As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 29, 1997
File No. 811-8790
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
AMENDMENT NO. 4
THE NON-U.S. FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
P.O. Box 2508 GT, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (809) 949-6644
Christopher J. Kelly, c/o Funds Distributor, Inc.
60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:Steven K. West, Esq.
Sullivan & Cromwell
125 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement has been filed by the Registrant pursuant
to Section 8(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. However,
beneficial interests in the Registrant are not being registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), because such interests will
be issued solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any
"public offering" within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
Investments in the Registrant may only be made by investment companies,
insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar
organizations or entities that are "accredited investors" within the meaning of
Regulation D under the 1933 Act. This Registration Statement does not constitute
an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any beneficial
interests in the Registrant.
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A-18
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PART A
Responses to Items 1 through 3 and 5A have been omitted pursuant to
paragraph 4 of Instruction F of the General Instructions to Form N-1A.
ITEM 4. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT.
The Non-U.S. Fixed Income Portfolio (the "Portfolio") is a no-load
open-end management investment company which was organized as a trust under the
laws of the State of New York on June 16, 1993. Beneficial interests in the
Portfolio are issued solely in private placement transactions that do not
involve any "public offering" within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). Investments in the
Portfolio may only be made by other investment companies, insurance company
separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar organizations or
entities that are "accredited investors" within the meaning of Regulation D
under the 1933 Act. This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to
sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any "security" within the meaning
of the 1933 Act.
The Portfolio is advised by Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York
("Morgan" or the "Advisor").
Investments in the Portfolio are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, Morgan or any other bank. Interests in the Portfolio
are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the
Federal Reserve Board or any other governmental agency. An investment in the
Portfolio is subject to risk, as the net asset value of the Portfolio will
fluctuate with changes in the value of the Portfolio's holdings. There can be no
assurance that the investment objective of the Portfolio will be achieved.
Part B contains more detailed information about the Portfolio,
including information related to (i) the investment policies and restrictions of
the Portfolio, (ii) the Trustees, officers, Advisor and administrators of the
Portfolio, (iii) portfolio transactions, (iv) rights and liabilities of
investors and (v) the audited financial statements of the Portfolio at September
30, 1997.
The investment objective of the Portfolio is described below, together
with the policies employed to attempt to achieve this objective. Additional
information about the investment policies of the Portfolio appears in Part B,
under Item 13. There can be no assurance that the investment objective of the
Portfolio will be achieved.
The Portfolio's investment objective is to provide a high total return,
consistent with moderate risk of capital, from a portfolio of international
fixed income securities. Total return will consist of income plus realized and
unrealized capital gains and losses. The Portfolio seeks to achieve its
objective by investing in the types of fixed income securities described below.
The expected total return of a portfolio of fixed income securities may not be
as high as that of a portfolio of equity securities.
The Portfolio is designed for investors seek exposure to the
international bond markets in their investment portfolios.
The Advisor actively manages the Portfolio's allocation across
countries, its duration and the selection of specific securities within
countries. Based on fundamental economic and capital markets research,
quantitative valuation techniques and experienced judgment, the Advisor
allocates the Portfolio's assets primarily among the developed countries of the
world outside the United States. The Advisor adjusts the Portfolio's duration in
light of market conditions and the Advisor's interest rate outlook for the
countries in which it invests. The Advisor selects securities among the broad
sectors of the fixed income market including, but not limited to, debt
obligations of governments and their agencies, supranational organizations,
corporations and banks, taking into consideration such factors as their relative
value, the likelihood of a change in credit rating, and the liquidity of the
issue. Under normal circumstances, the Advisor intends to keep the Portfolio
essentially fully invested with at least 65% of the Portfolio's assets invested
in bonds of foreign issuers. These investments will be made in at least three
foreign countries. For further information on international investments, see
"Additional Investment Information and Risk Factors."
Duration is a measure of the weighted average maturity of the bonds
held in the Portfolio and can be used as a measure of the sensitivity of the
Portfolio's market value to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the
duration of the Portfolio, the more sensitive its market value will be to
changes in interest rates. Typically, the Portfolio's duration will range
between one year shorter and one year longer than the duration of the non-U.S.
fixed income universe, as represented by Salomon Brothers Non-U.S. World
Government Bond Index, the Portfolio's benchmark. Currently the benchmark's
duration is approximately 5 years. The maturities of the individual bonds in the
Portfolio may vary widely, however.
The Portfolio may invest in securities denominated in foreign
currencies, the U.S. dollar or multinational currency units such as the ECU. The
Advisor will generally attempt to hedge the Portfolio's foreign currency
exposure into the U.S. dollar. However, the Advisor may from time to time decide
to keep foreign currency positions unhedged or engage in foreign currency
transactions if, based on fundamental research, technical factors, and the
judgment of experienced currency managers, it believes the foreign currency
exposure will benefit the Portfolio. For further information on foreign currency
exchange transactions, see "Additional Investment Information and Risk Factors."
The Advisor intends to manage its portfolio actively in pursuit of its
investment objective. Portfolio transactions are undertaken principally to
accomplish the Portfolio's objective in relation to expected movements in the
general level of interest rates in each country, but the Portfolio may also
engage in short-term trading consistent with its objective. To the extent the
Portfolio engages in short-term trading, it may realize short-term capital gains
or losses and incur increased transaction costs. The portfolio turnover rate for
the Portfolio for the period October 11, 1994 (commencement of operations)
through September 30, 1995 and the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996 and the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 were 288%, 330%, 346% respectively.
CORPORATE BONDS. The Portfolio may invest in a broad range of debt
obligations of foreign issuers. These include debt securities of foreign
corporations; debt obligations of foreign banks and bank holding companies; and
debt obligations issued or guaranteed by supranational organizations such as the
World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank. To a
limited extent, the Portfolio may also invest in non-U.S. dollar denominated
securities of U.S. issuers.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The Portfolio may invest in debt obligations
issued or guaranteed by a foreign sovereign government or one of its agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions including a foreign
state, province or municipality.
MONEY MARKET INVESTMENTS. The Portfolio may invest in money market
instruments of foreign or domestic issuers denominated in U.S. dollars and other
currencies. Under normal circumstances the Portfolio will purchase these
securities as a part of its management of the Portfolio's duration, to invest
temporary cash balances or to maintain liquidity to meet redemptions. However,
the Portfolio may also invest in money market instruments as a temporary
defensive measure taken in the Advisor's judgment during, or in anticipation of,
adverse market conditions. For more detailed information about these money
market investments see Item 13 in Part B.
QUALITY INFORMATION. Under normal circumstances at least 65% of the
Portfolio's total assets will consist of securities that at the time of purchase
are rated at least A by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or Standard
& Poor's Ratings Group ("Standard & Poor's") or that are unrated and in the
Advisor's opinion are of comparable quality. In the case of the remaining 35% of
the Portfolio's investments, the Portfolio may purchase securities that are
rated Baa or better by Moody's or BBB or better by Standard & Poor's or are
unrated and in the Advisor's opinion are of comparable quality. Securities rated
Baa by Moody's or BBB by Standard & Poor's are considered investment grade, but
have some speculative characteristics. These standards must be satisfied at the
time an investment is made. If the quality of the investment later declines, the
Portfolio may continue to hold the investment. See Appendix A in Part B for more
detailed information on these ratings.
NON-DIVERSIFICATION. The Portfolio is registered as a non-diversified
investment company which means that the Portfolio is not limited by the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), in the proportion
of its assets that may be invested in the obligations of a single issuer. Thus,
the Portfolio may invest a greater proportion of its assets in the securities of
a smaller number of issuers and, as a result, may be subject to greater risk
with respect to its portfolio securities. The Portfolio, however, will comply
with the diversification requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), for qualification as a regulated investment
company. See Item 20 in Part B.
The Portfolio may also purchase obligations on a when-issued or delayed
delivery basis, enter into repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, lend
its portfolio securities, purchase certain privately placed securities and enter
into forward foreign currency exchange contracts. In addition, the Portfolio may
use options on securities and indexes of securities, futures contracts and
options on futures contracts for hedging and risk management purposes. Forward
foreign currency exchange contracts, options and futures contracts are
derivative instruments. For a discussion of these investments and investment
techniques, see "Additional Investment Information and Risk Factors."
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION AND RISK FACTORS
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES. The convertible securities in which the
Portfolio may invest include any debt securities or preferred stock which may be
converted into common stock or which carry the right to purchase common stock.
Convertible securities entitle the holder to exchange the securities for a
specified number of shares of common stock, usually of the same company, at
specified prices within a certain period of time.
WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED DELIVERY SECURITIES. The Portfolio may purchase
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. Delivery of and payment
for these securities may take as long as a month or more after the date of the
purchase commitment. The value of these securities is subject to market
fluctuation during this period and for fixed income securities no interest
accrues to the Portfolio until settlement. At the time of settlement, a
when-issued security may be valued at less than its purchase price. The
Portfolio maintains with the Custodian a separate account with a segregated
portfolio of securities in an amount at least equal to these commitments. When
entering into a when-issued or delayed delivery transaction, the Portfolio will
rely on the other party to consummate the transaction; if the other party fails
to do so, the Portfolio may be disadvantaged. It is the current policy of the
Portfolio not to enter into when-issued commitments exceeding in the aggregate
15% of the market value of the Portfolio's total assets less liabilities other
than the obligations created by these commitments.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Portfolio may engage in repurchase agreement
transactions with brokers, dealers or banks that meet the credit guidelines
established by the Trustees. In a repurchase agreement, the Portfolio buys a
security from a seller that has agreed to repurchase it at a mutually agreed
upon date and price, reflecting the interest rate effective for the term of the
agreement. The term of these agreements is usually from overnight to one week. A
repurchase agreement may be viewed as a fully collateralized loan of money by
the Portfolio to the seller. The Portfolio always receives securities as
collateral with a market value at least equal to the purchase price plus accrued
interest and this value is maintained during the term of the agreement. If the
seller defaults and the collateral value declines, the Portfolio might incur a
loss. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller, the
Portfolio's realization upon the disposition of collateral may be delayed or
limited. Investments in certain repurchase agreements and certain other
investments which may be considered illiquid are limited. See "Illiquid
Investments; Privately Placed and other Unregistered Securities" below.
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. Subject to applicable investment
restrictions, the Portfolio is permitted to lend its securities in an amount up
to 33-1/3% of the value of the Portfolio's net assets. The Portfolio may lend
its securities if such loans are secured continuously by cash or equivalent
collateral or by a letter of credit in favor of the Portfolio at least equal at
all times to 100% of the market value of the securities loaned, plus accrued
interest. While such securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Portfolio
any income accruing thereon. Loans will be subject to termination by the
Portfolio in the normal settlement time, generally three business days after
notice, or by the borrower on one day's notice. Borrowed securities must be
returned when the loan is terminated. Any gain or loss in the market price of
the borrowed securities which occurs during the term of the loan inures to the
Portfolio and its investors. The Portfolio may pay reasonable finders' and
custodial fees in connection with a loan. In addition, the Portfolio will
consider all facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the
borrowing financial institution, and the Portfolio will not make any loans in
excess of one year.
Loans of portfolio securities may be considered extensions of credit by
the Portfolio. The risks to the Portfolio with respect to borrowers of its
portfolio securities are similar to the risks to the Portfolio with respect to
the sellers in repurchase agreement transactions. See "Repurchase Agreements"
above. The Portfolio will not lend its securities to any officer, Trustee,
Director, employee or other affiliate of the Portfolio, the Adviser or the
placement agent, unless otherwise permitted by applicable law.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT INFORMATION. The Portfolio invests primarily in
certain foreign securities. Investment in securities of foreign issuers and in
obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks involves somewhat different
investment risks from those affecting securities of U.S. domestic issuers. There
may be limited publicly available information with respect to foreign issuers,
and foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing
and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to
domestic companies. Dividends and interest paid by foreign issuers may be
subject to withholding and other foreign taxes which may decrease the net return
on foreign investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to the
Portfolio by domestic companies.
Investors should realize that the value of the Portfolio's investments
in foreign securities may be adversely affected by changes in political or
social conditions, diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation,
nationalization, limitation on the removal of funds or assets, or imposition of
(or change in) exchange control or tax regulations in those foreign countries.
In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary
policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or
depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or unfavorably affect
the Portfolio's operations. Furthermore, the economies of individual foreign
nations may differ from the United States economy, whether favorably or
unfavorably, in areas such as growth of gross national product, rate of
inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of
payments position; it may also be more difficult to obtain and enforce a
judgment against a foreign issuer. Any foreign investments made by the Portfolio
must be made in compliance with U.S. and foreign currency restrictions and tax
laws restricting the amounts and types of foreign investments.
In addition, while the volume of transactions effected on foreign bond
markets has increased in recent years, in most cases it remains appreciably
below that of domestic security exchanges. Accordingly, the Portfolio's foreign
investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than
comparable investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Moreover, the settlement
periods for foreign securities, which are often longer than those for securities
of U.S. issuers, may affect portfolio liquidity. In addition, there is generally
less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and
issuers located in foreign countries than in the United States.
Although the Portfolio invests primarily in securities of established
issuers based in developed foreign counties, it may also invest in securities of
issuers in emerging markets countries. Investments in securities of issuers in
emerging markets countries may involve a high degree of risk and many may be
considered speculative. These investments carry all of the risks of investing in
securities of foreign issuers outlined in this section to a heightened degree.
These heightened risks include (i) greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory
taxation, nationalization, and less social, political and economic stability;
(ii) the small current size of the markets for securities of emerging markets
issuers and the currently low or non-existent volume of trading, resulting in
lack of liquidity and in price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which
may restrict the Portfolio's investment opportunities including restrictions on
investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant national
interests; and (iv) the absence of developed legal structures governing private
or foreign investment and private property.
Since the Portfolio's investments in foreign securities involve foreign
currencies, the value of its assets as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected
favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control
regulations, including currency blockage. See "Foreign Currency Exchange
Transactions."
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS. Because the Portfolio buys and
sells securities and receives interest and dividends in currencies other than
the U.S. dollar, the Portfolio may from time to time enter into foreign currency
exchange transactions. The Portfolio either enters into these transactions on a
spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency
exchange market, or uses forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign
currencies. The cost of the Portfolio's spot currency exchange transactions is
generally the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency
being purchased or sold.
A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an obligation by the
Portfolio to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be
any fixed number of days from the date of the contract. Forward foreign currency
exchange contracts establish an exchange rate at a future date. These contracts
are derivative instruments, as their value derives from the exchange rate
between the currencies exchanged under the contract. These contracts are entered
into in the interbank market directly between currency traders (usually large
commercial banks) and their customers. A forward foreign currency exchange
contract generally has no deposit requirement, and is traded at a net price
without commission. The Portfolio will not enter into forward contracts for
speculative purposes. Neither spot transactions nor forward foreign currency
exchange contracts eliminate fluctuations in the prices of the Portfolio's
securities or in foreign exchange rates, or prevent loss if the prices of these
securities should decline.
The Portfolio may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions in
an attempt to protect against changes in foreign currency exchange rates between
the trade and settlement dates of specific securities transactions or
anticipated securities transactions. The Portfolio may also enter into forward
contracts to hedge against a change in foreign currency exchange rates that
would cause a decline in the value of existing investments denominated or
principally traded in a foreign currency. To do this, the Portfolio would enter
into a forward contract to sell the foreign currency in which the investment is
denominated or principally traded in exchange for U.S. dollars. The Portfolio
will only enter into forward contracts to sell a foreign currency in exchange
for another foreign currency if the Advisor expects the foreign currency
purchased to appreciate against the U.S. dollar.
Although these transactions are intended to minimize the risk of loss
due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they
limit any potential gain that might be realized should the value of the hedged
currency increase. In addition, forward contracts that convert a foreign
currency into another foreign currency will cause the Portfolio to assume the
risk of fluctuations in the value of the currency purchased against the hedged
currency and the U.S. dollar. The precise matching of the forward contract
amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible
because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as
a consequence of market conditions in the value of such securities between the
date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The
projection of currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the
successful execution of a hedging strategy is highly uncertain.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Portfolio is permitted to enter into
reverse repurchase agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Portfolio
sells a security and agrees to repurchase it at a mutually agreed upon date and
price, reflecting the interest rate effective for the term of the agreement. For
purposes of the 1940 Act it is considered a form of borrowing by the Portfolio
and, therefore, is a form of leverage. Leverage may cause any gains or losses of
the Portfolio to be magnified. See "Investment Restrictions" for investment
limitations applicable to reverse repurchase agreements and other borrowings.
For more information, see Item 13 in Part B.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS; PRIVATELY PLACED AND OTHER UNREGISTERED
SECURITIES. The Portfolio may not acquire any illiquid securities if, as a
result thereof, more than 15% of the Portfolio's net assets would be in illiquid
investments. Subject to this non-fundamental policy limitation, the Portfolio
may acquire investments that are illiquid or have limited liquidity, such as
private placements or investments that are not registered under the 1933 Act and
cannot be offered for public sale in the United States without first being
registered under the 1933 Act. An illiquid investment is any investment that
cannot be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at
approximately the amount at which it is valued by the Portfolio. The price the
Portfolio pays for illiquid securities or receives upon resale may be lower than
the price paid or received for similar securities with a more liquid market.
Accordingly the valuation of these securities will reflect any limitations on
their liquidity.
The Portfolio may also purchase Rule 144A securities sold to
institutional investors without registration under the 1933 Act. These
securities may be determined to be liquid in accordance with guidelines
established by the Advisor and approved by the Trustees. The Trustees will
monitor the Advisor's implementation of these guidelines on a periodic basis.
FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS. The Portfolio is permitted to enter
into the futures and options transactions described below for both hedging and
risk management purposes, although not for speculation. For a more detailed
description of these transactions see "Options and Futures Transactions" in Item
13 in Part B.
The Portfolio may (a) purchase and sell (write) exchange traded and
over-the-counter (OTC) put and call options on fixed income securities or
indexes of fixed income securities, (b) purchase and sell futures contracts on
indexes of fixed income securities, and (c) purchase and sell (write) put and
call options on futures contracts on indexes of fixed income securities. Each of
these instruments is a derivative instrument, as its value derives from the
underlying asset or index.
The Portfolio may use futures contracts and options for hedging and
risk management purposes. The Portfolio may not use futures contracts and
options for speculation.
The Portfolio may utilize options and futures contracts to manage its
exposure to changing interest rates and/or security prices. Some options and
futures strategies, including selling futures contracts and buying puts, tend to
hedge the Portfolio's investments against price fluctuations. Other strategies,
including buying futures contracts, writing puts and calls, and buying calls,
tend to increase market exposure. Options and futures contracts may be combined
with each other or with forward contracts in order to adjust the risk and return
characteristics of the Portfolio's overall strategy in a manner deemed
appropriate to the Advisor and consistent with the Portfolio's objective and
policies. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they
result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close
out.
The use of options and futures is a highly specialized activity which
involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with
ordinary portfolio securities transactions, and there can be no guarantee that
their use will increase the Portfolio's return. While the use of these
instruments by the Portfolio may reduce certain risks associated with owning its
portfolio securities, these techniques themselves entail certain other risks. If
the Advisor applies a strategy at an inappropriate time or judges market
conditions or trends incorrectly, options and futures strategies may lower the
Portfolio's return. Certain strategies limit the Portfolio's possibilities to
realize gains as well as limiting its exposure to losses. The Portfolio could
also experience losses if the prices of its options and futures positions were
poorly correlated with its other investments, or if it could not close out its
positions because of an illiquid secondary market. In addition, the Portfolio
will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions and option premiums,
in connection with its futures and options transactions and these transactions
could significantly increase the Portfolio's turnover rate.
The Portfolio may purchase put and call options on securities, indexes
of securities and futures contracts, or purchase and sell futures contracts,
only if such options are written by other persons and if (i) the aggregate
premiums paid on all such options which are held at any time do not exceed 20%
of the Portfolio's net assets, and (ii) the aggregate margin deposits required
on all such futures or options thereon held at any time do not exceed 5% of the
Portfolio's total assets. In addition, the Portfolio will not purchase or sell
(write) futures contracts, options on futures contracts or commodity options for
risk management purposes if, as a result, the aggregate initial margin and
options premiums required to establish these positions exceed 5% of the net
asset value of the Portfolio. For more detailed information about these
transactions, see the "Risk Management" in Part B.
PURCHASING PUT AND CALL OPTIONS. By purchasing a put option, the
Portfolio obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell the instrument
underlying the option at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the
Portfolio pays the current market price for the option (known as the option
premium). Options have various types of underlying instruments, including
specific securities, indexes of securities, indexes of securities prices, and
futures contracts. The Portfolio may terminate its position in a put option it
has purchased by allowing it to expire or by exercising the option. The
Portfolio may also close out a put option position by entering into an
offsetting transaction, if a liquid market exists. If the option is allowed to
expire, the Portfolio will lose the entire premium it paid. If the Portfolio
exercises a put option on a security, it will sell the instrument underlying the
option at the strike price. If the Portfolio exercises an option on an index,
settlement is in cash and does not involve the actual sale of securities. An
option may be exercised on any day up to its expiration date.
The buyer of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if the
price of the underlying instrument falls substantially. However, if the price of
the instrument underlying the option does not fall enough to offset the cost of
purchasing the option, a put buyer can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the
amount of the premium paid, plus related transaction costs).
The features of call options are essentially the same as those of put
options, except that the purchaser of a call option obtains the right to
purchase, rather than sell, the instrument underlying the option at the option's
strike price. A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential price
increases of the instrument underlying the option with risk limited to the cost
of the option if security prices fall. At the same time, the buyer can expect to
suffer a loss if security prices do not rise sufficiently to offset the cost of
the option.
SELLING (WRITING) PUT AND CALL OPTIONS. When the Portfolio writes a put
option, it takes the opposite side of the transaction from the option's
purchaser. In return for receipt of the premium, the Portfolio assumes the
obligation to pay the strike price for the instrument underlying the option if
the other party to the option chooses to exercise it. The Portfolio may seek to
terminate its position in a put option it writes before exercise by purchasing
an offsetting option in the market at its current price. If the market is not
liquid for a put option the Portfolio has written, however, the Portfolio must
continue to be prepared to pay the strike price while the option is outstanding,
regardless of price changes, and must continue to post margin as discussed
below.
If the price of the underlying instrument rises, a put writer would
generally expect to profit, although its gain would be limited to the amount of
the premium it received. If security prices remain the same over time, it is
likely that the writer will also profit, because it should be able to close out
the option at a lower price. If security prices fall, the put writer would
expect to suffer a loss. This loss should be less than the loss from purchasing
and holding the underlying instrument directly, however, because the premium
received for writing the option should offset a portion of the decline.
Writing a call option obligates the Portfolio to sell or deliver the
option's underlying instrument in return for the strike price upon exercise of
the option. The characteristics of writing call options are similar to those of
writing put options, except that writing calls generally is a profitable
strategy if prices remain the same or fall. Through receipt of the option
premium a call writer offsets part of the effect of a price decline. At the same
time, because a call writer must be prepared to deliver the underlying
instrument in return for the strike price, even if its current value is greater,
a call writer gives up some ability to participate in security price increases.
The writer of an exchange traded put or call option on a security, an
index of securities or a futures contract is required to deposit cash or
securities or a letter of credit as margin and to make mark to market payments
of variation margin as the position becomes unprofitable.
OPTIONS ON INDEXES. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options on
any securities index based on securities in which the Portfolio may invest.
Options on securities indexes are similar to options on securities, except that
the exercise of securities index options is settled by cash payment and does not
involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, these options
are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment
of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
The Portfolio, in purchasing or selling index options, is subject to the risk
that the value of its portfolio securities may not change as much as an index
because the Portfolio's investments generally will not match the composition of
an index.
For a number of reasons, a liquid market may not exist and thus the
Portfolio may not be able to close out an option position that it has previously
entered into. When the Portfolio purchases an OTC option, it will be relying on
its counterparty to perform its obligations, and the Portfolio may incur
additional losses if the counterparty is unable to perform.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. When the Portfolio purchases a futures contract, it
agrees to purchase a specified quantity of an underlying instrument at a
specified future date or to make a cash payment based on the value of a
securities index. When the Portfolio sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell
a specified quantity of the underlying instrument at a specified future date or
to receive a cash payment based on the value of a securities index. The price at
which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the Portfolio enters
into the contract. Futures can be held until their delivery dates or the
position can be (and normally is) closed out before then. There is no assurance,
however, that a liquid market will exist when the Portfolio wishes to close out
a particular position.
When the Portfolio purchases a futures contract, the value of the
futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of its
underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures contracts will tend to
increase the Portfolio's exposure to positive and negative price fluctuations in
the underlying instrument, much as if it had purchased the underlying instrument
directly. When the Portfolio sells a futures contract, by contrast, the value of
its futures position will tend to move in a direction contrary to the value of
the underlying instrument. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will tend to
offset both positive and negative market price changes, much as if the
underlying instrument had been sold.
The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to
deliver or pay for the underlying instrument unless the contract is held until
the delivery date. However, when the Portfolio buys or sells a futures contract
it will be required to deposit "initial margin" with its Custodian in a
segregated account in the name of its futures broker, known as a futures
commission merchant (FCM). Initial margin deposits are typically equal to a
small percentage of the contract's value. If the value of either party's
position declines, that party will be required to make additional "variation
margin" payments equal to the change in value on a daily basis. The party that
has a gain may be entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount. The
Portfolio may be obligated to make payments of variation margin at a time when
it is disadvantageous to do so. Furthermore, it may not always be possible for
the Portfolio to close out its futures positions. Until it closes out a futures
position, the Portfolio will be obligated to continue to pay variation margin.
Initial and variation margin payments do not constitute purchasing on margin for
purposes of the Portfolio's investment restrictions. In the event of the
bankruptcy of an FCM that holds margin on behalf of the Portfolio, the Portfolio
may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount
received by the FCM's other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the
Portfolio.
The Portfolio will segregate liquid assets in connection with its use
of options and futures contracts to the extent required by the staff of the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities held in a segregated account
cannot be sold while the futures contract or option is outstanding, unless they
are replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility
that segregation of a large percentage of the Portfolio's assets could impede
portfolio management or the Portfolio's ability to meet redemption requests or
other current obligations.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment objective of the Portfolio, together with the investment
restrictions described below and in Part B, except as noted, are deemed
fundamental policies, i.e., they may be changed only with the approval of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio.
The Portfolio may not purchase securities or other obligations of
issuers conducting their principal business activity in the same industry if its
investments in such industry would exceed 25% of the value of the Portfolio's
total assets, except this limitation shall not apply to investments in U.S.
Government securities. (For the purposes of this 25% limitation, the staff of
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") considers (i) all
supranational organizations as a group to be a single industry and (ii) each
foreign government and its political subdivisions to be a single industry.) In
addition, the Portfolio may not borrow money except that the Portfolio may (a)
borrow money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging
purposes) and (b) enter into reverse repurchase agreements for any purpose,
provided that (a) and (b) in total do not exceed 33-1/3% of the Portfolio's
total assets less liabilities (other than borrowings); and the Portfolio may not
issue senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or any rule, order
or interpretation thereunder.
For a more detailed discussion of the above investment restrictions, as
well as a description of certain other investment restrictions, see Item 13 in
Part B.
ITEM 5. MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO.
The Board of Trustees provides broad supervision over the affairs of
the Portfolio. The Portfolio has retained the services of Morgan as investment
advisor and administrative services agent. The Portfolio has retained the
services of Funds Distributors, Inc. ("FDI") as co-administrator (the "Co-
Administrator").
The Portfolio has not retained the services of a principal underwriter
or distributor, since interests in the Portfolio are offered solely in private
placement transactions. FDI, acting as agent for the Portfolio, serves as
exclusive placement agent of interests in the Portfolio. FDI receives no
additional compensation for serving as exclusive placement agent to the
Portfolio.
The Portfolio has entered into an Amended and Restated Portfolio Fund
Services Agreement dated July 11, 1996 with Pierpont Group, Inc. ("Pierpont
Group") to assist the Trustees in exercising their overall supervisory
responsibilities for the Portfolio. The fees to be paid under the agreement
approximate the reasonable cost of Pierpont Group in providing these services to
the Trust, the Portfolio and certain other registered investment companies
subject to similar agreements with Pierpont Group, Inc. Pierpont Group was
organized in 1989 at the request of the Trustees of the Pierpont Family of Funds
for the purpose of providing these services at cost to those funds. See Item 14
in Part B. The principal offices of Pierpont Group are located at 461 Fifth
Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
INVESTMENT ADVISOR. The Portfolio has retained the services of Morgan
as investment advisor. Morgan, with principal offices at 60 Wall Street, New
York, New York 10260, is a New York trust company which conducts a general
banking and trust business. Morgan is a wholly owned subsidiary of J.P. Morgan &
Co. Incorporated ("J.P. Morgan"), a bank holding company organized under the
laws of Delaware. Through offices in New York City and abroad, J.P. Morgan,
through the Advisor and other subsidiaries, offers a wide range of services to
governmental, institutional, corporate and individual customers and acts as
investment adviser to individual and institutional clients with combined assets
under management of over $240 billion. Morgan provides investment advice and
portfolio management services to the Portfolio. Subject to the supervision of
the Portfolio's Trustees, Morgan, as Advisor, makes the Portfolio's day-to-day
investment decisions, arranges for the execution of portfolio transactions and
generally manages the Portfolio's investments. See Item 16 in Part B.
The Advisor uses a sophisticated, disciplined, collaborative process
for managing all asset classes. For fixed income portfolios, this process
focuses on the systematic analysis of real interest rates, sector
diversification, quantitative and credit analysis, and, for foreign fixed income
securities, country selection. Morgan has managed portfolios of international
fixed income securities on behalf of its clients since 1977. The portfolio
managers making investments in international fixed income securities work in
conjunction with fixed income, credit, capital market and economic research
analysts, as well as traders and administrative officers. The following persons
are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of
Morgan's process for the Portfolio (the inception date of each person's
responsibility for the Portfolio and his or her business experience for the past
five years is indicated parenthetically): Dominic J. Pegler, Vice President
(since April, 1996; employed by Morgan since April 1996, previously an economist
at Bank of England ) and Maria Ryan, Associate (since January, 1997; employed by
Morgan since prior to 1992).
As compensation for the services rendered and related expenses borne by
Morgan under the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Portfolio, the Portfolio
has agreed to pay Morgan a fee, which is computed daily and may be paid monthly,
at the annual rate of 0.35% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets.
Under a separate agreement, Morgan also provides administrative and related
services to the Portfolio. See "Administrative Services Agent" below.
CO-ADMINISTRATOR. Pursuant to a Co-Administration Agreement with the
Portfolio, FDI serves as the Co-Administrator for the Portfolio. FDI (i)
provides office space, equipment and clerical personnel for maintaining the
organization and books and records of the Portfolio; (ii) provides officers for
the Portfolio; (iii) files Portfolio regulatory documents and mails Portfolio
communications to Trustees and investors; and (iv) maintains related books and
records. See "Administrative Services Agent" below.
For its services under the Co-Administration Agreement, the Portfolio
has agreed to pay FDI fees equal to its allocable share of an annual
complex-wide charge of $425,000 plus FDI's out-of-pocket expenses. The amount
allocable to the Portfolio is based on the ratio of its net assets to the
aggregate net assets of the Portfolio and certain other registered investment
companies subject to similar agreements with FDI.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGENT. Pursuant to the Administrative Services
Agreement with the Portfolio, Morgan provides certain administrative and related
services to the Portfolio, including services related to tax compliance,
preparation of financial statements, calculation of performance data, oversight
of service providers and certain regulatory and Board of Trustees matters.
Under the Administrative Services Agreement, the Portfolio has agreed
to pay Morgan fees equal to its allocable share of an annual complex-wide
charge. This charge is calculated daily based on the aggregate net assets of the
Portfolio, the other Portfolios in which series of the Trust or the J.P. Morgan
Funds invest and J.P. Morgan Series Trust and in accordance with the following
annual schedule: 0.09% on the first $7 billion of their aggregate average daily
net assets and 0.04% of their aggregate average daily net assets in excess of $7
billion, less the complex-wide fees payable to FDI.
PLACEMENT AGENT. FDI, a registered broker-dealer, also serves as
exclusive placement agent for the Portfolio. FDI is a wholly owned indirect
subsidiary of Boston Institutional Group, Inc. FDI's principal business address
is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
CUSTODIAN. State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), 40
King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 3Y8 serves as the Portfolio's
custodian and fund accounting and transfer agent. State Street keeps the books
of account for the Portfolio.
EXPENSES. In addition to the fees payable to the service providers
identified above, the Portfolio is responsible for usual and customary expenses
associated with its operations. Such expenses include organization expenses,
legal fees, accounting and audit expenses, insurance costs, the compensation and
expenses of the Trustees, registration fees under federal and foreign securities
laws, extraordinary expenses and brokerage expenses.
Morgan has agreed that it will reimburse the Portfolio through at least
January 31, 1999 to the extent necessary to maintain the Portfolio's total
operating expenses at the annual rate of 0.50% of the Portfolio's average daily
net assets. This limit does not cover extraordinary expenses during the period.
There is no assurance that Morgan will continue this waiver beyond the specified
period. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 the Portfolio's total
expenses were 0.52% of its average net assets.
ITEM 6. CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES.
The Portfolio is organized as a trust under the laws of the State of
New York. Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are authorized to issue
beneficial interests in the Portfolio. Each investor is entitled to a vote in
proportion to the amount of its investment in the Portfolio. Investments in the
Portfolio may not be transferred, but an investor may withdraw all or any
portion of its investment at any time at net asset value. Investors in the
Portfolio (e.g., other investment companies, insurance company separate accounts
and common and commingled trust funds) will each be liable for all obligations
of the Portfolio. However, the risk of an investor in the Portfolio incurring
financial loss on account of such liability is limited to circumstances in which
both inadequate insurance existed and the Portfolio itself was unable to meet
its obligations.
As of December 19, 1997 J.P. Morgan International Bond Fund, Ltd., a
Bahamas International Business Company, and J.P. Morgan Institutional
International Bond Fund (collectively the "Funds") owned 97% and 3%,
respectively, of the outstanding beneficial interests in the Portfolio. So long
as the Funds control the Portfolio, the Funds may take actions without the
approval of any other holder of beneficial interests in the Portfolio. In
January 1998 the Portfolio expects to receive a substantial redemption request
in connection with the reorganization of certain non-U.S. Funds managed by
Morgan. This redemption will not reduce the net assets of the Fund, but it will
reduce the size of the Portfolio. After the redemption, the Portfolio's assets
are expected to be approximately $7 million.
Investments in the Portfolio have no preemptive or conversion rights
and are fully paid and nonassessable, except as set forth below. The Portfolio
is not required and has no current intention of holding annual meetings of
investors, but the Portfolio will hold special meetings of investors when in the
judgment of the Trustees it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for an
investor vote. Changes in fundamental policies will be submitted to investors
for approval. Investors have under certain circumstances (e.g., upon application
and submission of certain specified documents to the Trustees by a specified
percentage of the outstanding interests in the Portfolio) the right to
communicate with other investors in connection with requesting a meeting of
investors for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Investors also have
the right to remove one or more Trustees without a meeting by a declaration in
writing by a specified percentage of the outstanding interests in the Portfolio.
Upon liquidation of the Portfolio, investors would be entitled to share pro rata
in the net assets of the Portfolio available for distribution to investors.
The net asset value of the Portfolio is determined each business day
other than the holidays listed in Part B ("Portfolio Business Day"). This
determination is made once each Portfolio Business Day as of 4:15 p.m.
New York time (the "Valuation Time").
The "net income" of the Portfolio will consist of (i) all income
accrued, less the amortization of any premium, on the assets of the Portfolio,
less (ii) all actual and accrued expenses of the Portfolio determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Interest income
includes discount earned (including both original issue and market discount) on
discount paper accrued ratably to the date of maturity and any net realized
gains or losses on the assets of the Portfolio. All of the net income of the
Portfolio is allocated pro rata among the investors in the Portfolio.
The end of the Portfolio's fiscal year is September 30.
Under the anticipated method of operation of the Portfolio, the
Portfolio will not be subject to any income tax. However, each investor in the
Portfolio will be taxable on its share (as determined in accordance with the
governing instruments of the Portfolio) of the Portfolio's ordinary income and
capital gain in determining its income tax liability. The determination of such
share will be made in accordance with the Code and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
It is intended that the Portfolio's assets, income and distributions
will be managed in such a way that an investor in the Portfolio will be able to
satisfy the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code, assuming that the investor
invested all of its assets in the Portfolio.
Investor inquiries may be directed to FDI, in care of State Street
Cayman Trust Company, Ltd., at Elizabethan Square, Shedden Road, George Town,
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (809-949-6644).
ITEM 7. PURCHASE OF SECURITIES.
Beneficial interests in the Portfolio are issued solely in private
placement transactions that do not involve any "public offering" within the
meaning of Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act. Investments in the Portfolio may only
be made by investment companies, insurance company separate accounts, common or
commingled trust funds, or similar organizations or entities which are
"accredited investors" as defined in Rule 501 under the 1933 Act. This
Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation
of an offer to buy, any "security" within the meaning of the 1933 Act.
An investment in the Portfolio may be made without a sales load. All
investments are made at net asset value next determined after an order is
received in "good order" by the Portfolio. The net asset value of the Portfolio
is determined on each Portfolio Business Day.
There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment in the Portfolio.
However, because the Portfolio intends to be as fully invested at all times as
is reasonably practicable in order to enhance the yield on its assets,
investments must be made in federal funds (i.e., monies credited to the account
of the Custodian by a Federal Reserve Bank).
The Portfolio may, at its own option, accept securities in payment for
investments in its beneficial interests. The securities delivered in kind are
valued by the method described in Net Asset Value as of the business day prior
to the day the Portfolio receives the securities. Securities may be accepted in
payment for beneficial interests only if they are, in the judgment of Morgan,
appropriate investments for the Portfolio. In addition, securities accepted in
payment for beneficial interests must: (i) meet the investment objective and
policies of the Portfolio; (ii) be acquired by the Portfolio for investment and
not for resale; (iii) be liquid securities which are not restricted as to
transfer either by law or liquidity of market; and (iv) if stock, have a value
which is readily ascertainable as evidenced by a listing on a stock exchange,
OTC market or by readily available market quotations from a dealer in such
securities. The Portfolio reserves the right to accept or reject at its own
option any and all securities offered in payment for beneficial interests.
The Portfolio and FDI reserve the right to cease accepting investments
at any time or to reject any investment order.
Each investor in the Portfolio may add to or reduce its investment in
the Portfolio on each Portfolio Business Day. At the Valuation Time on each such
day, the value of each investor's beneficial interest in the Portfolio will be
determined by multiplying the net asset value of the Portfolio by the
percentage, effective for that day, which represents that investor's share of
the aggregate beneficial interests in the Portfolio. Any additions or
reductions, which are to be effected at the Valuation Time on such day, will
then be effected. The investor's percentage of the aggregate beneficial
interests in the Portfolio will then be recomputed as the percentage equal to
the fraction (i) the numerator of which is the value of such investor's
investment in the Portfolio at the Valuation Time on such day plus or minus, as
the case may be, the amount of net additions to or reductions in the investor's
investment in the Portfolio effected as of the Valuation Time, and (ii) the
denominator of which is the aggregate net asset value of the Portfolio as of the
Valuation Time on such day, plus or minus, as the case may be, the amount of net
additions to or reductions in the aggregate investments in the Portfolio by all
investors in the Portfolio. The percentage so determined will then be applied to
determine the value of the investor's interest in the Portfolio as of the
Valuation Time on the following Portfolio Business Day.
ITEM 8. REDEMPTION OR REPURCHASE.
An investor in the Portfolio may redeem all or any portion of its
investment at the net asset value next determined after a request in "good
order" is furnished by the investor to the Portfolio. The proceeds of a
redemption will be paid by the Portfolio in federal funds normally on the next
Portfolio Business Day after the redemption is effected, but in any event within
seven days. Investments in the Portfolio may not be transferred.
The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any
redemption may be suspended or the payment of the proceeds therefrom postponed
during any period in which the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is closed
(other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted or, to
the extent otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, if an emergency exists.
The Portfolio reserves the right under certain circumstances, such as
accommodating requests for substantial withdrawals or liquidations, to pay
distributions in kind to investors (i.e., to distribute portfolio securities as
opposed to cash). If securities are distributed, an investor could incur
brokerage, tax or other charges in converting the securities to cash. In
addition, distribution in kind may result in a less diversified portfolio of
investments or adversely affect the liquidity of the Portfolio or the investor's
portfolio, as the case may be.
ITEM 9. PENDING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
Not applicable.
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PART B
ITEM 10. COVER PAGE.
Not applicable.
ITEM 11. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page
General Information and History ............ B-1
Investment Objective and Policies........... B-1
Management of the Portfolio................. B-11
Control Persons and Principal Holders
of Securities............................... B-14
Investment Advisory and Other Services...... B-15
Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices.... B-19
Capital Stock and Other Securities.......... B-20
Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of
Securities.................................. B-21
Tax Status.................................. B-22
Underwriters................................ B-24
Calculations of Performance Data............ B-24
Financial Statements........................ B-24
Appendix.................................... Appendix-1
ITEM 12. GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY.
Not applicable.
ITEM 13. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES.
The investment objective of The Non-U.S. Fixed Income Portfolio (the
"Portfolio") is to provide a high total return consistent with moderate risk of
capital, from a portfolio of international fixed income securities. The
Portfolio attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in
high grade, non-dollar-denominated corporate and government debt obligations of
foreign issuers described in Part A and this Part B.
The Portfolio is advised by Morgan Trust Company of New York ("Morgan"
or the "Advisor").
INVESTMENT PROCESS
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B-17
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Duration management: The duration decision is central to Morgan's
investment process and begins with an analysis of economic conditions and real
yields in the countries that make up the Portfolio's universe. Based on this
analysis, fixed income portfolio managers forecast three potential paths
(optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely) that interest rates in each market
could follow over the next three and twelve months. These forecasts are
converted into return curves that enable Morgan to estimate the risk-return
profile of different portfolio durations. In each market, duration is set at its
"optimal" level--that is, at the level that Morgan believes will generate the
highest excess return per unit of excess risk, as measured against the
benchmark.
Country allocation: Morgan allocates the Portfolio's assets primarily
among the developed countries of the world outside the United States. Country
allocations are determined through an optimization procedure that ranks markets
according to the risks and returns inherent in their "optimal" durations.
Country weightings also reflect liquidity and credit quality considerations. To
help contain risk, Morgan typically limits the country-weighted duration of the
Portfolio to a range between one year shorter and one year longer than that of
the benchmark.
Sector/security selection: Holdings primarily consist of government and
government-guaranteed bonds, but also include publicly and privately traded
corporate debt obligations, debt obligations of banks and bank holding companies
and of supranational organizations, and convertible securities. Sectors are
over- or under-weighted when Morgan perceives significant valuation distortions
in their yield spreads. Securities are selected by the portfolio manager, with
substantial input from fixed income analysts and traders as well as from
Morgan's extended network of equity analysts. Credit analysts monitor the
quality of current and prospective holdings and, in conjunction with the credit
committee, recommend purchases and sales.
The following discussion supplements the information regarding the
investment objective of the Portfolio and the policies to be employed to achieve
this objective as set forth above and in Part A.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS
As discussed in Part A, the Portfolio may invest in money market
instruments to the extent consistent with its investment objective and policies.
A description of the various types of money market instruments that may be
purchased by the Portfolio appears below. Also see "Quality and Diversification
Requirements".
U.S. TREASURY SECURITIES. The Portfolio may invest in direct obligations of
the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are
backed as to principal and interest payments by the full faith and credit of the
United States.
ADDITIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS. The Portfolio may invest in
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or
instrumentalities. These obligations may or may not be backed by the "full faith
and credit" of the United States. In the case of securities not backed by the
full faith and credit of the United States, the Portfolio must look principally
to the federal agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate
repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself
in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments.
Securities in which the Portfolio may invest that are not backed by the full
faith and credit of the United States include, but are not limited to,
obligations of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, and the U.S. Postal Service, each of which has the right to borrow
from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations. Securities in which the
Portfolio may invest that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the
United States, include, but are not limited to, obligations of the Federal Farm
Credit System and the Federal Home Loan Banks, both of whose obligations may be
satisfied only by the individual credits of each issuing agency. Securities
which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States include
obligations of the Government National Mortgage Association, the Farmers Home
Administration, and the Export-Import Bank.
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS. The Portfolio, subject to its applicable
investment policies, may also invest in short-term obligations of foreign
sovereign governments or of their agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or
political subdivisions. These securities may be denominated in the U.S. dollar
or in another currency. See "Foreign Investments".
BANK OBLIGATIONS. The Portfolio, unless otherwise noted in Part A or
below, may invest in negotiable certificates of deposit, time deposits and
bankers' acceptances of (i) banks, savings and loan associations and savings
banks which are organized under the laws of the United States or any state, (ii)
foreign branches of these banks or of foreign banks of equivalent size (Euros)
and (iii) U.S. branches of foreign banks of equivalent size (Yankees). The
Portfolio will not invest in obligations for which the Advisor, or any of its
affiliated persons, is the ultimate obligor or accepting bank. The Portfolio may
also invest in obligations of international banking institutions designated or
supported by national governments to promote economic reconstruction,
development or trade between nations (e.g., the European Investment Bank, the
Inter-American Development Bank, or the World Bank).
COMMERCIAL PAPER. The Portfolio may invest in commercial paper,
including master demand obligations. Master demand obligations are obligations
that provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid and permit
daily changes in the amount borrowed. Master demand obligations are governed by
agreements between the issuer and Morgan acting as agent, for no additional fee,
in its capacity as investment advisor to the Portfolio and as fiduciary for
other clients for whom it exercises investment discretion. The monies loaned to
the borrower come from accounts managed by the Advisor or its affiliates,
pursuant to arrangements with such accounts. Interest and principal payments are
credited to such accounts. The Advisor, acting as a fiduciary on behalf of its
clients, has the right to increase or decrease the amount provided to the
borrower under an obligation. The borrower has the right to pay without penalty
all or any part of the principal amount then outstanding on an obligation
together with interest to the date of payment. Since these obligations typically
provide that the interest rate is tied to the Federal Reserve commercial paper
composite rate, the rate on master demand obligations is subject to change.
Repayment of a master demand obligation to participating accounts depends on the
ability of the borrower to pay the accrued interest and principal of the
obligation on demand which is continuously monitored by the Advisor. Since
master demand obligations typically are not rated by credit rating agencies, the
Portfolio may invest in such unrated obligations only if at the time of an
investment the obligation is determined by the Advisor to have a credit quality
which satisfies the Portfolio's quality restrictions. See "Quality and
Diversification Requirements." Although there is no secondary market for master
demand obligations, such obligations are considered by the Portfolio to be
liquid because they are payable upon demand. The Portfolio does not have any
specific percentage limitation on investments in master demand obligations.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Portfolio may enter into repurchase
agreements with brokers, dealers or banks that meet the credit guidelines
approved by the Trustees. In a repurchase agreement, the Portfolio buys a
security from a seller that has agreed to repurchase the same security at a
mutually agreed upon date and price. The resale price normally is in excess of
the purchase price, reflecting an agreed upon interest rate. This interest rate
is effective for the period of time the Portfolio is invested in the agreement
and is not related to the coupon rate on the underlying security. A repurchase
agreement may also be viewed as a fully collateralized loan of money by the
Portfolio to the seller. The period of these repurchase agreements will usually
be short, from overnight to one week, and at no time will the Portfolio invest
in repurchase agreements for more than 13 months. The securities which are
subject to repurchase agreements, however, may have maturity dates in excess of
13 months from the effective date of the repurchase agreement. The Portfolio
will always receive securities as collateral whose market value is, and during
the entire term of the agreement remains, at least equal to 100% of the dollar
amount invested by the Portfolio in each agreement plus accrued interest, and
the Portfolio will make payment for such securities only upon physical delivery
or upon evidence of book entry transfer to the account of the Custodian. If the
seller defaults, the Portfolio might incur a loss if the value of the collateral
securing the repurchase agreement declines and might incur disposition costs in
connection with liquidating the collateral. In addition, if bankruptcy
proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security,
realization upon disposal of the collateral by the Portfolio may be delayed or
limited.
The Portfolio may make investments in other debt securities with
remaining effective maturities of not more than 13 months, including without
limitation corporate and foreign bonds, asset-backed securities and other
obligations described in Part A or this Part B.
CORPORATE BONDS AND OTHER DEBT SECURITIES
As discussed in Part A, the Portfolio may invest in bonds and other
debt securities of domestic and foreign issuers to the extent consistent with
its investment objectives and policies. A description of these investments
appears in Part A and below. See "Quality and Diversification Requirements". For
information on short-term investments in these securities, see "Money Market
Instruments".
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES. Asset-backed securities directly or indirectly
represent a participation interest in, or are secured by and payable from, a
stream of payments generated by particular assets such as motor vehicle or
credit card receivables. Payments of principal and interest may be guaranteed up
to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by
a financial institution unaffiliated with the entities issuing the securities.
The asset-backed securities in which the Portfolio may invest are subject to the
Portfolio's overall credit requirements. However, asset-backed securities, in
general, are subject to certain risks. Most of these risks are related to
limited interests in applicable collateral. For example, credit card debt
receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors are entitled to the
protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which
give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts on credit card debt
thereby reducing the balance due. Additionally, if the letter of credit is
exhausted, holders of asset-backed securities may also experience delays in
payments or losses if the full amounts due on underlying sales contracts are not
realized. Because asset-backed securities are relatively new, the market
experience in these securities is limited and the market's ability to sustain
liquidity through all phases of the market cycle has not been tested.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
The Portfolio makes substantial investments in foreign countries.
Foreign investments may be made directly in securities of foreign issuers or in
the form of American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and European Depositary
Receipts ("EDRs"). Generally, ADRs and EDRs are receipts issued by a bank or
trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a
foreign corporation and that are designed for use in the domestic, in the case
of ADRs, or European, in the case of EDRs, securities markets.
Since investments in foreign securities may involve foreign currencies,
the value of the Portfolio's assets as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected
favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control
regulations, including currency blockage. The Portfolio may enter into forward
commitments for the purchase or sale of foreign currencies in connection with
the settlement of foreign securities transactions or to manage the Portfolio's
currency exposure related to foreign investments. The Portfolio will not enter
into such commitments for speculative purposes. See "Additional Investment
Information and Risk Factors" in Part A.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS
WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED DELIVERY SECURITIES. The Portfolio may purchase
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. For example, delivery of
and payment for these securities can take place a month or more after the date
of the purchase commitment. The purchase price and the interest rate payable, if
any, on the securities are fixed on the purchase commitment date or at the time
the settlement date is fixed. The value of such securities is subject to market
fluctuation and for fixed income securities no interest accrues to the Portfolio
until settlement takes place. At the time the Portfolio makes the commitment to
purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, it will record
the transaction, reflect the value each day of such securities in determining
its net asset value and, if applicable, calculate the maturity for the purposes
of average maturity from that date. At the time of settlement a when-issued
security may be valued at less than the purchase price. To facilitate such
acquisitions, the Portfolio will maintain with the Custodian a segregated
account with liquid assets, consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or
other appropriate securities, in an amount at least equal to such commitments.
On delivery dates for such transactions, the Portfolio will meet its obligations
from maturities or sales of the securities held in the segregated account and/or
from cash flow. If the Portfolio chooses to dispose of the right to acquire a
when-issued security prior to its acquisition, it could, as with the disposition
of any other portfolio obligation, incur a gain or loss due to market
fluctuation. It is the current policy of the Portfolio not to enter into
when-issued commitments exceeding in the aggregate 15% of the market value of
the Portfolio's total assets, less liabilities other than the obligations
created by when-issued commitments.
INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES. Securities of other investment companies
may be acquired by the Portfolio to the extent permitted under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). These limits require that, as
determined immediately after a purchase is made, (i) not more than 5% of the
value of the Portfolio's total assets will be invested in the securities of any
one investment company, (ii) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets
will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a
group, and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one
investment company will be owned by the Portfolio. As a shareholder of another
investment company, the Portfolio would bear, along with other shareholders, its
pro rata portion of the other investment company's expenses, including advisory
fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses
that the Portfolio bears directly in connection with its own operations.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Portfolio may enter into reverse
repurchase agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Portfolio sells a
security and agrees to repurchase the same security at a mutually agreed upon
date and price. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a reverse repurchase agreement is
also considered as the borrowing of money by the Portfolio and, therefore, a
form of leverage. The Portfolio will invest the proceeds of borrowings under
reverse repurchase agreements. In addition, the Portfolio will enter into a
reverse repurchase agreement only when the interest income to be earned from the
investment of the proceeds is greater than the interest expense of the
transaction. The Portfolio will not invest the proceeds of a reverse repurchase
agreement for a period which exceeds the duration of the reverse repurchase
agreement. The Portfolio will establish and maintain with the Custodian a
separate account with a segregated portfolio of securities in an amount at least
equal to its purchase obligations under its reverse repurchase agreements. See
"Investment Restrictions" for the Portfolio's limitation on reverse repurchase
agreements and on bank borrowings.
LOANS OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Portfolio may lend its securities if
such loans are secured continuously by cash or equivalent collateral or by a
letter of credit in favor of the Portfolio at least equal at all times to 100%
of the market value of the securities loaned, plus accrued interest. While such
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Portfolio any income accruing
thereon. Loans will be subject to termination by the Portfolio in the normal
settlement time, generally three business days after notice, or by the borrower
on one day's notice. Borrowed securities must be returned when the loan is
terminated. Any gain or loss in the market price of the borrowed securities
which occurs during the term of the loan inures to the Portfolio and its
investors. The Portfolio may pay reasonable finders' and custodial fees in
connection with a loan. In addition, the Portfolio will consider all facts and
circumstances including the creditworthiness of the borrowing financial
institution, and the Portfolio will not make any loans in excess of one year.
The Portfolio will not lend its securities to any officer, Trustee, Director,
employee or other affiliate of the Portfolio, the Advisor or the placement
agent, unless otherwise permitted by applicable law.
PRIVATELY PLACED AND CERTAIN UNREGISTERED SECURITIES. The Portfolio may
invest in privately placed, restricted, Rule 144A or other unregistered
securities as described in Part A.
As to illiquid investments, the Portfolio is subject to a risk that
should the Portfolio decide to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at
a price the Portfolio deems representative of their value, the value of the
Portfolio's net assets could be adversely affected. Where an illiquid security
must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"), before it may be sold, the Portfolio 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 Portfolio may be permitted to sell
a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period,
adverse market conditions were to develop, the Portfolio might obtain a less
favorable price than prevailed when it decided to sell.
QUALITY AND DIVERSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Although the Portfolio is not limited by the diversification
requirements of the 1940 Act, it will comply with the diversification
requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), for qualification as a regulated investment company. To meet these
requirements, the Portfolio must diversify its holdings so that, with respect to
50% of the Portfolio's assets, no more than 5% of its assets are invested in the
securities of any one issuer other than the U.S. Government at the close of each
quarter of the Portfolio's taxable year. The Portfolio may with respect to the
remaining 50% of its assets, invest up to 25% of its assets in the securities of
any one issuer (except this limitation does not apply to U.S. Government
Securities).
The Portfolio invests principally in a diversified portfolio of "high
grade" and "investment grade" securities. Investment grade debt is rated, on the
date of investment, within the four highest ratings of Moody's, currently Aaa,
Aa, A and Baa, or of Standard & Poor's, currently AAA, AA, A and BBB, while high
grade debt is rated, on the date of the investment, within the two highest of
such ratings. Such securities must be rated, on the date of investment, Ba by
Moody's or BB by Standard & Poor's. The Portfolio may invest in debt securities
which are not rated or other debt securities to which these ratings are not
applicable, if in the opinion of the Advisor, such securities are of comparable
quality to the rated securities discussed above. In determining suitability of
investment in a particular unrated security, the Advisor takes into
consideration asset and debt service coverage, the purpose of the financing,
history of the issuer, existence of other rated securities of the issuer, and
other relevant conditions, such as comparability to other issuers. In addition,
at the time the Portfolio invests in any commercial paper, bank obligation or
repurchase agreement, the issuer must have outstanding debt rated A or higher by
Moody's or Standard & Poor's, the issuer's parent corporation, if any, must have
outstanding commercial paper rated Prime-1 by Moody's or A-1 by Standard &
Poor's, or if no such ratings are available, the investment must be of
comparable quality in the Advisor's opinion.
OPTIONS AND FUTURES TRANSACTIONS
EXCHANGE TRADED AND OVER-THE-COUNTER OPTIONS. All options purchased or
sold by the Portfolio will be traded on a securities exchange or will be
purchased or sold by securities dealers (OTC options) that meet creditworthiness
standards approved by the Board of Trustees. While exchange-traded options are
obligations of the Options Clearing Corporation, in the case of OTC options, the
Portfolio relies on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if
the option is exercised. Thus, when the Portfolio purchases an OTC option, it
relies on the dealer from which it purchased the option to make or take delivery
of the underlying securities. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the
loss of the premium paid by the Portfolio as well as loss of the expected
benefit of the transaction.
Provided that the Portfolio has arrangements with certain qualified
dealers who agree that the Portfolio may repurchase any option it writes for a
maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula, the Portfolio may
treat the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options as liquid. In
these cases, the OTC option itself would only be considered illiquid to the
extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic
value of the option.
FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. In entering into
futures and options transactions the Portfolio may purchase or sell (write)
futures contracts and purchase put and call options, including put and call
options on futures contracts. In addition, the Portfolio may sell (write) put
and call options, including options on futures. Futures contracts obligate the
buyer to take and the seller to make delivery at a future date of a specified
quantity of a financial instrument or an amount of cash based on the value of a
securities index. Currently, futures contracts are available on various types of
fixed income securities, including but not limited to U.S. Treasury bonds, notes
and bills, Eurodollar certificates of deposit and on indexes of fixed income
securities and indexes of equity securities.
Unlike a futures contract, which requires the parties to buy and sell a
security or make a cash settlement payment based on changes in a financial
instrument or securities index on an agreed date, an option on a futures
contract entitles its holder to decide on or before a future date whether to
enter into such a contract. If the holder decides not to exercise its option,
the holder may close out the option position by entering into an offsetting
transaction or may decide to let the option expire and forfeit the premium
thereon. The purchaser of an option on a futures contract pays a premium for the
option but makes no initial margin payments or daily payments of cash in the
nature of "variation" margin payments to reflect the change in the value of the
underlying contract as does a purchaser or seller of a futures contract.
The seller of an option on a futures contract receives the premium paid
by the purchaser and may be required to pay initial margin. Amounts equal to the
initial margin and any additional collateral required on any options on futures
contracts sold by the Portfolio are paid by the Portfolio into a segregated
account, in the name of the Futures Commission Merchant, as required by the 1940
Act and the SEC's interpretations thereunder.
COMBINED POSITIONS. The Portfolio may purchase and write options in
combination with each other, or in combination with futures or forward
contracts, to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the overall
position. For example, the Portfolio may purchase a put option and write a call
option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined
position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures
contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option
at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to
reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price
increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they
result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close
out.
CORRELATION OF PRICE CHANGES. Because there are a limited number of
types of exchange-traded options and futures contracts, it is likely that the
standardized options and futures contracts available will not match the
Portfolio's current or anticipated investments exactly. The Portfolio may invest
in options and futures contracts based on securities with different issuers,
maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which it typically
invests, which involves a risk that the options or futures position will not
track the performance of the Portfolio's other investments.
Options and futures contracts prices can also diverge from the prices
of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match the
Portfolio's investments well. Options and futures contracts prices are affected
by such factors as current and anticipated short term interest rates, changes in
volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration
of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect
correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the options and
futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how
options and futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price
fluctuation limits or trading halts. The Portfolio may purchase or sell options
and futures contracts with a greater or lesser value than the securities it
wishes to hedge or intends to purchase in order to attempt to compensate for
differences in volatility between the contract and the securities, although this
may not be successful in all cases. If price changes in the Portfolio's options
or futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the
positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not
offset by gains in other investments.
LIQUIDITY OF OPTIONS AND FUTURES CONTRACTS. There is no assurance a
liquid market will exist for any particular option or futures contract at any
particular time even if the contract is traded on an exchange. In addition,
exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for options and futures
contracts and may halt trading if a contract's price moves up or down more than
the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation
limit is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible for the
Portfolio to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. If the
market for a contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or
otherwise, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable positions, and
could potentially require the Portfolio to continue to hold a position until
delivery or expiration regardless of changes in its value. As a result, the
Portfolio's access to other assets held to cover its options or futures
positions could also be impaired. (See "Exchange Traded and Over-the-Counter
Options" above for a discussion of the liquidity of options not traded on an
exchange.)
POSITION LIMITS. Futures exchanges can limit the number of futures and
options on futures contracts that can be held or controlled by an entity. If an
adequate exemption cannot be obtained, the Portfolio or the Advisor may be
required to reduce the size of its futures and options positions or may not be
able to trade a certain futures or options contract in order to avoid exceeding
such limits.
ASSET COVERAGE FOR FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS POSITIONS. The
Portfolio intends to comply with Section 4.5 of the regulations under the
Commodity Exchange Act, which limits the extent to which the Portfolio can
commit assets to initial margin deposits and option premiums. In addition, the
Portfolio will comply with guidelines established by the SEC with respect to
coverage of options and futures contracts by mutual funds, and if the guidelines
so require, will set aside appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial
account in the amount prescribed. Securities held in a segregated account cannot
be sold while the futures contract or option is outstanding, unless they are
replaced with other suitable assets. As a result, there is a possibility that
segregation of a large percentage of the Portfolio's assets could impede
portfolio management or the Portfolio's ability to meet redemption requests or
other current obligations.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Portfolio may employ non-hedging risk management techniques.
Examples of such strategies include synthetically altering the duration of a
portfolio or the mix of securities in a portfolio. For example, if the Advisor
wishes to extend maturities in a fixed income portfolio in order to take
advantage of an anticipated decline in interest rates, but does not wish to
purchase the underlying long-term securities, it might cause the Portfolio to
purchase futures contracts on long-term debt securities. Similarly, if the
Advisor wishes to decrease fixed income securities or purchase equities, it
could cause the Portfolio to sell futures contracts on debt securities and
purchase futures contracts on a stock index. Such non-hedging risk management
techniques are not speculative, but because they involve leverage include, as do
all leveraged transactions, the possibility of losses as well as gains that are
greater than if these techniques involved the purchase and sale of the
securities themselves rather than their synthetic derivatives.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The portfolio turnover rates for the Portfolio for the period from
October 11, 1994 (commencement of operations) through September 30, 1995; the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1996 and 1997 were 288%, 330%, and 346%
respectively. A rate of 100% indicates that the equivalent of all of the
Portfolio's assets have been sold and reinvested in a year. High portfolio
turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains or
losses. To the extent net short term capital gains are realized, any
distribution resulting from such gains are considered ordinary income for
federal income tax purposes. See Item 20 below.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment restrictions below have been adopted by the Portfolio.
Except where otherwise noted, these investment restrictions are "fundamental"
policies which, under the 1940 Act, may not be changed without the vote of a
"majority of the outstanding voting securities" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of
the Portfolio. A "majority of the outstanding voting securities" is defined in
the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting securities present
at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting
securities are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the
outstanding voting securities. The percentage limitations contained in the
restrictions below apply at the time of the purchase of securities.
Unless Sections 8(b)(1) and 13(a) of the 1940 Act or any SEC or SEC
staff interpretations thereof are amended or modified, the Portfolio may not:
1. Purchase any security if, as a result, more than 25% of the value of the
Portfolio's total assets would be invested in securities of issuers having their
principal business activities in the same industry. This limitation shall not
apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies
or instrumentalities. In addition, and while subject to changing
interpretations, so long as a single foreign government or supranational
organization is considered to be an "industry" for the purposes of this 25%
limitation, the Portfolio will comply therewith. The staff of the SEC considers
all supranational organizations (as a group) to be a single industry for
concentration purposes;
2. Borrow money, except that the Portfolio may (i) borrow money from banks
for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging purposes) and (ii) enter
into reverse repurchase agreements for any purpose; provided that (i) and (ii)
in total do not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets
(including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings). If at
any time any borrowings come to exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Portfolio's
total assets, the Portfolio will reduce its borrowings within three business
days to the extent necessary to comply with the 33-1/3% limitation;
3. Make loans to other persons, except through the purchase of debt
obligations, loans of portfolio securities, and participation in repurchase
agreements;
4. Purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts thereon, unless
acquired as a result of the ownership of securities or instruments, but the
Portfolio may purchase or sell futures contracts or options (including options
on futures contracts, but excluding options or futures contracts on physical
commodities) and may enter into foreign currency forward contracts;
5. Purchase or sell real estate, but the Portfolio may purchase or sell
securities that are secured by real estate or issued by companies (including
real estate investment trusts) that invest or deal in real estate;
6. Underwrite securities of other issuers, except to the extent the
Portfolio, in disposing of portfolio securities, may be deemed an underwriter
within the meaning of the 1933 Act; or
7. Issue senior securities, except as may otherwise be permitted by the
foregoing investment restrictions or under the 1940 Act or any rule, order or
interpretation thereunder.
NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS. The investment restrictions
described below are not fundamental policies of the Portfolio and may be changed
by the Trustees. These non-fundamental investment policies require that the
Portfolio may not:
1. Acquire securities of other investment companies, except as permitted by
the 1940 Act or any rule, order or interpretation thereunder, or in connection
with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, acquisition of assets or an offer
of exchange;
2. Acquire any illiquid securities if as a result thereof, more than 15% of
the market value of the Portfolio's total assets would be in investments that
are illiquid;
3. Purchase any security if, as a result, the Portfolio would then have
more than 5% of its total assets invested in securities of companies (including
predecessors) that have been in continuous operation for fewer than three years;
4. Sell any security short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain
securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold or unless it
covers such short sales as required by the current rules or positions of the
Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff. Transactions in futures
contracts and options shall not constitute selling securities short;
5. Purchase or retain securities of any issuer if, to the knowledge of the
Portfolio, any of the Portfolio's officers or Trustees or any officer of the
Portfolio's investment adviser individually owns more than 1/2 of 1% of the
issuer's outstanding securities and such persons owning more than 1/2 of 1% of
such securities together beneficially own more than 5% of such securities, all
taken at market;
6. Purchase securities on margin, but the Portfolio may obtain such short
term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions; or
7. Invest in real estate limited partnerships or purchase interests in oil,
gas or mineral exploration or development programs or leases.
There will be no violation of any investment restriction if that
restriction is complied with at the time the relevant action is taken
notwithstanding a later change in market value of an investment, in net or total
assets, in the securities rating of the investment, or any other later change.
ITEM 14. MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO.
The Trustees and officers of the Portfolio, their business addresses,
principal occupations during the past five years and dates of birth are set
forth below. Their titles may have varied during that period. An asterisk
indicates that a Trustee is an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Portfolio.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
Frederick S. Addy - Trustee; Retired; Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer from January 1990 to April 1994, Amoco Corporation. His
address is 5300 Arbutus Cove, Austin, TX 78746, and his date of birth is January
1, 1932.
William G. Burns - Trustee; Retired; Former Vice Chairman and Chief
Financial Officer, NYNEX. His address is 2200 Alaqua Drive, Longwood, FL 32779,
and his date of birth is November 2, 1932.
Arthur C. Eschenlauer - Trustee; Retired; Senior Vice President, Morgan
Guaranty Trust Company of New York until 1987. His address is 14 Alta Vista
Drive, RD #2, Princeton, NJ 08540, and his date of birth is May 23, 1934.
Matthew Healy (*) - Trustee; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer;
Chairman, Pierpont Group, Inc. ("Pierpont Group") since 1989. His address is
Pine Tree Club Estates, 10286 Saint Andrews Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33436, and
his date of birth is August 23, 1937.
Michael P. Mallardi - Trustee; Retired; Senior Vice President, Capital
Cities/ABC, Inc. and President, Broadcast Group prior to April 1996. His address
is 10 Charnwood Drive, Suffern, NY 10910, and his date of birth is March 17,
1934.
- ------------
*Mr. Healy is an "interested person" of the Portfolio and the Advisor as that
term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Each Trustee is currently paid an annual fee of $75,000 (adjusted as of
April 1, 1995) for serving as Trustee of the Master Portfolios (as defined
below), the J.P. Morgan Funds, the J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds and J.P.
Morgan Series Trust and is reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with
service as a Trustee.
The Trustees may hold various other directorships unrelated to the Portfolio.
Trustee compensation expenses accrued by the Trust for the calendar
year ended December 31, 1996 are set forth below.
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
TOTAL TRUSTEE COMPENSATION ACCRUED BY THE
MASTER PORTFOLIOS(*), J.P. MORGAN FUNDS,
AGGREGATE TRUSTEE J.P. MORGAN SERIES TRUST AND THE TRUST
COMPENSATION DURING 1996 (***)
ACCRUED BY THE TRUST
NAME OF TRUSTEE DURING 1996
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
Frederick S. Addy, Trustee $12,593 $65,000
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
William G. Burns, Trustee $12,593 $65,000
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
Arthur C. Eschenlauer, Trustee $12,593 $65,000
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
Matthew Healey, Trustee(**), $12,593 $65,000
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
Michael P. Mallardi, Trustee $12,593 $65,000
- --------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
(*) Includes the Portfolios, The Prime Money Market Portfolio, The Federal
Money Market Portfolio, The Tax Exempt Money Market Portfolio, The Short Term
Bond Portfolio, The U.S. Fixed Income Portfolio, The Tax Exempt Bond Portfolio,
The New York Total Return Bond Portfolio, The Non-U.S. Fixed Income Portfolio,
The Diversified Portfolio, The International Equity Portfolio, The Emerging
Markets Equity Portfolio, The Series Portfolio and Series Portfolio II,
(collectively the "Master Portfolios") for which Morgan acts as investment
advisor.
(**) During 1996, Pierpont Group, Inc. paid Mr. Healey, in his role as
Chairman of Pierpont Group, Inc., compensation in the amount of $140,000,
contributed $21,000 to a defined contribution plan on his behalf and paid
$21,500 in insurance premiums for his benefit.
(***) No investment company within the fund complex has a pension or retirement
plan. Currently there are 18 investment companies (15 investment companies
comprising the Master Portfolios, J.P. Morgan Funds, the Trust and J.P. MORGAN
Series Trust) in the fund complex.
The Trustees of the Portfolio are the same as the Trustees of each of
the other Master Portfolios, J.P. Morgan Funds, J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds
and J.P. MORGAN Series Trust. In accordance with applicable state requirements,
a majority of the disinterested Trustees have adopted written procedures
reasonably appropriate to deal with potential conflicts of interest arising from
the fact that the same individuals are Trustees of the Master Portfolios, J.P.
Morgan Funds and J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds, up to and including creating a
separate board of trustees.
The Trustees of the Portfolio, in addition to reviewing actions of the
Portfolio's various service providers, decide upon matters of general policy. On
January 15, 1994 the Portfolio entered into a Portfolio Fund Services Agreement
with Pierpont Group to assist the Trustees in exercising their overall
supervisory responsibilities for the Portfolio's affairs. Pierpont Group was
organized in July 1989 to provide services for the J.P. Morgan Funds, and the
Trustees are the equal and sole shareholders of Pierpont Group. The Portfolio
has agreed to pay Pierpont Group a fee in an amount representing its reasonable
costs in performing these services. These costs are periodically reviewed by the
Trustees. The aggregate fees paid to Pierpont Group by the Portfolio for the
period from October 11, 1994 (commencement of operations) through September 30,
1995, the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996 and the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1997 were $20,446 and $11,488, and $6,597, respectively. The
Portfolio has no employees; its executive officers (listed below), other than
the Chief Executive Officer, are provided and compensated by Funds Distributor,
Inc. ("FDI"), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Boston Institutional Group,
Inc. The Portfolio's officers conduct and supervise the business operations of
the Portfolio.
The officers of the Portfolio, their principal occupations during the
past five years and their dates of birth are set forth below. The business
address of each of the officers unless otherwise noted is 60 State Street, Suite
1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
MATTHEW HEALEY; Chief Executive Officer; Chairman, Pierpont Group,
since prior to 1993. His address is Pine Tree Club Estates, 10286 Saint Andrews
Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33436. His date of birth is August 23, 1937.
MARIE E. CONNOLLY; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. President,
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Director of FDI, Premier
Mutual Fund Services, Inc., an affiliate of FDI ("Premier Mutual") and an
officer of certain investment companies advised or administered by the Dreyfus
Corporation ("Dreyfus") or its affiliates. From December 1991 to July 1994, she
was President and Chief Compliance Officer of FDI. Her date of birth is August
1, 1957.
DOUGLAS C. CONROY; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Assistant Vice
President and Manager of Treasury Services and Administration of FDI and an
officer of certain investment companies advised or administered by Dreyfus or
its affiliates. Prior to April 1997, Mr. Conroy was Supervisor of Treasury
Services and Administration of FDI. From April 1993 to January 1995, Mr. Conroy
was a Senior Fund Accountant for Investors Bank & Trust Company. Prior to March
1993, Mr. Conroy was employed as a fund accountant at The Boston Company, Inc.
His date of birth is March 31, 1969.
JACQUELINE HENNING; Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer of the
Portfolios only. Managing Director, State Street Cayman Trust Company, Ltd.
since October 1994. Prior to October 1994, Mrs. Henning was head of mutual funds
at Morgan Grenfell in Cayman and for five years was Managing Director of Bank of
Nova Scotia Trust Company (Cayman) Limited from September 1988 to September
1993. Address: P.O. Box 2508 GT, Elizabethan Square, 2nd Floor, Shedden Road,
George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Her date of birth is March 24, 1942.
RICHARD W. INGRAM; President and Treasurer. Executive Vice President
and Director of Client Services and Treasury Administration of FDI, Senior Vice
President of Premier Mutual and an officer of RCM Capital Funds, Inc., RCM
Equity Funds, Inc., Waterhouse Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc. and certain
investment companies advised or administered by Dreyfus or Harris Trust and
Savings Bank ("Harris") or their respective affiliates. Prior to April 1997, Mr.
Ingram was Senior Vice President and Director of Client Service and Treasury
Administration of FDI. From March 1994 to November 1995, Mr. Ingram was Vice
President and Division Manager of First Data Investor Services Group, Inc. From
1989 to 1994, Mr. Ingram was Vice President, Assistant Treasurer and Tax
Director - Mutual Funds of The Boston Company, Inc. His date of birth is
September 15, 1955.
KAREN JACOPPO-WOOD; Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Assistant Vice
President of FDI and an officer of RCM Capital Funds, Inc. and RCM Equity Funds,
Inc., Waterhouse Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc. and Harris or their
respective affiliates. From June 1994 to January 1996, Ms. Jacoppo-Wood was a
Manager, SEC Registration, Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc. From 1988 to May 1994,
Ms. Jacoppo-Wood was a senior paralegal at The Boston Company Advisors, Inc.
("TBCA"). Her date of birth is December 29, 1966.
ELIZABETH A. KEELEY; Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice President
and Senior Counsel of FDI and Premier Mutual and an officer of RCM Capital
Funds, Inc., RCM Equity Funds, Inc., Waterhouse Investors Cash Management Fund,
Inc. and certain investment companies advised or administered by Dreyfus or
Harris or their respective affiliates. Prior to August 1996, Ms. Keeley was
Assistant Vice President and Counsel of FDI and Premier Mutual. Prior to
September 1995, Ms. Keeley was enrolled at Fordham University School of Law and
received her JD in May 1995. Address: 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
Her date of birth is September 14, 1969.
CHRISTOPHER J. KELLEY; Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Vice
President and Associate General Counsel of FDI and Premier Mutual and an officer
of Waterhouse Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc. and certain investment
companies advised or administered by Harris or its affiliates. From April 1994
to July 1996, Mr. Kelley was Assistant Counsel at Forum Financial Group. From
1992 to 1994, Mr. Kelley was employed by Putnam Investments in legal and
compliance capacities. His date of birth is December 24, 1964.
LENORE J. MCCABE; Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer of the
Portfolios only. Assistant Vice President, State Street Bank and Trust Company
since November 1994. Assigned as Operations Manager, State Street Cayman Trust
Company, Ltd. since February 1995. Prior to November, 1994, employed by Boston
Financial Data Services, Inc. as Control Group Manager. Address: P.O. Box 2508
GT, Elizabethan Square, 2nd Floor, Shedden Road, George Town, Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands. Her date of birth is May 31, 1961.
MARY A. NELSON; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Vice President and
Manager of Treasury Services and Administration of FDI and Premier Mutual, an
officer of RCM Capital Funds, Inc., RCM Equity Funds, Inc., Waterhouse Investors
Cash Management Fund, Inc. and certain investment companies advised or
administered by Dreyfus or Harris or their respective affiliates. From 1989 to
1994, Ms. Nelson was an Assistant Vice President and Client Manager for The
Boston Company, Inc. Her date of birth is April 22, 1964.
MICHAEL S. PETRUCELLI; Vice President and Assistant Secretary. Senior Vice
President and Director of Strategic Client Initiatives for FDI since December
1996. From December 1989 through November 1996, Mr. Petrucelli was employed with
GE Investments where he held various financial, business development and
compliance positions. He also served as Treasurer of the GE Funds and as
Director of GE Investment Services. Address: 200 Park Avenue, New York, New
York, 10166. His date of birth is May 18, 1961.
JOSEPH F. TOWER III; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer. Executive Vice
President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer
and Director Of FDI. Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Premier Mutual and an
officer of Waterhouse Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc. and certain
investment companies advised or administered by Dreyfus or its affiliates. Prior
to April 1997, Mr. Tower was Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief
Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of FDI. From July
1988 to November 1993, Mr. Tower was Financial Manager of The Boston Company,
Inc. His date of birth is June 13, 1962.
The Portfolio's Declaration of Trust provides that it will indemnify
its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in
connection with litigation in which they may be involved because of their
offices with the Portfolio, unless, as to liability to the Portfolio or its
investors, it is finally adjudicated that they engaged in willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in
their offices, or unless with respect to any other matter it is finally
adjudicated that they did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that
their actions were in the best interests of the Portfolio. In the case of
settlement, such indemnification will not be provided unless it has been
determined by a court or other body approving the settlement or other
disposition, or by a reasonable determination, based upon a review of readily
available facts, by vote of a majority of disinterested Trustees or in a written
opinion of independent counsel, that such officers or Trustees have not engaged
in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of
their duties.
ITEM 15. CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
As of December 19, 1997 J.P. Morgan International Bond Fund, Ltd., a
Bahamas International Business Company, and J.P. Morgan Institutional
International Bond Fund (collectively the "Funds") owned 97% and 3%,
respectively, of the outstanding beneficial interests in the Portfolio. So long
as the Funds control the Portfolio, the Funds may take actions without the
approval of any other holder of beneficial interests in the Portfolio. In
January 1998 the Portfolio expects to receive a substantial redemption request
in connection with the reorganization of certain non-U.S. Funds managed by
Morgan. This redemption will not reduce the net assets of the Fund, but it will
reduce the size of the Portfolio. After the redemption, the Portfolio's assets
are expected to be approximately $7 million.
Each of the Funds has informed the Portfolio that whenever it is
requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Portfolio (other than a vote by a
Fund to continue the operation of the Portfolio upon the withdrawal of another
investor in the Portfolio), it will hold a meeting of its shareholders and will
cast its vote as instructed by those shareholders.
The officers and Trustees of the Portfolio as a group own less than 1%
of the outstanding beneficial interests in the Portfolio.
ITEM 16. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES.
INVESTMENT ADVISOR. The investment advisor to the Portfolio is Morgan
Guaranty Trust Company of New York, a wholly-owned subsidiary of J.P. Morgan &
Co. Incorporated ("J.P. Morgan"), a bank holding company organized under the
laws of the State of Delaware. The Advisor, whose principal offices are at 60
Wall Street, New York, New York 10260, is a New York trust company which
conducts a general banking and trust business. The Advisor is subject to
regulation by the New York State Banking Department and is a member bank of the
Federal Reserve System. Through offices in New York City and abroad, the Advisor
offers a wide range of services, primarily to governmental, institutional,
corporate and high net worth individual customers in the United States and
throughout the world.
J.P. Morgan, through the Advisor and other subsidiaries, acts as
investment advisor to individuals, governments, corporations, employee benefit
plans, mutual funds and other institutional investors with combined assets under
management of over $240 billion.
J.P. Morgan has a long history of service as adviser, underwriter and
lender to an extensive roster of major companies and as a financial advisor to
national governments. The firm, through its predecessor firms, has been in
business for over a century and has been managing investments since 1913.
The basis of the Advisor's investment process is fundamental investment
research as the firm believes that fundamentals should determine an asset's
value over the long term. J.P. Morgan currently employs over 100 full time
research analysts, among the largest research staffs in the money management
industry, in its investment management divisions located in New York, London,
Tokyo, Frankfurt, Melbourne and Singapore to cover companies, industries and
countries on site. In addition, the investment management divisions employ
approximately 300 capital market researchers, portfolio managers and traders.
The Advisor's fixed income investment process is based on analysis of real
rates, sector diversification and quantitative and credit analysis.
The investment advisory services the Advisor provides to the Portfolio
are not exclusive under the terms of the Advisory Agreement. The Advisor is free
to and does render similar investment advisory services to others. The Advisor
serves as investment advisor to personal investors and other investment
companies and acts as fiduciary for trusts, estates and employee benefit plans.
Certain of the assets of trusts and estates under management are invested in
common trust funds for which the Advisor serves as trustee. The accounts which
are managed or advised by the Advisor have varying investment objectives and the
Advisor invests assets of such accounts in investments substantially similar to,
or the same as, those which are expected to constitute the principal investments
of the Portfolio. Such accounts are supervised by officers and employees of the
Advisor who may also be acting in similar capacities for the Portfolio. See Item
17 below.
Sector weightings are generally similar to a benchmark with emphasis on
security selection as the method to achieve investment performance superior to
the benchmark. The benchmark for the Portfolio is the Salomon Brothers Non-U.S.
Government Bond Index (currency hedged).
J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
J.P. Morgan, is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, as amended, which manages employee benefit funds of corporations,
labor unions and state and local governments and the accounts of other
institutional investors, including investment companies. Certain of the assets
of employee benefit accounts under its management are invested in commingled
pension trust funds for which the Advisor serves as trustee. J.P. Morgan
Investment Management Inc. advises the Advisor on investment of the commingled
pension trust funds.
The Portfolio is managed by officers of the Advisor who, in acting for
their customers, including the Portfolio, do not discuss their investment
decisions with any personnel of J.P. Morgan or any personnel of other divisions
of the Advisor or with any of its affiliated persons, with the exception of J.P.
Morgan Investment Management Inc.
As compensation for the services rendered and related expenses such as
salaries of advisory personnel borne by the Advisor under the Investment
Advisory Agreement, the Portfolio has agreed to pay the Advisor a fee, which is
computed daily and may be paid monthly, equal to the annual rate of 0.35% of the
Portfolio's average daily net assets. For the period from October 11, 1994
(commencement of operations) through September 30, 1995, the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1996, and the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 the Portfolio
paid $782,748, $737,543, and $650,645 respectively, in advisory fees to the
Advisor.
The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that it will continue in
effect for a period of two years after execution only if specifically approved
annually thereafter (i) by a vote of the holders of a majority of the
Portfolio's outstanding securities or by its Trustees and (ii) by a vote of a
majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Investment Advisory
Agreement or "interested persons" as defined by the 1940 Act cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment
Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned and is terminable at
any time without penalty by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, or by a vote
of the holders of a majority of the Portfolio's outstanding voting securities,
on 60 days' written notice to the Advisor and by the Advisor on 90 days' written
notice to the Portfolio.
The Glass-Steagall Act and other applicable laws generally prohibit
banks such as Morgan from engaging in the business of underwriting or
distributing securities, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System has issued an interpretation to the effect that under these laws a bank
holding company registered under the federal Bank Holding Company Act or certain
subsidiaries thereof may not sponsor, organize, or control a registered open-end
investment company continuously engaged in the issuance of its shares, such as
the Portfolio. The interpretation does not prohibit a holding company or a
subsidiary thereof from acting as investment advisor and custodian to such an
investment company. Morgan believes that it may perform the services for the
Portfolio contemplated by the Advisory Agreement without violation of the
Glass-Steagall Act or other applicable banking laws or regulations. State laws
on this issue may differ from the interpretation of relevant federal law, and
banks and financial institutions may be required to register as dealers pursuant
to state securities laws. However, it is possible that future changes in either
federal or state statutes and regulations concerning the permissible activities
of banks or trust companies, as well as further judicial or administrative
decisions and interpretations of present and future statutes and regulations,
might prevent Morgan from continuing to perform such services for the Portfolio.
If Morgan were prohibited from acting as investment advisor to the
Portfolio, it is expected that the Trustees of the Portfolio would recommend to
investors that they approve the Portfolio's entering into a new investment
advisory agreement with another qualified investment advisor selected by the
Trustees.
Under a separate agreement, Morgan also provides administrative and
related services to the Portfolio. See "Administrative Services Agent" in Part A
above.
CO-ADMINISTRATOR. Under the Portfolio's Co-Administration Agreement
dated August 1, 1996, FDI serves as the Portfolio's Co-Administrator. The
Co-Administration Agreement may be renewed or amended by the Trustees without an
investor vote. The Co-Administration Agreement is terminable at any time without
penalty by a vote of a majority of the Trustees or the Portfolio on not more
than 60 days' written notice nor less than 30 days' written notice to the other
party. The Co-Administrator may subject to the consent of the Trustees of the
Portfolio, subcontract for the performance of its obligations, provided,
however, that unless the Portfolio expressly agrees in writing, the
Co-Administrator shall be fully responsible for the acts and omissions of any
subcontractor as it would for its own acts or omissions. See "Administrative
Services Agent" below.
For its services under the Co-Administration Agreement, the Portfolio
has agreed to pay FDI fees equal to its allocable share of an annual
complex-wide charge of $425,000 plus FDI's out-of-pocket expenses. The amount
allocable to the Portfolio is based on the ratio of its net assets to the
aggregate net assets of the J.P. Morgan Funds, the J.P. Morgan Institutional
Funds, the Master Portfolios and J.P. MORGAN Series Trust. For the period from
August 1, 1996 through September 30, 1996, administrative fees of $738 were paid
by the Portfolio to FDI. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997: $4,505.
The following administrative fees were paid by the Portfolio to
Signature Broker-Dealer Services, Inc. ("SBDS") (which provided placement agent
and administrative services to the Portfolio prior to August 1, 1996): For the
period from October 11, 1994 (commencement of operations) through September 30,
1995: $13,862. For the period October 1, 1995 through July 31, 1996: $18,964.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGENT. The Portfolio has entered into a
Restated Administrative Services Agreement (the "Services Agreement") with
Morgan, pursuant to which Morgan is responsible for certain administrative and
related services provided to the Portfolio.
Under the Services Agreement, effective August 1, 1996, the Portfolio
has agreed to pay Morgan fees equal to its allocable share of an annual
complex-wide charge. This charge is calculated daily based on the aggregate net
assets of the Master Portfolios and J.P. MORGAN Series Trust in accordance with
the following annual schedule: 0.09% on the first $7 billion of their aggregate
average daily net assets and 0.04% of their average daily net assets in excess
of $7 billion, less the complex-wide fees payable to FDI. The portion of this
charge payable by the Portfolio is determined by the proportionate share that
its net assets bear to the total net assets of the J.P. Morgan Funds, the J.P.
Morgan Institutional Funds, the Master Portfolios, the other investors in the
Master Portfolios for which Morgan provides similar services and J.P. MORGAN
Series Trust.
Under administrative services agreements in effect with Morgan from
December 29, 1995 through July 31, 1996, the Portfolio paid Morgan a fee equal
to its proportionate share of an annual complex-wide charge. This charge was
calculated daily based on the aggregate net assets of the Master Portfolios in
accordance with the following schedule: 0.06% of the first $7 billion of the
Master Portfolios' aggregate average daily net assets and 0.03% of the Master
Portfolios' aggregate average daily net assets in excess of $7 billion. Prior to
December 29, 1995, the Portfolio had entered into a financial and fund
accounting services agreement with Morgan, the provisions of which included
certain of the activities described above and, prior to September 1, 1995, also
included reimbursement of usual and customary expenses.
For the period from October 11, 1994 (commencement of operations)
through September 30, 1995, the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996, and the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997: the Portfolio paid Morgan $156,367,
$37,344, and $57,815, respectively, in administrative services fees.
CUSTODIAN. State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), 40
King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 348, serves as the Portfolio's
Custodian and Transfer Agent. Pursuant to the Custodian Contract, State Street
is responsible for maintaining the books of account and records of portfolio
transactions and holding portfolio securities and cash. In the case of foreign
assets held outside the United States, the Custodian employs various
sub-custodians, who were approved by the Trustees of the Portfolio in accordance
with the regulations of the SEC. The Custodian maintains portfolio transaction
records, calculates book and tax allocations for the Portfolio, and computes the
value of the interest of each investor.
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. The independent accountants of the Portfolio
are Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036.
Price Waterhouse LLP conducts an annual audit of the financial statements of the
Portfolio, assists in the preparation and/or review of each of the Portfolio's
federal and state income tax returns and consults with the Portfolio as to
matters of accounting and federal and state income taxation.
EXPENSES. In addition to the fees payable to the service providers
identified above, the Portfolio is responsible for certain usual and customary
expenses associated with its operations. Such expenses include organization
expenses, legal fees, accounting and audit expenses, insurance costs, the
compensation and expenses of the Trustees, registration fees under federal
securities laws, and extraordinary expenses applicable to the Portfolio. Such
expenses also include brokerage expenses. Under fee arrangements prior to
September 1, 1995 that included higher fees for financial and fund accounting
services, Morgan as services agent was responsible for reimbursements to the
Portfolio for SBDS's fees as administrator and the usual and customary expenses
described above (excluding organization and extraordinary expenses, custodian
fees and brokerage expenses).
Morgan has agreed that if in any fiscal year the sum of any Portfolio's
expenses exceeds the limits set by applicable regulations of state securities
commissions, the fees payable by the Portfolio to Morgan for that year shall be
reduced as specified by agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Portfolio.
Currently, Morgan believes that the most restrictive expense limitation of state
securities commissions limits expenses to 2.5% of the first $30 million of
average net assets, 2% of the next $70 million of such net assets and 1.5% of
such net assets in excess of $100 million for any fiscal year. For additional
information regarding waivers or expense subsidies, see "Management of the
Portfolio" in Part A.
ITEM 17. BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES.
The Advisor places orders for the Portfolio for all purchases and sales
of portfolio securities, enters into repurchase agreements, and may enter into
reverse repurchase agreements and execute loans of portfolio securities on
behalf of the Portfolio. See Item 13 above.
Fixed income and debt securities and municipal bonds and notes are
generally traded at a net price with dealers acting as principal for their own
accounts without a stated commission. The price of the security usually includes
profit to the dealers. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a
fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter,
generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion,
certain securities may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no
commissions or discounts are paid.
Portfolio transactions for the Portfolio will be undertaken principally
to accomplish the Portfolio's objective in relation to expected movements in the
general level of interest rates. The Portfolio may engage in short term trading
consistent with its objective.
In connection with portfolio transactions for the Portfolio, the
Advisor intends to seek best price and execution on a competitive basis for both
purchases and sales of securities. For the period October 11, 1994 (commencement
of operations) through September 30, 1995, the fiscal year ended September 30,
1996 and 1997 the portfolio turnover was 288%, 330%, 346% respectively. The
annual portfolio turnover rate for Portfolio is generally not expected to exceed
300%.
In selecting a broker, the Advisor considers a number of factors
including: the price per unit of the security; the broker's reliability for
prompt, accurate confirmations and on-time delivery of securities; the firm's
financial condition. The Trustees of the Portfolio review regularly the
reasonableness of commissions and other transaction costs incurred by the
Portfolio in light of facts and circumstances deemed relevant from time to time,
and, in that connection, will receive reports from the Advisor and published
data concerning transaction costs incurred by institutional investors generally.
Research services provided by brokers to which the Advisor has allocated
brokerage business in the past include economic statistics and forecasting
services, industry and company analyses, portfolio strategy services,
quantitative data, and consulting services from economists and political
analysts. Research services furnished by brokers are used for the benefit of all
the Advisor's clients and not solely or necessarily for the benefit of the
Portfolio. The Advisor believes that the value of research services received is
not determinable and does not significantly reduce its expenses. The Portfolio
does not reduce its fee to the Advisor by any amount that might be attributable
to the value of such services.
Subject to the overriding objective of obtaining the best possible
execution of orders, the Advisor may allocate a portion of the Portfolio's
portfolio brokerage transactions to affiliates of the Advisor. In order for
affiliates of the Advisor to effect any portfolio transactions for the
Portfolio, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by such
affiliates must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees, or
other remuneration paid to other brokers in connection with comparable
transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a
securities exchange during a comparable period of time. Furthermore, the
Trustees of the Portfolio, including a majority of the Trustees who are not
"interested persons," have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to
provide that any commissions, fees, or other remuneration paid to such
affiliates are consistent with the foregoing standard.
The Portfolio's portfolio securities will not be purchased from or
through or sold to or through the Exclusive Placement Agent or Advisor or any
other "affiliated person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Exclusive
Placement Agent or Advisor when such entities are acting as principals, except
to the extent permitted by law. In addition, the Portfolio will not purchase
securities during the existence of any underwriting group relating thereto of
which the Advisor or an affiliate of the Advisor is a member, except to the
extent permitted by law.
On those occasions when the Advisor deems the purchase or sale of a
security to be in the best interests of the Portfolio as well as other
customers, including other Portfolios, the Advisor, to the extent permitted by
applicable laws and regulations, may, but is not obligated to, aggregate the
securities to be sold or purchased for the Portfolio with those to be sold or
purchased for other customers in order to obtain best execution, including lower
brokerage commissions if appropriate. In such event, allocation of the
securities so purchased or sold as well as any expenses incurred in the
transaction will be made by the Advisor in the manner it considers to be most
equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Portfolio. In
some instances, this procedure might adversely affect the Portfolio.
If the Portfolio effects a closing purchase transaction with respect to
an option written by it, normally such transaction will be executed by the same
broker-dealer who executed the sale of the option. The writing of options by the
Portfolio will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges
governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written by a
single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether
the options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or
written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. The number of
options which the Portfolio may write may be affected by options written by the
Advisor for other investment advisory clients. An exchange may order the
liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may
impose certain other sanctions.
ITEM 18. CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are authorized to issue
beneficial interests in the Portfolio. Investors are entitled to participate pro
rata in distributions of taxable income, loss, gain and credit of the Portfolio.
Upon liquidation or dissolution of the Portfolio, investors are entitled to
share pro rata in the Portfolio's net assets available for distribution to its
investors. Investments in the Portfolio have no preference, preemptive,
conversion or similar rights and are fully paid and nonassessable, except as set
forth below. Investments in the Portfolio may not be transferred. Certificates
representing an investor's beneficial interest in the Portfolio are issued only
upon the written request of an investor.
Each investor is entitled to a vote in proportion to the amount of its
investment in the Portfolio. Investors in the Portfolio do not have cumulative
voting rights, and investors holding more than 50% of the aggregate beneficial
interest in the Portfolio may elect all of the Trustees if they choose to do so
and in such event the other investors in the Portfolio would not be able to
elect any Trustee. The Portfolio is not required and has no current intention to
hold annual meetings of investors but the Portfolio will hold special meetings
of investors when in the judgment of the Portfolio's Trustees it is necessary or
desirable to submit matters for an investor vote. No material amendment may be
made to the Portfolio's Declaration of Trust without the affirmative majority
vote of investors (with the vote of each being in proportion to the amount of
its investment).
The Portfolio may enter into a merger or consolidation, or sell all or
substantially all of its assets, if approved by the vote of two thirds of its
investors (with the vote of each being in proportion to its percentage of the
beneficial interests in the Portfolio), except that if the Trustees recommend
such sale of assets, the approval by vote of a majority of its investors (with
the vote of each being in proportion to its percentage of the beneficial
interests of the Portfolio) will be sufficient. The Portfolio may also be
terminated (i) upon liquidation and distribution of its assets if approved by
the vote of two thirds of its investors (with the vote of each being in
proportion to the amount of its investment) or (ii) by the Trustees by written
notice to its investors.
The Portfolio is organized as a trust under the laws of the State of
New York. Investors in the Portfolio will be held personally liable for its
obligations and liabilities, subject, however, to indemnification by the
Portfolio in the event that there is imposed upon an investor a greater portion
of the liabilities and obligations of the Portfolio than its proportionate
beneficial interest in the Portfolio. The Declaration of Trust also provides
that the Portfolio shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity
bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Portfolio,
its investors, Trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort
and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of an investor incurring financial loss on
account of investor liability is limited to circumstances in which both
inadequate insurance existed and the Portfolio itself was unable to meet its
obligations.
The Portfolio's Declaration of Trust further provides that obligations
of the Portfolio are not binding upon the Trustees individually but only upon
the property of the Portfolio and that the Trustees will not be liable for any
action or failure to act, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a
Trustee against any liability to which he would otherwise be subject by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
ITEM 19. PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SECURITIES.
Beneficial interests in the Portfolio are issued solely in private
placement transactions that do not involve any "public offering" within the
meaning of Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
Portfolio securities with a maturity of 60 days or more, including
securities that are listed on an exchange or traded over the counter, are valued
using prices supplied daily by an independent pricing service or services that
(i) are based on the last sale price on a national securities exchange or, in
the absence of recorded sales, at the readily available closing bid price on
such exchange or at the quoted bid price in the over-the-counter market, if such
exchange or market constitutes the broadest and most representative market for
the security and (ii) in other cases, take into account various factors
affecting market value, including yields and prices of comparable securities,
indication as to value from dealers and general market conditions. If such
prices are not supplied by the Portfolio's independent pricing service, such
securities are priced in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees. All
portfolio securities with a remaining maturity of less than 60 days are valued
by the amortized cost method. Because of the large number of municipal bond
issues outstanding and the varying maturity dates, coupons and risk factors
applicable to each issuer's books, no readily available market quotations exist
for most municipal securities.
Trading in securities in most foreign markets is normally completed
before the close of trading on U.S. markets and may also take place on days on
which the U.S. markets are closed. If events materially affecting the value of
securities occur between the time when the market in which they are traded
closes and the time when the Portfolio's net asset value is calculated, such
securities will be valued at fair value in accordance with procedures
established by and under the general supervision of the Trustees.
If the Portfolio determines that it would be detrimental to the best
interest of the remaining investors in the Portfolio to make payment wholly or
partly in cash, payment of the redemption price may be made in whole or in part
by a distribution in kind of securities from the Portfolio, in lieu of cash, in
conformity with the applicable rule of the SEC. If interests are redeemed in
kind, the redeeming investor might incur transaction costs in converting the
assets into cash. The method of valuing portfolio securities is described above
and such valuation will be made as of the same time the redemption price is
determined. The Portfolio will not redeem in kind except in circumstances in
which an investor is permitted to redeem in kind.
The net asset value of the Portfolio will not be computed on a day in
which no order to purchase or withdraw beneficial interests in the Portfolio has
been received or on the days the following legal holidays are observed: New
Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On days
when U.S. trading markets close early in observance of these holidays, the
Portfolio would expect to close for purchases and withdrawals at the same time.
The days on which net asset value is determined are the Portfolio's business
days.
ITEM 20. TAX STATUS.
The Portfolio is organized as a New York trust. The Portfolio is not
subject to any income or franchise tax in the State of New York. However, each
investor in the Portfolio will be subject to U.S. Federal income tax in the
manner described below on its share (as determined in accordance with the
governing instruments of the Portfolio) of the Portfolio's ordinary income and
capital gain in determining its income tax liability. The determination of such
share will be made in accordance with the Code and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Although, as described above, the Portfolio will not be subject to
federal income tax, it will file appropriate income tax returns.
It is intended that the Portfolio's assets will be managed in such a
way that an investor in the Portfolio will be able to satisfy the requirements
of Subchapter M of the Code. For the Portfolio to qualify as a regulated
investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Portfolio limits its
investments so that at the close of each quarter of its taxable year (a) no more
than 25% of its total assets are invested in the securities of any one issuer,
except government securities, and (b) with regard to 50% of its total assets, no
more than 5% of its total assets are invested in the securities of a single
issuer, except U.S. Government securities. In addition, the Portfolio must
satisfy certain other requirements including a requirement that the Portfolio
derive less than 30% of its gross income from the sale of stock, securities,
options, futures, or forward contracts held less then three months. Effective as
of an investor's first taxable year beginning after August 5, 1997, the 30% of
gross income test will no longer apply to investors in the Fund wishing to
satisfy the requirements of subchapter M of the Code.
Gains or losses on sales of securities by the Portfolio will be treated
as long-term capital gains or losses if the securities have been held by it for
more than one year except in certain cases where, if applicable, the Portfolio
acquires a put or writes a call thereon. Long-term capital gain of individual
investors will be subject to a reduced rate of tax if the portfolio securities
have been held by the Portfolio for more than one year at the time of sale and
will be subject to a further reduced rate of tax if the portfolio securities
have been held by the Portfolio for more than eighteen months at the time of
sale. Other gains or losses on the sale of securities will be short-term capital
gains or losses. Gains and losses on the sale, lapse or other termination of
options on securities will be treated as gains and losses from the sale of
securities. If an option written by the Portfolio lapses or is terminated
through a closing transaction, such as a repurchase by the Portfolio of the
option from its holder, the Portfolio will realize a short-term capital gain or
loss, depending on whether the premium income is greater or less than the amount
paid by the Portfolio in the closing transaction. If securities are purchased by
the Portfolio pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the
Portfolio will subtract the premium received from its cost basis in the
securities purchased.
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to disposition of foreign
currency or to foreign currency contracts, or to fluctuations in exchange rates
between the time the Portfolio accrues income or receivables or expenses or
other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Portfolio
actually collects such income or pays such liabilities, are treated as ordinary
income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on the disposition of debt
securities held by the Portfolio, if any, denominated in foreign currency, to
the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the
acquisition and disposition dates are also treated as ordinary income or loss.
Forward currency contracts, options and futures contracts entered into
by the Portfolio may create "straddles" for U.S. federal income tax purposes and
this may affect the character and timing of gains or losses realized by the
Portfolio on forward currency contracts, options and futures contracts or on the
underlying securities. Straddles may also result in the loss of the holding
period of underlying securities for purposes of the 30% of gross income test
described above, and therefore, the Portfolio's ability to enter into forward
currency contracts, options and futures contracts may be limited.
Certain options, futures and foreign currency contracts held by the
Portfolio at the end of each fiscal year will be required to be "marked to
market" for federal income tax purposes--i.e., treated as having been sold at
market value. For options and futures contracts, 60% of any gain or loss
recognized on these deemed sales and on actual dispositions will be treated as
long-term capital gain or loss, and the remainder will be treated as short-term
capital gain or loss regardless of how long the Portfolio has held such options
or futures. Any gain or loss recognized on foreign currency contracts will be
treated as ordinary income.
FOREIGN INVESTORS. It is intended that the Portfolio will conduct its
affairs such that its income and gains will not be effectively connected with
the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. Provided the Portfolio conducts its
affairs in such a manner, allocations of U.S. source dividend income to an
investor who, as to the United States, is a foreign trust, foreign corporation
or other foreign investor will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of
30% (or lower treaty rate), and allocations of portfolio interest (as defined in
the Code) or short term or net long term capital gains to such investors
generally will not be subject to U.S.
tax.
STATE AND LOCAL TAXES. The Portfolio may be subject to state or local
taxes in jurisdictions in which the Portfolio is deemed to be doing business. In
addition, the treatment of the Portfolio and its investors in those states which
have income tax laws might differ from treatment under the federal income tax
laws. Investors should consult their own tax advisors with respect to any state
or local taxes.
FOREIGN TAXES. The Portfolio may be subject to foreign withholding taxes
with respect to income received from sources within foreign countries.
OTHER TAXATION. The investment by an investor in the Portfolio does not
cause the investor to be liable for any income or franchise tax in the State of
New York. Investors are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect
to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Portfolio.
ITEM 21. UNDERWRITERS.
The exclusive placement agent for the Portfolio is FDI, which receives
no additional compensation for serving in this capacity. Investment companies,
insurance company separate accounts, common and commingled trust funds and
similar organizations and entities may continuously invest in the Portfolio.
ITEM 22. CALCULATIONS OF PERFORMANCE DATA.
Not applicable.
ITEM 23. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
The Portfolio's September 30, 1997 annual report filed with the SEC
pursuant to Section 30(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 30b2-1 thereunder is
incorporated herein by reference (Accession Numbers 0001016969-97-000090 filed
December 10, 1997).
<PAGE>
i:\dsfndlgl\port\nusfi\nusfia4.wpf
APPENDIX A
Description of Security Ratings
Standard & Poor's
Corporate and Municipal Bonds
AAA - Debt rated AAA have the highest ratings assigned by Standard
& Poor's to a debt obligation. Capacity to pay interest and
repay principal is extremely strong.
AA - Debt rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest
and repay principal and differ from the highest rated issues
only in a small degree.
A - Debt rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and
repay principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to
the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic
conditions than debts in higher rated categories.
BBB - Debt rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity
to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally
exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic
conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead
to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for
debts in this category than for debts in higher rated
categories.
BB - Debt rated BB is regarded as having 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 capacity to meet timely interest and
principal payments.
Commercial Paper, including Tax Exempt
A - Issues assigned this highest rating are regarded as having
the greatest capacity for timely payment. Issues in this
category are further refined with the designations 1, 2, and 3
to indicate the relative degree of safety.
A-1 - This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely
payment is very strong.
Short-Term Tax-Exempt Notes
SP-1 - The short-term tax-exempt note rating of SP-1 is the highest
rating assigned by Standard & Poor's and has a very strong or
strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues
determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics are
given a "plus" (+) designation.
SP-2 - The short-term tax-exempt note rating of SP-2 has a satisfactory
capacity to pay principal and interest.
<PAGE>
Appendix-3
Moody's
Corporate and Municipal Bonds
Aaa - Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best
quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and
are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest payments
are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements
are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are
most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of
such issues.
Aa - Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by
all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what
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 risks appear
somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A - Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment
attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade
obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest
are considered adequate but elements may be present which
suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa - Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade
obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor
poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security
appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically
unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack
outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have
speculative characteristics as well.
Ba - Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative
elements; their future cannot be considered as well-assured.
Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be
very moderate, and thereby not well safeguarded during both
good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
Commercial Paper, including Tax Exempt
Prime-1 - Issuers rated Prime-1 (or related supporting institutions) have a
superior capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. Prime-1
repayment capacity will normally be evidenced by the following characteristics:
- - Leading market positions in well established industries. - High rates of
return on funds employed. - Conservative capitalization structures with moderate
reliance on debt and ample asset protection. - Broad margins in earnings
coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation. - Well
established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of
alternate liquidity.
Short-Term Tax Exempt Notes
MIG-1 - The short-term tax-exempt note rating MIG-1 is the highest
rating assigned by Moody's for notes judged to be the best
quality. Notes with this rating enjoy strong protection from
established cash flows of funds for their servicing or from
established and broad-based access to the market for
refinancing, or both.
MIG-2 - MIG-2 rated notes are of high quality but with margins of
protection not as large as MIG-1.
<PAGE>
i:\dsfndlgl\port\nusfi\nusfia4.wpf
PART C
ITEM 24. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(a) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN PART A:
Not applicable.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN PART B:
The audited financial statements included in Item 23 are as follows:
Schedule of Investments at September 30, 1997 Statement of Assets and
Liabilities at September 30, 1997 Statement of Operations for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997
Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the fiscal year ended September
30, 1997 and 1996 Supplementary Data Notes to Financial Statements at
September 30, 1997
(b) EXHIBITS
1 Declaration of Trust, as amended, of the Registrant.2
2 Restated By-Laws of the Registrant.2
5 Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Morgan Guaranty
Trust Company of New York ("Morgan").2
8 Custodian Contract between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust
Company ("State Street").2
9(a) Co-Administration Agreement between the Registrant and Funds
Distributor, Inc. dated August 1, 1996 ("Co-Administration Agreement").1
9(a)(1) Amended Exhibit I to Co-Administration Agreement.2
9(b) Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between the Registrant and State
Street.2
9(c) Restated Administrative Services Agreement between the Registrant and
Morgan dated August 1, 1996 ("Administrative Services Agreement").1
9(c)(1) Amended Exhibit I to Administrative Services Agreement.2
9(d) Amended and Restated Portfolio Fund Services Agreement between the
Registrant and Pierpont Group, Inc. dated July 11, 1996.1
27 Financial Data Schedule.3
<PAGE>
C-8
i:\dsfndlgl\port\nusfi\nusfia4.wpf
1Incorporated herein by reference from Amendment No. 2 to Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on October 9, 1996 (Accession Number 0000912057-96-022357).
2 Incorporated herin by referemce from Amendment No. 3 to Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on December 24, 1996 (Accession Number 0001016964-96-000049).
3Filed herewith.
<PAGE>
ITEM 25. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT.
Not applicable.
ITEM 26. NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
(1) (2)
Title of Class Number of Record Holders
Beneficial Interests 2 (as of November 30, 1997)
ITEM 27. INDEMNIFICATION.
Reference is hereby made to Article V of the Registrant's Declaration
of Trust, filed as an Exhibit to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A.
The Trustees and officers of the Registrant and the personnel of the
Registrant's co-administrator are insured under an errors and omissions
liability insurance policy. The Registrant and its officers are also insured
under the fidelity bond required by Rule 17g-1 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
ITEM 28. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER.
Morgan is a New York trust company which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
J.P. Morgan & Co. Incorporated. Morgan conducts a general banking and trust
business.
To the knowledge of the Registrant, none of the directors, except those
set forth below, or executive officers of Morgan is or has been during the past
two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or
employment of a substantial nature, except that certain officers and directors
of Morgan also hold various positions with, and engage in business for, J.P.
Morgan & Co. Incorporated, which owns all of the outstanding stock of Morgan.
Set forth below are the names, addresses, and principal business of each
director of Morgan who is engaged in another business, profession, vocation or
employment of a substantial nature.
Paul A. Allaire: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Xerox Corporation
(office imaging systems). His address is Xerox Corporation, P.O. Box 1600, 800
Long Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06904.
Riley P. Bechtel: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bechtel Group, Inc.
(architectural design and construction). His address is Bechtel Group, Inc.,
P.O. Box 193965, San Francisco, CA 94119-3965.
Martin Feldstein: President and Chief Executive Officer, National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc. (national research institution). His address is National
Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1050 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
02138-5398.
Ellen V. Futter: President, American Museum of Natural History
(not-for-profit organization). Her address is American Museum of Natural
History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024.
Hanna H. Gray: President Emeritus and Harry Pratt Judson Distinguished
Service Professor of History, The University of Chicago (academic institution).
Her address is The University of Chicago, Department of History, 1126 East 59th
Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
James R. Houghton: Retired Chairman of the Board, Corning Incorporated
(glass products). His address is R.D. #2 Spencer Hill Road, Corning, NY 14830.
James L. Ketelsen: Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tenneco
Inc. (oil, pipe-lines, and manufacturing). His address is 10 South Briar Hollow
7, Houston, TX 77027.
John A. Krol: President and Chief Executive Officer, E.I. du Pont de
Nemours and Company (chemicals and energy company). His address is E.I. du Pont
de Nemours and Company, 1007 Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19898.
Lee R. Raymond: Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Exxon
Corporation (oil, natural gas, and other petroleum products). His address is
Exxon Corporation, 5959 Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX 75039-2298.
Richard D. Simmons: Retired; Former President, The Washington Post Company
and International Herald Tribune (newspapers). His address is P.O. Box 242,
Sperryville, VA 22740.
Douglas C. Yearley: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Phelps
Dodge Corporation (chemicals). His address is Phelps Dodge Corporation, 2600 N.
Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004-3014.
ITEM 29. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.
Not applicable.
ITEM 30. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.
The accounts and records of the Registrant are located, in whole or in
part, at the office of the Registrant and the following locations:
Pierpont Group, Inc., 461 Fifth Avenue , New York, New York 10017.
(records relating to its assisting the Trustees in carrying out their duties in
supervising the Registrant's affairs).
Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, 60 Wall Street, New York, NY
10260-0060 or 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019. (records relating to its
functions as investment adviser and services agent).
State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109 or 40 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 3y8
(records relating to its functions as custodian and transfer agent).
Funds Distributor, Inc., in care of State Street Cayman Trust Company,
Ltd., a Elizabethan Square Shedden Road, GeorgeTown, Grand Cayman, Cayman
Islands (records relating to its functions as Co-administrator and exclusive
placement agent).
Item 31. MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Not applicable.
Item 32. UNDERTAKINGS.
Not applicable.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration
Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto
duly authorized, in George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI on the 26th
day of December, 1997.
THE NON-U.S. FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO
By: /s/ LENORE J. MCCABE
----------------------------
Lenore J. McCabe
Assistant Secretary and
Assistant Treasurer
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT NO: DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
EX-27 Financial Data Schedule
<TABLE> <S> <C>
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<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial data extracted from the annual report
dated 9/30/97 for the Non-US Fixed Income Portfolio and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such annual report.
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