File Nos. 33-50350
811-7068
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. 10
[X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 10 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(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)
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X on January 1, 2000 pursuant to paragraph (b)
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of Rule 485
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If appropriate, check the following box:
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
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Dreyfus Balanced
Fund, Inc.
Investing for long-term capital growth and current income
PROSPECTUS January 1, 2000
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
THE FUND
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2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
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8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
16 Instructions for IRAs
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
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Ticker Symbol: DRBAX
GOAL/APPROACH
The fund seeks long-term capital growth and current income. To pursue this goal,
the fund invests in equity and debt securities of U.S. and foreign issuers. The
proportion of the fund's assets invested in each type of security will vary from
time to time in accordance with Dreyfus's assessment of economic conditions and
investment opportunities. However, under normal market conditions, equity
investments will range from 40% to 75% of its portfolio, with a benchmark
allocation of 60%. Fixed-income investments (including cash and cash
equivalents) will range from 25% to 60%, with a benchmark allocation of 40%.
To select equity investments for the fund, Dreyfus generally employs a
value-oriented, "bottom-up" approach: investing primarily in midsize and large
companies that we believe have above-average growth potential and are
attractively valued relative to the market in general.
To select fixed-income investments for the fund, Dreyfus reviews the terms of
the instruments and evaluates the creditworthiness of the issuers, considering
all factors which it deems relevant, including, as applicable, a review of the
issuer's cash flow; level of short-term debt; leverage; capitalization; the
quality and depth of management; profitability; return on assets; and economic
factors relative to the issuer's industry.
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
BENCHMARK ALLOCATIONS: represent the asset mix Dreyfus expects to maintain when
its assessment of economic conditions and investment opportunities indicate that
the financial markets are fairly valued relative to each other.
INVESTMENT RANGE: indicates ordinarily expected variations from the benchmarks
and reflects expected shifts within specific asset classes.
<PAGE 2>
MAIN RISKS
Because stocks and bonds fluctuate in price, the value of your investment in the
fund will go up and down, and you could lose money. The stock and bond markets
can perform differently from each other at any given time (as well as over the
long term), so the fund's performance will be affected by its asset allocation.
If the manager favors an asset class during a period when that asset class
underperforms, the fund's performance may be hurt.
The fund's investments in value stocks are subject to the risk that their
intrinsic values may never be realized by the market, or their prices may go
down. Further, while the fund's investments in value stocks may limit the
overall downside risk of the fund over time, the fund may produce more modest
gains than riskier stock funds as a trade-off for this potentially lower risk.
Investments in midsize company stocks tend to be more volatile than large
company stocks and could have a disproportionate effect on performance.
Bond prices tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates and may be
hurt by declines in the issuer's financial condition.
Foreign stocks and bonds involve special risks, such as exposure to currency
fluctuations, economic and political instability, and potentially less
liquidity.
Other potential risks
The fund may invest in derivatives such as mortgage- and asset-backed
securities, and futures and options. Derivatives can be illiquid and highly
sensitive to changes in their underlying securities, interest rate or index,
and, as a result, can be highly volatile. The fund also may engage in foreign
currency transactions and sell short. These practices can be used to hedge the
fund's portfolio or to increase returns; of course, such practices sometimes may
reduce returns or increase volatility.
The fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in
a particular company compared with other funds. Accordingly, the fund's
portfolio may be more sensitive to changes in the market value of a single
company or industry.
The Fund
<PAGE 3>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The tables below show some of the risks of investing in the fund. The first
table shows the changes in the fund's performance from year to year. The second
table compares the fund's performance over time to that of the S&P
500((reg.tm)), a widely recognized unmanaged index of stock performance, and
the Customized Blended Index* prepared by Dreyfus. Both tables assume
reinvestment of dividends. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future
results.
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Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
10.84 3.98 25.04 11.62 17.43 9.69
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
BEST QUARTER: Q4 '98 +10.83%
WORST QUARTER: Q3 '98 -7.13%
THE FUND'S YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL RETURN AS OF 9/30/99 WAS 2.09%.
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Average annual total return AS OF 12/31/98
Since
inception
1 Year 5 Years (9/30/92)
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FUND 9.69% 13.33% 12.73%
S&P 500 28.60% 24.05% 21.60%
CUSTOMIZED BLENDED
INDEX* 18.29% 15.53% 14.30%
* THE INDEX MATCHES THE FUND'S BENCHMARK ALLOCATIONS IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO
SEPTEMBER 15, 1999 (50% S&P 500, 40% LEHMAN AGGREGATE BOND INDEX AND 10% CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS). EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 15, 1999, THE FUND CHANGED ITS
BENCHMARK ALLOCATIONS TO 60% S&P 500 AND 40% LEHMAN AGGREGATE BOND INDEX.
</TABLE>
What this fund is -- and isn't
This fund is a mutual fund: a pooled investment that is professionally managed
and gives you the opportunity to participate in financial markets. It strives to
reach its stated goal, although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer
guaranteed results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not FDIC-insured or
government-endorsed. It is not a complete investment program. You could lose
money in this fund, but you also have the potential to make money.
<PAGE 4>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Annual fund operating expenses are paid
out of fund assets, so their effect is included in the share price. The fund has
no sales charge (load) or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.
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Fee table
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.60%
Shareholder services fee 0.22%
Other expenses 0.15%
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TOTAL 0.97%
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Expense example
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
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$99 $309 $536 $1,190
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over time. It uses the same
hypothetical conditions other funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in expenses. The figures
shown would be the same whether you sold your shares at the end of a period or
kept them. Because actual return and expenses will be different, the example is
for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to Dreyfus for managing the fund's portfolio and
assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES FEE: a fee of up to 0.25% used to reimburse Dreyfus Service
Corporation for shareholder account service and maintenance.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund
<PAGE 5>
MANAGEMENT
The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages more than $120
billion in over 160 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund
paid Dreyfus a management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the fund's average
daily net assets. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of Mellon
Financial Corporation, a global financial services company with approximately
$2.5 trillion of assets under management, administration or custody, including
approximately $450 billion under management. Mellon provides wealth management,
global investment services and a comprehensive array of banking services for
individuals, businesses and institutions. Mellon is headquartered in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
Douglas D. Ramos, CFA, is the fund's primary portfolio manager, a position he
has held since joining Dreyfus in July 1997. Previously, he was a senior partner
and investment counselor for Loomis, Sayles & Company.
Dreyfus has a personal securities trading policy (the "Policy") which restricts
the personal securities transactions of its employees. Its primary purpose is to
ensure that personal trading by Dreyfus employees does not disadvantage any
Dreyfus-managed fund. Dreyfus portfolio managers and other investment personnel
who comply with the Policy's preclearance and disclosure procedures may be
permitted to purchase, sell or hold certain types of securities which also may
be or are held in the fund(s) they advise.
Concepts to understand
YEAR 2000 ISSUES: the fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by Dreyfus and the fund's other service providers do not properly process
and calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
Dreyfus has taken steps designed to avoid year 2000- related problems in its
systems and to monitor the readiness of other service providers. In addition,
issuers of securities in which the fund invests may be adversely affected by
year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on the value of the fund's
investments and its share price.
<PAGE 6>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. These figures have been independently audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in
the annual report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
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PER-SHARE DATA ($)
Net asset value, beginning of period 15.19 18.15 15.13 15.61 13.72
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .87* .47 .45 .51 .54
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments 1.98 (.88) 3.65 .29 1.99
Total from investment operations 2.85 (.41) 4.10 .80 2.53
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.45) (.46) (.44) (.53) (.51)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments (1.08) (2.09) (.64) (.75) (.13)
Total distributions (1.53) (2.55) (1.08) (1.28) (.64)
Net asset value, end of period 16.51 15.19 18.15 15.13 15.61
Total return (%) 19.37 (2.99) 28.06 5.19 19.03
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RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of operating expenses
to average net assets (%) .94 .91 .96 1.00 1.04
Ratio of interest expense
to average net assets (%) .03 -- -- -- --
Ratio of net investment income
to average net assets (%) 2.62 2.76 2.71 3.37 3.99
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 162.40 177.85 235.56 186.23 72.42
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 188,215 359,521 347,259 269,869 165,909
* BASED ON AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING AT EACH MONTH END.
</TABLE>
The Fund
<PAGE 7>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOU PAY NO SALES CHARGES to invest in this fund. Your price for fund shares is
the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which is generally calculated as of
the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) every day the exchange is open. Your order will be priced at the next NAV
calculated after your order is accepted by the fund or other authorized entity.
The fund's investments are generally valued based on market value or, where
market quotations are not readily available, based on fair value as determined
in good faith by the fund's board.
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Minimum investments
Initial Additional
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REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER
INVESTMENTS
TRADITIONAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
SPOUSAL IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
ROTH IRAS $750 NO MINIMUM
EDUCATION IRAS $500 NO MINIMUM
AFTER THE FIRST
YEAR
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party checks cannot be accepted.
You may be charged a fee for any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
401(k) plans, financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge
transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on
buying or selling shares. Consult a representative of your plan or financial
institution if in doubt.
<PAGE 8>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL (REDEEM) SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next
NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or
other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold
must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed
promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that if the fund has not
yet collected payment for the shares you are selling, it may delay sending the
proceeds for up to eight business days or until it has collected payment.
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Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds
sent by Minimum Maximum
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CHECK NO MINIMUM $250,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $500,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $500,000 FOR JOINT
ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
* amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed
within the last 30 days
* requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment
<PAGE 9>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
* refuse any purchase or exchange request that could adversely affect the
fund or its operations, including those from any individual or group who,
in the fund's view, is likely to engage in excessive trading (usually
defined as more than four exchanges out of the fund within a calendar year)
* refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of 1% of the fund's total
assets
* change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend this
privilege during unusual market conditions
* change its minimum investment amounts
* delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally
applies only in cases of very large redemptions, excessive trading or
during unusual market conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Small account policies
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts, the fund
charges regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee of $12. The
fee will be imposed during the fourth quarter of each calendar year.
The fee will be waived for: any investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund
investments total at least $25,000; IRA accounts; accounts participating in
automatic investment programs; accounts opened through a financial institution.
If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 45 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
<PAGE 10>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS DIVIDENDS from its net investment income
quarterly, and distributes any net capital gains it has realized once a year.
Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund
otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
FUND DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TAXABLE to most investors (unless your
investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account). The tax status of any
distribution is the same regardless of how long you have been in the fund and
whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash. In general,
distributions are federally taxable as follows:
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Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
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INCOME ORDINARY ORDINARY
DIVIDENDS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Except for tax-advantaged accounts, any sale or exchange of fund shares may
generate a tax liability. Of course, withdrawals or distributions from
tax-deferred accounts are taxable when received.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold or exchanged up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term
capital gains" applies to shares sold or exchanged after 12 months.
Your Investment
<PAGE 11>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
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For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments
ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments
SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
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For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
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For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and provide
you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The Financial
Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the Financial Center
nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
<PAGE 12>
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE SHARES WORTH $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another
(no minimum for retirement accounts). You can request your exchange in writing
or by phone. Be sure to read the current prospectus for any fund into which you
are exchanging. Any new account established through an exchange will have the
same privileges as your original account (as long as they are available). There
is currently no fee for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when
exchanging into any fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
24-hour automated account access
YOU CAN EASILY MANAGE YOUR DREYFUS ACCOUNTS, check your account balances,
transfer money between your Dreyfus funds, get price and yield information and
much more -- when it's convenient for you.
Retirement plans
Dreyfus offers a variety of retirement plans, including traditional, Roth and
Education IRAs. Here's where you call for information:
* for traditional, rollover, Roth and Education IRAs, call 1-800-645-6561
* for SEP-IRAs, Keogh accounts, 401(k) and 403(b) accounts, call
1-800-358-0910
Your Investment
<PAGE 13>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 105, Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900117176
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900117176
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE 14>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI 02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call
us to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE 15>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR IRAS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete an IRA application, making sure to specify the fund name and to
indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian
P.O. Box 6427, Providence, RI 02940-6427
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Indicate the year the contribution is for.
Mail in the slip and the check (see "To Open an Account" at left).
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900117176
* the fund name
* your account number
* name of investor
* the contribution year
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELEPHONE CONTRIBUTION Call to request us to move money from a regular Dreyfus
account to an IRA (both accounts must be held in the same shareholder name).
Automatically
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Call us
to request a Dreyfus Step Program form. Complete and return the form along with
your application.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add an automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the form along with any
other required materials.
All contributions will count as current year.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE 16>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name and signature
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
* whether the distribution is qualified or premature
* whether the 10% TEFRA should be withheld
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required.
Mail in your request (see "To Open an Account" at left).
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request instructions to establish
the plan.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS TRUST COMPANY, CUSTODIAN
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE 17>
For More Information
Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
-----------------------------
SEC file number: 811-7068
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of fund documents can be viewed online or
downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (phone 1-800-SEC-0330) or by sending your request and a
duplicating fee to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC
20549-6009.
(c) 2000 Dreyfus Service Corporation 222P0100
<PAGE>
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DREYFUS BALANCED FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
JANUARY 1, 2000
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), dated January 1, 2000 as it may be
revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's Prospectus, please
write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York
11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City -- Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. -- Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders are separate documents supplied with this Statement of Additional
Information, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of
independent auditors appearing in the Annual Report are incorporated by
reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Description of the Fund...................................................B- 2
Management of the Fund....................................................B-18
Management Arrangements...................................................B-23
How to Buy Shares.........................................................B-26
Shareholder Services Plan.................................................B-28
How to Redeem Shares......................................................B-29
Shareholder Services......................................................B-31
Portfolio Transactions....................................................B-34
Determination of Net Asset Value..........................................B-35
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes........................................B-36
Performance Information...................................................B-38
Information About the Fund................................................B-39
Counsel and Independent Auditors..........................................B-41
Appendix..................................................................B-42
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Maryland corporation that commenced operations on September
30, 1992. The Fund is an open-end management investment company, known as a
mutual fund.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's investment
adviser.
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the
distributor of the Fund's shares.
Certain Portfolio Securities
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities may be converted at either
a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.
Convertible securities have characteristics similar to both fixed-income and
equity securities. Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other
similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible
bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all
equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of
the same issuer. Because of the subordination feature, however, convertible
securities typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.
Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities, the market
value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and,
conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of
the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary
with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stock. A unique
feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying
common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a
yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent
as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common
stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a
reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities
investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally
entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.
Convertible securities provide for a stable stream of income with
generally higher yields than common stocks, but there can be no assurance of
current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on
their obligations. A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed
income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion
feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price
of the underlying common stock. There can be no assurance of capital
appreciation, however, because securities prices fluctuate. Convertible
securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than
non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for
capital appreciation.
Warrants. A warrant is an instrument issued by a corporation which gives
the holder the right to subscribe to a specified amount of the corporation's
capital stock at a set price for a specified period of time. The Fund may invest
up to 2% of its net assets in warrants, except that this limitation does not
apply to warrants purchased by the Fund that are sold in units with, or attached
to, other securities.
Zero Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury
securities, which are Treasury Notes and Bonds that have been stripped of their
unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves and receipts or certificates
representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and coupons. Zero
coupon securities also are issued by corporations and financial institutions
which constitute a proportionate ownership of the issuer's pool of underlying
U.S. Treasury securities. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holders
during its life and is sold at a discount to its face value at maturity. The
market prices of zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the
market prices of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to
respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than non-zero coupon
securities having similar maturities and credit qualities.
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are a form of
derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages. Pools
of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various
governmental, government-related and private organizations. These securities may
include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations and
stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through securities, interests
in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"), adjustable rate
mortgages, real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), including debt and preferred
stock issued by REITS, as well as other real estate-related securities,
including those with fixed, floating and variable interest rates, those with
interest rates based on multiples of changes in a specified index of interest
rates and those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest
rates, as well as those that do not bear interest.
Residential Mortgage-Related Securities--The Fund may invest in mortgage-related
securities representing participation interests in pools of one- to four-family
residential mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by governmental agencies or
instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association
("GNMA"), the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal
Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), or issued by private entities. Similar
to commercial mortgage-related securities, residential mortgage-related
securities have been issued using a variety of structures, including multi-class
structures featuring senior and subordinated classes.
Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage
Pass-Through Certificates (also know as "Ginnie Maes") which are guaranteed as
to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA certificates also
are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to
make payments under its guarantee. Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA
include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as
"Fannie Maes") which are solely the obligations of FNMA and are not backed by or
entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States. Fannie Maes are
guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA.
Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage
Participation Certificates (also known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs"). Freddie Macs
are not guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do
not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home
Loan Bank. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which
is guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection or timely
payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When FHLMC
does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may remit the amount due
on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after
default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it
becomes payable.
Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities--Commercial mortgage-related securities
generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates secured by mortgage
loans on commercial properties. These mortgage-related securities generally are
structured to provide protection to the holders of senior classes against
potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans. This protection generally is
provided by having the holders of subordinated classes of securities
("Subordinated Securities") take the first loss if there are defaults on the
underlying commercial mortgage loans. Other protection, which may benefit all of
the classes or particular classes, may include issuer guarantees, reserve funds,
additional Subordinated Securities, cross-collateralization and
over-collateralization.
Subordinated Securities--The Fund may invest in Subordinated Securities issued
or sponsored by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage
bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental
issuers. Subordinated Securities have no governmental guarantee, and are
subordinated in some manner as to the payment of principal and/or interest to
the holders of more senior mortgage-related securities arising out of the same
pool of mortgages. The holders of Subordinated Securities typically are
compensated with a higher stated yield than are the holders of more senior
mortgage-related securities. On the other hand, Subordinated Securities
typically subject the holder to greater risk than senior mortgage-related
securities and tend to be rated in a lower rating category, and frequently a
substantially lower rating category, than the senior mortgage-related securities
issued in respect of the same pool of mortgage. Subordinated Securities
generally are likely to be more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest
rates and the market for such securities may be less liquid than is the case for
traditional fixed-income securities and senior mortgage-related securities.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") and Multi-Class
Pass-Through-Securities--A CMO is a multiclass bond backed by a pool of mortgage
pass-through certificates or mortgage loans. CMOs may be collateralized by (a)
Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac pass-through certificates, (b)
unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration or
guaranteed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, (c) unsecuritized
conventional mortgages, (d) other mortgage-related securities, or (e) any
combination thereof.
Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a
specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date.
Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired
substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates.
The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among
the several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. One or more tranches of a
CMO may have coupon rates which reset periodically at a specified increment over
an index, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") (or sometimes more
than one index). These floating rate CMOs typically are issued with lifetime
caps on the coupon rate thereon. The Fund also may invest in inverse floating
rate CMOs. Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche of a CMO with a
coupon rate that moves in the reverse direction to an applicable index such as
LIBOR. Accordingly, the coupon rate thereon will increase as interest rates
decrease. Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed or
floating rate tranches of CMOs.
Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a
multiple of the applicable indexes. The effect of the coupon varying inversely
to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor. Inverse floaters
based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be highly sensitive to
changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme
reductions of yield and loss of principal. The markets for inverse floating rate
CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at times may be very thin. The Fund's
ability to dispose of its positions in such securities will depend on the degree
of liquidity in the markets for such securities. It is impossible to predict the
amount of trading interest that may exist in such securities, and therefore the
future degree of liquidity.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities--The Fund also may invest in stripped
mortgage-backed securities which are created by segregating the cash flows from
underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more new
securities, each with a specified percentage of the underlying security's
principal or interest payments. Mortgage securities may be partially stripped so
that each investor class receives some interest and some principal. When
securities are completely stripped, however, all of the interest is distributed
to holders of one type of security, known as an interest-only security, or IO,
and all of the principal is distributed to holders of another type of security
known as a principal-only security, or PO. Strips can be created in a
pass-through structure or as tranches of a CMO. The yields to maturity on IOs
and POs are very sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including
prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets. If the underlying
mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal,
the Fund may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the
underlying mortgage assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of
principal, the yield on POs could be materially and adversely affected.
Real Estate Investment Trusts--A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that
would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The
Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively
eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the REIT a
pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional
requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially
all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other
REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents
from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property,
and distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise
taxable income.
REITs are characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs.
Equity REITs, which may include operating or finance companies, own real estate
directly and the value of, and income earned by, the REITs depends upon the
income of the underlying properties and the rental income they earn. Equity
REITs also can realize capital gains (or losses) by selling properties that have
appreciated (or depreciated) in value. Mortgage REITs can make construction,
development or long-term mortgage loans and are sensitive to the credit quality
of the borrower. Mortgage REITs derive their income from interest payments on
such loans. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage
REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in
real estate. The value of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and
regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are
subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants,
self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status
under the Code or to maintain exemption from the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act").
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs")--ARMs eligible for inclusion in a
mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate
for a specified period of time, generally for either the first three, six,
twelve, thirteen, thirty-six, or sixty scheduled monthly payments. Thereafter,
the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in an
index. ARMs typically have minimum and maximum rates beyond which the mortgage
interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the loans. Certain ARMs provide
for additional limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest
rate may adjust for any single adjustment period. Negatively amortizing ARMs may
provide limitations on changes in the required monthly payment. Limitations on
monthly payments can result in monthly payments that are greater or less than
the amount necessary to amortize a negatively amortizing ARM by its maturity at
the interest rate in effect during any particular month.
Private Entity Securities--These mortgage-related securities are issued by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private
mortgage insurance companies and other nongovernmental issuers. Timely payment
of principal and interest on mortgage-related securities backed by pools created
by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by various forms of
insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard
insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by government entities,
private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can be no assurance that the
private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their obligations under the
policies, so that if the issuers default on their obligations the holders of the
security could sustain a loss. No insurance or guarantee covers the Fund or the
price of the Fund's shares. Mortgage-related securities issued by
non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than
government-agency and government-related securities because there are no direct
or indirect government guarantees of payment.
Other Mortgage-Related Securities--Other mortgage-related securities include
securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly
represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans
on real property, including CMO residuals. Other mortgage-related securities may
be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S.
Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans,
including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks,
commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose
entities of the foregoing.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are a form of derivative.
The securitization techniques used for asset-backed securities are similar to
those used for mortgage-related securities. The collateral for these securities
has included home equity loans, automobile and credit card receivables, boat
loans, computer leases, airplane leases, mobile home loans, recreational vehicle
loans and hospital account receivables. The Fund may invest in these and other
types of asset-backed securities that may be developed in the future.
Asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented by
mortgage-backed securities. Primarily, these securities may provide the Fund
with a less effective security interest in the related collateral than do
mortgage-backed securities. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries
on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support
payments on these securities.
Illiquid Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its net
assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.
These securities may include securities that are not readily marketable, such as
securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale,
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice and certain privately negotiated, non-exchange traded options and
securities used to cover such options. As to these securities, the Fund is
subject to a risk that should the Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is
not available at a price the Fund deems representative of their value, the value
of the Fund's net assets could be adversely affected.
Money Market Instruments. A portion of the Fund's investments in fixed
income securities may include cash and cash equivalents, such as money market
instruments including U.S. Government securities, repurchase agreements, bank
obligations and commercial paper. When the Manager determines that adverse
market conditions exist, the fund may adopt a temporary defensive position and
invest some or all of its assets in money market instruments. The Fund also may
purchase money market instruments when it has cash reserves or in anticipation
of taking a market position.
Investment Techniques
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the Fund's Prospectus.
Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may enter into foreign currency
transactions for a variety of purposes, including: to fix in U.S. dollars,
between trade and settlement date, the value of a security the Fund has agreed
to buy or sell; to hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities the Fund already
owns, particularly if it expects a decrease in the value of the currency in
which the foreign security is denominated; or to gain exposure to the foreign
currency in an attempt to realize gains.
Foreign currency transactions may involve, for example, the Fund's
purchase of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars or the maintenance of short
positions in foreign currencies. A short position would involve the Fund
agreeing to exchange an amount of a currency it did not currently own for
another currency at a future date in anticipation of a decline in the value of
the currency sold relative to the currency the Fund contracted to receive. The
Fund's success in these transactions will depend principally on the ability of
the Manager to predict accurately the future exchange rates between foreign
currencies and the U.S. dollar.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of
time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the
foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in different
countries, actual or perceived changes in interest rates and other complex
factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency exchange rates also
can be affected unpredictably by intervention by U.S. or foreign governments or
central banks, or the failure to intervene, or by currency controls or political
developments in the United States or abroad.
Leverage. Leveraging (buying securities using borrowed money) exaggerates
the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of
the Fund's portfolio. These borrowings will be subject to interest costs which
may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased; in
certain cases, interest costs may exceed the return received on the securities
purchased. For borrowings for investment purposes, the 1940 Act requires the
Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including
borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount
borrowed. If the required coverage should decline as a result of market
fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its
portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the amount of its borrowings and
restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an
investment standpoint to sell securities at that time. The Fund also may be
required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing
or pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these
requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks,
broker/dealers or other financial institutions. This form of borrowing involves
the transfer by the Fund of an underlying debt instrument in return for cash
proceeds based on a percentage of the value of the security. The Fund retains
the right to receive interest and principal payments on the security. At an
agreed upon future date, the Fund repurchases the security at principal plus
accrued interest. As a result of these transactions, the Fund is exposed to
greater potential fluctuations in the value of its assets and its net asset
value per share. To the extent the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase
agreement, the Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal to
the aggregate amount of its reverse repurchase obligations, plus accrued
interest, in certain cases, in accordance with releases promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Securities and Exchange Commission views
reverse repurchase transactions as collateralized borrowings by the Fund. Except
for these transactions, the Fund's borrowings generally will be unsecured.
Lending Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to borrow
securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to be entitled
to payments in amounts equal to the interest, dividends or other distributions
payable on the loaned securities which affords the Fund an opportunity to earn
interest on the amount of the loan and on the loaned securities' collateral.
Loans of portfolio securities may not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's
total assets, and the Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, U.S.
Government securities or irrevocable letters of credit which will be maintained
at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of
the loaned securities. Such loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon
specified notice. The Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with
which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with
the Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund, and
which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned from the
investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
Derivatives. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives, such as
options and futures, mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities,
for a variety of reasons, including, with respect to options and futures, to
hedge certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling
particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may
provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to
invest than "traditional" securities would.
Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk,
depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and the
portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the
level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is
exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of
risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making
investments in specific securities. However, derivatives may entail investment
exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small
investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund's
performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges market
conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return or result
in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly
correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable to liquidate
its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for many
derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may
result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for
derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission which
limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such derivatives. The Fund may
invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto for hedging
purposes without limit. However, the Fund may not invest in such contracts and
options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits
and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such contracts, other
than for bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the liquidation value of the
Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized
losses on such contracts and options; provided, however, that in the case of an
option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may
be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately
negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives.
Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency
which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually
is supported by a daily variation margin system operated by the clearing agency
in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with
derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees
over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter
derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, the
Manager will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter
derivatives in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a
security to be purchased by the Fund. Over-the-counter derivatives are less
liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction
may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be
interested in bidding for it.
Futures Transactions--In General. The Fund may enter into futures contracts in
U.S. domestic markets or on exchanges located outside the United States. Foreign
markets may offer advantages such as trading opportunities or arbitrage
possibilities not available in the United States. Foreign markets, however, may
have greater risk potential than domestic markets. For example, some foreign
exchanges are principal markets so that no common clearing facility exists and
an investor may look only to the broker for performance of the contract. In
addition, any profits that the Fund might realize in trading could be eliminated
by adverse changes in the currency exchange rate, or the Fund could incur losses
as a result of those changes. Transactions on foreign exchanges may include
commodities which are traded on domestic exchanges or those which are not.
Unlike trading on domestic commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity
exchanges is not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Engaging in these transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund which
could adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets. Although the Fund
intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is an active market
for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist
for any particular contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and
boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract
prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a
particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit
or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day.
Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading
days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures
positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market
and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to
ascertain the appropriate correlation between the securities being hedged and
the price movements of the futures contract. For example, if the Fund uses
futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in the market value of
securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such securities instead
increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value
of securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its
futures positions. Furthermore, if in such circumstances the Fund has
insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin
requirements. The Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible liquid
assets to cover its obligations relating to its transactions in derivatives. To
maintain this required cover, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at
disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be possible to liquidate a
derivative position at a reasonable price. In addition, the segregation of such
assets will have the effect of limiting the Fund's ability otherwise to invest
those assets.
Specific Futures Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell stock index
futures contracts. A stock index future obligates the Fund to pay or receive an
amount of cash equal to a fixed dollar amount specified in the futures contract
multiplied by the difference between the settlement price of the contract on the
contract's last trading day and the value of the index based on the stock prices
of the securities that comprise it at the opening of trading in such securities
on the next business day.
The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate futures contracts. An
interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a
specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
The Fund may purchase and sell currency futures. A foreign currency future
obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific currency at a
future date at a specific price.
Options--In General. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets, represented by
the premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options. The Fund may write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts to the extent of 20% of the
value of its net assets at the time such option contracts are written. A call
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the
writer to sell, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with respect to
which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the transaction
by segregating permissible liquid assets. A put option written by the Fund is
covered when, among other things, the Fund segregates permissible liquid assets
having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option to
fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing covered call
and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return
than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The Fund receives a
premium from writing covered call or put options which it retains whether or not
the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid
secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option
or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may
exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety
of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity
or order flow, or other unforeseen events, at times have rendered certain of the
clearing facilities inadequate and resulted in the institution of special
procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders
or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no
assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the
timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might
not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a
covered call option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase
transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying
security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Specific Options Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell call and put
options in respect of specific securities (or groups or "baskets" of specific
securities) or stock indices listed on national securities exchanges or traded
in the over-the-counter market. An option on a stock index is similar to an
option in respect of specific securities, except that settlement does not occur
by delivery of the securities comprising the index. Instead, the option holder
receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which
the option is based is greater than in the case of a call, or less than in the
case of a put, the exercise price of the option. Thus, the effectiveness of
purchasing or writing stock index options will depend upon price movements in
the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock.
The Fund may purchase and sell call and put options on foreign currency.
These options convey the right to buy or sell the underlying currency at a price
which is expected to be lower or higher than the spot price of the currency at
the time the option is exercised or expires.
The Fund may purchase cash-settled options on interest rate swaps,
interest rate swaps denominated in foreign currency and equity index swaps in
pursuit of its investment objective. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by
the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive
interest (for example, an exchange of floating-rate payments for fixed-rate
payments) denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currency. Equity index swaps
involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of cash flows based upon the
performance of an index or a portion of an index of securities which usually
includes dividends. A cash-settled option on a swap gives the purchaser the
right, but not the obligation, in return for the premium paid, to receive an
amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap as of the exercise
date. These options typically are purchased in privately negotiated transactions
from financial institutions, including securities brokerage firms.
Successful use by the Fund of options and options on futures will be
subject to the Manager's ability to predict correctly movements in the prices of
individual stocks, the stock market generally, foreign currencies or interest
rates. To the extent the Manager's predictions are incorrect, the Fund may incur
losses.
Future Developments. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the
area of options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and any
other derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or
which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such
opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or
making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure in its
Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
Short-Selling. In these transactions, the Fund sells a security it does
not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. To
complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to
the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing
it subsequently at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at
such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by
the Fund, which would result in a loss or gain, respectively. The Fund also may
make short sales "against the box," in which the Fund enters into a short sale
of a security it owns.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any such
short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would exceed 5%
of the value of the Fund's net assets.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed
security, it will: (a) segregate permissible liquid assets in an amount that,
together with the amount deposited with the broker as collateral, always equals
the current value of the security sold short; or (b) otherwise cover its short
position.
Forward Commitments. The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a forward
commitment, when-issued or delayed delivery basis, which means delivery and
payment take place a number of days after the date of the commitment to purchase
or sell the securities at a predetermined price and/or yield. Typically, no
interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. When
purchasing a security on a forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights
and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield
fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its net
asset value. Because the Fund is not required to pay for these securities until
the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the
Fund's other investments. If the Fund is fully or almost fully invested when
forward commitment purchases are outstanding, such purchases may result in a
form of leverage. The Fund intends to engage in forward commitments to increase
its portfolio's financial exposure to the types of securities in which it
invests. Leveraging the portfolio in this manner will increase the Fund's
exposure to changes in interest rates and will increase the volatility of its
returns. The Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal at all
times to the amount of the Fund's purchase commitments.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis are
subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e.,
appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates
rise) based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer
and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Securities
purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose the Fund to
risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual
delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can involve the
additional risk that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes
place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself.
Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund
is fully or almost fully invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in
the value of the Fund's net assets and its net asset value per share.
Investment Considerations and Risks
Equity Securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on
factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such
fluctuations can be pronounced. Changes in the value of the Fund's investments
will result in changes in the value of its shares and thus the Fund's total
return to investors.
The Fund may purchase securities of smaller capitalization companies, the
prices of which may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than
larger, more established companies, because these securities typically are
traded in lower volume and the issuers typically are more subject to changes in
earnings and prospects.
Fixed-Income Securities. The debt securities in which the Fund may invest
must be rated at least Baa by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's") or at
least BBB by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P"), Fitch IBCA, Inc. ("Fitch")
or Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. ("Duff") or, if unrated, deemed to be of
comparable quality by the Manager. The debt securities in which the Fund invests
have remaining maturities of 40 years or less and, under normal market
conditions, the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund's portfolio
invested in debt securities is expected to be between two and ten years. During
periods of rapidly rising interest rates, the dollar-weighted average portfolio
maturity of the Fund's debt securities may be shortened to one year or less.
Even though interest-bearing securities are investments which promise a stable
stream of income, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by
changes in interest rates and, therefore, are subject to the risk of market
price fluctuations. Certain securities that may be purchased by the Fund, such
as those with interest rates that fluctuate directly or indirectly based on
multiples of a stated index, are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in
interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of
yield and possibly loss of principal. The values of fixed-income securities also
may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the
issuer. Certain securities purchased by the Fund, such as those rated Baa by
Moody's and BBB by S&P, Fitch and Duff, may be subject to such risk with respect
to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower
yielding, higher rated fixed-income securities. Once the rating of a portfolio
security has been changed, the Fund will consider all circumstances deemed
relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the security. See
"Appendix."
Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are complex
derivative instruments, subject to both credit and prepayment risk, and may be
more volatile and less liquid than more traditional debt securities. Although
certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party (such as a
U.S. Government agency or instrumentality with respect to government-related
mortgage-backed securities) or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of
these securities, which may fluctuate, is not secured. If a mortgage-related
security is purchased at a premium, all or part of the premium may be lost if
there is a decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting from
changes in interest rates or prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral.
Mortgage-related securities are subject to credit risks associated with the
performance of the underlying mortgage properties. Adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on
mortgage-related securities secured by loans on certain types of commercial
properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties. In
addition, these securities are subject to prepayment risk, although commercial
mortgages typically have shorter maturities than residential mortgages and
prepayment protection features. Some mortgage-related securities have structures
that make their reactions to interest rate changes and other factors difficult
to predict, making their value highly volatile.
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities markets generally are not as
developed or efficient as those in the United States. Securities of some foreign
issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S.
issuers. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets are
less than in the United States and, at times, volatility of price can be greater
than in the United States.
Because evidences of ownership of foreign securities usually are held
outside the United States, the Fund will be subject to additional risks which
include: possible adverse political and economic developments, seizure or
nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental restrictions
which might adversely affect or restrict the payment of principal and interest
on the foreign securities to investors located outside the country of the
issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise.
Developing countries have economic structures that are generally less
diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of
developed countries. The markets of developing countries may be more volatile
than the markets of more mature economies; however, such markets may provide
higher rates of return to investors. Many developing countries providing
investment opportunities for the Fund have experienced substantial, and in some
periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid
fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have adverse
effects on the economies and securities markets of certain of these countries.
Since foreign securities often are purchased with and payable in
currencies of foreign countries, the value of these assets as measured in U.S.
dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates
and exchange control regulations.
Simultaneous Investments. Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of other investment companies advised by the Manager.
If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest in, or dispose of,
the same securities as the Fund, available investments or opportunities for
sales will be allocated equitably to each investment company. In some cases,
this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position obtained for or
disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which cannot be
changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Fund has adopted
investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 as fundamental policies. Investment
restrictions numbered 8 through 13 are not fundamental policies and may be
changed by vote of a majority of the Fund's Board members at any time. The Fund
may not:
1. Invest in commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and sell
options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
2. Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or other mineral
leases or exploration or development programs, but the Fund may purchase and
sell securities that are secured by real estate or issued by companies that
invest or deal in real estate. In particular, the Fund may purchase
mortgage-backed securities and real estate investment trust securities.
3. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act (which
currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's
total assets). For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into
options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute
borrowing.
4. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt obligations
and the entry into repurchase agreements. However, the Fund may lend its
portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the value of its
total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to
guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund's
Board.
5. Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the
extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.
6. Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in any
single industry, provided there shall be no limitation on the purchase of
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities.
7. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section 18(f) of
the 1940 Act), except to the extent the activities permitted in Investment
Restriction Nos. 1, 3, 9 and 10 may be deemed to give rise to a senior security.
8. Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising
management or control, but the Fund will vote the securities it owns in its
portfolio as a shareholder in accordance with its views.
9. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent
necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to the
deposit of assets in escrow in connection with writing covered put and call
options and the purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment
basis and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect
to options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
10. Purchase, sell or write puts, calls or combinations thereof, except as
may be described in the Fund's Prospectus and this Statement of Additional
Information.
11. Purchase securities of any company having less than three years'
continuous operations (including operations of any predecessors) if such
purchase would cause the value of the Fund's investments in all such companies
to exceed 5% of the value of its total assets.
12. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than
seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid, if, in the
aggregate, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets would be so
invested.
13. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act, or those received as part of a merger or
consolidation.
If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a
later change in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not
constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision of the
Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund and those
companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are as follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation..................... Investment Adviser
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc........... Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc....................... Transfer Agent
Mellon Bank, N.A............................ Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as to
their principal business occupations during at least the last five years, are
shown below.
Board Members
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, Chairman of the Board. Since January 1995, Chairman of the
Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is a
director of The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk management
services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle Industries, Inc.
(formerly, Belding Heminway Company, Inc.), a button packager and
distributor, Career Blazers, Inc. (formerly, Staffing Resources, Inc.), a
temporary placement agency, and Century Business Services, Inc. (formerly,
International Alliance Services, Inc.), a provider of various outsourcing
functions for small and medium sized companies. For more than five years
prior to January 1995, he was President, a director and, until August
1994, Chief Operating Officer of the Manager and Executive Vice President
and a director of Dreyfus Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Manager and until August 24, 1994, the Fund's distributor. From
August 1994 until December 31, 1994, he was a director of Mellon Financial
Corporation. He is 56 years old and his address is 200 Park Avenue, New
York, New York 10166.
DAVID P. FELDMAN, Board Member. A director of several mutual funds in the 59
Wall Street Mutual Funds Group and The Jeffrey Company, a private
investment company. He was employed by AT&T from July 1961 until his
retirement in April 1997, most recently serving as Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of AT&T Investment Management Corporation. He is 60
years old and his address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York
10017.
JOHN M. FRASER, JR., Board Member. Retired President of Fraser Associates, a
service company for planning and arranging corporate meetings and other
events. From September 1975 to June 1978, he was Executive Vice President
of Flagship Cruises Ltd. Prior thereto, he was Senior Vice President and
Resident Director of the Swedish-American Line for the United States and
Canada. He is 78 years old and his address is 133 East 64th Street, New
York, New York 10021.
ROBERT R. GLAUBER, Board Member. Research Fellow, Center for Business and
Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, since January 1992. He was Under Secretary of the Treasury for
Finance at the U.S. Treasury Department, from May 1989 to January 1992.
For more than five years prior thereto, he was a Professor of Finance at
the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard University and,
from 1985 to 1989, Chairman of its Advanced Management Program. He is
chairman of The Measurisk Group, a risk measurement advisory and software
development firm, co-chairman of the Investment Committee, Massachusetts
State Retirement Fund, and a director of The Dun & Bradstreet Corp., Exel
Limited, a Bermuda based insurance company, Cooke and Bieler, Inc.,
investment counselors, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.,
NASD Regulation, Inc. and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. He is a
member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Boston Committee on Foreign
Relations and treasurer of The Boston Economic Club. He is 60 years old
and his address is 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts
02138.
JAMES F. HENRY, Board Member. President of the CPR Institute for Dispute
Resolution, a non-profit organization principally engaged in the
development of alternatives to business litigation. He was a partner of
Lovejoy, Wasson & Ashton from January 1977 to September 1979. He was
President and a director of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, a
philanthropic organization, from September 1971 to December 1976. He is 69
years old and his address is c/o CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, 366
Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
ROSALIND GERSTEN JACOBS, Board Member. Merchandise and marketing consultant.
From 1997 to 1998, she was a Director of Merchandise and Marketing for
Corporate Property Investors, a real estate investment company. From 1974
to 1976, she was owner and manager of a merchandise and marketing
consulting firm. Prior to 1974, she was a Vice President of Macy's, New
York. She is 74 years old and her address is c/o Corporate Property
Investors, 305 East 47th Street, New York, New York 10017.
IRVING KRISTOL, Board Member. John M. Olin Distinguished Fellow of the American
Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, co-editor of The Public
Interest magazine, and an author or co-editor of several books. From May
1981 to December 1994, he was a consultant to the Manager on economic
matters; from 1969 to 1988, he was Professor of Social Thought at the
Graduate School of Business Administration, New York University; from
September 1969 to August 1979, he was Henry R. Luce Professor of Urban
Values at New York University; from 1975 to 1990, he was a director of
Lincoln National Corporation, an insurance company; and from 1977 to 1990,
he was a director of Warner-Lambert Company, a pharmaceutical and consumer
products company. He is 79 years old and his address is c/o The Public
Interest, 1112 16th Street, N.W., Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036.
DR. PAUL A. MARKS, Board Member. President and Chief Executive Officer of
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He is also a director emeritus of
Pfizer, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, where he served as a director from
1978 to 1996; and a director of Tularik, Inc., a biotechnology company,
and Genos, Inc., a genomics company. He was Vice President for Health
Sciences and Director of the Cancer Center at Columbia University from
1973 to September 1980, and Professor of Medicine and of Human Genetics
and Development at Columbia University from 1968 to 1982. He was a
director of Life Technologies, Inc., a life science company producing
products for cell and molecular biology and microbiology from 1986 to
1996. He is 73 years old and his address is c/o Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021.
DR. MARTIN PERETZ, Board Member. Editor-in-Chief of The New Republic magazine
and a lecturer in Social Studies at Harvard University, where he has been
a member of the faculty since 1965. He is a trustee of The Center for
Blood Research at the Harvard Medical School, and of the Academy for
Liberal Education, an accrediting agency for colleges and universities
certified by the U.S. Department of Education; and a director of LeukoSite
Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Dr. Peretz is also Co-Chairman of
TheStreet.com, a financial daily published on the Web, and a director of
The Electronic Newsstand, a distributor of magazines on the Web. From 1988
to 1991, he was a director of Bank Leumi Trust Company of New York, and
from 1988 to 1991, he was a director of Carmel Container Corporation. He
is 60 years old and his address is c/o The New Republic, 1220 19th Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
BERT W. WASSERMAN, Board Member. Financial Consultant. From January 1990 to
March 1995, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
and, from January 1990 to March 1993, a director of Time Warner Inc.; from
1981 to 1990, he was a member of the office of the President and a
director of Warner Communications, Inc. He is also a director of Malibu
Entertainment International, Inc., the Lillian Vernon Corporation, and
Winstar Communications, Inc. He is 67 years old and his address is 126
East 56th Street, Suite 12 North, New York, New York 10022-3613.
The Fund has a standing nominating committee comprised of its Board
members who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940
Act. The function of the nominating committee is to select and nominate all
candidates who are not "interested persons" of the Fund for election to the
Fund's Board.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the Board
receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board members are
entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of one-half the
amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount of compensation paid
to each Board member by the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, and
by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such person is a Board
member (the number of which is set forth in parenthesis next to each Board
member's total compensation)* for the year ended December 31, 1998, is as
follows:
Total
Compensation from
Aggregate Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation from Complex Paid to
Member Fund** Board Members
Joseph S. DiMartino $2,813 $619,660(187)
David P. Feldman $2,250 $106,750(56)
John M. Fraser, Jr. $2,250 $ 75,750(42)
Robert R. Glauber $2,250 $ 88,250(41)
James F. Henry $2,250 $ 54,250(28)
Rosalind Gersten Jacobs $2,250 $ 84,000(44)
Irving Kristol $2,250 $ 50,000(28)
Dr. Paul A. Marks $2,000 $ 50,000(28)
Dr. Martin Peretz $2,250 $ 54,250(28)
Bert W. Wasserman $2,250 $ 54,250(28)
- ---------------------------
* Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment
companies in the Fund Complex, including the Fund, for which the Board
member serves.
** Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board meetings,
which amounted to $4,093 for all Board members as a group.
Officers of the Fund
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, President and Treasurer. President, Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Compliance Officer and a director of the Distributor and Funds
Distributor, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is Boston Institutional
Group, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. She is 42 years old.
MARGARET W. CHAMBERS, Vice President and Secretary. Senior Vice President and
General Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From August
1996 to March 1998, she was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
for Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. From January 1986 to July 1996, she was
an associate with the law firm of Ropes & Gray. She is 40 years old.
*FREDERICK C. DEY, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant
Secretary. Vice President, New Business Development of Funds
Distributor, Inc. since September 1994, and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. He is 37
years old.
STEPHANIE D. PIERCE, Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant
Secretary. Vice President of the Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc.,
and an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by
the Manager. From April 1997 to March 1998, she was employed as a
Relationship Manager with Citibank, N.A. From August 1995 to April 1997,
she was an Assistant Vice President with Hudson Valley Bank, and from
September 1990 to August 1995, she was Second Vice President with Chase
Manhattan Bank. She is 31 years old.
*JOHN P. COVINO, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President and
Treasury Group Manager of Treasury Servicing and Administration of Funds
Distributor, Inc. since December 1998, and an officer of other investment
companies advised or administered by the Manager. From December 1995 to
November 1998, he was employed by Fidelity Investments where he held
multiple positions in their Institutional Brokerage Group. Prior to
joining Fidelity, he was employed by SunGard Brokerage Systems where he
was responsible for the technology and development of the accounting
product group. He is 35 years old.
MARY A. NELSON, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President of
the Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. She is 35
years old.
*GEORGE A. RIO, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Executive Vice President
and Client Service Director of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of
other investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
June 1995 to March 1998, he was Senior Vice President and Senior Key
Account Manager for Putnam Mutual Funds. From May 1994 to June 1995, he
was Director of Business Development for First Data Corporation. He is 45
years old.
JOSEPH F. TOWER, III, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and a director of the
Distributor and Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. He is 37
years old.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
April 1993 to January 1995, he was a Senior Fund Accountant for
Investors Bank & Trust Company. He is 30 years old.
*KAREN JACOPPO-WOOD, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice President
and Senior Counsel of Funds Distributor, Inc. since February 1997, and
an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From June 1994 to January 1996, she was Manager of SEC
Registration at Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. She is 32 years old.
CHRISTOPHER J. KELLEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice
President and Senior Associate General Counsel of the Distributor and
Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. From April 1994 to July 1996,
he was Assistant Counsel at Forum Financial Group. He is 35 years old.
KATHLEEN K. MORRISEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Manager of
Treasury Services Administration of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From July 1994 to November 1995, she was a Fund Accountant
for Investors Bank & Trust Company. She is 27 years old.
ELBA VASQUEZ, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice President
of Funds Distributor, Inc., and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. From March 1990 to May 1996, she
was employed by U.S. Trust Company of New York where she held various
sales and marketing positions. She is 38 years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New
York 10166, except those officers indicated by an (*), whose address is 60 State
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of
the Fund's shares outstanding on December 13, 1999.
The following persons are known by the Fund to own of record 5% or more of
the Fund's outstanding voting securities as of December 13, 1999: Boston Safe
Deposit and Trust Company, Trustee and Agent for Omnibus Account, One Cabot
Road, Medford, MA 02155-5141 - 10.23%; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.--Reinvestment
Account, Mutual Funds Department, 101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA
94104-4122 - 11.31%; Nationwide QPVA, Qualified Plans Variable Account c/o IPO
CO67, P.O. Box 182029, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2029 - 12.72%; and Dreyfus Trust
Company TTEE Cablevision Systems Corporation, 401(k) Savings Plan, Attn: Trust
Officer, 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, Massachusetts 02149-1906 - 7.31%. Under
applicable trust law, Fund shares held in trust by the Boston Safe Deposit and
Trust Company are beneficially owned by plan participants having an interest in
such trust. A shareholder who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more
than 25% of the Fund's voting securities may be deemed a "control person" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Investment Adviser. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon
Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Financial Corporation
("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company incorporated
under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a comprehensive range of
financial products and services in domestic and selected international markets.
Mellon is among the twenty-five largest bank holding companies in the United
States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to a Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") between the Fund and the Manager. The Agreement is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a majority
(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund,
provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of
the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval. The Agreement is terminable without penalty,
on 60 days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority
of the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager. The
Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager:
Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment
Officer and a director; Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman and a director; J.
David Officer, Vice Chairman and a director; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice
Chairman--Institutional and a director; Ronald P. O'Hanley III, Vice
Chairman; William T. Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs,
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary; Diane P. Durnin, Vice
President--Product Development; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice
President--Corporate Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President--Human
Resources; Andrew S. Wasser, Vice President--Information Systems; Theodore A.
Schachar, Vice President; Wendy Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice
President; William H. Maresca, Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant
Secretary; Steven F. Newman, Assistant Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman,
Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G. Elliot, Martin C. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and
Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance with
the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's Board.
The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the Fund with
portfolio managers who are authorized by the Fund's Board to execute purchases
and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers are Dominick De Alto,
Timothy M. Ghriskey, Douglas R. Ramos and Gerald Thunelius. The Manager also
maintains a research department with a professional staff of portfolio managers
and securities analysts who provide research services for the Fund and for other
funds advised by the Manager.
The Manager has a personal securities trading policy (the "Policy") which
restricts the personal securities transactions of its employees. Its primary
purpose is to ensure that personal trading by the Manager's employees does not
disadvantage any fund managed by the Manager. Under the Policy, the Manager's
employees must preclear personal transactions in securities not exempt under the
Policy. In addition, the Manager's employees must report their personal
securities transactions and holdings, which are reviewed for compliance with the
Policy. In that regard, the Manager's portfolio managers and other investment
personnel also are subject to the oversight of Mellon's Investment Ethics
Committee. Portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Manager who
comply with the Policy's preclearance and disclosure procedures and the
requirements of the Committee may be permitted to purchase, sell or hold
securities which also may be or are held in fund(s) they manage or for which
they otherwise provide investment advice.
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not including
the management fee paid by the Funds. The Distributor may use part or all of
such payments to pay securities dealers, banks or other financial institutions
in respect of these services. The Manager also may make such advertising and
promotional expenditures, using its own resources, as it from time to time deems
appropriate.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the Fund,
except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The expenses borne by
the Fund include: taxes, interest, loan commitment fees, dividends and interest
on securities sold short, brokerage fees and commissions, if any, fees of Board
members who are not officers, directors, employees or holders of 5% or more of
the outstanding voting securities of the Manager, Securities and Exchange
Commission fees, state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees, charges of
custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, all costs of
insurance obtained other than under a blanket policy covering one or more other
investment companies managed by the Manager, industry association fees, outside
auditing and legal expenses, costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs of
independent pricing services, costs attributable to investor services
(including, without limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of
shareholders' reports and meetings, costs of preparing and printing prospectuses
for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing shareholders, and any
extraordinary expenses. In addition, the Fund is subject to an annual service
fee for ongoing personal services relating to shareholder accounts and services
related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts. See "Shareholder Services
Plan."
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to pay the
Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of .60% of the value of the
Fund's average daily net assets. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to shareholders. For the fiscal years
ended August 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, the management fees paid by the Fund
amounted to $1,825,854, $2,309,615 and $1,705,742, respectively.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate expenses
of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings and (with the
prior written consent of the necessary state securities commissions)
extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee, exceed the expense
limitation of any state having jurisdiction over the Fund, the Fund may deduct
from the payment to be made to the Manager under the Agreement, or the Manager
will bear, such excess expense to the extent required by state law. Such
deduction or payment, if any, will be estimated daily, and reconciled and
effected or paid, as the case may be, on a monthly basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
Distributor. The Distributor, located at 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, serves as the Fund's distributor on a best efforts basis
pursuant to an agreement which is renewable annually.
The Distributor may pay dealers a fee based on the amount invested through
such dealers in Fund shares by employees participating in qualified or
non-qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where (i) the employers
or affiliated employers maintaining such plans or programs have a minimum of 250
employees eligible for participation in such plans or programs, or (ii) such
plan's or program's aggregate investment in the Dreyfus Family of Funds or
certain other products made available by the Distributor to such plan or
programs exceeds $1,000,000 ("Eligible Benefit Plans"). Generally, the fee paid
to dealers will not exceed 1% of the amount invested through such dealers. The
Distributor, however, may pay dealers a higher fee and reserves the right to
cease paying these fees at any time. The Distributor will pay such fees from its
own funds, other than amounts received from the Fund, including past profits or
any other source available to it.
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian. Dreyfus Transfer,
Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager, P.O. Box
9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's transfer and dividend
disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement with the Fund, the Transfer
Agent arranges for the maintenance of shareholder account records for the Fund,
the handling of certain communications between shareholders and the Fund and the
payment of dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For these services,
the Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of
shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the month, and is
reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
Mellon Bank, N.A. (the "Custodian"), One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15258, is the Fund's custodian. Under a custody agreement with the
Fund, the Custodian holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts
and records. For its custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee
based on the market value of the Fund's assets held in custody and receives
certain securities transactions charges.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
General. Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be charged a
fee if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities dealer, bank
or other financial institution. Stock certificates are issued only upon your
written request. No certificates are issued for fractional shares. The Fund
reserves the right to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a client of
a securities dealer, bank or other financial institution which maintains an
omnibus account in the Fund and has made an aggregate minimum initial purchase
for its customers of $2,500. Subsequent investments must be at least $100.
However, the minimum initial investment is $750 for Dreyfus-sponsored Keogh
Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a non-working spouse, Roth
IRAs, IRAs set up under a Simplified Employee Pension Plan ("SEP-IRAs") and
rollover IRAs) and 403(b)(7) Plans with only one participant and $500 for
Dreyfus-sponsored Education IRAs, with no minimum for subsequent purchases.
Subsequent investments in a spousal IRA must be at least $250. The initial
investment must be accompanied by the Account Application. For full-time or
part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries,
directors of the Manager, Board members of a fund advised by the Manager,
including members of the Fund's Board, or the spouse or minor child of any of
the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is $1,000. For full-time or
part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries who
elect to have a portion of their pay directly deposited into their Fund
accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50. The Fund reserves the right to
offer Fund shares without regard to minimum purchase requirements to employees
participating in certain qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans or
other programs where contributions or account information can be transmitted in
a manner and form acceptable to the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to vary
further the initial and subsequent investment minimum requirements at any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant to
the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These services
enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a
convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You should be aware,
however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not
protect you against loss in a declining market.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per share
next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer Agent
or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the Fund. Net asset
value per share is determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New
York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time), on each day the New
York Stock Exchange is open for business. For purposes of determining net asset
value per share, options and futures contracts will be valued 15 minutes after
the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset
value per share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets
(i.e., the value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of shares
outstanding. The Fund's investments are valued based on market value, or where
market quotations are not readily available, based on fair value as determined
in good faith by the Fund's Board. For further information regarding the methods
employed in valuing Fund investments, see "Determination of Net Asset Value."
For certain institutions that have entered into agreements with the
Distributor, payment for the purchase of Fund shares may be transmitted, and
must be received by the Transfer Agent, within three business days after the
order is placed. If such payment is not received within three business days
after the order is placed, the order may be canceled and the institution could
be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may purchase shares by telephone if
you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary information on
the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services Form with the
Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the bank account
designated in one of these documents and your fund account. Only a bank account
maintained in a domestic financial institution which is an Automated Clearing
House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer purchase orders may be made at any time. Purchase
orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the Transfer Agent and
the New York Stock Exchange are open for business will be credited to the
shareholder's Fund account on the next bank business day following such purchase
order. Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the
Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business, or orders
made on Saturday, Sunday or any Federal holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock
Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to the shareholder's Fund
account on the second bank business day following such purchase order. To
qualify to use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege, the initial payment for
purchase of shares must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the same
bank and account as are designated on the Account Application or Shareholder
Services Form on file. If the proceeds of a particular redemption are to be
wired to an account at any other bank, the request must be in writing and
signature-guaranteed. See How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Reopening an Account. You may reopen an account with a minimum investment
of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the calendar year the
account is closed or during the following calendar year, provided the
information on the old Account Application is still applicable.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan") pursuant to
which the Fund reimburses Dreyfus Service Corporation an amount not to exceed an
annual rate of .25% of the value of the Fund's average daily net assets for
certain allocated expenses of providing personal services and/or maintaining
shareholder accounts. The services provided may include personal services
relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder inquiries
regarding the Fund and providing reports and other information, and services
related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the
purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board
for its review. In addition, the Plan provides that material amendments of the
Plan must be approved by the Board, and by the Board members who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager and
have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan, by
vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such
amendments. The Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan is
terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not
"interested persons" and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
operation of the Plan.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Fund reimbursed Dreyfus
Service Corporation $638,872 pursuant to the Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
Wire Redemption Privilege. By using this Privilege, you authorize the
Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption instructions from
any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by
the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Fund will initiate payment for
shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next business day after
receipt if the Transfer Agent receives a redemption request in proper form.
Redemption proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire
only to the commercial bank account specified you on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if your bank is not a
member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank
and borne by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to
your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank
account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code which
may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
Transfer Agent's
Transmittal Code Answer Back Sign
---------------- ----------------
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may have
the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-7171, toll
free. You should advise the operator that the above transmittal code must be
used and should also inform the operator of the Transfer Agent's answer back
sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive redemption
proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. This request
must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature guaranteed as described
below under "Stock Certificates; Signatures."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Holders of jointly registered fund or
bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege for transfer
to their bank account not more than $500,000 within any 30-day period. You
should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege,
any request for a wire redemption will be effected as a TeleTransfer transaction
through the ACH system unless more prompt transmittal specifically is requested.
Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in your account at an ACH member bank
ordinarily two business days after receipt of the redemption request. See "How
to Buy Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Stock Certificates; Signatures. Any certificates representing Fund shares
to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request. Written redemption
requests must be signed by each shareholder, including each holder of a joint
account, and each signature must be guaranteed. Signatures on endorsed
certificates submitted for redemption also must be guaranteed. The Transfer
Agent has adopted standards and procedures pursuant to which
signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be accepted from domestic
banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges,
registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations,
as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature
Program, the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP"), and the
Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. Guarantees must be signed by an authorized
signatory of the guarantor and "Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the
signature. The Transfer Agent may request additional documentation from
corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept
other suitable verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as
consular verification. For more information with respect to
signature-guarantees, please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the
cover.
Redemption Commitment. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash all
redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount during any
90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net
assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is irrevocable without
the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the case of
requests for redemption in excess of such amount, the Board reserves the right
to make payments in whole or part in securities or other assets of the Fund in
case of an emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the liquidity
of the Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such event, the
securities would be valued in the same manner as the Fund's portfolio is valued.
If the recipient sold such securities, brokerage charges would be incurred.
Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be suspended or the
date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock Exchange
is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading
in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or when an emergency
exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission so that disposal
of the Fund's investments or determination of its net asset value is not
reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the Securities and
Exchange Commission by order may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Fund Exchanges. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund,
shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager, to the
extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. Shares of
other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on the basis of relative net
asset value per share, as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load will be
made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the applicable
sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged without
a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds
acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a
sales load, and additional shares acquired through reinvestment
of dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load applicable to the
Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could have
been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the time
the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to any
reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange, under item D above, you must notify the
Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account number.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue exchange
instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically,
unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application, indicating
that you specifically refuse this Privilege. By using the Telephone Exchange
Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on telephonic instructions
(including over The Dreyfus Touch(R) automated telephone system) from any person
representing himself or herself to be you or a representative of your Service
Agent, and reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone
exchanges may be subject to limitations as to the amount involved or number of
telephone exchanges permitted. Shares issued in certificate form are not
eligible for telephone exchange. No fees currently are charged shareholders
directly in connection with exchanges, although the Fund reserves the right,
upon not less than 60 days' written notice, to charge shareholders a nominal
administrative fee in accordance with rules promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the fund
being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial investment
required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege permits
you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of certain other
funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a shareholder. This
Privilege is available only for existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on
the basis of relative net asset value as described above under "Fund Exchanges."
Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective
three business days following notification by you. You will be notified if your
account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this Privilege.
In this case, your account will fall to zero unless additional investments are
made in excess of the designated amount prior to the next Auto-Exchange
transaction. Shares held under IRA and other retirement plans are eligible for
this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares may be made between IRA accounts and
from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not from IRA accounts to regular
accounts. With respect to all other retirement accounts, exchanges may be made
only among those accounts.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject any
exchange request in whole or in part. Shares may be exchanged only between
accounts having identical names and other identifying designations. The Fund
Exchanges service or the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or
terminated at any time upon notice to shareholders.
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R). Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per
transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by
transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege. Dreyfus Government Direct
Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and
maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social Security,
or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S. Government
automatically deposited into your Fund account. You may deposit as much of such
payments as you elect.
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to
purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a
regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may
have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account
electronically through the ACH system at each pay period. To establish a Dreyfus
Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form with your
employer's payroll department. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to
arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
Dreyfus Step Program. Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase Fund
shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment requirements
through Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a Dreyfus Step Program
account, you must supply the necessary information on the Account Application
and file the required authorization form(s) with the Transfer Agent. For more
information concerning this Program, or to request the necessary authorization
form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620. You may terminate your
participation in this Program at any time by discontinuing your participation in
Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege or
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the case may be, as provided under the terms of
such Privilege(s). The Fund may modify or terminate this Program at any time. If
you wish to purchase Fund shares through the Dreyfus Step Program in conjunction
with a Dreyfus-sponsored retirement plan, you may do so only for IRAs, SEP-IRAs
and rollover IRAs.
Dreyfus Dividend Options. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest
automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if
any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of
which you are a shareholder. Shares of other funds purchased pursuant to this
privilege will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share
as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested without
imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds offered without
a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not charge a
sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a
sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a sales load
may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales load
(referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load
applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load
charged by the fund from which dividends or distributions are being
swept (without giving effect to any reduced loads), the difference
will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in shares
of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales charge
("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be imposed upon
redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends or
dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a designated
bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks may charge a fee for this
service.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to
request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a
monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account. Withdrawal
payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the yield on the
shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and distributions,
your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted. The Automatic
Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund or the Transfer
Agent. Shares for which stock certificates have been issued may not be redeemed
through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.
Corporate Pension/Profit-Sharing and Retirement Plans. The Fund makes
available to corporations a variety of prototype pension and profit-sharing
plans, including a 401(k) Salary Reduction Plan. In addition, the Fund makes
available Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a
non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Education IRAs and rollover IRAs) and
403(b)(7) Plans. Plan support services also are available.
If you who wish to purchase Fund shares in conjunction with a Keogh Plan,
a 403(b)(7) Plan or an IRA, including a SEP-IRA, you may request from the
Distributor forms for adoption of such plans.
The entity acting as custodian for Keogh Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans or IRAs
may charge a fee, payment of which could require the liquidation of shares. All
fees charged are described in the appropriate form.
Shares may be purchased in connection with these plans only by direct
remittance to the entity acting as custodian. Purchases for these plans may not
be made in advance of receipt of funds.
You should read the prototype retirement plan and the appropriate form of
custodial agreement for further details on eligibility, service fees and tax
implications, and should consult a tax adviser.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The Manager supervises the placement of orders on behalf of the Fund for
the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Allocation of brokerage
transactions, including their frequency, is made in the Manager's best judgment
and in a manner deemed fair and reasonable to shareholders. The primary
consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
Subject to this consideration, the brokers selected include those that
supplement the Manager's research facilities with statistical data, investment
information, economic facts and opinions. Information so received is in addition
to and not in lieu of services required to be performed by the Manager and the
Manager's fee is not reduced as a consequence of the receipt of such
supplemental information. Such information may be useful to the Manager in
serving both the Fund and other clients it advises and, conversely, supplemental
information obtained by the placement of business of other clients may be useful
to the Manager in carrying out its obligation to the Fund. Brokers also may be
selected based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other funds advised by
the Manager or its affiliates, or because of their ability to handle special
executions such as are involved in large block trades or broad distributions,
provided the primary consideration is met. Large block trades, in certain cases,
may result from two or more clients the Manager might advise being engaged
simultaneously in the purchase or sale of the same security. Certain of the
Fund's transactions in securities of foreign issuers may not benefit from the
negotiated commission rates available to the Fund for transactions in securities
of domestic issuers. Foreign exchange transactions are made with banks or
institutions in the interbank market at prices reflecting a mark-up or mark-down
and/or commission. When transactions are executed in the over-the-counter
market, the Fund will deal with the primary market makers unless a more
favorable price or execution otherwise is obtainable.
Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year.
High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage
expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid is evaluated
by the Manager based upon its knowledge of available information as to the
general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for
comparable services.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, the Fund paid
total brokerage commissions of $727,055, $656,853 and $571,669, respectively,
none of which was paid to the Distributor. The above figures for brokerage
commissions do not include gross spreads and concessions on principal
transactions, which, where determinable, amounted to $500,738, $449,252 and
$35,565, respectively, for such periods, none of which was paid to the
Distributor.
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999, the Fund paid brokerage
commissions $14,630 to Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc., an affiliate of the
Manager. This amount represented approximately 3% of the aggregate brokerage
commissions paid by the Fund for transactions involving approximately 5% of the
aggregate dollar value of transactions for which the Fund paid brokerage
commissions.
The aggregate amount of transactions during the fiscal year ended August
31, 1999 in securities effected on an agency basis through a broker in
consideration of, among other things, research services provided was $70,552,606
and the commissions and concessions related to such transactions were $83,293.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Valuation of Portfolio Securities. Portfolio securities, including covered
call options written by the Fund, are valued at the last sale price on the
securities exchange or national securities market on which such securities
primarily are traded. Securities not listed on an exchange or national
securities market, or securities in which there were no transactions, are valued
at the average of the most recent bid and asked prices; open short positions are
valued at the asked price. Bid price is used when no asked price is available.
Market quotations of foreign securities in foreign currencies are translated
into U.S. dollars at the prevailing rates of exchange. Any securities or other
assets for which recent market quotations are not readily available are valued
at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board. Short-term investments
may be carried at amortized cost, which approximates value. Expenses and fees,
including the management fee, are accrued daily and taken into account for the
purpose of determining the net asset value of Fund shares.
Restricted securities, as well as securities or other assets for which
recent market quotations are not readily available, or are not valued by a
pricing service approved by the Fund's Board, are valued at fair value as
determined in good faith by the Board. The Board will review the method of
valuation on a current basis. In making their good faith valuation of restricted
securities, Board members generally will take the following factors into
consideration: restricted securities which are, or are convertible into,
securities of the same class of securities for which a public market exists
usually will be valued at market value less the same percentage discount at
which purchased. This discount will be revised periodically by the Board if it
believes that the discount no longer reflects the value of the restricted
securities. Restricted securities not of the same class as securities for which
a public market exists usually will be valued initially at cost. Any subsequent
adjustment from cost will be based upon considerations deemed relevant by the
Board.
New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on which
the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management believes that the Fund qualified as a "regulated investment
company" under the Code for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999. The Fund
intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best interests
of its shareholders. Qualification as a regulated investment company relieves
the Fund from any liability for Federal income taxes to the extent its earnings
are distributed in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code. If the
Fund did not qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be treated for
tax purposes as an ordinary corporation subject to Federal income tax. The term
"regulated investment company" does not imply the supervision of management or
investment practices or policies by any government agency.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and your
dividend and distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or
remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest such
dividend or distribution and all future dividends and distributions payable to
you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest will accrue on
amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase of
Fund shares may have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of the
shares below the cost of his or her investment. Such a dividend or distribution
would be a return on investment in an economic sense, although taxable as stated
in "Dividends and Taxes" in the Prospectus. In addition, the Code provides that
if a shareholder has not held his or her shares more than six months (or shorter
period as the Internal Revenue Service may prescribe by regulation) and has
received a capital gain distribution with respect to such shares, any loss
incurred on the sale of such shares will be treated as a long-term capital loss
to the extent of the capital gain distribution.
In general, all or a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund from net
investment income may qualify for the dividends received deduction allowable to
certain U.S. corporate shareholders ("dividends received deduction") to the
extent the Fund's income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations.
However, Section 246(c) of the Code provides that if a qualifying corporate
shareholder has disposed of Fund shares held for less than 46 days, which 46
days generally must be during the 90 day period commencing 45 days before the
shares become ex-dividend, and has received a dividend from net investment
income with respect to such shares, the portion designated by the Fund as
qualifying for dividend received deduction will not be eligible for such
shareholder's dividend received deduction. In addition, the Code provides other
limitations with respect to the ability of a qualifying corporate shareholder to
claim the dividends received deduction in connection with holding Fund shares.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will be
treated as capital gains and losses. However, a portion of the gain or loss
realized from the disposition of foreign currencies (including foreign currency
denominated bank deposits) and non-U.S. dollar denominated securities (including
debt instruments and certain forward contracts and options) may be treated as
ordinary income or loss under Section 988 of the Code. In addition, all or a
portion of any gains realized from the sale or other disposition of certain
market discount bonds will be treated as ordinary income under Section 1276 of
the Code. Finally, all or a portion of the gain realized from engaging in
"conversion transactions" may be treated as ordinary income under Section 1258
of the Code. "Conversion transactions" are defined to include certain forward,
futures, option and straddle transactions, transactions marketed or sold to
produce capital gains, or transactions described in Treasury regulations to be
issued in the future.
Under Section 1256 of the Code, any gain or loss realized by the Fund from
certain forward contracts and options transactions (other than those taxed under
Section 988 of the Code) will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss
and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Gain or loss will arise upon exercise
or lapse of such contracts and options as well as from closing transactions. In
addition, any such contracts or options remaining unexercised at the end of the
Fund's taxable year will be treated as sold for their then fair market value,
resulting in additional gain or loss characterized as described above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain foreign currency
forward contracts or options may constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined
to include "offsetting positions" in actively traded personal property. The tax
treatment of "straddles" is governed by Sections 1092 and 1258 of the Code,
which, in certain circumstances, override or modify the provisions of Sections
1256 and 988 of the Code. As such, all or a portion of any short or long-term
capital gain from certain "straddle" transactions may be recharacterized to
ordinary income.
If the Fund were treated as entering into "straddles" by reason of its
engaging in certain forward contracts or options transactions, such "straddles"
would be characterized as "mixed straddles" if the forward contracts or options
transactions comprising a part of such "straddles" were governed by Section 1256
of the Code. The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to "mixed
straddles." Depending on which election is made, if any, the results to the Fund
may differ. If no election is made, to the extent the "straddle" and conversion
transaction rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by
the Fund will be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in the offsetting
position. Moreover, as a result of the "straddle" and conversion transaction
rules, short-term capital loss on "straddle" positions may be recharacterized as
long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gains may be treated as short-term
capital gains or ordinary income.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 included constructive sale provisions that
generally apply if the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated financial position
with respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or partnership interests
("appreciated financial positions") and then enters into a futures, forward, or
offsetting notional principal contract (collectively, a "Contract") respecting
the same or substantially identical property or (2) holds an appreciated
financial position that is a Contract and then acquires property that is the
same as, or substantially identical to, the underlying property. In each
instance, with certain exceptions, the Fund generally will be taxed as if the
appreciated financial position were sold at its fair market value on the date
the Fund enters into the financial position or acquires the property,
respectively. Transactions that are identified as hedging or straddle
transactions under other provisions of the Code can be subject to the
constructive sale provisions.
If the Fund invests in an entity that is classified as a "passive foreign
investment company" ("PFIC") for Federal income tax purposes, the operation of
certain provisions of the Code applying to PFICs could result in the imposition
of certain Federal income taxes on the Fund. In addition, gain realized from the
sale or other disposition of PFIC securities may be treated as ordinary income
under Section 1291 or under Section 1296 of the Code with respect to PFIC
securities that are marked to market.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued or acquired at a discount, or
providing for deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of
additional obligations could under special tax rules affect the amount, timing
and character of distributions to shareholders by causing the Fund to recognize
income prior to the receipt of cash payments. For example, the Fund could be
required to accrue a portion of the discount (or deemed discount) at which the
securities were issued each year and to distribute such income in order to
maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company. In such case, the
Fund may have to dispose of securities which it might otherwise have continued
to hold in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution requirements.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1, 5 and 6.92 year periods
ended August 31, 1999 was 19.37%, 13.18% and 11.90%, respectively. Average
annual total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable value of
an investment purchased at net asset value per share with a hypothetical $1,000
payment made at the beginning of the period (assuming the reinvestment of
dividends and distributions), dividing by the amount of the initial investment,
taking the "n"th root of the quotient (where "n" is the number of years in the
period) and subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's total return for the period September 30, 1992 (commencement of
operations) through August 31, 1999 was 117.78%. Total return is calculated by
subtracting the amount of the Fund's net asset value per share at the beginning
of a stated period from the net asset value per share at the end of the period
(after giving effect to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions during
the period), and dividing the result by the net asset value per share at the
beginning of the period.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time in
advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index,
Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average,
Morningstar, Inc. and other industry publications.
From time to time, advertising material for the Fund may include
biographical information relating to one or more of its portfolio managers and
may refer to, or include commentary by a portfolio manager relating to
investment strategy, asset growth, current or past business, political, economic
or financial conditions and other matters of general interest to investors. In
addition, from time to time advertising materials for the Fund may refer to
Morningstar ratings and related analysis supporting the ratings. From time to
time advertising materials may refer to studies performed by the Manager or its
affiliates, such as "The Dreyfus Tax Informed Investing Study" or "The Dreyfus
Gender Investment Comparison Study (1996 & 1997)" or other such studies.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance
with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable. Fund shares
are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in liquidation.
Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights and are freely
transferable.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result,
Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or
the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares
outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to hold a special meeting
of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office. Fund
shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Board will call a meeting
of shareholders for the purpose of electing Board members if, at any time, less
than a majority of the Board members then holding office have been elected by
shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not
designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market
movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the
Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if the Fund's management
determines that an investor is following a market-timing strategy or is
otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund, with or without prior notice,
may temporarily or permanently terminate the availability of Fund Exchanges, or
reject in whole or part any purchase or exchange request, with respect to such
investor's account. Such investors also may be barred from purchasing other
funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than
four exchanges out of the Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges
that appear to coincide with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be
engaged in excessive trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be
considered as one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive
trading. In addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange
requests by any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management,
the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected or if
the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may
significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the Fund's
total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take no other
action with respect to the shares until it receives further instructions from
the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption proceeds for up to seven
days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in excessive trading or if the
amount of the redemption request otherwise would be disruptive to efficient
portfolio management or would adversely affect the Fund. The Fund's policy on
excessive trading applies to investors who invest in the Fund directly or
through financial intermediaries, but does not apply to the Dreyfus
Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic investment or withdrawal privilege
described herein, or to participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may
suspend Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests
based on their separate components--redemption orders with a simultaneous
request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case, the redemption
request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net asset value but the
purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined
after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds of the redemption, which
may result in the purchase being delayed.
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts, the
Fund will charge regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee of
$12. The valuation of accounts and the deductions are expected to take place
during the last four months of each year. The fee will be waived for any
investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund investments total at least $25,000,
and will not apply to IRA accounts or to accounts participating in automatic
investment programs or opened through a securities dealer, bank or other
financial institution, or to other fiduciary accounts.
The Fund will send annual and semi-annual financial statements to all its
shareholders.
COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares
being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019,
independent auditors, have been selected as independent auditors of the Fund.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX
Description of certain ratings assigned by S&P, Moody's, Fitch and Duff:
S&P
Bond Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A
Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated
categories.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection
parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more
likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for
bonds in this category than for bonds in higher rated categories.
S&P's letter ratings may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or
minus (-) sign designation, which is used to show relative standing within the
major rating categories, except in the AAA (Prime Grade) category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The designation A-1 by S&P indicates that the degree of safety regarding
timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues determined to
possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+)
designation.
Moody's
Bond Ratings
Aaa
Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge."
Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to
change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa
Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together
with the Aaa group they comprise what generally are known as high grade bonds.
They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not
be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of
greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds 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 as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are
neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time.
Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have
speculative characteristics as well.
Moody's applies the numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to show relative
standing within the major rating categories, except in the Aaa category. The
modifier 1 indicates a ranking for the security in the higher end of a rating
category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3
indicates a ranking in the lower end of a rating category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating assigned
by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for repayment of
short-term promissory obligations, and ordinarily will be evidenced by leading
market positions in well established industries, high rates of return on funds
employed, conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt
and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed
financial charges and high internal cash generation, and well established access
to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Fitch
Bond Ratings
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to meet
the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings take into
consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other
obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and operative
performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the political and
economic environment that might affect the issuer's future financial strength
and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the highest
credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest
and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable
events.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds
rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally
rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit
quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered
to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and
circumstances, however, are more likely to have an adverse impact on these bonds
and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these
bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher
ratings.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the
relative position of a credit within the rating category.
Short-Term Ratings
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on
demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment
notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating analysis,
the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on the existence
of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a timely manner.
F-1+
Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+.
Duff
Bond Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered highest credit quality. The risk factors
are negligible, being only slightly more than for risk-free U.S.
Treasury debt.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered high credit quality. Protection factors are
strong. Risk is modest but may vary slightly from time to time because of
economic conditions.
A
Bonds rated A have protection factors which are average but adequate.
However, risk factors are more variable and greater in periods of economic
stress.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to have below average protection factors
but still considered sufficient for prudent investment. Considerable
variability in risk during economic cycles.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol (except AAA) to
indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Duff-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by Duff.
Paper rated Duff-1 is regarded as having very high certainty of timely payment
with excellent liquidity factors which are supported by ample asset protection.
Risk factors are minor.
Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
-------------------------
Item 23. Exhibits.
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(a) Registrant's Articles of Incorporation are incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on December 14, 1995.
(b) Registrant's By-Laws, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (2) of
Post-Effective No. 8 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
filed on November 23, 1998.
(d) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (5) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A, filed on October 26, 1994.
(e) Distribution Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (6)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A, filed on October 26, 1994.
(g) Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (8) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A, filed on December 18, 1996.
(h) Shareholder Services Plan, as revised, is incorporated by reference
to Exhibit (9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on October 26, 1994.
(i) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on December 14, 1995.
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors.
Other Exhibits
--------------
(a) Powers of Attorney are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)
of Post Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Registration Statement
on Form N-1A, filed on October 28, 1999.
(b) Certificate of Assistant Secretary is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (b) of Post Effective Amendment No.
9 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on
October 28, 1999.
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
- ------- --------------------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 25. Indemnification
- ------- ---------------
Reference is made to Article SEVENTH of the Registrant's Articles of
Incorporation filed as Exhibit 1 hereto. The application of these
provisions is limited by Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws
filed as Exhibit 2 hereto and by the following undertaking set forth
in the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers
and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
(other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered, the
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
such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement filed as Exhibit 6 to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
filed on October 26, 1994.
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
- ------- ----------------------------------------------------
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business consists
primarily of providing investment management services as the
investment adviser and manager for sponsored investment companies
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and as an
investment adviser to institutional and individual accounts.
Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to and/or
administrator of other investment companies. Dreyfus Service
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus, serves
primarily as a registered broker-dealer. Dreyfus Investment
Advisors Inc., another wholly-owned subsidiary, provides
investment management services to various pension plans,
institutions and individuals.
<TABLE>
ITEM 26 Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
Name and Position
With Dreyfus Other Businesses Position Held Dates
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Christopher M. Condron Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 1/97 - Present
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 10/97 - Present
President 10/97 - 6/98
Chairman 10/97 - 6/98
The Boston Company Director 1/98 - Present
Asset Management, LLC* Chairman 1/98 - 6/98
President 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company President 9/95 - 1/98
Asset Management, Inc.* Chairman 4/95 - 1/98
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 1/97 - Present
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 6/95 -Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/95 -Present
Corporation***
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 5/95 -1/98
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc. * Director 5/95 - Present
President 5/95 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 1/99 - Present
Chief Operating Officer 3/98 - Present
President 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 3/98
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chief Operating Officer 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 1/99
Christopher M. Condron The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/94 - Present
Chairman and Chief Executive Director 5/93 - Present
Officer
(Continued) Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Exec. Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 10/93 - 1/98
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 5/93 -Present
Company*
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - Present
Strategies, Inc. * Director 6/89 - Present
Mandell L. Berman Self-Employed Real Estate Consultant, 11/74 - Present
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway Residential Builder and
Suite 370 Private Investor
Southfield, MI 48034
Burton C. Borgelt DeVlieg Bullard, Inc. Director 1/93 - Present
Director 1 Gorham Island
Westport, CT 06880
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Director 6/91 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 6/91 - Present
Dentsply International, Inc. Director 2/81 - Present
570 West College Avenue
York, PA
Quill Corporation Director 3/93 - Present
Lincolnshire, IL
Stephen E. Canter Dreyfus Investment Chairman of the Board 1/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Advisors, Inc.++ Director 5/95 - Present
Officer, Chief Investment President 5/95 - Present
Officer, and Director
Newton Management Limited Director 2/99 - Present
London, England
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC* Director 2/99 - Present
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/99 - Present
Management, LLC*
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation***
Stephen E. Canter Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of 12/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Managers
Officer, Chief Investment Acting Chief Executive 7/98 - 12/98
Officer, and Director Officer
(Continued)
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 6/95 - Present
Chairman 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Thomas F. Eggers Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 4/96 - Present
Vice Chairman - Institutional Director 9/96 - Present
and Director
Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of Managers 2/99 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization++ Director 3/99 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 3/99 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc. +++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Director 11/97 - 6/98
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA.
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Financial Corporation+ Senior Vice Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 1/99
Treasurer 1/90 - 5/98
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Senior Vice Chairman 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 3/98
Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Mellon EFT Services Corporation Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/96 - Present
Corporation #1 Vice President 1/96 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Vice President 5/93 - Present
APT Holdings Corporation Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Pike Creek Operations Center
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Allomon Corporation Director 12/87 - Present
Two Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Collection Services Corporation Controller 10/90 - 2/99
500 Grant Street Director 9/88 - 2/99
Pittsburgh, PA 15258 Vice President 9/88 - 2/99
Treasurer 9/88 - 2/99
Steven G. Elliott Mellon Financial Company+ Principal Exec. Officer 1/88 - Present
Director (Continued) Chief Financial Officer 8/87 - Present
Mellon Overseas Investments Director 8/87 - Present
Corporation+ President 8/87 - Present
Director 4/88 - Present
Chairman 7/89 - 11/97
Mellon International Investment President 4/88 - 11/97
Corporation+ Chief Executive Officer 4/88 - 11/97
Director 9/89 - 8/97
Mellon Financial Services Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Corporation +
Mellon Financial Markets, Inc.+ Director 1/99 - Present
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation #17
Fort Lee, NJ
Mellon Mortgage Company Director 1/99 - Present
Houston, TX
Mellon Ventures, Inc. + Director 1/99 - Present
Lawrence S. Kash Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
Vice Chairman Advisors, Inc.++
And Director
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 11/97 - 2/99
401 North Maple Ave. Chief Executive Officer 11/97 - 2/98
Beverly Hills, CA
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/95 - 2/99
President 9/96 - 3/99
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.+++ Director 3/96 - 12/98
President 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Director 12/94 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++ President 1/97 - 3/99
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++ Director 1/97 - 4/99
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Chairman 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ President 5/97 - 3/99
Director 5/97 - 3/99
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chairman 1/97 - 1/99
President 2/97 - 1/99
Chief Executive Officer 2/97 - 1/99
Director 12/94 - Present
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 5/97 - 6/99
Corporation++ President 5/97 - 6/99
Director 12/94 - 6/99
Founders Asset Management, LLC**** Member, Board of Managers 12/97 - Present
Lawrence S. Kash The Boston Company Advisors, Chairman 12/95 - Present
Vice Chairman Inc. Chief Executive Officer 12/95 - Present
And Director (Continued) Wilmington, DE President 12/95 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President
6/92 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Chairman 1/98 - 8/98
Executive Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Chief Executive Officer 1/98 - 8/98
President 1/98 - 8/98
Laurel Capital Advisors, Inc. + Trustee 12/91 - 1/98
Chairman 9/93 - 1/98
President and CEO 12/91 - 1/98
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Martin G. McGuinn Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Mellon Bank, N. A. + Chairman 3/98 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 3/98 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 3/98
Mellon Leasing Corporation+ Vice Chairman 12/96 - Present
Mellon Bank (DE) National Director 4/89 - 12/98
Association
Wilmington, DE
Mellon Bank (MD) National Director 1/96 - 4/98
Association
Rockville, Maryland
Mellon Financial Vice President 9/86 - 10/97
Corporation (MD)
Rockville, Maryland
J. David Officer Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Executive Vice President 5/98 - Present
Vice Chairman Director 3/99 - Present
And Director
Dreyfus Service Organization++ Director 3/99 - Present
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 3/99 - Present
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Residential Funding Corp. + Director 4/97 - Present
J. David Officer Mellon Trust of Florida, N.A. Director 8/97 - Present
Vice Chairman and 2875 Northeast 191st Street
Director (Continued) North Miami Beach, FL 33180
Mellon Bank, NA+ Executive Vice President 7/96 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/97 - Present
Director 7/96 - Present
Mellon Preferred Capital Director 11/96 - Present
Corporation*
RECO, Inc.* President 11/96 - Present
Director 11/96 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 8/96 - Present
Services, Inc.* Director 8/96 - Present
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 7/96 - Present
Company* President 7/96 - 1/99
Mellon Trust of New York Director 6/96 - Present
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
Mellon Trust of California Director 6/96 - Present
400 South Hope Street
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 2/94 - Present
Mellon United National Bank Director 3/98 - Present
1399 SW 1st Ave., Suite 400
Miami, Florida
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 12/97 - Present
Dreyfus Financial Services Corp. + Director 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Services Director 4/96 - Present
Corporation+
Richard W. Sabo Founders Asset Management LLC**** President 12/98 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 12/98 - Present
Prudential Securities
New York, NY Senior Vice President 07/91 - 11/98
Regional Director 07/91 - 11/98
Richard F. Syron Thermo Electron President 6/99 - Present
Director 81 Wyman Street Chief Executive Officer 6/99 - Present
Waltham, MA 02454-9046
American Stock Exchange Chairman 4/94 -6/99
86 Trinity Place Chief Executive Officer 4/94 - 6/99
New York, NY 10006
Ronald P. O'Hanley Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Chairman 6/98 - Present
Director 10/97 - Present
Ronald P. O'Hanley The Boston Company Asset Chairman 6/98 - Present
Vice Chairman Management, LLC* Director 1/98 - 6/98
(Continued)
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/97 - 12/97
Management, Inc. *
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc. * Chairman 6/97 - Present
Director 2/97 - Present
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 5/97 - Present
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/97 -Present
Corporation***
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 2/97 - Present
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 2/97 - Present
Chairman 2/97 - Present
Mellon-France Corporation+ Director 3/97 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 3/97 - Present
Mark N. Jacobs Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
General Counsel, Advisors, Inc.++ Secretary 10/77 - 7/98
Vice President, and
Secretary The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/96 - Present
The TruePenny Corporation++ President 10/98 - Present
Director 3/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Director 3/97 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++
William H. Maresca The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chief Financial Officer 3/99 - Present
Controller Treasurer 9/98 - Present
Director 3/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Financial Officer 12/98 - Present
Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corp. ++ Treasurer 10/98 -Present
Dreyfus Investment Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc. ++
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Vice President 10/98 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
The TruePenny Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Treasurer 10/98 - 12/98
The Trotwood Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
William H. Maresca Trotwood Hunters Site A Corp. ++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Controller (Continued)
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 5/98 - Present
One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Treasurer 3/99 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Treasurer 3/93 - 3/99
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Assistant Treasurer 5/98 - Present
William T. Sandalls, Jr. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chairman 2/97 - Present
Executive Vice President One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 2/97 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 2/97-12/98
Dreyfus Investment Director 1/96 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 10/98
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Director 12/96 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road President 1/97 - Present
Wilmington, DE 19808
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/98
Treasurer 10/96 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Consumer Director 1/96 - Present
Credit Corp.++ Vice President 1/96 - Present
Treasurer 1/97 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Trust Company +++ Director 1/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization, Treasurer 10/96- 3/99
Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Treasurer 5/97- 3/99
Executive Vice President 5/97 - 3/99
Diane P. Durnin Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Senior Vice President - 5/95 - 3/99
Vice President - Product Marketing and
Development Advertising Division
Patrice M. Kozlowski None
Vice President - Corporate
Communications
Mary Beth Leibig None
Vice President -
Human Resources
Theodore A. Schachar Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Vice President -Tax 10/96 - Present
Vice President - Tax
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 6/99 - Present
Corporation ++ President 6/99 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Wendy Strutt None
Vice President
Richard Terres None
Vice President
Andrew S. Wasser Mellon Financial Corporation+ Vice President 1/95 - Present
Vice-President -
Information Systems
James Bitetto The TruePenny Corporation++ Secretary 9/98 - Present
Assistant Secretary
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 8/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Service Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
Steven F. Newman Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Vice President 2/97 - Present
Assistant Secretary One American Express Plaza Director 2/97 - Present
Providence, RI 02903 Secretary 2/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 5/98 - 7/98
- ------------------------------------
* The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108.
** The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, California 94104.
*** The address of the business so indicated is 595 Market Street, Suite 3000, San Francisco, California 94105.
**** The address of the business so indicated is 2930 East Third Avenue,Denver, Colorado 80206.
+ The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
++++ The address of the business so indicated is 53 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
</TABLE>
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
- -------- ----------------------
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or exclusive
distributor:
1) Comstock Partners Funds, Inc.
2) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.
5) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
7) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
8) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
9) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
10) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
11) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
12) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
13) Dreyfus Cash Management
14) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
17) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
18) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
19) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
20) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
21) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
22) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
23) Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
24) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
27) Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
28) Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.
29) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
30) Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Fund
31) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
32) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
33) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
34) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
35) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
36) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
37) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
38) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
39) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
40) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
41) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
42) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
43) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
44) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
45) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund 46) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
47) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
48) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
49) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
50) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
51) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
52) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
53) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
54) Dreyfus New York Insured Tax Exempt Bond Fund
55) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
56) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
57) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
58) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
59) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
60) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
61) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
62) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
63) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
64) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
65) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
66) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
67) Dreyfus Premier International Funds, Inc.
68) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
70) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
72) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
73) Dreyfus Premier Value Equity Funds
74) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
75) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
76) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
77) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund
78) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
79) The Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc.
80) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
81) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
82) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
83) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
84) Founders Funds, Inc.
85) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
86) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
87) General Government Securities Money Market Fund, Inc.
88) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
89) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
90) General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.
91) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
92) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
(b)
Positions
and
Name and principal Positions and offices with offices with
business address the Distributor Registrant
- ------------------ --------------------------- -------------
Marie E. Connolly+ Director, President, Chief President and
Executive Officer and Chief Treasurer
Compliance Officer
Joseph F. Tower, III+ Director, Senior Vice President, Vice President
Treasurer and Chief Financial and Assistant
Officer Treasurer
Mary A. Nelson+ Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Treasurer
Jean M. O'Leary+ Assistant Vice President
Assistant Secretary and None
Assistant Clerk
William J. Nutt+ Chairman of the Board None
Stephanie D. Pierce++ Vice President Vice President,
Assistant Scretary
and Assistant
Treasurer
Patrick W. McKeon+ Vice President None
Joseph A. Vigone+ Vice President None
- --------------------------------
+ Principal business address is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
++ Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
--------------------------------
1. Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258
2. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
3. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 29. Management Services
- ------- -------------------
Not Applicable
Item 30. Undertakings
- -------- ------------
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly
caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and
State of New York on the 17th day of December, 1999.
DREYFUS BALANCED FUND, INC.
BY: /s/ Marie E. Connolly*
Marie E. Connolly, PRESIDENT
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment
to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signatures Title Date
- ----------------------------- -------------------------- -------
<S> <C> <C>
/s/Marie E. Connolly* President and Treasurer (Principal 12/17/99
Marie E. Connolly Executive and Financial Officer)
/s/Frederick C. Dey Vice President, Assistant 12/17/99
Frederick C. Dey Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
(Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/Joseph S.DiMartino* Director 12/17/99
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/David P. Feldman* Director 12/17/99
David P. Feldman
/s/John M. Fraser, Jr.* Director 12/17/99
John M. Fraser, Jr.
/s/Robert R. Glauber* Director 12/17/99
Robert R. Glauber
/s/James F. Henry* Director 12/17/99
James F. Henry
/s/Rosalind Gersten Jacobs* Director 12/17/99
Rosalind Gersten Jacobs
/s/Irving Kristol* Director 12/17/99
Irving Kristol
/s/Paul A. Marks* Director 12/17/99
Paul A. Marks
/s/Martin Peretz* Director 12/17/99
Martin Peretz
/s/Bert W. Wasserman* Director 12/17/99
Bert W. Wasserman
</TABLE>
*BY: /s/ Stephanie D. Pierce
Stephanie D. Pierce,
Attorney-in-Fact
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Financial
Highlights" and "Counsel and Independent Auditors" and to the use of our
report dated October 6, 1999, which is incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement (Form N-1A 33-50350) of Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
December 17, 1999
