As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 2002
1933 Act File No. 333-100699
1940 Act File No. 811-21238
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form N-2
[X] REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
[X] Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2
[_] Post-Effective Amendment No.
and
[X] REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
[X] Amendment No. 2
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust)
c/o PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)
(212) 739-3502
(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
Newton B. Schott, Jr.
c/o PIMCO Advisors Distributors LLC
2187 Atlantic Street
Stamford, Connecticut 06902
(Name and Address (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code) of Agent for Service)
Copies of Communications to:
Joseph B. Kittredge, Jr., Esq.
Ropes & Gray
One International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement
If any of the securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. [_]
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
[X] when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Proposed Maximum Proposed Maximum
Amount Being Offering Price Per Aggregate Amount of
Title of Securities Being Registered Registered Unit Offering Price/1/ Registration Fee/2/
------------------------------------ ------------ ------------------ ---------------- -------------------
Common Shares, par value $0.00001 70,000,000 Shares $ 15.00 $ 1,050,000,000 $ 96,600
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/1/ Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
/2/ $1.38 of which has previously been paid.
PROSPECTUS
[LOGO] PIMCO
ADVISORS
SHARES
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
COMMON SHARES
$15.00 PER SHARE
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE. The Fund is a newly organized, diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to seek maximum total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. The portfolio manager attempts to identify investments that provide opportunities for current income and/or capital appreciation through fundamental research, driven by independent credit analysis and proprietary analytical tools, and also uses a variety of techniques designed to control risk and minimize exposure to issues that are more likely to default or otherwise depreciate in value over time. While the Fund's relative emphasis on current income and capital appreciation will vary over time, the portfolio manager believes that under current market conditions there are relatively greater opportunities for capital appreciation through investment in income-producing securities trading at discounts from their par value due to factors particular to the specific issuer or its sector ("Discounted Securities") while also providing current income. It is expected that initially the Fund will be invested primarily in Discounted Securities. Although the number of issuers and sectors represented in the Fund's portfolio will likely change over time in response to changing market conditions, under current market conditions, the Fund would expect to employ a relatively focused strategy, generally holding securities of 30 to 50 issuers drawn primarily from those sectors that have fallen into particular market disfavor. The portfolio normally will have an average credit quality that is investment grade, although the Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% (measured at the time of investment) of its total assets in debt securities that are below investment grade quality. DEBT SECURITIES OF BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE QUALITY ARE REGARDED AS HAVING PREDOMINANTLY SPECULATIVE CHARACTERISTICS WITH RESPECT TO CAPACITY TO PAY INTEREST AND REPAY PRINCIPAL, AND ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "JUNK BONDS." DUE TO THE RISKS INVOLVED IN INVESTING IN JUNK BONDS AND DISCOUNTED SECURITIES, AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SPECULATIVE.
NO PRIOR HISTORY. Because the Fund is newly organized, its common shares have no history of public trading. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. The common shares are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PTY."
INVESTING IN THE FUND'S COMMON SHARES INVOLVES CERTAIN RISKS. SEE "RISKS"
BEGINNING ON PAGE 30 OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
PER SHARE TOTAL
--------- -----
Public offering price......... $15.00 $
Sales load.................... $.675 $
Estimated offering expenses(1) $.03 $
Proceeds to the Fund.......... $14.295 $
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(1)The Fund will pay organizational and offering expenses estimated at $ from the proceeds of the offering. PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per share.
The underwriters may also purchase up to an additional common shares at the public offering price, less the sales load, within 45 days from the date of this prospectus to cover over-allotments.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The common shares will be ready for delivery on or about December 27, 2002.
MERRILL LYNCH & CO. A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
----------------
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES UBS WARBURG RBC CAPITAL MARKETS
WACHOVIA SECURITIES ADVEST, INC. BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
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H&R BLOCK FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC. JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC
MCDONALD INVESTMENTS INC. SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY
QUICK & REILLY, INC. WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
----------------
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The date of this prospectus is December 23, 2002.
(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)
PORTFOLIO CONTENTS. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in a portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations of varying maturities and other corporate income-producing securities. These include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar types of corporate debt instruments, such as corporate asset-backed securities. The rate of interest on an income-producing security may be fixed, floating or variable. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in other types of debt instruments, such as U.S. Government securities and mortgage-backed securities, and the Fund may make use of credit default swaps. The Fund cannot assure you that it will achieve its investment objective.
The Fund will tend to focus on corporate debt obligations rated Baa or BBB when investing in the investment grade category and Ba or BB when investing in the non-investment grade category. The discount from par value at which Discounted Securities (which may be investment grade or below investment grade) trade often reflects market concerns about their credit quality, which may not be reflected in their credit ratings at the time they are purchased by the Fund. Accordingly, Discounted Securities may be more likely to be downgraded by one or more rating agencies than income-producing securities trading at or near their par value. The portfolio manager believes that these areas of the credit spectrum often offer attractive opportunities for current income and/or capital appreciation relative to associated risk.
The Fund normally will have an intermediate average portfolio duration (I.E., within a four- to eight-year time frame). Because the prices of Discounted Securities are generally significantly more sensitive to changes in fundamental factors relating to the particular issuer or security than to changes in market interest rates, the Fund's investments in those securities will tend to make the Fund's performance more sensitive to issuer-specific changes and less sensitive to changes in interest rates than would otherwise be the case. The portfolio normally will have an average credit quality that is investment grade, although the Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% (measured at the time of investment) of its total assets in debt securities that are below investment grade quality.
BORROWINGS. The Fund presently intends to use leverage by issuing shares of preferred stock representing approximately 38% of the Fund's capital immediately after their issuance. The Fund also may add leverage to the portfolio by selling credit default swap contracts and other derivative instruments and, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, utilizing reverse repurchase agreements, although the Fund's exposure to credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amount of the swaps, will not exceed 10% of its total assets. In addition, the Fund's use of credit default swaps and certain other derivative instruments will be limited by the Fund's 20% limit on illiquid investments to the extent they are determined to be illiquid. See "The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies--Portfolio Contents and Other Information" and "Risks--Liquidity Risk." By using leverage, the Fund will seek to obtain a higher return for holders of common shares than if the Fund did not use leverage. Leveraging is a speculative technique and there are special risks involved. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be used or that it will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage" and "Risks--Leverage Risk."
You should read this prospectus, which contains important information about the Fund, before deciding whether to invest, and retain it for future reference. A Statement of Additional Information, dated , containing additional information about the Fund, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this prospectus, which means that it is part of the prospectus for legal purposes. You can review the table of contents of the Statement of Additional Information on page 51 of this prospectus. You may request a free copy of the Statement of Additional Information by calling (877) 819-2224 or by writing to the Fund, or obtain a copy (and other information regarding the Fund) from the Securities and Exchange Commission's web site (HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV).
The Fund's common shares do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
----
Prospectus Summary............................................ 4
Summary of Fund Expenses...................................... 16
The Fund...................................................... 17
Use of Proceeds............................................... 17
The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies................ 17
Preferred Shares and Related Leverage......................... 28
Risks......................................................... 30
How the Fund Manages Risk..................................... 36
Management of the Fund........................................ 38
Net Asset Value............................................... 40
Distributions................................................. 40
Dividend Reinvestment Plan.................................... 41
Description of Shares......................................... 42
Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust 44
Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund...... 45
Tax Matters................................................... 46
Underwriting.................................................. 48
Custodian and Transfer Agent.................................. 50
Legal Matters................................................. 50
Table of Contents for the Statement of Additional Information. 51
Appendix A--Description of Securities Ratings................. 52
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YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS. THE FUND HAS NOT, AND THE UNDERWRITERS HAVE NOT, AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION. IF ANYONE PROVIDES YOU WITH DIFFERENT OR INCONSISTENT INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON IT. THE FUND IS NOT, AND THE UNDERWRITERS ARE NOT, MAKING AN OFFER OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER IS NOT PERMITTED. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE ON THE FRONT OF THIS PROSPECTUS. THE FUND'S BUSINESS, FINANCIAL CONDITION, RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND PROSPECTS MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE THAT DATE.
Until January 17, 2003 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade the common shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
THIS IS ONLY A SUMMARY. THIS SUMMARY MAY NOT CONTAIN ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN THE COMMON SHARES. YOU SHOULD REVIEW THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND IN THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THE FUND.................. PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") is a
newly organized, diversified, closed-end
management investment company. See "The Fund."
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THE OFFERING.............. The Fund is offering common shares of beneficial interest, with a par value of $0.00001 per share, at $15.00 per share through a group of underwriters (the "Underwriters") led by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") and A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. The common shares of beneficial interest are called "Common Shares" in the rest of this prospectus. You must purchase at least 100 Common Shares. The Fund has given the Underwriters an option to purchase up to additional Common Shares to cover orders in excess of Common Shares. See "Underwriting." PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC (formerly PIMCO Funds Advisors LLC) (the "Manager"), the Fund's investment manager, has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per Common Share.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND
STRATEGIES.............. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE. The Fund's investment
objective is to seek maximum total return through
a combination of current income and capital
appreciation. The Fund attempts to achieve this
objective by investing in a portfolio of U.S.
dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations and
other corporate income-producing securities
described under "Portfolio Contents" below. The
Fund cannot assure you that it will achieve its
investment objective.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. In selecting
investments for the Fund, Pacific Investment
Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"), the Fund's
portfolio manager, attempts to identify corporate
debt obligations and other instruments that
provide opportunities for current income and/or
capital appreciation through fundamental research,
driven by independent credit analysis and
proprietary analytical tools. Investment decisions
are based primarily on PIMCO's assessment of the
issuer's credit characteristics and the position
of the particular security in the issuer's capital
structure, as well as PIMCO's outlook for
particular industries, the economy and the
corporate bond market generally. At the same time,
PIMCO uses a variety of techniques, such as credit
default swaps, designed to control risk and
minimize the Fund's exposure to issues that are
more likely to default or otherwise depreciate in
value over time and detract from the Fund's
overall return to investors. While the Fund's
relative emphasis on current income and capital
appreciation will vary over time, PIMCO believes
that under current market conditions there are
relatively greater opportunities for
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capital appreciation through investment in those
income-producing securities trading at discounts
from their par value due to factors particular to
the specific issuer or its sector ("Discounted
Securities") while also providing current income.
It is expected that initially the Fund will be
invested primarily in Discounted Securities.
FOCUSED PORTFOLIO. Although the number of issuers
and sectors represented in the Fund's portfolio
will likely change over time in response to
changing market conditions, under current market
conditions, the Fund would expect to employ a
relatively focused strategy, generally holding
securities of 30 to 50 issuers drawn primarily
from those sectors that have fallen into
particular market disfavor.
DURATION MANAGEMENT. The average portfolio
duration of the Fund will normally be within an
intermediate range (I.E., a four- to eight-year
time frame) based on PIMCO's forecast for interest
rates. Duration is a measure of the expected life
of a debt security that is used to determine the
sensitivity of the security's price to changes in
interest rates. PIMCO believes that maintaining
duration at a fairly stable level within this
intermediate range offers the opportunity for
above-average returns while limiting exposure to
interest rate volatility and related risk. The
Fund may utilize certain strategies, including
investments in structured notes or interest rate
swap or cap transactions, for the purpose of
reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the
portfolio, although there is no assurance that it
will do so or that such strategies will be
successful. Because the prices of Discounted
Securities are generally significantly more
sensitive to changes in fundamental factors
relating to the particular issuer or security than
to changes in market interest rates, the Fund's
investments in those securities will tend to make
the Fund's performance more sensitive to
issuer-specific changes and less sensitive to
changes in interest rates than would otherwise be
the case.
CREDIT QUALITY. The Fund usually will attempt to
maintain a portfolio with an average credit
quality that is investment grade, rated at least
Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or BBB- by Standard & Poor's ("S&P")
based, with respect to unrated securities, on
comparable credit quality determinations made by
PIMCO. Average credit quality for these purposes
is determined by reference to the credit- and
dollar-weighted quality of corporate debt
obligations and other income-producing securities
in the Fund's portfolio. For example, using
Moody's ratings, a bond rated Aa3 together with
two bonds rated Ba3, all three of the same value,
would produce an average credit quality of Baa3.
Within the investment grade spectrum, the Fund
will tend to focus on corporate debt obligations
rated in the lowest investment grade category (Baa
by Moody's or BBB by S&P). PIMCO believes that
these securities, which may include Discounted
Securities, often provide attractive opportunities
for current income and/or capital appreciation
relative to their risk of default and related
credit risks. The Fund has the flexibility to
invest up to 50% of its total assets in debt
securities that are below investment grade
quality, including unrated securities, and will
normally focus these investments in the highest
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non-investment grade category (rated Ba by Moody's
or BB by S&P). This limitation is measured at the
time an investment is made, and the discount from
par value at which Discounted Securities trade
often reflects market concerns about their credit
quality, which may not be reflected in their
credit ratings at such time. PIMCO believes that
this area of the non-investment grade spectrum
also often offers attractive yields and/or
opportunities for capital appreciation relative to
associated risk. The Fund may invest up to 5% of
its total assets in defaulted bonds when PIMCO
believes that the issuer's potential revenues and
prospects for recovery are favorable. Debt
securities of below investment grade quality are
regarded as having predominantly speculative
characteristics with respect to capacity to pay
interest and repay principal, and are commonly
referred to as "junk bonds." Debt securities in
the lowest investment grade category also may be
considered to possess some speculative
characteristics. The Fund may, for hedging or
leveraging purposes, make use of credit default
swaps, which are contracts whereby one party makes
periodic payments to a counterparty in exchange
for the right to receive from the counterparty a
payment equal to the par (or other agreed-upon)
value of a referenced debt obligation in the event
of a default by the issuer of the debt obligation.
The Fund's exposure to credit default swaps, as
measured by the notional amount of the swaps,
however, will not exceed 10% of its total assets.
In addition, the Fund's use of credit default
swaps and certain other derivative instruments
will be limited by the Fund's 20% limit on
illiquid investments to the extent they are
determined to be illiquid. See "The Fund's
Investment Objective and Strategies--Portfolio
Contents and Other Information" for a description
of how the Fund treats certain investments for
liquidity purposes.
INDEPENDENT CREDIT ANALYSIS. PIMCO relies heavily
on its own analysis of the credit quality and
risks associated with individual debt obligations
considered for the Fund, rather than relying
exclusively on rating agencies or third-party
research. The individuals managing the Fund
utilize this information in an attempt to minimize
credit risk and identify issuers, industries or
sectors that are undervalued or that offer
attractive yields relative to PIMCO's assessment
of their credit characteristics. This aspect of
PIMCO's capabilities will be particularly
important under current market conditions in light
of the relatively focused nature of the Fund and
the current expectation to purchase Discounted
Securities.
PORTFOLIO CONTENTS. Under normal market
conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its
investment objective by investing at least 80% of
its total assets in a portfolio of U.S.
dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations of
varying maturities and other corporate
income-producing securities. These include
corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other
similar types of corporate debt instruments, such
as corporate asset-backed securities, as well as
preferred shares, bank loans and loan
participations, commercial mortgage securities,
payment-in-kind securities, zero-coupon bonds,
bank certificates of deposit, fixed time
6
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deposits and bankers' acceptances, structured
notes and other hybrid instruments. Certain
corporate debt instruments, such as convertible
bonds, also may include the right to participate
in equity appreciation, and PIMCO will generally
evaluate those instruments based primarily on
their debt characteristics. The Fund may invest in
securities of companies with small market
capitalizations. The rate of interest on an
income-producing security may be fixed, floating
or variable. U.S. dollar-denominated debt
securities may include those issued by foreign
corporations or supra-national government
agencies. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its
total assets in other types of debt instruments,
such as U.S. Government and municipal securities;
mortgage-backed securities issued on a public or
private basis, including interest-only and
principal-only securities, and other types of
asset-backed securities; and up to 10% of its
total assets in debt instruments denominated in
foreign currencies (of both developed and
"emerging market" countries). The Fund may invest
up to 7.5% of its total assets in securities of
issuers located in "emerging market" countries. As
a diversified fund, the Fund may not, with respect
to 75% of its total assets, purchase the
securities of any issuer, except securities issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its
agencies or instrumentalities or securities of
other investment companies, if, as a result, (i)
more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be
invested in the securities of that issuer, or (ii)
the Fund would hold more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of that issuer. The
Fund will not concentrate its investments in a
particular industry by investing more than 25% of
its net assets in that industry. The Fund's
industry concentration policy does not preclude it
from focusing investments in issuers in a group of
related industrial sectors (such as different
types of utilities).
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PROPOSED OFFERING OF
PREFERRED SHARES AND
OTHER FORMS OF
LEVERAGE................ Subject to market conditions, approximately one to
three months after completion of this offering,
the Fund presently intends to offer preferred
shares of beneficial interest ("Preferred Shares")
representing approximately 38% of the Fund's
capital after their issuance. The issuance of
Preferred Shares will leverage your investment in
Common Shares. Leverage involves special risks.
There is no assurance that the Fund will issue
Preferred Shares or that, if Preferred Shares are
issued, the Fund's leveraging strategy will be
successful. See "Risks--Leverage Risk." The net
proceeds the Fund obtains from selling the
Preferred Shares will be invested in accordance
with the Fund's investment objective and policies
as described in this prospectus. The Preferred
Shares will pay dividends based on short-term
interest rates, which will be reset frequently. So
long as the rate of return, net of applicable Fund
expenses, on the debt obligations and other
investments purchased by the Fund exceeds
Preferred Share dividend rates as reset
periodically, the investment of the proceeds of
the Preferred Shares will generate more income
than will be needed to pay dividends on the
Preferred Shares. If so, the excess will be used
to pay higher dividends to holders of Common
Shares ("Common
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Shareholders") than if the Fund were not so
leveraged through the issuance of Preferred
Shares. The Fund also may add leverage to the
portfolio by selling credit default swap contracts
and other derivative instruments and, prior to the
issuance of Preferred Shares, utilizing reverse
repurchase agreements, although the Fund's
exposure to credit default swaps, as measured by
the notional amount of the swaps, will not exceed
10% of its total assets. In addition, the Fund's
use of credit default swaps and certain other
derivative instruments will be limited by the
Fund's 20% limit on illiquid investments to the
extent they are determined to be illiquid. See
"The Fund's Investment Objective and
Strategies--Portfolio Contents and Other
Information" and "Risks--Liquidity Risk." The Fund
cannot assure you that the issuance of Preferred
Shares or the use of other forms of leverage will
result in a higher yield on your Common Shares.
Once Preferred Shares are issued and/or other
forms of leverage are used, the net asset value
and market price of the Common Shares and the
yield to Common Shareholders will be more
volatile. See "Preferred Shares and Related
Leverage," "Description of Shares--Preferred
Shares" and "Risks--Leverage Risk." In addition,
fees and expenses paid by the Fund are borne
entirely by the Common Shareholders (and not by
Preferred Shareholders, if any). These include
costs associated with any offering of Preferred
Shares by the Fund (which costs are estimated to
be slightly more than 1% of the total dollar
amount of a Preferred Share offering), which will
be borne immediately by Common Shareholders (as
will the costs associated with any borrowings or
other forms of leverage utilized by the Fund) and
result in a reduction of the net asset value of
the Common Shares.
INVESTMENT MANAGER........ The Manager serves as the investment manager of
the Fund. Subject to the supervision of the Board
of Trustees, the Manager is responsible for
managing, either directly or through others
selected by it, the investment activities of the
Fund and the Fund's business affairs and other
administrative matters. The Manager will receive
an annual fee, payable monthly, in an amount equal
to 0.60% of the Fund's average daily net assets
(including assets attributable to any Preferred
Shares that may be outstanding). The Manager is
located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York,
New York 10105. Organized in 2000, the Manager
provides investment management and advisory
services to several closed-end and open-end
investment company clients. As of September 30,
2002, the Manager had approximately $14.5 billion
in assets under management. Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P. is the direct parent
company of PIMCO Advisors Retail Holdings LLC
(formerly PIMCO Advisory Services Holdings LLC),
of which the Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary.
As of September 30, 2002, Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P. and its subsidiary
partnerships, including PIMCO, had approximately
$360 billion in assets under management.
The Manager has retained its affiliate, PIMCO, as
a sub-adviser to manage the Fund's portfolio
investments. See "--Portfolio Manager" below.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGER......... PIMCO will serve as the Fund's sub-adviser
responsible for managing the Fund's portfolio
investments, and is sometimes referred to herein
as the "portfolio manager." Subject to the
supervision of the Manager, PIMCO has full
investment discretion and makes all determinations
with respect to the investment of the Fund's
assets.
PIMCO is located at 840 Newport Center Drive,
Newport Beach, California 92660. Organized in
1971, PIMCO provides investment management and
advisory services to private accounts of
institutional and individual clients and to mutual
funds. As of September 30, 2002, PIMCO had
approximately $302 billion in assets under
management.
The Manager (and not the Fund) will pay a portion
of the fees it receives to PIMCO in return for
PIMCO's services.
DISTRIBUTIONS............. Commencing with the Fund's first dividend, the
Fund intends to make regular monthly cash
distributions to you at a level rate based on the
projected performance of the Fund. The dividend
rate that the Fund pays on its Common Shares will
depend on a number of factors, including dividends
payable on any Preferred Shares and the expenses
of any other leveraging transactions. As portfolio
and market conditions change, the rate of
dividends on the Common Shares and the Fund's
dividend policy could change. Over time, the Fund
will distribute substantially all of its net
investment income (after it pays accrued dividends
on any outstanding Preferred Shares). In addition,
at least annually, the Fund intends to distribute
to you your pro rata share of any available net
capital gain. Your initial distribution is
expected to be declared approximately 45 days, and
paid approximately 60 to 90 days, from the
completion of this offering, depending on market
conditions. Unless you elect to receive
distributions in cash, all of your distributions
will be automatically reinvested in additional
Common Shares under the Fund's Dividend
Reinvestment Plan. See "Distributions" and
"Dividend Reinvestment Plan."
LISTING................... The Common Shares are expected to be listed on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PTY."
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See "Description of Shares--Common Shares."
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER
AGENT................... State Street Bank and Trust Co. will serve as
custodian of the Fund's assets. PFPC Inc. will
serve as the Fund's transfer and dividend
disbursement agent. See "Custodian and Transfer
Agent."
MARKET PRICE OF SHARES.... Shares of closed-end investment companies
frequently trade at prices lower than net asset
value. Shares of closed-end investment companies
like the Fund that invest predominantly in
corporate debt obligations have during some
periods traded at prices higher than net asset
value and during other periods traded at prices
lower than net asset value. The Fund cannot assure
you that Common Shares will trade at a price
higher than net asset value in the future. Net
asset value will be reduced immediately following
the offering by the sales load and the amount of
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organization and offering expenses paid by the
Fund and immediately following any offering of
Preferred Shares by the costs of that offering
paid by the Fund. See "Use of Proceeds." In
addition to net asset value, market price may be
affected by such factors relating to the Fund or
its portfolio holdings as dividend levels (which
are in turn affected by expenses), dividend
stability, portfolio credit quality and liquidity
and call protection and market supply and demand.
See "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage,"
"Risks," "Description of Shares," and "Repurchase
of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund" in
this prospectus, and the Statement of Additional
Information under "Repurchase of Common Shares;
Conversion to Open-End Fund." The Common Shares
are designed primarily for long-term investors,
and you should not view the Fund as a vehicle for
trading purposes.
SPECIAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS NO OPERATING HISTORY. The Fund is a newly
organized, diversified, closed-end management
investment company with no history of operations.
MARKET DISCOUNT RISK. As with any stock, the
price of the Fund's shares will fluctuate with
market conditions and other factors. If shares are
sold, the price received may be more or less than
the original investment. Net asset value will be
reduced immediately following the initial offering
by a sales load and organizational and selling
expenses paid by the Fund and immediately
following any offering of Preferred Shares by the
costs of that offering paid by the Fund. The
Common Shares are designed for long-term investors
and should not be treated as trading vehicles.
Shares of closed-end management investment
companies frequently trade at a discount from
their net asset value. The Fund's shares may trade
at a price that is less than the initial offering
price. This risk may be greater for investors who
sell their shares relatively shortly after
completion of the initial offering.
CREDIT RISK/HIGH YIELD RISK. Credit risk is the
risk that one or more debt obligations in the
Fund's portfolio will decline in price, or fail to
pay interest or principal when due, because the
issuer of the obligation experiences a decline in
its financial status. The Fund has the flexibility
to invest up to 50% (measured at the time of
investment) of its total assets in debt
obligations that are below investment grade
quality. Debt obligations of below investment
grade quality (commonly referred to as "junk
bonds") are predominantly speculative with respect
to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay
principal when due, and therefore involve a
greater risk of default. The prices of these lower
grade obligations are more sensitive to negative
developments, such as a decline in the issuer's
revenues or a general economic downturn, than are
the prices of higher grade securities. Debt
obligations in the lowest investment grade
category also may be considered to possess some
speculative characteristics by certain rating
agencies. In addition, the discount from par value
at which Discounted Securities trade often
reflects market concerns about their credit
quality, which may not be reflected in their
credit ratings at the time they are purchased by
the Fund. Accordingly, Discounted Securities may
be more likely to be downgraded by one or more
rating agencies than income-producing
10
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securities trading at or near their par value. The
downgrade of a Discounted Security may further
decrease its value. Because PIMCO expects, under
current market conditions, to have a relatively
focused investment strategy that includes
Discounted Securities, PIMCO's capabilities in
this area will be particularly important. See "The
Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies--High
Yield Securities ("Junk Bonds")" and "Risks--High
Yield Risk" for additional information. Due to the
risks involved in investing in junk bonds and
Discounted Securities, an investment in the Fund
should be considered speculative.
FOCUSED PORTFOLIO RISK. Focusing the Fund's
investments in a smaller number of issuers or
related industries increases risk. Because, under
current market conditions, the Fund expects to
invest in 30 to 50 issuers, it may have more risk
than a fund investing in a greater number of
issuers, as changes in the value of a single
security or the impact of a single economic,
political or regulatory occurrence may have a
greater adverse impact on the Fund's net asset
value. Some of those issuers also may present
substantial credit or other risks. Also, the Fund
may from time to time have greater risk to the
extent it invests a substantial portion of its
assets in companies in related industries such as
"telecommunications" or "utilities," which may
share common characteristics, are often subject to
similar business risks and regulatory burdens, and
whose securities may react similarly to economic,
market, political or other developments.
INTEREST RATE RISK. Generally, when market
interest rates fall, the prices of debt
obligations rise, and vice versa. Interest rate
risk is the risk that the debt obligations in the
Fund's portfolio will decline in value because of
increases in market interest rates. Because market
interest rates are currently near their lowest
levels in many years, there is a greater risk that
the Fund's portfolio will decline in value. The
prices of longer-term debt obligations generally
fluctuate more than prices of shorter-term debt
obligations as interest rates change. Because the
Fund will normally have an intermediate portfolio
duration (I.E., a four- to eight-year time frame),
the Common Share net asset value and market price
per share will tend to fluctuate more in response
to changes in market interest rates than if the
Fund invested mainly in short-term debt
securities. The Fund may utilize certain
strategies, including investments in structured
notes or interest rate swap or cap transactions,
for the purpose of reducing the interest rate
sensitivity of the portfolio and decreasing the
Fund's exposure to interest rate risk, although
there is no assurance that it will do so or that
such strategies will be successful. The Fund's use
of leverage, as described below, will tend to
increase Common Share interest rate risk. See
"Risks--Interest Rate Risk" for additional
information. Because the prices of Discounted
Securities are generally significantly more
sensitive to changes in fundamental factors
relating to the particular issuer or security than
to changes in market interest rates, the Fund's
investments in those securities will tend to make
the Fund's performance more sensitive to
issuer-specific changes and less sensitive to
changes in interest rates than would otherwise be
the case.
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ISSUER RISK. The value of corporate
income-producing securities may decline for a
number of reasons which directly relate to the
issuer, such as management performance, financial
leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods
and services.
LEVERAGE RISK. The Fund's use of leverage through
the issuance of Preferred Shares and the use of
credit default swaps, other derivatives and, prior
to the issuance of Preferred Shares, reverse
repurchase agreements creates the opportunity for
increased Common Share net income, but also
creates special risks for Common Shareholders.
There is no assurance that the Fund's leveraging
strategies will be successful. It is anticipated
that dividends on Preferred Shares will be based
on short-term rates of return (which would be
redetermined periodically, pursuant to an auction
process), and that the Fund will invest the net
proceeds of the Preferred Shares offering
principally in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate
income-producing securities. So long as the Fund's
securities portfolio provides a higher rate of
return (net of Fund expenses) than the Preferred
Share dividend rate, as reset periodically, the
leverage will allow Common Shareholders to receive
a higher current rate of return than if the Fund
were not leveraged. If, however, long- and/or
short-term rates rise, which may be more likely
because market interest rates are currently near
their lowest levels in many years, the Preferred
Share dividend rate could approach or exceed the
rate of return on the debt obligations and other
investments held by the Fund that were acquired
during periods of generally lower interest rates,
reducing returns to Common Shareholders. Preferred
Shares are expected to pay cumulative dividends,
which may tend to increase leverage risk. The
Fund's use of credit default swaps, other
derivatives and, prior to the issuance of
Preferred Shares, reverse repurchase agreements
may increase the Fund's leverage and, during
periods of rising interest rates, adversely affect
the Fund's income, distributions and total returns
to Common Shareholders. Leverage creates two major
types of risks for Common Shareholders:
. the likelihood of greater volatility of net
asset value and market price of Common Shares,
because changes in the value of the Fund's
portfolio of corporate income-producing
securities (including securities bought with
the proceeds of the Preferred Shares offering)
are borne entirely by the Common Shareholders;
and
. the possibility either that Common Share
income will fall if the Preferred Share
dividend rate rises, or that Common Share
income will fluctuate because the Preferred
Share dividend rate varies.
Because the fees received by the Manager are based
on the total net assets of the Fund (including
assets attributable to any Preferred Shares that
may be outstanding), the Manager has a financial
incentive for the Fund to issue Preferred Shares,
which may create a conflict of interest between
the Manager and the holders of the Common Shares.
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LIQUIDITY RISK. The Fund may invest up to 20% of
its total assets in securities which are illiquid
at the time of investment (determined using the
Securities and Exchange Commission's standard
applicable to open-end investment companies, I.E.,
securities that cannot be disposed of within seven
days in the ordinary course of business at
approximately the value at which the Fund has
valued the securities). Illiquid securities may
trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid
investments, and may be subject to wide
fluctuations in market value. Also, the Fund may
not be able to dispose of illiquid securities when
that would be beneficial at a favorable time or
price. Discounted Securities tend to be less
liquid than securities trading closer to par.
MANAGEMENT RISK. The Fund is subject to
management risk because it is an actively managed
portfolio. PIMCO and the individual portfolio
managers will apply investment techniques and risk
analyses in making investment decisions for the
Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these
will produce the desired results.
FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) INVESTMENT RISK. The Fund's
investments in foreign issuers and in securities
denominated in foreign currencies involve special
risks. For example, the value of these investments
may decline in response to unfavorable political
and legal developments, unreliable or untimely
information, or economic and financial
instability. The value of securities denominated
in foreign currencies may fluctuate based on
changes in the value of those currencies relative
to the U.S. dollar, and a decline in applicable
foreign exchange rates could reduce the value of
such securities held by the Fund. Foreign
settlement procedures also may involve additional
risks. Foreign investment risk may be particularly
high to the extent that the Fund invests in
securities of issuers based in or securities
denominated in the currencies of developing or
"emerging market" countries.
EMERGING MARKETS RISK. Investing in securities of
issuers based in underdeveloped emerging markets
entails all of the risks of investing in
securities of foreign issuers to a heightened
degree. These heightened risks include: (i)
greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory
taxation, nationalization, and less social,
political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller
size of the market for such securities and a lower
volume of trading, resulting in lack of liquidity
and in price volatility; and (iii) certain
national policies which may restrict the Fund's
investment opportunities, including restrictions
on investing in issuers or industries deemed
sensitive to relevant national interests.
DERIVATIVES RISK. The Fund may utilize a variety
of derivative instruments for hedging, investment
or risk management purposes, such as options,
futures contracts, swap agreements and short
sales. Derivatives are subject to a number of
risks described elsewhere in this prospectus, such
as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit
risk, leveraging risk and management risk. They
also involve the risk of mispricing or improper
valuation, the risk of ambiguous
13
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documentation, and the risk that changes in the
value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly
with an underlying asset, interest rate or index.
Suitable derivative transactions may not be
available in all circumstances and there can be no
assurance that the Fund will engage in these
transactions to reduce exposure to other risks
when that would be beneficial.
COUNTERPARTY RISK. The Fund will be subject to
credit risk with respect to the counterparties to
the derivative contracts purchased by the Fund. If
a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails
to perform its obligations under a derivative
contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund
may experience significant delays in obtaining any
recovery under the derivative contract in a
bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The
Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may
obtain no recovery in such circumstances.
MORTGAGE-RELATED RISK. The Fund may invest a
variety of mortgage-related securities, including
commercial mortgage securities and other
mortgage-backed instruments. Rising interest rates
tend to extend the duration of mortgage-related
securities, making them more sensitive to changes
in interest rates, and may reduce the market value
of the securities. In addition, mortgage-related
securities are subject to prepayment risk--the
risk that borrowers may pay off their mortgages
sooner than expected, particularly when interest
rates decline. This can reduce the Fund's returns
because the Fund may have to reinvest that money
at lower prevailing interest rates. The Fund's
investments in other asset-backed securities are
subject to risks similar to those associated with
mortgage-backed securities, as well as additional
risks associated with the nature of the assets and
the servicing of those assets.
SMALLER COMPANY RISK. Although under current
market conditions the Fund does not presently
intend to invest a significant portion of its
assets in smaller companies, as market conditions
change over time, the Fund may invest more of its
assets in such companies. The general risks
associated with corporate income-producing
securities are particularly pronounced for
securities issued by companies with smaller market
capitalizations. These companies may have limited
product lines, markets or financial resources or
they may depend on a few key employees. As a
result, they may be subject to greater levels of
credit, market and issuer risk.
REINVESTMENT RISK. Income from the Fund's
portfolio will decline if and when the Fund
invests the proceeds from matured, traded or
called debt obligations at market interest rates
that are below the portfolio's current earnings
rate. A decline in income could affect the Common
Shares' market price or their overall return.
INFLATION RISK. Inflation risk is the risk that
the value of assets or income from the Fund's
investments will be worth less in the future as
inflation decreases the value of payments at
future dates.
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ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS. The Fund's Amended and
Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration") includes provisions that could
limit the ability of other entities or persons to
acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to
open-end status. See "Anti-Takeover and Other
Provisions in the Declaration of Trust." These
provisions in the Declaration could have the
effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of
opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a
premium over the then current market price of the
Common Shares.
Shares
MARKET DISRUPTION. As a result of the terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
on September 11, 2001, some of the U.S. securities
markets were closed for a four-day period. These
terrorist attacks and related events have led to
increased short-term market volatility and may
have long-term effects on U.S. and world economies
and markets. A similar disruption of the financial
markets could impact interest rates, auctions,
secondary trading, ratings, credit risk, inflation
and other factors relating to the Common Shares.
|
SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
The following table and the expenses shown assume the issuance of Preferred Shares in an amount equal to 38% of the Fund's capital (after their issuance), and show Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares. Footnote 2 to the table also shows Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares, but assumes that no Preferred Shares are issued or outstanding (such as will be the case prior to the Fund's expected issuance of Preferred Shares).
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
Sales Load (as a percentage of offering price)...... 4.50%
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees..................... None(1)
PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS
ATTRIBUTABLE TO
COMMON SHARES
(ASSUMING THE ISSUANCE OF
PREFERRED SHARES)(2)
-------------------------
ANNUAL EXPENSES
Management Fees..................................... 0.97%
Other Expenses...................................... 0.32%(3)
Total Annual Expenses............................... 1.29%(4)
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PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS
ATTRIBUTABLE TO
COMMON SHARES
(ASSUMING NO PREFERRED
SHARES ARE ISSUED OR
OUTSTANDING)
------------------------
ANNUAL EXPENSES
Management Fees................................ 0.60%
Other Expenses................................. 0.15%
Total Annual Expenses.......................... 0.75%(4)
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(3)If the Fund offers Preferred Shares, costs of that offering, estimated to be
approximately 1.3% of the total dollar amount of the Preferred Share
offering, will be borne immediately by Common Shareholders and result in a
reduction of the net asset value of the Common Shares. Assuming the issuance
of Preferred Shares in an amount equal to 38% of the Fund's capital (after
their issuance) these offering costs are estimated to be approximately
$800,000 or $0.12 per Common Share (0.80% of the offering price). These
offering costs are not included among the expenses shown in this table.
(4)The Manager has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of
the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the
sales load) exceeds $0.03 per Common Share (0.2% of the offering price). The
organizational expenses and offering costs to be paid by the Fund are not
included among the expenses shown in the table. However, these expenses will
be borne by Common Shareholders and result in a reduction of the net asset
value of the Common Shares.
The purpose of the table above is to help you understand all fees and expenses that you, as a Common Shareholder, would bear directly or indirectly. The Other Expenses shown in the table and related footnotes are based on estimated amounts for the Fund's first year of operations and assume that the Fund issues approximately 6.7 million Common Shares. If the Fund issues fewer Common Shares, all other things being equal, these expenses would increase. See "Management of the Fund" and "Dividend Reinvestment Plan."
As required by relevant Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, the following example illustrates the expenses (including the sales load of $45, estimated offering expenses of this offering of $2 and the estimated offering costs of issuing Preferred Shares assuming the Fund issues Preferred Shares representing 38% of the Fund's capital (after their issuance) of $8) that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares, assuming the sales load and the offering expenses listed in the parenthetical above, and (a) total net annual expenses of 1.29% of net assets attributable to Common Shares (assuming the issuance of Preferred Shares) in years 1 through 10, and (b) a 5% annual return(1):
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
------ ------- ------- --------
Total Expenses Incurred $67 $94 $122 $202
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THE FUND
The Fund is a newly organized, diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the "1940 Act"). The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on September 13, 2002, pursuant to the Declaration, which is governed by the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a newly organized entity, the Fund has no operating history. The Fund's principal office is located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, and its telephone number is (800) 331-1710.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds of the offering of Common Shares will be approximately $ (or $ if the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full) after payment of the estimated organizational and offering costs. The Manager has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per Common Share. The Fund will invest the net proceeds of the offering in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies as stated below. It is presently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations and other investments that meet its investment objective and policies within three months after the completion of the offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be invested in high quality, short-term securities.
THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGIES
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund's investment objective is to seek maximum total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation. The Fund attempts to achieve this objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations and other corporate income-producing securities described under "Portfolio Contents and Other Information" below. The Fund cannot assure you that it will achieve its investment objective.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
In selecting investments for the Fund, PIMCO attempts to identify corporate debt obligations and other instruments that provide opportunities for current income and/or capital appreciation through fundamental research, driven by independent credit analysis and proprietary analytical tools. Investment decisions are based primarily on PIMCO's assessment of the issuer's credit characteristics and the position of the particular security in the issuer's capital structure, in light of PIMCO's outlook for particular industries, the economy and the corporate bond market generally. At the same time, PIMCO uses a variety of techniques designed to control risk and minimize the Fund's exposure to issues that are more likely to default or otherwise depreciate in value over time and detract from the Fund's overall return to investors.
While the Fund's relative emphasis on current income and capital appreciation will vary over time, PIMCO believes that under current market conditions there are relatively greater opportunities for capital appreciation through investment in Discounted Securities while also providing current income. The Fund cannot assure you that such securities will ultimately continue to pay current income, be paid in full at maturity or sold at par.
FOCUSED PORTFOLIO. Although the number of issuers and sectors represented in the Fund's portfolio will likely change over time in response to changing market conditions, under current market conditions, the Fund would expect to employ a relatively focused strategy, generally holding securities of 30 to 50 issuers drawn primarily from those sectors that have fallen into particular market disfavor.
DURATION MANAGEMENT. The average portfolio duration of the Fund will normally be within an intermediate range (I.E., a four- to eight-year time frame) based on PIMCO's forecast for interest rates. PIMCO believes that maintaining duration at a fairly stable level within this intermediate range offers the opportunity for above-average returns while limiting exposure to interest rate volatility and related risk.
Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. The longer a security's duration, the more sensitive it will be to changes in interest rates. For example, the market price of a bond with a duration of two years would be expected to decline 2% if interest rates were to rise 1%. Conversely, the market price of the same bond would be expected to increase 2% if interest rates were to fall 1%. The market price of a bond with a duration of four years would be expected to increase or decline twice as much as the market price of a bond with a two-year duration. The maturity of a security, another commonly used measure of price sensitivity, measures only the time until final payment is due, whereas duration takes into account the pattern of all payments of interest and principal on a security over time, including how these payments are affected by prepayments and by changes in interest rates. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including investments in structured notes or interest rate swap or cap transactions, for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the portfolio, although there is no assurance that it will do so or that such strategies will be successful. Because the prices of Discounted Securities are generally significantly more sensitive to changes in fundamental factors relating to the particular issuer or security than to changes in market interest rates, the Fund's investments in those securities will tend to make the Fund's performance more sensitive to issuer-specific changes and less sensitive to changes in interest rates than would otherwise be the case.
CREDIT QUALITY. The Fund usually will attempt to maintain a portfolio with an average credit quality that is investment grade, rated at least Baa3 by Moody's or BBB- by S&P based, with respect to unrated securities, on comparable credit quality determinations made by PIMCO. Average credit quality for these purposes is determined by reference to the credit- and dollar-weighted quality of corporate debt obligations and other income-producing securities in the Fund's portfolio. For example, using Moody's ratings, a bond rated Aa3 together with two bonds rated Ba3, all three of the same value, would produce an average credit quality of Baa3. Within the investment grade spectrum, the Fund will tend to focus on corporate debt obligations rated in the lowest investment grade category (Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P). PIMCO believes that these securities, which may included Discounted Securities, often provide attractive opportunities for current income and/or capital appreciation relative to their risk of default and related credit risks.
The Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% (measured at the time of investment) of its total assets in debt securities that are below investment grade quality, including in unrated securities judged to be of comparable quality by PIMCO. PIMCO will normally focus these investments in the highest non-investment grade category (rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P). PIMCO believes that this area of the non-investment grade spectrum often offers attractive yields and/or opportunities for capital appreciation relative to associated risk. However, the Fund may invest in issuers of any credit quality (including bonds in the lowest ratings categories) if PIMCO determines that the particular obligation is undervalued or offers an attractive yield relative to its risk profile. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in defaulted bonds when PIMCO believes that the issuer's potential revenues and prospects for recovery are favorable. As described under "High Yield Securities ("Junk Bonds")" below, debt securities of below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and are commonly referred to as "junk bonds." Debt securities in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics.
The Fund may make use of credit default swaps, although the use of credit default swaps may be limited by the Fund's restriction on illiquid investments and will be limited so that the Fund may not invest more than 10% of its total assets in credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amounts of the swaps. In using a credit default swap contract to hedge exposure to specific issuers, the Fund would pay to a counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default on a referenced debt obligation of such an issuer, such as a U.S. or foreign corporate issuer, has occurred, and in return, upon any event of default on such debt obligation, the Fund would receive from the counterparty a payment equal to the par (or other agreed-upon) value of such debt obligation.
INDEPENDENT CREDIT ANALYSIS. PIMCO relies heavily on its own analysis of the credit quality and risks associated with individual debt obligations considered for the Fund, rather than relying exclusively on rating agencies or third-party research. PIMCO has a devoted team of professionals that conducts fundamental credit research and analysis of individual issuers, industries and sectors and uses proprietary analytical tools (such as computer databases and Web-based applications) to assess and monitor credit risk. The individuals managing the Fund utilize this information in an attempt to minimize credit risk and identify issuers, industries or sectors that are undervalued or that offer attractive yields relative to PIMCO's assessment of their credit characteristics. This aspect of PIMCO's capabilities will be particularly important under current market conditions in light of the relatively focused nature of the Fund and the current expectation to purchase Discounted Securities.
PORTFOLIO CONTENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION
Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in a portfolio of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations of varying maturities and other corporate income-producing securities. These include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar types of corporate debt instruments, such as corporate asset-backed securities, as well as preferred shares, bank loans and loan participations, commercial mortgage securities, payment-in-kind securities, zero-coupon bonds, bank certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers' acceptances, structured notes and other hybrid instruments. Certain corporate debt instruments, such as convertible bonds, also may include the right to participate in equity appreciation, although PIMCO will generally evaluate those instruments based primarily on their debt characteristics. The Fund may invest in securities of companies with small market capitalizations. The rate of interest on an income-producing security may be fixed, floating or variable. U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities may include those issued by foreign corporations or supra-national government agencies. The principal and/or interest rate on some corporate debt instruments may be determined by reference to the performance of a benchmark asset or market, such as an index of securities, or the differential performance of two assets or markets, such as the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in other types of debt instruments, such as U.S. Government and municipal securities; mortgage-backed securities issued on a public or private basis, including
interest-only and principal-only securities, and other types of asset-backed securities. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt instruments denominated in foreign currencies (of both developed and "emerging market" countries), including obligations of non-U.S. governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies and government-sponsored enterprises. The Fund may invest up to 7.5% of its total assets in securities of issuers located in "emerging market" countries. The Fund also may utilize a variety of derivative instruments for hedging, investment and risk management purposes, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements (including credit default swaps) and short sales, and may seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sales contracts. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in illiquid securities (which is determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission's standard applicable to open-end investment companies, I.E., securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the securities). Given the current structure of the markets for loan participations and assignments and Rule 144A securities, the Fund expects to treat these securities as illiquid, except that Rule 144A securities may be deemed liquid by PIMCO. Although structured notes are not necessarily illiquid, the Manager believes that currently most structured notes are illiquid. The Manager currently considers credit default swaps to be illiquid and treats the market value of the contract as illiquid for purposes of determining compliance with the 20% limit on illiquid investments. Subject to the foregoing limit on illiquid investments, the Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amounts of the swaps.
The Fund cannot change its investment objective without the approval of the holders of a "majority of the outstanding" Common Shares and any Preferred Shares voting together as a single class, and of the holders of a "majority of the outstanding" Preferred Shares voting as a separate class. A "majority of the outstanding" shares (whether voting together as a single class or voting as a separate class) means (i) 67% or more of such shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of those shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of such shares, whichever is less. See "Description of Shares--Voting Rights" for additional information with respect to the voting rights of holders of Preferred Shares. The Fund may not change its policy to invest at least 80% of its total assets in corporate income-producing securities unless it provides shareholders with at least 60 days' written notice of such change.
The Fund currently intends to leverage its portfolio through the issuance of Preferred Shares. The Fund also may add leverage to the portfolio by selling credit default swap contracts, other derivative instruments and, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, utilizing reverse repurchase agreements, although the Fund's exposure to credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amount of the swaps, will not exceed 10% of its total assets. In addition, the Fund's use of credit default swaps and certain other derivative instruments will be limited by the Fund's 20% limit on illiquid investments to the extent they are determined to be illiquid. See "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage," "The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies--Portfolio Contents and Other Information" and "Risks--Liquidity Risk."
Upon PIMCO's recommendation, for temporary defensive purposes and in order to keep the Fund's cash fully invested, including during the period in which the net proceeds of this offering are being invested, the Fund may deviate from its investment objective and policies and invest some or all of its net assets in investments of non-corporate issuers, including high quality, short-term debt securities. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective when it does so.
The following provides additional information regarding the types of securities and other instruments in which the Fund will ordinarily invest. A more detailed discussion of these and other instruments and investment techniques that may be used by the Fund is provided under "Investment Objective and Policies" in the Statement of Additional Information.
CORPORATE BONDS
The Fund may invest in a wide variety of bonds of varying maturities issued by U.S. and foreign corporations and other business entities. Bonds are fixed or variable rate debt obligations, including bills, notes,
debentures, money market instruments and similar instruments and securities. Bonds generally are used by corporations as well as governments and other issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Certain bonds are "perpetual" in that they have no maturity date.
HIGH YIELD SECURITIES ("JUNK BONDS")
As noted above, the Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% (measured at the time of investment) of its total assets in debt securities rated lower than Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P, or in unrated securities judged to be of comparable quality by PIMCO. These securities are sometimes referred to as "high yield" securities or "junk bonds." Investing in high yield securities involves greater risks (in particular, greater risk of default) and special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in investment grade debt obligations. While offering a greater potential opportunity for capital appreciation and higher yields, high yield securities typically entail greater potential price volatility and may be less liquid than higher-rated securities. High yield securities may be regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. They also may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-rated securities. Debt securities in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics.
The market values of high yield securities tend to reflect individual developments of the issuer to a greater extent than do higher-quality securities, which tend to react mainly to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. In addition, lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions. Certain "emerging market" governments that issue high yield securities are among the largest debtors to commercial banks, foreign governments and supra-national organizations such as the World Bank, and may not be able or willing to make principal and/or interest payments as they come due.
CREDIT RATINGS AND UNRATED SECURITIES. Rating agencies are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Appendix A to this prospectus describes the various ratings assigned to debt obligations by Moody's and S&P. Ratings assigned by a rating agency are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not evaluate market risks. Rating agencies may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer's current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. The discount from par value at which Discounted Securities (which may be investment grade or below investment grade) trade often reflects market concerns about their credit quality, which may not be reflected in their credit ratings at the time they are purchased by the Fund. Accordingly, Discounted Securities may be more likely to be downgraded by one or more rating agencies than income-producing securities trading at or near their par value. The Fund will not necessarily sell a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. As described above under "Portfolio Management Strategies--Independent Credit Analysis," PIMCO does not rely solely on credit ratings, and develops its own analysis of issuer credit quality. The ratings of a debt security may change over time. Moody's and S&P monitor and evaluate the ratings assigned to securities on an ongoing basis. As a result, debt instruments held by the Fund could receive a higher rating (which would tend to increase their value) or a lower rating (which would tend to decrease their value) during the period in which they are held.
The Fund may purchase unrated securities (which are not rated by a rating agency) if PIMCO determines that the securities are of comparable quality to rated securities that the Fund may purchase. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that PIMCO may not accurately evaluate the security's comparative credit rating. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher-quality debt obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield and/or unrated securities, the Fund's success in achieving its investment objective may depend more heavily on PIMCO's creditworthiness analysis than if the Fund invested exclusively in higher-quality and rated securities.
CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS
As described under "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage," the Fund may enter into credit default swap contracts for hedging purposes or to add leverage to the portfolio. When used for hedging purposes, the Fund would be the buyer of a credit default swap contract. In that case, the Fund would be entitled to receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation from the counterparty to the contract in the event of a default by a third party, such as a U.S. or foreign corporate issuer, on the debt obligation. In return, the Fund would pay to the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the Fund would have spent the stream of payments and received no benefit from the contract. When the Fund is the seller of a credit default swap contract, it receives the stream of payments but is obligated to pay upon default of the referenced debt obligation. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amounts of the swaps. The Fund will segregate assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents in an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the credit default swaps of which it is the seller, marked to market on a daily basis. The Manager currently considers credit default swaps to be illiquid and treats the market value of the contract as illiquid for purposes of determining compliance with the 20% restriction on illiquid investments.
COMMERCIAL PAPER
Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by corporations such as banks or bank holding companies and finance companies. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
PREFERRED STOCKS
Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from liquidation of the company. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company's common stock, and thus also represent an ownership interest in the company. Some preferred stocks offer a fixed rate of return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, these preferred stocks act like long-term bonds and can be more volatile than other types of preferred stocks and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Other preferred stocks have a variable dividend, generally determined on a quarterly or other periodic basis, either according to a formula based upon a specified premium or discount to the yield on particular U.S. Treasury securities or based on an auction process, involving bids submitted by holders and prospective purchasers of such stocks. Because preferred stocks represent an equity ownership interest in a company, their value usually will react more strongly than bonds and other debt instruments to actual or perceived changes in a company's financial condition or prospects, or to fluctuations in the equity markets.
CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES AND SYNTHETIC CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which are corporate debt securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock. Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both debt securities and equity securities. PIMCO will generally evaluate these instruments based primarily on their debt characteristics. Although to a lesser extent than with debt obligations, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities.
Convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. There can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing current income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.
Synthetic convertible securities differ from convertible securities in certain respects. Unlike a true convertible security, which is a single security having a unitary market value, a synthetic convertible comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the "market value" of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its debt component and its convertibility component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.
BANK OBLIGATIONS
The Fund may invest in certain bank obligations, including certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation.
LOAN PARTICIPATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
The Fund may invest in fixed- and floating-rate loans issued by banks and other corporations, which investments generally will be in the form of loan participations and assignments of portions of such loans. Participations and assignments involve credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and the risks of being a lender. If the Fund purchases a participation, it may only be able to enforce its rights through the lender, and may assume the credit risk of both the lender and the borrower. Given the current structure of the markets for loan participations and assignments, the Fund expects to treat these securities as illiquid.
ZERO-COUPON BONDS, STEP-UPS AND PAYMENT-IN-KIND SECURITIES
Zero-coupon bonds pay interest only at maturing rather than at intervals during the life of the security. Like zero-coupon bonds, "step up" bonds pay no interest initially but eventually begin to pay a coupon rate prior to maturity, which rate may increase at stated intervals during the life of the security. Payment-in-kind securities ("PIKs") are debt obligations that pay "interest" in the form of other debt obligations, instead of in cash. Each of these instruments is normally issued and traded at a deep discount from face value. Zero-coupon bonds, step-ups and PIKs allow an issuer to avoid or delay the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and, as a result, may involve greater credit risk than bonds that pay interest currently or in cash. The Fund would be required to distribute the income on these instruments as it accrues, even though the Fund will not receive the income on a current basis or in cash. Thus, the Fund may have to sell other investments, including when it may not be advisable to do so, to make income distributions to its shareholders.
FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) INVESTMENTS AND CURRENCIES
The Fund may invest some or all of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations of foreign corporate issuers and of supra-national government entities. Supra-national entities include international
organizations that are organized or supported by one or more government entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and by international banking institutions and related governmental agencies. The Fund also may invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt instruments denominated in foreign currencies (of both developed and "emerging market" countries), including obligations of non-U.S. governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies and government-sponsored enterprises. Investing in foreign securities involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities. See "Risks--Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk."
The U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities in which the Fund may invest include Eurodollar obligations and "Yankee Dollar" obligations. Eurodollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar obligations are generally subject to the same risks that apply to domestic debt issues, notably credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk. Additionally, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee Dollar) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.
The Fund also may invest in sovereign debt issued by foreign governments, their agencies or instrumentalities, or other government-related entities, including debt of developing or "emerging market" issuers. As a holder of sovereign debt, the Fund may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In addition, there are generally no bankruptcy proceedings similar to those in the United States by which defaulted sovereign debt may be collected. The Fund also may invest in Brady Bonds, which are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to sovereign entities for new obligations in connection with a debt restructuring. Investments in Brady Bonds may be viewed as speculative. Brady Bonds acquired by the Fund may be subject to restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit, which may cause the Fund to realize a loss of interest or principal on any of its portfolio holdings.
FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS. The Fund's investments in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, foreign currencies will be subject to currency risk, which is the risk that fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect any investment. The Fund may engage in a variety of transactions involving foreign currencies in order to hedge against foreign currency risk, to increase exposure to a foreign currency, or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one currency to another. For instance, the Fund may purchase foreign currencies on a spot (cash) basis and enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and options on foreign currencies and futures. Suitable hedging transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in such transactions at any given time or from time to time. Also, these transactions may not be successful and may eliminate any chance for the Fund to benefit from favorable fluctuations in relevant foreign currencies.
Please see "Investment Objective and Policies--Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities," "Investment Objective and Policies--Foreign Currency Transactions" and "Investment Objective and Policies--Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities" in the Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed description of the types of foreign investments and foreign currency transactions in which the Fund may invest and their related risks.
DERIVATIVES
The Fund may, but is not required to, use a variety of derivative instruments to add leverage to the portfolio, for hedging or risk management purposes or as part of its investment strategies. Generally, derivatives
are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to individual debt instruments, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments that the Fund may use include options contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swap agreements. The Fund's use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investment directly in securities and other more traditional investments. See "Risks--Derivatives Risk." Certain types of derivative instruments that the Fund may utilize with some frequency are described elsewhere in this section, including those described under "--Certain Interest Rate Transactions," "--Structured Notes and Related Instruments" and "--Credit Default Swaps." Please see "Investment Objective and Policies--Derivative Instruments" in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information about these and other derivative instruments that the Fund may use and the risks associated with such instruments. There is no assurance that these derivative strategies will be available at any time or that PIMCO will determine to use them for the Fund or, if used, that the strategies will be successful. In addition, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on its use of derivative strategies imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for Preferred Shares issued by the Fund.
COMMERCIAL AND OTHER MORTGAGE-RELATED AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
Mortgage-related securities are debt instruments which provide periodic payments consisting of interest and/or principal that are derived from or related to payments of interest and/or principal on underlying mortgages. Additional payments on mortgage-related securities may be made out of unscheduled prepayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred.
The Fund may invest significantly in commercial mortgage-related securities issued by corporations. These are securities that represent an interest in, or are secured by, mortgage loans secured by commercial property, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, multifamily properties and cooperative apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals, and senior living centers. They may pay fixed or adjustable rates of interest. The commercial mortgage loans that underlie commercial mortgage-related securities have certain distinct risk characteristics. Commercial mortgage loans generally lack standardized terms, which may complicate their structure. Commercial properties themselves tend to be unique and difficult to value. Commercial mortgage loans tend to have shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans, and may not be fully amortizing, meaning that they may have a significant principal balance, or "balloon" payment, due on maturity. In addition, commercial properties, particularly industrial and warehouse properties, are subject to environmental risks and the burdens and costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
Other mortgage-related securities in which the Fund may invest include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"), mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBSs") and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property.
The Fund may invest in other types of asset-backed securities that are offered in the marketplace, including Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates ("EETCs"). Although any entity may issue EETCs, to date, U.S. airlines are the primary issuers. An airline EETC is an obligation secured directly by aircraft or aircraft engines as collateral. EETCs tend to be less liquid than corporate bonds. Other asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers. The value of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence of, or defalcation by, their servicers. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of the underlying assets.
Please see "Investment Objective and Policies--Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" in the Statement of Additional Information and "Risks--Mortgage-Related Risk" in this prospectus for a more detailed description of the types of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest and their related risks.
VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES
Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The Fund may invest in floating rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. While floaters provide a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, the Fund will participate in any decline in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two bonds or other securities, where the value of the investment position is determined by changes in the difference between such prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities.
DELAYED FUNDING LOANS AND REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITIES
The Fund may enter into, or acquire participations in, delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities, in which a lender agrees to make loans up to a maximum amount upon demand by the borrower during a specified term. These commitments may have the effect of requiring the Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not be desirable to do so (including at a time when the company's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are subject to credit, interest rate and liquidity risk and the risks of being a lender.
CERTAIN INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS
In order to reduce the interest rate risk inherent in the Fund's underlying investments and capital structure, the Fund may enter into interest rate swap or cap transactions. Interest rate swaps involve the Fund's agreement with the swap counterparty to pay a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty paying the Fund a variable rate payment that is intended to approximate the Fund's variable rate payment obligation on Preferred Shares. The payment obligation would be based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund may use an interest rate cap, which would require the Fund to pay a premium to the cap counterparty and would entitle the Fund, to the extent that a specified variable rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed rate, to receive from the counterparty payment of the difference based on the notional amount. The Fund may use interest rate swaps or caps with the intent to reduce or eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates could pose for the performance of the Common Shares as a result of leverage, and also may use these instruments for other hedging or investment purposes. The Fund may choose or be required to redeem some or all of the Preferred Shares. This redemption would likely result in the Fund seeking to terminate early all or a portion of any swap or cap transaction. Such early termination of a swap could result in a termination payment by or to the Fund. Any termination of a cap could result in a termination payment to the Fund.
STRUCTURED NOTES AND RELATED INSTRUMENTS
The Fund may invest in "structured" notes and other related instruments, which are privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a benchmark asset, market or interest rate (an "embedded index"), such as selected securities, an index of securities or specified interest rates, or the differential performance of two assets or markets, such as indexes reflecting bonds. Structured instruments may be issued by corporations, including banks, as well as by governmental agencies. Structured instruments frequently are assembled in the form of medium-term notes, but a variety of forms are available and may be used in particular circumstances. The terms of such structured instruments normally provide that their principal and/or interest payments are to be adjusted upwards or downwards (but ordinarily not below zero) to reflect changes in the embedded index while the structured instruments are outstanding. As a result, the interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the embedded index and the effect of changes in the embedded index on principal and/or interest payments. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the referenced index(es) or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss.
PIMCO may utilize structured instruments for investment purposes and also for risk management purposes, such as to reduce the duration and interest rate sensitivity of the Fund's portfolio. While structured instruments may offer the potential for a favorable rate of return from time to time, they also entail certain risks. Structured instruments may be less liquid than other debt securities, and the price of structured instruments may be more volatile. In some cases, depending on the terms of the embedded index, a structured instrument may provide that the principal and/or interest payments may be adjusted below zero. Structured instruments also may involve significant credit risk and risk of default by the counterparty. Although structured instruments are not necessarily illiquid, the Manager believes that currently most structured instruments are illiquid. Like other sophisticated strategies, the Fund's use of structured instruments may not work as intended. If the value of the embedded index changes in a manner other than that expected by PIMCO, principal and/or interest payments received on the structured instrument may be substantially less than expected. Also, if PIMCO uses structured instruments to reduce the duration of the Fund's portfolio, this may limit the Fund's return when having a longer duration would be beneficial (for instance, when interest rates decline).
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
As described under "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage," the Fund may utilize reverse repurchase agreements, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, in order to add leverage to the portfolio. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells securities to a bank or broker-dealer and agrees to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed date and price. Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that the Fund can recover and reinvest all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement and still be entitled to the returns associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the returns it obtains on investments purchased with the cash.
Unless the Fund covers its positions in reverse repurchase agreements (by segregating liquid assets at least equal in amount to the forward purchase commitment), its obligations under the agreements will be subject to the Fund's limitations on borrowings. Reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage risk and also the risk that the market value of the securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities.
U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES
The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities, which are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. Government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government securities include a variety of securities that differ in their interest rates, maturities and dates of issue. Securities issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the United States or by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury.
MUNICIPAL BONDS
Municipal bonds are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. Like other debt obligations, municipal bonds are subject to interest rate, credit and market risk. The ability of a municipal issuer to make payments could be affected by litigation, legislation or other political events or the bankruptcy of the issuer. The types of municipal bonds in which the Fund may invest include municipal lease obligations. The Fund also may invest in securities issued by entities whose underlying assets are municipal bonds.
WHEN ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS
The Fund may purchase securities which it is eligible to purchase on a when-issued basis, may purchase and sell such securities for delayed delivery and may make contracts to purchase such securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond normal settlement time (forward commitments). When-issued transactions, delayed delivery purchases and forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to the settlement date. The risk is in addition to the risk that the Fund's other assets will decline in value. Therefore, these transactions may result in a form of leverage and increase the Fund's overall investment exposure. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made, although the Fund may earn income on securities it has segregated to cover these positions.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or broker-dealer and the bank or broker-dealer agrees to repurchase the security at the Fund's cost plus interest within a specified time. If the party agreeing to repurchase should default, the Fund will seek to sell the securities which it holds. This could involve transaction costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid securities.
SHORT SALES
A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells an instrument that it does not own in anticipation that the market price will decline. The Fund may use short sales for investment and risk management purposes. When the Fund engages in a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the counterparty. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and would often be obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities. The Fund's obligation to replace the borrowed security will be secured by collateral deposited with the lender, which is usually a broker-dealer, and/or with the Fund's custodian. The Fund may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral. Short sales expose the Fund to the risk that it will be required to cover its short position at a time when the securities have appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Fund. The Fund may engage in so-called "naked" short sales where it does not own or have the immediate right to acquire the security sold short at no additional cost, in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited.
PLEASE SEE "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES" IN THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE INVESTMENTS OF THE FUND AND THEIR RELATED RISKS.
PREFERRED SHARES AND RELATED LEVERAGE
Subject to market conditions, approximately one to three months after the completion of the offering of the Common Shares, the Fund intends to offer Preferred Shares representing approximately 38% of the Fund's capital immediately after the issuance of the Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares will have complete priority upon distribution of assets over the Common Shares. The issuance of Preferred Shares will leverage the Common Shares. Leverage involves special risks and there is no assurance that the Fund's leveraging strategies will be successful. Although the timing and other terms of the offering of the Preferred Shares will be determined by the Fund's Board of Trustees, the Fund expects to invest the net proceeds of the Preferred Shares in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations and other instruments in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. The Preferred Shares will pay dividends based on short-term rates (which would be redetermined periodically by an auction process). So long as the Fund's portfolio is invested in securities that provide a higher rate of return than the dividend rate of the Preferred Shares (after taking expenses into consideration), the leverage will allow Common Shareholders to receive a higher current rate of return than if the Fund were not leveraged.
Changes in the value of the Fund's portfolio (including investments bought with the proceeds of the Preferred Shares offering) will be borne entirely by the Common Shareholders. If there is a net decrease (or increase) in the value of the Fund's investment portfolio, the leverage will decrease (or increase) the net asset value per Common Share to a greater extent than if the Fund were not leveraged. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage, the fees paid to the Manager will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's total net assets, including the proceeds from the issuance of Preferred Shares. Thus, the Manager has a financial incentive for the Fund to issue Preferred Shares, which may result in a conflict of interest between the Manager and the holders of Common Shares. Fees and expenses paid by the Fund are borne entirely by the Common Shareholders (and not by Preferred Shareholders, if any). These include costs associated with any offering of Preferred Shares by the Fund (which costs are estimated to be slightly more than 1% of the total dollar amount of a Preferred Share offering), which will be borne immediately by Common Shareholders, as will the costs associated with any borrowings or other forms of leverage utilized by the Fund.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue Preferred Shares unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund's total net assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Shares plus the aggregate amount of any senior securities of the Fund representing indebtedness (I.E., such liquidation value plus the aggregate amount of senior securities representing indebtedness may not exceed 50% of the Fund's total net assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund's total net assets satisfies the above-referenced 200% coverage requirement. If Preferred Shares are issued, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to purchase or redeem Preferred Shares from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain coverage of at least 200%. If the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, two of the Fund's Trustees will be elected by the holders of Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class. The remaining Trustees of the Fund will be elected by holders of Common Shares and Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. In the event the Fund were to fail to pay dividends on Preferred Shares for two years, Preferred Shareholders would be entitled to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund.
The Fund may be subject to certain restrictions imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for Preferred Shares issued by the Fund. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede PIMCO from managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies.
Assuming that the Preferred Shares will represent approximately 38% of the Fund's capital and pay dividends at an annual average rate of 3.50%, the income generated by the Fund's portfolio (net of expenses) would have to exceed 1.33% in order to cover such dividend payments. Of course, these numbers are merely estimates, used for illustration. Actual Preferred Share dividend rates will vary frequently and may be significantly higher or lower than the rate identified above.
The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Share total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (consisting of income and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund's portfolio) of 10%, 5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns expected to be experienced by the Fund. The table further assumes the issuance of Preferred Shares representing approximately 38% of the Fund's total capital, a 9.25% yield on the Fund's investment portfolio, net of expenses, and the Fund's currently projected annual Preferred Share dividend rate of 3.50%. See "Risks."
Assumed Portfolio Total Return (10.00)% (5.00)% 0.00% 5.00% 10.00% Common Share Total Return..... (18.27)% (10.21)% (2.15)% 5.92% 13.98% |
Common Share total return is composed of two elements--the Common Share dividends paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the net investment income of the Fund after paying dividends on Preferred Shares) and gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As required by Securities and Exchange Commission rules, the table assumes that the Fund is more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0%, the Fund must assume that the interest it receives on its investments is entirely offset by losses in the value of those investments.
OTHER FORMS OF LEVERAGE AND BORROWINGS. In addition to the issuance of Preferred Shares, the Fund may use a variety of additional strategies to add leverage to the portfolio. These include the sale of credit default swap contracts and the use of other derivative instruments and, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, reverse repurchase agreements. By adding additional leverage, these strategies have the potential to increase returns to Common Shareholders, but also involve additional risks. Additional leverage will increase the volatility of the Fund's investment portfolio and could result in larger losses than if the strategies were not used.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund generally is not permitted to engage in borrowings (including through the use of reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps and other derivatives to the extent that these instruments constitute senior securities) unless immediately after a borrowing the value of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than the borrowing) is at least 300% of the principal amount of such borrowing (I.E., such principal amount may not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund's total assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund's total assets, less liabilities other than borrowing, is at least 300% of such principal amount. If the Fund borrows, it intends, to the extent possible, to prepay all or a portion of the principal amount of the borrowing to the extent necessary in order to maintain the required asset coverage. Failure to maintain certain asset coverage requirements could result in an event of default and entitle Preferred Shareholders to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will not constitute senior securities (and will not be subject to the Fund's limitations on borrowings) to the extent that the Fund segregates liquid assets at least equal in amount to its obligations under the instruments, or enters into offsetting transactions or owns positions covering its obligations. For instance, the Fund may cover its position in a reverse repurchase agreement by segregating liquid assets at least equal in amount to its forward purchase commitment.
The Fund also may borrow money in order to repurchase its shares or as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including for the payment of dividends or the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities.
RISKS
The net asset value of the Common Shares will fluctuate with and be affected by, among other things, market discount risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, high yield risk, reinvestment risk, leverage risk, issuer risk, foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk, derivatives risk, mortgage-related risk, smaller company risk, inflation risk, liquidity risk and management risk. An investment in Common Shares will also be subject to the risk associated with the fact that the Fund is newly organized. These risks are summarized below.
NEWLY ORGANIZED
The Fund is a newly organized, diversified, closed-end management investment company and has no operating history.
MARKET DISCOUNT RISK
As with any stock, the price of the Fund's shares will fluctuate with market conditions and other factors. If shares are sold, the price received may be more or less than the original investment. Net asset value will be
reduced immediately following the initial offering by a sales load and organizational and selling expenses paid by the Fund and immediately following any offering of Preferred Shares by the costs of that offering paid by the Fund. The Common Shares are designed for long-term investors and should not be treated as trading vehicles. Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. The Fund's shares may trade at a price that is less than the initial offering price. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their shares relatively shortly after completion of the initial offering.
CREDIT RISK
The Fund could lose money if the issuer of a debt obligation, or the counterparty to a derivatives contract, repurchase agreement, loan of portfolio securities or other obligation, is, or is perceived to be, unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. The discount from par value at which Discounted Securities trade often reflects market concerns about their credit quality, which may not be reflected in their credit ratings at the time they are purchased by the Fund. Accordingly, Discounted Securities may be more likely to be downgraded by one or more rating agencies than income-producing securities trading at or near their par value. The downgrade of a Discounted Security may further decrease its value.
HIGH YIELD RISK
In general, lower rated debt securities carry a greater degree of risk that the issuer will lose its ability to make interest and principal payments, which could have a negative impact on the Fund's net asset value or dividends. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in debt securities that are rated below investment grade quality (I.E., below a rating of Baa or BBB by Moody's or S&P, respectively), or that are unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by PIMCO. Debt securities rated below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and are commonly referred to as "junk bonds." The prices of these lower grade bonds are more sensitive to negative developments, such as a decline in the issuer's revenues or a general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher grade securities. In addition, the secondary market on which high yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities, meaning these securities are subject to greater liquidity risk than investment grade securities. Bonds in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics by certain rating agencies. Because PIMCO expects, under current market conditions, to have a relatively focused investment strategy that includes Discounted Securities, PIMCO's capabilities in this area will be particularly important.
FOCUSED PORTFOLIO RISK
Focusing the Fund's investments in a smaller number of issuers or related industries increases risk. Because, under current market conditions, the Fund expects to invest in 30 to 50 issuers, it may have more risk than a fund investing in a greater number of issuers, as changes in the value of a single security or the impact of a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence may have a greater adverse impact on the Fund's net asset value. Some of those issuers also may present substantial credit or other risks. Also, the Fund may from time to time have greater risk to the extent it invests a substantial portion of its assets in companies in related industries such as "telecommunications" or "utilities," which may share common characteristics, are often subject to similar business risks and regulatory burdens, and whose securities may react similarly to economic, market, political or other developments.
INTEREST RATE RISK
Interest rate risk is the risk that debt obligations (and the Fund's net assets) will decline in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, debt securities will decrease in value when interest rates rise and increase in value when interest rates decline. This means that the net asset value of the Common Shares will fluctuate with interest rate changes and the corresponding changes in the value of the Fund's holdings. Because market interest rates are currently near their lowest levels in many years, there is a greater risk that the Fund's portfolio will
decline in value. The Fund's use of leverage, as described below, will tend to increase Common Share interest rate risk. The Fund may utilize certain strategies, including investments in structured notes and interest rate swaps and caps, for the purpose of reducing the interest rate sensitivity of the portfolio and decreasing the Fund's exposure to interest rate risk, although there is no assurance that it will do so or that such strategies will be successful. See "How the Fund Manages Risk--Hedging and Related Strategies."
REINVESTMENT RISK
Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund's bond portfolio will decline if and when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called bonds at market interest rates that are below the portfolio's current earnings rate. A decline in income could affect the Common Shares' market price or their overall returns.
LEVERAGE RISK
Leverage risk includes the risk associated with the issuance of the Preferred Shares, if any, or the use of credit default swaps, other derivative instruments and, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, reverse repurchase agreements in order to leverage the Fund's portfolio. There can be no assurance that the Fund's leveraging strategies involving Preferred Shares or derivatives will be successful. Once the Preferred Shares are issued or other forms of leverage are used, the net asset value and market value of Common Shares will be more volatile, and the yield and total return to Common Shareholders will tend to fluctuate more in response to changes in interest rates and with changes in the short-term dividend rates on the Preferred Shares. The Fund anticipates that the Preferred Shares, at least initially, would likely pay cumulative dividends at rates determined over relatively short-term periods (such as seven days), by providing for the periodic redetermination of the dividend rate through an auction or remarketing procedures. See "Description of Shares--Preferred Shares." The rates of return on intermediate- and long-term debt obligations are typically, although not always, higher than the rates of return on short-term debt obligations. If the dividend rate on the Preferred Shares approaches the net rate of return on the Fund's investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to Common Shareholders will be reduced. If the dividend rate on the Preferred Shares exceeds the net rate of return on the Fund's portfolio, the leverage will result in a lower rate of return to Common Shareholders than if the Fund were not leveraged. Because the longer-term bonds included in the Fund's portfolio will typically pay fixed rates of interest while the dividend rate on the Preferred Shares will be adjusted periodically, this could occur even when both long-term and short-term interest rates rise. In addition, the Fund will pay (and Common Shareholders will bear) any costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the Preferred Shares. The Fund cannot assure you that it will issue Preferred Shares or use other forms of leverage or, if used, that these strategies will result in a higher yield or return to Common Shareholders.
Similarly, any decline in the net asset value of the Fund's investments will be borne entirely by Common Shareholders. Therefore, if the market value of the Fund's portfolio declines, any leverage will result in a greater decrease in net asset value to Common Shareholders than if the Fund were not leveraged. Such greater net asset value decrease will also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for the Common Shares. The Fund might be in danger of failing to maintain the required 200% asset coverage or of losing its expected AAA/Aaa ratings on the Preferred Shares or, in an extreme case, the Fund's current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the dividend requirements on the Preferred Shares. In order to counteract such an event, or in order to meet its other obligations, including obligations under credit default swaps, the Fund might need to liquidate investments in order to fund a redemption of some or all of the Preferred Shares. Liquidation at times of low debt obligation prices may result in capital loss and may reduce returns to Common Shareholders. The Fund will seek to mitigate this risk by segregating assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents in an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the credit default swaps of which it is the seller, marked to market on a daily basis.
While the Fund may from time to time consider reducing leverage in response to actual or anticipated changes in interest rates in an effort to mitigate the increased volatility of current income and net asset value
associated with leverage, there can be no assurance that the Fund will actually reduce leverage in the future or that any reduction, if undertaken, will benefit the Common Shareholders. Changes in the future direction of interest rates are very difficult to predict accurately. If the Fund were to reduce leverage based on a prediction about future changes to interest rates, and that prediction turned out to be incorrect, the reduction in leverage would likely operate to reduce the income and/or total returns to Common Shareholders relative to the circumstance if the Fund had not reduced leverage. The Fund may decide that this risk outweighs the likelihood of achieving the desired reduction to volatility in income and Common Share price if the prediction were to turn out to be correct, and determine not to reduce leverage as described above.
ISSUER RISK
The value of corporate income-producing securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods and services.
SMALLER COMPANY RISK
Although under current market conditions the Fund does not presently intend to invest a significant portion of its assets in smaller companies, as market conditions change over time, the Fund may invest more of its assets in such companies. The general risks associated with corporate income-producing securities are particularly pronounced for securities issued by companies with smaller market capitalizations. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or they may depend on a few key employees. As a result, they may be subject to greater levels of credit, market and issuer risk. Securities of smaller companies may trade less frequently and in lesser volume than more widely held securities and their values may fluctuate more sharply than other securities. Companies with medium-sized market capitalizations may have risks similar to those of smaller companies.
FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) INVESTMENT RISK
The Fund may invest some or all of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations of foreign corporate issuers or supra-national government agencies. The Fund also may invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt instruments denominated in foreign currencies (of both developed and "emerging market" countries), including obligations of non-U.S. governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies and government-sponsored enterprises. The Fund's investments in foreign issuers and in securities denominated in foreign currencies involve special risks. There may be less information publicly available about a foreign issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and foreign issuers are not generally subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the United States. The securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Foreign brokerage costs, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the United States. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is also a possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability and diplomatic developments which could affect the value of investments in those countries. In addition, income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be reduced by withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries.
The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies may fluctuate based on changes in the value of those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, and a decline in applicable foreign exchange rates could reduce the value of such securities held by the Fund. The values of foreign investments and the investment income derived from them also may be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. In addition, although a portion of the Fund's investment income may be received or realized in foreign currencies, the Fund will be required to compute and distribute its income in U.S. dollars. Therefore, if the exchange rate for any such currency declines after the Fund's income has been earned and translated into U.S. dollars but before payment, the Fund could be required to liquidate portfolio securities to make such distributions.
Foreign investment risk may be particularly high to the extent that the Fund invests in securities of issuers based in or securities denominated in the currencies of developing or "emerging market" countries. These securities may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political and other risks different from, and greater than, the risks of investing in developed foreign countries.
EMERGING MARKETS RISK
Investing in securities of issuers based in underdeveloped emerging markets entails all of the risks of investing in securities of foreign issuers to a heightened degree. These heightened risks include: (i) greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, and less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller size of the market for such securities and a lower volume of trading, resulting in lack of liquidity and in price volatility; and (iii) certain national policies which may restrict the Fund's investment opportunities, including restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant national interests.
DERIVATIVES RISK
Derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index (or relationship between two indexes). The Fund may invest in a variety of derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts, swap agreements and short sales. The Fund may use derivatives as a substitute for taking a position in an underlying debt instrument or other asset and/or as part of a strategy designed to reduce exposure to other risks, such as interest rate or currency risk. The Fund also may use derivatives to add leverage to the portfolio. The Fund's use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in this prospectus, such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, leveraging risk, the risk of ambiguous documentation, and management risk. They also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. If the Fund invests in a derivative instrument, it could lose more than the principal amount invested. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances and there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in these transactions to reduce exposure to other risks when that would be beneficial. The use of derivatives also may increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders. In addition to the risks applicable to derivatives generally, credit default swaps involve special risks because they are difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty).
COUNTERPARTY RISK
The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties to the derivative contracts purchased by the Fund. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.
MORTGAGE-RELATED RISK
The Fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-related securities, including commercial mortgage securities and other mortgage-backed instruments. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage-related securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, mortgage-related securities held by the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. This is known as extension risk. In addition, mortgage-related securities are subject to prepayment risk--the risk that borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected, particularly when interest rates decline. This can reduce the
Fund's returns because the Fund may have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. The Fund's investments in other asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-related securities, as well as additional risks associated with the nature of the assets and the servicing of those assets.
INFLATION RISK
Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from the Fund's investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real, or inflation-adjusted, value of the Common Shares and distributions can decline and the dividend payments on the Fund's Preferred Shares, if any, or interest payments on Fund borrowings, if any, may increase.
LIQUIDITY RISK
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities which are illiquid at the time of investment. The term "illiquid securities" for this purpose is determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission's standard applicable to open-end investment companies, I.E., securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the securities. Illiquid securities may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The Fund may be subject to significant delays in disposing of illiquid securities. Accordingly, the Fund may be forced to sell these securities at less than fair market value or may not be able to sell them when PIMCO believes it is desirable to do so. Illiquid securities also may entail registration expenses and other transaction costs that are higher than those for liquid securities. Discounted Securities tend to be less liquid than securities trading closer to par and in some cases may be illiquid. Restricted securities, I.E., securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, may also be illiquid. However, some restricted securities (such as securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 and certain commercial paper) may be treated as liquid for these purposes.
MANAGEMENT RISK
The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. PIMCO and the individual portfolio managers will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.
MARKET DISRUPTION
As a result of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, some of the U.S. securities markets were closed for a four-day period. These terrorist attacks and related events have led to increased short-term market volatility and may have long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets. A similar disruption of the financial markets could impact interest rates, auctions, secondary trading, ratings, credit risk, inflation and other factors relating to the Common Shares.
CERTAIN AFFILIATIONS
Certain broker-dealers may be considered to be affiliated persons of the Fund, the Manager and/or PIMCO due to their possible affiliations with Allianz AG, the ultimate parent of the Manager and PIMCO. Absent an exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory relief, the Fund is generally precluded from effecting certain principal transactions with affiliated brokers, and its ability to purchase securities being underwritten by an affiliated broker or a syndicate including an affiliated broker, or to utilize affiliated brokers for agency transactions, is subject to restrictions. This could limit the Fund's ability to engage in securities transactions and take advantage of market opportunities. In addition, unless and until the underwriting syndicate is broken in connection with the initial public offering of the Common Shares, the Fund will be precluded from effecting principal transactions with brokers who are members of the syndicate.
HOW THE FUND MANAGES RISK
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
The Fund has adopted certain investment limitations designed to limit investment risk and maintain portfolio diversification. These limitations (two of which are listed below) are fundamental and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares and, if issued, Preferred Shares voting together as a single class, and the approval of the holders of a majority of the Preferred Shares voting as a separate class. The Fund may not:
. Concentrate its investments in a particular "industry," as that term is used in the 1940 Act and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; and
. With respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer, except securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies, if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. For the purpose of this restriction, each state and each separate political subdivision, agency, authority or instrumentality of such state, each multi-state agency or authority, and each obligor, if any, is treated as a separate issuer of municipal bonds.
The Fund would be deemed to "concentrate" its investments in a particular industry if it invested more than 25% of its net assets in that industry. The Fund's industry concentration policy does not preclude it from focusing investments in issuers in a group of related industrial sectors (such as different types of utilities).
The Fund may become subject to guidelines which are more limiting than the investment restrictions set forth above and other restrictions set forth in the Statement of Additional Information in order to obtain and maintain ratings from Moody's, S&P and/or Fitch, Inc. on the Preferred Shares that it intends to issue. The Fund does not anticipate that such guidelines would have a material adverse effect on the Fund's Common Shareholders or the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. See "Investment Objective and Policies" and "Investment Restrictions" in the Statement of Additional Information for information about these guidelines and a complete list of the fundamental investment policies of the Fund.
LIMITED ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED SHARES
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund could issue Preferred Shares having a total liquidation value (original purchase price of the shares being liquidated plus any accrued and unpaid dividends) of up to one-half of the value of the total assets of the Fund, less liabilities. To the extent that the Fund has outstanding any senior securities representing indebtedness (such as through the use of reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps and other derivative instruments that constitute senior securities), the aggregate amount of such senior securities will be added to the total liquidation value of any outstanding Preferred Shares for purposes of this asset coverage requirement. If the total liquidation value of the Preferred Shares plus the aggregate amount of such other senior securities were ever more than one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets, the Fund would not be able to declare dividends on the Common Shares until such liquidation value and/or aggregate amount of other senior securities, as a percentage of the Fund's total assets, were reduced. The Fund intends to issue Preferred Shares representing approximately 38% of the Fund's total capital immediately after their issuance approximately one to three months after the completion of the offering of Common Shares. This higher than required margin of net asset value provides a cushion against later fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio and will subject Common Shareholders to less income and net asset value volatility than if the Fund were more highly leveraged through Preferred Shares. No assurance can be given that this cushion will not be reduced or eliminated. It also gives the Fund flexibility to utilize other forms of leverage in addition to Preferred
Shares from time to time in accordance with the 1940 Act asset coverage requirements (such as reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps and other derivatives) that may be more efficient or cost effective sources of leverage than Preferred Shares under the circumstances. The Fund intends to purchase or redeem Preferred Shares, if necessary, to keep the liquidation value of the Preferred Shares plus the aggregate amount of other senior securities representing indebtedness below one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets.
MANAGEMENT OF INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE TO LIMIT LEVERAGE RISK
The Fund may take certain actions if short-term interest rates increase or market conditions otherwise change (or the Fund anticipates such an increase or change) and the Fund's leverage begins (or is expected) to adversely affect Common Shareholders. In order to attempt to offset such a negative impact of leverage on Common Shareholders, the Fund may shorten the average maturity or duration of its investment portfolio (by investing in short-term, high quality securities or implementing certain hedging strategies) or may extend the maturity of outstanding Preferred Shares. The Fund also may attempt to reduce leverage by redeeming or otherwise purchasing Preferred Shares or by reducing any holdings in other instruments that create leverage. As explained above under "Risks--Leverage Risk," the success of any such attempt to limit leverage risk depends on PIMCO's ability to accurately predict interest rate or other market changes. Because of the difficulty of making such predictions, the Fund may not be successful in managing its interest rate exposure in the manner described above.
If market conditions suggest that additional leverage would be beneficial, the Fund may sell previously unissued Preferred Shares or Preferred Shares that the Fund previously issued but later repurchased, or utilize other forms of leverage, such as credit default swaps and other derivative instruments. The Fund's exposure to credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amount of the swaps, however, will not exceed 10% of its total assets. In addition, the Fund's use of credit default swaps and certain other derivative instruments will be limited by the Fund's 20% limit on illiquid investments to the extent they are determined to be illiquid. See "The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies--Portfolio Contents and Other Information" and "Risks--Liquidity Risk."
HEDGING AND RELATED STRATEGIES
The Fund may use various investment strategies designed to limit the risk
of price fluctuations of its portfolio securities and to preserve capital. For
instance, the Fund may purchase credit default swap contracts for the purpose
of hedging the Fund's exposure to certain issuers and, thereby, decreasing its
exposure to credit risk, and it may invest in structured notes or interest rate
swap or cap transactions for the purpose of reducing the interest rate
sensitivity of the Fund's portfolio and, thereby, decreasing the Fund's
exposure to interest rate risk. See "The Fund's Investment Objective and
Strategies--Credit Default Swaps," "The Fund's Investment Objective and
Strategies--Structured Notes and Related Instruments" and "The Fund's
Investment Objective and Strategies--Certain Interest Rate Transactions" in
this prospectus. Other hedging strategies that the Fund may use include:
financial futures contracts; short sales; other types of swap agreements or
options thereon; options on financial futures; and options based on either an
index or individual debt securities whose prices, PIMCO believes, correlate
with the prices of the Fund's investments. Income earned by the Fund from many
hedging activities will be treated as capital gain and, if not offset by net
realized capital loss, will be distributed to shareholders in taxable
distributions. If effectively used, hedging strategies will offset in varying
percentages losses incurred on the Fund's investments due to adverse interest
rate changes. There is no assurance that these hedging strategies will be
available at any time or that PIMCO will determine to use them for the Fund or,
if used, that the strategies will be successful. In addition, the Fund may be
subject to certain restrictions on its use of hedging strategies imposed by
guidelines of one or more rating agencies that may issue ratings for Preferred
Shares issued by the Fund.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the management of the Fund, including supervision of the duties performed by the Manager and PIMCO. There are currently three Trustees of the Fund, none of whom is currently treated by the Fund as an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The names and business addresses of the Trustees and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years are set forth under "Management of the Fund" in the Statement of Additional Information.
INVESTMENT MANAGER
The Manager serves as the investment manager of the Fund. Subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Manager is responsible for managing, either directly or through others selected by it, the investment activities of the Fund and the Fund's business affairs and other administrative matters. The Manager is located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
Organized in 2000, the Manager provides investment management and advisory services to several closed-end and open-end investment company clients. As of September 30, 2002, the Manager had approximately $14.5 billion in assets under management. Allianz Dresdner Asset Management of America L.P. is the direct parent company of PIMCO Advisors Retail Holdings LLC, of which the Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary. As of September 30, 2002, Allianz Dresdner Asset Management of America L.P. and its subsidiary partnerships, including Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"), had approximately $360 billion in assets under management.
The Manager has retained its affiliate, PIMCO, to manage the Fund's investments. See "--Portfolio Manager" below. The Manager and PIMCO are each majority-owned indirect subsidiaries of Allianz AG, a publicly traded German insurance and financial services company.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
PIMCO serves as the portfolio manager for the Fund. Subject to the supervision of the Manager, PIMCO has full investment discretion and makes all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund's assets.
PIMCO is located at 840 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660. Organized in 1971, PIMCO provides investment management and advisory services to private accounts of institutional and individual clients and to mutual funds. As of September 30, 2002, PIMCO had approximately $302 billion in assets under management.
The Manager (and not the Fund) pays a portion of the fees it receives to PIMCO in return for its services, at the maximum annual rate of 0.39% of the Fund's average daily net assets (including assets attributable to any Preferred Shares that may be outstanding) for the period from the commencement of Fund operations through December 31, 2007 (I.E., roughly the first five years of Fund operations) (the "Initial Period") and at the maximum annual rate of 0.55% of such average daily net assets thereafter while the Investment Management Agreement remains in effect (the "Remaining Period"), provided that the fee will be reduced to 0.325% during the Initial Period and 0.45% during the Remaining Period if and while the Manager is obligated to pay a fee to Merrill Lynch, as described in the "Underwriting" section below.
PIMCO has also agreed to reimburse the Manager for 65% of the fees that the Manager pays to members of the underwriting syndicate other than Merrill Lynch, as described in the "Underwriting" section below.
Bill Gross, a founder of PIMCO, serves as Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of PIMCO. In his role as Chief Investment Officer, he serves as the head of the Investment Committee, which oversees setting investment policy decisions, including duration positioning, yield curve management, sector rotation,
credit quality and overall portfolio composition, for all PIMCO portfolios and strategies, including the Fund. The following individuals at PIMCO share primary responsibility for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund:
NAME SINCE RECENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
---- ----- ------------------------------
David C. Hinman, CFA 2002 Mr. Hinman is an Executive Vice President and portfolio
(Inception) manager at PIMCO. He focuses on high yield corporate bonds
and co-manages high yield funds and structured-credit
products at PIMCO. He joined PIMCO in 1995, having been
previously associated with Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York
where he underwrote high yield corporate bonds. Prior to that,
he was a credit analyst with First Union Corporation. Mr.
Hinman has 11 years of investment management experience
and holds a bachelor's degree in Finance from the University
of Alabama and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from The
Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mark Kiesel 2002 Mr. Kiesel is an Executive Vice President, generalist portfolio
(Inception) manager and senior member of PIMCO's investment strategy
and portfolio management group. He also co-heads the
investment-grade corporate desk and manages corporate
portfolios for the firm. Previously, Mr. Kiesel served as
PIMCO's head of equity derivatives and as a senior credit
analyst. Mr. Kiesel joined the firm in 1996, having been
previously associated with the sales and trading divisions of
Merrill Lynch & Co. and JP Morgan. He has eight years of
investment experience and holds a bachelor's degree in
Economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA in
Finance, Economics and International Business from the
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
|
Ray Kennedy, a Managing Director, the head of the High Yield team, and a member of PIMCO's Investment Committee, oversees David Hinman and Mark Kiesel regarding the management of the Fund.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
Pursuant to an investment management agreement between the Manager and the Fund (the "Investment Management Agreement"), the Fund has agreed to pay the Manager an annual management fee payable on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 0.60% of the Fund's average daily net assets (including net assets attributable to Preferred Shares) for the services and facilities it provides.
In addition to the fees of the Manager, the Fund pays all other costs and expenses of its operations, including compensation of its Trustees (other than those affiliated with the Manager), custodial expenses, shareholder servicing expenses, transfer agency and dividend disbursing expenses, legal fees, expenses of independent auditors, expenses of repurchasing shares, expenses of issuing any Preferred Shares, expenses of preparing, printing and distributing prospectuses, shareholder reports, notices, proxy statements and reports to governmental agencies, and taxes, if any.
Because the fees received by the Manager are based on the total net assets of the Fund (including assets attributable to Preferred Shares and any leverage created thereby), the Manager has a financial incentive for the Fund to issue Preferred Shares, which may create a conflict of interest between the Manager and the holders of the Fund's Common Shares.
NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value ("NAV") of the Fund equals the total value of the Fund's portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities. For purposes of calculating NAV, portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotes are available are stated at market value. Market value is generally determined on the basis of the last reported sales price, or if no sales are reported, based on quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers, or pricing services. Certain securities or investments for which market quotations are not readily available may be valued, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees, with reference to other securities or indexes. For instance, a pricing service may recommend a fair market value based on prices of comparable securities. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less are generally valued at amortized cost. Exchange traded options, futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the exchange. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees or persons acting at their direction.
The NAV of the Fund will be determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) (the "NYSE Close") on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open. Domestic debt securities and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agent after the Fund's NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not be used to retroactively adjust the price of a security or the Fund's NAV determined earlier that day.
Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to U.S. dollars using exchange rates obtained from pricing services. As a result, the NAV of the Fund's shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the New York Stock Exchange is closed.
In unusual circumstances, instead of valuing securities in the usual manner, the Fund may value securities at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees, generally based upon recommendations provided by PIMCO. Fair valuation also may be required due to material events that occur after the close of the relevant market but prior to the NYSE Close.
DISTRIBUTIONS
Commencing with the first dividend, the Fund intends to make regular monthly cash distributions to Common Shareholders at a rate based upon the projected performance of the Fund. Distributions can only be made from net investment income after paying any accrued dividends to Preferred Shareholders. The dividend rate that the Fund pays will depend on a number of factors, including dividends payable on the Preferred Shares and the expenses of any other leveraging transactions. The net income of the Fund consists of all interest income accrued on portfolio assets less all expenses of the Fund. Expenses of the Fund are accrued each day. Over time, substantially all the net investment income of the Fund will be distributed. At least annually, the Fund also intends to distribute to you your pro rata share of any available net capital gain. Initial distributions to Common Shareholders are expected to be declared approximately 45 days, and paid approximately 60 to 90 days, from the completion of this offering, depending on market conditions. Although it does not now intend to do so, the Board of Trustees may change the Fund's dividend policy and the amount or timing of the distributions, based on a number of factors, including the amount of the Fund's undistributed net investment income and historical and projected investment income and the amount of the expenses and dividend rates on any outstanding Preferred Shares.
To permit the Fund to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Fund will initially distribute less than the entire amount of net investment income earned in a particular period. The undistributed net investment
income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular monthly period may be more or less than the amount of net investment income actually earned by the Fund during the period. Undistributed net investment income will be added to the Fund's net asset value and, correspondingly, distributions from undistributed net investment income will be deducted from the Fund's net asset value.
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN
Pursuant to the Fund's Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "Plan"), all Common Shareholders whose shares are registered in their own names will have all dividends, including any capital gain dividends, reinvested automatically in additional Common Shares by PFPC Inc., as agent for the Common Shareholders (the "Plan Agent"), unless the shareholder elects to receive cash. An election to receive cash may be revoked or reinstated at the option of the shareholder. In the case of record shareholders such as banks, brokers or other nominees that hold Common Shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Common Shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder as representing the total amount registered in such shareholder's name and held for the account of beneficial owners who are to participate in the Plan. Shareholders whose shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or nominee should contact the bank, broker or nominee for details. Such shareholders may not be able to transfer their shares to another bank or broker and continue to participate in the Plan. All distributions to investors who elect not to participate in the Plan (or whose broker or nominee elects not to participate on the investor's behalf), will be paid in cash by check mailed, in the case of direct shareholders, to the record holder by PFPC Inc., as the Fund's dividend disbursement agent.
Unless you elect (or your broker or nominee elects) not to participate in the Plan, the number of Common Shares you will receive will be determined as follows:
(1) If Common Shares are trading at or above net asset value
on the payment date, the Fund will issue new shares at the greater
of (i) the net asset value per Common Share on the payment date or
(ii) 95% of the market price per Common Share on the payment date;
or
(2) If Common Shares are trading below net asset value (minus estimated brokerage commissions that would be incurred upon the purchase of Common Shares on the open market) on the payment date, the Plan Agent will receive the dividend or distribution in cash and will purchase Common Shares in the open market, on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere, for the participants' accounts. It is possible that the market price for the Common Shares may increase before the Plan Agent has completed its purchases. Therefore, the average purchase price per share paid by the Plan Agent may exceed the market price on the payment date, resulting in the purchase of fewer shares than if the dividend or distribution had been paid in Common Shares issued by the Fund. The Plan Agent will use all dividends and distributions received in cash to purchase Common Shares in the open market on or shortly after the payment date, but in no event later than the ex-dividend date for the next distribution. Interest will not be paid on any uninvested cash payments.
You may withdraw from the Plan at any time by giving written notice to the Plan Agent. If you withdraw or the Plan is terminated, you will receive a certificate for each whole share in your account under the Plan and you will receive a cash payment for any fraction of a share in your account. If you wish, the Plan Agent will sell your shares and send you the proceeds, minus brokerage commissions.
The Plan Agent maintains all shareholders' accounts in the Plan and gives written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information you may need for tax records. The Plan Agent will also furnish each person who buys Common Shares with written instructions detailing the procedures for electing not to participate in the Plan and to instead receive distributions in cash. Common Shares in your account will be
held by the Plan Agent in non-certificated form. Any proxy you receive will include all Common Shares you have received under the Plan.
There is no brokerage charge for reinvestment of your dividends or distributions in Common Shares. However, all participants will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred by the Plan Agent when it makes open market purchases.
Automatically reinvested dividends and distributions are taxed in the same manner as cash dividends and distributions.
The Fund and the Plan Agent reserve the right to amend or terminate the Plan. There is no direct service charge to participants in the Plan; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the participants. Additional information about the Plan may be obtained from PFPC Inc., 400 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, telephone number 1-800-331-1710.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
COMMON SHARES
The Declaration authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Common Shares. The Common Shares will be issued with a par value of $0.00001 per share. All Common Shares have equal rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation. Common Shares will, when issued, be fully paid and, subject to matters discussed in "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust," non-assessable, and will have no pre-emptive or conversion rights or rights to cumulative voting. Whenever Preferred Shares are outstanding, Common Shareholders will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Fund unless all accrued dividends on Preferred Shares have been paid, and unless asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) with respect to Preferred Shares would be at least 200% after giving effect to the distributions. See "--Preferred Shares" below.
The Common Shares are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.
The Fund's net asset value per share generally increases when interest rates decline, and decreases when interest rates rise, and these changes are likely to be greater because the Fund intends to have a leveraged capital structure. Net asset value will be reduced immediately following the offering by the amount of the sales load and organization and offering expenses paid by the Fund. The Manager has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per Common Share.
Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds like the Fund do not continuously offer shares and do not provide daily redemptions. Rather, if a shareholder determines to buy additional Common Shares or sell shares already held, the shareholder may do so by trading on the exchange through a broker or otherwise. Shares of closed-end investment companies may frequently trade on an exchange at prices lower than net asset value. Shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund that invest predominantly in corporate debt obligations have during some periods traded at prices higher than net asset value and during other periods have traded at prices lower than net asset value. The Fund's Declaration limits the ability of the Fund to convert to open-end status. See "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust."
Because the market value of the Common Shares may be influenced by such factors as dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), call protection, dividend stability, portfolio credit quality, net asset
value, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond the control of the Fund, the Fund cannot assure you that the Common Shares will trade at a price equal to or higher than net asset value in the future. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors, and investors in the Common Shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. See "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage" and the Statement of Additional Information under "Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund."
PREFERRED SHARES
The Declaration authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares may be issued in one or more classes or series, with such par value and rights as determined by the Board of Trustees, by action of the Board of Trustees without the approval of the Common Shareholders.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has indicated its intention to authorize an offering of Preferred Shares (representing approximately 38% of the Fund's capital immediately after the time the Preferred Shares are issued) approximately one to three months after completion of the offering of Common Shares. Any such decision is subject to market conditions and to the Board's continuing belief that leveraging the Fund's capital structure through the issuance of Preferred Shares is likely to achieve the benefits to the Common Shareholders described in this prospectus. Although the terms of the Preferred Shares will be determined by the Board of Trustees (subject to applicable law and the Fund's Declaration) if and when it authorizes a Preferred Shares offering, the Board has determined that the Preferred Shares, at least initially, would likely pay cumulative dividends at rates determined over relatively short-term periods (such as seven days), by providing for the periodic redetermination of the dividend rate through an auction or remarketing procedure. The Board of Trustees has indicated that the preference on distribution, liquidation preference, voting rights and redemption provisions of the Preferred Shares will likely be as stated below.
As used in this prospectus, unless otherwise noted, the Fund's "net assets" include assets of the Fund attributable to any outstanding Preferred Shares, with no deduction for the liquidation preference of the Preferred Shares. Solely for financial reporting purposes, however, the Fund is required to exclude the liquidation preference of Preferred Shares from "net assets," so long as the Preferred Shares have redemption features that are not solely within the control of the Fund. For all regulatory and tax purposes, the Fund's Preferred Shares will be treated as stock (rather than indebtedness).
LIMITED ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED SHARES
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund could issue Preferred Shares with an aggregate liquidation value of up to one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets (total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by "senior securities," as defined in the 1940 Act), measured immediately after issuance of the Preferred Shares. "Liquidation value" means the original purchase price of the shares being liquidated plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless the liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is less than one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or distribution) immediately after the distribution. The liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is expected to be approximately 38% of the value of the Fund's total net assets. The Fund intends to purchase or redeem Preferred Shares, if necessary, to keep that fraction below one-half.
DISTRIBUTION PREFERENCE
The Preferred Shares have complete priority over the Common Shares as to distribution of assets.
LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Fund, holders of Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive a preferential liquidating distribution (expected to
equal the original purchase price per share plus accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares.
VOTING RIGHTS
Preferred Shares are required to be voting shares. Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration or the Fund's Bylaws or otherwise required by applicable law, holders of Preferred Shares will vote together with Common Shareholders as a single class.
Holders of Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, will also be entitled to elect two of the Fund's Trustees. The remaining Trustees will be elected by Common Shareholders and holders of Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class. In the unlikely event that two full years of accrued dividends are unpaid on the Preferred Shares, the holders of all outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, will be entitled to elect a majority of the Fund's Trustees until all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for payment.
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SALE OF PREFERRED SHARES
The terms of the Preferred Shares may provide that they are redeemable at certain times, in whole or in part, at the original purchase price per share plus accumulated dividends. The terms also may state that the Fund may tender for or purchase Preferred Shares and resell any shares so tendered. Any redemption or purchase of Preferred Shares by the Fund will reduce the leverage applicable to Common Shares, while any resale of Preferred Shares by the Fund will increase such leverage. See "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage."
The discussion above describes the Board of Trustees' present intention with respect to a possible offering of Preferred Shares. If the Board of Trustees determines to authorize such an offering, the terms of the Preferred Shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described above, subject to applicable law and the Fund's Declaration and Bylaws.
ANTI-TAKEOVER AND OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST
The Declaration includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to convert the Fund to open-end status. The Fund's Trustees are divided into three classes. At each annual meeting of shareholders, the term of one class will expire and each Trustee elected to that class will hold office for a term of three years. The classification of the Board of Trustees in this manner could delay for an additional year the replacement of a majority of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the Declaration provides that a Trustee may be removed only for cause and only (i) by action of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the outstanding shares of the classes or series of shares entitled to vote for the election of such Trustee, or (ii) by at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the remaining Trustees.
As described below, the Declaration grants special approval rights with respect to certain matters to members of the Board who qualify as "Continuing Trustees," which term means a Trustee who either (i) has been a member of the Board for a period of at least thirty-six months (or since the commencement of the Fund's operations, if less than thirty-six months) or (ii) was nominated to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then members of the Board.
The Declaration requires the affirmative vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Board of Trustees and holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Fund's shares (including Common and Preferred Shares) to authorize certain Fund transactions not in the ordinary course of business, including a merger or consolidation or a sale or transfer of Fund assets, unless the transaction is authorized by both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (in which case no
shareholder authorization would be required by the Declaration, but may be required in certain cases under the 1940 Act). The Declaration also requires the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of each class of the Fund's shares entitled to vote on the matter to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company, unless the conversion is authorized by both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (in which case shareholders would have only the minimum voting rights required by the 1940 Act with respect to the conversion). Also, the Declaration provides that the Fund may be terminated at any time by vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Fund's shares or, alternatively, by vote or consent of both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees. See "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust" in the Statement of Additional Information for a more detailed summary of these provisions.
The Trustees may from time to time grant other voting rights to shareholders with respect to these and other matters in the Fund's Bylaws.
The overall effect of these provisions is to render more difficult the accomplishment of a merger or the assumption of control by a third party. They provide, however, the advantage of potentially requiring persons seeking control of the Fund to negotiate with its management regarding the price to be paid and facilitating the continuity of the Fund's investment objective and policies. The provisions of the Declaration described above could have the effect of depriving the Common Shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund in a tender offer or similar transaction. The Board of Trustees of the Fund has considered the foregoing anti-takeover provisions and concluded that they are in the best interests of the Fund and its Common Shareholders.
The foregoing is intended only as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Declaration and the Fund's Bylaws, both of which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, in certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for debts or obligations of the Fund and requires that notice of such limited liability be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Fund or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Fund for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations. The Fund believes that the likelihood of such circumstances is remote.
REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES; CONVERSION TO OPEN-END FUND
The Fund is a closed-end investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares. Instead, the Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), net asset value, call protection, dividend stability, portfolio credit quality, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors. Shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value. The Fund's Board of Trustees regularly monitors the relationship between the market price and net asset value of the Common Shares. If the Common Shares were to trade at a substantial discount to net asset value for an extended period of time, the Board may consider the repurchase of its Common Shares on the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares, or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Fund cannot assure you that its Board of Trustees will decide to take or propose any of these actions, or that share repurchases or tender offers will actually reduce market discount.
If the Fund were to convert to an open-end company, it would be required to redeem all Preferred Shares then outstanding (requiring in turn that it liquidate a portion of its investment portfolio), and the Common Shares would no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In contrast to a closed-end investment company, shareholders of an open-end investment company may require the company to redeem their shares at any time (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under the 1940 Act) at their net asset value, less any redemption charge that is in effect at the time of redemption.
Before deciding whether to take any action to convert the Fund to an open-end investment company, the Board would consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Fund's portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its shareholders, and market considerations. Based on these considerations, even if the Fund's shares should trade at a discount, the Board of Trustees may determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its shareholders, no action should be taken. See the Statement of Additional Information under "Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund" for a further discussion of possible action to reduce or eliminate such discount to net asset value.
TAX MATTERS
FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS
The following federal income tax discussion is based on the advice of Ropes & Gray, counsel to the Fund, and reflects provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing Treasury regulations, rulings published by the Internal Revenue Service (the "Service"), and other applicable authority, as of the date of this prospectus. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. For more detailed information regarding tax considerations, see the Statement of Additional Information. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular investors. In addition, income earned through an investment in the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes.
The Fund intends to qualify each year for taxation as a regulated investment company eligible for treatment under the provisions of Subchapter M of the Code. If the Fund so qualifies and satisfies certain distribution requirements, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions. For the period ending December 31, 2002, the Fund may pay any applicable federal excise tax rather than incur the expenses of declaring and paying a dividend.
To satisfy the distribution requirement applicable to regulated investment companies, amounts paid as dividends by the Fund to its shareholders, including holders of its Preferred Shares, must qualify for the dividends-paid deduction. In certain circumstances, the Service could take the position that dividends paid on the Preferred Shares constitute preferential dividends under Section 562(c) of the Code, and thus do not qualify for the dividends-paid deduction.
If at any time when Preferred Shares are outstanding the Fund does not meet applicable asset coverage requirements, it will be required to suspend distributions to Common Shareholders until the requisite asset coverage is restored. Any such suspension may cause the Fund to pay a 4% federal excise tax (imposed on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute for a given calendar year, generally, at least 98% of their net investment income and capital gain net income) and income tax on undistributed income or gains, and may, in certain circumstances, prevent the Fund from qualifying for treatment as a regulated investment company. The Fund may redeem Preferred Shares in an effort to comply with the distribution requirement applicable to regulated investment companies and to avoid income and excise taxes.
The Fund's investments in certain debt obligations may cause the Fund to recognize taxable income in excess of the cash generated by such obligations. Thus, the Fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments in order to satisfy its distribution requirements.
For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are taxable as ordinary income. Whether distributions of capital gains are taxed as ordinary income or capital gains is determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated such capital gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares. Distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder's investment (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid). Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for more than one year and that are properly designated by the Fund as capital gain dividends will be taxable as capital gains. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Any gain resulting from the sale or exchange of Fund shares generally will be taxable as capital gains.
The Fund's investments in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund's yield on those securities would be decreased. In addition, the Fund's investments in foreign securities or foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Fund's recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or amount of the Fund's distributions.
The backup withholding tax rate will be 30% for amounts paid during 2002 and 2003 if the Fund is required to apply backup withholding to taxable distributions payable to a shareholder. Please see "Tax Matters" in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information about the new backup withholding tax rates.
This section relates only to federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund; the consequences under other tax laws may differ. You should consult your tax advisor as to the possible application of foreign, state and local income tax laws to Fund dividends and capital distributions. Please see "Tax Matters" in the Statement of Additional Information for additional information regarding the tax aspects of investing in the Fund.
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions of a purchase agreement dated , 2002, each underwriter named below, for which Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. are acting as representatives, has severally agreed to purchase, and the Fund has agreed to sell to such underwriter, the number of Common Shares set forth opposite the name of such underwriter.
NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITER COMMON SHARES
----------- -------------
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated......................
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc....................
Prudential Securities Incorporated..........
UBS Warburg LLC.............................
RBC Dain Rauscher Inc.......................
Wachovia Securities, Inc....................
Advest, Inc.................................
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.....................
H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc...........
Fahnestock & Co. Inc........................
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC.................
McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey..................
Quick & Reilly, Inc.........................
Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc...............
-----------
Total...............................
===========
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The purchase agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the shares included in this offering are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all the Common Shares sold under the purchase agreement if any of the Common Shares are purchased. In the purchase agreement, the Fund and the Manager have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make for any of those liabilities.
The underwriters propose to initially offer some of the Common Shares directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and some of the Common Shares to certain dealers at the public offering price less a concession not in excess of $ per share. The sales load the Fund will pay of $0.675 per share is equal to 4.5% of the initial offering price. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a discount not in excess of $ per share on sales to other dealers. After the initial public offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.
The following table shows the public offering price, sales load and proceeds before expenses to the Fund. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option.
PER SHARE WITHOUT OPTION WITH OPTION
--------- -------------- -----------
Public offering price................. $15.00 $ $
Sales load............................ $.675 $ $
Proceeds, before expenses, to the Fund $14.325 $ $
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The expenses of the offering are estimated at $ and are payable by the Fund. The Fund has agreed to pay the underwriters $0.005 per Common Share as a partial reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with the offering. The Manager has agreed to pay organizational expenses and offering costs of the Fund (other than the sales load, but including the partial reimbursement of expenses described in the preceding sentence) that exceed $0.03 per Common Share.
The Fund has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to additional Common Shares at the public offering price, less the sales load, within 45 days from the date of this prospectus solely to cover any over-allotments. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the purchase agreement, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriter's initial amount reflected in the above table.
Until the distribution of the Common Shares is complete, Securities and Exchange Commission rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing the Fund's Common Shares. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the Common Shares, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.
If the underwriters create a short position in the Common Shares in connection with the offering, I.E., if they sell more Common Shares than are listed on the cover of this prospectus, the representatives may reduce that short position by purchasing Common Shares in the open market. The representatives may also elect to reduce any short position by exercising all or part of the over-allotment option described above. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers in respect of the Common Shares sold in this offering for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if such Common Shares are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. Purchases of the Common Shares to stabilize the price or to reduce a short position may cause the price of the Common Shares to be higher than it might be in the absence of such purchases.
Neither the Fund nor any of the underwriters makes any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the Common Shares. In addition, neither the Fund nor any of the underwriters makes any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
The Fund has agreed not to offer or sell any additional Common Shares for a period of 180 days after the date of the purchase agreement without the prior written consent of the underwriters, except for the sale of the Common Shares to the underwriters pursuant to the purchase agreement and certain transactions relating to the Fund's Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
The Fund anticipates that the underwriters may from time to time act as brokers or dealers in executing the Fund's portfolio transactions after they have ceased to be underwriters. The underwriters are active underwriters of, and dealers in, securities, and therefore can be expected to engage in portfolio transactions with the Fund.
One or more of the underwriters of Common Shares may also act as an underwriter of the Preferred Shares.
The Manager (and not the Fund) has also agreed to pay a fee to Merrill Lynch quarterly at the annual rate of 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets (including assets attributable to any Preferred Shares that may be outstanding) during the continuance of the Investment Management Agreement. The sum of this fee plus the amount of the expense reimbursement of $0.005 per Common Share payable by the Fund to the Underwriters will not exceed 4.5% of the aggregate initial offering price of the Common Shares offered hereby; provided, that in determining when the maximum amount has been paid the value of each of the quarterly payments shall be discounted at the annual rate of 10% to the closing date of this offering. Merrill Lynch has agreed to provide certain after-market services to the Manager designed to maintain the visibility of the Fund on an ongoing basis and to provide relevant information, studies or reports regarding the Fund and the closed-end investment company industry.
The Manager (and not the Fund) has also agreed to pay a fee to certain underwriters (other than Merrill Lynch) that sell Common Shares in the initial public offering quarterly at the annual rate of up to 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to Common Shares sold by such underwriters (including a proportionate share of assets attributable to any Preferred Shares that may be outstanding) during the continuance of the Investment Management Agreement. The sum of this fee plus the amount of the expense reimbursement of $0.005 per Common Share payable by the Fund to the Underwriters will not exceed 4.5% of the aggregate initial offering price of the Common Shares sold by such underwriters; provided, that in determining when the maximum amount has been paid the value of each of the quarterly payments shall be discounted at the annual rate of 10% to the closing date of this offering. Such underwriters have agreed to provide certain after-market services to the Manager designed to maintain the visibility of the Fund on an ongoing basis and to provide relevant information, studies or reports regarding the Fund and the closed-end investment company industry.
The address of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated is 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080.
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
The custodian of the assets of the Fund is State Street Bank and Trust Co., 801 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64105. The Custodian performs custodial and fund accounting services.
PFPC Inc., 400 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, serves as the Fund's transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursement agent and shareholder servicing agent, as well as agent for the Fund's Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the Common Shares will be passed upon for the Fund by Ropes & Gray, Boston, Massachusetts, and for the Underwriters by Clifford Chance US LLP, New York, New York. Clifford Chance US LLP may rely as to certain matters of Massachusetts law on the opinion of Ropes & Gray.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Use of Proceeds............................................................ 3 Investment Objective and Policies.......................................... 3 Investment Restrictions.................................................... 43 Management of the Fund..................................................... 45 Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager................................... 55 Portfolio Transactions..................................................... 59 Distributions.............................................................. 61 Description of Shares...................................................... 62 Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust............. 65 Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund................... 67 Tax Matters................................................................ 69 Performance Related and Comparative Information............................ 76 Custodian, Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursement Agent.................. 76 Independent Accountants.................................................... 77 Counsel.................................................................... 77 Registration Statement..................................................... 77 Report of Independent Accountants.......................................... 78 Financial Statements....................................................... 79 Appendix A - Performance Related and Comparative and Other Information..... A-1 |
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
The Fund's investments may range in quality from securities rated in the lowest category to securities rated in the highest category (as rated by Moody's or S&P or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality). The percentage of a Fund's assets invested in securities in a particular rating category will vary. The following terms are generally used to describe the credit quality of debt securities:
HIGH QUALITY DEBT SECURITIES are those rated in one of the two highest rating categories (the highest category for commercial paper) or, if unrated, deemed comparable by PIMCO.
INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT SECURITIES are those rated in one of the four highest rating categories or, if unrated, deemed comparable by PIMCO.
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE, HIGH YIELD SECURITIES ("JUNK BONDS") are those rated lower than Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P and comparable securities. They are deemed predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's ability to repay principal and interest.
Following is a description of Moody's and S&P's rating categories applicable to debt securities.
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.
CORPORATE AND MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
Aaa: Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa: Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present that make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than with Aaa securities.
A: Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa: Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations (I.E., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured). Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba: Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B: Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of a desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa: Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca: Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C: Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.
Moody's bond ratings, where specified, are applicable to financial contracts, senior bank obligations and insurance company senior policyholder and claims obligations with an original maturity in excess of one year. Obligations relying upon support mechanisms such as letter-of-credit and bonds of indemnity are excluded unless explicitly rated. Obligations of a branch of a bank are considered to be domiciled in the country in which the branch is located.
Unless noted as an exception, Moody's rating on a bank's ability to repay senior obligations extends only to branches located in countries which carry a Moody's Sovereign Rating for Bank Deposits. Such branch obligations are rated at the lower of the bank's rating or Moody's Sovereign Rating for the Bank Deposits for the country in which the branch is located. When the currency in which an obligation is denominated is not the same as the currency of the country in which the obligation is domiciled, Moody's ratings do not incorporate an opinion as to whether payment of the obligation will be affected by the actions of the government controlling the currency of denomination. In addition, risk associated with bilateral conflicts between an investor's home country and either the issuer's home country or the country where an issuer branch is located are not incorporated into Moody's ratings.
Moody's makes no representation that rated bank obligations or insurance company obligations are exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 or issued in conformity with any other applicable law or regulation. Nor does Moody's represent any specific bank or insurance company obligation is legally enforceable or a valid senior obligation of a rated issuer.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2, and 3, in each generic rating classified from Aa through Caa in its corporate bond rating system. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
CORPORATE SHORT-TERM DEBT RATINGS
Moody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to repay punctually senior debt obligations. These obligations have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted.
Moody's employs the following three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
PRIME-1: Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics: leading market positions in well-established industries; high rates of return on funds employed; conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection; broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation; and well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
PRIME-2: Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above
but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
PRIME-3: Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability for repayment of senior short-term obligations. The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced. Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes in the level of debt protection measurements and may require relatively high financial leverage. Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.
NOT PRIME: Issuers rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
STANDARD & POOR'S
ISSUE CREDIT RATING DEFINITIONS
A Standard & Poor's issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.
Issue credit ratings are based on current information furnished by the obligors or obtained by Standard & Poor's from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor's does not perform an audit in connection with any credit rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. Credit ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on other circumstances.
Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days--including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: likelihood of payment--capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; nature of and provisions of the obligation; protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.
The issue rating definitions are expressed in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition.
CORPORATE AND MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
INVESTMENT GRADE
AAA: An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA: An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A: An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB: An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
SPECULATIVE GRADE
Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC: An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC: An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C: A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated C is CURRENTLY HIGHLY VULNERABLE to nonpayment. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A C also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.
CI: The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.
D: An obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or Minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Provisional ratings: The letter "p" indicates that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project being financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful and timely completion of the project.
This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of, or the risk of default upon failure of, such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.
r: This symbol is attached to the ratings of instruments with significant
noncredit risks. It highlights risks to principal or volatility of expected
returns which are not addressed in the credit rating. Examples include:
obligations linked or indexed to equities, currencies, or commodities;
obligations exposed to severe prepayment risk--such as interest-only or
principal-only mortgage securities; and obligations with unusually risky
interest terms, such as inverse floaters.
The absence of an "r" symbol should not be taken as an indication that an obligation will exhibit no volatility or variability in total return.
N.R.: This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Debt obligations of issuers outside the United States and its territories are rated on the same basis as domestic corporate and municipal issues. The ratings measure the creditworthiness of the obligor but do not take into account currency exchange and related uncertainties.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATING DEFINITIONS
A Standard & Poor's commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Ratings are graded into several categories, ranging from A for the highest quality obligations to D for the lowest. These categories are as follows:
A-1: A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2: A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3: A short-term obligation rated A-3 exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: A short-term obligation rated B is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
C: A short-term obligation rated C is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
D: A short-term obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
A commercial paper rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor. The ratings are based on current information furnished to Standard & Poor's by the issuer or obtained from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor's does not perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability of such information.
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SHARES
[LOGO] PIMCO
ADVISORS
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
COMMON SHARES
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
UBS WARBURG
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS
WACHOVIA SECURITIES
ADVEST, INC.
BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.
H&R BLOCK FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC.
FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC.
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC
MCDONALD INVESTMENTS INC.
SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY
QUICK & REILLY, INC.
WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
DECEMBER 23, 2002
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 23, 2002
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") is a newly organized, diversified closed-end management investment company.
This Statement of Additional Information relating to common shares of the Fund ("Common Shares") is not a prospectus, and should be read in conjunction with the Fund's prospectus relating thereto dated December 23, 2002 (the "Prospectus"). This Statement of Additional Information does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing Common Shares, and investors should obtain and read the Prospectus prior to purchasing such shares. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by calling (800) 331-1710. You may also obtain a copy of the Prospectus on the web site (http://www.sec.gov) of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Statement of Additional Information have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
USE OF PROCEEDS ........................................................... 3 INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES ......................................... 3 INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS ................................................... 43 MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND .................................................... 45 INVESTMENT MANAGER AND PORTFOLIO MANAGER .................................. 54 PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS .................................................... 59 DISTRIBUTIONS ............................................................. 60 DESCRIPTION OF SHARES ..................................................... 61 ANTI-TAKEOVER AND OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST ............ 64 REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES; CONVERSION TO OPEN-END FUND .................. 66 TAX MATTERS ............................................................... 68 PERFORMANCE RELATED AND COMPARATIVE INFORMATION ........................... 75 CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND DISBURSEMENT AGENT ................. 76 INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS ................................................... 77 COUNSEL ................................................................... 77 REGISTRATION STATEMENT .................................................... 77 REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS ......................................... 78 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ...................................................... 79 APPENDIX A - Performance Related and Comparative and Other Information .... A-1 |
This Statement of Additional Information is dated December 23, 2002.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds of the offering of Common Shares of the Fund will be approximately $ (or $ if the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full) after payment of organization and offering costs.
On behalf of the Fund, PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC (the "Manager"), the Fund's investment manager, has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per Common Share.
Pending investment in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations and other securities that meet the Fund's investment objective and policies, it is anticipated that the net proceeds of the offering will be invested in high quality, short-term securities.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The investment objective and general investment policies of the Fund are described in the Prospectus. Additional information concerning the characteristics of certain of the Fund's investments is set forth below.
Corporate Bonds
The Fund may invest in a wide variety of bonds and related debt obligations of varying maturities issued by U.S. and foreign corporations (including banks) and other business entities. Bonds are fixed or variable rate debt obligations, including bills, notes, debentures, money market instruments and similar instruments and securities. Bonds generally are used by corporations and other issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Certain bonds are "perpetual" in that they have no maturity date. The Fund will invest in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds and may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in bonds denominated in foreign currencies in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies as described in the Prospectus. The Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% of its total assets in corporate bonds that are below investment grade quality. See "--High Yield Securities ("Junk Bonds")" below.
The Fund's investments in corporate bonds are subject to a number of risks described in the Prospectus and elaborated upon elsewhere in this section of the Statement of Additional Information, including interest rate risk, credit risk, high yield risk, issuer risk, focused portfolio risk, foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk, inflation risk, liquidity risk, smaller company risk and management risk.
Commercial Paper
Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by corporations such as banks or bank holding companies and finance companies. The Fund may invest in commercial paper of any credit quality consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies, including unrated commercial paper for which Pacific Investment
Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"), the Fund's portfolio manager, has made a credit quality assessment. See Appendix A to the Prospectus for a description of the ratings assigned by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and Standard & Poor's ("S&P") to commercial paper. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.
Preferred Stock
Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company's common stock, and thus also represent an ownership interest in that company. As described below, the Fund may invest in preferred stocks that pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. The value of a company's preferred stock may fall as a result of factors relating directly to that company's products or services. A preferred stock's value may also fall because of factors affecting not just the company, but companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries, such as increases in production costs. The value of preferred stock may also be affected by changes in financial markets that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates or currency exchange rates. In addition, a company's preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of the preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company's financial condition or prospects. Preferred stocks of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than those of larger companies.
Fixed Rate Preferred Stocks. Some fixed rate preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest, known as perpetual preferred stocks, offer a fixed return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, perpetual preferred stocks act like long-term bonds and can be more volatile than other types of preferred stocks that have a maturity date and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund may also invest in sinking fund preferred stocks. These preferred stocks also offer a fixed return, but have a maturity date and are retired or redeemed on a predetermined schedule. The shorter duration of sinking fund preferred stocks makes them perform somewhat like intermediate-term bonds and they typically have lower yields than perpetual preferred stocks.
Adjustable Rate and Auction Preferred Stocks. Typically, the dividend rate on an adjustable rate preferred stock is determined prospectively each quarter by applying an adjustment formula established at the time of issuance of the stock. Although adjustment formulas vary among issues, they typically involve a fixed premium or discount relative to rates on specified debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury. Typically, an adjustment formula will provide for a fixed premium or discount adjustment relative to the highest base yield of three specified U.S. Treasury securities: the 90-day Treasury bill, the 10-year Treasury note and the 20-year Treasury bond. The premium or discount adjustment to be added to or subtracted from this highest U.S. Treasury base rate yield is fixed at the time of issue and cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of the stock. The dividend rate on other preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest, commonly known as auction preferred stocks, is adjusted at intervals
that may be more frequent than quarterly, such as every 49 days, based on bids submitted by holders and prospective purchasers of such stocks and may be subject to stated maximum and minimum dividend rates. The issues of most adjustable rate and auction preferred stocks currently outstanding are perpetual, but are redeemable after a specified date at the option of the issuer. Certain issues supported by the credit of a high-rated financial institution provide for mandatory redemption prior to expiration of the credit arrangement. No redemption can occur if full cumulative dividends are not paid. Although the dividend rates on adjustable and auction preferred stocks are generally adjusted or reset frequently, the market values of these preferred stocks may still fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates. Market values of adjustable preferred stocks also may substantially fluctuate if interest rates increase or decrease once the maximum or minimum dividend rate for a particular stock is approached.
Convertible Securities and Synthetic Convertible Securities
The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which are bonds, debentures, notes or other securities that entitle the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. PIMCO will generally evaluate these instruments based on their debt characteristics.
A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt obligations. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a debt obligation.
Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and will therefore be subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of convertible securities may tend to cushion the securities against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities will typically cause fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. See "--High Yield Securities ("Junk Bonds")" below.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective.
The Fund may invest in so-called "synthetic convertible securities," which are composed of two or more different securities whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities. For example, the Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt security and a warrant or option. The synthetic convertible security differs from the true
convertible security in several respects. Unlike a true convertible security, which is a single security having a unitary market value, a synthetic convertible security comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the "market value" of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its debt component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible security and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.
Bank Obligations
Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates that are issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and that earn a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are generally no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund may also hold funds on deposit with its custodian bank in an interest-bearing account for temporary purposes.
Subject to the Fund's limitation on concentration of no more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of issuers in a particular industry, the Fund may invest without limit in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks and up to 10% of its total assets in foreign bank obligations denominated in foreign currencies. Obligations of foreign banks involve certain risks associated with investing in foreign securities described under "--Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities" below, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to U.S. banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.
Loan Participations and Assignments
The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participations in a loan to a corporate borrower, and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated
with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized rating service. Given the current structure of the markets for loan participations and assignments, the Fund expects to treat these securities as illiquid.
A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower.
A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or government agency) similar risks may arise.
Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.
The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of issuers of its securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks, and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.
The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Restrictions"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purposes of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its total assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer
of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.
Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what PIMCO believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's net asset value than if that value were based on available market quotations, and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Fund's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets.
Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that, under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on PIMCO's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentations could adversely affect the Fund.
Zero-Coupon Bonds, Step-Ups and Payment-In-Kind Securities
Zero-coupon securities are debt obligations that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest either for the entire life of the obligation or for an initial period after the issuance of the obligations. Like zero-coupon bonds, "step-up" bonds pay no interest initially but eventually begin to pay a coupon rate prior to maturity, which rate may increase at stated intervals during the life of the security. Payment-in-kind securities (PIKs) pay dividends or interest in the form of additional securities of the issuer, rather than in cash. Each of these instruments is typically issued and traded at a deep discount from its face amount. The amount of the discount varies depending on such factors as the time remaining until maturity of the securities, prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The market prices of zero-coupon bonds, step-ups and PIKs generally are more volatile than the market prices of debt instruments that pay interest currently and in cash and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than do other types of securities having similar maturities and credit quality. In order to satisfy a requirement for qualification as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), an investment company, such as the Fund, must distribute each year at least 90% of its net investment income, including the original issue discount accrued on zero-coupon bonds, step-ups and PIKs. Because the Fund will not on a current basis receive cash payments from the
issuer of these securities in respect of any accrued original issue discount, in some years the Fund may have to distribute cash obtained from selling other portfolio holdings of the Fund. In some circumstances, such sales might be necessary in order to satisfy cash distribution requirements even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the Fund to sell securities at such time. Under many market conditions, investments in zero-coupon bonds, step-ups and PIKs may be illiquid, making it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them or determine their current value.
High Yield Securities ("Junk Bonds")
As described under "The Fund's Investment Objective and Policies" in the Prospectus, the Fund has the flexibility to invest up to 50% of its total assets in debt securities rated lower than Baa by Moody's or BBB by S&P, or in securities that are unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by PIMCO. These securities are sometimes referred to as "high yield" securities or "junk bonds."
Investments in high yield securities generally provide greater income and increased opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, but they also typically entail greater price volatility and principal and income risk, including the possibility of issuer default and bankruptcy. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Debt securities in the lowest investment grade category also may be considered to possess some speculative characteristics by certain rating agencies. In addition, analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality securities.
High yield securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield security prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of an issuer to make principal and interest payments on its debt obligations. If an issuer of high yield securities defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. In the case of high yield securities structured as zero-coupon, step-up or payment-in-kind securities, their market prices will normally be affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes, and therefore tend to be more volatile than securities which pay interest currently and in cash. PIMCO seeks to reduce these risks through diversification, credit analysis and attention to current developments and trends in both the economy and financial markets.
The secondary market on which high yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the price at which the Fund could sell a high yield security, and could adversely affect the daily net asset value of the shares. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. When secondary markets for high yield securities are less liquid than the market for investment grade securities, it may be more difficult to value the securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of
judgment may play a greater role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available. During periods of thin trading in these markets, the spread between bid and asked prices is likely to increase significantly and the Fund may have greater difficulty selling its portfolio securities. The Fund will be more dependent on PIMCO's research and analysis when investing in high yield securities. PIMCO seeks to minimize the risks of investing in all securities through in-depth credit analysis and attention to current developments in interest rates and market conditions.
A general description of the ratings of securities by Moody's and S&P is set forth in Appendix A to the Prospectus. The ratings of Moody's and S&P represent their opinions as to the quality of the securities they rate. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, debt obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while obligations with the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. For these reasons, the use of credit ratings as the sole method of evaluating high yield securities can involve certain risks. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market value risk of high yield securities. Also, credit rating agencies may fail to change credit ratings in a timely fashion to reflect events since the security was last rated. PIMCO does not rely solely on credit ratings when selecting securities for the Fund, and develops its own independent analysis of issuer credit quality.
The Fund's credit quality policies apply only at the time a security is purchased, and the Fund is not required to dispose of a security in the event that a rating agency or PIMCO downgrades its assessment of the credit characteristics of a particular issue. In determining whether to retain or sell such a security, PIMCO may consider such factors as PIMCO's assessment of the credit quality of the issuer of such security, the price at which such security could be sold and the rating, if any, assigned to such security by other rating agencies. However, analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities.
Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities
The Fund may invest some or all of its total assets in U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt obligations of foreign issuers, including foreign corporate issuers, such as foreign banks (see "--Bank Obligations" above), and obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supra-national government entities. The Fund may also invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt instruments denominated in foreign currencies (of both developed and "emerging market" countries), including obligations of non-U.S. governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies and government-sponsored enterprises. The Fund may invest up to 7.5% of its total assets in securities of issuers located in "emerging market" countries.
The U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities in which the Fund may invest include Eurodollar obligations and "Yankee Dollar" obligations. Eurodollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar obligations are generally subject to the same risks that apply to domestic debt issues, notably credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk. Additionally, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee Dollar) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the
extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.
The Fund may also invest in American Depository Receipts ("ADRs"), European Depository Receipts ("EDRs") or Global Depository Receipts ("GDRs"). ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts issued generally by domestic banks and represent the deposit with the bank of a security of a foreign issuer. EDRs are foreign currency-denominated receipts similar to ADRs and are issued and traded in Europe, and are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. GDRs may be offered privately in the United States and also trade in public or private markets in other countries. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be issued as sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities trade in the form of ADRs, EDRs or GDRs. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program.
The Fund also may invest in Brady Bonds. Brady Bonds are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to sovereign entities for new obligations in connection with debt restructurings under a debt restructuring plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the "Brady Plan"). Brady Plan debt restructurings have been implemented in a number of countries, including: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized, are issued in various currencies (primarily the U.S. dollar) and are actively traded in the over-the-counter secondary market. Brady Bonds are not considered to be U.S. Government securities. U.S. dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed rate par bonds or floating rate discount bonds, are generally collateralized in full as to principal by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds having the same maturity as the Brady Bonds. Interest payments on these Brady Bonds generally are collateralized on a one-year or longer rolling-forward basis by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year's interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to "value recovery payments" in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (the uncollateralized amounts constitute the "residual risk").
Most Mexican Brady Bonds issued to date have principal repayments at final maturity fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds (or comparable collateral denominated in other currencies) and interest coupon payments collateralized on an 18-month rolling-forward basis by funds held in escrow by an agent for the bondholders. A significant portion of the Venezuelan Brady Bonds and the Argentine Brady Bonds issued to date have repayments at final
maturity collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds (or comparable collateral denominated in other currencies) and/or interest coupon payments collateralized on a 14-month (for Venezuela) or 12-month (for Argentina) rolling-forward basis by securities held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as collateral agent.
Brady Bonds involve various risk factors including residual risk and the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds. There can be no assurance that Brady Bonds in which the Fund may invest will not be subject to restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit, which may cause the Fund to suffer a loss of interest or principal on any of its holdings.
Investing in the securities of foreign issuers involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These include: differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, generally higher commission rates on foreign portfolio transactions, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a country), political instability which can affect U.S. investments in foreign countries and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. In addition, foreign securities and dividends and interest payable on those securities may be subject to foreign taxes, including taxes withheld from payments on those securities. Foreign securities often trade with less frequency and volume than domestic securities and therefore may exhibit greater price volatility. Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value of those securities which are denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
Emerging Market Securities. The risks of investing in foreign securities are particularly high when securities of issuers based in or denominated in currencies of developing (or "emerging market") countries are involved. Investing in emerging market countries involves certain risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities, and imposes risks greater than, or in addition to, risks of investing in foreign, developed countries. These risks include: greater risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations; greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability (including the risk of war); more substantial government involvement in the economy; less government supervision and regulation of the securities markets and participants in those markets; controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital and on the Fund's ability to exchange local currencies for U.S. dollars; unavailability of currency hedging techniques in certain emerging market countries; the fact that companies in emerging market countries may be smaller, less seasoned and newly organized companies; the difference in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; the risk that it may be more difficult to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States; and greater price volatility, substantially less liquidity and significantly smaller market capitalization of securities markets. In addition, a number of emerging market countries restrict, to various degrees, foreign investment in securities, and high rates of inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries. Also, any change in the leadership or politics of emerging market countries, or the countries that exercise a significant influence over
those countries, may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.
Sovereign Debt. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy toward the International Monetary Fund, and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also depend on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a governmental entity's implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt. Holders of sovereign debt (including the Fund) may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part.
The Fund's investments in foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and hedging activities will likely produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. This difference may cause a portion of the Fund's income distributions to constitute returns of capital for tax purposes or require the Fund to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company for federal tax purposes.
Foreign Currency Transactions
The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "--Derivative Instruments" below), and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. Suitable currency hedging transactions may not be available in all circumstances and PIMCO may decide not to use hedging transactions that are available.
A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties,
at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Open positions in forwards used for non-hedging purposes will be covered by the segregation with the Fund's custodian of assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, and are marked to market daily. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase. Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:
Lock In. When PIMCO desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.
Cross Hedge. If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency that is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.
Direct Hedge. If PIMCO wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if PIMCO believes that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's debt obligations but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated a contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the debt obligation.
Proxy Hedge. PIMCO might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be close to those in the United States and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.
Costs of Hedging. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.
It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield.
Tax Consequences of Hedging. Under applicable tax law, the Fund's hedging activities may result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the Code. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income.
Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities
Foreign Currency Warrants. Foreign currency warrants, such as Currency Exchange Warrants(SM) ("CEWs(SM)"), are warrants that entitle their holders to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) that is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specific date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk that, from the point of view of the prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international debt obligation marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplement payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese Yen or German Deutschmark. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered, and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time values" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, if the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by the OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of government or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign
currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.
Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs(SM)") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" principal exchange rate linked securities is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar, and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" principal exchange rate linked securities are like "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). Principal exchange rate linked securities may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.
Performance Indexed Paper. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs(SM)") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on performance indexed paper is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.
Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities, and in other asset-backed securities (unrelated to mortgage loans) that are offered to investors currently or in the future. Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. The value of some mortgage-related or asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like other debt obligations, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of PIMCO to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. See "--Mortgage Pass-Through Securities" below. Certain debt obligations are also secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities. See "--Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")" below.
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. The market for commercial mortgage-backed securities developed more recently and in terms of total outstanding principal amount of issues is relatively small compared to the market for residential single-family mortgage-backed securities. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Mortgage pass-through securities are securities representing interests in "pools" of mortgage loans secured by residential or commercial real property. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt obligations, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (the "GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The rate of prepayments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective maturity of the security beyond what was anticipated at the time of purchase. Early repayment of principal on some mortgage-related securities (arising from prepayments of principal due to the sale of the underlying property, refinancing, or foreclosure, net of fees and costs which may be incurred) may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a security subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Like other debt obligations, when interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-related security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-related securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other debt obligations. To the extent that unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages increase the effective maturity of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.
Payment of principal and interest on some mortgage pass-through securities (but not the market value of the securities themselves) may be guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (in the case of securities guaranteed by the GNMA) or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (in the case of securities guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (the "FNMA") or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (the "FHLMC"). The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is the
GNMA. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").
Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include the FNMA and the FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks, and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency's obligations.
FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates ("PCs") which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMC's national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency's obligations.
Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in such pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. Although the market for such securities is becoming increasingly liquid, securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in PIMCO's opinion are illiquid if, as a result, more than 20% of the value of the Fund's total assets (taken at market value at the time of investment) will be invested in illiquid securities.
Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions (see "Investment Restrictions") by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of first lien residential mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of private issue mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs"). A CMO is a hybrid between a mortgage-backed bond and a mortgage pass-through security. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, semi-annually. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.
CMOs are structured into multiple classes, each bearing a different stated maturity. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the prepayment experience of the collateral. CMOs provide for a modified form of call protection through a de facto breakdown of the underlying pool of mortgages according to how quickly the loans are repaid. Monthly payment of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longer maturity classes receive principal only after the first class has been retired. An investor is partially guarded against a sooner than desired return of principal because of the sequential payments.
In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (the "Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (the "Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begin to be paid currently. With some CMOs, the issuer serves as a conduit to allow loan originators (primarily builders or savings and loan associations) to borrow against their loan portfolios.
CMOs that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or by any of its agencies or instrumentalities will be considered U.S. Government securities by the Fund, while other CMOs,
even if collateralized by U.S. Government securities, will have the same status as other privately issued securities for purposes of applying the Fund's diversification tests.
FHLMC Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. FHLMC CMOs are debt obligations of FHLMC issued in multiple classes having different maturity dates which are secured by the pledge of a pool of conventional mortgage loans purchased by FHLMC. Unlike FHLMC PCs, payments of principal and interest on the CMOs are made semi-annually, as opposed to monthly. The amount of principal payable on each semi-annual payment date is determined in accordance with FHLMC's mandatory sinking fund schedule, which in turn, is equal to approximately 100% of FHA prepayment experience applied to the mortgage collateral pool. All sinking fund payments in the CMOs are allocated to the retirement of the individual classes of bonds in the order of their stated maturities. Payments of principal on the mortgage loans in the collateral pool in excess of the amount of FHLMC's minimum sinking fund obligation for any payment date are paid to the holders of the CMOs as additional sinking fund payments. Because of the "pass-through" nature of all principal payments received on the collateral pool in excess of FHLMC's minimum sinking fund requirement, the rate at which principal of the CMOs is actually repaid is likely to be such that each class of bonds will be retired in advance of its scheduled maturity date.
If collection of principal (including prepayments) on the mortgage loans during any semi-annual payment period is not sufficient to meet FHLMC's minimum sinking fund obligation on the next sinking fund payment date, FHLMC agrees to make up the deficiency from its general funds.
Criteria for the mortgage loans in the pool backing the FHLMC CMOs are identical to those of FHLMC PCs. FHLMC has the right to substitute collateral in the event of delinquencies and/or defaults.
Other Mortgage-Related Securities. Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities. Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents
income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an IO class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "--Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities" below. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in a CMO residual.
CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. The CMO residual market has developed fairly recently and CMO residuals currently may not have the liquidity of other more established securities trading in other markets. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not, have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS") are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.
Although SMBS are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were developed fairly recently. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.
Other Asset-Backed Securities. Similarly, PIMCO expects that other asset-backed securities (unrelated to mortgage loans) will be offered to investors in the future and may be purchased by the Fund. Several types of asset-backed securities have already been offered to investors, including Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates ("EETCs") and Certificates for Automobile ReceivablesSM ("CARSSM").
Although any entity may issue EETCs, to date, U.S. airlines are the primary issuers. An airline EETC is an obligation secured directly by aircraft or aircraft engines as collateral. Airline EETCs generally have credit enhancement in the form of overcollateralization and cross-subordination (i.e., multiple tranches and multiple aircraft as collateral). They also generally have a dedicated liquidity facility provided by a third-party insurer to insure that coupon payments are made on a timely basis until collateral is liquidated in the event of a default by the lessor of the collateral. Aircraft EETCs issued by registered U.S. carriers also benefit from a special section of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, which allows the aircraft to be sold by the trust holding the collateral to repay note holders without participating in bankruptcy proceedings. EETCs tend to be less liquid than corporate bonds.
CARSSM represent undivided fractional interests in a trust whose assets consist of a pool of motor vehicle retail installment sales contracts and security interests in the vehicles securing the contracts. Payments of principal and interest on CARSSM are passed through monthly to certificate holders, and are guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trustee or originator of the trust. An investor's return on CARSSM may be affected by early prepayment of principal on the underlying vehicle sales contracts. If the letter of credit is exhausted, the trust may be prevented from realizing the full amount due on a sales contract because of state law requirements and restrictions relating to foreclosure sales of vehicles and the obtaining of deficiency judgments following such sales or because of depreciation, damage or loss of a vehicle, the application of federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws, or other factors. As a result, certificate holders may experience delays in payments or losses if the letter of credit is exhausted.
Consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies, PIMCO also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities. Other asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers. The value of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of the underlying assets.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities
Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.
The Fund may invest in floating rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate that is tied to another interest rate, such as a corporate bond index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two bonds or other securities, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.
The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds
The Fund may invest in inflation-indexed bonds, which are debt obligations whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S.
Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index accruals as part of a semiannual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.
While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
Event-Linked Bonds
The Fund may invest in "event-linked bonds." Event-linked bonds, which are sometimes referred to as "catastrophe bonds," are debt obligations for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane or an earthquake. They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities. If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indexes or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases when a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer (credit) default, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.
Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated.
Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities
The Fund may also enter into, or acquire participations in, delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities. Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are borrowing arrangements in which the lender agrees to make loans up to a maximum amount upon demand by the borrower during a specified term. A revolving credit facility differs from a delayed funding loan in that as the borrower repays the loan, an amount equal to the repayment may be borrowed again during the term of the revolving credit facility. Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities usually provide for floating or variable rates of interest. These commitments may have the effect of requiring the Fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not otherwise be desirable to do so (including a time when the company's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that the Fund is committed to advance additional funds, it will at all times segregate assets, determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount sufficient to meet such commitments.
The Fund may invest in delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities with credit quality comparable to that of issuers of its securities investments. Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities may be subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to resell such instruments. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell
such investments at an opportune time or may have to resell them at less than fair market value. The Fund currently intends to treat delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. For a further discussion of the risks involved in investing in loan participations and other forms of direct indebtedness see "--Loan Participations and Assignments." Participation interests in revolving credit facilities will be subject to the limitations discussed in "-Loan Participations and Assignments." Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are considered to be debt obligations for the purposes of the Fund's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.
Derivative Instruments
In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may purchase and sell
(write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, and
securities indexes, and enter into interest rate and index futures contracts and
purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options") to add
leverage to the portfolio, for hedging purposes or as part of its overall
investment strategy. The Fund also may enter into swap agreements with respect
to interest rates, currencies, securities indexes and other assets and measures
of risk or return. If other types of financial instruments, including other
types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future,
the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that the Trustees determine
that their use is consistent with the Fund's investment objective.
The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund may invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of PIMCO to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If PIMCO incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.
The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If PIMCO incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in utilizing a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable or the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage or offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments, and the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. Income earned by the Fund from many derivative strategies will be treated as capital gain and, if not offset by net realized capital loss, will be distributed to shareholders in taxable distributions.
Options on Securities, Swap Agreements and Indexes. The Fund may purchase and sell both put and call options on securities, swap agreements or indexes in standardized contracts traded on domestic or other securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on NASDAQ or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of debt obligations from a dealer.
An option on a security (or an index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities, or certain economic indicators.)
The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a debt obligation or other security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or other assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in such amount are segregated by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund segregates assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees equal to the exercise price. A put option is also covered if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.
The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.
The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.
The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put. In such cases, the Fund will also segregate liquid assets equivalent to the amount, if any, by which the put is "in the money."
Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.
During the option period, the covered call writer has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price, but, as long as its obligation as a writer continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.
If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding.
Foreign Currency Options. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies for investment purposes or as a hedge against changes in the value of the U.S. dollar (or another currency) in relation to a foreign currency in which the Fund's securities may be denominated. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may invest in interest rate futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options"). The Fund may also purchase and sell futures contracts on corporate debt obligations (to the extent they are available) and U.S. Government and agency securities, as well as purchase put and call options on such futures contracts.
A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of the security or other financial instrument at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, physical delivery of these securities is not always made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments, including, without limitation: U.S. Treasury bonds; U.S. Treasury notes; GNMA Certificates; three-month U.S. Treasury bills; 90-day commercial paper; bank certificates of deposit; Eurodollar certificates of deposit; the Australian dollar; the Canadian dollar; the British pound; the German mark; the Japanese yen; the French franc; the Swiss franc; the Mexican peso; and certain multinational currencies, such as the euro. It is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future.
The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures
options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and
indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in
return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position
(put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the
period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long
position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short
position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true.
To comply with applicable rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") under which the Fund avoids being deemed a "commodity pool" or a "commodity pool operator," the Fund intends generally to limit its use of futures contracts and futures options to "bona fide hedging" transactions, as such term is defined in applicable regulations, interpretations and practice. For example, the Fund might use futures contracts to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates that might adversely affect either the value of the Fund's debt obligations or the price of the debt obligations that the Fund intends to purchase. The Fund's hedging activities may include sales of futures contracts as an offset against the effect of expected increases in interest rates, and purchases of futures contracts as an offset against the effect of expected declines in interest rates. Although other techniques could be used to reduce the Fund's exposure to interest rate fluctuations, the Fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and perhaps at a lower cost by using futures contracts and futures options.
The Fund may enter into futures contracts and futures options that are standardized and traded on a U.S. or other exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system, and the Fund may also enter into OTC options on futures contracts.
When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with its custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn taxable interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing daily net asset value, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.
The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option, and other futures positions held by the Fund.
Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (involving the same exchange, underlying security or index, and delivery month). If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.
The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put. In such cases, the Fund will also segregate liquid assets equivalent to the amount, if any, by which the put is "in the money."
Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options. As noted above, the Fund generally intends to enter into positions in futures contracts and related options only for "bona fide hedging" purposes. With respect to positions in futures and related options that do not constitute bona fide hedging positions, the Fund will not enter into a futures contract or futures option contract if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate initial margin deposits relating to such positions plus premiums paid by it for open futures option positions, less the amount by which any such options are "in the money," would exceed 5% of the Fund's liquidation value, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts into which the Fund has entered. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.
When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark to market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.
When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark to market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that are equal to the market value of the instruments underlying the contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Fund's custodian).
When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark to market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance
with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.
When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark to market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same as or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.
To the extent that securities with maturities greater than one year are used to segregate assets to cover the Fund's obligations under futures contracts and related options, such use will not eliminate the leverage risk arising from such use, which may tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio, and may require liquidation of portfolio positions when it is not advantageous to do so.
The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Tax Matters."
Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options as hedging techniques. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.
Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings of debt obligations. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also
may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.
Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures contract or a futures option position, and the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.
Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options
on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options
thereon. Options on securities, futures contracts, options on futures contracts,
and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions
may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United
States, 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. Some foreign exchanges may be principal markets so that
no common clearing facility exists and a trader may look only to the broker for
performance of the contract. 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 United States of data on which to make
trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Fund's ability to act upon economic
events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United
States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and
procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser
trading volume. In addition, unless the Fund hedges against fluctuations in the
exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which trading is
done on foreign exchanges, any profits that the Fund might realize in trading
could be eliminated by adverse changes in the exchange rate, or the Fund could
incur losses as a result of those changes. The Fund's use of such instruments
may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains
(generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates) than if the Fund
had not used such instruments.
Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, currencies, indexes of securities and other assets or measures of risk or return. The Fund may also enter into options on swap agreements ("swaptions"). These transactions are entered into in an attempt to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost to the Fund than if the Fund had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by
institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index. Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. The Fund may use interest rate caps, floors and collars to a substantial degree in connection with its leveraging strategies. See "--Certain Interest Rate Transactions" below and "The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies--Certain Interest Rate Transactions" in the Prospectus. A swaption is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions.
Most swap agreements entered into by the Fund would calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund). The Fund may use swap agreements to add leverage to the portfolio. The Fund, except with regard to credit default swaps, as described below, may (but is not required to) cover any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty through the segregation of assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be "senior securities" for purposes of the Fund's investment restriction concerning senior securities and borrowings.
Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swaptions will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on PIMCO's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. The swaps market is a relatively new market and is largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.
Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When the Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.
Certain swap agreements are exempt from most provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA") and, therefore, are not regulated as futures or commodity option transactions under the CEA.
Certain Interest Rate Transactions. As described above, the Fund may enter into interest rate swaps and caps. Interest rate swaps involve the Fund's agreement with the swap counterparty to pay a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty paying the Fund a variable rate payment that may be structured so as to approximate the Fund's variable rate payment obligation on any preferred shares of beneficial interest that the Fund may issue (the "Preferred Shares") or any variable rate borrowing. The payment obligation would be based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund may use an interest rate cap, which would require the Fund to pay a premium to the cap counterparty and would entitle the Fund, to the extent that a specified variable rate index exceeds a predetermined fixed rate, to receive from the counterparty payment of the difference based on the notional amount. The Fund may use interest rate swaps or caps with the intent to reduce or eliminate the risk that an increase in short-term interest rates could have on the performance of the Common Shares as a result of the Fund's investments and capital structure, and may also use these instruments for other hedging purposes.
Credit Default Swaps
The Fund may enter into credit default swap contracts for hedging purposes or to add leverage to the portfolio. As the seller in a credit default swap contract, the Fund would be required to pay the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation to the counterparty in the event of a default by a third party, such as a U.S. or foreign corporate issuer, on the debt obligation. In return, the Fund would receive from the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the Fund would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
The Fund may also purchase credit default swap contracts in order to hedge against the risk of default of debt securities held in its portfolio, in which case the Fund would function as the counterparty referenced in the preceding paragraph. This would involve the risk that the investment may expire worthless and would generate income only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial instability). It would also involve credit risk - that the seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in credit default swaps, as measured by the notional amounts of the swaps. The Fund will segregate assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents in an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the credit default swaps of which it is the seller, marked to market on a daily basis. The Manager currently considers credit default swaps to be illiquid and treats the market value of the contract as illiquid for purposes of determining compliance with the 20% restriction on illiquid investments.
Structured Notes and Other Hybrid Instruments
The Fund may invest in "structured" notes, which are privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a benchmark asset, market or interest rate, such as selected securities, an index of securities or specified interest rates, or the differential performance of two assets or markets, such as indexes reflecting bonds. Depending on the terms of the note, the Fund may forgo all or part of the interest and principal that would be payable on a comparable conventional note. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the referenced index(es) or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage which will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. The Fund may use structured notes to add leverage to the portfolio and for investment as well as risk management purposes, such as to reduce the interest rate sensitivity of the Fund's portfolio (and thereby decrease the Fund's exposure to interest rate risk). Like other sophisticated strategies, the Fund's use of structured notes may not work as intended; for example, by reducing the duration of the Fund's portfolio, structured notes may limit the Fund's return when having a longer duration would be beneficial (for instance, when interest rates decline). Although structured instruments are not necessarily illiquid, the Manager believes that currently most structured instruments are illiquid.
The Fund may invest in other types of "hybrid" instruments which combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount or interest rate of a hybrid could be tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most debt obligations) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events that cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value of the Fund.
Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.
U.S. Government Securities
U.S. Government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. The U.S. Government does not guarantee the net asset value of the Fund's shares. Some U.S. Government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and securities guaranteed by the GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United
States; others, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency's obligations; and still others, such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. U.S. Government securities include securities that have no coupons, or have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, individual interest coupons from such securities that trade separately, and evidences of receipt of such securities. Such securities may pay no cash income, and are purchased at a deep discount from their value at maturity. See "--Zero-Coupon Bonds, Step-Ups and Payment-In-Kind Securities." Custodial receipts issued in connection with so-called trademark zero-coupon securities, such as CATs and TIGRs, are not issued by the U.S. Treasury, and are therefore not U.S. Government securities, although the underlying bond represented by such receipt is a debt obligation of the U.S. Treasury. Other zero-coupon Treasury securities (e.g., STRIPs and CUBEs) are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.
Municipal Bonds
The Fund may invest in municipal bonds which pay interest that, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer (or on the basis of other authority believed by the Fund's portfolio manager to be reliable), is exempt from federal income taxes ("municipal bonds"), although dividends that the Fund pays that are attributable to such interest will not be tax-exempt to shareholders of the Fund.
Municipal bonds share the attributes of debt obligations in general, but are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. The municipal bonds that the Fund may purchase include general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds issued pursuant to former federal tax law. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer's general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer's general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor).
Municipal bonds are subject to credit and market risk. Generally, prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate less with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues. Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money-market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose
securities are publicly traded. Obligations of issuers of municipal bonds are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. Congress or state legislatures may seek to extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or to impose other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal bonds may be materially affected or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable.
When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment Transactions
The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis. When such purchases are outstanding, the Fund will segregate until the settlement date assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made, although the Fund may earn income on securities it has segregated.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its net asset value. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.
When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into, and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis.
Repurchase Agreements
For the purposes of maintaining liquidity and achieving income, the Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with domestic commercial banks or registered broker/dealers. A repurchase agreement is a contract under which the Fund would acquire a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price (representing the Fund's cost plus interest). In the case of repurchase agreements with broker-dealers, the value of the underlying securities (or collateral) will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including the interest factor. The Fund bears a risk of loss in the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations and the Fund is delayed
or prevented from exercising its rights to dispose of the collateral securities. This risk includes the risk of procedural costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price. PIMCO will monitor the creditworthiness of the counter parties.
Borrowing
The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. The Fund may from time to time borrow money to add leverage to the portfolio. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes.
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund generally is not permitted to engage in borrowings unless immediately after a borrowing the value of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (other than the borrowing) is at least 300% of the principal amount of such borrowing (i.e., such principal amount may not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund's total assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund's total assets, less liabilities other than borrowing, is at least 300% of such principal amount. If the Fund borrows it intends, to the extent possible, to prepay all or a portion of the principal amount of the borrowing to the extent necessary in order to maintain the required asset coverage. Failure to maintain certain asset coverage requirements could result in an event of default and entitle the holders of Preferred Shares ("Preferred Shareholders") to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund.
As described elsewhere in this section, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including credit default swap contracts and other derivative instruments and, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, reverse repurchase agreements, although the Fund's exposure to credit default swaps and certain other derivative instruments will be limited by the Fund's 20% limit on illiquid investments to the extent they are determined to be illiquid. The Fund may enter into these transactions in order to add leverage to the portfolio. See "The Fund's Investment Objective and Strategies," "Risks-Liquidity Risk" and "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage" in the Prospectus. The Fund may (but is not required to) cover its commitment under these instruments by the segregation of assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees, equal in value to the amount of the Fund's commitment, or by entering into offsetting transactions or owning positions covering its obligations. In that case, the instruments will not be considered "senior securities" under the 1940 Act for purposes of the asset coverage requirements otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund or the Fund's issuance of Preferred Shares. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements and economically similar transactions, prior to the issuance of Preferred Shares, in order to add leverage to the portfolio or for hedging or cash management purposes. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by
the Fund, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage risk and the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase. The Fund may (but is not required to) segregate assets determined to be liquid by PIMCO in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, equal (on a daily mark-to-market basis) to its obligations under reverse repurchase agreements. To the extent that positions in reverse repurchase agreements are not so covered, such transactions would be subject to the Fund's limitations on borrowings, which would, among other things, restrict the aggregate of such transactions (plus any other borrowings) to one-third of the Fund's total assets.
The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty who purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls
A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by GNMA, to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a pre-determined price. A "dollar roll" can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. However, unlike reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered "substantially identical," the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 2.5% of the initial amount delivered.
As with reverse repurchase agreements, to the extent that positions in dollar roll agreements are not covered by segregated liquid assets at least equal to the amount of any forward purchase commitment, such transactions would be subject to the Fund's restrictions on borrowings. Furthermore, because dollar roll transactions may be for terms ranging between one and six months, dollar roll transactions may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's overall limitations on investments in illiquid securities.
Short Sales
The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in securities in the Fund's portfolio. A
short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.
When the Fund makes a short sale on a security, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
To the extent that the Fund engages in short sales, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer. A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.
Illiquid Securities
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities which are illiquid at the time of investment. The term "illiquid securities" for this purpose is determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission's standard applicable to open-end investment companies, i.e., securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities. Illiquid securities are considered to include, among other things, written over-the-counter options, securities or other liquid assets being used as cover for such options, repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days, certain loan participation interests, fixed time deposits which are not subject to prepayment or provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), and other securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws (other than securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and certain commercial paper that PIMCO has determined to be liquid under procedures approved by the Board of Trustees).
Illiquid securities may include privately placed securities, which are sold directly to a small number of investors, usually institutions. Unlike public offerings, such securities are not registered under the federal securities laws. Although certain of these securities may be readily sold, others may be illiquid, and their sale may involve substantial delays and additional costs.
Portfolio Trading and Turnover Rate
Portfolio trading may be undertaken to accomplish the investment objective of the Fund in relation to actual and anticipated movements in interest rates. In addition, a security may be sold and another of comparable quality purchased at approximately the same time to take
advantage of what PIMCO believes to be a temporary price disparity between the two securities. Temporary price disparities between two comparable securities may result from supply and demand imbalances where, for example, a temporary oversupply of certain bonds may cause a temporarily low price for such bonds, as compared with other bonds of like quality and characteristics. The Fund may also engage in short-term trading consistent with its investment objective. Securities may be sold in anticipation of a market decline (a rise in interest rates) or purchased in anticipation of a market rise (a decline in interest rates) and later sold, or to recognize a gain.
A change in the securities held by the Fund is known as "portfolio turnover." PIMCO manages the Fund without regard generally to restrictions on portfolio turnover. The use of certain derivative instruments with relatively short maturities may tend to exaggerate the portfolio turnover rate for the Fund. Trading in debt obligations does not generally involve the payment of brokerage commissions, but does involve indirect transaction costs. The use of futures contracts may involve the payment of commissions to futures commission merchants. High portfolio turnover (e.g., greater than 100%) involves correspondingly greater expenses to the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestments in other securities. The higher the rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund, the higher these transaction costs borne by the Fund generally will be. Transactions in the Fund's portfolio securities may result in realization of taxable capital gains (including short-term capital gains which are generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates). The trading costs and tax effects associated with portfolio turnover may adversely affect the Fund's performance.
The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is calculated by dividing (a) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the particular fiscal year by (b) the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the particular fiscal year. In calculating the rate of portfolio turnover, there is excluded from both (a) and (b) all securities, including options, whose maturities or expiration dates at the time of acquisition were one year or less.
Warrants to Purchase Securities
The Fund may invest in warrants to purchase debt securities. Debt obligations with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock. Debt obligations also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional debt securities at the same coupon rate. A decline in interest rates would permit the Fund to buy additional bonds at the favorable rate or to sell the warrants at a profit. If interest rates rise, the warrants would generally expire with no value.
Securities Loans
Subject to the Fund's "Investment Restrictions" listed below, the Fund may make secured loans of its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions amounting to no more than one-third of its total assets. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consist of possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of
rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, such
loans will be made only to broker-dealers that are believed by PIMCO to be of
relatively high credit standing. Securities loans are made to broker-dealers
pursuant to agreements requiring that loans be continuously secured by
collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents
(negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit)
maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal at all
times to the market value of the securities lent. The borrower pays to the Fund,
as the lender, an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on the
securities lent. The Fund may invest only the cash collateral received in
interest-bearing, short-term securities or receive a fee from the borrower. In
the case of cash collateral, the Fund typically pays a rebate to the lender.
Although voting rights or rights to consent with respect to the loaned
securities pass to the borrower, the Fund, as the lender, retains the right to
call the loans and obtain the return of the securities loaned at any time on
reasonable notice, and it will do so in order that the securities may be voted
by the Fund if the holders of such securities are asked to vote upon or consent
to matters materially affecting the investment. The Fund may also call such
loans in order to sell the securities involved. When engaged in securities
lending, the Fund's performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of
the securities loaned and will also reflect the receipt of either interest,
through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or
a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities.
Participation on Creditors Committees
The Fund may from time to time participate on committees formed by creditors to negotiate with the management of financially troubled issuers of securities held by the Fund. Such participation may subject the Fund to expenses such as legal fees and may make the Fund an "insider" of the issuer for purposes of the federal securities laws, and therefore may restrict the Fund's ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation by the Fund on such committees also may expose the Fund to potential liabilities under the federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing the rights of creditors and debtors. The Fund would participate on such committees only when PIMCO believes that such participation is necessary or desirable to enforce the Fund's rights as a creditor or to protect the value of securities held by the Fund.
Short-Term Investments / Temporary Defensive Strategies
Upon PIMCO's recommendation, for temporary defensive purposes and in order to keep the Fund's cash fully invested, including the period during which the net proceeds of the offering are being invested, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in investments of non-corporate issuers, including high quality, short-term debt instruments. Such investments may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Fundamental Investment Restrictions
Except as described below, the Fund, as a fundamental policy, may not, without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares and, if issued, Preferred Shares voting together as a single class, and of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares voting as a separate class:
(1) Concentrate its investments in a particular "industry," as that term is used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
(2) With respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer, except securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities issued by other investment companies, if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (ii) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. For the purpose of this restriction, each state and each separate political subdivision, agency, authority or instrumentality of such state, each multi-state agency or authority, and each obligor, if any, is treated as a separate issuer of municipal bonds.
(3) Purchase or sell real estate, although it may purchase securities secured by real estate or interests therein, or securities issued by companies which invest in real estate, or interests therein.
(4) Purchase or sell commodities or commodities contracts or oil, gas or mineral programs. This restriction shall not prohibit the Fund, subject to restrictions described in the Prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information, from purchasing, selling or entering into futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, or any interest rate, securities-related or other hedging instrument, including swap agreements and other derivative instruments, subject to compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal securities or commodities laws.
(5) Borrow money or issue any senior security, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
(6) Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
(7) Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent that in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws.
For purposes of the foregoing and "Description of Shares--Preferred Shares--Voting Rights" below, "majority of the outstanding," when used with respect to particular shares of the Fund (whether voting together as a single class or voting as separate classes), means (i) 67% or more of such shares present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of such shares are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of such shares, whichever is less.
Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations applicable to the Fund's investments (as stated above and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information) apply only at the time a transaction is entered into. Any subsequent change in a rating assigned by any rating service to a security (or, if unrated, deemed by PIMCO to be of comparable quality), or change in the percentage of the Fund's total assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in the average maturity or duration of the Fund's investment portfolio, resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund's total assets, will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until PIMCO determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences to the Fund. In the event that rating agencies assign different ratings to the same security, PIMCO will determine which rating it believes best reflects the security's quality and risk at that time, which may be the higher of the several assigned ratings.
Under the 1940 Act, a "senior security" does not include any promissory note or evidence of indebtedness where such loan is for temporary purposes only and in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the total assets of the issuer at the time the loan is made. A loan is presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within sixty days and is not extended or renewed.
The Fund would be deemed to "concentrate" in a particular industry if it invested more than 25% of its net assets in that industry. The Fund's industry concentration policy does not preclude it from focusing investments in issuers in a group of related industrial sectors (such as different types of utilities).
The Fund may not change its policy to invest at least 80% of its total assets in corporate income-producing securities unless it provides shareholders with at least 60 days' written notice of such change.
To the extent the Fund covers its commitment under a reverse repurchase agreement, credit default swap or other derivative instrument by the segregation of assets determined by PIMCO to be liquid in accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees, equal in value to the amount of the Fund's commitment, such instrument will not be considered a "senior security" for purposes of the asset coverage requirements otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund or the Fund's issuance of Preferred Shares.
The Fund interprets its policies with respect to borrowing and lending to permit such activities as may be lawful for the Fund, to the full extent permitted by the 1940 Act or by exemption from the provisions therefrom pursuant to exemptive order of the SEC.
The Fund intends to apply for ratings for its Preferred Shares from Moody's, S&P and/or Fitch. In order to obtain and maintain the required ratings, the Fund may be required to comply with investment quality, diversification and other guidelines established by Moody's, S&P and/or Fitch. Such guidelines will likely be more restrictive than the restrictions set forth above. The Fund does not anticipate that such guidelines would have a material adverse effect on Common Shareholders or its ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund presently anticipates that any Preferred Shares that it intends to issue would be initially given the highest ratings by Moody's ("Aaa"), S&P ("AAA") and/or Fitch ("AAA"), but no assurance can be given that such ratings will be obtained. No minimum rating is required for the issuance of
Preferred Shares by the Fund. Moody's, S&P and Fitch receive fees in connection with their ratings issuances.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
Trustees and Officers
The business of the Fund is managed under the direction of the Fund's Board of Trustees. Subject to the provisions of the Fund's Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration"), its Bylaws and Massachusetts law, the Trustees have all powers necessary and convenient to carry out this responsibility, including the election and removal of the Fund's officers.
The Trustees and officers of the Fund, their ages, the position they hold with the Fund, their term of office and length of time served, a description of their principal occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the fund complex that the Trustee oversees and any other directorships held by the Trustee are listed in the two tables immediately following. Except as shown, each Trustee's and officer's principal occupation and business experience for the last five years have been with the employer(s) indicated, although in some cases the Trustee may have held different positions with such employer(s). Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of the persons listed below is c/o PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.
Independent Trustees*
Number of
Term of Portfolios
Office and in Fund
Position(s) Length of Complex Other
Name, Address and Held with Time Principal Occupation(s) Overseen by Directorships
Age Fund Served During the Past 5 Years Trustee Held by Trustee
Paul Belica Trustee Since Trustee, Fixed Income 13 None.
Age 81 inception SHares, PIMCO Corporate
(October, Income Fund, PIMCO Municipal
2002). Income Fund, PIMCO
California Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund II,
PIMCO California Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO New
York Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund III, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund III
and PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund III; Manager,
Stratigos Fund,
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Number of
Term of Portfolios
Office and in Fund
Position(s) Length of Complex Other
Name, Address and Held with Time Principal Occupation(s) Overseen by Directorships
Age Fund Served During the Past 5 Years Trustee Held by Trustee
LLC, Whistler Fund, LLC,
Xanthus Fund, LLC and
Wynstone Fund, LLC;
Director, Student Loan
Finance Corp., Education
Loans, Inc., Goal
Funding, Inc., Surety
Loan Funding, Inc.
Formerly, Advisor,
Salomon Smith Barney
Inc.; Director, Central
European Value Fund,
Inc., Deck House Inc.,
The Czech Republic Fund,
Inc.
Robert E. Connor Trustee Since Trustee, Fixed Income 14 None.
Age 68 inception SHares, PIMCO Corporate
(October, Income Fund, PIMCO Municipal
2002). Income Fund, PIMCO
California Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO New
York Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO
California Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO
New York Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund
III, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund
III and PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund
III; Director, Municipal
Advantage Fund, Inc.;
Corporate Affairs
Consultant. Formerly,
Senior Vice President,
Corporate Office,
Salomon Smith Barney
Inc.
John J. Dalessandro II* Trustee Since President and Director, J.J. 11 None.
Age 65 inception Dalessandro II Ltd.,
(October, registered broker-dealer and
2002). member of the New York Stock
Exchange; Trustee, PIMCO
Corporate Income Fund,
PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund,
PIMCO New
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Number of
Term of Portfolios
Office and in Fund
Position(s) Length of Complex Other
Name, Address and Held with Time Principal Occupation(s) Overseen by Directorships
Age Fund Served During the Past 5 Years Trustee Held by Trustee
York Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO Municipal
Income Fund III, PIMCO
California Municipal
Income Fund III and
PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund III.
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* Mr. Dalessandro is treated by the Fund as not being an "interested person" (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund, the Manager, PIMCO or the Underwriters, despite his affiliation with J.J. Dalessandro II Ltd., a member of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the "Exchange") that operates as a floor broker and does not effect portfolio transactions for entities other than other members of the Exchange.
Interested Trustees
Currently no Trustees are treated as "interested persons" (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund.
In accordance with the Fund's staggered board (see "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust"), the Common Shareholders of the Fund will elect Trustees to fill the vacancies of Trustees whose terms expire at each annual meeting of Common Shareholders, unless any Preferred Shares are outstanding, in which event Preferred Shareholders, voting as a separate class, will elect two Trustees and the remaining Trustee shall be elected by Common Shareholders and Preferred Shareholders, voting together as a single class. Preferred Shareholders will be entitled to elect a majority of the Fund's Trustees under certain circumstances.
Officers
Term of
Position(s) Office
Held with and Length of Principal Occupation(s)
Name, Address and Age Fund Time Served During the Past 5 Years
Stephen J. Treadway Chairman Since Managing Director, Allianz
2187 Atlantic Street inception Dresdner Asset Management of
Stamford, CT 06902 (October, America L.P.; Managing Director
Age 55 2002). and Chief Executive Officer,
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management
LLC (formerly PIMCO Funds
Advisors LLC); Managing Director
and Chief Executive
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Term of
Position(s) Office
Held with and Length of Principal Occupation(s)
Name, Address and Age Fund Time Served During the Past 5 Years
Officer, PIMCO Advisors
Distributors LLC ("PAD");
Trustee and Chairman, PIMCO
Funds: Multi-Manager Series;
Chairman, Fixed Income SHares;
Trustee, Chairman and President,
OCC Cash Reserves, Inc. and OCC
Accumulation Trust; Trustee and
Chairman, PIMCO Corporate Income
Fund, PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO California Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund II, PIMCO
California Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund II and Municipal
Advantage Fund, Inc.; Chairman,
PIMCO Municipal Income Fund III,
PIMCO California Municipal
Income Fund III and PIMCO New
York Municipal Income Fund III;
Formerly, Executive Vice
President, Smith Barney Inc.
Brian S. Shlissel President Since Senior Vice President, PIMCO
Age 38 and Chief inception Advisors Fund Management LLC;
Executive (October, Executive Vice President and
Officer 2002). Treasurer, OCC Cash Reserves,
Inc. and OCC Accumulation Trust;
President and Chief Executive
Officer, Fixed Income
SHares,PIMCO Corporate Income
Fund, PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO California Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund II, PIMCO
California Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO Municipal
Income Fund III, PIMCO
California Municipal Income Fund
III, PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund III and Municipal
Advantage Fund, Inc.; Formerly,
Vice President, Mitchell
Hutchins Asset Management Inc.
Lawrence G. Altadonna Treasurer; Since Vice President, Mutual Fund
Age 36 Principal inception Services, PIMCO Advisors Fund
Financial (October, Management LLC; Treasurer and
and 2002). Principal Financial and
Accounting Accounting Officer, PIMCO
Officer Corporate Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO
California Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO New York
Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO
Municipal Income Fund II,
PIMCO California Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO New
York Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund III, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund III,
PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund III and Municipal
Advantage Fund, Inc.;
Treasurer, Fixed Income
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Term of
Position(s) Office
Held with and Length of Principal Occupation(s)
Name, Address and Age Fund Time Served During the Past 5 Years
Shares; Assistant Treasurer,
OCC Cash Reserves, Inc. and
OCC Accumulation Trust.
Formerly, Director of
Fund Administration,
Prudential Investments.
Newton B. Schott, Jr. Vice Since Managing Director, Chief
2187 Atlantic Street President, inception Administrative Officer,
Stamford, CT 06902 Secretary (October, Secretary and General
Age 60 2002). Counsel, PAD; Managing
Director, Chief Legal
Officer and Secretary,
PIMCO Advisors Fund
Management LLC; President,
Chief Executive Officer and
Secretary, PIMCO Funds:
Multi-Manager Series; Vice
President and Secretary,
PIMCO Corporate Income
Fund, PIMCO Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO
California Municipal
Income Fund, PIMCO New
York Municipal Income
Fund, PIMCO Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO
California Municipal
Income Fund II, PIMCO New
York Municipal Income Fund
II, PIMCO Municipal Income
Fund III, PIMCO California
Municipal Income Fund III,
PIMCO New York Municipal
Income Fund III and
Municipal Advantage Fund,
Inc.; Secretary, Fixed
Income Shares. Formerly,
Vice President and Clerk,
PIMCO Advisors Funds.
David C. Hinman Vice Since Executive Vice President,
840 Newport Center Drive President inception PIMCO; co-portfolio manager
Newport Beach, CA 92660 (October, of the Fund and other
Age 35 2002). investment vehicles managed
by PIMCO; joined PIMCO in
1995.
Mark Kiesel Vice Since Executive Vice President,
840 Newport Center Drive President inception PIMCO; co-portfolio manager
Newport Beach, CA 92660 (October, of the Fund and other
Age 33 2002). investment vehicles managed
by PIMCO; joined PIMCO in
1996.
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For interested Trustees and officers, positions held with affiliated persons or principal underwriters of the Fund are listed in the following table:
Positions Held with Affiliated Persons or
Name Principal Underwriters of the Fund
Stephen J. Treadway See above.
Brian S. Shlissel See above.
Lawrence Altadonna See above.
Newton B. Schott, Jr. See above.
Mark Kiesel See above.
David C. Hinman See above.
Committees of the Board of Trustees
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Audit Oversight Committee
Provides oversight with respect to the internal and external accounting and auditing procedures of the Fund and, among other things, considers the selection of independent public accountants for the Fund and the scope of the audit, approves all significant services proposed to be performed by those accountants on behalf of the Fund, and considers other services provided by those accountants to the Fund, the Manager and PIMCO and the possible effect of those services on the independence of those accountants. Messrs. Belica and Connor serve on this committee.
Nominating Committee
Responsible for reviewing and recommending qualified candidates to the Board in the event that a position is vacated or created. The Nominating Committee will review and consider nominees recommended by shareholders to serve as Trustee, provided any such recommendation is submitted in writing to the Fund, c/o Newton B. Schott, Jr., Secretary, at the address of the principal executive offices of the Fund. The Nominating Committee has full discretion to reject nominees recommended by shareholders, and there is no assurance that any such person so recommended and considered by a committee will be nominated for election to the Board. Messrs. Belica and Connor serve on this committee.
Valuation Committee
Reviews procedures for the valuation of securities and periodically reviews information from the Manager and PIMCO regarding fair value and liquidity determination made pursuant to the Board-approved procedures, and makes related recommendations to the full Board and assists the full Board in resolving particular valuation matters. Messrs. Belica and Connor serve on this committee.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee periodically reviews and sets compensation payable to the Trustees of the Fund who are not directors, officers, partners or employees of the Manager, PIMCO or any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager or PIMCO. Messrs. Belica and Connor serve on this committee.
Securities Ownership
For each Trustee, the following table discloses the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustee in the Fund and, on an aggregate basis, in any registered investment companies overseen by the Trustee within the Fund's family of investment companies as of December 31, 2001:
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All
Dollar Range of Equity Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee
Name of Trustee Securities in the Fund in Family of Investment Companies
Paul Belica None. (greater than) $100,000
Robert E. Connor None. None.
John J. Dalessandro II None. None.
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For independent Trustees and their immediate family members, the following table provides information regarding each class of securities owned beneficially in an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund, or a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund as of December 31, 2001:
Name of Owners and
Relationship to Value of Percent of
Name of Trustee Trustee Company Title of Class Securities Class
Paul Belica None
Robert E. Connor None
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John J. Dalessandro II None
As of December 16, 2002, the Fund's officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding Common Shares.
As of December 16, 2002, the following persons owned of record the number of Common Shares noted below, representing the indicated percentage of the Fund's outstanding shares as of such date.
Percentage of the
Number of Fund's outstanding
Common shares as of
Shareholder Shares , 2002
----------- ------ --------------
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC 6,981 100%
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
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Compensation
Messrs. Belica, Connor and Dalessandro also serve as Trustees of PIMCO Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO New York Municipal Income Fund, PIMCO Municipal Income Fund II, PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund II, PIMCO New York Municipal Income Fund II, PIMCO Municipal Income Fund III, PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund II and PIMCO New York Municipal Income Fund III (together, the "Municipal Funds") and PIMCO Corporate Income Fund, ten closed-end funds for which the Manager serves as investment manager and PIMCO serves as portfolio manager. In addition to the Municipal Funds and PIMCO Corporate Income Fund, Mr. Belica is a director or trustee, as the case may be, of one open-end investment company (comprising two separate investment portfolios) advised by the Manager, and Mr. Connor is a director or trustee, as the case may be, of one open-end investment company (comprising two separate investment portfolios) and one closed-end investment company advised by the Manager. To the best of the Fund's knowledge, none of the "independent" Trustees has ever been a director, officer, or employee of, or a consultant to, the Manager, PIMCO, any one or more of the Underwriters or any one or more affiliates of any of the foregoing, except that Mr. Connor provides occasional editorial consulting services as an independent contractor to an administrative unit of Salomon Smith Barney Inc. As indicated above, certain of the officers and Trustees of the Fund are affiliated with the Manager and/or PIMCO.
The Municipal Funds, PIMCO Corporate Income Fund and the Fund (together, the "PIMCO Closed-End Funds") are expected to hold joint meetings of their Boards of Trustees whenever possible. Each Trustee, other than any Trustee who is a director, officer, partner or employee of the Manager, PIMCO or any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager or PIMCO, receives $22,000 for each joint meeting for the first four joint meetings in each year and $11,000 for each additional joint meeting in such year if the meetings are attended in person. Trustees receive $5,500 per joint meeting if the meetings are attended telephonically. Members of the Audit Oversight Committee will receive $5,500 per
joint meeting of the PIMCO Closed-End Funds' Audit Oversight Committees if the meeting takes place on a day other than the day of a regularly scheduled Board meeting. Trustees will also be reimbursed for meeting-related expenses.
The PIMCO Closed-End Funds will allocate the Trustees' compensation and other costs of their joint meetings pro rata based on each PIMCO Closed-End Fund's net assets, including assets attributable to any Preferred Shares.
It is estimated that the Trustees will receive the amounts set forth in the following table from the Fund for its initial fiscal year ending November 30, 2003. For the calendar year ended December 31, 2001, the Trustees received the compensation set forth in the following table for serving as trustees of other funds in the "Fund Complex." Each officer and Trustee who is a director, officer, partner or employee of the Manager, PIMCO or any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager or PIMCO serves without any compensation from the Fund.
Total Compensation
Estimated Compensation from the Fund Complex Paid
from the Fund for the to the Trustees for the
Fiscal Year Ending Calendar Year Ending
Name of Trustee November 30, 2003* December 31, 2001**
--------------- ------------------ -------------------
Paul Belica $12,000 $26,000
Robert E. Connor $12,000 $36,500
John J. Dalessandro II $12,000 $13,500
___________
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* Since the Fund has not completed its first full fiscal year, compensation is estimated based upon future payments to be made by the Fund during the current fiscal year and upon estimated relative net assets of the PIMCO Closed-End Funds.
** In addition to the PIMCO Closed-End Funds, during the year ended December 31, 2001, Mr. Belica served as a trustee of one open-end investment company (comprising two separate investment portfolios) advised by the Manager, and Mr. Connor served as a director or trustee of one open-end investment company (comprising two separate investment portfolios) and one closed-end investment company advised by the Manager. These investment companies are considered to be in the same "Fund Complex" as the Fund.
The Fund has no employees. Its officers are compensated by the Manager and/or PIMCO.
Codes of Ethics
The Fund, the Manager and PIMCO have each adopted a separate code of ethics governing personal trading activities of, as applicable, all Trustees and officers of the Fund, and directors, officers and employees of the Manager and PIMCO, who, in connection with their regular functions, play a role in the recommendation of any purchase or sale of a security by the Fund or obtain information pertaining to such purchase or sale or who have the power to influence the management or policies of the Fund, the Manager or PIMCO, as applicable. Such
persons are prohibited from effecting certain transactions, allowed to effect certain exempt transactions (including with respect to securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund), and are required to preclear certain security transactions with the applicable compliance officer or his designee and to report certain transactions on a regular basis. The Fund, the Manager and PIMCO have each developed procedures for administration of their respective codes. Text-only versions of the codes of ethics can be viewed online or downloaded from the EDGAR Database on the SEC's internet web site at www.sec.gov. You may also review and copy those documents by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 202-942-8090. In addition, copies of the codes of ethics may be obtained, after mailing the appropriate duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, 450 5th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by e-mail request at publicinfo@sec.gov.
INVESTMENT MANAGER AND PORTFOLIO MANAGER
Investment Manager
The Manager serves as investment manager to the Fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the "Investment Management Agreement") between it and the Fund. The Manager, a Delaware limited liability company organized in 2000, is wholly-owned by PIMCO Advisors Retail Holdings LLC (formerly known as PIMCO Advisory Services Holdings LLC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allianz Dresdner Asset Management of America L.P. ("ADAM of America," formerly PIMCO Advisors L.P.). ADAM of America was organized as a limited partnership under Delaware law in 1987. ADAM of America's sole general partner is Allianz Paclife Partners LLC. Allianz Paclife Partners LLC is a Delaware limited liability company with two members, ADAM U.S. Holding LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Pacific Asset Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. ADAM U.S. Holdings LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allianz Dresdner Asset Management of America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allianz of America, Inc., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allianz AG. Pacific Asset Management LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Life Insurance Company ("Pacific Life"), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Mutual Holding Company. Pacific Mutual Holding Company is a Newport Beach, California-based insurance holding company. Pacific Life Insurance Company's address is 700 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California.
The general partner of ADAM of America has substantially delegated its management and control of ADAM of America to an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of ADAM of America is comprised of Udo Frank, William S. Thompson, Jr. and Marcus Riess.
The Manager is located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105. As of September 30, 2002, the Manager had approximately $14.5 billion in assets under management. As of September 30, 2002, ADAM of America and its subsidiary partnerships had approximately $360 billion in assets under management.
Allianz of America has entered into a put/call arrangement for the possible disposition of Pacific Life's indirect interest in the Manager. The put option held by Pacific Life will allow it to require Allianz of America, on the last business day of each calendar quarter following May 5, 2000, to purchase at a formula-based price all units of the Manager owned directly or indirectly by Pacific Life. The call option held by Allianz of America will allow it, beginning January 31, 2003 or upon a change in control of Pacific Life, to require Pacific Life to sell or cause to be sold to Allianz of America, at the same formula-based price, all units of the Manager owned directly or indirectly by Pacific Life.
As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, significant institutional shareholders of Allianz AG currently include Munchener Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG ("Munich Re") and HypoVereinsbank. Allianz AG in turn owns more than 95% of Dresdner Bank AG. Credit Lyonnais, Munich Re and HypoVereinsbank, as well as certain broker-dealers that might be controlled by or affiliated with these entities or Dresdner Bank AG, such as Dresdner Klienwort Benson North America LLC may be considered to be affiliated persons of the Manager and PIMCO. (Broker-dealer affiliates of such significant institutional shareholders are sometimes referred to herein as "Affiliated Brokers.") Absent an SEC exemption or other relief, the Fund generally is precluded from effecting principal transactions with the Affiliated Brokers, and its ability to purchase securities being underwritten by an Affiliated Broker or a syndicate including an Affiliated Broker is subject to restrictions. Similarly, the Fund's ability to utilize the Affiliated Brokers for agency transactions is subject to the restrictions of Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act. PIMCO does not believe that the restrictions on transactions with the Affiliated Brokers described above will materially adversely affect its ability to provide services to the Fund, the Fund's ability to take advantage of market opportunities, or the Fund's overall performance.
Allianz AG's address is Koniginstrasse 28, D-80802, Munich, Germany. Pacific Life's address is 700 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
The Manager, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for managing, either directly or through others selected by the Manager, the investments of the Fund. The Manager also furnishes to the Board of Trustees periodic reports on the investment performance of the Fund. As more fully discussed below, the Manager has retained PIMCO, its affiliate, to serve as the Fund's portfolio manager.
Under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement, subject to such policies as the Trustees of the Fund may determine, the Manager, at its expense, will furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund and will make investment decisions on behalf of the Fund and place all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities subject always to the Fund's investment objective, policies and restrictions; provided that, so long as PIMCO serves as the portfolio manager for the Fund, the Manager's obligation under the Investment Management Agreement with respect to the Fund is, subject always to the control of the Trustees, to determine and review with PIMCO the investment policies of the Fund.
Subject to the control of the Trustees, the Manager also manages, supervises and conducts the other affairs and business of the Fund, furnishes office space and equipment, provides bookkeeping and certain clerical services (excluding determination of the net asset value of the Fund, shareholder accounting services and the accounting services for the Fund) and pays all salaries, fees and expenses of officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated with
the Manager. As indicated under "Portfolio Transactions--Brokerage and Research Services," the Fund's portfolio transactions may be placed with broker-dealers which furnish the Manager and PIMCO, without cost, certain research, statistical and quotation services of value to them or their respective affiliates in advising the Fund or their other clients. In so doing, the Fund may incur greater brokerage commissions and other transactions costs than it might otherwise pay.
Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund has agreed to pay the Manager an annual management fee, payable on a monthly basis, at the annual rate of 0.60% of the Fund's average daily net assets (including net assets attributable to Preferred Shares) for the services and facilities it provides. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and deducted before payment of dividends to investors.
Except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, the Fund pays, in addition to the investment management fee described above, all expenses not assumed by the Manager, including, without limitation, fees and expenses of Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Manager or the Fund, interest charges, taxes, brokerage commissions, expenses of issue of shares, fees and expenses of registering and qualifying the Fund and its classes of shares for distribution under federal and state laws and regulations, charges of custodians, auditing and legal expenses, expenses of determining net asset value of the Fund, reports to shareholders, expenses of meetings of shareholders, expenses of printing and mailing prospectuses, proxy statements and proxies to existing shareholders, and its proportionate share of insurance premiums and professional association dues or assessments. The Fund is also responsible for such nonrecurring expenses as may arise, including litigation in which the Fund may be a party, and other expenses as determined by the Trustees. The Fund may have an obligation to
indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect to such litigation.
Portfolio Manager
PIMCO serves as portfolio manager for the Fund pursuant to a portfolio management agreement (the "Portfolio Management Agreement") between PIMCO and the Manager. Under the Portfolio Management Agreement, subject always to the control of the Trustees and the supervision of the Manager, PIMCO's obligation is to furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund, to make investment decisions on behalf of the Fund and to place all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and all other investments for the Fund.
Under the Portfolio Management Agreement, the Manager pays a portion of the fees it receives from the Fund to PIMCO in return for PIMCO's services, at the maximum annual rate of 0.39% of the Fund's average daily net assets (including assets attributable to any Preferred Shares) for the period from the commencement of Fund operations through December 31, 2007 (i.e., roughly the first five years of Fund operations)(the "Initial Period") and at the maximum annual rate of 0.55% of such average daily net assets thereafter while the Investment Management Agreement remains in effect (the "Remaining Period"), provided that the fee will be reduced to 0.325% during the Initial Period and 0.45% during the Remaining Period if and while the Manager is obligated to pay a fee to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"). See "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
PIMCO has also agreed to reimburse the Manager for 65% of the fees that the Manager pays to members of the underwriting syndicate other than Merrill Lynch. See "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
Originally organized in 1971, reorganized as a Delaware general partnership in 1994 and reorganized as a Delaware limited liability company in 2000, PIMCO provides investment management and advisory services to private accounts of institutional and individual clients and to mutual funds. The membership interests of PIMCO as of December 1, 2002, were held 91% by ADAM of America and 9% by the managing directors of PIMCO. As of September 30, 2002, PIMCO had approximately $300 billion in assets under management. PIMCO is located at 840 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California 92660.
Certain Terms of the Investment Management Agreement and Portfolio Management Agreement. The Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement were each approved by the Trustees of the Fund (including all of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Manager or PIMCO). The Investment Management Agreement and Portfolio Management Agreement will each continue in force with respect to the Fund for two years from their respective dates, and from year to year thereafter, but only so long as their continuance is approved at least annually by (i) vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Manager, PIMCO or the Fund, and (ii) the majority vote of either the full Board of Trustees or the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of all classes of the Fund. Each of the Investment Management Agreement and Portfolio Management Agreement automatically terminates on assignment. The Investment Management Agreement may be terminated on not less than 60 days' notice by the Manager to the Fund or by the Fund to the Manager. The Portfolio Management Agreement may be terminated on not less than 60 days' notice by the Manager to PIMCO or by PIMCO to the Manager, or by the Fund at any time by notice to the Manager and PIMCO.
The Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement each provide that the Manager or PIMCO, as applicable, shall not be subject to any liability in connection with the performance of its services thereunder in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
Basis for Approval of the Investment Management Agreement and Portfolio Management Agreement. In determining to approve the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement, the Trustees met with the relevant investment advisory personnel from the Manager and PIMCO and considered information relating to the education, experience and number of investment professionals and other personnel who would provide services under the applicable agreement. See "Management of the Fund" in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information. The Trustees also took into account the time and attention to be devoted by senior management to the Fund and the other funds in the complex. The Trustees evaluated the level of skill required to manage the Fund and concluded that the human resources to be available at the Manager and PIMCO were appropriate to fulfill effectively the duties of the Manager and PIMCO on behalf of the Fund under the applicable agreement. The Trustees also considered the business reputation of the Manager and PIMCO, their financial resources and professional liability insurance coverage and concluded that they would be able to meet any reasonably foreseeable obligations under the applicable agreement.
The Trustees received information concerning the investment philosophy and investment process to be applied by PIMCO in managing the Fund. In this connection, the Trustees considered PIMCO's in-house research capabilities as well as other resources available to PIMCO's personnel, including research services available to PIMCO as a result of securities transactions effected for the Fund and other investment advisory clients. The Trustees concluded that PIMCO's investment process, research capabilities and philosophy were well suited to the Fund, given the Fund's investment objective and policies.
The Trustees considered the scope of the services provided by the Manager and PIMCO to the Fund under the Investment Management Agreement and Portfolio Management Agreement, respectively, relative to services provided by third parties to other mutual funds. The Trustees noted that the Manager's and PIMCO's standard of care was comparable to that found in most investment company advisory agreements. See "--Certain Terms of the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement" above. The Trustees concluded that the scope of the Manager's and PIMCO's services to be provided to the Fund was consistent with the Fund's operational requirements, including, in addition to its investment objective, compliance with the Fund's investment restrictions, tax and reporting requirements and related shareholder services.
The Trustees considered the quality of the services to be provided by the Manager and PIMCO to the Fund. The Trustees also evaluated the procedures of the Manager and PIMCO designed to fulfill the their fiduciary duty to the Fund with respect to possible conflicts of interest, including their codes of ethics (regulating the personal trading of their officers and employees) (see "Management of the Fund--Code of Ethics" above), the procedures by which PIMCO allocates trades among its various investment advisory clients, the integrity of the systems in place to ensure compliance with the foregoing and the record of PIMCO in these matters. The Trustees also received information concerning standards of the Manager and
PIMCO with respect to the execution of portfolio transactions. See "Portfolio Transactions" below.
In approving the agreements, the Trustees also gave substantial consideration to the fees payable under the agreements. The Trustees reviewed information concerning fees paid to investment advisers of similar bond funds. The Trustees also considered the fees of the Fund as a percentage of assets at different asset levels and possible economies of scale to the Manager. The Trustees evaluated the Manager's profitability with respect to the Fund, concluding that such profitability was not inconsistent with levels of profitability that had been determined by courts not to be "excessive." In evaluating the Fund's advisory fees, the Trustees also took into account the complexity of investment management for the Fund relative to other types of funds.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Investment Decisions and Portfolio Transactions
Investment decisions for the Fund and for the other investment advisory clients of the Manager and PIMCO are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. Investment decisions are the product of many factors in addition to basic suitability for the particular client involved (including the Fund). Some securities considered for investments by the Fund may also be appropriate for other clients served by the Manager and PIMCO. Thus, a particular security may be bought or sold for certain clients even though it could have been bought or sold for other clients at the same time. If a purchase or sale of securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund and one or more of these clients served by the Manager or PIMCO is considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be allocated among the Fund and clients in a manner deemed fair and reasonable by the Manager or PIMCO, as applicable. The Manager or PIMCO may aggregate orders for the Fund with simultaneous transactions entered into on behalf of its other clients so long as price and transaction expenses are averaged either for that transaction or for the day. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the security. In some instances, one client may sell a particular security to another client. It also sometimes happens that two or more clients simultaneously purchase or sell the same security, in which event each day's transactions in such security are, insofar as possible, averaged as to price and allocated between such clients in a manner which the Manager or PIMCO believes is equitable to each and in accordance with the amount being purchased or sold by each. There may be circumstances when purchases or sales of portfolio securities for one or more clients will have an adverse effect on other clients.
Brokerage and Research Services
There is generally no stated commission in the case of debt securities, which are traded in the over-the-counter markets, but the price paid by the Fund usually includes an undisclosed dealer commission or mark-up. In underwritten offerings, the price paid by the Fund includes a
disclosed, fixed commission or discount retained by the underwriter or dealer. Transactions on U.S. stock exchanges and other agency transactions involve the payment by the Fund of negotiated brokerage commissions. Such commissions vary among different brokers. Also, a particular broker may charge different commissions according to such factors as the difficulty and size of the transaction.
Subject to the supervision of the Manager, PIMCO places all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, options, futures contracts and other instruments for the Fund and buys and sells such securities, options, futures and other instruments for the Fund through a substantial number of brokers and dealers. In so doing, PIMCO uses its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions as described below. In seeking the most favorable price and execution, PIMCO, having in mind the Fund's best interests, considers all factors it deems relevant, including, by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker-dealer involved and the quality of service rendered by the broker-dealer in other transactions.
Subject to the supervision of the Manager, PIMCO places orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio investments for the Fund's account with brokers or dealers selected by it in its discretion. In effecting purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the account of the Fund, PIMCO will seek the best price and execution of the Fund's orders. In doing so, the Fund may pay higher commission rates than the lowest available when PIMCO believes it is reasonable to do so in light of the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker effecting the transaction, as discussed below.
It has for many years been a common practice in the investment advisory business for advisers of investment companies and other institutional investors to receive research services from broker-dealers which execute portfolio transactions for the clients of such advisers. Consistent with this practice, PIMCO may receive research services from many broker-dealers with which PIMCO places the Fund's portfolio transactions. PIMCO may also receive research or research credits from brokers which are generated from underwriting commissions when purchasing new issues of debt securities or other assets for the Fund. These services, which in some cases may also be purchased for cash, include such matters as general economic and security market reviews, industry and company reviews, evaluations of securities and recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities. Some of these services are of value to PIMCO in advising various of its clients (including the Fund), although not all of these services are necessarily useful and of value in managing the Fund. Neither the management fee paid by the Fund to the Manager nor the portfolio management fee paid by the Manager to PIMCO is reduced because PIMCO and its affiliates receive such services.
As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, PIMCO may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer which provides "brokerage and research services" (as defined in such Act) to PIMCO an amount of disclosed commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction.
The Fund may use broker-dealers that are affiliates (or affiliates of affiliates) of the Fund, the Manager and/or PIMCO, subject to certain restrictions discussed above under "Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager--Investment Advisor."
References to PIMCO in this section would apply equally to the Manager if the Manager were to assume portfolio management responsibilities for the Fund and place orders for the purchase and sale of the Fund's portfolio investments.
DISTRIBUTIONS
As described in the Prospectus, initial distributions to Common Shareholders are expected to be declared approximately 45 days, and paid approximately 60 to 90 days, from the completion of the offering of the Common Shares, depending on market conditions. To permit the Fund to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Fund will initially (prior to its first distribution), and may from time to time thereafter, distribute less than the entire amount of net investment income earned in a particular period. Such undistributed net investment income would be available to supplement future distributions, including distributions that might otherwise have been reduced by a decrease in the Fund's monthly net income due to fluctuations in investment income or expenses, or due to an increase in the dividend rate on the Fund's outstanding Preferred Shares. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular period may be more or less than the amount of net investment income actually earned by the Fund during such period. Undistributed net investment income will be added to the Fund's net asset value and, correspondingly, distributions from undistributed net investment income will be deducted from the Fund's net asset value.
For tax purposes, the Fund is currently required to allocate net capital gain and other taxable income, if any, between and among Common Shares and any series of Preferred Shares in proportion to total distributions paid to each class for the year in which such net capital gain or other taxable income is realized. For information relating to the impact of the issuance of Preferred Shares on the distributions made by the Fund to Common Shareholders, see the Prospectus under "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage."
While any Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Fund may not declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless at the time of such declaration (1) all accumulated dividends on the Preferred Shares have been paid and (2) the net asset value of the Fund's portfolio (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or other distribution) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of any outstanding Preferred Shares. This latter limitation on the Fund's ability to make distributions on its Common Shares could cause the Fund to incur income and excise tax and, under certain circumstances, impair the ability of the Fund to maintain its qualification for taxation as a regulated investment company. See "Tax Matters."
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Common Shares
The Fund's Declaration authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Common Shares. The Common Shares will be issued with a par value of $0.00001 per share. All Common Shares of the Fund have equal rights as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation of the Fund. Common Shares will, when issued, be fully paid and, subject to matters discussed in "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust-Shareholder Liability" below, non-assessable, and will have no pre-emptive or conversion rights or rights to cumulative voting. At any time when the Fund's Preferred Shares are outstanding, Common Shareholders will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Fund unless all accrued dividends on Preferred Shares have been paid, and unless asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) with respect to Preferred Shares would be at least 200% after giving effect to such distributions. See "--Preferred Shares" below.
The Common Shares are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.
Shares of closed-end investment companies may frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value. Shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund that invest predominantly in corporate debt obligations have during some periods traded at prices higher than net asset value and during other periods traded at prices lower than net asset value. There can be no assurance that Common Shares or shares of other similar funds will trade at a price higher than net asset value in the future. Net asset value will be reduced immediately following the offering of Common Shares after payment of the sales load and organization and offering expenses and immediately following any offering of Preferred Shares by the costs of that offering paid by the Fund. Net asset value generally increases when interest rates decline, and decreases when interest rates rise, and these changes are likely to be greater in the case of a fund, such as the Fund, having a leveraged capital structure. Whether investors will realize gains or losses upon the sale of Common Shares will not depend upon the Fund's net asset value but will depend entirely upon whether the market price of the Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the original purchase price for the shares. Since the market price of the Fund's Common Shares will be determined by factors beyond the control of the Fund, the Fund cannot predict whether the Common Shares will trade at, below, or above net asset value or at, below or above the initial public offering price. Accordingly, the Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors, and investors in the Common Shares should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. See "Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund" and the Prospectus under "Preferred Shares and Related Leverage" and "Description of Shares--Common Shares."
Preferred Shares
The Declaration authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares may be issued in one or more classes or series, with such par value and rights as determined by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, by action of the Board of Trustees without the approval of the Common Shareholders.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has indicated its intention to authorize an offering of Preferred Shares (representing approximately 38% of the Fund's capital immediately after the time the Preferred Shares are issued) within approximately one to three months after completion of the offering of Common Shares, subject to market conditions and to the Board's continuing belief that leveraging the Fund's capital structure through the issuance of Preferred Shares is likely to achieve the benefits to the Common Shareholders described in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information. Although the terms of the Preferred Shares, including their dividend rate, voting rights, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board of Trustees (subject to applicable law and the Declaration) if and when it authorizes a Preferred Shares offering, the Board has stated that the initial series of Preferred Shares would likely pay cumulative dividends at relatively short-term periods (such as 7 days), by providing for the periodic redetermination of the dividend rate through an auction or remarketing procedure. The liquidation preference, preference on distribution, voting rights and redemption provisions of the Preferred Shares are expected to be as stated below.
As used in this Statement of Additional Information, unless otherwise noted, the Fund's "net assets" include assets of the Fund attributable to any outstanding Preferred Shares, with no deduction for the liquidation preference of the Preferred Shares. Solely for financial reporting purposes, however, the Fund is required to exclude the liquidation preference of Preferred Shares from "net assets," so long as the Preferred Shares have redemption features that are not solely within the control of the Fund. For all regulatory and tax purposes, the Fund's Preferred Shares will be treated as stock (rather than indebtedness).
Limited Issuance of Preferred Shares. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund could issue Preferred Shares with an aggregate liquidation value of up to one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets (total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by "senior securities," as defined in the 1940 Act), measured immediately after issuance of the Preferred Shares. "Liquidation value" means the original purchase price of the shares being liquidated plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless the liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is less than one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or distribution) immediately after the distribution. To the extent that the Fund has outstanding any senior securities representing indebtedness (such as through the use of reverse repurchase agreements, credit default swaps and other derivative instruments that constitute senior securities), the aggregate amount of such senior securities will be added to the total liquidation value of any outstanding Preferred Shares for purposes of these asset coverage requirements. The liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is expected to be approximately 38% of the value of the Fund's total net assets. The Fund intends to purchase or redeem Preferred Shares, if necessary, to keep the liquidation value of the Preferred Shares plus the aggregate amount of other senior securities representing indebtedness at or below one-half of the value of the Fund's total net assets.
Distribution Preference. The Preferred Shares will have complete priority over the Common Shares as to distribution of assets.
Liquidation Preference. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Fund, Preferred Shareholders will be entitled to receive a preferential liquidating distribution (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, Preferred Shareholders will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Fund. A consolidation or merger of the Fund with or into any Massachusetts business trust or corporation or a sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Fund shall not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund.
Voting Rights. In connection with any issuance of Preferred Shares, the Fund must comply with Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act which requires, among other things, that Preferred Shares be voting shares. Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration or the Fund's Bylaws or otherwise required by applicable law, Preferred Shareholders will vote together with Common Shareholders as a single class.
In connection with the election of the Fund's Trustees, Preferred Shareholders, voting as a separate class, will also be entitled to elect two of the Fund's Trustees, and the remaining Trustees shall be elected by Common Shareholders and Preferred Shareholders, voting together as a single class. In addition, if at any time dividends on the Fund's outstanding Preferred Shares shall be unpaid in an amount equal to two full years' dividends thereon, the holders of all outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, will be entitled to elect a majority of the Fund's Trustees until all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for payment.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, shall be required to approve any action requiring a vote of security holders under Section 13(a) of the 1940 Act including, among other things, changes in the Fund's investment objective, the conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end company, or changes in the investment restrictions described as fundamental policies under "Investment Restrictions." The class or series vote of Preferred Shareholders described above shall in each case be in addition to any separate vote of the requisite percentage of Common Shares and Preferred Shares necessary to authorize the action in question.
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply with respect to the Fund's Preferred Shares if, at or prior to the time when a vote is required, such shares shall have been (1) redeemed or (2) called for redemption and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.
Redemption, Purchase and Sale of Preferred Shares by the Fund. The terms of the Preferred Shares may provide that they are redeemable at certain times, in whole or in part, at the original purchase price per share plus accumulated dividends, that the Fund may tender for or purchase Preferred Shares and that the Fund may subsequently resell any shares so tendered for or purchased. Any redemption or purchase of Preferred Shares by the Fund will reduce the leverage applicable to Common Shares, while any resale of shares by the Fund will increase such leverage.
The discussion above describes the present intention of the Board of Trustees of the Fund with respect to a possible offering of Preferred Shares. If the Board of Trustees determines to authorize such an offering, the terms of the Preferred Shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described above, subject to applicable law and the Declaration.
ANTI-TAKEOVER AND OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST
Shareholder Liability
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Fund or the Trustees. The Declaration also provides for indemnification out of the Fund's property for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable on account of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which such disclaimer is inoperative or the Fund is unable to meet its obligations, and thus should be considered remote.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
As described below, the Declaration includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of its Board of Trustees, and could have the effect of depriving shareholders of opportunities to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund.
The Fund's Trustees are divided into three classes (Class I, Class II and Class III), having initial terms of one, two and three years, respectively. At each annual meeting of shareholders, the term of one class will expire and each Trustee elected to that class will hold office for a term of three years. The classification of the Board of Trustees in this manner could delay for an additional year the replacement of a majority of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the Declaration provides that a Trustee may be removed only for cause and only (i) by action of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the outstanding shares of the classes or series of shares entitled to vote for the election of such Trustee, or (ii) by at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the remaining Trustees.
Except as provided in the next paragraph, the affirmative vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Board of Trustees and at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the shares of the Fund outstanding and entitled to vote thereon are required to authorize any of the following transactions (each a "Material Transaction"): (1) a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Fund or any series or class of shares of the Fund with or into any other person or company, or of any such person or company with or into the Fund or any such series or class of shares; (2) the issuance or transfer by the Fund or any series or class of shares (in one or a series of transactions in any twelve-month period) of any securities of the Fund or such series or class to any other person or entity for cash, securities or other property (or combination thereof) having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, excluding sales of securities of the Fund or such series or class in connection with a public offering, issuances of securities of the Fund or such series or class pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan adopted by the Fund and issuances of securities of the Fund or such series or class upon the exercise of any stock subscription rights distributed by the Fund; or (3) a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition by the Fund or any series or class of shares (in one or a series of transactions in any twelve-month period) to or with any person of any assets of the Fund or such series or class having an aggregate fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, except for transactions in securities effected by the Fund or such series or class in the ordinary course of its business. The same affirmative votes are required with respect to any shareholder proposal as to specific investment decisions made or to be made with respect to the Fund's assets or the assets of any series or class of shares of the Fund.
Notwithstanding the approval requirements specified in the preceding paragraph, the Declaration requires no vote or consent of the Fund's shareholders to authorize a Material Transaction if the transaction is approved by a vote of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (as defined below), so long as all other conditions and requirements, if any, provided for in the Fund's Bylaws and applicable law (including any shareholder voting rights under the 1940 Act) have been satisfied.
In addition, the Declaration provides that the Fund may be terminated at any time by vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Fund's shares or, alternatively, by vote or consent of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (as defined below).
In certain circumstances, the Declaration also imposes shareholder voting requirements that are more demanding than those required under the 1940 Act in order to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company. See "Repurchase of Common Shares; Conversion to Open-End Fund" below.
As noted, the voting provisions described above could have the effect of depriving Common Shareholders of an opportunity to sell their Common Shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund in a tender offer or similar transaction. In the view of the Fund's Board of Trustees, however, these provisions offer several possible advantages, including: (1) requiring persons seeking control of the Fund to negotiate with its management regarding the price to be paid for the amount of Common Shares required to obtain control; (2) promoting continuity and stability; and (3) enhancing the Fund's ability to pursue long-term strategies that are consistent with its investment objective and management policies. The Board of Trustees has determined that the voting requirements described above, which are generally greater than the minimum requirements under the 1940 Act, are in the best interests of the Fund's Common Shareholders generally.
A "Continuing Trustee," as used in the discussion above, is any member of the Fund's Board of Trustees who either (i) has been a member of the Board for a period of at least thirty-six months (or since the commencement of the Fund's operations, if less than thirty-six months) or (ii) was nominated to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then members of the Board.
The foregoing is intended only as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Declaration and the Fund's Bylaws, both of which have been filed as exhibits to the Fund's registration statement on file with the SEC.
Liability of Trustees
The Declaration provides that the obligations of the Fund are not binding upon the Trustees of the Fund individually, but only upon the assets and property of the Fund, and that the Trustees shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. Nothing in the Declaration, however, protects a Trustee against any liability to which he would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES; CONVERSION TO OPEN-END FUND
The Fund is a closed-end investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares. Instead, the Fund's Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), net asset value, call protection, price, dividend stability, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors. Shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value. The Fund's Board of Trustees regularly monitors the relationship between the market price and net asset value of the Common Shares. If the Common Shares were to trade at a substantial discount to net asset value for an extended period of time, the Board may consider the repurchase of its Common Shares on the open market or in private transactions, or the making of a tender offer for such shares. There can be no assurance, however, that the Board of Trustees will decide to take or propose any of these actions, or that share repurchases or tender offers, if undertaken, will reduce market discount. The Fund has no present intention to repurchase its Common Shares and would do so only in the circumstances described in this section.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time when the Fund's Preferred Shares are outstanding, the Fund may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its Common Shares unless (1) all accrued dividends on Preferred Shares have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the net asset value of the Fund's portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the Common Shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon).
Subject to its investment limitations, the Fund may borrow to finance the repurchase of shares or to make a tender offer. Interest on any borrowings to finance share repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of share repurchases or tenders will reduce the Fund's net income. Any share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board of Trustees would have to comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
The Fund's Board of Trustees may also from time to time consider submitting to the holders of the shares of beneficial interest of the Fund a proposal to convert the Fund to an open-end investment company. In determining whether to exercise its sole discretion to submit this issue to shareholders, the Board of Trustees would consider all factors then relevant, including the relationship of the market price of the Common Shares to net asset value, the extent to which the Fund's capital structure is leveraged and the possibility of re-leveraging, the spread, if any, between the yields on securities in the Fund's portfolio and interest and dividend charges on Preferred Shares issued by the Fund and general market and economic conditions.
The Declaration requires the affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of each class of the Fund's shares entitled to vote on the matter to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company, unless the conversion is authorized by both a majority of the Board of Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (as defined above under "Anti-Takeover and Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust--Anti-Takeover Provisions"). This seventy-five percent (75%) shareholder approval requirement is higher than is required under the 1940 Act. In the event that a conversion is approved by the Trustees and the Continuing Trustees as described above, the minimum shareholder vote required under the 1940 Act would be necessary to authorize the conversion. Currently, the 1940 Act would require approval of the holders of a "majority of the outstanding" Common Shares and, if issued, Preferred Shares voting together as a single class, and the holders of a "majority of the outstanding" Preferred Shares voting as a separate class, in order to authorize a conversion.
If the Fund converted to an open-end company, it would be required to redeem all Preferred Shares then outstanding (requiring in turn that it liquidate a portion of its investment portfolio), and the Fund's Common Shares likely would no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Shareholders of an open-end investment company may require the company to redeem their shares on any business day (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under the 1940 Act) at their net asset value, less such redemption charge, if any, as might be in effect at the time of redemption. In order to avoid maintaining large cash positions or liquidating favorable investments to meet redemptions, open-end companies typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares. Open-end companies are thus subject to periodic asset in-flows and out-flows that can complicate portfolio management.
The repurchase by the Fund of its shares at prices below net asset value will result in an increase in the net asset value of those shares that remain outstanding. However, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tenders at or below net asset value will result in the Fund's shares trading at a price equal to their net asset value. Nevertheless, the fact that the Fund's shares may be the subject of repurchase or tender offers at net asset value from time to time, or that the Fund may be converted to an open-end company, may reduce any spread between market price and net asset value that might otherwise exist.
In addition, a purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares will decrease the Fund's total assets. This would likely have the effect of increasing the Fund's expense ratio. Any purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares at a time when Preferred Shares are outstanding will increase the leverage applicable to the outstanding Common Shares then remaining. See the Prospectus under "Risks--Leverage Risk."
Before deciding whether to take any action if the Fund's Common Shares trade below net asset value, the Board of Trustees would consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Fund's portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its shareholders and market considerations. Based on these considerations, even if the Fund's shares should trade at a discount, the Board of Trustees may determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its shareholders, no action should be taken.
TAX MATTERS
Taxation of the Fund. The Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded regulated investment companies and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things:
(a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies;
(b) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its net tax-exempt income, taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses for such year; and
(c) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to a value not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested in the securities (other than those of the U.S. Government or other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses.
If the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends (including Capital Gain Dividends, as defined below). For the period ending December 31, 2002, the Fund may pay any applicable federal excise tax rather than incur the expenses of declaring and paying a dividend.
If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company accorded special tax treatment in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Such distributions generally would be eligible for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
The Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders all or substantially all of its net tax-exempt interest and any investment company taxable income, and may distribute its net capital gain. The Fund may also retain for investment its net capital gain. If the Fund does retain any net capital gain or any investment company taxable income, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who, if subject to federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on
such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal under current law to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder's gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence.
Treasury regulations permit a regulated investment company, in determining its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, to elect to treat all or part of any net capital loss, any net long-term capital loss or any net foreign currency loss incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding year.
If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year at least an amount equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount for which it is subject to income tax. A dividend paid to shareholders in January of a year generally is deemed to have been paid by the Fund on December 31 of the preceding year, if the dividend was declared and payable to shareholders of record on a date in October, November or December of that preceding year. The Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.
Fund Distributions. Distributions from the Fund will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income to the extent derived from investment income and net short-term capital gains. Distributions of net capital gains (that is, the excess of net gains from the sale of capital assets held more than one year over net losses from the sale of capital assets held for not more than one year) properly designated as capital gain dividends ("Capital Gain Dividends") will be taxable to shareholders as long-term gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held the shares in the Fund.
Dividends (including Capital Gain Dividends) will be taxable as described above whether received in cash or in shares. A shareholder whose distributions are reinvested in shares will be treated as having received a dividend equal to either (i) the fair market value of the new shares issued to the shareholder, or (ii) if the shares are trading below net asset value, the amount of cash allocated to the shareholder for the purchase of shares on its behalf in the open market.
Dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of the Fund will qualify for the 70% dividends received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by the Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend (1) if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be "debt-financed" (generally, acquired with borrowed funds), (2) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 90-day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 180-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock) or (3) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with
respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends received deduction may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or (2) by application of the Code.
The Internal Revenue Service currently requires that a regulated investment company that has two or more classes of stock allocate to each such class proportionate amounts of each type of its income (such as ordinary income and capital gains) based upon the percentage of total dividends distributed to each class for the tax year. Accordingly, the Fund intends each year to allocate Capital Gain Dividends between and among its Common Shares and any series of its Preferred Shares in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year. Dividends qualifying and not qualifying for the dividends received deduction will similarly be allocated between and among the two (or more) classes.
Return of Capital Distributions. If the Fund makes a distribution to a shareholder in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of such shareholder's tax basis in its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares. Where one or more such distributions occur in any taxable year of the Fund, the available earnings and profits will be allocated, first, to the distributions made to the holders of Preferred Shares, and only thereafter to distributions made to holders of Common Shares. As a result, the holders of Preferred Shares will receive a disproportionate share of the distributions treated as dividends, and the holders of the Common Shares will receive a disproportionate share of the distributions treated as a return of capital.
Dividends and distributions on the Fund's shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund's realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder's investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's net asset value reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Such realized gains may be required to be distributed even when the Fund's net asset value also reflects unrealized losses. Distributions are taxable to a shareholder even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund prior to the shareholder's investment (and thus included in the price paid by the shareholders).
Securities Issued or Purchased at a Discount. The Fund's investment in securities issued at a discount and certain other obligations will (and investments in securities purchased at a market discount may) require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise would have continued to hold.
Capital Loss Carryover. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryovers.
Sale or Redemption of Shares. The sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of
shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Fund shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed if other shares of the Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
From time to time the Fund may make a tender offer for its Common Shares. It is expected that the terms of any such offer will require a tendering shareholder to tender all Common Shares and dispose of all Preferred Shares held, or considered under certain attribution rules of the Code to be held, by such shareholder. Shareholders who tender all Common Shares and dispose of all Preferred Shares held, or considered to be held, by them will be treated as having sold their shares and generally will realize a capital gain or loss. If a shareholder tenders fewer than all of its Common Shares, or retains a substantial portion of its Preferred Shares, such shareholder may be treated as having received a taxable dividend upon the tender of its Common Shares. In such a case, there is a remote risk that non-tendering shareholders will be treated as having received taxable distributions from the Fund. Likewise, if the Fund redeems some but not all of the Preferred Shares held by a Preferred Shareholder and such shareholder is treated as having received a taxable dividend upon such redemption, there is a remote risk that Common Shareholders and non-redeeming Preferred Shareholders will be treated as having received taxable distributions from the Fund. To the extent that the Fund recognizes net gains on the liquidation of portfolio securities to meet such tenders of Common Shares, the Fund will be required to make additional distributions to its Common Shareholders.
Original Issue Discount and Payment-in-Kind Securities. Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero-coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was issued, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, payment-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
Some of the debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high yield corporate debt obligations (including certain payment-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for certain U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Some of the debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial
payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt obligations. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
If the Fund holds the foregoing kinds of securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements. The Fund's transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, swap agreements, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.
Certain of the Fund's hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund's book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess generally will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund's book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the
extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
Foreign Taxation. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. Shareholders generally will not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to foreign taxes.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. Investment by the Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" (a "QEF election"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the company's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the company. The Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return.
Shares purchased through tax-qualified plans. Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of shares of the Fund as an investment through such plans and the precise effect of and investment on their particular tax situation.
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Under U.S. federal tax law, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid on shares beneficially held by a person who is a "foreign person" within the meaning of the Code, are, in general, subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% of the gross dividend, which rate may, in some cases, be reduced by an applicable tax treaty. Dividends are subject to withholding even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding. However, Capital Gain Dividends will not be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. If a beneficial holder who is a foreign person has a permanent establishment in the United States, and the shares held by such beneficial holder are effectively connected with such permanent establishment and, in addition, the dividends are effectively connected with the conduct by the beneficial holder of a trade or business in the United States, the dividend will be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates.
Under U.S. federal tax law, a beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of such shares unless (i) the shares in question are effectively connected with
a permanent establishment in the United States of the beneficial holder and such gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met.
A beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign person may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal tax on income referred to above.
Backup Withholding. The Fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable dividends and other distributions paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN"), who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding tax rate is (i) 30% for amounts paid during 2002 and 2003, (ii) 29% for amounts paid during 2004 and 2005, and (iii) 28% for amounts paid during 2006 through 2010. The backup withholding rate will be 31% for amounts paid after December 31, 2010, unless Congress enacts tax legislation providing otherwise.
In order for a foreign investor to qualify for exemption from the back-up withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisers in this regard.
General. The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific federal tax consequences of purchasing, holding, and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.
PERFORMANCE RELATED AND COMPARATIVE INFORMATION
The Fund may be a suitable investment for a shareholder who is thinking of adding corporate bond investments to his portfolio to balance the stocks that the shareholder is holding.
The Fund may quote certain performance-related information and may compare certain aspects of its portfolio and structure to other substantially similar closed-end funds as categorized by Lipper, Inc. ("Lipper"), Morningstar Inc. or other independent services. Comparison of the Fund to an alternative investment should be made with consideration of differences in features and expected performance. The Fund may obtain data from sources or reporting services, such as Bloomberg Financial ("Bloomberg") and Lipper, that the Fund believes to be generally accurate.
The Fund, in its advertisements, may refer to pending legislation from time to time and the possible impact of such legislation on investors, investment strategy and related matters. At any time in the future, yields and total return may be higher or lower than past yields and there can be no assurance that any historical results will continue.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. At the time Common Shareholders sell their shares, they may be worth more or less than their original investment.
See Appendix A for additional performance related and comparative and other information.
CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AGENT AND DIVIDEND DISBURSEMENT AGENT
State Street Bank and Trust Co., 801 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, Missouri 64105, serves as custodian for assets of the Fund. The custodian performs custodial and fund accounting services.
PFPC Inc., 400 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, serves as the transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursement agent for the Common Shares, as well as agent for the Dividend Reinvestment Plan relating to the Common Shares.
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New
York 10036, serves as independent accountants for the Fund.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP provides audit services, tax return preparation and
assistance and consultation in connection with review of SEC filings to the
Fund.
COUNSEL
Ropes & Gray, One International Place, Boston, MA 02110, passes upon certain legal matters in connection with shares offered by the Fund, and also acts as counsel to the Fund.
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
A Registration Statement on Form N-2, including any amendments thereto, relating to the shares of the Fund offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), Washington, D.C. The Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, including any exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Fund and the shares offered or to be offered hereby, reference is made to the Fund's Registration Statement. Statements contained in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. Copies of the Registration Statement may be inspected without charge at the SEC's principal office in Washington, D.C., and copies of all or any part thereof may be obtained from the SEC upon the payment of certain fees prescribed by the SEC.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
To the Shareholder and Board of Trustees of PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities and the related statement of operations present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") at December 16, 2002 and the results of its operations for the one day then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund's management; our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit of these financial statements in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, which require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
New York, New York
December 17, 2002
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
DECEMBER 16, 2002
Assets:
Cash $100,003
Receivable from Investment Manager 25,000
--------
Total Assets 125,003
--------
Liabilities:
Accrued Organizational Expenses 25,000
--------
Total Liabilities 25,000
--------
Net Assets (6,981 shares of $0.00001 par value shares of
beneficial interest issued and outstanding;
unlimited shares authorized) $100,003
--------
Net asset value per share $ 14.33
========
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
ONE DAY ENDED DECEMBER 16, 2002
Investment Income $ 0
--------
Organizational Expenses 25,000
Less: Reimbursement from Investment Manager (25,000)
--------
Net Expenses 0
--------
Net Investment Income $ 0
========
|
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
1. Organization PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on September 13, 2002. The Fund has had no operations to date other than matters relating to its organization and registration as a diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the sale and issuance to PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC (the "Investment Manager"), an indirect, majority-owned subsidiary of Allianz AG of 6,981 shares of beneficial interest at an aggregate purchase price of $100,003. The Investment Manager has agreed to reimburse the amount by which the aggregate of all of the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceeds $0.03 per share.
2. Accounting Policies The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
3. Investment Manager and Related Parties The Fund has entered into an Investment Management Agreement (the "Agreement") with the Investment Manager to serve as investment manager to the Fund. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Fund will pay the Investment Manager an annual management fee, payable monthly, at the annual rate of 0.60% of the Fund's average daily net assets (inclusive of net assets attributable to any preferred shares that may be outstanding). The Investment Manager has retained its affiliate, Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"), to manage the Fund's investments. The Investment Manager (not the Fund) will pay a portion of the fees it receives as Investment Manager to PIMCO in return for its services, at the maximum annual rate of 0.39% of the Fund's average daily net assets (inclusive of net assets attributable to any preferred shares that may be outstanding) for the period from the commencement of operations through December 31, 2007 and at a maximum annual rate of 0.55% of average daily net assets (inclusive of net assets attributable to any preferred shares that may be outstanding) thereafter while the Agreement remains in effect, provided that the fee will be reduced to 0.325% during the first five years of operations and 0.45% thereafter while the Agreement remains in effect, if and while the Investment Manager is obligated to pay a fee to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. ("Merrill Lynch"). The Investment Manager (not the Fund) has agreed to pay a quarterly fee to Merrill Lynch at the annual rate of 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets (inclusive of net assets attributable to any preferred shares that may be outstanding) during the continuance of the Agreement.
4. Federal Income Taxes The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, no provisions for U.S. federal income taxes is required. In addition, by distributing substantially all of its ordinary income and long-term capital gains, if any, during each calendar year, the Fund intends not to be subject to U.S. federal excise tax.
5. Contingent Receivable from Investment Manager In the event that the public offering of the Fund does not occur, the Investment Manager has agreed to reimburse the Fund for all organizational expenses.
APPENDIX A
PERFORMANCE RELATED AND
COMPARATIVE AND OTHER INFORMATION
From time to time, the Fund, the Manager and/or PIMCO may report to shareholders or to the public in advertisements concerning the performance of the Manager and/or PIMCO as adviser to clients other than the Fund, or on the comparative performance or standing of the Manager and/or PIMCO in relation to other money managers. The Manager and/or PIMCO also may provide current or prospective private account clients, in connection with standardized performance information for the Fund, performance information for the Fund gross of fees and expenses for the purpose of assisting such clients in evaluating similar performance information provided by other investment managers or institutions. Comparative information may be complied or provided by independent ratings services or by news organizations. Any performance information, whether related to the Fund, the Manager or PIMCO, should be considered in light of the Fund's investment objective and policies, characteristics and quality of the Fund, and the market conditions during the time period indicated, and should not be considered to be representative of what may be achieved in the future. Performance information for the Fund may be compared to various unmanaged indexes.
Investment Management Leader
Organized in 1971, PIMCO is one of the nation's premier bond managers. As of September 30, 2002, PIMCO was one of the nation's largest active bond managers with over $300 billion in assets under management, including more than $32 billion in investment grade corporate debt assets and more than $7 billion in high yield corporate debt assets. PIMCO has a client list that includes over half of the 100 largest corporations in America. Bill Gross, PIMCO's Founder/Chief Investment Officer, heads PIMCO's Investment Committee, which oversees investment policy decisions, including duration positioning, sector rotation, credit quality and overall corporate portfolio construction for all portfolios, including the PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund.
Corporate Bond Expertise
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund will be able to draw on PIMCO's proven approach to bond investing and on its broad-ranging, fixed-income expertise.
The individual portfolio managers of PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund will be David Hinman and Mark Kiesel. Mr. Hinman is a portfolio manager at PIMCO focusing on high yield corporate bonds and structured-credit products (CDOs) with 11 years of investment management experience. Mr. Kiesel, who has 8 years of investment management experience, is a senior member of PIMCO's investment strategy and portfolio management group. In addition, he co-heads the investment grade corporate desk and manages portfolios for the firm.
In-house Credit Analysis
PIMCO relies heavily on its own analysis of credit research and associated risks, rather than relying exclusively on rating agencies and third-party research. A dedicated team of professionals conducts this fundamental credit research and analysis and uses proprietary analytical tools to assess and monitor credit risk. The Fund's managers will use this information in an attempt to minimize credit risk and identify issuers, industries and sectors that are undervalued or that offer attractive yields. These capabilities will be particularly important under current market conditions in light of the relatively focused nature of the Fund and the expectation to invest primarily in income-producing securities trading at discounts from their par value due to factors material to the specific issuer or its sector ("Discounted Securities").
Bond Investors Are Normally Repaid First
PIMCO attempts to identify investment opportunities for the Fund based primarily on its assessment of the issuer's credit characteristics and the position of the particular security in the issuer's capital structure. Within its capital structure, a corporation may include different kinds of securities, some of which generally have priority over others in their claim on the firm's assets in the event of liquidation. The Fund will invest primarily in the first two categories below.
Priority of Repayment Security ----------- -------- 1 Secured Bonds 2 Unsecured Bonds 3 Preferred Stock 4 Common Stock |
The Majority of Discounted Securities Have Had a Successful Result
A 10-year study (1990-2000) tracking the status of discounted bonds shows that 78% of the issues successfully mature or resume trading at non-discounted levels within 24 months of becoming discounted. For the purposes of this study, discounted bonds are defined as those trading below $0.80 on the dollar and originally rated BBB- (Baa3) or better. Post-discount behavior is based on the issue status 24 months after the issue becomes discounted.
Remain Discounted 15% Defaulted 7% Matured 2% Non-Discounted 76% |
Source: Lehman Brothers, "Quantitative Portfolio Strategy", Aug. 12, 2002. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The table reflects data for bonds that first traded at discounted levels through June 1, 2000; data for subsequent periods may show different results. The historical information provided in the table does not predict how discounted bonds will perform in the future or how the Fund's investments would have performed under similar conditions. The securities the Fund will own will not match, and are not intended to be representative of, those represented in the table. The table is not intended to predict the Fund's performance.
BBB-Rated Corporate Bonds Currently Provide Opportunities
PIMCO believes that BBB-rated corporate bonds, as a class, are currently undervalued and that certain BBB-rated corporate bonds currently provide attractive opportunities. This chart compares the yield spread of BBB-rated corporate bonds to the yield spread of AA-rated corporate bonds. The lines on the chart illustrate the relationship between the historical yields of each of these two types of corporate bonds and the historical yield of 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds from January 1985 through October 2002.
[GRAPHIC]
Intermediate U.S. Corporate Bond Spreads
10-Year Spread
Date AA Rated BBB Rated
-------- -------- ---------
10/31/02 48 332
9/30/02 58 343
8/31/02 7 292
7/31/02 35 318
6/30/02 29 248
5/31/02 23 205
4/30/02 38 246
3/31/02 37 215
2/28/02 38 227
1/31/02 33 200
12/31/01 37 200
11/30/01 44 205
10/31/01 63 241
9/30/01 69 242
8/31/01 62 208
7/31/01 55 198
6/30/01 67 206
5/31/01 65 200
4/30/01 82 221
3/31/01 109 259
2/28/01 104 266
1/31/01 94 249
12/31/00 146 311
11/30/00 146 298
10/31/00 150 280
9/30/00 144 251
8/31/00 162 263
7/31/00 145 242
6/30/00 153 253
5/31/00 160 268
4/30/00 147 260
3/31/00 147 239
2/29/00 117 189
1/31/00 96 173
12/31/99 111 192
11/30/99 115 201
10/31/99 97 186
9/30/99 111 196
8/31/99 120 204
7/31/99 123 202
6/30/99 91 168
5/31/99 110 187
4/30/99 112 188
3/31/99 101 187
2/28/99 128 222
1/31/99 105 208
12/31/98 118 224
|
10-Year Spread
Date AA Rated BBB Rated
-------- -------- ---------
11/30/98 100 202
10/31/98 133 247
9/30/98 86 190
8/31/98 85 183
7/31/98 86 153
6/30/98 77 140
5/31/98 67 125
4/30/98 75 133
3/31/98 76 133
2/28/98 82 141
1/31/98 75 134
12/31/97 68 119
11/30/97 75 120
10/31/97 63 101
9/30/97 52 92
8/31/97 61 103
7/31/97 37 80
6/30/97 56 98
5/31/97 46 89
4/30/97 36 81
3/31/97 71 113
2/28/97 63 106
1/31/97 40 84
12/31/96 63 110
11/30/96 42 90
10/31/96 29 83
9/30/96 35 86
8/31/96 77 132
7/31/96 41 95
6/30/96 30 85
5/31/96 63 115
4/30/96 73 126
3/31/96 72 124
2/29/96 93 144
1/31/96 64 118
12/31/95 64 120
11/30/95 58 116
10/31/95 74 124
9/30/95 73 120
8/31/95 52 100
7/31/95 86 136
6/30/95 82 133
5/31/95 39 93
4/30/95 66 119
3/31/95 69 123
2/28/95 42 99
1/31/95 48 109
12/31/94 72 134
11/30/94 56 117
10/31/94 55 115
9/30/94 66 129
8/31/94 48 110
|
10-Year Spread
Date AA Rated BBB Rated
-------- -------- ---------
7/31/94 35 100
6/30/94 77 146
5/31/94 55 127
4/30/94 63 130
3/31/94 84 149
2/28/94 80 142
1/31/94 59 124
12/31/93 74 145
11/30/93 81 152
10/31/93 93 167
9/30/93 90 166
8/31/93 58 126
7/31/93 75 139
6/30/93 60 130
5/31/93 89 152
4/30/93 87 155
3/31/93 93 164
2/28/93 66 141
1/31/93 56 141
12/31/92 72 156
11/30/92 79 163
10/31/92 96 182
9/30/92 77 156
8/31/92 75 153
7/31/92 62 137
6/30/92 54 128
5/31/92 61 133
4/30/92 75 149
3/31/92 70 147
2/29/92 69 152
1/31/92 102 189
12/31/91 67 166
11/30/91 78 168
10/31/91 75 166
9/30/91 69 159
8/31/91 73 155
7/31/91 62 140
6/30/91 73 148
5/31/91 81 164
4/30/91 84 174
3/31/91 89 187
2/28/91 122 230
1/31/91 102 255
12/31/90 112 268
11/30/90 96 253
10/31/90 90 229
9/30/90 75 189
8/31/90 84 185
7/31/90 77 172
6/30/90 90 181
5/31/90 81 165
4/30/90 117 201
|
10-Year Spread
Date AA Rated BBB Rated
-------- -------- ---------
3/31/90 109 192
2/28/90 109 196
1/31/90 124 209
12/31/89 132 218
11/30/89 118 201
10/31/89 107 186
9/30/89 121 196
8/31/89 124 200
7/31/89 90 171
6/30/89 89 167
5/31/89 77 149
4/30/89 86 151
3/31/89 93 150
2/28/89 101 161
1/31/89 81 147
12/31/88 92 157
11/30/88 90 154
10/31/88 69 138
9/30/88 74 139
8/31/88 74 133
7/31/88 83 146
6/30/88 72 139
5/31/88 87 151
4/30/88 105 172
3/31/88 114 192
2/29/88 101 184
1/31/88 63 146
12/31/87 87 170
11/30/87 110 186
10/31/87 49 123
9/30/87 108 175
8/31/87 114 182
7/31/87 127 196
6/30/87 116 189
5/31/87 106 179
4/30/87 147 225
3/31/87 156 237
2/28/87 136 221
1/31/87 150 240
12/31/86 170 285
11/30/86 164 278
10/31/86 163 267
9/30/86 177 280
8/31/86 188 311
7/31/86 202 321
6/30/86 151 265
5/31/86 183 292
4/30/86 196 319
3/31/86 151 278
2/28/86 96 206
1/31/86 109 211
12/31/85 97 205
|
10-Year Spread
Date AA Rated BBB Rated
-------- -------- ---------
11/30/85 89 193
10/31/85 76 160
9/30/85 82 170
8/31/85 88 170
7/31/85 112 196
6/30/85 100 195
5/31/85 30 125
4/30/85 59 145
3/31/85 45 134
2/28/85 90 171
1/31/85 44 145
|
Source: Salomon Yield Book. All data through October 31, 2002. The lines in the chart show the historical difference (or spread) between the market capitalization weighted average of the yields of the AA-rated bonds and the BBB-rated bonds, respectively, represented in the Salomon Smith Barney Broad Investment-Grade (BIG) Index (the "Salomon BIG Index") as compared to yields of 10-Year U.S. Treasury bonds for the period from January 1, 1985 through October 31, 2002. The Salomon BIG Index is an unmanaged index comprised of fixed-rate U.S. Treasury, government-sponsored, corporate (rated at least BBB-/Baa3) and mortgage-backed debt securities with maturities of at least one year. The yields reflect those of bonds in the Index rated in the noted credit categories by S&P. The yields of the noted credit quality segments of the Salomon BIG Index do not reflect the deduction of any management fees, account charges or other fees and expenses that will apply to the Fund. It is not possible to invest directly in the Index. 10-Year U.S. Treasury bonds offer a government guarantee as to timely payment of interest and repayment of principal on maturity. The bonds in the Salomon BIG Index and those in which the Fund may invest are not similarly guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any governmental agency. In addition, a portion of the spreads between the noted segments of the Salomon BIG Index and 10-Year U.S. Treasury bonds is attributable to higher coupon rates paid on corporate bonds to account for additional risk associated with their call features.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The historical information provided in the chart does not predict how corporate debt obligations or 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds will perform in the future or how the Fund's investments would have performed under similar market conditions. The securities that the Fund will own will not match, and are not intended to be representative of, those of the noted credit quality segments of the Salomon BIG Index. This table is not intended to predict the Fund's performance.
The Closed-End Fund Advantage
Use of Leverage May Enhance Yield Potential
Approximately 1-3 months after completion of the initial public offering, the Fund intends to offer preferred shares, representing approximately 38% of its capital immediately after issuance, to enhance the yield potential available to common shareholders. The Fund may also utilize derivative strategies to add additional leverage, subject to certain limitations. Money raised through the sale of preferred shares or other leveraging strategies will typically be used to buy corporate bonds and other instruments similar to those in the rest of the portfolio. The Fund will pay preferred shareholders dividends based on short-term interest rates, which will be reset frequently. So long as the Fund's portfolio is invested in securities that provide a higher rate of return than the dividend rate on the preferred shares, the leverage will allow common shareholders to receive a higher current rate of return than if the Fund did not use leverage. The use of leverage involves certain risks./1/
Monthly Dividends
Commencing with the first dividend, the Fund intends to make regular monthly cash distributions to investors at a level rate based on projected performance of the Fund. The first dividend is expected to be declared approximately 45 days, and paid approximately 60 to 90 days, after the initial public offering of common shares, depending on market conditions./2/
/2/ The Fund's ability to maintain a level dividend rate will depend on a number of factors, including dividends payable on any preferred shares that are issued. As portfolio and market conditions change, the rate of dividends on common shares and the Fund's dividend policy could change. The Fund's distributions of ordinary income (including net short-term capital gain) will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, and capital gain dividends will be subject to capital gains taxes.
Low Minimum Investment
The Fund will be offered for $15 per share, with a minimum purchase of 100 shares. Investors will pay a sales load of 4.5% of the offering price of common shares purchased, which will reduce the initial amount invested.
Easy Reinvestment
Unless an investor elects to receive distributions in cash, all distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional common shares, compounding the investment and providing even more income potential over time. This does not ensure a profit nor does it protect against loss in a declining market. Automatically reinvested dividends and distributions are taxed in the same manner as cash dividends and distributions.
Exchange-Traded Liquidity
The Fund expects to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which should promote liquidity and convenient access to daily share prices through electronic services and/or in newspaper stock tables. The Fund's expected stock symbol is PTY./3/
PART C - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 24: Financial Statements and Exhibits
1. Financial Statements:
Registrant has not conducted any business as of the date of this filing, other than in connection with its organization. Financial Statements indicating that the Registrant has met the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the 1940 Act are filed herewith as part of the Statement of Additional Information.
2. Exhibits:
a.1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated September 13, 2002.(1)
a.2 Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated November
19, 2002.(2)
b.1 Bylaws of Registrant dated September 13, 2002.(1)
b.2 Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant dated November 19, 2002.(2)
c. None.
d.1 Article III (Shares) and Article V (Shareholders' Voting Powers and
Meetings) of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of
Trust.(2)
d.2 Article 10 (Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings) of the Amended and
Restated Bylaws of Registrant.(2)
d.3 Form of Share Certificate of the Common Shares.(2)
e. Terms and Conditions of Dividend Reinvestment Plan.(2)
f. None.
g.1 Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and PIMCO Advisors Fund
Management LLC dated November 19, 2002, filed herewith.
g.2 Portfolio Management Agreement between PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC dated November 19, 2002,
filed herewith.
h.1 Form of Purchase Agreement, filed herewith.
h.2 Form of Master Selected Dealer Agreement, filed herewith.
h.3 Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters, filed herewith.
h.4 Form of Additional Compensation Agreement, filed herewith.
i. None.
j. Form of Custodian and Investment Accounting Agreement between Registrant
and State Street Bank & Trust Co., filed herewith.
k.1 Form of Transfer Agency Services Agreement between Registrant and
PFPC Inc.(2)
|
k.2 Organizational and Offering Expenses Reimbursement Agreement between
Registrant and PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC dated November 19,
2002, filed herewith.
l. Opinion and consent of Ropes & Gray, filed herewith.
m. None.
n. Consent of Registrant's independent accountants, filed herewith.
o. None.
p. Subscription Agreement of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC dated
November 19, 2002, filed herewith.
q. None.
r.1 Code of Ethics of Registrant dated November 19, 2002.(2)
r.2 Code of Ethics of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, dated
January 1, 2002.(2)
r.3 Code of Ethics of Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, dated
December 31, 2001.(2)
s. Power of Attorney for each of Messrs. Belica, Connor, Dalessandro,
Altadonna and Shlissel.(2)
|
(1) Incorporated by reference to the Registrant's Initial Registration Statement on Form N-2, File No. 333-100699, filed on October 23, 2002.
(2) Incorporated by reference to the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant's Initial Registration Statement on Form N-2, File No. 333-100699, filed on November 22, 2002.
Item 25: Marketing Arrangements
See Sections 3(a)(x), 3(a)(xiii), 6 and 10 of Exhibit h.1 of Item 24 of this Registration Statement and Sections 7, 8 and 20 of Exhibit h.3 of Item 24 of this Registration Statement.
Item 26: Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
Securities and Exchange Commission Fees $ 73,600*
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Fees 30,500*
Printing and engraving expenses 240,000*
Legal fees 300,000*
New York Stock Exchange listing fees 216,850*
Accounting expenses 15,000*
Transfer Agent fees 3,000*
Marketing expenses 85,000*
Miscellaneous expenses 11,050*
---------
Total 975,000*
|
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC has agreed to pay the amount by which the aggregate of all the Fund's organizational expenses and all offering costs (other than the sales load) exceed $0.03 per share.
* Estimated expense.
Item 27: Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
Not applicable.
Item 28: Number of Holders of Securities
At December 23, 2002
Number of
Title of Class Record Holders
-------------- --------------
Common Shares, par value $0.00001 1
Item 29: Indemnification
|
Reference is made to Article VIII, Sections 1 through 4, of the Registrant's Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Trust's Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its Amended and Restated Bylaws or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and, therefore, is unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by trustees, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, officers or controlling persons in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 30: Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
Descriptions of the business of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, the Registrant's investment manager, and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, the Registrant's portfolio manager, are set forth under the captions "Investment Manager" and "Portfolio Manager" under "Management of the Fund" in both the prospectus and Statement of Additional Information forming part of this Registration Statement. The following sets forth business and other connections of each director and executive officer (and persons performing similar functions) of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC.
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Name Position with Advisor Other Connections
---------------- -------------------------- ------------------------------
Larry A. Altadonna Vice President Vice President, OpCap Advisors
LLC
Andrew Bocko Senior Vice President and Senior Vice President,
Director of IT PIMCO Advisors Fund Management
LLC, Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management U.S. Equities LLC,
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management
LLC, Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P.
Tim Clark Managing Director
Cindy Columbo Vice President
Patrick Coyne Vice President
Derek Hayes Senior Vice President
Steve Jobe Senior Vice President
Alan Kwan Vice President
John C. Maney Chief Financial Officer Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer,
Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P.,
Chief Financial Officer, PIMCO
Advisors Fund Management
LLC, Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management U.S. Equities
LLC, Cadence Capital
Management LLC, NFJ
Investment Group L.P., OCC
Distributors LLC, OpCap
Advisors LLC, Oppenheimer
Capital LLC, Pacific
Investment Management
Company LLC, PIMCO Advisors
Managed Accounts LLC, PIMCO
Advisors CD Distributors
LLC, PIMCO Equity Advisors
LLC, PIMCO Equity Partners
LLC, PIMCO Advisors
Advertising Agency Inc.,
PIMCO Advisors Distributors
LLC, Allianz Private Client
Services LLC, and StocksPLUS
Management Inc.
Vinh T. Nguyen Vice President and Vice President and Controller,
Controller PIMCO Advisors Fund Management
LLC, Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P.,
Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management U.S. Equities LLC,
Cadence Capital Management
LLC, NFJ Investment Group
L.P., OCC Distributors LLC,
OpCap Advisors LLC,
Oppenheimer Capital LLC,
Pacific Investment Management
Company LLC, PIMCO Advisors
Managed Accounts LLC, PIMCO
Advisors CD Distributors LLC,
PIMCO Equity Advisors LLC,
|
PIMCO Equity Partners LLC, PIMCO Advisors Advertising Agency Inc., PIMCO Advisors Distributors LLC, Allianz Private Client Services LLC, and StocksPLUS Management Inc.
Francis C. Poli Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Compliance
Director of Compliance Officer, PIMCO Advisors Fund
and Assistant Secretary Management LLC, Allianz
Dresdner Asset Management Of
America L.P., Allianz Dresdner
Asset Management U.S. Equities
LLC, Allianz Hedge Fund
Partners L.P., Allianz Private
Client Services LLC, Cadence
Capital Management LLC, NFJ
Investment Group L.P., OCC
Distributors LLC, OpCap
Advisors LLC, Oppenheimer
Capital LLC, PIMCO Advisors
Retail Holdings LLC, PIMCO
Advisors Managed Accounts LLC,
PIMCO Advisors CD Distributors
LLC, PIMCO Equity Advisors LLC
Bob Rokose Vice President and
Assistant Controller
Newton B. Schott, Jr. Managing Director, Vice President, PIMCO Advisors
Chief Legal Officer Managed Accounts LLC,
and Secretary Executive Vice President,
Chief Legal Officer and
Secretary, PIMCO Advisors
Advertising Agency Inc.,
Managing Director, Executive
Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary PIMCO
Advisors Distributors LLC
Brian S. Shlissel Senior Vice President Senior Vice President and
Treasurer, OpCap Advisors LLC
Stewart A. Smith Vice President and Secretary, PIMCO Advisors Fund
Assistant Secretary Management LLC, Allianz
Dresdner Asset Management of
America L.P., Allianz Dresdner
Asset Management U.S.
Equities LLC, Allianz Hedge
Fund Partners L.P., Allianz
Private Client Services LLC,
Cadence Capital Management
LLC, NFJ Investment Group
L.P., PIMCO Advisors Retail
Holdings LLC, PIMCO Advisors
Managed Accounts LLC, PIMCO
Advisors CD Distributors LLC
and PIMCO Equity Advisors LLC,
Assistant Secretary,
Oppenheimer Capital LLC,
OpCap Advisors and OCC
Distributors LLC
Stephen J. Treadway Managing Director and Chairman, President and Chief
Chief Executive Officer Executive Officer, PIMCO
Advisors Advertising Agency
Inc.; Managing Director and
Chief Executive Officer,
PIMCO Advisors Distributors
LLC, Managing Director,
PIMCO Advisors Managed
Accounts LLC, Allianz
Private Client Services LLC,
Allianz Dresdner Asset
Management of America L.P.
James G. Ward Executive Vice President Executive Vice President,
and Director of Human Allianz Asset Management of
Resources America L.P., Director of
Human Resources, Allianz Asset
Management U.S. Equities LLC,
PIMCO Advisors Distributors
LLC
Michael B. Zuckerman Vice President Vice President, Allianz
Dresdner Asset Management of
America L.P., OCC Distributors
LLC, OpCap Advisors LLC, PIMCO
Advisors Managed Accounts LLC
|
Pacific Investment Management Company LLC
("PIMCO")
840 Newport Center Drive, Suite 300
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Name Business and Other Connections
----------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
Arnold, Tammie J. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Benz, William R. II Managing Director, Executive Committee Member,
PIMCO
Bhansali, Vineer Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Brynjolfsson, John B. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Burns, R. Wesley Managing Director, PIMCO; President and Trustee of
PIMCO Funds and PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust;
President and Director of PIMCO Commercial
Mortgage Securities Trust, Inc.; Director, PIMCO
Funds: Global Investors Series plc and PIMCO
Global Advisors (Ireland) Limited
Cupps, Wendy W. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Dialynas, Chris P. Managing Director, PIMCO
El-Erian, Mohamed A. Managing Director, PIMCO
Gross, William H. Managing Director and Executive Committee Member,
PIMCO; Director and Vice President, StocksPLUS
Management, Inc.; Senior Vice President of PIMCO
Funds and PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust
Hague, John L. Managing Director, PIMCO
Hally, Gordon C. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Hamalainen, Pasi M. Managing Director, PIMCO
Harris, Brent R. Managing Director and Executive Committee Member,
PIMCO; Director and Vice President, StocksPLUS
Management, Inc.; Trustee and Chairman of PIMCO
Funds and PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust; Director
and Chairman, PIMCO Commercial Mortgage Securities
Trust, Inc.; Managing Director, PIMCO Specialty
Markets LLC
Hinman, David C. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Hodge, Douglas M. Executive Vice President, PIMCO; Director,
PIMCO JAPAN LTD
Holden, Brent L. Managing Director, PIMCO
Isberg, Margaret E. Managing Director, PIMCO; Senior Vice President of
PIMCO Funds
Keller, James M. Managing Director, PIMCO
Kennedy, Raymond G. Managing Director, PIMCO
Kiesel, Mark Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Loftus, John S. Managing Director, PIMCO; Senior Vice President of
PIMCO Funds; Vice President and Assistant
Secretary, StocksPLUS Management, Inc.
Mariappa, Sudesh N. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
C-6
|
Mather, Scott A. Executive Vice President, PIMCO; Senior Vice
President, PIMCO Commercial Mortgage Securities
Trust, Inc.
McCray, Mark V. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
McCulley, Paul A. Managing Director, PIMCO
McDevitt, Joseph E. Executive Vice President, PIMCO; Director and
Chief Executive Officer, PIMCO Europe Ltd
Meiling, Dean S. Managing Director, PIMCO
Monson, Kristen S. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Muzzy, James F. Managing Director, PIMCO; Director and Vice
President, StocksPLUS Management, Inc.; Senior
Vice President, PIMCO Variable Insurance Trust;
Vice President of PIMCO Funds; Director, PIMCO
Europe Ltd., PIMCO JAPAN LTD., PIMCO Asia Pte
Ltd., PIMCO Australia Pty Ltd.
Otterbein, Thomas J. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Phansalkar, Mohan V. Executive Vice President, Secretary and Chief
Legal Officer, PIMCO; Vice President and
Secretary, StocksPLUS Management, Inc.
Podlich, William F. Managing Director, PIMCO
Powers, William C. Managing Director and Executive Committee Member,
PIMCO; Senior Vice President, PIMCO Commercial
Mortgage Securities Trust, Inc.
Schmider, Ernest L. Managing Director, PIMCO
Simon, W. Scott Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Thomas, Lee R. Managing Director, PIMCO
Thompson, William S. Managing Director and Executive Committee Member,
PIMCO; Director and President, StocksPLUS
Management, Inc.; Senior Vice President of PIMCO
Variable Insurance Trust; Vice President of PIMCO
Funds and PIMCO Commercial Mortgage Securities
Trust, Inc.
Trosky, Benjamin L. Managing Director, PIMCO; Senior Vice President,
PIMCO Commercial Mortgage Securities Trust, Inc.
Weil, Richard M. Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer and
Executive Committee Member, PIMCO
Wood, George H. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
Wyman, Charles C. Executive Vice President, PIMCO
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Item 31: Location of Accounts and Records
The account books and other documents required to be maintained by the Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules thereunder will be maintained at the offices of State Street Bank & Trust Co., 801 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, Missouri 64105 and/or PFPC Inc., 400 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809.
Item 32: Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 33: Undertakings
1. Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of its Common Shares until it amends the prospectus filed herewith if (1) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net asset value declines more than 10 percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement, or (2) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.
2. Not applicable.
3. Not applicable.
4. Not applicable.
5. The Registrant undertakes that:
a. For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and
b. For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
6. The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information.
Notice
A copy of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund"), together with all amendments thereto, is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Fund by any officer of the Fund as an officer and not individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees of the Fund or shareholders of the Fund individually, but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and the State of New York on the 23rd day of December, 2002.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
-----------------------------
Brian S. Shlissel,
President
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name Capacity Date
---- -------- ----
/s/ Brian S. Shlissel President and Chief December 23, 2002
---------------------------- Executive Officer
Brian S. Shlissel
/s/ Paul Belica* Trustee December 23, 2002
----------------------------
Paul Belica
/s/ Robert E. Connor* Trustee December 23, 2002
----------------------------
Robert E. Connor
/s/ John J. Dalessandro II* Trustee December 23, 2002
----------------------------
John J. Dalessandro II
/s/ Lawrence Altadonna Treasurer and Principal December 23, 2002
---------------------------- Financial and Accounting
Lawrence Altadonna Officer
*By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
-----------------------------
Brian S. Shlissel,
Attorney-In-Fact
Date: December 23, 2002
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Exhibit Name
------- ------------
g.1 Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and PIMCO Advisors
Fund Management LLC dated November 19, 2002.
g.2 Portfolio Management Agreement between PIMCO Advisors Fund Management
LLC and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC dated November 19,
2002.
h.1 Form of Purchase Agreement.
h.2 Form of Master Broker-Dealer Agreement.
h.3 Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters.
h.4 Form of Additional Compensation Agreement.
j. Form of Custodian and Investment Accounting Agreement, filed
herewith.
k.2 Organizational and Offering Expenses Reimbursement Agreement between
Registrant and PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC dated November 19,
2002.
l. Opinion and Consent of Ropes & Gray.
n. Consent of Registrant's independent accountants.
p. Subscription Agreement of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC.
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Exhibit g.1
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
This Investment Management Agreement is executed as of November 19, 2002 by and between PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), and PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager").
WITNESSETH:
That in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE MANAGER TO THE FUND.
(a) Subject always to the control of the Trustees of the Fund and to
such policies as the Trustees may determine, the Manager will, at its expense,
(i) furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund and will make
investment decisions on behalf of the Fund and place all orders for the purchase
and sale of portfolio securities and (ii) furnish office space and equipment,
provide bookkeeping and clerical services (excluding determination of net asset
value and shareholder accounting services) and pay all salaries, fees and
expenses of officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated with the
Manager. In the performance of its duties, the Manager will comply with the
provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws of the Fund,
each as amended from time to time, and the Fund's stated investment objectives,
policies and restrictions.
(b) In the selection of brokers or dealers and the placing of orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio investments for the Fund, the Manager shall seek to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as described below. In using its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, the Manager, bearing in mind the Fund's best interests at all times, shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker or dealer involved and the quality of service rendered by the broker or dealer in other transactions. Subject to such policies as the Trustees may determine, the Manager shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage and
research services to the Manager an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Manager determines in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Manager's overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other clients of the Manager as to which the Manager exercises investment discretion. The Fund hereby agrees with the Manager and with any Portfolio Manager selected by the Manager as provided in Section 1(c) hereof that any entity or person associated with the Manager which is a member of a national securities exchange is authorized to effect any transaction on such exchange for the account of the Fund which is permitted by Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act").
(c) Subject to the provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund and the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder, as amended from time to time (the "1940 Act"), the Manager, at its expense, may select and contract with investment advisers (the "Portfolio Managers") for the Fund. The Manager shall retain any Portfolio Manager pursuant to a portfolio management agreement the terms and conditions of which are acceptable to the Fund. If the Manager retains a Portfolio Manager hereunder, then unless otherwise provided in the applicable portfolio management agreement, the obligation of the Manager under this Agreement with respect to the Fund shall be, subject in any event to the control of the Trustees of the Fund, to determine and review with the Portfolio Manager the investment policies of the Fund, and the Portfolio Manager shall have the obligation of furnishing continuously an investment program and making investment decisions for the Fund, adhering to applicable investment objectives, policies and restrictions, and placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the Fund. The Manager (and not the Fund) will compensate any Portfolio Manager for its services to the Fund. Subject to the provisions of the applicable portfolio management agreement with the Portfolio Manager, the Manager may terminate the services of any Portfolio Manager at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the responsibilities of such Portfolio Manager unless and until a successor Portfolio Manager is selected.
(d) The Manager shall not be obligated to pay any expenses of or for the Fund not expressly assumed by the Manager pursuant to this Section 1 other than as provided in Section 3.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers and employees of the Fund may be a shareholder, partner, director, officer or employee of, or be otherwise interested
in, the Manager, and in any person controlled by or under common control with the Manager, and that the Manager and any person controlled by or under common control with the Manager may have an interest in the Fund. It is also understood that the Manager and persons controlled by or under common control with the Manager have and may have advisory, management service, distribution or other contracts with other organizations and persons, and may have other interests and businesses.
3. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID BY THE FUND TO THE MANAGER.
The Fund will pay to the Manager as compensation for the Manager's services rendered, for the facilities furnished and for the expenses borne by the Manager pursuant to Section 1, a fee, computed and paid monthly at the annual rate of 0.60% of the average daily net asset value of the Fund (including daily net assets attributable to any preferred shares of the Fund that may be outstanding). The average daily net asset value of the Fund shall be determined by taking an average of all of the determinations of such net asset value during such month at the close of business on each business day during such month while this Agreement is in effect. Such fee shall be payable for each month within five (5) business days after the end of such month.
In the event that the Manager has agreed to a fee waiver or an expense limitation or reimbursement arrangement with the Fund, subject to such terms and conditions as the Manager and the Fund may set forth in such agreement, the compensation due the Manager hereunder shall be reduced, and, if necessary, the Manager shall bear expenses with respect to the Fund, to the extent required by such fee waiver or expense limitation or reimbursement arrangement.
If the Manager shall serve for less than the whole of a month, the foregoing compensation shall be prorated.
4. ASSIGNMENT TERMINATES THIS AGREEMENT; AMENDMENTS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment; and this Agreement shall not be amended as to the Fund unless such amendment is approved at a meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or of the Manager or of any Portfolio Manager of the Fund.
5. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
This Agreement shall become effective upon its execution, and shall remain in full force and effect as to the Fund continuously thereafter (unless terminated automatically as set forth in Section 4) until terminated as follows:
(a) Either party hereto may at any time terminate this Agreement by not more than sixty days' written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the other party, or
(b) If (i) the Trustees of the Fund or the shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and (ii) a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or of the Manager or any Portfolio Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, do not specifically approve at least annually the continuance of this Agreement, then this Agreement shall automatically terminate at the close of business on the second anniversary of its execution, or upon the expiration of one year from the effective date of the last such continuance, whichever is later; provided, however, that if the continuance of this Agreement is submitted to the shareholders of the Fund for their approval and such shareholders fail to approve such continuance of this Agreement as provided herein, the Manager may continue to serve hereunder in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act.
Action by the Fund under (a) above may be taken either (i) by vote of a majority of its Trustees, or (ii) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5 shall be without the payment of any penalty.
6. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the "affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares" means the affirmative vote, at a duly called and held meeting of shareholders, (a) of the holders of 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to vote at such meeting are present in person or by proxy, or (b) of the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to vote at such meeting, whichever is less.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms "affiliated person", "control", "interested person" and "assignment" shall have their respective meanings defined in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission under said Act; the term "specifically approve at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act; and the term "brokerage and research services" shall have the meaning given in the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
7. NONLIABILITY OF MANAGER.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, the Manager, including its officers, directors and partners, shall not be subject to any liability to the Fund, or to any shareholder, officer, director, partner or Trustee thereof, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.
8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the Fund as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
9. USE OF NAMES AND LOGOS.
It is expressly understood that the names "PIMCO Advisors Fund Management," "PIMCO Advisors," "Pacific Investment Management Company," "PIMCO" and "PIMCO Funds", or any derivation thereof, or any logo associated with those names, are the valuable property of the Manager and its affiliates, and that the Fund shall have the limited right to use such names (or derivations thereof or associated logos) only so long as the Manager shall consent and this Agreement shall remain in effect. Upon reasonable notice from the Manager to the Fund or upon termination of this Agreement, the Fund shall forthwith cease to use such names (or derivations thereof or associated logos) and shall promptly amend its Declaration of Trust and other public documents to change its name accordingly. The covenants on the part of the Fund in this Section 9 shall be binding upon it, its trustees, officers, stockholders, creditors and all other persons claiming under or through it, and shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
10. COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND and PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC have each caused this instrument to be signed in its behalf by its duly authorized representative, all as of the day and year first above written.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
------------------------------------------
Name: Brian S. Shlissel
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
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PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
By: /s/ Newton B. Schott, Jr.
------------------------------------------
Name: Newton B. Schott, Jr.
Title: Managing Director
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Exhibit g.2
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
This Portfolio Management Agreement is executed as of November 19, 2002 by and between PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager"), and PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Portfolio Manager").
WITNESSETH:
That in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE PORTFOLIO MANAGER TO THE FUND.
(a) Subject always to the direction and oversight of the Trustees of PIMCO
Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund"), a Massachusetts business
trust, the Portfolio Manager, at its expense, will furnish
continuously an investment program for the Fund and will make
investment decisions on behalf of the Fund and place all orders for
the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and all other
investments. In the performance of its duties, the Portfolio Manager
(1) will comply with the provisions of the Fund's Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and Bylaws, including any amendments thereto
(upon receipt of such amendments by the Portfolio Manager), and the
investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as set
forth in its current Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information (copies of which will be supplied to the Portfolio Manager
upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")),
(2) will use its best efforts to safeguard and promote the welfare of
the Fund and (3) will comply with other policies which the Trustees or
the Manager, as the case may be, may from time to time determine as
promptly as practicable after such policies have been communicated to
the Portfolio Manager in writing. The Portfolio Manager and the
Manager shall each make its officers and employees available to the
other from time to time at reasonable times to review investment
policies of the Fund and to consult with each other regarding
investment affairs of the Fund.
(b) The Portfolio Manager, at its expense, will furnish (i) all necessary investment and management facilities, including salaries of personnel, required for it to execute its duties hereunder faithfully and (ii) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the investment affairs of the Fund, including verification and oversight of the pricing of the Fund's portfolio (but excluding determination of net asset value and shareholder accounting services).
(c) In the selection of brokers or dealers and the placing of orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio investments for the Fund, the Portfolio Manager shall use its
best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as described below. In using its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, the Portfolio Manager, bearing in mind the Fund's best interests at all times, shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including, by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker or dealer involved and the quality of service rendered by the broker or dealer in other transactions. Subject to such policies as the Trustees of the Fund may determine and communicate to the Portfolio Manager in writing, the Portfolio Manager shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage and research services to the Portfolio Manager or its affiliates an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Portfolio Manager determines in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Portfolio Manager's overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other clients of the Portfolio Manager and its affiliates as to which the Portfolio Manager and its affiliates exercise investment discretion. The Fund agrees that any entity or person associated with the Portfolio Manager or its affiliates which is a member of a national securities exchange is expressly authorized to effect any transaction on such exchange for the account of the Fund which is permitted by Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act").
(d) The Portfolio Manager shall not be obligated to pay any expenses of or for the Fund not expressly assumed by the Portfolio Manager pursuant to this Section 1.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers and employees of the Fund may be a shareholder, member, director, officer or employee of, or be otherwise interested in, the Portfolio Manager, and in any person controlled by or under common control with the Portfolio Manager, and that the Portfolio Manager and any person controlled by or under common control with the Portfolio Manager may have an interest in the Fund. It is also understood that the Portfolio Manager and persons controlled by or under common control with the Portfolio Manager have and may have advisory, management service or other contracts with other organizations and persons, and may have other interests and businesses.
3. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID BY THE MANAGER TO THE PORTFOLIO MANAGER.
The Manager will pay the Portfolio Manager as compensation for the Portfolio Manager's services rendered and for the expenses borne by the Portfolio Manager pursuant to Section 1, a fee computed and paid monthly at the maximum annual rate of 0.39% of the average daily net asset value of the Fund (including daily net assets attributable to any preferred shares of the Fund that may be outstanding) for the period from the commencement of Fund operations through December 31, 2007 (the "Initial Period") and at the maximum annual rate of 0.55% of such average daily net asset value thereafter (the "Remaining Period"); provided, however, that the fee will be 0.325% of such average daily net asset value during the Initial Period and 0.45% of such average daily net asset value during the Remaining Period if and while the Manager is obligated to pay a fee under the Additional Compensation Agreement between Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and the Manager dated as of December [ ], 2002. Such fee from the Manager to the Portfolio Manger shall be payable for each month within 10 business days after the end of such month.
In the event that the Portfolio Manager has agreed to a fee waiver arrangement with the Manager, subject to such terms and conditions as the Manager and the Portfolio Manager may set forth in such agreement, the compensation due the Portfolio Manager hereunder shall be reduced to the extent required by such fee waiver arrangement.
If the Portfolio Manager shall serve for less than the whole of a month, the foregoing compensation shall be prorated.
4. ASSIGNMENT TERMINATES THIS AGREEMENT; AMENDMENTS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment or in the event that the Investment Management Agreement between the Manager and the Fund shall have terminated for any reason; and this Agreement shall not be amended unless such amendment is approved at a meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or of the Manager or the Portfolio Manager.
5. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
This Agreement shall become effective upon its execution, and shall remain in full force and effect as to the Fund continuously thereafter (unless terminated automatically as set forth in Section 4) until terminated as follows:
(a) The Fund may at any time terminate this Agreement by written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Manager and the Portfolio Manager, or
(b) If (i) the Trustees of the Fund or the shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and (ii) a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or of the Manager or of the Portfolio Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, do not specifically approve at least annually the continuance of this Agreement, then this Agreement shall automatically terminate at the close of business on the second anniversary of its execution, or upon the expiration of one year from the effective date of the last such continuance, whichever is later; provided, however, that if the continuance of this Agreement is submitted to the shareholders of the Fund for their approval and such shareholders fail to approve such continuance of this Agreement as provided herein, the Portfolio Manager may continue to serve hereunder in a manner consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the "1940 Act"), or
(c) The Manager may at any time terminate this Agreement by not less than 60 days' written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Portfolio Manager, and the Portfolio Manager may at any time terminate this Agreement by not less than 60 days' written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Manager.
Action by the Fund under (a) above may be taken either (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees, or (ii) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5 shall be without the payment of any penalty.
6. CERTAIN INFORMATION.
The Portfolio Manager shall promptly notify the Manager in writing of the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) the Portfolio Manager shall fail to be registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, (b) the Portfolio Manager shall have been served or otherwise have notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Fund, (c) there is a change in control of the Portfolio Manager or any parent of the Portfolio Manager within the meaning of the 1940 Act, or (d) there is a material adverse change in the business or financial position of the Portfolio Manager.
7. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the "affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares" means the affirmative vote, at a duly called and held meeting of shareholders, (a) of the holders of 67% or more of the shares of the Fund, as the case may be, present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund, as the case may be, entitled to vote at such meeting are present in person or by proxy, or (b) of the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund, as the case may be, entitled to vote at such meeting, whichever is less.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms "affiliated person," "control," "interested person" and "assignment" shall have their respective meanings defined in the 1940 Act; the term "specifically approve at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and the term "brokerage and research services" shall have the meaning given in the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
8. NONLIABILITY OF PORTFOLIO MANAGER.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Portfolio Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, the Portfolio Manager, including its officers, directors and members, shall not be subject to any liability to the Manager, to the Fund, or to any shareholder, officer, director, partner or Trustee thereof, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the Fund as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
10. EXERCISE OF VOTING RIGHTS.
Except with the agreement or on the specific instructions of the Trustees of the Fund or the Manager, the Portfolio Manager shall not exercise or procure the exercise of any voting right attaching to investments of the Fund.
11. COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC and PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC have each caused this instrument to be signed on its behalf by its duly authorized representative, all as of the day and year first above written.
PIMCO ADVISORS FUND PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT LLC COMPANY LLC
By: /s/ Newton B. Schott, Jr. By: /s/ Chris P. Dialynas
----------------------------- ---------------------------
Name: Newton B. Schott, Jr. Name: Chris P. Dialynas
Title: Managing Director Title: Managing Director
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Accepted and agreed to as of the
day and year first above written:
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
----------------------------
Name: Brian S. Shlissel
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
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EXHIBIT H.1
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
(a Massachusetts business trust)
[ ] Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
(Par Value $.00001 Per Share)
FORM OF PURCHASE AGREEMENT
December [ ], 2002
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
Prudential Securities Incorporated
UBS Warburg LLC
RBC Dain Rauscher Inc.
Wachovia Securities, Inc.
Advest, Inc.
H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc.
Fahnestock & Co. Inc.
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
Quick & Reilly, Inc.
Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc.
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), the Fund's investment adviser, PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Investment Adviser" and, together with Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("PIMCO"), the "Advisers"), each confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters", which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch and A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Prudential Securities Incorporated, UBS Warburg LLC, RBC Dain Rausher Inc., Wachovia Securities, Inc., Advest, Inc., H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc., Fahnestock & Co. Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Quick & Reilly, Inc., Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc. are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the "Representatives"), with respect to the issue and sale by the Fund and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective number of common shares of
beneficial interest, par value $.00001 per share, of the Fund ("Common Shares")
set forth in said Schedule A, and with respect to the grant by the Fund to the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in
Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of [ ] additional Common Shares
for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid [ ]
Common Shares (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by the Underwriters and
all or any part of the [ ] Common Shares subject to the option described in
Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option Securities") are hereinafter called,
collectively, the "Securities."
The Fund understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Fund has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form N-2 (No. 333-100699 and No.
811-21238) covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary
prospectus or prospectuses, and a notification on Form N-8A of registration of
the Fund as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission under
the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act (the "Rules and Regulations"). Promptly after
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Fund will either (i) prepare and
file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule 430A")
of the Rules and Regulations and paragraph (c) or (h) of Rule 497 ("Rule 497")
of the Rules and Regulations or (ii) if the Fund has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the Rules and Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 497. The
information included in any such prospectus or Term Sheet, that was omitted from
such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed
to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective, if
applicable, (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as "Rule
430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to as
"Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such registration statement
became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A
Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used after such effectiveness
and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, including in each
case any statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference,
is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration statement,
including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto at the time it became
effective and including the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information,
as applicable, is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any registration
statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations is herein
referred to as the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after such filing
the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters
for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the
statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference, is herein
called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall
refer to the preliminary prospectus dated November [ ], 2002 together with the
Term Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus
shall mean the date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all
references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant
to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Fund and the Investment Adviser. The Fund and the Investment Adviser jointly and severally represent and warrant to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agree with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act, or order of suspension or revocation of registration pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act, and no proceedings for any such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Investment Adviser, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with in all material respects.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto
became effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities
are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement,
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the notification of Form N-8A
and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940
Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or
supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment
or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option
Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. If Rule 434 is used, the Fund will comply with the
requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectus shall not be "materially
different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part of the effective Registration Statement or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Rules and Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
If a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is required in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, the Fund has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 111 under the 1933 Act Regulations relating to the payment of filing fees thereof.
The foregoing representations in this Section 1(a)(i) do not apply to statements or omissions relating to the Underwriters made in reliance on and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Fund by the Underwriters or their agents expressly for use in the Registration Statement, 462(b) Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing).
(ii) Independent Accountants. As of the date of the report of the independent accountants contained in the Registration Statement, the accountants who certified the statement
of assets and liabilities included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The statement of assets and liabilities included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related notes, presents fairly the financial position of the Fund in all material respects at the date indicated; said statement has been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP").
(iv) Expense Summary. The information set forth in the Prospectus in the Fee Table has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Form N-2 and to the extent estimated or projected, such estimates or projections are reasonably believed to be attainable and reasonably based.
(v) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Fund, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Fund, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Fund on any class of its capital shares.
(vi) Good Standing of the Fund. The Fund has been duly organized and is validly existing as an unincorporated voluntary association in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Fund is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vii) No Subsidiaries. The Fund has no subsidiaries.
(viii) Investment Company Status. The Fund is duly registered with the Commission under the 1940 Act as a closed-end diversified management investment company, and no order of suspension or revocation of such registration has been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Investment Adviser, threatened by the Commission.
(ix) Officers and Trustees. No person is serving or acting as an officer, trustee or investment adviser of the Fund except in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated under the Advisers Act (the "Advisers Act Rules and Regulations"). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to either of them), no trustee of the Fund is an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or an "affiliated person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any Underwriter. For purposes of this Section 1(a)(ix), the Fund and the Investment Adviser shall be entitled to rely on representations from such officers and trustees.
(x) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund is as set forth in the Prospectus as of the date thereof under the caption "Description of Shares." All issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, (except as described in the Registration Statement) and have been offered and sold or exchanged by the Fund in compliance with all applicable laws (including, without limitation, federal and state
securities laws); none of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Fund.
(xi) Authorization and Description of Securities. The
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Fund have been
duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to
this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Fund pursuant to
this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein,
will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable, (except as
provided in the Registration Statement). The Common Shares conform to
all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and such
description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments
defining the same to the extent such rights are set forth; no holder of
the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being
such a holder (except as described in the Registration Statement); and
the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Fund (other than the
right of the Investment Adviser to purchase securities as set forth in
Section 2 hereof).
(xii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Fund is not in violation of its agreement and declaration of trust or by-laws, or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Fund is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments") except for such violations or defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Registrar Agreement referred to in the Registration Statement (as used herein, the "Management Agreement," the "Sub-Advisory Agreement," the "Administration Agreement," the "Custodian Agreement" and the "Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agency and Registrar Agreement," respectively) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the Fund with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Fund pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the agreement and declaration of trust or by-laws of the Fund or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Fund or any of its assets, properties or operations, other than State securities or "blue sky" laws applicable in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Fund.
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Investment Adviser, threatened, against or affecting the Fund, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Fund or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Fund of its obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Fund is a party or of which any of its property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no material contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Fund owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the business now operated by the Fund, and the Fund has not received any notice or is not otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Fund therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Fund of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), or under the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc ("NASD") or state securities laws.
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Fund possesses such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to operate its properties and to conduct the business as contemplated in the Prospectus, except where the absence of such possession would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Fund is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Fund has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Advertisements. Any advertising, sales literature or other promotional material (including "prospectus wrappers", "broker kits," "road show slides" and "road show scripts" and "electronic road show presentations") authorized in writing by or prepared by the Fund or the Investment Adviser used in connection with the public offering of the Securities (collectively, "sales material") does not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading. Moreover, all sales material complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and interpretations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
(xix) Subchapter M. The Fund intends to direct the investment of the proceeds of the offering described in the Registration Statement in such a manner as to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Subchapter M of the Code" and the "Code," respectively), and intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.
(xx) Distribution of Offering Materials. The Fund has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of (A) the Closing Time and (B) completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or other materials, if any, permitted by the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act or the Rules and Regulations.
(xxi) Accounting Controls. The Fund maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization and with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Code; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets and to maintain compliance with the books and records requirements under the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with the management's general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(xxii) Absence of Undisclosed Payments. To the Fund's knowledge, neither the Fund nor any employee or agent of the Fund has made any payment of funds of the Fund or received or retained any funds, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(xxiii) Material Agreements. This Agreement, the Management Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agency and Registrar Agreement have each been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part of the Fund and executed and delivered by the Fund, as of the dates noted therein, and each complies with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act in all material respects. Assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto with respect to the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agency and Registrar Agreement, each of the Management Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agency and Registrar Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and except as rights to indemnification or contribution thereunder may be limited by federal or state laws.
(xxiv) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Fund under the 1933 Act.
(xxv) NYSE Listing. The Securities have been duly authorized for listing, upon notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and the Fund's registration statement on Form 8-A under the 1934 Act has become effective.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referenced to in Section 2(b) hereof as follows:
(i) Good Standing of the Advisers. The Investment Adviser has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware, and PIMCO has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware with full limited liability company power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and each is duly qualified as a foreign limited liability company to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, except to the extent that failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect on either Adviser's ability to provide services to the Fund.
(ii) Investment Adviser Status. Each of the Advisers is duly registered and in good standing with the Commission as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the 1940 Act, or the rules and regulations under such acts, from acting under the Management Agreement for the Fund as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(iii) Description of Advisers. The description of the Advisers in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement to either of them) complied and complies in all material respects with the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations and is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(iv) Capitalization. Each of the Advisers has the financial resources available to it necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in the Prospectus, this Agreement and under the Management Agreement or Sub-Advisory Agreement to which it is a party.
(v) Authorization of Agreements; Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. This Agreement, the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Additional Compensation Agreement have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Adviser that is a party thereto, and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by each of the parties thereto) the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Additional Compensation Agreement each constitute a valid and binding obligation of each respective Adviser that is a party thereto, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement or the
Additional Compensation Agreement nor the performance by either of the Advisers of its obligations hereunder or thereunder will conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute, with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, a default under, any agreement or instrument to which either Adviser is a party or by which it is bound, the certificate of formation, the operating agreement, or other organizational documents of the Advisers, or to each Adviser's knowledge, by any law, order, decree, rule or regulation applicable to it of any jurisdiction, court, federal or state regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, stock exchange or securities association having jurisdiction over the Advisers or their respective properties or operations; and no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority or agency is required for the consummation by the Advisers of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Management Agreement, the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Additional Compensation Agreement, except as have been obtained or may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act or state securities laws.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there has not occurred any event which should reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of either Adviser to perform its respective obligations under this Agreement and the respective Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement to which it is a party.
(vii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Advisers, threatened against or affecting either Adviser or any "affiliated person" of either Adviser (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) or any partners, trustees, officers or employees of the foregoing, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, which might reasonably be expected to result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the relevant Adviser, materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the relevant Adviser or materially impair or adversely affect the ability of the relevant Adviser to function as an investment adviser or perform its obligations under the Management Agreement or the Sub-Advisory Agreement, or which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(viii) Absence of Violation or Default. Each Adviser is not in violation of certificate of formation, its operating agreement or other organizational documents or in default under any agreement, indenture or instrument, where such violation or default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on either Adviser's ability to function as an investment adviser or perform its obligations under the Management Agreement or Sub-Advisory Agreement.
(c) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Fund or an Adviser delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Fund or the relevant Adviser, as the case may be, to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Fund agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Fund, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite
the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Fund hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [ ] Common Shares in the aggregate at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Fund and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 45 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the Fund setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be earlier than the third day after the date on which the option is being exercised nor later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of a fractional number of Option Securities plus any additional number of Option Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
The Fund also agrees, subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, to sell to the Investment Adviser, and, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Fund herein contained and subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Investment Adviser shall have the right to purchase from the Fund, at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Option Securities, up to an aggregate of [ ] Securities (the "Investment Adviser Securities").
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Ropes & Gray, One International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Fund, at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Fund (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called "Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Fund, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Fund.
Payment shall be made to the Fund by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Fund, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may
(but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
The place and time of closing for the Investment Adviser Securities shall be as agreed upon by the Investment Adviser and the Fund, except that the date of such closing for the Investment Adviser Securities shall in no event be earlier than the relevant Date of Delivery.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in the City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
SECTION 3. Covenants.
(a) The Fund and the Investment Adviser, jointly and severally, covenant with each Underwriter as follows:
(i) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. With respect to the offering of the Securities, the Fund, subject to Section 3(a)(ii), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Investment Adviser, threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Fund will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 497 and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 497 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Fund will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, or order of suspension or revocation of registration pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act, and, if any such stop order or order of suspension or revocation of registration is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(ii) Filing of Amendments. With respect to the offering of the Securities, the Fund will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(iii) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Fund has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and a signed copy of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. No copy of a post-effective amendment shall be required to be delivered after one year from the date hereof.
(iv) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Fund has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Fund hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Fund will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(v) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Fund, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Fund will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(a)(ii), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Fund will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request; provided that, if the supplement or amendment is required exclusively as a result of a misstatement in or omission from the information provided to the Fund in writing by the Underwriters expressly for use in the Prospectus, the Fund may deliver such supplement or amendment to the Underwriters and dealers at a reasonable charge not to exceed the actual cost thereof to the Fund.
(vi) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Fund will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United States as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Fund shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign business trust or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Fund will file such statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(vii) Rule 158. The Fund will make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(viii) Use of Proceeds. The Fund will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in substantially the manner specified in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds".
(ix) Listing. The Fund will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the listing of the Securities on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance, concurrently with the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(x) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Fund will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (A) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (B) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (1) the Securities to be sold hereunder or (2) Common Shares issued or, for the avoidance of doubt, purchased in the open market pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan.
(xi) Reporting Requirements. The Fund, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1940 Act and the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations and the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, respectively.
(xii) Subchapter M. The Fund will use its best efforts to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code.
(xiii) No Manipulation of Market for Securities. The Fund will
not (a) take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or
to result in, or that might reasonably be expected to constitute, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Fund
to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities in violation of
federal or state securities laws, and (b) until the Closing Date, or
the Date of Delivery, if any, (i) except for share repurchases
permitted in accordance with applicable laws and purchases of
Securities in the open market pursuant to the Fund's dividend
reinvestment plan, sell, bid for or purchase the Securities or pay any
person any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Securities or
(ii) pay or agree to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting
another to purchase any other securities of the Fund.
(xiv) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. If the Fund elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Fund shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Fund shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the 1933 Act.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Fund will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the reasonable costs of the preparation, printing and delivery to
the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such
other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase,
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance
and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters,
including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties
payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Fund's counsel, accountants
and other advisers, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities
laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(a)(vi) hereof, including
filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of
the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery
to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery
to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto,
(viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the
Securities, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by
the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (x) the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the NYSE and (xi)
the printing of any sales material. Also, the Fund shall pay to Merrill Lynch,
on behalf of the Underwriters, $.005 per share of the securities purchased
pursuant to this agreement as partial reimbursement of expenses incurred in
connection with the offering. The Investment Adviser has agreed to pay
organizational expenses and offering costs (other than sales load) of the Fund
that exceed $.03 per Common Share.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a) hereof, the Fund and the Investment Adviser, jointly and severally, agree that they shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Fund and the Investment Adviser contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Fund or the Investment Adviser delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Fund and the Investment Adviser of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice or order pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act shall have been issued, and no proceedings with respect to either shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of counsel to the Fund and counsel to the Investment Adviser, threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 497 (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A or a certification must have
been filed in accordance with Rule 497(j)) or, if the Fund has elected to rely on upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 497.
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Fund and the Advisers. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions, dated as of Closing Time, of Ropes & Gray, counsel for the Fund and Newt Schott, Esq., internal counsel for the Investment Adviser, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 hereto or in such other form and substance as may be reasonably satisfactory to counsel to the Underwriters.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with
signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters
with respect to the matters set forth in clauses (A) (i), (ii), (vi), (vii)
(solely as to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or
under the charter or by-laws of the Fund), (viii) through (x), inclusive, (xiv)
(solely as to the information in the Prospectus under "Description of Shares")
and the last paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel
may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the
law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the
opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also
state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied,
to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Fund and
certificates of public officials.
(d) Officers' Certificates. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received (A) a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Fund and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Fund and of the President or a Vice President or Managing Director of the Investment Adviser, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Sections 1(a) and (b) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) each of the Fund and the Advisers, respectively, has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to this Agreement at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or order of suspension or revocation of registration pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act, has been issued and no proceedings for any such purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the Commission and (B) a certificate of the President or a Vice President or Managing Director of PIMCO, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the description of PIMCO and its business, and the statements attributable to PIMCO in the Registration Statement (and any amendment or supplement thereto) under the headings "Prospectus Summary--Portfolio Manager," "Management of the Fund" and "Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager," at the time such Registration Statement became effective, were true and correct and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading or the description of PIMCO and its business, and the statements attributable to PIMCO in the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) under the headings "Prospectus Summary--Portfolio Manager" and "Management of the Fund," at the time the Prospectus was issued, were true and correct and did not, or at the Closing Time, are true and correct and do not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter dated such date, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(g) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(h) Execution of Additional Compensation Agreement. At Closing Time, Merrill Lynch shall have received the Additional Compensation Agreement, dated the date of the Closing Time, as executed by the Investment Adviser.
(i) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(j) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Fund contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Fund hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers' Certificates. Certificates, dated such Date of
Delivery, of a duly authorized officer of the Fund and of the chief
financial or chief accounting officer of the Fund and of the President
or a Vice President or Managing Director of each of the Advisers, as
applicable, confirming that the information contained in the applicable
certificate delivered by each of them at the Closing Time pursuant to
Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of
Delivery.
(ii) Opinions of Counsel for the Fund and the Advisers. The favorable opinions of Ropes & Gray, counsel for the Fund, and Newt Schott, Esq., internal counsel for the Investment Adviser, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The favorable opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(k) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such opinions, certificates and other documents as they may reasonably require from the Fund and the Advisers for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of
the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Fund and the Investment Adviser in connection with the organization and registration of the Fund under the 1940 Act and the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(l) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option
Securities, on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option
Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Fund at
any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 13
shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Fund and the Investment Adviser, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and any director, officer, employee or affiliate thereof as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the prior written consent of the Fund and the Investment Adviser; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund or the Investment Adviser by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto); provided, further, that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim, damage and expense purchased the Securities which are the subject thereof if the Prospectus corrected any such alleged untrue statement or omission and if such Prospectus was delivered to such Underwriter in a timely manner and if such Underwriter failed to send or give a copy of the Prospectus to such person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person.
(b) Indemnification of Fund, Investment Adviser, Trustees and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and the Investment Adviser, their respective directors and trustees, each of the Fund's officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Investment Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund or the Investment Adviser by such Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Indemnification for Marketing Materials. In addition to the foregoing indemnification, the Fund and the Investment Adviser also, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a), as limited by the proviso set forth therein, with respect to any sales material.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in
the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the
indemnified parties shall be selected by the Fund and the Investment Adviser. An
indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not
(except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the
indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel)
separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with
any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in
respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i)
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure
to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
SECTION 7. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then, each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Fund and the Investment Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Fund and the Investment Adviser on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Fund and the Investment Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Fund and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters (whether from the Fund or otherwise), in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Fund and the Investment Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Fund or the Investment Adviser or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Fund, the Investment Adviser and the Underwriters agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall
be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each trustee of the Fund and each director of the Investment Adviser, respectively, each officer of the Fund who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Investment Adviser, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Fund and the Investment Adviser, respectively. The Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Fund or the Advisers submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Fund or the Advisers, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Fund, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Fund or the Advisers, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in the Common Shares of the Fund has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or if trading generally on the NYSE or the American Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the NASD or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 13 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters.
If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Fund to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Fund to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Fund shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Notices.
All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives, Merrill Lynch & Co., North Tower, 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, attention of Equity Capital Markets; and notices to the Fund or the Advisers shall be directed, as appropriate, to the office of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, attention Bill Gross.
SECTION 12. Parties.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Fund, the Investment Adviser and their respective partners and successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Fund, the Investment Adviser and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and trustees referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Fund, the Investment Adviser and their respective partners and successors, and said controlling persons and officers, trustees and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SAID STATE. UNLESS OTHERWISE EXPLICITLY PROVIDED, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings.
The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 15. Massachusetts Business Trust
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this Agreement is executed on behalf of the Fund by an officer or trustee of the Fund in his or her capacity as an officer or trustee of the Fund and not individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Fund and the Investment Adviser in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
Title:
PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
UBS WARBURG LLC
RBC DAIN RAUSHER INC.
WACHOVIA SECURITIES, INC.
ADVEST, INC.
H&R BLOCK FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC.
FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC.
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC
MCDONALD INVESTMENTS INC., A KECORP COMPANY
SUNTRUSTROBINSON HUMPHREY
QUICK & REILLY, INC.
WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
By: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
SCHEDULE A
Number of
Name of Underwriter Initial Securities
------------------- ------------------
|
Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
[ ] Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
(Par Value $.00001 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $15.00.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $[ ], being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $[ ] per share; provided that the purchase price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Fund and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Sch B-1
Exhibit A-1
FORM OF OPINION OF FUND'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
December __, 2002
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters listed on
Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") in connection with the proposed issuance of _______ common shares of beneficial interest, with a par value of $0.00001 per share (the "Shares"). This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 5(b) of the Purchase Agreement dated as of December __, 2002 (the "Purchase Agreement") among the Fund, PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC (the "Investment Manager") and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and ________, as representatives of the underwriters listed on Schedule A thereto (the "Underwriters"). Capitalized terms used in this opinion, unless otherwise defined, have the meanings specified in the Purchase Agreement.
We have examined signed copies of the registration statement of the Fund on Form N-2 (File No. 333-100699) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), including all exhibits thereto, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on October 23, 2002 (the "Original Registration Statement"), Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Original Registration Statement, including all exhibits thereto, as filed with the Commission on November 22, 2002 ("Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1") and Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Original Registration Statement, including all exhibits thereto, as filed with the Commission on December __, 2002 ("Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2" and, together with the Original Registration Statement and Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, the "Registration Statement"); the Fund's Notification of Registration on Form N-8A (File No. 811-21238) under the Investment Company Act, as filed with the Commission on October 23, 2002 (the "Notification of Registration"); the Fund's Registration Statement on Form 8-A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as filed with the Commission on November 25, 2002 (the "Exchange Act Registration Statement"); the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended to the date hereof (the "Declaration of Trust"), on file in the offices of the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Clerk of the City of Boston; the By-laws of the Fund, as amended to the date hereof (the "By-laws"); a copy of the Prospectus dated December __, 2002, relating to the Shares and the Statement of Additional Information of the Fund dated December __, 2002, each as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act on December __, 2002 (together, the "Prospectus"); the Investment Management Agreement dated as of November 19, 2002, between the Fund and the Investment Manager (the "Investment Management
Agreement"); the Portfolio Management Agreement dated as of November 19, 2002, between Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (the "Portfolio Manager") and the Investment Manager (the "Portfolio Management Agreement"), as agreed to and accepted by the Fund; the Custodian Agreement dated as of December __, 2002, between the Fund and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Custodian Agreement"); and the Transfer Agency Services Agreement dated as of December __, 2002, between the Fund and PFPC Inc. (the "Transfer Agency Agreement," and, together with the Custodian Agreement, the "Fund Agreements"); and the Purchase Agreement. Additionally, we have relied [upon the order of the Commission pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Securities Act declaring the Registration Statement effective as of [ ____] on December __, 2002, and] upon the oral representation of Keith O'Connell of the Commission staff to the effect that the Exchange Act Registration Statement and the Registration Statement became effective as of 12:15 p.m. on December __, 2002; a letter dated November 27, 2002, from Noreen M. Culhane, Executive Vice President, Corporate Listings and Compliance of the New York Stock Exchange, authorizing the Shares for listing on such Exchange; and the oral representation by a member of the Commission staff on the date hereof that as of [8:10] a.m., no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement had been issued and no proceeding for any such purpose was pending or threatened.
We have also examined and relied upon the original or copies of written
consents of shareholders and the Board of Trustees of the Fund and copies of
resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Fund certified by the Secretary of
the Fund, the documents delivered to the Underwriters by the Fund, the
Investment Manager and the Portfolio Manager dated as of the date hereof
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and such other documents, including
certificates of officers of the Fund, as we have deemed necessary for purposes
of rendering our opinions below. For purposes of paragraph 2 below, we have
relied solely on (1) the certificate of recent date of the Secretary of State of
the State of California as to the entitlement of the Fund to transact intrastate
business in the State of California, (2) a Certificate of the Special Deputy
Secretary of State of the State of New York dated December 5, 2002, certifying
copies of (a) a Certificate of Designation by the Fund dated November 26, 2002
and (b) a Statement under Section 18 of the New York General Associations Law,
(3) a Filing Receipt of the Department of State of the State of New York dated
December 2, 2002 relating to the Fund and (4) a Certificate dated December __,
2002 of the Special Deputy Secretary of State of the State of New York
certifying that the Fund filed a Certificate of Designation in the Department of
State of the State of New York on December 2, 2002. We have assumed the
genuineness of the signatures on all documents examined by us, the authenticity
of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the
corresponding originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. For purposes
of our opinions regarding the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and
the Exchange Act Registration Statement, we are relying solely on the oral
representations of the Commission staff.
We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States of America. We call your attention to the fact that the Purchase Agreement provides that it is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the Transfer Agency Agreement provides that it is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, and to the fact that the Investment Management Agreement does not provide that it is to be governed by the laws of any particular jurisdiction. In rendering the opinion as to enforceability expressed in paragraph 5 below, we have limited the scope of our opinion to the conclusions that would be reached by a Massachusetts court that had determined that each of the Fund Agreements and the Investment Management Agreement would be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Further, we express no opinion as to the state securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction, including The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For purposes of our opinion set forth in paragraph 2 below with respect to the power and authority of the Fund to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Fund as to the states in which the Fund leases or owns real property or in which it conducts material operations.
Insofar as this opinion relates to factual matters, we have made inquiries to officers of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Portfolio Manager to the extent we believe reasonable with respect to such matters and have relied inter alia upon representations made by the Fund and the Investment Manager in the Purchase Agreement, representations made by the Portfolio Manager to the Investment Manager and representations made to us by one or more officers of the Fund, the Investment Manager or the Portfolio Manager. We have not independently verified the accuracy of such representations. Where our opinion relates to our "knowledge," that term means the conscious awareness of facts or other information by any lawyer in our firm giving substantive attention to the representation of the Fund with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, and does not require or imply (i) any examination of this firm's, any such lawyer's or any other person's or entity's files, or (ii) that any inquiry was made of any lawyer (other than the lawyers described above). In respect of our opinions set forth in paragraphs 4, 7, 9 and 11 below, we have not searched the dockets of any court, administrative body or other filing office in any jurisdiction.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments on or before the Closing Time, if any, are effective under the Securities Act; the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 497; and based upon oral inquiries to the Commission staff on the date hereof, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or threatened by the Commission.
2. The Fund has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as an unincorporated voluntary association under and by virtue of the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has full power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Certificate of Designation relating to the Fund's conduct of business in the State of New York is on file with the Department of State of the State of New York, and the Fund is entitled to transact intrastate business in the State of California.
3. The Fund's authorized capitalization is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Fund has an indefinite number of authorized common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 per share. The Shares conform in all material respects as to legal matters to the description of them under the section entitled "Description of Shares" in the Prospectus. All issued and outstanding common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and, subject to the penultimate paragraph of this opinion letter, non-assessable, and the 6,981 common shares of beneficial interest issued to the Investment Adviser on November 19, 2002 have been issued in one or more transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and, subject to the penultimate paragraph of this opinion letter, non-assessable. Except as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, no person is entitled to any preemptive or other similar rights with respect to the Shares.
4. The Fund was deemed to be registered under Section 8(a) of the Investment Company Act upon receipt by the Commission of the Notification of Registration. To our knowledge, the
Commission has not issued to the Fund notice of any hearing or other proceeding to consider suspension or revocation of any such registration statement. All required action has been taken by the Fund under the Securities Act, the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to make the public offering and consummate the sale of the Shares pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
5. The Fund has full power and authority to enter into each of the Fund Agreements and to perform all of the terms and provisions thereof to be carried out by it. Each of the Fund Agreements has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund. Each of the Fund Agreements, the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement complies in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations thereunder (except we express no opinion as to the reasonableness or fairness of compensation payable under such agreements). Assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, each Fund Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
6. The Fund has full power and authority to enter into each of the Investment Management Agreement and the Purchase Agreement and to perform all of the terms and provisions thereof to be carried out by it. The Investment Management Agreement and the Purchase Agreement have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund. Assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other party thereto, the Investment Management Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund enforceable in accordance with its terms (except we express no opinion as to the reasonableness or fairness of compensation payable under such agreements), subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
7. None of (a) the execution and delivery by the Fund of the Investment Management Agreement, the Purchase Agreement or any of the Fund Agreements, (b) the issue and sale by the Fund of the Shares as contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and (c) the performance by the Fund of its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement, the Purchase Agreement or any of the Fund Agreements or consummation by the Fund of the other transactions contemplated by the Investment Management Agreement, the Purchase Agreement or any of the Fund Agreements conflicts or will conflict with, or results or will result in a breach of, or the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any assets or property of the Fund pursuant to, the Declaration of Trust or the By-laws or, to our knowledge, any agreement or instrument to which the Fund is a party or by which the Fund is bound or to which its property is subject, or violates or will violate any federal or Massachusetts statute, law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree of any federal or Massachusetts governmental agency or body that is applicable to the Fund and that is known to us, which violation would have a material adverse effect on the condition or business of the Fund.
8. To our knowledge, the Fund is not in breach of, or in default under, its Declaration of Trust or By-laws, or any material written agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or its property is bound or affected.
9. No consent, approval, authorization or order of or registration with any court or governmental agency or body or securities exchange or securities association is required by the Fund for the consummation by the Fund of the transactions contemplated in the Investment Management
Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the Fund Agreements, except such as (a) have been obtained under the Securities Act, the Investment Company Act or the Exchange Act and (b) may be required by the New York Stock Exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
10. To our knowledge, based upon a letter dated November 27, 2002, from Noreen M. Culhane, Executive Vice President, Corporate Listings and Compliance of the New York Stock Exchange, authorizing the Shares for listing on such Exchange, the Shares have been authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance, and to our knowledge after due inquiry, including oral inquiries of the Commission staff on December __, 2002, the Exchange Act Registration Statement has become effective.
11. To our knowledge, there are no legal, governmental or court proceedings pending or threatened against the Fund, or to which the Fund or any of its properties is subject, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus but are not described therein as required.
12. To our knowledge, there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which have not been so described or filed as an exhibit or incorporated therein by reference.
13. Each of the sections in the Prospectus entitled "Tax Matters," to the extent that it states matters of United States law or legal conclusions with respect thereto, presents a fair and accurate summary of the principal federal income tax rules currently in effect applicable to the Fund and to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Shares.
14. The Registration Statement (except for the financial statements and schedules, the notes thereto and any schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion), at the effective time set forth above, and the Prospectus (except as aforesaid), as of the date thereof, complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and the Notification of Registration, when filed with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
We have not independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements made or the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and, except in the respects and to the extent set forth in paragraphs 3, 13 and 14 above, we are not passing upon and do not assume any responsibility therefor. In the course of the preparation by the Fund of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, we have participated in discussions with your representatives and employees and officers of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Portfolio Manager and in discussions with the Fund's independent accountants, in which the business and the affairs of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Portfolio Manager and the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were discussed. There is no assurance that all material facts as to the Fund, the Investment Manager, the Portfolio Manager and their affairs were disclosed to us or that our familiarity with the Fund and the Investment Manager or any familiarity with the Portfolio Manager is such that we would have necessarily recognized the materiality of such facts as were disclosed to us, and we have to a large extent relied upon statements of representatives of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Portfolio Manager as to the materiality of the facts disclosed to us. On the basis of information that we have gained in the course of our representation of the Fund in connection with its preparation of the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and our participation in the discussions referred to above, no facts have come to our attention that would lead us to believe that, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or that as of the date of the Prospectus and the date hereof the Prospectus contained an untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light, in each case, of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements and schedules, the notes thereto and any schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion).
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Fund's Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation, and instrument entered into or executed by the Fund or the Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of the property of the Fund for all loss and expense of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of being or having been a shareholder of the Fund. Thus, the risk of a shareholder's incurring financial loss on account of being a shareholder is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations.
This letter and the opinions expressed herein are furnished by us to you and are solely for benefit of the Underwriters, except that Clifford Chance US LLP may rely on this letter as to all matters governed by the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in delivering its opinion to you on the date hereof.
Very truly yours,
Ropes & Gray
* * * * *
December __, 2002
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters listed on
Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") in connection with the proposed issuance of _______ common shares of beneficial interest, with a par value of $0.00001 per share (the "Shares"). As an accommodation to the Fund, we are also rendering this opinion on behalf of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC (the "Investment Manager") solely with respect to the regulatory matters referred to below. This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 5(b) of the Purchase Agreement dated as of December __, 2002 (the "Purchase Agreement") among the Fund, the Investment Manager and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and ________, as representatives of the underwriters listed on Schedule A thereto (the "Underwriters"). Capitalized terms used in this opinion, unless otherwise defined, have the meanings specified in our opinion of even date rendered on behalf of the Fund (the "Fund Opinion").
Solely for purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that each of the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the parties thereto in accordance with its respective terms, and that the descriptions of the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement in the Registration Statement are accurate and complete in all respects. We have also, with your permission and without independent investigation of the matters set forth therein, relied on the opinions of even date herewith of Newton B. Schott, Jr., Esq., Chief Legal Officer of the Investment Manager.
We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States of America.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. Assuming the Investment Manager is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), from acting as investment adviser for the Fund as contemplated by the Investment Management Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement, the Investment Management Agreement or the Portfolio Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, nor the consummation by the Investment Manager of the transactions contemplated thereby, nor compliance by the Investment Manager with any of the terms and provisions thereof will violate the
provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Advisers Act, or the rules and regulations thereunder; provided, however, that the foregoing does not represent an opinion as to (a) the reasonableness of the fees to be paid to the Investment Manager under the Investment Management Agreement or (b) the compliance by the Investment Manager with its indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
2. Assuming the Portfolio Manager is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act from acting as portfolio manager for the Fund as contemplated by the Portfolio Management Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the execution and delivery of the Portfolio Management Agreement by the Portfolio Manager, nor the consummation by the Portfolio Manager of the transactions contemplated thereby, nor compliance by the Portfolio Manager with any of the terms and provisions thereof will violate the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Advisers Act or the rules and regulations thereunder; provided, however, that the foregoing does not represent an opinion as to the reasonableness of the fees to be paid to the Portfolio Manager under the Portfolio Management Agreement.
This letter and the opinions expressed herein are furnished by us to you and are solely for benefit of the Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
Ropes & Gray
Exhibit A-2
FORM OF OPINION OF ADVISER'S
COUNSEL TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters listed on
Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Re: PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am the Chief Legal Officer of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("PAFM"), and have counseled PAFM in such capacity in connection with the sale to you by PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund, a voluntary association with transferable shares organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (commonly referred to as a Massachusetts business trust) (the "Fund"), of an aggregate of ______________ common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Fund, pursuant to a registration statement on Form N-2 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on October 23, 2002 (Act File No. 333-100699, and Investment Company Act File No. 811-21238), as amended by Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 filed with the Commission on November 22, 2002 and Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 filed with the Commission on December ___, 2002 (such registration statements collectively referred to herein as the "Registration Statement"), and a purchase agreement dated December __, 2002 by and among you, the Fund and PAFM (the "Purchase Agreement").
This opinion is rendered to you pursuant to Section 5(b) of the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Purchase Agreement.
As such legal officer, I have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as I have considered appropriate for purposes of rendering the opinions expressed below, except where a statement is qualified as to knowledge or awareness, in which case I have made no or limited inquiry as specified below. I have examined, among other things, the following:
(a) the Purchase Agreement;
(b) that certain Investment Management Agreement by and between the Fund and PAFM, dated as of November 19, 2002;
(c) that certain Portfolio Management Agreement by and between Pacific Investment Management Company LLC and PAFM, as accepted and agreed to by the Fund, dated as of November 19, 2002; and
(d) that certain Additional Compensation Agreement with respect to the Fund by and between PAFM and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, dated as of December __, 2002.
The documents described in subsections (a)-(d) above are referred to herein collectively as the "Transaction Documents."
In my examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures (other than those of officers of PAFM on the Transaction Documents), the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to me as copies.
I have been furnished with, and with your consent have relied upon, certificates of officers of PAFM with respect to certain factual matters. In addition, I have obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as I have deemed necessary.
I am opining herein as to the effect of the federal laws of the United States, the internal laws of the State of New York and the internal laws of the State of Delaware, and I express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or country or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state or country. My opinions set forth in paragraph 4 below are based upon my consideration of only those statutes, rules and regulations which, in my experience, are normally applicable to transactions similar to those contemplated by the Transaction Documents, generally.
Whenever a statement herein is qualified by "to my knowledge" or a similar phrase, it is intended to indicate that I do not have current actual knowledge of the inaccuracy of such statement. However, except as otherwise expressly indicated, I have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the accuracy of any such statement, and no inference that I have any knowledge of any matters pertaining to such statement should be drawn from my position as Chief Legal Officer of PAFM.
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is my opinion that, as of the date hereof:
1. PAFM is a limited liability company and is validly existing and in good standing under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C ss.. 18-101, et seq.) with all necessary limited liability company power and authority to enter into and deliver the Transaction Documents and perform its obligations thereunder and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement. Based on certificates from public officials, I confirm that PAFM is qualified to
do business in the following States: California, New York and Connecticut, such States being those in which its ownership or leasing of property or its conducting of business may require such qualification and where failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on the ability of PAFM to perform its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement and the Portfolio Management Agreement.
2. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by PAFM have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action of PAFM and no other actions on the part of PAFM or its unitholders or any subsidiary of PAFM or its unitholders is necessary to authorize and consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, and the Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by PAFM.
3. Each of the Investment Management Agreement, the Portfolio Management Agreement and the Additional Compensation Agreement constitutes a legally valid and binding agreement of PAFM, enforceable against PAFM in accordance with its terms.
4. Neither the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by PAFM, nor the consummation by PAFM of transactions contemplated thereby, nor compliance by PAFM with any of the terms and provisions thereof will:
(i) violate any provision of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of PAFM, effective May 23, 2000, as amended on July 1, 2001, December 12, 2001, and October 31, 2002, which is still in full force and effect and which has not been further amended or supplemented through the date hereof,
(ii) violate any federal, Delaware or New York statute, rule or regulation applicable to PAFM (other than federal and state securities or blue sky laws, the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), as to which I express no opinion),
(iii) violate any agreement to which PAFM is a party or by which it is bound and which is material to PAFM's businesses taken as a whole (the "Material Agreements"),
(iv) violate any order, writ, injunction or decree, known to me and applicable to PAFM, or
(v) to the best of my knowledge, require any consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings by PAFM under any federal or Delaware statute, rule or regulation applicable to PAFM, except as have been obtained under the Act, the Investment Company Act or the Advisers Act.
No opinion is expressed in this paragraph 4 as to the application of Section 548 of the federal Bankruptcy Code and comparable provisions of state or foreign law or of any antifraud laws, antitrust or trade regulation laws. No opinion is expressed in this paragraph 4 with respect to the operating licenses necessary for PAFM's businesses.
5. PAFM is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act from acting as investment adviser for the Fund as contemplated by the Investment Management Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
6. The description of PAFM and its business, and the statements attributable to PAFM, set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus under the headings "Prospectus Summary--Investment Manager," "Management of the Fund" and "Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager" do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (with respect to the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading
7. There is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court, commission, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic, now pending or, to my knowledge, threatened against PAFM of a nature required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or that might reasonably result in any material adverse change in the ability of PAFM to fulfill its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.
The opinions expressed in paragraph 3 above are subject to the following limitations, qualifications and exceptions:
(a) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights or remedies of creditors generally;
(b) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought;
(c) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and
(d) the unenforceability of any provision requiring the payment of attorney's fees, except to the extent that a court determines such fees to be reasonable.
In rendering the opinions expressed in paragraph 4 insofar as they require interpretation of the Material Agreements (i) I have assumed with your permission that all courts of competent jurisdiction would enforce such agreements as written but would apply the internal laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice of law provisions contained therein or any choice of law principles which would result in application of the internal laws of any other state and (ii) to the extent that any questions of legality or legal construction have arisen in connection with my review, I have applied the laws of the State of New York in resolving such questions. I advise you that certain of the Material Agreements may be governed by other laws, that such laws may vary substantially from the law assumed to govern for purposes of this opinion, and that this opinion may not be relied upon as to whether or not a breach or default would occur under the law actually governing such Material Agreements.
To the extent that the obligations of PAFM may be dependent upon such matters, I assume for purposes of this opinion that: (i) all parties to the Transaction Documents other than PAFM are duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or organization; (ii) all parties to the Transaction Documents other than PAFM have the requisite power and authority and, in the case of natural persons, legal capacity to execute and deliver the Transaction Documents and to perform their respective obligations under the Transaction Documents to which they are a party; and (iii) the Transaction Documents to which such parties other than PAFM are a party have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such parties and, other than PAFM, constitute their legally valid and binding obligations, enforceable against them in accordance with
their terms. I express no opinion as to compliance by any parties to the Transaction Documents with any state or federal laws or regulations applicable to the subject transactions because of the nature of their business and I express no opinion as to compliance by any parties to the Transaction Documents with any foreign laws or regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or which may affect the Transaction Documents' enforceability.
This opinion is rendered only to you and is solely for your benefit in connection with the transactions covered hereby. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose, or furnished to, quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or corporation for any purpose, without my prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
* * * * *
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters listed on
Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Re: Pacific Investment Management Company LLC
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am the Chief Legal Officer of PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("PAFM"). PAFM is an affiliate of and under common control with Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("PIMCO"). I have discussed the matters covered by this opinion with internal counsel at PIMCO. In my capacity as Chief Legal Officer of PAFM, I am rendering this opinion on behalf of PIMCO in connection with the sale to you by PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund, a voluntary association with transferable shares organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (commonly referred to as a Massachusetts business trust) (the "Fund"), of an aggregate of ______________ common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Fund, pursuant to a registration statement on Form N-2 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on October 23, 2002 (Act File No. 333-100699, and Investment Company Act File No. 811-21238), as amended by Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 filed with the Commission on November 22, 2002 and Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 filed with the Commission on December __, 2002 (such registration statements collectively referred to herein as the "Registration Statement"), and a purchase agreement dated December __, 2002 by and among you, the Fund and PAFM (the "Purchase Agreement").
This opinion is rendered to you pursuant to Section 5(b) of the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Purchase Agreement.
As Chief Legal Officer of PAFM, I have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as I have considered appropriate for purposes of rendering the opinions expressed below, except where a statement is qualified as to knowledge or awareness, in which case I have made no or limited inquiry as specified below. I have examined, among other things, that certain Portfolio Management Agreement by
and between PIMCO and PAFM, as accepted and agreed to by the Fund, dated as of November 19, 2002 (the "Portfolio Management Agreement").
In my examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures (other than those of officers of PIMCO on the Portfolio Management Agreement), the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to me as copies.
I have been furnished with, and with your consent have relied upon, certificates of officers of PIMCO with respect to certain factual matters. In addition, I have obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as I have deemed necessary.
I am opining herein as to the effect of the federal laws of the United States, the internal laws of the State of New York and the internal laws of the State of Delaware, and I express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or country or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state or country. My opinions set forth in paragraph 4 below are based upon my consideration of only those statutes, rules and regulations which, in my experience, are normally applicable to transactions similar to those contemplated by the Portfolio Management Agreement, generally.
Whenever a statement herein is qualified by "to my knowledge" or a similar phrase, it is intended to indicate that I do not have current actual knowledge of the inaccuracy of such statement. However, except as otherwise expressly indicated, I have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the accuracy of any such statement, and no inference that I have any knowledge of any matters pertaining to such statement should be drawn from my position as Chief Legal Officer of PAFM.
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is my opinion that, as of the date hereof:
1. PIMCO is a limited liability company and is validly existing and in good standing under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C ss.. 18-101, et seq.) with all necessary limited liability company power and authority to enter into and deliver the Portfolio Management Agreement and perform its obligations thereunder and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement. Based on certificates from public officials, I confirm that PIMCO is qualified to do business in the following States: California and New York, such States being those in which its ownership or leasing of property or its conducting of business may require such qualification and where failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on the ability of PIMCO to perform its obligations under the Portfolio Management Agreement.
2. The execution, delivery and performance of the Portfolio Management Agreement by PIMCO have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action of PIMCO and no other actions on the part of PIMCO or its unitholders or any subsidiary of PIMCO or its unitholders is necessary to authorize and consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, and the Portfolio Management Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by PIMCO.
3. The Portfolio Management Agreement constitutes a legally valid and binding agreement of PIMCO, enforceable against PIMCO in accordance with its terms.
4. Neither the execution and delivery of the Portfolio Management Agreement by PIMCO, nor the consummation by PIMCO of transactions contemplated thereby, nor compliance by PIMCO with any of the terms and provisions thereof will:
(i) violate any provision of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of PIMCO, effective May 5, 2000,
(ii) violate any federal, Delaware or New York statute, rule or regulation applicable to PIMCO (other than federal and state securities or blue sky laws, the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), as to which I express no opinion),
(iii) violate any agreement to which PIMCO is a party or by which it is bound and which is material to PIMCO's businesses taken as a whole (the "Material Agreements"),
(iv) violate any order, writ, injunction or decree, known to me and applicable to PIMCO, or
(v) to the best of my knowledge, require any consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings by PIMCO under any federal statute, rule or regulation applicable to PIMCO, except as have been obtained under the Act, the Investment Company Act or the Advisers Act.
No opinion is expressed in this paragraph 4 as to the application of Section 548 of the federal Bankruptcy Code and comparable provisions of state or foreign law or of any antifraud laws, antitrust or trade regulation laws. No opinion is expressed in this paragraph 4 with respect to the operating licenses necessary for PIMCO's businesses.
5. PIMCO is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act from acting as investment sub-adviser for the Fund as contemplated by the Portfolio Management Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
6. The description of PIMCO and its business, and the statements attributable to PIMCO, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the headings "Prospectus Summary--Portfolio Manager," "Management of the Fund" and "Investment Manager and Portfolio Manager" do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (with respect to the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
7. There is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court, commission, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic, now pending or, to my knowledge, threatened against PIMCO of a nature required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or that might reasonably result in any material adverse change in the ability of PIMCO to fulfill its obligations under the Portfolio Management Agreement.
The opinions expressed in paragraph 3 above are subject to the following limitations, qualifications and exceptions:
(a) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights or remedies of creditors generally;
(b) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought;
(c) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and
(d) the unenforceability of any provision requiring the payment of attorney's fees, except to the extent that a court determines such fees to be reasonable.
In rendering the opinions expressed in paragraph 4 insofar as they require interpretation of the Material Agreements (i) I have assumed with your permission that all courts of competent jurisdiction would enforce such agreements as written but would apply the internal laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice of law provisions contained therein or any choice of law principles which would result in application of the internal laws of any other state and (ii) to the extent that any questions of legality or legal construction have arisen in connection with my review, I have applied the laws of the State of New York in resolving such questions. I advise you that certain of the Material Agreements may be governed by other laws, that such laws may vary substantially from the law assumed to govern for purposes of this opinion, and that this opinion may not be relied upon as to whether or not a breach or default would occur under the law actually governing such Material Agreements.
To the extent that the obligations of PIMCO may be dependent upon such matters, I assume for purposes of this opinion that: (i) all parties to the Portfolio Management Agreement other than PIMCO are duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or organization; (ii) all parties to the Portfolio Management Agreement other than PIMCO have the requisite power and authority and, in the case of natural persons, legal capacity to execute and deliver the Portfolio Management Agreement and to perform their respective obligations under the Portfolio Management Agreement; and (iii) the Portfolio Management Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such parties other than PIMCO and, other than PIMCO, constitutes their legally valid and binding obligations, enforceable against them in accordance with their terms. I express no opinion as to compliance by any parties to the Portfolio Management Agreement with any state or federal laws or regulations applicable to the subject transactions because of the nature of their business and I express no opinion as to compliance by any parties to the Portfolio Management Agreement with any foreign laws or regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Portfolio Management Agreement or which may affect the Portfolio Management Agreement's enforceability.
This opinion is rendered only to you and is solely for your benefit in connection with the transactions covered hereby. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose, or furnished to, quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or corporation for any purpose, without my prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
Exhibit h.2
Revised July 16, 2001
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Merrill Lynch World Headquarters 4 World Financial Center New York, N.Y. 10800
STANDARD DEALER AGREEMENT
Dear Sirs:
In connection with public offerings of securities underwritten by us, or by a group of underwriters (the "Underwriters") represented by us, you may be offered the opportunity to purchase a portion of such securities, as principal, at a discount from the offering price representing a selling concession or reallowance granted as consideration for services rendered by you in the sale of such securities. We request that you agree to the following terms and provisions, and make the following representations, which, together with any additional terms and provisions set forth in any wire or letter sent to you in connection with a particular offering, will govern all such purchases of securities and the reoffering thereof by you.
Your subscription to, or purchase of, such securities will constitute your reaffirmation of this Agreement.
1. When we are acting as representative (the "Representative") of the Underwriters in offering securities to you, it should be understood that all offers are made subject to prior sale of the subject securities, when, as and if such securities are delivered to and accepted by the Underwriters and subject to the approval of legal matters by their counsel. In such cases, any order from you for securities will be strictly subject to confirmation and we reserve the right in our uncontrolled discretion to reject any order in whole or in part. Upon release by us, you may reoffer such securities at the offering price fixed by us. With our consent, you may allow a discount, not in excess of the reallowance fixed by us, in selling such securities to other dealers, provided that in doing so you comply with the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"). Upon our request, you will advise us of the identity of any dealer to whom you allow such a discount and any Underwriter or dealer from whom you receive such a discount. After the securities are released for sale to the public, we may vary the offering price and other setting terms.
2. You represent that you are a dealer actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business and that you are either (i) a member in good standing of the NASD or (ii) a dealer with its principal place of business located outside the United States, its territories or possessions and not registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (a "non-member foreign dealer") or (iii) a bank not eligible for membership in the NASD. If you are a non-member foreign dealer, you agree to make no sales of securities within the United States, its territories or its possessions or to persons who are nationals thereof or residents therein. Non-member foreign dealers and banks agree, in making any sales, to comply with the NASD's interpretation with respect to free-riding and withholding. In accepting a selling concession where we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, in accepting a reallowance from us whether or not we are acting as such Representative, and in allowing a discount to any other person, you agree to comply with the provisions of Rule 2740 of the Conduct Rules of the NASD, and, in addition, if you are a non-member foreign dealer or bank, you agree to comply, as though you were a member of the NASD, with the provisions of Rules 2730 and 2750 of such Conduct Rules and to comply with Rule 2420 thereof as that Rule applies to a non-member foreign dealer or bank. You represent that you are fully familiar with the above provisions of the Conduct Rules of the NASD.
3. If the securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act"), in offering and selling such securities, you are not authorized to give any information or make any representation not contained in the prospectus relating thereto. You confirm that you are familiar with the rules and policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the distribution of preliminary and final prospectuses, and you agree that you will comply
therewith in any offering covered by this Agreement. If we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, we will make available to you, to the extent made available to us by the issuer of the securities, such number of copies of the prospectus or offering documents, for securities not registered under the 1933 Act, as you may reasonably request.
4. If we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters of securities of an issuer that is not required to file reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), you agree that you will not sell any of the securities to any account over which you have discretionary authority.
5. Payment for securities purchased by you is to be made at our office, One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10006 (or at such other place as we may advise), at the offering price less the concession allowed to you, on such date as we may advise, by certified or official bank check in New York Clearing House funds (or such other funds as we may advise), payable to our order, against delivery of the securities to be purchased by you. We shall have authority to make appropriate arrangements for payment for and/or delivery through the facility of The Depository Trust Company or any such other depository or similar facility for the securities.
6. In the event that, prior to the completion of the distribution of securities covered by this Agreement, we purchase in the open market or otherwise any securities delivered to you, if we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, you agree to repay to us for the accounts of the Underwriters the amount of the concession allowed to you plus brokerage commissions and any transfer taxes paid in connection with such purchase.
7. At any time prior to the completion of the distribution of securities covered by this Agreement you will, upon our request as Representative of the Underwriters, report to us the amount of securities purchased by you which then remains unsold and will, upon our request, sell to us for the account of one or more of the Underwriters such amount of such unsold securities as we may designate, at the offering price less an amount to be determined by us not in excess of the concession allowed to you.
8. If we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, upon application to us, we will inform you of the states and other jurisdictions of the United States in which it is believed that the securities being offered are qualified for sale under, or are exempt from the requirements of, their respective securities laws, but we assume no responsibility with respect to your right to sell securities in any jurisdiction. We shall have authority to file with the Department of State of the State of New York a Further State Notice with respect to the securities, if necessary.
9. You agree that in connection with any offering of securities covered by this Agreement you will comply with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, the applicable rules and regulations of the NASD, and the applicable rules of any securities exchange having jurisdiction over the offering.
10. We shall have full authority to take such action as we may deem advisable in respect of all matters pertaining to any offering covered by this Agreement. We shall be under no liability to you except for our lack of good faith and for obligations assumed by us in this Agreement, except that you do not waive any rights that you may have under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
11. Any notice from us shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of written telecommunications to you at the above address or at such other address as you shall specify to us in writing.
12. With respect to any offering of securities covered by this Agreement, the price restrictions contained in Paragraph 1 hereof and the provisions of Paragraphs 6 and 7 hereof shall terminate as to such offering at the close of business on the 45th day after the securities are released for sale or, as to any or all such provisions, at such earlier time as we may advise. All other provisions of this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect with respect to such offering.
13. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
Please confirm your agreement hereto by signing the enclosed duplicate copy hereof in the place provided below and returning such signed duplicate copy to us at World Headquarters, 4 World Financial Center, New York, N.Y. 10080, Attention: Syndicate Operations. Upon receipt thereof, this instrument and such signed duplicate copy will evidence the agreement between us.
Very truly yours,
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
Confirmed and accepted as of the
day of , 20
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Name of Dealer
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Authorized Officer or Partner
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(if not Officer or Partner, attach copy of Instrument of Authorization)
April 15, 1985
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
Merrill Lynch World Headquarters
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1305
Dear Sirs:
We understand that from time to time you may act as Representative or as one of the Representatives of the several underwriters of offerings of securities of various issuers. This Agreement shall apply to any offering of securities in which we elect to act as an underwriter after receipt of an invitation from you which shall identify the issuer, contain information regarding certain terms of the securities to be offered and specify the amount of our proposed participation and the names of the other Representatives, if any, and that our participation as an underwriter in the offering shall be subject to the provisions of this Agreement. Your invitation will include instructions for our acceptance of such invitation. At or prior to the time of an offering, you will advise us, to the extent applicable, as to the expected offering date, the expected closing date, the initial offering price, the interest or dividend rate (or the method by which such rate is to be determined), the conversion price, the underwriting discount, the management fee, the selling concession and the reallowance, except that if the offering price of the securities is to be determined as contemplated by Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933 (such procedure being hereinafter referred to as "430A Pricing"), you shall so advise us and shall specify the maximum underwriting discount, management fee and selling concession. Such information may be conveyed by you in one or more communications (such communications received by us with respect to the offering are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Invitation"). If the Purchase Agreement (as hereinafter defined) provides for the granting of an option to purchase additional securities to cover over-allotments or otherwise (an "over-allotment option"), you will notify us, in the Invitation, of such option and of our maximum obligation upon exercise of such option.
This Agreement, as amended or supplemented by the Invitation, shall become effective with respect to our participation in an offering of securities if you receive our oral or written acceptance and you do not receive a written communication revoking our acceptance prior to the time and date specified in the Invitation (our unrevoked acceptance after expiration of such time and date being hereinafter referred to as our "Acceptance"). Our Acceptance will constitute our confirmation that, except as otherwise stated in such Acceptance, each statement included in the Master Underwriters' Questionnaire set forth as Exhibit A hereto (or otherwise furnished to us) is correct. The issuer of the securities in any offering of securities made pursuant to this Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the "Issuer". If the Purchase Agreement does not provide for an over-allotment option, the securities to be purchased are hereinafter referred to as the "Securities"; if the Purchase Agreement provides for an over-allotment option, the securities the Underwriters (as hereinafter defined) are initially obligated to purchase pursuant to the Purchase Agreement are hereinafter called the "Initial Securities" and any additional securities which may
be purchased upon exercise of the over-allotment option are hereinafter called the "Option Securities", with the Initial Securities and all or any part of the Option Securities being hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Securities". Any underwriters of Securities under this Agreement, including the Representatives (as hereinafter defined), are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Underwriters". All references herein to "you" or to the "Representatives" shall mean Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and the other firms, if any, which are named as Representatives in the Invitation. The Securities to be offered may, but need not, be registered for a delayed or continuous offering pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act").
The following provisions of this Agreement shall apply separately to each individual offering of Securities. This Agreement may be supplemented or amended by you by written notice to us and, except for supplements or amendments set forth in an Invitation relating to a particular offering of Securities, any such supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective with respect to any offering of Securities to which this Agreement applies after this Agreement is so amended or supplemented.
Section 1. Purchase Agreement; Authority of Representatives. We authorize you to execute and deliver a purchase agreement and any amendment or supplement thereto and any associated Terms Agreement or other similar agreement (collectively, the "Purchase Agreement") on our behalf with the Issuer and/or any selling securityholder with respect to the Securities in such form as you determine. We will be bound by all terms of the Purchase Agreement as executed. We understand that changes may be made in those who are to be Underwriters, and in the amount of Securities to be purchased by them, but the amount of Securities to be purchased by us in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including the maximum amount of Option Securities, if any, which we may become obligated to purchase by reason of the exercise of any over-allotment option provided in the Purchase Agreement, shall not be changed without our consent except as provided in the Purchase Agreement.
As Representatives of the Underwriters, you are authorized to take such action as you deem necessary or advisable to carry out this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, and the purchase and sale of the Securities, and to agree to any waiver or modification of any provision of the Purchase Agreement. To the extent applicable, you are also authorized to determine (i) the amount of Option securities, if any, to be purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to any over-allotment option and (ii) with respect to offerings using 430A Pricing, the initial offering price and the price at which the Securities are to be purchased in accordance with the Purchase Agreement. It is understood and agreed that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated may act on behalf of all Representatives.
It is understood that, if so specified in the Invitation, arrangements may be made for the sale of Securities by the Issuer pursuant to delayed delivery contracts (hereinafter referred to as "Delayed Delivery Contracts"). References herein to delayed delivery and Delayed Delivery Contracts apply only to offerings to which delayed delivery is applicable. The term "underwriting obligation", as used in this Agreement with respect to any Underwriter, shall refer to the amount of Securities, including any Option Securities (plus such additional Securities as may be required by the Purchase Agreement in the event of a default by one or more of the Underwriters) which such Underwriter is obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of the
Purchase Agreement, without regard to any reduction in such obligation as a result of Delayed Deliver Contracts which may be entered into by the Issuer.
If the Securities consist in whole or in part of debt obligations maturing serially, the serial Securities being purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will consist, subject to adjustment as provided in the Purchase Agreement, of serial Securities of each maturity in a principal amount which bears the same proportion to the aggregate principal amount of the serial Securities of such maturity to be purchased by all the Underwriters as the respective principal amount of serial Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in the Purchase Agreement bears to the aggregate principal amount of the serial Securities to be purchased by all the Underwriters.
Section 2. Registration Statement and Prospectus; Offering Circular. In the case of an Invitation regarding an offer of Securities registered under the 1933 Act (a "Registered Offering"), you will furnish to us to the extent made available to you by the Issuer, copies of any registration statement or registration statements relating to the Securities which may be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the 1933 Act and of each amendment thereto (excluding exhibits but including any documents incorporated by reference therein). Such registration statement(s) as amended, and the prospectus(es) relating to the sale of Securities by the Issuer constituting a part thereof, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, as from time to time amended or supplemented by the filing of documents pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), the 1933 Act or otherwise, are referred to herein as the "Registration Statement" and the "Prospectus", respectively, provided however, that a supplement to the Prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act with respect to an offering of Securities (a "Prospectus Supplement") shall be deemed to have supplemented the Prospectus only with respect to the offering of Securities to which it relates.
With respect to Securities for which no Registration Statement is filed with the Commission, you will furnish to us, to the extent made available to you by the Issuer, copies of any private placement memorandum, offering circular or other offering materials to be used in connection with the offering of the Securities and of each amendment thereto (the "Offering Circular").
Section 3. Offering. The sale of the securities to the public shall commence as soon as you deem advisable. We will not sell any Securities until they are released by you for that purpose. When notified by you that the Securities are released for sale, we will offer in conformity with the terms of the offering set forth in the Prospectus or Offering Circular, such of the Securities to be purchased by us as are not reserved for our account for sale to Selected Dealers and others pursuant to Section 5. After the initial offering, the offering price and the concession and discount therefrom may be changed by you by notice to the Underwriters, and we agree to be bound by any such change.
If, in accordance with the terms of offering set forth in the Prospectus or Offering Circular, the offering of the Securities is not at a fixed price but at varying prices set by individual Underwriters based on market prices or at negotiated prices, the provisions above relating to your right to change the offering price and concession and discount to dealers shall not apply, and other references in this Section and elsewhere in this Agreement to the offering price or
Selected Dealers' concession shall be deemed to mean the prices and concessions determined by you from time to time in your discretion.
Unless otherwise permitted in the Invitation, we will not sell any Securities to any account over which we have discretionary authority. We will also comply with any other restrictions which may be set forth in the Invitation.
The initial public advertisement, if any, with respect to the Securities shall appear on such date, and shall include the names of such of the Underwriters, as you may determine.
Section 4. Delayed Delivery Arrangements. We authorize you to act on our behalf in making all arrangements for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Issuer pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts, and we agree that all such arrangements will be made only through you (directly or through Underwriters or Selected Dealers). You may allow to Selected Dealers in respect to such Securities a commission equal to the concession allowed to Selected Dealers pursuant to Section 5.
The obligations of the Underwriters shall be reduced in the aggregate by the principal amount of Securities covered by Delayed Delivery Contracts made by the Issuer, the obligations of each Underwriter to be reduced by the principal amount of such Securities, if any, allocated by you to such Underwriter. Your determination of the allocation of Securities covered by Delayed Delivery Contracts among the several Underwriters shall be final and conclusive, and we agree to be bound by any notice delivered by you to the Issuer setting forth the amount of the reduction in our obligation as a result of Delayed Delivery Contracts.
Upon receiving payment from the Issuer of the fee for arranging Delayed Delivery Contracts, you will credit our account with the portion of such fee applicable to the Securities covered by Delayed Delivery Contracts allocated to us. You will charge our account with any commission allocated to Selected Dealers in respect of Securities covered by Delayed Delivery Contracts allocated to us.
Section 5. Offering to Selected Dealers and Others; Management of Offering. We authorize you, for our account, to reserve for sale and sell to dealers ("Selected Dealers"), among whom any of the Underwriters may be included, such amount of Securities to be purchased by us as you shall determine. Reservations for sales to Selected Dealers for our account need not be in proportion to our underwriting obligation, but sales of Securities reserved for our account for sale to Selected Dealers shall be made as nearly as practicable in the ratio which the amount of Securities reserved for our account bears to the aggregate amount of the Securities reserved for the account of all Underwriters, as calculated from day to day. Sales to Selected Dealers may be made under the Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Standard Dealer Agreement, or otherwise. The price to Selected Dealers initially shall be the offering price less a concession not in excess of the Selected Dealers concession set forth in the Invitation. Selected Dealers shall be actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business and shall be either (i) members in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or (ii) dealers with their principal place of business located outside the United States, its territories and its possessions and not registered under the 1934 Act who agree to make no sales within the United States, its territories or its possessions or to persons who are nationals
thereof or residents therein or (iii) bank that are not eligible for membership
in the NASD. Each Selected Dealer shall agree to comply with the provisions of
Section 24 of Article III of the Rules of Fair Practice of the NASD, and each
foreign Selected Dealer or bank who is not a member of the NASD also shall agree
to comply with the NASD's interpretation with respect to free-riding and
withholding, to comply, as though it were a member of the NASD, with the
provisions of Sections 8 and 36 of Article III of such Rules of Fair Practice,
and to comply with Section 25 of Article III thereof as that Section applies to
a non-member foreign dealer or bank.
With your consent, the Underwriters may allow, and Selected Dealers may reallow, a discount on sales to any dealer who meets the above NASD requirements in an amount not in excess of the amount set forth in the Invitation. Upon your request, we will advise you of the identity of any dealer to whom we allow such a discount and any Underwriter or Selected Dealer from whom we receive such a discount.
We also authorize you, for our account, to reserve for sale and to sell Securities to be purchased by us at the offering price to others, including institutions and retail purchasers. Except for such sales which are designated by a purchaser to be for the account of a particular Underwriter, such reservations and sales shall be made as nearly as practicable in proportion to our underwriting obligation, unless you agree to a smaller proportion at our request.
At or before the time the Securities are released for sale, you shall notify us of the amount of Securities which have not been reserved for our account for sale to Selected Dealers and others and which is to be retained by us for direct sale.
We will from time to time, upon your request, report to you the amount of Securities retained by us for direct sale which remains unsold and, upon your request, deliver to you for our account, or sell to you for the account of one or more of the Underwriters, such amount of unsold Securities as you may designate at the offering price less an amount determined by you not in excess of the concession to Selected Dealers. You may also repurchase Securities from other Underwriters and Selected Dealers, for the account of one or more of the Underwriters, at prices determined by you not in excess of the offering price less the concession to Selected Dealers.
You may from time to time deliver to any Underwriter, for carrying purposes or for sale by such Underwriter, any of the Securities then reserved for sale to, but not purchased and paid for by, Selected Dealers or others as above provided, but to the extent that Securities are so delivered for sale by such Underwriter, the amount of Securities then reserved for the account of such Underwriter shall be correspondingly reduced. Securities delivered for carrying purposes only shall be redelivered to you upon demand.
The Underwriters and Selected Dealers may, with your consent, purchase Securities from and sell Securities to each other at the offering price less a concession not in excess of the concession to Selected Dealers.
Section 6. Repurchase of Securities Not Effectively Placed. In recognition of the importance of distributing the Securities to bona fide investors, we agree to repurchase on demand any Securities sold by us, except through you, which are purchased by you in the open
market or otherwise during a period terminating as provided in Section 16, at a price equal to the cost of such purchase, including accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, commissions and transfer and other taxes, if any, on redelivery. The certificates delivered to us need not be identical certificates delivered to you in respect of the Securities purchased. In lieu of requiring repurchase, you may, in your discretion, sell such Securities for our account at such prices, upon such terms and to such persons, including any of the other Underwriters, as you may determine, charging the amount of any loss and expense, or crediting the amount of any net profit, resulting from such sale, to our account, or you may charge our account with an amount determined by you not in excess of the concession to Selected Dealers.
Section 7. Stabilization and Over-Allotment. In order to facilitate the sale of the Securities, we authorize you, in your discretion, to purchase and sell Securities or any other securities of the Issuer or any guarantor of the Securities specified in the Invitation in the open market or otherwise, for long or short account, at such prices as you may determine, and, in arranging for sales to Selected Dealers or others, to over-allot. You may liquidate any long position or cover any short position incurred pursuant to this Section as such prices as you may determine. You shall make such purchases and sales (including over-allotments) for the accounts of the Underwriters as nearly as practicable in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations. It is understood that, in connection with any particular offering of Securities to which this Agreement applies, you may have made purchases of securities of the Issuer or securities of any guarantor of the Securities for stabilizing purposes prior to the time when we become an Underwriter, and we agree that any such securities so purchased shall be treated as having been purchased for the respective accounts of the Underwriters pursuant to the foregoing authorization. At the close of business on any day our net commitment, either for long or short account, resulting from such purchases or sales (including over-allotments) shall not exceed 20% (or such other amount as may be specified in the Invitation) of our underwriting obligation, except that such percentage may be increased with the approval of a majority in interest of the Underwriters. We will take up at cost on demand any Securities or other securities of the Issuer or any securities of any guarantor of the Securities so sold or over-allotted for our account, including accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, and we will pay to you on demand the amount of any losses or expenses incurred for our account pursuant to this Section. In the event of default by any Underwriter in respect of its obligations under this Section, each non-defaulting Underwriter shall assume its share of the obligations of such defaulting Underwriter in the proportion that its underwriting obligation bears to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters without relieving such defaulting Underwriter of its liability hereunder.
If you effect any stabilizing purchase pursuant to this Section, you shall promptly notify us of the date and time of the first stabilizing purchase and the date and time when stabilizing was terminated. You shall prepare and maintain such records as are required to be maintained by you as manager pursuant to Rule 17a-2 under the 1934 Act.
Section 8. Open Market Transactions. We represent and agree in connection with the offering of Securities we have complied and will comply with the provisions of Rule 10b-6 under the 1934 Act with regard to trading in the Securities. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, we agree that, in addition to the Securities, other securities of the Issuer or securities of any guarantor of the Securities or the right or option to purchase or otherwise acquire any
securities of the Issuer or any securities of any guarantor of the Securities specified in the Invitation shall be considered securities of the same class and series as the Securities.
Section 9. Payment and Delivery. At or before such time on such dates and at such places as you may specify in the Invitation, we will deliver to you a certified or official bank check in such funds as are specified in the Invitation, payable to the order of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (unless otherwise specified in the Invitation) in an amount equal to, as you direct, either (i) the offering price or prices plus accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, if any, set forth in the Prospectus or Offering Circular less the concession to Selected Dealers in respect of the amount of Securities to be purchased by us in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, or (ii) the amount set forth in the Invitation with respect to the Securities to be purchased by us. We authorize you to make payment for our account of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by us against delivery to you of such Securities (which may be in temporary form), and the difference between such purchase price of the Securities and the amount of funds delivered to you therefor shall be credited to our account.
Delivery to us of Securities retained by us for direct sale shall be made by you as soon as practicable after your receipt of the Securities. Upon termination of the provisions of this Agreement as provided in Section 16, you shall deliver to us any Securities reserved for our account for sale to Selected Dealers and others which remain unsold at that time.
You are authorized to make appropriate arrangements for payment for and/or delivery through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or any such other depository or similar facility, the Securities to be purchased by us, or, if we are not a member, settlement may be made through a correspondent that is a member pursuant to our timely instructions to you.
Upon receiving payment for Securities sold for our account to Selected Dealers and others, you shall remit to us an amount equal to the amount paid by us to you in respect of us Securities and credit or charge our account with the difference, if any, between such amount and the price at which such Securities were sold.
In the event that the Purchase Agreement for an offering provides for the payment of a commission or other compensation to the Underwriters, we authorize you to receive such commission or other compensation for our account.
Section 10. Management Compensation. As compensation for your services in the management of the offering, we will pay you an amount equal to the management fee specified in the Invitation in respect of the Securities to be purchased by us pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and we authorize you to charge our account with such amount. If there is more than one Representative, such compensation shall be divided among the Representatives in such proportions as they may determine.
Section 11. Authority to Borrow. We authorize you to advance your own funds for our account, charging current interest rates, or to arrange loans for our account or the account of the Underwriters, as you may deem necessary or advisable for the purchase, carrying, sale and distribution of the Securities. You may execute and deliver any notes or other instruments
required in connection therewith and may hold or pledge as security therefor all or any part of the Securities which we or such Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The obligations of the Underwriters under loans arranged on their behalf shall be several in proportion to their respective participations in such loans, and not joint. Any lender is authorized to accept your instructions as to the disposition of the proceeds of any such loans. You shall credit each Underwriter with the proceeds of any loans made for its account.
Section 12. Legal Qualifications. You shall inform us, upon request, of the states and other jurisdictions of the United States in which it is believed that the Securities are qualified for sale under, or are exempt from the requirements of, their respective securities laws, but you assume no responsibility with respect to our right to sell Securities in any jurisdiction. You are authorized to file with the Department of State of the State of New York a Further State Notice with respect to the Securities, if necessary.
If we propose to offer Securities outside the United States, its territories or its possessions, we will take, at our own expense, such action, if any, as may be necessary to comply with the laws of each foreign jurisdiction in which we proposed to offer Securities.
Section 13. Membership in National Association of Securities Dealers, Foreign Underwriters and Banks. We understand that you are a member in good standing of the NASD. We confirm that we are actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business and are either (i) a member in good standing of the NASD or (ii) a dealer with its principal place of business located outside the United States, its territories and its possessions and not registered under the 1934 Act who hereby agrees to make no sales within the United States, its territories or its possessions or to persons who are nationals thereof or residents therein (except that we may participate in sales to Selected Dealers and others under Section 5 of this Agreement) or (iii) a bank not eligible for membership the NASD. We hereby agree to comply with Section 24 of Article III of the Rules of Fair Practice of the NASD, and if we are a foreign dealer or bank and not a member of the NASD we also hereby agree to comply with the NASD's interpretation with respect to free-riding and withholding, to comply, as though we were a member of the NASD, with the provisions of Sections 8 and 36 of Article III of such Rules of Fair Practice, and to comply with Section 25 of Article III thereof as that Section applies to a non-member foreign dealer or bank.
Section 14. Distribution of Prospectuses; Offering Circulars. We are familiar with Securities Act of 1933 Release No. 4968 and Rule 15c2-8 under the 1934 Act, relating to the distribution of preliminary and final prospectuses, and we confirm that we will comply therewith, to the extent applicable, in connection with any sale of Securities. You shall cause to be made available to us, to the extent made available to you by the Issuer, such number of copies of the Prospectus as we may reasonably request for purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Our acceptance of an Invitation relating to an offering made pursuant to an Offering Circular shall constitute our agreement that, if requested by you, we will furnish a copy of any amendment to a preliminary or final Offering Circular to each person to whom we shall have furnished a previous preliminary or final Offering Circular. Our Acceptance shall constitute our confirmation that we have delivered and our agreement that we will deliver all preliminary and
final Offering Circulars required for compliance with the applicable federal and state laws and the applicable rules and regulations of any regulatory body promulgated thereunder governing the use and distribution of offering circulars by underwriters and any additional instructions contained in the Invitation and to the extent consistent with such laws, rules and regulations, our Acceptance shall constitute our confirmation that we have delivered and our agreement that we will deliver all preliminary and final Offering Circulars which would be required if the provisions of Rule 15c2-8 (or any successor provision) under the 1934 Act applied to such offering.
Section 15. Net Capital. The incurrence by us of our obligations hereunder and under the Purchase Agreement in connection with the offering of the Securities will not place us in violation of the net capital requirements of Rule 15c3-1 under the 1934 Act, or, if we are a financial institution subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of the Currency or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, will not place us in violation of the capital requirements of such regulator or any other regulator to which we are subject.
Section 16. Termination. With respect to each offering of Securities pursuant to this Agreement, all limitations in this Agreement on the price at which the Securities may be sold, the period of time referred to in Section 6, the authority granted by the first sentence of Section 7, and the restrictions contained in Section 8 shall terminate at the close of business on the 45th day after the commencement of the offering of such Securities. You may terminate any or all of such provisions at any time prior thereto by notice to the Underwriters. All other provisions of this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect with respect to such offering.
Section 17. Expenses and Settlement. You may charge our account with any transfer taxes on sales of Securities made for our account and with our proportionate share (based upon our underwriting obligation) of all other expenses incurred by you under this Agreement or otherwise in connection with the purchase, carrying, sale or distribution of the Securities. With respect to each offering of Securities pursuant to this Agreement, the respective accounts of the Underwriters shall be settled as promptly as practicable after the termination of all the provisions of this Agreement as provided in Section 16, but you may reserve such amounts as you may deem advisable for additional expenses. Your determination of the amount to be paid to or by us shall be conclusive. You may at any time make partial distributions of credit balances or call for payment of debit balances. Any of our funds in your hands may be held with your general funds without accountability for interest. Notwithstanding any settlement, we will remain liable for any taxes on transfers for our account and for our proportionate share (based upon our underwriting obligation) of all expenses and liabilities which may be incurred by or for the accounts of the Underwriters with respect to each offering of Securities pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 18. Indemnification. With respect to each offering of Securities pursuant to this Agreement, we will indemnify and hold harmless each other Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls each other Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, to the extent that and on the terms upon which we agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Issuer and other specified persons as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
Section 19. Claims Against Underwriters. With respect to each offering of Securities pursuant to this Agreement, if at any time any person other than an Underwriter asserts a claim (including any commenced or threatened investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body) against one or more of the Underwriters or against you as Representatives of the Underwriters arising out of an alleged untrue statement or omission in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any preliminary or final Offering Circular, or relating to any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, we authorize you to make such investigation, to retain such counsel for the Underwriters and to take such action in the defense of such claim as you may deem necessary or advisable. You may settle such claim with the approval of a majority in interest of the Underwriters. We will pay our proportionate share (based upon our underwriting obligation) of all expenses incurred by you (including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters) as incurred, in investigating and defending against such claim and our proportionate share of the aggregate liability incurred by all Underwriters in respect to such claim (after deducting any contribution or indemnification obtained pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, or otherwise, from persons other than Underwriters), whether such liability is the result of a judgment against one or more of the Underwriters or the result of any such settlement. Any Underwriter may retain separate counsel at its own expense. A claim against or liability incurred by a person who controls an Underwriter shall be deemed to have been made against or incurred by such Underwriter. In the event of default by any Underwriter, in respect of its obligations under this Section, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to pay the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters without relieving such defaulting Underwriter of its liability hereunder.
Section 20. Default by Underwriters. Default by any Underwriter in respect of its obligations hereunder or under the Purchase Agreement shall not release us from any of our obligations or in any way affect the liability of such defaulting Underwriter to the other Underwriters for damages resulting from such default. If one or more Underwriters default under the Purchase Agreement, if provided in such Purchase Agreement you may (but shall not be obligated to) arrange for the purchase by others, which may include yourselves or other non-defaulting Underwriters, of all or a portion of the Securities not taken up by the defaulting Underwriters.
In the event that such arrangements are made, the respective underwriting obligations of the non-defaulting Underwriters and the amounts of the Securities to be purchased by others, if any, shall be taken as the basis for all rights and obligations hereunder; but this shall not in any way affect the liability of any defaulting Underwriter to the other Underwriters for damages resulting from its default, nor shall any such default relieve any other Underwriter of any of its obligations hereunder or under the Purchase Agreement except as herein or therein provided. In addition, in the event of default by one or more Underwriters in respect of their obligations under the Purchase Agreement to purchase the Securities agreed to be purchased by them thereunder and, to the extent that arrangements shall not have been made by you for any person to assume the obligations of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, we agree, if provided in the Purchase Agreement, to assume our proportionate share, based upon our underwriting obligation, of the obligations of each such defaulting Underwriter (subject to the limitations contained in the Purchase Agreement) without relieving such defaulting Underwriter of its liability therefor.
In the event of default by one or more Underwriters in respect of their obligations under this Agreement to take up and pay for any securities purchased, or to deliver any securities sold or over-allotted, by you for the respective accounts of the Underwriters, or to bear their proportion of expenses or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, and to the extent that arrangements shall not have been made by you for any persons to assume the obligations of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, we agree to assume our proportionate share, based upon our respective underwriting obligation, of the obligations of each defaulting Underwriter without relieving any such defaulting Underwriter of its liability therefor.
Section 21. Legal Responsibility. As Representatives of the Underwriters, you shall have no liability to us, except for your lack of good faith and for obligations assumed by you in this Agreement and except that we do not waive any rights that we may have under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. No obligations not expressly assumed by you in this Agreement shall be implied herefrom.
Nothing herein contained shall constitute the Underwriters an association, or partners, with you, or with each other, or, except as otherwise provided herein or in the Purchase Agreement, render any Underwriter liable for the obligations of any other Underwriter; and the rights, obligations and liabilities of the Underwriters are several in accordance with their respective underwriting obligations, and not joint.
If the Underwriters are deemed to constitute a partnership for federal income tax purposes, we elect to be excluded from the application of Subchapter K, Chapter 1. Subtitle A, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and agree not to take any position inconsistent with such election, and you, as Representatives, are authorized, in your discretion, to execute on behalf of the Underwriters such evidence of such election as may be required by the Internal Revenue Service.
Unless we have promptly notified you in writing otherwise, our name as it should appear in the Prospectus or Offering Circular and our address are set forth on the signature pages hereof.
Section 22. Notices. Any notice from you shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted to us at our address appearing below.
Section 23. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in said State.
Please confirm this Agreement and deliver a copy to us.
Very truly yours,
Name of Firm:
By ___________________________________
Authorized Officer or Partner
Address:
Confirmed as of the date
first above written.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By: /s/ FRED F. HESSINGER
----------------------------------
Name: Fred F. Hessinger
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Exhibit h.4
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AGREEMENT
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), dated as of December 24, 2002, between Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") and PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC ("PIMCO Advisors").
WHEREAS, PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (including any successor by merger or otherwise, the "Fund") is a newly organized, diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and its common shares are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; and
WHEREAS, PIMCO Advisors is the investment advisor of the Fund;
WHEREAS, Merrill Lynch is acting as lead underwriter in an offering of the Fund's common shares;
WHEREAS, PIMCO Advisors desires to provide additional compensation to Merrill Lynch for acting as lead underwriter in an offering of the Fund's common shares; and
WHEREAS, PIMCO Advisors desires to retain Merrill Lynch to provide after-market support services designed to maintain the visibility of the Fund on an ongoing basis, and Merrill Lynch is willing to render such services;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms and conditions set forth below, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. (a) PIMCO Advisors hereby employs Merrill Lynch, for the period and on the terms and conditions set forth herein, to provide the following services at the reasonable request of PIMCO Advisors:
(1) after-market support services designed to maintain the visibility of the Fund on an ongoing basis;
(2) relevant information, studies or reports regarding general trends in the closed-end investment company and asset management industries, if reasonably obtainable, and consult with representatives of PIMCO Advisors in connection therewith; and
(3) information to and consult with PIMCO Advisors with respect to applicable strategies designed to address market value discounts, if any.
(b) At the request of PIMCO Advisors, Merrill Lynch shall limit or cease any action or service provided hereunder to the extent and for the time period requested by PIMCO Advisors; provided, however, that pending termination of this Agreement as provided for in Section 5 hereof, any such limitation or cessation shall not relieve PIMCO Advisors of its payment obligations pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(c) Merrill Lynch will promptly notify PIMCO Advisors if it learns of any material inaccuracy or misstatement in, or material omission from, any written information, as of the date such information was published, provided by Merrill Lynch to PIMCO Advisors in connection with the performance of services by Merrill Lynch under this Agreement.
2. PIMCO Advisors shall pay Merrill Lynch a fee computed weekly and payable
quarterly in arrears commencing [ ], 2003 at an annualized rate of 0.10% of
the Fund's average daily net assets (including any assets attributable to
any preferred shares that may be outstanding) for a term as described in
Section 5 hereof; provided that the total amount of the fee hereunder, plus
the amount of the expense reimbursement of $.005 per common share payable
by the Fund to the Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as
defined below), shall not exceed 4.5% of the total price (including all
Initial Securities and Option Securities as such terms are described in the
Purchase Agreement, December 19, 2002, by and among the Fund, PIMCO
Advisors and each of the Underwriters named therein, the "Purchase
Agreement") to the public of the Fund's common shares offered by the
prospectus dated December 19, 2002; and provided further, that in
determining when this maximum fee amount has been paid, the value of each
of the quarterly payments made hereunder shall be discounted at the annual
rate of 10% to the closing date of offering. All quarterly fees payable
hereunder shall be paid to Merrill Lynch within 15 days following the end
of each calendar quarter.
3. PIMCO Advisors acknowledges that the services of Merrill Lynch provided for hereunder do not include any advice as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund's portfolio. No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of Merrill Lynch, and Merrill Lynch is not hereby agreeing, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services in connection with providing the services described in Section 1 hereof.
4. Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting Merrill Lynch or its affiliates from providing similar or other services to any other clients (including other registered investment companies or other investment managers), so long as Merrill Lynch's services to PIMCO Advisors are not impaired thereby.
5. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon the date referred to above and shall be in effect so long as PIMCO Advisors acts as the investment manager to the Fund pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement (as such term is defined in the Purchase Agreement) or other subsequent advisory agreement.
6. PIMCO Advisors will furnish Merrill Lynch with such information as Merrill Lynch believes appropriate to its assignment hereunder (all such information so furnished being the "Information"). PIMCO Advisors recognizes and confirms that Merrill Lynch (a) will use and rely primarily on the Information and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same and (b) does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Information and such other information. To the best of PIMCO Advisors' knowledge, the Information to be furnished by PIMCO Advisors when delivered, will be true and correct in all material respects and will not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading. PIMCO Advisors will promptly notify Merrill Lynch if it learns of any material inaccuracy or misstatement in, or material omission from, any Information delivered to Merrill Lynch.
7. It is understood that Merrill Lynch is being engaged hereunder solely to provide the services described above to PIMCO Advisors and that Merrill Lynch is not acting as an agent or fiduciary of, and shall have no duties or liability to the current or future shareholders of the Fund or any
other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
8. PIMCO Advisors agrees that Merrill Lynch shall have no liability to PIMCO Advisors or the Fund for any act or omission to act by Merrill Lynch in the course of its performance under this Agreement, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of Merrill Lynch. PIMCO Advisors agrees to the indemnification and other agreement set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.
9. This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement ("Claim") shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
10. No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and PIMCO Advisors and Merrill Lynch consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. Each of Merrill Lynch and PIMCO Advisors waives all right to trial by jury in any proceeding (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. PIMCO Advisors agrees that a final judgment in any proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon PIMCO Advisors and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which PIMCO Advisors is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
11. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party.
12. This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Agreement) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by both Merrill Lynch and PIMCO Advisors.
13. All notices required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be sent, if to PIMCO Advisors:
PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Attention: [ ]
or if to Merrill Lynch:
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
North Tower, World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Attention: Angela Fannon
or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other parties. Any notice shall be deemed to be given or received on the third day after deposit in the US mail with certified postage prepaid or when actually received, whether by hand, express delivery service or facsimile transmission, whichever is earlier.
14. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement.
IN WITHESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Additional Compensation Agreement as of the date first above written.
PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By: By:
------------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Name:
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Title: Title:
Merrill Lynch & Co. Indemnification Agreement
December 24, 2002
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
North Tower, World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the engagement of Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") to advise and assist the
undersigned (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, referred to as the
"Company") with the matters set forth in the Agreement dated December 24, 2002
between the Company and Merrill Lynch (the "Agreement"), in the event that
Merrill Lynch becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action,
proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any
shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a
"Proceeding") in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred
to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement,
including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date
of the Agreement, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Merrill Lynch
harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in connection with any matter in any
way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters
contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services
and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it
shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has
become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted solely from the
gross negligence or willful misconduct of Merrill Lynch. In addition, in the
event that Merrill Lynch becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding in
connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the
Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement,
including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date
of the Agreement, the Company will reimburse Merrill Lynch for its legal and
other expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as such
expenses are reasonably incurred by Merrill Lynch in connection therewith. If
such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees
to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved
(i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or
sought to be received by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates and
other constituencies, on the one hand, and Merrill Lynch, on the other hand, in
the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the
extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held
unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the
Company and its stockholders and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one
hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The Company agrees that for the
purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be
received, by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand,
and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, of a transaction as
contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value
received or paid by the Company or its stockholders or affiliates and other
constituencies, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the
transaction (whether or not consummated) for which Merrill Lynch has been
retained to perform financial services bears to the fees paid to Merrill Lynch
under the Agreement; provided, that in no event shall the Company contribute
less than the amount
necessary to assure that Merrill Lynch is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by Merrill Lynch pursuant to the Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by Merrill Lynch, on the other hand. The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not Merrill Lynch is an actual or potential party to such Proceeding, without Merrill Lynch's prior written consent. For purposes of this Indemnification Agreement, Merrill Lynch shall include Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling Merrill Lynch or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former directors, employees and agents, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons. The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any indemnified party may have at common law or otherwise.
The Company agrees that neither Merrill Lynch nor any of its affiliates, directors, agents, employees or controlling persons shall have any liability to the Company or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company in connection with or as a result of either Merrill Lynch's engagement under the Agreement or any matter referred to in the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Merrill Lynch in performing the services that are the subject of the Agreement.
Notwithstanding any provision contained herein, in no event shall Merrill Lynch be entitled to indemnification by the Company hereunder from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in respect of which indemnity may be sought under the Purchase Agreement.
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT ("CLAIM"), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND MERRILL LYNCH CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO. THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST MERRILL LYNCH OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY. EACH OF MERRILL LYNCH AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT. THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE COMPANY AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH THE COMPANY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.
The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any termination of Merrill Lynch's engagement. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Very truly yours,
PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
Title:
Accepted and agreed to as of
the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
Exhibit j.
This Agreement between PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, a business trust organized and existing under the laws of Massachusetts (the "Fund"), and STATE STREET BANK and TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company (the "State Street"),
WITNESSETH: that in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, State Street shall on behalf of the Fund from time to time appoint one or more sub-custodians located in the United States, but only in accordance with an applicable vote by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the "Board"). State Street may appoint as sub-custodian for Fund's foreign securities the foreign banking institutions and foreign securities depositories designated in Schedules A and B hereto, but only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 4 and 5. State Street shall have no more or less responsibility or liability to Fund on account of any actions or omissions of any sub-custodian so appointed than any such sub-custodian has to State Street.
Fund hereby appoints State Street to perform certain investment accounting and recordkeeping functions relating to portfolio transactions required of a duly registered investment company under Rule 31a of the 1940 Act and to calculate the net asset value of the Fund in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
1) Upon sale of such securities for the account of the Fund and receipt of payment therefor;
2) Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such securities entered into by the Fund;
3) In the case of a sale effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.8 hereof;
4) To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for securities of the Fund;
5) To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to State Street;
7) Upon the sale of such securities for the account of the Fund, to the broker or its clearing agent, against a receipt, for examination in accordance with "street delivery" custom; provided that in any such case, State Street shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving
payment for such securities except as may arise from State Street's own negligence or willful misconduct;
8) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to State Street;
9) In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to State Street;
10) For delivery in connection with any loans of securities made by the Fund (a) against receipt of collateral, except that in connection with any loans for which collateral is to be credited to the U.S. Securities System Account , State Street will not be held liable or responsible for the delivery of securities owned by the Fund prior to the receipt of such collateral or (b) to the lending agent, or the lending agent's custodian, in accordance with written Proper Instructions (which may not provide for the receipt by State Street of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by State Street and the Fund;
11) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by the Fund requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund, but only against receipt of amounts borrowed;
12) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund, State Street and a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and a member of The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;
13) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund, State Street, and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund;
14) Upon the sale or other delivery of such investments (including, without limitation, to one or more (a) Special Sub-Custodians or (b) additional custodians appointed by a Fund, and communicated to State Street from time to time via a writing duly executed by an authorized officer of such Fund, for the purpose of engaging in repurchase agreement transaction(s), each a "Repo Custodian"), and prior to receipt of payment therefor, only as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such delivery in advance of payment, along with payment in advance of delivery made in
accordance with Section 2.6(7), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a "Free Trade"), provided that such Proper Instructions shall set forth (a) the securities of the Fund to be delivered and (b) the person(s) to whom delivery of such securities shall be made;
15) Upon receipt of instructions from the transfer agent for the Fund (the "Transfer Agent") for delivery to such Transfer Agent or to the holders of Shares in connection with distributions in kind, as may be described from time to time in the Fund's currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information (the "Prospectus"), in satisfaction of requests by holders of Shares for repurchase or redemption; and
16) In the case of a sale processed through the Underlying Transfer Agent or Underlying Shares, in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof;
shall be approved by vote of a majority of the Board. Such monies shall be deposited by State Street in its capacity as custodian and shall be withdrawable by State Street only in that capacity.
1) Upon the purchase of domestic securities, options, futures contracts
or options on futures contracts for the account of the Fund but only
(a) against the delivery of such securities or evidence of title to
such options, futures contracts or options on futures contracts to
State Street (or any bank, banking firm or trust company doing
business in the United States or abroad which is qualified under the
1940 Act to act as a custodian and has been designated by State Street
as its agent for this purpose) registered in the name of the Fund or
in the name of a nominee of State Street referred to in Section 2.3
hereof or in proper form for transfer; (b) in the case of a purchase
effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the
conditions set forth in Section 2.8 hereof; (c) in the case of
repurchase agreements entered into between the Fund and State Street,
or another bank, or a broker-dealer which is a member of NASD, (i)
against delivery of the securities either in certificate form or
through an entry crediting State Street's account at the Federal
Reserve Bank with such securities or (ii) against delivery of the
receipt evidencing purchase by the Fund of securities owned by State
Street along with written evidence of the agreement by State Street to
repurchase such securities from the Fund; or (d) for transfer to a
time deposit account of the Fund in any bank, whether domestic or
foreign; such transfer may be effected prior to receipt of a
confirmation from a broker and/or the applicable bank pursuant to
Proper Instructions from the Fund as defined herein;
2) In connection with conversion, exchange or surrender of securities owned by the Fund as set forth in Section 2.2 hereof;
3) For the redemption or repurchase of Shares issued as set forth in
Section 6 hereof;
4) For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the Fund, including but not limited to the following payments for the account of the Fund: interest, taxes, management, accounting, transfer agent and legal fees, and operating expenses of the Fund whether or not such expenses are to be in whole or part capitalized or treated as deferred expenses;
5) For the payment of any dividends on Shares declared pursuant to the governing documents of the Fund;
6) For payment of the amount of dividends received in respect of securities sold short;
7) Upon the purchase of domestic investments and prior to receipt of such
investments, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such payment
in advance of delivery, along with delivery in advance of payment made
in accordance with Section 2.2(14), as applicable, shall each be
referred to herein as a "Free Trade"), provided that such Proper
Instructions shall also set forth (a) the amount of such payment and
(b) the person(s) to whom such payment is made; and
Except as specifically stated otherwise in this Agreement, in any and every case where the payment for purchase of domestic securities for the account of the Fund is made by State Street in advance of receipt of the securities purchased in the absence of specific Proper Instructions from the Fund to so pay in advance, State Street shall be absolutely liable to the Fund for such securities to the same extent as if the securities had been received by State Street.
1) Such Account shall not include any assets of State Street other than assets held as a fiduciary, custodian or otherwise for customers;
2) The records of State Street shall identify by book-entry those securities belonging to the Fund;
3) State Street shall pay for securities purchased for the account of the Fund upon (i) receipt of advice from the U.S. Securities System that such securities have been transferred to the U.S. Securities System Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of State Street to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the Fund. State Street shall transfer securities sold for the account of the Fund upon (i) receipt of advice from the U.S. Securities System that payment for such securities has been transferred to the U.S. Securities System Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of State Street to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of the Fund. Copies of all advices from the U.S. Securities System of transfers of securities for the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be maintained for the Fund by State Street and be provided to the Fund at its request. Upon request, State Street shall furnish the Fund confirmation of each transfer to or from the account of the Fund in the form of a written advice or notice and shall furnish to the Fund copies of daily transaction sheets reflecting each day's transactions in the U.S. Securities System for the account of the Fund;
4) State Street shall provide the Fund with any report obtained by State Street on the U.S. Securities System's accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities deposited in the U.S. Securities System;
5) Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding, State Street shall be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund resulting from use of the U.S. Securities System by reason of any negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of State Street or any of its agents or of any of its or their employees or from failure of State Street or any such agent to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against the U.S. Securities System; at the election of the Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of State Street with respect to any claim against the U.S. Securities System or any other person which State Street may have as a consequence of any such loss or damage if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss or damage.
1) State Street shall keep Underlying Shares owned by the Fund with the Underlying Transfer Agent provided that such securities are maintained in an account or accounts on the books and records of the Underlying Transfer Agent in the name of State Street as custodian for the Fund.
2) The records of State Street with respect to Underlying Shares which are maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent shall identify by book-entry those Underlying Shares belonging to the Fund;
3) State Street shall pay for Underlying Shares purchased for the account of the Fund upon (a) receipt of advice from the Fund's investment adviser that such Underlying Shares have been purchased and will be transferred to the account of State Street, on behalf of the Fund, on the books and records of the Underlying Transfer Agent and (b) the making of an entry on the records of State Street to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the Fund. State Street shall receive confirmation from the Underlying Transfer Agent of the purchase of such securities and the transfer of such securities to State Street's account with the Underlying Transfer Agent only after such payment is made. State Street shall transfer Underlying Shares redeemed for the account of the Fund (i) upon receipt of an advice from the Fund's investment adviser that such securities have been redeemed and that payment for such securities will be transferred to State Street and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of State Street to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of the Fund. State Street will receive confirmation from the Underlying Transfer Agent of the redemption of such securities and payment therefor only after such securities are redeemed. Copies of all advices from the Fund's investment adviser of purchases and sales of Underlying Shares for the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be maintained for the Fund by State Street, and be provided to the Fund's investment adviser at its request; and
4) State Street shall be not be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund resulting from maintenance of Underlying Shares with Underlying Transfer Agent except for losses resulting directly from the negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of State Street or any of its agents or of any of its or their employees.
to the domestic securities held hereunder, cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such securities, if the securities are registered otherwise than in the name of the Fund or a nominee of the Fund, all proxies, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Fund such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such securities.
"Country Risk" means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such country's political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country), prevailing or developing custody and settlement practices, and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.
"Eligible Foreign Custodian" has the meaning set forth in section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5 (as such term may be interpreted or modified by appropriate action of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")).
"Eligible Securities Depository" has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7 (as such term may be interpreted or modified by appropriate action of the SEC).
"Foreign Assets" means any of the Fund's investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash and cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect the Fund's transactions in such investments.
"Foreign Custody Manager" has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5 (as such term may be interpreted or modified by appropriate action of the SEC).
SECTION 4.2 STATE STREET AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER
Upon the receipt by the Foreign Custody Manager of Instructions to open an account or to place or maintain Foreign Assets in a country listed on Schedule A, and the fulfillment by the Fund of the applicable account opening requirements for such country, the Foreign Custody Manager shall be deemed to have been delegated by the Board responsibility as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to that country and to have accepted such delegation. Execution of this Amendment by the Fund shall be deemed to be an Instruction to open an account, or to place or maintain Foreign Assets, of the Fund in each country listed on Schedule A in which State Street has previously placed or currently maintains Foreign Assets pursuant to the terms of the Contract. Following the receipt of Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account of the Fund with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in a designated country, the delegation by the Board to State Street as Foreign Custody Manager for that country shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and State Street shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager of the Fund with respect to that country.
The Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of delegated responsibilities with respect to a designated country upon written notice to the Fund. Sixty days (or such longer period to which the parties agree in writing) after receipt of any such notice by the Fund, State Street shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund with respect to the country as to which State Street's acceptance of delegation is withdrawn.
reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of the Fund's Foreign Assets would exercise.
"Foreign Securities System" means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B hereto.
"Foreign Sub-Custodian" means a foreign banking institution serving as an Eligible Foreign Custodian hereunder.
(i) upon the sale of such foreign securities for the Fund in accordance with commercially reasonable market practice in the country where such foreign securities are held or traded, including, without limitation: (A) delivery against expectation of receiving later payment; or (B) in the case of a sale effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of the Foreign Securities System;
(ii) in connection with any repurchase agreement related to foreign securities;
(iii) to the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for foreign securities of the Fund;
(iv) to the issuer thereof or its agent when such foreign securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable;
(v) to the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of State Street (or the name of the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or of any nominee of State Street or such Foreign Sub-Custodian) or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units;
(vi) to brokers, clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination or trade execution in accordance with market custom; provided that in any such case the Foreign Sub-Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Foreign Sub-Custodian's own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct;
(vii) for exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement;
(viii) in the case of warrants, rights or similar foreign securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities;
(ix) for delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by the Fund requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund;
(x) in connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin;
(xi) in connection with the lending of foreign securities; and
(xii) for any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Instructions specifying the foreign securities to be delivered and naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made.
(i) upon the purchase of foreign securities for the Fund, unless otherwise directed by Instructions, by (A) delivering money to the seller thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such seller or dealer) against expectation of receiving later delivery of such foreign securities; or (B) in the case of a purchase effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of such Foreign Securities System;
(ii) in connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender of foreign securities of the Fund;
(iii) for the payment of any expense or liability of the Fund, including but not limited to the following payments: interest, taxes, investment advisory fees, transfer agency fees, fees hereunder, legal fees, accounting fees, and other operating expenses;
(iv) for the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or foreign exchange contracts for the Fund, including transactions executed with or through State Street or its Foreign Sub-Custodians;
(v) in connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin;
(vi) for payment of part or all of the dividends received in respect of securities sold short;
(vii) in connection with the borrowing or lending of foreign securities; and
(viii) for any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Instructions specifying the amount of such payment and naming the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made.
State Street shall provide to the Board the information described on Schedule C hereto with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which State Street employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian or uses a Foreign Securities System at the time or times set forth on such Schedule. State Street may revise Schedule C from time to time, provided that no such revision shall result in the Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided hereunder.
delivered are in accordance with reasonable market practice.
Street with respect to any claims against a Foreign Sub-Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim.
From such funds as may be available for the purpose, State Street shall, upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, make funds available for payment to holders of Shares who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption or repurchase of their Shares. In connection with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, State Street is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the redeeming shareholders.
procedures, including but not limited to, the security procedures selected by the Fund in the Funds Transfer Addendum attached hereto. For purposes of this Section, Proper Instructions shall include instructions received by State Street pursuant to any three-party agreement which requires a segregated asset account in accordance with Section 2.9.
"Special Instructions" as used throughout this Agreement, means Proper Instructions countersigned or confirmed in writing by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Fund or any other person designated in writing by the Treasurer of the Fund, which countersignature or confirmation shall be (a) included on the same instrument containing the Proper Instructions or on a separate instrument clearly relating thereto and (b) delivered by hand, by facsimile transmission, or in such other manner as the Fund and State Street agree in writing.
Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, the Fund shall deliver to State Street, duly certified by the Fund's Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, a certificate setting forth: (i) the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund and (ii) the names, titles and signatures of those persons authorized to give Special Instructions. Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by State Street as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by State Street of a similar certificate to the contrary.
of all applicable record retention requirements, other than those set forth in the 1940 Act or the regulations thereunder. State Street will preserve such accounts and records in the manner and for the periods prescribed in the 1940 Act or the regulations thereunder or for such longer period as is agreed upon by the parties. Fund will furnish, in writing or its electronic or digital equivalent, accurate and timely information needed by State Street to complete such accounts and records, including corporate actions, when such information is not readily available from generally accepted securities industry services or publications.
asserted against or incurred by State Street or for which State Street may be held to be liable, arising out of or attributable to any error, omission, inaccuracy or other deficiency in the Fund's accounts and records or other information provided by or on behalf of the Fund to State Street, including the accuracy of the prices quoted by the Pricing Sources or for the information supplied by Fund to price the assets, or the failure of Fund to provide, or provide in a timely manner, any accounts, records, or information needed by State Street to perform hereunder.
on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted in good faith pursuant to such advice.
Except as may arise from State Street's own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith or the negligence or willful misconduct of a sub-custodian or agent, State Street shall be without liability to the Fund for any loss, liability, claim or expense resulting from or caused by; (i) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of State Street or any sub-custodian or Securities System or any agent or nominee of any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any securities market, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, or other similar events or acts; (ii) errors by the Fund or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment advisor in their instructions to State Street provided such instructions, and State Street's reliance upon them, have been in accordance with this Agreement; (iii) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a Securities System; (iv) any act or omission of a Special Sub-Custodian including, without limitation, reliance on reports prepared by a Special Sub-Custodian; (v) any delay or failure of any broker, agent or intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to State Street's sub-custodian or agent securities purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities sold; (vi) any delay or failure of any company, corporation, or other body (other than an affiliate of State Street) in charge of registering or transferring securities in the name of State Street, the Fund, State Street's sub-custodians, nominees or agents or any consequential losses arising out of such delay or failure to transfer such securities including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (vii) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security or Securities System; and (viii) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction.
If the Fund requires State Street to take any action with respect to securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in the opinion of State Street, result in State Street or its nominee assigned to the Fund being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form, the Fund, as a prerequisite to requiring State Street to take such action, shall provide indemnity to State Street in an amount and form satisfactory to it.
If the Fund requires State Street, its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents, to advance cash or securities for any purpose (including but not limited to securities settlements, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement) or in the event that State Street or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee's own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time held for the account of the Fund shall be security therefor and should the Fund fail to repay State Street promptly, State Street shall be entitled to utilize available cash and to dispose of the Fund's assets to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement.
Except as may arise from State Street's own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith, the Fund shall indemnify and hold State Street harmless from and against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, charges, counsel fees, payments and liabilities which may be asserted against State Street (a) acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction or Special Instruction including, without
limitation, any Proper Instruction with respect to Free Trades including, but not limited to, cost, expense, loss, damage, liability, tax, charge, assessment or claim resulting from (i) the failure of the Fund to receive income with respect to purchased investments, (ii) the failure of the Fund to recover amounts invested on maturity of purchased investments, (iii) the failure of State Street to respond to or be aware of notices or other corporate communications with respect to purchased investments, or (iv) State Street's reliance upon information provided by the Fund, the Fund's counterparty(ies) or the agents of either of them with respect to Fund property released, delivered or purchased pursuant to either of Section 2.2(14) or Section 2.6(7) hereof; (b) for the acts or omissions of any Special Sub-Custodian; or (c) for the acts or omissions of any Local Agent or Pledgee.
In no event shall either party be liable for indirect, special or consequential damages.
1) the Fund shall (a) pay to State Street such compensation as may be due
as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse State
Street for its costs, expenses and disbursements, (b) designate a
successor recordkeeper (which may be Fund) by Proper Instruction; and
(c) designate a successor custodian by Proper Instruction.
2) upon payment of all sums due to it from Fund, State Street shall (a) deliver all accounts and records to the successor recordkeeper (or, if none, to Fund) at the office of State Street, and (b) deliver to the successor custodian (or, if none, to the Fund) at the office of State Street, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all securities of the Fund then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities of the Fund held in a Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.
In the event that no Proper Instructions designating a successor custodian or alternative arrangements shall have been delivered to State Street on or before the date when such termination shall become effective, then State Street shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a "bank" as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York, of its own selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus, and undivided profits, as shown by its last published report, of not less than $25,000,000, all securities, funds and other properties held by State Street hereunder and all instruments held by State Street relative thereto and all other property held by it under this Agreement on behalf of the Fund, and to transfer to an account of such successor custodian all of the Fund's securities held in any Securities System or at the Underlying
Transfer Agent. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the successor of State Street under this Agreement.
In the event that securities, funds and other properties remain in the possession of State Street after the date of termination hereof owing to failure of the Fund to provide Proper Instructions as aforesaid, State Street shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as State Street retains possession of such securities, funds and other properties and the provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of State Street shall remain in full force and effect.
To the Fund: To State Street: PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY c/o PIMCO Funds Distributors 801 Pennsylvania 2187 Atlantic Street Kansas City, MO 64105 Stamford, CT 06902 Attention: Vice President, Custody Attention: Newton Schott Telephone: 816-871-4100 Telephone: 203-352-4920 Telecopy: 816-871-9648 Telecopy: 203-352-4919 |
Such notice, instruction or other instrument shall be deemed to have been served in the case of a registered letter at the expiration of five business days after posting, in the case of cable twenty-four hours after dispatch and, in the case of telex, immediately on dispatch and if delivered outside
normal business hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the next time after delivery when normal business hours commence and in the case of cable, telex or telecopy on the business day after the receipt thereof. Evidence that the notice was properly addressed, stamped and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence of posting.
YES [_] State Street is authorized to release the Fund's name, address, and
share positions.
NO [X] State Street is not authorized to release the Fund's name, address, and
share positions.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed as of __________, 2001.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND FUND SIGNATURE ATTESTED TO BY:
By: By:
------------------------------ ----------------------------
Name: Name:
------------------------------ ----------------------------
Title: Title:
------------------------------ ----------------------------
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY SIGNATURE ATTESTED TO BY:
By: By:
------------------------------ -------------------------------
Name: Name:
------------------------------ -------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President Title:
--------------------------- ------------------------------
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ADDENDUM to that certain Custodian and Investment Accounting Agreement dated as of __________, 2001 (the "Custodian Agreement") between PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND (the "Customer") and State Street Bank and Trust Company, including its subsidiaries and affiliates ("State Street").
State Street has developed and utilizes proprietary accounting and other systems in conjunction with the custodian services which State Street provides to the Customer. In this regard, State Street maintains certain information in databases under its control and ownership which it makes available to its customers (the "Remote Access Services").
employees and Authorized Designees (under a similar duty of confidentiality) who require access to the System for the purposes intended. The foregoing shall not apply to Proprietary Information in the public domain or required by law to be made public.
The Customer agrees to use the Remote Access Services only in connection with the proper purposes of this Addendum. The Customer will not, and will cause its employees and Authorized Designees not to, (i) permit any third party to use the System or the Remote Access Services, (ii) sell, rent, license or otherwise use the System or the Remote Access Services in the operation of a service bureau or for any purpose other than as expressly authorized under this Addendum, (iii) use the System or the Remote Access Services for any fund, trust or other investment vehicle without the prior written consent of State Street, or (iv) allow or cause any information transmitted from State Street's databases, including data from third party sources, available through use of the System or the Remote Access Services, to be published, redistributed or retransmitted for other than use for or on behalf of the Customer, as State Street's customer.
The Customer agrees that neither it nor its Authorized Designees will modify the System in any way; enhance or otherwise create derivative works based upon the System; or reverse engineer, decompile or otherwise attempt to secure the source code for all or any part of the System.
The Customer acknowledges that the disclosure of any Proprietary Information, or of any information which at law or equity ought to remain confidential, will immediately give rise to continuing irreparable injury to State Street inadequately compensable in damages at law and that State Street shall be entitled to obtain immediate injunctive relief against the breach or threatened breach of any of the foregoing undertakings, in addition to any other legal remedies which may be available.
State Street will take reasonable steps to ensure that its products (and those of its third-party suppliers) reflect the available state of the art technology to offer products that are Year 2000 compliant, including, but not limited to, century recognition of dates, calculations that correctly compute same century and multi century formulas and date values, and interface values that reflect the date issues arising between now and December 31, 2099, and if any changes are required, State Street will make the changes to its products at no cost to you and in a commercially reasonable time frame and will require third-party suppliers to do likewise. The Customer will do likewise for its systems.
EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ADDENDUM, STATE STREET, FOR ITSELF
AND ITS RELEVANT LICENSORS, EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE SYSTEM AND THE SERVICES TO BE RENDERED HEREUNDER, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
By its execution of the Custodian Agreement, the Customer accepts responsibility for its and its Authorized Designees' compliance with the terms of this Addendum.
IN-SIGHT(SM)
System Product Description
In-Sight(SM) provides information delivery and on-line access to State Street. In-Sight(SM) allows users a single point of entry into the many views of data created by the diverse systems and applications. Reports and data from systems such as Investment Policy Monitor(SM), Multicurrency Horizon(SM), Securities Lending, Performance & Analytics can be accessed through In-Sight(SM). This Internet-enabled application is designed to run from a Web browser and perform across low-speed data line or corporate high-speed backbones. In-Sight(SM) also offers users a flexible toolset, including an ad-hoc query function, a custom graphics package, a report designer, and a scheduling capability. Data and reports offered through In-Sight(SM) will continue to increase in direct proportion with the customer roll out, as it is viewed as the information delivery system will grow with State Street's customers.
SCHEDULE A
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
SUBCUSTODIANS AND NON-MANDATORY DEPOSITORIES
Country Subcustodian Non-Mandatory Depositories
Argentina Citibank, N.A. --
Australia Westpac Banking Corporation --
Austria Erste Bank der Oesterreichischen --
Sparkassen AG
Bahrain British Bank of the Middle East --
(as delegate of The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited)
Bangladesh Standard Chartered Bank --
Belgium Generale de Banque --
Bermuda The Bank of Bermuda Limited --
Bolivia Banco Boliviano Americano S.A. --
Botswana Barclays Bank of Botswana Limited --
Brazil Citibank, N.A. --
Bulgaria ING Bank N.V. --
Canada State Street Trust Company Canada --
Chile Citibank, N.A. Deposito Central de Valores S.A.
People's Republic The Hongkong and Shanghai --
of China Banking Corporation Limited,
Shanghai and Shenzhen branches
Colombia Cititrust Colombia S.A. --
Sociedad Fiduciaria
Costa Rica Banco BCT S.A. --
Croatia Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d --
Cyprus The Cyprus Popular Bank Ltd. --
Czech Republic Ceskoslovenska Obchodni --
Banka, A.S.
Denmark Den Danske Bank --
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SCHEDULE A
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
SUBCUSTODIANS AND NON-MANDATORY DEPOSITORIES
Country Subcustodian Non-Mandatory Depositories
Ecuador Citibank, N.A. --
Egypt National Bank of Egypt --
Estonia Hansabank --
Finland Merita Bank Limited --
France Banque Paribas --
Germany Dresdner Bank AG --
Ghana Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited --
Greece National Bank of Greece S.A. The Bank of Greece,
System for Monitoring Transactions in
Securities in Book-Entry Form
Hong Kong Standard Chartered Bank --
Hungary Citibank Budapest Rt. --
Iceland Icebank Ltd.
India Deutsche Bank AG --
The Hongkong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation Limited
Indonesia Standard Chartered Bank --
Ireland Bank of Ireland --
Israel Bank Hapoalim B.M. --
Italy Banque Paribas --
Ivory Coast Societe Generale de Banques --
en Cote d'Ivoire
Jamaica Scotiabank Jamaica Trust and Merchant --
Bank Ltd.
Japan The Fuji Bank, Limited Japan Securities Depository
Center
Sumitomo Bank, Ltd.
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SCHEDULE A
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
SUBCUSTODIANS AND NON-MANDATORY DEPOSITORIES
Country Subcustodian Non-Mandatory Depositories
Jordan British Bank of the Middle East --
(as delegate of The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited)
Kenya Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited --
Republic of Korea The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation Limited
Latvia JSC Hansabank-Latvija --
Lebanon British Bank of the Middle East
(as delegate of The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited)
Lithuania Vilniaus Bankas AB --
Malaysia Standard Chartered Bank --
Malaysia Berhad
Mauritius The Hongkong and Shanghai --
Banking Corporation Limited
Mexico Citibank Mexico, S.A. --
Morocco Banque Commerciale du Maroc --
Namibia (via) Standard Bank of South Africa -
The Netherlands MeesPierson N.V. --
New Zealand ANZ Banking Group --
(New Zealand) Limited
Norway Christiania Bank og --
Kreditkasse
Oman British Bank of the Middle East --
(as delegate of The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited)
Pakistan Deutsche Bank AG --
Peru Citibank, N.A. --
Philippines Standard Chartered Bank --
|
SCHEDULE A
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
SUBCUSTODIANS AND NON-MANDATORY DEPOSITORIES
Country Subcustodian Non-Mandatory Depositories
Poland Citibank (Poland) S.A. --
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.
Portugal Banco Comercial Portugues --
Romania ING Bank N.V. --
Russia Credit Suisse First Boston AO, Moscow --
(as delegate of Credit Suisse
First Boston, Zurich)
Singapore The Development Bank --
of Singapore Limited
Slovak Republic Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka, A.S. --
Slovenia Bank Austria d.d. Ljubljana --
South Africa Standard Bank of South Africa Limited --
Spain Banco Santander, S.A. --
Sri Lanka The Hongkong and Shanghai --
Banking Corporation Limited
Swaziland Standard Bank Swaziland Limited --
Sweden Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken --
Switzerland UBS AG --
Taiwan - R.O.C. Central Trust of China --
Thailand Standard Chartered Bank --
Trinidad & Tobago Republic Bank Limited --
Tunisia Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie --
Turkey Citibank, N.A. --
Ottoman Bank
Ukraine ING Bank, Ukraine --
United Kingdom State Street Bank and Trust Company, --
London Branch
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SCHEDULE A
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
SUBCUSTODIANS AND NON-MANDATORY DEPOSITORIES
Country Subcustodian Non-Mandatory Depositories Uruguay Citibank, N.A. -- Venezuela Citibank, N.A. -- Zambia Barclays Bank of Zambia Limited -- Zimbabwe Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe Limited -- Euroclear (The Euroclear System)/State Street London Limited Cedel, S.A. (Cedel Bank, societe anonyme)/State Street London Limited INTERSETTLE (for EASDAQ Securities) |
SCHEDULE B
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
MANDATORY* DEPOSITORIES
Country Mandatory Depositories
Argentina Caja de Valores S.A.
Australia Austraclear Limited
Reserve Bank Information and
Transfer System
Austria Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG
(Wertpapiersammelbank Division)
Belgium Caisse Interprofessionnelle de Depot et
de Virement de Titres S.A.
Banque Nationale de Belgique
Brazil Companhia Brasileira de Liquidacao e
Custodia (CBLC)
Bolsa de Valores de Rio de Janeiro
All SSB clients presently use CBLC
Central de Custodia e de Liquidacao
Financeira de Titulos
Bulgaria Central Depository AD
Bulgarian National Bank
Canada The Canadian Depository
for Securities Limited
People's Republic Shanghai Securities Central Clearing and
of China Registration Corporation
Shenzhen Securities Central Clearing
Costa Rica Central de Valores S.A. (CEVAL)
Croatia Ministry of Finance
National Bank of Croatia
Czech Republic Stredisko cennych papiru(degree)
Czech National Bank
Denmark Vaerdipapircentralen (the Danish
Securities Center)
|
SCHEDULE B
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
MANDATORY* DEPOSITORIES
Country Mandatory Depositories
Egypt Misr Company for Clearing, Settlement,
and Central Depository
Estonia Eesti Vaartpaberite Keskdepositoorium
Finland The Finnish Central Securities
Depository
France Societe Interprofessionnelle
pour la Compensation des
Valeurs Mobilieres (SICOVAM)
Germany Deutsche Borse Clearing AG
Greece The Central Securities Depository
(Apothetirion Titlon AE)
Hong Kong The Central Clearing and
Settlement System
Central Money Markets Unit
Hungary The Central Depository and Clearing
House (Budapest) Ltd. (KELER)
[Mandatory for Gov't Bonds only;
SSB does not use for other securities]
India The National Securities Depository Limited
Indonesia Bank Indonesia
Ireland Central Bank of Ireland
Securities Settlement Office
Israel The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Clearing
House Ltd.
Bank of Israel
Italy Monte Titoli S.p.A.
Banca d'Italia
Ivory Coast Depositaire Central - Banque de Reglement
Jamaica The Jamaican Central Securities Depository
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SCHEDULE B
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
MANDATORY* DEPOSITORIES
Country Mandatory Depositories
Japan Bank of Japan Net System
Kenya Central Bank of Kenya
Republic of Korea Korea Securities Depository Corporation
Latvia The Latvian Central Depository
Lebanon The Custodian and Clearing Center of Financial
Instruments for Lebanon and the Middle East
(MIDCLEAR) S.A.L.
The Central Bank of Lebanon
Lithuania The Central Securities Depository of Lithuania
Malaysia The Malaysian Central Depository Sdn. Bhd.
Bank Negara Malaysia,Scripless Securities Trading
and Safekeeping System
Mauritius The Central Depository & Settlement
Co. Ltd.
Mexico S.D. INDEVAL, S.A. de C.V.
(Instituto para el Deposito de
Valores)
Morocco Maroclear
The Netherlands Nederlands Centraal Instituut voor
Giraal Effectenverkeer B.V. (NECIGEF)
De Nederlandsche Bank N.V.
New Zealand New Zealand Central Securities
Depository Limited
Norway Verdipapirsentralen (the Norwegian
Registry of Securities)
Oman Muscat Securities Market
Pakistan Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited
|
SCHEDULE B
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
MANDATORY* DEPOSITORIES
Country Mandatory Depositories
Peru Caja de Valores y Liquidaciones S.A.
(CAVALI)
Philippines The Philippines Central Depository, Inc.
The Registry of Scripless Securities
(ROSS) of the Bureau of the Treasury
Poland The National Depository of Securities
(Krajowy Depozyt Papierow Wartosciowych)
Central Treasury Bills Registrar
Portugal Central de Valores Mobiliarios (Central)
Romania National Securities Clearing, Settlement and
Depository Co.
Bucharest Stock Exchange Registry Division
Singapore The Central Depository (Pte)
Limited
Monetary Authority of Singapore
Slovak Republic Stredisko Cennych Papierov
National Bank of Slovakia
Slovenia Klirinsko Depotna Druzba d.d.
South Africa The Central Depository Limited
Spain Servicio de Compensacion y
Liquidacion de Valores, S.A.
Banco de Espana,
Central de Anotaciones en Cuenta
Sri Lanka Central Depository System
(Pvt) Limited
Sweden Vardepapperscentralen AB
|
SCHEDULE B
GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK
MANDATORY* DEPOSITORIES
(the Swedish Central Securities Depository)
Country Mandatory Depositories
Switzerland Schweizerische Effekten - Giro AG
Taiwan - R.O.C. The Taiwan Securities Central
Depository Co., Ltd.
Thailand Thailand Securities Depository
Company Limited
Tunisia Societe Tunisienne Interprofessionelle de
Compensation et de Depot de
Valeurs Mobilieres
Central Bank of Tunisia
Tunisian Treasury
Turkey Takas ve Saklama Bankasi A.S.
(TAKASBANK)
Central Bank of Turkey
Ukraine The National Bank of Ukraine
United Kingdom The Bank of England,
The Central Gilts Office and
The Central Moneymarkets Office
Uruguay Central Bank of Uruguay
Venezuela Central Bank of Venezuela
Zambia Lusaka Central Depository Limited
|
Bank of Zambia
SCHEDULE C
MARKET INFORMATION
Publication/Type of Information Brief Description
------------------------------- -----------------
(Frequency)
The Guide to Custody in World Markets An overview of safekeeping and settlement
------------------------------------- practices and procedures in each market in which
(annually) State Street Bank and Trust Company offers
custodial services.
Global Custody Network Review Information relating to the operating history
----------------------------- and structure of depositories and subcustodians
(annually) located in the markets in which State Street
Bank and Trust Company offers custodial
services, including transnational depositories.
Global Legal Survey With respect to each market in which State
------------------- Street Bank and Trust Company offers custodial
(annually) services, opinions relating to whether local law
restricts (i) access of a fund's independent
public accountants to books and records of a
Foreign Sub-Custodian or Foreign Securities
System, (ii) the Fund's ability to recover in
the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of a
Foreign Sub-Custodian or Foreign Securities
System, (iii) the Fund's ability to recover in
the event of a loss by a Foreign Sub-Custodian
or Foreign Securities System, and (iv) the
ability of a foreign investor to convert cash
and cash equivalents to U.S. dollars.
Subcustodian Agreements Copies of the subcustodian contracts State Street
----------------------- Bank and Trust Company has entered into with each
(annually) subcustodian in the markets in which State
Street Bank and Trust Company offers subcustody
services to its US mutual fund clients.
Network Bulletins (weekly): Developments of interest to investors in the
markets in which State Street Bank and Trust
Company offers custodial services.
Foreign Custody Advisories (as With respect to markets in which State Street
necessary): Bank and Trust Company offers custodial services
which exhibit special custody risks, developments
which may impact State Street's ability to
deliver expected levels of service.
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Exhibit k.2
ORGANIZATIONAL AND
OFFERING EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 19th day of November, 2002, by and between PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), and PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Adviser have separately entered into an Investment Management Agreement dated November 19, 2002 (the "Management Agreement");
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, and in connection with the establishment and commencement of operations of the Fund, it is hereby agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:
1. The Adviser agrees to reimburse the Fund for expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with the organization of the Fund if the initial public offering is not completed. The Adviser also agrees that if the initial public offering occurs, the Adviser will bear the organizational expenses and the costs of the initial offering of common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund ("shares") to the extent such organizational and offering expenses exceed $0.03 per share. The expenses for which the Fund is being reimbursed pursuant to this Agreement do not include (i) Management Fees payable by the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement and (ii) any sales load or underwriting discount paid by shareholders, but do include any reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Fund's underwriters in connection with the initial public offering.
2. This Agreement may be terminated only by the vote of (a) the Board of Trustees of the Fund, including the vote of the members of the Board who are not "interested persons" of the Fund within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and (b) a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
3. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder shall not be thereby affected.
4. The Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, including any amendments thereto, is on file with the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Agreement is executed on behalf of the Fund by the Fund's officers as officers and not individually and the obligations imposed upon the Fund by this Agreement are not binding upon any of the Fund's Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fund and the Adviser have caused this Agreement to be executed on the day and year above written.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
----------------------------------
Name: Brian S. Shlissel
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
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PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
By: /s/ Newton B. Schott, Jr.
----------------------------------
Name: Newton B. Schott, Jr.
Title: Managing Director
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Exhibit l.
December 19, 2002
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund
c/o PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund (the "Fund") in connection with the Registration Statement of the Fund on Form N-2 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (File No. 333-100699), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (File No. 811-21238), with respect to certain of its common shares of beneficial interest (the "Common Shares"). The Common Shares are to be sold pursuant to a Purchase Agreement substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the "Purchase Agreement") among the Fund, PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and the other underwriters named therein.
We have examined the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust on file in the office of the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as amended (the "Declaration of Trust"), and the Fund's Bylaws, as amended, and are familiar with the actions taken by the Fund in connection with the issuance and sale of the Common Shares. We have also examined such other documents and records as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of this opinion.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Fund is a duly organized and validly existing unincorporated voluntary association with transferable shares under and by virtue of the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. The Common Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and, except as described in the following paragraph, nonassessable by the Fund.
PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund -2- December 19, 2002
The Fund is an entity of the type commonly known as a "Massachusetts business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund and requires that a notice of such disclaimer be given in each note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking entered into or executed by the Fund or its Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of the property of the Fund for all loss and expense of any shareholder of the Fund held personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder's incurring financial loss on account of being a shareholder is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations.
We understand that this opinion is to be used in connection with the registration of the Common Shares for offering and sale pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We consent to the filing of this opinion with and as part of the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm in the related prospectus under the captions "Tax Matters" and "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours
/s/ Ropes & Gray Ropes & Gray |
Exhibit n.
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form N-2 of our report dated December 17, 2002, relating to the statement of assets and liabilities of PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund as of December 16, 2002 and the related statement of operations for the one day then ended. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Independent Accountants" in such Registration Statement.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP
New York, New York
December 23, 2002
Exhibit p.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
Subscription Agreement
This Agreement made this 19th day of November, 2002, by and between PIMCO Corporate Opportunity Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), and PIMCO Advisors Fund Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Subscriber");
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund has been formed for the purposes of carrying on business as a closed-end management investment company; and
WHEREAS, the Subscriber has been selected by the Fund's Board of Trustees to serve as investment manager to the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Subscriber wishes to subscribe for and purchase, and the Fund wishes to sell to the Subscriber, 6,981 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.00001 (the "Shares"), for a purchase price of $14.325 per share;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:
1. The Subscriber subscribes for and agrees to purchase from the Fund the Shares for a purchase price of $14.325 per Share and an aggregate purchase price of $100,002.83. Subscriber agrees to make payment for the Shares at such time as demand for payment may be made by an officer of the Fund.
2. The Fund agrees to issue and sell said Shares to Subscriber promptly upon its receipt of the aggregate purchase price.
3. To induce the Fund to accept its subscription and issue the Shares subscribed for, the Subscriber represents that it is informed as follows:
(a) That the Shares being subscribed for have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"), or registered or qualified under the securities laws of any state;
(b) That the Shares will be sold by the Fund in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act;
(c) That the Fund's reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is predicated in part on the representations and agreements contained in this Subscription Agreement;
(d) That when issued, the Shares will be "restricted securities" as defined in paragraph (a)(3) of Rule 144 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act ("Rule 144") and cannot be sold or transferred by Subscriber unless they are subsequently registered under the Securities Act or unless an exemption from such registration is available; and
(e) That there do not appear to be any exemptions from the registration provisions of the Securities Act available to the Subscriber for resale of the Shares. In the future, certain exemptions may possibly become available, including an exemption for limited sales in accordance with the conditions of Rule 144.
The Subscriber understands that a primary purpose of the information acknowledged in subparagraphs (a) through (e) above is to put the Subscriber on notice as to restrictions on the transferability of the Shares.
4. To further induce the Fund to accept its subscription and issue the Shares subscribed for, the Subscriber:
(a) Represents and warrants that the Shares subscribed for are being and will be acquired for investment for its own account and not on behalf of any other person or persons and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, any public distribution thereof; and
(b) Agrees that any certificates representing the Shares subscribed for may bear a legend substantially in the following form:
The shares represented by this certificate have been acquired for investment and have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or any other federal or state securities law. These shares may not be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred unless registered under said securities laws or unless some exemption from registration is available.
(c) Consents, as the sole holder of the Fund's common shares of beneficial interest and pursuant to Section 23(b)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, to the issuance by the Fund of common shares of beneficial interest at a price per share as set forth in the underwriting agreement relating to the public offering of the common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund.
5. This Subscription Agreement and all of its provisions shall be binding upon the legal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns of the parties hereto. This Subscription Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original.
6. The Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, including any amendments thereto, is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Agreement is executed on behalf of the Fund by an officer or Trustee of the Fund as an officer or Trustee, as the case may be, and not individually, and the obligations imposed upon the Fund by this Subscription Agreement are not binding upon any of the Fund's Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Subscription Agreement has been executed by the parties hereto as of the day and date first above written.
PIMCO CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY FUND
By: /s/ Brian S. Shlissel
-------------------------------------------
Name: Brian S. Shlissel
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
|
PIMCO ADVISORS FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
By: /s/ Newton B. Schott, Jr.
-------------------------------------------
Name: Newton B. Schott, Jr.
Title: Managing Director
|