<PAGE> 1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or
about December 24, 1997
Securities Act Registration No. 33-70764
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-8100
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [ ]
Pre-Effective Amendment No.__ [ ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [ ]
Amendment No. 17 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (414) 359-3400
Thomas P. Lemke
Strong Capital Management, Inc.
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
(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) of Rule 485
[X] on December 31, 1997 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) 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.
<PAGE> 2
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET
This Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement of Strong
Equity Funds, Inc., which is currently comprised of six funds, relates only to
Strong Small Cap Value Fund and Strong Dow 30 Value Fund, which are being added
to Strong Equity Funds, Inc. through this Amendment. This Post-Effective
Amendment does not relate to, amend, supersede, or otherwise affect any of the
separate Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information contained in
Post-Effective Amendment Nos. 12, 13 & 15.
Strong Small Cap Value Fund
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund
(Pursuant to Rule 481 showing the location in the Prospectus and the
Statement of Additional Information of the responses to the Items of Parts A and
B of Form N-1A.)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Caption or Subheading in Prospectus or
Item No. on Form N-1A Statement of Additional Information
--------------------- -----------------------------------
<S> <C>
PART A - Information Required in
Prospectus
1. Cover Page Cover Page
2. Synopsis Expenses
3. Condensed Financial Information Inapplicable
4. General Description of Registrant Investment Objective and Policies;
Implementation of Policies and Risks;
About the Fund - Organization
5. Management of the Fund About the Fund - Management
5A. Management's Discussion of Inapplicable
Fund Performance
6. Capital Stock and Other Securities About the Fund - Organization, -
Distributions and Taxes; Shareholder
Manual - Shareholder Services
7. Purchase of Securities Being Offered Shareholder Manual - How to Buy Shares,
- Determining Your Share Price, -
Shareholder Services
8. Redemption or Repurchase Shareholder Manual - How to Sell Shares,
- Determining Your Share Price, -
Shareholder Services
9. Pending Legal Proceedings Inapplicable
PART B - Information Required in Statement of Additional Information
10. Cover Page Cover page
11. Table of Contents Table of Contents
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 3
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Caption or Subheading in Prospectus or
Item No. on Form N-1A Statement of Additional Information
--------------------- -----------------------------------
<S> <C>
12. General Information and History *
13. Investment Objectives and Policies Investment Restrictions; Investment
Policies and Techniques
14. Management of the Fund Directors and Officers of the Fund
15. Control Persons and Principal Holders of Principal Shareholders; Directors and
Securities Officers of the Fund; Investment Advisor
and Distributor; Investment Advisor,
Subadvisor, and Distributor with respect
to the Dow 30 Value Fund.
16. Investment Advisory and Other Services Investment Advisor and Distributor;
Investment Advisor, Subadvisor, and
Distributor with respect to the Dow 30
Value Fund; About the Fund - Management
(in Prospectus); Custodian; Transfer Agent
and Dividend-Disbursing Agent; Independent
Accountants; Legal Counsel
17. Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage
18. Capital Stock and Other Securities Included in Prospectus under the heading
About the Fund - Organization and in the
Statement of Additional Information under
the heading Shareholder Meetings
19. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Included in Prospectus under the
Securities Being Offered headings: Shareholder Manual - How to Buy
Shares,
- Determining Your Share Price, - How to
Sell Shares, - Shareholder Services; and
in the Statement of Additional Information
under the headings: Additional
Shareholder Information; Determination of
Net Asset Value
20. Tax Status Included in
Included in Prospectus under the heading
About the Fund -
Distributions and Taxes; and
in the Statement of
Additional Information under
the heading Taxes
21. Underwriters Investment Advisor and Distributor;
Investment Advisor, Subadvisor, and
Distributor with respect to the Dow 30
Value Fund.
22. Calculation of Performance Data Performance Information
23. Financial Statements Inapplicable
</TABLE>
* Complete answer to Item is contained in the Fund's Prospectus.
<PAGE> 4
STRONG SMALL CAP VALUE FUND
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
STRONG FUNDS
P.O. Box 2936
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Telephone: (414) 359-1400
Toll-Free: (800) 368-3863
Device for the
Hearing-Impaired:
(800) 999-2780
www.strong-funds.com
</TABLE>
The Strong Family of Funds ("Strong Funds") is a family of more than
thirty-five diversified and non-diversified mutual funds. All of the Strong
Funds are no-load funds, meaning that you may purchase, redeem, or exchange
shares without paying a sales charge. Strong Funds include growth funds,
conservative equity funds, income funds, municipal income funds, international
funds, and cash management funds. The Strong Small Cap Value Fund (the "Fund")
is described in this Prospectus. The Fund seeks capital growth. The Fund invests
primarily in equity securities with small market capitalizations, seeking
through fundamental analysis, those companies whose share price does not fully
reflect the value of the company. The Fund is a diversified series of Strong
Equity Funds, Inc., an open-end management company.
This Prospectus contains information you should consider before you invest.
Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference. A Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund, dated December 31, 1997, which contains
further information, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, and has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). This Statement,
which may be revised from time to time, is available without charge upon request
to the above-noted address or telephone number. If you would like to
electronically access additional information about the Fund after reading the
prospectus, you may do so by accessing the SEC's World Wide Web site (at
http://www.sec.gov) that contains the Statement of Additional Information
regarding the Fund and other related materials.
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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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 31, 1997
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-1
<PAGE> 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
EXPENSES................................. I-3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES........ I-4
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND RISKS..... I-5
ABOUT THE FUND........................... I-12
SHAREHOLDER MANUAL....................... II-1
</TABLE>
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in this Prospectus and the Statement
of Additional Information, and if given or made, such information or
representations may not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund.
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell securities in any state or
jurisdiction in which such offering may not lawfully be made.
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-2
<PAGE> 6
EXPENSES
The following information is provided in order to help you understand the
various costs and expenses that you, as an investor in the Fund, will bear
directly or indirectly.
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Sales Load Imposed on Purchases............. NONE
Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested
Dividends................................. NONE
Deferred Sales Load......................... NONE
Redemption Fees............................. NONE
Exchange Fees............................... NONE
</TABLE>
There are certain charges associated with retirement accounts (such as a $10
charge for closing an IRA account) and with certain other special shareholder
services offered by the Fund. Additionally, purchases and redemptions may also
be made through broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries who may charge
fees for their services. (See "Shareholder Manual - How to Buy Shares" and "-
How to Sell Shares.")
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(as a percentage of average net assets)
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Total
Management Other 12b-1 Operating
Fees Expenses Fees Expenses
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Small Cap Value Fund 1.00% .79% NONE 1.79%
</TABLE>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From time to time, the Fund's investment advisor, Strong Capital Management,
Inc. (the "Advisor"), may voluntarily waive its management fee and/or absorb
certain expenses for the Fund. Since the Fund is new and did not begin
operations until December 31, 1997, the Other Expenses have been estimated. For
additional information concerning fees and expenses, see "About the Fund -
Management."
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-3
<PAGE> 7
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:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Period (in years)
-----------------
1 3
<S> <C> <C>
Small Cap Value Fund $18 $56
- --------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
The Example is based on the Fund's "Total Operating Expenses," as described
above. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS
REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES AND THAT ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE HIGHER
OR LOWER THAN THOSE SHOWN. The assumption in the Example of a 5% annual return
is required by regulations of the SEC applicable to all mutual funds. The
assumed 5% annual return is not a prediction of, and does not represent, the
projected or actual performance of the Fund's shares.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund is required to invest a substantial portion of its assets in equity
securities. Accordingly, the Fund's net asset value will fluctuate based upon
changes in the value of the securities in its portfolio, and the Fund's net
asset value is likely to fluctuate more than that of a fund invested principally
in fixed income securities. The Fund, therefore, is not appropriate for
investors' short-term financial needs.
The Fund has adopted certain fundamental investment restrictions that are set
forth in its Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). Those restrictions,
the Fund's investment objective, and any other investment policies identified as
"fundamental" cannot be changed without shareholder approval. To further guide
investment activities, the Fund has also instituted a number of non-fundamental
operating policies, which are described in this Prospectus and in the SAI.
Although operating policies may be changed by the Fund's Board of Directors
without shareholder approval, the Fund will promptly notify shareholders of any
material change in operating policies.
Except as limited below, the Fund may invest in a diversified portfolio of
securities without regard to objective investment criteria, such as company
size, exchange listing, earnings history, or other factors. When selecting
securities, the Advisor will, except as otherwise limited below, be limited only
by its best judgment as to what will help achieve the Fund's investment
objective.
STRONG SMALL CAP VALUE FUND
The Fund seeks capital growth. The Fund invests primarily in equity
securities of companies that have small market capitalizations, seeking through
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-4
<PAGE> 8
fundamental analysis, those companies whose share price does not fully reflect
the value of the Company. The Advisor seeks to maximize long-term total rates of
return by investing in companies that the Advisor believes to possess valuable
assets or whose securities are undervalued in the marketplace in relation to
factors such as the Company's assets, earnings, or growth potential.
The Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities,
including common stocks, preferred stocks, and securities that are convertible
into common or preferred stocks, such as warrants and convertible bonds. At
least 65% of the Fund's total assets will normally be invested in equity
securities of small market capitalization companies, which for the purposes of
this Fund, are those companies with a market capitalization of $2 billion or
less at the time of the Fund's investment. In general, smaller-capitalization
companies often involve greater risks than investments in established companies.
(See "Implementation of Policies and Risks - Small and Medium Companies.") The
Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt obligations, including
intermediate- to long-term corporate or U.S. government debt securities. When
the Advisor determines that market conditions warrant a temporary defensive
position, the Fund may use that allowance to invest in cash and short-term fixed
income securities. Although the debt obligations in which it invests will be
primarily investment grade, the Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in
non-investment-grade debt obligations. (See "Implementation of Policies and
Risks - Debt Obligations.")
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in foreign securities,
including both direct investments and investments made through depositary
receipts. (See "Implementation of Policies and Risks - Foreign Securities and
Currencies" for the special risks associated with foreign investments).
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND RISKS
In addition to the investment policies described above (and subject to
certain restrictions described below), the Fund may invest in some or all of the
following securities and may employ some or all of the following investment
techniques, some of which may present special risks as described below. The Fund
may engage in reverse repurchase agreements and mortgage dollar roll
transactions. A more complete discussion of certain of these securities and
investment techniques and the associated risks is presented in the Fund's SAI.
FOREIGN SECURITIES AND CURRENCIES
The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly or indirectly
through the use of depositary receipts. (See "Investment Objective and
Policies.") Depositary receipts are generally issued by banks or trust companies
and evidence ownership of underlying foreign securities.
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-5
<PAGE> 9
Foreign investments involve special risks, including:
- - expropriation, confiscatory taxation, and withholding taxes on dividends and
interest;
- - less extensive regulation of foreign brokers, securities markets, and issuers;
- - less publicly available information and different accounting standards;
- - costs incurred in conversions between currencies, possible delays in
settlement in foreign securities markets, limitations on the use or transfer
of assets (including suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a
given country), and difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries;
and
- - diplomatic developments and political or social instability.
Foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy
in various respects, including growth of gross domestic product, rates of
inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource
self-sufficiency, and balance-of-payments positions. Many foreign securities may
be less liquid and their prices more volatile than comparable U.S. securities.
Although the Fund generally invests only in securities that are regularly traded
on recognized exchanges or in over-the-counter markets, from time to time
foreign securities may be difficult to liquidate rapidly without adverse price
effects. Certain costs attributable to foreign investing, such as custody
charges and brokerage costs, are higher than those attributable to domestic
investing.
Because most foreign securities are denominated in non-U.S. currencies, the
investment performance of the Fund could be affected by changes in foreign
currency exchange rates to some extent. The value of the Fund's assets
denominated in foreign currencies will increase or decrease in response to
fluctuations in the value of those foreign currencies relative to the U.S.
dollar. Currency exchange rates can be volatile at times in response to supply
and demand in the currency exchange markets, international balances of payments,
governmental intervention, speculation, and other political and economic
conditions.
The Fund may purchase and sell foreign currency on a spot basis and may
engage in forward currency contracts, currency options, and futures transactions
for hedging or any other lawful purpose. (See "Derivative Instruments.")
FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Fund may invest, to a limited extent, in foreign investment companies.
Some of the countries in which the Fund invests may not permit direct investment
by outside investors. Investments in such countries may only be permitted
through foreign government-approved or -authorized investment vehicles, which
may include other investment companies. In addition, it may be less expensive
and more expedient for a Fund to invest in a foreign investment company in a
country which permits direct foreign investment. Investing through such vehicles
may involve frequent or layered fees or expenses and
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-6
<PAGE> 10
may also be subject to limitation under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"1940 Act"). The Fund does not intend to invest in such investment companies
unless, in the judgment of the Advisor, the potential benefits of such
investments justify the payment of any associated fees or expenses.
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The Fund may use derivative instruments for any lawful purpose consistent
with the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or managing risk.
Derivative instruments are commonly defined to include securities or contracts
whose values depend on (or "derive" from) the value of one or more other assets,
such as securities, currencies, or commodities. These "other assets" are
commonly referred to as "underlying assets."
A derivative instrument generally consists of, is based upon, or exhibits
characteristics similar to options or forward contracts. Options and forward
contracts are considered to be the basic "building blocks" of derivatives. For
example, forward-based derivatives include forward contracts, swap contracts, as
well as exchange-traded futures. Option-based derivatives include privately
negotiated, over-the-counter (OTC) options (including caps, floors, collars, and
options on forward and swap contracts) and exchange-traded options on futures.
Diverse types of derivatives may be created by combining options or forward
contracts in different ways, and by applying these structures to a wide range of
underlying assets.
An option is a contract in which the "holder" (the buyer) pays a certain
amount (the "premium") to the "writer" (the seller) to obtain the right, but not
the obligation, to buy from the writer (in a "call") or sell to the writer (in a
"put") a specific asset at an agreed upon price at or before a certain time. The
holder pays the premium at inception and has no further financial obligation.
The holder of an option-based derivative generally will benefit from favorable
movements in the price of the underlying asset but is not exposed to
corresponding losses due to adverse movements in the value of the underlying
asset. The writer of an option-based derivative generally will receive fees or
premiums but generally is exposed to losses due to changes in the value of the
underlying asset.
A forward is a sales contract between a buyer (holding the "long" position)
and a seller (holding the "short" position) for an asset with delivery deferred
until a future date. The buyer agrees to pay a fixed price at the agreed future
date and the seller agrees to deliver the asset. The seller hopes that the
market price on the delivery date is less than the agreed upon price, while the
buyer hopes for the contrary. The change in value of a forward-based derivative
generally is roughly proportional to the change in value of the underlying
asset.
Derivative instruments may include (i) options; (ii) futures; (iii) options
on futures; (iv) short sales, in which the Fund sells a security for delivery at
a future date; (v) swaps, in which two parties agree to exchange a series of
cash
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-7
<PAGE> 11
flows in the future, such as interest-rate payments; (vi) interest-rate caps,
under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the
other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; (vii)
interest-rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to
make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a
specified level, or "floor"; (viii) forward currency contracts and foreign
currency exchange-related securities; and (ix) structured instruments which
combine the foregoing in different ways.
Derivatives may be exchange traded or traded in OTC transactions between
private parties. OTC transactions are subject to additional risks, such as the
credit risk of the counterparty to the instrument and are less liquid than
exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the
other party to the transaction. Derivative instruments may include elements of
leverage and, accordingly, the fluctuation of the value of the derivative
instrument in relation to the underlying asset may be magnified. When required
by SEC guidelines, the Fund will set aside permissible liquid assets in a
segregated account to secure its obligations under the derivative.
The successful use of derivatives by the Fund is dependent upon a variety of
factors, particularly the Advisor's ability to correctly anticipate trends in
the underlying asset. In a hedging transaction, if the Advisor incorrectly
anticipates trends in the underlying asset, the Fund may be in a worse position
than if no hedging had occurred. In addition, there may be imperfect correlation
between the Fund's derivative transactions and the instruments being hedged. To
the extent that the Fund is engaging in derivative transactions for risk
management, the Fund's successful use of such transactions is more dependent
upon the Advisor's ability to correctly anticipate such trends, since losses in
these transactions may not be offset by gains in the Fund's portfolio or in
lower purchase prices for assets it intends to acquire. The Advisor's prediction
of trends in underlying assets may prove to be inaccurate, which could result in
substantial losses to the Fund.
In addition to the derivative instruments and strategies described above, the
Advisor expects to discover additional derivative instruments and other trading
techniques. The Advisor may utilize these new derivative instruments and
techniques to the extent that they are consistent with the Fund's investment
objective and permitted by the Fund's investment limitations, operating
policies, and applicable regulatory authorities.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
Illiquid securities are those securities that are not readily marketable,
including restricted securities and repurchase obligations maturing in more than
seven days. Certain restricted securities that may be resold to institutional
investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 and Section
4(2)
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-8
<PAGE> 12
commercial paper may be determined liquid under guidelines adopted by the Fund's
Board of Directors.
SMALL AND MEDIUM COMPANIES
The Fund may invest in the securities of small and medium companies. While
small and medium companies generally have potential for rapid growth,
investments in small and medium companies often involve greater risks than
investments in larger, more established companies because small and medium
companies may lack the management experience, financial resources, product
diversification, and competitive strengths of larger companies. In addition, in
many instances the securities of small and medium companies are traded only
over-the-counter or on a regional securities exchange, and the frequency and
volume of their trading is substantially less than is typical of larger
companies. Therefore, the securities of small and medium companies may be
subject to greater and more abrupt price fluctuations. When making large sales,
the Fund may have to sell portfolio holdings at discounts from quoted prices or
may have to make a series of small sales over an extended period of time due to
the trading volume of small and medium company securities. Investors should be
aware that, based on the foregoing factors, an investment in the Fund may be
subject to greater price fluctuations than an investment in a fund that invests
primarily in larger, more established companies. The Advisor's research efforts
may also play a greater role in selecting securities for the Fund than in a fund
that invests in larger, more established companies.
DEBT OBLIGATIONS
IN GENERAL. Debt obligations in which the Fund may invest will be primarily
investment-grade debt obligations, although the Fund may invest up to 5% of its
net assets in non-investment-grade debt obligations. The market value of all
debt obligations is affected by changes in the prevailing interest rates. The
market value of such instruments generally reacts inversely to interest rate
changes. If the prevailing interest rates decline, the market value of debt
obligations generally increases. If the prevailing interest rates increase, the
market value of debt obligations generally decreases. In general, the longer the
maturity of a debt obligation, the greater its sensitivity to changes in
interest rates.
Investment-grade debt obligations include:
- - U.S. government securities (as defined below);
- - bonds or bank obligations rated in one of the four highest rating categories
(e.g., BBB or higher by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group or "S&P");
- - short-term notes rated in one of the two highest rating categories (e.g., SP-2
or higher by S&P);
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-9
<PAGE> 13
- - short-term bank obligations rated in one of the three highest rating
categories (e.g., A-3 or higher by S&P), with respect to obligations maturing
in one year or less;
- - commercial paper rated in one of the three highest rating categories (e.g.,
A-3 or higher by S&P);
- - unrated debt obligations determined by the Advisor to be of comparable
quality; and
- - repurchase agreements involving investment-grade debt obligations.
Investment-grade debt obligations are generally believed to have relatively
low degrees of credit risk. All ratings are determined at the time of
investment. Any subsequent rating downgrade of a debt obligation will be
monitored by the Advisor to consider what action, if any, the Fund should take
consistent with its investment objective. For purposes of determining whether a
security is investment grade, the Advisor may use the highest rating assigned to
that security by any NRSRO. Securities rated in the fourth-highest category
(e.g., BBB by S&P), although considered investment grade, have speculative
characteristics and may be subject to greater fluctuations in value than higher-
rated securities. Non-investment-grade debt obligations include:
- - securities rated as low as C by S&P or their equivalents;
- - commercial paper rated as low as C by S&P or its equivalents; and
- - unrated debt securities judged to be of comparable quality by the Advisor.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government
or its agencies or instrumentalities. Securities issued by the government
include U.S. Treasury obligations, such as Treasury bills, notes, and bonds.
Securities issued by government agencies or instrumentalities include, for
example, obligations of the following:
- - the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import
Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and the Government
National Mortgage Association, including GNMA pass-through certificates, whose
securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States;
- - the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and the
Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the
agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury;
- - the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by
the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain
obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-10
<PAGE> 14
- - the Student Loan Marketing Association, the Interamerican Development Bank,
and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, whose securities
are supported only by the credit of such agencies.
Although the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S.
government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given
that it will always do so. The U.S. government and its agencies and
instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities;
consequently, the value of such securities will fluctuate.
WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-
delivery basis. Although the payment and interest terms of these securities are
established at the time the purchaser enters into the commitment, these
securities may be delivered and paid for at a future date, generally within 45
days. Purchasing when-issued securities allows the Fund to lock in a fixed price
or yield on a security it intends to purchase. However, when the Fund purchases
a when-issued security, it immediately assumes the risk of ownership, including
the risk of price fluctuation.
The greater the Fund's outstanding commitments for these securities, the
greater the exposure to potential fluctuations in the net asset value of the
Fund. Purchasing when-issued securities may involve the additional risk that the
yield available in the market when the delivery occurs may be higher or the
market price lower than that obtained at the time of commitment. Although the
Fund may be able to sell these securities prior to the delivery date, it will
purchase when-issued securities for the purpose of actually acquiring the
securities, unless after entering into the commitment a sale appears desirable
for investment reasons. When required by SEC guidelines, the Fund will set aside
permissible liquid assets in a segregated account to secure its outstanding
commitments for when-issued securities.
CASH MANAGEMENT
The Fund may invest directly in cash and short-term fixed income securities,
including, for this purpose, shares of one or more money market funds managed by
the Advisor (collectively, the "Strong Money Funds"). The Strong Money Funds
seek current income, a stable share price of $1.00, and daily liquidity. All
money market instruments can change in value when interest rates or an issuer's
creditworthiness change dramatically. The Strong Money Funds cannot guarantee
that they will always be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per
share.
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PROSPECTUS PAGE I-11
<PAGE> 15
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The annual portfolio turnover rate indicates changes in the Fund's portfolio.
The turnover rate may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. It may
also be affected by sales of portfolio securities necessary to meet cash
requirements for redemption of shares. High portfolio turnover in any year will
result in the payment by the Fund of above-average amounts of transaction costs
and could result in the payment by shareholders of above-average amounts of
taxes on realized investment gains. Under normal market conditions, the rate of
portfolio turnover of the Fund generally will not exceed 300%. However, during
periods in which the Advisor deems it advisable to engage in substantial
short-term trading, the rate of portfolio turnover may exceed 300%.
ABOUT THE FUND
MANAGEMENT
The Board of Directors of the Fund is responsible for managing its business
and affairs. The Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement with
Strong Capital Management, Inc. (the "Advisor"). Under the terms of the
agreement, the Advisor manages the Fund's investments and business affairs
subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors.
ADVISOR. The Advisor began conducting business in 1974. Since then, its
principal business has been providing continuous investment supervision for
individuals and institutional accounts, such as pension funds and profit-sharing
plans as well as mutual funds, several of which are funding vehicles for
variable insurance products. As of November 30, 1997, the Advisor had over $28
billion under management. The Advisor's principal mailing address is P.O. Box
2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. Mr. Richard S. Strong, the Chairman of the
Board of the Fund, is the controlling shareholder of the Advisor.
As compensation for its services, the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly
management fee. The annual fee is 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net asset
value. This fee is in excess of fees paid by many other funds. From time to
time, the Advisor may voluntarily waive all or a portion of its management fee
and/or absorb certain Fund expenses without further notification of the
commencement or termination of such waiver or absorption. Any such waiver or
absorption will temporarily lower the Fund's overall expense ratio and increase
the Fund's overall return to investors.
Except for expenses assumed by the Advisor or Strong Funds Distributors,
Inc., the Fund is responsible for all its other expenses, including, without
limitation, interest charges, taxes, brokerage commissions, and similar
expenses; expenses of issue, sale, repurchase, or redemption of shares; expenses
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-12
<PAGE> 16
of registering or qualifying shares for sale with the states and the SEC;
expenses of printing and distribution of prospectuses to existing shareholders;
charges of custodians (including fees as custodian for keeping books and similar
services for the Fund), transfer agents (including the printing and mailing of
reports and notices to shareholders), registrars, auditing and legal services,
and clerical services related to recordkeeping and shareholder relations;
printing of stock certificates; fees for directors who are not "interested
persons" of the Advisor; expenses of indemnification; extraordinary expenses;
and costs of shareholder and director meetings.
The Advisor permits portfolio managers and other persons who may have access
to information about the purchase or sale of securities in the Fund's portfolio
("access persons") to purchase and sell securities for their own accounts,
subject to the Advisor's policy governing personal investing. The policy
requires access persons to conduct their personal investment activities in a
manner that the Advisor believes is not detrimental to the Fund or to the
Advisor's other advisory clients. Among other things, the policy requires access
persons to obtain preclearance before executing personal trades and prohibits
access persons from keeping profits derived from the purchase or sale of the
same security within 60 calendar days. See the SAI for more information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER. Mr. I. Charles Rinaldi joined the Advisor as a portfolio
manager in December 1997. For eight years prior to that, Mr. Rinaldi was
employed by Mutual of America Capital Management Corporation ("MOA"). He joined
MOA in November 1989, where he was Vice President until January 1994, when he
became Senior Vice President. While at MOA, Mr. Rinaldi managed the equity
portion of a balanced fund and managed the value and growth portfolios of an
aggressive equity fund. Prior to joining MOA, he was employed by Glickenhaus &
Co.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
The Advisor, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, also acts as
dividend-disbursing agent and transfer agent for the Fund. The Advisor is
compensated for its services based on an annual fee per account plus certain
out-of-pocket expenses. The fees received and the services provided as transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent are in addition to those received and
provided under the Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and the Fund.
DISTRIBUTOR
Strong Funds Distributors, Inc., P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201,
an indirect subsidiary of the Advisor, acts as distributor of the shares of the
Fund.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-13
<PAGE> 17
ORGANIZATION
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. The Fund is a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc., a
Wisconsin corporation that is authorized to issue an indefinite number of shares
of common stock and series and classes of series of shares of common stock. Each
share of the Fund has one vote, and all shares participate equally in dividends
and other capital gains distributions and in the residual assets of the Fund in
the event of liquidation. Certificates will be issued for shares held in your
account only upon your written request. You will, however, have full shareholder
rights whether or not you request certificates. Generally, the Fund will not
hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required by the 1940 Act.
Shareholders have certain rights, including the right to call an annual meeting
upon a vote of 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares for the purpose of voting to
remove one or more directors or to transact any other business. The 1940 Act
requires the Fund to assist the shareholders in calling such a meeting.
SHAREHOLDER PRIVILEGES. The shareholders of the Fund may benefit from the
privileges described in the "Shareholder Manual" (see Page II-1). However, the
Fund reserves the right, at any time and without prior notice, to suspend,
limit, modify, or terminate any of these privileges or their use in any manner
by any person or class.
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. Unless you choose otherwise,
all your dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically
reinvested in additional Fund shares. Or, you may elect to have all your
dividends and capital gain distributions from the Fund automatically invested in
additional shares of another Strong Fund. Shares are purchased at the net asset
value determined on the payment date. If you request in writing that your
dividends and other distributions be paid in cash, the Fund will credit your
bank account by Electronic Funds Transfer ("EFT") or issue a check to you within
five business days of the payment date. You may change your election at any time
by calling or writing Strong Funds. Strong Funds must receive any such change 7
days (15 days for EFT) prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution payment
date in order for the change to be effective for that payment. The policy of the
Fund is to pay dividends from net investment income quarterly and to distribute
substantially all net realized capital gains and gains from foreign currency
transactions annually. The Fund may make additional distributions if necessary
to avoid imposition of a 4% excise tax on undistributed income and gains.
If you have chosen to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in
cash and the postal or other delivery service is unable to deliver checks to
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-14
<PAGE> 18
your address of record, your distribution option will automatically be converted
to having all dividend and other distributions reinvested in additional Fund
shares. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution
or redemption checks.
TAX STATUS OF DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. You will be subject to
federal income tax at ordinary income tax rates on any dividends you receive
that are derived from investment company taxable income (consisting generally of
net investment income, net short-term capital gain, and net gains from certain
foreign currency transactions, if any). Distributions of net capital gain (the
excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), when
designated as such by the Fund, are taxable to you as long-term capital gains,
regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. The Fund's distributions
are taxable in the year they are paid, whether they are taken in cash or
reinvested in additional shares, except that certain distributions declared in
the last three months of the year and paid in January are taxable as if paid on
December 31.
If the Fund's distributions exceed its investment company taxable income and
net capital gain in any year, as a result of currency-related losses or
otherwise, all or a portion of those distributions may be treated as a return of
capital to shareholders for tax purposes.
YEAR-END TAX REPORTING. After the end of each calendar year, you will receive
a statement (Form 1099) of the federal income tax status of all dividends and
other distributions paid (or deemed paid) during the year.
SHARES SOLD OR EXCHANGED. Your redemption of shares of the Fund may result in
a taxable gain or loss to you, depending upon whether the redemption proceeds
payable to you are more or less than your adjusted cost basis for the redeemed
shares. Similar tax consequences generally will result from an exchange of Fund
shares for shares of another Strong Fund. If you purchase shares of the Fund
within thirty days before or after redeeming shares of the Fund at a loss, a
portion or all of that loss will not be deductible and will increase the cost
basis of the newly purchased shares. If you redeem shares out of a non-IRA
retirement account, you will be subject to withholding for federal income tax
purposes unless you transfer the distribution directly to an "eligible
retirement plan."
BUYING A DISTRIBUTION. A distribution paid shortly after you have purchased
shares in the Fund will reduce the net asset value of the shares by the amount
of the distribution, which nevertheless will be taxable to you even though it
represents a return of a portion of your investment.
BACKUP WITHHOLDING. If you are an individual or certain other noncorporate
shareholder and do not furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification
number, the Fund is required to withhold federal income tax at a
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-15
<PAGE> 19
rate of 31% (backup withholding) from all dividends, capital gain distributions,
and redemption proceeds payable to you. Withholding at that rate from dividends
and capital gain distributions payable to you also is required if you otherwise
are subject to backup withholding. To avoid backup withholding, you must provide
a taxpayer identification number and state that you are not subject to backup
withholding due to the underreporting of your income. This certification is
included as part of your application. Please complete it when you open your
account.
TAX STATUS OF THE FUND. The Fund intends to continue to qualify for treatment
as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code and, if so qualified, will not be liable for federal income tax on earnings
and gains distributed to its shareholders in a timely manner.
This section is not intended to be a full discussion of present or proposed
federal income tax law and its effects on the Fund and investors therein. See
the SAI for a further discussion. There may be other federal, state, or local
tax considerations applicable to a particular investor. You are therefore urged
to consult your own tax adviser.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund may advertise a variety of types of performance information,
including "average annual total return," "total return," and "cumulative total
return." Each of these figures is based upon historical results and does not
represent the future performance of the Fund. Average annual total return and
total return figures measure both the net investment income generated by, and
the effect of any realized and unrealized appreciation or depreciation of, the
underlying investments in the Fund assuming the reinvestment of all dividends
and other distributions. Total return figures are not annualized and simply
represent the aggregate change of the Fund's investments over a specified period
of time.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-16
<PAGE> 20
SHAREHOLDER MANUAL
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
HOW TO BUY SHARES...................... II-1
DETERMINING YOUR SHARE PRICE........... II-5
HOW TO SELL SHARES..................... II-5
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES................... II-9
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS............... II-10
RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES............... II-12
SPECIAL SITUATIONS..................... II-12
</TABLE>
HOW TO BUY SHARES
All the Strong Funds are 100% no-load, meaning you may purchase, redeem, or
exchange shares directly at net asset value without paying a sales charge.
Because the Fund's net asset value changes daily, your purchase price will be
the next net asset value determined after Strong receives and accepts your
purchase order.
Whether you are opening a new account or adding to an existing one, Strong
provides you with several methods to buy the Fund's shares.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-1
<PAGE> 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
TO OPEN A NEW ACCOUNT
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIL BY CHECK
- Complete and sign the application. Make your check
or money order payable to "Strong Funds."
- Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201. If you're using an express delivery
service, send to Strong Funds, 900 Heritage
Reserve, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
BY EXCHANGE
- Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on
establishing an account with an exchange by mail.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPHONE BY EXCHANGE
- Call 1-800-368-3863 to establish a new account by
1-800-368-3863 exchanging funds from an existing Strong Funds
24 HOURS A DAY, account.
7 DAYS A WEEK - Sign up for telephone exchange services when you
open your account. To add the telephone exchange
option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a
Shareholder Account Options Form.
- Please note that your accounts must be identically
registered and that you must exchange enough into the
new account to meet the minimum initial investment.
Or use Strong Direct(SM), Strong Funds' automated
telephone response system. Call 1-800-368-7550.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN PERSON - Stop by our Investor Center in Menomonee Falls,
Wisconsin.
Call 1-800-368-3863 for hours and directions.
- The Investor Center can only accept checks or money
orders.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIRE Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on opening an
account by wire.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMATICALLY USE STRONG'S "NO-MINIMUM INVESTMENT PROGRAM."
- If you sign up for Strong's Automatic Investment
Plan when you open your account and contribute
monthly, Strong Funds will waive the Fund's minimum
initial investment (see chart on page II-4).
- Complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on
the account application.
- Mail to the address indicated on the application.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER-DEALER - You may purchase shares in the Fund through a
broker-
dealer or other institution that may charge a
transaction fee.
- Strong Funds may only accept requests to purchase
shares into a broker-dealer street name account
from the broker-dealer.
</TABLE>
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-2
<PAGE> 22
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO ADD TO AN EXISTING ACCOUNT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY CHECK
- - Complete an Additional Investment Form provided at the bottom of your account
statement, or write a note indicating your fund account number and
registration. Make your check or money order payable to "Strong Funds."
- - Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. If you're
using an express delivery service, send to Strong Funds, 900 Heritage Reserve,
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
BY EXCHANGE
- - Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on exchanging by mail.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY EXCHANGE
- - Add to an account by exchanging funds from another Strong Funds account.
- - Sign up for telephone exchange services when you open your account. To add the
telephone exchange option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a
Shareholder Account Options Form.
- - Please note that the accounts must be identically registered and that the
minimum exchange is $50 or the balance of your account, whichever is less.
BY TELEPHONE PURCHASE
- - Sign up for telephone purchase when you open your account to make additional
investments from $50 to $25,000 into your Strong Funds account by telephone.
To add this option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a Shareholder
Account Options Form.
Or use Strong DirectSM, Strong Funds' automated telephone response system. Call
1-800-368-7550.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - Stop by our Investor Center in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Call 1-800-368-3863
for hours and directions.
- - The Investor Center can only accept checks or money orders.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on adding to an account by wire.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USE ONE OF STRONG'S AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAMS. Sign up for these services
when you open your account, or call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on how to
add them to your existing account.
- - AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN. Make regular, systematic investments (minimum $50)
into your Strong Funds account from your bank checking or NOW account.
Complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application.
- - AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE PLAN. Make regular, systematic exchanges (minimum $50) from
one eligible Strong Funds account to another. Call 1-800-368-3863 for an
application.
- - PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT. Have a specified amount (minimum $50) regularly
deducted from your paycheck, social security check, military allotment, or
annuity payment invested directly into your Strong Funds account. Call
1-800-368-3863 for an application.
- - AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. Unless you choose otherwise, all your
dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in
additional Fund shares. Or, you may elect to have your dividends and capital
gain distributions automatically invested in shares of another Strong Fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - You may purchase additional shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or
other institution that may charge a transaction fee.
- - Strong Funds may only accept requests to purchase additional shares into a
broker-dealer street name account from the broker-dealer.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-3
<PAGE> 23
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BUYING SHARES
- - Please make all checks or money orders payable to "Strong Funds."
- - We cannot accept third-party checks or checks drawn on banks outside the U.S.
- - You will be charged a $20 service fee for each check, wire, or Electronic
Funds Transfer ("EFT") purchase that is returned unpaid, and you will be
responsible for any resulting losses suffered by the Fund.
- - Further documentation may be requested from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees, guardians, agents, or attorneys-in-fact.
- - The Fund reserves the right to decline to accept your purchase order upon
receipt for any reason.
- - Minimum Investment Requirements:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To open a regular account...........................................$2,500
To open a regular IRA, a ROTH IRA,
or a one-person SEP account.........................................$250
To open an Education IRA account.....................................$500*
To open an UGMA/UTMA account..........................................$250
To open a SIMPLE Plan, SEP-IRA,
Keogh, Profit Sharing or Money Purchase
Pension, or 403(b) account............................the lesser of $250
or $25 per month
To open a qualified retirement plan account
where the Advisor (or an alliance partner
of the Advisor) provides administrative services..............No Minimum
To add to an existing account..........................................$50
* Not eligible for the Automatic Investment Plan and No-Minimum Investment
Program.
The Fund offers a No-Minimum Investment Plan that waives the minimum initial
investment requirements for investors who participate in the Strong Automatic
Investment Plan and invest monthly (described on page II-11). Unless you
participate in the Strong No-Minimum Investment Program, please ensure your
purchases meet the minimum investment requirements.
Under certain circumstances (for example, if you discontinue a No-Minimum
Investment Program before you reach the Fund's minimum initial investment), the
Fund reserves the right to close your account. Before taking such action, the
Fund will provide you with written notice and at least 60 days in which to
reinstate an investment program or otherwise reach the minimum initial
investment required.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-4
<PAGE> 24
DETERMINING YOUR SHARE PRICE
Generally, when you make any purchases, sales, or exchanges, the price of
your shares will be the net asset value ("NAV") next determined after Strong
Funds receives your request in proper form. If Strong Funds receives such
request prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") on a
day on which the Exchange is open, your share price will be the NAV determined
that day. The NAV for each Fund is normally determined as of 3:00 p.m. Central
Time ("CT") each day the Exchange is open. The Fund reserves the right to change
the time at which purchases, redemptions, and exchanges are priced if the
Exchange closes at a time other than 3:00 p.m. CT or if an emergency exists. The
Fund's NAV is calculated by taking the fair value of the Fund's total assets,
subtracting all its liabilities, and dividing by the total number of shares
outstanding. Expenses are accrued daily and applied when determining the NAV.
The Fund's portfolio securities are valued based on market quotations or at
fair value as determined by the method selected by the Fund's Board of
Directors. Equity securities traded on a national securities exchange or NASDAQ
are valued at the last sales price on the national securities exchange or NASDAQ
on which such securities are primarily traded. Securities traded on NASDAQ for
which there were no transactions on a given day or securities not listed on an
exchange or NASDAQ are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked
prices. Other exchange traded securities (generally foreign securities) will be
valued based on market quotations.
Securities quoted in foreign currency are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the
foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time the daily NAV
per share is determined. Although the Fund values its foreign assets in U.S.
dollars on a daily basis, the Fund does not intend to convert its holdings of
foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. Foreign currency exchange
rates are generally determined prior to the close of trading on the Exchange.
Occasionally, events affecting the value of foreign investments and such
exchange rates occur between the time at which they are determined and the close
of trading on the Exchange. Such events would not normally be
reflected in a calculation of the Fund's NAV on that day. If events that
materially affect the value of the Fund's foreign investments or the foreign
currency exchange rates occur during such period, the investments will be valued
at their fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the
Board of Directors.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You can access the money in your account at any time by selling (redeeming)
some or all of your shares back to the Fund. Once your redemption request is
received in proper form, Strong will normally mail you the proceeds the next
business day and, in any event, no later than seven days thereafter.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-5
<PAGE> 25
To redeem shares, you may use any of the methods described in the following
chart. However, if you are selling shares in a retirement account, please call
1-800-368-3863 for instructions. Please note that there is a $10.00 fee for
closing an IRA or other retirement account or for transferring assets to another
custodian. For your protection, certain requests may require a signature
guarantee. (See "Special Situations -- Signature Guarantees.")
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-6
<PAGE> 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
TO SELL SHARES
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIL FOR INDIVIDUAL, JOINT TENANT, AND UGMA/UTMA ACCOUNTS
For your protection - Write a "letter of instruction" that includes the
certain redemption following information: your account number, the
requests may require a dollar amount or number of shares you wish to
signature guarantee. See redeem, each owner's name, your street address, and
"Special Situations -- the signature of each owner as it appears on the
Signature Guarantees." account.
- Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201. If you're using an express delivery
service, send to 900 Heritage Reserve, Menomonee
Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
FOR TRUST ACCOUNTS
- Same as above. Please ensure that all trustees sign
the letter of instruction.
FOR OTHER REGISTRATIONS
- Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPHONE Sign up for telephone redemption services when you
open
1-800-368-3863 your account by checking the "Yes" box in the
24 HOURS A DAY, appropriate section of the account application. To
7 DAYS A WEEK add the telephone redemption option to your account,
call 1-800-368-3863 for a Shareholder Account Options
Form.
Once the telephone redemption option is in place, you
may sell shares by phone and arrange to receive the
proceeds in one of three ways:
TO RECEIVE A CHECK BY MAIL
- At no charge, we will mail a check to the address
to which your account is registered.
TO DEPOSIT BY EFT
- At no charge, we will transmit the proceeds by
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to a pre-authorized
bank account. Usually, the funds will arrive at
your bank two banking days after we process your
redemption.
TO DEPOSIT BY WIRE
- For a $10 fee, we will transmit the proceeds by
wire to a pre-authorized bank account. Usually, the
funds will arrive at your bank the next banking day
after we process your redemption.
You may also use Strong DirectSM, Strong Funds'
automated telephone response system. Call
1-800-368-7550.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMATICALLY You can set up automatic withdrawals from your
account at
regular intervals. To establish the Systematic
Withdrawal Plan, request a form by calling
1-800-368-3863.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER-DEALER You may also redeem shares through broker-dealers or
financial intermediaries who may charge a transaction
fee.
</TABLE>
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-7
<PAGE> 27
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SELLING SHARES
- - If you have recently purchased shares, please be aware that your redemption
request may not be honored until the purchase check has cleared your bank,
which generally occurs within ten calendar days.
- - You will be charged a $10 service fee for a stop-payment and replacement of a
redemption or dividend check.
- - The right of redemption may be suspended during any period in which (i)
trading on the Exchange is restricted, as determined by the SEC, or the
Exchange is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (ii) the SEC has
permitted such suspension by order; or (iii) an emergency as determined by the
SEC exists, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets
of the Fund not reasonably practicable.
- - If you are selling shares you hold in certificate form, you must submit the
certificates with your redemption request. Each registered owner must endorse
the certificates and all signatures must be guaranteed.
- - Further documentation may be requested from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees, guardians, agents, or attorneys-in-fact.
REDEMPTIONS IN KIND
If the Advisor determines that existing conditions make cash payments
undesirable, redemption payments may be made in whole or in part in securities
or other financial assets, valued for this purpose as they are valued in
computing the NAV for the Fund's shares. Shareholders receiving securities or
other financial assets on redemption may realize a gain or loss for tax
purposes, and will incur any costs of sale, as well as the associated
inconveniences.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TELEPHONE REDEMPTIONS
- - The Fund reserves the right to refuse a telephone redemption if it believes it
advisable to do so.
- - Once you place your telephone redemption request, it cannot be canceled or
modified.
- - Investors will bear the risk of loss from fraudulent or unauthorized
instructions received over the telephone provided that the Fund reasonably
believes that such instructions are genuine. The Fund and its transfer agent
employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by
telephone are genuine. The Fund may incur liability if it does not follow
these procedures.
- - Because of increased telephone volume, you may experience difficulty in
implementing a telephone redemption during periods of dramatic economic or
market changes. In these situations, investors may want to consider using
Strong Direct(SM), our automated telephone system, to effect such a
transaction by calling 1-800-368-7550.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-8
<PAGE> 28
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
INFORMATION SERVICES
24-HOUR ASSISTANCE. Strong Funds has registered representatives available to
help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-414-359-1400 or toll-free
1-800-368-3863. You may also write to Strong Funds at the address on the cover
of this Prospectus, or e-mail us at [email protected].
STRONG DIRECT(SM) AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SYSTEM. Also available 24 hours a day,
the Strong Direct(SM) automated response system enables you to use a touch-tone
phone to hear fund quotes and returns on any Strong Fund. You may also confirm
account balances, hear records of recent transactions and dividend activity
(1-800-368-5550), and perform purchases, exchanges or redemptions among your
existing Strong accounts (1-800-368-7550). You may also perform an exchange to
open a new Strong account provided that your account has the telephone exchange
option. Please note that your accounts must be identically registered and you
must exchange enough into the new account to meet the minimum initial
investment. Your account information is protected by a personal code.
STRONG NETDIRECT(SM). Available 24 hours a day from your personal computer,
Strong netDirect(SM) allows you to use the Internet to access your Strong Funds
account information. You may access specific account history, view current
account balances, obtain recent dividend activity, and perform purchases,
exchanges, or redemptions among your existing Strong accounts.
To register for netDirect, please visit our web site at
http://www.strong-funds.com. Your account information is protected by a personal
password and Internet encryption technology. For more information on this
service, please call 1-800-359-3379 or e-mail us at [email protected].
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS. At a minimum, the Fund will confirm all transactions
for your account on a quarterly basis. We recommend that you file each quarterly
statement - and, especially, each calendar year-end statement - with your other
important financial papers, since you may need to refer to them at a later date
for tax purposes. Should you need additional copies of previous statements, you
may order confirmation statements for the current and preceding year at no
charge. Statements for earlier years are available for $10 each. Call
1-800-368-3863 to order past statements.
Each year, you will also receive a statement confirming the tax status of any
distributions paid to you, as well as a semi-annual report and an annual report
containing audited financial statements.
To reduce the volume of mail you receive, only one copy of certain materials,
such as prospectuses and shareholder reports, is mailed to your
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-9
<PAGE> 29
household. Call 1-800-368-3863 if you wish to receive additional copies, free of
charge.
More complete information regarding the Fund's investment policies and
services is contained in its SAI, which you may request by calling or writing
Strong Funds at the phone number and address on the cover of this Prospectus.
CHANGING YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION. So that you continue receiving your Strong
correspondence, including any dividend checks and statements, please notify us
in writing as soon as possible or call us at 1-800-368-3863 if your address
changes. You may use the Additional Investment Form at the bottom of your
confirmation statement, or simply write us a letter of instruction that contains
the following information:
1. a written request to change the address,
2. the account number(s) for which the address is to be changed,
3. the new address, and
4. the signatures of all owners of the accounts.
Please send your request to the address on the cover of this Prospectus.
Changes to an account's registration - such as adding or removing a joint
owner, changing an owner's name, or changing the type of your account - must
also be submitted in writing. Please call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions. For
your protection, some requests may require a signature guarantee.
TRANSACTION SERVICES
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. You may exchange shares between identically registered
Strong Funds accounts, either in writing, by telephone, or through your personal
computer. By establishing exchange services, you authorize the Fund and its
agents to act upon your instruction through the telephone or personal computer,
to exchange shares from any account you specify. For tax purposes, an exchange
is considered a sale and a purchase. Please obtain and read the appropriate
prospectus before investing in any of the Strong Funds. Since an excessive
number of exchanges may be detrimental to the Fund, the Fund reserves the right
to discontinue the exchange privilege of any shareholder at any time.
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS
Strong Funds' Automatic Investment Plan, Payroll Direct Deposit Plan, and
Automatic Exchange Plan, all discussed below, are methods of implementing DOLLAR
COST AVERAGING. Dollar cost averaging is an investment strategy that involves
investing a fixed amount of money at regular time intervals. By always investing
the same set amount, you will be purchasing more shares when the price is low
and fewer shares when the price is high. Ultimately, by using this principle in
conjunction with fluctuations in share price, your average cost per
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-10
<PAGE> 30
share may be less than your average transaction price. A program of regular
investment cannot ensure a profit or protect against a loss during declining
markets. Since such a program involves continuous investment regardless of
fluctuating share values, you should consider your ability to continue the
program through periods of both low and high share-price levels.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN. The Automatic Investment Plan allows you to make
regular, systematic investments in the Fund from your bank checking, savings, or
NOW account. You may choose to make investments on any day of the month in
amounts of $50 or more. You can set up the Automatic Investment Plan with any
financial institution that is a member of the Automated Clearing House. Because
the Fund has the right to close an investor's account for failure to reach the
minimum initial investment, please consider your ability to continue this Plan
until you reach the minimum initial investment. To establish the Plan, complete
the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application, or call
1-800-368-3863 for an application.
PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT PLAN. Once you meet the Fund's minimum initial
investment requirement, you may purchase additional Fund shares through the
Payroll Direct Deposit Plan. Through this Plan, periodic investments (minimum
$50) are made automatically from your payroll check into your existing Fund
account. By enrolling in the Plan, you authorize your employer or its agents to
deposit a specified amount from your payroll check into the Fund's bank account.
In most cases, your Fund account will be credited the day after the amount is
received by the Fund's bank. In order to participate in the Plan, your employer
must have direct deposit capabilities through the Automated Clearing House
available to its employees. The Plan may be used for other direct deposits, such
as social security checks, military allotments, and annuity payments.
To establish Direct Deposit for your account, call 1-800-368-3863 to request
a form. Once the Plan is established, you may alter the amount of the deposit,
alter the frequency of the deposit, or terminate your participation in the
program by notifying your employer.
AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE PLAN. The Automatic Exchange Plan allows you to make
regular, systematic exchanges (minimum $50) from one Strong Funds account into
another Strong Funds account. By setting up the Plan, you authorize the Fund and
its agents to redeem a set dollar amount or number of shares from the first
account and purchase shares of a second Strong Fund. In addition, you authorize
the Fund and its agents to accept telephone instructions to change the dollar
amount and frequency of the exchange. An exchange transaction is a sale and
purchase of shares for federal income tax purposes and may result in a capital
gain or loss. To establish the Plan, request a form by calling 1-800-368-3863.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-11
<PAGE> 31
To participate in the Automatic Exchange Plan, you must have an initial
account balance of $2,500 in the first account and at least the minimum initial
investment in the second account. Exchanges may be made on any day or days of
your choice. If the amount remaining in the first account is less than the
exchange amount you requested, then the remaining amount will be exchanged. At
such time as the first account has a zero balance, your participation in the
Plan will be terminated. You may also terminate the Plan at any time by calling
or writing to the Fund. Once participation in the Plan has been terminated for
any reason, to reinstate the Plan you must do so in writing; simply investing
additional funds will not reinstate the Plan.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN. You can set up automatic withdrawals from your
account at regular intervals. To begin distributions, you must have an initial
balance of $5,000 in your account and withdraw at least $50 per payment. To
establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan, request a form by calling
1-800-368-3863. Depending upon the size of the account and the withdrawals
requested (and fluctuations in net asset value of the shares redeemed),
redemptions for the purpose of satisfying such withdrawals may reduce or even
exhaust the account. If the amount remaining in the account is not sufficient to
meet a Plan payment, the remaining amount will be redeemed and the Plan will be
terminated.
RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES
We offer a wide variety of retirement plans for individuals and institutions,
including large and small businesses. For information on IRAs, including ROTH
IRAs, or SEP-IRAs for a one-person business, call 1-800-368-3863. If you are
interested in opening a 401(k) or other company-sponsored retirement plan
(SIMPLES, SEP plans, Keoghs, 403(b)(7) plans, pension and profit sharing plans),
call 1-800-368-2882 and a Strong Retirement Plan Specialist will help you
determine which retirement plan would be best for your company. Complete
instructions about how to establish and maintain your plan and how to open
accounts for you and your employees will be included in the retirement plan kit
you receive in the mail.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
POWER OF ATTORNEY. If you are investing as attorney-in-fact for another
person, please complete the account application in the name of such person and
sign the back of the application in the following form: "[applicant's name] by
[your name], attorney-in-fact." To avoid having to file an affidavit prior to
each transaction, please complete the Power of Attorney form available from
Strong Funds at 1-800-368-3863. However, if you would like to use your own power
of attorney form, please call the same number for instructions.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-12
<PAGE> 32
CORPORATIONS AND TRUSTS. If you are investing for a corporation, please
include with your account application a certified copy of your corporate
resolution indicating which officers are authorized to act on behalf of the
corporation. As an alternative, you may complete a Certification of Authorized
Individuals, which can be obtained from the Fund. Until a valid corporate
resolution or Certification of Authorized Individuals form is received by the
Fund, services such as telephone and wire redemption will not be established.
If you are investing as a trustee (including trustees of a retirement plan),
please include the date of the trust. All trustees must sign the application. If
they do not, services such as telephone and wire redemption will not be
established. All trustees must sign redemption requests unless proper
documentation to the contrary is provided to the Fund. Failure to provide these
documents or signatures as required when you invest may result in delays in
processing redemption requests.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES. If you purchase or redeem shares of the Fund
through a financial intermediary, certain features of the Fund relating to such
transactions may not be available or may be modified. In addition, certain
operational policies of the Fund, including those related to settlement and
dividend accrual, may vary from those applicable to direct shareholders of the
Fund and may vary among intermediaries. We urge you to consult your financial
intermediary for more information regarding these matters. In addition, the Fund
may pay, directly or indirectly through arrangements with the Advisor, amounts
to financial intermediaries that provide transfer agent type and/or other
administrative services to their customers provided, however, that the Fund will
not pay more for these services through intermediary relationships than it would
if the intermediaries' customers were direct shareholders in the Fund. Certain
financial intermediaries may charge an advisory, transaction, or other fee for
their services. You will not be charged for such fees if you purchase or redeem
your Fund shares directly from the Fund without the intervention of a financial
intermediary.
SIGNATURE GUARANTEES. A signature guarantee is designed to protect you and
the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. In the
following instances, the Fund will require a signature guarantee for all
authorized owners of an account:
- - when you add the telephone redemption option to your existing account;
- - if you transfer the ownership of your account to another individual or
organization;
- - when you submit a written redemption request for more than $50,000;
- - when you request to redeem or redeposit shares that have been issued in
certificate form;
- - if you open an account and later decide that you want certificates;
- - when you request that redemption proceeds be sent to a different name or
address than is registered on your account;
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-13
<PAGE> 33
- - if you add/change your name or add/remove an owner on your account; and
- - if you add/change the beneficiary on your transfer-on-death account.
A signature guarantee may be obtained from any eligible guarantor
institution, as defined by the SEC. These institutions include banks, savings
associations, credit unions, brokerage firms, and financial intermediaries.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A NOTARY PUBLIC STAMP OR SEAL IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-14
<PAGE> 34
NOTES
<PAGE> 35
NOTES
<PAGE> 36
STRONG DOW 30 VALUE FUND
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
STRONG FUNDS
P.O. Box 2936
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Telephone: (414) 359-1400
Toll-Free: (800) 368-3863
Device for the
Hearing-Impaired:
(800) 999-2780
www.strong-funds.com
</TABLE>
The Strong Family of Funds ("Strong Funds") is a family of more than
thirty-five diversified and non-diversified mutual funds. All of the Strong
Funds are no-load funds, meaning that you may purchase, redeem, or exchange
shares without paying a sales charge. Strong Funds include growth funds,
conservative equity funds, income funds, municipal income funds, international
funds, and cash management funds. The Strong Dow 30 Value Fund (the "Fund") is
described in this Prospectus. The Fund seeks capital growth. The Fund invests in
the equity securities of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is an index of
30 "blue-chip" U.S. stocks. The Fund is a non-diversified series of Strong
Equity Funds, Inc., an open-end management company.
This Prospectus contains information you should consider before you invest.
Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference. A Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund, dated December 31, 1997, which contains
further information, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, and has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). This Statement,
which may be revised from time to time, is available without charge upon request
to the above-noted address or telephone number. If you would like to
electronically access additional information about the Fund after reading the
prospectus, you may do so by accessing the SEC's World Wide Web site (at
http://www.sec.gov) that contains the Statement of Additional Information
regarding the Fund and other related materials.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 31, 1997
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-1
<PAGE> 37
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
EXPENSES................................. I-3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES........ I-4
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND RISKS..... I-6
ABOUT THE FUND........................... I-7
SHAREHOLDER MANUAL....................... II-1
</TABLE>
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in this Prospectus and the Statement
of Additional Information, and if given or made, such information or
representations may not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund.
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell securities in any state or
jurisdiction in which such offering may not lawfully be made.
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-2
<PAGE> 38
EXPENSES
The following information is provided in order to help you understand the
various costs and expenses that you, as an investor in the Fund, will bear
directly or indirectly.
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Sales Load Imposed on Purchases............. NONE
Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested
Dividends................................. NONE
Deferred Sales Load......................... NONE
Redemption Fees............................. NONE
Exchange Fees............................... NONE
</TABLE>
There are certain charges associated with retirement accounts (such as a $10
charge for closing an IRA account) and with certain other special shareholder
services offered by the Fund. Additionally, purchases and redemptions may also
be made through broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries who may charge
fees for their services. (See "Shareholder Manual - How to Buy Shares" and "-
How to Sell Shares.")
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(as a percentage of average net assets after waivers)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Total
Management Other 12b-1 Operating
Fees Expenses Fees Expenses
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Dow 30 Value Fund .80% 1.11% NONE 1.40%*
</TABLE>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Total Operating Expenses reflect the Advisor's waiver of management fees
and/or absorptions as described below. Without such waivers and absorptions,
the Total Operating Expenses of the Fund would have been 1.91%.
STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. (THE "ADVISOR") VOLUNTARILY HAS AGREED TO
MAINTAIN THE FUND'S TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES AT NO MORE THAN 1.40%. The Advisor
has no current intention to, but may in the future, discontinue or modify any
waiver of fees or absorption of expenses at its discretion without further
notification. Since the Fund is new and did not begin operations until December
31, 1997, the Other Expenses have been estimated. For additional information
concerning fees and expenses, see "About the Fund - Management."
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-3
<PAGE> 39
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:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Period (in years)
-----------------
1 3
<S> <C> <C>
Dow 30 Value Fund $19 $60
</TABLE>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Example is based on the Fund's "Total Operating Expenses" after waiver,
as described above. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS
REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES AND THAT ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE HIGHER
OR LOWER THAN THOSE SHOWN. The assumption in the Example of a 5% annual return
is required by regulations of the SEC applicable to all mutual funds. The
assumed 5% annual return is not a prediction of, and does not represent, the
projected or actual performance of the Fund's shares.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund is required to invest a substantial portion of its assets in equity
securities. Accordingly, the Fund's net asset value will fluctuate based upon
changes in the value of the securities in its portfolio, and the Fund's net
asset value is likely to fluctuate more than that of a fund invested principally
in fixed income securities. The Fund, therefore, is not appropriate for
investors' short-term financial needs.
The Fund has adopted certain fundamental investment restrictions that are set
forth in its Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). Those restrictions,
the Fund's investment objective, and any other investment policies identified as
"fundamental" cannot be changed without shareholder approval. To further guide
investment activities, the Fund has also instituted a number of non-fundamental
operating policies, which are described in this Prospectus and in the SAI.
Although operating policies may be changed by the Fund's Board of Directors
without shareholder approval, the Fund will promptly notify shareholders of any
material change in operating policies.
Except as limited below, the Fund may invest in a diversified portfolio of
securities without regard to objective investment criteria, such as company
size, exchange listing, earnings history, or other factors. When selecting
securities, the Advisor will, except as otherwise limited below, be limited only
by its best judgment as to what will help achieve the Fund's investment
objective.
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-4
<PAGE> 40
STRONG DOW 30 VALUE FUND*
The Fund seeks capital growth. The Fund invests in the equity securities of
the Dow Jones Industrial Average ("DJIA"), which is an index of 30 "blue-chip"
U.S. stocks. The Fund will (i) index a portion of its assets to the DJIA, (ii)
overweight certain DJIA stocks based on dividend and other valuation measures
with the remainder of the Fund's assets, and (iii) make periodic stock
allocation adjustments based upon the Dow Theory. The Dow Theory states that a
major market trend, either a Bull or Bear market, must be confirmed by a similar
movement in the DJIA and the Dow Jones Transportation Average. According to Dow
Theory, a significant trend is not confirmed until both of these indexes reach
significant new highs or lows.
DJIA INDEXING. With approximately 50% of the Fund's net assets, the Fund will
maintain price-weighted positions in each of the 30 DJIA companies' securities.
In this way, this portion of the Fund's portfolio will seek to approximate the
price-weighted total return of these companies.
- ---------------
* The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones. Dow Jones
makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders
of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of
investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly. Dow Jones'
only relationship to the Fund is the licensing of certain trademarks and
trade names of Dow Jones and of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM which is
determined, composed and calculated by Dow Jones without regard to Fund, Dow
Jones has no obligation to take the needs of the Fund or its shareholders
into consideration in determining, composing or calculating Dow Jones
Industrial AverageSM. Dow Jones is not responsible for and has not
participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities
of the Fund's shares to be issued or in the determination or calculation of
the equation by which the Fund's shares are to be redeemed. Dow Jones has no
obligation or liability in connection with the administration or marketing of
the Fund.
DOW JONES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE DOW
JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND DOW JONES SHALL
HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. DOW
JONES MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY
THE FUND, SHAREHOLDERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE
USE OF THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. DOW
JONES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE
WITH RESPECT TO THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED
THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DOW JONES
HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY
AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DOW JONES AND THE FUND.
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-5
<PAGE> 41
OVERWEIGHTING OF DJIA. In addition, the Fund will invest between 30% and 50%
of its net assets in certain securities of the DJIA based upon the Dow Dividend
Strategy and other valuation measures. The Dow Dividend Strategy instructs
investors to place equal amounts of cash in the 10 DJIA stocks with the highest
dividend yields. These 10 stocks are commonly known as the "Dogs of the Dow."
The Dogs of the Dow will be readjusted by the Subadvisor at least annually. The
Fund may also invest in securities that are not in the Dogs of the Dow based on
other valuation measures which include without limitation, price-earnings (P-E)
ratio, cash flow, discounted cash flows, value of discounted dividends, P-E
ratio to growth rate, and earnings momentum.
STOCK ALLOCATION. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in cash and
short-term investment-grade fixed income securities based upon the Subadvisor's
interpretations of the Dow Theory.
Generally, the Fund will not have a position in any company greater than 10%
of the Fund's net assets. The Fund may also engage in futures and options
transactions on the DJIA for hedging or risk management purposes. The use of
futures and options may include elements of leverage and the fluctuation of the
value of such instruments in relation to their underlying assets may be
magnified. When required by Securities and Exchange Commission guidelines, the
Fund will set aside permissible liquid assets in a segregated account to secure
its obligations under such futures and options.
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND RISKS
In addition to the investment policies described above (and subject to
certain restrictions described below), the Fund may invest in some or all of the
following securities and may employ some or all of the following investment
techniques, some of which may present special risks as described below. A more
complete discussion of certain of these securities and investment techniques and
the associated risks is presented in the Fund's SAI.
CASH MANAGEMENT
The Fund may invest directly in cash and short-term fixed income securities,
including, for this purpose, shares of one or more money market funds managed by
the Advisor (collectively, the "Strong Money Funds"). The Strong Money Funds
seek current income, a stable share price of $1.00, and daily liquidity. All
money market instruments can change in value when interest rates or an issuer's
creditworthiness change dramatically. The Strong Money Funds cannot guarantee
that they will always be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per
share.
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-6
<PAGE> 42
DIVERSIFICATION
Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its
assets in the securities of a single issuer than diversified funds, an
investment in the Fund may be subject to greater fluctuations in value than an
investment in a diversified fund.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The annual portfolio turnover rate indicates changes in the Fund's portfolio.
The turnover rate may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. It may
also be affected by sales of portfolio securities necessary to meet cash
requirements for redemption of shares. High portfolio turnover in any year will
result in the payment by the Fund of above-average amounts of transaction costs
and could result in the payment by shareholders of above-average amounts of
taxes on realized investment gains. Under normal market conditions, the rate of
portfolio turnover of the Fund generally will not exceed 50%.
ABOUT THE FUND
MANAGEMENT
The Board of Directors of the Fund is responsible for managing its business
and affairs. The Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement with
Strong Capital Management, Inc. (the "Advisor"). Under the terms of the
agreement, the Advisor manages the Fund's investments and business affairs
subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors.
ADVISOR. The Advisor began conducting business in 1974. Since then, its
principal business has been providing continuous investment supervision for
individuals and institutional accounts, such as pension funds and profit-sharing
plans as well as mutual funds, several of which are funding vehicles for
variable insurance products. As of November 30, 1997, the Advisor had over $28
billion under management. The Advisor's principal mailing address is P.O. Box
2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. Mr. Richard S. Strong, the Chairman of the
Board of the Fund, is the controlling shareholder of the Advisor.
As compensation for its services, the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly
management fee. The annual fee is .80% of the Fund's average daily net asset
value. The Advisor has voluntarily agreed to waive its management fee and/or
absorb expenses to the extent necessary to keep the Fund's Total Operating
Expenses at no more than 1.40%. The Advisor has no current intention to, but may
in the future, discontinue or modify any such waiver or absorption at its
discretion without further notification of the commencement, termination or
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-7
<PAGE> 43
modification of such waiver or absorption. Any such waiver or absorption will
temporarily lower the Fund's overall expense ratio and increase the Fund's
overall return to investors.
Except for expenses assumed by the Advisor, Subadvisor, or Strong Funds
Distributors, Inc., the Fund is responsible for all its other expenses,
including, without limitation, interest charges, taxes, brokerage commissions,
and similar expenses; expenses of issue, sale, repurchase, or redemption of
shares; expenses of registering or qualifying shares for sale with the states
and the SEC; expenses of printing and distribution of prospectuses to existing
shareholders; charges of custodians (including fees as custodian for keeping
books and similar services for the Fund), transfer agents (including the
printing and mailing of reports and notices to shareholders), registrars,
auditing and legal services, and clerical services related to recordkeeping and
shareholder relations; printing of stock certificates; fees for directors who
are not "interested persons" of the Advisor; expenses of indemnification;
extraordinary expenses; and costs of shareholder and director meetings.
The Advisor and the Subadvisor permit portfolio managers and other persons
who may have access to information about the purchase or sale of securities in
the Fund's portfolio ("access persons") to purchase and sell securities for
their own accounts, subject to the Advisor's or Subadvisor's policy governing
personal investing. The policy requires access persons to conduct their personal
investment activities in a manner that the Advisor or Subadvisor believes is not
detrimental to the Fund or to the Advisor's or Subadvisor's other advisory
clients. Among other things, the policy requires access persons to obtain
preclearance before executing personal trades and prohibits access persons from
keeping profits derived from the purchase or sale of the same security within 60
calendar days. See the SAI for more information.
SUBADVISOR. Under a subadvisory agreement between the Advisor and Horizon
Investment Services, LLC (the "Subadvisory Agreement"), the Subadvisor, pursuant
to the oversight and supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors and the
Advisor, provides a continuous investment program for the Fund. Under the
Subadvisory Agreement, the Subadvisor is responsible for determining the
securities to be purchased or sold by the Fund. However, the Advisor is
responsible for executing the Fund's purchase or sale transactions and for
managing the Fund's cash investments, which on average is expected to be less
than 5% of the Fund's net assets. As compensation for its services, the Advisor
(not the Fund) pays the Subadvisor a monthly fee at an annual rate of (i) 50% of
the total management fee collected by the Advisor from the Fund on the first
$1.0 billion of the Fund's net assets, (ii) 40% of the total management fee
collected by the Advisor from the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $1.0
billion and up to $1.5 billion, (iii) 35% of the total management fee collected
by the Advisor from the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $1.5 billion and up
to $2.0 billion, (iv) 30% of the total management fee collected by the
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-8
<PAGE> 44
Advisor from the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $2.0 billion and up to $2.5
billion and (v) 10% of the total management fee collected by the Advisor from
the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $2.5 billion. However, prior to January
1, 2000, the Subadvisory fee shall be $250,000 per year. The Subadvisor bears
all of its own expenses in providing subadvisory services to the Fund.
The Subadvisor was formed in November 1997 to provide subadvisory services to
the Fund and the Fund is currently the sole investment advisory client of the
Subadvisor. The Subadvisor is a limited liability company organized in Indiana
and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Horizon Management Services, Inc. ("HMS"), a
firm that publishes and distributes investment-related newsletters through its
wholly owned subsidiaries. Mr. Robert T. Evans, the President of HMS, is the
controlling shareholder of HMS. The Subadvisor's address is 7412 Calumet Avenue,
Suite 300, Hammond, Indiana 46324-2692.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS.
CHARLES B. CARLSON. Mr. Charles B. Carlson, a Chartered Financial Analyst,
has been employed by the Subadvisor as a portfolio manager and Vice President
since its formation in November 1997. Mr. Carlson is concurrently employed by
(i) HMS as Vice President, (ii) Dow Theory Forecasts, Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of the HMS, as Contributing Editor of the Dow Theory Forecast
newsletter, and (iii) Northstar Financial Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
HMS, as Vice President and the Managing Editor of the No-Load Stock Investor and
The DRIP Investor newsletters. Prior to June 1995, he worked solely at Dow
Theory Forecasts, Inc., as an Editor of its newsletter. Prior to managing the
Fund, Mr. Carlson had not managed a mutual fund. However, he has managed a
portion of a corporate equity account of HMS.
RICHARD J. MORONEY. Mr. Richard J. Moroney, a Chartered Financial Analyst,
has been employed by the Subadvisor as a portfolio manager and Vice President
since its formation in November 1997. Mr. Moroney is concurrently employed by
Dow Theory Forecasts, Inc. where he has been a Vice President and Editor of the
Dow Theory Forecast newsletter since July 1995. For four years prior to that,
Mr. Moroney worked as a Managing Editor for the Dow Theory Forecast newsletter.
For two years prior to that, he served Dow Theory Forecasts, Inc. as a research
analyst. Prior to managing the Fund, Mr. Moroney had not managed a mutual fund
nor any other investment account. However, he has managed a portion of a
corporate equity account of HMS.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
The Advisor, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, also acts as
dividend-disbursing agent and transfer agent for the Fund. The Advisor is
---------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-9
<PAGE> 45
compensated for its services based on an annual fee per account plus certain
out-of-pocket expenses. The fees received and the services provided as transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent are in addition to those received and
provided under the Advisory Agreement between the Advisor and the Fund.
DISTRIBUTOR
Strong Funds Distributors, Inc., P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201,
an indirect subsidiary of the Advisor, acts as distributor of the shares of the
Fund.
ORGANIZATION
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. The Fund is a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc., a
Wisconsin corporation that is authorized to issue an indefinite number of shares
of common stock and series and classes of series of shares of common stock. Each
share of the Fund has one vote, and all shares participate equally in dividends
and other capital gains distributions and in the residual assets of the Fund in
the event of liquidation. Certificates will be issued for shares held in your
account only upon your written request. You will, however, have full shareholder
rights whether or not you request certificates. Generally, the Fund will not
hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required by the 1940 Act.
Shareholders have certain rights, including the right to call an annual meeting
upon a vote of 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares for the purpose of voting to
remove one or more directors or to transact any other business. The 1940 Act
requires the Fund to assist the shareholders in calling such a meeting.
SHAREHOLDER PRIVILEGES. The shareholders of the Fund may benefit from the
privileges described in the "Shareholder Manual" (see Page II-1). However, the
Fund reserves the right, at any time and without prior notice, to suspend,
limit, modify, or terminate any of these privileges or their use in any manner
by any person or class.
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. Unless you choose otherwise,
all your dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically
reinvested in additional Fund shares. Or, you may elect to have all your
dividends and capital gain distributions from the Fund automatically invested in
additional shares of another Strong Fund. Shares are purchased at the net asset
value determined on the payment date. If you request in writing that your
dividends and other distributions be paid in cash, the Fund will credit your
bank account by Electronic Funds Transfer ("EFT") or issue a check to you within
five business days of the payment date. You may change your election at any time
by calling or writing Strong Funds. Strong Funds must receive any
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-10
<PAGE> 46
such change 7 days (15 days for EFT) prior to a dividend or capital gain
distribution payment date in order for the change to be effective for that
payment. The policy of the Fund is to pay dividends from net investment income
quarterly and to distribute substantially all net realized capital gains and
gains from foreign currency transactions annually. The Fund may make additional
distributions if necessary to avoid imposition of a 4% excise tax on
undistributed income and gains.
If you have chosen to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in
cash and the postal or other delivery service is unable to deliver checks to
your address of record, your distribution option will automatically be converted
to having all dividend and other distributions reinvested in additional Fund
shares. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution
or redemption checks.
TAX STATUS OF DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS. You will be subject to
federal income tax at ordinary income tax rates on any dividends you receive
that are derived from investment company taxable income (consisting generally of
net investment income and net short-term capital gain). Distributions of net
capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term
capital loss), when designated as such by the Fund, are taxable to you as long-
term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. The
Fund's distributions are taxable in the year they are paid, whether they are
taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, except that certain
distributions declared in the last three months of the year and paid in January
are taxable as if paid on December 31.
If the Fund's distributions exceed its investment company taxable income and
net capital gain in any year, all or a portion of those distributions may be
treated as a return of capital to shareholders for tax purposes.
YEAR-END TAX REPORTING. After the end of each calendar year, you will receive
a statement (Form 1099) of the federal income tax status of all dividends and
other distributions paid (or deemed paid) during the year.
SHARES SOLD OR EXCHANGED. Your redemption of shares of the Fund may result in
a taxable gain or loss to you, depending upon whether the redemption proceeds
payable to you are more or less than your adjusted cost basis for the redeemed
shares. Similar tax consequences generally will result from an exchange of Fund
shares for shares of another Strong Fund. If you purchase shares of the Fund
within thirty days before or after redeeming shares of the Fund at a loss, a
portion or all of that loss will not be deductible and will increase the cost
basis of the newly purchased shares. If you redeem shares out of a non-IRA
retirement account, you will be subject to withholding for federal income tax
purposes unless you transfer the distribution directly to an "eligible
retirement plan."
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-11
<PAGE> 47
BUYING A DISTRIBUTION. A distribution paid shortly after you have purchased
shares in the Fund will reduce the net asset value of the shares by the amount
of the distribution, which nevertheless will be taxable to you even though it
represents a return of a portion of your investment.
BACKUP WITHHOLDING. If you are an individual or certain other noncorporate
shareholder and do not furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification
number, the Fund is required to withhold federal income tax at a rate of 31%
(backup withholding) from all dividends, capital gain distributions, and
redemption proceeds payable to you. Withholding at that rate from dividends and
capital gain distributions payable to you also is required if you otherwise are
subject to backup withholding. To avoid backup withholding, you must provide a
taxpayer identification number and state that you are not subject to backup
withholding due to the underreporting of your income. This certification is
included as part of your application. Please complete it when you open your
account.
TAX STATUS OF THE FUND. The Fund intends to continue to qualify for treatment
as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code and, if so qualified, will not be liable for federal income tax on earnings
and gains distributed to its shareholders in a timely manner.
This section is not intended to be a full discussion of present or proposed
federal income tax law and its effects on the Fund and investors therein. See
the SAI for a further discussion. There may be other federal, state, or local
tax considerations applicable to a particular investor. You are therefore urged
to consult your own tax adviser.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund may advertise a variety of types of performance information,
including "average annual total return," "total return," and "cumulative total
return." Each of these figures is based upon historical results and does not
represent the future performance of the Fund. Average annual total return and
total return figures measure both the net investment income generated by, and
the effect of any realized and unrealized appreciation or depreciation of, the
underlying investments in the Fund assuming the reinvestment of all dividends
and other distributions. Total return figures are not annualized and simply
represent the aggregate change of the Fund's investments over a specified period
of time.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-12
<PAGE> 48
This page has been left blank intentionally.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE I-13
<PAGE> 49
SHAREHOLDER MANUAL
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
HOW TO BUY SHARES...................... II-1
DETERMINING YOUR SHARE PRICE........... II-5
HOW TO SELL SHARES..................... II-5
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES................... II-8
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS............... II-9
RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES............... II-11
SPECIAL SITUATIONS..................... II-11
</TABLE>
HOW TO BUY SHARES
All the Strong Funds are 100% no-load, meaning you may purchase, redeem, or
exchange shares directly at net asset value without paying a sales charge.
Because the Fund's net asset value changes daily, your purchase price will be
the next net asset value determined after Strong receives and accepts your
purchase order.
Whether you are opening a new account or adding to an existing one, Strong
provides you with several methods to buy the Fund's shares.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-1
<PAGE> 50
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
TO OPEN A NEW ACCOUNT
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIL BY CHECK
- Complete and sign the application. Make your check
or money order payable to "Strong Funds."
- Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201. If you're using an express delivery
service, send to Strong Funds, 900 Heritage
Reserve, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
BY EXCHANGE
- Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on
establishing an account with an exchange by mail.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPHONE BY EXCHANGE
- Call 1-800-368-3863 to establish a new account by
1-800-368-3863 exchanging funds from an existing Strong Funds
24 HOURS A DAY, account.
7 DAYS A WEEK - Sign up for telephone exchange services when you
open your account. To add the telephone exchange
option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a
Shareholder Account Options Form.
- Please note that your accounts must be identically
registered and that you must exchange enough into the
new account to meet the minimum initial investment.
Or use Strong Direct(SM), Strong Funds' automated
telephone response system. Call 1-800-368-7550.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN PERSON - Stop by our Investor Center in Menomonee Falls,
Wisconsin.
Call 1-800-368-3863 for hours and directions.
- The Investor Center can only accept checks or money
orders.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIRE Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on opening an
account by wire.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMATICALLY USE STRONG'S "NO-MINIMUM INVESTMENT PROGRAM."
- If you sign up for Strong's Automatic Investment
Plan when you open your account and contribute
monthly, Strong Funds will waive the Fund's minimum
initial investment (see chart on page II-4).
- Complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on
the account application.
- Mail to the address indicated on the application.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER-DEALER - You may purchase shares in the Fund through a
broker-
dealer or other institution that may charge a
transaction fee.
- Strong Funds may only accept requests to purchase
shares into a broker-dealer street name account
from the broker-dealer.
</TABLE>
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PROSPECTUS PAGE II-2
<PAGE> 51
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO ADD TO AN EXISTING ACCOUNT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY CHECK
- - Complete an Additional Investment Form provided at the bottom of your account
statement, or write a note indicating your fund account number and
registration. Make your check or money order payable to "Strong Funds."
- - Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. If you're
using an express delivery service, send to Strong Funds, 900 Heritage Reserve,
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
BY EXCHANGE
- - Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on exchanging by mail.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY EXCHANGE
- - Add to an account by exchanging funds from another Strong Funds account.
- - Sign up for telephone exchange services when you open your account. To add the
telephone exchange option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a
Shareholder Account Options Form.
- - Please note that the accounts must be identically registered and that the
minimum exchange is $50 or the balance of your account, whichever is less.
BY TELEPHONE PURCHASE
- - Sign up for telephone purchase when you open your account to make additional
investments from $50 to $25,000 into your Strong Funds account by telephone.
To add this option to your account, call 1-800-368-3863 for a Shareholder
Account Options Form.
Or use Strong DirectSM, Strong Funds' automated telephone response system. Call
1-800-368-7550.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - Stop by our Investor Center in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Call 1-800-368-3863
for hours and directions.
- - The Investor Center can only accept checks or money orders.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on adding to an account by wire.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USE ONE OF STRONG'S AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAMS. Sign up for these services
when you open your account, or call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions on how to
add them to your existing account.
- - AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN. Make regular, systematic investments (minimum $50)
into your Strong Funds account from your bank checking or NOW account.
Complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application.
- - AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE PLAN. Make regular, systematic exchanges (minimum $50) from
one eligible Strong Funds account to another. Call 1-800-368-3863 for an
application.
- - PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT. Have a specified amount (minimum $50) regularly
deducted from your paycheck, social security check, military allotment, or
annuity payment invested directly into your Strong Funds account. Call
1-800-368-3863 for an application.
- - AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT. Unless you choose otherwise, all your
dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in
additional Fund shares. Or, you may elect to have your dividends and capital
gain distributions automatically invested in shares of another Strong Fund.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - You may purchase additional shares in the Fund through a broker-dealer or
other institution that may charge a transaction fee.
- - Strong Funds may only accept requests to purchase additional shares into a
broker-dealer street name account from the broker-dealer.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-3
<PAGE> 52
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BUYING SHARES
- - Please make all checks or money orders payable to "Strong Funds."
- - We cannot accept third-party checks or checks drawn on banks outside the U.S.
- - You will be charged a $20 service fee for each check, wire, or Electronic
Funds Transfer ("EFT") purchase that is returned unpaid, and you will be
responsible for any resulting losses suffered by the Fund.
- - Further documentation may be requested from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees, guardians, agents, or attorneys-in-fact.
- - The Fund reserves the right to decline to accept your purchase order upon
receipt for any reason.
- - Minimum Investment Requirements:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To open a regular account.............................................$2,500
To open a regular IRA, a ROTH IRA, or one-person
SEP account...........................................................$250
To open an Education IRA................................................$500*
To open an UGMA/UTMA account............................................$250
To open a SIMPLE Plan, SEP-IRA,
Keogh, Profit Sharing or Money Purchase
Pension, or 403(b) account..............................the lesser of $250
or $25 per month
To open a qualified retirement plan account
where the Advisor (or an alliance partner of the
Advisor) provides administrative services.......................No Minimum
To add to an existing account............................................$50
* Not eligible for the Automatic Investment Plan and No-Minimum Investment
Program.
The Fund offers a No-Minimum Investment Plan that waives the minimum initial
investment requirements for investors who participate in the Strong Automatic
Investment Plan and invest monthly (described on page II-10). Unless you
participate in the Strong No-Minimum Investment Program, please ensure your
purchases meet the minimum investment requirements.
Under certain circumstances (for example, if you discontinue a No-Minimum
Investment Program before you reach the Fund's minimum initial investment), the
Fund reserves the right to close your account. Before taking such action, the
Fund will provide you with written notice and at least 60 days in which to
reinstate an investment program or otherwise reach the minimum initial
investment required.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-4
<PAGE> 53
DETERMINING YOUR SHARE PRICE
Generally, when you make any purchases, sales, or exchanges, the price of
your shares will be the net asset value ("NAV") next determined after Strong
Funds receives your request in proper form. If Strong Funds receives such
request prior to the close of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") on a
day on which the Exchange is open, your share price will be the NAV determined
that day. The NAV for each Fund is normally determined as of 3:00 p.m. Central
Time ("CT") each day the Exchange is open. The Fund reserves the right to change
the time at which purchases, redemptions, and exchanges are priced if the
Exchange closes at a time other than 3:00 p.m. CT or if an emergency exists. The
Fund's NAV is calculated by taking the fair value of the Fund's total assets,
subtracting all its liabilities, and dividing by the total number of shares
outstanding. Expenses are accrued daily and applied when determining the NAV.
The Fund's portfolio securities are valued based on market quotations or at
fair value as determined by the method selected by the Fund's Board of
Directors. Equity securities traded on a national securities exchange or NASDAQ
are valued at the last sales price on the national securities exchange or NASDAQ
on which such securities are primarily traded. Securities traded on NASDAQ for
which there were no transactions on a given day or securities not listed on an
exchange or NASDAQ are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked
prices. Other exchange traded securities (generally foreign securities) will be
valued based on market quotations.
HOW TO SELL SHARES
You can access the money in your account at any time by selling (redeeming)
some or all of your shares back to the Fund. Once your redemption request is
received in proper form, Strong will normally mail you the proceeds the next
business day and, in any event, no later than seven days thereafter.
To redeem shares, you may use any of the methods described in the following
chart. However, if you are selling shares in a retirement account, please call
1-800-368-3863 for instructions. Please note that there is a $10.00 fee for
closing an IRA or other retirement account or for transferring assets to another
custodian. For your protection, certain requests may require a signature
guarantee. (See "Special Situations -- Signature Guarantees.")
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-5
<PAGE> 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
TO SELL SHARES
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIL FOR INDIVIDUAL, JOINT TENANT, AND UGMA/UTMA ACCOUNTS
For your protection - Write a "letter of instruction" that includes the
certain redemption following information: your account number, the
requests may require a dollar amount or number of shares you wish to
signature guarantee. See redeem, each owner's name, your street address, and
"Special Situations -- the signature of each owner as it appears on the
Signature Guarantees." account.
- Mail to Strong Funds, P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53201. If you're using an express delivery
service, send to 900 Heritage Reserve, Menomonee
Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
FOR TRUST ACCOUNTS
- Same as above. Please ensure that all trustees sign
the letter of instruction.
FOR OTHER REGISTRATIONS
- Call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPHONE Sign up for telephone redemption services when you
open
1-800-368-3863 your account by checking the "Yes" box in the
24 HOURS A DAY, appropriate section of the account application. To
7 DAYS A WEEK add the telephone redemption option to your account,
call 1-800-368-3863 for a Shareholder Account Options
Form.
Once the telephone redemption option is in place, you
may sell shares by phone and arrange to receive the
proceeds in one of three ways:
TO RECEIVE A CHECK BY MAIL
- At no charge, we will mail a check to the address
to which your account is registered.
TO DEPOSIT BY EFT
- At no charge, we will transmit the proceeds by
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to a pre-authorized
bank account. Usually, the funds will arrive at
your bank two banking days after we process your
redemption.
TO DEPOSIT BY WIRE
- For a $10 fee, we will transmit the proceeds by
wire to a pre-authorized bank account. Usually, the
funds will arrive at your bank the next banking day
after we process your redemption.
You may also use Strong DirectSM, Strong Funds'
automated telephone response system. Call
1-800-368-7550.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOMATICALLY You can set up automatic withdrawals from your
account at
regular intervals. To establish the Systematic
Withdrawal Plan, request a form by calling
1-800-368-3863.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER-DEALER You may also redeem shares through broker-dealers or
financial intermediaries who may charge a transaction
fee.
</TABLE>
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-6
<PAGE> 55
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SELLING SHARES
- - If you have recently purchased shares, please be aware that your redemption
request may not be honored until the purchase check has cleared your bank,
which generally occurs within ten calendar days.
- - You will be charged a $10 service fee for a stop-payment and replacement of a
redemption or dividend check.
- - The right of redemption may be suspended during any period in which (i)
trading on the Exchange is restricted, as determined by the SEC, or the
Exchange is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (ii) the SEC has
permitted such suspension by order; or (iii) an emergency as determined by the
SEC exists, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets
of the Fund not reasonably practicable.
- - If you are selling shares you hold in certificate form, you must submit the
certificates with your redemption request. Each registered owner must endorse
the certificates and all signatures must be guaranteed.
- - Further documentation may be requested from corporations, executors,
administrators, trustees, guardians, agents, or attorneys-in-fact.
REDEMPTIONS IN KIND
If the Advisor determines that existing conditions make cash payments
undesirable, redemption payments may be made in whole or in part in securities
or other financial assets, valued for this purpose as they are valued in
computing the NAV for the Fund's shares. Shareholders receiving securities or
other financial assets on redemption may realize a gain or loss for tax
purposes, and will incur any costs of sale, as well as the associated
inconveniences.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TELEPHONE REDEMPTIONS
- - The Fund reserves the right to refuse a telephone redemption if it believes it
advisable to do so.
- - Once you place your telephone redemption request, it cannot be canceled or
modified.
- - Investors will bear the risk of loss from fraudulent or unauthorized
instructions received over the telephone provided that the Fund reasonably
believes that such instructions are genuine. The Fund and its transfer agent
employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by
telephone are genuine. The Fund may incur liability if it does not follow
these procedures.
- - Because of increased telephone volume, you may experience difficulty in
implementing a telephone redemption during periods of dramatic economic or
market changes. In these situations, investors may want to consider using
Strong Direct(SM), our automated telephone system, to effect such a
transaction by calling 1-800-368-7550.
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-7
<PAGE> 56
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
INFORMATION SERVICES
24-HOUR ASSISTANCE. Strong Funds has registered representatives available to
help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-414-359-1400 or toll-free
1-800-368-3863. You may also write to Strong Funds at the address on the cover
of this Prospectus, or e-mail us at [email protected].
STRONG DIRECT(SM) AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SYSTEM. Also available 24 hours a day,
the Strong Direct(SM) automated response system enables you to use a touch-tone
phone to hear fund quotes and returns on any Strong Fund. You may also confirm
account balances, hear records of recent transactions and dividend activity
(1-800-368-5550), and perform purchases, exchanges or redemptions among your
existing Strong accounts (1-800-368-7550). You may also perform an exchange to
open a new Strong account provided that your account has the telephone exchange
option. Please note that your accounts must be identically registered and you
must exchange enough into the new account to meet the minimum initial
investment. Your account information is protected by a personal code.
STRONG NETDIRECT(SM). Available 24 hours a day from your personal computer,
Strong netDirect(SM) allows you to use the Internet to access your Strong Funds
account information. You may access specific account history, view current
account balances, obtain recent dividend activity, and perform purchases,
exchanges, or redemptions among your existing Strong accounts.
To register for netDirect, please visit our web site at
http://www.strong-funds.com. Your account information is protected by a personal
password and Internet encryption technology. For more information on this
service, please call 1-800-359-3379 or e-mail us at [email protected].
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS. At a minimum, the Fund will confirm all transactions
for your account on a quarterly basis. We recommend that you file each quarterly
statement - and, especially, each calendar year-end statement - with your other
important financial papers, since you may need to refer to them at a later date
for tax purposes. Should you need additional copies of previous statements, you
may order confirmation statements for the current and preceding year at no
charge. Statements for earlier years are available for $10 each. Call
1-800-368-3863 to order past statements.
Each year, you will also receive a statement confirming the tax status of any
distributions paid to you, as well as a semi-annual report and an annual report
containing audited financial statements.
To reduce the volume of mail you receive, only one copy of certain materials,
such as prospectuses and shareholder reports, is mailed to your
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-8
<PAGE> 57
household. Call 1-800-368-3863 if you wish to receive additional copies, free of
charge.
More complete information regarding the Fund's investment policies and
services is contained in its SAI, which you may request by calling or writing
Strong Funds at the phone number and address on the cover of this Prospectus.
CHANGING YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION. So that you continue receiving your Strong
correspondence, including any dividend checks and statements, please notify us
in writing as soon as possible or call us at 1-800-368-3863 if your address
changes. You may use the Additional Investment Form at the bottom of your
confirmation statement, or simply write us a letter of instruction that contains
the following information:
1. a written request to change the address,
2. the account number(s) for which the address is to be changed,
3. the new address, and
4. the signatures of all owners of the accounts.
Please send your request to the address on the cover of this Prospectus.
Changes to an account's registration - such as adding or removing a joint
owner, changing an owner's name, or changing the type of your account - must
also be submitted in writing. Please call 1-800-368-3863 for instructions. For
your protection, some requests may require a signature guarantee.
TRANSACTION SERVICES
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. You may exchange shares between identically registered
Strong Funds accounts, either in writing, by telephone, or through your personal
computer. By establishing exchange services, you authorize the Fund and its
agents to act upon your instruction through the telephone or personal computer
to exchange shares from any account you specify. For tax purposes, an exchange
is considered a sale and a purchase. Please obtain and read the appropriate
prospectus before investing in any of the Strong Funds. Since an excessive
number of exchanges may be detrimental to the Fund, the Fund reserves the right
to discontinue the exchange privilege of any shareholder at any time.
REGULAR INVESTMENT PLANS
Strong Funds' Automatic Investment Plan, Payroll Direct Deposit Plan, and
Automatic Exchange Plan, all discussed below, are methods of implementing DOLLAR
COST AVERAGING. Dollar cost averaging is an investment strategy that involves
investing a fixed amount of money at regular time intervals. By always investing
the same set amount, you will be purchasing more shares when the price is low
and fewer shares when the price is high. Ultimately, by using this principle in
conjunction with fluctuations in share price, your average cost per
----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-9
<PAGE> 58
share may be less than your average transaction price. A program of regular
investment cannot ensure a profit or protect against a loss during declining
markets. Since such a program involves continuous investment regardless of
fluctuating share values, you should consider your ability to continue the
program through periods of both low and high share-price levels.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN. The Automatic Investment Plan allows you to make
regular, systematic investments in the Fund from your bank checking, savings, or
NOW account. You may choose to make investments on any day of the month in
amounts of $50 or more. You can set up the Automatic Investment Plan with any
financial institution that is a member of the Automated Clearing House. Because
the Fund has the right to close an investor's account for failure to reach the
minimum initial investment, please consider your ability to continue this Plan
until you reach the minimum initial investment. To establish the Plan, complete
the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application, or call
1-800-368-3863 for an application.
PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT PLAN. Once you meet the Fund's minimum initial
investment requirement, you may purchase additional Fund shares through the
Payroll Direct Deposit Plan. Through this Plan, periodic investments (minimum
$50) are made automatically from your payroll check into your existing Fund
account. By enrolling in the Plan, you authorize your employer or its agents to
deposit a specified amount from your payroll check into the Fund's bank account.
In most cases, your Fund account will be credited the day after the amount is
received by the Fund's bank. In order to participate in the Plan, your employer
must have direct deposit capabilities through the Automated Clearing House
available to its employees. The Plan may be used for other direct deposits, such
as social security checks, military allotments, and annuity payments.
To establish Direct Deposit for your account, call 1-800-368-3863 to request
a form. Once the Plan is established, you may alter the amount of the deposit,
alter the frequency of the deposit, or terminate your participation in the
program by notifying your employer.
AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE PLAN. The Automatic Exchange Plan allows you to make
regular, systematic exchanges (minimum $50) from one Strong Funds account into
another Strong Funds account. By setting up the Plan, you authorize the Fund and
its agents to redeem a set dollar amount or number of shares from the first
account and purchase shares of a second Strong Fund. In addition, you authorize
the Fund and its agents to accept telephone instructions to change the dollar
amount and frequency of the exchange. An exchange transaction is a sale and
purchase of shares for federal income tax purposes and may result in a capital
gain or loss. To establish the Plan, request a form by calling 1-800-368-3863.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-10
<PAGE> 59
To participate in the Automatic Exchange Plan, you must have an initial
account balance of $2,500 in the first account and at least the minimum initial
investment in the second account. Exchanges may be made on any day or days of
your choice. If the amount remaining in the first account is less than the
exchange amount you requested, then the remaining amount will be exchanged. At
such time as the first account has a zero balance, your participation in the
Plan will be terminated. You may also terminate the Plan at any time by calling
or writing to the Fund. Once participation in the Plan has been terminated for
any reason, to reinstate the Plan you must do so in writing; simply investing
additional funds will not reinstate the Plan.
SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN. You can set up automatic withdrawals from your
account at regular intervals. To begin distributions, you must have an initial
balance of $5,000 in your account and withdraw at least $50 per payment. To
establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan, request a form by calling
1-800-368-3863. Depending upon the size of the account and the withdrawals
requested (and fluctuations in net asset value of the shares redeemed),
redemptions for the purpose of satisfying such withdrawals may reduce or even
exhaust the account. If the amount remaining in the account is not sufficient to
meet a Plan payment, the remaining amount will be redeemed and the Plan will be
terminated.
RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES
We offer a wide variety of retirement plans for individuals and institutions,
including large and small businesses. For information on IRAs, including ROTH
IRAs, or SEP-IRAs for a one-person business, call 1-800-368-3863. If you are
interested in opening a 401(k) or other company-sponsored retirement plan
(SIMPLES, SEP plans, Keoghs, 403(b)(7) plans, pension and profit sharing plans),
call 1-800-368-2882 and a Strong Retirement Plan Specialist will help you
determine which retirement plan would be best for your company. Complete
instructions about how to establish and maintain your plan and how to open
accounts for you and your employees will be included in the retirement plan kit
you receive in the mail.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
POWER OF ATTORNEY. If you are investing as attorney-in-fact for another
person, please complete the account application in the name of such person and
sign the back of the application in the following form: "[applicant's name] by
[your name], attorney-in-fact." To avoid having to file an affidavit prior to
each transaction, please complete the Power of Attorney form available from
Strong Funds at 1-800-368-3863. However, if you would like to use your own power
of attorney form, please call the same number for instructions.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-11
<PAGE> 60
CORPORATIONS AND TRUSTS. If you are investing for a corporation, please
include with your account application a certified copy of your corporate
resolution indicating which officers are authorized to act on behalf of the
corporation. As an alternative, you may complete a Certification of Authorized
Individuals, which can be obtained from the Fund. Until a valid corporate
resolution or Certification of Authorized Individuals form is received by the
Fund, services such as telephone and wire redemption will not be established.
If you are investing as a trustee (including trustees of a retirement plan),
please include the date of the trust. All trustees must sign the application. If
they do not, services such as telephone and wire redemption will not be
established. All trustees must sign redemption requests unless proper
documentation to the contrary is provided to the Fund. Failure to provide these
documents or signatures as required when you invest may result in delays in
processing redemption requests.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES. If you purchase or redeem shares of the Fund
through a financial intermediary, certain features of the Fund relating to such
transactions may not be available or may be modified. In addition, certain
operational policies of the Fund, including those related to settlement and
dividend accrual, may vary from those applicable to direct shareholders of the
Fund and may vary among intermediaries. We urge you to consult your financial
intermediary for more information regarding these matters. In addition, the Fund
may pay, directly or indirectly through arrangements with the Advisor, amounts
to financial intermediaries that provide transfer agent type and/or other
administrative services to their customers provided, however, that the Fund will
not pay more for these services through intermediary relationships than it would
if the intermediaries' customers were direct shareholders in the Fund. Certain
financial intermediaries may charge an advisory, transaction, or other fee for
their services. You will not be charged for such fees if you purchase or redeem
your Fund shares directly from the Fund without the intervention of a financial
intermediary.
SIGNATURE GUARANTEES. A signature guarantee is designed to protect you and
the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. In the
following instances, the Fund will require a signature guarantee for all
authorized owners of an account:
- - when you add the telephone redemption option to your existing account;
- - if you transfer the ownership of your account to another individual or
organization;
- - when you submit a written redemption request for more than $50,000;
- - when you request to redeem or redeposit shares that have been issued in
certificate form;
- - if you open an account and later decide that you want certificates;
- - when you request that redemption proceeds be sent to a different name or
address than is registered on your account;
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-12
<PAGE> 61
- - if you add/change your name or add/remove an owner on your account; and
- - if you add/change the beneficiary on your transfer-on-death account.
A signature guarantee may be obtained from any eligible guarantor
institution, as defined by the SEC. These institutions include banks, savings
associations, credit unions, brokerage firms, and financial intermediaries.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A NOTARY PUBLIC STAMP OR SEAL IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
-----------------------
PROSPECTUS PAGE II-13
<PAGE> 62
NOTES
<PAGE> 63
NOTES
<PAGE> 64
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
STRONG SMALL CAP VALUE FUND
P.O. Box 2936
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Telephone: (414) 359-1400
Toll-Free: (800) 368-3863
www.strong-funds.com
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus and should be
read in conjunction with the Prospectus of Strong Small Cap Value Fund (the
"Fund"), which is a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc., dated December 31,
1997. Requests for copies of the Prospectus should be made by calling one of
the numbers listed above.
This Statement of Additional Information is dated December 31, 1997.
<PAGE> 65
STRONG SMALL CAP VALUE FUND
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS 3
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES 4
Borrowing 5
Convertible Securities 5
Debt Obligations 5
Depositary Receipts 6
Derivative Instruments 7
Foreign Investment Companies 16
Foreign Securities 16
High-Yield (High-Risk) Securities 16
Illiquid Securities 18
Lending of Portfolio Securities 19
Repurchase Agreements 21
Short Sales 21
Small and Medium Companies 21
Temporary Defensive Position 22
Warrants 22
When-Issued Securities 22
Zero-Coupon, Step-Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Securities 22
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND 23
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 24
INVESTMENT ADVISOR AND DISTRIBUTOR 25
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE 27
CUSTODIAN 29
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT 29
TAXES 30
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 32
ADDITIONAL SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION 32
FUND ORGANIZATION 34
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS 34
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 35
GENERAL INFORMATION 39
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT 42
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS 42
LEGAL COUNSEL 42
APPENDIX A-1
</TABLE>
______________________________________
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in this Statement of Additional
Information and the Prospectus dated December 31, 1997 and, if given or made,
such information or representations may not be relied upon as having been
authorized by the Fund.
This Statement of Additional Information does not constitute an offer to sell
securities.
<PAGE> 66
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital growth. The
Fund's investment objective and policies are described in detail in the
Prospectus under the caption "Investment Objective and Policies." The
following are the Fund's fundamental investment limitations which cannot be
changed without shareholder approval.
The Fund :
1. May not with respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase the securities
of any issuer (except securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government or its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (i) more
than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of
that issuer, or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding
voting securities of that issuer.
2. May (i) borrow money from banks and (ii) make other investments or engage
in other transactions permissible under the Investment Company Act of 1940
(the "1940 Act") which may involve a borrowing, provided that the
combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the
Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed), less the Fund's
liabilities (other than borrowings), except that the Fund may borrow up to
an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed)
from a bank for temporary or emergency purposes (but not for leverage or
the purchase of investments). The Fund may also borrow money from the
other Strong Funds or other persons to the extent permitted by applicable
law.
3. May not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
4. May not act as an underwriter of another issuer's securities, except to
the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the purchase and
sale of portfolio securities.
5. May not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result
of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not
prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts, or
other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other
instruments backed by physical commodities).
6. May not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of the Fund's total
assets would be lent to other persons, except through (i) purchases of
debt securities or other debt instruments, or (ii) engaging in repurchase
agreements.
7. May not purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than
25% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of
issuers, the principal business activities of which are in the same
industry.
8. May not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of
ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit
the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed
by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).
9. May, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment policy or
restriction, invest 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.
- 3 -
<PAGE> 67
The following are the Fund's non-fundamental operating policies which may
be changed by the Board of Directors of the Fund without shareholder approval.
The Fund may not:
1. Sell securities short, unless the Fund owns or has the right to obtain
securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short, or
unless it covers such short sale as required by the current rules and
positions of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, and
provided that transactions in options, futures contracts, options on
futures contracts, or other derivative instruments are not deemed to
constitute selling securities short.
2. Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such
short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions; and
provided that margin deposits in connection with futures contracts,
options on futures contracts, or other derivative instruments shall not
constitute purchasing securities on margin.
3. Invest in illiquid securities if, as a result of such investment, more
than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid securities, or
such other amounts as may be permitted under the 1940 Act.
4. Purchase securities of other investment companies except in compliance
with the 1940 Act and applicable state law.
5. Invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end
investment management company with substantially the same fundamental
investment objective, restrictions and policies as the Fund.
6. Engage in futures or options on futures transactions which are
impermissible pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act and,
in accordance with Rule 4.5, will use futures or options on futures
transactions solely for bona fide hedging transactions (within the meaning
of the Commodity Exchange Act), provided, however, that the Fund may, in
addition to bona fide hedging transactions, use futures and options on
futures transactions if the aggregate initial margin and premiums required
to establish such positions, less the amount by which any such options
positions are in the money (within the meaning of the Commodity Exchange
Act), do not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets.
7. Borrow money except (i) from banks or (ii) through reverse repurchase
agreements or mortgage dollar rolls, and will not purchase securities when
bank borrowings exceed 5% of its total assets.
8. Make any loans other than loans of portfolio securities, except through
(i) purchases of debt securities or other debt instruments, or (ii)
engaging in repurchase agreements.
Except for the fundamental investment limitations listed above and the
Fund's investment objective, the other investment policies described in the
Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information are not fundamental and
may be changed with approval of the Fund's Board of Directors. Unless noted
otherwise, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment,
a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in the
Fund's assets (i.e., due to cash inflows or redemptions) or in market value of
the investment or the Fund's assets will not constitute a violation of that
restriction.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund's
investment objective, policies and techniques that are described in detail in
the Prospectus under the captions "Investment Objective and Policies" and
"Implementation of Policies and Risks."
- 4 -
<PAGE> 68
BORROWING
The Fund may borrow money from banks and make other investments or engage
in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act which may be considered a
borrowing (such as mortgage dollar rolls and reverse repurchase agreements) as
discussed under "Investment Restrictions." However, the Fund may not purchase
securities when bank borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.
Presently, the Fund only intends to borrow from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes.
The Fund has established a line-of-credit (LOC) with certain banks by
which the Fund may borrow funds for temporary or emergency purposes. A
borrowing is presumed to be for temporary or emergency purposes if it is repaid
by the Fund within sixty days and is not extended or renewed. The Fund intends
to use the LOC to meet large or unexpected redemptions that would otherwise
force the Fund to liquidate securities under circumstances which are
unfavorable to the Fund's remaining shareholders. The Fund pays a commitment
fee to the banks for the LOC.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which are bonds,
debentures, notes, preferred stocks, or other securities that may be converted
into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or a
different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or
formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest
normally paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until
the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted, or exchanged.
Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they
generally (i) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than
comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in
value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income characteristics,
and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of
the underlying common stock increases. Most convertible securities currently
are issued by U.S. companies, although a substantial Eurodollar convertible
securities market has developed, and the markets for convertible securities
denominated in local currencies are increasing.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment
value" (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other
securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion
privilege) and its "conversion value" (the security's worth, at market value,
if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a
convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with
investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as
interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors
also may have an effect on the convertible security's investment value. The
conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of
the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the
investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally
by its investment value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the
convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of
the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the
price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its
conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over
its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right
to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the
issuer at a price established in the convertible security's governing
instrument. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for
redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the
security, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third
party.
DEBT OBLIGATIONS
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in debt obligations. Issuers
of debt obligations have a contractual obligation to pay interest at a
specified rate on specified dates and to repay principal on a specified
maturity date. Certain debt obligations (usually intermediate- and long-term
bonds) have provisions that allow the issuer to redeem or "call" a bond before
its maturity. Issuers are most likely to call such securities during periods
of falling interest rates and the Fund may have to replace such securities with
lower yielding securities, which could result in a lower return for the Fund.
- 5 -
<PAGE> 69
PRICE VOLATILITY. The market value of debt obligations is affected
primarily by changes in prevailing interest rates. The market value of a debt
obligation generally reacts inversely to interest-rate changes, meaning, when
prevailing interest rates decline, an obligation's price usually rises, and
when prevailing interest rates rise, an obligation's price usually declines.
MATURITY. In general, the longer the maturity of a debt obligation, the
higher its yield and the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates.
Conversely, the shorter the maturity, the lower the yield but the greater the
price stability. Commercial paper is generally considered the shortest form of
debt obligation.
CREDIT QUALITY. The values of debt obligations may also be affected by
changes in the credit rating or financial condition of their issuers.
Generally, the lower the quality rating of a security, the higher the degree of
risk as to the payment of interest and return of principal. To compensate
investors for taking on such increased risk, those issuers deemed to be less
creditworthy generally must offer their investors higher interest rates than do
issuers with better credit ratings.
In conducting its credit research and analysis, the Advisor considers both
qualitative and quantitative factors to evaluate the creditworthiness of
individual issuers. The Advisor also relies, in part, on credit ratings
compiled by a number of Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations
("NRSROs"). Refer to the Appendix for a discussion of securities ratings.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
The Fund may invest in foreign securities by purchasing depositary
receipts, including American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and European
Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") or other securities convertible into securities of
foreign issuers. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the
same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. Generally,
ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for
use in the U.S. securities markets, while EDRs, in bearer form, may be
denominated in other currencies and are designed for use in the European
securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust
company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs are European
receipts evidencing a similar arrangement. For purposes of the Fund's
investment policies, ADRs and EDRs are deemed to have the same classification
as the underlying securities they represent, except that ADRs and EDRs shall be
treated as indirect foreign investments. Thus, an ADR or EDR representing
ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. ADR and EDR
depositary receipts do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly
investing in the securities of foreign issuers.
ADR facilities may be established as either "unsponsored" or "sponsored."
While ADRs issued under these two types of facilities are in some respects
similar, there are distinctions between them relating to the rights and
obligations of ADR holders and the practices of market participants.
A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation
by (or even necessarily the acquiescence of) the issuer of the deposited
securities, although typically the depositary requests a letter of
non-objection from such issuer prior to the establishment of the facility.
Holders of unsponsored ADRs generally bear all the costs of such facilities.
The depositary usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the
deposited securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars, the
disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services.
The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to
pass through voting rights to ADR holders in respect of the deposited
securities. In addition, an unsponsored facility is generally not obligated to
distribute communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities
or to disclose material information about such issuer in the U.S. and thus
there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of
the depositary receipts.
Sponsored ADR facilities are created in generally the same manner as
unsponsored facilities, except that the issuer of the deposited securities
enters into a deposit agreement with the depositary. The deposit agreement
sets out the rights and responsibilities of the issuer, the depositary and the
ADR holders. With sponsored facilities, the issuer of the deposited securities
generally will bear some of the costs relating to the facility (such as
dividend payment fees of the depositary), although ADR holders continue to bear
certain other costs (such as deposit and withdrawal fees). Under the terms of
most sponsored arrangements, depositories agree to distribute notices of
shareholder meetings and voting instructions, and to provide shareholder
communications and other information to the ADR holders at the request of the
issuer of the deposited securities.
- 6 -
<PAGE> 70
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
IN GENERAL. The Fund may use derivative instruments for any lawful
purpose consistent with the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or
managing risk. Derivative instruments are commonly defined to include
securities or contracts whose values depend on (or "derive" from) the value of
one or more other assets, such as securities, currencies, or commodities.
These "other assets" are commonly referred to as "underlying assets."
A derivative instrument generally consists of, is based upon, or exhibits
characteristics similar to options or forward contracts. Options and forward
contracts are considered to be the basic "building blocks" of derivatives. For
example, forward-based derivatives include forward contracts, swap contracts,
as well as exchange-traded futures. Option-based derivatives include privately
negotiated, over-the-counter (OTC) options (including caps, floors, collars,
and options on forward and swap contracts) and exchange-traded options on
futures. Diverse types of derivatives may be created by combining options or
forward contracts in different ways, and by applying these structures to a wide
range of underlying assets.
An option is a contract in which the "holder" (the buyer) pays a certain
amount (the "premium") to the "writer" (the seller) to obtain the right, but
not the obligation, to buy from the writer (in a "call") or sell to the writer
(in a "put") a specific asset at an agreed upon price at or before a certain
time. The holder pays the premium at inception and has no further financial
obligation. The holder of an option-based derivative generally will benefit
from favorable movements in the price of the underlying asset but is not
exposed to corresponding losses due to adverse movements in the value of the
underlying asset. The writer of an option-based derivative generally will
receive fees or premiums but generally is exposed to losses due to changes in
the value of the underlying asset.
A forward is a sales contract between a buyer (holding the "long"
position) and a seller (holding the "short" position) for an asset with
delivery deferred until a future date. The buyer agrees to pay a fixed price
at the agreed future date and the seller agrees to deliver the asset. The
seller hopes that the market price on the delivery date is less than the agreed
upon price, while the buyer hopes for the contrary. The change in value of a
forward-based derivative generally is roughly proportional to the change in
value of the underlying asset.
HEDGING. The Fund may use derivative instruments to protect against
possible adverse changes in the market value of securities held in, or are
anticipated to be held in, the Fund's portfolio. Derivatives may also be used
by the Fund to "lock-in" the Fund's realized but unrecognized gains in the
value of its portfolio securities. Hedging strategies, if successful, can
reduce the risk of loss by wholly or partially offsetting the negative effect
of unfavorable price movements in the investments being hedged. However,
hedging strategies can also reduce the opportunity for gain by offsetting the
positive effect of favorable price movements in the hedged investments.
MANAGING RISK. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to manage the
risks of the Fund's portfolio. Risk management strategies include, but are not
limited to, facilitating the sale of portfolio securities, managing the
effective maturity or duration of debt obligations in the Fund's portfolio,
establishing a position in the derivatives markets as a substitute for buying
or selling certain securities, or creating or altering exposure to certain
asset classes, such as equity, debt, and foreign securities. The use of
derivative instruments may provide a less expensive, more expedient or more
specifically focused way for the Fund to invest than "traditional" securities
(i.e., stocks or bonds) would.
EXCHANGE OR OTC DERIVATIVES. Derivative instruments may be
exchange-traded or traded in OTC transactions between private parties.
Exchange-traded derivatives are standardized options and futures contracts
traded in an auction on the floor of a regulated exchange. Exchange contracts
are generally very liquid. The exchange clearinghouse is the counterparty of
every contract. Thus, each holder of an exchange contract bears the credit
risk of the clearinghouse (and has the benefit of its financial strength)
rather than that of a particular counterparty. Over-the-counter transactions
are subject to additional risks, such as the credit risk of the counterparty to
the instrument and are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since they
often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction.
RISKS AND SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS. The use of derivative instruments
involves risks and special considerations as described below. Risks pertaining
to particular derivative instruments are described in the sections that follow.
- 7 -
<PAGE> 71
(1) MARKET RISK. The primary risk of derivatives is the same as the risk
of the underlying assets, namely that the value of the underlying asset may go
up or down. Adverse movements in the value of an underlying asset can expose
the Fund to losses. Derivative instruments may include elements of leverage
and, accordingly, the fluctuation of the value of the derivative instrument in
relation to the underlying asset may be magnified. The successful use of
derivative instruments depends upon a variety of factors, particularly Strong
Capital Management, Inc.'s (the "Advisor") ability to predict movements of the
securities, currencies, and commodity markets, which requires different skills
than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be
no assurance that any particular strategy adopted will succeed. The Advisor's
decision to engage in a derivative instrument will reflect the Advisor's
judgment that the derivative transaction will provide value to the Fund and its
shareholders and is consistent with the Fund's objective, investment
limitations, and operating policies. In making such a judgment, the Advisor
will analyze the benefits and risks of the derivative transaction and weigh
them in the context of the Fund's entire portfolio and investment objective.
(2) CREDIT RISK. The Fund will be subject to the risk that a loss may be
sustained by the Fund as a result of the failure of a counterparty to comply
with the terms of a derivative instrument. The counterparty risk for
exchange-traded derivative instruments is generally less than for
privately-negotiated or OTC derivative instruments, since generally a clearing
agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded instrument,
provides a guarantee of performance. For privately-negotiated instruments,
there is no similar clearing agency guarantee. In all transactions, the Fund
will bear the risk that the counterparty will default, and this could result in
a loss of the expected benefit of the derivative transaction and possibly other
losses to the Fund. The Fund will enter into transactions in derivative
instruments only with counterparties that the Advisor reasonably believes are
capable of performing under the contract.
(3) CORRELATION RISK. When a derivative transaction is used to completely
hedge another position, changes in the market value of the combined position
(the derivative instrument plus the position being hedged) result from an
imperfect correlation between the price movements of the two instruments. With
a perfect hedge, the value of the combined position remains unchanged for any
change in the price of the underlying asset. With an imperfect hedge, the
values of the derivative instrument and its hedge are not perfectly correlated.
Correlation risk is the risk that there might be imperfect correlation, or
even no correlation, between price movements of an instrument and price
movements of investments being hedged. For example, if the value of a
derivative instruments used in a short hedge (such as writing a call option,
buying a put option, or selling a futures contract) increased by less than the
decline in value of the hedged investments, the hedge would not be perfectly
correlated. Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to
the value of the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other
pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded. The
effectiveness of hedges using instruments on indices will depend, in part, on
the degree of correlation between price movements in the index and price
movements in the investments being hedged.
(4) LIQUIDITY RISK. Derivatives are also subject to liquidity risk.
Liquidity risk is the risk that a derivative instrument cannot be sold, closed
out, or replaced quickly at or very close to its fundamental value. Generally,
exchange contracts are very liquid because the exchange clearinghouse is the
counterparty of every contract. OTC transactions are less liquid than
exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the
other party to the transaction. The Fund might be required by applicable
regulatory requirement to maintain assets as "cover," maintain segregated
accounts, and/or make margin payments when it takes positions in derivative
instruments involving obligations to third parties (i.e., instruments other
than purchased options). If the Fund was unable to close out its positions in
such instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or
accounts or make such payments until the position expired, matured, or was
closed out. The requirements might impair the Fund's ability to sell a
portfolio security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be
favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a
disadvantageous time. The Fund's ability to sell or close out a position in an
instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends on the existence of a liquid
secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and
willingness of the counterparty to enter into a transaction closing out the
position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any derivatives position can
be sold or closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.
(5) LEGAL RISK. Legal risk is the risk of loss caused by the legal
unenforcibility of a party's obligations under the derivative. While a party
seeking price certainty agrees to surrender the potential upside in exchange
for downside protection, the party taking the risk is looking for a positive
payoff. Despite this voluntary assumption of risk, a counterparty
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that has lost money in a derivative transaction may try to avoid payment by
exploiting various legal uncertainties about certain derivative products.
(6) SYSTEMIC OR "INTERCONNECTION" RISK. Interconnection risk is the risk
that a disruption in the financial markets will cause difficulties for all
market participants. In other words, a disruption in one market will spill
over into other markets, perhaps creating a chain reaction. Much of the OTC
derivatives market takes place among the OTC dealers themselves, thus creating
a large interconnected web of financial obligations. This interconnectedness
raises the possibility that a default by one large dealer could create losses
at other dealers and destabilize the entire market for OTC derivative
instruments.
GENERAL LIMITATIONS. The use of derivative instruments is subject to
applicable regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"),
the several options and futures exchanges upon which they may be traded, the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and various state regulatory
authorities. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may
be limited by certain tax considerations. For a discussion of the federal
income tax treatment of the Fund's derivative instruments, see "Taxes -
Derivative Instruments."
The Fund has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the
definition of the term "commodity pool operator" with the CFTC and the National
Futures Association, which regulate trading in the futures markets. In
accordance with Rule 4.5 of the regulations under the Commodity Exchange Act
(the "CEA"), the notice of eligibility for the Fund includes representations
that the Fund will use futures contracts and related options solely for bona
fide hedging purposes within the meaning of CFTC regulations, provided that the
Fund may hold other positions in futures contracts and related options that do
not qualify as a bona fide hedging position if the aggregate initial margin
deposits and premiums required to establish these positions, less the amount by
which any such futures contracts and related options positions are "in the
money," do not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets. Adherence to these
guidelines does not limit the Fund's risk to 5% of the Fund's assets.
The SEC has identified certain trading practices involving derivative
instruments that involve the potential for leveraging the Fund's assets in a
manner that raises issues under the 1940 Act. In order to limit the potential
for the leveraging of the Fund's assets, as defined under the 1940 Act, the SEC
has stated that the Fund may use coverage or the segregation of the Fund's
assets. To the extent required by SEC guidelines, the Fund will not enter into
any such transactions unless it owns either: (i) an offsetting ("covered")
position in securities, options, futures, or derivative instruments; or (ii)
cash or liquid securities positions with a value sufficient at all times to
cover its potential obligations to the extent that the position is not
"covered". The Fund will also set aside cash and/or appropriate liquid assets
in a segregated custodial account if required to do so by the SEC and CFTC
regulations. Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be
sold while the derivative position is open, unless they are replaced with
similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund's
assets to segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund's
ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
In some cases the Fund may be required to maintain or limit exposure to a
specified percentage of its assets to a particular asset class. In such cases,
when the Fund uses a derivative instrument to increase or decrease exposure to
an asset class and is required by applicable SEC guidelines to set aside liquid
assets in a segregated account to secure its obligations under the derivative
instruments, the Advisor may, where reasonable in light of the circumstances,
measure compliance with the applicable percentage by reference to the nature of
the economic exposure created through the use of the derivative instrument and
not by reference to the nature of the exposure arising from the liquid assets
set aside in the segregated account (unless another interpretation is specified
by applicable regulatory requirements).
OPTIONS. The Fund may use options for any lawful purpose consistent with
the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or managing risk. An option is
a contract in which the "holder" (the buyer) pays a certain amount (the
"premium") to the "writer" (the seller) to obtain the right, but not the
obligation, to buy from the writer (in a "call") or sell to the writer (in a
"put") a specific asset at an agreed upon price (the "strike price" or
"exercise price") at or before a certain time (the "expiration date"). The
holder pays the premium at inception and has no further financial obligation.
The holder of an option will benefit from favorable movements in the price of
the underlying asset but is not exposed to corresponding losses due to adverse
movements in the value of the underlying asset. The writer of an option will
receive fees or premiums but is exposed to losses due to changes in the value
of the underlying asset. The Fund may buy or write (sell) put and call options
on assets, such as securities, currencies, commodities, and indices of debt and
equity securities ("underlying assets") and enter into closing
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transactions with respect to such options to terminate an existing position.
Options used by the Fund may include European, American, and Bermuda style
options. If an option is exercisable only at maturity, it is a "European"
option; if it is also exercisable prior to maturity, it is an "American"
option. If it is exercisable only at certain times, it is a "Bermuda" option.
The Fund may purchase (buy) and write (sell) put and call options
underlying assets and enter into closing transactions with respect to such
options to terminate an existing position. The purchase of call options serves
as a long hedge, and the purchase of put options serves as a short hedge.
Writing put or call options can enable the Fund to enhance income by reason of
the premiums paid by the purchaser of such options. Writing call options
serves as a limited short hedge because declines in the value of the hedged
investment would be offset to the extent of the premium received for writing
the option. However, if the security appreciates to a price higher than the
exercise price of the call option, it can be expected that the option will be
exercised and the Fund will be obligated to sell the security at less than its
market value or will be obligated to purchase the security at a price greater
than that at which the security must be sold under the option. All or a
portion of any assets used as cover for OTC options written by the Fund would
be considered illiquid to the extent described under "Investment Policies and
Techniques -- Illiquid Securities." Writing put options serves as a limited
long hedge because increases in the value of the hedged investment would be
offset to the extent of the premium received for writing the option. However,
if the security depreciates to a price lower than the exercise price of the put
option, it can be expected that the put option will be exercised and the Fund
will be obligated to purchase the security at more than its market value.
The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the
historical price volatility of the underlying investment, the current market
value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the
relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying
investment, and general market conditions.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option
by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may terminate
its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by purchasing an
identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase transaction.
Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had
purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is known as a
closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to realize the
profit or limit the loss on an option position prior to its exercise or
expiration.
The Fund may purchase or write both exchange-traded and OTC options.
Exchange-traded options are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with
the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees
completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC
options are contracts between the Fund and the other party to the transaction
("counter party") (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing
organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases or writes an OTC option,
it relies on the counter party to make or take delivery of the underlying
investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counter party to do so
would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of
any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-listed
options depends on the existence of a liquid market. The Fund intends to
purchase or write only those exchange-traded options for which there appears to
be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that such a
market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for
OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counter party, or by a
transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. Although the
Fund will enter into OTC options only with counter parties that are expected to
be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there is no
assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option at a
favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counter
party, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time
prior to its expiration. If the Fund were unable to effect a closing
transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the
option to realize any profit.
The Fund may engage in options transactions on indices in much the same
manner as the options on securities discussed above, except the index options
may serve as a hedge against overall fluctuations in the securities market in
general.
The writing and purchasing of options is a highly specialized activity
that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated
with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Imperfect correlation between
the options and securities markets may detract from the effectiveness of
attempted hedging.
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SPREAD TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may use spread transactions for any lawful
purpose consistent with the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or
managing risk. The Fund may purchase covered spread options from securities
dealers. Such covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or
exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives the Fund the right to
put, or sell, a security that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield
spread in relationship to another security that the Fund does not own, but
which is used as a benchmark. The risk to the Fund in purchasing covered
spread options is the cost of the premium paid for the spread option and any
transaction costs. In addition, there is no assurance that closing
transactions will be available. The purchase of spread options will be used to
protect the Fund against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads,
i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. Such
protection is only provided during the life of the spread option.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. The Fund may use futures contracts for any lawful
purpose consistent with the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or
managing risk. The Fund may enter into futures contracts, including interest
rate, index, and currency futures. The Fund may also purchase put and call
options, and write covered put and call options, on futures in which it is
allowed to invest. The purchase of futures or call options thereon can serve
as a long hedge, and the sale of futures or the purchase of put options thereon
can serve as a short hedge. Writing covered call options on futures contracts
can serve as a limited short hedge, and writing covered put options on futures
contracts can serve as a limited long hedge, using a strategy similar to that
used for writing covered options in securities. The Fund's hedging may include
purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected increases in
currency exchange rates and securities prices and sales of futures as an offset
against the effect of expected declines in currency exchange rates and
securities prices. The Fund may also write put options on futures contracts
while at the same time purchasing call options on the same futures contracts in
order to create synthetically a long futures contract position. Such options
would have the same strike prices and expiration dates. The Fund will engage
in this strategy only when the Advisor believes it is more advantageous to the
Fund than is purchasing the futures contract.
To the extent required by regulatory authorities, the Fund only enters
into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges and are
standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument. Futures
exchanges and trading are regulated under the CEA by the CFTC. Although
techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts could be used to
the a Fund's exposure to market, currency, or interest rate fluctuations, the
Fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and perhaps at a lower
cost through using futures contracts.
An interest rate futures contract provides for the future sale by one
party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific
financial instrument (e.g., debt security) or currency for a specified price at
a designated date, time, and place. An index futures contract is an agreement
pursuant to which the parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of
cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the
last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index futures
contract was originally written. Transaction costs are incurred when a futures
contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. A futures
contract may be satisfied by delivery or purchase, as the case may be, of the
instrument, the currency or by payment of the change in the cash value of the
index. More commonly, futures contracts are closed out prior to delivery by
entering into an offsetting transaction in a matching futures contract.
Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain
specified securities, no physical delivery of those securities is made. If the
offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund
realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the
offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund
realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction
costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance,
however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction
with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the
Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will
continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures
contract.
No price is paid by the Fund upon entering into a futures contract.
Instead, at the inception of a futures contract, the Fund is required to
deposit in a segregated account with its custodian, in the name of the futures
broker through whom the transaction was effected, "initial margin" consisting
of cash and/or other appropriate liquid assets in an amount generally equal to
10% or less of the contract value. Margin must also be deposited when writing
a call or put option on a futures contract, in accordance with applicable
exchange rules. Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin on
futures contracts does not represent a borrowing, but rather is in the nature
of a performance bond or good-faith deposit that is returned to the Fund at the
termination of the transaction if all contractual obligations have been
satisfied. Under certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility,
the Fund may be required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial
margin payment, and initial margin requirements might be increased generally in
the future by regulatory action.
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Subsequent "variation margin" payments are made to and from the futures
broker daily as the value of the futures position varies, a process known as
"marking to market." Variation margin does not involve borrowing, but rather
represents a daily settlement of the Fund's obligations to or from a futures
broker. When the Fund purchases an option on a future, the premium paid plus
transaction costs is all that is at risk. In contrast, when the Fund purchases
or sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is
subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event
of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily
variation margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when
such sales are disadvantageous. Purchasers and sellers of futures positions
and options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions by
selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument
held or written. Positions in futures and options on futures may be closed
only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. The
Fund intends to enter into futures transactions only on exchanges or boards of
trade where there appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can
be no assurance that such a market will exist for a particular contract at a
particular time.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits
on the amount that the price of a future or option on a futures contract can
vary from the previous day's settlement price; once that limit is reached, no
trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do
not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for
several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing
liquidation of unfavorable positions.
If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures or option on a futures
contract position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the
imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would
continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In
addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to
be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to
maintain the position being hedged by the future or option or to maintain cash
or securities in a segregated account.
Certain characteristics of the futures market might increase the risk that
movements in the prices of futures contracts or options on futures contracts
might not correlate perfectly with movements in the prices of the investments
being hedged. For example, all participants in the futures and options on
futures contracts markets are subject to daily variation margin calls and might
be compelled to liquidate futures or options on futures contracts positions
whose prices are moving unfavorably to avoid being subject to further calls.
These liquidations could increase price volatility of the instruments and
distort the normal price relationship between the futures or options and the
investments being hedged. Also, because initial margin deposit requirements in
the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities
markets, there might be increased participation by speculators in the future
markets. This participation also might cause temporary price distortions. In
addition, activities of large traders in both the futures and securities
markets involving arbitrage, "program trading" and other investment strategies
might result in temporary price distortions.
FOREIGN CURRENCIES. The Fund may purchase and sell foreign currency on a
spot basis, and may use currency-related derivatives instruments such as
options on foreign currencies, futures on foreign currencies, options on
futures on foreign currencies and forward currency contracts (i.e., an
obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a specified future date,
which may be any fixed number of days from the contract date agreed upon by the
parties, at a price set at the time the contract is entered into). The Fund
may use these instruments for hedging or any other lawful purpose consistent
with its investment objective, including transaction hedging, anticipatory
hedging, cross hedging, proxy hedging, and position hedging. The Fund's use of
currency-related derivative instruments will be directly related to the Fund's
current or anticipated portfolio securities, and the Fund may engage in
transactions in currency-related derivative instruments as a means to protect
against some or all of the effects of adverse changes in foreign currency
exchange rates on its portfolio investments. In general, if the currency in
which a portfolio investment is denominated appreciates against the U.S.
dollar, the dollar value of the security will increase. Conversely, a decline
in the exchange rate of the currency would adversely affect the value of the
portfolio investment expressed in U.S. dollars.
For example, the Fund might use currency-related derivative instruments to
"lock in" a U.S. dollar price for a portfolio investment, thereby enabling the
Fund to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change
in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency
during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the
date on which payment is made or received. The Fund also might use
currency-related derivative instruments when the Advisor believes that one
currency may experience a substantial movement against another currency,
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including the U.S. dollar, and it may use currency-related derivative
instruments to sell or buy the amount of the former foreign currency,
approximating the value of some or all of the Fund's portfolio securities
denominated in such foreign currency. Alternatively, where appropriate, the
Fund may use currency-related derivative instruments to hedge all or part of
its foreign currency exposure through the use of a basket of currencies or a
proxy currency where such currency or currencies act as an effective proxy for
other currencies. The use of this basket hedging technique may be more
efficient and economical than using separate currency-related derivative
instruments for each currency exposure held by the Fund. Furthermore,
currency-related derivative instruments may be used for short hedges - for
example, the Fund may sell a forward currency contract to lock in the U.S.
dollar equivalent of the proceeds from the anticipated sale of a security
denominated in a foreign currency.
In addition, the Fund may use a currency-related derivative instrument to
shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one foreign country to
another foreign country where the Advisor believes that the foreign currency
exposure purchased will appreciate relative to the U.S. dollar and thus better
protect the Fund against the expected decline in the foreign currency exposure
sold. For example, if the Fund owns securities denominated in a foreign
currency and the Advisor believes that currency will decline, it might enter
into a forward contract to sell an appropriate amount of the first foreign
currency, with payment to be made in a second foreign currency that the Advisor
believes would better protect the Fund against the decline in the first
security than would a U.S. dollar exposure. Hedging transactions that use two
foreign currencies are sometimes referred to as "cross hedges." The effective
use of currency-related derivative instruments by the Fund in a cross hedge is
dependent upon a correlation between price movements of the two currency
instruments and the underlying security involved, and the use of two currencies
magnifies the risk that movements in the price of one instrument may not
correlate or may correlate unfavorably with the foreign currency being hedged.
Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of
the currency instruments used or investments being hedged, such as speculative
or other pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded.
The Fund also might seek to hedge against changes in the value of a
particular currency when no hedging instruments on that currency are available
or such hedging instruments are more expensive than certain other hedging
instruments. In such cases, the Fund may hedge against price movements in that
currency by entering into transactions using currency-related derivative
instruments on another foreign currency or a basket of currencies, the values
of which the Advisor believes will have a high degree of positive correlation
to the value of the currency being hedged. The risk that movements in the
price of the hedging instrument will not correlate perfectly with movements in
the price of the currency being hedged is magnified when this strategy is used.
The use of currency-related derivative instruments by the Fund involves a
number of risks. The value of currency-related derivative instruments depends
on the value of the underlying currency relative to the U.S. dollar. Because
foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market might involve
substantially larger amounts than those involved in the use of such derivative
instruments, the Fund could be disadvantaged by having to deal in the odd lot
market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the
underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round
lots (generally consisting of transactions of greater than $1 million).
There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign
currencies or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through
dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis.
Quotation information generally is representative of very large transactions in
the interbank market and thus might not reflect odd-lot transactions where
rates might be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a
global, round-the-clock market. To the extent the U.S. options or futures
markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open,
significant price and rate movements might take place in the underlying markets
that cannot be reflected in the markets for the derivative instruments until
they re-open.
Settlement of transactions in currency-related derivative instruments
might be required to take place within the country issuing the underlying
currency. Thus, the Fund might be required to accept or make delivery of the
underlying foreign currency in accordance with any U.S. or foreign regulations
regarding the maintenance of foreign banking arrangements by U.S. residents
and might be required to pay any fees, taxes and charges associated with such
delivery assessed in the issuing country.
When the Fund engages in a transaction in a currency-related derivative
instrument, it relies on the counterparty to make or take delivery of the
underlying currency at the maturity of the contract or otherwise complete the
contract. In other
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words, the Fund will be subject to the risk that a loss may be sustained by the
Fund as a result of the failure of the counterparty to comply with the terms of
the transaction. The counterparty risk for exchange-traded instruments is
generally less than for privately-negotiated or OTC currency instruments, since
generally a clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each
instrument, provides a guarantee of performance. For privately-negotiated
instruments, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee. In all
transactions, the Fund will bear the risk that the counterparty will default,
and this could result in a loss of the expected benefit of the transaction and
possibly other losses to the Fund. The Fund will enter into transactions in
currency-related derivative instruments only with counterparties that the
Advisor reasonably believes are capable of performing under the contract.
Purchasers and sellers of currency-related derivative instruments may
enter into offsetting closing transactions by selling or purchasing,
respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold.
Secondary markets generally do not exist for forward currency contracts, with
the result that closing transactions generally can be made for forward currency
contracts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty. Thus, there can
be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out a forward
currency contract (or any other currency-related derivative instrument) at a
time and price favorable to the Fund. In addition, in the event of insolvency
of the counterparty, the Fund might be unable to close out a forward currency
contract at any time prior to maturity. In the case of an exchange-traded
instrument, the Fund will be able to close the position out only on an exchange
which provides a market for the instruments. The ability to establish and
close out positions on an exchange is subject to the maintenance of a liquid
market, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any
instrument at any specific time. In the case of a privately-negotiated
instrument, the Fund will be able to realize the value of the instrument only
by entering into a closing transaction with the issuer or finding a third party
buyer for the instrument. While the Fund will enter into privately-negotiated
transactions only with entities who are expected to be capable of entering into
a closing transaction, there can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be
able to enter into such closing transactions.
The precise matching of currency-related derivative instrument amounts and
the value of the portfolio securities involved generally will not be possible
because the value of such securities, measured in the foreign currency, will
change after the currency-related derivative instrument position has been
established. Thus, the Fund might need to purchase or sell foreign currencies
in the spot (cash) market. The projection of short-term currency market
movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term
hedging strategy is highly uncertain.
Permissible foreign currency options will include options traded primarily
in the OTC market. Although options on foreign currencies are traded primarily
in the OTC market, the Fund will normally purchase or sell OTC options on
foreign currency only when the Advisor reasonably believes a liquid secondary
market will exist for a particular option at any specific time.
There will be a cost to the Fund of engaging in transactions in
currency-related derivative instruments that will vary with factors such as the
contract or currency involved, the length of the contract period and the market
conditions then prevailing. The Fund using these instruments may have to pay a
fee or commission or, in cases where the instruments are entered into on a
principal basis, foreign exchange dealers or other counterparties will realize
a profit based on the difference ("spread") between the prices at which they
are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, for example, a dealer may
offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a
lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the
dealer.
When required by the SEC guidelines, the Fund will set aside permissible
liquid assets in segregated accounts or otherwise cover their respective
potential obligations under currency-related derivatives instruments. To the
extent the Fund's assets are so set aside, they cannot be sold while the
corresponding currency position is open, unless they are replaced with similar
assets. As a result, if a large portion of the Fund's assets are so set aside,
this could impede portfolio management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption
requests or other current obligations.
The Advisor's decision to engage in a transaction in a particular
currency-related derivative instrument will reflect the Advisor's judgment that
the transaction will provide value to the Fund and its shareholders and is
consistent with the Fund's objectives and policies. In making such a judgment,
the Advisor will analyze the benefits and risks of the transaction and weigh
them in the context of the Fund's entire portfolio and objectives. The
effectiveness of any transaction in a currency-related derivative instrument is
dependent on a variety of factors, including the Advisor's skill in analyzing
and predicting currency values and upon a correlation between price movements
of the currency instrument and the underlying security.
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<PAGE> 78
There might be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price
movements of an instrument and price movements of investments being hedged.
Such a lack of correlation might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of
the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the
markets in which these instruments are traded. In addition, the Fund's use of
currency-related derivative instruments is always subject to the risk that the
currency in question could be devalued by the foreign government. In such a
case, any long currency positions would decline in value and could adversely
affect any hedging position maintained by the Fund.
The Fund's dealing in currency-related derivative instruments will
generally be limited to the transactions described above. However, the Fund
reserves the right to use currency-related derivatives instruments for
different purposes and under different circumstances. Of course, the Fund is
not required to use currency-related derivatives instruments and will not do so
unless deemed appropriate by the Advisor. It also should be realized that use
of these instruments does not eliminate, or protect against, price movements in
the Fund's securities that are attributable to other (i.e., non-currency
related) causes. Moreover, while the use of currency-related derivatives
instruments may reduce the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of a
hedged currency, at the same time the use of these instruments tends to limit
any potential gain which may result from an increase in the value of that
currency.
SWAP AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into interest rate, securities index,
commodity, or security and currency exchange rate swap agreements for any
lawful purpose consistent with the Fund's investment objective, such as for the
purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular desired return or
spread at a lower cost to the Fund than if the Fund had invested directly in an
instrument that yielded that desired return or spread. The Fund also may enter
into swaps in order to protect against an increase in the price of, or the
currency exchange rate applicable to, securities that the Fund anticipates
purchasing at a later date. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered
into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks
to several years. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to
exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized
on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to
be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are calculated with respect to a
"notional amount," i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular
dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign
currency, or in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index. Swap
agreements may include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a
premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that
interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap;" interest rate floors, under
which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other
to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or "floor;" and
interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor,
or vice versa, in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements
exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
The "notional amount" of the swap agreement is the agreed upon basis for
calculating the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to
exchange. Under most swap agreements entered into by the Fund, the obligations
of the parties would be exchanged on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's
obligation (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to
the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative
values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount").
The Fund's obligation under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset
against amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed
to a swap counterparty will be covered by the maintenance of a segregated
account consisting of cash, or liquid high grade debt obligations.
Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements will be successful in furthering
its investment objective will depend, in part, on the Advisor's ability to
predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce
greater returns than other investments. Swap agreements may be considered to
be illiquid. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected
to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy
of a swap agreement counterparty. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by
the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements.
The swaps market is largely unregulated.
The Fund will enter swap agreements only with counterparties that the
Advisor reasonably believes are capable of performing under the swap
agreements. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction,
the Fund will have to rely on its contractual remedies (which may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws) pursuant to the agreements related to
the transaction.
ADDITIONAL DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND STRATEGIES. In addition to the
derivative instruments and strategies described above and in the Fund's
Prospectus, the Advisor expects to discover additional derivative instruments
and other
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hedging or risk management techniques. The Advisor may utilize these new
derivative instruments and techniques to the extent that they are consistent
with the Fund's investment objective and permitted by the Fund's investment
limitations, operating policies, and applicable regulatory authorities.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES
The Fund may invest, to a limited extent, in foreign investment
companies. Some of the countries in which the Fund may invest may not permit
direct investment by outside investors. Investments in such countries may
only be permitted through foreign government-approved or -authorized
investment vehicles, which may include other investment companies. In
addition, it may be less expensive and more expedient for the Fund to invest
in a foreign investment company in a country which permits direct foreign
investment. Investing through such vehicles may involve frequent or layered
fees or expenses and may also be subject to limitation under the 1940 Act.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of
other investment companies and up to 5% of its assets in any one investment
company as long as the investment does not represent more than 3% of the
voting stock of the acquired investment company. The Fund does not intend to
invest in such investment companies unless, in the judgment of the Advisor,
the potential benefits of such investments justify the payment of any
associated fees and expenses.
FOREIGN SECURITIES
Investing in foreign securities involves a series of risks not present in
investing in U.S. securities. Many of the foreign securities held by the Fund
will not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"),
nor will the foreign issuers be subject to SEC reporting requirements.
Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information concerning
foreign issuers of securities held by the Fund than is available concerning
U.S. companies. Disclosure and regulatory standards in many respects are less
stringent in emerging market countries than in the U.S. and other major
markets. There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of
emerging markets and the activities of investors in such markets, and
enforcement of existing regulations may be extremely limited. Foreign
companies, and in particular, companies in smaller and emerging capital markets
are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial
reporting standards, or to other regulatory requirements comparable to those
applicable to U.S. companies. The Fund's net investment income and capital
gains from its foreign investment activities may be subject to non-U.S.
withholding taxes.
The costs attributable to foreign investing that the Fund must bear
frequently are higher than those attributable to domestic investing; this is
particularly true with respect to emerging capital markets. For example, the
cost of maintaining custody of foreign securities exceeds custodian costs for
domestic securities, and transaction and settlement costs of foreign investing
also frequently are higher than those attributable to domestic investing.
Costs associated with the exchange of currencies also make foreign investing
more expensive than domestic investing. Investment income on certain foreign
securities in which the Fund may invest may be subject to foreign withholding
or other government taxes that could reduce the return of these securities.
Tax treaties between the United States and foreign countries, however, may
reduce or eliminate the amount of foreign tax to which the Fund would be
subject.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures,
and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have failed to
keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to
conduct such transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary
periods when assets of the Fund are uninvested and no return is earned thereon.
The inability of the Fund to make intended security purchases due to
settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss investment opportunities.
Inability to dispose of a portfolio security due to settlement problems could
result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in the value of
such portfolio security or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the
security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.
HIGH-YIELD (HIGH-RISK) SECURITIES
IN GENERAL. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in
non-investment grade debt obligations. Non-investment grade debt obligations
(hereinafter referred to as "lower-quality securities") include (i) bonds rated
as low as C by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's
Ratings Group ("S&P"), and comparable ratings of other
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nationally recognized statistical rating organizations ("NRSROs"); (ii)
commercial paper rated as low as C by S&P, Not Prime by Moody's, and comparable
ratings of other NRSROs; and (iii) unrated debt obligations of comparable
quality. Lower-quality securities, while generally offering higher yields than
investment grade securities with similar maturities, involve greater risks,
including the possibility of default or bankruptcy. They are regarded as
predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest
and repay principal. The special risk considerations in connection with
investments in these securities are discussed below. Refer to the Appendix for
a discussion of securities ratings.
EFFECT OF INTEREST RATES AND ECONOMIC CHANGES. The lower-quality and
comparable unrated security market is relatively new and its growth has
paralleled a long economic expansion. As a result, it is not clear how this
market may withstand a prolonged recession or economic downturn. Such
conditions could severely disrupt the market for and adversely affect the value
of such securities.
All interest-bearing securities typically experience appreciation when
interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. The market
values of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities tend to reflect
individual corporate developments to a greater extent than do higher rated
securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of
interest rates. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities also tend to be
more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher-rated securities. As a
result, they generally involve more credit risks than securities in the
higher-rated categories. During an economic downturn or a sustained period of
rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of lower-quality and comparable
unrated securities may experience financial stress and may not have sufficient
revenues to meet their payment obligations. The issuer's ability to service
its debt obligations may also be adversely affected by specific corporate
developments, the issuer's inability to meet specific projected business
forecasts or the unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss due
to default by an issuer of these securities is significantly greater than
issuers of higher-rated securities because such securities are generally
unsecured and are often subordinated to other creditors. Further, if the
issuer of a lower-quality or comparable unrated security defaulted, the Fund
might incur additional expenses to seek recovery. Periods of economic
uncertainty and changes would also generally result in increased volatility in
the market prices of these securities and thus in the Fund's net asset value.
As previously stated, the value of a lower-quality or comparable unrated
security will decrease in a rising interest rate market, and accordingly so
will the Fund's net asset value. If the Fund experiences unexpected net
redemptions in such a market, it may be forced to liquidate a portion of its
portfolio securities without regard to their investment merits. Due to the
limited liquidity of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities (discussed
below), the Fund may be forced to liquidate these securities at a substantial
discount. Any such liquidation would force the Fund to sell the more liquid
portion of its portfolio.
PAYMENT EXPECTATIONS. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities
typically contain redemption, call or prepayment provisions which permit the
issuer of such securities containing such provisions to, at its discretion,
redeem the securities. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of
these securities are likely to redeem or prepay the securities and refinance
them with debt securities with a lower interest rate. To the extent an issuer
is able to refinance the securities, or otherwise redeem them, the Fund may
have to replace the securities with a lower yielding security, which would
result in a lower return for the Fund.
CREDIT RATINGS. Credit ratings issued by credit-rating agencies are
designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated
securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of
lower-quality securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks
of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make
timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the
condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the security.
Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of
investment quality. Investments in lower-quality and comparable unrated
obligations will be more dependent on the Advisor's credit analysis than would
be the case with investments in investment-grade debt obligations. The Advisor
employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of
existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and to pay dividends,
the issuer's sensitivity to economic conditions, its operating history and the
current trend of earnings. The Advisor continually monitors the investments in
the Fund's portfolio and carefully evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain
lower-quality and comparable unrated securities whose credit ratings or credit
quality may have changed.
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<PAGE> 81
LIQUIDITY AND VALUATION. The Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain
lower-quality and comparable unrated securities because there may be a thin
trading market for such securities. Because not all dealers maintain markets
in all lower-quality and comparable unrated securities, there is no established
retail secondary market for many of these securities. The Fund anticipate that
such securities could be sold only to a limited number of dealers or
institutional investors. To the extent a secondary trading market does exist,
it is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher-rated
securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact
on the market price of the security. As a result, the Fund's asset value and
ability to dispose of particular securities, when necessary to meet the Fund's
liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, may be impacted.
The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities may also make it
more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes
of valuing the Fund's portfolio. Market quotations are generally available on
many lower-quality and comparable unrated issues only from a limited number of
dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of such dealers or prices
for actual sales. During periods of thin trading, the spread between bid and
asked prices is likely to increase significantly. In addition, adverse
publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental
analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-quality and comparable
unrated securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
LEGISLATION. Legislation may be adopted, and from time to time designed
to limit the use of certain lower-quality and comparable unrated securities by
certain issuers. It is anticipated that if additional legislation is enacted
or proposed, it could have a material affect on the value of these securities
and the existence of a secondary trading market for the securities.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in illiquid securities (i.e., securities that are not
readily marketable). However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities
if, as a result, they would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund's
net assets (or such other amounts as may be permitted under the 1940 Act).
However, as a matter of internal policy, the Advisor intends to limit the
Fund's investments in illiquid securities to 10% of its net assets.
The Board of Directors of the Fund, or its delegate, has the ultimate
authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities
laws, which securities are illiquid for purposes of this limitation. Certain
securities exempt from registration or issued in transactions exempt from
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"), such as securities that may be resold to institutional investors under
Rule 144A under the Securities Act and Section 4(2) commercial paper may be
considered liquid under guidelines adopted by the Fund's Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Fund has delegated to the Advisor the
day-to-day determination of the liquidity of a security, although it has
retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The
Board of Directors has directed the Advisor to look to such factors as (i) the
frequency of trades or quotes for a security, (ii) the number of dealers
willing to purchase or sell the security and number of potential buyers, (iii)
the willingness of dealers to undertake to make a market in the security, (iv)
the nature of the security and nature of the marketplace trades, such as the
time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and
the mechanics of transfer, (v) the likelihood that the security's marketability
will be maintained throughout the anticipated holding period, and (vi) any
other relevant factors. The Advisor may determine 4(2) commercial paper to be
liquid if (i) the 4(2) commercial paper is not traded flat or in default as to
principal and interest, (ii) the 4(2) commercial paper is rated in one of the
two highest rating categories by at least two nationally rated statistical
rating organizations ("NRSRO"), or if only one NRSRO rates the security, by
that NRSRO, or is determined by the Advisor to be of equivalent quality, and
(iii) the Advisor considers the trading market for the specific security taking
into account all relevant factors. With respect to the Fund's foreign
holdings, a foreign security may be considered liquid by the Advisor (despite
its restricted nature under the Securities Act) if the security can be freely
traded in a foreign securities market and all the facts and circumstances
support a finding of liquidity.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated
transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration
statement is in effect under the Securities Act. Where registration is
required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration
expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision
to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an
effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market
conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than
prevailed when it decided to sell. Restricted securities will be priced in
accordance with pricing procedures adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Fund. If through the
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appreciation of restricted securities or the depreciation of unrestricted
securities, the Fund should be in a position where more than 15% of the value
of its net assets are invested in illiquid securities, including restricted
securities which are not readily marketable (except for 144A Securities and
4(2) commercial paper deemed to be liquid by the Advisor), the Fund will take
such steps as is deemed advisable, if any, to protect liquidity.
The Fund may sell over-the-counter ("OTC") options and, in connection
therewith, segregate assets or cover its obligations with respect to OTC
options written by the Fund. The assets used as cover for OTC options written
by the Fund will be considered illiquid unless the OTC options are sold to
qualified dealers who agree that the Fund may repurchase any OTC option it
writes at a maximum price to be calculated by a formula set forth in the option
agreement. The cover for an OTC option written subject to this procedure would
be considered illiquid only to the extent that the maximum repurchase price
under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.
LENDING OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
The Fund is authorized to lend up to 33 1/3% of the total value of its
portfolio securities to broker-dealers or institutional investors that the
Advisor deems qualified, but only when the borrower maintains with the Fund's
custodian bank collateral either in cash or money market instruments in an
amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned, plus
accrued interest and dividends, determined on a daily basis and adjusted
accordingly. Although the Fund is authorized to lend, the Fund does not
presently intend to engage in lending. In determining whether to lend
securities to a particular broker-dealer or institutional investor, the Advisor
will consider, and during the period of the loan will monitor, all relevant
facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower. The
Fund will retain authority to terminate any loans at any time. The Fund may
pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan and
may pay a negotiated portion of the interest earned on the cash or money market
instruments held as collateral to the borrower or placing broker. The Fund
will receive reasonable interest on the loan or a flat fee from the borrower
and amounts equivalent to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the
securities loaned. The Fund will retain record ownership of loaned securities
to exercise beneficial rights, such as voting and subscription rights and
rights to dividends, interest or other distributions, when retaining such
rights is considered to be in a Fund's interest.
MORTGAGE- AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in,
or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property,
and include single- and multi-class pass-through securities and collateralized
mortgage obligations. Such securities may be issued or guaranteed by U.S.
government agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Government National
Mortgage Association and the Federal National Mortgage Association, or by
private issuers, generally originators and investors in mortgage loans,
including savings associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment
bankers, and special purpose entities (collectively, "private lenders").
Mortgage-backed securities issued by private lenders may be supported by pools
of mortgage loans or other mortgage-backed securities that are guaranteed,
directly or indirectly, by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or
instrumentalities, or they may be issued without any governmental guarantee of
the underlying mortgage assets but with some form of non-governmental credit
enhancement.
Asset-backed securities have structural characteristics similar to
mortgage-backed securities. Asset-backed debt obligations represent direct or
indirect participation in, or secured by and payable from, assets such as motor
vehicle installment sales contracts, other installment loan contracts, home
equity loans, leases of various types of property, and receivables from credit
card or other revolving credit arrangements. The credit quality of most
asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets
underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is
insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated
entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the
securities. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on
asset-backed debt obligations may be supported by non-governmental credit
enhancements including letters of credit, reserve funds, overcollateralization,
and guarantees by third parties. The market for privately issued asset-backed
debt obligations is smaller and less liquid than the market for government
sponsored mortgage-backed securities.
The rate of principal payment on mortgage- and asset-backed securities
generally depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying
assets which in turn may be affected by a variety of economic and other
factors. As a
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result, the yield on any mortgage- and asset-backed security is difficult to
predict with precision and actual yield to maturity may be more or less than
the anticipated yield to maturity. The yield characteristics of mortgage- and
asset-backed securities differ from those of traditional debt securities.
Among the principal differences are that interest and principal payments are
made more frequently on mortgage-and asset-backed securities, usually monthly,
and that principal may be prepaid at any time because the underlying mortgage
loans or other assets generally may be prepaid at any time. As a result, if
the Fund purchases these securities at a premium, a prepayment rate that is
faster than expected will reduce yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate
that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing the
yield to maturity. Conversely, if the Fund purchases these securities at a
discount, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will increase yield to
maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will reduce
yield to maturity. Amounts available for reinvestment by the Fund are likely
to be greater during a period of declining interest rates and, as a result, are
likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than during a period of rising
interest rates. Accelerated prepayments on securities purchased by the Fund at
a premium also impose a risk of loss of principal because the premium may not
have been fully amortized at the time the principal is prepaid in full. The
market for privately issued mortgage- and asset-backed securities is smaller
and less liquid than the market for government-sponsored mortgage-backed
securities.
While many mortgage- and asset-backed securities are issued with only one
class of security, many are issued in more than one class, each with different
payment terms. Multiple class mortgage- and asset-backed securities are issued
for two main reasons. First, multiple classes may be used as a method of
providing credit support. This is accomplished typically through creation of
one or more classes whose right to payments on the security is made subordinate
to the right to such payments of the remaining class or classes. Second,
multiple classes may permit the issuance of securities with payment terms,
interest rates, or other characteristics differing both from those of each
other and from those of the underlying assets. Examples include so-called
"strips" (mortgage - and asset-backed securities entitling the holder to
disproportionate interests with respect to the allocation of interest and
principal of the assets backing the security), and securities with class or
classes having characteristics which mimic the characteristics of non-mortgage-
or asset-backed securities, such as floating interest rates (i.e., interest
rates which adjust as a specified benchmark changes) or scheduled amortization
of principal.
The Fund may invest in stripped mortgage- or asset-backed securities,
which receive differing proportions of the interest and principal payments from
the underlying assets. The market value of such securities generally is more
sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates than is the case with
traditional mortgage- and asset-backed securities, and in some cases such
market value may be extremely volatile. With respect to certain stripped
securities, such as interest only and principal only classes, a rate of
prepayment that is faster or slower than anticipated may result in the Fund
failing to recover all or a portion of its investment, even though the
securities are rated investment grade.
Mortgage- and asset-backed securities backed by assets, other than as
described above, or in which the payment streams on the underlying assets are
allocated in a manner different than those described above may be issued in the
future. The Fund may invest in such securities if such investment is otherwise
consistent with its investment objectives and policies and with the investment
restrictions of the Fund.
MORTGAGE DOLLAR ROLLS AND REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may engage in reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate
portfolio liquidity, a practice common in the mutual fund industry, or for
arbitrage transactions discussed below. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the
Fund would sell a security and enter into an agreement to repurchase the
security at a specified future date and price. The Fund generally retains the
right to interest and principal payments on the security. Since the Fund
receives cash upon entering into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may be
considered a borrowing. (See "Borrowing".) When required by guidelines of the
SEC, the Fund will set aside permissible liquid assets in a segregated account
to secure its obligations to repurchase the security.
The Fund may also enter into mortgage dollar rolls, in which the Fund
would sell mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and
simultaneously contract to purchase substantially similar securities on a
specified future date. While the Fund would forego principal and interest paid
on the mortgage-backed securities during the roll period, the Fund would be
compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower
price for the future purchase as well as by any interest earned on the proceeds
of the initial sale. The Fund also could be compensated through the receipt of
fee income equivalent to a lower forward price. At the time the Fund would
enter into a mortgage dollar roll, it would set aside
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permissible liquid assets in a segregated account to secure its obligation for
the forward commitment to buy mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage dollar roll
transactions may be considered a borrowing by the Fund. (See "Borrowing".)
The mortgage dollar rolls and reverse repurchase agreements entered into
by the Fund may be used as arbitrage transactions in which the Fund will
maintain an offsetting position in investment grade debt obligations or
repurchase agreements that mature on or before the settlement date on the
related mortgage dollar roll or reverse repurchase agreements. Since the Fund
will receive interest on the securities or repurchase agreements in which it
invests the transaction proceeds, such transactions may involve leverage.
However, since such securities or repurchase agreements will be high quality
and will mature on or before the settlement date of the mortgage dollar roll or
reverse repurchase agreement, the Advisor believes that such arbitrage
transactions do not present the risks to the Fund that are associated with
other types of leverage.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with certain banks or
non-bank dealers. In a repurchase agreement, the Fund buys a security at one
price, and at the time of sale, the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation
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. The Advisor will monitor, on an ongoing
basis, the value of the underlying securities to ensure that the value always
equals or exceeds the repurchase price plus accrued interest. Repurchase
agreements could involve certain 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. Although no
definitive creditworthiness criteria are used, the Advisor reviews the
creditworthiness of the banks and non-bank dealers with which the Fund enters
into repurchase agreements to evaluate those risks. The Fund may, under certain
circumstances, deem repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government
securities to be investments in U.S. government securities.
SHORT SALES
The Fund may sell securities (i) short to hedge unrealized gains on
portfolio securities or (ii) if it covers such short sale with liquid assets as
required by the current rules and positions of the Securities and Exchange
Commission or its staff. Selling securities short against the box involves
selling a security that the Fund owns or has the right to acquire, for delivery
at a specified date in the future. If the Fund sells securities short against
the box, it may protect unrealized gains, but will lose the opportunity to
profit on such securities if the price rises.
SMALL AND MEDIUM COMPANIES
The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in small and
medium companies. While small and medium companies generally have the
potential for rapid growth, investments in small and medium companies often
involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies
because small and medium companies may lack the management experience,
financial resources, product diversification, and competitive strengths of
larger companies. In addition, in many instances the securities of small and
medium companies are traded only over-the-counter or on a regional securities
exchange, and the frequency and volume of their trading is substantially less
than is typical of larger companies. Therefore, the securities of small and
medium companies may be subject to greater and more abrupt price fluctuations.
When making large sales, the Fund may have to sell portfolio holdings at
discounts from quoted prices or may have to make a series of small sales over
an extended period of time due to the trading volume of smaller company
securities. Investors should be aware that, based on the foregoing factors,
an investment in the Fund may be subject to greater price fluctuations than an
investment in a fund that invests primarily in larger, more established
companies. The Advisor's research efforts may also play a greater role in
selecting securities for the Fund than in a fund that invests in larger, more
established companies.
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TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITION
When the Advisor determines that market conditions warrant a temporary
defensive position, the Fund may invest without limitation in cash and
short-term fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities,
commercial paper, banker's acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time
deposits.
WARRANTS
The Fund may acquire warrants. Warrants are securities giving the holder
the right, but not the obligation, to buy the stock of an issuer at a given
price (generally higher than the value of the stock at the time of issuance)
during a specified period or perpetually. Warrants may be acquired separately
or in connection with the acquisition of securities. Warrants do not carry
with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the
securities that they entitle their holder to purchase, and they do not
represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. As a result, warrants may be
considered to have more speculative characteristics than certain other types of
investments. In addition, the value of a warrant does not necessarily change
with the value of the underlying securities, and a warrant ceases to have value
if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.
WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES
The Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis. The price of
debt obligations purchased on a when-issued basis, which may be expressed in
yield terms, generally is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made,
but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date.
Normally, the settlement date occurs within 45 days of the purchase, although
in some cases settlement may take longer. During the period between the
purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund to the issuer and no
interest on the debt obligations accrues to the Fund. Forward commitments
involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines
prior to the settlement date, which risk is in addition to the risk of decline
in value of the Fund's other assets. While when-issued securities may be sold
prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to purchase such securities with
the purpose of actually acquiring them unless a sale appears desirable for
investment reasons. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase a
security on a when-issued basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the
value of the security in determining its net asset value. The Fund does not
believe that its net asset value will be adversely affected by purchases of
securities on a when-issued basis.
To the extent required by the SEC, the Fund will maintain cash and
marketable securities equal in value to commitments for when-issued securities.
Such segregated securities either will mature or, if necessary, be sold on or
before the settlement date. When the time comes to pay for when-issued
securities, the Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow,
sale of the securities held in the separate account, described above, sale of
other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the
sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value
greater or less than the Fund's payment obligation).
ZERO-COUPON, STEP-COUPON AND PAY-IN-KIND SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in zero-coupon, step-coupon, and pay-in-kind
securities. These securities are debt securities that do not make regular cash
interest payments. Zero-coupon and step-coupon securities are sold at a deep
discount to their face value. Pay-in-kind securities pay interest through the
issuance of additional securities. Because such securities do not pay current
cash income, the price of these securities can be volatile when interest rates
fluctuate. While these securities do not pay current cash income, federal
income tax law requires the holders of zero-coupon, step-coupon, and
pay-in-kind securities to include in income each year the portion of the
original issue discount (or deemed discount) and other non-cash income on such
securities accruing that year. In order to continue to qualify as a "regulated
investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code and avoid a certain excise
tax, the Fund may be required to distribute a portion of such discount and
income and may be required to dispose of other portfolio securities, which may
occur in periods of adverse market prices, in order to generate cash to meet
these distribution requirements.
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<PAGE> 86
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND
Directors and officers of the Fund, together with information as to their
principal business occupations during the last five years, and other
information are shown below. Each director who is deemed an "interested
person," as defined in the 1940 Act, is indicated by an asterisk (*). Each
officer and director holds the same position with 26 registered open-end
management investment companies consisting of 46 mutual funds (the "Strong
Funds"). The Strong Funds, in the aggregate, pays each Director who is not a
director, officer, or employee of the Advisor, or any affiliated company (a
"disinterested director") an annual fee of $50,000, plus $100 per Board meeting
for each Strong Fund. In addition, each disinterested director is reimbursed
by the Strong Funds for travel and other expenses incurred in connection with
attendance at such meetings. Other officers and directors of the Strong Funds
receive no compensation or expense reimbursement from the Strong Funds.
*RICHARD S. STRONG (DOB 5/12/42), Chairman of the Board and Director of the
Fund.
Prior to August 1985, Mr. Strong was Chief Executive Officer of the
Advisor, which he founded in 1974. Since August 1985, Mr. Strong has been a
Security Analyst and Portfolio Manager of the Advisor. In October 1991, Mr.
Strong also became the Chairman of the Advisor. Mr. Strong is a Director of
the Advisor. Mr. Strong has been in the investment management business since
1967. Mr. Strong has served the Fund as a Director and Chairman of the Board
since December 1997.
MARVIN E. NEVINS (DOB 7/9/18), Director of the Fund.
Private Investor. From 1945 to 1980, Mr. Nevins was Chairman of Wisconsin
Centrifugal Inc., a foundry. From July 1983 to December 1986, he was Chairman
of General Casting Corp., Waukesha, Wisconsin, a foundry. Mr. Nevins is a
former Chairman of the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers & Commerce. He
was also a regent of the Milwaukee School of Engineering and a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Mr. Nevins has served
the Fund as a Director since December 1997.
WILLIE D. DAVIS (DOB 7/24/34), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Davis has been Director of Alliance Bank since 1980, Sara Lee
Corporation (a food/consumer products company) since 1983, KMart Corporation (a
discount consumer products company) since 1985, Dow Chemical Company since
1988, MGM Grand, Inc. (an entertainment/hotel company) since 1990, WICOR, Inc.
(a utility company) since 1990, Johnson Controls, Inc. (an industrial company)
since 1992, L.A. Gear (a footwear/sportswear company) since 1992, and Rally's
Hamburger, Inc. since 1994. Mr. Davis has been a trustee of the University of
Chicago since 1980 and Marquette University since 1988. Since 1977, Mr. Davis
has been President and Chief Executive Officer of All Pro Broadcasting, Inc.
Mr. Davis was a Director of the Fireman's Fund (an insurance company) from 1975
until 1990. Mr. Davis has served the Fund as a Director since December 1997.
STANLEY KRITZIK (DOB 1/9/30), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Kritzik has been a Partner of Metropolitan Associates since 1962, a
Director of Aurora Health Care since 1987, and Health Network Ventures, Inc.
since 1992. Mr. Kritzik has served the Fund as a Director since December
1997.
WILLIAM F. VOGT (DOB 7/19/47), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Vogt has been the President of Vogt Management Consulting, Inc. since
1990. From 1982 until 1990, he served as Executive Director of University
Physicians of the University of Colorado. Mr. Vogt is the Past President of
the Medical Group Management Association and a Fellow of the American College
of Medical Practice Executives. Mr. Vogt has served the Fund as a Director
since December 1997.
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<PAGE> 87
LAWRENCE A. TOTSKY (DOB 5/6/59), C.P.A., Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Totsky has been Senior Vice President of the Advisor since September
1994. Mr. Totsky served as Vice President of the Advisor from December 1992 to
September 1994. Mr. Totsky acted as the Advisor's Manager of Shareholder
Accounting and Compliance from June 1987 to June 1991 when he was named
Director of Mutual Fund Administration. Mr. Totsky has served the Fund as a
Vice President since December 1997.
THOMAS P. LEMKE (DOB 7/30/54), Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Lemke has been Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel
of the Advisor since September 1994. For two years prior to joining the
Advisor, Mr. Lemke acted as Resident Counsel for Funds Management at J.P.
Morgan & Co., Inc. From February 1989 until April 1992, Mr. Lemke acted as
Associate General Counsel to Sanford C. Bernstein Co., Inc. For two years
prior to that, Mr. Lemke was Of Counsel at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Tew
Jorden & Schulte, a successor of Finley, Kumble & Wagner. From August 1979
until December 1986, Mr. Lemke worked at the Securities and Exchange
Commission, most notably as the Chief Counsel to the Division of Investment
Management (November 1984 - December 1986), and as Special Counsel to the
Office of Insurance Products, Division of Investment Management (April 1982 -
October 1984). Mr. Lemke has served the Fund as a Vice President since
December 1997.
STEPHEN J. SHENKENBERG (DOB 6/14/58), Vice President and Secretary of the
Fund.
Mr. Shenkenberg has been Deputy General Counsel to the Advisor since
November 1996. From December 1992 until November 1996, Mr. Shenkenberg acted
as Associate Counsel to the Advisor. From June 1987 until December 1992, Mr.
Shenkenberg was an attorney for Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., a Milwaukee law firm.
Mr. Shenkenberg has served the Fund as a Vice President and as Secretary since
December 1997.
JOHN S. WEITZER (DOB 10/31/67), Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Weitzer has been an Associate Counsel to the Advisor since July 1993.
Mr. Weitzer has served as a Vice President of the Fund since December 1997.
JOHN A. FLANAGAN (DOB 6/5/46), Treasurer of the Fund.
Mr. Flanagan has been Senior Vice President of the Advisor since April
1997. For three years prior to joining the Advisor, Mr. Flanagan was a Partner
with Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. (an international professional services firm).
From November 1992 to April 1994, Mr. Flanagan was an independent consultant.
From October 1970 to November 1992, Mr. Flanagan was with Ernst & Young (an
international professional services firm), most notably as Partner in charge of
the Investment Company Practice of that firm's Boston office from 1982 to 1992.
Mr. Flanagan has served as the Treasurer of the Fund since December 1997.
Except for Messrs. Nevins, Davis, Kritzik and Vogt, the address of all of
the above persons is P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. Mr. Nevins'
address is 6075 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Naples, Florida 34108. Mr. Davis'
address is 161 North La Brea, Inglewood, California 90301, Mr. Kritzik's
address is 1123 North Astor Street, P.O. Box 92547, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202-0547. Mr. Vogt's address is 2830 East Third Avenue, Denver, Colorado
80206.
As of December 30, 1997, the officers and directors of the Fund did not
own any of the Fund's shares.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
As of December 30, 1997, no one owned of record and beneficially any
shares of the Fund.
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<PAGE> 88
INVESTMENT ADVISOR AND DISTRIBUTOR
The Advisor to the Fund is Strong Capital Management, Inc. Mr. Richard S.
Strong controls the Advisor. Mr. Strong is the Chairman and a Director of the
Advisor, Mr. Totsky is a Senior Vice President of the Advisor, Mr. Lemke is a
Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Advisor, Mr.
Flanagan is a Senior Vice President of the Advisor, Mr. Shenkenberg is Vice
President, Assistant Secretary, and Deputy General Counsel of the Advisor, and
Mr. Weitzer is an Associate Counsel of the Advisor. A brief description of the
Fund's investment advisory agreement ("Advisory Agreement") is set forth in the
Prospectus under "About the Fund - Management."
The Advisory Agreement for the Fund is dated December 30, 1997, and will
remain in effect for a period of two years. The Advisory Agreement was
approved by the Fund's initial shareholder on its first day of operations. The
Advisory Agreement is required to be approved annually by either the Board of
Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). In either case, each annual renewal
must be approved by the vote of a majority of the Fund's directors who are not
parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The
Advisory Agreement is terminable, without penalty, on 60 days written notice by
the Board of Directors of the Fund, by vote of a majority of the Fund's
outstanding voting securities, or by the Advisor, and will terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor manages the Fund's
investments subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors. The
Advisor is responsible for investment decisions and supplies investment
research and portfolio management. At its expense, the Advisor provides office
space and all necessary office facilities, equipment and personnel for
servicing the investments of the Fund. The Advisor places all orders for the
purchase and sale of the Fund's portfolio securities at the Fund's expense.
Except for expenses assumed by the Advisor, as set forth above, or by the
Distributor, as described below with respect to the distribution of the Fund's
shares, the Fund is responsible for all its other expenses, including, without
limitation, interest charges, taxes, brokerage commissions and similar
expenses; organizational expenses; expenses of issue, sale, repurchase or
redemption of shares; expenses of registering or qualifying shares for sale
with the states and the SEC; expenses for printing and distributing
Prospectuses and quarterly and semi-annual financial statements to existing
shareholders; charges of custodians, transfer agents (including the printing
and mailing of reports and notices to shareholders), registrars, auditing and
legal services, clerical services related to recordkeeping and shareholder
relations, printing of stock certificates; and fees for directors who are not
"interested persons" of the Advisor.
As compensation for its services, the Fund pays to the Advisor a monthly
management fee at the annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net asset value
of the Fund. (See "Shareholder Manual - Determining Your Share Price" in the
Prospectus.) From time to time, the Advisor may voluntarily waive all or a
portion of its management fee for the Fund.
The Advisory Agreement requires the Advisor to reimburse the Fund in the
event that the expenses and charges payable by the Fund in any fiscal year,
including the management fee but excluding taxes, interest, brokerage
commissions, and similar fees and to the extent permitted extraordinary
expenses, exceed two percent (2%) of the average net asset value of the Fund
for such year, as determined by valuations made as of the close of each
business day of the year. Reimbursement of expenses in excess of the
applicable limitation will be made on a monthly basis and will be paid to the
Fund by reduction of the Advisor's fee, subject to later adjustment, month by
month, for the remainder of the Fund's fiscal year. The Advisor may from time
to time voluntarily absorb expenses for the Fund in addition to the
reimbursement of expenses in excess of application limitations.
On July 12, 1994, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") filed
an administrative action (the "Order") against the Advisor, Mr. Strong, and
another employee of the Advisor in connection with conduct that occurred
between 1987 and early 1990. In re Strong/Corneliuson Capital Management, Inc.,
et al. Admin. Proc. File No. 3-8411. The proceeding was settled by consent
without admitting or denying the allegations in the Order. The Order found that
the Advisor and Mr. Strong aided and abetted violations of Section 17(a) of the
1940 Act by effecting trades between mutual funds, and between mutual funds and
Harbour Investments Ltd. ("Harbour"), without complying with the exemptive
provisions of SEC Rule 17a-7 or
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<PAGE> 89
otherwise obtaining an exemption. It further found that the Advisor violated,
and Mr. Strong aided and abetted violations of, the disclosure provisions of
the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by misrepresenting the
Advisor's policy on personal trading and by failing to disclose trading by
Harbour, an entity in which principals of the Advisor owned between 18 and 25
percent of the voting stock. As part of the settlement, the respondents agreed
to a censure and a cease and desist order and the Advisor agreed to various
undertakings, including adoption of certain procedures and a limitation for six
months on accepting certain types of new advisory clients.
On June 6, 1996, the Department of Labor (the "DOL") filed an action
against the Advisor for equitable relief alleging violations of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") in connection with cross
trades that occurred between 1987 and late 1989 involving certain pension
accounts managed by the Advisor. Contemporaneous with this filing, the
Advisor, without admitting or denying the DOL's allegations, agreed to the
entry of a consent judgment resolving all matters relating to the allegations.
Reich v. Strong Capital Management, Inc., (U.S.D.C. E.D. WI) (the "Consent
Judgment"). Under the terms of the Consent Judgment, the Advisor agreed to
reimburse the affected accounts a total of $5.9 million. The settlement did
not have any material impact on the Advisor's financial position or operations.
The Fund and the Advisor have adopted a Code of Ethics (the "Code") which
governs the personal trading activities of all "Access Persons" of the Advisor.
Access Persons include every director and officer of the Advisor and the
investment companies managed by the Advisor, including the Fund, as well as
certain employees of the Advisor who have access to information relating to the
purchase or sale of securities by the Advisor on behalf of accounts managed by
it. The Code is based upon the principal that such Access Persons have a
fiduciary duty to place the interests of the Fund and the Advisor 's other
clients ahead of their own.
The Code requires Access Persons (other than Access Persons who are
independent directors of the investment companies managed by the Advisor,
including the Fund) to, among other things, preclear their securities
transactions (with limited exceptions, such as transactions in shares of mutual
funds, direct obligations of the U.S. government, and certain options on
broad-based securities market indexes) and to execute such transactions through
the Advisor's trading department. The Code, which applies to all Access
Persons (other than Access Persons who are independent directors of the
investment companies managed by the Advisor, including the Fund), includes a
ban on acquiring any securities in an initial public offering, other than a new
offering of a registered open-end investment company, and a prohibition from
profiting on short-term trading in securities. In addition, no Access Person
may purchase or sell any security which is contemporaneously being purchased or
sold, or to the knowledge of the Access Person, is being considered for
purchase or sale, by the Advisor on behalf of any mutual fund or other account
managed by it. Finally, the Code provides for trading "black out" periods of
seven calendar days during which time Access Persons who are portfolio managers
may not trade in securities which may have been purchased or sold by any mutual
fund or other account managed by the portfolio manager.
The Advisor provides investment advisory services for multiple clients and
may give advice and take action, with respect to any client, that may differ
from the advice given, or the timing or nature of action taken, with respect to
any one account. However, the Advisor will allocate over a period of time, to
the extent practical, investment opportunities to each account on a fair and
equitable basis relative to other similarly-situated client accounts. The
Advisor, its principals and associates (to the extent not prohibited by the
Code), and other clients of the Advisor may have, acquire, increase, decrease,
or dispose of securities or interests therein at or about the same time that
the Advisor is purchasing or selling securities or interests therein for an
account that are or may be deemed to be inconsistent with the actions taken by
such persons.
From time to time the Advisor votes the shares owned by the Fund according
to its Statement of General Proxy Voting Policy ("Proxy Voting Policy"). The
general principal of the Proxy Voting Policy is to vote any beneficial interest
in an equity security prudently and solely in the best long-term economic
interest of the Fund and its beneficiaries considering all relevant factors and
without undue influence from individuals or groups who may have an economic
interest in the outcome of a proxy vote. Shareholders may obtain a copy of the
Proxy Voting Policy upon request from the Advisor.
Under a Distribution Agreement with the Fund dated December 30, 1997,
Strong Funds Distributors, Inc. ("Distributor"), a subsidiary of the Advisor,
acts as underwriter of the Fund's shares. Mr. Strong is the Chairman and
Director of the Distributor, Mr. Lemke is a Vice President of the Distributor,
and Mr. Shenkenberg is a Vice President and Secretary of the Distributor. The
Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor will use its best efforts
to distribute the Fund's shares. Since the Fund is a "no-load" fund, no sales
commissions are charged on the purchase of Fund shares. The Distribution
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<PAGE> 90
Agreement further provides that the Distributor will bear the additional costs
of printing Prospectuses and shareholder reports which are used for selling
purposes, as well as advertising and any other costs attributable to the
distribution of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary
of the Advisor and controlled by the Advisor and Richard S. Strong. The
Distribution Agreement is subject to the same termination and renewal
provisions as are described above with respect to the Advisory Agreement.
From time to time, the Distributor may hold in-house sales incentive
programs for its associated persons under which these persons may receive
non-cash compensation awards in connection with the sale and distribution of
the Fund's shares. These awards may include items such as, but not limited to,
gifts, merchandise, gift certificates, and payment of travel expenses, meals
and lodging. As required by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. or NASD's proposed rule amendments in this area, any in-house sales
incentive program will be multi-product oriented, i.e., any incentive will be
based on an associated person's gross production of all securities within a
product type and will not be based on the sales of shares of any specifically
designated mutual fund.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The Advisor is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for
the Fund and for the placement of the Fund's investment business and the
negotiation of the commissions to be paid on such transactions. It is the
policy of the Advisor, to seek the best execution at the best security price
available with respect to each transaction, in light of the overall quality of
brokerage and research services provided to the Advisor, or the Fund. In
over-the-counter transactions, orders are placed directly with a principal
market maker unless it is believed that a better price and execution can be
obtained using a broker. The best price to the Fund means the best net price
without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and commissions, if
any. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating commissions, the Advisor
considers a variety of factors, including best price and execution, the full
range of brokerage services provided by the broker, as well as its capital
strength and stability, and the quality of the research and research services
provided by the broker. Brokerage will not be allocated based on the sale of
any shares of the Strong Funds.
The Advisor has adopted procedures that provide generally for the Advisor
to seek to bunch orders for the purchase or sale of the same security for the
Fund, other mutual funds managed by the Advisor, and other advisory clients
(collectively, the "client accounts"). The Advisor will bunch orders when it
deems it to be appropriate and in the best interest of the client accounts.
When a bunched order is filled in its entirety, each participating client
account will participate at the average share price for the bunched order on
the same business day, and transaction costs shall be shared pro rata based on
each client's participation in the bunched order. When a bunched order is only
partially filled, the securities purchased will be allocated on a pro rata
basis to each client account participating in the bunched order based upon the
initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions, and
each participating account will participate at the average share price for the
bunched order on the same business day.
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Section 28(e)")
permits an investment advisor, under certain circumstances, to cause an account
to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of
the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for
effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of the brokerage and
research services provided by the broker or dealer. Brokerage and research
services include (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the
advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the
availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (b)
furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities,
economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of
accounts; and (c) effecting securities transactions and performing functions
incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody).
In carrying out the provisions of the Advisory Agreements, the Advisor may
cause the Fund to pay a broker, which provides brokerage and research services
to the Advisor, a commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess
of the amount another broker would have charged for effecting the transaction.
The Advisor believes it is important to its investment decision-making process
to have access to independent research. The Advisory Agreement provides that
such higher commissions will not be paid by the Fund unless (a) the Advisor
determines in good faith that the amount is reasonable in relation to the
services in terms of the particular transaction or in terms of the Advisor's
overall responsibilities with respect to the accounts as to which it exercises
investment discretion; (b) such payment is made in compliance with the
provisions of Section 28(e), other applicable state and federal laws, and the
Advisory Agreement; and (c) in the opinion of the Advisor, the
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<PAGE> 91
total commissions paid by the Fund will be reasonable in relation to the
benefits to the Fund over the long term. The investment management fee paid by
the Fund under the Advisory Agreement is not reduced as a result of the
Advisor's receipt of research services.
Generally, research services provided by brokers may include information
on the economy, industries, groups of securities, individual companies,
statistical information, accounting and tax law interpretations, political
developments, legal developments affecting portfolio securities, technical
market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk
measurement analysis, performance analysis, and analysis of corporate
responsibility issues. Such research services are received primarily in the
form of written reports, telephone contacts, and personal meetings with
security analysts. In addition, such research services may be provided in the
form of access to various computer-generated data, computer hardware and
software, and meetings arranged with corporate and industry spokespersons,
economists, academicians, and government representatives. In some cases,
research services are generated by third parties but are provided to the
Advisor by or through brokers. Such brokers may pay for all or a portion of
computer hardware and software costs relating to the pricing of securities.
Where the Advisor itself receives both administrative benefits and
research and brokerage services from the services provided by brokers, it makes
a good faith allocation between the administrative benefits and the research
and brokerage services, and will pay for any administrative benefits with cash.
In making good faith allocations between administrative benefits and research
and brokerage services, a conflict of interest may exist by reason of the
Advisor's allocation of the costs of such benefits and services between those
that primarily benefit the Advisor and those that primarily benefit the Fund
and other advisory clients.
From time to time, the Advisor may purchase new issues of securities for
the Fund in a fixed income price offering. In these situations, the seller may
be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling the
securities to the Fund and other advisory clients, provide the Advisor with
research. The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or "NASD" has
adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain
circumstances. Generally, the seller will provide research "credits" in these
situations at a rate that is higher than that which is available for typical
secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe
harbor of Section 28(e).
At least annually, the Advisor considers the amount and nature of research
and research services provided by brokers, as well as the extent to which such
services are relied upon, and attempts to allocate a portion of the brokerage
business of the Fund and other advisory clients on the basis of that
consideration. In addition, brokers may suggest a level of business they would
like to receive in order to continue to provide such services. The actual
brokerage business received by a broker may be more or less than the suggested
allocations, depending upon the Advisor's evaluation of all applicable
considerations.
The Advisor has informal arrangements with various brokers whereby, in
consideration for providing research services and subject to Section 28(e), the
Advisor allocates brokerage to those firms, provided that the value of any
research and brokerage services was reasonable in relationship to the amount of
commission paid and subject to best execution. In no case will the Advisor
make binding commitments as to the level of brokerage commissions it will
allocate to a broker, nor will it commit to pay cash if any informal targets
are not met. The Advisor anticipates it will continue to enter into such
brokerage arrangements.
The Advisor may direct the purchase of securities on behalf of the Fund
and other advisory clients in secondary market transactions, in public
offerings directly from an underwriter, or in privately negotiated transactions
with an issuer. When the Advisor believes the circumstances so warrant,
securities purchased in public offerings may be resold shortly after
acquisition in the immediate aftermarket for the security in order to take
advantage of price appreciation from the public offering price or for other
reasons. Short-term trading of securities acquired in public offerings, or
otherwise, may result in higher portfolio turnover and associated brokerage
expenses.
The Advisor places portfolio transactions for other advisory accounts,
including other mutual funds managed by the Advisor. Research services
furnished by firms through which the Fund effects its securities transactions
may be used by the Advisor in servicing all of its accounts; not all of such
services may be used by the Advisor in connection with the Fund. In the
opinion of the Advisor, it is not possible to measure separately the benefits
from research services to each of the accounts managed by the Advisor. Because
the volume and nature of the trading activities of the accounts are not
uniform, the amount of commissions in excess of those charged by another broker
paid by each account for brokerage and research services will vary.
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<PAGE> 92
However, in the opinion of the Advisor, such costs to the Fund will not be
disproportionate to the benefits received by the Fund on a continuing basis.
The Advisor seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever
concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by the Fund and
another advisory account. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse
effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Fund. In
making such allocations between the Fund and other advisory accounts, the main
factors considered by the Advisor are the respective investment objectives, the
relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the
availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments
generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for recommending
the investment.
Where consistent with a client's investment objectives, investment
restrictions, and risk tolerance, the Advisor may purchase securities sold in
underwritten public offerings for client accounts, commonly referred to as
"deal" securities. The Advisor has adopted deal allocation procedures (the
"Procedures"), summarized below, that reflect the Advisor's overriding policy
that deal securities must be allocated among participating client accounts in a
fair and equitable manner and that deal securities may not be allocated in a
manner that unfairly discriminates in favor of certain clients or types of
clients.
The Procedures provide that, in determining which client accounts a
portfolio manager team will seek to have purchase deal securities, the team
will consider all relevant factors including, but not limited to, the nature,
size, and expected allocation to the Advisor of deal securities; the size of
the account(s); the accounts' investment objectives and restrictions; the risk
tolerance of the client; the client's tolerance for possibly higher portfolio
turnover; the amount of commissions generated by the account during the past
year; and the number and nature of other deals the client has participated in
during the past year.
Where more than one of the Advisor's portfolio manager team seeks to have
client accounts participate in a deal and the amount of deal securities
allocated to the Advisor by the underwriting syndicate is less than the
aggregate amount ordered by the Advisor (a "reduced allocation"), the deal
securities will be allocated among the portfolio manager teams based on all
relevant factors. The primary factor shall be assets under management,
although other factors that may be considered in the allocation decision
include, but are not limited to, the nature, size, and expected allocation of
the deal; the amount of brokerage commissions or other amounts generated by the
respective participating portfolio manager teams; and which portfolio manager
team is primarily responsible for the Advisor receiving securities in the deal.
Based on the relevant factors, the Advisor has established general allocation
percentages for its portfolio manager teams, and these percentages are reviewed
on a regular basis to determine whether asset growth or other factors make it
appropriate to use different general allocation percentages for reduced
allocations.
When a portfolio manager team receives a reduced allocation of deal
securities, the portfolio manager team will allocate the reduced allocation
among client accounts in accordance with the allocation percentages set forth
in the team's initial allocation instructions for the deal securities, except
where this would result in a de minimis allocation to any client account. On a
regular basis, the Advisor reviews the allocation of deal securities to ensure
that they have been allocated in a fair and equitable manner that does not
unfairly discriminate in favor of certain clients or types of clients.
CUSTODIAN
Firstar Trust Company, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, serves as
custodian of the assets of the Fund. As a result, Firstar Trust Company has
custody of all securities and cash of the Funds, delivers and receives payment
for securities sold, receives and pays for securities purchased, collects
income from investments, and performs other duties, all as directed by the
officers of the Fund. The custodian is in no way responsible for any of the
investment policies or decisions of the Fund.
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
The Advisor acts as transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for the
Fund. The Advisor is compensated based on an annual fee per open account of
$21.75 for the Fund, plus out-of-pocket expenses, such as postage and printing
expenses in connection with shareholder communications. The Advisor also
receives an annual fee per closed account of $4.20 from the
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<PAGE> 93
Fund. The fees received and the services provided as transfer agent and
dividend disbursing agent are in addition to those received and provided by the
Advisor under the Advisory Agreement. In addition, the Advisor provides certain
printing and mailing services for the Fund, such as printing and mailing of
shareholder account statements, checks, and tax forms.
From time to time the Fund, directly or indirectly through arrangements
with the Advisor, and/or the Advisor may pay amounts to third parties that
provide transfer agent and other administrative services relating to the Fund
to persons who beneficially own interests in the Fund, such as participants in
401(k) plans. These services may include, among other things, sub-accounting
services, transfer agent type activities, answering inquiries relating to the
Fund, transmitting, on behalf of the Fund, proxy statements, annual reports,
updated Prospectuses, other communications regarding the Fund, and related
services as the Fund or beneficial owners may reasonably request. In such
cases, the Fund will not pay fees based on the number of beneficial owners at a
rate that is greater than the rate the Fund is currently paying the Advisor for
providing these services to Fund shareholders.
TAXES
GENERAL
The Fund intends to qualify annually for treatment as a regulated
investment company ("RIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Tax
Code"). This qualification does not involve governmental supervision of the
Fund's management practices or policies. The following federal tax discussion
is intended to provide you with an overview of the impact of federal income tax
provisions on the Fund or its shareholders. These tax provisions are subject
to change by legislative or administrative action at the federal, state or
local level, and any changes may be applied retroactively. Any such action
that limits or restricts the Fund's current ability to pass-through earnings
without taxation at the Fund level, or otherwise materially changes the Fund's
tax treatment, could adversely affect the value of a shareholder's investment
in the Fund. Because the Fund's taxes are a complex matter, you should consult
your tax adviser for more detailed information concerning the taxation of the
Fund and the federal, state and local tax consequences to shareholders of an
investment in the Fund.
In order to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Tax Code, the Fund
must distribute to its shareholders for each taxable year at least 90% of its
investment company taxable income (consisting generally of taxable net
investment income, net short-term capital gain, and net gains from certain
foreign currency transactions, if applicable) ("Distribution Requirement") plus
its net interest income excludable from gross income under Section 103(a) of
the Tax Code and must meet several additional requirements. These requirements
include the following: (1) the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross
income each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to
securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or
foreign currencies, or other income (including gains from options, futures, or
forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in
securities ("Income Requirement"); (2) at the close of each quarter of the
Fund's taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be
represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of
other RICs, and other securities, with these other securities limited, in
respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of
the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the
issuer's outstanding voting securities; and (3) at the close of each quarter of
the Fund's taxable year, not more than 25% of the value of its total assets may
be invested in securities (other than U.S. government securities or the
securities of other RICs) of any one issuer. From time to time the Advisor may
find it necessary to make certain types of investments for the purpose of
ensuring that the Fund continues to qualify for treatment as RICs under the Tax
Code.
If Fund shares are sold at a loss after being held for six months or less,
the loss will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends
received on those shares. Any portion of such a loss that is not disallowed
will be treated as long-term, instead of short-term, capital loss to the extent
of any capital gain distributions received on those shares.
The Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax ("Excise Tax")
to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year
substantially all of its ordinary taxable income for that year and capital gain
net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, plus
certain other amounts.
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<PAGE> 94
FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS
Dividends and interest received by the Fund may be subject to income,
withholding, or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and U.S. possessions
that would reduce the yield on its securities. Tax conventions between certain
countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate these foreign taxes,
however, and many foreign countries do not impose taxes on capital gains in
respect of investments by foreign investors. If more than 50% of the value of
the Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities
of foreign corporations, it will be eligible to, and may, file an election with
the Internal Revenue Service that would enable its shareholders, in effect, to
receive the benefit of the foreign tax credit with respect to any foreign and
U.S. possessions income taxes paid by it. Pursuant to the election, the Fund
would treat those taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders and each
shareholder would be required to (1) include in gross income, and treat as paid
by him, his proportionate share of those taxes, (2) treat his share of those
taxes and of any dividend paid by the Fund that represents income from foreign
or U.S. possessions sources as his own income from those sources, and (3)
either deduct the taxes deemed paid by him in computing his taxable income or,
alternatively, use the foregoing information in calculating the foreign tax
credit against his federal income tax. The Fund will report to its
shareholders shortly after each taxable year their respective shares of its
income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S.
possessions if it makes this election.
The Fund maintains its accounts and calculates its income in U.S. dollars.
In general, gain or loss (1) from the disposition of foreign currencies and
forward currency contracts, (2) from the disposition of
foreign-currency-denominated debt securities that are attributable to
fluctuations in exchange rates between the date the securities are acquired and
their disposition date, and (3) attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates
between the time the Fund accrues interest or other receivables or expenses or
other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund
actually collects those receivables or pays those liabilities, will be treated
as ordinary income or loss. A foreign-currency-denominated debt security
acquired by the Fund may bear interest at a high normal rate that takes into
account expected decreases in the value of the principal amount of the security
due to anticipated currency devaluations; in that case, the Fund would be
required to include the interest in income as it accrues but generally would
realize a currency loss with respect to the principal only when the principal
was received (through disposition or upon maturity).
The Fund may invest in the stock of "passive foreign investment companies"
("PFICs"). A PFIC is a foreign corporation that, in general, meets either of
the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive or (2) an
average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production
of, passive income. Under certain circumstances, the Fund will be subject to
federal income tax on a portion of any "excess distribution" received on the
stock or of any gain on disposition of the stock (collectively, "PFIC income"),
plus interest thereon, even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a
taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be
included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will
not be taxable to it to the extent that income is distributed to its
shareholders. If the Fund invests in a PFIC and elects to treat the PFIC as a
"qualified electing fund," then in lieu of the foregoing tax and interest
obligation, the Fund will be required to include in income each year its pro
rata share of the qualified electing fund's annual ordinary earnings and net
capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term
capital loss) which probably would have to be distributed to its shareholders
to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax
- -- even if those earnings and gain were not received by the Fund. In most
instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election
because of certain requirements thereof.
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The use of derivatives strategies, such as purchasing and selling
(writing) options and futures and entering into forward currency contracts, if
applicable, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes
the character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund
realizes in connection therewith. Gains from the disposition of foreign
currencies, if any (except certain gains therefrom that may be excluded by
future regulations), and income from transactions in options, futures and
forward currency contracts, if applicable, derived by the Fund with respect to
its business of investing in securities or foreign currencies, if applicable,
will qualify as permissible income under the Income Requirement.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is required to recognize as
income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on options,
futures or forward currency contracts, if any, that are subject to section 1256
of the Tax Code ("Section 1256 Contracts") and are held by the Fund as of the
end of the year, as well as gains and losses on Section 1256
- 31 -
<PAGE> 95
Contracts actually realized during the year. Except for Section 1256 Contracts
that are part of a "mixed straddle" and with respect to which the Fund makes a
certain election, any gain or loss recognized with respect to Section 1256
Contracts is considered to be 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40%
short-term capital gain or loss, without regard to the holding period of the
Section 1256 Contract.
ZERO-COUPON, STEP-COUPON, AND PAY-IN-KIND SECURITIES
The Fund may acquire zero-coupon, step-coupon, or other securities issued
with original issue discount. As a holder of those securities, the Fund must
include in its income the original issue discount that accrues on the
securities during the taxable year, even if the Fund receives no corresponding
payment on the securities during the year. Similarly, the Fund must include in
its income securities it receives as "interest" on pay-in-kind securities.
Because the Fund annually must distribute substantially all of its investment
company taxable income, including any original issue discount and other
non-cash income, to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid imposition
of the Excise Tax, it may be required in a particular year to distribute as a
dividend an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash it actually
receives. Those distributions may be made from the proceeds on sales of
portfolio securities, if necessary. The Fund may realize capital gains or
losses from those sales, which would increase or decrease its investment
company taxable income or net capital gain, or both.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of each Fund will be determined as of the close of
trading on each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open for
trading. The NYSE is open for trading Monday through Friday except, New Year's
Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Additionally, if any of the
aforementioned holidays falls on a Saturday, the NYSE will not be open for
trading on the preceding Friday, and when any such holiday falls on a Sunday,
the NYSE will not be open for trading on the succeeding Monday, unless unusual
business conditions exist, such as the ending of a monthly or yearly accounting
period.
Debt securities are valued by a pricing service that utilizes electronic
data processing techniques to determine values for normal institutional-sized
trading units of debt securities without regard to sale or bid prices when
such values are believed to more accurately reflect the fair market value for
such securities. Otherwise, sale or bid prices are used. Any securities or
other assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued
at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Fund. Debt securities having remaining maturities of 60 days or less are
valued by the amortized cost method when the Fund's Board of Directors
determines that the fair value of such securities is their amortized cost.
Under this method of valuation, a security is initially valued at its
acquisition cost, and thereafter, amortization of any discount or premium is
assumed each day, regardless of the impact of the fluctuating rates on the
market value of the instrument.
ADDITIONAL SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION PRIVILEGES
The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions
communicated by telephone or the Internet are genuine. The Fund may not be
liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Such
procedures include but are not limited to requiring a form of personal
identification prior to acting on instructions received by telephone or the
Internet, providing written confirmations of such transactions to the address
of record, tape recording telephone instructions and backing up Internet
transactions.
REDEMPTIONS-IN-KIND
The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act,
which obligates each Fund to redeem shares in cash, with respect to any one
shareholder during any 90-day period, up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the
assets of the Fund. If the Advisor determines that existing conditions make
cash payments undesirable, redemption payments may be made
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<PAGE> 96
in whole or in part in securities or other financial assets, valued for this
purpose as they are valued in computing the NAV for the Fund's shares (a
"redemption-in-kind"). Shareholders receiving securities or other financial
assets in a redemption-in-kind may realize a gain or loss for tax purposes, and
will incur any costs of sale, as well as the associated inconveniences. If you
expect to make a redemption sale, as well as the associated inconveniences. If
you expect to make a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of
the Fund's assets during any 90-day period and would like to avoid any
possibility of being paid with securities in-kind, you may do so by providing
Strong Funds with an unconditional instruction to redeem at least 15 calendar
days prior to the date on which the redemption transaction is to occur,
specifying the dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed and the date of
the transaction (please call 1-800-368-3863). This will provide the Fund with
sufficient time to raise the cash in an orderly manner to pay the redemption
and thereby minimize the effect of the redemption on the interests of the
Fund's remaining shareholders.
RETIREMENT PLANS
Individual Retirement Account (IRA): Everyone under age 70 1/2 with earned
income may contribute to a tax-deferred IRA. The Strong Funds offer a prototype
plan for you to establish your own IRA. You are allowed to contribute up to the
lesser of $2,000 or 100% of your earned income each year to your IRA (or up to
$4,000 between your IRA and your non-working spouses' IRA). Under certain
circumstances, your contribution will be deductible.
Roth IRA: Taxpayers, of any age, who have earned income, and whose AGI does
not exceed $110,000 (single) or $160,000 (joint) can contribute to a Roth IRA.
Allowed contributions begin to phase-out at $95,000 (single) or $150,000
(joint). You are allowed to contribute up to the lesser of $2,000 or 100% of
earned income each year into a Roth IRA. If you also maintain a Traditional
IRA, the maximum contribution to your Roth IRA is reduced by any contributions
that you make to your Traditional IRA. Distributions from a Roth IRA, if they
meet certain requirements, may be federally tax free. If your AGI is $100,000
or less, you can convert your Traditional IRAs into a Roth IRA. Conversions of
earnings and deductible contributions are taxable in the year of the
distribution. The early distribution penalty does not apply to amounts
converted to a Roth IRA even if you are under age 59 1/2.
Education IRA: Taxpayers may contribute up to $500 per year into an Education
IRA for the benefit of a child under age 18. Total contributions to any one
child cannot exceed $500 per year. The contributor must have adjusted income
under $110,000 (single) or $160,000 (joint) to contribute to an Education IRA.
Allowed contributions begin to phase-out at $95,000 (single) or $150,000
(joint). Withdrawals from the Education IRA to pay qualified higher education
expenses are federally tax free. Any withdrawal in excess of higher education
expenses for the year are potentially subject to tax and an additional 10%
penalty.
Direct Rollover IRA: To avoid the mandatory 20% federal withholding tax on
distributions, you must transfer the qualified retirement or Code section
403(b) plan distribution directly into an IRA. The distribution must be
eligible for rollover. The amount of your Direct Rollover IRA contribution
will not be included in your taxable income for the year.
Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP-IRA): A SEP-IRA plan allows an employer
to make deductible contributions to separate IRA accounts established for each
eligible employee.
Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SAR SEP-IRA): A SAR SEP-IRA
plan is a type of SEP-IRA plan in which an employer may allow employees to
defer part of their salaries and contribute to an IRA account. These deferrals
help lower the employees' taxable income. Please note that you may no longer
open new SAR SEP-IRA plans (since December 31, 1996). However, employers with
SAR SEP-IRA plans that were established prior to January 31, 1997 may still
open accounts for new employees.
Simplified Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE-IRA): A SIMPLE-IRA plan
is a retirement savings plan that allows employees to contribute a percentage
of their compensation, up to $6,000, on a pre-tax basis, to a SIMPLE-IRA
account. The employer is required to make annual contributions to eligible
employees' accounts. All contributions grow tax-deferred.
Defined Contribution Plan: A defined contribution plan allows self-employed
individuals, partners, or a corporation to provide retirement benefits for
themselves and their employees. Plan types include: profit-sharing plans,
money purchase pension plans, and paired plans (a combination of a
profit-sharing plan and a money purchase plan).
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<PAGE> 97
401(k) Plan: A 401(k) plan is a type of profit-sharing plan that allows
employees to have part of their salary contributed on a pre-tax basis to a
retirement plan which will earn tax-deferred income. A 401(k) plan is funded by
employee contributions, employer contributions, or a combination of both.
403(b)(7) Plan: A tax-sheltered custodial account designed to qualify under
section 403(b)(7) of the Code is available for use by employees of certain
educational, non-profit, hospital, and charitable organizations.
RIGHT OF SET-OFF
To the extent not prohibited by law, the Fund, any other Strong Fund, and
the Advisor each has the right to set-off against a shareholder's account
balance with a Strong Fund, and redeem from such account, any debt the
shareholder may owe any of these entities. This right applies even if the
account is not identically registered.
BROKERS RECEIPT OF PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION ORDERS
The Fund has authorized certain brokers to accept purchase and redemption
orders on the Fund's behalf. These brokers are, in turn, authorized to
designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the
Fund's behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or
redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker's
authorized designee, accepts the order. Purchase and redemption orders
received in this manner will be priced at the Fund's net asset value next
computed after they are accepted by an authorized broker or the broker's
authorized designee.
FUND ORGANIZATION
The Fund is a series of common stock of Strong Equity Funds, Inc.,
(formerly known as Strong Growth Fund, Inc.) a Wisconsin corporation (a
"Corporation"). The Corporation was incorporated on December 28, 1990 and is
authorized to issue an indefinite number of shares of common stock and series
and classes of series of shares of common stock, with a par value of .00001 per
share. The shares in any one portfolio may, in turn, be offered in separate
classes, each with differing preferences, limitations or relative rights.
However, the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation provides that if
additional classes of shares are issued by the Fund, such new classes of shares
may not affect the preferences, limitations or relative rights of the Fund's
outstanding shares. In addition, the Corporation's Board is authorized to
allocate assets, liabilities, income and expenses to each series and class.
Classes within a series may have different expense arrangements than other
classes of the same series and, accordingly, the net asset value of shares
within a series may differ. Finally, all holders of shares of the Corporation
may vote on each matter presented to shareholders for action except with
respect to any matter which affects only one or more series or class, in which
case only the shares of the affected series or class are entitled to vote.
Fractional shares have the same rights proportionately as do full shares.
Shares of the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. The
Corporation currently has eight series of common stock outstanding, each with
an indefinite number of authorized shares. If the Corporation issues
additional series, the assets belonging to each series of shares will be held
separately by the custodian, and in effect each series will be a separate fund.
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS
The Wisconsin Business Corporation Law permits registered investment
companies, such as the Corporation, to operate without an annual meeting of
shareholders under specified circumstances if an annual meeting is not required
by the 1940 Act. The Corporation has adopted the appropriate provisions in its
Bylaws and may, at their discretion, not hold an annual meeting in any year in
which the election of directors is not required to be acted on by shareholders
under the 1940 Act.
The Corporation's Bylaws allow for a director to be removed by its
shareholders with or without cause, only at a meeting called for the purpose
of removing the director. Upon the written request of the holders of shares
entitled to not less than ten percent (10%) of all the votes entitled to be
cast at such meeting, the Secretary of the Corporation shall promptly call a
special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of
removal of any director. The Secretary of the Corporation shall inform such
shareholders of the reasonable estimated costs of preparing and mailing the
notice of the meeting, and upon payment to the Corporation of such costs, the
Corporation shall give not less than ten nor more than sixty days notice of the
special meeting.
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<PAGE> 98
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
As described under "About the Fund - Performance Information" in the
Prospectus, the Fund's historical performance or return may be shown in the
form of "average annual total return," "total return," and "cumulative total
return." From time to time, the Advisor may voluntarily waive all or a portion
of its management fee and/or absorb certain expenses for the Fund.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
The average annual total return of the Fund is computed by finding the
average annual compounded rates of return over these periods that would equate
the initial amount invested to the ending redeemable value, according to the
following formula:
n
P (1 + T) = ERV
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $10,000.
T = average annual total return.
n = number of years.
ERV = ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $10,000 payment
made at the beginning of the stated periods at the end of the
stated periods.
TOTAL RETURN
Calculation of the Fund's total return is not subject to a standardized
formula. Total return performance for a specific period is calculated by first
taking an investment (assumed below to be $10,000) ("initial investment") in
the Fund's shares on the first day of the period and computing the "ending
value" of that investment at the end of the period. The total return
percentage is then determined by subtracting the initial investment from the
ending value and dividing the remainder by the initial investment and
expressing the result as a percentage. The calculation assumes that all income
and capital gains dividends paid by the Fund have been reinvested at net asset
value on the reinvestment dates during the period. Total return may also be
shown as the increased dollar value of the hypothetical investment over the
period.
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
Cumulative total return represents the simple change in value of an
investment over a stated period and may be quoted as a percentage or as a
dollar amount. Total returns and cumulative total returns my be broken down
into their components of income and capital (including capital gains and
changes in share price) in order to illustrate the relationship between these
factors and their contributions to total return.
The Fund's performance figures are based upon historical results and do
not represent future performance. Each Fund's shares are sold at net asset
value per share. The Fund's returns and net asset value will fluctuate and
shares are redeemable at the then current net asset value of the Fund, which
may be more or less than original cost. Factors affecting the Fund's
performance include general market conditions, operating expenses, and
investment management. Any additional fees charged by a dealer or other
financial services firm would reduce the returns described in this section.
COMPARISONS
(1) U.S. TREASURY BILLS, NOTES, OR BONDS
Investors may want to compare the performance of the Fund to that of U.S.
Treasury bills, notes or bonds, which are issued by the U.S. government.
Treasury obligations are issued in selected denominations. Rates of Treasury
obligations are fixed at the time of issuance and payment of principal and
interest is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Treasury.
The market value of such instruments will generally fluctuate inversely with
interest rates prior to maturity and will
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<PAGE> 99
equal par value at maturity. Generally, the values of obligations with shorter
maturities will fluctuate less than those with longer maturities.
(2) CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
Investors may want to compare the Fund's performance to that of
certificates of deposit offered by banks and other depositary institutions.
Certificates of deposit may offer fixed or variable interest rates and
principal is guaranteed and may be insured. Withdrawal of the deposits prior to
maturity normally will be subject to a penalty. Rates offered by banks and
other depositary institutions are subject to change at any time specified by
the issuing institution.
(3) MONEY MARKET FUNDS
Investors may also want to compare performance of the Fund to that of
money market funds. Money market fund yields will fluctuate and shares are not
insured, but share values usually remain stable.
(4) LIPPER ANALYTICAL SERVICES, INC. ("LIPPER") AND OTHER INDEPENDENT RANKING
ORGANIZATIONS
From time to time, in marketing and other fund literature, the Fund's
performance may be compared to the performance of other mutual funds in general
or to the performance of particular types of mutual funds, with similar
investment goals, as tracked by independent organizations. Among these
organizations, Lipper, a widely used independent research firm which ranks
mutual funds by overall performance, investment objectives, and assets, may be
cited. Lipper performance figures are based on changes in net asset value,
with all income and capital gain dividends reinvested. Such calculations do
not include the effect of any sales charges imposed by other funds. The Fund
will be compared to Lipper's appropriate fund category, that is, by fund
objective and portfolio holdings. The Fund's performance may also be compared
to the average performance of its Lipper category.
(5) MORNINGSTAR, INC.
The Fund's performance may also be compared to the performance of other
mutual funds by Morningstar, Inc. which rates funds on the basis of historical
risk and total return. Morningstar's ratings range from five stars (highest)
to one star (lowest) and represent Morningstar's assessment of the historical
risk level and total return of a fund as a weighted average for 3, 5, and 10
year periods. Ratings are not absolute and do not represent future results.
(6) INDEPENDENT SOURCES
Evaluations of Fund performance made by independent sources may also be
used in advertisements concerning the Fund, including reprints of, or
selections from, editorials or articles about the Fund, especially those with
similar objectives. Sources for Fund performance information and articles
about the Fund may include publications such as Money, Forbes, Kiplinger's,
Smart Money, Morningstar, Inc., Financial World, Business Week, U.S. News and
World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and a variety of investment
newsletters.
(7) INDICES
The Fund may compare its performance to a wide variety of indices. There
are differences and similarities between the investments that the Fund may
purchase for its portfolio and the investments measured by indices.
(8) HISTORICAL ASSET CLASS RETURNS
From time to time, marketing materials may portray the historical returns
of various asset classes. Such presentations will typically compare the
average annual rates of return of inflation, U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, common
stocks, and small stocks. There are important differences between each of these
investments that should be considered in viewing any such comparison. The
market value of stocks will fluctuate with market conditions, and small-stock
prices generally will fluctuate more than large-stock prices. Stocks are
generally more volatile than bonds. In return for this volatility, stocks have
generally performed better than bonds or cash over time. Bond prices generally
will fluctuate inversely with interest rates and other market conditions, and
the prices of bonds with longer maturities generally will fluctuate more than
those of shorter-maturity bonds. Interest rates for bonds may be fixed at the
time of issuance, and payment of principal and interest may be guaranteed by
the issuer and, in the case of U.S. Treasury obligations, backed by the full
faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
(9) STRONG FAMILY OF FUNDS
The Strong Family of Funds offers a comprehensive range of conservative to
aggressive investment options. Members of the Strong Family and their
investment objectives are listed below.
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<PAGE> 100
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
FUND NAME INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Money Market Fund Current income, a stable share price, and daily liquidity.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Heritage Money Fund Current income, a stable share price, and daily liquidity.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Municipal Money Market Federally tax-exempt current income, a stable share-price, and daily
Fund liquidity.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Municipal Advantage Fund Federally tax-exempt current income with a very low degree of
share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Advantage Fund Current income with a very low degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Short-Term Municipal Total return by investing for a high level of federally tax-exempt
Bond Fund current income with a low degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Short-Term Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current income with a low
degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Short-Term Global Bond Total return by investing for a high level of income with a low degree
Fund of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Short-Term High Yield Total return by investing for a high level of federally tax-exempt
Municipal Fund current income with a moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Short-Term High Yield Total return by investing for a high level of current income with a
Bond Fund moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Government Securities Total return by investing for a high level of current income with a
Fund moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Municipal Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of federally tax-exempt
current income with a moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Corporate Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current income with a
moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong High-Yield Municipal Total return by investing for a high level of federally tax-exempt
Bond Fund current income.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong High-Yield Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current income and
capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong International Bond Fund High total return by investing for both income and capital appreciation.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Asset Allocation Fund High total return consistent with reasonable risk over the long term.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Equity Income Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong American Utilities Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Blue Chip 100 Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Limited Resources Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Total Return Fund High total return by investing for capital growth and income.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Growth and Income Fund High total return by investing for capital growth and income.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Index 500 Fund To approximate as closely as practicable (before fees and expenses) the
capitalization-weighted total rate of return of that portion of the
U.S. market for publicly traded common stocks composed of the larger
capitalized companies.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Schafer Balanced Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Schafer Value Fund Long-term capital appreciation principally through investment in common
stocks and other equity securities. Current income is a secondary
objective.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Value Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Opportunity Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Mid Cap Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Common Stock Fund* Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Small Cap Value Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Growth Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Discovery Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Small Cap Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Growth 20 Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
- 37 -
<PAGE> 101
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Strong International Stock Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Asia Pacific Fund Capital growth.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
* The Fund is closed to new investors, except the Fund may continue to offer
its shares through certain 401(k) plans and similar company-sponsored
retirement plans.
The Advisor also serves as Advisor or Subadvisor to several management
investment companies, some of which fund variable annuity separate accounts of
certain insurance companies.
The Fund may from time to time be compared to the other funds in the
Strong Family of Funds based on a risk/reward spectrum. In general, the amount
of risk associated with any investment product is commensurate with that
product's potential level of reward. The Strong Funds risk/reward continuum or
any Fund's position on the continuum may be described or diagrammed in
marketing materials. The Strong Funds risk/reward continuum positions the risk
and reward potential of each Strong Fund relative to the other Strong Funds,
but is not intended to position any Strong Fund relative to other mutual funds
or investment products. Marketing materials may also discuss the relationship
between risk and reward as it relates to an individual investor's portfolio.
Financial goals vary from person to person. You may choose one or more of
the Strong Funds to help you reach your financial goals. To help you better
understand the Strong Growth Funds and determine which Fund or combination of
Funds best meets your personal investment objectives, they are described in the
same Prospectus.
(10) TYING TIME FRAMES TO YOUR GOALS
There are many issues to consider as you make your investment decisions,
including analyzing your risk tolerance, investing experience, and asset
allocations. You should start to organize your investments by learning to link
your many financial goals to specific time frames. Then you can begin to
identify the appropriate types of investments to help meet your goals. As a
general rule of thumb, the longer your time horizon, the more price fluctuation
you will be able to tolerate in pursuit of higher returns. For that reason,
many people with longer-term goals select stocks or long-term bonds, and many
people with nearer-term goals match those up with for instance, short-term
bonds. The Advisor developed the following suggested holding periods to help
our investors set realistic expectations for both the risk and reward potential
of our funds. (See table below.) Of course, time is just one element to
consider when making your investment decision.
STRONG FUNDS SUGGESTED MINIMUM HOLDING PERIODS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
UNDER 1 YEAR 1 TO 2 YEARS 4 TO 7 YEARS 5 OR MORE YEARS
- -------------------- --------------------------- -------------------------- ------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Money Market Fund Advantage Fund Government Securities Fund Asset Allocation Fund
Heritage Money Fund Municipal Advantage Fund Municipal Bond Fund American Utilities Fund
Municipal Money Corporate Bond Fund Index 500 Fund
Market Fund 2 TO 4 YEARS International Bond Fund Total Return Fund
--------------------------- High-Yield Municipal Bond Opportunity Fund
Short-Term Bond Fund Fund Growth Fund
Short-Term Municipal Bond High-Yield Bond Fund Common Stock Fund*
Fund Discovery Fund
Short-Term Global Bond Fund International Stock Fund
Short-Term High Yield Bond Asia Pacific Fund
Fund Value Fund
Short-Term High Yield Small Cap Fund
Municipal Fund Growth and Income Fund
Equity Income Fund
Mid Cap Fund
Schafer Value Fund
Growth 20 Fund
Blue Chip 100 Fund
Small Cap Value Fund
</TABLE>
-38-
<PAGE> 102
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Dow 30 Value Fund
Schafer Balanced Fund
Limited Resources Fund
</TABLE>
* This Fund is closed to new investors, except the Fund may continue to offer
its shares through certain 401(k) plans and similar company-sponsored
retirement plans.
ADDITIONAL FUND INFORMATION
(1) PORTFOLIO CHARACTERISTICS
In order to present a more complete picture of the Fund's portfolio,
marketing materials may include various actual or estimated portfolio
characteristics, including but not limited to median market capitalizations,
earnings per share, alphas, betas, price/earnings ratios, returns on equity,
dividend yields, capitalization ranges, growth rates, price/book ratios, top
holdings, sector breakdowns, asset allocations, quality breakdowns, and
breakdowns by geographic region.
(2) MEASURES OF VOLATILITY AND RELATIVE PERFORMANCE
Occasionally statistics may be used to specify Fund volatility or risk.
The general premise is that greater volatility connotes greater risk undertaken
in achieving performance. Measures of volatility or risk are generally used to
compare the Fund's net asset value or performance relative to a market index.
One measure of volatility is beta. Beta is the volatility of a fund relative
to the total market as represented by the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index. A
beta of more than 1.00 indicates volatility greater than the market, and a beta
of less than 1.00 indicates volatility less than the market. Another measure
of volatility or risk is standard deviation. Standard deviation is a
statistical tool that measures the degree to which a fund's performance has
varied from its average performance during a particular time period.
Standard deviation is calculated using the following formula:
2
Standard deviation = the square root of E(xi - xm)
---------
n-1
where E = "the sum of",
xi = each individual return during the time period,
xm = the average return over the time period, and
n = the number of individual returns during the time period.
Statistics may also be used to discuss the Fund's relative performance.
One such measure is alpha. Alpha measures the actual return of a fund compared
to the expected return of a fund given its risk (as measured by beta). The
expected return is based on how the market as a whole performed, and how the
particular fund has historically performed against the market. Specifically,
alpha is the actual return less the expected return. The expected return is
computed by multiplying the advance or decline in a market representation by
the fund's beta. A positive alpha quantifies the value that the fund manager
has added, and a negative alpha quantifies the value that the fund manager has
lost.
Other measures of volatility and relative performance may be used as
appropriate. However, all such measures will fluctuate and do not represent
future results.
GENERAL INFORMATION
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY
The Advisor is an independent, Midwestern-based investment advisor, owned
by professionals active in its management. Recognizing that investors are the
focus of its business, the Advisor strives for excellence both in investment
management and in the service provided to investors. This commitment affects
many aspects of the business, including professional staffing, product
development, investment management, and service delivery.
- 39 -
<PAGE> 103
The increasing complexity of the capital markets requires specialized
skills and processes for each asset class and style. Therefore, the Advisor
believes that active management should produce greater returns than a passively
managed index. The Advisor has brought together a group of top-flight
investment professionals with diverse product expertise, and each concentrates
on their investment specialty. The Advisor believes that people are the firm's
most important asset. For this reason, continuity of professionals is critical
to the firm's long-term success.
INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT
Discussions of economic, social, and political conditions and their impact
on the Funds may be used in advertisements and sales materials. Such factors
that may impact the Funds include, but are not limited to, changes in interest
rates, political developments, the competitive environment, consumer behavior,
industry trends, technological advances, macroeconomic trends, and the supply
and demand of various financial instruments. In addition, marketing materials
may cite the portfolio management's views or interpretations of such factors.
EIGHT BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL MUTUAL FUND INVESTING
These common sense rules are followed by many successful investors. They
make sense for beginners, too. If you have a question on these principles, or
would like to discuss them with us, please contact us at 1-800-368-3863.
1. Have a plan - even a simple plan can help you take control of your
financial future. Review your plan once a year, or if your circumstances
change.
2. Start investing as soon as possible. Make time a valuable ally. Let it
put the power of compounding to work for you, while helping to reduce your
potential investment risk.
3. Diversify your portfolio. By investing in different asset classes -
stocks, bonds, and cash - you help protect against poor performance in one
type of investment while including investments most likely to help you
achieve your important goals.
4. Invest regularly. Investing is a process, not a one-time event. By
investing regularly over the long term, you reduce the impact of
short-term market gyrations, and you attend to your long-term plan before
you're tempted to spend those assets on short-term needs.
5. Maintain a long-term perspective. For most individuals, the best
discipline is staying invested as market conditions change. Reactive,
emotional investment decisions are all too often a source of regret - and
principal loss.
6. Consider stocks to help achieve major long-term goals. Over time, stocks
have provided the more powerful returns needed to help the value of your
investments stay well ahead of inflation.
7. Keep a comfortable amount of cash in your portfolio. To meet current
needs, including emergencies, use a money market fund or a bank account -
not your long-term investment assets.
8. Know what you're buying. Make sure you understand the potential risks and
rewards associated with each of your investments. Ask questions... request
information...make up your own mind. And choose a fund company that helps
you make informed investment decisions.
STRONG RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES
Strong Retirement Plan Services offers a full menu of high quality,
affordable retirement plan options, including traditional money purchase
pension and profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, simplified employee pension
plans, salary reduction plans, Keoghs, and 403(b) plans. Retirement plan
specialists are available to help companies determine which type of retirement
plan may be appropriate for their particular situation.
Markets:
- 40 -
<PAGE> 104
The retirement plan services provided by the Advisor focus on four
distinct markets, based on the belief that a retirement plan should fit the
customer's needs, not the other way around.
1. Small company plans. Small company plans are designed for companies with
1-50 plan participants. The objective is to incorporate the features and
benefits typically reserved for large companies, such as sophisticated
recordkeeping systems, outstanding service, and investment expertise, into
a small company plan without administrative hassles or undue expense.
Small company plan sponsors receive a comprehensive plan administration
manual as well as toll-free telephone support.
2. Large company plans. Large company plans are designed for companies with
between 51 and 1,000 plan participants. Each large company plan is
assigned a team of professionals consisting of an account manager, who is
typically an attorney, CPA, or holds a graduate degree in business, a
conversion specialist (if applicable), an accounting manager, a
legal/technical manager, and an education/communications educator.
3. Women-owned businesses.
4. Non-profit and educational organizations (the 403(b) market).
Turnkey approach:
The retirement plans offered by the Advisor are designed to be streamlined
and simple to administer. To this end, the Advisor has invested heavily in the
equipment, systems, and people necessary to adopt or convert a plan, and to
keep it running smoothly. The Advisor provides all aspects of the plan,
including plan design, administration, recordkeeping, and investment
management. To streamline plan design, the Advisor provides customizable
IRS-approved prototype documents. The Advisor's services also include annual
government reporting and testing as well as daily valuation of each
participant's account. This structure is intended to eliminate the confusion
and complication often associated with dealing with multiple vendors. It is
also designed to save plan sponsors time and expense.
The Advisor strives to provide one-stop retirement savings programs that
combine the advantages of proven investment management, flexible plan design,
and a wide range of investment options. The open architecture design of the
plans allow for the use of the family of mutual funds managed by the Advisor as
well as a stable asset value option. Large company plans may supplement these
options with their company stock (if publicly traded) or funds from other
well-known mutual fund families.
Education:
Participant education and communication is key to the success of any
retirement program, and therefore is one of the most important services that
the Advisor provides. The Advisor's goal is twofold: to make sure that plan
participants fully understand their options and to educate them about the
lifelong investment process. To this end, the Advisor provides attractive,
readable print materials that are supplemented with audio and video tapes, and
retirement education programs.
Service:
The Advisor's goal is to provide a world class level of service. One
aspect of that service is an experienced, knowledgeable team that provides
ongoing support for plan sponsors, both at adoption or conversion and
throughout the life of a plan. The Advisor is committed to delivering accurate
and timely information, evidenced by straightforward, complete, and
understandable reports, participant account statements, and plan summaries.
The Advisor has designed both "high-tech" and "high-touch" systems,
providing an automated telephone system as well as personal contact.
Participants can access daily account information, conduct transactions, or
have questions answered in the way that is most comfortable for them.
STRONG FINANCIAL ADVISORS GROUP
- 41 -
<PAGE> 105
The Strong Financial Advisors Group is dedicated to helping financial
advisors better serve their clients. Financial advisors receive regular
updates on the mutual funds managed by the Advisor, access to portfolio
managers through special conference calls, consolidated mailings of duplicate
confirmation statements, access to the Advisor's network of regional
representatives, and other specialized services. For more information on the
Strong Financial Advisors Group, call 1-800-368-1683.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Each portfolio manager works with a team of analysts, traders, and
administrative personnel. From time to time, marketing materials may discuss
various members of the team, including their education, investment experience,
and other credentials.
The Subadvisor believes that small companies offer excellent opportunities
for capital growth. Smaller capitalization stocks generally offer more
long-term growth potential and entail significantly greater price variability
than stocks of larger, more established firms.
The Subadvisor uses a primarily bottom-up securities selection process
based on fundamental research. The Subadvisor focuses on identifying value, as
measured by qualitative factors (such as quality, committed management) and
quantitative measures that indicate that a stock may be undervalued (relative
to earnings growth, cash flow, earnings, market valuations, or other
indicators).
The Subadvisor's investment approach includes identifying catalyst
events--whether company specific or affecting an industry or sector--that will
bring out the value in companies currently not recognized by the market. These
events include:
* unrecognized sectors experiencing positive change
* corporate restructuring
* new management
* new product offerings
* environmental change (political, economic, social)
The Subadvisor seeks to manage risk by identifying strong value companies
exhibiting a catalyst for positive change, using various financial techniques
such as writing calls, and when appropriate, building cash reserves.
The Subadvisor considers selling a stock if he believes that fundamental
changes will negatively impact the company long-term, or if valuations become
excessive.
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., 411 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202, have been selected as the independent accountants for the Fund,
providing audit services and assistance and consultation with respect to the
preparation of filings with the SEC.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., 780 North Water Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202,
acts as outside legal counsel for the Fund.
- 42 -
<PAGE> 106
NOTE: FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. AND IBCA, INC. MERGED ON DECEMBER 3, 1997
FORMING FITCH IBCA, INC. AS OF DECEMBER 15, 1997, FITCH IBCA, INC. WAS WORKING
ON ESTABLISHING NEW RATINGS CRITERIA FOR DEBT OBLIGATIONS.
APPENDIX
BOND RATINGS
STANDARD & POOR'S DEBT RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's corporate or municipal debt rating is a current
assessment of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific
obligation. This assessment may take into consideration obligors such as
guarantors, insurers, or lessees.
The debt rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a
security, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for
a particular investor.
The ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer or
obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable. S&P does not perform
an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited
financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as
a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on
other circumstances.
The ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following
considerations:
1. Likelihood of default capacity and willingness of
the obligor as to the timely payment of interest and repayment
of principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation.
2. Nature of and provisions of the obligation.
3. Protection afforded by, and relative position of,
the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or
other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws
affecting creditors' rights.
INVESTMENT GRADE
AAA Debt rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's.
Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA Debt rated 'AA' has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A Debt rated 'A' has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal, although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of
changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher-rated
categories.
BBB Debt rated 'BBB' is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits 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
debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
SPECULATIVE GRADE
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. While such debt will likely have some quality and
protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or
major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB Debt rated 'BB' has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure
to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to
inadequate
A-1
<PAGE> 107
capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The 'BB' rating
category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an
actual or implied 'BBB-' rating.
B Debt rated 'B' has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The 'B' rating category is
also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or
implied 'BB' or 'BB-' rating.
CCC Debt rated 'CCC' has a currently identifiable vulnerability to
default, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic
conditions to meet timely payment of interest and repayment 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. The 'CCC'
rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is
assigned an actual or implied 'B' or 'B-' rating.
CC Debt rated 'CC' typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior
debt that is assigned an actual or implied 'CCC' rating.
C Debt rated 'C' typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied 'CCC-' rating. The 'C' rating may be
used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but debt
service payments are continued.
CI The rating 'CI' is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is
being paid.
D Debt rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used
when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due, even
if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such
payments will be made during such grade period. The 'D' rating also will be
used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are
jeopardized.
MOODY'S LONG-TERM DEBT 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 edged". 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 are generally known
as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins
of protection may not be as large as 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 risk 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 some time 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 thereby 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
maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be
small.
A-2
<PAGE> 108
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 represent 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.
FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. BOND RATINGS
Fitch investment grade bond and preferred stock ratings provide a guide to
investors in determining the credit risk associated with a particular security.
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to meet the
obligations of a specific debt or preferred issue in a timely manner.
The rating takes into consideration special features of the issue, its
relationship to other obligations of the issuer, the current and prospective
financial condition and operating performance of the issuer and any guarantor,
as well as the economic and political environment that might affect the
issuer's future financial strength and credit quality.
Fitch ratings do not reflect any credit enhancement that may be provided
by insurance policies or financial guaranties unless otherwise indicated.
Bonds and preferred stock carrying the same rating are of similar but not
necessarily identical credit quality since the rating categories do not fully
reflect small differences in the degrees of credit risk.
Fitch ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any security.
Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any
security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature or taxability of
payments made in respect of any security.
Fitch ratings are based on information obtained from issuers, other
obligors, underwriters, their experts, and other sources Fitch believes to be
reliable. Fitch does not audit or verify the truth or accuracy of such
information. Ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of
changes in, or the unavailability of, information or for other reasons.
AAA Bonds and preferred stock considered to be investment grade
and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally
strong ability to pay interest and/or dividends and repay principal,
which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
AA Bonds and preferred stock considered to be investment grade
and of very high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay
interest and/or dividends and repay principal is very strong,
although not quite as strong as bonds rated 'AAA'. Because bonds
and preferred stock rated in the 'AAA' and 'AA' categories are not
significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments,
short-term debt of the issuers is generally rated 'F-1+'.
A Bonds and preferred stock considered to be investment grade
and of high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest
and/or dividends and repay principal is considered to be strong,
but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances than debt or preferred securities with
higher ratings.
BBB Bonds and preferred stock considered to be investment grade
and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay
interest or dividends and repay principal is considered to be
adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances,
however, are more likely to have adverse impact on these securities
and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the
ratings of these bonds or preferred will fall below investment grade
is higher than for securities with higher ratings.
A-3
<PAGE> 109
Fitch speculative grade bond or preferred stock ratings provide a guide to
investors in determining the credit risk associated with a particular security.
The ratings ('BB' to 'C') represent Fitch's assessment of the likelihood of
timely payment of principal and interest or dividends in accordance with the
terms of obligation for issues not in default. For defaulted bonds or
preferred stock, the rating ('DDD' to 'D') is an assessment of the ultimate
recovery value through reorganization or liquidation.
The rating takes into consideration special features of the issue, its
relationship to other obligations of the issuer or possible recovery value in
bankruptcy, the current and prospective financial condition and operating
performance of the issuer and any guarantor, as well as the economic and
political environment that might affect the issuer's future financial strength.
Bonds or preferred stock that have the same rating are of similar but not
necessarily identical credit quality since the rating categories cannot fully
reflect the differences in the degrees of credit risk.
BB Bonds or preferred stock are considered speculative. The
obligor's ability to pay interest or dividends 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 or preferred stock are considered highly speculative.
While bonds in this class are currently meeting debt service
requirements or paying dividends, 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 or preferred stock have certain identifiable
characteristics that, if not remedied, may lead to default. The
ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and
economic environment.
CC Bonds or preferred stock are minimally protected. Default
in payment of interest and/or principal seems probable over time.
C Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or
principal or suspension of preferred stock dividends is imminent.
DDD, DD,
and D Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments
or preferred stock dividends are suspended. Such securities 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 of
these securities, and 'D' represents the lowest potential for
recovery.
DUFF & PHELPS, INC. LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS
These ratings represent a summary opinion of the issuer's long-term
fundamental quality. Rating determination is based on qualitative and
quantitative factors which may vary according to the basic economic and
financial characteristics of each industry and each issuer. Important
considerations are vulnerability to economic cycles as well as risks related to
such factors as competition, government action, regulation, technological
obsolescence, demand shifts, cost structure, and management depth and
expertise. The projected viability of the obligor at the trough of the cycle
is a critical determination.
Each rating also takes into account the legal form of the security, (e.g.,
first mortgage bonds, subordinated debt, preferred stock, etc.). The extent of
rating dispersion among the various classes of securities is determined by
several factors including relative weightings of the different security classes
in the capital structure, the overall credit strength of the issuer, and the
nature of covenant protection. Review of indenture restrictions is important
to the analysis of a company's operating and financial constraints. From time
to time, Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. places issuers or security classes on
Rating Watch. The Rating Watch Status results from a need to notify investors
and the issuer that there are conditions present leading us to re-evaluate the
current rating(s). A listing on Rating Watch, however, does not mean a rating
change is inevitable. The Rating Watch Status can either be resolved quickly
or over a longer period of time, depending on the reasons surrounding the
placement on Rating Watch. The "up" designation means a rating may be
upgraded; the "down" designation means a rating may be downgraded, and the
uncertain designation means a rating may be raised or lowered.
A-4
<PAGE> 110
The Credit Rating Committee formally reviews all ratings once per quarter
(more frequently, if necessary). Ratings of 'BBB-' and higher fall within the
definition of investment grade securities, as defined by bank and insurance
supervisory authorities. Structured finance issues, including real estate,
asset-backed and mortgage-backed financings, use this same rating scale with
minor modification in the definitions. Thus, an investor can compare the
credit quality of investment alternatives across industries and structural
types. A "Cash Flow Rating" (as noted for specific ratings) addresses the
likelihood that aggregate principal and interest will equal or exceed the rated
amount under appropriate stress conditions.
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
RATING SCALE DEFINITION
AAA Highest credit quality. The risk factors are negligible, being only slightly more
than for risk-free U.S. Treasury debt.
AA+ High credit quality. Protection factors are strong. Risk is modest, but may
AA vary slightly from time to time because of economic conditions.
AA-
A+ Protection factors are average but adequate. However, risk factors are more
A variable and greater in periods of economic stress.
A-
BBB+ Below-average protection factors but still considered sufficient for prudent
BBB investment. Considerable variability in risk during economic cycles.
BBB-
BB+ Below investment grade but deemed likely to meet obligations when due.
BB Present or prospective financial protection factors fluctuate according to
BB- industry conditions or company fortunes. Overall quality may move up or
down frequently within this category.
B+ Below investment grade and possessing risk that obligations will not be met
B when due. Financial protection factors will fluctuate widely according to
B- economic cycles, industry conditions and/or company fortunes. Potential
exists for frequent changes in the rating within this category or into a higher
or lower rating grade.
CCC Well below investment grade securities. Considerable uncertainty exists as to
timely payment of principal, interest or preferred dividends.
Protection factors are narrow and risk can be substantial with unfavorable
economic/industry conditions, and/or with unfavorable company developments.
DD Defaulted debt obligations. Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal and/or
interest payments.
DP Preferred stock with dividend arrearages.
</TABLE>
A-5
<PAGE> 111
IBCA LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS
AAA - Obligations for which there is the lowest expectation of investment
risk. Capacity for timely repayment of principal and interest is substantial,
such that adverse changes in business, economic or financial conditions are
unlikely to increase investment risk substantially.
AA - Obligations for which there is a very low expectation of investment
risk. Capacity for timely repayment of principal and interest is substantial.
Adverse changes in business, economic or financial conditions may increase
investment risk, albeit not very significantly.
A - Obligations for which there is a low expectation of investment risk.
Capacity for timely repayment of principal and interest is strong, although
adverse changes in business, economic or financial conditions may lead to
increased investment risk.
BBB - Obligations for which there is currently a low expectation of
investment risk. Capacity for timely repayment of principal and interest is
adequate, although adverse changes in business, economic or financial
conditions are more likely to lead to increased investment risk than for
obligations in other categories.
BB - Obligations for which there is a possibility of investment risk
developing. Capacity for timely repayment of principal and interest exists,
but is susceptible over time to adverse changes in business, economic or
financial conditions.
B - Obligations for which investment risk exists. Timely repayment of
principal and interest is not sufficiently protected against adverse changes in
business, economic or financial conditions.
CCC - Obligations for which there is a current perceived possibility of
default. Timely repayment of principal and interest is dependent on favorable
business, economic or financial conditions.
CC - Obligations which are highly speculative or which have a high risk of
default.
C - Obligations which are currently in default.
NOTES: "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating below AAA to denote relative
status within major rating categories. Ratings of BB and below are assigned
where it is considered that speculative characteristics are present.
THOMSON BANKWATCH LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS
Long-Term Debt Ratings assigned by Thomson BankWatch also weigh heavily
government ownership and support. The quality of both the company's management
and franchise are of even greater importance in the Long-Term Debt Rating
decisions. Long-Term Debt Ratings look out over a cycle and are not adjusted
frequently for what we believe are short-term performance aberrations.
Long-Term Debt Ratings can be restricted to local currency debt - ratings
will be identified by the designation LC. In addition, Long-Term Debt Ratings
may include a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate where within the category the
issue is placed. BankWatch Long-Term Debt Ratings are based on the following
scale:
INVESTMENT GRADE
AAA (LC-AAA) - Indicates that the ability to repay principal and interest
on a timely basis is extremely high.
AA (LC-AA) - Indicates a very strong ability to repay principal and
interest on a timely basis, with limited incremental risk compared to issues
rated in the highest category.
A (LC-A) - Indicates the ability to repay principal and interest is
strong. Issues rated A could be more vulnerable to adverse developments (both
internal and external) than obligations with higher ratings.
A-6
<PAGE> 112
BBB (LC-BBB) - The lowest investment-grade category; indicates an
acceptable capacity to repay principal and interest. BBB issues are more
vulnerable to adverse developments (both internal and external) than
obligations with higher ratings.
Non-Investment Grade - may be speculative in the likelihood of timely repayment
of principal and interest
BB (LC-BB) - While not investment grade, the BB rating suggests that the
likelihood of default is considerably less than for lower-rated issues.
However, there are significant uncertainties that could affect the ability to
adequately service debt obligations.
B (LC-B) - Issues rated B show higher degree of uncertainty and therefore
greater likelihood of default than higher-rated issues. Adverse developments
could negatively affect the payment of interest and principal on a timely
basis.
CCC (LC-CCC) - Issues rated CCC clearly have a high likelihood of default,
with little capacity to address further adverse changes in financial
circumstances.
CC (LC-CC) - CC is applied to issues that are subordinate to other
obligations rated CCC and are afforded less protection in the event of
bankruptcy or reorganization.
D (LC-D) - Default.
SHORT-TERM RATINGS
STANDARD & POOR'S COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the
likelihood of timely payment of debt considered short-term in the relevant
market.
Ratings are graded into several categories, ranging from 'A-1' for the
highest quality obligations to 'D' for the lowest. These categories are as
follows:
A-1 This highest category indicates that the degree of safety regarding
timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong
safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.
A-2 Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is
satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for
issues designated 'A-1'.
A-3 Issues carrying this designation have adequate capacity for timely
payment. They are, however, more vulnerable to the adverse effects of changes
in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.
B Issues rated 'B' are regarded as having only speculative capacity for
timely payment.
C This rating is assigned to short-term debt obligations with doubtful
capacity for payment.
D Debt rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used
when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due, even
if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such
payments will be made during such grace period.
STANDARD & POOR'S NOTE RATINGS
An S&P note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market-access risks
unique to notes. Notes maturing in three years or less will likely receive a
note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a
long-term debt rating.
A-7
<PAGE> 113
The following criteria will be used in making the assessment:
* Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity
relative to other maturities, the more likely the issue is to be
treated as a note.
* Source of payment - the more the issue depends on the market
for its refinancing, the more likely it is to be treated as a note.
Note rating symbols and definitions are as follows:
SP-1 Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Issues determined to
possess very strong characteristics are given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2 Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some
vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the
notes.
SP-3 Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
MOODY'S SHORT-TERM RATINGS
Moody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to
repay punctually senior debt obligations. These obligations have an original
maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.
Moody's employs the following three designations, all judged to be
investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability
for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability
will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics: (i) leading
market positions in well-established industries, (ii) high rates of return on
funds employed, (iii) conservative capitalization structure with moderate
reliance on debt and ample asset protection, (iv) broad margins in earnings
coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation, and (v)
well established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of
alternate liquidity.
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability
for repayment of senior short-term debt 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, may be more subject to
variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be
more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable
ability for repayment of senior short-term obligations. The effect of industry
characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced. Variability in
earnings and profitability may result in changes in the level of debt
protection measurements and may require relatively high financial leverage.
Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.
Issuers rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating
categories.
FITCH INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. SHORT-TERM RATINGS
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on
demand or have original maturities of generally up to three years, including
commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and
investment notes.
The short-term rating places greater emphasis than a long-term rating on
the existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a
timely manner.
A-8
<PAGE> 114
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 assigned this rating have a
satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payment but the margin
of safety is not as great as for issues assigned 'F-1+' and 'F-1'
ratings.
F-3 Fair Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have
characteristics suggesting that the degree of assurance for timely
payment is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could cause
these securities to be rated below investment grade.
F-S Weak Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have
characteristics suggesting a minimal degree of assurance for timely
payment and are vulnerable to near-term adverse changes in financial
and economic conditions.
D Default. Issues assigned this rating are in actual or
imminent payment default.
LOC The symbol LOC indicates that the rating is based on a letter
of credit issued by a commercial bank.
DUFF & PHELPS, INC. SHORT-TERM DEBT RATINGS
Duff & Phelps' short-term ratings are consistent with the rating criteria
used by money market participants. The ratings apply to all obligations with
maturities of under one year, including commercial paper, the uninsured portion
of certificates of deposit, unsecured bank loans, master notes, bankers
acceptances, irrevocable letters of credit, and current maturities of long-term
debt. Asset-backed commercial paper is also rated according to this scale.
Emphasis is placed on liquidity which is defined as not only cash from
operations, but also access to alternative sources of funds including trade
credit, bank lines, and the capital markets. An important consideration is the
level of an obligor's reliance on short-term funds on an ongoing basis.
The distinguishing feature of Duff & Phelps' short-term ratings is the
refinement of the traditional '1' category. The majority of short-term debt
issuers carry the highest rating, yet quality differences exist within that
tier. As a consequence, Duff & Phelps has incorporated gradations of '1+' (one
plus) and '1-' (one minus) to assist investors in recognizing those
differences.
From time to time, Duff & Phelps places issuers or security classes on
Rating Watch. The Rating Watch status results from a need to notify investors
and the issuer that there are conditions present leading us to re-evaluate the
current rating(s). A listing on Rating Watch, however, does not mean a rating
change is inevitable.
The Rating Watch status can either be resolved quickly or over a longer
period of time, depending on the reasons surrounding the placement on Rating
Watch. The "up" designation means a rating may be upgraded; the "down"
designation means a rating may be downgraded, and the "uncertain" designation
means a rating may be raised or lowered.
RATING SCALE: DEFINITION
- ------------- ----------
High Grade
----------
D-1+ Highest certainty of timely payment. Short-Term liquidity,
including internal operating factors and/or access to alternative
sources of funds, is outstanding, and safety is just below
risk-free U.S. Treasury short-term obligations.
A-9
<PAGE> 115
D-1 Very high certainty of timely payment. Liquidity
factors are excellent and supported by good fundamental
protection factors. Risk factors are minor.
D-1- High certainty of timely payment. Liquidity factors are
strong and supported by good fundamental protection
factors. Risk factors are very small.
Good Grade
D-2 Good certainty of timely payment. Liquidity factors and
company fundamentals are sound. Although ongoing funding needs
may enlarge total financing requirements, access to capital
markets is good. Risk factors are small.
Satisfactory Grade
D-3 Satisfactory liquidity and other protection factors qualify
issues as to investment grade. Risk factors are larger and
subject to more variation. Nevertheless, timely payment is
expected.
Non-Investment Grade
D-4 Speculative investment characteristics. Liquidity is not
sufficient to insure against disruption in debt service.
Operating factors and market access may be subject to a high
degree of variation.
Default
D-5 Issuer failed to meet scheduled principal and/or interest
payments.
THOMSON BANKWATCH (TBW) SHORT-TERM RATINGS
The TBW Short-Term Ratings apply, unless otherwise noted, to specific debt
instruments of the rated entities with a maturity of one year or less. TBW
Short-Term Ratings are intended to assess the likelihood of an untimely or
incomplete payments of principal or interest.
TBW-1 The highest category; indicates a very high likelihood that
principal and interest will be paid on a timely basis.
TBW-2 The second highest category; while the degree of safety regarding
timely repayment of principal and interest is strong, the relative degree of
safety is not as high as for issues rated "TBW-1".
TBW-3 The lowest investment-grade category; indicates that while the
obligation is more susceptible to adverse developments (both internal and
external) than those with higher ratings, the capacity to service principal and
interest in a timely fashion is considered adequate.
TBW-4 The lowest rating category; this rating is regarded as
non-investment grade and therefore speculative.
IBCA SHORT-TERM RATINGS
IBCA Short-Term Ratings assess the borrowing characteristics of banks and
corporations, and the capacity for timely repayment of debt obligations. The
Short-Term Ratings relate to debt which has a maturity of less than one year.
A1 Obligations supported by the highest capacity for timely repayment.
Where issues possess a particularly strong credit feature, a rating of
A1+ is assigned.
A2 Obligations supported by a good capacity for timely repayment.
A-10
<PAGE> 116
A3 Obligations supported by a satisfactory capacity for timely repayment.
B Obligations for which there is an uncertainty as to the capacity to
ensure timely repayment.
C Obligations for which there is a high risk of default or which are
currently in default.
A-11
<PAGE> 117
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
STRONG DOW 30 VALUE FUND*
P.O. Box 2936
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Telephone: (414) 359-1400
Toll-Free: (800) 368-3863
www.strong-funds.com
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus and should
be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of Strong Dow 30 Value Fund (the
"Fund"), which is a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc., dated December 31,
1997. Requests for copies of the Prospectus should be made by calling one of the
numbers listed above.
This Statement of Additional Information is dated December 31,
1997.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones. Dow Jones
makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of
the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in
securities generally or in the Fund particularly. Dow Jones' only relationship
to the Fund is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Dow Jones
and of the Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM which is determined, composed and
calculated by Dow Jones without regard to the Fund, Dow Jones has no obligation
to take the needs of the Fund or its shareholders into consideration in
determining, composing or calculating Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM. Dow Jones
is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the
timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Fund's shares to be issued or in the
determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund's shares are to
be redeemed. Dow Jones has no obligation or liability in connection with the
administration or marketing of the Fund.
DOW JONES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE DOW
JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND DOW JONES SHALL HAVE
NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. DOW JONES
MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE FUND,
SHAREHOLDERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE DOW
JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. DOW JONES MAKES NO
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGESM OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING
ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL DOW JONES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY
LOST PROFITS OR INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING
LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THERE ARE NO
THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN DOW JONES
AND THE FUND.
<PAGE> 118
STRONG DOW 30 VALUE FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
<S> <C>
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS......................................................................3
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES...........................................................4
Borrowing..................................................................................4
Futures and Options........................................................................5
Illiquid Securities........................................................................8
Lending of Portfolio Securities............................................................9
Repurchase Agreements......................................................................9
Temporary Defensive Position...............................................................9
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND...........................................................9
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS......................................................................11
INVESTMENT ADVISOR, SUBADVISOR, AND DISTRIBUTOR.............................................11
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE........................................................14
CUSTODIAN...................................................................................17
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT................................................17
TAXES.......................................................................................17
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE............................................................18
ADDITIONAL SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION..........................................................18
FUND ORGANIZATION...........................................................................20
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS........................................................................21
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.....................................................................21
GENERAL INFORMATION.........................................................................26
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS.....................................................................28
LEGAL COUNSEL...............................................................................28
</TABLE>
--------------------------------------
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in this Statement of Additional
Information and the Prospectus dated December 31, 1997 and, if given or made,
such information or representations may not be relied upon as having been
authorized by the Fund.
This Statement of Additional Information does not constitute
an offer to sell securities.
<PAGE> 119
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital growth. The
Fund's investment objective and policies are described in detail in the
Prospectus under the caption "Investment Objective and Policies." The following
are the Fund's fundamental investment limitations which cannot be changed
without shareholder approval.
The Fund :
1. May (i) borrow money from banks and (ii) make other investments or
engage in other transactions permissible under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") which may involve a borrowing, provided
that the combination of (i) and (ii) shall not exceed 33 1/3% of the
value of the Fund's total assets (including the amount borrowed), less
the Fund's liabilities (other than borrowings), except that the Fund may
borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the
amount borrowed) from a bank for temporary or emergency purposes (but
not for leverage or the purchase of investments). The Fund may also
borrow money from the other Strong Funds or other persons to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
2. May not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
3. May not act as an underwriter of another issuer's securities, except to
the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the purchase
and sale of portfolio securities.
4. May not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a
result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall
not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures
contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in
securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
5. May not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of the Fund's
total assets would be lent to other persons, except through (i)
purchases of debt securities or other debt instruments, or (ii) engaging
in repurchase agreements.
6. May not purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than
25% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of
issuers, the principal business activities of which are in the same
industry.
7. May not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of
ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not
prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other
instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate
activities).
8. May, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment policy or
restriction, invest 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.
The following are the Fund's non-fundamental operating policies which
may be changed by the Board of Directors of the Fund without shareholder
approval.
The Fund may not:
1. Sell securities short, unless the Fund owns or has the right to obtain
securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short,
or unless it covers such short sale as required by the current rules and
positions of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, and
provided that transactions in options, futures contracts, options on
futures contracts, or other derivative instruments are not deemed to
constitute selling securities short.
2. Purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such
short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions;
and provided that margin deposits in connection with futures contracts,
options on futures contracts, or other derivative instruments shall not
constitute purchasing securities on margin.
3
<PAGE> 120
3. Invest in illiquid securities if, as a result of such investment, more
than 15% of its net assets would be invested in illiquid securities, or
such other amounts as may be permitted under the 1940 Act.
4. Purchase securities of other investment companies except in compliance
with the 1940 Act and applicable state law.
5. Invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end
investment management company with substantially the same fundamental
investment objective, restrictions and policies as the Fund.
6. Engage in futures or options on futures transactions which are
impermissible pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act and,
in accordance with Rule 4.5, will use futures or options on futures
transactions solely for bona fide hedging transactions (within the
meaning of the Commodity Exchange Act), provided, however, that the Fund
may, in addition to bona fide hedging transactions, use futures and
options on futures transactions if the aggregate initial margin and
premiums required to establish such positions, less the amount by which
any such options positions are in the money (within the meaning of the
Commodity Exchange Act), do not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets.
7. Borrow money except (i) from banks or (ii) through reverse repurchase
agreements or mortgage dollar rolls, and will not purchase securities
when bank borrowings exceed 5% of its total assets.
8. Make any loans other than loans of portfolio securities, except through
(i) purchases of debt securities or other debt instruments, or (ii)
engaging in repurchase agreements.
Except for the fundamental investment limitations listed above and the
Fund's investment objective, the other investment policies described in the
Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information are not fundamental and
may be changed with approval of the Fund's Board of Directors. Unless noted
otherwise, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment,
a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in the Fund's
assets (i.e., due to cash inflows or redemptions) or in market value of the
investment or the Fund's assets will not constitute a violation of that
restriction.
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund's
investment objective, policies and techniques that are described in detail in
the Prospectus under the captions "Investment Objective and Policies" and
"Implementation of Policies and Risks."
BORROWING
The Fund may borrow money from banks and make other investments or
engage in other transactions permissible under the 1940 Act which may be
considered a borrowing (such as mortgage dollar rolls and reverse repurchase
agreements) as discussed under "Investment Restrictions." However, the Fund may
not purchase securities when bank borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total
assets. Presently, the Fund only intends to borrow from banks for temporary or
emergency purposes.
The Fund has established a line-of-credit (LOC) with certain banks by
which the Fund may borrow funds for temporary or emergency purposes. A borrowing
is presumed to be for temporary or emergency purposes if it is repaid by the
Fund within sixty days and is not extended or renewed. The Fund intends to use
the LOC to meet large or unexpected redemptions that would otherwise force the
Fund to liquidate securities under circumstances which are unfavorable to the
Fund's remaining shareholders. The Fund pays a commitment fee to the banks for
the LOC.
4
<PAGE> 121
FUTURES AND OPTIONS
IN GENERAL. The Fund may use futures and options on the Dow Jones
Industrial Average for any lawful purpose consistent with the Fund's investment
objective such as hedging or managing risk.
GENERAL LIMITATIONS. The use of futures and options is subject to
applicable regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"),
the several options and futures exchanges upon which they may be traded, the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and various state regulatory
authorities. In addition, the Fund's ability to use such instruments may be
limited by certain tax considerations. For a discussion of the federal income
tax treatment of the Fund's derivative instruments, see "Taxes - Derivative
Instruments."
The Fund has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the
definition of the term "commodity pool operator" with the CFTC and the National
Futures Association, which regulate trading in the futures markets. In
accordance with Rule 4.5 of the regulations under the Commodity Exchange Act
(the "CEA"), the notice of eligibility for the Fund includes representations
that the Fund will use futures contracts and related options solely for bona
fide hedging purposes within the meaning of CFTC regulations, provided that the
Fund may hold other positions in futures contracts and related options that do
not qualify as a bona fide hedging position if the aggregate initial margin
deposits and premiums required to establish these positions, less the amount by
which any such futures contracts and related options positions are "in the
money," do not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets. Adherence to these guidelines
does not limit the Fund's risk to 5% of the Fund's assets.
The SEC has identified certain trading practices involving derivative
instruments that involve the potential for leveraging the Fund's assets in a
manner that raises issues under the 1940 Act. In order to limit the potential
for the leveraging of the Fund's assets, as defined under the 1940 Act, the SEC
has stated that the Fund may use coverage or the segregation of the Fund's
assets. To the extent required by SEC guidelines, the Fund will not enter into
any such transactions unless it owns either: (i) an offsetting ("covered")
position in securities, options, futures, or derivative instruments; or (ii)
cash or liquid securities positions with a value sufficient at all times to
cover its potential obligations to the extent that the position is not
"covered". The Fund will also set aside cash and/or appropriate liquid assets in
a segregated custodial account if required to do so by the SEC and CFTC
regulations. Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold
while the derivative position is open, unless they are replaced with similar
assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund's assets to
segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund's ability to
meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
In some cases the Fund may be required to maintain or limit exposure to
a specified percentage of its assets to a particular asset class. In such cases,
when the Fund uses a derivative instrument to increase or decrease exposure to
an asset class and is required by applicable SEC guidelines to set aside liquid
assets in a segregated account to secure its obligations under the derivative
instruments, the Advisor may, where reasonable in light of the circumstances,
measure compliance with the applicable percentage by reference to the nature of
the economic exposure created through the use of the derivative instrument and
not by reference to the nature of the exposure arising from the liquid assets
set aside in the segregated account (unless another interpretation is specified
by applicable regulatory requirements).
OPTIONS. The Fund may use options for any lawful purpose consistent with
the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or managing risk. An option is a
contract in which the "holder" (the buyer) pays a certain amount (the "premium")
to the "writer" (the seller) to obtain the right, but not the obligation, to buy
from the writer (in a "call") or sell to the writer (in a "put") a specific
asset at an agreed upon price (the "strike price" or "exercise price") at or
before a certain time (the "expiration date"). The holder pays the premium at
inception and has no further financial obligation. The holder of an option will
benefit from favorable movements in the price of the underlying asset but is not
exposed to corresponding losses due to adverse movements in the value of the
underlying asset. The writer of an option will receive fees or premiums but is
exposed to losses due to changes in the value of the underlying asset. The Fund
may buy or write (sell) put and call options on assets, such as securities,
currencies, commodities, and indices of debt and equity securities ("underlying
assets") and enter into closing transactions with respect to such options to
terminate an existing position. Options used by the Fund may include European,
American, and Bermuda style options. If an option is exercisable only at
maturity, it is a "European" option; if it is also exercisable prior to
maturity, it is an "American" option. If it is exercisable only at certain
times, it is a "Bermuda" option.
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The Fund may purchase (buy) and write (sell) put and call options
underlying assets and enter into closing transactions with respect to such
options to terminate an existing position. The purchase of call options serves
as a long hedge, and the purchase of put options serves as a short hedge.
Writing put or call options can enable the Fund to enhance income by reason of
the premiums paid by the purchaser of such options. Writing call options serves
as a limited short hedge because declines in the value of the hedged investment
would be offset to the extent of the premium received for writing the option.
However, if the security appreciates to a price higher than the exercise price
of the call option, it can be expected that the option will be exercised and the
Fund will be obligated to sell the security at less than its market value or
will be obligated to purchase the security at a price greater than that at which
the security must be sold under the option. All or a portion of any assets used
as cover for OTC options written by the Fund would be considered illiquid to the
extent described under "Investment Policies and Techniques -- Illiquid
Securities." Writing put options serves as a limited long hedge because
increases in the value of the hedged investment would be offset to the extent of
the premium received for writing the option. However, if the security
depreciates to a price lower than the exercise price of the put option, it can
be expected that the put option will be exercised and the Fund will be obligated
to purchase the security at more than its market value.
The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the
historical price volatility of the underlying investment, the current market
value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the
relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying
investment, and general market conditions.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an
option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may
terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by
purchasing an identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase
transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call
option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is
known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to
realize the profit or limit the loss on an option position prior to its exercise
or expiration.
The Fund may purchase or write both exchange-traded and OTC options.
Exchange-traded options are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with
the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees
completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options
are contracts between the Fund and the other party to the transaction ("counter
party") (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization
guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases or writes an OTC option, it relies on
the counter party to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon
exercise of the option. Failure by the counter party to do so would result in
the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected
benefit of the transaction.
The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions in
exchange-listed options depends on the existence of a liquid market. The Fund
intends to purchase or write only those exchange-traded options for which there
appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that
such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be
made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counter party, or by
a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. Although the
Fund will enter into OTC options only with counter parties that are expected to
be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there is no
assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option at a
favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counter
party, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time
prior to its expiration. If the Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction
for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize
any profit.
The Fund may engage in options transactions on indices in much the same
manner as the options on securities discussed above, except the index options
may serve as a hedge against overall fluctuations in the securities market in
general.
The writing and purchasing of options is a highly specialized activity
that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated
with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Imperfect correlation between
the options and securities markets may detract from the effectiveness of
attempted hedging.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. The Fund may use futures contracts for any lawful
purpose consistent with the Fund's investment objective such as hedging or
managing risk. The Fund may enter into futures contracts, including interest
rate, index, and currency futures. The Fund may also purchase put and call
options, and write covered put and call options, on futures in which it is
allowed to invest. The purchase of futures or call options thereon can serve as
a long hedge, and the sale
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of futures or the purchase of put options thereon can serve as a short hedge.
Writing covered call options on futures contracts can serve as a limited short
hedge, and writing covered put options on futures contracts can serve as a
limited long hedge, using a strategy similar to that used for writing covered
options in securities. The Fund's hedging may include purchases of futures as an
offset against the effect of expected increases in securities prices and sales
of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in securities
prices. The Fund may also write put options on futures contracts while at the
same time purchasing call options on the same futures contracts in order to
create synthetically a long futures contract position. Such options would have
the same strike prices and expiration dates. The Fund will engage in this
strategy only when the Advisor believes it is more advantageous to the Fund than
is purchasing the futures contract.
To the extent required by regulatory authorities, the Fund only enters
into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges and are
standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument. Futures
exchanges and trading are regulated under the CEA by the CFTC. Although
techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts could be used to
the Fund's exposure to market, or interest rate fluctuations, the Fund may be
able to hedge its exposure more effectively and perhaps at a lower cost through
using futures contracts.
An index futures contract is an agreement pursuant to which the parties
agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference
between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the
contract and the price at which the index futures contract was originally
written. Transaction costs are incurred when a futures contract is bought or
sold and margin deposits must be maintained. A futures contract may be satisfied
by delivery or purchase, as the case may be, of the instrument, the currency or
by payment of the change in the cash value of the index. More commonly, futures
contracts are closed out prior to delivery by entering into an offsetting
transaction in a matching futures contract. Although the value of an index might
be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery
of those securities is made. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the
original sale price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes
a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original
purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a
loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There
can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an
offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a
particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting
transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin
deposits on the futures contract.
No price is paid by the Fund upon entering into a futures contract.
Instead, at the inception of a futures contract, the Fund is required to deposit
in a segregated account with its custodian, in the name of the futures broker
through whom the transaction was effected, "initial margin" consisting of cash
and/or other appropriate liquid assets in an amount generally equal to 10% or
less of the contract value. Margin must also be deposited when writing a call or
put option on a futures contract, in accordance with applicable exchange rules.
Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin on futures contracts
does not represent a borrowing, but rather is in the nature of a performance
bond or good-faith deposit that is returned to the Fund at the termination of
the transaction if all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Under
certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility, the Fund may be
required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial margin payment, and
initial margin requirements might be increased generally in the future by
regulatory action.
Subsequent "variation margin" payments are made to and from the futures
broker daily as the value of the futures position varies, a process known as
"marking to market." Variation margin does not involve borrowing, but rather
represents a daily settlement of the Fund's obligations to or from a futures
broker. When the Fund purchases an option on a future, the premium paid plus
transaction costs is all that is at risk. In contrast, when the Fund purchases
or sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is
subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event
of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily
variation margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when
such sales are disadvantageous. Purchasers and sellers of futures positions and
options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions by selling or
purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument held or
written. Positions in futures and options on futures may be closed only on an
exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. The Fund intends to
enter into futures transactions only on exchanges or boards of trade where there
appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that
such a market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily
limits on the amount that the price of a future or option on a futures contract
can vary from the previous day's settlement price; once that limit is reached,
no trades may be
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made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit
potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several
consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of
unfavorable positions.
If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures or option on a futures
contract position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the
imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would
continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition,
except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required
to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain the
position being hedged by the future or option or to maintain cash or securities
in a segregated account.
Certain characteristics of the futures market might increase the risk
that movements in the prices of futures contracts or options on futures
contracts might not correlate perfectly with movements in the prices of the
investments being hedged. For example, all participants in the futures and
options on futures contracts markets are subject to daily variation margin calls
and might be compelled to liquidate futures or options on futures contracts
positions whose prices are moving unfavorably to avoid being subject to further
calls. These liquidations could increase price volatility of the instruments and
distort the normal price relationship between the futures or options and the
investments being hedged. Also, because initial margin deposit requirements in
the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities
markets, there might be increased participation by speculators in the future
markets. This participation also might cause temporary price distortions. In
addition, activities of large traders in both the futures and securities markets
involving arbitrage, "program trading" and other investment strategies might
result in temporary price distortions.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in illiquid securities (i.e., securities that are
not readily marketable). However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities
if, as a result, they would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund's
net assets (or such other amounts as may be permitted under the 1940 Act).
However, as a matter of internal policy, the Advisor intends to limit the Fund's
investments in illiquid securities to 10% of its net assets.
The Board of Directors of the Fund, or its delegate, has the ultimate
authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities
laws, which securities are illiquid for purposes of this limitation. Certain
securities exempt from registration or issued in transactions exempt from
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
Act"), such as securities that may be resold to institutional investors under
Rule 144A under the Securities Act and Section 4(2) commercial paper may be
considered liquid under guidelines adopted by the Fund's Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Fund has delegated to the Advisor the
day-to-day determination of the liquidity of a security, although it has
retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The
Board of Directors has directed the Advisor to look to such factors as (i) the
frequency of trades or quotes for a security, (ii) the number of dealers willing
to purchase or sell the security and number of potential buyers, (iii) the
willingness of dealers to undertake to make a market in the security, (iv) the
nature of the security and nature of the marketplace trades, such as the time
needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the
mechanics of transfer, (v) the likelihood that the security's marketability will
be maintained throughout the anticipated holding period, and (vi) any other
relevant factors. The Advisor may determine 4(2) commercial paper to be liquid
if (i) the 4(2) commercial paper is not traded flat or in default as to
principal and interest, (ii) the 4(2) commercial paper is rated in one of the
two highest rating categories by at least two nationally rated statistical
rating organizations ("NRSRO"), or if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that
NRSRO, or is determined by the Advisor to be of equivalent quality, and (iii)
the Advisor considers the trading market for the specific security taking into
account all relevant factors. With respect to the Fund's foreign holdings, a
foreign security may be considered liquid by the Advisor (despite its restricted
nature under the Securities Act) if the security can be freely traded in a
foreign securities market and all the facts and circumstances support a finding
of liquidity.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated
transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration
statement is in effect under the Securities Act. Where registration is required,
the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a
considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the
time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective
registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were
to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it
decided to sell. Restricted
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securities will be priced in accordance with pricing procedures adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Fund. If through the appreciation of restricted
securities or the depreciation of unrestricted securities, the Fund should be in
a position where more than 15% of the value of its net assets are invested in
illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily
marketable (except for 144A Securities and 4(2) commercial paper deemed to be
liquid by the Advisor), the Fund will take such steps as is deemed advisable, if
any, to protect liquidity.
LENDING OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
The Fund is authorized to lend up to 33 1/3% of the total value of its
portfolio securities to broker-dealers or institutional investors that the
Advisor deems qualified, but only when the borrower maintains with the Fund's
custodian bank collateral either in cash or money market instruments in an
amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned, plus accrued
interest and dividends, determined on a daily basis and adjusted accordingly.
Although the Fund is authorized to lend, the Fund does not presently intend to
engage in lending. In determining whether to lend securities to a particular
broker-dealer or institutional investor, the Advisor will consider, and during
the period of the loan will monitor, all relevant facts and circumstances,
including the creditworthiness of the borrower. The Fund will retain authority
to terminate any loans at any time. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative
and custodial fees in connection with a loan and may pay a negotiated portion of
the interest earned on the cash or money market instruments held as collateral
to the borrower or placing broker. The Fund will receive reasonable interest on
the loan or a flat fee from the borrower and amounts equivalent to any
dividends, interest or other distributions on the securities loaned. The Fund
will retain record ownership of loaned securities to exercise beneficial rights,
such as voting and subscription rights and rights to dividends, interest or
other distributions, when retaining such rights is considered to be in a Fund's
interest.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with certain banks or
non-bank dealers. In a repurchase agreement, the Fund buys a security at one
price, and at the time of sale, the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation
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. The Advisor will monitor, on an ongoing basis,
the value of the underlying securities to ensure that the value always equals or
exceeds the repurchase price plus accrued interest. Repurchase agreements could
involve certain 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. Although no definitive
creditworthiness criteria are used, the Advisor reviews the creditworthiness of
the banks and non-bank dealers with which the Fund enters into repurchase
agreements to evaluate those risks. The Fund may, under certain circumstances,
deem repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities to be
investments in U.S. government securities.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITION
When the Advisor determines that market conditions warrant a temporary
defensive position, the Fund may invest without limitation in cash and
short-term fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities,
commercial paper, banker's acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time
deposits.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE FUND
Directors and officers of the Fund, together with information as to
their principal business occupations during the last five years, and other
information are shown below. Each director who is deemed an "interested person,"
as defined in the 1940 Act, is indicated by an asterisk (*). Each officer and
director holds the same position with 26 registered open-end management
investment companies consisting of 46 mutual funds (the "Strong Funds"). The
Strong Funds, in the aggregate, pays each Director who is not a director,
officer, or employee of the Advisor, or any affiliated company (a "disinterested
director") an annual fee of $50,000, plus $100 per Board meeting for each Strong
Fund. In addition, each disinterested director
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is reimbursed by the Strong Funds for travel and other expenses incurred in
connection with attendance at such meetings. Other officers and directors of the
Strong Funds receive no compensation or expense reimbursement from the Strong
Funds.
*RICHARD S. STRONG (DOB 5/12/42), Chairman of the Board and Director of the
Fund.
Prior to August 1985, Mr. Strong was Chief Executive Officer of the
Advisor, which he founded in 1974. Since August 1985, Mr. Strong has been a
Security Analyst and Portfolio Manager of the Advisor. In October 1991, Mr.
Strong also became the Chairman of the Advisor. Mr. Strong is a Director of the
Advisor. Mr. Strong has been in the investment management business since 1967.
Mr. Strong has served the Fund as a Director and Chairman of the Board since
December 1997.
MARVIN E. NEVINS (DOB 7/9/18), Director of the Fund.
Private Investor. From 1945 to 1980, Mr. Nevins was Chairman of
Wisconsin Centrifugal Inc., a foundry. From July 1983 to December 1986, he was
Chairman of General Casting Corp., Waukesha, Wisconsin, a foundry. Mr. Nevins is
a former Chairman of the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers & Commerce. He
was also a regent of the Milwaukee School of Engineering and a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Mr. Nevins has served the
Fund as a Director since December 1997.
WILLIE D. DAVIS (DOB 7/24/34), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Davis has been Director of Alliance Bank since 1980, Sara Lee
Corporation (a food/consumer products company) since 1983, KMart Corporation (a
discount consumer products company) since 1985, Dow Chemical Company since 1988,
MGM Grand, Inc. (an entertainment/hotel company) since 1990, WICOR, Inc. (a
utility company) since 1990, Johnson Controls, Inc. (an industrial company)
since 1992, L.A. Gear (a footwear/sportswear company) since 1992, and Rally's
Hamburger, Inc. since 1994. Mr. Davis has been a trustee of the University of
Chicago since 1980 and Marquette University since 1988. Since 1977, Mr. Davis
has been President and Chief Executive Officer of All Pro Broadcasting, Inc. Mr.
Davis was a Director of the Fireman's Fund (an insurance company) from 1975
until 1990. Mr. Davis has served the Fund as a Director since December 1997.
STANLEY KRITZIK (DOB 1/9/30), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Kritzik has been a Partner of Metropolitan Associates since 1962, a
Director of Aurora Health Care since 1987, and Health Network Ventures, Inc.
since 1992. Mr. Kritzik has served the Fund as a Director since December 1997.
WILLIAM F. VOGT (DOB 7/19/47), Director of the Fund.
Mr. Vogt has been the President of Vogt Management Consulting, Inc.
since 1990. From 1982 until 1990, he served as Executive Director of University
Physicians of the University of Colorado. Mr. Vogt is the Past President of the
Medical Group Management Association and a Fellow of the American College of
Medical Practice Executives. Mr. Vogt has served the Fund as a Director since
December 1997.
LAWRENCE A. TOTSKY (DOB 5/6/59), C.P.A., Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Totsky has been Senior Vice President of the Advisor since September
1994. Mr. Totsky served as Vice President of the Advisor from December 1992 to
September 1994. Mr. Totsky acted as the Advisor's Manager of Shareholder
Accounting and Compliance from June 1987 to June 1991 when he was named Director
of Mutual Fund Administration. Mr. Totsky has served the Fund as a Vice
President since December 1997.
THOMAS P. LEMKE (DOB 7/30/54), Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Lemke has been Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel
of the Advisor since September 1994. For two years prior to joining the Advisor,
Mr. Lemke acted as Resident Counsel for Funds Management at J.P. Morgan & Co.,
Inc. From February 1989 until April 1992, Mr. Lemke acted as Associate General
Counsel to Sanford C. Bernstein Co., Inc.
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For two years prior to that, Mr. Lemke was Of Counsel at the Washington, D.C.
law firm of Tew Jorden & Schulte, a successor of Finley, Kumble & Wagner. From
August 1979 until December 1986, Mr. Lemke worked at the Securities and Exchange
Commission, most notably as the Chief Counsel to the Division of Investment
Management (November 1984 - December 1986), and as Special Counsel to the Office
of Insurance Products, Division of Investment Management (April 1982 - October
1984). Mr. Lemke has served the Fund as a Vice President since December 1997.
STEPHEN J. SHENKENBERG (DOB 6/14/58), Vice President and Secretary of the Fund.
Mr. Shenkenberg has been Deputy General Counsel to the Advisor since
November 1996. From December 1992 until November 1996, Mr. Shenkenberg acted as
Associate Counsel to the Advisor. From June 1987 until December 1992, Mr.
Shenkenberg was an attorney for Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., a Milwaukee law firm. Mr.
Shenkenberg has served the Fund as a Vice President and as Secretary since
December 1997.
JOHN S. WEITZER (DOB 10/31/67), Vice President of the Fund.
Mr. Weitzer has been an Associate Counsel to the Advisor since July
1993. Mr. Weitzer has served as a Vice President of the Fund since December
1997.
JOHN A. FLANAGAN (DOB 6/5/46), Treasurer of the Fund.
Mr. Flanagan has been Senior Vice President of the Advisor since April
1997. For three years prior to joining the Advisor, Mr. Flanagan was a Partner
with Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. (an international professional services firm).
From November 1992 to April 1994, Mr. Flanagan was an independent consultant.
From October 1970 to November 1992, Mr. Flanagan was with Ernst & Young (an
international professional services firm), most notably as Partner in charge of
the Investment Company Practice of that firm's Boston office from 1982 to 1992.
Mr. Flanagan has served as the Treasurer of the Fund since December 1997.
Except for Messrs. Nevins, Davis, Kritzik and Vogt, the address of all
of the above persons is P.O. Box 2936, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201. Mr. Nevins'
address is 6075 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Naples, Florida 34108. Mr. Davis' address
is 161 North La Brea, Inglewood, California 90301, Mr. Kritzik's address is 1123
North Astor Street, P.O. Box 92547, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-0547. Mr. Vogt's
address is 2830 East Third Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80206.
As of December 30, 1997, the officers and directors of the Fund did not
own any of the Fund's shares.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
As of December 30, 1997, no one owned of record and beneficially any
shares of the Fund.
INVESTMENT ADVISOR, SUBADVISOR, AND DISTRIBUTOR
The Advisor to the Fund is Strong Capital Management, Inc. Mr. Richard
S. Strong controls the Advisor. Mr. Strong is the Chairman and a director of the
Advisor, Mr. Totsky is a Senior Vice President of the Advisor, Mr. Lemke is a
Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Advisor, Mr.
Flanagan is a Senior Vice President of the Advisor, Mr. Shenkenberg is Vice
President, Assistant Secretary, and Deputy General Counsel of the Advisor, and
Mr. Weitzer is an Associate Counsel of the Advisor. A brief description of the
Fund's investment advisory agreement ("Advisory Agreement") is set forth in the
Prospectus under "About the Fund - Management."
The Advisory Agreement for the Fund is dated December 30, 1997, and will
remain in effect for a period of two years. The Advisory Agreement was approved
by the Fund's initial shareholder on its first day of operations. The Advisory
Agreement is required to be approved annually by either the Board of Directors
of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the
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Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). In either
case, each annual renewal must be approved by the vote of a majority of the
Fund's directors who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested
persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement is terminable, without penalty,
on 60 days written notice by the Board of Directors of the Fund, by vote of a
majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, or by the Advisor, and
will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor manages the
Fund's investments subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors.
The Advisor is responsible for investment decisions and supplies investment
research and portfolio management. At its expense, the Advisor provides office
space and all necessary office facilities, equipment and personnel for servicing
the investments of the Fund. The Advisor places all orders for the purchase and
sale of the Fund's portfolio securities at the Fund's expense.
As compensation for its services, the Fund pays to the Advisor a monthly
management fee at the annual rate of 0.80% of the average daily net asset value
of the Fund. (See "Shareholder Manual - Determining Your Share Price" in the
Prospectus.) From time to time, the Advisor may voluntarily waive all or a
portion of its management fee for the Fund.
The Advisory Agreement requires the Advisor to reimburse the Fund in the
event that the expenses and charges payable by the Fund in any fiscal year,
including the management fee but excluding taxes, interest, brokerage
commissions, and similar fees and to the extent permitted extraordinary
expenses, exceed two percent (2%) of the average net asset value of the Fund for
such year, as determined by valuations made as of the close of each business day
of the year. Reimbursement of expenses in excess of the applicable limitation
will be made on a monthly basis and will be paid to the Fund by reduction of the
Advisor's fee, subject to later adjustment, month by month, for the remainder of
the Fund's fiscal year. The Advisor may from time to time voluntarily absorb
expenses for the Fund in addition to the reimbursement of expenses in excess of
application limitations.
On July 12, 1994, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")
filed an administrative action (the "Order") against the Advisor, Mr. Strong,
and another employee of the Advisor in connection with conduct that occurred
between 1987 and early 1990. In re Strong/Corneliuson Capital Management, Inc.,
et al. Admin. Proc. File No. 3-8411. The proceeding was settled by consent
without admitting or denying the allegations in the Order. The Order found that
the Advisor and Mr. Strong aided and abetted violations of Section 17(a) of the
1940 Act by effecting trades between mutual funds, and between mutual funds and
Harbour Investments Ltd. ("Harbour"), without complying with the exemptive
provisions of SEC Rule 17a-7 or otherwise obtaining an exemption. It further
found that the Advisor violated, and Mr. Strong aided and abetted violations of,
the disclosure provisions of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 by misrepresenting the Advisor's policy on personal trading and by failing
to disclose trading by Harbour, an entity in which principals of the Advisor
owned between 18 and 25 percent of the voting stock. As part of the settlement,
the respondents agreed to a censure and a cease and desist order and the Advisor
agreed to various undertakings, including adoption of certain procedures and a
limitation for six months on accepting certain types of new advisory clients.
On June 6, 1996, the Department of Labor (the "DOL") filed an action
against the Advisor for equitable relief alleging violations of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") in connection with cross trades
that occurred between 1987 and late 1989 involving certain pension accounts
managed by the Advisor. Contemporaneous with this filing, the Advisor, without
admitting or denying the DOL's allegations, agreed to the entry of a consent
judgment resolving all matters relating to the allegations. Reich v. Strong
Capital Management, Inc., (U.S.D.C. E.D. WI) (the "Consent Judgment"). Under the
terms of the Consent Judgment, the Advisor agreed to reimburse the affected
accounts a total of $5.9 million. The settlement did not have any material
impact on the Advisor's financial position or operations.
The Advisor has retained Horizon Investment Services, LLC (the
"Subadvisor") to manage the Fund's investments. The Subadvisor was formed in
November 1997 to provide subadvisory services to the Fund and the Fund is
currently the sole investment advisory client of the Subadvisor. The Subadvisor
is a limited liability company organized in Indiana and is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Horizon Management Services, Inc. ("HMS"), a firm that publishes
and distributes investment-related newsletters through its wholly owned
Subsidiaries. Mr. Robert T. Evans, the President of HMS, is the controlling
shareholder of HMS.
The Fund's subadvisory agreement, dated December 30, 1997 (the
"Subadvisory Agreement"), was last approved by the Fund's initial shareholder on
its first day of operations. Under the Subadvisory Agreement, the
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Subadvisor, pursuant to the oversight and supervision of the Fund's Board of
Directors and the Advisor, provides a continuous investment program for the
Fund. Under the Subadvisory Agreement, the Subadvisor is responsible for
determining the securities to be purchased or sold by the Fund. However, the
Advisor is responsible for executing the Fund's purchase or sale transactions
and for managing the Fund's cash investments, which on average is expected to be
less than 5% of the Fund's net assets. The Subadvisor bears all of its own
expenses in providing subadvisory services to the Fund.
The Subadvisory Agreement requires the Advisor, not the Fund, to pay the
Subadvisor a fee, computed and paid monthly, at an annual rate of (i) 50% of the
total management fee collected by the Advisor from the Fund on the first $1.0
billion of the Fund's net assets, (ii) 40% of the total management fee collected
by the Advisor from the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $1.0 billion and up
to $1.5 billion, (iii) 35% of the total management fee collected by the Advisor
from the Fund on the Fund's net assets over $1.5 billion and up to $2.0 billion,
(iv) 30% of the total management fee collected by the Advisor from the Fund on
the Fund's net assets over $2.0 billion and up to $2.5 billion, and (v) 10% of
the total management fee collected by the Advisor from the Fund on the Fund's
net assets over $2.5 billion. However, prior to January 1, 2000, the Subadvisory
fee shall be $250,000 per year. If the services of the Subadvisor are
terminated, the Advisor shall pay a compensatory amount to Subadvisor in a
manner to be determined.
Except for expenses assumed by the Advisor, if applicable, as set forth
above, or by the Distributor, as described below with respect to the
distribution of the Fund's shares, the Fund is responsible for all its other
expenses, including, without limitation, interest charges, taxes, brokerage
commissions and similar expenses; organizational expenses; expenses of issue,
sale, repurchase or redemption of shares; expenses of registering or qualifying
shares for sale with the states and the SEC; expenses for printing and
distributing Prospectuses and quarterly and semi-annual financial statements to
existing shareholders; charges of custodians, transfer agents (including the
printing and mailing of reports and notices to shareholders), registrars,
auditing and legal services, clerical services related to recordkeeping and
shareholder relations, printing of stock certificates; and fees for directors
who are not "interested persons" of the Advisor.
The Fund, the Advisor, and the Subadvisor have adopted a Code of Ethics
(the "Code") which governs the personal trading activities of all "Access
Persons" of the Advisor or Subadvisor. Access Persons include every director and
officer of the Advisor or Subadvisor and the investment companies managed by the
Advisor or Subadvisor, including the Fund, as well as certain employees of the
Advisor or Subadvisor who have access to information relating to the purchase or
sale of securities by the Advisor or Subadvisor on behalf of accounts managed by
it. The Code is based upon the principal that such Access Persons have a
fiduciary duty to place the interests of the Fund and the Advisor's or
Subadvisor's other clients ahead of their own.
The Code requires Access Persons (other than Access Persons who are
independent directors of the investment companies managed by the Advisor or
Subadvisor, including the Fund) to, among other things, preclear their
securities transactions (with limited exceptions, such as transactions in shares
of mutual funds, direct obligations of the U.S. government, and certain options
on broad-based securities market indexes) and, with regard to the Advisor, to
execute such transactions through the Advisor's or Subadvisor's trading
department. The Code, which applies to all Access Persons (other than Access
Persons who are independent directors of the investment companies managed by the
Advisor or Subadvisor, including the Fund), includes a ban on acquiring any
securities in an initial public offering, other than a new offering of a
registered open-end investment company, and a prohibition from profiting on
short-term trading in securities. In addition, no Access Person may purchase or
sell any security which is contemporaneously being purchased or sold, or to the
knowledge of the Access Person, is being considered for purchase or sale, by the
Advisor or Subadvisor on behalf of any mutual fund or other account managed by
it. Finally, the Code provides for trading "black out" periods of seven calendar
days during which time Access Persons who are portfolio managers may not trade
in securities which may have been purchased or sold by any mutual fund or other
account managed by the portfolio manager.
The Advisor provides investment advisory services for multiple clients
and may give advice and take action, with respect to any client, that may differ
from the advice given, or the timing or nature of action taken, with respect to
any one account. However, the Advisor will allocate over a period of time, to
the extent practical, investment opportunities to each account on a fair and
equitable basis relative to other similarly-situated client accounts. The
Advisor, its principals and associates (to the extent not prohibited by the
Code), and other clients of the Advisor may have, acquire, increase, decrease,
or
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dispose of securities or interests therein at or about the same time that the
Advisor is purchasing or selling securities or interests therein for an account
that are or may be deemed to be inconsistent with the actions taken by such
persons.
From time to time the Advisor votes the shares owned by the Fund
according to its Statement of General Proxy Voting Policy ("Proxy Voting
Policy"). The general principal of the Proxy Voting Policy is to vote any
beneficial interest in an equity security prudently and solely in the best
long-term economic interest of the Fund and its beneficiaries considering all
relevant factors and without undue influence from individuals or groups who may
have an economic interest in the outcome of a proxy vote. Shareholders may
obtain a copy of the Proxy Voting Policy upon request from the Advisor.
Under a Distribution Agreement with the Fund dated December 30, 1997,
Strong Funds Distributors, Inc. ("Distributor"), a subsidiary of the Advisor,
acts as underwriter of the Fund's shares. Mr. Strong is the Chairman and
Director of the Distributor, Mr. Lemke is a Vice President of the Distributor,
and Mr. Shenkenberg is a Vice President and Secretary of the Distributor. The
Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor will use its best efforts
to distribute the Fund's shares. Since the Fund is a "no-load" fund, no sales
commissions are charged on the purchase of Fund shares. The Distribution
Agreement further provides that the Distributor will bear the additional costs
of printing Prospectuses and shareholder reports which are used for selling
purposes, as well as advertising and any other costs attributable to the
distribution of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary of
the Advisor and controlled by the Advisor and Richard S. Strong. The
Distribution Agreement is subject to the same termination and renewal provisions
as are described above with respect to the Advisory Agreement.
From time to time, the Distributor may hold in-house sales incentive
programs for its associated persons under which these persons may receive
non-cash compensation awards in connection with the sale and distribution of the
Fund's shares. These awards may include items such as, but not limited to,
gifts, merchandise, gift certificates, and payment of travel expenses, meals and
lodging. As required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
NASD's proposed rule amendments in this area, any in-house sales incentive
program will be multi-product oriented, i.e., any incentive will be based on an
associated person's gross production of all securities within a product type and
will not be based on the sales of shares of any specifically designated mutual
fund.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The Advisor and the Subadvisor are responsible for decisions to buy and
sell securities for the Fund. The Advisor is responsible for the placement of
the Fund's investment business and the negotiation of the commissions to be paid
on such transactions. It is the policy of the Advisor, to seek the best
execution at the best security price available with respect to each transaction,
in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services provided to
the Advisor, or the Fund. In over-the-counter transactions, orders are placed
directly with a principal market maker unless it is believed that a better price
and execution can be obtained using a broker. The best price to the Fund means
the best net price without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and
commissions, if any. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating commissions,
the Advisor considers a variety of factors, including best price and execution,
the full range of brokerage services provided by the broker, as well as its
capital strength and stability, and the quality of the research and research
services provided by the broker. Brokerage will not be allocated based on the
sale of any shares of the Strong Funds.
The Advisor has adopted procedures that provide generally for the
Advisor to seek to bunch orders for the purchase or sale of the same security
for the Fund, other mutual funds managed by the Advisor, and other advisory
clients (collectively, the "client accounts"). The Advisor will bunch orders
when it deems it to be appropriate and in the best interest of the client
accounts. When a bunched order is filled in its entirety, each participating
client account will participate at the average share price for the bunched order
on the same business day, and transaction costs shall be shared pro rata based
on each client's participation in the bunched order. When a bunched order is
only partially filled, the securities purchased will be allocated on a pro rata
basis to each client account participating in the bunched order based upon the
initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions, and
each participating account will participate at the average share price for the
bunched order on the same business day.
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Section 28(e)")
permits an investment advisor, under certain circumstances, to cause an account
to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of
the amount of
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commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the
transaction in recognition of the value of the brokerage and research services
provided by the broker or dealer. Brokerage and research services include (a)
furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing
in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or
purchasers or sellers of securities; (b) furnishing analyses and reports
concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends,
portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (c) effecting
securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as
clearance, settlement, and custody).
In carrying out the provisions of the Advisory Agreements, the Advisor
may cause the Fund to pay a broker, which provides brokerage and research
services to the Advisor, a commission for effecting a securities transaction in
excess of the amount another broker would have charged for effecting the
transaction. The Advisor believes it is important to its investment
decision-making process to have access to independent research. The Advisory
Agreement provides that such higher commissions will not be paid by the Fund
unless (a) the Advisor determines in good faith that the amount is reasonable in
relation to the services in terms of the particular transaction or in terms of
the Advisor's overall responsibilities with respect to the accounts as to which
it exercises investment discretion; (b) such payment is made in compliance with
the provisions of Section 28(e), other applicable state and federal laws, and
the Advisory Agreement; and (c) in the opinion of the Advisor, the total
commissions paid by the Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to
the Fund over the long term. The investment management fee paid by the Fund
under the Advisory Agreement is not reduced as a result of the Advisor's receipt
of research services.
Generally, research services provided by brokers may include information
on the economy, industries, groups of securities, individual companies,
statistical information, accounting and tax law interpretations, political
developments, legal developments affecting portfolio securities, technical
market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement
analysis, performance analysis, and analysis of corporate responsibility issues.
Such research services are received primarily in the form of written reports,
telephone contacts, and personal meetings with security analysts. In addition,
such research services may be provided in the form of access to various
computer-generated data, computer hardware and software, and meetings arranged
with corporate and industry spokespersons, economists, academicians, and
government representatives. In some cases, research services are generated by
third parties but are provided to the Advisor by or through brokers. Such
brokers may pay for all or a portion of computer hardware and software costs
relating to the pricing of securities.
Where the Advisor itself receives both administrative benefits and
research and brokerage services from the services provided by brokers, it makes
a good faith allocation between the administrative benefits and the research and
brokerage services, and will pay for any administrative benefits with cash. In
making good faith allocations between administrative benefits and research and
brokerage services, a conflict of interest may exist by reason of the Advisor's
allocation of the costs of such benefits and services between those that
primarily benefit the Advisor and those that primarily benefit the Fund and
other advisory clients.
From time to time, the Advisor may purchase new issues of securities for
the Fund in a fixed income price offering. In these situations, the seller may
be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling the
securities to the Fund and other advisory clients, provide the Advisor with
research. The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or "NASD" has
adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain
circumstances. Generally, the seller will provide research "credits" in these
situations at a rate that is higher than that which is available for typical
secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe
harbor of Section 28(e).
At least annually, the Advisor considers the amount and nature of
research and research services provided by brokers, as well as the extent to
which such services are relied upon, and attempts to allocate a portion of the
brokerage business of the Fund and other advisory clients on the basis of that
consideration. In addition, brokers may suggest a level of business they would
like to receive in order to continue to provide such services. The actual
brokerage business received by a broker may be more or less than the suggested
allocations, depending upon the Advisor's evaluation of all applicable
considerations.
The Advisor has informal arrangements with various brokers whereby, in
consideration for providing research services and subject to Section 28(e), the
Advisor allocates brokerage to those firms, provided that the value of any
research and brokerage services was reasonable in relationship to the amount of
commission paid and subject to best execution. In no case will the Advisor make
binding commitments as to the level of brokerage commissions it will allocate to
a broker, nor will
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it commit to pay cash if any informal targets are not met. The Advisor
anticipates it will continue to enter into such brokerage arrangements.
The Advisor may direct the purchase of securities on behalf of the Fund
and other advisory clients in secondary market transactions, in public offerings
directly from an underwriter, or in privately negotiated transactions with an
issuer. When the Advisor believes the circumstances so warrant, securities
purchased in public offerings may be resold shortly after acquisition in the
immediate aftermarket for the security in order to take advantage of price
appreciation from the public offering price or for other reasons. Short-term
trading of securities acquired in public offerings, or otherwise, may result in
higher portfolio turnover and associated brokerage expenses.
The Advisor places portfolio transactions for other advisory accounts,
including other mutual funds managed by the Advisor. Research services furnished
by firms through which the Fund effects its securities transactions may be used
by the Advisor in servicing all of its accounts; not all of such services may be
used by the Advisor in connection with the Fund. In the opinion of the Advisor,
it is not possible to measure separately the benefits from research services to
each of the accounts managed by the Advisor. Because the volume and nature of
the trading activities of the accounts are not uniform, the amount of
commissions in excess of those charged by another broker paid by each account
for brokerage and research services will vary. However, in the opinion of the
Advisor, such costs to the Fund will not be disproportionate to the benefits
received by the Fund on a continuing basis.
The Advisor seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever
concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by the Fund and
another advisory account. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse
effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Fund. In making
such allocations between the Fund and other advisory accounts, the main factors
considered by the Advisor are the respective investment objectives, the relative
size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the
availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments
generally held, and the opinions of the persons responsible for recommending the
investment.
Where consistent with a client's investment objectives, investment
restrictions, and risk tolerance, the Advisor may purchase securities sold in
underwritten public offerings for client accounts, commonly referred to as
"deal" securities. The Advisor has adopted deal allocation procedures (the
"Procedures"), summarized below, that reflect the Advisor's overriding policy
that deal securities must be allocated among participating client accounts in a
fair and equitable manner and that deal securities may not be allocated in a
manner that unfairly discriminates in favor of certain clients or types of
clients.
The Procedures provide that, in determining which client accounts a
portfolio manager team will seek to have purchase deal securities, the team will
consider all relevant factors including, but not limited to, the nature, size,
and expected allocation to the Advisor of deal securities; the size of the
account(s); the accounts' investment objectives and restrictions; the risk
tolerance of the client; the client's tolerance for possibly higher portfolio
turnover; the amount of commissions generated by the account during the past
year; and the number and nature of other deals the client has participated in
during the past year.
Where more than one of the Advisor's portfolio manager team seeks to
have client accounts participate in a deal and the amount of deal securities
allocated to the Advisor by the underwriting syndicate is less than the
aggregate amount ordered by the Advisor (a "reduced allocation"), the deal
securities will be allocated among the portfolio manager teams based on all
relevant factors. The primary factor shall be assets under management, although
other factors that may be considered in the allocation decision include, but are
not limited to, the nature, size, and expected allocation of the deal; the
amount of brokerage commissions or other amounts generated by the respective
participating portfolio manager teams; and which portfolio manager team is
primarily responsible for the Advisor receiving securities in the deal. Based on
the relevant factors, the Advisor has established general allocation percentages
for its portfolio manager teams, and these percentages are reviewed on a regular
basis to determine whether asset growth or other factors make it appropriate to
use different general allocation percentages for reduced allocations.
When a portfolio manager team receives a reduced allocation of deal
securities, the portfolio manager team will allocate the reduced allocation
among client accounts in accordance with the allocation percentages set forth in
the team's initial allocation instructions for the deal securities, except where
this would result in a de minimis allocation to any client account. On a regular
basis, the Advisor reviews the allocation of deal securities to ensure that they
have been allocated in a fair and equitable manner that does not unfairly
discriminate in favor of certain clients or types of clients.
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CUSTODIAN
Firstar Trust Company, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, serves
as custodian of the assets of the Fund. As a result, Firstar Trust Company has
custody of all securities and cash of the Funds, delivers and receives payment
for securities sold, receives and pays for securities purchased, collects income
from investments, and performs other duties, all as directed by the officers of
the Fund. The custodian is in no way responsible for any of the investment
policies or decisions of the Fund.
TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND-DISBURSING AGENT
The Advisor acts as transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for the
Fund. The Advisor is compensated based on an annual fee per open account of
$21.75 for the Fund, plus out-of-pocket expenses, such as postage and printing
expenses in connection with shareholder communications. The Advisor also
receives an annual fee per closed account of $4.20 from the Fund. The fees
received and the services provided as transfer agent and dividend disbursing
agent are in addition to those received and provided by the Advisor under the
Advisory Agreement. In addition, the Advisor provides certain printing and
mailing services for the Fund, such as printing and mailing of shareholder
account statements, checks, and tax forms.
From time to time the Fund, directly or indirectly through arrangements
with the Advisor, and/or the Advisor may pay amounts to third parties that
provide transfer agent and other administrative services relating to the Fund to
persons who beneficially own interests in the Fund, such as participants in
401(k) plans. These services may include, among other things, sub-accounting
services, transfer agent type activities, answering inquiries relating to the
Fund, transmitting, on behalf of the Fund, proxy statements, annual reports,
updated Prospectuses, other communications regarding the Fund, and related
services as the Fund or beneficial owners may reasonably request. In such cases,
the Fund will not pay fees based on the number of beneficial owners at a rate
that is greater than the rate the Fund is currently paying the Advisor for
providing these services to Fund shareholders.
TAXES
GENERAL
The Fund intends to qualify annually for treatment as a regulated
investment company ("RIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Tax
Code"). This qualification does not involve governmental supervision of the
Fund's management practices or policies. The following federal tax discussion is
intended to provide you with an overview of the impact of federal income tax
provisions on the Fund or its shareholders. These tax provisions are subject to
change by legislative or administrative action at the federal, state or local
level, and any changes may be applied retroactively. Any such action that limits
or restricts the Fund's current ability to pass-through earnings without
taxation at the Fund level, or otherwise materially changes the Fund's tax
treatment, could adversely affect the value of a shareholder's investment in the
Fund. Because the Fund's taxes are a complex matter, you should consult your tax
adviser for more detailed information concerning the taxation of the Fund and
the federal, state and local tax consequences to shareholders of an investment
in the Fund.
In order to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Tax Code, the Fund
must distribute to its shareholders for each taxable year at least 90% of its
investment company taxable income (consisting generally of taxable net
investment income, net short-term capital gain, and net gains from certain
foreign currency transactions, if applicable) ("Distribution Requirement") plus
its net interest income excludable from gross income under Section 103(a) of the
Tax Code and must meet several additional requirements. These requirements
include the following: (1) the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income
each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities
loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign
currencies, or other income (including gains from options, futures, or forward
contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in securities
("Income Requirement"); (2) at the close of each quarter of the Fund's taxable
year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be represented by cash
and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other
securities, with these other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer,
to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and
that does not represent more than 10% of the
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issuer's outstanding voting securities; and (3) at the close of each quarter of
the Fund's taxable year, not more than 25% of the value of its total assets may
be invested in securities (other than U.S. government securities or the
securities of other RICs) of any one issuer. From time to time the Advisor may
find it necessary to make certain types of investments for the purpose of
ensuring that the Fund continues to qualify for treatment as RICs under the Tax
Code.
If Fund shares are sold at a loss after being held for six months or
less, the loss will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends
received on those shares. Any portion of such a loss that is not disallowed will
be treated as long-term, instead of short-term, capital loss to the extent of
any capital gain distributions received on those shares.
The Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax ("Excise Tax")
to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year
substantially all of its ordinary taxable income for that year and capital gain
net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, plus
certain other amounts.
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The use of derivatives strategies, such as purchasing and selling
(writing) options and futures and entering into forward currency contracts, if
applicable, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes
the character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund
realizes in connection therewith. Gains from the disposition of foreign
currencies, if any (except certain gains therefrom that may be excluded by
future regulations), and income from transactions in options, futures and
forward currency contracts, if applicable, derived by the Fund with respect to
its business of investing in securities or foreign currencies, if applicable,
will qualify as permissible income under the Income Requirement.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is required to recognize as
income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on options,
futures or forward currency contracts, if any, that are subject to section 1256
of the Tax Code ("Section 1256 Contracts") and are held by the Fund as of the
end of the year, as well as gains and losses on Section 1256 Contracts actually
realized during the year. Except for Section 1256 Contracts that are part of a
"mixed straddle" and with respect to which the Fund makes a certain election,
any gain or loss recognized with respect to Section 1256 Contracts is considered
to be 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or
loss, without regard to the holding period of the Section 1256 Contract.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of each Fund will be determined as of the close of
trading on each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open for
trading. The NYSE is open for trading Monday through Friday except, New Year's
Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Additionally, if any of the aforementioned
holidays falls on a Saturday, the NYSE will not be open for trading on the
preceding Friday, and when any such holiday falls on a Sunday, the NYSE will not
be open for trading on the succeeding Monday, unless unusual business conditions
exist, such as the ending of a monthly or yearly accounting period.
ADDITIONAL SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION PRIVILEGES
The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions
communicated by telephone or the Internet are genuine. The Fund may not be
liable for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Such
procedures include but are not limited to requiring a form of personal
identification prior to acting on instructions received by telephone or the
Internet, providing written confirmations of such transactions to the address of
record, tape recording telephone instructions and backing up Internet
transactions.
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REDEMPTIONS-IN-KIND
The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act,
which obligates each Fund to redeem shares in cash, with respect to any one
shareholder during any 90-day period, up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the
assets of the Fund. If the Advisor determines that existing conditions make cash
payments undesirable, redemption payments may be made in whole or in part in
securities or other financial assets, valued for this purpose as they are valued
in computing the NAV for the Fund's shares (a "redemption-in-kind").
Shareholders receiving securities or other financial assets in a
redemption-in-kind may realize a gain or loss for tax purposes, and will incur
any costs of sale, as well as the associated inconveniences. If you expect to
make a redemption sale, as well as the associated inconveniences. If you expect
to make a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund's
assets during any 90-day period and would like to avoid any possibility of being
paid with securities in-kind, you may do so by providing Strong Funds with an
unconditional instruction to redeem at least 15 calendar days prior to the date
on which the redemption transaction is to occur, specifying the dollar amount or
number of shares to be redeemed and the date of the transaction (please call
1-800-368-3863). This will provide the Fund with sufficient time to raise the
cash in an orderly manner to pay the redemption and thereby minimize the effect
of the redemption on the interests of the Fund's remaining shareholders.
RETIREMENT PLANS
Individual Retirement Account (IRA): Everyone under age 70 1/2 with earned
income may contribute to a tax-deferred IRA. The Strong Funds offer a prototype
plan for you to establish your own IRA. You are allowed to contribute up to the
lesser of $2,000 or 100% of your earned income each year to your IRA (or up to
$4,000 between your IRA and your non-working spouses' IRA). Under certain
circumstances, your contribution will be deductible.
Roth IRA: Taxpayers, of any age, who have earned income, and whose AGI does not
exceed $110,000 (single) or $160,000 (joint) can contribute to a Roth IRA.
Allowed contributions begin to phaseout at $95,000 (single) or $150,000(joint).
You are allowed to contribute up to the lesser of $2,000 or 100% of earned
income each year into a Roth IRA. If you also maintain a Traditional IRA, the
maximum contribution to your Roth IRA is reduced by any contributions that you
make to your Traditional IRA. Distributions from a Roth IRA, if they meet
certain requirements, may be federally tax free. If your AGI is $100,000 or
less, you can convert your Traditional IRAs into a Roth IRA. Conversions of
earnings and deductible contributions are taxable in the year of the
distribution. The early distribution penalty does not apply to amounts converted
to a Roth IRA even if you are under age 59 1/2.
Education IRA: Taxpayers may contribute up to $500 per year into an Education
IRA for the benefit of a child under age 18. Total contributions to any one
child cannot exceed $500 per year. The contributor must have adjusted income
under $110,000 (single) or $160,000 (joint) to contribute to an Education IRA.
Allowed contributions begin to phaseout at $95,000 (single) or $150,000(joint).
Withdrawals from the Education IRA to pay qualified higher education expenses
are federally tax free. Any withdrawal in excess of higher education expenses
for the year are potentially subject to tax and an additional 10% penalty.
Direct Rollover IRA: To avoid the mandatory 20% federal withholding tax on
distributions, you must transfer the qualified retirement or Code section 403(b)
plan distribution directly into an IRA. The distribution must be eligible for
rollover. The amount of your Direct Rollover IRA contribution will not be
included in your taxable income for the year.
Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP-IRA): A SEP-IRA plan allows an employer to
make deductible contributions to separate IRA accounts established for each
eligible employee.
Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SAR SEP-IRA): A SAR SEP-IRA
plan is a type of SEP-IRA plan in which an employer may allow employees to defer
part of their salaries and contribute to an IRA account. These deferrals help
lower the employees' taxable income. Please note that you may no longer open new
SAR SEP-IRA plans (since December 31, 1996). However, employers with SAR SEP-IRA
plans that were established prior to January 31, 1997 may still open accounts
for new employees.
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<PAGE> 136
Simplified Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE-IRA): A SIMPLE-IRA plan is
a retirement savings plan that allows employees to contribute a percentage of
their compensation, up to $6,000, on a pre-tax basis, to a SIMPLE-IRA account.
The employer is required to make annual contributions to eligible employees'
accounts. All contributions grow tax-deferred.
Defined Contribution Plan: A defined contribution plan allows self-employed
individuals, partners, or a corporation to provide retirement benefits for
themselves and their employees. Plan types include: profit-sharing plans, money
purchase pension plans, and paired plans (a combination of a profit-sharing plan
and a money purchase plan).
401(k) Plan: A 401(k) plan is a type of profit-sharing plan that allows
employees to have part of their salary contributed on a pre-tax basis to a
retirement plan which will earn tax-deferred income. A 401(k) plan is funded by
employee contributions, employer contributions, or a combination of both.
403(b)(7) Plan: A tax-sheltered custodial account designed to qualify under
section 403(b)(7) of the Code is available for use by employees of certain
educational, non-profit, hospital, and charitable organizations.
RIGHT OF SET-OFF
To the extent not prohibited by law, the Fund, any other Strong Fund,
and the Advisor each has the right to set-off against a shareholder's account
balance with a Strong Fund, and redeem from such account, any debt the
shareholder may owe any of these entities. This right applies even if the
account is not identically registered.
BROKERS RECEIPT OF PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION ORDERS
The Fund has authorized certain brokers to accept purchase and
redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. These brokers are, in turn, authorized
to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on
the Fund's behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or
redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker's
authorized designee, accepts the order. Purchase and redemption orders received
in this manner will be priced at the Fund's net asset value next computed after
they are accepted by an authorized broker or the broker's authorized designee.
FUND ORGANIZATION
The Fund is a series of common stock of Strong Equity Funds, Inc.,
(formerly known as Strong Growth Fund, Inc.) a Wisconsin corporation (a
"Corporation"). The Corporation was incorporated on December 28, 1990 and is
authorized to issue an indefinite number of shares of common stock and series
and classes of series of shares of common stock, with a par value of .00001 per
share. The shares in any one portfolio may, in turn, be offered in separate
classes, each with differing preferences, limitations or relative rights.
However, the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation provides that if additional
classes of shares are issued by the Fund, such new classes of shares may not
affect the preferences, limitations or relative rights of the Fund's outstanding
shares. In addition, the Corporation's Board is authorized to allocate assets,
liabilities, income and expenses to each series and class. Classes within a
series may have different expense arrangements than other classes of the same
series and, accordingly, the net asset value of shares within a series may
differ. Finally, all holders of shares of the Corporation may vote on each
matter presented to shareholders for action except with respect to any matter
which affects only one or more series or class, in which case only the shares of
the affected series or class are entitled to vote. Fractional shares have the
same rights proportionately as do full shares. Shares of the Fund have no
preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. The Corporation currently has
eight series of common stock outstanding, each with an indefinite number of
authorized shares. If the Corporation issues additional series, the assets
belonging to each series of shares will be held separately by the custodian, and
in effect each series will be a separate fund.
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<PAGE> 137
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS
The Wisconsin Business Corporation Law permits registered investment
companies, such as the Corporation, to operate without an annual meeting of
shareholders under specified circumstances if an annual meeting is not required
by the 1940 Act. The Corporation has adopted the appropriate provisions in its
Bylaws and may, at their discretion, not hold an annual meeting in any year in
which the election of directors is not required to be acted on by shareholders
under the 1940 Act.
The Corporation's Bylaws allow for a director to be removed by its
shareholders with or without cause, only at a meeting called for the purpose of
removing the director. Upon the written request of the holders of shares
entitled to not less than ten percent (10%) of all the votes entitled to be cast
at such meeting, the Secretary of the Corporation shall promptly call a special
meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal
of any director. The Secretary of the Corporation shall inform such shareholders
of the reasonable estimated costs of preparing and mailing the notice of the
meeting, and upon payment to the Corporation of such costs, the Corporation
shall give not less than ten nor more than sixty days notice of the special
meeting.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
As described under "About the Fund - Performance Information" in the
Prospectus, the Fund's historical performance or return may be shown in the form
of "average annual total return," "total return," and "cumulative total return."
From time to time, the Advisor may voluntarily waive all or a portion of its
management fee and/or absorb certain expenses for the Fund.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
The average annual total return of the Fund is computed by finding the
average annual compounded rates of return over these periods that would equate
the initial amount invested to the ending redeemable value, according to the
following formula:
P (1 + T)n = ERV
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $10,000.
T = average annual total return.
n = number of years.
ERV = ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $10,000 payment
made at the beginning of the stated periods at the end of the
stated periods.
TOTAL RETURN
Calculation of the Fund's total return is not subject to a standardized
formula. Total return performance for a specific period is calculated by first
taking an investment (assumed below to be $10,000) ("initial investment") in the
Fund's shares on the first day of the period and computing the "ending value" of
that investment at the end of the period. The total return percentage is then
determined by subtracting the initial investment from the ending value and
dividing the remainder by the initial investment and expressing the result as a
percentage. The calculation assumes that all income and capital gains dividends
paid by the Fund have been reinvested at net asset value on the reinvestment
dates during the period. Total return may also be shown as the increased dollar
value of the hypothetical investment over the period.
CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
Cumulative total return represents the simple change in value of an
investment over a stated period and may be quoted as a percentage or as a dollar
amount. Total returns and cumulative total returns my be broken down into their
components of income and capital (including capital gains and changes in share
price) in order to illustrate the relationship between these factors and their
contributions to total return.
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<PAGE> 138
The Fund's performance figures are based upon historical results and do
not represent future performance. Each Fund's shares are sold at net asset value
per share. The Fund's returns and net asset value will fluctuate and shares are
redeemable at the then current net asset value of the Fund, which may be more or
less than original cost. Factors affecting the Fund's performance include
general market conditions, operating expenses, and investment management. Any
additional fees charged by a dealer or other financial services firm would
reduce the returns described in this section.
COMPARISONS
(1) U.S. TREASURY BILLS, NOTES, OR BONDS
Investors may want to compare the performance of the Fund to that of
U.S. Treasury bills, notes or bonds, which are issued by the U.S. government.
Treasury obligations are issued in selected denominations. Rates of Treasury
obligations are fixed at the time of issuance and payment of principal and
interest is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Treasury.
The market value of such instruments will generally fluctuate inversely with
interest rates prior to maturity and will equal par value at maturity.
Generally, the values of obligations with shorter maturities will fluctuate less
than those with longer maturities.
(2) CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
Investors may want to compare the Fund's performance to that of
certificates of deposit offered by banks and other depositary institutions.
Certificates of deposit may offer fixed or variable interest rates and principal
is guaranteed and may be insured. Withdrawal of the deposits prior to maturity
normally will be subject to a penalty. Rates offered by banks and other
depositary institutions are subject to change at any time specified by the
issuing institution.
(3) MONEY MARKET FUNDS
Investors may also want to compare performance of the Fund to that of
money market funds. Money market fund yields will fluctuate and shares are not
insured, but share values usually remain stable.
(4) LIPPER ANALYTICAL SERVICES, INC. ("LIPPER") AND OTHER INDEPENDENT
RANKING ORGANIZATIONS
From time to time, in marketing and other fund literature, the Fund's
performance may be compared to the performance of other mutual funds in general
or to the performance of particular types of mutual funds, with similar
investment goals, as tracked by independent organizations. Among these
organizations, Lipper, a widely used independent research firm which ranks
mutual funds by overall performance, investment objectives, and assets, may be
cited. Lipper performance figures are based on changes in net asset value, with
all income and capital gain dividends reinvested. Such calculations do not
include the effect of any sales charges imposed by other funds. The Fund will be
compared to Lipper's appropriate fund category, that is, by fund objective and
portfolio holdings. The Fund's performance may also be compared to the average
performance of its Lipper category.
(5) MORNINGSTAR, INC.
The Fund's performance may also be compared to the performance of other
mutual funds by Morningstar, Inc. which rates funds on the basis of historical
risk and total return. Morningstar's ratings range from five stars (highest) to
one star (lowest) and represent Morningstar's assessment of the historical risk
level and total return of a fund as a weighted average for 3, 5, and 10 year
periods. Ratings are not absolute and do not represent future results.
(6) INDEPENDENT SOURCES
Evaluations of Fund performance made by independent sources may also be
used in advertisements concerning the Fund, including reprints of, or selections
from, editorials or articles about the Fund, especially those with similar
objectives. Sources for Fund performance information and articles about the Fund
may include publications such as Money, Forbes, Kiplinger's, Smart Money,
Morningstar, Inc., Financial World, Business Week, U.S. News and World Report,
The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and a variety of investment newsletters.
(7) INDICES
The Fund may compare its performance to a wide variety of indices. There
are differences and similarities between the investments that the Fund may
purchase for its portfolio and the investments measured by indices.
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<PAGE> 139
(8) HISTORICAL ASSET CLASS RETURNS
From time to time, marketing materials may portray the historical
returns of various asset classes. Such presentations will typically compare the
average annual rates of return of inflation, U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, common
stocks, and small stocks. There are important differences between each of these
investments that should be considered in viewing any such comparison. The market
value of stocks will fluctuate with market conditions, and small-stock prices
generally will fluctuate more than large-stock prices. Stocks are generally more
volatile than bonds. In return for this volatility, stocks have generally
performed better than bonds or cash over time. Bond prices generally will
fluctuate inversely with interest rates and other market conditions, and the
prices of bonds with longer maturities generally will fluctuate more than those
of shorter-maturity bonds. Interest rates for bonds may be fixed at the time of
issuance, and payment of principal and interest may be guaranteed by the issuer
and, in the case of U.S. Treasury obligations, backed by the full faith and
credit of the U.S. Treasury.
(9) STRONG FAMILY OF FUNDS
The Strong Family of Funds offers a comprehensive range of conservative
to aggressive investment options. Members of the Strong Family and their
investment objectives are listed below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FUND NAME INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C>
Strong Money Market Fund Current income, a stable share price, and daily liquidity.
Strong Heritage Money Fund Current income, a stable share price, and daily liquidity.
Strong Municipal Money Market Federally tax-exempt current income, a stable
Fund share-price, and daily liquidity.
Strong Municipal Advantage Federally tax-exempt current income with a very low degree
Fund of share-price fluctuation.
Strong Advantage Fund Current income with a very low degree of share-price
fluctuation.
Strong Short-Term Municipal Total return by investing for a high level of federally
Bond Fund tax-exempt current income with a low degree of share-price
fluctuation.
Strong Short-Term Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current income
with a low degree of share-price fluctuation.
Strong Short-Term Global Bond Total return by investing for a high level of income with a
Fund low degree of share-price fluctuation.
Strong Short-Term High Yield Total return by investing for a high level of federally tax-
Municipal Fund exempt current income with a moderate degree of share-price
fluctuation.
Strong Short-Term High Yield Total return by investing for a high level of current income
Bond Fund with a moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
Strong Government Securities Total return by investing for a high level of current income
Fund with a moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
Strong Municipal Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of federally
tax-exempt current income with a moderate degree of
share-price fluctuation.
Strong Corporate Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current
income with a moderate degree of share-price fluctuation.
Strong High-Yield Municipal Total return by investing for a high level of federally
Bond Fund tax-exempt current income.
Strong High-Yield Bond Fund Total return by investing for a high level of current
income and capital growth.
Strong International Bond Fund High total return by investing for both income and capital
appreciation.
Strong Asset Allocation Fund High total return consistent with reasonable risk over the
long term.
Strong Equity Income Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital
growth.
Strong American Utilities Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital
growth.
Strong Blue Chip 100 Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital
growth.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
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<PAGE> 140
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Limited Resources Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital
growth.
Strong Total Return Fund High total return by investing for capital growth and
income.
Strong Growth and Income Fund High total return by investing for capital growth and
income.
Strong Index 500 Fund To approximate as closely as practicable (before fees and
expenses) the capitalization-weighted total rate of return
of that portion of the U.S. market for publicly traded
common stocks composed of the larger capitalized companies.
Strong Schafer Balanced Fund Total return by investing for both income and capital
growth.
Strong Schafer Value Fund Long-term capital appreciation principally through
investment in common stocks and other equity securities.
Current income is a secondary objective.
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund Capital growth.
Strong Value Fund Capital growth.
Strong Opportunity Fund Capital growth.
Strong Mid Cap Fund Capital growth.
Strong Common Stock Fund* Capital growth.
Strong Small Cap Value Fund Capital growth.
Strong Growth Fund Capital growth.
Strong Discovery Fund Capital growth.
Strong Small Cap Fund Capital growth.
Strong Growth 20 Fund Capital growth.
Strong International Stock Capital growth.
Fund
Strong Asia Pacific Fund Capital growth.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
* The Fund is closed to new investors, except the Fund may continue to offer its
shares through certain 401(k) plans and similar company-sponsored retirement
plans.
The Advisor also serves as Advisor or Subadvisor to several management
investment companies, some of which fund variable annuity separate accounts of
certain insurance companies.
The Fund may from time to time be compared to the other funds in the
Strong Family of Funds based on a risk/reward spectrum. In general, the amount
of risk associated with any investment product is commensurate with that
product's potential level of reward. The Strong Funds risk/reward continuum or
any Fund's position on the continuum may be described or diagrammed in marketing
materials. The Strong Funds risk/reward continuum positions the risk and reward
potential of each Strong Fund relative to the other Strong Funds, but is not
intended to position any Strong Fund relative to other mutual funds or
investment products. Marketing materials may also discuss the relationship
between risk and reward as it relates to an individual investor's portfolio.
Financial goals vary from person to person. You may choose one or more
of the Strong Funds to help you reach your financial goals. To help you better
understand the Strong Growth Funds and determine which Fund or combination of
Funds best meets your personal investment objectives, they are described in the
same Prospectus.
(10) TYING TIME FRAMES TO YOUR GOALS
There are many issues to consider as you make your investment decisions,
including analyzing your risk tolerance, investing experience, and asset
allocations. You should start to organize your investments by learning to link
your many financial goals to specific time frames. Then you can begin to
identify the appropriate types of investments to help meet your goals. As a
general rule of thumb, the longer your time horizon, the more price fluctuation
you will be able to tolerate in pursuit of higher returns. For that reason, many
people with longer-term goals select stocks or long-term bonds, and many people
with nearer-term goals match those up with for instance, short-term bonds. The
Advisor developed the following suggested holding periods to help our investors
set realistic expectations for both the risk and reward potential of our funds.
(See table below.) Of course, time is just one element to consider when making
your investment decision.
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<PAGE> 141
STRONG FUNDS SUGGESTED MINIMUM HOLDING PERIODS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
UNDER 1 YEAR 1 TO 2 YEARS 4 TO 7 YEARS 5 OR MORE YEARS
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Money Market Fund Advantage Fund Government Securities *1 moved from here; text
Heritage Money Fund Municipal Advantage Fund not shown
Municipal Money Market Fund Municipal Bond Fund Asset Allocation Fund
Fund Corporate Bond Fund American Utilities Fund
2 TO 4 YEARS International Bond Fund Index 500 Fund
------------ High-Yield Municipal Total Return Fund
Short-Term Bond Fund Bond Fund Opportunity Fund
Short-Term Municipal High-Yield Bond Fund Growth Fund
Bond Fund Common Stock Fund
Short-Term Global Bond Discovery Fund*
Fund International Stock Fund
Short-Term High Yield Asia Pacific Fund
Bond Fund Value Fund
Short-Term High Yield Small Cap Fund
Municipal Fund Growth and Income Fund
Equity Income Fund
Mid Cap Fund
Schafer Value Fund
Growth 20 Fund
Blue Chip 100 Fund
Small Cap Value Fund
Dow 30 Value Fund
Schafer Balanced Fund
Limited Resources Fund
</TABLE>
* This Fund is closed to new investors, except the Fund may continue to offer
its shares through certain 401(k) plans and similar company-sponsored retirement
plans.
ADDITIONAL FUND INFORMATION
(1) PORTFOLIO CHARACTERISTICS
In order to present a more complete picture of the Fund's portfolio,
marketing materials may include various actual or estimated portfolio
characteristics, including but not limited to median market capitalizations,
earnings per share, alphas, betas, price/earnings ratios, returns on equity,
dividend yields, capitalization ranges, growth rates, price/book ratios, top
holdings, sector breakdowns, asset allocations, quality breakdowns, and
breakdowns by geographic region.
(2) MEASURES OF VOLATILITY AND RELATIVE PERFORMANCE
Occasionally statistics may be used to specify Fund volatility or risk.
The general premise is that greater volatility connotes greater risk undertaken
in achieving performance. Measures of volatility or risk are generally used to
compare the Fund's net asset value or performance relative to a market index.
One measure of volatility is beta. Beta is the volatility of a fund relative to
the total market as represented by the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index. A beta
of more than 1.00 indicates volatility greater than the market, and a beta of
less than 1.00 indicates volatility less than the market. Another measure of
volatility or risk is standard deviation. Standard deviation is a statistical
tool that measures the degree to which a fund's performance has varied from its
average performance during a particular time period.
Standard deviation is calculated using the following formula:
Standard deviation = the square root of (Greek Sigma)(x(i)-x(m)(2)
--------------------------
n-1
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<PAGE> 142
where Greek Sigma = "the sum of",
xi = each individual return during the time period,
xm = the average return over the time period, and
n = the number of individual returns during the time period.
Statistics may also be used to discuss the Fund's relative performance.
One such measure is alpha. Alpha measures the actual return of a fund compared
to the expected return of a fund given its risk (as measured by beta). The
expected return is based on how the market as a whole performed, and how the
particular fund has historically performed against the market. Specifically,
alpha is the actual return less the expected return. The expected return is
computed by multiplying the advance or decline in a market representation by the
fund's beta. A positive alpha quantifies the value that the fund manager has
added, and a negative alpha quantifies the value that the fund manager has lost.
Other measures of volatility and relative performance may be used as
appropriate. However, all such measures will fluctuate and do not represent
future results.
GENERAL INFORMATION
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY
The Advisor is an independent, Midwestern-based investment advisor,
owned by professionals active in its management. Recognizing that investors are
the focus of its business, the Advisor strives for excellence both in investment
management and in the service provided to investors. This commitment affects
many aspects of the business, including professional staffing, product
development, investment management, and service delivery.
The increasing complexity of the capital markets requires specialized
skills and processes for each asset class and style. Therefore, the Advisor
believes that active management should produce greater returns than a passively
managed index. The Advisor has brought together a group of top-flight investment
professionals with diverse product expertise, and each concentrates on their
investment specialty. The Advisor believes that people are the firm's most
important asset. For this reason, continuity of professionals is critical to the
firm's long-term success.
INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT
Discussions of economic, social, and political conditions and their
impact on the Funds may be used in advertisements and sales materials. Such
factors that may impact the Funds include, but are not limited to, changes in
interest rates, political developments, the competitive environment, consumer
behavior, industry trends, technological advances, macroeconomic trends, and the
supply and demand of various financial instruments. In addition, marketing
materials may cite the portfolio management's views or interpretations of such
factors.
EIGHT BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL MUTUAL FUND INVESTING
These common sense rules are followed by many successful investors. They
make sense for beginners, too. If you have a question on these principles, or
would like to discuss them with us, please contact us at 1-800-368-3863.
1. Have a plan - even a simple plan can help you take control of your financial
future. Review your plan once a year, or if your circumstances change.
2. Start investing as soon as possible. Make time a valuable ally. Let it put
the power of compounding to work for you, while helping to reduce your
potential investment risk.
3. Diversify your portfolio. By investing in different asset classes - stocks,
bonds, and cash - you help protect against poor performance in one type of
investment while including investments most likely to help you achieve your
important goals.
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<PAGE> 143
4. Invest regularly. Investing is a process, not a one-time event. By investing
regularly over the long term, you reduce the impact of short-term market
gyrations, and you attend to your long-term plan before you're tempted to
spend those assets on short-term needs.
5. Maintain a long-term perspective. For most individuals, the best discipline
is staying invested as market conditions change. Reactive, emotional
investment decisions are all too often a source of regret - and principal
loss.
6. Consider stocks to help achieve major long-term goals. Over time, stocks
have provided the more powerful returns needed to help the value of your
investments stay well ahead of inflation.
7. Keep a comfortable amount of cash in your portfolio. To meet current needs,
including emergencies, use a money market fund or a bank account - not your
long-term investment assets.
8. Know what you're buying. Make sure you understand the potential risks and
rewards associated with each of your investments. Ask questions... request
information...make up your own mind. And choose a fund company that helps
you make informed investment decisions.
STRONG RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES
Strong Retirement Plan Services offers a full menu of high quality,
affordable retirement plan options, including traditional money purchase pension
and profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, simplified employee pension plans,
salary reduction plans, Keoghs, and 403(b) plans. Retirement plan specialists
are available to help companies determine which type of retirement plan may be
appropriate for their particular situation.
Markets:
The retirement plan services provided by the Advisor focus on four
distinct markets, based on the belief that a retirement plan should fit the
customer's needs, not the other way around.
1. Small company plans. Small company plans are designed for companies with
1-50 plan participants. The objective is to incorporate the features and
benefits typically reserved for large companies, such as sophisticated
recordkeeping systems, outstanding service, and investment expertise, into a
small company plan without administrative hassles or undue expense. Small
company plan sponsors receive a comprehensive plan administration manual as
well as toll-free telephone support.
2. Large company plans. Large company plans are designed for companies with
between 51 and 1,000 plan participants. Each large company plan is assigned
a team of professionals consisting of an account manager, who is typically
an attorney, CPA, or holds a graduate degree in business, a conversion
specialist (if applicable), an accounting manager, a legal/technical
manager, and an education/communications educator.
3. Women-owned businesses.
4. Non-profit and educational organizations (the 403(b) market).
Turnkey approach:
The retirement plans offered by the Advisor are designed to be
streamlined and simple to administer. To this end, the Advisor has invested
heavily in the equipment, systems, and people necessary to adopt or convert a
plan, and to keep it running smoothly. The Advisor provides all aspects of the
plan, including plan design, administration, recordkeeping, and investment
management. To streamline plan design, the Advisor provides customizable
IRS-approved prototype documents. The Advisor's services also include annual
government reporting and testing as well as daily valuation of each
participant's account. This structure is intended to eliminate the confusion and
complication often associated with dealing with multiple vendors. It is also
designed to save plan sponsors time and expense.
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<PAGE> 144
The Advisor strives to provide one-stop retirement savings programs that
combine the advantages of proven investment management, flexible plan design,
and a wide range of investment options. The open architecture design of the
plans allow for the use of the family of mutual funds managed by the Advisor as
well as a stable asset value option. Large company plans may supplement these
options with their company stock (if publicly traded) or funds from other
well-known mutual fund families.
28
<PAGE> 145
Education:
Participant education and communication is key to the success of any
retirement program, and therefore is one of the most important services that the
Advisor provides. The Advisor's goal is twofold: to make sure that plan
participants fully understand their options and to educate them about the
lifelong investment process. To this end, the Advisor provides attractive,
readable print materials that are supplemented with audio and video tapes, and
retirement education programs.
Service:
The Advisor's goal is to provide a world class level of service. One
aspect of that service is an experienced, knowledgeable team that provides
ongoing support for plan sponsors, both at adoption or conversion and throughout
the life of a plan. The Advisor is committed to delivering accurate and timely
information, evidenced by straightforward, complete, and understandable reports,
participant account statements, and plan summaries.
The Advisor has designed both "high-tech" and "high-touch" systems,
providing an automated telephone system as well as personal contact.
Participants can access daily account information, conduct transactions, or have
questions answered in the way that is most comfortable for them.
STRONG FINANCIAL ADVISORS GROUP
The Strong Financial Advisors Group is dedicated to helping financial
advisors better serve their clients. Financial advisors receive regular updates
on the mutual funds managed by the Advisor, access to portfolio managers through
special conference calls, consolidated mailings of duplicate confirmation
statements, access to the Advisor's network of regional representatives, and
other specialized services. For more information on the Strong Financial
Advisors Group, call 1-800-368-1683.
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., 411 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202, have been selected as the independent accountants for the Fund,
providing audit services and assistance and consultation with respect to the
preparation of filings with the SEC.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., 780 North Water Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202, acts as outside legal counsel for the Fund.
<PAGE> 146
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) Financial Statements:
(1) Strong Growth, Small Cap, and Value Funds (all included or
incorporated by reference in Parts A & B) (Audited):
Schedules of Investments in Securities
Statements of Operations
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
Notes to Financial Statements
Financial Highlights
Report of Independent Accountants
Incorporated by reference to the Annual Report to Shareholders
of the Strong Growth Funds dated December 31, 1996, pursuant
to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933. (File Nos.
33-70764 and 811-8100)
(2) For the three-month period ended March 31, 1997 (Unaudited) -
Strong Mid Cap Fund (included in Part B).
Schedule of Investments in Securities
Statement of Operations
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
Notes to Financial Statements
Financial Highlights
Incorporated by reference to the Interim Financial Statements
included in Part B of Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to the
Registrant's Registration Statement, pursuant to Rule 411
under the Securities Act of 1933. (File Nos. 33-70764 and
811-8100)
(3) For the four-month period ended August 31, 1997 (Audited) -
Strong Index 500 Fund (included in Part B).
Schedule of Investments in Securities
Statement of Operations
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Statement of Changes in Net Assets
Notes to Financial Statements
Financial Highlights
Incorporated by reference to the Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders of The Strong Index 500 Fund dated August 31,
1997, pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933.
(File Nos. 33-70764 and 811-8100)
C-1
<PAGE> 147
(4) Strong Growth 20, Small Cap Value, and Dow 30 Value Funds
Inapplicable
(b) Exhibits
(1) Articles of Incorporation dated July 31, 1996(4)
(1.1) Amendment to Articles of Incorporation dated October 22,
1996(5)
(1.2) Amendment to Articles of Incorporation dated April 4,
1997(7)
(1.3) Amendment to Articles of Incorporation dated June 24,
1997(8)
(1.4) Amendment to Articles of Incorporation dated December 9,
1997
(2) Bylaws dated October 20, 1995(1)
(3) Inapplicable
(4) Specimen Stock Certificate(1)
(5) Investment Advisory Agreement(1) [Excluding Index 500
Fund.]
(5.1) Subadvisory Agreement (Value Fund)(1)
(5.2) Subadvisory Agreement (Dow 30 Value Fund)
(6) Distribution Agreement(1)
(7) Inapplicable
(8.1) Custody Agreement with Firstar (Growth, Value, Small Cap,
Mid Cap, and Growth 20 Funds) (3)
(8.2) Global Custody Agreement with Brown Brothers Harriman &
Co. (Growth, Small Cap, Mid Cap, and Growth 20 Funds)(3)
(8.3) Custody Agreement with Investors Bank and Trust (Index 500
Fund)(7)
(9) Shareholder Servicing Agent Agreement (relating to
transfer and dividend-disbursing agent activities)
[Excluding Index 500 Fund](1)
(9.1) Shareholder Servicing Agent Agreement (relating to
personal services provided to shareholders)[Index 500
Fund](7)
(10) Opinion of Counsel (Small Cap Value and Dow 30 Value
Funds)
(11) Inapplicable
(12) Inapplicable
(13) Stock Subscription Agreement (Small Cap Value and Dow 30
Value Funds)
(14.1) Prototype Defined Contribution Retirement Plan - No. 1(2)
(14.1.1) Prototype Defined Contribution Retirement Plan - No. 2(2)
(14.2) Individual Retirement Custodial Account(2)
(14.3) Section 403(b)(7) Retirement Plan dated 6/96(4)
(14.4) Simplified Employee Pension Plan(3)
(15) Inapplicable
(16) Computation of Performance Figures(7)
(17) Inapplicable
(18) Inapplicable
(19) Power of Attorney for the Registrant dated December 27,
1996(5)
(19.1) Power of Attorney for the Master Investment Portfolio
dated February 13, 1997(7)
(20) Letter of Representation (Small Cap Value and Dow 30 Value
Funds)
(21.1) Code of Ethics for Access Persons dated October 18,
1996(5) (21.2) Code of Ethics for Non-Access Persons
dated October 18, 1996(5)
- ----------
(1) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about December 15, 1995.
(2) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about April 25, 1996.
C-2
<PAGE> 148
(3) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about July 30, 1996.
(4) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about October 17, 1996.
(5) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about December 30, 1996.
(6) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about February 14, 1997.
(7) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about April 25, 1997.
(8) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on or about June 27, 1997.
Item 25. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
Registrant neither controls any person nor is under common control with
any other person.
Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Number of Record Holders
Title of Class as of November 30, 1997
-------------- -----------------------
<S> <C>
Common Stock, $.00001 par value
Strong Growth Fund 121,176
Strong Small Cap Fund 15,611
Strong Value Fund 6,120
Strong Mid Cap Fund 1,698
Strong Index 500 Fund 2,052
Strong Growth 20 Fund 4,801
Strong Small Cap Value Fund 0
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund 0
</TABLE>
Item 27. Indemnification
Officers and directors are insured under a joint errors and omissions
insurance policy underwritten by American International Group and Great American
Insurance Company in the aggregate amount of $80,000,000, subject to certain
deductions. Pursuant to the authority of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law
("WBCL"), Article VII of Registrant's Bylaws provides as follows:
ARTICLE VII. INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
SECTION 7.01. Mandatory Indemnification. The Corporation
shall indemnify, to the full extent permitted by the WBCL, as in effect
from time to time, the persons described in Sections 180.0850 through
180.0859 (or any successor provisions) of the WBCL or other provisions
of the law of the State of Wisconsin relating to indemnification of
directors and officers, as in effect from time to time. The
indemnification afforded such persons by this section shall not be
exclusive of other rights to which they may be entitled as a matter of
law.
C-3
<PAGE> 149
SECTION 7.02. Permissive Supplementary Benefits. The
Corporation may, but shall not be required to, supplement the right of
indemnification under Section 7.01 by (a) the purchase of insurance on
behalf of any one or more of such persons, whether or not the
Corporation would be obligated to indemnify such person under Section
7.01; (b) individual or group indemnification agreements with any one or
more of such persons; and (c) advances for related expenses of such a
person.
SECTION 7.03. Amendment. This Article VII may be amended
or repealed only by a vote of the shareholders and not by a vote of the
Board of Directors.
SECTION 7.04. Investment Company Act. In no event shall
the Corporation indemnify any person hereunder in contravention of any
provision of the Investment Company Act.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor
Growth, Value, Small Cap, and Mid Cap Funds
The information contained under "About the Funds - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Funds" and "Investment
Advisor, Subadvisor, and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information
is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities
Act of 1933.
Growth 20 and Small Cap Value Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund" and "Investment
Advisor and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information is hereby
incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933.
Index 500 Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund," and "Investment
Advisor" in the Statement of Additional Information is hereby incorporated by
reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933.
Dow 30 Value Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund" and "Investment
Advisor, Subadvisor, and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information
is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities
Act of 1933.
Item 29. Principal Underwriters
(a) Strong Funds Distributors, Inc., principal underwriter for
Registrant, also serves as principal underwriter for Strong Advantage Fund,
Inc.; Strong Asia Pacific Fund, Inc.; Strong Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.; Strong
Common Stock Fund, Inc.; Strong Conservative Equity Funds, Inc.; Strong
Corporate Bond Fund, Inc.; Strong Discovery Fund, Inc.; Strong Government
Securities Fund, Inc.; Strong Heritage Reserve Series, Inc.; Strong High-Yield
Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.; Strong Income Funds, Inc.; Strong Institutional
Funds, Inc.; Strong International Bond Fund, Inc.; Strong International Stock
Fund, Inc.; Strong Money Market Fund, Inc.; Strong Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.;
Strong Municipal Funds, Inc.; Strong Opportunity Fund, Inc.; Strong Opportunity
Fund II, Inc.; Strong Schafer Funds, Inc.; Strong Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.;
Strong Short-Term Global Bond Fund, Inc.; Strong Short-Term Municipal Bond Fund,
Inc.; Strong Total Return Fund, Inc.; and Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc.
C-4
<PAGE> 150
(b) Growth, Value, Small Cap, and Mid Cap Funds
The information contained under "About the Funds - Management" in
the Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Funds" and "Investment
Advisor, Subadvisor, and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information
is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities
Act of 1933.
Growth 20 and Small Cap Value Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund" and "Investment
Advisor and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information is hereby
incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933.
Index 500 Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund," and "Investment
Advisor" in the Statement of Additional Information is hereby incorporated by
reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities Act of 1933.
Dow 30 Value Fund
The information contained under "About the Fund - Management" in the
Prospectus and under "Directors and Officers of the Fund" and "Investment
Advisor, Subadvisor, and Distributor" in the Statement of Additional Information
is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411 under the Securities
Act of 1933.
(c) Inapplicable
Item 30. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books, or other documents required to be maintained by
Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated
thereunder are in the physical possession of Registrant's Vice President, Thomas
P. Lemke, at Registrant's corporate offices, 100 Heritage Reserve, Menomonee
Falls, Wisconsin 53051.
Item 31. Management Services
All management-related service contracts entered into by Registrant are
discussed in Parts A and B of this Registration Statement.
Item 32. Undertakings
(a) Inapplicable
(b) The Registrant undertakes to file a Post-Effective Amendment, using
financial statements which need not be certified, within four to six months from
the effective date of this Registration Statement with respect to Strong Growth
20, Strong Small Cap Value and Strong Dow 30 Value Funds.
(c) The Registrant undertakes to furnish to each person to whom a
prospectus is delivered, upon request and without charge, a copy of Strong
Growth, Strong Value, Strong Mid Cap, and Strong Small Cap Funds' latest annual
report to shareholders.
C-5
<PAGE> 151
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 the
requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933
and has duly caused this Post-Effective No. 16 to the Registration Statement to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the
Village of Menomonee Falls, and State of Wisconsin on the 22nd day of December,
1997.
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
(Registrant)
By: /s/ Thomas P. Lemke
---------------------------------
Thomas P. Lemke, Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A has
been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date
indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name Title Date
---- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
/s/ Thomas P. Lemke Vice President (Acting Principal
- ----------------------------------- Executive Officer) December 22, 1997
Thomas P. Lemke
/s/ Richard S. Strong Chairman of the Board and a December 22, 1997
- ----------------------------------- Director
Richard S. Strong
/s/ John A. Flanagan Treasurer (Principal Financial and
- ----------------------------------- Accounting Officer) December 22, 1997
John A. Flanagan
Director December 22, 1997
- -----------------------------------
Marvin E. Nevins*
Director December 22, 1997
- -----------------------------------
Willie D. Davis*
Director December 22, 1997
- -----------------------------------
William F. Vogt*
Director December 22, 1997
- -------------------------------------
Stanley Kritzik*
</TABLE>
* John S. Weitzer signs this document pursuant to powers of attorney filed
with Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Registration Statement on Form
N-1A.
By: /s/ John S. Weitzer
----------------------------
John S. Weitzer
<PAGE> 152
EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EDGAR
Exhibit No. Exhibit Exhibit No.
- ----------- ------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
(1.4) Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation EX-99.B1.4
(5.2) Subadvisory Agreement (Dow 30 Value Fund) EX-99.B5.2
(10) Opinion of Counsel EX-99.B10
(13) Stock Subscription Agreement EX-99.B13
(20) Letter of Representation EX-99.B20
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1.4
AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
The undersigned Vice President of Strong Equity Funds, Inc. (the
"Corporation"), hereby certifies that in accordance with Section 180.1002 of
the Wisconsin Statutes, the following Amendment was duly adopted to create
Strong Small Cap Value Fund and Strong Dow 30 Value Fund as additional classes
of Common Stock:
"Paragraph A of Article IV is hereby amended by deleting Paragraph A
thereof and inserting the following as a new paragraph:
'A. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue an indefinite number of
shares of Common Stock with a par value of $.00001 per share. Subject to the
following paragraph the authorized shares are classified as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class Authorized Number of Shares
----- ---------------------------
<S> <C>
Strong Growth Fund Indefinite
Strong Small Cap Fund Indefinite
Strong Value Fund Indefinite
Strong Mid Cap Fund Indefinite
Strong Index 500 Fund Indefinite
Strong Growth 20 Fund Indefinite
Strong Small Cap Value Fund Indefinite
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund Indefinite'"
</TABLE>
This Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation was
adopted by the Board of Directors on October 24, 1997 in accordance with
Section 180.1002 and 180.0602(2) of the Wisconsin Statutes. Shareholder
approval was not required.
Executed in duplicate this 9th day of December, 1997.
STRONG EQUITY FUNDS, INC.
By: /s/ Stephen J. Shenkenberg
--------------------------------
Stephen J. Shenkenberg, Vice President
This instrument was drafted by:
John S. Weitzer
Strong Capital Management, Inc.
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 99.B5.2
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into on this ___ day of December, 1997
between STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. (the "Adviser"), a Wisconsin
corporation registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended
(the "Advisers Act"), and HORIZON INVESTMENT SERVICES, L.L.C. (the
"Custodian"), an Indiana limited liability company registered under the
Advisers Act.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, Strong Dow 30 Value Fund (the "Fund"), a series of the Strong
Equity Funds, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation, is in the process of registering
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") as a series
fund of an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
WHEREAS, the Advisory Agreement permits the Adviser to delegate certain of
its duties under the Advisory Agreement to other investment advisers, subject
to the requirements of the Investment Company Act; and
WHEREAS, the Adviser desires to retain the Subadviser as subadviser for
the Fund to act as investment adviser for and to manage the Fund's Investments
(as defined below) and the Subadviser desires to render such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Adviser and Subadviser do mutually agree and promise
as follows:
1. Appointment as Subadviser. The Adviser hereby retains the Subadviser
to act as investment adviser for and to manage certain assets of the Fund
subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board of Directors of the
Fund and subject to the terms of this Agreement; and the Subadviser hereby
accepts such employment. In such capacity, the Subadviser shall be responsible
for the Fund's investments.
2. Duties of Subadviser.
(a) Investments. The Subadviser is hereby authorized and directed
and hereby agrees, subject to the stated investment policies and
restrictions of the Fund as set forth in the Fund's current prospectus
and statement of additional information as currently in effect and as
supplemented or amended from time to time (collectively referred to
hereinafter as the "Prospectus") and subject to the directions of the
Adviser and the Fund's Board of Directors, to purchase, hold and sell
investments for the account
<PAGE> 2
of the Fund (hereinafter "Investments") and to monitor on a continuous
basis the performance of such Investments.
(b) Books and Records. The Subadviser shall timely furnish to the
Adviser all information relating to the Subadviser's services hereunder
needed by the Adviser to keep books and records of the Fund required by
Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act.
(c) Information Concerning Investments and Subadviser. From time to
time as the Adviser or the Fund may request, the Subadviser will furnish
the requesting party reports on portfolio transactions and reports on
Investments held in the portfolio, all in such detail as the Adviser or
the Fund may request. The Subadviser will also provide the Fund and the
Adviser on a regular basis with economic and investment analyses and
reports or other investment services normally available to institutional
or other clients of the Subadviser.
The Subadviser will make available its officers and employees to
meet with the Fund's Board of Directors at the Fund's principal place of
business on due notice to review the Investments of the Fund (through
quarterly telephone presentations and, if necessary, an in-person
presentation once per year). The Subadviser further agrees to inform the
Fund and the Adviser on a current basis of changes in investment
strategy, tactics or key personnel.
The Subadviser will also provide such information or perform such
additional acts as are customarily performed by a subadvisor and may be
required for the Fund or the Adviser to comply with their respective
obligations under applicable laws, including, without limitation, the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Investment
Company Act, the Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act") and any state securities laws, and any rule or
regulation thereunder.
(d) Custody Arrangements. The Subadviser acknowledges receipt of
the Custody Agreement for the Fund, dated ____________, 1997, and agrees
to comply at all times with all requirements relating to such
arrangements. The Subadviser shall provide the Adviser, and the Adviser
shall provide the Fund's custodian, on each business day with information
relating to all transactions concerning the Fund's assets.
(e) Compliance with Applicable Laws and Governing Documents. The
Subadviser agrees that in all matters relating to its performance under
this Agreement, the Subadviser and its directors, officers, partners,
employees and interested
2
<PAGE> 3
persons, will act in accordance with all applicable laws, including,
without limitation, the Investment Company Act, the Advisers Act, the
Code, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, the Commodity
Exchange Act, as amended (the "CEA") and state securities laws, and any
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The Subadviser further
agrees to act in accordance with the Fund's Articles of Incorporation,
By-Laws, currently effective registration statement under the Investment
Company Act, including any amendments or supplements thereto, and Notice
of Eligibility under Rule 4.5 of the CEA, if applicable, (collectively,
"Governing Instruments and Regulatory Filings") and any instructions or
directions of the Fund, its Board of Directors or the Adviser.
The Subadviser acknowledges receipt of the Fund's Governing
Instruments and Regulatory Filings. The Adviser hereby agrees to provide
to the Subadviser any amendments, supplements or other changes to the
Governing Instruments and Regulatory Filings as soon as practicable after
such materials become available and, upon receipt by the Subadviser, the
Subadviser will act in accordance with such amended, supplemented or
otherwise changed Governing Instruments and Regulatory Filings.
(f) Fund's Name; Adviser's Name. The Subadviser agrees that it
shall have no rights of any kind relating to the Fund's name, "Strong Dow
30 Value Fund" or in the name "Strong" as it is used in connection with
investment products, services or otherwise, and that it shall make no use
of such names without the express written consent of the Fund or the
Adviser, as the case may be.
3. Services Exclusive.
(a) Exclusive Investment Advise. Except as provided in Subsection
(b) of this Section 3 or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the
Adviser, during the term of this Agreement, as provided in Section 12
hereof, and for a period of two (2) years after the date the Subadviser
gives notice to the Adviser of its intention to terminate this Agreement
or three (3) months after the date the Adviser gives notice to the
Subadviser of its intention to terminate this Agreement, the Subadviser
(which for purposes of this Section 3 shall also include any successors
to the Subadviser), and any person or entity controlling, controlled by,
or under common control with, the Subadviser, shall not act as investment
adviser or subadviser, or otherwise render investment advice to, or
sponsor, promote or distribute, any investment company or comparable
entity registered under the Investment Company Act or other investment
fund consisting of more than 100 investors that is offered publicly but
is not subject to the registration requirements of the Investment Company
Act that is substantially similar to the Fund (i.e., the Fund's
investment objectives, policies, and techniques are substantially
similar).
3
<PAGE> 4
(b) Exceptions. The Subadviser may, except as provided in
Subsection (a) of this Section 3, act as investment adviser for
non-investment company clients; provided, however, that such services for
others shall not in any way hinder, impair, preclude or prevent the
Subadviser from performing its duties and obligations under this
Agreement and that whenever the Fund and one or more other accounts
advised by the Subadviser have available funds for investment,
investments suitable and appropriate for each will be allocated in
accordance with procedures that are equitable for each account.
Similarly, opportunities to sell securities will be allocated in an
equitable manner.
4. Non-Competition. The Subadviser and any person or entity
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the Subadviser will
not in any manner sponsor, promote or distribute any new investment product or
service substantially similar to the Fund, as such phrase is used in Section 3
hereof, for the period that the Subadviser is required to provide exclusive
services to the Fund pursuant to Section 3 hereof, without the prior written
consent of the Adviser. In addition, the Subadviser and any person or entity
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the Subadviser will
not in any manner sponsor, promote or distribute any other mutual funds that
compete with other Funds in the Strong Family of Funds for the period of this
Agreement, without the prior written consent of the Adviser, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld. For the purposes of this paragraph, the
activities of the Subadviser and any person or entity controlling, controlled
by, or under common control with, the Subadviser related to providing
investment recommendations through print media such as newsletters is not
deemed by the Adviser to be in competition with the Adviser's services.
5. Independent Contractor. In the performance of its duties hereunder,
the Subadviser is and shall be an independent contractor and unless otherwise
expressly provided herein or otherwise authorized in writing, shall have no
authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Adviser in any way or
otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Adviser.
6. Compensation. The Adviser shall pay to the Subadviser a fee for its
services hereunder (the "Subadvisory Fee") computed as follows:
(a) Fee Rate. The Subadvisory Fee shall be the sum of (i) 50% of
the total management fee collected by the Adviser from the Fund on the
first $1.0 billion of the Fund's net assets, (ii) 40% of the total
management fee collected by the Adviser from the Fund on the Fund's net
assets over $1.0 billion and up to $1.5 billion, (iii) 35% of the total
management fee collected by the Adviser from the Fund on the Fund's net
assets over $1.5 billion and up to $2.0 billion, (iv) 30% of the total
management fee collected by the Adviser from the Fund on the Fund's net
assets over $2.0 billion and up to $2.5 billion, and (v) 10% of the total
management fee collected by the Adviser from the Fund
4
<PAGE> 5
on the Fund's net assets over $2.5 billion. Subadviser acknowledges and
agrees that the Adviser may waive all or any portion of its management
fee at such times and for such periods of time as it determines in its
sole and absolute discretion. However, Adviser shall consult with
Subadviser prior to any such waivers. In the event of a full waiver, the
Subadvisory Fee shall be zero. In the event of a partial waiver, the
Subadvisory Fee shall be reduced pro rata. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, prior to January 1, 2000, the Subadvisory Fee shall be
$250,000 per year. If the Subadvisor shall be terminated by the Adviser
or the board of directors of the Fund, Adviser shall pay liquidated
damages to Subadvisor in an amount and in a manner to be determined.
(b) Method of Computation; Payment. The Subadvisory Fee shall be
accrued for each calendar day the Subadviser renders subadvisory services
hereunder and the sum of the daily fee accruals shall be paid monthly to
the Subadviser as soon as practicable following the last day of each
month, by wire transfer if so requested by the Subadviser, but no later
than eight (8) calendar days thereafter. Commencing on January 1, 2000,
the daily fee accruals will be computed by multiplying the fraction of
one (1) over the number of calendar days in the year by the annual rate
as described in Subsection (a) of this Section 6 and multiplying the
product by the net asset value of the Fund as determined in accordance
with the Prospectus as of the close of business on the previous business
day on which the Fund was open for business. The Subadvisory Fee will
reflect any waivers by the Adviser as described in Subsection (a) of this
Section 6. Prior to January 1, 2000, the daily fee accruals will be
computed by dividing $250,000 by the number of calendar days in the year.
7. Expenses. The Subadviser shall bear all expenses incurred by it in
connection with its services under this Agreement and will, from time to time,
at its sole expense employ or associate itself with such persons as it believes
to be particularly fitted to assist it in the execution of its duties
hereunder.
8. Representations and Warranties of Subadviser. The Subadviser
represents and warrants to the Adviser and the Fund as follows:
(a) The Subadviser is registered as an investment adviser under the
Advisers Act;
(b) The Subadviser has filed a notice of exemption pursuant to Rule
4.14 under the CEA with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the
"CFTC") and the National Futures Association (the "NFA"), if applicable;
5
<PAGE> 6
(c) The Subadviser is a limited liability company duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Indiana with the power to
own and possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being
conducted;
(d) The execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of
this Agreement are within the Subadviser's powers and have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of its shareholders, and
no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body,
agency or official is required on the part of the Subadviser for the
execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of this Agreement,
and the execution, delivery and performance by the Subadviser of this
Agreement do not contravene or constitute a default under (i) any
provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Subadviser's
governing instruments, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction,
order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Subadviser;
(e) This Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of the
Subadviser;
(f) The Subadviser and any affiliated person of the Subadviser have
not:
(i) within 10 years from the date hereof been convicted of any
felony or misdemeanor involving the purchase or sale of any
securities or arising out of the conduct as an underwriter, broker,
dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, government
securities broker, government securities dealer, transfer agent, or
entity or person required to be registered under the CEA, or as an
affiliated person, salesman, or employee of any investment company,
bank, insurance company, or entity or person required to be
registered under the CEA; or
(ii) by reason of any misconduct, been permanently or
temporarily enjoined by an order, judgment or decree of any court
of competent jurisdiction or other governmental authority from
acting as an underwriter, broker, dealer, investment adviser,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
government securities dealer, transfer agent, or entity or person
required to be registered under the CEA, or an affiliated person,
salesman, or employee of any investment company, bank, insurance
company, or entity or person required to be registered under the
CEA or from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in
connection with any such activity or in connection with the
purchase or sale of any security; or
6
<PAGE> 7
(iii) been a party to litigation or other adversarial
proceedings involving any former or current client that is material
to the Subadviser's business;
(g) The Form ADV of the Subadviser attached hereto as Exhibit A is a
true and complete copy of the form filed with the Commission and the
information contained therein is accurate and complete in all material
respects and does not omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading;
(h) The Subadviser's unaudited financial statements for the 1 month
period ended November, 1997 attached hereto as Exhibit B are true and
complete copies of the Subadviser's financial statements, are accurate
and complete in all material respects and do not omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(i) The Subadviser's does not manage money for any clients, other
than corporate equity accounts of Horizon Management Services, Inc., and
(j) The Subadviser's Code of Ethics attached hereto as Exhibit D has
been duly adopted by the Subadviser, meets the requirements of Rule 17j-1
under the Investment Company Act and such code has been complied with and
no violation has occurred.
9. Representations and Warranties of Adviser. The Adviser represents
and warrants to the Subadviser as follows:
(a) The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the
Advisers Act;
(b) The Adviser has filed a notice of exemption pursuant to Rule
4.14 under the CEA with the CFTC and the NFA;
(c) The Adviser is a corporation duly organized and validly existing
under the laws of the State of Wisconsin with the power to own and
possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being
conducted;
(d) The execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this
Agreement are within and Adviser's powers and have been duly authorized
by all
7
<PAGE> 8
necessary action on the part of its shareholders, and no action by or in
respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is
required on the part of the Adviser for the execution, delivery and
performance by the Adviser of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery
and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement do not contravene or
constitute a default under (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or
regulation, (ii) the Adviser's governing instruments, or (iii) any
agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument
binding upon the Adviser;
(e) This Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of the Adviser;
(f) The Adviser and any affiliated person of the Adviser have not:
(i) within 10 years from the date hereof been convicted of any
felony or misdemeanor involving the purchase or sale of any
securities or arising out of the conduct as an underwriter, broker,
dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, government
securities broker, government securities dealer, transfer agent, or
entity or person required to be registered under the CEA, or as an
affiliated person, salesman, or employee of any investment company,
bank, insurance company, or entity or person required to be
registered under the CEA; or
(ii) by reason of any misconduct, been permanently or
temporarily enjoined by an order, judgment or decree of any court
of competent jurisdiction or other governmental authority from
acting as an underwriter, broker, dealer, investment adviser,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
government securities dealer, transfer agent, or entity or person
required to be registered under the CEA, or an affiliated person,
salesman, or employee of any investment company, bank, insurance
company, or entity or person required to be registered under the
CEA or from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in
connection with any such activity or in connection with the
purchase or sale of any security; or
(iii) been a party to litigation or other adversarial
proceedings involving any former or current client that is material
to the Adviser's business;
(g) The Form ADV of the Adviser attached hereto as Exhibit E is a
true and complete copy of the form filed with the Commission and the
information contained therein is accurate and complete in all material
respects and does not omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading;
8
<PAGE> 9
(h) The Adviser acknowledges that it received a copy of the
Subadviser's Form ADV at least 48 hours prior to the execution of this
Agreement.
10. Survival of Representations and Warranties; Duty to Update
Information. All representations and warranties made by the Subadviser and the
Adviser pursuant to Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall survive for the duration of
this Agreement and the parties hereto shall immediately notify, but in no event
later than five (5) business days, each other in writing upon becoming aware
that any of the foregoing representations and warranties are no longer true. In
addition, the Subadviser will deliver to the Adviser and the Fund copies of any
amendments, supplements or updates to any of the information provided to the
Adviser and attached as exhibits hereto within fifteen (15) days after becoming
available. Within forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar year
during the term hereof, the Subadviser shall certify to the Adviser that it has
complied with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act
with regard to its duties hereunder during the prior year and that there has
been no violation of the Subadviser's Code of Ethics with respect to the Fund
or in respect of any matter or circumstance that is material to the performance
of the Subadviser's duties hereunder or, if such violation has occurred, that
appropriate action was taken in response to such violation.
11. Liability and Indemnification.
(a) Liability. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
negligence on the part of the Subadviser or a breach of its duties
hereunder, the Subadviser shall not be subject to any liability to the
Adviser or the Fund or any of the Fund's shareholders, and, in the
absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence on the part of
the Adviser or a breach of its duties hereunder, the Adviser shall not be
subject to any liability to the Subadviser, for any act or omission in
the case of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any
losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of
Investments; provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve the
Adviser and the Subadviser from any of their obligations under applicable
law, including, without limitation, the federal and state securities laws
and the CEA.
(b) Indemnification. The Subadviser shall indemnify the Adviser and
the Fund, and their respective officers and directors, for any liability
and expenses, including attorneys' fees, which may be sustained as a
result of the Subadviser's willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence,
breach of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including,
without limitation, the federal and state securities laws or the CEA.
The Adviser shall indemnify the Subadviser and its officers and
directors, for any liability and expenses, including attorneys' fees,
which may be sustained as a result of the Adviser's willful misfeasance,
bad faith, negligence, breach of its duties hereunder or
9
<PAGE> 10
violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the federal
and state securities laws or the CEA.
12. Duration and Termination.
(a) Duration. This Agreement shall be submitted for approval by
shareholders of the Fund at the first meeting of shareholders of the Fund
following the effective date of its Registration Statement on Form N-1A
covering the initial offering of shares of the Fund. This Agreement
shall continue in effect for a period of two years from the date hereof,
subject thereafter to being continued in force and effect from year to
year if specifically approved each year by either (i) the Board of
Directors of the Fund, or (ii) by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the Fund's outstanding voting securities. In addition to the foregoing,
each renewal of this Agreement must be approved by the vote of a majority
of the Fund's directors who are not parties to this Agreement or
interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such approval. Prior to voting on the
renewal of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Fund may request
and evaluate, and the Subadviser shall furnish, such information as may
reasonably be necessary to enable the Fund's Board of Directors to
evaluate the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Termination. Notwithstanding whatever may be provided herein to
the contrary, this Agreement may be terminated at any time, without
payment of any penalty:
(i) By vote of a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Fund, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
of the Fund, or by the Adviser, in each case, upon sixty (60) days'
written notice to the Subadviser;
(ii) By the Adviser upon breach by the Subadviser of any
representation or warranty contained in Section 8 hereof, which
shall not have been cured during the notice period, upon twenty
(20) days written notice;
(iii) By the Adviser immediately upon written notice to the
Subadviser if the Subadviser becomes unable to discharge its duties
and obligations under this Agreement; or
(iv) By the Subadviser upon 180 days written notice to the
Adviser and the Fund.
This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its
assignment or upon the termination of the Advisory Agreement.
10
<PAGE> 11
13. Duties of the Adviser. The Adviser shall continue to have
responsibility for all services to be provided to the Fund pursuant to the
Advisory Agreement and shall oversee and review the Subadviser's performance of
its duties under this Agreement. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
obligate the Adviser to provide any funding or other support for the purpose of
directly or indirectly promoting investments in the Fund.
14. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the
parties, provided that the terms of each such amendment shall be approved by
the Board of Directors of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund. If such amendment is proposed in
order to comply with the recommendations or requirements of the Commission or
state regulatory bodies or other governmental authority, or to expressly obtain
any advantage under federal or state or non-U.S. laws, the Adviser shall notify
the Subadviser of the form of amendment which it deems necessary or advisable
and the reasons therefor, and if the Subadviser declines to assent to such
amendment, the Adviser may terminate this Agreement forthwith.
15. Confidentiality. Subject to the duties of the Adviser, the Fund
and the Subadviser to comply with applicable law, including any demand of any
regulatory or taxing authority having jurisdiction, the parties hereto shall
treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Fund and the actions of
the Subadviser, the Adviser and the Fund in respect thereof.
16. Notice. Any notice that is required to be given by the parties to
each other under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, delivered, or
mailed postpaid to the other party, or transmitted by facsimile with
acknowledgment of receipt, to the parties at the following addresses or
facsimile numbers, which may from time to time be changed by the parties by
notice to the other party:
(a) If to the Adviser:
Strong Capital Management, Inc.
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: (414) 359-3948
(b) If to the Subadviser:
Horizon Investment Services, L.L.C.
11
<PAGE> 12
7412 Calumet Avenue, Suite 100
Hammond, Indiana 46324-2692
Attention: Mr. Charles Carlson
Facsimile: (219) 931-6487
(c) If to the Fund:
Strong Dow 30 Value Fund
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: (414) 359-3948
17. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin
and the Subadviser consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts, both
federal and state, and venue in Wisconsin, with respect to any dispute arising
under or in connection with this Agreement.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, all of which shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
19. Captions. The captions herein are included for convenience of
reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation
hereof.
20. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or
made invalid by a court decision or applicable law, the remainder of the
Agreement shall not be affected adversely and shall remain in full force and
effect.
21. Certain Definitions.
(a) "business day." As used herein, business day means any
customary business day in the United States on which the New York Stock
Exchange is open.
(b) Miscellaneous. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived
from a term or provision of the Investment Company Act shall be resolved
by reference to such term or provision of the Investment company Act and
to interpretations thereof, if any, by the U.S. courts or, in the absence
of any controlling decisions of any such court, by rules, regulation or
order of the Commission validly issued pursuant to the Investment
12
<PAGE> 13
Company Act. Specifically, as used herein, "investment company,"
"affiliated person," "interested person," "assignment," "broker,"
"dealer" and "affirmative vote of the majority of the Fund's outstanding
voting securities" shall all have such meaning as such terms have in the
Investment Company Act. The term "investment adviser" shall have such
meaning as such term has in the Advisers Act and the Investment Company
Act, and in the event of a conflict between such Acts, the most expansive
definition shall control. In addition, where the effect of a requirement
of the Investment Company Act reflected in any provision of this
Agreement is relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the Commission,
whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed
to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
13
<PAGE> 14
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the
day and year first written above.
STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
By: /s/
---------------------------------
Attest: /s/
---------------------------------
HORIZON INVESTMENT SERVICES, L.L.C.]
By: /s/
---------------------------------
Attest: /s/
---------------------------------
14
<PAGE> 1
EX-99.B10
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
780 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Phone (414) 273-3500 Fax (414) 273-5198
December 23, 1997
Strong Equity Funds, Inc.
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
Re: Strong Small Cap Value Fund
Gentlemen:
We have acted as your counsel in connection with the preparation of a
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (Registration Nos. 33-70764; 811-8100) (the
"Registration Statement") relating to the sale by you of an indefinite number
of shares (the "Shares") of common stock, $.00001 par value of Strong Small Cap
Value Fund (the "Fund"), a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc. (the "Company"),
in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus of
the Fund included therein).
We have examined: (a) the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus
of the Fund included therein), (b) the Company's Articles of Incorporation and
By-Laws, each as amended to date, (c) certain resolutions of the Company's
Board of Directors, and (d) such other proceedings, documents and records as we
have deemed necessary to enable us to render this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when
sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be duly authorized and
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable except to the extent provided in
Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes, or any successor provision,
which provides that shareholders of a corporation organized under Chapter 180
of the Wisconsin Statutes may be assessed up to the par value of their shares
to satisfy the obligations of such corporation to its employees for services
rendered, but not exceeding six months service in the case of any individual
employee; certain Wisconsin courts have interpreted "par value" to mean the
full amount paid by the purchaser of shares upon the issuance thereof.
<PAGE> 2
Strong Equity Funds, Inc.
December 23, 1997
Page 2
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving this consent, however, we do not admit that
we are "experts" within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or within the category of persons whose consent is required
by Section 7 of said Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
<PAGE> 3
EX-99.B10
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
780 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Phone (414) 273-3500 Fax (414) 273-5198
December 23, 1997
Strong Equity Funds, Inc.
100 Heritage Reserve
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
Re: Strong Dow 30 Value Fund
Gentlemen:
We have acted as your counsel in connection with the preparation of a
Registration Statement on Form N-1A (Registration Nos. 33-70764; 811-8100) (the
"Registration Statement") relating to the sale by you of an indefinite number
of shares (the "Shares") of common stock, $.00001 par value of Strong Dow 30
Value Fund (the "Fund"), a series of Strong Equity Funds, Inc. (the "Company"),
in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus of
the Fund included therein).
We have examined: (a) the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus of
the Fund included therein), (b) the Company's Articles of Incorporation and
By-Laws, each as amended to date, (c) certain resolutions of the Company's
Board of Directors, and (d) such other proceedings, documents and records as we
have deemed necessary to enable us to render this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold
as contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be duly authorized and
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable except to the extent provided in
Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes, or any successor provision,
which provides that shareholders of a corporation organized under Chapter 180
of the Wisconsin Statutes may be assessed up to the par value of their shares
to satisfy the obligations of such corporation to its employees for services
rendered, but not exceeding six months service in the case of any individual
employee; certain Wisconsin courts have interpreted "par value" to mean the full
amount paid by the purchaser of shares upon the issuance thereof.
<PAGE> 4
Strong Equity Funds, Inc.
December 23, 1997
Page 2
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement. In giving this consent, however, we do not admit that we are
"experts" within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or within the category of persons whose consent is required by
Section 7 of said Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 99.B13
STRONG <<FUND>>, INC. -
STOCK SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
To the Board of Directors of Strong <<FUND>>, Inc.:
The undersigned purchaser (the "Purchaser") hereby subscribes to
__________ shares (the "Shares") of common stock, _______ par value (the
"Common Stock"), of Strong <<FUND>>, Inc. - in consideration for which the
Purchaser agrees to transfer to you upon demand cash in the amount of
___________________________________.
It is understood that a certificate representing the Shares shall be
issued to the undersigned upon request at any time after receipt by you of
payment therefore, and said Shares shall be deemed fully paid and
nonassessable, except to the extent provided in Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the
Wisconsin Statutes, as interpreted by courts of competent jurisdiction, or any
successor provision to said Section 180.0622(2)(b).
The Purchaser agrees that the Shares are being purchased for
investment with no present intention of reselling or redeeming said Shares.
Dated and effective this _____ day of __________________, 199__.
Strong Capital Management, Inc.
By: _________________________
Officer
ACCEPTANCE
The foregoing subscription is hereby accepted. Dated and effective as
of this _____ day of ________________, 199__.
STRONG <<FUND>>, INC.
By: _________________________
Officer
Attest: _____________________
Officer
<PAGE> 1
EX-99.B20
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
780 North Water Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Phone: (414) 273-3500 Fax: (414) 273-5198
December 23, 1997
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: Strong Equity Funds, Inc.
Gentlemen:
We represent Strong Equity Funds, Inc. (the "Company"), in connection
with its filing of Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 (the "Post-Effective
Amendment") to the Company's Registration Statement (Registration Nos.
33-70764; 811-8100) on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Securities Act") and the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Post-Effective
Amendment is being filed pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act.
We have reviewed the Post-Effective Amendment and, in accordance with
Rule 485(b)(4) under the Securities Act, hereby represent that the
Post-Effective Amendment does not contain disclosures which would render it
ineligible to become effective pursuant to Rule 485(b).
Very truly yours,
GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.
/s/ Pamela M. Krill
PAMELA M. KRILL
