As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 2000.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 6
TO
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
UTILITIES STOCK PORTFOLIO
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
P.O. Box 7177, 6000 Memorial Drive
Dublin, Ohio 43017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: 614-766-7000
Donald F. Meeder, P.O. Box 7177, 6000 Memorial Drive, Dublin, OH 43017
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
James B. Craver
P. O. Box 811
Dover, MA 02030-0811
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement of Utilities Stock Portfolio has been filed by
the Registrant pursuant to Section 8(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"). However, beneficial interests in the Registrant are
not being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"), since such interests will be offered solely in private placement
transactions which do not involve any "public offering" within the meaning of
Section 4(2) of the 1993 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 which are "accredited
investors" as defined in Regulation D under the 1993 Act. This Registration
Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer
to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any beneficial interest in the
Registrant.
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PART A
Responses to Items 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9 have been omitted pursuant to
paragraph 2 of Instruction B of the General Instructions to Form N-1A.
ITEM 4. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED
RISKS.
The Utilities Stock Portfolio (the "Portfolio") is a diversified, open-end
management investment company which was organized as a trust under the laws of
the State of New York on August 4, 1994.
Beneficial interests in the Portfolio are offered solely in private
placement transactions which 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 investment companies,
insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar
organizations or entities which are "accredited investors" as defined in
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's investment adviser is Meeder Asset Management, Inc. (the
"Investment Adviser" or the "Manager"), formerly known as R. Meeder &
Associates, Inc. Miller/Howard Investments, Inc. is the subadviser (the
"Subadviser") for the Portfolio. The investment objective of the Portfolio is to
seek current income and growth of income by investing primarily in equity
securities of domestic and foreign public utility companies; however, the
Portfolio will not invest in electric utilities whose generation of power is
derived from nuclear reactors. The Portfolio also seeks capital appreciation,
but only when consistent with its primary investment objective.
The Portfolio generally invests at least 65% of its total assets in equity
securities of domestic or foreign companies that provide electricity, natural
gas, water, telecommunications or sanitary services to the public. The remaining
35% of the Portfolio's total assets may be invested in debt securities of public
utility companies, or debt or equity securities of other issuers who stand to
benefit from developments in the utilities industry. The Portfolio will not
invest more than 40% of its total assets in the telephone industry. The
Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of foreign
issuers. The Portfolio will not invest more than 10% of its net assets in
securities that are deemed to be illiquid.
The Portfolio will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in equity
securities of issuers whose debt securities are rated below investment grade,
that is, rated below one of the four highest rating categories by Standard &
Poor's Corporation ("S&P") or Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or
deemed to be of equivalent quality in the judgment of the Subadviser. Debt
securities rated below investment grade are rated below Baa or BBB.
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The Portfolio may invest in "traditional" derivatives, such as financial
futures contracts and related options as a hedge against changes, resulting from
market conditions, in the value of securities held or intended to be held by the
Portfolio.
The Subadviser uses fundamental analysis to identify those securities that
it believes provide current income and growth of income and secondarily, capital
appreciation, but only when consistent with its primary investment goal.
Fundamental analysis involves assessing a company and its business environment,
management, balance sheet, income statement, anticipated earnings and dividends,
and other related measures of value.
The Subadviser monitors and evaluates the economic and political climate of
the area in which each company is located. The relative weightings among common
stocks, debt securities and preferred stocks will vary from time to time based
upon the Subadviser's judgment of the extent to which investments in each
category will contribute to meeting the Portfolio's investment goal.
The Subadviser emphasizes quality in selecting investments for the
Portfolio, and in addition to looking for high credit ratings, the Subadviser
ordinarily looks for several of the following characteristics: above average
earnings growth; above average growth of book value; an above average balance
sheet; high earnings to debt service coverage; low ratio of dividends to
earnings; high return on equity; low debt to equity ratio; an above-average
rating with respect to government regulation; growing rate base; lack of major
construction programs and strong management.
The Portfolio may invest up to 35% of its total assets in debt securities
of issuers in the public utility industries. Debt securities in which the
Portfolio invests are limited to those rated A or better by S&P or Moody's or
deemed to be of equivalent quality in the judgment of the Subadviser.
During periods when the Subadviser deems it necessary for temporary
defensive purposes, the Portfolio may invest without limit in high quality money
market instruments. These instruments consist of commercial paper, certificates
of deposit, banker's acceptances and other bank obligations, obligations issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, high
grade corporate obligations and repurchase agreements.
The Portfolio, under normal circumstances, will invest 25% or more of its
total assets in securities of public utility companies. This concentration
policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval.
RISK FACTORS
Utility stocks are subject to interest rate risk - i.e., price fluctuations
due to changing interest rates. Rising interest rates can be expected to reduce
the fund's net asset value. Because the fund concentrates in a single industry,
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its performance is largely dependent on the industry's performance, which may
differ from that of the overall stock market. Investments in securities of
foreign companies involve additional risks relating to political and economic
developments abroad, including currency fluctuations. As with any mutual fund,
loss of money is a risk of investing in the fund.
Because the Portfolio concentrates its investments in public utility
companies, its performance will depend in large part on conditions in the public
utility industries. Utility stocks have traditionally been popular among more
conservative stock market investors because they have generally paid above
average dividends. However, utility stocks can still be affected by the risks of
the stock market, as well as factors specific to public utility companies.
Governmental regulation of public utility companies can limit their ability to
expand their business or to pass cost increases on to customers. Companies
providing power or energy-related services may also be affected by fuel
shortages or cost increases, environmental protection or energy conservation
regulations, as well as fluctuating demand for their services. Some public
utility companies are facing increased competition, which may reduce their
profits. All of these factors are subject to rapid change, which may affect
utility companies independently from the stock market as a whole.
OTHER INVESTMENTS AND POLICIES
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. When investing in money market instruments, the
Portfolio will limit its purchases, denominated in U.S. dollars, to the
following securities:
o U.S. Government Securities and Securities of its Agencies and
Instrumentalities.
o Bank Obligations and Instruments Secured Thereby.
o High Quality Commercial Paper--The Portfolio may invest in commercial
paper rated no lower than "A-2" by S&P or "Prime-2" by Moody's, or, if
not rated, issued by a company having an outstanding debt issue rated
at least A by S&P or Moody's.
o Private Placement Commercial Paper--unregistered securities which are
traded in public markets to qualified institutional investors, such as
the Portfolio.
o High Grade Corporate Obligations--obligations rated at least A by S&P
or Moody's.
o Repurchase Agreements--see "Repurchase Agreements" below.
At the discretion of the Subadviser, the Portfolio may employ the following
strategies in pursuing its investment objective.
CURRENCY, OPTIONS AND FUTURES TRANSACTIONS. The Portfolio may use forward
currency contracts, futures contracts, options on securities or options on
futures contracts to implement strategies to attempt to hedge its portfolio,
i.e., reduce the overall level of investment risk normally associated with the
Portfolio. There can be no assurance that such efforts will succeed. These
techniques are described below and are further detailed in Part B.
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To attempt to hedge against adverse movements in exchange rates between
currencies, the Portfolio may enter into forward currency contracts for the
purchase or sale of a specified currency at a specified future date. Such
contracts may involve the purchase or sale of a foreign currency against the
U.S. dollar, or may involve two foreign currencies. The Portfolio may enter into
forward currency contracts either with respect to specific transactions or with
respect to the Portfolio's positions. For example, when the Portfolio
anticipates making a purchase or sale of a security, the Portfolio may enter
into a forward currency contract in order to set the rate at which a currency
exchange transaction related to the purchase or sale will be made. Further, when
the Subadviser believes that a particular currency may decline compared to the
U.S. dollar or another currency, the Portfolio may enter into a forward contract
to sell the currency the Subadviser expects to decline in an amount
approximating the value of some or all of the Portfolio's securities denominated
in a foreign currency. The Portfolio also may write covered call options and
purchase put and call options on currencies to hedge against movements in
exchange rates.
In addition, the Portfolio may write covered call options and purchase put
and call options on equity and debt securities to hedge against the risk of
fluctuations in the prices of securities held by the Portfolio or which the
Subadviser intends to include in the Portfolio. The Portfolio also may write
covered call options and buy put and call options on stock indexes. Such stock
index options serve to hedge against overall fluctuations in the securities
markets generally or in the utilities market sector specifically, rather than
anticipated increases or decreases in the value of a particular security.
Further, the Portfolio may sell stock index futures contracts and may
purchase put options or write covered call options on such futures contracts to
protect against a general stock market decline or a decline in the utilities
market sector that could adversely affect the Portfolio. The Portfolio also may
buy stock index futures contracts and purchase call options on such contracts to
hedge against a general stock market or market sector advance and thereby
attempt to lessen the cost of future securities acquisitions. The Portfolio may
use interest rate futures contracts and options thereon to hedge the debt
portion of the Portfolio against changes in the general level of interest rates.
The Portfolio may write only "covered" call options. An option written on a
security or currency is "covered" when, so long as the Portfolio is obligated
under the option, it owns the underlying security or currency. The Portfolio
will "cover" stock index options and options on futures contracts it writes by
maintaining in a segregated account either marketable securities, which in the
Subadviser's judgment correlate to the underlying index or futures contract or
an amount of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid, high grade debt
securities equal in value to the amount the Portfolio would be required to pay
were the option exercised.
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Although the Portfolio might not employ any of the foregoing strategies,
its use of forward currency contracts, options and futures would involve certain
investment risks and transaction costs to which it might not otherwise be
subject. These risks include: dependence on the Subadviser's ability to predict
movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in the general
securities markets or in the utilities market sector and movements in interest
rates and currency markets; imperfect correlation between movements in the price
of currency, options, futures contracts or options thereon and movements in the
price of the currency or security hedged or used for cover; the fact that skills
and techniques needed to trade options, futures contracts and options thereon or
to use forward currency contracts are different from those needed to select the
securities in which the Portfolio invests; lack of assurance that a liquid
secondary market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or
option thereon at any particular time; and the possible need to defer closing
out of certain options, futures contracts and options thereon in order to
continue to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment afforded regulated
investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Internal Revenue Code").
Derivatives are financial instruments whose performance is derived, at
least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset, security or index.
Accordingly, these financial futures contracts, related options and forward
currency contracts used by the Portfolio to implement its hedging strategies are
considered derivatives. The value of derivatives can be affected significantly
by even small market movements, sometimes in unpredictable ways. They do not
necessarily increase risk, and may in fact reduce risk.
SECURITIES LENDING
The Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to brokers or dealers,
banks or other recognized institutional borrowers of securities, provided that
the borrower at all times maintains cash or equivalent collateral or secures a
letter of credit in favor of the Portfolio in an amount equal to at least 100%
of the market value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio
securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Portfolio an amount equivalent
to any dividend or interest paid on such securities and earn additional income,
or the Portfolio may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income from the
borrower. In accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, the Portfolio
may lend up to 30% of the value of its total assets. The risks in lending
portfolio securities, as well as with other extensions of secured credit,
consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in recovery of
the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower
fail financially.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements whereby the seller of a
security agrees to repurchase that security from the Portfolio at a mutually
agreed-upon time and price. The repurchase date is usually within a day or two
of the original purchase, although it may not be for a number of months. The
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resale price is in excess of the purchase price, reflecting an agreed-upon rate
of return effective for the period of time the Portfolio's money is invested in
the security. The Portfolio's repurchase agreements will at all times be fully
collateralized in an amount at least equal to the purchase price, including
accrued interest earned on the underlying securities. The instruments held as
collateral are valued daily, and as the value of instruments declines, the
Portfolio will require additional collateral. If the seller defaults or becomes
insolvent and the value of the collateral securing the repurchase agreement
declines, the Portfolio may incur a loss.
WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED DELIVERY SECURITIES
The Portfolio may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed
delivery basis. When-issued or delayed delivery transactions arise when
securities are purchased or sold by the Portfolio with payment and delivery
taking place as much as a month or more in the future in order to secure what is
considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Portfolio at the time of
entering into the transaction. The Portfolio's custodian will maintain, in a
segregated account of the Portfolio, cash, U.S. Government securities or other
liquid high-grade debt obligations having a value equal to or greater than the
Portfolio's purchase commitments; the custodian will likewise segregate
securities sold on a delayed delivery basis. The securities so purchased are
subject to market fluctuation and no interest accrues to the purchaser during
the period between purchase and settlement. At the time of delivery of the
securities the value may be more or less than the purchase price and an increase
in the percentage of the Portfolio's assets committed to the purchase of
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may increase the
volatility of the Portfolio's net asset value.
BORROWING
The Portfolio may borrow an amount up to 33-1/3% of the value of its total
assets (calculated when the loan is made) from banks for temporary or emergency
purposes. The Portfolio may pledge up to 33-1/3% of its assets to secure such
borrowings. The Portfolio may borrow from banks, or from other funds or
portfolios advised by the Manager, if an applicable exemptive order has been
granted, or through reverse repurchase agreements. However, the Portfolio will
not purchase portfolio securities if borrowings exceed 5% of the Portfolio's
total assets.
If the Portfolio borrows money, an investor's share price may be subject to
greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off.
ITEM 6. MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATION AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE.
The Portfolio's Board of Trustees provides broad supervision over the
affairs of the Portfolio. A majority of the Portfolio's Trustees are not
affiliated with the Manager or the Subadviser. Information concerning the
Trustees and officers of the Portfolio appears in Part B.
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The Portfolio has not retained the services of a principal underwriter or
distributor, as interests in the Portfolio are offered solely in private
placement transaction.
The Manager has been an investment adviser to individuals and retirement
plans since 1974 and to mutual funds since 1982. The Manager serves the
Portfolio pursuant to an Investment Advisory Contract under the terms of which
it has agreed to provide an investment program within the limitations of the
Portfolio's investment policies and restrictions, and to furnish all executive,
administrative, and clerical services required for the transaction of Portfolio
business, other than accounting services and services which are provided by the
Portfolio's custodian, transfer agent, independent accountants and legal
counsel, and investment advisory services provided by the Subadviser to the
Portfolio.
The Manager was incorporated in Ohio in 1974 and maintains its principal
offices at 6000 Memorial Drive, Dublin, OH 43017. The Manager is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Meeder Financial. Meeder Financial is controlled by Robert S.
Meeder, Sr. through ownership of voting common stock. Meeder Financial conducts
business only through its six subsidiaries which are Meeder Asset Management,
Inc.; Mutual Funds Service Co., the Portfolio's transfer agent; Adviser Dealer
Services, Inc., a registered broker-dealer; Opportunities Management Co., a
venture capital investor; Meeder Advisory Services, Inc., a registered
investment adviser and OMCO, Inc., a registered commodity trading adviser and
commodity pool operator.
The Manager earns an annual fee, payable in monthly installments, from the
Portfolio at the rate of 1.00% of the first $50 million, .75% of the next $50
million and .60% in excess of $100 million, of average net assets. These fees
are higher than the fees charged to most other investment companies.
SUBADVISER
Miller/Howard Investments, Inc., 141 Upper Byrdcliffe Road, P. O. Box 549,
Woodstock, New York 12498, serves as the Portfolio's Subadviser under an
Investment Subadvisory Agreement between the Manager and the Subadviser. The
Subadviser furnishes investment advisory services in connection with the
management of the Portfolio. The Manager pays the Subadviser a fee, based on the
value of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio, payable monthly, and
computed at the rate of 0.00% of the first $10 million, .40% of the next $50
million, .30% of the next $40 million, and .25% in excess of $100 million of the
Portfolio's average net assets. The Manager continues to have responsibility for
all investment advisory services in accordance with the investment advisory
contract and supervises the Subadviser's performance of such services.
The Subadviser, a Delaware corporation, is a registered investment adviser
which has been providing investment services to broker-dealers, investment
advisers, employee benefit plans, endowment portfolios, foundations and other
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institutions and individuals since 1984. As of December 31, 1999, the Subadviser
held discretionary investment authority over approximately $272 million of
assets. The Subadviser is controlled by Lowell Miller through ownership of
voting common stock.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Lowell Miller, a director and President of the Subadviser, is primarily
responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolio. Mr. Miller has been
associated with the Subadviser and its predecessor since 1984, and has managed
the Portfolio since its inception in 1995. Mr. Miller controls the Subadviser
through ownership of voting common stock.
TRANSFER AGENT AND CUSTODIAN
The Portfolio has entered into an Administration and Accounting Services
Agreement with Mutual Funds Service Co., 6000 Memorial Drive, Dublin, Ohio
40317, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meeder Financial, pursuant to which Mutual
Funds Service Co. provides accounting and transfer agency services to the
Portfolio. The minimum annual fee, payable monthly, for such services for the
Portfolio is $7,500. Subject to the applicable minimum fee, the Portfolio's
annual fee is computed at the rate of .15% of the first $10 million, .10% of the
next $20 million, .02% of the next $50 million and .01% in excess of $80 million
of the Portfolio's average net assets. These fees are reviewable annually by the
Trustees of the Portfolio. For the year ended December 31, 1999 total payments
from the Portfolio to Mutual Funds Service Co. amounted to $36,940.
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, Firstar acts as the custodian of the
Portfolio's assets. See Part B for more detailed information concerning
custodial arrangements.
ITEM 7. SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION.
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., 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.
The net income of the Portfolio is determined each day on which the New
York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open for trading (and on such other days as
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are deemed necessary in order to comply with Rule 22c-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) ("Fund Business Day"). This
determination is made once during each such day. All the net income of the
Portfolio, as defined below, so determined is allocated PRO RATA among the
investors in the Portfolio at the time of such determination.
For this purpose the net income of the Portfolio (from the time of the
immediately preceding determination thereof) shall 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.
Investments in the Portfolio have no preemptive or conversion rights and
are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. The Portfolio is
not required to hold 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. Investors have
the right to communicate with other investors to the extent provided in Section
16(c) of the 1940 Act in connection with requesting a meeting of investors for
the purpose of removing one or more Trustees, which removal requires a
two-thirds vote of the Portfolio's beneficial interests. Investors also have
under certain circumstances the right to remove one or more Trustees without a
meeting. Upon liquidation or dissolution of the Portfolio, investors would be
entitled to share PRO RATA in the net assets of the Portfolio available for
distribution to investors.
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 taxable income, gain, loss,
deductions and credits in determining its income tax liability. The
determination of such share will be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue
Code and regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Portfolio's assets, income and distributions are managed in such a way
that an investor in the Portfolio will be able to satisfy the requirements of
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code assuming that the investor invested
all of its investable assets in the Portfolio.
Investor inquiries may be directed to Meeder Asset Management, Inc. at 6000
Memorial Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.
PURCHASE OF SECURITIES
An investment in the Portfolio may be made without a sales load at the net
asset value next determined after an order is received in "good order" by the
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Portfolio. Net asset value is determined as described in Item 18 of Part B.
There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment in the Portfolio.
However, since 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
Portfolio's custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank).
The Portfolio reserves 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 Fund Business Day. As of 4:00 p.m., New York 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 as of 4:00 p.m., New York 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 as of 4:00 p.m., New York 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 4:00 p.m., New York time,
on such day, and (ii) the denominator of which is the aggregate net asset value
of the Portfolio as of 4:00 p.m., New York 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 effected as of
4:00 p.m., New York time, on such day. The percentage so determined will then be
applied to determine the value of the investor's interest in the Portfolio as of
4:00 p.m., New York time, on the following Fund Business Day.
REDEMPTION OR REPURCHASE
An investor in the Portfolio may reduce any portion or all of its
investment at any time at the net asset value next determined after a request in
"good order" is furnished by the investor to the Portfolio. Any such withdrawal
could result in a distribution in kind of portfolio securities (as opposed to a
cash distribution from the Portfolio). A distribution in kind may result in a
less diversified portfolio. The proceeds of a reduction will be paid by the
Portfolio in federal funds normally on the next business day after the reduction
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 reduction
may be suspended or the payment of the proceeds therefrom postponed during any
period in which the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading
on such Exchange is restricted, or, to the extent otherwise permitted by the
1940 Act, if an emergency exists.
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ITEM 8. DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS.
Beneficial interests in the Portfolio are issued solely in private
placement transactions which 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 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.
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PART B
ITEM 10. COVER PAGE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.
UTILTIES STOCK PORTFOLIO
6000 Memorial Drive
Dublin, Ohio 43017
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED APRIL 30, 2000.
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus. It should be read
in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Utilities Stock Portfolio dated April
30, 2000. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained at the above address, or by
calling: 1-800-325-FLEX, or (614) 760-2159. Capitalized terms used and not
otherwise defined herein have the same meanings as defined in the Prospectus.
Page
Portfolio History B-2
Description of the Portfolio and Its
Investments and Risks B-2
Management of the Portfolio B-20
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities B-24
Investment Advisory and Other Services B-24
Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices B-27
Capital Stock and Other Securities B-30
Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Securities B-31
Taxation of the Portfolio B-32
Underwriters B-32
Calculation of Performance Data B-33
Financial Statements B-33
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ITEM 11. PORTFOLIO HISTORY.
The Portfolio was organized as a trust under the laws of the State of New
York on August 4, 1994.
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIO AND ITS INVESTMENTS AND RISKS.
Part A contains additional information about the investment objective and
policies of the Utilities Stock Portfolio (the "Portfolio"). This Part B should
only be read in conjunction with Part A.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), a "fundamental"
policy may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Portfolio, which is defined in the 1940 Act with
respect to the Portfolio as the lesser of (a) 67 percent or more of the
Portfolio's beneficial interests represented at a meeting of investors if the
holders of more than 50 percent of the outstanding beneficial interests are
present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50 percent of the outstanding
beneficial interests ("Majority Vote"). However, except for the fundamental
investment limitations set forth below, the investment policies and limitations
described in this Part B are not fundamental and may be changed by the Trustees
without investor approval. The percentage limitations contained in the
restrictions listed below apply at the time of the purchase of the securities.
The Portfolio may not:
(1) with respect to 75% of the Portfolio's total assets, purchase the
securities of any issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the
government of the United States, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities)
if, as a result thereof, (a) more than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets would
be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (b) the Fund would hold more
than 10% of the voting securities of such issuer;
(2) issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act;
(3) borrow money, except that the Portfolio may borrow money for temporary
or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment) in an amount not
exceeding 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less
liabilities (other than borrowings). Any borrowings that come to exceed this
amount will be reduced within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) to
the extent necessary to comply with the 33 1/3% limitation;
(4) underwrite securities issued by others (except to the extent that the
Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933 in the disposition of restricted securities);
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(5) purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities)
if, as a result, 25% or more of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested
in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the
same industry, except that the Portfolio may invest 25% or more of its total
assets in securities of public utility companies;
(6) purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership
of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Portfolio
from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or
securities of companies engaged in the real estate business);
(7) purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of
ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the
Portfolio from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from
investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities); or
(8) lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33
1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, but this limitation
does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements.
THE FOLLOWING INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS ARE NOT FUNDAMENTAL, AND MAY BE CHANGED
WITHOUT SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL.
(i) The Portfolio does not currently intend to engage in short sales, but
may engage in short sales "against the box" to the extent that the Portfolio
contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain at no added cost securities
identical to those sold short, and provided that transactions in futures
contracts and options are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.
(ii) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase securities on
margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary
for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments in
connection with futures contracts and options on futures contracts shall not
constitute purchasing securities on margin.
(iii) The Portfolio may borrow money only (a) from a bank, or from a
registered investment company for which the Adviser serves as investment adviser
if an applicable exemptive order has been granted, or (b) by engaging in reverse
repurchase agreements with any party (reverse repurchase agreements are treated
as borrowings for purposes of fundamental investment limitation (3). The
Portfolio will not purchase any security while borrowings representing more than
5% of its total assets are outstanding. The Portfolio will not borrow from other
funds advised by the Adviser if total outstanding borrowings immediately after
such borrowing would exceed 15% of the Portfolio's total assets.
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(iv) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase any security if,
as a result, more than 10% of its net assets would be invested in securities
that are deemed to be illiquid because they are subject to legal or contractual
restrictions on resale or because they cannot be sold or disposed of in the
ordinary course of business at approximately the prices at which they are
valued.
(v) The Portfolio does not currently intend to invest in securities of real
estate investment trusts that are not readily marketable, or to invest in
securities of real estate limited partnerships that are not listed on the New
York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or traded on the NASDAQ
National Market System.
(vi) The Portfolio does not currently intend to lend assets other than
securities to other parties, except by (a) lending money (up to 5% of the
Portfolio's net assets) to a registered investment company for which the Adviser
serves as investment adviser or (b) acquiring loans, loan participations, or
other forms of direct debt instruments and in connection therewith, assuming any
associated unfunded commitments of the sellers. (This limitation does not apply
to purchases or debt securities or to repurchase agreements.)
(vii) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase securities of
other investment companies. This limitation does not apply to securities
received as dividends, through offers of exchange, or as a result of
reorganization, consolidation, or merger.
(viii) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase the securities
of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by domestic or foreign
governments or political subdivisions thereof) if, as a result, more than 5% of
its total assets would be invested in the securities of business enterprises
that, including predecessors, have a record of less than three years of
continuous operation.
(ix) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase warrants, valued
at the lower of cost or market, in excess of 5% of the Portfolio's net assets.
Included in that amount, but not to exceed 2% of the Portfolio's net assets, may
be warrants that are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American
Stock Exchange. Warrants acquired by the Portfolio in units or attached to
securities are not subject to these restrictions.
(x) The Portfolio does not currently intend to invest in oil, gas, or other
mineral exploration or development programs or leases.
(xi) The Portfolio does not currently intend to purchase the securities of
any issuer if those officers and Trustees of the Trust and those officers and
directors of the Adviser or the Subadviser who individually own more than 1/2 of
1% of the securities of such issuer, together own more than 5% of such issuer's
securities.
(xii) The Portfolio does not currently intend to invest in electric
utilities whose generation of power is derived from nuclear reactors.
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For the Portfolio's limitations on futures and options transactions, see
the section entitled "Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions" on page
B-12. For the Portfolio's limitations on short sales, see the section entitled
"Short Sales" on page B-16.
MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. When investing in money market instruments, the
Portfolio will limit its purchases, denominated in U.S. dollars, to the
following securities.
* U.S. Government Securities and Securities of its Agencies and
Instrumentalities - obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal
or interest by the United States or its agencies (such as the Export
Import Bank of the United States, Federal Housing Administration, and
Government National Mortgage Association) or its instrumentalities
(such as the Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks
and Federal Land Bank), including Treasury bills, notes and bonds.
* Bank Obligations and Instruments Secured Thereby - obligations
including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers'
acceptances) of domestic banks having total assets of $1,000,000,000
or more, instruments secured by such obligations and obligations of
foreign branches of such banks, if the domestic parent bank is
unconditionally liable to make payment on the instrument if the
foreign branch fails to make payment for any reason. The Portfolio may
also invest in obligations (including certificates of deposit and
bankers' acceptances) of domestic branches of foreign banks having
assets of $1,000,000,000 or more, if the domestic branch is subject to
the same regulation as United States banks. The Portfolio will not
invest at time of purchase more than 25% of its assets in obligations
of banks, nor will the Portfolio invest more than 10% of its assets in
time deposits.
* High Quality Commercial Paper - The Portfolio may invest in commercial
paper rated no lower than "A-2" by Standard & Poor's Corporation or
"Prime-2" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or, if not rated, issued
by a company having an outstanding debt issue rated at least A by
Standard & Poor's or Moody's.
* Private Placement Commercial Paper - Private placement commercial
paper consists of unregistered securities which are traded in public
markets to qualified institutional investors, such as the Portfolio.
The Portfolio's risk is that the universe of potential buyers for the
securities, should the Portfolio desire to liquidate a position, is
limited to qualified dealers and institutions, and therefore such
securities could have the effect of being illiquid.
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* High Grade Corporate Obligations - obligations rated at least A by
Standard & Poor's or Moody's. See rating information below.
* Repurchase Agreements -- See "Repurchase Agreements" below.
The Subadviser exercises due care in the selection of money market
instruments. However, there is a risk that the issuers of the securities may not
be able to meet their obligations to pay interest or principal when due. There
is also a risk that some of the Portfolio's securities might have to be
liquidated prior to maturity at a price less than original amortized cost or
value, face amount or maturity value to meet larger than expected redemptions.
Any of these risks, if encountered, could cause a reduction in net income or in
the net asset value of the Portfolio.
RATINGS
1. Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s Corporate Bond Rating:
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 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 or
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 or time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well.
2. Standard and Poor's Corporation's Corporate Bond Rating:
AAA - Bonds rated AAA are highest grade obligations. They possess the
ultimate degree of protection as to principal and interest. Marketwise they move
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with interest rates, and hence provide the maximum safety on all counts.
AA - Bonds rated AA also qualify as high grade obligations, and in the
majority of instances differ from AAA issues only in small degree. Here, too,
prices move with the long-term money market.
A - Bonds rated A are regarded as upper medium grade. They have
considerable investment strength but are not entirely free from the adverse
effect of changes in economic and trade conditions. Interest and principal are
regarded as safe. They predominantly reflect money rates in their market
behavior but, to some extent, also economic conditions.
BBB - Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit protection parameters,
adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to
a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for bonds in this category
than for bonds in the A category.
3. A-1 and P-1 Commercial Paper Ratings:
Commercial paper rated A-1 by Standard & Poor's Corporation ("S&P") has the
following characteristics: Liquidity ratios are adequate to meet cash
requirements. Long term senior debt is rated "A" or better. The issuer has
access to at least two additional channels of borrowing. Basic earnings and cash
flow have an upward trend. Typically, the issuer's industry is well established
and the issuer has a strong position within the industry. The reliability and
quality of management are unquestioned. Relative strength or weakness of the
above factors determines whether the issuer's commercial paper is A-1, A-2, or
A-3.
The rating P-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"). Among the factors considered by Moody's in
assigning ratings are the following: (1) evaluation of the management of the
issuer; (2) economic evaluation of the issuer's industry or industries and an
appraisal of speculative-type risks which may be inherent in certain areas; (3)
evaluation of the issuer's products in relation to competition and customer
acceptance; (4) liquidity; (5) amount and quality of long-term debt; (6) trend
of earnings over a period of ten years; (7) financial strength of a parent
company and the relationships which exist with the issuer; and (8) recognition
by the management of obligations which may be present or may arise as a result
of public interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations.
4. Description of Permitted Money Market Investments:
Commercial Paper - refers to promissory notes issued by corporations in
order to finance their short term credit needs.
U.S. Government Obligations - are bills, certificates of indebtedness,
notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and agencies, authorities and
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instrumentalities of the U.S. Government established under the authority of an
act of Congress. Some obligations of U.S. Government agencies, authorities and
instrumentalities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Treasury, as for example, the Government National Mortgage Association; others
by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury, as in the case of
Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal National Mortgage Association; and others
only by the credit of the agency, authority or instrumentality; as for example,
Federal Home Loan Mortgage and Federal Home Loan Bank.
Repurchase Agreements - See "Repurchase Agreements" below.
Certificates of Deposit - are certificates issued against funds deposited
in a bank, are for a definite period of time, earn a specified or variable rate
of return and are normally negotiable.
Banker's Acceptances - are short-term credit instruments used to finance
the import, export, transfer or storage of goods. They are termed "accepted"
when a bank guarantees their payment at maturity.
Corporate Obligations - include bonds and notes issued by corporations in
order to finance longer term credit needs.
ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS are investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in
the ordinary course of business at approximately the prices at which they are
valued. Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Subadviser
determines the liquidity of the Portfolio's investments and, through reports
from the Subadviser, the Board monitors investments in illiquid instruments. In
determining the liquidity of the Portfolio's investments, the Subadviser may
consider various factors, including (1) the frequency of trades and quotations,
(2) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace, (3)
dealer undertakings to make a market, (4) the nature of the security (including
any demand or tender features), and (5) the nature of the marketplace for trades
(including the ability to assign or offset the Portfolio's rights and
obligations relating to the investment). Investments currently considered by the
Portfolio to be illiquid include repurchase agreements not entitling the holder
to payment of principal and interest within seven days, over-the-counter
options, and non-government stripped fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities.
Also, the Subadviser may determine some restricted securities,
government-stripped fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities, loans and other
direct debt instruments, and swap agreements to be illiquid. However, with
respect to over-the-counter options the Portfolio writes, all or a portion of
the value of the underlying instrument may be illiquid depending on the assets
held to cover the option and the nature and terms of any agreement the Portfolio
may have to close out the option before expiration. In the absence of market
quotations, illiquid investments are priced at fair value as determined in good
faith by the Board of Trustees. If through a change in values, net assets, or
other circumstances, the Portfolio were in a position where more than 10% of its
net assets were invested in illiquid securities, it would seek to take
appropriate steps to protect liquidity.
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RESTRICTED SECURITIES generally can be sold in privately negotiated
transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities
Act of 1933, or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required,
the Portfolio may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense
and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek
registration 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 seek registration of the security.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement, the Portfolio purchases a
security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller at an
agreed upon price on an agreed upon date within a number of days from the date
of purchase. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed upon
incremental amount which is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the
purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller
to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value
(at least equal to the amount of the agreed upon resale price and marked to
market daily) of the underlying security. The Portfolio may engage in repurchase
agreements with respect to any security in which it is authorized to invest.
While it does not presently appear possible to eliminate all risks from
these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market
value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Portfolio
in connection with bankruptcy proceedings), it is the Portfolio's current policy
to limit repurchase agreement transactions to parties whose creditworthiness has
been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Subadviser.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the
Portfolio sells a portfolio instrument to another party, such as a bank or
broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase the instrument at a
particular price and time. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding,
the Portfolio will maintain appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial
account to cover its obligation under the agreement. The Portfolio will enter
into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties whose creditworthiness has
been found satisfactory by the Subadviser. Such transactions may increase
fluctuations in the market value of the Portfolio's assets and may be viewed as
a form of leverage.
SECURITIES LENDING. The Portfolio may lend securities to parties such as
broker-dealers or institutional investors.
Securities lending allows the Portfolio to retain ownership of the
securities loaned and, at the same time, to earn additional income. Since there
may be delays in the recovery of loaned securities, or even a loss of rights in
collateral supplied should the borrower fail financially, loans will be made
only to parties deemed by the Subadviser to be of good standing. Furthermore,
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they will only be made if, in the Subadviser's judgment, the consideration to be
earned from such loans would justify the risk.
The Subadviser understands that it is the current view of the SEC Staff
that the Portfolio may engage in loan transactions only under the following
conditions: (1) the Portfolio must receive 100% collateral in the form of cash
or cash equivalents (e.g., U.S. Treasury bills or notes) from the borrower; (2)
the borrower must increase the collateral whenever the market value of the
securities loaned (determined on a daily basis) rises above the value of the
collateral; (3) after giving notice, the Portfolio must be able to terminate the
loan at any time; (4) the Portfolio must receive reasonable interest on the loan
or a flat fee from the borrower, as well as amounts equivalent to any dividends,
interest, or other distributions on the securities loaned and to any increase in
market value; (5) the Portfolio may pay only reasonable custodian fees in
connection with the loan; and (6) the Board of Trustees must be able to vote
proxies on the securities loaned, either by terminating the loan or by entering
into an alternative arrangement with the borrower.
Cash received through loan transactions may be invested in any security in
which the Portfolio is authorized to invest. Investing this cash subjects that
investment, as well as the security loaned, to market forces (i.e., capital
appreciation or depreciation).
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS. Foreign investments can involve significant risks in
addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments. The value of securities
denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, and of dividends and interest
from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies
strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets
generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than U.S. markets, and
prices on some foreign markets can be highly volatile.
Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting and disclosure standards
comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult
to obtain reliable information regarding an issuer's financial condition and
operations.
In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes,
brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, are generally higher than for U.S.
investments.
Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S. markets.
Foreign issuers, brokers, and securities markets may be subject to less
government supervision. Foreign security trading practices, including those
involving the release of assets in advance of payment, may involve increased
risks in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a broker-dealer, and
may involve substantial delays. It may also be difficult to enforce legal rights
in foreign countries.
Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks.
Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to
the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or
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nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S.
investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S.
dollars, or other government intervention. There may be a greater possibility of
default by foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises.
Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political,
economic, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse
diplomatic developments. There is no assurance that the Subadviser will be able
to anticipate or counter these potential events.
The considerations noted above generally are intensified for investments in
developing countries. Developing countries may have relatively unstable
governments, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets
that trade a small number of securities.
The Portfolio may invest in foreign securities that impose restrictions on
transfer within the U.S. or to U.S. persons. Although securities subject to
transfer restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than
foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions.
American Depository Receipts and European Depository Receipts (ADRs and
EDRs) are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign-based
corporation held in trust by a bank or similar financial institution. Designed
for use in U.S. and European securities markets, respectively, ADRs and EDRs are
alternatives to the purchase of the underlying securities in their national
markets and currencies.
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. The Portfolio may hold foreign currency
deposits from time to time, and may convert dollars and foreign currencies in
the foreign exchange markets. Currency conversion involves dealer spreads and
other costs, although commissions usually are not charged. Currencies may be
exchanged on a spot (i.e., cash) basis, or by entering into forward contracts to
purchase or sell foreign currencies at a future date and price. Forward
contracts generally are traded in an interbank market conducted directly between
currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. The
parties to a forward contract may agree to offset or terminate the contract
before its maturity, or may hold the contract to maturity and complete the
contemplated currency exchange.
The Portfolio may use currency forward contracts to manage currency risks
and to facilitate transactions in foreign securities. The following discussion
summarizes the principal currency management strategies involving forward
contracts that could be used by the Portfolio.
In connection with purchases and sales of securities denominated in foreign
currencies, the Portfolio may enter into currency forward contracts to fix a
definite price for the purchase or sale in advance of the trade's settlement
date. This technique is sometimes referred to as a "settlement hedge" or
"transaction hedge."
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The Subadviser expects to enter into settlement hedges in the normal course
of managing the Portfolio's foreign investments. The Portfolio could also enter
into forward contracts to purchase or sell a foreign currency in anticipation of
future purchases or sales of securities denominated in foreign currency, even if
the specific investments have not yet been selected by the Subadviser.
The Portfolio may also use forward contracts to hedge against a decline in
the value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. For example,
if the Portfolio owned securities denominated in pounds sterling, it could enter
into a forward contract to sell pounds sterling in return for U.S. dollars to
hedge against possible declines in the pound's value. Such a hedge, sometimes
referred to as a "position hedge," would tend to offset both positive and
negative currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values
caused by other factors. The Portfolio could also hedge the position by selling
another currency expected to perform similarly to the pound sterling - for
example, by entering into a forward contract to sell Deutschemarks or European
Currency Units in return for U.S. dollars. This type of hedge, sometimes
referred to as a "proxy hedge," could offer advantages in terms of cost, yield,
or efficiency, but generally would not hedge currency exposure as effectively as
a simple hedge into U.S. dollars. Proxy hedges may result in losses if the
currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the currency in which the
hedged securities are denominated.
Under certain conditions, SEC guidelines require mutual funds to set aside
cash and appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover
currency forward contracts. As required by SEC guidelines, the Portfolio will
segregate assets to cover currency forward contracts, if any, whose purpose is
essentially speculative. The Portfolio will not segregate assets to cover
forward contracts entered into for hedging purposes, including settlement
hedges, position hedges, and proxy hedges.
Successful use of forward currency contracts will depend on the
Subadviser's skill in analyzing and predicting currency values. Forward
contracts may substantially change the Portfolio's investment exposure to
changes in currency exchange rates, and could result in losses to the Portfolio
if currencies do not perform as the Subadviser anticipates. For example, if a
currency's value rose at a time when the Subadviser had hedged the Portfolio by
selling that currency in exchange for dollars, the Portfolio would be unable to
participate in the currency's appreciation. If the Subadviser hedges currency
exposure through proxy hedges, the Portfolio could realize currency losses from
the hedge and the security position at the same time if the two currencies do
not move in tandem. Similarly, if the Subadviser increases the Portfolio's
exposure to a foreign currency, and that currency's value declines, the
Portfolio will realize a loss. There is no assurance that the Subadviser's use
of forward currency contracts will be advantageous to the Portfolio or that it
will hedge at an appropriate time. The policies described in this section are
non-fundamental policies of the Portfolio.
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LIMITATIONS ON FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS. The Portfolio will not:
(a) sell futures contracts, purchase put options, or write call options if, as a
result, more than 50% of the Portfolio's total assets would be hedged with
futures and options under normal conditions; (b) purchase futures contracts or
write put options if, as a result, the Portfolio's total obligations upon
settlement or exercise of purchased futures contracts and written put options
would exceed 25% of its total assets; or (c) purchase call options if, as a
result, the current value of option premiums for call options purchased by the
Portfolio would exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets. These limitations do
not apply to options attached to or acquired or traded together with their
underlying securities, and do not apply to securities that incorporate features
similar to options. The above limitations on the Portfolio's investments in
futures contracts and options, and the Portfolio's policies regarding futures
contracts and options discussed elsewhere herein, may be changed as regulatory
agencies permit.
FUTURES CONTRACTS. When the Portfolio purchases a futures contract, it
agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date.
When the Portfolio sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying
instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale
will take place is fixed when the Portfolio enters into the contract.
Some currently available futures contracts are based on specific
securities, such as U.S. Treasury bonds or notes, and some are based on indices
of securities prices, such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price
Index (S&P 500). Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be
closed out before then if a liquid secondary market is available.
The value of a 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 market. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will
tend to offset both positive and negative market price changes, much as if the
underlying instrument had been sold.
FUTURES MARGIN PAYMENTS. 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, both the purchaser and seller are
required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures broker, known as a futures
commission merchant (FCM), when the contract is entered into. Initial margin
deposits are typically equal to a 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 to settle 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. Initial and variation margin payments do not
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constitute purchasing securities on margin for purposes of the Portfolio's
investment limitations. 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.
PURCHASING PUT AND CALL OPTIONS. By purchasing a put option the Portfolio
obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell the option's underlying
instrument 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,
indices 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. If the option is allowed to expire, the Portfolio will
lose the entire premium it paid. If the Portfolio exercises the option, it
completes the sale of the underlying instrument at the strike price. The
Portfolio may also terminate a put option position by closing it out in the
secondary market at its current price, if a liquid secondary market exists.
The buyer of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if security
prices fall substantially. However, if the underlying instrument's price 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 underlying instrument at the option's strike
price.
A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential price increases
of the underlying instrument 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.
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 option's underlying instrument if the other party to
the option chooses to exercise it. When writing an option on a futures contract
the Portfolio will be required to make margin payments to an FCM as described
above for futures contracts. The Portfolio may seek to terminate its position in
a put option it writes before exercise by closing out the option in the
secondary market at its current price. If the secondary 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 set aside assets to cover its position.
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If security prices rise, 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 the underlying instrument directly,
however, because the premium received for writing the option should mitigate the
effects 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 mitigates the effects 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.
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 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 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 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
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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 Fund 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
secondary market will exist for any particular options or futures contract at
any particular time. Options may have relatively low trading volume and
liquidity if their strike prices are not close to the underlying instrument's
current price. In addition, exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation
limits for options and futures contracts, and may halt trading if a contract's
price moves upward or downward 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 secondary market for a contract is not
liquid because of price fluctuation limits or otherwise, it could prevent prompt
liquidation of unfavorable positions, and potentially could 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.
OTC OPTIONS. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with
respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike
price, the terms of over-the-counter options (options not traded on exchanges)
generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option
contract. While this type of arrangement allows the Portfolio greater
flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally involve
greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the
clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
OPTIONS AND FUTURES RELATING TO FOREIGN CURRENCIES. Currency futures
contracts are similar to forward currency exchange contracts, except that they
are traded on exchanges (and have margin requirements) and are standardized as
to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures contracts call for
payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. The underlying instrument of a currency
option may be a foreign currency, which generally is purchased or delivered in
exchange for U.S. dollars, or may be a futures contract. The purchaser of a
currency call obtains the right to purchase the underlying currency, and the
purchaser of a currency put obtains the right to sell the underlying currency.
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The uses and risks of currency options and futures are similar to options
and futures relating to securities or indices, as discussed above. The Portfolio
may purchase and sell currency futures and may purchase and write currency
options to increase or decrease its exposure to different foreign currencies.
The Portfolio may also purchase and write currency options in conjunction with
each other or with currency futures or forward contracts. Currency futures and
options values can be expected to correlate with exchange rates, but may not
reflect other factors that affect the value of the Fund's investments. A
currency hedge, for example, should protect a Yen-denominated security from a
decline in the Yen, but will not protect the Portfolio against a price decline
resulting from deterioration in the issuer's creditworthiness. Because the value
of the Portfolio's foreign-denominated investments changes in response to many
factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of
currency options and futures to the value of the Portfolio's investments exactly
over time.
ASSET COVERAGE FOR FUTURES AND OPTIONS POSITIONS. The Portfolio will comply
with guidelines established by the SEC with respect to coverage of options and
futures strategies 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 or option strategy 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
Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
SHORT SALES. The Portfolio may enter into short sales "against the box"
with respect to equity securities it holds. For example, if the Subadviser
anticipates a decline in the price of a stock the Portfolio holds, it may sell
the stock short "against the box." If the stock price subsequently declines, the
proceeds of the short sale could be expected to offset all or a portion of the
stock's decline. The Portfolio currently intends to hedge no more than 15% of
its total assets with short sales "against the box" on equity securities under
normal circumstances.
When the Portfolio enters into a short sale "against the box", it will be
required to own or have the right to obtain at no added cost securities
identical to those sold short "against the box" and will be required to continue
to hold them while the short sale "against the box" is outstanding. The
Portfolio will incur transactions costs, including interest expense, in
connection with opening, maintaining, and closing short sales.
SOCIAL INVESTMENT POLICY. The Funds offer investors the opportunity for
capital appreciation, current income, and growth of income, in environmentally
and socially preferable equity investment strategies. The Funds provide a unique
opportunity to be involved in the equity market without being involved in many
areas of the economy that may be objectionable to an investor. The Portfolio
combines carefully selected and screened portfolios with positive social action
on policy issues through proxy voting and shareholder advocacy.
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STOCK SELECTION PROCESS. The Subadviser makes use of third party research
from sources such as Investor Responsibility Resource Center (IRRC), the Council
on Economic Priorities (CEP), Franklin Research and Development Corp., Kinder,
Lyndenberg, and Domini, Value Line, and the internet to develop an overall
social profile and screen companies that meet its financial criteria, paying
particular attention to the following:
EXCLUSIONARY SCREENS
TOBACCO/ALCOHOL/GAMBLING/FIREARMS. The Portfolio is free from companies
with primary or subsidiary businesses involved in the alcohol, tobacco, gambling
and firearms industries.
WEAPONS/MILITARISM. None of the companies in the Portfolio has a primary
involvement in the defense industry, and companies with greater than three
percent dependence on revenues from weapons production will be screened out.
NUCLEAR POWER. The Portfolio will not invest in any company involved in
nuclear power production. If a company merges with, acquires or is acquired by a
company that is involved in nuclear power production, the Portfolio will divest.
ANIMAL TESTING. The Portfolio will not invest in any company involved in
animal testing or animal usury.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/LABOR ISSUES. The Portfolio is committed to
promoting workplace diversity (see section on proxy voting/shareholder
activism). If a company has unremediated or egregious problems in the area of
Equal Employment Opportunity (such as discrimination or harassment), Workplace
Safety (such as OSHA safety violations), or Union/Labor Issues (such as WARN act
violations), the Portfolio will either divest or participate in shareholder
action in an attempt to work with the company to address the issues.
THE ENVIRONMENT. Excluding companies involved in nuclear power generation
is not the only positive environmental feature of the Funds.
The investment portfolio typically invests across all the essential service
areas: telephone, electric, water, and natural gas. Consideration is given to
natural gas not only because it's an environmentally preferable alternative
fuel, but because the industry shows tremendous potential as an area of growth.
In addition, the Portfolio seeks to invest in companies involved in energy
production from renewable and alternative resources, whenever such investments
are in keeping with the financial objectives and liquidity concerns of the
strategy.
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The Portfolio seeks to exclude companies that have a history of
environmental negligence or a pattern of violation of environmental regulations.
If a company has unremediated or egregious problems in the area of environmental
performance, the Subadviser will either divest or participate in shareholder
action in an attempt to work with the company to address the issues.
INTERNATIONAL LABOR ISSUES. Sweatshop operations and slave labor are other
potential areas of concern. If these issues exist at companies the Portfolio
invests in, the Subadviser will work to open dialogue in an attempt to encourage
the company to adopt comprehensive supplier standards.
In the case of companies with Maquiladora operations, the Subadviser will
work to encourage the company to address any environmental problems or labor
related issues, such as below subsistence wages or unsafe working conditions.
SHAREHOLDER ADVOCACY/PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES. Socially responsible
investing is a complex process involving education and choice. All companies
have the potential to improve their performance in a number of areas that affect
the environment and quality of life. Investors have an opportunity to engage
corporate management in dialogue about issues that are of concern to them.
Proxy voting is one of the best ways for an investor to communicate support
or disagreement with management policy. The Subadviser votes proxies on a case
by case basis, but will generally vote with management on most standard business
issues such as the appointment of independent auditors and the election of board
directors. In cases where a company's board lacks representation of women and
minorities, the Subadviser will vote against the board and send a letter to
management explaining their position and encourage diversity on the board.
In addition to the "standard" issues placed on the ballot by management,
there may be a number of other important issues put forward by shareholders for
inclusion on the ballot in the form of shareholder resolutions. Shareholder
resolutions can cover a wide range of issues, such as workplace diversity,
militarism, labor relations, and the environment. The primary goal of the
resolution process is not a vote, but to engage the company in a dialogue on an
issues. These resolutions are filed well in advance of the annual meeting, and
if dialogue with the company is fruitful, the filers may withdraw the resolution
before it even comes to a vote.
The Subadviser is an associate member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate
Responsibility (ICCR), and makes use of information from ICCR as well as
research from Investor Responsibility Resource Center (IRRC) to keep track of
resolutions as they are filed. When a resolution is filed on an issue of concern
for the Portfolio, a letter is sent to the company echoing the concern of the
filers and encouraging the company to enter a dialogue on the subject. In
addition, the Subadviser co-files resolutions on issues such as the
implementation of the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies
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(CERES) principles (1997: Enron Corporation, U.S. West, Inc.) and foreign
military sales reporting (1997: GTE Corporation).
The Subadviser will likely support and vote for resolutions such as those
requesting reports on workplace diversity, the implementation of the CERES
principles, reports on foreign military sales, implementation of the MacBride
principles, shareholder approval of golden parachute plans and other social and
environmental issues. When a vote on such a resolution is made, a position
letter is sent to management, in an effort to re-enforce the importance of the
issues, and to urge a greater level of management awareness.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Because the Subadviser may employ flexible defensive investment strategies
when market trends are not considered favorable, the Subadviser may occasionally
change the entire portfolio of securities in the Portfolio. High transaction
costs could result when compared with other funds. This defensive investment
strategy can produce high portfolio turnover ratios when calculated in
accordance with SEC rules. The portfolio turnover rate for the year ended
December 31, 1999 was 69%. The turnover rate was a result of rebalancing the
portfolio to take advantage of market opportunities as well as to realize gains
in the independent power and telecommunications areas.
ITEM 13. MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO.
The Trustees and officers of the Portfolio and their principal occupations
during the past five years are set forth below. Their titles may have varied
during that period. Asterisks indicate those Trustees who are "interested
persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Portfolio. Unless otherwise
indicated, the address of each Trustee and officer is P.O. Box 7177, 6000
Memorial Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
NAME, ADDRESS AND AGE POSITION HELD PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
ROBERT S. MEEDER, SR.*+, 71 Trustee/President Chairman of Meeder Asset
Management, Inc., an
investment adviser;
Chairman and Director of
Mutual Funds Service Co.,
the Funds' transfer agent.
MILTON S. BARTHOLOMEW, 71 Trustee Retired; formerly a
1424 Clubview Boulevard, S. practicing attorney in
Worthington, OH 43235 Columbus, Ohio; member of
each Fund's Audit
Committee.
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ROGER D. BLACKWELL, 59 Trustee Professor of Marketing
Blackwell Associates, Inc. and Consumer Behavior,
3380 Tremont Road The Ohio State University;
Columbus, OH 43221 President of Blackwell
Associates, Inc., a
strategic consulting firm.
ROBERT S. MEEDER, JR.*, 39 Trustee and President of Meeder Asset
Vice President Management, Inc.
WALTER L. OGLE, 61 Trustee Executive Vice President
400 Interstate North Parkway, of Aon Consulting, an
Suite 1630 employee benefits
Atlanta, GA 30339 consulting group.
CHARLES A. DONABEDIAN, 57 Trustee President, Winston
Winston Financial, Inc. Financial, Inc., which
200 TechneCenter Drive, Suite 200 provides a variety of
Milford, OH 45150 marketing and consulting
services to investment
management companies; CEO,
Winston Advisors, Inc., an
investment adviser.
JAMES W. DIDION, 69 Trustee Retired; formerly
8781 Dunsinane Drive Executive Vice President
Dublin, OH 43017 of Core Source, Inc., an
employee benefit and
Workers' Compensation
administration and
consulting firm
(1991-1997).
JACK W. NICKLAUS II, 39 Trustee Designer, Nicklaus Design,
11780 U.S. Highway #1 a golf course design firm
North Palm Beach, FL 33408 and division of Golden
Bear International, Inc.
PHILIP A. VOELKER*+, 46 Trustee and Vice Senior Vice President and
President Chief Investment Officer
of Meeder Asset
Management, Inc.
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DONALD F. MEEDER*+, 61 Secretary Vice President of Meeder
Asset Management, Inc.;
Secretary of Mutual Funds
Service Co., the Funds'
transfer agent.
WESLEY F. HOAG*+, 43 Vice President Vice President and General
Counsel of Meeder Asset
Management, Inc. and
Mutual Funds Service Co.
(since July 1993);
Attorney, Porter, Wright,
Morris & Arthur, a law
firm (October 1984 to June
1993).
THOMAS E. LINE*+, 32 Treasurer President, Mutual Funds
Service Co., the
Portfolio's transfer
agent, and Chief Operating
Officer, Meeder Asset
Management, Inc., the
Portfolio's investment
adviser (since June 1998);
Vice President and
Treasurer, BISYS Fund
Services (December 1996 to
June 1998); Senior Manager
- Financial Services,
KPMG, LLP (Sept. 1989 to
December 1996).
BRUCE E. MCKIBBEN*+, 30 Assistant Treasurer Manager/Fund Accounting
and Financial Reporting,
Mutual Funds Service Co.,
the Funds' transfer agent
(since April 1997);
Assistant Treasurer and
Manager/Fund Accounting,
The Ohio Company, a
broker-dealer (April 1991
to April 1997).
* Interested Person of the Trust (as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940), The Flex-funds, Meeder Advisor Funds and each Portfolio.
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+ P.O. Box 7177, 6000 Memorial Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.
Each Trustee and officer of the Portfolio holds the same positions with
other Portfolios, each a corresponding Portfolio of The Flex-funds or Meeder
Advisor Funds, each a Massachusetts business trust consisting of several
separate series.
Robert S. Meeder, Sr. is Robert S. Meeder, Jr's. father and Donald F.
Meeder's uncle.
The following table shows the compensation paid by the Portfolio and all
other mutual funds advised by the Adviser, including The Flex-funds, Meeder
Advisor Funds, and the corresponding portfolios of and The Flex-funds and Meeder
Advisor Funds (collectively, the "Fund Complex") as a whole to the Trustees of
the Portfolio during the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.
Pension or Total
Retirement Compensation
Aggregate Benefits Estimated from Registrant
Compensation Accrued as Part Annual and Fund
from the of Portfolio or Benefits Upon Complex Paid
TRUSTEE PORTFOLIO1 FUND EXPENSE RETIREMENT TO TRUSTEE1,2
- ------- ---------- ------------ ---------- -------------
Robert S. Meeder, Sr. None None None None
Milton S. Bartholomew $1,200 None None $16,734
Robert S. Meeder, Jr. None None None None
Walter L. Ogle $1,088 None None $16,234
Philip A. Voelker None None None None
Roger A. Blackwell $ 869 None None $15,234
Charles A. Donabedian $1,235 None None $17,734
James Didion $1,114 None None $16,234
Jack W. Nicklaus II $1,150 None None $15,984
1 Compensation figures include cash and amounts deferred at the election of
certain non-interested Trustees. For the calendar year ended December 31, 1999,
participating non-interested Trustees accrued deferred compensation from the
funds as follows: Milton S. Bartholomew - $1,200, Roger A. Blackwell - $869,
Charles A. Donabedian - $1,235, Jack W. Nicklaus II - $1,150, and Walter L. Ogle
- - $583.
2 The Fund Complex consists of 19 investment companies.
Each Trustee who is not an "interested person" is paid a meeting fee of
$250 per meeting for each of the seven Portfolios. In addition, each such
Trustee earns an annual fee, payable quarterly, based on the average net assets
in each Portfolio based on the following schedule: Money Market Portfolio,
0.0005% of the amount of average net assets between $500 million and $1 billion;
0.0025% of the amount of average net assets exceeding $1 billion. For the other
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six Portfolios, including the Portfolio, each Trustee is paid a fee of 0.00375%
of the amount of each Portfolio's average net assets exceeding $15 million.
Members of the Audit and Strategic Planning Committees for each of The
Flex-funds and the Meeder Adviser Funds trusts, and the Portfolios are paid $500
for each Committee meeting. Trustee fees for the Utilities Stock Portfolio
totaled $8,682 for the year ended December 31, 1999. All other officers and
Trustees serve without compensation from the Portfolios or the Trust.
The Declaration of Trust provides that the Portfolio will indemnify its
Trustees and officers as described below under Item 17.
The Portfolio and the Adviser have each adopted a Code of Ethics that
permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities, including, under
certain circumstances and subject to certain restrictions, securities that may
be purchased or held by the Portfolio. However, each such Code restricts
personal investing practices by directors and officers of the Adviser and its
affiliates, and employees of the Adviser with access to information about the
purchase or sale of Portfolio securities. The Code of Ethics for the Portfolio
also restricts personal investing practices of trustees of the Portfolio who
have knowledge about recent Portfolio trades. Among other provisions, the Code
of Ethics requires that such directors and officers and employees with access to
information about the purchase or sale of Portfolio securities obtain
preclearance before executing personal trades. Each Code of Ethics prohibits
acquisition of securities without preclearance in, among other events, an
initial public offering or a limited offering, as well as profits derived from
the purchase and sale of the same security within 60 calendar days. These
provisions are designed to put the interests of Portfolio shareholders before
the interest of people who manage the Portfolio.
ITEM 14. CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
As of March 31, 2000, The Flex-funds Total Return Utilities Fund and the
Meeder Advisor Funds Utility Growth Fund (the "Funds") have an investment in the
Portfolio equaling approximately 76% and 24%, respectively of the Portfolio's
interests. No Trustee or officer of the Portfolio or any other person, except
the Funds, owns in the aggregate more than 1% interest in the Portfolio as of
the date of this registration statement.
ITEM 15. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES.
ADVISER
Meeder Asset Management, Inc. (the "Adviser"), formerly known as R. Meeder
& Associates, Inc., is the investment adviser and manager for, and has an
Investment Advisory Contract with, the Portfolio.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Contract with the Portfolio, the
Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Portfolio's Board of Trustees and in
conformity with the stated objective and policies of the Portfolio, manages both
the investment operations of, and the composition of the Portfolio's portfolio,
including the purchase, retention, disposition and loan of securities. In
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<PAGE>
connection therewith, the Adviser is obligated to keep certain books and records
of the Portfolio. The Adviser also administers the Portfolio's business affairs,
and in connection therewith, furnishes the Portfolio with office facilities,
together with those ordinary clerical and bookkeeping services which are not
being furnished by Star Bank, N.A., the Portfolio's custodian and Mutual Funds
Service Co., the Portfolio's transfer and disbursing agent. The management
services of the Adviser are not exclusive under the terms of the Investment
Advisory Agreement and the Adviser is free to, and does, render management
services for others.
The Investment Advisory Contract for the Portfolio was separately approved
by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of those Trustees
who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940) of the Portfolio. The Investment Advisory Contract is to remain in force
so long as renewal thereof is specifically approved at least annually by a
majority of the Trustees or by vote of a majority of the interests in the
Portfolio, and in either case by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such renewal.
The Investment Advisory Contract provides that the Adviser will not be
liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by
the Portfolio in connection with the matters to which the Investment Advisory
Contract relates except for a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty. The Investment Advisory
Contract will terminate automatically if assigned and may be terminated without
penalty at any time upon 60 days' prior written notice by Majority Vote of the
Portfolio, by the Trustees of the Portfolio, or by the Adviser.
The expenses of the Portfolio include the compensation of the Trustees who
are not affiliated with the Adviser or Subadviser; registration fees; membership
dues allocable to the Portfolio; fees and expenses of independent accountants,
of legal counsel and of any transfer agent or accountant of the Portfolio;
insurance premiums and other miscellaneous expenses.
Expenses of the Portfolio also include all fees under its Accounting and
Administrative Service Agreement; the expenses connected with the execution,
recording and settlement of security transactions; fees and expenses of the
Portfolio's custodian for all services to the Portfolio, including safekeeping
of funds and securities and maintaining required books and accounts; expenses of
preparing and mailing reports to investors and to governmental offices and
commissions; expenses of meetings of investors and Trustees; the advisory fees
payable to the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Contract and other
miscellaneous expenses.
The Adviser earns an annual fee, payable in monthly installments as
follows. The fee for the Portfolio is based upon the average net assets of the
Portfolio and is at the rate of 1% of the first $50 million, 0.75% of the next
$50 million and 0.60% in excess of $100 million of average net assets. The
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Portfolio paid fees to the Adviser totaling $149,369 for the year ended December
31, 1999.
Meeder Asset Management, Inc. was incorporated in Ohio on February 1, 1974
and maintains its principal offices at 6000 Memorial Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.
The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meeder Financial, which is
controlled by Robert S. Meeder, Sr. through the ownership of voting common
stock. The Adviser's officers and directors, and the principal offices are as
set forth as follows: Robert S. Meeder, Sr., Chairman and Sole Director; Robert
S. Meeder, Jr., President and Treasurer; Philip A. Voelker, Senior Vice
President and Chief Investment Officer; Donald F. Meeder, Vice President and
Secretary; Thomas E. Line, Chief Operating Officer; Michael J. Sullivan, Vice
President of Sales and Marketing; and Wesley F. Hoag, Vice President and General
Counsel. Mr. Robert S. Meeder, Sr. is President and a Trustee of the Portfolio.
Each of Mr. Donald F. Meeder, Wesley F. Hoag, and Thomas E. Line is an officer
of the Portfolio. Each of Mr. Robert S. Meeder, Jr. and Philip A. Voelker is a
Trustee and officer of the Portfolio.
The general counsel for the Adviser was primarily responsible for preparing
and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission the registration
statement for the Portfolio. A charge in the amount of $5,000 for such legal
services rendered by the Adviser on behalf of the Portfolio will be paid and
amortized by the Portfolio as an organization expense over a period not
exceeding 60 months.
INVESTMENT SUBADVISER
Miller/Howard Investments, Inc., 141 Upper Byrdcliffe Road, P. O. Box 549,
Woodstock, New York 12498, serves as the Portfolio's Subadviser. Lowell G.
Miller controls the Subadviser through the ownership of voting common stock. The
Investment Subadvisory Agreement provides that the Subadviser shall furnish
investment advisory services in connection with the management of the Portfolio.
In connection therewith, the Subadviser is obligated to keep certain books and
records of the Portfolio. The Adviser continues to have responsibility for all
investment advisory services pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement and
supervises the Subadviser's performance of such services. Under the Investment
Subadvisory Agreement, the Adviser, not the Portfolio, pays the Subadviser a
fee, based upon the average daily net assets of the Portfolio, payable monthly,
and computed at the rate of 0.00% of the first $10 million, .40% of the next $50
million, .30% of the next $40 million, and .25% in excess of $100 million of the
Portfolio's average net assets.
The Investment Subadvisory Agreement provides that the Subadviser will not
be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising
out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio
transactions for the Portfolio, except a loss resulting from misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty. The Investment
Subadvisory Agreement provides that it will terminate automatically if assigned,
and that it may be terminated by the Adviser without penalty to the Portfolio by
the Adviser, the Trustees of the Portfolio or by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio upon not less than 30 days'
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written notice. The Investment Subadvisory Agreement will continue in effect for
a period of more than two years from the date of execution only so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually in conformity with the
1940 Act. The Investment Subadvisory Agreement was approved by the Board of
Trustees of the Portfolio, including all of the Trustees who are not parties to
the contract or "interested persons" of any such party.
TRANSFER AGENT
Mutual Funds Service Co. provides accounting, transfer agency, dividend
disbursing, and shareholder services to the Portfolio. The minimum annual fee
for accounting services for the Portfolio is $7,500. Subject to the applicable
minimum fee, the Portfolio's annual fee, payable monthly, is computed at the
rate of 0.15% of the first $10 million, 0.10% of the next $20 million, 0.02% of
the next $50 million and 0.01% in excess of $80 million of the Portfolio's
average net assets. These fees are reviewable annually by the Trustees of the
Portfolio.
CUSTODIAN
Firstar, N.A., 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, is custodian of the
assets of the Portfolio. The custodian is responsible for the safekeeping of the
Portfolio's assets and the appointment of subcustodian banks and clearing
agencies. The custodian takes no part in determining the investment policies of
the Portfolio or in deciding which securities are purchased or sold by the
Portfolio. The Portfolio may, however, invest in obligations of the custodian
and may purchase or sell securities from or to the custodian.
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
KPMG LLP, Two Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215, serves as the
Portfolio's independent auditors. The auditors audit financial statements for
the Portfolio and provide other assurance, tax, and related services.
ITEM 16. BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES.
All orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities are placed on
behalf of the Portfolio by the Subadviser pursuant to authority contained in the
investment advisory agreement and investment subadvisory agreement. The
Subadviser is also responsible for the placement of transaction orders for
accounts for which it or its affiliates act as investment adviser. In selecting
broker-dealers, subject to applicable limitations of the federal securities
laws, the Subadviser considers various relevant factors, including, but not
limited to, the size and type of the transaction; the nature and character of
the market for the security to be purchased or sold; the execution efficiency,
settlement capability, and financial condition of the broker-dealer firm; the
broker-dealer's execution services rendered on a continuing basis the
reasonableness of any commissions, and arrangements for payment of Portfolio
expenses.
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The Portfolio's brokerage transactions involving securities of companies
headquartered in countries other than the United States will be conducted
primarily on the markets of principal exchanges of such countries. Foreign
markets are generally not as developed as those located in the United States,
which may result in higher transaction costs, delayed settlement and less
liquidity for trades effected in foreign markets. Transactions on foreign
exchanges are usually subject to fixed commissions that generally are higher
than negotiated commissions on U.S. transactions. There is generally less
government supervision and regulation of exchanges and brokers in foreign
countries than in the United States.
The Portfolio may execute portfolio transactions with broker-dealers who
provide research and execution services to the Portfolio or other accounts over
which the Subadviser or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. Such
services may include advice concerning the value of securities; the advisability
of investing in, purchasing or selling securities; the availability of
securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishings analyses and
reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends,
portfolio strategy, and performance of accounts; and effecting securities
transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and
settlement). The selection of such broker-dealers generally is made by the
Subadviser (to the extent possible consistent with execution considerations) in
accordance with a ranking of broker-dealers determined periodically by the
Subadviser's investment staff based upon the quality of research and execution
services provided.
The receipt of research from broker-dealers that execute transactions on
behalf of the Portfolio may be useful to the Subadviser in rendering investment
management services to the Portfolio or its other clients, and conversely, such
research provided by broker-dealers who have executed transaction orders on
behalf of other Subadviser clients may be useful to the Subadviser in carrying
out its obligations to the Portfolio. The receipt of such research is not
expected to reduce the Subadviser's normal independent research activities;
however, it enables the Subadviser to avoid the additional expenses that could
be incurred if the Subadviser tried to develop comparable information through
its own efforts.
Subject to applicable limitations of the federal securities laws,
broker-dealers may receive commissions for agency transactions that are in
excess of the amount of commissions charged by other broker-dealers in
recognition of their research and execution services. In order to cause the
Portfolio to pay such higher commissions, the Subadviser must determine in good
faith that such commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and research services provided by such executing broker-dealers,
viewed in terms of a particular transaction or the Subadviser's overall
responsibilities to the Portfolio and its other clients. In reaching this
determination, the Subadviser will not attempt to place a specific dollar value
on the brokerage and research services provided or to determine what portion of
the compensation should be related to those services.
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The Subadviser is authorized to use research services provided by and to
place portfolio transactions with brokerage firms that have provided assistance
in the distribution of shares of the investors to the extent permitted by law.
The Subadviser may allocate brokerage transactions to broker-dealers who
have entered into arrangements with the Subadviser under which the broker-dealer
allocates a portion of the commissions paid by the Portfolio toward payment of
either the Portfolio's expenses, such as custodian fees, or a proportionate
share of each Fund's expenses, such as transfer agent fees of Mutual Funds
Service Co. The transaction quality must, however, be comparable to those of
other qualified broker-dealers. For the year ended December 31, 1999 no directed
brokerage payments were made to reduce expenses of the Portfolio.
The Trustees of the Portfolio periodically review the Subadviser's
performance of its responsibilities in connection with the placement of
portfolio transactions on behalf of the Portfolio and review the commissions
paid by the Portfolio over representative periods of time to determine if they
are reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Portfolio.
From time to time, the Trustees of the Portfolio will review whether the
recapture for the benefit of the Portfolio of some portion of the brokerage
commissions or similar fees paid by the Portfolio on portfolio transactions is
legally permissible and advisable.
The Portfolio seeks to recapture soliciting broker-dealer fees on the
tender of portfolio securities, but at present no other recapture arrangements
are in effect. The Trustees of the Portfolio intend to continue to review
whether recapture opportunities are available and are legally permissible and,
if so, to determine in the exercise of their business judgment, whether it would
be advisable for the Portfolio to seek such recapture.
Although the Trustees and officers of the Portfolio are substantially the
same as those of other portfolios managed by the Adviser, investment decisions
for the Portfolio are made independently from those of other portfolios managed
by the Adviser or accounts managed by affiliates of the Adviser. It sometimes
happens that the same security is held in the portfolio of more than one of
these funds or accounts. Simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several
portfolios are managed by the same investment adviser, particularly when the
same security is suitable for the investment objective of more than one
portfolio.
When two or more portfolios are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or
sale of the same security, the prices and amounts are allocated in accordance
with a formula considered by the officers of the portfolios involved to be
equitable to each portfolio. In some cases this system could have a detrimental
effect on the price or value of the security as far as the Portfolio is
concerned. In other cases, however, the ability of the Portfolio to participate
in volume transactions will produce better executions and prices for the
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Portfolio. It is the current opinion of the Trustees of the Portfolio that the
desirability of retaining the Adviser as investment adviser to the Portfolio
outweighs any disadvantages that may be said to exist from exposure to
simultaneous transactions.
The Portfolio effects transactions in its portfolio securities on
securities exchanges on a non-exclusive basis through Adviser Dealer Services,
Inc., the distributor (the "Distributor") for the Utility Growth Fund, all of
whose assets are invested in the Portfolio. Because the Distributor is an
"affiliated person" of the Portfolio (as such term is defined under the
Investment Company Act of 1940) by serving as the distributor of the Utility
Growth Fund, the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio has adopted procedures
pursuant to Rule 17e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 governing the
payment of commissions by the Portfolio to the Distributor in its capacity as a
broker-dealer. During the year ended December 31, 1999 the Portfolio paid total
commissions of $42,417 on the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, of
which $18,193 was paid to the Distributor or former distributors.
ITEM 17. 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 non-assessable, 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 of the Portfolio 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 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 their
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 the amount of their
investment), except that if the Trustees of the Portfolio recommend such sale of
assets, the approval by vote of a majority of the investors (with the vote of
each being in proportion to the amount of their investment) will be sufficient.
The Portfolio may also be terminated (i) upon liquidation and distribution of
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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 their investment), or (ii) by
the Trustees of the Portfolio 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 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. The Declaration of Trust provides that
the trustees and officers will be indemnified by the Portfolio 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 18. PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SECURITIES.
Beneficial interests in the Portfolio are issued solely in private
placement transactions which 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 investment companies,
insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar
organizations or entities which are "accredited investors" as defined in
Regulation D under the 1933 Act. This Registration Statement does not constitute
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an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any "security" within
the meaning of the 1933 Act.
The Portfolio determines its net asset value as of 4:00 p.m., New York
time, each Fund Business Day by dividing the value of the Portfolio's net assets
by the value of the investment of the investors in the Portfolio at the time the
determination is made. (As of the date of this Registration Statement, the New
York Stock Exchange is open for trading every weekday except for the following
holidays (or days on which such holiday is observed): New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.) Purchases and reductions will be
effected at the time of determination of net asset value next following the
receipt of any purchase or reduction order.
Securities owned by the Portfolio and listed or traded on any national
securities exchange are valued at each closing of the NYSE on the basis of the
last sale on such exchange each day that the exchange is open for business. If
there is no sale on that day, or if the security is not listed, it is valued at
its last bid quotation on the exchange or, in the case of unlisted securities,
as obtained from an established market maker. Futures contracts are valued on
the basis of the cost of closing out the liability; I.E., at the settlement
price of a closing contract or at the asked quotation for such a contract if
there is no sale. Money market instruments having maturities of 60 days or less
are valued at amortized cost if not materially different from market value.
Portfolio securities for which market quotations are not readily available are
to be valued in good faith by the Board of Trustees.
ITEM 19. TAXATION OF THE PORTFOLIO.
The Portfolio is organized as a trust under New York law. Under the method
of operation of the Portfolio, the Portfolio is not subject to any income tax.
However, each investor in the Portfolio is 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 is made in accordance with the
Internal Revenue Code and regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Portfolio's taxable year-end is December 31. Although, as described
above, the Portfolio is not subject to federal income tax, it files appropriate
federal income tax returns.
The Portfolio's assets, income and distributions are managed in such a way
that an investor in the Portfolio will be able to satisfy the requirements of
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code assuming that the investor invested
all of its investable assets in the Portfolio.
ITEM 20. UNDERWRITERS.
The Portfolio has not retained the services of a principal underwriter or
distributor, as interests in the Portfolio are offered solely in private
placement transactions. Investment companies, insurance company separate
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accounts, common and commingled trust funds and similar organizations and
entities may continuously invest in the Portfolio.
ITEM 21. CALCULATION OF PERFORMANCE DATA.
Not applicable.
ITEM 22. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
The financial statements and independent auditors' report required to be
included in this Statement of Additional Information are incorporated herein by
reference to the Portfolio's Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999. The Portfolio will provide the Annual Report without
charge at written request or request by telephone.
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PART C
ITEM 23. EXHIBITS
*(a) Declaration of Trust of the Registrant.
*(b) By-Laws of the Registrant.
(c) Not applicable.
*(d) (1) Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and
Meeder Asset Management, Inc.
(2) Form of Subadvisory Agreement between Meeder Investment
Management, Inc. and Miller/Howard Investments, Inc.
*(e) Form of Exclusive Placement Agent Agreement between the Registrant and
Signature Broker-Dealer Services, Inc.
(f) Deferred Compensation Plan for independent Trustees is filed herewith.
*(g) Form of Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Firstar, N.A.,
Cincinnati.
*(h) (1) Form of Administration Agreement between the Registrant and Mutual
Funds Service Co.
(2) Form of Accounting Services Agreement between the Registrant and
Mutual Funds Service Co.
(i) Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Certified Public Accountants, filed
herewith.
(j) Not applicable.
(k) Not applicable.
*(l) Investment representation letters of initial investors.
(m) Not applicable.
(n) Not applicable.
(o) Not applicable.
(p) Codes of Ethics for the Portfolio, Meeder Financial, and Meeder
Asset Management, Inc. are filed herewith.
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*Filed April 20, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference.
<PAGE>
ITEM 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT.
Not applicable.
ITEM 25. INDEMNIFICATION.
Reference is hereby made to Article V of the Registrant's Declaration of
Trust, filed as an Exhibit to Registrant's initial Registration Statement on
April 20, 1995.
The Trustees and officers of the Registrant are insured under an errors and
omissions liability insurance policy and under the fidelity bond required by
Rule 17g-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act").
ITEM 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER.
Not applicable.
ITEM 27. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.
Not applicable.
ITEM 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.
The accounts and records of the Registrant are located, in whole or in
part, at the principal executive offices of the Registrant and the following
locations:
NAME ADDRESS
Meeder Asset Management, Inc. 6000 Memorial Drive
(investment adviser) Dublin, Ohio 43017
Mutual Funds Service Co. 6000 Memorial Drive
(transfer and accounting Dublin, OH 43017
service agent)
Firstar, N.A., Cincinnati 425 Walnut Street
(custodian) Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
ITEM 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Not applicable.
ITEM 30. UNDERTAKINGS.
Not applicable.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the
Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration Statement on Form
N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized,
in the City of Dublin and State of Ohio on the 1st day of May, 2000.
UTILITIES STOCK PORTFOLIO
By : /s/ Wesley F. Hoag
---------------------------
Wesley F. Hoag
Vice President
EXHIBIT 23(F)
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
FOR INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
SECTION 1. PURPOSE OF PLAN. The purpose of this Deferred Compensation Plan
(the "Plan") is to permit each Eligible Trustee (as that term is defined below)
of the Funds (as that term is defined below) to defer receipt of all or a
portion of the trustee fees payable by any of the Funds until the time set forth
herein.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND CONSTRUCTION
2.1 DEFINITIONS. The following terms as used in this Plan shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Administrator" shall mean the Treasurer of the Funds.
(b) "Beneficiary" shall mean such person or persons designated
pursuant to Section 5.3 hereof to receive benefits after the
death of an Eligible Trustee.
(c) "Boards of Trustees" shall mean the respective Boards of Trustees
of the Funds.
(d) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
from time to time, or any successor statute.
(e) "Compensation" shall mean the amount of trustees' fees (including
fees earned by an Eligible Trustee for serving as a member of any
committee of any of the Boards of Trustees) paid by each of the
Funds to an Eligible Trustee for a Deferral Year prior to
reduction for Deferrals made under this Plan.
(f) "Deferral" shall mean the amount or amounts of an Eligible
Trustee's Compensation deferred under the provisions of Section 4
of this Plan.
(g) "Deferral Account" shall mean the account maintained to reflect
an Eligible Trustee's Deferrals made pursuant to Section 4 hereof
and any other credits or debits thereto.
(h) "Deferral Election" shall mean the Eligible Trustee's annual
election to defer his Compensation under Plan Section 4.1(a).
(i) "Deferral Year" shall mean each calendar year (or the period
beginning on the effective date of the Plan and ending on
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December 31 of the calendar year in which the Plan becomes
effective) during which an Eligible Trustee makes, or is entitled
to make, Deferrals under Section 4 hereof.
(j) "Eligible Trustee" shall mean a member of the Board of Trustees
who is not an "interested person" of the Funds, as such term is
defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
(k) "Funds" shall mean the following open-end registered investment
companies: the Money Market Portfolio, Bond Portfolio, Growth
Stock Portfolio, Utility Stock Portfolio and Mutual Fund
Portfolio; The Flex-funds' Money Market Fund, U.S. Government
Bond Fund, Highlands Growth Fund, Muirfield Fund, and Total
Return Utilities Fund; The Flex-Partners' International Equity
Fund; and such other open-end registered investment companies (i)
for which R. Meeder & Associates, Inc. (the "Adviser") may in the
future serve as investment adviser or (ii) which invest all of
their investable assets in an investment company so served by the
Adviser, and whose Board of Trustees shall adopt this Plan.
(l) "Hardship and Unforeseeable Emergency" shall mean a severe
financial hardship to an Eligible Trustee resulting from a sudden
and unexpected illness or accident of the Eligible Trustee or a
dependent (within the meaning of Section 152(a) of the Code), of
the Eligible Trustee, loss of the Eligible Trustee's property due
to casualty, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable
circumstances, arising from events beyond the Eligible Trustee's
control. Whether circumstances constitute a Hardship and
Unforeseeable Emergency depends on the facts of each case, as
determined by the Administrator, but in any case does not include
a hardship that may be relieved:
(i) through reimbursement or compensation by insurance of
otherwise;
(ii) by liquidation of the Eligible Trustee's assets to the
extent that liquidation itself would not cause such a
severe financial hardship; or
(iii) by ceasing to defer receipt of any compensation not
yet earned.
(m) "Separation from Service" shall mean the date on which an
Eligible Trustee ceases to be a member of any of the Boards of
Trustees.
(n) "Valuation Date" shall mean the last business day of each
calendar year and any other day upon which the Funds make a
valuation of the Deferral Account.
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2.2 PLURALS AND GENDER. Where appearing in this Plan the singular shall
include the plural and the masculine shall include the feminine, and vice versa,
unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
2.3 HEADINGS. The headings and subheadings in this Plan are inserted for
the convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in any construction of
the provisions hereof.
SECTION 3. PERIOD DURING WHICH DEFERRALS ARE PERMITTED
3.1 COMMENCEMENT OF VOLUNTARY DEFERRALS. An Eligible Trustee may elect, on
a form provided by, and submitted to, the Administrator, to commence voluntary
Deferrals under Section 4.1(a) hereof for the period beginning on the date such
form is submitted to the Administrator.
3.2 TERMINATION OF DEFERRALS. An Eligible Trustee shall not be eligible for
Deferrals after the earlier of the following dates:
(a) his Separation from Service; or
(b) The effective date of the termination of this Plan.
SECTION 4. DEFERRALS
4.1 VOLUNTARY DEFERRAL ELECTIONS.
(a) Prior to the effective date of this Plan or the day the Eligible
Trustee first becomes eligible under this Plan and, for
subsequent Deferral Years, prior to the first day of the Deferral
Year, an Eligible Trustee may elect to defer the receipt of all
or a portion of his Compensation. Such election shall be made on
the form described in Section 3.1 hereof and shall set forth the
amount of such deferral (in whole percentage amounts). Such
election shall continue in effect for all subsequent Deferral
Years unless it is canceled or modified as provided below.
(b) Deferrals described in Section 4.1(a) above shall be withheld,
based upon the percentage amount elected, from each payment of
Compensation which the Eligible Trustee would otherwise have been
entitled but for his election in Section 4.1(a).
(c) The Eligible Trustee may cancel or modify the amount of his
deferral elected under Section 4.1(a) on a prospective basis by
submitting to the Administrator a revised Deferral election form.
Such change will be effective as of the first day of the Deferral
Year following the date such revision is submitted to the
Administrator.
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(d) The Eligible Trustee's Deferral Account shall be a bookkeeping
entry only, and each Fund paying Compensation shall fund the
Deferral Account.
4.2 VALUATION OF DEFERRAL ACCOUNT
(a) Each Fund paying Compensation shall establish a bookkeeping
Deferral Account to which will be credited an amount equal to the
Eligible Trustee's Deferrals under this Plan. Deferrals shall be
allocated to the Deferral Account on the first business day
following the date such Deferrals are withheld from the Eligible
Trustee's Compensation. The Deferral Account shall be debited to
reflect any distributions from such Deferral Account. Such debits
shall be allocated to the Deferral Account as of the date such
distributions are made.
(b) As of each Valuation Date, income, gain and loss equivalents
(resulting from the Deferral Account being invested in the manner
set forth under Section 4.3 below) attributable to the period
following the next preceding Valuation Date shall be credited to
and/or deducted from the Eligible Trustee's Deferral Account.
4.3 RETURN ON DEFERRAL ACCOUNT BALANCE
(a) (i) For purposes of measuring the investment return on an
Eligible Trustee's Deferrals, a dollar amount equivalent to the
Eligible Trustee's Deferrals shall be invested and reinvested in
one or more of the Funds, effected at such Fund or Funds' current
net asset value on the date the Eligible Trustee's Deferrals are
credited to the Deferral Account. The Funds used as a basis for
determining the investment return shall be designated by the
Eligible Trustee on a form provided by the Administrator. The
Eligible Trustee's Deferrals shall be credited with a return
(positive or negative) equal to the rate of return on shares of
the Funds selected, assuming reinvestment of dividends and
distributions from the Funds.
(ii) The Eligible Trustee shall make a designation of one or more
of the Funds on a form provided by the Administrator which shall
remain effective until another valid direction has been made by
the Eligible Trustee as herein provided. The Eligible Trustee may
amend his designation of investment return as of the end of any
calendar quarter by giving written direction to the Administrator
at least 15 days prior to the end of such quarter. A timely
change to an Eligible Trustee's designation of investment return
shall become effective on the first day of the calendar quarter
following receipt by the Administrator.
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(iii) The investment alternatives made available to the Eligible
Trustee shall be the same as from time to time are communicated
to the Eligible Trustee by the Administrator.
(b) Except as provided below, the Eligible Trustee's Deferral Account
shall receive a return in accordance with his investment
designations, provided such designations conform to the
provisions of this Section. If
(i) the Eligible Trustee does not furnish the Administrator with
a written designation,
(ii) the written designation from the Eligible Trustee is
unclear, or
(iii) less than all of the Eligible Trustee's Deferral Account is
covered by such written designation,
then the entire amount of the Eligible Trustee's Deferral Account
shall be invested in The Money Market Fund until such time as the
Eligible Trustee shall provide the Administrator with
instructions.
The Fund shall provide a statement to the Eligible Trustee quarterly
showing such information as is appropriate, including the aggregate amount in
the Deferral Account, as of a reasonably current date.
SECTION 5. DISTRIBUTIONS FROM DEFERRAL ACCOUNT
5.1 ELIGIBLE TRUSTEE'S ELECTION. An Eligible Trustee shall elect at the
time of his Deferral Election to have the total amount in the Deferral Account,
if any, and the amount of Deferrals for the Deferral Year, plus applicable
investment return, deferred for any number of whole years, greater than two,
specified by the Eligible Trustee in such Deferral Election; provided, however,
that the distribution may in no event be deferred beyond the Eligible Trustee's
Separation from Service. He shall also elect the form of distribution:
(a) Lump sum; or
(b) Generally equal annual installments over a period of up to ten
(10) years.
5
<PAGE>
Such distributions shall commence within ninety (90) days subsequent to the
Valuation Date of the last year of the deferral period elected by the Eligible
Trustee above.
The time period for deferrals and/or the form of distribution may be
amended annually based on mutual agreement between the Eligible Trustee and the
Funds. Any such amendment shall become effective one year following the date the
amendment is submitted to the Administrator and the amendment shall apply to the
entire amount in the Deferral Account on the effective date. Any such agreement
shall be attached to the amendment.
5.2 ACCELERATION OF DISTRIBUTION. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of a Fund or the
distribution of all or substantially all of a Fund's assets and property to its
shareholders, or in the event of a merger or reorganization of a Fund (unless
prior to such merger or reorganization, the Board of Trustees determines that
the Plan shall survive the merger or reorganization), all unpaid amounts in the
Deferral Accounts maintained by a Fund as of the effective date thereof shall be
paid in a lump sum to the Eligible Trustees on the effective date of such
liquidation, dissolution, winding up, distribution, merger, or reorganization.
For purposes of this Section 5.2, the Valuation Date will be the effective date
of the liquidation, dissolution, winding up, distribution, merger, or
reorganization.
5.3 DEATH PRIOR TO COMPLETE DISTRIBUTION OF DEFERRAL ACCOUNT. Upon the
death of the Eligible Trustee prior to the commencement of the distribution of
the amounts credited to his Deferral Account, the balance of such Account shall
be distributed to his Beneficiary in a lump sum as soon as practicable after the
Eligible Trustee's death. In the event of the death of the Eligible Trustee
after the commencement of such distribution, but prior to the complete
distribution of his Deferral Account, the balance of the amounts credited to his
Deferral Account shall be distributed to his Beneficiary over the remaining
period during which such amounts were distributable to the Eligible Trustee
under Section 5.1 hereof. Notwithstanding the above, the Board of Trustees, in
its sole discretion, may accelerate the distribution of the Deferral Account.
5.4 HARDSHIP AND UNFORESEEABLE EMERGENCY. An Eligible Trustee may request
at any time a withdrawal of part or all of the amount then credited to his
Deferral Account on account of Hardship and Unforeseeable Emergency by
submitting a written request to the Administrator accompanied by evidence that
his financial condition constitutes a Hardship and Unforeseeable Emergency. The
Administrator shall review the Eligible Trustee's request and determine the
extent, if any, to which such request is justified. Any such withdrawal shall be
limited to an amount reasonably necessary to meet the Hardship and Unforeseeable
Emergency, but not more than the amount of benefit to which the Eligible Trustee
would be entitled if his service as trustee were terminated. The Eligible
Trustee shall make any such request on a form provided by, and submitted to, the
Administrator.
6
<PAGE>
5.5 CHANGE IN CONTROL
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event of
a "Change in Control" of a Fund's investment adviser, the Board
of Trustees may accelerate or extend the payment of all amounts
credited to the Deferral Accounts of the Eligible Trustees.
(b) The term "Change in Control" shall mean a change in "control" as
defined in section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.6 DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY. For the purposes of Section 5.3 hereof, the
Eligible Trustee's Beneficiary shall be the person or persons so designated by
the Eligible Trustee in a written instrument submitted to the Administrator. The
Beneficiary may be changed at any time by the Eligible Trustee's submission of
such a written instrument to the Administrator. In the event the Eligible
Trustee fails to properly designate a Beneficiary or if his Beneficiary
predeceases him, then his beneficiary shall be his surviving spouse or, if none,
his estate.
SECTION 6. AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION
6.1 AMENDMENTS. The Funds reserve the right to amend, in whole or in part,
and in any manner, any or all of the provisions of this Plan by action of their
Boards of Trustees, except that if any amendment adversely affects the accrued
rights of an Eligible Trustee, such amendment shall not be effective without the
consent of the Trustee.
6.2 TERMINATION. The Funds may terminate this Plan at any time. The
Eligible Trustees' Deferral Accounts shall become payable as of the Valuation
Date next following the effective date of the termination of this Plan.
SECTION 7. MISCELLANEOUS
7.1 RIGHTS OF CREDITORS
(a) This Plan is unfunded. Neither an Eligible Trustee nor any other
persons shall have any interest in any specific asset or assets
of the Funds by reason of any Deferral Account hereunder, nor any
rights to receive distribution of his Deferral Account except and
to the extent expressly provided hereunder. In order to cover
their obligations hereunder, the Funds will purchase investments.
These investments shall continue for all purposes to be a part of
the general assets and property of the Funds, subject to the
claims of its general creditors and no persons other than the
Funds shall by virtue of the provisions of this Plan have any
interest in such assets other than an interest as a general
creditor of the Funds.
7
<PAGE>
(b) The rights of an Eligible Trustee and the Beneficiaries to the
amounts held in the Deferral Account are unsecured and such
amounts shall be subject to the claims of the creditors of the
Funds. With respect to the payment of amounts held under the
Deferral Account, the Eligible Trustee and his Beneficiaries have
the status of unsecured creditors of the Funds. This Plan is
executed on behalf of the Funds by an officer of the Funds as
such and not individually. Any obligation of the Funds hereunder
shall be an unsecured obligation of the Funds and not of any
other person.
7.2 AGENTS. The Funds may employ agents and provide for such clerical,
legal, actuarial, accounting, advisory or other services as it deems necessary
to perform its duties under this Plan. The Funds shall bear the cost of such
services and all other expenses it incurs in connection with the administration
of this Plan.
7.3 LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION. Except for their own negligence, willful
misconduct or willful breach of the terms of this Plan, the Funds shall be
indemnified and held harmless by the Eligible Trustees against liability or
losses occurring by reason of any act or omission of the Funds or any other
person, relating to this Plan.
7.4 INCAPACITY. If the Funds shall receive evidence satisfactory to them
that an Eligible Trustee or any Beneficiary entitled to receive any benefit
under the Plan is, at the time when such benefit becomes payable, a minor, or is
physically or mentally incompetent to receive such benefit and to give a valid
release therefor, and that another person or an institution is then maintaining
or has custody of the Eligible Trustee or Beneficiary and that no guardian,
committee or other representative of the estate of the Eligible Trustee or
Beneficiary shall have been duly appointed, the Funds may make payment of such
benefit otherwise payable to the Eligible Trustee or Beneficiary to such other
person or institution, including a custodian under a Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act, or corresponding legislation (who shall be an adult, a guardian of the
minor or a trust company), and the release of such other person or institution
shall be a valid and complete discharge for the payment of such benefit.
7.5 GOVERNING LAW. This Plan is made and entered into in the State of Ohio
and all matters concerning its validity, construction and administration shall
be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio.
7.6 NON-GUARANTEE OF TRUSTEESHIP. Nothing contained in this Plan shall be
construed as a contract or guarantee of the right of an Eligible Trustee to be,
or remain as, a trustee of any of the Funds or to receive any, or any particular
rate of, Compensation.
7.7 COUNSEL. The Funds may consult with legal counsel with respect to the
meaning or construction of this Plan, its obligations or duties hereunder or
with respect to any action or proceeding or any question of law, and it shall be
fully protected with respect to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith
pursuant to the advice of legal counsel.
8
<PAGE>
7.8 INTERESTS NOT TRANSFERABLE. An Eligible Trustee's and Beneficiaries'
interests in the Deferral Account may not be anticipated, sold, encumbered,
pledged, mortgaged, charged, transferred, alienated, assigned nor become subject
to execution, garnishment or attachment and any attempt to do so by any person
shall be deemed null and void. The Funds shall not recognize the rights of any
party under this Plan except those of the Eligible Trustee or his Beneficiary.
7.9 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Plan contains the entire understanding between
the Funds and the Eligible Trustees with respect to the payment of non-qualified
deferred compensation by the Funds to the Eligible Trustees.
7.10 INTERPRETATION OF PLAN. Interpretations of, and determinations related
to, this Plan made by the Funds in good faith, including any determinations of
the amounts of the Deferral Account, shall be conclusive and binding upon all
parties; and the Funds shall not incur any liability to an Eligible Trustee for
any such interpretation or determination so made or for any other action taken
by it in connection with this Plan in good faith.
7.11 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Plan shall be binding upon, and shall
inure to the benefit of, the Funds and their successors and assigns and to the
Eligible Trustees and their heirs, executors, administrators and personal
representatives.
7.12 SEVERABILITY. In the event any one or more provisions of this Plan are
held to be invalid or unenforceable, such illegality or unenforceability shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof and
such other provisions shall remain in full force and effect unaffected by such
invalidity or unenforceability.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Funds have caused this Plan to be executed by one
of their duly authorized officers, this ________ day of _____________________,
1997.
[FUNDS]
By:
- -------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Witness
Name:
----------------------------------
Title:
----------------------------------
9
<PAGE>
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
FOR INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEFERRAL ELECTION FORM
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Trustees (the "Plan"), I
hereby make the following elections:
I. DEFERRAL OF COMPENSATION
You may elect to defer up to 100 percent of your Compensation (as defined under
the Plan), in whole percentage amounts.
Starting August 6, 1998 and for each year thereafter (unless subsequently
amended by completion of a new election form), you may elect any percentage
portion of your Compensation to be credited to your Deferral Account under the
Plan. The Deferral Account shall be further credited with a return on the
Deferral Account balance as provided under the Plan.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby elect that the following percentage of my Compensation
be deferred under the Plan.
----%
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. ELECTION OF DEFERRAL PERIOD
You are required under the Plan to elect the time period for which Deferrals
(plus applicable investment return) are to be deferred. Such election shall
specify either (a) a number of years for the deferral, to be not less than two
(2) years, or (b) that the deferral continue until your Separation from Service.
I hereby make the following elections regarding my Deferrals under the Plan:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|_| The Compensation I elect to defer under the Plan is to be deferred for ___
years beyond the end of the Deferral year.
|_| The Compensation I elect to defer under the Plan is to be deferred until my
Separation from Service.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10
<PAGE>
III. FORM OF DISTRIBUTION
You are required to elect the form of distribution, which may be either (a) a
lump sum or (b) generally equal annual installments over a period of up to ten
years.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My distributions from the Plan are to be in the form of:
|_| a lump sum; or
|_| generally equal annual installments over ___ years (not
to exceed 10 years)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The time period for deferrals under II above and/or the form of distribution
under III above may be amended annually based on mutual agreement between the
Eligible Trustee and the Funds. Any such amendment shall become effective one
year following the date the amendment is submitted to the Administrator and the
amendment shall apply to the entire amount in the Deferral Account on the
effective date. Any such agreement shall be attached to this Form.
I understand that the amounts held in the Deferral Account shall remain the
general assets of the Funds and that, with respect to the payment of such
amounts, I am merely a general creditor of the Funds. I may not sell, encumber,
pledge, assign or otherwise alienate the amounts held under the Deferral
Account.
I hereby agree that the terms of the Plan are incorporated herein and are made a
part hereof.
- ------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness ELIGIBLE TRUSTEE
- ------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness Date
Accepted by Administrator:
- ------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Administrator Date
11
<PAGE>
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
FOR INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETURN DESIGNATION FORM
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Trustees (the "Plan") I
hereby elect that the return on my Deferral Account under the Plan be computed
as if the Deferral Account was invested in the following Funds:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percentage of Current Percentage of Future
Name of Fund Deferral Account to be Deferral Account Earnings
Attributed to Fund to be Attributed to Fund
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------- -------% -------%
- -------------------------- -------% -------%
- -------------------------- -------% -------%
- -------------------------- -------% -------%
- -------------------------- -------% -------%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please include an attachment to this form if you need space to select additional
portfolios.
I realize that the designation included on this Form shall be effective until I
have filed another valid Return Designation Form with the Administrator. If (a)
I make no written designation, (b) the written designation is unclear or (c)
less than 100% of my Deferral Account is covered by this election, then my
Deferral Account shall be credited with the returns of the Money Market Fund
until I provide the Administrator with appropriate instructions. This form must
be delivered to the Administrator on or before 15 days prior to the end of the
calendar quarter to be effective the following quarter.
- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness ELIGIBLE TRUSTEE
- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness Date
12
<PAGE>
Accepted by Administrator:
- --------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Administrator Date
13
<PAGE>
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
FOR INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION FORM
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Trustees (the "Plan"), I
hereby make the following beneficiary designations:
I. PRIMARY BENEFICIARY
I hereby select the following as my primary Beneficiary(ies) to receive at my
death in the form of a lump sum (or as otherwise provided in Section 5.3 of the
Plan) the amounts held in my Deferral Account under the Plan. In the event I am
survived by more than one primary Beneficiary, such primary Beneficiaries shall
share equally in the distribution of my Deferral Account unless I indicate
otherwise on an attachment to this form:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name (Relationship)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City State Zip SSN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name (Relationship)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City State Zip SSN
Please include an attachment to this form if you wish to select additional
primary Beneficiaries.
14
<PAGE>
II. SECONDARY BENEFICIARY
In the event I am not survived by any primary Beneficiary, I hereby appoint the
following as secondary Beneficiary(ies) to receive death benefits in the form of
a lump sum (or as otherwise provided in Section 5.3 of the Plan) under the Plan.
In the event I am survived by more than one secondary Beneficiary, such
secondary Beneficiaries shall share equally in the distribution of my Deferral
Account unless I indicate otherwise on an attachment to this form:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name (Relationship)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City State Zip SSN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name (Relationship)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City State Zip SSN
Please include an attachment to this form if you wish to select additional
secondary Beneficiaries.
I understand that if I am not survived by any primary or secondary Beneficiary,
my Beneficiary shall be as set forth under the Plan.
- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Witness ELIGIBLE TRUSTEE
- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Witness Date
Accepted by Administrator:
- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Administrator Date
15
<PAGE>
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
FOR INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARDSHIP WITHDRAWAL FORM
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Trustees (the "Plan"), I
may request at any time a Hardship and Unforeseeable Emergency withdrawal (an
"Emergency withdrawal") of part or all of the amount then credited to my
Deferral Account. The amount of the Emergency withdrawal shall be limited to the
amount necessary to meet the Emergency.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I request a hardship withdrawal of $____________________ for the
following reason:
|_| My own or a dependent's sudden and unexpected illness.
|_| The loss of my property due to casualty.
|_| Other (explain):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, I certify that the Emergency may not be relieved through (a)
reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise; (b) liquidation of my
assets to the extent that liquidation itself would not cause an Emergency, or
(c) ceasing to defer receipt of any compensation that I have not yet earned. In
addition, I realize that the Administrator may require additional information
from me before deciding whether to grant this request for an Emergency
withdrawal.
- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness ELIGIBLE TRUSTEE
- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------
Witness Date
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator: Approved: _____ Denied: ____
- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------
Administrator Date
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT
The Board of Trustees of
Utilities Stock Portfolio:
We consent to the use of our report included herein dated February 11, 2000 on
the financial statements of the Mutual Fund Portfolio, Growth Stock Portfolio,
Utilities Stock Portfolio, Bond Portfolio, and Money Market Portfolio as of
December 31, 1999 and for the periods indicated therein and to the reference to
our firm under the heading "Independent Auditors" in Part B of the Registration
Statement.
KPMG LLP
Columbus, Ohio
April 27, 2000
AMENDED AND RESTATED CODE OF ETHICS
THE GROWTH STOCK PORTFOLIO
THE MUTUAL FUND PORTFOLIO
THE BOND PORTFOLIO
THE MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO
THE UTILITIES STOCK PORTFOLIO
THE GROWTH MUTUAL FUND PORTFOLIO
THE AGGRESSIVE GROWTH MUTUAL FUND PORTFOLIO
THE FLEX-FUNDS
THE FLEX PARTNERS
The Growth Stock Portfolio, The Mutual Fund Portfolio, The Bond Portfolio,
The Money Market Portfolio, The Utilities Stock Portfolio, The Growth Mutual
Fund Portfolio, The Aggressive Growth Mutual Fund Portfolio, The Flex-funds, The
Flex-Partners (each a "Portfolio" and collectively the "Portfolios") have each
determined to adopt this Code of Ethics (the "Code") as of February 3, 1995, as
amended and restated on February 11, 2000, to specify and prohibit certain types
of personal securities transactions deemed to create a conflict of interest and
to establish reporting requirements and preventive procedures pursuant to the
provisions of Rule 17j-1(b)(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"1940 Act").
I. DEFINITIONS
A. An "Access Person" means (i) any Trustee, Director, officer or
Advisory Person (as defined below) of the Portfolio or any investment
adviser thereof, or (ii) any director or officer of any principal
underwriter or placement agent of the Portfolio who, in the ordinary
course of his or her business, makes, participates in or obtains
information regarding the purchase or sale of securities for the
Portfolio for which the principal underwriter or placement agent so
acts or whose functions or duties as part of the ordinary course of
his or her business relate to the making of any recommendation to the
Portfolio regarding the purchase or sale of securities or (iii)
notwithstanding the provisions of clause (i) above, where the
investment adviser is primarily engaged in a business or businesses
other than advising registered investment companies or other advisory
clients, any trustee, director, officer or Advisory Person of the
investment adviser who, with respect to the Portfolio, makes any
recommendation or participates in the determination of which
recommendation shall be made, or whose principal function or duties
relate to the determination of which recommendation shall be made to
the Portfolio or who in connection with his or her duties, obtains any
information concerning securities recommendations being made by such
investment adviser to the Portfolio.
<PAGE>
B. An "Advisory Person" means any employee of the Portfolio or any
investment adviser thereof (or of any company in a control
relationship to the Portfolio or such investment adviser), who, in
connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes,
participates in or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale
of securities by the Portfolio or whose functions relate to any
recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales and any
natural person in a control relationship with the Portfolio or adviser
who obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of securities.
C. A "Portfolio Manager" means any person or persons with the direct
responsibility and authority to make investment decisions affecting
the Portfolio.
D. "Access Persons," "Advisory Persons" and "Portfolio Managers" shall
not include any individual who is required to and does file quarterly
reports with the Portfolio's investment adviser, any subadviser, the
administrator or the principal underwriter or placement agent
substantially in conformity with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act or Rule
204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
E. "Beneficial Ownership" shall be interpreted subject to the provisions
of Rule 16a-1(a) (exclusive of Section (a)(1) of such Rule) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
F. "Control" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Section 2(a)9 of
the 1940 Act.
G. "Disinterested Trustee" means a Trustee who is not an "interested
person" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. An
"interested person" includes any person who is a trustee, director,
officer, employee or owner of 5% or more of the outstanding stock of
any investment adviser. Affiliates of brokers or dealers are also
"interested persons", except as provided in Rule 2(a)(19)(1) under the
1940 Act.
H. The "Review Officer" is the person designated by the Portfolio's Board
of Trustees to monitor the overall compliance with this Code. In the
absence of any such designation the Review Officer shall be the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Portfolio.
I. The "Preclearance Officer" is the person designated by the Portfolio's
Board of Trustees to provide preclearance of any personal security
transaction as required by this Code of Ethics.
J. "Purchase or sale of a security" includes, among other things, the
writing of an option to purchase or sell a security.
2
<PAGE>
K. "Security" shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2(a)(36) of
the 1940 Act (in effect, all securities), except that it shall not
include direct obligations of the U.S. Government (or any other
"government security" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act),
bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper
and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase
agreements; shares of registered open-end investment companies; and
stock index futures.
L. A security is "being considered for purchase or sale" when a
recommendation to purchase or sell the security has been made and
communicated and, with respect to the person making the
recommendation, when such person seriously considers making such a
recommendation.
II. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The following general fiduciary principles shall govern the personal
investment activities of all Access Persons.
Each Access Person shall adhere to the highest ethical standards and
shall:
A. at all times, place the interests of the Portfolio before his personal
interests;
B. conduct all personal securities transactions in a manner consistent
with this Code, so as to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of
interest, or an abuse of position of trust and responsibility; and
C. not take any inappropriate advantage of his position with or on behalf
of the Portfolio.
III. RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL INVESTING ACTIVITIES
A. BLACKOUT PERIODS
1. No Access Person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly,
any security in which he has, or by reason of such transaction
acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership on a day
during which he knows or should have known the Portfolio has a
pending "buy" and "sell" order in that same security until that
order is executed or withdrawn.
2. No Advisory Person or Portfolio Manager shall purchase or sell,
directly or indirectly, any security in which he has, or by
reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect
beneficial ownership within at least seven calendar days before
and after the Portfolio trades (or has traded) in that security.
3
<PAGE>
B. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS
With regard to acquiring any security in an "initial public offering"
(as defined in Rule 17j-1(a)(6) under the 1940 Act) for the personal
account of an Advisory Person, he or she shall
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider, among other
factors, whether the investment opportunity should be reserved
for the Portfolio, and whether such opportunity is being offered
to such Advisory Person by virtue of his position with the
Portfolio) for any acquisition of securities in an initial public
offering; and
2. after authorization to acquire securities in an initial public
offering has been obtained, disclose such personal investment,
with respect to any subsequent consideration by the Portfolio (or
any other investment company for which he acts in a capacity as
an Advisory Person) for investment in that issuer.
C. LIMITED OFFERINGS
With regard to a "limited offering" (as defined in Rule 17j-1(a)(8)
under the 1940 Act), each Advisory Person shall:
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider among other
factors, whether the investment opportunity should be reserved
for the Portfolio, and whether such opportunity is being offered
to such Advisory Person by virtue of his position with the
Portfolio) for any acquisition of securities in a limited
offering; and
2. after authorization to acquire securities in a limited offering
has been obtained, disclose such personal investment with respect
to any subsequent consideration by the Portfolio (or any other
investment company for which he acts in a capacity as an Advisory
Person) for investment in that issuer.
If the Portfolio decides to purchase securities of an issuer the
shares of which have been previously obtained for personal
investment by an Advisory Person, that decision shall be subject
to an independent review by Advisory Persons with no personal
interest in the issuer.
4
<PAGE>
D. SHORT-TERM TRADING PROFITS
With regard to the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, within 60
calendar days, of the same (or equivalent) securities of which an Advisory
Person has beneficial ownership, each Advisory Person shall:
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider, among other
factors, whether such opportunity is being offered to such
Advisory Person by virtue of his position with the Portfolio) for
the closing transaction (whether a purchase or sale) which would
result in the short-term profit; and
2. after authorization to purchase or sell such securities has been
obtained, disclose such personal investment with respect to any
subsequent consideration by the Portfolio (or any other
investment company for which he acts in a capacity as an Advisory
Person) for investment in that issuer.
E. GIFTS
No Advisory Person shall receive any gift or other things of more than
DE MINIMIS value from any person or entity that does business with or
on behalf of the Portfolio.
F. SERVICE AS A DIRECTOR
1. No Advisory Person shall serve on a board of directors of a
publicly traded company without prior authorization from the
Board of Trustees of the Portfolio, based upon a determination
that such board service would be consistent with the interests of
the Portfolio and its investors..
2. If board service of an Advisory Person is authorized by the Board
of Trustees of the Portfolio, such Advisory Person shall be
isolated from the investment making decisions of the Portfolio
with respect to the company of which he is a director.
G. EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS
The prohibition of Section III shall not apply to:
1. purchases or sales effected in any account over which the Access
Person has no direct or indirect influence or control;
2. purchases or sales that are non-volitional on the part of the
Access Person or the Portfolio, including mergers,
recapitalizations or similar transactions;
5
<PAGE>
3. purchases which are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment
plan;
4. purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an
issuer PRO RATA to all holders of a class of its securities, to
the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales
of such rights so acquired; and
5. purchases and sales that receive prior approval in writing by the
Preclearance Officer as (a) only remotely potentially harmful to
the Portfolio because they would be very unlikely to affect a
highly institutional market, (b) clearly not economically related
to the securities to be purchased or sold or held by the
Portfolio or client or (c) not representing any danger of the
abuses prescribed by Rule 17j-1, but only if in each case the
prospective purchaser has identified to the Review Officer all
factors of which he or she is aware which are potentially
relevant to a conflict of interest analysis, including the
existence of any substantial economic relationship between his or
her transaction and securities held or to be held by the
Portfolio.
IV. COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES
A. PRE-CLEARANCE
An Access Person (other than a Disinterested Trustee) may not,
directly or indirectly, acquire or dispose of beneficial ownership of
a security except as provided below unless:
1. such purchase or sale has been approved by the Preclearance
Officer or, in the case of persons employed by the Portfolio's
investment adviser, by a supervisory person designated by the
investment adviser.
2. the approved transaction is completed on the same day approval is
received; and
3. the Preclearance Officer has not rescinded such approval prior to
execution of the transaction.
B. REPORTING
1. Coverage:
a. Each Access Person, (other than Disinterested Trustees) shall
file with the Review Officer confidential quarterly reports
containing the information required in Sections IV.B.1.b. and
IV.B.2 of this Code with
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respect to ALL transactions during the preceding quarter in any
securities in which such person has, or by reason of such
transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership, PROVIDED that (i) no Access Person shall be required
to report transactions effected for any account over which such
Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control
(except that such an Access Person must file a written
certification stating that he or she has no direct or indirect
influence or control over the account in question), (ii) an
Access Person who is an Access Person of the investment adviser
of the Portfolio shall file such Access Person's reports with the
investment adviser. To the extent such reports would duplicate
information recorded pursuant to Rules 204-2(a)(12) or
204-2(a)(13) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, no such
reports need be filed by such Access Person pursuant to this
Code, and (iii) an Access Person who is an Access Person of the
principal underwriter or placement agent of the Portfolio shall
file such Access Person's reports with the principal underwriter.
All such Access Persons shall file reports, even when no
transactions have been effected, representing that no
transactions subject to reporting requirements were effected.
b. If during such preceding quarter an Access Person establishes
any account in which any securities were held during such quarter
for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person, the
Access Person must also include the following information in such
quarterly report: (i) the name of the broker, dealer or bank with
whom the Access Person established the account and (ii) the date
the account was established.
2. Filings: Every report shall be made no later than 10 days after
the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction to which
the report relates was effected, and, in addition to any
information specified in Section IV.B.1.b. above, shall contain
the following information:
a. the date of the transaction, the title and the number of
shares and the principal amount of each security involved;
b. the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any
other type of acquisition or disposition);
c. the price at which the transaction was effected;
d. the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom
the transaction was effected; and
e. the date that the report is submitted.
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3. Any report may contain a statement that it shall not be construed
as an admission by the person making the report that he or she
has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security
to which the report relates.
C. REVIEW
In reviewing transactions, the Review Officer shall take into account
the exemptions allowed under Section III.G. Before making a
determination that a violation has been committed by an Access Person,
the Review Officer shall give such person an opportunity to supply
additional information regarding the transaction in question.
D. DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL HOLDINGS
1. Initial Holdings Report: Each Access Person shall report to the
Review Officer within 10 days after becoming an Access Person (i)
the title, number of shares and principal amount of each Security
in which such Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership when he or she became an Access Person, (ii) the name
of any broker, dealer or bank with whom such Access Person
maintained an account in which securities were held for the
direct or indirect benefit of such Access Person as of the date
he or she became an Access Person, and (iii) the date the report
is submitted by such Access Person .
2. Annual Holdings Report: On or before January 30, 2001, and
annually thereafter, each Access Person (other than Disinterested
Trustees) shall report (i) the title, number of shares and
principal amount of each Security in which such Access Person had
any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, (ii) the name of any
broker, dealer, or bank with whom such Access Person maintains an
account in which any securities are held for the direct or
indirect benefit of such Access Person, and (iii) the date that
the report is submitted. All of the information in such report
must be current as of a date no more than 30 days before the
report is submitted.
E. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE
Each Access Person is required to certify annually that he or she has
read and understood the Portfolio's Code and recognizes that he or she
is subject to such Code. Further, each Access Person is required to
certify annually that he or she has complied with all the requirements
of the Code and that he or she has disclosed or reported all personal
securities transactions pursuant to the requirements of the Code.
V. REQUIREMENTS FOR DISINTERESTED TRUSTEES
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A. Every Disinterested Trustee shall file with the Review Officer a
quarterly report indicating that he or she had no reportable
transactions or a report containing the information required in
Section IV.B. of this Code with respect to transactions (other than
exempted transactions listed under Section III.G.) in any securities
in which such person has, or by reason of such transactions acquires,
any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, if such Trustee, at the
time of that transaction, knew or should have known, in the ordinary
course of pursuing his or her official duties as Trustee, that during
the 15-day period immediately preceding or after the transaction by
the Trustee:
1. such security was being purchased or sold by the Portfolio; or
2. such security was being considered for purchase or sale by the
Portfolio.
All Disinterested Trustees shall file reports, even when no
transactions have been effected, representing that no transactions
subject to reporting requirements were effected.
B. Notwithstanding the preceding section, any Disinterested Trustee may,
at his or her option, report the information described in section
IV.B.2 with respect to any one or more transactions and may include a
statement that the report shall not be construed as an admission that
the person knew or should have known of portfolio transactions by the
Portfolio in such securities.
VI. REVIEW BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
At least annually, the Review Officer shall report to the Board of Trustees
regarding:
A. All existing procedures concerning Access Persons' personal trading
activities and any procedural changes made during the past year;
B. Any recommended changes to the Portfolios' Code or procedures; and
At least annually, the Review Officer shall furnish the Board of
Trustees a written report that (i) describes any issues arising under
this Code or such procedures, including, but not limited to,
information about any material violations of this Code or such
procedures and any sanctions imposed in response to such violations
and (ii) certifies that the Portfolios have adopted procedures
reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating this
Code.
VII. SANCTIONS
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A. SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS BY ACCESS PERSONS (EXCEPT DISINTERESTED
TRUSTEES).
If the Review Officer determines that a violation of this Code has
occurred, he or she shall so advise the Board of Trustees and the
Board may impose such sanctions as it deems appropriate, including,
inter alia, disgorgement of profits, censure, suspension or
termination of the employment of the violator. All material violations
of the Code and any sanctions imposed as a result thereto shall be
reported in writing at least annually to the Board of Trustees.
B. SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS BY DISINTERESTED TRUSTEES
If the Review Officer determines that any Disinterested Trustee has
violated this Code, he or she shall so advise the President of the
Portfolio and also a committee consisting of the Disinterested
Trustees (other than the person whose transaction is at issue) and
shall provide the committee with a report, including the record of
pertinent actual or contemplated portfolio transactions of the
Portfolio and any additional information supplied by the person whose
transaction is at issue. The committee, at its option, shall either
impose such sanctions as it deems appropriate or refer the matter to
the full Board of Trustees of the Portfolio, which shall impose such
sanctions as it deems appropriate.
VIII. MISCELLANEOUS
A. ACCESS PERSONS
The Review Officer of the Portfolio will identify all Access Persons
who are under a duty to make reports to the Portfolio and will inform
such persons of such duty. Any failure by the Review Officer to notify
any person of his or her duties under this Code shall not relieve such
person of his or her obligations hereunder.
B. RECORDS
The Portfolio shall maintain records in the manner and to the extent
set forth below, which records may be maintained on microfilm under
the conditions described in Rule 31a-2(f) under the 1940 Act, and
shall be available for examination by representatives of the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"):
1. a copy of this Code and any other code which is, or at any time
within the past five years has been, in effect shall be preserved
in an easily accessible place;
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2. a record of any violation of this Code and of any action taken as
a result of such violation shall be preserved in an easily
accessible place for a period of not less than five years
following the end of the fiscal year in which the violation
occurs;
3. a copy of each report made pursuant to this Code shall be
preserved for a period of not less than five years from the end
of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first two years in an
easily accessible place;
4. a list of all persons who are required, or within the past five
years have been required, to make reports pursuant to this Code
shall be maintained in an easily accessible place; and
5. a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the
decision, to approve the acquisition by Advisory Persons of
securities under Sections III.B. and C., for at least five years
after the end of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first
two years in an easily accessible place.
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C. CONFIDENTIALITY
All reports of securities transactions and any other information filed
pursuant to this Code shall be treated as confidential, except to the
extent required by law.
D. INTERPRETATION OF PROVISIONS
The Board of Trustees of the Portfolio may from time to time adopt
such interpretations of this Code as it deems appropriate.
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
CODE OF ETHICS
MUIRFIELD INVESTORS, INC.
Muirfield Investors, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("MII"), hereby adopts
this Code of Ethics (the "Code") as of November 1, 1995, as amended and restated
on February 11, 2000, to specify and prohibit certain types of personal
securities transactions deemed to create a conflict of interest and to establish
reporting requirements and preventive procedures pursuant to the provisions of
Rule 17j-1(b)(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") and
Rule 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Board of Trustees of The
Flex-funds, The Flex-Partners and the Portfolios in which the series of The
Flex-funds and The Flex-Partners are invested (the "Portfolios") approved this
Amended and Restated Code of Ethics on February 11, 2000.
I. DEFINITIONS
A. An "Access Person" means any director or officer of MII or any of its
subsidiaries and any Advisory Person.
B. An "Advisory Person" means any employee of MII who, in connection with
his regular functions or duties, makes, participates in or obtains
information regarding the purchase or sale of securities by an account
or an Investment Company or whose functions relate to any
recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales and any
natural person in a control relationship with MII who obtains
information regarding the purchase or sale of securities.
C. "Beneficial Ownership" shall be interpreted subject to the provisions
of Rule 16a-1(a) (exclusive of Section (a)(1) of such Rule) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
D. "Control" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Section 2(a)(9)
of the 1940 Act.
E. The "Review Officer" is the person designated by MII's Board of
Directors to monitor the overall compliance with this Code. In the
absence of any such designation the Review Officer shall be the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of MII.
F. The "Preclearance Officer" is the person designated by MII's Board of
Directors to provide preclearance of any personal security transaction
as required by this Code of Ethics.
G. "Purchase or sale of a security" includes, among other things, the
writing of an option to purchase or sell a security.
H. "Security" shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2(a)(36) of
the 1940 Act (in effect, all securities), except that it shall not
include direct obligations of the U.S. Government (or any other
"government security" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act);
bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper
and high
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quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements;
shares of registered open-end investment companies; and stock index
futures.
I. A security is "being considered for purchase or sale" when a
recommendation to purchase or sell the security has been made and
communicated and, with respect to the person making the
recommendation, when such person seriously considers making such a
recommendation.
J. "Investment Company" (collectively, the "Investment Companies") means
a company registered as such under the 1940 Act and for which R.
Meeder & Associates, Inc. is the investment adviser.
II. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The following general fiduciary principles shall govern the personal
investment activities of all Access Persons.
Each Access Person shall adhere to the highest ethical standards and
shall:
A. at all times, place the interests of the accounts and the Investment
Companies before his personal interests;
B. conduct all personal securities transactions in a manner consistent
with this Code, so as to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of
interest, or an abuse of position of trust and responsibility; and
C. not take any inappropriate advantage of his position with or on behalf
of the accounts or the Investment Companies.
III. RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL INVESTING ACTIVITIES
A. BLACKOUT PERIODS
1. No Access Person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly,
any security in which he has, or by reason of such transaction
acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership on a day
during which he knows or should have known an account or an
Investment Company has a pending "buy" or "sell" order in that
same security until that order is executed or withdrawn.
2. No Advisory Person shall purchase or sell, directly or
indirectly, any security in which he has, or by reason of such
transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership
within at least seven calendar days before and after an
Investment Company trades (or has traded) in that security.
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B. INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS
With regard to acquiring any security in an "initial public
offering" (as defined in Rule 17j-1(a)(6) under the 1940 Act) for the
personal account of an Advisory Person, he or she shall
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider, among other
factors, whether the investment opportunity should be reserved
for an account or an Investment Company, and whether such
opportunity is being offered to such Advisory Person by virtue of
his relationship to an account or his position with an Investment
Company) for any acquisition of securities in an initial public
offering; and
2. after authorization to acquire securities in an initial public
offering has been obtained, disclose such personal investment,
with respect to any subsequent consideration by an account or an
Investment Company for investment in that issuer.
C. LIMITED OFFERINGS
With regard to a "limited offering" (as defined in Rule 17j-1(a)(8)
under the 1940 Act), each Advisory Person shall:
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider among other
factors, whether the investment opportunity should be reserved
for an account or an Investment Company, and whether such
opportunity is being offered to such Advisory Person by virtue of
his relationship to an account or his position with an Investment
Company) for any acquisition of securities in a limited offering;
and
2. after authorization to acquire securities in a limited offering
has been obtained, disclose such personal investment with respect
to any subsequent consideration by an account or an Investment
Company for investment in that issuer.
If an account or an Investment Company decides to purchase
securities of an issuer the shares of which have been previously
obtained for personal investment by an Advisory Person, that
decision shall be subject to an independent review by Advisory
Persons with no personal interest in the issuer.
D. SHORT-TERM TRADING PROFITS
With regard to the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase,
within 60 calendar days, of the same (or equivalent) securities of
which an Advisory Person has beneficial ownership, each Advisory
Person shall:
1. obtain express prior written approval from the Review Officer
(who, in making such determination, shall consider, among other
factors, whether such opportunity is being offered to such
Advisory Person by virtue of his relationship to an
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account or his position with an Investment Company) for the
closing transaction (whether a purchase or sale) which would
result in the short-term profit; and
2. after authorization to purchase or sell such securities has been
obtained, disclose such personal investment with respect to any
subsequent consideration by an account or an Investment Company
for investment in that issuer.
E. GIFTS
No Advisory Person shall receive any gift or other things of more than
DE MINIMIS value from any person or entity that does business with or
on behalf of an account or an Investment Company.
F. SERVICE AS A DIRECTOR
1. No Advisory Person shall serve on a board of directors of a
publicly traded company without prior authorization from the
Board of Directors of MII and the boards of trustees of the
Investment Companies, based upon a determination that such board
service would be consistent with the interests of the accounts,
the Investment Companies and their investors.
2. If board service of an Advisory Person is authorized by the Board
of Directors of MII and the boards of trustees of the Investment
Companies, such Advisory Person shall be isolated from the
investment making decisions of the accounts and the Investment
Companies with respect to the company of which he is a director.
G. EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS
The prohibition of Section III shall not apply to:
1. purchases or sales effected in any account over which the Access
Person has no direct or indirect influence or control;
2. purchases or sales that are non-volitional on the part of the
Access Person, an account or an Investment Company, including
mergers, recapitalizations or similar transactions;
3. purchases which are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment
plan;
4. purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an
issuer PRO RATA to all holders of a class of its securities, to
the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales
of such rights so acquired; and
5. purchases and sales that receive prior approval in writing by the
Preclearance Officer as (a) only remotely potentially harmful to
an account or an Investment Company because they would be very
unlikely to affect a highly institutional market, (b) clearly not
economically related to the securities to be purchased or sold or
held by an account or an Investment Company or (c) not
representing any
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danger of the abuses prescribed by Rule 17j-1 of the Act or Rule
204-2 of the Investment Adviser's Act of 1940, but only if in
each case the prospective purchaser has identified to the Review
Officer all factors of which he or she is aware which are
potentially relevant to a conflict of interest analysis,
including the existence of any substantial economic relationship
between his or her transaction and securities held or to be held
by an account or an Investment Company.
IV. COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES
A. PRE-CLEARANCE
An Access Person may not, directly or indirectly, acquire or dispose
of beneficial ownership of a security except as provided below unless:
1. such purchase or sale has been approved by the Preclearance
Officer;
2. the approved transaction is completed on the same day approval is
received; and
3. the Preclearance Officer has not rescinded such approval prior to
execution of the transaction.
B. REPORTING
1. Coverage:
a. Each Access Person shall file with the Review Officer
confidential quarterly reports containing the information
required in Sections IV.B.1.b. and IV.B.2 of this Code with
respect to ALL transactions during the preceding quarter in any
securities in which such person has, or by reason of such
transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership, PROVIDED that no Access Person shall be required to
report transactions effected for any account over which such
Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control
(except that such an Access Person must file a written
certification stating that he or she has no direct or indirect
influence or control over the account in question).
b. If during such preceding quarter an Access Person establishes
any account in which any securities were held during such quarter
for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person, the
Access Person must also include the following information in such
quarterly report: (i) the name of the broker, dealer or bank with
whom the Access Person established the account and (ii) the date
the account was established.
2. Filings: Every report shall be made no later than 10 days after
the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction to which
the report relates was effected, and, in addition to any
information specified in Section IV.B.1.b. above, shall contain
the following information:
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a. the date of the transaction, the title and the number of
shares and the principal amount of each security involved;
b. the nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any
other type of acquisition or disposition);
c. the price at which the transaction was effected;
d. the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom
the transaction was effected; and
e. the date that the report is submitted.
3. Any report may contain a statement that it shall not be construed
as an admission by the person making the report that he or she
has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security
to which the report relates.
C. REVIEW
In reviewing transactions, the Review Officer shall take into account
the exemptions allowed under Section III.G. Before making a
determination that a violation has been committed by an Access Person,
the Review Officer shall give such person an opportunity to supply
additional information regarding the transaction in question.
D. DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL HOLDINGS
1. Initial Holdings Report: Each Access Person shall report to the
Review Officer within 10 days after becoming an Access Person (i)
the title, number of shares and principal amount of each Security
in which such Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership when such Access Person became an Access Person, (ii)
the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom such Access
Person maintained an account in which securities were held for
the direct or indirect benefit of such Access Person as of the
date he or she became an Access Person, and (iii) the date the
report is submitted by such Access Person .
2. Annual Holdings Report: On or before January 30, 2001, and
annually thereafter, each Access Person shall report (i) the
title, number of shares and principal amount of each Security in
which such Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership, (ii) the name of any broker, dealer, or bank with whom
such Access Person maintains an account in which any securities
are held for the direct or indirect benefit of such Access
Person, and (iii) the date that the report is submitted. All of
the information in such report must be current as of a date no
more than 30 days before the report is submitted.
E. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE
Each Access Person is required to certify annually that he or she has
read and understood this Code and recognizes that he or she is subject
to this Code. Further,
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each Access Person is required to certify annually that he or she has
complied with all the requirements of this Code and that he or she has
disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions pursuant to
the requirements of this Code.
V. REVIEW BY THE BOARDS
At least annually, the Review Officer shall report to the Board of
Directors of MII and the Boards of Trustees of the Investment Companies
regarding:
A. All existing procedures concerning Access Persons' personal trading
activities and any procedural changes made during the past year;
B. Any recommended changes to this Code or procedures.
At least annually, the Review Officer shall furnish each of such Boards a
written report that (i) describes any issues arising under this Code or
such procedures, including, but not limited to, information about any
material violations of this Code or such procedures and any sanctions
imposed in response to such violations and (ii) certifies that MII has
adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from
violating this Code.
VI. SANCTIONS
If the Review Officer determines that a violation of this Code has
occurred, he or she shall so advise the Board of Directors of MII and the
Board may impose such sanctions as it deems appropriate, including, inter
alia, disgorgement of profits, censure, suspension or termination of the
employment of the violator. All material violations of this Code and any
sanctions imposed with respect thereto shall be reported in writing at
least annually to the Board of Directors of MII and, if applicable, the
board of trustees of the Investment Company with respect to whose
securities the violation occurred.
VII. MISCELLANEOUS
A. ACCESS PERSONS
The Review Officer will identify all Access Persons who are under a
duty to make reports to MII and will inform such persons of such duty.
Any failure by the Review Officer to notify any person of his or her
duties under this Code shall not relieve such person of his or her
obligations hereunder.
B. RECORDS
MII shall maintain records in the manner and to the extent set forth
below, which records may be maintained on microfilm under the
conditions described in Rule 31a-2(f) under the 1940 Act, and shall be
available for examination by representatives of the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC"):
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1. a copy of this Code and any other code which is, or at any time
within the past five years has been, in effect shall be preserved
in an easily accessible place;
2. a record of any violation of this Code and of any action taken as
a result of such violation shall be preserved in an easily
accessible place for a period of not less than five years
following the end of the fiscal year in which the violation
occurs;
3. a copy of each report made pursuant to this Code shall be
preserved for a period of not less than five years from the end
of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first two years in an
easily accessible place;
4. a list of all persons who are required, or within the past five
years have been required, to make reports pursuant to this Code
shall be maintained in an easily accessible place; and
5. a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the
decision, to approve the acquisition by Advisory Persons of
securities under Sections III.B. and C., for at least five years
after the end of the fiscal year in which it is made, the first
two years in an easily accessible place.
C. CONFIDENTIALITY
All reports of securities transactions and any other information filed
pursuant to this Code shall be treated as confidential, except to the
extent required by law.
D. INTERPRETATION OF PROVISIONS
The Board of Directors of MII may from time to time adopt such
interpretations of this Code as it deems appropriate.
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