<PAGE>
- -------------------------------
OMB APPROVAL
- -------------------------------
OMB Number: 3235-0360
Expires: July 31, 1991
Estimated average burden
hours per response....0.05
- -------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549
FORM N-17f-2
Certificate of Accounting of Securities and Similar
Investments in the Custody of
Management Investment Companies
Pursuant to Rule 17f-2 [17 CFR 270.17f-2]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
<S> <C>
1. Investment Company Act File Number: Date examination completed:
811-07395 May 31, 1997
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
2. State identification Number:
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
AL AK AZ AR CA CO
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
CT DE DC FL GA HI
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
ID IL IN IA KS KY
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
LA ME MD MA MI MN
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
MS MO MT NE NV NH
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
NJ NM NY NC ND OH
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
OK OR PA RI SC SD
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
TN TX UT VT VA WA
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------
WV WI WY PUERTO RICO
-------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------
Other (specify):
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Exact name of investment company as specified in registration statement:
Growth Trust
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Name under which business is conducted, if different from above:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Address of principal place of business (number, street, city, state, zip code):
IDS Tower 10, Minneapolis, MN 55440
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
INSTRUCTIONS
This Form must be completed by investment companies that have custody of
securities or similar investments.
Investment Company
1. All items must be completed by the investment company.
2. Give this Form to the independent public accountant who, in compliance with
Rule 17f-2 under the Act and applicable state law, examines securities and
similar investments in the custody of the investment company.
Accountant
3. Submit this Form to the Securities and Exchange Commission and appropriate
state securities administrators when filing the certificate of accounting
required by Rule 17f-2 under the Act and applicable state law. File the original
and one copy with the Securities and Exchange Commission's principal office in
Washington, D. C., one copy with the regional office for the region in which the
investment company's principal business operations are conducted, and one copy
with the appropriate state administrator(s), if applicable.
<PAGE>
THIS FORM MUST BE GIVEN TO YOUR INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
Note: The estimated average burden hours are made solely for purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, and are not derived from a comprehensive or even a
representative survey or study of the costs of SEC rules and forms. Direct any
comments concerning the accuracy of the estimated average burden hours for
compliance with SEC rules and forms to Kenneth A. Fogash. Duputy Executive
Director, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549 and Gary Waxman, Clearance Officer, Office of Management
and Budget, Room 3208 New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503.
<PAGE>
Independent Auditors' Report
To the Board of Trustees of
Growth Trust
and
Securities and Exchange Commission:
We have examined management's assertion, included in its representation letter,
that Growth Portfolio and Growth Trends Portfolio of Growth Trust (the
Portfolios) complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of Rule
17f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of May 31, 1997 and during the
period March 31, 1997 (the date of our last examination) through May 31, 1997.
Management is responsible for the Portfolios' compliance with those provisions.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management's assertion about the
Portfolios' compliance based on our examination.
Our examination was made in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and, accordingly, included
examining, on a test basis, evidence about the Portfolios' compliance with those
requirements and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in
the circumstances. Included among our procedures were the following tests
performed as of May 31, 1997 and the period from March 31, 1997 through May 31,
1997, with respect to securities transactions, without prior notice to
management:
o Count and inspection of all securities located in the vault, if any, of
American Express Trust Company, the Custodian;
o Confirmation of all securities, if any, held by institutions in book entry
form (Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., Morgan Stanley Trust Company, State
Street Bank and Trust Company, and The Depository Trust Company);
o Confirmation or examination of underlying documentation of all securities
purchased but not received, hypothecated, pledged, placed in escrow, or out
for transfer with brokers, pledgees and/or transfer agents;
o Reconciliation of all such securities to the books and records of the
Portfolios and the Custodian; and
o Test of selected security transactions since the date of our last report.
We believe that our examination provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our
examination does not provide a legal determination on the Portfolios' compliance
with the specified requirements.
In our opinion, management's assertion that Growth Trust was in compliance with
the above mentioned provisions of Rule 17f-2 of the Investment Company Act of
1940 as of May 31, 1997 and for the period from March 31, 1997 through May 31,
1997 is fairly stated in all material respects.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of management of
Growth Trust and the Securities and Exchange Commission and should not be used
for any other purpose.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Minneapolis, MN
August 26, 1997