Registration No. 33-47378
File No. 811-6639
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 / X /
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. ___ / /
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 4 / X /
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 / X /
AMENDMENT NO. 5 / X /
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
3410 South Galena Street
Denver, Colorado 80231
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(303) 671-3200
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(Registrant's Telephone Number)
ANDREW J. DONOHUE, ESQ.
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
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(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate
box):
/ / Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ X / On February 1, 1995, pursuant to paragraph (b)
/ / 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
/ / On ________________, pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
/ / 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
/ / On ________________, pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
of Rule (485)
The Registrant has registered an indefinite number of shares under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Rule 24f-2 promulgated under the
Investment Company Act of 1940. A Rule 24f-2 Notice for the Registrant's
fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, was filed on November 29, 1994.
<PAGE>
FORM N-1A
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
Cross Reference Sheet
Part A of
Form N-1A
Item No. Prospectus Heading
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1 Front Cover Page
2 Expenses; Brief Overview of the Fund
3 Financial Highlights; Performance of the Fund
4 Front Cover Page; How the Fund is Managed--Organization and
History; Investment Objectives and Policies
5 How the Fund is Managed; Expenses; Back Cover
5A Performance of the Fund
6 How the Fund is Managed-Organization and History; The
Transfer Agent; Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes;
Investment Objectives and Policies-Portfolio Turnover
7 Shareholder Account Rules and Policies; How To Buy Shares;
How to Exchange Shares; Special Investor Services; Service
Plan for Class A Shares; Distribution and Service Plan for
Class B Shares; How to Sell Shares
8 How to Sell Shares; Special Investor Services
9 *
Part B of
Form N-1A
Item No. Heading In Statement of Additional Information
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10 Cover Page
11 Cover Page
12 *
13 Investment Objectives and Policies; Other Investment
Techniques and Strategies; Additional Investment
Restrictions
14 How the Fund is Managed - Trustees and Officers of the Fund
15 How the Fund is Managed - Major Shareholders
16 How the Fund is Managed; Distribution and Service Plans
17 Brokerage Policies of the Fund
18 Additional Information About the Fund
19 Your Investment Account - How to Buy Shares; How to Sell
Shares; How to Exchange Shares
20 Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
21 How the Fund is Managed; Brokerage Policies of the Fund
22 Performance of the Fund
23 *
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* Not applicable or negative answer.
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
Prospectus dated February 1, 1995
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund (the "Fund") is a mutual
fund with a primary investment objective of current income and a secondary
investment objective of capital appreciation. The Fund intends to seek
its primary objective principally by investing in (1) U.S. Government
Securities, (2) foreign debt securities, and (3) domestic debt securities,
including lower-rated, high yield securities commonly called "junk bonds."
The Fund can invest some or all of its assets in each of these three types
of securities, although it will normally invest some assets in each
sector. The Fund intends to seek its secondary investment objective of
capital appreciation principally by investing in domestic equity
securities.
The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in junk bonds or foreign
debt securities rated below investment grade. These securities may be
considered to be speculative and involve greater risks, including risk of
default, than higher-rated securities. An investment in the Fund does not
constitute a complete investment program and is not appropriate for
persons unwilling or unable to assume the high degree of risk associated
with investing in high yield, lower rated securities. Investors should
carefully consider these risks before investing.
The Fund offers two classes of shares: (1) Class A shares, which are
sold at a public offering price that includes a front-end sales charge,
and (2) Class B shares, which are sold without a front-end sales charge,
although you may pay a sales charge when you redeem your shares, depending
on how long you hold them. Class B shares are also subject to an annual
"asset-based sales charge." Each class of shares bears different
expenses. In deciding which class of shares to buy, you should consider
how much you plan to purchase, how long you plan to keep your shares, and
other factors discussed in "How to Buy Shares" starting on page __.
This Prospectus explains concisely what you should know before
investing in the Fund. Please read this Prospectus carefully and keep it
for future reference. You can find more detailed information about the
Fund in the February 1, 1995 Statement of Additional Information. For a
free copy, call Oppenheimer Shareholder Services, the Fund's Transfer
Agent, at 1-800-525-7048, or write to the Transfer Agent at the address
on the back cover. The Statement of Additional Information has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated into this
Prospectus by reference (which means that it is legally part of this
Prospectus).
Shares of the Fund are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not
guaranteed by any bank, and are not insured by the F.D.I.C. or any other
agency, and involve investment risks, including the possible loss of the
principal amount invested.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
<PAGE>
Contents
ABOUT THE FUND
Expenses
Overview of the Fund
Financial Highlights
Investment Objectives and Policies
How the Fund is Managed
Performance of the Fund
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How to Buy Shares
Class A Shares
Class B Shares
Special Investor Services
AccountLink
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans
Reinvestment Privilege
Retirement Plans
How to Sell Shares
By Mail
By Telephone
How to Exchange Shares
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Appendix: Description of Securities Ratings
<PAGE>
ABOUT THE FUND
Expenses
The Fund pays a variety of expenses directly for management of its
assets, administration, distribution of its shares and other services, and
those expenses are subtracted from the Fund's assets to calculate the
Fund's net asset value per share. All shareholders therefore pay those
expenses indirectly. Shareholders pay other expenses directly, such as
sales charges and account transaction charges. The following tables are
provided to help you understand your direct expenses of investing in the
Fund and your share of the Fund's business operating expenses that you
will bear indirectly. The numbers below are based on the Fund's expenses
during its last fiscal year ended September 30, 1994.
- Shareholder Transaction Expenses are charges you pay when you buy
or sell shares of the Fund. Please refer to "About Your Account," from
pages ____ through ____, for an explanation of how and when these charges
apply.
Class A Shares Class B Shares
Maximum Sales Charge on Purchases
(as a % of offering price) 4.75% None
Sales Charge on Reinvested Dividends None None
Deferred Sales Charge
(as a % of the lower of the original
purchase price or redemption proceeds) None(1) 5% in the
first year,
declining to
1% in the
sixth year and
eliminated
thereafter
Exchange Fee $5.00(2) $5.00(2)
(1) If you invest more than $1 million in Class A shares, you may have
to pay a sales charge of up to 1% if you sell your shares within 18
calendar months from the end of the calendar month during which you
purchased those shares. See "How to Buy Shares - Class A Shares,"
below.
(2) The fee is waived for automated exchanges, described in "How to
Exchange Shares."
- Annual Fund Operating Expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets
and represent the Fund's expenses in operating its business. For example,
the Fund pays management fees to its investment adviser, Oppenheimer
Management Corporation (which is referred to in this Prospectus as the
"Manager"). The rates of the Manager's fees are set forth in "How the
Fund is Managed," below. The Fund has other regular expenses for
services, such as transfer agent fees, custodial fees paid to the bank
that holds its portfolio securities, audit fees and legal expenses. Those
expenses are detailed in the Fund's Financial Statements in the Statement
of Additional Information.
The numbers in the chart below are projections of the Fund's business
expenses based on the Fund's expenses in its last fiscal year. These
amounts are shown as a percentage of the average net assets of each class
of the Fund's shares for that year. The 12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees for
Class A shares are Service Plan Fees (which are a maximum of 0.25% of
average annual net assets of that class), and for Class B shares the 12b-1
Fees are the Distribution and Service Plan Fees. The service fee is a
maximum of 0.25% of average annual net assets of the class and the asset-
based sales charge is 0.75%. These plans are described in greater detail
in "How to Buy Shares."
The actual expenses for each class of shares in future years may be
more or less than the numbers in the chart, depending on a number of
factors, including the actual value of the Fund's assets represented by
each class of shares.
Class A Shares Class B Shares
-------------- --------------
Management Fees 0.75% 0.75%
12b-1 Distribution Plan Fees 0.25% 1.00%
Other Expenses 0.43% 0.42%
Total Fund Operating Expenses 1.43% 2.17%
- Examples. To try to show the effect of these expenses on an
investment over time, we have created the hypothetical examples shown
below. Assume that you make a $1,000 investment in each class of shares
of the Fund, and the Fund's annual return is 5%, and that its operating
expenses for each class are the ones shown in the Annual Fund Operating
Expenses chart above. If you were to redeem your shares at the end of
each period shown below, your investment would incur the following
expenses by the end of 1, 3, 5 and 10 years:
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years*
------ ------- ------- ---------
Class A Shares $ 61 $ 91 $122 $211
Class B Shares $ 72 $ 98 $136 $214
If you did not redeem your investment, it would incur the following
expenses:
Class A Shares $ 61 $ 91 $122 $211
Class B Shares $ 22 $ 68 $116 $214
*The Class B expenses in years 7 through 10 are based on the Class A
expenses shown above, because the Fund automatically converts your Class
B shares into Class A shares after 6 years. Long term Class B
shareholders could pay the economic equivalent of more than the maximum
front-end sales charge allowed under applicable regulations, because of
the effect of the asset-based sales charge and contingent deferred sales
charge. The automatic conversion of Class B shares to Class A Shares is
designed to minimize the likelihood that this will occur. Please refer
to "How to Buy Shares - Class B Shares" for more information.
These examples show the effect of expenses on an investment, but are
not meant to state or predict actual or expected costs or investment
returns of the Fund, all of which will vary.
A Brief Overview of the Fund
Some of the important facts about the Fund are summarized below, with
references to the section of this Prospectus where more complete
information can be found. You should carefully read the entire Prospectus
before making a decision about investing. Keep the Prospectus for
reference after you invest, particularly for information about your
account, such as how to sell or exchange shares.
- What Are The Fund's Investment Objectives? The Fund's primary
investment objective is to seek current income. The Fund's secondary
investment objective is to seek capital appreciation.
- What Does the Fund Invest In? To seek current income, the Fund
primarily invests in three types of securities, or "sectors" of the
market: (i) U.S. Government securities, (ii) foreign debt securities, and
(iii) domestic debt securities, including lower-rated, high yield
securities commonly called "junk bonds." While all securities investments
entail risks, foreign securities and junk bonds have special risks,
described in more detail in "Investment Objectives and Policies." To seek
its secondary objective, the Fund normally will invest in common stocks
that the Manager believes have growth potential. The Fund may also write
covered calls and use certain types of securities called "derivative
investments" and hedging instruments to try to manage investment risks.
These investments are more fully explained in "Investment Objectives and
Policies" starting on page __.
- Who Manages the Fund? The Fund's investment adviser (the
"Manager") is Oppenheimer Management Corporation, which (including a
subsidiary) advises investment company portfolios currently having over
$29 billion in assets. The Fund has three portfolio managers, employed
by the Manager, who are primarily responsible for the selection of the
Fund's securities: Robert C. Doll, Jr., Arthur P. Steinmetz and David P.
Negri. The Manager is paid an advisory fee by the Fund, based on its
assets. The Fund's Board of Trustees, elected by shareholders, oversees
the investment adviser and the portfolio managers. Please refer to "How
the Fund is Managed," starting on page ___ for more information about the
Manager and its fees.
- How Risky is the Fund? All investments carry risks to some
degree. The Fund's investments in stocks and bonds are subject to changes
in their value from a number of factors such as changes in general bond
and stock market movements. The change in value of particular stocks or
bonds may result from an event affecting the issuer, or changes in
interest rates that can affect bond prices. These changes affect the
value of the Fund's investments and its share prices for each class of its
shares. In the OppenheimerFunds spectrum, the Fund is generally
considered moderately aggressive, more aggressive than investment grade
bond funds, because it may hold high yield securities and may invest for
capital appreciation in common stocks. While the Manager tries to reduce
risks by diversifying investments, by carefully researching securities
before they are purchased for the portfolio, and in some cases by using
hedging techniques, there is no guarantee of success in achieving the
Fund's objectives and your shares may be worth more or less than their
original cost when you redeem them. Please refer to "Investment
Objectives and Policies" starting on page ___ for a more complete
discussion of the Fund's investment risks.
- How Can I Buy Shares? You can buy shares through your dealer or
financial institution, or you can purchase shares directly through the
Distributor by completing an Application or by using
an Automatic Investment Plan under AccountLink. Please refer to "How To
Buy Shares" on page ___ for more details.
- Will I Pay a Sales Charge to Buy Shares? The Fund has two classes
of shares. Class A shares are offered with a front-end sales charge,
starting at 4.75%, and reduced for larger purchases. Class B shares are
offered without a front-end sales charge, but may be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge (starting at 5% and declining as shares
are held longer) if redeemed within 6 years of purchase. There is also
an annual asset-based sales charge on Class B shares. Please review "How
To Buy Shares" starting on page ___ for more details, including a
discussion about factors you and your financial advisor should consider
in determining which class may be appropriate for you.
- How Can I Sell My Shares? Shares can be redeemed by mail or by
telephone call to the Transfer Agent on any business day, or through your
dealer. Please refer to "How To Sell Shares" on page ___.
- How Has the Fund Performed? The Fund measures its performance by
quoting its yield, average annual total return and cumulative total
return, which measure historical performance. Those yields and returns
can be compared to the returns (over similar periods) of other funds. Of
course, other funds may have different objectives, investments, and levels
of risk. The Fund's performance can also be compared to broad market
indices, which we have done on page ___. Please remember that past
performance does not guarantee future results.
<PAGE>
Financial Highlights
The table on this page presents selected financial information about
the Fund, including per share data and expense ratios and other data based
on the Fund's average net assets. This information has been audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, whose report on
the Fund's financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30,
1994, is included in the Statement of Additional Information.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Class A Class B
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YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 30,
1994 1993 1992(2) 1994 1993(1)
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- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING DATA:
Net asset value, beginning of period $5.26 $5.03 $5.00 $5.26 $5.10
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Income from investment operations:
Net investment income .21 .22 .07(3) .19 .14
Net realized and unrealized gain on
investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions (.23) .22 .02 (.25) .16
------- ------- ------- ------- ------
Total income (loss) from investment
operations (.02) .44 .09 (.06) .30
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Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income (.21) (.20) (.06) (.18) (.13)
Dividends in excess of net investment income (.01) -- -- (.01) --
Distributions from net realized gain on
investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions -- (.01) -- -- (.01)
Distributions in excess of net realized gain
on investments, options written, and foreign
currency transactions (.10) -- -- (.10) --
-------- ------- ------- ------- ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (.32) (.21) (.06) (.29) (.14)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $4.92 $5.26 $5.03 $4.91 $5.26
------- ------- ------- ------- ------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL RETURN, AT NET ASSET VALUE(4) (.23)% 8.84% 1.74% (1.17)%
5.86%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) $42,733 $55,291 $48,397 $16,053 $12,386
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Average net assets (in thousands) $48,360 $59,209 $30,264 $14,986 $7,541
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Number of shares outstanding
at end of period (in thousands) 8,683 10,513 9,628 3,267 2,357
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Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income 4.56% 4.33% 4.59%(5) 3.86% 3.32%(5)
Expenses 1.43% 1.36% 1.46%(3)(5) 2.17% 2.21%(5)
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Portfolio turnover (6) 80.0% 122.4% 25.8% 80.0% 122.4%
<FN>
1. For the period from November 30, 1992 (inception
of offering) to September 30, 1993.
2. For the period from June 1, 1992 (commencement
of operations) to September 30, 1992.
3. Net investment income would have been $.07
absent the voluntary expense reimbursement,
resulting in an expense ratio of 1.74%.
4. Assumes a hypothetical initial investment on
the business day before the first day of the
fiscal period, with all dividends and
distributions reinvested in additional shares
on the reinvestment date, and redemption at
the net asset value calculated on the last
business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges
are not reflected in the total returns.
5. Annualized.
6. The lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio
securities for a period, divided by the monthly
average of the market value of portfolio
securities owned during the period. Securities
with a maturity or expiration date at the time
of acquisition of one year or less are excluded
from the calculation. Purchases and sales of
investment securities (excluding short-term
securities) for the year ended September 30,
1994 were $53,695,271 and $49,725,672,
respectively.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Investment Objectives and Policies
- Objectives. The Fund has primary and secondary investment
objectives. First, the Fund invests its assets to try to provide current
income. As a secondary objective, the Fund seeks capital appreciation
principally by investing in equity securities.
- Investment Policies and Strategies. The Fund intends to seek its
primary investment objective of current income principally by investing
in securities in three sectors of the investment market: (1) U.S.
Government Securities, (2) foreign debt securities, including lower-rated,
high yield foreign securities that have special risks, and (3) domestic
debt securities, including lower-rated, high yield, high risk bonds. The
Fund intends to seek its secondary investment objective of capital
appreciation principally by investing in domestic equity securities.
The term "equity security" generally refers to a security, such as
a common stock, which represents an ownership interest in the company
issuing the security. The term "debt security" refers to a wide variety
of different types of securities that, in general terms, represent a loan
of money to the issuer, which promises to pay back the amount loaned (the
"principal") plus interest, which may be at a fixed-rate or a variable
rate. Debt securities are sometimes generally referred to as "fixed-
income" securities.
How the Fund Manages Its Assets. Under normal circumstances, the
Fund will invest at least some of its assets in each of the four sectors
described above. There is no specific percentage of its assets that must
be invested in any one or more of these sectors at any time. However,
from time to time the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in
any one sector (other than in domestic equity securities) if, in the
judgment of the Manager, the Fund has the opportunity of seeking a high
level of current income without undue risk to principal. Because that
means the Fund could invest all of its assets in lower-rated securities,
an investment in the Fund may be considered speculative. There can be no
assurance that the Fund will achieve its objectives.
The amount of income the Fund earns and distributes to shareholders
will fluctuate over time as the Fund shifts its assets among these
sectors. Also, from time to time the Fund may shift its emphasis on debt
securities having a particular maturity, whether long, short or
intermediate.
When investing the Fund's assets, the Manager considers many factors,
including the financial condition of particular companies it is
considering investing in as well as general economic conditions in the
U.S. relative to foreign economies, and the trends in domestic and foreign
debt securities and stock markets. In evaluating the potential for income
from particular securities, the Manager examines many factors, such as the
consistency of the company's earnings, the industry group the company is
in (and the prospects for that industry in the overall economy), how well
the company is managed, and the size of the company's capitalization.
The Manager may use different approaches at different times to
determine how to allocate the Fund's assets between the three debt
securities sectors to seek income and the domestic equity sector to seek
capital growth. The manager determines that allocation periodically, in
the following manner. First, the Manager establishes a target level of
current income to seek from the Fund's portfolio investments. That target
may use, as a point of reference, a measure of current interest rates,
such as the interest rate then being paid on 3-month U.S. Treasury Bills.
Second, the Manager estimates what proportion of the Fund's assets are to
be allocated to the debt securities sectors to seek that level of current
income. Third, the remainder of the Fund's assets that are not allocated
to debt securities are allocated to the domestic equity sector to attempt
to achieve capital appreciation.
The Manager intends to determine this allocation monthly (although
the frequency of the determination may vary) and to utilize the 3-month
Treasury Bill rate as the benchmark measure of current interest rates to
target desired portfolio income, although a different measure may be
adopted. Since the Fund's objective of capital appreciation is secondary
to its objective of current income, there may be periods in which
relatively little or none of the Fund's assets are invested in equity
securities.
Under this asset allocation approach, the proportion of the Fund's
assets allocated to the different debt securities sectors and to the
domestic equity sector will vary from time to time. The allocation will
depend on the level of current portfolio income targeted by the Manager,
the Manager's estimates of earnings available from the fixed income
sectors, and other factors. In general, if the Manager's estimate of
projected earnings available from the fixed income sectors exceeds the
targeted level of current portfolio income, a greater percentage of the
Fund's assets will be available to allocate to the domestic equity sector.
The Manager may vary, revise or discontinue this asset allocation
approach or adopt a different approach. The use of this approach is not
an objective or fundamental investment policy of the Fund, but merely
illustrates the investment selection and allocation techniques the Manager
currently intends to employ in seeking the Fund's objectives and in
implementing the Fund's investment policies. There can be no assurance
that any asset allocation approach will be successful in providing the
Fund or its shareholders a particular amount of current income or
achieving particular investment results. The Fund's expenses will reduce
the amount of any income the Fund earns that is available for distribution
to shareholders, whether or not the targeted income level sought by the
Manager is achieved. Investors are cautioned that the Fund is designed
for the long-term investor and should not be considered as a short-term
investment vehicle.
The Fund may try to hedge against losses in the value of its
portfolio of securities by using hedging strategies and derivative
investments described below. The Fund's portfolio managers may employ
special investment techniques in selecting securities for the Fund. These
are also described below. Additional information may be found about them
under the same headings in the Statement of Additional Information.
- Can the Fund's Investment Objectives and Policies Change? The
Fund has investment objectives, described above, as well as investment
policies it follows to try to achieve its objectives. Additionally, the
Fund uses certain investment techniques and strategies in carrying out
those investment policies. The Fund's investment policies and techniques
are not "fundamental" unless this Prospectus or the Statement of
Additional Information says that a particular policy is "fundamental."
The Fund's investment objectives are fundamental policies.
The Fund's Board of Trustees may change non-fundamental policies
without shareholder approval, although significant changes will be
described in amendments to this Prospectus. Fundamental policies are
those that cannot be changed without the approval of a "majority" of the
Fund's outstanding voting shares. The term "majority" is defined in the
Investment Company Act to be a particular percentage of outstanding voting
shares (and this term is explained in the Statement of Additional
Information).
- Interest Rate Risks. In addition to credit risks, described
below, debt securities are subject to changes in their value due to
changes in prevailing interest rates. When prevailing interest rates
fall, the values of already-issued debt securities generally rise. When
interest rates rise, the values of already-issued debt securities
generally decline. The magnitude of these fluctuations will often be
greater for longer-term debt securities than shorter-term debt securities.
Changes in the value of securities held by the Fund mean that the Fund's
share prices can go up or down when interest rates change, because of the
effect of the change on the value of the Fund's portfolio of debt
securities.
- Stock Investment Risks. Because the Fund can invest a portion of
its assets in stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be affected
by changes in the stock markets. At times, the stock markets can be
volatile and stock prices can change substantially. This market risk will
affect the Fund's net asset values per share, which will fluctuate as the
values of the Fund's portfolio securities change. Not all stock prices
change uniformly or at the same time, and other factors can affect a
particular stock's prices (for example, poor earnings reports by an
issuer, loss of major customers, major litigation against an issuer,
changes in government regulations affecting an industry). Not all of
these factors can be predicted.
- Special Risks of Lower-Rated Securities. The domestic and foreign
debt securities the Fund can invest in may include (without any
restriction as to the amount) high-yield, "lower-grade" debt securities
(including both high-yielding rated and unrated securities), because they
generally offer higher income potential than investment grade securities.
"Lower-grade" securities are those rated below "investment grade," which
means they have a rating below "BBB" by Standard & Poor's Corporation or
"Baa" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or similar ratings by other
rating organizations. "Lower-grade" debt securities the Fund may invest
in also include securities that are not rated by a nationally-recognized
rating organization like Standard & Poor's or Moody's, but which the
Manager judges to be comparable to lower-rated securities. The Fund may
invest in securities rated as low as "D" by Standard & Poor's or "C" by
Moody's. For a description of these securities ratings, please refer to
the Appendix to this Prospectus.
The Fund's portfolio at September 30, 1994, contained domestic and
foreign debt securities in the categories that follow. The ratings were
by Standard & Poor's and the percentages relate to the weighted average
value of the bonds in each rating category as a percentage of the Fund's
total assets: AAA, 1.10%; BBB, 1.64%; BB, 5.92%; B, 11.96%; CCC, 1.38%;
CC, .71%; D, .41%; and unrated, 5.13%. If a bond was not rated by
Standard & Poor's but was rated by Moody's, it is included in Standard &
Poor's comparable category. Unrated bonds were not rated by either
Moody's or Standard & Poor's.
High yield, lower-grade securities, whether rated or unrated, often
have speculative characteristics. Lower-grade securities have special
risks that make them riskier investments than investment grade securities.
They may be subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of
income and principal than lower yielding, investment grade securities.
There may be less of a market for them and therefore they may be harder
to sell at an acceptable price. There is a relatively greater possibility
that the issuer's earnings may be insufficient to make the payments of
interest due on the bonds. The issuer's low creditworthiness may increase
the potential for its insolvency. For foreign lower-grade debt
securities, these risks are in addition to the risks of investing in
foreign securities, described in "Foreign Debt Securities," below.
These risks mean that the Fund may not achieve the expected income
from lower-grade securities, and that the Fund's net asset value per share
may be affected by declines in value of these securities. However, the
Fund's use of three different debt investment sectors under normal
conditions may reduce some of the effect that the risk of investing in
these securities can have, as will the Fund's policy of diversifying its
investments. Also, convertible securities may be less subject to some of
these risks than other debt securities, to the extent they can be
converted into stock, which may be more liquid and less affected by these
other risk factors.
- Investments in Bonds and Convertible Securities. The Fund invests
in bonds, debentures and other debt securities to help seek its primary
objective of income. The Fund may invest in a variety of different types
of income-producing securities. The Fund is not required to limit those
investments to securities having particular ratings by nationally-
recognized rating agencies. The Manager does not rely solely on ratings
of securities in making investment decisions, but evaluates other business
and economic factors affecting the issues as well.
When investing in convertible securities, the Manager looks to the
conversion feature and treats the securities as "equity securities." The
Fund can buy unrated securities, and when doing so, the Manager will
determine in its judgement whether unrated securities are of comparable
quality to securities rated by rating organizations.
- Board-Approved Instruments. The Fund may invest in other
investments in any of the three sectors (including forms of investments
that may be developed in the future) that the Fund's Board of Trustees (or
the Manager, under guidelines established by the Board) determines are
consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and investment policies.
- Certain Types of Securities Are in More Than One Sector. The
types of securities described below may be included in two or more of the
three debt securities sectors the Fund invests in.
Bank Obligations. The Fund may invest in certain kinds of bank
obligations, which may fall within the domestic or foreign debt securities
sectors. Generally, these are debt obligations that have a maturity of
one year or less, and include: certificates of deposit, bankers'
acceptances, time deposits, and letters of credit if they are payable in
the United States or London, England. Those letters of credit must be
issued or guaranteed by a domestic or foreign bank having total assets in
excess of $1 billion and which the Manager has determined to be
creditworthy, considering, among other factors, any ratings assigned to
the securities by one or more "nationally-recognized statistical rating
organizations" as that term is defined in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment
Company Act.
Commercial Paper. The Fund may invest in foreign or domestic
commercial paper, which in general terms is short-term corporate debt.
If rated, it must be rated at least "A-3" by Standard & Poor's or at least
"Prime-3" by Moody's. If not rated, it must be issued by a corporation
having an already-issued debt security rated at least "BBB" by Standard
& Poor's or "Baa" by Moody's. The Fund's commercial paper investments may
include variable amount master demand notes and floating rate or variable
rate notes, described in the Statement of Additional Information.
Mortgage-Backed Securities and CMOs. The Fund may invest in
securities that represent an interest in a pool of residential mortgage
loans. These include collateralized mortgage-backed obligations (referred
to as "CMOs"). CMOs are considered U.S. Government Securities if they are
issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S.
Government (for example, Ginnie Maes, Freddie Macs and Fannie Maes).
However, other mortgage-backed securities represent pools of mortgages
"packaged" and offered by private issuers, and these are part of the
Fund's domestic debt securities investments.
CMOs and mortgage-backed securities differ from conventional debt
securities that provide periodic payments of interest in fixed amounts and
repay the principal at maturity or specified call dates. Mortgage-backed
securities provide monthly payments that are, in effect, a "pass-through"
of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual
borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans. Those payments may include
prepayments of mortgages, which have the effect of paying the debt on the
CMO early. When the Fund receives scheduled principal payments and
unscheduled prepayments it will have cash to reinvest but may have to
invest that cash in investments having lower interest rates than the
original investment. That could reduce the yield of the Fund.
The issuer's obligation to make interest and principal payments on
a mortgage-backed security is secured by the underlying portfolio of
mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities
created by private issuers (such as commercial banks, savings and loan
institutions, and private mortgage insurance companies) may be supported
by insurance or guarantees, such as letters of credit issued by
governmental entities, private insurers or the private issuer of the
mortgage pool. There can be no assurance that private insurers will be
able to meet their obligations.
The Fund may also invest in CMOs that are "stripped." That means
that the security is divided into two parts, one of which receives some
or all of the principal payments and the other which receives some or all
of the interest. Stripped securities that receive only interest are
subject to increased price volatility when interest rates change. They
have an additional risk that if the principal underlying the CMO is
prepaid (which is more likely to happen if interest rates fall), the Fund
will lose the anticipated cash flow from the interest on the mortgages
that were prepaid.
The Fund may also enter into "forward roll" transactions with
mortgage-backed securities. In this investment strategy, the Fund sells
mortgage-backed securities it holds to banks or other buyers and
simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security from that party at
a later date at an agreed-upon price. Forward rolls are considered to be
a borrowing by the Fund (which is a technique explained in "Special
Investment Methods - Borrowing," below). The Fund would be required to
place liquid assets (such as cash, U.S. Government securities or other
high-grade debt securities) in a segregated account with its Custodian in
an amount equal to its obligation under the roll; that amount is subject
to the limitation on borrowing described in "Borrowing" below. The main
investment risk of this strategy is the risk of default by the
counterparty.
Participation Interests. This type of security may include
securities in the domestic and foreign debt securities sectors. The Fund
may acquire participation interests in loans that are made to U.S. or
foreign companies. These interests are acquired from banks or brokers
that have made the loan or are members of the lending syndicate. No more
than 5% of the Fund's net assets can be invested in participation
interests of the same borrower. The value of loan participation interests
depends primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower, and its
ability to pay interest and repay the principal. The Manager has set
creditworthiness standards for issuers of loan participations, and
monitors their creditworthiness. Borrowers may have difficulty making
payments. Under the Fund's standard for creditworthiness, some borrowers
may have senior securities rated as low as "C" by Moody's or "D" by
Standard & Poor's, but may be considered to be acceptable credit risks.
If a borrower fails to make scheduled interest or principal payments, the
value of the Fund's participation in that loan could decline, and the Fund
could experience a decline in the net asset value of its shares.
Participation interests are subject to the Fund's limitations on
investments in illiquid securities, described in "Illiquid and Restricted
Securities".
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon
securities issued either by private issuers or by the U.S. Treasury, and
which therefore may be in those two sectors. Some zero coupon securities
of private issuers are notes or debentures that do not pay current
interest and are issued at substantial discounts from par value. Other
private issuer zero coupon securities are notes or debentures that pay no
current interest until a stated date one or more years in the future,
after which the issuer is obligated to pay interest until maturity.
Usually that interest rate is higher than if interest were payable from
the date the security is issued. Private issuer zero coupon securities
are subject to the risk of the issuer's failure to pay interest and repay
the principal value of the security.
Zero coupon Treasury securities are U.S. Treasury notes and bonds
that have been stripped of their interest coupons and receipts. Because
a zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life or
for a substantial period of time, it usually trades at a discount from its
face or par value, and does not pay current cash income. It will be
subject to greater fluctuations in market value in response to changing
interest rates than other debt obligations that have comparable maturities
and which make current distributions of interest. While the Fund does not
receive cash payments of interest on zero coupon securities, it does
accrue taxable income on these securities.
- Domestic Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in debt securities
issued by U.S. companies in any type of industry. Domestic debt
securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or in non-U.S. currencies.
The Fund is not required to limit those investments to issuers having a
particular size capitalization, although it is expected that most will
have total assets in excess of $100 million. These investments may
include debt obligations such as bonds, debentures (unsecured bonds) and
notes (including variable and floating rate instruments described in
"Investment Objectives and Policies" in the Statement of Additional
Information), as well as the other investments discussed below. These
investments may also include sinking fund and callable bonds.
Municipal Securities. The Fund may invest in municipal securities.
These are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, the District
of Columbia, or any commonwealths, territories or possessions of the
United States. They also include securities issued by their political
subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities or authorities. The Fund will
invest in these securities if the Manager believes the interest income
opportunities are favorable compared to other debt securities, but not to
seek income exempt from income taxes.
Asset-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in "asset-backed"
securities. These represent interests in pools of consumer loans and
other trade receivables similar to mortgage-backed securities. They are
issued by trusts and "special purpose corporations." They are backed by
a pool of assets, such as credit card or auto loan receivables, which are
the obligations of a number of different parties. The income from the
underlying pool is passed through to holders, such as the Fund. These
securities may be supported by a credit enhancement, such as a letter of
credit, a guarantee or a preference right. However, the extent of the
credit enhancement may be different for different securities and generally
applies to only a fraction of the security's value. These securities
present special risks. For example, in the case of credit card
receivables, the issuer of the security may have no security interest in
the related collateral.
- U.S. Government Securities. The Fund's investment in debt
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies
or instrumentalities are referred to as "U.S. Government Securities."
Although U.S. Government Securities are considered among the most
creditworthy investments, their yields are generally lower than the yields
available from corporate debt securities. Additionally, the values of
U.S. Government Securities are subject to changes in prevailing domestic
interest rates, as described above in "Interest Rate Risk."
U.S. Government Securities are debt obligations issued by or
guaranteed by the United States government or one of its agencies or
instrumentalities. Some of these obligations, including U.S. Treasury
notes and bonds, and mortgage-backed securities (referred to as "Ginnie
Maes") guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association, are
supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, which means
that the government pledges to use its taxing power to repay the debt.
Other U.S. Government Securities issued or guaranteed by Federal agencies
or government-sponsored enterprises are not supported by the full faith
and credit of the United States. They may include obligations supported
by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. However,
the Treasury is not under a legal obligation to make a loan. Examples of
these are obligations of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (these
securities are often called "Freddie Macs"). Other obligations are
supported by the credit of the instrumentality, such as Federal National
Mortgage Association bonds (these securities are often called "Fannie
Maes"). Some of the other U.S. Government Securities in which the Fund
may invest are zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities, mortgage-backed
securities and money market instruments.
- Foreign Debt Securities. When investing in the foreign sector for
the portfolio, the Fund may include debt obligations of the types
identified in "Domestic Debt Securities," above. These foreign securities
may be denominated in U.S. dollars or in non-U.S. currencies. They may
be issued or guaranteed by foreign corporations, supranational entities
(such as the World Bank) and foreign governments. Foreign government
securities also include debt securities issued by political subdivisions
of foreign governments that have taxing authority or by their agencies or
instrumentalities.
No more than 25% of the Fund's total assets will be invested in
government securities of any one foreign country or in debt securities
issued by companies organized under the laws of any one foreign country.
The foreign securities sector also may include debt obligations issued by
U.S. corporations denominated in non-U.S. currencies. These include debt
obligations known as "Brady Bonds." Brady Bonds are issued to exchange
existing commercial bank loans to foreign governments for new obligations
that are usually collateralized by zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities
that have the same maturity as the debt obligation.
Foreign Securities Have Special Risks. There are certain risks of
holding foreign securities. The first is the risk of changes in foreign
currency values. Because the Fund may purchase securities denominated in
foreign currencies, a change in the value of a foreign currency against
the U.S. dollar will result in a change in the U.S. dollar value of the
Fund's securities denominated in that currency. The currency rate change
will also affect its income available for distribution. Although the
Fund's investment income from foreign securities may be received in
foreign currencies, the Fund will be required to distribute its income in
U.S. dollars. Therefore, the Fund will absorb the cost of currency
fluctuations. If the Fund suffers losses on foreign currencies after it
has distributed its income during the year, the Fund may find that it has
distributed more income than was available from actual investment income.
That could result in a return of capital to shareholders.
The Fund may invest in foreign securities issued in any country,
developed or underdeveloped. Securities of issuers in non-industrialized
countries generally involve more risk and may be considered highly
speculative. There are other risks of foreign investing. For example,
foreign issuers are not required to use generally-accepted accounting
principles. If foreign securities are not registered for sale in the U.S.
under U.S. securities laws, the issuer does not have to comply with the
disclosure requirements of our laws, which are generally more stringent
than foreign laws. The values of foreign securities investments will be
affected by other factors, including exchange control regulations or
currency blockage and possible expropriation or nationalization of assets.
There may also be changes in governmental administration or economic or
monetary policy in the U.S. or abroad that can affect foreign investing.
In addition, it is generally more difficult to obtain court judgments
outside the United States if the Fund has to sue a foreign broker or
issuer. Additional costs may be incurred because foreign broker
commissions are generally higher than U.S. rates, and there are additional
custodial costs associated with holding securities abroad.
- Domestic Equity Securities. When investing for the Fund's
secondary objective of capital growth, it may buy equity securities of
domestic corporations in any industry. The Fund's equity investments are
not limited to companies of a particular size, although it is currently
expected that most will have assets in excess of $100 million.
These investments may include common stocks, preferred stocks,
convertible securities and warrants. In selecting stocks, the Fund will
emphasize issues listed on a U.S. securities exchange or quoted on the
automatic quotation system of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. ("NASDAQ").
Investments in Small, Unseasoned Companies. The Fund may invest in
securities of small, unseasoned companies, but as a matter of fundamental
policy, those investments in companies that have operated less than three
years (counting the operations of any predecessors) may not exceed 5% of
the Fund's total assets. Securities of these companies may have limited
liquidity (which means that the Fund may have difficulty selling them at
an acceptable price when it wants to), and the prices of these securities
may be volatile.
- Portfolio Turnover. A change in the securities held by the Fund
is known as "portfolio turnover." The Fund will actively use portfolio
trading to try to benefit from differences in short-term yields among
different issues of debt securities, to try to increase its income. The
Fund therefore may have a greater rate of portfolio turnover than
investment companies that invest on a long-term basis. As a result, the
Fund's portfolio turnover rate is likely to be more than 100% per year.
The "Financial Highlights," above, show the Fund's portfolio turnover rate
during past fiscal years.
High portfolio turnover may affect the ability of the Fund to qualify
as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code for
tax deductions for dividends and capital gains distributions the Fund pays
to shareholders. Portfolio turnover affects brokerage costs, dealer mark-
ups and other transaction costs, and results in the Fund's realization of
capital gains or losses for tax purposes.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
The Fund may also use the investment techniques and strategies
described below. These techniques involve certain risks. The Statement
of Additional Information contains more information about these practices,
including limitations on their use that are designed to reduce some of the
risks.
- Special Risks - Borrowing for Leverage. The Fund may borrow money
from banks to buy securities. The Fund will borrow only if it can do so
without putting up assets as security for a loan. This is a speculative
investment method known as "leverage." Leveraging may subject the Fund
to greater risks and costs than funds that do not borrow. These risks may
include the possible reduction of income and increased fluctuation in the
Fund's net asset value per share, since the Fund pays interest on
borrowings. Borrowing is subject to regulatory limits described in more
detail in the Statement of Additional Information.
- Derivative Investments. The Fund can invest in a number of
different kinds of "derivative investments." They are used in some cases
for hedging purposes and in other cases to attempt to enhance income. In
general, a "derivative investment" is a specially designed investment
whose performance is linked to the performance of another investment or
security, such as an option, future, index, currency or commodity. In the
broadest sense, exchange-traded options and futures contracts (discussed
in "Hedging," below) may be considered "derivative investments."
There are special risks in investing in derivative investments. The
company issuing the instrument may fail to pay the amount due on the
maturity of the instrument. Also, the underlying investment or security
on which the derivative is based might not perform the way the Manager
expected it to perform. The performance of derivative investments may
also be influenced by interest rate changes in the U.S. and abroad. All
of this can mean that the Fund will realize less principal or income from
the investment than expected. Certain derivative investments held by the
Fund may trade in the over-the-counter market and may be illiquid. Please
refer to "Illiquid and Restricted Securities" for an explanation.
The Fund may invest in different types of derivatives, described
below. "Index-linked" or "commodity-linked" notes are debt securities of
companies that call for payment on the maturity of the note in different
terms than the typical note where the borrower agrees to pay a fixed sum
on the maturity of the note. The payment on maturity of an index-linked
note depends on the performance of one or more market indices, such as the
S & P 500 Index or a weighted index of commodity futures, such as crude
oil, gasoline and natural gas. The Fund may invest in debt exchangeable
for common stock of an issuer or "equity-linked" debt securities of an
issuer. At maturity, the principal amount of the debt security is
exchanged for common stock of the issuer or is payable in an amount based
on the issuer's common stock price at the time of maturity. In either
case there is a risk that the amount payable at maturity will be less than
the principal amount of the debt.
The Fund may also invest in currency-indexed securities. Typically,
these are short-term or intermediate-term debt securities having a value
at maturity or an interest rate determined by reference to one or more
foreign currencies. The currency-indexed securities purchased by the Fund
may make payments based on a formula. The payment may be calculated as
a multiple of the movement of one currency against another currency, or
against an index. These investments may entail increased risk to
principal and increased price volatility.
- Hedging. As described below, the Fund may purchase and sell
certain kinds of futures contracts, put and call options, forward
contracts, and options on futures, broadly-based stock or bond indices and
foreign currency, or enter into interest rate swap agreements. These are
all referred to as "hedging instruments." The Fund does not use hedging
instruments for speculative purposes, and has limits on the use of them,
described below. The hedging instruments the Fund may use are described
below and in greater detail in the Statement of Additional Information.
The Fund may buy and sell options, futures and forward contracts for
a number of purposes. It may do so to try to manage its exposure to the
possibility that the prices of its portfolio securities may decline, or
to establish a position in the securities market as a temporary substitute
for purchasing individual securities. It may do so to try to manage its
exposure to changing interest rates. Some of these strategies, such as
selling futures, buying puts and writing covered calls, hedge the Fund's
portfolio against price fluctuations.
Other hedging strategies, such as buying futures and call options,
tend to increase the Fund's exposure to the securities market. Forward
contacts are used to try to manage foreign currency risks on the Fund's
foreign investments. Foreign currency options are used to try to protect
against declines in the dollar value of foreign securities the Fund owns,
or to protect against an increase in the dollar cost of buying foreign
securities. Writing covered call options may also provide income to the
Fund for liquidity purposes, defensive reasons, or to raise cash to
distribute to shareholders. At present, the Fund does not intend to enter
into Futures contracts, forward contracts or options on Futures if, after
any purchase or sale, the value of all put and call options held by the
Fund would exceed 5% of its total assets.
Futures. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts that relate to
(1) foreign currencies (these are Forward Contracts), (2) financial
indices such as U.S. or foreign government securities or corporate debt
securities indices (these are referred to as Financial Futures), and (3)
interest rates (these are referred to as Interest Rate Futures). These
types of Futures are described in "Hedging With Options and Futures
Contacts" in the Statement of Additional Information.
Put and Call Options. The Fund may buy and sell certain kinds of put
options (puts) and call options (calls).
The Fund may buy calls only on debt securities, foreign currencies,
or Futures, or to terminate its obligation on a call the Fund previously
wrote. The value of debt securities underlying calls bought by the Fund
will not exceed the value of the Fund's cash or cash-equivalent portfolio
holdings (that is, securities with maturity of less than one year). The
Fund may write (that is, sell) call options on debt or equity securities,
foreign currency or Futures, but only if they are "covered." That means
the Fund must own the security subject to the call while the call is
outstanding (or own other securities acceptable for applicable escrow
requirements). Calls on Futures must be covered by securities or other
liquid assets the Fund owns and segregates to enable it to satisfy its
obligations if the call is exercised. When the Fund writes a call, it
receives cash (called a premium). The call gives the buyer the ability
to buy the investment on which the call was written from the Fund at the
call price during the period in which the call may be exercised. If the
value of the investment does not rise above the call price, it is likely
that the call will lapse without being exercised, while the Fund keeps the
cash premium (and the investment). Up to 100% of the Fund's total assets
may be subject to calls.
The Fund may purchase put options. Buying a put on an investment
gives the Fund the right to sell the investment at a set price to a seller
of a put on that investment. The Fund can buy only those puts that relate
to (1) debt securities, (2) Futures, or (3) foreign currencies. The Fund
can buy a put on debt security whether or not the Fund owns the particular
debt security in its portfolio. The Fund may sell a put on debt
securities or Futures, but only if the puts are covered by segregated
liquid assets. The Fund will not write puts if more than 50% of the
Fund's net assets would have to be segregated to cover put obligations.
A call or put may be purchased only if, after the purchase, the value
of all call and put options held by the Fund will not exceed 5% of the
Fund's total assets. The Fund may buy and sell put and call options that
are traded on U.S. or foreign securities or commodity exchanges or are
traded in the over-the-counter markets. In the case of foreign currency
options, they may be quoted by major recognized dealers in those options.
Options traded in the over-the-counter market may be "illiquid," and
therefore may be subject to the Fund's restrictions on illiquid
investments, described in "Illiquid and Restricted Securities," below.
- Forward Contracts. Forward Contracts are foreign currency exchange
contracts. They are used to buy or sell foreign currency for future
delivery at a fixed price. The Fund uses them to try to "lock in" the
U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency that the
Fund has purchased or sold, or to protect against possible losses from
changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency.
The Fund may also use "cross hedging," where the Fund hedges against
changes in currencies other than the currency in which a security it holds
is denominated.
- Interest Rate Swaps. In an interest rate swap, the Fund and
another party exchange their right to receive, or their obligation to pay,
interest on a security. For example, they may swap a right to receive
floating rate interest payments for fixed rate payments. The Fund enters
into swaps only on securities it owns. The Fund may not enter into swaps
with respect to more than 50% of its total assets. The Fund will
segregate liquid assets (such as cash or U.S. Government securities) to
cover any amounts it could owe under swaps that exceed the amounts it is
entitled to receive, and it will adjust that amount daily, as needed.
Hedging instruments can be volatile investments and may involve
special risks. The use of hedging instruments requires special skills and
knowledge of investment techniques that are different from what is
required for normal portfolio management. If the Manager uses a hedging
instrument at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly,
hedging strategies may reduce the Fund's return. The Fund could also
experience losses if the prices of its futures and options positions were
not correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out a
position because of an illiquid market for the future or option.
Options trading involves the payment of premiums and has special tax
effects on the Fund. There are also special risks in particular hedging
strategies. For example, in writing puts, there is a risk that the Fund
may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price.
The use of Forward Contracts may reduce the gain that would otherwise
result from a change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and a
foreign currency. The Fund limits its exposure in foreign currency
exchange contracts to the amount denominated in the foreign currency, to
avoid having to buy or sell foreign currency at disadvantageous prices.
Interest rate swaps are subject to the risk that the other party will fail
to meet its obligations (or that the underlying issuer will fail to pay
on time), as well as interest rate risks. The Fund could be obligated to
pay more under its swap agreements than it receives under them, as a
result of interest rate changes. If a covered call written by the Fund
is exercised on an investment that has increased in value, the Fund will
be required to sell the investment at the call price and will not be able
to realize any profit if the investment has increased in value above the
call price. These risks are described in greater detail in the Statement
of Additional Information.
- Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase
agreements. In a repurchase transaction, the Fund buys a security and
simultaneously sells it to the vendor for delivery at a future date.
Repurchase agreements must be fully collateralized. However, if the
vendor fails to pay the resale price on the delivery date, the Fund may
incur costs in disposing of the collateral and may experience losses if
there is any delay in its ability to do so. The Fund will not enter into
a repurchase agreement that will cause more than 10% of its net assets to
be subject to repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
There is no limit on the amount of the Fund's net assets that may be
subject to repurchase agreements of seven days or less. See the Statement
of Additional Information for more details.
- Loans of Portfolio Securities. To attempt to increase its income,
the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other
financial institutions. These loans are limited to not more than 25% of
the value of the Fund's total assets and are subject to other conditions
described in the Statement of Additional Information. The Fund presently
does not intend to lend its portfolio securities, but if it does, the
value of securities loaned is not expected to exceed 5% of the value of
the Fund's total assets.
- Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Under the policies and
procedures established by the Fund's Board of Trustees, the Manager
determines the liquidity of certain of the Fund's investments.
Investments may be illiquid because of the absence of an active trading
market, making it difficult to value them or dispose of them promptly at
an acceptable price. A restricted security is one that has a contractual
restriction on its resale or which cannot be sold publicly until it is
registered under the Securities Act of 1933. The Fund will not invest
more than 10% of its net assets in illiquid or restricted securities (that
limit may increase to 15% if certain state laws are changed or the Fund's
shares are no longer sold in those states). The Fund's percentage
limitation on these investments does not apply to certain restricted
securities that are eligible for resale to qualified institutional
purchasers.
- When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions. The Fund may
purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis, and may purchase or sell
such securities on a "delayed delivery" basis. These terms refer to
securities that have been created and for which a market exists, but which
are not available for immediate delivery. There may be a risk of loss to
the Fund if the value of the security declines prior to the settlement
date.
- Short Sales "Against-the-Box". As a matter of fundamental policy,
the Fund may not sell securities short except in collateralized
transactions referred to as short sales "against-the-box. No more than
15% of the Fund's net assets will be held as collateral for such short
sales at any one time.
Other Investment Restrictions. The Fund has other investment restrictions
which are fundamental policies. Under these fundamental policies, the
Fund cannot do any of the following: (1) purchase securities issued or
guaranteed by any one issuer (except the U.S. Government or any of its
agencies or instrumentalities), if (with respect to 75% of its total
assets) more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in
securities of that issuer or the Fund would then own more than 10% of that
issuer's voting securities; (2) concentrate 25% or more of its total
assets in investments of issuers in the same industry (excluding the U.S.
Government, its agencies and instrumentalities); for purposes of this
limitation, utilities will be divided according to their services (for
example, gas, gas transmission, electric and telephone utilities are each
considered a separate industry); (3) make loans, except that it may
purchase debt obligations in accordance with its investment objectives and
policies, or enter into repurchase agreements, or lend portfolio
securities in accordance with applicable regulations; (4) buy securities
of an issuer which, together with any predecessor, has been in operation
for less than three years, if as a result, the aggregate of these
investments would exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets; or
(5) make short sales of securities or maintain a short position, unless
as short sales against-the-box.
All of the percentage restrictions described above (except those
restricting borrowing money) and elsewhere in this Prospectus apply only
at the time the Fund purchases a security, and the Fund need not dispose
of a security merely because the size of the Fund's assets has changed or
the security has increased in value relative to the size of the Fund.
There are other fundamental policies discussed in the Statement of
Additional Information.
How the Fund is Managed
Organization and History. The Fund was organized in 1992 as a
Massachusetts business trust. The Trust is a diversified open-end,
management investment company, with an unlimited number of authorized
shares of beneficial interest.
The Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for
protecting the interests of shareholders under Massachusetts law. The
Trustees meet periodically throughout the year to oversee the Fund's
activities, review its performance, and review the actions of the Manager.
"Trustees and Officers of the Fund" in the Statement of Additional
Information names the Trustees and provides more information about them
and the officers of the Fund. Although the Fund is not required by law
to hold annual meetings, it may hold shareholder meetings from time to
time on important matters, and shareholders have the right to call a
meeting to remove a Trustee or to take other action described in the
Fund's Declaration of Trust.
The Board of Trustees has the power, without shareholder approval,
to divide unissued shares of the Fund into two or more classes. The Board
has done so, and the Fund currently has two classes of shares, Class A and
Class B. Each class has its own dividends and distributions and pays
certain expenses which may be different for the different classes. Each
class may have a different net asset value. Each share has one vote at
shareholder meetings, with fractional shares voting proportionally. Only
shares of a particular class vote together on matters that affect that
class alone. Shares are freely transferrable.
The Manager and Its Affiliates. The Fund is managed by the Manager,
Oppenheimer Management Corporation, which is responsible for selecting the
Fund's investments and handles its day-to-day business. The Manager
carries out its duties, subject to the policies established by the Board
of Trustees, under an Investment Advisory Agreement which states the
Manager's responsibilities. The Agreement sets forth the fees paid by the
Fund to the Manager and describes the expenses that the Fund is
responsible to pay to conduct its business.
The Manager has operated as an investment adviser since 1959. The
Manager (including a subsidiary) currently manages investment companies,
including other OppenheimerFunds, with assets of more than $29 billion as
of December 31, 1994, and with more than 1.8 million shareholder accounts.
The Manager is owned by Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., a holding company
that is owned in part by senior officers of the Manager and controlled by
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, a mutual life insurance
company.
- Portfolio Managers. The Fund has three portfolio managers: Robert
C. Doll, Jr. is an Executive Vice President of the Manager and a Senior
Vice President of the Fund; Arthur P. Steinmetz is a Senior Vice President
of the Manager and David P. Negri is a Vice President of the Manager and
each is also a Vice President of the Fund. Since the Fund's inception in
1992, they have been principally responsible for the day-to-day management
of the Fund's portfolio, with Mr. Doll selecting equity investments and
Messrs. Steinmetz and Negri selecting debt securities. During the past
five years, Messrs. Doll, Steinmetz and Negri have also served as officers
of the Manager and as officers and portfolio managers for other
OppenheimerFunds. For more information about the Fund's other officers
and Trustees, see "Trustees and Officers" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
- Fees and Expenses. Under the investment advisory agreement, the
Fund pays the Manager the following annual fees, which decline on
additional assets as the Fund grows: 0.75% of the first $200 million of
aggregate net assets, 0.72% of the next $200 million, 0.69% of the next
$200 million, 0.66% of the next $200 million, 0.60% of the next $200
million, and 0.50% of net assets in excess of $1 billion. The Fund's
management fee for its last fiscal year was 0.75% of average annual net
assets for both its Class A and Class B shares, which may be higher than
the rate paid by some other mutual funds.
The Fund pays expenses related to its daily operations, such as
custodian fees, Trustees' fees, transfer agency fees, legal and auditing
costs. Those expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets and are not paid
directly by shareholders. However, those expenses reduce the net asset
value of shares, and therefore are indirectly borne by shareholders
through their investment. More information about the investment advisory
agreement and the other expenses paid by the Fund is contained in the
Statement of Additional Information.
There is also information about the Fund's brokerage policies and
practices in "Brokerage Policies of the Fund" in the Statement of
Additional Information. That section discusses how brokers and dealers are
selected for the Fund's portfolio transactions. When deciding which
brokers to use, the Manager is permitted by the investment advisory
agreement to consider whether brokers have sold shares of the Fund or any
other funds for which the Manager serves as investment adviser.
- The Distributor. The Fund's shares are sold through dealers and
brokers that have a sales agreement with Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc., a subsidiary of the Manager that acts as the Fund's Distributor.
The Distributor also distributes the shares of other mutual funds managed
by the Manager (the "OppenheimerFunds") and is sub-distributor for funds
managed by a subsidiary of the Manager.
- The Transfer Agent. The Fund's transfer agent is Oppenheimer
Shareholder Services, a division of the Manager, which acts as the
shareholder servicing agent for the Fund and the other OppenheimerFunds
on an "at-cost" basis. Shareholders should direct inquiries about their
accounts to the Transfer Agent at the address and toll-free numbers shown
below in this Prospectus and on the back cover.
Performance of the Fund
Explanation of Performance Terminology. The Fund uses the terms "total
return," "average annual total return" and "yield" to illustrate its
performance. The performance of each class of shares is shown separately,
because the performance of each class of shares will usually be different
as a result of the different kinds of expenses each class bears. This
performance information may be useful to help you see how well your
investment has done and to compare it to other funds or market indices,
as we have done below.
It is important to understand that the Fund's total returns and yield
represent past performance and should not be considered to be predictions
of future returns or performance. This performance data is described
below, but more detailed information about how total returns are
calculated is contained in the Statement of Additional Information, which
also contains information about other ways to measure and compare the
Fund's performance. The Fund's investment performance will vary over time,
depending on market conditions, the composition of the portfolio, expenses
and which class of shares you purchase.
- Total Returns. There are different types of total returns used
to measure the Fund's performance. Total return is the change in value
of a hypothetical investment in the Fund over a given period, assuming
that all dividends and capital gains distributions are reinvested in
additional shares. The cumulative total return measures the change in
value over the entire period (for example, ten years). An average annual
total return shows the average rate of return for each year in a period
that would produce the cumulative total return over the entire period.
However, average annual total returns do not show the Fund's actual year-
by-year performance.
When total returns are quoted for Class A shares, they reflect the
payment of the maximum initial sales charge. When total returns are shown
for Class B shares, they reflect the effect of the applicable contingent
deferred sales charge. Total returns may also be quoted "at net asset
value," without considering the effect of the sales charge, and those
returns would be reduced if sales charges were deducted.
- Yield. Each class of shares calculates its yield by dividing
the annualized net investment income per share from the portfolio during
a 30-day period by the maximum offering price on the last day of the
period. The yield of each class will differ because of the different
expenses of each class of shares. The yield data represents a
hypothetical investment return on the portfolio, and does not measure an
investment return based on dividends actually paid to shareholders. To
show that return, a dividend yield may be calculated. Dividend yield is
calculated by dividing the dividends of a class derived from net
investment income during a stated period by the maximum offering price on
the last day of the period. Yields and dividend yields for Class A shares
reflect the deduction of the maximum initial sales charge, but may also
be shown based on the Fund's net asset value per share. Yields for Class
B shares do not reflect the deduction of the contingent deferred sales
charge.
How Has the Fund Performed? Below is a discussion by the Manager of the
Fund's performance during its last fiscal year, ended September 30, 1994,
followed by a graphical comparison of the Fund's performance to a broad-
based bond market index and a broad-based stock market index. Two market
indices have been shown for comparison, because the Fund invests in both
debt and equity securities. There is no single appropriate broad market
index of both debt and equity investments that the Manager believes to be
appropriate to compare the Fund's performance.
- Management's Discussion of Fund Performance. During the Fund's
last fiscal year, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and central banks
worldwide moved aggressively to raise short-term interest rates to attempt
to fight the possibility of inflation. Those increases in short-term
interest rates had a depressing effect on the prices of already-issued
bonds, especially longer-term bonds. Those price changes also reduced the
value of the Fund's portfolio debt securities. However, the portfolio
managers sought to address this trend by reducing the Fund's holdings of
long-term U.S. Government Securities and of corporate debt securities
issued by interest rate sensitive companies. The Manager then purchased
high yield bonds issued by larger industrial companies, to seek current
income. Also, because foreign interest rates rose and the value of the
dollar deteriorated against major foreign currencies, the Fund reduced its
holdings in Latin America and other emerging markets and invested the
proceeds in European securities markets.
To seek its secondary objective of capital growth, the Fund had
invested approximately 42% of its assets in equity and preferred stocks.
The Fund's new equity investments emphasized growth companies in the
financial services and consumer sectors.
- Comparing the Fund's Performance to the Market. The charts below
show the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in each class
of shares of the Fund held until September 30, 1994. In the case of Class
A shares, performance is measured from the Fund's inception on June 1,
1992, and in the case of Class B shares, from the inception of the Class
on November 30, 1992. In both cases, all dividends and capital gains
distributions were reinvested in additional shares. The graph for Class
A shares reflects the deduction of the 4.75% current maximum initial sales
charge for Class A shares and the graph for Class B shares reflects the
4% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to redemptions of Class
B shares held from 11/30/92 until 9/30/94.
The performance of each class of the Fund's shares is compared to the
performance of the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index and the S&P 500
Index. The Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based,
unmanaged index of U.S. corporate bond issues, U.S. government securities
and mortgage-backed securities widely regarded as a measure of the
performance of the domestic debt securities market. The S&P 500 Index is
a broad-based index of equity securities widely regarded as a general
measurement of the performance of the U.S. equity securities market. Index
performance reflects the reinvestment of dividends but does not consider
the effect of capital gains or transaction costs, and none of the data
below shows the effect of taxes. Also, the Fund's performance reflects
the effect of Fund business and operating expenses. While index
comparisons may be useful to provide a benchmark for the Fund's
performance, it must be noted that the Fund's investments are not limited
to the securities in any one index. Moreover, the index performance data
does not reflect any assessment of the risk of the investments included
in the index.
Comparison of Change in Value
of a $10,000 Hypothetical Investments in:
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund,
Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index and the S&P 500 Index
(Graph) (with Class A shares of the Fund)
(Graph) (with Class B shares of the Fund)
Past performance is not predictive of future performance.
Average Annual Total Returns
of the Fund at 9/30/94
A Shares 1-Year Life*
-4.97% 2.21%
B Shares 1-Year Life**
-5.84% 0.42%
- -----------------------
* The inception date of the Fund (Class A shares) was 06/01/92.
**Class B shares of the Fund were first publicly offered on 11/30/92.
ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
How to Buy Shares
Classes of Shares. The Fund offers investors two different classes of
shares. The different classes of shares represent investments in the same
portfolio of securities but are subject to different expenses and will
likely have different share prices.
- Class A Shares. If you buy Class A shares, you pay an initial
sales charge (on investments up to $1 million). If you purchase Class A
shares as part of an investment of at least $1 million in Class A shares
of one or more OppenheimerFunds, you will not pay an initial sales charge
but if you sell any of those shares within 18 months after your purchase,
you may pay a contingent deferred sales charge, which will vary depending
on the amount you invested. Sales charges are described below.
- Class B Shares. If you buy Class B shares, you pay no sales
charge at the time of purchase, but if you sell your shares within six
years, you will normally pay a contingent deferred sales charge that
varies depending on how long you own your shares. It is described below.
Which Class of Shares Should You Choose? Once you decide that the Fund
is an appropriate investment for you, the decision as to which class of
shares is better suited to your needs depends on a number of factors which
you should discuss with your financial advisor. The Fund's operating
costs that apply to a class of shares and the effect of the different
types of sales charges on your investment will vary your investment
results over time. The most important factors are how much you plan to
invest, how long you plan to hold your investment, and whether you
anticipate exchanging your shares for shares of other OppenheimerFunds
(not all of which currently offer Class B shares). If your goals and
objectives change over time and you plan to purchase additional shares,
you should re-evaluate those factors to see if you should consider another
class of shares.
In the following discussion, to help provide you and your financial
advisor with a framework in which to choose a class, we have made some
assumptions using a hypothetical investment in the Fund. We used the
sales charge rates that apply to Classes A and B, considering the effect
of the annual asset-based sales charge on Class B expenses (which, like
all expenses, will affect your investment return). For the sake of
comparison, we have assumed that there is a 10% rate of appreciation in
the investment each year. Of course, the actual performance of your
investment cannot be predicted and will vary, based on the Fund's actual
investment returns and the operating expenses borne by each class of
shares, and which class you invest in. The results could differ if
different assumptions were used about rates of return, or if varying rates
are used. The factors discussed below are not intended to be investment
advice or recommendations, because each investor's financial
considerations are different.
- How Long Do You Expect to Hold Your Investment? The Fund is
designed for long-term investment. While future financial needs cannot
be predicted with certainty, knowing how long you expect to hold your
investment will assist you in selecting the appropriate class of shares.
The effect of the sales charge over time, using our assumptions, will
generally depend on the amount invested. Because of the effect of class-
based expenses, your choice will also depend on how much you invest.
- How Much Do You Plan to Invest? If you plan to invest a
substantial amount over the long term, the reduced sales charges available
for larger purchases of Class A shares may offset the effect of paying an
initial sales charge on your investment (which reduces the amount of your
investment dollars used to buy shares for your account), compared to the
effect over time of higher expenses on Class B, for which no initial sales
charge is paid. Additionally, dividends payable to Class B shareholders
will be reduced by the additional expenses borne solely by Class B, such
as the asset-based sales charge described below.
In general, if you plan to invest less than $100,000, Class B shares
may be more advantageous than Class A shares, using the assumptions in our
hypothetical example. However, if you plan to invest more than $100,000
(not only in the Fund, but possibly in other OppenheimerFunds as well),
then Class A shares generally will be more advantageous than Class B,
because of the effect of the reduction of initial sales charges on larger
purchases of Class A shares (described in "Reduced Sales Charges for Class
A Share Purchases," below). That is also the case because the annual
asset-based sales charge on Class B shares will have a greater impact on
larger investments than the initial sales charge on Class A shares,
because of the reductions of initial sales charge available for larger
purchases.
And for investors who invest $1 million or more, in most cases Class
A shares will be the most advantageous choice, no matter how long you
intend to hold your shares. For that reason, the Distributor normally
will not accept purchase orders of $1 million or more of Class B shares
from a single investor.
Of course, these examples are based on approximations of the effect
of current sales charges and expenses on a hypothetical investment over
time, using the assumptions stated above. Therefore, these examples
should not be relied on as rigid guidelines.
- Are There Differences in Account Features That Matter to You?
Because some account features may not be available to Class B
shareholders, or other features (such as Automatic Withdrawal Plans) might
not be advisable (because of the effect of contingent deferred sales
charge) in non-retirement accounts for Class B shareholders, you should
carefully review how you plan to use your investment account before
deciding which class of shares to buy. Also, because not all
OppenheimerFunds currently offer Class B shares, and because exchanges are
permitted only to the same class of shares in other OppenheimerFunds, you
should consider how important the exchange privilege is likely to be for
you.
- How Does It Affect Payments to My Broker? A salesperson, such as
a broker, or any other person who is entitled to receive compensation for
selling Fund shares may receive different compensation for selling one
class than another class. It is important that investors understand that
the purpose of the Class B contingent deferred sales charge and asset-
based sales charge is the same as the purpose of the front-end sales
charge on sales of Class A shares: to compensate the Distributor for
commissions it pays to dealers and financial institutions for selling
shares.
How Much Must You Invest? You can open a Fund account with a minimum
initial investment of $1,000 and make additional investments at any time
with as little as $25. There are reduced minimum investments under special
investment plans:
With Asset Builder Plans, Automatic Exchange Plans, 403(b)(7)
custodial plans and military allotment plans, you can make initial and
subsequent investments of as little as $25. Subsequent purchases of at
least $25 can be made by telephone through AccountLink.
Under pension and profit-sharing plans and Individual Retirement
Accounts (IRAs), you can make an initial investment of as little as $250
(if your IRA is established under an Asset Builder Plan, the $25 minimum
applies), and subsequent investments may be as little as $25.
There is no minimum investment requirement if you are buying shares
by reinvesting dividends from the Fund or other OppenheimerFunds (a list
of them appears in the Statement of Additional Information, or you can ask
your dealer or call the Transfer Agent), or by reinvesting distributions
from unit investment trusts that have made arrangements with the
Distributor.
- How Are Shares Purchased? You can buy shares several ways --
through any dealer, broker or financial institution that has a sales
agreement with the Distributor, or directly through the Distributor, or
automatically from your bank account through an Asset Builder Plan under
the OppenheimerFunds AccountLink service. When you buy shares, be sure to
specify Class A or Class B shares. If you do not choose, your investment
will be made in Class A shares.
- Buying Shares Through Your Dealer. Your dealer will place your
order with the Distributor on your behalf.
- Buying Shares Through the Distributor. Complete an
OppenheimerFunds New Account Application and return it with a check
payable to "Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc." Mail it to P.O. Box 5270,
Denver, Colorado 80217. If you don't list a dealer on the application,
the Distributor will act as your agent in buying the shares. However, we
recommend that you discuss your investment first with a financial advisor,
to be sure it is appropriate for you.
- Buying Shares Through OppenheimerFunds AccountLink. You can use
AccountLink to link your Fund account with an account at a U.S. bank or
other financial institution that is an Automated Clearing House (ACH)
member. You can then transmit funds electronically to purchase shares,
or have the Transfer Agent send redemption proceeds or transmit dividends
and distributions to your bank account.
Shares are purchased for your account on AccountLink on the regular
business day the Distributor is instructed by you to initiate the ACH
transfer to buy shares. You can provide those instructions automatically,
under an Asset Builder Plan, described below, or by telephone instructions
using OppenheimerFunds PhoneLink, also described below. You should request
AccountLink privileges on the application or dealer settlement
instructions used to establish your account. Please refer to "AccountLink"
below for more details.
- Asset Builder Plans. You may purchase shares of the Fund (and up
to four other OppenheimerFunds) automatically each month from your account
at a bank or other financial institution under an Asset Builder Plan with
AccountLink. Details are on the Application and in the Statement of
Additional Information.
- At What Price Are Shares Sold? Shares are sold at the public
offering price based on the net asset value (and any initial sales charge
that applies) that is next determined after the Distributor receives the
purchase order in Denver. In most cases, to enable you to receive that
day's offering price, the Distributor must receive your order by the time
of day The New York Stock Exchange closes, which is normally 4:00 P.M.,
New York time, but may be earlier on some days (all references to time in
this Prospectus mean "New York time"). The net asset value of each class
of shares is determined as of the close of The New York Stock Exchange on
each day the Exchange is open (which is a "regular business day").
If you buy shares through a dealer, the dealer must receive your
order by the close of The New York Stock Exchange on a regular business
day and transmit it to the Distributor so that it is received before the
Distributor's close of business that day, which is normally 5:00 P.M. The
Distributor may reject any purchase order for the Fund's shares, in its
sole discretion.
Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold at their offering price, which
is normally net asset value plus an initial sales charge. However, in
some cases, described below, purchases are not subject to an initial sales
charge, and the offering price will be the net asset value. In some cases,
reduced sales charges may be available, as described below. Out of the
amount you invest, the Fund receives the net asset value to invest for
your account. The sales charge varies depending on the amount of your
purchase. A portion of the sales charge may be retained by the
Distributor and allocated to your dealer as commission. The current sales
charge rates and commissions paid to dealers and brokers
are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Front-End Front-End
Sales Charge Sales Charge Commission
as Percentage as Percentage as Percentage
of Offering of Amount of Offering
Amount of Purchase Price Invested Price
- ------------------ ------------- -------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Less than $50,000 4.75% 4.98% 4.00%
$50,000 or more but
less than $100,000 4.50% 4.71% 3.75%
$100,000 or more but
less than $250,000 3.50% 3.63% 2.75%
$250,000 or more but
less than $500,000 2.50% 2.56% 2.00%
$500,000 or more but
less than $1 million 2.00% 2.04% 1.60%
- ----------------------
<FN>
The Distributor reserves the right to reallow the entire commission to
dealers. If that occurs, the dealer may be considered an "underwriter"
under Federal securities laws.
</TABLE>
- Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. There is no initial
sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of any one or more
OppenheimerFunds aggregating $1 million or more (shares of the Fund and
other OppenheimerFunds that offer only one class of shares that has no
class designation are considered "Class A shares" for this purpose).
However, the Distributor pays dealers of record commissions on such
purchases in an amount equal to the sum of 1.0% of the first $2.5 million,
plus 0.50% of the next $2.5 million, plus 0.25% of share purchases over
$5 million. That commission will be paid only on the amount of those
purchases in excess of $1 million that were not previously subject to a
front-end sales charge and dealer commission.
If you redeem any of those shares within 18 months of the end of the
calendar month of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge
(called the "Class A contingent deferred sales charge") will be deducted
from the redemption proceeds. That sales charge will be equal to 1.0% of
the aggregate net asset value of either (1) the redeemed shares (not
including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends or capital gain
distributions) or (2) the original cost of the shares, whichever is less.
However, the Class A contingent deferred sales charge will not exceed the
aggregate amount of the commissions the Distributor paid to your dealer
on all Class A shares of all OppenheimerFunds you purchased subject to
the Class A contingent deferred sales charge.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge is payable,
the Fund will first redeem shares that are not subject to the sales
charge, including shares purchased by reinvestment of dividends and
capital gains, and then will redeem other shares in the order that you
purchased them. The Class A contingent deferred sales charge is waived
in certain cases described in "Waivers of Class A Sales Charges" below.
No Class A contingent deferred sales charge is charged on exchanges
of shares under the Fund's Exchange Privilege (described below). However,
if the shares acquired by exchange are redeemed within 18 months of the
end of the calendar month of the purchase of the exchanged shares, the
contingent deferred sales charge will apply.
- Special Arrangements With Dealers. The Distributor may advance
up to 13 months' commissions to dealers that have established special
arrangements with the Distributor for Asset Builder Plans for their
clients. Dealers whose sales of Class A shares of OppenheimerFunds (other
than money market funds) under OppenheimerFunds-sponsored 403(b)(7)
custodial plans exceed $5 million per year (calculated per quarter), will
receive monthly one-half of the Distributor's retained commissions on
those sales, and if those sales exceed $10 million per year, those dealers
will receive the Distributor's entire retained commission on those sales.
Reduced Sales Charges for Class A Share Purchases. You may be eligible
to buy Class A shares at reduced sales charge rates in one or more of the
following ways:
- Right of Accumulation. To qualify for the lower sales charge
rates that apply to larger purchases of Class A shares, you and your
spouse can add together Class A shares you purchase for your individual
accounts, or jointly, or on behalf of your children who are minors, under
trust or custodial accounts. A fiduciary can count all shares purchased
for a trust, estate or other fiduciary account (including one or more
employee benefit plans of the same employer) that has multiple accounts.
Additionally, you can add together current purchases of Class A
shares of the Fund and other OppenheimerFunds. You can also include Class
A shares of OppenheimerFunds you previously purchased subject to a sales
charge, provided that you still hold your investment in one of the
OppenheimerFunds. The value of those shares will be based on the greater
of the amount you paid for the shares or their current value (at offering
price). The OppenheimerFunds are listed in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the
Statement of Additional Information, or a list can be obtained from the
Transfer Agent. The reduced sales charge will apply only to current
purchases and must be requested when you buy your shares.
- Letter of Intent. Under a Letter of Intent, you may purchase
Class A shares of the Fund and other OppenheimerFunds during a 13-month
period at the reduced sales charge rate that applies to the total amount
of the intended purchases. This can include purchases made up to 90 days
before the date of the Letter. More information is contained in the
Application and in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
- Waivers of Class A Sales Charges. No sales charge is imposed on
sales of Class A shares to the following investors: (1) the Manager or its
affiliates; (2) present or former officers, directors, trustees and
employees (and their "immediate families" as defined in "Reduced Sales
Charges" in the Statement of Additional Information) of the Fund, the
Manager and its affiliates, and retirement plans established by them for
their employees; (3) registered management investment companies, or
separate accounts of insurance companies having an agreement with the
Manager or the Distributor for that purpose; (4) dealers or brokers that
have a sales agreement with the Distributor, if they purchase shares for
their own accounts or for retirement plans for their employees; (5)
employees and registered representatives (and their spouses) of dealers
or brokers described above or financial institutions that have entered
into sales arrangements with such dealers or brokers (and are identified
to the Distributor) or with the Distributor; the purchaser must certify
to the Distributor at the time of purchase that the purchase is for the
purchaser's own account (or for the benefit of such employee's spouse or
minor children); (6) dealers, brokers or registered investment advisers
that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor providing
specifically for the use of shares of the Fund in particular investment
products made available to their clients; (7) dealers, brokers or
registered investment advisers that have entered into an agreement with
the Distributor to sell shares to defined contribution employee retirement
plans for which the dealer, broker or investment adviser provides
administration services.
Additionally, no sales charge is imposed on shares that are (a)
issued in plans of reorganization, such as mergers, asset acquisitions and
exchange offers, to which the Fund is a party, or (b) purchased by the
reinvestment of loan repayments by a participant in a retirement plan for
which the Manager or its affiliates acts as sponsor, or (c) purchased by
the reinvestment of dividends or other distributions reinvested from the
Fund or other OppenheimerFunds (other than Oppenheimer Cash Reserves) or
unit investment trusts for which reinvestment arrangements have been made
with the Distributor. There is a further discussion of this policy in
"Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of Additional Information.
The Class A contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to
purchases of Class A shares at net asset value described above and is also
waived if shares are redeemed in the following cases: (1) for retirement
distributions or loans to participants or beneficiaries from qualified
retirement plans, deferred compensation plans or other employee benefit
plans ("Retirement Plans"), (2) to return excess contributions made to
Retirement Plans, (3) to make Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments that are
limited to no more than 12% of the original account value annually, (4)
involuntary redemptions of shares by operation of law or under the
procedures set forth in the Fund's Declaration of Trust or adopted by the
Board of Trustees, and (5) Class A shares that would otherwise be subject
to the Class A contingent deferred sales charge are redeemed, but at the
time the purchase order for your shares was placed, the dealer agreed to
accept the dealer's portion of the commission payable on the sale in
installments of 1/18th of the commission per month (and that no further
commission would be payable if the shares were redeemed within 18 months
of purchase).
- Service Plan for Class A Shares. The Fund has adopted a Service
Plan for Class A shares to reimburse the Distributor for a portion of its
costs incurred in connection with the personal service and maintenance of
accounts that hold Class A shares. Reimbursement is made quarterly at an
annual rate that may not exceed 0.25% of the average annual net asset
value of Class A shares of the Fund. The Distributor uses all of those
fees to compensate dealers, brokers, banks and other financial
institutions quarterly for providing personal service and maintenance of
accounts of their customers that hold Class A shares and to reimburse
itself (if the Fund's Board of Trustees authorizes such reimbursements,
which it has not yet done) for its other expenditures under the Plan.
Services to be provided include, among others, answering customer
inquiries about the Fund, assisting in establishing and maintaining
accounts in the Fund, making the Fund's investment plans available and
providing other services at the request of the Fund or the Distributor.
Payments are made by the Distributor quarterly at an annual rate not to
exceed 0.25% of the average annual net assets of Class A shares held in
accounts of the dealer or its customers. The payments under the Plan
increase the annual expenses of Class A shares. For more details, please
refer to "Distribution and Service Plans" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Class B Shares. Class B shares are sold at net asset value per share
without an initial sales charge. However, if Class B shares are redeemed
within 6 years of their purchase, a contingent deferred sales charge will
be deducted from the redemption proceeds. That sales charge will not
apply to shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital
gains distributions. The charge will be assessed on the lesser of the net
asset value of the shares at the time of redemption or the original
purchase price. The contingent deferred sales charge is not imposed on the
amount of your account value represented by the increase in net asset
value over the initial purchase price (including increases due to the
reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions). The Class B
contingent deferred sales charge is paid to the Distributor to reimburse
its expenses of providing distribution-related services to the Fund in
connection with the sale of Class B shares.
To determine whether the contingent deferred sales charge applies to
a redemption, the Fund redeems shares in the following order: (1) shares
acquired by reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions, (2)
shares held for over 6 years, and (3) shares held the longest during the
6-year period.
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will depend on the
number of years since you invested and the dollar amount being redeemed,
according to the following schedule:
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
Years Since Beginning of Month In on Redemptions in that Year
Which Purchase Order Was Accepted (As % of Amount Subject to Charge)
- --------------------------------- ----------------------------------
0 - 1 5.0%
1 - 2 4.0%
2 - 3 3.0%
3 - 4 3.0%
4 - 5 2.0%
5 - 6 1.0%
6 and following None
In the table, a "year" is a 12-month period. All purchases are
considered to have been made on the first regular business day of the
month in which the purchase was made.
- Waivers of Class B Sales Charge. The Class B contingent deferred
sales charge will be waived if the shareholder requests it for any of the
following redemptions: (1) to make distributions to participants or
beneficiaries from Retirement Plans, if the distributions are made (a)
under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan after the participant reaches age 59-
1/2, as long as the payments are no more than 10% of the account value
annually (measured from the date the Transfer Agent receives the request),
or (b) following the death or disability (as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code) of the participant or beneficiary which occurred after the
account was opened; (2) redemptions from accounts other than Retirement
Plans following the death or disability of the shareholder (the disability
must have occurred after the account was established and you must provide
evidence of a determination of disability by the Social Security
Administration), (3) to make returns of excess contributions to Retirement
Plans, and (4) to make distributions from IRAs (including SEP-IRAs and
SAR/SEP accounts) before the participant is age 591/2, and distributions
from 403(b)(7) custodial plans or pension or profit sharing plans before
the participant is age 591/2 but only after the participant has separated
from service, if the distributions are made in substantially equal
periodic payments over the life (or life expectancy) of the participant
or the joint lives (or joint life and last survivor expectancy) of the
participant and the participant's designated beneficiary (and the
distributions must comply with other requirements for such distributions
under the Internal Revenue Code and may not exceed 10% of the account
value annually, measured from the date the Transfer Agent receives the
request).
The contingent deferred sales charge is also waived on Class B shares
in the following cases: (i) shares sold to the Manager or its affiliates;
(ii) shares sold to registered management investment companies or separate
accounts of insurance companies having an agreement with the Manager or
the Distributor for that purpose; (iii) shares issued in plans of
reorganization to which the Fund is a party; and (iv) shares redeemed in
involuntary redemptions as described below. Further details about this
policy are contained in "Reduced Sales Charges" in the Statement of
Additional Information.
- Automatic Conversion of Class B Shares. 72 months after you
purchase Class B shares, those shares will automatically convert to Class
A shares. This conversion feature relieves Class B shareholders of the
asset-based sales charge that applies to Class B shares under the Class
B Distribution and Service Plan, described below. The conversion is based
on the relative net asset value of the two classes, and no sales load or
other charge is imposed. When Class B shares convert, any other Class B
shares that were acquired by the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions on the converted shares will also convert to Class A shares.
The conversion feature is subject to the continued availability of a tax
ruling described in "Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A and Class
B Shares" in the Statement of Additional Information.
- Distribution and Service Plan for Class B Shares. The Fund has
adopted a Distribution and Service Plan for Class B shares to compensate
the Distributor for its services and costs in distributing Class B shares
and servicing accounts. Under the Plan, the Fund pays the Distributor an
annual "asset-based sales charge" of 0.75% per year on Class B shares that
are outstanding for 6 years or less. The Distributor also receives a
service fee of 0.25% per year. Both fees are computed on the average
annual net asset value of Class B shares, determined as of the close of
each regular business day. The asset-based sales charge allows investors
to buy Class B shares without a front-end sales charge while allowing the
Distributor to compensate dealers that sell Class B shares.
The Distributor uses the service fee to compensate dealers for
providing personal services for accounts that hold Class B shares. Those
services are similar to those provided under the Class A Service Plan,
described above. The asset-based sales charge and service fees increase
Class B expenses by up to 1.00% of average net assets per year.
The Distributor pays the 0.25% service fee to dealers in advance for
the first year after Class B shares have been sold by the dealer. After
the shares have been held for a year, the Distributor pays the fee on a
quarterly basis. The Distributor pays sales commissions of 3.75% of the
purchase price to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale. The
Distributor retains the asset-based sales charge (and the first year's
service fee) to recoup the sales commissions it pays, the advances of
service fee payments it makes, and its financing costs.
The Distributor's actual expenses in selling Class B shares may be
more than the payments it receives from contingent deferred sales charges
collected on redeemed shares and from the Fund under the Distribution and
Service Plan for Class B shares. Therefore, those expenses may be carried
over and paid in future years. At September 30, 1994, the end of the Plan
year, the Distributor had incurred unreimbursed expenses under the Plan
of $910,477 (equal to 5.67% of the Fund's net assets represented by Class
B shares on that date), which have been carried over into the present Plan
year. If the Plan is terminated by the Fund, the Board of Trustees may
allow the Fund to continue payments of the asset-based sales charge to the
Distributor for expenses it incurred before the Plan was terminated.
Special Investor Services
AccountLink. OppenheimerFunds AccountLink links your Fund account to your
account at your bank or other financial institution to enable you to send
money electronically between those accounts to perform a number of types
of account transactions. These include purchases of shares by telephone
(either through a service representative or by PhoneLink, described
below), automatic investments under Asset Builder Plans, and sending
dividends and distributions or Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments directly
to your bank account. Please refer to the Application for details or call
the Transfer Agent for more information.
AccountLink privileges must be requested on the Application you use
to buy shares, or on your dealer's settlement instructions if you buy your
shares through your dealer. After your account is established, you can
request AccountLink privileges on signature-guaranteed instructions to the
Transfer Agent. AccountLink privileges will apply to each shareholder
listed in the registration on your account as well as to your dealer
representative of record unless and until the Transfer Agent receives
written instructions terminating or changing those privileges. After you
establish AccountLink for your account, any change of bank account
information must be made by signature-guaranteed instructions to the
Transfer Agent signed by all shareholders who own the account.
- Using AccountLink to Buy Shares. Purchases may be made by
telephone only after your account has been established. To purchase shares
in amounts up to $250,000 through a telephone representative, call the
Distributor at 1-800-852-8457. The purchase payment will be debited from
your bank account.
- PhoneLink. PhoneLink is the OppenheimerFunds automated telephone
system that enables shareholders to perform a number of account
transactions automatically using a touch-tone phone. PhoneLink may be used
on already-established Fund accounts after you obtain a Personal
Identification Number (PIN), by calling the special PhoneLink number: 1-
800-533-3310.
- Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares in amounts up to
$100,000 by phone, by calling 1-800-533-3310. You must have established
AccountLink privileges to link your bank account with the Fund, to pay for
these purchases.
- Exchanging Shares. With the OppenheimerFunds Exchange Privilege,
described below, you can exchange shares automatically by phone from your
Fund account to another OppenheimerFunds account you have already
established by calling the special PhoneLink number. Please refer to "How
to Exchange Shares," below, for details.
- Selling Shares. You can redeem shares by telephone
automatically by calling the PhoneLink number and the Fund will send the
proceeds directly to your AccountLink bank account. Please refer to "How
to Sell Shares," below, for details.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. The Fund has several plans
that enable you to sell shares automatically or exchange them to another
OppenheimerFunds account on a regular basis:
- Automatic Withdrawal Plans. If your Fund account is worth $5,000
or more, you can establish an Automatic Withdrawal Plan to receive
payments of at least $50 on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual
basis. The checks may be sent to you or sent automatically to your bank
account on AccountLink. You may even set up certain types of withdrawals
of up to $1,500 per month by telephone. You should consult the
Application and Statement of Additional Information for more details.
- Automatic Exchange Plans. You can authorize the Transfer Agent
automatically to exchange an amount you establish in advance for shares
of up to five other OppenheimerFunds on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual
or annual basis under an Automatic Exchange Plan. The minimum purchase
for each OppenheimerFunds account is $25. These exchanges are subject to
the terms of the Exchange Privilege, described below.
Reinvestment Privilege. If you redeem some or all of your Fund shares,
you have up to 6 months to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds
in Class A shares of the Fund or other OppenheimerFunds without paying a
sales charge. This privilege applies to Fund shares that you purchased
with an initial sales charge. It also applies to shares on which you paid
a contingent deferred sales charge when you redeemed them. You must be
sure to ask the Distributor for this privilege when you send your payment.
Please consult the Statement of Additional Information for more details.
Retirement Plans. Fund shares are available as an investment for your
retirement plans. If you participate in a plan sponsored by your employer,
the plan trustee or administrator must make the purchase of shares for
your retirement plan account. The Distributor offers a number of different
retirement plans that can be used by individuals and employers:
- Individual Retirement Accounts including rollover IRAs, for
individuals and their spouses
- 403(b)(7) Custodial Plans for employees of eligible tax-exempt
organizations, such as schools, hospitals and charitable organizations
- SEP-IRAs (Simplified Employee Pension Plans) for small business
owners or people with income from self-employment, including SARSEP-IRAs
- Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans for self-employed persons and
other employers
Please call the Distributor for the OppenheimerFunds plan documents,
which contain important information and applications.
How to Sell Shares
You can arrange to take money out of your account on any regular
business day by selling (redeeming) some or all of your shares. Your
shares will be sold at the next net asset value calculated after your
order is received and accepted by the Transfer Agent. The Fund offers you
a number of ways to sell your shares: in writing or by telephone. You can
also set up Automatic Withdrawal Plans to redeem shares on a regular
basis, as described above. If you have questions about any of these
procedures, and especially if you are redeeming shares in a special
situation, such as due to the death of the owner, or from a retirement
plan, please call the Transfer Agent first, at 1-800-525-7048, for
assistance.
- Retirement Accounts. To sell shares in an OppenheimerFunds
retirement account in your name, call the Transfer Agent for a
distribution request form. There are special income tax withholding
requirements for distributions from retirement plans and you must submit
a withholding form with your request to avoid delay. If your retirement
plan account is held for you by your employer, you must arrange for the
distribution request to be sent by the plan administrator or trustee.
There are additional details in the Statement of Additional Information.
- Certain Requests Require a Signature Guarantee. To protect you
and the Fund from fraud, certain redemption requests must be in writing
and must include a signature guarantee in the following situations (there
may be other situations also requiring a signature guarantee):
- You wish to redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares and receive
a check
- A redemption check is not payable to all shareholders listed on
the account statement
- A redemption check is not sent to the address of record on your
statement
- Shares are being transferred to a Fund account with a different
owner or name
- Shares are redeemed by someone other than the owners (such as
an Executor)
- Where Can I Have My Signature Guaranteed? The Transfer Agent will
accept a guarantee of your signature by a number of financial
institutions, including: a U.S. bank, trust company, credit union or
savings association, or by a foreign bank that has a U.S. correspondent
bank, or by a U.S. registered dealer or broker in securities, municipal
securities or government securities, or by a U.S. national securities
exchange, a registered securities association or a clearing agency. If you
are signing on behalf of a corporation, partnership or other business, or
as a fiduciary, you must also include your title in the signature.
Selling Shares by Mail. Write a "letter of instructions" that
includes:
- Your name
- The Fund's name
- Your Fund account number (from your statement)
- The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed
- Any special payment instructions
- Any share certificates for the shares you are selling
- The signatures of all registered owners exactly as the account
is registered, and
- Any special requirements or documents requested by the Transfer
Agent to assure proper authorization of the person asking to sell shares.
Use the following address for requests by mail:
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
Send courier or Express Mail requests to:
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services
10200 E. Girard Avenue, Building D
Denver, Colorado 80231
Selling Shares by Telephone. You and your dealer representative of record
may also sell your shares by telephone. To receive the redemption price
on a regular business day, your call must be received by the Transfer
Agent by the close of The New York Stock Exchange that day, which is
normally 4:00 P.M., but may be earlier on some days. You may not redeem
shares held in an OppenheimerFunds retirement plan or under a share
certificate by telephone.
- To redeem shares through a service representative, call 1-800-
852-8457
- To redeem shares automatically on PhoneLink, call 1-800-533-3310
Whichever method you use, you may have a check sent to the address
on the account statement, or, if you have linked your Fund account to your
bank account on AccountLink, you may have the proceeds wired to that bank
account.
- Telephone Redemptions Paid by Check. Up to $50,000 may be redeemed
by telephone, in any 7-day period. The check must be payable to all
owners of record of the shares and must be sent to the address on the
account statement. This service is not available within 30 days of
changing the address on an account.
- Telephone Redemptions Through AccountLink. There are no dollar
limits on telephone redemption proceeds sent to a bank account designated
when you establish AccountLink. Normally the ACH wire to your bank is
initiated on the business day after the redemption. You do not receive
dividends on the proceeds of the shares you redeemed while they are
waiting to be wired.
Selling Shares Through Your Dealer. The Distributor has made arrangements
to repurchase Fund shares from dealers and brokers on behalf of their
customers. Brokers or dealers may charge for that service. Please refer
to "Special Arrangements for Repurchase of Shares from Dealers and
Brokers" in the Statement of Additional Information for more details.
How to Exchange Shares
Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares of certain
OppenheimerFunds at net asset value per share at the time of exchange,
without sales charge. A $5 service fee will be deducted from the fund
account you are exchanging into to help defray administrative costs. That
charge is waived for automated exchanges made by brokers on Fund/SERV and
for automated exchanges between already established accounts on PhoneLink
described below. To exchange shares, you must meet several conditions:
- Shares of the fund selected for exchange must be available for
sale in your state of residence
- The prospectuses of this Fund and the fund whose shares you want
to buy must offer the exchange privilege
- You must hold the shares you buy when you establish your account
for at least 7 days before you can exchange them; after the account is
open 7 days, you can exchange shares every regular business day
- You must meet the minimum purchase requirements for the fund you
purchase by exchange
- Before exchanging into a fund, you should obtain and read its
prospectus
Shares of a particular class may be exchanged only for shares of the
same class in the other OppenheimerFunds. For example, you can exchange
Class A shares of this Fund only for Class A shares of another fund. At
present, not all of the OppenheimerFunds offer the same classes of shares.
If a fund has only one class of shares that does not have a class
designation, they are "Class A" shares for exchange purposes. Certain
OppenheimerFunds offer Class A, Class B and/or Class C shares, and a list
can be obtained by calling the Distributor at 1-800-525-7048. In some
cases, sales charges may be imposed on exchange transactions. Please
refer to "How to Exchange Shares" in the Statement of Additional
Information for more details.
Exchanges may be requested in writing or by telephone:
- Written Exchange Requests. Submit an OppenheimerFunds Exchange
Request form, signed by all owners of the account. Send it to the
Transfer Agent at the addresses listed in "How to Sell Shares."
- Telephone Exchange Requests. Telephone exchange requests may be
made either by calling a service representative at 1-800-852-8457 or by
using PhoneLink for automated exchanges, by calling 1-800-533-3310.
Telephone exchanges may be made only between accounts that are registered
with the same name(s) and address. Shares held under certificates may not
be exchanged by telephone.
You can find a list of OppenheimerFunds currently available for
exchanges in the Statement of Additional Information or by calling a
service representative at 1-800-525-7048. Exchanges of shares involve a
redemption of the shares of the fund you own and a purchase of shares of
the other fund.
There are certain exchange policies you should be aware of:
- Shares are normally redeemed from one fund and purchased from
the other fund in the exchange transaction on the same regular business
day on which the Transfer Agent receives an exchange request that is in
proper form by the close of The New York Stock Exchange that day, which
is normally 4:00 P.M., but may be earlier on some days. However, either
fund may delay the purchase of shares of the fund you are exchanging into
if it determines it would be disadvantaged by a same-day transfer of the
proceeds to buy shares. For example, the receipt of multiple exchange
requests from a dealer in a "market-timing" strategy might require the
disposition of securities at a time or price disadvantageous to the Fund.
- Because excessive trading can hurt fund performance and harm
shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to refuse any exchange request
that will disadvantage it, or to refuse multiple exchange requests
submitted by a shareholder or dealer.
- The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege
at any time. Although the Fund will attempt to provide you notice
whenever it is reasonably able to do so, it may impose these changes at
any time.
- If the Transfer Agent cannot exchange all the shares you request
because of a restriction cited above, only the shares eligible for
exchange will be exchanged.
Shareholder Account Rules and Policies
- Net Asset Value Per Share is determined for each class of shares
as of the close of The New York Stock Exchange on each regular business
day by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets attributable to a class
by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. The Fund's
Board of Trustees has established procedures to value the Fund's
securities to determine net asset value. In general, securities values
are based on market value. There are special procedures for valuing
illiquid and restricted securities, obligations for which market values
cannot be readily obtained, and call options and hedging instruments.
These procedures are described more completely in the Statement of
Additional Information.
- The offering of shares may be suspended during any period in which
the determination of net asset value is suspended, and the offering may
be suspended by the Board of Trustees at any time the Board believes it
is in the Fund's best interest to do so.
- Telephone Transaction Privileges for purchases, redemptions or
exchanges may be modified, suspended or terminated by the Fund at any
time. If an account has more than one owner, the Fund and the Transfer
Agent may rely on the instructions of any one owner. Telephone privileges
apply to each owner of the account and the dealer representative of record
for the account unless and until the Transfer Agent receives cancellation
instructions from an owner of the account.
- The Transfer Agent will record any telephone calls to verify data
concerning transactions and has adopted other procedures to confirm that
telephone instructions are genuine, by requiring callers to provide tax
identification numbers and other account data or by using PINs, and by
confirming such transactions in writing. If the Transfer Agent does not
use reasonable procedures it may be liable for losses due to unauthorized
transactions, but otherwise neither it nor the Fund will be liable for
losses or expenses arising out of telephone instructions reasonably
believed to be genuine. If you are unable to reach the Transfer Agent
during periods of unusual market activity, you may not be able to complete
a telephone transaction and should consider placing your order by mail.
- Redemption or transfer requests will not be honored until the
Transfer Agent receives all required documents in proper form. From time
to time, the Transfer Agent in its discretion may waive certain of the
requirements for redemptions stated in this Prospectus.
- Dealers that can perform account transactions for their clients
by participating in NETWORKING through the National Securities Clearing
Corporation are responsible for obtaining their clients' permission to
perform those transactions and are responsible to their clients who are
shareholders of the Fund if the dealer performs any transaction
erroneously or improperly.
- The redemption price for shares will vary from day to day because
the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio fluctuates, and the
redemption price, which is the net asset value per share, will normally
be different for Class A and Class B shares. Therefore, the redemption
value of your shares may be more or less than their original cost.
- Payment for redeemed shares is made ordinarily in cash and
forwarded by check or through AccountLink (as elected by the shareholder
under the redemption procedures described above) within 7 days after the
Transfer Agent receives redemption instructions in proper form, except
under unusual circumstances determined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission delaying or suspending such payments. The Transfer Agent may
delay forwarding a check or processing a payment via AccountLink for
recently purchased shares, but only until the purchase payment has
cleared. That delay may be as much as 10 days from the date the shares
were purchased. That delay may be avoided if you purchase shares by
certified check or arrange to have your bank provide telephone or written
assurance to the Transfer Agent that your purchase payment has cleared.
- Involuntary redemptions of small accounts may be made by the Fund
if the account value has fallen below $200 for reasons other than the fact
that the market value of shares has dropped, and in some cases involuntary
redemptions may be made to repay the Distributor for losses from the
cancellation of share purchase orders.
- Under unusual circumstances, shares of the Fund may be redeemed
"in kind," which means that the redemption proceeds will be paid with
securities from the Fund's portfolio. Please refer to "How to Sell
Shares" in the Statement of Additional Information for more details.
- "Backup Withholding" of Federal income tax may be applied at the
rate of 31% from dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds
(including exchanges) if you fail to furnish the Fund a certified Social
Security or Employer Identification Number when you sign your application,
or if you violate Internal Revenue Service regulations on tax reporting
of income.
- The Fund does not charge a redemption fee, but if your dealer or
broker handles your redemption, they may charge a fee. That fee can be
avoided by redeeming your Fund shares directly through the Transfer Agent.
Under the circumstances described in "How To Buy Shares," you may be
subject to a contingent deferred sales charges when redeeming certain
Class A and Class B shares.
- To avoid sending duplicate copies of materials to households, the
Fund will mail only one copy of each annual and semi-annual report to
shareholders having the same last name and address on the Fund's records.
However, each shareholder may call the Transfer Agent at 1-800-525-7048
to ask that copies of those materials be sent personally to that
shareholder.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Dividends. The Fund declares dividends separately for Class A and Class
B shares from net investment income on each regular business day and pays
those dividends to shareholders monthly. Normally, dividends are paid on
or about the first Tuesday of the following month, but the Board of
Trustees can change that date. Also, dividends paid on Class A shares
generally are expected to be higher than for Class B shares because
expenses allocable to Class B shares will generally be higher.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, the Fund
attempted to pay dividends on its Class A shares at a targeted level above
3-month Treasury bill rates, to the extent that was consistent with the
amount of net investment income and other distributable income available
from the Fund's portfolio investments. However, the targeted level can
change and the amount of each dividend can change from time to time (or
there might not be a dividend at all on either class) depending on market
conditions, the Fund's expenses, and the composition of the Fund's
portfolio. Attempting to pay dividends at a targeted level required the
Manager to monitor the Fund's income stream from its investments compared
to Treasury bill rates and at times to select higher yielding securities
(appropriate to the Fund's objectives and investment restrictions) to try
to earn income at the targeted level. This practice did not affect the
net asset values of either class of shares. There is no targeted dividend
level for Class B shares. There is no fixed dividend rate and there can
be no assurance as to payment of any dividends.
Capital Gains. The Fund may make distributions annually in December out
of any net short-term or long-term capital gains, and the Fund may make
supplemental distributions of dividends and capital gains following the
end of its fiscal year. Long-term capital gains will be separately
identified in the tax information the Fund sends you after the end of the
year. Short-term capital gains are treated as dividends for tax purposes.
There can be no assurance that the Fund will pay any capital gains
distributions in a particular year.
Distribution Options. When you open your account, specify on your
application how you want to receive your distributions. For
OppenheimerFunds retirement accounts, all distributions are reinvested.
For other accounts, you have four options:
- Reinvest All Distributions in the Fund. You can elect to
reinvest all dividends and long-term capital gains distributions in
additional shares of the Fund.
- Reinvest Long-Term Capital Gains Only. You can elect to reinvest
long-term capital gains in the Fund while receiving dividends by check or
sent to your bank account on AccountLink.
- Receive All Distributions in Cash. You can elect to receive a
check for all dividends and long-term capital gains distributions or have
them sent to your bank on AccountLink.
- Reinvest Your Distributions in Another OppenheimerFunds Account.
You can reinvest all distributions in another OppenheimerFunds account you
have established.
Taxes. If your account is not a tax-deferred retirement account, you
should be aware of the following tax implications of investing in the
Fund. Long-term capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains when
distributed to shareholders. It does not matter how long you held your
shares. Dividends paid from short-term capital gains and net investment
income are taxable as ordinary income. Distributions are subject to
federal income tax and may be subject to state or local taxes. Your
distributions are taxable when paid, whether you reinvest them in
additional shares or take them in cash. Every year the Fund will send you
and the IRS a statement showing the amount of each taxable distribution
you received in the previous year.
- "Buying a Dividend": When a fund goes ex-dividend, its share price
is reduced by the amount of the distribution. If you buy shares on or
just before the ex-dividend date, or just before the Fund declares a
capital gains distribution, you will pay the full price for the shares and
then receive a portion of the price back as a taxable dividend or capital
gain.
- Taxes on Transactions: Share redemptions, including redemptions
for exchanges, are subject to capital gains tax. A capital gain or loss
is the difference between the price you paid for the shares and the price
you received when you sold them.
- Returns of Capital: In certain cases distributions made by the
Fund may be considered a non-taxable return of capital to shareholders.
If that occurs, it will be identified in notices to shareholders. A non-
taxable return of capital may reduce your tax basis in your Fund shares.
This information is only a summary of certain federal tax information
about your investment. More information is contained in the Statement of
Additional Information, and in addition you should consult with your tax
adviser about the effect of an investment in the Fund on your particular
tax situation.
<PAGE>
Appendix: Description of Ratings Categories of Rating Services
Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Bond Ratings
Aaa: Bonds rated "Aaa" are judged to be the best quality and to carry
the smallest degree of investment risk. Interest payments are protected
by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure.
While the various protective elements are likely to change, the changes
that can be expected are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong
position of such issues.
Aa: Bonds rated "Aa" are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the "Aaa" group, they comprise what are generally
known as "high-grade" bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds
because margins of protection may not be as large as with "Aaa" securities
or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there
may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear
somewhat larger than those of "Aaa" securities.
A: Bonds rated "A" possess many favorable investment attributes and
are to be considered as upper-medium grade obligations. Factors giving
security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements
may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in
the future.
Baa: Bonds rated "Baa" are considered medium grade obligations, that
is, they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest
payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but
certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically
unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding
investment characteristics and have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba: Bonds rated "Ba" are judged to have speculative elements; their
future cannot be considered well-assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate and not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty
of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B: Bonds rated "B" generally lack characteristics of desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance
of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa: Bonds rated "Caa" are of poor standing and may be in default or
there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or
interest.
Ca: Bonds rated "Ca" represent obligations which are speculative in
a high degree and are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C: Bonds rated "C" can be regarded as having extremely poor
prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.
Description of Standard & Poor's Bond Ratings
AAA: "AAA" is the highest rating assigned to a debt obligation and
indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
AA: Bonds rated "AA" also qualify as high quality debt obligations.
Capacity to pay principal and interest is very strong, and in the majority
of instances they differ from "AAA" issues only in small degree.
A: Bonds rated "A" have a strong capacity to pay principal and
interest, although they are somewhat more susceptible to adverse effects
of change in circumstances and economic conditions.
BBB: Bonds rated "BBB" are regarded as having an adequate capacity
to pay principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for
bonds in this category than for bonds in the "A" category.
BB, B, CCC, CC: Bonds rated "BB," "B," "CCC" and "CC" are regarded,
on balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's
capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms
of the obligation. "BB" indicates the lowest degree of speculation and
"CC" the highest degree. While such bonds will likely have some quality
and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large
uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
C, D: Bonds on which no interest is being paid are rated "C." Bonds
rated "D" are in default and payment of interest and/or repayment of
principal is in arrears.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A TO PROSPECTUS OF
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
Graphic material included in Prospectus of Oppenheimer Strategic
Income & Growth Fund: "Comparison of Total Return of Oppenheimer Strategic
Income & Growth Fund with The Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index and The
Standard & Poor's 500 Index - Change in Value of $10,000 Hypothetical
Investments"
Linear graphs will be included in the Prospectus of Oppenheimer Strategic
Income & Growth Fund (the "Fund") depicting the initial account value and
subsequent account value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in each
class of shares of the Fund during each of the Fund's fiscal periods since
the commencement of the Fund's operations (June 1, 1992) and comparing
such values with the same investments over the same time periods with The
Lehman Aggregate Bond Index and The Standard & Poors 500 Index. Set forth
below are the relevant data points that will appear on the linear graphs.
Additional information with respect to the foregoing, including a
description of The Lehman Aggregate Bond Index and The Standard & Poor's
500 Index, is set forth in the Prospectus under "Performance of the Fund--
How Has the Fund Performed?"
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Oppenheimer Lehman Brothers
Fiscal Year Strategic Income Aggregate Bond S&P 500
(Period)Ended & Growth Fund A Index Index
- ------------- ---------------- --------------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
06/01/92 $9,525 $10,000 $10,000
09/30/92 $9,659 $10,573 $10,162
11/30/92 $9,855 $10,437 $10,543
09/30/93 $10,513 $11,627 $11,479
09/30/94 $10,526 $11,253 $11,902
Oppenheimer Lehman Brothers
Fiscal Year Strategic Income Aggregate Bond S&P 500
(Period)Ended & Growth Fund B Index Index
- ------------- ---------------- --------------- -------
11/30/92 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000
09/30/93 $10,565 $11,141 $10,888
09/30/94 $10,080 $10,782 $11,289
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
3410 South Galena Street
Denver, Colorado 80231
1-800-525-7048
Investment Advisor
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer Agent OPPENHEIMER
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services Strategic Income & Growth Fund
P.O. Box 5270 Prospectus
Denver, Colorado 80217 Effective February 1, 1995
1-800-525-7048
Custodian of Portfolio Securities
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10015
Independent Auditors
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1560 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C.
1600 Broadway OppenheimerFunds
Denver, Colorado 80202
No dealer, broker, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to
give any information or to make any representations other than those
contained in this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information
and, if given or made, such information and representations must not be
relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund, Oppenheimer Management
Corporation, Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. or any affiliate thereof.
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of
an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any state to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer in such state.
* Printed on Recycled Paper
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
3410 South Galena Street
Denver, Colorado 80231
1-800-525-7048
Investment Advisor
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer Agent OPPENHEIMER
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services Strategic Income & Growth Fund
P.O. Box 5270 Prospectus and
Denver, Colorado 80217 New Account Application
1-800-525-7048 Effective February 1, 1995
Custodian of Portfolio Securities
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10015
Independent Auditors
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1560 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C.
1600 Broadway OppenheimerFunds
Denver, Colorado 80202
No dealer, broker, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to
give any information or to make any representations other than those
contained in this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information
and, if given or made, such information and representations must not be
relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund, Oppenheimer Management
Corporation, Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. or any affiliate thereof.
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of
an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any state to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer in such state.
* Printed on Recycled Paper
<PAGE>
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
1-800-525-7048
Statement of Additional Information dated February 1, 1995
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus. This
document contains additional information about the Fund and supplements
information in the Prospectus dated February 1, 1995. It should be read
together with the Prospectus, which may be obtained by writing to the
Fund's Transfer Agent, Oppenheimer Shareholder Services, at P.O. Box 5270,
Denver, Colorado 80217 or by calling the Transfer Agent at the toll-free
number shown above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
About the Fund
Investment Objectives and Policies 2
Investment Policies and Strategies 2
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies 11
Other Investment Restrictions 23
How the Fund is Managed 24
Organization and History 24
Trustees and Officers of the Fund 25
The Manager and Its Affiliates 28
Brokerage Policies of the Fund 29
Performance of the Fund 31
Distribution and Service Plans 35
About Your Account
How To Buy Shares 37
How To Sell Shares 44
How To Exchange Shares 48
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes 50
Additional Information About the Fund 50
Financial Information About the Fund
Independent Auditors' Report 52
Financial Statements 53
Appendix A: Industry Classifications A-1
<PAGE>
ABOUT THE FUND
Investment Objectives and Policies
Investment Policies and Strategies. The investment objectives and
policies of the Fund are discussed in the Prospectus. Set forth below is
supplemental information about those policies. Certain capitalized terms
used in this Statement of Additional Information are defined in the
Prospectus.
In selecting securities for the Fund's portfolio, the Fund's
investment adviser, Oppenheimer Management Corporation (referred to as the
"Manager"), evaluates the investment merits of fixed-income and domestic
equity securities primarily through the exercise of its own investment
analysis. This may include, among other things, consideration of the
financial strength of an issuer, including its historic and current
financial condition, the trading activity in its securities, present and
anticipated cash flow, estimated current value of its assets in relation
to their historical cost, the issuer's experience and managerial
expertise, responsiveness to changes in interest rates and business
conditions, debt maturity schedules, current and future borrowing
requirements, and any change in the financial condition of an issuer and
the issuer's continuing ability to meet its future obligations. The
Manager also may consider anticipated changes in business conditions,
levels of interest rates of bonds as contrasted with levels of cash
dividends, industry and regional prospects, the availability of new
investment opportunities and the general economic, legislative and
monetary outlook for specific industries, the nation and the world.
All fixed-income securities are subject to two types of risks:
credit risk and interest rate risk (these are in addition to other
investment risks that may affect a particular security). Credit risk
relates to the ability of the issuer to meet interest or principal
payments or both as they become due. Generally, higher yielding bonds are
subject to credit risk to a greater extent than higher quality bonds.
Interest rate risk refers to the fluctuations in value of fixed-income
securities resulting solely from the inverse relationship between price
and yield of outstanding fixed-income securities. An increase in interest
rates will generally reduce the market value of fixed-income investments,
and a decline in interest rates will tend to increase their value. In
addition, debt securities with longer maturities, which tend to produce
higher yields, are subject to potentially greater capital appreciation and
depreciation than obligations with shorter maturities. Fluctuations in
the market value of fixed-income securities subsequent to their
acquisition will not affect the interest payable on those securities, and
thus the cash income from such securities, but will be reflected in the
valuations of those securities used to compute the Fund's net asset
values.
Because some of the securities the Fund invests in may be in more
than one of the three sectors the Fund invests in, they are discussed
below in this section, rather than in the sections discussing the
individual sectors. Among those securities are the following:
- Participation Interests. The Fund may invest in participation
interests, subject to the limitation, described in "Restricted and
Illiquid Securities" in the Prospectus on investments by the Fund in
illiquid investments. Participation interests provide the Fund an
undivided interest in a loan made by the issuing financial institution in
the proportion that the Fund's participation interest bears to the total
principal amount of the loan. No more than 5% of the Fund's net assets
can be invested in participation interests of the same issuing bank. The
issuing financial institution may have no obligation to the Fund other
than to pay the Fund the proportionate amount of the principal and
interest payments it receives. Participation interests are primarily
dependent upon the creditworthiness of the borrowing corporation, which
is obligated to make payments of principal and interest on the loan, and
there is a risk that such borrowers may have difficulty making payments.
In the event the borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal
payments, the Fund could experience a reduction in its income and might
experience a decline in the value of that participation interest and in
the net asset value of its shares. In the event of a failure by the
financial institution to perform its obligation in connection with the
participation agreement, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in
realizing payment or may suffer a loss of principal and/or interest.
- Collateralized Mortgage-Backed Obligations ("CMOs"). CMOs are
fully-collateralized bonds that are the general obligations of the issuer
thereof, either the U.S. Government, a U.S. government instrumentality,
or a private issuer, which may be a domestic or foreign corporation. Such
bonds generally are secured by an assignment to a trustee (under the
indenture pursuant to which the bonds are issued) of collateral consisting
of a pool of mortgages. Payments with respect to the underlying mortgages
generally are made to the trustee under the indenture. Payments of
principal and interest on the underlying mortgages are not passed through
to the holders of the CMOs as such (i.e., the character of payments of
principal and interest is not passed through, and therefore payments to
holders of CMOs attributable to interest paid and principal repaid on the
underlying mortgages do not necessarily constitute income and return of
capital, respectively, to such holders), but such payments are dedicated
to payment of interest on and repayment of principal of the CMOs. CMOs
often are issued in two or more classes with different characteristics
such as varying maturities and stated rates of interest. Because interest
and principal payments on the underlying mortgages are not passed through
to holders of CMOs, CMOs of varying maturities may be secured by the same
pool of mortgages, the payments on which are used to pay interest on each
class and to retire successive maturities in sequence. Unlike other
mortgage-backed securities (discussed above), CMOs are designed to be
retired as the underlying mortgages are repaid. In the event of
prepayment on such mortgages, the class of CMO first to mature generally
will be paid down. Therefore, although in most cases the issuer of CMOs
will not supply additional collateral in the event of such prepayment,
there will be sufficient collateral to secure CMOs that remain
outstanding.
- Bank Obligations and Instruments Secured Thereby. The bank
obligations the Fund may invest in include time deposits, certificates of
deposit, and bankers' acceptances if they are: (i) obligations of a
domestic bank with total assets of at least $1 billion or (ii) U.S.
dollar-denominated obligations of a foreign bank with total assets of at
least U.S. $1 billion. The Fund may also invest in instruments secured
by such obligations (e.g., debt which is guaranteed by the bank). For
purposes of this section, the term "bank" includes commercial banks,
savings banks, and savings and loan associations which may or may not be
members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits in a bank for a specified
period of time at a stated interest rate, whether or not subject to
withdrawal penalties. However, time deposits that are subject to
withdrawal penalties, other than those maturing in seven days or less, are
subject to the limitation on investments by the Fund in illiquid
investments, set forth in the Prospectus under "Restricted and Illiquid
Securities."
Banker's acceptances are marketable short-term credit instruments
used to finance the import, export, transfer or storage of goods. They
are deemed "accepted" when a bank guarantees their payment at maturity.
- Commercial Paper. The Fund's commercial paper investments, in
addition to those described in the Prospectus, include the following:
Variable Amount Master Demand Notes. Master demand notes are
corporate obligations which permit the investment of fluctuating amounts
by the Fund at varying rates of interest pursuant to direct arrangements
between the Fund, as lender, and the borrower. They permit daily changes
in the amounts borrowed. The Fund has the right to increase the amount
under the note at any time up to the full amount provided by the note
agreement, or to decrease the amount, and the borrower may prepay up to
the full amount of the note without penalty. These notes may or may not
be backed by bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct
lending arrangements between the lender and borrower, it is not generally
contemplated that they will be traded. There is no secondary market for
these notes, although they are redeemable (and thus immediately repayable
by the borrower) at principal amount, plus accrued interest, at any time.
Accordingly, the Fund's right to redeem such notes is dependent upon the
ability of the borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. The Fund
has no limitations on the type of issuer from whom these notes will be
purchased; however, in connection with such purchases and on an ongoing
basis, the Manager will consider the earning power, cash flow and other
liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and
interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such
notes made demand simultaneously. Investments in master demand notes are
subject to the limitation on investments by the Fund in illiquid
securities, described in the Prospectus.
Floating Rate/Variable Rate Notes. Some of the notes the Fund may
purchase may have variable or floating interest rates. Variable rates are
adjustable at stated periodic intervals; floating rates are automatically
adjusted according to a specified market rate for such investments, such
as the percentage of the prime rate of a bank, or the 91-day U.S. Treasury
Bill rate. Such obligations may be secured by bank letters of credit or
other credit support arrangements.
- Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon
securities issued by the U.S. Treasury or by private issuers, such as
corporations. Zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities include: (1) U.S.
Treasury bills without interest coupons, (2) U.S. Treasury notes and bonds
that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons and (3)
receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt
obligations or coupons. These securities usually trade at a deep discount
from their face or par value and will be subject to greater fluctuations
in market value in response to changing interest rates than debt
obligations of comparable maturities that make current payments of
interest. However, the lack of periodic interest payments means that the
interest rate is "locked in" and there is no risk of having to reinvest
periodic interest payments in securities having lower rates.
Because the Fund accrues taxable income from zero coupon securities
without receiving cash, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio
securities in order to pay dividends or redemption proceeds for its
shares, which require the payment of cash. This will depend on several
factors: the proportion of shareholders who elect to receive dividends in
cash rather than reinvesting dividends in additional shares of the Fund,
and the amount of cash income the Fund receives from other investments and
the sale of shares. In either case, cash distributed or held by the Fund
that is not reinvested by investors in additional Fund shares will hinder
the Fund from seeking current income.
- Portfolio Turnover. To the extent that increased portfolio
turnover results in gains from sales of securities held less than three
months, the Fund's ability to qualify as a "regulated investment company"
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal Revenue
Code") may be affected. Although changes in the value of the Fund's
portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition are reflected in the
net asset value of the Fund's shares, such changes will not affect the
income received by the Fund from such securities. The dividends paid by
the Fund will increase or decrease in relation to the income received by
the Fund from its investments, which will in any case be reduced by the
Fund's expenses before being distributed to the Fund's shareholders.
- Domestic Debt Securities. Further information about the Fund's
investments in short-term debt obligations is provided below.
- Asset-Backed Securities. The value of an asset-backed security
is affected by changes in the market's perception of the asset backing the
security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the loan pool,
the originator of the loans, or the financial institution providing any
credit enhancement, and is also affected if any credit enhancement has
been exhausted. The risks of investing in asset-backed securities are
ultimately dependent upon payment of consumer loans by the individual
borrowers. As a purchaser of an asset-backed security, the Fund would
generally have no recourse to the entity that originated the loans in the
event of default by a borrower. The underlying loans are subject to
prepayments, which may shorten the weighted average life of asset-backed
securities and may lower their return, in the same manner as described in
the Prospectus and in "Mortgage-Backed Securities" below for prepayments
of a pool of mortgage loans underlying mortgage-backed securities.
- Municipal Securities. The two principal classifications of
Municipal Securities are "general obligations" (secured by the issuer's
pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power) and "revenue
obligations" (payable only from the revenues derived from a particular
facility or class of facilities, or a specific excise tax or other revenue
source.) The Fund may invest in Municipal Securities of both
classifications.
- U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government Securities are debt
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or one of its
agencies or instrumentalities, and include "zero coupon" Treasury
securities, mortgage-backed securities and money market instruments.
- Mortgage-Backed Securities. These securities represent
participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans which are
guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. Such
securities differ from conventional debt securities which generally
provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed or determinable amounts
(usually semi-annually) with principal payments at maturity or specified
call dates. Some of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may
invest may be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury
(e.g., direct pass-through certificates of Government National Mortgage
Association); some are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from
the U.S. Government (e.g., obligations of Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation); and some are backed by only the credit of the issuer itself.
Those guarantees do not extend to the value of or yield of the mortgage-
backed securities themselves or to the net asset value of the Fund's
shares. Any of these government agencies may also issue collateralized
mortgage-backed obligations ("CMOs"), discussed below.
The yield on mortgage-backed securities is based on the average
expected life of the underlying pool of mortgage loans. The actual life
of any particular pool will be shortened by any unscheduled or early
payments of principal and interest. Principal prepayments generally
result from the sale of the underlying property or the refinancing or
foreclosure of underlying mortgages. The occurrence of prepayments is
affected by a wide range of economic, demographic and social factors and,
accordingly, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of
a particular pool. Yield on such pools is usually computed by using the
historical record of prepayments for that pool, or, in the case of newly-
issued mortgages, the prepayment history of similar pools. The actual
prepayment experience of a pool of mortgage loans may cause the yield
realized by the Fund to differ from the yield calculated on the basis of
the expected average life of the pool.
Prepayments tend to increase during periods of falling interest
rates, while during periods of rising interest rates prepayments will most
likely decline. When prevailing interest rates rise, the value of a pass-
through security may decrease, as do the values of other debt securities,
but, when prevailing interest rates decline, the value of a pass-through
security is not likely to rise to the extent that the value of other debt
securities rise, because of the prepayment feature of pass-through
securities. The Fund's reinvestment of scheduled principal payments and
unscheduled prepayments it receives may occur at times when available
investments offer higher or lower rates than the original investment, thus
affecting the yield of the Fund. Monthly interest payments received by
the Fund have a compounding effect which may increase the yield to the
Fund more than debt obligations that pay interest semi-annually. Because
of those factors, mortgage-backed securities may be less effective than
Treasury bonds of similar maturity at maintaining yields during periods
of declining interest rates. The Fund may purchase mortgage-backed
securities at par or at a premium or at a discount. Accelerated
prepayments adversely affect yields for pass-through securities purchased
at a premium (i.e., at a price in excess of their principal amount) and
may involve additional risk of loss of principal because the premium may
not have been fully amortized at the time the obligation is repaid. The
opposite is true for pass-through securities purchased at a discount.
The Fund may invest in "stripped" mortgage backed securities, in
which the principal and interest portions of the security are separated
and sold. Stripped mortgage-backed securities usually have at least two
classes each of which receives different proportions of interest and
principal distributions on the underlying pool of mortgage assets. One
common variety of stripped mortgage-backed security has one class that
receives some of the interest and most of the principal, while the other
class receives most of the interest and remainder of the principal. In
some cases, one class will receive all of the interest (the "interest-
only" or "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the
principal (the "principal-only" or "PO" class). Interest only securities
are extremely sensitive to interest rate changes, and prepayments of
principal on the underlying mortgage assets. An increase in principal
payments or prepayments will reduce the income available to the IO
security. In other types of CMOs, the underlying principal payments may
apply to various classes in a particular order, and therefore the value
of certain classes or "tranches" of such securities may be more volatile
than the value of the pool as a whole, and losses may be more severe than
on other classes.
Mortgage-backed securities may be less effective than debt
obligations of similar maturity at maintaining yields during periods of
declining interest rates. As new types of mortgage-related securities are
developed and offered to investors, the Manager will, subject to the
direction of the Board of Trustees and consistent with the Fund's
investment objective and policies, consider making investments in such new
types of mortgage-related securities.
- GNMA Certificates. Certificates of Government National Mortgage
Association ("GNMA") are mortgage-backed securities of GNMA that evidence
an undivided interest in a pool or pools of mortgages ("GNMA
Certificates"). The GNMA Certificates that the Fund may purchase are of
the "modified pass-through" type, which entitle the holder to receive
timely payment of all interest and principal payments due on the mortgage
pool, net of fees paid to the "issuer" and GNMA, regardless of whether the
mortgagor actually makes the payments.
The National Housing Act authorizes GNMA to guarantee the timely
payment of principal and interest on securities backed by a pool of
mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration ("FHA") or
guaranteed by the Veterans Administration ("VA"). The GNMA guarantee is
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. GNMA is also
empowered to borrow without limitation from the U.S. Treasury if necessary
to make any payments required under its guarantee.
The average life of a GNMA Certificate is likely to be substantially
shorter than the original maturity of the mortgages underlying the
securities. Prepayments of principal by mortgagors and mortgage
foreclosures will usually result in the return of the greater part of
principal investment long before the maturity of the mortgages in the
pool. Foreclosures impose no risk to principal investment because of the
GNMA guarantee, except to the extent that the Fund has purchased the
certificates at a premium in the secondary market.
- FNMA Securities. The Federal National Mortgage Association
("FNMA") was established to create a secondary market in mortgages insured
by the FHA. FNMA issues guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates
("FNMA Certificates"). FNMA Certificates resemble GNMA Certificates in
that each FNMA Certificate represents a pro rata share of all interest and
principal payments made and owed on the underlying pool. FNMA guarantees
timely payment of interest and principal on FNMA Certificates. The FNMA
guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Government.
- FHLMC Securities. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
("FHLMC") was created to promote development of a nationwide secondary
market for conventional residential mortgages. FHLMC issues two types of
mortgage pass-through certificates ("FHLMC Certificates"): mortgage
participation certificates ("PCs") and guaranteed mortgage certificates
("GMCs"). PCs resemble GNMA Certificates in that each PC represents a pro
rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owed on the
underlying pool. FHLMC guarantees timely monthly payment of interest on
PCs and the ultimate payment of principal. The FHLMC guarantee is not
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
GMCs also represent a pro rata interest in a pool of mortgages.
However, these instruments pay interest semi-annually and return principal
once a year in guaranteed minimum payments. The expected average life of
these securities is approximately ten years. The FHLMC guarantee is not
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.
- Mortgage-Backed Security Rolls. The Fund may enter into "forward
roll" transactions with respect to mortgage-backed securities issued by
GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. In a forward roll transaction, which is considered
to be a borrowing by the Fund, the Fund will sell a mortgage security to
a bank or other permitted entity and simultaneously agree to repurchase
a similar security from the institution at a later date at an agreed upon
price. The mortgage securities that are repurchased will bear the same
interest rate as those sold, but generally will be collateralized by
different pools of mortgages with different prepayment histories than
those sold. Risks of mortgage-backed security rolls include: (i) the risk
of prepayment prior to maturity, (ii) the possibility that the Fund may
not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the
securities sold and that the proceeds of the sale may have to be invested
in money market instruments (typically repurchase agreements) maturing not
later than the expiration of the roll, and (iii) the possibility that the
market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the
price at which the Fund is obligated to purchase the securities. Upon
entering into a mortgage-backed security roll, the Fund will be required
to place cash, U.S. Government Securities or other high-grade debt
securities in a segregated account with its Custodian in an amount equal
to its obligation under the roll.
- Foreign Debt Securities. As noted in the Prospectus, the Fund may
invest in debt obligations and other securities (which may be denominated
in U.S. dollars or non-U.S. currencies) issued or guaranteed by foreign
corporations, certain supranational entities (described below) and foreign
governments or their agencies or instrumentalities, and in debt
obligations and other securities issued by U.S. corporations denominated
in non-U.S. currencies. The types of foreign debt obligations and other
securities in which the Fund may invest are the same types of debt
obligations identified under "Domestic Fixed-Income Securities," above.
The percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to Foreign
fixed-income securities will vary from time to time depending on, among
other things, the relative yields of foreign and U.S. securities, the
economies of foreign countries, the condition of such countries' financial
markets, the interest rate climate of such countries, sovereign credit
risk and the relationship of such countries' currency to the U.S. dollar.
The Manager will consider an issuer's affiliation, if any, with a foreign
government as one of the factors in determining whether to purchase any
particular foreign security. These factors are judged on the basis of
fundamental economic criteria (e.g., relative inflation levels and trends,
growth rate forecasts, balance of payments status, and economic policies)
as well as technical and political data. The Fund's portfolio of foreign
securities may include those of a number of foreign countries or,
depending upon market conditions, those of a single country.
Securities of foreign issuers that are represented by American
depository receipts, or that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange, or
are traded in the U.S. over-the-counter market are not considered "foreign
securities" because they are not subject to many of the special
considerations and risks (discussed below) that apply to foreign
securities traded and held abroad. If the Fund's securities are held
abroad, the countries in which such securities may be held and the sub-
custodians holding must be, in most cases, approved by the Fund's Board
of Trustees under applicable SEC rules.
The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated, collateralized "Brady
Bonds", as described in the Prospectus. These debt obligations of foreign
entities may be fixed-rate par bonds or floating- rate discount bonds and
are generally collateralized in full as to principal due at maturity by
U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations that have the same maturity as the
Brady Bonds. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four
valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at
final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the
uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized
repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts
constitute the "residual risk"). In the event of a default with respect
to collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations
of the issuer are accelerated, the zero coupon Treasury securities held
as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to
investors, nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed.
The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled
maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds, which will continue to be
outstanding, at which time the face amount of the collateral will equal
the principal payments which would have then been due on the Brady Bonds
in the normal course. In addition, in light of the residual risk of Brady
Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults with respect to
commercial bank loans to public and private entities of countries issuing
Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds are to be viewed as speculative.
The obligations of foreign governmental entities may or may not be
supported by the full faith and credit of a foreign government.
Obligations of supranational entities include those of international
organizations designated or supported by governmental entities to promote
economic reconstruction or development and of international banking
institutions and related government agencies. Examples include the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "World Bank"),
the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the
Inter-American Development Bank. The governmental members, or
"stockholders," of these entities usually make initial capital
contributions to the supranational entity and in many cases are committed
to make additional capital contributions if the supranational entity is
unable to repay its borrowings. Each supranational entity's lending
activities are limited to a percentage of its total capital (including
"callable capital" contributed by members at the entity's call), reserves
and net income. There is no assurance that foreign governments will be
able or willing to honor their commitments.
Investing in foreign securities involves considerations and possible
risks not typically associated with investing in securities in the U.S.
The values of foreign securities will be affected by changes in currency
rates or exchange control regulations or currency blockage, application
of foreign tax laws, including withholding taxes, changes in governmental
administration or economic or monetary policy (in the U.S. or abroad) or
changed circumstances in dealings between nations. Costs will be incurred
in connection with conversions between various currencies. Foreign
brokerage commissions are generally higher than commissions in the U.S.,
and foreign securities markets may be less liquid, more volatile and less
subject to governmental regulation than in the U.S. Investments in foreign
countries could be affected by other factors not generally thought to be
present in the U.S., including expropriation or nationalization,
confiscatory taxation and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual
obligations, and could be subject to extended settlement periods.
Because the Fund may purchase securities denominated in foreign
currencies, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S.
dollar will result in a change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's
assets and its income available for distribution. In addition, although
a portion of the Fund's investment income may be received or realized in
foreign currencies, the Fund will be required to compute and distribute
its income in U.S. dollars, and absorb the cost of currency fluctuations.
The Fund may engage in foreign currency exchange transactions for hedging
purposes to protect against changes in future exchange rates. See "Other
Investment Techniques and Strategies - Hedging," below.
The values of foreign investments and the investment income derived
from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange
control regulations. Although the Fund will invest only in securities
denominated in foreign currencies that at the time of investment do not
have significant government-imposed restrictions on conversion into U.S.
dollars, there can be no assurance against subsequent imposition of
currency controls. In addition, the values of foreign securities will
fluctuate in response to a variety of factors, including changes in U.S.
and foreign interest rates.
Investments in foreign securities offer potential benefits not
available from investing solely in securities of domestic issuers, by
offering the opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear to offer
growth potential, or in foreign countries with economic policies or
business cycles different from those of the U.S., or to reduce
fluctuations in portfolio value by taking advantage of foreign bond or
other markets that do not move in a manner parallel to U.S. markets. From
time to time, U.S. government policies have discouraged certain
investments abroad by U.S. investors, through taxation or other
restrictions, and it is possible that such restrictions could be
reimposed.
- Domestic Equity Securities. Information about some of the types
of domestic equity securities the Fund may invest in is provided below.
- Convertible Securities. While convertible securities are a form
of debt security in many cases, their conversion feature (allowing
conversion into equity securities) causes them to be regarded more as
"equity equivalents." As a result, the rating assigned to the security
has less impact on the Manager's investment decision with respect to
convertible securities than in the case of non-convertible debt
securities. To determine whether convertible securities should be
regarded as "equity equivalents," the Manager examines the following
factors: (1) whether, at the option of the investor, the convertible
security can be exchanged for a fixed number of shares of common stock of
the issuer, (2) whether the issuer of the convertible securities has
restated its earnings per share of common stock on a fully diluted basis
(considering the effect of converting the convertible securities), and (3)
the extent to which the convertible security may be a defensive "equity
substitute," providing the ability to participate in any appreciation in
the price of the issuer's common stock.
- Warrants and Rights. Warrants basically are options to purchase
equity securities at set prices valid for a specified period of time. The
prices of warrants do not necessarily move in a manner parallel to the
prices of the underlying securities. The price the Fund pays for a
warrant will be lost unless the warrant is exercised prior to its
expiration. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short
duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders.
Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have
no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Other Investment Techniques and Strategies
- Hedging. As described in the Prospectus, the Fund may employ one
or more types of Hedging Instruments. When hedging to attempt to protect
against declines in the market value of the Fund's portfolio, to permit
the Fund to retain unrealized gains in the value of portfolio securities
which have appreciated, or to facilitate selling securities for investment
reasons, the Fund may: (i) sell Futures, (ii) buy puts on such Futures
or securities, or (iii) write calls on securities held by it or on
Futures. When hedging to attempt to protect against the possibility that
portfolio securities are not fully included in a rise in value of the debt
securities market, the Fund may: (i) buy Futures, or (ii) buy calls on
such Futures or on securities. Covered calls and puts may also be written
on debt securities to attempt to increase the Fund's income. When hedging
to protect against declines in the dollar value of a foreign currency-
denominated security, the Fund may: (a) buy puts on that foreign currency
and on foreign currency Futures, (b) write calls on that currency or on
such Futures, or (c) enter into Forward Contracts at a higher or lower
rate than the spot ("cash") rate.
The Fund's strategy of hedging with Futures and options on Futures
will be incidental to the Fund's activities in the underlying cash market.
Additional Information about the Hedging Instruments the Fund may use is
provided below. In the future, the Fund may employ hedging instruments
and strategies that are not presently contemplated but which may be
developed, to the extent such investment methods are consistent with the
Fund's investment objective, legally permissible and adequately disclosed.
- Writing Covered Call Options. When the Fund writes a call on a
security, it receives a premium and agrees to sell the callable investment
to a purchaser of a corresponding call on the same security during the
call period (usually not more than 9 months) at a fixed exercise price
(which may differ from the market price of the underlying security),
regardless of market price changes during the call period. The Fund has
retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security
decline during the call period, which may be offset to some extent by the
premium.
To terminate its obligation on a call it has written, the Fund may
purchase a corresponding call in a "closing purchase transaction." A
profit or loss will be realized, depending upon whether the net of the
amount of the option transaction costs and the premium received on the
call written is more or less than the price of the call subsequently
purchased. A profit may also be realized if the call lapses unexercised,
because the Fund retains the underlying investment and the premium
received. Any such profits are considered short-term capital gains for
Federal income tax purposes, and when distributed by the Fund are taxable
as ordinary income. An option position may be closed out only on a market
that provides secondary trading for option of the same series, and there
is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular
option. If the Fund could not effect a closing purchase transaction due
to lack of a market, it would have to hold the callable investments until
the call lapsed or was exercised.
The Fund may also write calls on Futures without owning a futures
contract or a deliverable bond, provided that at the time the call is
written, the Fund covers the call by segregating in escrow an equivalent
dollar amount of liquid assets. The Fund will segregate additional liquid
assets if the value of the escrowed assets drops below 100% of the
obligation under the Future. In no circumstances would an exercise notice
require the Fund to deliver a futures contract; it would simply put the
Fund in a short futures position, which is permitted by the Fund's hedging
policies.
- Writing Put Options. A put option on securities gives the
purchaser the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the
underlying investment at the exercise price during the option period.
Writing a put covered by segregated liquid assets equal to the exercise
price of the put has the same economic effect to the Fund as writing a
covered call. The premium the Fund receives from writing a put option
represents a profit, as long as the price of the underlying investment
remains above the exercise price. However, the Fund has also assumed the
obligation during the option period to buy the underlying investment from
the buyer of the put at the exercise price, even though the value of the
investment may fall below the exercise price. If the put lapses
unexercised, the Fund (as the writer of the put) realizes a gain in the
amount of the premium. If the put is exercised, the Fund must fulfill its
obligation to purchase the underlying investment at the exercise price,
which will usually exceed the market value of the investment at that time.
In that case, the Fund may incur a loss, equal to the sum of the current
market value of the underlying investment and the premium received minus
the sum of the exercise price and any transaction costs incurred.
When writing put options on securities, to secure its obligation to
pay for the underlying security, the Fund will deposit in escrow liquid
assets with a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put
option. The Fund therefore forgoes the opportunity of investing the
segregated assets or writing calls against those assets. As long as the
obligation of the Fund as the put writer continues, it may be assigned an
exercise notice by the broker-dealer through whom such option was sold,
requiring the Fund to take delivery of the underlying security against
payment of the exercise price. The Fund has no control over when it may
be required to purchase the underlying security, since it may be assigned
an exercise notice at any time prior to the termination of its obligation
as the writer of the put. This obligation terminates upon expiration of
the put, or such earlier time at which the Fund effects a closing
purchase transaction by purchasing a put of the same series as that
previously sold. Once the Fund has been assigned an exercise notice, it
is thereafter not allowed to effect a closing purchase transaction.
The Fund may effect a closing purchase transaction to realize a
profit on an outstanding put option it has written or to prevent an
underlying security from being put. Furthermore, effecting such a closing
purchase transaction will permit the Fund to write another put option to
the extent that the exercise price thereof is secured by the deposited
assets, or to utilize the proceeds from the sale of such assets for other
investments by the Fund. The Fund will realize a profit or loss from a
closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or
more than the premium received from writing the option. As above for
writing covered calls, any and all such profits described herein from
writing puts are considered short-term gains for Federal tax purposes, and
when distributed by the Fund, are taxable as ordinary income.
- Purchasing Calls and Puts. When the Fund purchases a call (other
than in a closing purchase transaction), it pays a premium and, except as
to calls on indices or Futures, has the right to buy the underlying
investment from a seller of a corresponding call on the same investment
during the call period at a fixed exercise price. When the Fund purchases
a call on an index or Future, it pays a premium, but settlement is in cash
rather than by delivery of the underlying investment to the Fund. In
purchasing a call, the Fund benefits only if the call is sold at a profit
or if, during the call period, the market price of the underlying
investment is above the sum of the call price plus the transaction costs
and the premium paid and the call is exercised. If the call is not
exercised or sold (whether or not at a profit), it will become worthless
at its expiration date and the Fund will lose its premium payment and the
right to purchase the underlying investment.
When the Fund purchases a put, it pays a premium and, except as to
puts on indices, has the right to sell the underlying investment to a
seller of a corresponding put on the same investment during the put period
at a fixed exercise price. Buying a put on an investment the Fund owns
enables the Fund to protect itself during the put period against a decline
in the value of the underlying investment below the exercise price by
selling such underlying investment at the exercise price to a seller of
a corresponding put. If the market price of the underlying investment is
equal to or above the exercise price and as a result the put is not
exercised or resold, the put will become worthless at its expiration date,
and the Fund will lose its premium payment and the right to sell the
underlying investment. The put may, however, be sold prior to expiration
(whether or not at a profit.)
Buying a put on an investment it does not own, either a put on an
index or a put on a Future not held by the Fund, permits the Fund either
to resell the put or buy the underlying investment and sell it at the
exercise price. The resale price of the put will vary inversely with the
price of the underlying investment. If the market price of the underlying
investment is above the exercise price and as a result the put is not
exercised, the put will become worthless on its expiration date. When the
Fund purchases a put on an index, or on a Future not held by it, the put
protects the Fund to the extent that the index moves in a similar pattern
to the securities held. In the case of a put on an index or Future,
settlement is in cash rather than by delivery by the Fund of the
underlying investment.
Puts and calls on broadly-based indices or Futures are similar to
puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all
settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index
in question (and thus on price movements in the stock market generally)
rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures
contracts. When the Fund buys a calls on an index or Future, it pays a
premium. During the call period, upon exercise of a call by the Fund, a
seller of a corresponding call on the same investment will pay the Fund
an amount of cash to settle the call if the closing level of the index or
Future upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of
the call. That cash payment is equal to the difference between the
closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a
specified multiple (the "multiplier"), which determines the total dollar
value for each point of difference. When the Fund buys a put on an index
or Future, it pays a premium and has the right during the put period to
require a seller of a corresponding put, upon the Fund's exercise of its
put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash to settle the put if the
closing level of the index or Future upon which the put is based is less
than the exercise price of the put. That cash payment is determined by
the multiplier, in the same manner as described above as to calls.
An option position may be closed out only on a market which provides
secondary trading for options of the same series and there is no assurance
that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. The
Fund's option activities may affect its turnover rate and brokerage
commissions. The exercise by the Fund of puts on securities will cause
the sale of related investments, increasing portfolio turnover. Although
such exercise is within the Fund's control, holding a put might cause the
Fund to sell the related investments for reasons which would not exist in
the absence of the put. The Fund will pay a brokerage commission each
time it buys a put or call, sells a call, or buys or sells an underlying
investment in connection with the exercise of a put or call. Such
commissions may be higher than those which would apply to direct purchases
or sales of such underlying investments. Premiums paid for options are
small in relation to the market value of the related investments, and
consequently, put or call options offer large amounts of leverage. The
leverage offered by trading in options could result in the Fund's net
asset value being more sensitive to changes in the value of the underlying
investments.
- Options on Foreign Currencies. The Fund intends to write and
purchase calls and puts on foreign currencies. The Fund may purchase and
write puts and calls on foreign currencies that are traded on a securities
or commodities exchange or over-the-counter markets or are quoted by major
recognized dealers in such options. It does so to protect against
declines in the dollar value of foreign securities and against increases
in the dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. If the Manager
anticipates a rise in the dollar value of a foreign currency in which
securities to be acquired are denominated, the increased cost of such
securities may be partially offset by purchasing calls or writing puts on
that foreign currency. If a decline in the dollar value of a foreign
currency is anticipated, the decline in value of portfolio securities
denominated in that currency may be partially offset by writing calls or
purchasing puts on that foreign currency. However, in the event of
currency rate fluctuations adverse to the Fund's position, it would lose
the premium it paid and transaction costs.
A call written on a foreign currency by the Fund is covered if the
Fund owns the underlying foreign currency covered by the call or has an
absolute and immediate right to acquire that foreign currency without
additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held
in a segregated account by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of
other foreign currency held in its portfolio. A call may be written by
the Fund on a foreign currency to provide a hedge against a decline in the
U.S. dollar value of a security which the Fund owns or has the right to
acquire and which is denominated in the currency underlying the option due
to an expected adverse change in the exchange rate. This is a cross-
hedging strategy. In such circumstances, the Fund collateralizes the
option by maintaining in a segregated account with the Fund's custodian,
cash or U.S. Government Securities in an amount not less than the value
of the underlying currency in U.S. dollars marked-to market daily.
- Interest Rate Futures. No price is paid or received upon the
purchase or sale of an Interest Rate Future. Interest Rate Futures
obligate one party to deliver and the other party to take a specific debt
security or amount of foreign currency, respectively, at a specified price
on a specified date. Upon entering into a Futures transaction, the Fund
will be required to deposit an initial margin payment with the futures
commission merchant (the "futures broker"). The initial margin will be
deposited with the Fund's Custodian in an account registered in the
futures broker's name; however the futures broker can gain access to that
account only under specified conditions. As the Future is marked to
market to reflect changes in its market value, subsequent margin payments,
called variation margin, will be made to and from the futures broker on
a daily basis. Prior to expiration of the Future, if the Fund elects to
close out its position by taking an opposite position, a final
determination of variation margin is made, additional cash is required to
be paid by or released to the Fund, and any loss or gain is realized for
tax purposes. Although Interest Rate Futures by their terms call for
settlement by delivery or acquisition of debt securities, in most cases
the obligation is fulfilled by entering into an offsetting position. All
futures transactions are effected through a clearinghouse associated with
the exchange on which the contracts are traded.
- Financial Futures. Financial Futures are similar to Interest Rate
Futures except that settlement is made in cash, and net gain or loss on
options on Financial Futures depends on price movements of the securities
included in the index. The strategies which the Fund employs regarding
Financial Futures are similar to those described above with regard to
Interest Rate Futures.
- Forward Contracts. A Forward Contract involves bilateral
obligations of one party to purchase, and another party to sell, 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 the contract is entered into. These contracts are traded in
the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually
large commercial banks) and their customers.
The Fund may use Forward Contracts to protect against uncertainty in
the level of future exchange rates. The use of Forward Contracts does not
eliminate fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund
owns or intends to acquire, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance.
In addition, although Forward Contracts limit the risk of loss due to a
decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time they limit
any potential gain that might result should the value of the currencies
increase.
The Fund may enter into Forward Contracts with respect to specific
transactions. For example, when the Fund enters into a contract for the
purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or when
the Fund anticipates receipt of dividend payments in a foreign currency,
the Fund may desire to "lock-in" the U.S. dollar price of the security or
the U.S. dollar equivalent of such payment by entering into a Forward
Contract, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars per unit of foreign currency,
for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the
underlying transaction ("transaction hedge"). The Fund will thereby be
able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse
change in the relationship between the currency exchange rates during the
period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on
which the payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are
made or received.
The Fund may also use Forward Contracts to lock in the U.S. dollar
value of portfolio positions ("position hedge"). In a position hedge, for
example, when the Fund believes that foreign currency may suffer a
substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward
sale contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency approximating the
value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities denominated in
such foreign currency, or when the Fund believes that the U.S. dollar may
suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it may enter into
a forward purchase contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed
dollar amount. In this situation the Fund may, in the alternative, enter
into a forward contract to sell a different foreign currency for a fixed
U.S. dollar amount where the Fund believes that the U.S. dollar value of
the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will fall
whenever there is a decline in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in
which portfolio securities of the Fund are denominated ("cross hedge").
The Fund will not enter into such Forward Contracts or maintain a net
exposure to such contracts where the consummation of the contracts would
obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of
the value of the Fund's portfolio securities or other assets denominated
in that currency. The Fund, however, in order to avoid excess
transactions and transaction costs, may maintain a net exposure to Forward
Contracts in excess of the value of the Fund's portfolio securities or
other assets denominated in that currency provided the excess amount is
"covered" by liquid, high-grade debt securities, denominated in any
currency, at least equal at all times to the amount of such excess. As
an alternative, the Fund may purchase a call option permitting the Fund
to purchase the amount of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale
contract at a price no higher than the forward contract price or the Fund
may purchase a put option permitting the Fund to sell the amount of
foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a price as high
or higher than the forward contract price. Unanticipated changes in
currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than
if it had not entered into such contracts.
The precise matching of the Forward Contract amounts and the value
of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the
future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a
consequence of market movements in the value of these securities between
the date the Forward Contract is entered into and the date it is sold.
Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional
foreign currency on the spot (i.e., cash) market (and bear the expense
of such purchase), if the market value of the security is less than the
amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver and if a
decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign
currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some
of the foreign currency received upon the sale of the portfolio security
if its market value exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is
obligated to deliver. The projection of short-term currency market
movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-
term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Forward Contracts involve the
risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted,
causing the Fund to sustain losses on these contracts and transactions
costs.
At or before the maturity of a Forward Contract requiring the Fund
to sell a currency, the Fund may either sell a portfolio security and use
the sale proceeds to make delivery of the currency or retain the security
and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by
purchasing a second contract pursuant to which the Fund will obtain, on
the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency that it is
obligated to deliver. Similarly, the Fund may close out a Forward
Contract requiring it to purchase a specified currency by entering into
a second contract entitling it to sell the same amount of the same
currency on the maturity date of the first contract. The Fund would
realize a gain or loss as a result of entering into such an offsetting
Forward Contract under either circumstance to the extent the exchange rate
or rates between the currencies involved moved between the execution dates
of the first contract and offsetting contract.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in Forward Contracts varies with
factors such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period
and the market conditions then prevailing. Because Forward Contracts are
usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are
involved. Because such contracts are not traded on an exchange, the Fund
must evaluate the credit and performance risk of each particular
counterparty under a Forward Contract.
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. The Fund may convert foreign currency from time
to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency
conversion. Foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion,
but they do seek to realize a profit based on the difference between the
prices at which they buy and sell 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.
- Interest Rate Swap Transactions. Swap agreements entail both
interest rate risk and credit risk. There is a risk that, based on
movements of interest rates in the future, the payments made by the Fund
under a swap agreement will have been greater than those received by it.
Credit risk arises from the possibility that the counterparty will
default. If the counterparty to an interest rate swap defaults, the
Fund's loss will consist of the net amount of contractual interest
payments that the Fund has not yet received. The Manager will monitor the
creditworthiness of counterparties to the Fund's interest rate swap
transactions on an ongoing basis. The Fund will enter into swap
transactions with appropriate counterparties pursuant to master netting
agreements.
A master netting agreement provides that all swaps done between the
Fund and that counterparty under the master agreement shall be regarded
as parts of an integral agreement. If on any date amounts are payable in
the same currency in respect of one or more swap transactions, the net
amount payable on that date in that currency shall be paid. In addition,
the master netting agreement may provide that if one party defaults
generally or on one swap, the counterparty may terminate the swaps with
that party. Under such agreements, if there is a default resulting in a
loss to one party, the measure of that party's damages is calculated by
reference to the average cost of a replacement swap with respect to each
swap (i.e., the mark-to-market value at the time of the termination of
each swap). The gains and losses on all swaps are then netted, and the
result is the counterparty's gain or loss on termination. The termination
of all swaps and the netting of gains and losses on termination is
generally referred to as "aggregation."
- Additional Information About Hedging Instruments and Their Use.
The Fund's Custodian, or a securities depository acting for the Custodian,
will act as the Fund's escrow agent, through the facilities of the Options
Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), as to the investments on which the Fund has
written options traded on exchanges or as to other acceptable escrow
securities, so that no margin will be required for such transactions. OCC
will release the securities on the expiration of the option or upon the
Fund's entering into a closing transaction. An option position may be
closed out only on a market which provides secondary trading for options
of the same series, and there is no assurance that a liquid secondary
market will exist for any particular option.
When the Fund writes an over-the-counter("OTC") option, it will enter
into an arrangement with a primary U.S. Government securities dealer,
which would establish a formula price at which the Fund would have the
absolute right to repurchase that OTC option. That formula price would
generally be based on a multiple of the premium received for the option,
plus the amount by which the option is exercisable below the market price
of the underlying security (that is, the extent to which the option is
"in-the-money"). When the Fund writes an OTC option, it will treat as
illiquid (for purposes of the limit on its assets that may be invested in
illiquid securities, stated in the Prospectus) the mark-to-market value
of any OTC option held by it. The Securities and Exchange
Commission is evaluating whether OTC options should be considered liquid
securities, and the procedure described above could be affected by the
outcome of that evaluation.
The Fund's option activities may affect its turnover rate and
brokerage commissions. The exercise of calls written by the Fund may
cause the Fund to sell related portfolio securities, thus increasing its
turnover rate in a manner beyond the Fund's control. The exercise by the
Fund of puts on securities or Futures may cause the sale of related
investments, also increasing portfolio turnover. Although such exercise
is within the Fund's control, holding a put might cause the Fund to sell
the related investments for reasons which would not exist in the absence
of the put. The Fund will pay a brokerage commission each time it buys
or sells a put, a call, or an underlying investment in connection with the
exercise of a put or call. Such commissions may be higher than those
which would apply to direct purchases or sales of the underlying
investments. Premiums paid for options are small in relation to the
market value of the related investments, and consequently, put and call
options offer large amounts of leverage. The leverage offered by trading
in options could result in the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive
to changes in the value of the underlying investments.
- Regulatory Aspects of Hedging Instruments. The Fund is required
to operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to its
use of Futures and options on Futures established by the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission ("CFTC"). In particular, the Fund is exempted from
registration with the CFTC as a "commodity pool operator" if the Fund
complies with the requirements of the Rule adopted by the CFTC. The Rule
does not limit the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be used for
Futures margin and related options premiums for a bona fide hedging
position. However, under the Rule the Fund must limit its aggregate
Futures margin and related options premiums to no more than 5% of the
Fund's net assets for hedging strategies that are not considered bona fide
hedging strategies under the Rule.
Transactions in options by the Fund are subject to limitations
established by option exchanges governing the maximum number of options
that may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors
acting in concert, regardless of whether the options were written or
purchased on the same or different exchanges or are held in one or more
accounts or through one or more different exchanges or through one or more
brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Fund may write or hold may
be affected by options written or held by other entities, including other
investment companies having the same adviser as the Fund (or an adviser
that is an affiliate of the Fund's adviser. The exchanges also impose
position limits on Futures transactions which apply to Futures. An
exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation
of those limits and may impose certain other sanctions.
Due to requirements under the Investment Company Act, when the Fund
purchases a Future, the Fund will maintain, in a segregated account or
accounts with its Custodian, cash or readily-marketable, short-term
(maturing in one year or less) debt instruments in an amount equal to the
market value of the securities underlying such Future, less the margin
deposit applicable to it.
- Tax Aspects of Covered Calls and Hedging Instruments. The Fund
intends to qualify as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal
Revenue Code (although it reserves the right not to qualify). That
qualification enables the Fund to "pass through" its income and realized
capital gains to shareholders without having to pay tax on them. This
avoids a "double tax" on that income and capital gains, since shareholders
normally will be taxed on the dividends and capital gains they receive
from the Fund (unless the Fund's shares are held in a retirement account
or the shareholder is otherwise exempt from tax). One of the tests for
the Fund's qualification as a regulated investment company is that less
than 30% of its gross income must be derived from gains realized on the
sale of securities held for less than three months. To comply with this
30% cap, the Fund will limit the extent to which it engages in the
following activities, but will not be precluded from them: (i) selling
investments, including Futures, held for less than three months, whether
or not they were purchased on the exercise of a call held by the Fund;
(ii) purchasing calls or puts which expire in less than three months;
(iii) effecting closing transactions with respect to calls or puts
purchased less than three months previously; (iv) exercising puts or calls
held by the Fund for less than three months; or (v) writing calls on
investments held for less than three months.
Certain foreign currency exchange contracts ("Forward Contracts") in
which the Fund may invest are treated as "section 1256 contracts." Gains
or losses relating to section 1256 contracts generally are characterized
under the Internal Revenue Code as 60% long-term and 40% short-term
capital gains or losses. However, foreign currency gains or losses
arising from certain section 1256 contracts (including Forward Contracts)
generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. In addition, section
1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year are
"marked-to-market" with the result that unrealized gains or losses are
treated as though they were realized. These contracts also may be marked-
to-market for purposes of the excise tax applicable to investment company
distributions and for other purposes under rules prescribed pursuant to
the Internal Revenue Code. An election can be made by the Fund to exempt
these transactions from this marked-to-market treatment.
Certain Forward Contracts entered into by the Fund may result in
"straddles" for Federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may
affect the character of gains (or losses) realized by the Fund on straddle
positions. Generally, a loss sustained on the disposition of a position
making up a straddle is allowed only to the extent such loss exceeds any
unrecognized gain in the offsetting positions making up the straddle.
Disallowed loss is generally allowed at the point where there is no
unrecognized gain in the offsetting positions making up the straddle, or
the offsetting position is disposed of.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to
fluctuations in exchange rates that occur between the time the Fund
accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other
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 foreign currency forward contracts, gains or losses attributable to
fluctuations in the value of a foreign currency between the date of
acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also
are treated as ordinary gain or loss. Currency gains and losses are
offset against market gains and losses before determining a net "Section
988" gain or loss under the Internal Revenue Code, which may increase or
decrease the amount of the Fund's investment company income available for
distribution to its shareholders.
- Risks of Hedging With Options and Futures. An option position may
be closed out only on a market that provides secondary trading for options
of the same series, and there is no assurance that a liquid secondary
market will exist for any particular option. In addition to the risks
associated with hedging that are discussed in the Prospectus and above,
there is a risk in using short hedging by selling Futures to attempt to
protect against decline in value of the Fund's portfolio securities (due
to an increase in interest rates) that the prices of such Futures will
correlate imperfectly with the behavior of the cash (i.e., market value)
prices of the Fund's securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in
the cash and futures markets are subject to distortions due to differences
in the natures of those markets. First, all participants in the futures
markets are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather
than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close
out futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort
the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the
liquidity of the futures markets depend on participants entering into
offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the
extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the
futures markets could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from
the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures
markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities
markets. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures
markets may cause temporary price distortions.
The risk of imperfect correlation increases as the composition of the
Fund's portfolio diverges from the securities included in the applicable
index. To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the
price of the equity securities being hedged and movements in the price of
the hedging instruments, the Fund may use hedging instruments in a greater
dollar amount than the dollar amount of equity securities being hedged if
the historical volatility of the prices of the equity securities being
hedged is more than the historical volatility of the applicable index.
It is also possible that if the Fund has used hedging instruments in a
short hedge, the market may advance and the value of equity securities
held in the Fund's portfolio may decline. If that occurred, the Fund would
lose money on the hedging instruments and also experience a decline in
value in its portfolio securities. However, while this could occur for
a very brief period or to a very small degree, over time the value of a
diversified portfolio of equity securities will tend to move in the same
direction as the indices upon which the hedging instruments are based.
If the Fund uses hedging instruments to establish a position in the
debt securities markets as a temporary substitute for the purchase of
individual debt securities (long hedging) by buying Futures and/or calls
on such Futures or on debt securities, it is possible that the market may
decline; if the Fund then concludes not to invest in such securities at
that time because of concerns as to possible further market decline or for
other reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the hedging instruments
that is not offset by a reduction in the price of the debt securities
purchased.
- Repurchase Agreements. In a repurchase transaction, the Fund
acquires a security from, and simultaneously resells it to, an approved
vendor (a U.S. commercial bank, the U.S. branch of a foreign bank or a
broker-dealer which has been designated a primary dealer in government
securities, which must meet the credit requirements set by the Fund's
Board of Trustees from time to time), for delivery on an agreed-upon
future date. The resale price exceeds the purchase price by an amount
that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period during
which the repurchase agreement is in effect. The majority of these
transactions run from day to day, and delivery pursuant to resale
typically will occur within one to five days of the purchase. Repurchase
agreements are considered "loans" under the Investment Company Act,
collateralized by the underlying security. The Fund's repurchase
agreements require that at all times while the repurchase agreement is in
effect, the collateral's value must equal or exceed the repurchase price
to fully collateralize the repayment obligation. Additionally, the
Manager will impose creditworthiness requirements to confirm that the
vendor is financially sound and will continuously monitor the collateral's
value.
- Small, Unseasoned Companies. The Fund may invest in securities
of small, unseasoned companies. These are companies that have been in
operation for less than three years, even after including the operations
of any of their predecessors. Securities of these companies may have
limited liquidity (which means that the Fund may have difficulty selling
them at an acceptable price when it wants to) and the prices of these
securities may be volatile. The Fund currently intends to invest no more
than 5% of its net assets in the next year in securities of small,
unseasoned issuers.
- Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio
securities subject to the restrictions stated in the Prospectus. Under
applicable regulatory requirements (which are subject to change), the loan
collateral must, on each business day, at least equal the market value of
the loaned securities and must consist of cash, bank letters of credit,
U.S. Government Securities, or other cash equivalents in which the Fund
is permitted to invest. To be acceptable as collateral, letters of credit
must obligate a bank to pay amounts demanded by the Fund if the demand
meets the terms of the letter. Such terms and the issuing bank must be
satisfactory to the Fund. In a portfolio securities lending transaction,
the Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid
or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the
loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any
finders' or administrative fees the Fund pays in arranging the loan. The
Fund may share the interest it receives on the collateral securities with
the borrower as long as it realizes at least a minimum amount of interest
required by the lending guidelines established by its Board of Trustees.
The Fund will not lend its portfolio securities to any officer, trustee,
employee or affiliate of the Fund or its Manager. The terms of the Fund's
loans must meet certain tests under the Internal Revenue Code and permit
the Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five business days' notice or
in time to vote on any important matter.
- Borrowing. From time to time, the Fund may increase its ownership
of securities by borrowing from banks on a unsecured basis and investing
the borrowed funds, subject to the restrictions stated in the Prospectus.
Any such borrowing will be made only from banks, and pursuant to the
requirements of the Investment Company Act, will be made only to the
extent that the value of that Fund's assets, less its liabilities other
than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings including the
proposed borrowing and amounts covering the Fund's obligations under
"forward roll" transactions. If the value of the Fund's assets so computed
should fail to meet the 300% asset coverage requirement, it is required
within three days to reduce its bank debt to the extent necessary to meet
such requirement and may have to sell a portion of its investments at a
time when independent investment judgment would not dictate such sale.
Borrowing for investment increases both investment opportunity and risk.
Since substantially all of the Fund's assets fluctuate in value, but
borrowing obligations are fixed, when the Fund has outstanding borrowings,
its net asset value per share correspondingly will tend to increase and
decrease more when portfolio assets fluctuate in value than otherwise
would be the case.
- Illiquid and Restricted Securities. To enable the Fund to sell
restricted securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the
Fund may have to cause those securities to be registered. The expenses
of registration of restricted securities may be negotiated by the Fund
with the issuer at the time such securities are purchased by the Fund, if
such registration is required before such securities may be sold publicly.
When registration must be arranged because the Fund wishes to sell the
security, a considerable period may elapse between the time the decision
is made to sell the securities and the time the Fund would be permitted
to sell them. The Fund would bear the risks of any downward price
fluctuation during that period. The Fund may also acquire, through
private placements, securities having contractual restrictions on their
resale, which might limit the Fund's ability to dispose of such securities
and might lower the amount realizable upon the sale of such securities.
The Fund has percentage limitations that apply to purchases of
restricted securities, as stated in the Prospectus. Those percentage
restrictions do not limit purchases of restricted securities that are
eligible for sale to qualified institutional purchasers pursuant to Rule
144A under the Securities Act of 1933, provided that those securities have
been determined to be liquid by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by
the Manager under Board-approved guidelines. Those guidelines take into
account the trading activity for such securities and the availability of
reliable pricing information, among other factors. If there is a lack of
trading interest in a particular Rule 144A security, the Fund's holding
of that security may be deemed to be illiquid.
- When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions. The Fund may
purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis, and may purchase or sell
such securities on a "delayed delivery" basis. Although the Fund will
enter into such transactions for the purpose of acquiring securities for
its portfolio or for delivery pursuant to options contracts it has entered
into, the Fund may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement. "When-
issued" or "delayed delivery" refers to securities whose terms and
indenture are available and for which a market exists, but which are not
available for immediate delivery. When such transactions are negotiated,
the price (which is generally expressed in yield terms) is fixed at the
time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities
take place at a later date. The Fund does not intend to make such
purchases for speculative purposes. The commitment to purchase a security
for which payment will be made on a future date may be deemed a separate
security and involve risk of loss if the value of the security declines
prior to the settlement date. During the period between commitment by the
Fund and settlement (generally within two months but not to exceed 120
days), no payment is made for the securities purchased by the purchaser,
and no interest accrues to the purchaser from the transaction. Such
securities are subject to market fluctuation; the value at delivery may
be less than the purchase price. The Fund will maintain a segregated
account with its Custodian, consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities
or other high grade debt obligations at least equal to the value of
purchase commitments until payment is made.
The Fund will engage in when-issued transactions in order to secure
what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield at the time of
entering into the obligation. When the Fund engages in when-issued or
delayed delivery transactions, it relies on the buyer or seller, as the
case may be, to consummate the transaction. Failure of the buyer or
seller to do so may result in the Fund losing the opportunity to obtain
a price and yield considered to be advantageous. At the time the Fund
makes a commitment to purchase or sell a security on a when-issued or
forward commitment basis, it records the transaction and reflects the
value of the security purchased, or if a sale, the proceeds to be
received, in determining its net asset value. If the Fund chooses to (i)
dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its
acquisition or (ii) dispose of its right to deliver or receive against a
forward commitment, it may incur a gain or loss.
To the extent the Fund engages in when-issued and delayed delivery
transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring or selling
securities consistent with its investment objective and policies and not
for the purposes of investment leverage. The Fund enters into such
transactions only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering
the securities, although (as noted above), when-issued securities and
forward commitments may be sold prior to settlement date. In addition,
changes in interest rates before settlement in a direction other than that
expected by the Manager will affect the value of such securities and may
cause a loss to the Fund.
When-issued transactions and forward commitments allow the Fund a
technique to use against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices.
For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, the
Fund might sell securities in its portfolio on a forward commitment basis
to attempt to limit its exposure to anticipated falling prices. In
periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, the Fund might sell
portfolio securities and purchase the same or similar securities on a
when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of
currently higher cash yields.
- Short Sales "Against-the-Box." In a short sale, the seller does
not own the security that is sold, but normally borrows the security to
fulfill the delivery obligation. The seller later buys the security to
repay the loan, in the expectation that the price of the security will be
lower when the purchase is made, resulting in a gain. In these
transactions, where the Fund owns an equivalent amount of the securities
sold short. This technique is primarily used for tax purposes.
Other Investment Restrictions
The Fund's most significant investment restrictions are set forth in
the Prospectus. There are additional investment restrictions that the
Fund must follow that are also fundamental policies. Fundamental
policies and the Fund's investment objectives cannot be changed without
the vote of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.
Under the Investment Company Act, such a "majority" vote is defined as the
vote of the holders of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the shares
present or represented by proxy at a shareholder meeting if the holders
of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present, or (2) more than
50% of the outstanding shares.
Under these additional restrictions, the Fund cannot: (1) buy or sell
real estate, or commodities or commodity contracts including futures
contracts; however, the Fund may invest in debt securities secured by real
estate or interests therein or issued by companies, including real estate
investment trusts, which invest in real estate or interests therein, and
the Fund may buy and sell any of the Hedging Instruments which it may use
as approved by the Fund's Board of Trustees, whether or not such Hedging
Instrument is considered to be a commodity or commodity contract; (2) buy
securities on margin, except that the Fund may make margin deposits in
connection with any of the Hedging Instruments which it may use; (3)
underwrite securities issued by other persons except to the extent that,
in connection with the disposition of its portfolio investments, it may
be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933;
(4) buy and retain securities of any issuer if those officers, Trustees
or Directors of the Fund or the Manager who beneficially own more than
0.5% of the securities of such issuer together own more than 5% of the
securities of such issuer; (5) invest in oil, gas, or other mineral
exploration or development programs; or (6) buy the securities of any
company for the purpose of exercising management control, except in
connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization or acquisition of
assets.
For purposes of the Fund's policy not to concentrate described in the
investment restrictions in the Prospectus, the Fund has adopted the
industry classifications set forth in Appendix A to this Statement of
Additional Information.
How the Fund Is Managed
Organization and History. As a Massachusetts business trust, the Fund is
not required to hold, and does not plan to hold, regular annual meetings
of shareholders. The Fund will hold meetings when required to do so by the
Investment Company Act or other applicable law, or when a shareholder
meeting is called by the Trustees or upon proper request of the
shareholders. Shareholders have the right, upon the declaration in
writing or vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Fund, to
remove a Trustee. The Trustees will call a meeting of shareholders to
vote on the removal of a Trustee upon the written request of the record
holders of 10% of its outstanding shares. In addition, if the Trustees
receive a request from at least 10 shareholders (who have been
shareholders for at least six months) holding shares of the Fund valued
at $25,000 or more or holding at least 1% of the Fund's outstanding
shares, whichever is less, stating that they wish to communicate with
other shareholders to request a meeting to remove a Trustee, the Trustees
will then either make the Fund's shareholder list available to the
applicants or mail their communication to all other shareholders at the
applicants' expense, or the Trustees may take such other action as set
forth under Section 16(c) of the Investment Company Act.
The Fund's Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of
shareholder or Trustee liability for the Fund's obligations, and provides
for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of its property for
any shareholder held personally liable for its obligations. The
Declaration of Trust also provides that the Fund shall, upon request,
assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act
or obligation of the Fund and satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, while
Massachusetts law permits a shareholder of a business trust (such as the
Fund) to be held personally liable as a "partner" under certain
circumstances, the risk of a Fund shareholder incurring financial loss on
account of shareholder liability is limited to the relatively remote
circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations
described above. Any person doing business with the Trust, and any
shareholder of the Trust, agrees under the Trust's Declaration of Trust
to look solely to the assets of the Trust for satisfaction of any claim
or demand which may arise out of any dealings with the Trust, and the
Trustees shall have no personal liability to any such person, to the
extent permitted by law.
Trustees and Officers of the Fund. The Fund's Trustees and officers
and their principal occupations and business affiliations during the past
five years are set forth below. Each Trustee is also a Trustee, Director
or Managing General Partner of Daily Cash Accumulation Fund, Inc.,
Centennial Money Market Trust, Centennial Tax Exempt Trust, Centennial
Government Trust, Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust, Centennial
California Tax Exempt Trust, Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.,
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund, Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund,
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund, Oppenheimer Cash Reserves, Oppenheimer
Variable Account Funds, Oppenheimer Main Street Funds, Inc., Oppenheimer
Integrity Funds, Oppenheimer Strategic Funds Trust, Oppenheimer Strategic
Investment Grade Bond Fund, Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income Fund,
Centennial America Fund, L.P., Oppenheimer Tax-Exempt Bond Fund,
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund, and The New York Tax-Exempt
Income Fund, Inc. (collectively, the "Denver-based OppenheimerFunds").
Mr. Fossel is President and Mr. Swain is Chairman of each of the Denver-
based OppenheimerFunds. As of January 12, 1995, the Trustees and officers
of the Fund as a group owned of record or beneficially less than 1% of
each class of shares of the Fund. The foregoing statement does not
reflect ownership of shares held of record by an employee benefit plan for
employees of the Manager (for which plan two of the officer listed below,
Messrs. Fossel and Donohue, are trustees), other than the shares
beneficially owned under that plan by the officers of the Fund listed
above.
Robert G. Avis, Trustee*, Age: 63
One North Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Vice Chairman of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. (a broker-dealer) and A.G.
Edwards, Inc. (its parent holding company); Chairman of A.G.E. Asset
Management and A.G. Edwards Trust Company (its affiliated investment
adviser and trust company, respectively).
William A. Baker, Trustee; Age: 80
197 Desert Lakes Drive, Palm Springs, California 92264
Management Consultant.
Charles Conrad, Jr., Trustee; Age: 64
19411 Merion Circle, Huntington Beach, California 92648
Vice President of McDonnell Douglas Space Systems, Co.; formerly
associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Jon S. Fossel, President and Trustee*: Age: 52
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Manager; President
and a director of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), the Manager's
parent holding company; President and a director of HarbourView Asset
Management Corporation ("HarbourView"), a subsidiary of the Manager; a
director of Shareholder Services, Inc. ("SSI") and Shareholder Financial
Services, Inc. ("SFSI"), transfer agent subsidiaries of the Manager;
formerly President of the Manager.
Raymond J. Kalinowski, Trustee; Age: 65
44 Portland Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63131
Director of Wave Technologies International, Inc.; formerly Vice Chairman
and a director of A.G. Edwards, Inc., parent holding company of A.G.
Edwards & Sons, Inc. (a broker-dealer), of which he was a Senior Vice
President.
C. Howard Kast, Trustee; Age: 73
2552 East Alameda, Denver, Colorado 80209
Formerly the Managing Partner of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells (an accounting
firm).
Robert M. Kirchner, Trustee; Age: 73
7500 E. Arapahoe Road, Englewood, Colorado 80112
President of The Kirchner Company (management consultants).
Ned M. Steel, Trustee; Age: 79
3416 South Race Street, Englewood, Colorado 80110
Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter; Director of Visiting Nurse
Corporation of Colorado; formerly Senior Vice President and a Director of
Van Gilder Insurance Corp. (insurance brokers).
James C. Swain, Chairman and Trustee*; Age: 61
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
Vice Chairman and a director of the Manager; President and a director of
Centennial Asset Management Corporation, an investment adviser subsidiary
of the Manager ("Centennial"); formerly Chairman of the Board of SSI.
Andrew J. Donohue, Vice President; Age: 44
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Manager and
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. (the "Distributor"); an officer of
other OppenheimerFunds; formerly Senior Vice President and Associate
General Counsel of the Manager and the Distributor; formerly a Partner in
Kraft & McManimon (a law firm), prior to which he was an officer of First
Investors Corporation (a broker-dealer) and First Investors Management
Company, Inc. (broker-dealer and investment adviser) and a director and
an officer of the First Investors Family of Funds and First Investors Life
Insurance Company.
George C. Bowen, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer; Age: 58
3410 South Galena Street Denver, Colorado 80231
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of the Manager; Vice President and
Treasurer of the Distributor and HarbourView; Senior Vice President,
Treasurer, Assistant Secretary and a director of Centennial; Vice
President, Treasurer and Secretary of SSI and SFSI; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Robert C. Doll, Jr., Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age: 40
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Executive Vice President of the Manager; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Arthur P. Steinmetz, Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age: 36
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Senior Vice President of the Manager; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
David P. Negri, Vice President and Portfolio Manager; Age: 40
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Vice President of the Manager; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds.
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary; Age: 46
Two World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048-0203
Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel of the Manager;
Assistant Secretary of SSI and SFSI; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds.
Robert J. Bishop, Assistant Treasurer; Age: 36
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
Assistant Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting; an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds; formerly a Fund Controller for the Manager,
prior to which he was an Accountant for Yale & Seffinger, P.C., an
accounting firm, and previously an Accountant and Commissions Supervisor
for Stuart James Company Inc., a broker-dealer.
Scott Farrar, Assistant Treasurer; Age: 29
3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado 80231
Assistant Vice President of the Manager/Mutual Fund Accounting, an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds; previously a Fund Controller for the Manager,
prior to which he was an International Mutual Fund Supervisor for Brown
Brothers Harriman & Co. (a bank) and previously a Senior Fund Accountant
for State Street Bank & Trust Company, before which he was a sales
representative for Central Colorado Planning.
__________________
*A Trustee who is an "interested person" of the Fund as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
- Remuneration of Trustees. The officers of the Fund are
affiliated with the Manager; they and the Trustees of the Fund who are
affiliated with the Manager (Messrs. Fossel and Swain, who are both
officers and Trustees) receive no salary or fee from the Fund. The
Trustees of the Fund (excluding Messrs. Fossel and Swain) received the
total amounts shown below from all 22 of the Denver-based OppenheimerFunds
(including the Fund) listed in the first paragraph of this section, for
services in the positions shown:
Total Compensation From All
Name Position Denver-based OppenheimerFunds1
Robert G. Avis Trustee $53,000.00
William A. Baker Audit and Review Committee $73,257.01
Chairman and Trustee
Charles Conrad, Jr. Audit and Review Committee $68,293.67
Member and Trustee
Raymond J. Kalinowski Trustee $53,000.00
C. Howard Kast Trustee $53,000.00
Robert M. Kirchner Audit and Review Committee $68,293.67
Member and Trustee
Ned M. Steel Trustee $53,000.00
______________
1 For the 1994 calendar year.
- Major Shareholders. As of January 12, 1995, no person owned
of record or was known by the Fund to own beneficially 5% or more shares
of the Fund as a whole or either class of the Fund's outstanding shares,
except PaineWebber Inc., which owned of record 5.21% of the Fund's Class
B shares in accounts for benefit of its clients, none of which
individually held more than 5% of the Fund's Class B shares; and
Donaldson, Lufkin Jenrette Securities Corporation, which owned of record
6.71% of the Fund's Class B shares in accounts for benefit of its clients,
none of which individually owned more than 5% of the Fund's Class B
shares.
The Manager and Its Affiliates. The Manager is wholly-owned by
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), a holding company controlled by
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. OAC is also owned in part
by certain of the Manager's directors and officers, some of whom also
serve as officers of the Fund, and two of whom (Mr. Galli and Mr. Spiro)
serve as Trustees of the Fund.
- The Investment Advisory Agreement. The investment advisory
agreement between the Manager and the Fund requires the Manager, at its
expense, to provide the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and
equipment, and to provide and supervise the activities of all
administrative and clerical personnel required to provide effective
corporate administration for the Fund, including the compilation and
maintenance of records with respect to its operations, the preparation and
filing of specified reports, and composition of proxy materials and
registration statements for continuous public sale of shares of the Fund.
Expenses not expressly assumed by the Manager under the advisory
agreement or by the Distributor under the General Distributor's Agreement
are paid by the Fund. The advisory agreement lists examples of expenses
paid by the Fund, the major categories of which relate to interest, taxes,
brokerage commissions, fees to certain Trustees, legal and audit expenses,
custodian and transfer agent expenses, share issuance costs, certain
printing and registration costs and non-recurring expenses, including
litigation costs. For the Fund's fiscal years ended September 30, 1992,
1993, and 1994, the management fees paid by the Fund to the Manager were
$75,665, $491,202, and $475,265, respectively. During the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1992, the Manager assumed $27,360 of the Fund's
expenses, which are not deducted from the amount shown for the management
fee, above.
The advisory agreement contains no provision limiting the Fund's
expenses. However, independently of the advisory agreement, the Manager
has undertaken that the total expenses of the Fund in any fiscal year
(including the management fee but excluding taxes, interest, brokerage
commissions, distribution assistance payments and extraordinary expenses
such as litigation costs) shall not exceed the most stringent expense
limitation imposed under state law applicable to the Fund. Pursuant to the
undertaking, the Manager's fee will be reduced at the end of a month so
that there will not be any accrued but unpaid liability under this
undertaking. Currently, the most stringent state expense limitation is
imposed by California, and limits the Fund's expenses (with specified
exclusions) to 2.5% of the first $30 million of average annual net assets,
2% of the next $70 million of average annual net assets, and 1.5% of
average annual net assets in excess of $100 million. The Manager reserves
the right to terminate or amend the undertaking at any time. Any
assumption of the Fund's expenses under this limitation would lower the
Fund's overall expense ratio and increase its total return during any
period in which expenses are limited.
The advisory agreement provides that in the absence of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or reckless disregard for its obligations and duties under the
advisory agreement, the Manager is not liable for any loss resulting from
a good faith error or omission on its part with respect to any of its
duties thereunder. The advisory agreement permits the Manager to act as
investment adviser for any other person, firm or corporation and to use
the name "Oppenheimer" in connection with other investment companies for
which it may act as investment adviser or general distributor. If the
Manager shall no longer act as investment adviser to the Fund, the right
of the Fund to use the name "Oppenheimer" as part of its name may be
withdrawn.
- The Distributor. Under its General Distributor's Agreement
with the Fund, the Distributor acts as the Fund's principal underwriter
in the continuous public offering of the Fund's Class A and Class B
shares, but is not obligated to sell a specific number of shares.
Expenses normally attributable to sales (excluding payments under the
Distribution and Service Plans but including advertising and the cost of
printing and mailing prospectuses) other than those furnished to existing
shareholders), are borne by the Distributor. During the Fund's fiscal
period ended September 30, 1992, and the fiscal years ended September 30,
1993 and September 30, 1994, the aggregate amounts of sales charges on
sales of the Fund's shares were $1,699,780, $841,033 and $231,950,
respectively, of which the Distributor and an affiliated broker retained
$380,084, $213,712 and $73,286 in those respective periods. During the
Fund's fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, the contingent deferred sales
charges on the Fund's Class B shares totalled $50,191, all of which the
Distributor retained. For additional information about distribution of
the Fund's shares and the expenses connected with such activities, please
refer to "Distribution and Service Plans," below.
- The Transfer Agent. Oppenheimer Shareholder Services, the
Fund's Transfer Agent, is responsible for maintaining the Fund's
shareholder registry and shareholder accounting records, and for
shareholder servicing and administrative functions.
Brokerage Policies of the Fund
Brokerage Provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement. One of the
duties of the Manager under the advisory agreement is to arrange the
portfolio transactions for the Fund. The advisory agreement contains
provisions relating to the employment of broker-dealers ("brokers") to
effect the Fund's portfolio transactions. In doing so, the Manager is
authorized by the advisory agreement to employ broker-dealers, including
"affiliated" brokers, as that term is defined in the Investment Company
Act, as may, in its best judgment based on all relevant factors,
implement the policy of the Fund to obtain, at reasonable expense, the
"best execution" (prompt and reliable execution at the most favorable
price obtainable) of such transactions. The Manager need not seek
competitive commission bidding but is expected to minimize the commissions
paid to the extent consistent with the interest and policies of the Fund
as established by its Board of Trustees. Purchases of securities from
underwriters include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the
underwriter, and purchases from dealers include a spread between the bid
and asked price.
Under the advisory agreement, the Manager is authorized to select
brokers that provide brokerage and/or research services for the Fund
and/or the other accounts over which the Manager or its affiliates have
investment discretion. The commissions paid to such brokers may be higher
than another qualified broker would have charged if a good faith
determination is made by the Manager that the commission is fair and
reasonable in relation to the services provided. Subject to the foregoing
considerations, the Manager may also consider sales of shares of the Fund
and other investment companies managed by the Manager or its affiliates
as a factor in the selection of brokers for the Fund's portfolio
transactions.
Description of Brokerage Practices Followed by the Manager. Subject to
the provisions of the advisory agreement, and the procedures and rules
described above, allocations of brokerage are made by portfolio managers
of the Manager under the supervision of the Manager's executive officers.
Transactions in securities other than those for which an exchange is the
primary market are generally done with principals or market makers.
Brokerage commissions are paid primarily for effecting transactions in
listed securities and are otherwise paid only if it appears likely that
a better price or execution can be obtained. When the Fund engages in an
option transaction, ordinarily the same broker will be used for the
purchase or sale of the option and any transaction in the securities to
which the option relates. When possible, concurrent orders to purchase
or sell the same security by more than one of the accounts managed by the
Manager or its affiliates are combined. The transactions effected
pursuant to such combined orders are averaged as to price and allocated
in accordance with the purchase or sale orders actually placed for each
account.
Most purchases of money market instruments and debt obligations
are principal transactions at net prices. Instead of using a broker for
those transactions, the Fund normally deals directly with the selling or
purchasing principal or market maker unless it determines that a better
price or execution can be obtained by using a broker. Purchases of these
securities from underwriters include a commission or concession paid by
the issuer to the underwriter. Purchases from dealers include a spread
between the bid and asked prices. The Fund seeks to obtain prompt
execution of these orders at the most favorable net price.
The research services provided by a particular broker may be
useful only to one or more of the advisory accounts of the Manager and its
affiliates, and investment research received for the commissions of those
other accounts may be useful both to the Fund and one or more of such
other accounts. Such research, which may be supplied by a third party at
the instance of a broker, includes information and analyses on particular
companies and industries as well as market or economic trends and
portfolio strategy, receipt of market quotations for portfolio
evaluations, information systems, computer hardware and similar products
and services. If a research service also assists the Manager in a non-
research capacity (such as bookkeeping or other administrative functions),
then only the percentage or component that provides assistance to the
Manager in the investment decision-making process may be paid in
commission dollars.
The research services provided by brokers broadens the scope and
supplement the research activities of the Manager, by making available
additional views for consideration and comparisons, and by enabling the
Manager to obtain market information for the valuation of securities held
in the Fund's portfolio or being considered for purchase. The Board of
Trustees, including the "independent" Trustees of the Fund (those Trustees
of the Fund who are not "interested persons" as defined in the Investment
Company Act, and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
operation of the advisory agreement or the Distribution Plans described
below) annually reviews information furnished by the Manager as to the
commissions paid to brokers furnishing such services so that the Board may
ascertain whether the amount of such commissions was reasonably related
to the value or benefit of such services.
During the Fund's fiscal period from June 1, 1992 (commencement
of operations) to September 30, 1992, and the fiscal years ended September
30, 1993 and 1994, total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund were
$11,309, $70,753 and $44,137, respectively. During the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1994, $35,678 was paid to brokers as commissions in return
for research services; the aggregate dollar amount of those transactions
was $25,173,056. The transactions giving rise to those commissions were
allocated in accordance with the Manager's internal allocation procedures.
Performance of the Fund
Yield and Total Return Information. As described in the Prospectus, from
time to time the "standardized yield," "dividend yield," "average annual
total return," "cumulative total return," "average annual total return at
net asset value" and "cumulative total return at net asset value" of an
investment in a class of shares of the Fund may be advertised. An
explanation of how these total returns are calculated for each class and
the components of those calculations is set forth below.
The Fund's advertisements of its performance data must, under
applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, include the
average annual total returns for each class of shares of the Fund for the
1, 5, and 10-year periods (or the life of the class, if less) ending as
of the most recently-ended calendar quarter prior to the publication of
the advertisement. This enables an investor to compare the Fund's
performance to the performance of other funds for the same periods.
However, a number of factors should be considered before using such
information as a basis for comparison with other investments. An
investment in the Fund is not insured; its returns and share prices are
not guaranteed and normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. When
redeemed, an investor's shares may be worth more or less than their
original cost. Returns for any given past period are not a prediction or
representation by the Fund of future returns. The returns of Class A and
Class B shares of the Fund are affected by portfolio quality, the type of
investments the Fund holds and its operating expenses allocated to the
particular class.
- Standardized Yields.
- Yield. The Fund's "yield" (referred to as "standardized
yield") for a given 30-day period for a class of shares is calculated
using the following formula set forth in rules adopted by the Securities
and Exchange Commission that apply to all funds (other than money market
funds) that quote yields:
a-b 6
Standardized Yield = 2 ((------ + 1) - 1)
cd
The symbols above represent the following factors:
a = dividends and interest earned during the 30-day period.
b = expenses accrued for the period (net of any expense
reimbursements).
c = the average daily number of shares of that class outstanding
during the 30-day period that were entitled to receive
dividends.
d = the maximum offering price per share of that class on the
last day of the period, adjusted for undistributed net
investment income.
The standardized yield of a class of shares for a 30-day period
may differ from its yield for any other period. The SEC formula assumes
that the standardized yield for a 30-day period occurs at a constant rate
for a six-month period and is annualized at the end of the six-month
period. This standardized yield is not based on actual distributions paid
by the Fund to shareholders in the 30-day period, but is a hypothetical
yield based upon the net investment income from the Fund's portfolio
investments calculated for that period. The standardized yield may differ
from the "dividend yield" of that class, described below. Additionally,
because each class of shares is subject to different expenses, it is
likely that the standardized yields of the Fund's classes of shares will
differ. For the 30-day period ended September 30, 1994, the standardized
yields for the Fund's Class A and Class B shares were 4.79% and 4.45%,
respectively.
- Dividend Yield and Distribution Return. From time to time the
Fund may quote a "dividend yield" or a "distribution return" for each
class. Dividend yield is based on the dividends paid on shares of a class
from net investment income during a stated period. Distribution return
includes dividends derived from net investment income and from realized
capital gains declared during a stated period. Under those calculations,
the dividends and/or distributions for that class declared during a stated
period of one year or less (for example, 30 days) are added together, and
the sum is divided by the maximum offering price per share of that class
on the last day of the period. When the result is annualized for a period
of less than one year, the "dividend yield" is calculated as follows:
Dividend Yield of the Class =
Dividends of the Class
- ----------------------------------------------------
Max Offering Price of the Class (last day of period)
Divided by number of days (accrual period) x 365
The maximum offering price for Class A shares includes the
maximum front-end sales charge. For Class B shares, the maximum offering
price is the net asset value per share without considering the effect of
contingent deferred sales charges.
From time to time similar yield or distribution return
calculations may also be made using the Class A net asset value (instead
of its respective maximum offering price) at the end of the period. The
dividend yields on Class A shares for the 30-day period ended September
30, 1994, were 5.37% and 5.64% when calculated at maximum offering price
and at net asset value, respectively. The dividend yield on Class B
shares for the 30-day period ended September 30, 1994 was 5.43% when
calculated at net asset value.
- Total Return Information.
- Average Annual Total Returns. The "average annual total
return" of each class is an average annual compounded rate of return for
each year in a specified number of years. It is the rate of return based
on the change in value of a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 ("P"
in the formula below) held for a number of years ("n") to achieve an
Ending Redeemable Value ("ERV") of that investment, according to the
following formula:
( ERV ) 1/n
(-----) -1 = Average Annual Total Return
( P )
- Cumulative Total Returns. The cumulative "total return"
calculation measures the change in value of a hypothetical investment of
$1,000 over an entire period of years. Its calculation uses some of the
same factors as average annual total return but it does not average the
rate of return on an annual basis. Cumulative total return is determined
as follows:
ERV - P
- ------- = Total Return
P
In calculating total returns for Class A shares, the current
maximum sales charge of 4.75% (as a percentage of the offering price) is
deducted from the initial investment ("P") (unless the return is shown at
net asset value, as described below). For Class B shares, payment of a
contingent deferred sales charge of 5.0% for the first year, 4.0% for the
second year, 3.0% for the third and fourth years, 2.0% for the fifth year
and 1.0% for the sixth year, and none thereafter, is applied, as described
in the Prospectus. Total returns also assume that all dividends and
capital gains distributions during the period are reinvested to by
additional shares, at net asset value per share, and that the investment
is redeemed at the end of the period. The average annual total returns
on an investment in Class A shares for the fiscal year ended September 30,
1994, and for the period June 1, 1992 (commencement of operations) to
September 30, 1994, were (4.97)% and 2.21%, respectively. The average
annual total returns on an investment in Class B shares for the fiscal
year ended September 30, 1994, and for the period November 30, 1992
(inception of the class) to September 30, 1994 were (5.84)% and 0.42%,
respectively. The cumulative total return on Class A shares for the
period June 1, 1992 (commencement of operations) through September 30,
1994 was 5.23%. The cumulative total return on Class B shares for the
period November 30, 1992 through September 30, 1994 was 0.77%.
- Total Returns At Net Asset Value. From time to time the Fund
may also quote an average annual total return at net asset value or a
cumulative total return at net asset value for Class A or Class B shares.
Each is based on the difference in net asset value per share at the
beginning and the end of the period for a hypothetical investment in that
class of shares (without considering front-end or contingent deferred
sales charges) and takes into consideration the reinvestment of dividends
and capital gains distributions. The cumulative total return at net asset
value on the Fund's Class A shares for the fiscal year ended September 30,
1994, was (0.23)%. The average annual total return at net asset value for
the period June 1, 1992 (commencement of operations) to September 30,
1994, for Class A shares was 4.37%. The average annual total returns at
net asset value for Class B shares for the fiscal year ended September 30,
1994 and for the period November 30, 1992 (inception of that class) to
September 30, 1994 were (1.17)% and 2.49%, respectively.
Total return information may be useful to investors in reviewing
the performance of the Fund's Class A or Class B shares. However, when
comparing total return of an investment in Class A or Class B shares of
the Fund, a number of factors should be considered before using such
information as a basis for comparison with other investments.
Other Performance Comparisons. From time to time the Fund may publish
the ranking of its Class A or Class B shares by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc. ("Lipper"), a widely-recognized independent service.
Lipper monitors the performance of regulated investment companies,
including the Fund, and ranks their performance for various periods based
on categories relating to investment objectives. The performance of the
Fund is ranked against (i) all other funds, (ii) all other "growth and
income" funds, and (iii) all other fixed-income funds, excluding money
market funds. The Lipper performance rankings are based on total returns
that include the reinvestment of capital gains distributions and income
dividends but do not take sales charges or taxes into consideration.
From time to time, the Fund may include in its advertisements and
sales literature performance information about the Fund cited in other
newspapers and periodicals, such as The New York Times, which may include
performance quotations from other sources, including Lipper.
From time to time the Fund may publish the ranking of the
performance of its Class A or Class B shares by Morningstar, Inc., an
independent mutual fund monitoring service, that ranks mutual funds,
including the Fund, monthly in broad investment categories (equity,
taxable bond, municipal bond and hybrid) based on risk-adjusted investment
return. Investment return measures a fund's three, five and ten-year
average annual total returns (when available) in excess of 90-day U.S.
Treasury bill returns after considering sales charges and expenses. Risk
reflects fund performance below 90-day U.S. Treasury bill monthly returns.
Risk and return are combined to produce star rankings reflecting
performance relative to the average fund in a fund's category. Five stars
is the "highest" ranking (top 10%), four stars is "above average" (next
22.5%), three stars is "average" (next 35%), two stars is "below average"
(next 22.5%) and one star is "lowest" (bottom 10%). Morningstar ranks the
Class A and Class B shares of the Fund in relation to other hybrid funds.
Rankings are subject to change.
The total return on an investment in the Fund's Class A or Class
B shares may be compared with the performance for the same period of one
or more of the following indices: the Consumer Price Index, the Salomon
Brothers World Government Bond Index, the Salomon Brothers High Grade
Corporate Bond Index, the Lehman Government/Corporate Bond Index, the
Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and
the J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index. The Consumer Price Index is
generally considered to be a measure of inflation. The Salomon Brothers
World Government Bond Index generally represents the performance of
government debt securities of various markets throughout the world,
including the United States. The Salomon Brothers High Grade Corporate
Bond Index generally represents the performance of high grade long-term
corporate bonds, and the Lehman Brothers Government/Corporate Bond Index
generally represents the performance of intermediate and long-term
government and investment grade corporate debt securities. The Lehman
Brothers Aggregate Bond Index generally represents the performance of the
general fixed-rate investment grade debt market. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index is widely recognized as a general measure of stock performance.
The J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index generally represents the performance
of government bonds issued by various countries including the United
States. Each index includes a factor for the reinvestment of interest but
does not reflect expenses or taxes.
Investors may also wish to compare the Fund's Class A or Class
B return to the returns on fixed income investments available from banks
and thrift institutions, such as certificates of deposit, ordinary
interest-paying checking and savings accounts, and other forms of fixed
or variable time deposits, and various other instruments such as Treasury
bills. However, the Fund's returns and share price are not guaranteed by
the FDIC or any other agency and will fluctuate daily, while bank
depository obligations may be insured by the FDIC and may provide fixed
rates of return, and Treasury bills are guaranteed as to principal and
interest by the U.S. government.
From time to time, the Fund's Manager may publish rankings or
ratings of the Manager (or Transfer Agent) or the investor services
provided by them to shareholders of the OppenheimerFunds, other than
performance rankings of the OppenheimerFunds themselves. Those ratings
or rankings of shareholder/investor services by third parties may compare
the OppenheimerFunds' services to those of other mutual fund families
selected by the rating or ranking services and may be based upon the
opinions of the rating or ranking service itself, based on its research
or judgment, or based upon surveys of investors, brokers, shareholders or
others.
Distribution and Service Plans
The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares and a
Distribution and Service Plan for Class B shares under Rule 12b-1 of the
Investment Company Act pursuant to which the Fund will reimburse the
Distributor quarterly for all or a portion of its costs incurred in
connection with the distribution and/or servicing of the shares of that
class, as described in the Prospectus. Each Plan has been approved by a
vote of (i) the Board of Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the
Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on that Plan, and (ii) the holders of a "majority" (as defined
in the Investment Company Act) of the shares of each class.
In addition, under the Plans, the Manager and the Distributor,
in their sole discretion, from time to time, may use their own resources
(which, in the case of the Manager, may include profits from the advisory
fee it receives from the Fund, to make payments to brokers, dealers or
other financial institutions (each is referred to as a "Recipient" under
the Plans) for distribution and administrative services they perform. The
Distributor and the Manager may, in their sole discretion, increase or
decrease the amount of payments they make from their own resources to
Recipients.
Unless terminated as described below, each Plan continues in
effect from year to year but only as long as its continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees
and its Independent Trustees by a vote cast in person at a meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such continuance. Either Plan may be
terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of the Independent
Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the
Investment Company Act) of the outstanding shares of that class. Neither
Plan may be amended to increase materially the amount of payments to be
made unless such amendment is approved by shareholders of the class
affected by the amendment. All material amendments must be approved by
the Independent Trustees.
While the Plans are in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund shall
provide separate written reports to the Fund's Board of Trustees at least
quarterly on the amount of all payments made pursuant to each Plan, the
purpose for which each payment was made and the identity of each Recipient
that received any payment. The report for the Class B Plan shall also
include the Distributor's distribution costs for that quarter, and such
costs for previous fiscal periods that have been carried forward, as
explained in the Prospectus and below. Those reports, including the
allocations on which they are based, will be subject to the review and
approval of the Independent Trustees in the exercise of their fiduciary
duty. Each Plan further provides that while it is in effect, the
selection and nomination of those Trustees of the Fund who are not
"interested persons" of the Fund is committed to the discretion of the
Independent Trustees. This does not prevent the involvement of others in
such selection and nomination if the final decision on selection or
nomination is approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees.
Under the Plans, no payment will be made to any Recipient in any
quarter if the aggregate net asset value of all Fund shares held by the
Recipient for itself and its customers did not exceed a minimum amount,
if any, that may be determined from time to time by a majority of the
Fund's Independent Trustees. Initially, the Board of Trustees has set the
fees at the maximum rate and set no minimum amount.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1994, payments under the
Plan for Class A shares totaled $118,925, all of which was paid by the
Distributor to Recipients including $14,477 that was paid to an affiliate
of the Distributor. Any unreimbursed expenses incurred by the Distributor
with respect to Class A shares for any fiscal year may not be recovered
in subsequent fiscal years. Payments received by the Distributor under
the Plan for Class A shares will not be used to pay any interest expense,
carrying charges, or other financial costs, or allocation of overhead by
the Distributor.
The Plan for Class B shares allows the service fee payment to be
paid by the Distributor to Recipients in advance for the first year Class
B shares are outstanding, and thereafter on a quarterly basis, as
described in the Prospectus. Service fee payments by the Distributor to
Recipients will be made (i) in advance for the first year Class B shares
are outstanding, following the purchase of shares, in an amount equal to
0.25% of the net asset value of the shares purchased by the Recipient or
its customers and (ii) thereafter, on a quarterly basis, computed as of
the close of business each day at an annual rate of .25% of the average
daily net asset value of Class B shares held in accounts of the Recipient
or its customers. An exchange of shares does not entitle the Recipient
to an advance service fee payment. In the event Class B shares are
redeemed during the first year that the shares are outstanding, the
Recipient will be obligated to repay a pro rata portion of the advance
payment for those shares to the Distributor. Payments made under the
Class B Plan during the fiscal year ended September 30, 1994 totalled
$149,517, all paid by the Distributor to Recipients, including $1,013 paid
to a dealer affiliated with the Distributor.
Although the Class B Plan permits the Distributor to retain both
the asset-based sales charge and the service fee on Class B shares, or to
pay Recipients the service fee on a quarterly basis, without payment in
advance, the Distributor intends to pay the service fee to Recipients in
the manner described above. A minimum holding period may be established
from time to time under the Class B Plan by the Board. Initially, the
Board has set no minimum holding period. All payments under the Class B
Plan are subject to the limitations imposed by the Rules of Fair Practice
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. on payments of
asset-based sales charges and service fees. The Distributor anticipates
that it will take a number of years for it to recoup (from the Fund's
payments to the Distributor under the Class B Plan and recoveries of the
contingent deferred sales charge) the sales commissions paid to authorized
brokers or dealers.
Asset-based sales charge payments are designed to permit an
investor to purchase shares of the Fund without the assessment of a front-
end sales load and at the same time permit the Distributor to compensate
brokers and dealers in connection with the sale of Class B shares of the
Fund. The Distributor's actual distribution expenses for any given year
may exceed the aggregate of payments received pursuant to the Class B Plan
and from contingent deferred sales charges, and such expenses will be
carried forward and paid in future years. The Fund will be charged only
for interest expenses, carrying charges or other financial costs that are
directly related to the carry-forward of actual distribution expenses.
For example, if the Distributor incurred distribution expenses of $4
million in a given fiscal year, of which $2,000,000 was recovered in the
form of contingent deferred sales charges paid by investors and $1,600,000
was reimbursed in the form of payments made by the Fund to the Distributor
under the Class B Plan, the balance of $400,000 (plus interest) would be
subject to recovery in future fiscal years from such sources.
The Class B Plan allows for the carry-forward of distribution
expenses, to be recovered from asset-based sales charges in subsequent
fiscal periods, as described in the Prospectus. The asset-based sales
charge paid to the Distributor by the Fund under the Class B Plan is
intended to allow the Distributor to recoup the cost of sales commissions
paid to authorized brokers and dealers at the time of sale, plus financing
costs, as described in the Prospectus. Such payments may also be used to
pay for the following expenses in connection with the distribution of
Class B shares: (i) financing the advance of the service fee payment to
Recipients under the Class B Plan, (ii) compensation and expenses of
personnel employed by the Distributor to support distribution of Class B
shares, and (iii) costs of sales literature, advertising and prospectuses
(other than those furnished to current shareholders) and state "blue sky"
registration fees.
About Your Account
How To Buy Shares
Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A and Class B Shares. The
availability of two classes of shares permits an investor to choose the
method of purchasing shares that is more beneficial to the investor
depending on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor
expects to hold shares and other relevant circumstances. Investors should
understand that the purpose and function of the deferred sales charge and
asset-based sales charge with respect to Class B shares are the same as
those of the initial sales charge with respect to Class A shares. Any
salesperson or other person entitled to receive compensation for selling
Fund shares may receive different compensation with respect to one class
of shares than the other. The Distributor will not accept any order for
$1 million or more of Class B shares on behalf of a single investor (not
including dealer "street name" or omnibus accounts) because generally it
will be more advantageous for that investor to purchase Class A shares of
the Fund instead.
The two classes of shares each represent an interest in the same
portfolio investments of the Fund. However, each class has different
shareholder privileges and features. The net income attributable to Class
B shares and the dividends payable on Class B shares will be reduced by
incremental expenses borne solely by that class, including the asset-based
sales charge to which Class B shares are subject.
The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares after six
years is subject to the continuing availability of a private letter ruling
from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel or tax
adviser, to the effect that the conversion of B shares does not constitute
a taxable event for the holder under Federal income tax law. If such a
revenue ruling or opinion is no longer available, the automatic conversion
feature may be suspended, in which event no further conversions of Class
B shares would occur while such suspension remained in effect. Although
Class B shares could then be exchanged for Class A shares on the basis of
relative net asset value of the two classes, without the imposition of a
sales charge or fee, such exchange could constitute a taxable event for
the holder, and absent such exchange, Class B shares might continue to be
subject to the asset-based sales charge for longer than six years.
The methodology for calculating the net asset value, dividends
and distributions of the Fund's Class A and Class B shares recognizes two
types of expenses. General expenses that do not pertain specifically to
either class are allocated pro rata to the shares of each class, based on
the percentage of the net assets of such class to the Fund's total assets,
and then equally to each outstanding share within a given class. Such
general expenses include (i) management fees, (ii) legal, bookkeeping and
audit fees, (iii) printing and mailing costs of shareholder reports,
Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information and other materials for
current shareholders, (iv) fees to unaffiliated Trustees, (v) custodian
expenses, (vi) share issuance costs, (vii) organization and start-up
costs, (viii) interest, taxes and brokerage commissions, and (ix) non-
recurring expenses, such as litigation costs. Other expenses that are
directly attributable to a class are allocated equally to each outstanding
share within that class. Such expenses include (i) Distribution Plan
fees, (ii) incremental transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and
expenses, (iii) registration fees and (iv) shareholder meeting expenses,
to the extent that such expenses pertain to a specific class rather than
to the Fund as a whole.
Determination of Net Asset Value Per Share. The net asset values per
share of Class A and Class B shares of the Fund are determined as of the
close of business of The New York Stock Exchange on each day that the
Exchange is open, by dividing the Fund's net assets attributable to a
class by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. The
Exchange normally closes at 4:00 P.M., New York time, but may close
earlier on some days (for example, in case of weather emergencies or on
days falling before a holiday). The Exchange's most recent annual
announcement (which is subject to change) states that it will close on New
Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It may also close on other
days. Dealers may conduct trading at times when the Exchange is closed
(including weekends and holidays). The Fund may invest a substantial
portion of its assets in foreign securities primarily listed on foreign
exchanges or in foreign over-the-counter markets that may trade on
Saturdays or customary U.S. business holidays on which the Exchange is
closed. Because the Fund's net asset value will not be calculated on
those days, the Fund's net asset value per share may be significantly
affected on such days when shareholders may not purchase or redeem shares.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has established procedures for the
valuation of the Fund's securities, generally as follows: (i) equity
securities traded on a securities exchange or on NASDAQ for which last
sale information is regularly reported are valued at the last reported
sale price on their primary exchange or NASDAQ that day (or, in the
absence of sales that day, at values based on the last sales prices of the
preceding trading day, or closing bid and asked prices); (ii) securities
traded on NASDAQ and other unlisted equity securities for which last sale
prices are not regularly reported but for which over-the-counter market
quotations are readily available are valued at the highest closing bid
price at the time of valuation, or, if no closing bid price is reported,
on the basis of a closing bid price obtained from a dealer who maintains
an active market in that security; (iii) debt securities having a maturity
in excess of 60 days are valued at the mean between the bid and asked
prices determined by a portfolio pricing service approved by the Fund's
Board of Trustees or obtained from active market makers in the security
on the basis of reasonable inquiry; (iv) short-term debt securities having
a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at cost, adjusted for
amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts; (v) securities
(including restricted securities) not having readily-available market
quotations are valued at fair value under the Board's procedures; and (vi)
securities traded on foreign exchanges are valued at the closing or last
sales prices reported on a principal exchange, or, if none, at the mean
between closing bid and asked prices and reflect prevailing rates of
exchange taken from the closing price on the London foreign exchange
market that day.
Trading in securities on European and Asian exchanges and over-
the-counter markets is normally completed before the close of The New York
Stock Exchange. Events affecting the values of foreign securities traded
in stock markets that occur between the time their prices are determined
and the close of the Exchange will not be reflected in the Fund's
calculation of net asset value unless the Board of Trustees or the
Manager, under procedures established by the Board of Trustees, determines
that the particular event would materially affect the Fund's net asset
value, in which case an adjustment would be made, if necessary. Foreign
currency will be valued as close to the time fixed for the valuation date
as is reasonably practicable. The values of securities denominated in
foreign currency will be converted to U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates
of exchange at the time of valuation.
Puts, calls and Futures held by the Fund are valued at the last
sales price on the principal exchange on which they are traded, or on
NASDAQ, as applicable, or, if there are no sales that day, in accordance
with (i), above. Forward currency contracts are valued at the closing
price on the London foreign exchange market. When the Fund writes an
option, an amount equal to the premium received by the Fund is included
in the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an
equivalent deferred credit is included in the liability section. The
deferred credit is adjusted ("marked-to-market") to reflect the current
market value of the option. In determining the Fund's gain on
investments, if a call written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds are
increased by the premium received. If a call or put written by the Fund
expires, the Fund has a gain in the amount of the premium; if the Fund
enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a gain or loss
depending on whether the premium was more or less than the cost of the
closing transaction. If the Fund exercises a put it holds, the amount the
Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by the
amount of premium paid by the Fund.
AccountLink. When shares are purchased through AccountLink, each purchase
must be at least $25.00. Shares will be purchased on the regular business
day the Distributor is instructed to initiate the Automated Clearing House
transfer to buy shares. Dividends will begin to accrue on shares
purchased by the proceeds of ACH transfers on the business day the Fund
receives Federal Funds for the purchase through the ACH system before the
close of The New York Stock Exchange. The Exchange normally closes at
4:00 P.M., but may close earlier on certain days. If Federal Funds are
received on a business day after the close of the Exchange, the shares
will be purchased and dividends will begin to accrue on the next regular
business day. The proceeds of ACH transfers are normally received by the
Fund 3 days after the transfers are initiated. The Distributor and the
Fund are not responsible for any delays in purchasing shares resulting
from delays in ACH transmissions.
Reduced Sales Charges. As discussed in the Prospectus, a reduced sales
charge rate may be obtained for Class A shares under Right of Accumulation
and Letters of Intent because of the economies of sales efforts and
expenses realized by the Distributor, dealers and brokers making such
sales. No sales charge is imposed in certain circumstances described in
the Prospectus because the Distributor or dealer or broker incurs little
or no selling expenses. The term "immediate family" refers to one's
spouse, children, grandchildren, grandparents, parents, parents-in-law,
sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings, a sibling's spouse and a spouse's
siblings.
- The OppenheimerFunds. The OppenheimerFunds are those mutual
funds for which the Distributor acts as the distributor or the sub-
distributor and include the following:
Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund
Oppenheimer New York Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Insured Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Florida Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer New Jersey Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Fund
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund
Oppenheimer Time Fund
Oppenheimer Target Fund
Oppenheimer Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund
Oppenheimer Value Stock Fund
Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund
Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Main Street Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer Mortgage Income Fund
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund
Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income Fund
and the following "Money Market Funds":
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves
Centennial Money Market Trust
Centennial Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial Government Trust
Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial America Fund, L.P.
Daily Cash Accumulation Fund, Inc.
There is an initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A
shares of each of the OppenheimerFunds except Money Market Funds (under
certain circumstances described herein, redemption proceeds of Money
Market Fund shares may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge).
- Letters of Intent. A Letter of Intent ("Letter") is the
investor's statement of intention to purchase Class A shares of the Fund
(and other eligible OppenheimerFunds) sold with a front-end sales charge
during the 13-month period from the investor's first purchase pursuant to
the Letter (the "Letter of Intent period"), which may, at the investor's
request, include purchases made up to 90 days prior to the date of the
Letter. The Letter states the investor's intention to make the aggregate
amount of purchases (excluding any purchases made by reinvestments of
dividends or distributions or purchases made at net asset value without
sales charge), which together with the investor's holdings of such funds
(calculated at their respective public offering prices calculated on the
date of the Letter) will equal or exceed the amount specified in the
Letter. This enables the investor to obtain the reduced sales charge rate
(as set forth in the Prospectus) applicable to purchases of shares in that
amount (the "intended purchase amount"). Each purchase under the Letter
will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single lump-sum
purchase of shares in the intended purchase amount, as described in the
Prospectus.
In submitting a Letter, the investor makes no commitment to
purchase shares, but if the investor's purchases of shares within the
Letter of Intent period, when added to the value (at offering price) of
the investor's holdings of shares on the last day of that period, do not
equal or exceed the intended purchase amount, the investor agrees to pay
the additional amount of sales charge applicable to such purchases, as set
forth in "Terms of Escrow," below (as those terms may be amended from time
to time). The investor agrees that shares equal in value to 5% of the
intended purchase amount will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent
subject to the Terms of Escrow. Also, the investor agrees to be bound by
the terms of the Prospectus, this Statement of Additional Information and
the Application used for such Letter of Intent, and if such terms are
amended, as they may be from time to time by the Fund, that those
amendments will apply automatically to existing Letters of Intent.
If the total eligible purchases made during the Letter of Intent
period do not equal or exceed the intended purchase amount, the
commissions previously paid to the dealer of record for the account and
the amount of sales charge retained by the Distributor will be adjusted
to the rates applicable to actual purchases. If total eligible purchases
during the Letter of Intent period exceed the intended purchase amount and
exceed the amount needed to qualify for the next sales charge rate
reduction set forth in the applicable prospectus, the sales charges paid
will be adjusted to the lower rate, but only if and when the dealer
returns to the Distributor the excess of the amount of commissions allowed
or paid to the dealer over the amount of commissions that apply to the
actual amount of purchases. The excess commissions returned to the
Distributor will be used to purchase additional shares for the investor's
account at the net asset value per share in effect on the date of such
purchase, promptly after the Distributor's receipt thereof.
In determining the total amount of purchases made under a Letter,
shares redeemed by the investor prior to the termination of the Letter of
Intent period will be deducted. It is the responsibility of the dealer
of record and/or the investor to advise the Distributor about the Letter
in placing any purchase orders for the investor during the Letter of
Intent period. All of such purchases must be made through the
Distributor.
- Terms of Escrow That Apply to Letters of Intent.
1. Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if
necessary) made pursuant to a Letter, shares of the Fund equal in value
to 5% of the intended purchase amount specified in the Letter shall be
held in escrow by the Transfer Agent. For example, if the intended
purchase amount is $50,000, the escrow shall be shares valued in the
amount of $2,500 (computed at the public offering price adjusted for a
$50,000 purchase). Any dividends and capital gains distributions on the
escrowed shares will be credited to the investor's account.
2. If the intended purchase amount specified under the Letter
is completed within the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period, the
escrowed shares will be promptly released to the investor.
3. If, at the end of the thirteen-month Letter of Intent period
the total purchases pursuant to the Letter are less than the intended
purchase amount specified in the Letter, the investor must remit to the
Distributor an amount equal to the difference between the dollar amount
of sales charges actually paid and the amount of sales charges which would
have been paid if the total amount purchased had been made at a single
time. Such sales charge adjustment will apply to any shares redeemed
prior to the completion of the Letter. If such difference in sales
charges is not paid within twenty days after a request from the
Distributor or the dealer, the Distributor will, within sixty days of the
expiration of the Letter, redeem the number of escrowed shares necessary
to realize such difference in sales charges. Full and fractional shares
remaining after such redemption will be released from escrow. If a
request is received to redeem escrowed shares prior to the payment of such
additional sales charge, the sales charge will be withheld from the
redemption proceeds.
4. By signing the Letter, the investor irrevocably constitutes
and appoints the Transfer Agent as attorney-in-fact to surrender for
redemption any or all escrowed shares.
5. The shares eligible for purchase under the Letter (or the
holding of which may be counted toward completion of the Letter) do not
include any shares sold without a front-end sales charge or without being
subject to a Class A contingent deferred sales charge unless (for the
purpose of determining completion of the obligation to purchase shares
under the Letter) the shares were acquired in exchange for shares of one
of the OppenheimerFunds whose shares were acquired by payment of a sales
charge.
6. Shares held in escrow hereunder will automatically be
exchanged for shares of another fund to which an exchange is requested,
as described in the section of the Prospectus entitled "How to Exchange
Shares," and the escrow will be transferred to that other fund.
Asset Builder Plans. To establish an Asset Builder Plan from a bank
account, a check (minimum $25) for the initial purchase must accompany the
application. Shares purchased by Asset Builder Plan payments from bank
accounts are subject to the redemption restrictions for recent purchases
described in "How To Sell Shares," in the Prospectus. Asset Builder Plans
also enable shareholders of Oppenheimer Cash Reserves to use those
accounts for monthly automatic purchases of shares of up to four other
OppenheimerFunds.
There is a front-end sales charge on the purchase of certain
OppenheimerFunds, or a contingent deferred sales charge may apply to
shares purchased by Asset Builder payments. An application should be
obtained from the Distributor, completed and returned, and a prospectus
of the selected fund(s) should be obtained from the Distributor or your
financial advisor before initiating Asset Builder payments. The amount
of the Asset Builder investment may be changed or the automatic
investments may be terminated at any time by writing to the Transfer
Agent. A reasonable period (approximately 15 days) is required after the
Transfer Agent's receipt of such instructions to implement them. The Fund
reserves the right to amend, suspend, or discontinue offering such plans
at any time without prior notice.
Cancellation of Purchase Orders. Cancellation of purchase orders for the
Fund's shares (for example, when a purchase check is returned to the Fund
unpaid) causes a loss to be incurred when the net asset value of the
Fund's shares on the cancellation date is less than on the purchase date.
That loss is equal to the amount of the decline in the net asset value per
share multiplied by the number of shares in the purchase order. The
investor is responsible for that loss. If the investor fails to
compensate the Fund for the loss, the Distributor will do so. The Fund
may reimburse the Distributor for that amount by redeeming shares from any
account registered in that investor's name, or the Fund or the Distributor
may seek other redress.
How To Sell Shares
Information on how to sell shares of the Fund is stated in the
Prospectus. The information below supplements the terms and conditions for
redemptions set forth in the Prospectus.
- Involuntary Redemptions. The Fund's Board of Trustees has the
right to cause the involuntary redemption of the shares held in any
account if the aggregate net asset value of those shares is less than $200
or such lesser amount as the Board may fix. The Board of Trustees will
not cause the involuntary redemption of shares in an account if the
aggregate net asset value of the shares has fallen below the stated
minimum solely as a result of market fluctuations. Should the Board elect
to exercise this right, it may also fix, in accordance with the Investment
Company Act, the requirements for any notice to be given to the
shareholders in question (not less than 30 days), or the Board may set
requirements for granting permission to the Shareholder to increase the
investment, and set other terms and conditions so that the shares would
not be involuntarily redeemed.
- Payments "In Kind". The Prospectus states that payment for
shares tendered for redemption is ordinarily made in cash. However, the
Board of Trustees of the Fund may determine that it would be detrimental
to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Fund to make
payment of a redemption order wholly or partly in cash. In that case the
Fund may pay the redemption proceeds in whole or in part by a distribution
"in kind" of securities from the portfolio of the Fund, in lieu of cash,
in conformity with applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the
Investment Company Act, pursuant to which the Fund is obligated to redeem
shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets
of the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. If shares
are redeemed in kind, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or
other costs in selling the securities for cash. The method of valuing
securities used to make redemptions in kind will be the same as the method
the Fund uses to value its portfolio securities described above under
"Determination of Net Asset Values Per Share" and that valuation will be
made as of the time the redemption price is determined.
Reinvestment Privilege. Within six months of a redemption, a shareholder
may reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of (i) Class A shares,
or (ii) Class B shares that were subject to the Class B contingent
deferred sales charge when redeemed. The reinvestment may be made without
sales charge only in Class A shares of the Fund or any of the other
OppenheimerFunds into which shares of the Fund are exchangeable as
described below, at the net asset value next computed after the Transfer
Agent receives the reinvestment order. The shareholder must ask the
Distributor for that privilege at the time of reinvestment. Any capital
gain that was realized when the shares were redeemed is taxable, and
reinvestment will not alter any capital gains tax payable on that gain.
If there has been a capital loss on the redemption, some or all of the
loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the timing and amount of the
reinvestment. Under the Internal Revenue Code, if the redemption proceeds
of Fund shares on which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares
of the Fund or another of the OppenheimerFunds within 90 days of payment
of the sales charge, the shareholder's basis in the shares of the Fund
that were redeemed may not include the amount of the sales charge paid.
That would reduce the loss or increase the gain recognized from the
redemption. However, in that case the sales charge would be added to the
basis of the shares acquired by the reinvestment of the redemption
proceeds. The Fund may amend, suspend or cease offering this reinvestment
privilege at any time as to shares redeemed after the date of such
amendment, suspension or cessation.
Transfers of Shares. Shares are not subject to the payment of a
contingent deferred sales charge of either class at the time of transfer
to the name of another person or entity (whether the transfer occurs by
absolute assignment, gift or bequest, not involving, directly or
indirectly, a public sale). The transferred shares will remain subject
to the contingent deferred sales charge, calculated as if the transferee
shareholder had acquired the transferred shares in the same manner and at
the same time as the transferring shareholder. If less than all shares
held in an account are transferred, and some but not all shares in the
account would be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed
at the time of transfer, the priorities described in the Prospectus under
"How to Buy Shares" for the imposition of the Class B contingent deferred
sales charge will be followed in determining the order in which shares are
transferred.
Distributions From Retirement Plans. Requests for distributions from
OppenheimerFunds-sponsored IRAs, 403(b)(7) custodial plans, or pension or
profit-sharing plans should be addressed to "Trustee, OppenheimerFunds
Retirement Plans," c/o the Transfer Agent at its address listed in "How
To Sell Shares" in the Prospectus or on the back cover of this Statement
of Additional Information. The request must: (i) state the reason for the
distribution; (ii) state the owner's awareness of tax penalties if the
distribution is premature; and (iii) conform to the requirements of the
plan and the Fund's other redemption requirements. Participants (other
than self-employed persons) in OppenheimerFunds-sponsored pension or
profit-sharing plans may not directly request redemption of their
accounts. The employer or plan administrator must sign the request.
Distributions from pension and profit sharing plans are subject to special
requirements under the Internal Revenue Code and certain documents
(available from the Transfer Agent) must be completed before the
distribution may be made. Distributions from retirement plans are subject
to withholding requirements under the Internal Revenue Code, and IRS Form
W-4P (available from the Transfer Agent) must be submitted to the Transfer
Agent with the distribution request, or the distribution may be delayed.
Unless the shareholder has provided the Transfer Agent with a certified
tax identification number, the Internal Revenue Code requires that tax be
withheld from any distribution even if the shareholder elects not to have
tax withheld. The Fund, the Manager, the Distributor, the Trustee and the
Transfer Agent assume no responsibility to determine whether a
distribution satisfies the conditions of applicable tax laws and will not
be responsible for any tax penalties assessed in connection with a
distribution.
Special Arrangements for Repurchase of Shares from Dealers and
Brokers. The Distributor is the Fund's agent to repurchase its shares
from authorized dealers or brokers. The repurchase price per share will
be the net asset value next computed after the Distributor receives the
order placed by the dealer or broker, except that if the Distributor
receives a repurchase order from a dealer or broker after the close of The
New York Stock Exchange on a regular business day, it will be processed
at that day's net asset value if the order was received by the dealer or
broker from its customers prior to the time the Exchange closes (normally,
that is 4:00 P.M., but may be earlier on some days) and the order was
transmitted to and received by the Distributor prior to its close of
business that day (normally 5:00 P.M.). Payment ordinarily will be made
within seven days after the Distributor's receipt of the required
redemption documents, with signature(s) guaranteed as described in the
Prospectus.
Automatic Withdrawal and Exchange Plans. Investors owning shares of the
Fund valued at $5,000 or more can authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem
shares (minimum $50) automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual
or annual basis under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan. Shares will be
redeemed three business days prior to the date requested by the
shareholder for receipt of the payment. Automatic withdrawals of up to
$1,500 per month may be requested by telephone if payments are to be made
by check payable to all shareholders of record and sent to the address of
record for the account (and if the address has not been changed within the
prior 30 days). Required minimum distributions from OppenheimerFunds-
sponsored retirement plans may not be arranged on this basis. Payments
are normally made by check, but shareholders having AccountLink privileges
(see "How To Buy Shares") may arrange to have Automatic Withdrawal Plan
payments transferred to the bank account designated on the
OppenheimerFunds New Account Application or signature-guaranteed
instructions. The Fund cannot guarantee receipt of a payment on the date
requested and reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering
such plans at any time without prior notice. Because of the sales charge
assessed on Class A share purchases, shareholders should not make regular
additional Class A share purchases while participating in an Automatic
Withdrawal Plan. Class B shareholders should not establish withdrawal
plans that would require the redemption of shares purchased subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge and held less than 6 years, because of
the imposition of the Class B contingent deferred sales charge on such
withdrawals (except where the Class B contingent deferred sales charge is
waived as described in the Prospectus under "Waivers of Class B Sales
Charges").
By requesting an Automatic Withdrawal or Exchange Plan, the
shareholder agrees to the terms and conditions applicable to such plans,
as stated below and in the provisions of the OppenheimerFunds Application
relating to such Plans, as well as the Prospectus. These provisions may
be amended from time to time by the Fund and/or the Distributor. When
adopted, such amendments will automatically apply to existing Plans.
- Automatic Exchange Plans. Shareholders can authorize the
Transfer Agent (on the OppenheimerFunds Application or signature-
guaranteed instructions) to exchange a pre-determined amount of shares of
the Fund for shares (of the same class) of other OppenheimerFunds
automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis under
an Automatic Exchange Plan. The minimum amount that may be exchanged to
each other fund account is $25. Exchanges made under these plans are
subject to the restrictions that apply to exchanges as set forth in "How
to Exchange Shares" in the Prospectus and below in this Statement of
Additional Information.
- Automatic Withdrawal Plans. Fund shares will be redeemed as
necessary to meet withdrawal payments. Shares acquired without a sales
charge will be redeemed first and shares acquired with reinvested
dividends and capital gains distributions will be redeemed next, followed
by shares acquired with a sales charge, to the extent necessary to make
withdrawal payments. Depending upon the amount withdrawn, the investor's
principal may be depleted. Payments made under withdrawal plans should
not be considered as a yield or income on your investment.
The Transfer Agent will administer the investor's Automatic
Withdrawal Plan (the "Plan") as agent for the investor (the "Planholder")
who executed the Plan authorization and application submitted to the
Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent and the Fund shall incur no liability
to the Planholder for any action taken or omitted by the Transfer Agent
in good faith to administer the Plan. Certificates will not be issued for
shares of the Fund purchased for and held under the Plan, but the Transfer
Agent will credit all such shares to the account of the Planholder on the
records of the Fund. Any share certificates held by a Planholder may be
surrendered unendorsed to the Transfer Agent with the Plan application so
that the shares represented by the certificate may be held under the Plan.
For accounts subject to Automatic Withdrawal Plans, distributions
of capital gains must be reinvested in shares of the Fund, which will be
done at net asset value without a sales charge. Dividends on shares held
in the account may be paid in cash or reinvested.
Redemptions of shares needed to make withdrawal payments will be
made at the net asset value per share determined on the redemption date.
Checks or AccountLink payments of the proceeds of Plan withdrawals will
normally be transmitted three business days prior to the date selected for
receipt of the payment (receipt of payment on the date selected cannot be
guaranteed), according to the choice specified in writing by the
Planholder.
The amount and the interval of disbursement payments and the
address to which checks are to be mailed or AccountLink payments are to
be sent may be changed at any time by the Planholder by writing to the
Transfer Agent. The Planholder should allow at least two weeks' time in
mailing such notification for the requested change to be put in effect.
The Planholder may, at any time, instruct the Transfer Agent by written
notice (in proper form in accordance with the requirements of the then-
current Prospectus of the Fund) to redeem all, or any part of, the shares
held under the Plan. In that case, the Transfer Agent will redeem the
number of shares requested at the net asset value per share in effect in
accordance with the Fund's usual redemption procedures and will mail a
check for the proceeds to the Planholder.
The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Planholder by
writing to the Transfer Agent. A Plan may also be terminated at any time
by the Transfer Agent upon receiving directions to that effect from the
Fund. The Transfer Agent will also terminate a Plan upon receipt of
evidence satisfactory to it of the death or legal incapacity of the
Planholder. Upon termination of a Plan by the Transfer Agent or the Fund,
shares that have not been redeemed from the account will be held in
uncertificated form in the name of the Planholder, and the account will
continue as a dividend-reinvestment, uncertificated account unless and
until proper instructions are received from the Planholder or his or her
executor or guardian, or other authorized person.
To use shares held under the Plan as collateral for a debt, the
Planholder may request issuance of a portion of the shares in certificated
form. Upon written request from the Planholder, the Transfer Agent will
determine the number of shares for which a certificate may be issued
without causing the withdrawal checks to stop because of exhaustion of
uncertificated shares needed to continue payments. However, should such
uncertificated shares become exhausted, Plan withdrawals will terminate.
If the Transfer Agent ceases to act as transfer agent for the
Fund, the Planholder will be deemed to have appointed any successor
transfer agent to act as agent in administering the Plan.
How To Exchange Shares
As stated in the Prospectus, shares of a particular class of
OppenheimerFunds having more than one class of shares may be exchanged
only for shares of the same class of other OppenheimerFunds. Shares of
the OppenheimerFunds that have a single class without a class designation
are deemed "Class A" shares for this purpose. All OppenheimerFunds offer
Class A shares (except for Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income Fund),
but only the following other OppenheimerFunds currently offer Class B
shares:
Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income Fund
Oppenheimer New York Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund
Oppenheimer California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Florida Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer New Jersey Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Insured Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund
Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Value Stock Fund
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Mortgage Income Fund
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves (Class B shares are available only
by exchange)
Oppenheimer Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund
Class A shares of OppenheimerFunds may be exchanged at net asset
value for shares of any Money Market Fund. Shares of any Money Market
Fund purchased without a sales charge may be exchanged for shares of
OppenheimerFunds offered with a sales charge upon payment of the sales
charge (or, if applicable, may be used to purchase shares of
OppenheimerFunds subject to a contingent deferred sales charge). Shares
of this Fund acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions from
any other of the OppenheimerFunds or from any unit investment trust for
which reinvestment arrangements have been made with the Distributor may
be exchanged at net asset value for shares of any of the OppenheimerFunds.
No contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on exchanges of shares of
either class purchased subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
However, when Class A shares acquired by exchange of Class A shares of
other OppenheimerFunds purchased subject to a Class A contingent deferred
sales charge are redeemed within 18 months of the end of the calendar
month of the initial purchase of the exchanged Class A shares, the Class
A contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on the redeemed shares (see
"Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" in the Prospectus). The Class
B contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares acquired
by exchange if they are redeemed within 6 years of the initial purchase
of the exchanged Class B shares.
When Class B shares are redeemed to effect an exchange, the
priorities described in "How To Buy Shares" in the Prospectus for the
imposition of the Class B contingent deferred sales charge will be
followed in determining the order in which the shares are exchanged.
Shareholders should take into account the effect of any exchange on the
applicability and rate of any contingent deferred sales charge that might
be imposed in the subsequent redemption of remaining shares. Shareholders
owning shares of both classes must specify whether they intend to exchange
Class A or Class B shares.
The Fund reserves the right to reject telephone or written
exchange requests submitted in bulk by anyone on behalf of 10 or more
accounts. The Fund may accept requests for exchanges of up to 50 accounts
per day from representatives of authorized dealers that qualify for this
privilege. In connection with any exchange request, the number of shares
exchanged may be less than the number requested if the exchange or the
number requested would include shares subject to a restriction cited in
the Prospectus or this Statement of Additional Information or would
include shares covered by a share certificate that is not tendered with
the request. In those cases, only the shares available for exchange
without restriction will be exchanged.
When exchanging shares by telephone, a shareholder must either
have an existing account in, or obtain and acknowledge receipt of a
prospectus of, the fund to which the exchange is to be made. For full or
partial exchanges of an account made by telephone, any special account
features such as Asset Builder Plans, Automatic Withdrawal Plans and
retirement plan contributions will be switched to the new account unless
the Transfer Agent is instructed otherwise. If all telephone lines are
busy (which might occur, for example, during periods of substantial market
fluctuations), shareholders might not be able to request exchanges by
telephone and would have to submit written exchange requests.
Shares to be exchanged are redeemed on the regular business day
the Transfer Agent receives an exchange request in proper form (the
"Redemption Date"). Normally, shares of the fund to be acquired are
purchased on the Redemption Date, but such purchases may be delayed by
either fund up to five business days if it determines that it would be
disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of the redemption proceeds. The
Fund reserves the right, in its discretion, to refuse any exchange request
that may disadvantage it (for example, if the receipt of multiple exchange
requests from a dealer might require the disposition of portfolio
securities at a time or at a price that might be disadvantageous to the
Fund).
The different OppenheimerFunds available for exchange have
different investment objectives, policies and risks, and a shareholder
should assure that the Fund selected is appropriate for his or her
investment and should be aware of the tax consequences of an exchange.
For federal income tax purposes, an exchange transaction is treated as a
redemption of shares of one fund and a purchase of shares of another.
"Reinvestment Privilege," above, discusses some of the tax consequences
of reinvestment of redemption proceeds in such cases. The Fund, the
Distributor, and the Transfer Agent are unable to provide investment, tax
or legal advice to a shareholder in connection with an exchange request
or any other investment transaction.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
Tax Status of the Fund's Dividends and Distributions. The Federal tax
treatment of the Fund's dividends and capital gains distributions is
explained in the Prospectus under the caption "Dividends, Capital Gains
and Taxes." Special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code govern the
eligibility of the Fund's dividends for the dividends-received deduction
for corporate shareholders. Long-term capital gains distributions are not
eligible for the deduction. In addition, the amount of dividends paid by
the Fund which may qualify for the deduction is limited to the aggregate
amount of qualifying dividends that the Fund derives from its portfolio
investments that the Fund has held for a minimum period, usually 46 days.
A corporate shareholder will not be eligible for the deduction on
dividends paid on Fund shares held for 45 days or less. To the extent the
Fund's dividends are derived from gross income from option premiums,
interest income or short-term gains from the sale of securities or
dividends from foreign corporations, those dividends will not qualify for
the deduction.
Dividends, distributions and the proceeds of the redemption of
Fund shares represented by checks returned to the Transfer Agent by the
Postal Service as undeliverable will be invested in shares of Oppenheimer
Money Market Fund, Inc., as promptly as possible after the return of such
checks to the Transfer Agent, in order to enable the investor to earn a
return on otherwise idle funds.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, by December 31 each year, the
Fund must distribute 98% of its taxable investment income earned from
January 1 through December 31 of that year and 98% of its capital gains
realized in the period from November 1 of the prior year through October
31 of the current year, or else the Fund must pay an excise tax on the
amounts not distributed. While it is presently anticipated that the Fund
will meet those requirements, the Fund's Board of Trustees and the Manager
might determine in a particular year that it would be in the best interest
of shareholders for the Fund not to make such distributions at the
required levels and to pay the excise tax on the undistributed amounts.
That would reduce the amount of income or capital gains available for
distribution to shareholders.
Dividend Reinvestment in Another Fund. Shareholders of the Fund may elect
to reinvest all dividends and/or capital gains distributions in shares of
the same class of any of the other OppenheimerFunds listed in "Reduced
Sales Charges," above, at net asset value without sales charge. Class B
shareholders should be aware that as of the date of this Statement of
Additional Information, not all of the OppenheimerFunds offer Class B
shares. To elect this option, a shareholder must notify the Transfer
Agent in writing and either have an existing account in the fund selected
for reinvestment or must obtain a prospectus for that fund and an
application from the Distributor to establish an account. The investment
will be made at the net asset value per share in effect at the close of
business on the payable date of the dividend or distribution. Dividends
and/or distributions from shares of other OppenheimerFunds may be invested
in shares of this Fund on the same basis.
Additional Information About the Fund
The Custodian. The Bank of New York is the Custodian of the Fund's
assets. The Custodian's responsibilities include safeguarding and
controlling the Fund's portfolio securities and handling the delivery of
such securities to and from the Fund. The Manager has represented to the
Fund that the banking relationships with the Custodian have been and will
continue to be unrelated to and unaffected by the relationship between the
Fund and the Custodian. It will be the practice of the Fund to deal with
the Custodian in a manner uninfluenced by any banking relationship the
Custodian may have with the Manager and its affiliates. The Fund's cash
balances with the Custodian in excess of $100,000 are not protected by
Federal deposit insurance. Those uninsured balances at times may be
substantial.
Independent Auditors. The independent auditors of the Fund audit the
Fund's financial statements and perform other related audit services.
They also act as auditors for the Manager and certain other funds advised
by the Manager and its affiliates.
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Board of Trustees and Shareholders of
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund:
We have audited the accompanying statement of
assets and liabilities, including the statement of
investments, of Oppenheimer Strategic Income &
Growth Fund as of September 30, 1994, the related
statement of operations for the year then ended,
the statements of changes in net assets for the
years ended September 30, 1994 and 1993 and the
financial highlights for the period June 1, 1992
(commencement of operations) to September 30,
1994. These financial statements and financial
highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's
management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements and
financial highlights based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards. Those
standards require that we plan and perform the
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
the financial statements and financial highlights
are free of material misstatement. An audit also
includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the
financial statements. Our procedures included
confirmation of securities owned at September 30,
1994 by correspondence with the custodian and
brokers; where replies were not received from
brokers, we performed other auditing procedures.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that
our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements
and financial highlights present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund at
September 30, 1994, the results of its operations,
the changes in its net assets, and the financial
highlights for the respective stated periods, in
conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Denver, Colorado
October 21, 1994
<PAGE>
-----------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS SEPTEMBER 30, 1994
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE MARKET VALUE
AMOUNT SEE NOTE 1
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS--3.2%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Repurchase agreement with First Chicago Capital Markets, 4.95%,
dated 9/30/94, to be repurchased at $1,900,784 on 10/3/94,
collateralized by U.S. Treasury Nts. 4.25%--8.50%, 4/15/95--
7/15/98, with a value of $1,074,386 and U.S. Treasury Bills,
0%, 3/16/95--3/23/95, with a value of $865,377 (Cost $1,900,000) $1,900,000 $1,900,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LONG-TERM GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS--24.0%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina (Republic of) Bonds, Bonos de Consolidacion de Deudas,
Series I:
3.704%, 4/1/01(4)(6) 1,264,378(1) 737,853
4.375%, 4/1/01(4)(6) 1,723,903 1,306,567
4.8125%, 9/1/02(4)(6) 267,900 180,399
4.8125%, 4/1/07(4)(6) 287,317 178,886
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banco Nacional de Mexico S.A., 7% Exch. Sub. Debs., 12/15/99(5) 400,000 464,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denmark (Kingdom of) Bonds., 9%, 11/15/98 2,980,000(1) 493,948
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Empresa Columbiana de Petroleos Nts., 7.25%, 7/8/98(5) 300,000 286,125
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Italy (Republic of) Treasury Bonds, Buoni Poliennali del Tes:
12%, 1/1/96 50,000,000(1) 32,452
12%, 5/1/97 850,000,000(1) 552,228
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morocco (Kingdom of) Loan Participation Agreement,
Tranche A, 5.9375%, 1/1/09(4)(5) 650,000 474,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New South Wales Treasury Corp., 7% Gtd. Bonds, 4/1/04 500,000(1) 292,991
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Zealand (Republic of) Bonds, 10%, 7/15/97 390,000(1) 240,946
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petacalco Topolobampo Trust, Sr. Sec. Unsub. Nts., 8.125%, 12/15/03 100,000 85,875
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Polish People's Republic Loan Participation Agreement, 5.0625%,
2/3/24(5)(9) 500,000 276,671
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Australia Government Finance Authority Bonds, 10%, 1/15/03 120,000(1) 85,200
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spain (Kingdom of) Bonds, 11.45%, 8/30/98 74,000,000(1) 582,733
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Treasury Corp. of Victoria Gtd. Bonds, 8.25%, 10/15/03 680,000(1) 433,036
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom Treasury Nts., 12%, 11/20/98 390,000(1) 681,915
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Treasury Bonds:
7.875%, 2/15/21 600,000 592,500
7.125%, 2/15/23(10) 2,000,000 1,818,124
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Treasury Nts.:
4.625%, 8/15/95(11) 1,130,000 1,117,994
5.125%, 11/15/95 1,470,000 1,455,300
5.75%, 10/31/97 1,300,000 1,258,563
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Venezuela (Republic of), 6.75% Debs., 9/20/95(5) 500,000 474,375
------------
Total Long-Term Government Obligations (Cost $14,434,331) 14,103,681
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORTGAGE/ASSET-BACKED OBLIGATIONS--1.7%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOVERNMENT AGENCY--1.7%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal National Mortage Assn. Interest-Only Stripped Mtg.-Backed
Security, Trust 257, Class 2, 7%, 2/25/24(8) 1,950,245 748,407
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., 8.95%, 3/15/20 226,000 231,062
-------
Total Mortgage/Asset-Backed Obligations (Cost $916,941) 979,469
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LONG-TERM CORPORATE BONDS AND NOTES--26.7%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BASIC MATERIALS--3.1%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHEMICALS--0.5% Rexene Corp., 10% 2nd Priority Nts., 11/15/02(6) 309,000 294,838
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
METALS--0.5% Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 12.75% Sr. Sub. Nts., 2/1/03 300,000
291,750
</TABLE>
4 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE MARKET VALUE
AMOUNT SEE NOTE 1
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PAPER AND FOREST PRODUCTS--2.1%
Equitable Bag, Inc., 12.375% Sr. Nts., 8/15/02(2) $ 50,000 $ 29,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gaylord Container Corp., 11.50% Sr. Nts., 5/15/01 600,000 615,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT Inti Indorayon Utama, 9.125% Sr. Nts., 10/15/00 100,000 87,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Consolidated Corp., 10.25% Sr. Sec. Nts., 12/15/00 300,000 296,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stone Container Corp., 10.75% Fst. Mtg. Nts., 10/1/02 200,000 199,750
----------
1,227,750
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER CYCLICALS--5.3%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMOTIVE--0.8% Envirotest Systems Corp., 9.625% Sr. Sub. Nts., 4/1/03 200,000
184,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penda Corp., 10.75% Sr. Nts., Series B, 3/1/04 300,000 277,500
----------
461,500
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES AND
DEVELOPMENT--0.9% USG Corp., 10.25% Sr. Sec. Nts., 12/15/02 500,000 512,500
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES--0.8%
Amstar Corp., 11.375% Sr. Sub. Nts., 2/15/97 300,000 297,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revlon Consumer Products Corp., 9.375% Sr. Nts., 4/1/01 200,000 175,502
----------
472,502
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENTERTAINMENT--1.3% Gillett Holdings, Inc., 12.25% Sr. Sub. Nts., Series A, 6/30/02 300,000
318,750
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lady Luck Gaming Finance Corp., 10.50% Fst. Mtg. Nts., 3/1/01 50,000 22,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marvel (Parent) Holdings, Inc., 0% Sr. Sec. Disc. Nts., 4/15/98 700,000 437,500
----------
778,750
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIA--0.9% SCI Television, Inc., 11% Sr. Nts., 6/30/05 500,000 509,375
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETAIL--0.6% Finlay Fine Jewelry Corp., 10.625% Sr. Nts., 5/1/03 400,000 380,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER NON-CYCLICALS--3.2%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOD--0.9% Foodmaker, Inc., 14.25% Sr. Sub. Nts., 5/15/98 500,000 525,625
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOD AND DRUG
DISTRIBUTION--1.7% Alco Health Distribution Corp., 11.25% Sr. Debs., 7/15/05(6) 555,587
543,607
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Union Co., 11.25% Sr. Nts., 7/15/00 500,000 453,750
----------
997,357
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEALTHCARE--0.6% American Medical International, Inc., 13.50% Sr. Sub. Nts., 8/15/01 300,000
335,625
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENERGY--0.5% Maxus Energy Corp., 9.875% Nts., 10/15/02 300,000 289,500
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL--3.6% Blue Bell Funding, Inc., 11.85% Extd. Sec. Nts., 5/1/99 400,000 428,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grupo Mexicano de Desarrollo S.A., 8.25% Gtd. Nts., 2/18/01(5) 300,000 246,750
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Bonds,
12.50%, 7/25/97 1,015,000(1) 660,522
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life Partners Group, Inc., 12.75% Sr. Sub. Nts., 7/15/02 300,000 326,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tribasa Toll Road Trust, 10.50% Nts., Series 1993-A,
12/1/11(5) 500,000 451,250
----------
2,113,272
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDUSTRIAL--3.8%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTAINERS--1.4% Owens-Illinois, Inc., 10% Sr. Sub. Nts., 8/1/02 400,000 402,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea Containers Ltd., 12.50% Sr. Sub. Debs., Series A, 12/1/04 400,000 419,000
----------
821,000
</TABLE>
5 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
-----------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
FACE MARKET VALUE
AMOUNT SEE NOTE 1
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
GENERAL INDUSTRIAL--1.3% EnviroSource, Inc., 9.75% Sr. Nts., 6/15/03 $ 500,000 $
455,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Polymer Group, Inc., 12.25% Sr. Nts., 7/15/02(5) 300,000 300,000
----------
755,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSPORTATION--1.1% Tiphook Financial Corp., 8% Gtd. Nts., 3/15/00 179,000
123,510
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transportacion Maritima Mexicana SA, 8.50% Nts., 10/15/00 585,000 515,531
----------
639,041
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TECHNOLOGY--6.7%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CABLE TELEVISION--4.2% Adelphia Communications Corp., 12.50% Sr. Nts., 5/15/02 300,000
300,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cablevision Systems Corp., 9.875% Sr. Sub. Debs., 2/15/13 250,000 233,125
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Celcaribe SA, 0%/13.50% Sr. Sec. Nts., 3/15/04(3)(5) 400,000 253,499
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comcast Cellular Corp., 0% Nts., Series B, 3/5/00 300,000 186,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Continental Cablevision, Inc., 9.50% Sr. Debs., 8/1/13 500,000 455,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Echostar Communications Corp. Units 200,000 96,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time Warner, Inc./Time Warner Entertainment LP, 8.375% Sr. Debs.,
3/15/23 500,000 438,340
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TKR Cable I, Inc., 10.50% Sr. Debs., 10/30/07 500,000 543,125
----------
2,505,089
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMUNICATIONS--1.5% MFS Communications, Inc., 0%/9.375% Sr. Disc. Nts., 1/15/04(3) 300,000
177,750
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NewCity Communications, Inc., 11.375% Sr. Sub. Nts., 11/1/03 200,000 202,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panamsat LP/Panamsat Capital Corp., 0%/11.375% Sr. Sub. Disc. Nts.,
8/1/03(3) 750,000 504,375
----------
884,625
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology--1.0% Bell & Howell Holdings Co., 0%/11.50% Sr. Disc. Debs., Series B,
3/1/05(3) 600,000 315,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imax Corp., 7% Sr. Nts., 3/1/01(7) 320,000 280,000
----------
595,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UTILITIES--0.5% El Paso Electric, 10.375% Lease Oblig. Debs., 1/2/11(9) 400,000 216,337
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subic Power Corp., 9.50% Sr. Sec. Nts., Series A, 12/28/08(5) 100,000 92,250
----------
308,587
-----------
Total Long-Term Coporate Bonds and Notes (Cost $16,726,455) $15,698,686
SHARES
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON STOCKS--39.9%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER CYCLICALS--4.1%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTO PARTS: AFTER MARKET
- --1.4% Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. 24,000 801,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROADCAST MEDIA--0.1% Celcaribe SA(2)(5) 65,040 79,501
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETAIL STORES:
DEPARTMENT STORES--1.2% May Department Stores Co. 18,000 708,750
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETAIL: SPECIALTY--1.4% Gap, Inc. (The) 25,000 821,875
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER NON-CYCLICALS--15.7%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEVERAGES: SOFT DRINKS--3.4% Coca-Cola Co. (The) 22,000 1,069,750
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PepsiCo, Inc. 28,000 927,500
----------
1,997,250
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MARKET VALUE
SHARES SEE NOTE 1
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
DRUGS--4.9% Merck & Co., Inc. 22,000 $ 781,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pfizer, Inc. 16,000 1,106,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Schering-Plough Corp. 14,000 994,000
----------
2,881,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEALTHCARE: DIVERSIFIED--1.8% Abbott Laboratories 34,000 1,066,750
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS--1.8% Colgate-Palmolive Co. 18,000 1,044,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDICAL PRODUCTS--2.2% Medtronic, Inc. 22,000 1,163,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stryker Corp. 3,000 104,250
----------
1,267,500
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOBACCO--1.6% UST, Inc. 33,000 944,625
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL--12.1%
Financial Services:
Miscellaneous--3.4% American Express Co. 34,000 1,032,750
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal National Mortgage Assn. 12,000 945,000
----------
1,977,750
Major Banks: Regional--6.6%
Banc One Corp. 30,000 896,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Interstate Bancorp 13,000 1,054,625
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NationsBank Corp. 19,000 931,000
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SunTrust Banks, Inc. 21,000 1,023,750
----------
3,905,625
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Center Banks--2.1%
Chase Manhattan Corp. 26,000 900,250
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citicorp 8,000 340,000
----------
1,240,250
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDUSTRIAL--1.8%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT--1.8% General Electric Co. 22,000 1,058,750
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TECHNOLOGY--6.2%
Computer Software
And Services--3.1% Automatic Data Processing, Inc. 13,000 729,625
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Corp.(2) 19,000 1,066,375
----------
1,796,000
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELECTRONICS:
SEMICONDUCTORS--3.1% Intel Corp. 15,000 922,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Texas Instruments, Inc. 13,000 888,875
----------
1,811,375
----------
Total Common Stocks (Cost $22,066,990) 23,402,001
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREFERRED STOCKS--2.0% AMR Corp., $3.00 Cum. Cv. Depositary Shares, Series A(5) 9,000
364,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Madison Bank, FSB, 11.50%(12) 2,500 262,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prime Retail, Inc., $19.00 Cv., Series B 12,000 289,500
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unisys Corp., $3.75 Cv., Series A 7,000 255,500
----------
Total Preferred Stocks (Cost $1,273,750) 1,172,000
</TABLE>
7 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)
MARKET VALUE
DATE/PRICE FACE AMOUNT SEE NOTE 1
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PUT OPTIONS PURCHASED--0.0% European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar Put
Nov. 2/1.60 DEM 2,072,494(1) $ 4,274
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar Put
Nov. 4/1.60 DEM 1,036,247(1) 2,722
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar Put
Nov. 8/1.60 DEM 1,036,247(1) 2,338
----------
Total Put Options Purchased (Cost $45,163) 9,334
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STRUCTURED INSTRUMENTS--2.0% Bayerische Landesbank, N.Y. Branch:
Mexican Peso Linked Confidence Nt., Girozentrale Branch,
35.50%, 12/30/94(5) 170,000 167,025
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Italian Lira Linked Confidence Nt., Girozentrale Branch, 10%, 8/7/95 190,000 185,744
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goldman Sachs International Limited, 5.10%, 2/28/95 70,000 68,082
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York
(Singapore Branch) CD, 12.15%, 2/3/95 1,056,625,000(1) 485,570
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swiss Bank Corp. Investment Banking, Inc.,
10% CD Sterling Rate Linked Nts., 7/3/95 300,000 295,920
----------
Total Structured Instruments (Cost $1,230,001) 1,202,341
Total Investments, at Value (Cost $58,593,631) 99.5% 58,467,512
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Assets Net of Liabilities .5 318,104
---------- ----------
Net Assets 100.0% $58,785,616
---------- ----------
---------- ----------
<FN>
1. Face amount is reported in foreign currency.
2. Non-income producing security.
3. Represents a zero coupon bond that converts to
a fixed rate of interest at a designated future
date.
4. Represents the current interest rate for a
variable rate security.
5. Restricted security--See Note 6 of Notes to
Financial Statements.
6. Interest or dividend is paid in kind.
7. Represents the current interest rate for an
increasing rate security.
8. Interest-Only Strips represent the right to
receive the monthly interest payments on an
underlying pool of mortgage loans. These
securities typically decline in price as
interest rates decline. Most other fixed-income\
securities increase in price when interest
rates decline. The principal amount of the
underlying pool represents the notional amount
on which current interest is calculated. The
price of these securities is typically more
sensitive to changes in prepayment rates than
traditional mortgage backed securities (for
example, GNMA pass-throughs).
9. Partial interest payment was received.
10. Securities with an aggregate market value of $119,996 are held in escrow to cover outstanding
call options, as follows:
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FACE EXPIRATION EXERCISE PREMIUM MARKET
VALUE
SUBJECT TO CALL DATE PRICE RECEIVED SEE NOTE
1
--------------- -------- ----- -------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
904,467 11/2/94 1.50 DEM $ 4,201 $ 2,385
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
406,355 11/2/94 1.60 DEM 10,598 13,542
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
452,234 11/4/94 1.50 DEM 2,177 1,336
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
203,178 11/4/94 1.60 DEM 5,339 6,711
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
452,234 11/8/94 1.54 DEM 5,396 5,560
European OTC Deutsche Mark/U.S. Dollar
203,178 11/8/94 1.60 DEM 5,525 6,952
------- -------
$33,236 $36,486
<FN>
11. Securities with an aggregate market value of
$9,894 are held in escrow to cover initial
margin requirements on open interest rate
futures sales contracts, as follows:
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NUMBER FACE
TYPE OF CONTRACT OF CONTRACTS AMOUNT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
U.S. Treasury Nts., 12/94 3 $305,156
</TABLE>
The market value of the open contracts was
$304,406 at September 30, 1994 with a net
unrealized gain of $750.
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
8 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES September 30, 1994
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
ASSETS Investments, at value (cost $58,593,631)--see accompanying statement $58,467,512
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash 212,885
Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts--Note 7 750
Receivables:
Dividends and interest 724,816
Shares of beneficial interest sold 194,089
Investments sold 215,553
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred organization costs 9,934
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other 21,177
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total assets 59,846,716
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIABILITIES Options written, at value (premiums received $33,236)
--see accompanying statement--Note 4 36,485
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payables and other liabilities:
Investments purchased 293,833
Dividends 225,905
Shares of beneficial interest redeemed 390,956
Distribution and service plan fees--Note 5 37,514
Other 76,407
----------
Total liabilities 1,061,100
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET ASSETS $58,785,616
-----------
-----------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPOSITION OF
NET ASSETS Paid-in capital $60,049,032
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overdistributed net investment income (119,994)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accumulated net realized loss from investment, written option and foreign
currency transactions (1,014,999)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net unrealized depreciation on investments, options written and
translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies (128,423)
-----------
Net assets $58,785,616
-----------
-----------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET ASSET VALUE
PER SHARE Class A Shares:
Net asset value and redemption price per share (based on net assets
of $42,732,778 and 8,683,396 shares of beneficial interest outstanding) $ 4.92
Maximum offering price per share (net asset value plus sales charge of
4.75% of offering price) $ 5.17
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class B Shares:
Net asset value, redemption price and offering price per share (based on net assets
of $16,052,838 and 3,267,106 shares of beneficial interest outstanding) $ 4.91
</TABLE>
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
9 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS For the Year Ended September 30, 1994
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME Interest (net of withholding taxes of $8,073) $ 3,069,864
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends 726,569
-----------
Total income 3,796,433
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPENSES Management fees--Note 5 475,265
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution and service plan fees:
Class A--Note 5 118,925
Class B--Note 5 149,517
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees--Note 5 124,051
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholder reports 69,181
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Custodian fees and expenses 34,248
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal and auditing fees 17,736
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trustees' fees and expenses 2,885
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other 22,877
-----------
Total expenses 1,014,685
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET INVESTMENT INCOME 2,781,748
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED
GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS,
OPTIONS WRITTEN AND FOREIGN
CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS Net realized gain (loss) from:
Investments and options written (991,862)
Expiration and closing of option contracts written--Note 4 (9,184)
Foreign currency transactions 109,713
-----------
Net realized loss (891,333)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on:
Investments and options written (2,460,438)
Translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies 332,437
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change (2,128,001)
Net realized and unrealized loss on investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions (3,019,334)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET DECREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS
$ (237,586)
-----------
-----------
</TABLE>
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,
1994 1993
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
OPERATIONS Net investment income $ 2,781,748 $ 2,774,685
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized gain (loss) on investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions (891,333) 726,649
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments,
options written and translation of assets and liabilities denominated
in foreign currencies (2,128,001) 1,990,636
------------ ------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations (237,586) 5,491,970
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVIDENDS AND
DISTRIBUTIONS TO
SHAREHOLDERS Dividends from net investment income:
Class A ($.209 and $.202 per share,
respectively) (1,931,946) (2,309,909)
Class B ($.185 and $.130 per share, respectively) (722,244) (193,606)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends in excess of net investment income:
Class A ($.011 per share) (98,470) --
Class B ($.011 per share) (36,812) --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distributions from net realized gain on investments, options written,
and foreign currency transactions:
Class A ($.005 per share) -- (62,907)
Class B ($.005 per share) -- (1,304)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distributions in excess of net realized gain on investments, options written,
and foreign currency transactions:
Class A ($.097 per share) (885,559) --
Class B ($.097 per share) (331,059) --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIAL INTEREST
TRANSACTIONS Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from Class A beneficial
interest transactions--Note 2 (9,347,360) 4,173,905
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase in net assets resulting from Class B beneficial interest
transactions--Note 2 4,699,403 12,182,278
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET ASSETS Total increase (decrease) (8,891,633) 19,280,427
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beginning of year 67,677,249 48,396,822
------------ ------------
End of year [including undistributed (overdistributed) net investment
income of ($119,994) and $403,577, respectively] $ 58,785,616 $ 67,677,249
------------ ------------
------------ ------------
</TABLE>
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Class A Class B
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 30,
1994 1993 1992(2) 1994 1993(1)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE OPERATING DATA:
Net asset value, beginning of period $5.26 $5.03 $5.00 $5.26 $5.10
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income .21 .22 .07(3) .19 .14
Net realized and unrealized gain on
investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions (.23) .22 .02 (.25) .16
------- ------- ------- ------- ------
Total income (loss) from investment
operations (.02) .44 .09 (.06) .30
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:
Dividends from net investment income (.21) (.20) (.06) (.18) (.13)
Dividends in excess of net investment income (.01) -- -- (.01) --
Distributions from net realized gain on
investments, options written and foreign
currency transactions -- (.01) -- -- (.01)
Distributions in excess of net realized gain
on investments, options written, and foreign
currency transactions (.10) -- -- (.10) --
-------- ------- ------- ------- ------
Total dividends and distributions
to shareholders (.32) (.21) (.06) (.29) (.14)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value, end of period $4.92 $5.26 $5.03 $4.91 $5.26
------- ------- ------- ------- ------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL RETURN, AT NET ASSET VALUE(4) (.23)% 8.84% 1.74% (1.17)%
5.86%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) $42,733 $55,291 $48,397 $16,053 $12,386
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average net assets (in thousands) $48,360 $59,209 $30,264 $14,986 $7,541
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of shares outstanding
at end of period (in thousands) 8,683 10,513 9,628 3,267 2,357
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratios to average net assets:
Net investment income 4.56% 4.33% 4.59%(5) 3.86% 3.32%(5)
Expenses 1.43% 1.36% 1.46%(3)(5) 2.17% 2.21%(5)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover (6) 80.0% 122.4% 25.8% 80.0% 122.4%
<FN>
1. For the period from November 30, 1992 (inception
of offering) to September 30, 1993.
2. For the period from June 1, 1992 (commencement
of operations) to September 30, 1992.
3. Net investment income would have been $.07
absent the voluntary expense reimbursement,
resulting in an expense ratio of 1.74%.
4. Assumes a hypothetical initial investment on
the business day before the first day of the
fiscal period, with all dividends and
distributions reinvested in additional shares
on the reinvestment date, and redemption at
the net asset value calculated on the last
business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges
are not reflected in the total returns.
5. Annualized.
6. The lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio
securities for a period, divided by the monthly
average of the market value of portfolio
securities owned during the period. Securities
with a maturity or expiration date at the time
of acquisition of one year or less are excluded
from the calculation. Purchases and sales of
investment securities (excluding short-term
securities) for the year ended September 30,
1994 were $53,695,271 and $49,725,672,
respectively.
</TABLE>
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.
<PAGE>
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. SIGNIFICANT Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund (the
ACCOUNTING POLICIES Fund) is registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, as a diversified,
open-end management investment company. The Fund's
investment advisor is Oppenheimer Management
Corporation (the Manager). The Fund offers both
Class A and Class B shares. Class A shares are
sold with a front-end sales charge. Class B shares
may be subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge. Both classes of shares have identical
rights to earnings, assets and voting privileges,
except that each class has its own distribution
and/or service plan, expenses directly
attributable to a particular class and exclusive
voting rights with respect to matters affecting a
single class. Class B shares will automatically
convert to Class A shares six years after the date
of purchase. The following is a summary of
significant accounting policies consistently
followed by the Fund.
--------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT VALUATION. Portfolio securities are
valued at 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on each
trading day. Listed and unlisted securities for
which such information is regularly reported are
valued at the last sale price of the day or, in
the absence of sales, at values based on the
closing bid or asked price or the last sale price
on the prior trading day. Long-term debt
securities are valued by a portfolio pricing
service approved by the Board of Trustees.
Long-term debt securities which cannot be valued
by the approved portfolio pricing service are
valued by averaging the mean between the bid and
asked prices obtained from two active market
makers in such securities. Short-term debt
securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days
or less are valued at cost (or last determined
market value) adjusted for amortization to
maturity of any premium or discount. Securities
for which market quotes are not readily available
are valued under procedures established by the
Board of Trustees to determine fair value in good
faith. An option is valued based upon the last
sales price on the principal exchange on which the
option is traded or, in the absence of any
transactions that day, the value is based upon the
last sale on the prior trading date if it is
within the spread between the closing bid and
asked prices. If the last sale price is outside
the spread, the closing bid or asked price closest
to the last reported sale price is used.
--------------------------------------------------
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION. The accounting
records of the Fund are maintained in U.S.
dollars. Prices of securities denominated in
foreign currencies are translated into U.S.
dollars at the closing rates of exchange. Amounts
related to the purchase and sale of securities and
investment income are translated at the rates of
exchange prevailing on the respective dates of
such transactions.
The Fund generally enters into forward
foreign currency exchange contracts as a hedge,
upon the purchase or sale of a security
denominated in a foreign currency. In addition,
the Fund may enter into such contracts as a hedge
against changes in foreign currency exchange rates
on portfolio positions. A forward exchange
contract is a commitment to purchase or sell a
foreign currency at a future date, at a negotiated
rate. Risks may arise from the potential inability
of the counterparty to meet the terms of the
contract and from unanticipated movements in the
value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S.
dollar.
The effect of changes in foreign
currency exchange rates on investments is
separately identified from the fluctuations
arising from changes in market values of
securities held and reported with all other
foreign currency gains and losses in the Fund's
results of operations.
--------------------------------------------------
OPTIONS WRITTEN. The Fund may write covered call
and put options. When an option is written, the
Fund receives a premium and becomes obligated to
sell or purchase the underlying security at a
fixed price, upon exercise of the option. In
writing an option, the Fund bears the market risk
of an unfavorable change in the price of the
security underlying the written option. Exercise
of an option written by the Fund could result in
the Fund selling or purchasing a security at a
price different from the current market value. All
securities covering call options written are held
in escrow by the custodian bank and the Fund
maintains liquid assets sufficient to cover
written put options in the event of exercise by
the holder.
--------------------------------------------------
ALLOCATION OF INCOME, EXPENSES AND GAINS AND
LOSSES. Income, expenses (other than those
attributable to a specific class) and gains and
losses are allocated daily to each class of shares
based upon the relative proportion of net assets
represented by such class. Operating expenses
directly attributable to a specific class are
charged against the operations of that class.
--------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES. The Fund intends to
continue to comply with provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment
companies and to distribute all of its taxable
income, including any net realized gain on
investments not offset by loss carryovers, to
shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax
provision is required. At September 30, 1994, the
Fund had available for federal income tax purposes
an unused capital loss carryover of approximately
$200,000 expiring in 2002.
13 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. SIGNIFICANT ORGANIZATION COSTS. The Manager advanced $26,000
ACCOUNTING POLICIES for organization and start-up costs of the Fund.
(CONTINUED) Such expenses are being amortized over a five-year
period from the date operations commenced. In the
event that all or part of the Manager's initial
investment in shares of the Fund is withdrawn
during the amortization period, the redemption
proceeds will be reduced to reimburse the Fund for
any unamortized expenses, in the same ratio as the
number of shares redeemed bears to the number of
initial shares outstanding at the time of such
redemption.
--------------------------------------------------
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS. The Fund intends
to declare dividends separately for Class A and
Class B shares from net investment income each day
the New York Stock Exchange is open for business
and pay such dividends monthly. Distributions from
net realized gains on investments, if any, will be
declared at least once each year.
--------------------------------------------------
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING FOR DISTRIBUTIONS TO
SHAREHOLDERS. Effective October 1, 1993, the Fund
adopted Statement of Position 93-2: Determination,
Disclosure, and Financial Statement Presentation
of Income, Capital Gain, and Return of Capital
Distributions by Investment Companies. As a
result, the Fund changed the classification of
distributions to shareholders to better disclose
the differences between financial statement
amounts and distributions determined in accordance
with income tax regulations. Accordingly,
subsequent to September 30, 1993, amounts have
been reclassified to reflect a decrease in
undistributed net investment income and an
increase in undistributed capital gain on
investments of $382,503. During the year ended
September 30, 1994, in accordance with Statement
of Position 93-2, undistributed net investment
income and undistributed capital loss were
decreased by $133,344.
--------------------------------------------------
OTHER. Investment transactions are accounted for
on the date the investments are purchased or sold
(trade date) and dividend income is recorded on
the ex-dividend date. Discount on securities
purchased is amortized over the life of the
respective securities, in accordance with federal
income tax requirements. Realized gains and losses
on investments and options written and unrealized
appreciation and depreciation are determined on an
identified cost basis, which is the same basis
used for federal income tax purposes.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. SHARES OF The Fund has authorized an unlimited number of no
BENEFICIAL INTEREST par value shares of beneficial interest of each
class. Transactions in shares of beneficial
interest were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1994 PERIOD ENDED
SEPTEMBER 30,
1993(1)
-------------------------- --------------------------
SHARES AMOUNT SHARES AMOUNT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A:
Sold 1,797,523 $ 9,177,865 5,776,034 $29,480,167
Dividends and distributions reinvested 535,980 2,757,772 406,080 2,091,310
Redeemed (4,163,212) (21,282,997) (5,297,441) (27,397,572)
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Net increase (decrease) (1,829,709) $(9,347,360) 884,673 $ 4,173,905
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Class B:
Sold 1,752,588 $ 8,784,884 2,860,426 $14,798,939
Dividends and distributions reinvested 100,839 724,590 30,122 156,143
Redeemed (943,022) (4,810,071) (533,847) (2,772,804)
---------- ----------- ---------- -----------
Net increase 910,405 $ 4,699,403 2,356,701 $12,182,278
<FN>
1. For the year ended September 30, 1993 for Class
A shares and for the period from November 30,
1992 (inception of offering) to September 30,
1993 for Class B shares.
3. Unrealized Gains and Losses on Investments And
Options Written At September 30, 1994, net
unrealized depreciation on investments and
options written of $128,618 was composed of
gross appreciation of $2,704,691, and gross
depreciation of $2,833,309.
</TABLE>
14 Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. OPTION ACTIVITY Option activity for the year ended September 30,
1994 was as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CALL OPTIONS PUT OPTIONS
---------------------------------------------
NUMBER AMOUNT NUMBER AMOUNT
OF OPTIONS OF PREMIUMS OF OPTIONS OF PREMIUMS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Options outstanding at September 30, 1993 400 $56,875 -- $ --
Options written 2,621,846 65,736 4,702 17,320
Options expired prior to exercise (600) (89,375) (4,702) (17,320)
Options outstanding at September 30, 1994 2,621,646 $33,236 -- $ --
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. MANAGEMENT FEES Management fees paid to the Manager were in
AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS accordance with the investment advisory
WITH AFFILIATES agreement with the Fund which provides for an
annual fee of .75% on the first $200 million of
net assets, with a reduction of .03% on each $200
million thereafter to $800 million, .60% on the
next $200 million and .50% on net assets in excess
of $1 billion. The Manager has agreed to reimburse
the Fund if aggregate expenses (with specified
exceptions) exceed the most stringent applicable
regulatory limit on Fund expenses.
For the year ended September 30, 1994,
commissions (sales charges paid by investors) on
sales of Class A shares totaled $231,950, of which
$73,286 was retained by Oppenheimer Funds
Distributor, Inc. (OFDI), a subsidiary of the
Manager, as general distributor, and by an
affiliated broker/dealer. During the year ended
September 30, 1994, OFDI received contingent
deferred sales charges of $50,191 upon redemption
of Class B shares, as reimbursement for sales
commissions advanced by OFDI at the time of sale
of such shares.
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services (OSS),
a division of the Manager, is the transfer and
shareholder servicing agent for the Fund, and for
other registered investment companies. OSS's total
costs of providing such services are allocated
ratably to these companies.
Under separate approved plans, each
class may expend up to .25% of its net assets
annually to reimburse OFDI for costs incurred in
connection with the personal service and
maintenance of accounts that hold shares of the
Fund, including amounts paid to brokers, dealers,
banks and other financial institutions. In
addition, Class B shares are subject to an
asset-based sales charge of .75% of net assets
annually, to reimburse OFDI for sales commissions
paid from its own resources at the time of sale
and associated financing costs. In the event of
termination or discontinuance of the Class B plan,
the Board of Trustees may allow the Fund to
continue payment of the asset-based sales charge
to OFDI for distribution expenses incurred on
Class B shares sold prior to termination or
discontinuance of the plan. During the year ended
September 30, 1994, OFDI paid $14,477 and $1,013,
respectively, to an affiliated broker/dealer as
reimbursement for Class A and Class B personal
service and maintenance expenses and retained
$137,454 as reimbursement for Class B sales
commissions and service fee advances, as well as
financing costs.
<PAGE>
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. RESTRICTED SECURITIES The Fund owns securities purchased in private
placement transactions, without registration under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act). The
securities are valued under methods approved by
the Board of Trustees as reflecting fair value.
The Fund intends to invest no more than 10% of its
net assets (determined at the time of purchase) in
restricted and illiquid securities, excluding
securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule
144A of the Act that are determined to be liquid
by the Board of Trustees or by the Manager under
Board-approved guidelines. Restricted and illiquid
securities, excluding securities eligible for
resale pursuant to Rule 144A of the Act amount to
$918,196 or 1.6% of the Fund's net assets, at
September 30, 1994. Illiquid and/or restricted
securities, including those restricted securities
that are transferable under Rule 144A of the Act
are listed below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
VALUATION PER UNIT
AS OF
SECURITY ACQUISITION DATE COST PER UNIT SEPTEMBER
30, 1994
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
AMR Corp., $3.00 Cum. Cv.Depositary Shares,
Series A(1) 12/2/93--11/14/94 $ 53.43 $ 40.50
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banco Nacional de Mexico SA, 7% Exch. Sub.
Debs., 12/15/99(1) 5/24/93 $104.00 $116.13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bayericshe Landesbank, N.Y. Branch, Mexican
Peso Linked
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Confidence Nt., Girozentrale Branch, 35.50%,
12/30/94 9/23/94 $100.00 $ 98.25
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Celcaribe SA(1) 5/17/94 $ 1.19 $ 1.22
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Celcaribe SA, 0%/13.50% Sr. Sec. Nts.,
3/15/04(1) 5/17/94 $ 63.33 $ 63.37
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Empresa Columbiana de Petroleos Nts., 7.25%,
7/8/98(1) 4/25/94 $ 93.92 $ 95.38
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grupo Mexicano de Desarrollo SA, 8.25% Gtd.
Nts., 2/18/01(1) 2/8/94 $100.00 $ 82.25
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morocco (Kingdom of) Loan Participation
Agreement, Tranche A, 5.9375%, 1/1/09 2/23/94--4/19/94 $ 72.57 $ 73.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Polish People's Republic Loan Participation
Agreement, 5.0625%, 2/3/24 1/12/94--1/13/94 $ 65.11 $ 55.33
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Polymer Group, Inc., 12.25% Sr. Nts., 7/15/02(1) 6/17/94 $100.00 $100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subic Power Corp., 9.50% Sr. Sec. Nts., Series A,
12/28/08(1) 12/20/93 $ 99.94 $ 92.25
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tribasa Toll Road Trust, 10.50% Nts., Series
1993-A, 12/1/11(1) 11/8/93 $100.00 $ 90.25
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Venezuela (Republic of) 6.75% Debs., 9/20/95(1) 5/2/94 $ 96.28 $ 94.88
<FN>
1. Transferable under Rule 144A of the Act.
</TABLE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. FUTURES CONTRACTS At September 30, 1994, the Fund had outstanding
futures contracts to sell debt securities as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXPIRATION NUMBER OF VALUATION AS OF
UNREALIZED
DATE FUTURES CONTRACTS SEPTEMBER 30, 1994
APPRECIATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
U.S. Treasury Nts. 12/20/94 3 $304,406 $750
</TABLE>
--------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
Appendix A
Industry Classifications
Aerospace/Defense
Air Transportation
Auto Parts Distribution
Automotive
Bank Holding Companies
Banks
Beverages
Broadcasting
Broker-Dealers
Building Materials
Cable Television
Chemicals
Commercial Finance
Computer Hardware
Computer Software
Conglomerates
Consumer Finance
Containers
Convenience Stores
Department Stores
Diversified Financial
Diversified Media
Drug Stores
Drug Wholesalers
Durable Household Goods
Education
Electric Utilities
Electrical Equipment
Electronics
Energy Services & Producers
Entertainment/Film
Environmental
Food
Gas Transmission
Gas Utilities
Gold
Health Care/Drugs
Health Care/Supplies & Services
Homebuilders/Real Estate
Hotel/Gaming
Industrial Services
Insurance
Leasing & Factoring
Leisure
Manufacturing
Metals/Mining
Nondurable Household Goods
Oil - Integrated
Paper
Publishing/Printing
Railroads
Restaurants
Savings & Loans
Shipping
Special Purpose Financial
Specialty Retailing
Steel
Supermarkets
Telecommunications - Technology
Telephone - Utility
Textile/Apparel
Tobacco
Toys
Trucking
<PAGE>
Investment Adviser
Oppenheimer Management Corporation
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Distributor
Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Trade Center
New York, New York 10048-0203
Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agent
Oppenheimer Shareholder Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
1-800-525-7048
Custodian of Portfolio Securities
The Bank of New York
One Wall Street
New York, NY 10015
Independent Auditors
Deloitte & Touche LLP
1560 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80202
Legal Counsel
Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C.
1600 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80202-4918
<PAGE>
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
FORM N-1A
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits
- -------- ---------------------------------
(a) Financial Statements:
(1) Financial Highlights (See Part A): Filed herewith.
(2) Report of Independent Auditors (See Part B): Filed
herewith.
(3) Statement of Investments (See Part B): Filed
herewith.
(4) Statement of Assets and Liabilities (See Part B):
Filed herewith.
(5) Statement of Operations (See Part B): Filed herewith.
(6) Statement of Changes in Net Assets (See Part B):
Filed herewith.
(7) Notes to Financial Statements (See Part B): Filed
herewith.
(b) Exhibits:
(1) Registrant's Amended and Restated Declaration of
Trust dated November 30, 1992: Filed with Post-
Effective Amendment No. 2, 11/22/93, and incorporated
herein by reference.
(2) By-Laws dated 5/28/92: Filed with Registrant's
Initial Registration Statement on 4/22/92 and refiled
herewith pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) (i) Specimen Class A Share Certificate: Filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, 11/30/92, and
refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102 of
Regulation S-T.
(ii) Specimen Class B Share Certificate: Filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, 11/30/92, and
refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102 of
Regulation S-T.
(5) Investment Advisory Agreement dated 5/28/92: Filed
with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, 11/30/92, and
refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation
S-T.
(6) (i) General Distributor's Agreement dated 10/13/92:
Filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1,
11/30/92, and refiled herewith pursuant to Item
102 of Regulation S-T.
(ii) Form of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Dealer Agreement: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 14 of Oppenheimer Main Street
Funds, Inc. (Reg. No. 33-17850), 9/30/94, and
incorporated herein by reference.
(iii) Form of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Broker Agreement: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 14 of Oppenheimer Main Street
Funds, Inc. (Reg. No. 33-17850), 9/30/94, and
incorporated herein by reference.
(iv) Form of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc.
Agency Agreement: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 14 of Oppenheimer Main Street
Funds, Inc. (Reg. No. 33-17850), 9/30/94, and
incorporated herein by reference.
(v) Broker Agreement between Oppenheimer Fund
Management, Inc. and Newbridge Securities, Inc.
dated October 1, 1986: Previously filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the
Registration Statement of Oppenheimer Growth
Fund (Reg. No. 2-45272), 11/1/86, and refiled
with Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 of
Oppenheimer Growth Fund (Reg. No. 2-45272),
8/22/94 pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T
and incorporated herein by reference.
(7) Not applicable.
(8) Custodian Agreement dated 5/28/92: Filed with Post-
Effective Amendment No. 1, 11/30/92, and refiled
herewith pursuant to Item 102 of Regulation S-T.
(9) Not applicable.
(10) Opinion and Consent of Counsel dated 5/11/92: Filed
with Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1,
5/13/92, and refiled herewith pursuant to Item 102
of Regulation S-T.
(11) Independent Auditors' Consent: Filed herewith.
(12) Not applicable.
(13) Investment Letter from Oppenheimer Management
Corporation to Registrant dated 4/30/92: Filed with
Registrant's Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, 5/13/92,
and incorporated herein by reference.
(14) (i) Form of prototype Standardized and Non-
Standardized Profit-Sharing Plans and Money
Purchase Plans for self-employed persons and
corporations: Filed with Post-Effective Amendment
No. 3 to the Registration Statement of
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund (Reg. No.
33-23799), 1/31/92, and refiled with Post-
Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registration
Statement of Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income
Fund (Reg. No. 33-23799), 12/1/94, pursuant to
Item 102 of Regulation S-T, and incorporated
herein by reference.
(ii) Form of Individual Retirement Account Trust
Agreement: Filed with Post-Effective Amendment
No. 21 of Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust (Reg.
No. 2-76645), 8/25/93 and incorporated herein by
reference.
(iii) Form of Tax Sheltered Retirement Plan and Custody
Agreement for employees of public schools and
tax-exempt organizations: Previously filed with
Post-Effective Amendment No. 47 of the
Registration Statement of Oppenheimer Growth Fund
(Reg. No. 2-45272), 10/21/94, and incorporated
herein by reference.
(iv) Form of Simplified Employee Pension IRA:
Previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment
No. 42 to the Registration Statement of
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund (Reg. No. 2-
33043), 10/28/94, and incorporated herein by
reference.
(15) (i) Service Plan and Agreement for Class A shares
under Rule 12b-1 dated 6/22/93: Filed herewith.
(ii) Distribution and Service Plan and Agreement for
Class B shares under Rule 12b-1 dated 6/22/93:
Filed herewith.
(16) Performance Data Computation Schedule: Filed
herewith.
(17) (i) Financial Data Schedule for Class A shares of
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund: Filed
herewith.
(ii) Financial Data Schedule for Class B shares of
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund: Filed
herewith.
-- Powers of Attorney: Filed with Post-Effective
Amendment No. 2, 11/22/93, and incorporated herein
by reference.
Item 25. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant
- -------- -------------------------------------------------------------
None
Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities
- -------- -------------------------------
Number of Record Holders
Title of Class as of January 12, 1995
-------------- ------------------------
Class A Shares of Beneficial Interest 3,542
Class B Shares of Beneficial Interest 1,549
Item 27. Indemnification
- -------- ---------------
Reference is made to the provisions of Article Seventh of
Registrant's Declaration of Trust filed as Exhibit 24(b)(1) to this
Registration Statement.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and
controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or
otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
trustee, officer or controlling person, Registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question
whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
(a) Oppenheimer Management Corporation is the investment
adviser of the Registrant; it and certain subsidiaries and affiliates act
in the same capacity to other registered investment companies as described
in Parts A and B hereof and listed in Item 28(b) below.
(b) There is set forth below information as to any other
business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in
which each officer and director of Oppenheimer Management Corporation is,
or at any time during the past two fiscal years has been, engaged for
his/her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee,
partner or trustee.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name & Current Position
with Oppenheimer Other Business and Connections
Management Corporation During the Past Two Years
- ----------------------- ------------------------------
<S> <C>
Lawrence Apolito, None.
Vice President
James C. Ayer, Jr., Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Assistant Vice President Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund and
Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund.
Victor Babin, None.
Senior Vice President
Robert J. Bishop Assistant Treasurer of the OppenheimerFunds
Assistant Vice President (listed below); previously a Fund Controller
for Oppenheimer Management Corporation (the
"Manager").
Christopher O. Blunt, Vice President of Oppenheimer Funds
Vice President Distributor, Inc. Formerly a Vice President
of CIC/DISC Subsidiary.
George Bowen Treasurer of the New York-based
Senior Vice President OppenheimerFunds; Vice President, Secretary
and Treasurer and Treasurer of the Denver-based
OppenheimerFunds. Vice President and
Treasurer of Oppenheimer Funds Distributor,
Inc. (the "Distributor") and HarbourView
Asset Management Corporation
("HarbourView"), an investment adviser
subsidiary of OMC; Senior Vice President,
Treasurer, Assistant Secretary and a
director of Centennial Asset Management
Corporation ("Centennial"), an investment
adviser subsidiary of the Manager; Vice
President, Treasurer and Secretary of
Shareholder Services, Inc. ("SSI") and
Shareholder Financial Services, Inc.
("SFSI"), transfer agent subsidiaries of
OMC; President, Treasurer and Director of
Centennial Capital Corporation; Vice
President and Treasurer of Main Street
Advisers; formerly Senior Vice President/
Comptroller and Secretary of Oppenheimer
Asset Management Corporation ("OAMC"), an
investment adviser which was a subsidiary of
the OMC.
Michael A. Carbuto, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Tax-Exempt Cash Reserves,
Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust,
Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust and
Centennial Tax Exempt Trust; Vice President
of Centennial.
William Colbourne, Formerly, Director of Alternative Staffing
Assistant Vice President Resources, and Vice President of Human
Resources, American Cancer Society.
Lynn Coluccy, Vice President Formerly Vice President/Director of Internal
Audit of the Manager.
O. Leonard Darling, Formerly Co-Director of Fixed Income for
Executive Vice President State Street Research & Management Co.
Robert A. Densen, None.
Vice President
Robert Doll, Jr., Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Executive Vice President Oppenheimer Growth Fund and Oppenheimer
Target Fund; Senior Vice President and
Portfolio Manager of Strategic Income &
Growth Fund.
John Doney, Vice President Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund.
Andrew J. Donohue, Secretary of the New York-based
Executive Vice President OppenheimerFunds; Vice President of the
& General Counsel Denver-based OppenheimerFunds; Executive
Vice President, Director and General Counsel
of the Distributor; formerly Senior Vice
President and Associate General Counsel of
the Manager and the Distributor.
Kenneth C. Eich, Treasurer of Oppenheimer Acquisition
Executive Vice President/ Corporation
Chief Financial Officer
George Evans, Vice President Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Oppenheimer Global Securities Fund.
Scott Farrar, Assistant Treasurer of the OppenheimerFunds;
Assistant Vice President previously a Fund Controller for the
Manager.
Katherine P.Feld Vice President and Secretary of Oppenheimer
Vice President and Funds Distributor, Inc.; Secretary of
Secretary HarbourView, Main Street Advisers, Inc. and
Centennial; Secretary, Vice President and
Director of Centennial Capital Corp.
Jon S. Fossel, President and director of Oppenheimer
Chairman of the Board, Acquisition Corp. ("OAC"), the Manager's
Chief Executive Officer parent holding company; President, CEO and
and Director a director of HarbourView; a director of SSI
and SFSI; President, Director, Trustee, and
Managing General Partner of the Denver-based
OppenheimerFunds; formerly President of the
Manager. President and Chairman of the Board
of Main Street Advisers, Inc.
Robert G. Galli, Trustee of the New York-based
Vice Chairman OppenheimerFunds; Vice President and Counsel
of OAC; formerly he held the following
positions: a director of the Distributor,
Vice President and a director of HarbourView
and Centennial, a director of SFSI and SSI,
an officer of other OppenheimerFunds and
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
of the Manager and the Distributor.
Linda Gardner, None.
Assistant Vice President
Ginger Gonzalez, Formerly 1st Vice President/Director of
Vice President Creative Services for Shearson Lehman
Brothers.
Dorothy Grunwager, None.
Assistant Vice President
Caryn Halbrecht, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Insured Tax-Exempt Bond Fund and
Oppenheimer Intermediate Tax Exempt Bond
Fund; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds;
formerly Vice President of Fixed Income
Portfolio Management at Bankers Trust.
Barbara Hennigar, President and Director of Shareholder
President and Chief Financial Service, Inc.
Executive Officer of
Oppenheimer Shareholder
Services, a division of OMC.
Alan Hoden, Vice President None.
Merryl Hoffman, None.
Vice President
Scott T. Huebl, None.
Assistant Vice President
Jane Ingalls, Formerly a Senior Associate with Robinson,
Assistant Vice President Lake/Sawyer Miller.
Stephen Jobe, None.
Vice President
Avram Kornberg, Formerly a Vice President with Bankers
Vice President Trust.
Paul LaRocco, Portfolio Manager of Oppenheimer Capital
Assistant Vice President Appreciation Fund; Associate Portfolio
Manager of Oppenheimer Discovery Fund and
Oppenheimer Time Fund. Formerly a
Securities Analyst for Columbus Circle
Investors.
Mitchell J. Lindauer, None.
Vice President
Loretta McCarthy, None.
Senior Vice President
Bridget Macaskill, Director of HarbourView; Director of Main
President and Director Street Advisers, Inc.; and Chairman of
Shareholder Services, Inc.
Sally Marzouk, None.
Vice President
Denis R. Molleur, None.
Vice President
Kenneth Nadler, None.
Vice President
David Negri, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Strategic Bond Fund, Oppenheimer
Multiple Strategies Fund, Oppenheimer
Strategic Investment Grade Bond Fund,
Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund,
Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income
Fund, Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund,
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund,
Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income
Fund, Oppenheimer High Income Fund and
Oppenheimer Bond Fund; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Barbara Niederbrach, None.
Assistant Vice President
Stuart Novek, Formerly a Director Account Supervisor for
Vice President J. Walter Thompson.
Robert A. Nowaczyk, None.
Vice President
Julia O'Neal, None.
Assistant Vice President
Robert E. Patterson, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Senior Vice President Oppenheimer Main Street California Tax-
Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer Insured Tax-Exempt
Bond Fund, Oppenheimer Intermediate Tax-
Exempt Bond Fund, Oppenheimer Florida Tax-
Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer New Jersey Tax-
Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Tax-
Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer California Tax-
Exempt Fund, Oppenheimer New York Tax-Exempt
Fund and Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund;
Vice President of the New York Tax-Exempt
Income Fund, Inc.; Vice President of
Oppenheimer Multi-Sector Income Trust.
Tilghman G. Pitts III, Chairman and Director of the Distributor.
Executive Vice President
and Director
Jane Putnam, Associate Portfolio Manager of Oppenheimer
Assistant Vice President Growth Fund and Oppenheimer Target Fund and
Portfolio Manager for Oppenheimer Variable
Account Funds-Growth Fund; Senior Investment
Officer and Portfolio Manager with Chemical
Bank.
Russell Read, Formerly an International Finance Consultant
Assistant Vice President for Dow Chemical.
Thomas Reedy, Vice President of Oppenheimer Multi-Sector
Vice President Income Trust and Oppenheimer Multi-
Government Trust; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds; formerly a Securities
Analyst for the Manager.
David Rosenberg, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund and
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust. Formerly
Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager
for Delaware Investment Advisors.
Richard H. Rubinstein, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund,
Oppenheimer Fund and Oppenheimer Multiple
Strategies Fund; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds; formerly Vice President
and Portfolio Manager/Security Analyst for
Oppenheimer Capital Corp., an investment
adviser.
Lawrence Rudnick, Formerly Vice President of Dollar Dry Dock
Assistant Vice President Bank.
Ellen Schoenfeld, None.
Assistant Vice President
Nancy Sperte, None.
Senior Vice President
Donald W. Spiro, President and Trustee of the New York-based
Chairman Emeritus OppenheimerFunds; formerly Chairman of the
and Director Manager and the Distributor.
Arthur Steinmetz, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Senior Vice President Oppenheimer Strategic Diversified Income
Fund, Oppenheimer Strategic Income Fund,
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund,
Oppenheimer Strategic Investment Grade Bond
Fund, Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term
Income Fund; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Ralph Stellmacher, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Senior Vice President Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund and
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund; an officer of
other OppenheimerFunds.
John Stoma, Vice President Formerly Vice President of Pension Marketing
with Manulife Financial.
James C. Swain, Chairman, CEO and Trustee, Director or
Vice Chairman of the Managing Partner of the Denver-based
Board of Directors OppenheimerFunds; President and a Director
and Director of Centennial; formerly President and
Director of OAMC, and Chairman of the Board
of SSI.
James Tobin, Vice President None.
Jay Tracey, Vice President Vice President of the Manager; Vice
President and Portfolio Manager of
Oppenheimer Time Fund and Oppenheimer
Discovery Fund. Formerly Managing Director
of Buckingham Capital Management.
Gary Tyc, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer of the Distributor and
Assistant Secretary SFSI.
and Assistant Treasurer
Ashwin Vasan, Vice President of Oppenheimer Multi-Sector
Vice President Income Trust and Oppenheimer Multi-
Government Trust: an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Valerie Victorson, None.
Vice President
John Wallace, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, and
Oppenheimer Main Street Income and Growth
Fund; an officer of other OppenheimerFunds;
formerly a Securities Analyst and Assistant
Portfolio Manager for the Manager.
Dorothy Warmack, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Daily Cash Accumulation Fund, Inc.,
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves, Centennial
America Fund, L.P., Centennial Government
Trust and Centennial Money Market Trust;
Vice President of Centennial.
Christine Wells, None.
Vice President
William L. Wilby, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Senior Vice President Oppenheimer Global Fund and Oppenheimer
Global Growth & Income Fund; Vice President
of HarbourView; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
Carol Wolf, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.,
Centennial America Fund, L.P., Centennial
Government Trust, Centennial Money Market
Trust and Daily Cash Accumulation Fund,
Inc.; Vice President of Oppenheimer Multi-
Sector Income Trust; Vice President of
Centennial.
Robert G. Zack, Associate General Counsel of the Manager;
Senior Vice President Assistant Secretary of the OppenheimerFunds;
and Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary of SSI, SFSI; an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds.
Eva A. Zeff, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Assistant Vice President Oppenheimer Mortgage Income Fund; an officer
of other OppenheimerFunds; formerly a
Securities Analyst for the Manager.
Arthur J. Zimmer, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of
Vice President Centennial America Fund, L.P., Oppenheimer
Money Fund, Centennial Government Trust,
Centennial Money Market Trust and Daily Cash
Accumulation Fund, Inc.; Vice President of
Oppenheimer Multi-Sector Income Trust; Vice
President of Centennial; an officer of other
OppenheimerFunds.
</TABLE>
The OppenheimerFunds include the New York-based OppenheimerFunds
and the Denver-based OppenheimerFunds set forth below:
New York-based OppenheimerFunds
Oppenheimer Asset Allocation Fund
Oppenheimer California Tax-Exempt Fund
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund
Oppenheimer Global Emerging Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Global Fund
Oppenheimer Global Growth & Income Fund
Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund
Oppenheimer Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Mortgage Income Fund
Oppenheimer Multi-Government Trust
Oppenheimer Multi-Sector Income Trust
Oppenheimer Multi-State Tax-Exempt Trust
Oppenheimer New York Tax-Exempt Trust
Oppenheimer Fund
Oppenheimer Target Fund
Oppenheimer Tax-Free Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Time Fund
Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust
Denver-based OppenheimerFunds
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves
Centennial America Fund, L.P.
Centennial California Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial Government Trust
Centennial Money Market Trust
Centennial New York Tax Exempt Trust
Centennial Tax Exempt Trust
Daily Cash Accumulation Fund, Inc.
The New York Tax-Exempt Income Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Champion High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund
Oppenheimer High Yield Fund
Oppenheimer Integrity Funds
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund
Oppenheimer Main Street Funds, Inc.
Oppenheimer Strategic Funds Trust
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Investment Grade Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Strategic Short-Term Income Fund
Oppenheimer Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Oppenheimer Total Return Fund, Inc.
Oppenheimer Variable Account Funds
The address of Oppenheimer Management Corporation, the New York-
based OppenheimerFunds, Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc., Harbourview
Asset Management Corp., Oppenheimer Partnership Holdings, Inc., and
Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. is Two World Trade Center, New York, New
York 10048-0203.
The address of the Denver-based OppenheimerFunds, Shareholder
Financial Services, Inc., Shareholder Services, Inc., Oppenheimer
Shareholder Services, Centennial Asset Management Corporation, Centennial
Capital Corp., and Main Street Advisers, Inc. is 3410 South Galena Street,
Denver, Colorado 80231.
Item 29. Principal Underwriter
(a) Oppenheimer Funds Distributor, Inc. is the Distributor of
Registrant's shares. It is also the Distributor of each of the other
registered open-end investment companies for which Oppenheimer Management
Corporation is the investment adviser, as described in Part A and B of
this Registration Statement and listed in Item 28(b) above.
(b) The directors and officers of the Registrant's principal
underwriter are:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Positions and
Name & Principal Positions & Offices Offices with
Business Address with Underwriter Registrant
- ---------------- ------------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C>
George Clarence Bowen+ Vice President & Treasurer Vice
President,
Secretary &
Treasurer
Christopher Blunt Vice President None
6 Baker Avenue
Westport, CT 06880
Julie Bowers Vice President None
21 Dreamwold Road
Scituate, MA 02066
Peter W. Brennan Vice President None
1940 Cotswold Drive
Orlando, FL 32825
Mary Ann Bruce* Senior Vice President - None
Financial Institution Div.
Robert Coli Vice President None
12 Whitetail Lane
Bedminster, NJ 07921
Ronald T. Collins Vice President None
710-3 E. Ponce DeLeon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
Ronald Corlew Vice President None
1020 Montecito Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Mary Crooks+ Vice President None
Paul Della Bovi Vice President None
750 West Broadway
Apt. 5M
Long Beach, NY 11561
Andrew John Donohue* Executive Vice Vice President
President & Director
Wendy H. Ehrlich Vice President None
4 Craig Street
Jericho, NY 11753
Kent Elwell Vice President None
41 Craig Place
Cranford, NJ 07016
John Ewalt Vice President None
2301 Overview Dr. NE
Tacoma, WA 98422
Gregory Farley Vice President - None
1116 Westbury Circle Financial Institution Div.
Eagan, MN 55123
Katherine P. Feld* Vice President & Secretary None
Mark Ferro Vice President None
43 Market Street
Breezy Point, NY 11697
Wendy Fishler* Vice President - None
Financial Institution Div.
Wayne Flanagan Vice President - None
36 West Hill Road Financial Institution Div.
Brookline, NH 03033
Ronald R. Foster Vice President - None
11339 Avant Lane Eastern Division Manager
Cincinnati, OH 45249
Patricia Gadecki Vice President None
6026 First Ave. South,
Apt. 10
St. Petersburg, FL 33707
Luiggino Galleto Vice President None
10239 Rougemont Lane
Charlotte, NC 28277
Mark Giles Vice President - None
5506 Bryn Mawr Financial Institution Div.
Dallas, TX 75209
Ralph Grant* Vice President/National None
Sales Manager - Financial
Institution Div.
Sharon Hamilton Vice President None
720 N. Juanita Ave. - #1
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Carla Jiminez Vice President None
609 Chimney Bluff Drive
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Terry Lee Kelley Vice President - None
1431 Woodview Lane Financial Institution Div.
Commerce Township, MI 48382
Michael Keogh* Vice President None
Richard Klein Vice President None
4011 Queen Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Hans Klehmet II Vice President None
26542 Love Lane
Ramona, CA 92065
Ilene Kutno* Assistant Vice President None
Wayne A. LeBlang Vice President - None
23 Fox Trail Director Eastern Div.
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
Dawn Lind Vice President - None
7 Maize Court Financial Institution Div.
Melville, NY 11747
James Loehle Vice President None
30 John Street
Cranford, NJ 07016
Laura Mulhall* Vice President - None
Director of Key Accounts
Gina Munson Vice President None
120 Fisherville Road
Apt. 136
Concord, NH 03301
Charles Murray Vice President None
50 Deerwood Drive
Littleton, CO 80127
Patrick Palmer Vice President None
958 Blue Mountain Cr.
West Lake Village, CA 91362
Randall Payne Vice President - None
1307 Wandering Way Dr. Financial Institution Div.
Charlotte, NC 28226
Gayle Pereira Vice President None
2707 Via Arboleda
San Clemente, CA 92672
Charles K. Pettit Vice President None
1900 Eight Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94116
Tilghman G. Pitts, III* Chairman & Director None
Elaine Puleo* Vice President - None
Financial Institution Div.
Minnie Ra Vice President - None
109 Peach Street Financial Institution Div.
Avenel, NJ 07001
David Robertson Vice President None
9 Hawks View
Hoeoye Falls, NY 14472
Ian Robertson Vice President None
4204 Summit Wa
Marietta, GA 30066
Robert Romano Vice President None
1512 Fallingbrook Drive
Fishers, IN 46038
James Ruff* President None
Timothy Schoeffler Vice President None
3118 N. Military Road
Arlington, VA 22207
Mark Schon Vice President None
10483 E. Corrine Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85259
Michael Sciortino Vice President None
785 Beau Chene Dr.
Mandeville, LA 70448
James A. Shaw Vice President - None
5155 West Fair Place Financial Institution Div.
Littleton, CO 80123
Robert Shore Vice President - None
26 Baroness Lane Financial Institution Div.
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Peggy Spilker Vice President - None
2017 N. Cleveland, #2 Financial Institution Div.
Chicago, IL 60614
Michael Stenger Vice President None
C/O America Building
30 East Central Pkwy
Suite 1008
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Paul Stickney Vice President None
1314 Log Cabin Lane
St. Louis, MO 63124
George Sweeney Vice President None
1855 O'Hara Lane
Middletown, PA 17057
Philip St. John Trimble Vice President None
2213 West Homer
Chicago, IL 60647
Gary Paul Tyc+ Assistant Treasurer None
Mark Stephen Vandehey+ Vice President None
Gregory K. Wilson Vice President None
2 Side Hill Road
Westport, CT 06880
Bernard J. Wolocko Vice President None
33915 Grand River
Farmington, MI 48335
William Harvey Young+ Vice President None
* Two World Trade Center, New York, NY 10048-0203
+ 3410 South Galena St., Denver, CO 80231
</TABLE>
(c) Not applicable.
ITEM 30. Location of Accounts and Records
--------------------------------
The accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by
Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
and rules promulgated thereunder are in the possession of Oppenheimer
Management Corporation at its offices at 3410 South Galena Street, Denver,
Colorado 80231.
Item 31. Management Services
- -------- -------------------
Not applicable.
Item 32. Undertakings
- -------- ------------
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Registrant undertakes to present its Investment Advisory
Agreement and its Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan to its shareholders for
approval at the first shareholder meeting to be held within sixteen months
following the effective date of this Registration Statement.
(d) Registrant undertakes to call a meeting of shareholders
for the purpose of voting upon the question of the removal of a Trustee
or Trustees when requested in writing to do so by the holders of at least
10% of the Registrant's outstanding shares and in connection with such
meeting to comply with the provisions of section 16(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 relating to shareholder communications.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
Form N-1A
Item No. Description
- --------- -----------
24(b)(2) By-Laws dated 5/28/92
24(b)(4)(i) Specimen Share Certificate for Class A shares
24(b)(4)(ii) Specimen Share Certificate for Class B shares
24(b)(5) Investment Advisory Agreement dated 5/28/92
24(b)(6)(i) General Distributor's Agreement dated 10/13/92
24(b)(8) Custody Agreement dated 5/28/92
24(b)(10) Opinion and Consent of Counsel dated 5/11/92
24(b)(11) Independent Auditor's Consent
24(b)(16) Performance Data Computation Schedule
24(b)(17)(i) Financial Data Schedule for Class A shares
24(b)(17)(ii) Financial Data Schedule for Class B shares
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
(the "Trust")
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meeting. All meetings of the Shareholders
(which terms as used herein shall, together with all other terms defined
in the Declaration of Trust, have the same meaning as in the Declaration
of Trust) shall be held at the principal office of the Trust or at such
other place as may from time to time be designated by the Board of
Trustees and stated in the notice of meting.
Section 2. Shareholder Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders for
any purpose or purposes may be called by the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, if any, or by the President or by the Board of Trustees and
shall be called by the Secretary upon receipt of the request in writing
signed by Shareholders holding not less than one third of the entire
number of Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat.
Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting.
In addition, meetings of the Shareholders shall be called by the Board of
Trustees upon receipt of the request in writing signed by Shareholders
that hold not less than ten percent of the entire number of Shares issued
and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, stating that the purpose of
the proposed meeting is the removal of a Trustee.
Section 3. Notice of Meetings of Shareholders. Not less than ten
days' and not more than 120 days' written notice of every meeting of
Shareholders, stating the time and place thereof (and the general nature
of the business proposed to be transacted at any special or extraordinary
meeting), shall be given to each Shareholder entitled to vote thereat by
leaving the same with him or at his residence or usual place of business
or by mailing it, postage prepaid and addressed to him at his address as
it appears upon the books of the Trust.
No notice of the time, place or purpose of any meeting of
Shareholders need be given to any Shareholder who attends in person or by
proxy or to any Shareholder who, in writing executed and filed with the
records of the meeting, either before or after the holding thereof, waives
such notice.
Section 4. Record Dates. The Board of Trustees may fix, in advance
or from time to time, a record date not exceeding 120 days and not less
than 10 days preceding the date of any meeting of Shareholders or of the
shareholders of any Series or Class for the determination of the
Shareholders of record entitled to notice of and to vote at a
Shareholders' meeting; for the determination of shareholders entitled to
receive dividends, distributions, rights or allotments of rights; or for
any other purpose requiring the fixing of a record date. Only such
Shareholders of record on such date shall be entitled to notice of and to
vote at such meeting, receive such dividends, rights or allotments, or
otherwise participate as the case may be.
Section 5. Access to Shareholder List. The Board of Trustees shall
make available a list of the names and addresses of all shareholders as
recorded on the books of the Trust, upon receipt of the request in
writing signed by not less than ten Shareholders (who have been such for
at least 6 months) holding Shares of the Trust valued at $25,000 or more
at current offering price (as defined in the Trust's Prospectus) or
holding not less than one percent in amount of the entire number of shares
of the Trust issued and outstanding; such request must state that such
Shareholders wish to communicate with other Shareholders with a view to
obtaining signatures to a request for a meeting to remove one or more
trustees pursuant to Section 2 of Article I and Section 2 of Article II
of these By-Laws and be accompanied by a form of communication to the
Shareholders. The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, satisfy its
obligation under this Section 5 by either, as required by Section 16(c)
of the Investment Company Act, making available the Shareholder List to
such Shareholders at the principal offices of the Trust, or at the offices
of the Trust's transfer agent, during regular business hours, or by
mailing a copy of such Shareholders' proposed communication and form of
request, at their expense, to all other Shareholders. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Trustees may also take such other action as may
be permitted under Section 16(c) of the Investment Company Act.
Section 6. Quorum, Adjournment of Meetings. The presence in person
or by proxy of the holders of record of more than one-third of the Shares,
or of the shares of any Series or Class, of the Trust issued and
outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, shall constitute a quorum,
respectively, at all meetings of the Shareholders; provided, however, that
if any action to be taken by the Shareholders or by a Series or Class at
a meeting requires an affirmative vote of a majority, or more than a
majority, of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote, then in such
event the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of
the shares outstanding and entitled to vote at such a meeting shall
constitute a quorum for all purposes. At a meeting at which a quorum is
present, a vote of a majority of the quorum shall be sufficient to
transact all business at the meeting. If at any meeting of the
Shareholders there shall be less than a quorum present, the Shareholders
or Trustees present at such meeting may, without further notice, adjourn
the same from time to time until a quorum shall attend, but no business
shall be transacted at any such adjourned meeting except such as might
have been lawfully transacted had the meeting not been adjourned.
Section 7. Voting and Inspectors. At all meetings of Shareholders,
each Shareholder shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted
to a vote of the Shareholders of the affected Series or Class for each
Share standing in his name on the books of the Trust on the date fixed for
determination of Shareholders of the affected Series or Class entitled to
vote at such meeting (except, if the Board so determines, for Shares
redeemed prior to the meeting), and each such Series shall vote as an
individual class ("Individual Class Voting"); a Series or Class shall be
deemed to be affected when a vote of the holders of that Series or Class
on a matter is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940; provided,
however, that as to any matter with respect to which a vote of
Shareholders is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940 or by any
applicable law that must be complied with, such requirements as to a vote
by Shareholders shall apply in lieu of Individual Class Voting as
described above. Any fractional Share shall carry proportionately all the
rights of a whole Share, including the right to vote and the right to
receive dividends. Any Shareholder thus entitled to vote at any such
meeting of Shareholders shall be entitled to vote either in person or by
proxy appointed by instrument in writing subscribed by such Shareholder
or his duly authorized attorney-in-fact.
All elections of Trustees shall be had by a plurality of the votes
cast and all questions shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast,
in each case at a duly constituted meeting, except as otherwise provided
in the Declaration of Trust or in these By-Laws or by specific statutory
provision superseding the restrictions and limitations contained in the
Declaration of Trust or in these By-Laws.
At any election of Trustees, the Board of Trustees prior thereto may,
or, if they have not so acted, the Chairman of the meeting may, and upon
the request of the holders of ten percent (10%) of the Shares entitled to
vote at such election shall, appoint two inspectors of election who shall
first subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute faithfully the duties
of inspectors at such election with strict impartiality and according to
the best of their ability, and shall after the election make a certificate
of the result of the vote taken. No candidate for the office of Trustee
shall be appointed such Inspector.
The Chairman of the meeting may cause a vote by ballot to be taken
upon any election or matter, and such vote shall be taken upon the request
of the holders of ten percent (10%) of the Shares entitled to vote on such
election or matter.
Section 8. Conduct of Shareholders' Meetings. The meetings of the
Shareholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, if any, or if he shall not be present, by the President, or if
he shall not be present, by a Vice-President, or if none of the Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, the President or any Vice-President is present,
by a chairman to be elected at the meeting. The Secretary of the Trust,
if present, shall act as Secretary of such meetings, or if he is not
present, an Assistant Secretary shall so act, or if neither the Secretary
nor an Assistant Secretary is present, than the meeting shall elect its
secretary.
Section 9. Concerning Validity of Proxies, Ballots, Etc. At every
meeting of the Shareholders, all proxies shall be received and taken in
charge of and all ballots shall be received and canvassed by the secretary
of the meeting, who shall decide all questions touching the qualification
of voters, the validity of the proxies, and the acceptance or rejection
of votes, unless inspectors of election shall have been appointed as
provided in Section 7, in which event such inspectors of election shall
decide all such questions.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Section 1. Number and Tenure of Office. The business and affairs
of the Trust shall be conducted and managed by a Board of Trustees
consisting of the number of initial Trustees, which number may be
increased or decreased as provided in Section 2 of this Article. Each
Trustee shall, except as otherwise provided herein, hold office until the
next meeting of Shareholders of the Trust following his election called
for the purpose of electing Trustees or until his successor is duly
elected and qualifies. Trustees need not be Shareholders.
Section 2. Increase or Decrease in Number of Trustees; Removal. The
Board of Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the entire Board, may
increase the number of Trustees to a number not exceeding fifteen, and may
elect Trustees to fill the vacancies created by any such increase in the
number of Trustees until the next meeting called for the purpose of
electing Trustees or until their successors are duly elected and qualify;
the Board of Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the entire Board, may
likewise decrease the number of Trustees to a number not less than three
but the tenure of office of any Trustee shall not be affected by any such
decrease. Vacancies occurring other than by reason of any such increase
shall be filled by a vote of a majority of the entire Board then sitting.
In the event that after the proxy material has been printed for a meeting
of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected and any one or more
nominees named in such proxy material should die, become incapacitated or
fail to stand for election, the authorized number of Trustees shall be
automatically reduced by the number of such nominees, unless the Board of
Trustees prior to the meeting shall otherwise determine.
A Trustee at any time may be removed either with or without cause by
resolution duly adopted by the affirmative votes of the holders of not
less than two-thirds of the outstanding Shares of the Trust, present in
person or by proxy at any meeting of Shareholders at which such vote may
be taken, provided that a quorum is present. Any Trustee at any time may
be removed for cause by resolution duly adopted at any meeting of the
Board of Trustees provided that notice thereof is contained in the notice
of such meeting and that such resolution is adopted by the vote of at
least two thirds of the Trustees whose removal is not proposed. As used
herein, "for cause" shall mean any cause which under Massachusetts law
would permit the removal of a Trustee of a business trust.
Section 3. Place of Meeting. The Trustees may hold their meetings,
have one or more offices, and keep the books of the Trust outside
Massachusetts, at any office or offices of the Trust or at any other place
as they may from time to time by resolution determine, or, in the case of
meetings, as they may from time to time by resolution determine or as
shall be specified or fixed in the respective notices or waivers of notice
thereof.
Section 4. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of
Trustees shall be held at such time and on such notice, if any, as the
Trustees may from time to time determine.
Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of
Trustees may be held from time to time upon call of the Chairman of the
Board of Trustees, if any, the President or two or more of the Trustees,
by oral, telegraphic or written notice duly served on or sent or mailed
to each Trustee not less than one day before such meeting. No notice need
be given to any Trustee who attends in person or to any Trustee who in
writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before
or after the holding thereof, waives such notice. Such notice or waiver
of notice need not state the purpose or purposes of such meeting.
Section 6. Quorum. A majority of the Trustees then in office shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, provided that a
quorum shall in no case be less than two Trustees. If at any meeting of
the Board there shall be less than a quorum present (in person or by open
telephone line, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of
1940 (the "1940 Act")), a majority of those present may adjourn the
meeting from time to time until a quorum shall have been obtained. The
act of the majority of the Trustees present at any meeting at which there
is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise
specifically provided by statute, by the Declaration of Trust or by these
By-Laws.
Section 7. Executive Committee. The Board of Trustees may, by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board, elect from the
Trustees an Executive Committee to consist of such number of Trustees
(but not less than two) as the Board may from time to time determine. The
Board of Trustees by such affirmative vote shall have power at any time
to change the members of such Committee and may fill vacancies in the
Committee by election from the Trustees. When the Board of Trustees is
not in session, the Executive Committee shall have and may exercise any
or all of the powers of the Board of Trustees in the management of the
business and affairs of the Trust (including the power to authorize the
seal of the Trust to be affixed to all papers which may require it) except
as provided by law and except the power to increase or decrease the size
of, or fill vacancies on, the Board. The Executive Committee may fix its
own rules of procedure, and may meet, when and as provided by such rules
or by resolution of the Board of Trustees, but in every case the presence
of a majority shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. In the absence
of any member of the Executive Committee, the members thereof present at
any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a member
of the Board of Trustees to act in the place of such absent member.
Section 8. Other Committees. The Board of Trustees, by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board, may appoint other
committees which shall in each case consist of such number of members of
the Board (not less than two) and shall have and may exercise such powers
as the Board may determine in the resolution appointing them. A majority
of all members of any such committee may determine its action, and fix the
time and place of its meetings, unless the Board of Trustees shall
otherwise provide. The Board of Trustees shall have power at any time to
change the members and powers of any such committee, to fill vacancies,
and to discharge any such committee.
Section 9. Informal Action by and Telephone Meetings of Trustees and
Committees. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting
of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof may be taken without a
meeting, if a written consent to such action is signed by all members of
the Board, or of such committee, as the case may be. Trustees or members
of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a meeting by
means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment; such
participation shall, except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, have
the same effect as presence in person.
Section 10. Compensation of Trustees and Committee Members.
Trustees and members of the Committees appointed by the Board shall be
entitled to receive such compensation from the Trust for their services
as may from time to time be voted by the Board of Trustees.
Section 11. Dividends. Dividends or distributions payable on the
Shares of any Series or Class of the Trust may, but need not be, declared
by specific resolution of the Board as to each dividend or distribution;
in lieu of such specific resolutions, the Board may, by general
resolution, determine the method of computation thereof, the method of
determining the Shareholders of the Series or Class to which they are
payable and the methods of determining whether and to which Shareholders
they are to be paid in cash or in additional Shares.
Section 12. Indemnification. Before an indemnitee shall be
indemnified by the Trust, there shall be a reasonable determination upon
review of the facts that the person to be indemnified was not liable by
reason of disabling conduct as defined in the Declaration of Trust. Such
determination may be made either by vote of a majority of a quorum of the
Board who are neither "interested persons" of the Trust or the investment
adviser nor parties to the proceeding or by independent legal counsel.
The Trust may advance attorneys' fees and expenses incurred in a covered
proceeding to the indemnitee if the indemnitee undertakes to repay the
advance unless it is determined that he is entitled to indemnification
under the Declaration of Trust. Also at least one of the following
conditions must be satisfied: (1) the indemnitee provides security for his
undertaking, or (2) the Trust is insured against losses arising by reason
of lawful advances, or (3) a majority of the disinterested nonparty
Trustees or independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall
determine, based upon review of all of the facts, that there is reason to
believe that the indemnitee will ultimately be found entitled to
indemnification.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
Section 1. Executive Officers. The executive officers of the Trust
shall include a Chairman of the Board of Trustees, a President, one or
more Vice-Presidents (the number thereof to be determined by the Board of
Trustees), a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Chairman of the Board and the
President shall be selected from among the Trustees. The Board of
Trustees may also in its discretion appoint Assistant Secretaries,
Assistant Treasurers, and other officers, agents and employees, who shall
have authority and perform such duties as the Board or the Executive
Committee may determine. The Board of Trustees may fill any vacancy which
may occur in any office. Any two offices, except those of Chairman of the
Board and Secretary, and President and Secretary, may be held by the same
person, but no officer shall execute, acknowledge or verify any instrument
in more than one capacity, if such instrument is required by law or these
By-Laws to be executed, acknowledged or verified by two or more officers.
Section 2. Term of Office. The term of office of all officers shall
be until their respective successors are chosen and qualify; however, any
officer may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by
the vote of a majority of the entire Board of Trustees.
Section 3. Powers and Duties. The officers of the Trust shall have
such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices,
as well as such powers and duties as may from time to time be conferred
by the Board of Trustees or the Executive Committee. Unless otherwise
ordered by the Board of Trustees, the Chairman of the Board shall be the
Chief Executive Officer.
ARTICLE IV
SHARES
Section 1. Share Certificates. The Board of Trustees has discretion
to determine from time to time whether (i) all of the Shares of the Trust
or any Series or Class shall be issued without certificates, or (ii) if
certificates are to be issued for any Shares, the extent and conditions
for such issuance, and the form(s) of such certificates.
Section 2. Transfer of Shares. Shares of any Series or Class shall
be transferable on the books of the Trust by the holder thereof in person
or by his duly authorized attorney or legal representative, upon surrender
and cancellation of certificates, if any, for the same number of Shares
of that Series or Class, duly endorsed or accompanied by proper
instruments of assignment and transfer, with such proof of the
authenticity of the signature as the Trust or its agent may reasonably
require; in the case of shares not represented by certificates, the same
or similar requirements may be imposed by the Board of Trustees.
Section 3. Share Ledgers. The share ledgers of the Trust,
containing the name and address of the Shareholders of each Series or
Class of the Trust and the number of shares of that Series or Class, held
by them respectively, shall be kept at the principal offices of the Fund
or, if the Trust employs a transfer agent, at the offices of the transfer
agent of the Trust.
Section 4. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The Board of
Trustees may determine the conditions upon which a new certificate may be
issued in place of a certificate which is alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed; and may, in their discretion, require the owner of
such certificate or his legal representative to give bond, with sufficient
surety to the Trust and the transfer agent, if any, to indemnify it and
such transfer agent against any and all loss or claims which may arise by
reason of the issue of a new certificate in the place of the one so lost,
stolen or destroyed.
ARTICLE V
SEAL
The Board of Trustees shall provide a suitable seal of the Trust, in
such form and bearing such inscriptions as it may determine.
ARTICLE VI
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Trust shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
The By-Laws of the Trust may be altered, amended, added to or
repealed by the Shareholders or by majority vote of the entire Board of
Trustees, but any such alteration, amendment, addition or repeal of the
By-Laws by action of the Board of Trustees may be altered or repealed by
the Shareholders.
ORGZN\275
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(i)
--------------------
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
Class A Share Certificate (8-1/2" x 12-5/8")
I. FRONT OF CERTIFICATE (All text and other matter lies within 7-1/4"
x 11-1/4" decorative border)
(upper left) box with heading: NUMBER (OF SHARES)
(upper right) box with heading: SHARES
(centered
below boxes) OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH
FUND
A MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS TRUST
(at left) THIS IS TO CERTIFY (at right) SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
box with CUSIP number
683954 101
(at left) is the owner of
(centered) FULLY PAID CLASS A SHARES OF
BENEFICIAL INTEREST OF
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
------------------------
(hereinafter called the "Fund") transferable only on the
books of the Fund by the holder hereof in person or by
duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this
certificate properly endorsed. This certificate and the
shares represented hereby are issued and shall be held
subject to all of the provisions of the Declaration of
Trust of the Fund to all of which the holder by acceptance
hereof assents. This certificate is not valid until
countersigned by the Transfer Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Fund and the signatures
of its duly authorized officers.
(at left (at right
of seal) of seal)
(signature) (signature)
--------------------- ---------------
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(i)
--------------------
Page 2
(centered at bottom)
1-1/2" diameter facsimile seal
with legend
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
SEAL
1992
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
(at lower right, printed
vertically) Countersigned
OPPENHEIMER SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
(A division of Oppenheimer Management
Corporation)
Denver (Colo.) Transfer Agent
By --------------------------------
Authorized Signature
(at lower left corner, outside
ornamental border)
000-000000 [certificate number]
II. BACK OF CERTIFICATE (text reads from top to bottom of 12-5/8"
dimension)
The following abbreviations when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations.
TEN COM - as tenants in common
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entirety
JT TEN WROS NOT TC - as tenants with
rights of survivorship and not
as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT/TRANSFER MIN ACT - ----------------- Custodian ---------------
(Cust) (Minor)
UNDER UGMA/UTMA --------------------
(State)
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not on above list.
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
AND PROVIDE CERTIFICATION BY TRANSFEREE
(box for identifying number)
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(i)
--------------------
Page 3
For Value Received ................ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print or type name and address of assignee)
- -----------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------- Class A Shares of
beneficial interest represented by the within certificate, and do
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint -----------------------------
Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the within named Fund
with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: -----------------------
Signed: -----------------------------
-------------------------------------
(Both must sign if joint owners)
Signature(s) ------------------------
Guaranteed Firm or Bank
By: --------------------------
Officer
(text printed NOTICE: The signature(s) to this assignment must
vertically to right correspond with the name(s) as written upon the
of above paragraph) face of the certificate in every particular
without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatever.
(text printed in Signatures must be guaranteed by a financial
box to left of institution of the type described in the current
signature(s)) prospectus of the Fund.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
EDGAR\275CLASS.A
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(ii)
--------------------
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
Class B Share Certificate (8-1/2" x 12-5/8")
I. FRONT OF CERTIFICATE (All text and other matter lies within 7-1/4"
x 11-1/4" decorative border)
(upper left) box with heading: NUMBER (OF SHARES)
(upper right) box with heading: SHARES
(centered
below boxes) OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH
FUND
A MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS TRUST
(at left) THIS IS TO CERTIFY (at right) SEE REVERSE FOR
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
box with CUSIP number
683954 200
(at left) is the owner of
(centered) FULLY PAID CLASS B SHARES OF
BENEFICIAL INTEREST OF
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
------------------------
(hereinafter called the "Fund") transferable only on the
books of the Fund by the holder hereof in person or by
duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this
certificate properly endorsed. This certificate and the
shares represented hereby are issued and shall be held
subject to all of the provisions of the Declaration of
Trust of the Fund to all of which the holder by acceptance
hereof assents. This certificate is not valid until
countersigned by the Transfer Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Fund and the signatures
of its duly authorized officers.
(at left (at right
of seal) of seal)
(signature) (signature)
--------------------- ---------------
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(ii)
--------------------
Page 2
(centered at bottom)
1-1/2" diameter facsimile seal
with legend
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
SEAL
1992
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
(at lower right, printed
vertically) Countersigned
OPPENHEIMER SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
(A division of Oppenheimer Management
Corporation)
Denver (Colo.) Transfer Agent
By --------------------------------
Authorized Signature
(at lower left corner, outside
ornamental border)
000-000000 [certificate number]
II. BACK OF CERTIFICATE (text reads from top to bottom of 12-5/8"
dimension)
The following abbreviations when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations.
TEN COM - as tenants in common
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entirety
JT TEN WROS NOT TC - as tenants with
rights of survivorship and not
as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT/TRANSFER MIN ACT - ----------------- Custodian ---------------
(Cust) (Minor)
UNDER UGMA/UTMA --------------------
(State)
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not on above list.
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR
OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
AND PROVIDE CERTIFICATION BY TRANSFEREE
(box for identifying number)
<PAGE>
Exhibit 24(b)(4)(ii)
--------------------
Page 3
For Value Received ................ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print or type name and address of assignee)
- -----------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------- Class B Shares of
beneficial interest represented by the within certificate, and do
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint -----------------------------
Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the within named Fund
with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: -----------------------
Signed: -----------------------------
-------------------------------------
(Both must sign if joint owners)
Signature(s) ------------------------
Guaranteed Firm or Bank
By: --------------------------
Officer
(text printed NOTICE: The signature(s) to this assignment must
vertically to right correspond with the name(s) as written upon the
of above paragraph) face of the certificate in every particular
without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatever.
(text printed in Signatures must be guaranteed by a financial
box to left of institution of the type described in the current
signature(s)) prospectus of the Fund.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
EDGAR\275CLASS.B
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 28th day of May, 1992, by and between OPPENHEIMER
STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND (hereinafter referred to as the "Fund"),
and OPPENHEIMER MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (hereinafter referred to as "OMC").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end, diversified management investment
company registered as such with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"Investment Company Act"), and OMC is an investment adviser registered as
such with the Commission under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940;
WHEREAS, the Fund desires that OMC shall act as its investment adviser
pursuant to this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
hereinafter set forth, it is agreed by and between the parties, as
follows:
1. General Provision.
The Fund hereby employs OMC and OMC hereby undertakes to act as the
investment adviser of the Fund and to perform for the Fund such other
duties and functions as are hereinafter set forth. OMC shall, in all
matters, give to the Fund and its Board of Trustees the benefit of its
best judgment, effort, advice and recommendations and shall, at all times
conform to, and use its best efforts to enable the Fund to conform to (i)
the provisions of the Investment Company Act and any rules or regulations
thereunder; (ii) any other applicable provisions of state or Federal law;
(iii) the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund
as amended from time to time; (iv) policies and determinations of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund; (v) the fundamental policies and investment
restrictions of the Fund as reflected in its registration statement under
the Investment Company Act or as such policies may, from time to time, be
amended by the Fund's shareholders; and (vi) the Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information of the Fund in effect from time to time. The
appropriate officers and employees of OMC shall be available upon
reasonable notice for consultation with any of the Trustees and officers
of the Fund with respect to any matters dealing with the business and
affairs of the Fund including the valuation of portfolio securities of the
Fund which are either not registered for public sale or not traded on any
securities market.
2. Investment Management.
(a) OMC shall, subject to the direction and
control by the Fund's Board of Trustees, (i) regularly provide investment
advice and recommendations to the Fund with respect to its investments,
investment policies and the purchase and sale of securities; (ii)
supervise continuously the investment program of the Fund and the
composition of its portfolio and determine what securities shall be
purchased or sold by the Fund; and (iii) arrange, subject to the
provisions of paragraph 7 hereof, for the purchase of securities and other
investments for the Fund and the sale of securities and other investments
held in the Fund's portfolio.
(b) Provided that the Fund shall not be
required to pay any compensation other than as provided by the terms of
this Agreement and subject to the provisions of paragraph 7 hereof, OMC
may obtain investment information, research or assistance from any other
person, firm or corporation to supplement, update or otherwise improve its
investment management services.
(c) Provided that nothing herein shall be
deemed to protect OMC from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross
negligence in the performance of its duties, or reckless disregard of its
obligations and duties under this Agreement, OMC shall not be liable for
any loss sustained by reason of good faith errors or omissions in
connection with any matters to which this Agreement relates.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent
OMC or any officer thereof from acting as investment adviser for any other
person, firm or corporation or in any way limit or restrict OMC or any of
its directors, officers, stockholders or employees from buying, selling
or trading any securities for its or their own account or for the account
of others for whom it or they may be acting, provided that such activities
will not adversely affect or otherwise impair the performance by OMC of
its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
3. Other Duties of OMC.
OMC shall, at its own expense, provide and supervise the activities
of all administrative and clerical personnel as shall be required to
provide effective corporate administration for the Fund, including the
compilation and maintenance of such records with respect to its operations
as may reasonably be required; the preparation and filing of such reports
with respect thereto as shall be required by the Commission; composition
of periodic reports with respect to operations of the Fund for its
shareholders; composition of proxy materials for meetings of the Fund's
shareholders; and the composition of such registration statements as may
be required by Federal and state securities laws for continuous public
sale of shares of the Fund. OMC shall, at its own cost and expense, also
provide the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and equipment.
OMC shall, at its own expense, provide officers for the Fund.
4. Allocation of Expenses.
All other costs and expenses of the Fund not expressly assumed by OMC
under this Agreement, or to be paid by the Distributor of the shares of
the Fund, shall be paid by the Fund, including, but not limited to: (i)
interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) insurance premiums
for fidelity and other coverage requisite to its operations; (iv)
compensation and expenses of its trustees other than those associated or
affiliated with OMC; (v) legal and audit expenses; (vi) custodian and
transfer agent fees and expenses; (vii) expenses incident to the
redemption of its shares; (viii) expenses incident to the issuance of its
shares against payment therefor by or on behalf of the subscribers
thereto; (ix) fees and expenses, other than as hereinabove provided,
incident to the registration under Federal and state securities laws of
shares of the Fund for public sale; (x) expenses of printing and mailing
reports, notices and proxy materials to shareholders of the Fund; (xi)
except as noted above, all other expenses incidental to holding meetings
of the Fund's shareholders; and (xii) such extraordinary non-recurring
expenses as may arise, including litigation, affecting the Fund and any
legal obligation which the Fund may have (on behalf of the Fund) to
indemnify its officers and trustees with respect thereto. Any officers
or employees of OMC or any entity controlling, controlled by or under
common control with OMC who also serve as officers, trustees or employees
of the Fund shall not receive any compensation from the Fund for their
services.
5. Compensation of OMC.
The Fund agrees to pay OMC and OMC agrees to accept as full
compensation for the performance of all functions and duties on its part
to be performed pursuant to the provisions hereof, a fee computed on the
aggregate net asset value of the shares of the Fund as of the close of
each business day and payable monthly at the following annual rate:
.75% of the first $200 million of net assets;
.72% of the next $200 million;
.69% of the next $200 million;
.66% of the next $200 million;
.60% of the next $200 million; and
.50% of net assets in excess of $1 billion.
6. Use of Name "Oppenheimer."
OMC hereby grants to the Fund a royalty-free, non-exclusive license
to use the name "Oppenheimer" in the name of the Fund for the duration of
this Agreement and any extensions or renewals thereof. To the extent
necessary to protect OMC's rights to the name "Oppenheimer" under
applicable law, such license shall allow OMC to inspect and, subject to
control by the Fund's Board, control the nature and quality of services
offered by the Fund under such name and may, upon termination of this
Agreement, be terminated by OMC, in which event the Fund shall promptly
take whatever action may be necessary to change its name and discontinue
any further use of the name "Oppenheimer" in the name of the Fund or
otherwise. The name "Oppenheimer" may be used or licensed by OMC in
connection with any of its activities, or licensed by OMC to any other
party.
7. Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage.
(a) OMC is authorized, in arranging the
purchase and sale of the Fund's portfolio securities, to employ or deal
with such members of securities or commodities exchanges, brokers or
dealers (hereinafter "broker-dealers"), including "affiliated" broker-
dealers (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act), as may,
in its best judgment, implement the policy of the Fund to obtain, at
reasonable expense, the "best execution" (prompt and reliable execution
at the most favorable security price obtainable) of the Fund's portfolio
transactions as well as to obtain, consistent with the provisions of
subparagraph (c) of this paragraph 7, the benefit of such investment
information or research as will be of significant assistance to the
performance by OMC of its investment management functions.
(b) OMC shall select broker-dealers to
effect the Fund's portfolio transactions on the basis of its estimate of
their ability to obtain best execution of particular and related portfolio
transactions. The abilities of a broker-dealer to obtain best execution
of particular portfolio transaction(s) will be judged by OMC on the basis
of all relevant factors and considerations including, insofar as feasible,
the execution capabilities required by the transaction or transactions;
the ability and willingness of the broker-dealer to facilitate the Fund's
portfolio transactions by participating therein for its own account; the
importance to the Fund of speed, efficiency or confidentiality; the
broker-dealer's apparent familiarity with sources from or to whom
particular securities might be purchased or sold; as well as any other
matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer for particular and
related transactions of the Fund.
(c) OMC shall have discretion, in the
interests of the Fund, to allocate brokerage on the Fund's portfolio
transactions to broker-dealers, other than an affiliated broker-dealer,
qualified to obtain best execution of such transactions who provide
brokerage and/or research services (as such services are defined in
Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) for the Fund
and/or other accounts for which OMC or its affiliates exercise "investment
discretion" (as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(35) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934) and to cause the Fund to pay such broker-dealers a
commission for effecting a portfolio transaction for the Fund that is in
excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer adequately
qualified to effect such transaction would have charged for effecting that
transaction, if OMC determines, in good faith, that such commission is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research
services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either that
particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of OMC or its
affiliates with respect to the accounts as to which they exercise
investment discretion. In reaching such determination, OMC will not be
required to place or attempt to place a specific dollar value on the
brokerage and/or research services provided or being provided by such
broker-dealer. In demonstrating that such determinations were made in
good faith, OMC shall be prepared to show that all commissions were
allocated for purposes contemplated by this Agreement and that the total
commissions paid by the Fund over a representative period selected by the
Fund's trustees were reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund.
(d) OMC shall have no duty or obligation
to seek advance competitive bidding for the most favorable commission rate
applicable to any particular portfolio transactions or to select any
broker-dealer on the basis of its purported or "posted" commission rate
but will, to the best of its ability, endeavor to be aware of the current
level of the charges of eligible broker-dealers and to minimize the
expense incurred by the Fund for effecting its portfolio transactions to
the extent consistent with the interests and policies of the Fund as
established by the determinations of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and
the provisions of this paragraph 7.
(e) The Fund recognizes that an affiliated
broker-dealer: (i) may act as one of the Fund's regular brokers for the
Fund so long as it is lawful for it so to act; (ii) may be a major
recipient of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund; and (iii) may effect
portfolio transactions for the Fund only if the commissions, fees or other
remuneration received or to be received by it are determined in accordance
with procedures contemplated by any rule, regulation or order adopted
under the Investment Company Act for determining the permissible level of
such commissions.
(f) Subject to the foregoing provisions of
this paragraph 7, OMC may also consider sales of shares of the Fund and
the other funds advised by OMC and its affiliates as a factor in the
selection of broker-dealers for its portfolio transactions.
8. Duration.
This Agreement will take effect on the date first set forth above.
Unless earlier terminated pursuant to paragraph 10 hereof, this Agreement
shall remain in effect until December 31, 1992, and thereafter will
continue in effect from year to year, so long as such continuance shall
be approved at least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees, including
the vote of the majority of the trustees of the Fund who are not parties
to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment
Company Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval, or by the holders of a "majority" (as
defined in the Investment Company Act) of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund and by such a vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees.
9. Disclaimer of Shareholder or Trustee Liability.
OMC understands and agrees that the obligations of the Fund under
this Agreement are not binding upon any shareholder or Trustee of the Fund
personally, but bind only the Fund and the Fund's property; OMC represents
that it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the
Fund disclaiming shareholder or Trustee liability for acts or obligations
of the Fund.
10. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated (i) by OMC at any time without
penalty upon sixty days' written notice to the Fund (which notice may be
waived by the Fund); or (ii) by the Fund at any time without penalty upon
sixty days' written notice to OMC (which notice may be waived by OMC)
provided that such termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved
by the vote of a majority of all of the trustees of the Fund then in
office or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the Investment Company Act).
11. Assignment or Amendment.
This Agreement may not be amended or the rights of OMC hereunder
sold, transferred, pledged or otherwise in any manner encumbered without
the affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of the "majority"
of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement shall
automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its "assignment,"
as defined in the Investment Company Act.
12. Definitions.
The terms and provisions of the Agreement shall be interpreted and
defined in a manner consistent with the provisions and definitions
contained in the Investment Company Act.
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME &
GROWTH FUND
Attest:
/s/ Mitchell J. Lindauer By:/s/ Robert G. Zack
- ------------------------ ------------------
Mitchell J. Lindauer Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary
OPPENHEIMER MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
Attest:
/s/ Katherine P. Feld By:/s/ Andrew J. Donohue
- --------------------- ---------------------
Katherine P. Feld Andrew J. Donohue,
Senior Vice President
ADVISORY\275
GENERAL DISTRIBUTOR'S AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
AND
OPPENHEIMER FUND MANAGEMENT, INC.
Date: October 13, 1992
OPPENHEIMER FUND MANAGEMENT, INC.
Two World Trade Center, Suite 3400
New York, NY 10048
Dear Sirs:
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND, a Massachusetts business
trust (the "Fund"), is registered as an investment company under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), and an indefinite number
of one or more classes of its shares of beneficial interest ("Shares")
have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") to
be offered for sale to the public in a continuous public offering in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") included in the Fund's
Registration Statement as it may be amended from time to time (the
"current Prospectus and/or SAI").
In this connection, the Fund desires that your firm (the "General
Distributor") act in a principal capacity as General Distributor for the
sale and distribution of Shares which have been registered as described
above and of any additional Shares which may become registered during the
term of this Agreement. You have advised the Fund that you are willing
to act as such General Distributor, and it is accordingly agreed by and
between us as follows:
1. Appointment of the Distributor. The Fund hereby appoints you
as the sole General Distributor, pursuant to the aforesaid continuous
public offering of its Shares, and the Fund further agrees from and after
the date of this Agreement, that it will not, without your consent, sell
or agree to sell any Shares otherwise than through you, except (a) the
Fund may itself sell shares without sales charge as an investment to the
officers, trustees or directors and bona fide present and former full-time
employees of the Fund, the Fund's Investment Adviser and affiliates
thereof, and to other investors who are identified in the current
Prospectus and/or SAI as having the privilege to buy Shares at net asset
value; (b) the Fund may issue shares in connection with a merger,
consolidation or acquisition of assets on such basis as may be authorized
or permitted under the 1940 Act; (c) the Fund may issue shares for the
reinvestment of dividends and other distributions of the Fund or of any
other Fund if permitted by the current Prospectus and/or SAI; and (d) the
Fund may issue shares as underlying securities of a unit investment trust
if such unit investment trust has elected to use Shares as an underlying
investment; provided that in no event as to any of the foregoing
exceptions shall Shares be issued and sold at less than the then-existing
net asset value.
2. Sale of Shares. You hereby accept such appointment and agree
to use your best efforts to sell Shares, provided, however, that when
requested by the Fund at any time because of market or other economic
considerations or abnormal circumstances of any kind, or when agreed to
by mutual consent of the Fund and the General Distributor, you will
suspend such efforts. The Fund may also withdraw the offering of Shares
at any time when required by the provisions of any statute, order, rule
or regulation of any governmental body having jurisdiction. It is
understood that you do not undertake to sell all or any specific number
of Shares.
3. Sales Charge. Shares shall be sold by you at net asset value
plus a front-end sales charge not in excess of 8.5% of the offering price,
but which front-end sales charge shall be proportionately reduced or
eliminated for larger sales and under other circumstances, in each case
on the basis set forth in the Fund's current Prospectus and/or SAI. The
redemption proceeds of shares offered and sold at net asset value with or
without a front-end sales charge may be subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge ("CDSC") under the circumstances described in the current
Prospectus and/or SAI. You may reallow such portion of the front-end
sales charge to dealers or cause payment (which may exceed the front-end
sales charge, if any) of commissions to brokers through which sales are
made, as you may determine, and you may pay such amounts to dealers and
brokers on sales of shares from your own resources (such dealers and
brokers shall collectively include all domestic or foreign institutions
eligible to offer and sell the Shares), and in the event the Fund has more
than one class of Shares outstanding, then you may impose a front-end
sales charge and/or a CDSC on Shares of one class that is different from
the charges imposed on Shares of the Fund's other class(es), in each case
as set forth in the current Prospectus and/or SAI, provided the front-end
sales charge and CDSC to the ultimate purchaser do not exceed the
respective levels set forth for such category of purchaser in the Fund's
current Prospectus and/or SAI.
4. Purchase of Shares.
(a) As General Distributor, you shall have the right to accept
or reject orders for the purchase of Shares at your
discretion. Any consideration which you may receive in
connection with a rejected purchase order will be returned
promptly.
(b) You agree promptly to issue or to cause the duly appointed
transfer or shareholder servicing agent of the Fund to
issue as your agent confirmations of all accepted purchase
orders and to transmit a copy of such confirmations to the
Fund. The net asset value of all Shares which are the
subject of such confirmations, computed in accordance with
the applicable rules under the 1940 Act, shall be a
liability of the General Distributor to the Fund to be
paid promptly after receipt of payment from the
originating dealer or broker (or investor, in the case of
direct purchases) and not later than eleven business days
after such confirmation even if you have not actually
received payment from the originating dealer or broker or
investor. In no event shall the General Distributor make
payment to the Fund later than permitted by applicable
rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
(c) If the originating dealer or broker shall fail to make
timely settlement of its purchase order in accordance with
applicable rules of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or if a direct purchaser shall fail to make
good payment for shares in a timely manner, you shall have
the right to cancel such purchase order and, at your
account and risk, to hold responsible the originating
dealer or broker, or investor. You agree promptly to
reimburse the Fund for losses suffered by it that are
attributable to any such cancellation, or to errors on
your part in relation to the effective date of accepted
purchase orders, limited to the amount that such losses
exceed contemporaneous gains realized by the Fund for
either of such reasons with respect to other purchase
orders.
(d) In the case of a canceled purchase for the account of a
directly purchasing shareholder, the Fund agrees that if
such investor fails to make you whole for any loss you pay
to the Fund on such canceled purchase order, the Fund will
reimburse you for such loss to the extent of the aggregate
redemption proceeds of any other shares of the Fund owned
by such investor, on your demand that the Fund exercise
its right to claim such redemption proceeds. The Fund
shall register or cause to be registered all Shares sold
to you pursuant to the provisions hereof in such names and
amounts as you may request from time to time and the Fund
shall issue or cause to be issued certificates evidencing
such Shares for delivery to you or pursuant to your
direction if and to the extent that the shareholder
account in question contemplates the issuance of such
certificates. All Shares when so issued and paid for,
shall be fully paid and non-assessable by the Fund (which
shall not prevent the imposition of any CDSC that may
apply) to the extent set forth in the current Prospectus
and/or SAI.
5. Repurchase of Shares.
(a) In connection with the repurchase of Shares, you are
appointed and shall act as Agent of the Fund. You are
authorized, for so long as you act as General Distributor
of the Fund, to repurchase, from authorized dealers,
certificated or uncertificated shares of the Fund
("Shares") on the basis of orders received from each
dealer ("authorized dealer") with which you have a dealer
agreement for the sale of Shares and permitting resales of
Shares to you, provided that such authorized dealer, at
the time of placing such resale order, shall represent (i)
if such Shares are represented by certificate(s), that
certificate(s) for the Shares to be repurchased have been
delivered to it by the registered owner with a request for
the redemption of such Shares executed in the manner and
with the signature guarantee required by the then-
currently effective prospectus of the Fund, or (ii) if
such Shares are uncertificated, that the registered
owner(s) has delivered to the dealer a request for the
redemption of such Shares executed in the manner and with
the signature guarantee required by the then-currently
effective prospectus of the Fund.
(b) You shall (a) have the right in your discretion to accept
or reject orders for the repurchase of Shares; (b)
promptly transmit confirmations of all accepted repurchase
orders; and (c) transmit a copy of such confirmation to
the Fund, or, if so directed, to any duly appointed
transfer or shareholder servicing agent of the Fund. In
your discretion, you may accept repurchase requests made
by a financially responsible dealer which provides you
with indemnification in form satisfactory to you in
consideration of your acceptance of such dealer's request
in lieu of the written redemption request of the owner of
the account; you agree that the Fund shall be a third
party beneficiary of such indemnification.
(c) Upon receipt by the Fund or its duly appointed transfer or
shareholder servicing agent of any certificate(s) (if any
has been issued) for repurchased Shares and a written
redemption request of the registered owner(s) of such
Shares executed in the manner and bearing the signature
guarantee required by the then-currently effective
Prospectus or SAI of the Fund, the Fund will pay or cause
its duly appointed transfer or shareholder servicing agent
promptly to pay to the originating authorized dealer the
redemption price of the repurchased Shares (other than
repurchased Shares subject to the provisions of part (d)
of Section 5 of this Agreement) next determined after your
receipt of the dealer's repurchase order.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of part (c) of Section 5 of
this Agreement, repurchase orders received from an
authorized dealer after the determination of the Fund's
redemption price on a regular business day will receive
that day's redemption price if the request to the dealer
by its customer to arrange such repurchase prior to the
determination of the Fund's redemption price that day
complies with the requirements governing such requests as
stated in the current Prospectus and/or SAI.
(e) You will make every reasonable effort and take all
reasonably available measures to assure the accurate
performance of all services to be performed by you
hereunder within the requirements of any statute, rule or
regulation pertaining to the redemption of shares of a
regulated investment company and any requirements set
forth in the then-current Prospectus and/or SAI of the
Fund. You shall correct any error or omission made by you
in the performance of your duties hereunder of which you
shall have received notice in writing and any necessary
substantiating data; and you shall hold the Fund harmless
from the effect of any errors or omissions which might
cause an over- or under-redemption of the Fund's Shares
and/or an excess or non-payment of dividends, capital
gains distributions, or other distributions.
(f) In the event an authorized dealer initiating a repurchase
order shall fail to make delivery or otherwise settle such
order in accordance with the rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., you shall have
the right to cancel such repurchase order and, at your
account and risk, to hold responsible the originating
dealer. In the event that any cancellation of a Share
repurchase order or any error in the timing of the
acceptance of a Share repurchase order shall result in a
gain or loss to the Fund, you agree promptly to reimburse
the Fund for any amount by which any loss shall exceed
then-existing gains so arising.
6. 1933 Act Registration. The Fund has delivered to you a copy of
its current Prospectus and SAI. The Fund agrees that it will use its best
efforts to continue the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under
the 1933 Act. The Fund further agrees to prepare and file any amendments
to its Registration Statement as may be necessary and any supplemental
data in order to comply with the 1933 Act. The Fund will furnish you at
your expense with a reasonable number of copies of the Prospectus and SAI
and any amendments thereto for use in connection with the sale of Shares.
7. 1940 Act Registration. The Fund has already registered under
the 1940 Act as an investment company, and it will use its best efforts
to maintain such registration and to comply with the requirements of the
1940 Act.
8. State Blue Sky Qualification. At your request, the Fund will
take such steps as may be necessary and feasible to qualify Shares for
sale in states, territories or dependencies of the United States, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and in foreign
countries, in accordance with the laws thereof, and to renew or extend any
such qualification; provided, however, that the Fund shall not be required
to qualify shares or to maintain the qualification of shares in any
jurisdiction where it shall deem such qualification disadvantageous to the
Fund.
9. Duties of Distributor. You agree that:
(a) Neither you nor any of your officers will take any long or
short position in the Shares, but this provision shall not
prevent you or your officers from acquiring Shares for
investment purposes only; and
(b) You shall furnish to the Fund any pertinent information
required to be inserted with respect to you as General
Distributor within the purview of the Securities Act of
1933 in any reports or registration required to be filed
with any governmental authority; and
(c) You will not make any representations inconsistent with
the information contained in the current Prospectus and/or
SAI; and
(d) You shall maintain such records as may be reasonably
required for the Fund or its transfer or shareholder
servicing agent to respond to shareholder requests or
complaints, and to permit the Fund to maintain proper
accounting records, and you shall make such records
available to the Fund and its transfer agent or
shareholder servicing agent upon request; and
(e) In performing under this Agreement, you shall comply with
all requirements of the Fund's current Prospectus and/or
SAI and all applicable laws, rules and regulations with
respect to the purchase, sale and distribution of Shares.
10. Allocation of Costs. The Fund shall pay the cost of composition
and printing of sufficient copies of its Prospectus and SAI as shall be
required for periodic distribution to its shareholders and the expense of
registering Shares for sale under federal securities laws. You shall pay
the expenses normally attributable to the sale of Shares, other than as
paid under the Fund's Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act,
including the cost of printing and mailing of the Prospectus (other than
those furnished to existing shareholders) and any sales literature used
by you in the public sale of the Shares and for registering such shares
under state blue sky laws pursuant to paragraph 8.
11. Duration. This Agreement shall take effect on the date first
written above, and shall supersede any and all prior General Distributor's
Agreements by and among the Fund and you. Unless earlier terminated
pursuant to paragraph 12 hereof, this Agreement shall remain in effect
until September 30, 1993. This Agreement shall continue in effect from
year to year thereafter, provided that such continuance shall be
specifically approved at least annually: (a) by the Fund's Board of
Trustees or by vote of a majority of the voting securities of the Fund;
and (b) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees, who are not parties to
this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined the 1940 Act) of any
such person, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting
on such approval.
12. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated (a) by the
General Distributor at any time without penalty by giving sixty days'
written notice (which notice may be waived by the Fund); (b) by the Fund
at any time without penalty upon sixty days' written notice to the General
Distributor (which notice may be waived by the General Distributor); or
(c) by mutual consent of the Fund and the General Distributor, provided
that such termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved by the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or by the vote of the holders of a
"majority" of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. In the event
this Agreement is terminated by the Fund, the General Distributor shall
be entitled to be paid the CDSC under paragraph 3 hereof on the redemption
proceeds of Shares sold prior to the effective date of such termination.
13. Assignment. This Agreement may not be amended or changed except
in writing and shall be binding upon and shall enure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors; however, this Agreement
shall not be assigned by either party and shall automatically terminate
upon assignment.
14. Disclaimer of Shareholder Liability. The General Distributor
understands and agrees that the obligations of the Fund under this
Agreement are not binding upon any Trustee or shareholder of the Fund
personally, but bind only the Fund and the Fund's property; the General
Distributor represents that it has notice of the provisions of the
Declaration of Trust of the Fund disclaiming Trustee and shareholder
liability for acts or obligations of the Fund.
15. Section Headings. The heading of each section is for
descriptive purposes only, and such headings are not to be construed or
interpreted as part of this Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, so
indicate by signing in the space provided below.
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME
& GROWTH FUND
By_________________________________
Chairman
Accepted:
OPPENHEIMER FUND MANAGEMENT, INC.
By_______________________________
Vice President
OFMI\275#3
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
CUSTODY AGREEMENT
Agreement made as of this 28th day of May, 1992, between OPPENHEIMER
STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND, a business trust organized and existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, having its principal
office and place of business at 3410 South Galena Street, Denver, Colorado
80231 (hereinafter called the "Fund"), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a New
York corporation authorized to do a banking business, having its principal
office and place of business at 48 Wall Street, New York, New York 10286
(hereinafter called the "Custodian").
W I T N E S S E T H
that for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set
forth, the Fund and the Custodian agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases,
shall have the following meanings:
1. "Agreement" shall mean this Custody Agreement and all Appendices
and Certifications described in the Exhibits delivered in connection
herewith.
2. "Authorized Person" shall mean any person, whether or not such
person is an Officer or employee of the Fund, duly authorized by the Board
of Trustees of the Fund to give Oral Instructions and Written Instructions
on behalf of the Fund and listed in the Certificate annexed hereto as
Appendix A or such other Certificate as may be received by the Custodian
from time to time, provided that each person who is designated in any such
Certificate as an "Officer of OSS" shall be an Authorized Person only for
purposes of Articles XII and XIII hereof.
3. "Book-Entry System" shall mean the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-
entry system for United States and federal agency securities, its
successor or successors and its nominee or nominees.
4. "Call Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option with respect
to Securities other than Index, Futures Contracts, and Futures Contract
Options entitling the holder, upon timely exercise and payment of the
exercise price, as specified therein, to purchase from the writer thereof
the specified underlying instruments, currency, or Securities.
5. "Certificate" shall mean any notice, instruction, or other
instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be
given to the Custodian which is actually received (irrespective of
constructive receipt) by the Custodian and signed on behalf of the Fund
by any two Officers. The term Certificate shall also include instructions
by the Fund to the Custodian communicated by a Terminal Link.
6. "Clearing Member" shall mean a registered broker-dealer which
is a clearing member under the rules of O.C.C. and a member of a national
securities exchange qualified to act as a custodian for an investment
company, or any broker-dealer reasonably believed by the Custodian to be
such a clearing member.
7. "Collateral Account" shall mean a segregated account so de-
nominated which is specifically allocated to a Series and pledged to the
Custodian as security for, and in consideration of, the Custodian's
issuance of any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document described
in paragraph 8 of Article V herein.
8. "Covered Call Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option
entitling the holder, upon timely exercise and payment of the exercise
price, as specified therein, to purchase from the writer thereof the
specified underlying instruments, currency, or Securities (excluding
Futures Contracts) which are owned by the writer thereof.
9. "Depository" shall mean The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"),
a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
its successor or successors and its nominee or nominees. The term
"Depository" shall further mean and include any other person authorized
to act as a depository under the Investment Company Act of 1940, its
successor or successors and its nominee or nominees, specifically
identified in a certified copy of a resolution of the Fund's Board of
Trustees specifically approving deposits therein by the Custodian,
including, without limitation, a Foreign Depository.
10. "Financial Futures Contract" shall mean the firm commitment to
buy or sell financial instruments on a U.S. commodities exchange or board
of trade at a specified future time at an agreed upon price.
11. "Foreign Subcustodian" shall mean an "Eligible Foreign
Custodian" as defined in Rule 17-5 which is appointed by the Custodian to
perform or coordinate the receipt, custody and delivery of Foreign
Property of the Fund outside the United States in a manner consistent with
the provisions of this Agreement and whose written contract is approved
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund in accordance with Rule 17f-5.
References to the Custodian herein shall, when appropriate, include
reference to its Foreign Subcustodians.
12. "Foreign Depository" shall mean an entity organized under the
laws of a foreign country which operates a system outside the United
States in general use by foreign banks and securities brokers for the
central or transnational handling of securities or equivalent book-entries
which is regulated by a foreign government or agency thereof and which is
an "Eligible Foreign Custodian" as defined in Rule 17f-5.
13. "Foreign Securities" shall mean securities and/or short term
paper as defined in Rule 17f-5 under the Act, whether issued in registered
or bearer form.
14. "Foreign Property" shall mean Foreign Securities and money of
any currency which is held outside of the United States.
15. "Futures Contract" shall mean a Financial Futures Contract
and/or Index Futures Contracts.
16. "Futures Contract Option" shall mean an Option with respect to
a Futures Contract.
17. "Investment Company Act of 1940" shall mean the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
18. "Index Futures Contract" shall mean a bilateral agreement
pursuant to which the parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount
of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between
the value of a particular index at the close of the last business day of
the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally
struck.
19. "Index Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option entitling
the holder, upon timely exercise, to receive an amount of cash determined
by reference to the difference between the exercise price and the value
of the index on the date of exercise.
20. "Margin Account" shall mean a segregated account in the name of
a broker, dealer, futures commission merchant, or a Clearing Member, or
in the name of the Fund for the benefit of a broker, dealer, futures
commission merchant, or Clearing Member, or otherwise, in accordance with
an agreement between the Fund, the Custodian and a broker, dealer, futures
commission merchant or a Clearing Member (a "Margin Account Agreement"),
separate and distinct from the custody account, in which certain
Securities and/or money of the Fund shall be deposited and withdrawn from
time to time in connection with such transactions as the Fund may from
time to time determine. Securities held in the Book-Entry System or a
Depository shall be deemed to have been deposited in, or withdrawn from,
a Margin Account upon the Custodian's effecting an appropriate entry in
its books and records.
21. "Money Market Security" shall mean all instruments and ob-
ligations commonly known as a money market instruments, where the purchase
and sale of such securities normally requires settlement in federal funds
on the same day as such purchase or sale, including, without limitation,
certain Reverse Repurchase Agreements, debt obligations issued or
guaranteed as to interest and/or principal by the government of the United
States or agencies or instrumentalities thereof, any tax, bond or revenue
anticipation note issued by any state or municipal government or public
authority, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers'
acceptances, repurchase agreements with respect to Securities and bank
time deposits.
22. "Nominee" shall mean, in addition to the name of the registered
nominee of the Custodian, (i) a partnership or other entity of a Foreign
Subcustodian which is used solely for the assets of its customers other
than the Custodian and the Foreign Subcustodian, if any, by which it was
appointed; or (ii) the nominee of a Foreign Depository which is used for
the securities and other assets of its customers, members or participants.
23. "O.C.C." shall mean the Options Clearing Corporation, a clearing
agency registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, its successor or successors, and its nominee or nominees.
24. "Officers" shall mean the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, the Treasurer, the Controller, any Assistant Secretary, any
Assistant Treasurer, and any other person or persons, whether or not any
such other person is an officer or employee of the Fund, but in each case
only if duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Fund to execute
any Certificate, instruction, notice or other instrument on behalf of the
Fund and listed in the Certificate annexed hereto as Appendix B or such
other Certificate as may be received by the Custodian from time to time;
provided that each person who is designated in any such Certificate as
holding the position of "Officer of OSS" shall be an Officer only for
purposes of Articles XII and XIII hereof.
25. "Option" shall mean a Call Option, Covered Call Option, Index
Option and/or a Put Option.
26. "Oral Instructions" shall mean verbal instructions actually
received (irrespective of constructive receipt) by the Custodian from an
Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by the Custodian
to be an Authorized Person.
27. "Put Option" shall mean an exchange traded Option with respect
to instruments, currency, or Securities other than Index Options, Futures
Contracts, and Futures Contract Options entitling the holder, upon timely
exercise and tender of the specified underlying instruments, currency, or
Securities, to sell such instruments, currency, or Securities to the
writer thereof for the exercise price.
28. "Repurchase Agreement" shall mean an agreement pursuant to which
the Fund buys Securities and agrees to resell such Securities at a
described or specified date and price.
29. "Reverse Repurchase Agreement" shall mean an agreement pursuant
to which the Fund sells Securities and agrees to repurchase such
Securities at a described or specified date and price.
30. "Rule 17f-5" shall mean Rule 17f-5 (Reg. 270.17f-5) promulgated
by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
31. "Security" shall be deemed to include, without limitation, Money
Market Securities, Call Options, Put Options, Index Options, Index Futures
Contracts, Index Futures Contract Options, Financial Futures Contracts,
Financial Futures Contract Options, Reverse Repurchase Agreements, over
the counter Options on Securities, common stocks and other securities
having characteristics similar to common stocks, preferred stocks, debt
obligations issued by state or municipal governments and by public
authorities, (including, without limitation, general obligation bonds,
revenue bonds, industrial bonds and industrial development bonds), bonds,
debentures, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any certificates,
receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive,
purchase, sell or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing
any other rights or interest therein, or rights to any property or assets.
32. "Senior Security Account" shall mean an account maintained and
specifically allocated to a Series under the terms of this Agreement as
a segregated account, by recordation or otherwise, within the custody
account in which certain Securities and/or other assets of the Fund
specifically allocated to such Series shall be deposited and withdrawn
from time to time in accordance with Certificates received by the
Custodian in connection with such transactions as the Fund may from time
to time determine.
33. "Series" shall mean the various portfolios, if any, of the Fund
as described from time to time in the current and effective prospectus for
the Fund, except that if the Fund does not have more than one portfolio,
"Series" shall mean the Fund or be ignored where a requirement would be
imposed on the Fund or the Custodian which is unnecessary if there is only
one portfolio.
34. "Shares" shall mean the shares of beneficial interest of the
Fund and its Series.
35. "Terminal Link" shall mean an electronic data transmission link
between the Fund and the Custodian requiring in connection with each use
of the Terminal Link the use of an authorization code provided by the
Custodian and at least two access codes established by the Fund, provided,
that the Fund shall have delivered to the Custodian a Certificate
substantially in the form of Appendix C.
36. "Transfer Agent" shall mean Oppenheimer Shareholder Services,
a division of Oppenheimer Management Corporation, its successors and as-
signs.
37. "Transfer Agent Account" shall mean any account in the name of
the Fund, or the Transfer Agent, as agent for the Fund, maintained with
United Missouri Bank or such other Bank designated by the Fund in a
Certificate.
38. "Written Instructions" shall mean written communications
actually received (irrespective of constructive receipt) by the Custodian
from an Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by the
Custodian to be an Authorized Person by telex or any other such system
whereby the receiver of such communications is able to verify by codes or
otherwise with a reasonable degree of certainty the identity of the sender
of such communication.
ARTICLE II
APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN
1. The Fund hereby constitutes and appoints the Custodian as
custodian of the Securities and moneys at any time owned or held by the
Fund during the period of this Agreement.
2. The Custodian hereby accepts appointment as such custodian and
agrees to perform the duties thereof as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE III
CUSTODY OF CASH AND SECURITIES
1. Except for monies received and maintained in the Transfer Agent
Account, or as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article or in
Article VIII or XV, the Fund will deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Custodian all Securities and all moneys owned by it, at any time during
the period of this Agreement, and shall specify with respect to such
Securities and money the Series to which the same are specifically
allocated, and the Custodian shall not be responsible for any Securities
or money not so delivered. Except for assets held at DTC, the Custodian
shall physically segregate, keep and maintain the Securities of the Series
separate and apart from each other Series and from other assets held by
the Custodian. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement,
the Custodian will not be responsible for any Securities and moneys not
actually received by it, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has
engaged in willful misconduct with respect thereto. The Custodian will
be entitled to reverse any credit of money made on the Fund's behalf where
such credits have been previously made and moneys are not finally col-
lected, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has engaged in willful
misconduct with respect thereto; provided that if such reversal is thirty
(30) days or more after the credit was issued, the Custodian will give
five (5) days' prior notice of such reversal. The Fund shall deliver to
the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Fund,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, approving, authorizing and
instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going basis to deposit
in the Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein,
regardless of the Series to which the same are specifically allocated and
to utilize the Book-Entry System to the extent possible in connection with
its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection
with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities
and deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Prior to a deposit
of Securities specifically allocated to a Series in any Depository, the
Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board
of Trustees of the Fund, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
approving, authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and
ongoing basis until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate to deposit
in such Depository all Securities specifically allocated to such Series
eligible for deposit therein, and to utilize such Depository to the extent
possible with respect to such Securities in connection with its per-
formance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with
settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and
deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Securities and moneys
deposited in either the Book-Entry System or a Depository will be
represented in accounts which include only assets held by the Custodian
for customers, including, but not limited to, accounts in which the Custo-
dian acts in a fiduciary or representative capacity and will be
specifically allocated on the Custodian's books to the separate account
for the applicable Series. Prior to the Custodian's accepting, utilizing
and acting with respect to Clearing Member confirmations for Options and
transactions in Options for a Series as provided in this Agreement, the
Custodian shall have received a certified resolution of the Fund's Board
of Trustees, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, approving,
authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going
basis, until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate to accept,
utilize and act in accordance with such confirmations as provided in this
Agreement with respect to such Series. All Securities are to be held or
disposed of by the Custodian for, and subject at all times to the
instructions of, the Fund pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The
Custodian shall have no power or authority to assign, hypothecate, pledge
or otherwise dispose of any Securities except as provided by the terms of
this Agreement, and shall have the sole power to release and deliver
Securities held pursuant to this Agreement.
2. The Custodian shall establish and maintain separate accounts,
in the name of each Series, and shall credit to the separate account for
each Series all moneys received by it for the account of the Fund with
respect to such Series. Money credited to a separate account for a Series
shall be subject only to drafts, orders, or charges of the Custodian
pursuant to this Agreement and shall be disbursed by the Custodian only:
(a) As hereinafter provided;
(b) Pursuant to Certificates or Resolutions of the Fund's
Board of Trustees certified by an Officer and by the Secretary or
Assistant Secretary of the Fund setting forth the name and address of the
person to whom the payment is to be made, the Series account from which
payment is to be made, the purpose for which payment is to be made, and
declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose; provided,
however, that amounts representing dividends, distributions, or
redemptions proceeds with respect to Shares shall be paid only to the
Transfer Agent Account;
(c) In payment of the fees and in reimbursement of the
expenses and liabilities of the Custodian attributable to such Series and
authorized by this Agreement; or
(d) Pursuant to Certificates to pay interest, taxes,
management fees or operating expenses (including, without limitation
thereto, Board of Trustees' fees and expenses, and fees for legal
accounting and auditing services), which Certificates set forth the name
and address of the person to whom payment is to be made, state the purpose
of such payment and designate the Series for whose account the payment is
to be made.
3. Promptly after the close of business on each day, the Custodian
shall furnish the Fund with confirmations and a summary, on a per Series
basis, of all transfers to or from the account of the Fund for a Series,
either hereunder or with any co-custodian or subcustodian appointed in
accordance with this Agreement during said day. Where Securities are
transferred to the account of the Fund for a Series but held in a
Depository, the Custodian shall upon such transfer also by book-entry or
otherwise identify such Securities as belonging to such Series in a
fungible bulk of Securities registered in the name of the Custodian (or
its nominee) or shown on the Custodian's account on the books of the Book-
Entry System or the Depository. At least monthly and from time to time,
the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a detailed statement, on a per
Series basis, of the Securities and moneys held under this Agreement for
the Fund.
4. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article and
in Article VIII, all Securities held by the Custodian hereunder, which are
issued or issuable only in bearer form, except such Securities as are held
in the Book-Entry System, shall be held by the Custodian in that form; all
other Securities held hereunder may be registered in the name of the Fund,
in the name of any duly appointed registered nominee of the Custodian as
the Custodian may from time to time determine, or in the name of the Book-
Entry System or a Depository or their successor or successors, or their
nominee or nominees. The Fund agrees to furnish to the Custodian
appropriate instruments to enable the Custodian to hold or deliver in
proper form for transfer, or to register in the name of its registered
nominee or in the name of the Book-Entry System or a Depository any
Securities which it may hold hereunder and which may from time to time be
registered in the name of the Fund. The Custodian shall hold all such
Securities specifically allocated to a Series which are not held in the
Book-Entry System or in a Depository in a separate account in the name of
such Series physically segregated at all times from those of any other
person or persons.
5. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and unless
otherwise instructed to the contrary by a Certificate, the Custodian by
itself, or through the use of the Book-Entry System or a Depository with
respect to Securities held hereunder and therein deposited, shall with
respect to all Securities held for the Fund hereunder in accordance with
preceding paragraph 4:
(a) Promptly collect all income, dividends and dis-
tributions due or payable;
(b) Promptly give notice to the Fund and promptly present
for payment and collect the amount of money or other consideration payable
upon such Securities which are called, but only if either (i) the
Custodian receives a written notice of such call, or (ii) notice of such
call appears in one or more of the publications listed in Appendix D
annexed hereto, which may be amended at any time by the Custodian without
the prior consent of the Fund, provided the Custodian gives prior notice
of such amendment to the Fund;
(c) Promptly present for payment and collect for the
Fund's account the amount payable upon all Securities which mature;
(d) Promptly surrender Securities in temporary form in
exchange for definitive Securities;
(e) Promptly execute, as custodian, any necessary de-
clarations or certificates of ownership under the Federal Income Tax Laws
or the laws or regulations of any other taxing authority now or hereafter
in effect;
(f) Hold directly, or through the Book-Entry System or the
Depository with respect to Securities therein deposited, for the account
of a Series, all rights and similar securities issued with respect to any
Securities held by the Custodian for such Series hereunder; and
(g) Promptly deliver to the Fund all notices, proxies,
proxy soliciting materials, consents and other written information
(including, without limitation, notices of tender offers and exchange
offers, pendency of calls, maturities of Securities and expiration of
rights) relating to Securities held pursuant to this Agreement which are
actually received by the Custodian, such proxies and other similar
materials to be executed by the registered holder (if Securities are
registered otherwise than in the name of the Fund), but without indicating
the manner in which proxies or consents are to be voted.
6. Upon receipt of a Certificate and not otherwise, the Custodian,
directly or through the use of the Book-Entry System or the Depository,
shall:
(a) Promptly execute and deliver to such persons as may
be designated in such Certificate proxies, consents, authorizations, and
any other instruments whereby the authority of the Fund as owner of any
Securities held hereunder for the Series specified in such Certificate may
be exercised;
(b) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the
Series specified in such Certificate in exchange for other Securities or
cash issued or paid in connection with the liquidation, reorganization,
refinancing, merger, consolidation or recapitalization of any corporation,
or the exercise of any right, warrant or conversion privilege and receive
and hold hereunder specifically allocated to such Series any cash or other
Securities received in exchange;
(c) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the
Series specified in such Certificate to any protective committee,
reorganization committee or other person in connection with the
reorganization, refinancing, merger, consolidation, recapitalization or
sale of assets of any corporation, and receive and hold hereunder
specifically allocated to such Series in exchange therefor such
certificates of deposit, interim receipts or other instruments or
documents as may be issued to it to evidence such delivery or such
Securities as may be issued upon such delivery; and
(d) Promptly present for payment and collect the amount
payable upon Securities which may be called as specified in the
Certificate.
7. Notwithstanding any provision elsewhere contained herein, the
Custodian shall not be required to obtain possession of any instrument or
certificate representing any Futures Contract, any Option, or any Futures
Contract Option until after it shall have determined, or shall have
received a Certificate from the Fund stating, that any such instruments
or certificates are available. The Fund shall deliver to the Custodian
such a Certificate no later than the business day preceding the
availability of any such instrument or certificate. Prior to such
availability, the Custodian shall comply with Section 17(f) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with the purchase, sale,
settlement, closing out or writing of Futures Contracts, Options, or
Futures Contract Options by making payments or deliveries specified in
Certificates in connection with any such purchase, sale, writing,
settlement or closing out upon its receipt from a broker, dealer, or
futures commission merchant of a statement or confirmation reasonably
believed by the Custodian to be in the form customarily used by brokers,
dealers, or future commission merchants with respect to such Futures
Contracts, Options, or Futures Contract Options, as the case may be,
confirming that such Security is held by such broker, dealer or futures
commission merchant, in book-entry form or otherwise in the name the
Custodian (or any nominee of the Custodian) as custodian for the Fund;
provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, payments to or
deliveries from the Margin Account and payments with respect to Securities
to which a Margin Account relates, shall be made in accordance with the
terms and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement. Whenever any such
instruments or certificates are available, the Custodian shall,
notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, make
payment for any Futures Contract, Option, or Futures Contract Option for
which such instruments or such certificates are available only against the
delivery to the Custodian of such instrument or such certificate, and
deliver any Futures Contract, Option or Futures Contract Option for which
such instruments or such certificates are available only against receipt
by the Custodian of payment therefor. Any such instrument or certificate
delivered to the Custodian shall be held by the Custodian hereunder in
accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
PURCHASE AND SALE OF INVESTMENTS OF THE FUND
OTHER THAN OPTIONS, FUTURES CONTRACTS,
FUTURES CONTRACT OPTIONS, REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS,
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS AND SHORT SALES
1. Promptly after each execution of a purchase of Securities by the
Fund, other than a purchase of an Option, a Futures Contract, a Futures
Contract Option, a Repurchase Agreement, a Reverse Repurchase Agreement
or a Short Sale, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian (i) with respect
to each purchase of Securities which are not Money Market Securities, a
Certificate, and (ii) with respect to each purchase of Money Market
Securities, a Certificate, oral Instructions or Written Instructions,
specifying with respect to each such purchase: (a) the Series to which
such Securities are to be specifically allocated; (b) the name of the
issuer and the title of the Securities; (c) the number of shares or the
principal amount purchased and accrued interest, if any; (d) the date of
purchase and settlement; (e) the purchase price per unit; (f) the total
amount payable upon such purchase; (g) the name of the person from whom
or the broker through whom the purchase was made, and the name of the
clearing broker, if any; and (h) the name of the broker or other party to
whom payment is to be made. Custodian shall, upon receipt of such
Securities purchased by or for the Fund, pay to the broker specified in
the Certificate out of the moneys held for the account of such Series the
total amount payable upon such purchase, provided that the same conforms
to the total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate, oral
Instructions or Written Instructions.
2. Promptly after each execution of a sale of Securities by the
Fund, other than a sale of any Option, Futures Contract, Futures Contract
Option, Repurchase Agreement, Reverse Repurchase Agreement or Short Sale,
the Fund shall deliver such to the Custodian (i) with respect to each sale
of Securities which are not Money Market Securities, a Certificate, and
(ii) with respect to each sale of Money Market Securities, a Certificate,
Oral Instructions or Written Instructions, specifying with respect to each
such sale: (a) the Series to which such Securities were specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title of the Security; (c)
the number of shares or principal amount sold, and accrued interest, if
any; (d) the date of sale and settlement; (e) the sale price per unit; (f)
the total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale; (g) the name of the
broker through whom or the person to whom the sale was made, and the name
of the clearing broker, if any; and (h) the name of the broker to whom the
Securities are to be delivered. On the settlement date, the Custodian
shall deliver the Securities specifically allocated to such Series to the
broker in accordance with generally accepted street practices and as
specified in the Certificate upon receipt of the total amount payable to
the Fund upon such sale, provided that the same conforms to the total
amount payable as set forth in such Certificate, oral Instructions or
Written Instructions.
ARTICLE V
OPTIONS
1. Promptly after each execution of a purchase of any Option by the
Fund other than a closing purchase transaction, the Fund shall deliver to
the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to each Option
purchased: (a) the Series to which such Option is specifically allocated;
(b) the type of Option (put or call); (c) the instrument, currency, or
Security underlying such Option and the number of Options, or the name of
the in the case of an Index Option, the index to which such Option relates
and the number of Index Options purchased; (d) the expiration date; (e)
the exercise price; (f) the dates of purchase and settlement; (g) the
total amount payable by the Fund in connection with such purchase; and (h)
the name of the Clearing Member through whom such Option was purchased.
The Custodian shall pay, upon receipt of a Clearing Member's written
statement confirming the purchase of such Option held by such Clearing
Member for the account of the Custodian (or any duly appointed and
registered nominee of the Custodian) as Custodian for the Fund, out of
moneys held for the account of the Series to which such Option is to be
specifically allocated, the total amount payable upon such purchase to the
Clearing Member through whom the purchase was made, provided that the same
conforms to the amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a sale of any Option purchased
by the Fund, other than a closing sale transaction, pursuant to paragraph
1 hereof, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying
with respect to each such sale: (a) the Series to which such Option was
specifically allocated; (b) the type of Option (put or call); (c) the
instrument, currency, or Security underlying such Option and the number
of Options, or the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to such Option or, in the case of a Index Option, the index to
which such Option relates and the number of Index Options sold; (d) the
date of sale; (e) the sale price; (f) the date of settlement; (g) the
total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale; and (h) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom the sale was made. The Custodian shall
consent to the delivery of the Option sold by the Clearing Member which
previously supplied the confirmation described in preceding paragraph of
this Article with respect to such Option upon receipt by the Custodian of
the total amount payable to the Fund, provided that the same conforms to
the total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
3. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Call Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such
Call Option: (a) the Series to which such Call Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to the Call Option; (c) the expiration date; (d) the date of
exercise and settlement; (e) the exercise price per share; (f) the total
amount to be paid by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom such Call Option was exercised. The Custo-
dian shall, upon receipt of the Securities underlying the Call Option
which was exercised, pay out of the moneys held for the account of the
Series to which such Call Option was specifically allocated the total
amount payable to the Clearing Member through whom the Call Option was ex-
ercised, provided that the same conforms to the total amount payable as
set forth in such Certificate.
4. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Put Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such Put
Option: (a) the Series to which such Put Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number of shares
subject to the Put Option; (c) the expiration date; (d) the date of
exercise and settlement; (e) the exercise price per share; (f) the total
amount to be paid to the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the name of the
Clearing Member through whom such Put Option was exercised. The Custodian
shall, upon receipt of the amount payable upon the exercise of the Put
Option, deliver or direct a Depository to deliver the Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, provided the same conforms to the
amount payable to the Fund as set forth in such Certificate.
5. Promptly after the exercise by the Fund of any Index Option
purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund shall
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such
Index Option: (a) the Series to which such Index Option was specifically
allocated; (b) the type of Index Option (put or call) (c) the number of
Options being exercised; (d) the index to which such Option relates; (e)
the expiration date; (f) the exercise price; (g) the total amount to be
received by the Fund in connection with such exercise; and (h) the
Clearing Member from whom such payment is to be received.
6. Whenever the Fund writes a Covered Call Option, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Covered Call Option: (a) the Series for which such Covered Call
Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and the title and number
of shares for which the Covered Call Option was written and which underlie
the same; (c) the expiration date; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium
to be received by the Fund; (f) the date such Covered Call Option was
written; and (g) the name of the Clearing Member through whom the premium
is to be received. The Custodian shall deliver or cause to be delivered,
upon receipt of the premium specified in the Certificate with respect to
such Covered Call Option, such receipts as are required in accordance with
the customs prevailing among Clearing Members dealing in Covered Call
Options and shall impose, or direct a Depository to impose, upon the
underlying Securities specified in the Certificate specifically allocated
to such Series such restrictions as may be required by such receipts.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian has the right, upon prior
written notification to the Fund, at any time to refuse to issue any
receipts for Securities in the possession of the Custodian and not
deposited with a Depository underlying a Covered Call Option.
7. Whenever a Covered Call Option written by the Fund and described
in the preceding paragraph of this Article is exercised, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate instructing the Custodian
to deliver, or to direct the Depository to deliver, the Securities subject
to such Covered Call Option and specifying: (a) the Series for which such
Covered Call Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and the title
and number of shares subject to the Covered Call Option; (c) the Clearing
Member to whom the underlying Securities are to be delivered; and (d) the
total amount payable to the Fund upon such delivery. Upon the return
and/or cancellation of any receipts delivered pursuant to paragraph 6 of
this Article, the Custodian shall deliver, or direct a Depository to
deliver, the underlying Securities as specified in the Certificate upon
payment of the amount to be received as set forth in such Certificate.
8. Whenever the Fund writes a Put Option, the Fund shall promptly
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to such Put
Option: (a) the Series for which such Put Option was written; (b) the
name of the issuer and the title and number of shares for which the Put
Option is written and which underlie the same; (c) the expiration date;
(d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be received by the Fund; (f)
the date such Put Option is written; (g) the name of the Clearing Member
through whom the premium is to be received and to whom a Put Option
guarantee letter is to be delivered; (h) the amount of cash, and/or the
amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifically allocated to such
Series to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for such Series; and
(i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities
specifically allocated to such Series to be deposited into the Collateral
Account for such Series. The Custodian shall, after making the deposits
into the Collateral Account specified in the Certificate, issue a Put
Option guarantee letter substantially in the form utilized by the
Custodian on the date hereof, and deliver the same to the Clearing Member
specified in the Certificate upon receipt of the premium specified in said
Certificate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall be under
no obligation to issue any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document
if it is unable to make any of the representations contained therein.
9. Whenever a Put Option written by the Fund and described in the
preceding paragraph is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Put
Option was written; (b) the name of the issuer and title and number of
shares subject to the Put Option; (c) the Clearing Member from whom the
underlying Securities are to be received; (d) the total amount payable by
the Fund upon such delivery; (e) the amount of cash and/or the amount and
kind of Securities specifically allocated to such Series to be withdrawn
from the Collateral Account for such Series and (f) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, specifically allocated to such
series, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security Account. Upon
the return and/or cancellation of any Put Option guarantee letter or
similar document issued by the Custodian in connection with such Put
Option, the Custodian shall pay out of the moneys held for the account of
the series to which such Put Option was specifically allocated the total
amount payable to the Clearing Member specified in the Certificate as set
forth in such Certificate, upon delivery of such Securities, and shall
make the withdrawals specified in such Certificate.
10. Whenever the Fund writes an Index Option, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Index Option: (a) the Series for which such Index Option was
written; (b) whether such Index Option is a put or a call; (c) the number
of Options written; (d) the index to which such Option relates; (e) the
expiration date; (f) the exercise price; (g) the Clearing Member through
whom such Option was written; (h) the premium to be received by the Fund;
(i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any,
specifically allocated to such Series to be deposited in the Senior
Security Account for such Series; (j) the amount of cash and/or the amount
and kind of Securities, if any, specifically allocated to such Series to
be deposited in the Collateral Account for such Series; and (k) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifically
allocated to such Series to be deposited in a Margin Account, and the name
in which such account is to be or has been established. The Custodian
shall, upon receipt of the premium specified in the Certificate, make the
deposits, if any, into the Senior Security Account specified in the
Certificate, and either (1) deliver such receipts, if any, which the
Custodian has specifically agreed to issue, which are in accordance with
the customs prevailing among Clearing Members in Index Options and make
the deposits into the Collateral Account specified in the Certificate, or
(2) make the deposits into the Margin Account specified in the Certi-
ficate.
11. Whenever an Index Option written by the Fund and described in
the preceding paragraph of this Article is exercised, the Fund shall
promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect
to such Index Option: (a) the Series for which such Index Option was
written; (b) such information as may be necessary to identify the Index
Option being exercised; (c) the Clearing Member through whom such Index
Option is being exercised; (d) the total amount payable upon such
exercise, and whether such amount is to be paid by or to the Fund; (e) the
amount of cash and/or amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be with-
drawn from the Margin Account; and (f) the amount of cash and/or amount
and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security
Account for such Series; and the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind
of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Collateral Account for
such Series. Upon the return and/or cancellation of the receipt, if any,
delivered pursuant to the preceding paragraph of this Article, the
Custodian shall pay out of the moneys held for the account of the Series
to which such Stock Index Option was specifically allocated to the Clear-
ing Member specified in the Certificate the total amount payable, if any,
as specified therein.
12. Promptly after the execution of a purchase or sale by the Fund
of any Option identical to a previously written Option described in
paragraphs, 6, 8 or 10 of this Article in a transaction expressly
designated as a "Closing Purchase Transaction" or a "Closing Sale
Transaction", the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to the Option being purchased: (a)
that the transaction is a Closing Purchase Transaction or a Closing Sale
Transaction; (b) the Series for which the Option was written; (c) the
instrument, currency, or Security subject to the Option, or, in the case
of an Index Option, the index to which such Option relates and the number
of Options held; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be paid by or
the amount to be paid to the Fund; (f) the expiration date; (g) the type
of Option (put or call); (h) the date of such purchase or sale; (i) the
name of the Clearing Member to whom the premium is to be paid or from whom
the amount is to be received; and (j) the amount of cash and/or the amount
and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Collateral
Account, a specified Margin Account, or the Senior Security Account for
such Series. Upon the Custodian's payment of the premium or receipt of
the amount, as the case may be, specified in the Certificate and the
return and/or cancellation of any receipt issued pursuant to paragraphs
6, 8 or 10 of this Article with respect to the Option being liquidated
through the Closing Purchase Transaction or the Closing Sale Transaction,
the Custodian shall remove, or direct a Depository to remove, the pre-
viously imposed restrictions on the Securities underlying the Call Option.
13. Upon the expiration, exercise or consummation of a Closing
Purchase Transaction with respect to any Option purchased or written by
the Fund and described in this Article, the Custodian shall delete such
Option from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant to paragraph 3
Article III herein, and upon the return and/or cancellation of any
receipts issued by the Custodian, shall make such withdrawals from the
Collateral Account, and the Margin Account and/or the Senior Security
Account as may be specified in a Certificate received in connection with
such expiration, exercise, or consummation.
14. Securities acquired by the Fund through the exercise of an
Option described in this Article shall be subject to Article IV hereof.
ARTICLE VI
FUTURES CONTRACTS
1. Whenever the Fund shall enter into a Futures Contract, the Fund
shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to
such Futures Contract, (or with respect to any number of identical Futures
Contract (s)): (a) the Series for which the Futures Contract is being
entered; (b) the category of Futures Contract (the name of the underlying
index or financial instrument); (c) the number of identical Futures
Contracts entered into; (d) the delivery or settlement date of the Futures
Contract(s); (e) the date the Futures Contract(s) was (were) entered into
and the maturity date; (f) whether the Fund is buying (going long) or
selling (going short) such Futures Contract(s); (g) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be deposited in the
Senior Security Account for such Series; (h) the name of the broker,
dealer, or futures commission merchant through whom the Futures Contract
was entered into; and (i) the amount of fee or commission, if any, to be
paid and the name of the broker, dealer, or futures commission merchant
to whom such amount is to be paid. The Custodian shall make the deposits,
if any, to the Margin Account in accordance with the terms and conditions
of the Margin Account Agreement. The Custodian shall make payment out of
the moneys specifically allocated to such Series of the fee or commission,
if any, specified in the Certificate and deposit in the Senior Security
Account for such Series the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities specified in said Certificate.
2. (a) Any variation margin payment or similar payment
required to be made by the Fund to a broker, dealer, or futures commission
merchant with respect to an outstanding Futures Contract shall be made by
the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
(b) Any variation margin payment or similar payment from
a broker, dealer, or futures commission merchant to the Fund with respect
to an outstanding Futures Contract shall be received and dealt with by the
Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
3. Whenever a Futures Contract held by the Custodian hereunder is
retained by the Fund until delivery or settlement is made on such Futures
Contract, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian prior to the delivery
or settlement date a Certificate specifying: (a) the Futures Contract and
the Series to which the same relates; (b) with respect to an Index Futures
Contract, the total cash settlement amount to be paid or received, and
with respect to a Financial Futures Contract, the Securities and/or amount
of cash to be delivered or received; (c) the broker, dealer, or futures
commission merchant to or from whom payment or delivery is to be made or
received; and (d) the amount of cash and/or Securities to be withdrawn
from the Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall
make the payment or delivery specified in the Certificate, and delete such
Futures Contract from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant to
paragraph 3 of Article III herein.
4. Whenever the Fund shall enter into a Futures Contract to offset
a Futures Contract held by the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall deliver
to the Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the items of information
required in a Certificate described in paragraph 1 of this Article, and
(b) the Futures Contract being offset. The Custodian shall make payment
out of the money specifically allocated to such Series of the fee or
commission, if any, specified in the Certificate and delete the Futures
Contract being offset from the statements delivered to the Fund pursuant
to paragraph 3 of Article III herein, and make such withdrawals from the
Senior Security Account for such Series as may be specified in the Cer-
tificate. The withdrawals, if any, to be made from the Margin Account
shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions
of the Margin Account Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
FUTURES CONTRACT OPTIONS
Contract Option by the Fund, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to such Futures Contract Option: (a)
the Series to which such Option is specifically allocated; (b) the type
of Futures Contract Option (put or call); (c) the type of Futures Contract
and such other information as may be necessary to identify the Futures
Contract underlying the Futures Contract Option purchased; (d) the
expiration date; (e) the exercise price; (f) the dates of purchase and
settlement; (g) the amount of premium to be paid by the Fund upon such
purchase; (h) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Option was purchased; and (i) the name of the broker,
or futures commission merchant, to whom payment is to be made. The Cus-
todian shall pay out of the moneys specifically allocated to such Series
the total amount to be paid upon such purchase to the broker or futures
commissions merchant through whom the purchase was made, provided that the
same conforms to the amount set forth in such Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a sale of any Futures Contract
Option purchased by the Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, the Fund
shall deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to
each such sale: (a) Series to which such Futures Contract Option was
specifically allocated; (b) the type of Future Contract Option (put or
call); (c) the type of Futures Contract and such other information as may
be necessary to identify the Futures Contract underlying the Futures
Contract Option; (d) the date of sale; (e) the sale price; (f) the date
of settlement; (g) the total amount payable to the Fund upon such sale;
and (h) the name of the broker of futures commission merchant through whom
the sale was made. The Custodian shall consent to the cancellation of the
Futures Contract Option being closed against payment to the Custodian of
the total amount payable to the Fund, provided the same conforms to the
total amount payable as set forth in such Certificate.
3. Whenever a Futures Contract Option purchased by the Fund
pursuant to paragraph 1 is exercised by the Fund, the Fund shall promptly
deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to
which such Futures Contract Option was specifically allocated; (b) the
particular Futures Contract Option (put or call) being exercised; (c) the
type of Futures Contract underlying the Futures Contract Option; (d) the
date of exercise; (e) the name of the broker or futures commission
merchant through whom the Futures Contract Option is exercised; (f) the
net total amount, if any, payable by the Fund; (g) the amount, if any, to
be received by the Fund; and (h) the amount of cash and/or the amount and
kind of Securities to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for such
Series. The Custodian shall make, out of the moneys and Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, the payments of money, if any, and
the deposits of Securities, if any, into the Senior Security Account as
specified in the Certificate. The deposits, if any, to be made to the
Margin Account shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
4. Whenever the Fund writes a Futures Contract Option, the Fund
shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a Certificate specifying with
respect to such Futures Contract Option: (a) the Series for which such
Futures Contract Option was written; (b) the type of Futures Contract
Option (put or call); (c) the type of Futures Contract and such other
information as may be necessary to identify the Futures Contract
underlying the Futures Contract Option; (d) the expiration date; (e) the
exercise price; (f) the premium to be received by the Fund; (g) the name
of the broker or futures commission merchant through whom the premium is
to be received; and (h) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities, if any, to be deposited in the Senior Security Account for
such Series. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the premium specified
in the Certificate, make out of the moneys and Securities specifically
allocated to such Series the deposits into the Senior Security Account,
if any, as specified in the Certificate. The deposits, if any, to be made
to the Margin Account shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
5. Whenever a Futures Contract Option written by the Fund which is
a call is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Futures Contract
Option was specifically allocated; (b) the particular Futures Contract
Option exercised; (c) the type of Futures Contract underlying the Futures
Contract Option; (d) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Futures Contract Option was exercised; (e) the net total
amount, if any, payable to the Fund upon such exercise; (f) the net total
amount, if any, payable by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities to be deposited in the
Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall, upon its
receipt of the net total amount payable to the Fund, if any, specified in
such Certificate make the payments, if any, and the deposits, if any, into
the Senior Security Account as specified in the Certificate. The de-
posits, if any, to be made to the Margin Account shall be made by the
Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
6. Whenever a Futures Contract Option which is written by the Fund
and which is a put is exercised, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying: (a) the Series to which such Option
was specifically allocated; (b) the particular Futures Contract Option
exercised; (c) the type of Futures Contract underlying such Futures
Contract Option; (d) the name of the broker or futures commission merchant
through whom such Futures Contract Option is exercised; (e) the net total
amount, if any, payable to the Fund upon such exercise; (f) the net total
amount, if any, payable by the Fund upon such exercise; and (g) the amount
and kind of Securities and/or cash to be withdrawn from or deposited in,
the Senior Security Account for such Series, if any. The Custodian shall,
upon its receipt of the net total amount payable to the Fund, if any,
specified in the Certificate, make out of the moneys and Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, the payments, if any, and the
deposits, if any, into the Senior Security Account as specified in the
Certificate. The deposits to and/or withdrawals from the Margin Account,
if any, shall be made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Margin Account Agreement.
7. Promptly after the execution by the Fund of a purchase of any
Futures Contract Option identical to a previously written Futures Contract
Option described in this Article in order to liquidate its position as a
writer of such Futures Contract Option, the Fund shall deliver to the
Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to the Futures Contract
Option being purchased: (a) the Series to which such Option is
specifically allocated; (b) that the transaction is a closing transaction;
(c) the type of Future Contract and such other information as may be
necessary to identify the Futures Contract underlying the Futures Option
Contract; (d) the exercise price; (e) the premium to be paid by the Fund;
(f) the expiration date; (g) the name of the broker or futures commission
merchant to whom the premium is to be paid; and (h) the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the
Senior Security Account for such Series. The Custodian shall effect the
withdrawals from the Senior Security Account specified in the Certificate.
The withdrawals, if any, to be made from the Margin Account shall be made
by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin
Account Agreement.
8. Upon the expiration, exercise, or consummation of a closing
transaction with respect to, any Futures Contract Option written or
purchased by the Fund and described in this Article, the Custodian shall
(a) delete such Futures Contract Option from the statements delivered to
the Fund pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article III herein and (b) make such
withdrawals from and/or in the case of an exercise such deposits into the
Senior Security Account as may be specified in a Certificate. The
deposits to and/or withdrawals from the Margin Account, if any, shall be
made by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Margin Account Agreement.
9. Futures Contracts acquired by the Fund through the exercise of
a Futures Contract Option described in this Article shall be subject to
Article VI hereof.
ARTICLE VIII
SHORT SALES
1. Promptly after the execution of any short sales of Securities
by any Series of the Fund, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying: (a) the Series for which such short sale was
made; (b) the name of the issuer-and the title of the Security; (c) the
number of shares or principal amount sold, and accrued interest or
dividends, if any; (d) the dates of the sale and settlement; (e) the sale
price per unit; (f) the total amount credited to the Fund upon such sale,
if any, (g) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities,
if any, which are to be deposited in a Margin Account and the name in
which such Margin Account has been or is to be established; (h) the amount
of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, to be deposited
in a Senior Security Account, and (i) the name of the broker through whom
such short sale was made. The Custodian shall upon its receipt of a
statement from such broker confirming such sale and that the total amount
credited to the Fund upon such sale, if any, as specified in the
Certificate is held by such broker for the account of the Custodian (or
any nominee of the Custodian) as custodian of the Fund, issue a receipt
or make the deposits into the Margin Account and the Senior Security
Account specified in the Certificate.
2. Promptly after the execution of a purchase to close-out any
short sale of Securities, the Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian
a Certificate specifying with respect to each such closing out: (a) the
Series for which such transaction is being made; (b) the name of the
issuer and the title of the Security; (c) the number of shares or the
principal amount, and accrued interest or dividends, if any, required to
effect such closing-out to be delivered to the broker; (d) the dates of
closing-out and settlement; (e) the purchase price per unit; (f) the net
total amount payable to the Fund upon such closing-out; (g) the net total
amount payable to the broker upon such closing-out; (h) the amount of cash
and the amount and kind of Securities to be withdrawn, if any, from the
Margin Account; (i) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of
Securities, if any, to be withdrawn from the Senior Security Account; and
(j) the name of the broker through whom the Fund is effecting such
closing-out. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the net total amount
payable to the Fund upon such closing-out, and the return and/or
cancellation of the receipts, if any, issued by the Custodian with respect
to the short sale being closed-out, pay out of the moneys held for the
account of the Fund to the broker the net total amount payable to the
broker, and make the withdrawals from the Margin Account and the Senior
Security Account, as the same are specified in the Certificate.
ARTICLE IX
REPURCHASE AND REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
1. Promptly after the Fund enters a Repurchase Agreement or a
Reverse Repurchase Agreement with respect to Securities and money held by
the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a Certi-
ficate, or in the event such Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase
Agreement is a Money Market Security, a Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions specifying: (a) the Series for which the
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is entered; (b) the
total amount payable to or by the Fund in connection with such Repurchase
Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement and specifically allocated to
such Series; (c) the broker, dealer, or financial institution with whom
the Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is entered; (d)
the amount and kind of Securities to be delivered or received by the Fund
to or from such broker, dealer, or financial institution; (e) the date of
such Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement; and (f) the
amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any, specifi-
cally allocated to such Series to be deposited in a Senior Security Ac-
count for such Series in connection with such Reverse Repurchase
Agreement. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of the total amount payable
to or by the Fund specified in the Certificate, Oral Instructions, or
Written Instructions make or accept the delivery to or from the broker,
dealer, or financial institution and the deposits, if any, to the Senior
Security Account, specified in such Certificate, Oral Instructions, or
Written Instructions.
2. Upon the termination of a Repurchase Agreement or a Reverse
Repurchase Agreement described in preceding paragraph 1 of this Article,
the Fund shall promptly deliver a Certificate or, in the event such
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is a Money Market
Security, a Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions to the
Custodian specifying: (a) the Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase
Agreement being terminated and the Series for which same was entered; (b)
the total amount payable to or by the Fund in connection with such
termination; (c) the amount and kind of Securities to be received or
delivered by the Fund and specifically allocated to such Series in
connection with such termination; (d) the date of termination; (e) the
name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution with whom the Repur-
chase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement is to be terminated; and
(f) the amount of cash and/or the amount and kind of Securities, if any,
to be withdrawn from the Senior Securities Account for such Series. The
Custodian shall, upon receipt or delivery of the amount and kind of
Securities or cash to be received or delivered by the Fund specified in
the Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions, make or
receive the payment to or from the broker, dealer, or financial
institution and make the withdrawals, if any, from the Senior Security
Account, specified in such Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written
Instructions.
3. The Certificates, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions
described in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article may with respect to any
particular Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement be
combined and delivered to the Custodian at the time of entering into such
Repurchase Agreement or Reverse Repurchase Agreement.
ARTICLE X
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES OF THE FUND
1. Promptly after each loan of portfolio Securities specifically
allocated to a Series held by the Custodian hereunder, the Fund shall
deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian a Certificate specifying
with respect to each such loan: (a) the Series to which the loaned
Securities are specifically allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the
title of the Securities, (c) the number of shares or the principal amount
loaned, (d) the date of loan and delivery, (e) the total amount to be
delivered to the Custodian against the loan of the Securities, including
the amount of cash collateral and the premium, if any, separately iden-
tified, and (f) the name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution
to which the loan was made. The Custodian shall deliver the Securities
thus designated to the broker, dealer or financial institution to which
the loan was made upon receipt of the total amount designated in the
Certificate as to be delivered against the loan of Securities. The
Custodian may accept payment in connection with a delivery otherwise than
through the Book-Entry System or a Depository only in the form of a
certified or bank cashier's check payable to the order of the Fund or the
Custodian drawn on New York Clearing House funds.
2. In connection with each termination of a loan of Securities by
the Fund, the Fund shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian
a Certificate specifying with respect to each such loan termination and
return of Securities: (a) the Series to which the loaned Securities are
specifically allocated; (b) the name of the issuer and the title of the
Securities to be returned, (c) the number of shares or the principal
amount to be returned, (d) the date of termination, (e) the total amount
to be delivered by the Custodian (including the cash collateral for such
Securities minus any offsetting credits as described in said Certificate),
and (f) the name of the broker, dealer, or financial institution from
which the Securities will be returned. The Custodian shall receive all
Securities returned from the broker, dealer, or financial institution to
which such Securities were loaned and upon receipt thereof shall pay, out
of the moneys held for the account of the Fund, the total amount payable
upon such return of Securities as set forth in the Certificate.
ARTICLE XI
CONCERNING MARGIN ACCOUNTS, SENIOR SECURITY
ACCOUNTS, AND COLLATERAL ACCOUNTS
1. The Custodian shall establish a Senior Security Account and from
time to time make such deposits thereto, or withdrawals therefrom, as
specified in a Certificate. Such Certificate shall specify the Series for
which such deposit or withdrawal is to be made and the amount of cash
and/or the amount and kind of Securities specifically allocated to such
Series to be deposited in, or withdrawn from, such Senior Security Account
for such Series. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in a
Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and the number
of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be
deposited by the Custodian into, or withdrawn from, a Senior Securities
Account, the Custodian shall be under no obligation to make any such
deposit or withdrawal and shall promptly notify the Fund that no such
deposit has been made.
2. The Custodian shall make deliveries or payments from a Margin
Account to the broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing
Member in whose name, or for whose benefit, the account was established
as specified in the Margin Account Agreement.
3. Amounts received by the Custodian as payments or distributions
with respect to Securities deposited in any Margin Account shall be dealt
with in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin Account
Agreement.
4. The Custodian shall to the extent permitted by the Fund's
Declaration of Trust, investment restrictions and the Investment Company
Act of 1940 have a continuing lien and security interest in and to any
property at any time held by the Custodian in any Collateral Account
described herein. In accordance with applicable law the Custodian may
enforce its lien and realize on any such property whenever the Custodian
has made payment or delivery pursuant to any Put Option guarantee letter
or similar document or any receipt issued hereunder by the Custodian;
provided, however, that the Custodian shall not be required to issue any
Put Option guarantee letter unless it shall have received an opinion of
counsel to the Fund or its investment adviser that the issuance of such
letters is authorized by the Fund and that the Custodian's continuing lien
and security interest is valid, enforceable and not limited by the
Declaration of Trust, any investment restrictions or the Investment
Company Act of 1940. In the event the Custodian should realize on any
such property net proceeds which are less than the Custodian's obligations
under any Put Option guarantee letter or similar document or any receipt,
such deficiency shall be a debt owed the Custodian by the Fund within the
scope of Article XIV herein.
5. On each business day the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with
a statement with respect to each Margin Account in which money or
Securities are held specifying as of the close of business on the previous
business day: (a) the name of the Margin Account; (b) the amount and kind
of Securities held therein; and (c) the amount of money held therein. The
Custodian shall make available upon request to any broker, dealer, or
futures commission merchant specified in the name of a Margin Account a
copy of the statement furnished the Fund with respect to such Margin
Account.
6. The Custodian shall establish a Collateral Account and from time
to time shall make such deposits thereto as may be specified in a
Certificate. Promptly after the close of business on each business day
in which cash and/or Securities are maintained in a Collateral Account for
any Series, the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a statement with
respect to such Collateral Account specifying the amount of cash and/or
the amount and kind of Securities held therein. No later than the close
of business next succeeding the delivery to the Fund of such statement,
the Fund shall furnish to the Custodian a Certificate or Written
Instructions specifying the then market value of the Securities described
in such statement. In the event such then market value is indicated to
be less than the Custodian's obligation with respect to any outstanding
Put Option guarantee letter or similar document, the Fund shall promptly
specify in a Certificate the additional cash and/or Securities to be
deposited in such Collateral Account to eliminate such deficiency.
ARTICLE XII
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS OR DISTRIBUTIONS
1. The Fund shall furnish to the Custodian a copy of the resolution
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary, either (i) setting forth with respect to the Series
specified therein the date of the declaration of a dividend or distribu-
tion, the date of payment thereof, the record date as of which
shareholders entitled to payment shall be determined, the amount payable
per Share of such Series to the shareholders of record as of that date and
the total amount payable to the Transfer Agent Account and any sub-
dividend agent or co-dividend agent of the Fund on the payment date, or
(ii) authorizing with respect to the Series specified therein and the
declaration of dividends and distributions thereon the Custodian to rely
on Oral Instructions, Written Instructions, or a Certificate setting forth
the date of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, the date of
payment thereof, the record date as of which shareholders entitled to
payment shall be determined, the amount payable per Share of such Series
to the shareholders of record as of that date and the total amount payable
to the Transfer Agent Account on the payment date.
2. Upon the payment date specified in such resolution, Oral
Instructions, Written Instructions, or Certificate, as the case may be,
the Custodian shall pay to the Transfer Agent Account out of the moneys
held for the account of the Series specified therein the total amount
payable to the Transfer Agent Account and with respect to such Series.
ARTICLE XIII
SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
1. Whenever the Fund shall sell any Shares, it shall deliver or
cause to be delivered, to the Custodian a Certificate duly specifying:
(a) The Series, the number of Shares sold, trade date, and
price; and
(b) The amount of money to be received by the Custodian
for the sale of such Shares and specifically allocated to the separate
account in the name of such Series.
2. Upon receipt of such money from the Fund's General Distributor,
the Custodian shall credit such money to the separate account in the name
of the Series for which such money was received.
3. Upon issuance of any Shares of any Series the Custodian shall
pay, out of the money held for the account of such Series, all original
issue or other taxes required to be paid by the Fund in connection with
such issuance upon the receipt of a Certificate specifying the amount to
be paid.
4. Except as provided hereinafter, whenever the Fund desires the
Custodian to make payment out of the money held by the Custodian hereunder
in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish, or cause
to be furnished, to the Custodian a Certificate specifying:
(a) The number and Series of Shares redeemed; and
(b) The amount to be paid for such Shares.
5. Upon receipt of an advice from an Authorized Person setting
forth the Series and number of Shares received by the Transfer Agent for
redemption and that such Shares are in good form for redemption, the
Custodian shall make payment to the Transfer Agent Account out of the
moneys held in the separate account in the name of the Series the total
amount specified in the Certificate issued pursuant to the foregoing
paragraph 4 of this Article.
ARTICLE XIV
OVERDRAFTS OR INDEBTEDNESS
1. If the Custodian should in its sole discretion advance funds on
behalf of any Series which results in an overdraft because the moneys held
by the Custodian in the separate account for such Series shall be insuffi-
cient to pay the total amount payable upon a purchase of Securities
specifically allocated to such Series, as set forth in a Certificate, Oral
Instructions, or Written Instructions or which results in an overdraft in
the separate account of such Series for some other reason, or if the Fund
is for any other reason indebted to the Custodian with respect to a Ser-
ies, (except a borrowing for investment or for temporary or emergency
purposes using Securities as collateral pursuant to a separate agreement
and subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article), such
overdraft or indebtedness shall be deemed to be a loan made by the
Custodian to the Fund for such Series payable on demand and shall bear
interest from the date incurred at a rate per annum (based on a 360-day
year for the actual number of days involved) equal to the Federal Funds
Rate plus 1/2%, such rate to be adjusted on the effective date of any change
in such Federal Funds Rate but in no event to be less than 6% per annum.
In addition, unless the Fund has given a Certificate that the Custodian
shall not impose a lien and security interest to secure such overdrafts
(in which event it shall not do so), the Custodian shall have a continuing
lien and security interest in the aggregate amount of such overdrafts and
indebtedness as may from time to time exist in and to any property
specifically allocated to such Series at any time held by it for the
benefit of such Series or in which the Fund may have an interest which is
then in the Custodian's possession or control or in possession or control
of any third party acting in the Custodian's behalf. The Fund authorizes
the Custodian, in its sole discretion, at any time to charge any such
overdraft or indebtedness together with interest due thereon against any
money balance in an account standing in the name of such Series' credit
on the Custodian's books. In addition, the Fund hereby covenants that on
each Business Day on which either it intends to enter a Reverse Repurchase
Agreement and/or otherwise borrow from a third party, or which next
succeeds a Business Day on which at the close of business the Fund had
outstanding a Reverse Repurchase Agreement or such a borrowing, it shall
prior to 9 a.m., New York City time, advise the Custodian, in writing, of
each such borrowing, shall specify the Series to which the same relates,
and shall not incur any indebtedness, including pursuant to any Reverse
Repurchase Agreement, not so specified other than from the Custodian.
(including, if the borrowing is pursuant to a separate agreement, the
Custodian) from which it borrows money for investment or for temporary or
emergency purposes using Securities held by the Custodian hereunder as
collateral for such borrowings, a notice or undertaking in the form
currently employed by any such bank setting forth the amount which such
bank will loan to the Fund against delivery of a stated amount of
collateral. The Fund shall promptly deliver to the Custodian a
Certificate specifying with respect to each such borrowing: (a) the
Series to which such borrowing relates; (b) the name of the bank, (c) the
amount and terms of the borrowing, which may be set forth by incorporating
by reference an attached promissory note, duly endorsed by the Fund, or
other loan agreement, (d) the time and date, if known, on which the loan
is to be entered into, (e) the date on which the loan becomes due and
payable, (f) the total amount payable to the Fund on the borrowing date,
(g) the market value of Securities to be delivered as collateral for such
loan, including the name of the issuer, the title and the number of shares
or the principal amount of any particular Securities, and (h) a statement
specifying whether such loan is for investment purposes or for temporary
or emergency purposes and that such loan is in conformance with the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Fund's prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information. The Custodian shall deliver on the borrowing date
specified in a Certificate the specified collateral and the executed
promissory note, if any, against delivery by the lending bank of the total
amount of the loan payable, provided that the same conforms to the total
amount payable as set forth in the Certificate. The Custodian may, at the
option of the lending bank, keep such collateral in its possession, but
such collateral shall be subject to all rights therein given the lending
bank by virtue of any promissory note or loan agreement. The Custodian
shall deliver such Securities as additional collateral as may be specified
in a Certificate to collateralize further any transaction described in
this paragraph. The Fund shall cause all Securities released from
collateral status to be returned directly to the Custodian, and the
Custodian shall receive from time to time such return of collateral as may
be tendered to it. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in a
Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and number of
shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be
delivered as collateral by the Custodian, to any such bank, the Custodian
shall not be under any obligation to deliver any Securities.
ARTICLE XV
CUSTODY OF ASSETS OUTSIDE THE U.S.
1. The Custodian is authorized and instructed to employ, as its
agent, as subcustodians for the securities and other assets of the Fund
maintained outside of the United States the Foreign Subcustodians and For-
eign Depositories designated on Schedule A hereto. Except as provided in
Schedule A, the Custodian shall employ no other Foreign Custodian or
Foreign Depository. The Custodian and the Fund may amend Schedule A
hereto from time to time to agree to designate any additional Foreign
Subcustodian or Foreign Depository with which the Custodian has an
agreement for such entity to act as the Custodian's agent, as subcus-
todian, and which the Custodian in its absolute discretion proposes to
utilize to hold any of the Fund's Foreign Property. Upon receipt of a
Certificate or Written Instructions from the Fund, the Custodian shall
cease the employment of any one or more of such subcustodians for
maintaining custody of the Fund's assets and such custodian shall be
deemed deleted from Schedule A.
2. The Custodian shall limit the securities and other assets
maintained in the custody of the Foreign Subcustodians to: (a) "foreign
securities," as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, and (b) cash and cash equivalents in such
amounts as the Fund may determine to be reasonably necessary to effect the
foreign securities transactions of the Fund.
3. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the
Fund, the Foreign Securities held by each Foreign Subcustodian.
4. Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign
Subcustodian shall be substantially in the form reviewed and approved by
the Fund and will not be amended in a way that materially affects the Fund
without the Fund's prior written consent and shall:
(a) require that such institution establish custody account(s)
for the Custodian on behalf of the Fund and physically segregate in each
such account securities and other assets of the fund, and, in the event
that such institution deposits the securities of the Fund in a Foreign
Depository, that it shall identify on its books as belonging to the Fund
or the Custodian, as agent for the Fund, the securities so deposited;
(b) provide that:
(1) the assets of the Fund will not be subject to any
right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of
the Foreign Subcustodian or its creditors, except a claim of payment for
their safe custody or administration;
(2) beneficial ownership for the assets of the Fund will
be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than
for custody or administration;
(3) adequate records will be maintained identifying the
assets as belonging to the Fund;
(4) the independent public accountants for the Fund will
be given access to the books and records of the Foreign Subcustodian
relating to its actions under its agreement with the Custodian or
confirmation of the contents of those records;
(5) the Fund will receive periodic reports with respect
to the safekeeping of the Fund's assets, including, but not necessarily
limited to, notification of any transfer to or from the custody
account(s); and
(6) assets of the Fund held by the Foreign Subcustodian
will be subject only to the instructions of the Custodian or its agents.
(c) Require the institution to exercise reasonable care in the
performance of its duties and to indemnify, and hold harmless, the
Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or
claim arising out of or in connection with the institution's performance
of such obligations, with the exception of any such losses, damages,
costs, expenses, liabilities or claims arising as a result of an act of
God. At the election of the Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated
to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against a
Foreign Subcustodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost,
expense, liability or claim of or to the Fund, if and to the extent that
the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense,
liability or claim.
5. Upon receipt of a Certificate or Written Instructions, which may
be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the
Custodian shall on behalf of the Fund make or cause its Foreign
Subcustodian to transfer, exchange or deliver securities owned by the
Fund, except to the extent explicitly prohibited therein. Upon receipt
of a Certificate or Written Instructions, which may be continuing
instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall
on behalf of the fund pay out or cause its Foreign Subcustodians to pay
out monies of the Fund. The Custodian shall use all means reasonably
available to it, including, if specifically authorized by the Fund in a
Certificate, any necessary litigation at the cost and expense of the Fund
(except as to matters for which the Custodian is responsible hereunder)
to require or compel each Foreign Subcustodian or Foreign Depository to
perform the services required of it by the agreement between it and the
Custodian authorized pursuant to this Agreement.
6. The Custodian shall maintain all books and records as shall be
necessary to enable the Custodian readily to perform the services required
of it hereunder with respect to the Fund's Foreign Properties. The
Custodians shall supply to the Fund from time to time, as mutually agreed
upon, statements in respect of the Foreign Securities and other Foreign
Properties of the Fund held by Foreign Subcustodians, directly or through
Foreign Depositories, including but not limited to an identification of
entities having possession of the Fund's Foreign Securities and other
assets, an advice or other notification of any transfers of securities to
or from each custodial account maintained for the Fund or the Custodian
on behalf of the Fund indicating, as to securities acquired for the Fund,
the identity of the entity having physical possession of such securities.
The Custodian shall promptly and faithfully transmit all reports and
information received pertaining to the Foreign Property of the Fund,
including, without limitation, notices or reports of corporate action,
proxies and proxy soliciting materials.
7. Upon request of the Fund, the Custodian shall use reasonable
efforts to arrange for the independent accountants of the Fund to be
afforded access to the books and records of any Foreign Subcustodian, or
confirmation of the contents thereof, insofar as such books and records
relate to the Foreign Property of the Fund or the performance of such
Foreign Subcustodian under its agreement with the Custodian; provided that
any litigation to afford such access shall be at the sole cost and expense
of the Fund.
8. The Custodian recognizes that employment of a Foreign Sub-
custodian or Foreign Depository for the Fund's Foreign Securities and
Foreign Property is permitted by Section 17(f) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 only upon compliance with Section (a) of Rule 17f-5
promulgated thereunder. With respect to the Foreign Subcustodians and
Foreign Depositories identified on Schedule A, the Custodian represents
that it has furnished the Fund with certain materials prepared by the
Custodian and with such other information in the possession of the Cus-
todian as the Fund advised the Custodian was reasonably necessary to
assist the Board of Trustees of the Fund in making the determinations
required of the Board of Trustees by Rule 17f-5, including, without
limitation, consideration of the matters set forth in the Notes to Rule
17f-5. If the Custodian recommends any additional Foreign Subcustodian
or Foreign Depository, the Custodian shall supply information similar in
kind and scope to that furnished pursuant to the preceding sentence. Fur-
ther, the Custodian shall furnish annually to the Fund, at such time as
the Fund and Custodian shall mutually agree, information concerning each
Foreign Subcustodian and Foreign Depository then identified on Schedule
A similar in kind and scope to that furnished pursuant to the preceding
two sentences.
9. The Custodian's employment of any Foreign Subcustodian or
Foreign Depository shall constitute a representation that the Custodian
believes in good faith that such Foreign Subcustodian or Foreign
Depository provides a level of safeguards for maintaining the Fund's
assets not materially different from that provided by the Custodian in
maintaining the Fund's securities in the United States. In addition, the
Custodian shall monitor the financial condition and general operational
performance of the Foreign Subcustodians and Foreign Depositories and
shall promptly inform the Fund in the event that the Custodian has actual
knowledge of a material adverse change in the financial condition thereof
or that there appears to be a substantial likelihood that the share-
holders' equity of any Foreign Subcustodian will decline below $200
million (U.S. dollars or the equivalent thereof) or that its shareholders'
equity has declined below $200 million , or that the Foreign Subcustodian
or Foreign Depository has breached the agreement between it and the
Custodian in a way that the Custodian believes adversely affects the Fund.
Further, the Custodian shall advise the Fund if it believes that there is
a material adverse change in the operating environment of any Foreign
Subcustodian or Foreign Depository.
ARTICLE XVI
CONCERNING THE CUSTODIAN
1. The Custodian shall use reasonable care in the performance of
its duties hereunder, and, except as hereinafter provided, neither the
Custodian nor its nominee shall be liable for any loss or damage,
including counsel fees, resulting from its action or omission to act or
otherwise, either hereunder or under any Margin Account Agreement, except
for any such loss or damage arising out of its own negligence, bad faith,
or willful misconduct or that of the subcustodians or co-custodians
appointed by the Custodian or of the officers, employees, or agents of any
of them. The Custodian may, with respect to questions of law arising
hereunder or under any Margin Account Agreement, apply for and obtain the
advice and opinion of counsel to the Fund, at the expense of the Fund, or
of its own counsel, at its own expense, and shall be fully protected with
respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith in conformity with
such advice or opinion. The Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for any
loss or damage resulting from the use of the Book-Entry System or any
Depository arising by reason of any negligence, bad faith or willful mis-
conduct on the part of the Custodian or any of its employees or agents.
2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall be under no
obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:
(a) The validity (but not the authenticity) of the issue of any
Securities purchased, sold, or written by or for the Fund, the legality
of the purchase, sale or writing thereof, or the propriety of the amount
paid or received therefor, as specified in a Certificate, Oral
Instructions, or Written Instructions;
(b) The legality of the sale or redemption of any Shares, or
the propriety of the amount to be received or paid therefor, as specified
in a Certificate;
(c) The legality of the declaration or payment of any dividend
by the Fund, as specified in a resolution, Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions;
(d) The legality of any borrowing by the Fund using Securities
as collateral;
(e) The legality of any loan of portfolio Securities, nor shall
the Custodian be under any duty or obligation to see to it that the cash
collateral delivered to it by a broker, dealer, or financial institution
or held by it at any time as a result of such loan of portfolio Securities
of the Fund is adequate collateral for the Fund against any loss it might
sustain as a result of such loan, except that this subparagraph shall not
excuse any liability the Custodian may have for failing to act in accor-
dance with Article X hereof or any Certificate, Oral Instructions or
Written Instructions given in accordance with this Agreement. The Custo-
dian specifically, but not by way of limitation, shall not be under any
duty or obligation periodically to check or notify the Fund that the
amount of such cash collateral held by it for the Fund is sufficient
collateral for the Fund, but such duty or obligation shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund. In addition, the Custodian shall be under no
duty or obligation to see that any broker, dealer or financial institution
to which portfolio Securities of the Fund are lent pursuant to Article X
of this Agreement makes payment to it of any dividends or interest which
are payable to or for the account of the Fund during the period of such
loan or at the termination of such loan, provided, however, that the
Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund in the event that such dividends
or interest are not paid and received when due; or
(f) The sufficiency or value of any amounts of money and/or
Securities held in any Margin Account, Senior Security Account or
Collateral Account in connection with transactions by the Fund, except
that this subparagraph shall not excuse any liability the Custodian may
have for failing to establish, maintain, make deposits to or withdrawals
from such accounts in accordance with this Agreement. In addition, the
Custodian shall be under no duty or obligation to see that any broker,
dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing Member makes payment to
the Fund of any variation margin payment or similar payment which the Fund
may be entitled to receive from such broker, dealer, futures commission
merchant or Clearing Member, to see that any payment received by the
Custodian from any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or Clearing
Member is the amount the Fund is entitled to receive, or to notify the
Fund of the Custodian's receipt or non-receipt of any such payment.
3. The Custodian shall not be liable for, or considered to be the
Custodian of, any money, whether or not represented by any check, draft,
or other instrument for the payment of money, received by it on behalf of
the Fund until the Custodian actually receives such money directly or by
the final crediting of the account representing the Fund's interest at the
Book-Entry System or the Depository.
4. With respect to Securities held in a Depository, except as
otherwise provided in paragraph 5(b) of Article III hereof, the Custodian
shall have no responsibility and shall not be liable for ascertaining or
acting upon any calls, conversions, exchange offers, tenders, interest
rate changes or similar matters relating to such Securities, unless the
Custodian shall have actually received timely notice from the Depository
in which such Securities are held. In no event shall the Custodian have
any responsibility or liability for the failure of a Depository to
collect, or for the late collection or late crediting by a Depository of
any amount payable upon Securities deposited in a Depository which may
mature or be redeemed, retired, called or otherwise become payable. How-
ever, upon receipt of a Certificate from the Fund of an overdue amount on
Securities held in a Depository the Custodian shall make a claim against
the Depository on behalf of the Fund, except that the Custodian shall not
be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action suit
or proceeding in respect to any Securities held by a Depository which in
its opinion may involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity
satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often
as may be required, or alternatively, the Fund shall be subrogated to the
rights of the Custodian with respect to such claim against the Depository
should it so request in a Certificate. This paragraph shall not, however,
excuse any failure by the Custodian to act in accordance with a
Certificate, Oral Instructions, or Written Instructions given in
accordance with this Agreement.
5. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation to take
action to effect collection of any amount due the Fund from the Transfer
Agent of the Fund nor to take any action to effect payment or distribution
by the Transfer Agent of the Fund of any amount paid by the Custodian to
the Transfer Agent of the Fund in accordance with this Agreement.
6. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation to take
action to effect collection of any amount if the Securities upon which
such amount is payable are in default, or if payment is refused after the
Custodian has timely and properly, in accordance with this Agreement, made
due demand or presentation, unless and until (i) it shall be directed to
take such action by a Certificate and (ii) it shall be assured to its
satisfaction of reimbursement of its costs and expenses in connection with
any such action, but the Custodian shall have such a duty if the Secu-
rities were not in default on the payable date and the Custodian failed
to timely and properly make such demand for payment and such failure is
the reason for the non-receipt of payment.
7. The Custodian may, with the prior approval of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund, appoint one or more banking institutions as
subcustodian or subcustodians, or as co-Custodian or co-Custodians, of
Securities and moneys at any time owned by the Fund, upon such terms and
conditions as may be approved in a Certificate or contained in an
agreement executed by the Custodian, the Fund and the appointed
institution; provided, however, that appointment of any foreign banking
institution or depository shall be subject to the provisions of Article
XV hereof.
8. The Custodian agrees to indemnify the Fund against and save the
Fund harmless from all liability, claims, losses and demands whatsoever,
including attorney's fees, howsoever arising or incurred because of the
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of any subcustodian of the
Securities and moneys owned by the Fund.
9. The Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation (a) to
ascertain whether any Securities at any time delivered to, or held by it,
for the account of the Fund and specifically allocated to a Series are
such as properly may be held by the Fund or such Series under the
provisions of its then current prospectus, or (b) to ascertain whether any
transactions by the Fund, whether or not involving the Custodian, are such
transactions as may properly be engaged in by the Fund.
10. The Custodian shall be entitled to receive and the Fund agrees
to pay to the Custodian all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and such
compensation as may be agreed upon in writing from time to time between
the Custodian and the Fund. The Custodian may charge such compensation,
and any such expenses with respect to a Series incurred by the Custodian
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement against any money
specifically allocated to such Series. The Custodian shall also be
entitled to charge against any money held by it for the account of a
Series the amount of any loss, damage, liability or expense, including
counsel fees, for which it shall be entitled to reimbursement under the
provisions of this Agreement attributable to, or arising out of, its
serving as Custodian for such Series. The expenses for which the
Custodian shall be entitled to reimbursement hereunder shall include, but
are not limited to, the expenses of subcustodians and foreign branches of
the Custodian incurred in settling outside of New York City transactions
involving the purchase and sale of Securities of the Fund. Notwithstanding
the foregoing or anything else contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Custodian shall, prior to effecting any charge for
compensation, expenses, or any overdraft or indebtedness or interest
thereon, submit an invoice therefor to the Fund.
11. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any Certificate,
notice or other instrument in writing, Oral Instructions, or Written
Instructions received by the Custodian and reasonably believed by the
Custodian to be genuine. The Fund agrees to forward to the Custodian a
Certificate or facsimile thereof confirming Oral Instructions or Written
Instructions in such manner so that such Certificate or facsimile thereof
is received by the Custodian, whether by hand delivery, telecopier or
other similar device, or otherwise, by the close of business of the same
day that such Oral Instructions or Written Instructions are given to the
Custodian. The Fund agrees that the fact that such confirming
instructions are not received by the Custodian shall in no way affect the
validity of the transactions or enforceability of the transactions thereby
authorized by the Fund. The Fund agrees that the Custodian shall incur
no liability to the Fund in acting upon Oral Instructions or Written
Instructions given to the Custodian hereunder concerning such transactions
provided such instructions reasonably appear to have been received from
an Authorized Person.
12. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any instrument,
instruction or notice received by the Custodian and reasonably believed
by the Custodian to be given in accordance with the terms and conditions
of any Margin Account Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Custodian shall be under no duty to inquire into, and shall
not be liable for, the accuracy of any statements or representations
contained in any such instrument or other notice including, without limi-
tation, any specification of any amount to be paid to a broker, dealer,
futures commission merchant or Clearing Member. This paragraph shall not
excuse any failure by the Custodian to have acted in accordance with any
Margin Agreement it has executed or any Certificate, Oral Instructions,
or Written Instructions given in accordance with this Agreement.
13. The books and records pertaining to the Fund, as described in
Appendix E hereto, which are in the possession of the Custodian shall be
the property of the Fund. Such books and records shall be prepared and
maintained by the Custodian as required by the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and other applicable Securities laws and rules and
regulations. The Fund, or the Fund's authorized representatives, shall
have access to such books and records during the Custodian's normal
business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any
such books and records shall be provided by the Custodian to the Fund or
the Fund's authorized representative, and the Fund shall reimburse the
Custodian its expenses of providing such copies. Upon reasonable request
of the Fund, the Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on micro-film,
whichever the Custodian elects, any records included in any such delivery
which are maintained by the Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly
maintained, and the Fund shall reimburse the Custodian for its expenses
of providing such hard copy or micro-film.
14. The Custodian shall provide the Fund with any report obtained
by the Custodian on the system of internal accounting control of the Book-
Entry system, each Depository or O.C.C., and with such reports on its own
systems of internal accounting control as the Fund may reasonably request
from time to time.
15. The Custodian shall furnish upon request annually to the Fund
a letter prepared by the Custodian's accountants with respect to the
Custodian's internal systems and controls in the form generally provided
by the Custodian to other investment companies for which the Custodian
acts as custodian.
16. The Fund agrees to indemnify the Custodian against and save the
Custodian harmless from all liability, claims, losses and demands
whatsoever, including attorney's fees, howsoever arising out of, or
related to, the Custodian's performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, except for any such liability, claim, loss and demand arising
out of the negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct of the Custodian,
any co-Custodian or subcustodian appointed by the Custodian, or that of
the officers, employees, or agents of any of them.
17. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Agreement, the
Custodian shall deliver and receive Securities, and receipts with respect
to such Securities, and shall make and receive payments only in accordance
with the customs prevailing from time to time among brokers or dealers in
such Securities and, except as may otherwise be provided by this Agreement
or as may be in accordance with such customs, shall make payment for
Securities only against delivery thereof and deliveries of Securities only
against payment therefor.
18. The Custodian will comply with the procedures, guidelines or
restrictions ("Procedures") adopted by the Fund from time to time for par-
ticular types of investments or transactions, e.g., Repurchase Agreements
and Reverse Repurchase Agreements, provided that the Custodian has
received from the Fund a copy of such Procedures. If within ten days
after receipt of any such Procedures, the Custodian determines in good
faith that it is unreasonable for it to comply with any new procedures,
guidelines or restrictions set forth therein, it may within such ten day
period send notice to the Fund that it does not intend to comply with
those new procedures, guidelines or restrictions which it identifies with
particularity in such notice, in which event the Custodian shall not be
required to comply with such identified procedures, guidelines or
restrictions; provided, however, that, anything to the contrary set forth
herein or in any other agreement with the Fund, if the Custodian identi-
fies procedures, guidelines or restrictions with which it does not intend
to comply, the Fund shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement without
cost or penalty to the Fund upon thirty days' written notice.
19. Whenever the Custodian has the authority to deduct monies from
the account for a series without a Certificate, it shall notify the Fund
within one business day of such deduction and the reason for it. Whenever
the Custodian has the authority to sell Securities or any other property
of the Fund on behalf of any Series without a Certificate, the Custodian
will notify the Fund of its intention to do so and afford the Fund the
reasonable opportunity to select which Securities or other property it
wishes to sell on behalf of such Series. If the Fund does not promptly
sell sufficient Securities or Deposited Property on behalf of the Series,
then, after notice, the Custodian may proceed with the intended sale.
20. The Custodian shall have no duties or responsibilities
whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set
forth or referred to in this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation
shall be implied in this Agreement against the Custodian.
ARTICLE XVII
TERMINATION
1. Except as provided in paragraph 3 of this Article, this
Agreement shall continue until terminated by either the Custodian giving
to the Fund, or the Fund giving to the Custodian, a notice in writing
specifying the date of such termination, which date shall be not less than
60 days after the date of the giving of such notice. In the event such
notice or a notice pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article is given by the
Fund, it shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund, certified by an Officer and the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Fund, electing to terminate this Agreement and
designating a successor custodian or custodians, each of which shall be
eligible to serve as a custodian for the Securities of a management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In the event
such notice is given by the Custodian, the Fund shall, on or before the
termination date, deliver to the Custodian a copy of a resolution of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary, designating a successor custodian or custodians. In the ab-
sence of such designation by the Fund, the Custodian may designate a
successor custodian which shall be a bank or trust company eligible to
serve as a custodian for Securities of a management investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and which is acceptable to the
Fund. Upon the date set forth in such notice this Agreement shall
terminate, and the Custodian shall upon receipt of a notice of acceptance
by the successor custodian on that date deliver directly to the successor
custodian all Securities and moneys then owned by the Fund and held by it
as Custodian, after deducting all fees, expenses and other amounts for the
payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled.
2. If a successor custodian is not designated by the Fund or the
Custodian in accordance with the preceding paragraph, the Fund shall upon
the date specified in the notice of termination of this Agreement and upon
the delivery by the Custodian of all Securities (other than Securities
held in the Book-Entry System which cannot be delivered to the Fund) and
moneys then owned by the Fund be deemed to be its own custodian and the
Custodian shall thereby be relieved of all duties and responsibilities
pursuant to this Agreement arising thereafter, other than the duty with
respect to Securities held in the Book Entry System which cannot be deliv-
ered to the Fund to hold such Securities hereunder in accordance with this
Agreement.
3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may terminate this
Agreement upon the date specified in a written notice in the event of the
"Bankruptcy" of The Bank of New York. As used in this sub-paragraph, the
term "Bankruptcy" shall mean The Bank of New York's making a general
assignment, arrangement or composition with or for the benefit of its
creditors, or instituting or having instituted against it a proceeding
seeking a judgment of insolvency or bankruptcy or the entry of a order for
relief under any applicable bankruptcy law or any other relief under any
bankruptcy or insolvency law or other similar law affecting creditors
rights, or if a petition is presented for the winding up or liquidation
of the party or a resolution is passed for its winding up or liquidation,
or it seeks, or becomes subject to, the appointment of an administrator,
receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for all
or substantially all of its assets or its taking any action in furtherance
of, or indicating its consent to approval of, or acquiescence in, any of
the foregoing.
ARTICLE XVIII
TERMINAL LINK
1. At no time and under no circumstances shall the Fund be
obligated to have or utilize the Terminal Link, and the provisions of this
Article shall apply if, but only if, the Fund in its sole and absolute
discretion elects to utilize the Terminal Link to transmit Certificates
to the Custodian.
2. The Terminal Link shall be utilized only for the purpose of the
Fund providing Certificates to the Custodian and the Custodian providing
notices to the Fund and only after the Fund shall have established access
codes and internal safekeeping procedures to safeguard and protect the
confidentiality and availability of such access codes. Each use of the
Terminal Link by the Fund shall constitute a representation and warranty
that at least two officers have each utilized an access code that such
internal safekeeping procedures have been established by the Fund, and
that such use does not contravene the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the rules and regulations thereunder.
3. Each party shall obtain and maintain at its own cost and expense
all equipment and services, including, but not limited to communications
services, necessary for it to utilize the Terminal Link, and the other
party shall not be responsible for the reliability or availability of any
such equipment or services, except that the Custodian shall not pay any
communications costs of any line leased by the Fund, even if such line is
also used by the Custodian.
4. The Fund acknowledges that any data bases made available as part
of, or through the Terminal Link and any proprietary data, software,
processes, information and documentation (other than any such which are
or become part of the public domain or are legally required to be made
available to the public) (collectively, the "Information"), are the
exclusive and confidential property of the Custodian. The Fund shall, and
shall cause others to which it discloses the Information, to keep the
Information confidential by using the same care and discretion it uses
with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, and shall
neither make nor permit any disclosure without the express prior written
consent of the Custodian.
5. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, each Fund
shall return to the Custodian any and all copies of the Information which
are in the Fund's possession or under its control, or which the Fund
distributed to third parties. The provisions of this Article shall not
affect the copyright status of any of the Information which may be
copyrighted and shall apply to all Information whether or not copyrighted.
6. The Custodian reserves the right to modify the Terminal Link from
time to time without notice to the Fund, except that the Custodian shall
give the Fund notice not less than 75 days in advance of any modification
which would materially adversely affect the Fund's operation, and the Fund
agrees not to modify or attempt to modify the Terminal Link without the
Custodian's prior written consent. The Fund acknowledges that any
software provided by the Custodian as part of the Terminal Link is the
property of the Custodian and, accordingly, the Fund agrees that any
modifications to the same, whether by the Fund or the Custodian and
whether with or without the Custodian's consent, shall become the property
of the Custodian.
7. Neither the Custodian nor any manufacturers and suppliers it
utilizes or the Fund utilizes in connection with the Terminal Link makes
any warranties or representations, express or implied, in fact or in law,
including but not limited to warranties of merchantability and fitness for
a particular purpose.
8. Each party will cause its officers and employees to treat the
authorization codes and the access codes applicable to Terminal Link with
extreme care, and irrevocably authorizes the other to act in accordance
with and rely on Certificates and notices received by it through the
Terminal Link. Each party acknowledges that it is its responsibility to
assure that only its authorized persons use the Terminal Link on its
behalf, and that a party shall not be responsible nor liable for use of
the Terminal Link on behalf of the other party by unauthorized persons of
such other party.
9. Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither party shall have any liability to the other for any losses,
damages, injuries, claims, costs or expenses arising as a result of a
delay, omission or error in the transmission of a Certificate or notice
by use of the Terminal Link except for money damages for those suffered
as the result of the negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such
party or its officers, employees or agents in an amount not exceeding for
any incident $100,000; provided, however, that a party shall have no
liability under this Section 9 if the other party fails to comply with the
provisions of Section 11.
10. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event
shall either party or any manufacturer or supplier of its computer
equipment, software or services relating to the Terminal Link be
responsible for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages
which the other party may incur or experience by reason of its use of the
Terminal Link even if such party, manufacturer or supplier has been
advised of the possibility of such damages, nor with respect to the use
of the Terminal Link shall either party or any such manufacturer or
supplier be liable for acts of God, or with respect to the following to
the extent beyond such person's reasonable control: machine or computer
breakdown or malfunction, interruption or malfunction of communication
facilities, labor difficulties or any other similar or dissimilar cause.
11. The Fund shall notify the Custodian of any errors, omissions or
interruptions in, or delay or unavailability of, the Terminal Link as
promptly as practicable, and in any event within 24 hours after the
earliest of (i) discovery thereof, and (ii) in the case of any error, the
date of actual receipt of the earliest notice which reflects such error,
it being agreed that discovery and receipt of notice may only occur on a
business day. The Custodian shall promptly advise the Fund whenever the
Custodian learns of any errors, omissions or interruption in, or delay or
unavailability of, the Terminal Link.
12. Each party shall, as soon as practicable after its receipt of
a Certificate or a notice transmitted by the Terminal Link, verify to the
other party by use of the Terminal Link its receipt of such Certificate
or notice, and in the absence of such verification the party to which the
Certificate or notice is sent shall not be liable for any failure to act
in accordance with such Certificate or notice and the sending party may
not claim that such Certificate or notice was received by the other party.
ARTICLE XIX
MISCELLANEOUS
1. Annexed hereto as Appendix A is a Certificate signed by two of
the present Officers of the Fund under its seal, setting forth the names
and the signatures of the present Authorized Persons. The Fund agrees to
furnish to the Custodian a new Certificate in similar form in the event
that any such present Authorized Person ceases to be an Authorized Person
or in the event that other or additional Authorized Persons are elected
or appointed. Until such new Certificate shall be received, the Custodian
shall be entitled to rely and to act upon Oral Instructions, Written
Instructions, or signatures of the present Authorized Persons as set forth
in the last delivered Certificate to the extent provided by this
Agreement.
2. Annexed hereto as Appendix B is a Certificate signed by two of
the present Officers of the Fund under its seal, setting forth the names
and the signatures of the present Officers of the Fund. The Fund agrees
to furnish to the Custodian a new Certificate in similar form in the event
any such present officer ceases to be an officer of the Fund, or in the
event that other or additional officers are elected or appointed. Until
such new Certificate shall be received, the Custodian shall be entitled
to rely and to act upon the signatures of the officers as set forth in the
last delivered Certificate to the extent provided by this Agreement.
3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or
required by this Agreement to be given to the Custodian, other than any
Certificate or Written Instructions, shall be sufficiently given if
addressed to the Custodian and mailed or delivered to it at its offices
at 90 Washington Street, New York, New York 10286, or at such other place
as the Custodian may from time to time designate in writing.
4. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or rehired
by this Agreement to be given to the Fund shall be sufficiently given if
addressed to the Fund and mailed or delivered to it at its office at the
address for the Fund first above written, or at such other place as the
Fund may from time to time designate in writing.
5. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties, replaces all prior agreements and may not be amended or modified
in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties with
the same formality as this Agreement and approved by a resolution of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, except that Appendices A and B may be
amended unilaterally by the Fund without such an approving resolution.
6. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the
parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided,
however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Fund without
the written consent of the Custodian, or by the Custodian or The Bank of
New York without the written consent of the Fund, authorized or approved
by a resolution of the Fund's Board of Trustees. For purposes of this
paragraph, no merger, consolidation, or amalgamation of the Custodian, The
Bank of New York, or the Fund shall be deemed to constitute an assignment
of this Agreement.
7. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws
of the State of New York without giving effect to conflict of laws
principles thereof. Each party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of a
state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection
with any dispute arising hereunder and hereby waives its right to trial
by jury.
8. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts
shall, together, constitute only one instrument.
9. A copy of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with
the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby
given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Board of Trustees
of the Fund as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of
the instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders
individually but are binding upon the assets and property of the Fund;
provided, however, that the Declaration of Trust of the Fund provides that
the assets of a particular series of the Fund shall under no circumstances
be charges with liabilities attributable to any other series of the Fund
and that all persons extending credit to, or contracting with or having
any claim against a particular series of the Fund shall look only to the
assets of that particular series for payment of such credit, contract or
claim.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed by their respective Officers, thereunto duly authorized and
their respective seals to be hereunto affixed, as of the day and year
first above written.
OPPENHEIMER STRATEGIC INCOME & GROWTH FUND
By: _______________________________
Robert G. Galli, Vice President
[SEAL]
Attest:
___________________________________
Robert G. Zack, Assistant Secretary
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
[SEAL] By__________________________________
Attest:
___________________________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
I, President and I,
, of Oppenheimer Fund,
a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund") do hereby certify that:
The following individuals have been duly authorized by the Board of
Trustees of the Fund in conformity with the Fund's Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws to give Oral Instructions and Written Instructions on behalf
of the Fund, except that those persons designated as being an "Officer of
OSS" shall be an Authorized Person only for purposes of Articles XII and
XIII. The signatures set forth opposite their respective names are their
true and correct signatures:
Name Position Signature
__________________ _______________________ __________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
I, President and I,
, of Oppenheimer Fund, a
Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), do hereby certify that:
The following individuals for whom a position other than "Officer of
OSS" is specified serve in the following positions with the Fund and each
has been duly elected or appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund
to each such position and qualified therefor in conformity with the Fund's
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. With respect to the following
individuals for whom a position of "Officer of OSS" is specified, each
such individual has been designated by a resolution of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund to be an Officer for purposes of the Fund's Custody
Agreement with The Bank of New York, but only for purposes of Articles XII
and XIII thereof and a certified copy of such resolution is attached
hereto. The signatures of each individual below set forth opposite their
respective names are their true and correct signatures:
Name Position Signature
__________________ _______________________ __________________
<PAGE>
APPENDIX C
The undersigned, hereby
certifies that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund (the "Fund"),
further certifies that the following resolutions were adopted by the Board
of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on __________________, 199
, at which a quorum at all times present and that such resolutions have
not been modified or rescinded and are in full force an effect as of the
date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank New York, as Custodian pursuant to
a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of 199 (the "Custody Agreement") is
authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing basis
to act in accordance with, and to rely on instructions by
the Fund to the Custodian communicated by a Terminal Link as
defined in the Custody Agreement.
RESOLVED, that the Fund shall establish access codes and
grant use of such access codes only to officers of the Fund
as defined in the Custody Agreement, and shall establish
internal safekeeping procedures to safeguard and protect the
confidentiality and availability of such access codes.
RESOLVED, that Officers of the Fund as defined in the
Custody Agreement shall, following the establishment of such
access codes and such internal safekeeping procedures,
advise the Custodian that the same have been established by
delivering a Certificate, as defined in the Custody
Agreement, and the Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon
such advice.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand in the seal of
, as of the day of , 199 .
APPENDIX D
I, Richard P. Lando, an Assistant Vice President with THE BANK OF NEW
YORK do hereby designate the following publications:
The Bond Buyer
Depository Trust Company Notices
Financial Daily Card Service
JJ Kenney Municipal Bond Service
London Financial Times
New York Times
Standard & Poor's Called Bond Record
Wall Street Journal<PAGE>
APPENDIX E
The following books and records pertaining to Fund shall be prepared
and maintained by the Custodian and shall be the property of the Fund:
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, , hereby
certifies that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust
(the "Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was
adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on 199
, at which a quorum was at all times present and that such resolution has
not been modified or rescinded and is in full force and effect as of the
date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis to deposit in the Book-Entry System, as defined in the
Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible for deposit
therein, regardless of the Series to which the same are
specifically allocated, and to utilize the Book-Entry System
to the extent possible in connection with its performance
thereunder, including, without limitation, In connection
with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans
of Securities, and deliveries and returns of Securities col-
lateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal
of , as of the day of
, 199 .
__________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned , hereby certifies
that he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and
that such resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full
force and effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis until such time as it receives a Certificate, as
defined in the Custody Agreement, to the contrary to deposit
in The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") as a "Depository" as
defined in the Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible
for deposit therein, regardless of the Series to which the
same are specifically allocated, and to utilize DTC to the
extent possible in connection with its performance there-
under, including, without limitation, in connection with
settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of
Securities, and deliveries and returns of Securities
collateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of
as of the day of , 199 .
___________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B-1
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, hereby certifies that he or she
is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and that such
resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full force and
effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of 199 , (the "Custody Agreement") is
authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing basis
until such time as it receives a Certificate, as defined in
the Custody Agreement, to the contrary to deposit in the
Participants Trust Company as a Depository, as defined in
the Custody Agreement, all Securities eligible for deposit
therein, regardless of the Series to which the same are
specifically allocated, and to utilize the Participants
Trust Company to the extent possible in connection with its
performance thereunder, including, without limitation, in
connection with settlements of purchases and sales of
Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns
of Securities collateral.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of
, as of the day of , 199 .
_______________________
[SEAL]
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned, , hereby certifies that
he or she is the duly elected and acting
of Oppenheimer Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), and further certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund at a meeting duly held on
, 199 , at which a quorum was at all times present and that
such resolution has not been modified or rescinded and is in full force
and effect as of the date hereof.
RESOLVED, that The Bank of New York, as Custodian pursuant
to a Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York and the
Fund dated as of , 199 (the "Custody Agreement")
is authorized and instructed on a continuous and ongoing
basis until such time as it receives a Certificate, as
defined in the Custody Agreement, to the contrary, to ac-
cept, utilize and act with respect to Clearing Member
confirmations for Options and transaction in Options,
regardless of the Series to which the same are specifically
allocated, as such terms are defined in the Custody
Agreement, as provided in the Custody Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the
seal of , as of the day of , 199 .
____________________________
[SEAL]<PAGE>
EXHIBIT D
[FORM OF FOREIGN SUBCUSTODIAN AGREEMENT]<PAGE>
Appendix A
Article XIX.1 49
Appendix B
Article XIX.2 50
Exhibit A
Article III.1 7
Exhibit B
Article III.1 8
Exhibit C
Article III.1 8
Exhibit D 34
Article XV.4 34
Schedule A
Article XV.1 33
CUSTODY\275
May 11, 1992
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
3410 South Galena Street
Denver, Colorado 80231
Gentlemen:
In connection with the proposed public offering of shares of beneficial
interest of Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund (the "Trust"), we
have examined such records and documents as we deem necessary for the
purpose of this opinion.
The Trust is a business trust duly organized and validly existing under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As of the date of this
letter, it is our opinion that the indefinite number of shares of the
Trust covered by its Registration Statement on Form N-1A (SEC Reg. No.
33047378), when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the
offering, as set forth in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information forming a part of the Registration Statement, will be, when
such Registration Statement shall have become effective, legally issued,
fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust subject to the matters set
forth in the next paragraph.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of the Trust may, under certain
circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations
of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust doses, however, contain an express
disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust
and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement,
obligation, or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the
Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of
the trust property of any shareholder held personally liable for the
obligations of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the
Trust shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against
any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any
judgment thereon.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to such
Registration Statement and to the reference to Counsel in such Prospectus
and/or Statement of Additional Information. We also consent to the filing
of this opinion with the authorities administering the securities laws of
any jurisdiction in connection with the registration or qualification
under such laws of the Trust or its shares.
Sincerely,
Myer, Swanson & Adams, P.C.
by: /s/ Allan B. Adams
------------------
Allan B. Adams
OPINION\275
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund:
We hereby consent to the use in Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to
Registration Statement No. 33-47378 of our report dated October 21, 1994
appearing in the Statement of Additional Information, which is a part of
such Registration Statement, and to the reference to us under the caption
"Financial Highlights" appearing in the Prospectus, which is also a part
of such Registration Statement.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE
Denver, Colorado
January 30, 1995
Oppenheimer Stategic Income & Growth Fund
Exhibit 24(b)(16) to Form N-1A
Performance Data Computation Schedule
The Fund's average annual total returns and total returns are calculated as
described below, on the basis of the Fund's distributions, for the past 10
years which are as follows:
Distribution Amount From Amount From
Reinvestment Investment Long or Short-Term Reinvestment
(Ex)Date Income Capital Gains Price
Class A Shares
07/17/92 0.0243079 0.0000 5.000
09/01/92 0.0162176 0.0000 5.070
10/06/92 0.0201845 0.0000 4.970
11/03/92 0.0136808 0.0000 5.010
12/08/92 0.0190534 0.0000 5.190
12/31/92 0.0087499 0.0053675 5.150
01/05/93 0.0030690 0.0000 5.120
02/02/93 0.0163632 0.0000 5.160
03/02/93 0.0155474 0.0000 5.180
04/06/93 0.0195685 0.0000 5.110
05/04/93 0.0155848 0.0000 5.180
06/08/93 0.0191975 0.0000 5.160
07/06/93 0.0164500 0.0000 5.220
08/03/93 0.0165928 0.0000 5.200
09/07/93 0.0207515 0.0000 5.230
10/05/93 0.0163996 0.0000 5.300
11/02/93 0.0160692 0.0000 5.300
12/07/93 0.0212100 0.0000 5.340
12/31/93 0.0146856 0.0967329 5.250
02/08/94 0.0230696 0.0000 5.270
03/08/94 0.0164444 0.0000 5.120
04/05/94 0.0173152 0.0000 4.910
05/03/94 0.0167412 0.0000 4.920
06/07/94 0.0228830 0.0000 5.000
07/05/94 0.0200592 0.0000 4.860
08/02/94 0.0193872 0.0000 4.920
09/06/94 0.0255640 0.0000 5.000
Class B Shares
12/08/92 0.0027823 0.0000 5.190
12/31/92 0.0053741 0.0053675 5.150
01/05/93 0.0022214 0.0000 5.120
02/02/93 0.0116379 0.0000 5.160
03/02/93 0.0117359 0.0000 5.180
04/06/93 0.0153523 0.0000 5.100
05/04/93 0.0123223 0.0000 5.170
06/08/93 0.0152146 0.0000 5.160
07/06/93 0.0132208 0.0000 5.210
08/03/93 0.0132613 0.0000 5.200
09/07/93 0.0161239 0.0000 5.230
10/05/93 0.0127783 0.0000 5.290
11/02/93 0.0124677 0.0000 5.300
f:\rr\dnvshare\sai\093094\275.sch
Oppenheimer Stategic Income & Growth Fund
Page 2
January 31, 1995
Distribution Amount From Amount From
Reinvestment Investment Long or Short-Term Reinvestment
(Ex)Date Income Capital Gains Price
Class B Shares (Continued):
12/07/93 0.0168829 0.0000 5.330
12/31/93 0.0116760 0.0967329 5.240
02/08/94 0.0230696 0.0000 5.260
03/08/94 0.0164444 0.0000 5.110
04/05/94 0.0173152 0.0000 4.900
05/03/94 0.0167412 0.0000 4.910
06/07/94 0.0228830 0.0000 4.990
07/05/94 0.0200592 0.0000 4.860
08/02/94 0.0193872 0.0000 4.910
09/06/94 0.0255640 0.0000 4.990
1. Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended 09/30/94:
The formula for calculating average annual total return is as follows:
1 ERV n
--------------- = n (---) - 1 = average annual total return
number of years P
Where: ERV = ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment
made at the beginning of the period
P = hypothetical initial investment of $1,000
Class A Shares
Examples, assuming a maximum sales charge of 4.75%:
One Year Inception
$ 950.29 1 $1,052.27 .4289
(---------) - 1 = -4.97% (---------) - 1 = 2.21%
$1,000 $1,000
Class B Shares
Examples, assuming a maximum contingent deferred sales charge of 5.00% for
the first year, and 4.00% for the second year:
One Year Inception
$ 941.62 1 $1,007.68 .5456
(---------) - 1 = -5.84% (---------) - 1 = .42%
$1,000 $1,000
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Page 3
January 31, 1995
1. Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended 09/30/94 (Continued):
Examples at NAV:
Class A Shares
One Year Inception
$ 997.68 1 $1,104.75 .4289
(---------) - 1 = -.23% (---------) - 1 = 4.37%
$1,000 $1,000
Class B Shares
One Year Inception
$ 988.29 1 $1,046.19 .5456
(---------) - 1 = -1.17% (---------) - 1 = 2.49%
$1,000 $1,000
2. Cumlative Total Returns for the Periods Ended 9/30/94:
The formula for calculating cumulative total return is as follows:
(ERV - P) / P = Cumulative Total Return
Class A Shares
Examples, assuming a maximum sales charge of 4.75%:
One Year Inception
$ 950.29 - $1,000 $1,052.27 - $1,000
------------------ = -4.97% ------------------ = 5.23%
$1,000 $1,000
Class B Shares
Examples, assuming a maximum contingent deferred sales charge of 5.00% for the
first year, and 4.00% the second year:
One Year Inception
$ 941.62 - $1,000 $1,007.68 - $1,000
------------------ = -5.84% ------------------ = .77%
$1,000 $1,000
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Page 4
January 31, 1995
Examples at NAV:
Class A Shares
One Year Inception
$ 997.68 - $1,000 $1,104.75 - $1,000
------------------ = -0.23% ------------------ = 10.48%
$1,000 $1,000
Class B Shares
One Year Inception
$ 988.29 - $1,000 $1,046.19 - $1,000
------------------ = -1.17% ------------------ = 4.62%
$1,000 $1,000
3. Standardized Yield for the 30-Day Period Ended 09/30/94:
The Fund's standardized yields are calculated using the following formula
set forth in the SEC rules:
a - b 6
Yield = 2 { (-------- + 1 ) - 1 }
cd or ce
The symbols above represent the following factors:
a = Dividends and interest earned during the 30-day period.
b = Expenses accrued for the period (net of any expense
reimbursements).
c = The average daily number of Fund shares outstanding during
the 30-day period that were entitled to receive dividends.
d = The Fund's maximum offering price (including sales charge)
per share on the last day of the period.
e = The Fund's net asset value (excluding contingent deferred
sales charge) per share on the last day of the period.
Class A Shares
Example, assuming a maximum sales charge of 4.75%:
$231,491.59 - $52,255.64 6
2{(------------------------ + 1) - 1} = 4.79%
8,763,803 x $5.17
Oppenheimer Strategic Income & Growth Fund
Page 5
January 31, 1995
3. Standardized Yield for the 30-Day Period Ended 09/30/94 (Continued):
Class B Shares
Example at NAV:
$85,515.89 - $27,025.44 6
2{(----------------------- + 1) - 1} = 4.45%
3,241,840 x $4.91
4. DIVIDEND YIELDS FOR THE 30-DAY PERIOD ENDED 9/30/94:
The Fund's dividend yields are calculated using the following formula:
Dividend Yield = { (a / 30) x 365 } / b or c
The symbols above represent the following factors:
a = The accrual dividend earned during the period.
b = The Fund's maximum offering price (including sales charge)
per share on the last day of the period.
c = The Fund's net asset value (excluding sales charge) per share
on the last day of the period.
Examples:
Class A Shares
Dividend Yield
at Maximum Offering $.0228264/30 x 365
------------------ = 5.37%
$5.17
Dividend Yield
at Net Asset Value $.0228264/30 x 365
------------------ = 5.64%
$4.92
Class B Shares
Dividend Yield
at Net Asset Value $.0219053/30 x 365
------------------ = 5.43%
$4.91
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
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