File No. 33-_____
File No. 811-____
As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 1995.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 /_X__/
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ /____/
Post-Effective Amendment No. ___ /____/
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT
OF 1940 /_X__/
Amendment No. __ /____/
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
----------------------------------------- -----
(Address of principal executive office) Zip Code
(617) 742-7825
(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
Joseph P. Barri, Hale and Dorr, 60 State Street, Boston, MA 02109
(Name and address of agent for service)
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the
effectiveness of the registration under the Securities Act of 1933.
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates
as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file
a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement
shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting
pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
Registrant hereby elects to register an indefinite number of shares of
Registrant and any series thereof hereinafter created.
Page 1 of ____ pages.
Exhibit Index is on Page ____
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PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
Cross-Reference Sheet Showing Location in Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information of Information Required by Items of
the Registration Form
Location in
Prospectus or
Statement of
Additional
Form N-1A Item Number and Caption Information
1. Cover Page........................................Prospectus - Cover Page
2. Synopsis..........................................Prospectus - Expense
Information
3. Condensed Financial Information...................Not Applicable
4. General Description of Registrant.................Prospectus - Investment
Objective and Policies;
Management of the Fund;
Fund Share Alternatives;
Share Price; How to Buy
Fund Shares; How to
Sell Fund Shares; How to
Exchange Fund Shares;
The Fund
5. Management of the Fund............................Prospectus - Management
of the Fund
6. Capital Stock and Other Securities................Prospectus - Investment
Objective and Policies;
Management of the Fund;
Fund Share Alternatives;
Share Price; How to Buy
Fund Shares; How to Sell
Fund Shares; How to
Exchange Fund Shares;
Dividends, Distributions
and Taxation; The Fund
<PAGE>
Location in
Prospectus or
Statement of
Additional
Form N-1A Item Number and Caption Information
7. Purchase of Securities Being
Offered.....................................Prospectus - Fund Share
Alternatives; Share
Price; How to Buy Fund
Shares; How to Sell Fund
Shares; How to Exchange
Fund Shares; Distribution
Plans; Shareholder
Services; The Fund
8. Redemption or Repurchase..........................Prospectus - Fund Share
Alternatives; Share
Price; How to Buy Fund
Shares; How to Sell Fund
Shares; How to Exchange
Fund Shares; Shareholder
Services; The Fund
9. Pending Legal Proceedings.........................Not Applicable
10. Cover Page........................................Statement of Additional
Information - Cover Page
11. Table of Contents.................................Statement of Additional
Information - Cover Page
12. General Information and History...................Statement of Additional
Information - Description
of Shares
13. Investment Objectives and Policies................Statement of Additional
Information - Investment
Policies and Restrictions
14. Management of the Fund............................Statement of Additional
Information - Management
of the Fund; Investment
Adviser
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<PAGE>
Location in
Prospectus or
Statement of
Additional
Form N-1A Item Number and Caption Information
15. Control Persons and Principle Holders
of Securities...............................Statement of Additional
Information - Management
of the Fund
16. Investment Advisory and Other
Services....................................Statement of Additional
Information - Management
of the Fund; Investment
Adviser; Underwriting
Agreement and
Distribution Plans;
Shareholder Servicing/
Transfer Agent;Custodian;
Principal Underwriter;
Independent Public
Accountants
17. Brokerage Allocation and Other
Practices...................................Statement of Additional
Information - Portfolio
Transactions
18. Capital Stock and Other Securities................Statement of Additional
Information - Description
of Shares
19. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of
Securities Being Offered....................Statement of Additional
Information - Letter of
Intention; Systematic
Withdrawal Plan;
Determination of Net
Asset Value
20. Tax Status........................................Statement of Additional
Information - Tax Status
and Dividends
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<PAGE>
Location in
Prospectus or
Statement of
Additional
Form N-1A Item Number and Caption Information
21. Underwriters......................................Statement of Additional
Information -Underwriting
Agreement and
Distribution Plans;
Principal Underwriter
22. Calculation of Performance Data...................Statement of Additional
Information - Investment
Results
23. Financial Statements..............................To be supplied
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Pioneer Small
Cap Fund
Class A and Class B Shares
Prospectus
November 1, 1995
Pioneer Small Cap Fund (the "Fund") seeks capital appreciation by investing in a
diversified portfolio of securities consisting primarily of common stocks. Any
current income generated from these securities is incidental to the investment
objective of the Fund.
In order to achieve its investment objective, the Fund will invest at least 65%
of its total assets in common stocks of companies with a market capitalization
of less than $1 billion. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in foreign
securities. See "Investment Objective and Policies" in this Prospectus. There
is, of course, no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Prospective investors should be aware that management reserves the right to
temporarily or permanently close the Fund to new investors or to restrict
investments by existing shareowners. A number of factors will be considered in
making such a decision including, but not limited to, total assets under
management and the flow of new investments into the Fund.
Fund returns and share prices fluctuate and the value of your account upon
redemption may be more or less than your purchase price. Shares in the Fund are
not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other
depository institution, and the shares are not federally insured by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government
agency. Investments in the securities of small capitalization ("cap") companies
may offer greater capital appreciation potential than investments in mid- to
large-cap company securities, but may be subject to greater short- term price
fluctuations. The Fund is intended for investors who can accept the risks
associated with its investments and may not be suitable for all investors. See
"Investment Objectives and Policies" for a discussion of these risks.
This Prospectus (Part A of the Registration Statement) provides information
about the Fund that you should know before investing. Please read and retain it
for your future reference. More information about the Fund is included in Part
B, the Statement of Additional Information, also dated November 1, 1995, which
is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. A copy of the Statement of
Additional Information may be obtained free of charge by calling Shareowner
Services at 1-800-225-6292 or by written request to the Fund at 60 State Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109. Additional information about the Fund has been
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filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and is available
upon request and without charge.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
I. EXPENSE INFORMATION 3
II. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES 4
Risk Factors 7
III. MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 7
IV. FUND SHARE ALTERNATIVES 9
V. SHARE PRICE 10
VI. HOW TO BUY FUND SHARES 10
Class A Shares 11
Class B Shares 14
VII. HOW TO SELL FUND SHARES 16
VIII. HOW TO EXCHANGE FUND SHARES 18
IX. DISTRIBUTION PLANS 20
X. DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXATION 21
X. SHAREOWNER SERVICES 22
Account and Confirmation Statements 22
Additional Investments 23
Automatic Investment Plans 23
Financial Reports and Tax Information 23
Distribution Options 23
Directed Dividends 24
Direct Deposit 24
Voluntary Tax Withholding 24
Telephone Transactions and Related Liabilities 24
FactFoneSM 25
Retirement Plans 25
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) 25
Systematic Withdrawal Plans 26
Reinstatement Privilege (Class A Only) 26
XI. THE FUND 27
XII. INVESTMENT RESULTS 27
APPENDIX 29
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR
ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
[End of Cover Page]
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I. EXPENSE INFORMATION
This table is designed to help you understand the charges and expenses that you,
as a shareowner, will bear directly or indirectly when you invest in the Fund.
The table reflects estimated annual operating expenses.
Shareowner Transaction Expenses: Class A Class B
Maximum Initial Sales Charge on
Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) 5.75%(1) None
Maximum Sales Charge on Reinvestment of Dividends None None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge None(1) 4.00%
Redemption Fee None(2) None
Exchange Fee None None
Annual Operating Expenses (As a Percentage of Net Assets):
Management Fee (after Expense Limitation) (3) 0.00% 0.00%
12b-1 Fees 0.25%(4) 1.00%
Other Expenses (including accounting and transfer
agent fees, custodian fees and printing expenses)
(after Expense Limitation) 0.00% 0.00%
Total Operating Expenses (after Expense Limitation): (3) 1.75% 2.50%
(1) Purchases of $1,000,000 or more and purchases by participants in certain
group plans are not subject to an initial sales charge but may be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge as further described under "How to Sell Fund
Shares."
(2) Separate fees (currently $10 and $20, respectively) apply to domestic and
international wire transfers of redemption proceeds.
(3) Pioneering Management Corporation ("PMC"), has agreed not to impose a
portion of its management fee and to make other arrangements, if necessary, to
limit the operating expenses of the Class A shares of the Fund to 2.00% of its
average daily net assets; the portion of fund-wide expenses attributable to
Class B shares will be reduced only to the extent they are reduced for Class A
shares. This agreement is voluntary and temporary and may be revised or
terminated at any time. Absent the Expense Limitation, the Management Fee and
Other Expenses would be 0.85% and 0.65%, respectively, for both Class A and
Class B shares.
(4) This is the maximum annual fee and assumes that the Plan of Distribution is
in effect for an entire year; actual expenses are expected to be lower.
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Example:
You would pay the following dollar amounts on a $1,000 investment in the Fund,
assuming 5% annual return and redemption at the end of each time period:
1 Year 3 Years
Class A Shares $73 $106
Class B Shares*
--Assuming complete
redemption at end of period $64 $104
--Assuming no redemption $24 $74
* Class B shares convert to Class A shares eight years after purchase.
The example above assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
and that the percentage amounts listed under "Annual Operating Expenses" remain
the same each year.
The example is designed for information purposes only, and should not be
considered a representation of future expenses or return. Actual Fund expenses
and return will vary from year to year and may be higher or lower than those
shown.
For further information regarding management fees, 12b-1 fees and other expenses
of the Fund, including information regarding the basis upon which management
fees and 12b-1 fees are paid, see "Management of the Fund," "Distribution Plans"
and "How To Buy Fund Shares" in this Prospectus and "Management of the Fund" and
"Underwriting Agreement and Distribution Plans" in the Statement of Additional
Information. The Fund's imposition of a Rule 12b-1 fee may result in long-term
shareholders indirectly paying more than the economic equivalent of the maximum
sales charge permitted under Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
The maximum initial sales charge is reduced on purchases of specified larger
amounts of Class A shares and the value of shares owned in other Pioneer mutual
funds is taken into account in determining the applicable initial sales charge.
See "How to Buy Fund Shares." No sales charge is applied to exchanges of shares
of the Fund for shares of other publicly available Pioneer mutual funds. See
"How to Exchange Shares."
II. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital appreciation by
investing in a diversified portfolio of securities consisting primarily of
common stocks.
The Fund is managed in accordance with the value philosophy of PMC. This
approach consists of developing a diversified portfolio of securities consistent
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with the Fund's investment objective and selected primarily on the basis of
PMC's judgment that the securities have an underlying value, or potential value,
which exceeds their current prices. The analysis and quantification of the
economic worth, or basic value, of individual companies reflects PMC's
assessment of a company's assets and the company's prospects for earnings growth
over the next 1-1/2-to-3 years. PMC relies primarily on the knowledge,
experience and judgment of its own research staff, but also receives and uses
information from a variety of outside sources, including brokerage firms,
electronic data bases, specialized research firms and technical journals.
Under normal circumstances, at least 65% of the Fund's total assets are invested
in common stocks of companies with a market cap of less than $1 billion
determined at the time the security is purchased. The Fund's investments in
common stock include common stock equivalents, that is, securities with common
stock characteristics such as convertible bonds and preferred stocks. While
small-cap company securities may offer a greater capital appreciation potential
than investments in mid- or large-cap company securities, they may also present
greater risks. Small cap company securities tend to be more sensitive to changes
in earnings expectations and have lower trading volumes than mid-to large-cap
company securities and, as a result, they may experience more abrupt and erratic
price movements.
While there is no requirement to do so, the Fund intends to limit investments in
foreign securities to no more than 25% of its assets. Any current income
produced by a security is not a primary factor in the selection of investments.
The Fund's portfolio often includes a number of securities which are owned by
other equity mutual funds managed by PMC. See "Investment Policies and
Restrictions" in the Statement of Additional Information for more information.
The Fund's fundamental investment objective and the fundamental investment
restrictions set forth in the Statement of Additional Information may not be
changed without shareowner approval. Certain other investment policies,
strategies and restrictions on investment are noted throughout the Prospectus
and are set forth in the Statement of Additional Information. These
non-fundamental investment policies, strategies and restrictions may be changed
at any time by a vote of the Board of Trustees.
It is the policy of the Fund not to engage in trading for short-term profits.
Nevertheless, changes in the portfolio will be made promptly when determined to
be advisable by reason of developments not foreseen at the time of the initial
investment decision, and usually without reference to the length of time a
security has been held. Accordingly, portfolio turnover rate is not considered a
limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions.
Portfolio turnover is not expected to exceed 200% in the coming year. A high
rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves correspondingly greater
transaction costs which must be borne by the fund and its shareowners. Under
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certain circumstances, a high turnover rate may make it more difficult for the
Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue
Code. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxation."
The Fund intends to be substantially fully invested at all times. If suitable
investments are not immediately available, the Fund may hold a portion of its
investments in cash and cash-equivalents. For temporary defensive purposes,
however, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in short-term investments.
The Fund will assume a defensive posture only when political and economic
factors affect common stock markets to such an extent that PMC believes there to
be extraordinary risks in being substantially invested in common stocks. A
short-term investment is considered to be an investment with a maturity of one
year or less from the date of issuance. Short-term investments will not normally
represent more than 10% of the Fund's assets.
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, not to exceed seven days, with
broker-dealers and any member bank of the Federal Reserve System. The Board of
Trustees of the Fund will review and monitor the creditworthiness of any
institution which enters into a repurchase agreement with the Fund. Such
repurchase agreements will be fully collateralized with United States ("U.S.")
Treasury and/or agency obligations with a market value of not less than 100% of
the obligations, valued daily. Collateral will be held by the Fund's custodian
in a segregated, safekeeping account for the benefit of the Fund. Repurchase
agreements afford the Fund an opportunity to earn income on temporarily
available cash at low risk. In the event that a repurchase agreement is not
fulfilled, the Fund could suffer a loss to the extent that the value of the
collateral falls below the repurchase price.
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to member firms of the New York Stock
Exchange (the "Exchange"). As with other extensions of credit, there are risks
of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the
borrower of the securities fail financially. The Fund will lend portfolio
securities only to firms which have been approved in advance by the Board of
Trustees, which will monitor the creditworthiness of any such firms. At no time
would the value of the securities loaned exceed 30% of the value of the Fund's
total assets. These investment strategies are also described in the Statement of
Additional Information.
In pursuit of its objective, the Fund may employ certain active investment
management techniques including forward foreign currency exchange contracts,
options and futures contracts on currencies, securities and securities indices
and options on such futures contracts. These techniques may be employed in an
attempt to hedge foreign currency risks and other risks associated with the
Fund's portfolio securities. See the Appendix to this Prospectus and the
Statement of Additional Information for a description of these investment
practices and associated risks.
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<PAGE>
Risk Factors
The Fund may invest in securities issued by foreign companies. Investing in
securities of foreign companies involves certain considerations and risks which
are not typically associated with investing in securities of domestic companies.
Foreign companies are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial
standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies.
There may also be less publicly available information about foreign companies
compared to reports and ratings published about U.S. companies. In addition,
foreign securities markets have substantially less volume than domestic markets
and securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than
securities of comparable U.S. companies. There may also be less government
supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed
companies than exists in the United States. Dividends or interest paid by
foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes which will
decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends or interest
paid to the Fund by domestic companies. Finally, there may be the possibility of
expropriations, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability
or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect assets of the Fund held
in foreign countries.
The value of foreign securities may also be adversely affected by fluctuations
in the relative rates of exchange between the currencies of different nations
and by exchange control regulations. For example, the value of a foreign
security held by the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will decrease if the
foreign currency in which the security is denominated declines in value against
the U.S. dollar. In such event, this will cause an overall decline in the Fund's
net asset value and may also reduce net investment income and capital gains, if
any, to be distributed in U.S. dollars to shareholders of the Fund.
IV. MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Board of Trustees of the Fund has overall responsibility for management and
supervision of the Fund. There are currently eight Trustees, six of whom are not
"interested persons" of the Fund as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The Board meets at least quarterly. By virtue
of the functions performed by PMC as investment adviser, the Fund requires no
employees other than its executive officers, all of whom receive their
compensation from PMC or other sources. The Statement of Additional Information
contains the names and general business and professional background of each
Trustee and executive officer of the Fund.
Investment advisory services are provided to the Fund by PMC pursuant to a
management contract between PMC and the Fund. PMC serves as investment adviser
to the Fund and is responsible for the overall management of the Fund's business
affairs, subject only to the authority of the Board of Trustees. PMC is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of The Pioneer Group, Inc. ("PGI"), a publicly-traded
Delaware corporation. Pioneer Funds Distributor, Inc. ("PFD"), an indirect
subsidiary of PGI, is the principal underwriter of the Fund.
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Each domestic equity portfolio managed by PMC, including this Fund, is overseen
by an Equity Committee, which consists of PMC's most senior equity
professionals, and a Portfolio Management Committee, which consists of PMC's
domestic equity portfolio managers. Both committees are chaired by Mr. David
Tripple, PMC's President and Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice
President of each of the Funds. Mr. Tripple Joined PMC in 1974 and has had
general responsibility for PMC's investment operations and specific portfolio
assignments for over five years.
Day-to-day management of the Fund's investments is the responsibility of Warren
J. Isabelle, Vice President of the Fund and Director of Research and Vice
President of PMC. Mr. Isabelle joined PMC in 1984.
In addition to the Fund, PMC also manages and serves as the investment adviser
for other mutual funds and is an investment adviser to certain other
institutional accounts. PMC's and PFD's executive offices are located at 60
State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
Under the terms of its contract with the Fund, PMC assists in the management of
the Fund and is authorized in its discretion to buy and sell securities for the
account of the Fund. PMC pays all the expenses, including executive salaries and
the rental of certain office space, related to its services for the Fund, with
the exception of the following which are to be paid by the Fund: (a) charges and
expenses for fund accounting, pricing and appraisal services and related
overhead, including, to the extent such services are performed by personnel of
PMC or its affiliates, office space and facilities and personnel compensation,
training and benefits; (b) the charges and expenses of auditors; (c) the charges
and expenses of any custodian, transfer agent, plan agent, dividend disbursing
agent and registrar appointed by the Fund; (d) issue and transfer taxes,
chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the
Fund is a party; (e) insurance premiums, interest charges, dues and fees for
membership in trade associations, and all taxes and corporate fees payable by
the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies; (f) fees and expenses
involved in registering and maintaining registrations of the Fund and/or its
shares with the SEC, individual states or blue sky securities agencies,
territories and foreign countries, including the preparation of Prospectuses and
Statements of Additional Information for filing with the SEC; (g) all expenses
of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings and of preparing, printing and
distributing prospectuses, notices, proxy statements and all reports to
shareholders and to governmental agencies; (h) charges and expenses of legal
counsel to the Fund and the Trustees; (i) distribution fees paid by the Fund in
accordance with Rule 12b-1 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the 1940 Act; (j)
compensation of those Trustees of the Fund who are not affiliated with or
interested persons of PMC, the Fund (other than as Trustees), PGI or PFD; (k)
the cost of preparing and printing share certificates; and (l) interest on
borrowed money, if any. In addition to the expenses described above, the Fund
shall pay all brokers' and underwriting commissions chargeable to the Fund in
connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party.
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Orders for the Fund's portfolio securities transactions are placed by PMC, which
strives to obtain the best price and execution for each transaction. In
circumstances in which two or more broker-dealers are in a position to offer
comparable prices and execution, consideration may be given to whether the
broker-dealer provides investment research or brokerage services or sells shares
of any Pioneer mutual fund. See the Statement of Additional Information for a
further description of PMC's brokerage allocation practices.
As compensation for its management services and certain expenses which PMC
incurs, PMC is entitled to a management fee equal to 0.85% per annum of the
Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is normally computed daily and paid
monthly.
John F. Cogan, Jr., Chairman and President of the Fund, Chairman of PFD,
President and a Director of PGI and Chairman and a Director of PMC, owned
approximately 15% of the outstanding capital stock of PGI as of the date of this
Prospectus.
V. FUND SHARE ALTERNATIVES
The Fund continuously offers two Classes of shares designated as Class A and
Class B shares, as described more fully in "How to Buy Fund Shares." If you do
not specify in your instructions to the Fund which Class of shares you wish to
purchase, exchange or redeem, the Fund will assume that your instructions apply
to Class A shares.
Class A Shares. If you invest less than $1 million in Class A shares, you will
pay an initial sales charge. Certain purchases may qualify for reduced initial
sales charges. If you invest $1 million or more in Class A shares, no sales
charge will be imposed at the time of purchase, however, shares redeemed within
12 months of purchase may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge
("CDSC"). Class A shares are subject to distribution and service fees at a
combined annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets
attributable to Class A shares.
Class B Shares. If you plan to invest up to $250,000, Class B shares are
available to you. Class B shares are sold without an initial sales charge, but
are subject to a CDSC of up to 4% if redeemed within six years. Class B shares
are subject to distribution and service fees at a combined annual rate of 1.00%
of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares. Your
entire investment in Class B shares is available to work for you from the time
you make your investment, but the higher distribution fee paid by Class B shares
will cause your Class B shares (until conversion) to have a higher expense ratio
and to pay lower dividends, to the extent dividends are paid, than Class A
shares. Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares, based on
relative net asset value, eight years after the initial purchase.
Purchasing Class A or Class B Shares. The decision as to which Class to purchase
depends on the amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and your
personal situation. If you are making an investment that qualifies for reduced
sales charges, you might consider Class A shares. If you prefer not to pay an
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initial sales charge on an investment of $250,000 or less and you plan to hold
the investment for at least six years, you might consider Class B shares.
Investment dealers or their representatives may receive different compensation
depending on which Class of shares they sell. Shares may be exchanged only for
shares of the same Class of another Pioneer fund and shares acquired in the
exchange will continue to be subject to any CDSC applicable to the shares of the
Fund originally purchased. Shares sold outside the U.S. to persons who are not
U.S. citizens may be subject to different sales charges, CDSCs and dealer
compensation arrangements in accordance with local laws and business practices.
VI. SHARE PRICE
Shares of the Fund are sold at the public offering price, which is the net asset
value per share plus the applicable sales charge. Net asset value per share of a
Class of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of its assets, less
liabilities attributable to that Class, by the number of shares of that Class
outstanding. The net asset value is computed once daily, on each day the
Exchange is open, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange.
Securities are valued at the last sale price on the principal exchange or market
where they are traded. Securities which have not traded on the date of valuation
or securities for which sales prices are not generally reported are valued at
the mean between the current bid and asked prices. Securities quoted in foreign
currencies are converted to U.S. dollars utilizing foreign exchange rates
employed by the Fund's independent pricing services. Generally, trading in
foreign securities is substantially completed each day at various times prior to
the close of the Exchange. The values of such securities used in computing the
net asset value of the Fund's shares are determined as of such times. Foreign
currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior to the close of the
Exchange. Occasionally, events which affect the values of such securities and
such exchange rates may occur between the times at which they are determined and
the close of the Exchange and will therefore not be reflected in the computation
of the Fund's net asset value. If events materially affecting the value of such
securities occur during such period, then these securities are valued at their
fair value as determined in good faith by the Trustees. All assets of the Fund
for which there is no other readily available valuation method are valued at
their fair value as determined in good faith by the Trustees.
VII. HOW TO BUY FUND SHARES
You may buy Fund shares, unless the purchase of Fund shares has been restricted
by management, at the public offering price from any securities broker-dealer
which has a sales agreement with PFD. If you do not have a securities
broker-dealer, please call 1-800-225-6292 for assistance.
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The minimum initial investment is $1,000 for Class A and Class B shares except
as specified below. The minimum initial investment is $50 for Class A accounts
being established to utilize monthly bank drafts, government allotments, payroll
deduction and other similar automatic investment plans. Separate minimum
investment requirements apply to retirement plans and to telephone and wire
orders placed by broker-dealers; no sales charges or minimum requirements apply
to the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The minimum
subsequent investment is $50 for Class A shares and $500 for Class B shares
except that the subsequent minimum investment amount for Class B share accounts
may be as little as $50 if an automatic investment plan (see "Automatic
Investment Plans") is established.
At this time, shares of the Fund may not be purchased by exchanging shares of
any other Pioneer mutual funds that you currently own. This policy will be in
effect through December 31, 1996, unless management decides that it is in the
best interest of the Fund to allow exchanges prior to that time.
Telephone Purchases. Your account is automatically authorized to have the
telephone purchase privilege unless you indicated otherwise on your Account
Application or by writing to Pioneering Services Corporation ("PSC"). The
telephone purchase option may be used to purchase additional shares for an
existing fund account; it may not be used to establish a new account. Proper
account identification will be required for each telephone purchase. A maximum
of $25,000 per account may be purchased by telephone each day. The telephone
purchase privilege is available to IRA accounts but may not be available to
other types of retirement plan accounts. Call PSC for more information.
You are strongly urged to consult with your financial representative prior to
requesting a telephone purchase. To purchase shares by telephone, you must
establish your bank account of record by completing the appropriate section of
your Account Application or an Account Options Form. PSC will electronically
debit the amount of each purchase from this predesignated bank account.
Telephone purchases may not be made for 30 days after the establishment of your
bank of record or any change to your bank information.
Telephone purchases will be priced at the net asset value plus any applicable
sales charge next determined after PSC's acceptance of a telephone purchase
instruction and receipt of good funds (usually three days after the purchase
instruction). You may always elect to deliver purchases to PSC by mail. See
"Telephone Transactions and Related Liabilities" for additional information.
Class A Shares
You may buy Class A shares at the public offering price, that is, at the net
asset value per share next computed after receipt of a purchase order, plus a
sales charge as follows:
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Dealer
Sales Charge as a % of Allowance
Net as a % of
Offering Amount Offering
Amount of Purchase Price Invested Price
------------------ ----- -------- -----
Less than $50,000 5.75% 6.10% 5.00%
$50,000 but less than $100,000 4.50 4.71 4.00
$100,000 but less than $250,000 3.50 3.63 3.00
$250,000 but less than $500,000 2.50 2.56 2.00
$500,000 but less than $1,000,000 2.00 2.04 1.75
$1,000,000 or more -0- -0- see below
The schedule of sales charges above is applicable to purchases of Class A shares
of the Fund by (i) an individual, (ii) an individual and his or her spouse and
children under the age of 21 and (iii) a trustee or other fiduciary of a trust
estate or fiduciary account or related trusts or accounts including pension,
profit-sharing and other employee benefit trusts qualified under Section 401 or
408 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), although more
than one beneficiary is involved. The sales charges applicable to a current
purchase of Class A shares of the Fund by a person listed above is determined by
adding the value of shares to be purchased to the aggregate value (at the then
current offering price) of shares of any of the other Pioneer mutual funds
previously purchased and then owned, provided PFD is notified by such person or
his or her broker-dealer each time a purchase is made which would qualify.
Pioneer mutual funds include all mutual funds for which PFD serves as principal
underwriter. See the "Letter of Intention" section of the Account Application.
No sales charge is payable at the time of purchase on investments of $1,000,000
or more or for participants in certain group plans (described below) subject to
a CDSC of 1% which may be imposed in the event of a redemption of Class A shares
within 12 months of purchase. See "How to Sell Fund Shares." PFD may, in its
discretion, pay a commission to broker-dealers who initiate and are responsible
for such purchases as follows: 1% on the first $1 million invested; 0.50% on the
next $4 million; and 0.10% on the excess over $5 million. These commissions will
not be paid if the purchaser is affiliated with the broker-dealer or if the
purchase represents the reinvestment of a redemption made during the previous 12
calendar months. Broker-dealers who receive a commission in connection with
Class A share purchases at net asset value by 401(a) or 401(k) retirement plans
with 1,000 or more eligible participants or with at least $10 million in plan
assets will be required to return any commission paid or a pro rata portion
thereof if the retirement plan redeems its shares within 12 months of purchase.
See also "How to Sell Fund Shares." In connection with PGI's acquisition of
Mutual of Omaha Fund Management Company and contingent upon the achievement of
certain sales objectives, PFD pays to Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc.
50% of PFD's retention of any sales commission on sales of the Fund's Class A
shares through such dealer.
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Qualifying for a Reduced Sales Charge. Class A shares of the Fund may be sold at
a reduced or eliminated sales charge to certain group plans ("Group Plans")
under which a sponsoring organization makes recommendations to, permits group
solicitation of, or otherwise facilitates purchases by, its employees, members
or participants. Class A shares of a Fund may be sold at net asset value per
share without a sales charge to Optional Retirement Program participants if (i)
the employer has authorized a limited number of investment company providers for
the Program, (ii) all authorized investment company providers offer their shares
to Program participants at net asset value, (iii) the employer has agreed in
writing to actively promote the authorized investment providers to Program
participants and (iv) the Program provides for a matching contribution for each
participant contribution.Information about such arrangements is available from
PFD.
Class A shares of the Fund may also be sold at net asset value per share without
a sales charge to: (a) current or former Trustees and officers of the Fund and
partners and employees of its legal counsel; (b) current or former directors,
officers, employees or sales representatives of PGI or its subsidiaries; (c)
current or former directors, officers, employees or sales representatives of any
subadviser or predecessor investment adviser to any investment company for which
PMC serves as investment adviser, and the subsidiaries or affiliates of such
persons; (d) current or former officers, partners, employees or registered
representatives of broker-dealers which have entered into sales agreements with
PFD; (e) members of the immediate families of any of the persons above; (f) any
trust, custodian, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan of the foregoing
persons; (g) insurance company separate accounts; (h) certain "wrap accounts"
for the benefit of clients of financial planners adhering to standards
established by PFD; (i) other funds and accounts for which PMC or any of its
affiliates serves as investment adviser or manager; and (j) certain unit
investment trusts. Shares so purchased are purchased for investment purposes and
may not be resold except through redemption or repurchase by or on behalf of the
Fund. The availability of this privilege is conditioned upon the receipt by PFD
of written notification of eligibility. Class A shares of the Fund may also be
sold at net asset value without a sales charge in connection with certain
reorganization, liquidation or acquisition transactions involving other
investment companies or personal holding companies.
Reduced sales charges for Class A shares are available through an agreement to
purchase a specified quantity of Fund shares over a designated 13-month period
by completing the "Letter of Intention" section of the Account Application.
Information about the Letter of Intention procedure, including its terms, is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information. Investors who are clients
of a broker-dealer with a current sales agreement with PFD may purchase Class A
shares of the Fund at net asset value, without a sales charge, to the extent
that the purchase price is paid out of proceeds from one or more redemptions by
the investor of shares of certain other mutual funds. In order for a purchase to
qualify for this privilege, the investor must document to the broker-dealer that
the redemption occurred within the 60 days immediately preceding the purchase of
Class A shares; that the client paid a sales charge on the original purchase of
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the shares redeemed; and that the mutual fund whose shares were redeemed also
offers net asset value purchases to redeeming shareholders of any of the Pioneer
funds. Further details may be obtained from PFD.
Class B Shares
You may buy Class B shares at net asset value without the imposition of an
initial sales charge; however, Class B shares redeemed within six years of
purchase will be subject to a CDSC at the rates shown in the table below. The
charge will be assessed on the amount equal to the lesser of the current market
value or the original purchase cost of the shares being redeemed. No CDSC will
be imposed on increases in account value above the initial purchase price,
including shares derived from the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains
distributions.
The amount of the CDSC, if any, will vary depending on the number of years from
the time of purchase until the time of redemption of Class B shares. For the
purpose of determining the number of years from the time of any purchase, all
payments during a quarter will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the
first day of that quarter. In processing redemptions of Class B shares, the Fund
will first redeem shares not subject to any CDSC, and then shares held longest
during the six-year period. As a result, you will pay the lowest possible CDSC.
Year Since CDSC as a Percentage of Dollar
Purchase Amount Subject to CDSC
-------- ----------------------
First 4.0%
Second 4.0%
Third 3.0%
Fourth 3.0%
Fifth 2.0%
Sixth 1.0%
Seventh and thereafter none
Proceeds from the CDSC are paid to PFD and are used in whole or in part to
defray PFD's expenses related to providing distribution-related services to the
Fund in connection with the sale of Class B shares, including the payment of
compensation to broker-dealers.
Class B shares will automatically convert into Class A shares at the end of the
calendar quarter that is eight years after the purchase date, except as noted
below. Class B shares acquired by exchange from Class B shares of another
Pioneer fund will convert into Class A shares based on the date of the initial
purchase and the applicable CDSC. Class B shares acquired through reinvestment
of distributions will convert into Class A shares based on the date of the
initial purchase to which such shares relate. For this purpose, Class B shares
acquired through reinvestment of distributions will be attributed to particular
purchases of Class B shares in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees
may determine from time to time. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A
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shares is subject to the continuing availability of a ruling from the Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS"), for which the Fund is applying, or an opinion of
counsel that such conversions will not constitute taxable events for federal tax
purposes. There can be no assurance that such ruling will be available. The
conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares will not occur if such ruling is
not available and, therefore, Class B shares would continue to be subject to
higher expenses than Class A shares for an indeterminate period.
Waiver or Reduction of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. The CDSC on Class B
shares and on any Class A shares subject to a CDSC may be waived or reduced for
non-retirement accounts if: (a) the redemption results from the death of all
registered owners of an account (in the case of UGMAs, UTMAs and trust accounts,
waiver applies upon the death of all beneficial owners) or a total and permanent
disability (as defined in Section 72 of the Code) of all registered owners
occurring after the purchase of the shares being redeemed or (b) the redemption
is made in connection with limited automatic redemptions as set forth in
"Systematic Withdrawal Plans" (limited in any year to 10% of the value of the
account in the Fund at the time the withdrawal plan is established).
The CDSC on Class B shares and on any Class A shares subject to a CDSC may be
waived or reduced for retirement plan accounts if: (a) the redemption results
from the death or a total and permanent disability (as defined in Section 72 of
the Code) occurring after the purchase of the shares being redeemed of a
shareowner or participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan; (b) the
distribution is to a participant in an Individual Retirement Account ("IRA"),
403(b) or employer-sponsored retirement plan, is part of a series of
substantially equal payments made over the life expectancy of the participant or
the joint life expectancy of the participant and his or her beneficiary or as
scheduled periodic payments to a participant (limited in any year to 10% of the
value of the participant's account at the time the distribution amount is
established; a required minimum distribution due to the participant's attainment
of age 70-1/2 may exceed the 10% limit only if the distribution amount is based
on plan assets held by Pioneer); (c) the distribution is from a 401(a) or 401(k)
retirement plan and is a return of excess employee deferrals or employee
contributions or a qualifying hardship distribution as defined by the Code or
results from a termination of employment (limited with respect to a termination
to 10% per year of the value of the plan's assets in the Fund as of the later of
the prior December 31 or the date the account was established unless the plan's
assets are being rolled over to or reinvested in the same class of shares of a
Pioneer mutual fund subject to the CDSC of the shares originally held); (d) the
distribution is from an IRA, 403(b) or employer-sponsored retirement plan and is
to be rolled over to or reinvested in the same class of shares in a Pioneer
mutual fund and which will be subject to the applicable CDSC upon redemption;
(e) the distribution is in the form of a loan to a participant in a plan which
permits loans (each repayment of the loan will constitute a new sale which will
be subject to the applicable CDSC upon redemption); or (f) the distribution is
from a qualified defined contribution plan and represents a participant's
directed transfer (provided that this privilege has been pre-authorized through
a prior agreement with PFD regarding participant directed transfers).
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<PAGE>
The CDSC on Class B shares and on any Class A shares subject to a CDSC may be
waived or reduced for either non-retirement or retirement plan accounts if: (a)
the redemption is made by any state, county, or city, or any instrumentality,
department, authority, or agency thereof, which is prohibited by applicable laws
from paying a CDSC in connection with the acquisition of shares of any
registered investment management company; or (b) the redemption is made pursuant
to the Fund's right to liquidate or involuntarily redeem shares in a
shareowner's account.
Broker-Dealers. An order for either Class of Fund shares received by PFD from a
broker-dealer prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange is confirmed
at the price appropriate for that Class as determined at the close of regular
trading on the Exchange on the day the order is received, provided the order is
received prior to PFD's close of business (usually, 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time). It
is the responsibility of broker-dealers to transmit orders so that they will be
received by PFD prior to its close of business.
General. The Fund reserves the right in its sole discretion to withdraw all or
any part of the offering of shares when, in the judgment of the Fund's
management, such withdrawal is in the best interest of the Fund. An order to
purchase shares is not binding on, and may be rejected by, PFD until it has been
confirmed in writing by PFD and payment has been received.
VIII. HOW TO SELL FUND SHARES
You can arrange to sell (redeem) fund shares on any day the Exchange is open by
selling either some or all of your shares to the Fund.
You may sell your shares either through your broker-dealer or directly to the
Fund. Please note the following:
o If you are selling shares from a retirement account, you must make your
request in writing (except for exchanges to other Pioneer mutual funds
which can be requested by phone or in writing). Call 1-800-622-0176 for
more information.
o If you are selling shares from a non-retirement account, you may use any of
the methods described below.
Your shares will be sold at the share price next calculated after your order is
received and accepted less any applicable CDSC. Sale proceeds generally will be
sent to you in cash, normally within seven days after your order is accepted.
The Fund reserves the right to withhold payment of the sale proceeds until
checks received by the Fund in payment for the shares being sold have cleared,
which may take up to 15 calendar days from the purchase date.
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<PAGE>
In Writing. You may sell your shares by delivering a written request, signed by
all registered owners, in good order to PSC, however, you must use a written
request, including a signature guarantee, to sell your shares if any of the
following situations applies:
o you wish to sell over $50,000 worth of shares,
o your account registration or address has changed within the last 30 days,
o the check is not being mailed to the address on your account (address of
record),
o the check is not being made out to the account owners, or
o the sale proceeds are being transferred to a Pioneer account with a
different registration.
Your request should include your name, the Fund's name, your fund account
number, the Class of shares to be redeemed, the dollar amount or number of
shares to be redeemed, and any other applicable requirements as described below.
Unless instructed otherwise, Pioneer will send the proceeds of the sale to the
address of record. Fiduciaries or corporations are required to submit additional
documents. For more information, contact PSC at 1-800-225-6292.
Written requests will not be processed until they are received in good order and
accepted by PSC. Good order means that there are no outstanding claims or
requests to hold redemptions on the account, certificates are endorsed by the
record owner(s) exactly as the shares are registered and, if required, the
signature(s) are guaranteed by an eligible guarantor. You should be able to
obtain a signature guarantee from a bank, broker, dealer, credit union (if
authorized under state law), securities exchange or association, clearing agency
or savings association. A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.
Signature guarantees are not accepted by facsimile ("fax"). For additional
information about the necessary documentation for redemption by mail, please
contact PSC at 1-800-225-6292.
By Telephone or by Fax. Your account is automatically authorized to have the
telephone redemption privilege unless you indicated otherwise on your Account
Application or by writing to PSC. Proper account identification will be required
for each telephone redemption. The telephone redemption option is not available
to retirement plan accounts. A maximum of $50,000 may be redeemed by telephone
or fax and the proceeds may be received by check or by bank wire or electronic
funds transfer. To receive the proceeds by check: the check must be made payable
exactly as the account is registered and the check must be sent to the address
of record which must not have changed in the last 30 days. To receive the
proceeds by bank wire or by electronic funds transfer: the proceeds must be sent
to the bank address of record which must have been properly pre-designated
either on your Account Application or on an Account Options Form and which must
not have changed in the last 30 days. To redeem by fax, send your redemption
request to 1-800-225-4240. You may always elect to deliver redemption
instructions to PSC by mail. See "Telephone Transactions and Related
Liabilities" below. Telephone and fax redemptions will be priced as described
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above. You are strongly urged to consult with your financial representative
prior to requesting a telephone redemption.
Selling Shares Through Your Broker-Dealer. The Fund has authorized PFD to act as
its agent in the repurchase of shares of the Fund from qualified broker-dealers
and reserves the right to terminate this procedure at any time. Your
broker-dealer must receive your request before the close of business on the
Exchange and transmit it to PFD before PFD's close of business to receive that
day's redemption price. Your broker-dealer is responsible for providing all
necessary documentation to PFD and may charge you for its services.
Small Accounts. The minimum account value is $500. If you hold shares of the
Fund in an account with a net asset value of less than the minimum required
amount due to redemptions or exchanges, the Fund may redeem the shares held in
this account at net asset value if you have not increased the net asset value of
the account to at least the minimum required amount within six months of notice
by the Fund to you of the Fund's intention to redeem the shares.
CDSC on Class A Shares. Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more, or by
participants in a Group Plan which were not subject to an initial sales charge,
may be subject to a CDSC upon redemption. A CDSC is payable to PFD on these
investments in the event of a share redemption within 12 months following the
share purchase, at the rate of 1% of the lesser of the value of the shares
redeemed (exclusive of reinvested dividend and capital gain distributions) or
the total cost of such shares. Shares subject to the CDSC which are exchanged
into another Pioneer fund will continue to be subject to the CDSC until the
original 12-month period expires. However, no CDSC is payable with respect to
purchases of Class A shares by 401(a) or 401(k) retirement plans with 1,000 or
more eligible participants or with at least $10 million in plan assets.
General. Redemptions may be suspended or payment postponed during any period in
which any of the following conditions exist: the Exchange is closed or trading
on the Exchange is restricted; an emergency exists as a result of which disposal
by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not
reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of the net
assets of its portfolio; or the SEC, by order, so permits.
Redemptions and repurchases are taxable transactions to shareholders. The net
asset value per share received upon redemption or repurchase may be more or less
than the cost of shares to an investor, depending on the market value of the
portfolio at the time of redemption or repurchase.
IX. HOW TO EXCHANGE FUND SHARES
At this time, you may not open a new account in the Fund or purchase shares of
the Fund by exchanging shares from any other Pioneer mutual fund that you
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already own. You, may however, take advantage of the exchange privileges
described below to exchange shares of the Fund for shares of other Pioneer
mutual funds. Such shares may not be exchanged back to this Fund. This policy
will be in effect until December 31, 1996, unless a review by management
indicates that it would be in the best interests of the Fund to allow exchanges
into the Fund before that time.
See "How to Buy Fund Shares."
Written Exchanges. You may exchange your shares by sending a letter of
instruction to PSC. Your letter should include your name, the name of the Fund
out of which you wish to exchange and the name of the Fund into which you wish
to exchange, your fund account number(s), the Class of shares to be exchanged
and the dollar amount or number of shares to be exchanged. Written exchange
requests must be signed by all record owner(s) exactly as the shares are
registered.
Telephone Exchanges. Your account is automatically authorized to have the
telephone exchange privilege unless you indicated otherwise on your Account
Application or by writing to PSC. Proper account identification will be required
for each telephone exchange. Telephone exchanges may not exceed $500,000 per
account per day. Each voice-requested or FactFoneSM telephone exchange request
will be recorded. You are strongly urged to consult with your financial
representative prior to requesting a telephone exchange. See "Telephone
Transactions and Related Liabilities" below.
Automatic Exchanges. You may automatically exchange shares from one Pioneer
account for shares of the same Class in another Pioneer account on a monthly or
quarterly basis. The accounts must have identical registrations and the
originating account must have a minimum balance of $5,000. The exchange will be
effective on the 18th day of the month.
General. Exchanges must be at least $1,000. You may exchange your investment
from one Class of Fund shares at net asset value, without a sales charge, for
shares of the same Class of any other Pioneer mutual fund. Not all Pioneer
mutual funds offer more than one Class of shares. A new Pioneer account opened
through an exchange must have a registration identical to that on the original
account.
Class A or Class B shares which would normally be subject to a CDSC upon
redemption will not be charged the applicable CDSC at the time of an exchange.
Shares acquired in an exchange will be subject to the CDSC of the shares
originally held. For purposes of determining the amount of any applicable CDSC,
the length of time you have owned Class B shares acquired by exchange will be
measured from the date you acquired the original shares and will not be affected
by any subsequent exchange.
Exchange requests received by PSC before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time will be
effective on that day if the requirements above have been met, otherwise, they
will be effective on the next business day. PSC will process exchanges only
after receiving an exchange request in good order. There are currently no fees
or sales charges imposed at the time of an exchange. An exchange of shares may
be made only in states where legally permitted. For federal and (generally)
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state income tax purposes, an exchange is considered to be a sale of the shares
of the Fund exchanged and a purchase of shares in another Pioneer mutual fund.
Therefore, an exchange could result in a gain or loss on the shares sold,
depending on the tax basis of these shares and the timing of the transaction,
and special tax rules may apply.
You should consider the differences in objectives and policies of the Pioneer
mutual funds, as described in each fund's current prospectus, before making any
exchange. To prevent abuse of the exchange privilege to the detriment of other
Fund shareholders, the Fund and PFD reserve the right to limit the number and/or
frequency of exchanges and/or to charge a fee for exchanges. The exchange
privilege may be changed or discontinued and may be subject to additional
limitations, including certain restrictions on purchases by market timer
accounts.
X. DISTRIBUTION PLANS
The Fund, has adopted a Plan of Distribution for both Class A shares ("Class A
Plan") and Class B shares ("Class B Plan") in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under
the 1940 Act pursuant to which certain distribution and service fees are paid.
Pursuant to the Class A Plan, the Fund reimburses PFD for its actual
expenditures to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of
Class A shares or to provide services to holders of Class A shares, provided the
categories of expenses for which reimbursement is made are approved by the
Fund's Board of Trustees. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Board of
Trustees has approved the following categories of expenses for Class A shares of
the Fund: (i) a service fee to be paid to qualified broker-dealers in an amount
not to exceed 0.25% per annum of the Fund's daily net assets attributable to
Class A shares; (ii) reimbursement to PFD for its expenditures for broker-dealer
commissions and employee compensation on certain sales of the Fund's Class A
shares with no initial sales charge (See "How to Buy Fund Shares"); and (iii)
reimbursement to PFD for expenses incurred in providing services to Class A
shareholders and supporting broker-dealers and other organizations (such as
banks and trust companies) in their efforts to provide such services. Banks are
currently prohibited under the Glass-Steagall Act from providing certain
underwriting or distribution services. If a bank was prohibited from acting in
any capacity or providing any of the described services, management would
consider what action, if any, would be appropriate.
Expenditures of the Fund pursuant to the Class A Plan are accrued daily and may
not exceed 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class A
shares. Distribution expenses of PFD are expected to substantially exceed the
distribution fees paid by the Fund in a given year. The Class A Plan may not be
amended to increase materially the annual percentage limitation of average net
assets which may be spent for the services described therein without approval of
the shareholders of the Fund.
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The Class B Plan provides that the Fund will pay a distribution fee at the
annual rate of 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to
Class B shares and will pay PFD a service fee at the annual rate of 0.25% of the
Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares. The distribution
fee is intended to compensate PFD for its distribution services to the Fund. The
service fee is intended to be additional compensation for personal services
and/or account maintenance services with respect to Class B shares. PFD also
receives the proceeds of any CDSC imposed on the redemption of Class B shares.
Commissions of 4%, equal to 3.75% of the amount invested and a first year's
service fee equal to 0.25% of the amount invested in Class B shares, are paid to
broker-dealers who have selling agreements with PFD. PFD may advance to dealers
the first year service fee at a rate up to 0.25% of the purchase price of such
shares and, as compensation therefore, PFD may retain the service fee paid by
the Fund with respect to such shares for the first year after purchase. Dealers
will become eligible for additional service fees with respect to such shares
commencing in the 13th month following the purchase. Dealers may from time to
time be required to meet certain criteria in order to receive service fees. PFD
or its affiliates are entitled to retain all service fees payable under the
Class B Plan for which there is no dealer of record or for which qualification
standards have not been met as partial consideration for personal services
and/or account maintenance services performed by PFD or its affiliates for
shareowner accounts.
XI. DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXATION
The Fund intends to qualify each year as a "regulated investment company" under
Subchapter M of the Code, so that it will not pay federal income taxes on income
and capital gains distributed to shareholders at least annually.
Under the Code, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise
tax on a portion of its undistributed income and capital gains if it fails to
meet certain distribution requirements with respect to each calendar year. The
Fund intends to make distributions in a timely manner and accordingly does not
expect to be subject to the excise tax.
The Fund's policy is to pay to shareholders dividends from net investment
income, if any, and to make distributions from net long-term capital gains, if
any, in December. Distributions from net short-term capital gains, if any, may
be paid with such dividends; distributions from income and/or capital gains may
also be made at such times as may be necessary to avoid federal income or excise
tax. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income, net short-term capital
gains, and certain net foreign exchange gains are taxable as ordinary income,
and dividends from the Fund's net long-term capital gains are taxable as
long-term capital gains.
Unless shareholders specify otherwise, all distributions will be automatically
reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the Fund. For federal
income tax purposes, all dividends are taxable as described above whether a
shareowner takes them in cash or reinvests them in additional shares of the
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Fund. Information as to the federal tax status of dividends and distributions
will be provided annually. For further information on the distribution options
available to shareholders, see "Distribution Options" and "Directed Dividends"
below.
Distributions by the Fund of the dividend income it receives from U.S. domestic
corporations, if any, may qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction
for corporate shareholders, subject to minimum holding-period requirements and
debt-financing restrictions under the Code.
The Fund anticipates that it will be subject to foreign withholding taxes or
other foreign taxes on income (possibly including capital gains) on certain
foreign investments, which will reduce the yield on those investments. The Fund
does not expect to qualify to pass such taxes and any associated tax deductions
or credits through to its shareholders.
Dividends and other distributions and the proceeds of redemptions, exchanges or
repurchases of Fund shares paid to individuals and other non-exempt payees will
be subject to a 31% backup withholding of federal income tax if the Fund is not
provided with the shareowner's correct taxpayer identification number and
certification that the number is correct and the shareowner is not subject to
backup withholding or if the Fund receives notice from the IRS or a broker that
such withholding applies. Please refer to the Account Application for additional
information.
The description above relates only to U.S. federal income tax consequences for
shareholders who are U.S. persons, i.e., U.S. citizens or residents or U.S.
corporations, partnerships, trusts or estates and who are subject to U.S.
federal income tax. Non-U.S. shareholders and tax-exempt shareholders are
subject to different tax treatment that is not described above. Shareholders
should consult their own tax advisers regarding state, local and other
applicable tax laws.
X. SHAREOWNER SERVICES
PSC is the shareowner services and transfer agent for shares of the Fund. PSC, a
Massachusetts corporation, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PGI. PSC's offices
are located at 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, and inquiries to
PSC should be mailed to Pioneering Services Corporation, P.O. Box 9014, Boston,
Massachusetts 02205-9014. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (the "Custodian") serves
as custodian of the Fund's portfolio securities and other assets. The principal
business address of the mutual fund division of the Custodian is 40 Water
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
Account and Confirmation Statements
PSC maintains an account for each shareowner and all transactions of the
shareowner are recorded in this account. Confirmation statements showing details
of transactions are sent to shareholders as transactions occur, except Automatic
Investment Plan transactions which are confirmed quarterly. The Combined Account
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Statement, mailed quarterly, is available to shareholders who have more than one
Pioneer account.
Shareholders whose shares are held in the name of an investment broker-dealer or
other party will not normally have an account with the Fund and might not be
able to utilize some of the services available to shareholders of record.
Examples of services which might not be available are investment or redemption
of shares by mail, automatic reinvestment of dividends and capital gains
distributions, withdrawal plans, Letters of Intention, Rights of Accumulation,
telephone exchanges and redemptions, and newsletters.
Additional Investments
You may add to your account by sending a check (minimum of $50 for Class A
shares and $500 for Class B shares) to PSC (account number and Class of shares
should be clearly indicated). The bottom portion of a confirmation statement may
be used as a remittance slip to make additional investments.
Additions to your account, whether by check or through a Pioneer Investomatic
Plan, are invested in full and fractional shares of the Fund at the applicable
offering price in effect as of the close of the Exchange on the day of receipt.
Automatic Investment Plans
You may arrange for regular automatic investments of $50 or more through
government/military allotments, payroll deduction or through a Pioneer
Investomatic Plan. A Pioneer Investomatic Plan provides for a monthly or
quarterly investment by means of a pre-authorized draft drawn on a checking
account. Pioneer Investomatic Plan investments are voluntary, and you may
discontinue the Plan at any time without penalty upon 30 days' written notice to
PSC. PSC acts as agent for the purchaser, the broker-dealer and PFD in
maintaining these plans.
Financial Reports and Tax Information
As a shareowner, you will receive financial reports at least semiannually. In
January of each year, the Fund will mail you information about the tax status of
dividends and distributions.
Distribution Options
Dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, will automatically be
invested in additional shares of the Fund, at the applicable net asset value per
share, unless you indicate another option on the Account Application.
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<PAGE>
Two other options available are (a) dividends in cash and capital gains
distributions in additional shares; and (b) all dividends and capital gains
distributions in cash. These two options are not available, however, for
retirement plans or for an account with a net asset value of less than $500.
Changes in your distribution options may be made by written request to PSC.
Directed Dividends
You may elect (in writing) to have the dividends paid by one Pioneer fund
account invested in a second Pioneer fund account. The value of this second
account must be at least $1,000 ($500 for Pioneer Fund or Pioneer II). Invested
dividends may be in any amount, and there are no fees or charges for this
service. Retirement plan shareholders may only direct dividends to accounts with
identical registrations, i.e., PGI IRA Cust for John Smith may only go into
another account registered PGI IRA Cust for John Smith.
Direct Deposit
If you have elected to take distributions, whether dividends or dividends and
capital gains, in cash, or have established a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, you
may choose to have those cash payments deposited directly into your savings,
checking or NOW bank account. You may establish this service by completing the
appropriate section on the Account Application when opening a new account or the
Account Options Form for an existing account.
Voluntary Tax Withholding
You may request (in writing) that PSC withhold 28% of the dividends and capital
gains distributions paid from your account (before any reinvestment) and forward
the amount withheld to the IRS as a credit against your federal income taxes.
This option is not available for retirement plan accounts or for accounts
subject to backup withholding.
Telephone Transactions and Related Liabilities
Your account is automatically authorized to have telephone transaction
privileges unless you indicate otherwise on your Account Application or by
writing to PSC. You may purchase, sell or exchange Fund shares by telephone. For
personal assistance, call 1-800-225-6292 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern
time on weekdays. Computer-assisted transactions are available to shareholders
who have pre-recorded certain bank information (see "FactFoneSM"). You are
strongly urged to consult with your financial representative prior to requesting
any telephone transaction. See "Share Price" for more information. To confirm
that each transaction instruction received by telephone is genuine, the Fund
will record each telephone transaction, require the caller to provide the
personal identification number (PIN) for the account and send you a written
confirmation of each telephone transaction. Different procedures may apply to
accounts that are registered to non-U.S. citizens or that are held in the name
of an institution or in the name of an investment broker-dealer or other
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third-party. If reasonable procedures, such as those described above, are not
followed, the Fund may be liable for any loss due to unauthorized or fraudulent
instructions. The Fund may implement other procedures from time to time. In all
other cases, neither the Fund, PSC or PFD will be responsible for the
authenticity of instructions received by telephone; therefore, you bear the risk
of loss for unauthorized or fraudulent telephone transactions.
During times of economic turmoil or market volatility or as a result of severe
weather or a natural disaster, it may be difficult to contact the Fund by
telephone to institute a redemption or exchange. You should communicate with the
Fund in writing if you are unable to reach the Fund by telephone.
FactFoneSM
FactFoneSM is an automated inquiry and telephone transaction system available to
Pioneer shareholders by dialing 1-800-225-4321. FactFoneSM allows you to obtain
current information on your Pioneer accounts and to inquire about the prices and
yields of all publicly available Pioneer mutual funds. In addition, you may use
FactFoneSM to make computer-assisted telephone purchases, exchanges and
redemptions from your Pioneer accounts if you have activated your personal
identification number ("PIN"). Telephone purchases and redemptions require the
establishment of a bank account of record. You are strongly urged to consult
with your financial representative prior to requesting any telephone
transaction. Shareholders whose accounts are registered in the name of a
broker-dealer or other third party may not be able to use FactFoneSM. See "How
to Buy Fund Shares," "How to Exchange Fund Shares," "How to Sell Fund Shares"
and "Telephone Transactions and Related Liabilities." Call PSC for assistance.
Retirement Plans
You should contact the Retirement Plans Department of PSC at 1-800-622-0176 for
information relating to retirement plans for businesses, age-weighted profit
sharing plans, Simplified Employee Pension Plans, IRAs, and Section 403(b)
retirement plans for employees of certain non-profit organizations and public
school systems, all of which are available in conjunction with investments in
the Fund. The Account Application accompanying this Prospectus should not be
used to establish any of these plans. Separate applications are required.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD)
If you have a hearing disability and you own TDD keyboard equipment, you can
call our TDD number toll-free at 1-800-225-1997, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m. Eastern Time, to contact our telephone representatives with questions about
your account.
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<PAGE>
Systematic Withdrawal Plans
If your account has a total value of at least $10,000 you may establish a
Systematic Withdrawal Plan ("SWP") providing for fixed payments at regular
intervals. Withdrawals from Class B share accounts are limited to 10% of the
value of the account at the time the plan is implemented. See "Waiver or
Reduction of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" for more information. Periodic
checks of $50 or more will be sent to you, or any person designated by you,
monthly or quarterly, and your periodic redemptions of shares may be taxable to
you. Payments can be made either by check or electronic transfer to a bank
account designated by you. If you direct that withdrawal checks be paid to
another person after you have opened your account, a signature guarantee must
accompany your instructions. Purchases of Class A shares of the Fund at a time
when you have a SWP in effect may result in the payment of unnecessary sales
charges and may therefore be disadvantageous.
You may obtain additional information by calling PSC at 1-800-225-6292 or by
referring to the Statement of Additional Information.
Reinstatement Privilege (Class A Shares Only)
If you redeem all or part of your Class A shares of the Fund, you may reinvest
all or part of the redemption proceeds without a sales charge in Class A shares
of the Fund if you send a written request to PSC not more than 90 days after
your shares were redeemed. Your redemption proceeds will be reinvested at the
next determined net asset value of the Class A shares of the Fund in effect
immediately after receipt of the written request for reinstatement. You may
realize a gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the
redemption, and special tax rules may apply if a reinvestment occurs. Subject to
the provisions outlined under "How to Exchange Fund Shares" above, you may also
reinvest in Class A shares of other Pioneer mutual funds; in this case you must
meet the minimum investment requirements for each fund you enter.
The 90-day reinstatement period may be extended by PFD for periods of up to one
year for shareholders living in areas that have experienced a natural disaster,
such as a flood, hurricane, tornado, or earthquake.
------------------------
The options and services available to shareholders, including the terms of the
Exchange Privilege and the Pioneer Investomatic Plan, may be revised, suspended
or terminated at any time by PFD or by the Fund. You may establish the services
described in this section when you open your account. You may also establish or
revise many of them on an existing account by completing an Account Options
Form, which you may request by calling 1-800-225-6292.
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<PAGE>
XI. THE FUND
The Fund is a diversified open-end management investment company (commonly
referred to as a mutual fund) organized as a Delaware business trust on August
8, 1995. The Fund has authorized an unlimited number of shares of beneficial
interest. As an open-end management investment company, the Fund continuously
offers its shares to the public and under normal conditions must redeem its
shares upon the demand of any shareowner at the then current net asset value per
share. See "How to Sell Fund Shares." The Fund is not required, and does not
intend, to hold annual shareowner meetings although special meetings may be
called for the purpose of electing or removing Trustees, changing fundamental
investment restrictions or approving a management contract.
The Fund reserves the right to create and issue additional series of shares. The
Trustees have the authority, without further shareowner approval, to classify
and reclassify the shares of the Fund, or any additional series of the Fund,
into one or more classes. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Trustees have
authorized the issuance of two classes of shares, designated Class A and Class
B. The shares of each class represent an interest in the same portfolio of
investments of the Fund. Each class has equal rights as to voting, redemption,
dividends and liquidation, except that each class bears different distribution
and transfer agent fees and may bear other expenses properly attributable to the
particular class. Class A and Class B shareholders have exclusive voting rights
with respect to the Rule 12b-1 distribution plans adopted by holders of those
shares in connection with the distribution of shares.
In addition to the requirements under Delaware law, the Declaration of Trust
provides that a shareowner of the Fund may bring a derivative action on behalf
of the Fund only if the following conditions are met: (a) shareholders eligible
to bring such derivative action under Delaware law who hold at least 10% of the
outstanding shares of the Fund, or 10% of the outstanding shares of the series
or class to which such action relates, shall join in the request for the
Trustees to commence such action; and (b) the Trustees must be afforded a
reasonable amount of time to consider such shareowner request and investigate
the basis of such claim. The Trustess shall be entitled to retain counsel or
other advisers in considering the merits of the request and shall require an
undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Fund for
the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to
bring such action.
When issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information, shares of the Fund are fully-paid and
non-assessable. Shares will remain on deposit with the Fund's transfer agent and
certificates will not normally be issued. The Fund reserves the right to charge
a fee for the issuance of certificates.
XII. INVESTMENT RESULTS
The average annual total return (for a designated period of time) on an
investment in the Fund may be included in advertisements, and furnished to
existing or prospective shareholders. The average annual total return for each
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Class is computed in accordance with the SEC's standardized formula. The
calculation for all Classes assumes the reinvestment of all dividends and
distributions at net asset value and does not reflect the impact of federal or
state income taxes. In addition, for Class A shares the calculation assumes the
deduction of the maximum sales charge of 5.75%; for Class B shares the
calculation reflects the deduction of any applicable CDSC. The periods
illustrated would normally include one, five and ten years (or since the
commencement of the public offering of the shares of a Class, if shorter)
through the most recent calendar quarter.
One or more additional measures and assumptions, including but not limited to
historical total returns; distribution returns; results of actual or
hypothetical investments; changes in dividends, distributions or share values;
or any graphic illustration of such data may also be used. These data may cover
any period of the Fund's existence and may or may not include the impact of
sales charges, taxes or other factors.
Other investments or savings vehicles and/or unmanaged market indexes,
indicators of economic activity or averages of mutual fund results may be cited
or compared with the investment results of the Fund. Rankings or listings by
magazines, newspapers or independent statistical or rating services, such as
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., may also be referenced.
The Fund's investment results will vary from time to time depending on market
conditions, the composition of the Fund's portfolio and operating expenses of
the Fund. All quoted investment results are historical and should not be
considered representative of what an investment in the Fund may earn in any
future period. For further information about the calculation methods and uses of
the Fund's investment results, see the Statement of Additional Information.
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APPENDIX
This Appendix provides a brief description of certain investment techniques that
the Fund may employ. For a more complete discussion of these and other
practices, see "Investment Objective and Policies" in this Prospectus and
"Investment Policies and Restrictions" in the Statement of Additional
Information.
Options on Securities Indices
The Fund may purchase put and call options on indices that are based on
securities in which it may invest to manage cash flow and to manage its exposure
to foreign and domestic stocks or stock markets instead of, or in addition to,
buying and selling stock. The Fund may also purchase options in order to hedge
against risks of market-wide price fluctuations.
The Fund may purchase put options in order to hedge against an anticipated
decline in securities prices that might adversely affect the value of the Fund's
portfolio securities. If the Fund purchases a put option on a securities index,
the amount of the payment it would receive upon exercising the option would
depend on the extent of any decline in the level of the securities index below
the exercise price. Such payments would tend to offset a decline in the value of
the Fund's portfolio securities. However, if the level of the securities index
increases and remains above the exercise price while the put option is
outstanding, the Fund will not be able to profitably exercise the option and
will lose the amount of the premium and any transaction costs. Such loss may be
partially offset by an increase in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities.
The Fund may purchase call options on securities indices in order to remain
fully invested in a particular stock market or to lock in a favorable price on
securities that it intends to buy in the future. If the Fund purchases a call
option on a securities index, the amount of the payment it receives upon
exercising the option depends on the extent of an increase in the level of the
securities index above the exercise price. Such payments would in effect allow
the Fund to benefit from securities market appreciation even though it may not
have had sufficient cash to purchase the underlying securities. Such payments
may also offset increases in the price of securities that the Fund intends to
purchase. If, however, the level of the securities index declines and remains
below the exercise price while the call option is outstanding, the Fund will not
be able to exercise the option profitably and will lose the amount of the
premium and transaction costs. Such loss may be partially offset by a reduction
in the price the Fund pays to buy additional securities for its portfolio.
The Fund may sell an option it has purchased or a similar option prior to the
expiration of the purchased option in order to close out its position in an
option which it has purchased. The Fund may also allow options to expire
unexercised, which would result in the loss of the premium paid.
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<PAGE>
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts and Options on Foreign Currencies
The Fund has the ability to hold a portion of its assets in foreign currencies
and to enter into forward foreign currency contracts to facilitate settlement of
foreign securities transactions or to protect against changes in foreign
currency exchange rates. The Fund might sell a foreign currency on either a spot
or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of
securities in its portfolio or securities it intends or has contracted to sell
or to preserve the U.S. dollar value of dividends, interest or other amounts it
expects to receive. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due
to a decline in the value of the hedged foreign currency, it could also limit
any potential gain which might result from an increase in the value of the
currency. Alternatively, the Fund might purchase a foreign currency or enter
into a forward purchase contract for the currency to preserve the U.S. dollar
price of securities it is authorized to purchase or has contracted to purchase.
If the Fund enters into a forward contract to buy foreign currency, the Fund
will be required to place cash or high grade liquid securities in a segregated
account of the Fund maintained by the Fund's custodian in an amount equal to the
value of the Fund's total assets committed to the consummation of the forward
contract.
The Fund may purchase put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose
of protecting against declines in the dollar value of foreign portfolio
securities and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities
to be acquired. The purchase of an option on a foreign currency may constitute
an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
To hedge against changes in securities prices, currency exchange rates or
interest rates, the Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures
contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures
contracts. The Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions
with respect to any of such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be
based on various stock and other securities indices, foreign currencies and
other financial instruments and indices. The Fund will engage in futures and
related options transactions for hedging purposes only. These transactions
involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in the case of contracts
and options obligating the Fund to purchase currencies, require the Fund to
segregate assets to cover such contracts and options.
Limitations and Risks Associated with Transactions in Options, Futures
Contracts and Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
Transactions involving options on securities and securities indices, futures
contracts and options on futures and forward foreign currency exchange contracts
involve (1) liquidity risk that contractual positions cannot be easily closed
out in the event of market changes or generally in the absence of a liquid
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<PAGE>
secondary market, (2) correlation risk that changes in the value of hedging
positions may not match the securities market and foreign currency fluctuations
intended to be hedged and (3) market risk that an incorrect prediction of
securities prices or exchange rates by the Fund's investment adviser may cause
the Fund to perform less favorably than if such positions had not been entered.
The Fund will purchase and sell options that are traded only in a regulated
market which is open to the public. Options, futures contracts and forward
foreign currency exchange contracts are highly specialized activities which
involve investment techniques and risks that are different from those associated
with ordinary portfolio transactions. The Fund may not enter into futures
contracts and options on futures contracts for speculative purposes. The percent
of the Fund's assets that may be subject to futures contracts and options on
such contracts entered into for bona fide hedging purposes or in forward foreign
currency exchange contracts is 100%. The loss that may be incurred by the Fund
in entering into future contracts and written options thereon and forward
foreign currency exchange contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund may not
invest more than 5% of its total assets in financial instruments that are used
for non-hedging purposes.
The Fund's transactions in options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts,
futures contracts and options on futures contracts may be limited by the
requirements for qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company for
tax purposes. See "Tax Status" in the Statement of Additional Information.
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<PAGE>
Pioneer Small
Cap Fund
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
OFFICERS
JOHN F. COGAN, JR., Chairman and President
DAVID D. TRIPPLE, Executive Vice President
WARREN J. ISABELLE, Vice President
WILLIAM H. KEOUGH, Treasurer
JOSEPH P. BARRI, Secretary
INVESTMENT ADVISER
PIONEERING MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
CUSTODIAN
BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
LEGAL COUNSEL
HALE AND DORR
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
PIONEER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
SHAREOWNER SERVICES AND TRANSFER AGENT
PIONEERING SERVICES CORPORATION
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Telephone: 1-800-225-6292
SERVICE INFORMATION
If you would like information on the following, please call:
Existing and new accounts, prospectuses,
applications, service forms
and telephone transactions ...................................1-800-225-6292
FactFoneSM
Automated fund yields and prices,
account information and computer transactions................ 1-800-225-4321
Retirement plans ................................................1-800-622-0176
Toll-free fax ...................................................1-800-225-4240
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) ....................1-800-225-1997
1195-xxxx
(C)Pioneer Funds Distributor, Inc.
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<PAGE>
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Class A and Class B Shares
November 1, 1995
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Statement of Additional Information (Part B of the Registration Statement)
is not a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus,
dated November 1, 1995. A copy of the Prospectus can be obtained free of charge
by calling Shareholder Services at 1- 800-225-6292 or by written request to
Pioneer Small Cap Fund (the "Fund") at 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1. Investment Policies and Restrictions..........................1
2. Management of the Fund........................................10
3. Investment Adviser............................................13
4. Underwriting Agreement and Distribution Plans.................14
5. Shareholder Servicing/Transfer Agent..........................15
6. Custodian.....................................................16
7. Principal Underwriter.........................................16
8. Independent Public Accountants................................16
9. Portfolio Transactions........................................17
10. Tax Status and Dividends......................................18
11. Description of Shares.........................................21
12. Certain Liabilities...........................................22
13. Letter of Intention...........................................23
14. Systematic Withdrawal Plan....................................23
15. Determination of Net Asset Value..............................24
16. Investment Results............................................25
17. Financial Statements..........................................27
Appendix A....................................................A-1
Appendix B....................................................B-1
THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS AUTHORIZED
FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ONLY IF PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN
EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUS.
<PAGE>
1. INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS
The Fund's current prospectus (the "Prospectus") presents the investment
objectives and the principal investment policies of the Fund. Additional
investment policies and a further description of some of the policies described
in the Prospectus appear below.
The following policies and restrictions supplement those discussed in the
Prospectus. Whenever an investment policy or restriction states a maximum
percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in any security or presents
a policy regarding quality standards, this standard or other restrictions shall
be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund's investment.
Accordingly, any later increase or decrease resulting from a change in values,
net assets or other circumstances will not be considered in determining whether
the investment complies with the Fund's investment objectives and policies.
Lending of Portfolio Securities
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to member firms of the New York Stock
Exchange, under agreements which would require that the loans be secured
continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents or United States Treasury
Bills maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market
value of the securities loaned. The Fund would continue to receive the
equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities
loaned as well as the benefit of an increase in the market value of the
securities loaned and would also receive compensation based on investment of the
collateral. The Fund would not, however, have the right to vote any securities
having voting rights during the existence of the loan, but would call the loan
in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities
or of the giving or withholding of consent on a material matter affecting the
investment.
As with other extensions of credit there are risks of delay in recovery or even
loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail
financially. The Fund will lend portfolio securities only to firms which have
been approved in advance by the Board of Trustees, which will monitor the
creditworthiness of any such firms. At no time would the value of the securities
loaned exceed 30% of the value of the Fund's total assets.
Forward Foreign Currency Transactions
The Fund may engage in foreign currency transactions. These transactions may be
conducted on a spot, i.e., cash basis, at the spot rate for purchasing or
selling currency prevailing in the foreign exchange market. The Fund also has
authority to deal in forward foreign currency exchange contracts involving
currencies of the different countries in which the Fund will invest as a hedge
against possible variations in the foreign exchange rate between these
currencies and the U.S. dollar. This is accomplished through contractual
agreements to purchase or sell a specified currency at a specified future date
and price set at the time of the contract. The Fund's dealings in forward
foreign currency contracts will be limited to hedging either specific
transactions or portfolio positions. Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale
of forward foreign currency contracts with respect to specific receivables or
payables of the Fund, accrued in connection with the purchase and sale of their
portfolio securities denominated in foreign currencies. Portfolio hedging is the
use of forward foreign currency contracts to offset portfolio security positions
denominated or quoted in such foreign currencies. There is no guarantee that the
Fund will be engaged in hedging activities when adverse exchange rate movements
occur. The Fund will not attempt to hedge all of its foreign portfolio
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<PAGE>
positions, and the Fund will enter into such transactions only to the extent, if
any, deemed appropriate by the investment adviser. The Fund will not enter into
speculative forward foreign currency contracts.
If the Fund enters into a forward contract to purchase foreign currency, the
custodian bank will segregate cash or high grade liquid debt securities in a
separate account in an amount equal to the value of the total assets committed
to the consummation of such forward contract. Those assets will be valued at
market daily and if the value of the assets in the separate account declines,
additional cash or securities will be placed in the accounts so that the value
of the account will equal the amount of the Fund's commitment with respect to
such contracts.
Hedging against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate
fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities or prevent losses if the
prices of such securities decline. Such transactions also limit the opportunity
for gain if the value of the hedged currency should rise. Moreover, it may not
be possible for the Fund to hedge against a devaluation that is so generally
anticipated that the Fund is not able to contract to sell the currency at a
price above the devaluation level they anticipate.
The cost to the Fund of engaging in foreign currency transactions varies with
such factors as the currency involved, the size of the contract, the length of
the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Since
transactions in foreign currency and forward contracts are usually conducted on
a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. The Fund may close out a
forward position in a currency by selling the forward contract or by entering
into an offsetting forward contract.
Options on Securities
The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on certain portfolio securities,
but options may not be written on more than 25% of the aggregate market value of
any single portfolio security (determined each time a call is sold as of the
date of such sale). The Fund does not intend to write covered call options on
portfolio securities with an aggregate market value exceeding 5% of the Fund's
total assets in the coming year. As the writer of a call option, the Fund
receives a premium less commission, and, in exchange, foregoes the opportunity
to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call
above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the option during the
life of the option. The purchaser of such a call written by the Fund has the
option of purchasing the security from the Fund at the option price during the
life of the option. Portfolio securities on which options may be written are
purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with the
Fund's investment objectives. All call options written by the Fund are covered;
the Fund may cover a call option by owning the securities subject to the option
so long as the option is outstanding or using the other methods described below.
In addition, a written call option may be covered by purchasing an offsetting
option or any other option which, by virtue of its exercise price or otherwise,
covers the Fund's net exposure on its written option position. The Fund does not
consider a security covered by a call option to be "pledged" as that term is
used in the Fund's policy which limits the pledging or mortgaging of its assets.
The Fund may purchase call options on securities for entering into a "closing
purchase transaction," i.e., a purchase of a call option on the same security
with the same exercise price and expiration date as a "covered" call already
written by the Fund. These closing sale transactions enable the Fund to
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<PAGE>
immediately realize gains or minimize losses on its options positions. There is
no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect such closing purchase
transactions at a favorable price. If the Fund cannot enter into such a
transaction it may be required to hold a security that it might otherwise have
sold. The Fund's portfolio turnover may increase through the exercise of options
if the market price of the underlying securities goes up and the Fund has not
entered into a closing purchase transaction. The commission on purchase or sale
of a call option is higher in relation to the premium than the commission in
relation to the price on purchase or sale of the underlying security.
Options on Securities Indices
The Fund may purchase call and put options on securities indices for the purpose
of hedging against the risk of unfavorable price movements adversely affecting
the value of the Fund's securities or securities which the Fund intends to buy.
Securities index options will not be used for speculative purposes.
The Fund may only purchase and sell options that are traded only in a regulated
market which is open to the public. Currently, options on stock indices are
traded only on national securities exchanges or over-the-counter, both in the
United States and in foreign countries. A securities index fluctuates with
changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. For
example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the
S&P 500 or the Value Line Composite Index in the U.S., the Nikkei in Japan or
the FTSE 100 in the United Kingdom. Index options may also be based on a
narrower market index such as the S&P 100 or on an industry or market segment
such as the AMEX Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index.
The Fund may purchase put options in order to hedge against an anticipated
decline in securities prices that might adversely affect the value of the Fund's
portfolio securities. If the Fund purchases a put option on a securities index,
the amount of the payment it would receive upon exercising the option would
depend on the extent of any decline in the level of the securities index below
the exercise price. Such payments would tend to offset a decline in the value of
the Fund's portfolio securities. However, if the level of the securities index
increases and remains above the exercise price while the put option is
outstanding, the Fund will not be able to profitably exercise the option and
will lose the amount of the premium and any transaction costs. Such loss may be
partially offset by an increase in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities.
The Fund may purchase call options on securities indices in order to remain
fully invested in a particular foreign stock market or to lock in a favorable
price on securities that it intends to buy in the future. If the Fund purchases
a call option on a securities index, the amount of the payment it receives upon
exercising the option depends on the extent of an increase in the level of other
securities indices above the exercise price. Such payments would in effect allow
the Fund to benefit from securities market appreciation even though it may not
have had sufficient cash to purchase the underlying securities. Such payments
may also offset increases in the price of securities that the Fund intends to
purchase. If, however, the level of the securities index declines and remains
below the exercise price while the call option is outstanding, the Fund will not
be able to exercise the option profitably and will lose the amount of the
premium and transaction costs. Such loss may be partially offset by a reduction
in the price the Fund pays to buy additional securities for its portfolio.
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The Fund may sell the securities index option it has purchased or write a
similar offsetting securities index option in order to close out a position in a
securities index option which it has purchased. These closing sale transactions
enable the Fund to immediately realize gains or minimize losses on their
respective options positions. However, there is no assurance that a liquid
secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or
at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market may exist. In
addition, securities index prices may be distorted by interruptions in the
trading of securities of certain companies or of issuers in certain industries,
or by restrictions that may be imposed by an exchange on opening or closing
transactions, or both, which would disrupt trading in options on such indices
and preclude the Fund from closing out its options positions. If the Fund is
unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options that it has
purchased, it would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the
underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close
before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate
movements can take place in the underlying markets that can not be reflected in
the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity
which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated
with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.
In addition to the risks of imperfect correlation between the Fund's respective
portfolio and the index underlying the option, the purchase of securities index
options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the
Fund in purchasing an option will be lost. This could occur as a result of
unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the securities
index on which the option is based.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
To hedge against changes in securities prices or currency exchange rates, the
Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and
write (sell) call and put options on any of such futures contracts. The Fund may
also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to any of
such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be based on various
securities (such as U.S. Government securities), securities indices, foreign
currencies and other financial instruments and indices. The Fund will engage in
futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging and non-hedging
purposes as described below. All futures contracts entered into by the Fund are
traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") or on foreign exchanges.
Futures Contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement
between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an
agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement
price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling
for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract).
When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, the Fund can
seek to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities
through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are falling or
securities prices are rising, the Fund, through the purchase of futures
contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be
available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases. Similarly, the
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Fund can sell futures contracts on a specified currency to protect against a
decline in the value of such currency and a decline in the value of its
portfolio securities which are denominated in such currency. The Fund can
purchase futures contracts on a foreign currency to establish the price in U.S.
dollars of a security denominated in such currency that the Fund has acquired or
expects to acquire.
Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are
instead liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit
or a loss. While futures contracts on securities or currency will usually be
liquidated in this manner, the Fund may instead make, or take, delivery of the
underlying securities or currency whenever it appears economically advantageous
to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures
on securities or currency are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or
purchase will be performed on the settlement date.
Hedging Strategies. Hedging, by use of futures contracts, seeks to establish
with more certainty the effective price, rate of return and currency exchange
rate on portfolio securities and securities that the Fund owns or proposes to
acquire. The Fund may, for example, take a "short" position in the futures
market by selling futures contracts in order to hedge against an anticipated
rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices or foreign currency rates
that would adversely affect the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Such
futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities
held by the Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the
Fund's portfolio securities. Similarly, the Fund may sell futures contracts in a
foreign currency in which its portfolio securities are denominated or in one
currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated in
a different currency if there is an established historical pattern of
correlation between the two currencies. If, in the opinion of Pioneering
Management Corporation ("PMC"), there is a sufficient degree of correlation
between price trends for the Fund's portfolio securities and futures contracts
based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the
Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of their hedging
strategies. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in the Fund's
portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts,
PMC will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on
historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having the Fund
enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by attempting to
achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Fund's
portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any
depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset
by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any
unanticipated appreciation in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities would
be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, the Fund may take a "long" position by purchasing futures
contracts. This may be done, for example, when the Fund anticipates the
subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but
expects the prices or currency exchange rates then available in the applicable
market to be less favorable than prices or rates that are currently available.
Options on Futures Contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures
contracts will give the Fund the right (but not the obligation) for a specified
price to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at
any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures
contract, the Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in
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a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable
price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium which may
partially offset a decline in the value of the Fund's assets. By writing a call
option, the Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, to sell a
futures contract (if the option is exercised), which may have a value higher
than the exercise price. Conversely, the writing of a put option on a futures
contract generates a premium which may partially offset an increase in the price
of securities that the Fund intends to purchase. However, the Fund becomes
obligated to purchase a futures contract (if the option is exercised) which may
have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by the Fund
in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount
of the premium received. The Fund will incur transaction costs in connection
with the writing of options on futures.
The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its
position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same series. There
is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Fund's
ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to
the development and maintenance of a liquid market.
The Fund may use options on futures contracts for bona fide hedging or
non-hedging purposes as discussed below.
Other Considerations. The Fund will engage in futures and related options
transactions only for bona fide hedging or non-hedging purposes in accordance
with CFTC regulations which permit principals of an investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")
to engage in such transactions without registering as commodity pool operators.
The Fund is not permitted to engage in speculative futures trading. The Fund
will determine that the price fluctuations in the futures contracts and options
on futures used for hedging purposes are substantially related to price
fluctuations in securities held by the Fund or which the Fund expects to
purchase. Except as stated below, the Fund's futures transactions will be
entered into for traditional hedging purposes -- i.e., futures contracts will be
sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities (or the currency in
which they are denominated) that the Fund owns, or futures contracts will be
purchased to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of securities (or
the currency in which they are denominated) it intends to purchase. As evidence
of this hedging intent, the Fund expects that on 75% or more of the occasions on
which it takes a long futures or option position (involving the purchase of
futures contracts), the Fund will have purchased, or will be in the process of
purchasing, equivalent amounts of related securities or assets denominated in
the related currency in the cash market at the time when the futures or option
position is closed out. However, in particular cases, when it is economically
advantageous for the Fund to do so, a long futures position may be terminated or
an option may expire without the corresponding purchase of securities or other
assets.
As an alternative to literal compliance with the bona fide hedging definition, a
CFTC regulation permits the Fund to elect to comply with a different test, under
which the sum of the amounts of initial margin deposits on the Fund's existing
non-hedging futures contracts and premiums paid for options on futures entered
into for non-hedging purposes (net of the amount the positions are "in the
money") would not exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's total assets. The
Fund will engage in transactions in futures contracts and related options only
to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the
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Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), for maintaining its
qualifications as a regulated investment company for federal income tax
purposes.
Transaction costs associated with futures contracts and related options involve
brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in the case of contracts and
options obligating the Fund to purchase securities or currencies, require the
Fund to segregate assets to cover such contracts and options.
While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce
certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus,
while the Fund may benefit from the use of futures and options on futures,
unanticipated changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency exchange
rates may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not
entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. In the event of an
imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which
is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the
Fund may be exposed to risk of loss. It is not possible to hedge fully or
perfectly against the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of foreign
securities because currency movements impact the value of different securities
in differing degrees.
Other Policies and Risks
It is the policy of the Fund not to concentrate its investments in securities of
companies in any particular industry. In the opinion of the staff of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), investments are deemed to
be concentrated in a particular industry if such investments constitute 25% or
more of the Fund's total assets. The 1940 Act provides that the policy of the
Fund with respect to concentration is a fundamental policy.
Investment Restrictions
Fundamental Investment Restrictions. The Fund has adopted certain additional
investment restrictions which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of
the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's
outstanding voting securities. The Fund may not:
(1) Issue senior securities, except as permitted by paragraphs (2), (6)
and (7) below. For purposes of this restriction, the issuance of shares of
beneficial interest in multiple classes or series, the purchase or sale of
options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, forward
commitments, forward foreign exchange contracts, repurchase agreements and
reverse repurchase agreements entered into in accordance with the Fund's
investment policy, and the pledge, mortgage or hypothecation of the Fund's
assets within the meaning of paragraph (3) below are not deemed to be senior
securities.
(2) Borrow money, except from banks as a temporary measure to
facilitate the meeting of redemption requests or for extraordinary emergency
purposes and except pursuant to reverse repurchase agreements or dollar rolls
and then only in amounts not to exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund's total assets
(including the amount borrowed) taken at market value. The Fund will not
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use leverage to attempt to increase income. The Fund will not purchase
securities while outstanding borrowings (including reverse repurchase
agreements) exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.
(3) Pledge, mortgage, or hypothecate its assets, except to secure
indebtedness permitted by paragraph (2) above and then only if such pledging,
mortgaging or hypothecating does not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund's total assets
taken at market value.
(4) Act as an underwriter, except as it may deemed to be an underwriter
in a sale of restricted securities held in its portfolio.
(5) Purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may (i) lease
office space for its own use, (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest
in real estate or interests therein, (iii) invest in securities that are secured
by real estate or interests therein, (iv) purchase and sell mortgage-related
securities and (v) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of
the ownership of securities.
(6) Make loans, except that the Fund may lend portfolio securities in
accordance with the Fund's investment policies and may purchase or invest in
repurchase agreements, bank certificates of deposit, a portion of an issue of
publicly distributed bonds, bank loan participation agreements, bankers'
acceptances, debentures or other securities, whether or not the purchase is made
upon the original issuance of the securities.
(7) Invest in commodities or commodity contracts or in puts, calls, or
combinations of both, except interest rate futures contracts, options on
securities, securities indices, currency and other financial instruments,
futures contracts on securities, securities indices, currency and other
financial instruments and options on such futures contracts, forward foreign
currency exchange contracts, forward commitments, securities index put or call
warrants and repurchase agreements entered into in accordance with the Fund's
investment policies.
(8) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an
issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities), if
(a) such purchase would cause more than 5% of the Fund's total
assets, taken at market value, to be invested in the securities of such
issuer, or
(b) such purchase would at the time result in more than 10% of
the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the
Fund.
It is the fundamental policy of the Fund not to concentrate its
investments in securities of companies in any particular industry. In the
opinion of the Commission, investments are concentrated in a particular industry
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if such investments aggregate 25% or more of the Fund's total assets. The Fund's
policy does not apply to investments in U.S. Government securities.
The Fund does not intend to enter into any reverse repurchase
agreement, lend portfolio securities or invest in securities index put and call
warrants, as described in fundamental investment restrictions (2), (6) and (7)
above, during the coming year.
Non-fundamental Investment Restrictions. The following restrictions have been
designated as non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of the Fund's Board
of Trustees without approval of shareholders.
The Fund may not:
(1) purchase securities for the purpose of controlling management of
other companies;
(2) purchase or retain the securities of any company if officers of the
Fund or Trustees of the Fund, or officers and directors of its adviser or
principal underwriter, individually own more than one-half of 1% of the
securities of such company or collectively own more than 5% of the securities of
such company; or
(3) invest in any security which is illiquid, including any repurchase
agreement maturing in more than seven days and any securities of any enterprise
which has a business history of less than three years, including the operation
of any predecessor business to which it has succeeded, if more than 15% of the
total assets of the Fund, taken at market value, would be invested in such
securities.
In order to register its shares in certain jurisdictions, the Fund has
agreed to adopt certain additional investment restrictions, which are
non-fundamental and which may be changed by a vote of the Fund's Board of
Trustees. Pursuant to these additional investment restrictions, the Fund may not
(i) invest more than 2% of its assets in warrants, valued at the lower of cost
or market, provided that it may invest up to 5% of its total assets, as so
valued, in warrants listed on the New York or American Stock Exchanges, (ii)
invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development
leases or programs, or (iii) invest in real estate limited partnerships. The
Fund does not intend to borrow money during the coming year, and in any case
would do so only as a temporary measure for extraordinary purposes or to
facilitate redemptions.
2. MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board of Trustees provides broad supervision over the affairs of the
Fund. The executive officers of the Fund are responsible for the Fund's
operations, which is managed by PMC. The Trustees and executive officers of the
Fund are listed below, together with their principal occupations during the past
five years. An asterisk indicates those Trustees who are "interested persons" of
the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act.
JOHN F. COGAN, JR.,* Chairman of the Board, President and Trustee
President and a Director of The Pioneer Group, Inc. ("PGI");Chairman
and a Director of Pioneering Management Corporation ("PMC"), Pioneer
Funds Distributor, Inc. ("PFD");
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Director of Pioneering Services Corporation ("PSC"), Pioneer Capital
Corporation ("PCC") and Forest-Starma ( a Russian corporation);
President and Director of Pioneer Plans Corporation ("PPC"), Pioneer
Investment Corp. ("PIC"), Pioneer Metals and Technology, Inc. ("PMT"),
Pioneer International Corp. ("Pintl"), Luscina, Inc. Pioneer First
Russia, Inc. ("First Russia"), Pioneer Omega, Inc. ("Omega") and Theta
Enterprises, Inc.; Chairman, President and a Director of Pioneer
Goldfields Limited ("PGL"); Chairman of the Supervisory Board of
Pioneer Fonds Marketing GMbH ("Pioneer GmbH"); Member of the
Supervisory Board of Pioneer First Polish Trust Fund Joint Stock
Company ("PFPT"); and Chairman and Partner, Hale and Dorr (counsel to
the Fund).
[ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES TO BE ELECTED AND ADDED IN A PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT]
WILLIAM H. KEOUGH, Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of PGI;
Treasurer of PFD, PMC, PSC, PCC, PIC, PIntl, PMT, PGL, PWA and Pioneer
SBIC Corporation and Treasurer and Director of PPC.
JOSEPH P. BARRI, Secretary
Secretary of PGI, PMC, PPC, PIC, PIntl, PMT and PCC; Clerk of PFD
and PSC and Partner, Hale and Dorr (counsel to the Fund).
ERIC W. RECKARD, Assistant Treasurer
Manager of Fund Accounting and Compliance of PMC since May, 1994;
Manager of Auditing and Business Analysis of PGI prior to May 1994.
ROBERT P. NAULT, Assistant Secretary
General Counsel of PGI since 1995; formerly of Hale and dorr (counsel
to the Fund) where he most recently served as a junior partner.
WARREN J. ISABELLE, Vice President
Director of Research and Vice President of PMC.
Each of the above (except Mr. Isabelle) is also an officer and/or Trustee or
Director of the Pioneer mutual funds listed below. The Fund's Agreement and
Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust") provides that the holders of
two-thirds of its outstanding shares may vote to remove a Trustee of the Fund at
any special meeting of shareholders. See "Description of Shares" below. The
business address of all officers is 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.
As of the date of this SAI, all of the outstanding capital stock of PMC and PSC
is owned by PGI, a publicly-owned Delaware corporation, and all of the
outstanding capital stock of PFD is indirectly owned by PGI. The table below
lists all the Pioneer mutual funds currently offered to the public and the
investment adviser and principal underwriter for each fund.
Investment Principal
Fund Name Adviser Underwriter
Pioneer Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer II PMC PFD
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Pioneer Three PMC PFD
Pioneer Growth Shares PMC PFD
Pioneer Capital Growth Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Equity-Income Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Gold Shares PMC PFD
Pioneer Real Estate Shares PMC PFD
Pioneer Europe Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer International Growth Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Emerging Markets Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer India Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Bond Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer America Income Trust PMC PFD
Pioneer Short-Term Income Trust PMC PFD
Pioneer Income Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Tax-Free Income Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Intermediate Tax-Free Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer California Double Tax-Free Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer New York Triple Tax-Free Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Massachusetts Double Tax-Free
Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Cash Reserves Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer U.S. Government Money Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Tax-Free Money Fund PMC PFD
Pioneer Interest Shares, Inc. PMC *
* This fund is a closed-end fund.
To the knowledge of the Fund, no officer or trustee of the Fund owned
5% or more of the issued and outstanding shares of PGI on the date of this
Statement of Additional Information, except Mr. Cogan who then owned
approximately 15% of such shares.
Compensation of Officers and Trustees
The Fund pays no salaries or compensation to any of its officers. The
Fund pays an annual trustees' fee of $______ plus $_____ per meeting attended to
each Trustee who is not affiliated with PMC, PFD or PGI and pays an annual
trustees' fee of $500 plus expenses to each Trustee affiliated with PMC, PFD or
PGI. Any such fees and expenses paid to affiliates or interested persons of PMC,
PFD or PGI are reimbursed to the Fund under its Management Contract.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the
estimated compensation of each Trustee of the Fund for the fiscal year ending
October 31, 1996:
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Pension or
Retirement Total
Benefits Compensation
Compensation Accrued as from Fund and
Aggregate Part of Pioneer Family
Name of Trustee from the Fund* Fund's Expenses of Funds**
John F. Cogan, Jr. $ 500 $0 $ 9,000
[ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES TO BE ADDED IN A PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT]
* As of Fund's fiscal year end.
** Estimated as of December 31, 1995 (calendar year end for all Pioneer
mutual funds).
3. INVESTMENT ADVISER
The Fund has contracted with PMC, 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts, to act as its investment adviser. A description of the services
provided to the Fund under its management contract and the expenses paid by the
Fund under the contract is set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Management of the Fund."
The term of the management contract is one year and is renewable
annually by the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund
(including a majority of the Board of Trustees who are not parties to the
contract or interested persons of any such parties). The vote must be cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such renewal. This
contract terminates if assigned and may be terminated without penalty by either
party upon sixty days' written notice by vote of the Board of Directors or
Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities. Pursuant to the
management contract, PMC will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake
of law or for any loss sustained by reason of the adoption of any investment
policy or the purchase, sale or retention of any securities on the
recommendation of PMC. PMC, however, is not protected against liability by
reason of wilful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance
of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under the respective management contract.
As compensation for its management services and expenses incurred, PMC
is entitled to a management fee from the Fund at the rate of 0.85% per annum of
the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is normally computed and accrued
daily and paid monthly.
PMC has agreed not to impose any management fees and make other
arrangements, if necessary, to limit expenses for the Fund's Class A shares, to
not more than 2.00% of such Class's average net assets. The management fee
attributable to the fund's Class B shares will not be imposed to the same extent
that it is not imposed for Class A shares. This agreement is temporary and
voluntary and may be terminated at any time by PMC.
See "Expense Information" in the Prospectus.
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4. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION PLANS
The Fund entered into an Underwriting Agreement with PFD. The
Underwriting Agreement will continue from year to year if annually approved by
the Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that PFD will bear expenses
for the distribution of the Fund's shares, except for expenses incurred by PFD
for which it is reimbursed by the Fund under the Plan. PFD bears all expenses it
incurs in providing services under the Underwriting Agreement. Such expenses
include compensation to its employees and representatives and to securities
dealers for distribution related services performed for the Fund. PFD also pays
certain expenses in connection with the distribution of the Fund's shares,
including the cost of preparing, printing and distributing advertising or
promotional materials, and the cost of printing and distributing prospectuses
and supplements to prospective shareholders. The Fund bears the cost of
registering its shares under federal and state securities law and the laws of
certain foreign countries. The Fund and PFD have agreed to indemnify each other
against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended. Under the Underwriting Agreement, PFD will use its best
efforts in rendering services to the Fund.
The Fund has adopted a plan of distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1
under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A shares (the "Class A Plan") and a
plan of distribution with respect to its Class B shares (the "Class B Plan")
(together, the "Plans").
Class A Plan
Pursuant to the Class A Plan the Fund may reimburse PFD for its
expenditures in financing any activity primarily intended to result in the sale
of Fund shares. Certain categories of such expenditures have been approved by
the Board of Trustees and are set forth in the Prospectus. See "Distribution
Plans" in each Prospectus. The expenses of the Fund pursuant to the Class A Plan
are accrued on a fiscal year basis and may not exceed, with respect to Class A
shares, the annual rate of 0.25% of the Fund's average annual net assets
attributable to Class A.
Class B Plan
The Class B Plan provides that the Fund shall pay PFD, as the Fund's
distributor for its Class B shares, a daily distribution fee equal on an annual
basis to 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class B
shares and will pay PFD a service fee equal to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily
net assets attributable to Class B shares (which PFD will in turn pay to
securities dealers which enter into a sales agreement with PFD at a rate of up
to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares
owned by investors for whom that securities dealer is the holder or dealer of
record). This service fee is intended to be in consideration of personal
services and/or account maintenance services rendered by the dealer with respect
to Class B shares. PFD will advance to dealers the first-year service fee at a
rate equal to 0.25% of the amount invested. As compensation therefor, PFD may
retain the service fee paid by the Fund with respect to such shares for the
first year after purchase. Dealers will become eligible for additional service
fees with respect to such shares commencing in the thirteenth month following
purchase. Dealers may from time to time be required to meet certain other
criteria in order to receive service fees. PFD or its affiliates are entitled to
retain all service fees payable under the Class B Plan for which there is no
dealer of record or for which qualification standards have not been met as
partial consideration for personal services and/or account maintenance services
performed by PFD or its affiliates for shareholder accounts.
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The purpose of distribution payments to PFD under the Class B Plan is
to compensate PFD for its distribution services to the Fund. PFD pays
commissions to dealers as well as expenses of printing prospectuses and reports
used for sales purposes, expenses with respect to the preparation and printing
of sales literature and other distribution-related expenses, including, without
limitation, the cost necessary to provide distribution-related services, or
personnel, travel office expenses and equipment. The Class B Plan also provides
that PFD will receive all CDSCs attributable to Class B shares. (See
"Distributions Plans" in the Prospectus.)
General
In accordance with the terms of the Plans, PFD provides to the Fund for
review by the Trustees a quarterly written report of the amounts expended under
the respective Plan and the purpose for which such expenditures were made. In
the Trustees' quarterly review of the Plans, they will consider the continued
appropriateness and the level of reimbursement or compensation the Plans
provide.
No interested person of the Fund, nor any Trustee of the Fund who is
not an interested person of the Fund, has any direct or indirect financial
interest in the operation of the Plans except to the extent that PFD and certain
of its employees may be deemed to have such an interest as a result of receiving
a portion of the amounts expended under the Plans by the Fund and except to the
extent certain officers may have an interest in PFD's ultimate parent, PGI.
The Plans were adopted by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees,
including all of the Trustees who are not, and were not at the time they voted,
interested persons of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (none of whom had or
have any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans),
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plans. In
approving the Plans, the Trustees identified and considered a number of
potential benefits which the Plans may provide. The Board of Trustees believes
that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plans will benefit each Fund and
their current and future shareholders. Under their terms, the Plans remain in
effect from year to year provided such continuance is approved annually by vote
of the Trustees in the manner described above. The Plans may not be amended to
increase materially the annual percentage limitation of average net assets which
may be spent for the services described therein without approval of the
shareholders of the Fund affected thereby, and material amendments of the Plans
must also be approved by the Trustees in the manner described above. A Plan may
be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of the
majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund and have no
direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Plan, or by a
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Class
of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). A Plan will automatically terminate in
the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
5. SHAREHOLDER SERVICING/TRANSFER AGENT
The Fund has contracted with PSC, 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts, to act as shareholder servicing and transfer agent for the Fund.
This contract terminates if assigned and may be terminated without penalty by
either party upon ninety days' written notice by vote of its Board of Directors
or Trustees or a majority of its outstanding voting securities.
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Under the terms of its contract with the Fund, PSC services shareholder
accounts, and its duties include: (i) processing sales, redemptions and
exchanges of shares of the Fund; (ii)distributing dividends and capital gains
associated with Fund portfolio accounts; and (iii)maintaining account records
and responding to shareholder inquiries.
PSC receives an annual fee of $22.00 per each Class A and Class B
shareholder account from the Fund as compensation for the services described
above. PSC is also reimbursed by the Fund for its cash out-of-pocket
expenditures. The annual fee is set at an amount determined by vote of a
majority of the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not
parties to the contract with PSC or interested persons of any such parties) to
be comparable to fees for such services being paid by other investment
companies.
6. CUSTODIAN
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (the "Custodian") is the custodian of the
Fund's assets. The Custodian's responsibilities include safekeeping and
controlling the Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of
securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund's investments. The
Custodian does not determine the investment policies of the Fund or decide which
securities the Fund will buy or sell. The Fund may, however, invest in
securities, including repurchase agreements, issued by the Custodian and may
deal with the Custodian as a principal in securities transactions. Portfolio
securities may be deposited into the Federal Reserve-Treasury Department Book
Entry System or the Depository Trust Company.
7. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
PFD serves as the principal underwriter for the Fund in connection with
the continuous offering of the Class A and Class B shares of the Fund
The Fund will not generally issue Fund shares for consideration other
than cash. At the Fund's sole discretion, however, it may issue Fund shares for
consideration other than cash in connection with a bona fide reorganization,
statutory merger, or other acquisition of portfolio securities (other than
municipal debt securities issued by state political subdivisions or their
agencies or instrumentalities) provided (i)the securities meet the investment
objectives and policies of the Fund; (ii)the securities are acquired by the Fund
for investment and not for resale; (iii)the securities are not restricted as to
transfer either by law or liquidity of market; and (iv)the securities have a
value which is readily ascertainable (and not established only by evaluation
procedures) as evidenced by a listing on the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market.
8. INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Arthur Andersen LLP is the Fund's independent public accountants,
providing audit services, tax return review, and assistance and consultation
with respect to the preparation of filings with the Commission.
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9. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
All orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities are placed
on behalf of the Fund by PMC pursuant to authority contained in the Fund's
management contract. In selecting brokers or dealers, PMC will consider various
relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the size and type of the
transaction; the nature and character of the markets for the security to be
purchased or sold; the execution efficiency, settlement capability, and
financial condition of the dealer; the dealer's execution services rendered on a
continuing basis; and the reasonableness of any dealer spreads.
PMC may select broker-dealers which provide brokerage and/or research
services to the Fund and/or other investment companies managed by PMC. In
addition, if PMC determines in good faith that the amount of commissions charged
by a broker-dealer is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and
research services provided by such broker, the Fund may pay commissions to such
broker-dealer in an amount greater than the amount another firm may charge. 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; furnishing 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). PMC maintains a listing of broker-dealers who provide such services
on a regular basis. However, because it is anticipated that many transactions on
behalf of the Fund and other investment companies managed by PMC are placed with
broker-dealers (including broker-dealers on the listing) without regard to the
furnishing of such services, it is not possible to estimate the proportion of
such transactions directed to such dealers solely because such services were
provided.
The research received from broker-dealers may be useful to PMC in
rendering investment management services to the Fund as well as other investment
companies managed by PMC, although not all such research may be useful to the
Fund. Conversely, such information provided by brokers or dealers who have
executed transaction orders on behalf of such other PMC clients may be useful to
PMC in carrying out its obligations to the Fund. The receipt of such research
has not reduced PMC's normal independent research activities; however, it
enables PMC to avoid the additional expenses which might otherwise be incurred
if it were to attempt to develop comparable information through its own staff.
In circumstances where two or more broker-dealers offer comparable
prices and executions, preference may be given to a broker-dealer which has sold
shares of the Fund as well as shares of other investment companies or accounts
managed by PMC. This policy does not imply a commitment to execute all portfolio
transactions through all broker-dealers that sell shares of the Fund.
The Trustees periodically review PMC's performance of its
responsibilities in connection with the placement of portfolio transactions on
behalf of the Fund.
In addition to the Fund, PMC acts as investment adviser to other
Pioneer mutual funds and certain private accounts with investment objectives
similar to those of the Fund. Securities frequently meet the investment
objectives of the Fund, such other funds and such private accounts. In such
cases, the decision to recommend a purchase to one fund or account
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rather than another is based on a number of factors. The determining factors in
most cases are the amount of securities of the issuer then outstanding, the
value of those securities and the market for them. Other factors considered in
the investment recommendations include other investments which each fund or
account presently has in a particular industry and the availability of
investment funds in each fund or account.
It is possible that at times identical securities will be held by more
than one fund and/or account. However, positions in the same issue may vary and
the length of time that any fund or account may choose to hold its investment in
the same issue may likewise vary. To the extent that the Fund, another mutual
fund in the Pioneer group or a private account managed by PMC may not be able to
acquire as large a position in such security as it desires, it may have to pay a
higher price for the security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as
large an execution of an order to sell or as high a price for any particular
portfolio security if PMC decides to sell on behalf of another account the same
portfolio security at the same time. On the other hand, if the same securities
are bought or sold at the same time by more than one fund or account, the
resulting participation in volume transactions could produce better executions
for the Fund or the account. In the event more than one account purchases or
sells the same security on a given date, the purchases and sales will normally
be made as nearly as practicable on a pro rata basis in proportion to the
amounts desired to be purchased or sold by each.
10. TAX STATUS AND DIVIDENDS
It is the Fund's policy to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), for qualification as a
regulated investment company. These requirements relate to the sources of the
Fund's income, the diversification of its assets, and the timing of its
distributions. If the Fund meets all such requirements and distributes to its
shareholders at least annually all investment company taxable income and net
capital gain, if any, which it receives, the Fund will be relieved of the
necessity of paying federal income tax.
In order to qualify under Subchapter M, the Fund must, among other
things, derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from
dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the
sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other
income (including gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with
respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies
(the "90% income test"), limit its gains from the sale of stock, securities and
certain other investments held for less than three months to less than 30% of
its annual gross income (the "30% test") and satisfy certain diversification and
income distribution requirements.
Dividends from investment company taxable income, which includes net
investment income, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term
capital loss, and certain net foreign exchange gains are taxable as ordinary
income, whether received in cash or in additional shares. Dividends from net
long-term capital gain in excess of net short-term capital loss, if any, whether
received in cash or additional shares, are taxable to the Fund's shareholders as
long-term capital gains for federal income tax purposes without regard to the
length of time shares of the Fund have been held. The federal income tax status
of all distributions will be reported to shareholders annually.
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Any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December as
of a record date in such a month and paid during the following January will be
treated for federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December
31 of the calendar year in which it is declared.
Foreign exchange gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection
with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt
securities, certain options and futures contracts relating to foreign currency,
forward foreign currency contracts, foreign currencies, or payables or
receivables denominated in a foreign currency are subject to Section 988 of the
Code, which generally causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary
income and losses and may affect the amount, timing and character of
distributions to shareholders. Any such transactions that are not directly
related to the Fund's investment in stock or securities may increase the amount
of gain it is deemed to recognize from the sale of certain investments held for
less than 3 months for purposes of the 30% test, and may under future Treasury
regulations produce income not among the types of "qualifying income" for
purposes of the 90% income test. If the net foreign exchange loss for a year
were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without
regard to such loss) the resulting overall ordinary loss for such year would not
be deductible by the Fund or its shareholders in future years.
If the Fund acquires stock in certain non-U.S. corporations that
receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as
interest, dividends, rents, royalties or capital gain) or hold at least 50% of
their assets in investments producing such passive income ("passive foreign
investment companies"), the Fund could be subject to Federal income tax and
additional interest charges on "excess distributions" received from such
companies or gain from the sale of stock in such companies, even if all income
or gain actually received by the Fund is timely distributed to its shareholders.
The Fund would not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or
deduction for such a tax. Certain elections may, if available, ameliorate these
adverse tax consequences but any such election would require the Fund to
recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash. The
Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in passive foreign investment
companies to minimize its tax liability or maximize its return from these
investments.
At the time of an investor's purchase of Fund shares, a portion of the
purchase price is often attributable to realized or unrealized appreciation in
the Fund's portfolio or undistributed taxable income of the Fund. Consequently,
subsequent distributions from such appreciation or income may be taxable to such
investor even if the net asset value of the investor's shares is, as a result of
the distributions, reduced below the investor's cost for such shares and the
distributions in reality represent a return of a portion of the investment.
Any loss realized upon the redemption of shares with a tax holding
period of six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the
extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gain with
respect to such shares.
In addition, if Class A shares redeemed or exchanged have been held for
less than 91 days, (1)in the case of a reinvestment at net asset value, the
sales charge paid on such shares is not included in their tax basis under the
Code and (2)in the case of an exchange, all or a portion of the sales charge
paid on such shares is not included in their tax basis under the Code, to the
extent a sales charge that would otherwise apply to the shares received is
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reduced pursuant to the exchange privilege. In either case, the portion of the
sales charge not included in the tax basis of the shares redeemed or surrendered
in an exchange is included in the tax basis of the shares acquired in the
reinvestment or exchange. Losses on certain redemptions may be disallowed under
"wash sale" rules in the event of other investments in the same Fund within a
period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after a redemption
or other sale of shares.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is permitted to carry forward
a net capital loss in any year to offset net capital gains, if any, during the
eight years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent net capital
gains are offset by such losses, they would not result in federal income tax
liability to such Fund and are not expected to be distributed as such to
shareholders.
Options written or purchased and futures contracts entered into by the
Fund on certain securities, securities indices and foreign currencies, as well
as certain foreign currency forward contracts, may cause the Fund to recognize
gains or losses from marking-to-market at the end of its taxable year even
though such options may not have lapsed, been closed out, or exercised or such
futures or forward contracts may not have been closed out or disposed of and may
affect the characterization as long-term or short-term of some capital gains and
losses realized by the Fund. Certain options, futures and forward contracts on
foreign currency may be subject to Section 988, described above, and accordingly
produce ordinary income or loss. Losses on certain options, futures or forward
contracts and/or offsetting positions (portfolio securities or other positions
with respect to which the Fund's risk of loss is substantially diminished by one
or more options, futures or forward contracts) may also be deferred under the
tax straddle rules of the Code, which may also affect the characterization of
capital gains or losses from straddle positions and certain successor positions
as long-term or short-term. The tax rules applicable to options, futures,
forward contracts and straddles may affect the amount, timing and character of
the Fund's income and loss and hence of its distributions to shareholders.
Certain tax elections may be available that would enable the Fund to ameliorate
some adverse effects of the tax rules described in this paragraph.
For purposes of the 70% dividends-received deduction available to
corporations, dividends received by the Fund, if any, from U.S. domestic
corporations in respect of any share of stock with a tax holding period of at
least 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) held in an
unleveraged position and distributed and designated by the Fund may be treated
as qualifying dividends. Any corporate shareholder should consult its tax
adviser regarding the possibility that its tax basis in its shares may be
reduced, for federal income tax purposes, by reason of "extraordinary dividends"
received with respect to the shares. Corporate shareholders must meet the
minimum holding period requirement stated above (46 or 91 days), taking into
account any holding-period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions
that diminish risk of loss, with respect to their Fund shares in order to
qualify for the deduction and, if they borrow to acquire Fund shares, may be
denied a portion of the dividends-received deduction. The entire qualifying
dividend, including the otherwise deductible amount, will be included in
determining the excess (if any) of a corporation's adjusted current earnings
over its alternative minimum taxable income, which may increase a corporation's
alternative minimum tax liability.
The Fund may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by
foreign countries with respect to investments in those countries. Tax
conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such
taxes. The Fund does not expect to satisfy the requirements for passing through
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to shareholders their pro rata shares of foreign taxes paid by the Fund, with
the result that its shareholders will not include such taxes in their gross
incomes and will not be entitled to a tax deduction or credit for such taxes on
their own tax returns
Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess
contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement
distributions, and certain prohibited transactions is accorded to accounts
maintained as qualified retirement plans. Shareholders should consult their tax
advisers for more information.
The Fund is not subject to Massachusetts corporation franchise or
excise taxes and, provided that it qualifies as a regulated investment company
under the Code, also will not be required to pay any Massachusetts income tax.
Federal law requires that the Fund withhold (as "backup withholding")
31% of reportable payments, including dividends, capital gain dividends, and the
proceeds of redemptions (including exchanges) and repurchases, to shareholders
who have not complied with IRS regulations. In order to avoid this withholding
requirement, shareholders must certify on their Account Applications, or on
separate W-9 Forms, that their Social Security or other Taxpayer Identification
Number is correct and that they are not currently subject to backup withholding,
or that they are exempt from backup withholding. The Fund may nevertheless be
required to withhold if it receives notice from the IRS or a broker that the
number provided is incorrect or backup withholding is applicable as a result of
previous underreporting of interest or dividend income.
The description above relates only to U.S. federal income tax
consequences for shareholders who are U.S. persons, i.e., U.S. citizens or
residents and U.S. domestic corporations, partnerships, trusts or estates, and
who are subject to U.S. federal income tax. The description does not address the
special tax rules applicable to particular types of investors, such as banks,
insurance companies, or tax-exempt entities. Shareholders should consult their
own tax advisers on these matters and on state, local and other applicable tax
laws. Investors other than U.S. persons may be subject to different U.S. tax
treatment, including a possible 30% U.S. withholding tax (or withholding tax at
a lower treaty rate) on amounts treated as ordinary dividends from the Fund and,
unless an effective IRS Form W-8 or authorized substitute is on file, to 31%
backup withholding on certain other payments from the Fund.
11. DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Fund's Declaration of Trust permits the Board of Trustees to
authorize the issuance of an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of
beneficial interest which may be divided into such separate series as the
Trustees may establish. Currently, the Fund consists of only one series. The
Trustees may, however, establish additional series of shares in the future, and
may divide or combine the shares into a greater or lesser number of shares
without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interests in the Fund. The
Declaration of Trust further authorizes the Trustees to classify or reclassify
any series of the shares into one or more classes. Pursuant thereto, the
Trustees have authorized the issuance of two classes of shares of the Fund,
designated as Class A shares and Class B shares. Each share of a class of the
Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund
allocable to that class. Upon liquidation of the Fund, shareholders of each
class of the Fund are entitled to share pro rata in the Fund's net assets
allocable to such class available for distribution to shareholders. The Fund
reserves the right to create and issue additional series or classes of shares,
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in which case the shares of each class of a series would participate equally in
the earnings, dividends and assets allocable to that class of the particular
series.
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held and may vote in the
election of Trustees and on other matters submitted to a meeting of
shareholders. Although Trustees are not elected annually by the shareholders,
shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more
Trustees.
The shares of the Fund are entitled to vote separately to approve
investment advisory agreements or changes in investment restrictions, but
shareholders of all series vote together in the election and selection of
Trustees and accountants. Shares of all series of the Fund vote together as a
class on matters that affect all series of the Fund in substantially the same
manner. As to matters affecting a single series or class, shares of such series
or class will vote separately. No amendment adversely affecting the rights of
shareholders may be made to the Fund's Declaration of Trust without the
affirmative vote of a majority of its shares. Shares have no preemptive or
conversion rights. Shares are fully paid and non-assessable by the Fund, except
as stated below.
12. CERTAIN LIABILITIES
As a Delaware business trust, the Fund's operations are governed by its
Declaration of Trust dated August 8, 1995. A copy of the fund's Certificate of
Trust, also dated August 8, 1995, is on file with the office of the Secretary of
State of Delaware. Generally, Delaware business trust shareholders are not
personally liable for obligations of the Delaware business trust under Delaware
law. The Delaware Business Trust Act (the "Delaware Act") provides that a
shareholder of a Delaware business trust shall be entitled to the same
limitation of liability extended to shareholders of private for-profit
corporations. The Fund's Declaration of Trust expressly provides that the Fund
is organized under the Delaware Act and that the Declaration of Trust is to be
governed by Delaware law. It is nevertheless possible that a Delaware business
trust, such as the fund, might become a party to an action in another state
whose courts refused to apply Delaware law, in which case the trust's
shareholders could become subject to personal liability.
To guard against this risk, the Declaration of Trust (I) contains an
express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund
and provides that notice of such disclaimer may be given in each agreement,
obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Fund or its Trustees,
(ii) provides for the indemnification out of Fund property of any shareholders
held personally liable for any obligations of the Fund or any series of the Fund
and (iii) provides that the Fund shall, upon request, assume the defense of any
claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Fund and
satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring
financial loss beyond his or her investment because of shareholder liability is
limited to circumstances in which all of the following factors are present: (1)
a court refused to apply Delaware law; (2) the liability arose under tort law
or, if not, no contractual limitation of liability was in effect; and (3) the
Fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations. In light of Delaware law,
the nature of the Fund's business and the nature of its assets, the risk of
personal liability to a Fund shareholder is remote.
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The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Fund shall indemnify
each of its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses reasonably
incurred by them, in connection with, or arising out of, any action, suit or
proceeding, threatened against or otherwise involving such Trustee or officer,
directly or indirectly, by reason of being or having been a Trustee or officer
of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust does not authorize the Fund to indemnify
any Trustee or officer against any liability to which he or she would otherwise
be subject by reason of or for willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of such person's duties.
13. LETTER OF INTENTION
Purchases in the Class A shares of the Fund of $50,000 or more
(excluding any reinvestments of dividends and capital gains distributions) made
within a 13-month period pursuant to a Letter of Intention provided by PFD will
qualify for a reduced sales charge. Such reduced sales charge will be the charge
that would be applicable to the purchase of all Class A shares purchased during
such 13-month period pursuant to a Letter of Intention had such shares been
purchased all at once. See "How to Buy Fund Shares" in each Prospectus. For
example, a person who signs a Letter of Intention providing for a total
investment in Class A shares of $50,000 over a 13-month period would be charged
at the 4.50% sales charge rate with respect to all purchases during that period.
Should the amount actually purchased during the 13-month period be more or less
than that indicated in the Letter, an adjustment in the sales charge will be
made. A purchase not made pursuant to a Letter of Intention may be included
thereafter if the Letter is filed within 90 days of such purchase. Any
shareholder may also obtain the reduced sales charge by including the value (at
current offering price) of all the shares of record he holds in the Fund and in
all other Pioneer mutual funds, except Pioneer Money Market Trust, as of the
date of the Letter of Intention as a credit toward determining the applicable
scale of sales charge for the Class A shares to be purchased under the Letter of
Intention.
The Letter of Intention authorizes PSC to escrow Class A shares having
a purchase price equal to 5% of the stated investment specified in the Letter of
Intention. A Letter of Intention is not a binding obligation upon the investor
to purchase, or the Fund to sell, the full amount indicated and the investor
should carefully read the provisions of the Letter of Intention set forth in the
Account Application before signing.
14. SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN
The Systematic Withdrawal Plan ("SWP") is designed to provide a
convenient method of receiving fixed payments at regular intervals from Class A
shares of the Fund deposited by the applicant under this SWP. The applicant must
deposit or purchase for deposit with PSC shares of the Fund having a total value
of not less than $10,000. Periodic checks of $50 or more will be deposited
monthly or quarterly directly into a bank account designated by the applicant or
will be sent by check to the applicant, or any person designated by him monthly
or quarterly. Withdrawals from Class B share accounts are limited to 10% of the
value of the account at the time the SWP is implemented.
Any income dividends or capital gains distributions on shares under the
SWP will be credited to the Plan account on the payment date in full and
fractional shares at the net asset value per share in effect on the record date.
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SWP payments are made from the proceeds of the redemption of shares
deposited under the SWP in a SWP account. To the extent that such redemptions
for periodic withdrawals exceed dividend income reinvested in the SWP account,
such redemptions will reduce and may ultimately exhaust the number of shares
deposited in the Plan account. Redemptions are taxable transactions to
shareholders. In addition, the amounts received by a shareholder cannot be
considered as yield or income on his or her investment because part of such
payments may be a return of his or her investment.
The SWP may be terminated at any time (1)by written notice to PSC or
from PSC to the shareholder; (2)upon receipt by PSC of appropriate evidence of
the shareholder's death; or (3)when all shares under the Plan have been
redeemed.
15. DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value per share of each class of the Fund is determined
as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"Exchange") (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day on which the
Exchange is open for trading. As of the date of this Statement of Additional
Information, the Exchange is open for trading every weekday except for the
following holidays: New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The net asset
value per share of each class of the Fund is also determined on any other day in
which the level of trading in its portfolio securities is sufficiently high that
the current net asset value per share might be materially affected by changes in
the value of its portfolio securities. The Fund is not required to determine its
net asset value per share on any day in which no purchase orders for the shares
of the Fund become effective and no shares are tendered for redemption.
The net asset value per share of each class of the Fund is computed by
taking the value of all of the Fund's assets attributable to a class, less the
Fund's liabilities attributable to a class, and dividing it by the number of
outstanding shares of the class. For purposes of determining net asset value,
expenses of the classes of the Fund are accrued daily.
Securities that have not traded on the date of valuation or securities
for which sales prices are not generally reported are valued at the mean between
the last bid and asked prices. Securities for which no market quotations are
readily available (excluding those whose trading has been suspended) will be
valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees,
although the actual computations may be made by persons acting pursuant to the
direction of the Board of Trustees.
The Fund's maximum offering price per Class A share is determined by
adding the maximum sales charge to the net asset value per Class A share. Class
B shares are offered at net asset value without the imposition of an initial
sales charge.
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16. INVESTMENT RESULTS
Quotations, Comparisons, and General Information
From time to time, in advertisements, in sales literature, or in
reports to shareholders, the past performance of the Fund may be illustrated
and/or compared with that of other mutual funds with similar investment
objectives, and to stock or other relevant indices. For example, total return of
the Fund's classes may be compared to rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical
Services, Inc., a widely recognized independent service which monitors mutual
fund performance; the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index ("S&P 500"), an index of
unmanaged groups of common stock; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a recognized
unmanaged index of common stocks of 30 industrial companies listed on the New
York Stock Exchange; or The Frank Russell Indexes ("Russell 1000," "2000,"
"2500," "3000,") or the Wilshire Total Market Value Index ("Wilshire 5000"), two
recognized unmanaged indexes of broad based common stocks.
In addition, the performance of the classes of the Fund may be compared
to alternative investment or savings vehicles and/or to indexes or indicators of
economic activity, e.g., inflation or interest rates. Performance rankings and
listings reported in newspapers or national business and financial publications,
such as Barron's, Business Week, Consumers Digest, Consumer Reports, Financial
World, Forbes, Fortune, Investors Business Daily, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Magazine, Money Magazine, New York Times, Smart Money, USA Today, U.S. News and
World Report, The Wall Street Journal, and Worth may also be cited (if the Fund
is listed in any such publication) or used for comparison, as well as
performance listings and rankings from various other sources including Bloomberg
Financial Markets, CDA/Wiesenberger, Donoghue's Mutual Fund Almanac, Investment
Company Data, Inc., Johnson's Charts, Kanon Bloch Carre and Co., Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Micropal, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Schabacker
Investment Management and Towers Data Systems, Inc.
In addition, from time to time quotations from articles from financial
publications such as those listed above may be used in advertisements in sales
literature, or in reports to shareholders of the Fund.
The Fund may also present, from time to time, historical information
depicting the value of a hypothetical account in one or more classes of the Fund
since such Fund's inception.
In presenting investment results, the Fund may also include references
to certain financial planning concepts, including (a) an investor's need to
evaluate his financial assets and obligations to determine how much to invest;
(b) his need to analyze the objectives of various investments to determine where
to invest; and (c) his need to analyze his time frame for future capital needs
to determine how long to invest. The investor controls these three factors, all
of which affect the use of investments in building assets.
One of the primary methods used to measure the performance of a class
of the Fund is "total return." "Total return" will normally represent the
percentage change in value of an account, or of a hypothetical investment in a
class of the Fund, over any period up to the lifetime of that class of the Fund.
Total return calculations will usually assume the reinvestment of all dividends
and capital gains distributions and will be expressed as a percentage increase
or decrease from an initial value, for the entire period or for one or more
specified periods within the entire period. Total return percentages for periods
of less than one year will usually be annualized; total return percentages for
periods longer than one year will usually be accompanied by total return
percentages for each year within the period and/or by the average annual
compounded total return for the period. The income and capital components of a
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given return may be separated and portrayed in a variety of ways in order to
illustrate their relative significance. Performance may also be portrayed in
terms of cash or investment values, without percentages. Past performance cannot
guarantee any particular future result.
The Fund's average annual total return quotations for each of its
classes as that information may appear in the Fund's Prospectus, this Statement
of Additional Information or in advertising are calculated by standard methods
prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Standardized Average Annual Total Return Quotations
Average annual total return quotations for Class A and Class B shares
are computed by finding the average annual compounded rates of return that would
cause a hypothetical investment in the class made on the first day of a
designated period (assuming all dividends and distributions are reinvested) to
equal the ending redeemable value of such hypothetical investment on the last
day of the designated period in accordance with the following formula:
P(1+T)n = ERV
Where:
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1000, less the maximum sales
load of $57.50 for Class A shares or the deduction of the CDSC
on Class B shares at the end of the period
T = average annual total return
n = number of years
ERV = ending redeemable value of the hypothetical $1000 initial payment
made at the beginning of the designated period (or fractional
portion thereof)
For purposes of the above computation, it is assumed that all dividends and
distributions made by the Fund are reinvested at net asset value during the
designated period. The average annual total return quotation is determined to
the nearest 1/100 of 1%.
In determining the average annual total return (calculated as provided
above), recurring fees, if any, that are charged to all shareholder accounts of
a particular class are taken into consideration. For any account fees that vary
with the size of the account, the account fee used for purposes of the above
computation is assumed to be the fee that would be charged to a class's mean
account size.
Automated Information Line (FactFone)
FactFone, Pioneer's 24-hour automated information line, allows
shareholders to dial toll-free 1-800-225-4321 and hear recorded fund
information, including:
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o net asset value prices for all Pioneer mutual funds;
o annualized 30-day yields on Pioneer's bond funds;
o annualized 7-day yields and 7-day effective (compound)
yields for Pioneer's money market funds; and
o dividends and capital gains distributions on all Pioneer
mutual funds.
Yields are calculated in accordance with Securities and Exchange
Commission mandated standard formulas.
In addition, by using a personal identification number (PIN),
shareholders may access their account balance and last three transactions and
may order a duplicate statement.
All performance numbers communicated through FactFone represent past
performance, and figures for all quoted bond funds include the maximum
applicable sales charge. A shareholder's actual yield and total return will vary
with changing market conditions. The value of Class A and Class B shares (except
for Pioneer money market funds, which seek a stable $1.00 share price) will also
vary, and such shares may be worth more or less at redemption than their
original cost.
17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
[Financial Statements to be added in a pre-effective amendment]
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APPENDIX A
OTHER PIONEER INFORMATION
The Pioneer family of mutual funds was established in 1928 with the creation of
Pioneer Fund. Pioneer is one of the oldest, most respected and successful money
managers in the United States.
As of December 31, 1994, PMC employed a professional investment staff of 46,
with a combined average of 14 years' experience in the financial services
industry.
At December 31, 1994, there were 591,192 non-retirement shareholder accounts and
337,577 retirement shareholder accounts in Pioneer's funds. Total assets for all
Pioneer Funds as of December 31, 1994 were $10,038,000,000 representing a total
of 928,769 shareholder accounts.
A-1
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APPENDIX B
Description of Bond Ratings1
Moody's Investor's Service, Inc.2
Aaa: Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry
the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt
edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable
margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely
to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa: Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade
bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection
may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements
may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make
the long-term risks appear somewhat bigger 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 susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa: Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e.,
they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and
principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective
elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great
length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in
fact have speculative characteristics as well.
1 The ratings indicated herein are believed to be the most recent ratings
available at the date of this Prospectus for the securities listed. Ratings
are generally given to securities at the time of issuance. While the rating
agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no
obligation to do so, and the ratings indicated do not necessarily represent
ratings which will be given to these securities on the date of the Fund's
fiscal year-end.
2 Rates bonds of issuers which have $600,000 or more of debt, except bonds of
educational institutions, projects under construction, enterprises without
established earnings records and situations where current financial data is
unavailable.
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Standard & Poor's Ratings Group3
AAA: Bonds rated AAA are highest grade obligations. This rating indicates an
extremely strong capacity to pay principal and interest.
AA: Bonds rated AA also qualify as high-quality obligations. Capacity to pay
principal and interest is very strong, and in the majority of instances they
differ from AAA issues only in small degree.
A: Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest, although
they are more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and
economic conditions.
BBB: Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay
principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate 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 Rates all governmental bodies having $1,000,000 or more of debt
outstanding, unless adequate information is not available.
B-2
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PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a) Financial Statements:
Statement of Assets and Liabilities*
Report of Independent Public Accountants*
(b) Exhibits:
1.1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
1.2 Certificate of Trust.
2. By-Laws.
3. None.
4. None.
5. Form of Management Contract between the Registrant and
Pioneering Management Corporation.
6.1. Form of Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant and
Pioneer Funds Distributor, Inc.*
6.2. Form of Dealer Sales Agreement.*
7. None.
8. Form of Custodian Agreement between the Registrant and
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
9. Form of Investment Company Service Agreement between the
Registrant and Pioneering Services Corporation.*
10. Opinion and Consent of Counsel.*
11. Consent of Independent Public Accountants.*
12. None.
13. Form of Share Purchase Agreement.*
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14. None.
15.1 Form of Class A Shares Distribution Plan.*
15.2 Form of Class B Shares Distribution Plan.*
16. Not applicable.
17. Not applicable.
18. Not applicable.
19. Powers of Attorney.*
--------------
* To be filed by amendment.
Item 25. Persons Controlled By or Under
Common Control With Registrant.
Just prior to the effective date of this Registration Statement, it is
expected that The Pioneer Group, Inc., a publicly-traded Delaware corporation
("PGI"), will own all of the issued and outstanding shares of Pioneer Small Cap
Fund.
The Pioneer Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("PGI"), owns 100% of
the outstanding capital stock of Pioneering Management Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ("PMC"), Pioneering Services Corporation ("PSC"), Pioneer Funds
Distributor, Inc. ("PFD"), Pioneer Capital Corporation ("PCC"), Pioneer SBIC
Corp. ("SBIC"), Pioneer Associates, Inc., Pioneer International Corporation,
Pioneer Plans Corporation ("PPC"), Pioneer Goldfields Limited ("PGL"), and
Pioneer Investments Corporation ("PIC"), all Massachusetts corporations. PGI
also owns 100% of the outstanding capital stock of Pioneer Metals and
Technology, Inc. ("PMT"), a Delaware corporation, Pioneer Funds Marketing GmbH
("GmbH"), a German corporation and Pioneer First Polish Trust Fund Joint Stock
Company ("First Polish"), a Polish corporation. PGI owns 90% of the outstanding
shares of Teberebie Goldfields Limited ("TGL"). Pioneer Fund, Pioneer II,
Pioneer Three, Pioneer Bond Fund, Pioneer Intermediate Tax-Free Fund, Pioneer
Growth Trust, Pioneer Europe Fund, Pioneer International Growth Fund, Pioneer
Short-Term Income Trust, Pioneer Tax-Free State Series Trust and Pioneer America
Income Trust (each of the foregoing, a Massachusetts business trust), and
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Pioneer Interest Shares, Inc. (a Nebraska corporation), and Pioneer Growth
Shares, Pioneer Real Estate Shares, Pioneer Money Market Trust, Pioneer India
Fund, Pioneer Income Fund, Pioneer Tax-Free Income Fund, Pioneer Emerging
Markets Fund and the Registrant (each of the foregoing, a Delaware business
trust) are all parties to management contracts with PMC. PCC owns 100% of the
outstanding capital stock of SBIC. SBIC is the sole general partner of Pioneer
Ventures Limited Partnership, a Massachusetts limited partnership. John F.
Cogan, Jr. owns approximately 15% of the outstanding shares of PGI. Mr. Cogan is
Chairman of the Board, President and Trustee of the Registrant and of each of
the Pioneer mutual funds; Director and President of PGI; President and Director
of PPC, PIC, Pioneer International Corporation and PMT; Director of PCC and PSC;
Chairman of the Board and Director of PMC, PFD and TGL; Chairman, President and
Director of PGL; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of GmbH; Chairman and Member
of Supervisory Board of First Polish; and Chairman and Partner, Hale and Dorr.
Item 26. Number of Holders of Securities.
Just prior to the effective date of this Registration Statement, it is
expected that there will be one record holder of Pioneer Small Cap Fund's shares
of beneficial interest.
Item 27. Indemnification.
Except for the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 8, 1995,
establishing the Registrant as a Trust under Delaware law, there is no contract,
arrangement or statute under which any Trustee, officer, underwriter or
affiliated person of the Registrant is insured or indemnified. The Agreement and
Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee or officer will be indemnified
against any liability to which the Registrant would otherwise be subject by
reason of or for willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of such person's duties.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), may be available to Trustees, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim
for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
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<PAGE>
proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 28. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
All of the information required by this item is set forth in the Form
ADV, as amended, of Pioneering Management Corporation. The following sections of
such Form ADV are incorporated herein by reference:
(a) Items 1 and 2 of Part 2;
(b) Section 6, Business Background, of each Schedule D.
Item 29. Principal Underwriter
(a) See Item 25 above.
(b) Directors and Officers of PFD:
Name and Principal Positions and Offices Positions and Offices
Business Address* with Underwriter with Registrant
John F. Cogan, Jr. Director and Chairman Chairman of the Board,
President and Trustee
Robert L. Butler Director and President None
David D. Tripple Director Executive Vice
President
Stephen W. Long Senior Vice President None
John W. Drachman Vice President None
William A. Misata Vice President None
Anne W. Patenaude Vice President None
Elizabeth B. Rice Vice President None
Constance S. Spiros Vice President None
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Marcy Supovitz Vice President None
Steven R. Berke Assistant None
Vice President
Gail A. Smyth Assistant None
Vice President
William H. Keough Treasurer Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer
Roy P. Rossi Assistant Treasurer None
Joseph P. Barri Clerk Secretary
---------------
* The principal business address of each is 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109.
(c) Not applicable.
Item 30. Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts and records are maintained at the Registrant's office at
60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts; contact the Treasurer.
Item 31. Management Services
The Registrant is not a party to any management-related service
contract, except as described in the Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information.
Item 32. Undertakings
(a) Not applicable.
(b) The Registrant undertakes to file a post-effective amendment, using
financial statements which need not be certified, within four to six months from
the later of the effective date of this Registration Statement or the
commencement of operations.
(c) The Registrant undertakes to deliver, or cause to be delivered with
the Prospectus, to each person to whom the Prospectus is sent or given a copy of
the Registrant's report to shareholders furnished pursuant to and meeting the
requirements of Rule 30d-1 from which the specified information is incorporated
by reference, unless such person currently holds securities of the Registrant
and otherwise has received a copy of such report, in which case
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the Registrant shall state in the Prospectus that it will furnish, without
charge, a copy of such report on request, and the name, address and telephone
number of the person to whom such a request should be directed.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the
City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 14th day of August,
1995.
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
By: /s/John F. Cogan, Jr.
John F. Cogan, Jr.
President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated:
Signature Title
/s/John F. Cogan, Jr. Chairman of the Board, )
John F. Cogan, Jr. Trustee and President )
(Principal Executive )
Officer) )
)
)
) August 14,1995
)
)
)
/s/William H. Keough Chief Financial Officer )
William H. Keough and Treasurer (Principal )
Financial and Accounting )
Officer) )
<PAGE>
Exhibit Index
Exhibit Page
Number Document Title Number
1.1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
1.2 Certificate of Trust.
2. By-Laws.
5. Form of Management Contract between the Registrant and Pioneering
Management Corporation.
8. Form of Custodian Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers
Harriman & Co.
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
AGREEMENT AND
DECLARATION OF TRUST
This AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made on August 8, 1995 by John F.
Cogan, Jr. (together with all other persons from time to time duly elected,
qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the provisions of Article
II hereof, the "Trustees");
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees declare that all money and property contributed to
the Trust shall be held and managed in trust pursuant to this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE I
NAME AND DEFINITIONS
Section 1. Name. The name of the Trust created by this Agreement and Declaration
of Trust is "Pioneer Small Cap Fund."
Section 2. Definitions. Unless otherwise provided or required by the context:
(a)"Administrator" means the party, other than the Trust, to the
contract described in Article III, Section 3 hereof.
(b)"By-laws" means the By-laws of the Trust adopted by the Trustees,
as amended from time to time, which By-laws are expressly herein incorporated by
reference as part of the "governing instrument" within the meaning of the
Delaware Act.
(c)"Class" means the class of Shares of a Series established pursuant
to Article V.
(d)"Commission," "Interested Person" and "Principal Underwriter" have
the meanings provided in the 1940 Act. Except as such term may be otherwise
defined by the Trustees in conjunction with the establishment of any Series of
Shares, the term "vote of a majority of the Shares outstanding and entitled to
vote" shall have the same meaning as is assigned to the term "vote of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities" in the 1940 Act.
<PAGE>
(e)"Covered Person" means a person so defined in Article IV, Section
2.
(f)"Custodian" means any Person other than the Trust who has custody
of any Trust Property as required by Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act, but does not
include a system for the central handling of securities described in said
Section 17(f).
(g)"Declaration" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of Trust,
as amended or restated from time to time. Reference in this Declaration of Trust
to "Declaration," "hereof," "herein," and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer
to this Declaration rather than exclusively to the article or section in which
such words appear.
(h)"Delaware Act" means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code
entitled "Treatment of Delaware Business Trusts," as amended from time to time.
(i)"Distributor" means the party, other than the Trust, to the
contract described in Article III, Section 1 hereof.
(j)"His" shall include the feminine and neuter, as well as the
masculine, genders.
(k)"Investment Adviser" means the party, other than the Trust, to the
contract described in Article III, Section 2 hereof.
(l)"Net Asset Value" means the net asset value of each Series of the
Trust, determined as provided in Article VI, Section 3.
(m)"Person" means and includes individuals, corporations,
partnerships, trusts, associations, joint ventures, estates and other entities,
and governments and agencies and political subdivisions, thereof, whether
domestic or foreign.
(n)"Series" means a series of Shares established pursuant to Article
V.
(o)"Shareholder" means a record owner of Outstanding Shares;
(p)"Shares" means the equal proportionate transferable units of
interest into which the beneficial interest of each Series or Class is divided
from time to time (including whole Shares and fractions of Shares). "Outstanding
2
<PAGE>
Shares" means Shares shown in the books of the Trust or its transfer agent as
then issued and outstanding, but does not include Shares which have been
repurchased or redeemed by the Trust and which are held in the treasury of the
Trust.
(q)"Transfer Agent" means any Person other than the Trust who
maintains the Shareholder records of the Trust, such as the list of
Shareholders, the number of Shares credited to each account, and the like.
(r)"Trust" means Pioneer Small Cap Fund established hereby, and
reference to the Trust, when applicable to one or more Series, refers to that
Series.
(s)"Trustees" means the person who has signed this Declaration of
Trust, so long as he shall continue in office in accordance with the terms
hereof, and all other persons who may from time to time be duly qualified and
serving as Trustees in accordance with Article II, in all cases in their
capacities as Trustees hereunder.
(t)"Trust Property" means any and all property, real or personal,
tangible or intangible, which is owned or held by or for the Trust or any Series
or the Trustees on behalf of the Trust or any Series.
(u)The "1940 Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended from time to time.
ARTICLE II
THE TRUSTEES
Section 1. Management of the Trust. The business and affairs of the Trust shall
be managed by or under the direction of the Trustees, and they shall have all
powers necessary or desirable to carry out that responsibility. The Trustees may
execute all instruments and take all action they deem necessary or desirable to
promote the interests of the Trust. Any determination made by the Trustees in
good faith as to what is in the interests of the Trust shall be conclusive. In
construing the provisions of this Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor
of a grant of power to the Trustees.
Section 2. Powers. The Trustees in all instances shall act as principals, free
of the control of the Shareholders. The Trustees shall have full power and
3
<PAGE>
authority to take or refrain from taking any action and to execute any contracts
and instruments that they may consider necessary or desirable in the management
of the Trust. The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by current
or future laws or customs applicable to trust investments, but shall have full
power and authority to make any investments which they, in their sole
discretion, deem proper to accomplish the purposes of the Trust. The Trustees
may exercise all of their powers without recourse to any court or other
authority. Subject to any applicable limitation herein or in the By-laws or
resolutions of the Trust, the Trustees shall have power and authority, without
limitation:
(a)To operate as and carry on the business of an investment company,
and exercise all the powers necessary and appropriate to the conduct of such
operations.
(b)To invest in, hold for investment, or reinvest in, cash;
securities, including common, preferred and preference stocks; warrants;
subscription rights; profit-sharing interests or participations and all other
contracts for or evidence of equity interests; bonds, debentures, bills, time
notes and all other evidences of indebtedness; negotiable or non-negotiable
instruments; government securities, including securities of any state,
municipality or other political subdivision thereof, or any governmental or
quasi-governmental agency or instrumentality; and money market instruments
including bank certificates of deposit, finance paper, commercial paper,
bankers' acceptances and all kinds of repurchase agreements, of any corporation,
company, trust, association, firm or other business organization however
established, and of any country, state, municipality or other political
subdivision, or any governmental or quasi-governmental agency or
instrumentality; or any other security, property or instrument in which the
Trust or any of its Series shall be authorized to invest.
(c)To acquire (by purchase, subscription or otherwise), to hold, to
trade in and deal in, to acquire any rights or options to purchase or sell, to
sell or otherwise dispose of, to lend and to pledge any such securities, to
enter into repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment
agreements and forward foreign currency exchange contracts, to purchase and sell
options on securities, securities indices, currency and other financial assets,
futures contracts and options on futures contracts of all descriptions and to
engage in all types of hedging and risk-management transactions.
4
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(d)To exercise all rights, powers and privileges of ownership or
interest in all securities and repurchase agreements included in the Trust
Property, including the right to vote thereon and otherwise act with respect
thereto and to do all acts for the preservation, protection, improvement and
enhancement in value of all such securities and repurchase agreements.
(e)To acquire (by purchase, lease or otherwise) and to hold, use,
maintain, develop and dispose of (by sale or otherwise) any property, real or
personal, including cash or foreign currency, and any interest therein.
(f)To borrow money or other property in the name of the Trust
exclusively for Trust purposes and in this connection issue notes or other
evidence of indebtedness; to secure borrowings by mortgaging, pledging or
otherwise subjecting as security the Trust Property; and to endorse, guarantee,
or undertake the performance of any obligation or engagement of any other Person
and to lend Trust Property.
(g)To aid by further investment any corporation, company, trust,
association or firm, any obligation of or interest in which is included in the
Trust Property or in the affairs of which the Trustees have any direct or
indirect interest; to do all acts and things designed to protect, preserve,
improve or enhance the value of such obligation or interest; and to guarantee or
become surety on any or all of the contracts, stocks, bonds, notes, debentures
and other obligations of any such corporation, company, trust, association or
firm.
(h)To adopt By-laws not inconsistent with this Declaration providing
for the conduct of the business of the Trust and to amend and repeal them to the
extent such right is not reserved to the Shareholders.
(i)To elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such
agents as they deem appropriate.
(j)To employ as custodian of any assets of the Trust, subject to any
provisions herein or in the By-laws, one or more banks, trust companies or
companies that are members of a national securities exchange, or other entities
permitted by the Commission to serve as such.
(k)To retain one or more transfer agents and shareholder servicing
agents, or both.
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(l)To provide for the distribution of Shares either through a
Principal Underwriter as provided herein or by the Trust itself, or both, or
pursuant to a distribution plan of any kind.
(m)To set record dates in the manner provided for herein or in the
By- laws.
(n)To delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any
officers of the Trust and to any agent, independent contractor, manager,
investment adviser, custodian or underwriter.
(o)To hold any security or other property (i) in a form not
indicating any trust, whether in bearer, book entry, unregistered or other
negotiable form, or (ii) either in the Trust's or Trustees' own name or in the
name of a custodian or a nominee or nominees, subject to safeguards according to
the usual practice of business trusts or investment companies.
(p)To establish separate and distinct Series with separately defined
investment objectives and policies and distinct investment purposes, and with
separate Shares representing beneficial interests in such Series, and to
establish separate Classes, all in accordance with the provisions of Article V.
(q)To the full extent permitted by Section 3804 of the Delaware Act,
to allocate assets, liabilities and expenses of the Trust to a particular Series
and assets, liabilities and expenses to a particular Class or to apportion the
same between or among two or more Series or Classes, provided that any
liabilities or expenses incurred by a particular Series or Class shall be
payable solely out of the assets belonging to that Series or Class as provided
for in Article V, Section 4.
(r)To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or concern whose securities are held
by the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase, or sale of
property by such corporation or concern; and to pay calls or subscriptions with
respect to any security held in the Trust.
(s)To compromise, arbitrate, or otherwise adjust claims in favor of
or against the Trust or any matter in controversy including, but not limited to,
claims for taxes.
(t)To make distributions of income, capital gains, returns of capital
(if any) and redemption proceeds to Shareholders in the manner hereinafter
provided for.
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(u)To establish committees for such purposes, with such membership,
and with such responsibilities as the Trustees may consider proper, including a
committee consisting of fewer than all of the Trustees then in office, which may
act for and bind the Trustees and the Trust with respect to the institution,
prosecution, dismissal, settlement, review or investigation of any legal action,
suit or proceeding, pending or threatened.
(v)To issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, cancel, retire, acquire, hold,
resell, reissue, dispose of and otherwise deal in Shares; to establish terms and
conditions regarding the issuance, sale, repurchase, redemption, cancellation,
retirement, acquisition, holding, resale, reissuance, disposition of or dealing
in Shares; and, subject to Articles V and VI, to apply to any such repurchase,
redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or
property of the Trust or of the particular Series with respect to which such
Shares are issued.
(w)To invest part or all of the Trust Property (or part or all of the
assets of any Series), or to dispose of part or all of the Trust Property (or
part or all of the assets of any Series) and invest the proceeds of such
disposition, in securities issued by one or more other investment companies
registered under the 1940 Act all without any requirement of approval by
Shareholders. Any such other investment company may (but need not) be a trust
(formed under the laws of the State of New York or of any other state) which is
classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
(x)To carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to
any of the foregoing powers, to do everything necessary or desirable to
accomplish any purpose or to further any of the foregoing powers, and to take
every other action incidental to the foregoing business or purposes, objects or
powers.
(y) To sell or exchange any or all of the assets of the Trust, subject
to Article IX, Section 4.
(z)To enter into joint ventures, partnerships and other combinations
and associations.
(aa)To join with other security holders in acting through a
committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to
deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee,
depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with
relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the
Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the
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expenses and compensation of such Committee, depositary or trustee as the
Trustees shall deem proper;
(bb)To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property such
insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of
the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the
assets of the Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio
investments, and, subject to applicable law and any restrictions set forth in
the By-laws, insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers,
employees, agents, investment advisers, Principal Underwriters, or independent
contractors of the Trust, individually, against all claims and liabilities of
every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, holding, being or having held
any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been
taken or omitted by any such Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent,
investment adviser, Principal underwriter, or independent contractor, including
any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence,
whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against
liability;
(cc)To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share
bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and
benefit plans and trusts, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity
contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or
all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust;
(dd) To enter into contracts of any kind and description;
(ee)To interpret the investment policies, practices or limitations of
any Series or Class; and
(ff)To guarantee indebtedness and contractual obligations of others.
The clauses above shall be construed as objects and powers, and the enumeration
of specific powers shall not limit in any way the general powers of the
Trustees. Any action by one or more of the Trustees in their capacity as such
hereunder shall be deemed an action on behalf of the Trust or the applicable
Series, and not an action in an individual capacity. No one dealing with the
Trustees shall be under any obligation to make any inquiry concerning the
authority of the Trustees, or to see to the application of any payments made or
property transferred to the Trustees or upon their order. In construing this
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Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the
Trustees.
Section 3. Certain Transactions. Except as prohibited by applicable law, the
Trustees may, on behalf of the Trust, buy any securities from or sell any
securities to, or lend any assets of the Trust to, any Trustee or officer of the
Trust or any firm of which any such Trustee or officer is a member acting as
principal, or have any such dealings with any investment adviser, administrator,
distributor or transfer agent for the Trust or with any Interested Person of
such person. The Trust may employ any such person or entity in which such person
is an Interested Person, as broker, legal counsel, registrar, investment
adviser, administrator, distributor, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent,
custodian or in any other capacity upon customary terms.
Section 4. Initial Trustees; Election and Number of Trustees. The initial
Trustee shall be the person initially signing this Declaration. The number of
Trustees (other than the initial Trustee) shall be fixed from time to time by a
majority of the Trustees; provided, that there shall be at least one (1) Trustee
and no more than fifteen (15). The Shareholders shall elect the Trustees (other
than the initial Trustee) on such dates as the Trustees may fix from time to
time.
Section 5. Term of Office of Trustees. Each Trustee shall hold office for life
or until his successor is elected or the Trust terminates; except that (a) any
Trustee may resign by delivering to the other Trustees or to any Trust officer a
written resignation effective upon such delivery or a later date specified
therein; (b) any Trustee may be removed with or without cause at any time by a
written instrument signed by at least a majority of the then Trustees,
specifying the effective date of removal; (c) any Trustee who requests to be
retired, or who is declared bankrupt or has become physically or mentally
incapacitated or is otherwise unable to serve, may be retired by a written
instrument signed by a majority of the other Trustees, specifying the effective
date of retirement; and (d) any Trustee may be removed at any meeting of the
Shareholders by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Outstanding Shares.
Section 6. Vacancies; Appointment of Trustees. Whenever a vacancy shall exist in
the Board of Trustees, regardless of the reason for such vacancy, the remaining
Trustees shall appoint any person as they determine in their sole discretion to
fill that vacancy, consistent with the limitations under the 1940 Act. Such
appointment shall be made by a written instrument signed by a majority of the
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Trustees or by a resolution of the Trustees, duly adopted and recorded in the
records of the Trust, specifying the effective date of the appointment. The
Trustees may appoint a new Trustee as provided above in anticipation of a
vacancy expected to occur because of the retirement, resignation or removal of a
Trustee, or an increase in number of Trustees, provided that such appointment
shall become effective only at or after the expected vacancy occurs. As soon as
any such Trustee has accepted his appointment in writing, the trust estate shall
vest in the new Trustee, together with the continuing Trustees, without any
further act or conveyance, and he shall be deemed a Trustee hereunder. The
Trustees' power of appointment is subject to Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act.
Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is
filled as provided in this Article II, the Trustees in office, regardless of
their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall
discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by the Declaration. The
death, declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of
one or more Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to
revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of
Trust.
Section 7. Temporary Vacancy or Absence. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of
Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled, or while any Trustee is
absent from his domicile (unless that Trustee has made arrangements to be
informed about, and to participate in, the affairs of the Trust during such
absence), or is physically or mentally incapacitated, the remaining Trustees
shall have all the powers hereunder and their certificate as to such vacancy,
absence, or incapacity shall be conclusive. Any Trustee may, by power of
attorney, delegate his powers as Trustee for a period not exceeding six (6)
months at any one time to any other Trustee or Trustees.
Section 8. Chairman. The Trustees shall appoint one of their number to be
Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of
the Trustees, shall be responsible for the execution of policies established by
the Trustees and the administration of the Trust, and may be the chief
executive, financial and/or accounting officer of the Trust.
Section 9. Action by the Trustees. The Trustees shall act by majority vote at a
meeting duly called at which a quorum is present, including a meeting held by
conference telephone, teleconference or other electronic media or communication
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can
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communicate with each other; or by written consent of a majority of Trustees (or
such greater number as may be required by applicable law) without a meeting. A
majority of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum at any meeting. Meetings of
the Trustees may be called orally or in writing by the President or by any one
of the Trustees. Notice of the time, date and place of all Trustees' meetings
shall be given to each Trustee as set forth in the By-laws; provided, however,
that no notice is required if the Trustees provide for regular or stated
meetings. Notice need not be given to any Trustee who attends the meeting
without objecting to the lack of notice or who signs a waiver of notice either
before or after the meeting. The Trustees by majority vote may delegate to any
Trustee or Trustees or committee authority to approve particular matters or take
particular actions on behalf of the Trust. Any written consent or waiver may be
provided and delivered to the Trust by facsimile or other similar electronic
mechanism.
Section 10. Ownership of Trust Property. The Trust Property of the Trust and of
each Series shall be held separate and apart from any assets now or hereafter
held in any capacity other than as Trustee hereunder by the Trustees or any
successor Trustees. Legal title in and beneficial ownership of all of the assets
of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trust, except
that the Trustees may cause legal title in and beneficial ownership of any Trust
Property to be held by, or in the name of one or more of the Trustees acting for
and on behalf of the Trust, or in the name of any person as nominee acting for
and on behalf of the Trust. No Shareholder shall be deemed to have a severable
ownership in any individual asset of the Trust or of any Series or any right of
partition or possession thereof, but each Shareholder shall have, as provided in
Article V, a proportionate undivided beneficial interest in the Trust or Series
or Class thereof represented by Shares. The Shares shall be personal property
giving only the rights specifically set forth in this Trust Instrument. The
Trust, or at the determination of the Trustees one or more of the Trustees or a
nominee acting for and on behalf of the Trust, shall be deemed to hold legal
title and beneficial ownership of any income earned on securities of the Trust
issued by any business entities formed, organized, or existing under the laws of
any jurisdiction, including the laws of any foreign country. Upon the
resignation or removal of a Trustee, or his otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee,
he shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall
require for the purpose of conveying to the Trust or the remaining Trustees any
Trust Property held in the name of the resigning or removed Trustee. Upon the
incapacity or death of any Trustee, his legal representative shall execute and
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deliver on his behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require as
provided in the preceding sentence.
Section 11. Effect of Trustees Not Serving. The death, resignation, retirement,
removal, incapacity or inability or refusal to serve of the Trustees, or any one
of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency
created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration.
Section 12. Trustees, etc. as Shareholders. Subject to any restrictions in the
By-laws, any Trustee, officer, agent or independent contractor of the Trust may
acquire, own and dispose of Shares to the same extent as any other Shareholder;
the Trustees may issue and sell Shares to and buy Shares from any such person or
any firm or company in which such person is interested, subject only to any
general limitations herein.
Section 13. Series Trustees. In connection with the establishment of one or more
Series or Classes, the Trustees establishing such Series or Class may appoint,
to the extent permitted by the Delaware Act, separate Trustees with respect to
such Series or Classes (the "Series Trustees"). Series Trustees may, but are not
required to, serve as Trustees of the Trust or any other Series or Class of the
Trust. The Series Trustees shall have, to the exclusion of any other Trustee of
the Trust, all the powers and authorities of Trustees hereunder with respect to
such Series or Class, but shall have no power or authority with respect to any
other Series or Class. Any provision of this Declaration relating to election of
Trustees by Shareholders only shall entitle the Shareholders of a Series or
Class for which Series Trustees have been appointed to vote with respect to the
election of such Series Trustees and the Shareholders of any other Series or
Class shall not be entitled to participate in such vote. In the event that
Series Trustees are appointed, the Trustees initially appointing such Series
Trustees shall, without the approval of any Outstanding Shares, amend either the
Declaration or the By-laws to provide for the respective responsibilities of the
Trustees and the Series Trustees in circumstances where an action of the
Trustees or Series Trustees affects all Series of the Trust or two or more
Series represented by different Trustees.
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ARTICLE III
CONTRACTS WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS
Section 1. Underwriting Contract. The Trustees may in their discretion from time
to time enter into an exclusive or non-exclusive distribution contract or
contracts providing for the sale of the Shares whereby the Trustees may either
agree to sell the Shares to the other party to the contract or appoint such
other party as their sales agent for the Shares, and in either case on such
terms and conditions, if any, as may be prescribed in the By-laws, and such
further terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article III or of the By-laws; and
such contract may also provide for the repurchase of the Shares by such other
party as agent of the Trustees.
Section 2. Advisory or Management Contract. The Trustees may in their discretion
from time to time enter into one or more investment advisory or management
contracts or, if the Trustees establish multiple Series, separate investment
advisory or management contracts with respect to one or more Series whereby the
other party or parties to any such contracts shall undertake to furnish the
Trust or such Series management, investment advisory, administration,
accounting, legal, statistical and research facilities and services, promotional
or marketing activities, and such other facilities and services, if any, as the
Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and
conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine. Notwithstanding
any provisions of the Declaration, the Trustees may authorize the Investment
Advisers or persons to whom the Investment Adviser delegates certain or all of
their duties, or any of them, under any such contracts (subject to such general
or specific instructions as the Trustees may from time to time adopt) to effect
purchases, sales, loans or exchanges of portfolio securities and other
investments of the Trust on behalf of the Trustees or may authorize any officer,
employee or Trustee to effect such purchases, sales, loans or exchanges pursuant
to recommendations of such Investment Advisers, or any of them (and all without
further action by the Trustees). Any such purchases, sales, loans and exchanges
shall be deemed to have been authorized by all of the Trustees.
Section 3. Administration Agreement. The Trustees may in their discretion from
time to time enter into an administration agreement or, if the Trustees
establish multiple Series or Classes, separate administration agreements with
respect to each Series or Class, whereby the other party to such agreement shall
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undertake to manage the business affairs of the Trust or of a Series or Class
thereof of the Trust and furnish the Trust or a Series or a Class thereof with
office facilities, and shall be responsible for the ordinary clerical,
bookkeeping and recordkeeping services at such office facilities, and other
facilities and services, if any, and all upon such terms and conditions as the
Trustees may in their discretion determine.
Section 4. Service Agreement. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to
time enter into service agreements with respect to one or more Series or Classes
of Shares whereby the other parties to such Service Agreements will provide
administration and/or support services pursuant to administration plans and
service plans, and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees in their
discretion may determine.
Section 5. Transfer Agent. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to
time enter into a transfer agency and shareholder service contract whereby the
other party to such contract shall undertake to furnish transfer agency and
shareholder services to the Trust. The contract shall have such terms and
conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine not inconsistent
with the Declaration. Such services may be provided by one or more Persons.
Section 6. Custodian. The Trustees may appoint or otherwise engage one or more
banks or trust companies, each having aggregate capital, surplus and undivided
profits (as shown in its last published report) of at least two million dollars
($2,000,000), or any other entity satisfying the requirements of the 1940 Act,
to serve as Custodian with authority as its agent, but subject to such
restrictions, limitations and other requirements, if any, as may be contained in
the By-laws of the Trust. The Trustees may also authorize the Custodian to
employ one or more sub-custodians, including such foreign banks and securities
depositories as meet the requirements of applicable provisions of the 1940 Act,
and upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon between the Custodian
and such sub-custodian, to hold securities and other assets of the Trust and to
perform the acts and services of the Custodian, subject to applicable provisions
of law and resolutions adopted by the Trustees.
Section 7. Affiliations of Trustees or Officers, Etc. The fact that:
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(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the
Trust or any Series thereof is a shareholder, director, officer,
partner, trustee, employee, manager, adviser or distributor of or for
any partnership, corporation, trust, association or other organization
or of or for any parent or affiliate of any organization, with which a
contract of the character described in this Article III or for services
as Custodian, Transfer Agent or disbursing agent or for related
services may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such
organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder of
or has an interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any partnership, corporation, trust, association or other
organization with which a contract of the character described in
Sections 1, 2, 3 or 4 of this Article III or for services as Custodian,
Transfer Agent or disbursing agent or for related services may have
been or may hereafter be made also has any one or more of such
contracts with one or more other partnerships, corporations, trusts,
associations or other organizations, or has other business or
interests,
shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the
same or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders.
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ARTICLE IV
COMPENSATION, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust, and they may fix the amount of such
compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any
Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other
services and payment for the same by the Trust.
Section 2. Limitation of Liability. All persons contracting with or
having any claim against the Trust or a particular Series shall look only to the
assets of all Series or such particular Series for payment under such contract
or claim; and neither the Trustees nor, when acting in such capacity, any of the
Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be
personally liable therefor. Every written instrument or obligation on behalf of
the Trust or any Series shall contain a statement to the foregoing effect, but
the absence of such statement shall not operate to make any Trustee or officer
of the Trust liable thereunder. Provided they have exercised reasonable care and
have acted under the reasonable belief that their actions are in the best
interest of the Trust, the Trustees and officers of the Trust shall not be
responsible or liable for any act or omission or for neglect or wrongdoing of
them or any officer, agent, employee, investment adviser or independent
contractor of the Trust, but nothing contained in this Declaration or in the
Delaware Act shall protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust against liability
to the Trust or to Shareholders 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.
Section 3. Indemnification. (a) Subject to the exceptions and
limitations contained in subsection (b) below:
(i)every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer,
employee or agent of the Trust (including any individual who
serves at its request as director, officer, partner, trustee
or the like of another organization in which it has any
interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) ("Covered
Person") shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate
Series to the fullest extent permitted by law against
liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid
by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or
proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or
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otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Covered
Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the
settlement thereof; and
(ii) as used herein, the words "claim," "action," "suit," or
"proceeding" shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or
proceedings (civil, criminal or other, including appeals),
actual or threatened, and the words "liability" and "expenses"
shall include, without limitation, attorneys' fees, costs,
judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and
other liabilities.
(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered
Person:
(i)who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before
which the proceeding was brought (A) to be liable to the Trust
or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office, or (B) not to have
acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action
was in the best interest of the Trust; or
(ii) in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a
determination that such Covered Person did not engage in
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;
(A) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (B)
by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither
Interested Persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter
based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to
a full trial-type inquiry); (C) by written opinion of
independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) or
(D) by a vote of a majority of the Outstanding Shares entitled
to vote (excluding any Outstanding Shares owned of record or
beneficially by such individual).
(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured
against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be
exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or
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hereafter be entitled, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors
and administrators of a Covered Person.
(d) To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses in
connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim,
action, suit or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this
Section may be paid by the Trust or applicable Series from time to time prior to
final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such
Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or
applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to
indemnification under this Section; provided, however, that either (i) such
Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such undertaking,
(ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising out of any such advance
payments or (iii) either a majority of the Trustees who are neither Interested
Persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in
a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason
to believe that such Covered Person will not be disqualified from
indemnification under this Section.
(e) Any repeal or modification of this Article IV by the Shareholders,
or adoption or modification of any other provision of the Declaration or By-
laws inconsistent with this Article, shall be prospective only, to the extent
that such repeal, or modification would, if applied retrospectively, adversely
affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification
available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission which
occurred prior to such repeal, modification or adoption.
Section 3. Indemnification of Shareholders. If any Shareholder or
former Shareholder of any Series shall be held personally liable solely by
reason of his being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his acts or
omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or
his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or in the
case of any entity, its general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets
belonging to the applicable Series to be held harmless from and indemnified
against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf
of the affected Series, shall, upon request by such Shareholder, assume the
defense of any claim made against such Shareholder for any act or obligation of
the Series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Series.
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Section 4. No Bond Required of Trustees. No Trustee shall be obligated
to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties
hereunder.
Section 5. No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, Etc.
No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other Person dealing with the Trustees
or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust or a Series thereof shall be
bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting
to be made by the Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable
for the application of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the
order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation,
contract, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or a
Series thereof or undertaking, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed
in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively presumed to have been
executed or done by the executors thereof only in their capacity as Trustees
under this Declaration or in their capacity as officers, employees or agents of
the Trust or a Series thereof. Every written obligation, contract, instrument,
certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or a Series thereof or
undertaking made or issued by the Trustees may recite that the same is executed
or made by them not individually, but as Trustees under the Declaration, and
that the obligations of the Trust or a Series thereof under any such instrument
are not binding upon any of the Trustees or Shareholders individually, but bind
only the Trust Property or the Trust Property of the applicable Series, and may
contain any further recital which they may deem appropriate, but the omission of
such recital shall not operate to bind the Trustees individually. The Trustees
shall at all times maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property
or the Trust Property of the applicable Series, its Shareholders, Trustees,
officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem
adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the
Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable.
Section 6. Reliance on Experts, Etc. Each Trustee, officer or employee
of the Trust or a Series thereof shall, in the performance of his duties, powers
and discretions hereunder be fully and completely justified and protected with
regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance in good faith
upon the books of account or other records of the Trust or a Series thereof,
upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust or a Series
thereof by any of its officers or employees or by the Investment Adviser, the
Administrator, the Distributor, Transfer Agent, selected dealers, accountants,
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appraisers or other experts or consultants selected with reasonable care by the
Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel
or expert may also be a Trustee.
ARTICLE V
SERIES; CLASSES; SHARES
Section 1. Establishment of Series or Class. The Trust shall consist of
one or more Series. Without limiting the authority of the Trustees to establish
and designate any further Series, the Trustees hereby establish a single Series
which shall be designated Pioneer Small Cap Fund. Each additional Series shall
be established and is effective upon the adoption of a resolution of a majority
of the Trustees or any alternative date specified in such resolution. The
Trustees may designate the relative rights and preferences of the Shares of each
Series. The Trustees may divide the Shares of any Series into Classes. Without
limiting the authority of the Trustees to establish and designate any further
Classes, the Trustees hereby establish two Classes of Shares which shall be
designated Class A and Class B Shares. The Classes of Shares of the existing
Series herein established and designated and any Shares of any further Series
and Classes that may from time to time be established and designated by the
Trustees shall be established and designated, and the variations in the relative
rights and preferences as between the different Series shall be fixed and
determined, by the Trustees; provided, that all Shares shall be identical except
for such variations as shall be fixed and determined between different Series or
Classes by the Trustees in establishing and designating such Class or Series. In
connection therewith with respect to the existing Classes, the purchase price,
the method of determining the net asset value, and the relative dividend rights
of holders shall be as set forth in the Trust's Registration Statement on Form
N- 1A under the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the 1940 Act and as in effect at
the time of issuing Shares of the existing Classes.
All references to Shares in this Declaration shall be deemed to be
Shares of any or all Series or Classes as the context may require. The Trust
shall maintain separate and distinct records for each Series and hold and
account for the assets thereof separately from the other assets of the Trust or
of any other Series. A Series may issue any number of Shares or any Class
thereof and need not issue Shares. Each Share of a Series shall represent an
equal beneficial interest in the net assets of such Series. Each holder of
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Shares of a Series or a Class thereof shall be entitled to receive his pro rata
share of all distributions made with respect to such Series or Class. Upon
redemption of his Shares, such Shareholder shall be paid solely out of the funds
and property of such Series. The Trustees may adopt and change the name of any
Series or Class.
Section 2. Shares. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be
divided into transferable Shares of one or more separate and distinct Series or
Classes established by the Trustees. The number of Shares of each Series and
Class is unlimited and each Share shall have no par value per Share or such
other amount as the Trustees may establish. All Shares issued hereunder shall be
fully paid and nonassessable. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other
right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the
Trust. The Trustees shall have full power and authority, in their sole
discretion and without obtaining Shareholder approval, to issue original or
additional Shares at such times and on such terms and conditions as they deem
appropriate; to issue fractional Shares and Shares held in the treasury; to
establish and to change in any manner Shares of any Series or Classes with such
preferences, terms of conversion, voting powers, rights and privileges as the
Trustees may determine (but the Trustees may not change Outstanding Shares in a
manner materially adverse to the Shareholders of such Shares); to divide or
combine the Shares of any Series or Classes into a greater or lesser number; to
classify or reclassify any unissued Shares of any Series or Classes into one or
more Series or Classes of Shares; to abolish any one or more Series or Classes
of Shares; to issue Shares to acquire other assets (including assets subject to,
and in connection with, the assumption of liabilities) and businesses; and to
take such other action with respect to the Shares as the Trustees may deem
desirable. Shares held in the treasury shall not confer any voting rights on the
Trustees and shall not be entitled to any dividends or other distributions
declared with respect to the Shares.
Section 3. Investment in the Trust. The Trustees shall accept
investments in any Series or Class from such persons and on such terms as they
may from time to time authorize. At the Trustees' discretion, such investments,
subject to applicable law, may be in the form of cash or securities in which
that Series is authorized to invest, valued as provided in Article VI, Section
3. Investments in a Series shall be credited to each Shareholder's account in
the form of full Shares at the Net Asset Value per Share next determined after
the investment is received or accepted as may be determined by the Trustees;
provided, however, that the Trustees may, in their sole discretion, (a) impose a
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sales charge upon investments in any Series or Class, (b) issue fractional
Shares, (c) determine the Net Asset Value per Share of the initial capital
contribution or (d) authorize the issuance of Shares at a price other than Net
Asset Value to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rule, order or
interpretation of the Commission thereunder. The Trustees shall have the right
to refuse to accept investments in any Series at any time without any cause or
reason therefor whatsoever.
Section 4. Assets and Liabilities of Series. All consideration received
by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together
with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all
income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof (including any proceeds derived
from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments
derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may
be), shall be held and accounted for separately from the assets of every other
Series and are referred to as "assets belonging to" that Series. The assets
belonging to a Series shall belong only to that Series for all purposes, and to
no other Series, subject only to the rights of creditors of that Series. Any
assets, income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, funds, or payments
which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular Series shall
be allocated by the Trustees between and among one or more Series as the
Trustees deem fair and equitable. Each such allocation shall be conclusive and
binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes, and such assets,
earnings, income, profits or funds, or payments and proceeds thereof shall be
referred to as assets belonging to that Series. The assets belonging to a Series
shall be so recorded upon the books of the Trust, and shall be held by the
Trustees in trust for the benefit of the Shareholders of that Series. The assets
belonging to a Series shall be charged with the liabilities of that Series and
all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series, except
that liabilities and expenses allocated solely to a particular Class shall be
borne by that Class. Any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or
reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any
particular Series or Class shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees
between or among any one or more of the Series or Classes in such manner as the
Trustees deem fair and equitable. Each such allocation shall be conclusive and
binding upon the Shareholders of all Series or Classes for all purposes.
Without limiting the foregoing, but subject to the right of the
Trustees to allocate general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves
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as herein provided, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred,
contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular Series shall
be enforceable against the assets of such Series only, and not against the
assets of any other Series. Notice of this contractual limitation on liabilities
among Series may, in the Trustees' discretion, be set forth in the certificate
of trust of the Trust (whether originally or by amendment) as filed or to be
filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant
to the Delaware Act, and upon the giving of such notice in the certificate of
trust, the statutory provisions of Section 3804 of the Delaware Act relating to
limitations on liabilities among Series (and the statutory effect under Section
3804 of setting forth such notice in the certificate of trust) shall become
applicable to the Trust and each Series. Any person extending credit to,
contracting with or having any claim against any Series may look only to the
assets of that Series to satisfy or enforce any debt, with respect to that
Series. No Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series shall have a claim on
or any right to any assets allocated or belonging to any other Series.
Section 5. Ownership and Transfer of Shares. The Trust or a transfer or
similar agent for the Trust shall maintain a register containing the names and
addresses of the Shareholders of each Series and Class thereof, the number of
Shares of each Series and Class held by such Shareholders, and a record of all
Share transfers. The register shall be conclusive as to the identity of
Shareholders of record and the number of Shares held by them from time to time.
The Trustees may authorize the issuance of certificates representing Shares and
adopt rules governing their use. The Trustees may make rules governing the
transfer of Shares, whether or not represented by certificates. Except as
otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shares shall be transferable on the books of
the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by his duly authorized agent upon
delivery to the Trustees or the Trust's transfer agent of a duly executed
instrument of transfer, together with a Share certificate if one is outstanding,
and such evidence or the genuineness of each such execution and authorization
and of such other matters as may be required by the Trustees. Upon such
delivery, and subject to any further requirements specified by the Trustees or
contained in the By-laws, the transfer shall be recorded on the books of the
Trust. Until a transfer is so recorded, the Shareholder of record of Shares
shall be deemed to be the holder of such Shares for all purposes hereunder and
neither the Trustees nor the Trust, nor any transfer agent or registrar or any
officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be affected by any notice of a
proposed transfer.
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Section 6. Status of Shares; Limitation of Shareholder Liability.
Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving Shareholders only the
rights provided in this Declaration. Every Shareholder, by virtue of having
acquired a Share, shall be held expressly to have assented to and agreed to be
bound by the terms of this Declaration and to have become a party hereto. No
Shareholder shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, obligations
and expenses incurred by, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to,
the Trust or any Series. The death, incapacity, dissolution, termination or
bankruptcy of a Shareholder during the existence of the Trust shall not operate
to terminate the Trust, nor entitle the representative of any such Shareholder
to an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust
or the Trustees, but entitles such representative only to the rights of such
Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the
Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust Property or
right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor
shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders as partners. Neither
the Trust nor the Trustees shall have any power to bind any Shareholder
personally or to demand payment from any Shareholder for anything, other than as
agreed by the Shareholder. Shareholders shall have the same limitation of
personal liability as is extended to shareholders of a private corporation for
profit incorporated in the State of Delaware. Every written obligation of the
Trust or any Series shall contain a statement to the effect that such obligation
may only be enforced against the assets of the appropriate Series or all Series;
however, the omission of such statement shall not operate to bind or create
personal liability for any Shareholder or Trustee.
ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS AND REDEMPTIONS
Section 1. Distributions. The Trustees or a committee of one or more
Trustees and one or more officers may declare and pay dividends and other
distributions, including dividends on Shares of a particular Series and other
distributions from the assets belonging to that Series. No dividend or
distribution, including, without limitation, any distribution paid upon
termination of the Trust or of any Series (or Class) with respect to, nor any
redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any Series (or Class) shall be
effected by the Trust other than from the assets held with respect to such
Series, nor shall any Shareholder of any particular Series otherwise have any
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right or claim against the assets held with respect to any other Series except
to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a
Shareholder of such other Series. The Trustees shall have full discretion to
determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and
each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the
Shareholders. The amount and payment of dividends or distributions and their
form, whether they are in cash, Shares or other Trust Property, shall be
determined by the Trustees. Dividends and other distributions may be paid
pursuant to a standing resolution adopted once or more often as the Trustees
determine. All dividends and other distributions on Shares of a particular
Series shall be distributed pro rata to the Shareholders of that Series in
proportion to the number of Shares of that Series they held on the record date
established for such payment, except that such dividends and distributions shall
appropriately reflect expenses allocated to a particular Class of such Series.
The Trustees may adopt and offer to Shareholders such dividend reinvestment
plans, cash dividend payout plans or similar plans as the Trustees deem
appropriate.
Section 2. Redemptions. Each Shareholder of a Series shall have the
right at such times as may be permitted by the Trustees to require the Series to
redeem all or any part of his Shares at a redemption price per Share equal to
the Net Asset Value per Share at such time as the Trustees shall have prescribed
by resolution, or, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, at such other
redemption price and at such times as the Trustees shall prescribe by
resolution. In the absence of such resolution, the redemption price per Share
shall be the Net Asset Value next determined after receipt by the Series of a
request for redemption in proper form less such charges as are determined by the
Trustees and described in the Trust's Registration Statement for that Series
under the Securities Act of 1933. The Trustees may specify conditions, prices,
and places of redemption, may specify binding requirements for the proper form
or forms of requests for redemption and may specify the amount of any deferred
sales charge to be withheld from redemption proceeds. Payment of the redemption
price may be wholly or partly in securities or other assets at the value of such
securities or assets used in such determination of Net Asset Value, or may be in
cash. Upon redemption, Shares may be reissued from time to time. The Trustees
may require Shareholders to redeem Shares for any reason under terms set by the
Trustees, including, but not limited to, the failure of a Shareholder to supply
a taxpayer identification number if required to do so, or to have the minimum
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investment required, or to pay when due for the purchase of Shares issued to
him. To the extent permitted by law, the Trustees may retain the proceeds of any
redemption of Shares required by them for payment of amounts due and owing by a
Shareholder to the Trust or any Series or Class or any governmental authority.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustees may postpone payment of the
redemption price and may suspend the right of the Shareholders to require any
Series or Class to redeem Shares during any period of time when and to the
extent permissible under the 1940 Act.
Section 3. Determination of Net Asset Value. The Trustees shall cause
the Net Asset Value of Shares of each Series or Class to be determined from time
to time in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations. The
Trustees may delegate the power and duty to determine Net Asset Value per Share
to one or more Trustees or officers of the Trust or to a custodian, depository
or other agent appointed for such purpose. The Net Asset Value of Shares shall
be determined separately for each Series or Class at such times as may be
prescribed by the Trustees or, in the absence of action by the Trustees, as of
the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on each day for all
or part of which such Exchange is open for unrestricted trading.
Section 4. Suspension of Right of Redemption. If, as referred to in
Section 2 of this Article, the Trustees postpone payment of the redemption price
and suspend the right of Shareholders to redeem their Shares, such suspension
shall take effect at the time the Trustees shall specify, but not later than the
close of business on the business day next following the declaration of
suspension. Thereafter Shareholders shall have no right of redemption or payment
until the Trustees declare the end of the suspension. If the right of redemption
is suspended, a Shareholder may either withdraw his request for redemption or
receive payment based on the Net Asset Value per Share next determined after the
suspension terminates.
Section 5. Repurchase by Agreement. The Trust may repurchase Shares
directly, or through the Distributor or another agent designated for the
purpose, by agreement with the owner thereof at a price not exceeding the Net
Asset Value per Share determined as of the time when the purchase or contract of
purchase is made or the Net Asset Value as of any time which may be later
determined, provided payment is not made for the Shares prior to the time as of
which such Net Asset Value is determined.
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ARTICLE VII
SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS
Section 1. Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote
only with respect to (a) the election of Trustees as provided in Section 2 of
this Article; (b) the removal of Trustees as provided in Article II, Section
3(d); (c) any investment advisory or management contract as provided in Article
VIII, Section 1; (d) any termination of the Trust as provided in Article IX,
Section 4; (e) the amendment of this Declaration to the extent and as provided
in Article X, Section 8; and (f) such additional matters relating to the Trust
as may be required or authorized by law, this Declaration, or the By-laws or any
registration of the Trust with the Commission or any State, or as the Trustees
may consider desirable.
On any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders, all Shares shall
be voted by individual Series or Class, except (a) when required by the 1940
Act, Shares shall be voted in the aggregate and not by individual Series or
Class, and (b) when the Trustees have determined that the matter affects the
interests of more than one Series or Class, then the Shareholders of all such
Series or Classes shall be entitled to vote thereon. As determined by the
Trustees without the vote or consent of shareholders, on any matter submitted to
a vote of Shareholders either (i) each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote
as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall
be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote or (ii) each dollar of net asset
value (number of Shares owned times net asset value per share of such Series or
Class, as applicable) shall be entitled to one vote on any matter on which such
Shares are entitled to vote and each fractional dollar amount shall be entitled
to a proportionate fractional vote. Without limiting the power of the Trustees
in any way to designate otherwise in accordance with the preceding sentence, the
Trustees hereby establish that each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as
to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be
entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. There shall be no cumulative voting
in the election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy or in any
manner provided for in the By-laws. The By-laws may provide that proxies may be
given by any electronic or telecommunications device or in any other manner, but
if a proposal by anyone other than the officers or Trustees is submitted to a
vote of the Shareholders of any Series or Class, or if there is a proxy contest
or proxy solicitation or proposal in opposition to any proposal by the officers
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or Trustees, Shares may be voted only in person or by written proxy. Until
Shares of a Series are issued, as to that Series the Trustees may exercise all
rights of Shareholders and may take any action required or permitted to be taken
by Shareholders by law, this Declaration or the By-laws. Meetings of
Shareholders shall be called and notice thereof and record dates therefor shall
be given and set as provided in the By-laws.
Section 2. Quorum; Required Vote. One-third of the Outstanding Shares
of each Series or Class, or one-third of the Outstanding Shares of the Trust,
entitled to vote in person or by proxy shall be a quorum for the transaction of
business at a Shareholders' meeting with respect to such Series or Class, or
with respect to the entire Trust, respectively. Any lesser number shall be
sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned session of a Shareholders' meeting
may be held within a reasonable time without further notice. Except when a
larger vote is required by law, this Declaration or the By-laws, a majority of
the Shares voting at a Shareholders' meeting in person or by proxy shall decide
any matters to be voted upon with respect to the entire Trust and a plurality of
such Shares shall elect a Trustee; provided, that if this Declaration or
applicable law permits or requires that Shares be voted on any matter by
individual Series or Classes, then a majority of the Shares of that Series or
Class (or, if required by law, a majority of the Shares outstanding and entitled
to vote of that Series or Class) voting at a Shareholders' meeting in person or
by proxy on the matter shall decide that matter insofar as that Series or Class
is concerned. Shareholders may act as to the Trust or any Series or Class by the
written consent of a majority (or such other amount as may be required by
applicable law) of the Outstanding Shares of the Trust or of such Series or
Class, as the case may be.
Section 3. Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the
Shareholders of any Series (or Class) who are entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a
date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such
other payment, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such
Series (or Class) having the right to receive such dividend or distribution.
Without fixing a record date, the Trustees may for distribution purposes close
the register or transfer books for one or more Series (or Classes) any time
prior to the payment of a distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be
construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for
different Series (or Classes).
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Section 4. Additional Provisions. The By-laws may include further
provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VIII
EXPENSES OF THE TRUST AND SERIES
Section 1. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. Subject to Article V,
Section 4, the Trust or a particular Series shall pay, or shall reimburse the
Trustees from the assets belonging to all Series or the particular Series, for
their expenses (or the expenses of a Class of such Series) and disbursements,
including, but not limited to, interest charges, taxes, brokerage fees and
commissions; expenses of issue, repurchase and redemption of Shares; certain
insurance premiums; applicable fees, interest charges and expenses of third
parties, including the Trust's investment advisers, managers, administrators,
distributors, custodians, transfer agents and fund accountants; fees of pricing,
interest, dividend, credit and other reporting services; costs of membership in
trade associations; telecommunications expenses; funds transmission expenses;
auditing, legal and compliance expenses; costs of forming the Trust and its
Series and maintaining its existence; costs of preparing and printing the
prospectuses of the Trust and each Series, statements of additional information
and Shareholder reports and delivering them to Shareholders; expenses of
meetings of Shareholders and proxy solicitations therefor; costs of maintaining
books and accounts; costs of reproduction, stationery and supplies; fees and
expenses of the Trustees; compensation of the Trust's officers and employees and
costs of other personnel performing services for the Trust or any Series; costs
of Trustee meetings; Commission registration fees and related expenses; state or
foreign securities laws registration fees and related expenses; and for such
non-recurring items as may arise, including litigation to which the Trust or a
Series (or a Trustee or officer of the Trust acting as such) is a party, and for
all losses and liabilities by them incurred in administering the Trust. The
Trustees shall have a lien on the assets belonging to the appropriate Series, or
in the case of an expense allocable to more than one Series, on the assets of
each such Series, prior to any rights or interests of the Shareholders thereto,
for the reimbursement to them of such expenses, disbursements, losses and
liabilities.
Section 2. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have
the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or
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each Shareholder of any particular Series, to pay directly, in advance or
arrears, for charges of the Trust's custodian or transfer, shareholder servicing
or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting
off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends
owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of Shares in the account of
such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which
represents the outstanding amount of such charges due from such Shareholder.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Trust Not a Partnership. This Declaration creates a trust
and not a partnership. No Trustee shall have any power to bind personally either
the Trust's officers or any Shareholder.
Section 2. Trustee Action. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers
and discretion hereunder in good faith and with reasonable care under the
circumstances then prevailing shall be binding upon everyone interested. Subject
to the provisions of Article IV, the Trustees shall not be liable for errors of
judgment or mistakes of fact or law.
Section 3. Record Dates. The Trustees may fix in advance a date up to
ninety (90) days before the date of any Shareholders' meeting, or the date for
the payment of any dividends or other distributions, or the date for the
allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of
Shares shall go into effect as a record date for the determination of the
Shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, any such meeting, or
entitled to receive payment of such dividend or other distribution, or to
receive any such allotment of rights, or to exercise such rights in respect of
any such change, conversion or exchange of Shares.
Section 4. Termination of the Trust. (a) This Trust shall have
perpetual existence. Subject to the vote of a majority of the Shares outstanding
and entitled to vote of the Trust or of each Series to be affected, the Trustees
may
(i)sell and convey all or substantially all of the assets of
all Series or any affected Series to another Series or to
another entity which is an open-end investment company as
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defined in the 1940 Act, or is a series thereof, for adequate
consideration, which may include the assumption of all
outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued
or contingent, of the Trust or any affected Series, and which
may include shares of or interests in such Series, entity, or
series thereof; or
(ii) at any time sell and convert into money all or
substantially all of the assets of all Series or any affected
Series.
Upon making reasonable provision for the payment of all known liabilities of all
Series or any affected Series in either (i) or (ii), by such assumption or
otherwise, the Trustees shall distribute the remaining proceeds or assets (as
the case may be) ratably among the Shareholders of all Series or any affected
Series; however, the payment to any particular Class of such Series may be
reduced by any fees, expenses or charges allocated to that Class.
(b) The Trustees may take any of the actions specified in subsection
(a) (i) and (ii) above without obtaining the vote of a majority of the Shares
Outstanding and entitled to vote of the Trust or any Series if a majority of the
Trustees determines that the continuation of the Trust or Series is not in the
best interests of the Trust, such Series, or their respective Shareholders as a
result of factors or events adversely affecting the ability of the Trust or such
Series to conduct its business and operations in an economically viable manner.
Such factors and events may include the inability of the Trust or a Series to
maintain its assets at an appropriate size, changes in laws or regulations
governing the Trust or the Series or affecting assets of the type in which the
Trust or Series invests, or economic developments or trends having a significant
adverse impact on the business or operations of the Trust or such Series.
(c) Upon completion of the distribution of the remaining proceeds or
assets pursuant to subsection (a), the Trust or affected Series shall terminate
and the Trustees and the Trust shall be discharged of any and all further
liabilities and duties hereunder with respect thereto and the right, title and
interest of all parties therein shall be canceled and discharged. Upon
termination of the Trust, following completion of winding up of its business,
the Trustees shall cause a certificate of cancellation of the Trust's
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certificate of trust to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act, which
certificate of cancellation may be signed by any one Trustee.
Section 5. Reorganization. (a) Notwithstanding anything else herein, to
change the Trust's form or place of organization the Trustees may, without
Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by applicable law, (i)
cause the Trust to merge or consolidate with or into one or more entities, if
the surviving or resulting entity is the Trust or another open-end management
investment company under the 1940 Act, or a series thereof, that will succeed to
or assume the Trust's registration under the 1940 Act, (ii) cause the Shares to
be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent
permitted by law, or (iii) cause the Trust to incorporate under the laws of
Delaware or any other U.S. jurisdiction. Any agreement of merger or
consolidation or certificate of merger may be signed by a majority of Trustees
and facsimile signatures conveyed by electronic or telecommunication means shall
be valid.
(b) Pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section
3815(f) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved by
the Trustees in accordance with this Section 5 may effect any amendment to the
Declaration or effect the adoption of a new trust instrument of the Trust if it
is the surviving or resulting trust in the merger or consolidation.
(c) The Trustees may create one or more business trusts to which all or
any part of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust or any
Series or Class thereof may be transferred and may provide for the conversion of
Shares in the Trust or any Series or Class thereof into beneficial interests in
any such newly created trust or trusts or any series or classes thereof.
Section 6. Declaration of Trust. The original or a copy of this
Declaration of Trust and of each amendment hereto or Declaration of Trust
supplemental shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected
by any Shareholder. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by a
Trustee or an officer of the Trust as to the authenticity of the Declaration of
Trust or any such amendments or supplements and as to any matters in connection
with the Trust. The masculine gender herein shall include the feminine and
neuter genders. Headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect
the construction of this Declaration of Trust. This Declaration of Trust may be
executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original.
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Section 7. Applicable Law. This Declaration and the Trust created
hereunder are governed by and construed and administered according to the
Delaware Act and the applicable laws of the State of Delaware; provided,
however, that there shall not be applicable to the Trust, the Trustees or this
Declaration of Trust (a) the provisions of Section 3540 of Title 12 of the
Delaware Code, or (b) any provisions of the laws (statutory or common) of the
State of Delaware (other than the Delaware Act) pertaining to trusts which
relate to or regulate (i) the filing with any court or governmental body or
agency of trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges, (ii)
affirmative requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or
employees of a trust, (iii) the necessity for obtaining court or other
governmental approval concerning the acquisition, holding or disposition of real
or personal property, (iv) fees or other sums payable to trustees, officers,
agents or employees of a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures
to income or principal, (vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible
nature, amount or concentration of trust investments or requirements relating to
the titling, storage or other manner of holding of trust assets, or (vii) the
establishment of fiduciary or other standards of responsibilities or limitations
on the acts or powers of trustees, which are inconsistent with the limitations
or liabilities or authorities and powers of the Trustees set forth or referenced
in this Declaration. The Trust shall be of the type commonly called a Delaware
business trust, and, without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may
exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by such a trust under
Delaware law. The Trust specifically reserves the right to exercise any of the
powers or privileges afforded to trusts or actions that may be engaged in by
trusts under the Delaware Act, and the absence of a specific reference herein to
any such power, privilege or action shall not imply that the Trust may not
exercise such power or privilege or take such actions.
Section 8. Amendments. The Trustees may, without any Shareholder vote,
amend or otherwise supplement this Declaration by making an amendment, a
Declaration of Trust supplemental hereto or an amended and restated trust
instrument; provided, that Shareholders shall have the right to vote on any
amendment (a) which would affect the voting rights of Shareholders granted in
Article VII, Section l, (b) to this Section 8, (c) required to be approved by
Shareholders by law or by the Trust's registration statement(s) filed with the
Commission, and (d) submitted to them by the Trustees in their discretion. Any
amendment submitted to Shareholders which the Trustees determine would affect
the Shareholders of any Series shall be authorized by vote of the Shareholders
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of such Series and no vote shall be required of Shareholders of a Series not
affected. Notwithstanding anything else herein, any amendment to Article IV
which would have the effect of reducing the indemnification and other rights
provided thereby to Trustees, officers, employees, and agents of the Trust or to
Shareholders or former Shareholders, and any repeal or amendment of this
sentence shall each require the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of
the Outstanding Shares of the Trust entitled to vote thereon.
Section 9. Derivative Actions. In addition to the requirements set
forth in Section 3816 of the Delaware Act, a Shareholder may bring a derivative
action on behalf of the Trust only if the following conditions are met:
(a) Shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under the
Delaware Act who hold at least 10% of the Outstanding Shares of the Trust, or
10% of the Outstanding Shares of the Series or Class to which such action
relates, shall join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and
(b) the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to
consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim.
The Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in
considering the merits of the request and shall require an undertaking by the
Shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any
such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
Section 10. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Trust shall end on a
specified date as set forth in the By-laws. The Trustees may change the fiscal
year of the Trust without Shareholder approval.
Section 11. Severability. The provisions of this Declaration are
severable. If the Trustees determine, with the advice of counsel, that any
provision hereof conflicts with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or with other applicable laws and
regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted
a part of this Declaration; provided, however, that such determination shall not
affect any of the remaining provisions of this Declaration or render invalid or
improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. If any
provision hereof shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction,
such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision only in
34
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such jurisdiction and shall not affect any other provision of this Declaration.
35
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument as of
the date first written above.
/s/ John F. Cogan, Jr.
John F. Cogan, Jr.,
as Trustee and not individually
975 Memorial Drive, #802
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
36
CERTIFICATE OF TRUST
THIS Certificate of Trust of Pioneer Small Cap Fund (the "Trust"),
dated August 8, 1995, is being duly executed and filed by John F. Cogan, Jr., as
trustee, to form a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act (12 Del.
C. ss. 3801, et seq.).
1. Name. The name of the business trust formed hereby is Pioneer
Small Cap Fund.
2. Registered Agent. The business address of the registered
office of the Trust in the State of Delaware is 1201 North Market Street in the
City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801. The name of the Trust's
registered agent at such address is Delaware Corporation Organizers, Inc.
3. Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust shall be effective
upon the date and time of filing.
4. Series Trust. Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Section
3804 of the Delaware Business Trust Act, the debts, liabilities, obligations and
expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a
particular series of the Trust shall be enforceable against the assets of such
series only and not against the assets of the Trust generally. The Trust is a
registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the Trustee of the Trust,
has executed this Certificate of Trust as of the date first above-written.
/s/John F. Cogan, Jr.
John F. Cogan, Jr.
As Trustee and not individually
BY-LAWS
OF
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
All capitalized terms have the respective meanings given them in the Agreement
and Declaration of Trust of Pioneer Small Cap Fund dated August 8, 1995, as
amended or restated from time to time.
ARTICLE II
OFFICES
Section 1. Principal Office. Until changed by the Trustees, the principal office
of the Trust shall be in Boston, Massachusetts.
Section 2. Other Offices. The Trust may have offices in such other places
without as well as within the State of Delaware as the Trustees may from time to
time determine.
Section 3. Registered Office and Registered Agent. The Board of Trustees shall
establish a registered office in the State of Delaware and shall appoint as the
Trust's registered agent for service of process in the State of Delaware an
individual resident of the State of Delaware or a Delaware corporation or a
corporation authorized to transact business in the State of Delaware; in each
case the business office of such registered agent for service of process shall
be identical with the registered Delaware office of the Trust.
ARTICLE III
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders of the Trust or a Series or
Class thereof shall be held as provided in the Declaration of Trust at such
place within or without the State of Delaware as the Trustees shall designate.
<PAGE>
The holders of one-third of the Outstanding Shares of the Trust or a Series or
Class thereof present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Shareholders of the Trust or a Series
or Class thereof.
Section 2. Notice of Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the Shareholders,
stating the time, place and purposes of the meeting, shall be given by the
Trustees by mail or telegraphic or electronic means to each Shareholder at his
address as recorded on the register of the Trust mailed at least (10) days and
not more than ninety (90) days before the meeting, provided, however, that
notice of a meeting need not be given to a Shareholder to whom such notice need
not be given under the proxy rules of the Commission under the 1940 Act and the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Only the business stated in the
notice of the meeting shall be considered at such meeting. Any adjourned meeting
may be held as adjourned without further notice. No notice need be given to any
Shareholder who shall have failed to inform the Trust of his current address or
if a written waiver of notice, executed before or after the meeting by the
Shareholder or his attorney thereunto authorized, is filed with the records of
the meeting.
Section 3. Record Date for Meetings and Other Purposes. For the purpose of
determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at any
meeting, or to participate in any distribution, or for the purpose of any other
action, the Trustees may from time to time close the transfer books for such
period, not exceeding thirty (30) days, as the Trustees may determine; or
without closing the transfer books the Trustees may fix a date not more than
ninety (90) days prior to the date of any meeting of Shareholders or
distribution or other action as a record date for the determination of the
persons to be treated as Shareholders of record for such purposes, except for
dividend payments which shall be governed by the Declaration of Trust.
Section 4. Proxies. At any meeting of Shareholders, any holder of Shares
entitled to vote thereat may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall be
voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the
Secretary, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the Secretary may
direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken. A
proxy shall be deemed signed if the shareholder's name is placed on the proxy
(whether by manual signature, typewriting, telegraphic transmission, facsimile,
other electronic means or otherwise) by the Shareholder or the Shareholder's
attorney-in-fact. Proxies may be given by any electronic or telecommunication
device except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust. Proxies may be
solicited in the name of one or more Trustees or one or more of the officers of
the Trust. Only Shareholders of record shall be entitled to vote. As determined
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<PAGE>
by the Trustees without the vote or consent of Shareholders, on any matter
submitted to a vote of Shareholders, either (i) each whole Share shall be
entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each
fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote or (ii)
each dollar of net asset value (number of Shares owned times net asset value per
Share of such Series or Class, as applicable) shall be entitled to one vote on
any matter on which such Shares are entitled to vote and each fractional dollar
amount shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. Without limiting
their power to designate otherwise in accordance with the preceding sentence,
the Trustees have established in the Declaration of Trust that each whole share
shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled by the
Declaration of Trust to vote and fractional shares shall be entitled to a
proportionate fractional vote. When any Share is held jointly by several
persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in
respect of such Share, but if more than one of them shall be present at such
meeting in person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present
disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in respect
of such Share. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a
Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise,
and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. If the holder
of any such share is a minor or a person of unsound mind, and subject to
guardianship or the legal control of any other person as regards the charge or
management of such Share, he may vote by his guardian or such other person
appointed or having such control, and such vote may be given in person or by
proxy.
Section 5. Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes. Outstanding Shares represented in
person or by proxy (including Shares which abstain or do not vote with respect
to one or more of any proposals presented for Shareholder approval) will be
counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at a meeting.
Abstentions will be treated as Shares that are present and entitled to vote for
purposes of determining the number of Shares that are present and entitled to
vote with respect to any particular proposal, but will not be counted as a vote
in favor of such proposal. If a broker or nominee holding Shares in "street
name" indicates on the proxy that it does not have discretionary authority to
vote as to a particular proposal, those Shares will not be considered as present
and entitled to vote with respect to such proposal.
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<PAGE>
Section 6. Inspection of Records. The records of the Trust shall be open to
inspection by Shareholders to the same extent as is permitted shareholders of a
Delaware business corporation.
Section 7. Action without Meeting. Any action which may be taken by Shareholders
may be taken without a meeting if a majority of Outstanding Shares entitled to
vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by
law) consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with
the records of the meetings of Shareholders. Such consents shall be treated for
all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
ARTICLE IV
TRUSTEES
Section 1. Meetings of the Trustees. The Trustees may in their discretion
provide for regular or stated meetings of the Trustees. Notice of regular or
stated meetings need not be given. Meetings of the Trustees other than regular
or stated meetings shall be held whenever called by the President, the Chairman
or by any one of the Trustees, at the time being in office. Notice of the time
and place of each meeting other than regular or stated meetings shall be given
by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by the officer or Trustee calling
the meeting and shall be mailed to each Trustee at least two days before the
meeting, or shall be given by telephone, cable, wireless, facsimile or other
electronic mechanism to each Trustee at his business address, or personally
delivered to him at least one day before the meeting. Such notice may, however,
be waived by any Trustee. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee
if a written waiver of notice, executed by him before or after the meeting, is
filed with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting
without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to
him. A notice or waiver of notice need not specify the purpose of any meeting.
The Trustees may meet by means of a telephone conference circuit or similar
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation by such means
shall be deemed to have been held at a place designated by the Trustees at the
meeting. Participation in a telephone conference meeting shall constitute
presence in person at such meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken
at any meeting of the Trustees may be taken by the Trustees without a meeting if
a majority of the Trustees consent to the action in writing and the written
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<PAGE>
consents are filed with the records of the Trustees' meetings. Such consents
shall be treated as a vote for all purposes.
Section 2. Quorum and Manner of Acting. A majority of the Trustees shall be
present in person at any regular or special meeting of the Trustees in order to
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting and (except
as otherwise required by law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-laws) the act
of a majority of the Trustees present at any such meeting, at which a quorum is
present, shall be the act of the Trustees. In the absence of a quorum, a
majority of the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until
a quorum shall be present. Notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Executive and Other Committees. The Trustees by vote of a majority of
all the Trustees may elect from their own number an Executive Committee to
consist of not less than three (3) members to hold office at the pleasure of the
Trustees, which shall have the power to conduct the current and ordinary
business of the Trust while the Trustees are not in session, including the
purchase and sale of securities and the designation of securities to be
delivered upon redemption of Shares of the Trust or a Series thereof, and such
other powers of the Trustees as the Trustees may delegate to them, from time to
time, except those powers which by law, the Declaration of Trust or these
By-laws they are prohibited from delegating. The Trustees may also elect from
their own number other Committees from time to time; the number composing such
Committees, the powers conferred upon the same (subject to the same limitations
as with respect to the Executive Committee) and the term of membership on such
Committees to be determined by the Trustees. The Trustees may designate a
chairman of any such Committee. In the absence of such designation the Committee
may elect its own Chairman.
Section 2. Meetings, Quorum and Manner of Acting. The Trustees may (1) provide
for stated meetings of any Committee, (2) specify the manner of calling and
notice required for special meetings of any Committee, (3) specify the number of
members of a Committee required to constitute a quorum and the number of members
of a Committee required to exercise specified powers delegated to such
Committee, (4) authorize the making of decisions to exercise specified powers by
written assent of the requisite number of members of a Committee without a
meeting, and (5) authorize the members of a Committee to meet by means of a
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<PAGE>
telephone conference circuit.
The Executive Committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and records
of decisions taken without a meeting and cause them to be recorded in a book
designated for that purpose and kept in the office of the Trust.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS
Section 1. General Provisions. The officers of the Trust shall be a President, a
Treasurer and a Secretary, who shall be elected by the Trustees. The Trustees
may elect or appoint such other officers or agents as the business of the Trust
may require, including one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant
Secretaries, and one or more Assistant Treasurers. The Trustees may delegate to
any officer or committee the power to appoint any subordinate officers or
agents.
Section 2. Term of Office and Qualifications. Except as otherwise provided by
law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-laws, the President, the Treasurer,
the Secretary and any other officer shall each hold office at the pleasure of
the Board of Trustees or until his successor shall have been duly elected and
qualified. The Secretary and the Treasurer may be the same person. A Vice
President and the Treasurer or a Vice President and the Secretary may be the
same person, but the offices of Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall
not be held by the same person. The President shall hold no other office,
however, the President may also serve as Chairman. Except as above provided, any
two offices may be held by the same person. Any officer may be but none need be
a Trustee or Shareholder.
Section 3. Removal. The Trustees, at any regular or special meeting of the
Trustees, may remove any officer with or without cause, by a vote of a majority
of the Trustees then in office. Any officer or agent appointed by an officer or
committee may be removed with or without cause by such appointing officer or
committee.
Section 4. Powers and Duties of the Chairman. The Trustees may, but need not,
appoint from among their number a Chairman. When present he shall preside at the
meetings of the Shareholders and of the Trustees. He may call meetings of the
Trustees and of any committee thereof whenever he deems it necessary. He shall
be an executive officer of the Trust and shall have, with the President, general
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<PAGE>
supervision over the business and policies of the Trust, subject to the
limitations imposed upon the President, as provided in Section 5 of this Article
VI.
Section 5. Powers and Duties of the President. The President may call meetings
of the Trustees and of any Committee thereof when he deems it necessary and
shall preside at all meetings of the Shareholders. Subject to the control of the
Trustees and to the control of any Committees of the Trustees, within their
respective spheres, as provided by the Trustees, he shall at all times exercise
a general supervision and direction over the affairs of the Trust. He shall have
the power to employ attorneys and counsel for the Trust or any Series or Class
thereof and to employ such subordinate officers, agents, clerks and employees as
he may find necessary to transact the business of the Trust or any Series or
Class thereof. He shall also have the power to grant, issue, execute or sign
such powers of attorney, proxies or other documents as may be deemed advisable
or necessary in furtherance of the interests of the Trust or any Series thereof.
The President shall have such other powers and duties, as from time to time may
be conferred upon or assigned to him by the Trustees.
Section 6. Powers and Duties of Vice Presidents. In the absence or disability of
the President, the Vice President or, if there be more than one Vice President,
any Vice President designated by the Trustees, shall perform all the duties and
may exercise any of the powers of the President, subject to the control of the
Trustees. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties as may be assigned
to him from time to time by the Trustees and the President.
Section 7. Powers and Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the
principal financial and accounting officer of the Trust. He shall deliver all
funds of the Trust or any Series or Class thereof which may come into his hands
to such Custodian as the Trustees may employ. He shall render a statement of
condition of the finances of the Trust or any Series or Class thereof to the
Trustees as often as they shall require the same and he shall in general perform
all the duties incident to the office of a Treasurer and such other duties as
from time to time may be assigned to him by the Trustees. The Treasurer shall
give a bond for the faithful discharge of his duties, if required so to do by
the Trustees, in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Trustees shall
require.
Section 8. Powers and Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the
minutes of all meetings of the Trustees and of the Shareholders in proper books
provided for that purpose; he shall have custody of the seal of the Trust; he
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<PAGE>
shall have charge of the Share transfer books, lists and records unless the same
are in the charge of a transfer agent. He shall attend to the giving and serving
of all notices by the Trust in accordance with the provisions of these By-laws
and as required by law; and subject to these By-laws, he shall in general
perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as
from time to time may be assigned to him by the Trustees.
Section 9. Powers and Duties of Assistant Officers. In the absence or disability
of the Treasurer, any officer designated by the Trustees shall perform all the
duties, and may exercise any of the powers, of the Treasurer. Each officer shall
perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the
Trustees. Each officer performing the duties and exercising the powers of the
Treasurer, if any, and any Assistant Treasurer, shall give a bond for the
faithful discharge of his duties, if required so to do by the Trustees, in such
sum and with such surety or sureties as the Trustees shall require.
Section 10. Powers and Duties of Assistant Secretaries. In the absence or
disability of the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary designated by the Trustees
shall perform all the duties, and may exercise any of the powers, of the
Secretary. Each Assistant Secretary shall perform such other duties as from time
to time may be assigned to him by the Trustees.
Section 11. Compensation of Officers and Trustees and Members of the Advisory
Board. Subject to any applicable provisions of the Declaration of Trust, the
compensation of the officers and Trustees and members of an advisory board shall
be fixed from time to time by the Trustees or, in the case of officers, by any
Committee or officer upon whom such power may be conferred by the Trustees. No
officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation as such officer by
reason of the fact that he is also a Trustee.
ARTICLE VII
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Trust shall begin on the first day of December in each
year and shall end on the last day of November in each year, provided, however,
that the Trustees may from time to time change the fiscal year. The taxable year
of each Series of the Trust shall be as determined by the Trustees from time to
time.
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<PAGE>
ARTICLE VIII
SEAL
The Trustees may adopt a seal which shall be in such form and shall have such
inscription thereon as the Trustees may from time to time prescribe.
ARTICLE IX
SUFFICIENCY AND WAIVERS OF NOTICE
Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given by law, the Declaration of
Trust or these By-laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or
persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated
therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. A notice shall be deemed to have
been sent by mail, telegraph, cable, wireless, facsimile or other electronic
means for the purposes of these By-laws when it has been delivered to a
representative of any company holding itself out as capable of sending notice by
such means with instructions that it be so sent.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
These By-laws, or any of them, may be altered, amended or repealed, or new
By-laws may be adopted by (a) vote of a majority of the Outstanding Shares
voting in person or by proxy at a meeting of Shareholders and entitled to vote
or (b) by the Trustees, provided, however, that no By-law may be amended,
adopted or repealed by the Trustees if such amendment, adoption or repeal
requires, pursuant to law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-laws, a vote of
the Shareholders.
END OF BY-LAWS
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MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
THIS AGREEMENT dated this _____ day of November, 1995 between Pioneer
Small Cap Fund, a Delaware business trust (the "Fund"), and Pioneering
Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation, (the "Manager").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end, diversified,
management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), and has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement (the "Registration
Statement") for the purpose of registering its shares for public offering under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
WHEREAS, the parties hereto deem it mutually advantageous that the
Manager should be engaged, subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of
Trustees and officers, to manage the Fund,
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and benefits
set forth herein, the Fund and the Manager do hereby agree as follows:
1. (a) The Manager will regularly provide the Fund with investment
research, advice and supervision and will furnish continuously an investment
program for the Fund consistent with the investment objectives and policies of
the Fund. The Manager will determine from time to time what securities shall be
purchased for the Fund, what securities shall be held or sold by the Fund and
what portion of the Fund's assets shall be held uninvested as cash, subject
always to the provisions of the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust,
By-Laws and its registration statements under the 1940 Act and under the
Securities Act of 1933 covering the Fund's shares, as filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, and to the investment objectives, policies and
restrictions of the Fund, as each of the same shall be from time to time in
effect, and subject, further, to such policies and instructions as the Board of
Trustees of the Fund may from time to time establish. To carry out such
determinations, the Manager will exercise full discretion and act for the Fund
in the same manner and with the same force and effect as the Fund itself might
or could do with respect to purchases, sales or other transactions, as well as
with respect to all other things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or
conduct of such purchases, sales or other transactions.
(b) The Manager will, to the extent reasonably required in the
conduct of the business of the Fund and upon the Fund's request, furnish to the
Fund research, statistical and advisory reports upon the industries, businesses,
corporations or securities as to which such requests shall be made, whether or
not the Fund shall at the time have any investment in such industries,
businesses, corporations or securities. The Manager will use its best efforts in
the preparation of such reports and will endeavor to consult the persons and
sources believed by it to have information available with respect to such
industries, businesses, corporations or entities.
(c) The Manager will maintain all books and records with respect
to the Fund's securities transactions required by sub-paragraphs(b)(5),(6),(9)
and (10) and paragraph (f) of Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those
records being maintained by the custodian or transfer agent appointed by the
Fund) and preserve such records for the periods prescribed therefor by Rule
31a-2 of the 1940 Act. The Manager will also provide to the Board of Trustees
such periodic and special reports as the Board may reasonably request.
2. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Manager, at its own
expense, shall furnish to the Fund office space in the offices of the Manager or
in such other place as may be agreed upon from time to time, and all necessary
office facilities, equipment and personnel for managing the Fund's affairs and
investments, and shall arrange, if desired by the Fund, for members of the
Manager's organization to serve as officers or agents of the Fund.
<PAGE>
(b) The Manager shall pay directly or reimburse the Fund for: (i)
the compensation (if any) of the Trustees who are affiliated with, or interested
persons of, the Manager and all officers of the Fund as such; and (ii) all
expenses not hereinafter specifically assumed by the Fund where such expenses
are incurred by the Manager or by the Fund in connection with the management of
the affairs of, and the investment and reinvestment of the assets of, the Fund.
(c) The Fund shall assume and shall pay: (i) charges and expenses
for fund accounting, pricing and appraisal services and related overhead,
including, to the extent such services are performed by personnel of the Manager
or its affiliates, office space and facilities and personnel compensation,
training and benefits; (ii) the charges and expenses of auditors; (iii) the
charges and expenses of any custodian, transfer agent, plan agent, dividend
disbursing agent and registrar appointed by the Fund with respect to the Fund;
(iv) issue and transfer taxes, chargeable to the Fund in connection with
securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; (v) insurance premiums,
interest charges, dues and fees for membership in trade associations and all
taxes and corporate fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other
governmental agencies; (vi) fees and expenses involved in registering and
maintaining registrations of the Fund and/or its shares with the Commission,
state or blue sky securities agencies and foreign countries, including the
preparation of Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information for filing
with the Commission; (vii) all expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings
and of preparing, printing and distributing prospectuses, notices, proxy
statements and all reports to shareholders and to governmental agencies; (viii)
charges and expenses of legal counsel to the Fund and the Trustees; (ix)
distribution fees paid by the Fund in accordance with Rule 12b-1 promulgated by
the Commission pursuant to the 1940 Act; (x) compensation of those Trustees of
the Fund who are not affiliated with or interested persons of the Manager, the
Fund (other than as Trustees), The Pioneer Group, Inc. or Pioneer Funds
Distributor, Inc.; (xi) the cost of preparing and printing share certificates;
and (xii) interest on borrowed money, if any.
(d) In addition to the expenses described in Section 2(c) above,
the Fund shall pay all brokers' and underwriting commissions chargeable to the
Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party.
3. (a) The Fund shall pay to the Manager, as compensation for the
Manager's services hereunder, a fee at the rates per annum of the Fund's average
daily net assets set forth in Schedule A hereto; provided, however, that until
November 30, 1995, the fee payable by the Fund shall not exceed the fee
determined at the rates per annum of the Fund's average daily net assets set
forth in Schedule B hereto. The agreement set forth in the proviso to the
preceding sentence shall not survive the merger, consolidation or other business
combination of the Fund with one or more other entities unless the Fund is the
surviving entity. The management fee payable hereunder shall be computed daily
and paid monthly in arrears. In the event of termination of this Agreement, the
fee provided in this Section shall be computed on the basis of the period ending
on the last business day on which this Agreement is in effect subject to a pro
rata adjustment based on the number of days elapsed in the current month as a
percentage of the total number of days in such month.
(b) If the operating expenses of the Fund in any year exceed the
limits set by state securities laws or regulations in states in which shares of
the Fund are sold, the amount payable to the Manager under subsection (a) above
will be reduced (but not below $0), and the Manager shall make other
arrangements concerning expenses but, in each instance, only as and to the
extent required by such laws or regulation. If amounts have already been
advanced to the Manager under this Agreement, the Manager will return such
amounts to the Fund to the extent required by the preceding sentence.
(c) In addition to the foregoing, the Manager may from time to
time agree not to impose all or a portion of its fee otherwise payable hereunder
(in advance of the time such fee or a portion thereof would otherwise accrue)
and/or undertake to pay or reimburse the Fund for all or a portion of its
expenses not otherwise required to be borne or reimbursed by the Manager. Any
such fee reduction or undertaking may be discontinued or modified by the Manager
at any time.
<PAGE>
4. The Manager will not be liable for any error of judgment or
mistake of law or for any loss sustained by reason of the adoption of any
investment policy or the purchase, sale, or retention of any security on the
recommendation of the Manager, whether or not such recommendation shall have
been based upon its own investigation and research or upon investigation and
research made by any other individual, firm or corporation, but nothing
contained herein will be construed to protect the Manager against any liability
to the Fund or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
5. (a) Nothing in this Agreement will in any way limit or restrict
the Manager or any of its officers, directors, or employees from buying, selling
or trading in any securities for its or their own accounts or other accounts.
The Manager may act as an investment advisor to any other person, firm or
corporation, and may perform management and any other services for any other
person, association, corporation, firm or other entity pursuant to any contract
or otherwise, and take any action or do any thing in connection therewith or
related thereto; and no such performance of management or other services or
taking of any such action or doing of any such thing shall be in any manner
restricted or otherwise affected by any aspect of any relationship of the
Manager to or with the Fund or deemed to violate or give rise to any duty or
obligation of the Manager to the Fund except as otherwise imposed by law. The
Fund recognizes that Manager, in effecting transactions for its various
accounts, may not always be able to take or liquidate investment positions in
the same security at the same time and at the same price.
(b) In connection with purchases or sales of fund securities for
the account of the Fund, neither the Manager nor any of its Trustees, officers
or employees will act as a principal or agent or receive any commission except
as permitted by the 1940 Act. The Manager shall arrange for the placing of all
orders for the purchase and sale of fund securities for the Fund's account with
brokers or dealers selected by the Manager. In the selection of such brokers or
dealers and the placing of such orders, the Manager is directed at all times to
seek for the Fund the most favorable execution and net price available except as
described herein. It is also understood that it is desirable for the Fund that
the Manager have access to supplemental investment and market research and
security and economic analyses provided by brokers who may execute brokerage
transactions at a higher cost to the Fund than may result when allocating
brokerage to other brokers on the basis of seeking the most favorable price and
efficient execution. Therefore, the Manager is authorized to place orders for
the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund with such brokers, subject to
review by the Fund's Trustees from time to time with respect to the extent and
continuation of this practice. It is understood that the services provided by
such brokers may be useful to the Manager in connection with its or its
affiliates services to other clients.
(c) On occasions when the Manager deems the purchase or sale of a
security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients, the
Manager, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may
aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased in order to obtain the best
execution and lower brokerage commissions, if any. In such event, allocation of
the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the
transaction, will be made by the Manager in the manner it considers to be the
most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to
such clients.
6. This Agreement shall become effective on the date hereof and shall
remain in force until November 30, 1995 and from year to year thereafter, but
only so long as its continuance is approved annually by a vote of the Trustees
of the Fund voting in person, including a majority of its Trustees who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as the term "interested
persons" is defined in the 1940 Act) of any such parties, at a meeting of
Trustees called for the purpose of voting on such approval or by a vote of a
"majority of the outstanding voting securities" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of
the Fund, subject to the right of the Fund and the Manager to terminate this
contract as provided in Section 7 hereof.
7. Either party hereto may, without penalty, terminate this Agreement
by vote of its Board of Trustees or by vote of a "majority of its outstanding
voting securities" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund and the giving of 60
days' written notice to the other party.
<PAGE>
8. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "assignment" shall have the
meaning given it by Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act.
9. The Fund agrees that in the event that neither the Manager nor any
of its affiliates acts as an investment adviser to the Fund, the name of the
Fund, and any fund thereof, will be changed to one that does not contain the
name "Pioneer" or otherwise suggest an affiliation with the Manager.
10. The Manager is an independent contractor and not an employee of
the Fund for any purpose. If any occasion should arise in which the Manager
gives any advice to its clients concerning the shares of the Fund, the Manager
will act solely as investment counsel for such clients and not in any way on
behalf of the Fund or Fund.
11. This Agreement states the entire agreement of the parties hereto,
and is intended to be the complete and exclusive statement of the terms hereof.
It may not be added to or changed orally, and may not be modified or rescinded
except by a writing signed by the parties hereto and in accordance with the 1940
Act, when applicable.
12. This Agreement and all performance hereunder shall be governed by
the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which apply to contracts made and
to be performed in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
13. Any term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction be ineffective
to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid
or unenforceable the remaining terms or provisions of this Agreement or
affecting the validity or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of
this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
14. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed by their duly authorized officers and their seal to be hereto
affixed as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
/s/ JOSEPH P. BARRI /s/ JOHN F. COGAN, JR.
Joseph P. Barri John F. Cogan, Jr
Secretary President
ATTEST: PIONEERING MANAGEMENT
CORPORATION
/s/ JOSEPH P. BARRI /s/ ROBERT L. BUTLER
Joseph P. Barri David D. Tripple
Secretary President
AGREEMENT BETWEEN
BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
AND
PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Employment of Custodian 1
2. Powers and Duties of the Custodian
with respect to Property of the Fund
held by the Custodian 1
A. Safekeeping 2
B. Manner of Holding Securities 2
C. Registered Name; Nominee 2
D. Purchases 2
E. Exchanges 4
F. Sales of Securities 4
G. Depositary Receipts 5
H. Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers 6
I. Stock Dividends, Rights, Etc. 6
J. Options 6
K. Borrowings 7
L. Demand Deposit Bank Accounts 7
M. Interest Bearing Call or Time Deposits 8
N. Foreign Exchange Transactions
and Futures Contracts 9
O. Stock Loans 10
P. Collections 10
Q. Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions 11
R. Proxies, Notices, Etc. 12
S. Nondiscretionary Details 13
T. Bills 13
U. Deposit of Fund Assets in Securities Systems 13
V. Other Transfers 16
W. Investment Limitations 16
X. Proper Instructions 17
Y. Segregated Account 18
3. Powers and Duties of the Custodian with
Respect to the Appointment of Subcustodians 19
4. Assistance by the Custodian as to Certain Matters 23
5. Powers and Duties of the Custodian with
Respect to its Role as Financial Agent 23
A. Records 23
B. Accounts 24
C. Access to Records 24
D. Disbursements 24
<PAGE>
6. Standard of Care and Related Matters 24
A. Liability of the Custodian with
Respect to Proper Instructions;
Evidence of Authority; Etc. 24
B. Liability of the Custodidian with
Respect to Use of Securities System 26
C. Liability of the Custodian with
respect to Subcustodians 26
D. Standard of Care; Liability;
Indemnification 27
E. Reimbursement of Advances 29
F. Security for Obligations to Custodian 29
G. Appointment of Agents 29
H. Powers of Attorney 30
7. Compensation of the Custodian 30
8. Termination; Successor Custodian 30
9. Amendment 31
10. Governing Law 32
11. Notices 32
12. Binding Effect 32
13. Counterparts 32
<PAGE>
CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 23rd day of December, 1991, between PIONEER SMALL CAP FUND,
an investment portfolio of PIONEER GROWTH TRUST (said portfolio and trust herein
referred to as the "Fund") and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (the "Custodian");
WITNESSETH: That in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Employment of Custodian: The Fund hereby employs and appoints the Custodian
as a custodian for the term and subject to the provisions of this Agreement. The
Custodian shall not be under any duty or obligation to require the Fund to
deliver to it any securities or funds owned by the Fund and shall have no
responsibility or liability for or on account of securities or funds not so
delivered. The Fund will deposit with the Custodian copies of the Declaration of
Trust or Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws (or comparable documents) of the Fund and all
amendments thereto, and copies of such votes and other proceedings of the Fund
as may be necessary for or convenient to the Custodian in the performance of its
duties.
2. Powers and Duties of the Custodian with respect to Property of the Fund held
by the Custodian: Except for securities and funds held by any Subcustodians or
held by the
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Custodian through a non-U.S. securities depository appointed pursuant to the
provisions of Section 3 hereof, the Custodian shall have and perform the
following powers and duties:
A. Safekeeping - To keep safely the securities and other assets of the Fund that
have been delivered to the Custodian and, on behalf of the Fund, from time to
time to receive delivery of securities for safekeeping.
B. Manner of Holding Securities - To hold securities of the Fund (1) by physical
possession of the share certificates or other instruments representing such
securities in registered or bearer form, or (2) in book-entry form by a
Securities System (as said term is defined in Section 2U).
C. Registered Name; Nominee - To hold registered securities of the Fund (1) in
the name or any nominee name of the Custodian or the Fund, or in the name or any
nominee name of any Agent appointed pursuant to Section 6F, or (2) in street
certificate form, so-called, and in any case with or without any indication of
fiduciary capacity, provided that securities are held in an account of the
Custodian containing only assets of the Fund or only assets held as fiduciary or
custodian for customers.
D. Purchases - Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, as defined in Section X on
Page 17, insofar as funds are available for the purpose, to pay for and receive
securities purchased for the account of the Fund, payment being made only upon
receipt of the securities (1) by the Custodian, or (2) by a clearing
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<PAGE>
corporation of a national securities exchange of which the Custodian is a
member, or (3) by a Securities System. However, (i) in the case of repurchase
agreements entered into by the Fund, the Custodian (as well as an Agent) may
release funds to a Securities System or to a Subcustodian prior to the receipt
of advice from the Securities System or Subcustodian that the securities
underlying such repurchase agreement have been transferred by book entry into
the Account (as defined in Section 2U) of the Custodian (or such Agent)
maintained with such Securities System or Subcustodian, so long as such payment
instructions to the Securities System or Subcustodian include a requirement that
delivery is only against payment for securities, (ii) in the case of foreign
exchange contracts, options, time deposits, call account deposits, currency
deposits, and other deposits, contracts or options pursuant to Sections 2J, 2L,
2M and 2N, the Custodian may make payment therefor without receiving an
instrument evidencing said deposit, contract or option so long as such payment
instructions detail specific securities to be acquired, and (iii) in the case of
securities in which payment for the security and receipt of the instrument
evidencing the security are under generally accepted trade practice or the terms
of the instrument representing the security expected to take place in different
locations or through separate parties, such as commercial paper which is indexed
to foreign currency exchange rates, derivatives and similar securities, the
Custodian may make payment for such securities prior to delivery thereof in
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<PAGE>
accordance with such generally accepted trade practice or the terms of the
instrument representing such security.
E. Exchanges - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to exchange securities held
by it for the account of the Fund for other securities in connection with any
reorganization, recapitalization, split-up of shares, change of par value,
conversion or other event relating to the securities or the issuer of such
securities and to deposit any such securities in accordance with the terms of
any reorganization or protective plan. Without proper instructions, the
Custodian may surrender securities in temporary form for definitive securities,
may surrender securities for transfer into a name or nominee name as permitted
in Section 2C, and may surrender securities for a different number of
certificates or instruments representing the same number of shares or same
principal amount of indebtedness, provided the securities to be issued are to be
delivered to the Custodian.
F. Sales of Securities - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to make delivery
of securities which have been sold for the account of the Fund, but only against
payment therefor (1) in cash, by a certified check, bank cashier's check, bank
credit, or bank wire transfer, or (2) by credit to the account of the Custodian
with a clearing corporation of a national securities exchange of which the
Custodian is a member, or (3) by credit to the account of the Custodian or an
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<PAGE>
Agent of the Custodian with a Securities System; provided, however, that (i) in
the case of delivery of physical certificates or instruments representing
securities, the Custodian may make delivery to the broker buying the securities,
against receipt therefor, for examination in accordance with "street delivery"
custom, provided that the payment therefor is to be made to the Custodian (which
payment may be made by a broker's check) or that such securities are to be
returned to the Custodian, and (ii) in the case of securities referred to in
clause (iii) of the last sentence of Section 2D, the Custodian may make
settlement, including with respect to the form of payment, in accordance with
generally accepted trade practice relating to such securities or the terms of
the instrument representing said security.
G. Depositary Receipts - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to instruct a
Subcustodian or an Agent to surrender securities to the depositary used by an
issuer of American Depositary Receipts or International Depositary Receipts
(hereinafter collectively referred to as "ADRs") for such securities against a
written receipt therefor adequately describing such securities and written
evidence satisfactory to the Subcustodian or Agent that the depositary has
acknowledged receipt of instructions to issue with respect to such securities
ADRs in the name of the Custodian, or a nominee of the Custodian, for delivery
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<PAGE>
to the Custodian in Boston, Massachusetts, or at such other place as the
Custodian may from time to time designate.
Upon receipt of proper instructions, to surrender ADRs to the issuer thereof
against a written receipt therefor adequately describing the ADRs surrendered
and written evidence satisfactory to the Custodian that the issuer of the ADRs
has acknowledged receipt of instructions to cause its depositary to deliver the
securities underlying such ADRs to a Subcustodian or an Agent.
H. Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers - Upon timely receipt of proper
instructions, to deliver to the issuer or trustee thereof, or to the agent of
either, warrants, puts, calls, rights or similar securities for the purpose of
being exercised or sold, provided that the new securities and cash, if any,
acquired by such action are to be delivered to the Custodian, and, upon receipt
of proper instructions, to deposit securities upon invitations for tenders of
securities, provided that the consideration is to be paid or delivered or the
tendered securities are to be returned to the Custodian.
I. Stock Dividends, Rights, Etc. - To receive and collect all stock dividends,
rights and other items of like nature; and to deal with the same pursuant to
proper instructions relative thereto.
J. Options - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to receive and retain
confirmations or other documents evidencing the purchase of writing of an option
on a security or securities index by the Fund; to deposit and maintain in a
segregated account, either physically or by book-entry in a Securities System,
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<PAGE>
securities subject to a covered call option written by the Fund; and to release
and/or transfer such securities or other assets only in accordance with the
provisions of any agreement among the Fund, the Custodian and a broker-dealer
relating to such securities or other assets a notice or other communication
evidencing the expiration, termination or exercise of such covered option
furnished by The Options Clearing Corporation, the securities or options
exchange on which such covered option is traded or such other organization as
may be responsible for handling such options transactions.
K. Borrowings - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to deliver securities of
the Fund to lenders or their agents as collateral for borrowings effected by the
Fund, provided that such borrowed money is payable to or upon the Custodian's
order as Custodian for the Fund.
L. Demand Deposit Bank Accounts - To open and operate an account or accounts in
the name of the Fund on the Custodian's books subject only to draft or order by
the Custodian. All funds received by the Custodian from or for the account of
the Fund shall be deposited in said account(s). The responsibilities of the
Custodian to the Fund for deposits accepted on the Custodian's books shall be
that of a U. S. bank for a similar deposit
If and when authorized by proper instructions the Custodian may open and operate
an additional account(s) in such other banks or trust companies as may be
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<PAGE>
designated by the Fund in such instructions (any such bank or trust company so
designated by the Fund being referred to hereafter as a "Banking Institution"),
provided that such account(s) (hereinafter collectively referred to as "demand
deposit bank accounts") shall be in the name of the Custodian for account of the
Fund and subject only to the Custodian's draft or order. Such demand deposit
accounts may be opened with Banking Institutions in the United States and in
other countries and may be denominated in either U. S. Dollars or other
currencies as the Fund may determine. All such deposits shall be deemed to be
portfolio securities of the Fund and accordingly the responsibility of the
Custodian therefore shall be the same as and no greater than the Custodian's
responsibility in respect of other portfolio securities of the Fund.
M. Interest Bearing Call or Time Deposits - To place interest bearing fixed term
and call deposits with such banks and in such amounts as the Fund may authorize
pursuant to proper instructions. Such deposits may be placed with the Custodian
or with Subcustodians or other Banking Institutions as the Fund may determine.
Deposits may be denominated in U. S. Dollars or other currencies and need not be
evidenced by the issuance or delivery of a certificate to the Custodian,
provided that the Custodian shall include in its records with respect to the
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<PAGE>
assets of the Fund appropriate notation as to the amount and currency of each
such deposit, the accepting Banking Institution and other appropriate details,
and shall retain such forms of advice or receipt evidencing the deposit, if any,
as may be forwarded to the Custodian by the Banking Institution. Such deposits,
other than those placed with the Custodian, shall be deemed portfolio securities
of the Fund and the responsibilities of the Custodian therefor shall be the same
as those for demand deposit bank accounts placed with other banks, as described
in Section K of this Agreement. The responsibility of the Custodian for such
deposits accepted on the Custodian's books shall be that of a U.S. bank for a
similar deposit.
N. Foreign Exchange Transactions and Futures Contracts - Pursuant to proper
instructions, to enter into foreign exchange contracts or options to purchase
and sell foreign currencies for spot and future delivery on behalf and for the
account of the Fund. Such transactions may be undertaken by the Custodian with
such Banking Institutions, including the Custodian and Subcustodian(s) as
principals, as approved and authorized by the Fund. Foreign exchange contracts
and options other than those executed with the Custodian, shall be deemed to be
portfolio securities of the Fund and the responsibilities of the Custodian
therefor shall be the same as those for demand deposit bank accounts placed with
other banks as described in Section 2L of this agreement. Upon receipt of proper
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<PAGE>
instructions, to receive and retain confirmations evidencing the purchase or
sale of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract by the Fund; to
deposit and maintain in a segregated account, for the benefit of any futures
commission merchant or to pay to such futures commission merchant, assets
designated by the fund as initial, maintenance or variation "margin" deposits
intended to secure the Fund's performance of its obligations under any futures
contracts purchased or sold or any options on futures contracts written by the
Fund, in accordance with the provisions of any agreement or agreements among any
of the Fund, the Custodian and such futures commission merchant, designated to
comply with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or any
contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding such
margin deposits; and to release and/or transfer assets in such margin accounts
only in accordance with any such agreements or rules.
0. Stock Loans - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to deliver securities of
the Fund, in connection with loans of securities by the Fund, to the borrower
thereof prior to receipt of the collateral, if any, for such borrowing, provided
that for stock loans secured by cash collateral the Custodian's instructions to
the Securities System require that the Securities System may deliver the
securities to the borrower thereof only upon receipt of the collateral for such
borrowing.
P. Collections - To collect, receive and deposit in said account or
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<PAGE>
accounts all income, payments of principal and other payments with respect to
the securities held hereunder, and in connection therewith to deliver the
certificates or other instruments representing the securities to the issuer
thereof or its agent when securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise
become payable; provided, that the payment is to be made in such form and manner
and at such time, which may be after delivery by the Custodian of the instrument
representing the security, as is in accordance with the terms of the instrument
representing the security, or such proper instructions as the Custodian may
receive, or governmental regulations, the rules of Securities Systems or other
U.S. securities depositories and clearing agencies or, with respect to
securities referred to in clause (iii) of the last sentence of Section 2D, in
accordance with generally accepted trade practice; (ii) to execute ownership and
other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state tax purposes in
connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to securities
of the Fund or in connection with transfer of securities, and (iii) pursuant to
proper instructions to take such other actions with respect to collection or
receipt of funds or transfer of securities which involve an investment decision.
Q. Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions - Upon receipt of proper
instructions from the Fund, or upon receipt of instructions from the Fund's
shareholder servicing agent or agent with comparable duties (the "Shareholder
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<PAGE>
Servicing Agent") (given by such person or persons and in such manner on behalf
of the Shareholder Servicing Agent as the Fund shall have authorized), the
Custodian shall release funds or securities to the Shareholder Servicing Agent
or otherwise apply funds or securities, insofar as available, for the payment of
dividends or other distributions to Fund shareholders. Upon receipt of proper
instructions from the Fund, or upon receipt of instructions from the Shareholder
Servicing Agent (given by such person or persons and in such manner on behalf of
the Shareholder Servicing Agent as the Fund shall have authorized), the
Custodian shall release funds or securities, insofar as available, to the
Shareholder Servicing Agent or as such Agent shall otherwise instruct for
payment to Fund shareholders who have delivered to such Agent a request for
repurchase or redemption of their shares of capital stock of the Fund.
R. Proxies, Notices, Etc. - Promptly to deliver or mail to the Fund all forms of
proxies and all notices of meetings and any other notices or announcements
affecting or relating to securities owned by the Fund that are received by the
Custodian, and upon receipt of proper instructions to execute and deliver or
cause its nominee to execute and deliver such proxies or other authorizations as
may be required. Neither the Custodian nor its nominee shall vote upon any of
such securities or execute any proxy to vote thereon or give any consent or take
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<PAGE>
any other action with respect thereto (except as otherwise herein provided)
unless ordered to do so by proper instructions.
S. Nondiscretionary Details - Without the necessity of express authorization
from the Fund, (1) to attend to all nondiscretionary details in connection with
the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer or other dealings with
securities, funds or other property of the Portfolio held by the Custodian
except as otherwise directed from time to time by the Directors or Trustees of
the Fund, and (2) to make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of
handling securities or other similar items relating to the Custodian's duties
under this Agreement, provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to
the Fund.
T. Bills - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to pay or cause to be paid,
insofar as funds are available for the purpose, bills, statements, or other
obligations of the Fund.
U. Deposit of Fund Assets in Securities Systems - The Custodian may deposit
and/or maintain securities owned by the Fund in (i) The Depository Trust
Company, (ii) any book-entry system as provided in Subpart 0 of Treasury
Circular No. 300, 31 CFR 306, Subpart B of 31 CFR Part 350, or the book-entry
regulations of federal agencies substantially in the form of Subpart 0, or (iii)
any other domestic clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which acts
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<PAGE>
as a securities depository and whose use the Fund has previously approved in
writing (each of the foregoing being referred to in this Agreement as a
"Securities System"). Utilization of a Securities System shall be in accordance
with applicable Federal Reserve Board and Securities and Exchange Commission
rules and regulations, if any, and subject to the following provisions:
1) The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Fund securities, either directly or
through one or more Agents appointed by the Custodian (provided that any such
agent shall be qualified to act as a custodian of the Fund pursuant to the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder), in a
Securities System provided that such securities are represented in an account
("Account") of the Custodian or such Agent in the Securities System which shall
not include any assets of the Custodian or Agent other than assets held as a
fiduciary, custodian, or otherwise for customers;
2) The records of the Custodian with respect to securities of the Fund which are
maintained in a Securities System shall identify by book-entry those securities
belonging to the Fund;
3) The Custodian shall pay for securities purchased for the account of the Fund
upon (i) receipt of advice from the Securities System that such securities have
been transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records
of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the
Fund. The Custodian shall transfer securities sold for the account of the Fund
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<PAGE>
upon (i) receipt of advice from the Securities System that payment for such
securities has been transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of an entry
on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and payment for the
account of the Fund. Copies of all advices from the Securities System of
transfers of securities for the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be
maintained for the Fund by the Custodian or an Agent as referred to above, and
be provided to the Fund at its request. The Custodian shall furnish the Fund
confirmation of each transfer to or from the account of the Fund in the form of
a written advice or notice and shall furnish to the Fund copies of daily
transaction sheets reflecting each day's transactions in the Securities System
for the account of the Fund on the next business day;
4) The Custodian shall provide the Fund with any report obtained by the
Custodian or any Agent as referred to above on the Securities System's
accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding
securities deposited in the Securities System; and the Custodian and such Agents
shall send to the Fund such reports on their own systems of internal accounting
control as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time.
5) At the written request of the Fund, the Custodian will terminate the use of
any such Securities System on behalf of the Fund as promptly as practicable.
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<PAGE>
V. Other Transfers - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to deliver securities,
funds and other property of the Fund to a Subcustodian or another custodian of
the Fund; and, upon receipt of proper instructions, to make such other
disposition of securities, funds or other property of the Fund in a manner other
than or for purposes other than as enumerated elsewhere in this Agreement,
provided that the instructions relating to such disposition shall include a
statement of the purpose for which the delivery is to be made, the amount of
securities to be delivered and the name of the person or persons to whom
delivery is to be made.
W. Investment Limitations - In performing its duties generally, and more
particularly in connection with the purchase, sale and exchange of securities
made by or for the Fund, the Custodian may assume unless and until notified in
writing to the contrary that proper instructions received by it are not in
conflict with or in any way contrary to any provisions of the Fund's Declaration
of Trust or Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws (or comparable documents) or
votes or proceedings of the shareholders or Directors of the Fund. The Custodian
shall in no event be liable to the Fund and shall be indemnified by the Fund for
any violation which occurs in the course of carrying out instructions given by
the Fund of any investment limitations to which the Fund is subject or other
limitations with respect to the Fund's powers to make expenditures, encumber
securities, borrow or take similar actions affecting the Fund.
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<PAGE>
X. Proper Instructions - Proper instructions shall mean a tested telex from the
Fund or a written request, direction, instruction or certification signed or
initialled on behalf of the Fund by one or more person or persons as the Board
of Directors or Trustees of the Fund shall have from time to time authorized,
provided, however, that no such instructions directing the delivery of
securities or the payment of funds to an authorized signatory of the Fund shall
be signed by such person. Those persons authorized to give proper instructions
may be identified by the Board of Directors or Trustees by name, title or
position and will include at least one officer empowered by the Board to name
other individuals who are authorized to give proper instructions on behalf of
the Fund. Telephonic or other oral instructions given by any one of the above
persons will be considered proper instructions if the Custodian reasonably
believes them to have been given by a person authorized to give such
instructions with respect to the transaction involved. Oral instructions will be
confirmed by tested telex or in writing in the manner set forth above but the
lack of such confirmation shall in no way affect any action taken by the
Custodian in reliance upon such oral instructions. The Fund authorizes the
Custodian to tape record any and all telephonic or other oral instructions given
to the Custodian by or on behalf of the Fund (including any of its officers,
Directors, Trustees, employees or agents) and will deliver to the Custodian a
similar authorization from any investment manager or adviser or person or entity
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with similar reponsibilities which is authorized to give proper instructions on
behalf of the Fund to the Custodian. Proper instructions may relate to specific
transactions or to types or classes of transactions, and may be in the form of
standing instructions.
Proper instructions may include communications effected directly between
electro-mechanical or electronic devices or systems, in addition to tested
telex, provided that the Fund and the Custodian agree to the use of such device
or system.
Y. Segregated Account - The Custodian shall upon receipt of proper instructions
establish and maintain on its books a segregated account or accounts for and on
behalf of the Fund, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash
and/or securities of the Fund, including securities maintained by the Custodian
pursuant to Section 2U hereof, (i) in accordance with the provisions of any
agreement among the Fund, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (or any futures commission merchant registered under
the Commodity Exchange Act) relating to compliance with the rules of the Options
Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission or any registered contract market), or any
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similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in
connection with transactions by the Fund, (ii) for purposes of segregating cash
or securities in connection with options purchased, sold or written by the Fund
or commodity futures contracts or options thereon purchased or sold by the Fund,
(iii) for the purposes of compliance by the Fund with the procedures required by
Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or any subsequent release or releases
of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the maintenance of
segregated accounts by registered investment companies, and (iv) as mutually
agreed from time to time between the Fund and the Custodian.
3. Powers and Duties of the Custodian with Respect to the Appointment of
Subcustodians: The Fund hereby authorizes and instructs the Custodian to hold
securities, funds and other property of the Fund which are maintained outside
the United States at subcustodians appointed pursuant to the provisions of this
Section 3 (a "Subcustodian"). The Fund shall approve in writing (1) the
appointment of each Subcustodian and the subcustodian agreement to be entered
into between such Subcustodian and the Custodian, and (2) if the Subcustodian is
organized under the laws of a country other than the United States, the country
or countries in which the Subcustodian is authorized to hold securities, cash
and other property of the Fund. The Fund hereby further authorizes and instructs
the Custodian and any Subcustodian to utilize such securities depositories
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located outside the United States which are approved in writing by the Fund to
hold securities, cash and other property of the Fund. Upon such approval by the
Fund, the Custodian is authorized on behalf of the Fund to notify each
Subcustodian of its appointment as such. The Custodian may, at any time in its
discretion, remove any Subcustodian that has been appointed as such but will
promptly notify the Fund of any such action.
Those Subcustodians, and the countries where and the securities depositories
through which they or the Custodian may hold securities, cash and other property
of the Fund which the Fund has approved to date are set forth on Appendix A
hereto. Such Appendix shall be amended from time to time as Subcustodians,
and/or countries and/or securities depositories are changed, added or deleted.
The Fund shall be responsible for informing the Custodian sufficiently in
advance of a proposed investment which is to be held in a country not listed on
Appendix A, in order that there shall be sufficient time for the Fund to give
the approval required by the preceding paragraph and for the Custodian to put
the appropriate arrangements in place with such Subcustodian, including
negotiation of a subcustodian agreement and submission of such subcustodian
agreement to the Fund for approval.
If the Fund shall have invested in a security to be held in a country before the
foregoing procedures have been completed, such security shall be held by such
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agent as the Custodian may appoint. In any event, the Custodian shall be liable
to the Fund for the actions of such agent if and only to the extent the
Custodian shall have recovered from such agent for any damages caused the Fund
by such agent. At the request of the Fund, Custodian agrees to remove any
securities held on behalf of the Fund by such agent, if practical, to an
approved Subcustodian. Under such circumstances Custodian will collect income
and respond to corporate actions on a best efforts basis.
With respect to securities and funds held by a Subcustodian, either directly or
indirectly (including by a securities depository or clearing agency),
notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, payment for
securities purchased and delivery of securities sold may be made prior to
receipt of the securities or payment, respectively, and securities or payment
may be received in a form, in accordance with governmental regulations, rules of
securities depositories and clearing agencies, or generally accepted trade
practice in the applicable local market.
In the event that any Subcustodian appointed pursuant to the provisions of this
Section 3 fails to perform any of its obligations under the terms and conditions
of the applicable subcustodian agreement, the Custodian shall use its best
efforts to cause such Subcustodian to perform such obligations. In the event
that the Custodian is unable to cause such Subcustodian to perform fully its
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obligations thereunder, the Custodian shall forthwith upon the Fund's request
terminate such Subcustodian in accordance with the termination provisions under
the applicable subcustodian agreement and, if necessary or desirable, appoint
another subcustodian in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3. At the
election of the Fund, it shall have the right to enforce, to the extent
permitted by the subcustodian agreement and applicable law, the Custodian's
rights against any such Subcustodian for loss or damage caused the Fund by such
Subcustodian.
The Custodian will not amend any subcustodian agreement or agree to change or
permit any changes thereunder except upon the prior written approval of the
Fund.
The Custodian may, at any time in its discretion upon notification to the Fund,
terminate any Subcustodian of the Fund in accordance with the termination
provisions under the applicable Subcustodian Agreement, and at the written
request of the Fund, the Custodian will terminate any Subcustodian in accordance
with the termination provisions under the applicable Subcustodian Agreement.
If necessary or desirable, the Custodian may appoint another subcustodian to
replace a Subcustodian terminated pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
Section 3, such appointment to be made upon approval of the successor
subcustodian by the Fund's Board of Directors or Trustees in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 3.
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In the event the Custodian receives a claim from a Subcustodian under the
indemnification provisions of any subcustodian agreement, the Custodian shall
promptly give written notice to the Fund of such claim. No more than thirty days
after written notice to the Fund of the Custodian's intention to make such
payment, the Fund will reimburse the Custodian the amount of such payment except
in respect of any negligence or misconduct of the Custodian.
4. Assistance by the Custodian as to Certain Matters: The Custodian may assist
generally in the preparation of reports to Fund shareholders and others, audits
of accounts, and other ministerial matters of like nature.
5. Powers and Duties of the Custodian with Respect to its Role as Financial
Agent: The Fund hereby also appoints the Custodian as the Funds financial agent.
With respect to the appointment as financial agent, the Custodian shall have and
perform the following powers and duties:
A. Records - To create, maintain and retain such records relating to its
activities and obligations under this Agreement as are required under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder
(including Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder) and under
applicable Federal and State tax laws. All such records will be the property of
the Fund and in the event of termination of this Agreement shall be delivered to
the successor custodian.
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B. Accounts - To keep books of account and render statements, including interim
monthly and complete quarterly financial statements, or copies thereof, from
time to time as reasonably requested by proper instructions.
C. Access to Records - The books and records maintained by the Custodian
pursuant to Sections 5A and 5B shall at all times during the Custodian's regular
business hours be open to inspection and audit by officers of, attorneys for and
auditors employed by the Fund and by employees and agents of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, provided that all such individuals shall observe all
security requirements of the Custodian applicable to its own employees having
access to similar records within the Custodian and such regulations as may be
reasonably imposed by the Custodian.
D. Disbursements - Upon receipt of proper instructions, to pay or cause to be
paid, insofar as funds are available for the purpose, bills, statements and
other obligations of the Fund (including but not limited to interest charges,
taxes, management fees, compensation to Fund officers and employees, and other
operating expenses of the Fund).
6. Standard of Care and Related Matters:
A. Liability of the Custodian with Respect to Proper Instructions; Evidence of
Authority, Etc. The Custodian shall not be liable for any action taken or
omitted in reliance upon proper instructions believed by it to be genuine or
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upon any other written notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or
other instrument believed by it to be genuine and signed by the proper party or
parties.
The Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Fund shall certify to the Custodian
the names, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give
proper instructions or any other such notice, request, direction, instruction,
certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund, the names and signatures of the
officers of the Fund, the name and address of the Shareholder Servicing Agent,
and any resolutions, votes, instructions or directions of the Fund's Board of
Directors or Trustees or shareholders. Such certificate may be accepted and
relied upon by the Custodian as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth
therein and may be considered in full force and effect until receipt of a
similar certificate to the contrary.
So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the
Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any
property or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant
to this Agreement.
The Custodian shall be entitled, at the expense of the Fund, to receive and act
upon advice of (i) counsel regularly retained by the Custodian in respect of
custodian matters, (ii) counsel for the Fund, or (iii) such other counsel as the
Fund and the Custodian may agree upon, with respect to all matters, and the
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Custodian shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted
pursuant to such advice.
B. Liability of the Custodian with Respect to Use of Securities System - With
respect to the portfolio securities, cash and other property of the Fund held by
a Securities System, the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund only for any loss
or damage to the Fund resulting from use of the Securities System if caused by
any negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of the Custodian or any of its agents
or of any of its or their employees or from any failure of the Custodian or any
such agent to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against the
Securities System. At the election of the Fund, it shall be entitled to be
subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim against the
Securities System or any other person which the Custodian may have as a
consequence of any such loss or damage to the Fund if and to the extent that the
Fund has not been made whole for any such loss or damage.
C. Liability of the Custodian with respect to Subcustodians The Custodian shall
be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund caused by or resulting
from the acts or omissions of any Subcustodian to the extent that under the
terms set forth in the subcustodian agreement between the Custodian and the
Subcustodian (or in the subcustodian agreement between a Subcustodian and any
secondary Subcustodian), the Subcustodian (or secondary Subcustodian) has failed
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to perform in accordance with the standard of conduct imposed under such
subcustodian agreement as determined in accordance with the law which is
adjudicated to govern such agreement and in accordance with any determination of
any court as to the duties of said Subcustodian pursuant to said agreement. The
Custodian shall also be liable to the Fund for its own negligence in
transmitting any instructions received by it from the Fund and for its own
negligence in connection with the delivery of any securities or funds held by it
to any Subcustodian.
D. Standard of Care; Liability; Indemnification - The Custodian shall be held
only to the exercise of reasonable care and diligence in carrying out the
provisions of this Agreement, provided that the Custodian shall not thereby be
required to take any action which is in contravention of any applicable law. The
Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian and its nominees from
all claims and liabilities (including counsel fees) incurred or assessed against
it or its nominees in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except
such as may arise from its or its nominee's breach of the relevant standard of
conduct set forth in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
indemnification obligation of the Fund, the Fund agrees to indemnify the
Custodian and any nominee in whose name portfolio securities or other property
of the Fund is registered against any liability the Custodian or such nominee
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may incur by reason of taxes assessed to the Custodian or such nominee or other
costs, liability or expense incurred by the Custodian or such nominee resulting
directly or indirectly from the fact that portfolio securities or other property
of the Fund is registered in the name of the Custodian or such nominee.
It is also understood that the Custodian shall not be liable for any loss
involving any securities, currencies, deposits or other property of the Fund,
whether maintained by it, a Subcustodian, a securities depository, an agent of
the Custodian or a Subcustodian, a Securities System, or a Banking Institution,
or for any loss arising from a foreign currency transaction or contract, where
the loss results from a Sovereign Risk or where the entity maintaining such
securities, currencies, deposits or other property of the Fund, whether the
Custodian, a Subcustodian, a securities depository, an agent of the Custodian or
a Subcustodian, a Securities System or a Banking Institution, has exercised
reasonable care maintaining such property or in connection with the transaction
involving such property. A "Sovereign Risk" shall mean nationalization,
expropriation, devaluation, revaluation, confiscation, seizure, cancellation,
destruction or similar action by any governmental authority, de facto or de
jure; or enactment, promulgation, imposition or enforcement by any such
governmental authority of currency restrictions, exchange controls, taxes,
levies or other charges affecting the Fund's property; or acts of war,
terrorism, insurrection or revolution; or any other act or event beyond the
Custodian's control.
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E. Reimbursement of Advances - The Custodian shall be entitled to receive
reimbursement from the Fund on demand, in the manner provided in Section 7, for
its cash disbursements, expenses and charges (including the fees and expenses of
any Subcustodian or any Agent) in connection with this Agreement, but excluding
salaries and usual overhead expenses.
F. Security for obligations to Custodian - If the Fund shall require the
Custodian to advance cash or securities for any purpose for the benefit of the
Fund, including in connection with foreign exchange contracts or options
(collectively, an "Advance"), or if the Custodian or any nominee thereof shall
incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or
liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement (collectively a
"Liability"), except such as may arise from its or such nominee's breach of the
relevant standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement, then in such event any
property at any time held for the account of the Fund by the Custodian or a
Subcustodian shall be security for such Advance or Liability and if the Fund
shall fail to repay or indemnify the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be
entitled to utilize available cash and to dispose of the Fund's property,
including securities, to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement or
indemnification.
G. Appointment of Agents - The Custodian may at any time or times in its
discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) any other bank or trust company
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as its agent (an "Agent") to carry out such of the provisions of this Agreement
as the Custodian may from time to time direct, provided, however, that the
appointment of such Agent (other than an Agent appointed pursuant to the third
paragraph of Section 3) shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its
responsibilities under this agreement.
H. Powers of Attorney - Upon request, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian
such proxies, powers of attorney or other instruments as may be reasonable and
necessary or desirable in connection with the performance by the Custodian or
any Subcustodian of their respective obligations under this Agreement or any
applicable subcustodian agreement.
7. Compensation of the Custodian: The Fund shall pay the Custodian a custody fee
based on such fee schedule as may from time to time be agreed upon in writing by
the Custodian and the Fund. Such fee, together with all amounts for which the
Custodian is to be reimbursed in accordance with Section 6D, shall be billed to
the Fund in such a manner as to permit payment by a direct cash payment to the
Custodian.
8. Termination; Successor Custodian: This Agreement shall continue in full force
and effect until terminated by either party by an instrument in writing
delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party, such termination to
take effect not sooner than seventy five (75) days after the date of such
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delivery or mailing. In the event of termination the Custodian shall be entitled
to receive prior to delivery of the securities, funds and other property held by
it all accrued fees and unreimbursed expenses the payment of which is
contemplated by Sections 6D and 7, upon receipt by the Fund of a statement
setting forth such fees and expenses.
In the event of the appointment of a successor custodian, it is agreed that the
funds and securities owned by the Fund and held by the Custodian or any
Subcustodian shall be delivered to the successor custodian, and the Custodian
agrees to cooperate with the Fund in execution of documents and performance of
other actions necessary or desirable in order to substitute the successor
custodian for the Custodian under this Agreement.
9. Amendment: This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement
of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. No provision of
this Agreement may be amended or terminated except by a statement in writing
signed by the party against which enforcement of the amendment or termination is
sought.
In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and the Fund
may agree in writing from time to time on such provisions interpretative of or
in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be
consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. No interpretative or
additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed
to be an amendment of this Agreements.
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The section headings in this Agreement are for the convenience of the parties
and in no way alter, amend, limit or restrict the contractual obligations of the
parties set forth in this Agreement.
10. Governing Law: This instrument is executed and delivered in The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of
said Commonwealth.
11. Notices: Notices and other writings delivered or mailed postage prepaid to
the Fund addressed to the Fund at 60 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
or to such other address as the Fund may have designated to the Custodian in
writing, or to the Custodian at 40 Water Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109,
Attention: Manager, Securities Department, or to such other address as the
Custodian may have designated to the Fund in writing, shall be deemed to have
been properly delivered or given hereunder to the respective addressee.
12. Binding Effect: This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the
benefit of the Fund and the Custodian and their respective successors and
assigns, provided that neither party hereto may assign this Agreement or any of
its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the
other party.
13. Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original. This Agreement shall become effective
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when one or more counterparts have been signed and delivered by each of the
parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed
in its name and behalf on the day and year first above written.
PIONEER GROWTH TRUST BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
On Behalf of
Pioneer Small Cap Fund
By per pro
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