Fundamental Investment Policies and Restrictions

Each Fund has adopted certain investment restrictions as fundamental policies.  A fundamental policy may only be changed if the change is approved by (i) more than 50% of the relevant Fund’s outstanding shares or (ii) 67% or more of the relevant Fund’s shares present at a shareholder meeting, if more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy, whichever is less.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Funds may not:

1.   Purchase or sell commodities, commodity contracts (except in conformity with regulations of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission such that the Fund would not be considered a commodity pool), or oil and gas interests or real estate.  Securities or other instruments backed by commodities are not considered commodities or commodity contracts for purposes of this restriction.  Debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in the oil, gas, or real estate businesses are not considered oil or gas interests or real estate for purposes of this restriction.  First mortgage loans and other direct obligations secured by real estate are not considered real estate for purposes of this restriction.

2.   Make loans, except to the extent the purchase of debt obligations of any type are considered loans and except that each Fund may lend portfolio securities to qualified institutional investors in compliance with requirements established from time to time by the SEC and the securities exchanges on which such securities are traded.

3.   Issue securities senior to its stock or borrow money or utilize leverage in excess of the maximum permitted by the 1940 Act, which is currently 33 1/3% of total assets (including 5% for emergency or other short-term purposes).

4.   Invest more than 25% of the value of its assets in a particular industry (except that U.S. government securities are not considered an industry).

5.   Act as an underwriter except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter when disposing of securities it owns or when selling its own shares.

6.   Except as may be described in the Prospectus, purchase securities on margin.

The term Prospectus as referenced in restriction 6 includes this SAI.

 

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INVESTMENT POLICIES

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Each Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus.  The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.  For a description of certain permitted investments discussed below, see the section entitled, “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.

The percentages above are not intended to be precise, nor are they limitations unless specifically stated as such in the Prospectus or elsewhere in this SAI.

The value of your shares in a Fund will increase as the value of the securities owned by such Fund increases and will decrease as the value of the Fund’s investments decrease.  In this way, you participate in any change in the value of the securities owned by a Fund.  In addition to the factors that affect the value of any particular security that a Fund owns, the value of such Fund’s shares may also change with movements in the stock and bond markets as a whole.

Capital Appreciation Fund

The Capital Appreciation Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.  This goal is fundamental, and may not be changed by the Board without the consent of shareholders.  There can be no assurance that the Capital Appreciation Fund will be able to achieve its investment objective.  The Capital Appreciation Fund is classified as a “diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act. This is a fundamental investment policy of the Fund, which may not be changed without a shareholder vote.

A “diversified” investment company is an investment company for which at least 75% of its total assets is represented by cash and cash items, Government securities, securities of other investment companies and other securities for purposes of this calculation, limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the company’s total assets and to no more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.

The general investment policy of the Capital Appreciation Fund is to invest in securities using a value orientation consisting of bottom-up fundamental value analysis with an emphasis on balance sheet strength.  In pursuit of its value oriented strategy, the Capital Appreciation Fund will invest without regard to market capitalization.

Opportunity Fund

The Opportunity Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.  This goal is fundamental, and may not be changed by the Board without the consent of shareholders.  There can be no assurance that the Opportunity Fund will be able to achieve its investment objective.  The Opportunity Fund is classified as a “diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act.  This is a fundamental investment policy of the Fund, which may not be changed without a shareholder vote.

The general investment policy of the Opportunity Fund is to invest using the same value orientation as the Capital Appreciation Fund.  In pursuit of its value-oriented strategy, the Opportunity Fund will invest significantly in small-to-mid capitalization companies with market capitalizations at the time of investment in the range of between $150 million and $15 billion.

General Description of Investments

Each Fund will invest in equity securities, including securities convertible, exchangeable for, or expected to be exchanged into common stock (including convertible preferred and convertible debt securities).  There are no limitations on the percentage of each Fund’s assets that may be invested in equity securities, debt securities, or convertible securities.  The Funds reserve freedom of action to invest in these securities in such proportions as the Funds’ investment manager, Prospector Partners Asset Management, LLC, (the “Investment Manager,” or alternatively, “Prospector Partners Asset Management”) deems advisable.  The Funds may also invest in foreign securities and other investment company securities.

Each Fund may invest in any industry although it will not concentrate its investments in any one industry.

Each Fund may invest in securities that are traded on U.S. or foreign securities exchanges, the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) national market system or in any domestic or foreign over-the-counter (“OTC”) market.  U.S. or foreign securities exchanges typically represent the primary trading market for U.S. and foreign securities.  A securities exchange brings together buyers and sellers of the same securities.  The NASDAQ national market system also brings together buyers and sellers of the same securities through an electronic medium which facilitates a sale and purchase of the security.  Many companies whose securities are traded on the NASDAQ national market system are smaller than the companies whose securities are traded on a securities exchange.  The OTC market refers to all other avenues whereby brokers bring together buyers and sellers of securities.

The following is a description of the various types of securities the Fund may invest and techniques it may use.

Equity Securities

Equity securities represent a proportionate share of the ownership of a company; their value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions.  The purchaser of an equity security typically receives an ownership interest in the company as well as certain voting rights.  The owner of an equity security may participate in a company’s success through the receipt of dividends, which are distributions of earnings by the company to its owners.  Equity security owners also may participate in a company’s success or lack of success through increases or decreases in the value of the company’s shares as traded in the public trading market for such shares.  Equity securities generally are either common stock or preferred stock, as well as securities convertible into common stocks.  Preferred stockholders usually receive greater dividends but may receive less appreciation than common stockholders and may have different voting rights as well.  Equity securities may also include convertible securities, warrants, or rights.  Warrants or rights give the holder the right to buy an equity security at a given time for specified price.

Convertible Securities

Convertible securities are debt securities, or in some cases preferred stock, that have the additional feature of converting into, exchanging or expecting to be exchanged for, common stock of a company after certain periods of time or under certain circumstances.  Holders of convertible securities gain the benefits of being a debt holder or preferred stockholder and receiving regular interest payments, in the case of debt securities, or higher dividends, in the case of preferred stock, with the possibility of becoming a common stockholder in the future.  A convertible security’s value normally reflects changes in the company’s underlying common stock value.

As with a straight fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise.  Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security also tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines.  Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

A convertible security tends to be senior to the issuer’s common stock, but subordinate to other types of fixed-income securities issued by that company.  A convertible security may be subject to redemption by the issuer, but only after a specified date and under circumstances established at the time the security is issued.  When a convertible security issued by an operating company is “converted,” the issuer often issues new stock to the holder of the convertible security.  However, if the convertible security is redeemable and the parity price of the convertible security is less than the call price, the issuer may pay out cash instead of common stock.

Smaller Companies

Each Fund may invest in securities issued by smaller companies.  Historically, smaller company securities have been more volatile in price than larger company securities, especially over the short term.  Among the reasons for the greater price volatility are the less certain growth prospects of smaller companies, the lower degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities, and the greater sensitivity of smaller companies to changing economic conditions.

In addition, smaller companies may lack depth of management, may be unable to generate funds necessary for growth or development, their products or services may be concentrated in one area, or they may be developing or marketing new products or services for which markets are not yet established and may never become established.

Use of Derivatives, Hedging and Income Transactions

Each Fund may use derivatives and various hedging strategies for risk management purposes and as part of its investment strategy.  Hedging is a technique designed to reduce a potential loss to a Fund as a result of certain economic or market risks, including risks related to fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates between U.S. and foreign securities or between different foreign currencies, and broad or specific market movements.  The hedging strategies that a Fund may use may also be used by other mutual funds and institutional investors.  When pursuing these hedging strategies, each Fund will primarily engage in forward foreign currency exchange contracts.  The Funds may engage in derivative transactions, including forward foreign currency exchange contracts, currency futures contracts, currency swaps, options on currencies, or options on currency futures.  In addition, each Fund may engage in other types of transactions, such as the purchase and sale of exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities, equity and fixed-income indices and other financial instruments; and, the purchase and sale of financial and other futures contracts and options on futures contracts (collectively, all of the above are called “Hedging Transactions”).

Some examples of situations in which Hedging Transactions may be used are:  (i) to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of securities held in or to be purchased for a Fund’s portfolio resulting from changes in securities markets or currency exchange rate fluctuations; (ii) to protect a Fund’s gains in the value of portfolio securities which have not yet been sold; (iii) to facilitate the sale of certain securities for investment purposes; and (iv) as a temporary substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities.

Any combination of Hedging Transactions may be used at any time as determined by the Investment Manager.  Use of any Hedging Transaction is a function of numerous variables, including market conditions and the Investment Manager’s expertise in utilizing such techniques.  The ability of a Fund to utilize Hedging Transactions successfully cannot be assured.  Each Fund will comply with applicable regulatory requirements when implementing these strategies, including the segregation of assets by proper notation on the books of the custodian bank.  Hedging Transactions involving futures and options on futures will be purchased, sold or entered into generally for hedging, risk management or portfolio management purposes.

The various techniques described above as Hedging Transactions also may be used by each Fund for non-hedging purposes.  For example, these techniques may be used to produce income to a Fund where the Fund’s participation in the transaction involves the payment of a premium to the Fund.  Each Fund also may use a Hedging Transaction if the Investment Manager has a view about the fluctuation of certain indices, currencies or economic or market changes such as a reduction in interest rates.

New regulations affecting derivatives transactions now, or will soon, require certain standardized derivatives, including many types of swaps, to be subject to mandatory central clearing. Under these new requirements, a central clearing organization will be substituted as the counterparty to each side of a derivatives transaction, and each party to a derivative transaction will be required to maintain its positions with a clearing organization through one or more clearing brokers. Central clearing is expected to reduce, but not eliminate, counterparty risk. A Fund will be subject to the risk that its clearing member or clearing organization will itself be unable to perform its obligations.

Currently, each Fund’s use of Hedging Transactions may involve the following types of risks, which differ from and, in certain cases, may be greater than, the risks presented by more traditional investments: (i) market risk, which is the general risk attendant to all investments that the value of a particular investment will change in a way detrimental to a Fund’s interest; (ii) management risk, which is the risk that because these instruments may be highly specialized and require risk analyses that differ from those associated with stocks and bonds, it may be difficult to correctly forecast price, interest rate or currency exchange rate movements; (iii) credit risk and counterparty risk, which involve the risk that a counterparty to a derivative contract may fail to comply with the contract’s terms, potentially causing the Fund to incur a loss; (iv) liquidity risk, which exists when a particular instrument is difficult to purchase or sell; (v) leverage risk, which is the risk that, to the extent that an instrument has a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, rate or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself; (vi) improper valuation or mispricing risk, which is the risk that because these instruments are often valued subjectively, an incorrect valuation can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a Fund; and (vii) regulatory risk, which involves the risk that additional regulations governing derivative markets currently being adopted, implemented or considered by the U.S. Government and regulatory authorities could, among other things, restrict a Fund’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions, require additional reporting and/or increase the cost of such transactions.

Each Fund may enter into swaps. Currency swaps may involve the exchange of actual principal amounts of currencies by the counterparties at the initiation and again upon termination of the transaction.  Currency swaps may be bilateral and privately negotiated, with a Fund expecting to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its portfolio investments and its currency swaps positions. Risks may arise as a result of the failure of the counterparty to a bilateral swap contract to comply with the terms of the swap contract. Additionally, risks may arise from unanticipated movements in interest rates or in the value of the underlying securities.

A Fund’s use of derivatives may not always be an effective means of, and sometimes could be counterproductive to, furthering the Fund’s investment objective. Although the use of futures and options transactions for hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged position, these transactions also tend to limit any potential gain which might result from an increase in value of the position taken.  As compared to options contracts, futures contracts create greater ongoing potential financial risks to a Fund because the Fund is required to make ongoing monetary deposits with futures brokers.  Losses resulting from the use of Hedging Transactions can reduce the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund, and any losses can be greater than if the Hedging Transactions had not been utilized.  The cost of entering into Hedging Transactions also may reduce a Fund’s total return to investors.

Various U.S. Government entities, including the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and the SEC, are in the process of adopting and implementing additional regulations governing derivatives markets, including margin, reporting and registration requirements.  The SEC has recently proposed a new rule regarding derivatives imposing, among other things, limits on the amount of leverage a fund could be exposed to through derivatives and other senior securities transactions. While the full extent and cost of these regulations is currently unclear, these regulations could, among other things, restrict a Fund’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions and/or increase the cost of such derivatives transactions (through increased margin or capital requirements).  In addition, Congress, various exchanges and regulatory and self-regulatory authorities have undertaken reviews of options and futures trading in light of market volatility.  Among the actions that have been taken or proposed to be taken are new limits and reporting requirements for speculative positions, new or more stringent daily price fluctuation limits for futures and options transactions, and increased margin requirements for various types of futures transactions.  These regulations and actions may adversely affect the instruments in which a Fund invests and its ability to execute its investment strategy.

Certain transactions, such as many Hedging Transactions, other derivatives transactions, forward commitments, reverse repurchase agreements and short sales, involve leverage and may expose a fund to potential losses that, in some cases, may exceed the amount originally invested by the fund. To the extent that a Fund engages in such transactions, it will, in accordance with guidance provided by the SEC or its staff in, among other things, regulations, interpretative releases and no-action letters, deposit in a segregated account certain liquid assets with a value at least equal to the Fund's exposure, on a marked-to-market or on another relevant basis, to the transaction. A Fund may also, in accordance with guidance provided by the SEC or its staff, cover such transactions by other means, such as entering into an offsetting transaction so that a combined position, coupled with any segregated assets, equals the Fund’s outstanding obligation. The segregation of assets and coverage of transactions are intended to enable a Fund to have assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to these transactions, but will not limit the Fund's exposure to loss.

When conducted outside the U.S., Hedging Transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the U.S., may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments.  The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by:  (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the U.S. of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in a Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during nonbusiness hours in the U.S., (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the U.S., and (v) lower trading volume and liquidity.

Foreign Securities

Each Fund may purchase securities of non-U.S. issuers whose values are quoted and traded in any currency in addition to the U.S. dollar.  Such investments involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers.  Such risks include:  fluctuations in the value of the currency in which the security is traded or quoted as compared to the U.S. dollar; unpredictable political, social and economic developments in the foreign country where the security is issued or where the issuer of the security is located; and the possible imposition by a foreign government of limits on the ability of a Fund to obtain a foreign currency or to convert a foreign currency into U.S. dollars; or the imposition of other foreign laws or restrictions.

Since each Fund may invest in securities issued, traded or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of securities in a Fund’s portfolio.  When deemed advantageous to a Fund, the Investment Manager may attempt, from time to time, to reduce such risk, known as “currency risk,” by “hedging,” which attempts to reduce or eliminate changes in a security’s value resulting from changing currency exchange rates.  Hedging is further described above.  In addition, in certain countries, the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, or diplomatic developments could adversely affect investments in those countries.  Expropriation of assets refers to the possibility that a country’s laws will prohibit the return to the U.S. of any monies which a Fund has invested in the country.  Confiscatory taxation refers to the possibility that a foreign country will adopt a tax law which has the effect of requiring a Fund to pay significant amounts, if not all, of the value of the Fund’s investment to the foreign country’s taxing authority.  Diplomatic developments means that because of certain actions occurring within a foreign country, such as significant civil rights violations or because of the United States’ actions during a time of crisis in the particular country, all communications and other official governmental relations between the country and the United States could be severed.  This could result in the abandonment of any U.S. investors’, such as a Fund’s, money in the particular country, with no ability to have the money returned to the United States.

There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company.  Foreign issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to, or as uniform as, those of U.S. issuers.  The number of securities traded, and the frequency of such trading, in non-U.S. securities markets, while growing in volume, is for the most part, substantially less than in U.S. markets.  As a result, securities of many foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers.  Transaction costs, the costs associated with buying and selling securities, on non-U.S. securities markets may be higher than in the U.S. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S.  A Fund’s foreign investments may include both voting and non-voting securities, sovereign debt and participations in foreign government deals.  A Fund may have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action with respect to foreign investments in non-U.S. courts than with respect to domestic issuers in U.S. courts.

Rule 144A Securities

Each Fund may invest in unregistered securities which may be sold under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (“144A securities”).  144A securities are restricted, which generally means that a legend has been placed on the share certificates representing the securities which states that the securities were not registered with the SEC when they were initially sold and may not be resold except under certain circumstances.  In spite of the legend, certain securities may be sold to other institutional buyers provided that the conditions of Rule 144A are met.  In the event that there is an active secondary institutional market for 144A securities, the 144A securities may be treated as liquid.  As permitted by the federal securities laws, the board of directors has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 144A which govern when specific 144A securities may be deemed to be liquid.  Due to changing markets or other factors, 144A securities may be subject to a greater possibility of becoming illiquid than securities that have been registered with the SEC for sale.

Borrowing

Each Fund is permitted to borrow under certain circumstances, as described under “Fundamental Investment Policies” above.  Under no circumstances will either Fund make additional investments while any amounts borrowed exceed 5% of the Fund’s total assets.

Cash Equivalent Investments

Cash equivalent investments are investments in certain types of short-term debt securities.  A Fund making a cash equivalent investment expects to earn interest at prevailing market rates on the amount invested and there is little, if any, risk of loss of the original amount invested.  A Fund’s cash equivalent investments are typically made in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. or other governments, their agencies or instrumentalities and high-quality commercial paper issued by banks, corporations or others.  Commercial paper consists of short-term debt securities which carry fixed or floating interest rates.  A fixed interest rate means that interest is paid on the investment at the same rate for the life of the security.  A floating interest rate means that the interest rate varies as interest rates on newly issued securities in the marketplace vary.

Debt Securities

A debt security typically has a fixed payment schedule which obligates the company to pay interest to the lender and to return the lender’s money over a certain time period.  A company typically meets its payment obligations associated with its outstanding debt securities before it declares and pays any dividends to holders of its equity securities.  While most debt securities are used as an investment to produce income to an investor as a result of the fixed payment schedule, debt securities also may increase or decrease in value.

The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in interest rates and the financial condition of each issuer.  During periods of declining interest rates, the value of debt securities generally increases.  Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of such securities generally declines.  These changes in market value will be reflected in a Fund’s NAV.  These increases or decreases are more significant for longer duration debt securities.

Each Fund may invest in a variety of debt securities, including bonds and notes issued by domestic or foreign corporations and the U.S. or foreign governments and their agencies and instrumentalities.  Bonds and notes differ in the length of the issuer’s repayment schedule.  Bonds typically have a longer payment schedule than notes.  Typically, debt securities with a shorter repayment schedule pay interest at a lower rate than debt securities with a longer repayment schedule.

The debt securities which each Fund may purchase may either be unrated, or rated in any rating category established by one or more independent rating organizations, such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”).  Securities are given ratings by independent rating organizations, which grade the company issuing the securities based upon its financial soundness.  Each Fund may invest in securities that are rated in the medium to lowest rating categories by S&P and Moody’s.  Generally, lower rated and unrated debt securities are riskier investments.  Debt securities rated BB or lower by S&P or Ba or lower by Moody’s are considered to be high yield, high risk debt securities below investment grade, commonly known as “junk bonds.”  The lowest rating category established by Moody’s is “C” and by S&P is “D.”  Debt securities with these ratings are typically in default as to the payment of principal and interest, which means that the issuer does not have the financial soundness to meet its interest payments or its repayment schedule to security holders.  These ratings represent the opinions of the rating services with respect to the issuer’s ability to pay interest and repay principal.  They do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value and are not absolute standards of quality.

If the rating on an issue held in a Fund’s portfolio is changed by the rating service or the security goes into default, this event will be considered by the Investment Manager in its evaluation of the overall investment merits of that security, but will not generally result in an automatic sale of the security.

Each Fund generally will invest in debt securities under circumstances similar to those under which they will invest in equity securities; namely, when, in the Investment Manager’s opinion, such debt securities are available at prices less than their intrinsic value.  Investing in fixed-income securities under these circumstances may lead to the potential for capital appreciation.  Consequently, when investing in debt securities, a debt security’s rating is given less emphasis in the Investment Manager’s investment decision-making process.  Each Fund may invest in debt securities issued by domestic or foreign companies that are, or are about to be, involved in reorganizations, financial restructurings or bankruptcy (“Distressed Companies”), because such securities often are available at less than their intrinsic value.  Debt securities of such companies typically are unrated, lower rated, in default or close to default.  While posing a greater risk than higher rated securities with respect to payment of interest and repayment of principal at the price at which the debt security was originally issued, a Fund will generally purchase these debt securities at discounts to the original principal amount.  Such debt typically ranks senior to the equity securities of Distressed Companies and may offer the potential for capital appreciation and additional investment opportunities.

Medium and Lower Rated Corporate Debt Securities

Each Fund may invest in securities of Distressed Companies when the intrinsic values of such securities, in the opinion of the Investment Manager, warrant such investment.  Each Fund may invest in securities that are rated in the medium to lowest rating categories by S&P and Moody’s, some of which may be so-called “junk bonds.”  Corporate debt securities rated Baa are regarded by Moody’s as medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and, as such, may possess certain speculative characteristics. Corporate debt securities rated BBB are regarded by S&P as exhibiting adequate capacity to meet financial commitments, although adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for securities in this rating category than in higher rated categories.  Companies issuing lower rated higher yielding debt securities are deemed by the rating agencies to be not as strong financially as those with higher credit ratings.  These companies are more likely to encounter financial difficulties and are more vulnerable to changes in the economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates that could prevent them from making interest and principal payments.  If an issuer is not paying or stops paying interest and/or principal on its securities, payments on the securities may never resume.

Corporate debt securities that are rated B are regarded by Moody’s as speculative and subject to high credit risk.  Corporate debt securities rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded by S&P to be “speculative grade,” generally referring to debt securities in which the issuer currently has the ability to repay but faces significant uncertainties, such as adverse business or financial circumstances that could affect credit risk.  BB and B are regarded by S&P as indicating the two lowest degrees of speculation and CC and CCC the two highest degrees of speculation in this group of ratings.

Each Fund may also invest in unrated securities.

The ratings of the various nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”), such as Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), generally represent the opinions of those organizations as to the quality of the securities that they rate.  Such ratings, however, are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality, evaluate only the safety of principal and interest payments and do not evaluate the market risk of the securities.  Additionally, because the creditworthiness of an issuer may change more rapidly than is able to be timely reflected in changes in credit ratings, the Investment Manager monitors the issuers of corporate debt securities held in a Fund’s portfolios.  Each Fund will rely on the Investment Manager’s judgment, analysis and experience in evaluating debt securities.  In this evaluation, the Investment Manager will take into consideration, among other things, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, its operating history, the quality of the issuer’s management and regulatory matters as well as the price of the security.  The credit rating assigned to a security is a factor considered by the Investment Manager in selecting a security for a Fund, but the intrinsic value in comparison to market price and the Investment Manager’s analysis of the fundamental values underlying the issuer are generally of greater significance.  Because of the nature of medium and lower rated corporate debt securities, achievement by a Fund of its investment objective when investing in such securities is dependent on the credit analysis of the Investment Manager.  If a Fund purchased primarily higher rated debt securities, such risks would be substantially reduced.

A general economic downturn or a significant increase in interest rates could severely disrupt the market for medium and lower grade corporate debt securities and adversely affect the market value of such securities.  Securities in default are relatively unaffected by such events or by changes in prevailing interest rates.  In addition, in such circumstances, the ability of issuers of medium and lower grade corporate debt securities to repay principal and to pay interest, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing may be adversely affected.  Such consequences could lead to an increased incidence of default for such securities and adversely affect the value of the corporate debt securities in a Fund’s portfolio.  The secondary market prices of medium and lower grade corporate debt securities are less sensitive to changes in interest rates than are higher rated debt securities, but are more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments.  Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on rational analysis, also may affect the value and liquidity of medium and lower grade corporate debt securities, although such factors also present investment opportunities when prices fall below intrinsic values.  Yields on debt securities in a Fund’s portfolio that are interest rate sensitive can be expected to fluctuate over time.  In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes in interest rates can be expected to result in increased volatility of market price of any medium to lower grade corporate debt securities in a Fund’s portfolio and thus could have an effect on the NAV of the Fund if other types of securities did not show offsetting changes in values.  The prices of high yield debt securities fluctuate more than higher-quality securities.  Prices are often closely linked with the company’s stock prices and typically rise and fall in response to factors that affect stock prices.  In addition, the entire high yield securities market can experience sudden and sharp price swings due to changes in economic conditions, stock market activity, large sustained sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or other factors.

High yield securities are also generally less liquid than higher-quality bonds.  Many of these securities do not trade frequently, and when they do trade their prices may be significantly higher or lower than previously quoted market prices.  At times, it may be difficult to sell these securities promptly at an acceptable price, which may limit a Fund’s ability to sell securities in response to specific economic events or to meet redemption requests.  The secondary market value of corporate debt securities structured as zero coupon securities or payment in kind securities may be more volatile in response to changes in interest rates than debt securities which pay interest periodically in cash.  Because such securities do not pay current interest, but rather, income is accreted, to the extent that a Fund does not have available cash to meet distribution requirements with respect to such income, it could be required to dispose of portfolio securities that it otherwise would not.  Such disposition could be at a disadvantageous price.  Failure to satisfy distribution requirements could result in a Fund failing to qualify as a pass-through entity under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  Investment in such securities also involves certain other tax considerations.

The Investment Manager values each Fund’s assets pursuant to policies and procedures approved and periodically reviewed by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).  To the extent that there is no established retail market for some of the medium or lower grade or unrated corporate debt securities in which a Fund may invest, there may be thin or no trading in such securities and the ability of the Investment Manager to accurately value such securities may be adversely affected.  Further, it may be more difficult for a Fund to sell such securities in a timely manner and at their stated value than would be the case for securities for which an established retail market did exist.  The effects of adverse publicity and investor perceptions may be more pronounced for securities for which no established retail market exists as compared with the effects on securities for which such a market does exist.  During periods of reduced market liquidity and in the absence of readily available market quotations for medium and lower grade and unrated corporate debt securities held in a Fund’s portfolio, the responsibility of the Investment Manager to value the Fund’s securities becomes more difficult and the Investment Manager’s judgment may play a greater role in the valuation of the Fund’s securities due to a reduced availability of reliable objective data.

Depositary Receipts

Each Fund may invest in securities commonly known as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) of non-U.S. issuers.  Such depositary receipts are interests in a non-U.S. company’s securities which have been deposited with a bank or trust company.  The bank or trust company then sells interests to investors in the form of depositary receipts.  Depositary receipts can be unsponsored or sponsored by the issuer of the underlying securities or by the issuing bank or trust company.  ADRs are certificates issued by a U.S. bank or trust company and represent the right to receive securities of a foreign issuer deposited in a domestic bank or foreign branch of a U.S. bank and traded on a U.S. exchange or in an over-the-counter market.  EDRs are receipts issued in Europe generally by a non-U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of non-U.S. or domestic securities.  Generally, ADRs are in registered form and EDRs are in bearer form.  There are no fees imposed on the purchase or sale of ADRs or EDRs although the issuing bank or trust company may impose charges for the collection of dividends and the conversion of ADRs and EDRs into the underlying securities.  Investment in ADRs may have certain advantages over direct investment in the underlying non-U.S. securities, since:  (i) ADRs are U.S. dollar denominated investments which are often easily transferable and for which market quotations are generally readily available and (ii) issuers whose securities are represented by ADRs are subject to the same auditing, accounting and financial reporting standards as domestic issuers.  EDRs are not necessarily denominated in the currency of the underlying security.

Depositary receipts of non-U.S. issuers may have certain risks, including trading for a lower price, having less liquidity than their underlying securities and risks relating to the issuing bank or trust company.  Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts have a greater risk that receipt of corporate information and proxy disclosure will be untimely, information may be incomplete and costs may be higher.

Emerging Markets Investments

Investments in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks than investments in developed countries.  These risks include (i) less economic stability; (ii) political and social uncertainty (for example, regional conflicts and risk of war); (iii) pervasiveness of corruption and crime; (iv) the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility; (v) delays in settling portfolio transactions; (vi) risk of loss arising out of the system of share registration and custody; (vii) certain national policies that may restrict a Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (viii) foreign taxation; (ix) the absence of developed legal structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; (x) the absence of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; and (xi) the possibility that recent favorable economic developments may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events.

In addition, many countries in which a Fund may invest have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years.  Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries.  Moreover, the economies of some developing countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and balance of payments position.

Currency Transactions

Each Fund may from time to time engage in currency transactions with securities dealers, financial institutions or other parties (each a “Counterparty” and collectively, “Counterparties”) in order to hedge the value of portfolio holdings denominated in particular currencies against fluctuations in relative value between those currencies and the U.S. dollar.  Currency transactions include forward foreign currency exchange contracts, exchange-listed currency futures, exchange-listed and OTC options on currencies, and currency swaps.

A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves a privately negotiated obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract.  A currency swap is an agreement between a Fund and, typically, a brokerage firm, bank or other institutional party, to exchange cash flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value differential among them.  In some currency swap agreements, the swap agreement may include the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency for the other designated currency.

Each Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis, which means the two payment streams are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments.  Each Fund will accrue its obligations under a swap agreement daily (offset by any amounts the counterparty owes the Fund).  If the swap agreement provides for other than a net basis, the full amount of the Fund’s obligations will be accrued on a daily basis.  To limit potential leveraging of the Fund’s portfolio, each Fund has adopted procedures to cover any accrued but unpaid net or full amounts owed to a swap counterparty by designating, on a daily basis, as segregated, liquid assets (not otherwise encumbered) equal in current market value to such swap amounts owed.  Under the procedures, each Fund designates the segregated assets by appropriate notation on the books of the Fund or its custodian.

The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.  Whether a Fund will be successful in using swap agreements to achieve its investment objective depends on the ability of the Investment Manager correctly to predict which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns.  If the Investment Manager, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment performance of a Fund will be less than its performance would be using other investments.

The risk of loss to a Fund for swap transactions on a net basis depends on which party is obligated to pay the net amount to the other party.  If the counterparty is obligated to pay the net amount to the Fund, the risk of loss to the Fund is loss of the entire amount that the Fund is entitled to receive.  If the Fund is obligated to pay the net amount, the Fund’s risk of loss is limited to that net amount.  If the swap agreement involves the exchange of the entire principal value of a security, the entire principal value of that security is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations.

Because swap agreements may have terms of greater than seven days, they may be illiquid and, therefore, subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.  If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Swap agreements are not traded on exchanges and are not subject to government regulation like exchange markets.  As a result, swap participants are not as protected as participants on organized exchanges.  Performance of a swap agreement is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse.  As a result, each Fund is subject to the risk of the inability or refusal to perform such agreement by the counterparty.  No limitations on daily price movements or speculative position limits apply to swap transactions.  Counterparties may, however, limit the size or duration of positions to the Fund as a consequence of credit considerations.  Each Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amount under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of default by or insolvency or bankruptcy of a swap counterparty.  In such an event, each Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor.  If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses.

Each Fund may enter into currency transactions with counterparties which have received (or the guarantors of the obligations of such counterparties have received) a credit rating of A-1 or P-1 by S&P or Moody’s, respectively, or that have an equivalent rating from a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) or are determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Investment Manager.  If there is a default by the counterparty, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.

Each Fund will limit its dealings in forward foreign currency exchange contracts and other currency transactions such as futures, options, options on futures and swaps to either specific transactions or portfolio positions.  Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to specific assets or liabilities of a Fund, which will generally arise in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the receipt of income from portfolio securities.  Position hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or generally quoted in that currency.

A Fund will not enter into a transaction to hedge currency exposure if the Fund’s exposure, after netting all transactions intended to wholly or partially offset other transactions, is greater than the aggregate market value (at the time of entering into the transaction) of the securities held in its portfolio that are denominated or generally quoted in, or whose value is based on, that foreign currency or currently convertible into such currency other than with respect to proxy hedging, which is described below.

Each Fund also may cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value relative to other currencies to which the Fund has, or in which the Fund expects to have, portfolio exposure.

To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities, each Fund also may engage in proxy hedging.  Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Fund’s portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the U.S. dollar.  Proxy hedging entails entering into a forward contract to sell a currency whose changes in value are generally considered to be linked to a currency or currencies in which some or all of the Fund’s portfolio securities are or are expected to be denominated, and to buy U.S. dollars.  The amount of the contract would not exceed the value of the Fund’s securities denominated in linked currencies.  Proxy hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments.

Currency transactions are subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions.  Currency transactions can result in losses to a Fund if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree, or in a direction, that is not anticipated.  Further, there is the risk that the perceived linkage between various currencies may not be present during the particular time that a Fund is engaging in proxy hedging.  If a Fund enters into a currency hedging transaction, the Fund will comply with the asset segregation requirements described above.

Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments.  These can result in losses to the Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive a specified currency or funds in settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs.

The use of currency transactions also can result in a Fund incurring losses due to the inability of foreign securities transactions to be completed with the security being delivered to the Fund.  Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the same risks that apply to the use of futures generally.  Further, settlement of a currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation.  Trading options on currency futures is relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on such options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market which may not always be available.  Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to that country’s economy.

Options

Put options and call options typically have similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold.  Thus, the following general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed in greater detail below.  In addition, many Hedging Transactions involving options require segregation of Fund assets by appropriate notation on the books of the Fund or its custodian, as described above.

A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to sell, and the seller of the option, the obligation to buy, the underlying security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price.  For instance, a Fund’s purchase of a put option on a security might be designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value by giving the Fund the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise price.  A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument at the exercise price.  A Fund’s purchase of a call option on a security, financial future, index, currency or other instrument might be intended to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of the underlying instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase such instrument.

An American style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period while a European style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior thereto.  Each Fund is authorized to purchase and sell exchange-listed options and over-the-counter options (“OTC options”).  Exchange-listed options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options.  The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but the discussion is also applicable to other financial intermediaries.

With certain exceptions, OCC-issued and exchange-listed options generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency, although in the future cash settlement may become available.  Index options and Eurodollar instruments are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the option is “in-the-money” (i.e., where the value of the underlying instrument exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised.  Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by entering into offsetting option transactions.

The ability of a Fund to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an OCC-issued or exchange-listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the liquidity of the option market.  Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid option market on an exchange are:  (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities, including reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours during which the underlying financial instruments are traded.  To the extent that the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.

OTC options are purchased from or sold to counterparties through a direct bilateral agreement with the counterparty.  In contrast to exchange-listed options, which generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms of an OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price, premium, guarantees and security, are negotiated by the parties.  A Fund will only sell OTC options (other than OTC currency options) that are subject to a buy-back provision permitting the Fund to require the counterparty to sell the option back to the Fund at a formula price within seven days.  Each Fund expects to enter into OTC options that have cash settlement provisions, although they are not required to do so.

Unless the parties provide for it, there may be no central clearing or guaranty function in an OTC option.  As a result, if the counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying an OTC option it has entered into with a Fund or fails to make a cash settlement payment due in accordance with the option, the Fund will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction.  Accordingly, the Investment Manager must assess the creditworthiness of each such counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the counterparty’s credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC option will be satisfied.

Each Fund will engage in OTC option transactions only with U.S. government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as “primary dealers” or broker-dealers, domestic or foreign banks or other financial institutions which have received (or the guarantors of the obligations of which have received) a short-term credit rating of “A-l” from S&P or “P-l” from Moody’s, an equivalent rating from any NRSRO or which the Investment Manager determines is of comparable credit quality.  The staff of the SEC currently takes the position that OTC options purchased by a Fund, and portfolio securities “covering” the amount of the Fund’s obligation pursuant to an OTC option sold by it (the cost of the sell-back plus the in-the-money amount, if any) are illiquid, and are subject to the Fund’s limitations on investments in illiquid securities.

If a Fund sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in the value of the underlying securities or instruments in its portfolio or will increase the Fund’s income.  The sale of put options also can provide income.

Each Fund may purchase and sell call options on securities, including U.S. Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar instruments that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the over-the-counter markets and on securities indices, currencies and futures contracts.  All calls sold by a Fund must be “covered” (i.e., the Fund must own the securities or futures contract subject to the call) or must meet the asset segregation requirements described below as long as the call is outstanding.  Even though the Fund will receive the option premium to help protect it against loss, a call sold by the Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or instrument and may require the Fund to hold a security or instrument which it might otherwise have sold.

Each Fund may purchase and sell put options on securities, including U.S. Treasury and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate debt securities, equity securities (including convertible securities) and Eurodollar instruments (whether or not it holds the above securities in its portfolio) and on securities indices, currencies and futures contracts other than futures on individual corporate debt and individual equity securities.  A Fund will not sell put options if, as a result, more than 50% of the Fund’s assets would be required to be segregated to cover its potential obligations under such put options other than those with respect to futures and options thereon.  In selling put options, there is a risk that the Fund may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price above the market price.

A Fund will only invest in options contracts after complying with the requirements of the CFTC.

 

Each Fund has filed a notice with the National Futures Association claiming exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “Act”) and therefore the Funds are not subject to registration or regulation by a commodity pool operators under the Act.

Options on Securities Indices and Other Financial Indices

Each Fund may purchase and sell call and put options on securities indices and other financial indices and in so doing can achieve many of the same objectives it would achieve through the sale or purchase of options on individual securities or other instruments.  Options on securities indices and other financial indices are similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, instead of settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash settlement, i.e., an option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the option is based exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option (except if, in the case of an OTC option, physical delivery is specified).  This amount of cash is equal to the excess of the closing price of the index over the exercise price of the option, which also may be multiplied by a formula value.  The seller of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount.  The gain or loss on an index depends on price movements in the instruments making up the market, market segment, industry or other composite on which the underlying index is based, rather than price movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on securities.

Futures

Each Fund may enter into financial and other futures contracts or purchase or sell put and call options on such futures as a hedge against anticipated interest rate, currency or equity market changes, for duration management and for risk management purposes.  Futures are generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges where they are listed with payment of initial and variation margin as described below.  The sale of a futures contract creates a firm obligation by a Fund, as seller, to deliver to the buyer the specific type of financial instrument or other commodity called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price (or, with respect to index futures and Eurodollar instruments, the net cash amount).  Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities, except that an option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid to assume a position in a futures contract and obligates the seller to deliver such option.

The Funds’ use of futures and options on futures will be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and, in particular, the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and such transactions will be entered into only for hedging, risk management (including duration management) or other portfolio management purposes.  Typically, maintaining a futures contract or selling an option on a futures contract, requires the relevant Fund to deposit with a financial intermediary, as security for its obligations, an amount of cash or other specified assets (initial margin) which initially is typically 1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some circumstances).  Additional cash or assets (variation margin) may be required to be deposited thereafter on a daily basis as the mark-to-market value of the contract fluctuates.  The purchase of an option on futures involves payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part of the Fund.  If a Fund exercises an option on a futures contract, it will be obligated to post initial margin (and potential subsequent variation margin) for the resulting futures positions just as it would for any position.  Futures contracts and options on futures contracts are generally settled by entering into an offsetting transaction, but there can be no assurance that the position can be offset prior to settlement at an advantageous price nor that delivery will occur.

Each Fund will only invest in futures contracts after complying with the requirements of the CFTC.

Combined Transactions

Each Fund may enter into multiple transactions, including multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency transactions (including forward foreign currency exchange contracts) and any combination of futures, options and currency transactions (each individually a Transaction and collectively in combinations of two or more, Combined Transactions), instead of a single Hedging Transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of the Investment Manager, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so.  A Combined Transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions.

Although Combined Transactions are normally entered into based on the Investment Manager’s judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.

Illiquid Securities

An illiquid security is a security that cannot be sold within seven days in the normal course of business for approximately the amount at which the particular Fund has valued the security and carries such value on its financial statements.  Examples of illiquid securities include most private placements and other restricted securities, and repurchase agreements which terminate more than seven days from their initial purchase date, as further described below.  A Fund may not purchase an illiquid security if, at the time of purchase, the Fund would have more than 15% of its net assets invested in such securities.

Investment Company Securities

Each Fund may invest from time to time in other investment company securities, subject to applicable law which restricts such investments.  Such laws generally restrict a registered investment company’s purchase of another investment company’s voting securities to 3% of the other investment company’s securities, no more than 5% of a registered investment company’s assets in any single investment company’s securities, and no more than 10% of a registered investment company’s assets in all investment company securities, subject to certain exceptions.

Investors should recognize that a Fund’s purchase of the securities of investment companies results in layering of expenses.  This layering may occur because investors in any investment company, such as a Fund, indirectly bear a proportionate share of the expenses of the investment company, including operating costs, and investment advisory and administrative fees.

Loans of Portfolio Securities

To generate additional income, each Fund may lend certain of its portfolio securities to qualified banks and broker-dealers.  These loans may not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the relevant Fund’s total assets, measured at the time of the most recent loan, but neither Fund presently anticipates loaning more than 20% of its portfolio securities.  For each loan, the borrower must maintain with the particular Fund’s custodian collateral (consisting of any combination of cash, securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities, or irrevocable letters of credit) with a value at least equal to 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities.  The Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of the cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower.  The Fund also continues to receive any distributions paid on the loaned securities.  A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned within the normal settlement period for the security involved.

Where voting rights with respect to the loaned securities pass with the lending of the securities, the Investment Manager intends to call the loaned securities to vote proxies, or to use other practicable and legally enforceable means to obtain voting rights, when the Investment Manager has knowledge that, in its opinion, a material event affecting the loaned securities will occur or the Investment Manager otherwise believes it necessary to vote.  As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in collateral in the event of default or insolvency of the borrower.  Each Fund will loan its securities only to parties who meet creditworthiness standards approved by the Company’s board of directors, i.e., banks or broker-dealers that the Investment Manager has determined present no serious risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the loan.

Repurchase Agreements

Each Fund generally will have a portion of its assets in cash or cash equivalents for a variety of reasons, including satisfying redemption requests from shareholders, waiting for a suitable investment opportunity or taking a defensive position.  To earn income on this portion of its assets, each Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in repurchase agreements.  Under a repurchase agreement, a Fund agrees to buy securities guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government or its agencies from a qualified bank or broker-dealer and then to sell the securities back to the bank or broker-dealer after a short period of time (generally, less than seven days) at a higher price.  The bank or broker-dealer must transfer to the Fund’s custodian securities with an initial market value of at least 102% of the dollar amount invested by the relevant Fund in each repurchase agreement.  The Investment Manager will monitor the value of such securities daily to determine that the value equals or exceeds the repurchase price.

Repurchase agreements may involve risks in the event of default or insolvency of the bank or broker-dealer, including possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund’s ability to sell the underlying securities.  Each Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties who meet certain creditworthiness standards, i.e., banks or broker-dealers that the Investment Manager has determined present no serious risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the repurchase transaction.

Securities of Companies in the Financial Services Industry

Certain provisions of the federal securities laws permit investment portfolios, including each Fund, to invest in companies engaged in securities-related activities (securities issuers) only if certain conditions are met.  Purchases of securities of a company that derived 15% or less of gross revenues during its most recent fiscal year from securities-related activities (i.e., broker, dealer, underwriting, or investment advisory activities) are subject only to the same percentage limitations as would apply to any other security the Fund may purchase.

Each Fund also may purchase securities of an issuer that derived more than 15% of its gross revenues in its most recent fiscal year from securities-related activities, if the following conditions are met:  (1) immediately after the purchase of any securities issuer’s equity and debt securities, the purchase cannot cause more than 5% of the relevant Fund’s total assets to be invested in securities of that securities issuer; (2) immediately after a purchase of equity securities of a securities issuer, the relevant Fund may not own more than 5% of the outstanding securities of that class of the securities issuer’s equity securities; and (3) immediately after a purchase of debt securities of a securities issuer, the relevant Fund may not own more than 10% of the outstanding principal amount of the securities issuer’s debt securities.

In applying the gross revenue test, an issuer’s gross revenues from its own securities-related activities should be combined with its ratable share of the securities-related activities of enterprises of which it owns a 20% or greater voting or equity interest.  All of the above percentage limitations are applicable at the time of purchase as well as the issuer’s gross revenue test.  With respect to warrants, rights, and convertible securities, a determination of compliance with the above limitations must be made as though such warrant, right, or conversion privilege had been exercised.

The following transactions would not be deemed to be an acquisition of securities of a securities-related business:  (i) receipt of stock dividends on securities acquired in compliance with the conditions described above; (ii) receipt of securities arising from a stock-for-stock split on securities acquired in compliance with the conditions described above; (iii) exercise of options, warrants, or rights acquired in compliance with the federal securities laws; (iv) conversion of convertible securities acquired in compliance with the conditions described above; and (v) the acquisition of demand features or guarantees (puts) under certain circumstances.

Neither Fund is permitted to acquire any security issued by the Investment Manager or any affiliated company.  The purchase of a general partnership interest in a securities-related business is also prohibited.

In addition, each Fund is generally prohibited from purchasing or otherwise acquiring any security (not limited to equity or debt individually) issued by any insurance company if the Fund and any company controlled by the Fund own in the aggregate or, as a result of the purchase, will own in the aggregate more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the insurance company.  Certain state insurance laws impose similar limitations.

Temporary Investments

When the Investment Manager believes market or economic conditions are unfavorable for investors, the Investment Manager may invest up to 100% of each Fund’s assets in a temporary defensive manner by holding all or a substantial portion of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments.  Unfavorable market or economic conditions may include excessive volatility or a prolonged general decline in the securities markets, the securities in which the particular Fund normally invests, or the economies of the countries where the Fund invests.

Temporary defensive investments generally may include short-term debt securities such as obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and high quality commercial paper issued by banks or other U.S. and foreign issuers, as well as money market mutual funds.  The Investment Manager also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash while looking for suitable investment opportunities.

Portfolio Turnover

Although the Funds generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Investment Manager, investment considerations warrant such action.  Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year.  A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in a Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year.  A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.  High portfolio turnover generally results in the distribution of short-term capital gains which are taxed at the higher ordinary income tax rates.  The following table provides the portfolio turnover rate for the past two fiscal years.

Policies and Procedures Regarding the Release of Portfolio Holdings Information

The Company has adopted policies and procedures relating to disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities.  These policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to a Fund’s operation or useful to a Fund’s shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of such Fund.

The Company’s overall policy with respect to the release of portfolio holdings information is to release such information consistent with applicable legal requirements and the fiduciary duties owed to shareholders.  Subject to the limited exceptions described below, the Investment Manager will not make available to anyone non-public information with respect to a Fund’s portfolio holdings, until such time as the information is made available to all shareholders or the general public.

Consistent with current law, the Investment Manager releases complete portfolio holdings information each fiscal quarter through regulatory filings with no more than a 60-day lag.

Exceptions to the portfolio holdings release policy described above will be made only when:  (1) a Fund has a legitimate business purpose for releasing portfolio holdings information in advance of release to all shareholders or the general public; (2) the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality pursuant to a signed non-disclosure agreement; and (3) the release of such information would not otherwise violate the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws or the Company’s fiduciary duties.

The eligible third parties to whom portfolio holdings information may be released in advance of general release fall into the following categories:  data consolidators (including rating agencies), fund rating/ranking services and other data providers, service providers to the Company and municipal securities brokers using the Investor Tools product which brings together buyers and sellers of municipal securities in the normal operation of the municipal securities markets (collectively, “Service Providers”).  Each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund’s portfolio holdings information unless specifically authorized.  The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed to a Service Provider, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the particular Fund and its shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure.  The frequency of disclosure to a Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag.

In all cases, eligible third parties are required to execute a non-disclosure agreement.  Non-disclosure agreements include the following provisions:

·	The recipient agrees to keep confidential any portfolio holdings information received.

·	The recipient agrees not to trade on the nonpublic information received.

·	The recipient agrees to refresh its representation as to confidentiality and abstention from trading upon request from the Investment Manager.

In no case does the Company, a Fund, or the Investment Manager receive any compensation in connection with the arrangements to release portfolio holdings information to any of the above-described recipients of the information.

Before any non-public disclosure of information about a Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted, the Company’s President or Executive Vice President (collectively, an “Executive Officer”) must determine that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for providing the portfolio holdings information, that the disclosure is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders, and that the recipient agrees or has a duty to keep the information confidential and agrees not to trade directly or indirectly based on the information or to use the information to form a specific recommendation about whether to invest in the Fund or any other security.

The Company has established procedures to ensure that its portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.  Only an Executive Officer of the Company may approve the disclosure, and then only after considering the anticipated benefits and costs to the relevant Fund and its shareholders, the purpose of the disclosure, any conflicts of interest between the interests of the Fund and its shareholders and the interests of the Company’s affiliates, and whether the disclosure is consistent with the policies and procedures governing disclosure.  Only someone approved by the Executive Officer may make approved disclosures of portfolio holdings information to authorized recipients.  The Company reserves the right to request certifications from senior officers of authorized recipients that the recipient is using the portfolio holdings information only in a manner consistent with the Company’s policy and any applicable non-disclosure agreement.

 

The Company’s CCO monitors the Company’s compliance with this disclosure policy and annually reviews information regarding the identity of each service provider or other authorized party that receives information regarding a Fund’s portfolio holdings prior to public dissemination.  With exception of those Service Providers identified above, who receive information on an ongoing or as needed basis in order to perform their contractual or fiduciary duties to a Fund, the CCO also reviews the frequency with which the authorized party receives such information and the business purpose for which the disclosure is made.

In order to help facilitate the Board’s determination that nonpublic portfolio holdings disclosure to Service Providers prior to public dissemination is in the best interests of a Fund’s shareholders, the CCO will make an annual report to the Board on such disclosure and any recommended material changes to the policy.  In addition, the Board will receive any interim reports that the CCO may deem appropriate.  The Company’s portfolio holdings release policy has been initially reviewed and approved by the Board and any material amendments shall also be reviewed and approved by the Board.  Any conflict of interest identified between the interests of shareholders on the one hand, and those of the Investment Manager, Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Company, the Investment Manager, or the Distributor, on the other, that are not resolved under the applicable Codes of Ethics, and that may arise as a result of the disclosure of nonpublic portfolio holdings information, will be reported to the Board for appropriate action.

 

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OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

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