File Nos. 33-62626
811-7710
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (X]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 10 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate
box)
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
X on September 1, 1997 pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
----
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)
----
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)
----
on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) of Rule 485
----
If appropriate, check the following box:
this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for
a previously filed post-effective amendment.
----
Registrant has registered an indefinite number of shares of its common
stock under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 24(f) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940. Registrant's Rule 24f-2 Notice for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 1997 was filed on June 25, 1997.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
Cross-Reference Sheet Pursuant to Rule 495(a)
Items in
Part A of
Form N-1A Caption Page
_________ _______ ____
1 Cover Page Cover
2 Synopsis 3
3 Condensed Financial Information 4
4 General Description of Registrant 5,19
5 Management of the Fund 8
5(a) Management's Discussion of Fund's Performance *
6 Capital Stock and Other Securities 19
7 Purchase of Securities Being Offered 10
8 Redemption or Repurchase 15
9 Pending Legal Proceedings *
Items in
Part B of
Form N-1A
_________
10 Cover Page Cover
11 Table of Contents Cover
12 General Information and History B-33
13 Investment Objectives and Policies B-2
14 Management of the Fund B-17
15 Control Persons and Principal B-17, B-21
Holders of Securities
16 Investment Advisory and Other B-B-22, B-23
Services
_____________________________________
NOTE: * Omitted since answer is negative or inapplicable.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
Cross-Reference Sheet Pursuant to Rule 495(a) (continued)
Items in
Part B of
Form N-1A Caption Page
_________ _______ _____
17 Brokerage Allocation B-32
18 Capital Stock and Other Securities B-33
19 Purchase, Redemption and Pricing B-23, B-24 and B-32
of Securities Being Offered
20 Tax Status *
21 Underwriters B-33
22 Calculations of Performance Data B-31
23 Financial Statements B-43
Items in
Part C of
Form N-1A
_________
24 Financial Statements and Exhibits C-1
25 Persons Controlled by or Under C-3
Common Control with Registrant
26 Number of Holders of Securities C-3
27 Indemnification C-3
28 Business and Other Connections of C-4
Investment Adviser
29 Principal Underwriters C-9
30 Location of Accounts and Records C-12
31 Management Services C-12
32 Undertakings C-12
_____________________________________
NOTE: * Omitted since answer is negative or inapplicable.
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PROSPECTUS SEPTEMBER 1, 1997
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
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DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC. (THE "FUND") IS AN OPEN-END,
NON-DIVERSIFIED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY, KNOWN AS A MUTUAL FUND. THE
FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE IS TO MAXIMIZE TOTAL RETURN, CONSISTING OF
CAPITAL APPRECIATION AND CURRENT INCOME. THE FUND FOLLOWS AN INVESTMENT
STRATEGY THAT ACTIVELY ALLOCATES THE FUND'S ASSETS AMONG EQUITY AND
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES AND SHORT-TERM MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. IN ADDITION
TO USUAL INVESTMENT PRACTICES, THE FUND MAY USE SPECULATIVE INVESTMENT
TECHNIQUES SUCH AS SHORT-SELLING, BORROWING FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES, AND
FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS.
YOU CAN INVEST, REINVEST OR REDEEM SHARES AT ANY TIME WITHOUT CHARGE
OR PENALTY. YOU CAN PURCHASE OR REDEEM SHARES BY TELEPHONE USING DREYFUS
TELETRANSFER.
THE DREYFUS CORPORATION PROFESSIONALLY MANAGES THE FUND'S PORTFOLIO.
THIS PROSPECTUS SETS FORTH CONCISELY INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND THAT
YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE INVESTING. IT SHOULD BE READ AND RETAINED FOR FUTURE
REFERENCE.
THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 1997,
WHICH MAY BE REVISED FROM TIME TO TIME, PROVIDES A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF
CERTAIN AREAS IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND OTHER MATTERS WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST
TO SOME INVESTORS. IT HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION AND IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION MAINTAINS A WEB SITE (HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV) THAT CONTAINS
THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE,
AND OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUND. FOR A FREE COPY OF THE STATEMENT OF
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WRITE TO THE FUND AT 144 GLENN CURTISS BOULEVARD,
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK 11556-0144, OR CALL 1-800-645-6561. WHEN TELEPHONING, ASK
FOR OPERATOR 144.
MUTUAL FUND SHARES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED
OR ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK, AND ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OR ANY OTHER AGENCY.
THE NET ASSET VALUE OF FUNDS OF THIS TYPE WILL FLUCTUATE FROM TIME TO TIME.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES.................... 3
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION................... 4
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND........................... 5
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND............................ 8
HOW TO BUY SHARES................................. 10
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES.............................. 12
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES ............................. 15
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN......................... 17
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES................ 18
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION........................... 19
GENERAL INFORMATION............................... 19
APPENDIX.......................................... 21
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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.
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[This Page Intentionally Left Blank]
Page 2
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(as a percentage of average daily net assets)
<S> <C>
Management Fees..................................... .75%
Other Expenses...................................... .56%
Total Fund Operating Expenses....................... 1.31%
EXAMPLE:
You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000
investment, assuming (1) 5% annual return and (2)
redemption at the end of each time period:
1 YEAR.............................................. $ 13
3 YEARS............................................. $ 42
5 YEARS............................................. $ 72
10 YEARS............................................ $158
</TABLE>
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THE AMOUNTS LISTED IN THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS
REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES AND ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER
OR LESS THAN THOSE INDICATED. MOREOVER, WHILE THE EXAMPLE ASSUMES A 5% ANNUAL
RETURN, THE FUND'S ACTUAL PERFORMANCE WILL VARY AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACTUAL
RETURN GREATER OR LESS THAN 5%.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist you in understanding
the costs and expenses borne by the Fund, the payment of which will reduce
investors' annual return. Certain Service Agents (as defined below) may
charge their clients direct fees for effecting transactions in Fund shares;
such fees are not reflected in the foregoing table. See "Management of the
Fund," "How to Buy Shares" and "Shareholder Services Plan."
Page 3
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The information in the following table has been audited by Ernst &
Young LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, whose report thereon appears in
the Statement of Additional Information. Further financial data and related
notes are included in the Statement of Additional Information, available upon
request.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Contained below is per share operating performance data for a share
of common stock outstanding, total investment return, ratios to average net
assets and other supplemental data for each year indicated. This information
has been derived from the Fund's financial statements.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30,
______________________________________________
1994(1) 1995 1996 1997
_______ _______ _______ _______
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA:
Net asset value, beginning of year......................... $12.50 $12.49 $13.81 $13.49
_______ _______ _______ _______
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:
Investment income-net ..................................... .24 .39 .32 .33
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments..... (.11) 1.35 1.70 1.83
_______ _______ _______ _______
TOTAL FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS........................... .13 1.74 2.02 2.16
_______ _______ _______ _______
DISTRIBUTIONS:
Dividends from investment income-net....................... (.13) (.37) (.38) (.34)
Dividends from net realized gain on investments............ (.01) (.05) (1.96) (.63)
_______ _______ _______ _______
TOTAL DISTRIBUTIONS........................................ (.14) (.42) (2.34) (.97)
_______ _______ _______ _______
Net asset value, end of year............................... $12.49 $13.81 $13.49 $14.68
======= ======= ======= =======
TOTAL INVESTMENT RETURN...................................... .99%(2) 14.22% 15.67% 16.49%
RATIOS / SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:
Ratio of expenses to average net assets.................... .16%(2) .67% 1.25% 1.31%
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets....... 2.48%(2) 3.00% 2.16% 2.12%
Decrease reflected in above expense ratios due to
undertakings by The Dreyfus Corporation.................... 1.58%(2) 1.27% .27% _
Portfolio Turnover Rate.................................... _ 160.11% 370.06% 223.50%
Average Commission Rate Paid (3)........................... _ _ _ $.0538
Net Assets, end of year (000's omitted).................... $51,063 $56,639 $62,940 $60,856
(1) From July 1, 1993 (commencement of operations) through April 30, 1994.
(2) Not annualized.
(3) For fiscal years beginning May 1, 1996, the Fund is required to disclose its average commission rate paid per share for
purchases and sales of investment securities.
</TABLE>
Further information about the Fund's performance is contained in the
Fund's annual report which may be obtained without charge by writing to the
address or calling the number set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus.
Page 4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DEBT OUTSTANDING
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1997(1)
_______________________________
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA:
Amount of debt outstanding at
end of year (in thousands).................................................... _
Average amount of debt outstanding
throughout year (in thousands)(2)............................................. $33
Average number of shares outstanding
throughout year (in thousands)(3)............................................. 4,130
Average amount of debt per
share throughout year......................................................... $.01
(1) From July 1, 1993 (commencement of operations) to April 30, 1996, the Fund had no outstanding debt.
(2) Based upon daily outstanding borrowings.
(3) Based upon month-end balances.
</TABLE>
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund's investment objective is to maximize total return,
consisting of capital appreciation and current income. It cannot be changed
without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) of the Fund's outstanding
voting shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund's investment objective
will be achieved.
MANAGEMENT POLICIES
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by following an
asset allocation strategy that contemplates shifts, which may be frequent,
among equity and fixed-income securities and short-term money market
instruments.
The following table sets forth the asset classes, benchmark
percentages and asset class strategy ranges within which The Dreyfus
Corporation intends to manage the Fund's assets:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ASSET BENCHMARK STRATEGY
CLASS PERCENTAGE RANGE
______ ___________ __________
<S> <C> <C>
Equity Securities 55% 40-80%
Fixed-Income Securities 35% 20-60%
Short-Term Money Market Instruments 10% 0-40%
</TABLE>
"Benchmark percentage" represents the asset mix The Dreyfus
Corporation expects to maintain when its assessment of economic conditions
and investment opportunities indicate that the financial markets are fairly
valued relative to each other. The asset class "strategy range" indicates
ordinarily expected variations from this benchmark and reflects that The
Dreyfus Corporation expects to make policy weight shifts within specific
asset classes.
The Dreyfus Corporation has broad latitude in selecting the class of
investments and market sectors in which the Fund will invest. Under normal
market conditions, The Dreyfus Corporation expects to adhere to the asset
class strategy ranges set forth above; however, it reserves the right to vary
the asset class mix and the percentage of securities invested in any asset
class or market from the benchmark percentages and asset class strategy
ranges set forth above as the risk/return characteristics of either markets
or asset classes, as assessed by The Dreyfus Corporation, vary over time. The
Fund will not be managed as a balanced portfolio. The asset allocation mix
will be determined by The Dreyfus Corporation at any given time in light of
its assessment of current economic conditions and investment opportunities.
Some of the factors that The Dreyfus Corporation may consider in determining
the asset allocation mix include the following: (1) level and direction of
long-term interest rates versus short-term interest rates; (2) historical
investment returns for each asset class in which the Fund can invest relative
to the prevailing busi-
Page 5
ness cycle; and (3) general economic conditions, such as current inflation,
unemployment and capacity utilization figures, that could affect investments.
The asset allocation mix selected will be a primary determinant of the Fund's
investment performance. Under certain market conditions, limiting the Fund's
asset allocation among these asset classes may inhibit its ability to achieve
its investment objective.
The equity securities in which the Fund may invest include, common
stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities of domestic and foreign
issuers. The Fund is particularly alert to companies, both domestic and
foreign, which it considers undervalued by the stock market in terms of
current earnings, assets or overall growth prospects. The Fund may invest up
to 25% of the value of its total assets in equity securities of foreign
companies which are not publicly traded in the United States.
The fixed-income securities in which the Fund may invest include U.S.
dollar-denominated bonds, debentures, notes, mortgage-related securities,
asset-backed securities, municipal obligations, warrants, convertible debt
obligations and convertible preferred stocks. The issuers of these
obligations may include domestic and foreign corporations, partnerships or
trusts, and governments, their political subdivisions, agencies or
municipalities, and corporations. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total
assets in fixed-income securities of foreign issuers, including securities of
issuers whose principal activities are in, or which are governments of,
emerging markets. The Fund is not subject to any limit on the percentage of
its assets that may be invested in fixed-income securities having a certain
rating. Thus, it is possible that a substantial portion of the Fund's assets
may be invested in fixed-income securities that are unrated or rated in the
lowest categories of the recognized rating services (i.e., securities rated C
by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or D by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Group ("S&P"), Fitch Investors Service, L.P. ("Fitch") or Duff &
Phelps Credit Rating Co. ("Duff")). Low-rated and unrated securities have
special risks relating to the ability of the Fund to receive timely, or
perhaps ultimate, payment of principal and interest. They are considered to
have speculative characteristics and to be of poor quality; some obligations
in which the Fund may invest, such as debt securities rated D by S&P, Fitch
and Duff, may be in default. The Fund intends to invest less than 35% of its
assets in debt securities rated Ba or lower by Moody's and BB or lower by
S&P, Fitch and Duff. See "Investment Considerations and Risks _ Fixed-Income
Securities" and "_ Lower Rated Securities" below for a discussion of certain
risks.
The money market instruments in which the Fund may invest include
U.S. Government securities, certificates of deposit, time deposits, bankers'
acceptances, short-term investment grade corporate bonds and other short-term
debt instruments, and repurchase agreements, as set forth under
"Appendix_Certain Portfolio Securities_Money Market Instruments." When The
Dreyfus Corporation determines that adverse market conditions exist, the Fund
may adopt a temporary defensive posture and invest without limitation in
money market instruments.
The Fund's annual portfolio turnover rate is not expected to exceed
250%. A turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to the Fund buying and selling
all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of a year. Higher
portfolio turnover rates usually generate additional brokerage commissions
and expenses and the short term gains realized from these transactions are
taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. The Fund may engage in various
investment techniques, such as foreign currency transactions, lending
portfolio securities, short-selling, leveraging, interest rate swaps and
options and futures transactions. For a discussion of the investment
techniques and their related risks, see "Investment Considerations and Risks"
and "Appendix_Investment Techniques" below and "Investment Objective and
Management Policies_Management Policies" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Page 6
INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
GENERAL _ The Fund's net asset value per share should be expected to
fluctuate. Investors should consider the Fund as a supplement to an overall
investment program and should invest only if they are willing to undertake
the risks involved. See "Investment Objective and Management Policies" in
the Statement of Additional Information for a further discussion of certain
risks.
EQUITY SECURITIES _ Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on
factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such
fluctuations can be pronounced. Changes in the value of the Fund's
investments will result in changes in the value of its shares and thus the
Fund's total return to investors.
The Fund may purchase securities of smaller capitalization companies,
the pieces of which may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements
than larger, more established companies, because these securities typically
are traded in lower volume and the issuers typically are more subject to
changes in earnings and prospects.
FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES _ Even though interest-bearing securities are
investments which promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such
securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates and,
therefore, are subject to the risk of market price fluctuations. The values
of fixed-income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit
rating or financial condition of the issuer. Certain securities purchased by
the Fund, such as those rated Baa or lower by Moody's and BBB or lower by
S&P, Fitch and Duff, may be subject to such risk with respect to the issuing
entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher
rated fixed-income securities. Once the rating of a portfolio security has
been changed, the Fund will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in
determining whether to continue to hold the security. Mortgage-related
securities in which the Fund may invest are complex derivative instruments,
subject to both credit and prepayment risk, and may be more volatile and less
liquid than more traditional debt securities. Some mortgage-related
securities have structures that make their reactions to interest rate changes
and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile.
See "Lower Rated Securities" and "Appendix _ Certain Portfolio Securities _
Mortgage-Related Securities and Ratings" below and "Appendix" in the
Statement of Additional Information.
FOREIGN SECURITIES _ Foreign securities markets generally are not as
developed or efficient as those in the United States. Securities of some
foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of
comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign
securities markets are less than in the United States and, at times,
volatility of price can be greater than in the United States.
Because evidences of ownership of such securities usually are held
outside the United States, the Fund will be subject to additional risks which
include possible: adverse political and economic developments, seizure or
nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental restrictions
which might adversely affect or restrict the payment of principal and
interest on the foreign securities to investors located outside the country
of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise.
Developing countries have economic structures that are generally less
diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of
developed countries. The markets of developing countries may be more volatile
than the markets of more mature economies; however, such markets may provide
higher rates of return to investors. Many developing countries providing
investment opportunities for the Fund have experienced substantial, and in
some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and
rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continued to have
adverse effects on the economies and securities markets of certain of these
countries.
Page 7
Since foreign securities often are purchased with and payable in
currencies of foreign countries, the value of these assets as measured in
U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency
rates and exchange control regulations. See "Appendix _ Investment Techniques
_ Foreign Currency Transactions."
LOWER RATED SECURITIES _ The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in
higher yielding (and, therefore, higher risk) debt securities such as those
rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P, Fitch or Duff or as low as the lowest
rating assigned by Moody's, S&P, Fitch or Duff (commonly known as junk
bonds). They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing
entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher
rated fixed-income securities. The retail secondary market for these
securities may be less liquid than that of higher rated securities; adverse
conditions could make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain
securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the
Fund's net asset value. See "Appendix _ Certain Portfolio
Securities_Ratings."
USE OF DERIVATIVES _ The Fund may invest in derivatives ("Derivatives").
These are financial instruments which derive their performance, at least in
part, from the performance of an underlying asset, index or interest rate.
The Derivatives the Fund may use include options and futures,
mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities and interest rate swaps.
While Derivatives can be used effectively in furtherance of the Fund's
investment objective, under certain market conditions, they can increase the
volatility of the Fund's net asset value, decrease the liquidity of the
Fund's portfolio and make more difficult the accurate pricing of the Fund's
portfolio. See "Appendix_Investment Techniques_Use of Derivatives" below and
"Investment Objective and Management Policies_Management
Policies_Derivatives" in the Statement of Additional Information.
NON-DIVERSIFIED STATUS _ The classification of the Fund as a
"non-diversified" investment company means that the proportion of the Fund's
assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer is not
limited by the 1940 Act. A "diversified" investment company is required by
the 1940 Act generally, with respect to 75% of its total assets, to invest
not more than 5% of such assets in the securities of a single issuer. Because
a relatively high percentage of the Fund's assets may be invested in the
securities of a limited number of issuers, some of which may be within the
same industry, the Fund's portfolio may be more sensitive to changes in the
market value of a single issuer or industry. However, to meet Federal tax
requirements, at the close of each quarter the Fund may not have more than
25% of its total assets invested in any one issuer and, with respect to 50%
of total assets, not more than 5% of its total assets invested in any one
issuer. These limitations do not apply to U.S. Government securities.
SIMULTANEOUS INVESTMENTS _ Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of other investment companies advised by The Dreyfus
Corporation. If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest
in, or dispose of, the same securities as the Fund, available investments or
opportunities for sales will be allocated equitably to each investment
company. In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the size of the
position obtained for or disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or
received by the Fund.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
INVESTMENT ADVISER _ The Dreyfus Corporation, located at 200 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10166, was formed in 1947 and serves as the Fund's
investment adviser. The Dreyfus Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Mellon Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Bank
Corporation ("Mellon"). As of July 31, 1997, The Dreyfus Corporation managed
or administered approximately $92 billion in assets for approximately 1.7
million investor accounts nationwide.
Page 8
The Dreyfus Corporation supervises and assists in the overall
management of the Fund's affairs under a Management Agreement with the Fund,
subject to the authority of the Fund's Board in accordance with Maryland law.
The Fund's primary portfolio manager is Kevin M. McClintock. He has held that
position since May 1996, and has been employed by The Dreyfus Corporation
since November 1995. From 1993 through October 1995, Mr. McClintock was
Managing Director, Fixed Income Investments, for Aeltus Investment
Management, Inc., a subsidiary of the Aetna Corporation. Prior thereto, he
was employed in various capacities by Aetna Corporation and its subsidiaries,
including head of Separate Account Portfolio Management for Aetna.The Fund's
other portfolio managers are identified in the Statement of Additional
Information. The Dreyfus Corporation also provides research services for the
Fund and for other funds advised by The Dreyfus Corporation through a
professional staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts.
Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company incorporated
under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a comprehensive range of
financial products and services in domestic and selected international
markets. Mellon is among the twenty-five largest bank holding companies in
the United States based on total assets. Mellon's principal wholly-owned
subsidiaries are Mellon Bank, N.A., Mellon Bank (DE) National Association,
Mellon Bank (MD), The Boston Company, Inc., AFCO Credit Corporation and a
number of companies known as Mellon Financial Services Corporations. Through
its subsidiaries, including The Dreyfus Corporation, Mellon managed more than
$286 billion in assets as of June 30, 1997, including approximately $94
billion in proprietary mutual fund assets. As of June 30, 1997, Mellon,
through various subsidiaries, provided non-investment services, such as
custodial or administration services, for more than $1.306 trillion in
assets, including approximately $63 billion in mutual fund assets.
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997, the Fund paid The
Dreyfus Corporation a monthly management fee at the annual rate of .75 of 1%
of the value of the Fund's average daily net assets. From time to time, The
Dreyfus Corporation may waive receipt of its fees and/or voluntarily assume
certain expenses of the Fund, which would have the effect of lowering the
expense ratio of the Fund and increasing yield to investors. The Fund will
not pay The Dreyfus Corporation at a later time for any amounts it may waive,
nor will the Fund reimburse The Dreyfus Corporation for any amounts it may
assume.
In allocating brokerage transactions, The Dreyfus Corporation seeks
to obtain the best execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
Subject to this determination, The Dreyfus Corporation may consider, among
other things, the receipt of research services and/or the sale of shares of
the Fund or other funds managed, advised or administered by The Dreyfus
Corporation as factors in the selection of broker-dealers to execute
portfolio transactions for the Fund. See "Portfolio Transactions" in the State
ment of Additional Information.
The Dreyfus Corporation may pay the Fund's distributor for
shareholder services from The Dreyfus Corporation's own assets, including
past profits but not including the management fee paid by the Fund. The
Fund's distributor may use part or all of such payments to pay Service Agents
in respect of these services.
DISTRIBUTOR _ The Fund's distributor is Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc.
(the "Distributor"), located at 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
The Distributor's ultimate parent is Boston Institutional Group, Inc.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT AND CUSTODIAN _ Dreyfus Transfer,
Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Dreyfus Corporation, P.O. Box 9671,
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671,
Page 9
is the Fund's Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent (the "Transfer Agent").
Mellon Bank, N.A., One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258, is
the Fund's Custodian.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be charged a fee
if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities dealer, bank
or other financial institution (collectively, "Service Agents"). Stock
certificates are issued only upon your written request. No certificates are
issued for fractional shares. The Fund reserves the right to reject any
purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a
client of a Service Agent which maintains an omnibus account in the Fund and
has made an aggregate minimum initial purchase for its customers of $2,500.
Subsequent investments must be at least $100, or $50 through Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC
Asset BuilderRegistration Mark. However, the minimum initial investment for
Dreyfus-sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs, SEP-IRAs and 403(b)(7) Plans with only
one participant is $750, with no minimum for subsequent purchases.
Individuals who open an IRA also may open a non-working spousal IRA with a
minimum initial investment of $250. Subsequent investments in a spousal IRA
must be at least $250. The initial investment must be accompanied by the
Account Application. For full-time or part-time employees of The Dreyfus
Corporation or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of The
Dreyfus Corporation, Board members of a fund advised by The Dreyfus
Corporation, including members of the Fund's Board, or the spouse or minor
child of any of the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is $1,000. For
full-time or part-time employees of The Dreyfus Corporation or any of its
affiliates or subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly
deposited into their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50.
The Fund reserves the right to offer shares without regard to minimum
purchase requirements to employees participating in certain qualified or
non-qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where contributions or
account information can be transmitted in a manner and form acceptable to the
Fund. The Fund reserves the right to vary further the initial and subsequent
investment minimum requirements at any time. Fund shares also are offered
without regard to the minimum initial investment requirements through Dreyfus-
AUTOMATIC Asset BuilderRegistration Mark, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant to the Dreyfus Step
Program described under "Shareholder Services." These services enable you to
make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a convenient
way to invest for long-term financial goals. You should be aware, however,
that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not protect
an investor against loss in a declining market.
You may purchase Fund shares by check or wire, or through the Dreyfus
TELETRANSFER Privilege described below. Checks should be made payable to "The
Dreyfus Family of Funds," or, if for Dreyfus retirement plan accounts, to
"The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian." Payments to open new accounts which
are mailed should be sent to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box 9387,
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9387, together with your Account Application.
For subsequent investments, your Fund account number should appear on the
check and an investment slip should be enclosed and sent to The Dreyfus
Family of Funds, P.O. Box 105, Newark, New Jersey 07101-0105. For Dreyfus
retirement plan accounts, both initial and subsequent investments should be
sent to The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian, P.O. Box 6427, Providence,
Rhode Island 02940-6427. Neither initial nor subsequent investments should be
made by third party check. Purchase orders may be delivered in person only to
a Dreyfus Financial Center. THESE ORDERS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE FUND AND
WILL BE PROCESSED ONLY UPON RECEIPT THEREBY. For the location of the nearest
Dreyfus Financial Center, please call one of the telephone numbers listed
under "General Information."
Page 10
Wire payments may be made if your bank account is in a commercial
bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System or any other bank having
a correspondent bank in New York City. Immediately available funds may be
transmitted by wire to The Bank of New York, DDA#8900118202/Dreyfus Asset
Allocation Fund, Inc. The wire must include your Fund account number (for new
accounts, your Taxpayer Identification Number ("TIN") should be included
instead), account registration and dealer number, if applicable. If your
initial purchase of shares is by wire, please call 1-800-645-6561 after
completing your wire payment to obtain your Fund account number. Please
include your Fund account number on the Account Application and promptly mail
the Account Application to the Fund, as no redemptions will be permitted
until the Account Application is received. You may obtain further information
about remitting funds in this manner from your bank. All payments should be
made in U.S. dollars and, to avoid fees and delays, should be drawn only on
U.S. banks. A charge will be imposed if any check used for investment in your
account does not clear. The Fund makes available to certain large
institutions the ability to issue purchase instructions through compatible
computer facilities.
Subsequent investments also may be made by electronic transfer of
funds from an account maintained in a bank or other domestic financial
institution that is an Automated Clearing House member. You must direct the
institution to transmit immediately available funds through the Automated
Clearing House to The Bank of New York with instructions to credit your Fund
account. The instructions must specify your Fund account registration and
your Fund account number PRECEDED BY THE DIGITS "1111."
Fund shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per
share next determined after an order in proper form is received by the
Transfer Agent or other agent. Net asset value per share is determined as of
the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (currently
4:00 p.m., New York time), on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open
for business. For purposes of determining net asset value, options and
futures will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading on the floor of
the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset value per share is computed by
dividing the value of the Fund's net assets (i.e., the value of its assets
less liabilities) by the total number of Fund shares outstanding. The Fund's
investments are valued based on market value or, where market quotations are
not readily available, based on fair value as determined in good faith by the
Fund's Board. Certain securities may be valued by an independent pricing
service approved by the Fund's Board and are valued at fair value as
determined by the pricing service. For further information regarding the
methods employed in valuing the Fund's investments, see "Determination of Net
Asset Value" in the Statement of Additional Information.
For certain institutions that have entered into agreements with the
Distributor, payment for the purchase of Fund shares may be transmitted, and
must be received by the Transfer Agent, within three business days after the
order is placed. If such payment is not received within three business days
after the order is placed, the order may be canceled and the institution
could be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.
The Distributor may pay dealers a fee of up to .5% of the amount
invested through such dealers in shares by employees participating in
qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans or other programs where (i)
the employers or affiliated employers maintaining such plans or programs have
a minimum of 250 employees eligible for participation in such plans or
programs or (ii) such plan's or program's aggregate investment in the Dreyfus
Family of Funds or certain other products made available by the Distributor
to such plans or programs exceeds $1,000,000 ("Eligible Benefit Plans").
Shares of funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds then held by Eligible Benefit
Plans will be aggregated to determine the fee payable. The Distributor
reserves the right to cease paying these fees at any time. The Distributor
will
Page 11
pay such fees from its own funds, other than amounts received from the
Fund, including past profits or any other source available to it.
Federal regulations require that you provide a certified TIN upon
opening or reopening an account. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes" and
the Account Application for further information concerning this requirement.
Failure to furnish a certified TIN to the Fund could subject you to a $50
penalty imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS").
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE
You may purchase shares (minimum $500, maximum $150,000 per day) by
telephone if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary
information on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services
Form with the Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the
bank account designated in one of these documents and your Fund account. Only
a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution which is an
Automated Clearing House member may be so designated. The Fund may modify or
terminate this Privilege at any time or charge a service fee upon notice to
shareholders. No such fee currently is contemplated.
If you have selected the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege, you may
request a Dreyfus TELETRANSFER purchase of shares by calling 1-800-645-6561
or, if you are calling from overseas, call 516-794-5452.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
FUND EXCHANGES
You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of
certain other funds managed or administered by The Dreyfus Corporation, to
the extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. These
funds have different investment objectives which may be of interest to you.
If you desire to use this service, you should consult your Service Agent or
call 1-800-645-6561 to determine if it is available and whether any
conditions are imposed on its use.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. Before any exchange, you must
obtain and should review a copy of the current prospectus of the fund into
which the exchange is being made. Prospectuses may be obtained by calling
1-800-645-6561. Except in the case of personal retirement plans, the shares
being exchanged must have a current value of at least $500; furthermore, when
establishing a new account by exchange, the shares being exchanged must have
a value of at least the minimum initial investment required for the fund into
which the exchange is being made. The ability to issue exchange instructions
by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically, unless you
check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application, indicating that you
specifically refuse this privilege. The Telephone Exchange Privilege may be
established for an existing account by written request signed by all
shareholders on the account, by a separate signed Shareholder Services Form,
available by calling 1-800-645-6561, or by oral request from any of the
authorized signatories on the account by calling 1-800-645-6561. If you have
established the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you may telephone exchange
instructions (including over The Dreyfus TouchRegistration Mark automated
telephone system) by calling 1-800-645-6561. If you are calling from
overseas, call 516-794-5452. See "How to Redeem Shares _ Procedures." Upon an
exchange into a new account, the following shareholder services and
privileges, as applicable and where available, will be automatically carried
over to the fund into which the exchange is made: Telephone Exchange
Privilege, Wire Redemption Privilege, Telephone Redemption Privilege, Dreyfus
TELETRANSFER Privilege and the dividend/capital gain distribution option
(except for Dreyfus Dividend Sweep) selected by the investor.
Page 12
Shares will be exchanged at the next determined net asset value;
however, a sales load may be charged with respect to exchanges into funds
sold with a sales load. If you are exchanging into a fund that charges a
sales load, you may qualify for share prices which do not include the sales
load or which reflect a reduced sales load, if the shares you are exchanging
were: (a) purchased with a sales load, (b) acquired by a previous exchange
from shares purchased with a sales load, or (c) acquired through reinvestment
of dividends or distributions paid with respect to the foregoing categories of
shares. To qualify, at the time of the exchange you must notify the Transfer
Agent or your Service Agent must notify the Distributor. Any such qualification
is subject to confirmation of your holdings through a check of appropriate
records. See "Shareholder Services" in the Statement of Additional Information.
No fees currently are charged shareholders directly in connection with
exchanges, although the Fund reserves the right, upon not less than 60 days'
written notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative fee in
accordance with rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Fund reserves the right to reject any exchange request in whole or in part.
The availability of Fund Exchanges may be modified or terminated at any time
upon notice to shareholders. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
DREYFUS AUTO-EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege enables you to invest regularly (on a
semi-monthly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis), in exchange for shares of
the Fund, in shares of certain other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of
which you a shareholder. The amount you designate, which can be expressed
either in terms of a specific dollar or share amount ($100 minimum), will be
exchanged automatically on the first and/or fifteenth day of the month
according to the schedule you have selected. Shares will be exchanged at the
then-current net asset value; however, a sales load may be charged with
respect to exchanges into funds sold with a sales load. See "Shareholder
Services" in the Statement of Additional Information. The right to exercise
this Privilege may be modified or cancelled by the Fund or the Transfer
Agent. You may modify or cancel your exercise of this Privilege at any time
by mailing written notification to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box
9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671. The Fund may charge a service fee
for the use of this Privilege. No such fee currently is contemplated. For
more information concerning this Privilege and the funds in the Dreyfus
Family of Funds eligible to participate in this Privilege, or to obtain a
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Authorization Form, please call toll free
1-800-645-6561. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
DREYFUS-AUTOMATIC ASSET BUILDERRegistration Mark
Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder permits you to purchase Fund shares
(minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per transaction) at regular
intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by transferring funds
from the bank account designated by you. At your option, the bank account
designated by you will be debited in the specified amount, and Fund shares
will be purchased, once a month, on either the first or fifteenth day, or
twice a month, on both days. Only an account maintained at a domestic
financial institution which is an Automated Clearing House member may be so
designated. To establish a Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder account, you must
file an authorization form with the Transfer Agent. You may obtain the
necessary authorization form by calling 1-800-645-6561. You may cancel your
participation in this Privilege or change the amount of purchase at any time
by mailing written notification to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box
9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, or, if for Dreyfus retirement plan
accounts, to The Dreyfus Trust Company, Custodian, P.O. Box 6427, Providence,
Rhode Island 02940-6427, and the notification will be effective three
business days
Page 13
following receipt. The Fund may modify or terminate this Privilege at any
time or charge a service fee. No such fee currently is contemplated.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT DIRECT DEPOSIT PRIVILEGE
Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase
Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by
having Federal salary, Social Security, or certain veterans', military or
other payments from the Federal government automatically deposited into your
Fund account. You may deposit as much of such payments as you elect. To
enroll in Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit, you must file with the Transfer
Agent a completed Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form for each type of payment that
you desire to include in the Privilege. The appropriate form may be obtained
by calling 1-800-645-6561. Death or legal incapacity will terminate your
participation in this Privilege. You may elect at any time to terminate your
participation by notifying in writing the appropriate Federal agency.
Further, the Fund may terminate your participation upon 30 days' notice to
you.
DREYFUS PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to purchase Fund shares
(minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a regular basis. Depending
upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may have part or all of your
paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account electronically through
the Automated Clearing House system at each pay period. To establish a
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form
with your employer's payroll department. Your employer must complete the
reverse side of the form and return it to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O.
Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671. You may obtain the necessary
authorization form by calling 1-800-645-6561. You may change the amount of
purchase or cancel the authorization only by written notification to your
employer. It is the sole responsibility of your employer, not the
Distributor, The Dreyfus Corporation, the Fund, the Transfer Agent or any
other person, to arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings
Plan. The Fund may modify or terminate this Privilege at any time or charge a
service fee. No such fee currently is contemplated.
DREYFUS STEP PROGRAM
Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase Fund shares without
regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment requirements through Dreyfus-
AUTOMATIC Asset BuilderRegistration Mark, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a Dreyfus Step
Program account, you must supply the necessary information on the Account
Application and file the required authorization form(s) with the Transfer
Agent. For more information concerning this Program, or to request the
necessary authorization form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620. You
may terminate your participation in this Program at any time by discontinuing
your participation in Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder, Dreyfus Government
Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the case may be,
as provided under the terms of such Privilege(s). The Fund may modify or
terminate this Program at any time. Investors who wish to purchase Fund
shares through the Dreyfus Step Program in conjunction with a
Dreyfus-sponsored retirement plan may do so only for IRAs, SEP-IRAs and IRA
"Rollover Accounts."
DREYFUS DIVIDEND OPTIONS
Dreyfus Dividend Sweep enables you to invest automatically dividends
or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, paid by the Fund in
shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a
shareholder. Shares of the other fund will be purchased at the then-current
net asset value; however, a sales load may be charged with respect to
investments in shares of a fund sold with a sales load. If you are investing
in a fund that charges a sales load, you may qualify for share prices which
Page 14
do not include the sales load or which reflect a reduced sales load. If you
are investing in a fund that charges a contingent deferred sales charge, the
shares purchased will be subject on redemption to the contingent deferred
sales charge, if any, applicable to the purchased shares. See "Shareholder
Services" in the Statement of Additional Information. Dreyfus Dividend ACH
permits you to transfer electronically dividends or dividends and capital
gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a designated bank account. Only
an account maintained at a domestic financial institution which is an
Automated Clearing House member may be so designated. Banks may charge a fee
for this service.
For more information concerning these privileges or to request a
Dividend Options Form, please call toll free 1-800-645-6561. You may cancel
these privileges by mailing written notification to The Dreyfus Family of
Funds, P.O. Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671. Enrollment in or
cancellation of these privileges is effective three business days following
receipt. These privileges are available only for existing accounts and may
not be used to open new accounts. Minimum subsequent investments do not apply
for Dreyfus Dividend Sweep. The Fund may modify or terminate these privileges
at any time or charge a service fee. No such fee currently is contemplated.
Shares held under Keogh Plans, IRAs or other retirement plans are not
eligible for Dreyfus Dividend Sweep.
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to request withdrawal of a
specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a monthly or quarterly
basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account. An application for the Automatic
Withdrawal Plan can be obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Automatic
Withdrawal Plan may be ended at any time by you, the Fund or the Transfer
Agent. Shares for which certificates have been issued may not be redeemed
through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.
RETIREMENT PLANS
The Fund offers a variety of pension and profit-sharing plans,
including Keogh Plans, IRAs, SEP-IRAs and IRA "Rollover Accounts," 401(k)
Salary Reduction Plans and 403(b)(7) Plans. Plan support services also are
available. You can obtain details on the various plans by calling the
following numbers toll free: for Keogh Plans, please call 1-800-358-5566; for
IRAs and IRA "Rollover Accounts," please call 1-800-645-6561; or for
SEP-IRAs, 401(k) Salary Reduction Plans and 403(b)(7) Plans, please call
1-800-322-7880.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
GENERAL
You may request redemption of your shares at any time. Redemption
requests should be transmitted to the Transfer Agent as described below. When
a request is received in proper form, the Fund will redeem the shares at the
next determined net asset value.
The Fund imposes no charges when shares are redeemed. Service Agents
may charge their clients a fee for effecting redemptions of Fund shares. Any
certificates representing Fund shares being redeemed must be submitted with
the redemption request. The value of the shares redeemed may be more or less
than their original cost, depending upon the Fund's then-current net asset
value.
The Fund ordinarily will make payment for all shares redeemed within
seven days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in
proper form, except as provided by the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED FUND SHARES BY CHECK, BY DREYFUS
TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE OR THROUGH DREYFUS-AUTOMATIC ASSET BUILDERRegistration
Mark AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMIT A WRITTEN REDEMPTION REQUEST TO THE TRANSFER
AGENT, THE REDEMPTION PROCEEDS WILL BE TRANSMITTED TO YOU PROMPTLY UPON BANK
CLEARANCE OF YOUR PURCHASE CHECK, DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PURCHASE OR DREYFUS-
AUTOMATIC ASSET BUILDER ORDER, WHICH MAY TAKE UP TO EIGHT BUSINESS DAYS OR
Page 15
MORE. IN ADDITION, THE FUND WILL REJECT REQUESTS TO REDEEM SHARES BY WIRE OR
TELEPHONE OR PURSUANT TO THE DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE FOR A PERIOD OF
EIGHT BUSINESS DAYS AFTER RECEIPT BY THE TRANSFER AGENT OF THE PURCHASE
CHECK, THE DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PURCHASE OR THE DREYFUS-AUTOMATIC ASSET
BUILDER ORDER AGAINST WHICH SUCH REDEMPTION IS REQUESTED. THESE PROCEDURES
WILL NOT APPLY IF YOUR SHARES WERE PURCHASED BY WIRE PAYMENT, OR IF YOU
OTHERWISE HAVE A SUFFICIENT COLLECTED BALANCE IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO COVER THE
REDEMPTION REQUEST. PRIOR TO THE TIME ANY REDEMPTION IS EFFECTIVE, DIVIDENDS
ON SUCH SHARES WILL ACCRUE AND BE PAYABLE, AND YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO
EXERCISE ALL OTHER RIGHTS OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP. Fund shares will not be
redeemed until the Transfer Agent has received your Account Application.
The Fund reserves the right to redeem your account at its option upon
not less than 45 days' written notice if your account's net asset value is
$500 or less and remains so during the notice period.
PROCEDURES
You may redeem shares by using the regular redemption procedure
through the Transfer Agent, or through the Telephone Redemption Privilege,
which is granted automatically unless you specifically refuse it by checking
the applicable "No" box on the Account Application. The Telephone Redemption
Privilege may be established for an existing account by a separate signed
Shareholder Services Form or by oral request from any of the authorized
signatories on the account by calling 1-800-645-6561. You also may redeem
shares through the Wire Redemption Privilege or the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
Privilege, if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary
information on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services
Form with the Transfer Agent. Other redemption procedures may be in effect
for clients of certain Service Agents. The Fund makes available to certain
large institutions the ability to issue redemption instructions through
compatible computer facilities. The Fund reserves the right to refuse any
request made by wire or telephone, including requests made shortly after a
change of address, and may limit the amount involved or the number of such
requests. The Fund may modify or terminate any redemption Privilege at any
time or charge a service fee upon notice to shareholders. No such fee
currently is contemplated. Shares held under Keogh Plans, IRAs or other
retirement plans, and shares for which certificates have been issued, are not
eligible for the Wire Redemption, Telephone Redemption or Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
Privilege.
The Telephone Redemption Privilege or Telephone Exchange Privilege
authorizes the Transfer Agent to act on telephone instructions (including
over The Dreyfus TouchRegistration Mark automated telephone system) from any
person representing himself or herself to be you, and reasonably believed by
the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Fund will require the Transfer Agent to
employ reasonable procedures, such as requiring a form of personal
identification, to confirm that instructions are genuine and, if it does not
follow such procedures, the Fund or the Transfer Agent may be liable for any
losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Neither the Fund nor
the Transfer Agent will be liable for following telephone instructions
reasonably believed to be genuine.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, you may
experience difficulty in contacting the Transfer Agent by telephone to
request a redemption or exchange of Fund shares. In such cases, you should
consider using the other redemption procedures described herein. Use of these
other redemption procedures may result in your redemption request being
processed at a later time than it would have been if telephone redemption had
been used. During the delay, the Fund's net asset value may fluctuate.
REGULAR REDEMPTION _ Under the regular redemption procedure, you may redeem
shares by written request mailed to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box
9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-
Page 16
9671, or, if for Dreyfus retirement plan accounts, to The Dreyfus Trust
Company, Custodian, P.O. Box 6427, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-6427.
Redemption requests may be delivered in person only to a Dreyfus Financial
Center. THESE REQUESTS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE FUND AND WILL BE PROCESSED
ONLY UPON RECEIPT THEREBY. For the location of the nearest Dreyfus Financial
Center, please call one of the telephone numbers listed under "General
Information." Redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder,
including each owner of a joint account, and each signature must be
guaranteed. The Transfer Agent has adopted standards and procedures
pursuant to which signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be
accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national
securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies
and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock
Exchange Medallion Signature Program, the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. If you
have any questions with respect to signature-guarantees, please call one of
the telephone numbers listed under "General Information."
Redemption proceeds of at least $1,000 will be wired to any member
bank of the Federal Reserve System in accordance with a written
signature-guaranteed request.
WIRE REDEMPTION PRIVILEGE _ You may request by wire or telephone that
redemption proceeds (minimum $1,000) be wired to your account at a bank which
is a member of the Federal Reserve System, or a correspondent bank if your
bank is not a member. Holders of jointly registered Fund or bank accounts may
have redemption proceeds of not more than $250,000 wired within any 30-day
period. You may telephone redemption requests by calling 1-800-645-6561 or,
if you are calling from overseas, call 516-794-5452. The Statement of
Additional Information sets forth instructions for transmitting redemption
requests by wire.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTION PRIVILEGE_You may request by telephone that redemption
proceeds (maximum $150,000 per day) be paid by check and mailed to your
address. You may telephone redemption instructions by calling 1-800-645-6561
or, if you are calling from overseas, call 516-794-5452. The Telephone
Redemption Privilege is granted automatically unless you refuse it.
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE _ You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds (minimum $500 per day) be transferred between your Fund
account and your bank account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic
financial institution which is an Automated Clearing House member may be
designated. Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in your account at an
Automated Clearing House member bank ordinarily two days after receipt of the
redemption request. Holders of jointly registered Fund or bank accounts may
redeem through the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege for transfer to their bank
account not more than $250,000 within any 30-day period.
If you have selected the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege, you may
request a Dreyfus TELETRANSFER redemption of shares by calling 1-800-645-6561
or, if you are calling from overseas, call 516-794-5452.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan, pursuant to which
it pays the Distributor for the provision of certain services to shareholders
a fee at the annual rate of .25 of 1% of the value of the Fund's average
daily net assets. The services provided may include personal services
relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder inquiries
regarding the Fund and providing reports and other information, and services
related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The Distributor may make
payments to Service Agents in respect of these services. The Distributor
determines the amounts to be paid to Service Agents.
Page 17
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
The Fund ordinarily pays dividends from net investment income and
distributes net realized securities gains, if any, once a year, but it may
make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act. The
Fund will not make distributions from net realized securities gains unless
capital loss carryovers, if any, have been utilized or have expired. You may
choose whether to receive dividends and distributions in cash or to reinvest
in additional shares at net asset value. All expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to investors.
Dividends derived from net investment income, together with
distributions from net realized short-term securities gains and all or a
portion of any gain realized from the sale or other disposition of certain
market discount bonds, paid by the Fund will be taxable to U.S. shareholders
as ordinary income whether received in cash or reinvested in additional
shares. Distributions from net realized long-term securities gains of the
Fund will be taxable to U.S. shareholders as long-term capital gains for
Federal income tax purposes, regardless of how long shareholders have held
their shares and whether such distributions are received in cash or reinvested
in Fund shares. Dividends and distributions may be subject to state and local
taxes.
Dividends derived from net investment income, together with
distributions from net realized short-term securities gains and all or a
portion of any gain realized from the sale or other disposition of certain
market discount bonds, paid by the Fund to a foreign investor generally are
subject to U.S. nonresident withholding taxes at the rate of 30%, unless the
foreign investor claims the benefit of a lower rate specified in a tax
treaty. Distributions from net realized long-term securities gains paid by the
Fund to a foreign investor as well as the proceeds of any redemptions from a
foreign investor's account, regardless of the extent to which gain or loss
may be realized, generally will not be subject to U.S. nonresident
withholding tax. However, such distributions may be subject to backup
withholding, as described below, unless the foreign investor certifies his
non-U.S. residency status.
Notice as to the tax status of your dividends and distributions will
be mailed to you annually. You also will receive periodic summaries of your
account which will include information as to dividends and distributions from
securities gains, if any, paid during the year.
The exchange of shares of one fund for shares of another is treated
for Federal income tax purposes as a sale of the shares given in exchange by
the shareholder and, therefore, an exchanging shareholder may realize a
taxable gain or loss.
Federal regulations generally require the Fund to withhold ("backup
withholding") and remit to the U.S. Treasury 31% of dividends, distributions
from net realized securities gains and the proceeds of any redemption,
regardless of the extent to which gain or loss may be realized, paid to a
shareholder if such shareholder fails to certify either that the TIN
furnished in connection with opening an account is correct or that such
shareholder has not received notice from the IRS of being subject to backup
withholding as a result of a failure to properly report taxable dividend or
interest income on a Federal income tax return. Furthermore, the IRS may
notify the Fund to institute backup withholding if the IRS determines a
shareholder's TIN is incorrect or if a shareholder has failed to properly
report taxable dividend and interest income on a Federal income tax return.
A TIN is either the Social Security number, IRS individual taxpayer
number or employer identification number of the record owner of the account.
Any tax withheld as a result of backup withholding
Page 18
does not constitute an additional tax imposed on the record owner of the
account, and may be claimed as a credit on the record owner's Federal income
tax return.
Management of the Fund believes that the Fund has qualified for the
fiscal year ended April 30, 1997 as a "regulated investment company" under
the Code. The Fund intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is
in the best interests of its shareholders. Qualification as a "regulated
investment company" relieves the Fund of any liability for Federal income
taxes to the extent its earnings are distributed in accordance with
applicable provisions of the Code. The Fund is subject to a non-deductible 4%
excise tax, measured with respect to certain undistributed amounts of taxable
investment income and capital gains.
You should consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as
to Federal, state or local taxes.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
For purposes of advertising, performance may be calculated on the
basis of average annual total return and/or total return.
Average annual total return is calculated pursuant to a standardized
formula which assumes that an investment in the Fund was purchased with an
initial payment of $1,000 and that the investment was redeemed at the end of
a stated period of time, after giving effect to the reinvestment of dividends
and distributions during the period. The return is expressed as a percentage
rate which, if applied on a compounded annual basis, would result in the
redeemable value of the investment at the end of the period. Advertisements
of the Fund's performance will include the Fund's average annual total return
for one, five and ten year periods, or for shorter periods depending upon the
length of time the Fund has operated.
Total return is computed on a per share basis and assumes the
reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Total return generally is
expressed as a percentage rate which is calculated by combining the income
and principal changes for a specified period and dividing by the net asset
value per share at the beginning of the period. Advertisements may include
the percentage rate of total return or may include the value of a
hypothetical investment at the end of the period which assumes the
application of the percentage rate of total return.
Performance will vary from time to time and past results are not
necessarily representative of future results. You should remember that
performance is a function of portfolio management in selecting the type and
quality of portfolio securities and is affected by operating expenses.
Performance information, such as that described above, may not provide a
basis for comparison with other investments or other investment companies
using a different method of calculating performance.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time in
advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Standard & Poor's 500 Stock
Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Moody's Bond Survey Bond Index, Bond
Buyer's 20-Bond Index, Wilshire 5000 Index and other industry publications.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Fund was incorporated under Maryland law on May 12, 1993, and
commenced operations on July 1, 1993. The Fund is authorized to issue 300
million shares of Common Stock, par value $.001 per share. Each share has one
vote.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result,
Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or
the appointment of auditors. However, pursuant to the Fund's By-Laws, the
holders of at least 10% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote may
require the Fund to hold a special
Page 19
meeting of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office
or for any other purpose. Fund shareholders may remove a Board member by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In
addition, the Fund's Board will call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose
of electing Board members if, at any time, less than a majority of the Board
members then holding office have been elected by shareholders.
The Transfer Agent maintains a record of your ownership and sends you
confirmation and statements of account.
Shareholder inquiries may be made to your Service Agent or by writing
to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144,
or by calling toll free 1-800-645-6561. In New York City, call 1-718-895-1206;
outside the U.S., call 516-794-5452.
Page 20
APPENDIX
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS _ Foreign currency transactions may be entered
into for a variety of purposes, including: to fix in U.S. dollars, between
trade and settlement date, the value of a security the Fund has agreed to buy
or sell; to hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities the Fund already owns,
particularly if it expects a decrease in the value of the currency in which
the foreign security is denominated; or to gain exposure to the foreign
currency in an attempt to realize gains.
Foreign currency transactions may involve, for example, the Fund's
purchase of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars or the maintenance of short
positions in foreign currencies, which would involve the Fund agreeing to
exchange an amount of a currency it did not currently own for another
currency at a future date in anticipation of a decline in the value of the
currency sold relative to the currency the Fund contracted to receive in the
exchange. The Fund's success in these transactions will depend principally on
The Dreyfus Corporation's ability to predict accurately the future exchange
rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short
periods of time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and
demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments
in different countries, actual or perceived changes in interest rates and
other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency
exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention by U.S. or
foreign governments or central banks, or the failure to intervene, or by
currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad.
LEVERAGE _ Leveraging exaggerates the effect on net asset value of any
increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money
borrowed for leveraging is limited to 331/3% of the value of the Fund's total
assets. These borrowings will be subject to interest costs which may or may
not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased; in certain
cases, interest costs may exceed the return received on the securities
purchased.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks,
brokers or dealers. This form of borrowing involves the transfer by the Fund
of an underlying debt instrument in return for cash proceeds based on a
percentage of the value of the security. The Fund retains the right to
receive interest and principal payments on the security. At an agreed upon
future date, the Fund repurchases the security at principal plus accrued
interest. Except for these transactions, the Fund's borrowings generally will
be unsecured.
SHORT-SELLING _ In these transactions, the Fund sells a security it does not
own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. To
complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery
to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security borrowed by
purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of replacement.
The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the
security was sold by the Fund, which would result in a loss or gain,
respectively.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any
such short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would
exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Fund may not make a
short sale which results in the Fund having sold short in the aggregate more
than 5% of the outstanding securities of any class of an issuer.
The Fund also may make short sales "against the box," in which the
Fund enters into a short sale of a security it owns in order to hedge an
unrealized gain on the security. At no time will more than 15% of the value
of the Fund's net assets be in deposits on short sales against the box.
Page 21
USE OF DERIVATIVES _ The Fund may invest in, or enter into, the types of
Derivatives enumerated under "Description of the Fund _ Investment
Considerations and Risks _ Use of Derivatives." These instruments and
certain related risks are described more specifically under "Investment
Objective and Management Policies _ Management Policies _ Derivatives" in
the Statement of Additional Information.
Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of
risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular Derivative and the
portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the
level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is
exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level
of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making
investments in specific securities.
Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than
their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in Derivatives
could have a large potential impact on the Fund's performance.
If the Fund invests in Derivatives at inappropriate times or judges
market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return
or result in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its Derivatives
were poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable
to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market
for many Derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in
liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the
prices for Derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain Derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
which limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such Derivatives. The
Fund may invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto for
hedging purposes without limit. However, the Fund may not invest in such
contracts and options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial
margin deposits and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such
contracts, other than for bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the
liquidation value of the Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized
profits and unrealized losses in such contracts and options; provided,
however, that in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of
purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5%
limitation.
The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets, represented by the
premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options. The Fund may write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put options contracts to the extent of 20% of
the value of its net assets at the time such options contracts are written.
When required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fund will set
aside permissible liquid assets in a segregated account to cover its
obligations relating to its transactions in Derivatives. To maintain this
required cover, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities at
disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be possible to liquidate a
Derivative position at a reasonable price.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES _ The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to
borrow securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to be
entitled to payments in amounts equal to the interest, dividends or other
distributions payable on the loaned securities which affords the Fund an
opportunity to earn interest on the amount of the loan and on the loaned
securities' collateral. Loans of portfolio securities may not exceed 331/3%
of the value of the Fund's total assets, and the Fund will receive collateral
consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or irrevocable letters of
credit which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least
100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Such loans are
terminable by the Fund at any time upon specified notice. The Fund might
experience risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a
portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund.
Page 22
FORWARD COMMITMENTS _ The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a forward
commitment, when-issued or delayed delivery basis, which means that delivery
and payment take place a number of days after the date of the commitment to
purchase or sell the securities at a predetermined price and/or yield.
Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is
delivered. When purchasing a security on a forward commitment basis, the Fund
assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk
of price fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when
determining its net asset value. Because the Fund is not required to pay for
these securities until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the
risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund is fully or
almost fully invested when forward commitment purchases are outstanding, such
purchases may result in a form of leverage. The Fund intends to engage in
forward commitments to increase its portfolio's financial exposure to the
types of securities in which it invests. Leveraging the portfolio in this
manner will increase the Fund's exposure to changes in interest rates and
will increase the volatility of its returns. A segregated account of the Fund
consisting of permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the
amount of the Fund's purchase commitments will be established and maintained
at the Fund's custodian bank. At no time will the Fund have more than 331\3%
of its assets committed to purchase securities on a forward commitment basis.
FORWARD ROLL TRANSACTIONS _ To enhance current income, the Fund may enter
into forward roll transactions with respect to mortgage-related securities.
In a forward roll transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security to
a financial institution, such as a bank or broker-dealer, and simultaneously
agrees to purchase a similar security from the institution at a later date at
an agreed upon price. The securities that are purchased will bear the same
interest rate as those sold, but generally will be collateralized by different
pools of mortgages with different pre-payment histories than those sold.
During the period between the sale and purchase, the Fund will not be
entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold.
Proceeds of the sale typically will be invested in short-term investments,
particularly repurchase agreements, and the income from these investments,
together with any additional fee income received on the sale, will be
expected to generate income for the Fund exceeding the yield on the
securities sold. Forward roll transactions involve the risk that the market
value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the purchase price
of those securities. A segregated account of the Fund consisting of cash,
U.S. Government securities or other high quality liquid debt securities at
least equal to the amount of the repurchase price (including accrued
interest) will be established and maintained at the Fund's custodian bank.
CERTAIN PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES _ Convertible securities may be converted at either a
stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.
Convertible securities have characteristics similar to both fixed-income and
equity securities. Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other
similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although
convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of
payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior
to common stock, of the same issuer. Because of the subordination feature,
however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than similar
non-convertible securities. The Fund also may invest in convertible preferred
stocks that offer enhanced yield features and higher dividend income than is
available from an issuer's common stock.
MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES _ Mortgage-related securities are a form of
Derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages.
Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by
various governmental, government-related and private organizations. These
securities may
Page 23
include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations,
stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through securities,
interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"), adjustable
rate mortgages, real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), including debt
and preferred stock issued by REITs, as well as other real estate-related
securities. The mortgage-related securities in which the Fund
may invest include those with fixed, floating or variable interest rates,
those with interest rates that change based on multiples of changes in a
specified index of interest rates and those with interest rates that change
inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do not bear
interest. Mortgage-related securities are subject to credit risks associated
with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties. Adverse changes
in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse
impact on mortgage-related securities secured by loans on certain types of
commercial properties than on those secured by loans on residential
properties. In addition, these securities are subject to prepayment risk,
although commercial mortgages typically have shorter maturities than
residential mortgages and prepayment protection features. In certain
instances, the credit risk associated with mortgage-related securities can be
reduced by third party guarantees or other forms of credit support. Improved
credit risk does not reduce prepayment risk which is unrelated to the rating
assigned to the mortgage-related security. Prepayment risk can lead to
fluctuations in value of the mortgage-related security which may be
pronounced. If a mortgage-related security is purchased at a premium, all or
part of the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of
the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments
on the underlying mortgage collateral. Certain mortgage-related securities
that may be purchased by the Fund, such as inverse floating rate
collateralized mortgage obligations, have coupons that move inversely to a
multiple of a specific index which may result in a form of leverage. As with
other interest-bearing securities, the prices of certain mortgage-related
securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. However,
although the value of a mortgage-related security may decline when interest
rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of
declining interest rates the mortgages underlying the security are more
likely to be prepaid. For this and other reasons, a mortgage-related
security's stated maturity may be shortened by unscheduled prepayments on the
underlying mortgages, and, therefore, it is not possible to predict
accurately the security's return to the Fund. Moreover, with respect to
certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, if the underlying mortgage
securities experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the
Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment even if the securities
are rated in the highest rating category by a nationally recognized
statistical rating organization. During periods of rapidly rising interest
rates, prepayments of mortgage-related securities may occur at slower than
expected rates. Slower prepayments effectively may lengthen a
mortgage-related security's expected maturity which generally would cause the
value of such security to fluctuate more widely in response to changes in
interest rates. Were the prepayments on the Fund's mortgage-related
securities to decrease broadly, the Fund's effective duration, and thus
sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations, would increase. For further
discussion concerning the investment considerations involved, see
"Description of the Fund _ Investment Considerations and Risks _
Fixed-Income Securities" and "Illiquid Securities" below.
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES _ Asset-backed securities are a form of Derivative.
The securitization techniques used for asset-backed securities are similar to
those used for mortgage-related securities. The collateral for these
securities has included home equity loans, automobile and credit card
receivables, boat loans, computer leases, airplane leases, mobile home loans,
recreational vehicle loans and hospital account receivables. The Fund may
invest in these and other types of asset-backed securities that may be
developed in the future.
Page 24
Asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented
by mortgage-backed securities. Primarily, these securities may provide the
Fund with a less effective security interest in the related collateral than
do mortgage-backed securities. Therefore, there is the possibility that
recoveries on the underlying collateral may not, in some cases, be available
to support payments on these securities.
WARRANTS _ A warrant is an instrument issued by a corporation which gives
the holder the right to subscribe to a specified amount of the corporation's
capital stock at a set price for a specified period of time. The Fund may
invest up to 5% of its net assets in warrants, except that this limitation
does not apply to warrants purchased by the Fund that are sold in units with,
or attached to, other securities. Included in such amount, but not to exceed
2% of the value of the Fund's net assets, may be warrants which are not
listed on the New York or American Stock Exchange.
MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS _ Municipal obligations are debt obligations issued by
states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of
Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, or
multistate agencies or authorities. Municipal obligations bear fixed,
floating or variable rates of interest. Certain municipal obligations are
subject to redemption at a date earlier than their stated maturity pursuant
to call options, which may be separated from the related municipal
obligations and purchased and sold separately. The Fund also may acquire call
options on specific municipal obligations. The Fund generally would purchase
these call options to protect the Fund from the issuer of the related
municipal obligation redeeming, or other holder of the call option from
calling away, the municipal obligation before maturity.
While, in general, municipal obligations are tax exempt securities
having relatively low yields as compared to taxable, non-municipal
obligations of similar quality, certain municipal obligations are taxable
obligations, offering yields comparable to, and in some cases greater than,
the yields available on other permissible Fund investments. Dividends
received by shareholders on Fund shares which are attributable to interest
income received by the Fund from municipal obligations generally will be
subject to Federal income tax. The Fund may invest in municipal obligations,
the ratings of which correspond with the ratings of other permissible Fund
investments. The Fund currently intends to invest no more than 25% of its
assets in municipal obligations. However, this percentage may be varied from
time to time without shareholder approval.
AMERICAN, EUROPEAN AND CONTINENTAL DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS _ Each of the Growth
and Income Portfolio and Growth Portfolio may invest in the securities of
foreign issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and
European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs"). These securities may not necessarily
be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be
converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a United States bank or
trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a
foreign corporation. EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as Continental
Depositary Receipts ("CDRs"), are receipts issued in Europe typically by
non-United States banks and trust companies that evidence ownership of either
foreign or domestic securities. Generally, ADRs in registered form are
designed for use in the United States securities markets and EDRs and CDRs in
bearer form are designed for use in Europe.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS _ The Fund may invest in the following types of
money market instruments.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury
securities that differ in their interest rates, maturities and times of
issuance. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies
and instru-
Page 25
mentalities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Treasury; others by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury;
others by discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain
obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and others only by the credit
of the agency or instrumentality. These securities bear fixed, floating or
variable rates of interest. While the U.S. Government provides financial
support to such U.S. Government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, no
assurance can be given that it will always do so since it is not so obligated
by law.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement, the Fund buys, and
the seller agrees to repurchase, a security at a mutually agreed upon time
and price (usually within seven days). The repurchase agreement thereby
determines the yield during the purchaser's holding period, while the
seller's obligation to repurchase is secured by the value of the underlying
security. Repurchase agreements could involve risks in the event of a default
or insolvency of the other party to the agreement, including possible delays
or restrictions upon the Fund's ability to dispose of the underlying
securities. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with certain banks
or non-bank dealers.
BANK OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may purchase certificates of deposit, time
deposits, bankers' acceptances and other short-term obligations issued by
domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries or foreign branches of domestic banks,
domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, domestic savings and loan
associations and other banking institutions. With respect to such securities
issued by foreign subsidiaries or foreign branches of domestic banks, and
domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, the Fund may be subject to
additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those
incurred by a fund which invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic
issuers. See "Description of the Fund _ Investment Considerations and Risks
_ Foreign Securities."
Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates evidencing the
obligation of a bank to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period
of time.
Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a banking
institution for a specified period of time (in no event longer than seven
days) at a stated interest rate.
Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation
of a bank to pay a draft drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect
the obligation both of the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the
instrument upon maturity. The other short-term obligations may include
uninsured, direct obligations bearing fixed, floating or variable interest
rates.
COMMERCIAL PAPER. Commercial paper consists of short-term, unsecured
promissory notes issued to finance short-term credit needs. The commercial
paper purchased by the Fund will consist only of direct obligations which, at
the time of their purchase, are (a) rated not lower than Prime-1 by Moody's,
A-1 by S&P, F-1 by Fitch or Duff-1 by Duff, (b) issued by companies having an
outstanding unsecured debt issue currently rated at least A3 by Moody's or A-
by S&P, Fitch or Duff, or (c) if unrated, determined by The Dreyfus
Corporation to be of comparable quality to those rated obligations which may
be purchased by the Fund.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES _ The Fund may invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury
securities, which are Treasury Notes and Bonds that have been stripped of
their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves and receipts or
certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and
coupons. Zero coupon securities also are issued by corporations and financial
institutions which constitute a proportionate ownership of the issuer's pool
of underlying U.S. Treasury securities. A zero coupon security pays no
interest to its holder during its life and is sold at a discount to its face
value at maturity. The market prices of zero coupon securities generally are
more volatile than the market prices
Page 26
of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to a
greater degree to changes in interest rates than non-zero coupon securities
having similar maturities and credit qualities.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES _ The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its net
assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment
objective. Such securities may include securities that are not readily
marketable, such as certain securities that are subject to legal or
contractual restrictions on resale, repurchase agreements providing for
settlement in more than seven days after notice, and certain privately
negotiated, non-exchange traded options and securities used to cover such
options. As to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that should
the Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a price
the Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net
assets could be adversely affected.
RATINGS _ Securities rated Ba by Moody's are judged to have speculative
elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured and often the
protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate.
Securities rated BB by S&P, Fitch or Duff, are regarded as having
predominately speculative characteristics and, while such obligations have
less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative grade debt,
they face major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business,
financial or economic conditions which could lead to inadequate capacity to
meet timely interest and principal payments. Securities rated C by Moody's
are regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real
investment standing. Securities rated D by S&P or Fitch or DD by Duff are in
default, and payment of interest and/or repayment of principal is in arrears.
Such securities, though high yielding, are characterized by great risk. See
"Appendix" in the Statement of Additional Information for a general
description of securities ratings.
The ratings of Moody's, S&P, Fitch and Duff represent their opinions
as to the quality of the obligations which they undertake to rate. Ratings
are relative and subjective and, although ratings may be useful in evaluating
the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the
market value risk of such obligations. Although these ratings may be an
initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, The Dreyfus
Corporation also will evaluate these securities and the ability of the issuers
of such securities to pay interest and principal. The Fund's ability to
achieve its investment objective may be more dependent on The Dreyfus
Corporation's credit analysis than might be the case for a fund that invested
in higher rated securities.
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND IN THE
FUND'S OFFICIAL SALES LITERATURE IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER OF THE FUND'S
SHARES, AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST
NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE FUND. THIS PROSPECTUS
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER IN ANY STATE IN WHICH, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM,
SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
Page 27
Asset
Allocation
Fund, Inc.
Prospectus
Registration Mark
Copy Rights 1997 Dreyfus Service Corporation
AAFp090197
Page 28
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
PART B
(STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
SEPTEMBER 1, 1997
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), dated September 1, 1997,
as it may be revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's
Prospectus, please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard,
Uniondale, New York 11566-0144, or call the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City -- Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. -- Call 516-794-5452
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's investment
adviser.
Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the
distributor of the Fund's shares.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Investment Objective and Management Policies B-2
Management of the Fund B-17
Management Agreement B-21
Purchase of Shares B-23
Shareholder Services Plan B-24
Redemption of Shares B-24
Shareholder Services B-26
Determination of Net Asset Value B-29
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes B-30
Portfolio Transactions B-32
Performance Information B-32
Information About the Fund B-33
Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent, Custodian,
Counsel and Independent Auditors B-33
Appendix B-35
Financial Statements B-43
Report of Independent Auditors B-54
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the sections in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Description of the
Fund" and "Appendix."
Portfolio Securities
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund's custodian or subcustodian will have
custody of, and will hold in a segregated account, securities acquired by
the Fund under a repurchase agreement. Repurchase agreements are considered
by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission to be loans by the
Fund that enters into them. In an attempt to reduce the risk of incurring a
loss on a repurchase agreement, the Fund will enter into repurchase
agreements only with domestic banks with total assets in excess of $1
billion, or primary government securities dealers reporting to the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, with respect to securities of the type in which
the Fund may invest, and will require that additional securities be
deposited with it if the value of the securities purchased should decrease
below resale price.
Commercial Paper and Other Short-Term Corporate Obligations. These
instruments include variable amount master demand notes, which are
obligations that permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying
rates of interest pursuant to direct arrangements between the Fund, as
lender, and the borrower. These notes permit daily changes in the amounts
borrowed. Because these obligations are direct lending arrangements between
the lender and borrower, it is not contemplated that such instruments
generally will be traded, and there generally is no established secondary
market for these obligations, although they are redeemable at face value,
plus accrued interest, at any time. Accordingly, where these obligations
are not secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements,
the Fund's right to redeem is dependent on the ability of the borrower to
pay principal and interest on demand. Such obligations frequently are not
rated by credit rating agencies, and the Fund may invest in them only if at
the time of an investment the borrower meets the criteria set forth in the
Fund's Prospectus for other commercial paper issuers.
Convertible Securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-
income securities, the market value of convertible securities tends to
decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as
interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the
market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in
the market value of the underlying common stock. A unique feature of
convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common
stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield
basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as
the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common
stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a
reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities
investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities
generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same
issuer.
Convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable stream
of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. There can be no
assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible
securities may default on their obligations. A convertible security, in
addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital
appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to
benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.
There can be no assurance of capital appreciation, however, because
securities prices fluctuate. Convertible securities, however, generally
offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of
similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation.
The Fund may invest in convertible preferred stocks that offer enhanced
yield features, such as Preferred Equity Redemption Cumulative Stock
("PERCS"), and higher dividend income than is available on a company's
common stock. PERCS are preferred stock which generally feature a mandatory
conversion date, as well as a capital appreciation limit that is usually
expressed in terms of a stated price. The Fund also may invest in other
classes of enhanced convertible securities, such as ACES (Automatically
Convertible Equity Securities), PEPS (Participating Equity Preferred Stock),
PRIDES (Preferred Redeemable Increased Dividend Equity Securities), SAILS
(Stock Appreciation Income Linked Securities), TECONS (Term Convertible
Notes), QICS (Quarterly Income Cumulative Securities) and DECS (Dividend
Enhanced Convertible Securities). These securities are company issued
convertible preferred stock. Unlike PERCS, they do not have a capital
appreciation limit. They are designed to provide the investor with high
current income with some prospect of future capital appreciation, issued
with three or four-year maturities, and typically have some built-in call
protection. Investors have the right to convert them into shares of common
stock at a preset conversion ratio or hold them until maturity. Upon
maturity they will convert mandatorily into either cash or a specified
number of shares of common stock.
Zero Coupon Securities. Zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities are
Treasury Notes and Bonds that have been stripped of their unmatured interest
coupons, the coupons themselves and receipts or certificates representing
interests in such stripped debt obligations and coupons. Receipts include
"Treasury Receipts" ("TRs") "Treasury Investment Growth Receipts" ("TIGRs"),
"Liquid Yield Option Notes" ("LYONs"), and "Certificates of Accrual on
Treasury Securities" ("CATS"). TIGRs, LYONs and CATS are interests in
private proprietary accounts while TRs are interests in accounts sponsored
by the U.S. Treasury.
Municipal Obligations. Municipal obligations generally include debt
obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes as well as
certain industrial development bonds issued by or on behalf of public
authorities. Municipal obligations are classified as general obligation
bonds, revenue bonds and notes. General obligation bonds are secured by the
issuer's pledge of its faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of
principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from the revenue derived
from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from
the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source, but not
from the general taxing power. Industrial development bonds, in most cases,
are revenue bonds and generally do not carry the pledge of the credit of the
issuing municipality, but generally are guaranteed by the corporate entity
on whose behalf they are issued. Notes are short-term instruments which are
obligations of the issuing municipalities or agencies and are sold in
anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or receipt of other
revenues. Municipal obligations include municipal lease/purchase agreements
which are similar to installment purchase contracts for property or
equipment issued by municipalities.
Mortgage Related Securities--Mortgage-related securities are a form of
Derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages.
Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by
various governmental, government-related and private organizations. These
securities may include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage
obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through
securities, interests in REMICs or other kinds of mortgage-backed
securities, including those with fixed, floating and variable interest
rates, those with interest rates that change based on multiples of changes
in a specified index of interest rates and those with interest rates that
change inversely to changes in interest rates.
Government-Agency Securities--Mortgage-related securities issued by the
Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") include GNMA Mortgage Pass-
Through Certificates (also known as "Ginnie Maes") which are guaranteed as
to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee
is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA is a
wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing
and Urban Development. GNMA certificates also are supported by the
authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments
under its guarantee.
Government-Related Securities--Mortgage-related securities issued by the
Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") include FNMA Guaranteed
Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as "Fannie Maes") which are
solely the obligations of FNMA and are not backed by or entitled to the full
faith and credit of the United States. FNMA is a government-sponsored
organization owned entirely by private stockholders. Fannie Maes are
guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA.
Mortgage-related securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation ("FHLMC") include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates
(also known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs"). FHLMC is a corporate
instrumentality of the United States created pursuant to an Act of Congress,
which is owned entirely by Federal Home Loan Banks. Freddie Macs are not
guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do not
constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home
Loan Bank. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest,
which is guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection
or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage
loans. When FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may
remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of
principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no
event later than one year after it becomes payable.
Private Entity Securities--These mortgage-related securities are issued by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private
mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers. Timely
payment of principal and interest on mortgage-related securities backed by
pools created by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by
various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title,
pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by
government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can
be no assurance that the private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their
obligations under the policies, so that if the issuers default on their
obligations the holders of the security could sustain a loss. No insurance
or guarantee covers the Fund or the price of the Fund's shares. Mortgage-
related securities issued by non-governmental issuers generally offer a
higher rate of interest than government agency and government-related
securities because there are no direct or indirect government guarantees of
payment.
Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities--Commercial mortgage related
securities generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates
secured by mortgage loans on commercial properties. These mortgage-related
securities generally are structured to provide protection to the senior
classes investors against potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans.
This protection generally is provided by having the holders of subordinated
classes of securities ("Subordinated Securities") take the first loss if
there are defaults on the underlying commercial mortgage loans. Other
protection, which may benefit all of the classes or particular classes, may
include issuer guarantees, reserve funds, additional Subordinated
Securities, cross-collateralization and over-collateralization.
The Fund may invest in Subordinated Securities issued or sponsored by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private
mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers.
Subordinated Securities have no governmental guarantee, and are subordinated
in some manner as to the payment of principal and/or interest to the holders
of more senior mortgage-related securities arising out of the same pool of
mortgages. The holders of Subordinated Securities typically are compensated
with a higher stated yield than are the holders of more senior mortgage-
related securities. On the other hand, Subordinated Securities typically
subject the holder to greater risk than senior mortgage-related securities
and tend to be rated in a lower rating category, and frequently a
substantially lower category, than the senior mortgage-related securities
issued in respect of the same pool of mortgage. Subordinated Securities
generally are likely to be more sensitive to changes in prepayment and
interest rates and the market rates and the market for such securities may
be less liquid than is the case for traditional fixed-income securities and
senior mortgage-related securities.
The market for commercial mortgage-related securities developed more
recently and in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues is
relatively small compared to the market for residential single-family
mortgage-related securities. In addition, commercial lending generally is
viewed as exposing the lender to a greater risk of loss than one- to four-
family residential lending. Commercial lending, for example, typically
involves larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers
than residential one- to four-family mortgage loans. In addition the
repayment of loans secured by income producing properties typically is
dependent upon the successful operation of the related real estate project
and the cash flow generated therefrom. Consequently, adverse changes in
economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse
impact on mortgage-related securities secured by loans on commercial
properties than on those secured by loans on residential properties.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")--A CMO is a mulitclass bond
backed by a pool of mortgage pass-through certificates or mortgage loans.
CMOs may be collateralized by (a) Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac
pass-through certificates, (b) unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the
Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans'
Affairs, (c) unsecuritized conventional mortgages, (d) other mortgage-
related securities, or (e) any combination thereof. Each class of CMOs,
often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and
has a stated maturity of final distribution date. Principal prepayments on
collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier
than the stated maturities or final distribution dates. The principal and
interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several
classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. One or more trances of a CMO may
have coupon rates which reset periodically at a specified increment over an
index, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") (or sometimes
more than one index). These floating rate CMOs typically are issued with
lifetime caps on the coupon rate thereon. The Fund also may invest in
inverse floating rate CMOs. Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche
of a CMO with a coupon rate that moves in the reverse direction to an
applicable index such a LIBOR. Accordingly, the coupon rate thereon will
increase as interest rates decrease. Inverse floating rate CMOs are
typically more volative than fixed or floating rate tranches of CMOs.
Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a
multiple of the applicable indexes. The effect of the coupon varying
inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor.
Inverse floaters based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be
highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders
thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal. The markets
for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at
times may be very thin. The Fund's ability to dispose of its positions in
such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for
such securities. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest
that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of
liquidity.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities--The Fund also may invest in stripped
mortgage-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are created
by segregating the cash flows from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage
securities to create two or more new securities, each with a specified
percentage of the underlying security's principal or interest payments.
Mortgage securities may be partially stripped so that each investor class
receives some interest and some principal. When securities are completely
stripped, however, all of the interest is distributed to holders of one type
of security, known as an interest-only security, or IO, and all of the
principal is distributed to holders of another type of security known as a
principal-only security, or PO. Strips can be created in a pass-through
structure or as tranches of a CMO. The yields to maturity on IOs and POs
are very sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments)
on the related underlying mortgage assets. If the underlying mortgage
assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the
Fund may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs. Conversely, if the
underlying mortgage assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of
principal, the yield on POs could be materially and adversely affected.
Real Estate Investment Trusts--A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust
that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").
The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby
effectively eliminating corporate level Federal Income tax and making the
REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the
definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things,
invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate
(including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities,
derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans
secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders
annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.
REITs are characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid
REITs. Equity REITs, which may include operating or finance companies, own
real estate directly and the value of, and income earned by, the REITs
depends upon the income of the underlying properties and the rental income
they earn. Equity REITs also can realize capital gains (or losses) by
selling properties that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value.
Mortgage REITs can make construction, development or long-term mortgage
loans and are sensitive to the credit quality of the borrower. Mortgage
REITs derive their income from interest payments on such loans. Hybrid
REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs,
generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real
estate. The value of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and
regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also
are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants,
self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free
status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Loans ("ARMs")--ARMs eligible for inclusion in a
mortgage pool will generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest
rate for a specified period of time, generally for either the first three,
six, twelve, thirteen, thirty-six, or sixty scheduled monthly payments.
Thereafter, the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on
changes in an index. ARMs typically have minimum and maximum rates beyond
which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the
loans. Certain ARMs provide for additional limitations on the maximum
amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single
adjustment period. Negatively amortizing ARMs may provide limitations on
changes in the required monthly payment. Limitations on monthly payments
can result in monthly payments that are greater or less than the amount
necessary to amortize a negatively amortizing ARM by its maturity at the
interest rate in effect during any particular month.
Other Mortgage-Related Security--Other mortgage-related securities include
securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly
represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage
loans on real property, including CMO residuals. Other mortgage-related
securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or
instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or
investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations,
homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks,
partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
Foreign Government Obligations; Securities of Supranational Entities.
The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by one or more
foreign governments or any of their political subdivisions, agencies or
instrumentalities that are determined by the Manager to be of comparable
quality to the other obligations in which the Fund may invest. Such
securities also include debt obligations of supranational entities.
Supranational entities include international organizations designated or
supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or
development and international banking institutions and related government
agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (the World Bank), the European Coal and Steel Community, the
Asian Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank.
Illiquid Securities. When purchasing securities that have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and are not readily
marketable, the Fund will endeavor to obtain the right to registration at
the expense of the issuer. Generally, there will be a lapse of time between
the Fund's decision to sell any such security and the registration of the
security permitting sale. During any such period, the price of the
securities will be subject to market fluctuations. However, where a
substantial market of qualified institutional buyers develops for certain
unregistered securities purchased by the Fund pursuant to Rule 144A under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Fund intends to treat such
securities as liquid securities in accordance with procedures approved by
the Fund's Board. Because it is not possible to predict with assurance how
the market for restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144A will develop, the
Fund's Board has directed the Manager to monitor carefully the Fund's
investments in such securities with particular regard to trading activity,
availability of reliable price information and other relevant information.
To the extent that, for a period of time, qualified institutional buyers
cease purchasing restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144A, the Fund's
investing in such securities may have the effect of increasing the level of
illiquidity during such period.
Management Policies
The Fund may engage in the following investment practices in
furtherance of its objective.
Leverage. For borrowings for investment purposes, the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), requires the Fund to
maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including
borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount
borrowed. If the required coverage should decline as a result of market
fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its
portfolio securities within three days to reduce the amount of its
borrowings and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be
disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that
time. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in
connection with such borrowing or pay a commitment or other fee to maintain
a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of
borrowing over the stated interest rate. To the extent the Fund enters into
a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will maintain in a segregated
custodial account permissible liquid assets at least equal to the aggregate
amount of its reverse repurchase obligations, plus accrued interest, in
certain cases, in accordance with releases promulgated by the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Securities and Exchange Commission views reverse
repurchase transactions as collateralized borrowings by the Fund.
Short-Selling. Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces
the borrowed security, it will: (a) maintain a segregated account,
containing permissible liquid assets, at such a level that the amount
deposited in the account plus the amount deposited with the broker as
collateral always equals the current value of the security sold short; or
(b) otherwise cover its short position.
Derivatives. The Fund may invest in Derivatives (as defined in the
Fund's Prospectus) for a variety of reasons, including to hedge certain
market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular
securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may provide a
cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to invest
than "traditional" securities would.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through
privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter
Derivatives. Exchange-traded Derivatives generally are guaranteed by the
clearing agency that is the issuer or counterparty to such Derivatives.
This guarantee usually is supported by a daily payment system (i.e.,
variation margin requirements) operated by the clearing agency in order to
reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated
with Derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency
guarantees over-the-counter Derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-
the-counter Derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default.
Accordingly, the Manager will consider the creditworthiness of
counterparties to over-the-counter Derivatives in the same manner as it
would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by the Fund.
Over-the-counter Derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded
Derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only
investor with sufficient understanding of the Derivative to be interested in
bidding for it.
Futures Transactions--In General. The Fund may enter into futures contracts
in U.S. domestic markets, such as the Chicago Board of Trade and the
International Monetary Market of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or, on
exchanges located outside the United States, such as the London
International Financial Futures Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange
Limited. Foreign markets may offer advantages such as trading opportunities
or arbitrage possibilities not available in the United States. Foreign
markets, however, may have greater risk potential than domestic markets.
For example, some foreign exchanges are principal markets so that no common
clearing facility exists and an investor may look only to the broker for
performance of the contract. In addition, any profits that the Fund might
realize in trading could be eliminated by adverse changes in the exchange
rate, or the Fund could incur losses as a result of those changes.
Transactions on foreign exchanges may include both commodities which are
traded on domestic exchanges and those which are not. Unlike trading on
domestic commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity exchanges is not
regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Engaging in these transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund which
could adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets. Although the
Fund intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is an
active market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid
market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time. Many
futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation
permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the
daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made
that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for
specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could
move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no
trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and
potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant
market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging
purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction
being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract. For example,
if the Fund uses futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in
the market value of securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such
securities instead increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit
of the increased value of securities which it has hedged because it will
have offsetting losses in its futures positions. Furthermore, if in such
circumstances the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities
to meet daily variation margin requirements. The Fund may have to sell such
securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible
liquid assets in connection with its commodities transactions in an amount
generally equal to the value of the underlying commodity. The segregation
of such assets will have the effect of limiting the Fund's ability otherwise
to invest those assets.
Specific Futures Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell stock index
futures contracts. A stock index future obligates the Fund to pay or receive
an amount of cash equal to a fixed dollar amount specified in the futures
contract multiplied by the difference between the settlement price of the
contract on the contract's last trading day and the value of the index based
on the stock prices of the securities that comprise it at the opening of
trading in such securities on the next business day.
The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate futures contracts. An
interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a
specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
Interest Rate Swaps. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund
with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive
interest (for example, an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed-rate
payments). The exchange commitments can involve payments to be made in the
same currency or in different currencies. The use of interest rate swaps is
a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks
different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security
transactions. If the Manager is incorrect in its forecasts of market
values, interest rates and other applicable factors, the investment
performance of the Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been
if these investment techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the Manager
is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that the swap position may
correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being hedged.
There is no limit on the amount of interest rate swap transactions that may
be entered into by the Fund. These transactions do not involve the delivery
of securities or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the
risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net
amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to
make. If the other party to an interest rate swap defaults, the Fund's risk
of loss consists of the net amount of interest payments that the Fund
contractually is entitled to receive.
The Fund may purchase and sell currency futures. A foreign currency
future obligates the Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific
currency at a future date at a specific price.
Options--In General. The Fund may purchase and write (i.e., sell) call or
put options with respect to specific securities. A call option gives the
purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell,
the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at any time
during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put option
gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price
at any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with respect
to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the
transaction by segregating cash or other securities. A put option written
by the Fund is covered when, among other things, cash or liquid securities
having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option are
placed in a segregated account with the Fund's custodian to fulfill the
obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing covered call and
put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return
than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The Fund
receives a premium from writing covered call or put options which it retains
whether or not the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a
liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any
particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such
secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may
cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher
than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events,
at times have rendered certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and
resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading
rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or
suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar
events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of
customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible
to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call
option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction
in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security
until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Specific Options Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell call and put
options in respect of specific securities (or groups or "baskets" of
specific securities) or stock indices listed on national securities
exchanges or traded in the over-the -counter market. An option on a stock
index is similar to an option in respect of specific securities, except that
settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the
index. Instead, the option holder receives an amount of cash if the closing
level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in
the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price
of the option. Thus, the effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index
options will depend upon price movements in the level of the index rather
than the price of a particular stock.
The Fund may purchase and sell call and put options on foreign
currency. These options convey the right to buy or sell the underlying
currency at a price which is expected to be lower or higher than the spot
price of the currency at the time the option is exercised or expires.
The Fund may purchase cash-settled options on interest rate swaps,
interest rate swaps denominated in foreign currency and equity index swaps
in pursuit of its investment objective. Interest rate swaps involve the
exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to
pay or receive interest (for example, an exchange of floating-rate payments
for fixed-rate payments) denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currency.
Equity index swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of
cash flows based upon the performance of an index or a portion of an index
of securities which usually includes dividends. A cash-settled option on a
swap gives the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, in return for
the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the
underlying swap as of the exercise date. These options typically are
purchased in privately negotiated transactions from financial institutions,
including securities brokerage firms.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the prices of individual stocks,
the stock market generally, foreign currencies or interest rates. To the
extent the Manager's predictions are incorrect, the Fund may incur losses.
Future Developments. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in
the area of options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts
and any other Derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by
the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to
the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment
objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such
transactions or making any such investment, the Fund will provide
appropriate disclosure in its Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information.
Forward Commitments. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the
same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating
when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the
creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the
level of interest rates. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience
such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on
a when-issued basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available
in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that
obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully
invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the
Fund's net assets and its net asset value per share.
Investment Company Securities. The Fund may invest in securities
issued by other investment companies which principally invest in securities
of the type in which the Fund invests. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund's total
investments in such securities, subject to certain exceptions, currently are
limited to (i) 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company,
(ii) 5% of the Fund's total assets with respect to any one investment
company and (iii) 10% of the Fund's total assets in the aggregate.
Investments in the securities of other investment companies may involve
duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses.
Lending Portfolio Securities. In connection with its securities
lending transactions, the Fund may return to the borrower or a third party
which is unaffiliated with the Fund, and which is acting as a "placing
broker," a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral
received for securities loaned.
The Securities and Exchange Commission currently requires that the
following conditions must be met whenever portfolio securities are loaned:
(1) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower;
(2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of
the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) the Fund must
be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the Fund must receive
reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other
distributions payable on the loaned securities, and any increase in market
value; (5) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection
with the loan; and (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass
to the borrower, the Fund's Board must terminate the loan and regain the
right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the
investment occurs.
Investment Considerations and Risks
Lower Rated Securities. The Fund is permitted to invest in securities
rated Ba by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or BB by Standard &
Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P"), Fitch Investors Service, L.P. ("Fitch") or
Duff & Phelps Credit Ratings Co. ("Duff" and with Moody's, S&P and Fitch,
the "Rating Agencies") and as low as the lowest rating assigned by the
Rating Agencies. Such securities, though higher yielding, are characterized
by risk. See "Description of the Fund--Investment Considerations and Risks-
- -Lower Rated Securities" in the Prospectus for a discussion of certain risks
and the "Appendix" for a general description of the Rating Agencies'
ratings. Although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of
interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk
of these securities. The Fund will rely on the Manager's judgment, analysis
and experience in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer.
Investors should be aware that the market values of many of these
securities tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher
rated securities. These securities generally are considered by the Rating
Agencies to be, on balance, predominantly speculative with respect to
capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of
the obligation and generally will involve more credit risk than securities
in the higher rating categories.
Companies that issue certain of these securities often are highly
leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of
financing. Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of
such issuers generally is greater than is the case with the higher rated
securities. For example, during an economic downturn or a sustained period
of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of these securities may
not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations.
The issuer's ability to service its debt obligations also may be affected
adversely by specific corporate developments, forecasts, or the
unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss because of default
by the issuer is significantly greater for the holders of these securities
because such securities generally are unsecured and often are subordinated
to other creditors of the issuer.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of
these securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold
only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the
extent a secondary trading market for these securities does exist, it
generally is not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated
securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse
impact on market price and yield and the Fund's ability to dispose of
particular issues when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in
response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the
creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid secondary market for
certain securities also may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain
accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and
calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the
values and liquidity of these securities. In such cases, judgment may play
a greater role in valuation because less reliable, objective data may be
available.
These securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns.
It is likely that an economic recession could disrupt severely the market
for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such
securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could
adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay
principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for
such securities.
The Fund may acquire these securities during an initial offering. Such
securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The Fund
has no arrangement with any persons concerning the acquisition of such
securities, and the Manager will review carefully the credit and other
characteristics pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also apply
to lower rated zero coupon securities and pay-in-kind bonds, in which the
Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets. Pay-in-kind bonds pay
interest through the issuance of additional securities. Zero coupon
securities and pay-in-kind bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike
bonds which pay interest throughout the period to maturity, the Fund will
realize no cash until the cash payment date unless a portion of such
securities are sold and, if the issuer defaults, the Fund may obtain no
return at all on its investment.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund has adopted investment restrictions numbered 1 through 8 as
fundamental policies, which cannot be changed without approval by the
holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding
voting shares. Investment restrictions numbered 9 through 14 are not
fundamental policies and may be changed by vote of a majority of the Fund's
Board members at any time. The Fund may not:
1. Invest in commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and sell
options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
2. Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, or oil, gas or other
mineral leases or exploration or development programs, but the Fund may
purchase and sell securities that are secured by real estate or issued by
companies that invest or deal in real estate.
3. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act
(which currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of
the Fund's total assets). For purposes of this investment restriction, the
entry into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those
relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not
constitute borrowing.
4. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt
obligations and the entry into repurchase agreements. However, the Fund may
lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the
value of its total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made
according to guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Fund's Board.
5. Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to
the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.
6. Invest more than 25% of the value of its assets in the securities
of issuers in any single industry, provided that, there shall be no
limitation on the purchase of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
7. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section
18(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent the activities permitted in
Investment Restriction Nos. 1, 3, 10 and 11 may be deemed to give rise to a
senior security.
8. Purchase securities on margin, but the Fund may make margin
deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward contracts,
futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on
futures contracts or indices.
9. Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of
exercising management or control, but the Fund will vote the securities it
owns in its portfolio as a shareholder in accordance with its views.
10. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent
necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to the
purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and the
deposit of assets in escrow in connection with writing covered put and call
options and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with
respect to options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those
relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices.
11. Purchase, sell or write puts, calls or combinations thereof,
except as may be described in the Fund's Prospectus and this Statement of
Additional Information.
12. Purchase securities of any company having less than three years'
continuous operations (including operations of any predecessors) if such
purchase would cause the value of the Fund's investments in all such
companies to exceed 5% of the value of its total assets.
13. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more
than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid, if,
in the aggregate, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets would
be so invested.
14. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
The Fund may invest, notwithstanding any other investment restriction
(whether or not fundamental), all of its assets in the securities of a
single open-end management investment company with substantially the same
fundamental investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a
later change in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will
not constitute a violation of such restriction.
The Fund may make commitments more restrictive than the restrictions
listed above so as to permit the sale of Fund shares in certain states.
Should the Fund determine that a commitment is no longer in the best
interest of the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to
revoke the commitment by terminating the sale of Fund shares in the state
involved.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as to
their principal business occupations during at least the last five years,
are shown below.
Board Members of the Fund
LUCY WILSON BENSON, Board Member. President of Benson and Associates,
consultants to business and government. Mrs. Benson is a director of
Communications Satellite Corporation, General RE Corporation and
Logistics Management Institute. She is also a trustee of the Alfred P.
Sloan Foundation, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lafayette
College, Vice Chairman of the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs and
a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. From 1980 to 1994, Mrs.
Benson was a director of the Grumman Corporation. Mrs. Benson served
as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and to SRI
International from 1980 to 1981. From 1977 to 1980, she was Under
Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology.
She is 69 years old and her address is 46 Sunset Avenue, Amherst,
Massachusetts 01002.
DAVID W. BURKE, Board Member. Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of
Governors, an independent board within the United States Information
Agency, since August 1995. From August 1994 to February 1995, Mr.
Burke was a Consultant to the Manager, and from October 1990 to August
1994, he was Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the
Manager. From 1977 to 1990, Mr. Burke was involved in the management
of national television news, as Vice President and Executive Vice
President of ABC News, and subsequently as President of CBS News. He
is 60 years old and his address is 197 Eighth Street, Charleston,
Massachusetts 02109.
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, Chairman of the Board. Since January 1995, Chairman of
the Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is
Chairman of the Board of the Noel Group, Inc., a venture capital
company, and Staffing Resources, Inc., a temporary placement agency;
and a director of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan
Services Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk
management services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle
Industries, Inc. (formerly Belding Heminway, Inc.), a button packager
and distributor, and Curtis Industries, Inc., a national distributor of
security products, chemicals and automotive and other hardware. For
more than five years prior to January 1995, he was President, a
director and, until August 1994, Chief Operating Officer of the Manager
and Executive Vice President and a director of Dreyfus Service
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager and, until August
24, 1994, the Fund's distributor. From August 1994 to December 31,
1994, he was a director of Mellon Bank Corporation. He is 53 years old
and his address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
MARTIN D. FIFE, Board Member. Chairman of the Board of Magar, Inc., a
company specializing in financial products and developing early stage
companies. In addition, Mr. Fife is Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of Skysat Communications Network Corporation, a
company developing telecommunications systems. Mr. Fife also serves on
the boards of various other companies. Mr. Fife is 69 years old and
his address is 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174.
WHITNEY I. GERARD, Board Member. Partner of the New York City law firm of
Chadbourne & Parke. He is 62 years old and his address is 30
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112.
ROBERT R. GLAUBER, Board Member. Research Fellow, Center for Business and
Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, since January 1992. Mr. Glauber was Under Secretary of the
Treasury for Finance at the U.S. Treasury Department from May 1989 to
January 1992. For more than 5 years prior thereto, he was a Professor
of Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard
University and, from 1985 to 1989, Chairman of its Advanced Management
Program. He is also a director of Mid Ocean Reinsurance Co. Ltd. and
Cooke Bieler, Inc., investment counselors. He is 57 years old and his
address is 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
ARTHUR A. HARTMAN, Board Member. Senior consultant with APCO Associates
Inc. From 1981 to 1987, he was United States Ambassador to the former
Soviet Union. He is a director of the ITT Hartford Insurance Group,
Ford Meter Box Corporation and Lawter International and a member of the
advisory councils of several other companies, research institutes and
foundations. Ambassador Hartman is Chairman of the First NIS Regional
Fund (ING/Barings Management). He is a former President of the Harvard
Board of Overseers. He is 70 years old and his address is 1615 L
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
GEORGE L. PERRY, Board Member. An economist and Senior Fellow at the
Brookings Institution since 1969. He is co-director of the Brookings
Panel on Economic Activity and editor of its journal, The Brookings
Papers. He is also a director of the State Farm Mutual Automobile
Association, State Farm Life Insurance Company and Federal Realty
Investment Trust. He is 62 years old and his address is 1775
Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
PAUL D. WOLFOWITZ, Board Member. Dean of The Paul H. Nitze School of
Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. From 1989
to 1993, he was Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. From 1986 to
1989, he was the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia. From
1982 to 1986, he was Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs of the Department of State. He is a director of
Hasbro, Inc. He is 51 years old and his address is 1740 Massachusetts
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
For so long as the Fund plan described in the section captioned
"Shareholder Services Plan" remains in effect, the Board members of the Fund
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act,
will be selected and nominated by the Board members who are not "interested
persons" of the Fund.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the
Board receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board
members are entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of
one-half of the amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount
of compensation paid to each Board member by the Fund for the fiscal year
ended April 30, 1997, and by all other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds
for which such person is a Board member (the numbers of which is set forth
in parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation) for the year
ended December 31, 1996, were as follows:
Total Compensation
Aggregate from Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation from Complex Paid to
Member Fund* Board Members
Lucy Wilson Benson $2,250 $ 69,018 (13)
David W. Burke $2,250 $232,699 (51)
Joseph S. DiMartino $2,813 $517,075 (93)
Martin D. Fife $2,000 $ 54,167 (11)
Whitney I. Gerard $2,250 $ 58,417 (11)
Robert R. Glauber $2,250 $103,549 (20)
Arthur A. Hartman $2,250 $ 58,167 (11)
George L. Perry $2,250 $ 58,167 (11)
Paul D. Wolfowitz $2,000 $ 48,046 (10)
______________________________
* Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board
meetings, which amounted to $777 for all Board members as a group.
Officers of the Fund
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, President and Treasurer. President, Chief Executive
Officer and a director of the Distributor and an officer of other
investment companies advised or administered by the Manager. From
December 1991 to July 1994, she was President and Chief Compliance
Officer of Funds Distributor, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is
Boston Institutional Group, Inc. She is 40 years old.
JOHN E. PELLETIER, Vice President and Secretary. Senior Vice President and
General Counsel of the Distributor and an officer of other investment
companies advised or administered by the Manager. From February 1992
to July 1994, he served as Counsel for The Boston Company Advisors,
Inc. He is 32 years old.
MARK A. KARPE, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Senior Paralegal of
the Distributor and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. Prior to September 1993, he was employed
as an Associate Examiner at the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. He is 27 years old.
ELIZABETH A. KEELEY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice President
of the Distributor and an officer of other investment companies advised
or administered by the Manager. She has been employed by the
Distributor since September 1995. She is 27 years old.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Supervisor of
Treasury Services and Administration of Funds Distributor, Inc. and an
officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From April 1993 to January 1995, he was a Senior Fund
Accountant for Investors Bank & Trust Company. From December 1991 to
March 1993, he was employed as a Fund Accountant at The Boston Company,
Inc. He is 28 years old.
RICHARD INGRAM, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President and Director of Client Services and Treasury Operations of
Funds Distributor, Inc. and an officer of other investment companies
advised or administered by the Manager. From March 1994 to November
1995, he was Vice President and Division Manager for First Data
Investor Services Group. From 1989 to 1995, he was Vice President,
Assistant Treasurer and Tax Director - Mutual Funds of The Boston
Company, Inc. He is 41 years old.
MARY A. NELSON, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President and
Manager of Treasury Services and Administration of Funds Distributor,
Inc. and an officer of other investment companies advised or
administered by the Manager. From September 1989 to July 1994, she was
an Assistant Vice President and Client Manager for The Boston Company,
Inc. She is 33 years old.
MICHAEL S. PETRUCELLI, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Director of
Strategic Client Initiatives for Funds Distributor, Inc. and an officer
of other investment companies advised or administered by the Manager.
From December 1989 through November 1996, he was employed by GE
Investments where he held various financial, business development and
compliance positions. He also served as Treasurer of the GE Funds and
as Director of GE Investment Services. He is 35 years old.
JOSEPH F. TOWER, III, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Senior Vice
President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Distributor and
an officer of other investment companies advised or administered by the
Manager. From July 1988 to August 1994, he was employed by The Boston
Company, Inc. where he held various management positions in the
Corporate Finance and Treasury areas. He is 34 years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York,
New York 10166.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1%
of the Fund's shares outstanding on August 18, 1997.
No person is known to the Fund to own more than 5% of its outstanding
voting securities as of August 18, 1997.
MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Management of the Fund."
The Manager provides management services pursuant to the Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") dated August 24, 1994 with the Fund, which is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a
majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities, provided that in either event the continuance also is approved
by a majority of the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The
Agreement was approved by shareholders on August 4, 1994, and was last
approved by the Fund's Board, including a majority of the Board members who
are not "interested persons" of any party to the Agreement, at a meeting
held on August 7, 1997. The Agreement is terminable without penalty, on 60
days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority of
the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager.
The Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment
(as defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager: W.
Keith Smith, Chairman of the Board; Christopher M. Condron, President, Chief
Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and a director; Stephen E.
Canter, Vice Chairman, Chief Investment Officer and a director; Lawrence S.
Kash, Vice Chairman-Distribution and a director; William T. Sandalls, Jr.,
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice
President-Corporate Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President-Human
Resources; Jeffrey N. Nachman, Vice President-Mutual Fund Accounting; Andrew
S. Wasser, Vice President-Information Systems; William V. Healy, Assistant
Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman, Burton C. Borgelt and Frank V. Cahouet,
directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's investments in accordance with the
stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's Board.
The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the Fund
with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Board to execute purchases
and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers are Timothy Ghriskey
and Kevin McClintock. The Manager also maintains a research department with
a professional staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts who
provide research services for the Fund and for other funds advised by the
Manager.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the
Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The
expenses borne by the Fund include: organizational costs, taxes, interest,
loan commitment fees, interest and distributions paid on securities sold
short, brokerage fees and commissions, if any, fees of Board members who are
not officers, directors, employees or holders of 5% or more of the
outstanding voting securities of the Manager, Securities and Exchange
Commission fees, state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees, charges
of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain
insurance premiums, industry association fees, outside auditing and legal
expenses, costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs of independent
pricing services, costs attributable to investor services (including,
without limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of
shareholders' reports and meetings, costs of preparing and printing
prospectuses and statements of additional information for regulatory
purposes and for distribution to existing shareholders and any extraordinary
expenses. In addition, Fund shares are subject to an annual service fee.
See "Shareholder Services Plan."
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund, and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager also may make such advertising and
promotional expenditures, using its own resources, as it from time to time
deems appropriate.
As compensation for its services, the Fund has agreed to pay the
Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of .75 of 1% of the
value of the Fund's average daily net assets. For the fiscal years ended
April 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997, the management fees payable to the Manager
amounted to $382,802, $469,019 and $451,732, respectively. The management
fee for the period ended April 30, 1995 was waived by the Manager pursuant
to an undertaking and the management fee for the fiscal year ended April 30,
1996 was reduced by $170,503 resulting in a net fee of $298,516 for fiscal
1996.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate
expenses of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings
and (with the prior written consent of the necessary state securities
commissions) extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee,
exceed the expense limitation of any state having jurisdiction over the
Fund, the Fund may deduct from the payment to be made to the Manager under
the Agreement, or the Manager will bear, such excess expense to the extent
required by state law. Such deduction or payment, if any, will be estimated
daily, and reconciled and effected or paid, as the case may be, on a monthly
basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
PURCHASE OF SHARES
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "How to Buy Shares."
The Distributor. The Distributor serves as the Fund's distributor on a
best efforts basis pursuant to an agreement which is renewable annually.
The Distributor also acts as distributor for the other funds in the Dreyfus
Family of Funds and for certain other investment companies.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. Dreyfus TeleTransfer purchase orders
may be made at any time. Purchase orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York
time, on any business day that Dreyfus Transfer, Inc., the Fund's transfer
and dividend disbursing agent (the "Transfer Agent"), and the New York Stock
Exchange are open for business will be credited to the shareholder's Fund
account on the next bank business day following such purchase order.
Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any business day the
Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business, or
orders made on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York
Stock Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to the
shareholder's Fund account on the second bank business day following such
purchase order. To qualify to use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege, the
initial payment for purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and redemption
proceeds paid to, the same bank and account as are designated on the Account
Application or Shareholder Services Form on file. If the proceeds of a
particular redemption are to be wired to an account at any other bank, the
request must be in writing and signature-guaranteed. See "Redemption of
Shares--Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege."
Reopening an Account. An investor may reopen an account with a minimum
investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the
calendar year, provided the information on the old Account Application is
still applicable.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Shareholder Services
Plan."
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan, pursuant to which the
Fund pays the Distributor for the provision of certain services to the
Fund's shareholders. The services provided may include personal services
relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder inquiries
regarding the Fund and providing reports and other information, and services
related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Under the Shareholder
Services Plan, the Distributor may make payments to certain financial
institutions, securities dealers and other financial industry professionals
(collectively, "Service Agents") in respect to these services.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Shareholder
Services Plan, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred,
must be made to the Board for its review. In addition, the Shareholder
Services Plan provides that material amendments of the Shareholder Services
Plan must be approved by the Board, and by the Board members who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund and have no
direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Shareholder
Services Plan or in any agreements entered into in connection with the
Shareholder Services Plan, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of considering such amendments. The Shareholder Services Plan
is subject to annual approval by such vote of the Board members cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Shareholder
Services Plan. The Shareholder Services Plan was last so approved by the
Board at a meeting held on August 7, 1997. The Shareholder Services Plan is
terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are
not "interested persons" and have no direct or indirect financial interest
in the operation of the Shareholder Services Plan or in any agreements
entered into in connection with the Shareholder Services Plan.
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997, the Fund was charged $150,577
pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.
REDEMPTION OF SHARES
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "How to Redeem Shares."
Wire Redemption Privilege. By using this Privilege, the investor
authorizes the Transfer Agent to act on wire or telephone redemption
instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be the
investor, or a representative of the investor's Service Agent, and
reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the
Fund will initiate payment for shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on
the next business day after receipt if the Transfer Agent receives the
redemption request in proper form. Redemption proceeds ($1,000 minimum)
will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to the commercial bank
account specified by the investor on the Account Application or Shareholder
Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if the investor's bank is not a
member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such
bank and borne by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent
bank to the investor's bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the
funds to the investor's bank account.
Investors with access to telegraphic equipment may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code
which may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
Transfer Agent's
Transmittal Code Answer Back Sign
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
Investors who do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment may
have the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-
7171, toll free. Investors should advise the operator that the above
transmittal code must be used and should also inform the operator of the
Transfer Agent's answer back sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive
redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent.
This request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature
guaranteed as described below under "Stock Certificates; Signatures."
Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. Investors should be aware that if they
have selected the Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege, any request for a wire
redemption will be effected as a Dreyfus TeleTransfer transaction through
the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") system unless more prompt transmittal
specifically is requested. Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in the
investor's account at an ACH member bank ordinarily two business days after
receipt of the redemption request. See "Purchase of Shares--Dreyfus
TeleTransfer Privilege."
Stock Certificates; Signatures. Any certificates representing Fund
shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request.
Written redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including
each holder of a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed.
Signatures on endorsed certificates submitted for redemption also must be
guaranteed. The Transfer Agent has adopted standards and procedures
pursuant to which signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be
accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national
securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies
and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock
Exchange Medallion Signature Program, the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program.
Guarantees must be signed by an authorized signatory of the guarantor and
"Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the signature. The Transfer Agent
may request additional documentation from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept other suitable
verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as consular
verification. For more information with respect to signature-guarantees,
please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the cover.
Redemption Commitment. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash
all redemption requests by any shareholder of record of the Fund, limited in
amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value
of the Fund's net assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment
is irrevocable without the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. In the case of requests for redemption in excess of such
amount, the Board reserves the right to make payments in whole or in part in
securities or other assets in case of an emergency or any time a cash
distribution would impair the liquidity of the Fund to the detriment of the
existing shareholders. In such event, the securities would be valued in the
same manner as the Fund's securities are valued. If the recipient sold such
securities, brokerage charges would be incurred.
Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be suspended or
the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock
Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b)
when trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or
when an emergency exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission so that disposal of the Fund's investments or determination of
its net asset value is not reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other
periods as the Securities and Exchange Commission by order may permit to
protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Shareholder Services."
Fund Exchanges. Shares of funds purchased by exchange will be
purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds that are offered without a
sales load will be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be
exchanged for shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and
the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged without a
sales load for shares of other funds sold without a
sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds acquired
by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a sales load and
additional shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), provided that, if the sales load applicable
to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could
have been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the
time the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to
any reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange under item D above, shareholders must notify
the Transfer Agent of their prior ownership of fund shares and their account
number.
To request an exchange, an investor must give exchange instructions to
the Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue
exchange instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders
automatically, unless the investor checks the applicable "No" box on the
Account Application, indicating that the investor specifically refuses this
privilege. By using the Telephone Exchange Privilege, the investor
authorizes the Transfer Agent to act on telephonic instructions (including
over The Dreyfus Touchr automated telephone system) from any person
representing himself or herself to be the investor, and reasonably believed
by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may be subject to
limitations as to the amount involved or the number of telephone exchanges
permitted. Shares issued in certificate form are not eligible for telephone
exchange.
To establish a retirement plan by exchange, shares of the fund being
exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial investment
required for the fund into which the exchange is being made. For Dreyfus-
sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs and IRAs set up under a Simplified Employee
Pension Plan ("SEP-IRAs") with only one participant, the minimum initial
investment is $750. To exchange shares held in corporate plans, 403(b)(7)
Plans and SEP-IRAs with more than one participant, the minimum initial
investment is $100 if the plan has at least $2,500 invested among the funds
in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. To exchange shares held in a retirement
plan account, the shares exchanged must have a current value of at least
$100.
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege
permits an investor to purchase, in exchange for shares of a Portfolio,
shares of one of the other Portfolios of the Fund or shares of another fund
in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. This Privilege is available only for
existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on the basis of relative net
asset value as set forth under "Fund Exchanges" above. Enrollment in or
modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective three business
days following notification by the investor. An investor will be notified
if his account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this
Privilege. In this case, an investor's account will fall to zero unless
additional investments are made in excess of the designated amount prior to
the next Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA and other
retirement plans are eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares
may be made between IRA accounts and from regular accounts to IRA accounts,
but not from IRA accounts to regular accounts. With respect to all other
retirement accounts, exchanges may be made only among those accounts.
Fund Exchanges and the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege are available to
shareholders resident in any state in which shares of the fund being
acquired may legally be sold. Shares may be exchanged only between accounts
having identical names and other identifying designations.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject
any exchange request in whole or in part. The Fund Exchanges service or
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or terminated at any time
upon notice to shareholders.
Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits an
investor with a $5,000 minimum account to request withdrawal of a specified
dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a monthly or quarterly basis.
Withdrawal payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the
yield on the shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and
distributions, the investor's shares will be reduced and eventually may be
depleted. Automatic Withdrawal may be terminated at any time by the
investor, the Fund or the Transfer Agent. Shares for which certificates
have been issued may not be redeemed through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.
Dreyfus Dividend Sweep. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows investors to
invest automatically their dividends or dividends and capital gain
distributions, if any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the
Dreyfus Family of Funds of which the investor is a shareholder. Shares of
other funds purchased pursuant to this privilege will be purchased on the
basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested without
imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds that
are offered without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not
charge a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold
with a sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which charges a
sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a
sales load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), provided
that, if the sales load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds
the maximum sales load charged by the fund from which dividends or
distributions are being swept, without giving effect to any
reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in shares
of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge and the applicable contingent deferred sales charge, if
any, will be imposed upon redemption of such shares.
Corporate Pension/Profit-Sharing and Retirement Plans. The Fund makes
available to corporations a variety of prototype pension and profit-sharing
plans including a 401(k) Salary Reduction Plan. In addition, the Fund makes
available Keogh Plans, IRAs, including SEP-IRAs and IRA "Rollover Accounts,"
and 403(b)(7) Plans. Plan support services also are available.
Investors who wish to purchase Fund shares in conjunction with a Keogh
Plan, a 403(b)(7) Plan or an IRA, including an SEP-IRA, may request from the
Distributor forms for adopting such plans.
The entity acting as custodian for Keogh Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans or IRAs
may charge a fee, payment of which could require the liquidation of shares.
All fees charged are described in the appropriate form.
Shares may be purchased in connection with these plans only by direct
remittance to the entity acting as custodian. Purchases for these plans may
not be made in advance of receipt of funds.
The minimum initial investment for corporate plans, Salary Reduction
Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans and SEP-IRAs with more than one participant, is
$2,500 with no minimum on subsequent purchases. The minimum initial
investment for Dreyfus-sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs, SEP-IRAs and 403(b)(7)
Plans with only one participant, is normally $750, with no minimum on
subsequent purchases. Individuals who open an IRA may also open a non-
working spousal IRA with a minimum investment of $250.
The investor should read the Prototype Retirement Plan and the
appropriate form of Custodial Agreement for further details on eligibility,
service fees and tax implications, and should consult a tax adviser.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "How to Buy Shares."
Valuation of Portfolio Securities. The Fund's securities, including
covered call options written by the Fund, are valued at the last sale price
on the securities exchange or national securities market on which such
securities primarily are traded. Securities not listed on an exchange or
national securities market, or securities in which there were no
transactions, are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked
prices, except in the case of open short positions where the asked price is
used for valuation purposes. Bid price is used when no asked price is
available. Short-term investments are carried at amortized cost, which
approximates value. Any securities or other assets for which recent market
quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined
in good faith by the Fund's Board. Expenses and fees of the Fund, including
the management fee paid by the Fund and fees pursuant to the Fund's
Shareholder Services Plan, are accrued daily and taken into account for the
purpose of determining the net asset value of Fund shares.
Restricted securities, as well as securities or other assets for which
market quotations are not readily available, or are not valued by a pricing
service approved by the Board, are valued at fair value as determined in
good faith by the Board. The Board will review the method of valuation on a
current basis. In making their good faith valuation of restricted
securities, the Board members generally will take the following factors into
consideration: restricted securities which are securities of the same class
of securities for which a public market exists usually will be valued at
market value less the same percentage discount at which purchased. This
discount will be revised periodically by the Board if the Board members
believe that it no longer reflects the value of the restricted securities.
Restricted securities not of the same class as securities for which a public
market exists usually will be valued initially at cost. Any subsequent
adjustment from cost will be based upon considerations deemed relevant by
the Board.
New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on which
the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day,
Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Dividends, Distributions
and Taxes."
Management of the Fund believes the Fund qualified as a "regulated
investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997. The Fund intends to
continue to so qualify, as long as such qualification is in the best
interests of its shareholders. Qualification as a regulated investment
company relieves the Fund from any liability for Federal income taxes to the
extent its earnings are distributed in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Code. The term "regulated investment company" does not imply the
supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any
government agency.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase
may have the effect of reducing the net asset value of the shares below the
cost of his investment. Such a dividend or distribution would be a return
on investment in an economic sense, although taxable as stated in the
Prospectus under "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes." In addition, the
Code provides that if a shareholder holds shares of the Fund for six months
or less and has received a capital gain distribution with respect to such
shares, any loss incurred on the sale of such shares will be treated as a
long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain distribution
received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will
be treated as capital gain and loss. However, a portion of the gain or loss
from the disposition of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities (including
debt instruments, certain financial forward futures and option contracts and
certain preferred stock) may be treated as ordinary income or loss under
Section 988 of the Code. In addition, all or a portion of the gain realized
from the disposition of certain market discount bonds will be treated as
ordinary income under Section 1276. Finally, all or a portion of the gain
realized from engaging in "conversion transactions" may be treated as
ordinary income under Section 1258. "Conversion transactions" are defined
to include certain forward, futures, option and straddle transactions,
transactions marketed or sold to produce capital gains, or transactions
described in Treasury regulations to be issued in the future.
Under Section 1256 of the Code, any gain or loss realized by the Fund
from certain futures and forward contracts and options transactions will be
treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital
gain or loss. Gain or loss will arise upon exercise or lapse of such
contracts and options as well as from closing transactions. In addition,
any such contracts or options remaining unexercised at the end of the Fund's
taxable year will be treated as sold for their then fair market value,
resulting in additional gain or loss characterized in the manner described
above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain contracts or
options may constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined to include
"offsetting positions" in actively traded personal property. The tax
treatment of "straddles" is governed by Sections 1092 and 1258 of the Code,
which, in certain circumstances, override or modify the provisions of
Sections 1256 and 988 of the Code. As such, all or a portion of any short-
term or long-term capital gain from certain "straddle" transactions may be
recharacterized to ordinary income. If the Fund were treated as entering
into "straddles" by reason of its engaging in certain forward contracts or
options transactions, such "straddles" would be characterized as "mixed
straddles" if the forward contracts or options transactions comprising a
part of such "straddles" were governed by Section 1256 of the Code. The
Fund may make one or more elections with respect to "mixed straddles."
Depending on which election is made, if any, the results to the Fund may
differ. If no election is made, to the extent the "straddle" and conversion
transactions rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses
realized by the Fund will be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in
the offsetting position. Moreover, as a result of the "straddle" rules,
short-term capital loss on "straddle" positions may be recharacterized as
long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gains may be treated as
short-term capital gains or ordinary income.
Recently enacted legislation added constructive sale provisions that
may apply if the Fund enters into short sales, or futures, forwards, or
offsetting notional principal contracts with respect to appreciated stock
and certain debt obligations that it holds. In such event, the Fund will be
taxed as if the appreciated property were sold at its fair market value on
the date the Fund entered into such short sale or contract. Such
legislation similarly may apply if the Fund has entered into a short sale,
option, futures or forward contract, or other position with respect to
property, that position has appreciated in value, and the Fund acquires that
same or substantially identical property. In such event, the Fund will be
taxed as if the appreciated position were sold at its fair market value on
the date of such acquisition. Transactions that are identified hedging or
straddle transactions under other provisions of the Code can be subject to
the constructive sale provisions.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued or acquired at a discount,
or providing for deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of
additional obligations could under special tax rules affect the amount,
timing and character of distributions to shareholders by causing the Fund to
recognize income prior to the receipt of cash payments. For example, the
Fund could be required to accrue a portion of the discount (or deemed
discount) at which the securities were issued and to distribute such income
in order to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company.
In such case, the Fund may have to dispose of securities which it might
otherwise have continued to hold in order to generate cash to satisfy these
distribution requirements.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The Manager supervises the placement of orders on behalf of the Fund
for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Allocation of brokerage
transactions, including their frequency, is made in the Manager's best
judgment and in a manner deemed fair and reasonable to shareholders. The
primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable
net price. Subject to this consideration, the brokers selected will include
those that supplement the Manager's research facilities with statistical
data, investment information, economic facts and opinions. Information so
received is in addition to and not in lieu of services required to be
performed by the Manager and the fee of the Manager is not reduced as a
consequence of the receipt of such supplemental information. Such
information may be useful to the Manager in serving both the Fund and other
clients which it advises and, conversely, supplemental information obtained
by the placement of business of other clients may be useful to the Manager
in carrying out its obligation to the Fund. Brokers are also selected
because of their ability to handle special executions such as are involved
in large block trades or broad distributions, provided the primary
consideration is met. Large block trades may, in certain cases, result from
two or more clients the Manager might advise being engaged simultaneously in
the purchase or sale of the same security. Certain transactions in
securities of foreign issuers may not benefit from the negotiated commission
rates available to the Fund for transactions in securities of domestic
issuers. When transactions are executed in the over-the-counter market, the
Fund will deal with the primary market makers unless a more favorable price
or execution otherwise is obtainable.
For the fiscal years ended April 30, 1995, 1996 and 1997, the Fund paid
total brokerage commissions of $106,361, $500,390 and $241,623,
respectively, none of which was paid to the Distributor. The Fund paid no
gross spreads on principal transactions for the fiscal years ended April 30,
1995 and 1996. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997 the Fund paid
$232,985 in concessions.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "Performance
Information."
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1 and 3.83 year periods
ended April 30, 1997 was 16.49% and 12.20%, respectively. Average annual
total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable value of an
investment purchased at net asset value per share with a hypothetical $1,000
payment made at the beginning of the period (assuming the reinvestment of
dividends and distributions), dividing by the amount of the initial
investment, taking the "n"th root of the quotient (where "n" is the number
of years in the period) and subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's total return for the period July 1, 1993 (commencement of
operations) through April 30, 1997 was 55.42%. Total return is calculated
by subtracting the amount of the Fund's net asset value per share at the
beginning of a stated period from the net asset value per share at the end
of the period (after giving effect to the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions during the period), and dividing the result by the net asset
value per share at the beginning of the period.
Comparative performance information may be used from time to time in
advertising the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index, the
Dow Jones Industrial Average, Money Magazine, Wilshire 5000 Index and other
industry publications. From time to time, the Fund may compare its
performance against inflation with the performance of other instruments
against inflation, such as short-term Treasury Bills (which are direct
obligations of the U.S. Government) and FDIC-insured bank money market
accounts. In addition, advertising for the Fund may indicate that investors
may consider diversifying their investment portfolios in order to seek
protection of the value of their assets against inflation. From time to
time, advertising materials for the Fund may refer to or discuss then-
current or past economic or financial conditions, developments and/or
events.
From time to time, advertising materials for the Fund may refer to
Morningstar ratings and related analyses supporting such ratings.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction
with the section in the Fund's Prospectus entitled "General Information."
Each share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance
with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable. Fund
shares are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in
liquidation. Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights
and are freely transferable.
The Fund sends annual and semi-annual financial statements to all its
shareholders.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT, CUSTODIAN, COUNSEL
AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager, P.O.
Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's transfer and
dividend disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement with the Fund,
the Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of shareholder account
records for the Fund, the handling of certain communications between
shareholders and the Fund and the payment of dividends and distributions
payable by the Fund. For these services, the Transfer Agent receives a
monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it
maintains for the Fund during the month, and is reimbursed for certain out-
of-pocket expenses. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997, the Fund paid
the Transfer Agent $39,429.
Mellon Bank, N.A. (the "Custodian"), the Manager's parent, One Mellon
Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258, serves as custodian of the
Fund's investments. Under a custody agreement with the Fund, the Custodian
holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts and records.
For its custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on the
market value of the Fund's assets held in custody and receives certain
securities transactions charges. For the period May 10, 1996 (effective
date of the custody agreement) through April 30, 1997, the Fund paid the
Custodian $6,160.
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the
shares being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019,
independent auditors, have been selected as auditors of the Fund.
APPENDIX
Description of certain ratings assigned by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Group ("S&P"), Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Fitch Investors
Service, L.P. ("Fitch") and Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. ("Duff"):
S&P
Bond Ratings
AAA
Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to
pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A
Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects
of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in
higher rated categories.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate
protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances
are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay
principal for bonds in this category than for bonds in higher rated
categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having predominantly
speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and
repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the
highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some
quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large
uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could
lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default, and
is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to
meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business,
financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to
pay interest and repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC-debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are in default, and payment of interest and/or repayment
of principal is in arrears.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by
the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the
major ratings categories.
Commercial Paper Rating
The designation A-1 by S&P indicates that the degree of safety
regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those
issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted
with a plus sign (+) designation.
Moody's Bond Ratings
Aaa
Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They
carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to
as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an
exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various
protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized
are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such
issues.
Aa
Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all
standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what generally are
known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because
margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or
fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may
be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat
larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes
and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving
security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may
be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the
future.
Baa
Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations,
i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest
payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain
protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable
over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment
characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba
Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their
future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of
interest and principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well
safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of
position characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance
of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa
Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in
default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal
or interest.
Ca
Bonds which are rated Ca present obligations which are speculative in a
high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings.
C
Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues
so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever
attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's applies the numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to show relative
standing within the major ratings categories, except in the Aaa category and
in categories below B. The modifier 1 indicates a ranking for the security
in the higher end of a rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range
ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of a rating
category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating
assigned by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations, and ordinarily will be
evidenced by leading market positions in well established industries, high
rates of return on funds employed, conservative capitalization structures
with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in
earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash
generation, and well established access to a range of financial markets and
assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2) have a
strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This
will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to
a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be
more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still
appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate
liquidity is maintained.
Fitch Bond Ratings
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to
meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings
take into consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to
other obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and
operative performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the
political and economic environment that might affect the issuer's future
financial strength and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the
highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to
pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by
reasonably foreseeable events.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds
rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is
generally rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit
quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in
economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of
satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and
repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have an adverse
impact on these bonds and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood
that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher
than for bonds with higher ratings.
BB
Bonds rated BB are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to
pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse
economic changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be
identified which could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service
requirements.
B
Bonds rated B are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this
class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of
continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's
limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic
activity throughout the life of the issue.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC have certain identifiable characteristics, which, if
not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires
an advantageous business and economic environment.
CC
Bonds rated CC are minimally protected. Default payment of interest
and/or principal seems probable over time.
C
Bonds rated C are in imminent default in payment of interest or
principal.
DDD, DD and D
Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual or imminent default of interest
and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and should
be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or
reorganization of the obligor. DDD represents the highest potential for
recovery on these bonds and D represents the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate
the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and
minus signs, however, are not used in the AAA category covering 12-36 months
or the DDD, DD or D categories.
Short-Term Ratings
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable
on demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including
commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal
and investment notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating
analysis, the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on
the existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a
timely manner.
F-1+
Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-
1+.
F-2
Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory
degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as
great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories.
Duff
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered highest credit quality. The risk
factors are negligible, being only slightly more than for risk-free U.S.
Treasury debt.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered high credit quality. Protection factors
are strong. Risk is modest but may vary slightly from time to time because
of economic conditions.
A
Bonds rated A have protection factors which are average but adequate.
However, risk factors are more variable and greater in periods of economic
stress.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to have below average protection factors
but still considered sufficient for prudent investment. Considerable
variability in risk during economic cycles.
BB
Bonds rated BB are below investment grade but are deemed by Duff as
likely to meet obligations when due. Present or prospective financial
protection factors fluctuate according to industry conditions or company
fortunes. Overall quality may move up or down frequently within the
category.
B
Bonds rated B are below investment grade and possess the risk that
obligations will not be met when due. Financial protection factors will
fluctuate widely according to economic cycles, industry conditions and/or
company fortunes. Potential exists for frequent changes in quality rating
within this category or into a higher or lower quality rating grade.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC are well below investment grade securities. Such bonds
may be in default or have considerable uncertainty as to timely payment of
interest, preferred dividends and/or principal. Protection factors are
narrow and risk can be substantial with unfavorable economic or industry
conditions and/or with unfavorable company developments.
DD
Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer has failed to meet scheduled
principal and/or interest payments.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol (except AAA)
to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category.
Commercial Paper Rating
The rating Duff-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by
Duff. Paper rated Duff-1 is regarded as having very high certainty of
timely payment with excellent liquidity factors which are supported by ample
asset protection. Risk factors are minor.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS APRIL 30, 1997
Principal
Bonds and Notes_21.4% Amount Value
_____________ _____________
<S> <C> <C>
FINANCIAL_2.5% Evans Withycombe, Notes,
7.50%, 2004.......................... $ 650,000 $ 649,262
Presidential Life, Sr. Notes,
9.50%, 2000.......................... 850,000 871,250
_____________
1,520,512
_____________
INDUSTRIAL_5.2% Emcor Group, Notes,
11%, 2001............................ 625,197 644,735
Fairchild, Sub. Deb.,
12%, 2001............................ 2,000,000 2,020,000
Philip Morris Cos., Notes,
6.95%, 2006.......................... 500,000 500,838
_____________
3,165,573
_____________
UTILITIES_1.9% Indiantown Cogeneration, L.P.,
9.77%, 2020.......................... 1,000,000 1,130,539
_____________
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT_.7% Poland, Bonds,
4%, 2014............................. 500,000 408,125
_____________
OTHER_4.1% Asset Securitization Corporation,
Ser. 1996-D3, Cl. A4, 7.821%, 10/13/2026 1,000,000 1,022,656
DLJ Mortgage Acceptance Corporation,
Asset Backed Ctfs.,
Ser. 1996-CF2, Cl. B1, 7.53%, 11/21/2021 500,000 494,375
GMAC Commercial Mortgage Securities,
Asset Backed Ctfs.,
Ser. 1996-C1, Cl. E, 7.86%, 10/15/2006 1,000,000 984,063
_____________
2,501,094
_____________
U.S. GOVERNMENT
AND AGENCIES_7.0% Federal National Mortgage Association,
9%, 8/1/2026......................... 836,228 876,726
U.S. Treasury Notes:
6.625%, 7/31/2001.................... 1,750,000 1,755,195
6.25%, 1/31/2002..................... 375,000 370,254
7.875%, 11/15/2004................... 620,000 662,237
6.50%, 10/15/2006.................... 625,000 614,893
_____________
4,279,305
_____________
TOTAL BONDS AND NOTES
(cost $13,029,256)................... $13,005,148
=============
COMMON STOCKS_76.8% SHARES
_____________
CONSUMER DURABLES_1.4% General Motors......................... 15,000 $ 868,125
_____________
CONSUMER NON-DURABLES_8.2% First Brands........................... 30,300 768,863
Fruit of the Loom, Cl. A............... 22,000 (a) 792,000
Kimberly-Clark......................... 17,000 871,250
NIKE, Cl. B............................ 17,000 956,250
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) APRIL 30, 1997
COMMON STOCKS (CONTINUED) SHARES VALUE
___________ _________
CONSUMER
NON-DURABLES (CONTINUED) Philip Morris Cos...................... 20,400 $ 803,250
Warnaco Group, Cl. A................... 29,000 826,500
_________
5,018,113
_________
CONSUMER SERVICES_1.6% La Quinta Inns........................ 43,500 951,563
_________
ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY_10.7% Amdahl................................. 70,000 (a) 599,375
Cabletron Systems...................... 21,800 (a) 752,100
Compaq Computer........................ 12,000 (a) 1,024,500
Intel.................................. 6,600 1,010,625
International Business Machines........ 5,300 851,975
Lockheed Martin........................ 9,700 868,150
Novell................................. 105,000 (a) 794,063
Storage Technology..................... 17,000 (a) 597,125
_________
6,497,913
_________
ENERGY MINERALS_4.4% Mobil.................................. 7,000 910,000
Phillips Petroleum..................... 19,800 779,625
Tosco.................................. 33,300 986,512
_________
2,676,137
_________
FINANCE_11.3% Allstate............................... 14,500 949,750
BankAmerica............................ 8,800 1,028,500
Chase Manhattan........................ 9,300 861,413
Equitable Cos.......................... 31,700 927,225
Great Western Financial................ 29,000 1,218,000
NationsBank............................ 14,800 893,550
Travelers Group........................ 17,500 969,062
__________
6,847,500
__________
HEALTH SERVICES_3.0% Allegiance............................. 36,320 803,580
McKesson............................... 14,400 1,042,200
__________
1,845,780
__________
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY_1.6% Forest Labs............................ 27,500 (a) 938,438
__________
INDUSTRIAL SERVICES_1.5% Cooper Cameron......................... 12,300 (a) 876,375
__________
NON-ENERGY MINERALS_3.0% Aluminum Co. of America................ 12,800 894,400
Lone Star Industries................... 23,700 936,150
__________
1,830,550
__________
PROCESS INDUSTRIES_7.5% Ciba Specialty Chemicals............... 10,600 915,471
Olin................................... 22,100 908,862
Owens-Illinois......................... 35,500 (a) 958,500
Premark International.................. 35,000 857,500
Temple-Inland.......................... 16,700 926,850
__________
4,567,183
__________
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) APRIL 30, 1997
COMMON STOCKS (CONTINUED) SHARES VALUE
________ _________
PRODUCER MANUFACTURING_7.2% General Signal......................... 19,600 $ 769,300
Ingersoll-Rand......................... 19,000 933,375
Masco.................................. 24,100 909,775
Raychem................................ 13,300 857,850
Xerox.................................. 15,200 934,800
_________
4,405,100
_________
RETAIL TRADE_1.6% Pier 1 Imports......................... 49,700 981,575
_________
TRANSPORTATION_6.7% Airborne Freight....................... 32,900 1,155,613
CNF Transportation..................... 29,400 874,650
CSX.................................... 17,600 820,600
Hertz, Cl. A........................... 5,300 (a) 153,700
Yellow................................. 54,600 (a) 1,051,050
_________
4,055,613
_________
UTILITIES_7.1% Coastal................................ 18,000 855,000
El Paso Natural Gas.................... 16,600 964,875
Hong Kong Telecom, A.D.R............... 47,000 804,875
NorAm Energy........................... 57,900 846,787
Tenaga Nasional Berhad................. 190,000 878,332
_________
4,349,869
_________
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(cost $41,616,342)................... $46,709,834
===========
CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS_1.7%
ENERGY; Petroleo Brasiliero
(cost $872,479)...................... 5,000 $ 1,050,973
============
PRINCIPAL
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS_5.3% AMOUNT VALUE
___________ ___________
U.S. TREASURY BILLS: 5.25%, 5/29/97 $ 25,000 (b) $ 24,906
5.14%, 7/24/97......................... 2,128,000 2,102,890
5.13%, 8/7/97.......................... 1,115,000 1,099,412
__________
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(cost $3,226,709).................... $ 3,227,208
===========
TOTAL INVESTMENTS (cost $58,744,786)........................................ 105.2% $63,993,163
====== ===========
LIABILITIES, LESS CASH AND RECEIVABLES...................................... (5.2%) $ (3,137,437)
====== ============
NET ASSETS.................................................................. 100.0% $60,855,726
====== ===========
NOTES TO STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS:
(a) Non-income producing.
(b) Held by custodian in a segregated account as collateral for open
futures position.
SEE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL FUTURES APRIL 30, 1997
MARKET VALUE UNREALIZED
COVERED (DEPRECIATION)
FINANCIAL FUTURES PURCHASED: CONTRACTS BY CONTRACTS EXPIRATION AT 4/30/97
______________ _________ _____________ _____________ _____________
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note................... 6 $641,813 June '97 ($375)
========
SEE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES APRIL 30, 1997
COST VALUE
_____________ _____________
<S> <C> <C> <C>
ASSETS: Investments in securities_See Statement of Investments $58,744,786 $63,993,163
Cash....................................... 255,341
Receivable for investment securities sold.. 1,483,257
Dividends and interest receivable.......... 236,005
Net unrealized appreciation on forward
currency exchange contracts_Note 4(a).... 1,412
Receivable for shares of Common Stock subscribed 166
Prepaid expenses........................... 22,573
___________
65,991,917
___________
LIABILITIES: Due to The Dreyfus Corporation and affiliates 40,091
Due to Distributor......................... 12,348
Payable for investment securities purchased 3,575,977
Payable for shares of Common Stock redeemed 1,453,548
Payable for futures variation margin_Note 4(a) 2,250
Accrued expenses........................... 51,977
___________
5,136,191
___________
NET ASSETS.................................................................. $60,855,726
============
REPRESENTED BY: Paid-in capital............................ $51,750,727
Accumulated undistributed investment income_net 272,209
Accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments 3,583,419
Accumulated net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
on investments and foreign currency transactions
[including ($375) net unrealized depreciation
on financial futures].................. 5,249,371
___________
NET ASSETS.................................................................. $60,855,726
============
SHARES OUTSTANDING
(100 MILLION OF $.001 PAR VALUE SHARES COMMON STOCK AUTHORIZED)............. 4,144,421
NET ASSET VALUE, offering and redemption price per share.................... $14.68
=======
SEE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1997
INVESTMENT INCOME
INCOME: Interest................................... $1,386,351
Cash dividends (net of $6,969 foreign taxes
withheld at source).................... 683,903
____________
TOTAL INCOME......................... $2,070,254
EXPENSES: Management fee_Note 3(a).................. 451,732
Shareholder servicing costs_Note 3(b)...... 206,842
Professional fees.......................... 45,885
Directors' fees and expenses_Note 3(c)..... 21,498
Registration fees.......................... 17,339
Prospectus and shareholders' reports....... 16,649
Custodian fees_Note 3(b)................... 6,160
Interest_Note 2............................ 1,890
Loan commitment fees_Note 2................ 495
Miscellaneous.............................. 23,435
____________
TOTAL EXPENSES....................... 791,925
____________
INVESTMENT INCOME_NET...................................................... 1,278,329
____________
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS_Note 4:
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and
foreign currency transactions.......... $3,569,322
Net realized gain (loss) on forward currency
exchange contracts..................... 42,007
Net realized gain (loss) on financial futures
Short transactions..................... (8,381)
____________
NET REALIZED GAIN (LOSS)............. 3,602,948
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments
and foreign currency transactions [including ($375)
net unrealized (depreciation) on financial futures] 4,067,820
____________
NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS...................... 7,670,768
____________
NET INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS........................ $8,949,097
============
SEE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
APRIL 30, 1997 APRIL 30, 1996
_________________ ______________
OPERATIONS:
Investment income_net................................................. $ 1,278,329 $ 1,351,034
Net realized gain (loss) on investments................................ 3,602,948 10,919,611
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments.............. 4,067,820 (3,331,125)
_________________ ______________
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS...... 8,949,097 8,939,520
_________________ ______________
DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:
Investment income_net................................................. (1,364,500) (1,572,884)
Net realized gain on investments....................................... (2,536,364) (8,104,494)
_________________ ______________
TOTAL DIVIDENDS...................................................... (3,900,864) (9,677,378)
_________________ ______________
CAPITAL STOCK TRANSACTIONS:
Net proceeds from shares sold.......................................... 37,388,539 21,004,054
Dividends reinvested................................................... 3,751,463 9,365,253
Cost of shares redeemed................................................ (48,272,464) (23,330,934)
_________________ ______________
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL STOCK TRANSACTIONS.... (7,132,462) 7,038,373
_________________ ______________
TOTAL INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS.......................... (2,084,229) 6,300,515
NET ASSETS:
Beginning of Period.................................................... 62,939,955 56,639,440
_________________ ______________
End of Period.......................................................... $ 60,855,726 $ 62,939,955
================ ================
UNDISTRIBUTED INVESTMENT INCOME_NET........................................ $ 272,209 $ 358,380
_________________ ______________
SHARES SHARES
_________________ ______________
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:
Shares sold............................................................ 2,577,794 1,464,307
Shares issued for dividends reinvested................................. 272,042 737,421
Shares redeemed........................................................ (3,370,046) (1,638,061)
_________________ ______________
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN SHARES OUTSTANDING........................ (520,210) 563,667
================ ================
SEE NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</TABLE>
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Reference is made to page 4 of the Fund's Prospectus dated
September 1, 1997.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1_SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:
Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") is registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Act") as a non-diversified open-end
management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to maximize
total return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income. The
Dreyfus Corporation ("Manager") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The
Manager is a direct subsidiary of Mellon Bank, N.A. ("Mellon"). Premier
Mutual Fund Services, Inc. (the "Distributor") is the distributor of the
Fund's shares, which are sold to the public without a sales charge.
On August 21, 1996, the Dreyfus Total Return Portfolio began operating
under the name "Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc." Also on August 21,
1996, the Fund's Dreyfus Income Portfolio and Dreyfus Growth Portfolio were
merged into Dreyfus Lifetime Portfolios, Inc. Income Portfolio and Growth
Portfolio, respectively.
The Fund's financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles which may require the use of management
estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
(A) PORTFOLIO VALUATION: Investments in securities (including options and
financial futures) are valued at the last sales price on the securities
exchange on which such securities are primarily traded or at the last sales
price on the national securities market. Securities not listed on an exchange
or the national securities market, or securities for which there were no
transactions, are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked
prices, except for open short positions, where the asked price is used for
valuation purposes. Bid price is used when no asked price is available.
Securities for which there are no such valuations are valued at fair value as
determined in good faith under the direction of the Board of Directors.
Investments denominated in foreign currencies are translated to U.S. dollars
at the prevailing rates of exchange. Forward currency exchange contracts are
valued at the forward rate.
(B) FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS: The Fund does not isolate that portion
of the results of operations resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates
on investments from the fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of
securities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and
unrealized gain or loss from investments.
Net realized foreign exchange gains or losses arise from sales and
maturities of short-term securities, sales of foreign currencies, currency
gains or losses realized on securities transactions, the difference between
the amounts of dividends, interest and foreign withholding taxes recorded on
the Fund's books, and the U.S. dollar equivalent of the amounts actually
received or paid. Net unrealized foreign exchange gains and losses arise from
changes in the value of assets and liabilities other than investments in
securities, resulting from changes in exchange rates. Such gains and losses
are included with net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments.
(C) SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS AND INVESTMENT INCOME: Securities
transactions are recorded on a trade date basis. Realized gain and loss from
securities transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis. Dividend
income is recognized on the ex-dividend date and interest income, including,
where applicable, amortization of discount on investments, is recognized on
the accrual basis.
(D) DIVIDENDS TO SHAREHOLDERS: Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend
date. Dividends from investment income-net and dividends from net realized
capital gain are normally declared and paid annually, but the Fund may make
distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution
requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. To the extent that net realized
capital gain can be offset by capital loss carryovers, if any, it is the
policy of the Fund not to distribute such gain.
(E) FEDERAL INCOME TAXES: It is the policy of the Fund to continue to
qualify as a regulated investment company, if such qualification is in the
best interests of its shareholders, by complying with the applicable
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, and to make distributions of taxable
income sufficient to relieve it from substantially all Federal income and
excise taxes.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
NOTE 2_BANK LINE OF CREDIT:
The Fund participates with other Dreyfus-managed funds in a $600 million
redemption credit facility ("Facility") primarily to be utilized for
temporary or emergency purposes, including the financing of redemptions. In
connection therewith, the Fund has agreed to pay commitment fees on its pro
rata portion of the Facility. Interest is charged to the Fund at rates based
on prevailing market rates in effect at the time of borrowings. At April 30,
1997, there were no outstanding borrowings under the Facility.
The average daily amount of borrowings outstanding during the period
ended April 30, 1997 was approximately $33,000, with a related weighted
average annualized interest rate of 5.75%. The maximum amount borrowed at any
time during the period ended April 30, 1997 was $1.5 million.
NOTE 3_MANAGEMENT FEE AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES:
(A) Pursuant to a management agreement with the Manager, the management
fee is computed at the annual rate of .75 of 1% of the value of the Fund's
average daily net assets and is payable monthly.
(B) Under the Shareholder Services Plan, the Fund pays the Distributor at
an annual rate of .25 of 1% of the value of the Fund's average daily net
assets for the provision of certain services. The services provided may
include personal services relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering
shareholder inquiries regarding the Fund and providing reports and other
information, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder accounts.
The Distributor may make payments to Service Agents (a securities dealer,
financial institution, or other industry professional) in respect of these
services. The Distributor determines the amounts to be paid to Service
Agents. During the period ended April 30, 1997, the Fund was charged $150,577
pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.
The Fund compensates Dreyfus Transfer, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
the Manager, under a transfer agency agreement for providing personnel and
facilities to perform transfer agency services for the Fund. Such
compensation amounted to $39,429 during the period ended April 30, 1997.
Effective May 10, 1996, the Fund entered into a custody agreement with
Mellon to provide custodial services for the Fund. During the period ended
April 30, 1997, $6,160 was charged by Mellon pursuant to the custody
agreement.
(C) Each director who is not an "affiliated person" as defined in the Act
receives from the Fund an annual fee of $1,000 and an attendance fee of $250
per meeting. The Chairman of the Board receives an additional 25% of such
compensation.
NOTE 4_SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS:
(A) The aggregate amount of purchases and sales of investment securities,
excluding short-term securities, forward currency exchange contracts and
financial futures, during the period ended April 30, 1997 amounted to
$130,510,152 and $132,945,494, respectively.
The following summarizes open forward currency exchange contracts at
April 30, 1997:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FOREIGN
CURRENCY UNREALIZED
FORWARD CURRENCY CONTRACTS AMOUNTS PROCEEDS VALUE APPRECIATION
______________ ___________ _________ ______ _______________
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
SALES:
___
Swiss Francs, expiring 6/16/97........... 1,040,301 $712,340 $710,928 $1,412
========
</TABLE>
The Fund enters into forward currency exchange contracts in order to hedge
its exposure to changes in foreign currency
exchange rates on its foreign portfolio holdings. When executing forward
currency exchange contracts, the Fund is obligated to buy or sell a foreign
currency at a specified rate on a certain date in the future. With respect to
sales of
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
forward currency exchange contracts, the Fund would incur a loss if the value
of the contract increases between the date the forward contract is opened and
the date the forward contract is closed. The Fund realizes a gain if the
value of the contract decreases between those dates. With respect to
purchases of forward currency exchange contracts, the Fund would incur a loss
if the value of the contract decreases between the date the forward contract
is opened and the date the forward contract is closed. The Fund realizes a
gain if the value of the contract increases between those dates. The Fund is
also exposed to credit risk associated with counter party nonperformance on
these forward currency exchange contracts which is typically limited to the
unrealized gain on each open contract.
The Fund may invest in financial futures contracts in order to gain
exposure to or protect against changes in the market. The Fund is exposed to
market risk as a result of changes in the value of the underlying financial
instruments (See Statement of Financial Futures). Investments in financial
futures require the Fund to "mark to market" on a daily basis, which reflects
the change in the market value of the contract at the close of each day's
trading. Accordingly, variation margin payments are received or made to
reflect daily unrealized gains or losses. When the contracts are closed, the
Fund recognizes a realized gain or loss. These investments require initial
margin deposits with a custodian, which consist of cash or cash equivalents,
up to approximately 10% of the contract amount. The amount of these deposits
is determined by the exchange or Board of Trade on which the contract is
traded and is subject to change. Contracts open at April 30, 1997, and their
related unrealized depreciation are set forth in the Statement of Financial
Futures.
(B) At April 30, 1997, accumulated net unrealized appreciation on
investments, forward currency exchange contracts and financial futures was
$5,249,414, consisting of $6,274,099 gross unrealized appreciation and
$1,024,685 gross unrealized depreciation.
At April 30, 1997, the cost of investments for Federal income tax
purposes was substantially the same as the cost for financial reporting
purposes (see the Statement of Investments).
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
REPORT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
SHAREHOLDERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities,
including the statements of investments and financial futures, of Dreyfus
Asset Allocation Fund, Inc., as of April 30, 1997, and the related statement
of operations for the year then ended, the statement of changes in net assets
for each of the two years in the period then ended, and financial highlights
for each of the years indicated therein. These financial statements and
financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and
financial highlights based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and
financial highlights are free of material misstatement. An audit includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures
in the financial statements and financial highlights. Our procedures included
verification by examination of securities held as of April 30, 1997 and
confirmation of securities not held by the custodian by correspondence with
others. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights
referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
position of Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc. at April 30, 1997, and the
results of its operations, the changes in its net assets for each of the two
years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the
indicated years, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
[Ernst & Young LLP signature logo]
New York, New York
May 29, 1997
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
_________________________
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits. - List
_______ _________________________________________
(a) Financial Statements:
Included in Part A of the Registration Statement
Condensed Financial Information for the period from July 1,
1993 (commencement of operations) to April 30, 1994 and for
each of the three years in the period ended April 30, 1997.
Included in Part B of the Registration Statement:
Statement of Investments-- April 30, 1997.
Statement of Financial Future--April 30, 1997.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities-- April 30, 1997.
Statement of Operations--year ended April 30, 1997.
Statement of Changes in Net Assets--for each of the two
years in the period ended April 30, 1997.
Notes to Financial Statements.
Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors, dated
May 29, 1997.
All Schedules and other financial statement information, for which provision
is made in the applicable accounting regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, are either omitted because they are not required under
the related instructions, they are inapplicable, or the required information
is presented in the financial statements or notes thereto which are included
in Part B of the Registration Statement.
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits. - List (continued)
_______ _____________________________________________________
(b) Exhibits:
(1) Registrant's Articles of Incorporation and Articles of Amendment
are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of Pre-Effective
Amendment No. to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on
June 28, 1993, and Exhibit (1)(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25,
1994.
(2) Registrant's By-Laws, as amended, are incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on June 28, 1993.
(4) Specimen certificate for the Registrant's securities is
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (4) of Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed
on June 28, 1993.
(5) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(5)(a)of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed August 25, 1994.
(6)(a) Distribution Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(6)(c) Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25, 1994.
(6)(b) Forms of Service Agreement are incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 6(b) and (6)(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4, to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25, 1994.
(8)(a) Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Registration Statement on
Form N-1A, filed on July 26, 1996.
(9) Shareholder Services Plan, as revised, is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (6)(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to
the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25, 1994.
(10) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25, 1994.
(11) Consent of Independent Auditors.
(16) Schedules of Computation of Performance Data are incorporated by
reference to Exhibit (16) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 28, 1994.
(17) Financial Data Schedule.
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits. - List (continued)
_______ _____________________________________________________
Other Exhibits
______________
(a) Powers of Attorney of the Directors and officers.
(b) Certificate of Secretary.
Item 25. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
_______ ______________________________________________________________
Not Applicable
Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities.
_______ ________________________________
(1) (2)
Number of Record
Title of Class Holders as of August 18, 1997
______________ _____________________________
Common Stock
(Par value $.001) 3,280
Item 27. Indemnification
_______ _______________
Reference is made to Article SEVENTH of the Registrant's
Articles of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 1 and to Section 2-418
of the Maryland General Corporation Law. The application of these
provisions is limited by Article VIII of the Registrant's By-Laws
filed as Exhibit 2 and by the following undertaking set forth in
the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised
that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act as
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of
any such action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit
to a
Item 27. Indemnification (Continued)
_______ _______________
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement attached as
Exhibit (6)(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on August 25, 1994.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
_______ ____________________________________________________
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business
consists primarily of providing investment management services
as the investment adviser, manager and distributor for sponsored
investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 and as an investment adviser to institutional and
individual accounts. Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment
adviser to and/or administrator of other investment companies.
Dreyfus Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Dreyfus, serves primarily as a registered broker-dealer of
shares of investment companies sponsored by Dreyfus and of other
investment companies for which Dreyfus acts as investment
adviser, sub-investment adviser or administrator. Dreyfus
Investment Advisors, Inc., another wholly-owned subsidiary,
provides investment management services to various pension
plans, institutions and individuals.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
________ ________________________________________________________________
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
____________________________________________
Name and Position
with Dreyfus Other Businesses
_________________ ________________
MANDELL L. BERMAN Real estate consultant and private investor
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway, Suite 370
Southfield, Michigan 48034;
Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees:
Skillman Foundation;
Member of The Board of Vintners Intl.
BURTON C. BORGELT Chairman Emeritus of the Board and
Director Past Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
Director:
Dentsply International, Inc.
570 West College Avenue
York, Pennsylvania 17405;
Director:
DeVlieg-Bullard, Inc.
1 Gorham Island
Westport, Connecticut 06880
Mellon Bank Corporation***;
Mellon Bank, N.A.***
FRANK V. CAHOUET Chairman of the Board, President and
Director Chief Executive Officer:
Mellon Bank Corporation***;
Mellon Bank, N.A.***;
Director:
Avery Dennison Corporation
150 North Orange Grove Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91103;
Saint-Gobain Corporation
750 East Swedesford Road
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 19482;
Teledyne, Inc.
1901 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067
W. KEITH SMITH Chairman and Chief Executive Officer:
Chairman of the Board The Boston Company****;
Vice Chairman of the Board:
Mellon Bank Corporation***;
Mellon Bank, N.A.***;
Director:
Dentsply International, Inc.
570 West College Avenue
York, Pennsylvania 17405
CHRISTOPHER M. CONDRON Vice Chairman:
President, Chief Mellon Bank Corporation***;
Executive Officer, The Boston Company****;
Chief Operating Deputy Director:
Officer and a Mellon Trust***;
Director Chief Executive Officer:
The Boston Company Asset Management,
Inc.****;
President:
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company****
STEPHEN E. CANTER Director:
Vice Chairman and The Dreyfus Trust Company++;
Chief Investment Officer, Formerly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer:
and a Director Kleinwort Benson Investment Management
Americas Inc.*
LAWRENCE S. KASH Chairman, President and Chief
Vice Chairman-Distribution Executive Officer:
and a Director The Boston Company Advisors, Inc.
53 State Street
Exchange Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02109;
Executive Vice President and Director:
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.**;
Director:
Dreyfus America Fund+++;
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation*;
The Dreyfus Trust Company++;
Dreyfus Service Corporation*;
World Balanced Fund++++;
President:
The Boston Company****;
Laurel Capital Advisors***;
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.;
Executive Vice President:
Mellon Bank, N.A.***;
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust
Company****
WILLIAM T. SANDALLS, JR. Director:
Senior Vice President and Dreyfus Partnership Management, Inc.*;
Chief Financial Officer Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.*;
President and Director:
Lion Management, Inc.*;
Executive Vice President and Director:
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.*;
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Director:
Dreyfus America Fund+++;
World Balanced Fund++++;
Vice President and Director:
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation*;
The Truepenny Corporation*;
Treasurer, Financial Officer and Director:
The Dreyfus Trust Company++;
Treasurer and Director:
Dreyfus Management, Inc.*;
Dreyfus Service Corporation*;
Formerly, President and Director:
Sandalls & Co., Inc.
MARK N. JACOBS Vice President, Secretary and Director:
Vice President, Secretary:
General Counsel The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation*;
and Secretary Dreyfus Management, Inc.*;
Assistant Secretary:
Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.**;
Major Trading Corporation*;
The Truepenny Corporation*
PATRICE M. KOZLOWSKI None
Vice President-
Corporate Communications
MARY BETH LEIBIG None
Vice President-
Human Resources
JEFFREY N. NACHMAN President and Director:
Vice President-Mutual Fund Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
Accounting One American Express Plaza
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
ANDREW S. WASSER Vice President:
Vice President-Information Mellon Bank Corporation***
Services
WILLIAM V. HEALEY
Assistant Secretary
President:
The Truepenny Corporation
Vice President and Director:
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation
Secretary and Director:
Dreyfus Partnership Management Inc.
Director:
The Dreyfus Trust Company
Assistant Secretary:
Dreyfus Service Corporation
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc.
Assistant Clerk:
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Massachusetts,
Inc.
______________________________________
* The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New
York, New York 10166.
** The address of the business so indicated is 131 Second Street, Lewes,
Delaware 19958.
*** The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
**** The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston,
Massachusetts 02108.
+ The address of the business so indicated is Atrium Building, 80 Route
4 East, Paramus, New Jersey 07652.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss
Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 69, Route 'd'Esch,
L-1470 Luxembourg.
++++ The address of the business so indicated is 69, Route 'd'Esch,
L-2953 Luxembourg.
Item 29. Principal Underwriters
________ ______________________
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or
exclusive distributor:
1) Comstock Partners Funds, Inc.
2) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.
5) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
7) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
8) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
9) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
10) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
11) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
12) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
13) Dreyfus Cash Management
14) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
17) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
18) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
19) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
20) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
21) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
22) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
23) Dreyfus Government Cash Management
24) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
27) Dreyfus Income Funds
28) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
29) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
30) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
31) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
32) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
33) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
34) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
35) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
36) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
37) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
38) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
39) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
40) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
41) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
42) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund
43) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
44) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
45) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
46) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
47) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
48) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
49) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
50) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
51) Dreyfus New York Insured Tax Exempt Bond Fund
52) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
53) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
54) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
55) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
56) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
57) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
58) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
59) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
60) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
61) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
62) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
63) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
64) Dreyfus Premier International Growth Fund, Inc.
65) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
66) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
67) Dreyfus Premier Insured Municipal Bond Fund
68) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
70) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier Value Fund
72) Dreyfus S&P 500 Index Fund
73) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
74) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
75) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
76) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund, Inc.
77) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
78) The Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc.
79) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
80) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
81) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
82) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
83) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
84) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
85) General Government Securities Money Market Fund, Inc.
86) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
87) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
88) General Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
89) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
90) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
(b)
Positions and
Name and principal Positions and offices with offices with
business address the Distributor Registrant
__________________ ___________________________ _____________
Marie E. Connolly+ Director, President, Chief President and
Executive Officer and Compliance Treasurer
Officer
Joseph F. Tower, III+ Director, Senior Vice President, Vice President
Tresurer and Chief Financial Officer and Assistant
Treasurer
Richard W. Ingram Executive Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Treasurer
John E. Pelletier+ Senior Vice President, General Vice President
Counsel, Secretary and Clerk and Secretary
Elizabeth A. Keeley++ Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Secretary
Mary A. Nelson+ Vice President Vice President
and Assistant
Treasurer
Paul Prescott+ Vice President None
Jean M. O'Leary+ Assistant Secretary and None
Assistant Clerk
William J. Nutt+ Director None
________________________________
+ Principal business address is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.
++ Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
Item 30. Location of Accounts and Records
________________________________
1. First Data Investor Services Group, Inc.,
a subsidiary of First Data Corporation
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
2. Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258
3. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
4. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 31. Management Services
_______ ___________________
Not Applicable
Item 32. Undertakings
________ ____________
(1) To call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon
the question of removal of a Board member or Board members when
requested in writing to do so by the holders of at least 10% of
the Registrant's outstanding shares and in connection with such
meeting to comply with the provisions of Section 16(c) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 relating to shareholder
communications.
(2) To furnish each person to whom a prospectus is delivered with a
copy of the Fund's latest Annual Report to Shareholders, upon
request and without charge.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all
of the requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has
duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New
York, and State of New York on the 27th day of August, 1997.
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
BY: /s/ Marie E. Connolly*
__________________________________________
MARIE E. CONNOLLY, PRESIDENT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signatures Title Date
_____________________________ ______________________ ________
/s/Marie E. Connolly* President and Treasurer 8/27/97
_____________________________ (Principal Executive, Financial
Marie E. Connolly and Accounting Officer)
/s/Joseph S. DiMartino* Chairman of the Board 8/27/97
_____________________________ of Directors
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/David W. Burke* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
David W. Burke
/s/Lucy Wilson Benson* Director 8/27/97
______________________________
Lucy Wilson Benson
/s/Martin D. Fife* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
Martin D. Fife
/s/Whitney I. Gerard* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
Whitney I. Gerard
/s/Robert R. Glauber* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
Robert R. Glauber
/s/Arthur A. Hartman* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
Arthur A. Hartman
/s/George L. Perry* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
George L. Perry
/s/Paul D. Wolfowitz* Director 8/27/97
_____________________________
Paul D. Wolfowitz
*BY: /s/Mark S. Karpe
__________________________
Mark S. Karpe,
Attorney-in-Fact
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibits
(11) Consent of Independent Auditors
(17) Financial Data Schedule
OTHER EXHIBITS
(a) Powers of attorney
(b) Secretary's Certificate
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Condensed
Financial Information" and "Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent, Custodian,
Counsel and Independent Auditors" and to the use of our report dated May 29,
1997, in this Registration Statement (Form N-1A No. 33-62626) of Dreyfus Asset
Allocation Fund, Inc.
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
August 25, 1997
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<NAME> DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
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<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> APR-30-1997
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 58745
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 63993
<RECEIVABLES> 1720
<ASSETS-OTHER> 280
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<TOTAL-ASSETS> 65993
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3577
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<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1560
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 5137
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 51751
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4144
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4665
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 272
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<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 3584
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<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 5248
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 684
<INTEREST-INCOME> 1386
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 8949
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (1365)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (2536)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2578
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 13.49
<PER-SHARE-NII> .33
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.83
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.34)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.63)
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Elizabeth A. Keeley,
Marie E. Connolly, Richard W. Ingram, Mark A. Karpe, Michael S. Petrucelli,
Douglas C. Conroy, Mary A. Nelson, Joseph F. Tower and John E. Pelletier,
and each of them, with full power to act without the other, his or her true
and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him or her, and in his or her name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities (until revoked in writing) to sign any and all
amendments to the Registration Statement of each Fund enumerated on Exhibit
A hereto (including post-effective amendments and amendments thereto), and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or
their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.
August 25, 1997
Joseph S. DiMartino
August 25, 1997
Lucy Wilson Benson
August 25, 1997
David W. Burke
August 25, 1997
Martin D. Fife
August 25, 1997
Whitney I. Gerard
August 25, 1997
Robert R. Glauber
August 25, 1997
Arthur A. Hartman
August 25, 1997
George L. Perry
August 25, 1997
Paul D. Wolfowitz
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Elizabeth A. Keeley,
Richard W. Ingram, Mark A. Karpe, Michael S. Petrucelli, Douglas C. Conroy,
Mary A. Nelson, Joseph F. Tower and John E. Pelletier, and each of them,
with full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him or her, and in his or her name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities (until revoked in writing) to sign any and all
amendments to the Registration Statement of each Fund enumerated on Exhibit
A hereto (including post-effective amendments and amendments thereto), and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting
unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or
their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.
August 25, 1997
Marie E. Connolly
ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE
I, Elizabeth Keeley, Assistant Secretary of Dreyfus Asset Allocation
Fund, Inc, (the "Fund"), hereby certify the following resolution was adopted
by written consent dated August 25, 1997 and remains in full force and
effect:
RESOLVED, that the Registration Statement and any and
all amendments and supplements thereto may be signed by
any one of Elizabeth A. Keeley, Marie E. Connolly,
Richard W. Ingram, Mark A. Karpe, John E. Pelletier,
Douglas C. Conroy, Mary A. Nelson, Joseph F. Tower and
Michael S. Petrucelli as the attorney-in-fact for the
proper officers of the Fund, a with full power of
substitution and resubstitution; and that the
appointment of each of such persons as such attorney-in-
fact hereby is authorized and approved; and that such
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, shall have full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act
and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection with such Registration Statement and any and
all amendments and supplements thereto, as whom he or
she is acting as attorney-in-fact, might or could do in
person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand as Assistant Secretary
of the Funds and affixed the seal this 25th day of August, 1997.
/s/ Elizabeth A. Keeley
______________________________
ELIZABETH A. KEELEY
(Seal)
DREYFUS ASSET ALLOCATION FUND, INC.
