Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D. C. 20549-1004
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1
to
Form S-6
For Registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of
Securities of Unit Investment Trusts Registered on
Form N-8B-2
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18
(Exact Name of Trust)
Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
(Exact Name of Depositor)
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
(Complete address of Depositor's principal executive offices)
Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc. Chapman and Cutler
Attention: Don G. Powell Attention: Mark J. Kneedy
One Parkview Plaza 111 West Monroe Street
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181 Chicago, Illinois 60603
(Name and complete address of agents for service)
( X ) Check if it is proposed that this filing will become effective
on April 24, 1996 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST, SERIES 1
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18
PROSPECTUS PART ONE
NOTE: Part One of this Prospectus may not be distributed unless accompanied by
Part Two.Please retain both parts of this Prospectus for future reference.
THE TRUST
The Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial Institutions Trust, Series 1 (the
"Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial Institutions Trust" ) is one unit
investment trust in the Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust,
Series18 (the "Trust" ). The Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial
Institutions Trust offers investors the opportunity to purchase Units
representing proportionate interests in a fixed, diversified portfolio of
common stocks issued by financial institutions and banking related service
companies headquartered in the eastern half of the United States. Unless
terminated earlier, the Trust will terminate on October 31, 1999 and any
securities then held will, within a reasonable time thereafter, be liquidated
or distributed by the Trustee. Any Securities liquidated at termination will
be sold at the then current market value for such Securities; therefore, the
amount distributable in cash to a Unitholder upon termination may be more or
less than the amount such Unitholder paid for his Units.
PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE
The secondary market Public Offering Price of the Trust will include the
aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities, the applicable sales
charge as described herein, and cash, if any, in the Capital and Income
Accounts held or owned by the Trust. See "Public Offering Price" in
Part Two and "Summary of Essential Financial Information" .
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The Date of this Prospectus is April 17, 1996
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST, SERIES 1
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18
Summary of Essential Financial Information
As of March 1, 1996
Managing Underwriters
& Supervisor: Wheat First Butcher Singer
Sponsor: Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
Evaluator: American Portfolio Evaluation Services
(A division of an affiliate of the Sponsor)
Trustee: The Bank of New York
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Wheat First
Butcher
Singer
Financial
Institutions
Trust
<S> <C>
General Information
Number of Units.................................................................................. 2,810,000
Fractional Undivided Interest in the Trust per Unit ............................................. 1/2,810,000
Public Offering Price:
Aggregate Value of Securities in Portfolio <F1>................................................. $ 29,703,753
Aggregate Value of Securities per Unit (including accumulated dividends)........................ $ 10.65
Sales Charge 4.9% (5.152% of Aggregate Value of Securities excluding principal cash) per Unit... $ .55
Public Offering Price per Unit <F2><F3>......................................................... $ 11.20
Redemption Price per Unit........................................................................ $ 10.65
Secondary Market Repurchase Price per Unit....................................................... $ 10.65
Excess of Public Offering Price per Unit Over Redemption Price per Unit.......................... $ .55
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
Supervisor's Annual Supervisory Fee...Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Evaluator's Annual Fee ...............Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Evaluations for purpose of sale, purchase or redemption of Units are made as of 4:00 P.M. Eastern time on days of trading on the
New York Stock Exchange next following receipt of an order for a sale or purchase of Units or receipt by The Bank of New York of
Units tendered for redemption.
Date of Deposit.......................September 19, 1995
Mandatory Termination Date............October 31, 1999
Minimum Termination Value.............The Trust may be terminated if the net asset value of such Trust is less than 40% of the
total value of Equity Securities deposited in the Trust during the primary offering period.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
Special Information......................................
Calculation of Estimated Net Annual Dividends per Unit...
Estimated Gross Annual Dividends per Unit............... $ .34222
Less: Estimated Expenses per Unit....................... $ .02068
Estimated Net Annual Dividends per Unit................. $ .32154
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
Trustee's Annual Fee............................$.008 per Unit
Estimated Annual Organizational Expenses <F4>...$.0039 per Unit
Income Distribution Record Date.................TENTH day of March, June, September, and December.
Income Distribution Date........................TWENTY-FIFTH day of March, June, September and December.
Capital Account Record Date.....................TENTH day of December.
Capital Account Distribution Date <F5>..........TWENTY-FIFTH day of December.
<FN>
<F1> Equity Securities listed on a national securities exchange are valued at the
closing sale price or if the Equity Securities are not so listed, at the ask
price thereof.
<F2>Anyone ordering Units will have added to the Public Offering Price a pro rata
share of any cash in the Income and Capital Accounts.
<F3>Effective on each September 19, commencing September 19, 1996, the secondary
sales charge will decrease by .5 of 1% to a minimum sales charge of 3.9%. See
"Public Offering-Offering Price."
<F4>The Trust (and therefore Unitholders) will bear all or a portion of its
organizational costs (including costs of preparing the registration statement,
the trust indenture and other closing documents, registering Units with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and states, the initial audit of the Trust
portfolio and the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee but not including
the expenses incurred in the preparation and printing of brochures and other
advertising materials and any other selling expenses) as in common for mutual
funds. Total organizational expenses will be amortized over the life of the
Trust. See "Trust Operating Expenses" and "Statement of
Condition." Historically, the sponsors of unit investment trusts have paid
all the costs of establishing such trusts. Estimated Annual Organizational
Expenses have been estimated based on a projected trust size of $50,000,000.
To the extent the Trust is larger or smaller, the actual organizational
expenses paid by the Trust (and therefore by Unitholders) will vary from the
estimated amount set forth above.
<F5>Distributions from the Capital Account will be made monthly on the last day of
the month to Unitholders of record on the fifteenth day of such month if the
amount available for distribution equals at least $0.01 per Unit.
</TABLE>
PORTFOLIO
The Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial Institutions Trust consists of only
32 in Portfolio of Equity Securities issued by financial institutions and
banking related service companies. The Securities are listed on the NASDAQ
National Market System or traded in the over-the-counter market.
PER UNIT INFORMATION
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1995<F1>
<S> <C>
Net asset value per Unit at beginning of period...................................................................... $ 9.40
Net asset value per Unit at end of period............................................................................ $ 9.94
Distributions to Unitholders of investment income including redeemed (average Units outstanding for entire period)... $ 0.06
Distributions to Unitholders from Equity Security redemption proceeds (average Units outstanding for entire period).. $ --
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Equity Securities (per Unit outstanding at end of period).................. $ 0.46
Units outstanding at end of period................................................................................... 2,810,000
</TABLE>
For the period from September 19, 1995 (date of deposit) through December 31,
1995.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
and the Unitholders of Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial Institutions
Trust, Series 1: (Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series
18 ):
We have audited the accompanying statement of condition (including the
analysis of net assets) and the related portfolio of the Wheat First Butcher
Singer Financial Institutions Trust, Series 1 (Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18) as of December 31, 1995, and the related
statements of operations and changes in net assets for the period from
September 19, 1995 (date of deposit) through December 31, 1995. These
statements are the responsibility of the Trustee and the Sponsor. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on such statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our
procedures included confirmation of securities owned at December 31, 1995 by
correspondence with the Trustee. An audit also includes assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by the Trustee and
the Sponsor, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe our audit provides a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of the Wheat First Butcher
Singer Financial Institutions Trust, Series 1 (Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18) as of December 31, 1995, and the results
of operations and changes in net assets for the period from September 19, 1995
(date of deposit) through December 31, 1995, in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Chicago, Illinois
March 15, 1996
<TABLE>
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST
SERIES 1
Statements of Condition
December 31, 1995
<CAPTION>
Wheat First
Butcher
Singer
Financial
Institutions
Trust
<S> <C>
Trust property
Cash.................................................................................... $ 211
Securities at market value, (cost $26,531,999) (note 1)................................. 27,823,453
Accumulated dividends................................................................... 82,184
Receivable for securities sold.......................................................... --
Organizational Costs (note 5)........................................................... 73,286
$ 27,979,134
Liabilities and interest to Unitholders
Cash overdraft.......................................................................... $ --
Redemptions payable..................................................................... --
Accrued Organizational Costs (note 5)................................................... 55,044
Interest to Unitholders................................................................. 27,924,090
$ 27,979,134
Analysis of Net Assets
Interest of Unitholders (2,810,000 Units of fractional undivided interest outstanding)
Cost to original investors of 3,000,000 Units (note 1).................................. $ 29,785,863
Less initial underwriting commission (note 3)........................................... 1,461,535
28,324,328
Less redemption of 190,000 Units........................................................ 1,791,700
26,532,628
Undistributed net investment income
Net investment income................................................................... 231,960
Less distributions to Unitholders....................................................... 143,773
88,187
Realized gain (loss) on Security sale or redemption..................................... 11,821
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities (note 2)........................... 1,291,454
Distributions to Unitholders of Security sale or redemption proceeds.................... --
Net asset value to Unitholders.......................................................... $ 27,924,090
Net asset value per Unit (2,810,000 Units outstanding)................................... $ 9.94
</TABLE>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
<TABLE>
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, SERIES 1
Statements of Operations
Period from September 19, 1995 (date of deposit) through December 31, 1995
<CAPTION>
1995
<S> <C>
Investment income
Dividend income..................................................... $ 244,298
Expenses.............................................................
Trustee fees and expenses........................................... 6,354
Evaluator fees...................................................... 1,205
Organizational fees................................................. 4,779
Total expenses...................................................... 12,338
Net investment income............................................... 231,960
Realized gain (loss) from Securities sale or redemption
Proceeds............................................................ 1,804,150
Cost................................................................ 1,792,329
Realized gain (loss)................................................ 11,821
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities... 1,291,454
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS......$ 1,535,235
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
Period from September 19, 1995 (date of deposit) through December 31, 1995
<CAPTION>
1995
<S> <C>
Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
Net investment income...................................................... $ 231,960
Realized gain (loss) on Securities sale or redemption...................... 11,821
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities......... 1,291,454
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations............ 1,535,235
Distributions to Unitholders from:
Net investment income...................................................... (143,773)
Securities sale or redemption proceeds..................................... --
Redemption of Units (1,791,700)
Total increase (decrease).................................................. (400,238)
Net asset value to Unitholders
Beginning of period........................................................ 14,091,984
Additional Securities purchased from proceeds of Unit Sales................ 14,232,344
End of period (including undistributed net investment income of $88,187)... $ 27,924,090
</TABLE>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
<TABLE>
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST, SERIES 1
PORTFOLIO as of December 31, 1995
<CAPTION>
Valuation of Securities
Number at December 31,
of Market Value Per 1995
Shares Name of Issuer Share (Note 1)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
9,902 Advanta Corporation $ 36.750 $ 363,898
50,203 Banc One Corporation 37.750 1,895,163
14,316 Bank South Corporation 30.625 438,428
9,598 Barnett Banks, Inc. 59.000 566,282
8,005 CCB Financial Corporation 55.750 446,279
14,636 Capital One Financial Corporation 23.875 349,434
13,540 Charter One Financial, Inc. 30.625 414,663
869 Citizen's Bancorp 32.250 28,025
24,104 Comerica Inc. 40.125 967,173
57,356 Commerce Bancorp, Inc. 22.125 1,269,002
55,613 CoreStates Financial Corp 37.875 2,106,342
26,311 Crestar Financial Corporation 59.125 1,555,638
8,417 First Bank System, Inc. 49.625 417,694
58,158 First Chicago NBD 39.500 2,297,241
12,255 First Fidelity Bancorporation 75.375 923,721
824 First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. 29.375 24,205
26,586 First Union Corporation 55.625 1,478,846
7,988 First USA, Inc. 44.375 354,468
25,122 Integra Financial Corporation 63.000 1,582,686
22,789 Mellon Bank Corporation 53.750 1,224,909
16,488 Mercantile Bankshares Corporation 27.875 459,603
54,968 National City Corporation 33.125 1,820,815
9,988 NationsBank Corporation 69.625 695,415
8,616 Northern Trust Corporation 56.000 482,496
12,845 Norwest Corporation 33.000 423,885
10,376 Old Kent Financial Corporation 41.125 426,713
15,177 Signet Banking Corporation 23.750 360,454
10,701 Standard Federal Bancorporation 39.375 421,351
40,828 Summit Bancorporation 31.500 1,286,082
13,708 TCF Financial Corporation 33.125 454,077
52,493 UJB Financial Corporation 35.750 1,876,624
9,002 Wachovia Corporation 45.750 411,841
701,782 $ 27,823,453
</TABLE>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST SERIES 1
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 1995
NOTE 1 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Security Valuation - Securities listed on a national securities exchange are
valued at the last closing sales price.
Security Cost - The original cost to the Trust of the Securities was based,
for Securities listed on a national securities exchange, on the closing sales
prices on the exchange. The costs were determined on the date of the various
Dates of Deposit.
Unit Valuation - The redemption price per Unit is the pro rata share of each
Unit based upon (1) the cash on hand in the Trust or monies in the process of
being collected, (2) the Securities in the Trust based on the value as
described in Note 1 and (3) accumulated dividends thereon, less accrued
expenses of the Trust, if any.
Federal Income Taxes - Each Unitholder is considered to be the owner of a pro
rata portion of the Trust and, accordingly, no provision has been made for
Federal Income Taxes.
Distributions to Unitholders of the Trust's taxable income will be taxable as
ordinary or capital gain income to Unitholders.
Other - The financial statements are presented on the accrual basis of
accounting. Any realized gains or losses from securities transactions are
reported on an identified cost basis.
Organizational Costs - The Trust will bear all or a portion of its
organizational costs, which will be deferred and amortized over the life of
the trust. Organizational costs have been estimated based on a projected
trust size of $50,000,000. To the extent the Trust is larger or smaller, the
estimate will vary.
NOTE 2 - PORTFOLIO
Unrealized Appreciation and Depreciation - An analysis of net unrealized
appreciation (depreciation) at December 31, 1995 is as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Wheat First
Butcher Singer
Financial
Institutions Trust
<S> <C>
Unrealized Appreciation $ 1,604,894
Unrealized Depreciation (313,440)
$ 1,291,454
</TABLE>
NOTE 3 - OTHER
Marketability - Although it is not obligated to do so, the Managing
Underwriter intends to maintain a market for Units and to continuously offer
to purchase Units at prices through October 31, 1998, subject to change at any
time, based upon the value of the Securities in the portfolio of the Trust
valued as described in Note 1, plus accumulated dividends to the date of
settlement. If the supply of Units exceeds demand, or for other business
reasons, the Managing Underwriter may discontinue purchases of Units at such
prices. In the event that a market is not maintained for the Units, a
Unitholder desiring to dispose of his Units may be able to do so only by
tendering such Units to the Trustee for redemption at the redemption price.
Cost to Investors - The cost to original investors was based on the underlying
value of the Securities per Unit on the date of an investor's purchase, plus a
sales charge of 4.9% of the public offering price which is equivalent to
5.152% of the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The secondary market
cost to investors is based on the determination of the underlying value of the
Securities per Unit on the date of an investor's purchase plus a sales charge
of 4.9% of the public offering price which is 5.152% of the underlying value
of the Securities. Effective on each September 19, commencing September 19,
1996, the secondary sales charge will decrease by .5 of 1% to a minimum sales
charge of 3.9%.
Compensation of Evaluator and Supervisor - the Supervisor receives a fee for
providing portfolio supervisory services for the Trust ($.0025 per Unit, not
to exceed the aggregate cost of the Supervisor for providing such services to
all applicable Trusts). The Evaluator receives an annual fee for regularly
evaluating the Trust's portfolio. Both fees may be adjusted for increases
under the category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer
Price Index.
NOTE 4 - REDEMPTION OF UNITS
During the period ended December 31, 1995, 190,000 Units, were presented for
redemption.
Wheat First Butcher Singer
Financial Institutions Trust, Series 1
Prospectus Part Two
The Trust. Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial Institutions Trust, Series 1
(the "Trust" ) is a unit investment trust which is contained in Van
Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18. The Trust offers
investors the opportunity to purchase Units representing proportionate
interests in a fixed, diversified portfolio primarily consisting of common
stocks issued by financial institutions and banking related service companies
headquartered in the eastern half of the United States (the "Equity
Securities" ). Unless terminated earlier, the Trust will terminate on
October 31, 1999 (the "Mandatory Termination Date" ) and any Equity
Securities then held will, within a reasonable time thereafter, be liquidated
or distributed by the Trustee. Any Equity Securities liquidated at termination
will be sold at the then current market value for such Equity Securities;
therefore, the amount distributable in cash to a Unitholder upon termination
may be more or less than the amount such Unitholder paid for his or her Units.
Objectives of the Trust. The objectives of the Trust are to provide the
potential for capital appreciation and income by investing in a portfolio
primarily consisting of common stocks issued by financial institutions and
banking related service companies headquartered in the eastern half of the
United States. See "Portfolio" in Part One. Each Unit of the Trust
represents an undivided fractional interest in all the Equity Securities
deposited in the Trust. There is, of course, no guarantee that the objectives
of the Trust will be achieved.
Public Offering Price. The secondary market Public Offering Price of the Trust
will include the aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities, the
applicable sales charge as described herein, and cash, if any, in the Capital
and Income Accounts held or owned by the Trust. The minimum purchase is 150
Units. See "Public Offering."
NOTE: THIS PROSPECTUS MAY BE USED ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY PART ONE.
Both parts of this Prospectus should be retained for future reference.
This Prospectus is dated as of the date of the Prospectus Part One
accompanying this Prospectus Part Two.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS
A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
Dividend and Capital Distributions. Distributions of dividends and capital, if
any, received by the Trust will be paid in cash on the applicable distribution
date to Unitholders of record on the record date as set forth in the "
Summary of Essential Financial Information" in Part One. Any distribution
of income and/or capital will be net of the expenses of the Trust. See "
Tax Status." Additionally, upon termination of the Trust, the Trustee will
distribute, upon surrender of Units for redemption, to each Unitholder his pro
rata share of the Trust's assets, less expenses, in the manner set forth under
"Rights of Unitholders--Distributions of Income and Capital."
Secondary Market for Units. After the initial offering period, although not
obligated to do so, the Managing Underwriter intends to maintain a market for
Units of the Trust and offer to repurchase such Units at prices which are
based on the aggregate underlying value of Equity Securities in the Trust
(generally determined by the closing sale prices of the listed Equity
Securities and the bid prices of the over-the-counter traded Equity
Securities), plus or minus a pro rata share of cash, if any, in the Capital
and Income Accounts of the Trust. If a secondary market is not maintained, a
Unitholder may redeem Units through redemption at prices based upon the
aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities in the Trust (generally
determined by the closing sale prices of the listed Equity Securities and the
bid prices of the over-the-counter traded Equity Securities), plus or minus a
pro rata share of cash, if any, in the Capital and Income Accounts of the
Trust. See "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units."
Termination. Commencing on the Mandatory Termination Date, Equity Securities
will begin to be sold in connection with the termination of the Trust. The
Sponsor will determine the manner, timing and execution of the sale of the
Equity Securities. At least 60 days prior to the Mandatory Termination Date
the Trustee will provide written notice thereof to all Unitholders and will
include with such notice a form to enable Unitholders to elect a distribution
of shares of Equity Securities if such Unitholder owns at least 2,500 Units of
the Trust rather than to receive payment in cash for such Unitholder's pro
rata share of the amounts realized upon the disposition by the Trustee of
Equity Securities. All Unitholders will receive cash in lieu of any fractional
shares. To be effective, the election form, and other documentation required
by the Trustee, must be returned to the Trustee at least ten business days
prior to the Mandatory Termination Date. Unitholders not electing a
distribution of shares of Equity Securities will receive a cash distribution
from the sale of the remaining Securities within a reasonable time after the
Trust is terminated. See "Trust Administration--Amendment or
Termination."
Risk Factors. An investment in the Trust should be made with an understanding
of the risks associated therewith, including, among other factors, the
possible deterioration of either the financial condition of the issuers or the
general condition of the stock market, volatile interest rates, economic
recession and potential increased regulation on banks and thrifts. The Trust
is not actively managed and Equity Securities will not be sold by the Trust to
take advantage of market fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of
appreciation. Units of the Trust are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank and are not federally insured or otherwise
protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve
Board or any other agency and involve investment risk, including the possible
loss of principal. See "Risk Factors."
THE TRUST
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 18 is comprised
of one unit investment trust, Wheat First Butcher Singer Financial
Institutions Trust, Series 1 (the "Trust" ). The Trust was created
under the laws of the State of New York pursuant to a Trust Indenture and
Agreement (the "Trust Agreement" ), dated the Initial Date of Deposit,
among Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc., as Sponsor, American
Portfolio Evaluation Services, a division of Van Kampen American Capital
Investment Advisory Corp., as Evaluator, Wheat First Butcher Singer, as
Supervisor and The Bank of New York, as Trustee.
The Trust may be an appropriate medium for investors who desire to participate
in a diversified portfolio of equity securities issued by financial
institutions and by issuers which provide banking-related services
headquartered in the eastern half United States. Diversification of assets in
the Trust will not eliminate the risk of loss always inherent in the ownership
of securities. For a breakdown of the portfolio see "Trust Portfolio."
On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Sponsor deposited with the Trustee the
Equity Securities including delivery statements relating to contracts for the
purchase of certain such Equity Securities and an irrevocable letter of credit
issued by a financial institution in the amount required for such purchases.
Thereafter, the Trustee, in exchange for such Equity Securities (and
contracts) so deposited, delivered to the Sponsor documentation evidencing the
ownership of Units of the Trust. Unless otherwise terminated as provided in
the Trust Agreement, the Trust will terminate on the Mandatory Termination
Date and Equity Securities then held will within a reasonable time thereafter
be liquidated or distributed by the Trustee.
Each Unit of the Trust initially offered represents an undivided interest in
the Trust. To the extent that any Units are redeemed by the Trustee, the
fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by each unredeemed Unit
will increase although the actual interest in the Trust represented by such
fraction will remain unchanged. Units will remain outstanding until redeemed
upon tender to the Trustee by Unitholders, which may include the Managing
Underwriter, or until the termination of the Trust Agreement.
OBJECTIVES AND SECURITIES SELECTION
The objectives of the Trust are to provide investors with the potential for
capital appreciation and income. The portfolio is described under "Trust
Portfolio" and "Portfolio" in Part One. An investor will be
subjected to taxation on the dividend income received from the Trust and on
gains from the sale or liquidation of Securities (see "Tax Status" ).
Investors should be aware that there is not any guarantee that the objectives
of the Trust will be achieved because they are subject to the continuing
ability of the respective Equity Security issuers to continue to declare and
pay dividends and because the market value of the Equity Securities can be
affected by a variety of factors. Common stocks may be especially susceptible
to general stock market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of
value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. Investors
should be aware that there can be no assurance that the value of the
underlying Equity Securities will increase or that the issuers of the Equity
Securities will pay dividends on outstanding common shares. Any distributions
of income will generally depend upon the declaration of dividends by the
issuers of the Equity Securities and the declaration of any dividends depends
upon several factors including the financial condition of the issuers and
general economic conditions.
During recent years, the U.S. banking industry has undergone enormous change,
suffering with recession and asset quality problems raising concern about the
financial health of the industry. However, today the U.S. is generally
considered to have one of the strongest financial systems in the world. Wheat
First Butcher Singer, the Managing Underwriter, believes that the outlook for
the industry is one of considerable change and that certain financial
institution stocks do not yet reflect the long-term growth potential inherent
in the industry. In the opinion of Wheat First, the banking industry is poised
to outperform the broader market. Wheat First believes that financial
institutions will continue the recent trend in consolidation which will lead
to more efficient and profitable companies and that potential regulatory
changes may lead to an increase in the variety of products offered as well as
their mode of distribution. Furthermore, bank customers are increasingly
conducting their business through teller machines, telephones and personal
computers which the Managing Underwriter believes will make providers of such
services and technologies attractive investments. In selecting the financial
institutions for the Trust portfolio, the Managing Underwriter, considered the
following factors, among others: proven management; unique operating
strategies; superior market share; rapidly growing markets; strong and stable
core of deposit funding; low loan to deposit ratios; high asset liquidity;
high reserve levels; low overhead ratios; leverage ratios which exceed
regional minimum requirements; dividend rates, dividend cover and historic
returns on equity; and market capitalization.
From December 30, 1990 through August 24, 1995, the Standard & Poor's Regional
Bank Index was up 26.5% compared to an increase of 14.9% for the Standard &
Poor's 500 Index. The Standard & Poor's Regional Bank Index is an unmanaged
statistical composite measuring the stock price performance of 23 major
regional banks. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index is an unmanaged statistical
composite measuring the performance of 500 stocks from 83 industrial groups.
An investment in the Trust should be made with the understanding that the
Equity Securities included in the Trust portfolio may not be included in the
Standard & Poor's Regional Bank Index. Furthermore, the Standard & Poor's
Regional Bank Index is made up only of banks whereas the Trust portfolio also
contains several non-bank issuers. Past performance of the Standard & Poor's
indexes is, of course, no guarantee of future results. Units are not designed
to correlate with these, or any other indexes, nor are their prices expected
to correlate with these or any other indexes.
Investors should be aware that the Trust is not a "managed" fund and
as a result the adverse financial condition of a company will not result in
its elimination from the portfolio except under extraordinary circumstances
(see "Trust Administration--Portfolio Administration" ). In addition,
Equity Securities will not be sold by the Trust to take advantage of market
fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of appreciation. Investors should
note in particular that the Equity Securities were selected by the Managing
Underwriter prior to the Initial Date of Deposit. The Trust may continue to
purchase or hold Equity Securities originally selected through this process
even though the evaluation of the attractiveness of the Equity Securities may
have changed and, if the evaluation were performed again at that time, the
Equity Securities would not be selected for the Trust.
TRUST PORTFOLIO
The Trust consists of Equity Securities issued by financial institutions and
companies which provide banking-related services all headquartered in the
eastern half of the United States. All of the Equity Securities are listed on
a national securities exchange, the NASDAQ National Market System or traded in
the over-the-counter market. Each of the companies whose Equity Securities are
included in the portfolio were selected based upon those factors referred to
under "Objectives and Securities Selection" above. The following is a
general description of each of the companies included in the Trust.
Advanta Corporation is headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania and manages
$10.5 billion in credit card receivables that contributed 74% of revenue
through the first half of 1995. The company also operates a second mortgage
loan origination business and offers insurance products to customers
nationwide.
Banc One Corporation is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has $86.8 billion
in assets. The company reported return on assets and return on equity of 1.42%
and 16%, respectively, in the first half of 1995.
Bank South Corporation is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and has $7.4
billion in assets. Bank South has banking relationships with one of three
households in the Atlanta, Georgia market and has recently agreed to merge
with NationsBank Corporation of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Barnett Banks, Inc. is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida and has $41
billion in assets. Barnett has a strong retail banking orientation and is the
largest independent bank in Florida.
CCB Financial Corporation is a $4.8 billion bank holding company headquartered
in Durham, North Carolina. It is believed that its recent acquisition of
Security Capital of Salisbury, North Carolina demonstrates its ability to
generate shareholder value by acquiring banks in demographically desirable
markets.
Capital One Financial Corporation is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and
manages $8.9 billion in credit card receivables. Recently spun-off from Signet
Banking Corporation, Capital One focuses on balance transfer strategies as
well as employs an information based strategy to target customers with
financial products.
Charter One Financial, Inc. is a $6.3 billion thrift headquartered in
Cleveland, Ohio. It is presently engaged in a merger with FirstFed Michigan in
a transaction valued at $556 million.
Citizens Bancorp is a $3.8 billion bank holding company headquartered in
Laurel, Maryland near Washington, D.C. Citizens Bankcorp has grown its assets
three-fold since the beginning of this decade and has excellent name
recognition in its marketplace.
Comerica Inc. is a $35.5 billion bank holding company headquartered in
Detroit, Michigan. Comerica's operating efficiency ratio of 59.3% is one of
the lowest in the industry, making it an effective low cost producer. Its
second quarter 1995 return on assets and return on equity of 1.19% and 16.02%,
respectively, are above that of its peers and its asset quality remains strong.
Commerce Bancorp, Inc. is headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and has
$2.4 billion in assets. Commerce provides customers with flexible hours and is
a low-cost provider of basic banking services.
CoreStates Financial Corp is a $29 billion bank headquartered in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Over the past five quarters, the bank has maintained one of the
highest and least volatile net interest margins in the industry.
Crestar Financial Corporation is a $14.6 billion bank holding company
headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Crestar maintains the largest deposit
base of any independent Virginia bank, and has strong deposit market share in
the attractive markets surrounding the nation's capital.
First Bank System, Inc. is a $33.5 billion bank holding company headquartered
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It maintained superior profitability with a return
on assets of 1.68% and return on equity of 19.87% in the second quarter of
1995. Over the past several years, it has broadened its presence with
acquisitions in the Midwest.
First Chicago Corporation is a $75 billion bank headquartered in Chicago,
Illinois. Its credit card portfolio is the fourth largest bank-managed in the
nation in terms of outstandings. The company recently announced a merger
agreement with NBD Bancorp, Inc.
First Fidelity Bancorporation is a Newark, New Jersey based bank holding
company with $35 billion in assets. First Fidelity is the largest bank in New
Jersey and its recently announced pending affiliation with First Union
Corporation of Charlotte, North Carolina will give it a significant presence
along the eastern portion of the United States, with combined assets of
approximately $120 billion.
First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. is a $3 billion bank holding company headquartered
in Itasca, Illinois.
First Union Corporation is a Charlotte, North Carolina based bank holding
company with $83.1 billion in assets as of June 30, 1995. Its recently
announced pending affiliation with First Fidelity Bancorporation of Newark,
New Jersey will give it a significant presence along the eastern portion of
the United States, with combined assets of approximately $120 billion.
First USA, Inc. is located in Dallas, Texas and managed $13.3 billion in
credit card receivables as of June 30, 1995. The company provides credit cards
and credit card services to consumers, banks and merchants. Through its
subsidiary, First USA Bank, it issues Visa and MasterCard credit cards
providing affinity and reduced cost cards.
Integra Financial Corporation is a $14.8 billion bank holding company
headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Integra has entered into an
agreement to merge with National City Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mellon Bank Corporation is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has
total assets of $40 billion. Its high return on assets (1.75% in the second
quarter of 1995) reflected the company's strategy of providing a broad array
of investment services with a bank at the core.
Mercantile Bankshares Corporation is a $5.9 billion bank holding company
headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Mercantile has provided investors with
consistent earnings per share and dividend growth over the past five years.
NBD Bancorp, Inc. is a $47 billion bank holding company based in Detroit,
Michigan. It maintains strong profitability ratios with second-quarter 1995
return on assets and return on equity ratios of 1.18% and 16.12%,
respectively, and recently announced a merger with First Chicago Corporation.
National City Corporation is a Cleveland, Ohio based bank holding company with
$34.5 billion in assets. The bank has produced consistently higher earnings
per share results since 1991. National City reported a return on assets of
1.34% and a return on equity of 16.9% for the first six months of 1995 and
recently agreed to merge with Integra Financial Corporation of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
NationsBank Corporation is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and has
$184 billion in assets. The company has stated that its long term corporate
goals are return on assets over 1%, return on equity greater than 15%, and an
overhead ratio below 60%. The company recently announced an agreement to
acquire Bank South Corporation.
Northern Trust Corporation is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has
assets of $19.3 billion. It maintains a strong trust operation with fee income
comprising 66% of total revenues.
Norwest Corporation is a $66.6 billion bank holding company headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of June 30, 1995, Norwest reported superior
profitability results with a return on assets and return on equity of 1.47%
and 20.48%, respectively.
Old Kent Financial Corporation is a $11.9 billion bank holding company
headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Old Kent Financial currently has high
capital levels, strong reserves, and a leading market share in the Grand
Rapids area.
Signet Banking Corporation is a $10.6 billion bank holding company
headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The bank's growth strategy is focused on
consumer direct mail products and other alternative delivery venues.
Standard Federal Bancorporation is a $13 billion thrift headquartered in Troy,
Michigan. It has reported consistent earnings per share growth since 1990.
Much of this growth can be attributed to value enhancing, in-market
acquisitions of small thrifts and branches.
Summit Bancorporation is a $5.5 billion bank holding company headquartered in
Chatham, New Jersey. Its recently announced pending affiliation with UJB
Financial Corporation will form the second largest bank in New Jersey.
TCF Financial Corporation is a $7.4 billion thrift headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the second quarter of 1995, TCF Financial reported
a return on assets of 1.27% and a superior return on equity of 19.42%.
UJB Financial Corporation is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey and has
assets totalling $15.4 billion. UJB Financial recently announced a pending
affiliation with Summit Bancorporation of Chatham; the surviving entity will
be the second largest bank in New Jersey.
Wachovia Corporation is a $44.9 billion bank holding company headquartered in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Wachovia's current focus is upgrading its
technology base and orienting the organization toward a sales culture which
should provide benefits to shareholders over the longer term.
The preceeding descriptions were compiled from publicly available sources as
of the date hereof. Investors should note that a substantial number of the
issuers may be the subject of pending mergers or other transactions and,
consequently, upon completion of such transactions the Trust portfolio may
include securities issued in connection therewith. See "Trust
Administration--Portfolio Administration." Of course, neither the Sponsor
nor the Managing Underwriter can ensure that any pending transactions will be
completed.
General. The Trust consists of such of the Equity Securities listed under "
Portfolio" in Part One as may continue to be held from time to time in the
Trust and any additional Equity Securities acquired and held by the Trust
pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement together with cash held in
the Income and Capital Accounts. Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be
liable in any way for any failure in any of the Equity Securities. However,
should any contract for the purchase of any of the Equity Securities initially
deposited hereunder fail, the Sponsor will, unless substantially all of the
moneys held in the Trust to cover such purchase are reinvested in substitute
Equity Securities in accordance with the Trust Agreement, refund the cash and
sales charge attributable to such failed contract to all Unitholders on the
next distribution date.
Because certain of the Equity Securities from time to time may be sold under
certain circumstances described herein, and because the proceeds from such
events will be distributed to Unitholders and will not be reinvested, no
assurance can be given that the Trust will retain for any length of time its
present size and composition. Although the portfolio is not managed, the
Sponsor may instruct the Trustee to sell Equity Securities under certain
limited circumstances. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement and with limited
exceptions, the Trustee may sell any securities or other property acquired in
exchange for Equity Securities such as those acquired in connection with a
merger or other transaction. If offered such new or exchanged securities or
property, the Trustee shall reject the offer. However, in the event such
securities or property are nonetheless acquired by the Trust, they may be
accepted for deposit in the Trust and either sold by the Trustee or held in
the Trust pursuant to the direction of the Sponsor (who may rely on the advice
of the Supervisor). See "Trust Administration--Portfolio
Administration." Equity Securities, however, will not be sold by the Trust
to take advantage of market fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of
appreciation or depreciation.
Unitholders will be unable to dispose of any of the Equity Securities as such
and will not be able to vote the Equity Securities. As the holder of the
Equity Securities, the Trustee will have the right to vote all of the voting
stocks in the Trust and will vote such stocks in accordance with the
instructions of the Sponsor.
The Managing Underwriter may acquire the Equity Securities for the Sponsor.
The Managing Underwriter in its general securities business acts as agent or
principal in connection with the purchase and sale of equity securities,
including the Equity Securities in the Trust, and may act as a market maker in
certain of the Equity Securities. The Managing Underwriter may also, from time
to time, issue reports on and make recommendations relating to equity
securities, which may include the Equity Securities. From time to time the
Managing Underwriter may act as investment banker or an employee or affiliate
may be a director of a company whose shares are included among the Equity
Securities; nonpublic information concerning such a company would not be
disclosed to the Managing Underwriter or for the benefit of the Trust under
such circumstances.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in Units of the Trust should be made with an understanding of
the problems and risks inherent in the financial institutions industry in
general. Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are especially subject to
the adverse effects of economic recession, volatile interest rates, portfolio
concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real
estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business.
Banks and thrifts are highly dependent on net interest income. Recently, bank
net interest margins have contracted, but volume gains have been strong in
both commercial and consumer products and profits have benefited. There is no
certainty that these conditions will continue. Bank and thrift institutions
had received significant consumer mortgage fee income as a result of activity
in the mortgage and refinance markets. As initial home purchasing and
refinancing activity subsided, this income diminished. Economic conditions in
the real estate markets, which have been weak in the past, can have a
substantial effect upon banks and thrifts because they generally have a
portion of their assets invested in loans secured by real estate. Banks,
thrifts and their holding companies are subject to extensive federal
regulation and, when such institutions are state-chartered, to state
regulation as well. Such regulations impose strict capital requirements and
limitations on the nature and extent of business activities that banks and
thrifts may pursue. Furthermore, bank regulators have a wide range of
discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement authority and
may substantially restrict the permissible activities of a particular
institution if deemed to pose significant risks to the soundness of such
institution or the safety of the federal deposit insurance funds. Regulatory
actions, such as increases in the minimum capital requirements applicable to
banks and one-time assessments in deposit insurance premiums required to be
paid by companies to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"
), can negatively impact earnings and the ability of a company to pay
dividends. Neither federal insurance of deposits nor governmental regulations,
however, ensure the solvency or profitability of banks or their holding
companies or insure against any risk of investment in the securities issued by
such institutions.
The statutory requirements applicable to and regulatory supervision of banks,
thrifts and their holding companies have increased significantly and have
undergone substantial changes in recent years. To a great extent, these
changes are embodied in the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and
Enforcement Act, enacted in August 1989, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, the Resolution Trust Corporation
Refinancing, Restructuring, and Improvement Act of 1991 and the regulations
promulgated under these laws. Many of the regulations promulgated pursuant to
these laws have only recently been finalized and their impact on the business,
financial condition and prospects of the Equity Securities in the Trust's
portfolio cannot be predicted with certainty. Periodic efforts by recent
Administrations to introduce legislation broadening the ability of banks and
thrifts to compete with new products have not been successful, but if enacted
could lead to more failures as a result of increased competition and added
risks. Failure to enact such legislation, on the other hand, may lead to
declining earnings and an inability to compete with unregulated financial
institutions. Efforts to expand the ability of federal thrifts to branch on an
interstate basis have been initially successful through promulgation of
regulations, and legislation to liberalize interstate banking has recently
been signed into law. Under the legislation, banks will be able to purchase or
establish subsidiary banks in any state, one year after the legislation's
enactment. Starting in mid-1997, banks would be allowed to turn existing banks
into branches, though states could pass laws to permit interstate branch
banking before then. Consolidation is likely to continue in both cases. The
Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards
Board require the expanded use of market value accounting by banks and have
imposed rules requiring market accounting for investment securities held in
trading accounts or available for sale. Adoption of additional such rules may
result in increased volatility in the reported health of the industry and
mandated regulatory intervention to correct such problems. In late 1993 the
United States Treasury Department proposed a restructuring of the bank
regulatory agencies which, if implemented, may adversely affect certain of the
Equity Securities in the Trust's portfolio. Additional legislative and
regulatory changes may be forthcoming. For example, the bank regulatory
authorities have proposed substantial changes to the Community Reinvestment
Act and fair lending laws, rules and regulations, and there can be no
certainty as to the effect, if any, that such changes would have on the Equity
Securities in the Trust's portfolio. In addition, from time to time the
deposit insurance system is reviewed by Congress and federal regulators, and
proposed reforms of that system could, among other things, further restrict
the ways in which deposited moneys can be used by banks or reduce the dollar
amount or number of deposits insured for any depositor. Such reforms could
reduce profitability as investment opportunities available to bank
institutions become more limited and as consumers look for savings vehicles
other than bank deposits. Banks and thrifts face significant competition from
other financial institutions such as mutual funds, credit unions, mortgage
banking companies and insurance companies, and increased competition may
result from legislative broadening of regional and national interstate banking
powers as has been recently proposed. Among other benefits, proposed
legislation would allow banks and bank holding companies to acquire across
previously prohibited state lines and to consolidate their various bank
subsidiaries into one unit. The Sponsor makes no prediction as to what, if
any, manner of thrift regulatory reform might ultimately be adopted or what
ultimate effect such reform might have on the Trust's portfolio.
The Federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 generally prohibits a bank
holding company from (1) acquiring, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of
the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of a bank or bank
holding company, (2) acquiring control of a bank or another bank holding
company, (3) acquiring all or substantially all the assets of a bank, or (4)
merging or consolidating with another bank holding company, without first
obtaining Federal Reserve Board ("FRB" ) approval. In considering an
application with respect to any such transaction, the FRB is required to
consider a variety of factors, including the potential anti-competitive
effects of the transaction, the financial condition and future prospects of
the combining and resulting institutions, the managerial resources of the
resulting institution, the convenience and needs of the communities the
combined organization would serve, the record of performance of each combining
organization under the Community Reinvestment Act and the Equal Credit
Opportunity Act, and the prospective availability to the FRB of information
appropriate to determine ongoing regulatory compliance with applicable banking
laws. In addition, the federal Change In Bank Control Act and various state
laws impose limitations on the availability of one or more individuals or
other entities to acquire control of banks or bank holding companies.
The FRB has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank
holding companies. In the policy statement, the FRB expressed its view that a
bank holding company experiencing earnings weaknesses should not pay cash
dividends which exceed its net income or which could only be funded in ways
that would weaken its financial health, such as by borrowing. The FRB also may
impose limitations on the payment of dividends as a condition to its approval
of certain applications, including applications for approval of mergers and
acquisitions. The Sponsor makes no prediction as to the effect, if any, such
laws will have on the Equity Securities or whether such approvals, if
necessary, will be obtained.
The principal trading market for certain of the Equity Securities may be in
the over-the-counter market. As a result, the existence of a liquid trading
market for the Equity Securities may depend on whether dealers will make a
market in the Equity Securities. There can be no assurance that a market will
be made for any of the Equity Securities, that any market for the Equity
Securities will be maintained or of the liquidity of the Equity Securities in
any markets made. In addition, the Trust may be restricted under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 from selling Equity Securities to the Managing
Underwriter or the Sponsor. The price at which the Equity Securities may be
sold to meet redemptions, and the value of the Trust, will be adversely
affected if trading markets for the Equity Securities are limited or absent.
In the opinion of the Managing Underwriter, certain of the Equity Securities
included in the Trust which may have the highest potential for capital
appreciation also from time to time may experience limited purchase or sale
availability in the market place. In anticipation of this possibility, the
Managing Underwriter intends to make a market in said Equity Securities to
facilitate the creation of subsequent deposits for this Trust which may have
an impact on the price at which Units are valued during the initial offering
period. In addition, upon termination of the Trust, this potential limited
daily trading volume may result in negative market price consequences for the
Trust stemming from the liquidation of a significant amount of these Equity
Securities. The Sponsor will attempt to mitigate these consequences with a
longer liquidation period (not to exceed 30 days) for these Equity Securities
at the Trust's termination than might be required for the other Equity
Securities included in the Trust. However, these procedures may be
insufficient or unsuccessful in avoiding such negative price consequences.
An investment in Units should be made with an understanding of the risks which
an investment in common stocks entail, including the risk that the financial
condition of the issuers of the Equity Securities or the general condition of
the common stock market may worsen and the value of the Equity Securities and
therefore the value of the Units may decline. Common stocks are especially
susceptible to general stock market movements and to volatile increases and
decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers
change. The perceptions are based on unpredictable factors including
expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies,
inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or
regional political, economic or banking crises. Shareholders of common stocks
have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that
are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt
obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers. Shareholders of common
stocks of the type held by the Trust have a right to receive dividends only
when and if, and in the amounts, declared by the issuer's board of directors
and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by the
issuer only after all other claims on the issuer have been paid or provided
for. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and,
therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of
protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt
securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of
principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and
inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or
the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer
upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of common stocks is subject to
market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks remain outstanding, and
thus the value of the Equity Securities may be expected to fluctuate over the
life of the Trust to values higher or lower than those prevailing on the
Initial Date of Deposit.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and
debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity,
generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in
comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or
preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends
must be paid before common stock dividends and any cumulative preferred stock
dividend omitted is added to future dividends payable to the holders of
cumulative preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled
to rights of liquidation which are senior to those of common stockholders.
TAX STATUS
Federal Taxation. The following is a general discussion of certain of the
federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of
the Units. The summary is limited to investors who hold the Units as "
capital assets" (generally, property held for investment) within the
meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "
Code" ). Unitholders should consult their tax advisers in determining the
federal, state, local and any other tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership and disposition of Units in the Trust.
In the opinion of Chapman and Cutler, special counsel for the Sponsor, under
existing law:
1. The Trust is not an association taxable as a corporation for federal income
tax purposes; each Unitholder will be treated as the owner of a pro rata
portion of each of the assets of the Trust under the Code; and the income of
the Trust will be treated as income of the Unitholders thereof under the Code.
Each Unitholder will be considered to have received his pro rata share of
income derived from the Trust asset when such income is received by the Trust.
2. Each Unitholder will have a taxable event when the Trust disposes of an
Equity Security (whether by sale, exchange, liquidation, redemption, or
payment at maturity) or upon the sale or redemption of Units by such
Unitholder. The price a Unitholder pays for his Units, including sales
charges, is allocated among his pro rata portion of each Equity Security held
by the Trust (in proportion to the fair market values thereof on the date the
Unitholder purchase his Units) in order to determine his tax basis for his pro
rata portion of each Equity Security held by the Trust. For federal income tax
purposes, a Unitholder's pro rata portion of dividends as defined by Section
316 of the Code paid with respect to an Equity Security held by the Trust are
taxable as ordinary income to the extent of such corporation's current and
accumulated "earnings and profits" . A Unitholder's pro rata portion of
dividends paid on such Equity Security which exceed such current and
accumulated earnings and profits will first reduce a Unitholder's tax basis in
such Equity Security, and to the extent that such dividends exceed a
Unitholder's tax basis in such Equity Security shall generally be treated as
capital gain. In general, any such capital gain will be short-term unless a
Unitholder has held his Units for more than one year.
3. A Unitholder's portion of gain, if any, upon the sale or redemption of
Units or the disposition of Equity Securities held by the Trust will generally
be considered a capital gain except in the case of a dealer or a financial
institution and, in general, will be long-term if the Unitholder has held his
Units for more than one year (the date on which the Units are acquired (i.e.,
the "trade date" ) is excluded for purposes of determining whether the
Units have been held for more than one year). A Unitholder's portion of loss,
if any, upon the sale or redemption of Units or the disposition of Equity
Securities held by the Trust will generally be considered a capital loss
except in the case of a dealer or a financial institution and, in general,
will be long-term if the Unitholder has held his Units for more than one year.
Unitholders should consult their tax advisers regarding the recognition of
such capital gains and losses for federal income tax purposes.
Dividends Received Deduction. A corporation that owns Units will generally be
entitled to a 70% dividends received deduction with respect to such
Unitholder's pro rata portion of dividends received by the Trust (to the
extent such dividends are taxable as ordinary income, as discussed above) in
the same manner as if such corporation directly owned the Equity Securities
paying such dividends (other than corporate Unitholders, such as "S"
corporations, which are not eligible for the deduction because of their
special characteristics' and other than for purposes of special taxes such as
the accumulated earnings tax and the personal holding corporation tax).
However, a corporation owning Units should be aware that Sections 246 and 246A
of the Code impose additional limitations on the eligibility of dividends for
the 70% dividends received deduction. These limitations include a requirement
that stock (and therefore Units) must generally be held at least 46 days (as
determined under Section 246(c) of the Code). Proposed regulations have been
issued which address special rules that must be considered in determining
whether the 46 day holding requirement is met. Moreover, the allowable
percentage of the deduction will be reduced from 70% if a corporate Unitholder
owns certain stock (or Units) the financing of which is directly attributable
to indebtedness incurred by such corporation. It should be noted that various
legislative proposals that would affect the dividends received deduction have
been introduced. Unitholders should consult with their tax advisers with
respect to the limitations on and possible modifications to the dividends
received deduction.
Limitations on Deductibility of Trust Expenses by Unitholders. Each
Unitholder's pro rata share of each expense paid by the Trust is deductible by
the Unitholder to the same extent as though the expense had been paid directly
by him, subject to the following limitation. It should be noted that as a
result of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, certain miscellaneous itemized
deductions, such as investment expenses, tax return preparation fees and
employee business expenses will be deductible by an individual only to the
extent they exceed 2% of such individual's adjusted gross income. Unitholders
may be required to treat some or all of the expenses of the Trust as
miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to this limitation.
Recognition of Taxable Gain or Loss Upon Disposition of Equity Securities by
the Trust or Disposition of Units. As discussed above, a Unitholder may
recognize taxable gain (or loss) when an Equity Security is disposed of by the
Trust or if the Unitholder disposes of a Unit. For taxpayers other than
corporations, net capital gains are subject to a maximum marginal stated tax
rate of 28%. However, it should be noted that legislative proposals are
introduced from time to time that affect tax rates and could affect relative
differences at which ordinary income and capital gains are taxed.
The Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993 (the "Act" ) raised tax rates on
ordinary income while capital gains remain subject to a 28% maximum stated
rate for taxpayers other than corporations. Because some or all capital gains
are taxed at a comparatively lower rate under the Act, the Act includes a
provision that would recharacterize capital gains as ordinary income in the
case of certain financial transactions that are "conversion
transactions" effective for transactions entered into after April 30,
1993. Unitholders and prospective investors should consult with their tax
advisers regarding the potential effect of this provision on their investment
in Units. If a Unitholder disposes of a Unit he is deemed thereby to have
disposed of his entire pro rata interest in all assets of the Trust involved
including his pro rata portion of all the Equity Securities represented by the
Unit.
Special Tax Consequences of In Kind Distributions Upon Redemption of Units or
Termination of the Trust. As discussed in "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units" , under certain circumstances a
Unitholder tendering Units for redemption may request an In Kind Distribution.
A Unitholder may also under certain circumstances request an In Kind
Distribution upon the termination of the Trust. See "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units." As previously discussed, prior to the
redemption of Units or the termination of the Trust, a Unitholder is
considered as owning a pro rata portion of each of the Trust assets for
federal income tax purposes. The receipt of an In Kind Distribution will
result in a Unitholder receiving an undivided interest in whole shares of
stock plus, possibly, cash.
The potential tax consequences that may occur under an In Kind Distribution
will depend on whether or not a Unitholder receives cash in addition to Equity
Securities. An "Equity Security" for this purpose is a particular
class of stock issued by a particular corporation. A Unitholder will not
recognize gain or loss if a Unitholder only receives Equity Securities in
exchange for his or her pro rata portion in the Equity Securities held by the
Trust. However, if a Unitholder also receives cash in exchange for a
fractional share of an Equity Security held by the Trust, such Unitholder will
generally recognize gain or loss based upon the difference between the amount
of cash received by the Unitholder and his tax basis in such fractional share
of an Equity Securities held by the Trust.
Because the Trust will own many Equity Securities, a Unitholder who requests
an In Kind Distribution will have to analyze the tax consequences with respect
to each Equity Security owned by the Trust. The amount of taxable gain (or
loss) recognized upon such exchange will generally equal the sum of the gain
(or loss) recognized under the rules described above by such Unitholder with
respect to each Equity Security owned by the Trust. Unitholders who request an
In Kind Distribution are advised to consult their tax advisers in this regard.
Computation of the Unitholder's Tax Basis. Initially, a Unitholder's tax basis
in his Units will generally equal the price paid by such Unitholder for his
Units. The cost of the Units is allocated among the Equity Securities held in
the Trust in accordance with the proportion of the fair market values of such
Equity Securities on the date the Units are purchased in order to determine
such Unitholder's tax basis for his pro rata portion of each Equity Security.
A Unitholder's tax basis in his Units and his pro rata portion of an Equity
Security held by the Trust will be reduced to the extent dividends paid with
respect to such Equity Security are received by the Trust which are not
taxable as ordinary income as described above.
General. Each Unitholder will be requested to provide the Unitholder's
taxpayer identification number to the Trustee and to certify that the
Unitholder has not been notified that payments to the Unitholder are subject
to back-up withholding. If the proper taxpayer identification number and
appropriate certification are not provided when requested, distributions by
the Trust to such Unitholder (including amounts received upon the redemption
of Units) will be subject to back-up withholding. Distributions by the Trust
will generally be subject to United States income taxation and withholding in
the case of Units held by non-resident alien individuals, foreign corporations
or other non-United States persons. Such persons should consult their tax
advisers. On December 7, 1995, the U.S. Treasury Department released proposed
legislation that, if adopted, could affect the United States federal income
taxation of such non-United States Unitholders and the portion of the Trust's
income allocable to non-United States Unitholders.
Unitholders will be notified annually of the amount of income dividends
includable in the Unitholder's gross income and amounts of Trust expenses
which may be claimed as itemized deductions.
Unitholders desiring to purchase Units for tax-deferred plans and IRAs should
consult their broker-dealers for details on establishing such accounts. Units
may also be purchased by persons who already have self-directed plans
established.
The foregoing discussion relates only to the tax treatment of United States
Unitholders with regard to United States federal income taxes; Unitholders may
be subject to state and local taxation in other jurisdictions. Unitholders
should consult their tax advisers regarding potential state or local taxation
with respect to the Units.
In the opinion of special counsel to the Trust for New York tax matters, the
Trust is not an association taxable as a corporation and the income of the
Trust will be treated as the income of the Unitholders under the existing
income tax laws of the State and City of New York.
TRUST OPERATING EXPENSES
Compensation of Sponsor, Evaluator and Managing Underwriter. The Sponsor will
not receive any fees in connection with its activities relating to the Trust.
The Evaluator shall receive that evaluation fee, payable in any month
incurred, set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial Information"
in Part One (which is based on the number of Units outstanding on January 1 of
each year for which such compensation relates except during the initial
offering period in which event the calculation is based on the number of Units
outstanding at the end of the month of such calculation) for regularly
evaluating the Trust portfolio. Such fee may exceed the actual cost of
providing such evaluation services for this Trust, but at no time will the
total amount paid to the Evaluator for providing evaluation services to unit
investment trusts of which Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. acts
as Sponsor in any calendar year exceed the aggregate cost to the Evaluator of
supplying such services in such year. The Managing Underwriter will receive an
annual supervisory fee, payable in monthly installments, which is not to
exceed the amount set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One (which is based on the number of Units
outstanding on January 1 of each year for which such compensation relates
except during the initial offering period in which event the calculation is
based on the number of the Units outstanding at the end of the month of such
calculation) for providing portfolio supervisory services for the Trust. Such
fee may exceed the actual cost of providing such supervision services for this
Trust, but at no time will the total amount paid to the Managing Underwriter
for providing portfolio supervision services to unit investment trusts for
which Wheat First Butcher Singer is the principal underwriter in any calendar
year exceed the aggregate cost to the Supervisor of supplying such services in
such year. Both of the foregoing fees may be increased without approval of the
Unitholders by amounts not exceeding proportionate increases under the
category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer Price
Index published by the United States Department of Labor or, if such category
is no longer published, in a comparable category. The Sponsor and the Managing
Underwriter will receive sales commissions and may realize other profits (or
losses) in connection with the sale of Units and the deposit of the Equity
Securities as described under "Public Offering--Sponsor and Managing
Underwriter Compensation."
Trustee's Fee. For its services the Trustee will receive an annual fee from
the Trust as set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One (which amount is based on the number of Units
outstanding on January 1 of each year for which such compensation relates
except during the initial offering period in which event the calculation is
based on the number of Units outstanding at the end of the month of such
calculation). The Trustee's fees are payable in monthly installments on or
before the twenty-fifth day of each month from the Income Account to the
extent funds are available and then from the Capital Account. The Trustee
benefits to the extent there are funds for future distributions, payment of
expenses and redemptions in the Capital and Income Accounts since these
accounts are non-interest bearing and the amounts earned by the Trustee are
retained by the Trustee. Part of the Trustee's compensation for its services
to the Trust is expected to result from the use of these funds. Such fees may
be increased without approval of the Unitholders by amounts not exceeding
proportionate increases under the category "All Services Less Rent of
Shelter" in the Consumer Price Index published by the United States
Department of Labor or, if such category is no longer published, in a
comparable category. For a discussion of the services rendered by the Trustee
pursuant to its obligations under the Trust Agreement, see "Rights of
Unitholders--Reports Provided" and "Trust Administration."
Miscellaneous Expenses. Expenses incurred in establishing the Trust, including
the cost of the initial preparation of documents relating to the Trust
(including the Prospectus, Trust Agreement and certificates), federal and
state registration fees, the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee, legal
and accounting expenses, payment of closing fees and any other out-of-pocket
expenses, will be paid by the Trust and amortized over the life of the Trust.
The following additional charges are or may be incurred by the Trust: (a)
normal expenses (including the cost of mailing reports to Unitholders)
incurred in connection with the operation of the Trust, (b) fees of the
Trustee for extraordinary services, (c) expenses of the Trustee (including
legal and auditing expenses) and of counsel designated by the Sponsor, (d)
various governmental charges, (e) expenses and costs of any action taken by
the Trustee to protect the Trust and the rights and interests of Unitholders,
(f) indemnification of the Trustee for any loss, liability or expenses
incurred in the administration of the Trust without gross negligence, bad
faith or wilful misconduct on its part and (g) expenditures incurred in
contacting Unitholders upon termination of the Trust.
The fees and expenses set forth herein are payable out of the Trust. When such
fees and expenses are paid by or owing to the Trustee, they are secured by a
lien on the Trust's portfolio. Since the Equity Securities are all common
stocks, and the income stream produced by dividend payments is unpredictable,
the Sponsor cannot provide any assurance that dividends will be sufficient to
meet any or all expenses of the Trust. If the balances in the Income and
Capital Accounts are insufficient to provide for amounts payable by the Trust,
the Trustee has the power to sell Equity Securities to pay such amounts. These
sales may result in capital gains or losses to Unitholders. See "Tax
Status."
PUBLIC OFFERING
General. Units are offered at the Public Offering Price. The secondary market
Public Offering Price is based on the aggregate underlying value of the
Securities in the Trust, an applicable sales charge (which will be reduced
annually by .5 of 1% to a minimum sales charge of 3.9%), and cash, if any, in
the Income and Capital Accounts held or owned by the Trust.
Offering Price. The Public Offering Price of the Units will vary from the
amounts stated under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" in
Part One in accordance with fluctuations in the prices of the underlying
Equity Securities in the Trust.
As indicated above, the price of the Units was established by adding to the
determination of the aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities an
amount initially equal to 5.152% of such value and dividing the sum so
obtained by the number of Units in the Trust outstanding. The Public Offering
Price shall include the proportionate share of any cash held in the Income and
Capital Accounts. This computation produced a gross underwriting profit
initially equal to 4.9% of the Public Offering Price. Such price determination
as of the close of business on the day before the Initial Date of Deposit was
made on the basis of an evaluation of the Equity Securities in the Trust
prepared by Interactive Data Corporation, a firm regularly engaged in the
business of evaluating, quoting or appraising comparable securities.
Thereafter, the Evaluator on each business day will appraise or cause to be
appraised the value of the underlying Equity Securities as of the Evaluation
Time on days the New York Stock Exchange is open and will adjust the Public
Offering Price of the Units commensurate with such valuation. Such Public
Offering Price will be effective for all orders received prior to the
Evaluation Time on each such day. Orders received by the Trustee or Managing
Underwriter for purchases, sales or redemptions after that time, or on a day
when the New York Stock Exchange is closed, will be held until the next
determination of price. Effective on each September 19, commencing September
19, 1996 such sales charge will be reduced by .5 of 1% to a minimum sales
charge of 3.9%.
The value of the Equity Securities during the secondary market is determined
on each business day by the Evaluator as described under "Rights of
Unitholder-- Redemption of Units."
In offering the Units to the public, neither the Sponsor, the Managing
Underwriter nor any broker-dealers are recommending any of the individual
Equity Securities in the Trust but rather the entire pool of Equity
Securities, taken as a whole, which are represented by the Units.
Unit Distribution. Units will be distributed to the public by the Managing
Underwriter at the Public Offering Price. Upon the completion of the initial
offering period, Units repurchased in the secondary market, if any, may be
offered by this Prospectus at the secondary market Public Offering Price in
the manner described above.
The Sponsor intends to qualify the Units for sale in a number of states.
Registered representatives of the Managing Underwriter, for secondary market
transactions, will receive a concession amounting to 70% of the applicable
sales charge.
To facilitate the handling of transactions, sales of Units shall normally be
limited to transactions involving a minimum of 150 Units. The Managing
Underwriter reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any order for
the purchase of Units and to change the amount of the concession to registered
representatives from time to time.
Sponsor and Managing Underwriter Compensation. The Managing Underwriter will
receive a gross sales commission initially equal to 4.9% of the Public
Offering Price of the Units.
In addition, the Managing Underwriter realized a profit or sustained a loss,
as the case may be, as a result of the difference between the price paid for
the Equity Securities by the Managing Underwriter and the cost of such Equity
Securities to the Trust on the Initial Date of Deposit as well as on
subsequent deposits. The Sponsor has not participated as sole underwriter or
as manager or as a member of the underwriting syndicates or as an agent in a
private placement for any of the Equity Securities in the Trust portfolio. The
Sponsor and the Managing Underwriter may further realize additional profit or
loss during the initial offering period as a result of the possible
fluctuations in the market value of the Equity Securities in the Trust after a
date of deposit, since all proceeds received from the sale of Units (excluding
dealer concessions and agency commissions allowed, if any) will be retained by
the Sponsor or Managing Underwriter.
A person will become the owner of the Units on the date of settlement provided
payment has been received. Cash, if any, made available to the Sponsor or
Managing Underwriter prior to the date of settlement for the purchase of Units
may be used in the Sponsor's or Managing Underwriter's business and may be
deemed to be a benefit to the Sponsor or Managing Underwriter, subject to the
limitations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
As stated under "Public Market" below, the Managing Underwriter
intends to maintain a secondary market for Units of the Trust for the period
indicated. In so maintaining a market, the Managing Underwriter or the Sponsor
will also realize profits or sustain losses in the amount of any difference
between the price at which Units are purchased and the price at which Units
are resold (which price includes the applicable sales charge). In addition,
the Managing Underwriter or the Sponsor will also realize profits or sustain
losses resulting from a redemption of such repurchased Units at a price above
or below the purchase price for such Units, respectively.
Public Market. Although it is not obligated to do so, the Managing Underwriter
intends to maintain a secondary market for the Units offered hereby and offer
continuously to purchase Units at prices subject to change at any time, based
upon the aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities in the Trust
(computed as indicated under "Offering Price" above and "Rights of
Unitholders--Redemption of Units" ). If the supply of Units exceeds demand
or if some other business reason warrants it, the Managing Underwriter may
either discontinue all purchases of Units or discontinue purchases of Units at
such prices. In the event that a market is not maintained for the Units and
the Unitholder cannot find another purchaser, a Unitholder desiring to dispose
of his Units will be able to dispose of such Units by tendering them to the
Trustee for redemption at the Redemption Price. It is the current intention of
the Managing Underwriter not to maintain a secondary market after October 31,
1998. A Unitholder who wishes to dispose of his Units should inquire of his
broker as to current market prices in order to determine whether there is in
existence any price in excess of the Redemption Price and, if so, the amount
thereof.
Tax-Sheltered Retirement Plans. Units of the Trust are available for purchase
in connection with certain types of tax-sheltered retirement plans, including
Individual Retirement Accounts for the individuals, Simplified Employee
Pension Plans for employees, qualified plans for self-employed individuals,
and qualified corporate pension and profit sharing plans for employees. The
purchase of Units of the Trust may be limited by the plans' provisions and
does not itself establish such plans.
RIGHTS OF UNITHOLDERS
General. The Trustee is authorized to treat as the record owner of Units that
person who is registered as such owner on the books of the Trustee. Ownership
of Units of the Trust will be evidenced by book entry unless a Unitholder
makes a written request to the Managing Underwriter that ownership be
evidenced by certificates. Units are transferable by making a written request
to the Trustee and, in the case of Units evidenced by a certificate, by
presentation and surrender of such certificate to the Trustee properly
endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer. A
Unitholder must sign such written request, and such certificate or transfer
instrument, exactly as his name appears on the records of the Trustee and on
the face of any certificate representing the Units to be transferred with the
signature guaranteed by a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP" ) or such other signature guarantee program
in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP as may be accepted by the
Trustee. In certain instances the Trustee may require additional documents
such as, but not limited to, trust instruments, certificates of death,
appointments as executor or administrator or certificates of corporate
authority. Certificates will be issued in denominations of one Unit or any
whole multiple thereof.
Although no such charge is now made or contemplated, the Trustee may require a
Unitholder to pay a reasonable fee for each certificate reissued or
transferred and to pay any governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with each such transfer of interchange. Destroyed, stolen,
mutilated or lost certificates will be replaced upon delivery to the Trustee
of satisfactory indemnity, evidence of ownership and payment of expenses
incurred. Mutilated certificates must be surrendered to the Trustee for
replacement.
Distributions of Income and Capital. Any dividends received by the Trust with
respect to the Equity Securities therein are credited by the Trustee to the
Income Account. Other receipts (e.g., capital gains, proceeds from the sale of
Equity Securities, etc.) are credited to the Capital Account.
The Trustee will distribute any net income with respect to any of the Equity
Securities in the Trust on or about the Income Distribution Dates to
Unitholders of record on the preceding Income Record Dates. See "Summary
of Essential Financial Information" in Part One. Proceeds received on the
sale of any Equity Securities in the Trust, to the extent not used to meet
redemptions of Units or pay expenses, will (except as hereinafter provided) be
distributed annually on the Capital Account Distribution Date to Unitholders
of record on the preceding Capital Account Record Date. Proceeds received from
the disposition of any of the Equity Securities after a record date and prior
to the following distribution date will be held in the Capital Account of the
Trust and not distributed until the next distribution date applicable to such
Capital Account. Proceeds received on the sale of any Equity Securities in the
Trust, to the extent not used to meet redemptions of Units or pay expenses,
will, however, be distributed on the twenty-fifth day of each month to holders
of record on the tenth day of such month if the amount available for
distribution equals at least $0.01 per Unit. The Trustee is not required to
pay interest on funds held in the Capital or Income Accounts (but may itself
earn interest thereon and therefore benefits from the use of such funds).
The distribution to Unitholders as of each record date will be made on the
following distribution date or shortly thereafter and shall consist of each
Unitholder's pro rata share of the cash in the Income Account after deducting
estimated expenses. Because dividends are not received by the Trust at a
constant rate throughout the year, such distributions to Unitholders are
expected to fluctuate from distribution to distribution. Persons who purchase
Units will commence receiving distributions only after such person becomes a
record owner. Notification to the Trustee of the transfer of Units is the
responsibility of the purchaser, but in the normal course of business such
notice is provided by the selling broker-dealer.
On or before the twenty-fifth day of each month, the Trustee will deduct from
the Income Account and, to the extent funds are not sufficient therein, from
the Capital Account, amounts necessary to pay the expenses of the Trust (as
determined on the basis set forth under "Trust Operating Expenses" ).
The Trustee also may withdraw from said accounts such amounts, if any, as it
deems necessary to establish a reserve for any governmental charges payable
out of the Trust. Amounts so withdrawn shall not be considered a part of the
Trust's assets until such time as the Trustee shall return all or any part of
such amounts to the accounts. In addition, the Trustee may withdraw from the
Income and Capital Accounts such amounts as may be necessary to cover
redemptions of Units.
Reports Provided. The Trustee shall furnish Unitholders in connection with
each distribution a statement of the amount of income and the amount of other
receipts (received since the preceding distribution), if any, being
distributed, expressed in each case as a dollar amount representing the pro
rata share of each Unit outstanding. Within a reasonable period of time after
the end of each calendar year, the Trustee shall furnish to each person who at
any time during the calendar year was a registered Unitholder of the Trust a
statement (i) as to the Income Account: income received, deductions for
applicable taxes and for fees and expenses of the Trust, for redemptions of
Units, if any, and the balance remaining after such distributions and
deductions, expressed in each case both as a total dollar amount and as a
dollar amount representing the pro rata share of each Unit outstanding on the
last business day of such calendar year; (ii) as to the Capital Account: the
dates of disposition of any Equity Securities and the net proceeds received
therefrom, deductions for payment of applicable taxes, fees and expenses of
the Trust held for distribution to Unitholders of record as of a date prior to
the determination and the balance remaining after such distributions and
deductions expressed both as a total dollar amount and as a dollar amount
representing the pro rata share of each Unit outstanding on the last business
day of such calendar year; (iii) a list of the Equity Securities held by the
Trust and the number of Units outstanding on the last business day of such
calendar year; (iv) the Redemption Price per Unit based upon the last
computation thereof made during such calendar year; and (v) amounts actually
distributed during such calendar year from the Income and Capital Accounts,
separately stated, expressed as total dollar amounts.
In order to comply with federal and state tax reporting requirements,
Unitholders will be furnished, upon request to the Trustee, evaluations of the
Securities in the Trust furnished to it by the Evaluator.
Redemption of Units. A Unitholder may redeem all or a portion of his or her
Units by tender to the Trustee at its corporate trust office at 101 Barclay
Street, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10286 of a request for redemption duly
endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer with signature
guaranteed as described above and by payment of applicable governmental
charges, if any. No redemption fee will be charged. On the third business day
following such tender the Unitholder will be entitled to receive in cash
(unless the redeeming Unitholder elects an "In Kind Distribution" as
described below) an amount for each Unit equal to the Redemption Price per
Unit next computed after receipt by the Trustee of such tender of Units as of
the Evaluation Time set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information." The "date of tender" is deemed to be the date on
which Units are received by the Trustee, except that with respect to Units
received after the applicable Evaluation Time the date of tender is the next
day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and such Units
will be deemed to have been tendered to the Trustee on such day for redemption
at the redemption price computed on that day.
The Trustee is empowered to sell Equity Securities of the Trust in order to
make funds available for redemption if funds are not otherwise available in
the Capital and Income Accounts to meet redemptions. The Equity Securities to
be sold will be selected by the Trustee from those designated on a current
list provided by the Supervisor for this purpose. Units so redeemed shall be
cancelled.
Unitholders in the Trust tendering 2,500 or more Units for redemption may
request from the Trustee in lieu of a cash redemption a distribution in kind
("In Kind Distribution" ) of an amount and value of Equity Securities
per Unit equal to the Redemption Price per Unit as determined as of the next
evaluation following the tender. An In Kind Distribution on redemption of
Units will be made by the Trustee through the distribution of each of the
Equity Securities in book-entry form to the account of the Unitholder's
broker-dealer at Depository Trust Company. The tendering Unitholder will
receive his pro rata number of whole shares of each of the Equity Securities
comprising the Trust portfolio and cash from the Capital Account equal to the
fractional shares to which the tendering Unitholder is entitled. The Trustee
may adjust the number of shares of any issue of Equity Securities included in
a Unitholder's In Kind Distribution to facilitate the distribution of whole
shares, such adjustment to be made on the basis of the value of the Equity
Securities on the date of tender. If funds in the Capital Account are
insufficient to cover the required cash distribution to the tendering
Unitholder, the Trustee may sell Equity Securities according to the criteria
discussed above.
To the extent that Equity Securities are redeemed in kind or sold, the size of
the Trust will be, and the diversity of the Trust may be, reduced. Sales may
be required at a time when the Equity Securities would not otherwise be sold
and may result in lower prices than might otherwise be realized. The price
received upon redemption may be more or less than the amount paid by the
Unitholder depending on the value of the Equity Securities in the portfolio at
the time of redemption. Special federal income tax consequences will result if
a Unitholder requests an In Kind Distribution. See "Tax Status."
The Redemption Price per Unit (as well as the secondary market Public Offering
Price) will be determined on the basis of the aggregate underlying value of
the Equity Securities in the Trust, plus or minus cash, if any, in the Income
and Capital Accounts of the Trust. On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Public
Offering Price per Unit (which includes the sales charge) exceeded the values
at which Units could have been redeemed by the amounts shown under "
Summary of Essential Financial Information." The Redemption Price per Unit
is the pro rata share of each Unit in the Trust determined on the basis of (i)
the cash on hand, (ii) the value of the Equity Securities and (iii) dividends
receivable on the Equity Securities trading ex-dividend as of the date of
computation, less (a) amounts representing taxes or other governmental charges
payable out of the Trust and (b) the accrued expenses of the Trust. The
Evaluator may determine the value of the Equity Securities in the Trust in the
following manner: if the Equity Securities are listed on a national securities
exchange, this evaluation is generally based on the closing sale prices on
that exchange (unless it is determined that these prices are inappropriate as
a basis for valuation) or, if there is no closing sale price on that exchange,
at the closing bid prices. If the Equity Securities of the Trust are not so
listed or, if so listed and the principal market therefore is other than on
the exchange, the evaluation shall generally be based on the current bid price
on the over-the-counter market (unless these prices are inappropriate as a
basis for evaluation). If current bid prices are unavailable or inappropriate
as a basis for valuation, the evaluations generally determined (a) on the
basis of current bid prices for comparable securities, (b) by appraising the
value of the Equity Securities on the bid side of the market or (c) by any
combination of the above.
The right of redemption may be suspended and payment postponed for any period
during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than for customary
weekend and holiday closings, or any period during which the Securities and
Exchange Commission determines that trading on that Exchange is restricted or
an emergency exists, as a result of which disposal or evaluation of the
Securities in the Trust is not reasonably practicable, or for such other
periods as the Securities and Exchange Commission may by order permit.
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
Managing Underwriter Purchases of Units. The Trustee shall notify the Managing
Underwriter of any Units tendered for redemption. If the Managing
Underwriter's bid in the secondary market at that time equals or exceeds the
Redemption Price per Unit, it may purchase such Units by notifying the Trustee
before the close of business on the next succeeding business day and by making
payment therefor to the Unitholder not later than the day on which the Units
would otherwise have been redeemed by the Trustee. Units held by the Managing
Underwriter may be tendered to the Trustee for redemption as any other Units.
The offering price of any Units acquired by the Managing Underwriter will be
in accord with the Public Offering Price described in the then currently
effective prospectus describing such Units. Any profit resulting from the
resale of such Units will belong to the Managing Underwriter which likewise
will bear any loss resulting from a lower offering or redemption price
subsequent to its acquisition of such Units.
Portfolio Administration. The portfolio of the Trust is not "managed"
by the Sponsor, Supervisor or the Trustee; their activities described herein
are governed solely by the provisions of the Trust Agreement. Traditional
methods of investment management for a managed fund typically involve frequent
changes in a portfolio of securities on the basis of economic, financial and
market analyses. While the Trust will not be managed, the Trust Agreement does
provide that the Sponsor may (but need not) direct the Trustee to dispose of
an Equity Security in certain events such as the issuer having defaulted on
the payment on any of its outstanding obligations or the price of an Equity
Security has declined to such an extent or other such credit factors exist so
that in the opinion of the Sponsor the retention of such Equity Securities
would be detrimental to the Trust. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement and with
limited exceptions, the Trustee may sell any securities or other properties
acquired in exchange for Equity Securities such as those acquired in
connection with a merger or other transaction. If offered such new or
exchanged securities or property, the Trustee shall reject the offer. However,
in the event such securities or property are nonetheless acquired by the
Trust, they may be accepted for deposit in the Trust and either sold by the
Trustee or held in such Trust pursuant to the direction of the Sponsor (who
may rely on the advice of the Supervisor). Proceeds from the sale of Equity
Securities (or any securities or other property received by the Trust in
exchange for Equity Securities) are credited to the Capital Account for
distribution to Unitholders or to meet redemptions. Except as stated under
"Trust Portfolio--General" for failed securities and as provided in
this paragraph, the acquisition by the Trust of any securities other than the
Equity Securities is prohibited.
As indicated under "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units" above,
the Trustee may also sell Equity Securities designated by the Supervisor, or
if no such designation has been made, in its own discretion, for the purpose
of redeeming Units of the Trust tendered for redemption and the payment of
expenses.
The Supervisor, in designating Equity Securities to be sold by the Trustee,
will generally make selections in order to maintain, to the extent
practicable, the proportionate relationship among the individual issues of
Equity Securities in the Trust. To the extent this is not practicable, the
composition and diversity of the Equity Securities in such Trust may be
altered. In order to obtain the best price for the Trust, it may be necessary
for the Supervisor to specify minimum amounts (generally 100 shares) in which
blocks of Equity Securities are to be sold.
Amendment or Termination. The Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustee
and the Sponsor without the consent of any of the Unitholders (1) to cure any
ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision thereof which may be
defective or inconsistent, or (2) to make such other provisions as shall not
adversely affect the Unitholders (as determined in good faith by the Sponsor
and the Trustee), provided, however, that the Trust Agreement may not be
amended to increase the number of Units (except as provided in the Trust
Agreement). The Trust Agreement may also be amended in any respect by the
Trustee and Sponsor, or any of the provisions thereof may be waived, with the
consent of the holders representing 51% of the Units of the Trust then
outstanding, provided that no such amendment or waiver will reduce the
interest in the Trust of any Unitholder without the consent of such Unitholder
or reduce the percentage of Units required to consent to any such amendment or
waiver without the consent of all Unitholders. The Trustee shall advise the
Unitholders of any amendment promptly after execution thereof.
The Trust may be liquidated at any time by consent of Unitholders representing
66 2/3% of the Units of the Trust then outstanding or by the Trustee when the
value of the Equity Securities owned by the Trust, as shown by any evaluation,
is less than that amount set forth under Minimum Termination Value in the "
Summary of Essential Financial Information" in Part One. The Trust will be
liquidated by the Trustee in the event that a sufficient number of Units not
yet sold are tendered for redemption by the Managing Underwriter or the
Sponsor, so that the net worth of the Trust would be reduced to less than 40%
of the value of the Equity Securities at the time they were deposited in the
Trust. If the Trust is liquidated because of the redemption of unsold Units by
the Sponsor and/or the Managing Underwriter, the Sponsor will refund to each
purchaser of Units the entire sales charge paid by such purchaser. The Trust
Agreement will terminate upon the sale or other disposition of the last Equity
Security held thereunder, but in no event will it continue beyond the
Mandatory Termination Date stated under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One.
Commencing on the Mandatory Termination Date, Equity Securities will begin to
be sold in connection with the termination of the Trust. The Sponsor will
determine the manner, timing and execution of the sales of the Equity
Securities. At least 60 days before the Mandatory Termination Date the Trustee
will provide written notice of any termination to all Unitholders of the Trust
and will include with such notice a form to enable Unitholders owning 2,500 or
more Units to request an In Kind Distribution rather than payment in cash upon
the termination of the Trust. To be effective, this request must be returned
to the Trustee at least ten business days prior to the Mandatory Termination
Date. On the Mandatory Termination Date (or on the next business day
thereafter if a holiday) the Trustee will deliver each requesting Unitholder's
pro rata number of whole shares of each of the Equity Securities in the Trust
to the account of the broker-dealer or bank designated by the Unitholder at
Depository Trust Company. The value of the Unitholder's fractional shares of
the Equity Securities will be paid in cash. Unitholders with less than 2,500
Units and Unitholders not requesting an In Kind Distribution will receive a
cash distribution from the sale of the remaining Equity Securities within a
reasonable time following the Mandatory Termination Date. Regardless of the
distribution involved, the Trustee will deduct from the funds of the Trust any
accrued costs, expenses, advances or indemnities provided by the Trust
Agreement, including estimated compensation of the Trustee, costs of
liquidation and any amounts required as a reserve to provide for payment of
any applicable taxes or other governmental charges. Any sale of Equity
Securities in the Trust upon termination may result in a lower amount than
might otherwise be realized if such sale were not required at such time. The
Trustee will then distribute to each Unitholder of the Trust his pro rata
share of the balance of the Income and Capital Accounts.
The Sponsor will attempt to sell Securities as quickly as possible commencing
on the Mandatory Termination Date without in the judgment of the Sponsor
materially adversely affecting the market price of the Securities. The Sponsor
does not anticipate that the period will be longer than one month, and it
could be as short as one day, depending on the liquidity of the Securities
being sold. The liquidity of any Security depends on the daily trading volume
of the Security and the amount that the Sponsor has available on any
particular day.
It is expected (but not required) that the Sponsor will generally follow the
following guidelines in selling the Securities; for highly liquid Securities,
the Securities will generally be sold on the Mandatory Termination Date; for
less liquid Securities, on each of the first two days subsequent to the
Mandatory Termination Date, the amount of any underlying Securities will
generally be sold at a price no less than 1/2 of one point under the closing
sale price of those Securities on the preceding day. Thereafter, the Sponsor
intends to sell without any price restrictions at least a portion of the
remaining underlying Securities, the numerator of which is one and the
denominator of which is the total number of days remaining (including that
day) in the one month period following the Mandatory Termination Date.
Within 60 days of the final distribution Unitholders will be furnished a final
distribution statement of the amount distributable. At such time as the
Trustee in its sole discretion will determine that any amounts held in reserve
are no longer necessary, it will make distribution thereof to Unitholders in
the same manner.
Limitations on Liabilities. The Sponsor, the Evaluator, the Supervisor and the
Trustee shall be under no liability to Unitholders for taking any action or
for refraining from taking any action in good faith pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, or for errors in judgment, but shall be liable only for their own
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their
duties or by reason of their reckless disregard of their obligations and
duties hereunder.
The Trustee shall not be liable for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of
the sale by the Trustee of any of the Equity Securities. In the event of the
failure of the Sponsor to act under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee may act
thereunder and shall not be liable for any action taken by it in good faith
under the Trust Agreement. The Trustee shall not be liable for any taxes or
other governmental charges imposed upon or in respect of the Equity Securities
or upon the interest thereon or upon it as Trustee under the Trust Agreement
or upon or in respect of the Trust which the Trustee may be required to pay
under any present or future law of the United States of America or of any
other taxing authority having jurisdiction. In addition, the Trust Agreement
contains other customary provisions limiting the liability of the Trustee.
The Trustee, Sponsor, Supervisor and Unitholders may rely on any evaluation
furnished by the Evaluator and shall have no responsibility for the accuracy
thereof. Determinations by the Evaluator under the Trust Agreement shall be
made in good faith upon the basis of the best information available to it,
provided, however, that the Evaluator shall be under no liability to the
Trustee, Sponsor, Supervisor or Unitholders for errors in judgment. This
provision shall not protect the Evaluator in any case of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties.
Managing Underwriter. Founded in 1934, Wheat First Butcher Singer provides
full-service brokerage, investment banking and asset-management services. The
firm is 100 percent owned by its employees and has over 100 offices with 2,400
associates in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Today, Wheat First has
more than $22 billion in client assets--making it one of the leading
securities brokerage and investment banking firms in the United States.
Sponsor. Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, is the Sponsor of the Trust. Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc. is primarily owned by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc., a New
York-based private investment firm. Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc. management owns a significant minority equity position. Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc. specializes in the underwriting and
distribution of unit investment trusts and mutual funds. The Sponsor is a
member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and has offices
at One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, (708) 684-6000 and
2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas, 77056, (713) 993-0500. It maintains a
branch office in Philadelphia and has regional representatives in Atlanta,
Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa. As of
December 31, 1995 the total stockholders' equity of Van Kampen American
Capital Distributors, Inc. was $123,165,000 (unaudited). (This paragraph
relates only to the Sponsor and not to the Trust or to the Managing
Underwriter. The information is included herein only for the purpose of
informing investors as to the financial responsibility of the Sponsor and its
ability to carry out its contractual obligations. More detailed financial
information will be made available by the Sponsor upon request.)
If the Sponsor shall fail to perform any of its duties under the Trust
Agreement or become incapable of acting or shall become bankrupt or its
affairs are taken over by public authorities, then the Trustee may (i) appoint
a successor Sponsor at rates of compensation deemed by the Trustee to be
reasonable and not exceeding amounts prescribed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, (ii) terminate the Trust Agreement and liquidate the Trust as
provided therein or (iii) continue to act as Trustee without terminating the
Trust Agreement.
Trustee. The Trustee is The Bank of New York, a trust company organized under
the laws of New York. The Bank of New York has its offices at 101 Barclay
Street, New York, New York 10286 (800) 221-7668. The Bank of New York is
subject to supervision and examination by the Superintendent of Banks of the
State of New York and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to
the extent permitted by law.
The duties of the Trustee are primarily ministerial in nature. It did not
participate in the selection of Equity Securities for the Trust portfolio.
In accordance with the Trust Agreement, the Trustee shall keep proper books of
record and account of all transactions at its office for the Trust. Such
records shall include the name and address of, and the number of Units of the
Trust held by, every Unitholder of the Trust. Such books and records shall be
open to inspection by any Unitholder at all reasonable times during the usual
business hours. The Trustee shall make such annual or other reports as may
from time to time be required under any applicable state or federal statute,
rule or regulation (see "Rights of Unitholders--Reports Provided" ).
The Trustee is required to keep a certified copy or duplicate original of the
Trust Agreement on file in its office available for inspection at all
reasonable times during the usual business hours by any Unitholder, together
with a current list of the Equity Securities held in the Trust.
Under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee or any successor trustee may resign and
be discharged of its responsibilities created by the Trust Agreement by
executing an instrument in writing and filing the same with the Sponsor. The
Trustee or successor trustee must mail a copy of the notice of resignation to
all Unitholders then of record, not less than 60 days before the date
specified in such notice when such resignation is to take effect. The Sponsor
upon receiving notice of such resignation is obligated to appoint a successor
trustee promptly. If, upon such resignation, no successor trustee has been
appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notification,
the retiring Trustee may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor. The Sponsor may remove the Trustee and appoint a
successor trustee as provided in the Trust Agreement at any time with or
without cause. Notice of such removal and appointment shall be mailed to each
Unitholder by the Sponsor. Upon execution of a written acceptance of such
appointment by such successor trustee, all the rights, powers, duties and
obligations of the original trustee shall vest in the successor. The
resignation or removal of a Trustee becomes effective only when the successor
trustee accepts its appointment as such or when a court of competent
jurisdiction appoints a successor trustee.
Any corporation into which a Trustee may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which a Trustee shall be a party, shall be the successor trustee. The Trustee
must be a banking corporation organized under the laws of the United States or
any state and having at all times an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $5,000,000.
OTHER MATTERS
Legal Opinions. The legality of the Units offered hereby has been passed upon
by Chapman and Cutler, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, as
counsel for the Sponsor. Tanner Propp, LLP has acted as counsel for the
Trustee.
Independent Certified Public Accountants. The statement of condition and the
related securities portfolio included in this Prospectus have been audited by
Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified public accountants, as set forth in
their report in this Prospectus, and are included herein in reliance upon the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations
not contained in this Prospectus; and any information or representation not
contained herein must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the
Trust, the Sponsor or the Managing Underwriter. This Prospectus does not
constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities
in any state to any person to whom it is not lawful to make such offer in such
state
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Title Page
<S> <C>
The Trust 2
Objectives and Securities Selection 2
Trust Portfolio 3
Risk Factors 5
Tax Status 6
Trust Operating Expenses 7
Public Offering 8
Rights of Unitholders 9
Trust Administration 10
Other Matters 12
</TABLE>
This Prospectus contains information concerning the Trust and the Sponsor, but
does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration
statements and exhibits relating thereto, which the Trust has filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the Securities Act
of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and to which reference is
hereby made.
P R O S P E C T U S
Part Two
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TRUST, SERIES 1
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust,Series 18
Note: This Prospectus May Be Used Only When Accompanied by Part One. Both
Parts of the Prospectus should be retained for future reference.
Dated as of the date of the Prospectus Part One accompanying this Prospectus
Part Two.
WHEAT FIRST BUTCHER SINGER
River Front Plaza 901 East Byrd Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Please retain this Prospectus for future reference.
Contents of Post-Effective Amendment
to Registration Statement
This Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement
comprises the following papers and documents:
The facing sheet
The prospectus
The signatures
The Consent of Independent Accountants
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant, Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series
18, certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of
this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities
Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned
thereunto duly authorized, and its seal to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois on the 24th
day of April, 1996.
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity
Trust, Series 18
(Registrant)
By Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc.
(Depositor)
By: Sandra A. Waterworth
Vice President
(Seal)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Post Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed
below by the following persons in the capacities on April 24, 1996:
Signature Title
Don G. Powell Chairman and Chief )
Executive Officer )
)
William R. Molinari President and Chief )
Operating Officer )
)
Ronald A. Nyberg Executive Vice President )
and General Counsel )
)
William R. Rybak Executive Vice President and )
Chief Financial Officer ) Sandra A. Waterworth
) (Attorney in Fact)*
____________________
* An executed copy of each of the related powers of attorney was filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the
Registration Statement on Form S-6 of Insured Municipals Income
Trust and Investors' Quality Tax-Exempt Trust, Multi-Series 203
(File No. 33-65744) and with the Registration Statement on Form S-6
of Insured Municipals Income Trust, 170th Insured Multi-Series (File
No. 33-55891) and the same are hereby incorporated herein by this
reference.
Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants
We have issued our report dated March 17, 1996 accompanying the
financial statements of Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity
Trust, Series 18 as of December 31, 1995, and for the period then ended,
contained in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6.
We consent to the use of the aforementioned report in the Post-
Effective Amendment and to the use of our name as it appears under the
caption "Auditors".
Grant Thornton LLP
Chicago, Illinois
April 24, 1996
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> WHEAT BUTCHER
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-START> SEP-19-1995
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 26531999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 27823453
<RECEIVABLES> 0
<ASSETS-OTHER> 82184
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 73497
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 27979134
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 55044
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 55044
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 27924090
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 2810000
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3000000
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 88187
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 11821
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 1291454
<NET-ASSETS> 27924090
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 244298
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 12338
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 231960
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 11821
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1291454
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 1535235
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (143773)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 190000
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (400238)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 12338
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 21008037
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.4
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.076
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.464
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.087
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.94
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.001
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
