Call Me(TM) feature enables users to speak with a Scudder Investor
Relations telephone representative while viewing their account on the Web site.
In order to use the Call Me(TM) feature, an individual must have two phone lines
and enter on the screen the phone number that is not being used to connect to
the Internet. They are connected to the next available Scudder Investor
Relations representative from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time.
Dividend and Capital Gain Distribution Options
Investors have freedom to choose whether to receive cash or to reinvest
any dividends from net investment income or distributions from realized capital
gains in additional shares of the Fund. A change of instructions for the method
of payment must be received by the Transfer Agent at least five days prior to a
dividend record date. Shareholders may change their dividend option either by
calling 1-800-225-5163 or by sending written instructions to the Transfer Agent.
Please include your account number with your written request. See "How to
contact Scudder" in the prospectus for the address.
Reinvestment is usually made at the closing net asset value determined
on the day following the record date. Investors may leave standing instructions
with the Transfer Agent designating their option for either reinvestment or cash
distribution of any income dividends or capital gains distributions. If no
election is made, dividends and distributions will be invested in additional
shares of the Fund.
Investors may also have dividends and distributions automatically
deposited to their predesignated bank account through Scudder's
DistributionsDirect Program. Shareholders who elect to participate in the
DistributionsDirect Program, and whose predesignated checking account of record
is with a member bank of the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) can have
income and capital gain distributions automatically deposited to their personal
bank account usually within three business days after the Fund pays its
distribution. A DistributionsDirect request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163.
Investors choosing to participate in Scudder's Automatic Investment
Withdrawal Plan must reinvest any dividends or capital gains. For most
retirement plan accounts, the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains is
also required.
Diversification
Your investment represents an interest in a large, diversified
portfolio of carefully selected securities. Diversification may protect you
against the possible risks associated with concentrating in fewer securities or
in a specific market sector.
Scudder Investor Centers
Investors may visit any of the Centers maintained by the Distributor.
The Centers are designed to provide individuals with services during any
business day. Investors may pick up literature or find assistance with opening
an account, adding monies or special options to existing accounts, making
exchanges within the Scudder Family of Funds, redeeming shares, or opening
retirement plans. Checks should not be mailed to the Centers but to "The Scudder
Funds" at the address listed under "How to Contact Scudder" in the Prospectus.
23
<PAGE>
Reports to Shareholders
The Trust issues shareholders financial statements on a semi-annual
basis which are audited annually by independent accountants. These include a
list of investments held and statements of assets and liabilities, operations,
changes in net assets and supplementary information.
Transaction Summaries
Annual summaries of all transactions in each Fund account are available
to shareholders. The summaries may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5163.
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS
(See "Investment products and services" in the Fund's prospectuses.)
The Scudder Family of Funds is America's first family of mutual funds
and the nation's oldest family of no-load mutual funds. To assist investors in
choosing a Scudder fund, descriptions of the Scudder funds' objectives follow.
MONEY MARKET
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund seeks to provide safety, liquidity and
stability of capital and, consistent therewith, to provide current
income. The Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00
per share, although in certain circumstances this may not be possible,
and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Cash Investment Trust ("SCIT") seeks to maintain the stability
of capital and, consistent therewith, to maintain the liquidity of
capital and to provide current income. SCIT seeks to maintain a
constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in certain
circumstances this may not be possible, and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as high a
level of current income as is consistent with its investment polices
and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks to
maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is no
assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
Scudder Government Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with
as high a level of current income as is consistent with its investment
polices and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks
to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is
no assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
TAX FREE MONEY MARKET
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund ("STFMF") seeks to provide income exempt
from regular federal income tax and stability of principal through
investments primarily in municipal securities. STFMF seeks to maintain
a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in extreme
circumstances this may not be possible.
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as
high a level of current income that cannot be subjected to federal
income tax by reason of federal law as is consistent with its
investment policies and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The
Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share,
but there is no assurance that it will be able to do so. The
institutional class of shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder
Family of Funds.
24
<PAGE>
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share while
providing California taxpayers income exempt from both California State
personal and regular federal income taxes. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio of high quality, short-term California municipal
securities. There can be no assurance that the stable net asset value
will be maintained.
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, while
providing New York taxpayers income exempt from New York State and New
York City personal income taxes and regular federal income tax. There
can be no assurance that the stable net asset value will be maintained.
TAX FREE
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide as high a level of
income exempt from regular federal income tax as is consistent with a
high degree of principal stability.
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
income free from regular federal income taxes and to limit principal
fluctuation. The Fund will invest primarily in high-grade,
intermediate-term bonds.
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds seeks to provide income exempt from
regular federal income tax primarily through investments in high-grade,
long-term municipal securities.
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
interest income, exempt from regular federal income tax, from an
actively managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade
municipal securities.
Scudder California Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide California taxpayers
with income exempt from both California State personal income and
regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of California municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide
Massachusetts taxpayers with as high a level of income exempt from
Massachusetts personal income tax and regular federal income tax, as is
consistent with a high degree of price stability, through a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of
investment-grade municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Massachusetts
taxpayers with income exempt from both Massachusetts personal income
tax and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide New York taxpayers
with income exempt from New York State and New York City personal
income taxes and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of New York
municipal securities.
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Ohio taxpayers with income
exempt from both Ohio personal income tax and regular federal income
tax. The Fund is a professionally managed portfolio consisting
primarily of investment-grade municipal securities.
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Pennsylvania
taxpayers with income exempt from both Pennsylvania personal income tax
and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
- ---------------
* These funds are not available for sale in all states. For information,
contact Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
25
<PAGE>
U.S. INCOME
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund seeks to provide a high level of income
consistent with a high degree of principal stability by investing
primarily in high quality short-term bonds.
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund seeks to provide as high an investment
return over a selected period as is consistent with investment in U.S.
Government securities and the minimization of reinvestment risk.
Scudder GNMA Fund seeks to provide high current income primarily from
U.S. Government guaranteed mortgage-backed (Ginnie Mae) securities.
Scudder Income Fund seeks a high level of income, consistent with the
prudent investment of capital, through a flexible investment program
emphasizing high-grade bonds.
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income
through investment primarily in investment-grade corporate debt
securities.
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income and,
secondarily, capital appreciation through investment primarily in below
investment-grade domestic debt securities.
GLOBAL INCOME
Scudder Global Bond Fund seeks to provide total return with an emphasis
on current income by investing primarily in high-grade bonds
denominated in foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. As a secondary
objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation.
Scudder International Bond Fund seeks to provide income primarily by
investing in a managed portfolio of high-grade international bonds. As
a secondary objective, the Fund seeks protection and possible
enhancement of principal value by actively managing currency, bond
market and maturity exposure and by security selection.
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund seeks to provide high current
income and, secondarily, long-term capital appreciation through
investments primarily in high-yielding debt securities issued by
governments and corporations in emerging markets.
ASSET ALLOCATION
Scudder Pathway Series: Conservative Portfolio seeks primarily current
income and secondarily long-term growth of capital. In pursuing these
objectives, the Portfolio, under normal market conditions, will invest
substantially in a select mix of Scudder bond mutual funds, but will
have some exposure to Scudder equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Balanced Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with a balance of growth and income by investing in a select mix of
Scudder money market, bond and equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Growth Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with long-term growth of capital. In pursuing this objective, the
Portfolio will, under normal market conditions, invest predominantly in
a select mix of Scudder equity mutual funds designed to provide
long-term growth.
Scudder Pathway Series: International Portfolio seeks maximum total
return for investors. Total return consists of any capital appreciation
plus dividend income and interest. To achieve this objective, the
Portfolio invests in a select mix of established international and
global Scudder funds.
26
<PAGE>
U.S. GROWTH AND INCOME
Scudder Balanced Fund seeks a balance of growth and income from a
diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities. The Fund
also seeks long-term preservation of capital through a quality-oriented
approach that is designed to reduce risk.
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund seeks high current income and long-term
growth of capital through investment in income paying equity
securities.
Scudder Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of capital,
current income, and growth of income.
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund seeks to provide investment results that,
before expenses, correspond to the total return of common stocks
publicly traded in the United States, as represented by the Standard &
Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index.
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund seeks long-term capital growth and
current income by investing primarily in equity securities of companies
in the real estate industry.
U.S. GROWTH
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund seeks to maximize long-term capital
appreciation through a value-driven investment program.
Scudder Value Fund** seeks long-term growth of capital through
investment in undervalued equity securities.
Scudder Small Company Value Fund invests for long-term growth of
capital by seeking out undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
Scudder Micro Cap Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in a diversified portfolio of U.S. micro-capitalization
("micro-cap") common stocks.
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund** seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital with reduced share price volatility compared to other growth
mutual funds.
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital through investment primarily in the equity securities of
seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth companies.
Scudder Development Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in medium-size companies with the potential for sustainable
above-average earnings growth.
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by
investing primarily in the securities of emerging growth companies
poised to be leaders in the 21st century.
- ---------------
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
27
<PAGE>
GLOBAL EQUITY
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital through a
diversified portfolio of marketable securities, primarily equity
securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and debt
securities convertible into common stocks.
Scudder International Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in undervalued foreign equity securities.
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital and current income primarily from foreign equity securities.
Scudder International Fund*** seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through a diversified portfolio of marketable foreign equity
securities.
Scudder International Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in the equity securities of foreign
companies with high growth potential.
Scudder Global Discovery Fund** seeks above-average capital
appreciation over the long term by investing primarily in the equity
securities of small companies located throughout the world.
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through equity investment in emerging markets around the
globe.
Scudder Gold Fund seeks maximum return (principal change and income)
consistent with investing in a portfolio of gold-related equity
securities and gold.
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investments primarily in the equity securities of European
companies.
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investment primarily in the equity securities of Pacific Basin
companies, excluding Japan.
Scudder Latin America Fund seeks to provide long-term capital
appreciation through investment primarily in the securities of Latin
American issuers.
The Japan Fund, Inc. seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing
primarily in equity securities (including American Depository Receipts)
of Japanese companies.
INDUSTRY SECTOR FUNDS
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through investment in equity securities of financial services
companies.
- --------------
*** Only the International Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
28
<PAGE>
Scudder Health Care Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies that are engaged in the
development, production or distribution of products or services related
to the treatment or prevention of diseases and other medical problems.
Scudder Technology Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies engaged in the
development, production or distribution of technology-related products
or services.
SCUDDER PREFERRED SERIES
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an
after-tax basis by investing primarily in established, medium- to
large-sized U.S. companies with leading competitive positions.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital on an after-tax basis through investment primarily in
undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
The net asset values of most Scudder funds can be found daily in the
"Mutual Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal under "Scudder Funds," and in
other leading newspapers throughout the country. Investors will notice the net
asset value and offering price are the same, reflecting the fact that no sales
commission or "load" is charged on the sale of shares of the Scudder funds. The
latest seven-day yields for the money-market funds can be found every Monday and
Thursday in the "Money-Market Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal. This
information also may be obtained by calling the Scudder Automated Information
Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890.
The Scudder Family of Funds offers many conveniences and services,
including: active professional investment management; broad and diversified
investment portfolios; pure no-load funds with no commissions to purchase or
redeem shares or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees; individual attention from a
service representative of Scudder Investor Relations; and easy telephone
exchanges into other Scudder funds. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may
not be available for purchase or exchange. For more information, please call
1-800-225-5163.
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS
(See "Buying and selling shares," "Purchases" and "Exchanges and
redemptions" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Detailed information on any Scudder investment plan, including the
applicable charges, minimum investment requirements and disclosures made
pursuant to Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") requirements, may be obtained
by contacting Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110-4103 or by calling toll free, 1-800-225-2470. The
discussions of the plans below describe only certain aspects of the federal
income tax treatment of the plan. The state tax treatment may be different and
may vary from state to state. It is advisable for an investor considering the
funding of the investment plans described below to consult with an attorney or
other investment or tax adviser with respect to the suitability requirements and
tax aspects thereof.
Shares of the Fund may also be a permitted investment under profit
sharing and pension plans and IRAs other than those offered by the Fund's
distributor depending on the provisions of the relevant plan or IRA.
None of the plans assures a profit or guarantees protection against
depreciation, especially in declining markets.
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase
Pension Plans for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder Profit-Sharing Plan (including a version of the
Plan which includes a cash-or-deferred feature) or a Scudder Money Purchase
Pension Plan (jointly referred to as the Scudder Retirement Plans) adopted by a
corporation, a self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals
(including sole proprietorships and partnerships), or other qualifying
organization. Each of these forms was approved by the IRS as a prototype. The
IRS's approval of an employer's plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code will be greatly facilitated if it is in such approved form.
29
<PAGE>
Under certain circumstances, the IRS will assume that a plan, adopted in this
form, after special notice to any employees, meets the requirements of Section
401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as to form.
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan
for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder 401(k) Plan adopted by a corporation, a
self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals (including sole
proprietors and partnerships), or other qualifying organization. This plan has
been approved as a prototype by the IRS.
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the underlying investment for an
Individual Retirement Account which meets the requirements of Section 408(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code.
A single individual who is not an active participant in an
employer-maintained retirement plan, a simplified employee pension plan, or a
tax-deferred annuity program (a "qualified plan"), and a married individual who
is not an active participant in a qualified plan and whose spouse is also not an
active participant in a qualified plan, are eligible to make tax deductible
contributions of up to $2,000 to an IRA prior to the year such individual
attains age 70 1/2. In addition, certain individuals who are active participants
in qualified plans (or who have spouses who are active participants) are also
eligible to make tax-deductible contributions to an IRA; the annual amount, if
any, of the contribution which such an individual will be eligible to deduct
will be determined by the amount of his, her, or their adjusted gross income for
the year. Whenever the adjusted gross income limitation prohibits an individual
from contributing what would otherwise be the maximum tax-deductible
contribution he or she could make, the individual will be eligible to contribute
the difference to an IRA in the form of nondeductible contributions.
An eligible individual may contribute as much as $2,000 of qualified
income (earned income or, under certain circumstances, alimony) to an IRA each
year (up to $2,000 per individual for married couples, even if only one spouse
has earned income). All income and capital gains derived from IRA investments
are reinvested and compound tax-deferred until distributed. Such tax-deferred
compounding can lead to substantial retirement savings.
The table below shows how much individuals would accumulate in a fully
tax-deductible IRA by age 65 (before any distributions) if they contribute
$2,000 at the beginning of each year, assuming average annual returns of 5, 10,
and 15%. (At withdrawal, accumulations in this table will be taxable.)
Value of IRA at Age 65
Assuming $2,000 Deductible Annual Contribution
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting
Age of Annual Rate of Return
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
25 $253,680 $973,704 $4,091,908
35 139,522 361,887 999,914
45 69,439 126,005 235,620
55 26,414 35,062 46,699
This next table shows how much individuals would accumulate in non-IRA
accounts by age 65 if they start with $2,000 in pretax earned income at the
beginning of each year (which is $1,380 after taxes are paid), assuming average
annual returns of 5, 10 and 15%. (At withdrawal, a portion of the accumulation
in this table will be taxable.)
30
<PAGE>
Value of a Non-IRA Account at
Age 65 Assuming $1,380 Annual Contributions
(post tax, $2,000 pretax) and a 31% Tax Bracket
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting
Age of Annual Rate of Return
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 $119,318 $287,021 $741,431
35 73,094 136,868 267,697
45 40,166 59,821 90,764
55 16,709 20,286 24,681
</TABLE>
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the underlying investment for a
Roth Individual Retirement Account ("Roth IRA") which meets the requirements of
Section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code.
A single individual earning below $95,000 can contribute up to $2,000
per year to a Roth IRA. The maximum contribution amount diminishes and gradually
falls to zero for single filers with adjusted gross incomes ranging from $95,000
to $110,000. Married couples earning less than $150,000 combined, and filing
jointly, can contribute a full $4,000 per year ($2,000 per IRA). The maximum
contribution amount for married couples filing jointly phases out from $150,000
to $160,000.
An eligible individual can contribute money to a traditional IRA and a
Roth IRA as long as the total contribution to all IRAs does not exceed $2,000.
No tax deduction is allowed under Section 219 of the Internal Revenue Code for
contributions to a Roth IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA may be made even after
the individual for whom the account is maintained has attained age 70 1/2.
All income and capital gains derived from Roth IRA investments are
reinvested and compounded tax-free. Such tax-free compounding can lead to
substantial retirement savings. No distributions are required to be taken prior
to the death of the original account holder. If a Roth IRA has been established
for a minimum of five years, distributions can be taken tax-free after reaching
age 59 1/2, for a first-time home purchase ($10,000 maximum, one-time use) or
upon death or disability. All other distributions of earnings from a Roth IRA
are taxable and subject to a 10% tax penalty unless an exception applies.
Exceptions to the 10% penalty include: disability, certain medical expenses, the
purchase of health insurance for an unemployed individual and qualified higher
education expenses.
An individual with an income of $100,000 or less (who is not married
filing separately) can roll his or her existing IRA into a Roth IRA. However,
the individual must pay taxes on the taxable amount in his or her traditional
IRA. Individuals who complete the rollover in 1998 will be allowed to spread the
tax payments over a four-year period. After 1998, all taxes on such a rollover
will have to be paid in the tax year in which the rollover is made.
Scudder 403(b) Plan
Shares of the Fund may also be purchased as the underlying investment
for tax sheltered annuity plans under the provisions of Section 403(b)(7) of the
Internal Revenue Code. In general, employees of tax-exempt organizations
described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (such as hospitals,
churches, religious, scientific, or literary organizations and educational
institutions) or a public school system are eligible to participate in a 403(b)
plan.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan
Non-retirement plan shareholders may establish an Automatic Withdrawal
Plan to receive monthly, quarterly or periodic redemptions from his or her
account for any designated amount of $50 or more. Shareholders may designate
which day they want the automatic withdrawal to be processed. The check amounts
may be based on the redemption of a fixed dollar amount, fixed share amount,
percent of account value or declining balance. The Plan provides for income
dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, to be reinvested in
additional shares. Shares are
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then liquidated as necessary to provide for withdrawal payments. Since the
withdrawals are in amounts selected by the investor and have no relationship to
yield or income, payments received cannot be considered as yield or income on
the investment and the resulting liquidations may deplete or possibly extinguish
the initial investment, and any reinvested dividends and capital gains
distributions. Requests for increases in withdrawal amounts or to change payee
must be submitted in writing, signed exactly as the account is registered and
contain signature guarantee(s) as described under "Transaction information --
Redeeming shares -- Signature guarantees" in the Fund's prospectus. Any such
requests must be received by the Fund's transfer agent 10 days prior to the date
of the first automatic withdrawal. An Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be
terminated at any time by the shareholder, the Trust, or its agent on written
notice, and will be terminated when all shares of the Fund under the Plan have
been liquidated or upon receipt by the Trust of notice of death of the
shareholder.
An Automatic Withdrawal Plan request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163.
Group or Salary Deduction Plan
An investor may join a Group or Salary Deduction Plan where
satisfactory arrangements have been made with Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
for forwarding regular investments through a single source. The minimum annual
investment is $240 per investor which may be made in monthly, quarterly,
semiannual or annual payments. The minimum monthly deposit per investor is $20.
Except for trustees or custodian fees for certain retirement plans, at present
there is no separate charge for maintaining group or salary deduction plans;
however, the Trust, and its agents reserve the right to establish a maintenance
charge in the future depending on the services required by the investor.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the event that the
shareholder ceases participating in the group plan prior to investment of $1,000
per individual or in the event of a redemption which occurs prior to the
accumulation of that amount or which reduces the account value to less than
$1,000 and the account value is not increased to $1,000 within a reasonable time
after notification. An investor in a plan who has not purchased shares for six
months shall be presumed to have stopped making payments under the plan.
Automatic Investment Plan
Shareholders may arrange to make periodic investments through automatic
deductions from checking accounts by completing the appropriate form and
providing the necessary documentation to establish this service. The minimum
investment is $50.
The Automatic Investment Plan involves an investment strategy called
dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging is a method of investing whereby a
specific dollar amount is invested at regular intervals. By investing the same
dollar amount each period, when shares are priced low the investor will purchase
more shares than when the share price is higher. Over a period of time this
investment approach may allow the investor to reduce the average price of the
shares purchased. However, this investment approach does not assure a profit or
protect against loss. This type of regular investment program may be suitable
for various investment goals such as, but not limited to, college planning or
saving for a home.
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act
Grandparents, parents or other donors may set up custodian accounts for
minors. The minimum initial investment is $1,000 unless the donor agrees to
continue to make regular share purchases for the account through Scudder's
Automatic Investment Plan (AIP). In this case, the minimum initial investment is
$500.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder and custodian, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the
event that regular investments to the account cease before the $1,000 minimum is
reached.
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DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAIN DISTRIBUTIONS
(See "Distributions" and "Taxes" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund intends to follow the practice of distributing substantially
all of its investment company taxable income which includes any excess of net
realized short-term capital gains over net realized long-term capital losses.
The Fund may follow the practice of distributing the entire excess of net
realized long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses.
However, the Fund may retain all or part of such gain for reinvestment, after
paying the related federal taxes for which shareholders may then be able to
claim a credit against their federal tax liability. If the Fund does not
distribute the amount of capital gain and/or net investment income required to
be distributed by an excise tax provision of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund
may be subject to that excise tax. In certain circumstances, the Fund may
determine that it is in the interest of shareholders to distribute less than the
required amount. (See "TAXES.")
The Fund intends to distribute investment company taxable income,
exclusive of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital
losses, in March, June, September and December each year. Distributions of net
capital gains realized during each fiscal year will be made annually before the
end of the Fund's fiscal year on December 31. Additional distributions,
including distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net
long-term capital losses, may be made, if necessary.
Both types of distributions will be made in shares of the Fund and
confirmations will be mailed to each shareholder unless a shareholder has
elected to receive cash, in which case a check will be sent.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
(See "Past performance" in the Fund's prospectus.)
From time to time, quotations of the Fund's performance may be included
in advertisements, sales literature or reports to shareholders or prospective
investors. These performance figures are calculated in the following manners:
Average Annual Total Return
Average annual total return is the average annual compound rate of
return for periods of one year, five years and ten years (or such shorter
periods as may be applicable dating from the commencement of the Fund's
operations under its current investment objective), all ended on the last day of
a recent calendar quarter. Average annual total return quotations reflect
changes in the price of the Fund's shares and assume that all dividends and
capital gains distributions during the respective periods were reinvested in
Fund shares. Average annual total return is calculated by finding the average
annual compound rates of return of a hypothetical investment, over such periods,
according to the following formula (average annual total return is then
expressed as a percentage):
T = (ERV/P)^1/n - 1
Where:
T = Average Annual Total Return.
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000.
N = number of years.
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the value, at the end of
the applicable period, of a hypothetical $1,000 investment
made at the beginning of the applicable period.
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Average Annual Total Return for periods ended December 31, 1998
One Year Five Years Ten Years
6.07% 17.85% 16.37%
As described above, average annual total return is based on historical
earnings and is not intended to indicate future performance. Average annual
total return for the Fund will vary based on changes in market conditions and
the level of the Fund's expenses.
In connection with communicating its average annual total return to
current or prospective shareholders, the Fund also may compare these figures to
the performance of other mutual funds tracked by mutual fund rating services or
to unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends but generally do
not reflect deductions for administrative and management costs.
Cumulative Total Return
Cumulative total return is the cumulative rate of return on a
hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 for a specified period. Cumulative
total return quotations reflect changes in the price of a Fund's shares and
assume that all dividends and capital gains distributions during the period were
reinvested in Fund shares. Cumulative total return is calculated by finding the
cumulative rates of a return of a hypothetical investment over such periods,
according to the following formula (cumulative total return is then expressed as
a percentage):
C = (ERV/P)-1
Where:
C = Cumulative Total Return.
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000.
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the value, at the end of
the applicable period, of a hypothetical $1,000 investment
made at the beginning of the applicable period.
Cumulative Total Return for periods ended December 31, 1998
One Year Five Years Ten Years
6.07% 127.28% 355.29%
Total Return
Total return is the rate of return on an investment for a specified
period of time calculated in the same manner as cumulative total return.
Comparison of Fund Performance
A comparison of the quoted non-standard performance offered for various
investments is valid only if performance is calculated in the same manner. Since
there are different methods of calculating performance, investors should
consider the effects of the methods used to calculate performance when comparing
performance of the Fund with performance quoted with respect to other investment
companies or types of investments.
In connection with communicating its performance to current or
prospective shareholders, the Fund also may compare these figures to the
performance of unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends or
interest but generally do not reflect deductions for administrative and
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management costs. Examples include, but are not limited to the Dow Jones
Industrial Average, the Consumer Price Index, Standard & Poor's 500 Composite
Stock Price Index (S&P 500), the Nasdaq OTC Composite Index, the Nasdaq
Industrials Index, the Russell 2000 Index, the Wilshire Real Estate Securities
Index, and statistics published by the Small Business Administration.
From time to time, in advertising and marketing literature, this Fund's
performance may be compared to the performance of broad groups of mutual funds
with similar investment goals, as tracked by independent organizations such as,
Investment Company Data, Inc. ("ICD"), Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
("Lipper"), CDA Investment Technologies, Inc. ("CDA"), Morningstar, Inc., Value
Line Mutual Fund Survey and other independent organizations. When these
organizations' tracking results are used, the Fund will be compared to the
appropriate fund category, that is, by fund objective and portfolio holdings, or
to the appropriate volatility grouping, where volatility is a measure of a
fund's risk. For instance, a Scudder growth fund will be compared to funds in
the growth fund category; a Scudder income fund will be compared to funds in the
income fund category; and so on. Scudder funds (except for money market funds)
may also be compared to funds with similar volatility, as measured statistically
by independent organizations.
From time to time, in marketing and other Fund literature, Trustees and
officers of the Fund, the Fund's portfolio manager, or members of the portfolio
management team may be depicted and quoted to give prospective and current
shareholders a better sense of the outlook and approach of those who manage the
Fund. In addition, the amount of assets that the Adviser has under management in
various geographical areas may be quoted in advertising and marketing materials.
The Fund may be advertised as an investment choice in Scudder's college
planning program. The description may contain illustrations of projected future
college costs based on assumed rates of inflation and examples of hypothetical
fund performance, calculated as described above.
Statistical and other information, as provided by the Social Security
Administration, may be used in marketing materials pertaining to retirement
planning in order to estimate future payouts of social security benefits.
Estimates may be used on demographic and economic data.
Marketing and other Fund literature may include a description of the
potential risks and rewards associated with an investment in the Fund. The
description may include a "risk/return spectrum" which compares the Fund to
other Scudder funds or broad categories of funds, such as money market, bond or
equity funds, in terms of potential risks and returns. Money market funds are
designed to maintain a constant $1.00 share price and have a fluctuating yield.
Share price, yield and total return of a bond fund will fluctuate. The share
price and return of an equity fund also will fluctuate. The description may also
compare the Fund to bank products, such as certificates of deposit. Unlike
mutual funds, certificates of deposit are insured up to $100,000 by the U.S.
Government and offer a fixed rate of return.
Because bank products guarantee the principal value of an investment
and money market funds seek stability of principal, these investments are
considered to be less risky than investments in either bond or equity funds,
which may involve the loss of principal. However, all long-term investments,
including investments in bank products, may be subject to inflation risk, which
is the risk of erosion of the value of an investment as prices increase over a
long time period. The risks/returns associated with an investment in bond or
equity funds depend upon many factors. For bond funds these factors include, but
are not limited to, a fund's overall investment objective, the average portfolio
maturity, credit quality of the securities held, and interest rate movements.
For equity funds, factors include a fund's overall investment objective, the
types of equity securities held and the financial position of the issuers of the
securities. The risks/returns associated with an investment in international
bond or equity funds also will depend upon currency exchange rate fluctuation.
A risk/return spectrum generally will position the various investment
categories in the following order: bank products, money market funds, bond funds
and equity funds. Shorter-term bond funds generally are considered less risky
and offer the potential for less return than longer-term bond funds. The same is
true of domestic bond funds relative to international bond funds, and bond funds
that purchase higher quality securities relative to bond funds that purchase
lower quality securities. Growth and income equity funds are generally
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considered to be less risky and offer the potential for less return than growth
funds. In addition, international equity funds usually are considered more risky
than domestic equity funds but generally offer the potential for greater return.
Risk/return spectrums also may depict funds that invest in both
domestic and foreign securities or a combination of bond and equity securities.
Evaluation of Fund performance or other relevant statistical
information made by independent sources may also be used in advertisements
concerning the Fund, including reprints of, or selections from, editorials or
articles about this Fund. Sources for Fund performance information and articles
about the Fund include the following:
American Association of Individual Investors' Journal, a monthly publication of
the AAII that includes articles on investment analysis techniques.
Asian Wall Street Journal, a weekly Asian newspaper that often reviews U.S.
mutual funds investing internationally.
Banxquote, an on-line source of national averages for leading money market and
bank CD interest rates, published on a weekly basis by Masterfund, Inc. of
Wilmington, Delaware.
Barron's, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. business and financial weekly that
periodically reviews mutual fund performance data.
Business Week, a national business weekly that periodically reports the
performance rankings and ratings of a variety of mutual funds investing abroad.
CDA Investment Technologies, Inc., an organization which provides performance
and ranking information through examining the dollar results of hypothetical
mutual fund investments and comparing these results against appropriate market
indices.
Consumer Digest, a monthly business/financial magazine that includes a "Money
Watch" section featuring financial news.
Financial Times, Europe's business newspaper, which features from time to time
articles on international or country-specific funds.
Financial World, a general business/financial magazine that includes a "Market
Watch" department reporting on activities in the mutual fund industry.
Forbes, a national business publication that from time to time reports the
performance of specific investment companies in the mutual fund industry.
Fortune, a national business publication that periodically rates the performance
of a variety of mutual funds.
The Frank Russell Company, a West-Coast investment management firm that
periodically evaluates international stock markets and compares foreign equity
market performance to U.S. stock market performance.
Global Investor, a European publication that periodically reviews the
performance of U.S. mutual funds investing internationally.
IBC Money Fund Report, a weekly publication of IBC Financial Data, Inc.,
reporting on the performance of the nation's money market funds, summarizing
money market fund activity and including certain averages as performance
benchmarks, specifically "IBC's Money Fund Average," and "IBC's Government Money
Fund Average."
Ibbotson Associates, Inc., a company specializing in investment research and
data.
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<PAGE>
Investment Company Data, Inc., an independent organization which provides
performance ranking information for broad classes of mutual funds.
Investor's Business Daily, a daily newspaper that features financial, economic,
and business news.
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly investment advisory publication
that periodically features the performance of a variety of securities.
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.'s Mutual Fund Performance Analysis, a weekly
publication of industry-wide mutual fund averages by type of fund.
Money, a monthly magazine that from time to time features both specific funds
and the mutual fund industry as a whole.
Morgan Stanley International, an integrated investment banking firm that
compiles statistical information.
Mutual Fund Values, a biweekly Morningstar, Inc. publication that provides
ratings of mutual funds based on fund performance, risk and portfolio
characteristics.
Ned Davis Research, an independent research and brokerage firm that specializes
in quantitative research and publishes quarterly statistics pertaining to the
investment industry.
The New York Times, a nationally distributed newspaper which regularly covers
financial news.
The No-Load Fund Investor, a monthly newsletter, published by Sheldon Jacobs,
that includes mutual fund performance data and recommendations for the mutual
fund investor.
No-Load Fund*X, a monthly newsletter, published by DAL Investment Company, Inc.,
that reports on mutual fund performance, rates funds and discusses investment
strategies for the mutual fund investor.
Personal Investing News, a monthly news publication that often reports on
investment opportunities and market conditions.
Personal Investor, a monthly investment advisory publication that includes a
"Mutual Funds Outlook" section reporting on mutual fund performance measures,
yields, indices and portfolio holdings.
SmartMoney, a national personal finance magazine published monthly by Dow Jones
and Company, Inc. and The Hearst Corporation. Focus is placed on ideas for
investing, spending and saving.
Success, a monthly magazine targeted to the world of entrepreneurs and growing
business, often featuring mutual fund performance data.
United Mutual Fund Selector, a semi-monthly investment newsletter, published by
Babson United Investment Advisors, that includes mutual fund performance data
and reviews of mutual fund portfolios and investment strategies.
USA Today, a leading national daily newspaper.
U.S. News and World Report, a national news weekly that periodically reports
mutual fund performance data.
Value Line Mutual Fund Survey, an independent organization that provides
biweekly performance and other information on mutual funds.
The Wall Street Journal, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. newspaper which regularly
covers financial news.
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Wiesenberger Investment Companies Services, an annual compendium of information
about mutual funds and other investment companies, including comparative data on
funds' backgrounds, management policies, salient features, management results,
income and dividend records and price ranges.
Working Woman, a monthly publication that features a "Financial Workshop"
section reporting on the mutual fund/financial industry.
Worth, a national publication issued 10 times per year by Capital Publishing
Company, a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. Focus is placed on personal
financial journalism.
FUND ORGANIZATION
(See "About the fund" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund is a diversified series of Investment Trust, a Massachusetts
business trust established under a Declaration of Trust dated September 20,
1984, as amended. The name of the Trust was changed, effective May 15, 1991,
from Scudder Growth and Income Fund, and again on June 10, 1998 from Scudder
Investment Trust. The Trust's authorized capital consists of an unlimited number
of shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share. The Trust's shares
are currently divided into eight series, Scudder Growth and Income Fund, Scudder
Large Company Growth Fund, Classic Growth Fund, Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund,
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund, Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund, Scudder Tax
Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund.
The Trustees have the authority to issue additional series of shares
and to designate the relative rights and preferences as between the different
series. Each share of the Fund has equal rights with each other share of the
Fund as to voting, dividends and liquidation. All shares issued and outstanding
will be fully paid and nonassessable by the Trust, and redeemable as described
in this Statement of Additional Information and in the Fund's prospectus.
The assets of the Trust received for the issue or sale of the shares of
each series and all income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, subject only
to the rights of creditors, are specifically allocated to such series and
constitute the underlying assets of such series. The underlying assets of each
series are segregated on the books of account and are to be charged with the
liabilities in respect to such series and with a proportionate share of the
general liabilities of the Trust. If a series were unable to meet its
obligations, the assets of all other series may in some circumstances be
available to creditors for that purpose, in which case the assets of such other
series could be used to meet liabilities which are not otherwise properly
chargeable to them. Expenses with respect to any two or more series are to be
allocated in proportion to the asset value of the respective series except where
allocations of direct expenses can otherwise be fairly made. The officers of the
Trust, subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, have the power to
determine which liabilities are allocable to a given series, or which are
general or allocable to two or more series. In the event of the dissolution or
liquidation of the Trust or any series, the holders of the shares of any series
are entitled to receive as a class the underlying assets of such shares
available for distribution to shareholders.
Shares of the Trust entitle their holders to one vote per share;
however, separate votes are taken by each series on matters affecting an
individual series. For example, a change in investment policy for a series would
be voted upon only by shareholders of the series involved. Additionally,
approval of the investment advisory agreement is a matter to be determined
separately by each series. Approval by the shareholders of one series is
effective as to that series whether or not enough votes are received from the
shareholders of the other series to approve such agreement as to other series.
The Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the division of shares
of the Fund (or shares of a series) into different classes, permitting shares of
different classes to be distributed by different methods. Although shareholders
of different classes of a series would have an interest in the same portfolio of
assets, shareholders of different classes may bear different expenses in
connection with different methods of distribution.
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The Declaration of Trust provides that obligations of the Fund are not
binding upon the Trustees individually but only upon the property of the Fund,
that the Trustees and officers will not be liable for errors of judgment or
mistakes of fact or law and that the Fund will indemnify its Trustees and
officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with litigation
in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Fund, except if
it is determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they
have not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in
the best interests of the Fund. Nothing in the Declaration of Trust, however,
protects or indemnifies a Trustee or officer against any liability to which that
person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
that person's office.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
(See "Investment adviser" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the "Adviser"), an investment counsel
firm, acts as investment adviser to the Fund. This organization, the predecessor
of which is Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc., is one of the most experienced
investment counsel firms in the U. S. It was established as a partnership in
1919 and pioneered the practice of providing investment counsel to individual
clients on a fee basis. In 1928 it introduced the first no-load mutual fund to
the public. In 1953 the Adviser introduced Scudder International Fund, Inc., the
first mutual fund available in the U.S. investing internationally in securities
of issuers in several foreign countries. The predecessor firm reorganized from a
partnership to a corporation on June 28, 1985. On June 26, 1997, Scudder,
Stevens & Clark, Inc. ("Scudder") entered into an agreement with Zurich
Insurance Company ("Zurich") pursuant to which Scudder and Zurich agreed to form
an alliance. On December 31, 1997, Zurich acquired a majority interest in
Scudder, and Zurich Kemper Investments, Inc., a Zurich subsidiary, became part
of Scudder. Scudder's name has been changed to Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
Founded in 1872, Zurich is a multinational, public corporation
organized under the laws of Switzerland. Its home office is located at
Mythenquai 2, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland. Historically, Zurich's earnings have
resulted from its operations as an insurer as well as from its ownership of its
subsidiaries and affiliated companies (the "Zurich Insurance Group"). Zurich and
the Zurich Insurance Group provide an extensive range of insurance products and
services and have branch offices and subsidiaries in more than 40 countries
throughout the world.
The principal source of the Adviser's income is professional fees
received from providing continuous investment advice, and the firm derives no
income from brokerage or underwriting of securities. Today, it provides
investment counsel for many individuals and institutions, including insurance
companies, colleges, industrial corporations, and financial and banking
organizations. In addition, it manages Investment Trust, Montgomery Street
Income Securities, Inc., Scudder California Tax Free Trust, Scudder Cash
Investment Trust, Value Equity Trust, Scudder Fund, Inc., Scudder Funds Trust,
Global/International Fund, Inc., Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc., Scudder
GNMA Fund, Scudder Portfolio Trust, Scudder Institutional Fund, Inc., Scudder
International Fund, Inc., Scudder Municipal Trust, Scudder Mutual Funds, Inc.,
Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc., Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc., Scudder Pathway
Series, Scudder Securities Trust, Scudder State Tax Free Trust, Scudder Tax Free
Money Fund, Scudder Tax Free Trust, Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund, Scudder
Variable Life Investment Fund, The Argentina Fund, Inc., The Brazil Fund, Inc.,
The Korea Fund, Inc., The Japan Fund, Inc. and Scudder Spain and Portugal Fund,
Inc. Some of the foregoing companies or trusts have two or more series.
The Adviser also provides investment advisory services to the mutual
funds which comprise the AARP Investment Program from Scudder. The AARP
Investment Program from Scudder has assets over $13 billion and includes the
AARP Growth Trust, AARP Income Trust, AARP Tax Free Income Trust, AARP Managed
Investment Portfolios Trust and AARP Cash Investment Funds.
Pursuant to an Agreement between the Adviser and AMA Solutions, Inc., a
subsidiary of the American Medical Association (the "AMA"), dated May 9, 1997,
the Adviser has agreed, subject to applicable state regulations, to pay AMA
Solutions, Inc. royalties in an amount equal to 5% of the management fee
received by the Adviser with respect to assets invested by AMA members in
Scudder funds in connection with the AMA InvestmentLink(SM) Program. The Adviser
will also pay AMA Solutions, Inc. a general monthly fee, currently in the amount
of $833. The AMA and AMA Solutions, Inc. are not engaged in the business of
providing investment advice and neither is registered as an
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investment adviser or broker/dealer under federal securities laws. Any person
who participates in the AMA InvestmentLink(SM) Program will be a customer of the
Adviser (or of a subsidiary thereof) and not the AMA or AMA Solutions, Inc. AMA
InvestmentLink(SM) is a service mark of AMA Solutions, Inc.
The Adviser maintains a large research department, which conducts
ongoing studies of the factors that affect the position of various industries,
companies and individual securities. In this work, the Adviser utilizes certain
reports and statistics from a wide variety of sources, including brokers and
dealers who may execute portfolio transactions for the Fund and for clients of
the Adviser, but conclusions are based primarily on investigations and critical
analyses by its own research specialists.
Certain investments may be appropriate for the Fund and also for other
clients advised by the Adviser. Investment decisions for the Fund and other
clients are made with a view toward achieving their respective investment
objectives and after consideration of such factors as their current holdings,
availability of cash for investment and the size of their investments generally.
Frequently, a particular security may be bought or sold for only one client or
in different amounts and at different times for more than one but less than all
clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients
when one or more other clients are selling the security. In addition, purchases
or sales of the same security may be made for two or more clients on the same
date. In such event, such transactions will be allocated among the clients in a
manner believed by the Adviser to be equitable to each. In some cases, this
procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or amount of the securities
purchased or sold by the Fund. Purchase and sale orders for the Fund may be
combined with those of other clients of the Adviser in the interest of achieving
the most favorable net results to the Fund.
The transaction between Scudder and Zurich resulted in the assignment
of the Fund's investment management agreement with Scudder, that agreement
automatically terminated at the consummation of the transaction. In anticipation
of the transaction, however, a new investment management agreement (the
"Agreement") between the Fund and the Adviser was approved by the Trust's
Trustees on August 12, 1997. At the special meeting of the Fund's shareholders
held on October 24, 1997, the shareholders also approved the Agreement. The
Agreement became effective as of December 31, 1997.
On September 7, 1998, the businesses of Zurich (including Zurich's 70%
interest in Scudder Kemper) and the financial services businesses of B.A.T
Industries p.l.c. ("B.A.T") were combined to form a new global insurance and
financial services company known as Zurich Financial Services Group. By way of a
dual holding company structure, former Zurich shareholders initially owned
approximately 57% of Zurich Financial Services Group, with the balance initially
owned by former B.A.T shareholders.
Upon consummation of this transaction, the Fund's existing investment
management agreement with Scudder Kemper was deemed to have been assigned and,
therefore, terminated. The Board has approved a new investment management
agreement (the "Agreement") with Scudder Kemper, which is substantially
identical to the current investment management agreement, except for the dates
of execution and termination and the addition of a breakpoint in the fee
structure. The agreement became effective September 7, 1998, upon the
termination of the then current investment management agreement and was approved
at a shareholder meeting held in December 1998.
The Agreement dated September 7, 1998, was approved by the Trustees of
the Trust on August 11, 1998. The Agreement will continue in effect until
September 30, 1999 and from year to year thereafter only if its continuance is
approved annually by the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not
parties to such Agreement or interested persons of the Adviser or the Fund, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and
either by a vote of the Trust's Trustees or of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund. The Agreement may be terminated at any time
without payment of penalty by either party on sixty days' written notice, and
automatically terminates in the event of its assignment.
Under the Agreement, the Adviser provides the Fund with continuing
investment management for the Fund's portfolio consistent with the Fund's
investment objectives, policies and restrictions and determines what securities
shall be purchased for the portfolio of the Fund, what portfolio securities
shall be held or sold by the Fund and what portion of the Fund's assets shall be
held uninvested, subject always to the provisions of the Trust's Declaration of
Trust and
40
<PAGE>
By-Laws, the 1940 Act and the Code and to the Fund's investment objectives,
policies and restrictions and subject, further, to such policies and
instructions as the Trustees of the Trust may from time to time establish. The
Adviser also advises and assists the officers of the Trust in taking such steps
as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the decisions of its Trustees and
the appropriate committees of the Trustees regarding the conduct of the business
of the Fund.
The Adviser also renders significant administrative services (not
otherwise provided by third parties) necessary for the Fund's operations as an
open-end investment company including, but not limited to, preparing reports and
notices to the Trustees and shareholders; supervising, negotiating contractual
arrangements with, and monitoring various third-party service providers to the
Fund (such as the Fund's transfer agent, pricing agents, custodian, accountants
and others); preparing and making filings with the SEC and other regulatory
agencies; assisting in the preparation and filing of the Fund's federal, state
and local tax returns; preparing and filing the Fund's federal excise tax
returns; assisting with investor and public relations matters; monitoring the
valuation of securities and the calculation of net asset value; monitoring the
registration of shares of the Fund under applicable federal and state securities
laws; maintaining the Fund's books and records to the extent not otherwise
maintained by a third party; assisting in establishing accounting policies of
the Fund; assisting in the resolution of accounting and legal issues;
establishing and monitoring the Fund's operating budget; processing the payment
of the Fund's bills; assisting the Fund in, and otherwise arranging for, the
payment of distributions and dividends; and otherwise assisting the Fund in the
conduct of its business, subject to the direction and control of the Trustees.
The Adviser pays the compensation and expenses (except those for
attending Board and Committee meetings outside New York, New York and Boston,
Massachusetts) of all Trustees, officers and executive employees of the Trust
affiliated with the Adviser and makes available, without expense to the Trust,
the services of such Trustees, officers and employees of the Adviser as may duly
be elected officers or Trustees of the Trust, subject to their individual
consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law, and provides the Trust's
office space and facilities.
For the Adviser's services from August 13, 1996 to May 1, 1997, the
Fund paid the Adviser an annual fee of 0.60% of the first $500 million of
average daily net assets, 0.55% of such assets in excess of $500 million, 0.50%
of such assets in excess of $1 billion, 0.475% of such assets in excess of $1.5
billion, 0.45% of such assets in excess of $2 billion, 0.425% of such assets in
excess of $3 billion.
For the Adviser's services after May 1, 1997 to September 7, 1998, the
Fund paid the Adviser an annual fee of 0.60% of the first $500 million of
average daily net asset, 0.55% of such assets in excess of $500 million, 0.50%
of such assets in excess of $1 billion, 0.475% of such assets in excess of $1.5
billion, 0.45% of such assets in excess of $2 billion, 0.425% of such assets in
excess of $3 billion and 0.405% of such assets in excess of $4.5 billion.
For the Adviser's services after September 7, 1998, the Fund paid the
Adviser an annual fee of 0.60% of the first $500 million of average daily net
asset, 0.55% of such assets in excess of $500 million, 0.50% of such assets in
excess of $1 billion, 0.475% of such assets in excess of $1.5 billion, 0.45% of
such assets in excess of $2 billion, 0.425% of such assets in excess of $3
billion, 0.405% of such assets in excess of $4.5 billion, 0.3875% of such assets
in excess of $6 billion, and 0.37% of such assets in excess of $10 billion. The
fee is graduated so that increases in the Fund's net assets may result in a
lower annual fee rate and decreases in the Fund's net assets may result in a
higher annual fee rate. The fee is payable monthly, provided that the Fund will
make such interim payments as may be requested by the Adviser not to exceed 75%
of the amount of the fee then accrued on the books of the Fund and unpaid.
For the years ended December 31, 1998, 1997, and 1996, the Fund was
charged by the Adviser aggregate fees pursuant to its then effective investment
advisory agreement of $34,062,247, $26,072,293, and $17,628,873, respectively.
Under the Agreement the Fund is responsible for all of its other
expenses including organizational costs, fees and expenses incurred in
connection with membership in investment company organizations; brokers'
commissions; legal, auditing and accounting expenses; the calculation of Net
Asset Value; taxes and governmental fees; the fees and expenses of the transfer
agent; the cost of preparing stock certificates and any other expenses including
clerical expenses of issue, redemption or repurchase of shares; the expenses of
and the fees for registering or qualifying securities for sale; the fees and
expenses of Trustees, officers and employees of the Trust who are not affiliated
with the
41
<PAGE>
Adviser; the cost of printing and distributing reports and notices to
shareholders; and the fees and disbursements of custodians. The Fund may arrange
to have third parties assume all or part of the expenses of sale, underwriting
and distribution of shares of the Fund. The Fund is also responsible for its
expenses incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings and claims and the
legal obligation it may have to indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect
thereto.
The Agreement expressly provides that the Adviser shall not be required
to pay a pricing agent of the Fund for portfolio pricing services, if any.
The Agreement identifies the Adviser as the exclusive licensee of the
rights to use and sublicense the names "Scudder," "Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc." and "Scudder, Stevens and Clark, Inc." (together, the "Scudder Marks").
Under this license, the Trust, with respect to the Fund, has the non-exclusive
right to use and sublicense the Scudder name and marks as part of its name, and
to use the Scudder Marks in the Trust's investment products and services.
In reviewing the terms of the Agreement and in discussions with the
Adviser concerning such Agreement, the Trustees of the Trust who are not
"interested persons" of the Trust have been represented by independent counsel
at the Fund's expense.
The Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any
error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in
connection with matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting
from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by the
Adviser of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
Officers and employees of the Adviser from time to time may have
transactions with various banks, including the Fund's custodian bank. It is the
Adviser's opinion that the terms and conditions of those transactions which have
occurred were not influenced by existing or potential custodial or other Fund
relationships.
The Adviser may serve as adviser to other funds with investment
objectives and policies similar to those of the Funds that may have different
distribution arrangements or expenses, which may affect performance.
None of the officers or Trustees of the Trust may have dealings with
the Fund as principals in the purchase or sale of securities, except as
individual subscribers or holders of shares of the Trust.
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser
Employees of the Adviser are permitted to make personal securities
transactions, subject to requirements and restrictions set forth in the
Adviser's Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics contains provisions and
requirements designed to identify and address certain conflicts of interest
between personal investment activities and the interests of investment advisory
clients such as the Fund. Among other things, the Code of Ethics, which
generally complies with standards recommended by the Investment Company
Institute's Advisory Group on Personal Investing, prohibits certain types of
transactions absent prior approval, imposes time periods during which personal
transactions may not be made in certain securities, and requires the submission
of duplicate broker confirmations and monthly reporting of securities
transactions. Additional restrictions apply to portfolio managers, traders,
research analysts and others involved in the investment advisory process.
Exceptions to these and other provisions of the Code of Ethics may be granted in
particular circumstances after review by appropriate personnel.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Daniel Pierce (64)+*= President and Trustee Managing Director of Scudder Director, Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc. and Assistant Treasurer
42
<PAGE>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
Henry P. Becton, Jr. (55) Trustee President and General Manager, --
WGBH WGBH Educational Foundation
125 Western Avenue
Allston, MA 02134
Dawn-Marie Driscoll (52) Trustee Executive Fellow, Center for --
4909 SW 9th Place Business Ethics, Bentley
Cape Coral, FL 33914 College; President, Driscoll
Associates
Peter B. Freeman (66) Trustee Director, The A.H. Belo --
100 Alumni Avenue Providence, Company; Trustee, Eastern
RI 02906 Utilities Associates (public
utility holding company);
Director, AMICA Life Insurance
Co.; Director, AMICA Insurance
Co.
George M. Lovejoy, Jr. (68)= 50 Trustee President and Director, Fifty --
Congress Street Associates (real estate
Suite 543 investment trust)
Boston, MA 02109
Wesley W. Marple, Jr. (66)= 413 Trustee Professor of Business --
Hayden Hall Administration, Northeastern
360 Huntington Ave. University, College of Business
Boston, MA 02115 Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk (46)++*= Trustee, Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Director, Assistant
and Assistant Secretary Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Senior Vice
President
Jean C. Tempel (55) Trustee Managing Partner, Technology --
Ten Post Office Square Suite Equity Partners
1325Boston, MA 02109
Bruce F. Beaty (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Philip S. Fortuna (41)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc.
William F. Gadsden (43)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
John R. Hebble (40)+ Treasurer Senior Vice President of --
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
43
<PAGE>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
Robert T. Hoffman (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas W. Joseph (59)+ Vice President Senior Vice President of Director, Vice President,
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Assistant
Clerk
Ann M. McCreary Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Valerie F. Malter (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas F. McDonough (51)+ Vice President and Senior Vice President of Clerk
Secretary Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
Caroline Pearson (36)+ Assistant Secretary Vice President, Scudder Kemper --
Investments, Inc.; Associate,
Dechert Price & Rhoads (law
firm) 1989 to 1997
</TABLE>
* Mr. Pierce and Ms. Quirk are considered by the Fund and counsel to be
persons who are "interested persons" of the Adviser or of the Trust,
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
** Unless otherwise stated, all of the Trustees and officers have been
associated with their respective companies for more than five years,
but not necessarily in the same capacity.
= Messrs. Lovejoy, Pierce, Marple and Ms. Quirk are members of the
Executive Committee for the Trust, which has the power to declare
dividends from ordinary income and distributions of realized capital
gains to the same extent as the Board is so empowered.
+ Address: Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
++ Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
As of January 31, 1999, all Trustees and officers of the Fund as a
group owned beneficially (as that term is defined in Section 13(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) less than 1% of the Fund.
As of January 31, 1999, 19,288,779 shares in the aggregate, 6.82% of
the outstanding shares of the Fund were held in the name of Charles Schwab & Co.
Inc., 101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94101-4122, who may be deemed to
be the beneficial owner of certain of these shares, but disclaims any beneficial
ownership therein.
To the best of the Fund's knowledge, as of January 31, 1999, no person
owned beneficially more than 5% of the Fund's outstanding shares, except as
stated above.
The Trustees and officers of the Fund also serve in similar capacities
with other respect to Scudder funds.
44
<PAGE>
REMUNERATION
Responsibilities of the Board -- Board and Committee Meetings
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the general oversight of each
Fund's business. A majority of the Board's members are not affiliated with
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. These "Independent Trustees" have primary
responsibility for assuring that each Fund is managed in the best interests of
its shareholders.
The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to review the investment
performance of each Fund and other operational matters, including policies and
procedures designated to assure compliance with various regulatory requirements.
At least annually, the Independent Trustees review the fees paid to the Adviser
and its affiliates for investment advisory services and other administrative and
shareholder services. In this regard, they evaluate, among other things, each
Funds' investment performance, the quality and efficiency of the various other
services provided, costs incurred by the Adviser and its affiliates, and
comparative information regarding fees and expenses of competitive funds. They
are assisted in this process by each Fund's independent public accountants and
by independent legal counsel selected by the Independent Trustees.
All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Committee on Independent
Trustees, which nominates Independent Trustees and considers other related
matters, and the Audit Committee, which selects each Fund's independent public
accountants and reviews accounting policies and controls. In addition,
Independent Trustees from time to time have established and served on task
forces and subcommittees focusing on particular matters such as investment,
accounting and shareholder service issues.
Compensation of Officers and Trustees
The Independent Trustees receive the following compensation
from the Funds of Investment Trust: an annual trustee's fee of $2,400 for a Fund
in which assets do not exceed $100 million, $4,800 for assets which exceed $100
million, but not exceeding $1 billion, and $7,200 if assets exceed $1 billion; a
fee of $150 for attendance at each board meeting, audit committee meeting, or
other meeting held for the purposes of considering arrangements between the
Trust on behalf of the Fund and the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser; $75
for any other committee meeting (although in some cases the Independent Trustees
have waived committee meeting fees); and reimbursement of expenses incurred for
travel to and from Board Meetings. The Independent Trustee who serves as lead or
liaison Trustee receives an additional annual retainer fee of $500 from each
Fund. No additional compensation is paid to any Independent Trustee for travel
time to meetings, attendance at directors' educational seminars or conferences,
service on industry or association committees, participation as speakers at
directors' conferences, service on special trustee task forces or subcommittees
or service as lead or liaison trustee. Independent Trustees do not receive any
employee benefits such as pension, retirement benefits or health insurance. The
Independent Trustees have in the past, and may in the future, waive a portion of
their compensation.
The Independent Trustees also serve in the same capacity for other
funds managed by Scudder. These funds differ broadly in type and complexity and
in some cases have substantially different Trustee fee schedules. The following
table shows the aggregate compensation received by each Independent Trustee
during 1998 from the Trust and from all of Scudder funds as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name Investment Trust* All Scudder Funds
---- ----------------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Henry P. Becton, Jr. Trustee $28,070 $135,000 (28 funds)
Dawn-Marie Driscoll Trustee $28,977 $145,000 (28 funds)
Peter B. Freeman Trustee $29,736 $172,425 (46 funds)
George M. Lovejoy, Jr. Trustee $28,069 $148,600 (29 funds)
Wesley M. Marple, Jr. Trustee $28,069 $135,000 (28 funds)
Jean C. Temple Trustee $27,309 $135,000 (29 funds)
</TABLE>
45
<PAGE>
* In 1998, Investment Trust consisted of eight funds: Scudder Growth and
Income Fund, Scudder Large Company Growth Fund, Classic Growth Fund,
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund, Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund,
Scudder Dividend and Growth Fund, Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund. Scudder Real Estate Investment
Fund commenced operations on March 2, 1998, Scudder Dividend & Growth
Fund commenced operations on June 1, 1998, and Scudder Tax Managed
Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund commenced
operations on September 18, 1998.
No fees were incurred by the funds with respect to the alliance with B.A.T.
DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has an underwriting agreement Scudder
Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110 (the
"Distributor"), a Massachusetts corporation, which is a subsidiary of the
Adviser, a Delaware corporation. The Trust's underwriting agreement dated
September 7, 1998 will remain in effect until September 30, 1999 and from year
to year thereafter only if its continuance is approved annually by a majority of
the members of the Board of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or
interested persons of any such party and either by vote of a majority of the
Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund. The underwriting agreement was last approved by the Trustees on August 11,
1998.
Under the underwriting agreement, the Fund is responsible for: the
payment of all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing
with the Commission of its registration statement and prospectus and any
amendments and supplements thereto; the registration and qualification of shares
for sale in the various states, including registering the Fund as a
broker/dealer in various states as required; the fees and expenses of preparing,
printing and mailing prospectuses annually to existing shareholders (see below
for expenses relating to prospectuses paid by the Distributor), notices, proxy
statements, reports or other communications to shareholders of the Fund; the
cost of printing and mailing confirmations of purchases of shares and any
prospectuses accompanying such confirmations; any issuance taxes and/or any
initial transfer taxes; a portion of shareholder toll-free telephone charges and
expenses of customer service representatives; the cost of wiring funds for share
purchases and redemptions (unless paid by the shareholder who initiates the
transaction); the cost of printing and postage of business reply envelopes; and
a portion of the cost of computer terminals used by both the Fund and the
Distributor.
The Distributor will pay for printing and distributing prospectuses or
reports prepared for its use in connection with the offering of the Fund's
shares to the public and preparing, printing and mailing any other literature or
advertising in connection with the offering of shares of the Fund to the public.
The Distributor will pay all fees and expenses in connection with its
qualification and registration as a broker or dealer under federal and state
laws, a portion of the cost of toll-free telephone service and expenses of
service representatives, a portion of the cost of computer terminals and
expenses of any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of
shares issued by the Fund, unless a Rule 12b-1 plan is in effect which provides
that each Fund shall bear some or all of such expenses.
NOTE: Although the Fund currently has no 12b-1 Plan, the Fund will also
pay those fees and expenses permitted to be paid or assumed by the
Trust pursuant to a 12b-1 Plan, if any, adopted by the Trust,
notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in the underwriting
agreement.
As agent, the Distributor currently offers the Fund's shares on a
continuous basis to investors in all states. The Underwriting Agreement provides
that the Distributor accepts orders for shares at net asset value as no sales
commission or load is charged the investor. The Distributor has made no firm
commitment to acquire shares of the Fund.
46
<PAGE>
TAXES
(See "Taxes" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company
under Subchapter M of the Code, or a predecessor statute and has qualified as
such since its inception. Such qualification does not involve governmental
supervision or management of investment practices or policy.
A regulated investment company qualifying under Subchapter M of the
Code is required to distribute to its shareholders at least 90 percent of its
investment company taxable income (including net short-term capital gain) and
generally is not subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes
annually its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains in
the manner required under the Code.
The Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on amounts
required to be but not distributed under a prescribed formula. The formula
requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions
representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year,
at least 98% of the excess of its capital gains over capital losses (adjusted
for certain ordinary losses) realized during the one-year period ending October
31 during such year, and all ordinary income and capital gains for prior years
that were not previously distributed.
Investment company taxable income generally is made up of dividends,
interest and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital
losses, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal year are computed
by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund.
If any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized
short-term capital losses are retained by the Fund for reinvestment, requiring
federal income taxes to be paid thereon by the Fund, the Fund intends to elect
to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to shareholders. As a
result, each shareholder will report such capital gains as long-term capital
gains, will be able to claim a proportionate share of federal income taxes paid
by the Fund on such gains as a credit against the shareholder's federal income
tax liability, and will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of the
shareholder's Fund shares by the difference between such gains reported and the
shareholder's tax credit. If the Fund makes such an election, it may not be
treated as having met the excise tax distribution requirement.
Distributions of investment company taxable income are taxable to
shareholders as ordinary income.
Dividends from domestic corporations are not expected to comprise a
substantial part of the Fund's gross income. If any such dividends constitute a
portion of the Fund's gross income, a portion of the income distributions of the
Fund may be eligible for the 70% deduction for dividends received by
corporations. Shareholders will be informed of the portion of dividends which so
qualify. The dividends-received deduction is reduced to the extent the shares of
the Fund with respect to which the dividends are received are treated as
debt-financed under federal income tax law and is eliminated if either those
shares or the shares of the Fund are deemed to have been held by the Fund or the
shareholder, as the case may be, for less than 46 days during the 90-day period
beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend.
Properly designated distributions of the excess of net long-term
capital gain over net short-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as
long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund
have been held by such shareholders. Such distributions are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction. Any loss realized upon the redemption of shares
held at the time of redemption for six months or less will be treated as a
long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of
long-term capital gain during such six-month period.
Distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gains will be taxable as described above, whether received in shares or
in cash. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of
additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each
share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment
date.
All distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each
shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends declared in
47
<PAGE>
October, November or December with a record date in such a month will be deemed
to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of
the following year. Redemptions of shares, including exchanges for shares of
another Scudder fund, may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the
shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.
An individual may make a deductible IRA contribution of up to $2,000
or, if less, the amount of the individual's earned income for any taxable year
only if (i) neither the individual nor his or her spouse (unless filing separate
returns) is an active participant in an employer's retirement plan, or (ii) the
individual (and his or her spouse, if applicable) has an adjusted gross income
below a certain level ($40,050 for married individuals filing a joint return,
with a phase-out of the deduction for adjusted gross income between $40,050 and
$50,000; $25,050 for a single individual, with a phase-out for adjusted gross
income between $25,050 and $35,000). However, an individual not permitted to
make a deductible contribution to an IRA for any such taxable year may
nonetheless make nondeductible contributions up to $2,000 to an IRA ($2,000 per
individual for married couples if only one spouse has earned income) for that
year. There are special rules for determining how withdrawals are to be taxed if
an IRA contains both deductible and nondeductible amounts. In general, a
proportionate amount of each withdrawal will be deemed to be made from
nondeductible contributions; amounts treated as a return of nondeductible
contributions will not be taxable. Also, annual contributions may be made to a
spousal IRA even if the spouse has earnings in a given year if the spouse elects
to be treated as having no earnings (for IRA contribution purposes) for the
year.
Distributions by the Fund result in a reduction in the net asset value
of the Fund's shares. Should a distribution reduce the net asset value below a
shareholder's cost basis, such distribution would nevertheless be taxable to the
shareholder as ordinary income or capital gain as described above, even though,
from an investment standpoint, it may constitute a partial return of capital. In
particular, investors should consider the tax implications of buying shares just
prior to a distribution. The price of shares purchased at that time includes the
amount of the forthcoming distribution. Those purchasing just prior to a
distribution will then receive a partial return of capital upon the
distribution, which will nevertheless be taxable to them.
Equity options (including covered call options written on portfolio
stock) and over-the-counter options on debt securities written or purchased by
the Fund will be subject to tax under Section 1234 of the Code. In general, no
loss will be recognized by the Fund upon payment of a premium in connection with
the purchase of a put or call option. The character of any gain or loss
recognized (i.e. long-term or short-term) will generally depend, in the case of
a lapse or sale of the option, on the Fund's holding period for the option, and
in the case of the exercise of a put option, on the Fund's holding period for
the underlying property. The purchase of a put option may constitute a short
sale for federal income tax purposes, causing an adjustment in the holding
period of any property in the Fund's portfolio similar to the property
underlying the put option. If the Fund writes an option, no gain is recognized
upon its receipt of a premium. If the a call lapses or is closed out, any gain
or loss is treated as short-term capital gain or loss. If the option is
exercised, the character of the gain or loss depends on the holding period of
the underlying stock.
Positions of the Fund which consist of at least one stock and at least
one stock option or other position with respect to a related security which
substantially diminishes the Fund's risk of loss with respect to such stock
could be treated as a "straddle" which is governed by Section 1092 of the Code,
the operation of which may cause deferral of losses, adjustments in the holding
periods of stocks or securities and conversion of short-term capital losses into
long-term capital losses. An exception to these straddle rules exists for
certain "qualified covered call options" on stock written by the Fund.
Many futures and forward contracts entered into by the Fund and listed
nonequity options written or purchased by the Fund (including options on debt
securities, options on futures contracts, options on securities indices and
options on currencies), will be governed by Section 1256 of the Code. Absent a
tax election to the contrary, gain or loss attributable to the lapse, exercise
or closing out of any such position generally will be treated as 60% long-term
and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, and on the last trading day of the
Fund's fiscal year, all outstanding Section 1256 positions will be marked to
market (i.e., treated as if such positions were closed out at their closing
price on such day), with any resulting gain or loss recognized as 60% long-term
and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Under Section 988 of the Code,
discussed below, foreign currency gain or loss from foreign currency-related
forward contracts, certain futures and options and similar financial instruments
entered into or acquired by the Fund will be treated as ordinary income or loss.
48
<PAGE>
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Fund may recognize gain (but
not loss) from a constructive sale of certain "appreciated financial positions"
if the Fund enters into a short sale, offsetting notional principal contract,
futures or forward contract transaction with respect to the appreciated position
or substantially identical property. Appreciated financial positions subject to
this constructive sale treatment are interests (including options, futures and
forward contracts and short sales) in stock, partnership interests, certain
actively traded trust instruments and certain debt instruments. Constructive
sale treatment of appreciated financial positions does not apply to certain
transactions closed in the 90-day period ending with the 30th day after the
close of the Fund's taxable year, if certain conditions are met.
Similarly, if the Fund enters into a short sale of property that
becomes substantially worthless, the Fund will be required to recognize gain at
that time as though it had closed the short sale. Future regulations may apply
similar treatment to other strategic transactions with respect to property that
becomes substantially worthless.
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in
exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues receivables or
liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually
collects such receivables or pays such liabilities generally are treated as
ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities
denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain options, futures
and forward contracts, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value
of foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract
and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. These
gains or losses, referred to under the Code as "Section 988" gains or losses,
may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's investment company taxable
income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.
If the Fund invests in stock of certain foreign investment companies,
the Fund may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation on a portion of any
"excess distribution" with respect to, or gain from the disposition of, such
stock. The tax would be determined by allocating such distribution or gain
ratably to each day of the Fund's holding period for the stock. The distribution
or gain so allocated to any taxable year of the Fund, other than the taxable
year of the excess distribution or disposition, would be taxed to the Fund at
the highest ordinary income rate in effect for such year, and the tax would be
further increased by an interest charge to reflect the value of the tax deferral
deemed to have resulted from the ownership of the foreign company's stock. Any
amount of distribution or gain allocated to the taxable year of the distribution
or disposition would be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income
and, accordingly, would not be taxable to the Fund to the extent distributed by
the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders.
The Fund may make an election to mark to market its shares of these
foreign investment companies in lieu of being subject to U.S. federal income
taxation. At the end of each taxable year to which the election applies, the
Fund would report as ordinary income the amount by which the fair market value
of the foreign company's stock exceeds the Fund's adjusted basis in these
shares; any mark-to-market losses and any loss from an actual disposition of
shares would be deductible as ordinary losses to the extent of any net
mark-to-market gains included in income in prior years. The effect of the
election would be to treat excess distributions and gain on dispositions as
ordinary income which is not subject to a fund-level tax when distributed to
shareholders as a dividend. Alternatively, the Fund may elect to include as
income and gain its share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of
certain foreign investment companies in lieu of being taxed in the manner
described above.
A portion of the difference between the issue price of zero coupon
securities and their face value ("original issue discount") is considered to be
income to the Fund each year, even though the Fund will not receive cash
interest payments from these securities. This original issue discount imputed
income will comprise a part of the investment company taxable income of the Fund
which must be distributed to shareholders in order to maintain the qualification
of the Fund as a regulated investment company and to avoid federal income tax at
the Fund's level. In addition, if the Fund invests in certain high yield
original issue discount obligations issued by corporations, a portion of the
original issue discount accruing on the obligation may be eligible for the
deduction for dividends received by corporations. In such event, dividends of
investment company taxable income received from the Fund by its corporate
shareholders, to the extent attributable to such portion of accrued original
issue discount, may be eligible for this deduction for dividends received by
corporations if so designated by the Fund in a written notice to shareholders.
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<PAGE>
The Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service
(the "IRS") all distributions of investment company taxable income and capital
gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares,
except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding
provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of investment company
taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of
the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of
federal income tax at the rate of 31% in the case of non-exempt shareholders who
fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification
numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the
federal income tax law. Withholding may also be required if the Fund is notified
by the IRS or a broker that the taxpayer identification number furnished by the
shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder has previously failed to report
interest or dividend income. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any
such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in
additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Dividend and interest income received by the Fund from sources outside
the U.S. may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such foreign
jurisdictions. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce
or eliminate these foreign taxes, however, and foreign countries generally do
not impose taxes on capital gains respecting investments by foreign investors.
Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on
distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund's shares.
The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely
to the application of that law to U.S. persons, i.e., U.S. citizens and
residents and U.S. corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each
shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax
consequences of ownership of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that
such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or
at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting
ordinary income received by him or her, where such amounts are treated as income
from U.S. sources under the Code.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of
the provisions of tax law described in this statement of additional information
in light of their particular tax situations.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Brokerage Commissions
Allocation of brokerage is supervised by the Adviser.
The primary objective of the Adviser in placing orders for the purchase
and sale of securities for a Fund is to obtain the most favorable net results,
taking into account such factors as price, commission where applicable, size of
order, difficulty of execution and skill required of the executing
broker/dealer. The Adviser seeks to evaluate the overall reasonableness of
brokerage commissions paid (to the extent applicable) through the familiarity of
the Distributor with commissions charged on comparable transactions, as well as
by comparing commissions paid by the Fund to reported commissions paid by
others. The Adviser reviews on a routine basis commission rates, execution and
settlement services performed, making internal and external comparisons.
The Fund's purchases and sales of fixed-income securities are generally
placed by the Adviser with primary market makers for these securities on a net
basis, without any brokerage commission being paid by the Fund. Trading does,
however, involve transaction costs. Transactions with dealers serving as primary
market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked prices. Purchases of
underwritten issues may be made, which will include an underwriting fee paid to
the underwriter.
When it can be done consistently with the policy of obtaining the most
favorable net results, it is the Adviser's practice to place such orders with
broker/dealers who supply research, market and statistical information to the
Fund. The term "research, market and statistical information" includes advice as
to the value of securities; the advisability of investing in, purchasing or
selling securities; the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of
securities; and
50
<PAGE>
analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic
factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts. The
Adviser is authorized when placing portfolio transactions for the Fund to pay a
brokerage commission in excess of that which another broker might charge for
executing the same transaction on account of execution services and the receipt
of research, market or statistical information. The Adviser will not place
orders with broker/dealers on the basis that the broker/dealer has or has not
sold shares of the Fund. In effecting transactions in over-the-counter
securities, orders are placed with the principal market makers for the security
being traded unless, after exercising care, it appears that more favorable
results are available elsewhere.
To the maximum extent feasible, it is expected that the Adviser will
place orders for portfolio transactions through the Distributor, which is a
corporation registered as a broker-dealer and a subsidiary of the Adviser; the
Distributor will place orders on behalf of the Fund with issuers, underwriters
or other brokers and dealers. The Distributor will not receive any commission,
fee or other remuneration from the Fund for this service.
Although certain research, market and statistical information from
broker/dealers may be useful to the Fund and to the Adviser, it is the opinion
of the Adviser that such information only supplements the Adviser's own research
effort since the information must still be analyzed, weighed, and reviewed by
the Adviser's staff. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in providing
services to clients other than the Fund, and not all such information is used by
the Adviser in connection with the Fund. Conversely, such information provided
to the Adviser by broker/dealers through whom other clients of the Adviser
effect securities transactions may be useful to the Adviser in providing
services to the Fund.
The Trustees review from time to time whether the recapture for the
benefit of the Fund of some portion of the brokerage commissions or similar fees
paid by the Fund on portfolio transactions is legally permissible and advisable.
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996, the Fund
paid total brokerage commissions of $8,362,533, $4,072,780 and $3,595,644,
respectively. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, the Fund paid
brokerage commissions of $5,350,357 (63.98% of the total brokerage commissions),
resulting from orders placed, consistent with the policy of obtaining the most
favorable net results, with brokers and dealers who provided supplementary
research, market and statistical information to the Trust or Adviser. The total
amount of brokerage transactions aggregated $6,957,446,363, of which 55.39% of
all brokerage transactions were transactions which included research
commissions.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund's average annual portfolio turnover rates, i.e. the ratio of
the lesser of sales or purchases to the monthly average value of the portfolio
(excluding from both the numerator and the denominator all securities with
maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less), for the fiscal years
ended December 31, 1998 and 1997 were 40.8% and 22.2%, respectively. Purchases
and sales are made for the Fund's portfolio whenever necessary, in management's
opinion, to meet the Fund's objective.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of shares of the Fund is computed as of the close
of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading.
The Exchange is scheduled to be closed on the following holidays: New Year's
Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas and on the
preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on
Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Net asset value per share is determined by
dividing the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liabilities, by the
total number of shares outstanding.
An exchange-traded equity security is valued at its most recent sale
price on the exchange it is traded as of the Value Time. Lacking any sales, the
security is valued at the calculated mean between the most recent bid quotation
and the most recent asked quotation (the "Calculated Mean") on such exchange as
of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the security is valued at
the most recent bid quotation on such exchange as of the Value Time. An equity
security which is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. ("Nasdaq") system will
be valued at its
51
<PAGE>
most recent sale price on such system as of the Value Time. Lacking any sales,
the security will be valued at the most recent bid quotation as of the Value
Time. The value of an equity security not quoted on the Nasdaq system, but
traded in another over-the-counter market, is its most recent sale price if
there are any sales of such security on such market as of the Value Time.
Lacking any sales, the security is valued at the Calculated Mean quotation for
such security as of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the
security is valued at the most recent bid quotation as of the Value Time.
Debt securities, other than money-market instruments, are valued at
prices supplied by the Fund's pricing agent(s) which reflect broker/dealer
supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques. Money-market
instruments with an original maturity of sixty days or less maturing at par
shall be valued at amortized cost, which the Board believes approximates market
value. If it is not possible to value a particular debt security pursuant to
these valuation methods, the value of such security is the most recent bid
quotation supplied by a bona fide marketmaker. If it is not possible to value a
particular debt security pursuant to the above methods, the Adviser may
calculate the price of that debt security, subject to limitations established by
the Board.
An exchange traded options contract on securities, currencies, futures
and other financial instruments is valued at its most recent sale price on such
exchange. Lacking any sales, the options contract is valued at the Calculated
Mean. Lacking any Calculated Mean, the options contract is valued at the most
recent bid quotation in the case of a purchased options contract, or the most
recent asked quotation in the case of a written options contract. An options
contract on securities, currencies and other financial instruments traded
over-the-counter is valued at the most recent bid quotation in the case of a
purchased options contract and at the most recent asked quotation in the case of
a written options contract. Futures contracts are valued at the most recent
settlement price. Foreign currency exchange forward contracts are valued at the
value of the underlying currency at the prevailing exchange rate.
If a security is traded on more than one exchange, or upon one or more
exchanges and in the over-the-counter market, quotations are taken from the
market in which the security is traded most extensively.
If, in the opinion of the Fund's Valuation Committee, the value of a
portfolio asset as determined in accordance with these procedures does not
represent the fair market value of the portfolio asset, the value of the
portfolio asset is taken to be an amount which, in the opinion of the Valuation
Committee, represents fair market value on the basis of all available
information. The value of other portfolio holdings owned by the Fund is
determined in a manner which, in the discretion of the Valuation Committee most
fairly reflects fair market value of the property on the valuation date.
Following the valuations of securities or other portfolio assets in
terms of the currency in which the market quotation used is expressed ("Local
Currency"), the value of these portfolio assets in terms of U.S. dollars is
calculated by converting the Local Currency into U.S. dollars at the prevailing
currency exchange rate on the valuation date.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Experts
The Financial Highlights of the Fund included in the Fund's prospectus
and the Financial Statements incorporated by reference in this Statement of
Additional Information have been so included or incorporated by reference in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, One Post Office Square,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, independent accountants, and given on the authority
of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
is responsible for performing annual audits of the financial statements and
financial highlights of the Fund in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards, and the preparation of federal tax returns.
Shareholder Indemnification
The Fund is an organization of the type commonly known as a
Massachusetts business trust. Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a
trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners
52
<PAGE>
for the obligations of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust contains an express
disclaimer of shareholder liability in connection with the Fund property or the
acts, obligations or affairs of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust also provides
for indemnification out of the Fund property of any shareholder held personally
liable for the claims and liabilities to which a shareholder may become subject
by reason of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder
incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to
circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations.
Other Information
The CUSIP number of the Fund is 811167-10-5.
The Fund has a fiscal year ending December 31.
Many of the investment changes in the Fund will be made at prices
different from those prevailing at the time they may be reflected in a regular
report to shareholders of the Fund. These transactions will reflect investment
decisions made by the Adviser in light of the Fund's investment objectives and
policies, its other portfolio holdings and tax considerations, and should not be
construed as recommendations for similar action by other investors.
Portfolio securities of the Fund are held separately pursuant to a
custodian agreement, by the Fund's custodian, State Street Bank and Trust
Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
The law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads is counsel to the Fund.
The name "Scudder Growth and Income Fund" is the designation of the
Trust for the time being under a Declaration of Trust dated September 20, 1984,
as amended from time to time, and all persons dealing with the Fund must look
solely to the property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the
Fund as neither the Trustees, officers, agents, shareholders nor other series of
the Trust assume any personal liability for obligations entered into on behalf
of the Fund. No other series of the Trust assumes any liabilities for
obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund. Upon the initial purchase of
shares, the shareholder agrees to be bound by the Fund's Declaration of Trust,
as amended from time to time. The Declaration of Trust is on file at the
Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office in Boston, Massachusetts.
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation, Two International Place, Boston,
Massachusetts, 02110-4103, a subsidiary of the Adviser, computes net asset value
for the Fund. The Fund pays Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation an annual fee
equal to 0.025% of the first $150 million of average daily net assets, 0.0075%
of such assets in excess of $150 million, 0.0045% of such assets in excess of $1
billion, plus holding and transaction charges for this service. For the years
ended December 31, 1998, 1997, and 1996, Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation's
fee amounted to $424,247, $338,966 and $249,566, respectively, of which $35,517
was unpaid at December 31, 1998.
Scudder Service Corporation (the "Service Corporation"), P.O. Box 2291,
Boston, Massachusetts 02107-2291, a subsidiary of the Adviser, is the transfer,
dividend-paying and shareholder service agent for the Fund. The Fund pays
Service Corporation an annual fee of $26.00 for each account maintained for a
participant. For the year ended December 31, 1998, the amount charged to the
Fund aggregated $7,512,891, of which $574,455 was unpaid on December 31, 1998.
The Fund, or the Adviser (including any affiliate of the Adviser), or
both, may pay unaffiliated third parties for providing recordkeeping and other
administrative services with respect to accounts of participants in retirement
plans or other beneficial owners of Fund shares whose interests are held in an
omnibus account.
Scudder Trust Company, an affiliate of the Adviser, provides
subaccounting and recordkeeping services for shareholder accounts in certain
retirement and employee benefit plans. Annual service fees are paid by the Fund
to Scudder Trust Company, Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
02110-4103, an affiliate of the Adviser, for such accounts. The Fund incurred
fees of $7,455,505, $4,655,851 and $2,482,721 during the years ended December
31, 1998, 1997, and 1996, respectively, of which $679,629 was unpaid on December
31, 1998.
53
<PAGE>
The Fund's prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information omit
certain information contained in the Registration Statement and its amendments
which the Fund has filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933 and
reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement for further information
with respect to the Fund and the securities offered hereby. The Registration
Statement and its amendments, are available for inspection by the public at the
SEC in Washington, D.C.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements, including the investment portfolio of Scudder
Growth and Income Fund together with the Report of Independent Accountants,
Financial Highlights and notes to financial statements are incorporated by
reference and attached hereto in the Annual Report to the Shareholders of the
Fund dated December 31, 1998 and are hereby deemed to be a part of this
Statement of Additional Information.
54
<PAGE>
Scudder
Large Company
Growth Fund
Prospectus
March 1, 1999
The fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital through investment
primarily in the equity securities of seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth
companies.
No-load/No Sales Charges
Mutual funds:
o are not FDIC-insured
o have no bank guarantees
o may lose value
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
1 Fund Description
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Investment objective
1 Main investment strategies
2 Other investments
2 Risk management strategies
2 Main risks
3 About the Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional information 3 Past performance
that you should know
about the fund 4 Fee and expense information
5 A message from the President
6 Investment adviser
7 Distributions
7 Taxes
9 Financial highlights
10 About Your Investment
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information about 10 Transaction information
managing your fund
account 11 Buying and selling shares
12 Purchases
13 Exchanges and redemptions
14 Investment products and services
16 Trustees and Officers
<PAGE>
Fund Description
Investment objective
The fund seeks long-term growth of capital. Unless otherwise indicated, the
fund's investment objective and policies may be changed without a vote of
shareholders.
Main investment strategies
The fund seeks to achieve its objective through investment primarily in the
equity securities of seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth companies. Growth
stocks are stocks of companies with above-average earnings growth potential. The
fund invests primarily in equity securities issued by large-sized domestic
companies (those with a market value of $1 billion or more) that the fund's
portfolio management team believes offer above-average appreciation potential.
The fund allocates its investments among different industries and companies, and
adjusts its portfolio securities based on long-term investing considerations as
opposed to short-term trading considerations.
The fund invests primarily in common stocks of larger companies that, in the
opinion of the Adviser, have some or all of the following attributes:
o a record of above-average growth relative to the overall market (as
defined by the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Price Index) with prospects
for above-average growth in earnings, cash flow or assets in the future
o important business franchises, leading products or dominant marketing and
distribution systems
o attractive prices relative to potential growth in earnings, cash flow or
assets
o sound finances, high credit standings and profitability
o experienced, motivated management
The fund typically sells a stock when the stock's earning growth potential
becomes less favorable, the capitalization of the issuer ceases to qualify the
issuer's securities as an investment for the fund, if the stock fails to meet
the portfolio management team's expectations, or due to changes in the market
and investment environment.
Of course, there can be no guarantee that by following these strategies, the
fund will achieve its objective.
1
<PAGE>
Other investments
To a more limited extent, the fund may, but is not required to, utilize other
investments and investment techniques that may impact fund performance
including, but not limited to, options, futures and other derivatives (financial
instruments that derive their values from other securities or commodities or
that are based on indices).
Risk management strategies
The fund manages risk by diversifying widely among industries and companies, and
using disciplined security selection.
For temporary defensive purposes, the fund may invest without limit in cash and
cash equivalents. In such a case, the fund would not be pursuing, and may not
achieve, its investment objective.
The fund may, but is not required to, use certain derivatives in an attempt to
manage risk. The use of derivatives could magnify losses.
Main risks
The fund's returns and net asset value will go up and down. Stock market
movements will affect the fund's share prices on a daily basis. Declines are
possible both in the overall stock market and in the types of securities held by
the fund.
The portfolio management team's skill in choosing appropriate investments for
the fund will determine in large part the fund's ability to achieve its
investment objective.
An investment in the common stock of a company represents a proportionate
ownership interest in that company. Therefore, the fund participates in the
success or failure of any company in which it holds stock. Compared to other
classes of financial assets, such as bonds or cash equivalents, common stocks
have historically offered the greatest potential for gain on your investment.
However, the market value of common stocks can fluctuate significantly,
reflecting such things as the business performance of the issuing company,
investors' perceptions of the company or the overall stock market and general
economic or financial market.
There are market and investment risks with any security and the value of an
investment in the fund will fluctuate over time and it is possible to lose money
invested in the fund.
2
<PAGE>
About the Fund
Past performance
The chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in
the fund by illustrating how the fund has performed, and comparing this
information to a broad measure of market performance. Of course, past
performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
Total returns for years ended December 31
[The following table was originally a bar chart in the printed materials.]
1992 ............... 6.66%
1993 ............... -0.01%
1994 ............... -1.34%
1995 ............... 32.50%
1996 ............... 18.22%
1997 ............... 32.80%
1998 ............... 33.23%
For the periods included in the bar chart, the fund's highest return for a
calendar quarter was 26.48% (the fourth quarter of 1998), and the fund's lowest
return for a calendar quarter was -12.27% (the third quarter of 1998).
Average annual total returns
Scudder
For periods ended Large Company Growth
December 31, 1998 Fund S&P 500 Index
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One Year 33.23% 28.58%
Five Years 22.28% 24.06%
Since Inception (5/15/91) 18.76% 19.99%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index (S&P 500 Index) is an
unmanaged measure of 500 widely held common stocks of U.S. companies, weighted
by market value. Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends and, unlike the
fund's returns, do not reflect any fees or expenses.
3
<PAGE>
Fee and expense information
The following information is designed to help you understand the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder fees: Fees paid directly from your investment.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
(as % of offering price) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested
dividends/distributions NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (as % of amount redeemed, if applicable) NONE*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange fee NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets):
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Management fee 0.70%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution (12b-1) fees NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses 0.49%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses 1.19%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* If you wish to receive your redemption proceeds via wire, there is a $5
wire service fee. For additional information, please refer to "About Your
Investment -- Exchanges and redemptions."
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
This example illustrates the impact of the above fees and expenses on an account
with an initial investment of $10,000, based on the expenses shown above. It
assumes a 5% annual return, the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
and "annual fund operating expenses" remaining the same each year. The expenses
would be the same whether you sold your shares at the end of each period or
continued to hold them.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One Year $ 121
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Years $ 378
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five Years $ 654
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ten Years $ 1,443
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual fund expenses and return vary from year to year, and may be higher or
lower than those shown.
4
<PAGE>
A message from the President
[PHOTO]
Edmond D. Villani, President
and CEO, Scudder Kemper
Investments, Inc.
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., investment adviser to the Scudder Family of
Funds, is one of the largest and most experienced investment management
organizations worldwide, managing more than $280 billion in assets globally for
mutual fund investors, retirement and pension plans, institutional and corporate
clients, and private family and individual accounts.
We offered America's first no-load mutual fund in 1928, and today the Scudder
Family of Funds includes over 50 no-load mutual fund portfolios or classes of
shares. We also manage mutual funds in a special program for the American
Association of Retired Persons, as well as the fund options available through
Scudder Horizon Plan, a tax-advantaged variable annuity. We also advise The
Japan Fund and numerous other open- and closed-end funds that invest in this
country and other countries around the world.
The Scudder Family of Funds is designed to make investing easy and less costly.
It includes money market, tax free, income and growth funds: IRAs, 401(k)s,
Keoghs and other retirement plans are also available.
Services available to shareholders include toll-free access to professional
representatives, easy exchange among the Scudder Family of Funds, shareholder
reports, informative newsletters and the walk-in convenience of Scudder Investor
Centers.
The Scudder Family of Funds is offered without commissions to purchase or redeem
shares or to exchange from one fund to another. There are no distribution
(12b-1) fees either, which many other funds now charge to support their
marketing efforts. All of your investment goes to work for you. We look forward
to welcoming you as a shareholder.
/s/ Edmond D. Villani
5
<PAGE>
Investment adviser
The fund retains the investment management firm of Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc. (the "Adviser"), Two International Place, Boston, MA, to manage the fund's
daily investment and business affairs subject to the policies established by the
fund's Board. The Adviser actively manages the fund's investments. Professional
management can be an important advantage for investors who do not have the time
or expertise to invest directly in individual securities.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, the Adviser received an investment
management fee of 0.70% of the fund's average daily net assets on an annual
basis.
Portfolio management
The fund is managed by a team of investment professionals, who each plays an
important role in the fund's management process. Team members work together to
develop investment strategies and select securities for the fund's portfolio.
They are supported by the Adviser's large staff of economists, research
analysts, traders and other investment specialists who work in the Adviser's
offices across the United States and abroad. The fund's investment manager
believes its team approach benefits fund investors by bringing together many
disciplines and leveraging its extensive resources.
The following investment professionals are associated with the fund as
indicated:
Name & Title Joined the Fund Background
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Valerie Malter 1998 Ms. Malter joined the Adviser in 1995
Lead Manager as Product Leader of Quality Growth
Equity. From 1993 to 1995, Ms. Malter
served as a portfolio manager for an
unaffiliated investment management
firm. She began her investment career
in 1985.
George P. Fraise 1997 Mr. Fraise joined the Adviser in 1997
Manager as a portfolio manager. Between 1993
and 1997, Mr. Fraise served as an
analyst for two unaffiliated investment
management firms. He began his
investment career in 1987.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6
<PAGE>
Year 2000 readiness
Like other mutual funds and financial and business organizations worldwide, the
fund could be adversely affected if computer systems on which the fund relies,
which primarily include those used by the Adviser, its affiliates or other
service providers, are unable to process correctly date-related information on
and after January 1, 2000. The risk is commonly called the Year 2000 issue.
Failure to address successfully the Year 2000 issue could result in
interruptions to and other material adverse effects on the fund's business and
operations, such as problems with calculating net asset value and difficulties
in implementing the fund's purchase and redemption procedures. The fund's
Adviser has commenced a review of the Year 2000 issue as it may affect the funds
and is taking steps it believes are reasonably designed to address the Year 2000
issue, although there can be no assurances that these steps will be sufficient.
In addition, there can be no assurances that the Year 2000 issue will not have
an adverse effect on the issuers whose securities are held by the fund or on
global markets or economies generally.
Distributions
The fund intends to distribute dividends from its net investment annually, in
December. The fund intends to distribute net realized capital gains after
utilization of capital loss carryforwards, if any, at that time. An additional
distribution may be made, if necessary.
Any dividends or capital gains distributions declared in October, November or
December with a record date in such month and paid during the following January
will be treated by you for federal income tax purposes as if received on
December 31 of the calendar year declared.
A shareholder may choose to receive distributions in cash or have them
reinvested in additional shares of a fund. Distributions are generally taxable,
whether received in cash or reinvested. If an investment is in the form of a
retirement plan, all dividends and capital gains distributions must be
reinvested into the shareholder's account.
Taxes
Generally, dividends from net investment income are taxable to shareholders as
ordinary income. Long-term capital gains distributions, if any, are taxable to
shareholders as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time
shareholders have owned shares. Short-term capital gains and any other taxable
income distributions are taxable ordinary income. A portion of dividends from
ordinary income may qualify for the dividends-received deduction for
corporations.
7
<PAGE>
Unless an investment is in a tax-deferred account, you may want to avoid
investing a large amount close to the date of a distribution because you may
receive part of your investment back as a taxable distribution.
A sale or exchange of shares is a taxable event and may result in a capital gain
or loss which may be long-term or short-term, generally depending on how long
you owned the shares.
The fund sends detailed tax information about the amount and type of its
distributions by January 31 of the following year.
The fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 31%
of all taxable distributions payable to shareholders if you fail to provide the
fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required
certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to
backup withholding. Any such withheld amounts may be credited against the
shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.
Shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on fund
distributions and dispositions of fund shares. You should consult your own tax
adviser regarding the particular tax consequences of an investment in the fund.
8
<PAGE>
Financial highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the fund's
financial performance for the fiscal periods indicated. Certain information
reflects financial results for a single fund share. The total return figures
represent the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on an
investment in the fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and
distributions. This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
whose reports, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in the
annual report, which are available upon request by calling Scudder Investor
Relations at 1-800-225-2470 or, for existing shareholders, calling the Scudder
Automated Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Years Ended October 31,
1998(a) 1997(a) 1996(a) 1995 1994
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, beginning of ----------------------------------------
period $25.10 $21.19 $18.44 $16.17 $16.42
----------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income (loss) (.02) (.01) .08 .11 .16
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments 4.55 5.69 3.41 3.40 (.09)
----------------------------------------
Total from investment operations 4.53 5.68 3.49 3.51 .07
----------------------------------------
Less distributions from:
Net investment income -- -- (.14) (.15) (.08)
Net realized gains on investment
transactions (1.46) (1.77) (.60) (1.09) (.24)
----------------------------------------
Total distributions (1.46) (1.77) (.74) (1.24) (.32)
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $28.17 $25.10 $21.19 $18.44 $16.17
----------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Return (%) 18.86 28.84 19.49 23.78 .39
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period
($ millions) 502 288 221 173 113
Ratio of operating expenses net, to
average daily net assets (%) 1.19 1.21 1.07 1.17 1.25
Ratio of net investment income
(loss) to average daily net
assets (%) (.06) (.05) .41 .71 .96
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 54.1 67.9 68.8 91.6 119.7
(a) Based on monthly average shares outstanding during the period.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9
<PAGE>
About Your Investment
Transaction information
Share price
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation determines the net asset value per share of
the fund as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
normally 4 p.m. eastern time, on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading.
Net asset value per share is calculated by dividing the value of total fund
assets, less all liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Market
prices are used to determine the value of the fund's assets. If market prices
are not readily available for a security or if a security's price is not
considered to be market indicative, that security may be valued by another
method that the Board or its delegate believes accurately reflects fair value.
In those circumstances where a security's price is not considered to be market
indicative, the security's valuation may differ from an available market
quotation.
Processing time
All purchase and redemption requests received in good order at the fund's
transfer agent by the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange
are executed at the net asset value per share calculated at the close of trading
that day. All other requests that are in good order will be executed the
following business day.
Signature guarantees
A signature guarantee is required when you sell more than $100,000 worth of
shares. You can obtain a guarantee from most brokerage houses and financial
institutions, although not from a notary public. The fund will normally send you
the proceeds within one business day following your request, but may take up to
seven business days (or longer in the case of shares recently purchased by
check). For more information, please call 1-800-225-5163.
Purchase restrictions
Purchases and sales should be made for long-term investment purposes only. The
fund and Scudder Investor Services, Inc. each reserves the right to reject
purchases of fund shares (including exchanges) for any reason including when
there is evidence of a pattern of frequent purchases and sales made in response
to short-term fluctuations in the fund's share price.
10
<PAGE>
Minimum balances
Generally, shareholders who maintain a non-fiduciary account balance of less
than $2,500 in the fund and have not established an automatic investment plan
will be assessed, an annual $10.00 per fund charge; this fee is paid to the
fund. The fund reserves the right, following 60 days written notice to
shareholders, to redeem all shares in accounts that have a value below $1,000
where such a reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption, exchange or
transfer out of the account.
Third party transactions
If you buy and sell shares of the fund through a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (other than Scudder Investor Services,
Inc.), that member may charge a fee for that service.
Other policies
The fund reserves the right to redeem in kind. That is, it may honor redemption
requests with readily marketable fund securities instead of cash. There may be
transaction costs associated with converting these securities to cash.
Buying and selling shares
Please refer to the following charts for information on how to buy and sell fund
shares. Additional information, including special investment features, may be
found in the Shareholder Services Guide. For information about No-Fee IRAs, Roth
IRAs and other retirement options, call Scudder Investor Relations at
1-800-225-2470. For information on establishing 401(k) and 403(b) plans, call
Scudder Defined Contribution Services at 1-800-323-6105.
11
<PAGE>
Purchases
To open an account
The minimum initial investment is $2,500; $1,000 for IRAs. Group retirement
plans (401(k), 403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate
plan literature. Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send your completed and signed application and check
by regular mail to: The Scudder Funds
P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, registered, or The Scudder Funds
certified mail to: 66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to complete your
application with the help of a Scudder representative.
Investor Centers are located in Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago,
New York and San Francisco.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To buy additional shares
The minimum additional investment is $100; $50 for IRAs. Group retirement plans
(401(k), 403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate plan
literature. Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send a check with a Scudder investment slip, or with a
letter of instruction including your account number and the
complete fund name, to the appropriate address listed above.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to make an additional
investment in your Scudder fund account. Investor Center
locations are listed above.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Telephone Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Automatic You may arrange to make investments of $50 or more on a
Investment Plan regular basis through automatic deductions from your bank
checking account. Please call 1-800-225-5163 for more
information and an enrollment form.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12
<PAGE>
Exchanges and redemptions
To exchange shares
The minimum investments are $2,500 to establish a new account and $100 to
exchange among existing accounts.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163
Telephone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAIL(TM), the
Scudder Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890
(24 hours a day).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Print or type your instructions and include:
or Fax
- the name of the fund and the account number you are
exchanging from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to
exchange;
- the name of the fund you are exchanging into;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
Send your instructions The Scudder Funds
by regular mail to: P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, registered, The Scudder Funds
or certified mail to: 66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
or by fax to: 1-800-821-6234
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To sell shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163
Telephone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAIL(TM), the
Scudder Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890
(24 hours a day). You may have redemption proceeds sent to
your predesignated bank account, or redemption proceeds of up
to $100,000 sent to your address of record.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send your instructions for redemption to the appropriate
or Fax address or fax number above and include:
- the name of the fund and account number you are redeeming
from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to redeem;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By You may arrange to receive automatic cash payments
Automatic periodically. Call 1-800-225-5163 for more information and an
Withdrawal enrollment form.
Plan
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13
<PAGE>
Investment products and services
The Scudder Family of Funds[
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund
Scudder Cash Investment Trust
Scudder Money Market Series --
Prime Reserve Shares*
Premium Shares*
Managed Shares*
Scudder Government Money Market Series -- Managed Shares*
Tax Free Money Market+
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series -- Managed Shares*
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund**
Tax Free+
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund
Scudder California Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund**
U.S. Income
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund
Scudder GNMA Fund
Scudder Income Fund
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund
Global Income
Scudder Global Bond Fund
Scudder International Bond Fund
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund
Asset Allocation
Scudder Pathway Conservative Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Balanced Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Growth Portfolio
Scudder Pathway International Portfolio
U.S. Growth and Income
Scudder Balanced Fund
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund
Scudder Growth and Income Fund
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund
U.S. Growth
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund
Scudder Value Fund***
Scudder Small Company Value Fund
Scudder Micro Cap Fund
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund***
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund
Scudder Development Fund
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund
Global Equity
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund
Scudder International Value Fund
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund
Scudder International Fund++
Scudder International Growth Fund
Scudder Global Discovery Fund***
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund
Scudder Gold Fund
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund
Scudder Latin America Fund
The Japan Fund, Inc.
Industry Sector Funds
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund
Scudder Health Care Fund
Scudder Technology Fund
Preferred Series
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund
14
<PAGE>
Retirement Programs and Education Accounts
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retirement Programs Education Accounts
- ------------------- ------------------
Traditional IRA Education IRA
Roth IRA UGMA/UTMA
SEP-IRA
Keogh Plan
401(k), 403(b) Plans
Variable Annuities
Scudder Horizon Plan**[[
Scudder Horizon Advantage**[[[
Closed-End Funds#
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Argentina Fund, Inc.
The Brazil Fund, Inc.
The Korea Fund, Inc.
Montgomery Street Income Securities, Inc.
Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc.
Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc.
Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc.
For complete information on any of the above Scudder funds, including management
fees and expenses, call or write for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before
you invest or send money.
- -----------
[ Funds within categories are listed in order from expected least risk to
most risk. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may not be available
for purchase or exchange.
+ A portion of the income from the tax-free funds may be subject to federal,
state, and local taxes.
* A class of shares of the fund.
** Not available in all states.
*** Only the Scudder Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family of
Funds.
++ Only the International Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family
of Funds.
[[ A no-load variable annuity contract provided by Charter National Life
Insurance Company and its affiliate, offered by Scudder's insurance
agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
[[[ A no-load variable annuity contract issued by Glenbrook Life and Annuity
Company and underwritten by Allstate Financial Services, Inc., sold by
Scudder's insurance agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
# These funds, advised by Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., are traded on
the New York Stock Exchange and, in some cases, on various other stock
exchanges.
15
<PAGE>
Trustees and Officers
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Pierce*
President and Trustee
Henry P. Becton, Jr.
Trustee; President
and General Manager,
WGBH Educational Foundation
Dawn-Marie Driscoll
Trustee; Executive Fellow,
Center for Business Ethics,
Bentley College;
President, Driscoll Associates
Peter B. Freeman
Trustee; Corporate Director
and Trustee
George M. Lovejoy, Jr.
Trustee; President and Director,
Fifty Associates
Wesley W. Marple, Jr.
Trustee; Professor of
Business Administration,
Northeastern University,
College of Business Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk*
Trustee; Vice President
and Assistant Secretary
Jean C. Tempel
Trustee; Managing Partner,
Technology Equity Partners
Bruce F. Beaty*
Vice President
Philip S. Fortuna*
Vice President
William F. Gadsden*
Vice President
Robert T. Hoffman*
Vice President
Thomas W. Joseph*
Vice President
Valerie F. Malter*
Vice President
Ann M. McCreary*
Vice President
Thomas F. McDonough*
Vice President and Secretary
John R. Hebble*
Treasurer
Caroline Pearson*
Assistant Secretary
- -----------
* Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
16
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Notes
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Additional information about the fund may be found in the Statement of
Additional Information, the Shareholder Services Guide and in shareholder
reports. Shareholder inquiries may be made by calling the toll-free number
listed below. The Statement of Additional Information contains more information
on fund investments and operations. The Shareholder Services Guide contains more
information about purchases and sales of fund shares. The semiannual and annual
shareholder reports contain a discussion of the market conditions and the
investment strategies that significantly affected the fund's performance during
the last fiscal year, as well as a listing of portfolio holdings and financial
statements. These and other fund documents may be obtained without charge from
the following sources:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Telephone Call Scudder Investor Relations at 1-800-225-2470
or
For existing Scudder investors, call the Scudder Automated
Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890 (24 hours a day).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
Two International Place
Boston, MA 02110-4103
or
Public Reference Section
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549-6009
(a duplication fee is charged)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.
(Call 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information.)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Internet http://www.sec.gov
http://www.scudder.com
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus).
Investment Company Act file number: 811-43
[PRINTED WITH SOY INK LOGO] [RECYCLE LOGO] Printed on recycled paper
60-2-39
PRO60399
<PAGE>
SCUDDER LARGE COMPANY GROWTH FUND
A series of Investment Trust
A No-Load (No Sales Charges) Diversified Mutual Fund Seeking Long-Term
Growth of Capital through Investment Primarily in Equity Securities
of Seasoned, Financially Strong U.S. Growth Companies.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March 1, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus and should be read
in conjunction with the prospectus for Scudder Large Company Growth Fund dated
March 1, 1999, as amended from time to time, a copy of which may be obtained
without charge by writing to Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International
Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-4103.
The Annual Report to Shareholders of Scudder Large Company Growth Fund dated
October 31, 1998, is incorporated by reference and is hereby deemed to be part
of this Statement of Additional Information.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
<S> <C> <C>
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES.........................................................................1
Master/feeder fund structure................................................................................2
Investment Restrictions....................................................................................11
PURCHASES...........................................................................................................13
Additional Information About Opening an Account............................................................13
Minimum balances...........................................................................................13
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments.................................................14
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy.....................................14
Checks.....................................................................................................14
Wire Transfer of Federal Funds.............................................................................15
Share Price................................................................................................15
Share Certificates.........................................................................................15
Other Information..........................................................................................15
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS...........................................................................................15
Exchanges..................................................................................................15
Redemption by Telephone....................................................................................16
Redemption By QuickSell....................................................................................17
Redemption by Mail or Fax..................................................................................17
Redemption-In-Kind.........................................................................................18
Other Information..........................................................................................18
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND...........................................................................18
No-Load Concept............................................................................................18
Internet Access............................................................................................19
Dividend and Capital Gain Distribution Options.............................................................20
Diversification............................................................................................20
Scudder Investor Centers...................................................................................21
Reports to Shareholders....................................................................................21
Transaction Summaries......................................................................................21
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS.........................................................................................21
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS...............................................................................................21
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase Pension Plans for Corporations and
Self-Employed Individuals.............................................................................26
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals.......27
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account................................................................27
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account...........................................................28
Scudder 403(b) Plan........................................................................................28
Automatic Withdrawal Plan..................................................................................28
Group or Salary Deduction Plan.............................................................................29
Automatic Investment Plan..................................................................................29
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act......................................................................29
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS...........................................................................30
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.............................................................................................30
Average Annual Total Return................................................................................30
Cumulative Total Return....................................................................................31
Total Return...............................................................................................31
i
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
Page
Performance Indices........................................................................................31
Comparison of Fund Performance.............................................................................32
FUND ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................35
INVESTMENT ADVISER..................................................................................................36
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser...........................................................39
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS...............................................................................................39
REMUNERATION........................................................................................................41
Responsibilities of the Board --Board and Committee Meetings...............................................41
Compensation of Officers and Trustees......................................................................42
DISTRIBUTOR.........................................................................................................42
TAXES...............................................................................................................43
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS..............................................................................................47
Brokerage Commissions......................................................................................47
Portfolio Turnover.........................................................................................48
NET ASSET VALUE.....................................................................................................48
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION..............................................................................................49
Experts....................................................................................................49
Shareholder Indemnification................................................................................49
Other Information..........................................................................................49
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS................................................................................................51
APPENDIX
</TABLE>
ii
<PAGE>
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
General Investment Objective and Policies (See "Fund Description" in
the Fund's prospectus.)
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund (the "Fund"), a diversified series of
Investment Trust (the "Trust"), an open-end management company which seeks to
provide long-term growth of capital through investment primarily in the equity
securities of seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth companies. Although
current income is an incidental consideration, many of the Fund's securities
should provide regular dividends which are expected to grow over time.
Descriptions in this Statement of Additional Information of a
particular investment practice or technique in which a Fund may engage (such as
short selling, hedging, etc.) or a financial instrument which a Fund may
purchase (such as options, forward foreign currency contracts, etc.) are meant
to describe the spectrum of investments that Scudder Kemper Investments (the
"Adviser"), in its discretion, might, but is not required to, use in managing
the Fund's portfolio assets. The Adviser may, in its discretion, at any time
employ such practice, technique or instrument for one or more Funds, but not for
all Funds advised by it. Furthermore, it is possible that certain types of
financial instruments or investment techniques described herein may not be
available, permissible, economically feasible or effective for their intended
purposes in all markets. Certain practices, techniques, or instruments may not
be principal activities of a Fund, but, to the extent employed, could from time
to time have a material impact on the Fund's performance.
The Fund's equity investments consist of common stocks, preferred
stocks and securities convertible into common stocks of companies which offer,
the fund's management believes, the prospect for above-average growth in
earnings, cash flow or assets relative to the overall market as defined by the
Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Price Index ("S&P 500"). The prospect for
above-average growth in assets is evaluated in terms of the potential future
earnings such growth in assets can produce.
The Fund allocates its investments among different industries and
companies, and adjusts its portfolio securities based on long-term investment
considerations as opposed to short-term trading. While the Fund emphasizes U.S.
investments, it can commit a portion of assets to the equity securities of
foreign growth companies which meet the criteria applicable to domestic
investments.
Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund's investment objective and
policies are not fundamental and may be changed without a vote of shareholders.
If there is a change in investment objective, shareholders should consider
whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of their then
current financial position and needs. The net asset value of the Fund's shares
will increase or decrease with changes in the market price of the Fund's
investments, and there can be no assurance that the Fund's objective will be
met.
Investments. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities issued by
large-sized domestic companies that offer, the fund's management believes,
above-average appreciation potential. In seeking such investments, the Fund's
investment adviser, Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the "Adviser"), invests in
companies with the following characteristics:
o companies that have exhibited above-average growth rates over an
extended period with prospects for maintaining greater than
average rates of growth in earnings, cash flow or assets in the
future;
o companies that are in a strong financial position with high
credit standings and profitability;
o companies with important business franchises, leading products or
dominant marketing and distribution systems;
o companies guided by experienced, motivated management;
o companies selling at attractive prices relative to potential
growth in earnings, cash flow or assets.
The Adviser utilizes a combination of qualitative and quantitative
research techniques to identify companies that have above-average quality and
growth characteristics and that are deemed to be selling at attractive market
valuations. In-depth fundamental research is used to evaluate various aspects of
corporate performance, with a particular focus on consistency of results,
long-term growth prospects and financial strength. Quantitative valuation models
are designed to help determine which growth companies offer the best values at a
given point in time. From
<PAGE>
time to time, for temporary defensive or emergency purposes, the Fund may invest
a portion of its assets in cash and cash equivalents when the Adviser deems such
a position advisable in light of economic or market conditions. It is impossible
to predict for how long such alternate strategies may be utilized. The Fund also
may invest in foreign securities, repurchase agreements, and may engage in
strategic transactions.
Master/feeder fund structure
The Board of Trustees has the discretion to retain the current
distribution arrangement for the Fund while investing in a master fund in a
master/feeder fund structure as described below.
A master/feeder fund structure is one in which a fund (a "feeder
fund"), instead of investing directly in a portfolio of securities, invests most
or all of its investment assets in a separate registered investment company (the
"master fund") with substantially the same investment objective and policies as
the feeder fund. Such a structure permits the pooling of assets of two or more
feeder funds, preserving separate identities or distribution channels at the
feeder fund level. Based on the premise that certain of the expenses of
operating an investment portfolio are relatively fixed, a larger investment
portfolio may eventually achieve a lower ratio of operating expenses to average
net assets. An existing investment company is able to convert to a feeder fund
by selling all of its investments, which involves brokerage and other
transaction costs and realization of a taxable gain or loss, or by contributing
its assets to the master fund and avoiding transaction costs and, if proper
procedures are followed, the realization of taxable gain or loss.
Quality. The Fund invests at least 65% of its total assets in the equity
securities of large U.S. growth companies, i.e., those with total market
capitalization of $1 billion or more. The Fund looks for companies with
above-average financial quality. When assessing financial quality, the Adviser
weighs four elements of business risk. These factors are the Adviser's
assessment of the strength of a company's balance sheet, the accounting
practices a company follows, the volatility of a company's earnings over time
and the vulnerability of earnings to changes in external factors, such as the
general economy, the competitive environment, governmental action and
technological change.
Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities; that is,
bonds, notes, debentures, preferred stocks and other securities which are
convertible into common stocks. Investments in convertible securities may
provide income through interest and dividend payments and/or an opportunity for
capital appreciation by virtue of their conversion or exchange features.
The convertible securities in which the Fund may invest include
fixed-income or zero coupon debt securities which may be converted or exchanged
at a stated or determinable exchange ratio into underlying shares of common
stock. The exchange ratio for any particular convertible security may be
adjusted from time to time due to stock splits, dividends, spin-offs, other
corporate distributions or scheduled changes in the exchange ratio. Convertible
debt securities and convertible preferred stocks, until converted, have general
characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. Although to a lesser
extent than with debt securities generally, the market value of convertible
securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to
increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion or
exchange feature, the market value of convertible securities typically changes
as the market value of the underlying common stocks changes, and, therefore,
also tends to follow movements in the general market for equity securities. A
unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the
underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade
increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines
to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the
underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend
to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock, although
typically not as much as the underlying common stock. While no securities
investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally
entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
As debt securities, convertible securities are investments which
provide for a stream of income (or in the case of zero coupon securities,
accretion of income) with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course,
like all debt securities, there can be no assurance of income or principal
payments because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their
obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower yields than
nonconvertible securities of similar quality because of their conversion or
exchange features.
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Convertible securities are generally subordinated to other similar but
non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as
corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity
securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of the
same issuer. However, because of the subordination feature, convertible bonds
and convertible preferred stock typically have lower ratings than similar
nonconvertible securities.
Convertible securities may be issued as fixed income obligations that
pay current income or as zero coupon notes and bonds, including Liquid Yield
Option Notes (LYONs). Zero coupon securities pay no cash income and are sold at
substantial discounts from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their
entire income, which consists of accretion of discount, comes from the
difference between the issue price and their value at maturity. Zero coupon
convertible securities offer the opportunity for capital appreciation as
increases (or decreases) in market value of such securities closely follows the
movements in the market value of the underlying common stock. Zero coupon
convertible securities are generally expected to be less volatile than the
underlying common stocks as they are usually issued with short to medium length
maturities (15 years or less) and are issued with options and/or redemption
features exercisable by the holder of the obligation entitling the holder to
redeem the obligation and receive a defined cash payment.
Foreign Securities. Investors should recognize that investing in foreign
securities involves certain special considerations, including those set forth
below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities and
which may favorably or unfavorably affect the Fund's performance. As foreign
companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and
financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those
applicable to domestic companies, there may be less publicly available
information about a foreign company than about a domestic company. Many foreign
stock markets, while growing in volume of trading activity, have substantially
less volume than the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the "Exchange"), and
securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than
securities of domestic companies. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most
foreign bond markets is less than in the U.S. and at times, volatility of price
can be greater than in the U.S. Further, foreign markets have different
clearance and settlement procedures and in certain markets there have been times
when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities
transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in
settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of the Fund are
uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Fund to make
intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to
miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio
securities due to settlement problems either could result in losses to the Fund
due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund
has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in a possible
liability to the purchaser. Payment for securities without delivery may be
required in certain foreign markets. Fixed commissions on some foreign stock
exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges,
although the Fund will endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on its
portfolio transactions. Further, the Fund may encounter difficulties or be
unable to pursue legal remedies and obtain judgments in foreign courts. There is
generally less government supervision and regulation of business and industry
practices, stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the U.S. It may
be more difficult for the Fund's agents to keep currently informed about
corporate actions such as stock dividends or other matters which may affect the
prices of portfolio securities. Communications between the U.S. and foreign
countries may be less reliable than within the U.S., thus increasing the risk of
delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for
portfolio securities. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries,
there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or
social instability, or diplomatic developments which could affect U.S.
investments in those countries. Moreover, individual foreign economies may
differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth
of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource
self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The management of the Fund
seeks to mitigate the risks associated with the foregoing considerations through
diversification and continuous professional management.
Because investments in foreign securities will usually involve
currencies of foreign countries, and because the Fund may hold foreign
currencies and forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forward
contracts"), futures contracts and options on futures contracts on foreign
currencies, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars may
be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange
rates and exchange control regulations, and the Fund may incur costs in
connection with conversions between various currencies. Although the Fund values
its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its
holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. It will do so
from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency
conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for
conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the "spread")
between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies.
Thus, a dealer
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may offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a
lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the
dealer. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either
on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency
exchange market, or through entering into forward contracts (or options thereon)
to purchase or sell foreign currencies. (See "Strategic Transactions and
Derivatives" below.)
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with any
member bank of the Federal Reserve System and any broker/dealer recognized as a
reporting government securities dealer if the creditworthiness of the bank or
broker/dealer has been determined by the Adviser to be at least as high as that
of other obligations the Fund may purchase or to be at least equal to that of
issuers of commercial paper rated within the two highest grades assigned by
Standard and Poor's Corporation or Moody's Investor Services, Inc. ("Moody's").
A repurchase agreement provides a means for the Fund to earn income on
funds for periods as short as overnight. It is an arrangement under which the
Fund acquires a security ("Obligation") and the seller agrees, at the time of
sale, to repurchase the Obligation at a specified time and price. Obligations
subject to a repurchase agreement are held in a segregated account and the value
of such obligations kept at least equal to the repurchase price on a daily
basis. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the
difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may
be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together with the
date of repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is unrelated to the
interest rate on the Obligation itself. Obligations will be held by the Fund's
custodian or in the Federal Reserve Book Entry System.
For purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the
seller of the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement and is therefore
subject to the Fund's investment restriction applicable to loans. It is not
clear whether a court would consider the Obligation purchased by the Fund
subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being
collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller. In the event of the
commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller
of the Obligation before repurchase of the Obligation under a repurchase
agreement, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to
sell the security. Delays may cause loss of interest or decline in price of the
Obligation. If the court characterizes the transaction as a loan and the Fund
has not perfected a security interest in the Obligation, the Fund may be
required to return the Obligation to the seller's estate and be treated as an
unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at
the risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the
transaction. As with any unsecured debt instrument purchased for the Fund, the
Adviser seeks to minimize the risk of loss from repurchase agreements by
analyzing the creditworthiness of the obligor, in this case the seller of the
Obligation. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there
is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the Obligation, in which
case the Fund may incur a loss if the proceeds to the Fund of the sale to a
third party are less than the repurchase price. To protect against such
potential loss, if the market value (including interest) of the Obligation
subject to the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price
(including interest), the Fund will direct the seller of the Obligation to
deliver additional securities so that the market value (including interest) of
all securities subject to the repurchase agreement will equal or exceed the
repurchase price. It is possible that the Fund will be unsuccessful in seeking
to impose on the seller a contractual obligation to deliver additional
securities.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells a
portfolio instrument to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in
return for cash and agrees to repurchase the instrument at a particular price
and time. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will
maintain liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover its obligation
under the agreement. A Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only
with parties whose creditworthiness has been found satisfactory by the Adviser.
Such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of a Fund's
assets and may be viewed as a form of leverage.
Illiquid Investments. The Fund may occasionally purchase securities other than
in the open market. While such purchases may often offer attractive
opportunities for investment not otherwise available on the open market, the
securities so purchased are often "restricted securities" or "not readily
marketable," i.e., securities which cannot be sold to the public without
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or the availability of an
exemption from registration (such as Rules 144 or 144A) or because they are
subject to other legal or contractual delays in or restrictions on resale.
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Generally speaking, illiquid or restricted investments may be sold only
to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction to a
limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held
for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an
exemption from registration, or in a public offering for which a registration
statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933. A Fund may be deemed to
be an "underwriter" for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 when selling
restricted securities to the public, and in such event a Fund may be liable to
purchasers of such securities if the registration statement prepared by the
issuer, or the prospectus forming a part of it, is materially inaccurate or
misleading.
The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of such restricted securities
subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees. In reaching liquidity
decisions, the Adviser will consider the following factors: (1) the frequency of
trades and quotes for the security, (2) the number of dealers wishing to
purchase or sell the security and the number of their potential purchasers, (3)
dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the
security and the nature of the marketplace trades (i.e. the time needed to
dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of
the transfer).
Strategic Transactions and Derivatives. The Fund may, but is not required to,
utilize various other investment strategies as described below for a variety of
purposes, such as hedging various market risks managing the effective maturity
or duration of the Fund's portfolio, or enhancing potential gain. These
strategies may be executed through the use of derivative contracts. Such
strategies are generally accepted as a part of modern portfolio management and
are regularly utilized by many mutual funds and other institutional investors.
In the course of pursuing these investment strategies, the Fund may
purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on
securities, equity and fixed-income indices and other instruments, purchase and
sell futures contracts and options thereon, enter into various transactions such
as swaps, caps, floors, collars, currency forward contracts, currency futures
contracts, currency swaps or options on currencies, currency futures and various
other currency transactions (collectively, all the above are called "Strategic
Transactions"). In addition, strategic transactions may also include new
techniques, instruments or strategies that are permitted as regulatory changes
occur. Strategic Transactions may be used without limit to attempt to protect
against possible changes in the market value of securities held in or to be
purchased for the Fund's portfolio resulting from securities markets or currency
exchange rate fluctuations, to protect the Fund's unrealized gains in the value
of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of such securities for
investment purposes, to manage the effective maturity or duration of
fixed-income securities in the Fund's portfolio, or to establish a position in
the derivatives markets as a substitute for purchasing or selling particular
securities. Some Strategic Transactions may also be used to enhance potential
gain although no more than 5% of the Fund's assets will be committed to
Strategic Transactions entered into for non-hedging purposes. Any or all of
these investment techniques may be used at any time and in any combination, and
there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one technique rather
than another, as use of any Strategic Transaction is a function of numerous
variables including market conditions. The ability of the Fund to utilize these
Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on the Adviser's ability to
predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The Fund will
comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these
strategies, techniques and instruments. Strategic Transactions will not be used
to alter the fundamental investment purposes and characteristics of the fund,
and the fund will segregate assets (or as provided by applicable regulations,
enter into certain offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under options,
futures and swaps to limit leveraging of the fund.
Strategic Transactions, including derivative contracts, have risks
associated with them including possible default by the other party to the
transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Adviser's view as to certain
market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of such Strategic
Transactions could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. Use
of put and call options may result in losses to the Fund, force the sale or
purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than
(in the case of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current
market values, limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on its
investments or cause the Fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell. The
use of currency transactions can result in the Fund incurring losses as a result
of a number of factors including the imposition of exchange controls, suspension
of settlements, or the inability to deliver or receive a specified currency. The
use of options and futures transactions entails certain other risks. In
particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of
futures contracts and price movements in the related portfolio position of the
Fund creates the possibility that losses on the hedging instrument may be
greater than gains in the value of the Fund's position. In addition, futures and
options markets may not be liquid in all circumstances and certain
over-the-counter options may have no markets. As a result, in certain markets,
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the Fund might not be able to close out a transaction without incurring
substantial losses, if at all. Although the use of futures and options
transactions for hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a
decline in the value of the hedged position, at the same time they tend to limit
any potential gain which might result from an increase in value of such
position. Finally, the daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts
would create a greater ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of
options, where the exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium.
Losses resulting from the use of Strategic Transactions would reduce net asset
value, and possibly income, and such losses can be greater than if the Strategic
Transactions had not been utilized.
General Characteristics of Options. Put options and call options typically have
similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the
underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the following
general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed
in greater detail below. In addition, many Strategic Transactions involving
options require segregation of Fund assets in special accounts, as described
below under "Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts."
A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a
premium, the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying
security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price.
For instance, the Fund's purchase of a put option on a security might be
designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some
cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value
by giving the Fund the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise
price. A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the
option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying
instrument at the exercise price. The Fund's purchase of a call option on a
security, financial future, index, currency or other instrument might be
intended to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of the underlying
instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at
which it may purchase such instrument. An American style put or call option may
be exercised at any time during the option period while a European style put or
call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior
thereto. The Fund is authorized to purchase and sell exchange listed options and
over-the-counter options ("OTC options"). Exchange listed options are issued by
a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), which
guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options.
The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but is also applicable to other
financial intermediaries.
With certain exceptions, OCC issued and exchange listed options
generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency,
although in the future cash settlement may become available. Index options and
Eurodollar instruments are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the
option is "in-the-money" (i.e., where the value of the underlying instrument
exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put
option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised.
Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument
through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by
entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in
ownership of the new option.
The Fund's ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller
of an OCC or exchange listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the
liquidity of the option market. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a
liquid option market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in
certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii)
trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to
particular classes or series of options or underlying securities including
reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the
OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to
handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to
discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options),
in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease
to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue
to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours
during which the underlying financial instruments are traded. To the extent that
the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial
instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the
underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
OTC options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial
institutions or other parties ("Counterparties") through direct bilateral
agreement with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange listed options,
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which generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms
of an OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise
price, premium, guarantees and security, are set by negotiation of the parties.
The Fund will only sell OTC options (other than OTC currency options) that are
subject to a buy-back provision permitting the Fund to require the Counterparty
to sell the option back to the Fund at a formula price within seven days. The
Fund expects generally to enter into OTC options that have cash settlement
provisions, although it is not required to do so.
Unless the parties provide for it, there is no central clearing or
guaranty function in an OTC option. As a result, if the Counterparty fails to
make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying
an OTC option it has entered into with the Fund or fails to make a cash
settlement payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Fund
will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit
of the transaction. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of
each such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the
Counterparty's credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC
option will be satisfied. The Fund will engage in OTC option transactions only
with U.S. government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York as "primary dealers" or broker/dealers, domestic or foreign banks or
other financial institutions which have received (or the guarantors of the
obligation of which have received) a short-term credit rating of A-1 from S&P or
P-1 from Moody's or an equivalent rating from any nationally recognized
statistical rating organization ("NRSRO") or, in the case of OTC currency
transactions, are determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
The staff of the SEC currently takes the position that OTC options purchased by
the Fund, and portfolio securities "covering" the amount of the Fund's
obligation pursuant to an OTC option sold by it (the cost of the sell-back plus
the in-the-money amount, if any) are illiquid, and are subject to the Fund's
limitation on investing no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid
securities.
If the Fund sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve
as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in
the value of the underlying securities or instruments in its portfolio or will
increase the Fund's income. The sale of put options can also provide income.
The Fund may purchase and sell call options on securities including
U.S. Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt
securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar
instruments that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the
over-the-counter markets, and on securities indices, currencies and futures
contracts. All calls sold by the Fund must be "covered" (i.e., the Fund must own
the securities or futures contract subject to the call) or must meet the asset
segregation requirements described below as long as the call is outstanding.
Even though the Fund will receive the option premium to help protect it against
loss, a call sold by the Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option to
possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the
underlying security or instrument and may require the Fund to hold a security or
instrument which it might otherwise have sold.
The Fund may purchase and sell put options on securities including U.S.
Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt
securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar
instruments (whether or not it holds the above securities in its portfolio), and
on securities, indices, currencies and futures contracts other than futures on
individual corporate debt and individual equity securities. The Fund will not
sell put options if, as a result, more than 50% of the Fund's assets would be
required to be segregated to cover its potential obligations under such put
options other than those with respect to futures and options thereon. In selling
put options, there is a risk that the Fund may be required to buy the underlying
security at a disadvantageous price above the market price.
General Characteristics of Futures. The Fund may enter into futures contracts or
purchase or sell put and call options on such futures as a hedge against
anticipated interest rate, currency or equity market changes, and for duration
management, risk management, and return enhancement purposes. Futures are
generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed,
with payment of initial and variation margin as described below. The sale of a
futures contract creates a firm obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver to
the buyer the specific type of instrument called for in the contract at a
specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures
and Eurodollar instruments, the net cash amount). Options on futures contracts
are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract
gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a
position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such
position.
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The Fund's use of futures and options thereon will in all cases be
consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in particular the rules
and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and will be entered
into for bona fide hedging, risk management (including duration management) or
other portfolio management and return enhancement purposes. Typically,
maintaining a futures contract or selling an option thereon requires the Fund to
deposit with a financial intermediary as security for its obligations an amount
of cash or other specified assets (initial margin) which initially is typically
1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some
circumstances). Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to
be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark to market value of the
contract fluctuates. The purchase of an option on financial futures involves
payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part
of the Fund. If the Fund exercises an option on a futures contract it will be
obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for
the resulting futures position just as it would for any position. Futures
contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an
offsetting transaction but there can be no assurance that the position can be
offset prior to settlement at an advantageous price, nor that delivery will
occur.
The Fund will not enter into a futures contract or related option
(except for closing transactions) if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the
amount of its initial margin and premiums on open futures contracts and options
thereon would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets (taken at current value);
however, in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of the
purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5%
limitation. The segregation requirements with respect to futures contracts and
options thereon are described below.
Options on Securities Indices and Other Financial Indices. The Fund also may
purchase and sell call and put options on securities indices and other financial
indices and in so doing can achieve many of the same objectives it would achieve
through the sale or purchase of options on individual securities or other
instruments. Options on securities indices and other financial indices are
similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, rather than
settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash
settlement, i.e., an option on an index gives the holder the right to receive,
upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the index
upon which the option is based exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than,
in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option (except if, in the case
of an OTC option, physical delivery is specified). This amount of cash is equal
to the excess of the closing price of the index over the exercise price of the
option, which also may be multiplied by a formula value. The seller of the
option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of
this amount. The gain or loss on an option on an index depends on price
movements in the instruments making up the market, market segment, industry or
other composite on which the underlying index is based, rather than price
movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on
securities.
Currency Transactions. The Fund may engage in currency transactions with
Counterparties, primarily in order to hedge, or manage the risk of, the value of
portfolio holdings denominated in particular currencies against fluctuations in
relative value. Currency transactions include forward currency contracts,
exchange listed currency futures, exchange listed and OTC options on currencies,
and currency swaps. A forward currency contract involves a privately negotiated
obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specific
currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date
of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the
contract. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows based on the
notional difference among two or more currencies and operates similarly to an
interest rate swap, which is described below. The Fund may enter into currency
transactions with Counterparties which have received (or the guarantors of the
obligations which have received) a credit rating of A-1 or P-1 by S&P or
Moody's, respectively, or that have an equivalent rating from a NRSRO or are
determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
The Fund's dealings in forward currency contracts and other currency
transactions such as futures, options, options on futures and swaps generally
will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio
positions. Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with
respect to specific assets or liabilities of the Fund, which will generally
arise in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the
receipt of income therefrom. Position hedging is entering into a currency
transaction with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or
generally quoted in that currency.
The Fund generally will not enter into a transaction to hedge currency
exposure to an extent greater, after netting all transactions intended wholly or
partially to offset other transactions, than the aggregate market value (at the
time of entering into the transaction) of the securities held in its portfolio
that are denominated or generally quoted in
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or currently convertible into such currency, other than with respect to proxy
hedging or cross hedging as described below.
The Fund may also cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions
to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value
relative to other currencies to which the Fund has or in which the Fund expects
to have portfolio exposure.
To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing
or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities, the Fund may also engage in
proxy hedging. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Fund's
portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the dollar. Proxy
hedging entails entering into a commitment or option to sell a currency whose
changes in value are generally considered to be correlated to a currency or
currencies in which some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities are or are
expected to be denominated, in exchange for U.S. dollars. The amount of the
commitment or option would not exceed the value of the Fund's securities
denominated in correlated currencies. For example, if the Adviser considers that
the Austrian schilling is correlated to the German deutschemark (the "D-mark"),
the Fund holds securities denominated in schillings and the Adviser believes
that the value of schillings will decline against the U.S. dollar, the Adviser
may enter into a commitment or option to sell D-marks and buy dollars. Currency
hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions
with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to the Fund
if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction
that is not anticipated. Further, there is the risk that the perceived
correlation between various currencies may not be present or may not be present
during the particular time that the Fund is engaging in proxy hedging. If the
Fund enters into a currency hedging transaction, the Fund will comply with the
asset segregation requirements described below.
Risks of Currency Transactions. Currency transactions are subject to risks
different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control
is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic
planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can
be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and
manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These can result
in losses to the Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or funds in
settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be
rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring
transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the
same risks that apply to the use of futures generally. Further, settlement of a
currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a
bank based in the issuing nation. Trading options on currency futures is
relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on such
options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market which may not always be
available. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to
that country's economy.
Combined Transactions. The Fund may enter into multiple transactions, including
multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency
transactions (including forward currency contracts) and multiple interest rate
transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and interest rate
transactions ("component" transactions), instead of a single Strategic
Transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of
the Adviser, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. A combined
transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of
its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered
into based on the Adviser's judgment that the combined strategies will reduce
risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management
goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or
hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars. Among the Strategic Transactions into which the
Fund may enter are interest rate, currency, index, and other swaps and the
purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. The Fund expects to enter
into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular
investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency
fluctuations, as a duration management technique or to protect against any
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Fund will not sell interest rate caps or floors where it does not own
securities or other instruments providing the income stream the Fund may be
obligated to pay. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with
another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g.,
an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a
notional amount of principal. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash
flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value
differential among them and an index swap is an agreement to swap cash flows on
a notional amount based on changes in the values of the reference indices. The
purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser
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to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such
cap to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate
or amount. The purchase of a floor entitles the purchaser to receive payments on
a notional principal amount from the party selling such floor to the extent that
a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate or amount. A collar
is a combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a
predetermined range of interest rates or values.
The Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two
payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates
specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may
be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as the fund will segregate
assets (or enter into offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under
swaps, the Adviser and the Fund believe such obligations do not constitute
senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as
being subject to its borrowing restrictions. The Fund will not enter into any
swap, cap, floor or collar transaction unless, at the time of entering into such
transaction, the unsecured long-term debt of the Counterparty, combined with any
credit enhancements, is rated at least A by S&P or Moody's or has an equivalent
rating from a NRSRO or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the
Adviser. If there is a default by the Counterparty, the Fund may have
contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The
swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks
and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing
standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become
relatively liquid. Caps, floors and collars are more recent innovations for
which standardized documentation has not yet been fully developed and,
accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.
Eurodollar Instruments. The Fund may make investments in Eurodollar instruments.
Eurodollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts or options
thereon which are linked to the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"),
although foreign currency-denominated instruments are available from time to
time. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for
the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. The Fund
might use Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against
changes in LIBOR, to which many interest rate swaps and fixed income instruments
are linked.
Risks of Strategic Transactions Outside the U.S. When conducted outside the
U.S., Strategic Transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the U.S.,
may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and are subject to
the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign
securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions also
could be adversely affected by: (i) other complex foreign political, legal and
economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the U.S. of data on which to
make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Fund's ability to act upon economic
events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the U.S., (iv)
the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and
margin requirements than in the U.S., and (v) lower trading volume and
liquidity.
Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Many Strategic Transactions, in
addition to other requirements, require that the Fund segregate liquid assets
with its custodian to the extent Fund obligations are not otherwise "covered"
through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or currency.
In general, either the full amount of any obligation by the Fund to pay or
deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities,
instruments or currency required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory
restrictions, an amount of cash or liquid securities at least equal to the
current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian. The
segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are
substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. For
example, a call option written by the Fund will require the Fund to hold the
securities subject to the call or to segregate liquid, securities sufficient to
purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option sold
by the Fund on an index will require the Fund to own portfolio securities which
correlate with the index or to segregate liquid assets equal to the excess of
the index value over the exercise price on a current basis. A put option written
by the Fund requires the Fund to segregate liquid assets equal to the exercise
price.
Except when the Fund enters into a forward contract for the purchase or
sale of a security denominated in a particular currency, which requires no
segregation, a currency contract which obligates the Fund to buy or sell
currency will generally require the Fund to hold an amount of that currency or
liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the Fund's obligations
or to segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the Fund's obligation.
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OTC options entered into by the Fund, including those on securities,
currency, financial instruments or indices and OCC issued and exchange listed
index options, will generally provide for cash settlement. As a result, when the
Fund sells these instruments it will only segregate an amount of assets equal to
its accrued net obligations, as there is no requirement for payment or delivery
of amounts in excess of the net amount. These amounts will equal 100% of the
exercise price in the case of a non cash-settled put, the same as an OCC
guaranteed listed option sold by the Fund, or the in-the-money amount plus any
sell-back formula amount in the case of a cash-settled put or call. In addition,
when the Fund sells a call option on an index at a time when the in-the-money
amount exceeds the exercise price, the Fund will segregate, until the option
expires or is closed out, cash or cash equivalents equal in value to such
excess. OCC issued and exchange listed options sold by the Fund other than those
above generally settle with physical delivery, or with an election of either
physical delivery or cash settlement and the Fund will segregate an amount of
assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical
delivery, or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement
will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery.
In the case of a futures contract or an option thereon, the Fund must
deposit initial margin and possible daily variation margin in addition to
segregating assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide
securities or currencies, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an
index-based futures contract. Such assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents,
liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets.
With respect to swaps, the Fund will accrue the net amount of the
excess, if any, of its obligations over its entitlements with respect to each
swap on a daily basis and will segregate an amount of cash or liquid securities
having a value equal to the accrued excess. Caps, floors and collars require
segregation of assets with a value equal to the Fund's net obligation, if any.
Strategic Transactions may be covered by other means when consistent
with applicable regulatory policies. The Fund may also enter into offsetting
transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets,
equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and Strategic
Transactions. For example, the Fund could purchase a put option if the strike
price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option
sold by the Fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets if the Fund held a
futures or forward contract, it could purchase a put option on the same futures
or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the
contract held. Other Strategic Transactions may also be offset in combinations.
If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary
transaction no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to such time,
assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.
Investment Restrictions
Unless specified to the contrary, the following restrictions are
fundamental policies and may not be changed without the approval of "a majority
of the outstanding voting securities" of the Fund which, under the 1940 Act and
the rules thereunder and as used in this Statement of Additional Information,
means the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a
meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund
are present in person or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the
outstanding shares of the Fund. Nonfundamental policies of the Fund may be
modified by the Fund's Trustees without a vote of shareholders.
Any investment restrictions herein which involve a maximum percentage
of securities or assets shall not be considered to be violated unless an excess
over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition
or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, the Fund. The Fund
is under no restriction as to the amount of portfolio securities which may be
bought or sold.
As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
1. borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as
amended, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory
authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;
2. issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940
Act, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory
authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;
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<PAGE>
3. concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that
term is used in the 1940 Act, as amended, and as interpreted
or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from
time to time;
4. engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by
others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be
an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio
securities;
5. purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include
securities of companies which deal in real estate or mortgages
or investments secured by real estate or interests therein,
except that the Fund reserves freedom of action to hold and to
sell real estate acquired as a result of the Fund's ownership
of securities;
6. purchase physical commodities or contracts relating to
physical commodities; or
7. make loans except as permitted under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by
regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
Other Investment Policies. The Trustees of the Fund voluntarily adopted
policies and restrictions which are observed in the conduct of the
Fund's affairs. These represent intentions of the Trustees based upon
current circumstances. They differ from fundamental investment policies
in that they may be changed or amended by action of the Trustees
without prior notice to or approval of shareholders.
As a matter of nonfundamental policy, the Fund may not:
1. borrow money in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets,
except (i) for temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) by
engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, or
other investments or transactions described in the Fund's
registration statement which may be deemed to be borrowings;
2. enter into either of reverse repurchase agreements or dollar
rolls in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets;
3. purchase securities on margin or make short sales, except (i)
short sales against the box, (ii) in connection with arbitrage
transactions, (iii) for margin deposits in connection with
futures contracts, options or other permitted investments,
(iv) that transactions in futures contracts and options shall
not be deemed to constitute selling securities short, and (v)
that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for the clearance of securities transactions;
4. purchase options, unless the aggregate premiums paid on all
such options held by the Fund at any time do not exceed 20% of
its total assets; or sell put options, if as a result, the
aggregate value of the obligations underlying such put options
would exceed 50% of its total assets;
5. enter into futures contracts or purchase options thereon
unless immediately after the purchase, the value of the
aggregate initial margin with respect to such futures
contracts entered into on behalf of the Fund and the premiums
paid for such options on futures contracts does not exceed 5%
of the fair market value of the Fund's total assets; provided
that in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time
of purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in
computing the 5% limit;
6. purchase warrants if as a result, such securities, taken at
the lower of cost or market value, would represent more than
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (for this purpose,
warrants acquired in units or attached to securities will be
deemed to have no value); and
7. lend portfolio securities in an amount greater than 5% of its
total assets.
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PURCHASES
(See "Transaction information" and "Purchases" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Additional Information About Opening an Account
Clients having a regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or
its affiliates and members of their immediate families, officers and employees
of the Adviser or of any affiliated organization and their immediate families,
members of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") and
banks may, if they prefer, subscribe initially for at least $2,500 of Fund
shares through Scudder Investor Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") by letter,
fax, TWX, or telephone.
Shareholders of other Scudder funds who have submitted an account
application and have a certified tax identification number, clients having a
regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or its affiliates and
members of their immediate families, officers and employees of the Adviser or of
any affiliated organization and their immediate families, members of the NASD
and banks may open an account by wire. These investors must call 1-800-225-5163
to get an account number. During the call, the investor will be asked to
indicate the Fund name, amount to be wired ($2,500 minimum), name of bank or
trust company from which the wire will be sent, the exact registration of the
new account, the tax identification or Social Security number, address and
telephone number. The investor must then call the bank to arrange a wire
transfer to The Scudder Funds, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, MA
02110, ABA Number 011000028, DDA Account Number 9903-5552. The investor must
give the Scudder fund name, account name and new account number. Finally, the
investor must send the completed and signed application to the Fund promptly.
The minimum initial purchase amount is less than $2,500 under certain
special plan accounts.
Minimum balances
Shareholders should maintain a share balance worth at least $2,500
($1,000 for fiduciary accounts such as IRAs, and custodial accounts such as
Uniform Gift to Minor Act, and Uniform Trust to Minor Act accounts), which
amount may be changed by the Board of Trustees. A shareholder may open an
account with at least $1,000 ($500 for fiduciary/custodial accounts), if an
automatic investment plan (AIP) of $100/month ($50/month for fiduciary/custodial
accounts) is established. Scudder group retirement plans and certain other
accounts have similar or lower minimum share balance requirements.
The Fund reserves the right, following 60 days' written notice to
applicable shareholders, to:
o assess an annual $10 per Fund charge (with the fee to be paid
to the Fund) for any non-fiduciary/non-custodial account
without an automatic investment plan (AIP) in place and a
balance of less than $2,500; and
o redeem all shares in Fund accounts below $1,000 where a
reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption, exchange
or transfer out of the account. The Fund will mail the
proceeds of the redeemed account to the shareholder.
Reductions in value that result solely from market activity will not
trigger an involuntary redemption. Shareholders with a combined household
account balance in any of the Scudder Funds of $100,000 or more, as well as
group retirement and certain other accounts will not be subject to a fee or
automatic redemption.
Fiduciary (e.g., IRA or Roth IRA) and custodial accounts (e.g., UGMA or
UTMA) with balances below $100 are subject to automatic redemption following 60
days' written notice to applicable shareholders.
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Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments
Subsequent purchase orders for $10,000 or more, and for an amount not
greater than four times the value of the shareholder's account, may be placed by
telephone, fax, etc. by members of the NASD, by banks and by established
shareholders (except by Scudder Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Scudder
Profit Sharing and Money Purchase Pension Plans, Scudder 401(k) and Scudder
403(b) plan holders). Orders placed in this manner may be directed to any office
of the Distributor listed in the Fund's prospectus. A two-part invoice of the
purchase will be mailed out promptly following receipt of a request to buy.
Payment should be attached to a copy of the invoice for proper identification.
Federal regulations require that payment be received within seven business days.
If payment is not received within that time, the shares may be canceled. In the
event of such cancellation or cancellation at the purchaser's request, the
purchaser will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund or the principal
underwriter by reason of such cancellation. If the purchaser is a shareholder,
the Trust shall have the authority, as agent of the shareholder, to redeem
shares in the account in order to reimburse the Fund or the principal
underwriter for the loss incurred. Net losses on such transactions which are not
recovered from the purchaser will be absorbed by the principal underwriter. Any
net profit on the liquidation of unpaid shares will accrue to the Fund.
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickBuy program, may purchase shares of the Fund by telephone. Through
this service shareholders may purchase up to $250,000. To purchase shares by
QuickBuy, shareholders should call before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time. Proceeds in the amount of your purchase
will be transferred from your bank checking account two or three business days
following your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on
the Exchange, shares will be purchased at the net asset value per share
calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call. QuickBuy requests
received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will begin their
processing and be purchased at the net asset value calculated the following
business day. If you purchase shares by QuickBuy and redeem them within seven
days of the purchase, the Fund may hold the redemption proceeds for a period of
up to seven business days. If you purchase shares and there are insufficient
funds in your bank account the purchase will be canceled and you will be subject
to any losses or fees incurred in the transaction. QuickBuy transactions are not
available for most retirement plan accounts. However, QuickBuy transactions are
available for Scudder IRA accounts.
In order to request purchases by QuickBuy, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account from which the purchase payment will be debited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickBuy may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickBuy to their account may do so by
completing an QuickBuy Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form
shareholders should allow for 15 days for this service to be available.
The Fund employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine. and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Fund does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Fund will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Checks
A certified check is not necessary, but checks are only accepted
subject to collection at full face value in U.S. funds and must be drawn on, or
payable through, a U.S. bank.
If shares of the Fund are purchased by a check which proves to be
uncollectible, the Trust reserves the right to cancel the purchase immediately
and the purchaser will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund or the
principal underwriter by reason of such cancellation. If the purchaser is a
shareholder, the Trust will have the authority, as agent of the shareholder, to
redeem shares in the account in order to reimburse the Fund or the principal
underwriter for the loss incurred. Investors whose orders have been canceled may
be prohibited from or restricted in placing future orders in any of the Scudder
funds.
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Wire Transfer of Federal Funds
To obtain the net asset value determined as of the close of regular
trading on a selected day, your bank must forward federal funds by wire transfer
and provide the required account information so as to be available to the Fund
prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
The bank sending an investor's federal funds by bank wire may charge
for the service. Presently the Distributor pays a fee for receipt by State
Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Custodian") of "wired funds," but the right
to charge investors for this service is reserved.
Boston banks are closed on certain holidays although the Exchange may
be open. These holidays include Columbus Day (the 2nd Monday in October) and
Veterans Day (November 11). Investors are not able to purchase shares by wiring
federal funds on such holidays because the Custodian is not open to receive such
federal funds on behalf of the Fund.
Share Price
Purchases will be filled without sales charge at the net asset value
next computed after receipt of the application in good order. Net asset value
normally will be computed as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on
each day during which the Exchange is open for trading. Orders received after
the close of regular trading on the Exchange will receive the next day's net
asset value. If the order has been placed by a member of the NASD, other than
the Distributor, it is the responsibility of that member broker, rather than the
Fund, to forward the purchase order to the Fund's transfer agent in Boston by
the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
Share Certificates
Due to the desire of Trust management to afford ease of redemption,
certificates will not be issued to indicate ownership in the Fund.
Other Information
If purchases or redemptions of Fund shares are arranged and settlement
is made at an investor's election through a member of the NASD other than the
Distributor, that member may, at its discretion, charge a fee for that service.
The Board of Trustees and the Distributor, the Trust's principal underwriter,
each has the right to limit the amount of purchases by, and to refuse to sell
to, any person. The Trustees and the Distributor each may suspend or terminate
the offering of shares of the Fund at any time for any reason.
The Tax Identification Number section of the application must be
completed when opening an account. Applications and purchase orders without a
correct certified tax identification number and certain other certified
information (e.g. from exempt organizations, certifications of exempt status)
will be returned to the investor.
The Trust may issue shares of the Fund at net asset value in connection
with any merger or consolidation with, or acquisition of the assets of, any
investment company (or series thereof) or personal holding company, subject to
the requirements of the 1940 Act.
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS
(See "Transaction information" and "Exchanges and Redemptions" in
the Fund's prospectus.)
Exchanges
Exchanges are comprised of a redemption from one Scudder fund and a
purchase into another Scudder fund. The purchase side of the exchange may be
either an additional investment into an existing or may involve opening a new
account in another fund. When an exchange involves a new account, the new
account will be established with the same registration, tax identification
number, address, telephone redemption option SAIL ("Scudder Automated
Information Line"), and dividend option as the existing account. Other features
will not carry over automatically to the
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<PAGE>
new account. Exchanges into a new fund account must be for a minimum of $2,500.
When an exchange represents an additional investment into an existing account,
the account receiving the exchange proceeds must have identical registration,
tax identification number, address, and account options/features as the account
of origin. Exchanges into an existing account must be for $100 or more. If the
account receiving the exchange proceeds is different in any respect, the
exchange request must be in writing and must contain a signature guarantee as
described under "Transaction information -- Redeeming shares -- Signature
guarantees" in the Fund's prospectus.
Exchange orders received before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange on any business day ordinarily will be executed at respective net asset
values determined on that day. Exchange orders received after the close will be
executed on the following business day.
Investors may also request, at no extra charge, to have exchanges
automatically executed on a predetermined schedule from one Scudder fund to an
existing account in another Scudder fund, at current net asset value, through
Scudder's Automatic Exchange Program. Exchanges must be for a minimum of $50.
Shareholders may add this free feature over the telephone or in writing.
Automatic Exchanges will continue until the shareholder requests by telephone or
in writing to have the feature removed, or until the originating account is
depleted. The Trust and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to suspend or
terminate the privilege of the Automatic Exchange Program at any time.
No commission is charged to the shareholder for any exchange described
above. An exchange into another Scudder fund is a redemption of shares, and
therefore may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and
the proceeds of such an exchange may be subject to backup withholding. (See
"Taxes".)
Investors currently receive the exchange privilege, including exchange
by telephone, automatically without having to elect it. The Trust employs
procedures, including recording telephone calls, testing a caller's identity,
and sending written confirmation of telephone transactions, designed to give
reasonable assurance that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine,
and to discourage fraud. To the extent that the Trust does not follow such
procedures, it may be liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent
telephone instructions. The Trust will not be liable for acting upon
instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably believes to be
genuine. The Trust and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to suspend or
terminate the privilege of exchanging by telephone or fax at any time.
The Scudder funds into which investors may make an exchange are listed
under "THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS" herein. Before making an exchange,
shareholders should obtain from the Distributor a prospectus of the Scudder fund
into which the exchange is being contemplated. The exchange privilege may not be
available for certain Scudder funds or classes thereof. For more information,
please call 1-800-225-5163.
Redemption by Telephone
Shareholders currently receive the right automatically, without having
to elect it, to redeem up to $100,000 to their address of record. Shareholders
may also request to have the proceeds mailed or wired to their pre-designated
bank account. In order to request redemptions by telephone, shareholders must
have completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account to which the redemption proceeds are to be sent.
(a) NEW INVESTORS wishing to establish telephone redemption to a
pre-designated bank account must complete the appropriate
section on the application.
(b) EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS (except those who are Scudder IRA,
Scudder Pension and Profit Sharing, Scudder 401(k) and Scudder
403(b) Plan holders) who wish to establish telephone
redemption to a pre-designated bank account or who want to
change the bank account previously designated to receive
redemption payments should either return a Telephone
Redemption Option Form (available upon request) or send a
letter identifying the account and specifying the exact
information to be changed. The letter must be signed exactly
as the shareholder's name(s) appear on the account. An
original signature and an original signature guarantee are
required for each person in whose name the account is
registered.
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<PAGE>
Telephone redemption is not available with respect to shares held in
retirement accounts.
If a request for redemption to a shareholder's bank account is made by
telephone or fax, payment will be made by Federal Reserve Bank wire to the bank
account designated on the application unless a request is made that the
redemption check be mailed to the designated bank account. There will be a $5.00
charge for all wire redemptions.
Note: Investors designating that a savings bank receive their
telephone redemption proceeds are advised that if the savings
bank is not a participant in the Federal Reserve System,
redemption proceeds must be wired through a commercial bank
which is a correspondent of the savings bank. As this may
delay receipt by the shareholder's account, it is suggested
that investors wishing to use a savings bank discuss wire
procedures with their banks and submit any special wire
transfer information with the telephone redemption
authorization. If appropriate wire information is not
supplied, redemption proceeds will be mailed to the designated
bank.
The Trust employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Trust does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Trust will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Redemption By QuickSell
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickSell program may sell shares of the Fund by telephone. Redemptions
must be for at least $250. Proceeds in the amount of your redemption will be
transferred to your bank checking account two or three business days following
your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time, shares will be redeemed at the net asset
value per share calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call.
QuickSell requests received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange
will begin their processing and be redeemed at the net asset value calculated
the following business day. QuickSell transactions are not available for Scudder
IRA accounts and most other retirement plan accounts.
In order to request redemptions by QuickSell, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account to which the redemption proceeds will be credited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickSell may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickSell to their account may do so by
completing a QuickSell Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form,
shareholders should allow for 15 days for this service to be available.
The Fund employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Fund does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Fund will not be
liable for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Redemption by Mail or Fax
In order to ensure proper authorization before redeeming shares, the
Transfer Agent may request additional documents such as, but not restricted to,
stock powers, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as
executor, certificates of corporate authority and waivers of tax (required in
some states when settling estates).
It is suggested that shareholders holding shares registered in other
than individual names contact the Transfer Agent prior to any redemptions to
ensure that all necessary documents accompany the request. When shares are held
in the name of a corporation, trust, fiduciary agent, attorney or partnership,
the Transfer Agent requires, in addition to the stock power, certified evidence
of authority to sign. These procedures are for the protection of shareholders
and should be followed to ensure prompt payment. Redemption requests must not be
conditional as to date or price of the redemption. Proceeds of a redemption will
be sent within five days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a request for
17
<PAGE>
redemption that complies with the above requirements. Delays in payment of more
than seven business days of payment for shares tendered for repurchase or
redemption may result, but only until the purchase check has cleared.
The requirements for IRA redemptions are different from those of
regular accounts. For more information call 1-800-225-5163.
Redemption-In-Kind
The Trust reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash
payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase order by
making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities chosen by
the Fund and valued as they are for purposes of computing the Fund's net asset
value (a redemption in kind). If payment is made in securities, a shareholder
may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities into cash. The
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1
under the 1940 Act as a result of which the Fund is obligated to redeem shares,
with respect to any one shareholder during any 90 day period, solely in cash up
to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the Fund at the
beginning of the period.
Other Information
If a shareholder redeems all shares in the account after the record
date of a dividend, the shareholder will receive, in addition to the net asset
value thereof, all declared but unpaid dividends thereon. The value of shares
redeemed or repurchased may be more or less than the shareholder's cost
depending on the net asset value at the time of redemption or repurchase. The
Fund does not impose a redemption or repurchase charge although a wire charge
may be applicable for redemption proceeds wired to an investor's bank account.
Redemption of shares, including an exchange into another Scudder fund, may
result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and the proceeds of
such redemptions may be subject to backup withholding. (See "Taxes".)
Shareholders who wish to redeem shares from Special Plan Accounts
should contact the employer, trustee or custodian of the Plan for the
requirements.
The determination of net asset value may be suspended at times and a
shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment may be suspended at
times during which (a) the Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and
holiday closings, (b) trading on the Exchange is restricted for any reason, (c)
an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities
owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable
for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or (d) the SEC has
by order permitted such a suspension for the protection of the Trust's
shareholders; provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any
succeeding governmental authority) shall govern as to whether the conditions
prescribed in (b) or (c) exist.
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND
(See "Investment products and services" in the Funds' prospectus.)
No-Load Concept
Investors are encouraged to be aware of the full ramifications of
mutual fund fee structures, and of how Scudder distinguishes its Scudder Family
of Funds from the vast majority of mutual funds available today. The primary
distinction is between load and no-load funds.
Load funds generally are defined as mutual funds that charge a fee for
the sale and distribution of fund shares. There are three types of loads:
front-end loads, back-end loads, and asset-based 12b-1 fees. 12b-1 fees are
distribution-related fees charged against fund assets and are distinct from
service fees, which are charged for personal services and/or maintenance of
shareholder accounts. Asset-based sales charges and service fees are typically
paid pursuant to distribution plans adopted under 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
A front-end load is a sales charge, which can be as high as 8.50% of
the amount invested. A back-end load is a contingent deferred sales charge,
which can be as high as 8.50% of either the amount invested or redeemed. The
18
<PAGE>
maximum front-end or back-end load varies, and depends upon whether or not a
fund also charges a 12b-1 fee and/or a service fee or offers investors various
sales-related services such as dividend reinvestment. The maximum charge for a
12b-1 fee is 0.75% of a fund's average annual net assets, and the maximum charge
for a service fee is 0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
A no-load fund does not charge a front-end or back-end load, but can
charge a small 12b-1 fee and/or service fee against fund assets. Under the
National Association of Securities Dealers Conduct Rules, a mutual fund can call
itself a "no-load" fund only if the 12b-1 fee and/or service fee does not exceed
0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
Because funds in the Scudder Family of Funds do not pay any asset-based
sales charges or service fees, Scudder developed and trademarked the phrase pure
no-load(TM) to distinguish funds in the Scudder Family of Funds from other
no-load mutual funds. Scudder pioneered the no-load concept when it created the
nation's first no-load fund in 1928, and later developed the nation's first
family of no-load mutual funds. The Scudder Family of Funds consists of those
Funds or classes of Funds advised by Scudder which are offered without
commissions to purchase or redeem shares or to exchange from one Fund to
another.
The following chart shows the potential long-term advantage of
investing $10,000 in a Scudder Family of Funds pure no-load fund over investing
the same amount in a load fund that collects an 8.50% front-end load, a load
fund that collects only a 0.75% 12b-1 and/or service fee, and a no-load fund
charging only a 0.25% 12b-1 and/or service fee. The hypothetical figures in the
chart show the value of an account assuming a constant 10% rate of return over
the time periods indicated and reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================
Scudder Family of
Funds Load Fund with 0.75% No-Load Fund with
YEARS Pure No-Load(TM)Fund 8.50% Load Fund 12b-1 Fee 0.25% 12b-1 Fee
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
10 $25,937 $23,733 $24,222 $25,354
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 41,772 38,222 37,698 40,371
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 67,275 61,557 58,672 64,282
====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
Investors are encouraged to review the fee tables on page 2 of the
Fund's prospectus for more specific information about the rates at which
management fees and other expenses are assessed.
Internet Access
World Wide Web Site -- The address of the Scudder Funds site is
http://funds.scudder.com. The site offers guidance on global investing and
developing strategies to help meet financial goals and provides access to the
Scudder investor relations department via e-mail. The site also enables users to
access or view fund prospectuses and profiles with links between summary
information in Profiles and details in the Prospectus. Users can fill out new
account forms on-line, order free software, and request literature on funds.
The site is designed for interactivity, simplicity and maneuverability.
A section entitled "Planning Resources" provides information on asset
allocation, tuition, and retirement planning to users who fill out interactive
"worksheets." Investors can easily establish a "Personal Page," that presents
price information, updated daily, on funds they're interested in following. The
"Personal Page" also offers easy navigation to other parts of the site. Fund
performance data from both Scudder and Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. are
available on the site. Also offered on the site is a news feature, which
provides timely and topical material on the Scudder Funds.
19
<PAGE>
Scudder has communicated with shareholders and other interested parties
on Prodigy since 1988 and has participated since 1994 in GALT's Networth
"financial marketplace" site on the Internet. The firm made Scudder Funds
information available on America Online in early 1996.
Account Access -- Scudder is among the first mutual fund families to allow
shareholders to manage their fund accounts through the World Wide Web. Scudder
Fund shareholders can view a snapshot of current holdings, review account
activity and move assets between Scudder Fund accounts.
Scudder's personal portfolio capabilities -- known as SEAS (Scudder
Electronic Account Services) -- are accessible only by current Scudder Fund
shareholders who have set up a Personal Page on Scudder's Web site. Using a
secure Web browser, shareholders sign on to their account with their Social
Security number and their SAIL password. As an additional security measure,
users can change their current password or disable access to their portfolio
through the World Wide Web.
An Account Activity option reveals a financial history of transactions
for an account, with trade dates, type and amount of transaction, share price
and number of shares traded. For users who wish to trade shares between Scudder
Funds, the Fund Exchange option provides a step-by-step procedure to exchange
shares among existing fund accounts or to new Scudder Fund accounts.
A Call Me(TM) feature enables users to speak with a Scudder Investor
Relations telephone representative while viewing their account on the Web site.
In order to use the Call Me(TM) feature, an individual must have two phone lines
and enter on the screen the phone number that is not being used to connect to
the Internet. They are connected to the next available Scudder Investor
Relations representative from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time.
Dividend and Capital Gain Distribution Options
Investors have freedom to choose whether to receive cash or to reinvest
any dividends from net investment income or distributions from realized capital
gains in additional shares of the Fund. A change of instructions for the method
of payment must be received by the Transfer Agent in writing at least five days
prior to a dividend record date. Shareholders may change their dividend option
either by calling 1-800-225-5163 or by sending written instructions to the
Transfer Agent. Please include your account number with your request. See "How
to contact Scudder" in the Prospectus for the address. Shareholders who have
authorized telephone transactions may change their dividend option by calling
1-800-225-5163.
Reinvestment is usually made at the closing net asset value determined
on the business day following the record date. Investors may leave standing
instructions with the Transfer Agent designating their option for either
reinvestment or cash distribution of any income dividends or capital gains
distributions. If no election is made, dividends and distributions will be
invested in additional shares of the Fund.
Investors may also have dividends and distributions automatically
deposited to their predesignated bank account through Scudder's
DistributionsDirect Program. Shareholders who elect to participate in the
DistributionsDirect Program, and whose predesignated checking account of record
is with a member bank of the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) can have
income and capital gain distributions automatically deposited to their personal
bank account usually within three business days after the Fund pays its
distribution. A DistributionsDirect request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163. Confirmation statements will be mailed to shareholders as
notification that distributions have been deposited.
Investors choosing to participate in Scudder's Automatic Investment
Withdrawal Plan must reinvest any dividends or capital gains. For most
retirement plan accounts, the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains is
also required.
Diversification
An investment in the Fund represents an interest in a large,
diversified portfolio of carefully selected securities. Diversification may
protect the shareholder against the possible risks associated with concentrating
in fewer securities or in a specific market sector.
20
<PAGE>
Scudder Investor Centers
Investors may visit any of the Investor Centers maintained by the
Distributor and listed in the Fund's prospectus. The Centers are designed to
provide individuals with services during any business day. Investors may pick up
literature or obtain assistance with opening an account, adding monies or
special options to existing accounts, making exchanges within the Scudder Family
of Funds, redeeming shares or opening retirement plans. Checks should not be
mailed to the Centers but to "The Scudder Funds" at the address listed under
"How to contact Scudder" in the prospectus.
Reports to Shareholders
The Fund issues shareholders financial statements examined by
independent accountants on a semiannual basis and audited annually. These
include a list of investments held and statements of assets and liabilities,
operations, changes in net assets and supplementary information for the Fund.
Transaction Summaries
Annual summaries of all transactions in each Fund account are available
to shareholders. The summaries may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5163.
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS
(See "Investment products and services" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Scudder Family of Funds is America's first family of mutual funds
and the nation's oldest family of no-load mutual funds. To assist investors in
choosing a Scudder fund, descriptions of the Scudder funds' objectives follow.
MONEY MARKET
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund seeks to provide safety, liquidity and
stability of capital and, consistent therewith, to provide current
income. The Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00
per share, although in certain circumstances this may not be possible,
and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Cash Investment Trust ("SCIT") seeks to maintain the stability
of capital and, consistent therewith, to maintain the liquidity of
capital and to provide current income. SCIT seeks to maintain a
constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in certain
circumstances this may not be possible, and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as high a
level of current income as is consistent with its investment polices
and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks to
maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is no
assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
Scudder Government Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with
as high a level of current income as is consistent with its investment
polices and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks
to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is
no assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
TAX FREE MONEY MARKET
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund ("STFMF") seeks to provide income exempt
from regular federal income tax and stability of principal through
investments primarily in municipal securities. STFMF seeks to maintain
a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in extreme
circumstances this may not be possible.
21
<PAGE>
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as
high a level of current income that cannot be subjected to federal
income tax by reason of federal law as is consistent with its
investment policies and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The
Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share,
but there is no assurance that it will be able to do so. The
institutional class of shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder
Family of Funds.
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share while
providing California taxpayers income exempt from both California State
personal and regular federal income taxes. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio of high quality, short-term California municipal
securities. There can be no assurance that the stable net asset value
will be maintained.
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, while
providing New York taxpayers income exempt from New York State and New
York City personal income taxes and regular federal income tax. There
can be no assurance that the stable net asset value will be maintained.
TAX FREE
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide as high a level of
income exempt from regular federal income tax as is consistent with a
high degree of principal stability.
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
income free from regular federal income taxes and to limit principal
fluctuation. The Fund will invest primarily in high-grade,
intermediate-term bonds.
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds seeks to provide income exempt from
regular federal income tax primarily through investments in high-grade,
long-term municipal securities.
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
interest income, exempt from regular federal income tax, from an
actively managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade
municipal securities.
Scudder California Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide California taxpayers
with income exempt from both California State personal income and
regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of California municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide
Massachusetts taxpayers with as high a level of income exempt from
Massachusetts personal income tax and regular federal income tax, as is
consistent with a high degree of price stability, through a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of
investment-grade municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Massachusetts
taxpayers with income exempt from both Massachusetts personal income
tax and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide New York taxpayers
with income exempt from New York State and New York City personal
income taxes and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of New York
municipal securities.
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Ohio taxpayers with income
exempt from both Ohio personal income tax and regular federal income
tax. The Fund is a professionally managed portfolio consisting
primarily of investment-grade municipal securities.
- -----------------------------
* These funds are not available for sale in all states. For information,
contact Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
22
<PAGE>
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Pennsylvania
taxpayers with income exempt from both Pennsylvania personal income tax
and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
U.S. INCOME
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund seeks to provide a high level of income
consistent with a high degree of principal stability by investing
primarily in high quality short-term bonds.
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund seeks to provide as high an investment
return over a selected period as is consistent with investment in U.S.
Government securities and the minimization of reinvestment risk.
Scudder GNMA Fund seeks to provide high current income primarily from
U.S. Government guaranteed mortgage-backed (Ginnie Mae) securities.
Scudder Income Fund seeks a high level of income, consistent with the
prudent investment of capital, through a flexible investment program
emphasizing high-grade bonds.
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income
through investment primarily in investment-grade corporate debt
securities.
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income and,
secondarily, capital appreciation through investment primarily in below
investment-grade domestic debt securities.
GLOBAL INCOME
Scudder Global Bond Fund seeks to provide total return with an emphasis
on current income by investing primarily in high-grade bonds
denominated in foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. As a secondary
objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation.
Scudder International Bond Fund seeks to provide income primarily by
investing in a managed portfolio of high-grade international bonds. As
a secondary objective, the Fund seeks protection and possible
enhancement of principal value by actively managing currency, bond
market and maturity exposure and by security selection.
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund seeks to provide high current
income and, secondarily, long-term capital appreciation through
investments primarily in high-yielding debt securities issued by
governments and corporations in emerging markets.
ASSET ALLOCATION
Scudder Pathway Series: Conservative Portfolio seeks primarily current
income and secondarily long-term growth of capital. In pursuing these
objectives, the Portfolio, under normal market conditions, will invest
substantially in a select mix of Scudder bond mutual funds, but will
have some exposure to Scudder equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Balanced Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with a balance of growth and income by investing in a select mix of
Scudder money market, bond and equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Growth Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with long-term growth of capital. In pursuing this objective, the
Portfolio will, under normal market conditions, invest predominantly in
a select mix of Scudder equity mutual funds designed to provide
long-term growth.
Scudder Pathway Series: International Portfolio seeks maximum total
return for investors. Total return consists of any capital appreciation
plus dividend income and interest. To achieve this objective, the
Portfolio invests in a select mix of established international and
global Scudder funds.
23
<PAGE>
U.S. GROWTH AND INCOME
Scudder Balanced Fund seeks a balance of growth and income from a
diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities. The Fund
also seeks long-term preservation of capital through a quality-oriented
approach that is designed to reduce risk.
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund seeks high current income and long-term
growth of capital through investment in income paying equity
securities.
Scudder Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of capital,
current income, and growth of income.
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund seeks to provide investment results that,
before expenses, correspond to the total return of common stocks
publicly traded in the United States, as represented by the Standard &
Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index.
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund seeks long-term capital growth and
current income by investing primarily in equity securities of companies
in the real estate industry.
U.S. GROWTH
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund seeks to maximize long-term capital
appreciation through a value-driven investment program.
Scudder Value Fund** seeks long-term growth of capital through
investment in undervalued equity securities.
Scudder Small Company Value Fund invests for long-term growth of
capital by seeking out undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
Scudder Micro Cap Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in a diversified portfolio of U.S. micro-capitalization
("micro-cap") common stocks.
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund** seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital with reduced share price volatility compared to other growth
mutual funds.
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital through investment primarily in the equity securities of
seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth companies.
Scudder Development Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in medium-size companies with the potential for sustainable
above-average earnings growth.
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by
investing primarily in the securities of emerging growth companies
poised to be leaders in the 21st century.
- -----------------------------
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
24
<PAGE>
GLOBAL EQUITY
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital through a
diversified portfolio of marketable securities, primarily equity
securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and debt
securities convertible into common stocks.
Scudder International Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in undervalued foreign equity securities.
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital and current income primarily from foreign equity securities.
Scudder International Fund*** seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through a diversified portfolio of marketable foreign equity
securities.
Scudder International Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in the equity securities of foreign
companies with high growth potential.
Scudder Global Discovery Fund** seeks above-average capital
appreciation over the long term by investing primarily in the equity
securities of small companies located throughout the world.
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through equity investment in emerging markets around the
globe.
Scudder Gold Fund seeks maximum return (principal change and income)
consistent with investing in a portfolio of gold-related equity
securities and gold.
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investments primarily in the equity securities of European
companies.
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investment primarily in the equity securities of Pacific Basin
companies, excluding Japan.
Scudder Latin America Fund seeks to provide long-term capital
appreciation through investment primarily in the securities of Latin
American issuers.
The Japan Fund, Inc. seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing
primarily in equity securities (including American Depository Receipts)
of Japanese companies.
INDUSTRY SECTOR FUNDS
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through investment in equity securities of financial services
companies.
- -----------------------------
*** Only the International Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
25
<PAGE>
Scudder Health Care Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies that are engaged in the
development, production or distribution of products or services related
to the treatment or prevention of diseases and other medical problems.
Scudder Technology Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies engaged in the
development, production or distribution of technology-related products
or services.
SCUDDER PREFERRED SERIES
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an
after-tax basis by investing primarily in established, medium- to
large-sized U.S. companies with leading competitive positions.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital on an after-tax basis through investment primarily in
undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
The net asset values of most Scudder funds can be found daily in the
"Mutual Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal under "Scudder Funds," and in
other leading newspapers throughout the country. Investors will notice the net
asset value and offering price are the same, reflecting the fact that no sales
commission or "load" is charged on the sale of shares of the Scudder funds. The
latest seven-day yields for the money-market funds can be found every Monday and
Thursday in the "Money-Market Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal. This
information also may be obtained by calling the Scudder Automated Information
Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890.
The Scudder Family of Funds offers many conveniences and services,
including: active professional investment management; broad and diversified
investment portfolios; pure no-load funds with no commissions to purchase or
redeem shares or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees; individual attention from a
service representative of Scudder Investor Relations; and easy telephone
exchanges into other Scudder funds. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may
not be available for purchase or exchange. For more information, please call
1-800-225-5163.
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS
(See "Buying and selling shares," "Purchases" and "Exchanges and
redemptions" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Detailed information on any Scudder investment plan, including the
applicable charges, minimum investment requirements and disclosures made
pursuant to Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") requirements, may be obtained
by contacting Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110-4103 or by calling toll free, 1-800-225-2470. The discussion
of the plans below describe only certain aspects of the federal income tax
treatment of the plans. The state tax treatment may be different and may vary
from state to state. It is advisable for an investor considering the funding of
the investment plans described below to consult with an attorney or other
investment or tax adviser with respect to the suitability requirements and tax
aspects thereof.
Shares of the Fund may also be a permitted investment under profit
sharing and pension plans and IRA's other than those offered by the Fund's
distributor depending on the provisions of the relevant plan or IRA.
None of the plans assures a profit or guarantees protection against
depreciation, especially in declining markets.
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase
Pension Plans for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder Profit-Sharing Plan (including a version of the
Plan which includes a cash-or-deferred feature) or a Scudder Money Purchase
Pension Plan (jointly referred to as the Scudder Retirement Plans) adopted by a
corporation, a self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals
(including sole proprietorships and partnerships), or other qualifying
organization. Each of these forms was approved by the IRS as a prototype. The
IRS's approval of an employer's plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code will be greatly facilitated if it is in such approved form. Under
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<PAGE>
certain circumstances, the IRS will assume that a plan, adopted in this form,
after special notice to any employees, meets the requirements of Section 401(a)
of the Internal Revenue Code as to form.
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan
for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder 401(k) Plan adopted by a corporation, a
self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals (including sole
proprietors and partnerships), or other qualifying organization. This plan has
been approved as a prototype by the IRS.
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of the Fund may be purchased as the underlying investment for an
Individual Retirement Account which meets the requirements of Section 408(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code.
A single individual who is not an active participant in an
employer-maintained retirement plan, a simplified employee pension plan, or a
tax-deferred annuity program (a "qualified plan"), and a married individual who
is not an active participant in a qualified plan and whose spouse is also not an
active participant in a qualified plan, are eligible to make tax deductible
contributions of up to $2,000 to an IRA prior to the year such individual
attains age 70 1/2. In addition, certain individuals who are active participants
in qualified plans (or who have spouses who are active participants) are also
eligible to make tax-deductible contributions to an IRA; the annual amount, if
any, of the contribution which such an individual will be eligible to deduct
will be determined by the amount of his, her, or their adjusted gross income for
the year. Whenever the adjusted gross income limitation prohibits an individual
from contributing what would otherwise be the maximum tax-deductible
contribution he or she could make, the individual will be eligible to contribute
the difference to an IRA in the form of nondeductible contributions.
An eligible individual may contribute as much as $2,000 of qualified
income (earned income or, under certain circumstances, alimony) to an IRA each
year (up to $2,000 per individual for married couples, even if only one spouse
has earned income). All income and capital gains derived from IRA investments
are reinvested and compound tax-deferred until distributed. Such tax-deferred
compounding can lead to substantial retirement savings.
The table below shows how much individuals would accumulate in a fully
tax-deductible IRA by age 65 (before any distributions) if they contribute
$2,000 at the beginning of each year, assuming average annual returns of 5, 10,
and 15%. (At withdrawal, accumulations in this table will be taxable.)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Value of IRA at Age 65
Assuming $2,000 Deductible Annual Contribution
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting Annual Rate of Return
Age of ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
25 $253,680 $973,704 $4,091,908
35 139,522 361,887 999,914
45 69,439 126,005 235,620
55 26,414 35,062 46,699
</TABLE>
This next table shows how much individuals would accumulate in non-IRA
accounts by age 65 if they start with $2,000 in pretax earned income at the
beginning of each year (which is $1,380 after taxes are paid), assuming average
annual returns of 5, 10 and 15%. (At withdrawal, a portion of the accumulation
in this table will be taxable.)
27
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Value of a Non-IRA Account at
Age 65 Assuming $1,380 Annual Contributions
(post tax, $2,000 pretax) and a 31% Tax Bracket
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting Annual Rate of Return
Age of ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
25 $119,318 $287,021 $741,431
35 73,094 136,868 267,697
45 40,166 59,821 90,764
55 16,709 20,286 24,681
</TABLE>
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of the Fund(s) may be purchased as the underlying investment for
a Roth Individual Retirement Account ("Roth IRA") which meets the requirements
of Section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code.
A single individual earning below $95,000 can contribute up to $2,000
per year to a Roth IRA. The maximum contribution amount diminishes and gradually
falls to zero for single filers with adjusted gross incomes ranging from $95,000
to $110,000. Married couples earning less than $150,000 combined, and filing
jointly, can contribute a full $4,000 per year ($2,000 per IRA). The maximum
contribution amount for married couples filing jointly phases out from $150,000
to $160,000.
An eligible individual can contribute money to a traditional IRA and a
Roth IRA as long as the total contribution to all IRAs does not exceed $2,000.
No tax deduction is allowed under Section 219 of the Internal Revenue Code for
contributions to a Roth IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA may be made even after
the individual for whom the account is maintained has attained age 70 1/2.
All income and capital gains derived from Roth IRA investments are
reinvested and compounded tax-free. Such tax-free compounding can lead to
substantial retirement savings. No distributions are required to be taken prior
to the death of the original account holder. If a Roth IRA has been established
for a minimum of five years, distributions can be taken tax-free after reaching
age 59 1/2, for a first-time home purchase ($10,000 maximum, one-time use) or
upon death or disability. All other distributions of earnings from a Roth IRA
are taxable and subject to a 10% tax penalty unless an exception applies.
Exceptions to the 10% penalty include: disability, certain medical expenses, the
purchase of health insurance for an unemployed individual and qualified higher
education expenses.
An individual with an income of $100,000 or less (who is not married
filing separately) can roll his or her existing IRA into a Roth IRA. However,
the individual must pay taxes on the taxable amount in his or her traditional
IRA. Individuals who complete the rollover in 1998 will be allowed to spread the
tax payments over a four-year period. After 1998, all taxes on such a rollover
will have to be paid in the tax year in which the rollover is made.
Scudder 403(b) Plan
Shares of the Fund may also be purchased as the underlying investment
for tax sheltered annuity plans under the provisions of Section 403(b)(7) of the
Internal Revenue Code. In general, employees of tax-exempt organizations
described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (such as hospitals,
churches, religious, scientific, or literary organizations and educational
institutions) or a public school system are eligible to participate in a 403(b)
plan.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan
Non-retirement plan shareholders may establish an Automatic Withdrawal
Plan to receive monthly, quarterly or periodic redemptions from his or her
account for any designated amount of $50 or more. Shareholders may designate
which day they want the automatic withdrawal to be processed. The check amounts
may be based on the redemption of a fixed dollar amount, fixed share amount,
percent of account value or declining balance. The Plan provides for income
dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, to be reinvested in
additional shares. Shares are then liquidated as necessary to provide for
withdrawal payments. Since the withdrawals are in amounts selected by the
28
<PAGE>
investor and have no relationship to yield or income, payments received cannot
be considered as yield or income on the investment and the resulting
liquidations may deplete or possibly extinguish the initial investment and any
reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions. Requests for increases in
withdrawal amounts or to change the payee must be submitted in writing, signed
exactly as the account is registered, and contain signature guarantee(s) as
described under "Transaction information -- Redeeming shares -- Signature
guarantees" in the Fund's prospectus. Any such requests must be received by the
Fund's transfer agent ten days prior to the date of the first automatic
withdrawal. An Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by the
shareholder, the Trust or its agent on written notice, and will be terminated
when all shares of the Fund under the Plan have been liquidated or upon receipt
by the Trust of notice of death of the shareholder.
An Automatic Withdrawal Plan request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163.
Group or Salary Deduction Plan
An investor may join a Group or Salary Deduction Plan where
satisfactory arrangements have been made with Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
for forwarding regular investments through a single source. The minimum annual
investment is $240 per investor which may be made in monthly, quarterly,
semiannual or annual payments. The minimum monthly deposit per investor is $20.
Except for trustees or custodian fees for certain retirement plans, at present
there is no separate charge for maintaining group or salary deduction plans;
however, the Trust, and its agents reserve the right to establish a maintenance
charge in the future depending on the services required by the investor.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the event that the
shareholder ceases participating in the group plan prior to investment of $1,000
per individual or in the event of a redemption which occurs prior to the
accumulation of that amount or which reduces the account value to less than
$1,000 and the account value is not increased to $1,000 within a reasonable time
after notification. An investor in a plan who has not purchased shares for six
months shall be presumed to have stopped making payments under the plan.
Automatic Investment Plan
Shareholders may arrange to make periodic investments through automatic
deductions from checking accounts by completing the appropriate form and
providing the necessary documentation to establish this service.
The minimum investment is $50.
The Automatic Investment Plan involves an investment strategy called
dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging is a method of investing whereby a
specific dollar amount is invested at regular intervals. By investing the same
dollar amount each period, when shares are priced low the investor will purchase
more shares than when the share price is higher. Over a period of time this
investment approach may allow the investor to reduce the average price of the
shares purchased. However, this investment approach does not assure a profit or
protect against loss. This type of regular investment program may be suitable
for various investment goals such as, but not limited to, college planning or
saving for a home.
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act
Grandparents, parents or other donors may set up custodian accounts for
minors. The minimum initial investment is $1,000 unless the donor agrees to
continue to make regular share purchases for the account through Scudder's
Automatic Investment Plan (AIP). In this case, the minimum initial investment is
$500.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder and custodian, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the
event that regular investments to the account cease before the $1,000 minimum is
reached.
29
<PAGE>
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
(See "Distributions" and "Taxes" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund intends to follow the practice of distributing substantially
all of its investment company taxable income which includes any excess of net
realized short-term capital gains over net realized long-term capital losses.
The Fund may follow the practice of distributing the entire excess of net
realized long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses.
However, if it appears to be in the best interest of the Fund and its
shareholders, the Fund may retain all or part of such gain for reinvestment,
after paying the related federal taxes for which shareholders may then be able
to claim a credit against their federal tax liability. If the Fund does not
distribute the amount of capital gain and/or net investment income required to
be distributed by an excise tax provision of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund
may be subject to that excise tax. In certain circumstances, the Fund may
determine that it is in the interest of shareholders to distribute less than the
required amount. (See "Taxes".)
The Fund intends to distribute investment company taxable income in
December each year. The Fund intends to declare in December any net realized
capital gains resulting from its investment activity. The Fund intends to
distribute the December dividends and capital gains either in December or in the
following January. Any dividends or capital gains distributions declared in
October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid during
the following January will be treated by shareholders for federal income tax
purposes as if received on December 31 of the calendar year declared. Additional
distributions may be made if necessary. Both types of distributions will be made
in shares of the Fund and confirmations will be mailed to each shareholder
unless a shareholder has elected to receive cash, in which case a check will be
sent.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
(See "Past performance" in the Fund's prospectus.)
From time to time, quotations of the Fund's performance may be included
in advertisements, sales literature or reports to shareholders or prospective
investors. These performance figures are calculated in the following manners:
Average Annual Total Return
Average annual total return is the average annual compound rate of
return for periods of one year, five years, and ten years (or such shorter
periods as may be applicable dating from the commencement of the Fund's
operations), all ended on the last day of a recent calendar quarter. Average
annual total return quotations reflect changes in the price of the Fund's shares
and assume that all dividends and capital gains distributions during the
respective periods were reinvested in Fund shares. Average annual total return
is calculated by computing the average annual compound rates of return of a
hypothetical investment over such periods according to the following formula
(average annual total return is then expressed as a percentage):
T = (ERV/P)^1/n - 1
Where:
T = average annual total return
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000
n = number of years
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the
value, at the end of the applicable
period, of a hypothetical $1,000
investment made at the beginning of the
applicable period.
Average Annual Total Return for the periods ended October 31, 1998
One Year Five Years Life of the Fund (1)
-------- ---------- -----------------
18.86 17.85 16.50
(1) For the period from May 15, 1991, commencement of operations to October
31, 1998.
30
<PAGE>
As described above, average annual total return is based on historical
earnings and is not intended to indicate future performance. Average annual
total return for the Fund will vary based on changes in market conditions and
the level of the Fund's expenses.
In connection with communicating its average annual total return to
current or prospective shareholders, the Fund also may compare these figures to
the performance of other mutual funds tracked by mutual fund rating services or
to unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends but generally do
not reflect deductions for administrative and management costs.
Cumulative Total Return
Cumulative total return is the cumulative rate of return on a
hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 for a specified period. Cumulative
total return quotations reflect changes in the price of a Fund's shares and
assume that all dividends and capital gains distributions during the period were
reinvested in Fund shares. Cumulative total return is calculated by computing
the cumulative rates of return of a hypothetical investment over such periods,
according to the following formula (cumulative total return is then expressed as
a percentage):
C = (ERV/P) - 1
Where:
C = Cumulative total return
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the
value, at the end of the applicable
period, of a hypothetical $1,000
investment made at the beginning of the
applicable period.
Cumulative Total Return for the periods ended October 31, 1998
One Year Five Years Life of the Fund (1)
-------- ---------- --------------------
18.86 127.37 212.65
(1) For the period from May 15, 1991, commencement of operations to October
31, 1998.
Total Return
Total return is the rate of return on an investment for a specified
period of time calculated in the same manner as cumulative total return.
Quotations of the Fund's performance are based on historical earnings
and show the performance of a hypothetical investment and are not intended to
indicate future performance of the Fund. An investor's shares when redeemed may
be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance of the Fund will
vary based on changes in market conditions and the level of the Fund's expenses.
Because some of the Fund's investments are denominated in foreign
currencies, the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against these currencies
may account for part of the Fund's investment performance. Information on the
value of the dollar versus foreign currencies may be used from time to time in
advertisements concerning the Fund. Such historical information is not
indicative of future performance.
Performance Indices
The Fund's performance will, from time to time, be compared to the
percentage changes of unmanaged performance indices. Such indices will include
the Dow Jones Industrial Average ("DJIA"), S&P 500 and the Consumer Price Index
("CPI"). The DJIA and S&P 500 are unmanaged indices widely regarded as
representative of the equity market in general. The CPI is a commonly used
measure of inflation.
31
<PAGE>
Comparison of Fund Performance
A comparison of the quoted non-standard performance offered for various
investments is valid only if performance is calculated in the same manner. Since
there are different methods of calculating performance, investors should
consider the effects of the methods used to calculate performance when comparing
performance of the Fund with performance quoted with respect to other investment
companies or types of investments.
In connection with communicating its performance to current or
prospective shareholders, the Fund also may compare these figures to the
performance of unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends or
interest but generally do not reflect deductions for administrative and
management costs. Examples include, but are not limited to the Dow Jones
Industrial Average, the Consumer Price Index, S&P 500, the Nasdaq OTC Composite
Index, the Nasdaq Industrials Index, the Russell 2000 Index, the Wilshire Real
Estate Securities Index and statistics published by the Small Business
Administration.
From time to time, in advertising and marketing literature, this Fund's
performance may be compared to the performance of broad groups of mutual funds
with similar investment goals, as tracked by independent organizations such as,
Investment Company Data, Inc. ("ICD"), Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
("Lipper"), CDA Investment Technologies, Inc. ("CDA"), Morningstar, Inc., Value
Line Mutual Fund Survey and other independent organizations. When these
organizations' tracking results are used, the Fund will be compared to the
appropriate fund category, that is, by fund objective and portfolio holdings, or
to the appropriate volatility grouping, where volatility is a measure of a
fund's risk. For instance, a Scudder growth fund will be compared to funds in
the growth fund category; a Scudder income fund will be compared to funds in the
income fund category; and so on. Scudder funds (except for money market funds)
may also be compared to funds with similar volatility, as measured statistically
by independent organizations.
From time to time, in marketing and other Fund literature, Trustees and
officers of the Fund, the Fund's portfolio manager, or members of the portfolio
management team may be depicted and quoted to give prospective and current
shareholders a better sense of the outlook and approach of those who manage the
Fund. In addition, the amount of assets that the Adviser has under management in
various geographical areas may be quoted in advertising and marketing materials.
The Fund may be advertised as an investment choice in Scudder's college
planning program. The description may contain illustrations of projected future
college costs based on assumed rates of inflation and examples of hypothetical
fund performance, calculated as described above.
Statistical and other information, as provided by the Social Security
Administration, may be used in marketing materials pertaining to retirement
planning in order to estimate future payouts of social security benefits.
Estimates may be used on demographic and economic data.
Marketing and other Fund literature may include a description of the
potential risks and rewards associated with an investment in the Fund. The
description may include a "risk/return spectrum" which compares the Fund to
other Scudder funds or broad categories of funds, such as money market, bond or
equity funds, in terms of potential risks and returns. Money market funds are
designed to maintain a constant $1.00 share price and have a fluctuating yield.
Share price, yield and total return of a bond fund will fluctuate. The share
price and return of an equity fund also will fluctuate. The description may also
compare the Fund to bank products, such as certificates of deposit. Unlike
mutual funds, certificates of deposit are insured up to $100,000 by the U.S.
government and offer a fixed rate of return.
Because bank products guarantee the principal value of an investment
and money market funds seek stability of principal, these investments are
considered to be less risky than investments in either bond or equity funds,
which may involve the loss of principal. However, all long-term investments,
including investments in bank products, may be subject to inflation risk, which
is the risk of erosion of the value of an investment as prices increase over a
long time period. The risks/returns associated with an investment in bond or
equity funds depend upon many factors. For bond funds these factors include, but
are not limited to, a fund's overall investment objective, the average portfolio
maturity, credit quality of the securities held, and interest rate movements.
For equity funds, factors include a fund's overall investment objective, the
types of equity securities held and the financial position of the issuers of the
securities. The
32
<PAGE>
risks/returns associated with an investment in international bond or equity
funds also will depend upon currency exchange rate fluctuation.
A risk/return spectrum generally will position the various investment
categories in the following order: bank products, money market funds, bond funds
and equity funds. Shorter-term bond funds generally are considered less risky
and offer the potential for less return than longer-term bond funds. The same is
true of domestic bond funds relative to international bond funds, and bond funds
that purchase higher quality securities relative to bond funds that purchase
lower quality securities. Growth and income equity funds are generally
considered to be less risky and offer the potential for less return than growth
funds. In addition, international equity funds usually are considered more risky
than domestic equity funds but generally offer the potential for greater return.
Risk/return spectrums also may depict funds that invest in both
domestic and foreign securities or a combination of bond and equity securities.
Evaluation of Fund performance or other relevant statistical
information made by independent sources may also be used in advertisements
concerning the Fund, including reprints of, or selections from, editorials or
articles about this Fund. Sources for Fund performance information and articles
about the Fund include the following:
American Association of Individual Investors' Journal, a monthly publication of
the AAII that includes articles on investment analysis techniques.
Asian Wall Street Journal, a weekly Asian newspaper that often reviews U.S.
mutual funds investing internationally.
Banxquote, an on-line source of national averages for leading money market and
bank CD interest rates, published on a weekly basis by Masterfund, Inc. of
Wilmington, Delaware.
Barron's, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. business and financial weekly that
periodically reviews mutual fund performance data.
Business Week, a national business weekly that periodically reports the
performance rankings and ratings of a variety of mutual funds investing abroad.
CDA Investment Technologies, Inc., an organization which provides performance
and ranking information through examining the dollar results of hypothetical
mutual fund investments and comparing these results against appropriate market
indices.
Consumer Digest, a monthly business/financial magazine that includes a "Money
Watch" section featuring financial news.
Financial Times, Europe's business newspaper, which features from time to time
articles on international or country-specific funds.
Financial World, a general business/financial magazine that includes a "Market
Watch" department reporting on activities in the mutual fund industry.
Forbes, a national business publication that from time to time reports the
performance of specific investment companies in the mutual fund industry.
Fortune, a national business publication that periodically rates the performance
of a variety of mutual funds.
The Frank Russell Company, a West-Coast investment management firm that
periodically evaluates international stock markets and compares foreign equity
market performance to U.S. stock market performance.
Global Investor, a European publication that periodically reviews the
performance of U.S. mutual funds investing internationally.
33
<PAGE>
IBC Money Fund Report, a weekly publication of IBC Financial Data, Inc.,
reporting on the performance of the nation's money market funds, summarizing
money market fund activity and including certain averages as performance
benchmarks, specifically "IBC's Money Fund Average," and "IBC's Government Money
Fund Average."
Ibbotson Associates, Inc., a company specializing in investment research and
data.
Investment Company Data, Inc., an independent organization which provides
performance ranking information for broad classes of mutual funds.
Investor's Business Daily, a daily newspaper that features financial, economic,
and business news.
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly investment advisory publication
that periodically features the performance of a variety of securities.
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.'s Mutual Fund Performance Analysis, a weekly
publication of industry-wide mutual fund averages by type of fund.
Money, a monthly magazine that from time to time features both specific funds
and the mutual fund industry as a whole.
Morgan Stanley International, an integrated investment banking firm that
compiles statistical information.
Mutual Fund Values, a biweekly Morningstar, Inc. publication that provides
ratings of mutual funds based on fund performance, risk and portfolio
characteristics.
The New York Times, a nationally distributed newspaper which regularly covers
financial news.
The No-Load Fund Investor, a monthly newsletter, published by Sheldon Jacobs,
that includes mutual fund performance data and recommendations for the mutual
fund investor.
No-Load Fund*X, a monthly newsletter, published by DAL Investment Company, Inc.,
that reports on mutual fund performance, rates funds and discusses investment
strategies for the mutual fund investor.
Personal Investing News, a monthly news publication that often reports on
investment opportunities and market conditions.
Personal Investor, a monthly investment advisory publication that includes a
"Mutual Funds Outlook" section reporting on mutual fund performance measures,
yields, indices and portfolio holdings.
SmartMoney, a national personal finance magazine published monthly by Dow Jones
and Company, Inc. and The Hearst Corporation. Focus is placed on ideas for
investing, spending and saving.
Success, a monthly magazine targeted to the world of entrepreneurs and growing
business, often featuring mutual fund performance data.
United Mutual Fund Selector, a semi-monthly investment newsletter, published by
Babson United Investment Advisors, that includes mutual fund performance data
and reviews of mutual fund portfolios and investment strategies.
USA Today, a leading national daily newspaper.
U.S. News and World Report, a national news weekly that periodically reports
mutual fund performance data.
Value Line Mutual Fund Survey, an independent organization that provides
biweekly performance and other information on mutual funds.
The Wall Street Journal, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. newspaper which regularly
covers financial news.
34
<PAGE>
Wiesenberger Investment Companies Services, an annual compendium of information
about mutual funds and other investment companies, including comparative data on
funds' backgrounds, management policies, salient features, management results,
income and dividend records and price ranges.
Working Woman, a monthly publication that features a "Financial Workshop"
section reporting on the mutual fund/financial industry.
Worth, a national publication issued 10 times per year by Capital Publishing
Company, a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. Focus is placed on personal
financial journalism.
FUND ORGANIZATION
(See "About the fund" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund is a series of Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business
trust established under a Declaration of Trust dated September 20, 1984, as
amended. The name of the Trust was changed, effective May 15, 1991, from Scudder
Growth and Income Fund, and on June 10, 1998 from Scudder Investment Trust. The
Fund changed its name from Scudder Quality Growth Fund on March 1, 1997.
The Trust's authorized capital consists of an unlimited number of
shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share. The Trust's shares are
currently divided into eight series, Scudder Large Company Growth Fund, Scudder
Growth and Income Fund, Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund, Classic Growth Fund, Scudder
Real Estate Investment Fund, Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund, Scudder Tax Managed
Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund. The Trustees of the
Trust have the authority to issue additional series of shares and to designate
the relative rights and preferences as between the different series. Each share
of each Fund has equal rights with each other share of that Fund as to voting,
dividends and liquidation. All shares issued and outstanding will be fully paid
and nonassessable by the Trust, and redeemable as described in this Statement of
Additional Information and in each Fund's prospectus.
The assets of the Trust received for the issue or sale of the shares of
each series and all income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, subject only
to the rights of creditors, are specifically allocated to such series and
constitute the underlying assets of such series. The underlying assets of each
series are segregated on the books of account, and are to be charged with the
liabilities in respect to such series and with a proportionate share of the
general liabilities of the Trust. If a series were unable to meet its
obligations, the assets of all other series may in some circumstances be
available to creditors for that purpose, in which case the assets of such other
series could be used to meet liabilities which are not otherwise properly
chargeable to them. Expenses with respect to any two or more series are to be
allocated in proportion to the asset value of the respective series except where
allocations of direct expenses can otherwise be fairly made. The officers of the
Trust, subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, have the power to
determine which liabilities are allocable to a given series, or which are
general or allocable to two or more series. In the event of the dissolution or
liquidation of the Trust or any series, the holders of the shares of any series
are entitled to receive as a class the underlying assets of such shares
available for distribution to shareholders.
Shares of the Trust entitle their holders to one vote per share;
however, separate votes are taken by each series on matters affecting that
individual series. For example, a change in investment policy for a series would
be voted upon only by shareholders of the series involved. Additionally,
approval of the investment advisory agreement is a matter to be determined
separately by each series.
The Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the division of shares
of the Fund (or shares of a series) into different classes, permitting shares of
different classes to be distributed by different methods. Although shareholders
of different classes of a series would have an interest in the same portfolio of
assets, shareholders of any subsequently created classes may bear different
expenses in connection with different methods of distribution of their classes.
The Declaration of Trust provides that obligations of the Fund are not
binding upon the Trustees individually but only upon the property of the Fund,
that the Trustees and officers will not be liable for errors of judgment or
mistakes of fact or law and that the Fund will indemnify its Trustees and
officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with litigation
in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Fund except if
it
35
<PAGE>
is determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they have
not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the
best interests of the Fund. Nothing in the Declaration of Trust, however,
protects or indemnifies a Trustee or officer against any liability to which that
person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
that person's office.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
(See "Investment adviser" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the "Adviser"), an investment counsel
firm, acts as investment adviser to the Fund. This organization, the predecessor
of which is Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. is one of the most experienced
investment management firms in the United States. It was established as a
partnership in 1919 and pioneered the practice of providing investment counsel
to individual clients on a fee basis. In 1928 it introduced the first no-load
mutual fund to the public. In 1953, the Adviser introduced the Scudder
International Fund, the first mutual fund available in the U.S. investing
internationally in securities of issuers in several foreign countries. The
predecessor firm reorganized from a partnership to a corporation on June 28,
1985. On June 26, 1997, Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. ("Scudder") entered into
an agreement with Zurich Insurance Company ("Zurich") pursuant to which Scudder
and Zurich agreed to form an alliance. On December 31, 1997, Zurich acquired a
majority interest in Scudder, and Zurich Kemper Investments, Inc., a Zurich
subsidiary, became part of Scudder. Scudder's name has been changed to Scudder
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Founded in 1872, Zurich is a multinational, public corporation
organized under the laws of Switzerland. Its home office is located at
Mythenquai 2, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland. Historically, Zurich's earnings have
resulted from its operations as an insurer as well as from its ownership of its
subsidiaries and affiliated companies (the "Zurich Insurance Group"). Zurich and
the Zurich Insurance Group provide an extensive range of insurance products and
services and have branch offices and subsidiaries in more than 40 countries
throughout the world.
The principal source of the Adviser's income is professional fees
received from providing continuous investment advice, and the firm derives no
income from brokerage or underwriting of securities. Today, it provides
investment counsel for many individuals and institutions, including insurance
companies, colleges, industrial corporations, and financial and banking
organizations. In addition, it manages Montgomery Street Income Securities,
Inc., Scudder California Tax Free Trust, Scudder Cash Investment Trust, Value
Equity Trust, Scudder Fund, Inc., Scudder Funds Trust, Global/International
Fund, Inc., Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc., Scudder GNMA Fund, Scudder
Portfolio Trust, Scudder Institutional Fund, Inc., Scudder International Fund,
Inc., Investment Trust, Scudder Municipal Trust, Scudder Mutual Funds, Inc.,
Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc., Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc., Scudder Pathway
Series, Scudder Securities Trust, Scudder State Tax Free Trust, Scudder Tax Free
Money Fund, Scudder Tax Free Trust, Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund, Scudder
Variable Life Investment Fund, Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc., The
Argentina Fund, Inc., The Brazil Fund, Inc., The Korea Fund, Inc., The Japan
Fund, Inc. and Scudder Spain and Portugal Fund, Inc. Some of the foregoing
companies or trusts have two or more series.
The Adviser also provides investment advisory services to the mutual
funds which comprise the AARP Investment Program from Scudder. The AARP
Investment Program from Scudder has assets over $13 billion and includes the
AARP Growth Trust, AARP Income Trust, AARP Tax Free Income Trust, AARP Managed
Investment Portfolios Trust and AARP Cash Investment Funds.
Pursuant to an Agreement between the Adviser and AMA Solutions, Inc., a
subsidiary of the American Medical Association (the "AMA"), dated May 9, 1997,
the Adviser has agreed, subject to applicable state regulations, to pay AMA
Solutions, Inc. royalties in an amount equal to 5% of the management fee
received by the Adviser with respect to assets invested by AMA members in
Scudder funds in connection with the AMA InvestmentLinkSM Program. The Adviser
will also pay AMA Solutions, Inc. a general monthly fee, currently in the amount
of $833. The AMA and AMA Solutions, Inc. are not engaged in the business of
providing investment advice and neither is registered as an investment adviser
or broker/dealer under federal securities laws. Any person who participates in
the AMA InvestmentLinkSM Program will be a customer of the Adviser (or of a
subsidiary thereof) and not the AMA or AMA Solutions, Inc. AMA InvestmentLinkSM
is a service mark of AMA Solutions, Inc.
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<PAGE>
The Adviser maintains a large research department, which conducts
ongoing studies of the factors that affect the position of various industries,
companies and individual securities. In this work, the Adviser utilizes certain
reports and statistics from a wide variety of sources, including brokers and
dealers who may execute portfolio transactions for the Fund and other clients of
the Adviser, but conclusions are based primarily on investigations and critical
analyses by its own research specialists.
Certain investments may be appropriate for the Fund and also for other
clients advised by the Adviser. Investment decisions for the Fund and other
clients are made with a view toward achieving their respective investment
objectives and after consideration of such factors as their current holdings,
availability of cash for investment and the size of their investments generally.
Frequently, a particular security may be bought or sold for only one client or
in different amounts and at different times for more than one but less than all
clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients
when one or more other clients are selling the security. In addition, purchases
or sales of the same security may be made for two or more clients on the same
date. In such event, such transactions will be allocated among the clients in a
manner believed by the Adviser to be equitable to each. In some cases, this
procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or amount of the securities
purchased or sold by the Fund. Purchase and sale orders for the Fund may be
combined with those of other clients of the Adviser in the interest of achieving
the most favorable net results to the Fund.
The transaction between Scudder and Zurich resulted in the assignment
of the Fund's investment management agreement with Scudder, that agreement
automatically terminated at the consummation of the transaction. In anticipation
of the transaction, however, a new investment management agreement (the
"Agreement") between the Fund and the Advisor was approved by the Trust's
Trustees on August 12, 1997. At the special meeting of the Fund's shareholders
held on October 24, 1997, the shareholders also approved the Agreement. The
Agreement became effective as of December 31, 1997.
On September 7, 1998, the businesses of Zurich (including Zurich's 70%
interest in Scudder Kemper) and the financial services businesses of B.A.T
Industries p.l.c. ("B.A.T") were combined to form a new global insurance and
financial services company known as Zurich Financial Services Group. By way of a
dual holding company structure, former Zurich shareholders initially owned
approximately 57% of Zurich Financial Services Group, with the balance initially
owned by former B.A.T shareholders.
Upon consummation of this transaction, the Fund's existing investment
management agreement with Scudder Kemper was deemed to have been assigned and,
therefore, terminated. The Board has approved a new investment management
agreement (the "Agreement") with Scudder Kemper, which is substantially
identical to the current investment management agreement, except for the dates
of execution and termination. The agreement became effective on September 7,
1998, upon the termination of the then current investment management agreement
and was approved at a shareholder meeting held in December 1998.
The Agreement dated September 7, 1998, was approved by the Trustees of
the Trust on August 11, 1998. The Agreement will continue in effect until
September 30, 1999 and from year to year thereafter only if its continuance is
approved annually by the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not
parties to such Agreement or interested persons of the Adviser or the Fund, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and
either by a vote of the Trust's Trustees or of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund. The Agreement may be terminated at any time
without payment of penalty by either party on sixty days' written notice, and
automatically terminates in the event of its assignment.
Under the Agreement, the Adviser provides the Fund with continuing
investment management for the Fund's portfolio consistent with the Fund's
investment objectives, policies and restrictions and determines which securities
shall be purchased for the portfolio of the Fund, which portfolio securities
shall be held or sold by the Fund, and what portion of the Fund's assets will be
held uninvested, subject always to the provisions of the Trust's Declaration of
Trust and By-Laws, the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and to the
Fund's investment objectives, policies and restrictions, and subject, further,
to such policies and instructions as the Trustees may from time to time
establish. The Adviser also advises and assists the officers of the Fund in
taking such steps as are necessary or appropriate to carry out the decisions of
its Trustees and the appropriate committees of the Trustees regarding the
conduct of the business of the Fund.
37
<PAGE>
The Adviser also renders significant administrative services (not
otherwise provided by third parties) necessary for the Fund's operations as an
open-end investment company including, but not limited to, preparing reports and
notices to the Trustees and shareholders; supervising, negotiating contractual
arrangements with, and monitoring various third-party service providers to the
Fund (such as the Fund's transfer agent, pricing agents, custodian, accountants
and others); preparing and making filings with the SEC and other regulatory
agencies; assisting in the preparation and filing of the Fund's federal, state
and local tax returns; preparing and filing the Fund's federal excise tax
returns; assisting with investor and public relations matters; monitoring the
valuation of securities and the calculation of net asset value; monitoring the
registration of shares of the Fund under applicable federal and state securities
laws; maintaining the Fund's books and records to the extent not otherwise
maintained by a third party; assisting in establishing accounting policies of
the Fund; assisting in the resolution of accounting and legal issues;
establishing and monitoring the Fund's operating budget; processing the payment
of the Fund's bills; assisting the Fund in, and otherwise arranging for, the
payment of distributions and dividends and otherwise assisting the Fund in the
conduct of its business, subject to the direction and control of the Trustees.
The Adviser pays the compensation and expenses (except those for
attending Board and Committee meetings outside New York, New York and Boston,
Massachusetts) of all Trustees, officers and executive employees of the Trust
affiliated with the Adviser and makes available, without expense to the Fund,
the services of such Trustees, officers and employees of the Adviser as may duly
be elected officers or Trustees of the Trust, subject to their individual
consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law, and provides the Fund's
office space and facilities. For these services, the Fund is charged by the
Adviser a fee equal to approximately 0.70 of 1% of the Fund's average daily net
assets. The fee is payable monthly, provided the Fund will make such interim
payments as may be requested by Scudder not to exceed 75% of the amount of the
fee then accrued on the books of the Fund and unpaid. The Agreement provides
that if the Fund's expenses, exclusive of taxes, interest, and extraordinary
expenses, exceed specified limits, such excess, up to the amount of the
management fee, will be paid by the Adviser. The Adviser retains the ability to
be repaid by the Fund if expenses fall below the specified limit prior to the
end of the fiscal year. These expense limitation arrangements can decrease the
Fund's expenses and improve its performance. During the fiscal years ended
October 31, 1996, 1997, and 1998, the Adviser imposed a portion of its
management fee amounting to $1,447,537, $1,790,420, and $2,478,112 respectively.
Under the Agreement, the Fund is responsible for all of its other
expenses including organizational costs; fees and expenses incurred in
connection with membership in investment company organizations; brokers'
commissions; payment for portfolio pricing services to a pricing agent, if any;
legal, auditing and accounting expenses; the calculation of Net Asset Value,
taxes and governmental fees; the fees and expenses of the transfer agent; the
cost of preparing stock certificates and any other expenses including clerical
expenses of issuance, redemption or repurchase of shares; the expenses of and
the fees for registering or qualifying securities for sale; the fees and
expenses of Trustees, officers and employees of the Trust who are not affiliated
with the Adviser; the cost of printing and distributing reports and notices to
shareholders; and the fees and disbursements of custodians. The Trust may
arrange to have third parties assume all or part of the expenses of sale,
underwriting and distribution of shares of the Fund. The Fund is also
responsible for its expenses incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings
and claims and the legal obligation it may have to indemnify its officers and
Trustees with respect thereto.
The Agreement identifies the Adviser as the exclusive licensee of the
rights to use and sublicense the names "Scudder," "Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc." and "Scudder Stevens and Clark, Inc." (together, the "Scudder Marks").
Under this license, the Trust, with respect to the Fund, has the non-exclusive
right to use and sublicense the Scudder name and marks as part of its name, and
to use the Scudder Marks in the Trust's investment products and services.
In reviewing the terms of the Agreement and in discussions with the
Adviser concerning such Agreement, Trustees who are not "interested persons" of
the Trust have been represented by independent counsel Ropes & Gray at the
Fund's expense.
The Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any
error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in
connection with matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting
from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by the
Adviser of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
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<PAGE>
The Adviser may serve as adviser to other funds with investment
objectives and policies similar to those of the Funds that may have different
distribution arrangements or expenses, which may affect performance.
Officers and employees of the Adviser from time to time may engage in
transactions with various banks, including the Fund's custodian bank. It is the
Adviser's opinion that the terms and conditions of those transactions which have
occurred were not influenced by existing or potential custodial or other Fund
relationships.
None of the officers or Trustees of the Trust may have dealings with
the Fund as principals in the purchase or sale of securities, except as
individual subscribers or holders of shares of the Fund.
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser
Employees of the Adviser are permitted to make personal securities
transactions, subject to requirements and restrictions set forth in the
Adviser's Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics contains provisions and
requirements designed to identify and address certain conflicts of interest
between personal investment activities and the interests of investment advisory
clients such as the Fund. Among other things, the Code of Ethics, which
generally complies with standards recommended by the Investment Company
Institute's Advisory Group on Personal Investing, prohibits certain types of
transactions absent prior approval, imposes time periods during which personal
transactions may not be made in certain securities, and requires the submission
of duplicate broker confirmations and monthly reporting of securities
transactions. Additional restrictions apply to portfolio managers, traders,
research analysts and others involved in the investment advisory process.
Exceptions to these and other provisions of the Code of Ethics may be granted in
particular circumstances after review by appropriate personnel.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Daniel Pierce (64)+*= President and Trustee Managing Director of Scudder Director, Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc. and Assistant Treasurer
Henry P. Becton, Jr. (55) Trustee President and General Manager, --
WGBH WGBH Educational Foundation
125 Western Avenue
Allston, MA 02134
Dawn-Marie Driscoll (52) Trustee Executive Fellow, Center for --
4909 SW 9th Place Business Ethics, Bentley
Cape Coral, FL 33914 College; President, Driscoll
Associates
Peter B. Freeman (66) Trustee Director, The A.H. Belo --
100 Alumni Avenue Company; Trustee, Eastern
Providence, RI 02906 Utilities Associates (public
utility holding company);
Director, AMICA Life Insurance
Co.; Director, AMICA Insurance
Co.
George M. Lovejoy, Jr. (68)= Trustee President and Director, Fifty --
50 Congress Street Associates (real estate
Suite 543 investment trust)
Boston, MA 02109
39
<PAGE>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
Wesley W. Marple, Jr. (66)= Trustee Professor of Business --
413 Hayden Hall Administration, Northeastern
360 Huntington Ave. University, College of Business
Boston, MA 02115 Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk (46)++*= Trustee, Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Director, Assistant
and Assistant Secretary Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Senior
Vice President
Jean C. Tempel (55) Trustee Managing Partner, Technology --
Ten Post Office Square Suite Equity Partners
1325Boston, MA 02109
Bruce F. Beaty (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Philip S. Fortuna (41)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc.
William F. Gadsden (43)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
John R. Hebble (40)+ Treasurer Senior Vice President of --
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
Robert T. Hoffman (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas W. Joseph (59)+ Vice President Senior Vice President of Director, Vice President,
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Assistant
Clerk
Ann M. McCreary Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Valerie F. Malter (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas F. McDonough (51)+ Vice President and Senior Vice President of Clerk
Secretary Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
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<PAGE>
Position with
Underwriter, Scudder
Name, Age and Address Position with Trust Principal Occupation** Investor Services, Inc.
- --------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
Caroline Pearson (36)+ Assistant Secretary Vice President, Scudder Kemper --
Investments, Inc.; Associate,
Dechert Price & Rhoads (law
firm) 1989 to 1997
</TABLE>
* Mr. Pierce and Ms. Quirk are considered by the Fund and counsel to be
persons who are "interested persons" of the Adviser or of the Trust,
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
** Unless otherwise stated, all of the Trustees and officers have been
associated with their respective companies for more than five years,
but not necessarily in the same capacity.
= Messrs. Lovejoy, Pierce, Marple and Ms. Quirk are members of the
Executive Committee for the Trust, which has the power to declare
dividends from ordinary income and distributions of realized capital
gains to the same extent as the Board is so empowered.
+ Address: Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
++ Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
As of January 31, 1999, all Trustees and officers as a group owned
beneficially (as that term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934) 444,730 shares, or 2.05% of the shares of the Trust.
As of January 31, 1999, 3,803,831 shares in the aggregate, 17.47% of
the outstanding shares of the Trust, were held in the name of Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484,
for the Sole Benefit of it's Customers, who may be deemed to be the beneficial
owner of certain of these shares, but disclaims any beneficial ownership
therein.
To the best of the Trust's knowledge, as of January 31, 1999, no person
owned beneficially more than 5% of the Fund's shares, except as stated above.
The Trustees and officers of the Trust also serve in similar capacities
for other Scudder funds.
REMUNERATION
Responsibilities of the Board -- Board and Committee Meetings
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the general oversight of the
Fund's business. A majority of the Board's members are not affiliated with
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. These "Independent Trustees" have primary
responsibility for assuring that the Fund is managed in the best interests of
its shareholders.
The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to review the investment
performance of the Fund and other operational matters, including policies and
procedures designed to ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements.
At least annually, the Independent Trustees review the fees paid to the Adviser
and its affiliates for investment advisory services and other administrative and
shareholder services. In this regard, they evaluate, among other things, the
Fund's investment performance, the quality and efficiency of the various other
services provided, costs incurred by the Adviser and its affiliates and
comparative information regarding fees and expenses of competitive funds. They
are assisted in this process by the Fund's independent public accountants and by
independent legal counsel selected by the Independent Trustees.
All the Independent Trustees serve on the Committee on Independent
Trustees, which nominates Independent Trustees and considers other related
matters, and the Audit Committee, which selects the Fund's independent public
accountants and reviews accounting policies and controls. In addition,
Independent Trustees from time to time have
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<PAGE>
established and served on task forces and subcommittees focusing on particular
matters such as investment, accounting and shareholder service issues.
Compensation of Officers and Trustees
The Independent Trustees receive the following compensation from the
Funds of Investment Trust: an annual trustee's fee of $2,400 for a Fund in which
total net assets do not exceed $100 million, $4,800 for a Fund in which total
net assets exceed $100 million but do not exceed $1 billion and $7,200 for a
Fund in which total net assets exceed $1 billion; a fee of $150 for attendance
at each board meeting, audit committee meeting or other meeting held for the
purposes of considering arrangements between the Trust on behalf of the Fund and
the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser; $75 for attendance at any other
committee meeting; and reimbursement of expenses incurred for travel to and from
Board Meetings. The Independent Trustee who serves as lead or liaison trustee
receives an additional annual retainer fee of $500 from each Fund. No additional
compensation is paid to any Independent Trustee for travel time to meetings,
attendance at directors' educational seminars or conferences, service on
industry or association committees, participation as speakers at directors'
conferences or service on special trustee task forces or subcommittees.
Independent Trustees do not receive any employee benefits such as pension,
retirement benefit or health insurance. The Independent Trustees have in the
past, and may in the future, waive a portion of their compensation.
The Independent Trustees also serve in the same capacity for other
funds managed by the Adviser. These funds differ broadly in type and complexity
and in some cases have substantially different Trustee fee schedules. The
following table shows the aggregate compensation received by each Independent
Trustee during 1998 from the Trust and from all of the Scudder funds as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name Scudder Investment Trust* All Scudder Funds
---- ------------------------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Henry P. Becton, Jr. $28,070 $135,000 (28 funds)
Dawn-Marie Driscoll $28,977 $145,000 (28 funds)
Peter B. Freeman $29,736 $172,425 (46 funds)
George M. Lovejoy $28,069 $148,600 (29 funds)
Wesley W. Marple $28,069 $135,000 (28 funds)
Jean C. Tempel $27,309 $135,000 (29 funds)
</TABLE>
* Investment Trust consists of eight funds: Scudder Growth and Income
Fund, Scudder Large Company Growth Fund, Classic Growth Fund, Scudder
S&P 500 Index, Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund, Scudder Dividend &
Growth Fund, Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed
Small Company Fund. Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund commenced
operations on March 2, 1998. Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund commenced
operations on June 1, 1998. Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Growth Fund each commenced
operations on July 31, 1998.
No fees were incurred by the Fund in respect to the alliance with
B.A.T.
Members of the Board of Trustees who are employees of the Adviser or
its affiliates receive no direct compensation from the Trust, although they are
compensated as employees of the Adviser, or its affiliates, as a result of which
they may be deemed to participate in fees paid by each Fund.
DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has an underwriting agreement Scudder
Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110 (the
"Distributor"), a Massachusetts corporation, which is a subsidiary of the
Adviser, a Delaware corporation. The Trust's underwriting agreement dated
September 7, 1998 will remain in effect until September 30, 1999 and from year
to year thereafter only if its continuance is approved annually by a majority of
42
<PAGE>
the members of the Board of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or
interested persons of any such party and either by vote of a majority of the
Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund. The underwriting agreement was last approved by the Trustees on August 11,
1998.
Under the principal underwriting agreement, the Trust is responsible
for: the payment of all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and
filing with the SEC of its registration statement and prospectus and any
amendments and supplements thereto; the registration and qualification of shares
for sale in the various states, including registering the Trust or the Fund as a
broker/dealer in various states as required; the fees and expenses of preparing,
printing and mailing prospectuses annually to existing shareholders (see below
for expenses relating to prospectuses paid by the Distributor), notices, proxy
statements, reports or other communications to shareholders of the Fund; the
cost of printing and mailing confirmations of purchases of shares and the
prospectuses accompanying such confirmations; any issuance taxes and/or any
initial transfer taxes; a portion of shareholder toll-free telephone charges and
expenses of shareholder service representatives; the cost of wiring funds for
share purchases and redemptions (unless paid by the shareholder who initiates
the transaction); the cost of printing and postage of business reply envelopes;
and a portion of the cost of computer terminals used by both the Fund and the
Distributor.
The Distributor will pay for printing and distributing prospectuses or
reports prepared for its use in connection with the offering of the Fund's
shares to the public and preparing, printing and mailing any other literature or
advertising in connection with the offering of shares of the Fund to the public.
The Distributor will pay all fees and expenses in connection with its
qualification and registration as a broker or dealer under federal and state
laws, a portion of the cost of toll-free telephone service and expenses of
shareholder service representatives, a portion of the cost of computer
terminals, and expenses of any activity which is primarily intended to result in
the sale of shares issued by the Fund, unless a Rule 12b-1 Plan is in effect
which provides that the Fund shall bear some or all of such expenses.
Note: Although the Fund currently has no 12b-1 Plan and the Trustees
have no current intention of adopting one, the Fund will also
pay those fees and expenses permitted to be paid or assumed by
the Fund pursuant to a 12b-1 Plan, if any, adopted by the
Fund, notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in
the underwriting agreement.
As agent, the Distributor currently offers the Fund's shares on a
continuous basis to investors in all states in which shares of the Fund may from
time to time be registered or where permitted by applicable law. The
Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor accepts orders for shares
at net asset value as no sales commission or load is charged the investor. The
Distributor has made no firm commitment to acquire shares of the Fund.
TAXES
(See "Taxes" in the Fund's prospectus.)
The Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company
under Subchapter M of the Code or a predecessor statute, and has qualified as
such since its inception. Such qualification does not involve governmental
supervision or management of investment practices or policy.
A regulated investment company qualifying under Subchapter M of the
Code is required to distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its
investment company taxable income (including net short-term capital gain) and
generally is not subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes
annually its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains in
the manner required under the Code.
The Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on amounts
required to be but not distributed under a prescribed formula. The formula
requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions
representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year,
at least 98% of the excess of its capital gains over capital losses (adjusted
for certain ordinary losses) realized during the one-year period ending October
31 during such year, and all ordinary income and capital gains for prior years
that were not previously distributed.
43
<PAGE>
Investment company taxable income includes dividends, interest and net
short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, less
expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking
into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Presently, the Fund has
no capital loss carryforwards.
If any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized
short-term capital losses are retained by the Fund for reinvestment, requiring
federal income taxes to be paid thereon by the Fund, the Fund intends to elect
to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to shareholders. As a
result, each shareholder will report such capital gains as long-term capital
gains, will be able to claim a relative share of federal income taxes paid by
the Fund on such gains as a credit against personal federal income tax
liability, and will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis on Fund
shares by the difference between such reported gains and the individual tax
credit.
Distributions of investment company taxable income are taxable to
shareholders as ordinary income.
Dividends from domestic corporations are expected to comprise a
substantial part of the Fund's gross income. To the extent that such dividends
constitute a portion of the Fund's gross income, a portion of the income
distributions of the Fund may be eligible for the deduction for dividends
received by corporations. Shareholders will be informed of the portion of
dividends which so qualify. The dividends-received deduction is reduced to the
extent the shares of the Fund with respect to which the dividends are received
are treated as debt-financed under federal income tax law, and is eliminated if
either those shares or the shares of the Fund are deemed to have been held by
the Fund or the shareholder, as the case may be, for less than 46 days during
the 90-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend.
Properly designated distributions of the excess of net long-term
capital gain over net short-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as
long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund
have been held by such shareholders. Such distributions are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction. Any loss realized upon the redemption of shares
held at the time of redemption for six months or less will be treated as a
long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of
long-term capital gain during such six-month period.
Distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gains will be taxable as described above, whether received in shares or
in cash. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of
additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each
share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment
date.
All distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each
shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends and capital gains
distributions declared in October, November or December and payable to
shareholders of record in such a month will be deemed to have been received by
shareholders on December 31 if paid during January of the following year.
Redemptions of shares, including exchanges for shares of another Scudder fund,
may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also
subject to these reporting requirements.
A qualifying individual may make a deductible IRA contribution for any
taxable year only if (i) neither the individual nor his or her spouse (unless
filing separate returns) is an active participant in an employer's retirement
plan, or (ii) the individual (and his or her spouse, if applicable) has an
adjusted gross income below a certain level ($40,050 for married individuals
filing a joint return, with a phase-out of the deduction for adjusted gross
income between $40,050 and $50,000; $25,050 for a single individual, with a
phase-out for adjusted gross income between $25,050 and $35,000). However, an
individual not permitted to make a deductible contribution to an IRA for any
such taxable year may nonetheless make nondeductible contributions up to $2,000
to an IRA (up to $2,000 per individual for married couples if only one spouse
has earned income) for that year. There are special rules for determining how
withdrawals are to be taxed if an IRA contains both deductible and nondeductible
amounts. In general, a proportionate amount of each withdrawal will be deemed to
be made from nondeductible contributions; amounts treated as a return of
nondeductible contributions will not be taxable. Also, annual contributions may
be made to a spousal IRA even if the spouse has earnings in a given year if the
spouse elects to be treated as having no earnings (for IRA contribution
purposes) for the year.
Distributions by the Fund result in a reduction in the net asset value
of the Fund's shares. Should a distribution reduce the net asset value below a
shareholder's cost basis, such distribution would nevertheless be taxable
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to the shareholder as ordinary income or capital gain as described above, even
though, from an investment standpoint, it may constitute a partial return of
capital. In particular, investors should consider the tax implications of buying
shares just prior to a distribution. The price of shares purchased at that time
includes the amount of the forthcoming distribution. Those purchasing just prior
to a distribution will then receive a partial return of capital upon the
distribution, which will nevertheless be taxable to them.
The Fund may invest in shares of certain foreign corporations which may
be classified under the Code as passive foreign investment companies ("PFICs").
If the Fund receives a so-called "excess distribution" with respect to PFIC
stock, the Fund itself may be subject to a tax on a portion of the excess
distribution. Certain distributions from a PFIC as well as gains from the sale
of the PFIC shares are treated as "excess distributions." In general, under the
PFIC rules, an excess distribution is treated as having been realized ratably
over the period during which the Fund held the PFIC shares. The Fund will be
subject to tax on the portion, if any, of an excess distribution that is
allocated to prior Fund taxable years and an interest factor will be added to
the tax, as if the tax had been payable in such prior taxable years. Excess
distributions allocated to the current taxable year are characterized as
ordinary income even though, absent application of the PFIC rules, certain
excess distributions might have been classified as capital gain.
The Fund may make an election to mark to market its shares of these
foreign investment companies in lieu of being subject to U.S. federal income
taxation. At the end of each taxable year to which the election applies, the
Fund would report as ordinary income the amount by which the fair market value
of the foreign company's stock exceeds the Fund's adjusted basis in these
shares; any mark to market losses and any loss from an actual disposition of
shares would be deductible as ordinary loss to the extent of any net mark to
market gains included in income in prior years. The effect of the election would
be to treat excess distributions and gain on dispositions as ordinary income
which is not subject to a fund level tax when distributed to shareholders as a
dividend. Alternatively, the Fund may elect to include as income and gain its
share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of certain foreign
investment companies in lieu of being taxed in the manner described above.
Equity options (including covered call options on portfolio stock) and
over-the-counter options on debt securities written or purchased by the Fund
will be subject to tax under Section 1234 of the Code. In general, no loss is
recognized by a Fund upon payment of a premium in connection with the purchase
of a put or call option. The character of any gain or loss recognized (i.e.,
long-term or short-term) will generally depend, in the case of a lapse or sale
of the option, on the Fund's holding period for the option, and in the case of
an exercise of a put option, on the Fund's holding period for the underlying
stock. The purchase of a put option may constitute a short sale for federal
income tax purposes, causing an adjustment in the holding period of the
underlying stock or substantially identical stock in the Fund's portfolio. If
the Fund writes a put or call option, no gain is recognized upon its receipt of
a premium. If the option lapses or is closed out, any gain or loss is treated as
a short-term capital gain or loss. If a call option is exercised, any resulting
gain or loss is a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the
holding period of the underlying stock. The exercise of a put option written by
the Fund is not a taxable transaction for the Fund.
Many futures contracts and certain foreign currency forward contracts
entered into by the Fund and all listed non-equity options written or purchased
by the Fund (including options on futures contracts and options on broad-based
stock indices) will be governed by Section 1256 of the Code. Absent a tax
election to the contrary, gain or loss attributable to the lapse, exercise or
closing out of any such position generally will be treated as 60% long-term and
40% short-term capital gain or loss, and on the last trading day of the Fund's
fiscal year, all outstanding Section 1256 positions will be marked to market
(i.e. treated as if such positions were closed out at their closing price on
such day), with any resulting gain or loss recognized as 60% long-term and 40%
short-term. Under Section 988 of the Code, discussed below, foreign currency
gain or loss from foreign currency-related forward contracts and similar
financial instruments entered into or acquired by the Fund will be treated as
ordinary income. Under certain circumstances, entry into a futures contract to
sell a security may constitute a short sale for federal income tax purposes,
causing an adjustment in the holding period of the underlying security or a
substantially identical security in the Fund's portfolio.
Positions of the Fund which consist of at least one stock and at least
one other position with respect to a related security which substantially
diminishes the Fund's risk of loss with respect to such stock could be treated
as a "straddle" which is governed by Section 1092 of the Code, the operation of
which may cause deferral of losses, adjustments in the holding periods of stock
or securities and conversion of short-term capital losses into long-term
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capital losses. An exception to these straddle rules exists for certain
"qualified covered call options" on stock written by the Fund.
Positions of the Fund which consist of at least one position not
governed by Section 1256 and at least one futures or forward contract or
non-equity option governed by Section 1256 which substantially diminishes the
Fund's risk of loss with respect to such other position will be treated as a
"mixed straddle." Although mixed straddles are subject to the straddle rules of
Section 1092 of the Code, certain tax elections exist for them which reduce or
eliminate the operation of these rules. The Fund intends to monitor its
transactions in options and futures and may make certain tax elections in
connection with these investments.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, recent tax law changes may
require the Fund to recognize gain (but not loss) from a constructive sale of
certain "appreciated financial positions" if the Fund enters into a short sale,
offsetting notional principal contract, futures or forward contract transaction
with respect to the appreciated position or substantially identical property.
Appreciated financial positions subject to this constructive sale treatment are
interests (including options, futures and forward contracts and short sales) in
stock, partnership interests, certain actively traded trust instruments and
certain debt instruments. Constructive sale treatment of appreciated financial
positions does not apply to certain transactions closed in the 90-day period
ending with the 30th day after the close of the Fund's taxable year, if certain
conditions are met.
Similarly, if a Fund enters into a short sale of property that becomes
substantially worthless, the Fund will be required to recognize gain at that
time as though it had closed the short sale. Future regulations may apply
similar treatment to other strategic transactions with respect to property that
becomes substantially worthless.
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in
exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues receivables or
liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually
collects such receivables, or pays such liabilities, generally are treated as
ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities
denominated in a foreign currency, and on disposition of certain options,
futures contracts and forward contracts, gains or losses attributable to
fluctuations in the value of foreign currency between the date of acquisition of
the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as
ordinary gain or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as
"Section 988" gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund's
investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as
ordinary income.
A portion of the difference between the issue price of zero coupon
securities and their face value ("original issue discount") is considered to be
income to the Fund each year, even though the Fund will not receive cash
interest payments from these securities. This original issue discount (imputed
income) will comprise a part of the investment company taxable income of the
Fund which must be distributed to shareholders in order to maintain the
qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company and to avoid federal
income tax at the level of the Fund. Shareholders will be subject to income tax
on such original issue discount, whether or not they elect to receive their
distributions in cash.
The Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all
distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from
the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt
shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the
Code, distributions of taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from the
redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be
subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 31% in the case of
non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their
taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their
status under the federal income tax law. Withholding may also be required if the
Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that the taxpayer identification number
furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder has previously
failed to report interest or dividend income. If the withholding provisions are
applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or
reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be
withheld.
Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on
distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund's shares.
Each distribution is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and
character of the distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each
shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
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The Fund is organized as a series of a Massachusetts business trust and
is not liable for any income or franchise tax in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, provided that it qualifies as a regulated investment company for
federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely
to the application of that law to U.S. persons, i.e., U.S. citizens and
residents and U.S. corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each
shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax
consequences of ownership of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that
such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or
at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting
ordinary income received by him or her, where such amounts are treated as income
from U.S. sources under the Code.
Dividend and interest income received by the Fund from sources outside
the U.S. may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such foreign
jurisdictions. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce
or eliminate these foreign taxes, however, and foreign countries generally do
not impose taxes on capital gains respecting investments by foreign investors.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of
the provisions of tax law described in this Statement of Additional Information
in light of their particular tax situations.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Brokerage Commissions
Allocation of brokerage is supervised by the Adviser.
The primary objective of the Adviser in placing orders for the purchase
and sale of securities for a Fund is to obtain the most favorable net results,
taking into account such factors as price, commission where applicable, size of
order, difficulty of execution and skill required of the executing
broker/dealer. The Adviser seeks to evaluate the overall reasonableness of
brokerage commissions paid (to the extent applicable) through the familiarity of
the Distributor with commissions charged on comparable transactions, as well as
by comparing commissions paid by the Fund to reported commissions paid by
others. The Adviser reviews on a routine basis commission rates, execution and
settlement services performed, making internal and external comparisons.
The Fund's purchases and sales of fixed-income securities are generally
placed by the Adviser with primary market makers for these securities on a net
basis, without any brokerage commission being paid by the Fund. Trading does,
however, involve transaction costs. Transactions with dealers serving as primary
market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked prices. Purchases of
underwritten issues may be made, which will include an underwriting fee paid to
the underwriter.
When it can be done consistently with the policy of obtaining the most
favorable net results, it is the Adviser's practice to place such orders with
broker/dealers who supply research, market and statistical information to the
Fund. The term "research, market and statistical information" includes advice as
to the value of securities; the advisability of investing in, purchasing or
selling securities; the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of
securities; and analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities,
economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts.
The Adviser is authorized when placing portfolio transactions for the Fund to
pay a brokerage commission in excess of that which another broker might charge
for executing the same transaction on account of execution services and the
receipt of research, market or statistical information. The Adviser will not
place orders with broker/dealers on the basis that the broker/dealer has or has
not sold shares of the Fund. In effecting transactions in over-the-counter
securities, orders are placed with the principal market makers for the security
being traded unless, after exercising care, it appears that more favorable
results are available elsewhere.
To the maximum extent feasible, it is expected that the Adviser will
place orders for portfolio transactions through the Distributor, which is a
corporation registered as a broker-dealer and a subsidiary of the Adviser; the
Distributor will place orders on behalf of the Fund with issuers, underwriters
or other brokers and dealers. The Distributor will not receive any commission,
fee or other remuneration from the Fund for this service.
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Although certain research, market and statistical information from
broker/dealers may be useful to the Fund and to the Adviser, it is the opinion
of the Adviser that such information only supplements the Adviser's own research
effort since the information must still be analyzed, weighed, and reviewed by
the Adviser's staff. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in providing
services to clients other than the Fund, and not all such information is used by
the Adviser in connection with the Fund. Conversely, such information provided
to the Adviser by broker/dealers through whom other clients of the Adviser
effect securities transactions may be useful to the Adviser in providing
services to the Fund.
The Trustees review from time to time whether the recapture for the
benefit of the Fund of some portion of the brokerage commissions or similar fees
paid by the Fund on portfolio transactions is legally permissible and advisable.
For the fiscal years ended October 31, 1998 and 1997, the Fund paid
brokerage commissions of $828,829 and $317,984, respectively. For the fiscal
year ended October 31, 1998, the Fund paid brokerage commissions of $793,177
(95.7% of the total brokerage commissions), resulting from orders placed,
consistent with the policy of seeking to obtain the most favorable net results,
for transactions placed with brokers and dealers who provided supplementary
research, market and statistical information to the Trust or Adviser. The total
amount of brokerage transactions aggregated, for the fiscal year ended October
31, 1998, $504,513,801, of which 79.86% of all brokerage transactions were
transactions which included research commissions.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund's average annual portfolio turnover rate, i.e. the ratio of
the lesser of sales or purchases to the monthly average value of the portfolio
(excluding from both the numerator and the denominator all securities with
maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less), for the fiscal years
ended October 31, 1998, 1997, and 1996 was 54.1%, 67.9% and 68.8% ,
respectively. A higher rate involves greater brokerage and transaction expenses
to the Fund and may result in the realization of net capital gains, which would
be taxable to shareholders when distributed. Purchases and sales are made for
the Fund's portfolio whenever necessary, in management's opinion, to meet the
Fund's objective.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of shares of the Fund is computed as of the close
of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading.
The Exchange is scheduled to be closed on the following holidays: New Year's
Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas and on the
preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on
Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Net asset value per share is determined by
dividing the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liabilities, by the
total number of shares outstanding.
An exchange-traded equity security is valued at its most recent sale
price on the exchange it is traded as of the Value Time. Lacking any sales, the
security is valued at the calculated mean between the most recent bid quotation
and the most recent asked quotation (the "Calculated Mean") on such exchange as
of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the security is valued at
the most recent bid quotation on such exchange as of the Value Time. An equity
security which is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("Nasdaq") system will
be valued at its most recent sale price on such system as of the Value Time.
Lacking any sales, the security will be valued at the most recent bid quotation
as of the Value Time. The value of an equity security not quoted on the Nasdaq
system, but traded in another over-the-counter market, is its most recent sale
price if there are any sales of such security on such market as of the Value
Time. Lacking any sales, the security is valued at the Calculated Mean quotation
for such security as of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the
security is valued at the most recent bid quotation as of the Value Time.
Debt securities, other than money-market instruments, are valued at
prices supplied by the Fund's pricing agent(s) which reflect broker/dealer
supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques. Money-market
instruments with an original maturity of sixty days or less maturing at par
shall be valued at amortized cost, which the Board believes approximates market
value. If it is not possible to value a particular debt security pursuant to
these valuation methods, the value of such security is the most recent bid
quotation supplied by a bona fide marketmaker. If
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it is not possible to value a particular debt security pursuant to the above
methods, the Adviser may calculate the price of that debt security, subject to
limitations established by the Board.
An exchange traded options contract on securities, currencies, futures
and other financial instruments is valued at its most recent sale price on such
exchange. Lacking any sales, the options contract is valued at the Calculated
Mean. Lacking any Calculated Mean, the options contract is valued at the most
recent bid quotation in the case of a purchased options contract, or the most
recent asked quotation in the case of a written options contract. An options
contract on securities, currencies and other financial instruments traded
over-the-counter is valued at the most recent bid quotation in the case of a
purchased options contract and at the most recent asked quotation in the case of
a written options contract. Futures contracts are valued at the most recent
settlement price. Foreign currency exchange forward contracts are valued at the
value of the underlying currency at the prevailing exchange rate.
If a security is traded on more than one exchange, or upon one or more
exchanges and in the over-the-counter market, quotations are taken from the
market in which the security is traded most extensively.
If, in the opinion of the Trust's Valuation Committee, the value of a
portfolio asset as determined in accordance with these procedures does not
represent the fair market value of the portfolio asset, the value of the
portfolio asset is taken to be an amount which, in the opinion of the Valuation
Committee, represents fair market value on the basis of all available
information. The value of other portfolio holdings owned by the Fund is
determined in a manner which, in the discretion of the Valuation Committee, most
fairly reflects fair market value of the property on the valuation date.
Following the valuations of securities or other portfolio assets in
terms of the currency in which the market quotation used is expressed ("Local
Currency"), the value of these portfolio assets in terms of U.S. dollars is
calculated by converting the Local Currency into U.S. dollars at the prevailing
currency exchange rate on the valuation date.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Experts
The Financial Highlights of the Fund included in the Fund's prospectus
and the Financial Statements incorporated by reference in this Statement of
Additional Information have been so included or incorporated by reference in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, One Post Office Square,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, independent accountants, and given on the authority
of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing. Effective July 1, 1998,
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. and Price Waterhouse LLP merged to become
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP is responsible for
performing annual audits of the financial statements and financial highlights of
the Fund in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and the
preparation of federal tax returns.
Shareholder Indemnification
The Trust is an organization of the type commonly known as a
"Massachusetts business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a
trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners
for the obligations of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust contains an express
disclaimer of shareholder liability in connection with the Trust property or the
acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust also
provides for indemnification out of the Trust property of any shareholder held
personally liable for the claims and liabilities to which a shareholder may
become subject by reason of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk
of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is
limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its
obligations.
Other Information
The CUSIP number of the Fund is 811167-20-4.
The Fund has a fiscal year ending October 31.
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Many of the investment changes in the Fund will be made at prices
different from those prevailing at the time they may be reflected in a regular
report to shareholders of the Fund. These transactions will reflect investment
decisions made by the Fund's investment adviser in light of the objective and
policies of the Fund and other factors such as its other portfolio holdings and
tax considerations and should not be construed as recommendations for similar
action by other investors.
The name "Investment Trust" is the designation of the Trustees for the
time being under a Declaration of Trust dated September 20, 1984, as amended
from time to time, and all persons dealing with the Trust must look solely to
the property of the Trust for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust as
neither the Trustees, officers, agents nor shareholders assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Trust. Upon the initial
purchase of shares, the shareholder agrees to the bound by the Trust's
Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time. The Declaration of Trust is
on file at the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office in Boston,
Massachusetts. All persons dealing with the Fund must look only to the assets of
the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as no other series
of the Trust assumes any liabilities for obligations entered into on behalf of
the Fund.
Portfolio securities of the Fund are held separately pursuant to a
custodian agreement, by the Trust's custodian, State Street Bank and Trust
Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
The law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads is counsel to the Fund.
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation (SFAC), Two International Place,
Boston, Massachusetts, 02110-4103, a subsidiary of the Adviser, computes net
asset value for the Fund. The Fund pays SFAC an annual fee equal to 0.025% of
the first $150 million of average daily net assets, 0.0075% of such assets in
excess of $150 million, 0.0045% of such assets in excess of $1 billion, plus
holding and transaction charges for this service. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1996, SFAC's fee amounted to $56,114, for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1997, SFAC's fee amounted to $57,787, and for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1998, SFAC's fee was $62,799, of which $11,007 was unpaid at
10/31/98.
Scudder Service Corporation ("Service Corporation"), P.O. Box 2291,
Boston, Massachusetts 02107-2291, a subsidiary of the Adviser, is the transfer,
dividend-paying and shareholder service agent for the Fund and also provides
subaccounting and recordkeeping services for shareholder accounts in certain
retirement and employee benefit plans. The Fund pays Service Corporation an
annual fee of $26.00 for each account maintained for a participant. For the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1997, Service Corporation's fee amounted to
$525,877, and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, the fee amounted to
$626,382, of which $58,000 was unpaid at 10/31/98. Please call 1-800-225-5163
for specific mailing instructions regarding your investment.
The Fund(s), or the Adviser (including any affiliate of the Adviser),
or both, may pay unaffiliated third parties for providing recordkeeping and
other administrative services with respect to accounts of participants in
retirement plans or other beneficial owners of Fund shares whose interests are
held in an omnibus account.
Scudder Trust Company, Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110-4103,
an affiliate of the Adviser provides services for certain retirement plan
accounts. The Fund pays Scudder Trust Company an annual fee of $29.00 for each
account maintained for a participant. For the fiscal year ended October 31,
1996, Scudder Trust Company's fee amounted to $128,483. For the fiscal year
ended October 31, 1997, Scudder Trust Company's fee amounted to $320,268, and
for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, Scudder Trust Company's fee amounted
to $411,592, of which $32,000 was unpaid at 10/31/98 .
The Fund's prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information omit
certain information contained in the Registration Statement which the Trust has
filed with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and reference is
hereby made to the Registration Statement for further information with respect
to the Fund and the securities offered hereby. This Registration Statement is
available for inspection by the public at the SEC in Washington, D.C.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements, including the investment portfolio, of
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund, together with the Report of Independent
Accountants, and Financial Highlights, are incorporated by reference and
attached hereto on pages 14 through 20, inclusive, in the Annual Report to the
Shareholders of the Fund dated October 31, 1998, and are hereby deemed to be a
part of this Statement of Additional Information.
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APPENDIX
Standard & Poor's Earnings and Dividend Rankings for Common Stocks
The investment process involves assessment of various factors -- such
as product and industry position, corporate resources and financial policy --
with results that make some common stocks more highly esteemed than others. In
this assessment, Standard & Poor believes that earnings and dividend performance
is the end result of the interplay of these factors and that, over the long run,
the record of this performance has a considerable bearing on relative quality.
The rankings, however, do not pretend to reflect all of the factors, tangible or
intangible, that bear on stock quality.
Relative quality of bonds or other debt, that is, degrees of protection
for principal and interest, called creditworthiness, cannot be applied to common
stocks, and therefore rankings are not to be confused with bond quality ratings
which are arrived at by a necessarily different approach.
Growth and stability of earnings and dividends are deemed key elements
in establishing Standard & Poor's earnings and dividend rankings for common
stocks, which are designed to capsulize the nature of this record in a single
symbol. It should be noted, however, that the process also takes into
consideration certain adjustments and modifications deemed desirable in
establishing such rankings.
The point of departure in arriving at these rankings is a computerized
scoring system based on per-share earnings and dividend records of the most
recent ten years -- a period deemed long enough to measure significant time
segments of secular growth, to capture indications of basic change in trend as
they develop, and to encompass the full peak-to-peak range of the business
cycle. Basic scores are computed for earnings and dividends, then adjusted as
indicated by a set of predetermined modifiers for growth, stability within
long-term trend, and cyclicality. Adjusted scores for earnings and dividends are
then combined to yield a final score.
Further, the ranking system makes allowance for the fact that, in
general, corporate size imparts certain recognized advantages from an investment
standpoint. Conversely, minimum size limits (in terms of corporate sales volume)
are set for the various rankings, but the system provides for making exceptions
where the score reflects an outstanding earnings-dividend record.
The final score for each stock is measured against a scoring matrix
determined by analysis of the scores of a large and representative sample of
stocks. The range of scores in the array of this sample has been aligned with
the following ladder of rankings:
A+ Highest B+ Average C Lowest
A High B Below Average D In Reorganization
A- Above Average B- Lower
NR signifies no ranking because of insufficient data or because the
stock is not amenable to the ranking process.
The positions as determined above may be modified in some instances by
special considerations, such as natural disasters, massive strikes, and
non-recurring accounting adjustments.
A ranking is not a forecast of future market price performance, but is
basically an appraisal of past performance of earnings and dividends, and
relative current standing. These rankings must not be used as market
recommendations; a high-score stock may at times be so overpriced as to justify
its sale, while a low-score stock may be attractively priced for purchase.
Rankings based upon earnings and dividend records are no substitute for complete
analysis. They cannot take into account potential effects of management changes,
internal company policies not yet fully reflected in the earnings and dividend
record, public relations standing, recent competitive shifts, and a host of
other factors that may be relevant to investment status and decision.
<PAGE>
SCUDDER
These funds seek long-term growth
of capital on an after-tax basis.
No-load/ No sales charges
Scudder Tax Managed
Growth Fund (306)
Scudder Tax Managed
Small Company Fund (307)
Mutual funds:
o are not FDIC-insured
o have no bank guarantees
o may lose value
Prospectus
March 1, 1999
The Securities and Exchange
Commission has not approved or
disapproved these securities or
passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to
the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
1 Tax Managed Investing
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Investment approach
2 Main risks
3 About the Funds
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
5 Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund
8 A message from the President
9 Investment adviser
11 Distributions
11 Taxes
13 Financial highlights
15 About Your Investment
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 Transaction information
16 Buying and selling shares
17 Purchases
18 Exchanges and redemptions
19 Investment products and services
21 Trustees and Officers
<PAGE>
Tax Managed Investing
Investment approach
Each fund is designed for long-term investors who seek growth of capital on an
after-tax basis.
Most mutual funds are managed for pre-tax return without regard to the tax
consequences of portfolio activity that may result in sizable annual
distributions taxable to shareholders. A significant part of an individual
investor's total return from a mutual fund investment held outside of group or
individual retirement plans may be subject each year to federal income tax rates
as high as 39.6% on distributions of dividends and short-term capital gains, and
as high as 20% on distributions of long-term capital gains.
Effective tax-sensitive investing requires trading off complex and occasionally
conflicting factors. Each fund evaluates these tradeoffs using the following
tax-sensitive management techniques:
o Each fund maintains a long-term investment horizon for selecting equity
securities. Each fund is actively managed and will likely have higher
portfolio turnover than passively managed funds, but the portfolio turnover
for each fund is expected to be significantly lower than the average
actively managed diversified equity fund.
o The funds' investment adviser, Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the
"Adviser"), uses a tax-sensitive strategy to efficiently keep each fund
focused on stocks with above-average long-term return potential, while
managing the tax consequences of selling securities where the future return
potential has diminished. Holdings are analyzed on a lot-by-lot basis for
before- and after-tax return potential and risk impact on the portfolio.
Based on this comparison, stocks are sold when the after-tax return
potential of the portfolio can be improved by making this sale.
o The Adviser will sell securities to realize capital losses to offset
accumulated or future capital gains when suitable replacements with similar
or better return and risk characteristics can be found.
1
<PAGE>
Main risks
The principal risks of investing in the funds are stock market movements and the
portfolio management strategies used by the Adviser. If certain sectors or
investments do not perform as the portfolio management team expects, a fund
could underperform its peers or lose money.
The funds' returns and net asset value will go up and down. Stock market
movements will affect the funds' share prices on a daily basis. Declines are
possible both in the overall stock market and in the types of securities held by
a fund.
The portfolio management team's skill in choosing appropriate investments for a
fund will determine in large part the fund's ability to achieve its investment
objective.
An investment in the common stock of a company represents a proportionate
ownership interest in that company. Therefore, each fund participates in the
success or failure of any company in which it holds stock. Compared to other
classes of financial assets, such as bonds or cash equivalents, common stocks
have historically offered the greatest potential for gain on your investment.
However, the market value of common stocks can fluctuate significantly,
reflecting such things as the business performance of the issuing company,
investors' perceptions of the company or the overall stock market and general
economic or financial market movements. Equity investing can be intensified for
medium and small companies.
While each fund seeks to provide a high level of after-tax total returns over
time, it may realize some capital gains and earn dividends, from time to time,
that will be distributed to shareholders. This may occur, for instance, when the
Adviser determines that the risk of remaining in a security with a lower
expected return outweighs the tax benefit of continuing to hold it. In addition,
shareholders may also be required to pay federal and state taxes if they realize
a capital gain upon the sale of their shares of a fund.
There are market and investment risks with any security and the value of an
investment in the funds will fluctuate over time and it is possible to lose
money invested in the funds.
2
<PAGE>
About the Funds
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
Investment objective
The fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an after-tax basis. Unless
otherwise indicated, the fund's investment objective and policies may be changed
without a vote of shareholders.
Main investment strategies
The fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80%
of its total assets in equity securities of established, medium- to large-sized
U.S. companies in the Russell 1000 Index. The Russell 1000 Index is an unmanaged
index of 1000 large company stocks. In selecting investments for the fund, the
portfolio management team uses a quantitative model which assigns proprietary
ratings to companies in order to identify those with strong and sustainable
earnings growth, a proven ability to add value to shareholders over time and
favorable stock price momentum. In addition to rating a company's growth
prospects, the model analyzes the company's relative valuation from multiple
perspectives.
The fund allocates its investments among the securities of different companies
and adjusts its portfolio weightings based on investment considerations such as
return potential, risk and the effect of portfolio adjustments on the after-tax
total returns of the fund.
The fund typically sells a stock when the future return prospects for the
security have diminished due to past price appreciation or deteriorating
fundamentals.
Of course, there can be no guarantee that by following these investment
strategies, the fund will achieve its objective.
Other investments
To a more limited extent, the fund may, but is not required to, utilize other
investments and investment techniques that may impact fund performance
including, but not limited to, options, futures and derivatives (financial
instruments that derive their values from other securities or commodities or
that are based on indices).
3
<PAGE>
Risk management strategies
The fund manages risk by diversifying widely among industries and companies, and
using disciplined security selection. Typically, the fund limits purchases of a
particular security to no more than 3% of the fund's assets.
For temporary defensive purposes, the fund may invest without limit in cash and
cash equivalents. In such a case, the fund would not be pursuing, and may not
achieve, its investment objective.
The fund may, but is not required to, use certain derivatives in an attempt to
manage risk. The use of derivatives could magnify losses.
Main risks
The fund's principal risks are associated with investing in the stock market,
the investment manager's skill in managing the fund's portfolio, and equity
investing. You will find a discussion of these risks under "Tax
Managed Investing" at the front of this prospectus.
Fee and expense information
The following information is designed to help you understand the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder fees: Fees paid directly from your investment.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
(as % of offering price) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested
dividends/distributions NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (as % of amount redeemed, if applicable) 2.00%*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange fee 2.00%**
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets):
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Management fee 0.80%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution (12b-1) fees NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses 1.05%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses 1.85%***
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expense reimbursement 0.60%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net expenses 1.25%***
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* There is a 2% fee retained by the fund which is imposed only on
redemptions of shares held less than one year. If you wish to receive your
redemption proceeds via wire, there is a $5 wire service fee. For
additional information, please refer to "About Your Investment --
Exchanges and redemptions."
** There is a 2% fee retained by the fund which is imposed only on exchanges
of shares held less than one year. For additional information, please
refer to "About Your Investment -- Exchanges and redemptions."
*** Total fund operating expenses are contractually maintained at 1.25%
through February 29, 2000.
4
<PAGE>
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
This example illustrates the impact of the above fees and expenses on an account
with an initial investment of $10,000, based on the expenses shown above. It
assumes a 5% annual return, the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
and "annual fund operating expenses" remaining the same each year. The expenses
would be the same whether you sold your shares at the end of each period or
continued to hold them.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One Year $ 399
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Years $ 806
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five Years $ 1,239
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ten Years $ 2,174
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual fund expenses and return vary from year to year, and may be higher or
lower than those shown.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund
Investment objective
The fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an after-tax basis. Unless
otherwise indicated, the fund's investment objective and policies may be changed
without a vote of shareholders.
Main investment strategies
The fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80%
of its assets in securities of undervalued small public U.S. companies with
above-average potential for stock price appreciation and by managing portfolio
transactions to produce attractive after-tax total returns for shareholders. The
portfolio management team uses a proprietary quantitative model to identify
securities of companies with favorable valuations relative to the Russell 2000
Index, stable or improving growth rates and acceptable risk. The Russell 2000
Index is an unmanaged capitalization-weighted measure of approximately 2000
small U.S. stocks. The fund will typically invest in securities of more than one
hundred fifty small companies representing a variety of U.S. industries.
The fund allocates its investments among different companies and adjusts its
portfolio weightings based on investment considerations such as return
potential, risk and the effect of portfolio adjustments on the after-tax total
returns of the fund.
5
<PAGE>
The fund typically sells a stock when the issuer has grown beyond the
capitalization size of the Russell 2000 Index or when the future return
potential of a stock has diminished due to past price appreciation or
deteriorating fundamentals.
Of course, there can be no guarantee that by following these investment
strategies, the fund will achieve its objective.
Other investments
To a more limited extent, the fund may, but is not required to, utilize other
investments and investment techniques that may impact fund performance
including, but not limited to, options, futures and derivatives (financial
instruments that derive their values from other securities or commodities or
that are based on indices).
Risk management strategies
The fund manages risk by diversifying widely among industries and companies, and
using disciplined security selection. Typically the fund limits purchases of a
particular security to no more than 2% of the fund's assets.
For temporary defensive purposes, the fund may invest without limit in cash and
cash equivalents. In such a case, the fund would not be pursuing, and may not
achieve its investment objective.
The fund may, but is not required to, use certain derivatives in an attempt to
manage risk. The use of derivatives could magnify losses.
Main risks
The fund's principal risks are associated with investing in the stock market,
the investment manager's skill in managing the fund's portfolio, and equity
investing. You will find a discussion of these risks under "Tax Managed
Investing" at the front of this prospectus.
In addition, small companies can be especially sensitive to market shifts and
isolated business reversals. This is because small companies often serve niche
markets and have limited product lines. They also generally lack the cash
reserves and access to financing that allow larger companies to weather the hard
times. Small companies as a group or individual companies may not perform as
well as expected. Securities of small companies are often thinly traded and
could be harder to value or sell at a fair price.
6
<PAGE>
Fee and expense information
The following information is designed to help you understand the fees and
expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder fees: Fees paid directly from your investment.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
(as % of offering price) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested
dividends/distributions NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (as % of amount redeemed, if applicable) 2.00%*
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange fee 2.00%**
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets):
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Management fee 0.90%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution (12b-1) fees NONE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses 1.13%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses 2.03%***
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expense reimbursement 0.53%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net expenses 1.50%***
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* There is a 2% fee retained by the fund which is imposed only on
redemptions of shares held less than one year. If you wish to receive your
redemption proceeds via wire, there is a $5 wire service fee. For
additional information, please refer to "About Your Investment --
Exchanges and redemptions."
** There is a 2% fee retained by the fund which is imposed only on exchanges
of shares held less than one year. For additional information, please
refer to "About Your Investment -- Exchanges and redemptions."
*** Total fund operating expenses are contractually maintained at 1.50%
through February 29, 2000.
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The example illustrates the impact of the above fees and expenses on an account
with an initial investment of $10,000, based on the expenses shown above. It
assumes a 5% annual return, the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
and "annual fund operating expenses" remaining the same each year. The expenses
would be the same whether you sold your shares at the end of each period or
continued to hold them.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One Year $ 412
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three Years $ 855
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five Years $ 1,325
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ten Years $ 2,358
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual fund expenses and return vary from year to year, and may be higher or
lower than those shown.
7
<PAGE>
A message from the President
[PHOTO OMITTED]
Edmond D. Villani, President
and CEO, Scudder Kemper
Investments, Inc.
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., investment adviser to the Scudder Family of
Funds, is one of the largest and most experienced investment management
organizations worldwide, managing more than $280 billion in assets globally for
mutual fund investors, retirement and pension plans, institutional and corporate
clients, and private family and individual accounts.
We offered America's first no-load mutual fund in 1928, and today the Scudder
Family of Funds includes over 50 no-load mutual fund portfolios or classes of
shares. We also manage mutual funds in a special program for the American
Association of Retired Persons, as well as the fund options available through
Scudder Horizon Plan, a tax-advantaged variable annuity. We also advise The
Japan Fund and numerous other open- and closed-end funds that invest in this
country and other countries around the world.
The Scudder Family of Funds is designed to make investing easy and less costly.
It includes money market, tax free, income and growth funds: IRAs, 401(k)s,
Keoghs and other retirement plans are also available.
Services available to shareholders include toll-free access to professional
representatives, easy exchange among the Scudder Family of Funds, shareholder
reports, informative newsletters and the walk-in convenience of Scudder Investor
Centers.
The Scudder Family of Funds is offered without commissions to purchase or redeem
shares or to exchange from one fund to another. There are no distribution
(12b-1) fees either, which many other funds now charge to support their
marketing efforts. All of your investment goes to work for you. We look forward
to welcoming you as a shareholder.
/s/ Edmond D. Villani
8
<PAGE>
Investment adviser
The funds retain the investment management firm of Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc. (the "Adviser"), Two International Place, Boston, MA, to manage each fund's
daily investment and business affairs subject to the policies established by the
funds' Board. The Adviser actively manages each fund's investments. Professional
management can be an important advantage for investors who do not have the time
or expertise to invest directly in individual securities.
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund each
pays the Adviser an investment management fee of 0.80% and 0.90%, respectively,
of the fund's average daily net assets on an annual basis.
The Adviser has agreed to maintain the expenses of Scudder Tax Managed Growth
Fund at no more than 1.25% of average daily net assets of the fund until
February 29, 2000. As a result, the Adviser received an investment management
fee of 0.80% of the fund's average daily net assets on an annual basis for the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1998.
The Adviser has agreed to maintain the expenses of Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund at no more than 1.50% of average daily net assets of the fund until
February 29, 2000. As a result, the Adviser received an investment management
fee of 0.90% of the fund's average daily net assets on an annual basis for the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1998.
Portfolio management
The funds are managed by a team of investment professionals, who each plays an
important role in each fund's management process. Team members work together to
develop investment strategies and select securities for each fund's portfolio.
They are supported by the Adviser's large staff of economists, research
analysts, traders and other investment specialists who work in the Adviser's
offices across the United States and abroad. Each fund's investment manager
believes its team approach benefits fund investors by bringing together many
disciplines and leveraging its extensive resources.
9
<PAGE>
The following investment professionals are associated with the funds as
indicated:
Joined the
Name and Title Funds Responsibilities and Background
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philip S. Fortuna 1998 Mr. Fortuna joined the Adviser in
Lead Manager -- Tax 1986 as an institutional
Managed Growth Fund portfolio manager and has been a
Manager -- Tax portfolio manager since then.
Managed Small From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Fortuna
Company Fund also served as Director of
Investment Operations. He began
his investment career in 1986.
James M. Eysenbach 1998 Mr. Eysenbach joined the Adviser
Lead Manager -- Tax in 1991 as a senior quantitative
Managed Small analyst and portfolio manager.
Company Fund Mr. Eysenbach was also Director
Manager -- Tax of Quantitative Services from
Managed Growth June 1993 to June 1997. Since
Fund 1997, Mr. Eysenbach has been
managing equity products
full-time. He began his
investment career in 1984.
Robert Tymoczko 1998 Mr. Tymoczko joined the Adviser
Manager -- Tax Managed in 1997 as a quantitative
Small Company Fund analyst. From 1994 to 1995, Mr.
and Tax Managed Tymoczko worked as an economic
Growth Fund consultant. From 1995 until he
joined the Adviser, Mr.Tymoczko
attended business school. He
began his investment career in
1992.
Calvin S. Young 1998 Mr. Young joined the Adviser in
Manager -- Tax Managed 1990 as a quantitative analyst,
Small Company Fund and since 1996, has
been providing analytical support
for the Adviser's quantitative
equity products. He began his
investment career in 1988.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year 2000 readiness
Like other mutual funds and financial and business organizations worldwide, the
funds could be adversely affected if computer systems on which the funds rely,
which primarily include those used by the Adviser, its affiliates or other
service providers, are unable to process correctly date-related information on
and after January 1, 2000. The risk is commonly called the Year 2000 issue.
Failure to address successfully the Year 2000 issue could result in
interruptions to and
10
<PAGE>
other material adverse effects on the funds' business and operations, such as
problems with calculating net asset value and difficulties in implementing a
fund's purchase and redemption procedures. The fund's Adviser has commenced a
review of the Year 2000 issue as it may affect the funds and is taking steps it
believes are reasonably designed to address the Year 2000 issue, although there
can be no assurances that these steps will be sufficient. In addition, there can
be no assurances that the Year 2000 issue will not have an adverse effect on the
issuers whose securities are held by the funds or on global markets or economies
generally.
Distributions
The funds intend to distribute dividends from net investment income annually, in
November or December. The funds intend to distribute net realized capital gains
after utilization of capital loss carryforwards, if any, at that time. An
additional distribution may be made, if necessary.
Any dividends or capital gains distributions declared in October, November or
December with a record date in such month and paid during the following January
will be treated by you for federal income tax purposes as if received on
December 31 of the calendar year declared.
A shareholder may choose to receive distributions in cash or have them
reinvested in additional shares of a fund. Distributions are generally taxable,
whether received in cash or reinvested. If an investment is in the form of a
retirement plan, all dividends and capital gains distributions must be
reinvested into the shareholder's account.
Taxes
Generally, dividends from net investment income are taxable to shareholders as
ordinary income. Long-term capital gains distributions, if any, are taxable to
shareholders as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time
shareholders have owned shares. Short-term capital gains and any other taxable
income distributions are taxable as ordinary income. A portion of dividends from
ordinary income may qualify for the dividends-received deduction for
corporations.
Unless your investment is in a tax-deferred account, you may want to avoid
investing a large amount close to the date of a distribution because you may
receive part of your investment back as a taxable distribution.
A sale or exchange of your shares is a taxable event and may result in a capital
gain or loss which may be long-term or short-term, generally depending on how
long you owned the shares.
The funds send you detailed tax information about the amount and type of their
distributions by January 31 of the following year.
11
<PAGE>
A fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 31% of
all taxable distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund
with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required
certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to
backup withholding. Any such withheld amounts may be credited against the
shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.
Shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on fund
distributions and dispositions of fund shares. You should consult your own tax
adviser regarding the particular tax consequences of an investment in the fund.
12
<PAGE>
Financial highlights
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the funds'
financial performance for the fiscal periods throughout the period (a)
indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund
share. The total return figures represent the rate that a shareholder would have
earned (or lost) on an investment in the fund assuming reinvestment of all
dividends and distributions. This information has been audited by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP whose reports, along with the fund's financial
statements, are included in the annual report, which is available upon request
by calling Scudder Investor Relations at 1-800-225-2470 or, for existing
shareholders, calling the Scudder Automated Information Line (SAIL) at
1-800-343-2890.
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Period
September 18,
1998
(commencement of
operations) to
October 31, 1998
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
Net asset value, beginning of period ............................ $12.00
-------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income ........................................... .01
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments .......... .72
-------------
Total from investment operations ................................ .73
-------------
Redemption fee .................................................. --
-------------
Net asset value, end of period .................................. $12.73
-------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Return (%) (b) ............................................ 6.08(c)**
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period ($ millions) .......................... 2.29
Ratio of operating expenses, net to average daily net
assets (%) .................................................... 1.25*
Ratio of operating expenses, before expense reductions, to
average daily net assets (%) .................................. 25.9*
Ratio of net investment income to average daily net assets (%) .. .42*
Portfolio turnover rate (%) ..................................... --
(a) Based on monthly average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Total return would have been lower had certain expenses not been reduced.
(c) Total return does not reflect the effect to the shareholder of the 2%
redemption fee on shares held less than one year.
* Annualized
** Not annualized
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13
<PAGE>
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Period
September 18,
1998
(commencement of
operations) to
October 31, 1998
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
Net asset value, beginning of period ............................. $12.00
-------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income ............................................ --
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments .................. .42
-------------
Total from investment operations ................................. .42
-------------
Redemption fee ................................................... --
-------------
Net asset value, end of period ................................... $12.42
-------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Return (%) (b) ............................................. 3.50(c)**
Ratios and Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period ($ millions) ........................... 1.58
Ratio of operating expenses, net to average daily net
assets (%) ..................................................... 1.50*
Ratio of operating expenses, before expense reductions, to
average daily net assets (%) ................................... 38.75*
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average daily net
assets (%) ..................................................... (0.13)*
Portfolio turnover rate (%) ...................................... --
(a) Based on monthly average shares outstanding during the period.
(b) Total return would have been lower had certain expenses not been reduced.
(c) Total return does not reflect the effect to the shareholder of the 2%
redemption fee on shares held less than one year.
* Annualized
** Not annualized
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14
<PAGE>
About Your Investment
Transaction information
Share price
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation determines the net asset value per share of
each fund as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
normally 4 p.m. eastern time, on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading.
Net asset value per share is calculated by dividing the value of total fund
assets, less all liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Market
prices are used to determine the value of the fund's assets. If market prices
are not readily available for a security or if a security's price is not
considered to be market indicative that security may be valued by another method
that the Board or its delegate believes accurately reflects fair value. In those
circumstances where a security's price is not considered to be market
indicative, the security's valuation may differ from an available market
quotation.
Processing time
All purchase and redemption requests received in good order at a fund's transfer
agent by the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange are
executed at the net asset value per share calculated at the close of trading
that day. All other requests that are in good order will be executed the
following business day.
Signature guarantees
A signature guarantee is required when you sell more than $100,000 worth of
shares. You can obtain a guarantee from most brokerage houses and financial
institutions, although not from a notary public. Each fund will normally send
you the proceeds within one business day following your request, but may take up
to seven business days (or longer in the case of shares recently purchased by
check). For more information, please call 1-800-225-5163.
Purchase restrictions
Purchases and sales should be made for long-term investment purposes only. The
funds and Scudder Investor Services, Inc. each reserves the right to reject
purchases of fund shares (including exchanges) for any reason including when
there is evidence of a pattern of frequent purchases and sales made in response
to short-term fluctuations in a fund's share price.
15
<PAGE>
Minimum balances
You should maintain a non-fiduciary account balance of $10,000, which minimum
amount may be changed by the fund's Board. Each fund reserves the right,
following 60 days written notice to shareholders, to redeem all shares in
accounts that have a value below $250, including accounts of new investors,
where such a reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption, exchange or
transfer out of the account.
Third party transactions
If you buy and sell shares of a fund through a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (other than Scudder Investor Services,
Inc.), that member may charge a fee for that service.
Redemption fee
Upon the redemption or exchange of shares held less than one year, a fee of 2%
of the current net asset value of the shares will be assessed and retained by a
fund for the benefit of the remaining shareholders. This fee is intended to
encourage long-term investment in a fund, to avoid transaction and other
expenses caused by early redemptions, and to facilitate portfolio management.
The fee is not a deferred sales charge, is not a commission paid to the Adviser
or its subsidiaries, and does not benefit the Adviser in any way. Each fund
reserves the right to modify the terms of or terminate this fee at any time.
The fee applies to redemptions from a fund and exchanges to other Scudder funds,
but not to dividend or capital gains distributions which have been automatically
reinvested in a fund.
The fee is applied to the shares being redeemed or exchanged in the order in
which they were purchased.
Other policies
Each fund reserves the right to redeem in kind. That is, it may honor redemption
requests with readily marketable fund securities instead of cash. There may be
transaction costs associated with converting these securities to cash.
Buying and selling shares
Please refer to the following charts for information on how to buy and sell fund
shares. Additional information, including special investment features, may be
found in the Shareholder Services Guide. For information about No-Fee IRAs, Roth
IRAs and other retirement options, call Scudder Investor Relations at
1-800-225-2470. For information on establishing 401(k) and 403(b) plans, call
Scudder Defined Contribution Services at 1-800-323-6105.
16
<PAGE>
Purchases
To open an account
The minimum initial investment is $10,000. Group retirement plans (401(k),
403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate plan literature.
Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send your completed and signed application and check
by regular mail to: The Scudder Funds
P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, The Scudder Funds
registered, or certified 66 Brooks Drive
mail to: Braintree, MA 02184
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to complete your
application with the help of a Scudder representative.
Investor Centers are located in Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago,
New York and San Francisco.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To buy additional shares
The minimum additional investment is $100. Group retirement plans (401(k),
403(b), etc.) have similar or lower minimums -- see appropriate plan literature.
Make checks payable to "The Scudder Funds."
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send a check with a Scudder investment slip, or with a
letter of instruction including your account number and the
complete fund name, to the appropriate address listed above.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wire Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Visit one of our Investor Centers to make an additional
investment in your Scudder fund account. Investor Center
locations are listed above.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Telephone Call 1-800-225-5163 for instructions.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Automatic You may arrange to make investments of $50 or more on a
Investment Plan regular basis through automatic deductions from your bank
checking account. Please call 1-800-225-5163 for more
information and an enrollment form.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17
<PAGE>
Exchanges and redemptions
To exchange shares
The minimum investments are $10,000 to establish a new account and $100 to
exchange among existing accounts.
There is a 2% fee payable to a fund for exchanges or redemptions of shares held
for less than one year.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163
Telephone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAIL(TM), the
Scudder Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890
(24 hours a day).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Print or type your instructions and include:
or Fax - the name of the fund and class and the account number
you are exchanging from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your
account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to
exchange;
- the name of the fund and class you are exchanging into;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
Send your instructions The Scudder Funds
by regular mail to: P.O. Box 2291
Boston, MA 02107-2291
or by express, registered, The Scudder Funds
or certified mail to: 66 Brooks Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
or by fax to: 1-800-821-6234
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To sell shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By To speak with a service representative, call 1-800-225-5163 from 8
Telephone a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time. To access SAIL(TM), the Scudder
Automated Information Line, call 1-800-343-2890 (24 hours a day).
You may have redemption proceeds sent to your predesignated bank
account, or redemption proceeds of up to $100,000 sent to your
address of record.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Send your instructions for redemption to the appropriate address
or Fax or fax number above and include:
- the name of the fund and class and account number you are
redeeming from;
- your name(s) and address as they appear on your account;
- the dollar amount or number of shares you wish to redeem;
- your signature(s) as it appears on your account; and
- a daytime telephone number.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By You may arrange to receive automatic cash payments periodically.
Automatic Call 1-800-225-5163 for more information and an enrollment form.
Withdrawal
Plan
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18
<PAGE>
Investment products and services
The Scudder Family of Funds[
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund
Scudder Cash Investment Trust
Scudder Money Market Series --
Prime Reserve Shares*
Premium Shares*
Managed Shares*
Scudder Government Money Market
Series -- Managed Shares*
Tax Free Money Market+
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series --
Managed Shares*
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund**
Tax Free+
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund
Scudder California Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund**
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund**
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund**
U.S. Income
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund
Scudder GNMA Fund
Scudder Income Fund
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund
Global Income
Scudder Global Bond Fund
Scudder International Bond Fund
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund
Asset Allocation
Scudder Pathway Conservative Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Balanced Portfolio
Scudder Pathway Growth Portfolio
Scudder Pathway International Portfolio
U.S. Growth and Income
Scudder Balanced Fund
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund
Scudder Growth and Income Fund
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund
U.S. Growth
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund
Scudder Value Fund***
Scudder Small Company Value Fund
Scudder Micro Cap Fund
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund***
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund
Scudder Development Fund
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund
Global Equity
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund
Scudder International Value Fund
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund
Scudder International Fund++
Scudder International Growth Fund
Scudder Global Discovery Fund***
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund
Scudder Gold Fund
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund
Scudder Latin America Fund
The Japan Fund, Inc.
Industry Sector Funds
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund
Scudder Health Care Fund
Scudder Technology Fund
Preferred Series
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund
19
<PAGE>
Retirement Programs and Education Accounts
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retirement Programs Education Accounts
- ------------------- ------------------
Traditional IRA Education IRA
Roth IRA UGMA/UTMA
SEP-IRA
Keogh Plan
401(k), 403(b) Plans
Variable Annuities
Scudder Horizon Plan**[[
Scudder Horizon Advantage**[[[
Closed-End Funds#
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Argentina Fund, Inc. Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc.
The Brazil Fund, Inc. Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc.
The Korea Fund, Inc. Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc.
Montgomery Street Income
Securities, Inc.
For complete information on any of the above Scudder funds, including management
fees and expenses, call or write for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before
you invest or send money.
- -----------
[ Funds within categories are listed in order from expected least risk to
most risk. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may not be available
for purchase or exchange.
+ A portion of the income from the tax-free funds may be subject to federal,
state, and local taxes.
* A class of shares of the fund.
** Not available in all states.
*** Only the Scudder Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family of
Funds.
++ Only the International Shares of the fund are part of the Scudder Family
of Funds.
[[ A no-load variable annuity contract provided by Charter National Life
Insurance Company and its affiliate, offered by Scudder's insurance
agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
[[[ A no-load variable annuity contract issued by Glenbrook Life and Annuity
Company and underwritten by Allstate Financial Services, Inc., sold by
Scudder's insurance agencies, 1-800-225-2470.
# These funds, advised by Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc., are traded on
the New York Stock Exchange and, in some cases, on various other stock
exchanges.
20
<PAGE>
Trustees and Officers
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Pierce*
President and Trustee
Henry P. Becton, Jr.
Trustee; President
and General Manager,
WGBH Educational Foundation
Dawn-Marie Driscoll
Trustee; Executive Fellow,
Center for Business Ethics,
Bentley College;
President, Driscoll Associates,
Peter B. Freeman
Trustee; Corporate Director
and Trustee
George M. Lovejoy, Jr.
Trustee; President and Director,
Fifty Associates
Wesley W. Marple, Jr.
Trustee; Professor of
Business Administration,
Northeastern University
College of Business Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk*
Trustee; Vice President and
Assistant Secretary
Jean C. Tempel
Trustee; Managing Partner,
Technology Equity Partners
Bruce F. Beaty*
Vice President
Philip S. Fortuna*
Vice President
William F. Gadsden*
Vice President
Robert T. Hoffman*
Vice President
Thomas W. Joseph*
Vice President
Valerie F. Malter*
Vice President
Ann M. McCreary*
Vice President
Thomas F. McDonough*
Vice President and Secretary
John R. Hebble*
Treasurer
Caroline Pearson*
Assistant Secretary
- -----------
* Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
21
<PAGE>
Additional information about each fund may be found in the Statement of
Additional Information, the Shareholder Services Guide and in shareholder
reports. Shareholder inquiries may be made by calling the toll-free number
listed below. The Statement of Additional Information contains more information
on fund investments and operations. The Shareholder Services Guide contains more
information about purchases and sales of fund shares. The semiannual and annual
shareholder reports contain a discussion of the market conditions and the
investment strategies that significantly affected a fund's performance during
the last fiscal year, as well as a listing of portfolio holdings and financial
statements. These and other fund documents may be obtained without charge from
the following sources:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Telephone Call Scudder Investor Relations at 1-800-225-2470
Or
For existing Scudder investors, call the Scudder Automated
Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890 (24 hours a day).
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Mail Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
Two International Place
Boston, MA 02110-4103
Or
Public Reference Section
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549-6009
(a duplication fee is charged)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Person Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.
(Call 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information.)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Internet http://www.sec.gov
http://www.scudder.com
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus).
Investment Company Act file number: 811-43
[PRINTED WITH SOY INK LOGO] [RECYCLE LOGO] Printed on recycled paper
395-2-39
PR306399
<PAGE>
SCUDDER TAX MANAGED GROWTH FUND
SCUDDER TAX MANAGED SMALL COMPANY FUND
A series of Investment Trust
Two No-Load (No Sales Charges) Mutual Funds, Each Seeking
Long-Term Growth of Capital on an After-Tax Basis Through
Diversified Investment in U.S. Equity Securities.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March 1, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus and should be read
in conjunction with the prospectus for Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund dated March 1, 1999, as amended from time
to time, a copy of which may be obtained without charge by writing to Scudder
Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
02110-4103.
The Annual Report to Shareholders of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder
Tax Managed Small Company Fund dated October 31, 1998, is incorporated by
reference and is hereby deemed to be part of this Statement of Additional
Information.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Page
<S> <C>
THE FUNDS'INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES..........................................................................1
Introduction to Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund..................1
General Investment Objective and Policies...................................................................2
Investments.................................................................................................2
Investment Strategies.......................................................................................3
Master/feeder structure.....................................................................................3
Investment Restrictions....................................................................................11
PURCHASES...........................................................................................................13
Additional Information About Opening An Account............................................................13
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments.................................................13
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy.....................................14
Checks.....................................................................................................14
Wire Transfer of Federal Funds.............................................................................14
Share Price................................................................................................15
Share Certificates.........................................................................................15
Other Information..........................................................................................15
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS...........................................................................................15
Exchanges..................................................................................................15
Special Redemption and Exchange Information................................................................16
Redemption By Telephone....................................................................................17
Redemption by QuickSell....................................................................................18
Redemption by Mail or Fax..................................................................................18
Redemption-in-Kind.........................................................................................18
Other Information..........................................................................................19
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND...........................................................................19
The No-Load Concept........................................................................................19
Internet access............................................................................................20
Dividends and Capital Gains Distribution Options...........................................................21
Scudder Investor Centers...................................................................................21
Reports to Shareholders....................................................................................21
Transaction Summaries......................................................................................22
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS.........................................................................................22
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS...............................................................................................27
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase Pension Plans for Corporations
and Self-Employed Individuals.........................................................................27
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals........27
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account................................................................28
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account............................................................29
Scudder 403(b) Plan........................................................................................29
Automatic Withdrawal Plan..................................................................................29
Group or Salary Deduction Plan.............................................................................30
Automatic Investment Plan..................................................................................30
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act......................................................................30
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS...........................................................................30
i
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
Page
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.............................................................................................31
Average Annual Total Return................................................................................31
Cumulative Total Return....................................................................................32
Total Return...............................................................................................32
Comparison of Fund Performance.............................................................................32
FUND ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................36
INVESTMENT ADVISER..................................................................................................36
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser...........................................................40
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS...............................................................................................40
REMUNERATION........................................................................................................43
Responsibilities of the Board --Board and Committee Meetings...............................................43
Compensation of Officers and Trustees......................................................................43
DISTRIBUTOR.........................................................................................................44
TAXES...............................................................................................................46
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS..............................................................................................49
Brokerage Commissions......................................................................................49
Portfolio Turnover.........................................................................................50
NET ASSET VALUE.....................................................................................................50
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION..............................................................................................51
Experts....................................................................................................51
Other Information..........................................................................................51
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS................................................................................................52
</TABLE>
ii
<PAGE>
THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
(See "Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund" and
"Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Introduction to Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company
Fund (each a "Fund," collectively, the "Funds") is each a no-load diversified
series of Investment Trust (the "Trust"), an open-end management investment
company which continuously offers and redeems shares at net asset value. Each
Fund is a company of the type commonly known as a mutual fund and is advised by
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the "Adviser").
Each Fund is managed with the objective of seeking long-term growth of
capital on an after-tax basis through diversified investment in U.S. equity
securities. A discussion of the Funds' investment policies and strategies is
provided below.
Most mutual funds are managed for pre-tax return without regard to the
tax consequences of portfolio activity that may result in sizable annual
distributions taxable to shareholders. A significant part of an investor's total
return from a mutual fund investment held outside of group or individual
retirement plans may be subject each year to federal income tax rates as high as
39.6% on distributions of dividends and short-term capital gains, and as high as
20% on distributions of long-term capital gains.
Each Fund is designed for long-term investors who seek growth of
capital on an after-tax basis. Effective tax-sensitive investing requires
trading off complex and occasionally conflicting factors. Each Fund evaluates
these tradeoffs using the following tax-sensitive management techniques:
o Each Fund maintains a long-term investment horizon for
selecting equity securities. Each Fund is actively managed and
will likely have higher portfolio turnover than passively
managed funds, but the portfolio turnover for each Fund is
expected to be significantly lower than the average actively
managed diversified equity fund.
o The Adviser uses a tax-sensitive portfolio optimization model
to efficiently keep each Fund focused on stocks with
above-average long-term return potential, while managing the
tax consequences of selling securities where the future return
potential has diminished. Holdings are analyzed on a
lot-by-lot basis for before- and after-tax return potential
and risk impact on the portfolio. Based on this comparison,
stocks are sold when the after-tax return potential of the
portfolio can be improved by making this sale.
o The Adviser will sell securities to realize capital losses to
offset accumulated or future capital gains when suitable
replacements with similar or better return and risk
characteristics can be found.
o Each Fund has a 2% redemption fee applied to shares held for
less than one year to encourage long-term investing.
While each Fund seeks to provide a high level of after-tax total
returns over time, each may realize some capital gains and earn dividends, from
time to time, that will be distributed to shareholders. This may occur, for
instance, when the Adviser determines that the risk of remaining in a security
with a lower expected return outweighs the tax benefit of continuing to hold it.
In addition, shareholders may also be required to pay federal and state taxes if
they realize a capital gain upon the sale of their shares of a Fund. The Funds
are not designed for IRAs and other tax-deferred retirement accounts, where
annual earnings are not subject to taxes. The Funds are each managed for
long-term growth on an after-tax basis.
<PAGE>
General Investment Objective and Policies
Descriptions in this Statement of Additional Information of a
particular investment practice or technique in which a Fund may engage (such as
short selling, hedging, etc.) or a financial instrument which a Fund may
purchase (such as options, forward foreign currency contracts, etc.) are meant
to describe the spectrum of investments that the Adviser, in its discretion,
might, but is not required to, use in managing a Fund's portfolio assets. The
Adviser may, in its discretion, at any time employ such practice, technique or
instrument for one or more funds, but not for all funds advised by it.
Furthermore, it is possible that certain types of financial instruments or
investment techniques described herein may not be available, permissible,
economically feasible or effective for their intended purposes in all markets.
Certain practices, techniques, or instruments may not be principal activities of
a Fund, but, to the extent employed, could from time to time have a material
impact on a Fund's performance.
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an
after-tax basis. The Fund invests primarily in established, medium- to
large-sized U.S. companies. While the Fund is broadly diversified and invested
in stocks of financially sound companies, its share price will move up and down
with changes in the general level of the financial markets, particularly the
U.S. stock market. Investors should be comfortable with stock market risk and
view the Fund only as a long-term investment.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an
after-tax basis through investment primarily in undervalued stocks of small U.S.
companies. Although the Fund will invest in a large number of securities and
pursue a value-oriented investment strategy, investment in small company stocks
does entail above-average investment risk in comparison to larger stocks.
Shares of the Fund should be purchased with a long-term investment horizon in
mind.
To encourage long-term investing and to facilitate its tax-sensitive
management style, each Fund has a redemption fee of 2% which will apply for
sales and exchanges of shares held for less than one year. The fee will be
assessed and retained by each Fund for the benefit of the remaining
shareholders, helping to offset the tax costs that can occur when a Fund is
forced to sell portfolio securities and realize capital gains as a result of
short-term investor activity.
Except as otherwise indicated, each Fund's investment objective and
policies are not fundamental and may be changed without a vote of shareholders.
If there is a change in a Fund's investment objective, shareholders should
consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of their
then financial position and needs. There can be no assurance that either Fund's
objective will be met.
Investments
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund, under normal market conditions, will invest at
least 80% of its assets in equity securities of established, medium-to-large
sized U.S. companies that, in the opinion of the Adviser, offer potential for
long-term growth of capital.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund, under normal circumstances, will invest
at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of small U.S. companies. The
Fund will invest in securities of companies that are similar in size or smaller
than those in the Russell 2000 Index of small stocks. The Fund will sell
securities of companies that have grown in market capitalization above the
maximum of the Russell 2000 Index, as necessary to keep the Fund focused on
smaller companies.
Each Fund allocates its investments among different industries and
companies and adjusts its portfolio securities based on investment
considerations and the effect of portfolio adjustments on the after-tax total
returns of the Fund.
While each Fund invests predominantly in common stocks, each can
purchase other types of equity securities including preferred stocks
(convertible securities), rights, warrants, and illiquid securities. Securities
may be listed on national exchanges or traded over-the-counter. Each Fund also
may invest up to 20% of their assets in U.S. Treasury, agency and
instrumentality obligations on a temporary basis, may enter into repurchase
agreements and reverse
2
<PAGE>
repurchase agreements and may engage in strategic transactions, using such
derivatives contracts as index options and futures, to increase stock market
participation, enhance liquidity and manage transaction costs. Each Fund
currently intends to borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes, such as
providing for redemptions or distributions, and not for investment leverage
purposes.
For temporary defensive purposes, a Fund may invest without limit in
cash and cash equivalents when the Adviser deems such a position advisable in
light of economic or market conditions. It is impossible to predict accurately
how long such alternate strategies may be utilized.
Investment Strategies
The Funds are actively managed and use disciplined investment
approaches. The Adviser uses proprietary computerized models to evaluate and
rate each security for return potential based on characteristics such as
relative valuation, growth trends, price momentum and volatility. A
tax-sensitive portfolio optimization system is designed to manage risk and the
tax implications of trading securities.
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund seeks to invest in established, medium- to
large-sized U.S. companies in the Russell 1000 Index. A quantitative model
assigns proprietary ratings to companies in order to identify those with strong
and sustainable earnings growth, a proven ability to add value to shareholders
over time and favorable stock price momentum. In addition to rating a company's
growth prospects, the model analyzes its relative valuation from multiple
perspectives. The Adviser's emphasis on investing in companies with attractive
valuations and promising growth may result in the Fund experiencing lower
average price volatility than other growth mutual fund investments.
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund seeks to identify small, public U.S.
companies with above average potential for stock price appreciation and to
manage portfolio transactions to produce attractive after-tax total returns for
shareholders. The management team seeks securities of companies with favorable
valuations relative to the Russell 2000 Index, stable or improving growth rates,
and acceptable risk. The Fund takes a diversified approach to investing in small
capitalization holdings. The Fund will typically invest in securities of more
than 150 small companies representing a variety of U.S. industries. The Fund
involves above average equity risk due to investment in small companies, but its
value-oriented, systematic approach to investing is designed to potentially
mitigate volatility of the Fund's share price relative to other funds investing
in small companies.
Special Risks of Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund. While, historically,
small company stocks have outperformed the stocks of large companies, the former
have customarily involved more risk, as well. Small companies may have limited
product lines, markets or financial resources; may lack management depth or
experience; and may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic
developments than large companies. The prices of small company securities are
often more volatile than prices associated with large company issues, and can
display abrupt or erratic movements at times, due to limited trading volumes and
less publicly available information.
Also, because small companies normally have fewer shares outstanding
and these shares trade less frequently than large companies, it may be more
difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of such shares
without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices.
Some of the companies in which the Fund may invest may distribute, sell
or produce products which have recently been brought to market and may be
dependent on key personnel.
The securities of small companies are often traded over-the-counter and
may not be traded in the volumes typical on a national securities exchange.
Consequently, in order to sell this type of holding, the Fund may need to
discount the securities from recent prices or dispose of the securities over a
long period of time.
Master/feeder fund structure
The Board of Trustees has the discretion to retain the current
distribution arrangement for a Fund while investing in a master fund in a
master/feeder fund structure as described below.
3
<PAGE>
A master/feeder fund structure is one in which a fund (a "feeder
fund"), instead of investing directly in a portfolio of securities, invests most
or all of its investment assets in a separate registered investment company (the
"master fund") with substantially the same investment objective and policies as
the feeder fund. Such a structure permits the pooling of assets of two or more
feeder funds, preserving separate identities or distribution channels at the
feeder fund level. Based on the premise that certain of the expenses of
operating an investment portfolio are relatively fixed, a larger investment
portfolio may eventually achieve a lower ratio of operating expenses to average
net assets. An existing investment company is able to convert to a feeder fund
by selling all of its investments, which involves brokerage and other
transaction costs and realization of a taxable gain or loss, or by contributing
its assets to the master fund and avoiding transaction costs and, if proper
procedures are followed, the realization of taxable gain or loss.
Repurchase Agreements. Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with any
member bank of the Federal Reserve System and any broker-dealer which is
recognized as a reporting government securities dealer if the creditworthiness
of the bank or broker-dealer has been determined by the Adviser to be at least
as high as that of other obligations the Fund may purchase or to be at least
equal to that of issuers of commercial paper rated within the two highest grades
assigned by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or Standard and Poor's
Corporation ("S&P").
A repurchase agreement provides a means for a Fund to earn income on
funds for periods as short as overnight. It is an arrangement under which the
purchaser (i.e., a Fund) acquires a security ("Obligation") and the seller
agrees, at the time of sale, to repurchase the Obligation at a specified time
and price. Securities subject to a repurchase agreement are held in a segregated
account and the value of such securities kept at least equal to the repurchase
price on a daily basis. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase
price, the difference being income to a Fund, or the purchase and repurchase
prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together
with the repurchase price upon repurchase. In either case, the income to a Fund
is unrelated to the interest rate on the Obligation itself. Obligations will be
held by the Custodian or in the Federal Reserve Book Entry system.
For purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the
seller of the Obligation subject to the repurchase agreement and is therefore
subject to a Fund's investment restriction applicable to loans. It is not clear
whether a court would consider the Obligation purchased by a Fund subject to a
repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a
loan by the Fund to the seller. In the event of the commencement of bankruptcy
or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the Obligation before
repurchase of the Obligation under a repurchase agreement, a Fund may encounter
delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Delays may involve
loss of interest or decline in price of the Obligation. If the court
characterizes the transaction as a loan and a Fund has not perfected a security
interest in the Obligation, the Fund may be required to return the Obligation to
the seller's estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an
unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the
principal and income involved in the transaction. As with any unsecured debt
instrument purchased for a Fund, the Adviser seeks to minimize the risk of loss
through repurchase agreements by analyzing the creditworthiness of the obligor,
in this case the seller of the Obligation. Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to
repurchase the Obligation, in which case a Fund may incur a loss if the proceeds
to the Fund of the sale to a third party are less than the repurchase price.
However, if the market value of the Obligation subject to the repurchase
agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including interest), a Fund
will direct the seller of the Obligation to deliver additional securities so
that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement will
equal or exceed the repurchase price. It is possible that a Fund will be
unsuccessful in seeking to enforce the seller's contractual obligation to
deliver additional securities.
Convertible Securities. Each Fund may invest in convertible securities, i.e.,
bonds, notes, debentures, preferred stocks and other securities which are
convertible into common stock. Investments in convertible securities can provide
an opportunity for capital appreciation and/or income through interest and
dividend payments by virtue of their conversion or exchange features.
The convertible securities in which a Fund may invest are either
fixed-income or zero coupon debt securities which may be converted or exchanged
at a stated or determinable exchange ratio into underlying shares of common
stock. The exchange ratio for any particular convertible security may be
adjusted from time to time due to stock splits, dividends, spin-offs, other
corporate distributions or scheduled changes in the exchange ratio. Convertible
debt
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securities and convertible preferred stocks, until converted, have general
characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. Although to a lesser
extent than with debt securities generally, the market value of convertible
securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to
increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion or
exchange feature, the market value of convertible securities typically changes
as the market value of the underlying common stocks changes, and, therefore,
also tends to follow movements in the general market for equity securities. A
unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the
underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade
increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines
to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the
underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend
to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock, although
typically not as much as the underlying common stock. While no securities
investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally
entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
As debt securities, convertible securities are investments which
provide for a stream of income (or in the case of zero coupon securities,
accretion of income) with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course,
like all debt securities, there can be no assurance of income or principal
payments because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their
obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower yields than
non-convertible securities of similar quality because of their conversion or
exchange features.
Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but
non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as
corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity
securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of the
same issuer. However, because of the subordination feature, convertible bonds
and convertible preferred stock typically have lower ratings than similar
non-convertible securities. Convertible securities may be issued as fixed income
obligations that pay current income or as zero coupon notes and bonds, including
Liquid Yield Option Notes ("LYONs"(TM)).
Illiquid Securities. Each Fund may occasionally purchase securities other than
in the open market. While such purchases may often offer attractive
opportunities for investment not otherwise available on the open market, the
securities so purchased are often "restricted securities", i.e., securities
which cannot be sold to the public without registration under the Securities Act
of 1933 or the availability of an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144
or 144A), or which are "not readily marketable" because they are subject to
other legal or contractual delays in or restrictions on resale.
The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a
market value for illiquid investments. Disposing of illiquid investments may
involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult
or impossible for the Fund to sell them promptly at an acceptable price. The
Fund may have to bear the extra expense of registering such securities for
resale and the risk of substantial delay in effecting such registration. Also
market quotations are less readily available. The judgment of the Adviser may at
times play a greater role in valuing these securities than in the case of
unrestricted securities.
Generally speaking, restricted securities may be sold only to qualified
institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction to a limited
number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a
specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption
from registration, or in a public offering for which a registration statement is
in effect under the Securities Act of 1933. The Funds may be deemed to be an
"underwriter" for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 when selling restricted
securities to the public, and in such event the Fund may be liable to purchasers
of such securities if the registration statement prepared by the issuer, or the
prospectus forming a part of it, is materially inaccurate or misleading.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells a
portfolio instrument to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in
return for cash and agrees to repurchase the instrument at a particular price
and time. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, a Fund will
maintain liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover its obligation
under the agreement. A Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only
with parties whose creditworthiness has been found satisfactory by the Adviser.
Such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of a Fund's
assets and may be viewed as a form of leverage.
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Investment Company Securities. Securities of other investment companies may be
acquired by a Fund to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. Investment
companies incur certain expenses such as management, custodian, and transfer
agency fees, and, therefore, any investment by the Fund in shares of other
investment companies may be subject to such duplicate expenses.
Short Sales Against the Box. Each Fund may make short sales of common stocks if,
at all times when a short position is open, the applicable Fund owns the stock
or owns preferred stocks or debt securities convertible or exchangeable, without
payment of further consideration, into the shares of common stock sold short.
Short sales of this kind are referred to as short sales "against the box." The
broker/dealer that executes a short sale generally invests cash proceeds of the
sale until they are paid to a Fund. Arrangements may be made with the
broker/dealer to obtain a portion of the interest earned by the broker on the
investment of short sale proceeds.
Lending of Portfolio Securities. Each Fund may seek to increase its net income
by lending portfolio securities. Such loans may be made to registered
broker/dealers or other financial institutions and are required to be secured
continuously by collateral in cash or liquid assets maintained on a current
basis at an amount at least equal to the market value and accrued interest of
the securities loaned. A Fund has the right to call a loan and obtain the
securities loaned on five days notice or, in connection with securities trading
on foreign markets, within such longer period of time which coincides with the
normal settlement period for purchases and sales of such securities in such
foreign markets. During the existence of a loan, a Fund will continue to receive
the equivalent of any distributions paid by the issuer on the securities loaned
and will also receive compensation based on investment of the collateral. The
risks in lending securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist
of a possible delay in recovery or even a loss of rights in the collateral
should the borrower of the securities fail financially. Loans will only be made
to firms deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing, and will not be made
unless, in the judgment of the Adviser, the consideration to be earned from such
loans would justify the risk. The value of the securities loaned will not exceed
5% of the value of a Fund's total assets at the time any loan is made.
Borrowing. Each Fund may not borrow money, except as permitted under Federal
law. Each Fund will borrow only when the Adviser believes that borrowing will
benefit the Funds after taking into account considerations such as the costs of
the borrowing. Each Fund does not expect to borrow for investment purposes, to
increase return or leverage the portfolio. Borrowing by a Fund will involve
special risk considerations. Although the principal of a Fund's borrowings will
be fixed, a Fund's assets may change in value during the time a borrowing is
outstanding, thus increasing exposure to capital risk.
Warrants. Each Fund may invest in warrants up to 5% of the value of its
respective net assets. The holder of a warrant has the right, until the warrant
expires, to purchase a given number of shares of a particular issuer at a
specified price. Such investments can provide a greater potential for profit or
loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security. Prices of
warrants do not necessarily move, however, in tandem with the prices of the
underlying securities and are, therefore, considered speculative investments.
Warrants pay no dividends and confer no rights other than a purchase option.
Thus, if a warrant held by a Fund were not exercised by the date of its
expiration, the Fund would lose the entire purchase price of the warrant.
Strategic Transactions and Derivatives. The Fund may, but is not required to,
utilize various other investment strategies as described below for a variety of
purposes, such as hedging various market risks managing the effective maturity
or duration of the Fund's portfolio, or enhancing potential gain. These
strategies may be executed through the use of derivative contracts. Such
strategies are generally accepted as a part of modern portfolio management and
are regularly utilized by many mutual funds and other institutional investors.
In the course of pursuing these investment strategies, the Fund may
purchase and sell exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on
securities, equity and fixed-income indices and other instruments, purchase and
sell futures contracts and options thereon, enter into various transactions such
as swaps, caps, floors, collars, currency forward contracts, currency futures
contracts, currency swaps or options on currencies, currency futures and various
other currency transactions (collectively, all the above are called "Strategic
Transactions"). In addition, strategic transactions may also include new
techniques, instruments or strategies that are permitted as regulatory changes
occur. Strategic Transactions may be used without limit to attempt to protect
against possible changes in the market value of
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securities held in or to be purchased for the Fund's portfolio resulting from
securities markets or currency exchange rate fluctuations, to protect the Fund's
unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the
sale of such securities for investment purposes, to manage the effective
maturity or duration of fixed-income securities in the Fund's portfolio, or to
establish a position in the derivatives markets as a substitute for purchasing
or selling particular securities. Some Strategic Transactions may also be used
to enhance potential gain although no more than 5% of the Fund's assets will be
committed to Strategic Transactions entered into for non-hedging purposes. Any
or all of these investment techniques may be used at any time and in any
combination, and there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one
technique rather than another, as use of any Strategic Transaction is a function
of numerous variables including market conditions. The ability of the Fund to
utilize these Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on the Adviser's
ability to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. The Fund
will comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these
strategies, techniques and instruments. Strategic Transactions will not be used
to alter the fundamental investment purposes and characteristics of the fund,
and the fund will segregate assets (or as provided by applicable regulations,
enter into certain offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under options,
futures and swaps to limit leveraging of the fund.
Strategic Transactions, including derivative contracts, have risks
associated with them including possible default by the other party to the
transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Adviser's view as to certain
market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of such Strategic
Transactions could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. Use
of put and call options may result in losses to a Fund, force the sale or
purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than
(in the case of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current
market values, limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on its
investments or cause the Fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell. The
use of currency transactions can result in a Fund incurring losses as a result
of a number of factors including the imposition of exchange controls, suspension
of settlements, or the inability to deliver or receive a specified currency. The
use of options and futures transactions entails certain other risks. In
particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of
futures contracts and price movements in the related portfolio position of a
Fund creates the possibility that losses on the hedging instrument may be
greater than gains in the value of the Fund's position. In addition, futures and
options markets may not be liquid in all circumstances and certain
over-the-counter options may have no markets. As a result, in certain markets, a
Fund might not be able to close out a transaction without incurring substantial
losses, if at all. Although the use of futures and options transactions for
hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value
of the hedged position, at the same time they tend to limit any potential gain
which might result from an increase in value of such position. Finally, the
daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts would create a greater
ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of options, where the
exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium. Losses resulting from
the use of Strategic Transactions would reduce net asset value, and possibly
income, and such losses can be greater than if the Strategic Transactions had
not been utilized.
General Characteristics of Options. Put options and call options typically have
similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the
underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the following
general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed
in greater detail below. In addition, many Strategic Transactions involving
options require segregation of Fund assets in special accounts, as described
below under "Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts."
A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a
premium, the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying
security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price.
For instance, a Fund's purchase of a put option on a security might be designed
to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some cases, a
similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value by giving
a Fund the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise price. A call
option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the option the right
to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument at the
exercise price. A Fund's purchase of a call option on a security, financial
future, index, currency or other instrument might be intended to protect the
Fund against an increase in the price of the underlying instrument that it
intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase
such instrument. An American style put or call option may be exercised at any
time during the option period while a European style put or call option may be
exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior thereto. A Fund is
authorized to purchase and sell exchange listed options and over-the-counter
options ("OTC options"). Exchange listed options are issued by a regulated
intermediary such as the Options Clearing
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Corporation ("OCC"), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the
parties to such options. The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but is
also applicable to other financial intermediaries.
With certain exceptions, OCC-issued and exchange-listed options
generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency,
although in the future cash settlement may become available. Index options and
Eurodollar instruments are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the
option is "in-the-money" (i.e., where the value of the underlying instrument
exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put
option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised.
Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument
through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by
entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in
ownership of the new option.
A Fund's ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of
an OCC or exchange listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the
liquidity of the option market. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a
liquid option market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in
certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii)
trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to
particular classes or series of options or underlying securities including
reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the
OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to
handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to
discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options),
in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease
to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue
to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours
during which the underlying financial instruments are traded. To the extent that
the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial
instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the
underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
OTC options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial
institutions or other parties ("Counterparties") through direct bilateral
agreement with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange listed options, which
generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms of an
OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price,
premium, guarantees and security, are set by negotiation of the parties. A Fund
will only sell OTC options (other than OTC currency options) that are subject to
a buy-back provision permitting the Fund to require the Counterparty to sell the
option back to the Fund at a formula price within seven days. A Fund expects
generally to enter into OTC options that have cash settlement provisions,
although it is not required to do so.
Unless the parties provide for it, there is no central clearing or
guaranty function in an OTC option. As a result, if the Counterparty fails to
make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying
an OTC option it has entered into with a Fund or fails to make a cash settlement
payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Fund will lose any
premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the
transaction. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of each
such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the Counterparty's
credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC option will be
satisfied. A Fund will engage in OTC option transactions only with U.S.
Government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
as "primary dealers" or broker/dealers, domestic or foreign banks or other
financial institutions which have received (or the guarantors of the obligation
of which have received) a short-term credit rating of A-1 from S&P or P-1 from
Moody's or an equivalent rating from any nationally recognized statistical
rating organization ("NRSRO") or, in the case of OTC currency transactions, are
determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser. The staff of the
SEC currently takes the position that OTC options purchased by a Fund, and
portfolio securities "covering" the amount of the Fund's obligation pursuant to
an OTC option sold by it (the cost of the sell-back plus the in-the-money
amount, if any) are illiquid, and are subject to the Fund's limitation on
investing no more than 15% of its total assets in illiquid securities.
If a Fund sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve
as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in
the value of the underlying securities or instruments in its portfolio or will
increase the Fund's income. The sale of put options can also provide income.
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A Fund may purchase and sell call options on securities including U.S.
Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt
securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar
instruments that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the
over-the-counter markets, and on securities indices, currencies and futures
contracts. All calls sold by a Fund must be "covered" (i.e., the Fund must own
the securities or futures contract subject to the call) or must meet the asset
segregation requirements described below as long as the call is outstanding.
Even though a Fund will receive the option premium to help protect it against
loss, a call sold by the Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option to
possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the
underlying security or instrument and may require the Fund to hold a security or
instrument which it might otherwise have sold.
A Fund may purchase and sell put options on securities including U.S.
Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, foreign sovereign
debt, corporate debt securities, equity securities (including convertible
securities) and Eurodollar instruments (whether or not it holds the above
securities in its portfolio), and on securities indices, currencies and futures
contracts other than futures on individual corporate debt and individual equity
securities. A Fund will not sell put options if, as a result, more than 50% of
the Fund's assets would be required to be segregated to cover its potential
obligations under such put options other than those with respect to futures and
options thereon. In selling put options, there is a risk that the Fund may be
required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price above the
market price.
General Characteristics of Futures. The Fund may enter into futures contracts or
purchase or sell put and call options on such futures as a hedge against
anticipated interest rate, currency or equity market changes, and for duration
management, risk management, and return enhancement purposes. Futures are
generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed,
with payment of initial and variation margin as described below. The sale of a
futures contract creates a firm obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver to
the buyer the specific type of instrument called for in the contract at a
specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures
and Eurodollar instruments, the net cash amount). Options on futures contracts
are similar to options on securities except that an option on a futures contract
gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a
position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such
position.
The Fund's use of futures and options thereon will in all cases be
consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in particular the rules
and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and will be entered
into for bona fide hedging, risk management (including duration management) or
other portfolio management and return enhancement purposes. Typically,
maintaining a futures contract or selling an option thereon requires the Fund to
deposit with a financial intermediary as security for its obligations an amount
of cash or other specified assets (initial margin) which initially is typically
1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some
circumstances). Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to
be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark to market value of the
contract fluctuates. The purchase of an option on financial futures involves
payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part
of the Fund. If the Fund exercises an option on a futures contract it will be
obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for
the resulting futures position just as it would for any position. Futures
contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an
offsetting transaction but there can be no assurance that the position can be
offset prior to settlement at an advantageous price, nor that delivery will
occur.
A Fund will not enter into a futures contract or related option (except
for closing transactions) if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the amount of
its initial margin and premiums on open futures contracts and options thereon
would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets (taken at current value); however, in
the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of the purchase, the
in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation. The
segregation requirements with respect to futures contracts and options thereon
are described below.
Options on Securities Indices and Other Financial Indices. Each Fund also may
purchase and sell call and put options on securities indices and other financial
indices and in so doing can achieve many of the same objectives it would achieve
through the sale or purchase of options on individual securities or other
instruments. Options on securities indices and other financial indices are
similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, rather than
settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash
settlement, i.e., an option on an index
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gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of
cash if the closing level of the index upon which the option is based exceeds,
in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price
of the option (except if, in the case of an OTC option, physical delivery is
specified). This amount of cash is equal to the excess of the closing price of
the index over the exercise price of the option, which also may be multiplied by
a formula value. The seller of the option is obligated, in return for the
premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The gain or loss on an option
on an index depends on price movements in the instruments making up the market,
market segment, industry or other composite on which the underlying index is
based, rather than price movements in individual securities, as is the case with
respect to options on securities.
Combined Transactions. Each Fund may enter into multiple transactions, including
multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency
transactions (including forward currency contracts) and multiple interest rate
transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and interest rate
transactions ("component transactions"), instead of a single Strategic
Transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of
the Adviser, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. A combined
transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of
its component transactions. Although combined transactions are normally entered
into based on the Adviser's judgment that the combined strategies will reduce
risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management
goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or
hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.
Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars. Among the Strategic Transactions into which the
Fund may enter are interest rate, currency, index, and other swaps and the
purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. The Fund expects to enter
into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular
investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency
fluctuations, as a duration management technique or to protect against any
increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later
date. The Fund will not sell interest rate caps or floors where it does not own
securities or other instruments providing the income stream the Fund may be
obligated to pay. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with
another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g.,
an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments with respect to a
notional amount of principal. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash
flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value
differential among them and an index swap is an agreement to swap cash flows on
a notional amount based on changes in the values of the reference indices. The
purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional
principal amount from the party selling such cap to the extent that a specified
index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of a floor
entitles the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from
the party selling such floor to the extent that a specified index falls below a
predetermined interest rate or amount. A collar is a combination of a cap and a
floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest
rates or values.
The Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two
payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates
specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may
be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as the fund will segregate
assets (or enter into offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under
swaps, the Adviser and the Fund believe such obligations do not constitute
senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as
being subject to its borrowing restrictions. The Fund will not enter into any
swap, cap, floor or collar transaction unless, at the time of entering into such
transaction, the unsecured long-term debt of the Counterparty, combined with any
credit enhancements, is rated at least A by S&P or Moody's or has an equivalent
rating from a NRSRO or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the
Adviser. If there is a default by the Counterparty, the Fund may have
contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The
swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks
and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing
standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become
relatively liquid. Caps, floors and collars are more recent innovations for
which standardized documentation has not yet been fully developed and,
accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.
Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Many Strategic Transactions, in
addition to other requirements, require that each Fund segregate cash or liquid
assets with its custodian to the extent Fund obligations are not otherwise
"covered" through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or
currency. In general, either the full amount of any obligation by a Fund to pay
or deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities,
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instruments or currency required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory
restrictions, an amount of cash or liquid securities at least equal to the
current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian. The
segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are
substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. For
example, a call option written by a Fund will require the Fund to hold the
securities subject to the call (or securities convertible into the needed
securities without additional consideration) or to segregate cash or liquid
securities sufficient to purchase and deliver the securities if the call is
exercised. A call option sold by a Fund on an index will require the Fund to own
portfolio securities which correlate with the index or to segregate cash or
liquid assets equal to the excess of the index value over the exercise price on
a current basis. A put option written by a Fund requires a Fund to segregate
cash or liquid assets equal to the exercise price.
Except when a Fund enters into a forward contract for the purchase or
sale of a security denominated in a particular currency, which requires no
segregation, a currency contract which obligates the Fund to buy or sell
currency will generally require the Fund to hold an amount of that currency or
liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the Fund's obligations
or to segregate cash or liquid assets equal to the amount of the Fund's
obligation.
OTC options entered into by a Fund, including those on securities,
currency, financial instruments or indices and OCC issued and exchange listed
index options, will generally provide for cash settlement. As a result, when a
Fund sells these instruments it will only segregate an amount of cash or liquid
assets equal to its accrued net obligations, as there is no requirement for
payment or delivery of amounts in excess of the net amount. These amounts will
equal 100% of the exercise price in the case of a non cash-settled put, the same
as an OCC guaranteed listed option sold by a Fund, or the in-the-money amount
plus any sell-back formula amount in the case of a cash-settled put or call. In
addition, when a Fund sells a call option on an index at a time when the
in-the-money amount exceeds the exercise price, the Fund will segregate, until
the option expires or is closed out, cash or cash equivalents equal in value to
such excess. OCC issued and exchange listed options sold by a Fund other than
those above generally settle with physical delivery, or with an election of
either physical delivery or cash settlement and the Fund will segregate an
amount of cash or liquid assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC
options settling with physical delivery, or with an election of either physical
delivery or cash settlement will be treated the same as other options settling
with physical delivery.
In the case of a futures contract or an option thereon, a Fund must
deposit initial margin and possible daily variation margin in addition to
segregating cash or liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase
or provide securities or currencies, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration
of an index-based futures contract. Such liquid assets may consist of cash, cash
equivalents, liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets.
With respect to swaps, a Fund will accrue the net amount of the excess,
if any, of its obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap on a
daily basis and will segregate an amount of cash or liquid assets having a value
equal to the accrued excess. Caps, floors and collars require segregation of
assets with a value equal to a Fund's net obligation, if any.
Strategic Transactions may be covered by other means when consistent
with applicable regulatory policies. A Fund may also enter into offsetting
transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets,
equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and Strategic
Transactions. For example, a Fund could purchase a put option if the strike
price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option
sold by the Fund. Moreover, instead of segregating cash or liquid assets if a
Fund held a futures or forward contract, it could purchase a put option on the
same futures or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the
price of the contract held. Other Strategic Transactions may also be offset in
combinations. If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after
the primary transaction no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior
to such time, cash or liquid assets equal to any remaining obligation would need
to be segregated.
Investment Restrictions
The policies set forth below are fundamental policies of the Funds and
may not be changed without the approval of a majority of each Fund's outstanding
shares. As used in this Statement of Additional Information, a "majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund" means the lesser of (1) 67% or more
of the voting securities present at such meeting, if the holders of more than
50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present
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or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund. Each Fund has elected to be classified as a diversified
series of an open-end investment company.
In addition, as a matter of fundamental policy, each Fund will not:
(1) borrow money, except as permitted under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by
regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;
(2) issue senior securities, except as permitted under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted
or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from
time to time;
(3) purchase physical commodities or contracts relating to
physical commodities;
(4) concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that
term is used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory
authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;
(5) engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by
others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be
an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio
securities;
(6) purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include
securities of companies which deal in real estate or mortgages
or investments secured by real estate or interests therein,
except that the Fund reserves freedom of action to hold and to
sell real estate acquired as a result of the Fund's ownership
of securities; and
(7) make loans except as permitted under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted or modified by
regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
(8) The Trustees of the Trust have voluntarily adopted certain
policies and restrictions, which are observed in the conduct
of each Fund's affairs. These represent intentions of the
Trustees based upon current circumstances. They differ from
fundamental investment policies in that they may be changed or
amended by action of the Trustees without requiring prior
notice to or approval of shareholders.
As a matter of nonfundamental policy, each Fund currently does not
intend to:
(a) borrow money in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets,
except (i) for temporary or emergency purposes and (ii) by
engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, or
other investments or transactions described in the Fund's
registration statement which may be deemed to be borrowings;
(b) enter into either of reverse repurchase agreements or dollar
rolls in an amount greater than 5% of its total assets;
(c) purchase securities on margin or make short sales, except (i)
short sales against the box, (ii) in connection with arbitrage
transactions, (iii) for margin deposits in connection with
futures contracts, options or other permitted investments,
(iv) that transactions in futures contracts and options shall
not be deemed to constitute selling securities short, and (v)
that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for the clearance of securities transactions;
(d) purchase options, unless the aggregate premiums paid on all
such options held by the Fund at any time do not exceed 20% of
its total assets; or sell put options, if as a result, the
aggregate value of the obligations underlying such put options
would exceed 50% of its total assets;
(e) enter into futures contracts or purchase options thereon
unless immediately after the purchase, the value of the
aggregate initial margin with respect to such futures
contracts entered into on behalf of the
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Fund and the premiums paid for such options on futures
contracts does not exceed 5% of the fair market value of the
Fund's total assets; provided that in the case of an option
that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money
amount may be excluded in computing the 5% limit;
(f) purchase warrants if as a result, such securities, taken at
the lower of cost or market value, would represent more than
5% of the value of the Fund's total assets (for this purpose,
warrants acquired in units or attached to securities will be
deemed to have no value); and
(g) lend portfolio securities in an amount greater than 5% of its
total assets.
The foregoing nonfundamental policies are in addition to policies
otherwise stated in the Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
Any investment restrictions herein which involve a maximum percentage
of securities or assets shall not be considered to be violated unless an excess
over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition
or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, a Fund.
PURCHASES
(See "About Your Investment" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Additional Information About Opening An Account
Clients having a regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or
its affiliates and members of their immediate families, officers and employees
of the Adviser or of any affiliated organization and their immediate families,
members of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") and
banks may, if they prefer, subscribe initially for at least $10,000 of Fund
shares through Scudder Investor Services, Inc. by letter, telegram, fax, TWX, or
telephone.
Shareholders of other Scudder funds who have submitted an account
application and have certified a tax identification number, clients having a
regular investment counsel account with the Adviser or its affiliates and
members of their immediate families, officers and employees of the Adviser or of
any affiliated organization and their immediate families, members of the NASD,
and banks may open an account by wire. These investors must call 1-800-225-5163
to get an account number. During the call the investor will be asked to indicate
the Fund name, amount to be wired ($10,000 minimum), name of bank or trust
company from which the wire will be sent, the exact registration of the new
account, the tax identification number or Social Security number, address and
telephone number. The investor must then call the bank to arrange a wire
transfer to The Scudder Funds, Boston, MA 02101, ABA Number 011000028, DDA
Account 9903-5552. The investor must give the Scudder fund name, account name
and the new account number. Finally, the investor must send a completed and
signed application to the Fund promptly.
Shareholders must maintain a share balance worth at least $10,000,
which minimum amount may be changed by the Board of Trustees.
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments
Subsequent purchase orders for $10,000 or more and for an amount not
greater than four times the value of the shareholder's account may be placed by
telephone, telegram, etc. by established shareholders (except by Scudder
Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Scudder pension and profit sharing, Scudder
401(k) and Scudder 403(b) Plan holders), members of the NASD, and banks. Orders
placed in this manner may be directed to any Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
office listed in the Funds' prospectus. A two-part invoice of the purchase will
be mailed out promptly following receipt of a request to buy. Payment should be
attached to a copy of the invoice for proper identification. Federal regulations
require that payment be received within three (3) business days. If payment is
not received within that time, the shares may be canceled. In the event of such
cancellation or cancellation at the purchaser's request, the purchaser will be
responsible for any loss incurred by a Fund or the principal underwriter by
reason of such cancellation.
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If the purchaser is a shareholder, a Fund shall have the authority, as agent of
the shareholder, to redeem shares in the account in order to reimburse the Fund
or the principal underwriter for the loss incurred. Net losses on such
transactions which are not recovered from the purchaser will be absorbed by the
principal underwriter. Any net profit on the liquidation of unpaid shares will
accrue to the Fund.
Additional Information About Making Subsequent Investments by QuickBuy
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickBuy program, may purchase shares of a Fund by telephone. Through
this service shareholders may purchase up to $250,000. To purchase shares by
QuickBuy, shareholders should call before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time. Proceeds in the amount of your purchase
will be transferred from your bank checking account two or three business days
following your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on
the Exchange, shares will be purchased at the net asset value per share
calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call. QuickBuy requests
received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will begin their
processing and be purchased at the net asset value calculated the following
business day. If you purchase shares by QuickBuy and redeem them within seven
days of the purchase, a Fund may hold the redemption proceeds for a period of up
to seven business days. If you purchase shares and there are insufficient funds
in your bank account the purchase will be canceled and you will be subject to
any losses or fees incurred in the transaction.
In order to request purchases by QuickBuy, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account from which the purchase payment will be debited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickBuy may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickBuy to their account may do so by
completing a QuickBuy Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form
shareholders should allow 15 days for this service to be available.
Each Fund employs procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that a Fund does not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due to
unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. A Fund will not be liable for
acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably believes
to be genuine.
Checks
A certified check is not necessary, but checks are only accepted
subject to collection at full face value in U.S. funds and must be drawn on or
payable through, a U.S. bank.
If shares of a Fund are purchased by a check, which proves to be
uncollectible, the Fund reserves the right to cancel the purchase immediately
and the purchaser will be responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund or the
principal underwriter by reason of such cancellation. If the purchaser is a
shareholder, a Fund shall have the authority, as agent of the shareholder, to
redeem shares in the account in order to reimburse the Fund or the principal
underwriter for the loss incurred. Investors whose orders have been canceled may
be prohibited from or restricted in placing future orders in any of the Scudder
funds.
Wire Transfer of Federal Funds
To obtain the net asset value determined as of the close of regular
trading on the Exchange on a selected day, your bank must forward federal funds
by wire transfer and provide the required account information so as to be
available to a Fund prior to the regular close of trading on the Exchange
(normally 4 p.m. eastern time).
The bank sending an investor's federal funds by bank wire may charge
for the service. Presently, a Fund pays a fee for receipt by the Custodian of
"wired funds," but the right to charge investors for this service is reserved.
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Boston banks are presently closed on certain holidays although the
Exchange may be open. These holidays are Columbus Day (the 2nd Monday in
October) and Veterans' Day (November 11). Investors are not able to purchase
shares by wiring federal funds on such holidays because the Custodian is not
open to receive such federal funds on behalf of a Fund.
Share Price
Purchases will be filled without sales charge at the net asset value
next computed after receipt of the purchase order in good order. Net asset value
normally will be computed as of the close of regular trading on each day the
Exchange is open for trading. Orders received after the close of regular trading
on the Exchange will be executed at the next business day's net asset value. If
the order has been placed by a member of the NASD, other than Scudder Investor
Services, Inc., it is the responsibility of that member broker, rather than the
Fund, to forward the purchase order to Scudder Service Corporation (the
"Transfer Agent") in Boston by the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
Share Certificates
Due to the desire of the Funds' management to afford ease of
redemption, certificates will not be issued to indicate ownership in a Fund.
Other Information
The Funds have authorized certain members of the NASD other than the
Distributor to accept purchase and redemption orders for the Funds' shares.
Those brokers may also designate other parties to accept purchase and redemption
orders on each Fund's behalf. Orders for purchase or redemption will be deemed
to have been received by a Fund when such brokers or their authorized designees
accept the orders. Subject to the terms of the contract between a Fund and the
broker, ordinarily orders will be priced at that Fund's net asset value next
computed after acceptance by such brokers or their authorized designees.
Further, if purchases or redemptions of a Fund's shares are arranged and
settlement is made at an investor's election through any other authorized NASD
member, that member may, at its discretion, charge a fee for that service. The
Board of Trustees and the Distributor, also the Funds' principal underwriter,
each has the right to limit the amount of purchases by, and to refuse to sell
to, any person. The Trustees and the Distributor may suspend or terminate the
offering of shares of a Fund at any time for any reason.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust and Scudder Investor Services, Inc.,
the Funds' principal underwriter, each has the right to limit the amount of
purchases by and to refuse to sell to any person and each may suspend or
terminate the offering of shares of a Fund at any time for any reason.
The "Tax Identification Number" section of the Application must be
completed when opening an account. Applications and purchase orders without a
correct certified tax identification number and certain other certified
information (e.g., from exempt organizations a certification of exempt status),
may be returned to the investor if a correct, certified tax identification
number and certain other required certificates are not supplied.
The Funds may issue shares at net asset value in connection with any
merger or consolidation with, or acquisition of the assets of, any investment
company or personal holding company, subject to the requirements of the 1940
Act.
EXCHANGES AND REDEMPTIONS
(See "About Your Investment" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Exchanges
Exchanges are comprised of a redemption from one Scudder fund and a
purchase into another Scudder fund. The purchase side of the exchange either may
be an additional investment into an existing account or may involve opening a
new account in the other fund. When an exchange involves a new account, the new
account will be
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established with the same registration, tax identification number, address,
telephone redemption option, "Scudder Automated Information Line" (SAIL)
transaction authorization and dividend option as the existing account. Other
features will not carry over automatically to the new account. When an exchange
represents an additional investment into an existing account, the account
receiving the exchange proceeds must have identical registration, address, and
account options/features as the account of origin. Exchanges into an existing
account must be for $100 or more. If the account receiving the exchange proceeds
is to be different in any respect, the exchange request must be in writing and
must contain an original signature guarantee as described under "Transaction
information--Redeeming shares--Signature guarantees" in the Funds' prospectus.
Exchange orders received before the close of regular trading on the
Exchange on any business day ordinarily will be executed at the respective net
asset values determined on that day. Exchange orders received after the close of
regular trading on the Exchange will be executed on the following business day.
Investors may also request, at no extra charge, to have exchanges
automatically executed on a predetermined schedule from one Scudder fund to an
existing account in another Scudder fund, at current net asset value, through
Scudder's Automatic Exchange Program. Exchanges must be for a minimum of $50.
Shareholders may add this free feature over the telephone or in writing.
Automatic Exchanges will continue until the shareholder requests by telephone or
in writing to have the feature removed, or until the originating account is
depleted. The Corporation and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to
suspend or terminate the privilege of the Automatic Exchange Program at any
time.
An exchange into another Scudder fund is a redemption of shares and
therefore may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder, and
the proceeds of such an exchange may be subject to backup withholding. (See
"TAXES.")
Investors currently receive the exchange privilege, including exchange
by telephone, automatically without having to elect it. The Funds employ
procedures, including recording telephone calls, testing a caller's identity,
and sending written confirmation of telephone transactions, designed to give
reasonable assurance that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine,
and to discourage fraud. To the extent that the Funds do not follow such
procedures, it may be liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent
telephone instructions. The Funds will not be liable for acting upon
instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably believes to be
genuine. The Funds and the Transfer Agent each reserves the right to suspend or
terminate the privilege of exchanging by telephone or fax at any time.
The Scudder funds into which investors may make an exchange are listed
under "THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS" herein. Before making an exchange,
shareholders should obtain from the Distributor a prospectus of the Scudder fund
into which the exchange is being contemplated. The exchange privilege may not be
available for certain Scudder funds or classes of Scudder funds. For more
information, please call 1-800-225-5163.
Scudder retirement plans may have different exchange requirements.
Please refer to appropriate plan literature.
Special Redemption and Exchange Information
In general, shares of each Fund may be exchanged or redeemed at net
asset value. However, shares of a Fund held for less than one year are
redeemable at a price equal to 98%. This 2% discount, referred to in the
prospectus and this combined Statement of Additional Information as a redemption
fee, directly affects the amount a shareholder who is subject to the discount
receives upon exchange or redemption. It is intended to encourage long-term
investment in a Fund, to avoid transaction and other expenses caused by early
redemptions and to facilitate portfolio management. The fee is not a deferred
sales charge, is not a commission paid to the Adviser or its subsidiaries, and
does not benefit the Adviser in any way. Each Fund reserves the right to modify
the terms of or terminate this fee at any time.
A redemption fee will not be applied to (a) a redemption of any shares
of a Fund outstanding for one year or more, (b) a redemption of reinvestment
shares (i.e., shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends or capital
gains distributions paid by a Fund), (c) a redemption of shares by a Fund upon
exercise of its right to liquidate accounts (i) falling below the minimum
account size by reason of shareholder redemptions or (ii) when the shareholder
has failed
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to provide tax identification information or (d) a redemption of shares due to
the death of the registered shareholder of a Fund account or due to the death of
all registered shareholders of a Fund account with more than one registered
shareholder, (i.e. joint tenant account), upon receipt from Scudder Service
Corporation of appropriate written instructions and documentation satisfactory
to Scudder Service Corporation. However, if shares are purchased for a
retirement plan account through a broker, financial institution or recordkeeper
maintaining an omnibus account for the shares, such waiver may not apply. For
this purpose and without regard to the shares actually redeemed, shares will be
redeemed as follows: first, reinvestment shares; second, purchased shares held
one year or more; and third, purchased shares held for less than one year.
Finally, if a shareholder enters into a transaction in Fund shares which,
although it may technically be treated as a redemption and purchase for
recordkeeping purposes, does not involve the termination of economic interest in
a Fund, no redemption fee will apply and applicability of the redemption fee, if
any, on any subsequent redemption or exchange will be determined by reference to
the date the shares were originally purchased, and not the date of the
transaction.
Redemption By Telephone
Shareholders currently receive the right, automatically without having
to elect it, to redeem by telephone up to $100,000 to their address of record.
Shareholders may also request by telephone to have the proceeds mailed or wired
to their predesignated bank account. In order to request wire redemptions by
telephone, shareholders must have completed and returned to the Transfer Agent
the application, including the designation of a bank account to which the
redemption proceeds are to be sent.
(a) NEW INVESTORS wishing to establish the telephone redemption
privilege must complete the appropriate section on the
application.
(b) EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS (except those who are Scudder IRA,
Scudder pension and profit-sharing, Scudder 401(k) and Scudder
403(b) Planholders) who wish to establish telephone redemption
to a predesignated bank account or who want to change the bank
account previously designated to receive redemption proceeds
should either return a Telephone Redemption Option Form
(available upon request), or send a letter identifying the
account and specifying the exact information to be changed.
The letter must be signed exactly as the shareholder's name(s)
appears on the account. An original signature and an original
signature guarantee are required for each person in whose name
the account is registered.
If a request for a redemption to a shareholder's bank account is made
by telephone or fax, payment will be by Federal Reserve bank wire to the bank
account designated on the application, unless a request is made that the
redemption check be mailed to the designated bank account. There will be a $5
charge for all wire redemptions.
Note: Investors designating a savings bank to receive their
telephone redemption proceeds are advised that if the savings
bank is not a participant in the Federal Reserve System,
redemption proceeds must be wired through a commercial bank
which is a correspondent of the savings bank. As this may
delay receipt by the shareholder's account, it is suggested
that investors wishing to use a savings bank discuss wire
procedures with their bank and submit any special wire
transfer information with the telephone redemption
authorization. If appropriate wire information is not
supplied, redemption proceeds will be mailed to the designated
bank.
The Funds employ procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Funds do not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due to
unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Funds will not be liable
for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
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Redemption by QuickSell
Shareholders, whose predesignated bank account of record is a member of
the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) and who have elected to participate
in the QuickSell program may sell shares of the Fund by telephone. Redemptions
must be for at least $250. Proceeds in the amount of your redemption will be
transferred to your bank checking account two or three business days following
your call. For requests received by the close of regular trading on the
Exchange, normally 4 p.m. eastern time, shares will be redeemed at the net asset
value per share calculated at the close of trading on the day of your call.
QuickSell requests received after the close of regular trading on the Exchange
will begin their processing and be redeemed at the net asset value calculated
the following business day. QuickSell transactions are not available for Scudder
IRA accounts and most other retirement plan accounts.
In order to request redemptions by QuickSell, shareholders must have
completed and returned to the Transfer Agent the application, including the
designation of a bank account to which the redemption proceeds will be credited.
New investors wishing to establish QuickSell may so indicate on the application.
Existing shareholders who wish to add QuickSell to their account may do so by
completing an QuickSell Enrollment Form. After sending in an enrollment form,
shareholders should allow for 15 days for this service to be available.
The Funds employ procedures, including recording telephone calls,
testing a caller's identity, and sending written confirmation of telephone
transactions, designed to give reasonable assurance that instructions
communicated by telephone are genuine, and to discourage fraud. To the extent
that the Funds do not follow such procedures, it may be liable for losses due to
unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. The Funds will not be liable
for acting upon instructions communicated by telephone that it reasonably
believes to be genuine.
Redemption by Mail or Fax
In order to ensure proper authorization before redeeming shares, the
Transfer Agent may request additional documents such as, but not restricted to,
stock powers, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as
executor, certificates of corporate authority and waivers of tax (required in
some states when settling estates).
It is suggested that shareholders holding share certificates or shares
registered in other than individual names contact the Transfer Agent prior to
any redemptions to ensure that all necessary documents accompany the request.
When shares are held in the name of a corporation, trust, fiduciary agent,
attorney or partnership, the Transfer Agent requires, in addition to the stock
power, certified evidence of authority to sign. These procedures are for the
protection of shareholders and should be followed to ensure prompt payment.
Redemption requests must not be conditional as to date or price of the
redemption. Proceeds of a redemption will be sent within seven (7) business days
after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a request for redemption that complies
with the above requirements. Delays of more than seven (7) days of payment for
shares tendered for repurchase or redemption may result, but only until the
purchase check has cleared.
The requirements for IRA redemptions are different from those for
regular accounts. For more information call 1-800-225-5163.
Redemption-in-Kind
The Funds reserve the right, if conditions exist which make cash
payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase order by
making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities chosen by
each Fund and valued as they are for purposes of computing each Fund's net asset
value (a redemption-in-kind). If payment is made in securities, a shareholder
may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities into cash. The
Trust has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act as a
result of which the Funds are obligated to redeem shares, with respect to any
one shareholder during any 90 day period, solely in cash up to the lesser of
$250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of that Fund at the beginning of the
period.
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Other Information
If a shareholder redeems all shares in the account after the record
date of a dividend, the shareholder receives in addition to the net asset value
thereof, all declared but unpaid dividends thereon. The value of shares redeemed
or repurchased may be more or less than the shareholder's cost depending on the
net asset value at the time of redemption or repurchase. A wire charge may be
applicable for redemption proceeds wired to an investor's bank account.
Redemption of shares, including redemptions undertaken to effect an exchange for
shares of another Scudder fund, may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to
the shareholder and the proceeds of such redemptions may be subject to backup
withholding. (See "TAXES.")
Shareholders who wish to redeem shares from Special Plan Accounts
should contact the employer, trustee or custodian of the Plan for the
requirements.
The determination of net asset value may be suspended at times and a
shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment therefore may be
suspended at times during which (a) the Exchange is closed, other than customary
weekend and holiday closings, (b) trading on the Exchange is restricted for any
reason, (c) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by a Fund of
securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably
practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or (d)
the SEC has by order permiteed such a suspension for the protection of the
Trust's shareholders, provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC
(or any succeeding governmental authority) shall govern as to whether the
conditions prescribed in (b) or (c) exist.
Shareholders must maintain an account balance of $10,000 in a Fund,
which minimum amount may be changed by the Board of Trustees. Each Fund reserves
the right, following 60 days' written notice to shareholders, to redeem all
shares in accounts below $250, including accounts of new investors, where a
reduction in value has occurred due to a redemption or exchange out of the
account. Each Fund will mail the proceeds of the redeemed account to the
shareholder at the address of record. Reductions in value that result solely
from market activity will not trigger an involuntary redemption.
FEATURES AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE FUND
(See "Investment products and services" in the Funds' prospectus.)
The No-Load Concept
Investors are encouraged to be aware of the full ramifications of
mutual fund fee structures, and of how Scudder distinguishes its Scudder Family
of Funds from the vast majority of mutual funds available today. The primary
distinction is between load and no-load funds.
Load funds generally are defined as mutual funds that charge a fee for
the sale and distribution of fund shares. There are three types of loads:
front-end loads, back-end loads, and asset-based 12b-1 fees. 12b-1 fees are
distribution-related fees charged against fund assets and are distinct from
service fees, which are charged for personal services and/or maintenance of
shareholder accounts. Asset-based sales charges and service fees are typically
paid pursuant to distribution plans adopted under 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
A front-end load is a sales charge, which can be as high as 8.50% of
the amount invested. A back-end load is a contingent deferred sales charge,
which can be as high as 8.50% of either the amount invested or redeemed. The
maximum front-end or back-end load varies, and depends upon whether or not a
fund also charges a 12b-1 fee and/or a service fee or offers investors various
sales-related services such as dividend reinvestment. The maximum charge for a
12b-1 fee is 0.75% of a fund's average annual net assets, and the maximum charge
for a service fee is 0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
A no-load fund does not charge a front-end or back-end load, but can
charge a small 12b-1 fee and/or service fee against fund assets. Under the
National Association of Securities Dealers Conduct Rules, a mutual fund can call
19
<PAGE>
itself a "no-load" fund only if the 12b-1 fee and/or service fee does not exceed
0.25% of a fund's average annual net assets.
Scudder pioneered the no-load concept when it created the nation's
first no-load fund in 1928, and later developed the nation's first family of
no-load mutual funds.
The following chart shows the potential long-term advantage of
investing $10,000 in a Scudder Family of Funds pure no-load fund over investing
the same amount in a load fund that collects an 8.50% front-end load, a load
fund that collects only a 0.75% 12b-1 and/or service fee, and a no-load fund
charging only a 0.25% 12b-1 and/or service fee. The hypothetical figures in the
chart show the value of an account assuming a constant 10% rate of return over
the time periods indicated and reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================
Scudder Load Fund with 0.75% No-Load Fund with
YEARS No-Load Fund 8.50% Load Fund 12b-1 Fee 0.25% 12b-1 Fee
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
10 $ 25,937 $ 23,733 $ 24,222 $ 25,354
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 41,772 38,222 37,698 40,371
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 67,275 61,557 58,672 64,282
====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
Investors are encouraged to review the fee tables on pages 4 and 7 of
the Funds' prospectus for more specific information about the rates at which
management fees and other expenses are assessed.
Internet access
World Wide Web Site -- The address of the Scudder Funds site is
http://funds.scudder.com. The site offers guidance on global investing and
developing strategies to help meet financial goals and provides access to the
Scudder investor relations department via e-mail. The site also enables users to
access or view fund prospectuses and profiles with links between summary
information in Profiles and details in the Prospectus. Users can fill out new
account forms on-line, order free software, and request literature on funds.
The site is designed for interactivity, simplicity and maneuverability.
A section entitled "Planning Resources" provides information on asset
allocation, tuition, and retirement planning to users who fill out interactive
"worksheets." Investors can easily establish a "Personal Page," that presents
price information, updated daily, on funds they're interested in following. The
"Personal Page" also offers easy navigation to other parts of the site. Fund
performance data from both Scudder and Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. are
available on the site. Also offered on the site is a news feature, which
provides timely and topical material on the Scudder Funds.
Scudder has communicated with shareholders and other interested parties
on Prodigy since 1988 and has participated since 1994 in GALT's Networth
"financial marketplace" site on the Internet. The firm made Scudder Funds
information available on America Online in early 1996.
Account Access -- Scudder is among the first mutual fund families to allow
shareholders to manage their fund accounts through the World Wide Web. Scudder
Fund shareholders can view a snapshot of current holdings, review account
activity and move assets between Scudder Fund accounts.
Scudder's personal portfolio capabilities -- known as SEAS (Scudder
Electronic Account Services) -- are accessible only by current Scudder Fund
shareholders who have set up a Personal Page on Scudder's Web site. Using a
secure Web browser, shareholders sign on to their account with their Social
Security number and their SAIL password.
20
<PAGE>
As an additional security measure, users can change their current password or
disable access to their portfolio through the World Wide Web.
An Account Activity option reveals a financial history of transactions
for an account, with trade dates, type and amount of transaction, share price
and number of shares traded. For users who wish to trade shares between Scudder
Funds, the Fund Exchange option provides a step-by-step procedure to exchange
shares among existing fund accounts or to new Scudder Fund accounts.
A Call Me(TM) feature enables users to speak with a Scudder Investor
Relations telephone representative while viewing their account on the Web site.
In order to use the Call Me(TM) feature, an individual must have two phone lines
and enter on the screen the phone number that is not being used to connect to
the Internet. They are connected to the next available Scudder Investor
Relations representative from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time.
Dividends and Capital Gains Distribution Options
Investors have freedom to choose whether to receive cash or to reinvest
any dividends from net investment income or distributions from realized capital
gains in additional shares of the applicable Fund. A change of instructions for
the method of payment must be received by the Transfer Agent at least five days
prior to a dividend record date. Shareholders also may change their dividend
option either by calling 1-800-225-5163 or by sending written instructions to
the Transfer Agent. Please include your account number with your written
request. See "How to contact Scudder" in the Funds' prospectuses for the
address.
Reinvestment is usually made at the closing net asset value determined
on the business day following the record date. Investors may leave standing
instructions with the Transfer Agent designating their option for either
reinvestment or cash distribution of any income dividends or capital gains
distributions. If no election is made, dividends and distributions will be
invested in additional shares of the applicable Fund.
Investors may also have dividends and distributions automatically
deposited in their predesignated bank account through Scudder's
DistributionsDirect Program. Shareholders who elect to participate in the
DistributionsDirect Program, and whose predesignated checking account of record
is with a member bank of the Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) can have
income and capital gain distributions automatically deposited to their personal
bank account usually within three business days after a Fund pays its
distribution. A DistributionsDirect request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163. Confirmation statements will be mailed to shareholders as
notification that distributions have been deposited.
Investors choosing to participate in Scudder's Automatic Withdrawal
Plan must reinvest any dividends or capital gains. For most retirement plan
accounts, the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains is also required.
Scudder Investor Centers
Investors may visit any of the Investor Centers maintained by the
Distributor listed in the Funds' prospectus. The Centers are designed to provide
individuals with services during any business day. Investors may pick up
literature or obtain assistance with opening an account, adding monies or
special options to existing accounts, making exchanges within the Scudder Family
of Funds, redeeming shares or opening retirement plans. Checks should not be
mailed to the Centers but should be mailed to "The Scudder Funds" at the address
listed under "How to contact Scudder" in the prospectus.
Reports to Shareholders
The Trust issues shareholders unaudited semiannual financial statements
and annual financial statements audited by independent accountants, including a
list of investments held and statements of assets and liabilities, operations,
changes in net assets and financial highlights. The Trust presently intends to
distribute to shareholders informal quarterly reports during the intervening
quarters, containing a statement of the investments of the Funds.
21
<PAGE>
Transaction Summaries
Annual summaries of all transactions in each Fund account are available
to shareholders. The summaries may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5163.
THE SCUDDER FAMILY OF FUNDS
(See "Investment products and services" in the Funds' prospectuses.)
The Scudder Family of Funds is America's first family of mutual funds
and the nation's oldest family of no-load mutual funds. To assist investors in
choosing a Scudder fund, descriptions of the Scudder funds' objectives follow.
MONEY MARKET
Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund seeks to provide safety, liquidity and
stability of capital and, consistent therewith, to provide current
income. The Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00
per share, although in certain circumstances this may not be possible,
and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Cash Investment Trust ("SCIT") seeks to maintain the stability
of capital and, consistent therewith, to maintain the liquidity of
capital and to provide current income. SCIT seeks to maintain a
constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in certain
circumstances this may not be possible, and declares dividends daily.
Scudder Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as high a
level of current income as is consistent with its investment polices
and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks to
maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is no
assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
Scudder Government Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with
as high a level of current income as is consistent with its investment
polices and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The Fund seeks
to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, but there is
no assurance that it will be able to do so. The institutional class of
shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder Family of Funds.
TAX FREE MONEY MARKET
Scudder Tax Free Money Fund ("STFMF") seeks to provide income exempt
from regular federal income tax and stability of principal through
investments primarily in municipal securities. STFMF seeks to maintain
a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, although in extreme
circumstances this may not be possible.
Scudder Tax Free Money Market Series seeks to provide investors with as
high a level of current income that cannot be subjected to federal
income tax by reason of federal law as is consistent with its
investment policies and with preservation of capital and liquidity. The
Fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share,
but there is no assurance that it will be able to do so. The
institutional class of shares of this Fund is not within the Scudder
Family of Funds.
Scudder California Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share while
providing California taxpayers income exempt from both California State
personal and regular federal income taxes. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio of high quality, short-term California municipal
securities. There can be no assurance that the stable net asset value
will be maintained.
- --------
* These funds are not available for sale in all states. For information,
contact Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
22
<PAGE>
Scudder New York Tax Free Money Fund* seeks stability of capital and
the maintenance of a constant net asset value of $1.00 per share, while
providing New York taxpayers income exempt from New York State and New
York City personal income taxes and regular federal income tax. There
can be no assurance that the stable net asset value will be maintained.
TAX FREE
Scudder Limited Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide as high a level of
income exempt from regular federal income tax as is consistent with a
high degree of principal stability.
Scudder Medium Term Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
income free from regular federal income taxes and to limit principal
fluctuation. The Fund will invest primarily in high-grade,
intermediate-term bonds.
Scudder Managed Municipal Bonds seeks to provide income exempt from
regular federal income tax primarily through investments in high-grade,
long-term municipal securities.
Scudder High Yield Tax Free Fund seeks to provide a high level of
interest income, exempt from regular federal income tax, from an
actively managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade
municipal securities.
Scudder California Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide California taxpayers
with income exempt from both California State personal income and
regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of California municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide
Massachusetts taxpayers with as high a level of income exempt from
Massachusetts personal income tax and regular federal income tax, as is
consistent with a high degree of price stability, through a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of
investment-grade municipal securities.
Scudder Massachusetts Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Massachusetts
taxpayers with income exempt from both Massachusetts personal income
tax and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally
managed portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
Scudder New York Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide New York taxpayers
with income exempt from New York State and New York City personal
income taxes and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a
professionally managed portfolio consisting primarily of New York
municipal securities.
Scudder Ohio Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Ohio taxpayers with income
exempt from both Ohio personal income tax and regular federal income
tax. The Fund is a professionally managed portfolio consisting
primarily of investment-grade municipal securities.
Scudder Pennsylvania Tax Free Fund* seeks to provide Pennsylvania
taxpayers with income exempt from both Pennsylvania personal income tax
and regular federal income tax. The Fund is a professionally managed
portfolio consisting primarily of investment-grade municipal
securities.
U.S. INCOME
Scudder Short Term Bond Fund seeks to provide a high level of income
consistent with a high degree of principal stability by investing
primarily in high quality short-term bonds.
- --------
* These funds are not available for sale in all states. For information,
contact Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
23
<PAGE>
Scudder Zero Coupon 2000 Fund seeks to provide as high an investment
return over a selected period as is consistent with investment in U.S.
Government securities and the minimization of reinvestment risk.
Scudder GNMA Fund seeks to provide high current income primarily from
U.S. Government guaranteed mortgage-backed (Ginnie Mae) securities.
Scudder Income Fund seeks a high level of income, consistent with the
prudent investment of capital, through a flexible investment program
emphasizing high-grade bonds.
Scudder Corporate Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income
through investment primarily in investment-grade corporate debt
securities.
Scudder High Yield Bond Fund seeks a high level of current income and,
secondarily, capital appreciation through investment primarily in below
investment-grade domestic debt securities.
GLOBAL INCOME
Scudder Global Bond Fund seeks to provide total return with an emphasis
on current income by investing primarily in high-grade bonds
denominated in foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. As a secondary
objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation.
Scudder International Bond Fund seeks to provide income primarily by
investing in a managed portfolio of high-grade international bonds. As
a secondary objective, the Fund seeks protection and possible
enhancement of principal value by actively managing currency, bond
market and maturity exposure and by security selection.
Scudder Emerging Markets Income Fund seeks to provide high current
income and, secondarily, long-term capital appreciation through
investments primarily in high-yielding debt securities issued by
governments and corporations in emerging markets.
ASSET ALLOCATION
Scudder Pathway Series: Conservative Portfolio seeks primarily current
income and secondarily long-term growth of capital. In pursuing these
objectives, the Portfolio, under normal market conditions, will invest
substantially in a select mix of Scudder bond mutual funds, but will
have some exposure to Scudder equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Balanced Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with a balance of growth and income by investing in a select mix of
Scudder money market, bond and equity mutual funds.
Scudder Pathway Series: Growth Portfolio seeks to provide investors
with long-term growth of capital. In pursuing this objective, the
Portfolio will, under normal market conditions, invest predominantly in
a select mix of Scudder equity mutual funds designed to provide
long-term growth.
Scudder Pathway Series: International Portfolio seeks maximum total
return for investors. Total return consists of any capital appreciation
plus dividend income and interest. To achieve this objective, the
Portfolio invests in a select mix of established international and
global Scudder funds.
U.S. GROWTH AND INCOME
Scudder Balanced Fund seeks a balance of growth and income from a
diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities. The Fund
also seeks long-term preservation of capital through a quality-oriented
approach that is designed to reduce risk.
24
<PAGE>
Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund seeks high current income and long-term
growth of capital through investment in income paying equity
securities.
Scudder Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of capital,
current income, and growth of income.
Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund seeks to provide investment results that,
before expenses, correspond to the total return of common stocks
publicly traded in the United States, as represented by the Standard &
Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index.
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund seeks long-term capital growth and
current income by investing primarily in equity securities of companies
in the real estate industry.
U.S. GROWTH
Value
Scudder Large Company Value Fund seeks to maximize long-term capital
appreciation through a value-driven investment program.
Scudder Value Fund** seeks long-term growth of capital through
investment in undervalued equity securities.
Scudder Small Company Value Fund invests for long-term growth of
capital by seeking out undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
Scudder Micro Cap Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in a diversified portfolio of U.S. micro-capitalization
("micro-cap") common stocks.
Growth
Scudder Classic Growth Fund** seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital with reduced share price volatility compared to other growth
mutual funds.
Scudder Large Company Growth Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital through investment primarily in the equity securities of
seasoned, financially strong U.S. growth companies.
Scudder Development Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing
primarily in medium-size companies with the potential for sustainable
above-average earnings growth.
Scudder 21st Century Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by
investing primarily in the securities of emerging growth companies
poised to be leaders in the 21st century.
GLOBAL EQUITY
Worldwide
Scudder Global Fund seeks long-term growth of capital through a
diversified portfolio of marketable securities, primarily equity
securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and debt
securities convertible into common stocks.
Scudder International Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in undervalued foreign equity securities.
- --------
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
25
<PAGE>
Scudder International Growth and Income Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital and current income primarily from foreign equity securities.
Scudder International Fund*** seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through a diversified portfolio of marketable foreign equity
securities.
Scudder International Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation
through investment primarily in the equity securities of foreign
companies with high growth potential.
Scudder Global Discovery Fund** seeks above-average capital
appreciation over the long term by investing primarily in the equity
securities of small companies located throughout the world.
Scudder Emerging Markets Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through equity investment in emerging markets around the
globe.
Scudder Gold Fund seeks maximum return (principal change and income)
consistent with investing in a portfolio of gold-related equity
securities and gold.
Regional
Scudder Greater Europe Growth Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investments primarily in the equity securities of European
companies.
Scudder Pacific Opportunities Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
through investment primarily in the equity securities of Pacific Basin
companies, excluding Japan.
Scudder Latin America Fund seeks to provide long-term capital
appreciation through investment primarily in the securities of Latin
American issuers.
The Japan Fund, Inc. seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing
primarily in equity securities (including American Depository Receipts)
of Japanese companies.
INDUSTRY SECTOR FUNDS
Choice Series
Scudder Financial Services Fund seeks long-term growth of capital
primarily through investment in equity securities of financial services
companies.
Scudder Health Care Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies that are engaged in the
development, production or distribution of products or services related
to the treatment or prevention of diseases and other medical problems.
Scudder Technology Fund seeks long-term growth of capital primarily
through investment in securities of companies engaged in the
development, production or distribution of technology-related products
or services.
SCUDDER PREFERRED SERIES
Scudder Tax Managed Fund seeks long-term growth of capital on an
after-tax basis by investing primarily in established, medium- to
large-sized U.S. companies with leading competitive positions.
- --------
** Only the Scudder Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
*** Only the International Shares are part of the Scudder Family of Funds.
26
<PAGE>
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund seeks long-term growth of
capital on an after-tax basis through investment primarily in
undervalued stocks of small U.S. companies.
The net asset values of most Scudder funds can be found daily in the
"Mutual Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal under "Scudder Funds," and in
other leading newspapers throughout the country. Investors will notice the net
asset value and offering price are the same, reflecting the fact that no sales
commission or "load" is charged on the sale of shares of the Scudder funds. The
latest seven-day yields for the money-market funds can be found every Monday and
Thursday in the "Money-Market Funds" section of The Wall Street Journal. This
information also may be obtained by calling the Scudder Automated Information
Line (SAIL) at 1-800-343-2890.
The Scudder Family of Funds offers many conveniences and services,
including: active professional investment management; broad and diversified
investment portfolios; pure no-load funds with no commissions to purchase or
redeem shares or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees; individual attention from a
service representative of Scudder Investor Relations; and easy telephone
exchanges into other Scudder funds. Certain Scudder funds or classes thereof may
not be available for purchase or exchange. For more information, please call
1-800-225-5163.
SPECIAL PLAN ACCOUNTS
(See "Buying and selling shares," "Purchases" and "Exchanges and
redemptions" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Detailed information on any Scudder investment plan, including the
applicable charges, minimum investment requirements and disclosures made
pursuant to Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") requirements, may be obtained
by contacting Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston,
Massachusetts 02110-4103 or by calling toll free, 1-800-225-2470. The
discussions of the plans below describe only certain aspects of the federal
income tax treatment of the plans. The state tax treatment may be different and
may vary from state to state. It is advisable for an investor considering the
funding of the investment plans described below to consult with an attorney or
other investment or tax adviser with respect to the suitability requirements and
tax aspects thereof.
Shares of each Fund may also be a permitted investment under profit
sharing and pension plans and IRA's other than those offered by the Fund's
distributor depending on the provisions of the relevant plan or IRA.
None of the plans assures a profit or guarantees protection against
depreciation, especially in declining markets.
Scudder Retirement Plans: Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase
Pension Plans for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of each Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder Profit-Sharing Plan (including a version of the
Plan which includes a cash-or-deferred feature) or a Scudder Money Purchase
Pension Plan (jointly referred to as the Scudder Retirement Plans) adopted by a
corporation, a self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals
(including sole proprietorships and partnerships), or other qualifying
organization. Each of these forms was approved by the IRS as a prototype. The
IRS's approval of an employer's plan under Section 401(a) of the Code will be
greatly facilitated if it is in such approved form. Under certain circumstances,
the IRS will assume that a plan, adopted in this form, after special notice to
any employees, meets the requirements of Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code as to form.
Scudder 401(k): Cash or Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan
for Corporations and Self-Employed Individuals
Shares of each Fund may be purchased as the investment medium under a
plan in the form of a Scudder 401(k) Plan adopted by a corporation, a
self-employed individual or a group of self-employed individuals (including sole
proprietors and partnerships), or other qualifying organization. This plan has
been approved as a prototype by the IRS.
27
<PAGE>
Scudder IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of each Fund may be purchased as the underlying investment for
an Individual Retirement Account ("IRA") which meets the requirements of Section
408(a) of the Code.
A single individual who is not an active participant in an
employer-maintained retirement plan, a simplified employee pension plan, or a
tax-deferred annuity program (a "qualified plan"), and a married individual who
is not an active participant in a qualified plan and whose spouse is also not an
active participant in a qualified plan, are eligible to make tax deductible
contributions of up to $2,000 to an IRA prior to the year such individual
attains age 70 1/2. In addition, certain individuals who are active participants
in qualified plans (or who have spouses who are active participants) are also
eligible to make tax-deductible contributions to an IRA; the annual amount, if
any, of the contribution which such an individual will be eligible to deduct
will be determined by the amount of his, her, or their adjusted gross income for
the year. Whenever the adjusted gross income limitation prohibits an individual
from contributing what would otherwise be the maximum tax-deductible
contribution he or she could make, the individual will be eligible to contribute
the difference to an IRA in the form of nondeductible contributions.
An eligible individual may contribute as much as $2,000 of qualified
income (earned income or, under certain circumstances, alimony) to an IRA each
year (up to $2,000 per individual for married couples, even if only one spouse
has earned income). All income and capital gains derived from IRA investments
are reinvested and compound tax-deferred until distributed. Such tax-deferred
compounding can lead to substantial retirement savings.
The table below shows how much individuals would accumulate in a fully
tax-deductible IRA by age 65 (before any distributions) if they contribute
$2,000 at the beginning of each year, assuming average annual returns of 5, 10,
and 15%. (At withdrawal, accumulations in this table will be taxable.)
Value of IRA at Age 65
Assuming $2,000 Deductible Annual Contribution
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting
Age of Annual Rate of Return
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
25 $253,680 $973,704 $4,091,908
35 139,522 361,887 999,914
45 69,439 126,005 235,620
55 26,414 35,062 46,699
This next table shows how much individuals would accumulate in non-IRA
accounts by age 65 if they start with $2,000 in pretax earned income at the
beginning of each year (which is $1,380 after taxes are paid), assuming average
annual returns of 5, 10 and 15%. (At withdrawal, a portion of the accumulation
in this table will be taxable.)
Value of a Non-IRA Account at
Age 65 Assuming $1,380 Annual Contributions
(post tax, $2,000 pretax) and a 31% Tax Bracket
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting
Age of Annual Rate of Return
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributions 5% 10% 15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 $119,318 $287,021 $741,431
35 73,094 136,868 267,697
45 40,166 59,821 90,764
55 16,709 20,286 24,681
</TABLE>
28
<PAGE>
Scudder Roth IRA: Individual Retirement Account
Shares of the Funds may be purchased as the underlying investment for a
Roth Individual Retirement Account ("Roth IRA") which meets the requirements of
Section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code.
A single individual earning below $95,000 can contribute up to $2,000
per year to a Roth IRA. The maximum contribution amount diminishes and gradually
falls to zero for single filers with adjusted gross incomes ranging from $95,000
to $110,000. Married couples earning less than $150,000 combined, and filing
jointly, can contribute a full $4,000 per year ($2,000 per IRA). The maximum
contribution amount for married couples filing jointly phases out from $150,000
to $160,000.
An eligible individual can contribute money to a traditional IRA and a
Roth IRA as long as the total contribution to all IRAs does not exceed $2,000.
No tax deduction is allowed under Section 219 of the Internal Revenue Code for
contributions to a Roth IRA. Contributions to a Roth IRA may be made even after
the individual for whom the account is maintained has attained age 70 1/2.
All income and capital gains derived from Roth IRA investments are
reinvested and compounded tax-free. Such tax-free compounding can lead to
substantial retirement savings. No distributions are required to be taken prior
to the death of the original account holder. If a Roth IRA has been established
for a minimum of five years, distributions can be taken tax-free after reaching
age 59 1/2, for a first-time home purchase ($10,000 maximum, one-time use) or
upon death or disability. All other distributions of earnings from a Roth IRA
are taxable and subject to a 10% tax penalty unless an exception applies.
Exceptions to the 10% penalty include: disability, certain medical expenses, the
purchase of health insurance for an unemployed individual and qualified higher
education expenses.
An individual with an income of $100,000 or less (who is not married
filing separately) can roll his or her existing IRA into a Roth IRA. However,
the individual must pay taxes on the taxable amount in his or her traditional
IRA. Individuals who complete the rollover in 1998 will be allowed to spread the
tax payments over a four-year period. After 1998, all taxes on such a rollover
will have to be paid in the tax year in which the rollover is made.
Scudder 403(b) Plan
Shares of each Fund may also be purchased as the underlying investment
for tax sheltered annuity plans under the provisions of Section 403(b)(7) of the
Code. In general, employees of tax-exempt organizations described in Section
501(c)(3) of the Code (such as hospitals, churches, religious, scientific, or
literary organizations and educational institutions) or a public school system
are eligible to participate in a 403(b) plan.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan
Non-retirement plan shareholders may establish an Automatic Withdrawal
Plan to receive monthly, quarterly or periodic redemptions from his or her
account for any designated amount of $50 or more. Shareholders may designate
which day they want the automatic withdrawal to be processed. The check amounts
may be based on the redemption of a fixed dollar amount, fixed share amount,
percent of account value or declining balance. The Plan provides for income
dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, to be reinvested in
additional shares. Shares are then liquidated as necessary to provide for
withdrawal payments. Since the withdrawals are in amounts selected by the
investor and have no relationship to yield or income, payments received cannot
be considered as yield or income on the investment and the resulting
liquidations may deplete or possibly extinguish the initial investment and any
reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions. Requests for increases in
withdrawal amounts or to change the payee must be submitted in writing, signed
exactly as the account is registered, and contain signature guarantee(s) as
described under "Transaction information--Redeeming shares--Signature
guarantees" in each Funds' prospectus. Any such requests must be received by
each Fund's transfer agent ten days prior to the date of the first automatic
withdrawal. An Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by the
shareholder, the Trust or its agent on written notice, and will be terminated
when all shares of the Fund under the Plan have been liquidated or upon receipt
by the Trust of notice of death of the shareholder.
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An Automatic Withdrawal Plan request form can be obtained by calling
1-800-225-5163.
Group or Salary Deduction Plan
An investor may join a Group or Salary Deduction Plan where
satisfactory arrangements have been made with Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
for forwarding regular investments through a single source. The minimum annual
investment is $240 per investor which may be made in monthly, quarterly,
semiannual or annual payments. The minimum monthly deposit per investor is $20.
Except for trustees or custodian fees for certain retirement plans, at present
there is no separate charge for maintaining group or salary deduction plans;
however, the Trust and its agents reserve the right to establish a maintenance
charge in the future depending on the services required by the investor.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the event that the
shareholder ceases participating in the group plan prior to investment of $1,000
per individual or in the event of a redemption which occurs prior to the
accumulation of that amount or which reduces the account value to less than
$1,000 and the account value is not increased to $1,000 within a reasonable time
after notification. An investor in a plan who has not purchased shares for six
months shall be presumed to have stopped making payments under the plan.
Automatic Investment Plan
Shareholders may arrange to make periodic investments through automatic
deductions from checking accounts by completing the appropriate form and
providing the necessary documentation to establish this service. The minimum
investment is $50.
The Automatic Investment Plan involves an investment strategy called
dollar cost averaging. Dollar cost averaging is a method of investing whereby a
specific dollar amount is invested at regular intervals. By investing the same
dollar amount each period, when shares are priced low the investor will purchase
more shares than when the share price is higher. Over a period of time this
investment approach may allow the investor to reduce the average price of the
shares purchased. However, this investment approach does not assure a profit or
protect against loss. This type of regular investment program may be suitable
for various investment goals such as, but not limited to, college planning or
saving for a home.
Uniform Transfers/Gifts to Minors Act
Grandparents, parents or other donors may set up custodian accounts for
minors. The minimum initial investment is $1,000 unless the donor agrees to
continue to make regular share purchases for the account through Scudder's
Automatic Investment Plan (AIP). In this case, the minimum initial investment is
$500.
The Trust reserves the right, after notice has been given to the
shareholder and custodian, to redeem and close a shareholder's account in the
event that regular investments to the account cease before the $1,000 minimum is
reached.
DIVIDENDS AND CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
(See "Distributions" and "Taxes" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Each Fund intends to follow the practice of distributing all of its
investment company taxable income, which includes any excess of net realized
short-term capital gains over net realized long-term capital losses. The Funds
may follow the practice of distributing the entire excess of net realized
long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses. However, a
Fund may retain all or part of such gain for reinvestment after paying the
related federal income taxes for which the shareholders may then be asked to
claim a credit against their federal income tax liability. (See "TAXES.") If a
Fund does not distribute the amount of capital gain and/or ordinary income
required to be distributed by an excise tax provision of the Code, that Fund may
be subject to that excise tax. In certain circumstances, the Fund may determine
that it is in the interest of shareholders to distribute less than the required
amount. (See "TAXES.")
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Earnings and profits distributed to shareholders on redemptions of Fund
shares may be utilized by the Fund, to the extent permissible, as part of the
Fund's dividends paid deduction on its federal tax return.
The Funds intend to distribute dividends from their net investment
income annually in December. The Funds intend to distribute net realized capital
gains after utilization of capital loss carryforwards, if any, in November or
December to prevent application of a federal excise tax. An additional
distribution may be made, if necessary.
Both types of distributions will be made in shares of a Fund and
confirmations will be mailed to each shareholder unless a shareholder has
elected to receive cash, in which case a check will be sent. Distributions of
investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains are taxable
(See "TAXES"), whether made in shares or cash.
Each distribution is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and
character of the distribution. The characterization of distributions on such
correspondence may differ from the characterization for federal tax purposes. In
January of each year a Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the
federal income tax status of all distributions in the prior calendar year.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
(See "Past performance" in the Funds' prospectus.)
From time to time, quotations of each Fund's performance may be
included in advertisements, sales literature or reports to shareholders or
prospective investors. These performance figures will be calculated in the
following manner for each Fund:
Average Annual Total Return
Average Annual Total Return is the average annual compound rate of
return for the periods of one year and the life of a Fund, ended on the last day
of a recent calendar quarter. Average annual total return quotations reflect
changes in the price of a Fund's shares and assume that all dividends and
capital gains distributions during the respective periods were reinvested in
Fund shares. Average annual total return is calculated by finding the average
annual compound rates of return of a hypothetical investment over such periods,
according to the following formula (average annual total return is then
expressed as a percentage):
T = (ERV/P)^1/n - 1
Where:
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000
T = Average Annual Total Return
n = number of years
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the
value, at the end of the applicable
period, of a hypothetical $1,000
investment made at the beginning of the
applicable period.
Total Return for the periods ended October 31, 1998
Life of the Fund ^(1)
----------------
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund 6.08
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund 3.50
(1) For the period from September 18, 1998, commencement of operations to
October 31, 1998.
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As described above, average annual total return is based on historical
earnings and is not intended to indicate future performance. Average annual
total return for the Fund will vary based on changes in market conditions and
the level of the Fund's expenses.
In connection with communicating its average annual total return to
current or prospective shareholders, the Fund also may compare these figures to
the performance of other mutual funds tracked by mutual fund rating services or
to unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends but generally do
not reflect deductions for administrative and management costs.
Cumulative Total Return
Cumulative Total Return is the compound rate of return on a
hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 for a specified period. Cumulative
Total Return quotations reflect changes in the price of a Fund's shares and
assume that all dividends and capital gains distributions during the period were
reinvested in Fund shares. Cumulative Total Return is calculated by finding the
cumulative rates of return of a hypothetical investment over such periods,
according to the following formula (Cumulative Total Return is then expressed as
a percentage):
C = (ERV/P) - 1
Where:
C = Cumulative Total Return
P = a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000
ERV = ending redeemable value: ERV is the
value, at the end of the applicable
period, of a hypothetical $1,000
investment made at the beginning of the
applicable period.
Cumulative Total Return for the periods ended October 31, 1998
Life of the Fund ^(1)
----------------
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund 6.08
Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund 3.50
(1) For the period from September 18, 1998, commencement of operations to
October 31, 1998.
Total Return
Total Return is the rate of return on an investment for a specified
period of time calculated in the same manner as Cumulative Total Return.
Comparison of Fund Performance
A comparison of the quoted non-standard performance offered for various
investments is valid only if performance is calculated in the same manner. Since
there are different methods of calculating performance, investors should
consider the effects of the methods used to calculate performance when comparing
performance of a Fund with performance quoted with respect to other investment
companies or types of investments.
In connection with communicating its performance to current or
prospective shareholders, a Fund also may compare these figures to the
performance of unmanaged indices which may assume reinvestment of dividends or
interest but generally do not reflect deductions for administrative and
management costs. Examples include, but are not limited to the Dow Jones
Industrial Average, the Consumer Price Index, Standard & Poor's Corporation 500
Composite Stock Price Index (S&P 500), the Nasdaq OTC Composite Index, the
Nasdaq Industrials Index, the Russell 2000 Index, the Wilshire Real Estate
Securities Index and statistics published by the Small Business Administration.
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<PAGE>
From time to time, in advertising and marketing literature, a Fund's
performance may be compared to the performance of broad groups of mutual funds
with similar investment goals, as tracked by independent organizations such as,
Investment Company Data, Inc. ("ICD"), Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
("Lipper"), CDA Investment Technologies, Inc. ("CDA"), Morningstar, Inc., Value
Line Mutual Fund Survey and other independent organizations. When these
organizations' tracking results are used, a Fund will be compared to the
appropriate fund category, that is, by fund objective and portfolio holdings, or
to the appropriate volatility grouping, where volatility is a measure of a
fund's risk. For instance, a Scudder growth fund will be compared to funds in
the growth fund category; a Scudder income fund will be compared to funds in the
income fund category; and so on. Scudder funds (except for money market funds)
may also be compared to funds with similar volatility, as measured statistically
by independent organizations.
From time to time, in marketing and other Fund literature, Trustees and
officers of the Trust, the Funds' portfolio manager, or members of the portfolio
management team may be depicted and quoted to give prospective and current
shareholders a better sense of the outlook and approach of those who manage the
Funds. In addition, the amount of assets that the Adviser has under management
in various geographical areas may be quoted in advertising and marketing
materials.
The Funds may be advertised as an investment choice in Scudder's
college planning program. The description may contain illustrations of projected
future college costs based on assumed rates of inflation and examples of
hypothetical fund performance, calculated as described above.
Statistical and other information, as provided by the Social Security
Administration, may be used in marketing materials pertaining to retirement
planning in order to estimate future payouts of social security benefits.
Estimates may be used on demographic and economic data.
Marketing and other Fund literature may include a description of the
potential risks and rewards associated with an investment in the Funds. The
description may include a "risk/return spectrum" which compares the Funds to
other Scudder funds or broad categories of funds, such as money market, bond or
equity funds, in terms of potential risks and returns. Money market funds are
designed to maintain a constant $1.00 share price and have a fluctuating yield.
Share price, yield and total return of a bond fund will fluctuate. The share
price and return of an equity fund also will fluctuate. The description may also
compare the Funds to bank products, such as certificates of deposit. Unlike
mutual funds, certificates of deposit are insured up to $100,000 by the U.S.
Government and offer a fixed rate of return.
Because bank products guarantee the principal value of an investment
and money market funds seek stability of principal, these investments are
considered to be less risky than investments in either bond or equity funds,
which may involve the loss of principal. However, all long-term investments,
including investments in bank products, may be subject to inflation risk, which
is the risk of erosion of the value of an investment as prices increase over a
long time period. The risks/returns associated with an investment in bond or
equity funds depend upon many factors. For bond funds these factors include, but
are not limited to, a fund's overall investment objective, the average portfolio
maturity, credit quality of the securities held, and interest rate movements.
For equity funds, factors include a fund's overall investment objective, the
types of equity securities held and the financial position of the issuers of the
securities. The risks/returns associated with an investment in international
bond or equity funds also will depend upon currency exchange rate fluctuation.
A risk/return spectrum generally will position the various investment
categories in the following order: bank products, money market funds, bond funds
and equity funds. Shorter-term bond funds generally are considered less risky
and offer the potential for less return than longer-term bond funds. The same is
true of domestic bond funds relative to international bond funds, and bond funds
that purchase higher quality securities relative to bond funds that purchase
lower quality securities. Growth and income equity funds are generally
considered to be less risky and offer the potential for less return than growth
funds. In addition, international equity funds usually are considered more risky
than domestic equity funds but generally offer the potential for greater return.
Risk/return spectrums also may depict funds that invest in both
domestic and foreign securities or a combination of bond and equity securities.
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<PAGE>
Evaluation of Fund performance or other relevant statistical
information made by independent sources may also be used in advertisements
concerning the Funds, including reprints of, or selections from, editorials or
articles about these Funds. Sources for Fund performance information and
articles about the Funds include the following:
American Association of Individual Investors' Journal, a monthly publication of
the AAII that includes articles on investment analysis techniques.
Asian Wall Street Journal, a weekly Asian newspaper that often reviews U.S.
mutual funds investing internationally.
Banxquote, an on-line source of national averages for leading money market and
bank CD interest rates, published on a weekly basis by Masterfund, Inc. of
Wilmington, Delaware.
Barron's, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. business and financial weekly that
periodically reviews mutual fund performance data.
Business Week, a national business weekly that periodically reports the
performance rankings and ratings of a variety of mutual funds investing abroad.
CDA Investment Technologies, Inc., an organization which provides performance
and ranking information through examining the dollar results of hypothetical
mutual fund investments and comparing these results against appropriate market
indices.
Consumer Digest, a monthly business/financial magazine that includes a "Money
Watch" section featuring financial news.
Financial Times, Europe's business newspaper, which features from time to time
articles on international or country-specific funds.
Financial World, a general business/financial magazine that includes a "Market
Watch" department reporting on activities in the mutual fund industry.
Forbes, a national business publication that from time to time reports the
performance of specific investment companies in the mutual fund industry.
Fortune, a national business publication that periodically rates the performance
of a variety of mutual funds.
The Frank Russell Company, a West-Coast investment management firm that
periodically evaluates international stock markets and compares foreign equity
market performance to U.S. stock market performance.
Global Investor, a European publication that periodically reviews the
performance of U.S. mutual funds investing internationally.
IBC Money Fund Report, a weekly publication of IBC Financial Data, Inc.,
reporting on the performance of the nation's money market funds, summarizing
money market fund activity and including certain averages as performance
benchmarks, specifically "IBC's Money Fund Average," and "IBC's Government Money
Fund Average."
Ibbotson Associates, Inc., a company specializing in investment research and
data.
Investment Company Data, Inc., an independent organization which provides
performance ranking information for broad classes of mutual funds.
Investor's Business Daily, a daily newspaper that features financial, economic,
and business news.
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<PAGE>
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly investment advisory publication
that periodically features the performance of a variety of securities.
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.'s Mutual Fund Performance Analysis, a weekly
publication of industry-wide mutual fund averages by type of fund.
Money, a monthly magazine that from time to time features both specific funds
and the mutual fund industry as a whole.
Morgan Stanley International, an integrated investment banking firm that
compiles statistical information.
Mutual Fund Values, a biweekly Morningstar, Inc. publication that provides
ratings of mutual funds based on fund performance, risk and portfolio
characteristics.
The New York Times, a nationally distributed newspaper which regularly covers
financial news.
The No-Load Fund Investor, a monthly newsletter, published by Sheldon Jacobs,
that includes mutual fund performance data and recommendations for the mutual
fund investor.
No-Load Fund*X, a monthly newsletter, published by DAL Investment Company, Inc.,
that reports on mutual fund performance, rates funds and discusses investment
strategies for the mutual fund investor.
Personal Investing News, a monthly news publication that often reports on
investment opportunities and market conditions.
Personal Investor, a monthly investment advisory publication that includes a
"Mutual Funds Outlook" section reporting on mutual fund performance measures,
yields, indices and portfolio holdings.
SmartMoney, a national personal finance magazine published monthly by Dow Jones
and Company, Inc. and The Hearst Corporation. Focus is placed on ideas for
investing, spending and saving.
Success, a monthly magazine targeted to the world of entrepreneurs and growing
business, often featuring mutual fund performance data.
United Mutual Fund Selector, a semi-monthly investment newsletter, published by
Babson United Investment Advisors, that includes mutual fund performance data
and reviews of mutual fund portfolios and investment strategies.
USA Today, a leading national daily newspaper.
U.S. News and World Report, a national news weekly that periodically reports
mutual fund performance data.
Value Line Mutual Fund Survey, an independent organization that provides
biweekly performance and other information on mutual funds.
The Wall Street Journal, a Dow Jones and Company, Inc. newspaper which regularly
covers financial news.
Wiesenberger Investment Companies Services, an annual compendium of information
about mutual funds and other investment companies, including comparative data on
funds' backgrounds, management policies, salient features, management results,
income and dividend records and price ranges.
Working Woman, a monthly publication that features a "Financial Workshop"
section reporting on the mutual fund/financial industry.
Worth, a national publication issued 10 times per year by Capital Publishing
Company, a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. Focus is placed on personal
financial journalism.
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<PAGE>
FUND ORGANIZATION
(See "About the funds" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Each Fund is a diversified series of Investment Trust, a Massachusetts
business trust established under a Declaration of Trust dated September 20,
1984, as amended. The name of the Trust was changed, effective May 15, 1991,
from Scudder Growth and Income Fund, and on June 10, 1998 from Scudder
Investment Trust. The Trust's authorized capital consists of an unlimited number
of shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share. The Trust's shares
are currently divided into eight series, Scudder Growth and Income Fund, Scudder
Large Company Growth Fund, Classic Growth Fund, Scudder S&P 500 Index Fund,
Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund, Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund, Scudder Tax
Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund.
The Trustees have the authority to issue additional series of shares
and to designate the relative rights and preferences as between the different
series. Each share of a Fund has equal rights with each other share of a Fund as
to voting, dividends and liquidation. All shares issued and outstanding will be
fully paid and nonassessable by the Trust, and redeemable as described in this
combined Statement of Additional Information and in the Funds' prospectus.
The assets of the Trust received for the issue or sale of the shares of
each series and all income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, subject only
to the rights of creditors, are specifically allocated to such series and
constitute the underlying assets of such series. The underlying assets of each
series are segregated on the books of account and are to be charged with the
liabilities in respect to such series and with a proportionate share of the
general liabilities of the Trust. If a series were unable to meet its
obligations, the assets of all other series may in some circumstances be
available to creditors for that purpose, in which case the assets of such other
series could be used to meet liabilities which are not otherwise properly
chargeable to them. Expenses with respect to any two or more series are to be
allocated in proportion to the asset value of the respective series except where
allocations of direct expenses can otherwise be fairly made. The officers of the
Trust, subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, have the power to
determine which liabilities are allocable to a given series, or which are
general or allocable to two or more series. In the event of the dissolution or
liquidation of the Trust or any series, the holders of the shares of any series
are entitled to receive as a class the underlying assets of such shares
available for distribution to shareholders.
Shares of the Trust entitle their holders to one vote per share;
however, separate votes are taken by each series on matters affecting an
individual series. For example, a change in investment policy for a series would
be voted upon only by shareholders of the series involved. Additionally,
approval of the investment advisory agreement is a matter to be determined
separately by each series. Approval by the shareholders of one series is
effective as to that series whether or not enough votes are received from the
shareholders of the other series to approve such agreement as to other series.
The Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the division of shares
of a Fund (or shares of a series) into different classes, permitting shares of
different classes to be distributed by different methods. Although shareholders
of different classes of a series would have an interest in the same portfolio of
assets, shareholders of different classes may bear different expenses in
connection with different methods of distribution.
The Declaration of Trust provides that obligations of a Fund are not
binding upon the Trustees individually but only upon the property of a Fund,
that the Trustees and officers will not be liable for errors of judgment or
mistakes of fact or law and that a Fund will indemnify its Trustees and officers
against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with litigation in which
they may be involved because of their offices with a Fund, except if it is
determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they have not
acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the best
interests of a Fund. Nothing in the Declaration of Trust, however, protects or
indemnifies a Trustee or officer against any liability to which that person
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of that
person's office.
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INVESTMENT ADVISER
(See "Investment adviser" in the Funds' prospectus.)
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. (the "Adviser"), an investment counsel
firm, acts as investment adviser to the Fund. This organization, the predecessor
of which is Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc., is one of the most experienced
investment counsel firms in the U. S. It was established as a partnership in
1919 and pioneered the practice of providing investment counsel to individual
clients on a fee basis. In 1928 it introduced the first no-load mutual fund to
the public. In 1953 the Adviser introduced Scudder International Fund, Inc., the
first mutual fund available in the U.S. investing internationally in securities
of issuers in several foreign countries. The predecessor firm reorganized from a
partnership to a corporation on June 28, 1985. On June 26, 1997, Scudder,
Stevens & Clark, Inc. ("Scudder") entered into an agreement with Zurich
Insurance Company ("Zurich") pursuant to which Scudder and Zurich agreed to form
an alliance. On December 31, 1997, Zurich acquired a majority interest in
Scudder, and Zurich Kemper Investments, Inc., a Zurich subsidiary, became part
of Scudder. Scudder's name has been changed to Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
Founded in 1872, Zurich is a multinational, public corporation
organized under the laws of Switzerland. Its home office is located at
Mythenquai 2, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland. Historically, Zurich's earnings have
resulted from its operations as an insurer as well as from its ownership of its
subsidiaries and affiliated companies (the "Zurich Insurance Group"). Zurich and
the Zurich Insurance Group provide an extensive range of insurance products and
services and have branch offices and subsidiaries in more than 40 countries
throughout the world.
The principal source of the Adviser's income is professional fees
received from providing continuous investment advice, and the firm derives no
income from brokerage or underwriting of securities. Today, it provides
investment counsel for many individuals and institutions, including insurance
companies, colleges, industrial corporations, and financial and banking
organizations. In addition, it manages Montgomery Street Income Securities,
Inc., Scudder California Tax Free Trust, Scudder Cash Investment Trust, Value
Equity Trust, Scudder Fund, Inc., Scudder Funds Trust, Global/International
Fund, Inc., Scudder Global High Income Fund, Inc., Scudder GNMA Fund, Scudder
Portfolio Trust, Scudder Institutional Fund, Inc., Scudder International Fund,
Inc., Investment Trust, Scudder Municipal Trust, Scudder Mutual Funds, Inc.,
Scudder New Asia Fund, Inc., Scudder New Europe Fund, Inc., Scudder Pathway
Series, Scudder Securities Trust, Scudder State Tax Free Trust, Scudder Tax Free
Money Fund, Scudder Tax Free Trust, Scudder U.S. Treasury Money Fund, Scudder
Variable Life Investment Fund, The Argentina Fund, Inc., The Brazil Fund, Inc.,
The Korea Fund, Inc., The Japan Fund, Inc. and Scudder Spain and Portugal Fund,
Inc. Some of the foregoing companies or trusts have two or more series.
The Adviser also provides investment advisory services to the mutual
funds which comprise the AARP Investment Program from Scudder. The AARP
Investment Program from Scudder has assets over $13 billion and includes the
AARP Growth Trust, AARP Income Trust, AARP Tax Free Income Trust, AARP Managed
Investment Portfolios Trust and AARP Cash Investment Funds.
Pursuant to an Agreement between the Adviser and AMA Solutions, Inc., a
subsidiary of the American Medical Association (the "AMA"), dated May 9, 1997,
the Adviser has agreed, subject to applicable state regulations, to pay AMA
Solutions, Inc. royalties in an amount equal to 5% of the management fee
received by the Adviser with respect to assets invested by AMA members in
Scudder funds in connection with the AMA InvestmentLinkSM Program. The Adviser
will also pay AMA Solutions, Inc. a general monthly fee, currently in the amount
of $833. The AMA and AMA Solutions, Inc. are not engaged in the business of
providing investment advice and neither is registered as an investment adviser
or broker/dealer under federal securities laws. Any person who participates in
the AMA InvestmentLinkSM Program will be a customer of the Adviser (or of a
subsidiary thereof) and not the AMA or AMA Solutions, Inc. AMA InvestmentLinkSM
is a service mark of AMA Solutions, Inc.
The Adviser maintains a large research department, which conducts
continuous studies of the factors that affect the position of various
industries, companies and individual securities. The Adviser receives published
reports and statistical compilations from issuers and other sources, as well as
analyses from brokers and dealers who may execute portfolio transactions for the
Adviser's clients. However, the Adviser regards this information and material as
an adjunct to its own research activities. The Adviser's international
investment management team travels the world, researching hundreds of companies.
In selecting the securities in which each Fund may invest, the conclusions and
investment
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<PAGE>
decisions of the Adviser with respect to a Fund are based primarily on the
analyses of its own research department.
Certain investments may be appropriate for a Fund and also for other
clients advised by the Adviser. Investment decisions for the Fund and other
clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives
and after consideration of such factors as their current holdings, availability
of cash for investment and the size of their investments generally. Frequently,
a particular security may be bought or sold for only one client or in different
amounts and at different times for more than one but less than all clients.
Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one
or more other clients are selling the security. In addition, purchases or sales
of the same security may be made for two or more clients on the same day. In
such event, such transactions will be allocated among the clients in a manner
believed by the Adviser to be equitable to each. In some cases, this procedure
could have an adverse effect on the price or amount of the securities purchased
or sold by a Fund. Purchase and sale orders for a Fund may be combined with
those of other clients of the Adviser in the interest of achieving the most
favorable net results to the Fund.
For Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund the investment management agreements (the "Agreements") dated
August 31, 1998 were approved by the initial shareholder of each Fund on July
27, 1998, and by the Trustees of the Trust on June 9, 1998.
On September 7, 1998, the businesses of Zurich (including Zurich's 70%
interest in Scudder Kemper) and the financial services businesses of B.A.T
Industries p.l.c. ("B.A.T") were combined to form a new global insurance and
financial services company known as Zurich Financial Services Group. By way of a
dual holding company structure, former Zurich shareholders initially owned
approximately 57% of Zurich Financial Services Group, with the balance initially
owned by former B.A.T shareholders.
Upon consummation of this transaction, the Funds' existing investment
management agreements with Scudder Kemper were deemed to have been assigned and,
therefore, terminated. The Board has approved new investment management
agreements (the "Agreements") with Scudder Kemper, which are substantially
identical to the current investment management agreements, except for the dates
of execution and termination. The Agreements became effective on September 7,
1998, upon the termination of the then current investment management agreements
and were approved at a shareholder meeting held in December 1998.
The Agreements, dated September 7, 1998, were approved by the Trustees
of the Trust on August 11, 1998. The Agreements will continue in effect until
September 30, 1999 and from year to year thereafter only if their continuance is
approved annually by the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not
parties to such Agreements or interested persons of the Adviser or the Funds,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
and either by a vote of the Trust's Trustees or of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Funds. The Agreements may be terminated at any time
without payment of penalty by either party on sixty days' written notice, and
automatically terminates in the event of its assignment.
The Adviser regularly provides each Fund with continuing investment
management for each Fund's portfolio consistent with that Fund's investment
objective, policies and restrictions and determines what securities shall be
purchased, held or sold and what portion of each Fund's assets shall be held
uninvested, subject to the Trust's Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, the 1940 Act,
the Code and to each Fund's investment objective, policies and restrictions, and
subject, further, to such policies and instructions as the Board of Trustees of
the Trust may from time to time establish. The Adviser also advises and assists
the officers of the Trust in taking such steps as are necessary or appropriate
to carry out the decisions of its Trustees and the appropriate committees of the
Trustees regarding the conduct of the business of the Funds.
Under the Agreements, the Adviser renders significant administrative
services (not otherwise provided by third parties) necessary for each Fund's
operations as an open-end investment company including, but not limited to,
preparing reports and notices to the Trustees and shareholders; supervising,
negotiating contractual arrangements with, and monitoring various third-party
service providers to the Funds (such as the Funds' transfer agent, pricing
agents, custodian, accountants and others); preparing and making filings with
the Commission and other regulatory agencies;
38
<PAGE>
assisting in the preparation and filing of the Funds' federal, state and local
tax returns; preparing and filing the Funds' federal excise tax returns;
assisting with investor and public relations matters; monitoring the valuation
of securities and the calculation of net asset value; monitoring the
registration of shares of each Fund under applicable federal and state
securities laws; maintaining each Fund's books and records to the extent not
otherwise maintained by a third party; assisting in establishing accounting
policies of each Fund; assisting in the resolution of accounting and legal
issues; establishing and monitoring each Fund's operating budget; processing the
payment of each Fund's bills; assisting each Fund in, and otherwise arranging
for, the payment of distributions and dividends and otherwise assisting the Fund
in the conduct of its business, subject to the direction and control of the
Trustees.
The Adviser pays the compensation and expenses (except those of
attending Board and committee meetings outside New York, New York or Boston,
Massachusetts) of all Trustees, officers and executive employees of the Trust
affiliated with the Adviser and makes available, without expense to the Fund,
the services of such Trustees, officers and employees of the Adviser as may duly
be elected officers of the Trust, subject to their individual consent to serve
and to any limitations imposed by law, and provides the Fund's office space and
facilities.
For these services Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax
Managed Small Company Growth Fund pay the Adviser 0.80% and 0.90%, respectively,
payable monthly, provided each Fund will make such interim payments as may be
requested by the Adviser not to exceed 75% of the amount of the fee then accrued
on the books of each Fund and unpaid. The Adviser has agreed to voluntarily
waive management fees to the extent necessary so that the total annualized
expenses of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund do not exceed 1.25% and 1.50%, respectively, of each Fund's average
daily net assets until February 28, 1999. These expense limitation arrangements
can decrease the Funds' expenses and improve its performance.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, each of Scudder Tax Managed
Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund was charged by the
Adviser aggregate fees pursuant to their then effective investment management
agreement of $40,871 and $40,550, respectively.
Under the Agreements each Fund is responsible for all of its other
expenses including: fees and expenses incurred in connection with membership in
investment company organizations; brokers' commissions; legal, auditing and
accounting expenses; the calculation of net asset value; taxes and governmental
fees; the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent; the cost of preparing share
certificates or any other expenses of issue, sale, underwriting, distribution,
redemption or repurchase of shares; the expenses of and the fees for registering
or qualifying securities for sale; the fees and expenses of Trustees, officers
and employees of the Fund who are not affiliated with the Adviser; the cost of
printing and distributing reports and notices to stockholders; and the fees and
disbursements of custodians. Each Fund may arrange to have third parties assume
all or part of the expenses of sale, underwriting and distribution of shares of
the Fund. Each Fund is also responsible for its expenses of shareholders'
meetings, the cost of responding to shareholders' inquiries, and its expenses
incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings and claims and the legal
obligation it may have to indemnify its officers and Trustees of the Trust with
respect thereto.
The Agreement identifies the Adviser as the exclusive licensee of the
rights to use and sublicense the names "Scudder," "Scudder Kemper Investments,
Inc." and "Scudder Stevens and Clark, Inc." (together, the "Scudder Marks").
Under this license, the Corporation, with respect to the Fund, has the
non-exclusive right to use and sublicense the Scudder name and marks as part of
its name, and to use the Scudder Marks in the Trusts' investment products and
services.
In reviewing the terms of each Agreement and in discussions with the
Adviser concerning such Agreement, the Trustees of each Fund who are not
"interested persons" of the Adviser are represented by independent counsel at
the Fund's expense.
Each Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any
error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by each Fund in
connection with matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting
from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by the
Adviser of its obligations and duties under each Agreement.
39
<PAGE>
Officers and employees of the Adviser from time to time may have
transactions with various banks, including each Fund's custodian bank. It is the
Adviser's opinion that the terms and conditions of those transactions which have
occurred were not influenced by existing or potential custodial or other Fund
relationships.
The Adviser may serve as adviser to other funds with investment
objectives and policies similar to those of the Funds that may have different
distribution arrangements or expenses, which may affect performance.
None of the officers or Trustees of the Trust may have dealings with
either as principals in the purchase or sale of securities, except as individual
subscribers to or holders of shares of the Fund.
Personal Investments by Employees of the Adviser
Employees of the Adviser are permitted to make personal securities
transactions, subject to requirements and restrictions set forth in the
Adviser's Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics contains provisions and
requirements designed to identify and address certain conflicts of interest
between personal investment activities and the interests of investment advisory
clients such as the Funds. Among other things, the Code of Ethics, which
generally complies with standards recommended by the Investment Company
Institute's Advisory Group on Personal Investing, prohibits certain types of
transactions absent prior approval, imposes time periods during which personal
transactions may not be made in certain securities, and requires the submission
of duplicate broker confirmations and monthly reporting of securities
transactions. Additional restrictions apply to portfolio managers, traders,
research analysts and others involved in the investment advisory process.
Exceptions to these and other provisions of the Code of Ethics may be granted in
particular circumstances after review by appropriate personnel.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Position with Underwriter,
Name, Date of Birth Position Scudder Investor
and Address with Trust Principal Occupation** Services, Inc.
- ----------- ---------- ---------------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Daniel Pierce (64)+*= President and Trustee Managing Director of Scudder Director, Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc. and Assistant Treasurer
Henry P. Becton, Jr. (55) Trustee President and General Manager, --
125 Western Avenue WGBH Educational Foundation
Allston, MA 02134
Dawn-Marie Driscoll (52) Trustee Executive Fellow, Center for --
4909 SW 9th Place Business Ethics, Bentley
Cape Coral, FL 33914 College; President, Driscoll
Associates
Peter B. Freeman Trustee Director, The A.H. Belo --
(66) Company; Trustee, Eastern
100 Alumni Avenue Utilities Associates (public
Providence, RI 02906 utility holding company);
Director, AMICA Life Insurance
Co.; Director, AMICA Insurance
Co.
George M. Lovejoy, Jr. (68)= Trustee President and Director, Fifty --
50 Congress Street Associates (real estate
Suite 543 investment trust)
Boston, MA 02109
40
<PAGE>
Position with Underwriter,
Name, Date of Birth Position Scudder Investor
and Address with Trust Principal Occupation** Services, Inc.
- ----------- ---------- ---------------------- --------------
Wesley W. Marple, Jr. (66)= Trustee Professor of Business --
413 Hayden Hall Administration, Northeastern
360 Huntington Ave. University, College of Business
Boston, MA 02115 Administration
Kathryn L. Quirk (46)++*= Trustee, Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Director, Assistant
and Assistant Secretary Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Senior Vice
President
Jean C. Tempel (55) Trustee Managing Partner, --
Ten Post Office Square Technology Equity Partners
Suite 1325
Boston, MA 02109
Bruce F. Beaty (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Philip S. Fortuna (41)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder Vice President
Kemper Investments, Inc.
William F. Gadsden (43)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Jerard K. Hartman (65)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Robert T. Hoffman (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas W. Joseph (59)+ Vice President Senior Vice President of Director, Vice President,
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. Treasurer and Assistant
Clerk
Valerie F. Malter (40)++ Vice President Managing Director of Scudder --
Kemper Investments, Inc.
Thomas F. McDonough (51)+ Treasurer, Vice Senior Vice President of Clerk
President and Secretary Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
41
<PAGE>
Position with Underwriter,
Name, Date of Birth Position Scudder Investor
and Address with Trust Principal Occupation** Services, Inc.
- ----------- ---------- ---------------------- --------------
John R. Hebble Assistant Treasurer Senior Vice President of --
(40)+ Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
Caroline Pearson Assistant Secretary Senior Vice President, Scudder --
(36)+ Kemper Investments, Inc.;
Associate, Dechert Price &
Rhoads (law firm), 1989 to 1997
</TABLE>
* Mr. Pierce and Ms. Quirk are considered by the Fund and counsel to be
persons who are "interested persons" of the Adviser or of the Trust,
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
** Unless otherwise stated, all the Trustees and officers have been
associated with their respective companies for more than five years,
but not necessarily in the same capacity.
= Messrs. Lovejoy, Pierce, Marple and Ms. Quirk are members of the
Executive Committee for the Trust, which has the power to declare
dividends from ordinary income and distributions of realized capital
gains to the same extent as the Board is so empowered.
+ Address: Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
++ Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York
The Trustees and officers of the Fund also serve in similar capacities
with respect to other Scudder funds.
As of January 31, 1999, to the knowledge of the Trust, all Trustees and
officers as a group owned less than 1% of each Fund's outstanding shares as of
the commencement of operations.
As of January 31, 1999, 39,107 shares in the aggregate, 23.69% of the
outstanding shares of Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund were held in the
name of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp., Pershing Division,
Transfer Department, P.O. Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052, who may be
deemed to be the beneficial owner of certain of these shares, but disclaims any
beneficial ownership therein.
As of January 31, 1999, 12,549 shares in the aggregate, 7.60% of the
outstanding shares of Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund were held in the
name of Emmet O'Neal.
As of January 31, 1999, 37,587 shares in the aggregate, 15.37% of the
outstanding shares of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund were held in the name of
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp., Pershing Division, Transfer
Department, P.O. Box 2052, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052, who may be deemed to be
the beneficial owner of certain of these shares, but disclaims any beneficial
ownership therein.
As of January 31, 1999, 13,637 shares in the aggregate, 5.57% of the
outstanding shares of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund were held in the name of
Charles Agnoff and Evelyn Agnoff.
As of January 31, 1999, 20,923 shares in the aggregate, 8.55% of the
outstanding shares of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund were held in the name of
Emmet O'Neal.
42
<PAGE>
To the best of the Trust's knowledge, as of January 31, 1999 no person
owned beneficially more than 5% of a Fund's outstanding shares, except as stated
above.
REMUNERATION
Responsibilities of the Board -- Board and Committee Meetings
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the general oversight of each
Fund's business. A majority of the Board's members are not affiliated with
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. These "Independent Trustees" have primary
responsibility for assuring that each Fund is managed in the best interests of
its shareholders.
The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to review the investment
performance of each Fund and other operational matters, including policies and
procedures designed to ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements.
At least annually, the Independent Trustees review the fees paid to the Adviser
and its affiliates for investment advisory services and other administrative and
shareholder services. In this regard, they evaluate, among other things, each
Fund's investment performance, the quality and efficiency of the various other
services provided, costs incurred by the Adviser and its affiliates and
comparative information regarding fees and expenses of competitive funds. They
are assisted in this process by each Fund's independent public accountants and
by independent legal counsel selected by the Independent Trustees.
All the Independent Trustees serve on the Committee on Independent
Trustees, which nominates Independent Trustees and considers other related
matters, and the Audit Committee, which selects each Fund's independent public
accountants and reviews accounting policies and controls. In addition,
Independent Trustees from time to time have established and served on task
forces and subcommittees focusing on particular matters such as investment,
accounting and shareholder service issues.
Compensation of Officers and Trustees
The Independent Trustees receive the following compensation from the
Funds of Investment Trust: an annual trustee's fee of $2,400 for a Fund in which
total net assets do not exceed $100 million, $4,800 for a Fund in which total
net assets exceed $100 million but do not exceed $1 billion and $7,200 for a
Fund in which total net assets exceed $1 billion; a fee of $150 for attendance
at each board meeting, audit committee meeting or other meeting held for the
purposes of considering arrangements between the Trust on behalf of the Fund and
the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser; $75 for attendance at any other
committee meeting; and reimbursement of expenses incurred for travel to and from
Board Meetings. The Independent Trustee who serves as lead or liaison trustee
receives an additional annual retainer fee of $500 from each Fund. No additional
compensation is paid to any Independent Trustee for travel time to meetings,
attendance at directors' educational seminars or conferences, service on
industry or association committees, participation as speakers at directors'
conferences or service on special trustee task forces or subcommittees.
Independent Trustees do not receive any employee benefits such as pension or
retirement benefits or health insurance. Notwithstanding the schedule of fees,
the Independent Trustees have in the past and may in the future waive a portion
of their compensation.
The Independent Trustees also serve in the same capacity for other
funds managed by the Adviser. These funds differ broadly in type and complexity
and in some cases have substantially different Trustee fee schedules. The
following table shows the aggregate compensation received by each Independent
Trustee during 1998 from the Trust and from all of the Scudder funds as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Investment Trust(1) All Scudder Funds
------------------- -----------------
Paid by Paid by the Paid by Paid by
Name the Trust Adviser(2) the Funds The Adviser(2)
- ---- --------- ---------- --------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Henry P. Becton $0 $0 $135,000 $0
Trustee (28 funds)
43
<PAGE>
Investment Trust(1) All Scudder Funds
------------------- -----------------
Paid by Paid by the Paid by Paid by
Name the Trust Adviser(2) the Funds The Adviser(2)
- ---- --------- ---------- --------- --------------
Dawn-Marie Driscoll $0 $0 $145,000 $0
Trustee (28 funds)
Peter B. Freeman $0 $0 $172,425 $0
Trustee (46 funds)
George M. Lovejoy, Jr. $0 $0 $148,600 $0
Trustee (29 funds)
Wesley W. Marple, Jr. $0 $0 $135,000 $0
Trustee (28 funds)
Jean C. Tempel $0 $0 $135,000 $0
Trustee (29 funds)
</TABLE>
(1) Investment Trust consists of eight funds: Scudder Growth and Income
Fund, Scudder Large Company Growth Fund, Classic Growth Fund, Scudder
S&P 500 Index, Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund, Scudder Dividend &
Growth Fund, Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed
Small Company Fund. Scudder Real Estate Investment Fund commenced
operations on March 2, 1998. Scudder Dividend & Growth Fund commenced
operations on June 1, 1998. Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder
Tax Managed Small Company Growth Fund each commenced operations on July
31, 1998.
(2) Meetings associated with the Adviser's alliance with Zurich Insurance
Company. See "Investment Adviser" for additional information.
Members of the Board of Trustees who are employees of the Adviser or
its affiliates receive no direct compensation from the Trust, although they are
compensated as employees of the Adviser, or its affiliates, as a result of which
they may be deemed to participate in fees paid by each Fund.
DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, has an underwriting agreement
Scudder Investor Services, Inc., Two International Place, Boston, MA 02110 (the
"Distributor"), a Massachusetts corporation, which is a subsidiary of the
Adviser, a Delaware corporation. The Trust's underwriting agreement dated
September 7, 1998 will remain in effect until September 30, 1999 and from year
to year thereafter only if its continuance is approved annually by a majority of
the members of the Board of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or
interested persons of any such party and either by vote of a majority of the
Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund. The underwriting agreement was last approved by the Trustees on August 11,
1998.
Under the underwriting agreement, each Fund is responsible for: the
payment of all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing
with the Commission of its registration statement and prospectus and any
amendments and supplements thereto; the registration and qualification of shares
for sale in the various states, including registering a Fund as a broker/dealer
in various states, as required; the fees and expenses of preparing, printing and
mailing prospectuses annually to existing shareholders (see below for expenses
relating to prospectuses paid by the Distributor), notices, proxy statements,
reports or other communications to shareholders of the Fund; the cost of
printing and mailing confirmations of purchases of shares and the prospectuses
accompanying such confirmations; any issuance taxes and/or any initial transfer
taxes; a portion of shareholder toll-free telephone charges and expenses of
customer service representatives; the cost of wiring funds for share purchases
and redemptions (unless paid by the shareholder
44
<PAGE>
who initiates the transaction); the cost of printing and postage of business
reply envelopes; and a portion of the cost of computer terminals used by both a
Fund and the Distributor.
The Distributor will pay for printing and distributing prospectuses or
reports prepared for its use in connection with the offering of a Fund's shares
to the public and preparing, printing and mailing any other literature or
advertising in connection with the offering of shares of a Fund to the public.
The Distributor will pay all fees and expenses in connection with its
qualification and registration as a broker or dealer under federal and state
laws, a portion of the cost of toll-free telephone service and expenses of
service representatives, a portion of the cost of computer terminals and
expenses of any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of
shares issued by the Fund, unless a Rule 12b-1 plan is in effect which provides
that each Fund shall bear some or all of such expenses.
Note: Although the Trust currently has no 12b-1 Plan with respect to
the Funds and the Trustees have no current intention of
adopting one, the Fund will also pay those fees and expenses
permitted to be paid or assumed by the Trust pursuant to a
12b-1 Plan, if any, adopted by the Trust, notwithstanding any
other provision to the contrary in the underwriting agreement.
As agent, the Distributor currently offers a Fund's shares on a
continuous basis to investors in all states. The Underwriting Agreement provides
that the Distributor accepts orders for shares at net asset value as no sales
commission or load is charged the investor. The Distributor has made no firm
commitment to acquire shares of a Fund.
45
<PAGE>
TAXES
(See "Distributions" and "Taxes" in the Fund's prospectus.)
Each Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company
under Subchapter M of the Code or a predecessor statute, and has qualified as
such since its inception. Such qualification does not involve governmental
supervision or management of investment practices or policy.
A regulated investment company qualifying under Subchapter M of the
Code is required to distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its
investment company taxable income (including net short-term capital gain) and
generally is not subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes
annually its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains in
the manner required under the Code.
Each Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on amounts
required to be but not distributed under a prescribed formula. The formula
requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions
representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year,
at least 98% of the excess of its capital gains over capital losses (adjusted
for certain ordinary losses) realized during the one-year period ending October
31 during such year, and all ordinary income and capital gains for prior years
that were not previously distributed.
Investment company taxable income includes dividends, interest and net
short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, less
expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking
into account any capital loss carryforward of a Fund.
If any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized
short-term capital losses are retained by a Fund for reinvestment, requiring
federal income taxes to be paid thereon by that Fund, that Fund intends to elect
to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to shareholders. As a
result, each shareholder will report such capital gains as long-term capital
gains, will be able to claim a relative share of federal income taxes paid by
that Fund on such gains as a credit against personal federal income tax
liability, and will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis on Fund
shares by the difference between such reported gains and the individual tax
credit.
Distributions of investment company taxable income are taxable to
shareholders as ordinary income.
Dividends from domestic corporations are expected to comprise a
substantial part of a Fund's gross income. To the extent that such dividends
constitute a portion of that Fund's gross income, a portion of the income
distributions of that Fund may be eligible for the deduction for dividends
received by corporations. Shareholders will be informed of the portion of
dividends which so qualify. The dividends-received deduction is reduced to the
extent the shares of that Fund with respect to which the dividends are received
are treated as debt-financed under federal income tax law, and is eliminated if
either those shares or the shares of that Fund are deemed to have been held by
that Fund or the shareholder, as the case may be, for less than 46 days during
the 90-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend.
Properly designated distributions of the excess of net long-term
capital gain over net short-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as
long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of a Fund
have been held by such shareholders. Such distributions are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction. Any loss realized upon the redemption of shares
held at the time of redemption for six months or less will be treated as a
long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of
long-term capital gain during such six-month period.
Distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gains will be taxable as described above, whether received in shares or
in cash. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of
additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each
share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment
date.
All distributions of investment company taxable income and net realized
capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each
shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends and capital
46
<PAGE>
gains distributions declared in October, November or December and payable to
shareholders of record in such a month will be deemed to have been received by
shareholders on December 31 if paid during January of the following year.
Redemptions of shares, including exchanges for shares of another Scudder fund,
may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also
subject to these reporting requirements.
A qualifying individual may make a deductible IRA contribution for any
taxable year only if (i) neither the individual nor his or her spouse (unless
filing separate returns) is an active participant in an employer's retirement
plan, or (ii) the individual (and his or her spouse, if applicable) has an
adjusted gross income below a certain level ($40,050 for married individuals
filing a joint return, with a phase-out of the deduction for adjusted gross
income between $40,050 and $50,000; $25,050 for a single individual, with a
phase-out for adjusted gross income between $25,050 and $35,000). However, an
individual not permitted to make a deductible contribution to an IRA for any
such taxable year may nonetheless make nondeductible contributions up to $2,000
to an IRA (up to $2,000 per individual for married couples if only one spouse
has earned income) for that year. There are special rules for determining how
withdrawals are to be taxed if an IRA contains both deductible and nondeductible
amounts. In general, a proportionate amount of each withdrawal will be deemed to
be made from nondeductible contributions; amounts treated as a return of
nondeductible contributions will not be taxable. Also, annual contributions may
be made to a spousal IRA even if the spouse has earnings in a given year if the
spouse elects to be treated as having no earnings (for IRA contribution
purposes) for the year.
Distributions by a Fund result in a reduction in the net asset value of
that Fund's shares. Should a distribution reduce the net asset value below a
shareholder's cost basis, such distribution would nevertheless be taxable to the
shareholder as ordinary income or capital gain as described above, even though,
from an investment standpoint, it may constitute a partial return of capital. In
particular, investors should consider the tax implications of buying shares just
prior to a distribution. The price of shares purchased at that time includes the
amount of the forthcoming distribution. Those purchasing just prior to a
distribution will then receive a partial return of capital upon the
distribution, which will nevertheless be taxable to them.
Equity options (including covered call options on portfolio stock) and
over-the-counter options on debt securities written or purchased by a Fund will
be subject to tax under Section 1234 of the Code. In general, no loss is
recognized by a Fund upon payment of a premium in connection with the purchase
of a put or call option. The character of any gain or loss recognized (i.e.,
long-term or short-term) will generally depend, in the case of a lapse or sale
of the option, on that Fund's holding period for the option, and in the case of
an exercise of a put option, on that Fund's holding period for the underlying
stock. The purchase of a put option may constitute a short sale for federal
income tax purposes, causing an adjustment in the holding period of the
underlying stock or substantially identical stock in that Fund's portfolio. If
that Fund writes a put or call option, no gain is recognized upon its receipt of
a premium. If the option lapses or is closed out, any gain or loss is treated as
a short-term capital gain or loss. If a call option is exercised, any resulting
gain or loss is a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the
holding period of the underlying stock. The exercise of a put option written by
a Fund is not a taxable transaction for that Fund.
Many futures contracts entered into by a Fund and all listed non-equity
options written or purchased by a Fund (including options on futures contracts
and options on broad-based stock indices) will be governed by Section 1256 of
the Code. Absent a tax election to the contrary, gain or loss attributable to
the lapse, exercise or closing out of any such position generally will be
treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, and on the
last trading day of that Fund's fiscal year, all outstanding Section 1256
positions will be marked to market (i.e. treated as if such positions were
closed out at their closing price on such day), with any resulting gain or loss
recognized as 60% long-term and 40% short-term. Under certain circumstances,
entry into a futures contract to sell a security may constitute a short sale for
federal income tax purposes, causing an adjustment in the holding period of the
underlying security or a substantially identical security in a Fund's portfolio.
Positions of a Fund which consist of at least one stock and at least
one other position with respect to a related security which substantially
diminishes that Fund's risk of loss with respect to such stock could be treated
as a "straddle" which is governed by Section 1092 of the Code, the operation of
which may cause deferral of losses, adjustments in the holding periods of stock
or securities and conversion of short-term capital losses into long-term capital
losses. An exception to these straddle rules exists for certain "qualified
covered call options" on stock written by that Fund.
47
<PAGE>
Positions of a Fund which consist of at least one position not governed
by Section 1256 and at least one futures contract or non-equity option governed
by Section 1256 which substantially diminishes that Fund's risk of loss with
respect to such other position will be treated as a "mixed straddle." Although
mixed straddles are subject to the straddle rules of Section 1092 of the Code,
certain tax elections exist for them which reduce or eliminate the operation of
these rules. Each Fund intends to monitor its transactions in options and
futures and may make certain tax elections in connection with these investments.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, recent tax law changes may
require a Fund to recognize gain (but not loss) from a constructive sale of
certain "appreciated financial positions" if that Fund enters into a short sale,
offsetting notional principal contract, futures or forward contract transaction
with respect to the appreciated position or substantially identical property.
Appreciated financial positions subject to this constructive sale treatment are
interests (including options, futures and forward contracts and short sales) in
stock, partnership interests, certain actively traded trust instruments and
certain debt instruments. Constructive sale treatment of appreciated financial
positions does not apply to certain transactions closed in the 90-day period
ending with the 30th day after the close of that Fund's taxable year, if certain
conditions are met.
Similarly, if a Fund enters into a short sale of property that becomes
substantially worthless, that Fund will be required to recognize gain at that
time as though it had closed the short sale. Future regulations may apply
similar treatment to other strategic transactions with respect to property that
becomes substantially worthless.
A portion of the difference between the issue price of zero coupon
securities and their face value ("original issue discount") is considered to be
income to a Fund each year, even though that Fund will not receive cash interest
payments from these securities. This original issue discount (imputed income)
will comprise a part of the investment company taxable income of that Fund which
must be distributed to shareholders in order to maintain the qualification of
that Fund as a regulated investment company and to avoid federal income tax at
the level of that Fund. Shareholders will be subject to income tax on such
original issue discount, whether or not they elect to receive their
distributions in cash.
Each Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service
all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds
from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain
exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of
the Code, distributions of taxable income and capital gains and proceeds from
the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may
be subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 31% in the case
of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their
taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their
status under the federal income tax law. Withholding may also be required if a
Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that the taxpayer identification number
furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder has previously
failed to report interest or dividend income. If the withholding provisions are
applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or
reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be
withheld.
Shareholders of a Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on
distributions received from that Fund and on redemptions of that Fund's shares.
Each distribution is accompanied by a brief explanation of the form and
character of the distribution. In January of each year each Fund issues to each
shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Each Fund is organized as a series of a Massachusetts business trust
and is not liable for any income or franchise tax in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, provided that it qualifies as a regulated investment company for
federal income tax purposes.
The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely
to the application of that law to U.S. persons, i.e., U.S. citizens and
residents and U.S. corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each
shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax
consequences of ownership of shares of a Fund, including the possibility that
such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or
at a lower rate under an
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applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income received
by him or her, where such amounts are treated as income from U.S. sources under
the Code.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of
the provisions of tax law described in this Statement of Additional Information
in light of their particular tax situations.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Brokerage Commissions
Allocation of brokerage is supervised by the Adviser.
The primary objective of the Adviser in placing orders for the purchase
and sale of securities for a Fund is to obtain the most favorable net results,
taking into account such factors as price, commission where applicable, size of
order, difficulty of execution and skill required of the executing
broker/dealer. The Adviser seeks to evaluate the overall reasonableness of
brokerage commissions paid (to the extent applicable) through the familiarity of
the Distributor with commissions charged on comparable transactions, as well as
by comparing commissions paid by a Fund to reported commissions paid by others.
The Adviser reviews on a routine basis commission rates, execution and
settlement services performed, making internal and external comparisons.
The Funds' purchases and sales of fixed-income securities are generally
placed by the Adviser with primary market makers for these securities on a net
basis, without any brokerage commission being paid by a Fund. Trading does,
however, involve transaction costs. Transactions with dealers serving as primary
market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked prices. Purchases of
underwritten issues may be made, which will include an underwriting fee paid to
the underwriter.
When it can be done consistently with the policy of obtaining the most
favorable net results, it is the Adviser's practice to place such orders with
broker/dealers who supply market quotations to Scudder Fund Accounting
Corporation for appraisal purposes, or who supply research, market and
statistical information to a Fund or the Adviser. The term "research, market and
statistical information" includes advice as to the value of securities, the
advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the
availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities, and
furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities,
economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts.
The Adviser is authorized when placing portfolio transactions for a Fund to pay
a brokerage commission (to the extent applicable) in excess of that which
another broker might charge for executing the same transaction on account of the
receipt of research, market or statistical information. The Adviser will not
place orders with broker/dealers on the basis that the broker/dealer has or has
not sold shares of a Fund. Except for implementing the policy stated above,
there is no intention to place portfolio transactions with particular brokers or
dealers or groups thereof. In effecting transactions in over-the-counter
securities, orders are placed with the principal market makers for the security
being traded unless, after exercising care, it appears that more favorable
results are available elsewhere.
To the maximum extent feasible, it is expected that the Adviser will
place orders for portfolio transactions through the Distributor, which is a
corporation registered as a broker-dealer and a subsidiary of the Adviser; the
Distributor will place orders on behalf of the Funds with issuers, underwriters
or other brokers and dealers. The Distributor will not receive any commission,
fee or other remuneration from the Funds for this service.
Although certain research, market and statistical information from
broker/dealers may be useful to a Fund and to the Adviser, it is the opinion of
the Adviser that such information only supplements the Adviser's own research
effort since the information must still be analyzed, weighed, and reviewed by
the Adviser's staff. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in providing
services to clients other than a Fund, and not all such information is used by
the Adviser in connection with a Fund. Conversely, such information provided to
the Adviser by broker/dealers through whom other clients of the Adviser effect
securities transactions may be useful to the Adviser in providing services to a
Fund.
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The Trustees review from time to time whether the recapture for the
benefit of a Fund of some portion of the brokerage commissions or similar fees
paid by a Fund on portfolio transactions is legally permissible and advisable.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, Scudder Tax Managed Growth
Fund paid brokerage commissions of $1,466. For the fiscal year ended October 31,
1998, $5, (0.34% of the total brokerage commissions paid) resulted from orders
placed, consistent with the policy of obtaining the most favorable net results,
with brokers and dealers who provided supplementary research, market and
statistical information to the Trust or Adviser. For the fiscal year ended
October 31 ,1998, the total amount of brokerage transactions aggregated
2,085,531, of which $7,399 (0.35% of all brokerage transactions) were
transactions which included research commissions.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, Scudder Tax Managed Small
Company Fund paid brokerage commissions of $1,894. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1998, $115, (6.05% of the total brokerage commissions paid) resulted
from orders placed, consistent with the policy of obtaining the most favorable
net results, with brokers and dealers who provided supplementary research,
market and statistical information to the Trust or Adviser. The total amount of
brokerage transactions aggregated $1,449,763, of which $62,588 (4.32% of all
brokerage transactions) were transactions which included research commissions.
The Trustees review from time to time whether the recapture for the
benefit of a Fund of some portion of the brokerage commissions or similar fees
paid by a Fund on portfolio transactions is legally permissible and advisable.
To date no such recapture has been effected.
Portfolio Turnover
Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund's average annual portfolio turnover
rate, i.e. the ratio of the lesser of sales or purchases to the monthly average
value of the portfolio (excluding from both the numerator and the denominator
all securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less),
for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998 was N/A%. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1998, Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund had an annualized
portfolio turnover rate of N/A%. Higher levels of activity by the Funds result
in higher transaction costs and may also result in taxes on realized capital
gains to be borne by the Funds' shareholders. Purchases and sales are made for a
Fund whenever necessary, in management's opinion, to meet the Funds' objectives.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of shares of the Fund is computed as of the close
of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading.
The Exchange is scheduled to be closed on the following holidays: New Year's
Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas and on the
preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on
Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Net asset value per share is determined by
dividing the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liabilities, by the
total number of shares outstanding.
An exchange-traded equity security is valued at its most recent sale
price on the exchange it is traded as of the Value Time. Lacking any sales, the
security is valued at the calculated mean between the most recent bid quotation
and the most recent asked quotation (the "Calculated Mean") on such exchange as
of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the security is valued at
the most recent bid quotation on such exchange as of the Value Time. An equity
security which is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("Nasdaq") system will
be valued at its most recent sale price on such system as of the Value Time.
Lacking any sales, the security will be valued at the most recent bid quotation
as of the Value Time. The value of an equity security not quoted on the Nasdaq
system, but traded in another over-the-counter market, is its most recent sale
price if there are any sales of such security on such market as of the Value
Time. Lacking any sales, the security is valued at the Calculated Mean quotation
for such security as of the Value Time. Lacking a Calculated Mean quotation the
security is valued at the most recent bid quotation as of the Value Time.
Debt securities, other than money-market instruments, are valued at
prices supplied by the Fund's pricing agent(s) which reflect broker/dealer
supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques. Money-market
instruments with an original maturity of sixty days or less maturing at par
shall be valued at amortized cost, which
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the Board believes approximates market value. If it is not possible to value a
particular debt security pursuant to these valuation methods, the value of such
security is the most recent bid quotation supplied by a bona fide marketmaker.
If it is not possible to value a particular debt security pursuant to the above
methods, the Adviser may calculate the price of that debt security, subject to
limitations established by the Board.
An exchange-traded options contract on securities, currencies, futures
and other financial instruments is valued at its most recent sale price on such
exchange. Lacking any sales, the options contract is valued at the Calculated
Mean. Lacking any Calculated Mean, the options contract is valued at the most
recent bid quotation in the case of a purchased options contract, or the most
recent asked quotation in the case of a written options contract. An options
contract on securities, currencies and other financial instruments traded
over-the-counter is valued at the most recent bid quotation in the case of a
purchased options contract and at the most recent asked quotation in the case of
a written options contract. Futures contracts are valued at the most recent
settlement price. Foreign currency exchange forward contracts are valued at the
value of the underlying currency at the prevailing exchange rate.
If a security is traded on more than one exchange, or upon one or more
exchanges and in the over-the-counter market, quotations are taken from the
market in which the security is traded most extensively.
If, in the opinion of the Trust's Valuation Committee, the value of a
portfolio asset as determined in accordance with these procedures does not
represent the fair market value of the portfolio asset, the value of the
portfolio asset is taken to be an amount which, in the opinion of the Valuation
Committee, represents fair market value on the basis of all available
information. The value of other portfolio holdings owned by a Fund is determined
in a manner which, in the discretion of the Valuation Committee most fairly
reflects fair market value of the property on the valuation date.
Following the valuations of securities or other portfolio assets in
terms of the currency in which the market quotation used is expressed ("Local
Currency"), the value of these portfolio assets in terms of U.S. dollars is
calculated by converting the Local Currency into U.S. dollars at the prevailing
currency exchange rate on the valuation date.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Experts
The Financial Highlights of each Fund included in the Funds' prospectus
and the Financial Statements incorporated by reference in this Statement of
Additional Information have been so included or incorporated by reference in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, One Post Office Square,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, independent accountants, and given on the authority
of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing. Effective July 1, 1998,
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. and Price Waterhouse LLP merged to become
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP is responsible for
performing annual audits of the financial statements and financial highlights of
each Fund in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and the
preparation of federal tax returns.
Other Information
Many of the investment changes in the Funds will be made at prices
different from those prevailing at the time they may be reflected in a regular
report to shareholders of the Funds. These transactions will reflect investment
decisions made by the Adviser in the light of its other portfolio holdings and
tax considerations and should not be construed as recommendations for similar
action by other investors.
The CUSIP number of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund is 460965-86-6.
The CUSIP number of Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund is
460965-87-4.
Each Fund has a fiscal year end of October 31.
Each Fund employs State Street Bank and Trust Company as Custodian.
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The law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads acts as general counsel to the
Funds.
Scudder Fund Accounting Corporation ("SFAC"), Two International Place,
Boston, Massachusetts, 02110-4103, a subsidiary of the Adviser, computes net
asset value for each Fund. Each Fund pays SFAC an annual fee equal to 0.065% of
the first $150 million of average daily net assets, 0.04% of such assets in
excess of $150 million and 0.02% of such assets in excess of $1 billion, plus
holding and transaction charges for this service. For the fiscal year ended
October 31, 1998, SFAC did not impose any of its annual fee, which, for Scudder
Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund, amounted to
$5,512 and $6,430, respectively.
Scudder Service Corporation ("Service Corporation", or "SSC"), P.O.
Box 2291, Boston, Massachusetts, 02107-2291, a subsidiary of the Adviser, is the
transfer and dividend disbursing agent for each Fund. Service Corporation also
serves as shareholder service agent and provides subaccounting and recordkeeping
services for shareholder accounts in certain retirement and employee benefit
plans. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, SSC did not impose any of its
annual fee, which, for Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed
Small Company Fund, amounted to $1,352 and $1,071, respectively.
Scudder Trust Company ("STC"), an affiliate of the Adviser, provides
subaccounting and recordkeeping services for shareholder accounts in certain
retirement and employee benefit plans. Annual service fees are paid by the Fund
to Scudder Trust Company, Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts
02110-4103, an affiliate of the Adviser, for such accounts. Each Fund pays
Scudder Trust Company an annual fee of $17.55 per shareholder account. For the
fiscal year ended October 31, 1998, STC did not impose this fee.
The Funds or the Adviser (including any affiliate of the Adviser), or
both, may pay unaffiliated third parties for providing recordkeeping and other
administrative services with respect to accounts of participants in retirement
plans or other beneficial owners of Fund shares whose interests are held in an
omnibus account.
The Funds' prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information omit
certain information contained in the Registration Statement which each Fund has
filed with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and reference is
hereby made to the Registration Statement for further information with respect
to the Fund and the securities offered hereby. This Registration Statement and
its amendments are available for inspection by the public at the Commission in
Washington, D.C.
This Statement of Additional Information combines the information of
both Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund.
Each Fund, through its individual prospectus, offers only its own shares, yet it
is possible that one Fund might become liable for a misstatement regarding the
other Fund. The Trustees of the Trust have considered this, and have approved
the use of a combined Statement of Additional Information.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements, including the investment portfolio,
of Scudder Tax Managed Growth Fund and Scudder Tax Managed Small Company Fund,
together with the Report of Independent Accountants, and Financial Highlights,
are incorporated by reference in the Annual Report to the Shareholders of the
Funds dated 10/31/1998, and are hereby deemed to be a part of this Statement of
Additional Information.
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